Su Jintao cracked an egg, and the shell fell onto the pancake skin. She looked up and smiled awkwardly at the Omega waiting to buy pancakes: “Miss, I’m sorry, let me make you a new one.”
The Omegas gathered around, teasing: “Hey, you’re a pancake seller who can’t even make pancakes. Are you an undercover cop?”
“You’ve figured me out already? You ladies are so clever.”
As Su Jintao was about to crack another egg, her wrist was grabbed. She turned her head in shock to see Lu Zhiyuan’s magnified, delicate face.
“Yuanbao, why are you pulling me?”
“Hey hey hey, let go! I still need to make pancakes for the ladies.”
Lu Zhiyuan ignored her protests and dragged her to the shade of a tree, leaving the group of Omegas looking at each other in confusion.
Omega A: “Ahhh, how can there be such a wow Alpha in this world?”
Omega B: “Has even selling pancakes become so competitive now? The looks keep getting better and better!”
Su Jintao angrily shook off Lu Zhiyuan’s hand, her tone sour like a lemon: “Lu Yuanbao, let go. I’m not as lucky as some people, with Omegas paying to keep me. Go away, don’t disturb me from making money!”
Lu Zhiyuan couldn’t be bothered with her sour words: “Susu, last time I heard you say your radio station is launching a new blind date show?”
“That’s right, why do you ask?” Su Jintao turned to look at her, joy gradually welling up in her eyes: “Lu Zhiyuan, you’re not thinking of participating in this show, are you?”
Before Lu Zhiyuan could answer, she was already excitedly clapping her hands: “Holy shit, if the head of the Lu Group could come on my show, the ratings would go through the roof! You know that Orange TV recently launched a reality show that went viral and overshadowed our station? We used to be unrivaled in the industry, but now investors and advertisers are all rushing to work with them. I’ve been pissed off for a long time. Lu Yuanbao, you have to help me get revenge.”
Lu Zhiyuan’s mouth twitched imperceptibly, then she forced out a friendly smile: “I was going to say… your TV station must need stylists for the new show, right?”
Su Jintao thought for a moment: “This dating show will have 24 Omega guests, so makeup is indeed quite demanding. But we’ve already hired two stylists who will start next Monday.”
Lu Zhiyuan leaned in close: “Hire one more.”
Su Jintao rarely saw her smile so brightly, and backed away warily: “Hey, Lu Zhiyuan, hiring makeup artists isn’t free, you know. Don’t you know our station’s budget is very tight?”
Lu Zhiyuan’s long lashes fluttered: “What if… Lu Group is willing to sponsor?”
Su Jintao was completely confused.
Lu Zhiyuan had always kept business and personal matters separate, making all decisions based on the company’s development and never mixing personal feelings into work.
Su Jintao had proposed collaboration to Lu Zhiyuan more than once, but was always politely refused on the grounds that “the show is conventional and lacks innovation.”
Now, why was she suddenly offering to sponsor the show?
Su Jintao repeated uncertainly: “You really want to invest in this show?”
Lu Zhiyuan nodded.
Su Jintao belatedly realized: “You want to hire Shen Qiaoyi as the stylist?”
Lu Zhiyuan nodded again.
Su Jintao bargained: “Then… Shen Qiaoyi’s labor costs?”
Lu Zhiyuan calmly replied: “To be paid by Lu Group.”
Su Jintao finally understood – Lu Zhiyuan’s essence was double standards.
“Wow, Lu Yuanbao, I always thought you only loved making money. I didn’t expect you’d care so much about an Omega… tsk tsk tsk…” Su Jintao teasingly elbowed her back: “Hey, Shen Qiaoyi is paying to keep you, but you’re secretly paying her wages behind her back…”
Su Jintao paused, then suddenly laughed: “Doesn’t this count as… keeping yourself?”
Lu Zhiyuan gave her a “you’re meddling too much” look: “Remember to keep it secret, don’t let it slip.”
“You you you you you… Lu Yuanbao, you’re done for!” Su Jintao circled around her, her gaze falling on her face: “You’ve fallen for Shen Qiaoyi.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Lu Zhiyuan turned away to avoid her scrutiny, and to cover up something, she feigned composure and looked around: “Um… why hasn’t Grandma Luo come back yet, I’ll go look for her.”
Su Jintao watched her flee in panic, grinning from ear to ear.
Miss Lu was just a strange creature who couldn’t express her true feelings.
Hah! Keep denying it.
I’ll just quietly watch and wait for the day you slap your own face.
…
When Shen Qiaoyi returned to the studio, Song Yin was already waiting in the photography studio on the second floor.
Shen Qiaoyi took a deep breath, her slender fingers digging into her palms to barely suppress the disgust in her heart. She walked expressionlessly towards the makeup table and set up the curling iron.
“Yiyi…” Song Yin leaned in close, grabbing her hand greasily and smiling maliciously: “You’ve been ignoring me lately, trying to get my attention, right?”
Shen Qiaoyi quickly pulled her hand away, the disgust on her face unconcealed: “Teacher Song, please restrain yourself.”
