The Salted-Fish Alpha and the Actress Got Their Marriage Certificate - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“I’ve been meaning to ask, where did you get this lemon candy?” The young assistant popped another candy into her mouth, her face beaming with delight.

A pile of candy wrappers already sat in front of her, and she still couldn’t get enough.

Ye Cike was packing her things, not even looking up as she replied, “I made it myself. Liu Su, too much candy will give you cavities. Help me send this box home first.”

Liu Su’s hand, reaching for another candy, pulled back, and she turned to arrange logistics.

At first, she thought she’d landed in a wolf’s den, doomed to be pushed around.

But to her surprise, Ye Cike was unexpectedly easygoing. The work was light, the pay was good, and there were daily snacks to munch on, making it hard to want to leave.

Rumors really couldn’t be trusted.

Sadly, Ye Cike was leaving soon, currently handing over various tasks.

Ning Lan pushed open the door just in time to catch this conversation. She grabbed a candy from the table, unwrapped it, and ate it. “Her cooking’s pretty good. Let her take charge of the farewell dinner.”

After the press conference, the full video went online, and public opinion swung entirely in Ye Cike’s favor. People praised her straightforward personality, calling her bold and charismatic.

A screenshot of her slamming the table and talking tough went viral across the internet. Any dissenting voices were quickly drowned out.

Countless people grew interested in the movie because of Ye Cike, and her spontaneous actions unexpectedly brought a lot of attention to the film.

But Ning Lan felt something was off. Usually, smear campaigns would be flying everywhere, but this time, there were barely any. She suspected the opposition was holding back for something big.

After packing, Ye Cike flopped down like a salted-fish, pulling out her phone to reply to a few messages before casually opening Weibo.

As she scrolled through the trending list, her eyes locked onto the blazing red text at the top: #YeCikeXiLingLateNightMeeting#

Clicking in revealed a blurry photo, but the face looking at the camera was unmistakably Ye Cike’s.

The person leaning into her arms, dressed in a sky-blue gown, was clearly Xi Ling from the press conference.

“”

Seeing Ye Cike’s smile vanish, Ning Lan’s temples started throbbing.

At the same time, her phone began chiming wildly, signaling a flood of messages waiting for her.

Ye Cike nervously poured a glass of water and offered it to Ning Lan. “Lan Lan, you need to stay calm.”

Ning Lan smiled. “I’m very calm. I’ve seen all kinds of storms. It’s just someone spreading rumors about you.”

“You have to believe me. I didn’t do anything bad.”

Ning Lan took a deep breath and replied, “You’re my friend. Of course I believe you.”

Ye Cike fell silent, slowly scooting away until she was a whole sofa’s distance from Ning Lan.

The break room grew quiet. Even Liu Su held her breath, leaving only the sound of Ning Lan’s fingers tapping her phone screen.

A moment later, Ning Lan looked at Ye Cike with a smile. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Uh, yeah,” Ye Cike said, standing up from the sofa, clutching a cushion, and inching toward the door, ready to bolt.

“Ye Cike! Do you know what you’re doing?” Ning Lan dropped her smile, stepped forward, stood on her tiptoes, and pinched Ye Cike’s face, gritting her teeth. “Why was Xi Ling in your arms? Did you make a move on her?”

Ye Cike quickly raised her hands in defense. “I wouldn’t dare! You know I’ve never even touched an omega’s hand my whole life! It’s just the angle of the photo.”

Ning Lan rubbed her forehead and started scrolling through the comments under the trending topic.

[“I knew it! Why would Ye Cike stick up for Xi Ling? Are they secretly involved?”]

[“Maybe Ye Cike isn’t such a good person. She’s probably been after Xi Ling for a while.”]

Those were just casual opinions. Xi Ling’s fans were far more intense.

[“No way! I won’t allow it! Ye Cike’s got a shady character. She’s just trying to seduce you, Xi Xi. Don’t fall for it!”]

[“Ye Cike must’ve forced Xi Xi! Alphas can’t be trusted!”]

Xi Ling had an impeccable public image, a delicate omega, while Ye Cike was already a target of widespread criticism.

With no prior connection between them, netizens naturally assumed Ye Cike was the one who made a move.

Smack!

Ning Lan slammed her phone onto the coffee table, glaring coldly, barely containing her anger. “You better explain this properly!”

So Ye Cike hurriedly recounted the whole story, emphasizing that there was no excessive contact between them—it was all an accident.

Liu Su, listening to the whole thing, grew anxious. “We could check nearby surveillance footage.”

Ning Lan quickly settled on a plan. “Have Ye Cike post a clarification on Weibo first, then release the surveillance video.”

She sent messages to her team while speaking, but the anxiety on her face didn’t fade as she paced in circles.

“Getting surveillance footage takes time. We don’t know how this will blow up online, and it might not even show the full story clearly.”

Watching the two of them make calls and draft statements, buzzing around like busy bees, Ye Cike suddenly raised her hand. “How about we just let it go? I’m quitting the industry anyway. I don’t care about this stuff.”

Ning Lan and Liu Su spun around to face her, saying in unison, “I care!”

“Shut up. You never let me handle things before, but this time, no way!” Ning Lan snapped, ignoring Ye Cike completely.

Unable to argue, Ye Cike curled up on the sofa, not daring to make a sound.

“If only Xi Ling could say something to clear this up,” Liu Su said, sipping the milk tea Ye Cike had ordered, letting out a heavy sigh.

