The Scummy Alpha Who Transmigrated Into a Book Was Tricked by the Actress Omega - Chapter 47

This colleague who ships the couple still hasn’t realized that her secret identity has already been uncovered by the very people she’s shipping. Right now, this shipper is sending a message to one of them.

“President Yan, are you there? Would it be convenient to call? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.” Gu Yueli sent the message first, her tone very formal and official. “Because the studio where ‘Wei Ding’ was filmed has some financial ties to my family, I went to check it out later and noticed a car parked at the studio entrance. This same car had appeared a few days earlier, it came to our crew looking for someone.”

“Hmm, and then?”

She knew. She hadn’t forgotten that day when she was in Rong Country, while Du Zuilan had to handle everything alone picking up her younger sister, sending off her mother-in-law, and confronting her stepmother, in an utterly miserable state. She couldn’t help but inwardly curse herself.

Apart from the somewhat embarrassing content on Weibo, she hadn’t been hiding her phone from Du Zuilan, so the soft “tsk” she let out was also heard by Du Zuilan.

Meeting Du Zuilan’s slightly puzzled gaze, Yan Xunzhen hesitated for a moment before showing her the conversation interface between her and Gu Yueli.

Yan Xunzhen wasn’t close to Gu Yueli, so the only thing that could connect them was something related to Du Zuilan. And a car parked at the crew’s entrance, blocking people, the identity of the person behind it was already obvious.

On the TV, the drama continued to play. Those despicable senior brothers were mercilessly mocking Du Zuilan and Tang Ying, calling them orphans, unwanted wild children with no parents to love them.

Yan Xunzhen frowned slightly and sighed softly in her heart.

Meanwhile, after receiving Yan Xunzhen’s “Hmm” in reply, Gu Yueli quickly called, the phone rang twice before the call connected.

Du Zuilan’s expression remained calm, her gaze resting on Yan Xunzhen as she asked gently, “Can I listen?”

The ringing grew increasingly grating, even pulling Du Yeqing, who had been absorbed in the TV, to look up at her two older sisters.

Yan Xunzhen walked with her to the balcony, pressed the answer button, and turned on speakerphone.

“Hello, is this President Yan?” Gu Yueli, for some reason, sounded like a spy making a covert call, speaking cautiously. “Is Zuilan there? It’s best if she doesn’t hear this, I’m afraid it might upset her.”

Before she could finish, Du Zuilan’s soft, gentle voice came through the speaker: “Yueli. I’m fine. If there’s something, you can tell me directly, okay?”

The person on the other end fell silent for a long moment before hesitantly saying, “You two are really together right now?”

As if realizing her slip of the tongue, she quickly corrected herself: “No, I mean the serious matter.”

“That woman claims to be your mother, and there’s also a man who looks somewhat like you, claiming to be your father. He showed me his ID card, household register, and all that, then said he wants to see you.”

“He wants to see you and said he wants you to give him five million!”

Everyone was momentarily speechless.

It was undeniable that Du Zuilan had become incredibly popular these days, thanks to this drama, the variety show, and her long-accumulated talent. As a result, endorsement offers had been pouring in. And because Yan Xunzhen had secured her an exceptionally favorable contract, she could pick the best deals among high-end endorsements, finally able to earn substantial money.

But even so, Du Zuilan had only just risen to fame. Leaving aside whether her foundation was stable or if she could even afford such a sum, no matter how bountiful a money tree might be, it couldn’t withstand such relentless shaking! Moreover, even an outsider like Gu Yueli could see how outrageous and heartbreaking her parents were. Those two were nothing but parasites, utterly unworthy of being Du Zuilan’s parents.

Gu Yueli hesitated noticeably, perhaps because what she was about to say next was too painful, making her visibly uncomfortable: “They also said since your birthday is coming up in a couple of days, they want you to go back. They’ve prepared a meal for you and want to discuss things properly at the table. That woman said she’d agree to your demands as long as you hand over the money.”

Du Zuilan’s expression was like the misty drizzle over the Jiangnan region, a faint melancholy tinged with an indescribable resignation. In the end, she managed a slight curve of her lips, though it could hardly be called a smile: “Is that so…”

Her throat felt dry as she murmured, “Thank you.”

Afraid of deepening her sorrow, Gu Yueli quickly ended the call after delivering the message. The evening breeze on the balcony was just right, the faint warmth rising like a gentle hand brushing away the furrow between her brows.

For some reason, though Du Zuilan appeared no different from usual, she gave Yan Xunzhen an overwhelming sense of fragility.

Standing rooted to the spot, Yan Xunzhen was reminded of the venomous, cutting remarks from the drama likely not far from what Du Zuilan faced in real life. How had she endured it all? Watching her stepmother’s exploitative behavior, she…

A tender embrace. Du Zuilan was pulled entirely into Yan Xunzhen’s arms. Breaking the earlier heavy silence as though it had been nothing more than a trivial interlude, Yan Xunzhen gently ruffled her smooth black hair. Their faint pheromones intertwined and enveloped them.

The fragrance of Longjing tea grew richer, its bitterness now laced with sweetness, enveloping the citrusy scent of orange wine. It was an intimately protective stance, made possible by the temporary mark between them.

Yan Xunzhen said softly, “Don’t be afraid. I won’t let her exploit you again, nor take anyone else from you.”

Du Zuilan’s face remained buried against Yan Xunzhen’s neck, her emotions unreadable. After a long pause, she slowly lifted her arms and returned the embrace, her voice barely above a whisper: “Mm.”

Yan Xunzhen urged Du Zuilan to rest early.

