The Scummy Alpha Is Deliberately Marked by the Femme Fatale - Chapter 8

Tsuki: Soon.

Yolo: Okay! Waiting for you! (heart.jpg)

Li Cen tapped on her senior’s avatar and entered her WeChat profile. Aside from an old photo of the two of them together from years ago, there was nothing else.

Just then, she noticed that the short quote beneath her senior’s avatar had changed to a single line:

I’m not willing to chase the moon. I want the moon to come to me.

Yolo: Senior, are you dating someone?

Tsuki: ?

Yolo: I mean… your profile signature…

Tsuki: ? Just changed it for fun.

Yolo: It’s fine. Just… if you ever start dating, could you tell me?

Tsuki: Sure.

She couldn’t say why, but she felt that she and her senior were drifting—sometimes close, sometimes far.

Scrolling back up, their chat history was sparse, just a few perfunctory exchanges. Her senior had told her before that work kept her busy, which explained the half-hearted replies.

Still, Li Cen felt a flicker of unease. From what she knew of her senior, even if she never posted updates, changing her signature meant it was something truly on her mind, a little fragment of her thoughts.

Her first instinct was that her senior might be hiding something. But then again… what kind of person would a gentle woman like her fall for?

Maybe it was just the exhaustion from a full day of filming, but Li Cen’s eyelids grew heavy. She couldn’t even remember whether she’d turned off the light before drifting off.

Just as she slipped into sleep, the door clicked open.

Someone stepped in, pulled the blanket up over her, and brushed a gentle hand through her hair. Turning to glance at the desk, she caught sight of a wine glass—the red wine glowing rich and crimson under the lamp.

She downed it in one smooth motion, leaving a lipstick print on the rim of the stemmed glass.

Before leaving, she stroked Li Cen’s cheek again—only for her hand to be caught.

Warm lips pressed against her palm, lashes lowering faintly.

Seizing the moment, she quickly pulled her hand back, turned off the light, closed the door, and slipped out.

________________________________________

Li Cen dreamed. She dreamed that she woke to find her senior beside her, just like the days back when she’d run away from home in a fit of temper. Her senior’s fingers ruffled her hair gently, her voice soft as she called her name.

“Senior…”

The next second, the lights blazed on, forcing her eyes open.

What filled her vision was Yan Qi’s face.

Startled, she shot upright so fast she nearly launched herself off the bed, landing on the floor with a thud, the bed now a full barrier between them.

[Comment] Mama, she got up too fast—looked like a prairie dog leaping![Comment] Li Cen’s reaction is like she just saw a ghost.

[Comment] Our Qiqi wakes her up so gently and she doesn’t appreciate it?

[Comment] ??? Who wouldn’t be freaked out if someone yanked the curtains open and shoved their face in yours at dawn?

[Comment] LMAO, a pale face hovering at your bedside first thing? Jump-scare material.

[Comment] What “pale face”? Our Qiqi’s just naturally fair, okay? Not some painted ghost!

Honestly, Yan Qi nearly scared me to death. Good thing I caught myself—otherwise she’d be wearing my handprint right now.

“Director, she’s awake. What more do you want from us?”

Yan Qi adjusted the shawl draped over her shoulders and glanced lazily at the director. The program staff stepped forward with a task card, handing it to Li Cen.

Li Cen accepted it, looking utterly perplexed. But the moment she read the instructions, she froze.

Mission: Carry the person who woke you up, spin in place ten times, then walk in a straight line.

She stared at the card, dumbstruck, before forcing out a single syllable: “…Wow.”

[Comment] LMAO, spinning first thing in the morning? She’s gonna puke out last night’s dinner.

[Comment] Think Li Cen can’t carry Yan Qi? She looks kinda weak.

[Comment] Don’t joke—what Alpha can’t carry an Omega? Embarrassing if she couldn’t.

Li Cen glanced at Yan Qi’s floor-length gown, trying to figure out a reasonable way to lift her. Before she could decide, Yan Qi stepped forward on her own, looping her arms around Li Cen’s neck.

Her heartbeat thundered for a moment—but when her gaze met Yan Qi’s calm, unreadable eyes, it gradually slowed.

“Puppy, don’t tell me you can’t?”

Balancing on nine-centimeter heels, Yan Qi tilted her head, murmuring low enough for only the two of them to hear, her lips brushing Li Cen’s ear.

Li Cen’s brows knit faintly. She slipped one arm around Yan Qi’s waist, the other beneath her legs, lowering her head to warn, “Better hold tight. If I drop you, I’ll be the first to laugh.”

Yan Qi obligingly hooked her arms tighter around Li Cen’s neck, tucking her face into her chest. Warmth seeped through Li Cen’s shirt, a blush creeping up the tips of her ears.

