Transmigrated as the Black-Bellied Film Empress's Live-in Alpha (GL) - Chapter 4

The words, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, struck Bai Nian like a bolt from the blue.

The projector was still playing Chen Qingying’s movie, and the ice in the fruit tea on the table had long melted, thoroughly diluting the orange-yellow color at the bottom of the cup.

The Omega’s voice came as if from distant mountains, echoing in her mind, vast and empty.

She wasn’t seeking an opinion; she was issuing a notice.

Her throat felt rusty. Bai Nian’s mind quickly flashed through the plot of the original book. Perhaps it was the reaction she had after embodying the original character’s ending, she opened her mouth to speak, but finally sank into silence.

“When you have time, come and sign the divorce agreement.”

Chen Qingying’s no-nonsense attitude certainly matched her image in Bai Nian’s mind. The woman was decisive and sharp, yet not lacking in social graces.

It was just that the latter wouldn’t be applied to herself.

The buzzing hum gradually faded, Bai Nian came to herself in a trance, and by some strange impulse asked, “Why?”

“Is there a need to explain why to you?” Chen Qingying’s reaction remained calm from beginning to end, as if the conversation had nothing to do with her.

Bai Nian didn’t actually mean that. She remembered that in the book, the other party had only entered into a contractual marriage with her to fend off an arranged marriage. Now that the marriage certificate was invalid, had Chen Qingying found a way to deal with it?

Pure curiosity. Even having transmigrated into the book, it didn’t stop her from asking an extra question.

“I mean, what about your family?” she organized her words. “Will they ask…”

“It’s none of your business.” Chen Qingying abruptly cut her off. She rarely showed displeasure, so it seemed she truly disliked Bai Nian.

“Oh.” Bai Nian rubbed her nose. From the sound of it, she hadn’t found a solution yet.

In that case, she had to secure some form of protection for herself. Otherwise, one day she might be showering in the bathroom and suddenly a group of police officers would rush in saying they were going to arrest her.

She couldn’t even imagine it.

Actually, without Chen Qingying, she felt it wouldn’t be difficult to live in this world. She had a job now, a place to stay, and had made friends.

Seeing her silence, the other end seemed unwilling to waste more words: “The day after tomorrow is Friday. Come over at seven in the evening.”

“Property division, the dissolution agreement signed before marriage, we’ll go to the civil affairs bureau next week to get the certificate.”

Seeing the other party finish her simple instructions and prepare to hang up, Bai Nian’s lips moved faster than her brain, and she quickly tried to keep her on the line.

“Wait, wait!” she waved her hand, excitedly sitting up from the bed.

This action seemed foolish, because the person on the other side couldn’t see her.

“After the divorce, we’ll keep to ourselves—”

Beep, beep, beep—

The hanging-up tone sounded in her ear. Chen Qingying didn’t give her a chance to explain. Looking at the three and a half minute call duration on the screen, Bai Nian’s heart ached.

What a cold and heartless woman!

Her features crumpled together, and she threw a punch into the air to vent, muttering to herself, “Damn it, Bai Nian, you left and now I have to clean up your mess!”

Her resentment towards the original character reached its peak at this moment. She let out a long sigh, knowing she could only try her best to negotiate when signing the agreement.

But would Chen Qingying agree?

In a novel, the female lead of this book would definitely be a master of the ruthless path, capable of killing her with just a look.

Failing to cling to her, she had now completely offended her. Thinking about the first thing the other party would do after the divorce, it would surely be to retaliate fiercely.

She closed her phone with a headache, and another message popped up on WeChat. Bai Nian thought Chen Qingying had changed her mind and eagerly tapped on it, only to find it was Yun Ning.

Her heart dropped for a moment. A cat avatar appeared in the notification bar.

Yun Ning: [Sister Nian Nian, there’s a charity sale event at Zhongbang Plaza tomorrow afternoon, the 16th. Want to go out for some fieldwork? [flowers]]

No matter when, Yun Ning always made one feel like they were bathed in spring breeze. If she had to be described, it would be like a shy junior high student confessing under a tree during cherry blossom season in an anime.

Bai Nian couldn’t bear to refuse. Just as she was about to reply, she suddenly remembered it was already the fourteenth. She quickly checked her calendar.

