After an Alluring Alpha Provokes an Unhinged Omega 1

Chapter 1: Spring

Huai City had just entered spring. A light rain fell on green lawns, and a thin mist soaked the entire film studio complex.

Jiang Mi had just finished a reshoot in the studio. With a heavy, cherry-blossom-pink wig still on her head, she saw her manager, Zhao Jia, waiting at the door and shook her head. “I can’t take it anymore.”

Zhao Jia quickly handed her a water bottle, saying in a low voice, “I know, I know. You’ve worked hard, sweetie. I’ll give you a good massage back in the break room.”

This wig commercial was arranged by the company. When Zhao Jia had accepted it on Jiang Mi’s behalf, she hadn’t known they would be shooting over fifty different styles. It wasn’t until the shoot began that they realized they’d been set up. The business department had replied sarcastically: Jiang Mi should be content to get any commercial at all right now; she shouldn’t be picky.

Hearing this, Jiang Mi actually felt they weren’t wrong. After all, the company tailored its offerings to the market.

But Zhao Jia was furious, especially seeing Jiang Mi so exhausted she was struggling even to drink water. She loathed that wretched bunch even more. “You were a big hit once, for crying out loud. This is so unfair to you.”

Jiang Mi unscrewed the cap and pulled the straw out from a thick slice of lemon. “Oh?”

Zhao Jia reminded her, “Wasn’t Screw Your Youth a huge hit?”

“It was definitely a hit,” Jiang Mi agreed wholeheartedly.

Netizens all said she played the “screw you” part perfectly.

Zhao Jia gave a helpless laugh. Jiang Mi had filmed for a month on that show, but in the final cut of the series, she was edited down to just a few shots. As a result, netizens and fans had turned it into a running joke—”Screw You, Jiang Mi.”

But seeing Jiang Mi joke about it herself, she felt a pang of heartache and indignation.

Jiang Mi lowered her head to drink. Although she was an Alpha, the most dominant type in the ABO world, her bright peach-blossom eyes gave her a naturally alluring and wild quality. But the soft angles of her face and her tender, rosy lips neutralized this impact. At this moment, the pink wig made her look even more delicate and harmless.

It was the kind of face anyone should have liked, and her acting skills crushed so many of today’s popular-but-talentless stars, and yet, Jiang Mi’s career was anything but smooth.

Three years after her debut, she was still just picking up a supporting role here and joining the crowd there.

The company was part of the problem, but truthfully, she also shared some responsibility. As a manager, Zhao Jia’s network couldn’t compare to others, so resources were scarce, and her artist couldn’t hold her head high. She was determined to make Jiang Mi a star.

“Mimi, no matter what, I believe you’ll stand on the highest podium one day.” She had worked with Jiang Mi for so many years and knew her talent well. Jiang Mi just hadn’t gotten her chance yet.

As for that chance—

“This audition for Director Jiang’s new film, if we land it, it’ll be our comeback.”

Jiang Mi protectively touched her hairline. “I know.”

She had no idea how much hair she’d lost today. Even if only to avoid shooting another wig commercial, she had to do her best to land this role.

After a short rest in the break room, Jiang Mi got into the car, yawning. The drive from the film studio to the suburbs of Huai City took over forty minutes. The rain had stopped in the afternoon. The green belts looked freshly washed, and the sky had become thin and clean. She leaned toward the window and breathed in a lungful of cool, mild air, feeling herself relax.

Her shoulder-length chestnut hair brushed against her cheek. Her gaze passed through the fresh, clear air, habitually drifting toward the large LED screen in the distance.

It was a new jewelry commercial. The woman wore pure, round jewels on her slender neck. Her hair was black, her most common color. Her phoenix eyes were slightly upturned, and her full lips were deliberately made up to look thinner, making her appear noble, aloof, and unattainable.

That person had become more distant, more impossible to look at directly, and yet more eye-catching.

“The Movie Queen truly lives up to her title. From the moment her role in Spring was confirmed, the hot search rankings have been blowing up for days. For Yan Wei’s return after so long, she picks an R-18 script right off the bat. With Director Jiang at the helm, this movie is guaranteed to be a blockbuster. Mimi, I heard Director Jiang is already in Huai City. Should I ask around? We could try to find a way to meet him?” Zhao Jia asked tentatively, following her gaze.

