Everyone Loves the Alpha, But He’s Not Interested [Transmigration] - Chapter 45

Before the afternoon shoot, Ning Xi found a chance to pull Wang You aside. She wanted to talk to her about Yu Qingxue.

“Are you really so tired that you can’t even spare time to go to the hot springs with President Yu?” she asked directly.

Wang You paused in surprise.

Hot springs? Yu Qingxue hadn’t said anything to her about that.

Her silence made Ning Xi even more certain that Wang You was avoiding the topic. Ning Xi softened her voice.

“President Yu really enjoys your company. She’s afraid of being alone. All she’s asking is for three hours of your time.”

Wang You kept her face stiff.

“I really am tired. I plan to sleep by seven. There will be plenty of chances for hot springs later. Missing this one time won’t matter. Please stop trying to convince me.”

As soon as she finished, she quickly walked over to Jiang Yuanxin, not giving Ning Xi another chance to talk.

Ning Xi thought back to their sweet and affectionate conversation that morning and became even more confused.

They seemed to care deeply about each other, yet there were clearly problems between them.

The issue seemed to lie mostly with Wang You. Yu Qingxue acted like a girl completely in love, while Wang You never made time for her. Yu Qingxue wouldn’t even complain directly, just shared a few quiet frustrations with Ning Xi.

As a soon-to-be friend, Ning Xi felt the least she could do was keep her company and try to make sure she didn’t feel alone.

While Yu Qingxue sat surrounded by makeup artists, she glanced to the side and noticed Ning Xi was gone.

A little while later, Ning Xi returned. She looked at Yu Qingxue with a softness and a hint of concern. Yu Qingxue didn’t understand why, but she enjoyed Ning Xi’s attention and didn’t question it.

That afternoon, they filmed scenes ten and eleven. Feng Yunyan had finally gained Dong Lingxue’s trust. Now, Dong Lingxue, Feng Yunyan, and Shan Lian were traveling together to Baiyun City for the martial arts conference that was held once every ten years.

Feng Yunyan saw Shan Lian as an obstacle. She began getting closer to Dong Lingxue, trying to make Shan Lian jealous.

Shan Lian fell for the trap. She frequently lost her temper and complained that Dong Lingxue only had eyes for Feng Yunyan. Dong Lingxue always tried to calm her down and explained that Feng Yunyan had suffered a lot and deserved kindness.

In private, Feng Yunyan kept provoking Shan Lian. When Shan Lian tried to report it, Dong Lingxue didn’t believe her. Eventually, Shan Lian reached her limit. She set a trap to frame Feng Yunyan for theft, hoping to drive her away.

But Feng Yunyan exposed her on the spot in front of Dong Lingxue. Shan Lian could not bear the look of disappointment in Dong Lingxue’s eyes and walked away alone.

“Scene ten, take one. Mark it.”

“Action.”

On a narrow mountain path, Feng Yunyan and Dong Lingxue walked ahead while Shan Lian followed at a distance. Her eyes were filled with resentment as she stared at Feng Yunyan’s back.

Over the past few days, Feng Yunyan had always distracted Dong Lingxue with strange and interesting ghost stories. Shan Lian could barely get a word in and had been holding back her anger, not knowing when it would burst out.

Dong Lingxue had grown up sheltered and rarely paid attention to others’ emotions. With all her attention now focused on Feng Yunyan, she hadn’t noticed anything unusual about Shan Lian.

“I was so isolated before. All I knew were stories about spirits and legends. I don’t know what the world is really like now. Lingxue, I’m afraid my fiancé will think I’m ignorant. Could you tell me more?” Feng Yunyan had used the search for her arranged fiancé as an excuse to travel with Dong Lingxue.

Her dark eyes reflected Dong Lingxue’s gentle face. Dong Lingxue smiled softly.

“Of course. Where would you like me to start?”

Feng Yunyan lowered her eyes. Her voice tightened slightly.

“I’d like to know about the Holy Maiden.”

Dong Lingxue hesitated. “The Holy Maiden?”

Shan Lian had warned her not to fully trust Feng Yunyan, so Dong Lingxue had never revealed her true identity.

Feng Yunyan lifted her gaze again. Her tone was sincere.

“Yes. I remember my mother mentioning her when I was a child. She said the Holy Maiden was graceful, kind, and dignified. I’ve admired her ever since. I always wanted to know more about her.”

Feng Yunyan’s reasons for getting close to Dong Lingxue were not only about the Jade Heart Sutra. She also wanted to uncover the truth about her past.

