I Transmigrated into a Scummy Alpha and Stole the Heroine from Her Tragic Romance ( LILY, ABO ) - Chapter 5

Yu Peirong was completely focused on helping Qi Xiyao immerse herself in the performance, and she didn’t notice the two women who had quietly taken their photos and slipped away.

“When you’re captured, you should definitely look frightened. But within that fear, there also has to be a firm resolve not to reveal the secret. Even if they torture you, you can’t betray the organization. That kind of loyalty is something everyone from the brothel is born with.”

She adjusted the collar of Qi Xiyao’s costume and said calmly, “Again.”

Qi Xiyao quickly slipped back into character. Her beautiful eyes, like clear autumn water, slowly lifted. They shimmered with a soft and gentle light, but there was a steel-like determination hidden beneath. This time, her gestures were restrained, but all the emotion was fully conveyed through her eyes. She clearly had the kind of natural talent that could click into place instantly.

Having worked in the real entertainment industry for many years, Yu Peirong had a sharp eye for actors. Qi Xiyao was not formally trained; she was self-taught. Yet she had the raw quality of an unpolished gem—already glowing despite the lack of refinement.

Yu Peirong nodded with satisfaction. “Good. Keep that state moving forward.”

Qi Xiyao wiped away the sweat from her forehead, and a small smile finally appeared on her face as she let out a long breath.

That morning, when she came to Yu Peirong’s office, she had thought she would be deliberately made to suffer. She hadn’t slept well the night before, tossing and turning, trying to figure out how much of what Yu Peirong said had been real.

If Yu Peirong was actually an Omega pretending to be an Alpha, then in the family’s power struggle with Yu Shang, she would almost certainly lose. In powerful families like theirs, a talented Alpha was often far more valuable than an Omega.

But if that was true, why would Yu Peirong tell her?

Qi Xiyao had already suffered at Yu Shang’s hands and had a deep-rooted wariness toward the Yu family. She knew she had to find a way to test this woman.

Just in case, she had even brought a suppressant spray with her, ready for any inappropriate move Yu Peirong might try to make.

But to her surprise, Yu Peirong had only asked a few questions about her manager’s plans. When she mentioned she had been assigned to a drama with no romantic arc, Yu Peirong suddenly became interested and asked her to act out a scene on the spot.

Qi Xiyao’s manager used to treat her well, but after being pressured by Yu Shang, he started assigning her roles that were strange and unsuitable. The current drama was a decent one, but her part was small, and even if it had moments to shine, the character was meant to be humiliated.

Qi Xiyao performed her entire part. Without the other actors, it amounted to around ten minutes of screen time. During those ten minutes, Yu Peirong stared at her the whole time, so intently that it made her scalp tingle. It was hard to stay in character under that kind of pressure. Only when Yu Peirong started acting alongside her did she realize that this president actually had a good understanding of performance.

It made sense, though. As someone managing an entertainment company, she would naturally have some exposure to acting, music, and dance. At least, that was what Qi Xiyao told herself.

The scene was short, but Qi Xiyao’s manager had wanted her to travel to another city just for that ten-minute performance. And that was considered a “proper” work assignment.

Yu Peirong had never been a manager, but if she were in that position—having trained at a top company like Yishui Entertainment and still forced to waste time playing minor roles—she would have complained.

Still, to remain in character, she could not simply reject the project and hand Qi Xiyao a better role, even though she now had the power to do exactly that.

As these thoughts passed through her mind, Yu Peirong narrowed her eyes and examined Qi Xiyao with deliberate scrutiny. Her posture exuded superiority, and she stayed silent, letting tension build. Just as expected, Qi Xiyao began to fidget nervously.

Today, Qi Xiyao was dressed in a soft, countryside-style French dress. A slim red belt around her waist emphasized her delicate figure. Unlike other artists who dressed casually or wore heavy makeup off-screen, she looked like a blossoming white daisy—simple, fresh, and beautifully poised.

As much as Yu Peirong disliked overly gentle women, she had to admit that Qi Xiyao’s softness was genuinely pleasing to look at. It did not feel fake or forced.

Among all her facial features, Qi Xiyao’s eyes were the most striking. They were like the eyes of a lively deer, bright and clear. People often said the eyes were the windows to the soul, and Yu Peirong could clearly see the wariness and lack of trust directed at her. A playful impulse stirred quietly in her heart.

Before she could say anything, the clean office air suddenly carried a faint trace of Omega pheromones. It was the familiar scent of grapefruit green tea.

Yu Peirong had only read about how strong the attraction between Alphas and Omegas could be in the novel. She used to scoff at characters who lost control under the influence of pheromones. But now, experiencing it firsthand, she finally understood.

A strange heat rose from her lower abdomen, spreading quickly through her body. Every cell seemed to burn with an unfamiliar ache. She instinctively curled her fingers tighter and looked at Qi Xiyao with a hint of complaint in her eyes, only to see the woman standing calmly across the desk, looking at her with an innocent expression.

