After Transmigrating as the Villain Alpha, I Marked the Reborn Supporting Female Omega (GL) - Chapter 17.1

Liang Manqing had probably guessed that Qin Cen couldn’t handle alcohol, but she hadn’t expected her to be so sensitive to it.

“Liang Manqing, I’m perfectly sober…” Qin Cen pushed Liang Manqing away and slowly drank the last mouthful of water. She tried to force herself to leave the banquet hall, but her legs went weak as she took a step.

Liang Manqing quickly grabbed Qin Cen’s wrist: “I’ll take you back to the lounge to rest.”

Qin Cen raised a hand and rubbed the back of her head. The effect of alcohol was too stimulating for an Omega with her sensitive constitution, and her stomach began to churn shortly after.

Qin Cen felt increasingly foolish, panicking so much over a subtle, teasing comment from Liang Manqing that she grabbed the wrong glass and got herself drunk.

Liang Manqing didn’t know what Qin Cen was thinking. Given that the competition was about to begin, she could only take Qin Cen to a backstage lounge to sleep for a while.

The international competition facilities were comprehensive, with each participating designer having a dedicated personal lounge.

The lounge had a narrow single bed. Liang Manqing gently placed the limp Qin Cen on the bed.

Qin Cen lay on her side, the neckline of her gown slightly open, offering a clear view of her lovely curves.

Liang Manqing looked away, casually pulling the thin blanket over her to cover the exposed skin.

Qin Cen felt uncomfortable and kicked off her high heels, revealing a pair of clean, white feet.

Liang Manqing bent down, gently grasped Qin Cen’s slender ankle, and placed her feet on the bed. After settling Qin Cen, Liang Manqing quietly closed the door and went to the competition.

The competition proceeded smoothly and was nearing its end.

Qin Cen heard a noise in her sleep. She groggily opened her eyes. It took a few seconds before she remembered drinking alcohol and falling asleep.

Her mind was still fuzzy. Qin Cen got out of bed, put on her shoes, and looked around. She was in a backstage lounge.

There was a fierce argument going on outside the door. Qin Cen listened closely and realized one of the voices was Qin Nuo’s.

Qin Cen was instantly wide awake. She had almost ruined a major task. Her goal in coming here today was to expose Qin Nuo for stealing someone else’s work.

Qin Cen turned on the recording function on her phone. The noise outside had stopped. Given the constant surveillance at the international competition venue, Qin Nuo would surely not cause trouble here.

Opening the lounge door, Qin Cen poked her head out and looked around. She only glimpsed a shadow moving toward the competition venue.

At that moment, the competition scores were being announced. Qin Cen kicked off her heels and ran toward the stage. She immediately saw Qin Nuo standing proudly on the podium.

A flash of red entered Liang Manqing’s vision. She was on stage, waiting for the final champion, so she couldn’t leave immediately.

Qin Cen’s steps were unsteady, and her head was throbbing, but she pointed at Qin Nuo’s face from below the stage and shouted: “Esteemed judges, Qin Nuo stole someone else’s work! She is unworthy of this award!”

At these words, the venue erupted in chaos.

The media instantly found a topic and pointed their cameras at Qin Cen and Qin Nuo’s faces.

The judging panel also panicked. If the accusation from the audience was true, the organizers would bear an undeniable responsibility for awarding a prize to someone who stole another’s work.

Qin Nuo’s face immediately turned pale. She looked at the judging panel and explained: “Don’t listen to her nonsense! She’s just jealous and can’t bear to see me succeed!”

Qin Cen gave a look of contempt: “If you don’t believe me, you can check the backstage surveillance footage right now.”

Qin Nuo hadn’t had time to destroy the backstage surveillance. Just after the argument, Qin Nuo had knocked out the original designer and dragged her away. The surveillance had captured everything.

Qin Nuo’s heart raced in panic. Her fingernails dug into her palm as she looked at Kang Shu in the audience.

Kang Shu was furious. She grabbed Qin Cen and dragged her away from the scene, raising her hand and delivering a loud, resounding slap.

