Becoming the Comfort Alpha for the Aloof Movie Queen - Chapter 100

Mutual Jealousy

The Sweet-Scented Osmanthus Road at Peking University was located on the main campus’s central thoroughfare, not far from the small theater where they currently were.

The scenery along the way was pleasant, and since it was still early, Song Xuan led the group at a leisurely pace toward the main road.

It was a crisp autumn day, and golden leaves fluttered down like stardust in the wind.

Despite such a poetic and romantic scene, Liang Ruojing had no desire to appreciate it. She hid within the crowd, observing the two people in front of her with a dark, brooding gaze.

Ming Tanqing laughed again. For the third time.

Liang Ruojing lifted her chin in displeasure.

What on earth was so interesting that the Omega was listening so intently?

Wasn’t it just teaching buildings, cafeterias, and squares?

They were merely places for students’ daily activities.

Liang Ruojing also noticed that not only was Ming Tanqing listening with focus, but whenever Song Xuan pointed somewhere, her gaze would follow, and a very gentle smile would appear on her face—like snow melting in spring, carrying a lingering warmth.

Curious, Liang Ruojing followed her gaze.

Ming Tanqing was looking at a lawn.

So, even a patch of grass is more likable than me now?!

Liang Ruojing felt desolate. With her hands shoved in her pockets, she followed mechanically.

Ming Tanqing paused, her gaze sweeping over the entire deep-green lawn.

She had never imagined that wandering through a school campus one day could be so interesting.

Like a movie fan on a “holy land pilgrimage,” she was walking through Liang Ruojing’s student days.

The scenes the Alpha used to whisper about in her ear were appearing before her eyes. Wherever she looked, it felt as if an eighteen-year-old Liang Ruojing was there.

Going to class, eating, participating in activities in the square.

Song Xuan said that campus bands would hold small live performances on the lawn.

Liang Ruojing had formed a band in her freshman year; had she also been surrounded by classmates on this very lawn?

Ming Tanqing curled her lips into a smile. Inadvertently turning her head, she locked eyes with Liang Ruojing.

Unbeknownst to her, the Alpha had fallen to the very back of the group. Her expression was gloomy, and beneath her heroic brows sat a pair of eyes filled with suppressed anger.

She was glaring at her.

Ever since the sharing session began, Liang Ruojing had maintained this angry look.

In the brilliant autumn sunshine, she alone carried a dark cloud over her head.

Ming Tanqing didn’t understand.

Her rare lighthearted mood sank once again.

Liang Ruojing lowered her head, gloomily kicking a pebble.

She stopped looking ahead; it stung her eyes.

The trip she had looked forward to for a week had turned bitter. If she had known, she wouldn’t have specially picked out this outfit.

A figure approached, but Liang Ruojing didn’t notice.

“Is that the clock tower you told me about?”

The tips of her ears twitched sharply. She turned her face to find Ming Tanqing, who had been at the very front, now standing beside her. She was walking next to her, pointing a slender white finger toward a distant brick-red clock tower.

Liang Ruojing’s tone was cold and stiff: “You can ask Xiao Song.”

Ming Tanqing was certain now—Liang Ruojing was angry with her.

She could feel the person before her becoming a stranger bit by bit.

Her heart felt astringent, and her footsteps involuntarily slowed.

After Liang Ruojing spoke, she also felt her tone had been a bit harsh.

Framed by the teaching buildings, she realized how “academic style” Ming Tanqing’s outfit was today.

A linen long dress and a knit cardigan—both common student attire in autumn—paired with a low ponytail made her look entirely like an intellectual senior sister.

In the next second, her finger was lightly hooked.

The soft sensation was gone in an instant.

She looked up and met Ming Tanqing’s gaze.

“But I only want to hear you tell it.”

What’s going on?

That sounded like acting spoiled.

Don’t overthink it!

Liang Ruojing hesitated, watching Ming Tanqing’s gaze dim and her long lashes droop, the very image of disappointment.

“Really?” Liang Ruojing asked secretly, “You’re not listening to Xiao Song anymore?”

Ming Tanqing looked at her and said softly, “She doesn’t know what you’ve talked to me about before.”

Shameful.

Too shameful.

Liang Ruojing was easily coaxed into a better mood by the familiarity and naturalness in Ming Tanqing’s words.

She cleared her throat and began to introduce things seriously.

Which classroom she used to have classes in, which road she used to sprint down.

Fearful of attracting attention from the others, Liang Ruojing kept her voice very low, speaking softly as if reciting a poem.

Ming Tanqing listened intently, a soft smile inevitably hanging on her lips.

Like a frame from a youth romance movie, Liang Ruojing dazed out for a few seconds, feeling time slow down.

They trailed behind the group together, and gradually, they formed their own little sub-unit.

