Three-Pointed Heart

It was a moment when her soul trembled, as if her body had turned into a flower, all the coverings forcibly stripped away, exposing her most vulnerable part to the other's eyes, only to be bitten.

The pheromones faded like a tide, and though Li Chu's senses could no longer detect the scent, her mind still clung to that lingering feeling.

"Sorry for the offense," Ning Manqing's clear voice sounded in her ears. Li Chu, in a trance, looked at the mirror fogged by steam, reaching out with difficulty to wipe the mist away.

Her fingertips, round and pink like peach blossoms, left streaks on the glass. Ning Manqing watched as those slender fingers traced lines through the mist. The slightly trembling fingertips stirred an old verse in her mind: The servant assists the frail beauty.

"I truly apologize," Ning Manqing added softly, her throat moving slightly as her voice became even huskier.

"It's okay, you're teaching me. I think I understand a little now. I'll go memorize my lines!" Li Chu shook her head and, seeming to trust Ning Manqing entirely, stood up straight before hurrying to a corner with her script.

The rehearsal room was small, but with only three people, it felt quite empty. Facing the corner with her back to the camera, Li Chu appeared to be reviewing her lines but was actually hiding her blush.

Please, tear ducts, don't act up in weird places, she muttered internally, feeling overwhelmed by her helplessness as an omega.

Li Chu took a deep breath and closed her legs, still thinking: It felt like Teacher Ning was flirting just now, but she doesn't seem like someone who would take advantage of me. And besides, the cameras were rolling.

Still, the teaching method was effective Li Chu now understood what it meant to have desire in her eyes, much better than just staring blankly.

She couldn't help but touch the gland at the back of her neck, where Ning Manqing's bite marks had long since faded. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, she resumed learning her lines.

Watching Li Chu from afar, Ning Manqing withdrew her gaze and turned toward the beta who had been unaware of the previous interaction. She strode over, preparing to offer more guidance.

Li Chu recited her lines quickly. Han Tao's dialogue was sparse, mainly concentrated in the first half. When Duan Rui and Ling Yun started quarreling, Han Tao had little to do. There were only a few lines of persuasion when Duan Rui threatened suicide, and then the final plea for mercy.

"Please let me go... I'll be good... I'll testify for you. He killed himself accidentally... It has nothing to do with you..."

Li Chu practiced in front of the mirror, her voice trembling with urgency and fear. She frowned, feeling that her emotions weren't quite right. The pauses didn't feel natural, so she repeated the lines a few more times.

"Please let me go... Please... I'll be good... Ugh, that's not right."

Shaking her head, Li Chu slapped her cheek lightly, trying to make her voice thinner and softer. She put on her headphones and watched the original scene on repeat. The actress who originally played Han Tao was a well-known sex symbol, and even while begging for mercy, she had a flirtatious tone. Her performance made even the actress playing Ling Yun act decisively, stabbing the beauty in the heart.

Imagining Ning Manqing stabbing her the same way gave Li Chu a chill, and she continued practicing her lines.

"Please... let me go..."

Li Chu repeated the phrase until it numbed her.

Alpha hearing was sharp. Ning Manqing, who was standing four or five meters away, hid a smile behind her script as she listened to Li Chu's constant repetition of the word "please." She found it quite amusing.

She inhaled the faint peach scent lingering in the air, recalling the soft, white arm that had wrapped around her neck and the urgent, low-toned "please." The smile on her face faded, her reflection in the mirror darkening with intensity.

Li Chu didn't notice and continued practicing her lines.

Although the new episode would air in a week, the time allotted for the program's editing and preparing the actors left them only two days between drawing lots and performing on stage. Everyone worked hard and wasted no time. After dinner, they returned to rehearsing their lines.

Both Li Chu and Chen Ying were having trouble with their scenes, but they decided to smooth out the words first before worrying about emotions.

Meanwhile, Ning Manqing took only a moment to get into character. Even without makeup or props, her cold, commanding presence filled the room, chilling Li Chu and Chen Ying to the bone.

"What... what are you doing here?" Chen Ying blurted out, throwing off the line order.

Han Tao was supposed to speak first, but Ning Manqing continued, and Li Chu quickly picked it up.

She leaned on Chen Ying, looking at Ning Manqing with provocation in her eyes. "Who is this? Why did you barge in? This ship doesn't welcome female guests. If you want to join us as my sister, I'm afraid your beauty won't cut it."

Ning Manqing said nothing, merely gazing down at the man in front of her.

After a tense minute, Chen Ying still hadn't responded. Li Chu tugged at his sleeve.

"I forgot the lines... Teacher Ning's eyes are too scary!" Chen Ying admitted with a grimace, calling her "Teacher Ning" instead of "Sister Manqing."

