The Villainess A Marked the Seductive Movie Queen - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Passion

The first scene of the afternoon was merely a warm-up; the real drama lay ahead. With one day of the weekend remaining, the crew aimed to finish the few remaining campus outdoor scenes.

During the location change, they had to take the vans again. Ruan Minxue had her dedicated Toyota Alphard and offered a few “hitchhike” seats.

Except for Ruan, the actors in the first group weren’t high-status. The minor actors were both tempted and intimidated by this chance to get close. Only Xiao Zhizi, fearless in her youthful ignorance, actively raised her hand to join.

At this, Ruan Minxue smiled warmly, with a hint of an elder’s indulgence, and readily agreed. This caused quite a stir among the other young actors, who envied Xiao Zhizi for being “rewarded” and admired her boldness.

Liu Yitong saw all of this. She said nothing and showed no expression, preparing to follow the crowd to the standard van.

But Xiao Zhizi grabbed her arm, looking puzzled. “Aren’t you coming with me?”

Together? In her car?

Liu Yitong looked toward Ruan Minxue and saw her bending over to step into the vehicle. Her elegant silhouette vanished into the gleaming black door of the Alphard; she naturally didn’t notice the small commotion.

Liu Yitong looked back at Xiao Zhizi and shook her head slowly. “No.”

“But it’s Sister Ruan’s car!” Xiao Zhizi tempted her. “I heard it smells amazing inside, and she might even have tea and snacks!”

The supplementary information might have appealed to Xiao Zhizi’s foodie nature, but it held zero attraction for Liu Yitong. To lure Liu Yitong, the first half of the sentence was more than enough. And because the temptation was so great, Liu Yitong became wary. She instinctively refused: “Better not.”

Xiao Zhizi feigned crying and acted spoiled. “Oh, come on, I’m begging you! Accompany me! Everyone else is too scared to go. If it’s just me and Sister Ruan alone, my heart will explode!”

Liu Yitong lowered her head. She didn’t know which part of Xiao Zhizi’s plea got to her, but she ultimately agreed.

By the time Liu Yitong was pulled into the car, Ruan Minxue was already settled in the back seat, holding a glossy fashion magazine. She looked up at the two of them without surprise and gave a calm nod, as if their presence or absence didn’t affect her in the least.

The aura within the car shaped the atmosphere. Even Xiao Zhizi became strangely constrained once inside, sitting obediently in the rear-facing seat opposite Ruan Minxue.

Liu Yitong followed. The car was spacious with plenty of empty seats. It would be inappropriate for her to sit alone in the front, so her options were down to two: beside Ruan Minxue or beside Xiao Zhizi.

Whenever Ruan Minxue was an option, it was always a “single-choice” question for Liu Yitong. She sat down beside Xiao Zhizi without hesitation—diagonally opposite Ruan Minxue.

She didn’t look around. Raising her peripheral vision slightly, she saw the person opposite continue to flip through the magazine, seemingly indifferent to the seating arrangement. She withdrew her gaze, not wanting to disturb Ruan.

However, since her attention was entirely on Ruan, she heard her flip two pages in quick succession. The rustling was a bit loud, but after those two pages, the movement became gentle again. Liu Yitong wondered what kind of tasteless content on those two pages had annoyed Ruan Minxue.

“Do you smell it?” Xiao Zhizi leaned close to Liu Yitong, her voice so low she was practically biting her ear. “The fragrance.”

Liu Yitong took a deep breath. First, she caught a faint citrus scent, followed by delicate threads of floral fragrance.

“I smell it. It’s very nice.”

She replied to Xiao Zhizi clearly, raising her volume just enough. It wasn’t loud enough to disturb Ruan, but it ensured Ruan could hear them so she wouldn’t feel excluded—though Ruan likely had no intention of joining them anyway.

“Such a refreshing scent, like oranges,” Xiao Zhizi continued. “It’s so sweet; it’s making me hungry.”

“Pfft.” Liu Yitong chuckled, then asked after a moment, “You only smell oranges?”

Xiao Zhizi blinked, sniffed again, and confirmed, “What else?”

The floral scent was…

Liu Yitong’s gaze shifted, passing over Ruan Minxue. She saw the other woman look up as well, her attention no longer on the magazine, as if she too were sensing the environment.

