Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha and Got Marked by the Enemy (ABO, GL) - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“The other guest is Ming Zhu…” As Yu Jing stood stunned, Xiao Ya said timidly, “I was afraid you wouldn’t sleep if I told you last night.”

Yu Jing wished she could turn deaf and blind on the spot.

She stared at the approaching figure—slim waist, long legs, black hair, red lips, pale and cold.

No mistake.

It was indeed Ming Zhu.

“…”

“What do we do, Jingjing?” Xiao Ye, seeing who it was, anxiously tugged at Yu Jing’s hem.

Yu Jing’s face was blank, her mind calculating: If she quit the show, how much would the penalty be?

But the thought died in less than a second.

She couldn’t afford it.

She couldn’t let Shen Jiayu down.

Even if she could pay, she wouldn’t be the one to back down.

It’s just Ming Zhu. What, was she going to eat her?

As a soon-to-be Alpha, she couldn’t wimp out!

After a brief shock and confusion, Yu Jing quickly steeled herself.

She pressed down Xiao Ye’s nervous hand, turned, and flashed a smile at the worried Xiao Ya. “It’s fine if you’d told me. No matter who I work with, I’ll do my best to cooperate and won’t make things hard for you.”

Her voice was just loud enough for Ming Zhu and the others approaching to hear.

After saying it, Yu Jing subtly glanced over, curious about a certain someone’s reaction.

—Ming Zhu had no reaction.

Or maybe she hid it well. That impassive face showed no extra emotion. In the sweltering heat, her gaze carried no warmth, looking over calmly.

Yu Jing suddenly felt her radiant smile seemed forced against Ming Zhu’s composure. Her enthusiasm faded, and she dropped the act.

The others sensed the subtle, awkward tension, exchanging glances.

Xiao Ya reacted first, stepping forward to greet Ming Zhu. “Teacher Ming Zhu, you must be tired from the trip. Heavy luggage? I can help.”

Ming Zhu, seeing she was an Omega with delicate limbs, couldn’t let her carry anything and handed the bags to her manager, Zhou Qi.

Zhou Qi, pushing two suitcases, asked with a friendly smile, “Which car are we taking?”

The show had sent two cars. Since Yu Jing’s group arrived first, the front one was for them. A male Beta staff member who’d picked up Ming Zhu’s group led them to the rear car.

Yu Jing and Xiao Ye took the front one. Just as they sat, the driver said, “AC’s broken. The artist should go to the back car.”

Xiao Ya gasped, quickly asking, “Can’t it be fixed?”

Driver: “Nope, needs a trip to the shop.”

It was peak summer, the ground nearly 40°C. The car’s tight space without AC was deadly. Xiao Ya also thought it wasn’t right for an artist to ride in it and looked over.

“It’s fine,” Yu Jing cut in, knowing what she’d say. “I’m not afraid of heat. I’ll stay here, no need to switch.”

Xiao Ya figured she might be avoiding looking delicate or didn’t want to share a car with Ming Zhu. Either reason made sense. After a moment’s thought, Xiao Ya gave up persuading, smiling apologetically. “If you feel unwell, tell me.”

“Got it.”

Yu Jing grinned outwardly, but inside thought: She’d rather die of heat than share a car with Ming Zhu.

Besides, she didn’t think she’d feel bad. A sturdy soon-to-be Alpha, she’d never gotten carsick growing up. Couldn’t handle a little heat?

Ten minutes later.

“Yue—” In the SUV with the show’s logo, the unyielding Yu Jing, face deathly pale, clutched her mouth, dry-heaving in agony.

The car, a sponsor’s new model, reeked of leather. Mixed with the car’s incense and baked by the heat, it created a weird chemical effect. The more Yu Jing smelled it, the worse she felt. She tried to hold it in but couldn’t.

Xiao Ya hurriedly told the driver to pull over.

Dizzy and nauseous, Yu Jing was helped out by Xiao Ye and Xiao Ya, arms supported. She squatted by the roadside, retching but bringing up nothing, tears streaming, body weak, questioning life.

Her, a proud soon-to-be Alpha, brought low by carsickness? So humiliating.

Xiao Ya handed her a water bottle, eyeing her pale face with concern. “Go to the back car. The AC might help.”

The back car meant facing Ming Zhu’s stone-cold face. No way.

