After Being Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Scum Alpha, She Relies on Acting Cute to Survive - Chapter 8

Ruan Ci, of course, couldn’t stand hearing anyone speak ill of Lin Shu. She huffed and said, “We have to keep our values straight! Lin Shu doesn’t owe us anything. We should treat her with a better attitude, okay?”

“…How does she not owe us? She bit you, she’s eating your food, drinking your water, wearing your clothes, using your things…” Once the butler started, he couldn’t stop.

“Well, I hurt her first, so how does that balance out?” Ruan Ci reasoned slowly. “The damage done is something that can never be erased.”

So, all of those things were just reasonable compensation! If their positions were reversed, Lin Shu would be perfectly justified in sending her to prison to eat corn buns!

Unfortunately, the butler wasn’t an Omega. He could never empathize with an Omega who was “unsatisfied” after being scouted by an Alpha as beautiful and outstanding as his Young Lady.

His face remained stiff, a sense of “righteousness” seemingly pouring from his eyes: “Lin Shu shouldn’t have rejected your pursuit. Everything that followed was her own doing.”

Ruan Ci: “…”

Ruan Ci: “You…”

The butler continued: “Miss, your eyes are temporarily clouded by Lin Shu. I’m not surprised you’re saying such things. I only hope you wake up soon and stop mixing with an Omega who has no status and doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

“Lin Shu, she…” Ruan Ci tried to start again. “I didn’t…” Halfway through, seeing the unwavering determination in the butler’s eyes, Ruan Ci frustratedly shut her mouth.

It wasn’t that the butler was unreasonable; it was just that his world revolves around the original host. As an orphan rescued by Mother Ruan, he had sworn never to leave and to remain eternally loyal to the Ruan family.

With a person like… this, there was no explaining it.

The original host’s daily life consisted of eating, drinking, and playing. The Ruan family had more than enough money for her to squander—Mr. Ruan didn’t care, Mother Ruan indulged her, and the butler doted on her. It would have been a miracle if she hadn’t grown up with a personality like Lin Shu’s.

Ruan Ci hadn’t truly embraced the decadent “rich second-generation” lifestyle; she was afraid that if she got used to being extravagant here, she wouldn’t be able to handle the drop in lifestyle when she returned home.

She found a task for herself: picking a good script for Lin Shu.

Although the final say rested with Mr. Ruan, as long as the doting Mother Ruan whispered in his ear, it would be hard for this not to happen.

Ruan Ci wanted to find a role for Lin Shu that had plenty of screen time but wasn’t the main lead carrying the whole show.

It wasn’t that she was afraid of Lin Shu becoming too famous; she wanted to take it step-by-step, giving Lin Shu time to practice and adapt, while giving online public opinion a buffer—avoiding a situation where people would bash Lin Shu for being a “resource thief” or an “overnight sensation” the moment it aired.

Plus, Lin Shu was quiet and disliked the industry’s messy politics, so the PR team had to be top-tier.

Honestly, Ruan Ci kind of wanted Lin Shu to sign with the Ruan family’s talent agency… but she knew Lin Shu wouldn’t be willing, so she had to find another way.

The butler felt for his Young Lady, seeing her buried in script comparisons for days, even contacting directors he looked down on… his heart was numb with bitterness, and he could only keep hypnotizing himself that his Lady’s whim would eventually pass.

A few days later.

Lin Shu—who had been leaving early and returning late with a packed schedule—suddenly spoke to the Young Lady:

“I’m going back.”

Butler: “?” Does such an ungrateful person really exist in this world?

“…Ah,” Ruan Ci was still thinking about which character was relatively more likable. Suddenly seeing this cold, beautiful face in front of her, she blanked. “Huh?”

Lin Shu didn’t repeat herself. She looked away, her lips pressed together, her face a mask of coldness.

Lin Shu hadn’t bothered dressing up while going out frequently, but her state was entirely different from when she was “at home”—at home, she was like a rose on the verge of withering, beautiful yet devoid of life.

After reconnecting with the outside world these past few days, the deathly aura surrounding Lin Shu had clearly been dispersed by the sunlight, replaced by a steady yet sharp sense of aloofness.

Ruan Ci blinked: “Is the stay here not good? I—”

“Yes.”

“…”

Lin Shu’s answer was too fast. Ruan Ci’s eyes dimmed for a moment—it made sense. She was so focused on compensating Lin Shu and giving her a good life that she hadn’t considered whether Lin Shu, who had been hurt by her, actually wanted to stay with her.

How had she become… become a villain who completely disregarded other people’s wishes? QAQ

She felt a bit embarrassed remembering how she had criticized the butler’s mindset earlier. In essence, they were the same kind of person.

In the seconds Ruan Ci looked down, she didn’t see the gloomy coldness in Lin Shu’s eyes, mixed with a desperate resolve that would make anyone’s skin crawl with its ruthlessness.

When Ruan Ci looked up again, a soft and gentle smile hung on her lips: “I said you were free. If you want to go back, go back. But thank you for letting me know.”

