The Scummy Alpha Who Transmigrated Into a Book Was Tricked by the Actress Omega - Chapter 17

The servants in the manor worked with such quiet efficiency that only the occasional chirping of birds outside the window could be heard. The blackout curtains in Yan Xunzhen’s bedroom were exceptionally effective, enveloping the room in a darkness so comfortable it was almost disorienting.

Thus, when morning came, Yan Xunzhen groggily threw off the covers and slapped her alarm clock into silence. She sat in the dark for several seconds before realizing it wasn’t the middle of the night.

Her lips were slightly dry, and she instinctively pressed them together, her movements still sluggish with lingering sleepiness.

After all, she had stayed up late reviewing most of the reports submitted by her subordinates at the company, and today, she had to go in for overtime.

The alarm had been set for seven o’clock. The moment she turned it off, notifications from various apps and software flooded in, filling the entire screen.

Most were meaningless headlines or tabloid gossip like whether the rumor about actress Tang Ying starring in a new drama was true. Yan Xunzhen barely glanced at them before preparing to clear them all.

But just as her finger hovered over the screen, she suddenly spotted an article with Du Zuilan’s name in the headline.

At this point in time, just like in the original novel, Du Zuilan was in the midst of her career ascent, working hard but not yet a red-hot star. The likelihood of such an article appearing, let alone being pushed to the front page was slim at best.

Moreover, this seemed to be a smear piece, not something her company had commissioned. That meant someone was deliberately targeting Du Zuilan.

Yan Xunzhen didn’t realize she had furrowed her brows in displeasure.

*[Hello everyone! I’m a writer from Tianyuan Entertainment, here to share some juicy gossip about a certain rising starlet who’s landed a role in Tang Ying’s new drama. Du Zuilan, I’m sure you’re all familiar with her but did you know she’s allegedly being kept by a sugar daddy? Sources say she acted like a diva at the drama’s launch event, hiding under an umbrella the whole time. [Photo]

And get this, she was also seen getting cozy with an alpha? [Photo]

Honestly, even I was shocked. That’s all for today’s scoop on Du Zuilan’s sugar daddy scandal. What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!]*

Whether before or after transmigrating into this world, entertainment “journalists” were all the same, utterly shameless.

She had a good guess as to who couldn’t resist making a move now. Yan Xunzhen scoffed and forwarded the article to the manager in charge of PR and entertainment affairs at her company.

The person on the other end of the line didn’t dare brush her off, scrambling to jot down her instructions while skimming the article she’d sent. “Y-yes, we’ve already followed all your previous directives. Regarding this article, should we suppress it immediately, or ?”

Yan Xunzhen was dressed in a mermaid skirt that morning, its luxurious and intricate hem shimmering with dark silver patterns, resembling the tail of a mermaid revealing exquisitely crafted ankles.

As she descended the stairs, she paused mid-step at the question and replied, “No need. Stick to the original plan.”

“Understood. Bring me the results when you come to the office.” Having crisply delegated the task, she stared at her now-dark phone screen and sighed.

The next moment, her gaze met Du Zuilan’s as the latter emerged from her room.

Du Zuilan stood barefoot on the polished floor, her delicate toes curling slightly. She wore a gentle, light-colored dress that seemed a little loose around her collarbone perhaps because she had lost some weight recently. Her slender fingers lightly adjusted the fabric.

Yan Xunzhen suddenly snapped out of her thoughts, her ears burning hot. “Morning.”

Du Zuilan’s dark hair was smooth, but the strands near her face were slightly tousled from sleep, like a little kitten whose fluffy head had been ruffled.

The kitten extended a soft paw, unusually without sharp claws, and responded in a sweet, drowsy voice, “Morning~”

Yan Xunzhen lowered her head, descended the last two steps of the staircase, and stopped in front of Du Zuilan. She cleared her throat and instinctively rubbed her reddened ear. “Why aren’t you wearing slippers?”

Du Zuilan still seemed a bit dazed and sleepy, looking utterly docile. “There’s a carpet in the room. I forgot.”

“For some reason, I don’t remember falling asleep like that last night,” Du Zuilan added, her expression tinged with confusion and a hint of frustration as she glanced at Yan Xunzhen for answers. “I was too tired after packing, and when I woke up this morning, there was a glass of milk on the table.”

Yan Xunzhen’s long fingers moved from her ear to her nose. “Ah, sorry about that. I entered your room without asking last night. Aunt Li asked me to bring you some milk, and I was worried you might catch a cold.”

The faint sound of movement from downstairs reached them, Aunt Li’s hushed instructions drifting up the stairs.

The two descended one after the other, both greeting Aunt Li first.

Aunt Li had prepared an array of mouthwatering breakfast dishes: freshly steamed soup dumplings, sticky rice shumai, and shrimp dumplings neatly arranged in containers. There was also a pot of soup that had been simmering since yesterday, alongside cream-filled sandwich cakes, all laid out on the table.

