When a Scumbag Cannon Fodder Alpha Meets a Mad Movie Queen Villainess - Chapter 31

“What… what should we talk about, sis?” Shen Yuanyi smiled on the surface but felt uneasy inside, sensing something ominous.

Qi Ning’an released her hand and crossed her arms. “You’ve seen the online rumors. What exactly is our relationship?”

“Well… haha, a sponsor?”

“Just a sponsor?”

Shen Yuanyi raised an eyebrow tentatively. “Friends?”

“Friends?” Qi Ning’an stepped closer with each word.

Seeing Shen Yuanyi retreat, she stopped. “Why are you avoiding me? Aren’t we friends?”

“Your presence is overwhelming, sis. I just instinctively stepped back.” Shen Yuanyi almost believed her own words.

The little rabbit’s face clearly showed disappointment as she lowered her head.

Unable to bear it, Shen Yuanyi stepped forward and took Qi Ning’an’s hand, knowing it was her fault for causing this inner turmoil. “Sis, I’ll clarify the online rumors. We’re definitely not what they say. Don’t take it to heart.”

But I want to be in that kind of relationship with you.

Qi Ning’an didn’t dare say it out loud, afraid of scaring the puppy away.

If true love is required to become lovers, then what exactly is their relationship?

And what exactly does she feel for Shen Yuanyi?

“Meow~” A three-month-old kitten, limping and covered in dirt, cried out weakly. Its frail body surviving this long was a miracle.

Its arrival broke the silence between Shen Yuanyi and Qi Ning’an.

Shen Yuanyi ran out of the yard and picked up the kitten, holding it up. “Sis, look!”

Qi Ning’an glanced over, her eyes softening slightly. She wanted to reach out and hold the kitten but restrained herself.

She nodded indifferently, pretending not to care.

Shen Yuanyi happily carried the kitten back into the yard. The little one was still trembling uncontrollably.

“Sis, this kitten is so pitiful, out on the streets at such a young age.” Shen Yuanyi handed the kitten to Qi Ning’an. “I’ll go find something to feed it.”

Suddenly holding the frail kitten, Qi Ning’an felt uneasy, but her heart melted at its shivering form.

She wanted to touch its pink nose with a finger but hesitated.

She stood frozen, waiting for Shen Yuanyi to return. Soon, Shen Yuanyi came back with a box of milk and took the kitten to feed it.

“I really want to adopt it, but I’ll be too busy to take care of it later,” Shen Yuanyi said while feeding the kitten.

Qi Ning’an remained silent. She was even less capable of keeping a pet, afraid she might harm it.

Perhaps comforted by the warmth and food, the kitten grew drowsy, purring as it slept in Shen Yuanyi’s arms, though its body still trembled.

“So pitiful. I wonder if anyone from the crew would be willing to adopt it.” Shen Yuanyi cradled the kitten like a baby, gently teasing its nose and whiskers with her fingers.

Qi Ning’an’s heart felt heavy as she turned and walked away.

Shen Yuanyi glanced up but didn’t dwell on it, her attention fully on the kitten.

As the others gradually woke up, they couldn’t resist playing with the kitten in Shen Yuanyi’s arms. The crew members warmly welcomed the little one.

They called a veterinarian to treat the kitten’s leg injury and fashioned a nest for it using a cardboard box and old clothes. Had Qi Ning’an not encountered Shen Yuanyi that day, the kitten would have starved or frozen to death in the icy wilderness.

Listening to the laughter outside, Qi Ning’an clenched her teeth. She and Shen Yuanyi could never become lovers—how could someone like her ever become the girlfriend of such a bright, beloved person?

When sunlight fell upon her, a creature of shadows like a rat, all her actions would only frighten away any normal person.

Unable to resist, she opened Shen Yuanyi’s suitcase and saw the casually packed clothes inside. She picked one up, brought it to her nose, and inhaled deeply—her mood instantly lifting.

Ah~ It smelled like her sunshine.

Rubbing her cheek against the clean fabric, she closed her eyes, utterly content.

