I Heard I Was the Scumbag Alpha of a Top-Tier Celebrity (GL) - Chapter 14

After a brief moment of surprise, Ying Lu understood: “You’re capable, alright. I didn’t expect you to have such skill. You nipped the crisis in the bud.”

Gu Xin was puzzled: “This shouldn’t be difficult, right? Director Ying could probably find people to investigate it too.”

“Technically, no, but the timing is the difficult part,” Ying Lu praised without reservation. “And stop calling me Director Ying. Just call me by my name. You’re not in the industry, and ‘Director Ying’ sounds too distant.”

Gu Xin hesitated for a moment, then tentatively said, “Ying Lu?”

“That’s better.” Ying Lu held the phone to her ear with one shoulder while stirring her milk tea with the other hand. “Xiao Xin, I’ll be relying on you for Xiao Shuang’s public opinion from now on. Given your relationship, you wouldn’t refuse to help with this small favor, would you?”

“I…”

“Xiao Shuang has been too popular these past two years and has offended too many people. There are not a few who are ready to kick her while she’s down.” Ying Lu blew on the steaming milk tea. “Unless she returns to her previous position, she’ll never be able to rise again in this lifetime.”

Gu Xin was silent for two seconds, watching the chirping sparrows outside the window, slowly blinking in the sunlight: “Mhm.”

“You know how excellent she is. It’s only by completely crushing her that they will feel at ease, rather than letting her make a comeback.”

“Mhm.”

“Don’t just keep ‘Mhm-ing’ everything I say! Are you trying to drive me crazy?” Ying Lu slammed her milk tea down. “Give me a definite answer. Are you helping with this or not!”

“I will definitely help!” Gu Xin was anxious. “Anything that concerns Shuangshuang, I will definitely help.”

Ying Lu was finally satisfied: “Why didn’t you say so sooner? You’re so slow and annoying! Your word is enough. I assume I can leave Xiao Shuang’s future public opinion work to you?”

“But I…”

“No ‘buts.’ What else do you want to say?”

Gu Xin learned for the first time that you couldn’t speak slowly when dealing with an impatient person, or their accusation would come first. She was forced to speed up her speech: “I’m afraid Shuangshuang will mind!”

“That’s it?” Ying Lu sneered. “If Xiao Shuang refuses, will you really stop?”

“…No.”

“Hmph, what strange Alpha self-esteem.” Her tone sounded quite mocking.

Ying Lu cut the conversation short: “If you insist on being the hero behind the scenes, then I’m not in a position to veto you. It’s fine if Xiao Shuang doesn’t ask, but if she does, I definitely won’t help you hide it. Finally, I want to confirm again, you won’t betray Xiao Shuang, right?”

“No.” She spoke the words without thinking, but immediately after, Gu Xin’s mind flashed through the large batch of glamorous Beta photos in her album. She hadn’t deleted any of those ambiguous photos; all were backed up on her hard drive.

Gu Xin didn’t know how she could have played around with others like that without batting an eye. If she had truly done something to betray Yan Shuangshuang, then “betrayal” had already happened a long time ago.

A prickling sensation arose in her heart. Gu Xin felt extremely uncomfortable, even her stomach felt acidic, and she wanted to vomit.

Gu Xin quickly said, “I’ll set up an automatic email forward. If the software catches any new clues, and I don’t have time to sort them out, I’ll trouble Director… Ying Lu.”

She almost forgot to correct herself.

Ying Lu smiled sweetly: “Then thank you, Xiao Xin.”

After exchanging a couple more pleasantries, Ying Lu hung up the phone and immediately forwarded the email to Yan Shuangshuang.

Soon, Yan Shuangshuang sent a “?” on WeChat.

Ying Lu sent a voice message: “My dear female lead, look! A fresh thigh I just hugged. This is what happens to the people who try to slander you~”

Whoosh, the voice message was sent. Ying Lu tapped her phone screen and mumbled to herself, “This isn’t breaking my promise. After all, I didn’t mention any names.”

Yan Shuangshuang replied with a string of “…” Ying Lu skipped the previous topic and sent another voice message: “Let’s have a rough table read at my place tomorrow morning. I’ve found the person for the Alpha 2 role. You should come and take a look tomorrow too, to build some chemistry.”

Yan Shuangshuang replied “OK.”

Thinking of the choice for Alpha 2, Ying Lu flashed a gloating smile. There’s a good show coming up.

*

On Friday, Gu Xin interviewed at the last institute, which was the one Gu Xin took most seriously.

This institute collaborated directly with the best university in X City, making it the top in X City’s communications field, and it also had close ties with the Capital.

She thought she wouldn’t pass, but unexpectedly, the professor kept her alone after the interview.

“You are Gu Xin.” The professor’s last name was Ma, full name Ma Huaiyue, also a Beta. It was said that she would be nominated for an academician position next year, with excellent achievements.

When she called Gu Xin over, her tone was very certain, as if she had heard the name long ago.

“Yes, Professor.”

“What was your area of research at the Capital Communications Institute?”

Gu Xin shook her head honestly: “I don’t remember, Professor. According to my previous mentor, I used to work on quantum communication, but my current research direction is radar meteorology.”

“Those are two completely different subjects.”

“That’s why I have these dark circles from studying so much,” Gu Xin made a lighthearted joke. She didn’t feel any burden and didn’t really expect to pass. If it didn’t work out, there were backups. There must be places that needed academic labor, right?

Ma Huaiyue smiled: “Quite diligent. Don’t you have any leisure activities?”

Gu Xin hesitated and shook her head.

Ma Huaiyue said, “It seems you are wholeheartedly devoted to academia. Then let’s leave it at that. Go home and wait for the notice. The result will be announced before next Thursday.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

“By the way.” Ma Huaiyue stopped Gu Xin, who was about to leave, adjusted her glasses, and said in a tone as casual as discussing the weather, “Say hello to An Pingyu for me, and tell her that I will not politely decline her prize student.”

Gu Xin was startled.

*

Shao Xiaosheng was the first to know Gu Xin’s new mentor. As soon as she heard the name, she burst out laughing, sending Gu Xin a long string of “HAHAHA,” and then told Gu Xin that Ma Huaiyue was Professor An’s ex-girlfriend.

Professor An lost his wife early, leaving only his Omega son An Shizhi. He didn’t remarry for twenty years. Later, he collaborated on a project with Professor Ma, and somehow the two got together. After dating for a few years, they broke up for some unknown reason and adopted a posture of never speaking to each other again. An Shizhi tried to mediate but couldn’t, so he gave up.

Shao Xiaosheng said: “It’s hard not to suspect Professor Ma targeted you from the start. Your name was used by Professor An as punctuation back then. Prepare to be overworked.”

Gu Xin thought for a long time and could only manage two words: “Fate.”

Shao Xiaosheng laughed again: “Let’s hope it’s not a fateful disaster.”

Gu Xin resignedly tidied up and entered her new workplace, trying to look composed. Her main task on the first day was to familiarize herself with the work content and area. Given her special status, she also signed many non-disclosure agreements and underwent many tests.

After dizzyingly touring the new place, she turned around and met Professor Ma’s kind face.

“Are you free this weekend? I have two tickets for the playhouse. Would you like to come and see it with me?”

“Ah?” Was this some kind of magical welcome ceremony?