After Being Marked by the Popular Female Lead O (GL) - Chapter 2

When Xie’s father and mother returned, they learned about Xie Qingshu and Mo Xun. Judging by the faint sense of relief they conveyed, their previous stance must have been one of opposition.

Xie Qingshu felt a little bitter. Because she had differentiated into an Alpha very early, and the differentiation wasn’t complete, the family rules were especially strict to avoid unnecessary trouble—everything from behavior to the time she had to be home.

It was already difficult for her to enter the entertainment circle. Before, she thought her parents didn’t value her enough and always wanted to challenge them. Thinking back now, it truly was childish.

Xie Qingshu stayed home for two days with a calm and stable demeanor. When the internet was debating heatedly, they realized the person involved had no intention of clarifying anything, essentially confirming the news.

As for Mo Xun, Xie Qingshu had long deleted all his contact information and increasingly felt that life was getting back on track now that she was far from the protagonist.

After a while, a message suddenly came from Song Mei.

Director Deng Yue’s new movie was looking for actors. The role was perfectly suited for Xie Qingshu. If she took it and performed well, her status could possibly rise further. She was already a Movie Queen, but the award’s prestige was not high, and most people in the industry didn’t recognize its value.

Xie Qingshu barely managed to suppress her inner excitement. This was the first thing she wanted to fight for since her rebirth.

In the past, Mo Xun had disagreed with her ‘showing her face,’ and she had let go of this excellent opportunity, giving it away to someone else.

“Are you going?” Song Mei asked over the phone, her tone hesitant. She had asked Xie Qingshu before, but was rejected. The news somehow got out, and she had indirectly offended Director Deng Yue.

“Yes,” Xie Qingshu answered without hesitation, succinct and to the point.

Song Mei let out the breath she was holding, but there was still a reality to face. “But the director… I’m afraid it’s unlikely.”

Deng Yue was a capable director and skillful with commercial hype. Having offended him, she might not get the role she wanted.

“No, Director Deng has very high standards for his roles,” Xie Qingshu answered confidently. In fact, she had already started preparing for this since her return. “Also, there’s a gathering at Qiyu tonight. I’ll go meet him.”

It would be more sincere to discuss it in person. After all, it was her fault.

Song Mei’s eyes lit up, and she was completely reassured. “That’s good. But Director Deng has a good relationship with Zhou Que. Try not to bring her up if you can.”

Xie Qingshu faintly hummed in agreement. She was eager to stay far away from that protagonist Omega, so why would she approach her?

Qiyu, due to its secretive nature, was the preferred choice for many businesses and celebrities. No one wanted their photo to surface on the trending topics while they were in the middle of a discussion.

The air was filled with the smell of smoke and alcohol, revealing extravagance everywhere. Once caught in it, it was hard to break free. Faintly, one could also smell a mix of pheromones, sweet and annoying.

When Xie Qingshu arrived, the party had just begun to warm up. Many people recognized her and were immediately stunned, exchanging glances, unable to figure out the situation.

Xie Qingshu had never hidden her family background in the industry, nor had she ever used her status to bully anyone. However, she had never participated in events like this.

“What wind has blown the Movie Queen over?” someone probed.

The loud, suffocating music in the space quieted for a second because of her presence. Xie Qingshu’s demeanor was cold, looking nothing like someone who was here to have fun. Instead, she looked like… a superior coming to inspect the place.

Xie Qingshu was wearing a black shirt, a new item from a certain luxury brand. The delicate metal buttons were fastened all the way to the top, flawless and completely buttoned up. Her skin appeared fairer, and she exuded a sense of asceticism.

“You all carry on. Don’t mind me.” After saying that, she actually found a corner and sat down.

Initially, some people couldn’t completely relax, but as time passed, they gradually became reckless, speaking without restraint as they looked at the seated Xie Qingshu.

