The Heartless Alpha Just Wants to Follow the Plot - Chapter 16

Su Mo answered the call without addressing what had just happened. On the other end was Qiu Fu, her whole body uncomfortable, her strength drained. Her eyes were rimmed red, her breath ran hot, and tears clung to the corners of her eyes.

“Su, Su Mo.”

The soft, trembling voice drifted out, leaving everyone present frozen in place. That tone, why did it sound so suggestive?

Hearing it, Si Yu—who had been in the middle of lifting her glass—paused. A sharp flicker of displeasure and chill flashed through her eyes.

Only Su Mo let out a quiet breath of relief. She immediately asked Qiu Fu, whose condition was obviously off, “Is it time again? I thought you still had half a day.”

Qiu Fu could only hum pitifully, miserable enough that she wanted to whimper, “At least you remember. Hurry back. It came early.”

“I’ll head back right now. Use an inhibitor first.”

She rose to her feet and apologized to the table, “Something’s come up at home. I’ll have to leave first—please continue without me.”

No one dared to question her or try to make her stay. They suppressed their curiosity and nodded.

“Take care, family comes first.”

“Goodbye—looking forward to the next collaboration.”

“See you.”

The group stood to send her off, and Su Mo nodded politely. “No need to see me out. Enjoy the meal.”

Si Yu swayed slightly as she stood. “I’m leaving too.”

Su Mo stiffened.

Qiu Fu, hearing another voice through the comm, regained a flicker of clarity through the heat clouding her mind—especially after realizing someone else intended to leave with Su Mo.

She suddenly remembered the rumors, and the comment threads on Star Net claiming Su Mo was “not picky about gender.” Half-covering her eyes, her hoarse voice tightened:

“If you’re in the middle of something, don’t rush. I can use another inhibitor and hold out for one more night.”

Su Mo choked on her words. “I’m not busy with anything else. Using more inhibitors right now would be hard on your body. I’ll make it back tonight—don’t overthink it.”

Si Yu listened to Su Mo’s lowered, gentle tone as she coaxed someone else on the phone. A complicated mix of emotions churned in her chest.

Was this jealousy?

Was she seriously jealous of Su Mo and that woman?

The thought made her chest ache even more. She stepped into the cold night air; the wind instantly sobered her from the remaining alcohol. She pulled out her wrist-brain to call her agent for pickup, her gaze drifting toward Su Mo as she ended her call.

Su Mo noticed Si Yu’s thin outfit. The cold wind had her shivering even after just a few seconds. Su Mo thought for a moment—she’d be leaving immediately anyway, and the heater in her aircraft was always warm. She removed her own jacket and draped it around Si Yu.

Her voice softened. “Bring a thicker coat next time. It’s getting cold. Girls shouldn’t let themselves freeze—you’ll get sick.”

Si Yu stood there stunned for a moment. Before she knew it, Su Mo’s coat—warm and carrying that faint, familiar scent—settled around her shoulders. It felt warm, just like Su Mo had felt to her lately: quietly comforting, gently enveloping.

Seeing that Su Mo herself wasn’t dressed much thicker, Si Yu sniffed slightly and murmured, “Do you treat everyone like this?”

They were only a few dozen meters away from the aircraft when Su Mo lifted her head, confused. “Hm?”

Si Yu’s voice turned faint. “Are you this gentle with every artist you’ve worked with?”

She tugged lightly on the jacket, then added with meaning, “Do you always sacrifice yourself to protect them too?”

Su Mo recalled the original owner—who absolutely would never have done anything like this. Only she, the person who replaced her, would do something this sentimental. The original owner was always straightforward and cold.

Su Mo chuckled softly, understanding what Si Yu truly meant. Still, she couldn’t just leave someone she knew standing in the freezing wind, especially when the person had been drinking.

“Not really. I just think you should take better care of yourself.”

The aircraft arrived. Su Mo stepped aboard and turned back. “Come up and wait. It’s cold out here—you can head down again when your aircraft arrives.”

Wrapped snugly in the jacket, Si Yu shook her head with a faint smile. “No need. You go. My agent will be here soon.”

She didn’t understand. Su Mo was rushing home to care for someone else—yet even so, she still casually invited Si Yu onboard, and even gave her her own coat.

Did this mean she didn’t care much about the person waiting at home or did she have feelings for her?

Su Mo didn’t press her. She told Jiang Xi to wait until Si Yu’s agent arrived before taking off.

After all, Si Yu was a top-tier artist. Even though Henggen was crawling with celebrities, it was also a place full of shady dealings and constant accidents.

Fans came and went constantly. And despite claims that the Zerg incident had fully been resolved, who could guarantee another wouldn’t occur?

Even if nothing happened, Su Mo couldn’t bring herself to leave a young woman she’d known for months alone in the freezing night.

Jiang Xi looked puzzled. “Why though? Su-jie, she’ll be fine. This is Henggen—nothing’s going to happen.”

Su Mo leaned back in her warm seat, picking up a glass of freshly pressed juice. She took a sip, her voice calm.

