Chapter 31

For a moment, silence fell.

The vast conference hall was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

Then, at a certain instant, the cameras erupted into wild noise, and the low buzz of people whispering rose continuously.

The flashes were aimed at Bo Shuang’s stomach.

If the press conference earlier had been steady and orderly, then at this moment, it was like a red-hot iron thrown into water, the noise surging fiercely.

The two main figures were surrounded in the middle of the red carpet by the crowd, unable to advance or retreat.

Ji Congyan immediately took off her coat and draped the wide jacket around the Omega, fastening the buttons for her and blocking the lower abdomen that the cameras had been continuously focusing on.

So that her child inside the womb would not be blinded by the flashes.

Then she stared coldly at the reporter.

The reporter who had spoken stood on the outer edge of the crowd and was pinned in place by one look.

How could that gaze be described? The other party did not say anything, yet the reporter felt a sense of “death approaching.”

Her body stiffened, and she swallowed with difficulty.

“Security, throw her out.”

The venue security, who had been stunned for a long while, finally recovered and stepped forward to escort the reporter out. The reporter did not shout a single word of injustice the entire time.

Because she knew it was useless even if she did.

The person she had offended was Ji Congyan.

Not just any celebrity.

It was Ji Congyan of the Ji family.

The reporter regretted it. She regretted becoming this bird that stuck its head out.

Immersed in regret, she did not even know how she was escorted outside the doors by security.

In the press hall.

Everyone looked at Ji Congyan and Bo Shuang, but not a single person dared to ask another question. The curiosity in their eyes was practically leaping out.

Everyone was curious about the answer to that question.

“Turn off all your flashes. Otherwise, I won’t answer any questions.”

Ji Congyan’s voice was extremely faint. Everyone hurriedly adjusted their equipment, until the last strange light disappeared.

“I’m very pleased to announce this happy news before so many friends from the media.”

Ji Congyan glanced sideways at Bo Shuang and received the Omega’s gentle, encouraging gaze.

The cameras aimed at this scene and shot frantically.

“My wife, Miss Bo, is indeed currently pregnant. Together, we are nurturing a very cute little embryo baby.”

Ji Congyan had never planned to hide her marriage or child.

If she was photographed, then she would say it openly.

She had thrown out the reporter because the other party’s microphone had suddenly been thrust forward and almost hit Bo Shuang. How could she tolerate her Omega being harmed?

The entire venue fell silent again, then erupted into a second wave of loud uproar.

The clicking sounds of cameras continued, but this time there were no flashes.

After they had more or less finished taking photos, everyone looked at one another. For the moment, no one dared to be the next person to stick their head out.

Yet they were all restless, wanting to seize an exclusive question.

Driven by professional ambition, someone finally bravely raised a hand. Meeting Ji Congyan’s gaze, she asked weakly, “President Ji, may I ask a question?”

That cowardly energy nearly made her colleagues laugh out loud.

Ji Congyan nodded.

“May I ask how you and Film Queen Bo met, fell in love, and then entered the hall of marriage? Earlier, the two of you suddenly appeared at the Civil Affairs Bureau to register your marriage, which shocked the public greatly.”

After cowering for a moment, the reporter quickly recovered her professional standard.

Ji Congyan said, “Everyone knows that Anji Entertainment is one of Ji Group’s important business segments. I personally also hold the position of president of Anji Entertainment. As for Miss Bo’s standing in the industry, I believe I don’t need to explain too much. Currently, in the film and television industry, there are many important collaborations that cannot bypass Miss Bo…”

She stopped there. Everything she said was also true.

Logically, it unconsciously guided the reporters to think in a certain direction.

All kinds of questions came one after another, but facing Ji Congyan, they ultimately did not dare ask overly harsh questions as they would with celebrities.

A press conference could not continue endlessly.

When Ji Congyan grew impatient with answering, she raised her hand. “Last question.”

Not far in front of her, a reporter quickly raised her hand and snatched the final chance to ask.

“President Ji, you and Film Queen Bo are already married. Why do you still call Film Queen Bo by her full name? Do you also address Film Queen Bo this way at home?”

At first glance, this question did not seem aggressive, but in reality, it was setting a trap for Ji Congyan.

They were already married, yet she still addressed her so distantly. Could this be an agreement marriage?

To say something harsh in a different way—this was the professionalism of a news worker.

Ji Congyan looked at that reporter. “Have you ever been in love?”

The reporter froze, not expecting Ji Congyan to ask back like this.

