Always Chasing My White Moonlight Omega - Chapter 17

Before coming, Qu Lingshan had prepared thoroughly.

She had researched the director of this short film before the audition. Upon learning that it was a new director with a promising script, she quickly signed up.

During the audition, when she heard that the director was actually an alumna from her own university, Qu Lingshan grew curious and decided to look into her.

The senior’s name was Ruan Yang, a campus celebrity known far and wide.

With stunning beauty and top-tier academic prowess, even though some speculated she might just be a Beta since she hadn’t presented yet, her overwhelmingly Alpha-like aura made it impossible to ignore her. Despite her usually icy demeanor, she still had hordes of admirers chasing after her.

Qu Lingshan had only ever seen her in photos and on the school website. Now, that exquisitely sculpted face was looking down at her, yet Qu Lingshan couldn’t muster any joy.

“Are you okay?” She saw Ruan Yang covering her nose and mouth, her voice muffled, the concern sounding forced.

Qu Lingshan: “…”

Under Ruan Yang’s “concerned” gaze, Qu Lingshan forced a smile, her tone laced with barely suppressed irritation. “No, Senior, don’t worry. I’m. Just. Fine.”

She had seen it clearly!

Ruan Yang could have caught her to prevent the fall, but she had stepped aside so swiftly, as if dodging some monstrous beast!

How could someone be like this?

Gripping the doorframe, she slowly pulled herself up.

The fall had sounded worse than it was, she wasn’t actually hurt.

“Good, if you’re fine.” Ruan Yang was eager to catch the live broadcast. Seeing Qu Lingshan moving much slower than before, she “kindly” picked up the script from the floor and handed it to her.

“If you’re fine, you should leave now. I won’t see you out.”

Qu Lingshan clutched the script with one hand and pressed the other against her waist. She had just touched a sore spot but hadn’t even made a sound before Ruan Yang pushed her out the door.

Another loud bang.

Qu Lingshan stared at the swiftly shut door in front of her, the words of complaint already at the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back.

After standing there for a moment, she stomped her foot in frustration before limping away.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Ruan Yang shut the door and immediately pulled out her tablet, quickly navigating to the live stream of the Golden Tree Awards.

It was just the red carpet segment. Ruan Yang searched online for the leaked order of appearances and counted, Xu Zhiyi was next.

Good, she’d made it in time.

Ruan Yang exhaled in relief, turned off her phone, and focused intently on the screen.

A few minutes later, Xu Zhiyi finally appeared.

She wore a figure-hugging red dress tonight, the luxurious fabric shimmering under the lights as if dancing, casting a soft glow around her like a natural filter.

Paired with simple yet elegant jewelry, Xu Zhiyi looked less seductive than usual, exuding instead an air of poised grace.

Despite the stunning look, Ruan Yang frowned.

She remembered Xu Zhiyi’s complexion being far better last night, how had she grown so visibly tired in just one day?

Yet even with the fatigue, she was breathtakingly beautiful under the spotlight.

Ruan Yang pressed her lips together, her fingers tapping absently on the wooden desk.

“Was this makeup done on purpose?”

–

“Of course, it was intentional.” Xu Zhiyi walked down the red carpet, where her assistant Jiang Jiang was waiting for her at the end.

Xu Zhiyi took out a mirror and glanced at the faint bruises she had specifically asked the makeup artist to paint on her face.

“If I didn’t do this, how could tonight’s drama be more entertaining?”

With that, Xu Zhiyi walked to the entrance of the awards ceremony, told Jiang Jiang to wait for her backstage, and entered alone.

About half of the guests had already arrived in the venue. Xu Zhiyi found her name on the back of a seat and made her way over.

Unlike during the afternoon rehearsal, the name of the young actress beside her had been replaced.

She wasn’t sure whether it was the organizers or Xunguang’s doing.

For the sake of publicity, they truly had no shame left.

Xu Zhiyi curled her lips into a cold smile and sat down steadily.

She was eager to see what other exciting theatrics would unfold around her tonight.

A few more minutes passed, and the venue gradually filled with arriving guests. Xu Zhiyi kept smiling and greeting the senior artists around her.

When a familiar figure finally took the seat beside her, the smile on Xu Zhiyi’s lips deepened.

“Zhiyi.” The other person’s voice trembled.

The warmth in Xu Zhiyi’s eyes slowly faded, but she maintained a composed expression.

She could sense that everyone around her, including the cameras not far away, had their attention fixed on her.

For a few seconds, the entire venue fell silent.

“Zhiyi.” In such an atmosphere, Zheng Tang’s call sounded even more grating.

Xu Zhiyi finally turned to look at her, tilting her head slightly as if waiting for the other to continue.

This calm, unprovoked attitude only made Zheng Tang more flustered.

Her original intention had been to use the contract termination as leverage to force Xu Zhiyi to act more intimate with her later, dispelling the rumors.

But faced with Xu Zhiyi’s demeanor, Zheng Tang suddenly found herself at a loss.

The gazes from all directions made Zheng Tang feel as if she were sitting on pins and needles.

She was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan, yet she couldn’t utter a single word.

Xu Zhiyi seemed to let out a soft laugh. Zheng Tang abruptly looked up, but Xu Zhiyi had already shifted her gaze back to the stage.

As if that faintly mocking chuckle had been nothing but Zheng Tang’s imagination.

Seeing no spectacle to enjoy, the onlookers and cameras reluctantly turned their attention elsewhere.

The awards ceremony soon began. Xu Zhiyi maintained a faint smile for the cameras.

She could feel the growing agitation radiating from the person beside her.

Suddenly, Xu Zhiyi realized that she had overestimated Zheng Tang all along.

It was precisely because Zheng Tang wasn’t particularly clever that she had so easily agreed to the company’s demands in the first place using a fabricated romance with Zheng Tang to boost the latter’s popularity, in exchange for her own contract termination.

But all of that ended here.

On stage, the host had already begun introducing the next award, “Best Actress,” and the presenters for the category.

The two presenters were both renowned veterans in the industry. Behind them flashed the images of the four nominees for the award.

Both Xu Zhiyi and Zheng Tang were among them.

After studying Zheng Tang’s face on the screen for a moment, Xu Zhiyi thought to herself: If she were a top executive at Xunguang, she would abandon the plan to buy this award right now and return it to her as a gesture of appeasement.

At least after the rumors of the contract termination spread, from a reputation standpoint, Xunguang had treated her decently. If she were to retaliate against the company now, she’d only be labeled an ingrate.

On stage, after a long and tedious buildup of suspense, the presenter finally spoke.

“And the winner of the Golden Tree Award for ‘Best Actress’ is, our rising star, Zheng Tang!”

Xu Zhiyi happened to turn her head at that moment, catching sight of Zheng Tang’s surprised expression.

But the higher-ups at Xunguang wouldn’t consider any of this.

All they could see was the immediate profit.

Xu Zhiyi stood up, a single glistening tear flashing across the camera’s lens.

She let out a soft laugh.

“Congratulations, Zheng Tang.”

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