Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha and Got Marked by the Enemy (ABO, GL) - Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The security door closed heavily under the force of the closer, and a hot breeze lifted the skirt, the small daisies on it blooming brightly.

Yu Jing walked out from the stairwell, her plain face tightly tense, her cheeks slightly red, and fine sweat beaded on her forehead.

With a “creak,” the door behind her opened again.

Yu Jing knew it was Ming Zhu without turning back and quickened her pace.

“Hey?” Chen Chen stepped out of the elevator and saw them walking out one after the other. Thinking of the scandal about them on the hot search, he raised an eyebrow and teased, “What naughty things did you two just do in there?”

Yu Jing raised her eyes to look at him.

Chen Chen froze under her annoyed gaze, then glanced at the unsmiling Ming Zhu, sensing the subtle atmosphere a beat late, and quickly shut his mouth.

Yu Jing lowered her eyes, and when she looked up again, her expression returned to normal. She smiled at him and said, “Morning, Brother Chen.”

“…Morning, morning, morning.” Chen Chen acted like a fool on the show, but privately he was half a shrewd person. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head and changed the topic, “I’m not the last one here, am I?”

“Probably not. Peng Ze and Brother Chao haven’t arrived yet, I think,” Yu Jing curved her lips, using her well-trained perfect smile to hide the turmoil in her heart.

“That’s good, that’s good.” Chen Chen didn’t dare tease them recklessly anymore, gave a dry laugh, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked toward the makeup room.

Ming Zhu stood five meters away, quietly watching them, her expression dark and unclear.

The sun at eight or nine o’clock was already scorching, and sunlight slanted in, stretching people’s shadows thin and long.

Yu Jing walked behind Chen Chen, hearing footsteps from behind, high heels rhythmically tapping the floor, neither fast nor slow, making her heart irritated.

She lowered her head and saw the shadow overlapping with her own, recalling the words Ming Zhu had confessed to her earlier, her brows furrowing enough to crush a fly.

After recording a show with Ming Zhu, Yu Jing noticed Ming Zhu treated her differently from others, which made her question herself, wondering if she had a problem or did something wrong to earn her dislike. She never expected the truth to be like that!

At last year’s fashion gala, Zhang Xu harassed Yu Jing backstage, and she must have picked up Zhang Xu’s pheromone on her body then, but she hadn’t differentiated yet and couldn’t smell it at all.

She knew nothing about it and carried that pheromone onto the red carpet. Seeing Ming Zhu, she ran over joyfully, thinking Wu Dan Ni was Ming Zhu’s fan and wanting to get an autograph for her friend. Ming Zhu didn’t even touch her hand and inexplicably gave her a cold glare. Under the live camera, she looked like a clown.

Only today did she learn that Ming Zhu misunderstood she was involved with Zhang Xu, which caused her disgust.

Last night, Ming Zhu realized she mistook the wrong person, changed her attitude completely, stood in front of Zhang Xu, and spoke up for her.

Adding her on WeChat was to explain.

Mentioning her in the group to check on her was out of guilt.

No soul-swapping, no conspiracy, just a misunderstanding.

If she weren’t the one involved, Yu Jing might think: mistaking someone isn’t a big deal, no loss, just a small matter.

When Ming Zhu apologized, she didn’t respond at all.

Her mind was a mess, some things still unclear, and she didn’t know how to respond.

As a junior, to stand firm in the industry, she needed to get along with everyone, not offend anyone, or make enemies. Yu Jing, a small-time figure, knew these truths well, but knowing was one thing, and doing it was another.

She wanted to act magnanimous and humble. It was just a small misunderstanding, and the other party had already lowered herself to apologize. Of course, she should smile, cozy up, and forgive!

But thinking of all the cold glares she endured for no reason, swallowing her anger because of her low status, Yu Jing couldn’t bring herself to say the polished words she had prepared.

“It’s okay, Sister Ming Zhu, I’m fine, I don’t blame you at all.”

