The Black Lotus Wife Forces Me to Pretend to Be an Omega. - Chapter 43

Dark clouds shrouded the mountains, ancient temples stood like stone screens with a thousand cliffs, towering pure lands now devoid of human presence.

Zhi Yu gazed at the suspended ancient temple, her heart filled with boundless melancholy.

“General, it’s about to rain. Once we cross this mountain ahead, we’ll reach Chang’an,” the scout reported after surveying the path, kneeling before Zhi Yu.

Zhi Yu reined in her horse and raised her hand, saying only, “Let’s rest in the temple.”

The strategist clasped his hands in protest, urgently dissuading her, “We’ve come all the way from the northern frontier, marching nonstop for hundreds of miles. This small hill is nothing—we can reach Chang’an in no time. Commander, it would be best if we spurred our horses and left quickly.”

Zhi Yu’s eyes darkened as she swept her gaze over the exhausted troops and weary horses. “We’ve traveled thousands of miles in haste, covered in dust and looking disheveled. It would be unseemly to arrive like this. Let’s rest briefly—how else can we face the princess with dignity?”

“As you command.” The strategist looked uneasily at the ancient temple. “But I beg you to reconsider, Commander. Such an ancient temple, towering like a prison—it may be easy to enter but hard to leave.”

Zhi Yu nodded. “I understand. Thank you for your concern. I’ll lead the way and scout ahead.”

“No!” The strategist raised his hand in protest.

Zhi Yu waved him off. “Enough. My decision is final.”

Crash!

A bolt of lightning, like a silver dragon, split the night sky, and the thunder roared deafeningly, as if to cleanse the world.

The longsword in Zhi Yu’s hand gleamed with a chilling aura, her eyes as sharp as a hawk’s.

Creak—

The crude gate of the ancient temple swung open, the scent of rotting wood and sandalwood rushing out.

From a corner of the shrine, a cold arrow, as if guided by eyes, shot straight toward Zhi Yu’s face.

Zhi Yu raised her sword to block.

Clang!

The arrow fell to the ground but with such force that its tip embedded itself three inches and two-tenths into the earth.

“Protect the Commander!” the strategist bellowed.

At his command, the elite guards surged like a tide, surrounding Zhi Yu.

Zhi Yu’s eyes were like blades, scraping over the mark on the arrow’s tail. “Song Yuzhang is in such a hurry? After he’s been dead for a hundred years, I’ll naturally perish!”

“Bah! How dare you lowly scum utter the Third Prince’s name directly?”

Another arrow flew toward her. Zhi Yu flicked her wrist, her sword drawing a circle in the air, and the arrowhead, as if recognizing its master, returned to pierce the shooter’s chest.

“Ah!”

“Cowards! Hiding in the shadows is nothing but a filthy trick. Though I’ve been separated from the princess for so long, I refuse to present her with your heads as gifts. This temple is like a half-painted Zen scene—you rats should stay before the Buddha. In your next life… perhaps you’ll even find a path to immortality.”

“Arrogant!”

The silver dragon danced across the sky, blades and swords clashing as they slashed through the air!

A burly man wielded a saber, fearless and peerless, each strike aimed at Zhi Yu’s vitals.

Unfazed, Zhi Yu fought with increasing ferocity. The two clashed with their inner strength until their weapons shattered, leaving them to fight barehanded.

“Commander, run!” the strategist shouted.

Zhi Yu stood before him, cutting down another hidden arrow with her sword, and called to her guards, “Escort the strategist away!”

“How can the Commander do this…?”

Before he could finish, Zhi Yu snapped, “Commanders are common, but wise men are rare. Give my regards to Her Highness.”

At the end of her road, Zhi Yu’s black robes and white armor were drenched in bl00d.

“Zhi Yu! Abandon the darkness and join the light. My lord is a hero of our time—he would gladly keep you in his service,” the burly man roared, spitting a mouthful of bl00d onto the ground.

Zhi Yu sneered in mockery. “The master of rats is nothing more than a giant rat himself, no?”

“You insult my lord? You’re dead!” The man snatched up a nearby saber and swung it at Zhi Yu’s face.

By the time Zhi Yu realized what was happening, it was already too late.

At the brink of death, Zhiyu closed her eyes, and Song Zifei’s face surfaced in her mind. She silently prayed: First, may the princess be healthy; second, may the princess fulfill her great aspirations; third, may my lord not grieve, for I have failed your trust and can no longer remain at peace.

