I Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha and Stole the Heroine from Her Tragic Romance ( LILY, ABO ) - Chapter 18

“I like Yaoyao and I want to pursue her. Do you have a problem with that?”

Yu Peirong’s words hit Yu Shang like a spell. His brain seemed to explode with a loud buzz. His face shifted quickly, as if something terrible had just happened.

“You… but aren’t you an Omega?” Yu Shang was so shocked he could barely speak. He wanted to say that a relationship between two Omegas could never work, but then he remembered Yu Peirong had done other rebellious things in the past. That made her interest in Qi Xiyao a little less surprising.

Still unwilling to accept it, Yu Shang asked, “Sis, are you upset about something? Or did Yaoyao say something to you? She is a nice girl, sure, but she does exaggerate sometimes. We’ve been arguing lately, so maybe that influenced how you see her.”

Yu Peirong almost laughed in her heart.

Just look at him. This was exactly who Yu Shang was. Even though he had never been in a relationship with Qi Xiyao, he had no problem making up negative things about her to save face in front of his family.

If she had been more naive, she might have fallen for his fake concern. His downcast eyes and wounded expression made him look like a man who had been emotionally destroyed. But Yu Peirong felt nothing.

She did not truly want to pursue the heroine. She only enjoyed watching Yu Shang suffer like this.

She also remembered him drunkenly mentioning Zhao Siyian before. So she pretended to look conflicted and said, “But I really think Yaoyao is amazing. Siyian told me that two Omegas can have a chance at love too.”

She raised her eyebrows slightly and added, with a hint of disgust, “You were never actually with Qi Xiyao, right? So why are you trying to stop me? Fair competition, isn’t it?”

So that was her game. Yu Shang realized she had done all this just to get under his skin. He had wondered why Yu Peirong was suddenly getting close to Qi Xiyao. Now he understood. She knew he liked her and wanted to mess with him on purpose.

After exchanging a few more words, Yu Shang watched her leave and then angrily called someone he had not spoken to in a while.

…

Yu Shang had assumed that Yu Peirong had only spoken in anger the night before. He never thought she would actually demote him to a powerless office worker. He had been involved in so many important decisions at the company.

Yu Peirong used to be impulsive when angry, but she would usually calm down quickly. She rarely held grudges.

He realized too late that this time was different.

When he walked into his office and turned on the computer, a notification popped up from the company’s internal system. He felt uneasy and quickly opened the message.

His eyes landed on the announcement and stayed there for a few seconds. Then he read the words clearly.

Yu Peirong: Regarding employee Yu Shang’s failure to fulfill executive duties and his repeated favoritism in managing artist resources… he is hereby demoted to team leader of the copywriting department’s publicity team.

Just reading the summary made his chest tighten. His vision darkened. He wanted to drag Yu Peirong in front of him and demand an explanation. But he had no power and no authority.

The company held morning meetings regularly. As someone now working in the copywriting department, Yu Shang no longer qualified to sit in an executive’s private office. He had to gather his things and return the office key to HR.

To make things worse, he still had to attend the morning meeting.

…

When they left the conference room, Yu Shang wore a cold expression, and the air around him felt heavy with anger. In front of him walked Yu Peirong, tall and graceful.

Her long golden-brown hair was tied into a sleek high ponytail. Her look was sharp and clean, with light, tasteful makeup. She wore a dark gray women’s suit with perfect tailoring. Her black-rimmed glasses sat on her straight nose, making her face appear calm and elegant.

People in the office often whispered that they had never seen such a cool and confident Omega. She was tall, attractive, and even had a commanding presence similar to an Alpha.

But unlike Yu Shang, who always tried to show off by arriving last to meetings just to leave a strong impression, Yu Peirong never played those games.

In just a short time, she had already earned a solid reputation in the company.

At the very least, since she took over, the employees found her approachable. The artists also noticed that she was responsible and fair. She did not rely on personal connections, nor did she mistreat anyone.

One beautiful female singer had joined the company just last year. She had heard bad rumors about Yu Peirong and was terrified when she was called in for a one-on-one meeting.

But Yu Peirong simply asked about her thoughts on the album’s production. She also discussed the timeline for her next release and the songs that would be included. Her tone was gentle and respectful. She never forced her opinions and gave the artist full freedom to speak openly.

That kind of behavior had never happened under Yu Shang. It was rumored that some artists, not just women but even attractive male Omegas, had been quietly harassed by him before.

This was why people used to say that Yu Peirong and Yu Shang were no different from each other.

But now it was clear. Yu Peirong was beautiful, kind, and strong. She stood out as a graceful, elegant, and capable Omega.

