Why Did the Top Alpha Suddenly Stop Acting Out? - Chapter 49

Ye Shuyi pushed the door open and stepped inside, only to find three pairs of eyes fixed on her. She glanced at the trio and frowned. “What’s wrong? Am I late?”

“Not at all.” Xu Chang was the first to react, stepping forward to stand beside Ye Shuyi with a smile. “Perfect timing. They’re about to get started.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the door to the recording studio opened from the inside. The sound engineer stepped out, nodding at everyone present before reminding them, “We’re all set inside. You two can begin whenever you’re ready.”

Yi Qian gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, then extended her hand toward Rou Rou, palm up, in an inviting gesture. Her tone was lazy yet playful. “Let’s go, little cutie.”

“Huh?” Rou Rou froze, her hands instinctively clasped behind her back as she stood stiffly in place, her eyes darting toward her manager in confusion. Both Xu Chang and Ye Shuyi wore nearly identical expressions of mild surprise though the latter also had a frown creasing her brow.

Yi Qian shrugged nonchalantly. “Isn’t the song called ‘No One in the World Could Be Cuter Than You’? I figured I’d get into the mood early. So, you don’t mind me calling you that, right?”

Her gaze dropped, warm and direct, locking onto Rou Rou’s eyes.

Rou Rou averted her gaze, still rooted to the spot. I might not mind, but someone else definitely does like your manager, Senior Yi.

Her thoughts drifted toward Ye Shuyi, who remained standing by the door. Though the woman appeared as cool and composed as ever, Rou Rou inexplicably felt a chill run down her spine.

There was an unspoken, almost magnetic tension between this manager and artist one that outsiders couldn’t casually breach without inviting trouble.

Ye Shuyi exhaled slowly, her breath steadying before she addressed Rou Rou. “I believe stage collaborations require chemistry. The way you two interact should enhance the song’s emotions, and that’s something you both need to discuss and agree on. Rou Rou, even though Yi Qian is your senior, you don’t have to blindly follow her lead. If you have thoughts, voice them. Do you understand what I mean?”

The sharpness in her tone sent a jolt through Rou Rou, who instinctively took half a step back. She nodded hesitantly, her eyes flickering toward Yi Qian’s still-outstretched hand before she made no move to take it.

Yi Qian arched a brow, effortlessly retracting her hand. She cast a leisurely glance at Ye Shuyi before muttering under her breath, “Someone’s awfully chatty today,” and turned toward the recording studio. Yet, the moment she pivoted, the corner of her lips twitched upward only to immediately flatten again, as if she’d caught herself.

Xu Chang, standing slightly to her right with arms crossed, caught every micro-expression. Is rapid-fire facial changes an actor’s secret skill? A dozen expressions in a single second?

Rou Rou exhaled in relief, sparing a quick glance at both managers before hurrying after Yi Qian.

Ye Shuyi tilted her head toward Xu Chang. “How about we grab a drink downstairs first?”

Xu Chang smirked. “Why not?”

As they walked into the recording studio sipping their drinks, the sound engineer happened to pause the music from the control panel. He let out a heavy sigh and said helplessly, “Teacher Yi, may I ask you a question? You do realize this is supposed to be a sweet love song, right?”

Yi Qian nodded expressionlessly.

“Since that’s the case, it’s a sweet love song after all could we try singing it a bit sweeter? With cuter expressions and softer, brighter vocals? This is a song about someone falling head over heels in love, not about heartbreak or unrequited feelings. Do you understand what I’m saying?” the engineer patiently explained.

Ye Shuyi glanced at the engineer sitting by the control panel and nudged Xu Chang beside her with her elbow. After exchanging a look, Xu Chang immediately understood her meaning. She walked over to the engineer and bent down to offer him the drink originally meant for Rou Rou. “Don’t be upset, teacher. Have a sip and let them take a break first.”

The engineer took the drink, glanced at the two behind the glass window, and nodded in agreement. He added earnestly, “A break might be good. Perhaps the managers could explain the meaning of this song to their artists. If they keep singing like this, the audience will only laugh during the live performance.”

With another sigh and shake of his head, he left the recording studio with the drink.

Once the door closed, Xu Chang waved at Rou Rou behind the glass, signaling her to come out.