She didn’t frame this conversation as a request; she acted as if they were on equal footing. There was no “high and mighty Young Lady” or “backgroundless commoner who deserved to be imprisoned.”

“…”

Lin Shu’s body trembled slightly.

Ruan Ci thought for a moment and handed over the scripts: “Besides The Exquisite Flower and Southern Star, I also like Murong Xue’s Highest Virtue is Like Water. Out of these three, Southern Star is an idol drama; your face is perfect for it. For the other two, it might be hard to snatch a lead role… I’ve consulted with some agents at the company; you aren’t suited for the ‘femme fatale’ route. It’s better to be a solid, serious actress…”

After babbling for a while, Ruan Ci added: “You don’t have to sign with my family’s company. I just don’t understand the industry tricks very well, so I consulted some professionals.”

There were more than three scripts on the table. Lin Shu had seen them when she walked in, but she hadn’t thought they were for her. After all, the Ruan Ci of her previous life would never have done this.

Hearing these words, the Lin Shu who usually walked into this villa with her guard up was actually a bit confused.

Is the person in front of her… really the same person from her previous life?

She thought the so-called “freedom” was just a cake placed over another trap—sweet and hypocritical, leading to an abyss if she fell for it.

But these few days, she truly hadn’t faced any restrictions. When she returned to the villa, Ruan Ci was rarely there—the butler mentioned Ruan Ci had been soaking herself in work at the company, and Mr. Ruan was very satisfied.

Ruan Ci was helping her pick scripts without forcing her to tie herself to the Ruan family.

“…Is… is it okay?”

Lin Shu didn’t speak for a long time, making Ruan Ci feel uneasy. Her wrist shook slightly, and the script fell back onto the table.

The sound of paper hitting the table was light, but it startled Lin Shu back to her senses.

She met those eyes with a complex gaze.

The Ruan Ci she knew wouldn’t have such bright, clean eyes, or speak so softly, or have the simple-mindedness to worry about her being mistreated.

Lin Shu’s thin lips moved: “It’s okay.”

After Lin Shu said “okay,” she wasn’t seen again for another week.

The director asked Ruan Ci when the audition could happen. Ruan Ci couldn’t reach Lin Shu, so she could only say it would be in the next few days—

The butler brought over a cup of hot tea, looking pityingly at Ruan Ci, who was slumped on the sofa with her eyes closed. He said heart-wrenchingly, “Look at you, you’ve lost weight these past few days.”

“It’s fine,” Ruan Ci rubbed her eyes and sat up straight. “That’s what happens when you lack exercise.”

“It’s obviously because you’ve spent too much energy on Miss Lin Shu,” the butler grumbled dissatisfiedly.

Ruan Ci sipped the hot tea and suddenly asked, “Where does Lin Shu live?”

“…” The butler frowned. “Miss, surely you aren’t going to look for her? Just call her… if she dares not to answer, I’ll immediately…”

“Oh, you’re not a bandit.”

Ruan Ci was amused by his words, not believing the butler would actually do such a thing. She waved her hand: “I’ve just been going between the company and home lately. I’ll make a trip to Lin Shu’s house to see if she’s there. If not, I’ll figure something else out.”

She was also a bit worried that Lin Shu might be mistreated at home; knowing Lin Shu’s personality, she wouldn’t say anything.

The butler was indignant, but he wouldn’t defy his Lady’s wishes. He went to pack things with a wooden expression.

The nearby housekeeper and maid laughed: “This Xiao Qi is never in a good mood when he’s away from the Young Lady. He’s so young; how is he going to find a partner later?”

“Didn’t he say he wants to stay with the Ruan family forever? It’s hard to say if he’ll even look.”

“Who doesn’t look for a partner? Stop talking nonsense.”

“…”

Mother Lin immediately spotted the luxury car parked at the entrance of the residential area. She called her daughter, who was playing games in the room, and asked, “Isn’t that the one you mentioned last time, the one that…”

Lin Tao was initially a bit impatient since her game character had just died.

But when she looked up—

Her eyes widened, and her palms unconsciously slapped the balcony railing. She said excitedly, “It is! It’s worth millions! Heavens, why would someone like that come here…”

The conversation stopped because the car door opened.

First, a man in a suit stepped out. Even from this distance, one could see his fair, handsome face, completely out of place in the dusty neighborhood.

Then, he bent down slightly and reached his hand into the car—

And helped out a woman who looked neither like an Alpha nor an Omega.

The woman wasn’t old. She looked around the area, and then her eyes actually met the mother and daughter on the third-floor balcony!

Lin Tao: “!!”

She’s an Alpha! She’s definitely an Alpha! She might be short because she’s young, but she’s definitely an Alpha!!

Before Lin Tao could frantically open her phone to pretend she was filming the scenery, the woman looked away, seemingly said something to the man, and started walking toward their building!!

Lin Tao’s heart was about to leap out of her throat.

