After Being Clung to by a Gentle, Seductive Omega - Chapter 12

Three days later.

“Cut!”

The shout echoed beneath the blazing sun. Wu Langli’s face was full of joy. Bo Shuang had kept this role, which meant the large share of profits Chairwoman Yue had promised her was also safe.

“President Ji, look at every scene we shot today. It’s honestly amazing. Every single one passed in one take.”

Ji Congyan gave a faint hum, her gaze falling on the monitor.

The monitor was replaying the scene from just now.

Bright sunlight fell over the face of the newly appointed general-king. In the short time since she had taken over power, she had broken through doubts and personally stained her hands with blood and violence.

On her face, the softness that had once been pure to the extreme was now dyed with the firmness and strength a military ruler should possess.

Her plain black mourning clothes made her look thin and slender, yet all the soldiers submitted to her wholeheartedly. They answered in unison, their voices loud as bells.

“Yes!”

Back in reality, Bo Shuang stood beneath an umbrella, still wearing that hot, stuffy, black costume. Thin sweat seeped from her forehead, and her assistant and makeup artist were dealing with it using tissues.

Her face was no longer as pale as it had been three days ago. Her cheeks had been warmed by the sun into a healthy faint pink.

Ji Congyan withdrew her gaze.

The crew’s money tree was fine, so she felt at ease.

“I’ll come to inspect the crew from time to time. I hope Director Wu can keep your lead actress performing at a stable level.”

“Yes, yes, yes. Even if you didn’t say it, I understand. We’re aiming for the Lunar New Year slot, so we can’t afford delays. President Ji, just leave it to me. You’re welcome to come inspect anytime.”

Wu Langli watched Ji Congyan leave.

“President Ji~”

Before Ji Congyan could enter the lounge, a familiar voice approached from beside her.

Yu Chen was very self-aware and stood at the door without entering, maintaining an appropriate distance from President Ji so as not to annoy her.

“Am I completely out of the running?”

“Whether you are or not, can’t you tell for yourself?”

Ji Congyan did not even give her a glance. She sat down directly on the sofa with her back to the door and began looking through documents.

Yu Chen let out a long sigh.

“Her acting really has improved again. She’s impossible to catch up to.”

Cen Sang smiled from the side.

“You’ve only just finished your previous project. There’s no harm in resting a little longer. In a few months, the company will have several top-level projects for you to choose from.”

Yu Chen said, “That’s true, but for the new project three months later, the director and screenwriter both favor Bo Shuang more. I’ve read that script too, and it really is more suitable for Bo Shuang. She can seamlessly move straight into another major production.”

Without raising her head, Ji Congyan said, “Are you very free? Your skills are inferior, yet instead of going back to improve, you’re here complaining?”

Yu Chen choked, then stamped her foot.

“President Ji… One of your capable generals is about to sit idle for half a year. Aren’t you anxious?”

Ji Congyan’s back was cold and ruthless.

“Noisy. You’re disturbing my work.”

Cen Sang made a “please” gesture toward Yu Chen and swiftly closed the door.

Yu Chen did not continue asking for embarrassment and instead wandered over to Wu Langli’s side to watch the filming.

Bo Shuang was not on set. She asked in confusion, “Where is she?”

Wu Langli stared at the monitor. “It’s too hot outside. She went back to the lounge.”

In the lounge, Liu Fan stood on a high chair, fiddling with the wall-mounted air conditioner, her head covered in sweat.

“Sister, this air conditioner really is broken. The repairman has too many orders. He won’t be able to come until tomorrow.”

This row of lounges had all been temporarily built. The roof was directly exposed to the sun, so the air conditioner had to be turned to its lowest temperature every day just to keep people from sweating.

Bo Shuang sat in front of the vanity with her eyes closed.

The sweat seeping from her forehead was even heavier than outside. At least outside, there was wind, so it was a little cooler.

Hearing Liu Fan’s words, she only gave a soft hum.

Liu Fan knew Bo Shuang had been hospitalized a few days ago. Worried about her health, she gritted her teeth.

“Sister, wait here. I’ll go next door and ask to borrow President Ji’s lounge.”

“Fanfan—”

Bo Shuang opened her eyes, but unfortunately, she called too late. Liu Fan had already swept out the door like a wheel of fire.