Rou Rou walked over to her manager with a pout, eyeing the drink in her hand resentfully. “Wasn’t that drink supposed to be mine?”

Xu Chang smiled apologetically and patted her head. “Yes, it was originally yours, but you saw the situation just now. We had to improvise. Are you mad?”

Yi Qian walked past them and leisurely sat down on the sofa behind them, fiddling with her phone. She remarked nonchalantly, “Little Rou Rou, you should be grateful you even got a drink. At least your manager remembers you when she buys herself one. Unlike me, Sigh! Forget about drinks, I don’t even get a free glass of water.”

Xu Chang: “…”

Rou Rou: “…”

Who was she being so sarcastic to with that drawn-out tone?

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously turned to look at Ye Shuyi, who was standing alone to the side. She showed no reaction, as if she hadn’t heard anything, her gaze lowered as she slowly sipped her drink through the straw, lost in thought.

Rou Rou looked away and tugged at Xu Chang’s sleeve.

Understanding, Xu Chang handed her the drink. “Don’t be upset. I’ll buy you another one after work. For now, have some of mine.”

Rou Rou obediently took a few sips before returning it. “You can have the rest. I shouldn’t drink too much lately anyway.”

Xu Chang patted her head affectionately. “Such a good girl. You’re truly my best artist.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Ye Shuyi observed their interaction. Pretending nonchalance, she walked over to stand beside Yi Qian, her back turned as she awkwardly held out her drink toward her.

Xu Chang and Rou Rou glanced at them, then wordlessly moved to the corner together. Xu Chang said earnestly, “Rou Rou, is it because you’ve never been in a relationship that you can’t connect emotionally? Well, I happened to watch a video last night about sweet romance. You should watch it now maybe you’ll gain some new insights.”

The two sat down on a sofa in the farthest corner. Xu Chang pulled out a set of headphones with four earbuds from her bag, plugged them into her tablet, and handed two to Rou Rou. “Rou Rou,” she instructed, “watch carefully and pay attention to the protagonist’s emotions so you can channel those feelings into your singing later.”

“Huh?” Rou Rou shouted loudly with the headphones on. “Chang-jie, what did you say? Speak up, I can’t hear you!”

Xu Chang feigned a sigh, took off Rou Rou’s headphones, and chided, “I said, watch carefully and focus on the protagonist’s emotions so you can record well later.” Her voice gradually rose, emphasizing “record well” as if afraid someone wouldn’t hear.

Rou Rou gave her an “OK” sign. “Got it, I’ll definitely record well later.” She, too, stressed the words “record well.”

Xu Chang nodded approvingly, then put the headphones back on Rou Rou and slipped the other two earbuds into her own ears, focusing intently on the video.

Yi Qian watched them, her lips twitching involuntarily. If they love acting so much, why don’t they switch careers and become actors instead of a manager and a singer…

She calmly averted her gaze, ignoring the drink still held in front of her, and continued scrolling on her phone.

Noticing the lack of response beside her, Ye Shuyi slowly turned around. The other woman was lounging lazily against the sofa, fingers flying across her phone screen, completely ignoring her.

Ye Shuyi took a deep breath, forced a slight smile, and pressed the straw to Yi Qian’s lips, her tone deliberately slow. “Drink or not?”

Yi Qian remained indifferent, turning her face away.

Ye Shuyi straightened, standing still for a moment, her gaze sharpening. After a pause, she took the drink and left the recording studio.

Yi Qian’s casually swinging foot froze midair. She lifted her eyes, following Ye Shuyi’s figure only to see the door close behind her.

An inexplicable irritation surged within her. She absentmindedly spun her phone in her hand, only for it to slip and tumble onto the sofa, landing just out of reach. As she leaned over to grab it, a hand suddenly seized her wrist before she could touch the device.

Before she could even look up to see who it was, she was yanked to her feet. Ye Shuyi, expressionless, dropped a curt “Come with me” and dragged her out without waiting for a response.

The two who had been “deeply engrossed” in their video slowly lifted their heads, catching only a glimpse of Yi Qian being pulled away before the studio door slammed shut with a loud bang.

Rou Rou took off her headphones, staring incredulously at the closed door before voicing her confusion slowly: “Changchang-jie, are your alphas usually this weak? How could Senior Yi be dragged away so easily? I remember I can never pull you around normally.”

