The Scumbag Alpha Movie Queen Pampers Her Wife - Chapter 36

Gu Muchu entered the living room to find Ji Yuran sitting cross-legged on the sofa, a blanket draped over her knees. Hearing the door close, Ji Yuran quickly shoved her phone under the blanket, pretending nothing had happened.

The sofa cushion beside her dipped as Gu Muchu sat down. Ji Yuran lifted her paws into the air, and Gu Muchu’s clear, cool voice drifted down from above.

“What are you up to, sneaking around like that?” Gu Muchu reached to lift the blanket, but her hand hovered in the air, ultimately refraining from moving. “Still worried about the Weibo situation?”

“You’re so calm, acting like nothing’s wrong…” Ji Yuran plucked at the blanket’s fringe, glancing sideways at Gu Muchu.

The concern in Ji Yuran’s voice stirred a warmth in Gu Muchu’s chest, the room’s heating radiating through her clothes. Ji Yuran was acutely sensitive to others’ kindness, feeling both grateful and guilty. Even when expressing worry, she did so with a light, almost dismissive tone.

“Thank you for caring, Ranran. But please trust that Elder Sister can handle this, okay?” Gu Muchu’s voice softened as she gently patted Ji Yuran’s head. Watching the Omega nod blankly, her head swaying slightly, Gu Muchu resisted the urge to pinch her cheek.

Ji Yuran’s eyes narrowed like a cat’s, almost purring with contentment. Realizing her lapse in composure, she quickly ducked away, shrinking further into the blanket.

“Don’t treat me like a child,” Ji Yuran said, pulling the blanket higher and curling up into a small, secure ball.

Gu Muchu picked up a throw pillow and leaned back against it, subtly changing the subject. “Alright, you’re not a child.”

“How did Li Kai’s audition for that TV series go?” It had been weeks, and there should have been some news by now. Yet Ji Yuran hadn’t mentioned a word, leaving Gu Muchu anxious and suspecting he’d been rejected.

Though the chances were slim, rejection wasn’t impossible. Only a brief scene had been released for auditions, leaving the character’s later arc entirely unknown. A misinterpretation of the role would be understandable.

Gu Muchu was about to offer comforting words when Ji Yuran spoke.

“He got the part,” Ji Yuran said, her voice so flat it betrayed no emotion.

“He got the part?” Gu Muchu sat up, placing the throw pillow close beside her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was going to,” Ji Yuran said, hugging her knees and adopting a pitiful, wronged expression. “But then I saw that trending topic about you and decided to wait.”

The Omega’s profile was striking. Sunlight streamed through the tall bridge of her nose, casting shadows across her cheek that divided her face into stark halves of light and dark.

Gu Muchu leaned back against the pillow, finally understanding what Ji Yuran meant. She swallowed hard, unsure what to say.

Ji Yuran considered every angle, even if her joy might burden Gu Muchu, she would keep it to herself.

Gu Muchu’s demeanor softened, the earlier tension melting away. Her tone became gentle, “It won’t affect me much.”

To reassure Ji Yuran, she downplayed the impact of the situation.

“Just focus on filming for now. Once you’re famous, you can protect me,” Gu Muchu said shamelessly, the ice between them quietly thawing.

“I don’t want fame. I just want to be like you,” the Omega replied, turning around. Realizing the difficulty of expressing her next thought, she lowered her head and mumbled, “I want to learn from you. I’m not afraid of hardship.”

“Acting is tough. If you can’t endure it, the pay will be low.”

“If you can handle it, why can’t I?” Ji Yuran insisted earnestly, her eyes shining brightly against the shadowed backdrop of her face.

Gu Muchu’s expression turned skeptical. “Since when did I become the benchmark for low standards?”

Realizing she had misspoke, Ji Yuran awkwardly fell silent. “That’s not what I meant. I meant… I meant that fame isn’t necessarily a good thing…”

“Look at you today,” Ji Yuran said, seizing on the opportunity to prove she wasn’t lazy. “You were completely overwhelmed by those Skin-Deep Haters, weren’t you?”

