After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Was Spoiled by a Sweet Omega - Chapter 7

Aunt Wu-sao was momentarily stumped. Who did Yu Yazhi like? Well, of course it was Ning Xuan! Back then, Yu Yazhi had gone to quite some lengths just to marry her.

That much was certain. But after the wedding, their relationship had soured, Aunt Wu-sao could see that clearly.

So now, whether Yu Yazhi still liked her, that was hard to say.

Still, better to break a temple than a marriage. Faced with the question, she naturally gave the most pleasant answer she could:

“Miss Ning, why are you asking this? My young lady married you—of course she likes you.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Right. That so-called liking—her heart flatly refused to accept it.

She knew she wouldn’t get anything useful out of Aunt Wu, so her thoughts drifted to Meng Xi. But asking her, wasn’t that the same as asking Yu Yazhi directly?

In the end, Ning Xuan decided to take Dr. Chen’s advice to heart and head upstairs for some sleep.

Life wasn’t easy, and artists had to make their living.

Zhao Luoluo had said she had an engagement that night, though Ning Xuan wasn’t sure what it was about.

She slept for about two hours before her phone rang.

“Xuan-jie, I’m almost there,” Zhao Luoluo said. “Get ready—I’ll take you to get styled.”

“Alright.”

The nap had done her some good; she felt a bit more refreshed.

As she stepped out of her room, she instinctively glanced toward Yu Yazhi’s door.

Closed tight.

Still asleep?

Ning Xuan wondered as she started down the stairs. Just then, she saw Aunt Wu coming up and asked, “Is your young lady still sleeping?”

Aunt Wu replied, “Oh, no. Assistant Meng just came to pick her up. Said she had a dinner engagement tonight. They just left.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Typical Yu Yazhi—never missing a fight, even with injuries.

“Xuan-jie!”

Zhao Luoluo’s voice floated up from below.

Ning Xuan pushed aside her thoughts of Yu Yazhi, steadied herself, and went down the stairs.

Zhao Luoluo was waiting with a bright-red suitcase. She greeted her with a smile: “Xuan-jie, here’s your luggage.”

Ning Xuan nodded, asked a maid to carry it upstairs, and then left with her.

The two soon got into the car.

Ning Xuan took the front passenger seat. In the back, a woman sat in a ginger-yellow, cinched-waist dress. Her neat, ear-length bob was a deep brown, and her makeup was flawless. She was scribbling on a tablet, looking busy.

“Yun-jie’s here too.”

After a moment, Ning Xuan recognized her—it was the original Ning Xuan’s agent, Su Manyun.

Hearing her voice, Su Manyun looked up, put the tablet aside, and said urgently:

“My superstar, do you have any idea how much effort it took for me to land you this opportunity? You’d better not let me down! We can’t let Zhu Shanshan steal this one!”

Zhu Shanshan was a newcomer riding a wave of popularity lately.

Su Manyun had nothing against her personally, but she didn’t get along with Zhu’s manager. By extension, she had little patience for Zhu either.

Ning Xuan, recalling the original’s memories, understood the situation perfectly.

Zhao Luoluo jumped in with a playful grin before Ning Xuan could respond:

“Come on, Yun-jie, you know Xuan-jie’s looks leave Zhu Shanshan in the dust. With a face like hers, there’s no contest. Zhu doesn’t stand a chance.”

Su Manyun loved hearing that. Signing Ning Xuan in the first place had been all about that face.

And Ning Xuan hadn’t let her down—right after her debut, she’d been crowned the entertainment industry’s “Number One Beautiful Alpha.”

But beauty alone wouldn’t carry her forever.

“You’re right,” Su Manyun said. “She still has her looks, but that’s exactly why she needs to transform before age and time take their toll. If she stays a vase for too long, the shine will fade.”

As an agent, she wasn’t just after money—she wanted to create a true star, not a decorative vase.

Ning Xuan listened quietly, not saying a word.

Su Manyun finally noticed. “Ning Xuan, what’s with you today? You’re so quiet.”

Called out, Ning Xuan had no choice but to reply: “Nothing. Just don’t feel like talking.”

Su Manyun assumed her earlier words about being a vase had stung. She hurried to explain:

“Hey, calling you a vase isn’t an insult. Being a vase is a gift from the heavens—most people can’t even manage that. I just want you to have more options, to last longer in this industry.”

Ning Xuan nodded. “I know, Yun-jie.”

“That’s good. Just remember to let your manager shine a little, too. You’ve been getting resources through the Yu family all this time, which makes me look useless. I can’t be a decoration forever, right?”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Well then, Ning Xuan had finally seen it for herself—there really were agents out there ruthless enough to throw their own artists under the bus, dragging themselves down with them in the process.

A formidable one, indeed.

Knowing she was no match, Ning Xuan fell silent again.

The car sped along the road.

Before long, it pulled up in front of a beauty center.

As the leading lady, Ning Xuan was treated first to an entire luxury facial treatment, followed immediately by a relaxing full-body massage.

By the time she walked out of the center, it was already seven o’clock.

