After Transmigrating as a Scum Alpha, I Pampered the Best Actress Omega - Chapter 16

The lights in the room remained off. Jiang Bailu’s hand paused as she turned a page; she looked up from her book toward the window, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Usually, at this time, Zhai You would already be knocking on the door, pestering her to come out. Why hadn’t she come today?

Jiang Bailu looked back down, realized with a start that she had actually grown accustomed to Zhai You’s presence.

She couldn’t help but rub the bridge of her nose.

Reading for so long had left her feeling a bit drained.

Although she had stopped taking her medicine, she still felt listless. She set the book aside and, for the first time in three days, took the initiative to walk out of the room.

Pushing the door open, she was met with the extreme luxury of the mansion—the soaring vaulted ceiling adorned with golden-textured sconces that flickered with a warm luster.

The bright lights outside made Jiang Bailu instinctively lower her eyelashes, her breathing quickening slightly.

Her face was pale. She took a few steps, her hand gripping the banister tightly.

Jiang Bailu was not suited for a place like this. Having lived with her mother since childhood, her standard of living had always been at the most basic level, yet she had never once complained about her life.

She enjoyed her time with her mother; her mother was gentle, and the hardships of life never crushed her.

Her mother had taught Jiang Bailu the same: no matter what she encountered, she must face it with a positive attitude—

Standing on the dark red carpet, Jiang Bailu thought that this carpet alone probably cost more than several months’ worth of her groceries.

She still couldn’t figure Zhai You out.

Why choose her for a contract marriage? Zhai You clearly had so many better options.

Like that girl Qiao Yan, or Shen Yunyi.

Jiang Bailu told herself not to overthink it; in the end, she was the one profiting from this deal. And currently, it seemed… Zhai You had an incredible amount of tolerance for her.

But that was also what Jiang Bailu found strangest.

Zhai You would get anxious for her health to improve.

She would coax her to eat, trying to replenish her depleted body.

Was it solely so she could recover quickly and act in a drama for Zhai You?

Jiang Bailu scanned the area but didn’t see Zhai You. Not far away, the butler, dressed in a formal tuxedo, walked straight toward her. His hair was silver, and his face was lined with wrinkles, but his stern, unsmiling expression carried a powerful sense of pressure.

Only in front of Zhai You would the butler show a kind side, appearing like an ordinary, gentle old man.

Jiang Bailu was on high alert. When the butler reached her, she spoke up: “Why don’t I see Zhai You today?”

The butler looked at her coldly. “The Young Miss’s whereabouts do not need to be reported to you.”

Jiang Bailu pursed her lips. That was true.

She just hadn’t seen Zhai You and was a bit curious, that was all.

The butler continued walking toward her; naturally, he wouldn’t leave after just one sentence.

Taking advantage of Zhai You’s absence, Jiang Bailu had stepped out of her room herself. The corner of his mouth curled slightly, and his expression turned somewhat sharp: “I don’t know what the Young Miss promised you, but you should know your place.”

“…Is that what you want to say, or the Madam?” Jiang Bailu was silent for a moment before looking at the butler. “Or perhaps, Zhai You?”

“It is my own opinion,” the butler said, bowing his head slightly.

“The Young Miss has a somewhat innocent nature. No matter how poorly she is viewed by outsiders, she is always our Young Miss.”

Dissatisfaction seeped through the butler’s words: “So you had better stop making the Young Miss worry. It’s time your illness got better. When the Madam returns, she will want to see you personally.”

Jiang Bailu knew things wouldn’t be that easy.

She had managed to hide for three days, but she couldn’t keep hiding forever.

Sensing that everyone in the Zhai family adored Zhai You, Jiang Bailu gave a soft laugh. Her cheeks were flushed from the lingering fever, and her graceful frame was like a lily of the valley, exuding a unique fragrance.

“I only listen to your Young Miss,” Jiang Bailu said with a smile full of feigned devotion.

The butler’s body stiffened.

Jiang Bailu understood perfectly: her contract was signed with Zhai You, so she naturally didn’t need to listen to the Zhai family staff.

Zhai You had said she only needed to act like she loved her, and she would handle the rest.

So, Jiang Bailu did exactly what Zhai You told her to do.

Since Zhai You wasn’t here, she might as well go back to her room until Mother Zhai returned.

As Jiang Bailu turned to head back, she suddenly heard the butler say: “The Young Miss has likely gone to see someone named Qiao Yan.”

Qiao Yan? Jiang Bailu’s hand stayed on the doorknob, unmoving.

The butler added: “I saw Qiao Yan’s business card in the Young Miss’s coat pocket. She doesn’t go out of her way to keep anyone’s contact information. It’s clear the Young Miss likes her very much.”

Jiang Bailu pulled the door open and smiled back at the butler: “If she likes her, I support it.”

A bit earlier…

Zhai You was still at the resort, speaking with Principal Xu.

