Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha and Got Marked by the Enemy (ABO, GL) - Chapter 51

Chapter 51

This wasn’t the first time Ming Zhu saw her cry.

In Bishui Town, on the night they shared a room, the drunken girl had cried just as vulnerably in front of her.

Back then, Ming Zhu felt only a slight empathy, nothing more. Now, before Yu Jing even shed tears, Ming Zhu’s heart ached sharply.

Never having comforted anyone, Ming Zhu didn’t know what to do. Afraid of breaking her, she gently cradled Yu Jing’s face, kissed her eyelids softly, and coaxed clumsily, “Jingjing, don’t cry.”

Those tender words, like the final straw breaking the camel’s back, cracked the defenses around Yu Jing’s guarded heart.

Her pretended strength became a thin sheet of paper, pierced by a hand called compassion, which reached in carefully, touching a trembling heart in need of care.

Embarrassment, disarray, image—all were cast aside. Alcohol numbed her nerves, and Yu Jing let her temporary weakness show, closing her trembling eyelids tightly under Ming Zhu’s gentle kiss.

“Plop—” Two large, hot tears spilled from her eyes, rolling down her fair cheeks, hitting Ming Zhu’s hand heavily.

The scalding warmth startled Ming Zhu, leaving her at a loss.

Had she said something wrong?

Why hadn’t she soothed her but made her cry instead?

“Jingjing…” Already poor with words, Ming Zhu panicked at the tears, unsure of the situation, and was stunned when Yu Jing threw herself into her arms.

Yu Jing crashed into her, hugging her tightly.

Ming Zhu, half-squatting, lost balance, fell to the floor, but quickly held Yu Jing, letting her rest against her.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Ming Zhu asked anxiously.

“Wah—” Yu Jing’s slender hands gripped Ming Zhu’s dress, her long-suppressed sobs exploding by her ear.

“…”

Tears streamed down, soaking Ming Zhu’s shoulder. Her heart clenched, and she froze, not daring to move.

Was crying better than holding it in?

Ming Zhu realized slowly that Yu Jing might just need to vent. The comforting words she’d prepared stuck in her throat.

Cry freely, then. I’ll stay with you.

Ming Zhu tilted her head back, tightened the hand on Yu Jing’s waist silently, and, like her mother did when she was young, threaded her other hand through Yu Jing’s soft hair, stroking her back gently.

Without asking why she cried, Ming Zhu became a silent outlet, listening to her waves of sobs, sharing her pain, bearing it together.

“Wah—” Yu Jing wailed, lost in her tears.

She buried her face in Ming Zhu’s hair, eyes closed, her mind flashing with chaotic images:

She “saw” her frail, small self in Zhou Yuying’s arms. The timid woman, with her loudest voice, promised guiltily, “Baby, I’m sorry. Mommy was wrong. I’ll be strong from now on. We’ll live well together, just us two. Mommy will always love you.”

Naive, she forgave her.

But soon, Zhou Yuying brought a man and a boy to her, smiling ingratiatingly. “Baby, look, Mommy found you a new family. This is your daddy, this is your brother. Happy, right?”

Over the years, Yu Jing thought she’d grown numb.

But hearing Zhou Yuying call Yu Jie with the nickname once hers, using the same tenderness and patience on another child, her fortified heart was stabbed by an invisible knife.

Without Wu Dan Ni’s earlier deceit and hurt, she might have held on.

But she was too tired.

She didn’t want to pretend anymore.

The alcohol she’d drunk seemed to turn into tears, doubly bitter, endless.

She didn’t know how long she cried, until her throat was hoarse, eyes dry, strength gone, nose stuffed, head buzzing, feeling worse than before.

Her heavy head was lifted gently, like a treasure.

Cool hands brushed the messy hair from her face, tickling her eyelids. Her wet lashes trembled, as if escaping reality, refusing to open.

Ming Zhu saw her swollen face, her heart twisted again, one hand supporting her head, the other lifting her chin, silently licking away the lingering tears gently.

Yu Jing felt pulled into a strange dream, where a big dog licked her, warming her body, unbearably intense.

Unable to bear it, she opened her swollen eyes, met Ming Zhu’s tender, loving gaze, and jolted.

As Ming Zhu’s lips touched her eyelids again, Yu Jing’s mind roared, finally awake.

This wasn’t a dream!

Her remaining strength surged to her hands. She caught Ming Zhu’s fervent kiss with her palm, her tear-soaked eyes moved slowly, first at their intimate embrace, then at Ming Zhu gazing at her with deep affection, swallowing hard.

She wondered if crying had muddled her brain. The scene before her—she couldn’t make sense of it.

Ming Zhu gently moved her hand, stopped licking like a dog, brushed her red eye corners, looked at her tearless eyes, and said softly, “Still upset?”

Yu Jing no longer knew what upset meant.

