The Scummy Alpha Who Transmigrated Into a Book Was Tricked by the Actress Omega - Chapter 32

When Yan Xunzhen arrived at the entrance of the film set, she happened to see Gu Yueli fanning herself with a script, yawning while rubbing her tired, furrowed brows.

The next moment, upon spotting Yan Xunzhen, her expression stiffened. She abruptly swallowed the half-yawn mid-breath, forcing herself into an aloof demeanor.

Only when Yan Xunzhen approached did she awkwardly mutter, “Morning.”

Yan Xunzhen smiled in greeting before quietly standing by the entrance to wait.

Gu Yueli hadn’t expected the conversation to end so abruptly. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and after a long pause, she huffed, “Aren’t you even worried?”

Yan Xunzhen’s hair was neatly tied back, giving her a polished, professional look. She merely raised a brow as she removed her sunglasses. “Worried?”

Gu Yueli scoffed. “Even though I haven’t seen any new assistant around A-Lan, that livestream made it obvious she might be seeing someone. Wasn’t A-Lan at your place that day? Didn’t you see what that assistant looked like? And you’re not worried?”

I really am not worried.

Yan Xunzhen sighed. Normally, she dressed in eye-catching, glamorous dresses, but that day, while cosplaying as the “assistant sister,” she had worn a simple shirt. Naturally, those who didn’t know her well wouldn’t recognize her.

She deftly changed the subject. “Then, do you know what kind of person Zuilan likes?”

Gu Yueli answered without hesitation, “Definitely not someone like you.”

Yan Xunzhen chuckled. “Hmm.”

“Whatever, it’s not like it’s a secret anyway,” Gu Yueli grumbled before elaborating. “A long time ago, A-Lan asked me, ‘If an omega tore off their inhibitor patch in front of you, what would you do?’”

Gu Yueli admitted frankly, “You know how we alphas are instinct takes over. If I could run, I’d bolt. But if that omega was deliberately seducing me, well, I’m no saint.”

Yan Xunzhen’s heart skipped a beat.

Gu Yueli continued, “I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I asked A-Lan why she suddenly brought it up. She said it was just a random question, but I don’t buy it. I think she definitely prefers someone with self-control. Maybe not even an alpha, but a beta who isn’t swayed by pheromones.”

Yan Xunzhen thought of the mark and kisses she had impulsively left on the back of Du Zuilan’s neck. A bittersweet ache welled up inside her, leaving her fingers curling into empty fists.

“Here’s some advice,” Gu Yueli glanced at her phone likely her cue to head to set. “Before things are official, you can’t afford to have any improper thoughts about A-Lan.”

“Anyone who dares to overstep gets crossed off the list immediately. That’s just how it is.”

Yan Xunzhen’s high heels stayed rooted to the ground.

For the first time, standing straight felt exhausting, her legs aching as if begging her to flee.

After a long pause, she suddenly called out to Gu Yueli.

The other woman, who had been rushing toward the set, halted and turned back. Yan Xunzhen approached and handed her something. “What’s wrong?”

Yan Xunzhen rubbed her temples. “Could you give this to her? I just realized my flight for the business trip is about to leave, I can’t wait any longer.”

Gu Yueli blinked. “Oh. Sure, I’ll pass it along.”

“Thanks.”

After speaking, Yan Xunzhen silently loosened her empty clenched fist. She stood still for a quiet moment before finally turning and returning to the car.

In truth, she hadn’t been entirely honest. There was still quite some time before her flight departed she never got her timings wrong. Moreover, everything she needed for her business trip was already packed in the car, with only a portable bag placed directly on the back seat.

The driver hadn’t heard her give the order to leave yet, so he quietly raised the partition, leaving Yan Xunzhen alone, her hand resting silently on the portable bag.

Ah.

Gu Yueli had said it, and it snapped her out of her inexplicable joy: Why had she developed these thoughts about Du Zuilan? And why had she taken advantage when Du Zuilan politely asked if she needed help?

Du Zuilan certainly didn’t dislike her, but did she like her? Not necessarily. What if she was just testing whether Yan Xunzhen was still the same scoundrel as before?

Remember what she had said earlier? She had assured Du Zuilan that she wouldn’t do anything to her. Wouldn’t acting otherwise be like slapping herself in the face, undoing all her efforts?

But…

Yan Xunzhen’s slender fingers tightened involuntarily around the bag.

Even so, she still didn’t want Du Zuilan to move out.

“Sister Du, that shot today was amazing!”

“Absolutely! I can’t quite put my finger on it, but you seemed even better than before!”

“I agree! Acting alongside Tang Ying, you didn’t lag behind at all but Sister Du, after this scene and a few more days of filming, won’t you be wrapping up?”

“Aww, I’m really going to miss you, Sister Du…”

Du Zuilan smiled, graciously acknowledging the praise. As the crowd around her dispersed, her movements to remove the harness were slightly hurried.

Tang Ying, standing beside her, couldn’t help but chuckle at her eagerness. “Breakthrough in your acting, and now in such a rush to leave?”

Du Zuilan smiled. “I have something to attend to.”

Tang Ying gave a knowing smile. “Ah, going to thank the person who helped you overcome your block?”

“Block?”

