Forced to Pretend to Be an A and Marry the Best Actress Omega - Chapter 29

The distant camera captured the entire scene, while the audience in the bullet comments chatted animatedly.

However, when the lens focused on Xu Mifei carrying Jiang Lingyu on her back, everyone watching held their breath.

Alright, alright, the knight carries her sleeping princess. The princess may be asleep, but this dog of a viewer won’t sleep a wink tonight.

Don’t be shy, production team—why is the mic audio so faint? Did I not pay you enough?

Even so, just seeing this scene makes my overtime-induced corpse spots fade a little. Everyone seems to get along so well.

Director Jin’s variety shows never carry dead weight. After Fei Peacock created several iconic moments this episode, the shots of these three together have noticeably increased.

Haters, don’t come here to vent. The mere fact that these three are on the same show is the selling point. How many people claim they won’t watch Fei Peacock but still contribute to the ratings in the end?

…Are you spying on me? What do you gain from breaking a college student’s spirit?

Those of us who screenshotted every iconic moment today have nothing to say. I suspect that new gossip account is lurking—Xu Mifei appeared all day, yet they didn’t post a single mocking thread.

Has she really turned over a new leaf? I’m more inclined to think she changed PR teams, hence the drastic shift in style. Just look at her since the engagement night and jumping off the Flyer.

Surprised the Xu family hasn’t stepped in to rein in their two daughters causing such a stir outside.

To the above, The Xu family has tried before—they’re just too exhausted to bother now. Xu Mifei’s scandals are endless. You’d barely finish PR for one midnight scandal before she’s caught speeding with a new girlfriend by dawn. How could anyone keep up? /LOL

Getting older, I prefer slow-burn relationships. Teacher Lin and He Yanzhen are still my favorite couple. Hope my wife and I can stay like that too.

+11111111! The middle-aged couple for the win!

Amid the lively chatter in the comments, the guests returned to their lodgings.

While they were out completing tasks, the crew had tidied up their rooms, transforming them into a proper base camp.

Each person’s sleeping bag had been moved into their respective rooms, fully equipped with all necessities.

Aside from the only real married couple sharing a room, everyone else still had individual quarters, though the rooms were close together.

The wooden structure of the small building amplified even the slightest noise at night.

Xu Wanzhi, having grudgingly helped carry things to the kitchen with the others, immediately tried to rush off to find Jiang Lingyu.

Xu Mifei, who had already carried Jiang Lingyu ahead, had informed Jin Chiyu and was heading upstairs.

Running into Xu Wanzhi, she freed one hand to press a finger to her lips in a “shush” gesture, whispering, “She’s exhausted. You’d want her to rest properly, right?”

—This again?! Xu Wanzhi’s internal alarms blared. Even if she’s tired, I should be the one taking care of her! Do you think I’m dead?!

Before she could retort, Xu Mifei patted her shoulder.

“I’ve prepared a gift for you in your room. Aren’t you going to go back and take a look?” Xu Mifei slightly turned her head as she passed by her. “If you’ve thought about how to reciprocate this gift, you’re welcome to come find me in the props team.”

Xu Wanzhi frowned unhappily as she watched Xu Mifei’s departing figure.

What’s with the mystery? What kind of attitude and tone is that when speaking to me? Has she really been pretending for so long that she thinks she’s an alpha? If it weren’t for the fact that she truly hadn’t detected any pheromones on Xu Mifei, she would almost think Xu Mifei was using pheromones to suppress her.

It was now a little past ten at night, and there was still over an hour until the cameras would be turned off. Xu Mifei knew that every move she made was still under the watchful eyes of the audience, so she maintained her decorum and politeness.

Jiang Lingyu was still asleep, and Xu Mifei knew she was tired; today’s tasks had all been physically demanding.

Tonight, all the guests should be able to get a good night’s sleep.

When she entered, she didn’t turn on the main lights but used the bedside lamp instead, gently placing Jiang Lingyu on the bed, washing her face, and letting down her tied-up hair, setting the hair tie aside.

She hesitated for two seconds about whether to change Jiang Lingyu’s clothes, but ultimately decided against it.

Gently covering the person on the bed with a thin blanket, Xu Mifei closed the door and left.

She needed to clean up the supplies.

Although she had taken advantage of Xu Wanzhi to bring back that basket of items, she had just sent Jiang Lingyu into the room when she heard Xu Wanzhi enter the adjacent room.