Cen Sang opened the door in response and looked at the visitor in confusion.

Cool air rushed out from the room, slightly easing Liu Fan’s nervousness.

“Assistant Cen, h-hello. I’m Sister Bo’s assistant. It’s like this. The air conditioner in our lounge broke, and it’s as hot and stuffy as a sauna inside. May we borrow President Ji’s lounge?”

“President Ji.”

Cen Sang turned back.

The room was small, so Ji Congyan heard everything clearly.

“How many people? More than three won’t do.”

Liu Fan was pleasantly surprised.

“Only three. Sister Bo, me, and the makeup artist. We promise to be very quiet and won’t cause you trouble.”

Ji Congyan flipped a page of the document in her hand and said faintly, “Fine.”

Liu Fan returned next door and quietly announced the good news. The makeup artist was overjoyed and hurriedly packed up, carefully checking that she did not leave behind a single cosmetic item.

Bo Shuang brought Liu Fan and the makeup artist and gently knocked on the door next door.

Cen Sang’s voice was very soft.

“Film Queen Bo, please come in. President Ji is in a meeting, so please try not to make any sound.”

The new lounge was spacious, and the temperature was neither too cold nor too hot. For Bo Shuang, it was just right.

The air carried the Alpha’s faint, elegant fragrance of clear wine atop a snowy peak, which greatly relieved the discomfort caused by the stifling heat earlier.

She walked lightly to the vanity and sat down. Her palm subconsciously rested against her lower abdomen.

The makeup mirror happened to reflect the Alpha mother of the child in her womb, sitting on the sofa behind her.

Beneath Ji Congyan’s shirt was a pure white camisole. The close-fitting camisole outlined the Alpha’s figure: broad shoulders, a narrow waist, bright and grand.

She was currently in a meeting, her calm voice carrying a slight impatience.

[Sister, close your eyes.]

The makeup artist shook her phone screen, and only then did Bo Shuang withdraw her gaze.

This time, Ji Congyan’s two mothers had gone far away and left the company to her because they wanted her to dig out some restless people within the group. Ji Congyan had not expected there to be so many restless people below.

Especially the Ji family’s branch relatives. They were related from three thousand miles away, yet still dared to throw their weight around.

These distant relatives were not as easy to deal with as ordinary employees. They were full of tricks and slippery as eels.

Ji Congyan was concentrating on thinking about how to deal with these people one by one.

Her brows were furrowed, and she looked rather impatient.

Suddenly, a faint fragrance gradually filled her nose. It was like a pair of invisible gentle hands smoothing out the high crease between her brows.

Her thoughts, which had been stuck for quite a while, began to flow again, becoming smoother and clearer.

Very quickly, she figured out the key to dealing with those people.

She quickly typed an email and sent it to her two mothers. The reply came back very quickly.

They exchanged messages back and forth for the entire afternoon.

When she raised her head from the screen, the sky outside the window had long since turned orange.

“Cen Sang, did you call Xunwu?”

“I did. She said she doesn’t want to go home alone. Without you there, the house has no life at all, so she’s waiting for you to pick her up.”

“That little thing really knows how to talk.”

“Doesn’t she?” Cen Sang smiled.

The corners of Ji Congyan’s lips curved slightly. She stood up and stretched her muscles. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw two people sitting in front of the vanity and remembered that at noon, she had let three people from the lead actress’s team come in.

Bo Shuang nodded slightly to greet her.

“Thank you, President Ji.”

Ji Congyan only said faintly, “Mm,” then left the lounge.

The car drove out of the film city. Ji Congyan turned on the massage mode of her seat and comfortably closed her eyes.

“There are people in the crew spreading rumors about you and Film Queen Bo. Do you need them handled?”

She lifted her eyelids. “Who’s spreading them?”

“At first, a few extras saw Film Queen Bo enter your lounge a few days ago and talked about it privately. Then today, they saw Film Queen Bo stay in your lounge for a long time, and the rumor slowly changed as it spread.”

The dangerous light in Ji Congyan’s eyes gradually faded.

As long as it had not been spread by Bo Shuang herself, then there was no problem. She doubted Bo Shuang had the nerve to try extorting her a second time.

·

Nine o’clock at night, city center.

