Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha and Got Marked by the Enemy (ABO, GL) - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Why glare at me… You leaned in for me to kiss.”

The girl’s soft, almost coy voice was clearly picked up by the mic. The live stream audience, complaining about not seeing anything, fell silent for a few seconds before going absolutely wild:

[Did I hear that right? Kiss? Kiss where? Who kissed who? What’s going on?!]

[Couldn’t see a thing, just heard wrestling and panting. I thought they were fighting down there, but they were actually making out???]

[I told you there’s something between them, and you didn’t believe me!!! They’re literally kissing now!]

[That’s Yu Jing’s voice, right? An Alpha sounding that soft???]

[They’re definitely hiding something! Rivals on the surface, but secretly hooking up!]

[AHHHH my favorite double Alpha romance! Mischievous A x cold, upright A. Who cares if it’s real, this crack ship is delicious, I’m all in!]

[Where’s the camera crew? Why didn’t they catch this juicy moment!]

[Did I hear a muffled ‘mmph’? Did someone’s mouth get covered?]

[I heard it too! They’re definitely kissing again!]

[Holy crap, this show is too much. From fighting to making out, what a plot twist!]

[Where’s the camera guy? I want a live feed!]

“Mmph…” A vague sound slipped from between lips.

Yu Jing stared blankly at Ming Zhu, who was pinned beneath her and had suddenly covered her mouth to stop her from talking. She blinked in confusion.

What’s this about?

Realizing belatedly, she pried Ming Zhu’s hand away, regaining control of her mouth. As her lips moved, a slender finger gently pressed against them.

—Shh.

The soft pad of the finger touched her soft lips. Yu Jing felt a tingling sensation, her eyes slowly widening.

…What does this mean?

Was this intimate gesture from her nemesis some kind of reverse teasing???

Yu Jing’s heartbeat suddenly quickened.

Ming Zhu frowned, her right hand still ambiguously pressing on Yu Jing’s lips, her left hand pointing to the mic clipped to Yu Jing’s collar.

Yu Jing’s mind went blank, as if a string in her brain had snapped, freezing her in place.

She’d forgotten they were still filming!

And it was a live broadcast!!!

It was over…

She was done for.

The fleeting flutter of desire sparked by Ming Zhu’s pheromones was instantly obliterated by this disaster. Yu Jing was so shocked she couldn’t speak, her vision darkening, wishing she could drop dead on the spot.

Ming Zhu slowly removed her finger from Yu Jing’s lips, gently pushing her aside. She adjusted her wrinkled athletic wear, glanced at Yu Jing, and sat up to leave.

Yu Jing snapped out of it, quickly grabbing her wrist.

The grip wasn’t strong, almost like she was trying to hold onto something.

Ming Zhu paused, turning to look at her. Mindful of the mic, she didn’t speak, her eyes questioning.

Yu Jing mechanically raised her hand, her trembling fingers pointing to Ming Zhu’s right cheek.

Ming Zhu’s eyes flicked up, as if recalling something. She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

Her hand and face were pale, making the red mark stand out like a rose blooming in a snowy night—vivid and alluring.

Yu Jing stared at the lip print, watching Ming Zhu wipe the wrong spot repeatedly, wondering if she was doing it on purpose. Anxious, she ignored propriety, crawled over, grabbed the back of Ming Zhu’s head with one hand, rubbed the other on her clothes, and frantically wiped the red mark.

Ming Zhu’s back stiffened.

Unaccustomed to such intimate contact, her throat bobbed, instinctively wanting to pull away.

—Don’t move.

Yu Jing mouthed silently, tightening her grip on the back of Ming Zhu’s head.

“…”

Ming Zhu didn’t know why she obeyed. She could easily break free, but after a brief internal struggle, she stayed still.

The girl’s hand was light and soft, carrying a faint warmth and scent that brushed past Ming Zhu’s nose, tickling her skin like a feather, subtle yet unbearable.

Staring at Yu Jing’s flushed but obliviously focused face, Ming Zhu was momentarily lost.

In the dim light, only their uneven breathing filled the air, so close their breaths intertwined, adding an ambiguous tension.

Time seemed to stretch.

Yu Jing wiped with effort, sweating profusely. Feeling Ming Zhu’s gaze, no longer cold but burning like fire, her face heated up, her breathing faltered, and she pressed harder without realizing.

“Hiss—” A faint gasp brushed past her ear.