Hearing this, Gu Muchu’s mind drifted back to the active Skin-Deep Hater she’d encountered on Weibo earlier that day. After a moment of silence, she nodded. “I should probably just focus on acting. These Skin-Deep Haters are really coming out of the woodwork, and the fan wars are getting too intense.”

Ji Yuran knelt on the sofa, propping herself up with her hands as she rocked back and forth. “Do you get Skin-Deep Haters too?”

She found it hard to imagine that even a low-profile Best Actress like Gu Muchu could face such public backlash.

“I ran into one today,” Gu Muchu said, her throat dry. She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. “She was defending me in the Super Topic, but when I clicked on her profile, she’d blocked me.”

At this, Gu Muchu couldn’t help but chuckle. She pulled the trash can closer and bent down to peel the apple.

Ji Yuran’s hand, hidden beneath the blanket, tightened involuntarily. She fumbled for her phone, only finding a sliver of comfort when the cold corner of the device pressed into her palm.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that Gu Muchu was talking about her.

Her gaze darted nervously as she weakly defended her alt account. “But what if she wasn’t a Skin-Deep Hater? What if she was genuinely sincere?”

Gu Muchu paused, the continuous strip of apple peel breaking mid-peel and falling into the trash can.

“If they truly like you…”

She had never encountered such a fan before, one who acted like a disciple to their master.

“What if there’s a good reason? They’re being sincere. Don’t jump to conclusions,” Ji Yuran said, taking advantage of Gu Muchu’s turned back to sneak a glance at her phone hidden under the blanket. The screen’s faint glow illuminated her face, making her look suspiciously guilty.

“There’s no ‘what if’,” Gu Muchu retorted casually, but seeing Yuran’s strong reaction, she suddenly grew curious. “They’re just Skin-Deep Haters.”

She placed the apple in her palm and slowly sliced it in half with the knife.

“Maybe they’re just really enthusiastic fans. Saying that is ungrateful and hurts their feelings,” Ji Yuran countered, her voice laced with bitterness.

“Want some apple?” Gu Muchu offered the cored half. As expected, the Omega fell silent and obediently took the piece, cradling it in her hand.

“Yes, thank you,” Yuran said, taking a small bite from the edge. Only after chewing did she remember their earlier argument. “You shouldn’t talk about them like that.”

Gu Muchu wiped the knife clean and placed it on the coffee table, her tone oddly detached. “Why are you talking so much today?”

Yuran slowed her chewing. “Am I?”

“Yeah, anyone would think you were talking about yourself.”

“No!” Ji Yuran retorted almost the instant the words left Gu Muchu’s mouth.

Normally, Ji Yuran was mild and unhurried around Gu Muchu, speaking with careful precision and showing little emotional fluctuation, like a haughty cat who couldn’t be bothered with others. Her current agitation made Gu Muchu pause, carefully reviewing the situation from the beginning.

I think I’ve heard that ID somewhere before…

Ruanruan Drinks Cola.

Ji Yuran’s silence made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles. She rolled up the blanket around her and was about to grab her phone and leave the living room barefoot when Gu Muchu blocked her path.

“Is it you?”

“No,” Ji Yuran mumbled, clutching a corner of the blanket that dragged on the floor like a homeless little waif. Her voice was weak, clearly lacking conviction.

“Is it?” Gu Muchu pressed, recalling the unanimous praise she had seen in Ji Yuran’s comment section.

After this question, there was no further sound. Seeing the Omega lower her head in silence, Gu Muchu guessed she was likely correct. She leaned closer, her voice barely concealing her curiosity.

“How could you block me?” Gu Muchu asked sternly, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.

Ji Yuran felt even more guilty, twisting the hem of her sleeve, unsure of what to do.

She looked like a child standing in the principal’s office, biting her fingernails helplessly and occasionally glancing at the teacher’s expression.

“Do you hate me?” Gu Muchu asked. Ji Yuran looked up, her lips moving silently.

“No, I don’t hate you.”

