After I Picked Up the Movie Queen Who Was Pretending to Be an Alpha - Chapter 7

For two or three seconds after seeing that message, Pei Suyuan’s mind went completely blank. Then, she felt a flush of heat creep up her face. Moments later, even the back of her neck began to burn. Her eyes couldn’t focus on anything.

Yan Xin, who had just decided what to eat for a late-night snack, was about to tell Pei Suyuan when she saw her looking completely soul-shaken. Having been close friends for years, they knew each other inside and out. Yan Xin could only think of one thing that could make Pei Suyuan show such an expression: her “Sister Moon.”

Yan Xin swiveled her chair to face Pei Suyuan, waved a hand in front of her eyes, and grinned. “Thinking about Sister Moon?”

In the next second, Pei Suyuan snapped out of it. Her eyes, usually somewhat round, were now wide with alarm. Her breathing quickened as she stood up in a panic. Her fluster wasn’t just because of Yan Xin’s mention of “Sister Moon”—it was because she had just realized that she hadn’t thought about Sister Moon for many days.

That was something that had never happened in her life before. Recently, her entire mind and spirit had been occupied by that Omega with the marshmallow-scented pheromones. She felt panicked and lost.

“Xiao Xin, I…” Pei Suyuan opened her mouth, wanting to pour her heart out for a moment, but the words died on her lips. She didn’t know how to say it.

Seeing Pei Suyuan like this was rare. Yan Xin’s heart tightened, though she kept her expression neutral. “Let’s go. I’m hungry. Let’s get some barbecue.”

“Okay,” Pei Suyuan nodded, grabbed her jacket, and followed Yan Xin out.

A few blocks away from Huajiang Court was a small night market filled with barbecue stalls and various snacks. Because Yan Xin was a foodie, they were regulars there. Not long after they sat down, the owner approached with a pen and paper.

They liked this place largely because of the sense of familiarity. Lin City was now under the jurisdiction of West Beijing, but when they were teenagers, it had been its own entity. It wasn’t until five or six years ago that it merged. Both Pei and Yan had come from a small town there; they had seen the grit of the streets and remained nostalgic for it. That nostalgia was like searching for a childhood sense of belonging. They never talked about it, but their years of silent understanding meant they didn’t have to.

“Grilled intestines, chicken gristle, beef skewers, lamb skewers… twenty of each. And an order of scallops with vermicelli,” Yan Xin rattled off. The owner laughed. “Same as usual? Extra spicy?”

“Exactly!” Yan Xin nodded, then raised an eyebrow at Pei Suyuan.

Their tastes were actually quite different—Yan Xin loved the intestines and beef, while Pei preferred the gristle and lamb. Only the scallops were a shared favorite. Friends can be different, but they must have common ground. They comforted each other and served as each other’s support. Much like how the silent Pei needed excitement, the lively Yan sometimes needed quiet. They were perfectly harmonious and rarely fought.

“Brother Xu, one beer and one Coke, please,” Yan Xin added.

“Make it more than one,” Pei Suyuan spoke up. “I want to drink too.”

Yan Xin was stunned, then called out to Brother Xu to just bring a whole six-pack. Yan Xin couldn’t actually drink much—two bottles at most—but she loved having beer with barbecue. Pei Suyuan rarely drank, but when she did, it was never just one or two bottles.

After a gulp of cold beer, Yan Xin let out a loud burp and sighed dramatically. “So refreshing!!”

In contrast, Pei Suyuan was quiet. She had already finished one glass and was pouring her second. Yan Xin wasn’t in a hurry; usually, when they drank, Yan took a sip while Pei downed a glass.

Munching on a beef skewer, Yan Xin watched Pei eat with “unnecessary” etiquette and shoved a lamb skewer toward her mouth. “You’re so bold when drinking, why use chopsticks for skewers? Eat freely, drink freely! Vent all your bad moods. I’m here with you!”

Yan Xin didn’t know what Pei had been through, but she used her usual tone to coax her. Yes, “coaxing.” Pei was rarely coaxed; that was a memory from very early childhood.

Pei downed several more glasses and realized she wasn’t dizzy yet. She looked up at Yan Xin. “Wait for me a bit. I have something to tell you.”

Yan Xin knew she had something on her mind and didn’t rush her. She picked the garlic bits out of the scallops and nodded as she chewed. She waited until Pei had finished two whole bottles of beer. She knew the time was right. She put down her chopsticks and waited for her to speak.

But Pei didn’t speak yet. Instead, she “chugged” half of a third bottle directly. Usually, Pei was a bit of a “closet” personality—quiet, but nice. However, she could be strangely stubborn and obsessive. Like now: she had decided to tell Yan Xin, but she insisted on reaching exactly the right level of tipsiness first. It was a redundant, obsessive ritual. But without it, she wouldn’t be Pei Suyuan.

By the time she was tipsy, Yan Xin had finished her intestines and ordered more. Pei hadn’t eaten much.