It was clear that this person hadn’t participated in the categorization of the supplies.

Although the knight mission wouldn’t start until tomorrow, Xu Mifei was very much aware of her responsibilities as a knight.

Helping Jiang Lingyu complete her tasks was a duty she couldn’t shirk, as for Xu Wanzhi… that was just a temporary bug to be ignored for now.

When she arrived in the kitchen, she only saw He Yanzhen and Lin Su, both of them in front of several large baskets. Lin Su was arranging things in front of the refrigerator while He Yanzhen was passing items, forming a small assembly line that worked in perfect harmony.

“Xu? I thought you…” He Yanzhen effortlessly lifted a box in front of her, looking at Xu Mifei in surprise for a moment. “Why aren’t you resting?”

The guests had all returned exhausted today, not to mention the staff who had been working with the team all day. He Yanzhen had heard from her PD that the props team was the most tired; they had gotten up at four in the morning to test the props without a moment’s rest.

Looking at Xu Mifei’s face, which showed not a single pore, He Yanzhen couldn’t help but marvel at how youth truly an asset was; she could endure it.

“I came to help you all; there are too many items. Where are the others?” Xu Mifei’s hands were never idle; she was already helping He Yanzhen lift a basket while using her other hand to hold the refrigerator door open for Lin Su.

“Xiao Wen and Sui Sui were just here, but they went up to shower first. The director said the water temperature in the mountains is unstable, so they’re taking turns,” Lin Su replied.

“Is Lingyu still not showered? You need to hurry up and tell her later that the water pressure is unstable, and when it’s not hot, she should let it run for a bit.”

“Okay.” Xu Mifei nodded and focused on her work without saying more.

With her help, the speed increased significantly, and one side of the huge refrigerator began to fill up slowly.

These items could be stored; they would just use them the next time they came to record the show.

Xu Mifei noticed that Lin Su and He Yanzhen worked together very well.

It was still evident that He Yanzhen was the one in charge, even when they weren’t speaking.

When Lin Su hesitated about where to place the root vegetables, just a glance from He Yanzhen was enough for her to immediately understand and put them in the right spot.

This was completely different from how they acted when they argued. If this was also an act, they must have gone through countless repetitions in daily life to make it look so natural.

“Xiao Xu, can you cook?”

Breaking the silence, Lin Su suddenly spoke up.

She and He Yanzhen were used to the quiet at home, but she was worried the younger one might feel awkward, so she took the initiative. “Look at me—I might manage as an assistant, but I’m really not good at cooking.”

“I’m afraid if we do a bad job, Yanzhen’s team might think we’re deliberately sabotaging them.”

As soon as Lin Su finished speaking, He Yanzhen shot her a glare. “Am I really that petty?”

“You’re not petty?” Lin Su laughed.

“You’d better watch yourself. If I weren’t worried about Xiao Xu holding things for too long, I’d smack you right now,” He Yanzhen huffed. “Don’t listen to her nonsense, Xiao Xu. She’s ruining my image. She doesn’t even assist—at home, she just orders takeout.”

“I can cook a little,” Xu Mifei said, testing the weight in her hands, signaling to He Yanzhen that it wasn’t a problem for her.

Sometimes, when she followed projects to film sets, she would workday and night on prop production and adjustments.

During busy times, she ate set meals. When she had time off and went home, she cooked something nice for herself—it was one of life’s small pleasures.

Besides, Jiang Lingyu was probably a decent cook too, though she’d never shown it on camera.

“Then we’ll have to rely on you tomorrow,” Lin Su said. “We’ll both be your assistants.”

“No problem.”

Lin Su’s hands were dirty from handling the vegetables, and Xu Mifei noticed the subtle way He Yanzhen slid a wet wipe toward her.

Emmm… can I say it? This scene looks so harmonious, like… a family of three, lol.

More like two older sisters with their alpha little sister. Doesn’t feel like a daughter—Teacher Lin and the others look way too young.

Didn’t know Xu Mifei could cook? Has this ever been mentioned before? Or did she cram-learn it just for tomorrow?

They wouldn’t send three people who can’t cook to blow up the kitchen. If Xu Mifei’s completing the knight’s task, she’d have to contribute.