Bang—

An arrow pierced her chest, and the burly man fell.

The fletching was adorned with peacock feathers.

In that fleeting moment, Zhiyu realized it was Chen Si, the princess’s elite archer and bodyguard, who had arrived.

She knew then that the princess had come too.

Overwhelming exhaustion washed over Zhiyu. Her eyelids grew heavy, forcing them shut slowly. In her dazed state, she saw Song Zifei running toward her, tears streaming down like broken beads.

Zhiyu raised her hand, gazing with furrowed brows—how could she weep for a lowly servant like me?

The scene ended here, leaving Chen Yu and the entire crew completely immersed in the performance.

It wasn’t until the assistant director whispered to Chen Yu, “Director, should we cut?” that he snapped back to reality. “Cut!”

Li Fanshuang stepped forward to support Luo Xiaoxiao’s arm.

Luo Xiaoxiao hissed in pain—damn Qi Fangzuo, did he really have to go all out?

“What’s wrong?” Li Fanshuang frowned. “Did you get hurt just now?”

Luo Xiaoxiao shook her head. “No, no big deal.”

She muttered inwardly, That Qi Fangzuo must be worse off than me.

Sure enough, Qi Fangzuo scurried over to Qi Fangyou with a pitiful look. “Sis, I’m injured. This counts as an on-set injury.”

Qi Fangyou scoffed. “Useless.”

But the moment she finished, she wiped the disdain off her face and approached Luo Xiaoxiao with a bright smile. “Professor Luo, your talent is undeniable. I have an excellent action script here—would you be interested in taking a look?”

Luo Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue and shot Qi Fangzuo a glare. “Your brother didn’t hold back at all. If I join your crew, is this the treatment I can expect?”

“Ah~” Qi Fangyou dared not tell the truth. “Don’t worry, my set is super safe!”

Li Fanshuang turned and murmured just loud enough for Luo Xiaoxiao to hear, “This director is pretty good. If you’re interested, you could consider it.”

Hearing this, Qi Fangyou beamed.

“Her shoots usually involve nonstop filming—24/7, all year round. And there’s always gunfights or fight scenes. Most importantly, they tend to go for realism.”

“Li Fanshuang!” Qi Fangyou raised her voice, now convinced Li Fanshuang was deliberately provoking her. What a petty diva.

“Li Fanshuang, aren’t you being too petty? So what if I turned you down once?”

Luo Xiaoxiao froze. What had she just said?

She stiffly turned to Li Fanshuang, pointing an incredulous finger at Qi Fangyou. “Wife, what did she mean by that? Did you two have something going on before?”

Li Fanshuang rolled her eyes skyward before glaring at Qi Fangyou. “Could you be clearer? Back then, you had a great script, and I wanted to audition for a role. You just didn’t think I was right for it. How did that turn into something else in your words?”

“Then whatever you say goes.” Qi Fangyou shrugged nonchalantly. “Right now I just want to poach talent—could your wife come act in my film?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking me that question?” Luo Xiaoxiao let out a light laugh, though she felt uncomfortable being discussed like some commodity.

Qi Fangyou immediately apologized, “Professor Luo, please don’t take offense. Li Fanshuang and I go way back—sometimes I speak without thinking. Hope you can be magnanimous.”

“Oh.” Luo Xiaoxiao turned her head, pondered for a moment, then asked, “If I were to act in your production, roughly how much would the pay be?”

Qi Fangyou’s eyes lit up—this was promising!

“Our production team is quite reputable. Lead actors in our projects typically get at least this much!” She held up two fingers, though somewhat guiltily since Luo Xiaoxiao was Li Fanshuang’s wife.

Given Li Fanshuang’s sky-high acting fees, would Luo Xiaoxiao scoff at this amount? The silence stretched uncomfortably—was the amount too high or too low? The suspense was killing her!

Luo Xiaoxiao frowned in confusion. Two fingers? Did that mean two thousand? That seemed absurdly low.

“If Professor Luo finds it insufficient, we could negotiate higher?” Qi Fangyou would gladly pay more for promising talent like Luo Xiaoxiao.

Feeling awkward, Luo Xiaoxiao whispered to Li Fanshuang, “What does she mean? I don’t understand.”

