Everyone Loves the Alpha, But He’s Not Interested [Transmigration] - Chapter 96

Because Yu Qingxue was full of energy, the two of them managed to pull up forty radishes in just over half an hour.

Ning Xi packed the white radishes into two handwoven baskets and turned around to find a thumb-sized smudge of black mud suddenly appearing on Yu Qingxue’s forehead.

The dark stain stood out starkly against her snow-white skin, instantly stripping away her usual cool and aloof demeanor. Even with an expressionless face, she somehow looked adorable.

Ning Xi thought it was necessary to let the audience see more of Yu Qingxue’s cute side.

Smiling, she walked over and brought two stones from the side. “Professor Yu, let’s sit and rest for a while.”

Yu Qingxue nodded faintly and sat on the stone Ning Xi had placed, gazing at the distant scenery.

The cameraman quickly moved to face them for filming.

The dirt on Ning Xi’s hands had mostly dried. After carefully brushing it off, she pulled a tissue from her pocket and handed it to Yu Qingxue. “Professor Yu, would you like to wipe your face?”

“Thank you.” Yu Qingxue accepted it with a slight nod.

Having satisfied her enthusiasm for radish-pulling, Yu Qingxue had reverted to her usual icy elegance.

The sight of such a beauty admiring the scenery would have made hearts race—if not for the smudge on her forehead.

As Yu Qingxue was about to use the tissue to wipe her hands, Ning Xi stopped her by pressing down on her hand. “Professor Yu, there’s dirt on your face. Let me wipe it for you.”

She tried to take the tissue back, but Yu Qingxue tightened her grip.

Ning Xi looked up at her, her dark pupils glassy and translucent under the sunlight.

Yu Qingxue said, “I need this one for my hands. Get another one to wipe my face.”

“Professor Yu, I’m afraid that won’t work,” Ning Xi replied. “I only brought one tissue.”

Yu Qingxue frowned. “Then what about my hands?”

“The dirt will dry and flake off. You can wash them when we get back to the Love Cottage.”

Yu Qingxue sighed. “Fine.”

Ning Xi finally retrieved the only tissue. Flipping it to the clean side untouched by their hands, she raised it and said, “Professor Yu, lean a little closer.”

Yu Qingxue tilted forward slightly, closing the distance between them.

The two cameramen quickly adjusted their angles to capture the moment.

From a certain perspective, the two looked as if they were about to kiss. The cameraman snapped over a dozen shots in rapid succession before finally smiling in satisfaction.

Ning Xi said, “Professor Yu, to keep dirt from getting in your eyes, you’ll need to close them.”

Yu Qingxue’s lashes fluttered as she glanced at Ning Xi before slowly shutting her eyes.

Her long eyelashes cast delicate shadows beneath them. Smiling, Ning Xi brought the tissue to Yu Qingxue’s forehead and gently wiped.

The black smudge gradually faded. As Ning Xi gazed at Yu Qingxue’s restored, ethereal beauty, her movements slowed.

Yu Qingxue sensed it and murmured, “What’s wrong? Can’t you get it off?”

Ning Xi seemed startled, her cheeks flushing slightly as she withdrew her hand. “It’s done. There’s just a faint trace left—it won’t be noticeable from a distance.”

Yu Qingxue opened her eyes and smiled. “Thank you.”

Flustered, Ning Xi stuffed the dirty tissue back into her pocket and looked down at Yu Qingxue’s hands. “No need for formalities, Professor Yu. Let me help you with the dirt on your hands.”

Yu Qingxue placed her hand trustingly in Ning Xi’s outstretched palm. “Then I’ll trouble you.”

“It’s no trouble.” Ning Xi carefully used her slightly rough fingers to brush the dirt off the delicate skin in her hands.

She was focused on the task with her head lowered when Yu Qingxue’s soft voice suddenly came from above, “As thanks, tell me what you’d like to eat, and I’ll cook it for you tonight.”

Ning Xi’s heart fluttered. “Just for me?”

“Mhm. But only if we have the ingredients. If you ask for seafood, that’s definitely not happening.”

Ning Xi finally managed to restore the hands before her to their original softness. She looked up, her red lips curving slightly, her dark eyes sparkling as she said earnestly, “Teacher Yu, how about making me some radish kimchi? Using the radishes you pulled.”

After resting enough, Ning Xi stood up and hoisted a basket of twenty white radishes onto her back. The woven grass basket sagged heavily, digging into her shoulders.

“Teacher Yu, do you still have the energy to make two trips up and down with me?” Ning Xi asked.

Yu Qingxue walked straight to the other basket of radishes, slung it onto her back, and turned around with an effortless expression. “One trip is enough. No need for two.”

Most alphas wouldn’t carry twenty radishes as effortlessly as Yu Qingxue. Ning Xi, whose physical abilities were three times that of an average alpha due to her excessively high pheromone levels, could manage it without breaking a sweat.