“Then why did you block me?” Gu Muchu’s frustration grew, feeling as if their relationship was out of balance.

She opened her phone’s chat window. “Ranran, do you know you’re my pinned contact?”

Gu Muchu’s words carried a hint of emotional blackmail, and they worked instantly. Ji Yuran looked flustered. “I said some bad things before.”

Her honesty was unexpected. Recalling the original self’s actions, Gu Muchu’s interest piqued.

She knew Ji Yuran hadn’t truly forgiven her. The original self had inflicted too much pain, turning every act of forgiveness into a reminder of past wrongs.

“Is something wrong? Let Elder Sister take a look,” Gu Muchu said gently, her words striking Ji Yuran like a sudden blow, instantly dissolving the Omega’s pent-up resentment.

She held out her palm, the gesture unmistakable.

A few strands of hair fell across the Omega’s forehead, obscuring the emotions swirling in her eyes. Fidgeting with her phone case, she finally mustered the courage to hand it to Gu Muchu, bracing herself for the worst.

“Promise you won’t get angry, no matter what you see.”

“Mm, I won’t,” Gu Muchu replied, accepting the phone. The warm device still carried the Omega’s lingering scent.

Even if Ji Yuran had cursed me, those words were meant for the Original Self, not me, Gu Muchu thought.

That was her initial belief.

She swiped through the screen, scrolling through the content. Beside her, Ji Yuran sat tense, like a rabbit poised to bolt at any moment.

Nearly every post under this account was a repost of criticism against Gu Muchu, and the comments from the Original Self’s fans were even more vile.

Even though Gu Muchu had experienced such attacks before, the sudden onslaught still made her heart clench involuntarily.

Ruanruan Drinks Cola: That Gu Muchu is no good at all. Her private life is a mess, she has a terrible temper, and she uses film shoots to line her own pockets, preying on countless young actors.

At the time, the Original Self was at the peak of her career. Her starring role in Day and Night Pursuit was on track to gross 3 billion yuan at the box office. Praise poured in for the young Best Actress, her value skyrocketing overnight, and her fan base growing exponentially.

LOL, which studio bought these trolls this time? The stench of jealousy is overwhelming—they’re just bitter that our Chuchu just won Best Actress, aren’t they?

Like dogs sniffing out a scent, they rush in to bite and eagerly defend their master. Why don’t they dare reveal which studio they’re from?

Are you blind? Gu Muchu’s acting is phenomenal! If she has flaws, then no one in the entire entertainment industry deserves to be praised.

We only care about her work. We don’t know anything about her private life, and even if she gets exposed, I’ll still support her.

The comments grew increasingly vile, with many suggesting Ji Yuran should spend money on a brain scan.

Gu Muchu had thought she wouldn’t be too emotionally affected, but seeing these comments still made her heart ache.

While Ji Yuran was away, had she endured such immense suffering?

Her heart felt like it was being twisted and crushed, a sharp, piercing pain like countless needles stabbing her flesh. The pain was so intricate and relentless that she couldn’t even trace its source to begin healing.

Seeing Gu Muchu’s silence, Ji Yuran assumed she was angry. Hesitantly, she pinched Gu Muchu’s sleeve and tugged it twice.

“Can I have it back now?” she asked, glancing up to gauge Gu Muchu’s expression, terrified of her emotions spiraling out of control.

Even though the current Gu Muchu was far better than the one she had known before.

After calming herself, Gu Muchu turned off the phone screen and handed it back to Ji Yuran, her chest tight with suppressed emotion.

The more she saw, the more her heart ached. It was better not to look at all.

The old Ji Yuran had endured so much slander and gossip, forced to watch her tormentors being celebrated while she hid in the shadows, her voice drowned out even when she tried to defend herself.

As Ji Yuran sat on the sofa, trying to soothe herself, the shadow beside her remained.

Ji Yuran poked Gu Muchu’s arm with her finger and whispered, “Gu Muchu, don’t be angry.”

Gu Muchu covered her face and tilted her head back to look at the Omega.

“Ji Yuran, you shouldn’t have to comfort me.”