Distance Formula - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

“Cut!” Director Liu was very satisfied with that single tear from Su Yanshi. He walked over with a smile and handed a tissue to the Alpha.

Given his age, he was sharp enough to detect that something was off with Su Yanshi: “Did you project some personal emotions into that?”

Su Yanshi took the tissue and covered her eyes. Only after a few seconds did she shake her head: “Do we need to reshoot?”

Director Liu: “No, it was perfect. That moment actually settled the ending for this whole movie.”

The Alpha nodded as someone came over to touch up her makeup. She let out a long breath and didn’t touch her phone again.

There weren’t many scenes today, and the filming progress was slow. Su Yanshi’s mood remained listless all day, which happened to fit the character of Bai Yunyan exceptionally well.

Bai Yunyan had tidied up the rental house. Jiang Yin came running in from outside, huffing and puffing with a bunch of small trinkets in her hands. She jogged over, gave Bai Yunyan a kiss, and proudly held up the items: “Look, I’ve already decided where to put them.”

“How cute. It looks so warm and cozy at first glance.”

Bai Yunyan watched her with a smile, glancing at the items—they were all plushies and dolls. In her past marriage, such things had never appeared from start to finish. It seemed that living with different people truly resulted in different ways of life.

She prided herself on not being a romantic person. She couldn’t understand why one would buy things that served no functional purpose in her life.

Yet Bai Yunyan didn’t say a single word of protest; whatever Jiang Yin asked her to do, she did.

This was a long take. Throughout the scene, Bai Yunyan didn’t say a word, leaving the narration of the future entirely to Jiang Yin.

It was as if Bai Yunyan had been forcibly inserted into her life.

Her waist remained slightly hunched, and her eyes lacked luster, only showing a flicker of light when they occasionally met Jiang Yin’s.

Jiang Yin draped an arm over her shoulder and exchanged a long, lingering kiss with her. The other woman gently touched Bai Yunyan’s face and asked heart-achingly: “Does it hurt?”

Bai Yunyan gazed down at her, remaining silent for a long time before finally saying: “It doesn’t hurt.”

“I don’t feel pain.” She hugged Jiang Yin tightly, as if the woman carried a great deal of her burden.

By the time this scene finished filming, it was nearly dark. Su Yanshi, exhausted, removed her makeup and changed back into her private clothes. She took a short nap in the car before finally opening her phone.

Bai Biqing’s messages were very prominent.

“Have you eaten breakfast?”

“Remember to apply medicine to the wound. I’ll try my best to hurry back.”

“Remember to eat lunch.”

“How is the filming going?”

“Are you tired? I’ll bring you something delicious when I get back.”

“Yanshi?”

After six messages, Bai Biqing stopped sending more. Su Yanshi sat in her seat, curled up with her legs hugged to her chest. She spent a long time typing and deleting, unable to reply. After a troubled internal struggle and much hesitation, she finally sent: “I’ve been filming all day and didn’t see my phone.”

She switched off her phone and buried her head in silence, dutifully waiting for Bai Biqing to come find her.

“Did Teacher Bai have fun today?”

Su Yanshi murmured to herself in a muffled voice, her words carrying a sadness she hadn’t even noticed.

However, the reality was quite different from what she imagined. The three people were sitting on a park bench like elderly folks out for a stroll, sitting in silence.

Bai Biqing was sandwiched in the middle. She had absolutely no idea what the purpose of today was. After finishing the meal, they had been wandering around aimlessly. None of them had any desire to shop, so after a lap, they returned empty-handed.

The Beta had packed some desserts, but Su Shang wouldn’t let anyone leave. Today, Xu Qi was acting like she’d lost her mind, insisting on dragging her to take photos: “Come on, give me a kiss.”

Bai Biqing: “…”

Looking at the Omega and Alpha’s pushy behavior, the Beta finally yielded.

She squeezed out a tiny smile: “You two better not cause trouble for me!”

Su Shang waved her off: “We won’t, we won’t. Come on, come on, you two get a little closer.”

Xu Qi was quick to hold the dessert box in her hands. She smiled exceptionally sweetly and leaned her head against Bai Biqing’s shoulder in a coquettish manner.

“Good, this pose is perfect!” Su Shang’s photography skills were quite good, and neither of the two lacked in looks. She cleared her throat and posted a Moment.

—Visible only to Su Yanshi.

Su Shang: “I didn’t want to disturb them, but who knew they were old acquaintances? I wonder what Auntie Bai is thinking. I feel so bright standing in the middle! Too bad today’s dessert wasn’t to my taste.[Image] x3″

Having finished everything, she calmly checked the time: “Going back?”

With a face full of confusion, Bai Biqing took the dessert box back. Her phone vibrated with a message from Su Yanshi. She clicked it and immediately felt much more at ease: “Let’s go back. I’m going to pick up Yanshi.”

Xu Qi and Su Shang exchanged a glance, forcibly suppressing their smiles.

Xu Qi ran over: “Who is Yanshi? I heard Su Shang say you’re working as an assistant for a star. Is it her?”

“Yes.”

“Oh—” Xu Qi continued, “Is she good-looking?”

Bai Biqing’s expression tightened. She frowned and asked guardedly: “What for?”

Xu Qi picked up on something and raised an eyebrow: “Naturally, I want to see what your future partner looks like. See what kind of person can catch your eye. Don’t deny it; Su Shang told me everything. There’s definitely something going on.”

Bai Biqing: “…You’re sick.”

