Why Did the Top Alpha Suddenly Stop Acting Out? - Chapter 37.1

[SK Official Club: Tomorrow at 3 PM, the club will host its final sprint race before the New Year. As this is a private invitation-only event, it will not be open to the public for free. Fans who wish to attend in person can purchase tickets via the link below. Entry will be ticket-based. A preview of the participating racers will be announced shortly.]

[“Chi Yi! Chi Yi must compete!”

“No Ye Shuyi and Song Kechi? Refund the tickets!”

…]

On the set of Unrequited in the Dark, Yi Qian sat leisurely in her rest area, legs crossed, reclining against the chair. She scrolled through comments flooded with “Song Kechi & Ye Shuyi” and “ChiYi CP,” her lips twitching involuntarily. She glanced up at Ye Shuyi, who was working nearby.

Sensing the gaze, Ye Shuyi looked up.

Yi Qian calmly averted her eyes and continued browsing. The SK official account had just posted its first announcement about the racers. Unlike previous posts that simply tagged the racers with a caption, this one included a special poster.

The sight of the duo on the poster inexplicably offended her…

In the image, Ye Shuyi and Song Kechi sat together on a motorcycle, the latter’s chin resting on the former’s shoulder, arms wrapped around her waist, their smiles sweetly intimate.

It was unbearably grating.

Was the club announcing some romantic couple?

[“The official account gets us, hehehe.”

“Ahhh!!! Just for this thoughtful gesture, the tickets are worth it!!”

“I’m obsessed with Chi Yi, I’m crazy for Chi Yi, I’ll conquer the track for Chi Yi!”

“Waiting for the Chi Yi wives to set the track ablaze tomorrow!”]

Wives?

Yi Qian’s lips and eyes twitched simultaneously. She took a deep breath, switched back to her chat with Fang Xin, who had forwarded the announcement earlier and typed rapidly:

[Two tasks:

1.

Find out who’s backing this event. Immediately.

2.

Book the best racing club’s morning slot for me tomorrow.]

Fang Xin replied promptly:

[…]

[Am I your private detective or your personal secretary?]

Yi Qian smirked and typed:

[No time for roleplay. I’ve got filming. We’ll talk at your place tonight.]

The next day, the sky was overcast, the air chilly but snowless, the sun occasionally peeking through the clouds.

Around 2 PM, a sleek pink sports car pulled up leisurely outside the film set. Staff passing by couldn’t help but glance curiously.

A bespectacled worker nudged the long-haired girl beside her and whispered, “Since joining this crew, it’s either luxury cars or stunning women. Makes the job feel less exhausting.”

The girl nodded fervently. “Right? Eye candy everywhere. Who knows what surprise awaits next?”

They unconsciously slowed their movements as they spoke, waiting to see what surprise would emerge from the pink luxury car.

But after waiting for quite a while, no one stepped out of the vehicle.

Left with no choice, they picked up their props and headed inside.

What they didn’t know was that the moment they entered, a sleek black sports car pulled up behind them.

Song Kechi stepped out, dressed in black that perfectly matched the car’s hue, a black velvet shirt tucked into tailored black trousers, exuding elegance with a hint of roguish charm. A long black wool coat draped down to her calves, accentuating her graceful neckline and statuesque figure.

She was practically a walking clothes hanger.

Inside the pink sports car, Fang Xin swallowed hard as she watched the woman step out.

She had to admit this smooth-talking older woman was stunning, an absolute knockout.

At least when it came to looks, she hadn’t misjudged.

Lost in thought, her gaze unconsciously followed the woman’s movements. When she saw her heading toward the studio entrance, a sudden voice echoed in her mind:

You’re not here to drool over her beauty, you’re here to stop her from meeting Ye Shuyi.

That was the reminder Yi Qian had left her with the night before.

As childhood friends who had grown up together, Yi Qian knew all too well just how much of a flirt Fang Xin was. She had hoped three years abroad in high school might have tempered that, but clearly not. The moment she saw Fang Xin’s reaction upon first meeting Song Kechi, she knew this girl hadn’t changed one bit.

Snapping back to reality, Fang Xin flung open the car door and called out, “Song Kechi, wait up!”

Hearing her name, Song Kechi paused and turned just as Fang Xin grabbed her arm.

Fang Xin’s face was flushed, her breath slightly uneven.

Glancing at the distance she had run, Song Kechi clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Kid, your stamina’s lacking. Getting winded from such a short sprint?”

Fang Xin took a deep breath, steadying herself before meeting the other woman’s gaze with a nonchalant shrug. “I like it this way.”

Song Kechi nodded thoughtfully, lifting her captured arm with a lazy smirk. “So?”

Fang Xin blinked, cheeks warming as she struggled for an explanation.

Song Kechi watched her for a moment before turning her face away to hide an amused smile. Who still blushes when nervous these days? How adorable.

Clearing her throat, she turned back. When Fang Xin remained silent, she prompted with a soft, “Hm?”

A whirlwind of thoughts raced through Fang Xin’s mind, but only Yi Qian’s repeated warning stuck: Don’t tell Song Kechi,  I sent you.

…Then how was she supposed to explain this? Song Kechi was sharp, she’d probably figure it out… right?

Before she could finish the thought, Song Kechi chuckled and cut straight to the chase. “Yi Qian put you up to this, didn’t she?”

“Wow, you really are—” so smart.

