After an Alluring Alpha Provokes an Unhinged Omega 18

Chapter 18: Come Here

Unbeknownst to them, Qin Shui had been living in the small town for four months.

Her relationship with Liang Yongping was also quietly changing.

When the fine summer rain was tinged with the last wisp of locust flower fragrance, Qin Shui found a pot of pothos on her windowsill. She didn’t need to guess to know that Liang Yongping had put it there, just as Liang Yongping had once left green apricots picked from under a wild apricot tree at her door in the spring.

She pushed open the window, and the jasmine scent of laundry detergent from downstairs drifted in with the wind through her screen. She had never been so content.

Two months ago, they had started going to the market together, treading on the mossy stone slabs.

The tips of Liang Yongping’s leather shoes would occasionally get stained with annoying muddy water. At first, Liang Yongping would lower her head in embarrassment. Later, she would stomp her feet in frustration by the roadside right in front of her.

At these times, Qin Shui would always lag half a step behind, watching the morning light dye the person’s black hair amber, watching the dewdrops on the lettuce leaves roll into the plastic bag in her hand due to the trembling.

When they returned to that narrow world, Liang Yongping would make the cutting board and the blade ring with a familiar crisp sound.

The incandescent light tube hummed faintly during the July rainy season.

That month, Bai Xiao’s daily overtime turned into dinner for two in the house.

Later on, Qin Shui began to count the frequency of Liang Yongping’s eyelashes fluttering as she read, the frown of empathy when she was sad, and the joy of happiness were all clearly etched in her heart.

A green bookmark she had given her was tucked into the brand-new pages. Liang Yongping loved to read, but before she brought them, there hadn’t been a single book in this house.

She began to grow curious about Liang Yongping and Bai Xiao’s life, began to care about Bai Xiao, that existing yet seemingly absent—Liang Yongping’s fiancée.

Then one day, on an afternoon when the cicadas had just begun to chirp, Qin Shui stared at the two toothbrush cups on the sink for a long time.

Everything around her suddenly became glaring. While washing the dishes, she dropped a bowl, and the shards fell into the sink, stirring up layers of foam.

Liang Yongping had noticed it too. She knew it from the moment she realized that in order to wait for Qin Shui to come out, she had never again seen the sun shine on her doorstep.

But she had indulged herself, and she had indulged Qin Shui.

What pained Qin Shui was that Liang Yongping began to avoid her gaze, not daring to see her for days on end.

The shower head wasn’t actually broken; it was just an excuse to see her.

She was different from usual. Those gentle eyes were filled only with the desire for possession.

“Liang Yongping, I’ve fallen for you.”

**

“Amazing, amazing, that was so full of feeling. You acted well too, Mi.”

After “cut” was called, Shen Ruoxi clapped and walked over to the two of them. She gave Yan Wei a polite smile, then leaned in close to Jiang Mi. “In my heart, you’re already Liang Yongping. Really good.”

Jiang Qu’s expression was also very satisfied.

Jiang Mi smiled and made a gesture of New Year’s greetings. “Thank you, thank you.”

She glanced at Yan Wei and quickly looked away.

Although “I wouldn’t say that” wasn’t “hate,” she felt she should restrain herself a bit, even though she was always hoping that Yan Wei would praise her for something.

Jiang Mi retied her hair. Her shoulder-length hair was barely tied into a tail, looking both charming and playful. She then continued to chat with Shen Ruoxi. In the drama, they were fiancées with no feelings for each other, but off-screen, they got along very well.

Yan Wei wrapped herself in a coat and returned to the break room, accompanied by Bai Qiu. She sat down on the folding recliner and closed her eyes slightly.

Bai Qiu asked if she wanted water, but she didn’t seem to hear.

Soon, Yan Wei opened her eyes and looked at the desktop. There was a food bag with a coffee and pastry logo on it.

Noticing her gaze, Bai Qiu immediately said, “President Tan had someone send it over. She said the support truck is on its way.”

No response.

Clearly, Yan Wei was not in a good mood today.

This was Bai Qiu’s most dreaded moment. She couldn’t pinpoint the source of her nervousness. Although Yan Wei wasn’t usually warm to people, as long as you didn’t make a mistake or act recklessly, she wouldn’t make things difficult for you. In fact, compared to other big shots, Yan Wei was considered peaceful. Of course, one could also say that Yan Wei couldn’t be bothered to make things difficult for her and had never treated her unfairly in terms of benefits.

But she was just afraid of Yan Wei.

This feeling was even stronger when she discovered that even Surui didn’t dare to be too relaxed in front of Yan Wei.

