Why Did the Top Alpha Suddenly Stop Acting Out? - Chapter 5
In the photography studio, Yi Qian posed in front of the camera while Ye Shuyi stood by the computer screen, helping to select the best shots.
The photographer seated at the computer seemed to be a fan of Yi Qian. From the moment the shoot began, they had been showering her with compliments from the strands of her hair to every subtle expression and movement.
Ye Shuyi’s gaze shifted from the screen to Yi Qian herself. She couldn’t deny that the photographer captured her beautifully, with every angle and frame seemingly tailored just for her. Yet, in her eyes, the images paled in comparison to the vivid, radiant presence of the real person.
Under the lens, Yi Qian appeared as though she were born for the spotlight, exuding confidence and charm with every gesture.
But the Yi Qian of their youth had been different. Though just as stunning, she had disliked facing the camera. In the four years they had been together, they hadn’t taken a single photo together.
Ye Shuyi still remembered the awkwardness of their first date, all because of a photograph.
It was their first outing as a couple, and Ye Shuyi had dressed up carefully, wearing a dress and high heels she had saved up to buy.
It was her first time in heels, and by the end of the day, her feet felt like they no longer belonged to her.
Their school lay just across the river—seemingly close, but in reality, the path along the riverbank stretched to the end, requiring them to cross the bridge and walk a little further to reach the gates.
In desperation, she grabbed Yi Qian’s wrist, only for the other girl to swiftly pull her hand away, staring at her in disbelief.
Ye Shuyi froze in embarrassment for a moment before pointing to a nearby stone bench. “Maybe… you should go ahead first? I need to rest for a bit.”
By then, Yi Qian’s expression had softened. She shook her head. “It’s fine. I’ll stay with you.”
Perhaps the earlier awkwardness hadn’t fully dissipated, because Yi Qian didn’t sit beside her. Instead, she stood by the river, hands resting on the railing, tilting her face slightly toward the sunset, lost in thought.
A breeze swept across the river, tousling the hair of those by the water’s edge. The sky blazed with golden-orange hues, generously spilling its glow over the world, over Yi Qian’s face.
Everything was so breathtakingly beautiful.
Ye Shuyi pulled out her phone, opened the camera, and framed the shot herself and Yi Qian against the backdrop of the radiant sunset. Once she confirmed they were both in the frame, she called out, “Yi Qian.”
To her surprise, the girl who usually reacted a beat too late raised her hand at the exact moment the shutter clicked, blocking her face.
Ye Shuyi stared at the photo only her own smile visible and without hesitation, exited without saving it.
She waved her phone at Yi Qian, forcing a lighthearted tone. “Don’t worry, I didn’t save it.” Tucking her phone away, she stood up. “Let’s go back.”
Yi Qian frowned but said nothing, falling into step beside her.
At first, they walked side by side, but the dull pain in Ye Shuyi’s feet slowed her down until she lagged behind.
Turning to check her heels, she saw they were raw and bleeding, rubbed raw over a large area.
She gritted her teeth, determined to push through they were almost at school, after all. But when she turned back, she found Yi Qian crouched in front of her.
“I’ll carry you back,” the person with her back turned said.
After two consecutive awkward moments between them, seeing Yi Qian take the initiative to offer help and with her foot hurting unbearably, she didn’t think too much before climbing onto Yi Qian’s back.
Yi Qian carried her, and both of them remained silent in tacit understanding. Just as Ye Shuyi thought they would stay like this the entire way, Yi Qian suddenly spoke up, “Do you usually survive on dew?”
“Huh?” Ye Shuyi didn’t catch on at first.
Yi Qian continued, “Otherwise, how are you so light?”
Ye Shuyi froze for a moment before realizing she was trying to ease the tension though it somehow made things even more awkward…
Unable to help herself, she chuckled softly behind Yi Qian and tightened her arms slightly around her neck. With a hint of amusement, she replied, “If you want to know what I eat, why not come have meals with me? Then you’ll find out.”
“Okay,” Yi Qian agreed without hesitation.
After this rather clumsy attempt at conversation, the atmosphere between them settled back into quiet comfort. Yi Qian carried her as they walked along the riverside toward the school, the evening breeze brushing past them. The setting sun merged their shadows into one, stretching it long, so very long…
“Shuyi,” Yi Qian called her name as they descended the bridge.
Ye Shuyi loved the way Yi Qian said her name. For some reason, this ordinary name felt different coming from Yi Qian’s lips as if Yi Qian had breathed life into it, imbuing it with a meaning that belonged solely to her.
“Mhm,” Ye Shuyi responded softly.
“Earlier… I wasn’t rejecting holding your hand. It’s just, your fingers were really cold,” Yi Qian paused before continuing, “I’ve heard people say omegas’ hands are always warm, like little suns when you hold them. I thought some stranger had grabbed me, so…”
Ye Shuyi exhaled in relief as long as it wasn’t disgust. She tightened her hold slightly and teased, “Then should I thank you for just pulling away? If you’d reacted more strongly, I’d have suffered a huge loss, both emotionally and physically.”
The corner of Yi Qian’s lips lifted, as if she’d finally relaxed a little. “And when we were taking photos earlier, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to take one with you. I’m just not used to facing the camera. It feels like I’m being trapped in that tiny four-cornered space, and it makes me uncomfortable.”
Ye Shuyi rested her chin on Yi Qian’s shoulder, about to say it was fine, she wasn’t fond of photos either.
The only reason she’d wanted to take one earlier was because Yi Qian by the river was so breathtakingly beautiful, the most radiant thing she’d ever seen in her life, in every sense of the word.
