Why Did the Top Alpha Suddenly Stop Acting Out? - Chapter 54

Yi Qian stared at her for a long moment before speaking slowly, “Does this mean,  we’re reconciled now?”

Ye Shuyi’s chopsticks paused mid-air as time seemed to freeze in the silent river of moments.

Yi Qian watched her unblinkingly, noticing her hesitation. The light in her eyes dimmed slightly as she reached out to grasp Ye Shuyi’s hand, offering understanding. “It’s okay. I know I acted terribly before, so it’s natural if you can’t trust me right away. If I were you. I probably wouldn’t be able to accept it either.”

Reconciliation might just be a matter of words, but beneath the surface lay countless things that still needed to be worked through and confirmed.

Yi Qian understood the doubts lingering in Ye Shuyi’s heart.

“I can accept it if we don’t officially get back together right now. As long as you stay by my side, you can watch how I act from now on, see if I mean what I say. Once all your doubts are gone, we can talk about this again.”

“Would that be okay?”

Ye Shuyi looked at her, gratitude shimmering in her eyes, and nodded slightly.

“Then,  you’ll stay with me, right?” Yi Qian tightened her grip on Ye Shuyi’s hand, speaking slowly. “At least during this time,  you won’t leave me again, will you?”

“If your actions truly match your words, I’ll stay by your side.” Ye Shuyi paused, her brow furrowing slightly as she added solemnly, “Wait for me, Yi Qian. I don’t ever want to say the word ‘breakup’ to you again.”

“If we get back together, I want this time to last a lifetime.”

Yi Qian reached out to ruffle her hair and nodded. “Okay, I’ll wait for you.”

“Eat first. I’ll go change, and then we’ll head to rehearsal.”

Ye Shuyi gave a small nod.

After leaving the dining area, Yi Qian returned to her room and tidied up the remnants on the bed before changing her clothes.

When she stepped out, Ye Shuyi was already waiting by the entrance of the living room. Hearing the movement, she turned around and froze.

The outfit Yi Qian was wearing was unmistakably a couple’s set, perfectly matching the one Ye Shuyi had on. The red heart on Yi Qian’s left collar and the heartbeat symbol between the second and third buttons were identical except Yi Qian’s version was black.

“Looks good, doesn’t it?” Yi Qian’s eyes sparkled with smug delight. “I had these custom-made for us.”

“You, we just—” Ye Shuyi was momentarily at a loss for words.

With a grin, Yi Qian walked over and wrapped her arms around Ye Shuyi’s waist. “Even if you’re still unsure about us right now, I’m certain we’ll be together in the future. Just think of this as…” She paused. “Letting me get a head start on the couple-outfit experience?”

“No!” Ye Shuyi refused without hesitation, pushing her away with a frown. “Even if we were officially together, we couldn’t wear this. We’re going to work to rehearse not on a date.”

As one of the biggest stars of the moment, Yi Qian’s every move was under intense scrutiny. If they dared to show up like this today, Ye Shuyi was certain their names would dominate entertainment headlines within half an hour.

“But…” Yi Qian frowned, trying to persuade her, but before she could finish, Ye Shuyi interrupted.

“There are no buts, Yi Qian. Unless you want to ruin your career over this.” Ye Shuyi stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her waist, coaxing, “Be good, we don’t have to rush this, okay? We have our whole future ahead of us.”

Yi Qian fell silent for a moment, then mumbled, “I’ll be good and listen to you, but you have to kiss me.”

As soon as the words left her lips, a cool kiss pressed against them. Ye Shuyi reached up to pat her head, continuing to coax, “Good girl, go change. If you don’t want to, I can change instead.”

If Yi Qian had a tail at that moment, it would have been wagging wildly. She shook her head, nuzzling against Ye Shuyi’s neck like a big dog craving affection, and murmured, “I’ll go change. I’ll do it right away.”

On the way to the rehearsal venue, Ye Shuyi drove while a pair of eyes remained fixed on her, unwavering.

Ye Shuyi glanced at the rearview mirrors before stealing a look at her, lips curling helplessly. “How long are you going to keep staring at me like this? Aren’t your eyes tired?”

Yi Qian didn’t even shift her gaze when she shook her head, answering earnestly, “I don’t know. Maybe until I have no choice but to close them.”

Ye Shuyi: “…”

Just then, they hit a red light. The car slowed to a stop, and Ye Shuyi reached over to pinch Yi Qian’s cheeks, equally serious. “What’s so interesting about me? Why not look at the scenery outside?”

