After Marrying the Cold Omega in Secret - Chapter 63

Today, Chi Ye didn’t work overtime and left the office on time, driving straight home. When she entered the house, Aunt Chen was feeding Wanzi with cat food.

Her gaze fell on the dining table, where dinner was already prepared only one set of utensils laid out.

Chi Ye took off her coat and handed it to He Zhu behind her.

Then she asked Aunt Chen, “Has Madam eaten?”

Aunt Chen finished feeding the kitten and stood up, replying, “No, Madam went out today.”

“She said she’d be back late.”

A shadow briefly flickered across Chi Ye’s eyes, though barely noticeable. Even though she already had an inkling of the answer, she couldn’t help but ask, “Did she say where she was going?”

Aunt Chen thought for a moment, searching her memory for the name.

“Jiang Xu. She went to see Jiang Xu.”

Having worked for Chi Ye in the villa for so long, Aunt Chen had long learned to read the room. The moment she uttered that name, she could sense Chi Ye’s expression darkening further.

Unlike before, this time, there was no attempt to conceal it.

When Chi Ye had breakfast this morning, Aunt Chen had already sensed something was off. She initially thought they might have had an argument, but later, seeing Chu Jin in high spirits, she dismissed the idea.

But now, looking at Chi Ye’s expression cold, menacing, as if she wanted to skin someone alive.

Well, she couldn’t make sense of young people’s relationships these days.

Before Chi Ye’s mood could fully collapse, Aunt Chen quickly changed the subject. “Chi Ye, go wash your hands and eat. The food will get cold soon.”

Fortunately, Chi Ye was reasonable and didn’t lash out easily. She treated the household staff with a degree of respect, almost like elders, so after Aunt Chen spoke, she reined in some of the anger in her eyes.

“Alright,” she replied in a low voice. But after taking just one step, she paused.

Turning back hesitantly, she added another question:

“How was her mood today?”

Aunt Chen didn’t know what had happened between them, so she wasn’t sure what the right answer was. She glanced at He Zhu for help, but the latter shook her head slightly, unable to offer any advice.

Left with no choice, Aunt Chen decided to be honest.

After weighing her words, she chose a neutral term and replied softly, “Madam’s mood was alright.”

Though the phrasing was cautious, in Chi Ye’s mind, “alright” was immediately categorized as: “happy,” “cheerful,” “delighted.”

As long as the answer wasn’t “upset,” “heartbroken,” or “too distressed to eat,” it meant nothing.

The last flicker of hope in her heart was ruthlessly extinguished by this answer.

All she could squeeze out through gritted teeth was one word:

“Good.”

Just great.

They had just argued last night, and today, Chu Jin was happily off on a date with her beloved “sister.”

Chu Jin, you’re just great.

He Zhu, standing beside her, subtly raised an eyebrow and swallowed hard. Even from just a sidelong glance, she could feel the hostility radiating off Chi Ye.

She was truly furious.

Without eating much, Chi Ye pushed her plate away, unable to stomach another bite, and went upstairs.

“This is the first time I’ve seen Chi Ye this angry,” Aunt Chen remarked as she cleared the table, gossiping with He Zhu. “Did she have a fight with Madam?”

Just as He Xian was about to respond, the sound of movement came from the entrance, followed by Chu Jin’s voice.

“I’m back!”

Her tone was brimming with joy it seemed she’d had a great time outside today.

Fortunately, President Chi had just gone upstairs. If she’d heard that tone, she would’ve exploded on the spot.

He Xian silently counted his blessings.

Chu Jin changed her shoes and entered the house, carrying several shopping bags. Aunt Chen greeted her with a smile, “Madam is back. President Chi just went upstairs.”

At these words, Chu Jin’s smile faded slightly.

She raised an eyebrow indifferently. “So early today.”

“There wasn’t much work to handle today, so she came back on time,” He Xian replied on behalf of Chi Ye.

Having said that, he didn’t linger and soon left.

After He Xian’s departure, Chu Jin began mulling over his words.

So, Chi Ye had left late and returned early today.

