After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 18

“You can beg me?”

Xia Youxi raised an eyebrow, momentarily stunned, almost forgetting the euphoria she had felt just moments before.

She had poured her heart into showcasing her training over the past few days, and her group performance with B Class had been flawless. Yet the judges still refused to promote her, keeping her in B Class. Their reason? She hadn’t stood out enough within her group. They even expressed “regret” about it.

Regret? What a joke. It was clearly just an excuse.

She had also watched the A Class members’ performances, especially Guan He’s. The Young Miss had clearly worked hard, but lacked natural talent. Her steps were correct, but her movements were stiff, like a robot trying to dance—and failing even at robotic dance.

Ultimately, someone on the Production Team was deliberately holding her back.

Dejected, she slumped back into her seat. Sibe’s comforting words beside her barely registered. All she could think was, This is it. I’ll probably be eliminated after the First Stage.

Then Sibe suddenly slapped her shoulder, snapping her out of her daze. The judges had just announced a new rule: anyone could compete for the Center Position, as long as they received enough votes.

It was good news, but with her current lack of exposure, her chances seemed slim.

Xia Youxi couldn’t believe that with her limited screen time, she could actually win the First Center position. Given how rigged the competition seemed, she wouldn’t be surprised if the results were rigged too. Yet, despite knowing the odds were slim, she still clung to a sliver of hope as the results were announced. Her fingers gripped her clothes tightly, her eyes glued to the giant screen.

The names of all the contestants flashed by rapidly, one after another. As the countdown ticked closer to zero, she thought she saw Guan He’s name. Her nails dug into her palms. She lowered her head, gritting her teeth to suppress her frustration and resentment. Just then, a sudden roar erupted from the crowd. Sibe, who was standing nearby, clapped enthusiastically and congratulated her, “Aiya, my little sister! You’re amazing!”

Lifting her tear-filled eyes, she saw “Yousey” displayed on the screen. A woman who had weathered countless storms couldn’t help but shed a few tears in this moment.

She—she had actually witnessed a miracle.

Wiping the tears from her cheek, she took the microphone and, suppressing her overwhelming emotions, sincerely thanked the fans who had voted for her. Afterward, she found herself inexplicably thinking of Mu Huayue. She wondered if CEO Mu, that enigmatic figure, had been among the voters.

Could it be that Sister Mu finally understood my hints and stepped in to help me?

Her heart racing with speculation, Xia Youxi rushed back to her residence, eager to ask about it. But when she opened her device, she was met with these cold, indifferent words:

Yue retracted a message.

Xia Youxi froze, unsure what to type. She even doubted her own theory.

“No way…”

She examined the watch face again, finally noticing a tiny line of text in the center:

Yue retracted a message.

This seemed to offer a clue.

Typical tsundere, she thought. Doing good deeds without taking credit, even pretending otherwise.

How endearingly stubborn.

Xia Youxi chuckled and tapped out a message on the watch face: I had so much fun tonight! Did you watch, Sister? Please reply! Pretty please? [Cat Pleading]

The screen showed “typing…” for a while before the indicator disappeared. After twenty minutes of waiting, two words finally appeared: No time.

Undeterred, Xia Youxi replied: QAQ I know you’re busy, Sister, but there’s a recording! And the Theme Song MV will be broadcast tomorrow night. Please remember to watch! [Cat Being Cute]

Yue is typing…

Xia Youxi added: Please, Sister, could you spare some time to watch? It’s my first time in the Center Position, and I want to show you my best side. [Pleading]

Again, the “typing…” indicator lingered for ages before three words finally appeared: Depends on time.

So stubborn, Xia Youxi thought, suppressing a giggle. She replied sweetly, Then I’ll just have to ask the heavens to make sure Sister Mu is free tomorrow. [Cat Praying]

After sending the message, she assumed the aloof Sister Mu wouldn’t reply. She put her watch away, ready to rest. At that very moment, miles away, Mu Huayue indeed closed the chat window and reopened the floating video player to continue watching.

On the screen stood Xia Youxi, petite and teary-eyed yet radiating resilience, surrounded by the other contestants. When she learned she had received the highest number of votes, silent tears streamed down her face. As someone handed her a microphone, she hastily wiped her cheeks, flashed an endearing smile, and began by thanking her fans for their support. She never mentioned Mu Huayue once.

She shouldn’t mention me in this setting, Mu Huayue knew perfectly well, yet she still felt a strange, inexplicable discomfort.

She took an agitated sip of coffee and noticed a pop-up window: Theme Song Announcement: Pre-order Now. She tapped the checkbox with her index finger.

The next morning, Xia Youxi joined all the contestants for the theme song music video shoot. As a non-A Class member, she stood at the front of the group, leading the dance. While she enjoyed the performance, she also drew hostile glances from the A Class members.

During breaks in filming, only Sibe dared to approach Xia Youxi. She suspected someone had discovered Guan He’s true identity and feared offending her, making Xia Youxi a convenient target for their frustrations.

Having experienced the coldness of human nature in her previous life, Xia Youxi sat indifferently in a corner, chatting casually with Sibe. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar figure approaching Guan He.

The figure was Han Bei, the former heiress who had fallen from grace and become a commoner. Desperate to climb back up, the young miss had deliberately come to Guan He to slander Xia Youxi, her voice surprisingly loud, as if her judgment had been clouded by desperation.

“That Xia Youxi, or Yousey, don’t let her First Center position fool you. She’s just a petty person who got lucky. I know her true colors—she used to work for my company.”