She’d rather die than go!

A stubborn voice screamed inside her. She opened her mouth to refuse.

But Xiao Ye said, “Jingjing, don’t push it. If something’s wrong with you, how’ll you film tomorrow?”

“…” Yu Jing was speechless.

Supported by the two, she headed to the back car, eyes closed, reassuring herself: I’m saving energy, not because I can’t handle it.

The rear door opened. Xiao Ya briefly explained Yu Jing’s condition to those inside, adding respectfully, “Teacher Ming Zhu, you don’t mind, do you?”

Half-faint and ready to puke, Yu Jing cracked her eyes, glaring at Xiao Ya.

Some fan she was!

Asking Ming Zhu like that—she’d definitely say no!

Too embarrassed to be rejected, Yu Jing wanted to bolt before it happened.

But that cool voice said, “Get in.”

Zhou Qi got out voluntarily.

“?” Yu Jing looked over, incredulous.

The person inside had half her face in shadow, expression unreadable.

Yu Jing knew she was being watched, but in less than a second, Ming Zhu’s gaze shifted to the window.

Another blatant snub.

Yu Jing, already feeling awful, felt worse. Leaving now would seem petty; staying felt like accepting this woman’s charity.

She wavered.

In the end, Xiao Ye and Xiao Ya shoved her in together.

Her butt hit the cool seat, and she nearly moaned in relief.

Fine, she was here now…

Yu Jing grudgingly accepted it.

Though pissed at being ignored, she was a bit glad Ming Zhu looked away, sparing her the shame of being seen in this state.

The car’s AC was strong, boosted by a certain human air conditioner. Cool and refreshing, it eased her discomfort slightly, though she still felt bad.

Yu Jing didn’t want to say a word, even forgetting the rival beside her. Eyes closed, she tried to nap.

In the cool air, a unique cold fragrance wove into her nose.

The second time she’d smelled it.

Her pheromones? Yu Jing wondered groggily.

A second later, she snapped awake, realizing she was wrong. She hadn’t differentiated yet—she couldn’t smell pheromones.

Must be perfume.

Yu Jing knew little about perfumes and couldn’t place the brand. Sniffing it, she accidentally dozed off.

The tinted privacy glass filtered out the sun’s heat, dulling the trees and plants outside.

No scenic view, yet Ming Zhu stared fixedly at one spot, back straight, like a monk in meditation.

The car cruised smoothly until something hit her right shoulder.

Disturbed from her view, Ming Zhu turned quickly, seeing a fluffy head tilted against her. Her amber eyes shifted, and she pushed it away.

The sleeping figure, oblivious, let her head flop to the other side like a balloon with a gentle nudge.

Ming Zhu’s face tightened, and she shifted closer to the car door.

Thud—

After less than five minutes of peace, that head crashed heavily onto her again.

“…”

The small noise startled the staff in the front passenger seat. He glanced at the rearview mirror, seeing Yu Jing cozily asleep on Ming Zhu’s shoulder, while Ming Zhu’s face darkened, one hand raised in a barely restrained expression. He thought, Oh no.

Is Teacher Ming Zhu about to hit someone?!

…

Yu Jing slept the whole ride, finally woken by Xiao Ye. “We’re here. Feeling better?”

Yu Jing groggily looked out the window, seeing the hotel entrance. After a moment, she sighed, “Much better.”

She’d slept deeply. No more dizziness or nausea, though her body still felt weak. She pushed away Xiao Ye’s helping hand and got out herself.

The breeze carried off some of the heat. A faint orange glow lingered at the horizon, not dazzling but pretty.

Yu Jing had no mind to admire it. She bent down, smiling, and said “Thanks” to the driver. Feeling eyes on her, she instinctively looked over.

It was Ming Zhu.

Across the shiny car roof, Ming Zhu’s brows were furrowed, her eyes subtly meeting hers.

Yu Jing stared back, chin slightly raised, her gaze asking: What’s your deal?

Ming Zhu’s jaw tightened. Without a word, she turned and walked away.

“?” Yu Jing was baffled and asked Xiao Ye, “Did she just glare at me?”

Xiao Ye: “Yeah.”

Yu Jing was shocked and mad, watching that cold retreating figure, voice low. “I slept the whole way, didn’t mess with her. Why’s she glaring?!”