Her alcohol tolerance was low, and that half-bottle had gone straight to her stomach. Now, the buzz hit, her head spun, but she wasn’t fully drunk.

She remembered throwing herself into Ming Zhu’s arms, wanting to vent, craving a hug, seeking comfort, yearning for someone to care.

But Ming Zhu…

With her face covered in saliva, Yu Jing couldn’t ignore it.

Her face, red from crying or shame, lifted her sunken heart. Her eyes held shock, shyness, doubt, as she looked at Ming Zhu with a complex gaze, her voice hoarse from crying, tinged with timidity. “What are you doing?”

“Comforting you,” Ming Zhu said confidently, her amber eyes shedding their coolness, filled with warmth and affection.

Yu Jing’s dead heart thumped again.

She guessed a possibility but found it unbelievable.

Her small hands rested uncertainly on Ming Zhu’s shoulders, pink fingertips curled and relaxed, curled again. So confused, she couldn’t handle that gaze, turned away shyly, bit her lip, and whispered, “Why comfort me?”

“I thought I made it obvious,” Ming Zhu said, not letting her hide, moving the hand from her head to her cheek, turning her face, meeting her eyes, and said slowly, solemnly, “Because I like you.”

Yu Jing’s pupils shook, still incredulous. “You… you’re not joking, right?”

Ming Zhu smiled softly, her eyes free of jest, looking at her earnestly, patiently addressing her doubts. “I don’t know when I fell for you. Maybe yesterday during filming, when you tricked me by wiping my mouth—I should’ve been mad but wasn’t. Or during our couple shoot, when you comforted that staff member, touched by your kindness. Or even earlier…”

“I’ve never liked anyone, but meeting you changed me,” Ming Zhu recalled slowly, speaking gently. “I didn’t want to do reality shows, just repaying a favor at first, but it became anticipation. Only filming together let me see you openly.”

“I hate small talk with strangers, but seeing the group chat’s messages, I couldn’t resist checking what you were saying.”

“You asked why I took the couple shoot, I said for money. That was a lie. It was you I wanted to work with, so I agreed.”

“I’m not joking,” Ming Zhu said, her eyes like deep ink, gazing at her, repeating firmly, “Yu Jing, I like you.”

Yu Jing’s eyes and mouth widened, wondering if she was dreaming.

Ming Zhu’s palms sweated quietly. Outside acting, she’d never spoken such long lines, unscripted, her confession draining her courage. She felt lost too. “What do you think?”

“I…” Yu Jing’s restless hands clenched, her heartbeat erratic, thoughts jumbled. “I don’t know.”

Ming Zhu’s heart sank.

Yu Jing bit her teeth, added, “My mind’s a mess. I haven’t thought about this.”

Ming Zhu looked at her flickering, red, wet eyes, recalled her heart-wrenching sobs, and realized her confession’s poor timing after a pause.

Confessing when she was at her lowest, crying—who could accept that?

“It’s okay,” Ming Zhu said, ruffling her messy hair, softening her tone. “Think about it when you’re in a better mood.”

Yu Jing opened her mouth, unsure what to say, when a sudden ringtone broke the moment.

“If your heart faces the sun, fear no sorrow, after storms, a rainbow paradise~~~”

The familiar melody played. Yu Jing looked toward the sound, saw her phone vibrating wildly on the table.

At the same time, Ming Zhu’s phone, fallen on the floor, rang too.

Ming Zhu tried to grab it, couldn’t move, looked down at the flustered girl in her arms, hesitated, and said, “Let’s get up, okay?”

Yu Jing looked, realized they’d been hugging while talking, her face burned, scrambled up clumsily, stood too fast, dizzy, swaying, caught by Ming Zhu.

“Slow down.”

“…” Yu Jing feigned calm, broke free, grabbed her phone, answered without checking, “Hello?”

“I’m at the door. Where are you?” Xiao Ye’s voice came through.

Yu Jing vaguely heard Ming Zhu talking to Zhou Qi, who’d likely arrived. After the dizziness passed, she said, “Wait a sec, I’ll come out.”

Xiao Ye said, “Okay,” paused, added, “Your voice sounds weird.”

Yu Jing cleared her hoarse throat, tongue numb, tried to speak clearly. “Drank a bit, not feeling great.”

Xiao Ye: “Not too much, right?”

Yu Jing glanced at the empty beer bottle, mumbled, “Mm,” said, “Talk later,” and hung up.

Ming Zhu finished her call, looked at her worriedly.

Yu Jing didn’t know how to face her, lowered her head. “I’m going to wash my face.”

Ming Zhu saw her unsteady steps, her thin heels wobbling on the carpet, worrisome, sighed, and went to support her.

Cool skin touched her, Yu Jing felt uneasy, struggled lightly.

“Do you hate me?” Ming Zhu asked suddenly.

