After Transmigrating into a Scumbag Alpha, I Had a Happy Ending with the Heroine (LILY , ABO) - Chapter 2

Her dark eyes shimmered with open sincerity and a trace of pleading, like a dog about to be abandoned by its owner, silently begging to be taken home.

Normally, Jiang Qing was the type who shouted and cursed without restraint. Acting pitiful had never been one of her skills. She was known as an unreasonable, hot-tempered woman. But today, even Song Qin Ning couldn’t figure out what she was up to.

Perhaps she was plotting something.

When Song Qin Ning’s expression remained blank and unmoved, Jiang Qing lowered her eyes with visible disappointment. But the next moment, she saw that fair and delicate hand once again place a pack of tissues in front of her face.

Then, without another word, Song Qin Ning turned and walked away with quiet fury.

Her high heels tapped sharply against the marble floor as she disappeared from sight. Jiang Qing was still confused about why she was angry in the first place.

She could only guess. Maybe Song Qin Ning had been one of the original Jiang Qing’s many “pet fish” — women she kept around and casually discarded. Perhaps their relationship had ended badly, and Song Qin Ning never got over it.

Even now, seeing Jiang Qing again brought unresolved emotions back to the surface.

That would explain the rejection in her eyes, mixed with hesitation and coldness.

Jiang Qing sighed and shook her head.

What was the original Jiang Qing even thinking? How could she let go of a woman like that? A beauty so rare she was practically one of a kind. Letting her go and then ruining the relationship was simply wasteful and foolish.

Jiang Qing made a silent vow. From now on, she would be kinder to others and form good relationships with beautiful women like her. She was not going to repeat the mistakes that led to the original’s disgrace and downfall.

Jiang Qing arrived at her agent’s office right on time.

“Sister He Shu,” she greeted warmly.

He Shu looked up from her phone, gave her a nod, and said, “You usually only come to me when something’s up. What brings you here today, Miss Jiang?”

Jiang Qing pulled out a chair and sat down directly across from her.

“I want to audition for Director Chen’s new film, ‘Warm Spring in March.'”

In the original novel, that film was highly anticipated but never made it to release. The actress cast in the lead role was involved in a major scandal, and the entire project was shelved.

Jiang Qing felt it was a shame that such a good film was buried. Now that she had the chance to take over the lead role, she wanted to challenge herself.

The film, Warm Spring in March, was adapted from a popular web novel by the author NaNa Mao, and it was being handled by Director Chen Mu Zhi’s team.

Although the production hadn’t released a public casting call, He Shu wasn’t surprised that Jiang Qing had heard about it. With her connections, it wasn’t hard to get insider information.

He Shu was cheerful and easygoing, a few years older than Jiang Qing, but she never acted overbearing like a typical superior.

She teased, “So, which actor in Director Chen’s team caught your eye this time?”

Jiang Qing replied seriously, “No one. My goal now is to win Best Actress within three years.”

He Shu laughed, but her smile slowly faded when she saw Jiang Qing’s unwavering gaze.

“You’re not joking?”

“Not at all,” Jiang Qing said.

Winning Best Actress in three years sounded impossible for a newcomer, but Jiang Qing wasn’t truly new. She had over seven years of acting experience in her past life. She believed in her ability to achieve that goal.

He Shu straightened in her seat and uncrossed her legs.

For a long time, in such a competitive industry, the two of them had been like peaceful observers. Jiang Qing took acting as a hobby, thanks to her wealthy background. He Shu, unable to persuade her to take the job seriously, had gone along for the ride.

High salary, light workload. Who could complain?

She had once imagined this relaxed lifestyle would last until retirement. But now, Jiang Qing had betrayed their unspoken alliance against ambition.

And honestly, that was great news.

He Shu had always wanted to join the hustle and finally prove herself as a top-tier agent.

Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Are you really serious about this?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Jiang Qing answered.

He Shu placed her hand over Jiang Qing’s, still a little unsure.

“If you want to back out, it’s not too late,” she said gently, as if testing her.

Jiang Qing couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m not going to change my mind. Let’s work hard together, Sister He.”

He Shu’s eyes sparkled. She had never expected this day to come, but now that it had, she was ready.

“Alright. Trust me. I’ll help you win that award.”

They spent the rest of the meeting discussing detailed career plans and strategy.

After listening to He Shu’s proposals, Jiang Qing couldn’t help but admire her. Her ideas were well-structured and realistic. She had mapped out each step clearly, proving that she was more than capable of being a top agent.

It was a waste that she had been held back by the original Jiang Qing for so long.

When their discussion ended, Jiang Qing stood up to leave.

Just as she turned, He Shu stopped her. “Wait a moment.”

She opened the top drawer and handed Jiang Qing an invitation.

“I almost forgot. This is an invitation to the Wan Group’s banquet. A lot of producers and directors will be there. Do you want to go?”

Jiang Qing took out the card and scanned the details.

“I’ll go,” she replied.

After spending so much time holed up at home, it was about time she started building a new social circle of her own.

He Shu reminded her, “It’s this Saturday at seven in the evening. Don’t forget.”

Saturday evening.

The Wan Group’s luxury hotel was ablaze with lights. Guests moved through the grand ballroom in elegant dresses and expensive suits, their conversations light and full of laughter.

The atmosphere was nothing like what Jiang Qing had imagined.

She had pictured herself mingling naturally, making connections. Instead, she sat alone in a perfectly visible spot while everyone else chatted in tight circles.

It was awkward.