Qin Cen turned her head to the side, her cheek burning with pain. She was completely sober now.

Kang Shu pointed at Qin Cen and yelled: “How could you, an older sister, be so heartless as to slander your sister in public? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?”

Qin Cen endured the pain, looking up at Kang Shu: “Whether I slandered her or not will soon be clear. Also, I am telling you very seriously, I do not have a sister named Qin Nuo!”

Kang Shu’s eyes widened. Furious, she raised her hand again: “I’m going to teach you a lesson today.”

Qin Nuo impatiently grabbed Kang Shu’s wrist and squeezed: “What right do you have to teach me a lesson? I tolerated how the Qin family treated me before, but if you try to lay a finger on me again, I will break your hand.”

Qin Cen spoke every word distinctly, then disgustedly threw off Kang Shu’s hand.

Kang Shu stumbled and lost her balance. She hadn’t expected the previously docile girl to become so intimidating and difficult to deal with.

The international competition was being live-streamed. Despite the scandal with Qin Nuo, the organizers didn’t stop the broadcast but streamed the evidence collection.

The moment the backstage surveillance was retrieved, Qin Nuo sank to her knees, begging for forgiveness: “It’s all my fault! I had ill intentions! Please, judges, give me a chance!”

Qin Nuo crying and pleading alone wasn’t enough. Kang Shu also knelt beside her, bowing her head: “Give my daughter a chance! She’s young and foolish. I promise to educate her properly when we go home.”

Xia Jun took charge: “Please be patient, audience members. We will definitely show everyone the truth.”

In this life, Qin Nuo’s dream of being a genius designer was completely shattered.

Qin Cen sat in the audience, watching the show. A twinge of pain shot through her cheek when she curved her lips. She gently touched it; it seemed to be swelling.

Liang Manqing found an ice pack wrapped in a towel and applied it to Qin Cen’s cheek.

The stinging sensation subsided, and Qin Cen took the ice pack.

Liang Manqing looked earnestly at Qin Cen and asked: “Are you sober?”

Qin Cen said while watching the drama unfold: “Relatively. But my head still hurts a bit.”

Liang Manqing: “I’ll make you a hangover soup when we get back.”

Hearing this, Qin Cen glanced sideways at Liang Manqing. Only then did she notice the gold medal around her neck.

“Liang Manqing, you… won the final championship?” Qin Cen put down the ice pack, picked up the gold medal on her chest, and examined it closely: “It’s real.”

Liang Manqing lowered her eyes and chuckled: “They were about to announce my win when you shouted to stop them. I wonder if the audience remembered me as the champion.”

The live broadcast turned into a chaotic scene. A continuous stream of viewers poured into the live chat to curse Qin Nuo, seemingly forgetting that Liang Manqing was the champion.

Qin Cen apologized: “I wasn’t thinking.”

“I’m just teasing you.” Liang Manqing sat up straight, her smile fading as she said seriously: “Thanks to you, the original designer was vindicated. You did very well just now.”

Qin Cen hummed: “I know.”

The organizers would decide Qin Nuo’s fate. After the live broadcast ended, Xia Jun walked over to congratulate Liang Manqing: “Are you interested in joining my studio? TL Design would love to have you.”

TL Studio was a place every designer dreamed of, but it wasn’t Liang Manqing’s goal.

“Teacher Xia, thank you for the invitation, but I…”

Liang Manqing didn’t finish. Xia Jun already understood: “I understand. A talented designer like you is destined to forge your own path.”

Liang Manqing graciously accepted Xia Jun’s praise. Perhaps they would be competitors soon.

They left the banquet and returned to the Liang residence.

Qin Cen went back to her room to wash up first. Liang Manqing went into the kitchen to make hangover soup.

Liang Manqing was skilled at cooking, and hangover soup was a simple task for her.

Liang Xue, drawn by the smell, came downstairs. She sniffed: “What are you cooking? It smells so good! I want some too.”