The streets were bustling with people, and on the top floor of the most dazzling skyscraper was the city’s most low-key private club.

From the eighty-eighth floor, one could overlook the entire city.

A woman stood on the terrace, holding a phone. On the screen was a field of pure white.

Looking closely, it was filled with many precise medical devices.

On the spotless white hospital bed lay a thin, elderly woman. Her cheeks were sunken, and her skin was pale.

Outside the screen, the woman’s eyes gradually reddened.

“Auntie… my mom, she…”

“Shh, Miss Bo. Your mother just had surgery.”

“What did the doctor say?”

The camera shook for a while. The auntie took the phone into the corridor. She wore an airtight protective suit and removed her mask, taking several deep breaths before speaking.

“I don’t really understand all those medical terms the doctor said. Um, in short, your mother still needs to lie down for a while before she wakes up.”

Bo Shuang gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Why was the surgery done so suddenly?”

The auntie said, “Ah, I’m not sure either. Maybe her condition worsened. Your father came to sign the documents and then left.”

Bo Shuang focused, gripping the railing tightly.

“My father?”

The auntie said, “Yes, probably your father. If he weren’t your father, the doctor wouldn’t have accepted that signature.”

Bo Shuang said, “May I trouble you to tell me which hospital it is?”

The auntie looked troubled.

“Miss Bo, we all work for Chairwoman Yue. Please don’t make things difficult for me. Chairwoman Yue won’t let me say.”

Footsteps came from the phone. The auntie grew anxious.

“I won’t talk anymore. The nurse is going to remind me about the nursing precautions. I’ll hang up first.”

Beep—

The screen cut off.

Bo Shuang looked at the simple chat with the auntie. There were only video call records. Every call lasted less than a minute, and there were only one or two calls a week.

She took a deep breath and gripped the phone tightly.

“Ah Shuang, the investor is waiting inside. What are you doing outside for so long?”

Yue Hong knocked on the terrace door, her expression displeased.

“Hurry up and come in.”

“Chairwoman Yue, I can’t accept this project.”

Under the moonlight, Bo Shuang stood where she was. Her voice was low, gentle, and hoarse. One could tell at once that she had cried.

“What tantrum are you throwing? Are you putting on a sour face for the investor to see? This project and the Dawn you’re currently filming are the two projects Anji Entertainment values most this year. They’re leaving their own top actress, Yu Chen, unused and extending an olive branch to us. This is a wonderful thing, and you don’t know how to cherish it?”

Yue Hong’s expression darkened slightly.

“The rest time between the two films is completely enough. You say you won’t film, and that’s that? Bo Shuang, are you my great-grandmother or something? Does Yueyu Entertainment have to worship you like some great deity?”

Bo Shuang was silent for a moment.

It was not that she did not want to accept it.

A major production with a good script—of course she liked it.

But as long as the fetus in her womb had not been aborted, she had no way to accept this project.

If she accepted it, that would be irresponsible toward the crew.

Her silence made Yue Hong even angrier.

“Let me tell you, Bo Shuang. You have to accept this film whether you want to or not. Your mother only had surgery today. They used the world’s most advanced machines and invited the top professors and nursing staff. This whole trip cost more than a hundred million.”

Bo Shuang said, “Chairwoman Yue, Dawn is a mainstream patriotic film. Its box office is officially guaranteed. Once the revenue is split into Yueyu Entertainment’s company account, it is expected to be at least one billion.”

This was even an extremely conservative figure.

In recent years, as long as the films starred her or Yu Chen, the box office for commercial films never fell below eight billion.

The Dawn currently being filmed, combined with the effect of being a mainstream patriotic film and the official protection and support behind the scenes, would only earn more, not less.

It could be said that Bo Shuang and Yu Chen each earned more than three billion every year for their respective companies.

They were unshakable existences, like money trees.

Yue Hong lit a cigarette.

“Ah Shuang, one matter is one matter. The company supported you from an unknown amateur to your current position as film queen. Don’t you know how much money was spent on you from beginning to end?”

“You don’t have Yu Chen’s family background, and you weren’t born with that rich and prosperous life, yet you still try to act noble. I told you to accompany the bosses, and you refused. Do you know how much effort I spent forcibly turning you into the youngest film queen!? Then pay back all the money your parents owe me right now! If you can’t pay it back, then damn well film!”