“How about it? If you’re willing, I can donate a classroom building.” Zhai You was mentally counting the balance in her bank account. Even though she had confirmed earlier that she had enough, she couldn’t help but check one more time, terrified of an embarrassing accident where the money ran short.

Of course, she couldn’t show any weakness when saying this; she spoke with great bravado.

What’s a classroom building? Donated!

Principal Xu was stunned by her sheer financial power.

She really wondered if Father and Mother Zhai had ever regretted having a daughter like this.

That wasn’t Principal Xu’s concern, however. Upon hearing those words, her brain started working. She whispered a few words to the person beside her, confirming a fact.

Fine, they can film. It’s an entire building, after all.

“But you cannot disturb the children’s studies,” Principal Xu insisted. She wouldn’t ruin the reputation No. 1 Middle School had built over the years for just this much.

“Naturally,” Zhai You said, relieved.

If Principal Xu relented, the matter was settled.

Next, she just had to negotiate with Director Guo. She didn’t believe Director Guo wouldn’t give in now.

The two stared at each other for a moment.

Principal Xu: “Would Miss Zhai like to take a walk with me?” Let me confirm if this kid is bluffing.

Zhai You: “It would be my absolute honor.” I can’t give you a chance to go back on your word.

Having finalized the matter with Principal Xu, Zhai You took a taxi back.

The two-hour journey was the perfect time to call Sister Ji.

“Eldest Miss, you just donated a whole building? Do you even know how much that costs?” Sister Ji clicked her tongue.

An entire building! How long would it take her to earn that much?

Had she known Zhai You was this generous, she would have worked harder herself to convince Director Guo. Sister Ji felt she had lost out, and her tone turned sour.

“I’ve followed you for so long—do I even rank as one-tenth of Jiang Bailu?”

“Most definitely,” Zhai You answered quickly. “You don’t.”

“…”

Zhai You admitted she was initially driven by lust.

Looking into Jiang Bailu’s eyes, she had felt a sense of “this person is my destiny.”

The more she spent time with her, the more Zhai You was convinced of this.

She couldn’t miss this opportunity; missing it would ruin her life. This was surely the best wife heaven could have arranged for her.

As for Sister Ji…

Sorry, she had no memories of her, and they had only met once; the rest of their communication was over the phone.

It sounded cruel, but the fact was—Sister Ji, you’re a tool.

Sister Ji suppressed the urge to go on strike: “Are you really planning to act alongside Jiang Bailu?”

“Of course.” Zhai You looked out the car window.

The scenery of this world was largely the same as her original one. As night fell, the city was lit with bright, dazzling lights.

Occasionally they passed large screens displaying photos of the most popular celebrities.

Zhai You didn’t recognize them, but she didn’t think they were as good-looking as her. Or Jiang Bailu.

One day, she would make sure Jiang Bailu occupied those spots, becoming the brightest star.

“Have you considered letting Jiang Bailu play the second female lead?” Sister Ji asked.

“That would be too much of a slight.” Zhai You moved the phone to her other ear.

“…I need to confirm something with you.” Sister Ji suspected the girl’s head wasn’t screwed on right. “Do you even know what Deliberate Love is about?”

“Isn’t it just two girls falling in love?” Zhai You was slightly startled.

Even if she didn’t know the specifics, weren’t all Yuri dramas like that?

At most, it would be about a female Omega having a crush, the feelings of a first love being hazy and beautiful, and through various accidents and coincidences, she gets closer to the female Alpha she likes.

Could they really make it more complicated than that?

Zhai You, who rarely read novels, was confused.

The original book was the only novel she had read, and it said Jiang Bailu was pursued by Zhai You because of her dreams and her mother’s medical bills, but in less than twenty chapters, the Righteous Lead appeared.

It went from a tragic backstory to a sweet romance.

She instinctively assumed the main perspective was always the “受” (submissive one)—or rather, the female Omega.

Until Sister Ji’s words shattered her assumptions: “Deliberate Love is about a female lead who has a crush on her friend, but the friend falls for someone else, leading to a ‘forced love’ plot.”

“By the way, the female lead is an Alpha, and the friend is an Omega.”

Which meant the “Friend O” character Zhai You originally wanted to play was the one she gave to Jiang Bailu.

And the “Female Lead A” was the one Jiang Bailu was originally supposed to play.

It was a mess.

Zhai You was silent for a long time, then asked slowly: “Perhaps we can negotiate with Director Guo again?”

Sister Ji was shocked: “You haven’t given up? You want a ‘forced love’ with Jiang Bailu?”

Sister Ji’s words were unintentional.

She was just curious and had mentioned it offhand.

But it took on a different meaning in Zhai You’s ears. She stroked her chin and thought: Rather than forcing Bailu into a romance in a drama, why not experience the feeling of being forced into a romance BY Bailu?

As for Alpha and Omega… it was all just a drama, it was fake.

What mattered was the emotion.

Even if it was just acting.

Jiang Bailu “liking” her.