After Transmigrating as a Scum Alpha, I Pampered the Best Actress Omega - Chapter 19.1

Jiang Bailu’s clear eyes turned into a stagnant pool of dead water.

Her fingers, hanging by her side, twitched slightly, and her gaze drifted toward Qiao Yan out of the corner of her eye.

Her opinion of Zhai You shifted back to disgust. She took a frustrated deep breath, feeling an inexplicable urge to escape this place as quickly as possible.

Zhai You clearly had feelings for Qiao Yan—even the butler knew—so why hide it? Why drag her into it and force her to sign that contract marriage?

What made her feel most powerless was that without that contract…

Her mother’s medical bills, her chance to play the lead role…

Being in a position where she intervened in someone else’s past relationship for the sake of benefits felt exactly like being a loathsome “mistress.”

But Zhai You was the most outrageous one; she was the cause of all this.

Yet she could still stand there, talking and laughing with Qiao Yan as if nothing were wrong.

“As the sole heir to the Zhai family, can’t you be a bit more generous?” Qiao Yan was talking and laughing (?) with Zhai You. She looked with disdain at the black dress Jiang Bailu was wearing, which had been out of style for who knows how long.

A style from years ago—forget the entertainment industry, even a minor influencer wouldn’t wear it.

It wasn’t even a classic piece; it simply showed that Zhai You didn’t care about the person.

Qiao Yan suddenly felt that Jiang Bailu was quite pitiful and Zhai You was incredibly stingy. She didn’t know whether to be relieved that she hadn’t continued trying to cling to this “thigh.”

Otherwise, it would have been a waste of effort with this cheapskate.

Zhai You, oblivious, looked over: “It looks fine.” Compared to her first two days at the house, her complexion was much rosier.

She had taken good care of her 😀

This is fine? Qiao Yan’s face was a total question mark.

After a moment, she asked.

“You’re having me help her buy clothes—is there a price limit?”

“…” Zhai You checked her phone. After deducting the cost of an entire building, there wasn’t much money left.

She had just asked Father Zhai for money; it wouldn’t be good to ask again so soon.

The remainder was about 200,000.

But she definitely had to keep some for emergencies, so she’d take out half—she couldn’t mistreat her wife! Zhai You put her hands on her hips: “100,000! Buy whatever you want!”

Qiao Yan watched her grin shamelessly.

100,000 was a lot, but considering Zhai You’s requirements and her net worth, it seemed utterly stingy.

“Don’t forget my fee.” Qiao Yan wasn’t about to work for free.

“I won’t forget.” Actually, she had forgotten. Zhai You changed the subject: “Say more good things about me in front of her.”

Although Qiao Yan’s values might be a bit materialistic…

Zhai You had thought about it: the best way to win over a loved one was to start with the people around them.

But Jiang Bailu, whether in the original book or in reality, seemed to have no close friends, leaving Zhai You with no starting point.

Since there were no conditions, she would create them.

Zhai You, who had begun studying various “pursuit guides,” thought confidently: Qiao Yan was the person she knew least likely to lead Jiang Bailu astray.

Let Qiao Yan become Jiang Bailu’s friend, then have Qiao Yan say good things about her.

Since Qiao Yan used to like her so much, saying good things would surely come naturally. What a useful helper.

“But I need to be sure—you really don’t like me anymore, right?” She couldn’t have Qiao Yan showing jealousy in front of Jiang Bailu.

Qiao Yan rolled her eyes.

She and Zhai You were currently in the best possible situation: one provided money, and the other took the money to do small favors.

How harmonious.

Everything she had thought before was just immature.

Or rather, as long as Qiao Yan had money to earn, anything was negotiable.

She walked over to Jiang Bailu and thought silently: Being stuck with her is your blessing.

Zhai You watched them stand together, satisfied that no dangerous sparks would fly between them.

One with a cold face, one with a fake grin—it looked like a classic “plastic sisterhood,” and it was perfect.

“Go shopping with her first.” Zhai You handed Jiang Bailu over to Qiao Yan with peace of mind.

“I have to go see Sister Ji. If she does anything bad, call me and I’ll dock her pay! Also, buy whatever you want, don’t save money.”

She paused, and to better persuade Jiang Bailu, added: “Leaving a good first impression on the director and screenwriter is very important. Make it count.”

Jiang Bailu wasn’t listening. She looked at Zhai You in shock, wondering what kind of game this was.

Her and Qiao Yan, shopping?

Zhai You’s way of thinking was unfathomable. Jiang Bailu went from thinking she was shopping with Zhai You, to thinking she was just a cover for Zhai You’s interest in Qiao Yan.