Liu Yitong was certain: amidst the citrus of the car’s air freshener, there was a hint of floral perfume. She focused on capturing that weak element. The scent, as light as down or silk, teased her senses. Suddenly, she broke out in goosebumps.

It was the tail note of Champagne Rose, laid over a base of Hyacinth.

The scent of her pheromones mixed with Ruan’s.

Liu Yitong touched the back of her neck. Her gland temperature was normal; she didn’t feel she was releasing pheromones. If it wasn’t her, then it could only be…

She looked at Ruan Minxue and discovered, to her shock, that Ruan was also looking at her. Their gazes collided like an annihilation reaction. The tiny bit of scent in the air, detectable only by the two of them, exploded with presence.

Liu Yitong forced herself not to look away. Ruan Minxue’s reaction was composed; she slowly turned back and resumed reading her magazine. To her, the eye contact was nothing special. The tangled pheromones in the air were nothing special.

Liu Yitong lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the gland at the back of her neck. She speculated: Ruan Minxue might not have used a blocker today, which is why the Hyacinth-stained Rose scent had drifted out.

The question was: Why were my pheromones present in Ruan Minxue’s scent?

Surely a temporary marking from months ago couldn’t last this long.

The car’s temperature control was pleasant, yet Liu Yitong’s neck felt hot. What exactly did I do during that night of “fugue”? How did she end up covered in my pheromones?

Ultimately, the car reaching its destination saved her life. She grabbed Xiao Zhizi’s sleeve, thanked Ruan Minxue, and was the first to get out.

Ruan Minxue stayed in the car for a while before stepping out. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she saw Zhang Lishen waiting for her by the door.

“What is it?”

The two veterans didn’t usually stand on ceremony, but Ruan was always polite and warm to everyone. Even Zhang Lishen, who was a bit slow with interpersonal nuances, noticed that Ruan’s tone wasn’t sharp, but it certainly wasn’t friendly.

He clutched his script and asked, “You felt nauseous this morning. Are you still unwell?”

Ruan Minxue said softly, “No.”

“…” Zhang Lishen muttered, “Then who’s upset you now?”

The campus athletic field in early summer had a unique atmosphere. The wind, carrying fallen blossoms, blew against the girls’ pants, pressing the fabric against their long, slender limbs. The vitality of youth rustled in the air.

Liu Yitong was tall and long-legged. Even during her idol show days, her figure stood out. Wearing a basic school uniform now only highlighted her natural beauty. During the breaks, Zhang Lishen even had the photographer take several promotional shots of her.

The girl, usually low-key in person, became incredibly eye-catching the moment she stood before the lens. Especially when playing Qiao Jing, she had to be somewhat reserved; however, once she was doing a solo shoot where she was required to radiate personal charm, she knew exactly how to use her piercing eyes.

Lowering her chin and lifting her pupils slightly, she emphasized the “sanpaku” look of her eyes. As the wind blew her clothes and hair, her dark pupils became the fixed point that anchored the entire image.

“Damn!” The photographer couldn’t help but swear as he checked the photos. “That was satisfying to shoot!”

Liu Yitong didn’t crowd around him. She stood professionally at the ready, waiting for the next instruction. But before the instruction came, she keenly smelled an abnormally sickly-sweet scent carried by the wind. She looked toward the source and saw several crew members whispering with furrowed brows. Someone had caused a commotion.

The photographer also asked, “What’s happening?”

Liu Yitong frowned, raising her hand to cover her nose and mouth. “It seems an Omega’s pheromones are leaking.”

This covering motion was just a reflex; its effect was limited as pheromones aren’t only transmitted through breathing. Heat cycles, as a normal physiological phenomenon for AO bodies, usually follow a rhythm, but deviations occur. In high school, Liu Yitong often experienced adolescent hormonal irregularities. If a girl’s period came early, it was easy to handle—someone always had a pad, and they could help each other privately.

But once a heat or rut cycle came early, it was trouble. Alpha pheromones would influence each other, and the effect in a state of passion was even worse. Once someone was found entering heat early, the entire campus would go on alert. Alphas and Omegas had to be evacuated and isolated, and the individual in heat had to be handled separately.

Liu Yitong could feel it: the person in the abnormal state was an Omega.

