After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 43

The lights came up, and Xia Youxi took her bow with her teammates. Her dimples flashed as she caught her breath after the energetic dance. Her eyes scanned the wildly cheering crowd, searching for a familiar face.

 

“Aaaah! Yousey!”

 

Guan He waved her arms from below the stage. When Xia Youxi glanced over, she even jumped up and down excitedly.

 

Xia Youxi waved back, but her peripheral vision caught the absence of Mu Huayue. As expected, only Wen An had come.

 

Even though she had anticipated this, she couldn’t help feeling a pang of disappointment.

 

As they left the stage, Xia Youxi’s teammates were stunned by Young Miss Guan’s transformation. They marveled at her boundless charm, which had turned Guan He from a sharp-tongued, aloof heiress into a sunny, cheerful sweetheart.

 

Xia Youxi didn’t know how to respond, managing only an awkward smile.

 

She wished she possessed such power herself—ideally, enough to transform the brooding, obsessive CEO Mu into a positive, healthy beauty.

 

Sigh.

 

Xia Youxi hung her head dejectedly. Huang Ruo nudged her with an elbow and asked, “What’s wrong? Worried about your ‘big boss’?”

 

Big boss?

 

Could she be referring to me, Wen An, Guan He, and that clueless Sibe?

 

Xia Youxi forced a bitter smile. “Ruo-jie, don’t let your imagination run wild. We all share a pure friendship, just like you and I.”

 

Huang Ruo nodded. “I didn’t think you were that kind of person either. An Omega can’t possibly juggle Alphas, Betas, and Omegas all at once, right?”

 

Xia Youxi felt she could sit at a table with those fans in the live chat who were shipping her in every possible pairing—they were all equally capable of making such outrageous statements.

 

But the real shocker was yet to come. Huang Ruo asked, “By the way, Instructor Xia, I’ve noticed you’re quite close to Assistant Wen. Could you do me a favor?”

 

“What kind of favor?” Xia Youxi sensed something was amiss.

 

Huang Ruo looked embarrassed. “I… I wrote a song for Sister Mu. I was hoping… if she could hear it, I… well, I…”

 

Her words stumbled and trailed off, but Xia Youxi understood perfectly. Huang Ruo wanted her, her romantic rival, to help her express her feelings to the woman they both loved.

 

Good heavens! What kind of absurd request is this?!

 

Xia Youxi wasn’t a saint; she couldn’t bring herself to create opportunities for her rivals. But she couldn’t be too cruel to her friends either. She patted Huang Ruo’s shoulder and said, “I understand, Sister Ruo. But CEO Mu is very busy, so I can’t guarantee she’ll hear your song. However, I’ll help you connect with Ba Feng.”

 

Huang Ruo gave a bitter smile. “I already had someone inquire with Ba Feng. I’m starting to think I don’t want to sign with them after all.”

 

Xia Youxi felt a renewed sense of crisis. “Why?”

 

Huang Ruo was still thinking of Xia Youxi’s interests. “It’s not that Ba Feng is bad. They’re very professional, and you can still sign with them if you want. The problem is that Mu Shengyang is now in charge of Ba Feng Entertainment. Sister Mu doesn’t like her younger brother and blames me for debuting too late to sign with her company. I was hoping to catch up with her at the after-party tonight, but she’s not on the guest list.”

 

Xia Youxi knew about these after-parties. People of Sister Mu’s status rarely attended such events. She had been to a few herself and witnessed CEOs chatting with minor artists, the latter showering them with gratitude before being whisked away to hotel rooms later that night.

 

“Sister Mu is upright and honorable,” she said. “She wouldn’t stoop to such dirty tricks. She probably just couldn’t be bothered to come.”

 

Xia Youxi agreed, “It’s a shame. But don’t be too upset, Sister Ruo. There will be other opportunities.”

 

Huang Ruo nodded. “Right. My contract with my old agency hasn’t expired yet anyway.”

 

The awkward conversation ended, and the two returned to the backstage waiting area. They took their seats, and Sibe joined them, trying to ease Xia Youxi’s nerves with jokes and banter.

