After Differentiating into an O, Pampered by an A - Chapter 34

Tao Jingyun was the other female lead in the original novel—Shen Yushu’s canonical partner.

Below the stage, Ye Xing wasn’t the only one with her gaze fixed tightly on Tao Jingyun.

Ding Ling had been chatting pleasantly with the investors, but the moment Tao Jingyun appeared, the smile on her face froze. She politely excused herself from the crowd and began searching the venue for Ye Xing’s silhouette.

The lights returned to normal, making the hall as bright as day. Ding Ling spotted Ye Xing at the cold buffet bar, reaching out to pick up a slice of cake.

Slap.

Ye Xing watched as the cake, which was about to make a perfect landing on her plate, was swatted away. It fell onto the white ceramic dish with a silent “splat,” scattering like a puddle of mud. Her mood instantly collapsed with it.

She looked up to see Ding Ling and said listlessly, “Sister Ling, what was that for? I’m hungry; I wanted to eat something.”

Ding Ling knew that for the sake of looking her best for the gala, Ye Xing hadn’t eaten much today. She felt bad for her. Seeing a glass of fresh-pressed juice nearby, she immediately handed it over. “Drink this. But cake is really a no-go.”

Ye Xing naturally knew that cake was a calorie bomb for a female celebrity. Perhaps because the venue was getting more crowded, she felt a tightness in her chest and just wanted a bite of something sweet to soothe her agitation. But caught by Ding Ling, she had no choice but to give up on the sugary treat.

Ding Ling didn’t notice Ye Xing’s internal gloom. She pulled her aside and whispered, “Come on, I’ll take you to meet a screenwriter friend. I didn’t expect her to be here today; you really are on a lucky streak lately.”

Ye Xing knit her brows. “A screenwriter?”

“Yes. Right now you aren’t lacking commercial deals, but you don’t have a good opportunity to break into film. So, I’ve decided that your face must appear on the big screen.”

Ding Ling’s gaze turned cold as she glanced back at the woman on stage smiling brilliantly. “If Tao Jingyun can win Best Actress, why can’t you?”

“Because she’s the protagonist—” Ye Xing murmured, taking a sip of juice.

“What?”

Ye Xing twitched her lips, indicating she hadn’t said anything.

On the stage, Shen Yushu and Tao Jingyun—one the CEO representing the organizing capital, the other the brand’s global ambassador and newly crowned Best Actress—were an eye-catching pair. Standing together, they looked like a beautiful painting. The two of them, along with the brand’s head for the Asian region, officially kicked off the new product launch.

Standing below, Ye Xing watched Tao Jingyun’s every generous and elegant smile and couldn’t help but sigh. As expected of the woman Shen Yushu likes. What Alpha could refuse a top-tier Omega like that?

After finishing her juice, Ye Xing followed Ding Ling to meet the screenwriter. As she leaned on the pale gold railing and walked slowly upstairs, her gaze caught one last glimpse of the stage, seeing Shen Yushu and Tao Jingyun locking eyes.

Shen Yushu’s face didn’t hold much expression, but Tao Jingyun’s eyes were shimmering. Ye Xing withdrew her gaze and walked forward with lowered lashes.

On the stage.

Shen Yushu finished her speech according to the schedule and prepared to step down to rest. But as she turned, a slender, fair hand wound around her arm like a fish.

Tao Jingyun looked at Shen Yushu with eyes like autumn ripples and a smile on her face. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she said coquettishly, “President Shen, I’m wearing high heels. Could you help me down?”

Shen Yushu’s lashes lowered, her expression cold and distant. “Miss Tao, I am neither your manager nor your assistant.”

With that, she lifted her skirt and stepped off the stage with elegant strides.

Sun Xi stood to one side of the backstage area, taking in her boss’s expression. She glanced behind Shen Yushu to see Tao Jingyun biting her red lip as she stepped off the stage, looking utterly aggrieved.

Sun Xi hurried forward. “President Shen, you’ve worked hard. I’ll take you to rest.” The two of them took the elevator to the private rooms on the second floor.

Watching Shen Yushu’s disappearing figure from a distance, Tao Jingyun’s aggrieved look vanished. She pursed her lips and stared coldly at a point in the air.

“Jingyun, what are you looking at? Let’s go. There’s a jewelry trial and showcase in a bit; I’ll take you to change.” Her manager followed her gaze and gave a gentle reminder.

On the second floor, Sun Xi followed behind Shen Yushu. Looking down at the bustling venue, she couldn’t help but complain: “This is our Shen Group’s venue, yet the brand head invited Tao Jingyun without telling us and even forced you to walk the carpet with her at the last minute. And that Best Actress—she actually dared to grab your arm. You’re a ‘marked’ Alpha who belongs to someone, yet the way she looked at you was full of worldly desires.”

Mhm, not a proper Best Actress at all—

Shen Yushu suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Sun Xi with a dark expression. “You know we are essentially the co-hosts, so you just stood there and watched me get used for clout on the red carpet?”

Sun Xi’s brain whirled fast. A grin appeared as she replied immediately, “Right! I’ll go talk to the brand people right away. I’ll make them compensate for your loss. I’ll insist that all their future events must carry the Shen Group’s name as the title sponsor.”

Shen Yushu raised her brow, satisfied with this handling. Once Sun Xi brought her to her exclusive lounge, she left to implement the plan.

In the neighboring room.

Ye Xing looked at Ruan Nian’an sitting on the sofa, a flash of surprise in her eyes. Hearing from Ding Ling that the other person was a famous screenwriter, she had naturally imagined someone of age or experience. She hadn’t expected someone so young.

