Everyone Loves the Alpha, But He’s Not Interested [Transmigration] - Chapter 7
The moment Ning Xi received the message, she felt that Yu Qingxue’s choice of meeting place was a little strange. However, she quickly convinced herself it was fine.
Peach Snow Pond was known as a popular spot for secret meetings because of its quiet and secluded environment. It was filled with trees and hard to see into, offering natural privacy. On top of that, there was a movie casting event happening at the gym today. Most students had gone to watch Yu Qingxue, which meant the pond would be empty. It seemed like the perfect and safe place for them to meet.
After organizing Li Shuru’s notebook, Ning Xi sent her a message.
Ning Xi: Shuru, are you in the dorm right now?
Li Shuru was reading when she saw the message. She jumped up with excitement and started pacing back and forth in her dorm room.
Her roommate, Wang Yunxuan, who was also widely considered the campus beauty of Beihua Academy, peeked her head down from the top bunk. Her long hair hung softly over her shoulder, and her fair, pure face showed curiosity as she asked, “Shuru, what’s going on?”
Li Shuru’s face turned red as she covered her cheeks, her eyes sparkling with shyness. “Ning Xi just asked if I’m in the dorm. I’m so nervous.”
Wang Yunxuan was a literature student, but because of her roommate, she kept up with news from the performing arts department. When she heard the name Ning Xi, she blinked her wide eyes and asked, “Who is Ning Xi?”
Some students from the performing arts program were well known on the campus social network, but this was the first time Wang Yunxuan had ever heard of someone called Ning Xi.
Afraid of keeping Ning Xi waiting too long, Li Shuru quickly replied with a simple “Yes” and waited to see what she needed.
After replying, she sat on the stool beneath Wang Yunxuan’s bed and spoke dreamily. “Ning Xi is our classmate. She finished her differentiation recently and became an Alpha. Yesterday in class, she sat right next to me. She is gentle, kind, tall, and incredibly beautiful.”
The more Li Shuru talked, the faster her heart beat.
Her phone buzzed again. She immediately opened the message.
Ning Xi: I’ve finished copying your notes. Can I bring them over now?
Li Shuru: Of course
Wang Yunxuan still seemed unsure. “If Ning Xi is as amazing as you say, it’s been more than a day already. How could there be no gossip about her on the school forum? You’re probably just seeing her through rose-colored glasses. Maybe to others she seems very ordinary.”
“She’s not,” Li Shuru insisted. “Everyone who saw her froze in surprise. They didn’t even have time to take pictures or post online. Just wait. In a few days, Ning Xi’s pictures will be all over the forum.”
Wang Yunxuan remained skeptical. “Is she prettier than Cai Yixuan? Cai Yixuan has been voted the most charming Alpha at Beihua for two years in a row.”
“If Cai Yixuan stood next to Ning Xi, she would look plain by comparison,” Li Shuru replied confidently. She opened her wardrobe, pulled out two outfits, and held them up in front of Wang Yunxuan. “Yunxuan, which one do you think looks better on me?”
“The pink blouse.”
Li Shuru quickly changed into the pink blouse and paired it with blue jeans. Standing in front of the mirror, she adjusted her short hair and turned to ask, “Does this look okay?”
Wang Yunxuan gave her a thumbs up. “You look adorable. I’m sure Ning Xi won’t be able to take her eyes off you.”
Li Shuru smiled shyly. “Don’t exaggerate. I just have a little crush on her.”
At first, Ning Xi believed that as long as she did not release her pheromones, it would be fine to be friends with the original host’s admirers. But over the past two days, she had completely changed her mind.
Everyone who saw her for the first time either froze or blushed. It was clear that her face alone had a strong effect on people. She did not even need to rely on pheromones to make others like her.
Li Shuru and Zhu Lan’an, in particular, were a problem. One was too innocent, and the other too obsessive. Getting too close to either of them would eventually cause trouble.
Ning Xi planned to return the notebook to Li Shuru and then distance herself.
She arrived outside the female Omega dormitory and sent a message.
Ning Xi: I’m here.
Li Shuru: I’ll be right down
From the punctuation alone, Ning Xi could tell how excited she was.
She thought to herself, if only all Omegas were like Yu Qingxue and would never fall in love with her. Why did everything have to turn into a romance? Wouldn’t it be better to just be friends?
Less than a minute later, Li Shuru ran out of the dormitory, panting.