The group finally reached the main campus. Just as Song Xuan was about to introduce the Osmanthus forest, someone noticed a sculpture by the road and asked curiously, “Who is this?”

Song Xuan got stuck. “Let me look it up.”

Who would memorize that unless they were filming a school promotional video?

Just as she took out her phone, another voice took over the conversation.

Liang Ruojing: “This is the founder of the School of Management. She donated the Osmanthus forest.”

For a moment, everyone in the group looked at her, their gazes filled with surprise and a hint of admiration.

Out of all those eyes, Liang Ruojing only cared about the pair beside her.

Sister Tanqing was looking at her.

Her eyes were so bright, so beautiful.

Song Xuan was surprised: “Teacher Liang, how did you know?”

Liang Ruojing feigned indifference: “Oh, because I graduated from Peking University.”

Song Xuan: “Then I should call you Senior. Which department were you in, Teacher Liang?”

“Guanghua School of Management,” Liang Ruojing said in a light tone, as if it were of no consequence.

But her tail was already wagging.

Isn’t that impressive?

My education should count for extra points, right?

Song Xuan: “What a coincidence, I’m also from Guanghua.”

Liang Ruojing’s face instantly fell: …That’s quite enough.

At that moment, Ming Tanqing covered her mouth and let out a quick laugh.

Liang Ruojing’s ears turned red instantly.

With the identity of a “Peking University graduate,” Liang Ruojing naturally stepped in to help whenever Song Xuan couldn’t explain something during the rest of the tour.

She had once helped prepare a promotional video and had specifically studied the school’s history. Her introductions were well-organized and included little anecdotes so they wouldn’t be too boring.

Ming Tanqing’s focused gaze was the best stimulant.

The more she talked, the more excited she became. While introducing, she would look at Ming Tanqing with expectant eyes, looking exactly like a peacock spreading its feathers.

How about it?

Pretty knowledgeable, right?

Ming Tanqing suddenly tilted her head and glanced at the people around them.

Liang Ruojing had a pleasant voice, was good-looking, and wore a casual outfit that erased any sense of distance, making her look just like a senior sister from this school.

Mature, reliable, and radiating a shimmering charm.

This version of Liang Ruojing was visible to her, but it was also visible to everyone else.

Sure enough, quite a few tourists recognized them and tentatively stepped forward to strike up a conversation, wanting to take photos with Liang Ruojing.

Ming Tanqing pulled back her smile and took a step back, proactively distancing herself from the crowd.

In her field of vision, Liang Ruojing was surrounded by several enthusiastic fans, taking photos with them.

An Omega stepped forward, standing close to her; from Ming Tanqing’s perspective, it looked like an intimate embrace.

Ming Tanqing’s expression grew darker and darker.

She had a high status and a natural distance that came with being a big star; with a slightly cold face, her aura became inexplicably intimidating, practically screaming “do not approach.”

Seeing this, several fans speculated she didn’t want to be disturbed and only held up their phones to take photos quietly from the side.

Several minutes passed, and Liang Ruojing was still taking photos.

Truly popular.

Ming Tanqing found a bench and sat down, but her gaze remained glued to the smiling Alpha.

Suddenly, Song Xuan walked over and shyly pulled a photo out of her hoodie pocket, handing it to her: “Sister Ming, could I bother you for an autograph?”

Ming Tanqing looked at the young couple leaning against each other in the photo, smiled softly, and proactively asked: “Do you want me to make it a ‘To’ signature for her?”

Song Xuan’s face turned even redder: “Please, she actually likes you very much.”

By the time Liang Ruojing finished dealing with the fans and turned around, this was the scene she saw.

What the hell are you blushing for!

She had only been gone for two minutes; how did Song Xuan end up here?

Liang Ruojing suppressed her irritation and walked quickly toward the two of them.

Ming Tanqing had just finished signing. She looked up and was startled by Liang Ruojing’s dark face.

What now?

Their gazes clashed for eight hundred rounds, neither yielding to the other.

The brief interlude ended, and the campus tour had to continue.

Ming Tanqing lagged behind at the tail end of the group, walking slowly. Liang Ruojing came over and walked silently beside her.

Neither spoke first; the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

Walking past the Osmanthus forest, they entered a small path between the faculty buildings. Song Xuan performed her duties, giving introductions.

Ming Tanqing pondered for a few seconds before suddenly lowering her voice to Liang Ruojing: “Let Xiao Song do all the talking from now on.”

Liang Ruojing frowned: “Why?”

Ming Tanqing said calmly: “She knows quite a lot, and you’ve been talking for so long, doesn’t your throat hurt?”

Liang Ruojing said sourly: “Right, she knows a lot. She’s very likable.”