Speaking of which, because she had always been too busy with work, she had never dated. Look, even in the middle of the night, she was still working at Yueyu’s press hall. When she returned to the company, she would still have to work overtime to write the article. By the time she got home, it would probably be two or three in the morning.

If she were dating, whose partner could endure that?

“No…”

“This is my affectionate name for my wife. In the future, if you have a lover, you should also come to understand what an exclusive form of address feels like.”

Ji Congyan nodded to signal that the press conference was over, then gently held Bo Shuang and left.

The two tall figures moved away under the protection of the bodyguards.

All that remained were the many reporters with dazed faces and the dense sounds of camera shutters.

·

The amount of information revealed during half the night’s press conference was enormous.

Major social media platforms experienced long periods of collapse.

After fermenting through the night, by the next day, various forms of transportation on the way to work and school were filled with people discussing Bo Shuang’s deceased father and Bo Shuang’s pregnancy.

The gossiping public outside heard things secondhand and chatted to their hearts’ content.

But those within the industry understood more deeply.

At the filming base, on the set of Dawn.

“I heard Xinye Media’s entire studio went bankrupt overnight.”

“Xinye? Is that the one that asks the sharpest questions and loves digging into celebrities’ private lives the most?”

“Yes, that one. Yesterday, Xinye’s ace reporter offended President Ji at Yueyu Entertainment, and President Ji had her thrown out on the spot. Then this morning, Xinye announced bankruptcy.”

“Serves them right. I was also jabbed by one of Read on BaiLianTalestheir reporters with a microphone before. At the time, I had just had my nose done, and they almost ruined it.”

“Have you noticed?”

“No.”

“…Stop messing around. It seems like people who have offended Film Queen Bo recently have all ended badly.”

“Hiss, now that you mention it.”

“Ren Qiuhui counts as one, right?”

“Does she? Didn’t she take that stuff and seek death herself?”

“No, who still remembers what happened about a week ago? Ren Qiuhui argued with Sister Bo in a private room at a drink shop. Weren’t there a lot of people secretly listening at the time?”

“The people who listened in didn’t seem to end very beautifully either.”

“Oh… now that you say that, I remember. It’s true.”

“I had a friend who was there at the scene. A few days later, evidence of cheating and dating multiple people suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It was a hammer of Thor. They’ve already had all their endorsements and crews terminate contracts and sue for compensation…”

Everyone gathered together, searching gossip and information one by one.

In the end, they reached an astonishing conclusion—Ren Qiuhui and the artists who had watched from across the river unauthorized copythat day, even including Ren Qiuhui’s assistant and manager, seemed to have silently left the industry.

They looked at one another, feeling an unprecedented pressure.

Among them, some had once gossiped on set about Bo Shuang and President Ji’s marriage. At the time, they had even confidently patted their chests and said this was definitely a union of interests.

Who would have thought they would be slapped in the face now?

If it were only a union of interests, who would spend so much effort dealing with those artists one by one?

Even when Anji Entertainment’s top actress, Yu Chen, had been attacked by a group back then, Anji only used normal PR methods to handle it.

Not long after that incident, Anji’s major projects still signed whatever traffic stars they needed to sign. Many of the people who had offended Yu Chen were now still working with Anji.

It was said that Yu Chen had once expressed dissatisfaction to President Ji back then.

But it had ended without result. President Ji only knew how to make money ruthlessly.

Who would have thought that only a few years later, when it came to her own Omega wife, Ji Congyan’s attitude would be completely different?

Just gossiping a little, standing by and watching, was enough to end a career.

Calling her a living Yama would not be an exaggeration.

They chatted freely in the makeup room.

On the other side of a thin iron partition was Bo Shuang’s makeup room.

This small rest room had originally been arranged for the assistants Yue Hong had given her. After those assistants were all dismissed, the room had been left empty.

Occasionally, extras would go in to rest.

Today, by coincidence, several actors with neither large nor small billing had finished makeup and came to this rest room to sit and chat.

They would never have thought that Film Queen Bo, whom they were chatting about so enthusiastically, was not in the RV today. She was right next door.

She heard every word of their conversation.

In this makeup room, it was so quiet that only the sounds from next door remained.

“Ai, I’ve never seen anyone as lucky as Bo Shuang.”

“When she signed her contract, she was bare-faced. At sixteen, she debuted and gained some fame. After that, she smoothly climbed up and became the youngest Film Queen. Now she’s married into the Ji family and pregnant with Ji Congyan’s precious golden lump.”

