After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, I Ended Up with the Movie Queen - Chapter 14

As it turned out, Shen Zhibei was only bold with her words.

After returning home, she acted affectionately toward Yin Yuehua and Gu Tiansheng, behaving so much like their own child that she put Gu Nan to shame. However, she didn’t say a single bad word about Gu Nan; she even offered her a few compliments.

Gu Nan cut a small piece of steak and slid her plate over to Shen Zhibei—a gesture of thanks for everything she had done today to maintain the peace of the household and Gu Nan’s own physical and mental well-being.

Shen Zhibei ignored her, continuing to struggle through her salad. Just then, her phone chimed several times with incoming messages. She caught a glimpse of the lit-up screen; it was from Sister Yan.

“Eating a little steak won’t make you fat,” Gu Nan urged. “Besides, it’s embarrassing for us to be eating meat while you’re just eating grass.”

Shen Zhibei pushed the steak plate back with effort and explained to the concerned Gu Tiansheng and Yin Yuehua, “I’m starting a show soon, so I have to go on a diet. I’ve eaten too much lately.”

Then she shot a fierce glare at the person who dared to provoke her. She mouthed the words: ‘I’m really going to tell on you.’

‘I genuinely wanted you to have some,’ Gu Nan mouthed back with a look of feigned grievance.

‘Believe you and I’ll see a ghost,’ Shen Zhibei looked murderous.

Gu Tiansheng and Yin Yuehua watched the interaction from the head of the table and smiled with relief. Then, they focused on their own food, pretending they saw nothing.

The dinner—where three people ate meat and one ate grass—was a struggle for Shen Zhibei. After some light conversation, they prepared to head to their respective rooms.

Just as Shen Zhibei finally had a moment to unlock her phone and check her messages, Gu Nan’s agent—who had been absent until now—appeared at the house as if she had timed it for when everyone was present.

Gu Nan’s agent, Ruan Shuyi, was the top agent at Chengxin Entertainment. If not for Gu Nan’s family background, someone of her caliber likely wouldn’t be managing her. After greetings were exchanged, Ruan Shuyi pulled out a variety show invitation and handed it to Gu Nan.

“The show A Poem-Like Life is inviting you to be a permanent guest.”

Gu Nan took the invitation and couldn’t help but look at her mother’s expression. She saw both her mothers staring at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle. Then she looked at Shen Zhibei.

Shen Zhibei was looking at her phone with a complex expression, but she quickly noticed Gu Nan watching her and smoothed her features.

Gu Nan hesitated. Although her mothers clearly wanted her to go with Shen Zhibei—and recalling her mom’s strange reaction when Shen Zhibei first accepted the show, she knew there was more to it—she assumed Shen Zhibei wouldn’t want to spend long periods under the lens with her.

Ruan Shuyi noted everyone’s expressions and mentally revised her pitch. “The production team is interested in the recent heat surrounding you and Miss Shen, which is why they invited you.”

“Lately, Chengxin and Miss Shen’s agency, Yaohua, have been working hard on PR, and the results are good. However, no amount of PR is as effective as the two of you showing affection on a variety show together.”

Ruan Shuyi didn’t even ask Gu Nan; she went straight to Shen Zhibei. “Miss Shen, do you have any concerns?”

Shen Zhibei, still looking at her phone, said casually, “I’m fine. I’m mainly worried Gu Nan won’t adapt to the format, and the results might be even worse.”

Ruan Shuyi actually agreed with Shen Zhibei. She didn’t personally think Gu Nan should go on the show either, especially since A Poem-Like Life was a live-streamed format. If Gu Nan lost her temper during the recording, the show would be a hit, but Gu Nan would be buried by public backlash. And unlike before, Gu Nan now needed to maintain a clean image—the difficulty level had increased exponentially.

But since Director Gu had already sponsored the show and insisted the “little ancestor” go, she had to persuade the reluctant-looking Gu Nan.

“Nannan, what do you think?”

“I have no experience,” Gu Nan deflected.

“Experience can be accumulated,” Ruan Shuyi countered. “It’s not like Miss Shen has done many shows like this either.”

“I’m not very good at showing affection in public. I’m afraid it’ll have the opposite effect,” Gu Nan continued.

“Just act like you normally do. You did great accompanying Miss Shen to her endorsement shoot today,” Ruan Shuyi said, essentially lying through her teeth. “Besides, you and Miss Shen just got married. Don’t you want to spend more time with your new wife? This is a slow-paced, pastoral show. Just treat it as going on a vacation with Miss Shen and enjoy yourselves.”