Song Yin looked up and saw there were no cameras installed in the makeup room, growing bolder: “Alright, I admit it, you’ve achieved your goal. I’m now… very interested in you.”
Shen Qiaoyi refused bluntly: “Sorry, I have zero interest in you.”
Song Yin didn’t seem angry, but smiled carelessly: “Yiyi, there’s no point in pretending anymore. We’re all adults, we understand. I know you want to go public with our relationship. How about this – you move in with me, and if the media happens to catch us, then… wouldn’t that count as going public?”
Shen Qiaoyi’s lips curled in mockery.
From the sound of it, she wanted her to live together, but wouldn’t actively acknowledge the relationship. Even if exposed by the media, she wouldn’t respond or defend her, leaving her to face the online abuse alone.
Heh, what ultimate scumbag Alpha talk!
The original owner’s taste was really… terrible.
Shen Qiaoyi suppressed the disgust in her heart and asked flatly with sarcasm in her eyes: “Teacher Song, didn’t you say the same thing to He Yu?”
Song Yin froze for a moment, then smiled even more smugly as if realizing something: “So you’re jealous?”
Shen Qiaoyi felt like she was going to be sick. She wondered if the original owner had done some bootlicking behavior not written in the novel to make this scumbag Alpha so narcissistic.
Seeing her not speak, the smugness in Song Yin’s tone became even more obvious: “Yiyi, actually you’re still my favorite. How can He Yu compares to you? She’s just an A-level Omega with such a low pheromone level, so boring. And she’s so shameless too. I’ve wanted to dump her for a long time.”
Shen Qiaoyi had reached her limit of tolerance. She packed up her makeup box, preparing to leave: “Song Yin, listen. From now on, I will no longer be responsible for your makeup. Please choose someone else in the studio.”
Song Yin reached out to grab her, but Shen Qiaoyi dodged to the side.
As they struggled, the studio door suddenly opened–
“Yiyi…” Lin Ying walked over to Shen Qiaoyi with swaying steps like a compass, pulling her towards the exit: “Channel 3 came to our studio saying they want to hire two external stylists. They require first-class certification and award-winning works. In our studio, only you and Siya meet the conditions…”
Before they reached the door, a hand blocked their way. Only then did Lin Ying notice Song Yin, whom she had ignored the whole time.
“Oh my, Actress Song, I’m so sorry. Yiyi’s work has changed suddenly. I’ll have Vivi do your makeup instead.”
“I only want Shen Qiaoyi!” Song Yin’s face immediately darkened: “Lin Ying, we signed an agreement. If you can’t meet my requirements, that’s a breach of contract and you’ll have to pay damages according to the contract.”
Lin Ying smiled slightly: “No problem, we’ll follow the contract then. The damages… I’ll pay them.”
Song Yin was caught off guard, never expecting the usually money-grubbing Lin Ying to breach the contract. She stood there dumbfounded, unable to react for a long time.
On the other hand, Shen Qiaoyi was uneasy the whole way: “Sister Ying, the damages are not a small amount. You…”
“The pay from Channel 3 is more than enough to cover ten times the damages. Why should I care about her?” Lin Ying looked back at Song Yin and spat: “Acting all high and mighty after filming a few web dramas. I’ve been sick of serving her for a long time, pah!”
Shen Qiaoyi: “…”
…
After successfully signing with Channel 3 and being able to completely get rid of Song Yin in the future, Shen Qiaoyi was in an extremely good mood.
She leaned back relaxed against the car seat, tapping the steering wheel with her fingertips.
Five minutes later, the car door opened and Zheng Siya, wearing a waist-length backless dress, sat in the passenger seat. She winked at her: “You’re so happy today. Come on, let’s have a drink!”
Shen Qiaoyi started the car, glancing at her side and laughing: “What style are you going for? Isn’t it a bit too exaggerated?”
Zheng Siya took out lipstick from her bag and applied it in the mirror, smiling flirtatiously: “Little Jina likes me dressed like this.”
She adjusted her bangs and turned to ask: “Are we going to ‘No Alcohol’?”
No Alcohol?
Zhimian…
Shen Qiaoyi’s red lips moved silently, savoring this name.
Next week, she would be moving in to live with her.
She missed her so much.
Couldn’t wait a week, wanted to see her now.
“Are we going?” Zheng Siya asked again.
Shen Qiaoyi took out her phone, opened her chat with Lu Zhiyuan, typed and sent a WeChat message, then turned her head and replied: “Let’s go.”
…
When Lu Zhiyuan received Shen Qiaoyi’s WeChat message, she was in the middle of a quarterly financial report meeting.
In the grand and solemn conference room on the top floor of the group building, Lu Zhiyuan sat at the head seat in a Uniqlo high-end suit, intently flipping through the report in her hand, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
The financial director was a balding male Alpha sitting below Lu Zhiyuan. Despite facing the air conditioning vent, his forehead was covered in sweat.
The phone on the table made a “ding” sound.
Lu Zhiyuan looked up from the documents, her gaze falling on the line of text that popped up on the screen.
[Zhiyuan, I’m coming to No Alcohol to see you later.]