Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 78

The young couple, sharing the same goal, easily convinced the concerned couple and staff who were now very worried about Lin Qi. After all, the hospital had said yesterday that they couldn’t find any physical abnormalities, yet she remained unconscious. The fear of brain death had the production team on edge.

If she were alone in the hotel and fainted again, there’d be no way to handle it.

The staff handed them both key cards to the hotel room coincidentally, the room number was 520. Understanding the meaning behind the number, Jiang Ming grinned and winked at Lin Qi. “Then I’ll stay with you at the hotel tonight.”

“Okay.”

Lin Qi, too, had her own thoughts. After the incident in the other world, though she appeared carefree on the surface like a goofy husky she was, in truth, a sensitive girl. She just couldn’t afford to be more fragile than Jiang Ming, who was already vulnerable.

After all, if even she showed sadness, wouldn’t they just end up in silence together?

Tonight.

She wanted to finish what they hadn’t gotten to do.

After the hospital confirmed Lin Qi was in perfect health, she coaxed her childish mother into leaving, not that she couldn’t see the smug grins her dad and Jiang Ming were secretly exchanging!

A classic case of “out of sight, out of mind.” Those two were thoroughly amused watching her and her stubborn mother, who refused to let her go.

They took a taxi to the hotel. The driver was a young, spirited female alpha, sharp and chatty. Both Lin Qi and Jiang Ming wore masks, sitting quietly in the backseat, until the woman frowned slightly, her gaze flickering through the rearview mirror at the seemingly intimate pair behind her.

“What were you laughing about earlier? You didn’t even help me. Mom’s so childish annoyingly so,” Lin Qi muttered under her breath.

Seeing the fox-like eyes glint with even more amusement, she laced their fingers together and leaned in. “I’m punishing you tonight.”

Far from intimidated, Jiang Ming raised an eyebrow provocatively, the once-timid rabbit now a teasing fox. Her voice, muffled by the mask, carried a soft, lingering warmth. “How?”

“Ahem, excuse me… are you Lin Qi and Jiang Ming?”

Before Lin Qi could continue her playful banter with the increasingly bold kitten, the driver’s question caught her off guard. She laughed awkwardly, unsure whether to say “yes” or “no.”

If she admitted it, how would she explain the flirting just now?

Pure roommate vibes?

No one would buy that!

And if she denied it, what if they were asked to remove their masks? Could they really claim to be doppelgängers from plastic surgery?

“Yeah, did you watch our show?”

Unburdened by such concerns, Jiang Ming smiled, pulling down her mask and snuggling even closer to Lin Qi, as if she wanted to be misunderstood.

Whether it was her imagination or not, Lin Qi stiffened slightly, her grip tightening around Jiang Ming’s hand. A strange warmth stirred in her chest. This girl’s actions…

She must really want to be with her openly.

At the very least, to keep holding her hand boldly, even after being recognized.

The other free hand followed the girl beside her and removed the mask from her face, revealing a pale yet striking countenance, like a wounded female general on the battlefield, valiant and heroic, yet displaying a rare glimpse of vulnerability.

Lin Qi smiled. “Yeah, it’s us. You follow talent shows too? Any favorite contestants?”

The woman glanced at the rearview mirror and nodded. “I do. But my favorite is Qin Wei.”

Qin Wei, of all people?

Having spent three days with this gentle and introverted team leader, Lin Qi had developed quite a fondness for her. After all, she was someone who loved the stage, though her reserved nature meant she rarely sought the spotlight. The boldest move she’d probably made was choosing to be the center of the snapback group.

To hear someone declare so firmly, “Qin Wei is my favorite,” Lin Qi, who also adored the stage nodded approvingly. “You have great taste.”

The woman cast a meaningful glance at Lin Qi, who seemed utterly sincere, then at Jiang Ming, who was idly toying with their intertwined fingers. Lowering her gaze, she continued driving toward the hotel near the fan-meet venue.

Along the way, her voice dropped slightly, carrying the provocative warmth unique to female alphas. “Your taste isn’t bad either.”

It’s just that Qin Wei’s taste isn’t great.

Leaving the unspoken thought unsaid, the woman dropped them off at the hotel entrance and quickly drove away.

Time always passed too quickly. Noticing the dark circles under Jiang Ming’s eyes, Lin Qi realized she had spent the entire night worrying about her, sleepless. Heart aching, she stubbornly pulled Jiang Ming onto the two meter wide bed for a nap.

Holding the sweet, soft woman in her arms felt so blissful that Lin Qi ended up falling asleep too. By the time she woke again, staff were already knocking on their door, warning them they’d be late for the fan meet.