Now it had inexplicably shifted to her and Qiao Yan.

Zhai You’s smile was bright and guileless.

Jiang Bailu bit her lip, wondering if it was because of what she said yesterday: “Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

She had promised to help Zhai You pursue Qiao Yan.

Thinking this way, Zhai You seemed like someone with a mind so simple it was almost raw. Jiang Bailu couldn’t keep overthinking it, lest she be wrong again.

She’d just let things be.

“I’m off then.” Zhai You was reluctant to leave. she also wanted to personally pick out clothes for Jiang Bailu, but it really wasn’t her forte. Zhai You realized there were too many things she didn’t know and would have to learn slowly in the future.

Standing on the street for a while, Jiang Bailu began to sweat from the sun. She breathed softly, her gentle long dress swaying slowly in the wind, her figure beautiful.

Jiang Bailu was too pale; wearing the black dress made her skin look even softer and more delicate.

She was practically glowing.

Zhai You, tall and slender, stood beside her. After a thought, she tentatively reached out and touched Jiang Bailu’s glossy dark hair.

Jiang Bailu was slightly stunned. She looked up at Zhai You’s hand, which Zhai You quickly withdrew as if the moment had never happened.

That intimate gesture felt like a mere illusion to Jiang Bailu.

Zhai You was like a rose in full bloom, making everywhere she went feel fragrant and pleasant. It made Jiang Bailu think of the first time she saw her.

Zhai You truly was suited to stand in the light; in a crowd, she was the most conspicuous.

Jiang Bailu glanced at Qiao Yan and suddenly asked Zhai You: “Have you thought about acting seriously?”

With Zhai You’s looks, as long as she was even mediocre in the industry, she could be a superstar.

Thinking of Zhai You’s reputation and her manager’s half-mocking, half-advising words, Jiang Bailu’s eyelashes drooped: “Forget I asked.”

Given Zhai You’s financial strength, she could live a flourishing life no matter what she did.

It wasn’t something Jiang Bailu should ask too much about.

But Zhai You stroked her chin and pondered: “I hadn’t thought about it before I met you.”

After meeting Jiang Bailu, she really wanted to act opposite her.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t told Jiang Bailu about that yet. Zhai You didn’t mind keeping it a secret a bit longer.

“I’m going now,” Zhai You said once more.

“Mm.”

Zhai You couldn’t drive, but this was a busy center, so it was easy to get a taxi.

Soon, she arrived at the company.

Before she got out, the driver, who had been observing her through the rearview mirror, finally couldn’t help but ask: “Are you a celebrity?”

Zhai You looked at the company gates, then pointed at her face: “Isn’t it obvious?”

“No, it’s just that you look like someone.” That person would definitely not take a taxi to the company, so the driver wasn’t sure. Seeing Zhai You was so easy to talk to, he chuckled, “But you definitely aren’t Zhai You.”

“…” The real Zhai You.

The driver seemed to be driving such a beautiful star for the first time. Finding Zhai You willing to listen, he couldn’t help but ramble: “That Zhai You is truly a menace. I heard a few days ago she forced someone to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau with her. Isn’t that a joke? With her status, how could she really marry someone?”

Zhai You couldn’t hold it in: “Why is it impossible?”

“She’d be stupid to marry someone. Why not just play around?” That was the common consensus.

Based on the image Zhai You had left with the public.

Maybe Zhai You really was stupid.

She didn’t explain—what was there to explain to a driver? She nodded and walked into the company.

Sister Ji was sitting in her chair with a cold face, with the assistant beside her not even daring to breathe loudly. A tablet was placed in front of them, showing a photo of Zhai You going to the Civil Affairs Bureau with someone.

Unexpectedly, given Zhai You’s controversial nature, this leak… hadn’t actually caused much of a stir?

Moreover, in the photo, Zhai You only looked pensive, and Jiang Bailu beside her wasn’t clearly captured.

It was almost as if an invisible hand was protecting Jiang Bailu.

But that wasn’t what made Sister Ji angry: “I didn’t object when you said you wanted to marry Jiang Bailu.” Couldn’t object anyway.

“But can’t you do a better job with the secrecy? You show off that face of yours all day—would it kill you to wear sunglasses and a mask?”

The assistant didn’t dare speak. Zhai You walked over and picked up the tablet.

The angle wasn’t great; it didn’t capture one-tenth of her beauty. Looking at the traffic for the hashtag, Zhai You stroked her chin and hissed: “I’m not famous anymore.”

Sister Ji: “…”

Zhai You really hadn’t used a disguise. She did it on purpose.

