Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha and Got Marked by the Enemy (ABO, GL) - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Ming Zhu had already taken a bath, so Yu Jing wasn’t worried about being rushed and washed slowly.

Washing away the day’s dust and exhaustion, she felt lighter. She slowly dried her hair before coming out and saw Ming Zhu sitting by the bed, facing a mirror, struggling to put on a bandage. Yu Jing eagerly walked over. “Let me help you.”

The spot was tricky to reach, and Ming Zhu couldn’t get the bandage right after several tries. She tilted her head, meeting Yu Jing’s clear, bright eyes, paused, and handed her the bandage.

After the secret of her differentiation was exposed, Yu Jing was less guarded around Ming Zhu but still feared being affected by her pheromones and doing something foolish again. So, she held her breath with effort, carefully helping Ming Zhu apply a new bandage.

“Done.”

“Thanks.”

The small town grew much cooler at night. Across from their room was a river, reflecting countless lights, creating a peaceful scene. Willows by the river danced gently, and a cool evening breeze slipped through the curtains, silently passing between them.

It was the first time the two faced each other so calmly.

Yu Jing touched her slightly damp hair ends, her gaze softly resting on Ming Zhu.

Ming Zhu sat by the bed, head slightly raised, the ceiling light casting a direct glow on her, giving her a gentler appearance.

For the first time, Yu Jing deeply felt how important honesty was between people. Before, every time she faced Ming Zhu, she felt uneasy from head to toe. Now, even with Ming Zhu’s expressionless face, she felt much closer to her.

Such a leisurely night was perfect for casual chat.

When Yu Jing saw Ming Zhu take out a perfume bottle and spray it on her neck with a “psh psh psh,” she instinctively asked, “What brand of perfume do you use? It smells pretty nice.”

The cool fragrance was a bit like Ming Zhu’s pheromones, leaving a strong impression on Yu Jing.

Ming Zhu turned the bottle toward her.

Yu Jing leaned in for a look and saw the words “Alpha Special” on it. “This is a suppressant too, right?”

“Yeah.” Ming Zhu shook the bottle, the clear liquid inside rippling. She wasn’t used to small talk, but seeing Yu Jing’s curious face, she lowered her lashes, thought for a moment, and said, “I’ve used this brand for years. It works well. You can try it if you like.”

Yu Jing knew the brand but found it too expensive to buy. She pretended to be interested, giving a vague hum, then her eyes shifted as a thought struck her. “Is this what you use to mask your pheromones?”

Ming Zhu nodded, noticing Yu Jing’s odd expression. She glanced at the perfume in her hand and asked, “Is something wrong?”

Yu Jing recalled the times she’d caught Ming Zhu’s pheromones leaking out. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and in the spirit of sharing, she said seriously, “Compared to medicinal suppressants, perfume-type ones are less effective, right? I feel like this suppressant doesn’t work very well.”

Ming Zhu was slightly surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Yu Jing’s wet lashes blinked as she said bluntly, “I’ve actually smelled your pheromones leaking before. This perfume doesn’t seem to work well.” She deliberately kept vague about when she’d noticed it.

Ming Zhu recalled a few instances when it had happened. Pheromone leaks were normal, though, as long as they weren’t intentional and the concentration wasn’t threatening, it wasn’t a big deal.

But…

Ming Zhu remembered Yu Jing’s unusual reaction when she helped with the bandage on the street, likely affected by her pheromones.

That wasn’t ideal.

After some reflection, Ming Zhu humbly accepted the suggestion. “I’ll switch to a stronger one next time.”

Yu Jing had a sudden idea. “Let me recommend the brand I’m using.”

“What brand?” Ming Zhu leaned in, listening attentively.

“A medicinal one called XX. It’s this long, this small, with plastic packaging, so it won’t break if dropped. It’s easy to carry, available at pharmacies and hospitals, and works really well.”

Yu Jing had used this brand since her differentiation. Even during intense exercise or when drunk, her pheromones never leaked. She loved it. Not done explaining, she gestured animatedly with both hands, eager to recommend it to Ming Zhu.

Ming Zhu watched her lively hand gestures, something vaguely clicking in her mind. Her phoenix-like eyes narrowed slightly, and she said uncertainly, “The thing I picked up for you that day—was that this suppressant?”

!!!

