After Getting Pregnant, I’m Divorcing My Alpha - Chapter 5

After finishing his makeup, An Xiangdi stepped out and saw Liang Yao surrounded by a group of people. At the center of the crowd, she was smiling and chatting cheerfully, the lunchbox in her hand already empty.

He thought to himself, gentle and beautiful Omegas really are popular wherever they go.

“What are you looking at?” Shen Xiao came out a moment later and noticed An Xiangdi staring intently at Liang Yao, his tone carrying a hint of playful teasing.

“Admiring how charming you are.” An Xiangdi curled his lips into a smile, his strikingly handsome appearance paired with his captivating peach-blossom eyes making Shen Xiao’s heart flutter.

“Not as charming as you.” Shen Xiao knew that the most effective way to cheer An Xiangdi up was to compliment him.

An Xiangdi seemed pleased and chuckled softly.

Immediately, people around them turned their attention toward the two. Two handsome Alphas standing together was a sight to behold, and Shen Xiao’s brandy-like pheromones were truly intoxicating.

Cao Xuan walked over with a beaming smile, giving An Xiangdi a thorough once-over before expressing his satisfaction. “Ah, I’m so glad I asked you to take this role. Just your appearance alone is a perfect fit!”

An Xiangdi glanced down at the white lab coat he was wearing. “Thank you, Director Cao, for your recognition.”

Cao Xuan chatted with the two of them for a while about the script before clapping his hands to gather the rest of the crew and prepare for filming.

The Eyes Hidden in the Corner primarily tells the story of a series of murders in Hangnan City. The killer’s methods were precise, leaving no traces at the crime scenes. The young and capable head of the serious crimes division, Zheng Jun, personally led the investigation but soon discovered that the case was deeply connected to his first love from police academy now a chemical researcher named Qian Xin.

The drama’s ending was left open to interpretation. An Xiangdi had spent the New Year holiday carefully studying the script multiple times, immersing himself in the character by grasping the essence of the case through his own analysis.

Since the research building used by the crew was rented from an actual research institute and filming time was limited, all scenes set in the institute were scheduled to be shot within a single month. As the actor portraying Qian Xin, An Xiangdi naturally had to invest more effort during this period.

Once it was confirmed that all on-site equipment was functioning properly, filming officially began.

An Xiangdi was in excellent form, slipping into character even before Director Cao called “action.”

Soon, Cao Xuan realized that An Xiangdi not only had a high level of understanding but also strong acting skills. If there were minor issues with his performance, a slight suggestion was all it took for him to grasp the essence immediately a talent many actors who rely solely on hard work could only envy.

After filming three consecutive solo scenes of Qian Xin in the laboratory, An Xiangdi stepped out, waiting for the crew to reset the lab.

“Next up is your first scene together. If one of you is clearly being overshadowed by the other, I’ll call a stop.”

Shen Xiao, having started his career as an actor, had won numerous awards over the years. Compared to An Xiangdi, who had only recently gained recognition in the acting world while pursuing a dual career, Shen Xiao still held the upper hand. Considering the effect he wanted for the shoot, Director Cao didn’t set his expectations too high.

“Mm,” both of them responded in unison. This was their first collaboration. Although they had rehearsed together privately many times before, official filming was a different experience.

An Xiangdi was eager and excited, constantly wondering just how well he could perform in a scene with Shen Xiao.

“Damn, why am I suddenly feeling a bit nervous?”

“Me too. I can’t even imagine what it’ll be like to see these two acting together.”

“Why?” The staff were whispering among themselves when Liang Yao walked over. “I actually think it’s quite something to look forward to.”

“Haha, now that you mention it, it really is. Both actors are incredibly skilled.”

“But it’s just so strange.” Seeing Liang Yao’s gentle smile, one of the staff leaned in closer and said, “I always thought the two of them didn’t get along.”

“Well, they’re working together now, aren’t they?” Another staff member patted him lightly. “Stop gossiping and get back to work!”

Liang Yao smiled but remained silent. She had just been snubbed by Shen Xiao earlier that morning, and no matter how many questions she had in her heart, she couldn’t voice them now.

Once the set was tidied up, Cao Xuan signaled for An Xiangdi and Shen Xiao to take their positions.

“Scene Seven, Take Nine, Action!”

At the Hangnan City Chemical Research Institute, in the laboratory at the far end of the fifth floor,

Pale blue liquid in the flask occasionally bubbled up, bursting the moment they surfaced. The lab equipment on the table was neatly arranged, with even the test tubes in the rack aligned perfectly at the same height.

Qian Xin, dressed in a white lab coat, held a test tube filled with liquid between his slender fingers. He gently swirled it twice and was about to set it aside when the silence was broken by a knock at the door.

Qian Xin lifted his head expressionlessly, standing still without moving.

The person outside, however, seemed tireless, as if certain that Qian Xin was in the lab.

After half a minute, Qian Xin finally opened the door. Standing outside was Zheng Jun, dressed in a police uniform. He looked as if he had just returned from a mission, with a gun still holstered at his waist.

“What are you doing?” Zheng Jun asked as he brushed past Qian Xin and walked into the dimly lit lab. He eyed the array of bottles and containers on the table and added, “Running experiments, huh?”

“What do you want?” Qian Xin’s voice was cold as he looked at his old classmate. Whether it was due to the lighting or not, his handsome face appeared deathly pale.

Zheng Jun crossed his arms. “Want to grab a bite?”

“Not hungry.” Qian Xin refused without a second thought.

Zheng Jun raised an eyebrow and closed in on Qian Xin, backing him into a corner before making an unceremonious demand: “Come have a meal with me.”

