Transmigrated as the Black-Bellied Film Empress's Live-in Alpha (GL) - Chapter 5

Now, her illustrious resume had gained another entry: forgetting to bring a signing pen for her divorce.

Yun Ning’s stylus, warmed by her palm, caused Chen Qingying to assume something was wrong with Bai Nian’s expression. “Don’t waste time.”

At this point, Bai Nian could only shamelessly withdraw her hand and give an embarrassed smile. “Ms. Chen, do you happen to have a black signing pen?”

She distinctly felt the surrounding air freeze for a moment. The Omega reached up to rub her temples, then leaned forward to open the drawer under the coffee table, handing over a signing pen.

“Thank you.” Putting herself in Chen Qingying’s shoes, Bai Nian felt she would be utterly speechless in such a situation, perhaps even rolling her eyes openly.

This showed that Chen Qingying was indeed from a distinguished family, at least maintaining proper manners on the surface.

Just as she was pulling off the pen cap, a phone rang abruptly, breaking the tense atmosphere. Both of them looked up and met each other’s gaze, then Bai Nian quickly averted her eyes.

“It sounds like your phone is ringing.”

Chen Qingying looked at her with suspicion, then took out her phone from the corner of the sofa. She didn’t know who was calling her, but seeing the contact’s note, she stood up and walked towards the door.

The pure white partition, like a set of blinds, sparsely revealed the Omega’s figure. She spoke in a low voice, saying something. Bai Nian strained her neck, observing for a long time, then simply put the pen down.

The call lasted for quite a while, a full ten minutes, which felt like torture to her. Like a prisoner awaiting execution, facing a long recitation, she showed unease and despair.

Finally, the rustling stopped, and the sound of slippers scuffing on the gleaming tiles grew closer. She immediately sat up straight, her toes nervously twisting back and forth.

The bitter scent of rosemary, mingled with the cool night breeze, brushed past her nose. Chen Qingying didn’t look up; she picked up the jacket draped over the sofa.

“I’m going out for a bit, I’ll be back soon. Wait here.” With that, Chen Qingying threaded the key from the entryway through her middle finger, her steps making a clinking sound as she gracefully left.

The air was filled with the scent of her perfume. Bai Nian rubbed her nose; the other person seemed to love this perfume, she could smell it every time she passed by.

At this moment, she hadn’t realized that Omegas release pheromones, and this scent was purely Chen Qingying’s lingering presence in the house.

After sitting on pins and needles for nearly ten minutes, seeing that the other person truly wouldn’t turn back, the tension in her heart eased slightly.

She first took out the stylus from her bag and repeatedly confirmed that she never owned such a thing. She suddenly remembered helping Yun Ning carry her bag at Zhongbang Plaza that afternoon.

Actually, even if she had produced the pen, Chen Qingying wouldn’t have said anything to her. It was just that thinking about her terrible image in the other person’s mind, Bai Nian couldn’t salvage it, but at least she couldn’t make it worse.

She casually took a picture from an angle and sent it to Yun Ning.

Bai Nian: [Ning Ning, is this your pen?]

Yun Ning: [!]

Yun Ning: [Oh my god, I looked for it for ages and couldn’t find it, I thought I’d lost it. Thank you, Sister Nian Nian [bunny bowing]]

That confused face appeared in her mind, and Bai Nian thought of herself, unable to help but chuckle.

Bai Nian: [Should I bring it to you on Monday?]

Yun Ning: [Okay~]

With that settled, their conversation came to an abrupt halt. Looking up at the living room wall clock, it ticked steadily, mingling with Bai Nian’s distinct breathing. She looked around, and loneliness surged over her like a tide.

In the huge villa, she was the only one present. Chen Qingying had been gone for twenty minutes; she didn’t know what she was doing.

Bai Nian wanted to send a message to ask. It was so late, and she was a girl; wasn’t it too dangerous for her to go out alone?

Not missing any chance to gain favor with the female lead, she had just opened the chat box when, as if by telepathy, the other person also sent a message.

Chen Qingying: [Don’t leave tonight. Go to the guest bedroom and tidy up. Auntie will be here soon.]

A simple line of text, yet it almost made her forget how to read Chinese. After being subjected to cold words for so long, a sudden polite attitude made her unaccustomed.

But—Auntie?

This address brought back almost dead memories. Bai Nian quickly opened her calendar and finally remembered what day it was.

The Chen family had simple relationships. Among the two parents, the Alpha’s side had a Beta younger sister, Chen Zi. She had been sent abroad to recuperate due to poor health in childhood and later settled there, rarely appearing except during the New Year.

This mysterious aunt was not heavily detailed in the book. It was only known that she had no daughters of her own and doted on Chen Qingying immensely, almost treating her as her own child. No wonder Chen Qingying was willing to temporarily halt the divorce proceedings, presumably to avoid worrying her.

Such matters couldn’t be explained in a few words, and given the behavior of the Chen family, causing a huge uproar wouldn’t look good.

Even in the book, after the original character succeeded, Chen Qingying didn’t dare to make a fuss, but somehow the matter reached Chen Zi’s ears, leading to the tragic end, which also had a hand from the aunt.

Why does everything happen to her!

This Chen Zi was a shrewd person; Bai Nian couldn’t misbehave in front of her. She walked to the guest bedroom on the second floor, opened the closet to choose suitable clothes, her heart pounding like a drum.

What if she messed up, especially at such a critical juncture of divorce!