One hypocritical sentence could smooth things over, one fake smile could erase grudges, but Yu Jing found she couldn’t do it.

After acting so long in front of cameras, why should she keep pretending in private?

Their relationship didn’t improve, and future recordings would be even more awkward, but for now, Yu Jing didn’t want to pretend anymore.

It was too tiring.

The makeup room smelled of coffee.

Xiao Yihuan finished her coffee and dozed off on the table. Chen Chen quietly walked in and shouted loudly in her ear. Xiao Yihuan screamed in fright, jumped up, and pounded him with her small fists.

Yu Jing followed in and saw their playful scene, unable to help but curve her lips.

The show had six guests, and the other four were friendly to her. Why should she dwell on those who made her unhappy?

Yu Jing quickly adjusted her mood, walked in briskly, and stopped Chen Chen, who was about to press an ice-cold water bottle to Xiao Yihuan’s face to reduce her puffiness, saying, “Brother Chen, you’re bullying us little sweet Omegas again!”

“Little sweet Omegas?” Chen Chen, whose prank was interrupted, looked at her in surprise, “Didn’t your gene test say you’re an Alpha? When did you become a little sweet Omega???”

“…” Yu Jing realized she slipped up in her haste, but she was quick-witted. Glancing at Xiao Yihuan, whose face was slightly red from the cold water, she said calmly, “As a proper Alpha, protecting little sweet Omegas is my duty. I’m on the same side as Yihuan.”

Xiao Yihuan looked at her with starry eyes, “Jingjing, you sound so Alpha saying that!”

Yu Jing suppressed her guilt and winked at her.

Chen Chen fell for it, twisted open the ice water, took a sip, and smiled at Xiao Yihuan, “Yihuan, Brother can protect you too.”

Xiao Yihuan hid behind Yu Jing and huffed, “Forget it, Brother Chen, I finally see how dog-like you are.”

Chen Chen laughed heartily.

Yu Jing laughed along.

She kept an eye on the door; Ming Zhu didn’t follow in.

Later, Peng Ze and Xie Haichao arrived, and when everyone was present, Ming Zhu appeared as they prepared for makeup.

Yu Jing forced herself not to look at her, closed her eyes, and sat quietly in the chair, letting the makeup artist brush her face.

After the six finished their makeup, they changed into the show’s provided uniforms and headed to the studio.

The promotional photos included solo and group shots. To save time, they took the group photo first. After that, the photographer asked who’d go first for solos, and everyone agreed to let the two little sweet Omegas, Xiao Yihuan and Peng Ze, shoot first.

After Xiao Yihuan and Peng Ze finished, Xie Haichao told Yu Jing to go. Thinking of her junior status, Yu Jing humbly said, “I’m not in a rush, Brother Chao, Brother Chen, you go first.”

Xie Haichao and Chen Chen didn’t argue with her, took their shots one after another, and left.

“Who’s next?”

When the photographer asked, Yu Jing realized only she and one other person hadn’t shot.

She glanced at the woman standing quietly in the corner, not competing.

Ming Zhu walked over slowly.

Behind her was a magnesium light for fill, and Yu Jing couldn’t see her expression clearly, only her lips moving, her voice gentle, saying, “You go first.”

Yu Jing looked at her softened face against the backlight, feeling uneasy, thinking: if the misunderstanding hadn’t been cleared, would Ming Zhu still politely let her go first?

Definitely not, but Ming Zhu probably wouldn’t compete with her either, out of disdain.

The light stung her eyes, and Yu Jing turned her head, walking to the shooting area.

The solo promotional photos were freestyle, and the photographer didn’t guide her poses. Yu Jing struck a few casual poses for the camera. The photographer snapped a few shots, lowered the camera, and said, “Done.”

Yu Jing bowed, “Thank you, teacher, you worked hard.”

The photographer looked at her approvingly, “You have a good camera presence. Shooting you saved more film than the others.”

Yu Jing pretended not to hear the second part, smiled, and said, “Maybe because I’ve shot some magazines before.”