The soup was done, and Liang Manqing turned off the heat. She filled a bowl and steered Liang Xue away: “What are you doing here, kid? This is hangover soup. Did you drink alcohol?”

Liang Xue pouted. She grabbed a cold can of beer from the fridge, opened it, and chugged the entire thing. She burped after finishing: “I have now.”

Liang Manqing: “…” She couldn’t keep up with the child’s thought process.

“Fine, fine, fine. This bowl is yours. Sit here and drink it.” Liang Manqing compromised. She went back to the kitchen, filled a fresh bowl, and went upstairs.

Liang Xue took a mouthful with a satisfied look, scalding her lips red.

Liang Manqing heard Liang Xue’s wailing and sighed helplessly. She wondered who this child got her recklessness from.

Qin Cen, with wet hair, came out when she heard the noise and asked: “What’s wrong?”

Liang Manqing paused the hand that was about to knock on the door: “Liang Xue burned her mouth with the soup.”

Downstairs, Liang Xue was shouting incoherently: “I’m fine! I’m not hurt! I didn’t get burned at all!”

Liang Manqing could only explain resignedly: “She just drank a can of beer and is acting drunk.”

Qin Cen was surprised: “She drank alcohol?”

“Drink your hangover soup first, and I’ll tell you later.” Liang Manqing handed her the soup: “Be careful; it’s hot.”

“Thank you.” Qin Cen took the soup, blew on it to test the temperature, and only drank it slowly when it wasn’t hot anymore.

The hangover soup was refreshing and settled her stomach considerably.

Liang Manqing took the empty bowl. Liang Xue, who had quietly crept upstairs, slipped into Qin Cen’s room and lay on her bed: “I’m sleeping with Teacher Qin tonight.”

Liang Manqing naturally wouldn’t allow it. She put her arm around Liang Xue’s neck and pulled her up: “You’re going to differentiate into an Alpha. How can you sleep with Teacher Qin?”

Liang Xue immediately stood up, muttering to herself: “Right, right, right. I’m an Alpha. I can’t sleep with Teacher Qin… Then I’ll sleep with Teacher Xiao Cheng.”

Liang Xue pulled out her phone from her pocket and called: “Hello, Teacher Xiao Cheng. Can you come to my house right now, because…”

Liang Manqing snatched the phone away and apologized to Lin Cheng: “I’m sorry. Liang Xue is drunk. It’s nothing. Get some rest.”

Hanging up the phone, Liang Manqing ground her back teeth, fighting the urge to knock the child out. She bent down, carried Liang Xue back to her room, and tossed her onto the bed.

The moment she hit the bed, Liang Xue fell into a deep sleep.

Qin Cen gently covered Liang Xue with a blanket. Coming out, she told Liang Manqing: “How could you let her drink? She’s still growing.”

Liang Manqing struggled to defend herself: “I’m innocent. I can’t control the child’s ‘chūnibyō’ (eighth-grade syndrome) behaviour.”

Qin Cen glanced at Liang Manqing: “She’s your sister.” A sister who is much better than her own.

Liang Manqing admitted she was at fault: “I will definitely watch her closely from now on.”

After Liang Xue was asleep, the Liang residence grew quiet.

Liang Manqing remembered something, went to the kitchen, peeled a hard-boiled egg, and handed it to Qin Cen: “Hard-boiled eggs help reduce swelling. Rub it on your cheek.”

Ice packs, hangover soup, and an egg for swelling. Today, Qin Cen had received Liang Manqing’s meticulous care all day.

The empty corner in Qin Cen’s heart was being filled little by little. She actually began to crave Liang Manqing’s care, even wanting to test how far Liang Manqing would go for her—whether it was continuous care or just temporary.

For example, now, Qin Cen raised her eyelashes and said: “My wrist shouldn’t be active for long periods. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you.”

Liang Manqing was somewhat shocked.

The Omega’s long lashes curled slightly. Her pale green eyes were focused as she asked: “Is that not possible?”

