Forced to Pretend to Be an A and Marry the Best Actress Omega - Chapter 4

The dazzling lights in the hall blurred Xu Mifei’s vision—she had never experienced such a grand occasion before.

Yet the arm encircling her, the hand drawing her close, felt undeniably real. Step by step, Xu Mifei found herself involuntarily following Jiang Lingyu into the banquet hall.

All eyes turned toward them.

Both Jiang Lingyu and Xu Mifei were strikingly tall and elegant. Even as a beta, Xu Mifei’s height and looks were impeccable, standing out remarkably among the family’s alphas and omegas. No wonder she had managed to pass as an alpha for so long without anyone suspecting—she simply didn’t fit the beta stereotype.

But beneath her composed exterior, Xu Mifei was far from calm.

What had Jiang Lingyu meant earlier? “Completion”—did it mean she was willing to cooperate and attend this engagement banquet?

Did she even realize what she was doing?

Anxiety churned in Xu Mifei’s heart, but she had no choice but to follow Jiang Lingyu’s lead, allowing the spotlight to trail them as they entered.

The guests, previously engrossed in their wine and chatter, paused in unison. Xu Mifei’s gaze swept across them, their expressions clear even under the harsh lighting—mocking, amused, fearful, envious, or simply eager for drama.

Not a single one held genuine blessings for the newly engaged couple.

At the main table, Xu Mifei’s parents, Xu Yiming and Liao Xuelan, were already surrounded by sycophants vying to toast and flatter them. The scene resembled less a wedding celebration and more a high-society gathering where power and prestige were being fawned over.

Meanwhile, the omega bride’s side featured a lone, neglected noblewoman—her expression fraught with tension. She kept rising to peer around, only settling back into her seat with visible relief when Jiang Lingyu and Xu Mifei finally appeared.

“This engagement banquet must proceed, no matter what. Neither of us can escape it,” Jiang Lingyu murmured, her closeness making the whisper audible. “You understand that better than I do.”

The original host might have understood, but the current Xu Mifei truly didn’t—not one bit.

Qin Lu and a group of black-suited bodyguards flanked them at all times, less for protection and more for surveillance.

This was likely meant to prevent Jiang Lingyu from causing trouble if she resisted cooperation. But now, the roles had reversed—Xu Mifei was the one struggling with stage fright, and the precautions were effectively aimed at her.

Xu Mifei was certain her nominal parents had noticed her arrival, yet they barely spared her a glance, their smiles far warmer for the flatterers than for their own daughter.

As for the other relatives? Their indifference was even more pronounced.

Though biologically a beta, the original host had always posed as an alpha, stirring up endless scandals and cycling through girlfriends. Already an outcast in the family, her questionable behavior had earned her parents’ lifelong disapproval.

In truth, she had lived in the shadows at home, treading carefully. Scheming to steal her sister Xu Wanzhi’s engagement had been her one small rebellion.

It all began with ambiguous photos of Xu Mifei and Jiang Lingyu’s intimate encounter being recklessly circulated by a few daring gossip accounts. Before the Xu family could react and clarify that Jiang Lingyu was actually engaged to Xu Wanzhi, Jiang Lingyu and Xu Mifei were caught in a compromising position in an RV by Jiang Lingyu’s mother, Jiang Wanxiang.

Jiang Wanxiang was an ambitious and formidable woman who wouldn’t let such an opportunity slip.

Even if the Xu family tried to suppress the scandal, it was too late—the upper-class circles were already abuzz with the news that Jiang Lingyu, an omega, had been temporarily marked by Xu Mifei. Worse still, Jiang Wanxiang seemed intent on escalating the situation.

In the end, it was Xu Wanzhi who stepped in, suggesting that since the marriage alliance with the Xu family had to be honored, letting her younger sister take her place wasn’t entirely unacceptable.

Unacceptable? Absolutely not! An alpha-omega pairing, especially with the Xu family’s superior genes, would likely produce S-class offspring.

What did Xu Mifei, a mere beta, have to offer? A beta’s descendants would most likely remain betas.

Needless to say, if not for her surname and the law, her parents would have gladly strangled her on the spot.

As for Jiang Lingyu, the center of the storm, no one cared about her thoughts. The public only wanted gossip, scandal, and schadenfreude—though the untouchable ice queen had been plucked, there was a perverse satisfaction in knowing that even someone as lofty as Jiang Lingyu had fallen prey to Xu Mifei, a notorious alpha.

So much for the untouchable princess—reduced to a slave of pheromones.

“Let’s go to Father first.” Regardless, Xu Mifei had to at least try to stop this farce. She understood Jiang Lingyu’s intentions.

If Xu Mifei backed out now, where would that leave the Xu family’s dignity? Jiang Wanxiang might just have them both killed.

But before she could even approach, Xu Yiming raised a hand, his eyes flashing with faint impatience and disdain.

The bodyguards behind Qin Lu closed in again, following the direction of the camera flashes, and with unyielding force, shoved Xu Mifei and Jiang Lingyu onto the stage, forcing them to face the crowd.

