Becoming the Comfort Alpha for the Aloof Movie Queen - Chapter 54

Glistening pink, brimming with juice.

“Sister Tanqing, you’re awake!”

Liang Ruojing squatted by her side. As her eyes met Ming Tanqing’s gaze, her nose twinged with a sour ache, and she nearly burst into tears.

“I’m late.”

Ming Tanqing closed her eyes. “Silly,” she murmured, a trace of vivid life spreading across her face as her lips curled upward. “Your body temperature was too high; you smothered me. Stay here.”

Tang Yuecen pretended not to hear, turning around to inform the doctors that the patient was awake.

Two minutes later, the ward was crowded with white coats.

The hospital director, having received the call, didn’t dare delay and jogged over to personally inquire about Ming Tanqing’s condition.

Liang Ruojing’s fingers twitched; she wanted to step outside and wait.

Sensing this, the Omega flipped her wrist and pressed down, refusing to let Liang Ruojing leave.

Ming Tanqing asked, “Is my illness very serious?”

The director froze, unsure what prompted the question. “No, there seems to be no major issue at the moment. It’s likely a result of excessive fatigue combined with a cold, which led to the fever.”

“In that case,” Ming Tanqing lowered her lashes, “I don’t need this many people’s concern.”

The crowd dispersed instantly, leaving only the attending physician and the nurse.

Liang Ruojing listened quietly to the Q&A.

Everything seemed truly normal. Aside from her gland disorder, Ming Tanqing had no other medical history.

Curious, she asked, “If that’s the case, why hasn’t the fever subsided yet?”

The attending doctor glanced at Ming Tanqing before answering: “Omega constitutions are generally weaker; it’s normal for a fever to recede slowly.”

Liang Ruojing reluctantly accepted this answer. Still worried, she pressed, “What’s the latest it should break?”

The doctor adjusted his glasses. “Generally, it breaks within 12 hours. Any longer might lead to complications.”

Liang Ruojing made a mental note.

Snapping back to the moment, she noticed Ming Tanqing had been staring at her, her long lashes fluttering, her thoughts unreadable.

Before Liang Ruojing could ponder the meaning, Ming Tanqing tilted her chin slightly and blurted out, “I’m hungry.”

She had arrived at the hospital at 4:30 AM. Five hours had passed, and she had only been given glucose.

Liang Ruojing immediately pulled out her phone to take a note. “Sister Ming, what do you want to eat?”

Ming Tanqing thought for a few seconds. “Eight-treasure porridge. The kind I had in your RV that day.”

The hospital had a small cafeteria, but the meal service time had passed. Although there were porridge shops nearby, they weren’t within the delivery range.

Liang Ruojing didn’t hesitate. “I’ll go out and buy it.”

Giving her whatever she asks for—how foolish.

Ming Tanqing stopped her, her smile deepening. “Call a delivery runner. Aren’t you afraid of being recognized by fans?”

Qi Lin arrived late, bringing back a stack of report forms for the tests to be done shortly—several of which specifically required fasting.

“I’ll go with you.”

Just as Qi Lin reached out, the phone in her trouser pocket suddenly rang.

With the end of the year approaching, Qi Lin was swamped with work. She had specifically pushed her meetings to Huafeng for Ming Tanqing’s filming, but she still couldn’t stop the bombardment of messages; a call came in every few minutes.

Ming Tanqing knew Qi Lin was busy. She turned and rested her arm on Liang Ruojing, using her strength to sit up.

“No need, Ruojing can accompany me.”

Qi Lin replied, “That works.”

She then handed all the test forms to Liang Ruojing.

Tang Yuecen was guarding the door. When Liang Ruojing stepped out, her confidence wavered before she even saw the other woman’s face.

“Sister Tang, I promise I won’t cause any trouble.”

Tang Yuecen’s expression was strange.

Liang Ruojing had said it was unrequited love, but looking at Ming Tanqing’s reaction, it didn’t seem that way.

After watching for a moment, Tang Yuecen could only helplessly instruct, “Take care of yourself. Find me if anything happens.”

After seeing off the manager, Liang Ruojing returned to the ward.

Ming Tanqing still had a low fever and lacked strength, but she didn’t want to be pushed around. She hooked her arms around Liang Ruojing, letting the Alpha half-embrace her as they went for the tests.

Flesh pressed against flesh, clothes bunched against clothes.

The Alpha’s expression was serious; she was focused solely on helping her walk. While Ming Tanqing was being protected, her thoughts began to stray.

Is it because there’s no filming today and Liang Ruojing isn’t wearing an isolation patch?

The presence of her pheromones was overwhelmingly strong.