Yi Qian caught her hands, pressing them against her own face, and shook her head with utmost sincerity. “I am admiring the scenery my whole world, the most beautiful view in it.”

Ye Shuyi pulled her hands free to lightly pinch Yi Qian’s nose, chuckling. “Are you practicing tongue twisters on me?”

Yi Qian took her hand and gave it a playful bite, as if punishing her. “No. It’s a heartfelt confession.”

Ye Shuyi sighed, shaking her head before fixing her with a firm look. “You can say whatever you want when it’s just the two of us. But when others are around like during the rehearsal later.” She paused, emphasizing her words, “You have to act normal. No staring at me, no strange behavior, and definitely no acting like we’ve suddenly become best friends.”

“Why?” Yi Qian’s expression instantly turned pitiful, as if she’d been deeply wronged. “Can’t we show that we get along? That way, all those rumors online about us not getting along will disappear on their own.”

Ye Shuyi arched a brow. “You call those rumors?”

Yi Qian pouted even more. “Fine, they’re not. But that was an accident! Things are completely different now.”

“You’re right, but think about it.” Ye Shuyi reminded her. “The way you acted the day before yesterday made it seem like I was your sworn enemy. If you suddenly turn into an obedient puppy, won’t people find it weird?”

“Can’t we just ignore what they think? Their opinions don’t matter,” Yi Qian argued just as seriously.

“No, the issue isn’t them. The problem is that we were also filmed that day, and the video is still trending on the hot search list,” Ye Shuyi said with some frustration.

She didn’t want netizens speculating about their relationship, leading to all sorts of messy rumors or problems. For now, maintaining their current status was undoubtedly the best at least it wouldn’t have any substantial impact on either of them. But if netizens caught wind of something suspicious and dug up random gossip about her or Yi Qian, things could quickly spiral out of control.

Yi Qian, looking completely unaware, took out her phone and checked the trending list. Sure enough, just as Ye Shuyi had said, their names were still “proudly” sitting at the top.

[If things have already reached this point, shouldn’t the manager have resigned and fled thousands of miles away by now? Why is she still so “dedicated to her job”?]

[If this isn’t love~]

[Beauty Ye, quickly leave that scumbag Alpha Yi Qian! My embrace is soft and warm, come here, come here~]

Yi Qian scoffed at the last comment, then instantly switched to a pitiful expression as she turned to the person in the driver’s seat. “Baby, so many of your fans are fantasizing about you. Can’t we just announce our relationship already?”

Ye Shuyi lightly flicked her forehead with a curled finger. “Stop talking nonsense. Don’t get jealous over things you can’t even see or touch. Remember what I just told you.”

Yi Qian mumbled under her breath, “What do you mean ‘can’t see or touch’? Jealousy is just jealousy.”

As she spoke, her fingers flew across her phone screen. She switched to a rarely used alternate account and replied to the comment fantasizing about Ye Shuyi:

[Back off, back off!! Yi-Ye supremacy Yi-Ye supremacy Yi-Ye SUPREMACY!!! Ye Shuyi MUST belong to Yi Qian! MUST!]

Her comment quickly received replies:

[Hahahaha! I’m dying, those exaggerated exclamation marks this person is definitely the head of Yi Qian and Ye Shuyi’s CP fan club.]

Yi Qian raised an eyebrow at the response, an unconscious look of pride crossing her face. Of course I am. Ye Shuyi has to be my wife, none of you even think about it.

Ye Shuyi glanced at her through the rearview mirror and frowned in warning. “You’d better not be pulling any ‘accidental likes’ stunts with your account.”

Yi Qian put her phone away with satisfaction and grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

What kind of decent person would resort to sneaky tricks? She always replied openly, it’s just that no one online would know it was her,  that’s all.

The two arrived at the rehearsal venue together. As soon as they entered, Rou Rou was the first to rush over, concerned about Yi Qian’s condition. The staff in the venue quickly noticed Yi Qian’s arrival and crowded around to check on her, pushing Ye Shuyi to the outskirts of the group.

Xu Chang leisurely walked over to Ye Shuyi with her arms crossed, a meaningful look in her eyes. “So, you two came together today.”

Ye Shuyi watched the person surrounded by the crowd, her gaze soft and indifferent. “Is there a problem? Didn’t you pick up Rou Rou?”