Whenever Ning Manqing entered the scene, her aura was so overpowering that Chen Ying struggled to deliver his lines. Li Chu, draped over him, recited her dialogue, but Ning Manqing's gaze made him feel like he was already dead.

He didn't even have the time to enjoy having an omega clinging to him.

After four or five attempts, Chen Ying finally managed to stumble through the scene with Ning Manqing, dramatically stabbing himself with an imaginary dagger before collapsing peacefully to the ground, feeling utterly relieved.

Although Teacher Ning was not impatient, her eyes grew increasingly terrifying.

As she approached Li Chu, Li Chu secretly pinched herself, making her face pale. Then, she knelt on the ground, trembling, and looked up at the woman standing just a few steps away, staring down at her.

Initially, Li Chu was worried she wouldn't be able to immerse herself in the scene, but as soon as she saw Ning Manqing's eyes, the lines flowed from her mouth unconsciously.

"Please… let me go… I won't say anything. I will testify for you. You're innocent. It has nothing to do with him. Please, let me go."

She spoke faster and faster, even adding in some of her own words. The shadow loomed over her, and her body shook like a leaf in the wind.

Her neck, exposed and vulnerable, resembled helpless prey awaiting its fate. Cold hands gripped her neck, pulling her forward, slowly tightening around her throat.

This wasn't how it went in the original film. Chen Ying, who was pretending to be dead on the ground, lifted his head in confusion, watching the scene unfold.

Li Chu, too, was confused. She struggled reflexively but soon realized her neck didn't actually hurt.

They were close, their breaths mingling together, and the faint scent of floating cloud-mist tea pheromones thickened with the proximity. In the shadows, Ning Manqing's eyes curved into a smile, and she released her grip.

Cool fingers slid down Li Chu's tender neck, and Ning Manqing lowered her hand by her side.

"You scared me to death, Teacher Ning! Why did you suddenly change the scene?" Li Chu sighed in relief, rubbing her neck as she asked.

Her puzzled expression matched her soft, harmless demeanor, which hung sweetly in the air.

"In the original novel, Han Tao was strangled to death by Ling Yun, not stabbed. Duan Rui wasn't killed by accident, but deliberately murdered by Ling Yun. The movie changed the plot," Ning Manqing explained.

To soften Ling Yun's cold-blooded nature, the film made Duan Rui's death seem accidental, but to preserve her cruelty, Han Tao's method of death was altered.

Chen Ying, realizing the change, said, "Oh, I see now! Teacher Ning, you really did your homework!"

Li Chu chimed in, "So, for the final performance, will this scene be changed to strangulation?"

"No, we'll still use the dagger," Ning Manqing replied, shaking her head. Strangulation would require applying real pressure to make it believable, and she didn't want Li Chu to endure that.

As for the moment just now, Ning Manqing's mind had wandered briefly, but no one needed to know.

Her smile softened as she added, "Your performance was good, Xiaochu, but the earlier part needs improvement."

"I'll keep working on it!" Li Chu's spirits lifted, feeling like a happy bird. She believed she could do it again and rehearse in front of the mirror eight hundred more times.

Chen Ying, feeling left out, muttered, "Sister Manqing, what about me?"

Ning Manqing's expression shifted instantly. With a cold tone, she said, "Practice again. Don't over-exaggerate your death."

"I'll be more realistic," Chen Ying replied, lying back down on the floor and re-enacting his death.

"Pfft, hahaha," Li Chu couldn't help laughing, amused by his antics.

At that moment, they had no idea the director had cut this scene into the pilot episode, adding captions for the viewers to enjoy.

#TeacherNingDoubleStandardScene##RuthlessNingManqing##SelfHumiliation

Later, Chen Ying had an evening event to attend, so they all agreed to meet again tomorrow to continue practicing.

Li Chu and Ning Manqing took the elevator downstairs together, each accompanied by their assistants. They didn't exchange any words as they left and got into their respective cars.

As Li Chu's phone screen lit up, she saw a message from Ning Manqing.

[Teacher Ning]: Where are you staying tonight?

[Li Chu]: Yun Ru.

Li Chu had flown in to record the show, and Tang Congnan had booked her a hotel nearby with good privacy, not far from the TV station.

[Teacher Ning]: Me too. I'm in room 1602. Come to my room tonight so I can help you with the play. You still need to work on some parts.

Li Chu had also planned to review the scene with her acting coach later that night it was really tough for her to act seductive.

[Teacher Ning]: If you're worried, you can leave the door open.

Li Chu couldn't help but laugh. What a gentleman! she thought.

But somehow, the description of such an upright approach felt strange like calling her a living saint!

[Li Chu ]: Okay, I'll come over.

Ning Manqing smiled slightly as she sipped the peach juice in her hand.