Distance Formula - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Bai Biqing sat on the carpet, having pulled back most of the curtains. The afternoon sun fell directly beside her, resembling ripples on a lake that tugged at one’s emotions.

She blocked a good deal of the sunlight with her body. Su Yanshi sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the sofa, diligently studying her script.

Bai Biqing didn’t rush to draw. Instead, she asked, “Do you know who you’ll be working with?”

Su Yanshi turned her head: “Yes, an actress I’ve worked with before. This will be the third time.”

“…Worked with before?”

Bai Biqing immediately identified who it was: the only other lead actress who had co-starred with Su Yanshi in the general’s movie—Hu Liyang.

Hu Liyang was a female Omega who favored a sexy image. Her personality was good, her acting skills were commendable, and she had a substantial fan base, both casual and dedicated.

Bai Biqing thought it was a good choice: high exposure, with plenty of talking points to generate buzz.

Bai Biqing picked up her brush, holding it suspended in the air: “How do you feel about the script?”

Su Yanshi considered it for a moment: “It’s good. I quite like it. I rarely play such gentle roles and want to try it out.”

It will be a hit, full of talking points.

Bai Biqing continued with her movements: “I’m looking forward to it.”

Su Yanshi smiled faintly. She leaned back against the sofa, looking at the script she already knew well. The occasional sounds from the person next to her calmed her mind, and she gradually drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

Finishing a painting requires a lot of energy and stamina. Bai Biqing was always most focused during this time. She stretched her aching shoulder and glanced over. Su Yanshi was fast asleep, resting on the sofa. She looked docile, with strands of blue hair scattered across her neck. Her mouth was slightly parted as she breathed, and her script was pressed under her face. One hand was tucked beneath her head, a posture that didn’t look very comfortable.

Bai Biqing looked out the window. The sunset had vanished, and darkness was approaching. It was nearly five o’clock.

She didn’t know when Su Yanshi had fallen asleep. She had wanted to suggest the Alpha rest earlier, but whenever she met that clingy gaze, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything else. Bai Biqing was well aware that the attraction between two highly matched individuals was intense. It was unfortunate that she was a Beta and couldn’t be interfered with.

Bai Biqing stood up, carefully tidying the surrounding items. She wasn’t in a hurry to pack the painting, having the thought to just leave it there.

Su Yanshi slept soundly, unaware that even Li Zhuonan had visited. Bai Biqing opened the door and took the meal container from the man across the hall. She looked down and said: “I’ll be leaving soon. Keep an eye on her. I noticed she’s been aggressive with the suppressants.”

When Li Zhuonan first started managing Su Yanshi, he was also a novice agent. They had stumbled their way through together, and their relationship remained strong, counting as close friends.

He nodded repeatedly, licked his lips, and bowed slightly in apology, speaking sincerely: “Thank you for today, Artist Bai. Please forgive us if Yanshi caused you any trouble.”

Bai Biqing’s expression was gentle: “Not at all. She’s quite endearing.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” Li Zhuonan put his heart at ease. With the door open, Su Yanshi’s pheromones were spreading without restraint, creating an invisible pressure on Li Zhuonan.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, exchanged a few more pleasantries with Bai Biqing, and quickly left.

Bai Biqing stood at the door, looking at the meal container in her hand, realizing she was hungry herself. A smile appeared on her face. She shook her head lightly and stepped inside. She casually found a piece of paper, left a note, and seeing that Su Yanshi still hadn’t woken up, she took a long look at her, then left the apartment without looking back.

Around seven in the evening, Bai Biqing finally made herself a bowl of noodles. She ate light, adding some greens to the bowl. A towel was draped over her neck, catching the water dripping from her hair.

The Beta casually picked up her phone and, sure enough, saw a friend request from Su Yanshi.

When Su Yanshi woke up, her body was stiff from sleeping awkwardly. She wasn’t fully conscious, but her brain registered the situation instantly: Bai Biqing was gone, yet her pheromones were still intertwined with Su Yanshi’s own. It wasn’t a strong scent, but it was sufficient.

She didn’t feel any sense of loss. Everyone had their own lives; she couldn’t restrain someone with whom she didn’t have an extremely strong bond.