Watching her retreating figure ascend the stairs, Yan Xunzhen knew she must be hurting, though she showed no sign of it. Her posture remained graceful and upright, like a resilient bamboo standing proud against the snow.

For several days afterward, Yan Xunzhen rose at dawn.

Once her tasks were done, the faint hum of the kitchen exhaust fan ceased, leaving only the lingering aroma of bone broth. Seated on the balcony chair, she tapped her fingers absently against the iridescent glass as she pondered.

Not even company affairs had ever demanded her attention so thoroughly from start to finish. Yet for Du Zuilan’s birthday, she had meticulously overseen every detail.

The sunlight today was exceptionally bright. Although the start of autumn had passed, the weather remained quite hot. As she turned her head, she noticed that Du Zuilan was once again wearing her favorite mint-green dress, standing out like a refreshing splash of green amidst a garden of flowers both eye-catching and cooling. The vibrant hue accentuated her fair wrists, making them appear as pure as frost and snow.

Yan Xunzhen casually tucked her black hair behind her ear and lightly curved her lips, a faint trace of red lingering on her fingertips. “Happy birthday, little birthday girl,” she said.

Knowing what she was about to say, Yan Xunzhen uncrossed her long legs and used the faint red on her fingers to smooth out the slightly folded collar of Du Zuilan’s dress. She blinked mysteriously at her, looking rather pleased with herself and in need of praise. “No matter which birthday it is, we have to celebrate it.”

For some reason, Du Zuilan seemed a bit paler today, almost like a fragile glass doll that might shutter at the slightest touch. After a brief pause, she smiled softly, her expression sweet and gentle.

“Thank you,” she said.

Yan Xunzhen knew that celebrities usually had fan clubs, and Du Zuilan’s current manager must have some connection with them. Eagerly, she asked if there was any interaction planned with the fans.

Du Zuilan pondered for a moment, still seeming a little dazed. “Ah,” she replied with a soft laugh, “I think so. Sister Li asked me to post a Weibo for real-time interaction with the fans. She also brought some handwritten letters from them, and I’ll make sure to read them carefully.”

Yan Xunzhen’s eyes sparkled, her lazy tone tinged with impatience as it rose slightly. “And what else?”

“And…” Du Zuilan hesitated before continuing, “Sister Li said she has a surprise for me, but I don’t know what it is.”

So that’s how they framed it to Du Zuilan. Yan Xunzhen hummed in acknowledgment and gestured for her to sit at the dining table.

Though she didn’t want to upset Du Zuilan, this matter couldn’t be left unaddressed.

Yan Xunzhen’s tone was casual, though laced with tension, as she watched Du Zuilan obediently take her seat at the table, trusting her completely. “Are you planning to visit your parents today?” she asked.

Du Zuilan’s fingers, resting on her fair legs, suddenly clenched, wrinkling the light green fabric of her dress. After a moment, as if snapping out of a daze, she replied, “Possibly.”

Yan Xunzhen immediately regretted her words, realizing they had caused discomfort. She pressed her lips together and quickly placed the longevity noodles she had prepared earlier in front of Du Zuilan.

“Don’t be afraid. If you don’t mind, I can drive you there,” she offered, then joked, “I’ll hire the best lawyer, the kind who could get a passerby sentenced to five years just for walking past the courthouse.”

Du Zuilan burst into laughter, her grip on her dress loosening and her tense thoughts easing slightly. Her gaze finally shifted from Yan Xunzhen to the steaming bowl of noodles in front of her.

Recalling the “Yan Puppy Brand” mung bean soup, a guess flashed through her mind, this was probably homemade too.

Yan Xunzhen didn’t mention who had made it, instead curling her lips seriously. “Try it and see if it’s good?”

Du Zuilan touched the side of the bowl, it was scalding hot. The rich aroma of bone broth suggested it had been simmered for hours, kept warm all this time.

The vibrant green vegetables were arranged in a graceful arc in the bowl, while the long-stewed pork bones had turned tender and soft. At the very top, a perfectly fried egg with crispy edges and a molten yolk looked absolutely flawless.

Du Zuilan was handed a pair of chopsticks. Gently, she poked open the egg, lowered her head, and took a small bite.

The fried egg had soaked up the rich aroma of the broth. She slowly swallowed the bite, then looked up, feigning innocence as she said to Yan Xunzhen, “It’s delicious, but I haven’t thanked Auntie Li yet.”

Yan Xunzhen had been about to secretly wag her tail in delight, but upon hearing Du Zuilan’s words of gratitude for Auntie Li, she suddenly felt an inexplicable pang of sourness. She wanted to blurt out that she had made the meal herself, but then thought it would make her seem petty. Besides, when she was cooking, Auntie Li had mentioned that “scumbag alphas” couldn’t cook her sudden change would be too obvious.

Just as she was about to respond, she noticed tears welling up in Du Zuilan’s eyes as she looked up.

The chopsticks slipped from Du Zuilan’s fingers. Her voice carried a hint of laughter as she turned and wrapped her arms around Yan Xunzhen, though she couldn’t suppress the sob in her voice:

“Thank you. After my mom passed away, no one has ever made longevity noodles for me again.”

Her stepmother and father paid her no mind, her grandmother was too old and bedridden, and her younger sister still needed her care.

And after running around all day, she still hadn’t landed a single acting role.

Exhausted from the relentless busyness, she had stood on the balcony of her rented apartment, staring at the high-hanging moon, snapping apart the fork from a cup of instant noodles and sticking it into the lid.

Pretending the fork was a candle and the instant noodles were a cake, she blew on it anyway and secretly made a simple wish.

She had never been a greedy person.

But now, to her dismay, she realized just how greedy she felt toward the person in front of her. She wanted this person to always treat her this well, forever.

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