Becoming the Comfort Alpha for the Aloof Movie Queen - Chapter 97.1

Reunion

The casting for Palace Lyrics 2 was finalized, and as soon as the list was released, it caused an uproar online.

Liang Ruojing’s name surged to the top of the trending searches.

Her fans were in shock. Our girl was supposed to be starring in TV dramas; how did she suddenly kick her way into the film industry?

The reaction from anti-fans and rival fandoms was far more intense. Theories about “backstage deals,” “sugar daddies,” “blind directors,” and even “possession” cropped up one after another.

After all, this was Wen Qingjia—a national-treasure-level director. Her name was a guarantee of prestige and box office success; every actor she collaborated with, regardless of their status, experienced a meteoric rise.

Overnight, Liang Ruojing’s market value skyrocketed. Countless brand invitations and interview requests poured in, but she remained silent. Clutching an expired plane ticket, she headed straight into the production crew.

By the time the public saw news of her again, two months had passed.

A fansite posted a “behind-the-scenes” photo from the set. The Alpha was dressed in a jujube-red palace robe, her features vivid and bright, looking suave and elegant. One couldn’t help but look once, then look again.

This photo of Liang Ruojing also trended—partly, of course, due to the film’s promotion. Marketing accounts praised her to high heaven, calling her the “Destined Li Yuanjing,” the “Alpha of Dreams,” and the “Dream of Ten Thousand Omegas.”

Liang Ruojing poked the promotion department, asking the teachers there to go a bit easier on the “praise-killing.”

Then, she turned around and sent the photo to her top pinned contact on WeChat. She calculatedly let it stay for two minutes before withdrawing it.

Sorry, Sister Tanqing, I sent that to the wrong person.

The other side remained cold and quiet, as if mocking the Alpha’s wishful thinking.

Liang Ruojing rubbed her face and persisted.

Director Wen mentioned you again today, Sister Tanqing. Did you use to film at this base too?

A few hours later, Liang Ruojing received a reply.

Yes.

For two months, their interactions had been like this. Liang Ruojing would send messages, and Ming Tanqing would selectively reply to a few. Generally, she only replied when the theater or Director Wen was mentioned.

However, if Liang Ruojing sent a photo of particularly delicious food or a beautiful cloud, Ming Tanqing would also reply.

Over time, Liang Ruojing developed an illusion. It wasn’t that she was being rejected; it was more like she was in a long-distance relationship where they simply couldn’t meet.

Of course, her “girlfriend’s” temper was a bit unpredictable.

Sister Tanqing, have you run out of scent-blocking patches? I’m going to buy more. What scent do you like? Peach? Or strawberry?

Ming Tanqing did not reply to this message.

A month later, Liang Ruojing happened to chat with an Omega colleague on set. Out of curiosity, she asked a question and realized that her previous inquiry was essentially equivalent to asking, “What flavor of finger cots do you prefer?”

…Yeah. It was quite rude.

That night, Liang Ruojing gathered her courage and called Ming Tanqing. Her internal prayers worked; the other side picked up.

Looking at the “In Call” screen, Liang Ruojing felt a delayed wave of joy soak through her entire body. It was so sudden that she didn’t know what to say.

Ming Tanqing’s voice was clear and cold, carrying a gravelly tenderness through the electronic processing: “If you don’t know what to say, then hang up.”

“Don’t!” Liang Ruojing paced in circles under a large tree outside the set, her happiness making her look a bit foolish. “I haven’t heard your voice in three months. Sister Tanqing, what have you been up to lately?”

“Filming.”

Those two simple words represented a willingness to continue the call.

Liang Ruojing grinned like an idiot. She knew, of course; she kept track of all of Ming Tanqing’s known and unknown schedules.

Seizing the rare opportunity, she spent the time condensing the interesting things from the past three months into stories for the other woman. She racked her brains, hoping to elicit even a single laugh from the other side.

The memory of that night was etched into Liang Ruojing’s life. Ming Tanqing’s tears felt like a lingering light rain, soaking her through and softening her heart.

How proactive could she be without appearing flippant? How restrained could she be without being cold? What could she do to use actions to refute Ming Tanqing’s words?

You’re wrong. We are a perfect match.

