I Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha and Stole the Heroine from Her Tragic Romance - Chapter 37.1

Qi Xiyao looked nervous as she spoke, as if even the slightest sign of rejection from Yu Peirong would leave her hurt.

Yu Peirong thought she had misheard.

“You want me to live with you?”

She didn’t have any strong preferences about where she lived. It didn’t really matter to her. What caught her off guard was how sudden and unexpected Qi Xiyao’s request sounded.

Then, a thought crossed her mind, and her heart suddenly began to race. If everything before had only been vague guesses with no solid evidence, Qi Xiyao’s suggestion to pretend they were in a romantic relationship made her realize the truth.

Qi Xiyao must like her.

Yu Peirong had acted through countless emotional storylines, but when it came to her own feelings, she had always been missing a piece. This time, though, she was surprisingly certain. Although she hadn’t taken many roles involving romantic leads, she had played lovesick supporting characters before. That soft, unclear feeling began to stir something in her heart.

After all, who wouldn’t be happy to be liked by someone so beautiful?

She couldn’t help but feel a little overjoyed. Even now, the system hadn’t come out to stop her or interfere, as if it was letting her decide for herself. Yu Peirong wasn’t planning to actually become a couple with Qi Xiyao right away, but she was more than willing to play the part of a girlfriend in this little game.

“In that case, I’d like to move somewhere else. A place with more space for two people. The security here isn’t great, and someone has already seen you. Even if that person doesn’t dare do anything serious, they might still find ways to cause trouble.”

She paused for a moment before she spoke again.

Yu Peirong had thought it through. If they were going to live together, this place was not suitable. It was too small for both of them, and more importantly, even if that person was scared off by her earlier warning, he might still expose Qi Xiyao’s location.

If word got out about where Qi Xiyao was staying, people would start coming around and disturbing her peace.

Of course, Yu Peirong couldn’t bring her back to her own home, so she planned to find a more suitable place nearby.

She left the task to her assistant. The new assistant she had recently hired was much more reliable than her previous secretary, and now she didn’t need to worry about the little details.

Two days later, Qi Xiyao returned to the film set and began working on the next part of her role.

The night before filming resumed, the cast gathered for hotpot. Over dinner and drinks, the lead actress leaned against Qi Xiyao’s shoulder, whispering and laughing with her. It had been a while since the two of them had seen each other. They joked around, and their bright laughter echoed throughout the room.

“Let’s toast to a smooth final shoot. Cheers!”

Director Quan Zhihong, slightly tipsy, raised her glass and offered a drink to each of the main actors. She was a beautiful Beta woman with cheerful eyes and a youthful appearance.

Director Quan was in her early thirties, but she took good care of herself and looked like she was in her twenties. She didn’t appear much older than Qi Xiyao. After a while, she went to the restroom to freshen up. When she came out, she beckoned Qi Xiyao over, asking her to come to her room to discuss the next scene.

It was common in the entertainment industry to discuss scripts in private, and Yu Peirong was used to it. Qi Xiyao looked at her briefly, and Yu Peirong gave a small nod to show that it was okay.

If the director had been an Alpha, she might have been a bit concerned. But since Quan Zhihong was a Beta and also a woman, she had no reason to worry.

Quan Zhihong smiled and apologized.

“Sorry, I only went over that scene with the two leads before. I was planning to hold a video meeting, but the quality wasn’t clear enough. I hope you don’t mind me bothering you in person.”

Of course, Qi Xiyao couldn’t say no to the director and followed her into the room.

Director Quan’s room was neat and clean. There was a light scent of lemon air freshener in the air. After dinner, the taste in Qi Xiyao’s mouth felt a bit greasy, so she accepted the tea Quan handed her. But after one sip, her expression shifted slightly.

The tea had a grapefruit flavor.

Usually, people avoided scents that were similar to their own pheromones. It felt strange and uncomfortable. Unless someone was overly self-absorbed, they would stay away from anything that reminded them of their own scent.

Qi Xiyao remembered only once before, when the only tea left in the office was grapefruit tea. She had made a cup and given it to Yu Peirong.

Now that she was the one drinking it, she realized just how awkward it felt.

Especially since she wasn’t close with Quan Zhihong, she couldn’t openly say that the scent matched her own pheromone. Pheromones were private for both Alphas and Omegas and usually not discussed openly.

“You need to really manage your emotions in this scene…”

Quan Zhihong didn’t seem to notice Qi Xiyao’s discomfort. She focused entirely on explaining the scene in detail.

Despite her discomfort, Qi Xiyao was a professional. She valued this opportunity and soon became absorbed in the emotion of the scene.

“In the end, you nearly give your life in the storm’s center. The female lead saves you without hesitation. You collapse into her arms, overwhelmed by memories, and you start crying. You were struggling emotionally. Before this, you two had a major conflict. But she still chose to save you, without a second thought.”

“You should feel conflicted. Your hands tremble as you hold her, just like this.”

Quan Zhihong stepped forward and placed her hands on Qi Xiyao’s shoulders, gently leaning on her to demonstrate the emotion, just as she would with any actor.