Sure enough, the director’s megaphone blared. Fortunately, being outdoors made it easier to handle, and crew members quickly guided everyone to evacuate. An Alpha floor manager took Liu Yitong to the administrative building on the east side of campus. There weren’t many Alphas isolated in the hall—only eight, including the two of them.

The floor manager pressed the walkie-talkie to communicate with the other side: “The Betas are on the field. There are a lot of them, and they aren’t sensitive to pheromones anyway… The Omegas are all in the West Wing Library? …Have you confirmed the list?”

Liu Yitong listened as the two reported four names, including Director Zhang Lishen. But she didn’t hear Ruan Minxue’s name.

After all, Ruan Minxue’s abnormal differentiation was still unstable and hadn’t been officially announced. Only a handful of people knew her new identity.

Liu Yitong felt a pang of unease: Omegas could also be affected by another Omega’s heat cycle. Where is Ruan Minxue now? How is she?

Despite their several encounters, they hadn’t even exchanged contact information yet. For the first time, Liu Yitong regretted being so distant. If they were just ordinary friends, she could at least send a message to ask how she was.

Afraid of causing gossip for Ruan Minxue, Liu Yitong didn’t ask the crew for her number at this sensitive moment. Instead, she asked Shu Ran. Shu Ran knew Ruan’s private number and shared it generously. When Liu Yitong compared it to the string of numbers in her memory, it was indeed different—the number Ruan Minxue had left in the rental house after the temporary marking wasn’t her personal one.

Liu Yitong was glad she hadn’t rashly dialed that old number; otherwise, it would be hard to explain how she knew it.

Avoiding the crowd, she went to the end of the corridor to dial. When the call connected, there was silence at first. Only after hearing the sound of a steel chair leg dragging across a concrete floor did she confirm the signal was fine; the other person just hadn’t spoken yet.

She felt a slight sense of relief. The fact that the other party was in a quiet environment capable of answering the phone meant she was safe. But then she became nervous again—this was her first phone call with her.

“Sister Ruan…” Her voice was a bit raspy. She cleared her throat and softened her tone. “Are you alright?”

Only after speaking did she realize she’d forgotten to introduce herself. Just as she was about to fix it, she heard a light, electronic chuckle from the other side. The laughter, though disembodied, felt like a water snake sliding into her ear along the sound waves. She felt an itch deep in her ear canal and couldn’t help but shrink her neck.

What is it?

Ruan Minxue didn’t ask who she was or how she got the number. It was taken for granted, as if it were meant to be. Her usually clear and steady voice now carried a hint of weariness, like she had just woken up. Combined with the electronic distortion, it exuded a lazy sexiness.

But Liu Yitong wasn’t in the mood for romance. The other woman’s delivery had been perfect during filming; the fact that she sounded like this now proved she had been affected by the Omega’s pheromones.

“Something happened on set… I was worried about you,” Liu Yitong said honestly.

There was no response. Liu Yitong’s heart skipped a beat, thinking her proactivity had startled Ruan. She quickly added, “After all, so few people in the crew know your situation. You might not be looked after properly.”

She was so cautious she even used formal honorifics.

Ha…

Ruan Minxue’s sigh came through. For some reason, it sounded a bit impatient. The soft sigh of discomfort tugged at Liu Yitong’s heart. The vulnerability of a superior is a drug that makes one lose their mind. If she obeyed, she would offer care; if she rebelled, she would be crushed.

Liu Yitong pinched the back of her hand to stop her stray thoughts and continued: “Sister Ruan, is anyone taking care of you now?”

I’m alone.

She could have answered “yes” or “no,” but she chose to respond that way. Perhaps her intention was perfectly straightforward, but Liu Yitong’s “not-so-straightforward” ears heard several meanings her straightforward mouth didn’t say: clarification, grievance, and invitation.

Her heart raced. She couldn’t help but imagine herself appearing on the other side, filling the void of being “alone.” But her wild imagination quickly dissipated; she had always been like this, distinguishing clearly between an admirer’s over-interpretation and the unintentional actions of the one admired.

Until she heard the other woman add: It’s a bit uncomfortable…

The emotional weight was added. Her heartbeat reached its peak, and she gathered her courage to ask: “Can I come find you?”

Phew…

The breath against the microphone couldn’t transmit temperature, yet it still made Liu Yitong’s ears burn. She became a bit anxious. “Sister…”

I’m in an empty classroom on the first floor of the teaching building.