Ning Lan shook her head. “Impossible. If she gets involved, people will suspect she’s in on it with Ye Cike. Staying silent lets her claim she was forced.”

The break room fell silent again. Liu Su quietly scrolled through Weibo, then suddenly widened her eyes and nudged Ning Lan, nearly knocking her over.

“Lan Jie! Look at Xi Ling’s Weibo!”

Ye Cike raised an eyebrow and opened Xi Ling’s page, where a pinned post caught her eye.

[“Thanks to Miss Ye for the candy.”]

The attached image showed a paper crane folded from candy wrapper, glowing with a rainbow shimmer under warm light.

The next post detailed the incident, thoughtfully including surveillance footage.

In the video, the two kept their distance, with Ye Cike only briefly supporting Xi Ling in the second half—completely innocent.

Ning Lan found it hard to believe. “Xi Ling’s actually wading into this mess.”

Ye Cike didn’t respond. She was scrolling through the comments, where Xi Ling had personally replied to the top one.

[“No way it’s that coincidental. They’re probably hyping themselves.”]

Xi Ling: “I saw her take it out with my own eyes! Before that, I didn’t believe someone so aloof would carry candy around.”

She added, “Lemon candy. Very sweet.”

Xi Ling’s profile picture was a selfie, her braided hair adorned with a small crown, holding a flowing white lace dress as she looked back at the camera with a slight smile, a hint of rosy blush at the corners of her eyes, intoxicating like aged wine.

Ye Cike stared for a long moment, as if Xi Ling’s clear voice was whispering in her ear, reading that comment aloud.

She said, “Very sweet.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and Ye Cike covered her face, letting out a long “hiss.”

Could she have misunderstood? Was Xi Ling’s odd reaction at the press conference not because of pheromones?

“What are you spacing out for? Repost it already!” Ning Lan tapped Ye Cike’s head, eyeing the redness on her earlobes with suspicion.

Ye Cike obediently complied. Her team was already competent, and with evidence, they had the confidence to calm the storm. The rumors gradually died down, and the remaining whispers didn’t amount to much.

With the issue settled by dinnertime, Ning Lan simply had Ye Cike treat everyone to a meal. Ye Cike, of course, agreed without hesitation and took them to her favorite restaurant.

While waiting for the food, Ye Cike toyed with her phone and, on a whim, opened Xi Ling’s Weibo again.

Her own Weibo was full of obligatory posts and reposts, but Xi Ling’s was vibrant.

Videos of her practicing ballet, selfies from her travels, stories of funny encounters, and interactions with others filled the small interface to the brim.

In every photo, Xi Ling was refined and adorable, evoking countless beautiful thoughts.

But Ye Cike suddenly paused, frowning.

It was a promotional post for the reality show ‘Back to the Countryside’, with Xi Ling listed as a guest—alongside someone Ye Cike absolutely didn’t want to see.

She slid her phone to Ning Lan, tapping the table. “Why is Meng Gujin here?”

Liu Su curiously leaned over to look. “What’s wrong with him?”

Meng Gujin was one of the hottest celebrities right now, an alpha like Ye Cike, who’d built a persona as a gentleman who cared for omegas, amassing countless fans.

Ye Cike crossed her arms, her tone dripping with disdain.

“He annoys me to death. On the surface, he’s all polite, but behind closed doors—who knows.”

Meng Gujin was like sticky candy, impossible to shake off. He had a habit of harassing omegas, and with his powerful family backing him, his victims often couldn’t speak out.

Her voice cut off abruptly. Ye Cike pursed her lips, her eyes flashing with unconscious irritation.

“Lan Lan, can we get Meng Gujin replaced? If that’s not possible, at least get Xi Ling to pull out of this show.”

Ning Lan rolled her eyes. “It’s not that easy. It’s already been announced. The director won’t be happy about changing anyone. Besides, are you and Xi Ling that close? Is it your place to meddle?”

“She helped me out today. How can I let her jump into a fire pit?” Ye Cike said righteously.

Ning Lan propped her head on her hand, sizing Ye Cike up until she leaned back uncomfortably.

“How do you know it’s a fire pit? He’s not that bold.”

Ye Cike shot back, “Even a speck of ash is too much!”

“Fine, I’ll ask.”

Liu Su looked up in shock. “Is that something you can just ask?”

He was a major celebrity, and it sounded like they were talking about replacing him outright.

“We’re not that close, so it might be tricky,” Ye Cike said gravely, already considering sending Xi Ling a warning message.

By the time the food arrived, Ning Lan, who’d stepped out to make a call, returned.

“The director said the lineup’s set. Meng Gujin and Xi Ling were expensive hires. Replacing them would cause trouble.”

Ye Cike lowered her eyes, thinking it might be more practical to just punch Meng Gujin.

Then Ning Lan added with a teasing tone, “But he doesn’t want to cross you either. Meng Gujin can’t be removed, but they can add you.”

“I’m about to quit the industry…” Ye Cike squinted, clearly reluctant.

“Just say if you’re going or not.”

Ye Cike fell silent, her gaze landing on her phone screen, where Xi Ling’s profile picture was still visible.

She looked away, pretending to focus on the dazzling city lights outside the window.

“I’ll go. I’ll repay this favor before I leave.”

But since she was leaving anyway, maybe she could let loose a little?