After an Alluring Alpha Provokes an Unhinged Omega 53

Chapter 53: Lens

The hotel lights shone on the glass window at the end of the corridor, outlining Jiang Mi’s long figure.

Jiang Mi’s steps were hurried, almost a jog towards the elevator.

Just as she was about to reach the elevator, a familiar laugh suddenly entered her ears, and the silence of the hallway was instantly broken. Jiang Mi’s heart sank.

She stopped in her tracks. The person in front of the elevator, in a well-tailored suit, was turning her head and chatting and laughing with her assistant. Who else could it be but Shen Ruoxi?

The joy and leisure in Shen Ruoxi’s eyes were a stark contrast to her anxiety.

Almost as a reflex, Jiang Mi’s body moved a step faster than her thoughts. She subconsciously turned her head and lowered it, wanting to pretend she hadn’t seen them, and quickly turned back from the wall.

However, it was too late—

“Teacher Jiang!”

Shen Ruoxi’s assistant suddenly called out to her.

Jiang Mi: “…”

Jiang Mi naturally turned her body, pretending to have been tidying her clothes just now. “Hi…”

Shen Ruoxi’s eyes lit up when she saw her, and she walked over quickly. “Oh, it really is you! You weren’t at the set yesterday! There was no one to chat with after work. It was so boring. What were you up to?”

A series of questions were thrown at Jiang Mi.

Jiang Mi’s brain was working at high speed, racking her brains for an excuse. “I just went out for a walk, to buy some food.”

Shen Ruoxi immediately clapped her hands. “What a coincidence! We were just planning to go out for dinner!”

She took a half step forward, her shoulder bumping against Jiang Mi’s. “It’s no fun being alone. Come with us, right? I know a new, super great restaurant. We were just about to go.”

Jiang Mi only felt her scalp tingle. “That’s too much trouble. I’ll just walk around by myself. You guys go eat.”

Shen Ruoxi dismissed it, “What’s the trouble! The more the merrier. Besides, I’ll be happier eating with you. Please, come with us.”

Even though she was a “popular star,” she had never put on airs, so Jiang Mi was instead a little embarrassed.

Jiang Mi: “…”

The assistant also spoke up at the right time, “Yes, let’s go together, Teacher Jiang. We’re all going to eat anyway.”

Jiang Mi pursed her lips and was half-pushed, half-coaxed into the elevator by Shen Ruoxi.

She was thinking in her heart, how was she going to explain this to Yan Wei? It was too late to say she regretted it now. Why couldn’t her useless brain come up with a decent excuse to get away?

On the way, she hurriedly sent a message to Yan Wei during a break.

[Sister, I… might not be able to come for a while.]

Yan Wei’s reply was glaringly concise: [?]

Jiang Mi explained the whole story to Yan Wei. She bit her lip, her fingertips flying:

[I’m sorry, I’ll find a chance to slip away in a bit.]

Followed by a “pitiful” little emoji.

After two seconds, without waiting for Yan Wei’s reply, Jiang Mi, with a nervous heart, was led into a late-night congee shop by Shen Ruoxi. When she was ordering, she opened the dialog box again.

After that “?”, Yan Wei had not replied to her message.

Jiang Mi’s fingertips hovered over the screen, and she was about to say something else.

“The other party is typing…” suddenly flashed at the top of the chat box.

Jiang Mi’s heart stopped for a moment. She held her breath and waited for the other party’s reply. A few seconds later, the message popped up.

[Asleep.]

Jiang Mi paused slightly.

The rising steam from the clay pot blurred her vision. Jiang Mi stared at the gradually cooling screen, her mood melancholic. This was also her own fault. At this moment, she was really on pins and needles.

Jiang Mi: [I’ll be back soon.]

Jiang Mi: [Sister.]

Jiang Mi: [Sister.]

Jiang Mi: [I was wrong, sister. Sob sob sob.]

But no matter how she sent messages, Yan Wei did not reply to her.

Forty minutes later, the cold air of the elevator lobby surrounded her. Jiang Mi, who had finally managed to get away, returned to the hotel floor early.

Standing in the silent corridor, an urgency drove her to open the dialog box again: [Sister… are you asleep?]

The message was still like a stone thrown into the deep sea.

She called Yan Wei. The only sound on the carpet, illuminated by the corridor lights, was her own clear footsteps. The only sound in her ear was the continuous “beep—beep—” from the receiver, monotonous and stubborn.

It was so late… who was Yan Wei talking to?

She stood in the corridor for ten minutes, and when she looked at her phone again, there was still no reply. Jiang Mi sighed and returned to her own room.

Her back was against the cold door panel, her fingertips rubbing the edge of her phone: [Good night, sister. See you tomorrow.]

In Yan Wei’s suite.

Mo Xi’s voice came through the receiver, with a careful sob, “Sis, I know Mom has hurt you too deeply… but when she’s sober, she always talks about you…” The end of her voice was cut off by an uncontrollable sob. “Can you come back and see her?”

