Transmigrated as the Black-Bellied Film Empress's Live-in Alpha (GL) - Chapter 12

The area in front of the film studio gate was empty, with the landmark name carved in gilt on the central marble, and the glow of streetlights emanating from the neatly trimmed bushes.

Bai Nian stood outside the security booth, standing on tiptoes to tap on the glass. The old man sleeping inside groggily opened his eyes. Seeing someone had arrived, he mumbled lazily, “It’s not open hours. Pass.”

Aside from public promotions, the film studio was mostly closed.

The Alpha at the gate was wearing a tracksuit, her jacket open to reveal a beautifully defined neck enhanced by a round collar, a delicate silver chain hanging from her collarbone, like a vibrant high school student in summer.

She familiarly pulled open the glass window, placed the insulated lunchbox on the window frame, and said with a grin, “Uncle, please make an exception. I’m a family member visiting.”

Bai Nian had heard this line in countless prison visit scenes.

The cold air from the air conditioner in the security room blew directly onto the desk. A half-cut watermelon revealed its sweet red flesh, with a visitor registration form pressed underneath.

“No, many sasaengs have snuck in before. To ensure safety, you must have a work ID or have someone come out to pick you up.” The security guard waved his broad palm, unyielding.

Bai Nian pouted, seeing that pleading was futile. She placed the insulated lunchbox on the stone steps, squatted beside it, and began tapping away on her phone.

Bai Nian: [Ms. Chen, I brought you some food. I’m at the security booth now. Do you want to come out and get it?]

After impulsively sending it, she nervously bit her nails. Perhaps the other party had already returned to the hotel. Would her abrupt arrival with food cause trouble?

Chen Qingying still hadn’t replied to the previous message.

In the lounge, the Omega had removed her makeup, styling, and costume, automatically ignoring Bai Nian’s message from ten minutes ago.

Her misty foxy eyes were half-closed, with tiny specks of glitter on her lower eyelids, making the woman appear even more delicate and pitiable under the light. Chen Qingying felt no guilt about not replying.

She had no leisure to care for Bai Nian’s emotions. If asked, she would simply say she slept early and didn’t see it. But she never imagined that the other party would go out of her way to find out her schedule just to deliver food.

Putting the wet wipes and perfume into her bag, the assistant checked the room for any left-behind valuables, took out the key, and prepared to lock the door.

“Sister Chen, should I call a car at 5 AM tomorrow morning? Do you need me to bring breakfast or anything?”

Fashion magazine shoots often focus on details and ambiance, requiring early morning preparation for makeup and styling. The film studio area was remote and quiet, located in a development zone, and far from their destination.

“No, just head straight there. There are no 24-hour convenience stores nearby, and you’ll have to get up even earlier,” Chen Qingying said, putting away her phone.

“But no matter how busy you are, you still have to eat,” the assistant said, worried.

Since her debut, Chen Qingying rarely had time to relax. Besides managing family affairs, she was also a workaholic in the entertainment industry.

Outsiders admired and praised her, but friends who had followed her for years always worried if she would eventually collapse. Twenty-four hours of non-stop work, followed by achievements that left others in awe, meant almost no private time in her schedule.

If someone told fans that Chen Qingying might be in a relationship, or even married, they wouldn’t believe it at all.

Would a female artist who even forgets to eat spend energy with a significant other?

“It’s fine, tomorrow I’ll just head straight to the next…”

Buzz—

The crispness of early autumn mixed with the dryness of late summer, like a wave washing over scorching sand on the shore. Chen Qingying wore a light white sun-protective suit, the pattern of her inner garment showing through.

Before she could finish her sentence, her phone in her pocket vibrated at an inopportune moment. She subtly frowned, swiping up to unlock the screen.

Bai Nian: [Ms. Chen, I brought you some food. I’m at the security booth now. Do you want to come out and get it?]

Her thumb hovered over the screen for about half a minute, then she typed with one hand.

Chen Qingying: [Okay, I’ll have my assistant get it. Thanks for your trouble.]

She turned off her phone, the screen reflecting the Omega’s cold expression. She turned to the assistant, who was about to turn off the light, and said,

“Xiao Wang, could you please run to the security booth?” As if embarrassed to bother someone so late, she blinked apologetically, “I’m sorry to make you go an extra trip.”

Her voice was so gentle it seemed water could be squeezed from it, making Assistant Wang blush. She scratched her head sheepishly: “Is there something to pick up? Then Sister Chen, wait for me here for a bit.”

“Thank you.”

The tree shadows and the girl’s figure intertwined. Bai Nian couldn’t sit still, pacing back and forth with the insulated lunchbox, occasionally looking towards the plaza inside the main gate. No matter how much anxiety she felt, it was nothing compared to Chen Qingying’s reply.

She replied “Thanks for your trouble,” who understands the gold value of that “oh”!

Isn’t this the beautiful goddess flirting with her? It absolutely is!

Feeling a step closer to Chen Qingying and seeing the tactical implementation yielding good results, she squatted down, casually picked up a stone, and drew aimlessly on the smooth concrete ground, the upward curve of her lips refusing to fall.

She was a straight woman, and now she was so utterly captivated by the other party, it was simply improper!

Suddenly realizing this, Bai Nian threw the stone that was hurting her palm. The stone bounced twice on the ground and settled quietly under the bushes.

Forget it, who doesn’t like a beautiful woman? Besides, Chen Qingying was such an excellent female lead.

The TV hanging on the wall of the security booth was playing a movie Chen Qingying had acted in years ago. On the wide screen, her beauty remained unchanged.