Night had fallen.

Neon lights flared and flickered in dazzling colors.

Lifting her skirt hem, Ning Xuan stepped into Bùyuè Villa.

From the name alone, one could tell it was a place of classical charm.

And indeed, stepping inside proved it true—Chinese garden-style design, pavilions and terraces, arched bridges over rippling streams. Under the dim lantern light, the scene looked just like a living ink painting.

One could easily imagine what kind of pleasure it must be to dine in such an atmosphere.

The lives of the wealthy were truly beyond anything she had ever imagined.

“Chin up. Shoulders back. Eyes straight ahead.”

Seeing Ning Xuan glancing about curiously, Su Manyun frowned and reminded her coldly: “Smile. Don’t show your teeth. Director He might be watching from the shadows—you need to look tense, as if it matters already.”

And tense she was.

She was just a sophomore, after all. She’d studied acting, yes, but only scratched the surface. Thrown so suddenly into this glitzy battlefield, it was more than she could handle.

“Yun-jie, I need to use the restroom.”

“Hold it.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Ning Xuan’s mind was a mess, her smile slowly stiffening.

But once she stepped into the private dining room, her nervousness instantly dissolved.

Why?

Because everyone was looking at her—with open, unrestrained astonishment.

A sudden surge of confidence bloomed within her. After all, this face she had inherited from the original Ning Xuan was her greatest weapon.

“It’s Ning Xuan!”

“What’s she doing here?”

“Isn’t she usually tied up with variety shows? Why the sudden interest in acting?”

“I’ve got a bad feeling, surely Director He won’t be swayed by just a pretty face?”

Whispers rippled across the room.

Ning Xuan heard them all, and vanity flared sweetly in her chest—ah, the feeling of being the center of attention.

Her ambition ignited. She kept her smile faint, her bearing calm, exuding the queenly aura of a woman who could outshine everyone else in the room.

She wore a black floor-length gown, her voluminous ash-blond hair swept up high, with just two loose curls left to frame her cheeks—dignified yet alluring.

The gown’s back was cut away, revealing her delicate butterfly bones, beautiful and sensual.

She was dazzling.

Impossible to look away.

“Good evening, everyone.”

Ning Xuan nodded and smiled in greeting, then walked straight toward He Sheng.

Seated in the center, surrounded like the moon amid the stars, was He Sheng.

He was forty this year—tall and powerfully built, though only a Beta.

Yet the fact that he had fought his way up among a sea of Alpha directors spoke volumes about his strength.

Ning Xuan’s respect for him deepened. “Director He, it’s an honor. I’ve long admired your name.”

She extended a slender, porcelain-pale hand, smiling warmly.

He Sheng was every bit the gentleman—he merely brushed her fingertips with his before letting go. “Ning Xuan, is it? Please, have a seat.”

He was simply dining with friends tonight. He knew someone wanted to introduce a few popular artists to him.

He had planned to decline, but not wanting to embarrass his friend, he agreed to at least meet them.

A little small talk wouldn’t hurt.

Having spent many years abroad, he also needed to catch up with the current state of the domestic entertainment industry.

Ning Xuan settled gracefully into the seat on his right—one that had just been vacated by a young, handsome man.

She didn’t recognize him. After thanking him, she asked politely, “And you are?”

“I’m a screenwriter. My name is Xu Ci.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

The silence was awkward. She still didn’t know him.

A female star nearby seized the chance to tease her: “You don’t know Screenwriter Xu? He’s Director He’s go-to writer.”

Anyone associated with He Sheng naturally commanded a certain standing.

When one person rises, everyone around them does too—that was how it worked.

But Ning Xuan didn’t fawn. She simply smiled. “Apologies, that’s my ignorance showing.”

Xu Ci shook his head, his voice as gentle as always. “No need. Miss Ning, you shouldn’t belittle yourself.”

He was an OGA, and clearly intrigued by her.

Ning Xuan picked up on it—and immediately felt the glands at the back of her neck ache. Ugh, she really wasn’t in the mood to flirt around.

“Heh-heh”

To protect her glands, she hardened her expression and stopped speaking to him.

Sensing her coldness, Xu Ci’s gentle eyes showed a flicker of hurt.

Ning Xuan pretended not to notice and instead chatted with He Sheng about his experiences abroad.

“Click”

The sound of the door opening drew her gaze. She looked up and recognized the newcomer—Zhu Shanshan.

With her voluptuous curves and swaying hips perched atop eight-centimeter stilettos, Zhu Shanshan strutted in, every step deliberate. Her slender waist twisted like a supple serpent.

Her looks were undeniably pretty, yet the sultry charm that clung to her made her seem frivolous.

Ning Xuan didn’t consider her a rival. She believed her own face outshone Zhu’s by ten streets and couldn’t understand why Sister Yun had so little confidence in her. This? Really?

But a moment later, the reason became clear.

“Director He, let me introduce—”

The middle-aged man across from Ning Xuan suddenly stood, slipped an arm around Zhu Shanshan’s waist, and smiled as he made the introduction:

“This is Shanshan. She played the heroine’s best friend in Princess Changning. She’s a very talented actress.”