Amused, Li Fanshuang asked directly, “My wife isn’t familiar with our industry norms. Frankly, I’m not sure what your two fingers signify either—how much exactly? Two hundred thousand?”

Two hundred thousand?! Luo Xiaoxiao’s pupils dilated. Good heavens, do actors really earn that much?

Qi Fangyou averted her gaze, unable to meet Li Fanshuang’s eyes. She knew the offer wasn’t particularly generous.

“I know the amount might seem… but you must understand our production’s…”

“Grueling work demands?” Li Fanshuang interrupted. “I’m well aware how brutal your shooting schedules are.”

Luo Xiaoxiao considered this. When she’d started boxing, her earnings were nowhere near this—200,000 was staggering.

“By the way,” she asked, “how long would filming take?”

Qi Fangyou’s expression turned sheepish again. “The investors require us to wrap before Winter Begins.”

Luo Xiaoxiao gasped—that was barely over a month! 200,000 in one month sounded like a dream.

“That sounds perfect! But I have competitions scheduled these next two weeks,” she said hesitantly.

“No problem!” Qi Fangyou clapped. “You’re here for the professional qualifiers, right? You won’t have matches every day—just come to set during your free time. Consider those fight scenes with my brother as training. What do you think?”

It must be said that Qi Fangyou’s words had truly stirred Luo Xiaoxiao’s heart, plunging her into deep contemplation.

Beside her, Li Fanshuang noticed the change in her expression and felt a pang of displeasure.

Li Fanshuang poked Luo Xiaoxiao’s arm. “Xiaoxiao, no matter how much I begged you before, you always refused me. And now? Are you really going to be swayed by someone else’s sweet talk?”

Luo Xiaoxiao looked at Li Fanshuang’s expression—soft, coquettish, and seemingly aggrieved—but she couldn’t shake the feeling that, in places she couldn’t see, there was a murderous glint in Li Fanshuang’s eyes.

Her throat bobbed. Luo Xiaoxiao suddenly realized that if she actually agreed, Li Fanshuang would probably kill her. They were wives, after all. Who knew if her life would just poof disappear while she slept?

The original novel’s ending flashed through her mind—the protagonist had died in prison.

At that thought, Luo Xiaoxiao shuddered. Compared to money, her life was far more important. Besides, Li Fanshuang had already given her plenty of money.

“Forget it. I really am busy lately. If I have any free time, I’d rather spend it with Shuangshuang.”

The new nickname was like a pebble dropped into still water, sending ripples through Li Fanshuang’s heart.

Li Fanshuang lifted her gaze to Luo Xiaoxiao’s profile. Did she just call me Shuangshuang?

Many people called her that, but when it came from Luo Xiaoxiao’s lips, it sounded sweeter than ever—even sweeter than when Luo Xiaoxiao called her “wife.”

“My wife is so good,” Li Fanshuang murmured, a smile spreading across her lips as she grasped Luo Xiaoxiao’s hand.

Qi Fangyou’s expression cracked. If you were going to refuse me, why waste my time like this?

“Hmph!”

She was annoyed, but she couldn’t help feeling reluctant to let go of such a promising talent like Luo Xiaoxiao.

Before leaving, Qi Fangyou tossed out, “If you change your mind, you know where to find me. Li Fanshuang has my contact info.”

Luo Xiaoxiao watched her retreating figure.

Li Fanshuang observed Luo Xiaoxiao’s expression and knew she was reluctant to pass up this opportunity.

After acting out a few scenes with Luo Xiaoxiao, Li Fanshuang had discovered that Luo Xiaoxiao actually had some talent for acting.

“You could go if you want. Don’t worry about me,” Li Fanshuang said, raising a brow.

Luo Xiaoxiao coughed lightly, afraid this was a test.

“Wife, what are you talking about? I really don’t have time. You know how much there is to do at home, and you’re always so busy. I wouldn’t feel at ease leaving you.”

Li Fanshuang snorted. “Fine, I’ll believe you for now. When’s your first match?”

“Why?” Luo Xiaoxiao was surprised she’d ask.

At the same time, she felt a twinge of guilt. Her performances in the octagon weren’t exactly gentle. If Li Fanshuang saw that, wouldn’t it ruin her image?

From Luo Xiaoxiao’s expression, Li Fanshuang could see her inner conflict—just like when they’d first met, Luo Xiaoxiao was unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

She always did that when nervous.