As she pondered, her expression was unreadable, but the corners of her lips curled up involuntarily.

She had originally planned to return even later today but couldn’t bear to stay out any longer.

After trying on dresses at Jiang Xu’s place, it was nearly noon. The other woman had reserved a restaurant in advance, so they had lunch together. In the afternoon, Jiang Xu suggested going shopping, wanting to spend more time with her since they hadn’t seen each other in years.

Chu Jin found the reasoning sound and, needing to kill time anyway, agreed. After shopping, they even got manicures together before having dinner in the evening.

Jiang Xu had proposed watching a movie afterward, but Chu Jin estimated it would make her return too late, so she politely declined.

She had initially worried about returning before Chi Ye, never expecting the other woman would miraculously come home on time today.

Well, at least her day out hadn’t been in vain.

Chu Jin imagined Chi Ye’s displeased expression and felt thoroughly satisfied.

In high spirits, she played with Wanzi for a while, deliberately dragging her feet before finally heading upstairs. She took slow, deliberate steps, making sure her slippers slapped loudly against the stairs.

Passing Chi Ye’s bedroom door, she found it tightly shut, the room beyond silent.

She continued forward, but just as she paused at her own bedroom door, she heard a soft “click.”

The previously closed door had opened.

So she was waiting after all.

Chu Jin thought this to herself without showing any reaction.

She glanced sideways to see Chi Ye already in pajamas, her hair loose, her narrow eyes unreadable. A pair of glasses perched on her tall nose bridge, their metal frames casting faint reflections in the dim light, making her skin appear even paler.

Elegant yet with a hint of sickly languor.

Faced with this sight, Chu Jin offered a hollow smile. “President Chi, you’re back so early today.”

Chi Ye leaned against the doorframe, her slender fingers lacking color. “Mmm.”

Her tone matched her expression calm and indifferent, as if addressing empty air.

Seeing Chi Ye had nothing more to say, Chu Jin concluded the conversation flatly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll retire to my room.”

But just as she opened her bedroom door, Chi Ye suddenly spoke again.

“You went out today?”

Her gaze fell on the shopping bags in Chu Jin’s hands.

It seemed she hadn’t just tried on clothes but gone shopping too.

“Yes, I met with Jiang Xu, tried on some clothes at her studio, and then went shopping.” Chu Jin said without batting an eye, then suddenly remembered something and raised her right hand to show off her nails.

“I also got a manicure.”

She had opted for nude-colored extensions adorned with tiny diamonds that sparkled under the light, looking both elegant and refined, making her fingers appear even more slender and fair.

Truth be told, Chu Jin hadn’t gotten a manicure in a long time especially since she and Chi Ye had grown closer. She hadn’t even kept long nails.

After all, long manicured nails would limit her performance.

And diminish the other’s experience.

But now that they were fighting, it was the perfect time to make a statement. A manicure was the best way to retaliate.

The underlying message wasn’t lost on Chi Ye. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her dark pupils growing even more inscrutable behind her glasses.

She slowly averted her gaze, her tone turning even colder:

“You and your girlfriends sure had a great time.”

Chu Jin curved her eyes into a bright smile.

“Of course we did,” she replied without hesitation.

The two locked eyes for a moment, neither yielding.

Finally, in silent agreement, they both looked away, Chu Jin heading into the bedroom, Chi Ye leaving to get a glass of water.

–

In the days that followed, they barely saw each other, only occasionally sharing breakfast.

Chi Ye left early and returned late, busy with a new project that required constant overtime. Even in her free time, she was reviewing the script for an upcoming shoot.

After receiving news that she had passed her audition, Chu Jin threw herself into preparing for her role while juggling other commitments, equally swamped.

It wasn’t until the end of July, when filming officially began, that they properly reunited.

Following the crew’s opening ceremony, the entire team gathered for a meal, where the director introduced everyone actors and staff alike.

Feng Yuwei was among them. Playing the third female lead, she portrayed Ji Mengying, the childhood friend of Chi Ye’s character, Shen Huai.