Jiang Mi tore her gaze away from the woman’s eyes on the screen and thought for a moment. “There’s no need, right?”

“The minor role you’re auditioning for only has one or two lines. What if you meet him beforehand and he takes a liking to you? He might let you audition for the third or fourth female lead, and then you’d be set! You might even get to act opposite Yan Wei… Isn’t she your idol?”

“Forget it,” Jiang Mi said.

“For a major director like Jiang Qu, even people with connections have to wait in line. For you to get me a meeting would be harder than climbing to heaven. Who knows what kind of trouble you’d have to go through.” She added, “The role I’m auditioning for is quite brilliant in its own way. If I think it through, I can make it stand out. Besides, do you think I can act in an R-18 film? I’ve never even done a kissing scene!”

“You’ll learn as you go, won’t you? Doesn’t your supporting role also have a passion scene that lasts a second or two? What’s there to be afraid of?”

“…That’s not it. Can you please not make a legitimate film sound like a porno? Director Jiang’s films are just more explicit and sensual, that’s all,” Jiang Mi corrected her.

“Yes, yes, of course the Movie Queen has her reasons for choosing this script. I’ll find some lines for other characters for you to memorize later, just in case.”

Jiang Mi nodded. “I’ll memorize them well. Just don’t go trying to pull any strings.”

“Alright, as if it’s that easy to pull strings.”

Sometimes, Jiang Mi gave Zhao Jia the feeling that she was too zen and open-minded, that she wasn’t really suited for this dog-eat-dog industry. Yet, there was an indescribable drive about her that made you feel she would definitely succeed.

Zhao Jia took out a tablet and passed it to her.

“Although I believe in your skills, you’re auditioning for a passion scene this time, which is unfamiliar territory for you. So I found a few video clips for your reference.” She paused. “They’re Yan Wei’s. You should be more receptive to those.”

Jiang Mi: “…” Tsk, what kind of thing is that to say?

She took the tablet and heard Zhao Jia ask, “By the way, after you go to your neighbor-sister’s place, are you coming back to the hotel?”

“I am… My mom’s worried about me always staying in hotels. She said since my recent activities are all in Huai City, she wanted me to stay there temporarily, but how could I really impose like that?”

Besides, she and that older sister hadn’t seen each other in so many years.

“That’s true. Should I pick you up later?”

“No need. What if it’s a long-awaited reunion and we have too much to talk about, and she sincerely asks me to stay?”

“…Alright.”

After her bit of bravado, Jiang Mi fished her earbuds out of her bag and said, “But I wonder if she even remembers me.”

The neighbor-sister had moved in during the winter, but she also moved away in the winter. Although they had only met a few times, the image of them sitting together on a cold bench by the street as the snow fell at dusk, watching people come and go, often appeared in her mind during winter. But the other person might not remember at all.

Zhao Jia found it amazing. “A neighbor who moved away when you were kids, and you actually managed to get in touch again.”

Jiang Mi explained that her mother had gotten in touch with the neighbor auntie. The auntie had two daughters; the house in Huai City belonged to the older sister, and the younger sister was pursuing her doctorate.

Jiang Mi said, “I heard that sister is also in our line of work now. Maybe there’ll be a time when she needs your help.”

Zhao Jia patted her chest. “Your sister is my sister. I’ve got her back. What’s she like? If she has potential, maybe I could even sign her.”

Before putting on her earbuds, Jiang Mi praised her based on her memory: “Gentle, beautiful, and a good person. Incredibly good.”

**

The earbuds settled in. Jiang Mi randomly clicked on one of the reference videos.

In fact, when she had first arrived in Huai City a few days ago, the younger sister who was studying for her doctorate had already taken her to the house. Yesterday, she had even sent her a message saying her older sister had returned home overnight and asked if she wanted to come over for a get-together. That’s why she decided to go over and meet her today, since it was still early.

She was looking forward to it.

Very much so.

I wonder what that sister looks like now?

In the noise-cancelled world, only ambiguous music and panting remained. She temporarily pushed aside all other thoughts.