“Xiao Xin, have you ever… truly loved someone? Sincerely?”

Yan Xin didn’t expect the question. She stopped chewing, thought for a moment, and said, “Yes.”

“The one from college?”

“Yeah.” Yan Xin nodded. Pei didn’t ask further but spoke to herself.

“Actually, I don’t really understand what ‘liking’ someone is. I don’t understand it now. Before… I was quite certain.”

“What? Is Sister Moon feeling ‘unreal’ now?” Yan Xin teased. It wasn’t the first time she’d said it. Usually, Pei would glare and deny it. This time, she didn’t. She pursed her lips, her eyes lost, as if Yan Xin had hit the mark.

Yan Xin dropped her skewer. “Holy crap! Did you have a change of heart? Are you still Pei Suyuan?”

The phrase “change of heart” seemed to sting Pei. Her pupils contracted, and she explained in a panic, “No, it’s not like that… It’s just that I met someone a while ago, and I keep thinking about her. Especially today when you mentioned Sister Moon, I realized I’ve been thinking about that person lately and hadn’t thought about Sister Moon at all.”

“No way…!” Yan Xin’s shock was beyond words.

But the real shock came next. Pei Suyuan lowered her head and said uneasily, “She and I… we did that kind of thing.”

Pfft— Yan Xin almost sprayed her beer. She wiped her mouth and leaned in. “What did you say?”

Pei Suyuan felt embarrassed, nodding with pursed lips. “That’s how it is.”

Yan Xin finished her beer and opened another. After a glass, she sat in deep thought. “Actually… maybe it’s a good thing. For all these years, you’ve been chasing someone who might not even exist out there. I’ve always felt it wasn’t worth it. Xiao Yuan, you’re twenty-six. It’s time to try dating. I mean real dating.”

As a friend, Yan Xin supported Pei’s ideas but held her own opinions. Usually, she wouldn’t bring it up, but Pei had started it today.

“Sister Moon might be great, but you can’t see or touch her. She only exists in your own world. You probably don’t even remember what she looks like, do you? But this person is different. She is vivid and colorful. Sister Moon left a heavy mark in your heart, but this person has filled all the space since that first heartbeat. She’s destined to be someone who leaves a deep impression on you too. Why not try moving forward? It’s not like it’ll cost you anything, right? If it doesn’t work, we just retreat and go back to guarding Sister Moon!”

Pei hadn’t really thought about “trying,” but as Yan Xin said, Wei Jinzhi had left a mark. That was why she had told Yan Xin in the first place. But when suggested to “try,” Pei felt a surge of cowardice and wandering doubt. She didn’t want to spend her whole life only guarding a beautiful dream from her youth. And… she really didn’t remember Sister Moon’s face clearly.

After they parted ways, Pei Suyuan didn’t go home immediately. Instead, she walked to the spot where she had found Wei Jinzhi. It was a dark corner at the side of the building without streetlights. Few people walked there, especially at night.

Leaning against the wall, her alcohol-fueled courage hadn’t faded yet. She took out her phone and dialed the number she had memorized.

Ring… ring… The call disconnected automatically. Wei Jinzhi didn’t pick up.

Pei Suyuan gave a self-mocking laugh. She didn’t know what she was doing. Maybe it was because of the marshmallows. Maybe the note. Maybe the film set. Maybe the message Wei Jinzhi sent today gave her just enough courage. And maybe Yan Xin’s drunk words made her want to prove something—to prove if Wei Jinzhi could truly help her escape the dream she hadn’t been able to leave for over a decade.

Despite these thoughts, the moment the call failed, she felt a wave of relief. Forget it. I won’t try. If it’s a dream, let it be a dream. It’s not painful. Just a little lonely.

She stood up, her legs slightly numb, and walked toward her building entrance. She opened the door and pressed for the elevator. At that moment, the phone in her pocket began to vibrate violently. She usually kept it on vibrate or silent; she hated noise. But now, the vibration felt thunderous, stimulating her eardrums and making her legs tremble.

She pulled it out. It was the number she had just called. She hesitated. After a while, the call stopped. Pei first felt relief, then a wave of disappointment—shallow, but enough to make her question herself.

She turned to go into the elevator, but again, she didn’t make it. The phone rang again. Ignoring it once could be “not hearing it.” Ignoring it twice was clearly “not wanting to answer.”

Suddenly, a thought struck her: I have to return the money to her. That was a valid reason. She pressed ‘answer’ and walked back out of the building.

Silence followed on the other end for a moment, just the sound of faint breathing. Soft and… lingering. Pei Suyuan’s breath hitched. She didn’t know what to say.

Finally, the other person lost patience. In a lazy, deliberate tone, she asked:

“Little Cheese, are you trying to… ask Sister out?“

Pei Suyuan shuddered at the word “ask out”—a shiver so intense she was rendered speechless.