How did she connect the two?!!!

Yu Jing’s heart raced, wishing she could chop off her hands. She forced a calm expression. “Yes.”

Ming Zhu had found Yu Jing’s reaction odd when she picked up the item that day. Now, linking it to Yu Jing hiding her differentiation, it made sense.

Ming Zhu appreciated the recommendation but hadn’t used medicinal suppressants in a long time and had no memory of this brand. After a moment’s thought, she said, “I’m allergic to a component in medicinal suppressants, so I stick to perfume ones. Can you show me its ingredients?”

“…” Yu Jing felt like she’d shot herself in the foot. Biting her back teeth, she forced a smile. “I threw out the packaging long ago. The bottle’s small and doesn’t list ingredients.”

Ming Zhu looked at her for a few seconds, then at the perfume in her hand, and said calmly, “I’ll check it out at the store tomorrow.”

Yu Jing nodded vigorously, turned back to her bed, and rubbed her forehead, exhausted.

She suddenly realized chatting with Ming Zhu was a mistake. Better to keep quiet.

Ming Zhu wasn’t talkative, wasn’t overly curious, and wouldn’t initiate conversation.

Yu Jing slipped back to her side, picked up her phone from the nightstand, and saw several unread messages.

Xiao Ye: “I watched the first episode of ‘Treasure Hunt’. The production team is awful! Two hours of content, and your screen time was barely half an hour!”

Xiao Ye: “It’s definitely because of that Zhang Xu! Ugh, I’m so mad I could cry. So unfair!”

Xiao Ye: “Jingjing, don’t be too upset… Ugh, I don’t know what to say.”

Xiao Yihuan: “[Hug]”

Shen Jiayu: “Watched the recorded version. I knew things wouldn’t be that simple.”

Shen Jiayu: “You okay?”

Yu Jing’s fingers tapped slowly on the screen, replying to Xiao Ye and Xiao Yihuan first.

With Ming Zhu’s earlier comfort and her own reflections while showering, Yu Jing wasn’t too upset about her scenes being cut from the first episode.

She then replied to Shen Jiayu: “I’m fine. There’s still the live broadcast.”

Shen Jiayu had also thought of the live broadcast, urging her to perform well in the next recording.

Shen Jiayu: “There are actually a lot of people on Weibo wanting to see you and Ming Zhu’s scenes.”

Yu Jing didn’t know what was happening on Weibo.

Logging in, she saw the show’s promoted hashtag glaring at the top of the trending list. Clicking #CrazyTreasureHuntPremiere, she found comments mentioning her and Ming Zhu in the top remarks.

A user named “PlagiaristDogHasNoShame” wrote: “Missed the live broadcast of the first episode. Weren’t there supposed to be tons of iconic moments between Yu Jing and Ming Zhu? I watched from start to finish and barely saw them???”

The post had over 50,000 comments, with this one alone getting over 10,000 replies. Curious, Yu Jing expanded it.

[There were so many iconic moments in the live broadcast! The ‘black underwear’ meme, the water rock-paper-scissors duel, and that spicy off-camera flirty dialogue! But for some reason, they were all cut.]

[The live broadcast was so different. Their showdowns were thrilling. Why were they all cut?]

[Was it because of strict censorship? They cut so much. I watched this show for them, and now it’s boring. Disappointed.]

[Yu Jing having less screen time makes sense; she’s the least famous. But Ming Zhu? She’s the most popular of the six MCs. My grandma saw me watching and instantly recognized her as the lead in ‘Qinghu Legend’. Why did she get so little screen time?]

[Maybe Ming Zhu keeps a low profile and asked the team to cut her scenes?]

[I feel like they pissed someone off…]

[The recorded version is a mess. I’ll stick to the live broadcast to at least see them throw shade.]

[Forget shade. I want to see them rip each other’s clothes!]

Yu Jing read every word and punctuation mark. At the “rip clothes” comment, her eyes twitched slightly, then twitched again when she saw the commenter’s name.

The user wanting her and Ming Zhu to rip clothes was as blunt as their comment—MingYuCPFan.

“…”

After the first episode’s live recording, the “black underwear” meme and a string of mortifying moments made Yu Jing and Ming Zhu the most discussed guests, with multiple hashtags featuring their names trending. Some gossipers speculated about them, and Yu Jing had wanted to issue a statement to clarify, but Shen Jiayu said it was just rumors, not worth addressing.