Xu Chang affectionately ruffled the back of her head, laughing: “Silly girl, whether someone can be pulled or not depends entirely on whether we want to be pulled.”

“Changchang-jie, are you speaking in riddles? I don’t understand,” Rou Rou turned back to look at the woman behind her with complete bewilderment.

Xu Chang pinched her cheek tenderly: “It’s fine if you don’t understand now. I’ll make sure you understand later.”

Rou Rou nodded obediently, then her expression turned worried as she looked back at the tightly shut recording studio door, frowning: “They won’t get into a fight, will they? Their atmosphere has been tense these past few days.”

After a pause, Rou Rou suddenly stood up with determination: “No, I need to check on them. If they start fighting, Manager Ye would be at such a disadvantage.”

Before she could take two steps, her wrist was caught by the person behind her, pulling her backward. Losing her footing, her body lost balance completely as she fell backward.

Instinctively, she used her free hand to cover her head.

But the expected pain never came. Instead, she landed softly in someone’s embrace.

Her brain seemed to reboot momentarily before she slowly turned to see Xu Chang holding her securely in her arms.

Xu Chang smiled, flicking her nose playfully: “Did the fall make you dumb?”

Rou Rou finally processed what happened, wrinkling her nose as she wrapped her arms around Xu Chang’s neck fearfully: “Changchang-jie, thank goodness you were behind me, otherwise my head would’ve cracked open like an egg! Wuwu, I love you Changchang-jie wuwu…”

Xu Chang paused briefly at these words before smiling self-deprecatingly. One arm wrapped around Rou Rou’s waist while the other gently stroked her hair as she said tenderly: “Silly, as long as I’m here, I’d never let you get hurt.”

After two tearless sniffles, Rou Rou seemed to suddenly remember something and sat up abruptly in her embrace: “Why did you stop me? Manager Ye might,  mmm”

“Shh…” Before she could finish, Xu Chang pressed a finger against her lips, amusement reaching her eyes: “Dummy, just like I’d never let you get hurt, Yi Qian would never bear to hurt Manager Ye either, let alone fight with her.”

Rou Rou blinked in confusion: “Why?” Then her pupils dilated slightly as if realizing something, “You don’t think all artists are as obedient to their managers as I am, do you? Haven’t you seen Yi Qian’s previous scandals? Manager Ye is her twenty-ninth manager! Twenty-ninth!”

She even held up both hands, one showing two fingers, the other nine, as if afraid Xu Chang wouldn’t understand the gravity.

Xu Chang found her emphatic display adorable, pressing both hands down with a helpless smile: “I know. But even if you rushed over, what could your tiny frame do to help Manager Ye?”

“That’s why I was going to drag you along,” Rou Rou said, trying to pull her up, only to find herself firmly restrained in the other’s embrace instead.

Xu Chang wrapped her arms around Rou Rou’s waist, fingers interlaced, holding her close in an embrace. After a moment’s hesitation, she coaxed, “How about this, we’ll wait five more minutes. If they still haven’t come back by then, we’ll go check, okay?”

Rou Rou rested her chin on her hand, considering the suggestion before nodding in agreement. Then she glanced down at their position and frowned. “Put me down. Isn’t it tiring to hold me like this?”

Xu Chang shook her head, not loosening her grip. Instead, she leaned her forehead against Rou Rou and murmured softly, “Not at all. Rou Rou is so warm and I’m a little cold. Let me hold you a little longer.”

Meanwhile!

Ye Shuyi dragged Yi Qian into the restroom across from the recording studio, pushing her inside before following and locking the door behind them. She guided Yi Qian to sit on the closed toilet lid, took a sip of her drink, then set the bottle aside on a nearby shelf. Without warning, she pressed her lips to Yi Qian’s, feeding the drink directly into her mouth.

The entire sequence was so fluid that Yi Qian barely had time to react, her mind still floating in a daze. When the liquid slipped past her lips, she swallowed instinctively.

Gulp, gulp!

Once the last drop was transferred, Ye Shuyi lifted her head, tilting Yi Qian’s chin up with her fingers. A trickle of the drink had escaped the corner of her mouth, trailing down her jawline. Just as it was about to drip, Ye Shuyi’s gaze flickered with mischief. She lowered her head again, her tongue darting out to catch the stray droplet.

