Becoming the Comfort Alpha for the Aloof Movie Queen - Chapter 60

Want Me to Pamper You?

“Sister Tanqing, can I invite you to my house for the New Year?”

Hearing these words, Ming Tanqing’s subconscious reaction was to refuse.

She only learned that Ming Peide had returned to the old family estate yesterday after finishing her shoot for VOGUE. Without a moment’s hesitation, Ming Tanqing had headed straight back to Baiyu International.

She had originally planned to move out after the New Year, and the house hadn’t been cleaned yet. Ming Tanqing didn’t care; she simply had the housekeeper tidy up the bedroom and moved back in. Not wanting to see anyone, she had declined the New Year’s Eve invitations from Cheng Yaru and her other friends.

She sat alone at home, withered, watching movies, and sleeping.

She hadn’t expected to run into Liang Ruojing.

After just one day apart, the girl seemed even sillier. Getting a nosebleed just from seeing an Omega—wasn’t she afraid of causing a misunderstanding?

As she led Liang Ruojing on a tour, every corner of the house became stained with the Alpha’s scent. It was a cool mint; inhaled into the body, it sparked a numbing heat in the depths of her heart.

When the bell rang in the afternoon, Ming Tanqing thought it was Liang Ruojing. But it wasn’t. The woman before her shared seventy percent of her features. Ming Tanqing smelled the cloying scent of lilies on her and felt only waves of nausea.

The pain was like a maggot in her bones, starting in her skeleton before spreading to her gland. Ming Tanqing protected her heart, refusing to let the chill continue its erosion.

Then, she smelled the familiar mint liquor. Liang Ruojing had come after all.

Meeting those amber eyes, Ming Tanqing suddenly realized her state wasn’t that good; it felt as though the strength in her body had been drained away in an instant. She concealed her hidden panic until the Alpha took the initiative to extend an invitation.

“No,” Ming Tanqing said.

The light in Liang Ruojing’s eyes slowly dimmed, but within two seconds, she reorganized her words. The first time was an impulse. The second time, she had gone through deep consideration.

“Could you consider it again?” Liang Ruojing wanted to say so much that when she opened her mouth, the effect was somewhat like a battlefield. Those tempting conditions were fired out one by one like a rapid-fire cannon.

“My family likes you very much. If you go, they’ll all be very happy.”

“My mom is a great cook. She bought a lot of groceries today, probably including things you like to eat, Sister Ming.”

“There’s a guest room at home, and I just finished cleaning it this morning. You can sleep in my room, too—we can even sleep together!”

After Liang Ruojing finished her long list, the hallway fell into a terrifying silence.

Was she being too overexcited?

Shifting her gaze upward, she bumped into a pair of affectionate peach-blossom eyes. The gaze was pulsing with emotion, as if the entire North Sea was reflected in her pupils.

Ming Tanqing leaned against the doorframe, tilting her head slightly. “Is there anything else left unsaid?”

Liang Ruojing’s ears burned as she added the final line. “My house is just across the lake. It only takes ten minutes to walk there.”

Ming Tanqing pondered for two seconds. “Wait for me to change my clothes.”

The last time she made a change, she agreed to pheromone-assisted therapy and met Liang Ruojing. This time, she wondered if something good would happen again.

Ming Tanqing felt a bit of regret. Rudely intruding was simply not her style of doing things. An Alpha’s pheromones were poisonous, and an Alpha’s eyes shouldn’t be stared at for too long.

Retreating in her heart, her wrist was suddenly encircled by Liang Ruojing.

Liang Ruojing was unusually enthusiastic, her round eyes curving into crescents as she served tea, poured water, and handed over slippers. Judging by her performance, she looked more like the visiting guest than Ming Tanqing did.

Ming Tanqing was slightly formal, lowering her eyes to stare at the steaming tea as she weighed a suitable opening line.

Until Su Jing broke the silence.

“You really are even more beautiful than in the movies…”

Ming Tanqing looked up, startled by the elegant beauty before her. She had a quiet temperament like a classical lady in a painting, yet she possessed a pair of rounds, blunt almond eyes that were exceptionally friendly when she smiled.

She finally knew where Liang Ruojing’s eyes came from.

Liang Ruojing sat nearby, grinning foolishly. “Sister Tanqing, Ms. Su is a fan of yours. She’s seen every one of your movies.”

Su Jing looked away, calming herself for a few seconds before meeting Ming Tanqing’s eyes again. “Your acting is superb. Every role gives off a different feeling. Xiao Jing is far behind you.”

“Mom!” Liang Ruojing protested indignantly. “How can you expose my shortcomings in front of Teacher Ming? I’ve improved a lot now.”

