After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Was Spoiled by a Sweet Omega - Chapter 67

Shang Li once again saw that look of rejection, almost disgust.

It seemed she didn’t need to do anything; her mere presence made Qu Ran uncomfortable.

“Zhong Qiu?”

A flicker of hurt passed through Shang Li’s eyes, but she forced a smile.

“I’ve missed you.”

Qu Ran endured the stabbing headache, ignored her, and turned to Yu Yazhi. Her lips parted as if to speak, but she swallowed the words.

Yu Yazhi noticed.

“What is it? What do you want to say?”

She guessed Qu Ran wanted to blame her for bringing Shang Li here.

But Qu Ran said nothing.

She turned away, treating Shang Li as if she didn’t exist, and walked off.

Shang Li thanked Yu Yazhi, handed her the car keys, and followed after Qu Ran.

This time, she would not give up so easily.

Yu Yazhi held the keys, watching their figures disappear.

At the bend, the trees swallowed them from view.

She loaded her luggage into the trunk, got into the car, turned it around, and drove toward Dali Martial Arts Hall.

On the way, she called Ning Xuan.

No answer.

Ning Xuan was sipping soy milk, perched on a small stool, watching Jin Min and Xin Lie rehearse.

The grand Shanghai dance hall shimmered with decadence—music, laughter, and revelry.

Jin Min, playing Chen Xiangying, swayed in a red qipao on the dance floor.

A drunken tycoon tried to grope her.

Xin Lie entered then, dressed in a period suit, gold-rimmed glasses, the perfect playboy.

A cliché scene, hero rescuing beauty.

But for Chen Xiangying, it replayed endlessly in her mind.

If only life was as it was at first sight.

She had never once forgotten Cheng Zhaoqing.

Scene shift.

Chen Xiangying woke in a grand bed, clad in a slip dress, her figure alluring under the camera’s gaze.

A knock at the door.

Her maid entered.

“Miss, a guest wishes to see you.”

So early? Unusual. And unusual meant trouble.

Chen Xiangying nodded, continuing to apply makeup at her vanity.

Beautiful, yet destined to be bones beneath the rouge.

“Miss, you can’t come in here!”

The maid’s voice rang from outside.

Chen Xiangying turned, meeting a pair of eyes filled with malice.

Bai Meng, playing the villain Luo Sangsha, spoke with venom:
“Miss Chen, don’t you want revenge?”

“Cut!”

Director He called out, correcting Bai Meng.

“Smile when you speak. The kind of smile that says everything is under control. More confidence, more arrogance.”

Bai Meng nodded, trying again and again to capture the expression, but failing.

Behind the scenes, Ning Xuan whispered to screenwriter Xu Ci:
“Luo Sangsha seems to have antisocial tendencies. She pushes Chen Xiangying toward Cheng Zhaoqing not just for power, but also out of a desire to hurt He Suizi.”

Xu Ci blinked, then smiled.

“You caught that. I didn’t want the character to revolve too much around romance, so I hid that line.”

He hadn’t expected Ning Xuan to see through it.

Indeed, Luo Sangsha liked He Suizi.

But her twisted affection, filtered through her antisocial nature, carried a destructive urge—to ruin her love, to ravage her life.

Ning Xuan continued:
“That aligns with Chen Xiangying’s thinking. Both believe death is the ultimate possession. That’s why, after meeting Cheng Zhaoqing, Chen Xiangying cooks poisonous mushroom soup—wanting to die with him.”

“Exactly.”

Xu Ci’s eyes shone with admiration.

“You’re sharp. Very perceptive.”

Ning Xuan smiled modestly.

“It’s just that your script is well written.”

Xu Ci shook his head.

“Good actors are rare. You’re one of them.”

At least, he hadn’t seen many who lit up with passion whenever Jin Min performed, eager to learn.

Ning Xuan sat on her stool for two hours, watching Jin Min act.

