After Transmigrating into a Book, I Finally Have an Omega - Chapter 7

The media swarmed, pressing closer with every step. Chao Nanxi felt the original Nanxi’s consciousness instinctively wanting to flee.

Nanxi steadied her footing. In the chaos, a shopping bag slipped from Cen Xin’s hands. A glass bottle of milk shattered against the ground, splashing liquid everywhere and soaking Nanxi’s pants.

“Cen Xin?”

The items had fallen, but Cen Xin didn’t seem to notice. The vitality vanished from her body in an instant. Her lips turned pale as she stared blankly into the blinding lights without blinking.

Chao Nanxi pulled an umbrella from the bag. Facing Cen Xin, she propped the umbrella over her shoulder. Being nearly a head taller than Cen Xin, the large black umbrella completely shielded them both, blocking out the light that had been stinging Cen Xin’s eyes.

“You go first.”

Chao Nanxi pointed toward the supermarket entrance, but Cen Xin remained petrified, standing rigid.

The media were pushing right behind her. Chao Nanxi peeled back a corner of her suppressor patch. The scent of peppermint diffused—chilly and sharp as a blade—suppressing anyone who inhaled it. She stepped out from under the umbrella to block Cen Xin, her clear eyes devoid of expression.

“Back off,” Chao Nanxi pointed to a wide, open space beside the supermarket. “Otherwise, I won’t answer a single question.”

Netizens watching the livestream didn’t know exactly what was happening on-site, but they were awestruck by Chao Nanxi’s bare-faced appearance.

「Is this really Nanxi?」

「It’s true that a beauty looks good even in a potato sack. How can she look this good in basic sportswear?」

「Staying away from that cursed stylist was the right move. Solo beauty is the best.」

Nanxi’s features held the serene elegance of a landscape painting, while the heroic bridge of her nose gave her a unique temperament. Having grown used to Nanxi’s beauty being buried under heavy makeup and eye-searing outfits, her sudden appearance in an everyday look allowed her natural strengths to shine.

「Does no one want to know who she’s holding the umbrella for?」

The bullet comments flew by so fast that this one was quickly buried. Fans familiar with Nanxi were too worried to focus on side topics.

「Nanxi is doomed. Her ability to handle the media is zero at best, usually negative.」

It wasn’t that Nanxi hadn’t faced the media alone before. To put it kindly, she was blunt; in reality, she spoke without thinking. She had been led by the nose countless times, accidentally offending other celebrities or falling into linguistic traps that gave the media endless material to fabricate stories. Later, out of fear, she either kept Wang Lan by her side or stayed behind closed doors. By hiding, her impromptu reactions had only worsened over time.

The media retreated to the small plaza. Chao Nanxi firmly reapplied her suppressor patch. She had noticed last time that the scent of her pheromones didn’t seem to affect Cen Xin.

“There are chairs inside the supermarket. Go wait for me; I’ll be back soon.”

The umbrella handle still held Nanxi’s warmth. She stuffed it into Cen Xin’s hand and walked out alone. Away from the cameras, Cen Xin finally felt herself come back from the brink of suffocation. Her hands and feet were ice-cold, her limbs weak. If it hadn’t been for Nanxi…

Just as the netizens thought Nanxi was making a roundabout escape, she appeared in the center of the frame, devoid of her usual cowardice and unease. She walked straight into the middle of the crowd and snatched two microphones from the cluster of media members.

“I remember every question you asked.”

Chao Nanxi repeated them word for word, her voice incredibly cold. A wave of comments flooded the screen:

「Has Sister turned to the dark side?」

It felt like a revenge plot from a drama; the sense of catharsis and anticipation spiked. A completely different Nanxi had stood up bravely after being hurt and betrayed.

「Niohuru* Xi! This is so badass!」

“We are all adults capable of taking responsibility for our actions. I dare to take responsibility for my answers; do you dare to take responsibility for your questions?”

Chao Nanxi’s aura didn’t require a raised voice or a harsh expression. She stood there, her tone flat—neither humble nor arrogant, but fiercely aggressive. Reason is the only thing that defeats the unreasonable. With a heart free of fear, her presence was monumental.

The reporters were stunned. As murmurs began to rise, Nanxi smiled. Her eyes held a teasing glint, softening her intensity.

“The whole internet knows now that I am an artist who loves using legal weapons to protect myself. In the future, before you ask me a question, think about whether you’ll be held accountable for infringing on my rights.”