Ming Tanqing helped testify: “She has.”

Liang Can suddenly walked over, handing over two pieces of colored paper for autographs, coughing pretentiously. “Miss Ming, could I get an autograph?”

Ming Tanqing hadn’t expected this outcome.

After some simple small talk, Liang Ruojing took Ming Tanqing’s hand and led her to the second floor. Closing the door, Liang Ruojing leaned against the door panel and let out a long breath. “I was scared to death.”

Ming Tanqing couldn’t help but smile. “What were you nervous about? I’m the uninvited guest.”

“I was afraid they would be too excited and scare you.”

“No, your aunts are very kind.”

Ming Tanqing recalled the look Su Jing gave Liang Ruojing—affectionate and indulgent. It was a gaze she only felt when acting, the unique way a parent looks at a child.

Ming Tanqing surveyed the Alpha’s room. The setup was simple: a large bed, a wardrobe, a bookshelf, and a desk. A photo frame sat on the desk—a family portrait.

Judging by her appearance, Liang Ruojing couldn’t have been more than seven years old. She was wearing a cool sailor suit, a sailor hat perched on her curls, and was holding a trophy. The little puffball of a girl looked adorable, but her face was pouting, while her two mothers flanked her with radiant smiles.

Ming Tanqing bent over, looking at the little Alpha in the frame. “Your hair color used to be lighter, a brownish-gold.”

Liang Ruojing felt a bit embarrassed. “That was taken when I participated in a piano competition as a kid. I was playful back then and hated practicing.”

“And now?”

“…I like it a little.”

Ming Tanqing noticed the bookshelf nearby. The bottom three shelves were filled with supplementary textbooks, but the top shelf was specially fitted with a dust-proof door, housing Blu-ray discs of movies and a stack of rolled-up posters.

The cabinet was a bit high, so Ming Tanqing stood on her tiptoes to look. The color schemes of some of the posters were very familiar…

“Sister Tanqing!”

The Alpha suddenly rushed over, frantically blocking her view. “Let’s go down first. We can get ready for New Year’s Eve dinner.”

“What are you nervous about?”

“I saw the names. They’re my movies.”

Ming Tanqing moved forward, forcing the Alpha to back away. Her lower back hit the desk, leaving her with nowhere to retreat. Ming Tanqing pressed closer, reaching up on her tiptoes to open the top cabinet door.

Feeling helpless, Liang Ruojing supported the woman’s waist, helping her take down a disc. Her nose brushed against the Omega’s neck, and she was flushed by the teasing scent of lilies. Her gaze flickered, sticking to the space under the bed. Fortunately, she had hidden everything that wasn’t fit to be seen…

Opening the cabinet, Ming Tanqing was genuinely shocked.

Three rows of discs, all of them movies Ming Tanqing had acted in. Some were classics, and when commemorative editions were released years later, Liang Ruojing had bought them all. For instance, for the movie The Sinful Flower that Ming Tanqing acted in at age fourteen, Liang Ruojing had collected seven versions—twenty discs in total—stacked together in a grand sight.

This was just the tip of the iceberg; official and unofficial versions, Liang Ruojing had bought them all. The phrase she used during their first meeting—”I’ve liked your work for a long time”—now felt tangible.

Liang Ruojing was so happy she could float to heaven. Back in high school, when she was squatting to snatch collector’s edition discs and spending half a year’s savings in one go, could she have imagined this day? Ming Tanqing herself, with an arm draped over her shoulder, was currently handling her collection and her passion piece by piece.

“A total of 138 discs, plus programs, magazines, merchandise, and ticket stubs.”

It was more complete than the collection in the studio.

Ming Tanqing landed lightly back on her feet and took half a step back, teasingly saying: “Liang Ruojing, you really like me.”

Liang Ruojing said weakly: “I told you a long time ago…”

The Omega walked a few steps away and suddenly turned back, her peach-blossom eyes half-smiling as if she could see through everything. “Do you have one of those fan accounts? Something like—’Ming Tanqing’s Girlfriend Outside the Industry’.”

Liang Ruojing’s face exploded in red, and she quickly denied it: “No! I’m a fan of your work!”

“Is that so?”

The Omega trailed off, her voice like an itchy feather. She clearly saw through Liang Ruojing’s distress but didn’t point it out, staring at her without moving.

Liang Ruojing’s throat bobbed. When is an Alpha most nervous?

Suddenly, the person before her gave a bright smile. “Let’s go downstairs. We can’t let the aunts work by themselves.”

Whew—

Liang Ruojing actually did have one. It was called “Ming Tanqing’s Insider…”

Well, movie fan.

The entire family fell into a state of dignified excitement because of Ming Tanqing’s arrival.

