Transmigrated as the Contracted Alpha Who Marked the Film Queen (GL) - Chapter 8

“How did you injure your ankle?”

Lu Xian’s heart tightened, worried that things were unfolding according to the original plot.

“It seems I twisted it when my foot got caught in the stirrup while dismounting.” Ling Tingyu inhaled sharply, wincing at even the slightest movement.

“Let me take a look.” Lu Xian crouched down, intending to remove Ling Tingyu’s boot to examine the injury.

“Wait.” Ling Tingyu took a step back, glancing around. “Aren’t you afraid someone might see?”

“Sorry, I was just anxious.” Lu Xian fetched a chair and helped Ling Tingyu sit down. “Hold on, I’ll find someone to help.”

The filming set was chaotic, with the crew too busy to spare any attention for Ling Tingyu.

Lu Xian sought out the director, who then hastily arranged for someone to take Ling Tingyu to the hospital.

Even after Ling Tingyu had been driven away, Lu Xian remained dazed.

Their relationship seemed even more distant than that of strangers. Despite being married, Lu Xian didn’t even have the right to accompany Ling Tingyu to the hospital.

Chen Mo approached, looking disheveled as he clutched his thigh. “Lu Xian, are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Lu Xian snapped out of her daze and turned to him. “What happened to you?”

Chen Mo grimaced. “I got kicked by a horse just now. It hurts like hell.”

“You should get checked at the hospital.” Lu Xian grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the set. “Come on, I’ll take you.”

“It’s not that serious, hey, we don’t need to go!” Chen Mo limped along, unable to resist as she dragged him.

Emergency Room, Jingzhou City Hospital.

After examining Chen Mo, the doctor confirmed that aside from some swelling on his thigh from the horse’s kick, there were no serious injuries.

“Thanks, doc.”

Once out of the emergency room, Chen Mo muttered, “See? I told you it was nothing. Wait! Where’d Lu Xian go?”

He called out a few times but got no response. “She brings me to the hospital and then just disappears?”

Meanwhile…

After the staff had left, Lu Xian knocked lightly on Ling Tingyu’s hospital room door.

Ling Tingyu looked up. “Who is it?”

Lu Xian cleared her throat. “It’s me, Lu Xian.”

Ling Tingyu allowed her in, and Lu Xian pushed the door open.

The private suite offered ample privacy.

Ling Tingyu had changed into a hospital gown, lying on the bed with an ice pack pressed against her left ankle.

Lu Xian shut the door firmly and approached. “What did the doctor say? Is it serious?”

Ling Tingyu shook her head. “No, just a mild sprain. A few days of rest and observation should be enough.”

“That’s good.” Lu Xian exhaled in relief, grateful the situation hadn’t followed the original storyline.

“Lu Xian… thank you for today.” Ling Tingyu felt a pang of fear when she thought about it without Lu Xian, her injury could have been far worse.

Lu Xian met her gaze. “As long as you’re alright.”

The air conditioning hummed softly, filling the room with a cool breeze.

Ling Tingyu shivered slightly and shifted her injured foot, causing the ice pack to slip and reveal the swollen ankle.

The Omega’s skin was pale as snow, making the inflamed area stand out starkly.

“Don’t move.” Lu Xian gently cupped her ankle, repositioning the ice pack.

“Ah, it’s so cold!” Ling Tingyu instinctively pulled her leg back, her foot brushing against Lu Xian’s palm before coming to rest there.

Whether it was because Lu Xian’s hands were large or Ling Tingyu’s feet were small, her foot fit perfectly in Lu Xian’s grasp.

Lu Xian closed her fingers, holding Ling Tingyu’s foot securely before carefully reapplying the ice pack. “Bear with it a little longer.”

Looking at Lu Xian’s slender, clean fingers and hearing the words “bear with it,” Ling Tingyu’s mind inexplicably wandered elsewhere.

Noticing Ling Tingyu’s silence, Lu Xian softened her touch. “Did I hurt you?”

Ling Tingyu bit her lip. “N-No.”

“Mm.” Lu Xian gently released her foot and carefully set it down. “It’s still swollen. Keep icing it for a while longer.”

Ling Tingyu nodded, her cheeks warm, the skin around her ankle tingling where Lu Xian had touched her. She really did need the ice pack right now.

Before long, Lu Li hurried in from outside. “I leave you alone for half a day, and you get hurt. How bad is it?”

It was too late for Ling Tingyu to hide her ankle.

Lu Li moved the ice pack aside to examine the injury and gasped. “It’s swollen this much?”

Ling Tingyu reassured her, “The doctor said icing it will help the swelling go down soon. Don’t worry so much.”

“Of course I’m worried! You’re supposed to start filming in a few days. Do you know how many people are eyeing Director Liang’s new project? Are you really going to hand this hard-earned opportunity to someone else?”

Lu Li added, “You know how much effort I put into securing this role for you.”

Ling Tingyu knew all too well. “I’d film Director Liang’s movie even if I had to do it injured. Don’t worry.”

Lu Li’s expression softened slightly. “You’re really okay?”

Despite her tough exterior, Lu Li genuinely cared about Ling Tingyu.

Ling Tingyu nodded. “I’m really fine.”

Only then did Lu Li finally relax.

Once they finished talking, Lu Xian stepped forward and took the ice pack. “Lu Li, let me handle this.”

Lu Li let go, watching as Lu Xian carefully iced Ling Tingyu’s ankle. Then, in a hushed voice, Lu Xian said, “Lu Li, can we talk privately?”

