I Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha and Stole the Heroine from Her Tragic Romance - Chapter 58.2

Lu Zhiyao, seeing the leverage, naturally wanted to use it to control the old man.

Unfortunately, she never managed to get Yu Shang to reveal anything. He stayed tight-lipped.

Frustrated, Lu Zhiyao left him to rot, watching him spiral into despair until he finally snapped.

Once her role in the plan was finished, Ye An wisely pulled back. She knew not to linger near dangerous people like Lu Zhiyao.

That day, neither Yu Peirong nor Qi Xiyao was seriously hurt. Yu Peirong’s arm was sore for a few days, but after two massage sessions, she was almost fully recovered.

The entire incident caused an uproar online.

In the movie, Qi Xiyao’s performance stood out. She captured the sorrow and struggles of a girl who could see spirits, torn between family and friendship. On the film’s opening day, her Weibo followers soared.

This year’s Spring Festival had a wide variety of films—comedies, horror, crime dramas, romance, and animation. Everyone had expected the romance genre to be a weak contender, but surprisingly, Twin Souls topped the box office.

Fans clashed online, and critics rushed to post reviews. Some praised, some criticized. But by now, none of that concerned Qi Xiyao.

After wrapping one event, she cleared two days to visit Zheng Xiuxue’s home.

Xiuxue’s mother was the younger sister of Peirong’s original mother. Technically, she was Ye An’s aunt.

When she saw Yu Peirong, she was taken aback for a moment.

The last time they met was years ago, before Peirong had come from another world. The original Peirong had terrible fashion sense.

At home, no one knew how she looked, but when she went out, it was always heavy makeup, oddly dyed hair in uneven streaks, and lipstick so red it seemed to glow. She looked like a cartoon character at times.

Now, Yu Peirong looked fresh and elegant. Her makeup was minimal—just enough to brighten her features. She looked calm and graceful.

She greeted warmly, “Auntie,” then introduced Ye An as a close friend. Ye An nervously shook her aunt’s hand. The woman gave her a gentle look, and Ye An managed a small smile.

Years ago, this woman had tried hard to guide her. But Ye An had refused to listen.

Each time she made a mistake, Yu Litian would scold or console her. Back then, she had foolishly mistaken that attention for affection.

But she could never forget the disappointed look in her aunt’s eyes—or the frustration and confusion on Xiuxue’s face.

After that, they had almost no contact. Yet now, here they were, sitting together again.

Ye An took her seat.

Zheng Xiuxue’s family was small. Since it wasn’t a major holiday, they hadn’t invited many guests. It was just the four of them.

She had a younger brother, about ten years old. He was just as outgoing as Xiuxue and kept trying to take the guests outside to set off firecrackers. Only after being scolded did he settle down.

Yu Peirong stroked their British Shorthair cat, washed her hands, and joined the dinner table.

She noticed Ye An’s expression change slightly when she saw the spread of delicious dishes. It was clear these were the original body’s favorite foods.

After everything that had happened, especially after Yu Shang’s crimes came to light, Xiuxue’s mother realized how much her niece had suffered. Blood ties mattered, and she couldn’t help showing extra concern.

When she found out that Yu Shang had tried to ram their car off a bridge into the river, Zheng Xiuxue was furious.

“I told you that guy was a menace. When my sister asked me to watch over the company, he kept trying to intimidate me. He never did any real work. Just hung around my office trying to block my paperwork. Complete lunatic.”

It was the first time Mr. Zheng had heard his daughter talk about her work. Zheng Xiuxue had always been the type to share only good news and keep any troubles to herself. He couldn’t help but frown slightly.

“He was really that unreasonable?”

Zheng Xiuxue picked up some food with her chopsticks and dropped it into her bowl, clearly upset.

“Way more than that. He pulled all kinds of shady tricks. But later, during the morning meeting, I put his name up on the screen. Everyone saw it.”

Yu Shang was completely humiliated. After that, he even tried to assert authority over her, but Zheng Xiuxue shut him down without hesitation.

As she went on, vividly describing how she had managed to set traps for Yu Shang, Yu Peirong recalled how, during that time, Yu Shang looked utterly defeated, like a duck soaking wet and too tired to struggle. The memory made her chuckle quietly.

The meal ended on a cheerful note, with everyone enjoying themselves.