But the moment her fingers touched Qi Xiyao, the actress instinctively shuddered. An odd irritation rose inside her.

She wanted to push the woman away but held back out of courtesy. She forced herself to endure it.

In fact, it was very normal for directors to physically guide actors. Quan Zhihong had done the same with the others, even lifting the male lead herself to show the female lead how to do it.

“Did you get it?”

Quan Zhihong stepped back and asked gently.

Qi Xiyao had been a little distracted, but after hearing the director’s voice, she quickly refocused. She had good instincts and was able to understand the meaning even from fragments. Soon, she finished the session.

“I’ll head back now, Director.”

Quan Zhihong gave a soft “okay” and watched as Qi Xiyao finished the tea she had been drinking and took the paper cup with her instead of throwing it in the trash.

Her cautious behavior was like a little hamster guarding its belongings. It was oddly adorable.

Quan Zhihong smiled and said “bye-bye” softly, even though Qi Xiyao had already disappeared from view.

Filming for Twin Souls was nearing its end, and with that came a wave of promotional events.

In the past, Qi Xiyao’s manager would have followed the Yu Corporation’s instructions and declined most of these activities. If she had to appear, she would just show up and leave quickly. But now, Yu Peirong had personally selected magazine covers and features for her, and had arranged a few variety show appearances.

Qi Xiyao had only done magazine spreads before. This was her first time shooting a cover. Compared to internal pages, a solo cover required more. A model needed refined facial features and strong camera presence to hold the layout together.

The theme for this issue was a style that many Asian models found difficult to pull off. The outfits were a blend of European court dresses and the Lolita fashion popular among schoolgirls. Court-style dresses were hard to wear convincingly, and Lolita fashion could easily come across as overly childish. But after trying on several outfits, the stylist was very pleased with Qi Xiyao.

As an Omega, Qi Xiyao had a smaller frame compared to Alphas. She was petite but not short. The wide skirt and puffed sleeves didn’t make her look bulky. Instead, her narrow waist and soft curves gave her silhouette a graceful elegance.

During the shoot, Yu Peirong quietly watched. It wasn’t until Qi Xiyao finished and turned back to smile at her that she felt a sudden jolt in her heart.

Qi Xiyao’s smile was sweet, and her eye makeup sparkled without being flashy. A subtle highlight along her lower lids made her eyes look bright and full of life.

“Rong-jie,” Qi Xiyao called out after the shoot was done, holding up her phone excitedly. “There’s a new Japanese place on Sunset Street. I heard their mango hand rolls and lemon shrimp are amazing. Let me treat you. Want to go try it?”

“Sure.”

Yu Peirong was still working, typing quickly on her phone with one hand. She only looked up briefly.

Her fingers were long and elegant. With just one hooked finger she held her phone with ease, typing swiftly. Once she finished and tucked the phone back into her pocket, Qi Xiyao had already removed her makeup and changed.

Now wearing simple pants and a sweater, with a thick fluffy coat over it, Qi Xiyao looked relaxed but not at all bulky.

Her coat had two thick tassels hanging from it. The white fur was tinted with pink, like rabbit ears. Yu Peirong couldn’t resist pinching one. It looked cute and felt soft too.

Just as they were about to leave, a blond man with blue eyes stopped them. He was a foreign designer and photographer. Speaking in accented English, he said he wanted to invite both of them for a photoshoot next time and asked if Yu Peirong would be interested.

Qi Xiyao instinctively looked at her.

Yu Peirong’s natural looks were as good as any actress in the industry. She had a graceful figure, perfect proportions, and even jeans looked elegant on her. Her cold and mature beauty fit Western tastes well. More importantly, she was an Alpha and naturally carried an aura of confidence and strength.

If Yu Peirong were still who she used to be, she would have agreed without hesitation.

But now, she was Qi Xiyao’s manager. Since she had taken on this role, she had no intention of involving herself with the industry in that way again.

She had thought about returning to acting eventually, but now was not the time. As the owner of an entertainment company, there were still many things she hadn’t fully taken control of. If she took too much time off, the company might once again shift its support toward Yu Shang, and that was the last thing she wanted to see.

Yu Peirong politely declined the foreign designer’s invitation. The man looked disappointed but smiled and apologized for the disturbance.

The two of them went to have Japanese food together.

The restaurant Qi Xiyao chose really did have excellent food. The crab rolls had clearly defined strands of meat, the lemon shrimp had just the right amount of acidity, and the sweet red bean soup was warm and comforting—perfect for the late autumn to early winter season.

The only downside was that the restaurant seemed too popular. Although they had managed to reserve a private room, something unpleasant still ended up happening.

Qi Xiyao had gone to the restroom, and when she came back, there was a clear look of disgust on her face.

“What happened?” Yu Peirong immediately noticed her expression and thought maybe she had run into an aggressive fan out in the main dining area.

Before Qi Xiyao could respond, a series of hurried footsteps approached.

Yu Shang’s confident and loud voice rang out from outside, completely oblivious to how annoying he sounded.