It felt as if they had returned to the night they first met. Ming Tanqing had been alone in the car, her passions stirred by a chance encounter with the faint scent of mint wine.

The higher the compatibility, the more sensitive one is to pheromones, and the more layers of the scent one can perceive.

The mint was crisp, laced with the sharp sting of alcohol, instantly brushing away the dry heat in her bones.

But perhaps it was a game of “hard to get.” After a brief moment of cool relief, an even fiercer fire burned up from her spine. Ming Tanqing endured the stimulation, feeling her own glands surge with excitement for the Alpha’s faint pheromones, unable to find release.

What’s happening…

Liang Ruojing’s grip tightened, steadily catching the Omega whose legs had gone weak. Concerned, she asked, “Sister Tanqing, should we rest for a bit?”

Looking up, her eyes met the Alpha’s amber, round eyes. Ming Tanqing found it difficult to control her pheromones and frowned in endurance.

“I’m fine. Let’s do the tests first.”

Liang Ruojing nodded and considerately held her tighter.

With hot breath brushing against her ear, Ming Tanqing’s condition worsened.

Not enough. It’s too faint.

I want more.

She needed these pheromones. She was famished for them.

Ming Tanqing forced herself through the tests. Her body grew hotter, a moving pink flush climbing every inch of her skin. Her peach-blossom eyes were shimmering and evocative, holding a pool of autumn water.

It was like the most decadent dream, suddenly sparking Liang Ruojing’s desire and leaving her mind blank.

It wasn’t until someone brushed past and bumped into her that Liang Ruojing suddenly snapped out of it, inwardly cursing herself for being a bastard.

What am I thinking! Scoundrel!

Liang Ruojing shielded Ming Tanqing. She looked at the numbers on the screen, not noticing the Omega’s abnormality.

Ming Tanqing let out a soft hum, her breath coming out hot.

The phone in Liang Ruojing’s pocket suddenly rang.

She answered; it was the delivery runner. The eight-treasure porridge had arrived. “I’ll be there in a moment, just leave it there—”

The clothes at her chest were gripped tight. Ming Tanqing crumpled the fabric, her feathered lashes lowered and trembling. “Go get it now. I’ll collect the report forms myself.”

She couldn’t stay this close anymore.

Liang Ruojing wouldn’t let go. “But…”

The Omega interrupted her: “The assistant is here, it’s fine. Go and come back quickly.”

Liang Ruojing saw Ming Tanqing’s complexion—it was as vivid as red plum blossoms in the snow.

Is the fever getting worse?

She was extremely reluctant, but Ming Tanqing was very insistent. Left with no choice, she ran out, trying to return as soon as possible.

After Liang Ruojing left, Ming Tanqing leaned against the wall, her eyes half-squinted, the corners of her mouth curving into a faint, ambiguous smile.

Having someone’s company felt very good.

Hospital management was strict; no deliveries were allowed inside. They were all stacked at the delivery rack in the corner of the Southeast Gate.

The last time Liang Ruojing had looked for a delivery was back in her college days. Her gaze scanned a row of packages before she realized she could have just sent an assistant to get it.

Since she was already there, Liang Ruojing tugged at her mask and finally found the bag from the porridge shop.

As she reached out, her hand collided with someone else’s.

“I’m sorry!” The person was young and explained, “I also ordered porridge.”

There were indeed two adjacent bags. Liang Ruojing recognized the one she had ordered and leaned down to grab it, when a sudden gasp exploded in her ear.

“You—you are! Ahhh!”

Dammit.

She should have known to let the assistant come.

In her peripheral vision, the fan had already pulled out a phone, staring at her with starry eyes: “Sister!! I’m your fan! I’ve liked you for so long!”

Rare—she was now at an age where she was being called “Sister.”

Liang Ruojing pulled her mask tighter and put a finger to her lips. “Shh. My friend is hospitalized, and I’m here to take care of her. Time is tight, please understand.”

The fan nodded vigorously. “It’s okay, it’s okay! It’s so lucky just to meet you. Sister, are you still filming at Huafeng? I saw the audition clips; the acting was so good! Sister, your skin is so nice, even better than in photos. Sister, you’re so tall, are you 180cm? Sister, where is your assistant? Does the studio treat you poorly?!”

In the end, Liang Ruojing still took a photo with her. Carrying two bags of porridge and a bag of roast duck, she returned to the inpatient department.

Having been delayed for a while, a message came from Sister Ming saying she had already returned to the ward.

Clearly, the news of Ming Tanqing’s hospitalization had traveled fast. In the half-hour Liang Ruojing was out, the probability of encountering celebrities on the same floor had significantly increased.

News certainly traveled fast.