“Were both of your heads kicked by a door or squeezed by a donkey today? You’ve been weird all day.”

Su Shang rolled her eyes at her. She pulled Xu Qi over and jerked her chin toward Bai Biqing: “Let’s go to the set together. Su Yanshi might get anxious waiting.”

She added as a parting shot: “You’re the one who’s sick! I’m telling you, I’m saving you from a life of misery.”

Xu Qi nodded frantically.

The Beta completely ignored the two of them and turned to leave first. She looked at the packed desserts, wondering if Su Yanshi would like them.

Thinking of the Alpha’s reaction every time she ate sweets, her eyes softened into a curve.

The journey wasn’t long. When Bai Biqing rushed back, she happened to see Su Yanshi getting out of a car to grab a bottle of water. She called out: “Yanshi!”

Su Yanshi also saw her. She abruptly took two steps back, staring at the packaging in her hand—identical to the one in the photo. Her hand tightened sharply behind her back.

She turned her face away, only to happen upon Xu Qi, who was smiling at her.

Su Yanshi drew in a sharp breath and ducked toward the side of the car.

So that person came too?

It felt as if there were a needle in her heart, suspended in mid-air, threatening to take her life at any moment.

Xu Qi’s face was almost frozen from smiling. Her mouth moved unnaturally as she muttered vaguely: “If something goes wrong, you’re responsible.”

Su Shang squeezed out a smile: “Good sisters stick together.”

Xu Qi: “Piss off.”

Both of them noticed Su Yanshi’s abnormality. Before the Beta even reached her, she sensed something was wrong. Her pace slowed, and she asked softly: “What’s wrong?”

Su Yanshi shook her head, not looking up at her, her expression tense: “Nothing. Did you have fun today?”

Bai Biqing: “It was okay. I brought you some desserts. Do you want to eat?”

She thought Su Yanshi would take them, but the Alpha didn’t move: “No, I’m not hungry.”

Bai Biqing was stunned, but she quickly adjusted: “Really won’t have any? They’re delicious, give them a try. Did you eat properly today?”

Su Yanshi still wouldn’t take them. She suddenly felt a surge of anger—giving her what others didn’t want to eat just because she liked sweets; was she supposed to be a trash can for leftovers?

The Alpha abruptly turned around and walked quickly toward the driver’s seat. She said urgently: “I don’t want to eat, eat them yourself. I’m very tired from filming today, I’m going back first. If you still need to take leave tomorrow, I’ll approve it.”

Su Yanshi sat in the driver’s seat and covered her eyes. She thought: She’s just a temporary assistant anyway, a wealthy miss of the Bai family; she doesn’t need my measly pay.

Just as she was about to start the car, she felt a weight in the back seat. She turned her head in a panic and saw Bai Biqing.

The Beta’s face didn’t look good, yet she showed a hint of worry: “Yanshi, tell me what happened.”

She pulled the car door shut with force.

Bai Biqing held her breath: “These desserts are hard to buy. I waited in line for a long time today; my legs are sore from standing. Do you really not want a taste?”

Su Yanshi stared at Bai Biqing’s earnest expression. She lowered her head and said apologetically: “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today; my state isn’t great. I’m sorry for making you unhappy.”

She blinked, her peripheral vision catching the dessert box in Bai Biqing’s hand. She felt like laughing. After all, no matter how long the wait was, it wasn’t bought for her.

Furthermore, they were just friends; it was her own failure to control her emotions. Su Yanshi didn’t know where this flare of anger came from. Bai Biqing going on a blind date was her own business, and who she married was also her business—it had nothing to do with her.

Su Yanshi moved her stiff facial muscles and lifted her head, returning to her usual state: “Thank you, Teacher Bai. You’ve worked hard. Give them to me.”

Bai Biqing didn’t give them to her. She frowned and set the desserts aside. The Beta took a deep breath and suddenly closed the distance between them. She pinched Su Yanshi’s face with force, the pain causing the Alpha to gasp repeatedly.

The Beta didn’t speak. The strength in her hand grew, and her gaze darkened.

Su Yanshi grew anxious. Just as she was about to reach out and pry her hand off, Bai Biqing released her.

The Alpha was a bit dazed, looking at Bai Biqing cautiously. She felt the Beta’s current expression was a bit terrifying.

“Teacher Bai.”

Su Yanshi called out.

The Alpha’s expression flickered with fear.

She rarely saw the Beta like this; she felt Bai Biqing was truly angry.

Bai Biqing took a deep breath. She no longer met Su Yanshi’s gaze and directly got out of the car. She slammed the door with quite some force.

Su Yanshi trembled inside the car. She sat in a daze for a while before finally regaining enough composure to start the car.

After getting out, Bai Biqing went straight to the two who were preparing to leave. She was direct: “Hand over the phones.”

Su Shang gave a dry laugh. Meeting her gaze, she swallowed nervously and unlocked her phone for her.

The Beta finally realized what was wrong. She flipped through Su Shang’s Moments and saw those two posts visible only to Alphas.

“I had good intentions,” Su Shang apologized obediently.

Xu Qi didn’t dare breathe: “Me too.”

Bai Biqing pursed her lips tightly. She was speechless for a moment, pointing at her two terrible friends: “I’ll deal with you later.”

She strode forward, found Hu Liyang’s car, had a brief exchange, and took her car back to the hotel.

Su Shang watched her retreating back and suddenly said: “Makes sense. It would be truly strange if a person like her was willing to let the other party misunderstand.”

How could Bai Biqing ever be willing?

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