Han Bei glared at Xia Youxi and sneered sarcastically. “Riding on the coattails of her wealthy husband, she acts like a fox wearing a tiger’s skin, even disrespecting her former boss. And her ‘golden husband’? He’s just an assistant to the CEO of some big company, handling personal affairs. He’s basically a glorified servant. What power could a servant possibly have? Who knows, maybe she secured that Center Position because her lackey stole company funds to rig the votes for her.”

“Really?”

“I can’t believe something like that happened!”

The contestants whispered among themselves. Sibe frowned, ready to confront them, but Xia Youxi pulled her back. They watched as Guan He, finally free from the crowd, stood up with a scowl and snapped at Han Bei, “Stay away from me. You’re bad luck.”

The reaction silenced the room and stunned Xia Youxi. She never expected the Young Miss Guan to consider everyone equally unlucky.

Meanwhile, Sibe, still tugging at Xia Youxi’s sleeve, stomped her foot. “What nonsense are you spouting? Being the CEO’s personal assistant is tough! I got fired after just one day. And you’re making fun of her? She’ll probably get fired in half a day!”

Xia Youxi: …

Is that really what you’re focusing on?

She turned away speechlessly. Sibe leaned in to whisper, “Sis, you don’t actually have a boyfriend, do you?”

Xia Youxi glanced up at her, her colorful eyes holding a hint of scrutiny. Sibe clearly remained skeptical. After all, why would a stranger believe her without reason?

A faint smile played on Xia Youxi’s lips as she replied, “Not yet.”

Sibe nearly jumped for joy, rubbing her hands together excitedly. “That’s fantastic! Sis, let’s team up for the First Stage tonight! I’ll help you crush those annoying brats!”

Xia Youxi smiled faintly, noncommittal. Han Bei was indeed incredibly irritating, and she secretly hoped the girl would be eliminated in the first round based on her own lack of talent.

“What Xia Youxi wants, Xia Youxi gets” seemed to be her motto. That evening, during the live broadcast of the show, the Production Team announced the rules for the First Stage. They were even harsher than the ones she’d faced in her own debut season. First, two groups would compete by performing the same song. Then, viewers watching the live broadcast would vote. The group with the most votes would receive a bonus, while the member with the fewest votes from the losing group would be eliminated on the spot.

Barring any unexpected twists, Han Bei was a goner. Xia Youxi’s goal was to make her exit as humiliating as possible.

It was a bit mean, but not entirely unjustified. After all, Han Bei had provoked her first.

In the original novel, Han Bei was portrayed as a brainless cannon fodder villain, acting impulsively without thinking. She was easily baited. Xia Youxi strategically positioned herself near Han Bei, feigning anxiety and mentioning several songs Han Bei would never be able to perform, worrying she wouldn’t get to choose them.

“Don’t worry, sis! I’ll help you!” With the enthusiastic Sibe chiming in, Han Bei predictably took the bait. Despite being the last to choose in F Group, she still managed to pick the worst possible option from the few remaining choices—The Chase.

After making her choice, Han Bei raised an eyebrow at Xia Youxi, flaunting her supposed superiority.

Xia Youxi understood exactly where Han Bei’s arrogance stemmed from. They had both chosen the same song, but while Xia Youxi’s team leader was the bottom-ranked member of A Class, Han Bei’s leader was Guan He, the ultimate insider. Han Bei, well-versed in the ways of nepotism, was convinced her team couldn’t possibly lose.

Xia Youxi suddenly felt a pang of worry. Just then, she overheard Guan He from Han Bei’s team glare at Han Bei and snort, “Bad luck.”

It seemed the former insider wasn’t fond of the current one. With such discord within the team, their stage performance would undoubtedly suffer. Xia Youxi’s confidence surged anew.

Soon, everyone had chosen their positions, temporarily concluding the team formation process. The next segment involved playing the Theme Song recording from earlier that morning, and the contestants returned from the outdoor area to the studio.

Sibe sidled up to Xia Youxi and asked, “Sis, why didn’t you let me choose a song with you?”

Xia Youxi smiled. “I’d love to collaborate with you, but the other song suits you better. Besides, there’ll be plenty more opportunities, right?”

Sibe pouted, her lips pressed together. “Fine. Ah! Sis, look! You’re on the big screen! Holy crap, you’re so cute it’s illegal!”

Xia Youxi looked up. On the massive screen, she stood at the center, her smile radiant and confident. She instinctively touched her wrist, where her watch should have been. She couldn’t ask Mu Huayue if she had seen her, but she guessed she probably had.

I wonder what Sister Mu’s reaction will be after watching this?

Xia Youxi smiled, her face radiant as she watched Mu Huayue’s gloomy expression through the screen, the theme song playing softly in the background.

The tablet displayed the theme song she had bookmarked, but the phone clutched in her palm was paused on another person’s page.

It was Sibe’s Douyin profile, her bio reading: “Rapping in the frozen wilderness.” With over three million followers, the comments under her pinned video were frenzied, repeatedly declaring: “Second Dog, I want to marry you!”

“How can so many Omegas be into her?” Mu Huayue’s brow furrowed slightly, a sudden pang of panic gripping her heart. Would even Alphas who look like Omegas be drawn to her?

Her gaze drifted to the live stream page beside her. Despite no longer being in the same group, Sibe was still sitting next to Xia Youxi, the two laughing and chatting.

Frowning, she clicked on “Adorable Pet Diary” to eavesdrop on their conversation, only to stumble upon explosive news:

“Oh, sis, let me spill some tea—Mentor Ying’s wife is on the production team. I ran into Mentor Ying in the bathroom this afternoon, and she gave me the stink eye, telling me to stay away from her wife!”