She hadn’t expected that, long after the buzz died down, some fans still fixated on them, even forming a CP fandom…

Yu Jing’s gaze left her phone screen, sneaking a glance at Ming Zhu on the opposite bed.

Ming Zhu was engrossed in a book, leaning against the headboard.

—She probably didn’t know or care.

Before, Yu Jing would’ve been annoyed. She didn’t like Ming Zhu, and naturally didn’t want their names tied together. Now, with no conflict between them and a better view of Ming Zhu, she didn’t feel much about it.

Not disturbing her, Yu Jing kept reading the thread about her and Ming Zhu.

As Shen Jiayu said, many people wanted to see their scenes. Unsatisfied with the recorded version, they were already looking forward to the live broadcast in two days.

With the show’s premiere, Yu Jing’s Weibo following grew slightly.

Switching to her profile, she saw her latest post had over 10,000 comments. Some were from fans who’d followed her for three years, but most came from ‘Treasure Hunt’ viewers, CP fans, or gossipers drawn by her and Ming Zhu’s buzz.

Whatever their motives, people paying attention to her was good for Yu Jing.

Snap—a sharp sound broke the quiet room.

Yu Jing looked up.

In the dim light, Ming Zhu’s slender silhouette was outlined. Her long hand moved from the bedside lamp, lifting the blanket to lie down.

Yu Jing blinked. “You’re going to sleep?”

Ming Zhu paused mid-motion. She brushed her loose hair aside, looking at the girl’s clear, puzzled face under the light, sighing silently.

Last night, a drunk clung to her arm, whining and crying, then inexplicably bit her. Ming Zhu hadn’t rested well, so she needed to sleep early tonight.

“Yeah.” Not wanting to settle scores, Ming Zhu didn’t mention last night. Her voice was light. “I’m a bit tired today, and it’s getting late.”

Late? Yu Jing checked her phone and realized she’d been reading comments for over two hours. It was almost midnight.

When Ming Zhu mentioned being tired, Yu Jing felt it too.

She’d wandered all day, cooked two dishes and a soup, and as a newly differentiated, delicate Omega, she was exhausted. With recording in two days, she decided not to stay up, saving energy instead.

Stretching her stiff neck from looking down too long, Yu Jing glanced at Ming Zhu’s light-blurred outline, smiled, and lowered her voice. “I’ll sleep too. Good night.”

Ming Zhu: “Good night.”

Yu Jing turned off her side’s lamp, plunging the room into darkness.

The only light came from her phone screen. About to exit Weibo, the page refreshed, showing a new post.

Actress Wu Dan Ni V: “Nothing to share today. It’s late, good night, babies~ [Photo]”

Yu Jing stared at Wu Dan Ni’s selfie, noticing the bracelet on her wrist—a memento of the KISS group. Her eased mood grew heavy again.

That bracelet was broken, and Yu Jing hadn’t fixed or worn it. Yet Wu Dan Ni still kept hers.

What was the point of wearing it when the original sentiment was gone? Yu Jing found Wu Dan Ni contradictory.

Without liking or commenting, Yu Jing ignored it, closed Weibo, and turned off her phone.

The dark ceiling felt like a heavy net.

Lying in bed, Yu Jing’s thoughts were tangled.

When Wu Dan Ni came over for dinner, Yu Jing learned she’d made a deal with Zhang Xu for resources. Amid her anger and sadness, she hesitated, asking if Zhang Xu kept her on the show because of Wu Dan Ni.

Thankfully, no.

Yu Jing would rather have her scenes cut than owe Wu Dan Ni and Zhang Xu any favors.

She didn’t want to cut ties, but she knew she and Wu Dan Ni could never return to their former purity.

Gently rolling over, before closing her eyes, a faint glow caught her attention. She glanced casually.

On Ming Zhu’s nightstand was something glowing softly.

Curious, Yu Jing watched for a while, realizing it was the stone Ming Zhu had picked up.

A night-glowing stone?

She stared, unblinking, thinking: I want to be a stone too.

A stone, temporarily covered in dust, waiting to be picked up and shine brightly.