Lu Xian’s serious expression was rare enough that Lu Li agreed. “Let’s step outside.”

Ling Tingyu asked, “Where are you two going?”

Lu Li replied, “Given your current relationship, it’s not appropriate for Lu Xian to stay too long. I’ll take her home.”

Lu Xian chimed in, “You should rest. I’ll bring you chicken soup tomorrow.”

Ling Tingyu met Lu Xian’s gaze and smiled. “Sounds good.”

Lu Xian then turned to Lu Li. “Could you help deliver it, Lu Li?”

Lu Li nearly rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

Internally, she wondered when this inexperienced Alpha had learned to make chicken soup.

Once outside the ward, they walked to the parking lot and got into the car.

Lu Li drove slowly, her fingers absently tapping the steering wheel. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

As the car left the parking lot, light flooded in.

Lu Xian glanced at Ling Tingyu’s room before speaking. “Lu Li, I don’t think Tingyu’s injury was an accident.”

Lu Li’s grip tightened on the wheel. “I suspected as much. A lot of people have been eyeing her role lately. Someone probably wanted her injured so she’d have to drop out of Director Liang’s film.”

In the original story, after Ling Tingyu wrapped up her current project, she was set to star in Director Liang’s new film. But just days before filming began, she suffered a fractured shin, and her role was taken by someone else. The movie later became a critical success, propelling the replacement actor’s career. It was also during this vulnerable time that the original Lu Xian took advantage, spreading rumors to tarnish Ling Tingyu’s reputation.

Lu Xian asked, “Do you have any suspects?”

“Not yet.” Lu Li frowned. “But how did you know her injury wasn’t accidental?”

“Because…” Lu Xian paused, then calmly said, “Because I was also on set today. I saw the coachman prick the horse’s nose with a needle, which caused it to lose control.”

“What?” The traffic light turned red, and Lu Li hastily hit the brakes, asking Lu Xian, “Are you sure?”

Lu Xian nodded firmly.

Lu Li narrowed his eyes slightly. “I understand.”

At the bus intersection ahead, Lu Li pulled over to let Lu Xian out. Through the car window, he said, “I need to rush and handle this matter. Can you get home on your own?”

Lu Xian nodded. “Of course.”

She felt half of her worries ease, knowing that leaving the rest to Lu Li would be no problem.

At the bus stop.

While waiting for the bus, Lu Xian suddenly remembered she still had two extra roles to play. Checking her phone, she saw Chen Mo had sent her numerous messages.

Lu Xian called back. “Hey, sorry, Chen Mo. I had to leave in a hurry earlier because of an emergency at the hospital.”

Chen Mo, who had been full of complaints, let it go upon hearing Lu Xian’s apology. “We couldn’t find you anywhere. Those two scenes have already been recast.”

“Okay.” Lu Xian glanced at her phone screen. “I have another call coming in. I’ll hang up now.”

It was a video call from Wen Tian.

As soon as the call connected, Wen Tian quickly signed: 【Did Sister Tingyu get hurt?】

Lu Xian hummed in affirmation. News of Ling Tingyu’s injury had spread quickly, and her fans were among the first to know.

Wen Tian: 【Is it serious?】

Lu Xian: 【No.】

Wen Tian relaxed, then cautiously asked about Lu Xian: 【You saved Sister Tingyu. Are you okay?】

Lu Xian frowned. “How did you know?”

Wen Tian hesitated: 【You didn’t know? It’s already the top trending topic.】

Lu Xian hadn’t expected things to escalate so rapidly. She opened the trending list and saw the entertainment section topped with a glaring red “HOT” label.

The headline was explosive: 【Extra Saves Ling Tingyu with a Princess Carry】

The comments underneath were even more unbearable.

“Ling’s team has assistants, why was an extra even near her? Are the assistants not doing their jobs?”

“That extra must have ill intentions. I bet she scared the horse on purpose to make Ling fall.”

“She clearly took advantage of the situation with that disgusting ‘princess carry’ headline. How shameless.”

“Gotta admit though, the extra is pretty good-looking.”

“^This. Can we not assume the worst in people?”

Scrolling through, Lu Xian found almost no gratitude directed at her. Instead, she was accused of seeking attention. The few who defended her were quickly drowned out by vitriol.

With a sigh, Lu Xian closed Weibo and told Wen Tian, “I see it now. I’m fine.”

Wen Tian comforted her: 【Don’t take it to heart. Fans are actually grateful to you. I know you’re nothing like what they’re saying online.】

Lu Xian forced a smile. “Got it. Did you have lunch yet?”

Wen Tian nodded: 【About to start on homework.】

“Alright.” Hanging up, Lu Xian felt a wave of dejection.

Before this, she hadn’t understood the destructive power of online vitriol. Now, experiencing it firsthand, she couldn’t simply ignore it.

Sitting on the bench at the bus stop, Lu Xian mindlessly scrolled through the harsh comments, lost in thought.

Her acting career seemed on the verge of collapse before it had even begun.

Just as she continued reading, the comments suddenly disappeared.

The next second, the glaring headline vanished from the top of the trending list.

The phone buzzed several times. Lu Xian glanced at the caller ID and answered.

Ling Tingyu’s soft voice came through: “Where are you?”

Lu Xian switched to a lighthearted tone: “At the bus stop near the hospital.”

“Wait for me there.”

Lu Xian quickly protested: “You don’t have to come!”

Before she could finish, the call ended.

Within minutes, Ling Tingyu’s car pulled up.