The photographer said no more, adjusted the camera, and turned to the next, “Teacher Ming Zhu, your turn.”

Catching a glimpse of that figure moving, Yu Jing dropped her smile and walked past Ming Zhu without looking sideways.

Ming Zhu watched her leave the studio, lowering her eyelashes.

Yu Jing returned to the makeup room and took off the outfit with the show’s logo, thinking she had to return it, but Xiao Ya said it was custom-made for them, no need to return.

The clothes, designed to look good on camera, were stiff and thick, uncomfortable to wear, but Yu Jing thought they’d make a good keepsake and took them with a grin.

After packing up, Yu Jing left the makeup room.

Someone pushed the door in, and she almost bumped into them, not paying attention.

She smelled that familiar cold fragrance, looked up, and sure enough, it was Ming Zhu.

Finished shooting so soon?

Yu Jing’s expression froze slightly, and she stepped aside.

“Yu Jing,” Ming Zhu suddenly called her.

Yu Jing’s step halted just in time.

It seemed to be the first time Ming Zhu called her name.

Yu Jing didn’t know what she wanted, and with others in the makeup room, she didn’t want to make a scene in front of them.

Her toes twitched, wanting to pretend she didn’t hear and leave, but she suddenly heard Ming Zhu’s very soft voice say, “It’s noon. I’d like to treat you to lunch.”

Yu Jing’s heart tightened.

Was this to make up for her guilt?

But Yu Jing didn’t want to face her alone.

In front of this senior, six years older, every time Yu Jing faced Ming Zhu, she couldn’t manage herself well—those embarrassing moments were stark lessons.

This woman was infuriatingly composed, even her apology felt pressuring.

“No need,” Yu Jing glanced at her, trying to sound natural, “I have something to do, I’ll go first.”

Ming Zhu opened her mouth, reaching out to stop her, but her fingertips only brushed the ends of her swaying hair.

Her fingers retracted, Ming Zhu looked at her fingertips, then at the disappearing figure, her flat lips curving slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Her hair was so soft, but her temper was so stubborn.

Yu Jing went to the lobby to meet Xiao Ye.

Xiao Ye sat on a lounge chair, engrossed in her phone, only noticing when Yu Jing was right in front, “Done?”

Yu Jing nodded, took her bag from her, and said, “Let’s go.”

Xiao Ye stood up and said, “Dan Ni and the others are back. She called you earlier to ask when you’re free, but I said you were still shooting, so she hung up. Want to call her back?”

Yu Jing was about to put the keepsake outfit into Xiao Ye’s backpack, her hand tightening on the zipper.

She tossed the clothes to Xiao Ye, pulled out her phone from her bag, opened the contacts, looked at the top entry, paused for a few seconds, and dialed back.

After three busy tones, the call connected, and Wu Dan Ni’s gentle, smiling voice came through, “You done?”

“Hmm…” Yu Jing hesitated, then said, “We’re heading back soon. You free to come over? I’ll cook something nice for you.”

Wu Dan Ni said, “Great, I want sweet and sour fish!”

Yu Jing’s lips curved slightly, but her eyes held no smile, “Sure.”

Xiao Ye watched her hang up, her face tight, looking either unhappy or tired, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Yu Jing put her phone back in her bag, expressionless.

“Oh.”

On the drive back, Yu Jing looked out at the scenery passing by, not thinking about how to make sweet and sour fish, but about what Ming Zhu had said in the stairwell earlier.

The woman who hooked up with Zhang Xu shared something with her—they both wore the same bracelet.

Ming Zhu said she didn’t know that woman.

All four members of the KISS group had that bracelet, but the other two had long left the industry, and Yu Jing lost contact with them, unsure if they kept the bracelet.

The other one…

Only Wu Dan Ni remained.

Wu Dan Ni was her best friend.