“You know, I think we could both stand to be a little more honest with each other,” Li Fanshuang said, her words almost an outright hint.

“Ah?!” Luo Xiaoxiao’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest. Oh no, oh no! Does Li Fanshuang know my true identity?

Should I make a run for it right now?

What should I do?

Screams echoed wildly in Luo Xiaoxiao’s mind—she didn’t want to die, especially not alone in prison.

Li Fanshuang noticed the cold sweat on her forehead. It seemed this topic made her particularly uneasy.

She stepped forward and reached out toward Luo Xiaoxiao.

Luo Xiaoxiao froze in place. What was she going to do? Was she about to kill her?

Wuwuwu…

Li Fanshuang gently patted her shoulder. “What’s wrong? You look terrible—are you feeling unwell?”

“N-no!” Luo Xiaoxiao shook her head frantically. “I’m fine!”

“Then why are you so pale?”

“…I’m not feeling well.”

“But you just said you were fine.”

Luo Xiaoxiao: Why do you have to be so stubborn?!

After a brief silence, Li Fanshuang broke the tension first. “I need to get back to filming. Xiaoxiao, what I mean is, we can be honest with each other. Just like how I won’t interfere with your love for boxing—it’s your career, just like acting is mine.”

Her words dissolved in Luo Xiaoxiao’s chest like a bittersweet candy.

Luo Xiaoxiao’s eyes reddened slightly as she recalled the first time she stepped into the octagon.

“…I don’t actually like it,” she murmured, her voice low and hoarse with something unspoken.

Li Fanshuang paused, doubting her own ears.

Did she just hear Xiaoxiao say she didn’t like fighting?

“Why?” Li Fanshuang asked, surprised.

Luo Xiaoxiao sighed and reverted to her usual indifferent, thick-skinned demeanor. “Back then, it didn’t matter whether I liked it or not. As long as it put food on the table, that was enough.”

Li Fanshuang hummed in acknowledgment, tucking away her emotions before turning away. “I’m heading back to set. Since we don’t have any scenes together this afternoon, you can take a break.”

“Okay. I’ll walk around a bit. You—”

“Shuangshuang-jie!” Fu Xinting approached, holding a cup of coffee.

Li Fanshuang smiled faintly. “Yes?”

Fu Xinting felt a twinge of displeasure. Why was Li Fanshuang suddenly so distant?

Was it really because of Luo Xiaoxiao?

“My boss bought coffee for everyone. This one’s for you,” she said, extending the cup toward Li Fanshuang.

Li Fanshuang stared at it but made no move to take it.

“Sorry, I don’t drink coffee in the afternoon. It’ll keep me up at night.”

Seeing her refusal, Luo Xiaoxiao secretly exhaled in relief.

Fu Xinting wasn’t ready to give up. “Shuangshuang-jie, just take it. Even if you don’t drink it, you can set it aside. It’s the thought that counts…”

Her voice trailed off weakly.

Li Fanshuang had no intention of sparing her feelings—this was a viper by her side, one that might strike at any moment.

“No, thank you.”

With that, she walked away without a shred of courtesy.

Once she was gone, Fu Xinting turned to Luo Xiaoxiao with a sweet smile. “Xiaoxiao, you’re so patient. Otherwise, how could you possibly handle Shuangshuang-jie’s temper?”

“I’ll be sure to tell her you said that,” Luo Xiaoxiao nodded.

The warm smile faded from Fu Xinting’s lips, but to maintain her persona, she forced out a smile even uglier than a grimace.

“Xiaoxiao, you’re so funny. I was just joking with you.”

“But I wasn’t joking with you, and you were talking about my wife.” Luo Xiaoxiao threw her a disdainful glance before walking away.

Fu Xinting stood rooted to the spot, seething with anger.

System! Find a way to get rid of Luo Xiaoxiao! I can’t stand the sight of her.

 

System: According to this world’s original trajectory, she’ll exit the story in about two and a half years. She’s not the protagonist—you should focus your efforts on Li Fanshuang instead.

 

What else am I supposed to do?

The pair continued their conversation.

Luo Xiaoxiao suddenly paused mid-step—had she just heard another voice?

A faint crackling sound, barely audible.

“Could that be the System’s voice?” Luo Xiaoxiao muttered suspiciously.