Xu Chang nodded knowingly, her eyes gentle as she looked at the person in the center of the commotion, but she said nothing more.

Meanwhile.

The director squeezed through the crowd and approached Yi Qian, patting her shoulder with a smile. “Young people really do recover fast. Impressive.”

Yi Qian curved her lips into a smile. “Thank you for your concern, Director.”

“How about it?” The chief director stated his purpose for coming over. “Do you still want to try the treadmill stage design?”

Yi Qian looked up to find Ye Shuyi’s figure. She spotted her standing in a dim corner of the stage, giving a slight shake of her head. Receiving her agent’s signal, Yi Qian also shook her head at the director and smiled. “Director, as the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. It hasn’t even been ten days for me yet, and with the official performance the day after tomorrow, time is too tight. Let’s stick to the original rehearsal plan.”

The chief director nodded understandingly. “Then we’ll proceed as originally planned. Get ready now, we can start immediately.” He then called out to the staff gathered nearby, “Alright everyone, back to your positions. Prepare for work.”

The staff responded enthusiastically, full of energy. Unfortunately, the rehearsal didn’t go smoothly.

“Cut, cut!” The chief director repeatedly halted the rehearsal. He stepped onto the stage and patiently said, “Yi Qian, are you still not fully recovered? Why do you keep getting distracted and glancing offstage? This is a sweet love song, your focus should be on your partner, not elsewhere, okay?”

Seeing the chief director step onto the stage, Ye Shuyi followed him up. After he finished speaking, she said, “Director, could you give everyone a five-minute break? Let me talk to her.”

The chief director frowned but nodded in agreement.

Ye Shuyi glanced coolly at Yi Qian, her expression blank and her tone stern. “Come with me.”

Yi Qian hung her head like a scolded puppy and obediently followed behind Ye Shuyi.

Two nearby staff members couldn’t help but huddle together at the sight.

A buzz-cut guy sighed. “The tension between those two is so thick you could cut it with a knife.” He glanced at another pair nearby, Xu Chang and Rou Rou, an agent and artist duo and shook his head. “Look at those two, so adorable. Tsk, beauty is beauty, but when she turns cold, it’s terrifying.”

The girl beside him disagreed. “I think Agent Ye is just putting on an act. Look at Yi Qian’s behavior would the Yi Qian from two days ago ever admit fault so meekly? And now? Acting like her agent rules the world. Tskk! They’re definitely faking it.”

The guy seemed not to hear her, muttering to himself, “Sigh, looks like my ship has sunk.”

The girl shot him a disgusted look and smacked the back of his head without hesitation, snapping, “Sunk what sunk? Shut your mouth! Those two are absolutely real! Absolutely!”

Meanwhile, Ye Shuyi walked coldly to an empty corner backstage.

As soon as she stopped, someone pressed up against her from behind, wrapping their arms around her waist and asking cautiously, “Are you really mad?”

Ye Shuyi stayed silent for a moment before replying calmly, “What did you promise me this morning?”

Yi Qian lowered her head, resting her forehead on Ye Shuyi’s shoulder like a guilty child, mumbling, “To behave and not look at you during rehearsal.”

“So,” Ye Shuyi raised an eyebrow, “you just ignored it? If you keep this up, I think it’s better if I leave right now.”

“No.” Yi Qian tightened her embrace as she spoke, lifting her head to rest her chin on the other’s shoulder, obediently admitting her mistake. “I’m sorry, baby. I know I was wrong. I’ll definitely do better later.”

Silence,  A deathly silence.

Seeing her reaction, Yi Qian felt a surge of panic. She moved around to face her, kissed the corner of her lips, and apologized again: “I really know I was wrong. Don’t be angry, okay? I promise I’ll do better later, and I won’t act like this again.”

The person in her arms remained silent.

Yi Qian lowered her head to nuzzle her nose, continuing to coax her: “Okay? I promise there won’t be a next time.”

Ye Shuyi looked at her for a moment before wrapping her arms around Yi Qian’s waist, pressing her face against her collarbone. Her tone was calm and composed: “Yi Qian, I can understand you because I feel the same way, I want to stick to you every moment, to always be aware of you.”

“But we can’t do that, can we? If we spend every day idling around together, sooner or later, we’ll grow bored with life and tired of each other. Occasional small separations in life are what bring endless surprises, aren’t they?”

“Like the fruit tastes sweeter after hard work.”

“Do you understand?”