After dinner, a few people were invited to play cards. There was no gambling involved, just a family-friendly game. At first, Ye An was a little reserved, but he soon relaxed and turned out to be the best player. Mr. Zheng praised him several times.

Yu Peirong wasn’t very good at these kinds of games, like mahjong. To her surprise, Qi Xiyao was quite skilled, so she let her take over while she herself sat aside to rest.

While resting, she received a message from her assistant, which included several scripts being considered for Qi Xiyao.

Thanks to the strong momentum of her current project, Qi Xiyao’s value had risen significantly. She was no longer the unknown actress she used to be.

What she needed now was a stable, well-produced project to showcase her abilities. This would help turn her current popularity, which still felt a little shallow, into lasting recognition.

All of the scripts she received featured leading roles. There was no longer any need to start as a supporting actress. Clearly, Qi Xiyao’s acting skills had earned her recognition from major directors.

Yu Peirong carefully read through the scripts and unknowingly became absorbed. She only snapped back to reality when she heard a young boy sigh loudly after losing a game. That’s when she realized more than an hour had passed.

Reading dense scripts was tiring. Her eyes felt strained, so she rubbed her temples and decided to take a mental break by browsing Weibo.

She logged into her alternate account and immediately noticed a post from a gossip page that mentioned Qi Xiyao by name. The topic was gaining popularity fast and had already appeared on the trending list.

Having been an actress in the past and now working as a manager, Yu Peirong was very sensitive to these kinds of things. She took a few minutes to read the entire screenshot and report, then immediately went to Qi Xiyao’s anti-rumor fan page and submitted the report through a private message.

The comedy film currently competing with Dual Lives had already lost its chance at the number one box office spot. Now the two films were competing for second place, and neither side was willing to back down. Both had hired online trolls to spread negative rumors about the other’s lead actors.

However, the cast of Dual Lives consisted of relatively young, professionally trained actors who had shown solid performances and remained scandal-free. The two leads were currently promoting the movie on variety shows. Their playful and teasing interactions had gained popularity with fans, much like a romantic comedy duo.

Many fans had started shipping them as a couple. When this rumor surfaced, it angered both loyal movie fans and the CP (couple pairing) fans. Gossip accounts, knowing full well that weaker targets are easier to attack, had tried targeting the male and female leads earlier without success. Now they had shifted their focus to Qi Xiyao.

Yu Shang’s obvious pursuit of Qi Xiyao had once been common knowledge at the company. It wasn’t exactly a secret.

Under Yu Peirong’s leadership, people at Yi Shui Entertainment had learned to keep things confidential. But earlier, she had fired several employees who liked playing dirty tricks and acted on personal interests. Those people were now retaliating.

As expected, the gossip account took advantage of the situation. They posted claims that Yu Shang and Qi Xiyao had once been “close” and implied that Qi Xiyao had only succeeded because of a wealthy backer. They even suggested that no one really knew who was supporting her behind the scenes.

Some posts claimed that paparazzi had seen Qi Xiyao entering and leaving a hotel with an Alpha and that her pheromones smelled fruity.

Pheromones are considered very personal among Alphas and Omegas, especially for Omegas who tend to be more sensitive about it.

When Alphas and Omegas go out, they usually wear suppressor patches. These serve two purposes: one is to prevent any accidental pheromone leaks that could trigger heat, and the other is to maintain privacy and avoid letting others detect their scent.

If someone knew her exact pheromone scent, it would usually mean a very close relationship.

As soon as this detail was revealed, anti-fans became more active.

Dual Lives had been a surprise success during the Spring Festival season. The film’s theme wasn’t particularly mainstream, and it hadn’t been expected to become a blockbuster. But honestly, this year’s Spring Festival lineup was not very competitive. Unlike last year, when many films performed strongly and were closely matched, this year had fewer standout releases.

Dual Lives had a niche subject, but the emotional storytelling and filming techniques were excellent. In the absence of intense competition, the film had a strong chance of being submitted for awards.

Qi Xiyao’s character was just as well-received as the main leads. In fact, her increase in followers on Weibo was nearly equal to that of the female lead, making them evenly matched in popularity.

The female lead, An Xiaomachi, wasn’t signed to a large agency and didn’t want to provoke Yi Shui. She also had a good relationship with Qi Xiyao. Her agency’s strategy was to pair her with the male lead in promotional content to avoid typecasting. They had even invited Qi Xiyao to join them on variety shows. There was no way they would have initiated this kind of smear campaign.

