After the Top Idol Omega and I Started Living Together - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The noisy clamor filled the makeup room persistently, and no one noticed the events unfolding in the corner.

No one heard the momentary skip of Lu Zhao’s heartbeat when she saw Sheng Jingyu arrive.

Chen Ruozhi’s attention was not on Lu Zhao; she had no extra quota, and as an ordinary contestant, she could only bring one assistant to the audition.

Chenchen was certain to follow Lu Zhao, so Sheng Jingyu had to stay home and wait for news.

Lu Zhao felt disappointed about this for quite a while.

But she never expected Sheng Jingyu to appear here.

It was an indescribable sense of reassurance.

Although her own strength would not change because of Sheng Jingyu’s arrival, Lu Zhao’s anxious heart settled down, firmly wrapped by intertwined grapevines.

Lu Zhao was surprised and delighted, her expression fully displayed on her face: “Teacher, how did you come?”

Sheng Jingyu stood beside Lu Zhao and said lightly: “I just asked a friend to get audition tickets.”

Chenchen listened nearby and eagerly completed Sheng Jingyu’s understated words: “Not only that, Miss Sheng’s ticket is for the front row! The kind that allows free movement! And she got one for me too!”

Saying this, Chenchen raised the badge hanging on her chest to show Lu Zhao, her voice full of excited anticipation: “Ah Zhao, later I’ll go with Miss Sheng to the front row to hear you sing!”

Lu Zhao heard Chenchen’s words and was slightly surprised.

She had guessed about Sheng Jingyu’s connections and status before, but she didn’t expect this person could so easily accomplish what she could not even touch.

What kind of person was her teacher, really…

Lu Zhao sighed secretly in her heart, unsure whether she should be happy about this.

But looking at the excited Chenchen, she couldn’t help commenting to her: “That’s quite a deal for you, look how happy you are.”

Sheng Jingyu noticed Lu Zhao’s tone was not entirely natural and raised her hand to ask: “Are you nervous?”

Lu Zhao’s first reaction was to nod slightly.

But looking at Sheng Jingyu standing before her, she then shook her head and said frankly and honestly: “With Teacher here, I’m not nervous anymore.”

Sunlight passed through windows, illuminating the entire large space brightly.

Lu Zhao stood under a beam of light, her amber eyes sparkling with two full silkworms, smiling brightly and boldly.

She expressed her reassurance at Sheng Jingyu’s arrival openly, yet also pushed the sea breeze toward Sheng Jingyu standing before her.

Sheng Jingyu was naturally aloof and never needed others to prove her own worth.

But this time, listening to Lu Zhao speak to her, the sea breeze touched her lips, and she suddenly felt her existence in this world had meaning, and she felt glad for it.

“How can you say that?” Chenchen heard Lu Zhao say this and pitifully poked her head from the side, “What about me? Am I not important anymore, Ah Zhao…”

Lu Zhao treated them equally, smiling as she reached out to rub Chenchen’s face: “How could that be? With you and Teacher cheering for me from the audience, I’m even less nervous.”

Chenchen’s face was soft, and she didn’t mind being pinched.

Instead, Lu Zhao’s coaxing made her eyes shine with more happiness, and though an Alpha, she seemed like a soft, easily bullied Omega.

Sheng Jingyu watched from the side and slightly narrowed her eyes.

Looking at Lu Zhao being affectionate with someone else, she said: “Perform steadily, don’t be nervous, and you can get at least two lights.”

Lu Zhao paused and released the hand rubbing Chenchen’s face.

Past experiences made her dare not hope too much, her expectation being that a mentor would choose her, and she hesitantly asked: “Isn’t that too much?”

Sheng Jingyu disagreed: “Want to bet?”

Lu Zhao was genuinely bold: “Sure.”

She also had a selfish motive: “If I get two lights or more, I’ll grant Teacher one wish unconditionally. Otherwise, Teacher has to grant me one.”

Lu Zhao didn’t know why her mind worked so quickly today.

She thought if she failed this time, she’d use this wish to keep Teacher by her side.

Lu Zhao always assumed the worst outcome for things, and in this worst outcome, Sheng Jingyu would leave her.

But this time was different from the past, yet also the same.

Even in this worst outcome, she couldn’t lose Sheng Jingyu.

Even if she failed the audition and was judged by mentors as a hopeless case.

Sheng Jingyu didn’t see through Lu Zhao’s thoughts and agreed to her stakes: “Good.”

“Ah Zhao.”

At that moment, an abrupt call came from the doorway.