A thought flashed through Bai Nian’s mind, and she suddenly paused. From her perspective, of course she didn’t want to divorce Chen Qingying. Once they unlinked and were no longer a common interest, the other party would try every means to retaliate.

Don’t be fooled by Chen Qingying’s seemingly approachable demeanor; in reality, she was half a femme fatale and wouldn’t show mercy to those she disliked.

If Chen Zi’s arrival could delay their divorce…

Bai Nian’s barren mind suddenly saw new life. This wasn’t backing Chen Qingying up; it was clearly bailing her out.

The switch, like a button in the room, was flipped open, and darkness receded. Sparse furniture leaned against the walls. The air, unused for a long time, exuded a stuffy heat, and the previously rummaged closet remained untidy.

Quickly pulling out a pleasing white shirt, she haphazardly put it on. Her phone on the bed lit up; Chen Qingying had sent another message.

Chen Qingying: [Act like before.]

As legal contractual partners, this was an unspoken understanding between them. In front of elders, they would pretend to be a loving couple to dispel any thoughts of an arranged marriage.

After all, the family adored Chen Qingying. Since their daughter wanted to pursue true love, they would grant her that right.

But for Bai Nian, who was a complete novice in romance, she had no idea how to portray a sweet and ambiguous couple.

Bai Nian: [Received.]

Buttoning the top button, she looked at the Alpha in the mirror: slender figure, gentle features. It was a neutral shirt, yet it had a unique softness when worn by Bai Nian.

Her almond eyes curved upwards, and she contentedly looked at herself in the mirror, then searched for romance tips on the search engine.

Under the urgent atmosphere, time seemed to flow unusually fast. When she heard the door open downstairs, she quickly went to the staircase.

Chen Qingying walked in, arm-in-arm with a woman who wasn’t much older. The latter’s travel-weary appearance left a hint of fatigue in her eyes. Her prominent cheekbones made her look thin, and her red lips were licked, their color faded. Only her fashionable attire made her stand out.

She paused not far from the sofa, a small lambskin bag hanging from her arm, and looked up, surveying the surroundings.

“Qingying, this house is quite nice. Do you live alone?” When she looked at Chen Qingying, Chen Zi’s eyes were filled with warm, watery affection.

Years spent abroad hadn’t dulled her Chinese proficiency; instead, her speech carried the romantic flair of her adopted country.

Before the other party could speak, she had already spotted Bai Nian. The Alpha had her hands on the railing, casting a curious gaze in their direction.

Her neatly buttoned shirt sleeves were rolled up to her forearms, and her shoulder-length short hair was tied back with a black hair tie, hanging diagonally behind her head.

After two seconds of eye contact, Bai Nian belatedly walked downstairs and approached the two women.

“Hello, Auntie.” Her humble demeanor was well-received by the elder. Chen Zi nodded with satisfaction, chuckling.

“Qingying, is this the Xiao Bai you often talk about? She looks younger than you.”

The teasing tone made Chen Qingying’s lips curve. She uncomfortably pursed them, softening her sharp aura.

“It’s not like I talk about her every day. Besides, she’ll be back for New Year’s, won’t she?” Her actions were graceful and proper, yet the shyness in her words was perfectly managed.

“What’s more, Xiao Bai is good at taking care of people. A few years’ age difference isn’t a problem.”

“True. Actually, when I came back to the country, I wanted to introduce you to a colleague’s daughter who just graduated from Southampton and is particularly pretty!” Halfway through her praise, Chen Zi realized it was inappropriate to say this in front of Bai Nian and changed the subject.

“But now that I see Xiao Bai, I think that girl is just so-so. The most important thing is your happiness.”

Being able to say such words showed that Chen Zi truly loved Chen Qingying from the bottom of her heart.

The two chattered on, while Bai Nian stood awkwardly but politely by their side. Noticing the water dispenser not far away, her sycophantic nature shone through, and she walked over to pour two cups of hot water.

“Having traveled so far, Auntie, why don’t you rest here tonight?” She handed them the water cups, speaking with the air of a true hostess.

After all, what Bai Nian was best at acting was a second-generation rich kid. She had certainly mimicked them with her colleagues at her workstation.

“Yes, it’s so late, and you’d have to rush again if you left. Just stay here. I’ve already had Nian Nian tidy up the guest bedroom,” Chen Qingying said, her eyes downcast.

Listen to that. Those who didn’t know would think they were so loving. No wonder she was a recognized film empress; it would be a shame if her acting didn’t win an Oscar.

However, the next moment, upon hearing the latter half of Chen Qingying’s sentence, Bai Nian’s smile stiffened. While Chen Zi wasn’t looking, she exchanged a glance with Chen Qingying.

When had she ever asked her to tidy up the guest bedroom?

The Omega simply ignored the protest written on Bai Nian’s face and led Chen Zi to the sofa.

“Oh, I also saw your endorsement in the store. I was shopping with a friend at the time, and I directly pointed and said, ‘This is my most promising niece’…” When Chen Zi mentioned Chen Qingying, her eyes filled with pride. She sat on the sofa and was about to pick up her water cup when she suddenly saw the white papers pressed under the laptop.

“Still working so late?” she chided, looking at Chen Qingying and complaining that she wasn’t taking care of her body.

Female celebrities were already busy, let alone having to learn how to manage family businesses.

As she spoke, Chen Zi reached out, and before their very eyes, was about to grab the marriage agreement from under the laptop.

“Qingying!”

“You really! How can you just casually leave such an important document lying around!”

Bai Nian’s heart leaped to her throat. She moved first, slamming her hand down on the agreement and smiling sheepishly as she slid it beside herself.