What a blatant lie.

Princess Changning had flopped miserably. Zhu Shanshan’s so-called “best friend” role was only memorable for a sensational assault scene that went viral. It was nothing more than cheap titillation—yet she dared to parade it as an achievement?

Ning Xuan sneered inwardly but, realizing this man was her benefactor, turned her eyes away.

Out of the corner of her eye, she observed He Sheng’s expression—calm, polite, his warm smile concealing his true thoughts.

Too high-level to read.

“Oh. Miss Zhu, please sit.”

His tone was neither warm nor cold—just the perfect gentleman’s courtesy.

Zhu Shanshan sat down with a bright smile, feigning surprise only then to notice Ning Xuan.

“Ning Xuan, you’re here too?”

Ning Xuan: “…”

What, I can’t be? I’ve been here this whole time, thank you very much.

Out of politeness, she gave a perfunctory smile.

“Mm. Just here to share a meal. Didn’t expect to see you, Miss Zhu—what a coincidence.”

Once everyone had arrived, the waiter began serving dishes.

Having only eaten an apple at noon, Ning Xuan was famished. The sight of food revived her appetite, and she quietly focused on eating a few light dishes, careful not to risk fainting from low blood sugar.

Zhu Shanshan, by contrast, chattered nonstop like a sparrow, monopolizing He Sheng with her opinions on film.

Her words were lavishly phrased, her gestures dramatic—impressive in effort, if not in substance.

He Sheng listened patiently, nodding slightly, smiling mildly.

Showing off swordsmanship before Guan Gong himself—aren’t you afraid of breaking your back?

The man beside him, noticing Zhu’s performance edging on overkill, coughed lightly, signaling her to rein it in.

She obediently followed her patron’s cue, then raised her wine glass with a practiced flourish, offering a toast to this “fortuitous gathering.”

Her act was exhausting to watch.

Next to her, Ning Xuan felt like such a salted fish she was embarrassed by the contrast.

Su Manyun shot her a pointed look, clearly telling her to raise her glass too.

Resigned, Ning Xuan set down her chopsticks and slipped into professional mode.

“Director He, it’s an honor to meet you. Allow me this toast.”

By now He Sheng’s face was flushed from drinking, but he still gave her respect by downing the glass in one go.

Then he asked, “Miss Ning, what’s your opinion on what Miss Zhu just said?”

Ning Xuan: “…”

She hadn’t listened to a single word Zhu Shanshan had said.

Still, caught off guard, she remained calm and answered with a polite smile:

“Director He, you flatter me. I wouldn’t presume to have an opinion. In terms of film, I’m just a newcomer. Being able to meet you today is already an honor. Please allow me to learn from you and everyone else here.”

With that, she poured herself another and toasted him again.

He Sheng chuckled but didn’t comment.

He had done his homework before coming. He knew a little about both Ning Xuan and Zhu Shanshan.

Zhu Shanshan was a rookie who had acted in several shows—never in lead roles, but with some name recognition and a decent reputation. She had come strongly recommended. But seeing her tonight, he found her personality too loud, too showy. For an actress, a touch more humility would have been better.

Ning Xuan, on the other hand, had carried herself with composure and grace from the moment she walked in. She was humble, well-mannered—quite different from what he’d heard.

He knew her background too. As the Yu family’s daughter-in-law, she had access to resources others could only dream of. Yet she had never touched the acting world—likely because she couldn’t stomach its hardships. After all, today’s variety show market was thriving, where celebrities earned handsomely just by showing their faces.

With these thoughts, He Sheng’s gaze toward Ning Xuan gained a sharper, more probing edge.

Ning Xuan didn’t notice.

Her head was swimming slightly from the wine. Fearing a lapse in composure, she excused herself and slipped into the restroom.

The restroom was lavishly decorated.

Even the mirror above the sink was stylish—shaped like a heart, inlaid with a red gemstone at the tip.

Apparently, theft wasn’t a concern here.

Intrigued, Ning Xuan was just about to reach out and touch it when a flash of vivid red appeared in the reflection.

“Well, isn’t this a coincidence.”

It was Zhu Shanshan.

Her makeup tonight was heavy, the lighting casting sharp shadows that accentuated her high cheekbones. Her phoenix-shaped eyes fixed on Ning Xuan with a frosty stare, sharp enough to cut.

Ning Xuan had no intention of engaging. She curled her lips in the faintest smile and turned to leave the restroom.

But in Zhu Shanshan’s eyes, her cool indifference was arrogance—disdain.

Born from a poor background, Zhu carried a buried inferiority complex. Ning Xuan’s aloofness struck right at the sore spot.

“Ning Xuan, what are you so smug about? The only reason you’re standing here today is because of the Yu family. Without them, you’re nothing but a high-class whore selling smiles!”

The words blindsided Ning Xuan.

She’d been a student not long ago, and her world had been simple and straightforward. To be suddenly attacked like this left her momentarily stunned.

What’s going on? Do I look that easy to bully?