After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 16

Mu Huayue glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows of her office and casually pressed the remote to lower the blinds, blocking out the harsh sunlight. She then searched for last night’s recording of “Show Youth” on her phone.

The silly girl on stage was completely different from her usual self. She didn’t seem foolish at all; her gaze was sharp, her stage presence steady, and her singing voice beautiful, rivaling even the young pop divas Mu Huayue had once mentored.

This should have been a source of pride, yet Mu Huayue frowned deeply. Xia Weixi looked so much like an Alpha in this performance—would anyone suspect?

She opened the live comments and, as expected, saw a message flash across the screen: “Sis is so A!” The nails of her fingers, gripping the phone, pressed into the screen, leaving red marks. As the video continued playing automatically, the music changed, and the stern-faced girl suddenly blinked and bounced on her toes like a nimble little rabbit.

The comments erupted again: “Ah! She’s the cutest Omega ever!”

Most people still saw her as an Omega.

The frown lines between Mu Huayue’s brows slowly relaxed. She rewound the video to rewatch Xia Youxi’s final wink, letting out a soft hum through her nose. “She really is quite adorable.”

She fast-forwarded through the mentors’ critiques to watch Xia Youxi ascend the Throne and wink at the camera, a smile unconsciously curving her lips.

Just then, a subordinate arrived to report on work matters. Mu Huayue paused the recording and immersed herself in her duties until lunchtime. As she passed the break room, she overheard someone discussing how pitiful Yousey was. Remembering she hadn’t finished watching the recording, she returned to her office and resumed playback.

What a cute little sweet bean! She’d be a good match for Sister Fei!

The first thing Mu Huayue saw upon resuming the recording was someone shipping the “silly cat” with someone else. Her brow furrowed slightly. Sister Fei? Who’s that?

She rewound and paused the recording, staring at Ying Feifei’s infatuated gaze toward Xia Youxi on the screen. A hint of disdain gradually surfaced in her eyes. That stinky Alpha who made her misunderstand the silly girl.

How could anyone be so blind as to think she’s worthy of the silly girl?

Mu Huayue couldn’t help but sneer. “Before long, you won’t see her anymore.”

She resumed playback and fast-forwarded to the later segments, finally witnessing Xia Youxi’s competition against two other contestants. The absurd demotion from A to B, and the Throne being usurped by that scowling Omega named Guan He.

She noticed that when the silly girl tore off the “A” and replaced it with a “B,” her smile was strained, her eyes tinged with red. Even as she sat down, her lips pressed into a tight smile, she appeared outwardly composed, but her hands beneath the table must have been clenched into fists.

Mu Huayue set down her coffee, dragged the progress bar to the final room selection segment, and precisely skipped to the moment Xia Youxi drew her number. Seeing her number marked with a star, Mu Huayue initially thought the girl was grinning foolishly because she’d won a prize. But as Xia Youxi was led to her room, her smile gradually stiffened, her legs hung limply, and she clung to the doorway, refusing to enter.

“Such a fool,” Mu Huayue scoffed.

But she couldn’t entirely blame the silly girl. Who would willingly enter such a place? A windowless basement room with a straw bed and shared washing facilities outside—it was less a private room and more a prison cell.

Mu Huayue had deliberately chosen this accommodation for Xia Youxi, originally intending to teach her a lesson for her audacity. Now, however, her thoughts drifted to: Did she really stay in a place like that last night?

She opened the “Adorable Pet Diary” app and played the audio recording from Xia Youxi’s room after she checked in. The silly girl hadn’t even thought of Mu Huayue; she’d merely sighed, blaming her bad luck and even feeling relieved she hadn’t been assigned to the Omega Room, fearing she might ruin someone else’s reputation.

“Why is she so foolish?”

Mu Huayue lowered her gaze and sighed softly. She summoned Wu Wei and instructed, “Tell the Show Youth Production Team to immediately reorganize the room assignments.”

“Understood, CEO Mu,” Wu Wei said, backing out of the office. In the hallway, she bumped into Wen An and immediately grilled her, “Do you think CEO Mu is actually serious about that Xia girl? She saw how run-down her room was and immediately ordered a room reassignment.”

Wen An, her face as impassive as a poker chip, replied, “Unspeakable, unspeakable.”

