The Black Lotus Wife Forces Me to Pretend to Be an Omega. - Chapter 51

At the Fancheng Combat Center, Luo Xiaoxiao successfully completed her weigh-in. Her first opponent was a veteran fighter, already thirty-five years old. At this age, if she still couldn’t break into professional competitions, everyone knew this would likely be her last match.

Luo Xiaoxiao respected such an opponent.

“You finished your weigh-in?” Min Nanxi appeared at the locker room door.

Luo Xiaoxiao hummed in acknowledgment. “Didn’t you finish yours ages ago? Why haven’t you left yet?”

“Ugh.” Min Nanxi’s expression shifted. “You know I have a professional ranking, right?”

“I know.” Luo Xiaoxiao was a little exasperated. Was this person here just to brag?

She used to have a ranking too—No. 1!!!

Min Nanxi smacked her own lips. “I’m being insensitive. That’s not what I meant. It’s about Japan…”

“Isn’t Japan hosting a male fighter’s match? I remember it’s Sun Weiliang against that guy, Oono Masao.”

Luo Xiaoxiao frowned. She didn’t like fighters from that country.

Min Nanxi sighed. “I don’t think there’s much suspense in Old Sun’s match. As long as they dare to step into the ring, Sun Weiliang probably won’t let that little Japanese leave alive. But there’s this female fighter who’s been acting particularly arrogant lately. Rumor has it she’s calling out names on the professional rankings.”

A news flash crossed Luo Xiaoxiao’s mind—Min Nanxi had been severely injured and forced to leave the octagon.

“Will you have a chance to face her?”

Min Nanxi shrugged. “At my current ranking, probably not. But my senior sister will. Their match is next month. She’s here today as a referee.”

“Alright, then I won’t have dinner with you.”

“Fine, fine.” Min Nanxi chuckled. In the short time they’d been talking, Luo Xiaoxiao had kept glancing at her phone. “I know you don’t actually want to eat with me. Go find your wife.”

“Ugh, what are you saying?” Luo Xiaoxiao flushed red. How could this person just blurt out her thoughts?

After parting ways with Min Nanxi, Luo Xiaoxiao headed to the film studio as usual. But today, she didn’t go straight to Li Fanshuang.

Even though she now had the money Zhu Yuxin had given her, she couldn’t sit still after learning that Li Fanshuang’s studio was broke.

So, love-struck Luo Xiaoxiao went to Qi Fangyou to discuss her salary.

Qi Fangyou’s eyes lit up when she saw her.

“Professor Luo, you’re finally here!” Qi Fangyou greeted her warmly.

Luo Xiaoxiao felt a little nervous facing her alone this time. “Director Qi, I came to ask about my payment.”

At the mention of the topic, Qi Fangyou’s expression turned awkward. “Well, you know the situation with our production. I’m sure Li Fanshuang has already told you.”

Luo Xiaoxiao hummed. “But she wasn’t very clear…”

Her tone carried a hint of uncertainty before she took a deep breath. “What I mean is, I’d like to hear it directly from you. After all, you were the one who personally invited me.”

Qi Fangyou stared at her intently, then suddenly burst into laughter. “Professor Luo, why are you so nervous? I’m not a tiger. Ever since my brother came back, he’s been talking about you nonstop.”

She gestured politely, inviting Luo Xiaoxiao to sit beside her.

“First of all, our family has always been in the film industry, but I don’t quite see eye to eye with them. They prefer commercial blockbusters, while I’m more into action films. As you know, good action films can be quite demanding on actors.”

Luo Xiaoxiao nodded in understanding, having witnessed Qi Fangzuo’s skills firsthand. “Don’t worry, I completely understand.”

“No, I don’t think you do.” Qi Fangyou’s gaze sharpened, deciding it was best to lay all her cards on the table with Luo Xiaoxiao.

Luo Xiaoxiao was puzzled. What did she not understand?

“Xiao Zhao,” Qi Fangyou called to a crew member.

“Yes, director? What is it?”

Qi Fangyou tilted her chin slightly. “Tell Professor Luo where Brother Zuo went.”

Xiao Zhao nodded. “Oh, Brother Zuo fell off a horse while filming two days ago and broke his leg.” With that, he walked away, leaving Luo Xiaoxiao stunned. Why did he say it so casually, as if Qi Fangzuo had just gone for a glass of water?

