Becoming the Comfort Alpha for the Aloof Movie Queen - Chapter 99

Blatant preferential treatment.

Sigh.

No.

Liang Ruojing’s original plan hadn’t been this impulsive. She was supposed to blend into the conversation first, then gradually get closer to Sister Tanqing.

It would have been perfect.

Now, it was all ruined.

The gaze of Lin Xiuzhu behind her acted like a catalyst; Liang Ruojing could practically feel the speed at which her cheeks were heating up. She didn’t need a mirror to know she was completely flushed.

Ming Tanqing’s expression shifted slowly from aloofness to genuine interest.

Stuttering, Liang Ruojing managed to speak: “You’re still coughing. Stop smoking.”

As she spoke, her voice dropped, her tone carrying a subtle hint of a complaint: “You clearly never used to smoke before…”

Seeing the Alpha like this reminded Ming Tanqing of four months ago. Back then, she had looked at her with those same eyes, holding her, her heart so hot it made Ming Tanqing’s soul burn. She had never doubted Liang Ruojing’s feelings; she trusted those eyes.

Four months later, were those eyes still as honest as they used to be?

Emotions surged in her heart, but Ming Tanqing swallowed them back down. She had become the very thing she hated: someone who went back on her word, someone temperamental and unpredictable.

Ming Tanqing looked up, her gaze piercing, as if trying to see right through Liang Ruojing.

“Are you trying to manage me?”

The act of “managing” or “controlling” was a delicate thing.

In the past, Liang Ruojing indeed “managed” Ming Tanqing often—making her eat one more bite, wear one more layer, or sleep a little longer.

She swallowed hard. “I’m caring about you. Your health was never great to begin with.”

“Caring?” Ming Tanqing chuckled. Her slender, white fingertips slid into Liang Ruojing’s palm, scratching it like a kitten’s paw as she took the cigarette away. “Think carefully: in what capacity are you ‘caring’?”

Leaving behind those words—and the tidal wave of turmoil they caused in Liang Ruojing’s heart—the Omega walked away, her thin high heels clicking on the floor.

Lin Xiuzhu emerged awkwardly from the terrace. Seeing Liang Ruojing’s eyebrows furrowed into a “W,” she actually felt a sense of relief. Liang Ruojing’s glaring eyes had been stabbing her in the back all evening; Lin Xiuzhu had dropped her chopsticks three times during dinner.

That was exactly what she had just been discussing with Ming Tanqing.

In front of Liang Ruojing, Ming Tanqing always showed a side that was foreign to Lin Xiuzhu. It wasn’t the silent, gloomy girl from their childhood, nor the gentle but distant woman she became later. It was something else entirely: petty, unpredictable, and even a bit mischievous.

Lin Xiuzhu smiled bitterly but didn’t say a word to Liang Ruojing. Their reconciliation was only a matter of time; she didn’t need to speed it up.

When Ming Tanqing returned from washing her hands, she found a bowl of rock sugar stewed pear at her seat. Liang Ruojing was gone, likely having stepped out.

The pear flesh was as white as the moon, floating in a pale-yellow syrup. With a gentle stir, the fresh scent of fruit and the sweetness of honey wafted up. The moist steam softened Ming Tanqing’s heart.

She sat down, cradling the bowl in both hands, taking one spoonful after another. Even though she already knew the answer, she still wanted to confirm.

“Did Liang Ruojing order this?”

The assistant director replied, “Yeah, she ordered it as soon as she got back. Said throats get dry easily in autumn.”

The director then picked up another empty bowl. “Everyone has one.”

The white porcelain bowl was placed back on the table.

Chewing on the fruit, Ming Tanqing’s voice was dangerously lingering: “Then she really is quite… considerate.”

Liang Ruojing was helping a drunken screenwriter into a car. Just as she stopped to catch her breath, she saw a familiar car start up by the roadside.

Alarm bells rang in her head, and she ran forward a few steps. Just in time, Ming Tanqing’s serene profile flashed past her. The taillights seemed to mock the stunned Alpha heartlessly.

Wait.

Why didn’t Sister Tanqing wait for her?

Liang Ruojing felt wronged. She typed out a message, but her fingers hovered hesitantly, unable to press send. Ming Tanqing’s words hammered against her heart: “Think carefully: in what capacity are you caring?”

Liang Ruojing’s brain felt like it was going to explode. She thought about it while eating, while showering, while shooting for a magazine, and while watching the first episode of her web drama.

The Grudge officially premiered on September 15th. Three episodes were released on the first day. With a famous director, top-tier actors, and extensive promotion, the ratings exploded. Within just 12 hours, it broke multiple platform records.

