Transmigrated as the Black-Bellied Film Empress's Live-in Alpha (GL) - Chapter 16

If time could be reversed, Bai Nian would absolutely never ask such a presumptuous question. Who was she to Chen Qingying? So that the other party would hide something to alleviate her own guilt.

Chen Qingying hadn’t expected her to ask that and calmly replied, “No.”

“It’s just a burn, it’s nothing serious.” The woman’s smile was reflected on the glass.

The inky night sky held a few sparse stars, and distant rolling mountains carved a beautiful curve across the horizon.

“How can it be nothing serious? You’re a celebrity.” Bai Nian guessed that the reason it was so subtly covered was likely because she would need to expose that area during filming, so she used a band-aid close to her skin tone to cover it.

“Are you very worried about me?” Chen Qingying asked what seemed like a rhetorical question, but it left Bai Nian speechless.

The Omega was very feminine. She tucked stray hair behind her ear, and tiny diamonds dangled from her fleshy earlobes, sparkling so much that Bai Nian couldn’t tear her eyes away.

A faint, slightly bitter rosemary scent once again wafted into her nostrils. She held her breath, so nervous she didn’t know where to put her hands.

Her slightly narrowed double eyelids seemed to be able to see through her heart. Bai Nian’s gaze darted away; even she didn’t understand why she felt guilty.

“Of, of course,” she stammered in reply, “You are my nominal wife, after all.”

“Is that the only reason?” Chen Qingying raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t move around. I’ll get you some alcohol.” Anyone faced with such an impactful face would subconsciously avoid it.

Bai Nian’s tongue tied in knots. After a vague reply, she rushed to the drawer by the door to search. In the past, she would never have dared to speak to Chen Qingying in such a tone.

However, she only found a few boxes of stomach medicine in the emergency kit. She then took out a tray of ice cubes from the bottom layer of the refrigerator, knocked out four neat blocks, and put them in a plastic bag to cool the area.

Bai Nian was indeed thoughtful. Chen Qingying, who was usually the one being cared for, looked up at her. Seeing her focused expression, she pressed down on the fingers that wanted to pull away.

The Omega’s hand was fair and slender, with visible blue veins on the back of her hand, and pale pink half-moons appearing on her neatly trimmed nails.

She spread her thumb and forefinger, and her warm palm met Bai Nian’s. Her flexible knuckles curled, like entrusting one’s hand during a waltz.

Bai Nian’s thoughts began to wander. She forced herself to concentrate, tearing off the discreet tape. The burned area was a vivid crimson, starkly exposed before her eyes.

“Does it hurt?” The edges of the ice cubes had melted into irregular shapes, water vapor clinging to the outside of the plastic bag. Bai Nian leaned down, wanting to blow on it to soothe the pain.

“It’s fine,” Chen Qingying allowed her to hold it, surprisingly docile, as if she were a different person.

“Why didn’t you go to the hospital immediately?” Bai Nian asked, pressing on the web of her thumb without daring to relax.

Chen Qingying smiled indifferently: “So many people on set, for me to adjust the filming schedule?”

Bai Nian had many retorts, but the words died on her tongue. It was true. Chen Qingying worked so hard; never mind a burn, even with a high fever, she would take medicine and continue working.

The original book vividly described how excellent she was, but only briefly touched upon the hardships behind it. For a moment, Bai Nian felt as if she had seen through the book, catching a glimpse of the unwritten parts on the pages.

Her feelings for Chen Qingying were no longer just admiration and affection for a fictional character.

“It melted.” The fingers beneath her palm twitched. Bai Nian came back to her senses, realizing that her body heat had melted the ice.

Small, flake-like pieces of ice floated in the water. She dared not slacken, having stood behind the sofa all this time, and now her lower back ached.

“That’s enough, thank you.” Chen Qingying promptly withdrew her hand. The area that had been iced showed no trace of the burn.

She didn’t quite understand why Bai Nian went to such lengths to remove the mark. Modern medical aesthetics were advanced. If a scar truly remained and affected her work, she wouldn’t sit idly by.

But Chen Qingying wouldn’t say these things, as it would only make everyone uncomfortable.

Bai Nian, flattered by the thanks, said shyly, “It’s nothing, I should do it.”

It was also a part of making amends, she thought silently.

She only hoped that like water dripping on stone, pushing forward a little each day could reverse the fated outcome.

The next day, on set.

Chen Qingying and her assistant left early. Upon arrival, they found Zhou Qingzhi already waiting in the makeup room. As the empress’s specially hired makeup artist, she didn’t need to squeeze into a cramped resting room with other actors.

Seeing them arrive, she hooked her swivel chair with her foot, unzipped her bag, and arranged her tools like setting up a stall.

Chen Qingying took out the script she had reviewed last night to study it, allowing the other person to apply her foundation.

“Oh, my ancestor, are you crazy with overwork? Being your rival must be exhausting.” Zhou Qingzhi used the tip of her foundation brush to swat away the script, not letting her look.

“I’ve advised her many times, but Ms. Chen doesn’t listen,” Wang Ye Jun interjected, unscrewing a tube of ointment she had brought, then noticed Chen Qingying’s thumb web was perfectly clean. “What happened?”

She remembered there was a mark yesterday and specifically brought medicine to fix it.

“It’s taken care of,” Chen Qingying wasn’t fond of physical contact and subtly withdrew her hand, her tone gentle.

The advantage of having familiar people around was that she didn’t need to be “on” all the time. She was too lazy to explain.

