When a Scumbag Cannon Fodder Alpha Meets a Mad Movie Queen Villainess - Chapter 18

“Spend her heat cycle together?” The butler looked surprised, her mind immediately jumping to the idea of an Alpha-Omega mark and spending the heat in bed.

Shen Yuanyi quickly realized how her words might have been misinterpreted and waved her hands in a fluster. “No, no—that’s not what I meant!”

The more she tried to explain, the more she stumbled over her words, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.

This only deepened the misunderstanding, making the situation even more suggestive.

The butler covered her lips with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, Miss Shen. I’ll relay your message to the young mistress.”

“Thank you.” Shen Yuanyi let out an awkward laugh, relieved.

She went downstairs to have breakfast while waiting for the butler’s reply.

When Qi Ning’an’s door was knocked on, she assumed it was the butler bringing her food and was about to decline when she heard, “Young mistress, Miss Shen said she’d like to accompany you through your heat cycle. Would you be willing?”

Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up in bed. “She really said that?”

The butler smiled from outside the door. “Yes, Miss Shen approached me to ask on her behalf.”

Staring at the wall covered in Shen Yuanyi’s photos, Qi Ning’an slipped on her slippers and began tearing them down one by one. “T-Tell her to wait a little. I’m willing.”

Unable to bear ripping the photos, she carefully peeled off the adhesive with her nails, anxiously glancing at the door. “Butler, prepare some pastries and cakes for Shen Yuanyi—make sure she’s treated well. And tell her I’m willing!”

Though puzzled as to why her mistress didn’t just invite Shen Yuanyi in directly, the butler, ever the consummate professional, simply nodded. “Understood, young mistress.”

Back at the dining table, Shen Yuanyi gripped her spoon tightly and looked up at the butler. “Is she willing?”

The butler in her tailcoat smiled and nodded. “The young mistress is willing.”

“However, she wishes to freshen up first. Would you mind waiting, Miss Shen?”

Shen Yuanyi wasn’t in a hurry, so she nodded with a smile. After finishing her breakfast—eating just enough to feel satisfied but not full—she moved to the sofa.

The Qi family villa didn’t usually keep desserts like cakes and pastries on hand, so the butler had them rushed over. By the time they arrived, Shen Yuanyi’s appetite had returned enough to nibble on some cake, cookies, and nuts to pass the time.

Half an hour later, Shen Yuanyi turned to the butler. “Butler, is Qi Ning’an still not ready?”

The butler maintained her professional smile. “I’ll check for you.”

Even she couldn’t understand why the young mistress was taking so long today.

She went upstairs and knocked on the bedroom door again. “Young mistress, Miss Shen asked if you’re ready yet.”

Qi Ning’an paused, eyeing the remaining photos on the wall. Time seemed to fly even though she’d been peeling them off as fast as she could.

“T-Tell her to wait just a little longer.”

“Very well.”

When Shen Yuanyi got the message, she scratched her head. “Still waiting?”

Glancing at the time, she stood up, a little apologetic. “Well, I should head to the film set now. I’ll come back early in the afternoon—could you let Qi Ning’an know?”

The butler hesitated to agree outright and asked Shen Yuanyi to wait while she hurried back upstairs to relay the message verbatim.

Qi Ning’an considered it. Tidying the room, removing all the photos, and scraping off the leftover adhesive would indeed take the whole day.

With a reluctant sigh, she replied with a single word: “Fine.”

Upon hearing this, the butler immediately rushed downstairs to the reception hall. “The young lady says it’s fine.”

“Thank you for your trouble. I’ll take my leave now.” Shen Yuanyi noticed a bead of sweat on the butler’s forehead and smiled faintly, pressing her lips together.

Only after seeing Shen Yuanyi off did the butler take out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the sweat from his face.

As the filming progressed, the crew became increasingly busy. Shen Yuanyi, the supporting actress, was nearing the end of her scenes. The director wanted to reshoot some earlier sequences that had been filmed sporadically, but replicating the exact settings and personnel proved difficult, and reshoots would inevitably lead to continuity errors.

Shen Yuanyi reassured the director, saying that as a minor character, it wasn’t worth the extra effort and budget. Only then did the director relent.

Noticing Yan Yue glancing at her repeatedly out of the corner of her eye, Shen Yuanyi walked over and asked, “Is something the matter?”

Spotting a red love bite on Yan Yue’s neck, Shen Yuanyi recalled that the female lead was a yandere—clearly, something indecent had happened between them the night before. Pretending not to notice, she kept her gaze fixed on Yan Yue’s face.

“You…” Yan Yue wanted to ask if Shen Yuanyi was alright last night, but remembering the young alpha must have a listening device on her, she decided against causing trouble and turned away abruptly.

Shen Yuanyi raised an eyebrow in confusion. Wasn’t Yan Yue the one who kept looking at her? Why leave without answering?

Called over by the director, she soon forgot about the incident.

By afternoon, as filming wrapped up and she prepared to go home, she spotted an earring on the table where belongings were kept. Her assistant mentioned it might belong to Teacher Yan.

Seeing that Yan Yue hadn’t gone far, Shen Yuanyi picked up the earring and hurried after her to return it.

Outside the set, she spotted Yan Yue frantically searching for something near the entrance.

Jogging over, she opened her palm to reveal a silver crescent-shaped earring. “You were looking for this, right?”

Startled, Yan Yue’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the earring in Shen Yuanyi’s hand.

Shen Yuanyi explained, “You left it on the table.”