The atmosphere fell into silence, broken only by the occasional footsteps and chatter of the crew from the hallway.

Yi Qian rested her chin on the top of Ye Shuyi’s head, gently stroking the back of her hair, her tone earnest: “I understand.”

When they returned to the stage, the rehearsal went exceptionally smoothly, completing the entire routine flawlessly in one go.

As the final notes of the accompaniment faded, the director led the applause, saying with satisfaction, “Excellent, Yi Qian, Rou Rou. If you perform like this during the New Year’s Eve show, it’ll be perfect.”

Rou Rou responded loudly, “Got it, Director! I’ll keep working hard.”

In contrast, Yi Qian merely said coolly, “No problem here.”

Stepping off the stage, Yi Qian immediately headed toward Ye Shuyi, who stood in the dimly lit area, raising her arms as if for a hug, only to be stopped by a single glance from Ye Shuyi.

Yi Qian instantly deflated, her raised hand moving to rub the back of her own head instead as she walked past Ye Shuyi with practiced nonchalance. “Let’s go. Time to head back.”

Ye Shuyi didn’t follow immediately. Instead, she approached the director to exchange a few polite words before finally leaving the venue.

By the time she stepped outside, the sky had darkened completely.

A handful of bright stars dotted the night sky, mingling with the streetlights below that shone like miniature moons.

It was a beautiful evening.

Ye Shuyi walked past Yi Qian, who was waiting by the entrance. “Come on, I’ll drive you back.”

Yi Qian raised an eyebrow and followed closely behind. The moment Ye Shuyi reached for the driver’s side door, Yi Qian swiftly snatched the car keys from her hand and slipped into the seat with lightning speed.

Ye Shuyi rested her hand on the door frame, arching a brow at her.

“I’ll drive today,” Yi Qian said, looking up at her. Her light-colored eyes reflected the scattered stars behind Ye Shuyi, making them gleam brilliantly. “You’ve been standing there for so long, you must be exhausted. So I’ll take the wheel.”

“?”

She had just been standing there. No matter how tired she was, surely it couldn’t compare to someone who had performed multiple times?

Seeing her standing there motionless in confusion, Yi Qian reached out to pinch her waist and nudged her forward. “Don’t just stand there dumbly, get in the car.”

Ye Shuyi frowned, sensing this person was up to something, but she still took the passenger seat.

No sooner had she settled in than a shadow loomed over her. She instinctively leaned back.

Yi Qian’s lips curled as her gaze lingered on the face before her, her words silky: “Why did you close your eyes? What did you think I was going to do?”

With a click, the seatbelt fastened.

Ye Shuyi furrowed her brows and kept her eyes shut, playing dead.

Another click sounded, and then soft lips pressed against hers light pecks at first, until a hand cradled her neck, tilting her head to deepen the kiss.

Ye Shuyi wrapped her arms around Yi Qian’s neck, melting into the sweet intimacy.

When a hand slipped beneath her clothes, Ye Shuyi stopped her, breath uneven: “No.”

“Alright.” Yi Qian pulled back, planting a kiss on her damp eyes. “I’ll listen to you.”

The car rolled to a stop outside the villa. Ye Shuyi stepped out first and opened the driver’s door, arching a brow at the woman still inside.

Yi Qian turned slightly, lifting pleading eyes. “Can’t I stay here tonight?”

Ye Shuyi shook her head firmly. “I already told you, I have a match tomorrow. No fooling around.”

“I promise I won’t.” Yi Qian raised three fingers in solemn oath.

“You can’t keep that promise.” Ye Shuyi’s gaze flicked downward, where the size beneath the white shirt was noticeably fuller, clear evidence its owner was still riding high on desire.

“I can.” Yi Qian tugged her hand, trying to coax her inside. “I’ll take a cold shower the second we get in. No disturbances tonight, I swear. I just want to hold you while I sleep.”

She emphasized the word “just.”

Ye Shuyi remained unmoved. “No.” Her voice softened as she patted Yi Qian’s head. “Be good.”

A mischievous glint flashed in Yi Qian’s eyes. In one swift motion, she yanked out the car key, bolted out, and swept Ye Shuyi into her arms.

Clutching Yi Qian’s neck in shock, Ye Shuyi’s deer-like eyes widened.

Yi Qian nuzzled against her, restraint evident in her features, and murmured against her neck, pitiful: “I’m suffering, wife~ Won’t my baby take pity on me?”

Support