Reborn a Scummy Alpha, Happily Ever After with the Movie Queen - Chapter 23

Before long, the online comments began to shift.

“With acting this powerful, does she really need to seduce a director to get roles?”

“Exactly! That performance was just a screen test, and I was already moved to tears. Someone this talented doesn’t need to rely on dirty tricks.”

“Honestly, back when she was in Fragile, I already thought Ye Youyi’s acting was better than that other actress’s—so much more expressive. Just stating facts here, no shade intended.”

In less than an hour, the online sentiment had split in half.

Some were defending Ye Youyi, while others kept attacking her. Before long, the fans on both sides were tearing into each other.

By nightfall, the internet was a battlefield of chaos.

But surprisingly, instead of losing fans, Ye Youyi’s follower count on Weibo skyrocketed—she had gained hundreds of thousands overnight.

Qiu Qiu was so excited that she nearly jumped her way over to the window where Ye Youyi stood. But the moment she saw the faint crease between Ye Youyi’s brows, her grin softened slightly. Still, she couldn’t help waving her phone excitedly in front of her.

“Ever since your audition video went up, the comments aren’t one-sided anymore,” she said eagerly. “And a lot of people are defending you now! You’ve gained so many new fans—like, hundreds of thousands!”

Her voice was bubbling with joy. “People always say that even being hated means you’re famous—‘black fame is still fame.’ I guess we finally get what that means today!”

Ye Youyi couldn’t help being affected by her enthusiasm. Her frustration eased slightly as she gave Qiu Qiu a mock glare.

“You’re exaggerating. And besides, this whole thing is still a hidden danger. If it’s not handled properly, it’ll turn into a permanent stain on my record.”

But deep down, something still felt off.

The scandal had come suddenly and spread fast, yet something about it didn’t add up.

If someone really wanted to target her, why post such a blurry photo where the face couldn’t even be seen clearly? It had been far too easy to turn the situation around with just one audition clip.

The whole thing felt strange.

Just as she was lost in thought, a soft knock sounded at the door.

Qiu Qiu walked over. “Who is it?”

A quiet, low voice answered, “It’s me.”

Ye Youyi instantly recognized Wen Tang’s voice. When she saw Qiu Qiu reaching for the doorknob, she instinctively ran her fingers through her hair and straightened her loose jacket.

When she finally looked up, Wen Tang was already standing at the door.

Qiu Qiu glanced between the two—the shy, wide-eyed Ye Youyi and Wen Tang, who couldn’t seem to look away from her.

For some reason, Qiu Qiu suddenly felt like a complete third wheel.

Unable to stand the charged air between them, she quietly slipped out of the room. When Wen Tang stepped inside, Qiu Qiu gave a knowing smirk and gently closed the door behind her.

The air-conditioning was running cold inside. Ye Youyi pulled her jacket closer around herself and looked at Wen Tang, eyes shimmering with warmth.

“What brings you here?” she asked, hurrying over with a small, expectant smile.

Her eyes glistened like wet butterfly wings in spring—so bright and alive that Wen Tang almost forgot to breathe.

“I was a bit worried about you,” Wen Tang said softly, lips curling upward. Her gaze dropped to Ye Youyi’s leg under the long skirt. “When I drove you home earlier, I noticed a bruise on your calf. Maybe you hit something while trying to shake off those paparazzi.”

“You probably didn’t even notice.”

Sure enough, when Ye Youyi lifted her skirt slightly, she saw a dark purple bruise on her left calf.

She hadn’t even realized it until now, too preoccupied with the online chaos.

When she touched it lightly, pain shot up her leg. “Ah.” She quickly pulled her hand back.

Wen Tang crouched down, amusement flickering in her eyes as she watched Ye Youyi’s face scrunch up. “Now you feel it, hm? No matter what’s happening online, you still have to take care of yourself, understand?”

Her voice was gentle and steady, like a spring breeze brushing the skin.

Ye Youyi’s heart trembled. She bit her lip and nodded obediently.

Noticing the small fridge in the corner, Wen Tang stood up. “Wait here a sec.”

She walked over, opened the fridge, and was met with a rush of cold air. After rummaging around, she found a small piece of ice and wrapped it in a plastic bag.

Once she made sure no water would leak, she returned to Ye Youyi’s side and crouched down again.

“W–what are you doing?” Ye Youyi stammered, cheeks heating when she saw the makeshift ice pack.

“Just hold still,” Wen Tang murmured. She placed one hand gently on Ye Youyi’s leg—the skin soft and smooth under her fingers—before pressing the ice against the bruise.

“Ah.”

A soft, trembling sound slipped from Ye Youyi’s lips, light and sweet as honey.

Wen Tang froze, nearly dropping the ice bag. Her gaze snapped upward to meet Ye Youyi’s flushed face. After two awkward coughs, she tried to steady herself. “Did I hurt you?”

Her ears had turned pink.

Ye Youyi looked at her through hazy lashes, voice barely above a whisper. “No.”