For the next few days, Liang Ruojing’s phone never stopped buzzing. It was either industry friends sending congratulations or old friends looking for gossip. Naturally, most asked about Ming Tanqing.

Back in the day, Liang Ruojing was a “solo stan” of Ming Tanqing, and all her classmates knew it. When she entered the industry in her sophomore year, they joked she was “chasing stars at close range.”

What used to be a joke was now pure shock.

Not bad! I watched the show, you acted really well, you’re not losing to your idol at all.] [You actually pulled it off.

Ultra-close-range star chasing. I have dreams again.

Liang Ruojing replied to each one, her vanity immensely satisfied. “Ultra-close-range”? She had been even closer than they could imagine.

But within seconds, her smile flattened. She remembered the question Tanqing had asked before they parted.

Her phone “dinged” again. This time it was a message from Su Jing.

A student asked me to check if your crew is really coming to Peking University for a sharing session this Wednesday.

Yes, but only the main creative team will be there.

Liang Ruojing turned off the screen and flopped onto her bed, letting out a heavy sigh. “In what capacity?” Her heart already had the answer. Long before their reunion, long before that afternoon on the way home from the airport, she had been considering it.

On the day of the sharing session, Liang Ruojing woke up early. She carefully picked out a casual yet stylish outfit, did her hair and makeup simply, and took a car to the main campus of Peking University.

The weather in mid-September wasn’t as hot as it was at the beginning of the month. It had rained the night before, and today it had cleared up. The temperature was comfortable, and a gentle breeze was blowing—a perfect day for a date or a stroll through campus.

Liang Ruojing was still obsessed with that “tour guide” promise. She thought stubbornly: Sister Tanqing chose me personally that night. She can’t back out now.

The sharing session was held in the small theater of Peking University. It wasn’t as formal as a press conference; it was more like a fan meeting where everyone sat down to talk about the drama and the actors.

Liang Ruojing saw Ming Tanqing again. She was wearing a gentle linen long dress with a mouse-grey cardigan draped over it. Her shoes had a small heel, but they weren’t high; standing in front of her, she reached exactly to Liang Ruojing’s nose.

The perfect height for a kiss.

Liang Ruojing’s heart skipped a beat. The Omega brushed past her, her black hair swaying with her steps and lightly grazing Liang Ruojing’s face.

Would it be too creepy to say she smells amazing?

But she really did. The scent brought back memories. It had been too long since she had properly smelled Sister Tanqing’s scent. Whether elegant or sweet, every wisp of fragrance carried memories of the past.

During the session, Liang Ruojing’s seat was arranged next to Ming Tanqing’s as usual. Being so close, she couldn’t avoid the other’s scent. The elegant lily, carried by a snowy breeze, slowly drifted into Liang Ruojing’s heart.

During her last rut, she hadn’t had the Omega’s pheromones. She had survived entirely on the clothes Ming Tanqing had left behind at her house. She didn’t know how long they had been there, but the floral scent had long faded. Liang Ruojing had built a “nest” without Ming Tanqing’s scent and lay in it, yet she still felt at peace.

It didn’t matter; she could hallucinate. If Sister Tanqing were by her side, what would she smell? It would be a blend of floral and cool scents, with a unique, cozy warmth from the Omega’s body. Sister Tanqing’s body was like jade—usually cold, only becoming warm when held.

Fang Zezhi had told her that because of the nature of Alpha glands, it was impossible to have a physiological dependence on an Omega’s pheromones. It was a psychological illness; if she stopped thinking about it, she’d be fine.

But how could she not think about it? Every night since leaving Ming Tanqing, Liang Ruojing had been thinking.

Suddenly, the gland on the back of her neck was attacked by pheromones. Liang Ruojing winced in pain, her consciousness snapping back to the theater. Out of the corner of her eye, Ming Tanqing glanced at her indifferently before withdrawing the sharp pheromones.

What was that for?

I was almost touching you.

Weren’t we pretending to be strangers last week?

The sharing session lasted two hours, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, with the last thirty minutes dedicated to Q&A. The audience mostly consisted of students from the university. As soon as the host finished the introductions and asked, “Does anyone have questions?”, half the room raised their hands.

A sense of foreboding rose in Liang Ruojing’s heart. She glanced silently at Ming Tanqing.

Surprisingly, the first two people chosen asked about the plot. A fan said they liked Han Jiahe, and Liang Ruojing, feeling proud, took the microphone to say thank you. Ming Tanqing’s gaze locked onto an Omega in the audience. Unnoticed by anyone, her fingers slowly clenched into a fist.

