Transmigrated as the Black-Bellied Film Empress's Live-in Alpha (GL) - Chapter 9

Yun Ning, sitting opposite her, didn’t get the reaction she wanted and scooped a spoonful of soup for her: “Sister Nian Nian, you seem a little unhappy.”

Ever since she learned that Chen Qingying was the person coming, Bai Nian had been depressed for ten minutes. She picked up a piece of chicken, wrapped it in tofu, dipped it in mustard, and replied perfunctorily.

“Huh? Am I? I’m just a little tired of eating.”

She had been curious about where Chen Qingying went that morning. Now, she learned from others that the other party was on an outdoor shoot and would happen to appear in this very building.

She couldn’t quite describe the feeling; this destined entanglement couldn’t be broken and made her uncomfortable all over. A spicy, pungent mustard taste filled her mouth, the chicken coated with black pepper, and when she bit into the tender tofu, which had a flowing texture in the middle, she rolled up another chopstick full of hot dry noodles.

Bai Nian’s reaction was too strange for Yun Ning to make sense of. She hesitated, looking at the person burying her head in her food, and cautiously asked, “Sister Nian Nian, do you dislike Chen Qingying?”

“Why would you think that?”

It wasn’t dislike, it was just that they were, after all, legally recognized partners, and if they met outside, it would be a bit difficult to pretend not to know each other.

Chen Qingying’s acting might be able to fool people, so such a thing would only happen to herself.

Her feelings for Chen Qingying couldn’t be explained in a few words.

There was both admiration and adoration for the protagonist, and fear of the culprit who had caused her miserable end.

Complexity mixed with a hint of sympathy.

“Seeing you like that yesterday, I thought you liked Chen Qingying,” Yun Ning pouted.

“Like that?” Hearing her say that, Bai Nian remembered that at Zhongbang Plaza, Yun Ning had pointed at Chen Qingying’s standee and excitedly mimicked her actions.

“Yeah, you were staring at Chen Qingying’s advertisement, not even blinking.”

The Omega’s voice was rarely down for a moment, like someone who meticulously prepared a surprise for a friend only for the friend not to appreciate it, then immediately regained her cheerful demeanor.

Bai Nian pondered, was she that obvious?

Chen Qingying’s face reappeared in her mind, with upturned foxy eyes and perfectly placed double eyelid folds that subdued the bright aura on her face, like cool tones on a painting.

Except for the first night, at other times, her attitude towards her was so indifferent it could be ignored. Sometimes, when her emotions were unpredictable, she would seem moody.

She had just made a mistake a few days ago. If she were caught eating with an unfamiliar Omega, Chen Qingying might retort in who knows what way.

It was hard to earn even a little goodwill.

But Bai Nian didn’t want to be a spoilsport: “I don’t really follow the entertainment industry, but I can keep you company.”

At worst, when she saw the person, she could find an excuse to run to the restroom and hide. Besides, Chen Qingying was a national goddess; with so many people watching, how could she possibly notice Bai Nian?

As the two ate, they suddenly heard a commotion at the entrance. Sitting by the window, they clearly felt the corridor filling with people rapidly.

The figures reflected in the glass intertwined with the flow of people outside the door. At this moment, Bai Nian finally understood why Yun Ning had chosen this spot.

“My chosen spot is good, right? We can get a close look at the goddess’s divine face,” Yun Ning said, secretly pulling out her camera from her shoulder bag and adjusting the settings.

“Sister Nian Nian, as journalists, we sometimes deal with artists from the entertainment industry. How can we not pay attention?”

The food in her hand gradually became difficult to swallow. Bai Nian repeatedly said yes.

The spacious mall became crowded. Many people held their phones high, and amidst everyone’s anticipation, a woman’s figure gracefully walked in.

Unlike the Chen Qingying she saw privately, she was now dressed in a wide-legged women’s suit, wearing shiny black high heels. Staff members beside her held up lighting boards, keeping pace with her.

A camera followed behind, indicating she was filming.

Separated by a corridor and the crowded people, it was almost impossible to see those sitting in the restaurant. Bai Nian’s earlier worries were clearly unnecessary.

While sighing in relief, Yun Ning raised her camera. Bai Nian, lacking enthusiasm, picked up her phone to scroll through posts.

Suddenly, she felt a gaze almost materialize on her. She abruptly looked up, but in that direction, there was only a sea of bobbing heads.

Yun Ning didn’t notice her unusual behavior. She called up the photos she had just taken and nodded with satisfaction: “This is a leaked shot from Chen Qingying’s new movie. I need to speed up and try to post it as soon as possible.”

Bai Nian picked up her chopsticks again, dipped a piece of gluten into the soup, and put it in her mouth.

“Are you switching careers to become a paparazzo?” She chewed tastelessly, just wanting to leave this place quickly.

She really doubted if Yun Ning invited her to dinner for the news or out of genuine sincerity.

“Sister Nian Nian, this is called having a keen insight into current affairs.”

The Omega spoke earnestly, unable to stop the smile at the corner of her lips. Even after the crowd left, she still looked unsatisfied.

Human joys and sorrows are not interconnected. After a simple meal, the two parted ways. When Bai Nian dragged her tired body home, the hour hand pointed to nine.

Chen Qingying had told her the villa’s password, making entry and exit extremely convenient. Of course, apart from the bathroom, cameras could be seen in almost every corner of the house.

The crescent moon was like a thin slice of ice, shining with translucent light amidst the cloud layer dyed faint yellow. Bai Nian closed the ventilated windows and found a set of clothes to change into in the closet.