Yan Wei swirled the ice-cold white wine in her glass. The cold liquid reflected the shattered lights of the city outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

That colorful light was crushed even more in her eyes. “Are you done?”

“Don’t abandon us…” Mo Xi finally broke down. “In my heart, you will always be my sister.”

Yan Wei hung up the phone.

Abandon them?

Yan Wei sneered. The cold liquid rolled down her throat. She glanced at the faint light that lit up the phone screen again.

On the screen was Jiang Mi’s last good night.

The wine glass was placed on the coffee table, and the remaining liquid reflected her cold lip line.

The next moment, the phone drew an arc and finally landed with a dull thud on the carpet, the screen facing down, covering all the unread messages, leaving only a faint blue light seeping from the edge, like an unspoken sigh.

The next day.

Jiang Mi arrived at the set early.

The door to Yan Wei’s break room was ajar, and a faint whisper came from inside.

Jiang Mi took a deep breath, her fingertips tightening slightly on the cool coffee cup. She knocked on the door, then gently pushed it open. The soft, warm light of the break room poured out, carrying Yan Wei’s unique faint fragrance.

Yan Wei was sitting in front of the large makeup mirror, her eyes closed, letting the makeup artist lightly sweep honey powder on her deep-set features.

She was wearing the black, low-cut long dress from today’s scene, which made the lines of her profile even colder.

She didn’t turn her head, not even her eyelashes trembled.

That huge mirror reflected Jiang Mi’s slightly awkward figure.

“Teacher Yan,” Jiang Mi began, glanced at the makeup artist, her voice a little dry, “morning.”

The air froze for two seconds.

The makeup artist’s hand seemed to have slowed down a beat. She smiled politely at Jiang Mi. The last time in the DK restroom, she had touched up Jiang Mi’s makeup, but they had professional ethics. They would pretend not to have seen what they shouldn’t have known.

Jiang Mi took a step forward and placed the coffee on the table by Yan Wei’s hand. “I only added a little bit of sugar.”

“Click.”

A faint sound.

Yan Wei’s long fingers casually tapped the tabletop.

Yan Wei looked up, but not at her, but through the mirror, at the makeup artist behind her.

There was no strong emotion in her eyes. She just faintly instructed the makeup artist, “You can go out first.”

The moment her words fell, Jiang Mi’s heart was in her throat.

After the person left and the door was tightly closed, only Jiang Mi and Yan Wei were left in the break room. Jiang Mi looked at Yan Wei’s expression, pursed her lips, and took the initiative to walk forward.

She inserted the straw into the coffee and then brought it to Yan Wei’s lips.

“Don’t be angry with me.”

“Why should I be angry?”

“I shouldn’t have agreed at that time. No matter what excuse I used, I shouldn’t have gone.” Afterwards, Jiang Mi also felt that it was inappropriate. Putting herself in her shoes, if they had originally arranged to meet, but in the middle of it, Yan Wei had left with someone else, she would also be sad.

Yan Wei had every right to be angry.

Before apologizing, she had already prepared herself mentally.

“Sister…”

Her hand tentatively landed on Yan Wei’s shoulder, but Yan Wei turned her body to avoid it.

Yan Wei: “Stand properly.”

Jiang Mi: “…”

Jiang Mi stood obediently in place. Time passed, second by second. Yan Wei picked up a makeup brush and swept it across her cheek, but Yan Wei still ignored her.

Jiang Mi couldn’t help but call out again, “Sister, I was wrong. I was really wrong.”

The moment her words fell, a knock sounded at the door. Zhao Jia’s voice came from outside, “Mimi, Director Jiang is looking for you.”

“Coming,” Jiang Mi replied, and then looked at Yan Wei’s expression again.

“Sister, can we have dinner together tonight?” Jiang Mi said to Yan Wei in a low voice before leaving. After she finished speaking, she reluctantly walked out. “Then I’ll go over first.”

When she reached the door, she didn’t know what she was thinking. She stopped, turned, and walked a few steps to Yan Wei’s side, bent down, and kissed Yan Wei’s face hard.

“I’ll kiss you even if you’re angry!”

After she finished speaking, Jiang Mi “slipped away.”

The break room returned to silence. Yan Wei’s gaze slowly moved up from the makeup brush and finally landed on her cheek in the mirror.

The tightly pressed corners of her lips finally showed signs of loosening.

Although it was just past eight in the morning, her skin already felt sticky and hot. Jiang Mi stood by Jiang Qu’s side, listening to Jiang Qu ask about the next scene with Yan Wei.

“This is the most important ‘bed scene’ in the whole drama, and also a major turning point in Yongping and Qin Shui’s relationship. You must pay attention to your emotions. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can say it, and we can communicate first.”

Jiang Mi thought for a moment, thought of the plot of the story, thought of the ending, and her mood became heavy again.

“Director Jiang, there’s a question I’ve actually wanted to ask for a long time.”

“Go ahead.”

“The people in this story… did they really exist?”

Hearing this, Jiang Qu was silent for a few seconds. She subconsciously touched her work pocket, took out a slim cigarette from the cigarette case, glanced at Jiang Mi, and didn’t immediately light it.

