When a Scumbag Cannon Fodder Alpha Meets a Mad Movie Queen Villainess - Chapter 30

Shen Yuanyi shook her head, saying it was nothing as she stood up, ignoring Qi Ning’an’s outstretched hand. She quickly gathered the snacks from the ground into a bag. “Sister, I’ll go first,” she waved, nearly tripping again before turning away with a heavy sigh and running off without looking back.

Qi Ning’an, standing by the lake, kept smiling, hands in her pockets, watching Shen Yuanyi leave.

Yet a dull ache lingered in her heart—Shen Yuanyi had deliberately avoided her hand, refused to let her help her up. A fleeting loneliness flashed in her eyes before she turned and walked away.

The trio actually managed to catch a fish in the lake, which became their dinner for the night, returning with a full haul. The group who had gone to the market also came back, unloading a large bag of fruits, vegetables, meat, and shrimp.

As evening fell, everyone finally had a chance to rest, gathering around the hearth for warmth. The production team had deliberately seated Shen Yuanyi and Qi Ning’an close to each other.

Someone suggested playing Truth or Dare—a game that was clearly a trap. Though Shen Yuanyi didn’t want to join, she had no choice with so many people pressuring her.

An empty beer bottle was placed on the table, spinning to determine who would be challenged. From the start, Shen Yuanyi had been on edge, narrowly avoiding the bottle’s mouth several times. She sighed in relief internally—until it landed on Qi Ning’an beside her.

The group erupted in cheers, thrilled to have the two of them targeted. “Teacher Qi, Truth or Dare?”

“Dare,” Qi Ning’an replied coolly, though her composed, elegant demeanor made it hard for anyone to push too far. Unfortunately, this was the production team’s setup.

Someone drew a dare card and read aloud: “Play the Pocky game with the person to your right.”

And the person to her right was Shen Yuanyi.

The dozen or so people around the hearth whooped excitedly, while the live chat exploded with screams.

The crew had already prepared, tossing a box of chocolate sticks onto the table. Qi Ning’an opened it and picked one up.

“Teacher Qi, how are you feeling right now? Nervous?” someone asked.

Qi Ning’an remained calm, smiling slightly as she nodded.

“And Teacher Shen?”

Shen Yuanyi’s face burned crimson, her head bowed the entire time. Her heartbeat was so loud she could barely hear the others. Her nails dug into her palms, her breathing growing rapid.

Just end this already. I don’t want to play this game.

She forced herself to lift her head and smile, but her flushed face only made everyone laugh harder.

By then, Qi Ning’an had already placed the chocolate stick between her lips. Before Shen Yuanyi could react, Qi Ning’an cupped her face, turning it toward her.

Their eyes met, so close that each could feel the other’s breath—a mix of tea and cream, like hot milk tea on a winter’s day.

The room instantly turned into a frenzy of screams, loud enough that even the chef preparing food in the kitchen peeked out.

“Qi—” Shen Yuanyi managed to whisper fearfully before her voice caught in her throat.

Beneath the table, her hand was taken in a firm, reassuring grip—one with distinct, strong fingers. For some reason, it steadied her, and she squeezed back just as tightly.

I can’t make things difficult for Qi Ning’an. It’s just a game, after all.

Shen Yuanyi held onto this sliver of conviction, calming her mind as she took a small bite from the other end of the Pocky stick.

The game’s rule was simple—both participants would eat toward each other until the biscuit stick broke.

As the two began nibbling toward one another, the entire room held its breath. Those who wanted to scream muffled their mouths with their hands.

Ten centimeters, eight centimeters, five centimeters… Their noses were almost touching when they paused.

“Keep going! Keep going!”

The livestream viewer count had skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, with the chat flooding with the same two words: “Keep going!”

Qi Ning’an gave an almost imperceptible smirk before tilting her head slightly and advancing another two centimeters. Now, only three centimeters of the Pocky stick remained.

Shen Yuanyi’s breath hitched. Her nails dug into the back of Qi Ning’an’s hand, silently pleading for her to stop. Surely, they wouldn’t go further?

But the little rabbit seemed oblivious. She moved forward another centimeter. Their lips were now dangerously close, and Shen Yuanyi’s pupils trembled, her heart pounding wildly.

So close. Every detail of Qi Ning’an’s face was crystal clear, as if she could even hear the other’s heartbeat.

Just as Qi Ning’an seemed ready to push forward again—snap—the Pocky stick broke.

Qi Ning’an released her bite and pulled away with a smile.

Shen Yuanyi, as if granted liberation, exhaled heavily, her lungs starved for air as she gasped.

“Aww, why did it break? So close!” lamented the most vocal spectator.

The livestream chat echoed the sentiment: It broke right before they kissed! Do it again!

But a repeat was out of the question. The chef announced dinner was ready, and everyone gradually dispersed—some carrying dishes, other bowls.

Dinner was far more lavish than lunch: braised fish, steamed pork ribs, fried eggplant pockets…

Amid the lively chatter, the meal concluded, followed by showers and bedtime. There was still much work to be done tomorrow.

Shen Yuanyi had thought joining the show would help clarify things between her and Qi Ning’an. Instead, the evening’s livestream exploded across the internet. Confirmed—these two are either dating or in some serious ambiguity.

Countless clips of the stream went viral, surpassing hundreds of thousands of shares, even drawing attention overseas.