These words were laced with thorns, which Ming Tanqing sensed: “Exactly who is the one being likable?”

Liang Ruojing didn’t think of herself at all; her attention was focused on the corners of Ming Tanqing’s mouth, which had flattened out again.

Who was likable?

The fans, Song Xuan, everyone—everyone except Liang Ruojing.

She felt a sense of defeat, as if a stone were wedged in her chest.

Liang Ruojing sighed, her brows lowering as she said aggrievedly: “Can’t you smile at me more?”

Ming Tanqing’s expression flickered for a moment. She pressed her lips together and countered: “You’ve been glaring at me the whole time. How am I supposed to smile at you?”

Liang Ruojing’s mind went blank.

Who? Her?

She immediately realized that because Song Xuan and Ming Tanqing had been standing in the same direction during the first half, her gaze had been misunderstood.

Liang Ruojing was truly unable to defend herself.

“I wasn’t glaring at you.”

Ming Tanqing: “Then who were you glaring at?”

Liang Ruojing was too embarrassed to say.

She herself felt this jealousy was nonsensical, but she simply couldn’t control it.

Just as she was about to explain, the people ahead had already noticed their conversation and turned around with concern: “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

Ming Tanqing calmed them with a steady voice: “It’s nothing, we’re just discussing a problem.”

After all, it was a group outing with many eyes and ears; it wasn’t convenient to say much.

Seemingly unable to bear the eerie silence, they moved apart again, each taking a step away. The ambiguous bubbles were pricked by a needle.

Liang Ruojing didn’t know what she was doing.

She really didn’t try to get close to her again.

Ming Tanqing lowered her eyes, her expression lonely and conflicted.

She was angry at herself.

She had always known that no one was indispensable.

She had never confirmed a relationship with Liang Ruojing; the Alpha had the status and the capital to walk away from their past relationship.

Ming Tanqing just didn’t want to face it.

Liang Ruojing’s feelings for her had cooled.

From the moment the door opened, she could see it in the Alpha’s calm eyes.

On the other side, Liang Ruojing secretly took out her phone, switched to the selfie camera, and observed her own expression.

So fierce.

Like I’ve been angry this whole time.

She had intended to present her best self to Sister Tanqing.

The group reached the square to rest. A few minutes later, just as Song Xuan was about to gather the troops again, two voices spoke in unison.

“Sorry, I have something to do.”

Everyone looked at the two of them.

Liang Ruojing could not hide the sadness in her expression as she said sorrowfully: “I still have work.”

Ming Tanqing remained expressionless: “I’m meeting someone.”

Meeting someone?

Who?

Liang Ruojing lowered her head and murmured: “I’m going to the restroom.”

With that, regardless of the fact that her coat was still draped over the bench, she left the group alone.

Ming Tanqing remained rooted to the spot, her gaze following the Alpha’s retreating back.

Liang Ruojing found the nearest teaching building to use the restroom. Standing at the sink, she began to seriously observe her face in the mirror.

Frowning deeply—it was quite ugly.

Looking at the stranger in the mirror, she couldn’t help but daze out.

As Sister Tanqing said, had she really had this expression all day?

Water flowed down. Liang Ruojing cupped some water and splashed it on her face. She rubbed her face, forcing her expression back to its usual state.

She hooked the corners of her mouth with two fingers, pulling them up.

As soon as she let go, they dropped back down.

When the heart is heavy, how can the expression be light?

Perhaps she shouldn’t have come.

Liang Ruojing dragged her feet, inching her way out of the teaching building.

The group had likely already left, and Sister Tanqing had gone to her appointment.

Without the person she wanted to see, she couldn’t muster any energy.

Liang Ruojing walked out of the main entrance with her head down. Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, her pace suddenly halted.

It felt like a hallucination.

A figure stood quietly under a camphor tree.

The Omega stood silently against the golden background, the brilliant autumn colors serving only as a foil.

Ming Tanqing raised her head and was looking at her.

At the end of an intimate relationship, is what people are shown really the ugliest side?

Liang Ruojing felt that the Ming Tanqing she saw was always beautiful.

Beautiful like a smile, or a day of good weather.

She saw what the Omega was holding—it was the coat she had left on the bench.

She had forgotten it, and Ming Tanqing had picked it up.

Why was she standing here?

Was it just to give her the coat?

Liang Ruojing suddenly experienced the feeling of “timidity when nearing home.” She was afraid of breaking this beautiful moment.

She was even more afraid that after breaking it, Ming Tanqing would turn and leave again.

She walked over, a hundred excuses swirling in her mind, but she only asked one question.

“Sister Tanqing, were you waiting for me?”

Ming Tanqing cast a quick glance at her, lowered her head, and gave a soft “Mm.”

“Of course it’s you.”