「If anyone says Nanxi is a pushover again, I’ll slap them.」

「Law student reporting for duty! Willing to be Sister’s blade.」

No one dared to speak up, fearing that a biased remark would lead to unexpected consequences. Nanxi withdrew her smile. “Whatever my public persona has been, good or bad, it has never been that of a ‘Holy Mother.'”

The deeper her gaze became, the more those who met her eyes were cowed by an undeniable majesty. It wasn’t a crashing wave or a lightning strike, but a swift undercurrent beneath a calm surface.

“Do not analyze the perpetrator’s mental journey or upbringing for me. I don’t care about that at all.”

Her words sparked a new wave of discussion. Some found it cool; others found it heartless.

“The so-called ‘cruelty’ is only because the knife hasn’t fallen on you.”

Silence fell behind the screens and at the interview site. Chao Nanxi’s heart was fluctuating along with Nanxi’s consciousness. Those who have not suffered the harm have no right to make choices for those who have. The moment a perpetrator inflicts harm, they forfeit the right to mercy.

No one asked anything else, but the media didn’t disperse. Most stood around awkwardly. It was unclear who panicked first, but fearing Nanxi’s resentment, one reporter turned and bolted. This triggered a small stampede; in the pushing, the person at the back was shoved down and stepped on.

A cry of pain reached Chao Nanxi’s ears. She turned her head. In the crush of people, she just looked, not understanding why that specific sound caught her attention. Thinking of Cen Xin alone in the supermarket, Nanxi didn’t investigate further.

She left. The reporters, having failed their mission, surrounded the injured person.

“Song Zhongxia, this is the way to save Sister Wang?”

Song Zhongxia sat on the ground, unable to move. Her ankle was swollen, her meticulously styled dress was soiled, and her hair was a mess. She watched as Nanxi turned her head but walked further and further away. Her voice was stuck in her throat; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make a sound.

This is wrong. Clearly, Nanxi had seen her. According to her plan, Nanxi should have pushed through the crowd to help her up. Even though it was months earlier than in her past life and the location was different, that was how they had met before—by her “saving” Nanxi from a media ambush.

She had done the same thing as in her previous life, so why did it keep turning out differently from the plan?

Before Song Zhongxia could figure it out, a paparazzo close to Wang Lan shoved her shoulder hard.

“Sister Wang only got sent inside because she trusted you last time! This time you said you had a way to make Nanxi change her mind, so we came. The location you provided was correct, but now not only have we failed to save Sister Wang, the public opinion has flipped! How are you going to pay for this?!”

The paparazzo and Wang Lan had gained much from Nanxi. Since Wang Lan met Song Zhongxia and received her “tips,” she had broken many stories about other artists. Thinking she was divinely gifted, Wang Lan and the paparazzo had plotted to use Nanxi’s pheromone loss of control to create a scandal.

However, before they could film anything, the paparazzo witnessed Wang Lan being taken away by the police. He had tracked down Song Zhongxia to settle the score but believed her claim that she could make Nanxi change her mind. They spent money to guide online opinion and called in their peers as Song Zhongxia instructed, but who knew it would fail again!

Facing the fierce paparazzo, Song Zhongxia’s mind was in turmoil. Is it because I didn’t follow the timeline of my past life that things aren’t going according to the original track? Realizing she might have botched it by being too impatient, her confusion turned to resentment.

“I met her at the restaurant and told you her whereabouts, didn’t I? Then I can find another chance to get close to her.”

Song Zhongxia firmly believed that her rebirth was her winning chip. “Give me more time. Nanxi has a soft heart. I will definitely make her personally settle things with Sister Lan in private.”

Chao Nanxi found Cen Xin in a corner of the supermarket. She was clutching the umbrella with her head down, her face hidden by her hat.

Recalling her abnormal reaction to the cameras, Chao Nanxi felt a bit conflicted. She walked up to Cen Xin and crouched down. The faint scent of peppermint—crisp and refreshing—pulled Cen Xin out of the past. She adjusted her glasses and met Nanxi’s scrutiny, looking timid.

“Cen Xin,” Chao Nanxi spoke bluntly, despite her reluctance. “Do you have a fear of cameras?”

Cen Xin’s pupils dilated then constricted. She bit her lower lip hard.

“Cen Xin, I’m sorry I didn’t know about this before and selfishly wanted you to work for me. I’ve changed my mind. I’m giving the initiative back to you. You can think carefully about whether this job is truly right for you.”

Author’s Note:

Little Assistant’s Work Diary:

She discovered my secret.

Chao Nanxi: I don’t care if you can work for me or not.