Yu Peirong could sense the shift in how people saw her. Thankfully, the original version of her had not done anything terrible before she arrived at the company. Otherwise, fixing her reputation would have been much harder.

Although she needed to maintain a consistent personality, she had no intention of following the old version’s path. Both siblings had gone too far in the past. Even if she could not become a perfect person, she would never let her name be dragged through the mud again.

The system had no complaints. Its only rule was that any changes had to happen slowly. At the very least, people who were close to her could not suspect that her personality had changed too suddenly.

Back in her office, Qi Xiyao had already made her a cup of tea. She sat quietly to the side, reading a script.

This was something she used to do in Yu Shang’s office regularly, so she was used to it. The only difference was that now she no longer had to worry about being harassed.

When Yu Peirong returned, Qi Xiyao seemed a little distracted. She could not stop thinking about what Zhao Yayi had said the night before. Her mind felt unsettled, stuck in a constant tug-of-war between doubt and trust.

Yu Peirong did not notice Qi Xiyao’s emotional shift. She checked the time and figured they could go to the audition that afternoon. If all went well, they would likely hear back within three days.

She had a lot of confidence in Qi Xiyao’s acting. The supporting role in Dual Lives was a standout character. The girl was written as a mysterious figure with the ability to see spirits. Since childhood, she had been treated as a freak by her family. Even after being recognized and supported by the male and female leads, she still had to fight hard against the destiny shaped by her painful past.

Yu Peirong took a sip of warm tea and said gently, “Yaoyao.”

Qi Xiyao quickly looked up from her script.

“I’ll take you to the audition this afternoon. Can you treat me to dinner tonight?”

Qi Xiyao had offered to treat her before, without really saying why, but Yu Peirong more or less understood. If she had not stepped in that night, Qi Xiyao could have been forcibly marked. Letting her offer a small thank you seemed fair.

Knowing how sensitive and thoughtful Qi Xiyao was, Yu Peirong worried that if she refused again, the girl might overthink it.

Everything for the audition had already been arranged. It was a private session, not public, so there would be no annoying interviews or reporters. After dinner, she would take Qi Xiyao home. By then, they should be close enough for her to casually ask if she knew Zhao Siyian.

Yu Peirong was convinced something was off about that person. She wanted to know whether Zhao Siyian had ever contacted Qi Xiyao directly.

In fact, only a day had passed since the last time they talked about having dinner. Qi Xiyao had thought Yu Peirong’s refusal meant she was not really interested. But now that she brought it up again so soon, the cloud over Qi Xiyao’s heart lifted immediately. She smiled brightly and said, “Sure.”

That afternoon, they went to the audition. Yu Peirong did not bring a driver. She drove them herself.

She stayed the whole time and watched Qi Xiyao’s performance. The scene Qi Xiyao drew was one of the most difficult. Her character, born with the ability to see spirits, had been cast aside as bad luck by her family. In this scene, she broke down completely, screaming at her parents before they abandoned her. It was a moment of complete emotional release after years of silent suffering.

Although Qi Xiyao had no formal training, her ability to connect emotionally was incredible. The way she delivered that scene pulled Yu Peirong deep into the character’s world. It felt like she was right there, witnessing that girl’s heartbreaking despair.

Sitting behind the desk was a graceful woman in gold-rimmed glasses. Her name was Quan Zhihong. By the end of Qi Xiyao’s performance, she was quietly wiping tears from the corner of her eyes.

“That was very good. You can go home and wait for the results.”

Quan Zhihong politely shook Qi Xiyao’s hand, touching only her fingertips before letting go quickly. Qi Xiyao seemed a bit nervous around strangers. As soon as she withdrew her hand, she quietly stepped behind Yu Peirong.

“Thank you, Director Quan.”

Qi Xiyao offered a professional smile, then followed Yu Peirong out of the building.

Yu Peirong noticed that Qi Xiyao had broken out in a thin layer of sweat. She wondered if it was from years of being manipulated or a deeper lack of confidence. Either way, it seemed like she could only breathe freely once they were alone again.

That thought made Yu Peirong feel a little helpless and a little heartbroken. She was just about to change the subject and ask what Qi Xiyao wanted to eat for dinner, when suddenly she received a system message.

Important notice repeated three times: The host must kiss the heroine for over ten seconds within half a month. The number of kisses is unlimited as long as the total duration meets the goal.

The host must kiss the heroine for over ten seconds within half a month. The number of kisses is unlimited as long as the total duration meets the goal.

The host must kiss the heroine for over ten seconds within half a month.

Yu Peirong felt her mind go completely blank. Whatever good mood she had was immediately ruined.

“Kiss her for ten seconds? Explain this. What does ‘unlimited number’ even mean in this context?”