 

But when Xia Youxi saw the comments scrolling across the screen—”Cat and dog locked in!”—her anxiety only intensified.

 

Maintaining a professional smile, she stared at the large screen. After a while, the director came to check on Huang Ruo’s stage setup. For some reason, Huang Ruo seemed even more nervous than Xia Youxi herself, unconsciously clutching the hem of her dress.

 

Unlike the other contestants who had brought backup dancers, Huang Ruo stood alone at the center of the stage, a guitar slung over her shoulder. She curved her lips into an exceptionally gentle smile and said, “Next, I’ll be performing my original song ‘Light.’ This song is dedicated to a sister who is incredibly important in my life. I hope she can hear it.”

 

Her fingers strummed the guitar strings as she sang into the microphone: “A brand-new pencil case appeared on the chipped desk. Excited, I tapped my pen and hummed a tune. You suddenly walked by, praised me, and said my talent shouldn’t be buried. My world lit up—”

 

It was a gentle folk song, but paired with the lyrics and her smiling expression, even Sibe, the human-shaped husky, could tell: “Sis, is she singing this to her crush?”

 

Xia Youxi pressed her lips together, saying nothing.

 

Thinking she was nervous, Sibe reassured her, “Hey, no big deal. You sing better than her anyway.”

 

Xia Youxi: ……

 

Should I thank her?

 

She forced a smile. “She sings really well. It’s just a shame I didn’t study enough to write songs.”

 

“Si, I can! I’ll write you a rap.”

 

“Thank her!” Sibe leaned back dramatically. “Sis, you’re killing me with cuteness!”

 

Xia Youxi chuckled awkwardly.

 

The scene was being live-streamed. Mu Tiao couldn’t help but scoff at the chat’s comments: “Husky, enough already!” “Cat, say yes!” “Lock it in! Lock it in!” She closed the screen, stood up, and walked out.

 

In the waiting room, Xia Youxi heard the director call her. After saying goodbye to Sibe, she went backstage to change. To maintain her character and avoid any inconsistencies, she declined Yin Ke’s offer of backup dancers, choosing to perform solo.

 

This time, she wore a long black silk dress, a departure from the Lolita-style outfits Mu Huayue had initially provided. The dress was simple in design, yet concealed a subtle surprise. Its French vintage-inspired neckline revealed a square of skin, while the cat pendant remained hidden beneath her bodice, leaving only its silver chains visible.

 

The stylist expressed a minor regret: “It would have looked better with more necklaces, but since that platinum one is so important to you, let’s keep it.”

 

Xia Youxi lifted the hem of her dress and stepped onto the stage, bowing to the audience. As the stage lights illuminated her, she immediately entered character. “Indestructible” was an inspirational song, and she and Yin Ke had agreed to present it in a style reminiscent of opera.

 

Raising one hand, she closed her eyes and sang acapella: “Night swallows the light, where is the way…”

 

As her hand lowered, the accompaniment began, and she continued, her voice now tinged with a searching quality: “Thorns block the path, the road ahead shrouded in mist.”

 

The drums began to beat, and Xia Youxi raced across the stage, clutching her chest and reaching out as if grasping for something. As the lyrics flowed, she circled back to the center, the stage lights dimming during the instrumental break. A single beam of light spotlighted her, and as the music swelled, she tilted her head back and sang powerfully: “My palms burn with heat, blooming in the depths of despair. The crimson flames ignite the light—I am indestructible!”

 

With a flourish, she placed her hand on her shoulder as the high note rang out. Xia Youxi spun on the stage, her black skirt falling away to reveal a fiery red lining, like flames dancing beneath.

 

The audience and online viewers went wild.

 

Wow! This is magic!

 

“Yousey—!”

 

The cheers were deafening. Xia Youxi stood still, catching her breath, and resumed singing: “Our shouts are the strength to advance, an indestructible light guarding hope. My dreams will never lose their way!”

 

“Ahhh, Yousey—!”

 

The crowd roared its approval. Wen An, filming with a zoom lens, was swept up in the excitement and couldn’t resist raising his light stick to wave along.

 

As the performance ended and Xia Youxi took her bows, the audience clamored for more. Wen An dutifully sent the video to CEO Mu, adding a comment: “CEO Mu, Miss Xia’s performance was excellent.”