Qi Fangyou sighed at Luo Xiaoxiao’s shocked expression. “If you’re not willing, that’s fine. But I need to make things clear to you.”

“Clarity is good,” Luo Xiaoxiao said, looking at Qi Fangyou with sympathy.

Qi Fangyou noticed her expression and felt something was off. Why was Luo Xiaoxiao looking at her like that?

Luo Xiaoxiao tightly grasped Qi Fangyou’s hands. “Dear director, having such a useless younger brother must be quite embarrassing sometimes, huh?”

The way the crew member had treated the incident as routine made it obvious that Qi Fangzuo got injured frequently. Thinking about this, Luo Xiaoxiao suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

“Huh?” Qi Fangyou thought to herself. She had never complained about her brother being useless. Wait—since when was her brother useless?

Luo Xiaoxiao sighed dramatically. “I won’t lie to you. I had ulterior motives for joining your crew.”

“What motives?” Qi Fangyou paused.

Luo Xiaoxiao blinked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You know I have a competition coming up, right?”

“Mhm, and you’ve used that excuse to turn me down several times…” Qi Fangyou couldn’t help but feel a surge of frustration at the topic.

Luo Xiaoxiao chuckled. “To be honest, I’ve been training with a girl recently. At first, I thought it was fine, but you know how girls’ intensity can be… gentler. So, a certain towering figure popped into my mind.”

“Oh, you mean my useless younger brother?” Qi Fangyou’s lips twitched.

Luo Xiaoxiao nodded emphatically. “Exactly. We sparred once before, and his skills were impressive. I could tell he’s trained in multiple combat styles.”

“Martial arts, Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun, Tai Chi…” Qi Fangyou began listing them off like a menu.

Luo Xiaoxiao’s mouth fell open slightly in surprise. She had underestimated him.

“What a shame, his leg is broken now.” Luo Xiaoxiao shook her head. “Then I’ll wait until after the competition to join your crew.”

“Hey!” Qi Fangyou stood up immediately as she was about to leave, grabbing her arm. “Even if he’s not here, I can still have fun with you.”

Luo Xiaoxiao’s eyes darkened slightly. This Qi Fangyou had quite a strong grip—it seemed her skills were even better than her younger brother’s.

“That might not be appropriate. You’re the director!” Luo Xiaoxiao said hesitantly. “If I accidentally hurt you, would you dock my pay?”

“Absolutely not!” Qi Fangyou thumped her chest confidently.

Luo Xiaoxiao slapped the table. “Deal!”

Then, she played back the recording on her phone.

“If I accidentally hurt you, would you dock my pay?”

“Absolutely not!”

Luo Xiaoxiao looked at her with satisfaction. “With the director’s word, I can rest easy.”

“Oh, so you were tricking me!” Qi Fangyou said irritably. No one had ever dared to play games with her like this before.

Luo Xiaoxiao shrugged. “Well, it seems Director Qi isn’t too pleased with me.”

“What are you doing?” Qi Fangyou raised her hand as Luo Xiaoxiao started acting up again. “That’s not what I meant. Honestly, I’m glad you have your own ways to protect your rights.”

Glad my foot!

Qi Fangyou smiled on the outside but cursed inwardly. It seemed she and Li Fanshuang were just incompatible—not only did she get no favors from Li Fanshuang, but now she had to grovel in front of his wife too?

Luo Xiaoxiao nodded. “In that case, I’ll be counting on you.”

“But let me warn you first—my training is intense. If you can’t keep up…”

“Absolutely not!” Luo Xiaoxiao thumped her own chest.

Then, she took out her phone. “Director Qi, are you familiar with UFC matches?”

“A little.” Occasionally, Qi Fangyou and her brother would watch, but compared to her useless sibling, Qi Fangyou had even less time to follow such things.

Luo Xiaoxiao smiled. “Today is the match between champion Sun Weiliang and a Japanese fighter. I thought this would be a good opportunity for you to learn about the sport.”

“Fine.”

With that, Luo Xiaoxiao turned on the live stream.

“How long does the match usually last?” Qi Fangyou asked hesitantly. She didn’t have much time—if the match dragged on, it might delay her film shoot.

Luo Xiaoxiao shook her head. “Don’t worry. A match is divided into three rounds, each lasting just a few minutes. It’ll be over quickly.”

What followed was a one-sided beatdown.