She viciously stepped out the cigarette.

Yue Hong brought Bo Shuang back to the private room.

This was the second recent collaboration between Anji Entertainment and Yueyu Entertainment.

The previous collaboration had been approved by Ji Congyan, so there had not been so much socializing. This time, it was said that the project was managed by some distant cousin of Ji Congyan’s. Dinner at night was not enough; they also had to come to this club to play.

Yue Hong pulled Bo Shuang down to sit.

“President Huang, Ah Shuang had some family matters. They’ve already been handled. She’s here now to drink a couple of glasses with you.”

Bo Shuang discreetly glanced at Yue Hong.

Before coming, they had clearly agreed that she would not drink alcohol.

“Film Queen Bo, leaving the room on your own means you have to punish yourself with three glasses. Please.”

President Huang was a potbellied male Alpha with a face full of folds of flesh. He smiled as he looked at Bo Shuang.

Several times, he tried to squeeze toward Yue Hong, but Yue Hong quietly elbowed him back.

The private room was filled with flashing dynamic lights. In the distance, several people were holding microphones and singing like ghosts crying and wolves howling. At the drinking table, everyone’s gaze landed on President Huang and Bo Shuang. Yue Hong cursed Bo Shuang inwardly for not knowing what was good for her.

After waiting for a long time, Bo Shuang still did not accept the glass in President Huang’s hand. She sat with her eyes lowered. President Huang’s hand remained frozen in midair for a long time, and his expression grew darker and darker.

The wine glass slammed heavily onto the table, spilling half its contents.

Through gritted teeth, he said, “Looks like Chairwoman Yue doesn’t know how to teach her people.”

Yue Hong cursed Bo Shuang a hundred times in her heart, but on the surface, she wore a charming smile and lightly pressed down on Huang’s hand.

“Oh, President Huang, Ah Shuang rushed over right after filming. She still hasn’t pulled herself out of her character. Please be magnanimous and don’t lower yourself to her level…”

“Yue Hong, do you damn well think I’m a fool!?”

He slammed the table hard. The wine glass shook violently and fell to the floor, shattering into pieces.

The Bo Shuang who had not reacted to the alcohol earlier suddenly moved, lightly turning sideways to avoid the glass shards.

President Huang glared angrily. Alarm bells rang in Yue Hong’s heart. She grabbed Bo Shuang and lowered her voice so that only the two of them could hear.

“Are you sick? It’s just drinking. No one’s asking you to do anything. With me here, what are you worried about? When have I ever harmed you? If I hadn’t stayed in the room to block them for you during the last awards ceremony, do you think you would have escaped?”

“I’m really speechless. Hurry up and drink. Ji is above him, so he doesn’t dare truly do anything to you.”

The people who had been singing also stopped. All of them stared at Bo Shuang with sharp gazes.

Amid the heavy, deadlocked atmosphere, Film Queen Bo slowly opened a bottle of wine, poured it into a glass, and drained it in one gulp.

President Huang’s furious gaze eased somewhat. He clapped his hands.

“Good! Two more glasses left! Drink!”

……

Downstairs, on the eighty-seventh floor.

Ji Xunwu touched her belly. “Sister, today’s food was delicious.”

Ji Congyan chuckled softly. Warm yellow light outlined her bright features.

“Shall we come again next time?”

Ji Xunwu nodded like a chick pecking rice.

“President Ji,” Cen Sang said, “Huang Canghai is upstairs. Anji’s secretary said he’s preparing an ultra-large-scale project for next summer. Should we go up and make a surprise inspection?”

Huang Canghai was a very distant cousin of Ji Congyan’s, the kind related from three thousand miles away. He had served as Anji Entertainment’s vice president for many years and was someone her mother had told her to pay close attention to.

The other party was probably planning to embezzle Anji Entertainment.

“Take Xunwu back to the car. Xunwu.”

Ji Congyan crouched down and looked at the little one at eye level.

“Sit in the car by yourself for a while. If anything happens, call me right away.”

Ji Xunwu said, “Okay, but Sister can’t make me wait too long, or Xunwu will miss you.”

Ji Congyan smiled as she watched her younger sister leave, then went to the eighty-eighth floor.

