The Movie Queen's Beloved Crybaby Alpha (GL , ABO) - Chapter 8

Dinner was served, and both had composed themselves, tacitly avoiding any mention of what had happened earlier.

After the meal, Ning Yunshu washed the dishes while Ye Qinglan picked out a movie to watch on TV.

When Ning Yunshu finished cleaning up, Ye Qinglan beckoned her over. “Ning Yunshu, come here.”

Ning Yunshu obediently approached. “What is it, sis?”

Still looking somewhat uneasy, she sat down when Ye Qinglan gestured. “Do my parents know about your situation?” Ye Qinglan asked.

Ning Yunshu nodded. “My mom contacted Aunt Lin when I returned to the country.”

Ye Qinglan let out a cold laugh. “No wonder she didn’t seem bothered at all.”

Ning Yunshu shrank slightly. “My mom wanted to reach out to you too, but I thought it was my own issue. I wanted to explain it to you in person.”

“Otherwise, I was afraid you might hold back because of my mom’s sake but still resent me deep down.”

Ye Qinglan glanced at her. “Good, you understand.”

Ning Yunshu awkwardly rubbed her nose.

“Was it my mom’s idea or yours for you to stay here?” Ye Qinglan pressed.

Ning Yunshu immediately straightened up and raised her hand. “I honestly didn’t know! When Aunt Lin mentioned it, I was shocked. She’d only said she’d help me, I never expected it’d mean staying with you.”

Ye Qinglan eyed her. “So you just threw my mom under the bus?”

“No, no!” Ning Yunshu flushed red. “I… I didn’t want you to think I was deliberately trying to force my way into your life.”

Seeing her like this, Ye Qinglan couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Noticing her smile, Ning Yunshu unconsciously brightened too.

Then she heard Ye Qinglan speak.

“It’s dark now.”

Ning Yunshu blinked, confused.

Ye Qinglan continued, “I told you no staying in the same room with me at night.”

Ning Yunshu’s face fell, while Ye Qinglan arched a brow. “I said I haven’t forgiven you yet, so the three rules still stand.”

“Fine,” Ning Yunshu grumbled, getting up and dragging her feet toward the bedroom, glancing back every few steps.

When it became clear Ye Qinglan really wasn’t going to lift the rules, she pouted and shut her door missing the smile Ye Qinglan had been holding back for a long time.

Curled up on the couch, Ye Qinglan stared at the TV, her chest aching faintly as she recalled Ning Yunshu’s earlier honesty.

Just then, Ning Yunshu’s door suddenly swung open, startling Ye Qinglan and scattering her mood completely.

Glaring at the peeking girl, Ye Qinglan gritted her teeth. “Ning Yunshu, what are you doing?!”

“Nothing!” Ning Yunshu scratched her head, then paled at Ye Qinglan’s expression. “I just wanted to say goodnight, sis!”

With that, she slammed the door shut, terrified of provoking her further.

Watching her turtle-like retreat, Ye Qinglan laughed despite herself.

Well, if she was this lively, what was there to pity?

With that thought, Ye Qinglan turned off the TV and headed to bed.

For once, she didn’t have to stay up late, she’d reclaim all those lost hours of beauty sleep.

After a restful night, she was still half-asleep the next morning when her phone rang again.

She frowned and reluctantly opened her eyes, grabbing her phone to see it was Ke Ying calling. Instantly wide awake, she answered with a voice still laced with sleepiness.

“What’s up, Sister Ke?”

Ke Ying could tell she hadn’t fully woken up yet and sighed, “My dear superstar Ye Qinglan, what time is it? You’re still asleep?”

Hearing this, Ye Qinglan checked the time on her phone, it was already 11 a.m.

Perhaps because the weight in her heart had finally lifted, her mind had relaxed so much that she’d slept in this late. She hadn’t even heard Ning Yunshu leave.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she replied, “Yeah, I did sleep a bit too long. What’s going on, Sister Ke?”

Ke Ying sounded exasperated. “You’ve had enough rest. It’s time to get back to work.”

Ye Qinglan sat up, running a hand through her messy long hair. “What kind of work? Ads? Promotions?”

“Scripts. After your recent award, directors have been throwing offers at you. I’ve already filtered through them and kept the best ones. Come take a look after you eat and pick one you like.”

“Alright, I’ll go wash up and get ready first.”

As she hung up, she noticed an unread text message on her phone.

The number was one she had long memorized even after deleting Ning Yunshu’s contact in a fit of anger, she could never forget those digits.

The message, sent half an hour ago, was simple:

“Sister, are you awake? I saw you were still sleeping when I left this morning, so I didn’t disturb you. I left a bento in the fridge. If you wake up late, just eat that breakfast would’ve gone stale by now.”

Reading it, the tension in Ye Qinglan’s brow eased slightly. But she didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she freshened up, heated the bento, ate quickly, and rushed to the company.