“Among us Alphas, you are the most rigid. You’re managed even more strictly than an Omega. You’re already in the entertainment circle, yet you don’t even have a single lover O around, and all day you were chasing after one Alpha…”

The person said this while taking a deep sniff of the pheromones of the person next to him, becoming dizzy with intoxication.

“Is that so?” Xie Qingshu’s tone was devoid of emotion, and her eyebrows were veiled with a layer of frost.

“Yeah, I don’t know what you were thinking.”

The person inadvertently met Xie Qingshu’s eyes. His previously hazy mind instantly cleared, and he involuntarily straightened his posture.

Xie Qingshu didn’t take his words to heart. She had always disliked the Alpha’s sense of superiority based on pheromones. She took a sip of the drink in front of her, and her tongue immediately felt an overwhelming, invasive sensation.

Too strong.

A scent of pheromones suddenly wafted to her nose—peach mixed with some kind of perfume. It was very faint by the time it reached Xie Qingshu’s nose, almost negligible.

The Omega who ‘accidentally’ fell into her arms opened her collar, revealing the scent gland on her neck. Her eyes were glazed, and her pheromones were spilling outwards.

“Sit properly,” Xie Qingshu’s voice showed no hint of restraint.

The Omega’s eyes held some disbelief. Unwillingly, she stroked Xie Qingshu’s hand—clearly defined knuckles, fair and slender—making it hard to look away.

Their statuses were vastly different, but watching them, it looked as if… the Omega was taking advantage of Xie Qingshu.

“Alright, Movie Queen, what brings you here?” Deng Yue finally raised his eyes, motioning for the Omega to leave, his voice deep.

He felt somewhat regretful. The role was truly suitable for Xie Qingshu. Seeing her in person now, her aura alone made it hard to find a second person like her. But if they couldn’t reach an agreement, he would have to give up.

“To discuss a collaboration. I want an audition chance for the role of Ju Zhan,” Xie Qingshu said directly.

Deng Yue’s eyes widened slightly. Of course, he trusted his judgment; Xie Qingshu’s professional level was impeccable, aside from her questionable taste in men. But his first reaction was that she was discussing work in a place like this.

His gaze gradually became complicated, and the pleasant thoughts that had just arisen in his heart vanished.

“I can do that, but I have a condition.”

Xie Qingshu’s expression remained unchanged. No one dared to have improper thoughts about her. “What is it?”

“I will decide on the other lead actor, and you cannot refuse,” Deng Yue shook his head, his mind calculating schemes that crackled and popped.

Xie Qingshu agreed. In her memory from the previous life, the other lead actor was a third-tier Omega actress whose acting was just acceptable.

Deng Yue smiled meaningfully, as if he had thought of something amusing. “I’ve heard about Movie Queen Xie’s character before and always thought it was an act. I didn’t expect it to be true… Never mind. Since you’ve agreed, I wish us a pleasant collaboration.”

“Pleasant collaboration,” Xie Qingshu pursed her lips, faintly feeling that something was amiss, but couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.

Isolated from the smoky atmosphere of the private room, Xie Qingshu finally felt she could have a moment of peace. Fortunately, things had gone more smoothly than expected.

She had just stepped out and walked only a few steps when a waiter bumped into her. Red wine spilled onto the floor, and her clothes were inevitably stained slightly.

“I’m so sorry, truly sorry. Let me take you to the lounge,” the waiter’s face was white. Seeing the fabric, he knew he couldn’t afford to compensate for it.

“It’s fine, you deal with this first. I’ll take care of it myself.”

Xie Qingshu had spent enough time in the entertainment circle to see many tricks, so she maintained a level of caution.

Inside the restroom, water rushed against the white porcelain basin, making a gushing sound. Xie Qingshu turned it off after wiping the stain as best as she could.

In front of the mirror, the woman’s black shirt was lightly damp in one area. The top button was finally undone, revealing her fair neck. Looking closely, it seemed even smoother than the white porcelain, and half of her collarbone was faintly visible, utterly captivating.