The gentle night enveloped her, the soft breeze slowly clearing her heart’s haze. Hugging the cool blanket, Yu Jing closed her eyes and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next day, everyone seemed unmotivated to go out. Xiao Yihuan feared sunburn, Peng Ze’s throat was hoarse from talking, Chen Chen was still asleep from gaming all night, Yu Jing wanted to save energy, and Ming Zhu didn’t like wandering.

Xie Haichao saw their lackluster mood, grabbed his gear, and went fishing by the river with his assistant.

The remaining four, with nothing to do, exchanged glances.

Xiao Yihuan wandered the living room, spotted a deck of cards on the counter, and, since there were four of them, picked it up. “Let’s play cards!”

“Sounds good,” Peng Ze chimed in enthusiastically.

Yu Jing had no objections, but when Ming Zhu nodded in agreement, she glanced at her in surprise.

It wasn’t that Yu Jing was shocked Ming Zhu could play cards—she didn’t expect her to join them. In the last episode, Ming Zhu had seemed like a reclusive oddball.

This was much better, like a normal person.

They played all afternoon. Later, Chen Chen woke up, and Xie Haichao returned with a full bucket of fish.

Several SUVs rolled into the town, passersby curiously watching, pointing at the giant logos on the vehicles.

“Are they filming a movie?”

“No, they’re recording a show, ‘Crazy Treasure Hunt’. The first episode aired last night. It’s pretty funny.”

“So we can see celebrities? Let’s go check it out!”

Two legs couldn’t keep up with four wheels, and the crowd was left behind. The vehicles stopped in front of a residential building, and a crew with equipment and props poured out.

The production team had arrived.

Yang Ming, with the assistant director and an assistant, came to check on the artists. After some pleasantries and a brief rundown of tomorrow’s recording, he pulled Ming Zhu aside before leaving.

Yang Ming: “Did you watch last night’s recorded episode?”

“A bit,” Ming Zhu said calmly, cutting to the point. “Are you going to talk about my scenes being cut? I don’t care.”

Yang Ming was slightly taken aback.

He had wanted to discuss this, feeling guilty since he’d invited Ming Zhu to save the show, and she was an actor his father highly valued.

A few days ago, Zhang Xu had specifically instructed him to cut Yu Jing and Ming Zhu’s scenes as much as possible. Yang Ming recalled an incident outside the restroom at a dinner, guessing they’d offended Zhang Xu. He’d pleaded with Zhang Xu, but Zhang Xu was firm. As a variety show director, Yang Ming couldn’t defy the main sponsor, so he had the editors follow Zhang Xu’s orders.

He’d planned to convince Ming Zhu to apologize to Zhang Xu for a chance to reverse it, but she casually said, “I don’t care.”

Honestly, it was the first time Yang Ming heard an artist say something so bold.

Yet Ming Zhu said it without arrogance, her expression as cool as ever, her tone as casual as saying, “I ate a bowl of rice today.”

She truly didn’t care.

Yang Ming, with twenty years in the industry and a knack for reading people, realized he couldn’t figure Ming Zhu out. She was calm, uncompetitive, seemingly gentle yet sharply defined.

Not wanting to pry, he heard her words, knew his prepared speech was useless, smiled, and said, “If you don’t care, then it’s fine. I’ll go. See you tomorrow.”

…

Bishui Town, Central Cultural Square.

The first episode’s recording was marred by rain, leaving the crew scrambling. This time, the production team was prepared, bringing rain gear and sun protection to ensure everything went smoothly.

As if welcoming the visitors, the town cooperated with clear skies, no clouds, and a bright sun. The warm temperature, softened by a breeze, felt pleasant on the skin.

Hearing a variety show was being filmed, tourists and locals flocked to watch, hundreds gathering outside the barricades, eagerly waiting.

In the air-conditioned bus, makeup artists worked quickly on the six artists.

The makeup artist was styling Xiao Yihuan’s hair, who yawned at least ten times in minutes. Sitting beside her, Yu Jing nearly yawned too, amused. “What time did you sleep last night?”

Xiao Yihuan held up two fingers, looking wilted.

Yu Jing recalled they were woken before seven. Xiao Yihuan had barely slept five hours—no wonder she was tired.

“Why didn’t you sleep earlier?” Knowing today’s recording, Yu Jing had gone to bed at eleven, waking refreshed, feeling she could run 800 meters without panting.