Xu Mifei’s gaze landed on the main table, where a young woman who bore a slight resemblance to her raised a glass in her direction with a cold, mirthless smile.

It wasn’t a smile, nor was it a blessing. Xu Mifei’s heart sank—she recognized her instantly.

—The scumbag alpha from the original story, her elder sister, Xu Wanzhi!

How could she possibly be blessing her?

“What the hell are you still pretending for, Xu Mifei?” Sensing her hesitation, Jiang Lingyu couldn’t fathom what Xu Mifei was thinking. In these brief moments, she had already assessed her own position and made up her mind.

“Stop putting on an act. Just do as I say.” Jiang Lingyu kept her eyes forward, her voice low but firm in Xu Mifei’s ear.

“…Jiang Lingyu, if we don’t stop now, there’s no turning back.” Xu Mifei had no defense left. Numbly, she listened as the host recited flowery wedding vows before the crowd, his voice barely registering. “I don’t want to die…”

The Xu family merely looked down on Xu Mifei for being a beta, but they held their own reputation in high regard—keeping up appearances was absolutely essential.

Xu Mifei and Jiang Lingyu’s love story had been given a beginning, a journey, and now, a blissful conclusion by them.

The crowd below erupted in thunderous applause, a gesture of blessing. Yet her parents, relatives, and even her own sister regarded her with cold disdain, as if she were some stubborn stain they couldn’t scrub off.

Standing on stage, Xu Mifei found it all surreal. Given how fractured the original host’s life had been, it was no wonder she’d turned into a psychological mess.

“I bit you last night because I’m mentally unstable. I’m sorry,” Xu Mifei still tried to salvage her crumbling credibility.

Jiang Lingyu froze for a moment. Unstable? Xu Mifei was admitting to being… unstable?

“It won’t happen again,” Xu Mifei promised. “I’m better now, and since you know my secret, I’ll never bite you like that again.”

Their voices were low enough that only the two of them could hear. To ensure Jiang Lingyu understood her clearly—and also because the stage lights were bothering her—Xu Mifei tilted slightly toward her, giving Jiang Lingyu a clear view of the inhibitor patch on the back of her neck.

What a monumental secret, one the face-conscious Xu family had guarded for years, and here Xu Mifei was, revealing it to her just like that.

Today, Xu Mifei wasn’t wearing any perfume. Only when she leaned in did Jiang Lingyu catch the faint scent clinging to her—likely from earlier, when Xu Mifei had entered and Jiang Lingyu, in a moment of excitement, had released too much pheromone, leaving traces on her.

Xu Mifei usually wore Self-Immolation, a perfume blending musk and sage, notorious among omegas as one of the most overpowering yet popular fragrances. Jiang Lingyu had always hated it.

But now, the Self-Immolation was gone. From beneath the inhibitor patch, a different, subtler fragrance seemed to drift out.

Jiang Lingyu found the scent oddly familiar. Had she smelled it on Xu Mifei last night?

No—that couldn’t be. If Xu Mifei truly was a beta, as she claimed, she shouldn’t carry any trace of pheromones.

Yet when Xu Mifei’s canines had sunk into her gland, Jiang Lingyu had caught a fleeting whiff of something intense—so faint it was almost dismissible, yet potent enough to send every cell in her bl00d trembling.

Unlike the artificial blend of Self-Immolation, that moment had been indescribable. It wasn’t just self-immolation—it had burned her.

She’d even thought she’d been marked.

Weak and helpless at the time, Jiang Lingyu hadn’t been able to resist. By the time she woke, the scent had vanished, leaving her to wonder if it had been an illusion.

But now, as she glimpsed Xu Mifei’s gland again, she thought she detected that same fragrance mingling with the remnants of her own pheromones.

The mingling of pheromones was an intimate act—between lovers, it could be seduction. The scent made Jiang Lingyu’s mind waver for a moment.

Then, realization struck.

Had Xu Mifei gone to see another omega after that?

Was she lying to herself?

At this thought, Jiang Lingyu’s eyes turned cold again. The host happened to announce that the newly engaged couple should greet everyone for photos.

Pressing her lips together, Jiang Lingyu reached out to take Xu Mifei’s hand. Her eyes were as cold as mountain snow, a mechanical smile hanging at the corners of her mouth as she positioned their engagement rings before the camera, forcibly maneuvering Xu Mifei into stiff poses.

The photographer clicked the shutter several times in succession—what a perfect pair, these photos would make flawless press releases without even needing retouching.

Yet in the unseen corners, Jiang Lingyu immediately separated from Xu Mifei after the photos, as if disgusted by any contact with her.

Xu Mifei: “Why are you—”

“Scum. I won’t believe you,” Jiang Lingyu cut her off, her rising and falling chest betraying unsettled emotions. “Xu Mifei, even if you weren’t an alpha, I’d still hate you.”

Their bodyguards closed in again, and like puppets controlled by precision instruments, the two proceeded flawlessly through each step of the ceremony.