Yu Jing’s hand trembled, instinctively looking down into Ming Zhu’s deep eyes.

Ming Zhu gazed at her quietly.

The moment froze.

Boom—

The wooden board above was suddenly yanked open, harsh light flooding the cramped, damp space.

A worried shout followed: “Are you okay?!”

“…”

“…”

A crowd rushed over, forming a circle around them.

At first, their faces showed concern, but upon seeing the two’s position, their expressions shifted to confusion, curiosity, gossip, and shock—a spectrum of reactions.

The lagging camera crew finally caught up, lenses aimed downward, capturing the indescribable, bizarre, yet visually pleasing scene:

They looked like lovers trapped in a pitfall. Their T-shirts were wet and dirty, clinging to their skin, outlining their perfect figures—one lean and angular, the other balanced and graceful.

Ming Zhu sat with one leg bent, one hand braced on the ground for balance, the other resting on Yu Jing’s shoulder, fingers lightly gripping, as if pushing her away or pulling her closer.

Yu Jing knelt between her legs, one hand on the back of Ming Zhu’s head, the other on her flushed cheek, like an intimate caress between lovers.

Their makeup was smudged by water, but it didn’t detract from their beauty—one coldly stunning, the other youthful and radiant. Wet hair clung to their faces, sweat glistening as it slid down their cheeks. They gazed deeply at each other, Yu Jing’s flush lingering, her mouth slightly open, panting, as if they’d just finished something passionate…

The footage was streamed live.

[Holy crap, this is too much!!!]

[AAAAH what did I just see!]

[Isn’t this a kissing pose? This confirms Ming Zhu and Yu Jing have something going on!]

[I came to watch them fight, and you’re showing me them getting cozy???]

[I’m usually meh about double Alpha romances, but they actually look good together?]

[Why aren’t you taking screenshots?!]

[Don’t worry, I’ve recorded it, including the part where we couldn’t see but it sounded like they were kissing~]

[Good job, share the recording!]

“What… are they doing?” Someone’s voice broke the tense silence.

The two involved, realizing the situation, exchanged a quick glance, pushed each other away in rare sync, and stood up abruptly.

“Fighting.”

“Wiping sweat.”

The first was Ming Zhu, the second Yu Jing.

The onlookers came too fast; they hadn’t had time to align their stories. Realizing they’d said different things, they looked at each other.

Ming Zhu maintained her composure, a flicker of emotion in her eyes too quick for the camera. She looked at Yu Jing silently.

Yu Jing’s emotions were a swirling vortex, her head dizzy. Seeing Ming Zhu’s unevenly colored cheeks, her heart sank.

In the dim light earlier, she thought she’d wiped the lip print clean, but it had only smudged, a pinkish layer on Ming Zhu’s pale face, obvious to anyone with eyes.

[I don’t buy the wiping sweat excuse. Ming Zhu’s cheeks are different colors—must be a lipstick mark!]

[Yu Jing’s face is so red, they were definitely up to no good!]

[Ming Zhu’s trying to cover it up with ‘fighting’? Yeah, right, you two are totally involved!]

[If the crowd hadn’t shown up, would they have kept going? AHH I want to know who flipped the board—I just wanted to hear more!]

[So Yu Jing really kissed Ming Zhu? Who’s the top?]

[Based on aura, definitely Ming Zhu. Yu Jing hasn’t differentiated yet—she couldn’t top even if she wanted to.]

[Notice Ming Zhu’s left shoulder—her black bra strap’s showing!]

[Remember the first game when Yu Jing said ‘black bra’? I bet she saw Ming Zhu’s bra before filming, no wonder Ming Zhu lost it!]

[I’m already imagining it! Before filming, in a secret room, Ming Zhu half-dressed, beckoning Yu Jing with a seductive smile: ‘Come here, help me with my bra.’ Yu Jing: ‘Why bother, it’s coming off later anyway…’]

[Hold up, here’s the pen, when’s the fanfic dropping?!]

The live stream had abandoned discussing the show. Other fandoms couldn’t get a word in; it was all about Yu Jing and Ming Zhu.

Like the online crowd, the on-site onlookers didn’t buy their excuses, especially the staff who’d heard Yu Jing’s “kiss” comment through the mics, finding their flimsy reasons laughable.

If it was fighting, why the intimate pose? Wiping sweat was even weirder—weren’t they famously at odds?

Despite everyone’s suspicions, they were still filming, so the crew couldn’t gossip like the audience. They suppressed their curiosity and started shouting.