“Okay.”

Liu Yitong hung up and reported to the floor manager that she was going out. The manager initially disagreed, saying bluntly, “Right now, it’s like there are aphrodisiacs everywhere. What if you follow your instincts and make a mistake you regret?”

Liu Yitong said nothing. This reminder made her realize what Ruan Minxue’s hesitation at the end of the call had been about. But she immediately felt an unspeakable joy because, even so, Ruan Minxue had agreed to let her come.

“I won’t,” she promised. “I can control myself.”

“I don’t mean I’m afraid you’ll cause trouble,” the floor manager said helplessly. “I’m afraid you’ll be taken advantage of.”

“…Thank you. But I won’t.”

Someone else nearby spoke up to help, saying that since the AO had been separated to opposite ends of the campus, as long as she didn’t intentionally walk toward the Omega zone, there shouldn’t be a problem. The manager agreed, but made Liu Yitong put a blocker patch on her neck before letting her go.

Liu Yitong walked at a steady pace out of the hall. Passing the gazes of others, she still walked unhurriedly until she turned a corner where no one was around…

She gradually lifted her knees and picked up speed. Faster, and faster. Like an arrow leaving a bow. Her youthful blood merged with the wind. She sped past buildings, the field, the cultural corridor, the budding bushes, and the insects emerging from their cocoons—past the summer where everything was stirring.

The girl ran without looking back toward the person she loved.

The main teaching building was located in the middle-rear of the campus and was easy to find. After checking the first-floor windows, Liu Yitong quickly found the classroom where Ruan Minxue was. She stood at the door, panting slightly.

She saw Ruan Minxue sitting behind the podium, her elbow propped up as she rested her head. Hearing the noise, Ruan turned her head, her pale cheeks flushed with a slight crimson.

One was dressed in a slightly sweat-stained school uniform, her hot body encased in loose sportswear; the other was in a sophisticated silk shirt and trousers, the form-fitting fabric accentuating her graceful lines, emphasizing the gap in age and status to the extreme.

Clothing possesses a narrative, and so does the environment. The empty classroom—whether because class was over or school had finished—suddenly became private. This hall of learning took on a function it didn’t belong to, holding the gaze of two people that had nothing to do with schoolwork.

Liu Yitong hated her own inspiration for imagining them as a teacher and student at this moment. Rebellious. Immoral. She had come to a forbidden tryst.

“Sister Ruan…” Liu Yitong called softly, entering the classroom.

Hearing her, Ruan Minxue sat up, but her body seemed too weary to support itself, and she leaned back limply against the chair.

Liu Yitong approached. She didn’t smell anything sickly-sweet; even the uncontrollably leaking pheromones were faint, proving that Ruan Minxue hadn’t been fully triggered into heat—a blessing in disguise.

“How do you feel?” Liu Yitong asked softly.

Ruan Minxue crossed her arms, rubbing them twice. “I’m okay. Just sensory overload; it’s a bit of a burden on the body. My suppressants are in the car, and given the special circumstances, it’s not easy to have my assistant bring them in. I’m planning to rest a bit before going to get them.”

The words “I can go get them” were on the tip of her tongue, but Liu Yitong swallowed them. Ruan Minxue was too weak right now; she didn’t dare leave her alone. But she couldn’t stand to see her in pain. After long deliberation, even if the next suggestion sounded transgressive, she said it:

“If you don’t mind, I can release some pheromones to soothe you.”

As an S-rank Alpha, Liu Yitong’s pheromones were highly compatible and could provide relief for most Omegas who hadn’t been permanently marked. Back during the idol show, the frail Vivian would occasionally seek her help when her pheromones were in disarray.

But borrowing pheromones was extremely intimate. It tested an Alpha’s control and required deep trust between the two. After all, an Omega caught in an Alpha’s pheromones was essentially giving the other person an opportunity.

Ruan Minxue looked up at Liu Yitong. Though she was in a lower position, her expression remained calm and dignified. Her aura wasn’t weak at all; it even carried a hint of imposing scrutiny. Liu Yitong met that probing gaze with quiet dignity, having nothing to hide.

Soon, Ruan Minxue withdrew her gaze and asked softly, “How should I cooperate?”

