I’m Allergic to Pheromones - Chapter 46

Hai City was a warm place where snow never fell. Summers here were exceptionally long, lasting nearly half a year from May to October.

This city had no autumn, only overwhelmingly vibrant summers—lush trees with dense foliage stretching endlessly.

When Nan Ju arrived in April, the lingering chill of spring hadn’t fully dissipated, yet the dry heat of summer was already stirring restlessly. Stepping out in a forest-green floral sundress with spaghetti straps, she felt a faint warmth in the breeze and couldn’t help but feel surprised.

A middle-aged woman waiting by the roadside kept glancing at her watch before spotting Nan Ju and quickly approaching.

“Miss Nan Ju? I’m Chen Lu, Cheng Fuxue’s manager. Fuxue’s shoot isn’t over yet, so you might have to wait a little longer.”

The manager was a female Alpha, dressed in a meticulously tailored black suit. Though her features were unremarkable, her gaze was earnest. Knowing Nan Ju was an unmarried Omega, she maintained a respectful distance, refraining from a handshake.

Nan Ju had already heard from her assistant, Nian Gao, who had called ahead after landing, so she wasn’t bothered by having to wait for the superstar.

“No problem, I have plenty of time.”

She was beyond curious about the most dominant top-tier Alpha in the entire entertainment industry.

“You can head back to the hotel first. I’ll call if I need anything.”

Nian Gao, holding an umbrella, nodded in acknowledgment before handing it to Nan Ju and exchanging a brief glance with Chen Lu before driving off.

“Shall we go now?”

Nan Ju adjusted the delicate umbrella handle, tilting it slightly as she removed her sunglasses. She had been wearing them since the airport, and the pressure on her nose bridge was becoming unbearable—better to take them off before they ruined her perfectly sculpted nose.

With her jet-black hair, porcelain skin, and rosy lips, her downcast eyes resembled half-blooming peach blossoms. Chen Lu, struck by the sheer impact of her beauty up close, hesitated before offering, “Let me hold the umbrella for you.”

The harsh sunlight filtered through the umbrella, accentuating Nan Ju’s striking features. Born into privilege, she carried an effortless elegance in her every movement. Even Chen Lu, who had seen countless beauties in the entertainment industry, couldn’t help but silently praise her flawless appearance.

With such a stunning Omega, maybe that picky bastard Cheng Fuxue will finally sign the contract properly this time.

As they walked, Chen Lu carefully suggested, “Fuxue is currently shooting a shampoo commercial on the rooftop terrace’s open-air pool. Would you like to take a look?”

“A shampoo commercial?”

On a rooftop terrace with an open-air pool? What kind of high-end shampoo warrants that kind of setting?

Nan Ju fell silent for a moment.

“Yes. It was supposed to wrap up by noon, but Fuxue is meticulous and a perfectionist, so they had to reshoot a few times. It should be finishing soon.”

Chen Lu didn’t dare outright call her artist nitpicky and obsessive, so she tried to paint Cheng Fuxue in a better light while gauging Nan Ju’s reaction. “Or if you’re tired, we could head to the lounge to rest first?”

Nan Ju: “I’m not tired. If it’s not a disturbance, I’d like to see the shoot.”

Tired or not wasn’t the issue—she was mainly eager to witness the top-tier superstar washing her hair in a rooftop open-air pool.

—

Rooftop.

Camera after camera was set up, the sky reflected on the crystal-clear water surface, creating a vast expanse of blue. Over twenty crew members stood by the poolside, eagerly watching a certain woman who had been lounging on a deck chair for half an hour, showing no intention of getting up to shoot.

Cheng Fuxue lay lazily, stretching her hand out to the side, where her assistant promptly handed her a glass of chilled watermelon juice.

“Did Chen Lu go to pick someone up on a donkey? Why isn’t she back yet?”

Hearing her displeased tone, the assistant knew Cheng Fuxue was still upset about her agent accepting this outdoor commercial without consulting her. She cautiously replied, “She should be back soon.”

Cheng Fuxue let out a “hmph” and muttered under her breath, “Even if she brings back a celestial beauty this time, I won’t take the job.”

Who asked Chen Lu to secretly accept an outdoor shoot behind her back? The weather in Haicheng was scorching, and right now, she felt no different from a salted fish—just add some cumin and chili powder, and she’d be ready to eat.

“Um, maybe you could finish the shoot early so we can all go home and enjoy the AC?” The assistant, uncomfortable under the pitiful gazes of the crew, couldn’t help but try to persuade Cheng Fuxue. “The sun is really strong today, haha…”

Her words trailed off as Cheng Fuxue lifted her sunglasses, revealing a pair of strikingly beautiful yet sinister peach-blossom eyes.

“Hmph.”

She sat up, placed the watermelon juice on the small table, and swept her damp short hair back, revealing a smooth forehead and a radiant, striking face. Slowly, she stretched.

Her oversized white shirt rode up, exposing a toned, slender waist with clearly defined abs.