While you’re all questioning Xu Mifei, am I the only one who noticed how effortlessly she lifted the basket Sister Zhenzhen couldn’t handle?

If Xu Mifei stood in front of me doing this, even if you told me she had a shady past, I might not be able to stop my hopeless romantic brain from falling for her.

Same here! Just let me be a casual fan of Peacock Fei for today!!!

If they had such a harmonious relationship, how did they end up divorced?

Unable to see the barrage of comments, Xu Mifei was lost in deep confusion.

Ever since uncovering Lin Su and He Yanzhen’s secret, she couldn’t help thinking about it whenever she saw them.

Even though she wasn’t the one with the secret, she still felt an inexplicable sense of guilt…

After Wen Yue and Shen Wansui came downstairs, He Yanzhen reminded her, “Is Xiao Jiang still asleep? Go wake her up for a shower.”

Xu Mifei nodded and went upstairs.

Wen Yue asked quietly, “Has Wanzhi not come down yet?”

Xu Mifei replied, “She might have some company matters to attend to. Her camera feed is disconnected too.”

“I see…”

Naturally, Xu Mifei knew the real reason the camera was off.

Someone as image-conscious as Xu Wanzhi would never let the cameras capture her in a futile rage.

Upstairs in the room.

Not long after Xu Mifei left, Jiang Lingyu got up.

She didn’t want the cameras to catch her pretending to sleep, so she simply sat on the bed.

The room temperature was comfortable, but she still wanted to take a shower. She opened her phone to check the time and saw new notifications.

Zhaozhao: Sis! You need to see this ASAP!
Zhaozhao: If you don’t watch it soon, the company will probably issue a PR statement. Should I start reporting your schedule to Young Miss Xu from now on?
Zhaozhao: Oh, and! Your new agent has been assigned—it’s Sister Hu Huaimeng. She’ll probably add you tonight, so remember to accept the request /pray

Hu Huaimeng? Jiang Lingyu frowned. She remembered the name.

Once a top-tier agent in the industry, Hu Huaimeng had suffered a major setback three years ago when her star client, Zhang Songyuan, terminated her contract and left, taking several promising junior artists with her to establish a rival studio.

It was deemed Hu Huaimeng’s professional failure. After paying the company’s penalty fees, she never recovered, only handling artists as a formality without ever nurturing another star.

Assigning Hu Huaimeng to her at this critical moment was a clear sign they didn’t want her to thrive either.

Jiang Lingyu understood Zhaozhao’s hesitation now.

She replied, Got it.

Soon after, Zhaozhao sent a link with a sensational headline,

Breaking Down the Most Iconic Moments of Priority of Love—If You Can Last Till the Animal Dance, I’ll Be Impressed!

It turned out to be an edited compilation of highlights from the guests’ interactions in this episode.

The video’s last edit timestamp was earlier that night. As soon as Jiang Lingyu opened it, the opening frame was flooded with a massive barrage comment:

Skip to 1:49 for SCREAMING CHICKEN MODE! HIGH ALERT! HIGH ALERT!
Friendly reminder from the uploader: Turn up your volume and brightness! No guarantees this video will grant you your dream alpha! This show is purely for entertainment!
Note: This isn’t a thriller—you’re allowed to breathe!

Without hesitation, Jiang Lingyu dragged the timeline to the marked timestamp.

The barrage comments, already covering half the screen, now exploded from top to bottom, leaving only slivers of visibility between the text. The scene showed her stepping on Xu Mifei’s shoe while choosing her as her knight.

The screen erupted with screams—unheard yet deafening, as if they were right beside her. Even now, Jiang Lingyu’s mind buzzed with the memory.

For a moment, she was lost, unable to recall what state of mind had driven her to demand Xu Mifei as her knight.

In that instant, she hadn’t considered the consequences—something entirely unlike her usual self.

Zhaozhao’s warning about PR intervention wasn’t baseless. Whether it was the Xu family or the company, neither would allow such footage to remain in the public eye between her and Xu Mifei.

The last two clips were clearly added by the uploader tonight, including one of Xu Mifei effortlessly carrying her down the mountain.

The screen was once again flooded with bullet comments.

Jiang Lingyu had no choice but to hide some of them.

After the lower half of the comments disappeared, Xu Mifei’s hands supporting her body came clearly into view.

She could even see the fingers tightening when Xu Mifei adjusted her grip to lift her higher.