Lu Zhao looked through the crowd toward the source of the voice, the crowd chaotic, and Si Liaoliao stood not far away, with dark hair and a white dress, particularly striking.

Lu Zhao’s previously bright expression instantly cooled, looking at Si Liaoliao with some distance: “You finished singing?”

“Hmm.” Si Liaoliao nodded, “Two teachers chose me, and I picked Teacher Wu Ai.”

Wu Ai was an Omega singer, debuted early, a rare evergreen still active in the music scene, with considerable status.

But in singing skill, she was outdone by Zhou Huanyin, who had far less experience; in popularity, she was outshone by Shen Yuanqing, a currently hot male Alpha in the entertainment industry.

Both were mentors for this ‘Hear Your Voice’ show.

Lu Zhao knew Si Liaoliao’s tendency to seek advantages and avoid harm, guessing that the two top figures didn’t choose Si Liaoliao.

She wasn’t sure if her worry was premature, as she didn’t hope big shots like Zhou Huanyin or Shen Yuanqing would pick her, and if she ended up in the same group as Si Liaoliao, that would really annoy her.

“Ah Zhao, what are you thinking? Say hi to everyone.” Suddenly, Si Liaoliao’s voice interrupted Lu Zhao’s thoughts.

Lu Zhao looked up abruptly and saw Si Liaoliao’s phone screen constantly refreshing with comments.

In the camera, her face showed an elegant, beautiful smile, livestreaming with her fans!

Lu Zhao never expected Si Liaoliao to livestream at this moment, even involving her.

What a disaster.

Lu Zhao didn’t know what Si Liaoliao was scheming, but since the group hadn’t disbanded, she still had to play along.

Looking at the camera, she reluctantly stood half a step closer to Si Liaoliao, skillfully acting like a close teammate: “Hello, everyone, I’m Lu Zhao!”

Si Liaoliao also smiled at the camera and invited: “Ah Zhao is about to go for the audition too. Want to share the song you prepared with everyone?”

Lu Zhao’s face showed a standard professional smile, bright but soulless, as she cooperated: “I’m preparing to sing Jingyun’s ‘Nanzhou’. If you’re interested, you can listen during the official broadcast.”

Si Liaoliao exclaimed “Wow,” acting very familiar with Lu Zhao: “You always listen to Teacher Jingyun’s songs. You’re really her die-hard fan. I’m so looking forward to how you’ll present her song this time.”

Her curved eyes held a faint smile, but no one noticed the malice hidden beneath it.

Very skillfully, Si Liaoliao didn’t give Lu Zhao another moment in the frame.

She pointed the phone at herself and said to the camera: “Let’s wait and see. Our Ah Zhao will definitely…”

“Numbers 55 to 60, get ready.”

Si Liaoliao chatted with her livestream fans, and the director’s call came through.

Lu Zhao had never loved the number “57” so much, even wanting to pretend to rush off.

But then she remembered something and paused.

She glanced at Sheng Jingyu, who wore a baseball cap, and said casually to Chenchen: “I should go now. You guys hurry to the audience seats.”

Chenchen reacted quickly.

She knew what kind of person Si Liaoliao was; after failing to poach last time, if Si Liaoliao noticed Sheng Jingyu this time, she might try the same trick while Lu Zhao was away.

Miss Sheng belonged to their Ah Zhao.

Chenchen absolutely wouldn’t let anyone touch her!

With a strong sense of protecting this family, Chenchen clenched her fist and, like a mother hen, instructed Lu Zhao: “Alright, we’re going first. You go to the waiting area alone, and be mindful of all the updates.”

“Don’t worry,” Lu Zhao nodded, glancing at Sheng Jingyu again.

The lowered cap revealed a pair of eyes, gray-silver pupils catching the window’s sunlight.

Their gazes briefly met, then silently parted in understanding.

As Lu Zhao looked at Sheng Jingyu, Sheng Jingyu also looked at Lu Zhao.

It was wordless, yet it seemed to say so much.

Lu Zhao seemed to hear Sheng Jingyu cheering her on.

Clear and cool, like jade striking.

Only after watching Chenchen lead Sheng Jingyu away did Lu Zhao retract her gaze.

Looking at Si Liaoliao, who was introducing the makeup room, she put on her professional smile again, ending today’s performance: “They’re calling me. I should go.”

“Oh, okay.” Si Liaoliao’s response wasn’t very concerned, but then she waved energetically: “See you later, Ah Zhao!”

Her frivolous tone held ill intent.

Lu Zhao glanced at Si Liaoliao, smiled at her camera, and said calmly and firmly: “We’ll meet again at the preliminary round.”