As she stood up to stretch her muscles, she caught sight of the painting Bai Biqing had left behind.

Su Yanshi walked over curiously, and her eyes gradually took on an ambiguous expression.

The whole painting was mostly deep, oppressive black. It clearly depicted a corner, where a hidden curtain was blowing, and even the scene outside the window was impenetrable. Her gaze moved down and found the only light source in the entire canvas: a small woman. She wore sackcloth and shorts to her knees, her hair was disheveled, and she knelt docilely behind Su Yanshi. The joints of half her body looked like a doll’s.

The woman was facing away, her hands struggling to hold up a match much longer than herself. The match’s flame was weak but just enough to illuminate the edge of the window.

Su Yanshi leaned closer and saw that the woman’s body was covered in dense, dark red lines, like dried blood, and many lines on her limbs were broken. She focused her eyes and noticed that the darkness was filled with countless fragmented limbs and twisted faces.

Pain, joy, madness, sorrow, indifference.

Multiple emotions were interwoven.

The colors were both similar and contradictory, adding a sense of eeriness and stillness to the image.

It made the viewer’s heart tremble.

She reached out to touch it but stopped a few centimeters short of the canvas. Su Yanshi didn’t move Bai Biqing’s things. She wondered if Bai Biqing would come back tomorrow—she did say she was inspired, and she hadn’t taken the painting.

Su Yanshi turned to leave and immediately saw the meal container on the table.

Brother Nan came? She hadn’t noticed at all.

It was rare to sleep that deeply during her rut.

She walked over, picked up the meal container, and saw the note pressed beneath it: “Remember to eat. Stop taking so many suppressants. See you tomorrow.”

And then, a string of numbers—Bai Biqing’s contact information.

Bai Biqing’s handwriting was bold and free, the brushstrokes sharp, giving an impression of casual elegance.

Su Yanshi’s fingertips trembled. She lowered her eyelids, picked up her phone, typed in the digits, and boldly searched for the contact on social media.

“Hello Artist Bai, I’m Su Yanshi.”

Bai Biqing tapped her screen, and the friend request was successfully added, but neither of them sent another message, as if an unspoken understanding existed between them.

In good spirits, she called Su Shang. The other woman quickly answered and immediately asked: “How are things going?”

Bai Biqing told her about the check-up results and that Su Yanshi was her tenant, also explaining her intentions. Su Shang agreed, even offering to create more opportunities for the two, but Bai Biqing suggested they hold off for now.

Bai Biqing hummed: “I spent the whole afternoon with her.”

Su Shang was surprised: “Isn’t Su Yanshi in her rut? You’re really brave. Aren’t you afraid she’ll do something out of line?”

“She’s very well-behaved.”

“Well-behaved?” Su Shang laughed out loud. “Everyone in the industry says Su Yanshi is arrogant. While she’s cooperative and careful in her dealings, when she loses control, she’s not someone ordinary people can handle. You’re the first person to call her well-behaved.”

Bai Biqing recalled their time together. Su Yanshi was indeed very well-behaved. The Alpha hadn’t done anything inappropriate, at most just quietly inching closer to her.

She said: “Our relationship has gotten closer. I just wonder if she’ll still be this way after her rut passes and she no longer relies on my pheromones.”

Su Shang broadly comforted her: “Don’t worry, just keep in touch. Besides, I think Su Yanshi is pretty good to her friends. She’s fine with Li Zhuonan.”

Bai Biqing smiled faintly: “That’s different.”

“The essence is the same.”

Su Shang remembered something else: “How are the preparations for your art exhibition coming along?”

“Still early.” Bai Biqing thought of today’s painting: “We’ve probably just started.”

“That long?”

Bai Biqing quietly confirmed. She hooked her fingers through strands of her hair: “Yes, many things need to be thrown out and redone. There are too many things I can’t determine. This feeling makes me anxious, but it also excites me.”

She looked up, her azure pupils reflecting the bustling traffic on the street, people coming and going.

Like today’s inspiration, after knowing her for less than two days, Su Yanshi had become the dominant factor in her uncertainty.

She had painted Su Yanshi once again.

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