Transmigrated as the Top-Tier Alpha's Secretly Married Ex-Wife - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Su Tuantuan didn’t want to smoke in her room when she got back, so she sat on the fire escape stairs and quietly smoked half a cigarette. This spot was usually deserted. When she moved her foot, she saw an opened condom wrapper in the corner.

Her brow furrowed. She hadn’t expected people to engage in outdoor activities here.

She tapped the ash off the cigarette. Mo Xian called her, but she didn’t answer, letting the phone ring. After dozens of seconds, it finally stopped. Mo Xian sent her a message.

Mo Xian: “You left?”

Su Tuantuan thought Mo Xian had a full holiday schedule and probably wouldn’t stay in Shenzhen for long.

“Mhm, something suddenly came up, so I went back to the hotel.”

Su Tuantuan didn’t throw a tantrum or explain clearly; there was no need.

Mo Xian sent a wronged emoji. “Okay.”

She sounded genuinely disappointed.

Su Tuantuan didn’t reply again.

She shook the cigarette ash onto a wet wipe when she heard a familiar female voice coming from the floor below.

“Lawyer Shen, why did you call me out so late? What exactly do you want?”

It was Yanran.

Su Tuantuan quietly poked her head out, only seeing a corner of Shen Jun’s clothing through the stairwell gap.

Shen Jun sounded clearly exasperated. “What does she want with you?”

Su Tuantuan wasn’t sure who “she” was. She didn’t have a habit of eavesdropping on others’ privacy and was about to retreat when she heard Qiao Yanran snort. “She’s just my CP in the drama! She’s nice, generous, thoughtful, and very enthusiastic about me—”

Before she could finish, her words were swallowed mid-sentence.

Su Tuantuan couldn’t see the scene from her angle, but she could imagine Qiao Yanran being pinned against the wall and kissed by Shen Jun.

She crouched low, trying to hide, terrified that any slight movement would give her away.

Awkward.

Any slight noise in this stairwell would echo.

Qiao Yanran struggled a few times, tormented by Shen Jun’s biting kiss. Then Su Tuantuan heard Shen Jun gasp softly. “Then what about this? Is this enthusiastic enough?”

Qiao Yanran was completely stunned.

She hadn’t expected Shen Jun to launch a surprise attack.

She was completely trapped in Shen Jun’s embrace.

Shen Jun saw her expression, thinking she had hurt her, and reached out a finger to touch Qiao Yanran’s lips. Unexpectedly, Qiao Yanran shoved her away, hitting Shen Jun’s chest with a punch.

“Shen Jun, are you crazy! Can’t you see this huge surveillance camera here!”

Qiao Yanran stormed off angrily. Shen Jun stood still for two seconds before chasing after her.

Su Tuantuan looked down at the half-smoked cigarette she had extinguished and sighed helplessly.

What is love in this world, that it commands life and death?

The drama officially wrapped up in early February. Su Tuantuan and Bai Xue returned to City A together. Qiao Yanran’s hometown was in City B. She was going back to visit her mother’s grave for the New Year, as the holiday was the only break she had all year.

She was a notorious workaholic.

Shen Jun was also returning with her.

Su Tuantuan hadn’t told anyone about the scene she witnessed that night. In the following days on set, Qiao Yanran remained aloof toward Shen Jun, but Shen Jun’s attentive care clearly had an effect—

Qiao Yanran noticeably kept her distance from the Alpha actress in their crew.

They stopped interacting, but Qiao Yanran treated everyone else the same way: warm, friendly, and gently approachable.

The Alpha actress didn’t overthink it.

Only Bai Xue was left in the dark, constantly telling Qiao Yanran to stop teasing Shen Jun or she’d provoke a crime.

Qiao Yanran’s cheeks would flush at the remarks, but she was too embarrassed to tell her sisters what had actually happened between them.

Su Tuantuan could certainly understand. If it were her, she wouldn’t have the nerve to tell anyone either.

However, she was the only one who got to kiss Mo Xian. Mo Xian daring to be dominant over her was wishful thinking.