Qian Xin frowned impatiently. “No.”

“I want to hear your thoughts on the murder case from a few days ago.” Zheng Jun’s gaze was intense, his presence overwhelmingly oppressive.

Qian Xin’s hands, pressed against his sides, gradually clenched into fists. After a long moment, his fingers relaxed, leaving clear nail marks on his palms. “You’re paying.”

With that, Qian Xin slipped out from under Zheng Jun’s arm and hung his lab coat on the rack by the door.

The smile on Zheng Jun’s face gradually faded, though his tone sounded surprisingly light. “Fine.”

“Damn, that was terrifying! What’s going on with those two?”

“I got goosebumps! Teacher Shen’s expression at the end was so chilling!”

“Is this the aura of an Alpha?”

“An Xiangdi’s subtle movements were so powerful too!”

As soon as the assistant director called “Cut,” the surrounding staff erupted into discussion. At first, only a few people were talking, but it quickly grew into a clamor. Without exception, everyone was astonished by An Xiangdi and Shen Xiao’s brief but impactful performance.

Cao Xuan frowned as he stared at the camera, rewinding the footage several times. He could hardly contain his excitement, wishing he could teleport the two of them to the next scene to continue filming immediately.

An Xiangdi heard the comments from the people around him, and he himself felt that his acting had improved a lot compared to before. But standing in front of Shen Xiao, he still seemed inferior in comparison. His overly competitive nature made him reluctant to admit it, yet he had no choice but to acknowledge it the strong were always captivating, especially when that strong person was Shen Xiao.

But he would never voice these feelings. If Shen Xiao found out, where would his pride be?

Thinking this, An Xiangdi retrieved his white lab coat and draped it over his shoulders again, silently slipping his hands into his pockets.

“You two are in great form. How about we swap tomorrow’s scene for today?” Cao Xuan was eager to keep them filming. Seizing the moment while their energy was high, continuing might yield unexpected surprises.

Just as An Xiangdi was about to respond, Shen Xiao stopped in front of him, gripping his wrist. As if anticipating resistance, Shen Xiao exerted a bit of force and pulled An Xiangdi’s hand out of his pocket.

Prying open An Xiangdi’s clenched fist, Shen Xiao saw that the nail marks on his palm had drawn blood, and a small patch of skin had been broken.

“Let go.” An Xiangdi had been too immersed in the scene earlier and hadn’t controlled his strength, accidentally scratching his palm. He could have easily hidden it and pretended nothing happened, but Shen Xiao had noticed.

Seeing the injury, Cao Xuan quickly called for the first aid kit. “Oh no! You’re hurt. Let’s get that treated right away.”

Shen Xiao led An Xiangdi to a nearby chair and sat him down, then carefully tended to the wound with a cotton swab dipped in medical alcohol.

Among the crew, one of An Xiangdi’s fans craned their neck, wanting to see if they could help. But upon noticing Shen Xiao’s protective demeanor, they immediately dismissed any unnecessary thoughts.

An Xiangdi pursed his lips. He disliked being watched like this, as if his vulnerability had been exposed and his hidden secrets were about to be revealed. But Shen Xiao was so focused that An Xiangdi couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

Although this small incident occurred, it wouldn’t affect the filming as long as there were no close-ups of his hands. So, the afternoon proceeded as usual.

In the evening, the crew wrapped up early. Seizing the opportunity, Liang Yao hurried over to Shen Xiao.

“Mr. Shen, I have some scar-removing ointment. I’ll bring it to you later so you can give it to Mr. An?”

“No need.” Shen Xiao’s refusal was clear.

Having been rejected twice in one day, Liang Yao forced an awkward smile. “Well, if you need it, just let me know, and I’ll bring it over.”

Without waiting for Shen Xiao’s reply, she turned and hurried away.

Meanwhile, An Xiangdi was in the lab, which was temporarily being used as a break room, searching for his earphones. While taking out his phone earlier, he had fumbled and dropped his wireless earphones. He watched as the white earphones rolled into a pile of equipment in the corner but couldn’t find them no matter how hard he tried.

Outside the half-closed door, a few crew members passed by, seemingly unaware that An Xiangdi was still inside. They chatted about what had happened that morning.

“So who exactly said they don’t get along?”

“I think they’re actually quite close, aren’t they?”

“But that interview from years ago.”

“Interview?” Shen Xiao’s voice suddenly cut in.

An Xiangdi, who had been crouching, froze for a moment before standing up, holding his breath to listen. He, too, was curious why everyone thought he and Shen Xiao didn’t get along. He had always assumed it was because they hadn’t worked together before, but now it seemed there was more to the story.

“Teacher Shen.” The person being questioned looked slightly embarrassed. “It was from an interview several years ago. At the time, Teacher An said that you were annoying.”

Shen Xiao racked his brain for a moment before it dawned on him. “Isn’t that just a bit of fun between lovers?”

Hearing his reply, everyone choked back laughter and chimed in with agreement.

Inside the room, An Xiangdi leaned against the desk, unable to recall which interview it was.

Shen Xiao pushed the door open and walked in. “Done?”

“Were you doing that on purpose this morning?” Deliberately letting everyone see how well they got along.

“What do you think?” Shen Xiao shot back.

“You’re unbelievable.” An Xiangdi straightened up.

Shen Xiao walked over, wrapped his arms around An Xiangdi’s waist, and kissed him.

An Xiangdi gripped his arm tightly, surrounded by the scent of brandy. Gasping for breath, he cursed, “You’re so annoying. Don’t think just because you’re an Alpha you can overwhelm me with your pheromones!”