She thought that given the internet’s heat, her marriage to Jiang Bailu should at least make a small trending list, right?

Even if the comments weren’t great, even if they were all cursing her.

But Zhai You just wanted the public to know she was married to Jiang Bailu.

The fact that they were married meant that even when the Righteous Lead returned, they couldn’t easily take Jiang Bailu away.

Zhai You’s scheme didn’t work. Scrolling through, there were only about a dozen comments under the leak, and they were all “sightseeing groups,” looking exactly like heartless bots.

She put down the tablet and met Sister Ji’s angry glare.

The assistant looked miserable; Sister Ji blamed him most for this, for not reminding Zhai You.

“Did the company pull the trending topic?” Zhai You wanted to say it wasn’t necessary; she wanted to go viral with Jiang Bailu.

Sister Ji, with a face like someone owed her millions, muttered: “No.”

Sigh.

What a pity.

Zhai You shook her head: “Then why worry? It didn’t go viral anyway, and even if it did, I’m not afraid.”

Sister Ji finally remembered: Zhai You wasn’t a normal artist; she had a screw loose.

Watching Zhai You sit down and start scrolling on her phone, Sister Ji grew even more annoyed: “You are an artist for the company after all. Even if your contract gives you maximum freedom, have some discretion next time.”

“Sister Ji,” Zhai You said slowly while the assistant shivered.

“You’re just speaking from experience. You’ve managed too many artists and instinctively think marriage will ‘collapse the house.’ But… I don’t even have a house to collapse.”

Zhai You was looking at her Weibo followers.

Good grief. Other artists had tens of millions of followers; Zhai You had only two million.

But her comments were more than ten times those of others.

After a few days of mental preparation, Zhai You was now somewhat immune to the malicious comments. Looking at the row of emojis asking her when she would leave the industry, Zhai You smiled.

Sister Ji was helpless against her.

True, what house did Zhai You have to collapse?

“Sister Ji.” Zhai You pushed her luck. “See, the leak didn’t take off, so it doesn’t affect Jiang Bailu…”

Sister Ji had a bad feeling. “Just say what you want to say.”

Zhai You: “Can the company sign Jiang Bailu?”

Sister Ji rubbed her forehead.

Actually, before Zhai You took an interest in Jiang Bailu, she had seriously considered this. she was a professional manager; even if managing Zhai You didn’t require much work and earned a lot of money…

But if she kept on like this, her professional reputation in the industry would be eroded, and she’d become useless.

Sister Ji wanted to sign Jiang Bailu. The girl was well-behaved and polite.

She wasn’t a troublemaker; she was the kind of artist who would work steadily once signed.

Unfortunately, she’d been targeted by this bull, Zhai You.

Zhai You had previously made her find chances to intercept many of Jiang Bailu’s resources. After all that, Sister Ji was afraid that if she signed Jiang Bailu, the two of them would start “trouble”—in every sense of the word.

She wanted to live a few more years, so she’d dropped the idea.

To be honest, Sister Ji still couldn’t fathom the reason for Zhai You’s change.

From a sponsorship deal one moment to marriage the next.

From targeting to supporting…

A building, an entire building. In Sister Ji’s mind, she couldn’t get over it. She thought seriously, then finally shook her head: “It’s not worth signing her now. Jiang Bailu’s company seems intent on stalling her to earn the contract termination fee.”

If Sister Ji went to sign Jiang Bailu now, the money they’d have to pay would be substantial. It was a bit of a loss.

Zhai You wanted to pat her chest and say she’d cover it.

Then she remembered she had no money left, and her confidence halved.

Why? Why am I still having this kind of experience? It’s awful.

After her shock, Zhai You asked Sister Ji about Deliberate Love: “I looked at the original novel last night. Will the script be changed?”

After reading the original, Zhai You felt it was very exciting and insisted on acting in it.

“You’ll have to ask the screenwriter yourself.” Given how much the screenwriter held a grudge against Zhai You, it would be a miracle if she got an answer.

But there was no need to rush; filming would start soon anyway.

“Next week, you and Jiang Bailu go for the screen test. Just go through the motions.”

They’d see the script then.

“Can we sign the contract next week then?”

“…What are you thinking about?”

“Whether the acting fees for me and Jiang Bailu are enough for her contract breach…”

Sister Ji was profoundly shocked. Zhai You was actually poor enough to be eyeing her acting fees! But thinking of that building, it seemed reasonable: “Why do you insist on signing Jiang Bailu?”

“Because…” Jiang Bailu’s current manager was a piece of work.

What was her name?

Some “Sister” or other.