“Ning Xi, sorry… for making you wait…”
Normally, Ning Xi would have told her not to rush, but this time she stayed silent and simply handed her the notebook.
Li Shuru took it and tried to calm her breathing. Blushing, she was just about to speak when Ning Xi said, “Thanks for your notes. I have something to do, so I’ll go now.”
Li Shuru froze. “Oh? Okay. Go ahead.”
Ning Xi gave her a small nod and walked away without any hesitation.
Li Shuru hugged the notebook to her chest and walked back upstairs with a blank expression. As soon as she entered the dorm room, she could no longer hold back her emotions. Standing at the doorway, her tears began to fall. She sobbed uncontrollably.
Wang Yunxuan was startled. She quickly climbed down from her bed. “Shuru, what happened?”
Realizing her roommate had only been gone for three minutes, she immediately thought of Ning Xi. “Did Ning Xi do something to you? I’m going to find her.”
Li Shuru quickly stopped her, crying, “It’s not Ning Xi’s fault. She just came to return the notebook and left right after. I was just being foolish and got my hopes up.”
Wang Yunxuan frowned. “If she made you cry, then it’s still her fault.” In her heart, she made a mental note to keep an eye on the Alpha who hurt her best friend.
Once Ning Xi was sure she was out of Li Shuru’s sight, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. Her previously cold expression softened slightly.
She had acted so distant just now. Hopefully, Li Shuru would no longer have any romantic thoughts about her.
She and Yu Qingxue had agreed to meet at 9:45. The walk from the dorm to Peach Snow Pond took just long enough for her to arrive on time.
Peach Snow Pond was surrounded by lush greenery, mostly peach trees. Back in March, even before the snow had fully melted, the blossoms had already bloomed. Their soft pink and white petals had given the pond its name.
Now it was mid-September. The snow had long melted and the flowers had withered. All that remained were thick layers of green leaves, providing excellent cover.
Ning Xi walked toward the tallest and sturdiest peach tree near the back of the pond. When she arrived, she did not see Yu Qingxue yet.
She was not in a hurry. With a calm expression, she leaned against the trunk and gently closed her eyes. Sunlight filtered through the branches and fell on her face like a soft glow in the snow.
Light footsteps approached. Ning Xi’s long lashes trembled. She slowly opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound.
Yu Qingxue walked carefully in high heels, one hand resting on a nearby tree as she made her way across the uneven ground toward Ning Xi.
Ning Xi’s gaze landed on her hand, which was gently touching the tree. A hint of envy flashed through her heart. Her own hands were rough. No matter how much care she gave them, they would never be as soft and beautiful as Yu Qingxue’s.
Suddenly, Ning Xi noticed something. Her eyes widened in alarm as she warned, “Be careful. There’s a bug on the tree.”
If Yu Qingxue had raised her hand just a little higher, she would have touched a green caterpillar. Ning Xi worried that the soft bristles might hurt her. It would be such a shame if those perfect hands were injured.
The moment Yu Qingxue heard the word “caterpillar,” half of her body went numb. She instantly pulled her hand back. But she lost her balance and was about to fall when Ning Xi stepped forward and caught her in her arms.
Ning Xi reminded herself of the difference in their genders and respectfully supported Yu Qingxue by the shoulders.
Yu Qingxue trembled slightly. She lowered her head and tightly gripped the loose fabric of Ning Xi’s school uniform.
Ning Xi gently patted her shoulder to comfort her. “It’s okay now. The caterpillar has crawled away.”
“Really?” Yu Qingxue looked up suspiciously at the tree she had just touched.
A green caterpillar was slowly inching its way upward, pausing every few steps. It had clearly not left.
“Ah!” Yu Qingxue let out a short scream and threw herself into Ning Xi’s arms. Her legs gave out from fear. Eyes red with panic, she looked up and accused, “How could you lie to me?”
Tears welled up in her light-colored eyes, soaking her lashes. The fragile beauty in her expression stunned Ning Xi. She stood frozen, her hand still resting on Yu Qingxue’s slender waist.
She had only seen Yu Qingxue’s usual elegance and pride. She never expected her to look this delicate and adorable with tears in her eyes. Ning Xi suddenly felt a pang of guilt for teasing her earlier.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong,” Ning Xi said sincerely. “If you’re upset, you can punish me by making me hold the caterpillar.”