“Holy—! Sun Weiliang is this strong?!” Qi Fangyou’s eyes gleamed. This was exactly the kind of actor she was looking for!

Luo Xiaoxiao chuckled. “That big guy is something else.”

Sure enough, as soon as she said it, the Japanese fighter was KO’d—knocked out cold with a single punch to the head, collapsing with a bruised and swollen face.

After watching the match, both were stunned, especially Qi Fangyou, who fell silent. She had always thought actors had it the worst, but it turned out being a fighter was even tougher.

Take Sun Weiliang for example. Even after becoming a champion, his body remained covered in wounds large and small, with a gaping hole on his forehead that kept bleeding profusely.

Not to mention the person who had collapsed…

At this moment, Qi Fangyou suddenly slammed the table. “You’re right! My younger brother is truly useless—he managed to fracture his bones just from falling off a horse!”

Luo Xiaoxiao: That wasn’t exactly what I meant…

She wanted to explain something, to let Qi Fangyou know that she wasn’t the type who couldn’t endure hardships either. But how did it come to this…

Qi Fangyou raised her hand. “Don’t try to defend him. I know exactly what he’s like.”

Luo Xiaoxiao felt uneasy. Because of her, had some damn rift formed between the siblings?!

What a sin, what a sin!

Luo Xiaoxiao’s lips curled into a smirk. The more she thought about it, the funnier it became. Just because of a few words from her, Qi Fangzuo had ended up being looked down upon. Serves him right for being so rough with her during their acting scenes!

“Do you know this Sun Weiliang?”

“Huh?” Luo Xiaoxiao had a hunch when she heard this. Was this woman planning to invite Sun Weiliang to act in a movie?

That would actually be great. Sun Weiliang was terrible at self-promotion and had never gained much fame. The reason so many people were paying attention to this competition was because of Sun Lei’s variety show and that Japanese fighter’s reputation.

If that big oaf got a chance to act, it would be a good thing.

“I know him.” Before Luo Xiaoxiao could finish her sentence,

“That’s fantastic!” Qi Fangyou excitedly grabbed Luo Xiaoxiao’s shoulders. “Can you ask him if he has an older sister? Would she be willing to become my sworn sister?”

Huh? Luo Xiaoxiao was baffled. This wasn’t what she had expected.

“What’s the benefit of becoming your sworn sister?”

“There are plenty of benefits.” Li Fanshuang’s cool voice chimed in.

Luo Xiaoxiao’s heart leaped with joy as she turned toward the source of the voice. There stood Li Fanshuang, dressed in Song Zifei’s imperial robes from the drama.

Wow~ My wife looks absolutely stunning in dragon robes.

“Wifey!” Luo Xiaoxiao called out sweetly, stretching out her arms. “Hug hug.”

The frost on Li Fanshuang’s face instantly melted. Was this really the same Luo Xiaoxiao who had been so bold with her on the couch?

Her gaze fell on Qi Fangyou’s hands gripping Luo Xiaoxiao’s shoulders.

“Director Qi, your current behavior is rather inappropriate, don’t you think? This is my wife. Please mind your boundaries.”

Li Fanshuang’s eyes were like a sharp axe, ruthlessly hacking toward Qi Fangyou.

Only then did Qi Fangyou realize her impropriety and quickly released Luo Xiaoxiao. To cover her embarrassment, she clapped her hands. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I just want a new younger brother.”

“Given Boxing Champion Sun’s age, it’s impossible for him to be Director Qi’s younger brother.”

Li Fanshuang’s tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

Luo Xiaoxiao obediently walked over to Li Fanshuang and whispered, “Why does she want to become sworn siblings with Sun Weiliang?”

“Guess.” Li Fanshuang smirked mischievously.

Luo Xiaoxiao’s eyes welled up at her teasing. “Li Fanshuang, you bad woman!”

Li Fanshuang: …Good heavens, where’s your nighttime boldness now?!

“What are you doing?!” Li Fanshuang whispered in her ear. “Don’t forget I’m the one being pinned down here…”

“So I can’t be a delicate baby just because I’m stronger than you?” Luo Xiaoxiao sniffled, her face full of grievance. “As expected, the prejudices in people’s hearts are like mountains…”

“Alright!” Li Fanshuang was completely exasperated and raised her hands in surrender. “Be good, okay?”