As they entered, Ruan Nian’an rose gracefully. She wore a perfectly tailored champagne-gold gown, had clean and fresh ear-length hair, and wore limited-edition fringe earrings from the brand. Her aura was outstanding.

Ye Xing couldn’t help but steal a few more glances. She had delicate, refined features—a “girl next door” type of Omega—and when she smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkled with approachability.

Ruan Nian’an was also secretly observing Ye Xing. In the industry, she had heard of her—mostly her scandalous negative news—but she was on good terms with Ye Xing’s manager. Thus, she had agreed to a brief meeting during the break.

The person herself was much prettier than on camera, appearing steady and poised, unlike the flighty descriptions in past reports. Their gazes met, and Ye Xing took the initiative to greet her. “Screenwriter An, hello. I’ve heard so much about you.” She was perfectly poised.

Ruan Nian’an nodded in response and gestured for them to sit. Once they were settled, Ding Ling immediately started the conversation with a smile, not hiding her purpose at all. “Screenwriter An, I heard you’re conceiving a new script. I was wondering what kind of story it is this time, and if there might be a chance for us to collaborate.”

Ruan Nian’an picked up her teacup, her gaze following the rising steam. Her voice was light and pleasant: “Sister Ling, no need for formalities. To be honest, I do have a project in the works, but as you know, I’m just a screenwriter. I don’t have the ultimate decision-making power on many things.”

Ding Ling recognized this as a polite refusal and didn’t press further. Just letting Ye Xing become a familiar face to Ruan Nian’an was an opportunity in itself.

Ye Xing also saw Ding Ling’s effort to pull strings for her. Since she was already sitting in front of the woman, she felt she had to say a few words to pitch herself, otherwise her manager’s hard work would go to waste.

“Screenwriter An, to be honest, I’m personally very interested in acting. But as you know, I previously had a ‘flower vase’ persona and never had the chance to break into the big screen. Now, I’m looking for ways to prove myself and change the fixed perception people have of me. Of course, this might sound a bit generic—after all, which artist in the industry doesn’t work hard? To sum it up: I don’t want to let my manager or my company down again. So, consider us friends today; I’m not begging for a job, so don’t feel too much pressure.”

After saying this in one breath, Ye Xing raised her cup as a sign of respect. Beside her, Ding Ling’s mouth was slightly open. Hearing these words, her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Ye Xing was still the same person, yet she felt completely different.

Ruan Nian’an didn’t say much, her face maintaining a faint smile. Her gaze swept over Ye Xing before landing back on Ding Ling. “Sister Ling, I have to say, your eye for talent is much better this time.” She set down her cup, her fair wrist resting on her knee. “However, I see Tao Jingyun is here today as well. That girl is certainly riding high now.”

Hearing this, the smile on Ding Ling’s lips vanished. “Screenwriter An, you know I don’t want to hear that name. It’s ‘dark history’.”

Ye Xing couldn’t quite follow the subtext. Between the juice and the tea, she felt the need to use the restroom and excused herself.

On her way back, she heard thunderous applause from downstairs. She pulled back her hand from the door and leaned against the gold-plated railing on the second floor to look down.

On the catwalk in the middle of the hall, Tao Jingyun was wearing a V-neck haute couture gown, adorned with the brand’s latest jewelry. She was dazzling, looking like a goddess descended from heaven, the center of everyone’s attention.

Ye Xing was staring at the beauty and the jewelry in a daze when suddenly, someone bumped into her from behind. A wave of coldness spread down her thin back, quickly soaking into her gown.

“I’m so sorry, Miss, I’m so sorry!” a panicked female voice cried.

A passing server had been moving out of the way for two other guests and hadn’t noticed Ye Xing standing by the railing, accidentally spilling champagne and red wine all over her. Seeing a “splash” of color bloom like ink on the white dress, the server apologized profusely.

Ye Xing didn’t lose her temper. She twisted her head to look at her back, only worried about the dress Ding Ling had borrowed for her. “Um… do you have a towel?”

Hearing this, the server frantically pulled a handkerchief and tissues from her pocket, her voice shaking with fear. “Sorry, Miss, I really didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.”

Ye Xing sighed. “Stop apologizing; just help me handle the dress, okay? I can’t reach the wine stains on the back.”

The server finally looked up and quickly took the handkerchief Ye Xing offered. But just as she was about to touch the exposed skin of Ye Xing’s back, the handkerchief was snatched away by a hand reaching out from the side.

Ye Xing was busy cleaning the wine spots on the front of her skirt and didn’t notice.

Behind her, Shen Yushu’s slender, pale fingers held the soft silk handkerchief. She was gently dabbing the wine stains from Ye Xing’s fair, delicate skin with soft movements.

Ye Xing felt it was mostly clean and said softly to the “server” behind her, “Thanks, that’s enough. I’ll go to the restroom to clean it properly myself. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine. I’ll help you wash it.”

A familiar voice rang in her ear. Ye Xing turned around abruptly and met Shen Yushu’s clear, deep eyes.

“Shen Yushu?” Ye Xing froze, then realized. “You were the one dabbing it just now?”

A faint curve appeared on Shen Yushu’s red lips, her voice soft. “Mm. I couldn’t stand seeing a ‘big star’ make things difficult for a server, so I stepped in.”

Seeing Ye Xing still standing there in a daze, Shen Yushu handed the handkerchief to the server and signaled that she could leave. Then, she took Ye Xing’s wrist and led her toward her private room.

“Come on. I’ll take you to clean up!”