She had originally planned to sneak a picture, but she’d also hoped a photo together might ease the awkwardness between them. So she’d called Yi Qian’s name only to end up creating another misunderstanding.
But before she could speak, Yi Qian added, “I’ve never taken photos before. Maybe I just need to get used to it. If you take more pictures with me in the future, I might adjust.”
Hearing this, Ye Shuyi suddenly remembered, Yi Qian hadn’t participated in the graduation photos back in high school either.
Though Yi Qian had expressed willingness to take photos with her, in the time they spent together afterward, Ye Shuyi never brought it up again for Yi Qian’s sake, and for her own.
She had always believed that beautiful things were best felt with the heart and etched into memory. Those meant to fade would eventually do so, even with photos as keepsakes. And when all beauty vanished, what remained would only become a burden.
So why would someone who disliked taking photos, who thought photographs could trap a person, choose a career centered around working in front of the camera? What was she after?
Ye Shuyi watched the woman beaming brilliantly at the lens, fragments of memories flashing through her mind. But she quickly shook her head with a self-deprecating smile surely it couldn’t be for that joke of a promise from back then…
“Agent Ye… Agent Ye?”
“Hmm?” Ye Shuyi snapped out of her thoughts and looked down at the photographer who had called her. “What is it?”
The photographer in front of the computer screen pointed at the photos of Yi Qian that had just been taken. “Take a look at these. Doesn’t the smile in Yi Qian’s eyes feel a bit off?”
Ye Shuyi examined the images carefully. It did seem that way Yi Qian looked undeniably stunning in these shots, but the emotion in her eyes was lacking.
“Teacher Yi, did you have a crush when you were younger?” The photographer, reviewing the latest shots, shook his head in dissatisfaction before addressing Yi Qian. “Think of that person’s face, then pick a spot in the studio to focus on. Imagine it’s the face of the one you secretly admired back then.”
“Think about it, that was the most youthful, most beautiful time, the kind of youthful infatuation that stirs a young heart. When you saw her, you must have felt joy, an uncontrollable flutter in your chest, right? Try to imagine that feeling.”
As the photographer spoke, Ye Shuyi happened to glance up toward Yi Qian’s position. At the same moment, as if sensing it, Yi Qian turned her head and looked back.
Their gazes met across the studio past the photographer, the equipment, and the bustling crew lingering in the air.
The photographer, holding the camera, rapidly clicked the shutter. “Yes, this is the feeling! Hold it, Teacher Yi. I’ll take a few more.”
“Agent Ye, look.” The photographer at the computer lightly tapped Ye Shuyi’s arm, excitement in his voice. “The adjustment worked wonders. Old Zhang will definitely love these.”
Old Zhang was director Zhang Buyan, a close friend of the photographer.
Ye Shuyi turned to the screen, carefully studying the images. She didn’t look back at Yi Qian, but she could feel the other woman’s gaze still fixed on her.
After finishing Yi Qian’s solo shots, they still needed to take promotional photos of her with the other female lead, Jiang Shiluo.
During the shoot, Ye Shuyi occasionally glanced at the images on the computer or observed the models in the scene, appearing calm and professional unlike a certain someone who kept stealing distracted looks toward the main camera.
Photographer: “Could the two of you pose a bit closer? Teacher Yi, put your arm around Teacher Jiang’s waist.”
Yi Qian, catching sight of someone looking up in their direction, was about to comply when she suddenly felt an icy stare drilling into her back.
She looked at the woman in front of her and said, “Senior Jiang, after this shoot, your partner isn’t going to offer me up as a sacrifice, is she?”
Hearing this, Jiang Shiluo glanced at Tang Chi’s direction, her dimples gradually appearing as she said, “Although my partner can be quite jealous, this is work. She won’t offer you up as a sacrifice, don’t worry.”
With that reassurance, Yi Qian proceeded to follow the photographer’s directions without hesitation. But when she looked toward Shu Yi’s spot, she found it empty.
She immediately tried to turn her head to search, only to have Jiang Shiluo anticipate the movement, cupping her face gently. “I saw her leave with her phone probably taking a call,” Jiang Shiluo murmured, then adopted a slightly firmer tone. “You’ve been distracted several times today. Whatever’s on your mind, you need to focus during work. Bring back that professional attitude you always had, okay?”
Before collaborating on this film, Jiang Shiluo and Yi Qian had worked together on commercials, magazine shoots, and even a duet. She knew Yi Qian’s background her grandfather had been a government official, her father a businessman who ranked among Xingcheng’s wealthiest, and her mother a renowned figure in bioscience research. In short, Yi Qian came from an extraordinarily influential family.
At first, Jiang Shiluo had assumed someone like her would be arrogant, treating the entertainment industry as nothing more than a playground. But after working together, she was surprised to find this young alpha took her craft with the utmost seriousness never late, never throwing her weight around. Compared to peers who would let even minor success go to their heads, Yi Qian’s humility made Jiang Shiluo genuinely fond of her.
That’s why she’d been shocked when staff informed her Yi Qian hadn’t arrived on time that morning. And now, with the repeated distractions, she had no choice but to speak up.
“Besides, the sooner we finish properly, the sooner we can go home, right?” Jiang Shiluo added, glancing at Tang Chi with a faint smile.
Yi Qian acknowledged her senior’s reprimand and threw herself fully into the remaining shots, only stealing glances at that spot during breaks.
Yet each time she looked, it remained empty. Frowning, Yi Qian wondered who could possibly warrant such a long phone call.
Then, on what felt like the hundredth glance, she spotted two figures standing there.
Since when had that Song what’s-her-name arrived?!