So, the question remained: who did?

Qi Xiyao’s fanbase was currently very active, especially since the film’s release had attracted many new followers. When they looked into her background, they discovered this was her first major opportunity. All her previous roles had been small and supporting.

When they saw the false rumors being spread, her anti-rumor fan page responded immediately. They organized fans to report, block, and counterattack.

But when Yu Peirong refreshed the page, she saw that the gossip account had already posted something new.

The hashtag #QiXiyaoThrowingTantrum had jumped higher on the trending list. It was now nearly tied with #QiXiyaoScandal, which had already reached seventh place on the entertainment chart. Judging by the rapid rise, it was obvious that paid promotion was involved.

The so-called new evidence was a short video clip.

In it, Qi Xiyao was seen arguing with Zou Yue at an event. Zou Yue said something with an innocent look on her face, and then Qi Xiyao suddenly slapped her arm. The sound of the hit could be heard clearly.

Around the same time, Zou Yue had posted several short emotional rants that were quickly deleted. Now, with the release of this video, her long-frustrated fans erupted in anger and began questioning why Qi Xiyao had physically attacked her.

Zou Yue had a sweet and pure image. She was often called the “first love campus queen” and was a common pick for teen drama lead roles. With her petite frame and tearful expression, she easily won people’s sympathy.

After being hit, she turned to look at Qi Xiyao with a shocked and innocent expression, as if Qi Xiyao had bullied her like some kind of schoolyard villain.

If Qi Xiyao hadn’t called her earlier to explain, Yu Peirong might have believed the video.

Zou Yue was known for being dramatic. Now that the stage was set, she seized the spotlight and rushed to give her side of the story without anyone asking. Her overly sweet and insincere attitude was overwhelming.

Yu Peirong had been in the entertainment industry for many years and had seen plenty of backstabbing and manipulation. But even she found these tactics childish and pathetic.

She glanced at Qi Xiyao and noticed that she looked tired. As Qi Xiyao stood up to stretch, and others began getting up as well, Yu Peirong gently pulled her aside.

After hearing a few simple words from Yu Peirong, Qi Xiyao felt uncomfortable.

It had been Zou Yue who started the argument. Qi Xiyao usually had a good temper and never liked picking fights, but Zou Yue had crossed the line by insulting Yu Peirong in a disgusting and personal way.

Seeing Qi Xiyao’s unhappy expression, Yu Peirong reached out and gently rubbed the top of her head. The Omega’s long hair slid softly through her fingers, carrying the faint fragrance of shampoo.

“I understand. Just give me a moment.”

That was all she said before turning around and heading into a room. She sat down and turned on the computer.

An hour later, just as the rumors on Weibo were exploding, a twist changed everything.

Yu Peirong personally released an audio recording on her public account.

It was a recording of her phone call with Qi Xiyao.

“Everyone else is working. Why are you the only one slacking off? I know the New Year is coming, but you still have responsibilities.”

“Alright, alright, stop apologizing. Let’s not pretend anymore. I know someone is protecting you from behind. But you should know better than anyone what kind of person Yu Peirong is. So what if she’s an Alpha now? The Yu family only made it this far because her mother sold herself for—”

Then came the loud, sharp sound of a slap. From the audio track, it was clear the timing matched perfectly with the incident in question.

Qi Xiyao had glared at Zou Yue with a cold, warning look.

From the beginning, Qi Xiyao had faced criticism for being parachuted into her role. With her project now performing well and Yishui Entertainment supporting her, it was hard to avoid stepping on the wrong toes in the industry.

Many people were fueling the public outrage behind the scenes, and the so-called “neutral” commenters were not genuinely concerned about the truth.

Once Yu Peirong made the recording public, most people online began to understand what really happened.

After all, those words from Zou Yue were incredibly nasty. Anyone would have reacted.

Still, a small number of people insisted that no matter what had been said, Qi Xiyao should not have hit her.

Once the recording spread, Zou Yue realized this situation was not in her favor. Her public image was based on being sweet and innocent, but her words in the audio were clearly aggressive and vicious. Many people began commenting on her Weibo posts, demanding an explanation.