When the group disbanded, Wu Dan Ni, as the leader, cried the hardest, reluctant to let go of their sisterhood, and made bracelets for everyone as a keepsake. Such a sensitive, gentle, and wonderful person—how could she be involved with someone like Zhang Xu?

Xiao Ye focused on the road ahead.

Yu Jing touched her empty wrist, recalling Xiao Yihuan asking if Wu Dan Ni was dating, mentioning a kiss mark, and felt uneasy.

She didn’t want to assume the worst; she needed to confirm it with Wu Dan Ni herself.

The fish needed to be fresh. The car drove to the area near their residential complex, and Yu Jing asked Xiao Ye to stop the car. She went into the supermarket, picked a plump, less-bony grass carp, had the staff process it, and bought some dishes Wu Dan Ni liked. She paid and left.

Sweet and sour fish wasn’t a complicated dish. Yu Jing didn’t like being disturbed while cooking, so she didn’t let Xiao Ye help.

She washed and chopped the vegetables and ingredients, cleaned the wok, coated the fish with starch, and heard the doorbell ring.

She heard Xiao Ye run to open the door.

Then came a cheer, “Dan Ni, Meng Meng, long time no see!”

Meng Meng was Wu Dan Ni’s assistant, with thick bangs and a simple personality, completely opposite to the lively Xiao Ye. She smiled lightly and said, “Xiao Ye, long time no see.”

Xiao Ye stepped aside to let them in.

Wu Dan Ni wore a light yellow long dress, her appearance gentle. She had just curled her hair, but the humid weather made her beautiful curls look messy. She fanned herself with her hand and peered inside, “Where’s Jingjing?”

“In the kitchen,” Xiao Ye pointed.

Wu Dan Ni walked into the kitchen with light steps, saw Yu Jing with a small braid and apron, and exclaimed joyfully, “Jingjing, my darling, I missed you so much!”

Yu Jing didn’t even see her face clearly before a figure flashed, and she was tightly hugged.

“Hey, hey, my hands are dirty!” Yu Jing’s face broke into a smile, infected by her enthusiasm, but the moment their bodies pressed close, she smelled a strange odor, and her smile faded instantly.

An Alpha pheromone with a nicotine scent leaked from Wu Dan Ni’s tightly buttoned collar, faint enough to be ignored.

As a Beta, Wu Dan Ni wasn’t sensitive to pheromones and couldn’t smell the odd scent on herself, but Yu Jing, who was overwhelmed by this pheromone that night, remembered it vividly.

Forgetting her hand still held starch, Yu Jing pushed Wu Dan Ni away abruptly.

Wu Dan Ni froze.

Yu Jing’s gaze dropped to her collar.

“…What are you looking at?” Wu Dan Ni quickly covered her chest.

Yu Jing’s eyes moved up, staring at her slightly panicked face, her throat feeling blocked.

An answer faintly formed in her heart.

“Jingjing?” Wu Dan Ni felt uneasy under her stare.

Yu Jing lowered her eyes, hiding her emotions, and said casually, “I need to fry the fish first; it might splatter. Go wait outside, it’ll be ready soon.”

Wu Dan Ni patted her chest, her smile returning, and said gently, “Alright, thanks for the hard work, Chef Yu~”

The strained smile Yu Jing forced faded the moment Wu Dan Ni turned to leave, leaving only shock and dismay on her face.

Three dishes took Yu Jing nearly an hour to cook.

She hadn’t cooked in a while, her skills rusty. She overcooked the fish and added too much sugar, thinking it tasted bad. But Wu Dan Ni ate enjoyably, chatting about fun things from her filming days.

Yu Jing listened to her gentle voice, watched her warm smile bloom, and thought of Zhang Xu’s disgusting, greasy face, feeling a mix of emotions.

Wu Dan Ni, caught up in her stories, noticed Yu Jing’s low mood, paused, and asked, “Jingjing, recording with Ming Zhu, is it a lot of pressure?”

Yu Jing picked at the bones in the meat with chopsticks, distracted, and replied half-heartedly, “It’s fine.”