Unlike the warmth downstairs, the lighting in the club on the eighty-eighth floor was dim. A waiter came forward and said respectfully, “President Ji.”

“Which private room is Huang Canghai in?”

“This way, please.”

……

“A mere film queen and you only have the capacity for two glasses? Yue Hong, are you teaming up with your employee to trick me?”

Huang Canghai stared at the remaining glass of wine on the table. Suddenly, he stood up, holding the wine bottle, and smiled as he stared at Bo Shuang, his eyes full of ill intent.

“Film Queen Bo, if you’re out in society, don’t you understand such simple rules of the industry? Three glasses. Not one less. Understand?”

The wine bottle tapped against his palm as he approached Bo Shuang step by step.

“Otherwise, hehehe, don’t blame me for not knowing how to cherish beauty.”

The instant his words fell, the private room door was pushed open.

Bright corridor light shone inside. A tall, slender figure slowly walked in. The crisp sound of high heels hitting the floor echoed through the silent room.

“Huang Canghai.”

To Huang Canghai, this voice was like that of a ghost. He was so frightened his entire body stiffened like a startled bird.

The woman walked closer step by step. He stiffly retreated, his neck almost shrinking into his collar. She was already several centimeters taller than him even without shoes. With high heels on, he had to tilt his head up to see her.

“Sis…”

“Who is your sis?”

“Cousin…” Huang Canghai looked like he was about to cry.

The bottle in his hand was suddenly gripped. Huang Canghai watched helplessly as the bottle enlarged before his eyes.

Bang!

Glass shattered all over the floor. Blood and alcohol mixed on the man’s head as he trembled and collapsed into the corner, not daring to make another sound.

“Brother Huang!”

“President Huang!”

Ji Congyan turned around. Her brows and eyes were still bright and elegant, and there was no sign at all that she had just smashed open the head of a male Alpha. She accepted the wet wipe Cen Sang handed over and unhurriedly wiped the mixture of alcohol and blood from her gloves.

She casually threw the used wet wipe by Huang Canghai’s feet.

“I didn’t expect Anji Entertainment to hide so much filth—so many rats in the gutter. Cen Sang.”

“Understood.” Cen Sang nodded and continued the president’s words. “Everyone present today is dismissed effective immediately and will be permanently blacklisted by Anji Entertainment and the Ji Group from the industry.”

The police arrived and took away everyone who had participated in forcing the drinking. Cen Sang watched outside. That old fox Yue Hong took the chance to slip away.

Only Ji Congyan and Bo Shuang were left in the private room.

Even the smell of smoke and alcohol in the air could not cover the Omega’s special pheromone fragrance.

A faint orchid and sandalwood scent, mixed with an indescribable sweetness.

Ji Congyan sent a few messages to her mother. After receiving a reply that said [Okay], she put away her phone and left.

“Thank you, President Ji.”

Bo Shuang, who had originally been sitting on the sofa, suddenly stood up.

She was not wearing a costume from the film, but a low-saturation green silk camisole dress. The waist-cinching design outlined her slender waist, which looked delicate enough to be held in one hand. Over it, she wore a thin apricot-colored gauze layer, faintly revealing her fair shoulders.

Her face was flushed with two obvious patches of red, and the smell of alcohol drifted over.

It smelled like the bottle of foreign liquor Huang Canghai had been holding.

Ji Congyan’s brows furrowed slightly.

“This is an internal purge of the Ji Group. Please don’t flatter yourself, Miss Bo.”

The beauty seemed drunk. Her pair of watery peach-blossom eyes were unfocused. She stared blankly at Ji Congyan for a while, as if only then understanding what the other party had said.

She took a step forward, covered her chest, and bowed deeply.

“Even so, thank you, President Ji, for saving me from danger.”

When she straightened, her hair scattered from before her eyes like a curtain. The corners of her eyes, which had clearly still looked normal earlier, were now faintly red.

She wore a gentle and natural smile, but her condition was not good. Her posture as she stood was unsteady, fragile like a willow leaf by the river that could be overturned at any moment.

What does that have to do with me?

Ji Congyan recovered from her brief daze and was just about to leave—

A shadow fell before her eyes, and the swaying beauty grew larger in her sight.