Sense of Crisis

Li Chu's face flushed red as she buried herself in the quilt, leaving only her face exposed, watching Ning Manqing. She felt a bit strange but was too embarrassed to say anything. There was an uncomfortable, constant flow of wetness, but it wasn't unbearable. She just silently closed her eyes, hoping it would go away.

Ning Manqing didn't disturb her. Once Li Chu's breathing became steady and she fell into a deep sleep, Ning Manqing quietly got out of bed. She adjusted the quilt around Li Chu and gently pushed the hair away from her face.

Instead of leaving the room right away, she pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down. Taking out her phone, she sent a message, her face serious.

Ning Manqing had never been one to fight for things aggressively. As the only beta among her four siblings, she had always been treated differently by her parents, but she never objected. She wasn't overly concerned with what others expected of her; she only pursued what she loved acting. She studied hard, got into a professional university, and continually worked on improving her acting skills.

Her steps had always been firm toward her goals, and she never hesitated to push through obstacles. Even when her family threatened to cut ties with her if she entered the entertainment industry, she stayed true to her passion.

But now, something inside her had shifted. If there was something she truly wanted, she realized she had to fight for it.

Li Chu, that fresh and sweet omega, wouldn't go unnoticed by others for long. And in the entertainment world, certain unspoken rules were even harsher. If Ning Manqing didn't act quickly, if someone else made a move before her, Li Chu could be in even greater danger.

Ning Manqing gazed softly at Li Chu's sleeping face. Her fingers tapped her phone, the blue light reflecting coldly in her eyes as her expression hardened with resolve.

Meanwhile, Li Chu had no idea that the plot had taken a sudden turn. The heroine, stimulated by recent events, was now on the path of becoming a boss. Li Chu, on the other hand, slept soundly and woke up to find the space beside her empty.

Memories of the previous night came flooding back, and her face twisted in embarrassment as goosebumps rose all over her body.

Was that really her, acting all silly and awkward like a clumsy teenager? Ugh!

She cringed at the memory. Social death, right there.

Thankfully, she hadn't done anything more outrageous. If she had said something embarrassing in front of Ning Manqing or, worse, started showing off her household skills in her confusion, she probably wouldn't be able to look Ning Manqing in the eye ever again.

Not that her cooking skills were the issue. Still, just… ugh.

Ning Manqing had already left by the time Li Chu woke up. She picked up her phone, sent a message of thanks, and added a cute cat-bowing emoji.

What an angel Ning Manqing was! Not only had she come to rescue her, she'd used her pheromones to soothe her, didn't take advantage of her, and even helped her rinse her mouth and remove her makeup!

Some people could truly kill you with their gentleness. From today onward, Li Chu decided she was a devoted fan of Ning Manqing. She would stand on the front lines of protecting her from now on!

[Teacher Ning]: Are you awake?

[Li Xiaochu]: Yes! Thank you so much, Teacher Ning! I'll go through fire and water for you!

[Li Xiaochu]: Cat bowing emoji

Feeling that one thank-you wasn't enough, Li Chu sent another cat-bowing emoji for good measure.

[Teacher Ning]: It's ten o'clock. Call the bell after you freshen up and have someone bring you lunch. I've already paid for it.

[Li Xiaochu]: !!

[Li Xiaochu]: Okay, thank you, Teacher Ning! I'll treat you to dinner next time!

[Teacher Ning]: No need to thank me, you've already thanked me plenty today.

[Teacher Ning]: Alright.

Li Chu was stunned for a moment, realizing that Ning Manqing had responded to her two messages in one go. She couldn't help but laugh.

Teacher Ning was just too cute!

Li Chu called for her meal, humming a little tune as she freshened up. While enjoying her delicious lunch, a sudden realization hit her.

Her male mother!

It took a few attempts to get through, but finally, the call connected. Li Chu called out anxiously, and after a moment of silence on the other end, she heard her male mother's voice break into sobs.

"Bao'er, I'm sorry, it's my fault. I couldn't protect you. I thought the guy was just a party-goer and would behave better in a crowded place. Who knew he would actually…"

Tang Congnan's sigh was heavy, carrying the weight of a man much older than his twenty-six years. Even though he was still an unmarried young man, his voice reflected the struggles of someone much older.