“Don’t talk so much.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She really had spoken out of turn—maybe because Su Mo had been so agreeable lately that she momentarily forgot what Su Mo’s usual state was actually like.

Ten minutes later, Si Yu’s agent, Liu Guang, finally arrived in her aircraft. During those ten minutes, the cold night air had already sobered Si Yu up. She lowered her gaze slightly when she saw Su Mo’s aircraft still parked nearby, but she didn’t take the initiative to speak.

Only after confirming that Liu Guang had arrived did Su Mo finally say, “Let’s go.”

Jiang Xi straightened up. “Yes, ma’am.”

Watching the familiar aircraft pull away, Liu Guang’s brows furrowed deeply. Su Mo isn’t trying something again, is she? Why would she wait specifically for her to arrive before leaving? There must have been something shady going on—but she had unintentionally disrupted it.

Then Liu Guang noticed the coat draped over Si Yu’s shoulders—clearly not hers. Her expression darkened instantly. She had put so much effort into training this girl, and yet, had she still failed to keep her grounded?

“You didn’t refuse her?”

Knowing exactly what Liu Guang was imagining, Si Yu stepped onto the aircraft and rubbed her brow tiredly. “Why are you so late?”

Liu Guang followed her in and motioned for the pilot to start flying. “Had some other matters to deal with. You still haven’t explained what happened with Su Mo. Why are you wearing something that doesn’t belong to you? Whose is it—Su Mo’s?”

Si Yu tightened her grip on the coat and didn’t reply.

But silence was as good as an admission. Liu Guang was so furious she practically wanted to slap some sense into her.

Raking her fingers through her hair in frustration, she forced her temper down. “What on earth were you thinking? You know exactly what kind of person she is. I’ve reminded you over and over—don’t get involved with her. She’s not someone you can afford to touch. Why won’t you listen?”

“Do you think agreeing to her will catapult you to the top?”

Liu Guang took a long breath and tried again, voice tinged with earnest persuasion. “Si Yu, I believe in you. As long as you work hard, you’ll always have a solid place in this industry.

Your career won’t end with just one Best Actress award—you could be heading for a three-star level. You might even surpass Qiu Fu, win your second trophy earlier than she did. You have the talent, and you have some backing. You don’t need to rely on anyone.”

“There’s no reason for you to tie yourself to Su Mo. She’s not a good destination for you. She won’t stay in this industry long. She’s not right for you.”

Si Yu thought of that fleeting softness on Su Mo’s face when she answered the call—something so subtle even Su Mo herself probably hadn’t noticed. That person was different.

But Su Mo would never show that kind of expression to her. Su Mo might seem kind to everyone, but she would never feel anything beyond “friend” or “acquaintance” toward her.

She understood everything Liu Guang said. It was just hard not to feel a little bitter.

“I know what I’m doing,” Si Yu cut her off, unwilling to continue the lecture.

Liu Guang didn’t hesitate to expose her thoughts. “Oh, you ‘know’? You’ve been brainwashed by that life-saving favor of hers. Your whole mind is wrapped around her now.”

“I don’t care what you’re thinking—but with her, you absolutely cannot get attached.”

Her warning gaze was sharp and uncompromising.

Si Yu rubbed her temple irritably. “I know. I won’t get attached. Don’t worry.”

Even if she wanted to cling to Su Mo, the other party wouldn’t want her. Su Mo already had someone precious at home—why would she look twice at her?

Seeing that Si Yu seemed to genuinely take the words to heart, Liu Guang finally relaxed a little. She decided she would ban Si Yu from taking any jobs related to Su Mo in the future—cut the connection at the root.

“Achoo!”

Resting in the aircraft with her eyes closed, Su Mo suddenly felt a tickle in her nose and let out a huge sneeze. Her whole body jolted, and a cold shiver ran down her spine—it felt like someone out there was plotting against her.

Jiang Xi glanced at her anxiously through the rear-view mirror, unsure whether she should say something.

Su Mo opened her eyes and frowned slightly. It really did feel like something had just brushed over her. Was someone talking behind her back?

Noticing Jiang Xi’s hesitant, worried gaze, she thought for a moment and asked, “How’s your mother doing?”

Jiang Xi froze. “!”

She stammered, “Y-You, you knew?”

So, the money—Su Mo had really given it intentionally, so she could use it for her mother’s treatment?

Su Mo nodded. “Mm.”

“You’ve been with me for years. My temper was terrible back then, and you suffered because of it. But you were loyal. You didn’t disappoint me.”

Jiang Xi’s body stiffened. She remembered how she had almost taken the wrong path, almost betrayed Su Mo. Her hands clenched tightly on her lap. “I know everything you did was to teach me how hard this industry is, to train me.”

Su Mo mentally calculated the timeline. The person behind the scenes had probably already contacted Jiang Xi.

Would she betray her this time?

She tapped her fingers lightly against her crossed knees, expression calm. “As long as you understand. Stick with me, and you’ll get your share of benefits in the future.”

Then she transferred another twenty thousand to Jiang Xi. “I won’t have many arrangements for you in the near future. You can take some time off—your salary stays the same. If I need you, I expect you to arrive on time.”