Pregnant with the Alpha Best Actress's Child - Chapter 22

The filming for the day continued until evening. Amidst the glow of dusk, Sang Zhijiu bid farewell to Fan Wu and was taken by Lin Jiahe to remove her makeup.

It was only then that Fan Wu realized she hadn’t seen Fan Yu all afternoon.

It was unusual, as wherever Sang Zhijiu was, Fan Yu could typically be found nearby.

After checking with Jiang Mengzhi, she learned that Fan Yu had taken a leave of absence.

“Leave?” Fan Wu asked, somewhat puzzled. “Is she feeling unwell?”

Jiang Mengzhi replied, “I suspect… it’s not physical. Perhaps she’s just feeling ‘uncomfortable’ in her heart.”

Fan Wu chuckled, not taking the remark too seriously. “Uncomfortable in her heart?”

She draped her coat over her arm and began walking toward the hotel. “Hasn’t she been in high spirits lately, working while chasing her idol?”

As she spoke, a figure flashed through her mind, and she followed up with a question: “Does it have something to do with Sang Zhijiu?”

Jiang Mengzhi shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure, but looking at her… she did indeed seem quite sad.”

Fan Wu nodded. She kept the matter in mind, planning to check on her younger sister after returning to her room.

As she neared the hotel, Zhan Yuerou suddenly appeared from the roadside.

In the twilight, Zhan Yuerou turned her head slightly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and gave Fan Wu a sweet smile. “Director—Director Fan, what a coincidence.”

Fan Wu frowned inwardly but kept her expression neutral.

“This is the way back to the hotel, so it’s hardly a coincidence. Is there something you need?”

Zhan Yuerou lowered her head shyly. “It—it’s like this. I wanted to thank you for helping me get into character earlier, so… so I’d like to invite you to dinner. Do you have time?”

Fan Wu gave a polite smile. “I’m sorry, I don’t.”

Zhan Yuerou froze, seemingly caught off guard by the rejection. She bit her lip and asked, “Then… how about another day?”

Fan Wu maintained a very distant gap between them. “You’ve made great progress recently. If you have spare time, it would be better spent further improving your acting skills.”

The meaning behind those words was unmistakable.

Zhan Yuerou nodded with a look of grievance and made an excuse to leave.

Only after she vanished around the corner did Jiang Mengzhi finally furrow her brows and couldn’t help but ask, “Are you two close?”

Fan Wu shook her head. “No.”

Jiang Mengzhi looked at her. “Does this minor actress not recognize her own place? Do you need me to arrange for her to be moved to a different film crew?”

Hearing this, Fan Wu paused her steps.

After a moment, she resumed her pace and replied, “That’s fine. Ask for her opinion first; don’t force her.”

Jiang Mengzhi became even more confused. “…I can’t help but feel you’re hiding something from me. You don’t seem to have any favorable feelings for her, so why are you being so courteous?”

Fan Wu stopped and looked back at her. She patted Jiang Mengzhi on the shoulder. “Don’t be so paranoid; it’s not as serious as you think. Besides, you’re a top-tier manager—aren’t you afraid people will say you’re bullying a mere extra? I just don’t think it’s necessary.”

Jiang Mengzhi remained silent for a while before saying directly, “Fine, I get it. But don’t blame me for not warning you if that girl causes trouble later.”

Fan Wu didn’t take the warning to heart. Regarding Zhan Yuerou, everything had been handled thoroughly through her and Fan Zhengzhi’s maneuvers. All relevant evidence had been covered up, and she had already given Zhan Yuerou a sum far exceeding the original price the girl had asked for.

Now, it seemed the only loose end was Zhan Yuerou’s attitude toward her… but that didn’t matter. Once this project was over, there would be no reason for their paths to cross.

The two continued forward and ran into Sang Zhijiu’s group in front of the elevator.

Lin Jiahe and the assistant, A-Kang, proactively greeted them. Fan Wu looked at Sang Zhijiu and asked with a smile, “What a coincidence. Would you like to have dinner together?”

Sang Zhijiu seemed to be in a bad mood and didn’t even turn her head. “No thanks.”

Lin Jiahe explained from the side, “Sister Fan Wu, I’m so sorry, but we’ve already ordered our meal.”

Fan Wu nodded. “Alright, another time then.”

The elevator arrived, and the group rode up together before parting on different floors.

Lin Jiahe watched Sang Zhijiu walking ahead and finally couldn’t resist jogging a few steps to catch up. “Are you angry?”

Sang Zhijiu replied, “What would I be angry about?”

Lin Jiahe took a deep breath. “Didn’t we just see Sister Fan Wu talking to that guitarist actress?”

Sang Zhijiu said expressionlessly, “If they want to talk, they can talk. What does that have to do with me?”

Lin Jiahe observed her expression and smiled. “So, your Mu Yining is being pestered by a love rival, and you don’t have any emotional reaction at all?”

Hearing this, Sang Zhijiu froze for an instant.

Then, her face brightened. “You’re right! My Mu Yining is being pestered by the guitarist; I really should be angry.”

Lin Jiahe was baffled. “…Why did you suddenly get so happy?”

Sang Zhijiu looked at her. “Jiahe, I didn’t expect an outsider like you to see things so clearly.”

She stroked her chin, her steps becoming much lighter than before. She eventually muttered to herself, “Exactly! When Mu Yining is being pestered by someone else, I’m supposed to be unhappy! I’ve been getting too into character lately, but that’s a good thing—it means I’m becoming more like Chen Yue. Whew… next year’s trophy is one step closer! Sang Zhijiu, you’re amazing!”

The assistant A-Kang came up to Lin Jiahe. “Sister Jiahe… is Sister Zhijiu… okay?”