“Ah, if you say she’s lucky, she isn’t exactly that lucky either.

“Didn’t the news say that Sister Bo has been repaying her father’s debts all these years? The money she earned basically all went to paying Bo Mingliang’s gambling debts.”

“That’s why I say she has a good fate. If her fate were bad, she would have been dragged to death by her father long ago.”

“Wasn’t President Ji said to be a clean freak? How could she and Sister Bo…?”

“Ha, you don’t understand. An Alpha’s mouth is a lying ghost. Not to mention there’s also a rut. No matter how much of a clean freak President Ji is, what can she do against an Omega?”

The extras were still tirelessly chatting. Liu Fan ate a bun and lowered her voice, saying fiercely, “Let them die of envy…”

The makeup artist said, “Exactly. Now they know regret. What were they doing before?”

Bo Shuang smiled and gently teased, “Who was it back then who said Little President Ji was Congyan’s illegitimate daughter?”

Liu Fan and Huang Ying smiled awkwardly at the same time.

“Sister, wasn’t that just gossip we heard from others?”

“That’s right, Sister. Although we haven’t spent much time with President Ji, we completely trust your judgment. Besides, President Ji takes very good care of you. We’ve all seen it.”

The two gently shook Bo Shuang’s arm and laughed together.

After filming officially began.

At the side of the set, people could still occasionally be heard discussing words like Bo Mingliang and Bo Shuang’s pregnancy.

Bo Shuang was not affected by those voices and focused on completing her work.

She could feel that as the weeks of pregnancy increased, work was becoming more and more strenuous.

In the past, perhaps she would not feel tired after working an entire day. But now, often by three or four in the afternoon, she would feel that her energy had been consumed too greatly.

After finishing work, she took a short nap while removing her makeup.

Ji Congyan had just sent her a message. Her Alpha wife was getting off work now and coming to pick her up.

If she kept sleeping, her appetite for dinner later might not be good.

Bo Shuang brought her team, carried food, and went to the garden area to find Little Black and Big Black.

Little Black was the stray black cat she had met before, and Big Black was the stray black dog. Ever since she had fed the two that time, Bo Shuang often shared some of her own food with Big Black and Little Black.

After several weeks, their originally thin bodies had gained a little flesh, but they still looked small and skinny.

Bo Shuang crouched five meters away and watched Big Black and Little Black eat meat with great effort.

As they ate, two pairs of bright eyes would occasionally lift up and secretly observe this human.

The bodyguards were only responsible for placing the food in front of the cat and dog and protecting Madam’s safety. The entire time, they stood in front like wooden stakes, coldly looking at the cat and dog.

Only Bo Shuang and Liu Fan crouched down and quietly watched the animals eat.

The smacking sounds were very pleasant, and the expressions of the cat and dog secretly observing were even more amusing.

The beauty’s face bloomed into a smile.

Little Black finished eating and stared straight at Bo Shuang with her big eyes. She crouched low and cautiously approached, but she had only moved one step when the long leg of the 1.9-meter bodyguard stretched out and blocked her path.

“Step back.”

Her tone was also very cold, quite carrying the style of her employer.

Little Black no longer moved forward. Her mouth pouted, and she gave a soft meow.

It seemed to say: Human, you come here.

Bo Shuang’s heart moved slightly, but thinking of the Alpha’s instructions at home, she could only crouch where she was with an apologetic expression and say softly, “Sorry.”

How could a cat understand human words? She only knew that acting cute once was useless, so she acted cute again.

The human lightly bit her lip, but still did not step forward.

Suddenly, Little Black rolled over, belly facing upward, and stretched lazily.

Her eyes secretly sized up Bo Shuang, seeing whether Bo Shuang would be moved by her.

Such a human-like cat made Bo Shuang’s heart melt.

Big Black at the side was unwilling to be outdone. With her dignified and imposing appearance, she lay down as bonelessly soft as anything, revealing her fluffy belly.

A cat and a dog lay at the bodyguard’s feet, “preening and posing.”

Bo Shuang could not bear it. She gently took a step forward, and saw the cat and dog suddenly twist even harder as if they had fleas. Their fluffy fur shone with a beautiful black-gold luster beneath the setting sun.

The beauty could no longer hold back. She took small steps forward and reached out.

Just as she was about to touch Big Black, her wrist was gripped, and her whole body was pulled up, accompanied by a warm, deep voice carrying anger.

“Why do you always like touching outside dogs?”

Ji Congyan’s strength was very light. Bo Shuang felt no pain before she was pulled five meters away from Big Black and Little Black.