When all eyes finally left them and the spotlight dimmed, Xu Mifei urgently explained: “I’ll prove myself to you later. Believe me, give me one more chance.”

Xu Mifei nearly called her “ancestor” out loud—really. This ancestor absolutely mustn’t hate her; such words made Xu Mifei’s heart tremble with fear.

She didn’t want to die. Having read those transmigration novels, Xu Mifei knew characters who crossed into books usually got a second chance at life—lose this one, and there’d be no going back.

“Congratulations, little sister.” As they moved toward the lounge, someone blocked their path.

Xu Wanzhi.

Xu Mifei’s alarm bells rang at the sight of her. The woman gently swirled a wine glass in her hand.

Up close, Xu Wanzhi’s delicate features leaned toward gentle grace. Though tall, her soft smile fit the stereotypical image of a demure omega.

“What a perfect match. Heard the talk? They say you two looked so in love today, your romance utterly captivating,” Xu Wanzhi enunciated each word, her gaze suddenly catching the faint outline of a scent patch on Jiang Lingyu’s neck.

“You little bastard, how dare you?” Just seeing Jiang Lingyu’s gland made Xu Wanzhi’s breathing uneven. With a cold laugh, she nearly crushed the wine glass in her tightening grip, while Jiang Lingyu’s face instantly paled.

Something’s wrong.

Xu Mifei noticed Jiang Lingyu’s abnormal reaction as the faint scent of wormwood—Xu Wanzhi’s pheromones—reached her nose.

Their bodyguards froze under the pheromone suppression, all bowing their heads.

With her poor sense of smell, Xu Mifei only caught the subtle scent due to proximity. She moved to shove Xu Wanzhi away: “Are you insane?!”

She needed to get Jiang Lingyu away immediately.

An omega who recently took strong suppressants could suffer adverse effects from renewed pheromone stimulation.

“You think you’re worthy of biting her? A worthless thing without even pheromones, sharpening your teeth doesn’t make you an alpha.” Xu Wanzhi curled her lips into a malicious smile, grabbing Xu Mifei’s wrist—only to see the fresh wounds on her palm.

She raised an eyebrow and pressed down hard. The freshly scabbed wounds split open instantly, bl00d welling up. “Which little lover did you play with this time? Your taste never changes—those minor celebrities are all you’re good for.”

Jiang Lingyu’s face grew paler. When Xu Wanzhi said “which,” a flicker of bitter amusement crossed her eyes.

She laughed at herself for actually believing, even for a moment, that Xu Mifei had truly repented.

Xu Wanzhi watched Jiang Lingyu’s crumbling composure with satisfaction.

“Lingyu, my pheromones have a 65% compatibility rate with yours. You should know that’s an excellent match.” As Xu Wanzhi reached for Jiang Lingyu’s shoulder, Xu Mifei let out a muffled groan, wrenching her hand free and shoving Xu Wanzhi back forcefully.

“Don’t touch her.” Xu Mifei stood slightly taller, her striking features sharp and alluring, exuding an aggressive charm. She was like a flowing shot of hard liquor—intense, lingering, and utterly intoxicating.

Xu Wanzhi stumbled back several steps, fury flashing in her eyes. Without hesitation, she flung the contents of her glass at them. Xu Mifei immediately shielded Jiang Lingyu.

The alcohol splashed across Xu Mifei’s face like a resounding slap. Light glinted off the droplets clinging to her jaw. With a crisp crack, the empty glass in her hand shattered. Gripping the jagged remnants, she stepped forward.

“Xu Mifei, who are you pretending to be?” Xu Wanzhi tilted her head, heedless of the gathered guests, and thrust the stem of her wineglass forward.

Xu Mifei didn’t flinch, letting the sharp edge press into her abdomen without yielding an inch.

The dim lighting and obstructing bodyguards masked the scene. Even Qin Lu had her back turned—their silent endorsement of Xu Wanzhi’s actions.

Though the emergency exit was right there, everyone would deem it natural if Xu Mifei were trampled underfoot today.

Xu Mifei’s heart pounded like a drum. With a fleeting glance toward the glowing green exit sign, she suddenly turned to Jiang Lingyu.

Jiang Lingyu’s heart sank heavily, as if she’d already known.

Of course.

Xu Mifei bore the Xu name. She knew how to assess situations—was she about to hand her over?

“When I step forward to hold Xu Wanzhi back, find your chance to leave.”

What?

Jiang Lingyu froze, staring at Xu Mifei in disbelief.

Was she insane? Another step, and that glass could pierce straight through her.

“Hold on. It’ll be fine.” Xu Mifei’s forehead was still damp, alcohol dripping from her lashes and disheveled hair. Despite her disheveled state, her voice carried an inexplicable calm. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll find you.”

With that, she clenched the object pressed against her in her bleeding palm, locked eyes with Xu Wanzhi, and took one decisive step forward—while her other fist swung straight for Xu Wanzhi’s eye.