 

Mu Huayue didn’t see the message immediately. At that moment, she was in the first-class cabin of an airplane, chatting casually with a fellow passenger.

 

It was quite a coincidence. After a last-minute flight change, she happened to run into an acquaintance on the plane—not a close one, but Guan He’s mother, Guan Su, a high-ranking executive at Durian Video and the chairman of Liulian Media Company.

 

As a mother, Ms. Guan was twenty years older than Mu Huayue, but she treated the Mu family’s future successor with great deference. She greeted Mu Huayue warmly upon meeting her, saying, “I wasn’t planning to come, but my daughter insisted I meet someone. She didn’t need to tell me who it was—these past few days, she’s been making me send people to draft contracts and handle publicity. It’s all for that little idol from Show Youth, what’s her name again? Yousey?”

 

“Yousey,” Mu Huayue replied coolly.

 

Guan Su chuckled. “That’s right, Yousey. CEO Mu, do you watch Show Youth too?”

 

Mu Huayue nodded. Guan Su was the vice president of Durian Video, not the head of Show Youth or the liaison with Ba Feng Entertainment, so she wouldn’t know about Mu Huayue’s relationship with Xia Youxi. Mu Huayue saw no need to explain, simply stating, “I plan to sign her.”

 

Guan Su froze for a moment, then quickly realized her daughter had run into a brick wall. She forced a laugh. “The girl is indeed quite talented. She’s consistently ranked high. Being recognized by you is truly her good fortune.”

 

Mu Huayue hummed in acknowledgment, turning her head to gaze out the window, ignoring the person beside her. Moments after the plane landed and she disabled airplane mode, she saw a video Wen An had sent. In it, Xia Youxi spun gracefully to the music, like a fiery sprite. Her piercing high notes seemed to awaken the world.

 

What pleased Mu Huayue most was the neckline of Xia Youxi’s dress—empty and bare except for the platinum pendant chain she had gifted her, its delicate links barely visible.

 

Good, she thought. The little kitten still knows who her master is.

 

A faint smile tugged at her lips. She mused that if Xia Youxi begged her again, she might kindly help her remove the pendant and replace it with something even more extravagant.

 

Tapping the screen, Mu Huayue opened the live stream and began watching with keen interest.

 

By then, the show was nearing its end. All the contestants had completed their solo performances. Celebrity Producer Chi Yi called each contestant to the stage for their final pleas for votes, then addressed the audience: “With just ten minutes left until the voting closes, please don’t hold back your enthusiasm! Cast your votes for these hardworking young talents on stage!”

 

A guest performer took the stage to sing. After the song concluded, the final results were announced.

 

Chi Yi walked onto the stage holding the envelope containing the final results. She tapped the envelope, took a deep breath, and announced, “The past month has flown by like a snap of the fingers. We’ve witnessed the growth of many contestants, and now it’s time to reveal their final rankings. Let’s start with fifth place in this year’s ‘Show Youth’ competition—”

 

“Sibe! Congratulations!”

 

“Waaahhh!” Sibe was even more excited than the audience, jumping up and down and waving her arms. She turned to hug Xia Youxi, but the perceptive Little Xia dodged the embrace, leaving Sibe hugging air. Amidst the laughter from the crowd, Sibe grabbed the microphone and exclaimed, “Hehe, I never thought I’d actually debut! I love you all, my wives—”

 

“Hahahaha…”

 

Truly a husky.

 

Chi Yi clapped for her and continued announcing the final rankings. Huang Ruo came in eighth place. During her speech, she specifically thanked Mu Huayue in addition to her fans and company. “Standing here today, I want to thank someone special. I don’t know if she’s watching the livestream.” She smiled nervously. “Thank you so much for sponsoring me when I was a child. Without you, I would never have been able to pursue music. Thank you, Sister Mu!”

 

“Which Sister Mu?”

 

A senior figure in the entertainment industry with the surname Mu?

 

Urgent! Urgent! Urgent!

 

This single phrase became the top trending topic tonight, causing Xia Youxi’s heart to clench sharply. It was practically a public confession, something she wasn’t yet ready for. She had lost.

