After Differentiating into an O, Pampered by an A - Chapter 37

Ye Xing looked at Shen Yushu with a gaze that clearly said, Are you okay?

But seeing that the woman didn’t look like she was joking at all, Ye Xing’s nerves—which had just begun to settle—tightened again. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Alright, Shen Yushu, stop joking. Let’s go.”

As Ye Xing brushed past her, she patted Shen Yushu’s shoulder heavily. “Sister, remember, I’m an Alpha.”

Shen Yushu lowered her long lashes, looking at the shoulder Ye Xing had touched. She remained silent for a moment. Only when that figure disappeared around the corner did her red lips curve into a beautiful arc. “Mhm. And so what?”

Back in the main hall, Ye Xing was grabbed by a suddenly appearing Ding Ling. “My little ancestor, where have you been wandering off to? The event is ending, and the reporters are coming in for interviews. Get ready.”

“There’s still that part of the process?” Ye Xing asked.

Ding Ling nodded emphatically. “The organizers just added it. Why, don’t you want to do it?”

It wasn’t that Ye Xing didn’t want to, she just felt a bit physically exhausted. Still, she agreed with a shallow smile. Turning her head, she looked at the crystal box on stage and realized the rings had already been auctioned off. She asked curiously, “Sister Ling, who bought those rings?”

Ding Ling’s eyes shifted; she hadn’t noticed either.

At that moment, the hall doors burst open and reporters swarmed in. They immediately spotted Ye Xing standing near the entrance and surrounded her, maintaining a polite distance. Ye Xing smiled warmly and took the microphones from the reporters’ hands. Just as she was about to speak, someone behind her shouted: “Tao Jingyun is out! She’s doing interviews tonight!”

This single shout caused the reporters in front of Ye Xing to become restless. Some reporters even unceremoniously snatched their microphones back from Ye Xing’s hands, stating they had to interview Tao Jingyun first. They claimed it was rare for this Best Actress to accept interviews at an event.

Ye Xing immediately smiled and said it was no problem. The group of reporters, like hounds catching the scent of a headline, instantly abandoned Ye Xing and dashed toward Tao Jingyun.

Behind them, Tao Jingyun walked forward elegantly, lifting her skirt, a gentle and sweet smile on her face. However, her gaze was cold as it swept over Ye Xing. A washed-up celebrity who just regained some heat thinks she’s worthy of stealing my spotlight at an event like this?

She would never allow it.

Earlier in the lounge, her manager mentioned that the reporters were all interviewing Ye Xing. Tao Jingyun immediately sent word out that she would accept interviews tonight to reclaim her spotlight. Originally, Tao Jingyun hadn’t paid attention to Ye Xing, but today she saw Ding Ling—her former manager. After inquiring, she found out Ye Xing was the artist Ding Ling was currently managing. A quick search revealed something that made her jealous: this woman actually had a scandal with Shen Yushu.

At this moment, Ye Xing looked at her hands, which had been full of microphones just a second ago. Now, only one or two remained, belonging to small media outlets she had never even heard of. She looked back at Tao Jingyun, who was being treated like the center of the universe.

Ye Xing had said it didn’t matter, but she had to admit she felt a bit of a sting of disappointment. I guess I can’t beat the ‘Protagonist Halo’, she thought, comforting herself that at least there were two outlets left. If everyone had run to Tao Jingyun, that would have been a real embarrassment.

Beside her, Ding Ling’s face was already dark with anger. Ye Xing, however, maintained her smile and said to the remaining two reporters, “Teachers, please begin your questions.”

The interview continued. Fortunately, the questions from those two outlets were very gentle, and Ye Xing answered them fluently. It went smoothly enough.

On the second floor not far away, Shen Yushu was talking with the brand representative and congratulating them on the successful event. But when she turned her head and saw the two different scenes by the entrance downstairs, a flash of chilliness crossed her eyes.

Sun Xi carefully took the rings handed over by the staff. Looking at the pair of rings Shen Yushu had just spent seven million on, she was utterly baffled. Is this just the capriciousness of the rich?

Seeing Shen Yushu suddenly heading downstairs, Sun Xi followed closely, frowning. “President Shen, you didn’t even ask Miss Ye if she likes this style. What if…”

Shen Yushu gripped the stair railing and stopped, looking back. “Did I say the rings were for her?”

Sun Xi looked into Shen Yushu’s clear eyes and asked back incredulously, “Don’t tell me you have another woman?”

Shen Yushu shot Sun Xi a cold look, though it lacked its usual lethality. Sun Xi tucked the rings away and looked at the reporters blocking the exit. “President Shen, maybe you should leave through the side exit. If you show your face, the reporters will definitely swarm you.”

Shen Yushu’s voice drifted back calmly: “I’m going specifically to be interviewed.”

Sun Xi: “…”

After a quick mental reaction, Sun Xi immediately said, “Wait a moment, President Shen, I’ll arrange a press conference for you right away.”

Before the words had even landed, Shen Yushu had already strode over to the reporters.