Yet, Xie Qingshu didn’t seem to notice. She was thinking about the plot. Since she had changed these events, it was bound to trigger more incidents later.

She was not the protagonist Omega and didn’t have the ability to be. If the plot continued to unfold, and she didn’t address the root cause, all her efforts might be in vain, and she would still be unable to escape her original fate.

Xie Qingshu pursed her lips, stained slightly red. She subconsciously touched her scent gland, feeling it inexplicably hot. A fine heat crawled up to the tip of her heart.

After a moment’s thought, it must have been the alcohol she just drank.

She cupped her hands with water and splashed it on her face. The cold water stimulated her senses, and the psychological effect on the scent gland finally made it less hot.

Xie Qingshu differentiated too early. As a child, she didn’t understand anything and scratched her scent gland, leaving a faint scar. Perhaps because of this, her Alpha rut had never come, and her desire for Omega pheromones was far lower than others, almost negligible.

“Don’t move! Find her! Where did she go?”

The voice sounded anxious. She didn’t know what had happened.

Xie Qingshu turned around abruptly, but her steps froze, and her pupils contracted sharply.

A woman was standing behind the mirror. Her fair skin was flushed, and her hair covered a large part of her face, but just the half-exposed jawline was enough to spark wild imagination.

Xie Qingshu frowned. Things like this were always happening, and she just so happened to run into one. The woman seemed unwilling.

“You haven’t…” Before she could utter the word ‘left,’ her hand was fiercely grabbed.

Xie Qingshu was stunned for a moment, giving the other party a chance to react. The next second, her whole body was tightly pressed against the wall. The white porcelain and her skin almost merged, creating a strong visual impact.

The undried water droplets gathered together during the movement, lingering for an instant on her collarbone before reluctantly rolling down.

Xie Qingshu immediately struggled but found that the other party’s strength was not inferior to her own. Her back felt cold.

“She definitely couldn’t have run far! Hurry and look!”

“Master Bai won’t be angry, we’ll find her right away.”

The commotion outside was loud, and the voices of a few people were clearly audible, seemingly only a step away from them.

The air nearly solidified. Xie Qingshu took a deep breath, realizing the two were extremely close, and she could even feel the heat from the woman’s slightly hurried breathing.

An unprecedented itch arose from her scent gland, like a feather lightly drifting over it, yet also like a heavy rock violently crashing, impossible to ignore.

“Here! We haven’t looked here yet!”

Xie Qingshu heard clearly that these people were coming straight for the restroom. The bathroom was visible at a glance, with nowhere to hide, but the woman didn’t seem panicked, and the strength in her hand hadn’t lessened at all.

“I can help you…”

Before Xie Qingshu could finish her sentence, she felt her scent gland being fiercely covered. The woman’s teeth carefully ground against it, neither biting nor letting go, bringing a dull pain but stopping the inexplicable itch.

Xie Qingshu couldn’t clearly recall what happened next, only hearing the panicked footsteps of those few people.

“Even the restroom has people marking! But that Omega underneath is truly beautiful.”

The voices at the door gradually faded. The air was filled with the scent of pheromones. Xie Qingshu inevitably took a sniff. She had expected a very sweet and cloying scent, but when she actually smelled it, it was unexpectedly pleasant, and somehow felt familiar.

It was the scent of a blue water lily.

This was the most ordinary potted plant her grandfather kept. Unlike other plants, it didn’t need its water changed or careful tending, and every summer, it would bloom beautifully, its fragrance filling the air, living for an entire summer.

At those times, little Xie Qingshu would take a deep sniff, trying to keep the scent for a little longer.

Time abruptly snapped back to the present. Xie Qingshu lowered her eyelashes, casting a beautiful shadow. She was a little disappointed. The pheromone scent was nice, but it was more aggressive and oppressive than a real blue water lily.

An Alpha wouldn’t like this feeling.

Unconsciously, the woman let go and chuckled softly, “It smells like milk candy.”

Her voice was hoarse and carried a hint of wickedness.