"It's okay, I understand…"

Tang Congnan interrupted, his voice cracking, "After the secretary pulled me out yesterday, I tried to get back in, but he's an Alpha, and I couldn't fight him. I got knocked out and just woke up to your call."

"Actually, I—"

Tang Congnan cut her off again, speaking comfortingly, "It's okay, Bao'er. If he left a temporary mark, it's no better than being bitten by a dog. Damn it! You should quit the job. When the variety show airs, see if you get any offers. If you can, try to get into Black Gold. Their boss is an Omega, so this will never happen there."

He kept going, talking at rapid speed like a machine gun, and Li Chu didn't even have a chance to interrupt.

Li Chu clenched her fists, and the urge to tell him off flared up inside her.

"I'm fine!"

She finally had to raise her voice and shout, silencing Tang Congnan for a moment.

Li Chu then explained what had happened, leaving out some details and skipping over her interaction with Ning Manqing. She said Yu Feiming had left after answering a phone call for no reason, and that she had crawled to the door, where she happened to run into Ning Manqing, who had generously helped her and calmed her down with pheromones before leaving.

"See? Not all Alphas are the same. We should definitely thank her. Next time we film together, we should bring her a gift."

"Right, what should I give her?"

Li Chu nodded. Thanking her with just a meal seemed too simple. She needed to give something meaningful.

Tang Congnan suggested, "Necklaces, watches, cufflinks, brooches, something like that?"

Li Chu thought about her meager savings, barely over a thousand, and fell silent.

Reading her silence, Tang Congnan sighed and made a bold offer, "I could lend you some money."

Li Chu cheered, "Oh, Nan, you're amazing!"

Tang Congnan grumbled, "You talk too much."

In any case, the situation had passed without further danger, and the two of them Li Chu and her "mother" were reunited, safe and sound.

For the next few days, Li Chu stayed home and focused on preparing for her next audition. She even reached out to Ning Manqing for advice on some professional questions.

[Teacher Ning]: Are you auditioning for the idol drama?

[Li Xiaochu]: Yes!

There was a pause before the next message arrived.

[Teacher Ning]: Cheese-Flavored Love?

[Li Xiaochu]: Yes! There are a lot of people auditioning for this one, so my agent told me to give it my all.

[Teacher Ning]: Good luck. (Cat gif bowing)

[Li Xiaochu]: (Bowing cat emoji)

Holding her phone, Ning Manqing wore a complicated expression. She hesitated for a moment before typing again, "What if I tried out for a school idol drama too?"

Ran Yanru, who had been sitting beside her, almost fell off her chair. She swallowed hard and blurted out, "You, Ning Manqing? In an idol drama?"

"You don't think I can act?" Ning Manqing raised an eyebrow with a playful smile.

Ran Yanru, sensing danger, quickly shook her head, "No, no, of course you can. You're amazing! But why the sudden change of style?"

Ran Yanru had known Ning Manqing since elementary school, through high school, and college, and never once had she shown any interest in acting in idol dramas. In fact, when she was asked to do one in college, she had turned it down.

"I just thought I'd give it a try. Maybe I'm not so suited for it now," Ning Manqing said, though her words seemed to hint at something deeper.

Ran Yanru's expression turned serious, and she asked, "Have you really made up your mind?"

"Yeah, I've asked Kaysen to book the flight."

"I'll coordinate with the company, then. I'll cancel all your scheduled appearances except for the variety show. But if anything interesting comes up, I'll let you know."

Though she didn't understand the reason behind Ning Manqing's decision, Ran Yanru knew there had to be something significant pushing her to step back from her acting career, even temporarily.

"Thanks," Ning Manqing replied.

Ran Yanru waved her hand dismissively, smiling, "There's no need to thank me. If it wasn't for you back then, I wouldn't even be standing here."

"Then help me get in touch with Yang Lan. I'd like to meet with her."

Yang Lan was the wife of Ran Yanru's cousin. Although they didn't have much personal interaction, it wouldn't be hard to arrange a meeting.

Ran Yanru joked, "Why, are you thinking of switching to Black Gold?"

Ning Manqing, staring at her phone, simply said, "It's a personal matter."

She didn't elaborate. But unless this personal matter was resolved, Ning Manqing wouldn't be at ease.