If anyone had walked in at that moment, her secret would have been exposed. Outside, the cheerful chatter of the group continued, while inside, she indulged in her solitary revelry.

Qi Ning’an stealthily took one of Shen Yuanyi’s shirts and tucked it into her own suitcase before zipping up the other’s luggage and returning it to its original spot.

Then, she stepped out as if nothing had happened, blending into the group’s excitement over the new kitten.

The three-day, two-night countryside retreat came to an end. Shen Yuanyi and Qi Ning’an left with their suitcases, but the ones most reluctant to see them go were the live-stream viewers—no more sweet moments to obsess over, their happiness had ended.

Instead of clarifying their relationship, the rumors about Shen Yuanyi and Qi Ning’an only grew stronger, with more people convinced they were together.

Back home, while unpacking, Shen Yuanyi noticed a missing shirt but didn’t think much of it, assuming it had been left behind at the cottage.

When the variety show aired, if she had known that nearly the entire hour-long episode would focus on her interactions with Qi Ning’an, she would never have agreed to participate. Thanks to the editor’s masterful cuts, even their non-existent relationship was spun into something tangible.

Shen Yuanyi posted on Weibo: “Teacher Qi and I really have no relationship.”

Eventually, exhausted, she still made sure to post daily: “Me, a lifelong single. I don’t date people.”

Netizens replied: “Huh? What are you saying? When’s the wedding with Teacher Qi? Or did you two already get married? wink”

Were they illiterate? She had spelled it out clearly—she didn’t date people. These netizens… Ugh, not worth her time.

——

As the end of the month approached, Qi Ning’an entered her heat—the most emotionally vulnerable period for an omega. Painful memories flooded her mind: a neglected childhood, a promiscuous mother, scenes that shattered her worldview… She swore that if she ever had a child, she would give them the utmost love and protection.

Even before meeting Shen Yuanyi, she had considered adopting a kitten or puppy for companionship. But no matter how much she prepared, she never felt ready—what if she couldn’t give them the best?

Then her mother handed her a bankrupt company to manage, as if playing God.

Shen Yuanyi… Could it be that what she felt for Shen Yuanyi was maternal? Was this her own child?

Qi Ning’an jolted awake, gasping for air, her chest tight with a dull ache.

Among all the impossible relationships, becoming mother and child was still an option.

Muttering to herself, “So, from that moment on, I was already preparing to be a mother…” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands, sobbing. The scent of her pheromones spilled from the nape of her neck, saturating the entire room.

——

On December 31st, Shen Yuanyi crouched while keeping track of time, her hands clutching her phone without blinking. The moment the clock struck twelve, she immediately sent the pre-written message: “Happy New Year, sister.”

Qi Ning’an, who received Shen Yuanyi’s message while drinking tea in the living room, replied with a simple “Happy New Year.”

She sent a red envelope containing 88,000 yuan, specifically labeled “For the puppy.”

Shen Yuanyi unceremoniously accepted it and sent one back to Qi Ning’an, returning the 88,000 yuan with the note “For my sister.”

Assuming Qi Ning’an would accept it, she was surprised when the red envelope was left untouched and eventually expired.

This felt worse than owing someone money—it weighed on her mind. “Sister, please accept the red envelope,” she urged.

Qi Ning’an ignored her.

Determined to find a way to return the money, Shen Yuanyi couldn’t accept such a large sum. She had already received too much kindness from Qi Ning’an—it had to stop.

But soon, she became too busy. The drama she filmed last year was finally set to air, requiring her to attend various promotional events.

Then came the unexpected call from the original host’s sister, announcing she would return home for the New Year.

Shen Yuanyi was stunned. Since when did the original host have a sister? Her mind short-circuited—was her identity about to be exposed?

Assuming it was just talk, she planned to visit Qi Ning’an on her day off to return the 88,000 yuan. But when she opened the door, she was met with a tall woman in sunglasses standing outside.

The woman removed her glasses and raised an eyebrow at her. “Little sister, have you been doing well in the country?”