“Shen Yushu is out!”

“President Shen, could you spare a few words?”

In an instant, the reporters’ attention was entirely captured by Shen Yushu. A Best Actress appears in the public eye often enough, but a wealthy elite like Shen Yushu was a rare catch. Seeing this, Tao Jingyun immediately curled her lips into a smile, preparing to greet Shen Yushu familiarly.

“Shen—”

Her red lips were halfway open when Shen Yushu brushed past her, completely ignoring her as if she didn’t even know who Tao Jingyun was. Instead, her eyes were fixed on Ye Xing as she walked toward her.

At that moment, Ye Xing was chatting happily with the two reporters, completely unaware of the commotion behind her. Suddenly, a fair hand reached out and snatched the microphone from her.

Ye Xing looked up, stunned to see Shen Yushu. “What are you doing here?”

Shen Yushu remained perfectly composed. She looked at the two reporters and curved her red lips. “Hello. My exclusive interview for today will be handled by your two outlets. Ask whatever you wish.”

She then glanced at the reporters’ ID badges and noticed the large word “Intern” written on them. Her voice softened slightly. “Don’t be nervous. Let’s begin.”

The two reporters were not only interns but also from small media outlets. They knew they couldn’t compete with the big guys and had stayed because they personally liked Ye Xing. They never expected a titan like Shen Yushu to suddenly appear. Their previously fluent speech became a stutter: “Is it really… S-Shen Yushu…”

The other media outlets tried to swarm over, but Sun Xi raised her hand to call the security guards. “Sorry, everyone. President Shen just said her exclusive interview today is reserved for those two outlets over there.”

Upon hearing this, Tao Jingyun’s expression changed instantly. Her hand tightened around her microphone, her fingertips turning white. The other reporters were also kicking themselves in regret.

Sun Xi spotted Ding Ling and walked over with a smile. “Sister Ling, hello.”

Ding Ling looked at Shen Yushu in the distance, a bit confused. “What is your President Shen doing?”

Sun Xi gave her a look that said How can you not see it? and her lips curled up. “Our President Shen simply can’t stand to see ‘her own people’ being bullied.”

Ding Ling nodded, though she felt like she had captured something else entirely in her mind.

Ye Xing’s interview was supposed to be ending, but because Shen Yushu had joined, she couldn’t leave midway. How did a solo interview turn into a joint one? Left with no choice, she shot a pleading look at Ding Ling, but Ding Ling signaled for her to stay strong.

After all, if Ye Xing appeared in a headline with Shen Yushu tomorrow, it would overshadow Tao Jingyun and save them the cost of buying a hot search. But Ding Ling had no idea that tomorrow’s hot search would be something else entirely.

Ye Xing took a deep breath and readjusted herself. It seemed the energy from that glass of juice had run out; suddenly, her vision became a bit blurry and her body felt weak. She gripped her skirt tightly, trying to suppress the discomfort.

Shen Yushu was focused on answering the reporters’ questions, but she stopped abruptly the next second. She glanced at the person beside her and said to the reporters, “Sorry, I think that’s enough for today’s interview. Thank you both.”

With that, she turned to Ye Xing. “What’s wrong?”

Ye Xing felt she was being quite pathetic. She pouted and whispered, “I think I’m hungry.”

A light chuckle escaped Shen Yushu’s nose, her eyes holding a trace of doting she hadn’t even noticed. She leaned in and whispered in Ye Xing’s ear, “Mhm. Then how about we have dinner together later?”

“No. Between eating and going home to sleep, I choose the latter,” Ye Xing refused.

With that, the two of them nodded to the reporters and said goodbye.

In the car, Ye Xing clutched her chest, feeling her rapid heartbeat. “Sister Ling, this workload shouldn’t lead to sudden death, right?”

Ning Youyou had come to pick them up and didn’t know the situation. “Sister Xing-xing, was today’s event that tiring?”

Before Ye Xing could answer, Ding Ling interjected, “Don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s probably still thinking about those little cakes at the venue.”

Her thoughts exposed, Ye Xing wrinkled her nose. “Darn, I’ve been found out.”

Ultimately, Ye Xing changed out of her grand gown in the car. Although she didn’t have much of an appetite, Ding Ling took her to a nearby private kitchen for dinner anyway.

As Shen Yushu left the venue, she ran into Kong Zhen and her wife, who were preparing to leave.

“Oh, why is our President Shen all alone?” Kong Zhen’s gaze swept around. Seeing no Ye Xing, she said boldly, “Where’s your little lover?”

Ruan Nian’an nudged Kong Zhen with her elbow, signaling that there were still media around. She gave a gentle smile, her clear eyes landing on Shen Yushu. “Shen Yushu, we ran into Ye Xing in the garden earlier. She said you two are just neighbors, but Kong Zhen told me some other stuff later. You haven’t taken a stance at all, so what exactly is the relationship between you two?”

Ruan Nian’an wasn’t usually a gossip, but having known Shen Yushu for so long, it was rare to see her being so ambiguous. She remembered Ye Xing and her manager finding her earlier that evening.

