The Heartless Alpha Just Wants to Follow the Plot - Chapter 54

Ten days passed. The casting phase for the production concluded, the locations were secured, and filming officially commenced.

Su Mo arrived at the set, trading her casual wear for the understated luxury of a top-tier celebrity’s wardrobe to begin shooting promotional posters.

In the final results of the auditions, Qiu Fu had indeed secured the second female lead. Surprisingly, however, Si Yu had chosen the role of the cross-dresser—a twisted, complex character unlike anything she had ever challenged before.

Miao Xiaoyu portrayed the first female lead, a seasoned talent manager whose competence was tempered by a gentle touch. Unlike other managers who were often stern and taciturn, her voice was soft yet carried a commanding authority that inspired absolute trust, a true iron fist in a velvet glove of the corporate world.

In the story, she scouts Qiu Fu’s character, guiding her into the entertainment industry and supporting her step-by-step until she reaches the pinnacle of stardom. She is her protagonist’s most unshakeable pillar. Over time, as they navigate the industry together, they realize their true feelings. On the day Qiu Fu’s character reaches the top, she publicly announces her relationship with her manager. Since they had never truly hidden their bond, the fans weren’t shocked; instead, they cheered, turning the duo into a legendary power couple within the circle.

Su Mo’s character, meanwhile, serves as the catalyst. It is by catching a glimpse of the “unattainable dream” embodied by Su Mo’s celebrity character that Qiu Fu’s protagonist first feels the spark of ambition.

With the help of professional makeup that amplified her natural advantages, Su Mo’s promotional photos stood in stark contrast to the rest of the cast. She quite literally outshone everyone.

When the various fandoms saw the promotional stills, they were bewildered:

【Is this a joke? Director, are you a solo fan of someone? Did you take a bribe?】

【Director, are you being blackmailed? Did someone catch you doing something shady?】

【Why does she look so out of place compared to the others?】

【How come only one person’s photos look this glamorous and high-budget?】

【No need for this. We didn’t invest money this time, so let’s skip the special treatment. It’s actually kind of annoying.】

【Just let her be a “vase” and don’t try anything else, okay? We aren’t going for the “serious actor” route—we’re just here to spend money peacefully.】

While other fandoms were questioning the fairness, Su Mo’s own fans were actually pleading with her not to engage in such “predatory” competition. They felt there was no need to suppress other artists just to highlight her beauty; she was already stunning enough without the forced emphasis.

Meanwhile, Si Yu’s fans fell into a collective silence when they saw her masculine styling.

She wore loose-fitting, slightly grimy, and plain men’s clothes. Large, heavy black-rimmed glasses partially obscured her face, but her eyes pierced through the lenses with startling clarity. Those eyes conveyed a look that was timid yet envious, jealous, and distorted. Combined with her slender frame and features that hovered between delicate and sharp, her hunched shoulders and bowed head perfectly captured a cowardly soul. Yet, that gaze gave the character an immediate, haunting depth.

Furthermore, her slightly hidden red-painted nails hinted at a secret, a hidden madness that would eventually lead to a breakdown.

【Wait, is Sister’s character gender-swapped?】

【Oh my god, I’m suddenly invested. I’ve never seen Si Yu play someone like this. How edgy!】

【With that look, if you ignore the eyes, I strangely want to bully her.】

【Hehehe, move aside, let me do it!】

The promotion became an instant viral hit. After much thought, Director Jiang decided to start filming immediately to get several sequences in the bag early, allowing for adjustments if any issues arose.

The rest of the cast, unfamiliar with Director Jiang’s rapid-fire style, simply scrambled to keep up with his rhythm. Su Mo joined the set immediately, as she was featured in the very second scene.

The four women with their tangled emotional histories were now gathered in one production. Although Pu Ying didn’t act, she managed everything for Su Mo, functioning much like an assistant. While Su Mo filmed, Pu Ying watched from the sidelines, ready to discuss any nuances with the director for further refinement.

Qiu Fu was a lead, and Si Yu’s character occupied a significant portion of the script. Only Su Mo had limited screen time but every frame of hers had to be vital and exquisitely eye-catching to justify the promotional photos that had made everyone else look “ordinary” by comparison.

Su Mo sipped her water, waiting for her turn. Her eyes occasionally drifted toward Qiu Fu, who was mid-scene. What she didn’t notice was that while she was watching Qiu Fu, Pu Ying was watching her.

When it was finally Su Mo’s turn to go on stage, Pu Ying stood to the side, looking at the “notorious” star she had personally built up. She let out a soft sigh: “How did I fail to keep her for myself?”

Standing beside her was Si Yu. Still in costume, her gaze was fixed on Su Mo’s grand entrance. As Su Mo’s aura completely took over the set, a flash of pure, undisguised admiration crossed Si Yu’s eyes.

“Do you regret it, too?”

Si Yu’s voice was soft, but the question cut straight to the heart of Pu Ying’s inner turmoil.

Yes, she regretted it.

Pu Ying replied, “Everyone has moments of regret.”

Si Yu sounded puzzled. “You clearly had the chance.”

“So did you,” Pu Ying countered.

Who didn’t have a chance? It was simply a matter of whose chance was greater.

The two women locked eyes for a moment before turning away simultaneously. It was true—they both had their opportunities, yet they had both let them go. Now, they could only watch as she ran toward someone else. This was the result of their own choices.

“Sit.”

