After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 27

The spotlight shone on the center of the stage as Xia Youxi’s gaze fixed on the ranking card in the hands of Chi Yi, the star producer. Her heart pounded like a drum. She had consistently ranked first in previous performances, and the judges’ feedback after the second public performance had been positive. I should be able to retain the Center Position this time, she thought, and keep my spot.

“The second public performance has concluded successfully. Many contestants truly shone, including Yousey, Sibe, and of course, Guan He, whose performance moved the audience to tears. I’m sure everyone is eager to know their rankings, so let’s reveal the results now.”

“First, for the twentieth place in this performance—”

As the names of the advancing contestants were announced one by one, Xia Youxi listened with a mix of joy for her teammates’ progress and regret for those who had been eliminated.

Soon, Chi Yi began announcing the debut positions, again skipping the usual order. He bypassed ninth place and started with eighth, and by the time he reached third place, Xia Youxi heard a cheer.

“Third place for this performance goes to… congratulations, Sibe! Keep up the good work!”

“Woo-hoo!” Sibe pumped her fist in the air, glancing down at Xia Youxi. Xia Youxi smiled up at her and mouthed, “Congratulations!”

Sibe scratched her head, leaned in, and whispered, “Go on ahead. I’ll wait for you. The Center Position is definitely yours, hehe.”

Xia Youxi watched the tall girl jog to her third-place spot and chuckled softly, continuing to wait for her own ranking.

“Second place… Guan He.”

Huh? The nepotism kid climbed so high?

Xia Youxi smiled politely at the camera and clapped, but Guan He didn’t appreciate the gesture. Her small mouth opened, and she muttered two familiar words: “Bad luck.”

“Bad luck, bad luck,” Xia Youxi muttered, though she couldn’t quite grasp what was so unlucky about it. Her ranking had improved, hadn’t it?

She glanced around. Now, only she and the former Captain, Huang Ruo, remained.

Huang Ruo was a singer-songwriter who had joined the show primarily to gain exposure. From Xia Youxi’s perspective as a senior artist, Huang Ruo seemed better suited for behind-the-scenes work. Despite consistently hovering near the debut threshold in previous popularity polls, her chances of securing a spot this time seemed high.

Xia Youxi couldn’t help but feel a surge of quiet elation. She turned her gaze toward the stage, where Mentor Chi Yi was about to announce the fateful decision.

“So, who will claim first place in this performance?” Chi Yi paused dramatically. “Will it be our exceptionally talented Huang Ruo, or the equally impressive singer-dancer Yousey?”

The screen erupted with frantic comments. Xia Youxi watched her name flood the screen in endless streams, while Huang Ruo’s appeared only sporadically. Her confidence solidified—this time, she felt certain she had it in the bag.

A faint smile touched her lips, her eyes sparkling with hope. As she waited quietly, she suddenly noticed Chi Yi looking directly at her. Perhaps she was imagining things, but in that brief exchange of glances, she thought she detected a hint of regret in his eyes.

“Congratulations, Huang Ruo! It seems your arrangement has truly resonated with the audience!”

“Congratulations to Yousey, who placed ninth! Keep up the good work!”

Startled, Chi Yi spoke up. At that moment, Xia Youxi’s mind went blank. She stared blankly ahead, her ears ringing, unable to hear what was being said on stage or by the people around her. Her soul seemed to wander outside her body, searching for the truth.

She had performed flawlessly, earning unanimous praise from the judges and audience. How could her ranking have plummeted so drastically? Was it because Sister Mu withdrew her investment?

Had she only been able to secure the Center Position in the previous performances because of Sister Mu’s backing?

In that case, what difference was there between her and the nepotistic connections she despised?

“Director Xia, Instructor Chi is calling you.”

Xia Youxi remained frozen in place until Huang Ruo patted her shoulder, jolting her back to reality. A forced smile spread across her face as she faced the camera, forcing herself to speak: “Thank you to all the fans who voted for me. Your love and support are my driving force. I won’t let you down. I’ll work even harder to repay your kindness with better performances, and I’ll strive to reclaim the Center Position in the next public performance.”

The fans in the live comments wept for her, chanting, “Go, Daughter!” and “Go, Yousey!”

Huang Ruo couldn’t help but glance at Xia Youxi. When Xia Youxi looked back, Huang Ruo offered a bitter smile and murmured, “Ah, it seems we sisters have been played by capital.”

Huh?

Xia Youxi was jolted awake by those words. The current trajectory indeed felt off. She glanced at the live comments, noticing an increase in asterisks, likely curses directed at Huang Ruo.

It was clear now: Huang Ruo was being used as a scapegoat, while Xia Youxi herself was being dragged down to pave the way for the true mastermind to rise.

Miss Guan, what a cunning scheme.

As the camera panned over, Xia Youxi masked her resentment with a confident, composed smile, patiently awaiting the next performance to crush her rivals.

Fate, however, had a cruel joke in store. The bizarre competition format stripped her of her choice, assigning her to Group Two—with Guan He, the “jinx” who loathed her, as its captain.

This was the final straw. Xia Youxi forced a smile as she walked toward her team, silently cursing, “Jinx.”

“Huh, why is Little Xia’s ranking so low this time? And she’s in the same group as Guan He?”

In the Ba Feng Group CEO’s administrative assistant’s office, Wen An grumbled. Wu Wei, whose seat Wen An had taken, leaned against her desk, sipping water and glancing down at the screen. Seeing the girl’s strained smile, she scoffed, “Oh, you’re actually invested?”

