Becoming the Comfort Alpha for the Aloof Movie Queen - Chapter 1

It seemed she was greeting Liang Ruojing.

Liang Ruojing, an S-class Alpha, was 23 years old. She had majored in Financial Management in university, originally intending to follow in her family’s footsteps and join the banking industry upon graduation.

During the second semester of her freshman year, to return a favor, Liang Ruojing participated in the school’s promotional video. She played the role of the “sunshine senior” leading the protagonist through the campus.

The video was short—only 4 minutes and 23 seconds—but after its release, it garnered an unexpected level of attention.

Liang Ruojing went viral.

Even now, if you search “Liang Ruojing” on a popular video site, the top result is still that original admissions video.

Under the bright autumn sun, the senior in the white shirt smiles and reaches her hand out toward you.

Amber eyes that looked like molten gold, long hair fluttering in the breeze, and an undeniable youthful spirit between her brows… together, these elements formed the green but beautiful Liang Ruojing of that time.

Overnight, the name of this young Alpha entered the public consciousness.

Six months later, Liang Ruojing signed with a management agency and officially debuted as an actress. Since then, her popularity had soared; her dramas were hits, and her fanbase was incredibly active.

She had been in the industry for nearly two years now and was currently the most popular among the new generation of “little flowers.”

With her outstanding looks and competent acting, Liang Ruojing’s future seemed dazzlingly bright.

Her fans, the “Liang-fen” Cold Noodles, were ambitious too. They had already pre-ordered the “Queen of Television” crown for their “Sister” for the year-end awards. The press releases they pushed even compared her to “The Little Ming Tanqing”—a level of clout-chasing those even editors found bold.

But now, with her new drama flopping, can the superstar dreams of Liang Ruojing and her fans continue?

Rumor has it that Ming Tanqing, who has been quiet for many years, will also attend this gala. What kind of interaction will there be between the two on-site?

Click the link below! Reserve your spot for tonight’s 8 PM WB Gala live stream! Plenty of gifts await you, Room No….

Inside the artist’s lounge at the WB Gala, Liang Ruojing held her phone, reading the marketing blog articles about herself with great interest. When she reached the end, she clicked the link and decisively made a reservation.

Suddenly, her phone was snatched away.

Her manager, Tang Yuecen, appeared before her. Tang scanned the screen briefly, her rage visible even through her thick glasses.

“Stop reading these marketing blogs on WB. If you ever accidentally ‘like’ one of these posts, we’ll never be able to clear your name.”

Tang Yuecen pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. After a fluid sequence of reporting and blocking the account, she handed the phone back.

Liang Ruojing was still smiling. It was her nature; she rarely looked sullen. “But wasn’t she mostly praising me? I promise I’ll be careful from now on.”

Just then, the makeup artist entered. Liang Ruojing sat down obediently and tilted her face up to wait for the application.

It was less than three hours before the 8 PM live stream began, and Liang Ruojing was already dressed in the gown she would wear for the red carpet.

The winter evening sun was beautiful, streaming through the window to illuminate a face that could only be described as flawless.

In the mirror, the young Alpha wore a strapless red dress. Her waist-length flaxen hair was draped over her back, revealing a stark, exquisite paleness across her shoulders and chest.

Liang Ruojing was famous for having a “movie face.” Her features were sharp and radiant, and her S-class Alpha aura gave her an undeniable presence.

The makeup artist, a Beta who had worked with Liang Ruojing many times, couldn’t help but praise her again: “You’re going to gain so many fans after the red carpet tonight. Let’s take a photo together later so I can bask in the glow of a big star.”

Liang Ruojing laughed and chatted back.

Glancing at the mirror, she noticed Tang Yuecen still had a furrowed brow, looking as if she were in a bad mood.

It wasn’t Tang Yuecen’s fault for worrying. Liang Ruojing’s luck this year had been truly poor.

The two idol dramas she starred in had mediocre discussion rates. Her only role that had gained any traction was a minor supporting part in a movie.

But that movie was carried by veteran actors; it had very little to do with a “traffic star” like Liang Ruojing.

Liang Ruojing’s career had been smooth sailing since her debut, and such a high profile inevitably invited enemies.

Now that she was showing a slight decline, Tang Yuecen wasn’t afraid of Liang Ruojing’s mindset failing—she was afraid of rivals kicking her while she was down.

The entertainment industry is fiercely competitive. Even if Liang Ruojing didn’t fight for things, others would try their best to trample her.

The “Little Ming Tanqing” smear campaigns were part of that.

“Tang-jie,” Liang Ruojing suddenly spoke, “I heard Teacher Ming Tanqing is coming tonight. Is it true?”

The makeup artist looked excited. “She’s really here! I saw her when I came in. Her lounge is on this same floor. I’m a huge fan!”

Tang Yuecen nodded and warned, “If you see her backstage later, be polite but leave quickly. Don’t let anyone take a photo of you together, or they’ll say your clout-chasing again.”

Liang Ruojing didn’t really take the words to heart. A cold and aloof figure had already surfaced in her mind.

Like the makeup artist, she was also a fan of Ming Tanqing.

Or rather, who wasn’t a fan of Ming Tanqing?

Good family background, stunning looks, and a rare genius for acting. She won an international Best Actress award for her very first film and had won countless awards throughout her years in the industry.

Liang Ruojing had once read a report that praised Ming Tanqing as being “born for the silver screen.”

Gradually, the sun set, and the light outside turned a dusty gray.

Shortly after 7 PM, staff members knocked on the lounge doors one by one. “The live stream is about to begin. Please proceed to the backstage area and wait.”

For a large-scale gala like this, the appearance order of guests was specifically arranged by the organizers and rehearsed the day before.