Mid-praise, Fang Xin caught herself and abruptly switched gears, admitting breezily as if flipping a mask, “Well, since you already know, you must realize why I’m here?”

If she guessed it, then it wasn’t Fang Xin’s fault for revealing anything.

Song Kechi dipped her chin. “To stop me from meeting Shuyi.”

Fang Xin nodded approvingly with a “this pupil is worth teaching” expression.

“But have you considered,” Song Kechi said, “that even if she doesn’t go with me, she could go by herself? And no one could stop her.”

“Who said we’re stopping her from…” Fang Xin began, then abruptly covered her mouth and changed tack. “That’s none of your concern. Just don’t go looking for her.”

Song Kechi narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms curiously. “I’d like to know, what would you do if I insisted on seeing her?”

The atmosphere instantly turned deathly silent. Fang Xin’s body seemed to freeze on the spot.

Apparently, she hadn’t thought of a countermeasure. Song Kechi mused to herself how someone could wear all their thoughts so plainly on their face, it made them ridiculously easy to read.

Yet somehow… it was oddly endearing.

As the two stood in silent stalemate, two workers passed by carrying a large pane of glass. Out of the corner of her eye, Song Kechi noticed one worker’s hand slip, causing the glass to wobble dangerously right toward her position.

Without thinking, she immediately pulled the person in front of her into a protective embrace and turned away. But the expected impact never came.

Turning back, she saw the worker had steadied the glass and was profusely apologizing. “So sorry! Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s fine,” Song Kechi replied coolly. “Be more careful next time.”

“Of course, of course,” the worker said as they moved away. Song Kechi watched their retreating figures with slight concern.

“Can you let go now?”

A cautious voice came from within her arms. Looking down, Song Kechi saw Fang Xin gazing up at her, eyes sparkling like they held entire galaxies, mesmerizing anyone who met her gaze.

Thump-thump… Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated wildly.

“What’s wrong?” Fang Xin asked again when she didn’t respond.

“Oh.” Song Kechi released her abruptly, springing back a full meter. She shoved her slightly trembling hands into her pockets, avoiding direct eye contact.

Unaware of her odd behavior, Fang Xin smoothed her hair and declared with forced bravado, “Don’t think just because you protected me that I’ll… stop trying to block you.”

Seeing her blustering act, Song Kechi pressed her lips together to suppress a smile, feigning nonchalance. “So?”

“So what?” Fang Xin blinked, confused.

Normally, Song Kechi considered herself intolerant of foolishness having to explain something twice would irritate her immensely. Yet now, faced with this person’s obvious stupidity, she found it inexplicably… adorable.

The corner of her mouth twitched upward before she quickly schooled her expression. Patiently, she repeated, “So if I insist on finding Shuyi, what will you do?”

Fang Xin froze again, her mind scrambling to produce the answer she’d failed to devise earlier.

This time, however, inspiration struck quickly.

Remembering their previous exchange, Fang Xin declared with unjustified confidence, “If you remain obstinate, then I won’t treat you to that ice cream I promised earlier.”

“Wow, that serious?” Song Kechii put on an exaggerated look of regret, slightly furrowing her brows as if weighing the importance.

Fang Xin, irritated by the other’s obviously over-the-top reaction, couldn’t help but feel annoyed. She emphasized, “Don’t act like it’s no big deal. I’ve never treated anyone else to ice cream before not even Yi Qian!”

“Oh, really?” Song Kechi responded mildly, though internally, her emotions were already in turmoil.

If this had been just a few minutes earlier, her exaggerated reaction would indeed have been put on. But now, she genuinely felt this was a serious matter. After all, if Fang Xin didn’t treat her to ice cream, she wouldn’t know what excuse to use next time to ask her out.

And more importantly, she was the first person Fang Xin had ever offered ice cream to, how meaningful was that?

As she thought about it, Song Kechi couldn’t help but chuckle. Why did she suddenly feel so childish, caring about firsts and seconds like this?

Fang Xin, seeing the other’s seemingly “mocking” smile, felt an inexplicable anger rise, though instead of exploding, she became eerily calm, her tone icy. “Whether you care about my ice cream or not, I’m not letting you in to see her.”

Song Kechi watched the person across from her, clearly fuming but pretending to be composed, and curled her lips slightly. Coaxingly, she said, “I think ice cream is more important than seeing Shuyi, so I’ll obediently go with you.”

“Really?” Fang Xin’s eyes suddenly sparkled, shining brightly as she looked at her.

Song Kechi smiled gently and nodded. “But…”

“I knew there’d be a condition.” Before she could finish, Fang Xin cut her off, generously offering a solution. “Besides ice cream, I’ll treat you to cake too. I know a bakery with the most amazing cakes, I’ll let you in on the secret.”

Song Kechi was momentarily stunned. She had only meant to say she needed to head to the competition venue, but now she was unexpectedly being rewarded with desserts.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll find you when I have time,” Song Kechi agreed cheerfully.

What she didn’t say was that she actually didn’t like sweets.

Fang Xin snapped her fingers, her smile bright and adorable, and patted her chest. “Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”

Song Kechi clenched her hands in her pockets, resisting the urge to ruffle the other’s head, and forcefully changed the subject. “I need to head to the competition venue now. Are you coming with me?”

Fang Xin nodded. According to plan, she was supposed to go there anyway.

“You go first. I’ll catch up later.”

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