Recognition flashed in Yan Yue’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Handing the earring over, Shen Yuanyi smiled. “No need.”

The young alpha was so kind—her smile radiated warmth, like sunlight, and her sharp little canine was quite charming.

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around Yan Yue’s neck from behind, accompanied by a chilling presence. Despite the evening glow, a cold shiver ran down her spine, as if a venomous snake had coiled around her.

A whisper hissed in her ear, “What are you thinking? Smiling so happily at another alpha—seems you still don’t understand you belong to me.”

“You’re Shen Yuanyi, right? Head home early. I’m taking Yan Yue with me.”

It was the female lead!

As a mere side character, Shen Yuanyi nodded quickly.

Once the figures had disappeared into the distance, Zhou Huan’s smile vanished, her face turning icy as she glared at Yan Yue.

“I—I… It’s not what you think! She was just returning my earring. I smiled politely to thank her!”

Yan Yue stumbled over her words, on the verge of tears.

Zhou Huan’s cold gaze seemed to say, Do you really expect me to believe that?

“It’s—it’s true…”

Without a word, Zhou Huan dragged her toward the car, fingers digging into her shoulder.

“Zhou Huan?”

Zhou Huan’s eyes were bloodshot as he pinned her against the car door. “Don’t force me to lock you away. I don’t want to do this either, but you’re mine.”

The thought of that damp, dark basement—endless blackness without a glimpse of daylight—flashed through her mind.

Yan Yue trembled violently, struggling desperately. “You’re insane! A complete madman—”

The alpha’s overwhelming strength rendered her resistance almost laughable, like some twisted form of foreplay. Zhou Huan’s cold hand slid up her thigh, calloused fingertips moving with serpentine grace as they disappeared beneath her skirt.

“What are you doing?” Fear crept into Yan Yue’s voice when her struggles proved futile.

He smiled, teeth grazing her ear as he whispered, “Claiming you.”

They were in public—even inside the car, anyone could see them. A group of pedestrians approached on the sidewalk, chatting and laughing. Yan Yue shook her head frantically, voice breaking. “Zhou Huan, please—let’s go home. I’ll listen to you at home.”

“Why were you smiling at that other alpha?”

A tear slipped from Yan Yue’s closed eyes. “I was just thanking her for returning the earrings—the ones you gave me. I treasure them so much I was afraid I’d lost them.”

The hand at her thigh stilled momentarily.

Sensing an opportunity, Yan Yue opened her eyes, gazing up at him with pitiful vulnerability. “Zhou Huan, let’s go home. I’ll do whatever you say.”

“Are you lying to me again?”

When his fingers brushed against her most intimate place, Yan Yue’s eyes flew open, pupils trembling. She clenched her fists, staring at him in shocked disbelief.

He deliberately teased her, a wicked smirk curling his lips.

Madman. Lunatic. Monster… One day she’d escape—disappear where he could never find her.

Shen Yuanyi’s assistants recognized Yan Yue and eagerly came over to greet her. “Teacher Yan!”

Zhou Huan deliberately rolled down the window.

Forcing a strained smile, Yan Yue turned pale as she felt his fingers moving obscenely beneath her skirt. She wanted to kill him.

Please don’t let them notice. She couldn’t bear becoming tomorrow’s gossip, couldn’t stand younger alphas looking at her with that knowing stare.

“Teacher Yan, did you receive the earrings Teacher Shen sent you?”

“Yes, I got them.”

“We all noticed you kept glancing at Teacher Shen today. Was there something you wanted to tell her?”

Yan Yue’s heart turned to ice, her face ashen. “You must be mistaken.”

The fingers beneath her skirt froze—the eerie calm before a storm.

“Really?” The assistants smiled as they walked away. “We’ll leave you to it, Teacher Yan.”

A cold voice, dripping with false cheer, came from inside the car. “I think you owe me a thorough explanation. We’ll stay up all night discussing this.”

“Zhou Huan, stop this madness.”

His hand emerged from her skirt, glistening with wetness. Zhou Huan silently wiped his fingers with a tissue, his expression terrifying.

“Zhou Huan.”

He crushed the tissue in his fist, veins bulging in his neck, eyes bloodshot. “You’ve been lying to me all along!”

——

Meanwhile, Shen Yuanyi returned to her villa carrying a chocolate cake, humming cheerfully with evident satisfaction.

“Miss Shen, you’re back. The young mistress has been waiting for you in her room,” the butler said, placing his left hand over his chest as he bowed gracefully.

“Did she eat anything? Were the suppressant patches for her heat cycle changed on time?”

The butler looked at Shen Yuanyi with the expression one might give to a naive child, tactfully suggesting, “Perhaps Miss Shen should go upstairs and ask the young mistress herself?”

“You all…” Shen Yuanyi narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the butler and the servants in turn.

Was there something they couldn’t tell her? Did she really have to ask Qi Ning’an herself?

“Fine, if I have to ask her myself, then so be it.”

Carrying the small cake, Shen Yuanyi went up to the second floor and gently knocked on Qi Ning’an’s door, her heart inexplicably fluttering with nervousness at the thought of seeing Qi Ning’an’s room.

She had never been inside an omega’s private quarters before.

The door opened shortly after, revealing Qi Ning’an’s flushed face. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither knew what to say.

Qi Ning’an tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and took a small step back, whispering, “Please come in.”

Shen Yuanyi’s heart pounded wildly. She swallowed hard and nodded, thinking to herself how unexpectedly innocent the great villain was—her face was completely red.