After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Was Spoiled by a Sweet Omega - Chapter 75
Qu Ran shifted her gaze away, ignoring Shang Li.
In her eyes, Shang Li belonged to Zhong Qiu, and had nothing to do with her.
“Ranran, come eat.”
Yu Jiayan, having washed the dishes, called out as he set the food on the table.
Qu Ran walked over, sat down, and ate quietly.
The meal was simple: rice porridge, stir fried squash with pork slices, potatoes with black fungus, and crucian carp soup.
The fish had been caught by Shang Li, who thought it would be good nourishment for Qu Ran.
Qu Ran drank a bowl of porridge, ate some vegetables, and half a bowl of fish soup. She didn’t touch the meat.
Shang Li tried to serve her pork slices and carefully deboned fish, but she refused them all.
Yu Jiayan interjected: “Our Ranran is kind hearted, a vegetarian. You should respect her preferences.”
Shang Li snorted: “Shut up. Eat your own food.”
Yu Jiayan pouted and fell silent.
Meanwhile, the film crew had wrapped for the day.
Ning Xuan returned to the hotel, showered, and was about to sleep when—
Knock, knock.
She opened the door to find Xin Lie, cigarette between her lips, grinning: “Mahjong? We’re short one.”
Ning Xuan blinked: “Mahjong? Out of nowhere?”
Xin Lie explained: “Didn’t you hear? Director He has business tomorrow. We’ve got the day off.”
No wonder today had been so hectic.
But a holiday meant mahjong?
“I don’t really know how to play.”
“No problem. Stakes are small. Come on, it’s just for fun, to relax.”
She pulled Ning Xuan along to Jin Min’s room.
Ning Xuan hadn’t even changed clothes. Jin Min noticed and draped her own jacket over her shoulders.
The air conditioning was on, so it wasn’t too warm.
“Xuan jie keeps such a disciplined schedule. We’re corrupting her,” Xu Ke teased.
Xu Ke, riding on her brother Xu Ci’s reputation, had been hanging around Jin Min and Xin Lie lately. Naturally, she joined the game too.
Ning Xuan sat opposite Xu Ke and asked: “Who organized this?”
Xu Ke laughed: “Jin Min jie. Didn’t you know? She’s a mahjong addict.”
Ning Xuan was surprised, turning to Xin Lie: “Really?”
Xin Lie nodded, rolled the dice, five points and began dealing: “Of course. When I first met Jin Min, it was at the mahjong table. I even tried to correct her play. Guess what she said?”
Ning Xuan smiled: “What?”
Xin Lie mimicked Jin Min, slender fingers at her lips, a coquettish smile: “Shh, Miss, you can say my acting is bad, but never my mahjong skills.”
Ning Xuan and Xu Ke burst out laughing.
Xin Lie continued: “Could I say her acting was bad? No. So I had to admit her mahjong was good.”
And it was.
Two rounds in, Jin Min won both—self draws, no less.
Ning Xuan handed over her chips, joking: “So late at night, Xin Lie jie just brought us here to pay tuition.”
Xin Lie chuckled: “Don’t worry. This tuition won’t go to waste.”
By the end of the night, Ning Xuan had lost over five thousand. For their income, it wasn’t much. The point was to have fun.
As they dispersed, Xu Ke was reluctant: “Let’s play again tomorrow.”
Ning Xuan glanced at the clock, it was past four in the morning. “It’s already tomorrow.”
Xu Ke grinned: “Then tomorrow afternoon.”
So young, so little self control.
Ning Xuan, more disciplined, reminded her: “Better spend the afternoon memorizing lines. I don’t want to keep re shooting with you.”
“Alright, my fault.”
Xu Ke pulled a face, then laughed: “See? Xuan jie is stricter than Director He.”
Strict Ning Xuan went back to her room and slept until noon.
She ordered room service for lunch.
With no filming, she remembered Xu Ci’s request and went to Xu Ke’s room to check on her lines.
But Xu Ke wasn’t there.
Xin Lie happened to step out of Jin Min’s room and said: “She left early. Don’t know where she went.”
Ning Xuan sighed. Young people really had boundless energy.
Wait, Xin Lie had come out of Jin Min’s room.
Were they together? So openly? About to go public?
Xin Lie noticed her staring and laughed: “Surprised? We’re adults. No need for innocence.”
Ning Xuan forced a smile: “Then I wish you two a happy marriage.”
At that moment, Jin Min emerged, scowling: “Xin Lie, how was the floor?”
Ning Xuan froze. She had stumbled onto a secret.
She quickly retreated to her room, shutting the door but pressed her ear against it.
Sure enough, Jin Min’s voice carried: “Keep talking nonsense and you won’t even get the floor.”
Ning Xuan realized Xin Lie wasn’t the master of romance at all, she was completely under Jin Min’s thumb.
On WeChat, Xin Lie messaged: [She’s just shy. Covering it up. You get it, right?]
Ning Xuan replied with a laugh: [Like you’re doing now?]
She thought Xin Lie was the one covering up.
Xin Lie paused, then sent a sticker: [Careful, you’ll get beaten.]
Ning Xuan sent back another: [Playing dead.]
They exchanged memes for a while.
Finally, Xin Lie grew serious: [Tell me, what’s Jin Min thinking? Does she like me?]