Then she replied, “They did.”

**

The sunlight shone through the window, covering the room with a glaring white. Liang Yongping was curled up on the sofa, motionless. There were only two days left before she would leave this place.

These days, her appetite seemed to have disappeared, and food was tasteless.

In just a few days, she was as thin as a wind-worn pothos leaf.

On this day of bright sunshine, she sat dryly on the sofa.

It was also on this sudden day that the door knocked.

When the door was knocked, the abruptness broke the stagnant air. Thump, thump, thump—the sound continued, stubbornly squeezing into her silence.

Liang Yongping finally got up, annoyed. Her footsteps were impatient from being disturbed.

Of course, she hadn’t expected this person to be Qin Shui.

The moment the door opened, that figure approached without a word, bringing the lingering heat from outside with her.

A kiss, like a sudden downpour at the end of summer, fell without warning.

Just like that, without any warning, Qin Shui kissed her…

The door closed.

The door closed softly behind her.

By the bed in the bedroom, the starched white sheets were neatly folded, like a still period.

But this silence was finally completely shattered by the two’s almost-tearing movements.

The fabric made a faint sound in the fierce pulling. At this moment, Jiang Qu’s “artistic sex” reached its highest point—

It was lifted high, rolled up, like a suddenly surging white wave, and also like the last curtain of a theater’s curtain call, falling heavily on the two of them.

It covered the two figures and the continuous chirping of cicadas outside the window, blocking out all the glaring light and sound.

The sound of tearing silk, the rapid and chaotic panting, and the incessant chirping of cicadas, mixed together, were the last evidence of this summer’s existence.

Liang Yongping held onto Qin Shui tightly in a daze. The flush on the other’s skin was exceptionally clear in the faint light that passed through the white sheet.

That pair of eyes, staring at her, were burning with an almost-devouring infatuation.

But just like that, an inexplicable panic welled up from the bottom of Liang Yongping’s heart without warning, so cold it was bone-chilling, pressing down on the scorching heat of her skin.

As if she had a premonition of something irreversible, she felt that she was standing on the edge of a cliff, and Qin Shui seemed to be about to fall before her, and she could no longer be pulled back.

Her eyes suddenly became hot.

The words were stuck in her throat, but when she met the almost-illusory smile on Qin Shui’s lips, she was suddenly speechless.

In this silent confrontation, Qin Shui suddenly tightened her grip on her hand and forcefully brought it to her own lips…

Jiang Mi was in a daze for a moment.

The boundary between sight and touch collapsed between the real scene and the focused lens, merging. For a moment, she couldn’t distinguish between the two.

But in the end, she responded very quickly, perfectly picking up “Liang Yongping’s” emotions. The sensation from her knuckles was so soft and scorching hot.

It was her mouth, her tongue, her teeth.

Her tongue was bitten hard by Yan Wei, as if in revenge for her breaking their appointment last night. She knew this would happen, but she hadn’t expected it to be in front of the camera.

The camera greedily pushed in, capturing the shattering of their expressions, but it couldn’t penetrate everything.

Everything was shrouded in a deliberately created haze.

Then, Jiang Mi heard Yan Wei’s voice, so low, her breath scorching hot as it brushed against the sensitive hairs on her ear.

Jiang Mi heard Yan Wei say.

“Get—on me.”

“You’d better be able to make me die here.”

That was Qin Shui’s line.

After a long time, the white sheet was covering Qin Shui’s naked body. She was so stained with desire that she was almost bleeding red. The rise and fall of her breathing indicated that everything just now was not an illusion at all.

However, her expression was exceptionally calm. She turned her head and looked at Liang Yongping so quietly.

“Liang Yongping, goodbye.”

**

The moment it ended, Jiang Qu stood up and said a heavy “Good.” Jiang Mi wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she seemed to see that Jiang Qu’s eyes were red.

She also hadn’t completely come out of it yet. She lowered her reddened eyes. It was a feeling of loss and sadness, a pain that was hard to calm down after getting into the character of Liang Yongping.

She wanted to hold Qin Shui so much.

Don’t go.

Don’t say goodbye.

Don’t.

She wanted to tell Qin Shui so much, Liang Yongping loves you.

She really loves you so much.

Can’t you two just not—end like this?

Jiang Mi heard the remaining staff on set give her a thumbs-up, not as a tease for the scene just now, “You acted so well. Really, Mimi, so good.”

“Yeah, if I weren’t on set, I would have thought you two were for real just now,” a staff member said in a low voice.

Jiang Mi endured the discomfort in her heart, but her face was still red, and her heart was still pounding.

Everyone had thought that she and Yan Wei were just acting just now. Even with the accumulation of camera and audio, apart from the people themselves, no one knew if the actions under the skirt were real or fake…

After all, even she found it hard to believe.

She and Yan Wei had actually, in front of the camera, under that thin bedsheet, done it once…

Those two words were “Qin Shui’s” lines.

But they were also Yan Wei’s command.