During a break, Jin Min approached with a smile.

“You’ve been watching closely. Did you notice any flaws in my performance?”

Ning Xuan waved her hands.

“No. You nailed every take. Director He was grinning ear to ear, how could there be any problem?”

Staff handed out boxed lunches.

Ning Xuan opened hers—three vegetable dishes, two meat, generous portions.

Jin Min didn’t ask for special treatment, eating the same boxed meal.

They found a small table and ate together.

Soon, Xin Lie joined them—bringing along a shadow, Zhu Shanshan.

Zhu Shanshan had latched onto Xin Lie’s uncle, a man with twisted tastes, fond of group indulgences. Somehow, she had seduced him. Her peach-blossom pheromones suited him perfectly, earning her favor.

“Xin-jie, let’s eat together.”

Zhu Shanshan smiled ingratiatingly, hoping to charm Xin Lie.

But Xin Lie, out of courtesy for her uncle, only acknowledged her lightly.

“Miss Zhu, no room here. Sit elsewhere.”

The square table had space for three, with one seat left.

Just as Zhu Shanshan tried to sit, Xin Lie called Bai Meng over.

Bai Meng, thrilled, hurried over.

“Xin-jie, Jin-jie.”

She had longed to join their circle. Fortune had smiled.

Even though Zhu Shanshan had already sat down, Bai Meng pulled her away.

“Miss Zhu, this seat is mine. Didn’t you hear Xin-jie? Different circles shouldn’t be forced together. You don’t belong here.”

Zhu Shanshan was tough, but Bai Meng tougher.

Ning Xuan ate quietly, watching them like dogs fighting over scraps.

In the end, Zhu Shanshan lost, gave up the seat, and dragged a stool to sit beside Ning Xuan instead.

She spoke with false familiarity:
“Ning Xuan, your carrots look delicious. Can I have some?”

Ning Xuan froze. Are we close? She thought her casual apology the other day had settled things, but apparently Zhu Shanshan believed they were friends now.

Without hesitation, Zhu Shanshan helped herself, taking two slices of carrot, placing them in her own box.

She snapped a photo, then leaned in for a selfie with Ning Xuan.

She posted it on Weibo:
[First meal with the crew. Ning Bao really loves carrots.]

Ning Xuan watched the entire performance.

She hadn’t stopped her—curious to see what trick Zhu Shanshan would pull.

Now she understood.

She logged into Weibo, commented under the post:
[Hehe.]

Simple characters, loaded with meaning.

Netizens, ever sharp-eyed, quickly dissected the details and responded:

[“‘Ning Bao’ is what we fans call her. Do you even have the right to use it?”]

[“Zhu Shanshan is lying through her teeth. Can’t you see Ning Bao’s look of disdain?”]

[“The internet never forgets. That livestream audition incident isn’t even past, and now she’s pretending sisterly affection?”]

[“Clearly riding Ning Bao’s traffic. Trash. Get lost!”]

[“Poor Ning Bao. Even a ‘hehe’ was too polite.”]

The public’s eyes were bright and unforgiving.

Soon, Zhu Shanshan was scolded into deleting her post.

Her agent called, furious:
“Can’t you use your brain? Stop clinging to Ning Xuan! Wasn’t Bai Meng’s lesson miserable enough? She got cursed into playing a villain!”

He was referring to Bai Meng’s dispute with Ning Xuan during Shining Future.

Zhu Shanshan shuddered at the memory.

“I, I didn’t mean it. I wasn’t trying anything. I don’t want to play a villain.”

“Then behave yourself. Your popularity is plummeting. One more stunt and no one can save you.”

The agent hung up angrily.

Zhu Shanshan sat with a tearful face, glancing at the four still eating together. Their atmosphere seemed warm, leaving her envious and jealous. Even Bai Meng had clashed with Ning Xuan, yet they reconciled. Should I learn from her?

Damn it. She had just quarreled with Bai Meng again.