The corresponding part of her body seemed to remember—just from watching this scene—

she recalled the moment and her body’s reaction at the time.

It was such a subtle movement, how could it… feel more dangerous and alluring than pheromones, as if physically imprinted on her skin, still burning even now. If not for knowing Xu Mifei’s restraint, she would have doubted whether actual finger marks had been left behind.

Forget everything else, who could resist being moved by tonight’s Xu Mifei? I don’t believe it!

This faithful girl is willing to make her roommate go vegetarian, just give me a Xu Mifei 2.0 version—no to the flirtatious 1.0 version, please please!!

Xu Mifei has gone all out tonight. If she keeps up this 2.0 mode, I strongly suggest Director Jin promote her as a guest! Any title will do, as long as the audience loves it.

The path looks pretty bumpy. How is she still not waking up? Did Yuyu get pheromone comfort?

No one knows what Xu Mifei’s pheromones smell like yet. Any insiders from the entertainment industry care to spill? Feels like it must be amazing.

Jiang Lingyu hadn’t received pheromone comfort, but she was certain her perception at the time hadn’t been wrong.

When Xu Mifei was in that tense, excited state, the inhibitor patch on her nape wasn’t perfectly smooth.

Especially the first time—when lips touched there, the intense pulse… like suddenly ragged breathing.

Jiang Lingyu raised her wrist to her nose. She and Xu Mifei used the same shower gel, yet the scent had already faded from her skin.

Could a beta on the verge of differentiation secrete something resembling pheromones?

Sweet, moist, warm—a scent that enveloped her completely.

Jiang Lingyu squeezed her eyes shut, fingertips gripping her phone until they turned white, until the vibration of a friend request snapped her out of it.

After accepting Hu Huaimeng’s request, Jiang Lingyu lowered her gaze and sent a message. When the reply “I’ll try” came, she exhaled in relief.

She preferred working with people who skipped small talk and got straight to business—less hassle and a clearer measure of capability.

Setting her phone aside, Jiang Lingyu got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Only when scalding water cascaded over her did she finally regain some clarity.

The entire evening had felt like a dream, starting from the dance.

The knock on her door made her realize she’d been thinking about Xu Mifei this whole time.

Now she even heard Xu Mifei’s voice, “Jiang Lingyu, it’s me. Are you there?”

The wooden cabin’s soundproofing was indeed poor. Even through the shower’s noise, Jiang Lingyu could faintly hear Xu Mifei calling for her.

She had just lathered up, about to rinse and throw on a robe to answer the door, when the hot water abruptly turned ice-cold. The shock made her knock over a glass cup on the shelf.

With a sharp “crack,” the glass shattered into pieces.

“What happened?” Xu Mifei’s voice grew urgent. Hearing the noise and noticing Jiang Lingyu hadn’t come to open the door, she guessed she was in the shower and called through the door:

“Don’t move the broken glass. Get dressed first. The props team has a spare key—can I come in now to help clean it up?”

After receiving a vague agreement, Xu Mifei quickly unlocked the door. Once inside, she immediately covered the camera.

?

Ahhh I wish I had X-ray vision!!! Fei Peacock, I’m not an outsider—let me see!!!

We can still hear sounds. From now on, I’ll close my eyes and imagine I’m already in the bathroom with them.

???? What kind of wild talk is this?! It’s not even midnight yet!

Xu Mifei strode to the bathroom door and opened it without hesitation, though her gaze first dropped to the floor.

Water had flooded the bathroom, the temperature inside not particularly warm, with shards of glass submerged in the water. Having just been showering, Jiang Lingyu’s face was slightly flushed, her body wrapped in a bathrobe, bare feet planted on the floor.

Xu Mifei only glanced before quickly averting her eyes—she caught sight of white bubbles slowly sliding down Jiang Lingyu’s calf.

The location, situation, and timing were all awkward. Xu Mifei decided to stay silent and focus on the task.

“Don’t move,” she said, deftly pulling a pair of disposable gloves from her pocket. She removed the drain cover and swept up the broken glass.

As if remembering something, she reached out toward Jiang Lingyu, who was still standing inside.

“Let me carry you out first. Go to bed—you’ll catch a cold like this.”

There might still be tiny shards on the floor, and she didn’t want Jiang Lingyu to freeze without shoes.