“Quick, pull them out!”

“Are you sure you’re okay? Should we check for injuries?”

“Prop team, secure the padding so this doesn’t happen again!”

Still dazed, Yu Jing and Ming Zhu were pulled up by the staff, surrounded by two groups.

After confirming they were unharmed, Yang Ming asked routinely, “Can you continue filming? Or take a five-minute break to adjust?”

Adjust what? Yu Jing was confused but didn’t dare ask. Her eyes drifted to Ming Zhu, catching her looking back, stirring her heart. She looked away, feigning calm. “No need, I’m fine, I can keep going.”

Ming Zhu, acting unbothered, reverted to her unshakable cool demeanor, nodding slightly to Yang Ming. “Let’s continue.”

The venue was rented, every minute costly. Since both were fine, Yang Ming didn’t delay. Before resuming, he called the makeup team via loudspeaker to touch up their makeup, his gaze lingering on Ming Zhu’s uneven cheeks. “Touch up Ming Zhu’s face well.”

Makeup artist: “Got it.”

Ming Zhu: “…”

Yu Jing: “…”

The touch-up was done off-camera, invisible to the live stream. When the equipment restarted, and they reappeared looking polished, the audience could tell they’d had makeup done.

[Why touch up? One cheek red, one white was so hot!]

[Exactly, it’s useless now, we all know about your fling.]

[Why didn’t they touch up Yu Jing’s shy, flustered look? It was gorgeous!]

[Will there be more drama? So excited!]

[Fall into the dark pit again, I want to hear you flirt even if I can’t see!]

[I want that too lol.]

[No, I came to watch them fight…]

[No, you don’t. Double Alpha romance is way better—join us in shipping!]

[MingYu CP forever, let’s go!]

In minutes, the MingYu CP fandom was born.

The two involved were clueless.

Though the incident had passed, Yu Jing couldn’t fully shake it off, feeling uneasy.

She wasn’t sure who’d heard her comment in the pit, but the other four contestants seemed unaware, treating it as a filming mishap.

Since no one had reached the treasure, and Yu Jing and Ming Zhu had an accident, the other four who’d climbed partway came down to check. When Yang Ming announced the game’s restart, they began from the starting line.

Yu Jing grabbed Chen Chen, who was about to block Xie Haichao, whispering, “I’ll handle Haichao, you take Ming Zhu.”

“Why?” Chen Chen didn’t get it.

Yu Jing analyzed seriously, “You and Haichao are both guys, similar build and strength. You wrestled forever without breaking free, wasting time. I’m a girl—gender difference means Haichao won’t touch me recklessly. I’ll use some tricks to shake him.”

Chen Chen’s eyes lit up, loving her strategy. He high-fived her, ready to go for Ming Zhu, then paused, realizing something.

Ming Zhu was also a girl—he couldn’t just touch her either! Plus, her genetic level might be higher than Xie Haichao’s. If he couldn’t handle Haichao, how could he handle her?

Finally having a bright idea, Chen Chen wanted to rethink the strategy, but Yu Jing was already charging at Xie Haichao.

[Lmao, ‘won’t touch recklessly’? Yu Jing’s just avoiding Ming Zhu to clear her name lol.]

[Too late to clear anything now!]

[Yu Jing, go for it, don’t be shy!]

Yu Jing had indeed said that to Chen Chen to avoid Ming Zhu.

Unaware of the live stream chaos, the mortifying moment from earlier made facing Ming Zhu impossible.

Xie Haichao climbed the slope like a gecko, currently in first. Yu Jing, light and agile, caught up, using the same tactic as with Ming Zhu—grabbing his ankle.

“Who?” Xie Haichao’s arm strength kept him from being pulled down, but the added weight stopped him. Seeing Yu Jing, his face darkened, half-joking, “What’s with you cheaters? Why keep targeting me?”

Yu Jing slid up his leg nimbly, grinning, “Because you’re the strongest, Haichao. Let me pass, okay?”

“No way! I’m winning today!” Xie Haichao’s competitive streak flared. Gritting his teeth, he inched forward with her clinging on. “Hey, don’t touch my waist, I’m ticklish.”

Ticklish?

Yu Jing hadn’t planned to touch him, only using him to shift position. Hearing this, she changed tactics instantly.

“Sorry, Haichao.”

Apologizing first, under his wary gaze, she poked his waist through his soaked shirt.

“Hahaha, so ticklish!”