A third voice suddenly cut in. Both Tang Ying and Du Zuilan were momentarily startled. Turning, they saw Gu Yueli, holding a thermal lunchbox, her face slightly flushed with exertion as she curiously interjected, “Oh, A Lan, I felt like there was more emotion in your performance today? Haha, breaking through a block is great!”

Du Zuilan smiled. “Thank you.”

Her gaze fell on the familiar thermal lunchbox, and she couldn’t help but ask, “This is?”

“Oh, this?” Gu Yueli brushed aside her sweat-dampened hair. “I ran into Yan Xunzhen at the studio entrance just now. She said her flight was delayed and asked me to bring this to you.”

Du Zuilan’s hands paused on the harness. “She left?”

Gu Yueli nodded. “Yeah.”

Tang Ying’s eyes flickered slightly. “Well, set it aside for now. Little Gu, don’t you have a scene to shoot? You should get going.”

Gu Yueli gasped. “Oh no!” She quickly bid them farewell and hurried off to the set.

Du Zuilan’s movements slowed, but she had just finished removing the harness. Standing there, she stared at the lonely thermal lunchbox that had arrived without its owner, an uncharacteristic hesitation in her demeanor.

Tang Ying reassured her, “Don’t worry. She’s not going anywhere.”

Du Zuilan raised her deep, serene eyes and offered a faint smile. “Mhm.”

“Sister Tang, I’ll head out first.” Du Zuilan picked up the insulated food container, her expression easing into relaxation. “I might as well take care of another matter while I’m at it.”

“Stay safe.”

Du Zuilan smiled and nodded.

Unusually, she didn’t leave through the crew’s back parking lot but instead exited through a side gate. Just a few steps outside, in a quiet corner, she heard two short beeps of a car horn.

Originally, she had wanted Yan Xunyi to come with her today.

It was a BMW parked by the gate. In the driver’s seat sat a man in his forties or fifties, while the passenger seat was occupied by a garishly dressed woman who still retained some charm.

There seemed to be someone else in the back seat, but Du Zuilan couldn’t see clearly from her angle.

Her face cold, Du Zuilan walked over.

The passenger window rolled down, and the woman inside shot her a glance, letting out a haughty snort.

Du Zuilan said expressionlessly, “When are you going to return the money you stole from me?”

Before the woman could respond, the man in the driver’s seat angrily exhaled a puff of smoke and barked, “Is that any way to talk to your mother?! You’ve grown up but still don’t understand a thing, how is it stealing when your mother takes money from you?!”

Though the area was relatively deserted, it wasn’t far from the crew’s back entrance. Du Zuilan didn’t want to make a scene here, so she cut straight to the point. “What do you want?”

“I told you last time come find me after you’ve considered the divorce,” she said, thinking of the man’s earlier words and finding them laughable. “Have you made up your mind?”

Father Du took another drag of his cigarette and mumbled, “We’ll talk about that later. First, give me 500,000.”

Du Zuilan’s current acting fees weren’t particularly high, and most of her previous savings had already been stolen by them.

Where was she supposed to pull 500,000 from?

Du Zuilan closed her eyes briefly. “I don’t have it.”

“You don’t?” Father Du’s voice rose, though it was soon interrupted by a coughing fit from the smoke. “Are you just going to let your sister die?!”

“I’ll take care of my sister have you ever even asked about her.”

Du Zuilan couldn’t help raising her voice slightly.

The next moment, however, her words were drowned out by a faint sound.

It was the sound of a little girl coughing. A small, indistinct figure sat in the back seat, barely noticeable, but the way she trembled with each cough was alarming.

Du Zuilan quickly pulled open the back door. Sure enough, a tiny girl was curled up in the seat, likely struggling due to the stagnant air and the heavy smoke. Her coughing grew increasingly violent, tears nearly spilling from her eyes.

She scooped the little girl into her arms, soothing her gently. “Yeqing, jiejie’s here. Jiejie’s got you.”

Du Yeqing coughed for a long while before whispering weakly, “Jiejie, I want to go back to Grandma’s. I don’t want to go with Dad.”

Du Zuilan’s slender arms held her, making it hard not to worry whether she could even support the weight.

But there was no trace of compromise in her voice. “I’ll handle my sister’s treatment. Either divorce her, or don’t expect me to acknowledge you as my father.”

Her gaze was icy. “And you won’t get a single cent from me!”

At this, Father Du flew into a rage and was about to climb out of the car when Stepmother Qiao beside him pulled him back down.

The woman had a sly, insidious demeanor, her intentions unclear but undoubtedly malicious. Her gaze towards Du Zuilan was murky, her voice dripping with affectation: “Old Du, just let her take her sister away. After all, sisters share a deep bond, they’re family.”

Du Zuilan was so furious she laughed, her usually gentle and clear expression twisting into something starkly out of character. She had no desire to argue further with them.

Holding her sister close, she walked back to the film crew.

The number for Yan Xunzhen’s family driver was saved in her phone. Everyone in the manor treated her with utmost respect, one might even say they regarded her as another mistress of the house.

Somewhere along the way, her cautious probing had faded, her wariness and defenses melted away by Yan Xunzhen’s sincerity and simplicity.

In her phone’s message draft, a few words lingered typed, deleted, then typed again, only to hesitate once more.

“Sister, I miss you.”

Support The Scummy Alpha Who Transmigrated Into a Book Was Tricked by the Actress Omega