“Then… do you talk with her privately?” Wu Dan Ni’s eyes, with delicate makeup, looked at her expectantly, as if concerned, yet probing.

Yu Jing lifted her eyelids, stared at her for a moment, and said, “No.”

Maybe it was her imagination, but after saying those two words, Yu Jing saw Wu Dan Ni seem to sigh in relief.

With something weighing on her mind, yet pretending everything was fine, Yu Jing ate the meal without tasting it. After eating, Xiao Ye and Meng Meng rushed to wash the dishes, and she called Wu Dan Ni into her room.

“I brought you a gift,” Wu Dan Ni pulled out a gift bag from behind and stuffed it into her hands.

Yu Jing looked down, “What’s this?”

“Open it and see.”

Yu Jing unwrapped it and found a full set of protective gear.

“You practice dancing so hard; wear this to avoid injuries,” Wu Dan Ni explained while watching her unwrap.

Yu Jing’s heart warmed. She looked up at her, voice hoarse, “Thanks, Captain, I’ll definitely wear it.”

Wu Dan Ni smiled, turned to look around her room, saw the messy bed, and said helplessly, “You lazy bum, why don’t you even fold your blanket?”

Yu Jing watched her walk to the bed, carefully pick up the crumpled blanket to fold it, and felt a mix of emotions.

Holding the new protective gear, looking at Wu Dan Ni’s gentle, serene profile, Yu Jing held back but couldn’t, “Dan Ni.”

“Hmm?” Wu Dan Ni focused on folding the blanket.

“You…” Yu Jing’s throat tightened. She paused, took a deep breath, and said, “Are you with Zhang Xu because he forced you?”

The light summer blanket slipped from Wu Dan Ni’s hands. She turned sharply, panic clear in her eyes.

Seeing her reaction, Yu Jing’s heart sank. She locked the door, walked quickly to her, and asked, “Did he really force you?”

She knew something was off; how could someone as good as Dan Ni be like that?

Wu Dan Ni seemed scared stiff, mouth slightly open, eyes fearful.

Yu Jing took it as confirmation, shocked and angry, grabbing her shoulder, “When did this happen? How did he bully you? Why didn’t you tell me or Sister Jiayu?”

Wu Dan Ni seemed dazed by her barrage of questions, shrinking back, lips trembling, and after a long pause, managed one word, “I…”

Yu Jing shook her shoulders urgently, grinding her teeth, indignant, “Did he threaten you with something? Photos? Videos?”

“…” Wu Dan Ni’s clear eyes flinched as if burned, turning away in a panic, her voice barely audible, “No.”

“?” Yu Jing didn’t hear clearly, grabbed her chin, and forced her face back, “Dan Ni, speak.”

Wu Dan Ni bit her lip hard, trembling, “He didn’t force me. I did it willingly.”

Yu Jing’s anger-clouded mind buzzed, stunned, “What did you say?”

She heard clearly but couldn’t believe her ears.

Wu Dan Ni’s fragile lips bore deep marks from biting. She lowered her head, avoiding her gaze, and didn’t repeat herself.

Everything was clear without words.

Yu Jing took a long time to process, her fingers moving to release her.

Wu Dan Ni’s body swayed.

Yu Jing’s pupils widened, eyes full of disappointment, “Why?”

Wu Dan Ni, as if too ashamed to face her, covered her face and turned away.

Yu Jing stared at her trembling shoulders, lips pressed tight, silent for a long time.

Wu Dan Ni’s suppressed sobs leaked through her fingers.

Yu Jing’s gaze fixed on her back, opened her lips, and said painfully, “Do you know what kind of person Zhang Xu is? He’s infamous, playing with countless artists, ruining careers with scandals. At last year’s fashion gala, he even tried to molest me. I told you this—he’s scum!”

Wu Dan Ni’s shoulders shook harder, hands covering her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably.

Yu Jing moved to her front, saw her tear-streaked face, angry and heartbroken, “Dan Ni, how could you be so foolish!”