Liang Ruojing had a dark expression as she navigated through the crowd.

Some people were even blocking the ward door, dressed glamourously to the point where they could be photographed for “candid” shots immediately.

Liang Ruojing lowered her head, trying to squeeze through. “Excuse me.”

“Hmm?” Several people turned around, their gazes circling her nonchalantly. “Delivery people aren’t allowed in.”

Liang Ruojing pulled down her mask.

Chen Feng was also there: “Liang Ruojing! Why are you here!”

Liang Ruojing retaliated with a fake smile: “Why is Senior here? You’ve never worked with Sister Ming, have you?”

“Just checking in,” Chen Feng said, looking at the many bags in her hands with a curiously playful look. “Little Liang, you’re working too hard.”

Tang Yuecen’s words were vivid in her mind.

Liang Ruojing turned cold. “I want to go in.”

Someone wanted to make a mocking comment, but Chen Feng stopped them. He opened the door to the ward and raised an eyebrow. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you.” Liang Ruojing walked straight in.

The expectant gazes of those waiting for a show ended the moment Ming Tanqing took the initiative to grasp Liang Ruojing’s hand.

“What took you so long?”

Liang Ruojing pulled out the porridge. “I ran into a fan; they gave us a box of roast duck.”

While the others were stunned, Qi Lin received a message and arrived with security guards. Her words were sharp: “Unrelated personnel should not linger too long. The patient needs rest.”

“Leave the flowers, the people can go.”

The noisier the surroundings became, the colder Ming Tanqing’s expression grew. She watched with cold eyes as the people outside scattered like startled birds.

Liang Ruojing murmured, “Is it always like this?”

She was minorly famous, but far from this level.

Ming Tanqing replied, “Wait until you are incredibly famous; there will be plenty of people rushing to curry favor with you.”

Liang Ruojing spoke her truth, though it seemed a bit naive in the adult world: “I only want the concern of one person.”

The ward fell into silence.

Ming Tanqing held the bowl, silently drinking the porridge.

This was her wish as well.

A roast duck roll was placed in her bowl.

Liang Ruojing was wearing gloves. She took a big bite out of two rolls and chewed. “What’s wrong?”

So unfair—stirring someone’s heartstrings and then going off to eat roast duck.

Ming Tanqing’s mood lightened considerably.

“You must be hungry. I’m sorry you had to stay with me.”

Liang Ruojing shook her head decisively. “I’m here because I want to be. I’m not suffering.”

Ming Tanqing finished the roast duck roll.

“I want more.”

After finishing their brunch, Ming Tanqing took some fever medication and went back to sleep.

Normally, having started the fever at 4 AM, it should have broken by 4 PM.

Liang Ruojing also took a nap on the small guest bed. When she woke up, it was already past 5 PM.

The sun had set outside. The ward was dark, save for the light leaking in from the hallway, illuminating Ming Tanqing’s flushed face.

There was a temperature log by the bed.

Liang Ruojing looked at it, and her heart hung high once more.

Why hasn’t the fever broken yet?

The temperature hadn’t changed, fluctuating around 37.5

A low-grade fever was a small thing, but a persistent one was a problem.

Liang Ruojing squatted by the bed to touch Ming Tanqing’s forehead.

Wait.

She smelled the Omega’s pheromones.

They had been busy and hadn’t done a temporary marking for a week.

Ming Tanqing’s glands were damaged; she couldn’t release pheromones on her own. To do so, she either needed a temporary mark or for Liang Ruojing to wrap her in her own pheromones to force the Omega’s out.

The current situation fit neither of those scenarios.

Liang Ruojing moved closer, brushing aside the black hair from the Omega’s nape. Her pupils shrank the moment she saw it clearly.

So vivid.

Like a fully ripened peach—glistening pink, brimming with sweet juice, and standing tremulously.

Liang Ruojing had no doubt that if she bit down now, the rich scent of lilies would instantly fill her entire body.

Her fingertip brushed against it.

The Omega frowned and let out a soft, kitten-like moan.

Spring was in the air.

Liang Ruojing’s hand shook. She quickly dialed Fang Zezhi’s number.

It was possible that from the very beginning, this fever wasn’t caused by a cold.

“Doctor Fang!”

Liang Ruojing stared at Ming Tanqing’s gland and immediately recounted the day’s events.

Fang Zezhi’s tone became serious. “How long has she been burning?”

Liang Ruojing replied, “Over 13 hours. It started at nearly 40and then dropped, staying around 37.5

A loud “thud” came from the other end of the phone. Fang Zezhi stood up excitedly.

“This is a sign of gland differentiation! Tanqing’s gland development has reached the point where she can differentiate again!”