The delicate blush on her cheeks and the gentle tremor in her tone made her seem fragile as a petal. Wen Tang quickly lowered her gaze again, forcing herself to focus on the ice pack.

Silence filled the room. Their breathing was the only sound between them.

Ye Youyi’s lips curved into a tiny smile as she looked at the reddening tips of Wen Tang’s ears. Then, without thinking, she lifted her hand and tucked a loose strand of Wen Tang’s hair behind her ear.

Her fingers brushed lightly over warm skin—soft, smooth, and intoxicating.

Wen Tang jerked back, startled, staring at the bashful Omega before her.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Youyi asked in a honeyed tone, wide-eyed and innocent, as if she hadn’t just sent Wen Tang’s pulse racing.

Wen Tang told herself it was accidental. Surely Ye Youyi hadn’t meant anything by it.

“It’s nothing,” she said, steadying her breath. Then she shifted the topic. “I just wanted to ask—do you have some kind of history with Director Zhang Yuan?”

The mention of that name made Ye Youyi’s stomach twist. Her eyes darkened, and she turned away. “Why are you asking?”

Focused on the bruise, Wen Tang didn’t see her sudden discomfort. “Online gossip says the person in that photo was trying to seduce Director Li. But Zhang hasn’t made any public statement to clarify—it’s like she’s silently agreeing with the rumor. I thought maybe you two had some bad blood, and she’s taking the chance to get back at you.”

“After all, you’re playing the third female lead. A scandal like this could hurt both you and the production.”

Ye Youyi relaxed slightly. So that was all Wen Tang meant.

For a moment, she had thought. Wen Tang was asking whether she’d actually done it.

“I did offend her,” Ye Youyi admitted quietly. She didn’t want to keep lying. After a pause, she continued, “After my first audition for Moon Spirit Chronicle, Zhang Yuan invited me to Silverlight. I wanted the role of Xian Ruo so badly that I didn’t dare refuse, so I went.”

Her voice grew softer. “But she wanted me to ‘accompany’ her. She said if I stayed with her for a few months, the role would be mine. I refused, and she tried to force me. I kicked her and ran away.”

Her tone was faint and brittle, stripped of the cheerful liveliness it once carried.

Wen Tang looked up at her, heart twisting. Ye Youyi’s pale face seemed as fragile as porcelain, and something inside Wen Tang melted.

Setting aside the ice pack, she sat beside her and gently stroked her hair.

“Was that the same night I ran into you at Silverlight?” she asked softly. No wonder Ye Youyi had looked like she’d just been crying.

At the time, Wen Tang’s assistant had only reported that Ye Youyi lost her role—but now the full story clicked into place.

Remembering how Ye Youyi had still helped her escape that night despite her own trauma, Wen Tang’s heart ached even more.

Her warm hand brushed over the girl’s hair, her scent wrapping Ye Youyi in a cocoon of safety. The long-buried hurt welled up in Ye Youyi’s chest. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she whispered, “Do you think I was being greedy? I knew something might happen, but I still went.”

Her voice trembled—hopeful yet afraid of rejection.

Wen Tang looked at her and realized she wasn’t the same Ye Youyi from before. This one was fragile, open, real.

With a quiet sigh, she pulled Ye Youyi into her arms.

“How could I?” she murmured. “It wasn’t your fault. Zhang Yuan was the one with bad intentions.”

Her voice was soft, soothing as she ran her hand along Ye Youyi’s back.

“Everyone wants to climb higher, to chase opportunities. That’s normal. As long as you don’t lose yourself or hurt others, you’ve done nothing wrong.”

Ye Youyi lifted her head slightly, her gaze lingering on Wen Tang’s sharp jawline. She opened her mouth to speak but said nothing.

Seeing her red-rimmed eyes and trembling lashes, Wen Tang couldn’t resist reaching out to pinch her cheek gently. “You’re a good person, Ye Youyi. Don’t let anyone make you think otherwise.”

Ye Youyi’s mind went blank except for those three words—You’re a good person.

They echoed over and over until her heart felt weightless.

“Am I really good?” she asked timidly, eyes shining like stars.

Wen Tang nearly lost herself in that gaze. She gathered the girl close, pressing her cheek against Ye Youyi’s soft hair.

“In my eyes,” she whispered, “you’ve always been good.”

Author’s Note:

Some readers have asked why Wen Tang, as an heir, would be sent to work as an assistant to a small-time actress. Originally, the reason was meant to be revealed later in the story—but since so many of you asked, I caved under pressure and moved that part of the plot forward.

Also, about the “scummy Alpha” bit—the original version of the Alpha wasn’t scummy toward Ye Youyi, but toward her wife. In the original storyline, she married Ning Xu but ignored her completely while obsessing over Ye Youyi. In the end, she even helped Ye Youyi destroy the Ning family.

So, the Alpha’s “scumminess” lies in her infidelity and neglect of her marriage.