Jiang Lingyu hadn’t rinsed off all the soap before the water turned cold—how could she let Xu Mifei carry her? She immediately refused.

“I can—”

The next moment, a firm grip tightened around her waist.

“The floor is covered in broken glass,” Xu Mifei murmured low in her ear, suddenly securing her hold. “If I don’t carry you, this is the only way I can get you out.”

Effortlessly, as if lifting a child, she gripped Jiang Lingyu’s waist and moved her out of the bathroom.

Jiang Lingyu stood stiffly by the bathroom door, realizing she was becoming increasingly powerless to resist Xu Mifei’s touch.

She especially couldn’t stand the moment those hands pressed firmly against her body—even if unintentional.

Xu Mifei quickly released her, turned on the shower to rinse the area, and confirmed no glass remained before readjusting the water temperature. “You can keep showering now,” she said.

She handled everything with such practiced ease that Jiang Lingyu silently observed, a strong sense of dissonance rising in her chest.

Xu Mifei, who had every aspect of her life meticulously arranged by others—when had she ever needed to do this? When had she learned? Or was it… only in front of female companions that she revealed this side of herself?

The thought that Xu Mifei might have cared for many omegas before her in the same way, that those hands had gripped the waists of countless others, stirred a peculiar emotion in Jiang Lingyu’s heart.

Xu Mifei remained oblivious to her thoughts.

Noticing Jiang Lingyu still standing there, she glanced at the camera before asking quietly, “Aren’t you going to shower?”

Jiang Lingyu casually switched off the nearby microphone and shook her head. “Why did you come up here again?”

Her voice returned to its usual calm.

“I wanted to let you know that there was an issue with an intern in the props department. Team Leader Hu and I have already dismissed her. She was bribed by Yi Baoyou to place an inducing agent in your backpack.”

She was also the one who replaced the floating particles beneath the plush layer of the costume with absorbent material. When Xu Mifei caught her, her face turned deathly pale, trembling like a leaf.

The reason for laying all these things out in front of Jiang Lingyu was that Xu Mifei couldn’t let her think it had been done intentionally.

She was just a cannon fodder in this story, and cannon fodders existed to take the blame.

During the game, Xu Mifei had added some of the absorbent material originally meant for Jiang Lingyu’s costume into Xu Wanzhi’s outfit.

It wouldn’t cause drowning, but it would make the wearer clearly feel the costume gradually growing heavier, as if being dragged underwater.

Afterward, Xu Mifei had led the intern into Xu Wanzhi’s room to wait.

When Xu Mifei came up earlier, there had been several heavy thuds from the neighboring room, and the intern had emerged with a slap mark on her face—clearly, Xu Wanzhi had lost her temper.

From now on, no prop department in the industry would ever hire her again.

Xu Mifei had thought Jiang Lingyu would at least feel some relief—being targeted by the prop team without reason was something impossible to guard against.

But the woman before her showed no such reaction. Her gaze was visibly complicated, mixed with something unreadable, as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.

“…Why did you do all this?”

Xu Mifei froze for a moment before quickly answering, “I told you before—I’d prove that I’ve changed. What I want is—”

Jiang Lingyu took a step closer, staring at her. “Want what?”

Was this something she could just casually demand from anyone?

“Your trust. I want you to believe me—I won’t hurt you.” By the time Xu Mifei answered, Jiang Lingyu was already standing right in front of her.

Jiang Lingyu wondered if she had said these words to many others before—otherwise, how could they flow so naturally, as if they were true?

Could she afford to gamble on trusting someone?

A beta who seemed on the verge of a second differentiation—something she herself still knew nothing about.

Unless Xu Mifei truly underwent a second differentiation and became an omega, Jiang Lingyu might have been willing to offer some measure of trust.

But judging by her reaction to Jiang Lingyu’s pheromones, that clearly wasn’t the case.

Jiang Lingyu’s thoughts grew numb—chaotic fragments flickered through her mind. What was wrong with her? She actually wanted to test, to probe, using her own pheromones.

The air began to carry a faint trace of pheromone fragrance.

Xu Mifei sensed it immediately. Her mind went blank for an instant before dizziness washed over her—that familiar, oxygen-drunk sensation. “What are you doing?”

“I want proof,” Jiang Lingyu said expressionlessly, her gaze lowering to Xu Mifei’s lips. “Show me just how far I can trust you.”