The crew members all turned to look, their eyes filled with enthusiasm and hope. Cheng Fuxue glanced at them, scoffed, and decided to spare these persistent folks.

“One last take. Let’s wrap this up quickly.”

Visibly, their eyes lit up.

“Quick, quick! Cameras ready, roll! Makeup artist, come touch up Fuxue’s makeup. Get the shampoo and towels ready.”

The set sprang to life. Cheng Fuxue sat on the deck chair getting her makeup retouched, her long legs resting on the chair’s crossbar, her expression cold and indifferent.

The makeup artist, who had worked with her for years—since Cheng Fuxue first entered the industry—knew exactly why today’s shoot was dragging on. She tried to coax her, “Don’t scare everyone with that face. Lu-jie did this for your own good. April isn’t too hot yet—later on, you’d be even less willing to do outdoor shoots.”

The soft brush tickled her eyelids, making Cheng Fuxue frown slightly. Reluctantly, she grumbled, “Why do I even need to work when I’m this rich?”

It was a perplexing question. Cheng Fuxue couldn’t figure it out. Annoyed, she puffed out her cheeks, only for the makeup artist to press them gently.

The makeup artist giggled, applying a thin layer of waterproof finish. “Have some pity on your fans. Your Weibo’s been gathering dust. They’ve already tracked down my alt account to ask when you’re finally releasing new work.”

Cheng Fuxue’s temper matched the heights of her acting skills.

She rose to fame young, winning Best Actress within three years of her debut—the youngest in the entertainment industry. Her fans, electrified with excitement, practically wanted to catapult her straight to the heavens.

Then, Cheng Fuxue gave everyone a big surprise.

The first thing she did after receiving the award was post a “retirement” announcement on Weibo, stating she’d earned enough money and wanted to see the world. That night, she dominated the trending topics on Weibo.

The makeup artist would always remember how Chen Lu nearly forced Cheng Fuxue’s head into a toilet after the awards ceremony that day.

Yet no one could do anything about Cheng Fuxue’s stubborn temper. Rebellious, defiant, and doing as she pleased, she was nonetheless a genius actress who could embody any role perfectly. The most frustrating part was that her manager couldn’t control her at all.

The studio was funded by the Cheng family, and the PR team was handpicked by the eldest Cheng sibling from their company. If Cheng Fuxue didn’t want to act anymore, she had billions in family wealth to play with. Forget traveling the world—she could circle the globe three times if she wanted.

Perhaps geniuses always have difficult personalities. In the end, Chen Lu wore out her lips trying to talk Cheng Fuxue out of retiring.

But after this stunt, she gained countless haters—and even more die-hard fans with a unique style. While other celebrities’ fans would “turn against them if they announced a relationship or marriage,” Cheng Fuxue’s fans were all, “As long as Cheng Fuxue doesn’t retire, I’d support her even if she married a dog.” They were truly a breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry.

From then on, Cheng Fuxue became even more unabashed about slacking off. She took roles at a rate of one per year, barely touched variety shows, and her endorsements could be counted on two hands.

This latest ad came a full year after her last one—enough to make even a dog shed tears.

But clearly, someone was worse than a dog.

“I should’ve just retired back then. No one in the entertainment industry now is better-looking than me. I shouldn’t have listened to Chen Lu’s nonsense,” she grumbled.

Her assistant, eavesdropping, couldn’t help but say, “What about that girl group that debuted last month? Weren’t you into Li Xiaoxiao and that Moon-something sister?”

“Vulgar.”

After finishing her makeup, Cheng Fuxue looked at her assistant with disdain, as if deeply embarrassed. “Can’t you at least try to elevate your taste to my level?” she scolded.

She then added, “Even if you can’t reach my heights, at least pretend a little. Don’t embarrass me in front of my fans.”

The makeup artist stifled a laugh and walked away.

The assistant, left alone to endure the ridicule, thought to herself: Do you even have any dignity left in front of your fans?

Who was it that stayed up late every night watching the girls’ spicy dance performances on TV and even used a burner account to vote for them? Now that she was bored, she called it “vulgar.” Hah, fickle Alpha.

“What are you muttering about?” Cheng Fuxue, who had been tilting her head to bask in the sunlight, turned and saw her assistant pouting and mumbling. Her lips pressed into a thin line of anger.

“N-nothing!” Caught red-handed, the assistant instinctively shrunk her neck and quickly looked away. Just then, Chen Lu returned with someone in tow. Overjoyed, the assistant exclaimed, “Chen Lu’s back!”

“So, what if she’s back? Do you have to shout? Am I supposed to go greet her personally?”

Still irritated, Cheng Fuxue turned to look for her manager and immediately spotted Nan Ju—wearing a green floral spaghetti-strap dress, carrying a delicate chain-strap purse, her loose, wavy black hair cascading like a finely crafted doll.

With a loud thud, she fell off her lounge chair.

Ignoring the pain from her fall, Cheng Fuxue stared dumbfounded at the astonished Nan Ju, her mind consumed by a single thought.

“Mom, she’s so adorable—I really want to marry her.”