Wen An’s face remained expressionless, her eyes fixed on the screen. “Little Xia is working so hard,” she replied without looking up. “If you saw her, you’d feel sorry for her too.”

Wu Wei scoffed. “Serves her right for not being worthy of our Artemis. Without CEO Mu’s support, she’s just an ordinary person, easily exploited. I’d say her chances in this competition are slim.”

“We’ll see.”

“Mark my words.”

Before Wen An could retort, the office phone rang. She answered it casually, responding respectfully, “Understood. I’ll pass on the message.”

Hanging up, she nudged Wen An. “Stop slacking off. Get up and get to work. CEO Mu wants you to arrange a car.”

“Where to?”

“The airport. To pick someone up. Madam is back.”

Madam—CEO Mu’s mother, Song Ruxue?

Wen An’s writer’s radar flashed a warning. She sensed something ominous was about to happen, but what could a mere office worker do?

She could only stand up, nod slightly, and return to her grueling routine.

At the “Show Youth” training camp on the island, Xia Youxi followed Instructor Xia’s instructions, moving through the dance steps. As she stepped backward, her foot landed on something unexpected, eliciting a “tsk” sound. Turning around, she saw Guan He, the group leader, glaring at her with a dark expression.

Xia Youxi couldn’t fathom what the Young Miss was thinking. Despite being utterly inept at dancing, she had chosen a song with an exceptionally high level of difficulty. Xia Youxi, who harbored no fondness for her, offered a perfunctory, “Sorry, are you okay?”

Guan He shot her a sidelong glance without replying, then turned her back and did something out of sight before turning around again. “Let’s continue,” she said.

As practice resumed, Xia Youxi’s extensive experience naturally made her the most polished dancer in the group. The full-length mirror reflected the girls’ earnest efforts, but Xia Youxi could feel a cold gaze fixed on her from nearby. Glancing at the mirror, she saw Miss Guan scowling at her, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny, Xia Youxi returned the stare, fixing her gaze on Guan He’s reflection. Guan He’s expression grew even more dramatic. Then, during a turn, she stumbled and collided with another dancer, who helped her up. Guan He immediately glared at Xia Youxi, demanding coldly, “Why are you always staring at me?”

Xia Youxi replied innocently, “No, you’ve been standing in front the whole time, never turning around.”

Never turning around? Guan He had been secretly watching Xia Youxi in the mirror the entire time. Swallowing her frustration, she spat out a curse, “Bad luck.” She whirled around and vented her anger on the others, “Everyone, stop slacking! Keep practicing!”

The practice continued until the moon hung high in the sky. By then, everyone had mostly mastered the dance steps except for Guan He, who struggled with coordination. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she dismissed the group to rest.

Xia Youxi, who lived in a private dorm, didn’t leave with her teammates. As she walked out, she couldn’t resist glancing back at the practice room. Just as she’d expected, the prideful Guan He was still inside, the music playing as she flailed her arms to the rhythm. Everything about her movements was off; sweat streamed down her face, her stamina failing, and even her singing trembled. It was a complete disaster.

Xia Youxi pressed her lips together, said nothing, and quietly left.

The pattern repeated the next day, and the day after that. By the third day, Xia Youxi could barely contain herself.

Though Xia Youxi and Guan He were sworn enemies due to their differing backgrounds, they were still on the same team. Guan He’s poor performance would affect the entire group. Moreover, the girl seemed genuinely determined to improve. Xia Youxi sighed and pushed open the practice room door. “Captain, I’ll stay and help you.”

“I don’t need your help,” Guan He retorted, continuing to swing her arms stiffly.

Unable to watch any longer, Xia Youxi stepped forward and gently adjusted Guan He’s posture. Despite the other girl’s displeased expression, Xia Youxi calmly demonstrated the correct technique. Guan He watched her, her gaze softening as she followed along. As they danced, she asked, “Am I doing this right?”

Instructor Xia offered earnest guidance. “Much better than before. For the next move, focus on leading with your elbow.”

“What’s going on? Why are Little Xia and Guan He getting so close?”

In the lounge, Assistant Wen An, waiting for CEO Mu to finish his business meeting, was passing the time by watching edited clips of “Show Youth” through her headphones. Even as a writer, she had to admit reality often surpassed her wildest fantasies. How had these two sworn enemies suddenly emerged from the smoke of their rivalry with smiles on their faces?

What about the ship she was obsessed with?

Should she add a love rival subplot to her ongoing Mu Xia ancient-style fanfiction?

Wen An’s mind wandered, and she didn’t notice someone approaching until she heard a voice. She startled.

“What are you looking at, so engrossed?”

Wen An hurriedly stood up, trying to close her phone screen, but Mu Huayue’s eyes were faster. She had already taken in the entire scene: the “arch-enemies” smiling at each other, and the flying comments: “Officially declaring that Y is even more shippable than the cat-dog duo! 99 points for this couple!”

“……”

The atmosphere froze. Beneath Wen An’s composed expression, her heart pounded nervously. She knew CEO Mu had seen it, but she couldn’t guess what she was thinking. Maintaining a calm facade, she said, “CEO Mu, I was just watching fan edits—you know, other people’s compilations. It’s all fake.”

“Oh,” Mu Huayue replied casually, then greeted her. “Didn’t you say earlier that my mother wanted to see me? Let’s go.”