Then she shook her head, a self-deprecating smile tugging at her lips. “If only I could hear the System and that transmigrator’s thoughts…”

–

Fancheng Gymnasium stood right across from the film studio. Bored from wandering around the studio lot while Li Fanshuang was filming, Luo Xiaoxiao decided to work out instead.

“Hey there! You’re pretty scrawny!”

A malicious voice sounded beside her.

Luo Xiaoxiao turned to see a male Alpha. Her expression darkened, instinctively wanting nothing to do with him.

When the man saw Luo Xiaoxiao ignoring him, his demeanor instantly shifted. “Playing hard to get? An Omega coming to the gym must be looking to hook up!”

At these words, Luo Xiaoxiao’s face turned icy.

She sized up the man—his build suggested he was a wrestler, though his physique indicated mediocre professional skills at best.

Luo Xiaoxiao had already formed a preliminary assessment of him.

“Where exactly does your superiority complex come from?” Luo Xiaoxiao sneered.

The man snorted and adopted a fighting stance. “You little Omega, today I’ll show you what a real Alpha is!”

Without warning, he charged at Luo Xiaoxiao—not using wrestling techniques, but throwing a punch straight at her face.

Idiot! Luo Xiaoxiao thought coldly.

Ducking swiftly, she delivered a sharp punch to the man’s midsection.

“Ah!” The man staggered back in pain. “Y-you—”

He never expected Luo Xiaoxiao to be so skilled. Had he misjudged? Was she actually an Alpha?

As spectators gathered around them, the man grew embarrassed under their scrutiny.

“That was just me going easy on you.”

Luo Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue. She wouldn’t mind teaching this stubborn fool another lesson, but since they weren’t in the octagon, injuring him might land her with compensation claims.

Thinking of this, Luo Xiaoxiao patted her pocket. “Let’s call it quits, buddy. You’re not even worth my punches.”

With that, she walked away toward the octagonal cage without another glance.

Only when the man saw her destination did cold sweat break out on his back. “She’s a mixed martial artist?!”

“I say, Biao, good thing you stopped when you did.”

“Exactly.”

Biao chuckled sheepishly before backing down. “I just didn’t know, alright?”

With that, Biao slunk away.

Luo Xiaoxiao’s performance in the gym had been striking, catching the attention of several fighters who now approached her.

At the time, she was just warming up.

“Hey, little girl, wanna have some fun?”

Another cocky one.

Luo Xiaoxiao didn’t even glance his way.

But the guy persisted. “You keep acting this arrogant, and you might run into trouble.”

“Is that so?” Luo Xiaoxiao snorted, looking disdainfully at the man before her. “What trouble could I possibly have? Hmm?”

“Exactly, Jason. What trouble could this lady possibly have?” A soft female voice chimed in.

Hearing this voice, the man who had just been teasing Luo Xiaoxiao instantly paled.

Luo Xiaoxiao’s brow furrowed slightly—was he actually this afraid of this woman? She must be quite formidable.

The man obediently stepped aside to let the woman pass. When her face came into view, Luo Xiaoxiao recognized her immediately.

This was the current national champion, a professional fighter ranked among the best in the world.

Min Nanxi, a professional boxer and the reigning champion of this tournament.

The corner of Luo Xiaoxiao’s mouth curled up as she continued her warm-up. She’d have to reach the finals to face her.

For now, she’d just focus on her own game.

Seeing Luo Xiaoxiao remain so composed in her presence, Min Nanxi grew intrigued.

“You’re here to compete too? You’re an Omega?” Min Nanxi said, sounding surprised.

Women’s mixed martial arts competitions didn’t restrict participants by gender, but Omegas were almost never seen in this sport.

Alphas naturally had larger, more powerful builds, giving them an advantage in matches.

Of course, many Betas also competed—their physiques were often similar to Alphas’, and since pheromones were restricted in the ring, there was little practical difference between them. But Omegas were another matter entirely.

Luo Xiaoxiao shrugged. “Does gender really matter? I’m standing here, aren’t I?”

Sun Yumeng had discussed this with her. Now that Luo Xiaoxiao was married to Li Fanshuang, and since domestic competitions didn’t restrict by gender—only the UFC cared about secondary genders—she could keep it under wraps for a while.

Watching Luo Xiaoxiao’s warm-up routine, Min Nanxi couldn’t quite gauge what kind of opponent she might be. She extended a hand toward Luo Xiaoxiao. “Care for a match?”