Exhausted and groggy, Lin Qi obediently changed into the pink uniform worn during the theme song performance. The stunningly beautiful woman sat in a chair backstage, so tired her eyes kept involuntarily closing. Seeing her pallid, fragile state, the makeup artist worked her magic, giving Lin Qi a vampire-inspired look, sickly pale skin paired with deep crimson lips, radiating danger and irresistible allure.

She finally snapped awake as the lift platform slowly ascended. Unconsciously, Lin Qi licked the faux fangs the makeup artist had applied, unaware the camera was fixed squarely on her as the center. Instantly, the audience erupted.

The sight of her pink tongue brushing against sharp fangs, combined with Lin Qi’s naturally lazy, effortless charm, was broadcast on the big screen. It wasn’t just the fans screaming “hubby” in frenzy, Jiang Ming beside her first raised a brow, her gaze gradually darkening.

She seemed surprised by this version of Lin Qi, as if the woman’s aggressive aura had struck a sensitive nerve or, in simpler terms, pushed all the right buttons.

Clueless about the sudden uproar, Lin Qi shot Jiang Ming a confused look, silently asking, What’s going on? In response, Jiang Ming took her hand, moved the headset mic away from her lips, and smiled sweetly. “I’ll tell you later… in the hotel bed.”
What the hell??

Unaware that her unconscious lick of her teeth had just stirred Jiang Ming’s desire, Lin Qi instead felt herself being teased by this little wildcat who smiled sweetly and uttered such provocative words hotel bed?

Seemed like they were on the same wavelength.

The meet-and-greet proceedings had already begun, and the host interrupted Lin Qi’s train of thought. “Next up, let’s have contestants from first to ninth place introduce themselves.”

Having passed out the day before, how could she have known the ranking for the mentor collaboration stage? Lin Qi thought that since she hadn’t even performed, there was no way she could be in first place. Yet, everyone’s eyes turned toward her, and for a moment, she was stunned.

“I’m first place?”

The host nodded helplessly, smoothing things over for her. “Most of the fans here probably already know this, but contestant Lin Qi fainted before her performance yesterday, so it’s completely understandable that she wouldn’t know the rankings.”

To say she wasn’t moved would be a lie. Her eyes reddened slightly. Having been an idol for so long, Lin Qi still didn’t quite understand what her appeal was, why so many people adored her. Even now, despite not performing at all, her fans had voted her into first place.

With a sigh, she lowered her voice, suppressing the tremble of emotion. “Hello everyone, I’m Lin Qi. About yesterday’s hospital visit, it really wasn’t anything serious, so please don’t worry about me. Also, thank you all so much for your constant support and love. I promise to bring you even better work in the future. Thank you.”

Though her words might have sounded a bit formal, they were spoken with the utmost sincerity. Never one for eloquence, she bent at the waist, bowing deeply at a ninety-degree angle to her fans below the stage.

The host teased, “As expected of ‘Official Qi’ not a single word out of place.”

“Official Qi” was a nickname some fans jokingly used because Lin Qi’s speeches were always so proper, unlike other contestants who often cracked jokes or strayed off-script.

But truth be told, she didn’t like the nickname. In her past life, she had started out just as lively and humorous as the others. But after debuting and becoming the group’s leader, she had to represent them in all official statements, and over time, she grew increasingly “official.”

Her heartfelt words had been misunderstood.

A pang of sadness struck her inexplicably. Lin Qi lowered her head, only to suddenly feel someone take her hand. She looked up to see Jiang Ming, whose eyes were filled with reassurance. With their earpieces on, they couldn’t whisper to each other, so Jiang Ming simply gave her hand a gentle shake and smiled warmly.

Amidst all the laughter and chatter, only the girl beside her had noticed her low spirits.

Perhaps this was why she liked Jiang Ming. Sensitivity had its perks like how she always picked up on even the slightest shift in Lin Qi’s mood, then wrapped her in soft, protective wings.

That day, waking from a nightmare, the first thing Lin Qi saw was Jiang Ming’s gentle face under the lamplight, and in that moment, she knew her stagnant heart had been captured.

“Alright, second place stop being all lovey-dovey with first place.”

As if electrocuted, Jiang Ming let go of her hand, her pretty face flushing with shyness. She clasped her hands behind her back, fingers fidgeting nervously. This was her first meet-and-greet, and she felt inexplicably tense. Her gaze flickered subtly toward Lin Qi, as if seeking courage, before she finally spoke. “Hello everyone, I’m Jiang Ming.”

“Wow, is Jiang Ming still this quiet?”

Lin Qi was already starting to dislike the male omega host. Frowning, he muttered under his breath, “She’s shy. It’s normal for her to speak less.”

“Official Qi doesn’t seem very official when it comes to Jiang Ming, does he? So protective of your own?”

Before Lin Qi could respond further, Qin Wei, who had placed fourth, interjected with a sharp tone, “Brother, just stick to hosting, alright?”