In a burst of hearty laughter, Xie Haichao slid down like he’d been hit with a tickle spell.

One rival down, Yu Jing climbed relentlessly.

The slope was slippery, but her balance was excellent, dodging water flows and racing to the platform like it was flat ground.

She saw the table with the show’s logo, the DIO cocktail among the items. Grabbing the treasure and pressing the red button beside it would secure their win.

Yu Jing’s bl00d surged, rushing over in two strides to grab the cocktail.

Victory was hers!

Before she could celebrate, the bottle was snatched from her hand.

Yu Jing gasped, turning to see Ming Zhu, who’d snuck up and stolen her prize. Stunned, she forgot to grab it back.

“Thanks.”

With that emotionless word, Ming Zhu, taking advantage of Yu Jing’s daze, grabbed the treasure and slammed the red button.

Bang—

White dry ice blasted Yu Jing.

She shivered, staring dumbfounded at Ming Zhu, who’d turned the tables, mouth open, speechless again.

The staff announced the game’s end.

Ming Zhu panted slightly, her cheeks lightly flushed from exertion, different from the ambiguous red of the smudged lipstick earlier. Glowing with sweat, her face softened.

Yu Jing stared unblinkingly.

Ming Zhu glanced down at the blue cocktail, her long lashes lifting as she looked at the stunned girl across from her, pausing briefly.

Was she upset? Or aggrieved?

Ming Zhu couldn’t read her expression. Meeting Yu Jing’s overly clear eyes, she felt a pang of guilt. After a moment, she walked over slowly.

“Sorry…” It was a fair steal, no right or wrong, yet Ming Zhu didn’t know why she apologized.

Yu Jing blinked slowly, still unmoving.

The mood grew awkward. Ming Zhu’s eyes flickered, grabbing Yu Jing’s right hand and placing the cocktail in it, looking into her bright eyes. “Here, for you.”

Her cool hand brushed Yu Jing’s wrist, then the colder glass bottle touched her palm, a faint cold fragrance passing her nose.

When Yu Jing came to, Ming Zhu had turned and walked down the other side’s stairs.

[Ming Zhu, how could you steal from your wife! Didn’t you see Yu Jing’s despair?]

[You guys are nuts, they haven’t confirmed anything, and you’re already calling her ‘wife’???]

[Exactly, it was just an accidental kiss, why ‘wife’? Could be a misunderstanding.]

[Who cares if it’s a misunderstanding, I’m shipping this CP!]

[Ming Zhu, why walk so fast? Wait for your wife!]

As Yang Ming announced Ming Zhu and Peng Ze’s victory and listed sponsor gifts, Yu Jing walked down the platform in a daze.

Chen Chen, who’d missed victory, approached, anguished. “I saw you grab the treasure—how’d you let Ming Zhu snatch it so easily?”

Yu Jing had truly been caught off guard, not because Ming Zhu was quick, but because seeing her face brought back the ambiguous pit incident, distracting her.

Unable to explain to Chen Chen, she gave a dry smile. “Sorry, Chen Chen.”

Luckily, Chen Chen didn’t care too much about winning. Seeing her dazed look, as if scared by his reaction, he softened, patted her shoulder, and grinned, “It’s fine, next episode we’ll team up. With my brains and your quick thinking, we’ll definitely win.”

[Chen Chen, you’re such a goof, where’s your ‘brains’?!]

[Chen Chen’s blindly confident again, Yu Jing’s clearly smarter.]

[Next episode, I want Yu Jing and Ming Zhu teamed up!]

[Same!]

[Please, showrunners, pair MingYu next episode, I need to see what sparks they’ll ignite!]

[Gkdgkd]

The live stream and set were buzzing.

No one expected Ming Zhu and Peng Ze, with only one hint card and the least active in games, to pull off a comeback victory. Peng Ze looked stunned by the win.

Though Xie Haichao was annoyed his team lost, seeing Chen Chen and Yu Jing lose cheered him up. He grabbed Chen Chen’s head, saying, “Told you cheaters would lose!”

Some rejoiced, some sulked, but the first episode wrapped successfully.

Yang Ming shouted “Cut!” and the crowd cheered.

The equipment shut off, the live stream ended, and viewers trickled out, gossip-hungry fans moving to Weibo.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., eight grueling hours of filming were torture for Yu Jing, a newly differentiated Omega. Exhausted, she trudged to Shen Jiayu and Xiao Ye waiting nearby.