The soft brush of her tongue sent a shiver across Yi Qian’s skin, her pupils dilating slightly in response.

Satisfied, Ye Shuyi curved her lips into a smirk before straddling Yi Qian’s lap. Her fingertips traced Yi Qian’s lips as she purred, voice laced with temptation, “First, you sulk when I don’t buy you a drink. Then, when I do, you act all picky. What, did you need me to feed you like this? Happy now?”

She leaned in closer, their faces nearly touching, her words wrapping around Yi Qian like silk. “I wasn’t even going to humor you earlier, but,  then I remembered how much you seem to love it when I take control. Just like in high school, when I’d corner you at your desk after class. Sure, you’d always act annoyed maybe you were, at first. But don’t think I didn’t notice. At some point, you started smiling when you thought I wasn’t looking. Am I wrong?”

Her hands slid behind Yi Qian’s neck, resting on her shoulders as she caged her in. Her lips ghosted over the corner of Yi Qian’s mouth, her cheek, the edge of her eye.

“How long are you going to keep giving me the cold shoulder? Hmm?”

The last syllable curled with a quiet melancholy.

Then, finally, her lips met Yi Qian’s, sucking gently at her upper lip, nipping at the lower, as if she wasn’t kissing her but luring her in, coaxing her to take the lead.

And just as she hoped, Yi Qian soon gave in. One hand gripped Ye Shuyi’s waist, the other cradled the back of her head, pulling her into a deep, fervent kiss.

The temperature in the bathroom seemed to rise rapidly as their bodies pressed tightly together, lost in passionate entanglement. Yi Qian’s hand moved from the back of Ye Shuyi’s head down to her neck, fingers idly kneading the sensitive skin before suddenly settling on the most delicate spot. With just the slightest pressure from her fingertips there, Ye Shuyi couldn’t help but part her lips slightly and tilt her head back with a gasp.

Seizing the opportunity, Yi Qian’s tongue teased her lower lip before her teeth sank decisively into the soft flesh inside. The metallic tang of blood soon filled their mouths.

“Ah!” Ye Shuyi winced in pain and tried to push away, but Yi Qian seemed to anticipate her move. The hands at her neck and waist only tightened their grip, as if trying to meld their bodies together.

“Mmm!  A-Qian!”

Usually during intimate moments, calling her “A-Qian” would make the other woman pause to check on her. But not this time. The moment Ye Shuyi’s lips managed to pull away slightly, Yi Qian chased after them relentlessly.

Perhaps the desire to escape brought back a shred of rationality. When their lips met again, beyond the taste of blood, Ye Shuyi detected something else, a salty flavor that grew stronger until it overwhelmed the metallic taste. At some point, the saltiness seeped into the bite wound, sending sharp stings of pain through her lip.

Opening her eyes slowly, Ye Shuyi was stunned to find Yi Qian’s face streaked with silent tears. Her body froze.

She wanted to raise a hand to wipe those tears away, but her heart suddenly clenched as if gripped by an invisible fist. The pain was so intense that tears spilled uncontrollably from her own eyes, leaving her paralyzed.

Why did it hurt so much? Why this unbearable agony?

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Just as Ye Shuyi felt she might suffocate from the pain, sharp raps on the bathroom door shattered the moment. Rou Rou’s worried voice called from outside: “Senior Yi? Agent Ye? Are you in there? Is everything okay?”

The urgent knocking and calls instantly snapped both women back to reality. Their eyes met simultaneously as they pulled apart.

Cradling Yi Qian’s face in her hands, Ye Shuyi saw the glistening tear tracks on her porcelain skin like scars left by scalding tears. Those clear eyes still shone with deep affection, yet held unfathomable sorrow beneath.

Before she could speak, Yi Qian suddenly rested her forehead against Ye Shuyi’s shoulder, voice icy: “Ye Shuyi, stop tempting me like this. I don’t know if you’ll feel the pain later. I only know that what you’re doing now will make my suffering worse when the time comes.”

“When the time? mmph!”

Ye Shuyi wanted to ask, what time? Why had Yi Qian been speaking in riddles these past days? Why wouldn’t she let her explain? But Yi Qian’s hand clamped firmly over her mouth before she could continue, as if terrified of what she might say.