It wasn’t that she wouldn’t reply to Ning Yunshu, she just had urgent tasks waiting, and Ke Ying would scold her if she dawdled.

Besides… she still hadn’t forgiven Ning Yunshu!

Sure, Ning Yunshu had her reasons for not reaching out sooner, but that didn’t mean Ye Qinglan had to reply right away!

Unreasonable but unbothered.jpg

When she arrived, Ke Ying dropped a thick stack of scripts in front of her.

Ye Qinglan blinked. “This many?!”

Ke Ying tapped the desk. “Of course. You’re not some small-time influencer anymore and with a sugar daddy backing you, it’s impossible not to get flooded with offers.”

The mention of her “sugar daddy” being Ning Yunshu made Ye Qinglan’s lips twitch.

She skimmed the genres, modern dramas, historical epics, all kinds, every one of them offering her the lead role.

She couldn’t help but sigh. “So this is the privilege of having connections? Others work for years just to land a lead role, and here I am with a whole pile to choose from.”

Ke Ying adjusted her glasses. “Don’t get too cocky, superstar. Also, most of these start filming in the second half of the year, so take your time but no procrastinating.”

“Got it, Sister Ke.”

Ye Qinglan clicked her tongue and obediently started reading. After going through two or three scripts, her phone suddenly rang and Ke Ying’s gaze immediately snapped toward her.

Flustered, Ye Qinglan checked the caller ID and froze.

Ke Ying raised a brow. “Who is it?”

Ye Qinglan glanced at the phone, then at the script, and said, “It’s from the investor.”

Ke Ying: “???”

Ignoring Ke Ying’s bewilderment, Ye Qinglan stood up with her phone and left the office.

“I need to take this call!”

Once outside, she found a quiet corner, took a deep breath, and answered.

“Sis.” Before she could speak, the voice on the other end came through first.

“Are you up yet?” Ning Yunshu asked cautiously.

Ye Qinglan hummed in response. “Yeah, I’m up. What’s up?”

Hearing no displeasure in her tone, Ning Yunshu seemed to relax. “Nothing, just worried you’d sleep too long. It’s not good for you. Make sure to eat something.”

Amused by the concern, Ye Qinglan chuckled. “Ning Yunshu, I’m not a child.”

A brief silence followed before Ning Yunshu replied softly, “I know. I was just… concerned.”

“I reheated the lunchbox and ate. I’m at the company now,” Ye Qinglan said, then teased, “Finally mustered the courage to call me?”

“I’ve always wanted to reach out first,” Ning Yunshu admitted unexpectedly, her tone straightforward rather than hesitant.

Ye Qinglan paused, surprised. “Bold now, are we?”

“Sis…” Ning Yunshu sighed, her voice laced with a hint of coquetry.

That tone perfectly mirrored the way Ning Yunshu used to act spoiled in Ye Qinglan’s memories, making her ears burn slightly.

Flustered, Ye Qinglan steadied herself. “Alright, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up. I still have a script to review.”

Hearing this, Ning Yunshu didn’t dare linger. “Okay, I won’t disturb your work.”

“Mm. Bye.”

“Bye, sis.”

After hanging up, Ye Qinglan stood still for a moment, mentally scolding herself.

Ye Qinglan, get a grip. Don’t let Ning Yunshu’s little act rattle you.

She patted her cheeks, checked her reflection on her phone to ensure her expression was neutral, then returned to Ke Ying’s office.

The moment she stepped in, she found Ke Ying staring at her with a strange look.

Though slightly panicked inside, Ye Qinglan’s face betrayed nothing.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Ke-jie?”

Ke Ying deadpanned, “What did your mom’s friend’s daughter say to you?”

Ye Qinglan’s lips twitched. “Ke-jie, let’s drop that title.”

“Wasn’t that what you called her?” Ke Ying countered.

Rubbing her temples, Ye Qinglan sighed. “Just say what you want to say, Ke-jie.”

“Fine. What’s going on between you and President Ning? It feels like your relationship changes every day, I can’t keep up anymore,” Ke Ying blurted out.

Just earlier, Ye Qinglan had seemed indifferent toward Ning Yunshu. Now she was sneaking out to take her calls?

Even if people were fickle, this was too fickle!

“Nothing’s changed. It’s the same as before,” Ye Qinglan replied earnestly.

“Ye Qinglan.” Ke Ying clearly didn’t buy it.

“If you don’t want me going bald from stress, you’d better be telling the truth.”

Ye Qinglan immediately declared with conviction, “Our relationship is strictly landlord and tenant right now. Well… even if there’s anything else, it’s just because we were close as children. There’s absolutely nothing more between us, really!”

After hearing her words, Ke Ying finally confirmed what she had suspected. She picked up her goji berry tea and took a sip.

“Ye Qinglan, I hope you won’t regret the promise you made to me today.”

Ye Qinglan guiltily averted her eyes.

The truth was…

She couldn’t actually guarantee that.