But since Ning Xi had never studied other alphas, she naturally didn’t notice anything unusual about Yu Qingxue.

The two descended the mountain and returned to the Love Cabin, only to find the other three couples hadn’t come back yet.

The staff in the yard were stunned when they saw Yu Qingxue set down the radishes from her shoulders.

The radish-pulling task was supposed to be the slowest, but the production team hadn’t expected Yu Qingxue to be so strong—she had carried the radishes back alongside Ning Xi.

Ning Xi smiled at the camera and whispered, “Teacher Yu is really amazing. I think I like her even more now. I can’t bear to let anyone else have her.”

After setting down the radishes, Yu Qingxue immediately went to wash her hands and face in her room.

The two baskets of radishes remained in the yard. Ning Xi helped the staff count them, keeping four from Yu Qingxue’s basket and the two broken halves from her own. The remaining thirty-five were repacked and sent back to the radish farm owner via a trolley.

Ning Xi carried five radishes into the kitchen, washed off the dirt, and set them aside before washing her hands and changing clothes.

Back in her bedroom, she texted Yu Qingxue.

Ning Xi: What time are we starting dinner?

Yu Qingxue: Around 4:10. Some dishes need marinating in advance.

Ning Xi: Get some rest. You just exerted yourself too much. Your heat cycle starts the day after tomorrow—seven days and nights. I’m worried you won’t hold up.

Yu Qingxue: [Shut up] [I can handle it]

Ning Xi: [Wall-pin kiss] Be good. Stay in bed and don’t move.

Yu Qingxue: [Flops down] Fine, fine. I’ll listen to you.

A little past 3:50, Ning Xi finally heard Wei Xinran and Sun Qize’s voices in the hallway. They seemed to have just returned from their task, nearly an hour later than Ning Xi and Yu Qingxue.

Ning Xi got out of bed, walked to the door, and opened it just as Wei Xinran and Sun Qize passed by. Their eyes met.

“Teacher Wei, Teacher Sun, did you just get back?”

Wei Xinran and Sun Qize both knew Ning Xi was already Yu Qingxue girlfriend, so they didn’t treat her as an outsider. Wei Xinran spread his arms to show her the mud stains on his clothes: “Easier said than done, but it wasn’t completely fruitless. At least Runxin said her fondness for me increased a little.”

“What about Teacher Sun?” Ning Xi asked.

Sun Qize patted the dust off his sleeve, “A complete mess.”

Wei Xinran gently nudged Sun Qize with his shoulder: “Ning Xi was asking about romance. How are things between you and Zhou Zhou? Still feeling awkward?”

“Yeah.” Sun Qize frowned, “Jian Bai is too young.”

“When did you become such an old fossil? There are couples with twenty-year age gaps. You’re only ten years apart—that’s not a problem at all. If you’re worried about dying early, just take better care of yourself.” Without cameras around, Wei Xinran’s words to his friend turned sharper.

“Ah, you wouldn’t understand.” Sun Qize shook his head and walked away, his face full of conflict.

Leaving Wei Xinran and Ning Xi exchanging puzzled looks.

“Listening to Teacher Sun’s songs, you’d think he was a romantic in real life,” Ning Xi remarked.

Wei Xinran said, “Romantic? He’s just a single dog who’s never been in a relationship. Finally, someone young and beautiful—an omega no less—pursues him, and he’s unwilling. That’s just how Qize is. Too many worries, too much hesitation.”

Ning Xi watched Sun Qize’s retreating figure and said, “But once someone like that makes up their mind, they’ll stick to it no matter what.”

Wei Xinran nodded in agreement, sighing, “You’re absolutely right about that. Like how his whole family went into politics, but he insisted on becoming a singer right after high school. He’s been on that path for sixteen years. After meeting Qingsue, she wanted him to act, but he refused, saying he’d only be a singer. Even with Zhou Jian Bai’s competition, Yu Qingxue had to ask him every day for a long time before he agreed to be a mentor.”

“After Zhou Jian Bai underperformed and lost the championship, Qize drank with us and said he never wanted to do variety shows again.”

“Sigh, I think it’s not just about the age gap. He cares too much about Zhou Jian Bai, blaming himself for the loss, which is why he can’t accept him.”

Ning Xi said, “I hope Teacher Sun and Zhou Zhou can resolve their issues during the show.”

“Here’s hoping.” Wei Xinran waved his hand, “I’m going to rest for a bit. We’ll talk later.”

Ning Xi watched Wei Xinran leave before turning and entering her room, closing the door behind her.

She checked her phone, just past four.

Yu Qingxue had said she’d go to the kitchen at 4:10 to prepare, so Ning Xi could go help her now.

After changing into something neat and practical, Ning Xi sent Yu Qingxue a message and headed to the kitchen.