Wu Wei rolled her eyes. “You’re just a shut-in pretending to be a Buddhist master. That Xia girl doesn’t even look smart enough to deserve Artemis. Our CEO Mu is beautiful, powerful, and brilliant—she should shine alone! Hey, why are you walking so fast? Wait for me!”

Wen An had no intention of waiting. Toxic solo stans and shipping fans have nothing in common, she thought. For the sake of our fragile friendship, better to stay silent.

Xia Youxi remained blissfully unaware of her “wifeless” status as she practiced the theme song in the B Class rehearsal room. The dance mentor overseeing the session was none other than Ying Feifei, their relationship still shrouded in mystery. Following Ying Feifei’s instructions, Xia Youxi executed several dance steps. To her surprise, Ying Feifei praised her lavishly, “Excellent! Keep up the good work and aim to return to A Class next time.”

This attitude was a stark contrast to their first encounter. Puzzled, Xia Youxi wandered outside during a break and ran into Ying Feifei again. Ying Feifei’s eyes narrowed slightly as she smiled warmly and beckoned Xia Youxi to follow her to their usual spot.

The spot was behind the room, nestled against a large tree, shady and secluded.

Ying Feifei first found the least conspicuous place to stand, then turned to Xia Youxi with a smile. “Honey, I knew you still cared about me. Stop pretending and come here. Let me help you analyze things.”

Xia Youxi froze, asking, “Analyze what?”

Ying Feifei reached out to pull her closer, but Xia Youxi, disliking her touchy-feely manner, quickly sidestepped. “There are too many people around. It wouldn’t look good if we were seen together. Just say what you want to say.”

Ying Feifei raised an eyebrow. “Fine. Then we’ll get intimate when no one’s around.” She beckoned Xia Youxi with a flick of her wrist. Xia Youxi took a token half-step forward, and Ying Feifei continued, “I can see you’ve worked hard to follow me, but in this industry, talent alone isn’t enough. You need to know how to play the game—what to do and what not to do.”

Xia Youxi understood this basic principle perfectly well, but she remained silent, staring at Ying Feifei.

Ying Feifei chuckled. “Don’t sulk. Luckily, you still have me. Your hubby will help you.”

The greasy internet trope has arrived.

Help…

Xia Youxi wanted to facepalm but restrained herself. “How do you plan to help me?”

Ying Feifei reached out again, but Xia Youxi pointed to the camera ten meters away. The greasy, eccentric mentor shrugged, her tone pointed: “Of course, it all depends on your performance. Baby, you’ve offended a big shot, you know?”

Why is the nickname getting even more greasy?

Xia Youxi began to question the novel’s appeal. Had she only followed this story for its steamy scenes and absurd plot?

It seems that’s exactly why…

Xia Youxi was speechless at herself. She finally couldn’t help but frown. “Of course I know.”

Mu Huayue, with her electric shocks and Green Chat silence… She probably even influenced last night’s room assignments. She’s so hard to appease.

But the “big shot” Ying Feifei meant was someone else entirely. “Just so you know, don’t provoke Miss Guan. She’s the daughter of a high-ranking official and is guaranteed to debut. Don’t even think about taking the center position later. I heard she wants to debut as the center, so don’t steal her spotlight.”

In truth, the daughter of a high-ranking official had more room for negotiation than the daughter of an investor.

Xia Youxi felt a flicker of hope and casually hummed in acknowledgment.

Seeing her listless demeanor, Ying Feifei tried to encourage her. “Don’t be sad. You can’t reach the big shots, but you still have the people right in front of you.”

She lowered her head, a mischievous glint hidden in her eyes, making Xia Youxi uneasy. Her words only deepened the discomfort: “Living in that thatched hut in the basement must be terribly uncomfortable, right? Call me ‘good sister,’ and I’ll get you a proper blanket.”

“No need,” Xia Youxi replied with a smile. “I heard a firm mattress is good for my back. Thank you for your kindness, Mentor. I’m going back to practice now.”

Xia Youxi turned and left, mentally rolling her eyes. Ying Feifei’s déjà vu was overwhelming; she reminded her too much of the incompetent show-offs she’d encountered before. She couldn’t fathom how the original owner of this body had ever been drawn to her.