Why was she so unlucky?

In truth, the four-person meal wasn’t as harmonious as it looked.

Xin Lie had invited Bai Meng not only to fill a seat and avoid Zhu Shanshan, but also to critique her acting.

She didn’t want Bai Meng’s repeated NGs slowing the crew or affecting Jin Min’s rhythm.

“I recommended some films. Watch them carefully. A villain needs presence, especially in micro-expressions.”

“Thank you, Xin-jie.”

“Don’t NG again, and I’ll thank you properly.”

Xin Lie wasn’t being kind. She would have said the same to anyone acting opposite Jin Min.

Bai Meng, overwhelmed by the flood of criticism, lost her appetite. She had worked hard, why was it still deemed poor? But she dared not argue.

After a few bites, she excused herself and left.

Jin Min watched her go, then said softly:
“You’re too blunt.”

“If I used my fists, you’d know how restrained I’m being.”

Xin Lie, still simmering, muttered:
“Seeing her drag you into retakes again and again makes me want to hit her.”

Jin Min: “…”

Such a temper, this spoiled heiress.

Ning Xuan, sitting close, teased happily:
“Jin Min-jie, Xin Lie-jie is just protective of you.”

She thought Xin Lie truly loved Jin Min. Even someone else’s NGs affecting her was enough to rile her up.

Jin Min laughed at the jest.

“She’s so protective—if you drag me down in our scenes, you won’t escape either.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Pressure mounted instantly. She looked at Xin Lie, pleading:
“Xin-jie, please go easy on me then.”

Xin Lie grinned wickedly.

“Begging me won’t help. Beg Jin Min-jie.”

Both seniors, older and fond of Ning Xuan, treated her like a little sister.

Ning Xuan enjoyed their company, relaxed and cheerful. She joked pitifully:
“Xin-jie, now that you’ve won your White Moonlight, am I no longer your Red Rose?”

The line made both women laugh.

With the nuisance gone, their lunch was genuinely pleasant.

The afternoon passed quickly in filming.

By seven in the evening, the crew wrapped.

Director He Sheng invited everyone to barbecue.

Jin Min and Xin Lie excused themselves, claiming ill health.

Ning Xuan suspected they wanted private time together. A pang of envy and longing struck her.

Sigh. Being single hurts.

She joined the crew for barbecue, but without Jin Min and Xin Lie, it felt dull.

She didn’t know many people well, couldn’t blend in.

Lonely, she drank quietly.

Until Luo Yuanyuan approached with a phone.

“Sister Xuan, President Yu is calling.”

Ning Xuan’s eyes lit up. She answered eagerly, smiling:
“Yazhi, it’s me.”

But Yu Yazhi’s voice was cool.

“I called earlier. Why didn’t you answer?”

“You did?”

Ning Xuan checked her phone, saw the missed calls, and quickly apologized.

“Sorry, I had my phone on silent. I didn’t hear it.”

She had been absorbed watching Jin Min and Xin Lie act all morning. At noon, distracted by Zhu Shanshan’s antics, she hadn’t noticed.

Yu Yazhi wasn’t here to scold. Hearing the explanation, she let it go.

“Guess where I am now?”

Ning Xuan blurted:
“Hengzhuang?”

“Correct. There’s a prize. Hmm, what should it be?”

Her voice turned playful, almost coy.

“How about a girlfriend? Come claim her.”

Ning Xuan’s heart leapt.

“You’re really here? Where? I’ll come right away.”

“Dali Martial Arts Hall. Your old room.”

“Okay. Wait for me.”

She hung up, excused herself to Director He, and hailed a taxi.

Meanwhile, at Dali Martial Arts Hall.

Yu Yazhi stood in a red V-neck slip dress, her long hair damp, clinging to the fabric and outlining her figure with sensual allure.

Barefoot, her pale feet pressed against the floor, leaving a trail of wet footprints.