Tears blurred Wu Dan Ni’s eyes. She forced a smile uglier than crying, “You’re right, he is scum.”

“Then why are you with him!” Yu Jing forgot to control her volume, grabbed her slender arm, and shouted, “You have looks, acting skills, and you’re so young. You’re already playing lead roles, and Sister Jiayu will find you more and better scripts. If you work hard, you can succeed on your own. Why would you choose to be with scum like Zhang Xu?”

Wu Dan Ni’s tears fell like broken strings, a flicker of mockery in her teary eyes. She sneered softly, “Jingjing, why are you still so naive?”

Yu Jing frowned.

Wu Dan Ni wiped her tears, pushed her hand away, steadied her breathing, and said, “You always naively think everyone around you is good. Jingjing, if Sister Jiayu was that capable, would you and I still struggle to get good gigs?”

Yu Jing’s brows furrowed deeper, slightly displeased, “Dan Ni, I won’t let you talk about Sister Jiayu like that.”

If not for Shen Jiayu, Yu Jing might still be struggling in some gutter. Shen Jiayu wasn’t just a benefactor but the one who pulled her into the light. She didn’t like Wu Dan Ni’s tone about Shen Jiayu.

“Then let’s talk about me,” Wu Dan Ni smiled dismissively, “After the group disbanded, I played extras in crews for a year, over a hundred roles—maids, palace girls, passersby, some with screen time, some without, some even cut entirely.”

“The entertainment industry is a fame and fortune game. Who doesn’t want to be famous?” Wu Dan Ni looked out the window, lost in memories, her tone resentful, “But no matter how hard I tried, I never saw hope.”

“I often waited over ten hours for a scene, sometimes a whole day for nothing. One wrong line, and I’d get chewed out—directors, actors, everyone. Last year, in a show, I played a supporting role with little screen time, but I loved the role and acted with heart. The director praised me over the lead, and she overheard. She cornered me in the makeup room, and her assistant slapped me hard.”

Wu Dan Ni’s eyes welled with tears, but she held them back, her trembling hand touching her face, teeth clenched, voice restrained, “Just because I had no fame or backing, even her assistant dared to bully me.”

Yu Jing’s heart tightened, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Wu Dan Ni turned back. Bright sunlight was behind her, but her face held no warmth, her voice distant, “What’s the point of telling?”

“That lead had a sugar daddy,” Wu Dan Ni sneered, “She wasn’t as pretty or talented as me, but with someone backing her, even the director bowed to her. A nobody like me with no status or backing—what could I do?”

Yu Jing wanted to say there’s no shame in lacking fame; those who strive are admirable. Her lips moved, but Wu Dan Ni’s cold, hard voice cut her off.

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Wu Dan Ni’s gentle eyes, “From then on, I swore I’d never be a nobody again.”

Yu Jing suddenly felt she was a stranger.

“Later, I learned her sugar daddy was Zhang Xu,” Wu Dan Ni gave a cold laugh, “That day, I wrapped up filming. No one gave me flowers or cake; everyone flocked to the lead. I left alone, and then I met Zhang Xu.”

“From his first look, I knew he just wanted my body and looks. He asked if I’d be with him.”

Yu Jing’s fists clenched, “You agreed?”

“Why not?” Wu Dan Ni’s tear-streaked face lit up with a joyful smile, her expression relaxed, her tone proud, “He said he could give me resources, make me a lead, and with his backing, no one would dare bully me. All I had to do was sleep with him. Such tempting terms, such a good deal—why wouldn’t I agree?”

Yu Jing couldn’t understand how she said “just sleep with him” so lightly. Her bl00d boiled, breathing quickened.

Wu Dan Ni continued, “Zhang Xu is scum, but he keeps his word. Last year’s supporting role script was from him; this year’s lead role too. I earned these myself, nothing to do with Sister Jiayu or the company.”

Yu Jing’s hands, hanging by her sides, clenched and released repeatedly, her boiling bl00d suddenly cooling.