Liu Yitong shook her head. “You don’t have to do anything. Just leave it to me.”

As she spoke, she raised her arm, her finger touching the suppressant patch on her neck. Before she could even peel the edge, Ruan Minxue’s gaze drifted over again. Ruan stared directly at Liu Yitong’s movements.

Liu Yitong couldn’t help but swallow. Thinking of what would follow, being stared at while peeling off her suppressant patch gave her a strange sense of shame, like being watched while undressing. She tightened her finger and peeled the sticker off, subtly shifting her muscles. A faint Hyacinth scent slowly drifted out.

She saw Ruan Minxue’s clear eyes glaze over for a moment; she had obviously smelled the pheromones. Then, Ruan’s expression relaxed. She likes my pheromones. That was the best compliment for Liu Yitong.

For a split second, genetic instinct and suppressed feelings worked together, screaming for her to release all restraint—to drench the woman before her in aggressive pheromones, force her into heat, and then have her way with her.

But it was only for a split second. She was Liu Yitong; she might not know much else, but she was an expert at enduring. Enduring to the point of self-torture.

“Mm…” Ruan Minxue took a deep breath, her eyes showing a trace of a junkie’s daze. Her speech was sluggish. “Too faint. Not enough.”

Liu Yitong was stunned. She thought she was releasing them very slowly and gently; that was the amount she would give Vivian. She hadn’t expected Ruan Minxue’s sensitivity and tolerance to pheromones to be so extreme—she had become “high” so quickly. Perhaps the newly differentiated gland was still too fragile.

Liu Yitong quickly adjusted, releasing the pheromones very slowly, and explained soothingly: “I can’t rush it. It’s like you shouldn’t binge when you’re starving, or gulp water when you’re parched. I’ll go slowly. Just wait a bit; you’ll be satisfied soon.”

“Mm-hmm…” Ruan Minxue’s moan sounded almost like a sob.

Liu Yitong was dazed. The next second, she saw Ruan Minxue stand up and walk toward her. They were already close, and the sudden approach startled Liu Yitong into taking a step back. But Ruan’s consciousness was fading and her footsteps were unsteady. Seeing her sway, Liu Yitong stopped and opened her arms to protectively hover near her waist, without touching her.

Ruan Minxue staggered two steps and placed her hand on Liu Yitong’s shoulder to steady herself, her forehead resting limply against the girl’s shoulder.

The scent of roses drifted out. One person’s body was incredibly soft; the other’s was as stiff as a board. Liu Yitong didn’t dare move, but Ruan Minxue did. The woman instinctively sought the source of her pleasure. Her nose slid past the girl’s neck, making her shoulder and neck flinch.

The gland was right there on the back of the neck. The closer to the source, the stronger the scent. Ruan Minxue stopped to quench her thirst, moving no more.

The skin of the neck was already sensitive, and now it was being warmed by Ruan Minxue’s breath. Liu Yitong felt like she was suffocating. Their current posture was nothing short of “ear-to-temple” intimacy.

“Mm…” After a moment, Ruan Minxue panted again, sounding uncomfortable.

Liu Yitong asked softly, like soothing a child, “What’s wrong?”

“It hurts…”

“Where does it hurt?”

“The gland…”

The newly differentiated gland was still too fragile. It was like a thorn had just grown in her body, not yet dulled by flesh and blood, stabbing until the nerves themselves ached.

“Should I rub it for you?”

“Okay…”

Liu Yitong raised her hand. The moment her fingertips touched the back of Ruan Minxue’s neck, the woman in front of her instinctively tilted her head back.

Liu Yitong held her breath. She held her neck, and Ruan tilted her head back. It was almost as if Ruan were asking for a kiss, and she were complying.

Liu Yitong bit her lip. The pain of her teeth hitting her lip replaced the four lips brushing together in her fantasies. Fortunately, the pheromones were entangling, the Hyacinth kissing the Champagne Rose in her stead.

Her fingertips touched a small, slightly raised patch of soft skin on Ruan Minxue’s neck. It was too thin, too soft, underdeveloped, and desperate for care. With extreme gentleness, she slowly rubbed the patch of gland that was so tense it was twitching.

“Oh… mm…” Ruan Minxue closed her eyes and panted, her breathing broken. Her body trembled finely with the frequency of the girl’s rubbing.

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