Mother Lin, beside her, was equally confused: “This… looks like they’re looking for someone? Didn’t that girl Lin Shu attend a high-end…”

“How could it be for Lin Shu?” Lin Tao denied it without a second thought. “She attended a fancy banquet, but did you see a single piece of expensive jewelry on her? If those Alphas were truly interested, they wouldn’t be stingy with that kind of money.”

Mother Lin sighed: “Didn’t someone say last time a ‘Miss Ruan’ liked her? I even went to that person’s company to check…”

“Oh, stop talking! I’m going to wash my face!”

Lin Tao’s mind was filled with the eye contact she’d had with that Alpha. Her lips curled up; she couldn’t hear a word her mother said.

“Is it right here?”

“…Please be careful, Miss. This place… tsk, the stairwell is so filthy.”

The neighborhood was remote and the environment was a mess. Not only was there no elevator, there wasn’t even a decent handrail.

The butler looked disgusted, truly regretting not having someone clean the place before bringing the Young Lady here.

“Hahaha~ just relax.”

In her original world, Ruan Ci was just an average person with an ordinary background. She had even walked up stairs in dilapidated buildings; the place in front of her wasn’t that bad.

“…”

Seeing those shiny, beautiful leather shoes stepping on the uncleaned floor, looking at the piles of dust in the corners, the sketches on the old walls, and then the obvious smile on his Young Lady’s face, the butler felt a pang of distress.

Having spent a long time with Lin Shu, he was really afraid the Young Lady was mistreating herself, letting her standard of living drop. Now she didn’t even care about a place like this.

Reaching the third floor, Ruan Ci looked left and right, took a step toward the door on the left, and raised her hand to knock. The butler rushed forward: “Let me, let me.” How could the Young Lady’s hand touch such a dirty door?

“It’s fine, this—”

Before she could finish, the door opened.

Lin Tao admitted that the Alpha in front of her was indeed different from many Alphas she knew—more delicate, more special.

Truly a Young Lady raised in a great family!

Lin Tao didn’t dare, and wouldn’t even think to be dissatisfied with Ruan Ci’s appearance. Her eyes swept over her, instantly estimating that the things the Alpha was wearing were worth a fortune.

Lin Tao’s eyes darted around, and she flashed a smile: “Are you here to see someone?”

Ruan Ci nudged the butler—who was about to speak rudely—to the side and gave him a look, signaling him to swallow his words.

Butler: “…” Sigh.

The Alpha, who clearly had a gentle and kind personality, spoke politely: “Yes, sorry to bother you. Does Lin Shu live here?”

“She does live here, but…” Lin Tao didn’t expect her mom to be right; this Alpha really was here for Lin Shu!

“Oh, is she home today?”

Lin Tao was afraid that answering too quickly would make the high-quality Alpha turn and leave. She paused for a moment, appearing hesitant: “Well, that’s hard to say. Can I ask what you’re looking for her for first? After all, Lin Shu is an Omega; I have to protect her.”

“…” Ruan Ci thought for a moment. “I’m her colleague. I have some work matters I want to discuss with her.”

It was about work, so it wasn’t… wasn’t a lie, right? QAQ

“I doubt it.” Lin Tao thought she had seen through Ruan Ci’s disguise and smiled half-meaningly. “I’ve seen plenty of Alphas claiming to be ‘friends’ when they have other intentions. Are you one of them?”

Ruan Ci blanked for two seconds. The Beta wearing a short skirt laughed until she shook: “Alright, alright, no need to hide it. Want to come in for a cup of tea? I don’t just let any of her pursuers through the door.”

Mother Lin, who had been listening from the side, strode over and snatched the Beta away from the doorframe.

Just as Ruan Ci breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she was finally going to get a proper answer—

The Omega woman who had raised Lin Shu for over twenty years asked with a smile: “Hahahaha, Miss Ruan, when is the wedding date set for?”

Lin Tao: “!!”

Butler: “?!”

Ruan Ci: “?”

Ruan Ci: “What…”

Lin Shu’s mother saw the blankness on her face, and her smile faded slightly: “I mean you and our Lin Shu! Since that happened, you have to take responsibility.”

“…Nothing happened between Lin Shu and me.”

“Oh, now that’s funny. Then where did the Alpha scent on her come from? Surely she didn’t just find someone on the street to rub against?”

Lin Tao was a Beta and sensed nothing, but how could Mother Lin, an Omega, not know? Lin Shu had clearly been marked! She thought that hiding outside for a few days before coming back would mean Mother Lin wouldn’t smell it.

Mother Lin said sarcastically, “That’s not very honorable of you, dumping her after one go?”

Seeing Ruan Ci remain silent, she grew even bolder: “It was Lin Shu’s first time, so it’s expected she might not have served you well. Won’t there be plenty of opportunities in the future? Look at her figure, look at her…”

She knew nothing about Lin Shu’s preferences or life, yet she spoke about how enticing Lin Shu’s body was with perfect clarity.

“Stop talking.”

Ruan Ci interrupted, unable to bear it any longer. “Nothing happened between Lin Shu and me. Please stop tarnish her reputation. Even if you are her mother, I find this very uncomfortable.”