Seeing the two come down, Aunt Li quickly beamed. “Miss Yan, Miss Du, you have work today, right? If you’re not in a hurry, sit down and eat. If you are, I’ve packed some for you to take in the car.”

Du Zuilan’s eyes curved into crescents, her fair, delicate face though lacking much flesh looking irresistibly pinchable when she smiled. “Thank you, Aunt Li.”

But then she seemed surprised, realizing it was the weekend, would Yan Xunzhen still be working?

Yan Xunzhen also thanked Aunt Li, noticing Du Zuilan’s glance. Amused, she realized she must have seemed like a workaholic, the complete opposite of the neglectful alpha she used to be. “I’m heading to the company for some business. You have filming today, right? Need a ride?”

Unlike before, Du Zuilan didn’t rush to refuse. Instead, she nodded without hesitation.

Yan Xunzhen didn’t even notice the unconscious smile tugging at her lips.

That smile lingered until they got into the car, where Yan Xunzhen finally composed herself though the relaxed warmth in her eyes remained. They both took the breakfast Aunt Li had packed and, without hesitation, opened the containers in the car.

Yan Xunzhen, always pressed for time, ate swiftly yet elegantly, finishing her portion effortlessly before tidying up the box. When she looked up, she saw Du Zuilan still holding her container, taking small, delicate bites.

Yan Xunzhen’s fingers lightly traced the edge of the seat as a thought suddenly crossed her mind, one that inexplicably made her heart soften.

In the original novel, many events were glossed over quickly. Even though Du Zuilan was the female lead, not every detail of her life was meticulously described.

Thus, after truly entering this world, the way I experienced it shifted from one-dimensional to three-dimensional. The sparse descriptions and adjectives in the book couldn’t fully capture the vivid, emotional Du Zuilan someone capable of joy and anger. The novel also didn’t include some of her small quirks.

For instance, Du Zuilan actually kept a diary. She wasn’t picky about where she slept whether before bed or upon waking, she’d curl up like a kitten, tucking herself into a little ball. Or take how she ate slowly, like an adorable child, sometimes even pausing mid-meal to glance at her script.

Yan Xunzhen’s thoughts drifted away for a moment. She had just caught a glimpse of Du Zuilan’s script, its pages spread wide open, and naturally asked, “Is today’s scene difficult?”

Du Zuilan finally finished chewing the small glutinous rice siu mai at her own leisurely pace before picking up the cream-filled “sandwich” cake that Auntie Li had made for her.

Snapping back to attention, she replied normally, “No, but I need to prepare well. The one acting opposite me is an award-winning actress, a senior.”

Yan Xunzhen recalled the news push she’d seen that morning, “Tang Ying,” if she remembered correctly. An acclaimed actress deigning to star in such a TV drama.

Yan Xunzhen blinked. The original novel hadn’t mentioned this name, so she asked, “She sounds impressive.”

Du Zuilan took acting very seriously. Faced with an actress only a few years older than her but already laden with awards, she treated the matter with utmost respect and earnestness. Hearing Yan Xunzhen’s remark, she couldn’t help but pull out her phone, pulling up Tang Ying’s biography with a solemn expression her soft, earnest face making one want to pinch her cheeks. “She really is incredible.”

You’ll be just as incredible one day.

Yan Xunzhen opened her mouth, then closed it again, feeling like such words would sound too much like flattery. Instead, she smiled and said,

“She’ll take acting with you seriously too.”

Du Zuilan seemed momentarily stunned before a faint smile curled at the corners of her lips.

After nodding in response, Du Zuilan cradled the small cake in both hands, taking delicate sips. Her pink tongue, slightly absentminded, peeked between her teeth, catching traces of pale cream.

Having just pulled herself away from the script, she lowered her head to take another small bite, but her gaze remained locked on the pages, oblivious to the cream smudged at the corner of her lips, adorably messy, like a little kitten.

Yan Xunzhen’s fingers reached out, her clean, rounded fingertips just about to brush Du Zuilan’s lips.

She could sense the faint, gentle fragrance of her skin and the warmth of her breath.

Almost as if electrified, she withdrew her hand the moment she touched the corner of Du Zuilan’s mouth.

Yet as she pulled back, the sweet scent lingered in the air.

Yan Xunzhen felt her heart suddenly race. Only then did the pleased almost smiling expression return to her face.

Her throat felt dry. Fingertips lightly rubbing together, she met Du Zuilan’s slightly startled gaze. Unable to help herself, she leaned back against the cushion, stumbling over her words as she explained, “Sorry, there was cream.”

Du Zuilan, who had been wholly absorbed in the world of her script, merely widened her eyes slightly at Yan Xunzhen’s action, her gaze holding an innocent, unknowing amusement.

She said, “It’s fine.”

Yan Xunzhen suddenly realized that perhaps she hadn’t considered everything earlier, there was one small detail she’d overlooked: Du Zuilan also had a sweet tooth.

When life is bitter, one might crave sweetness. In moments of utter exhaustion, perhaps what’s needed most is exactly this kind of “sugar” in life.

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