It happened to be Friday.

Just now, she had agreed to sign the divorce agreement with Chen Qingying.

Just as she was about to decline, citing an engagement, the other end seemed to guess her hesitation and sent a wronged emoji.

Yun Ning: [Can’t you?]

Yun Ning: [It’s fieldwork in the afternoon, it won’t delay your personal time, senior!]

Since she had said so much, it would be impolite to refuse further, especially since Bai Nian quite liked this new friend.

Surely, she couldn’t skip work this Friday just for Chen Qingying, right? She convinced herself internally and readily agreed.

The gloomy mood of the evening warmed up again due to this small interlude. Bai Nian walked to the TV cabinet, took out her hairdryer, and mentally reviewed everything that had happened these past few days.

Aside from memorizing six markers but still going into the wrong restroom and being mistaken for a pervert, and the rapidly developing technology and instruments she didn’t know how to use, life hadn’t changed much from her original world.

Thinking of her friends and family in her original world, a hint of melancholy surfaced in her heart.

Bai Nian came from a good family. Her parents weren’t overly controlling, never restricted her spending or clothes, and mostly supported her decisions.

She wondered what the original character’s parents were like in this world? Had they accepted the fact that their daughter was already married?

“Sigh—” A faint mist condensed on the mirror, and the humid, sticky warmth seeped into her collar. She lifted her hand to wipe it away, revealing a clear, delicate face.

First month of transmigrating, achievement unlocked — Most pitiful live-in Alpha.

It was past mid-August, subtly catching the tail end of summer. The temperature had dropped, and the noisy cicadas had disappeared at some unknown time.

The tree-lined roads on both sides were still lush, and the wind carried a hint of early autumn. This season seemed suitable for farewells.

What a good day for a divorce.

Bai Nian, with her camera slung across her body, and Yun Ning got off the subway near Zhongbang Plaza. The young girl was specially dressed up today, excited like a primary school student on a field trip.

Her mint green floral dress reached her knees, and she wore an exaggerated pastoral straw hat, looking from afar like a blooming cosmos flower.

“Sister Nian Nian, there are so many people today.” The Omega’s steps were light. She looked around, and a small section of a dusty blue tablet case peeked out from her shoulder bag.

The subway station was packed. Perhaps it was nearly the much-anticipated weekend, and everyone’s faces were filled with relaxed smiles.

“Stick close to me, don’t get lost,” Bai Nian reminded her. “Did you bring your notebook and pen?”

In the noisy environment, the young girl in front had to lean closer, tapping the tablet in her bag and raising her voice: “I brought my tablet.”

Following her action, Bai Nian didn’t say anything. Compared to these electronic products, she preferred to record things with paper and pen; her impressions and feelings would be deeper.

Therefore, in the eyes of outsiders, she was an old-fashioned relic of a bygone era.

Stepping out of the subway station, a fierce heat immediately assailed them. Sunlight shone directly onto the bus stop sign through the gaps in the tree leaves, and the wind swayed the shadows on the ground back and forth.

Zhongbang Plaza was a shopping mall built in recent years, with all its offline physical stores being friendly, affordable luxury brands.

There was an open space on the first floor, surrounded by sightseeing elevators. Not long after Bai Nian stepped in, she carefully took out her camera from her bag, then suddenly heard Yun Ning call out from ahead.

“Hey! Sister Nian Nian, come look!”

Bai Nian unconsciously looked up. Yun Ning stood beside a European and American trendy clothing store. Next to a huge advertisement board, a stylist had arranged mannequins, exuding an expensive aura in the display cabinet.

However, at first glance, what she noticed was Chen Qingying’s face.

Sunglasses were tucked into her bangs. Her smoothly flowing, graceful eye shape lifted slightly at the outer corner of her eyebrow. Her hand caressed a collarbone chain, and she wore a long, dark coat.

Simply standing there, her aura was extraordinary, even if it was just an advertisement board.

And Yun Ning was imitating Chen Qingying’s pose. Unlike the latter’s flamboyant, overt femininity, the young girl looked playful, like a child secretly wearing adult clothes.

“It’s Chen Qingying! Come take a picture together!” Her voice was filled with cheerful excitement, her cheeks flushed.