Jiang Mi and Shen Ruoxi were standing outside chatting, each holding a drink and wearing a coat, talking about interesting things that happened when they first entered the industry.

At that time, in order to earn 100 yuan, Jiang Mi had taken a job as a corpse. The casting director had said it was the wife of an important supporting character, and the requirements weren’t that strict; she could even breathe normally. She was very happy and went.

“It really wasn’t strict. I could earn money just by lying down. But you know what? I lay in a coffin for a whole day. They even forgot about me. The key thing was that the coffin was high, so in the middle of the night, I had to jump out, and I scared a few extras so much they screamed. Everyone went crazy.”

Shen Ruoxi laughed loudly. “Weren’t you suspicious after staying there for a whole day? Didn’t you hear anything?”

Jiang Mi said with regret, “I fell asleep.”

Yes, because the night before, in order to “get to know the big brothers and sisters,” Zhao Jia had taken her to a nightclub for the whole night. So the next day, she had caught up on eight hours of sleep in the coffin.

“Hahahaha, oh my stomach, that’s hilarious.” Shen Ruoxi wiped away a tear and smoothed the corner of her eye. “How are you so likable? So interesting.”

Jiang Mi: “Me? I’m alright. There are plenty of people who don’t like me.”

Shen Ruoxi was surprised. Jiang Mi was very fair, not just her skin, but the feeling she gave off. Her eyelashes were curled, and the smile in her peach-blossom eyes would draw people’s attention without fail.

She thought of a harmless vixen, with soft, pure white fur, whose eyes could melt your heart. Being with Jiang Mi felt so approachable, so comfortable.

“No way. You just don’t know your own charm.” Shen Ruoxi lowered her voice. “But don’t worry, I have a partner. I’m not interested in you.”

Jiang Mi: “…Does anyone online know about this?” Can you just say that casually?

Shen Ruoxi: “Nope.”

“Then why did you tell me?”

“So if anyone finds out, it was you who said it.”

“……….”

Are you crazy? Are you okay? Jiang Mi almost blurted out.

Shen Ruoxi watched her expression and couldn’t help but clutch her stomach, laughing so hard she was shaking. How could this person be so interesting?

As the two were chatting idly, they saw Yan Wei come out of the break room.

The sunlight slanted across the woman’s body. It seemed that it was only right for everything in this world to favor this person. Their eyes met, and Jiang Mi hastily looked away. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Yan Wei’s cold eyes seemed to have swept over her and Shen Ruoxi’s hands.

Jiang Mi felt a little uncomfortable.

Shen Ruoxi was talking cheerfully, but Jiang Mi was a bit distracted. In their hands was only one cup of her homemade kiwi juice.

Normally, she would have made a cup for Yan Wei today as well, but Shen Ruoxi had heard from Zhao Jia that she was drinking her own homemade juice and had asked to try her skills. She had happily given it to her.

It just so happened that Yan Wei’s cup had spilled when she took it out, and it didn’t look very good, so she had drunk it herself today.

But she didn’t think Yan Wei would care. Anyway, most of the time, the things she gave Yan Wei ended up with Bai Qiu. Besides, she had seen that someone had already sent something better in.

“Let me tell you something funny too.”

Just like that, Jiang Mi’s attention was quickly pulled away by Shen Ruoxi.

In the middle of it, Jiang Qu came to find Shen Ruoxi. Jiang Mi took a stool and her script and sat in the shade by the sun to read. There were many green plants around the set, and the air occasionally carried the scent of grass and earth. She liked this feeling; the vitality and life made her feel fulfilled.

She was engrossed in studying the script.

The scene to be filmed today was the one after the fitting room scene—

Liang Yongping and Bai Xiao returned home. Liang Yongping was also nervous. The moment the door closed, her shoulders hunched.

Fortunately, not long after returning home, Bai Xiao received an urgent work call and quickly changed her clothes and left.

However, just as Bai Xiao left and before Liang Yongping could fully catch her breath, the sound of the door sounded again. Opening the door, she was met with Qin Shui’s red and ferocious eyes.

Jiang Mi was engrossed in her thoughts about the script when a smiling voice called her name.

She looked up and saw Shen Ruoxi in the distance, holding a box of cake, waving at her and calling, “Come on, come on.”

She smiled at Shen Ruoxi, stood up, and was about to wave back when a cool, familiar voice sounded like thunder in her ear.

“Jiang Mi.”

Jiang Mi’s heart tightened. She turned her head.

From Yan Wei’s steps, it seemed she was heading to the set. Her face was expressionless.

She heard Yan Wei say, “Come here and run lines.”

***

Author’s Notes

Yan Wei: Why is my heart itching so much [Angry]