The Alpha’s expression darkened slightly. “You secretly touched a dog outside last time too. Did you think I didn’t know?”

“Congyan…”

The beauty smiled gently and softly tugged at her.

Ji Congyan’s tone was serious. “Don’t grin at me. I don’t fall for this.”

Bo Shuang still looked at Ji Congyan gently. Ji Congyan turned her gaze away and led Bo Shuang farther away.

“If you dare touch outside cats and dogs again, I’ll have a professional team drive all the stray cats and dogs out of the film city.”

“My Alpha wife is kind-hearted. I know you won’t do that.”

Bo Shuang followed closely behind her.

“Congyan, the weather in July is hot. The food people throw into trash cans spoils very quickly. Little Black and Big Black can’t eat good food. I’m only feeding them in passing. Sorry, they’re too cute. I couldn’t help wanting to touch them.”

Ji Congyan brought Bo Shuang into the car and fastened the seat belt for the Omega.

Her tone was calm. “After our child is born, she will be a thousand, ten thousand times cuter than those two black things.”

The beauty smiled. “Naturally.”

Ji Congyan did not say anything else. They ate dinner normally and rested normally.

However, at noon the next day, an employee wearing an Anji Entertainment work badge came over, pushing a flatbed cart. Several open-topped metal boxes were placed on the cart.

Everyone did not know what this meant. While eating boxed lunches, they looked at the employee.

Only when a script supervisor finished eating first and prepared to unauthorized copy throw the remaining boxed lunch into the trash did the Anji employee step forward.

“Hello, please give me any boxed lunch you can’t finish to handle.”

The script supervisor was confused and handed the boxed lunch over.

The employee quickly opened the box and sorted the leftovers into the metal boxes according to rice, vegetables, and meat.

At the same time, as long as a crew in the film city had Anji’s investment, this scene took place.

The employees gathered the food and pushed carts through every corner of the film city.

Someone observed in secret.

They originally thought the outsiders would scare the stray cats and dogs. What they did not expect was that whenever Anji employees walked near the cats and dogs, the small animals would cling tightly to them.

The cats and dogs rubbed against their feet.

Careful people discovered that all Anji employees wore specially made high boots.

The cats and dogs ate while blissfully licking the shoes.

According to artists familiar with Anji Entertainment, their shoes had an impressive origin.

Before departure, all the left shoes needed to be wiped with catnip, while the right shoes unauthorized copy were placed for several hours in a pile of abandoned cat poop from a pet store.

Thus, the cats all liked rubbing against the left feet, while the dogs were attracted to the right feet.

After the stray cats and dogs were all attracted out, feeding was smoothly completed, and they naturally accepted the “caresses” of the Anji employees.

When Bo Shuang and Liu Fan went to the grass again another day to feed Big Black and Little Black, the large and small animals were lying lazily on the grass, sunbathing. Their bellies were round from eating. Seeing Bo Shuang, they were no longer as enthusiastic as before, showing their bellies. They only gave a flat meow and woof.

Liu Fan found it funny. “Sister, Little Black and Big Black have both had their hearts stolen by Anji’s employees.”

Bo Shuang said, “As long as they’re full.”

She looked at the small animals resting comfortably in the grass and could not help thinking of the Alpha’s every expression and smile.

Liu Fan said, “Could President Ji be jealous of cats and dogs?”

Huang Ying echoed with a laugh, “Who says she isn’t? I can already smell the strong vinegar… She sent out her own employees to seduce the outside cats and dogs so that you’ll put all your thoughts on President Ji and the child. Hey, looking at it this way, it really is quite effective.”

The beauty stood up, softly scolding, “If you keep talking nonsense…”

Under the setting sun, four sturdy figures stood tall. The flower-like beauty had a smile at the corner of her lips, looking softly toward Big Black and Little Black, yet her gaze did not seem to fall on them. It was as if she were looking through them at someone else.

·

Bo Shuang officially entered her fifteenth week of pregnancy.

As usual, Ji Congyan and Bo Shuang went to Huaji together for an examination.

All indicators had improved.

Bo Shuang had lived in Ji Congyan’s courtyard for just over a month. Her slender figure had visibly grown fuller.

But because her appearance on camera had once been poor, she had tried reducing her food intake.

Her physical strength quickly became unable to support it. While filming, her figure swayed unsteadily.

Fortunately, the bodyguards had been on high-intensity standby. Without saying a word, they rushed into the camera range and held their Madam steady.