Everyone had come in pairs or small groups, talking happily. She alone looked like someone who had wandered in by accident.

She could only blame herself. Or rather, the original Jiang Qing.

Her arrogant and aggressive attitude had offended nearly everyone in the industry. The famous producers and directors present probably knew of her reputation and didn’t want to associate with her. The rest either had past conflicts with her or were too cautious to approach a notorious troublemaker.

Only one person was an exception.

Someone had been watching her from the shadows with a hungry gaze. After observing her for a long time, he finally decided to act. Just as Jiang Qing reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, the man stepped forward.

A cold, damp sensation pressed suddenly against her cheek. The shock of it sent a shiver down her spine.

Jiang Qing frowned and turned to look.

“Who are you?” she asked.

The man grinned smugly at her irritated expression. He took the chilled beer glass away and tipped it up with flair, taking a long drink.

His name was Sun Haoyi. He had been watching this seemingly naive and innocent beauty for a while now. From the way she sat quietly by herself, he had assumed she was just another hopeful actress looking for a lucky break.

These actresses always acted shy, but most were actually opportunistic. All he had to do was reveal his identity and most of them would be willing to leave with him. Even the hesitant ones would end up in his bed eventually, one way or another.

Sun Haoyi liked women, whether they were Alpha or Omega. He loved the feeling of control, of dominating them completely.

From the smooth skin of her neck, he guessed Jiang Qing was an Alpha.

In Huaguo, Omega individuals were required to wear protective collars to avoid accidental marking during a heat cycle. Seeing no collar, he assumed she wasn’t one of them.

Jiang Qing wiped the spot on her cheek where the cold glass had touched her, her calm expression now showing a trace of clear disgust.

“Can I help you with something?”

She had come to the banquet with the intention of expanding her network, but the man in front of her was obviously approaching her with bad intentions. Jiang Qing had been in the entertainment industry for years. She had seen all kinds of people come and go. Cheap pickup tactics like this were already outdated in her circle.

Clearly, this man had mistaken her for some nameless, powerless little actress.

Sun Haoyi raised his eyebrows suggestively. “Can’t I talk to you if I don’t have a reason?”

Jiang Qing said nothing.

His words were so greasy they made her skin crawl.

Sun Haoyi added, “Come on, pretty girl, don’t keep that stern look on your face. You don’t look good when you frown.”

Jiang Qing felt as though someone had dumped an entire vat of oil on her. Her skin prickled with discomfort.

She stood up immediately and turned to leave.

The walking oil slick followed after her.

“What, are you shy?”

When he stuck to her like glue, Jiang Qing stopped in her tracks.

“What exactly do you want?”

Sun Haoyi finally dropped the act.

“Don’t play hard to get with me. Girls like you don’t come to these events for nothing. Just name your price. I know plenty of directors. Spend one night, and you’ll get a second female lead role. Worth it, right?”

Jiang Qing let out a cold laugh. Nausea churned in her stomach as she looked him up and down with scorn, her eyes lingering on his shiny bald head.

“Not even if you paid me.”

The pretty little thing he wanted to hook was clearly not interested, and that made Sun Haoyi angry. Normally, he would resort to force right away, dragging people off if he had to. But with people still nearby, he couldn’t risk it.

He gritted his teeth. “Do you even know who I am?”

Jiang Qing blinked slowly. She hadn’t wanted to cause trouble so soon after arriving in this world, especially since with the original Jiang Qing’s reputation, no one would help her if things got physical.

“Do you know who I am?”

Sun Haoyi sneered. “Does it matter?”

Jiang Qing replied calmly, “My name is Jiang Qing.”

Sun Haoyi went silent. His expression turned dark, thoughts racing behind his eyes as he stared at her like he was trying to see through her.

Jiang Qing. Could she be the younger sister of the Jiang Group’s chairman?

Seeing that the walking oil can had finally shut up, Jiang Qing turned and walked away, satisfied.

Power truly was a wonderful thing.

No matter how arrogant or self-important someone might be, the moment they encountered someone more powerful, they had no choice but to lower their head.

Jiang Qing gave up on making connections for the night. She found a quiet place to sit and called over a server, ordering a plate of steak and a fresh vegetable salad.

Tonight’s food, drinks, and desserts were all complimentary.

A short while later, a group of girls dressed in designer outfits and expensive jewelry sat down at the table next to hers. They were chatting noisily, but not loudly enough to bother Jiang Qing.

She had just finished her last bite of avocado when their voices suddenly grew louder, laced with excitement.

“Look, Sun Haoyi is heading toward Song Qin Ning.”

Jiang Qing’s ears perked up at the mention of that name.

In the ABO novel she had transmigrated into, the female lead’s name was also Song Qin Ning.

Could it be the same person?

“Do you think Song Qin Ning will reject him?”

“I doubt it. She acts all cold and aloof in public, but I’ve heard her private connections are shady. A lot of her resources are from behind-the-scenes deals,” one girl said while admiring her newly done nails. She wore a smirk as she casually slandered Song Qin Ning without hesitation, as if she had seen the evidence with her own eyes.

“Seriously? I used to be a fan. Glad I stopped early,” another girl scoffed. She seemed genuinely pleased by the gossip and watched the situation with interest.

“Oh my god, look. Is he trying to kiss her?”

“So what? If both sides are willing, maybe she’s secretly enjoying it.”

Following their gaze, Jiang Qing looked over.

That man… wasn’t he the same greasy guy who had tried to hit on her just moments ago?

She squinted at the scene again.

And standing beside him was the same cold beauty who had handed her tissues earlier.