The audition was bound to have uneven talent, as not every catch yields a pearl.

The stage’s singing reached the back unfiltered, and Lu Zhao waited nervously backstage, where a few off-key, pitchy songs indeed eased her burden.

Finally, the host announced number fifty-seven.

Lu Zhao didn’t know what song the person before her sang, but after the director’s voice told her to prepare, she gripped the microphone and walked up.

It was a circular stage, and the guiding lights dimmed as Lu Zhao stood in the center.

The audience filled the seats below, and four stern-looking mentors sat behind a long table in the middle.

Lu Zhao took a deep breath, the music’s sound coming through her earpiece.

In the waiting room, people came and went, all nervously preparing, with few noticing the live stage feed on the overhead TV.

Except for Si Liaoliao, who was livestreaming, and her manager, Chen Ruozhi.

A single light shone on Lu Zhao, and the calm prelude of ‘Nanzhou’ began.

The song started with a tricky beat, and any earpiece issue would surely cause a mistake.

Chen Ruozhi sat confidently with arms crossed, while Si Liaoliao held her phone steady, eager not to miss showing Lu Zhao’s moment.

“The wind blows into my room, bringing a letter from who knows where—”

The song came through the screen, and Si Liaoliao and Chen Ruozhi’s faces changed completely.

At the prelude’s end, Lu Zhao hit the beat perfectly and started singing.

Without a single mistake, Lu Zhao’s voice flowed ethereally and smoothly.

Her pitch was flawless, every word sung clearly and beautifully.

The big screen, previously unnoticed, drew many gazes, and people stopped to look up, murmuring among themselves.

“Wow, that sounds amazing.”

“Is this Jingyun’s ‘Nanzhou’?”

“Yeah, the Cantonese version.”

“Damn, I prepared ‘Nanzhou’ too. I’m screwed.”

“Such a pretty lady! Is she an Alpha or Omega? This is important to me!”

The surrounding praise grew louder, and Si Liaoliao’s livestream chat buzzed with excitement.

[Is this Lu Zhao?]

[My gosh, when did Lu Zhao get this good!]

[Wow, wow, wow, Liaoliao, did you coach Lu Zhao? This song is amazing!]

[Can you get closer? I want to hear!]

[Who says Alphas can’t sing ballads! Help! So enchanting!]

[Did Liaoliao know Ah Zhao would stun everyone, so she made us stay to listen?]

Si Liaoliao’s lofty, elegant expression became unprecedentedly hard to maintain. Seeing the growing positive comments about Lu Zhao in her livestream, as if she’d paved the way for someone else, she quickly ended the stream: “Just a little listen, okay? No more. It’s late, so that’s it for today’s stream. See you next time!”

The phone screen went black, and Si Liaoliao could no longer keep up her facade.

Her face turned extremely sour, and she turned to Chen Ruozhi, coldly questioning: “This is your so-called foolproof plan?”

“I told them it was set, and the money was sent!” Chen Ruozhi said anxiously, standing up from his chair. He never expected to waste his efforts.

Just moments ago, he saw the music director drink the spiked water and rush out of the sound room, leaving only the sound engineer he’d bribed…

The man nervously and cautiously watched the contestant info from the stage, focusing as Lu Zhao stepped up.

Then he quickly scanned the dazzling buttons, deftly reaching for the one controlling Lu Zhao’s earpiece audio.

“Creak.”

The heavy door was suddenly pushed open from outside, the bright glass reflecting two tall women.

The sound engineer’s hand froze mid-air, and he looked at the slightly shorter woman on the left: “Director, why are you here?”

Li Qinqin ignored his question and, looking at the empty sound room, said discontentedly: “Director Liang isn’t here?”

Whether it was the natural Alpha-Omega pressure or guilt, the man spoke nervously: “She, she wasn’t feeling well and went to the restroom, the restroom.”

“Oh.” Li Qinqin nodded and introduced: “This is Chen Annie from Vinyl Music, Vice President Chen. I brought her to see the equipment.”

The man quickly wiped the sweat from his tense palms and extended his hand: “Hello, Vice President Chen.”

“Why so nervous?” Chen Annie glanced at him with a smile, casually walking to the control panel beside him. “Nothing serious. Your show is doing so well, I’m here to learn from your director and just stopped by to rest.”

She seemed very interested in the equipment, her neatly trimmed fingers lightly tapping the button the man was about to move.

With a playful raise of her brow, she asked him casually: “I recognize this. This button sends music to the contestant’s earpiece, right?”

Whale: There’s no such thing as peaceful times; it’s just Whale carrying the burden for you.