Liang Ruojing had been pondering this question, thinking about what Su Jing and Liang Can had told her. How could she give the sense of security that Sister Tanqing needed?

Liang Ruojing talked intermittently for an hour until only the Omega’s breathing remained on the other end. That slight breath triggered endless memories.

She had heard this voice when it was softer and more delicate. Sister Tanqing didn’t like to talk in bed; she would pant softly when she was comfortable and turn to moans when she couldn’t take it anymore.

Back then, Liang Ruojing didn’t know how to be tender; she was insatiable. Hearing the panting made her want to hear her cry out; once she cried out, she wanted to hear her sob; and even that wasn’t enough—Liang Ruojing wanted to hear her call her name, one breath after another, like sugar and honey.

Of course, they also had moments of tenderness. Sister Tanqing would lie in her arms, skin to skin, limbs entwined, listening to each other’s most intense heartbeats and kissing each other’s swollen lips.

Recalling those nights, Liang Ruojing wasn’t just remembering the pleasure of intimacy. She missed the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment she felt with Ming Tanqing by her side.

Holding her lover’s waist felt like owning the entire world. She thought now that during that time, she and Ming Tanqing might have actually been “dating.”

Liang Ruojing blinked, her voice carrying a thick nasal tone. Don’t cry. You won’t look stable if you do.

“It’s getting late. Sister Tanqing, goodnight.”

Ming Tanqing’s voice trembled slightly: “Goodnight.”

Liang Ruojing remembered to explain one last thing: “By the way, Sister Tanqing, when I asked what scent-blocking patch you liked last time, I didn’t mean anything else by it.”

“What ‘else’ would you mean?” Ming Tanqing’s question was very straightforward.

Since the person involved didn’t mind, Liang Ruojing didn’t over-explain. She said goodnight again and hung up the phone.

Later, when she went to pick out scent-blocking patches, she selfishly chose mint. Consequently, for the first time in three months, Ming Tanqing actively sent her a message.

No mint.

Liang Ruojing read through online buyer reviews and managed to soothe herself. Maybe it wasn’t that she disliked the mint scent. It was just too stimulating.

Note taken.

The main filming location for Palace Lyrics 2 was in the ancient city of Hangzhou.

As soon as summer arrived, the entire city turned into a giant steamer. Even though the set was far from the city center, it was exceptionally hot. The costumes were thick, and every day when she returned to the hotel, Liang Ruojing could wring sweat out of her undershirt.

She was so exhausted that she wouldn’t even shower first upon entering; she would just lie on the balcony chair to rest.

At times like this, Liang Ruojing would think it was actually good that Sister Tanqing wasn’t around. She was smelly and unpresentable. Then her thoughts would shift: if Sister Tanqing were really there, the first thing Liang Ruojing would do upon entering the room would be to shower.

Then she wondered: in this heat, would Sister Tanqing still let her hold her while they slept? She hoped she wouldn’t find her too hot and refuse the hug.

Liang Ruojing had a nightmare, woke up, lowered the air conditioner by 5 degrees, hugged her pillow, and fell asleep peacefully.

With the arrival of September, the scent of osmanthus appeared in the Hangzhou breeze. When the fragrance became so strong that one didn’t even need to try to smell it, Palace Lyrics 2 wrapped filming.

Entering the set on April 28th and wrapping on September 3rd, Palace Lyrics 2 took a total of 128 days. The 30-year span of the story was condensed into four months of high-intensity filming.

On the day of the wrap, Liang Ruojing felt a sense of unreality. She had lived through another character’s life and couldn’t quite step out of Li Yuanjing’s emotions.

A ding from her phone brought her back to her anchor in this world. She had just sent a photo of herself with the wrap cake to Ming Tanqing.

The next second, the Omega replied.

Congratulations.

The same words spoken by different people carried vastly different weights. Liang Ruojing felt like a light balloon about to fly away, only to be pulled back to the ground by Ming Tanqing.

Li Yuanjing was cast to the back of her mind. Now, she was going to enjoy the happiness belonging to “Liang Ruojing.”

Sister Tanqing, The Quest for Revenge is about to be released. I received the notice; the press conference is in Beijing.