Liang Ruojing’s reaction was the most obvious. She looked human when she went upstairs, but when she came down, she was walking with her left arm and left leg in sync.

It was now past six o’clock, the time to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner. The high platform nearby began the first round of fireworks, and the huge floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor offered a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery.

Liang Can was preparing the ingredients. “Liang Ruojing! Bring the meat from the island counter over here.”

A slender, pale wrist reached out. “Here.”

Liang Can took it and froze when she saw the person. “Miss Ming? Why are you here? You’re a guest.”

Ming Tanqing’s smile was polite. “Let me help. Ruojing invited me, and I just came on a whim. I’m sorry to trouble you.”

Liang Can looked at the young Omega before her. To Liang Ruojing, Ming Tanqing was older, but to them, she was still a child. To run out for New Year’s Eve dinner, one could guess she had no one else to accompany her. Without asking too many questions, Liang Can chatted with her casually.

“Did Miss Ming and Liang Ruojing meet through filming?”

“Just call me by my name,” Ming Tanqing said. “We met while filming Chasing Revenge. Ruojing is enthusiastic and often looked after me, so we became close.”

Liang Can let out a blunt sneer. “I know exactly what she’s like. Is she particularly impulsive and childish? Did she cause trouble for you?”

“Ruojing…” Ming Tanqing weighed her words. “is very cute.”

Liang Can looked down while cutting vegetables, the corners of her mouth curling up.

Ming Tanqing had entered the industry early and had been immersed in the vanity fair for many years. Her social skills were high, her manners impeccable, and being likable was a simple task for her. Not to mention, Liang Can and Su Jing already had a good impression of her.

By the time the New Year’s Eve dinner was ready, they were already quite familiar. Su Jing especially liked Ming Tanqing and kept putting food in her bowl.

“When I watched your movies before, I felt you were too thin.”

Seeing the food in Ming Tanqing’s hand start to stack like a skyscraper, Liang Ruojing called an emergency halt. “Mom! Let Sister Tanqing pick her own food.”

Su Jing countered: “It’s because you’re silly, just sitting there eating for yourself!”

Liang Ruojing felt quite aggrieved. Sister Ming had a small appetite; she usually got full after two bites.

Ming Tanqing couldn’t help but laugh, her eyes curving. Liang Ruojing rarely saw her with such a vivid smile; she even lightened her breathing and put some food in Ming Tanqing’s bowl as well.

Ming Tanqing had been drinking, and her voice was soft. “If you give me more, I really won’t be able to eat it.”

How could such a person be the moonlight? She should be a lily, a pearl. The former is for looking up to, while the latter should be held in the palm of one’s hand and cherished.

Liang Ruojing was greedier; she wanted the moonlight to shine only on her and also wanted the lily in her arms.

After eating, the TV in the living room was broadcasting the Spring Festival Gala. It happened to be a song and dance program featuring several popular young starlets. Su Jing watched for a while and suddenly asked Liang Ruojing: “When will you be on the Spring Festival Gala?”

Liang Ruojing choked in surprise. “What kind of status do I have? Being on a provincial satellite station’s gala is about enough.”

Ming Tanqing was also lying on the sofa watching. Hearing this, she turned her head. “It’s possible. Maybe next year?”

Su Jing was incredibly excited. “Little Tan, really?”

Ming Tanqing said with a smile: “The possibility is very high. Ruojing had invitations from satellite stations this year too, but unfortunately, she was filming until the 29th, so she turned them down.”

How did Sister Ming know she turned down the satellite station invitations!

The Omega seemed able to read minds. “She’s popular right now; these are standard resources.”

Ming Tanqing finished her snacks and went to wash her hands. Liang Ruojing followed her secretly, standing behind her and whispering: “Sister Tanqing, can you really get me onto the Spring Festival Gala?”

“What are you thinking?” Ming Tanqing blinked, a very shallow dimple appearing at the corner of her mouth. “Wait until the drama is broadcast; your value will naturally rise. If you take on a movie lead in the second half of the year, it’s possible.”

Liang Ruojing was dazed by the news. How could she act in a movie already? And as the lead! Could it be Sister Ming—

Liang Ruojing blinked shyly. “This… might not be very good…”

Ming Tanqing knew what she was thinking just by looking at Liang Ruojing’s eyes. She turned off the water and flicked droplets from her fingertips onto Liang Ruojing’s face. “Wake up. If your acting improves and your popularity stays high, directors will naturally come to you.”

“Besides—”

A smile suddenly hooked onto the corner of Ming Tanqing’s mouth. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her tone suggestively ambiguous.

“If you want me to pamper you… you’ll need to keep working hard.”