“No!” Yu Qingxue’s body shook with fear. She raised her delicate hand and pressed her palm gently over Ning Xi’s lips. “Don’t say that word again. I’m scared.”
Her soft, trembling voice made Ning Xi’s heart flutter with guilt.
“I won’t mention it again. It was all my fault,” Ning Xi said, remorseful. “Let me help you sit down over there.”
Yu Qingxue’s legs were still weak from fright and hadn’t recovered. She leaned against Ning Xi for support as they slowly walked to a nearby bench.
She was still feeling shaken, but after sitting down and trying to block out the recent scare, she finally began to calm down.
She blinked away her tears and turned her head, meeting Ning Xi’s worried gaze.
“Are you feeling any better?” Ning Xi asked gently.
Yu Qingxue placed her left hand over her chest and furrowed her brow. Her voice was soft and tired. “I was really scared just now.”
Ning Xi deeply regretted her earlier prank. “Then why don’t you scare me too? I’m afraid of birds. I always imagine them pecking me with their sharp beaks.”
Yu Qingxue gave her a sidelong glance. Now that she had regained her composure, she replied with a little attitude. “That’s childish. Do you think I’m a kid?”
“Let’s just forget what happened. But there better not be a next time.”
Ning Xi immediately promised, “There won’t be. I swear.”
Yu Qingxue nodded with satisfaction. “Assistant Xue probably told you. Last time’s audition was too casual. Your appearance fits the role well, but acting is more than just looks. I want to test your skills again.”
In her past life, Ning Xi had been a professional actress and was considered one of the most naturally gifted performers in the industry. When it came to acting, she never backed down.
“Sure. How do you want to test me? Improvisation with a scene setup or something from the script?” Ning Xi glanced at the file folder in Yu Qingxue’s hands.
Yu Qingxue shook the folder slightly. “This is the script for the female lead in ‘Wen Mo’. In a moment, you’ll flip to a random page and act out whatever scene you land on.”
Ning Xi had no objections. When it came to memorizing lines, she had always had a natural talent and wasn’t worried at all.
Yu Qingxue took the script out of the folder and handed it to her. “Go ahead and pick a page.”
Without hesitation, Ning Xi flipped to a random spot. After scanning the page, she saw that it was a scene between the Alpha female lead and the Omega female lead.
“Let me take a look.” Yu Qingxue took the script from her. “Ah, it’s this scene.”
She tore out that single page, placed the rest of the script back in the folder, and cautiously positioned the folder to her left to block Ning Xi’s view.
Ning Xi raised an eyebrow in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?
If the script was so valuable that it had to be stored carefully, why tear out a page so casually? But if it wasn’t important, why be so protective?
Yu Qingxue noticed the confusion in Ning Xi’s eyes and explained calmly, “The script is confidential. You’re not the lead actress yet, so you can’t see the rest.”
“You have ten minutes to memorize the lines. Is that enough?”
She handed the torn page to Ning Xi.
Ning Xi glanced at the densely written dialogue and nodded. “It’s enough.”
“Good,” Yu Qingxue said. “This is a scene between the Alpha and Omega female leads. I’ll play opposite you.”
Having someone to act with definitely made things easier. And since Yu Qingxue was an international award-winning actress, her performance would naturally be strong. That would help Ning Xi immerse herself in the scene more easily.
There might even be a spark between them. When two skilled actors meet, their performances could elevate each other.
“There’s only one copy of the script. Want to look at it together?” Ning Xi asked.
Yu Qingxue was tempted for a moment, but then shook her head. “No need. I’ve gone through the full script so many times, I’ve already memorized it.”
Ning Xi looked at her with admiration, then walked off to study her lines seriously.
If Yu Qingxue could memorize the entire script, there was no way she could allow herself to be careless.
It was just a single page of dialogue. She didn’t need ten minutes. Five was more than enough.
Meanwhile, Yu Qingxue took out her phone and secretly snapped a photo of Ning Xi, then sent it to Fang Huailian.
The reply came instantly.
Fang Huailian: Things are moving that fast? How did you two end up at Peach Snow Pond?
Yu Qingxue: I wanted to see her, so she came to me
Fang Huailian: No way. You definitely used some sneaky trick.
Yu Qingxue: Fine. I told her the last audition was too rushed and asked her to meet here for another acting test.
Fang Huailian: Go easy on her. Don’t bully my student.