Both were used to her like this. Wang Ye Jun put the ointment back, and quickly understood: “Did Ms. Bai do it for you?”

“Mm.”

“Good thing she’s here. It’s nice to have someone looking after you.” Assistant Wang sighed in relief. Zhou Qingzhi, who had been listening to them talk, became curious.

“Who is Ms. Bai?” She gave a knowing look to Chen Qingying, whose eyes were half-closed, knowing that her marital status was only known among them.

“Bai Nian,” Chen Qingying’s voice trailed off lazily. This answer wouldn’t arouse the assistant’s suspicion and explained things clearly.

Hearing the familiar name, Zhou Qingzhi drawled “Oh,” her schadenfreude undisguised: “She even chased you here? Looks like she’s quite keen on you.”

“She even came to deliver food in the middle of the night before,” Wang Ye Jun added.

“Just a bit of cleverness, that’s all.” Chen Qingying pursed her lips, Bai Nian’s face suddenly appearing in her mind.

An inexplicable annoyance welled up in her chest, revealing some genuine emotion.

Wang Ye Jun was about to make a few teasing remarks but seeing Chen Qingying’s expression, she gestured to Zhou Qingzhi with her eyes.

The latter spoke plainly: “That Bai Nian has too many ulterior motives. Your Sister Chen doesn’t like her.”

Chen Qingying had never told her about that night, but in the entertainment industry’s wealthy circles, people like that were never in short supply since childhood. When that Bai Nian latched on, the greed in her eyes was almost palpable.

Chen Qingying did not deny Zhou Qingzhi’s answer. She unconsciously rubbed the web of her thumb, closing her eyes as if dozing.

In the dimly lit room, Bai Nian was sprawled on the table, the laptop’s glowing blue light illuminating the side of her face.

Pressing enter, she submitted the polished final draft for her editor’s review, then sighed in relief. The weight that had been on her mind for days had finally lifted.

The study wasn’t originally where she was supposed to be, but Chen Qingying found the lighting unsatisfactory and rarely came here, so Bai Nian had commandeered it after asking permission.

She stretched, letting out a comfortable sigh, then realized the room lights weren’t on. In the dark room, only the blurry outlines of furniture faintly undulated.

Bai Nian shivered. She walked out of the study and saw Chen Qingying in the kitchen.

She had been so engrossed in her work that she hadn’t even heard when Chen Qingying returned. The other party didn’t even announce her presence, seemingly having no preferences for living alone or cohabiting.

Hearing the door open, the Omega turned. Bai Nian glimpsed the yogurt bowl she held.

“Back so early today?” She leaned closer: “Is the injury on your hand healed?”

“Thanks to you, there’s not a trace left.” Chen Qingying looked grateful, pouring all the sugar-free yogurt from the cup into the bowl.

Interacting with her, Bai Nian felt like this person had two completely different faces online and offline. Online messages were often ignored or even read without reply, but offline, her pleasant and warm attitude was like a spring breeze.

She stared at the yogurt bowl; it was simply cut fruit with yogurt and oats. She had tasted colleagues’ diet meals before, and honestly… they were quite bland.

It was hard to imagine them eating it with gusto, and Chen Qingying actually endured it for so many years.

“Sorry, I was working just now and forgot to cook,” Although no one asked her to, she had taken it upon herself to prepare dinner, and over time, a sense of responsibility automatically grew in Bai Nian’s heart.

“No need, the next project requires custom costumes with specific body requirements. Your cooking is so delicious, it would be too hard on me, wouldn’t it?” Chen Qingying tilted her head, smiling. Her obvious flattery didn’t feel like an act.

Surprised that the next project was already being prepared even before this one was finished, Bai Nian couldn’t help but admire her efficiency. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, mumbling, “How about I make you a diet meal?”

“It’s so late, would it be inconvenient?” Chen Qingying looked at the darkening sky outside the window.

“Nonsense!” Receiving her praise, Bai Nian’s fatigue from a full day of work instantly vanished. She said with full vigor, patting her flat chest.

“Do you need any help?” Chen Qingying asked.

“Forget it, you’re injured, so I’ll do it,” Bai Nian opened the refrigerator, picking out a few vegetables, meat, and eggs that had been delivered that morning.

The cling film covering them locked in a layer of white frost. Their bright colors showed they were very fresh.

“Injured?” Chen Qingying, who hadn’t left, asked from behind her. She opened her thumb-forefinger web and waved it in front of Bai Nian: “Are you talking about this?”

The smooth web of her thumb showed no signs of a burn, the skin continuing smoothly into the lines on her palm.

It was just a small injury, but Bai Nian was making such a big deal out of it, as if it were something precious. Even if it wasn’t fully healed, she could still help out.

Bai Nian just wanted an excuse to make Chen Qingying leave, not because she found her a bother. With Chen Qingying standing there, she simply couldn’t concentrate on cooking.

“You’re so busy, it’s only right that I take care of you…” She hunched her shoulders, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.

After saying this, the black figure in her peripheral vision did not leave. Chen Qingying loved to wear off-shoulder dresses, and today was no exception. The deep black accentuated her fair skin, the fabric shimmered with dancing gold flecks, and her impossibly tiny waist was cinched by a long brown belt.

Bai Nian felt Chen Qingying was looking at her. She kept her eyes straight ahead and stammered, “Is there something on my face?”

Chen Qingying leaned her elbow on the island counter, her gaze invasively scrutinizing Bai Nian. Seeing her appear dull and serious, she let out a slight hum through her nose.

“Bai Nian, why are you so considerate?”