Her tone softened as she coaxed gently, “I shouldn’t have made you guess. That Qi Fangyou just wanted to save some money. Since you’ve sworn sisterhood with her, as her younger brother…”

“Damn!” Luo Xiaoxiao widened her eyes slightly, looking incredulously at Qi Fangyou beside her. “You’re actually trying to get something for nothing?”

Qi Fangyou rubbed her nose somewhat awkwardly. “Oh come on, that’s not true at all. You’re just making things up!”

Luo Xiaoxiao snorted. “Fine, let’s say I’m making it up. But I think we should drop it. That poor big oaf is pitiful enough—you should treat him better.”

Qi Fangyou gave an indifferent “oh,” realizing Luo Xiaoxiao wasn’t going to budge. She’d have to find another way.

“Li Fanshu, your wife said she’s coming to me,” Qi Fangyou said with a hint of smugness.

Li Fanshuang hummed in acknowledgment, then took Luo Xiaoxiao’s hand. “I support whatever she does. Besides, a good fighter needs some exposure. Without public attention, the matches wouldn’t be as exciting.”

Of course, drama queen Li Fanshuang didn’t actually understand these things—Zhu Yuxin had explained it to her.

At first, Li Fanshuang didn’t get what these people meant by “investing in Luo Xiaoxiao.”

But later, Zhu Yuxin briefly explained the current UFC landscape to her.

For a fighter, skill alone isn’t enough. If your matches don’t attract enough attention, you won’t make much money even if you fight to the death in the octagon.

The meager prize money from matches alone isn’t even enough to cover training expenses.

After learning this, Li Fanshuang understood why Luo Xiaoxiao had called Sun Weiliang a “big oaf” earlier.

Her wife was right.

A fighter who doesn’t know how to market themselves really is just a big oaf.

Still, Li Fanshuang was worried. After all, Qi Fangyou’s film set wasn’t exactly a simple place either.

“Are you really okay with this?” Li Fanshuang asked with concern.

Luo Xiaoxiao nodded. “I’m fine. I’m used to it.”

She had forgotten the persona from her past life—the one her mother had chosen for her. Just like now, all she had to do was perform.

Li Fanshuang paused but didn’t say more. “You mentioned earlier this is just a qualifying match.”

“Don’t worry about what comes after. The rest will all be ranking matches.”

Luo Xiaoxiao thought about her previous life—after reaching adulthood, her days were spent flying around for matches.

Though it was tough, she got to see many places she’d never imagined before, right beneath her feet. For that, she was grateful to martial arts.

Noticing this, Li Fanshuang turned to Qi Fangyou. “You have the script, right? Give Xiaoxiao a copy.”

“Don’t rush. I just told the screenwriter about Xiaoxiao,” Qi Fangyou said.

Li Fanshuang was taken aback before realizing, “You’re adding a role for Xiaoxiao? Didn’t you already have one that suited her?”

“What…” Qi Fangyou pursed her lips. “I always felt like there was a missing character. After meeting Professor Luo, I realized I’ve found who I was looking for.”

“Then I’d like to know what kind of story this is?” Luo Xiaoxiao asked.

Qi Fangyou replied, “It’s definitely one you’ll love—a spy thriller.”

A spy thriller? Luo Xiaoxiao’s mouth fell slightly open, like a surprised kitten.

“What are you talking about? Do you really think my image fits a spy thriller?” Luo Xiaoxiao scoffed. Wasn’t this supposed to be an action movie?

Li Fanshuang also frowned. “You’ve changed your mind? No more grueling films?”

“Spy thrillers are tough too, you know?” Qi Fangyou retorted. “Listen, Professor Luo’s character is the head of the intelligence division, but she’s actually a revolutionary.”

Luo Xiaoxiao patiently listened to the plot. Surprisingly, Li Fanshuang also had a role in it—her comrade, though neither knew the other’s true identity.

Thus began their love-hate dynamic, until one mission brought them face to face, both raising their weapons against each other.

Unable to bring themselves to kill the one they loved, Li Fanshuang’s character—a genius spy—chose to sacrifice her own life to let Luo Xiaoxiao live.

So… Li Fanshuang was stunned. Was this a romance? And a tragic one at that?

“Do you just not want me to have a happy ending?” Li Fanshuang said dryly. Not only did she have to die, but her wife would continue carrying out missions alone? How heartbreaking was that?