The fourth person was a young Alpha with a clean-cut face.

Young Alpha: “I want to ask Sister Ming, out of the four episodes aired, which scene did you find most challenging?”

Liang Ruojing breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the junior student with a bit of appreciation. She knew it; there were still normal viewers at Peking University.

Ming Tanqing answered seriously. The young Alpha didn’t sit down immediately, but suddenly pulled a card out of her hoodie pocket. Liang Ruojing’s smile vanished instantly. She saw it—the person’s ears were red.

“Sister Ming, I also want to say that I really like you. I’ve watched every one of your movies. Seeing you active on screen again makes me so happy. Please keep acting; I will always be with you.”

Hey, hey, hey.

Does she need you to ‘be with her’?

She already has someone.

The small venue erupted in cheers. From the looks of it, this Alpha was a campus celebrity; many people knew her. Liang Ruojing turned her head alertly, monitoring Ming Tanqing’s reaction.

Contrary to her hopes, Sister Tanqing picked up the mic and replied with a “Thank you for the love,” smiling very gently and beautifully.

Liang Ruojing was so jealous. Ming Tanqing smiled at everyone—except her. Liang Ruojing glared at her with accusatory eyes, her large eyes round as if condemning the Omega for her differential treatment.

Ming Tanqing’s gaze held a faint smile. She was elegant, and even the ordinary stage lights seemed to wrap her in a moon-like glow. No one could see the anxiety and dread hidden behind that beautiful facade.

Before the session started, she had received a message from Liang Ruojing.

Sister Tanqing, I’ve thought it through. Can we talk after the session?

Thought what through?

“In what capacity are you caring?”

Ming Tanqing didn’t want to admit it, but she was regretful, and she was afraid. What if the final answer was “friends”? What would she do?

It was true that four months ago, she was the one who told Liang Ruojing to forget. But in these four months, the person who couldn’t be pushed away, couldn’t be shaken off, and who repeatedly appeared in her life was Liang Ruojing.

As the session ended, Ming Tanqing stepped onto the stairs in a daze. The last step was a different height; the organizer had warned her, but she hadn’t heard clearly and nearly tripped.

Behind her, someone quickly stepped forward to catch her.

The person’s body was scorching hot, smelling of fresh mint. Liang Ruojing held her steady. It was only a second-long interaction, barely noticeable, but her hand “accidentally” lingered, stroking Ming Tanqing’s waist.

She could tell—she had gotten thinner.

Ming Tanqing’s body froze.

Liang Ruojing wanted to die. Her heart had been rejected, but her hand still remembered the touch!

Sorry, I didn’t mean to.

Liang Ruojing looked up at Ming Tanqing and typed again:

Can we talk in a bit?

In her line of sight, Ming Tanqing never took out her phone. Liang Ruojing was patient, following slowly behind her.

Since it was still early, the organizer made an invitation. “Would everyone like a tour of Peking University? The osmanthus is blooming beautifully lately. It’s Wednesday, so there are fewer students; we won’t be disturbed.”

The osmanthus at Peking University was a famous sight in Beijing. Many were interested and agreed. When they asked Liang Ruojing, she shook her head. “No thanks, I have things to do.”

Who wanted to tour with a group? She wanted to tour with Sister Tanqing—just the two of them.

Organizer: “Is Teacher Ming coming?”

Ming Tanqing: “Yes.”

Liang Ruojing’s mouth dropped open. Looking at the Omega’s cold back, her mind was filled with disbelief.

The organizer counted the people. “I’ll call a volunteer. This is a school, after all; the students know it best.”

A few minutes later, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway. The volunteer tour guide arrived. The newcomer was full of energy, bowing with a smile. “Hello everyone, I’m Song Xuan. You can just call me Xiao Song.”

Liang Ruojing looked up, her face turning even darker. Wasn’t this the young Alpha who just confessed to Ming Tanqing!

Ill intentions! And Sister Tanqing was even looking at her!

Liang Ruojing stepped forward dissatisfied, stiffly blocking Ming Tanqing’s view.

Song Xuan was confused and checked with the organizer. “Is Teacher Liang going?”

Before the organizer could say “no,” Liang Ruojing raised her hand. “I suddenly have nothing to do. I’m going.”

After saying that, she looked at Song Xuan with a “friendly” smile, gritting her teeth: “Xiao Song, thanks for the hard work.”

Behind Liang Ruojing’s back, Ming Tanqing nervously bit her lip.