She was not doing it on purpose. That must mean Yu Peirong was just unusually sensitive to Omega pheromones. But since when did she react so strongly?

Yu Peirong started to question herself.

At that moment, Qi Xiyao seemed to notice something off. She looked up at the clear, blue sky outside the window. Yu Peirong’s office was on a high floor, completely private. The entire floor was hers. The tall glass windows gave a full view of the distant landscape. It was early autumn, and there was still a touch of late-summer warmth in the air.

“President Yu, are you feeling warm? Let me make you a cup of tea.”

Her voice was soft and sweet, like ice cubes clinking gently in a glass of water. Just hearing it brought a sense of calm.

Yu Peirong nodded. Her mood softened slightly, and she looked down at her paperwork, using the dry text as a distraction from the tempting scent in the air.

Qi Xiyao left for the break room.

She moved quickly. Yu Peirong didn’t know if that was because she was used to doing things like this or for some other reason. When she returned, she carefully handed over a pale golden cup of tea with both hands. Floating inside were thin slices of red grapefruit. Yu Peirong was pleased. Grapefruit tea was her favorite.

The moment the tea touched her tongue, she nearly spat it out.

Thankfully, she held it in and avoided making a mess. But the taste was unmistakable.

It was the exact same grapefruit green tea as Qi Xiyao’s pheromone scent.

Her face turned slightly red, and she started coughing from the shock. Why would this woman give someone tea that smelled exactly like her own pheromones?

Qi Xiyao looked puzzled by her reaction. Just as she was about to ask, Yu Peirong, still coughing slightly and looking somewhat aggrieved, handed the cup back to her.

Only after the cup was already in Qi Xiyao’s hands did Yu Peirong realize that she had already drunk from it. Her cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and frustration. But before she could say anything, Qi Xiyao calmly turned the cup slightly to avoid the lip mark, took a small sip, and then showed a hint of alarm on her face.

“President Yu, I’m so sorry! I forgot…”

She forgot that Qi Xiyao had already smelled her pheromones before.

Yu Peirong let out a long breath.

Now she understood.

The original host, like her, enjoyed drinking floral and fruit teas. Grapefruit green tea had always been a common choice, so that, in itself, wasn’t strange. But previously, the original host had never caught a whiff of Qi Xiyao’s pheromones. So drinking the tea then had no association at all.

Now that she had smelled it, drinking something that matched the scent of someone’s pheromones meant something entirely different. For an Alpha, it was a form of subtle seduction. For an Omega, it was outright provocation.

If Yu Peirong truly was an Omega born into this world, she would definitely take Qi Xiyao’s actions as a challenge.

Qi Xiyao’s pretty, delicate face shifted through several expressions. First surprise, then embarrassment, followed by nervous guilt and a hint of grievance. Her doe-like eyes glistened, blinking anxiously, while her fingers subconsciously twisted the hem of her dress. A fine mist of tears began to gather in her eyes.

Was it really that bad?

Did she really look that fierce?

In her own world, Yu Peirong had never dated, but she liked to think of herself as approachable. Unlike some stars who immediately acted high and mighty once they became famous, she had always kept it real. On set, she got along well with the crew. She was confident in her ability to be warm and friendly.

And now, before she had even said anything, Qi Xiyao already looked like she was about to cry. Were Omegas always this soft?

[The original character did not appear often in the novel. If the host is interested, you may later access Qi Xiyao’s memories related to the original character.]

The system chimed in, as if reading her thoughts, and gently reminded her to stay in character.

Still, Yu Peirong had to admit, seeing such a beautiful face on the verge of tears did tug at her heart. After a moment of reflection, she collected herself and allowed some irritation to show on her face.

“So clumsy. What good is staying by A-Shang’s side if you can’t even handle basic tasks? I think you’ve been getting too full of yourself lately. A-Shang’s recklessness must be because you keep encouraging him. Starting today, I’ll be taking over your assignments. Clearly, if I don’t keep an eye on you, you’ll keep causing problems behind my back.”

“Really?”

Qi Xiyao trembled. Her eyes widened in disbelief. As she stared back at Yu Peirong, something about that gaze made the room feel hotter. Yu Peirong felt an odd tingling all over her body. She quickly looked away, face cold, and gave a soft snort.

“If there’s nothing else, go pack your things. You’re reporting to me this afternoon.”

“I… I do have something else.”

Whether it was Yu Peirong’s strong presence or the shock from this unexpected decision, Qi Xiyao seemed nervous. Her cheeks were dusted with pink. She hesitated, biting down lightly on her lip as if struggling to speak.

Yu Peirong raised an eyebrow, urging her silently to continue.

Qi Xiyao finally lowered her voice and murmured softly, “You smell really good. President Yu, where did you buy that gardenia-scented Alpha pheromone soothing agent?”