Forehead pressed to hers, Yi Qian whispered calmly, “Don’t speak. And when you leave, don’t say anything to me either.” A pause. Then with emphasis: “Absolutely nothing at all.”

She finished speaking, pushed Ye Shuyi aside, stood up, and walked to the sink to wash her face.

Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, she confirmed that her condition wasn’t as bad as she had feared. Only then did she open the door just in time to see Rou Rou raising her hand, about to knock again. When Rou Rou spotted her, her hand froze mid-air, her expression slightly awkward. The clenched fist loosened into an open palm as she waved, feigning composure. “Hey, Senior Yi, you and Manager Ye, everything okay?”

Yi Qian glanced up at Xu Chang standing behind her, who was tilting her head trying to peek inside, then shrugged slightly before stepping out and closing the bathroom door. “It’s nothing. Agent Ye helped me get into the mood of the song, but we both got a bit too immersed and ended up lingering inside for a while.”

“Let’s go back to recording,” Yi Qian said, tilting her head slightly toward the bathroom door. “She hasn’t snapped out of it yet, let her calm down on her own.”

Rou Rou exchanged a glance with her agent before nodding in agreement.

The three of them headed back to the recording studio together. Yi Qian paused briefly, looking back at the tightly shut bathroom door, then followed.

Xu Chang sat on the sofa in the recording studio, watching the two behind the glass sing earnestly over and over, only for the sound engineer to remain unsatisfied each time.

Their singing was interrupted again as the engineer sighed heavily, frustration simmering but unvoiced. “Teacher Yi, I really, really don’t think you’re in the right state to sing this song right now. Maybe, you should take some time to sort out your emotions? We can try again tonight?”

Xu Chang glanced at Yi Qian, then at the closed studio door, wondering if she should check on Ye Shuyi.

Just as she was about to stand, the studio door slowly opened, drawing everyone’s attention.

Ye Shuyi stood in the doorway, scanning the room with an indifferent expression. “Finished recording?”

The engineer shook his head mechanically, repeating his earlier suggestion. “I recommend both agents take their artists back to adjust their moods this afternoon. I’m free tonight if you’d like to try again then.”

Hearing this, Ye Shuyi lifted her gaze to Yi Qian, who was already looking at her. Their eyes met briefly before Yi Qian calmly averted her gaze and spoke into the mic, her voice echoing through the studio. “Let’s do one more take. I think I’m ready now.”

The engineer glanced back at Yi Qian, then at Ye Shuyi by the door. She gave a slight nod, conveying absolute trust in her artist. “Believe her. If she says she can do it, then she can.”

Nodding, the engineer swiveled his chair back toward the glass booth, putting his headphones back on. “Get ready, starting in five seconds.”

He raised a hand, counting down by folding his fingers one by one.

Ye Shuyi walked in and took a seat beside Xu Chang.

Leaning in, Xu Chang whispered, “You okay?”

Ye Shuyi met her eyes briefly before shaking her head faintly.

Xu Chang gave a small nod and didn’t press further.

The two agents focused on the pair singing behind the glass.

The studio fell silent except for the sweet harmonies and playful interactions between the two singers.

Ye Shuyi looked away, her gaze landing on the engineer by the console. He swayed slightly in his chair, clearly pleased with the recording this time.

Then he paused, as if suddenly remembering something, stopped swaying, and rolled his chair to the console, fiddling with the controls.

Suddenly, voices from the two people inside the recording booth filled the studio. Yi Qian’s deep, doting tone blended with Rou Rou’s soft, gentle voice that lived up to her name, infinitely tender yet playfully cute. When their voices harmonized, the air seemed to shimmer with pink heart bubbles.

The sound engineer turned to face the two managers, swaying slightly to the rhythm with visible enjoyment. “This is exactly the feeling I wanted,” they said cheerfully, clearly satisfied.

As the music neared its end, Ye Shuyi watched through the glass as the woman inside reached out to stroke Rou Rou’s hair. With a detached glance, she turned to Xu Chang beside her and said, “I’m leaving first.”

Without hesitation, she stood up and walked out of the recording studio.

Xu Chang looked up just in time to see Yi Qian’s gaze following Ye Shuyi’s retreating figure. She shook her head slightly and sighed silently.

Why bother?

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