She continued, “Actually, before the garden, I had already met Ye Xing and her manager. Her manager seemed very interested in the script I’m writing and wanted to get a role for her artist.”

Kong Zhen got excited. “Really? Ye Xing wants to get into movies?”

Ruan Nian’an frowned slightly. Quite a few artists had approached her tonight; even Tao Jingyun’s manager had invited her for tea. They had even confirmed with her if the Shen Group was really going to invest. She looked at Shen Yushu for confirmation on something even she didn’t know: “Is your Shen Group going to invest? I heard Tao Jingyun’s manager talking about it.”

Shen Yushu looked at Kong Zhen expressionlessly. “You told them?”

Kong Zhen giggled guiltily. “Just creating some hype! If you don’t invest, am I going to force you with a knife?”

Just as she was about to explain, she heard Shen Yushu’s voice:

“I can consider it now.”

Kong Zhen practically jumped. “Whoa, Shen Yushu, do you really have to be so ‘hoes before bros’? I came to beg you and invited you to dinner, and you refused me. The moment Ye Xing is interested, you consider it? Our friendship is for nothing!”

Shen Yushu retorted coldly, “It was for nothing to begin with.”

Ruan Nian’an saw them starting to bicker again and pulled the topic back. She asked suspiciously, “So, what exactly is your relationship with Ye Xing?”

Shen Yushu leaned into her car door, her voice clear.

“Mhm. We have a relationship. She is my person.” With that, she lazily adjusted her skirt inside the car. “I’m off. See you two at the wedding in a few days.”

Kong Zhen’s face was neutral, but Ruan Nian’an was quite shocked. A woman as ascetic as Shen Yushu, who didn’t even look at the countless Omegas in Jiangcheng, actually liked an Alpha like Ye Xing.

Suddenly, she burst out laughing.

Kong Zhen frowned. “Wife, what are you laughing at? Are you that happy Shen Yushu is investing?”

Ruan Nian’an shook her head, her earrings swaying. “No, I just think those two are quite interesting. I wonder if they’ve slept together yet.”

Kong Zhen looked at her wife’s silly grin and knew the screenwriter’s imagination was at work. She cupped Ruan Nian’an’s face and gave a meaningful smile. “Why do you care about their business?” She leaned into her ear and whispered, “Care about me first. Wife, I’m hungry. Let’s go home!”

Ruan Nian’an knew exactly what “hungry” meant, but she gently pushed her away. “No. The wedding is in two days. We agreed on a ‘pre-wedding abstinence.’ Be good, just hold on a bit longer.” With that, she started the car and drove off.

Kong Zhen stood there watching the red taillights, full of regret. Damn it, why did I read those stupid posts online saying pre-wedding separation increases the excitement of the wedding day? I dug my own grave—

On the way back to Jiangting, Shen Yushu thought about Ye Xing not looking well at the end of the night and prepared to message her. But the moment she picked up her phone, her Weibo notifications vibrated.

She saw countless netizens leaving comments on her Weibo, asking the same question as Ruan Nian’an. Many photos from the gala had leaked, and the most eye-catching ones were of Tao Jingyun in her red dress and expensive jewelry. But just as netizens were swooning over Tao Jingyun’s visuals, those two small media outlets quietly released an interview photo of Shen Yushu and Ye Xing.

In the photo, Shen Yushu and Ye Xing were in matching black gowns, making their fair skin look even more translucent. The two of them were in the same frame with their stunningly beautiful faces.

Cold A and Beautiful A—a double dose of enchantment. They looked perfect together. This single photo instantly crushed the red carpet photos of Tao Jingyun and other stars, becoming the “God-tier” photo of the night.

Netizens went wild. The comment sections and their Weibo pages were filled with one sentiment: “Whispers of Love is real!”

Shen Yushu’s gaze fell deeply onto that photo. Looking at Ye Xing’s smile, which was brighter than the stars, her lips couldn’t help but curve upward.

Sun Xi, seeing such a “love-struck” smile on Shen Yushu’s face, immediately asked, “President Shen, what’s making you so happy? Is it about Miss Ye?” She had heard what Shen Yushu said to Kong Zhen earlier.

Perhaps because she was in a good mood, Shen Yushu actually responded to the gossip. After a faint “Mm,” she saw the car stop at a red light and handed her phone to Sun Xi.

She asked calmly: “How do we make this CP official?”

Sun Xi glanced at it and her voice shot up: “President Shen, you and Ye Xing still need to ‘make it official’? You two already did it!”

Realizing she had misspoke, Sun Xi immediately covered her mouth. After a long pause, she whispered carefully, “Sorry, President Shen.”

Shen Yushu’s eyes were lowered, her attention entirely on the photo with Ye Xing; she didn’t have time to deal with Sun Xi. Suddenly, she thought of something. Her lashes rose, a smile appearing on her lips.

“Assistant Sun, work overtime tonight. Tomorrow morning, I want to see this photo at the number one spot on the hot search list, and stay there for a whole week.”