Ji Mengying was a sweet-faced, cheerful girl who had grown up with Shen Huai and harbored a secret crush on her. Upon learning about Shen Huai’s relationship with the female lead, Wen Qin, she pretended to be innocent and pitiable while secretly stirring up trouble, a textbook white lotus.

She served as an obstacle in Wen Qin and Shen Huai’s romance.

Feng Yuwei had landed the role not just because the director was Su Chenxiao, but also due to Chi Ye’s involvement and the fact that she was playing Shen Huai.

Though Ji Mengying was merely an unfortunate casualty in the script, she still shared plenty of scenes with Shen Huai.

How could that not count as interaction?

Feng Yuwei, aware of Chi Ye’s background, knew she was someone with immense influence. Though Chi Ye rarely dabbled in the entertainment industry, forging a connection with her would undoubtedly bring endless benefits in the future.

So, during the celebratory dinner that night, Feng Yuwei deliberately took the seat next to Chi Ye.

Throughout the meal, she repeatedly raised her glass to toast Chi Ye, wishing them smooth collaboration ahead. Chi Ye had little desire to entertain her, but resentment flared at the thought of Chu Jin’s recent behavior, so she endured and accepted the drinks.

Chu Jin, seated on Chi Ye’s other side, saw everything.

It still stung a little.

After all, this was her first proper drama role. She wasn’t familiar with anyone in the crew except Chi Ye, who was now chatting amiably with Feng Yuwei despite knowing about their past conflict.

The suffocating frustration in her chest grew even more unbearable.

Yet she didn’t show a trace of it.

These days, Chu Jin had learned to mask her emotions like Chi Ye remaining expressionless no matter what, pretending nothing had happened.

–

The filming location was at Linhe City’s largest studio complex, where the production team had booked luxury five-star hotel suites for the leads, offering both comfort and convenience.

To foster more emotional connection between the two leads, Chu Jin and Chi Ye’s rooms were deliberately arranged next to each other.

Despite being separated by just a wall, their interactions grew even fewer, limited to occasional script discussions.

By the day before filming, they still appeared rather unfamiliar with each other, much to director Su Chenxiao’s concern.

After lunch, Su couldn’t hold back any longer and confronted them directly: “I saw how sweet your interactions were in the dating show. Why do you look like strangers now?”

Chu Jin: “Not really.”

Chi Ye: “It’s fine.”

They answered simultaneously.

The air instantly grew still.

Their eyes met briefly before quickly looking away.

Su Chenxiao: “…Don’t tell me the dating show was scripted.”

“If it was scripted, that just proves our acting was good,” Chu Jin smiled, then assured her, “Don’t worry, Director Su. We’ll perform well tomorrow.”

Chu Jin never let personal feelings interfere with her acting. Once filming started, she would fully immerse herself in the role even if Feng Yuwei was playing Shen Huai.

Stumped by Chu Jin’s response, Su turned to Chi Ye: “What about you, President Chi?”

Chi Ye wasn’t just playing the second female lead, she was also the drama’s biggest investor. Most directors wouldn’t demand much from such a benefactor, but Su maintained high standards.

She’d seen Chi Ye’s childhood performances and recognized her natural talent. Even after years away from acting, the foundation remained. Recent screen tests had also shown no major issues, Chi Ye fit the role perfectly.

Yet the leads’ relationship was far more distant than she’d anticipated like a promotional CP whose contract had ended, now acting like strangers, even showing signs of avoiding each other completely.

Facing Su’s concern, Chi Ye replied impassively: “As long as she’s in character, I’ll be fine.”

“Why so formal? You two have many intimate scenes coming up.”

“That’s making love, not making hate.”

This was Chu Jin’s first interaction with Su Chenxiao, and she hadn’t expected the director to be so blunt.

The phrasing was crude, but the point stood.

Seeing their slight reactions, Su tried mending their relationship: “Come on, hug it out right now.”

Physical interaction was the fastest way to build chemistry, a common practice among actors.

Faced with the director’s sudden request, both of them froze, neither making a move.

Su Chenxiao took a sip of water and continued urging, “Come on, get up and give each other a hug.”

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