The Heartless Alpha Just Wants to Follow the Plot - Chapter 51

Su Mo gave her a fleeting, warning glance. Gong Jiaojiao instantly froze, terrified that Su Mo might lose her temper and storm out. While she didn’t particularly care if Su Mo stayed or left, she knew that if Su Mo vanished, the “Goddess” would certainly not stay to finish dinner with her.

Now that Su Mo had found her weakness, Gong Jiaojiao was no longer a match for her. As a lifelong devotee of beauty, she truly needed this goddess in her life. With a beautiful woman at the table, she found herself eating with far more enthusiasm than usual.

Noticing that Miao Xiaoyu seemed a bit constrained, Su Mo took the initiative to spark a conversation. “Sister Miao, what made you suddenly decide to take on a film like this? I actually thought the role I was auditioning for would have suited you quite well. I’m not sure if you’ve looked into it.”

Miao Xiaoyu nodded. “I have.”

“Your role is indeed excellent,” Miao Xiaoyu continued seriously. “But after thinking it over for a long time, I decided to challenge myself. I’ve never played a character in this genre before, so it felt like a great opportunity.”

When the topic turned to acting, her demeanor shifted. She set down her chopsticks and spoke with a gravity that suggested she wasn’t just making polite conversation. She treated every role with genuine reverence and every position with passion.

Su Mo nodded slightly. She began to understand why everyone in the industry called Miao Xiaoyu a “peacemaker” who put the craft above all else. Just from the way she explained her character, Su Mo found her incredibly endearing.

“I see. Choosing to challenge yourself is a wonderful move, Sister Miao.”

Su Mo admired people like this, those who could master various roles and adapt to different styles, switching effortlessly between film and television. It was truly impressive.

Miao Xiaoyu felt a bit self-conscious. While she was firm and professional when discussing her craft, she was actually quite shy and easily embarrassed in private. She rubbed her palms against her knees and whispered, “Did I talk too much? I’m sorry. I just get very serious about acting, so I tend to ramble once I start.”

Sensing an opening, Gong Jiaojiao jumped in. “Not at all! We don’t mind. Really, I love that about you, you’re nothing like the others. I like you just the way you are.”

Hearing such a blunt confession, Miao Xiaoyu flushed a deep crimson from head to toe. Even though she knew Gong Jiaojiao was a notorious flirt who likely said these things to every pretty face she saw, she couldn’t help her bashful reaction.

Because of this chronic shyness, her manager was always worried she’d be sweet-talked away by the first smooth talker she met. Her manager had even hired two assistants specifically to prevent people from making advances; if someone confessed their love to her, Miao Xiaoyu wouldn’t know how to refuse she’d just stand there, too shy to speak, until things reached an irreparable point.

Gong Jiaojiao watched as Miao Xiaoyu’s face turned bright red, the pink hue even spreading down her neck. Stunned, Gong Jiaojiao subconsciously licked her lips, her eyes dazed by the sheer beauty of the sight.

A goddess, a true goddess.

Su Mo watched the scene unfold and paused, momentarily speechless. The personalities of these two were exhausting—one was excessively bold, the other excessively shy. If only they could split the difference.

Gong Jiaojiao leaned in slightly, staring intently at Miao Xiaoyu. She held out her wrist to display her Link (neural connector/comm device) and said softly, “Beau—I mean, Sister Miao, what is your full name? I’m Gong Jiaojiao. Could we get to know each other? Can I add your Link ID? I won’t give it to anyone else, I promise.”

Miao Xiaoyu shifted her feet, clearly reluctant to respond.

Su Mo immediately pushed Gong Jiaojiao’s hand back. “Our IDs aren’t something we just give out. Give it up.”

Gong Jiaojiao glared at her. “I’m not just ‘anyone’!”

Su Mo rejected her righteously. “You’re not in the industry. In our circle, a lot of information has to stay private, otherwise, things get taken out of context. This is a matter of privacy.”

Miao Xiaoyu shot Su Mo a grateful look; she had been rescued.

Gong Jiaojiao pouted. She wanted to argue, but seeing Su Mo’s firm gaze and Miao Xiaoyu’s avoidant posture, she had to swallow her words. She genuinely wanted to be friends with the beauty—she adored her voice and her face but with Su Mo acting as a shield, she couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

In that moment, she completely forgot that if it weren’t for Su Mo, Miao Xiaoyu wouldn’t have stayed in the first place.

Throughout the rest of the meal, Gong Jiaojiao tried repeatedly to engage Miao Xiaoyu, but the actress remained reserved. Out of politeness, she would offer the occasional brief reply. Gong Jiaojiao was tireless, picking up new topics one after another until even Su Mo began to marvel at how thick-skinned she was.

The three finished their meal, each occupied by their own thoughts. As Su Mo stood up, her gaze flickered toward a far corner. She had felt a persistent gaze on her throughout the meal, yet whenever she scanned the room, she saw no one suspicious.

Still, the feeling was impossible to ignore—a presence that followed her like a shadow. Whenever she and Miao Xiaoyu moved closer, that gaze would turn sharp, almost like a cold blade against her back. It unsettled her.

As her eyes swept over a vaguely familiar figure in the distance, Su Mo narrowed her eyes, silently matching the silhouette to the people in her memory.