Si Yu had her assistant bring over two chairs. They were positioned away from the rest of the crew, and amidst the noise of the set, no one would overhear them as long as they kept their voices low. Si Yu grew a bit bolder, holding her script as she openly watched the performance with Pu Ying.

“By the way,” Si Yu whispered, “before filming started, I gave Qiu Fu a script that really suits her. You won’t block it, will you?”

Pu Ying’s expression remained neutral. “I won’t interfere in your private dealings with her.”

Si Yu took a sip of water and lowered her voice further. “But it counts as a personal recommendation, so I should let you know before you arrange something else for her. This script is truly good for her career.”

“It must be, if you’re recommending it so strongly,” Pu Ying remarked. “I’ll decide whether to let her try it after I’ve reviewed it myself.”

Though it seemed Si Yu was being helpful, Pu Ying remained cautious. In this business, everything depended on the quality of the script and the artist’s own inclinations.

“Cut! That’s a wrap on this one!”

With the director’s shout, the day’s work concluded.

Director Jiang was beaming. He turned to the other Director Jiang beside him and said, “See? I told you she’d be fine. Her performance in this take was fantastic. If she keeps this up, I bet we can wrap up all her scenes in five days.”

The elder Director Jiang, though internally satisfied, remained stoic on the surface. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Doing well today isn’t enough; she needs to maintain this consistency moving forward.”

“Oh, don’t be so stiff! It wouldn’t kill you to give her a little credit.”

The younger director nudged him, signaling him to loosen up. For someone like Su Mo, performing at this level had completely exceeded his expectations. He had prepared himself for a long, arduous coaching session, but it turned out she barely needed any direction at all.

Excellent, simply excellent, he thought. At this rate, we’ll finish ahead of schedule.

The elder Director Jiang maintained his stern facade. “Criticism is what fuels progress.” He paused, then finally conceded, “Though, she did do quite well this time. A ‘one-take’ success.”

To pass his high standards on the first try was no small feat.

Seeing Su Mo step off the set, Pu Ying hurried over with a coat and draped it over her shoulders. The temperature had dropped significantly, but since they were filming autumn scenes, the costumes were inevitably too thin.

“Is that enough?”

Su Mo pulled the coat tighter. “It’s fine.”

Back in her past life, she had attended events in sleeveless gowns in the dead of winter; she had long ago built up a tolerance for the cold. Even though this body hadn’t experienced much hardship, it was still an Alpha’s physique—sturdy and resilient beyond doubt.

“By the way, what were you two chatting about just now?”

Su Mo’s eyes flickered toward Si Yu, who was already preparing for the next shot. This upcoming scene was the first time Si Yu’s character would see the glamorous Su Mo alongside Qiu Fu. It was the moment her character would feel that first spark of twisted envy, the catalyst for her future obsession and her eventual descent into madness, driven by the belief that being “just a woman” wasn’t enough.

Pu Ying adjusted Su Mo’s collar with a calm expression. “Nothing much.”

“She just mentioned she has a script that suits Qiu Fu and asked if she could try out for it. Since there’s no harm in it, I told her to send it to me first. If it looks viable, I’ll let Qiu Fu go for the audition.”

As for the deeper conversation they’d had earlier, that was outside the scope of what Su Mo needed to know.

Su Mo nodded. “You handle those things; I trust your judgment.”

“I’ll only be filming for ten days this time. The Preliminary Festival is in fifteen days, come back home with me to celebrate.”

It had been their tradition for years. Since Pu Ying had nowhere else to go, the Old Man always insisted she join Su Mo’s family for the holidays. There had been almost no exceptions; in the Old Man’s heart, Pu Ying was practically a second granddaughter.

Pu Ying’s hand faltered. She lowered her gaze and took a small step back, creating distance. “I have to go away for the New Year this time. I likely won’t be back until after the holidays, so I won’t be going home with you.”

Su Mo was confused. “What could you possibly have to do?”

The company never scheduled extra travel or overtime for Pu Ying during the New Year; it was an established rule that even Su Mo intended to uphold now that she was taking the reins. Why the sudden departure?

She hadn’t received any word of this.

“Are you avoiding me?”

Though phrased as a question, Su Mo’s tone was one of absolute certainty.

“I’m not,” Pu Ying replied steadily. “I just think we should both have some personal privacy.”

“I’ll explain things to the Old Man myself. You don’t need to worry.”

Su Mo recalled Pu Ying’s earlier question about why she had refused the marriage proposal. Realizing she might have hurt her, she tried to explain: “Look, is this because of what happened.”

“It’s not.”

Pu Ying cut her off sharply. “It isn’t.”

“I just feel that this time, you shouldn’t keep deceiving the Old Man. You should do what needs to be done. Since you’ve already chosen her, you should take her back with you. Stop lying to him; he isn’t young anymore.”

Pu Ying’s voice was low and slightly raspy, audible only to the two of them. As soon as the words left her lips, she placed her hands on Su Mo’s shoulders and turned her around. “It’s your turn to go on.”

She ignored Su Mo’s furrowed brow, refusing to hear another word. She couldn’t keep occupying a space that didn’t belong to her, preventing the rightful person from taking their seat. She had to withdraw.

To avoid future conflict, it was better to leave of her own volition now. This way, all three of them could find peace, and once the Old Man learned the truth, he would surely be satisfied.

That was enough for her. She had repaid the Old Man for his years of mentorship, and she had honored the years she spent by Su Mo’s side.