Before the video even started, Yan Wei’s stunningly cold and beautiful face had already appeared in her mind. She couldn’t help but hold her breath. Then came the absorbed, hazy look in those phoenix eyes. Fine beads of sweat on the tip of her nose, rosy lips slightly parted to reveal white teeth—she burst into view, so very moist.

Her black hair was draped over her shoulders, strands falling across her collarbone. Yan Wei tilted her head back. The camera pushed in, revealing the turgid, blue veins on her pale, swan-like neck. A drop of sweat trickled down her jawline.

She was so damp, so soft, so frail.

The camera pushed back up. Her trembling eyelashes fluttered open as if waking up. Yan Wei’s gaze swept toward the camera. The passion in her eyes was gone, replaced by naked, ice-cold killing intent… In that split-second change of expression, the earlier heat was instantly frozen over.

Jiang Mi’s scalp tingled.

She rolled the car window down a few more inches. The wind, carrying the moisture of spring, blew in, rescuing her racing heart and cooling her heated body. This was the countless-th time she had been conquered by Yan Wei’s acting.

Although Zhao Jia always used encouragement to persuade her, she herself didn’t care that much about fame. But every time she saw Yan Wei, a seed deep in her heart felt like it was being watered, and the thought of struggling to break through the soil would always sprout.

Zhao Jia said this was called the idol effect.

Jiang Mi didn’t finish watching all the clips. She was feeling a bit carsick. She closed the tablet and leaned back against the seat, falling asleep. But her sleep was restless this time. When she woke up, even her glands ached slightly, and the scent of her own pheromones, which only she could smell, lingered in the air.

She couldn’t help but think that in the past, whether Alpha or Omega, anyone who released pheromones would have a scent that others could smell.

But after the ABO genetic refinement, pheromones had also evolved. Now, everyone’s scent was relatively private. Aside from oneself, even during a heat, when pheromones were surging, one could hide the scent molecules.

However, there were two exceptions.

One was to voluntarily release scent molecules when releasing pheromones. In this case, even Betas who couldn’t sense pheromones could smell her scent.

The other was a rare type: a “perfectly matched” AO pair.

According to statistics, there were no more than ten pairs of people in the world who met the conditions for a “perfect match.”

But even among these ten pairs, the probability of both parties being able to smell each other’s pheromones was only one in ten. Most cases were one-sided.

Jiang Mi subconsciously stroked the glands on the back of her neck. The mental tension in her dream had caused her pheromones to fluctuate slightly, but this level of fluctuation was imperceptible to those around her, let alone the scent.

She let out a breath and took out her phone to look.

She happened to see a WeChat message from the neighbor’s younger daughter: [Sister Jiang, my advisor suddenly called me in, so I’m heading to the university. My sister is home, you can just go right over.]

Jiang Mi’s first reaction was nervousness. After all, they hadn’t seen each other in so long… Right up until she got out of the car, she was still pondering what kind of image she should present and what the first thing she should say upon meeting her would be.

Zhao Jia didn’t follow her. Jiang Mi followed the navigation to an apartment building set further back and took the elevator up to the seventeenth floor.

Taking off her mask, she neatened her hair slightly. I should be warm and friendly, Jiang Mi thought, that way we can get closer faster. Walking to the door, Jiang Mi rang the doorbell.

In her mind, she silently practiced in different tones: Sister, Hello sister, Sister, long time no see…

After waiting for about ten seconds, with a click, the door opened from the inside.

Jiang Mi’s eyes curved into a smile. She took a step forward and said with a resonant voice, “Hi, Sis—”

The moment she saw the other person clearly, her eyes widened. Her brain failed to react in time, and before she could even suck her breath back in, her foot twisted, and she stumbled a step before lurching forward from inertia.

Fearing she would knock the person to the ground, she reflexively wrapped her arms around the woman to catch her.

A soft body collided with hers. In that instant, Jiang Mi suddenly smelled a rich, ripe fruit aroma mixed with a faint, sweet honey scent. It was the smell of brandy.

She instantly let go and looked up, only to crash into a pair of coolly aloof, familiar eyes.

How could a person be daydreaming in broad daylight?

How could it really be… Yan Wei?!