“Do you like her very much?” Bai Nian adjusted her camera and slowly walked to her side.

How to put it, even if it was just a standee, standing next to it gave off an invisible pressure, let alone facing a living person.

Thinking about going to the villa tonight to sign the agreement, her heart trembled.

“Chen Qingying is the nation’s goddess! She debuted as a child star, comes from a wealthy family, and her acting skills are amazing…” Yun Ning chattered on and on, clearly adoring the actress. “It’s a shame though.”

Bai Nian looked up at her words.

“I wonder which Alpha she’ll marry in the future. It’s really hard to imagine. As for me, I hope she focuses on her career, but with her family background, she’s definitely going to have an arranged marriage.”

Yun Ning’s face showed regret. Her words were true; Chen Qingying in the early parts of the novel indeed had a satisfying storyline, and if not for being dragged down by the original character, the fiercely independent her would absolutely not have married.

Unfortunately, this film empress’s wife was currently standing beside Yun Ning, and in a few hours, this identity’s experience card would completely expire.

Aside from writing work in the office, Bai Nian quite enjoyed going out for fieldwork as a journalist. With a well-cooperating colleague by her side, it was even more effective.

As night fell, the lights of S City extended brightly, like clusters of lit candles, casting shadows into the distant mountains.

Seeing the staff at the charity sale stall packing up, Yun Ning felt relieved. She messaged the newspaper’s supervisor and put her tablet back into her shoulder bag.

“Sister Nian Nian, can you hold my bag for me? I need to go to the restroom.” She stuffed her belongings into Bai Nian’s hand, and without waiting for a refusal, ran directly towards the restroom.

Bai Nian took the bag, checked the time on her phone, and pulled up the route map. It would only take twenty minutes to get from Zhongbang Plaza to Chen Qingying’s villa by taxi.

With plenty of time, she decided on a place to eat. Yun Ning would probably be out soon too. She conveniently took the bag and enthusiastically invited, “How about we go to dinner together?”

Remembering the important matter at hand, this time she refused directly, “No, I have other things to do.”

The two said goodbye. She quickly grabbed a bite to eat and headed to Chen Qingying’s villa. It hadn’t changed much from a few days ago. The affluent area was quiet and fresh, and the light from the streetlights was held up by the dimness, bright enough to prevent getting lost.

Chen Qingying’s villa was easy to recognize. Among the many small Western-style houses weathered by time, only her roof was new and tidy, and the flowerbeds in the courtyard were thriving.

Standing in front of the familiar iron gate, the inner door was ajar. An irregular stone path extended from beneath her feet, seemingly allowing a glimpse of a figure inside.

Bai Nian mentally prepared herself, meticulously reciting the lines in her head, and trembling, pressed the doorbell.

Ding-dong—

It cut through the silence, then returned to quiet. After a few minutes, the person inside slowly emerged.

Chen Qingying leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed. Her pure white loungewear made her skin appear even fairer, standing out especially as night began to fall.

“The door’s unlocked, come in,” she said simply, then walked back inside in her slippers.

Bai Nian then pushed open the door and noticed a thick, long chain hanging on the crossbar, clanging against the lock. It hadn’t been there last time.

Presumably, it was to guard against her.

“Excuse me for disturbing you,” she said to no one in particular as she entered the house, her state of mind completely different from last time.

Chen Qingying was leaning on the sofa, her laptop on the coffee table closed, with a few sheets of white paper underneath.

It was the agreement.

Before Bai Nian could catch her breath, the Omega tucked her stray hair behind her ear, pulled out the top agreement, and pushed it forward: “You brought a pen, right? Sign it.”

Her tone left no room for argument. Bai Nian, who had originally wanted to make peace, completely deflated. What leverage did she have to negotiate with the other party? It was a kindness for her to be let go; it was normal for her not to be.

“Sister Chen, can I discuss something with you?” Bai Nian said, fumbling for a pen in her backpack. “After we divorce, are you planning to…”

Her words stopped halfway, even making Chen Qingying look over, frowning: “What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing,” Bai Nian denied, clutching the cold metallic object in her bag, sweat pouring down her.

It was a tablet’s stylus.