Yu Jing froze, turned, met her slightly dim eyes, lips moved, didn’t answer, but stopped struggling.

They entered the bathroom silently.

A huge mirror hung above the sink. Yu Jing saw her swollen, pig-like face, closed her eyes, too ugly to look again.

The faucet sensed motion, water rushed out.

Yu Jing scooped cool water, soaked her hot face, her chaotic mind wondering: Looking this bad, how could Ming Zhu kiss her?

The cold water eased her face’s discomfort. She reached for a tissue, her fingertips brushed Ming Zhu’s hand, recoiled as if burned.

Ming Zhu watched her for seconds, saw no further move, took a tissue to wipe her face.

Yu Jing, half-sobered, snatched it, wiped herself.

The bathroom tiles were slippery. Ming Zhu, fearing she’d fall, lightly held her arm, eyes fixed on her face.

Yu Jing felt her face heat under the gaze.

About to dodge, Ming Zhu asked, “Why did you cry?”

Yu Jing paused wiping, lowered her lashes, pressed her lips, and said dully, “My best friend lied to me. I’m a bit sad.”

A bit sad, enough to cry that hard?

Ming Zhu knew she wasn’t truthful, or not fully.

Crying like a child before her, then donning her tough armor again, seeming unbreakable.

She didn’t trust her enough.

Ming Zhu wanted to ease her troubles, but Yu Jing wouldn’t share.

Ming Zhu didn’t push, just felt pained seeing her force strength.

What had she been through to learn to hide at such a young age?

After washing, her swollen eyes didn’t subside quickly. Yu Jing gave up, balled the tissue, tossed it in the trash, and said without looking up, “Let’s go.”

She didn’t want Xiao Ye to see her like this, but preferred her questions over facing Ming Zhu.

The night grew darker.

Streetlights glowed, the corridor bustled, laughter spilled from other rooms. The noise made Yu Jing’s temples throb. Fearing recognition, she refused Ming Zhu’s offered hand. “No need, I’ll walk.”

“You…” Before Ming Zhu finished, Yu Jing stumbled. Ming Zhu, prepared, caught her quickly.

Yu Jing’s head hit her slim shoulder, vision darkened, she slumped into her arms, whining like a spoiled child, “So dizzy.”

Ming Zhu looked down, saw her flushed skin outside the mask, misty eyes, dazed look, breath reeking of alcohol.

She was truly drunk now.

Drunk yet stubborn.

“Sigh—”

Ming Zhu lifted her horizontally.

Her body suddenly airborne, Yu Jing instinctively grabbed Ming Zhu’s neck, half-drunk, half-awake, half-dazed, realized the situation, her voice pitched in panic. “Put… put me down! It’s bad if we’re seen.”

Ming Zhu ignored her, carried her through the pebbled path, whispered, “We’re not famous enough to be recognized in masks.”

“…” Yu Jing’s heart ached at her words, closed her mouth quietly.

This ache differed from before.

Knowing it was improper, Yu Jing stopped struggling.

For some reason, Ming Zhu’s embrace felt safe. Smelling her calming cool scent, Yu Jing’s tired body softened.

Ming Zhu glanced down occasionally, walked slowly for her comfort.

The alcohol fermented fast, Yu Jing’s mind blurred, her vision doubled. New to the place, the surroundings felt alien. She wanted to ask Ming Zhu where they were, but speaking tugged her sore throat. She held back.

Ming Zhu wouldn’t sell her off.

At the entrance.

Xiao Ye and Zhou Qi, waiting outside, were stunned seeing Yu Jing carried princess-style by Ming Zhu, rushed over, and asked in unison what happened.

“Drunk,” Ming Zhu said simply, signaled Xiao Ye to open the back door, and placed her inside.

Lying flat would be comfier, so she set her down gently.

Leaving Ming Zhu’s arms, Yu Jing hummed uneasily, her hands vine-like around Ming Zhu’s neck again.

The girl’s hot breath hit her face, her soft body clung close, Ming Zhu’s breath stopped.

But halfway, Yu Jing, mindful of Alpha-Omega boundaries, retracted her hands, lay obediently on the seat, her hazy eyes fixed on Ming Zhu.

Ming Zhu’s heart sank under her gaze, propped herself to avoid crushing her, leaned close, and said softly, for their ears only, “You don’t hate me, and you don’t mind me touching you.”

A statement, but Yu Jing blinked confusedly, as if not understanding.

Ming Zhu didn’t expect a clear response, her fingers brushed her cheek tenderly, looked into her eyes, and said gently, “I’ll give you time to think, but please don’t avoid me. Okay?”

Yu Jing seemed to miss it, stopped blinking, just stared blankly.

Ming Zhu held her gaze long.

When her heart wavered, Yu Jing’s rosy lips parted slightly, her voice soft and light, “Okay.”