Shen Yuanyi wasn’t used to sharing a bed, especially with her mind weighed down by thoughts—and the fear that her sleep-talking might betray her. Pressed against the wall, she clutched the blanket, teeth clenched, lips pressed tight.

In the dead of night, she dreamed of playing the Pocky game with Qi Ning’an again—this time, their lips met. Panting in her sleep, her breathing erratic, her subconscious screamed at her to stop. Under the watchful eyes of the public, she couldn’t make such sounds. The sweet dream twisted into a nightmare—her career crumbling before it even took off.

She jolted awake, eyes snapping open to the thunderous snores and the sound of someone beside her grinding their teeth.

Relieved, she lay there in the dark, wondering how Qi Ning’an was sleeping.

On the women’s side, four omegas shared two beds. Qi Ning’an wasn’t accustomed to crowding either. Exhaustion allowed only fitful sleep—waking and dozing in intervals.

Her mind, too, lingered on how Shen Yuanyi was faring in the other room.

By dawn, the two were the first to rise, dark circles under their eyes inviting suspicion. Had it not been for the cameras, one might’ve assumed they’d sneaked out for a midnight rendezvous.

Shen Yuanyi came out yawning and locked eyes with Qi Ning’an, who emerged at the same time. Like a mouse spotting a cat, her body tensed up as images from yesterday and last night’s dreams flashed through her mind. She desperately wanted to flee, but with their gazes already connected, escape was impossible. Otherwise, she would have definitely gone back for more sleep.

Summoning her courage, Shen Yuanyi greeted, “Good morning, Teacher Qi.”

“Morning,” Qi Ning’an replied.

The chickens and ducks in the yard needed feeding. Shen Yuanyi’s eyes lit up as she pointed at the penned livestock with a smile. “The chickens and ducks are hungry. I’ll go feed them.”

Qi Ning’an nodded without much thought and headed to the washroom.

Relieved to see her leave, Shen Yuanyi sighed—never had she imagined using poultry as a shield. Scooping up a ladle of feed, she scattered it into the chicken and duck pens, gradually losing herself in thought.

She didn’t even notice when someone appeared beside her.

A hand grasped the same ladle of feed, their fingers brushing. The scent of tea-like pheromones lingered in the air, and only then did she turn to see who stood beside her.

!!! Qi Ning’an!

“Y-you—why are you here?” Shen Yuanyi widened her eyes, her attention involuntarily drawn to Qi Ning’an’s rosy lips, unable to look away. Memories of yesterday’s game and the kisses from her dream resurfaced.

Startled, she took a step back, her grip faltering. The feed, along with the ladle, tumbled into the chicken pen with a loud “thud,” echoing sharply in the unusually quiet morning.

“Shen Yuanyi, what’s wrong?” Qi Ning’an stepped forward, pressing the back of her clean hand against Shen Yuanyi’s forehead. She frowned slightly and muttered, “No fever…”

She withdrew her hand, bent down to pick up the fallen ladle, and noticed Shen Yuanyi’s tousled hair fluttering in the wind. Raising a hand to smooth it, she was abruptly dodged.

Her hand froze mid-air, her heart sinking with it.

Rubbing her fingers lightly, Qi Ning’an smiled faintly and withdrew. “Go wash up. I’ll handle the feeding.”

The air seemed thick with awkwardness. Shen Yuanyi laughed nervously, already regretting her evasion—what if she’d hurt the little rabbit’s feelings?

Her eyes kept drifting to Qi Ning’an’s lips, nose, and eyes. Just seeing her made Shen Yuanyi recall everything that had happened between them.

The feeling was strange—she wanted to get closer, drawn in by her, yet her actions kept pushing her away.

With a hum, she bounded off to the washroom like a carefree puppy, turning back to wave. “I’ll be quick! Wait for me!”

Or so she said. Shen Yuanyi lingered in the washroom for a long time, only emerging when she heard voices outside. Finally, someone else had woken up—and they were chatting with Qi Ning’an.

A savior!

Scratching her head twice, Shen Yuanyi walked over with a goofy grin and called out, “Auntie,” pointedly ignoring Qi Ning’an standing nearby.

She didn’t glance at Qi Ning’an once, even though they stood close.

The elder chatted about how she and her lover had met, who pursued whom, and concluded with, “That was my ex. My wife and I just clicked and got together quickly—no endless back-and-forth.”

Hands on her hips, she sighed nostalgically. “Ah, back then, we were both so silly—liking each other but avoiding each other. In the end, we didn’t end up together.”

She spoke with calm detachment, having long since let go of those past grievances over the years. Yet the story of the old senior and her ex still lingered on her lips, becoming a topic she often revisited.

The middle-aged woman glanced at Shen Yuanyi and Qi Ning’an, expecting them to chime in—perhaps to reassure her that her current wife was wonderful, and so on. But the two seemed as unresponsive as blocks of wood, as if their hearts held no room for romance, only their careers.

She began to doubt her storytelling skills before ever suspecting that the two standing before her had long since had their attention diverted, their minds far from her words.

Finding the conversation dull, she shook her head and muttered something about checking if the person inside had woken up before walking away.

Shen Yuanyi snapped back to reality and hurriedly tried to follow. Don’t leave! The balance between the three of us shouldn’t be broken.

“Shen Yuanyi.” Qi Ning’an suddenly grasped her hand.

“Huh?” She turned to look at the person holding her wrist.

“Let’s talk properly.”