Bai Nian stood at a distance, occasionally glancing over. She saw a figure jogging over from afar. Looking at the silhouette under the streetlights, it wasn’t Chen Qingying.

A faint disappointment surfaced in her heart, then was quickly masked. Seeing the person push open the door and enter the security booth, she also leaned closer.

“Excuse me, is there anything here for Ms. Chen Qingying?” Assistant Wang poked half her head in.

The security guard was sitting with his legs crossed. Seeing someone approach, he propped himself up: “Ah, just now a young lady came to deliver food. Don’t know if she’s left yet…”

Before he could finish speaking, Bai Nian’s flushed face was already pressed against the glass, excitedly shaking the insulated lunchbox in her hand.

“Here, here, this is the late-night meal for Ms. Chen!”

Assistant Wang saw Bai Nian for the first time. She opened the window and took the lunchbox: “I’m Ms. Chen’s assistant. Thank you for making the trip.”

“No trouble, no trouble at all. Please tell Ms. Chen to eat it while it’s hot.” Hearing “assistant,” Bai Nian put all her effort into making a good impression.

This was someone who was with Chen Qingying all the time. If she left a good impression, who knows, she might be able to help out in the future!

“Um, I’m Ms. Chen’s friend. Is it convenient to add you on WeChat?” She quickly brought up her QR code, stars sparkling in her eyes.

For such an enthusiastic little puppy, Assistant Wang didn’t hesitate, taking out her phone to scan the code. Since she could contact Chen Qingying, she must be a trustworthy person.

Having obtained Assistant Wang’s contact information, Bai Nian cheered internally, bid farewell to the other party, and hailed a taxi back to the hotel.

Carrying the insulated lunchbox all the way back to the makeup room, Assistant Wang pushed the door open.

Chen Qingying was scrolling on her phone. Hearing the movement, she turned her head, her gaze lingering on the insulated lunchbox for a moment. She took it and thanked her.

The dark green, three-tiered round lunchbox had a yellow handle. Judging by its newness, it must have been freshly bought.

Chen Qingying placed it on the table without opening it. The first thing she did was send a message to Bai Nian.

Chen Qingying: [Thank you for the late-night meal, it was delicious.]

Bai Nian: [[flower emoji]]

Bai Nian: [Good night, oh.]

Putting away her phone, she motioned for Assistant Wang to come over: “You eat it. I’m not hungry.”

The two had been discussing eating just ten minutes prior. The latter repeatedly waved her hand: “No, no, this is for Ms. Chen. How could I possibly…”

“Just take it,” Chen Qingying’s eyes cast a long shadow from her eyelashes. “I don’t have a habit of eating late-night meals. You eat it here; it’ll save you the trouble of carrying it back and forth.”

With that said, it was hard to refuse further. Assistant Wang unscrewed the insulated lunchbox. The silver lining was condensed with fine water droplets from the heat. She spread out the stacked containers. The aroma wafted into her nostrils, making her mouth water.

“Did Ms. Chen’s friend make these? They look so delicious,” Assistant Wang said, pulling over a short stool from next door, picking up the only disposable chopsticks, and taking a piece of braised pork covered in sauce.

Hearing this, Chen Qingying finally shifted her gaze from her phone to the insulated lunchbox. The braised pork sauce had moistened the rice, making each grain distinct. Stir-fried green peppers with eggs mixed with ham sausage, the rich colors made one salivate.

The soup had finely minced meat floating in it, clinging to the Shanghai bok choy leaves. In the bottom-most container, there were sliced kiwis and dragon fruit, with a few toothpicks inserted into the gaps.

For a late-night meal, it was surprisingly extravagant, showing the cook’s thoughtfulness.

How did she not know before that Bai Nian could cook?

While eating, Assistant Wang didn’t forget to joke, “No wonder Sister Chen doesn’t eat late-night meals. After this, you’ll gain two pounds by tomorrow morning.”

Female celebrities’ body management is very strict. Even if they’re gluttonous, they dare not indulge too much, unless they can find time to exercise every day.

Chen Qingying was clearly the former.

“Oh, there’s a note here too.” Assistant Wang bit her chopsticks, about to move the bowl of stir-fried green peppers and eggs, when she noticed a note under the bowl.

The note was stained with a few drops of oil, appearing transparent and pale yellow, feeling granular to the touch. She wanted to read the words clearly but felt it was the other person’s privacy, so she quickly glanced at it and handed it over.

Hearing about the small note, Chen Qingying’s brows furrowed slightly. She slowly raised her hand, unsure what trick Bai Nian was up to.

Taking the note, a few words were written crookedly on it.

[Remember to eat, and get some rest ^-^]

The old-fashioned emoticon brought Bai Nian’s silly face to her mind. The edges were smudged, and her soft fingertips traced the not-so-beautiful handwriting. Chen Qingying remained expressionless.

The note in her palm was crumpled. She twirled it with her thumb and tossed it into the trash can by her feet.

Then, hooking the chair with her leg, she moved closer to Assistant Wang. The latter was picking up rice to put into her mouth and made room for her.

Clutching the chopsticks in their hands, the two looked at each other. Because Bai Nian had brought the food, she only packed one pair of disposable chopsticks.

Chen Qingying certainly couldn’t use the same chopsticks as Assistant Wang. She picked up a toothpick, speared a slice of dragon fruit, and put it into her mouth.

The fruit, just taken from the refrigerator, was cool, making her drowsy mind much clearer. A sweet and refreshing taste spread across her tongue. Chen Qingying chewed, slowly putting down the toothpick.

She thought, Bai Nian probably didn’t wash the vegetable knife when she cut the fruit.