 

“Now, I’m going to announce the first and second place winners of this competition!”

 

Chi Yi’s words snapped Xia Youxi out of her reverie. First and second place—the scene felt eerily familiar. Years ago, when she participated in a talent show, she had experienced a similar situation. Back then, her popularity had consistently kept her in the Center Position, but she never imagined that a Young Miss backed by capital would steal her votes at the last minute, relegating her to second place.

 

Now in a different world, would she finally achieve the ranking she deserved?

 

“The first place winner of this competition is—”

 

“Yousey! Yousey!” The fans in the audience chanted in unison.

 

Xia Youxi clasped her hands and bowed slightly to the crowd, signaling for silence. The chanting immediately subsided. Chi Yi continued, announcing two more names: Xia Youxi and Lu Ren, a contestant known for his consistent performance. “Please step forward and stand beside me.”

 

Xia Youxi and Lu Ren stood on either side of Chi Yi. Behind them, the large screen displayed their names, side by side, with bar graphs fluctuating above each name, representing their vote counts.

 

Xia Youxi couldn’t see, but she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She held her breath, gritted her teeth, and waited for the final result.

 

“Wow—!”

 

A roar of cheers erupted from the audience. She knew the results were in, but her ears seemed to have gone silent. She felt as if she were trapped in an invisible bubble, alone with her anxious heart.

 

“The Center Position for this season of ‘Show Youth’ has been decided! Let’s shout out the name on the screen—”

 

“Yousey!”

 

“Yousey, Yousey—!”

 

The voices of Chi Yi, the other contestants, and the fans in the audience surged together, each shout like a sharp blade piercing the invisible barrier around her. Xia Youxi heard her name, repeated relentlessly, like drumbeats pounding against her heart, dragging her out of the shadows of her past.

 

She had achieved her dream.

 

Tears streamed down her face as a thousand words coalesced into a simple sentence: “Thank you all. I will never forget this day, or your support. Thank you.”

 

“Don’t cry!”

 

“You’re the best!”

 

Waaah, hug!

 

Good job, baby!

 

Amidst the cheers from the audience and the flurry of comments on the livestream, Xia Youxi slowly turned and ascended to the top tier, settling onto the central Throne. She tilted her head and waved to the crowd below, her demeanor confident and composed, yet with a hint of playfulness.

 

The livestream screen began playing a montage of highlights from her previous performances, while comments flooded the screen with praise. A trending topic soared to the top of the charts:

 

Congratulations to Yousey for debuting in the Center Position through sheer talent!

 

As the competition concluded and the audience dispersed, the Director instructed Xia Youxi to quickly pack up and head to the after-party.

 

Xia Youxi nodded, knowing the person she wanted to see wouldn’t be there. Without even changing her clothes, she joined her friends at the celebration.

 

Sibe and Guan He were teasing each other when they spotted her and immediately swarmed her, showering her with compliments from both sides. Xia Youxi blushed, waving her hands in embarrassment. “You guys are exaggerating! I’m not as amazing as you’re making me out to be.”

 

Sibe continued to gush, “Sis, you’re just being modest! You were absolutely killer!”

 

Guan He rolled her eyes but joined in the praise, “That solo performance was amazing! It was so thrilling to watch live, like magic. How did you even come up with that?”

 

Xia Youxi thought to herself, This is all thanks to Sister Mu.

 

As she pondered how to respond, a stranger approached—a tall, middle-aged Alpha with a faint scent of tobacco.

 

The Alpha casually draped an arm around Guan He’s shoulder and said affectionately, “My little princess is here! Come, let’s take a stroll with Mom.”

 

Guan He muttered under her breath, “Annoying.” Then she introduced Xia Youxi to her mother: “Mom, this is Yousey. She’s…”

 

Before she could finish, her mother interrupted, “Oh, I know. She’s our Center Position, right? Good performance.” She smiled at Xia Youxi and forcefully pulled her daughter away.

 

Xia Youxi was still wondering what was going on when she noticed Sibe’s face stiffen beside her. Before she could turn around, a familiar voice called out, “Hello, Miss Xia. We meet again.”