After Becoming an Alpha, I Marked My Nemesis - Chapter 43

Li Xiulan and her son had never been to such a luxurious place before, their eyes wide with wonder. Knowing that Song Luoxue had summoned her here to give her money, Li Xiulan had already prepared her bank card.

Just as Li Xiulan was basking in her hopeful thoughts, she suddenly noticed several burly men standing on either side of Song Luoxue. Puzzled, she asked, “Xiao Xue, who are these people?”

Song Luoxue chuckled dismissively. “They’re my bodyguards.”

Li Xiulan’s face instantly darkened. “We’re having a family reunion,” she protested. “Why did you bring bodyguards?”

Song Luoxue sneered at the mention of “family.” “Excuse me, but who said we’re family? Didn’t you just tell me you wanted to sever ties a few days ago? Now you dare claim kinship? Don’t flatter yourself.”

Zhao Fugui, intimidated by her words, slammed his fist on the table. “Song Luoxue, what do you mean by that?”

As he stood up, the bodyguards’ eyes snapped to him in unison. Zhao Fugui froze, not daring to make another sound.

Song Luoxue turned to Li Xiulan. “Now, can we have a proper discussion?”

Fearing the burly men might attack her and her son, Li Xiulan reluctantly agreed, “Alright…”

As soon as the words left her lips, Song Luoxue instructed Mo Zhen to retrieve a contract from her briefcase. She placed the document on the table and slid it toward Li Xiulan. “Take a look at the amount and see if it’s satisfactory.”

Li Xiulan’s eyes lit up at the mention of money. She and Zhao Fugui eagerly snatched the contract. But when she saw the figure written on the page, her expression darkened. “Xiao Xue, didn’t we agree on eight million? Why does this contract say only three million?”

Song Luoxue leaned back in her chair with a hint of helplessness. “I have no choice. I’m out of funds. Three million is the most I can offer. Besides, isn’t that exactly the amount of your gambling debt? This will cover it perfectly.”

Li Xiulan and Zhao Fugui’s faces turned ashen. Li Xiulan slammed the contract onto the table. “No way! We agreed on eight million. Are you trying to back out now?”

Song Luoxue glanced at the mother and son in surprise. She found it amusing, as it was the first time she’d heard someone make begging sound so refined and elegant.

After Song Luoxue threw the contract down, her bodyguards shifted impatiently behind her. Li Xiulan, intimidated by Song Luoxue’s entourage, obediently picked up the contract like a clown.

Seeing this, Song Luoxue felt a surge of satisfaction. She continued, “I spent days scraping together this money. If you don’t even want that, there’s nothing more I can do.” Turning to Mo Zhen behind her, she said, “Let’s go.”

Li Xiulan, realizing Song Luoxue was about to leave without signing the contract, hurriedly tried to stop her. “Xiao Xue, you can’t just leave like this! Your brother’s life is on the line! You don’t know how ruthless those loan sharks are. They said if we don’t pay next time, they’ll break your brother’s legs!”

Hearing this, Song Luoxue’s eyes lit up with excitement. She smiled and said, “Oh, isn’t that perfect? It’ll stop him from gambling all over the place.”

Hearing this, Li Xiulan quickly said, “Xiao Xue, what happened before was our fault, but you can’t just stand by and watch someone die this time!”

Song Luoxue, in no mood to argue, replied impatiently, “Didn’t you just say three million was too little? If you think that’s not enough, then go ahead and sue me. I’ll be waiting at home for the court summons.”

Li Xiulan’s face flushed with guilt as she hastily explained, “Xiao Xue, Auntie was just joking! How could you take that seriously?”

Song Luoxue scoffed coldly. “I’ve never heard of a joke that involves threatening to take someone to court every day.”

Li Xiulan froze for a moment before forcing another smile. “Then Auntie was wrong. I apologize. If you’re still angry, I’ll kneel down right now, okay?”

Song Luoxue’s face twisted with disgust at Li Xiulan’s pathetic act. “Don’t bother. I can’t bear to watch.”

Song Luoxue sat back down and said to Li Xiulan, “Review the contract carefully. If everything looks good, give your bank account details to my assistant. She’ll transfer the funds to your account.”

Li Xiulan nodded repeatedly. “Alright, Xiao Xue, we trust you.” Without even glancing at the contract, she signed it immediately.

Seeing this, a sly smile crept across Song Luoxue’s lips, as if her scheme had succeeded. She then glanced at Mo Zhen beside her, who promptly produced another contract. “This is a consent form acknowledging your severance of ties with Miss Song,” Mo Zhen explained. “Once you sign it, the funds will be transferred to your account immediately.”