Liang Ruojing had been in the industry for a short time and lacked seniority, but because she was currently popular, she was scheduled to appear toward the end.

In the dark backstage area, Liang Ruojing lifted her skirt. Tang Yuecen stayed by her side, whispering final reminders.

Liang Ruojing listened, but her eyes couldn’t help searching through the sea of people for a familiar figure.

Didn’t they say she was on the same floor? Is Ming Tanqing not doing the red carpet?

Liang Ruojing felt a bit disappointed. She just wanted a glimpse.

Composing her emotions, Liang Ruojing walked gracefully into the spotlights. Her flaxen hair had been pinned up by the stylist, with two curled strands left hanging by her temples, giving her an indescribable charm.

The fans’ screams instantly pierced through the chill of the winter night.

“Ahhh! Sister! Look over here!”

“Liang Ruojing, I love you!! Keep it up, Xiao Jing!”

“Xiao Jing, Happy New Year!”

Liang Ruojing accepted a few letters handed over by fans and waved as she left their sight.

Yanjing’s winters were always cold. Tang Yuecen sent an assistant to deliver hot milk tea she had pre-ordered for the “Liang-fen.”

Since they were already there, the fans held their hot tea and watched the red carpet from a distance for a while longer. Among the arrivals was Ke Qing, who had recently won a Best Actress award at Cannes and was receiving much media attention.

Usually, once the biggest stars appeared, the red carpet concluded.

“Let’s head back. I’ll call a cab, and we can split it when we get back?”

“Wait, why is it getting even more crowded over there?”

“…It’s actually Ming Tanqing!”

It was so cold today that a light, powdery snow began to fall.

From a distance, they saw a slender figure stepping onto the red carpet under the protection of bodyguards.

Ming Tanqing stood under the spotlights. She had no expression on her face, yet she was stunning enough to make people freeze in their tracks.

By the time the fans snapped out of it, all that remained in the air was the faint, lingering scent of lilies.

Liang Ruojing didn’t have a massive hit drama this year, but she still had a solid foundation as a first-tier “little flower.”

The organizers were polite when arranging the seating, placing her in the center of the third row. She was only three meters away from the stage; the cameras would catch her whenever they panned across, which was considered a sign of respect.

She arrived at the red carpet late, so when she took her seat, the chairs to her left and right were already occupied. A few actors she knew were discussing the potential award winners. Seeing Liang Ruojing enter, they warmly invited her into the conversation.

The first to speak was Bai Zheng, who was from the same company as Liang Ruojing. They had debuted in the same year, and because they were both Alphas with overlapping niches, they hadn’t gotten along from the start.

This year, Bai Zheng had a drama nominated in the television category. Liang Ruojing had long expected her to come over and provoke her.

“Teacher Liang, are you confident about tonight?” Bai Zheng’s smile was gentle. If one ignored the bad blood between them, she really looked the part of a friendly colleague.

As soon as the words left her mouth, the expressions of everyone around them changed.

Who didn’t know that both dramas Liang Ruojing starred in this year had failed to receive a single nomination?

How childish, Liang Ruojing thought.

She caught the provocation in Bai Zheng’s eyes and countered: “It seems Teacher Bai is very confident. That’s great; the company’s first-floor display case can have another trophy. If it’s for the television category, maybe ours will be placed together.”

The watching gazes immediately shifted to Bai Zheng.

Although Bai Zheng had a drama nominated, she wasn’t the favorite to win; she was most likely just there as an extra.

Liang Ruojing, on the other hand, had legitimately won the Queen of Television award as a newcomer at the end of last year.

Unlike other newcomers pushed solely by capital, Liang Ruojing had representative works to back her up. She wasn’t the type to take insults lying down, so her words were naturally sharp.

Sure enough, Bai Zheng’s face darkened, and she sat back in her seat with a sullen expression.

Liang Ruojing looked calm on the surface, but she was feeling anxious inside.

She hoped there wouldn’t be any major upsets tonight. She had to go to the company tomorrow; she hoped the intel Sister Tang gathered was reliable.

Liang Ruojing looked toward the stage. As her gaze retreated, she noticed a small nameplate.

“Ming Tanqing.”

It was placed right in the center of the first row.

This time, Liang Ruojing didn’t have to struggle to find her. Ming Tanqing appeared from a side entrance.

Liang Ruojing could feel the atmosphere around her instantly tighten at Ming Tanqing’s appearance.

Ming Tanqing didn’t enter alone. She was accompanied by a tall woman dressed in a full-black Tang suit, wearing gold-rimmed glasses that gave her a refined, scholarly look.

Liang Ruojing recognized her as Lin Xiuzhu, the director who had just won an award at Cannes. She was also an S-class Alpha; Ke Qing was her leading lady.

The Alpha was a head taller than Ming Tanqing and leaned down slightly to discuss something with her. Ming Tanqing seemed to be in poor health; she wore a long, fur-lined shawl, her face appearing very small tucked into the white fur.

As the two were about to part ways, Ming Tanqing smiled.

That smile was faint and beautiful, and it was caught perfectly by the staring Liang Ruojing.

Liang Ruojing was momentarily dazed, forgetting to hide her gaze.

Feeling the stare, Ming Tanqing cast a brief glance over with her pale gray-blue eyes. She bowed her head slightly, appearing to be greeting Liang Ruojing.

Haha, me?

She had never even met Ming Tanqing.

Liang Ruojing mocked her own wishful thinking, yet she still smiled back in response.

It wasn’t until the person turned away that Liang Ruojing looked straight ahead as a cover-up.

The camera happened to pan across at that moment, and the live stream platform faithfully recorded the scene.

“What happened to Liang Ruojing’s makeup artist? The blush is so heavy.”