When no one was around, the entire villa plunged into darkness, so quiet that only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard. She thought for a while and turned on all the lights in the house.

Cool white lights reflected off each other, and sparkling decorations made the house radiant. Daring not to go upstairs, Bai Nian sat on the sofa in the main hall, waiting for Chen Qingying to return.

She shouldn’t be back so soon, right?

In her anxiety, she kept checking the time, then decided to get up and make a bowl of noodles. Chen Qingying’s eating habits were poor; even her meal times weren’t fixed, let alone proper nutrition.

As the saying goes, to capture a person’s heart, you must first capture their stomach!

However, after searching the entire refrigerator, she couldn’t find any dried noodles. Instead, she found a bag of frozen dumplings with three fresh fillings in the bottom freezer compartment.

Should she wait for them to return before cooking them?

While she was still debating, the beeping sound of a password being entered came from outside the hall.

Chen Qingying moved quickly. Bai Nian had just seen her working at the commercial building, and now she was already off work.

Should she go out to greet her? They weren’t close, would that be too eager…

The frozen dumpling packaging in her hand was covered in ice shards that hurt to touch, and wisps of cold air were visible. She was squatting in front of the refrigerator when she suddenly felt the light dim.

A faint, bitter scent of rosemary, almost imperceptible, wafted into her nose. Chen Qingying’s unique scent instantly unsettled Bai Nian. She pretended to be organizing the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.

Chen Qingying walked past her, as if she didn’t exist. She picked up a glass from the shelf. The inside of the glass was designed with a rippling pattern, and when held in her palm, it would be divided into colorful, silvery streaks.

Gurgling water poured from the hot water dispenser. Bai Nian almost buried her head in the refrigerator. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the Omega. The woman tilted her head back to drink water. She had no male Adam’s apple, her neck was long and smooth like a swan’s, and her eyelashes were lowered.

As if sensing something, she moved her gaze. Bai Nian quickly retreated into her shell, mumbling to herself, like reciting a menu.

The atmosphere between them grew increasingly awkward. She sheepishly put the frozen dumplings back. As the stuck drawer finally slid back into the refrigerator, she stood up, ready to leave.

The woman’s gentle voice and the sound of the glass tapping the island counter resonated simultaneously: “Did you go to the commercial building today?”

She knew it!

Chen Qingying must have seen her then.

Internally cursing her bad luck, Bai Nian turned back around, the syllable “um” muffled in her throat.

“Eating with a friend?”

Alright, she even saw her private meeting with Yun Ning. Although it was a normal colleague gathering, the question, when heard, gave her the impression of being caught red-handed.

“She and I are just ordinary friends.” She felt it necessary to explain this, at least to prevent Chen Qingying from misunderstanding that she had done anything to betray her during the continuation of their relationship.

A black backless dress cinched the Omega’s waist. Chen Qingying covered the rim of the cup with her hand, casually swirling it twice.

“I don’t care who you’re with or what you do,” her tone was still polite, showing no signs of anger. “However, it’s best to be more discreet about these things in the future. S City is so small; if my family sees you, I won’t speak up for you.”

Given the Chen family’s doting on Chen Qingying, they wouldn’t stand idly by if their only daughter suffered.

“I think it’s necessary to lay down some ground rules with you first.” In the hot weather, the woman’s voice was faint, cold as if laced with ice.

“First, you cannot use your position to do anything detrimental to me, such as illegal activities, reselling celebrity merchandise, accepting bribes or gifts, and so on.”

“Second, you cannot interfere with my social circle. Of course, I will not interfere with your privacy either.”

Chen Qingying’s beautiful face was reflected on the glass, becoming especially clear indoors as the outside night turned dark.

At this point, Bai Nian thought of the cameras scattered throughout the house and couldn’t agree.

“Third—” The woman paused before revealing the last point, and Bai Nian’s heart was in her throat. Finally, unable to bear the torture, she spoke first.

“What’s the third point?”

Unlike Yun Ning’s image as a docile little lamb, Chen Qingying was more like a fox from a snow-covered wilderness, seemingly harmless until she revealed her sharp claws when approached.

She felt like a scolded elementary school student, even her hands unconsciously pressing against the seams of her pants.

Chen Qingying suddenly chuckled. She turned, her waist resting against the island counter, directly facing Bai Nian. The previous serious atmosphere dissipated, and the woman reverted to her gentle screen persona.

“Are you very nervous?” Her tone held a hint of amusement, as if she were a genuinely concerned older sister from next door. “I haven’t thought of the third point yet.”

“Are you that afraid of me?”

Only her black high heels made tapping sounds as she moved. Her ankles were very slender, tied with satin ribbons, which further emphasized the prominent veins on her exposed instep.

Chen Qingying’s shadow enveloped Bai Nian’s lower body. As she drew closer, her perfume brushed past Bai Nian’s nostrils, making her vaguely realize that this was the Omega’s pheromones.

As the distance closed, the golden glitter on the woman’s red lips intensified her entire aura. Yet, at this moment, she proactively showed vulnerability.

“You’re not annoying like this. Be a good girl,” she said with a bright smile, placing the water glass in Bai Nian’s hand.

“Can you wash the glass for me? Thanks.”

The transparent rim of the cup retained a half-formed lipstick print. Combined with the person’s smile before her, Bai Nian’s cheeks burned crimson.

After the person left, Bai Nian came to her senses, feeling light-headed as she walked. She went to the sink, absentmindedly turning on the faucet to rinse away the lipstick stain.

It wasn’t until she lay in bed, sleepless that night, staring at the darkened room, that she realized.

She seemed to have been played by Chen Qingying.