“Yaoyao, are you inside? I’m opening the door.”

Qi Xiyao’s expression changed instantly. Clearly, the memory of how disrespectful Yu Shang had been to her in the past came flooding back, casting a shadow over her face. Yu Peirong noticed this and calmly set down the spoon she was using for the red bean soup. She removed her gloves and slowly stood up from her seat.

She wasn’t someone who resorted to violence easily, but there were always people who practically begged for a slap to the face just to prove how despicable they could be.

Yu Shang was exactly the kind of man you’d find in a cliché CEO romance novel. He acted superior, showed blatant disregard for rules, and constantly toed the line of what’s appropriate, all while justifying it with love.

People called it “overbearing CEO romance,” but in truth, it was harassment and manipulation disguised as affection. Yu Peirong could only think of one response to that kind of behavior.

Hit him.

If one punch wasn’t enough, then make it two.

But just as she was preparing to open the door and confront him, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

She remembered how painful Xu Xiaoqi’s expression had been—that deep trauma etched into an Omega’s soul. The torment she had suffered both physically and mentally could never be undone. For Yu Peirong, this was about justice, but for Xu Xiaoqi, it was a lifelong wound.

Based on how much Qi Xiyao trusted her now, it wouldn’t have been a problem to keep the misunderstanding unresolved. As long as no one could blame her directly, there would be no consequences.

But every time she recalled Xu Xiaoqi’s desperate, broken state, she thought of the original story, where Yu Shang manipulated the female lead and destroyed the lives of many others.

When the villain Lu Zhiyao pushed Yu Shang into a desperate corner, the man didn’t hesitate to betray artists who had followed him for years. He even launched talent shows just to cash in on breach-of-contract fees, forcing aspiring young performers to work hard for months only to be left broken and in debt.

Qi Xiyao seemed to have thought of something as well. She turned her head and quickly shared her thoughts with Yu Peirong in a low voice.

Yu Peirong had previously mentioned that Xu Xiaoqi’s situation might be connected to Yu Shang. Qi Xiyao’s idea involved forcing him to admit his actions. After hearing her plan, Yu Peirong looked surprised but then gave a nod of agreement.

When Yu Shang didn’t receive a reply, he finally lost his patience and pushed the door open. What he saw was Yu Peirong intimately using her chopsticks to feed Qi Xiyao a sakura roll.

Right in front of him, Qi Xiyao—who once claimed she had a germ phobia—was smiling as she accepted the sushi, gracefully wiped her mouth with a napkin, and then handed a fresh one to Yu Peirong.

Just as she was about to help Yu Peirong wipe her mouth, she suddenly looked up in surprise, as if only then noticing Yu Shang’s presence.

“President Yu?”

Yu Shang’s thick eyebrows furrowed deeply. When he heard Qi Xiyao calling his name in that soft and sweet voice, he trembled with anger.

It had been a long time since he heard her speak to him like that. Her voice had a natural softness to it that once made him fall for her. That tone used to make his heart melt.

But ever since Yu Peirong returned to the company, he had lost even the right to hear an Omega speak that way.

Lately, he hadn’t seen Qi Xiyao at the company or noticed her on any schedule. Then he found out her lease had been terminated. The uneasy feeling inside him grew stronger. Eventually, he tracked her to Yu Peirong’s private residence and realized she was hiding her away like some secret treasure.

Now, seeing their closeness, he finally understood and turned red with fury. He wished he could challenge Yu Peirong to a duel right then and there.

In a fit of rage, he completely forgot himself and grabbed Qi Xiyao by the wrist, dragging her away.

A scene straight out of a stereotypical romance novel.

But this time, Yu Peirong stood up and looked like she wanted to stop him. However, she froze at the sight of Yu Shang’s intense glare. The explosive strength of an Alpha was frightening. He gripped Qi Xiyao’s wrist so hard that it left a visible mark.

Qi Xiyao stumbled as he pulled her along and shoved her into his car. By all accounts, this was no different from kidnapping. Just before he closed the door, Yu Peirong had given her a powerful suppressant. Even a small dose could make an Alpha instantly lose awareness.

Despite that, Yu Peirong still wasn’t completely at ease. She found an opportunity to follow Yu Shang’s car from behind.

She knew where his private residence was. After confirming the route, she kept her distance and blended into the traffic. Yu Shang was too consumed by rage to notice he was being followed and stormed off with Qi Xiyao in tow.

The moment Qi Xiyao shared her idea with Yu Peirong, she felt a flicker of regret.

What she was about to do was extremely dangerous. One wrong move could lead to disaster. Only she could carry out this plan, and it had to be in this very moment when Yu Shang’s guard was down and he was most vulnerable to being manipulated.

Qi Xiyao had to face Yu Shang alone. Based on what she knew, he probably wouldn’t try to forcibly mark her. But even if the odds were low, it wasn’t impossible. As an Omega, she would normally never choose to be alone with an Alpha. But when she thought of Xu Xiaoqi, a stronger sense of purpose overcame her fear.

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