“Of course, it is.” Liang Manqing said: “Let’s go to your room.”

Qin Cen was slightly sleepy after drinking the hangover soup. She lay on the bed with her eyelids slightly drooping.

Liang Manqing sat by the bed and placed the hard-boiled egg on Qin Cen’s slightly reddened cheek, slowly rolling it with the palm of her hand.

They were close. Liang Manqing could clearly see Qin Cen’s individual eyelashes. The Omega’s skin was delicate, smoother than a peeled egg.

After some time, Qin Cen fell asleep.

The hard-boiled egg turned cold. Liang Manqing gently withdrew her aching arm, stiffly flexing it.

At this moment, the system’s voice popped up in her mind: 【Host, next you should try to capture the female supporting character, make her fall in love with you.】

Liang Manqing frowned: 【Is that also my mission?】

The system yawned: 【Only when the female supporting character is completely in love with you can you successfully torment her body and mind. This is just a necessary step to complete your mission.】

Liang Manqing hadn’t thought that far. She was simply being kind to Qin Cen and never considered making Qin Cen fall in love with her.

System: 【The female supporting character actually needs you very much. Oh, no, the female supporting character’s body needs you very much. Why don’t you help her with this and gain the female supporting character’s dependence? I will silently help you by your side.】

If the system was referring to Qin Cen’s pheromone condition needing her help, then Liang Manqing was willing to unconditionally help Qin Cen.

But what did it mean that Qin Cen’s body needed her? Liang Manqing didn’t understand and didn’t want to understand.

Liang Manqing warned: 【I don’t need your help. You should be smart enough not to interfere with my affairs.】

The system left one last message before falling silent: 【It’s not just your business; it’s our business.】

At the final casting site for Tomorrow’s Lily, Qin Cen and Lin Mian were focused on preparing for the audition.

Liang Manqing and Xia Jun were staking out the surveillance room at the audition venue.

Any abnormal movement would not escape their eyes.

In the end, it was confirmed that Liang Manqing and Xia Jun’s instincts were correct: Xiao Chuchu was indeed planning to block Qin Cen and Lin Mian’s path.

Liang Manqing spoke into the walkie-talkie: “Target sighted at the East Gate. Grab her.”

As soon as the words fell, a group of people rushed in on the East Gate surveillance and escorted Xiao Chuchu away.

Liang Manqing and Xia Jun exchanged a knowing smile.

Xiao Chuchu was brought to the surveillance room. Seeing Liang Manqing and Xia Jun, her legs immediately went weak. She hadn’t expected all her actions were being watched.

Liang Manqing didn’t move. She sat lazily in the chair and said: “Speak. What do you want us to do to you?”

Xiao Chuchu’s arrogant demeanor vanished. She collapsed onto the floor, putting on a tearful, pitiable face: “This wasn’t my intention! I didn’t want to do this!”

Liang Manqing rested her elbows on her knees, leaning closer, her presence intimidating: “Then tell us who instructed you to do it.”

Xiao Chuchu stammered and hesitated.

At that moment, Qin Cen and Lin Mian entered the surveillance room and closed the door.

Xiao Chuchu looked up at Lin Mian: “Jiang Hejing told me to do it. He wanted me to treat Lin Mian that way.”

Lin Mian walked over and slapped Xiao Chuchu: “You’re lying! Ah Jing would never do that to me!”

Blood trickled from the corner of Xiao Chuchu’s mouth. She gave a sarcastic laugh: “Lin Mian, even if you throw yourself at him, Jiang Hejing will never like you. He doesn’t even bother to touch you.”

As soon as she spoke, Xiao Chuchu received another slap, this time from Xia Jun: “Shut your mouth if you don’t want to die.”

Xiao Chuchu lay weakly on the floor, her hair messily plastered to her cheeks. She knew that the combined power of Xia Jun and Liang Manqing surpassed Jiang Hejing’s. Even if she was beaten to death, Jiang Hejing wouldn’t bat an eye.

Xiao Chuchu gave up.