Lin Jiahe’s temple throbbed. She rubbed it and waved him off. “She’s fine. You’ve been with us for over a year; have you ever seen Zhijiu act normal?”

A-Kang scratched his hair. “It is indeed rare. The last time I saw Sister Zhijiu acting strangely, it seemed to be…”

Lin Jiahe prompted, “Mhm?”

A-Kang finished his sentence: “It seemed to be when she was facing Sister Fan Wu.”

Lin Jiahe stumbled, nearly tripping on flat ground. She said crossly, “Don’t overthink it, and don’t talk nonsense. This—this is all just an accident!”

A-Kang gave a weak “oh.” “Understood.”

Although she had calmed the little assistant, Lin Jiahe still felt a vague sense of worry as she watched Sang Zhijiu walking ahead.

However, the following period was incredibly smooth, surpassing both managers’ expectations.

The dynamic between Fan Wu and Sang Zhijiu had stabilized. They displayed exquisite acting on set and their relationship gradually improved off-camera, yet nothing crossed any boundaries.

Meanwhile, Fan Yu who thought she no longer had a chance, remained in low spirits but stayed professional, diligently continuing her work as a set hand. She seemed to have extinguished her romantic intentions toward Sang Zhijiu; now, her devotion was purely that of a fan toward an idol.

This was exactly what Fan Wu wanted to see. Now, when she occasionally saw Sang Zhijiu and Fan Yu interacting, she no longer felt anxious. Instead, she was happy to see them develop a friendship. The girl was so cute; becoming friends with her own sister was the best possible outcome, wasn’t it?

In this harmonious atmosphere, the crew reached a break period. Because the first stage of filming had gone so smoothly and finished ahead of schedule, and the lease for the next location wouldn’t start for five days, the crew was given time off.

Of course, for a lead like Fan Wu, the break wasn’t a full five days. By the time she finished her stage summary and returned to her villa in Y City, she only had a day and a half left.

Fan Yu had bought a new house, but due to renovations, she was currently staying with Fan Wu.

When Fan Wu arrived home, she saw her sister lounging on the sofa, holding a book. At a glance, she saw it was the book she had given Fan Yu previously—the one with Sang Zhijiu’s autograph and the inscription: “Being Single is a Blessing.”

Fan Wu’s exhaustion was instantly healed by her good mood. She asked with a smile, “How far have you read? Any takeaways?”

Fan Yu nodded. “Mhm, so many!” Holding the book, she said, “Jiujiu is so insightful. Truly, a modern woman shouldn’t focus her gaze on love and romance!”

Fan Wu gloated inwardly. “Mhm. It’s mainly because you’re still too young and can easily be fooled. At this stage, you should study more and focus your mind on work.”

Fan Yu instantly wilted. “Mhm, I know…”

Fan Wu asked, “What’s wrong?”

Since Fan Wu was her own sister, Fan Yu couldn’t help but say, “I understand the logic… but Sister, I’m still so sad… Why did Jiujiu just stop liking Omegas like that?” She pondered, “Do you think if I become outstanding enough, Jiujiu could overlook the gender difference?”

Fan Wu pursed her lips and advised gently, “…Haven’t you been getting along quite well with her lately? Isn’t it already great to be friends with someone you like?”

Fan Yu was discouraged. “Being friends isn’t enough! I met Jiujiu so late to begin with. After this project ends, I don’t know if we’ll ever be together again. How can I cultivate feelings like this?”

Just as Fan Wu was about to offer more advice, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and saw a message from Sang Zhijiu.

The two had added each other as friends, but because Sang Zhijiu didn’t have Fan Wu’s phone number, she still didn’t know that Fan Wu was her “Senior W.” This time, she messaged because she heard from the assistant director that Fan Wu was finally free.

The next stage of the drama involved content from the latter half of the film, where the entanglements and conflicts between Chen Yue and Mu Yining would escalate. Recalling her previous struggle, Sang Zhijiu wanted to invite Fan Wu to the company’s rehearsal room to practice their scenes under a teacher’s guidance and find that complex feeling of mixed love and hate.

She sent a message asking if Fan Wu was free tomorrow.

While Fan Wu was looking at her phone, Fan Yu became unhappy. “Sister… are you even listening to me?”

Fan Wu paused her reply and looked at her. “Ah? I’m listening. Mhm… it doesn’t matter if you aren’t working together; you can always ask her out to play in the future and continue nurturing your friendship.”

Fan Yu paused, then said, “Speaking of going out… Sister, accompany me to the amusement park tomorrow!”

Fan Wu asked, “Why?”

Fan Yu rolled around on the sofa. “I’m heartbroken; I need to go out and let off some steam. Plus, you promised me before I graduated that you’d take me out once I came back!”

Fan Wu hesitated and said with some regret, “I’m sorry… I have something to do tomorrow, so I’m afraid I can’t go with you.”

Fan Yu’s eyes widened. “Is it work?”

Fan Wu said, “I suppose so. Sang Zhijiu asked me to go over and practice scenes.”

Hearing this, Fan Yu puffed out her cheeks. “Does practicing scenes take all day? You could totally go out with me during the day and go to her in the afternoon.”

Fan Wu refused. “No. Besides, I’ve already agreed.”

Fan Yu fell silent.

Fan Wu took the opportunity to say, “How about this: we’ll go out for dinner tomorrow night. I’m going up to change my clothes now.”

Fan Yu nodded, watching her leave. Once Fan Wu was out of sight, she fell into deep thought. “Mhm… is practicing scenes that important? This seems to be the first time Sister has rejected my request because of an invitation from someone else…”

At this thought, she was suddenly startled, feeling as if she were about to lose her status as the favorite. Growing up without their parents around, she knew exactly how much Fan Wu doted on her. To think that one day, her sister would put someone else ahead of her?!

But then, realizing that person was Sang Zhijiu.

Support