Carrying a white suitcase, she exuded elegance, dressed in pristine white that made her seem both refined and noble—like a white Ragdoll cat.

“You—”

Before Shen Yuanyi could invite her in, the woman stepped inside uninvited, scanning the room.

“The place is clean,” she remarked.

Shen Yuanyi flushed. If not for her deep cleaning the night before, the apartment wouldn’t have looked this tidy.

Despite the shock, she felt an inexplicable familiarity and warmth toward this woman. Faint memories surfaced—she did have a sister, though she couldn’t recall her face clearly.

Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Sister… are you staying with me?”

The two shared strikingly similar features, especially their eyebrows and eyes. If their lower faces were covered, no one could tell them apart.

Shen Mu Han leaned in, pinching Shen Yuanyi’s cheek with her fair fingers. “Mhm. Tell me—has anyone bullied you while I was away?”

When Shen Yuanyi stayed silent, she pulled her into a tight embrace, her voice laced with guilt. “I’ve been such a neglectful sister.”

Meanwhile, Shen Yuanyi’s mind raced: The original host had a sister? Why wasn’t this mentioned in the plot?

Soon, the overwhelming sense of familiarity drowned her thoughts. A memory surfaced—one eerily similar to the present.

In it, she was a child, overlooked and unloved by her mothers. After finishing homework, she’d go downstairs to find no one home. Hungry and penniless, she’d drag a stool to the kitchen and drink tap water to fill her stomach.

Then, the front door would swing open, light flooding the dark room. A silhouette would rush toward her, heartbroken, pulling her into an embrace—just like now—whispering the same words: “I’ve been such a neglectful sister. I ate my fill outside while my little sister starved, drinking unfiltered water.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Sister,” Shen Yuanyi called out.

The woman held her even tighter, her heart aching.

Shen Yuanyi broke free from the embrace and shook her head. “Sister, pick a room to stay in. I need to go out for a while.”

“Ah~” Shen Muhan drew out her tone, “We just met. Don’t you want to catch up with your sister?”

“There’ll be plenty of time when I get back,” Shen Yuanyi coaxed.

“Alright then.” Shen Muhan lowered her head, her mood visibly downcast, filled with reluctance. Watching Shen Yuanyi close the door and leave, she finally realized her younger sister was serious.

What could possibly be so important that she’d rush out despite their sisterly bond?

Shen Muhan set down her luggage and stealthily followed Shen Yuanyi.

She watched as her sister arrived at a villa, rang the doorbell, and was let in by someone who looked like a butler.

Standing by the roadside, Shen Muhan narrowed her eyes suspiciously, crossed her arms, and tapped her fingers against her arm, her mind racing with thoughts.

Inside the villa.

Shen Yuanyi brought up the topic, “Qi Ning’an, take back the money from last time.” She had specially brought along the new cake from her favorite shop.

“That money?”

“Don’t you remember? The red envelope you sent during New Year’s. I sent it back, but you didn’t claim it, so it was returned.”

The person sitting on the sofa suddenly understood and smiled gently. “You keep it.”

Shen Yuanyi shook her head. “No, no, I can’t possibly accept it. You’ve already done so much for me, sister. I don’t even know how to repay you.”

What kind of repayment could a mother expect from her child?

Qi Ning’an ruffled Shen Yuanyi’s hair and said warmly, “You’re the greatest surprise of my life. Watching you grow up is more than enough for me.”

If their relationship wasn’t that of lovers, it would surely be that of mother and daughter.

A bitter taste rose in her heart. If only she could be her puppy’s mother—how happy she’d be to hear her call her “Mom.”

Ah~ The creamy scent of pheromones was so soothing, neutralizing the bitterness.

Tilting her head back, Qi Ning’an pressed Shen Yuanyi’s head against her chest. “Shen Yuanyi, does the birthday gift still count?”

Shen Yuanyi tried to break free, but the back of her head was held firmly. Muffled against Qi Ning’an’s chest, she replied, “It counts.”

“I want to be your mother, to have a mother-daughter relationship with you.”