Li Xiulan initially hesitated, but with no other choice, she reluctantly signed. Her true motive for seeking out Song Luoxue was to extort money to cover her son’s gambling debts. The debt collectors were camped outside her house, making it too dangerous to return home. If she could squeeze more money out of Song Luoxue, she wouldn’t miss the opportunity.

She had long heard rumors of Song Luoxue’s wealth—that she could easily produce three million yuan, let alone another five million.

At this point, Li Xiulan feigned concern, forcing a smile. “Xiao Xue, what are you doing? Do you really want to sever ties with us?”

Hearing Li Xiulan’s “amusing” words, Song Luoxue sneered. “Weren’t you the ones who wanted to sever ties with me? What’s this? Do you think three million is too little? Are you trying to squeeze more money out of me? Is that why you’re refusing to sign the contract now?”

Song Luoxue had struck right at Li Xiulan’s hidden intentions, and the woman’s face betrayed her guilt.

Song Luoxue continued with a smile, “Either sign the contract, or take me to court. I’d love to see whether the court awards you more money than I’m offering.”

Li Xiulan and Zhao Fugui exchanged glances before she gritted her teeth. “Xiao Xue, don’t be angry. Auntie was just joking. I’ll sign the contract right away.”

Forcing a strained smile, Li Xiulan reluctantly picked up the pen and signed the contract.

Seeing the signed contract, Song Luoxue stood up. “I’ve reserved a banquet for you two here. As for me, I won’t be staying to eat. If you want to enjoy the meal, feel free to finish it before you leave.”

With that, Song Luoxue turned and left.

The matter was largely settled, but Song Luoxue refused to let Li Xiulan and her son get their hands on the money so easily. She eagerly anticipated the panic-stricken expressions on their faces a month from now.

While Song Luoxue was busy severing ties with her adoptive mother’s family, Zhou Qian had already joined the film crew. Since Dreaming of Murder was a suspense-driven drama, Zhou Qian’s early scenes were mostly filmed in dilapidated buildings.

For some scenes, she had to lie down in the filthy, chaotic environment, which caused her to develop patches of red, itchy rashes all over her body, particularly on her back. Despite the pain and itching, Zhou Qian endured it all, determined to maintain the film’s authenticity.

Zhou Qian had just finished filming a scene where she discovered the victim’s corpse amidst a bl00d-soaked setting. Though the scene was artificially created by the crew, the sight still made her nauseous.

After forcing herself through the shot, she suddenly ran to the building’s restroom and began vomiting violently. The apartment complex was notoriously dirty and run-down, and even the toilet reeked of an unbearable stench. Already on the verge of throwing up, the foul odor only intensified her nausea.

Zhou Qian vomited for a long time, until she had purged all the acidic bile from her stomach. Only then did she feel slightly better, as there was nothing left to expel.

The protagonist of this film must have rented this apartment because it was cheap, she thought.

This reminded Zhou Qian of the dingy, run-down shack her family had rented during their financial decline. Back then, her father’s company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and their house and car had been mortgaged. The entire family had squeezed into a cramped, ten-square-meter rental unit.

Though small and filthy, Zhou Qian had always kept that little shack meticulously clean.

Noticing Zhou Qian had been in the bathroom for an unusually long time, Ning Xiao followed her inside. The stench in the bathroom was indeed unbearable; Ning Xiao pinched her nose in disgust as soon as she entered. Standing at the doorway, she called out, “Sister Qianqian, are you in there?”

Zhou Qian had just finished vomiting. The sound of running water filled the room as she washed her hands. “I’m fine now,” she replied, drying her hands as she spoke. “Just give me a minute.”

Ning Xiao nodded, relieved to hear Zhou Qian’s voice. She waited by the door for about a minute. When Zhou Qian emerged, she was still shaking the water off her hands.

Seeing this, Ning Xiao offered Zhou Qian her own tissue. Zhou Qian accepted it and wiped her hands. “Thank you!”

At that moment, Ning Xiao noticed Zhou Qian’s pale complexion. She continued, “Sister Qianqian, the director said you performed exceptionally well today. But if you’re feeling unwell, some scenes can be shot with a stand-in.”

Zhou Qian shook her head. “I took on this film myself. I want to complete all the scenes within my capabilities. Besides, constantly switching to a stand-in would only increase the director’s workload. I think it’s best to finish filming as quickly as possible…”

As she was about to finish speaking, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her. Seeing her nearly stumble, Ning Xiao rushed forward to steady her. “Sister Qianqian, what’s wrong?”