Back in City A, Su Tuantuan’s work didn’t stop. The closer it got to the end of the year, the more large-scale galas and social events she had to attend. Her company’s annual meeting this year was held on an island, inviting all the artists for a three-day, three-night team-building trip before returning.

Su Tuantuan didn’t want to go, but her momentum this year was strong, and her status in the company was rapidly rising. Sister Zhou said that if she didn’t go, it would be an insult to the CEO, so she had to attend the annual meeting no matter what.

Su Tuantuan packed her luggage and immediately rushed to the island, attending two events back-to-back in the process. Even a donkey on a production line wouldn’t be driven this hard.

Coincidentally, Sun Qiushuang sent her the sixth revised version of the script, asking her to check if it was acceptable. If so, they would start filming after the New Year, hoping for good fortune and a subsequent massive hit.

Su Tuantuan was running in circles. The drama where she played the third female lead also aired around this time. Because of her high popularity, the director had kept a significant amount of her screen time. What was originally the third female lead role now seemed to be closing in on the first female lead.

That director messaged Su Tuantuan before the New Year to check in and ask about her schedule for the coming year. Su Tuantuan, who hadn’t finalized anything yet, said she was still arranging her schedule, as Sister Zhou still had several scripts lined up for her.

At this rate, her schedule was booked until the year after next. Unbeknownst to her, the director thought she was playing hard to get and turned around to make passive-aggressive comments on his social media, suggesting some people become arrogant once they find fame. Although he blocked her, no secret is safe in that industry. A grip screen-grabbed the post and Qiao Yanran forwarded it to Su Tuantuan.

Qiao Yanran wasn’t trying to sow discord, only asking with a trembling heart, “Sister, do you think he’s talking about me?”

The director was cunning enough to block Qiao Yanran, knowing she was close to Su Tuantuan. Su Tuantuan comforted her, but felt sick to her stomach.

No matter how capable someone like that was, with such a passive-aggressive attitude, who would dare cooperate with him?

The true busy period only stopped on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Su Tuantuan returned to City A, feeling cold and lonely.

Bai Xue originally wanted to stay with her for the New Year, but her grandmother was ill. Although her relationship with her parents was poor, she still had to visit her grandmother. Bai Xue couldn’t accompany Su Tuantuan, but Su Tuantuan had already prepared New Year goods herself.

She spent two days tidying up. Housekeeping help was hard to find during the New Year. She efficiently cleaned the place herself. A few potted plants on the balcony had withered; the indoor heating was too strong, and she hadn’t had time to water them. Feeling regretful, she bought a few new pots and hung small lanterns and paper cuts. Only then did the place feel slightly festive.

While cleaning the house, she discovered a secret room.

The wall opened up to reveal a small closet-sized room converted into a merchandise space, entirely filled with Mo Xian’s albums.

She stayed home and listened to them for two days, neither disturbing Mo Xian nor bothering anyone else.

On New Year’s Eve, Mo Xian had to rush between two galas, flying between two cities. Su Tuantuan woke up in the morning and made dumplings. A drawer full, enough for breakfast for the next few days.

They were corn and chicken breast dumplings. She put a coin inside one, planning to throw it in when they ate that night, hoping for good luck.

Sister Zhou called her. “I’ll come pick you up later. I’m cooking the New Year’s Eve dinner myself tonight. Get ready to come over.”

Su Tuantuan lay on the sofa, looking at the bright red paper-cut window decorations. There was a layer of mist on the glass. The sun came out, shining golden light into the room. She rolled over. “Please don’t. I finally have two days of freedom during the New Year. If you dare disturb me, I’ll be in a bad mood all year.”

Sister Zhou chuckled. “Where are you going to enjoy your freedom during the New Year? Is there any relative in City A I don’t know about? It should be lively during the New Year. Come and play with our child. Are you perhaps stingy about the New Year’s money?”

Su Tuantuan genuinely wanted some peace and quiet, but in Sister Zhou’s eyes, she was a lonely and pitiful soul. Su Tuantuan felt both angry and amused. “You know it. I’m not coming, so don’t come to pick me up.”

Before she could hang up, the lock clicked. Sister Zhou opened the door, standing there with her child. “Hurry up and pull your Sister Su over. She’s a grown-up, but it’s so hard to invite her for a meal.”