After Ji Congyan found out, she watched Bo Shuang eat until she was full.

Then her old bad habit returned, and she scolded coldly.

“You’ve grown capable? Trying to starve the child again, are you? Bo Shuang, does your conscience not hurt?”

“Congyan, I know you’re worried about me, but can you not be so fierce?”

Ji Congyan’s mouth moved. She pressed her lips together. “I’m sorry. But you were the one who starved our child first.”

“I did it for the camera effect. I want to film Dawn bailiantales.comwell. I wanted to try and see if I could strike a balance between the two. But Congyan, your fierce accusations make me feel bad. Hearing them makes me uncomfortable.”

Ji Congyan pressed her lips together again and stood by the wall, lowering her head. She explained dryly, “I wasn’t being fierce. I was thinking about our child.”

Bo Shuang sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at her. “You were. You were fierce to me. Next time, can you ask the reason clearly first, and then we can communicate properly to find a solution?”

Ji Congyan lowered her eyes. After being silent for a while, she pinched the hem of her nightdress. “Okay.”

“Can I also make a request of you?”

Bo Shuang guided her gently. “Yes.”

Ji Congyan shifted her gaze into the distance and said, “When you speak, just speak. Don’t use doubled words. It’s very strange. It makes me sound like I’m Ji Xunwu’s age. Even Ji Xunwu doesn’t use doubled words.”

Bo Shuang: “…”

For a moment, she laughed from anger.

The Omega did not say yes or no, so Ji Congyan took it as her silently agreeing.

Calming down and thinking back on the way she had spoken, her tone had indeed been poor.

A pregnant Omega needed a lot of encouragement and soothing from her Alpha.

She thought about it.

“Your character is a pregnant widow. I roughly looked through the script. Even if you eat a little more, it still fits the character’s requirements very well. Your real pregnancy will present the details even better.”

As the CEO of Ji Group, Ji Congyan understood best that praise had to be specific and concrete. It could not be vague.

“Take the fact that you’ve changed underwear sizes twice during this period. People who have never been pregnant don’t know that when progesterone increases during pregnancy, the circumference also becomes larger. They won’t notice the details.”

Ideally, there should also be another reference point for comparison. Only then could the praise truly reach deep into the Omega’s heart and completely ease that little bit of anxiety.

Ji Congyan’s expression was sincere. “Using me as a comparison, now one side of yours can cover both of mine combined. That’s very impressive, and it’s also a subtle detail others can’t learn. This is the kind of thing that, as a Film Queen…”

The Alpha spoke eloquently on this point, without the slightest frivolity in her words. She sounded like a boss sincerely praising an employee.

But as Bo Shuang listened, the roots of her ears grew hotter and hotter.

What did she mean one side could cover both of hers combined…

Did Ji Congyan even know what she was saying…

The beauty lowered her eyes and looked at herself, then secretly glanced at Ji Congyan’s.

How could it be that exaggerated… nonsense…

The Omega was crimson from neck to cheeks. She turned slightly aside and pulled the blanket over herself, blocking unauthorized copy Ji Congyan’s overly upright gaze.

Ji Congyan was originally a president who was good with words.

Once she began properly praising someone, she truly became endless.

Bo Shuang felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles. Lightly biting her lip, she interrupted, “Congyan, I need to apply pregnancy oil.”

Her Omega wife had too many virtues, and her fuller figure was a virtue among virtues.

Once Ji Congyan opened this floodgate, she praised her endlessly like water being released. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that the Omega mother of her child was truly one of a kind in this world.

Being suddenly interrupted, she still felt somewhat unsatisfied.

“Pregnancy oil…”

She repeated.

“Yes. The doctor said I can start applying pregnancy oil now. Can Congyan help me?”

Pregnancy oil was used to prevent stretch marks from forming too quickly as the lower abdomen expanded.

However, this pregnancy oil had to be applied directly to the pregnant person’s stomach.

For some reason, that image appeared in her mind—a stretch of fair skin… Ji Congyan’s ears read the original at bailiantales.com instantly turned bright red, and her brows furrowed hard.

“Did you not grow hands?” After a long moment, she realized her tone counted as being too fierce again, so she tried to soften her voice and dryly said, “You’re not a useless Omega. You can apply it yourself. Remember to lie down when applying it. Don’t bend your waist.”

After throwing down those words, Ji Congyan left without looking back, as if afraid that if she lingered even one second longer, she would see the Omega’s fair, rounded, slightly bulging lower abdomen. Her steps were hurried.