Yu Qingxue: I’m the one who got bullied. She used a caterpillar to scare me just now
Yu Qingxue: But she was also scared by my reaction. She apologized so sincerely and even asked me to scare her back
Fang Huailian: What is Ning Xi doing with her back to you?
Yu Qingxue: She’s preparing for the audition, memorizing lines
Fang Huailian: She’s inexperienced. Train her properly on set. Don’t be too strict right now.
Yu Qingxue: You’re worrying for nothing. Ning Xi is nothing like you. She’s way more confident. When she heard I’d be acting with her, she was so excited.
Fang Huailian: Which scene are you doing? Is it difficult?
Yu Qingxue: Not at all. It’s the one where the demon sect leader confesses her love to the saintess. Totally simple
Fang Huailian: You picked that on purpose, didn’t you?
Yu Qingxue: How could I? I gave her the whole script and told her to flip to any page. She chose it herself. How can you blame me?
Fang Huailian: I don’t believe you. Knowing you, there’s no way this happened by chance.
Yu Qingxue: Honestly, I didn’t do anything. I just printed the same confession scene on every page of the script
So, no matter which page Ning Xi chose, she would end up performing the love confession.
Fang Huailian: Pfft! That’s so you!
Just then, a calm voice came from behind.
“Director Yu, I’ve finished memorizing it.”
Yu Qingxue was smiling at her phone like a little fox when Ning Xi’s voice suddenly interrupted her. Startled, she quickly closed the WeChat window, composed herself, and turned around.
“You’re sure you’ve memorized it? No stammering or mistakes later?” She glanced at the time on her phone and noticed Ning Xi had only been studying for five minutes. Her brows furrowed slightly. “I have high standards. Even if you’re Fang Huailian’s student, I won’t go easy on you.”
Ning Xi blinked confidently. “Don’t worry, Director Yu. I have a great memory. I promise you’ll be satisfied.”
Yu Qingxue stood up. “Words mean nothing. Show me with your performance.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her expression shifted.
Her proud brows softened slightly. Her eyes shimmered with misty sorrow. Her entire demeanor changed into that of someone overwhelmed and uncertain.
In a gentle voice like a flowing stream, she said, “Yun Yan, you know I’m the Saintess. A Saintess cannot fall in love.”
Ning Xi immediately slipped into the role of the female lead, Feng Yunyan.
A wicked smile curled at the corner of her lips as she leaned in toward Dong Lingxue. With a slow and deliberate motion, she lifted Dong Lingxue’s chin with one finger. Her voice was low and seductive.
“So what if you are the Saintess? I love you, and I will have you. You were born to be mine.”
Her rough fingertip brushed lightly over Dong Lingxue’s soft red lips. Then, Feng Yunyan closed her eyes and leaned in until her cheek touched Dong Lingxue’s. She sighed softly.
“You’re already in my grasp. There’s no escape.”
“But I don’t love you,” Dong Lingxue replied quietly, her eyes filled with sorrow.
“Open your heart. I’ll make you fall in love with me,” Feng Yunyan said. She extended her tongue slightly, just enough to brush over Dong Lingxue’s thick lashes like a raven’s wings. “Aren’t you curious about what love feels like, dear Saintess? Like honey, like sugar. But sweeter than both. Just one taste, and you’ll never be able to let it go.”
Feng Yunyan’s lips moved lower. She kissed Dong Lingxue’s forehead, then the bridge of her nose, and finally hovered near her lips.
Her soft red lips were just inches away. Feng Yunyan slowly closed the distance, her warm breath brushing against Dong Lingxue’s skin.
“Dong Lingxue, I love you. I could say that a thousand times, until you say you love me. And even then, I’ll still say it a thousand more times.”
“No. I will never love you.” Dong Lingxue rejected her firmly. She closed her eyes, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings. A blush rose to her snow-white cheeks. She pressed her lips together and refused to speak another word.
After a long silence, Ning Xi took a step back to create distance between them.
“Director Yu, please forgive the offense just now.”
Yu Qingxue’s cheeks were still faintly flushed as she opened her eyes. She composed herself and said steadily, “There’s no offense in acting. You did well. Your performance was acceptable.”
Acceptable was an understatement. If not for her strong self-control, Yu Qingxue might have been drawn in by Ning Xi’s portrayal of Feng Yunyan and kissed her right then and there.