Luo Xiaoxiao exhaled deeply—she loved this plot. “I like this story. I’m looking forward to your script.”

“Okay, then I’ll call Li Fanshuang later. Your scenes are together.”

“Mm.” Luo Xiaoxiao nodded. “Now, can we talk about the pay?”

Qi Fangyou: Didn’t I just dodge this question? How did it come back?

Luo Xiaoxiao cleared her throat. “Given current market rates, I’m satisfied with the fee you initially promised me. But since this is our first collaboration, we can discuss adjustments later if needed?”

Qi Fangyou sighed in relief. Then she nervously glanced at Li Fanshuang. “What about you? If you charge your usual rate, I definitely can’t afford it.”

Li Fanshuang burst out laughing. “This role has very little screen time, so it won’t take up much of my schedule. I can do it for free—but you should know, I want my wife to be happy working with you.”

There was a hint of threat in her words.

The entertainment industry was far from clean. Li Fanshuang knew Qi Fangyou was a decent person, but what if someone in the crew tried to throw their weight around?

“You’re really…” Qi Fangyou chuckled helplessly. “Like an overprotective mother.”

Li Fanshuang pressed her lips together, mentally convincing herself not to punch this woman.

“Don’t worry. This is my production. Even if we haven’t worked together before, you must have heard about my reputation.”

“Your character? What kind of character? The kind that steals people?” Chen Yu’s voice rang out.

Li Fanshuang raised an eyebrow—what was this guy doing here?

Qi Fangyou looked at Chen Yu’s hostile expression and clicked her tongue. “Chen Yu, what’s your problem? I’m shooting a film while you’re doing a TV series. There’s no fundamental conflict between us. Your drama’s shooting schedule is way longer than ours anyway…”

Luo Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue, feeling there was something odd about Director Qi’s tone toward the end.

Li Fanshuang’s eyes sparkled with gossip as she leaned in to whisper in Luo Xiaoxiao’s ear, “Don’t you think there’s something strange between those two?”

“Yeah, a little weird,” Luo Xiaoxiao mused, rubbing her chin as she watched their interaction—it practically oozed ambiguity.

After watching the amusing spectacle for a while, Li Fanshuang and Luo Xiaoxiao were breathless from laughter.

Luo Xiaoxiao handed Qi Fangyou a towel.

Li Fanshuang handed Chen Yu a towel.

In unison, the couple asked, “Are you two secretly involved?”

The two froze before replying in sync, “Involved in what? Leg hair?”

Luo Xiaoxiao and Li Fanshuang exchanged glances—now they were certain. These two definitely had something going on, and it had probably just started in the last couple of days.

Luo Xiaoxiao looped her arm through Li Fanshuang’s. “Wifey, I wanna go back to the hotel.”

“I’m a little tired too.”

“Huh?” Luo Xiaoxiao pouted, tugging at Li Fanshuang’s sleeve. “Wifey, how are you tired already? Want me to massage your shoulders? Rub some essential oils on you? Help you relax?”

Li Fanshuang met her gaze, her spine stiffening slightly—though an Omega in heat still had lingering desires.

She lifted Luo Xiaoxiao’s chin. “Be honest, baby. Is it really my shoulders you want to massage?”

“Guess~” Luo Xiaoxiao narrowed her eyes—her wife was so wicked, and she loved it!

Li Fanshuang took her hand. “Then tell me, is it really essential oils you want to rub on me?”

Luo Xiaoxiao chuckled, leaning in to whisper in her ear, “It’s you.”

Li Fanshuang sighed, feigning hurt. “The way you say that makes it sound like I ever refuse you. But you were standing so close to Director Qi earlier—your wifey wasn’t happy. Consider this your punishment.”

“Huh?” Luo Xiaoxiao blinked. What kind of excuse was that?

–

In the hotel room, Luo Xiaoxiao begged for mercy.

“Baby~ Wifey, please, let me—” Watching Li Fanshuang enjoy herself was driving her insane.

Even after another round, Li Fanshuang still wasn’t satisfied. She crooked a finger at Luo Xiaoxiao. “Come here~”

When it was finally over, Li Fanshuang slept soundly through the night.

Ding-dong—

A message notification chimed.

Lu Chenfeng: Does Li Fanshuang, as the female lead, ever feel like she’s being controlled too?

Ding-dong—

Message recalled.