After becoming the new cult leader, Feng Yunyan had once discovered a secret chamber. Inside, there was only a single portrait. The woman in the painting looked strikingly similar to her.

She had shown it to the previous Left Guardian, who at first claimed not to recognize the woman. But under pressure, he finally admitted she was the former Holy Maiden, He Mengyan.

Feng Yunyan couldn’t help but wonder. He Mengyan had been imprisoned twenty-five years ago, and she had been held for three years. Feng Yunyan was twenty-two now.

There was a real chance she was the daughter of He Mengyan.

Now that she looked at Dong Lingxue, she saw an even stronger resemblance. Dong Lingxue and He Mengyan looked almost identical. Their eyes were especially similar, calm and filled with quiet compassion, as if they held warmth for the entire world.

He Mengyan had been rescued twenty-two years ago. Dong Lingxue was eighteen. The timeline added up. It was very likely they were half-sisters.

But instead of guessing, Feng Yunyan decided to confirm it with He Mengyan herself. She would be attending the martial arts conference along with Dong Lingxue’s father, Dong Ruize.

Dong Lingxue smiled. “I don’t know much, but I’ll tell you everything I can.”

She began explaining how, ten years ago, He Mengyan had taken in orphan girls, taught them to read and fight, and treated them with great kindness. Everyone in the martial world spoke well of her.

Feng Yunyan’s lashes trembled. “Do you know why she took in orphan girls?”

Dong Lingxue shook her head. A flicker of emotion passed through her eyes so quickly that Feng Yunyan could not read it.

“Cut. Excellent.”

Jiang Yuanxin, seated behind the monitor, picked up the loudspeaker.

“Wang You, great expression. That mix of resentment and sorrow was exactly right.”

Wang You didn’t respond. It hadn’t been acting. It was how she truly felt.

“Ning Xi and Qingxue, as great as always. Everyone keep it up. Let’s try to wrap early today.”

Makeup artists rushed over to do quick touch-ups and stepped away.

“Scene ten, take two. Mark it.”

“Action.”

It was the hottest part of the day. In the middle of the mountains, with no village nearby, the three characters sat near a stream and prepared to eat dry rations.

Shan Lian eagerly pulled out some braised beef she had packed from the inn.

“Miss, you must be tired from walking. Please have some beef.”

Dong Lingxue smiled and accepted it. But she split it in half and passed a portion to Feng Yunyan.

“You’re still recovering. You should eat more to regain your strength.”

Shan Lian’s expression darkened. She took a deep breath and tried to hold it in.

Feng Yunyan then added fuel to the fire. “Miss Shan, have some too. I’ll share mine with you.”

Seeing Feng Yunyan offer the beef, Shan Lian finally snapped.

“This was mine to begin with!” she shouted, grabbing the beef and throwing it aside.

She had carried that beef all day, just for Dong Lingxue. Now Feng Yunyan was showing off with it, like it was her own. It was unbearable.

Dong Lingxue frowned slightly. “Xiao Lian?”

Tears fell from Shan Lian’s eyes. “Miss, how could you give her the beef I brought for you?”

Dong Lingxue turned to Feng Yunyan with a quick “Sorry,” then took Shan Lian aside.

“Xiao Lian, you’ve always been a little headstrong, but never unreasonable. What’s going on with you these past few days?”

Shan Lian looked up into Dong Lingxue’s gentle eyes and began crying harder.

“Miss, I don’t think Feng Yunyan is a good person. She keeps provoking me. Her little offer of beef was clearly meant to humiliate me. Please don’t take her with us to Baiyun City.”

Dong Lingxue gently placed a hand on her head.

“Xiao Lian, Yunyan can’t fight. It wouldn’t be safe for her to travel alone.”

Shan Lian looked up, eyes red with tears.

“Then once we reach Baiyun City, can we part ways with her? I don’t want to see her again.”

“When we get her safely to her fiancé, she’ll have someone to protect her. She won’t need to stay with us.”

Dong Lingxue pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped Shan Lian’s tears.

“But you must never act like this again in front of Yunyan. When we go back, you’ll apologize properly. Understand?”

Shan Lian forced herself to nod. “For you, Miss, I can apologize.”

The two of them returned together. Feng Yunyan stood up, looking a bit guilty as she held out the piece of braised beef she had just rinsed.

“Miss Shan, I’ve washed it clean. Here, it’s yours.”

Shan Lian twitched the corner of her mouth. Who would want to eat beef that had fallen on the ground and been washed?

“You need to replenish your strength. You should eat it. I’ll just eat with Miss Dong.”