Her mind still reeling with exasperation, Xia Youxi returned to the practice room and found Sibe, the 1.8-meter-tall wolf-tailed beauty, dancing awkwardly with mismatched limbs. Her foul mood instantly lifted. She walked over to offer guidance: “Come on, follow me. Put your hand behind you here.”

“Oh, okay,” Sibe mimicked her movements like an obedient elementary school student.

That evening, another pleasant surprise awaited Xia Youxi. The Production Team had organized a game of Pictionary, dividing all the contestants into groups based on their current rankings. The group with the highest score would win the chance to re-select their dorm rooms.

Sibe perked up immediately. “Yousey, sis, let’s go! This thatched hut is awful. We’ll all work together to get you a better room!”

Xia Youxi was known for her kindness, often helping her teammates with their movements. The members of Group B adored her, and when they heard the challenge, they immediately rallied, declaring they couldn’t lose to F Class.

When asked why not A Class, Group B replied, “They have more people and greater strength.”

Ying Feifei, the host, burst into laughter. “Haha, very well! But we’ll keep it fair. Each group can only send two members at a time, up to a maximum of ten. I’ll fill in for A Class’s missing members. Now, groups, take your positions. Let’s begin!” Her gaze lingered briefly on Xia Youxi as she added, “This is a hard-earned opportunity. Give it your all!”

Was she implying she arranged this?

Honestly, Xia Youxi didn’t quite believe it. But with the chance to secure better accommodations right in front of her, she volunteered to compete. Partnering with Sibe, she showcased her strong acting skills, though Sibe’s bizarre knowledge base often dragged her down, inadvertently providing the most comedic moments of the event.

For example, when the prompt was “Youthful Bloom,” Xia Youxi first gestured a square, then pointed to the moon in the sky. Sibe immediately shouted, “I know! It’s Fang Tian’s Painted Halberd!”

Xia Youxi gave a thumbs-up and tried to get Sibe to guess the first two characters, but she kept getting the rest wrong, guessing “Black Sky” or “Airplane.” Finally, Xia Youxi couldn’t take it anymore and blurted out, “What’s Ba Feng’s Gorgeous CEO Sister’s name?”

Sibe was stumped, and the countdown timer ran out, costing them the point. Fortunately, her teammates pulled through, and B Class won by a narrow margin, earning Xia Youxi the chance to change rooms.

Of course, she still couldn’t choose her room; it was randomly selected from the available suites in the mansion. Xia Youxi clapped as the screen scrolled, and the image froze on a spacious suite complete with a living room, bathroom, and bedroom. It had windows, a bathtub, and a cozy-looking bed—a world apart from the cramped basement she’d been staying in.

Sibe looked on enviously. “Ah, I wish I could live with you!”

Absolutely not!

A sharp glance darted their way—it was Ying Feifei. Annoyed by her, Xia Youxi deliberately asked, “Mentor Ying, is that allowed?”

Ying Feifei forced a smile. “Of course not. This is Yousey’s personal perk.”

“Fine.”

Not even in your dreams.

Xia Youxi happily dragged her luggage into the luxurious mansion. Surprisingly, the room was located far from the contestants’ area, and she was the only occupant of the entire villa, as if it had been specially prepared for her.

This clearly wasn’t Ying Feifei’s doing. How dare she take credit for it at the end of the event? The nerve!

Xia Youxi mentally scoffed, then surveyed the room. She noticed that the other rooms in the villa lacked surveillance cameras. Even the bathtub held a gift box. When she opened it, she found a Western fantasy-style jumpsuit dress with a gauzy skirt, vaguely resembling a magical girl’s outfit from an anime.

Buzz, buzz.

Two vibrations came from the box. Xia Youxi retrieved a smartwatch from a small pouch. The watch contained only one app: a green icon. Tapping it revealed a contact list. The profile picture, a moonlit scene favored by the elderly, showed her familiar tsundere sister, Mu Huayue.

Finally managed to coax her into making up!

Xia Youxi smiled and tapped the watch screen to reply: Thank you, Sister! I love it!

She wanted to send a few cat emojis, but the watch only had the default ones. Reluctantly, she chose a random meme pack recommended by the algorithm.

Love

A cat emoji labeled “Love you, muah!”