[Comment] Her ears are red! Pure little thing.

[Comment] Why isn’t she in a suit and tie right now? I want to see Yan Qi yank her by the tie.

[Comment] Ma’am, you’re inventing kinks now. Would they even air that?

[Comment] Someone write the fic! 20k words before noon! Tag it #CenNotQiMe!!

The comment feed was already drowning in CP spam.

Remembering the task, Li Cen quickly spun ten times and walked a straight line, setting Yan Qi gently back on her feet.

“See? Steady as a rock.”

Smug, Li Cen looked to Yan Qi—who simply tugged her collar down and planted a lipstick mark on her cheek.

“Puppy, your reward.”

Ah… I must still be dreaming. No way Yan Qi just kissed me of her own accord. She smelled… soft. Sweet. Definitely still dreaming.

Still caught in that brief haze of tenderness, Li Cen let Yan Qi take the next mission card from the staff—it was for the two of them to make breakfast together.

Li Cen changed into casual clothes and headed to the first-floor kitchen.

Halfway through prepping, a thought struck her. She opened the fridge, rummaging through the shelves.

Yan Qi, now in an apron, leaned over curiously. “What are you looking for?”

“Seafood. Thinking of making congee.” Li Cen replied.

“You want congee?” Yan Qi asked again.

Li Cen quickly shook her head. “For Fu Ting. She’s probably craving it during her susceptibility period.”

[Comment] Li Cen’s so thoughtful—how does she even know Fu Ting likes seafood congee?

[Comment] #CenQiMe over already? That was fast.

[Comment] No, #FuLi forever! Li Cen only thinks of her daughter; Yan Qi’s just a joke.

[Comment] Excuse you—your “daughter” is the third wheel here.

[Comment] LMAO, if she’s not loved, isn’t she the third wheel?

[Comment] Chill. Right now, Li Cen and Yan Qi are the actual pairing. She’s probably just being considerate.

At Li Cen’s answer, Yan Qi’s hand trembled slightly. A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes before she said evenly, “I just took the seafood out. What do you want to eat?”

She cares this much—she definitely has feelings for me. Li Cen thought.

Li Cen kept her smile in place, following Yan Qi back to the counter. She glanced at the ingredients, recalling the breakfasts her senior used to make for her.

“I want snail noodles.” Li Cen said.

“No. Morning meals have to be light. Just eat noodles.” Yan Qi replied.

Ah… controlling me on purpose, huh?

Li Cen grumbled inwardly but nodded.

Yan Qi: “Scallions?”

Li Cen: “No.”

Yan Qi: “Garlic?”

Li Cen: “No.”

Yan Qi: “Fried egg?”

Li Cen: “No.”

…

Yan Qi kept asking, and every time, Li Cen said “No.”

Finally, Yan Qi dumped scallions and garlic into the bowl anyway, added the noodles, topped it with a fried egg, and handed it over.

“I literally just said—”

A single sharp glare from Yan Qi shut her up.

[She looks like a turtle retreating into her shell. ]

[She’s 100% doing this to annoy Yan Qi. ]

[Are they giving off old married couple vibes? If I recall, Yan Qi also loves seafood porridge.]

[Ah—now I get it. Maybe Li Cen was too shy to admit she made it for Yan Qi. Perhaps they had a little spat, so she purposely claimed the porridge was for Fu Ting just to annoy Yan Qi!]

[Sister’s logic checks out! Suddenly, everything clicks.]

[Li Cen is clearly a noodle fanatic. Aside from desserts, every food post on her Weibo is about noodles.]

[She’s not just a foodie—she’s a noodle foodie, hahaha. Remember the last eating challenge? She went to town on those noodles, but by the end it looked like pure torture.]

[#“Noodle Queen” Li Cen]

[This is wild. Wasn’t this supposed to be a romance show? How did it turn into a comedy skit?]

Li Cen eyed the congee pot, about to check it—but Yan Qi stepped in her way, gaze cool. Li Cen obediently carried her noodles to the table.

Yan Qi, after tasting a spoonful of the congee, nodded in approval and set the bowl aside, ladling servings for everyone.

By the time she turned back, the bowl she’d tasted from was gone.

She walked into the dining room—and found it next to Li Cen, with Fu Ting in front of it.

Fu Ting, lace sleeves brushing against her arms, scooped up a spoonful and gasped, “It’s so good! Cen-jie, you have to try this!”

Yan Qi reached for the bowl—only for Li Cen to lift it and take a sip herself.

Her pupils constricted.

So familiar…

Still, Li Cen kept her tone light. “It’s fine. Just okay.”

Li Cen glanced at Yan Qi, frowning. “What, you mind me eating one bowl of congee?”

Yan Qi said, “Puppy, that was my bowl.”