Sister Zhou’s child was five years old. She wore a red dress, red boots, and had her hair tied into two buns, each fastened with a small red bow.

She was adorable, like a porcelain doll. The little one, Tiểu Anh Đào (Little Cherry), didn’t dare enter without taking off her shoes. She stood formally, clasped her hands, and bowed. “Happy New Year, Sister Su. Wishing you good fortune and everything you desire in the New Year. My Mommy and I came to invite you to be our guest. Sister Su, would you like to come?”

Su Tuantuan thought, She used the cute weapon. How can I say no?

She casually changed into a red dress, threw on a down jacket, hugged the little one, and rubbed her cheek against hers.

Tiểu Anh Đào was Sister Zhou’s second child; the eldest was already in junior high. Su Tuantuan hadn’t gone out to buy gifts, so she took the gift box she had prepared at home. Sister Zhou told her not to bring anything, but Su Tuantuan felt it was inappropriate to visit someone empty-handed.

Sister Zhou’s house was lively for the New Year, with four elderly relatives, Sister Zhou’s siblings, and a group of children running around. The room was almost too crowded.

Fortunately, her wife was very amiable. Su Tuantuan initially wanted to help, but the entire family wouldn’t let her. They ate dumplings in the afternoon. When the New Year’s Eve dinner started in the evening, Su Tuantuan had already bonded with Tiểu Anh Đào.

Su Tuantuan handed out all the New Year’s red envelopes. She was glad she had enough. On a day like this, you couldn’t leave the house without twenty or thirty red envelopes in your bag.

Every child and elder received one. Su Tuantuan couldn’t remember what the New Year’s Eve dinner tasted like; she only knew her face was starting to ache from smiling so much. The Spring Festival Gala was on TV. Sister Zhou thoughtfully switched between two channels, fearing they would miss Mo Xian.

Mo Xian’s performance was scheduled for the beginning and the end. She probably couldn’t leave until the gala was over, but her final performance was in City A, so she could at least go home for the New Year.

Su Tuantuan didn’t drink. Towards the end, she was pulled out by the children to play with sparklers. Sister Zhou’s neighborhood was crowded. Fireworks were booming loudly. Su Tuantuan took several photos. Guessing the time was right, she took Tiểu Anh Đào’s hand and returned to Sister Zhou’s house to say goodbye.

Sister Zhou’s relatives were also starting to leave. Su Tuantuan wasn’t fond of handling these social situations. As she left, Sister Zhou handed her a thick red envelope.

“Wishing you great success and continued effort in the new year!”

Sister Zhou held her hand, having high expectations for her. Su Tuantuan smiled and held up her car keys. “I’ll do my best.”

Su Tuantuan drove home alone. The roads were empty, but the red lanterns stretched along every street.

Usually, at this time, the roads would be busy, but today everyone had gone home to rest.

Even the poorest people went home to reunite tonight.

Su Tuantuan parked the car downstairs and lingered, lighting a cigarette inside. Bai Xue called, clearly drunk, ranting and crying into the phone. “Is it easy for me? Why do they look down on me, boohoohoo…”

Su Tuantuan watched Bai Xue’s emotional performance for half an hour before getting out of the car. The elevator was empty. The advertisements were cheerfully loud.

She quietly stepped into the elevator, took out her phone, and checked the time.

It was almost midnight.

She opened WeChat. Many friends had sent messages. Qiao Yanran even sent her a New Year’s red envelope.

She opened Mo Xian’s chat, hesitating whether to ask about her, but accidentally hit the ‘poke’ feature.

Mo Xian’s profile picture vibrated. Su Tuantuan felt a little panicked, unsure how to start a conversation. Mo Xian didn’t respond either.

The elevator arrived. Su Tuantuan stepped out.

She almost bumped into someone and didn’t even have time to react before someone gripped her waist.

Su Tuantuan smelled Mo Xian’s scent, a freshness that came after melted snow.

Outside the window, fireworks exploded in a shower of red light. Mo Xian hugged her tightly. The corridor light flickered from the concussion of the fireworks. Mo Xian whispered in her ear, “Happy New Year, Tuantuan.”