Xiao Ye thought for a second, unsure. “Maybe ‘cause you leaned on her shoulder while sleeping and she’s annoyed?”

“I leaned…” Carsickness fogged Yu Jing’s brain. After saying those two words, she paused, realizing it sounded like cursing, quickly glanced around, and lowered her voice, rushing, “I leaned on her shoulder?”

Xiao Ye nodded. “When the car stopped, I ran over and saw you sleeping on her shoulder. I was dumbfounded.”

“…” Yu Jing felt dumbfounded too. She had no memory of it. Blinking, she asked, “Did she say anything?”

“Nothing, just like now, all gloomy and kinda scary.” Xiao Ye paused, then added, puzzled, “Before I woke you, that male Beta staff kept praising Ming Zhu’s good temper.”

“Her, good temper???” Yu Jing wanted to drag that staff back and ask if he knew how to write “good temper.”

Xiao Ye tilted her head. “I thought it was nonsense too. Ming Zhu’s so aloof, doesn’t seem like she’d have a good temper. Weirder still, he said you leaned on her for half an hour, and she didn’t push you off! But she hates you—how could she let you sleep on her for half an hour?”

Yu Jing didn’t even need to think—it was impossible. If she’d leaned on Ming Zhu that long, she’d probably have been killed by her glare already, not slept so soundly.

So why’d the staff say that?

Yu Jing’s eyes scanned the busy crowd, spotting the staff member eagerly helping with Ming Zhu’s luggage.

Propping her chin, she thought for a moment, then realized, saying firmly, “That guy’s obviously a Ming Zhu stan, lying to you to make me think I owe her.”

Xiao Ye agreed. “So we can’t fully trust him.”

“Can’t trust him.”

Neither took it seriously, grabbing their luggage and following Xiao Ya to get room keys.

Meanwhile—

Zhou Qi took Ming Zhu’s suitcase from the eager staff, noticing her rubbing her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Before Ming Zhu could answer, the staff chimed in enthusiastically, “Yu Jing fell asleep in the car, leaning on Teacher Ming Zhu’s shoulder for half an hour. Probably numb.”

Zhou Qi looked shocked.

Ming Zhu pressed her lips, silent.

The staff glanced at Ming Zhu, grinning. “Last night, I saw your fans going at it on Weibo and thought you two had bad bl00d. Guess online news isn’t all true. Only seeing it in person…”

“No.” Ming Zhu’s lashes lifted, cutting off his chatter, her face blank. “I have no relationship with her. You misunderstood.”

The staff froze, realizing he’d misspoken, shut up, and slunk away.

Once he was gone, Zhou Qi voiced her confusion. “You let her lean on you for half an hour? What were you thinking?”

Her sore shoulder finally eased, Ming Zhu straightened, glancing at Yu Jing’s back as she entered the hotel, her eyes narrowing. “Though her character’s beneath me… she was unwell.”

Zhou Qi got it, patting her shoulder with a helpless tone. “You, always like this.”

The vague remark made Ming Zhu look over.

But they couldn’t keep talking, interrupted by the staff running back. “Teacher Ming Zhu, let’s check in first.”

Ming Zhu nodded slightly, and she and Zhou Qi each pushed a suitcase inside.

In the hotel lobby, Yu Jing, still not fully recovered, lazily leaned on Xiao Ye. Suddenly, her nose caught a cold fragrance. She shot upright, her peripheral vision glancing over.

Despite Xiao Ya standing between them, Yu Jing instantly noticed that tall figure—straight, sharp, impossible to ignore.

She saw Ming Zhu pull out her ID from her wallet and hand it to Xiao Ya.

Xiao Ya took it, checked with the front desk, then turned, her eyes darting between the two guests cautiously. “Teachers, there are two rooms left on the 15th floor, 1503 and 1504. Which of you wants to pick first?”

Ahem— Yu Jing cleared her throat.

Ming Zhu glanced over faintly.

Their eyes met.

Yu Jing hadn’t meant to draw her attention, but seeing that eternally calm demeanor ticked her off.

How could she always act so composed?

She really wanted to rip off that fake mask.

She’d meant to keep it civil in public, but her carsick brain wasn’t clear. Unable to hold back, she met those cold eyes, smirked, and said mockingly, “I always respect elders and care for the young. The older one can pick first.”