“Good work.” Shen Jiayu draped a clean towel over her.

Too tired to notice Xiao Ye’s hesitant expression, Yu Jing, nearly soaked, needed to shower and change. Taking the bag of clothes from Shen Jiayu, she headed to the communal bathroom.

“Jingjing!” Xiao Yihuan intercepted her, eyes sparkling. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Noticing the towel on Xiao Yihuan, Yu Jing said casually, “To shower together?”

Xiao Yihuan’s fair face flushed. Glancing around to ensure no one was near, she whispered shyly, “You’re an Alpha, I’m an Omega—how could we shower together!”

“…” Realizing her slip, Yu Jing adjusted the towel. “I meant, go to the communal bathroom to shower.”

Xiao Yihuan relaxed, patting her chest. “Oh, that’s what you meant. You scared me.”

Yu Jing, looking at her still-flushed cheeks, felt helpless yet amused. “Did you think I was flirting?”

Xiao Yihuan shook her head vigorously, her expression serious. “I didn’t think that. You don’t seem like someone who’d do that.”

Yu Jing straightened up. “Exactly, I’m proper.”

Xiao Yihuan laughed, then stopped, circling back. “But I’m not here about showering.”

Yu Jing raised an eyebrow. “What then?”

“Have you checked Weibo?”

“Not yet.” Filming left no time for her phone, and exhausted afterward, Yu Jing didn’t want to touch it. Tilting her head, she asked, “Some big gossip?”

After a day together, Xiao Yihuan felt closer to her and got straight to the point. “It’s about you and Ming Zhu—it’s trending number one!”

Yu Jing froze, uncertain. “About us being on the same show?”

“That’s trending too, but not number one.” Words couldn’t explain clearly, so Xiao Yihuan pulled out her phone, logged into Weibo, tapped a few times, and handed it over. “See for yourself.”

The top trend, #YuJingKissesMingZhu#, hit Yu Jing like a shockwave. Clicking it, she saw a viral post with the audio from the pit—sound only, no visuals, full of ambiguity. Her head spun.

Her accidental kiss on Ming Zhu’s cheek and her comment had been recorded!!!

Besides the audio, netizens had screenshot the intimate moment of her wiping Ming Zhu’s lipstick mark, surrounded by onlookers…

Yu Jing glanced at the comments below, collapsing again.

Xiao Yihuan sneakily pointed to a comment claiming they were secretly together despite being rivals, cautiously asking, “Is this true?”

Yu Jing closed the comments, shoving the phone back like it burned, and said without hesitation, “Obviously fake! How could I be with her?”

“Then why’d you kiss her? And wipe her face?”

“I didn’t mean to kiss her! The space was too tight, and we bumped during a scuffle!” Yu Jing spoke quickly. “I wiped her face because my lipstick got on her! Got it?”

Xiao Yihuan blinked, half-understanding. “But she could’ve wiped it herself. Why’d you do it? Your pose was so intimate, practically hugging.”

She reopened the video of their ambiguous pose, shoving it in Yu Jing’s face for a rewatch.

“!” Yu Jing’s heart raced. Refusing to look, she racked her brain for an explanation. Glancing aside, she spotted a tall figure, eyes lighting up. “Ming Zhu!”

Fresh from the shower, Ming Zhu paused as her name was called.

Her wet hair fell loosely, her bare face sharpening her cold beauty, otherworldly and stunning, as she glanced over casually.

Yu Jing stared for a few seconds before remembering her point, dragging Xiao Yihuan to her and meeting her gaze.

“What’s up?” Ming Zhu’s face was expressionless, her voice softer than usual, perhaps from game fatigue.

Standing before her, Yu Jing felt sudden pressure, exhaling lightly and pointing at Xiao Yihuan. “She doesn’t believe we’re at odds. Tell her, don’t you dislike me?”

Ming Zhu froze.

Xiao Yihuan froze too.

“Say it!” Yu Jing, eager to clear things, didn’t realize how comical her actions were.

Ming Zhu, baffled by the question, scanned Yu Jing’s delicate eyebrows, shimmering peach-blossom eyes, small upturned nose, and full lips trembling with excitement…

Suddenly, she recalled the dim scene: the girl softly pressed against her, lips brushing her cheek, light and itchy.

Ming Zhu’s gaze, veiled by long lashes, flickered subtly. Staring at those red lips, she said, almost possessed, “Actually… I don’t dislike you.”