After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, I Was Pampered by a Paranoid Omega - Chapter 9

Bai Manruo continued scrolling through the promotional photos of the other announced guests.

So far, the confirmed lineup for the next episode included one female Omega and two female Alphas; the remaining three guests were set to be revealed on the day of the broadcast.

As Bai Manruo looked at the photos, she felt entirely unimpressed. Having seen Ji Yingqing’s face in person, these celebrities seemed to lack a certain depth and charm by comparison.

Two hours slipped by as she browsed her phone, just in time for her delivery to arrive.

She headed to the villa area to pick up her package. Upon re-entering the castle, she gripped the doorframe and took a stealthy peek into the main hall to see if anyone was around. Confirming the boss was still on the third floor and hadn’t come down, she scurried into her room clutching the parcel.

She definitely didn’t want the boss catching her studying “extracurricular materials” during work hours. Moreover, she had specifically hidden the fact that she was joining a variety show when she asked for leave. If the boss found out she’d been lied to, she would surely revoke the permission!

Tearing open the packaging, she saw eight bold black characters printed on a bright red cover:

LOVE GUIDE: GUARANTEED MASTERY.

Bai Manruo was instantly filled with confidence. Excitedly, she flipped the book open and began her studies.

Chapter 1: How to Choose a High-Quality Dating Platform.

Dating platform? Bai Manruo skipped right over it. She didn’t need that; she already had a platform.

She kept flipping through the pages until she reached Chapter 30, which finally discussed first impressions, attraction, and dating. After spending half an hour reading, she closed the book with a smug smile. She felt she had fully digested the material.

However, this was all still theoretical. To see if she had truly mastered it, she needed real-world practice.

Before she could decide how to practice, her alarm went off. Bai Manruo dropped the book and dashed to the kitchen; she had almost forgotten she was simmering Tremella and Pear soup.

Butler Li had specifically ordered this soup, instructing her to personally deliver it to Miss Ji’s room. Bai Manruo figured that since the boss didn’t come down for breakfast, some soup would be good for hydration.

She carried the exquisite small bowl up to the third floor. There were four rooms; she had to knock on two different doors before finding the right one.

A cool, low voice drifted from inside: “Come in.”

With both hands occupied by the soup, Bai Manruo had to nudge the door open with her elbow. She entered the study and placed the tray on the desk. “Miss Ji, the Tremella and Pear soup is ready.”

There was no immediate response. Bai Manruo looked at Ji Yingqing, who was working at her computer, her expression appearing somewhat cold and stern.

This scene was remarkably similar to a scenario described in her book. Suddenly, the “knowledge” she had just acquired flashed through her mind.

Bai Manruo took a few steps closer and spoke in a voice so soft it practically dripped with tenderness: “Too much work is bad for the body. I’ve learned a bit of massage before; let me knead your shoulders for you.”

Hearing that voice—gentle enough to squeeze water out of—Ji Yingqing glanced at her, her brow furrowing slightly. She looked up, fixing her gaze on her. “What is wrong with you?” she asked flatly.

Bai Manruo was secretly delighted. The book was right! For workaholics who aren’t big on communication, the “tender approach” is the best way to grab their attention.

However, she felt a bit guilty using the boss as a test subject just to earn money for her freedom and master dating skills. Boss, she vowed internally, I’ll definitely make it up to you after I finish the show!

She turned, walked back to the tray, and slid the pear soup closer on the desk. Blowing on her fingers, which had been turned red by the heat of the bowl, she put on a piteous, aggrieved look. “This pear soup simmered for three whole hours. You didn’t eat breakfast, Miss Ji; you’ll ruin your health if you stay hungry.”

Ji Yingqing raised an eyebrow, set down her documents, and looked at her with a hint of scrutiny in her eyes.

Under that gaze, Bai Manruo didn’t blink. She maintained an expression of pure, heartfelt concern for her boss.

Ji Yingqing eventually pulled her gaze away and glanced at the soup, a flash of resistance crossing her eyes. But then her eyes lingered on Bai Manruo’s reddened fingertips. She looked down. She did all this just to get me to drink the soup?

After hesitating for a few seconds, she picked up the spoon, despite her reluctant expression. However, as she ate, she carefully picked out every single piece of tremella before drinking the liquid.

The peaks of her lips, now coated in the sugary syrup, shimmered with a glistening sheen. Bai Manruo’s gaze accidentally landed on those lips, and she subconsciously swallowed.

Ji Yingqing used a handkerchief to gently dab the corner of her mouth. After a pause, she spoke: “I don’t eat tremella. Didn’t Butler Li tell you?”

“No—” Bai Manruo started, but immediately swallowed the word, choosing to take the blame herself. “No, I… I must have forgotten. My apologies.”

As Bai Manruo stood there, she was simultaneously immersed in the joy of a successful “practice” and shocked that Butler Li apparently disliked her this much. She remembered clearly: when they were making the soup, Butler Li had personally instructed her to add extra tremella.

While Bai Manruo stood by the desk thinking about the butler, she had no idea that the computer on the desk was currently in the middle of a video conference.

The words she had just said to Ji Yingqing had been heard loud and clear by everyone on the call. The high-level executives in the video had been muted, not daring to breathe loudly, completely stunned. Their CEO, who usually maintained a mysterious, cold, and indifferent image, actually had a “hidden beauty” in her manor.