She scrutinized the familiar face before her with an unreadable gaze, a wave of unspeakable grief and anger surging in her heart.

She heard herself say almost coldly, “So, for fame, you sold your body and made a dirty deal with scum like Zhang Xu.”

The pride on Wu Dan Ni’s face vanished, her heart pierced by those harsh words. She showed fragility, her voice trembling, “Jingjing, you should understand me, right?”

Yu Jing dodged her reaching hand, stepped back, and looked at her with disappointment, “Sorry, I can’t understand.”

When the KISS group flopped, the other two members couldn’t take it and left. Yu Jing and Wu Dan Ni hugged, encouraging each other, determined to push through for their dreams no matter how tough the road.

With her striking looks, Yu Jing faced plenty of harassment over the past three years. Many blatantly offered resources to make her famous. She never wavered.

Over these three years, with no fame or backing, she endured countless slights, being ignored and looked down on, suffering many hardships and grievances, yet she never considered shortcuts.

Her moral底线 didn’t allow it, so how could she empathize with someone who abandoned principles and dignity for fame?

Before getting confirmation, Yu Jing had defended Wu Dan Ni in her mind, thinking she had reasons. But she never imagined that Wu Dan Ni, once tireless for her dreams, her perfect captain, had been stained into a rag by the industry’s dye.

Yu Jing’s heart turned cold.

She suddenly regretted calling Wu Dan Ni over today.

Not wanting to say another word, her throat choked, and she pointed at the door, “Leave.”

“Jingjing…” Wu Dan Ni’s tone carried a plea, but meeting her disgusted gaze, she couldn’t say more.

Looking at the half-folded blanket on the bed, Wu Dan Ni’s eyes heated, tearing up again, choking, “I knew you’d hate this, so I kept it from you.”

Yu Jing clenched her jaw, stubbornly avoiding her gaze.

At that moment, Yu Jing suddenly thought of Ming Zhu, somewhat understanding why Ming Zhu treated her that way initially.

Such dirty things were so repulsive, she genuinely disdained them, but Wu Dan Ni was her best friend, and she couldn’t be as cold and ruthless as Ming Zhu.

She felt she needed to calm down.

Wu Dan Ni waited for a response that never came, wiped her tears, and left.

As they passed, something caught Yu Jing’s eye. She glanced up, saw the bracelet on Wu Dan Ni’s wrist, and found it bitterly ironic.

After the group disbanded, Yu Jing and Wu Dan Ni kept wearing the bracelet, thinking Wu Dan Ni, like her, stayed true to their original dreams. She never knew that the moment Wu Dan Ni gave up her singing career, she had already lost her original heart.

Wu Dan Ni’s hand reached the doorknob, the lock turning easily.

“Wait,” Yu Jing suddenly remembered something and called out, “Did the show keep me because of you?”

—Did you use your charm to whisper in Zhang Xu’s ear to plead for me?

Yu Jing meant to ask this but, seeing her red, fragile eyes, couldn’t bear it and softened her words.

Wu Dan Ni looked confused, “The show was going to replace you? Why? Because of Ming Zhu?”

“…” So she knew nothing. Yu Jing’s emotions were complex, her lips moved, she turned away, and said heavily, “Never mind, just go.”

Wu Dan Ni gave her a long, final look, opened the door, and left.

Through the door, Yu Jing heard Wu Dan Ni call Meng Meng to leave, Xiao Ye’s confusion, and her attempt to keep them.

A few seconds later, the front door opened and closed.

Then silence.

The room had no air conditioning, and Yu Jing trembled slightly with anger.

Footsteps approached, and Xiao Ye burst in, “Jingjing, why did Dan Ni just leave? Her face looked bad. Did you…” Seeing Yu Jing’s pale face, Xiao Ye’s voice weakened, “Did you two fight?”

Yu Jing clutched the new protective gear, her eyes swollen and hot. She looked up, forced back the heat, stared into the void, and didn’t answer.