When she turned around, she saw Dong Lingxue watching her and giving her a small nod. Shan Lian gritted her teeth and said, “I was wrong just now. I hope you can forgive me.”

Feng Yunyan shook her head gently. “I should be the one saying thank you. You brought the beef, and I ate it.”

Compared to Feng Yunyan’s composure, Shan Lian’s earlier behavior seemed even more unreasonable.

She nearly ground her teeth to pieces. Her anger was about to surge up again, but this time she had learned her lesson. She kept her emotions hidden and forced a smile.

“You’re too polite, Miss Feng.”

After a peaceful lunch, Shan Lian walked over to a small pond nearby. She dipped her fingers into the clear water, then turned around in surprise.

“Miss, the water is warm from the sun. There’s no one else around. Why don’t we bathe here before we continue?”

Dong Lingxue hesitated and looked at Feng Yunyan.

“We still have a day’s journey to the next town. What do you think, Yunyan?” The three of them were all Omegas, so bathing together was no issue. Dong Lingxue only feared that Feng Yunyan might not want to delay their travel.

Shan Lian turned away and pouted. She didn’t understand why Dong Lingxue had to ask for Feng Yunyan’s opinion on everything. They had saved her and let her travel with them. Shouldn’t she be the one accommodating them?

Feng Yunyan was an Alpha. She couldn’t possibly bathe together with Dong Lingxue, who might even be her half-sister. She shook her head.

“I’m not used to bathing outside. You two go ahead. I’ll keep watch.”

With that, she found a rock and sat down with her back to the water.

…

After the bathing scene, Yu Qingxue and Wang You went to change their clothes.

“Ning Xi’s watching. Stay away from me,” Yu Qingxue whispered.

Wang You said nothing and silently moved half a meter farther from her.

Ning Xi’s eyes narrowed slightly as she watched the distance between the two of them grow wider.

Jiang Yuanxin stood up from behind the camera and glanced around the set. He noticed that Ning Xi was still staring at Yu Qingxue’s back. He walked over and bumped her shoulder playfully.

“What are you staring at so hard? Your eyes won’t even move.”

Ning Xi turned her head slightly to glance at the clueless Jiang Yuanxin, then sighed quietly.

“I’m looking at love.”

Jiang Yuanxin thought she was talking about Yu Qingxue and smiled.

“Young people are so romantic these days. Looking at love, huh? That’s a nice way to put it.”

Yu Qingxue didn’t wait for Wang You and returned alone after changing and touching up her makeup.

On the way back, Jiang Yuanxin stopped her, teasing.

“Your little one really knows how to flirt. Do you know what she said while watching your back just now?”

“No. What did she say?” Yu Qingxue couldn’t think of anything besides maybe a compliment.

“She said she was looking at love. Love! My goodness, kids these days really know how to talk. No wonder you’re into her.”

Yu Qingxue stayed silent. If she wasn’t mistaken, Ning Xi had probably been watching her and Wang You together.

When she said “love,” she likely meant the supposed romance between her and Wang You, not her and Yu Qingxue.

“The next scene focuses on Wang You. I’ll go run her through the script. You go hang out with your little friend.”

Jiang Yuanxin patted Yu Qingxue on the shoulder and walked off toward the dressing room.

Yu Qingxue returned to the set and saw Ning Xi reading the script. She walked over.

“President Yu,” Ren Rong quickly stood up and offered his seat.

Yu Qingxue smiled. “No need. I feel like standing for a bit.”

Not wanting to interrupt, Ren Rong gave a small nod, pulled his chair away, and moved aside.

Ning Xi slid over a little and patted the now-empty seat beside her.

“Standing’s no good for chatting. Sit down and tell me some secrets.”

Yu Qingxue walked over and sat down on the same chair with her.

Ren Rong happened to glance their way and nearly popped his eyes out of their sockets when he saw them sitting together.

After the initial shock, he was just grateful their seat was somewhat hidden. Otherwise, the whole crew would be gossiping that Teacher Ning and President Yu were secretly involved.

“How was your pre-bath bonding experience with Wang You, President Yu?” Ning Xi teased.

Yu Qingxue replied calmly, “We’ve known each other since we were young. We’re too familiar with each other to feel anything new.”

Her gaze drifted to Ning Xi’s face, now so close.

“Actually, I’m more looking forward to soaking in the hot spring with you this afternoon.”

As she spoke, her warm breath gently brushed against Ning Xi’s cheek. Ning Xi froze for a moment, her breath catching slightly.

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