Zou Yue quickly deleted her earlier post that had used sarcastic and pitiful language. For the entire New Year holiday, she remained silent and completely out of sight. It was obvious she had decided to hide.

Her behavior was shameless and laughable, but Yu Peirong had no interest in dealing with her. She had more important matters to focus on, starting with the aftermath involving Yu Shang.

This time, the police acted fast. Yu Shang had already been exposed for multiple serious offenses. After harming others and attempting to flee, his charges became even more severe. Originally, he faced around twenty years in prison. Now it looked like he might spend the rest of his life there.

Desperate, Yu Shang tried to contact Yu Litian for help, but Yu Litian completely ignored him. The fact that he didn’t make the situation worse was already surprising. Yu Shang’s mother had just begun to recover slightly, but when she heard about her son’s arrest, she collapsed again in anger and heartbreak.

The entire Yu family had fallen into chaos.

Yu Shang, furious and without options, revealed everything he knew about Yu Litian. This included affairs after marriage, secretly keeping mistresses, and joining others in illegal lending operations. Some victims had been forced to repay debts with their bodies. There were even reports of suicide caused by these practices.

Zhao Siyin had been part of this from the beginning. She had pretended to be friendly with Yu Peirong in order to get close, but her real goal was to target Qi Xiyao’s family and drag them into a black-market loan scheme.

This type of business brought massive profits.

But beneath that profit was a system built on trampling others. Many people who fell into high-interest debt could never repay it. Eventually, some lost everything. Some ended up homeless, begging on the streets, or forced into selling their bodies.

Yu Litian was never a decent person. Yu Peirong had known that for a long time. But when she saw the organized list of victims—names still being added—she couldn’t help but feel deeply disturbed.

Fear crept up from the bottom of her heart. She felt cold all over.

Those names on the list might seem like lifeless numbers to outsiders, but to her, each one represented a living person. These were real lives, pushed away from normalcy by crushing debt. Some of them might disappear one day without a trace, while others might leave behind a mess that someone else would have to clean up.

For the past few days, Yu Peirong had followed the case closely. Finally, when the first round of court files had been completed, she had a chance to breathe.

The snow outside had melted. Spring was arriving with blooming flowers and budding trees. Spring and autumn were always her favorite seasons. The weather was never too hot or too cold. On her drive home, she felt relaxed. She even hummed a tune for the first time in a while.

She made a stop to buy some snacks, planning to surprise Qi Xiyao. Lately, she had not been home often, and Qi Xiyao had stayed in to read scripts for her next role. Since the project was not yet scheduled, there was still time to choose. Yu Peirong had told her to take it slow and not rush.

When she opened the door and called out for Qi Xiyao, the living room was silent. The woman who usually waited on the sofa was nowhere in sight.

Feeling slightly uneasy, she walked to her bedroom and opened the door. Qi Xiyao was not there either.

Then, as she gently pushed open the study door, she heard soft, breathy sounds coming from inside.

Yu Peirong turned the doorknob carefully and found Qi Xiyao sitting on the office chair. Her ears were completely red. She was holding a script in one hand while staring intently at the computer screen.

Because no one was home, she had been playing the audio aloud so she could better study the scene. Her face was both embarrassed and focused. When she realized Yu Peirong had walked in, she panicked and tried to stop the playback. But instead of lowering the volume, she accidentally made it louder.

On the screen, two women were entangled together. One of them, wearing black stockings, was lying on the bed.

Inside the bathtub, soft moans echoed unevenly. The woman’s eyes were half-lidded, gazing seductively at the person in front of her. Their lips were tangled together, kisses warm and sweet.

Qi Xiyao listened to the flirtatious whispers that filled the study. Her cheeks were burning. She rushed to lower the volume, but the printed script in her hand slipped and scattered across the floor. The pages were quickly and calmly picked up by a pair of slender, pale fingers.

Yu Peirong casually flipped through a few pages. Her cheeks flushed with heat, her pulse throbbed at her temple. But she instinctively reached out and caught Qi Xiyao’s wrist, then leaned in close to her ear and whispered in a low voice.

“Reading this kind of material isn’t the same as experiencing it in real life.”

Qi Xiyao looked up in a panic. Their eyes met. Yu Peirong’s breath brushed across her face as she spoke. The distance between them grew smaller.

“If you don’t know how, do you want me to teach you?”

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