She stepped aside to let the others pass, and the three headed toward the front desk. When Su Mo reached for the bill, Gong Jiaojiao quickly pressed her hand down, acting the part of the big spender. “My treat.”

Su Mo arched an eyebrow. “I thought I was the one hosting?”

She felt awkward letting a “blind date” pay, especially since she could well afford it. But Gong Jiaojiao wouldn’t hear of it. Noticing that Miao Xiaoyu was also trying to quietly settle the bill, Gong Jiaojiao lunged ahead, placing her Link on the counter before anyone else could.

Miao Xiaoyu: “…”

She stepped back silently. She still had some reservations about Gong Jiaojiao, mostly due to their rocky first impression. Gong Jiaojiao didn’t notice; she spoke softly to the receptionist, who nodded and tapped a few keys on the console.

Watching the delay, Miao Xiaoyu couldn’t help but say, “Perhaps I should pay. I did intrude on your conversation and crash your meal; I’m afraid I’ve made things quite unpleasant for you both.”

Su Mo’s eyes followed a server coming out from the kitchen. A slow smile touched her lips. “No need. She’ll handle it.”

Miao Xiaoyu dropped the subject but asked curiously, “Have you known her for a long time? You two seem very familiar.”

It struck her as odd that two people who seemed so close would be on a blind date together.

Su Mo hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I suppose you could say that.”

“Still, I’d appreciate it if you kept today’s matter between us,” Su Mo added. “It wouldn’t sound very good if word got out.”

Miao Xiaoyu was very understanding. “I get it. Everyone has their difficulties. Please, rest assured.”

Nevertheless, it felt like a massive contradiction to her that Su Mo, the heir to the Su family estate, would actually need to go on blind dates. It was a disparity she found hard to wrap her head around.

Su Mo didn’t overthink it. Since Miao Xiaoyu had promised to keep it quiet, she knew the secret was safe; the woman’s reputation for integrity preceded her.

Once Gong Jiaojiao finished paying and returned carrying a bag of items, the three of them headed down to the parking garage.

“They’re leaving,” Si Yu whispered.

Having spent the entire meal distracted, Si Yu and Qiu Fu exchanged a knowing look the moment they saw the trio depart. They quickly settled their bill and followed.

Gong Jiaojiao and Miao Xiaoyu had both arrived in their own flyers, but Su Mo was waiting for a ride. She didn’t like piloting them herself, they made her motion sick.

As they were parting ways, Miao Xiaoyu looked at the solitary Su Mo and asked, “Do you need a lift?”

Gong Jiaojiao curled her lip. “She doesn’t need one. She has plenty of people willing to drive her.”

Miao Xiaoyu immediately fell silent.

Seeing her go quiet, Gong Jiaojiao instantly regretted her sharp tongue. She had probably upset the goddess again.

Watching Gong Jiaojiao’s antics, Su Mo found it hard to believe this woman had such a reputation as a playboy. She seemed so dim-witted that it was a miracle the Gong family wasn’t worried about her being taken advantage of.

She looks kind of silly, Su Mo thought, shaking her head inwardly.

“No need, but thank you for the offer, Sister Miao,” Su Mo said. “My manager is arriving any minute, so don’t worry.”

Miao Xiaoyu offered a faint smile and said softly, “Alright then. I’ll be going first.”

“Take care. Drive safely,” Su Mo replied.

“I will.”

As soon as Miao Xiaoyu pulled away, Gong Jiaojiao let out a small huff. “I’m leaving too,” she announced arrogantly.

Su Mo nodded, offering a perfunctory, “Then hurry along.”

Gong Jiaojiao gave an indignant “Hmph!” and sped off in her flyer, chasing after Miao Xiaoyu’s direction.

Only then did Su Mo mutter the last word: “Your ice cream milk pudding is going to melt.”

With the other two gone, Su Mo stood alone by the roadside, appearing to wait for someone.

Si Yu glanced at Qiu Fu. “Aren’t you going to go see her?”

The two of them remained tucked away, peeking at Su Mo. They didn’t dare step forward yet; showing up now and claiming they just happened to be eating at the same restaurant would look incredibly suspicious.

Qiu Fu hesitated and shook her head. Since Su Mo hadn’t left with the others, she was clearly waiting for Pu Ying to pick her up. What would it look like if she went out there now? She’d probably just be called a busybody.

“How can you be this insecure?” Si Yu hissed. She gave Qiu Fu a firm shove, whispering words of encouragement: “Go on! Don’t give up!”

Suddenly pushed into the open, Qiu Fu looked up to find Su Mo turning toward her. Su Mo didn’t look surprised at all.

Flustered, Qiu Fu’s eyes darted around awkwardly. She forced herself to raise a hand in greeting. “What a coincidence! You’re eating here too?”

Su Mo let out a soft chuckle. Coincidence? Hardly. She had felt Qiu Fu’s eyes on her for so long that she’d started to wonder if she’d committed some heinous crime and was about to be assassinated by a rival family.

“Mhm.”

“This restaurant’s food is quite good, and the privacy protection is excellent,” Qiu Fu stammered, trying to play it cool. “So, I’m here having dinner with a friend. Are you eating alone?”

The smile on Su Mo’s face was thin, yet it appeared exceptionally pleasant.