The Scummy Alpha Who Transmigrated Into a Book Was Tricked by the Actress Omega - Chapter 29

The cicadas chirped.

The weather grew hotter day by day, the asphalt road outside the film set nearly melting under the scorching sun. The air shimmered with blinding heat, making it seem especially torturous for the actors shuttling back and forth in thick, ancient-style costumes.

Having finished her work at the company, Yan Xunzhen grabbed the things she had prepared and hurried straight to Du Zuilan’s set.

She had already dealt with the matters involving Rui Wang and Tianneng, then handed the weakened Tianneng over to Tang Ying to manage, only occasionally providing necessary assistance.

This matter was more or less settled.

Last time Yu Tutu had invited her out, her expression had been quite amusing. After discussing Du Zuilan’s situation, she sipped her milk tea and pointed at the content on Weibo, laughing uncontrollably.

“The assistant sister was fired by Miss Yan because she was helping Zuilan with her makeup, and Miss Yan got jealous. Zuilan was furious and went to ask you why you did it, and you said… hahahaha!”

Yan Xunzhen asked curiously, “What did I say?”

Yu Tutu put on a serious face and lowered her voice, “Woman, you’re playing with fire.”

Yan Xunzhen: “…”

This friendship was over.

Still, even though she had been teased, Yan Xunzhen couldn’t help feeling a little happy. As soon as she got off work, she willingly took on the role of “assistant sister.”

Before, when she came here, she often wore sunglasses and sometimes didn’t even get out of the car. Everyone only knew of the existence of “Miss Yan” but had no idea what she really looked like. Only a few people had seen her full face when she helped Du Zuilan with the harness last time.

Now, she placed the things she had brought in the actors’ lounge where Du Zuilan usually rested, then went outside to scan the set. She didn’t see Du Zuilan anywhere.

Just as she was about to go back inside to wait, she overheard a few murmurs from within.

“Look, this must be from that mysterious sister. Didn’t she send dinner for Sister Du last time too? So considerate.”

“You’re switching sides after just a few days? President Yan’s car is already parked in the lot. She came to see Sister Du, if this isn’t love, then what is?”

“President Yan, though… she can solve Sister Du’s problems. Like that woman who came to make trouble the other day, ugh.”

Their conversation abruptly stopped when they noticed someone approaching, their faces turning pale.

“P-President Yan!”

Yan Xunzhen felt that her split personality was getting a bit out of hand. If this continued, even she would start questioning whether she was the mysterious sister or President Yan.

But what caught her attention was… the woman who came to make trouble the other day?

She responded politely and asked, “Has Du Zuilan finished filming?”

The lead actress in the group didn’t dare to look at her directly, quickly answering, “Yes, Sister Du should be in the makeup room now!”

Yan Xunzhen nodded. “Thank you.”

The makeup room wasn’t far from the lounge, and it was usually bustling with people. Without much thought, Yan Xunzhen knocked on the door and swiftly pushed it open.

Her vision was instantly dazzled.

Flickering golden light, like fish scales, danced through the rustling leaves and spilled over Du Zuilan’s figure. A faint sheen of sweat glistened on the tip of her nose, her cheeks flushed with a delicate pink. The midday sun cast a lazy glow over her, making her look like a sweet, soft, and juicy peach.

The heavy ancient costume was unbearable to wear outside, so she had on a wide-shouldered vest instead, her fair and smooth back dazzlingly pale. A faint scent of orange wine lingered in the air.

The makeup artist helping her tidy up was a young beta girl, chattering away nonstop. When she caught sight of Yan Xunzhen, an alpha with an undeniably domineering aura her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

“Uh, I-I’ll go organize the props for this afternoon then. Du-jie, you should rest well~”

Du Zuilan smiled politely. “Thank you for your hard work.”

With a soft “click,” the door closed.

At this hour, the dressing room was empty except for the two of them, leaving them in a somewhat awkward silence. After a moment, Du Zuilan broke into a gentle smile and said, “…Jiejie? Could you help me out?”

Yan Xunzhen’s lips curved slightly. “At your service.”

Du Zuilan handed her a cool, damp towel she had just wrung out nearby, her tone carrying a hint of pleading. “My back is a little red… Could you wipe it for me?”

Taking the towel, Yan Xunzhen dabbed lightly, though her brows furrowed slightly. “Is this… an allergic reaction?”

Du Zuilan looked puzzled. “I don’t think so.”

Fortunately, the redness was only between her shoulder blades, with no other allergic symptoms. Yan Xunzhen dismissed her initial suspicion and changed the subject. “Earlier, I overheard people talking someone came to the set a few days ago to make trouble?”

Could it be Du Zuilan’s stepmother?

A pang of regret hit her. She might have been too lax, failing to arrange for people to keep an eye on that woman. While the stepmother couldn’t cause any real trouble, she was more than capable of humiliating Du Zuilan.

Du Zuilan paused. “Yes.”

“Did she… bother you again? Ask for money?” Yan Xunzhen knew the best solution would be to have Du’s father cut ties with that stepmother surnamed Qiao or to take harsher measures to ensure she’d never dare extort money from Du Zuilan again.