She doesn’t need me to accompany her, Gu Nan thought. If I go, she’ll probably start worrying instead.

Shen Zhibei had finished reading her messages and was considering her next move. Seeing Gu Tiansheng and Yin Yuehua pretending to look at the ceiling while clearly eavesdropping, she guessed they desperately wanted them to go.

She thought about the two things Sister Yan had just messaged her.

First: they found that Bai Rui’s other secret boyfriend had a record of buying hallucinogens. And the assistant who followed Gu Nan to the cocktail party that night was the one who had just been fired.

Second: Bai Rui was also participating in A Poem-Like Life.

So… were they both set up by Bai Rui that night? It would certainly explain the massive discrepancy between the “Gu Nan” of that night and the Gu Nan she had been living with.

The incident was too long ago for a drug test; even if Gu Nan had been drugged, the traces would be gone. If she wanted to know the truth quickly, she had to let Gu Nan go on the show with her. If Bai Rui was really trying to step over her to get ahead, she wouldn’t miss this opportunity. If they went prepared, they could catch her in the act.

Thinking of this, Shen Zhibei reversed her stance. Following Ruan Shuyi’s lead, she said, “Go. Don’t you want to accompany me?”

“?” Gu Nan looked at her in shock. I was trying to get us out of this, why did you defect first?

Shen Zhibei looked away from Gu Nan’s shocked eyes. “I’ve thought it over. Sister Shuyi is right. Going on a show is much more effective than standard PR.”

“Exactly,” Ruan Shuyi nodded. “Variety shows are king these days. Many stars build their entire careers on them.”

Gu Nan was still reeling from the “backstab.” Yin Yuehua finally looked down from the ceiling. “Zhibei asked you to go with her; what are you waiting for?”

“Ah, right. Of course I have to go with Zhibei.” Gu Nan recovered and smiled, flipping through the invitation with a sugary tone. “After all, we’re newlyweds. We don’t want to be apart for a single moment.”

Shen Zhibei looked away; that was too fake.

Ruan Shuyi didn’t care if it was fake; her mission was accomplished. “Good. I’ll notify the production team. Over the next two days, watch some previous episodes of A Poem-Like Life to get a feel for it, and then wait for the notification with Miss Shen.”

Once the agent and parents had left, only Gu Nan and Shen Zhibei remained in the dining room.

“I thought you didn’t want me to go. Why did you backstab me?” Gu Nan asked first.

“How is that a backstab?” Shen Zhibei felt a bit guilty but immediately stood her ground. “I was following your mothers’ wishes to make them happy.”

“Making them happy at your own expense?” Gu Nan’s tone turned sour. “You and my mothers get along so well. Comparing my treatment to yours, I feel like I’m the one who was adopted.”

Gu Nan’s “vinegar-flavored” (jealous) tone made Shen Zhibei want to smile. It reminded her that Gu Nan was significantly younger than her.

If it turns out Gu Nan really didn’t do those things, I’ll be a bit more patient with her, Shen Zhibei thought.

On the surface, she remained calm. “Sister Yan just messaged me. Bai Rui is also going to be on the show.”

“Bai Rui?” Gu Nan immediately smelled a conspiracy. “Is that a coincidence? Or is she coming for you?”

“I don’t know,” Shen Zhibei shook her head. “But if she is the one behind everything, she won’t pass up this chance with both of us there.”

“So that’s why you changed your mind?” Gu Nan realized. “You weren’t following my mothers’ wishes; you wanted to use us as bait to lure Bai Rui out?”

Shen Zhibei didn’t deny it. “Sister Yan also found that Bai Rui’s other boyfriend bought hallucinogens, and the assistant you had that night was her secret lover. Don’t you want to clear your name?”

Knowing that the blurry images she saw might have been caused by hallucinogens made Gu Nan feel a sense of vindication.

“I do, but I’m not Bai Rui’s main target. If I help you like this, what’s in it for me?”

“What do you want?” Shen Zhibei watched her closely, waiting for her conditions.

“If we catch the culprit, you have to act like a loving wife with me to keep my mothers happy. This agreement lasts until you find your true love, or I find mine.”

“Deal,” Shen Zhibei agreed without hesitation. “Perform well on the show. If we catch the mastermind, I’ll play the ‘loving wife’ for your parents.”

“Pinky swear,” Gu Nan held out her little finger.

“How childish.” Despite her words, Shen Zhibei reached out and hooked her pinky with Gu Nan’s.