The kitchen was clean and tidy. Ning Xi took a fresh, stylish apron from the wall that matched her outfit and put it on. As she checked the cabinets for ingredients, she waited for Yu Qingxue to arrive.

About three or four minutes later, Yu Qingxue’s distinctive footsteps approached. Ning Xi grabbed another apron from the wall—one that looked like a matching pair—and went to greet her. “Teacher Yu, you’re here. Let me help you put this on.”

Yu Qingxue’s gaze swept over Ning Xi’s figure, the thin straps of the apron tied around her waist accentuating her willow-like slender frame. “There are several aprons hanging on the wall. Why did you pick this one for me?”

Yu Qingxue turned her back, letting Ning Xi tie the straps for her.

Ning Xi gently pulled the two thin strings, which immediately sank into the fabric of Yu Qingxue’s sweater, cinching the loose casual knit to reveal a slender waist.

The two of them matched perfectly in height and appearance. Standing together, they evoked phrases like “a match made in heaven,” “unparalleled beauty,” and “a feast for the eyes.”

The cameraman’s heart raced as he held the camera, barely managing to keep his hands steady.

With enough cameras set up in the kitchen, the cameraman had retreated when Ning Xi and Yu Qingxue began preparing to cook, ensuring he wouldn’t block their shots.

Ning Xi asked, “Professor Yu, just tell me what you need me to do.”

Yu Qingxue glanced at her, her red lips curving slightly. “Right now, I need you to stand still and not get in my way.”

“Professor Yu, I can at least wash vegetables,” Ning Xi said.

Yu Qingxue had already seen the cleaned white radish Ning Xi had prepared. She walked over, placed it on the cutting board, and remarked leisurely, “You did wash it well. I’ll call you when I need more washing done.”

Ning Xi: “…” Her inability to cook was now her biggest flaw, and she had to fix it as soon as possible.

If she could fix it, that is…

Having failed to learn cooking in over twenty years of her past life, Ning Xi had little confidence in herself.

Yu Qingxue picked a suitable knife from the rack and began slicing the radish into strips.

Ning Xi moved closer, positioning herself where she could watch clearly without disturbing Yu Qingsue, and asked curiously, “Professor Yu, did you forget to peel the radish?”

With a rhythmic “duang duang duang,” Yu Qingxue swiftly cut half the radish into evenly sized strips before replying, “Radish skin is tastier and more nutritious than the flesh. Unless the skin is too tough to eat, we usually don’t peel it for pickling.”

After finishing her explanation, Yu Qingxue noticed Ning Xi had fallen silent. She finished cutting the other half of the radish, placed the strips into a large bowl, and turned around only to meet Ning Xi’s bright, earnest gaze.

The undisguised admiration in Ning Xi’s eyes made Yu Qingxue blush slightly. “Why the sudden silence?”

Ning Xi smiled sheepishly. “I just thought the sight of you chopping radishes looked really beautiful and warm.”

“Professor Yu, you’re the first person who’s ever made me feel the warmth of home.”

Ning Xi had always given off an aura of quiet composure, but this sudden vulnerability evoked an irresistible tenderness in others.

Yu Qingxue wasn’t sure if Ning Xi was acting, but her heart ached genuinely at Ning Xi’s words.

She tore off a piece of kitchen paper to dry her hands, then stepped closer and patted Ning Xi’s shoulder reassuringly. “From now on, just tell me what you’d like to eat. As long as I have time, I’ll make it for you.”

Ning Xi hadn’t spoken those words to fish for sympathy—she truly meant every one of them.

In her previous life, Ning Xi’s parents divorced when she was three years old. They quickly remarried and started new families with children of their own. After she began elementary school at seven, they abandoned her in the old village house and never looked back. Ning Xi grew up relying on the kindness of villagers for meals, never experiencing familial warmth before adulthood. Once grown, she found purpose in becoming an actor and stopped dwelling on those childhood wounds.

Just now, watching Yu Qingxue cook for her, she suddenly realized that “family” could actually be a very warm word.

“After the show ends, I’ll have the chance to taste Teacher Yu’s cooking too. Thank you, Teacher Yu,” Ning Xi said with a smile.

Yu Qingxue sensed the tenderness in her gaze, her own expression softening further. “Come anytime, no need to be polite.”

Seeing Yu Qingxue finish cutting two white radishes, Ning Xi said, “Teacher Yu, cutting radishes doesn’t seem too hard. Why don’t I give it a try while you prepare the other ingredients?”

Yu Qingxue looked at her skeptically. “Are you sure?”

Ning Xi nodded firmly. “I can handle simple cutting, especially into thick strips like these. I’ve got this.”

Yu Qingxue set down the knife and stepped aside, making room at the chopping board. “Then you take over. Call me if you need help.”

As Yu Qingxue went to prepare the radish pickling ingredients, Ning Xi picked up the knife. Carefully comparing the dimensions of the radish strips in the bowl, she made her first cautious cut.

Support