Xiao Yihuan glanced at the makeup artist, then at Ming Zhu getting her makeup done behind them, a sly smile tugging her lips.

Yu Jing: “???”

“I got caught up scrolling Weibo,” Xiao Yihuan said with a grin.

Yu Jing didn’t suspect anything.

Xiao Yihuan wouldn’t admit she was too excited watching a fan-made clip of Yu Jing and Ming Zhu’s live interactions, forgetting to sleep.

At exactly 9 a.m.

Amid the crowd’s cheers, the six MCs stepped off the bus, the live stream starting simultaneously, with bullet comments flooding in.

[Here we go!]

[Waited so long, it’s finally starting!]

[Brother Chao, Chen Chen, Ming Zhu, Peng Ze, Xiao Yihuan, Yu Jing—is the order by fame?]

[Maybe by age. Brother Chao’s the oldest, Yu Jing’s the youngest.]

[Damn the editors, cutting so many great scenes. Got me up early for the live stream.]

[Watched a MingYu interaction cut on Bilibili last night. So excited for their performance this episode. More iconic moments, please!]

[I’m here for MingYu too. Production team, put them in a group!]

Besides each artist’s active fans, the bullet comments were dominated by MingYu talk. Nothing could stop the gossipers’ enthusiasm.

The sun shone brightly, the breeze gentle.

For the second episode, no introductions were needed. The six greeted the camera and moved to the grouping segment.

Yang Ming had staff bring up a prop box, not fully sealed, with six red ropes (actually three) hanging from it. Each guest blindly picked one, and those with the same rope formed a team.

Chen Chen questioned, “Isn’t this too random? What if Yihuan and Xiao Ze, two sweet Omegas, end up together, and me and Jingjing, two Alphas, are paired? The gender and strength gap is huge. Not fair.”

[He’s right. The AO gap is big. Two Omegas together feels like a disadvantage.]

[I can tell he wants to team up with Yu Jing again.]

[Chen-Jing duo is unbreakable lol.]

[Chen Chen, don’t pair with Yu Jing. I want MingYu!]

[MingYu +1]

Chen Chen voiced everyone’s doubts, the other five looking at Yang Ming in confusion.

Yang Ming explained simply, “This episode’s games are skill-based, not physical.”

Everyone understood.

“Then let’s just pick,” Xie Haichao said, grabbing a rope.

The other five each took one.

Yang Ming counted down, “3, 2, 1.” As his voice fell, the six pulled their ropes, the box opening to reveal three intertwined ropes, each connecting two guests, making the teams clear.

Xiao Yihuan: “Brother Chao, we’re together again!”

Xie Haichao: “Fate, fate.”

Chen Chen: “Let’s see who my awesome teammate is this time.”

Peng Ze: “Brother Chen, it’s me.”

The last pair was obviously Yu Jing and Ming Zhu.

Yu Jing followed her rope and saw Ming Zhu holding the other end, frowning.

Ming Zhu’s gaze swept over lightly.

While others celebrated their pairings, the two looked at each other in silence, the quiet almost eerie.

[MingYu together, this is gonna be good hahahaha]

[I’m already hyped for their iconic moments. Last episode was wild. More this time, please.]

[gkdgkd]

[This grouping is genius. Those red ropes? Straight-up matchmaker vibes! MingYu locked in!]

[You CP fans are delusional. Last episode’s moments were clearly misunderstandings. Didn’t you see their faces? They don’t want to be paired.]

[Yeah, stop shipping everything. This CP nonsense is gross.]

[Yu Jing’s water army at it again? Riding Ming Zhu’s fame and pushing a CP for clout. Shameless.]

[Can’t you see how aloof Ming Zhu is, ignoring Yu Jing? Stop spamming, it’s cringe.]

The bullet comments erupted with accusations of Yu Jing being shameless, drowning out her small fanbase and CP fans, who were frustrated but couldn’t fight back.

The camera zoomed in, capturing Ming Zhu’s expressionless, indeed aloof face in high definition.

More comments bashed Yu Jing and her “water army.”

Amid the noise, the “aloof, ignoring” Ming Zhu turned slightly, looking at the “shameless clout-chaser” Yu Jing.

Watching her small, troubled face, Ming Zhu’s lips pressed together. She stepped closer, hesitated slightly, and said softly, “You’re that unhappy to be paired with me?”