If she truly liked her, she had already kissed and hugged her, so why not let her into bed?
When asked directly, Jin Min never answered.
Ning Xuan thought for a moment before replying: [I think she does like you.]
If she didn’t, how could things be so ambiguous between them?
But Xin Lie’s insecurity showed: [Then why won’t she admit it?]
Ning Xuan guessed: [Maybe she’s shy, like you said?]
That explanation seemed to soothe Xin Lie.
After a pause, she asked: [So what about you? How did you win your wife over?]
This touched Ning Xuan’s blind spot. If she admitted Yu Yazhi had pursued her first, would she get teased?
[Why aren’t you answering? Where are you?] Xin Lie’s impatience flared. Outwardly carefree, inside she was sensitive and uneasy.
Ning Xuan hurried to reply: [I’m here. Just thinking how to answer.]
[Open the door. Let’s talk face to face.]
[Alright.]
They switched from chat to reality.
Ning Xuan opened the door.
Xin Lie stepped in, sat cross legged on the carpet: “Come on, let’s talk.”
Ning Xuan copied her, sitting down, oddly nervous: “Honestly, I’m not good at talking especially about feelings.”
Xin Lie had brought wine. She poured two glasses: “No worries. Just chat.”
Ning Xuan nodded, choosing her words carefully: “You could try opening up to Jin Min, really talk to her.”
Xin Lie sipped her wine, sighing: “I did. She says she doesn’t believe in marriage.”
Yet when Xin Lie debuted, she’d told reporters she wanted to marry before thirty.
Ning Xuan had seen her interviews and films. She knew Xin Lie longed for marriage and three children. That plan had even trended online.
Clearly, her vision clashed with Jin Min’s.
“Why doesn’t Jin Min want marriage?” Ning Xuan wondered aloud. “Is it her family background? Kids from unhappy homes often fear marriage.”
Xin Lie only sighed again.
Ning Xuan grew anxious: “What does that sigh mean? If it’s family issues or personal choice, you need to figure it out. Understand the reason, then address it.”
Xin Lie drank more, then asked: “If she really liked me, would she refuse marriage?”
She was spiraling, convinced Jin Min didn’t love her, that’s why she wouldn’t commit.
Ning Xuan saw her doubt and countered: “If you truly love her, can you accept her as she is, even if she doesn’t want marriage?”
The question struck deep.
Xin Lie blinked, suddenly clear: “You’re right.”
The key was whether Jin Min liked her. If she did, marriage wasn’t essential.
But children, Xin Lie still wanted them. Surely Jin Min wouldn’t reject both marriage and motherhood?
The thought jolted her. She abandoned her wine, sprang up, and rushed out.
The glass toppled, spilling red wine across the carpet.
Ning Xuan cleaned it up, then messaged her: [Good luck.]
No reply came. But soon, urgent knocking echoed outside. She must have gone chasing love.
[Wishing you luck.] Ning Xuan sent another message, then returned to her script.
The afternoon passed quickly.
Tired from reading, she stepped out for fresh air.
The hotel in Hengzhuang was upscale, with gardens, lakes, rockeries, fountains, and pools.
She strolled, relaxed—until fans spotted her. After quick photos, she hurried back, not wanting to be mobbed.
Dinner was room service again: pasta.
As she ate, Xu Ke burst in, grinning, offering snacks: “Xuan jie, this is lotus root starch pudding. Sweet, soft, delicious. Try it!”
Ning Xuan accepted, sipping through a straw. It was indeed tasty.
“Thanks. Where’d you buy it?”
She thought of Yu Yazhi—next time, she could take her there.
Xu Ke replied: “At the snack street near Hengzhuang. My brother and I queued forever. The shop’s famous online.”
Ning Xuan frowned: “You really had the patience.”
She herself would never wait in line for a cup of pudding. But it was good.
She finished it quickly, then asked: “No delivery? No reservations?”
If Yu Yazhi came, she’d want to order ahead.
Xu Ke laughed: “No. The shop’s run by an old granny. She doesn’t know those things.”
“What a pity.”
“If you want it, just queue. Who knows, you might gain something unexpected.”
She chuckled: “Like my brother. He loved it so much he tried to learn the recipe, chatting with the granny until he knew her whole family history. That’s why we came back so late.”
To creators, life itself was the richest film.
Ning Xuan nodded: “Your brother’s observing life.”
Xu Ke agreed: “Exactly. He says actors must observe life. Xuan jie, let’s go together sometime.”
Ning Xuan thought, then smiled: “Alright. When there’s a chance.”
They chatted until Xu Ke got a call and left.
Ning Xuan, half full from the pudding, barely touched her pasta. She tidied up and opened the door to throw out the trash and froze.
Yu Yazhi stood there.
How did she appear so suddenly?
Ning Xuan was stunned. She hadn’t heard a word about this. She thought Yazhi had gone to the saffron farm. Shock widened her eyes: “You, how are you here?”
Yu Yazhi wore a cream white V neck dress, long hair loose, a silver cat shaped pendant resting against her chest, glinting softly, irresistibly eye catching.
Ning Xuan’s heart raced. She quickly averted her gaze, blushing: “Didn’t you say—”
Yu Yazhi reached out for a hug, smiling gently: “I thought it over. Before going to the saffron farm, I had to see you first. Ning Xuan, I’m here. Surprised?”
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