But acting recklessly carried risks. If Du Zuilan got caught in the crossfire, it would be disastrous.

A dull ache throbbed in Yan Xunzhen’s temples. “If it comes down to it, let her gloat for a few more days. I’ll cover the money?”

Du Zuilan shook her head.

She tilted her head slightly, her silky black hair cascading to one side. “Her appetite is too big.”

After a moment of consideration, she added, “Before, she hardly paid me any attention only when she wanted money. As for my father… I’ll try harder to convince him to divorce her.”

Her expression clearly showed a headache.

Truth be told, Yan Xunzhen hadn’t finished the original novel. She only knew the female lead would eventually slay in both love and career, but she had no idea how the stepmother was dealt with.

But with so many butterfly effects already in play, sticking to the original plot was pointless anyway.

Yan Xunzhen finished wiping the sweat from Du Zuilan’s back.

Noticing the inhibitor patch on the back of her neck, covering the bite mark she had left earlier.

Perhaps it was because Qiao the stepmother was so infuriating, or perhaps… Yan Xunzhen felt an inexplicable pang of melancholy.

But she quickly snapped out of it and said to Du Zuilan, “I brought some mung bean soup to the break room. Would you like to try it?”

Standing behind Du Zuilan, the eager sparkle in her eyes went unnoticed, the rising warmth in her gaze not quite visible.

Although Du Zuilan tried hard to appear as composed as usual, she politely declined at this moment, “I don’t really feel like drinking anything today… sorry.”

Her eyes carried a hint of gloom and loneliness as she asked, “Can we head back first?”

Her heart, which had suddenly lifted only to drop heavily again, pounded like thunder. An inexplicable ache filled her chest, but upon seeing the sorrow in Du Zuilan’s eyes, Yan Xunzhen quickly composed herself, responding with concern, “Alright.”

The car ride was quiet the entire way.

Only when the manor gates were within sight did Yan Xunzhen finally break the silence, attempting to lighten the mood with a casual question, “How was filming today?”

Surprisingly, Du Zuilan didn’t light up and chatter away as she usually would. Instead, she paused briefly before smiling faintly and replying, “It was alright.”

Yan Xunzhen watched her quietly.

When someone is willing to listen to your troubles, it’s hard to keep everything bottled up inside.

Du Zuilan’s gaze lifted and then fell again as she admitted,

“I just hit a bit of a bottleneck that I can’t seem to break through. Even though the performance looks fine on the surface, I know it’s not right.”

Yan Xunzhen analyzed the situation rationally for her, “Theoretically, could Tang Ying guide you through this?”

Du Zuilan shook her head.

Accustomed to navigating the business world, Yan Xunzhen proposed another approach, “Then I think the first step is to push yourself to perform it once and identify where the problem lies. If it’s a technical bottleneck, you’ll need to practice relentlessly.”

“If it’s an emotional bottleneck,” Yan Xunzhen gently opened the car door for her, her tone soft, “don’t rush. Take your time to feel it. Though I admittedly don’t know much about acting, if you need help, I’ll do my best to support you.”

Du Zuilan’s lips parted slightly before closing again, but she smiled this time more genuinely than the forced expression from earlier.

“Mm, thank you.”

Aunt Li had been watching them from the doorway for a while. Seeing them return, she beamed with joy, calling out from afar, “Welcome back, Miss! Come inside and rest a bit, dinner’s ready.”

Yan Xunzhen, still holding the thermos of mung bean soup, remained composed. She first turned to Du Zuilan with a smile, “Go rest for a while?”

Then, she turned back and replied warmly to Aunt Li, “Alright, we’ll be right there.”

Finally settling her emotions, Du Zuilan’s gaze lingered on Yan Xunzhen, tracing the straight line of her back down to the soup she carried. A flicker of doubt crossed her eyes as she blinked.

Aunt Li, now older, had been stewing soup in the kitchen using a premium clay pot, which required careful attention. Having just returned from eagerly awaiting their arrival, she was now drenched in sweat.

Since arriving here, Yan Xunzhen had treated Aunt Li like family, never putting on airs. She stepped forward to take over the task, letting Aunt Li simply set the table.

Aunt Li, somewhat embarrassed, accepted the wet wipe Du Zuilan handed her to wipe the sweat from her brow. She sighed wearily, murmuring, “I’m getting old and useless now… can’t even stew soup properly…”

Du Zuilan smiled reassuringly, “Don’t say that, Aunt Li. Your cooking is the best. I didn’t get the chance earlier, but I’ll try your mung bean soup later.”

Aunt Li, flattered by her words, suddenly widened her eyes and laughed, “Oh, Miss Du, today’s mung bean soup wasn’t made by me, it was the young mistress who stewed it herself!”

Du Zuilan was taken aback.

Although she had some suspicions in her heart, she hadn’t dared to be certain.

Yan Xunzhen.

She tilted her head to glance at Yan Xunzhen in the kitchen, who was watching over the soup. She saw her tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, revealing a profile full of concentration.

How could there be such a good, obedient puppy?

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