Chapter 01: Clout-Chasing

I Love Rabbit Heads: [This Lu Qingzhuo is so shameless! How dare she copy Yan Yan’s wink!]

Happy Carefree: [She’s so arrogant. She even danced right in front of the main star.]

Yan Yan’s Dog: [Look at her nose, it’s so straight. Clearly, she’s had work done.]

]Lu Qingzhuo’s Career Is Over!]

The comment section was flooded with criticism, aligned perfectly like a battle formation.

Lu Qingzhuo scrolled through her phone with one hand, her slender, fair fingers brushing the bridge of her nose. With a slight frown, she muttered to herself, “My nose is 100% natural. You’re all just jealous.”

The film festival had already been going on for nearly half its duration, and as expected, this year’s Golden Crane Award for Best Actress went to the rising star, Ye Ran.

Lu Qingzhuo wasn’t particularly interested in the event. She only attended the film festival because her agent, Su Lan, had practically dragged her there, insisting it would be a good opportunity for exposure and networking.

With a lollipop between her lips, its wrapper still imprinted with large characters reading Sugar-Free, Lu Qingzhuo nevertheless enjoyed the candy with satisfaction. Her cheeks puffed slightly, giving her an unexpectedly adorable look from the side profile.

Her assistant, Xie Yun, managed to capture the moment with her laggy old phone. Normally, her shaky hands produced blurry, disaster-level photos, but today she somehow managed to capture a vintage, high-quality CCD effect.

“Oh my god! Lu Lu, look! I just turned you into a lazy beauty in this photo!”

“Aren’t I always a beauty though?”

Bored, Lu Qingzhuo lazily tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear and glanced at the melancholic, artsy photo Xie Yun had taken. She casually requested, “Send it to me. I’ll post it on Weibo and get, like, a hundred thousand retweets.”

“But…”

Xie Yun hesitated, her gaze fixed on Lu Qingzhuo’s phone screen, where several harsh hate comments were displayed. One particular username caught her eye and made her livid: "Yan Yan’s Dog". Pointing at it, she angrily exclaimed, “That one! ‘Yan Yan’s Dog’ — her idol is Jiang Yanwei! The same green tea Omega who stole several of your roles!”

A faint and pleasant tea scent lingered around Lu Qingzhuo, a signature of her pheromones. The fragrance carried a subtle bitterness but left a lingering sweetness when savored long enough.

Xie Yun, being a Beta, wasn’t particularly sensitive to pheromones, but she still found the light tea fragrance delightful. Assuming it was some high-end perfume, she was about to ask for the link.

“What’s the point of calling someone a green tea b*tch or whatever?” Lu Qingzhuo lingered on the hate comment for a second longer before speaking. “Let’s not badmouth people behind their backs. Who knows, maybe someday…”

---

"Huh? Isn't that Teacher Jiang?"

"Teacher Jiang is here for the film festival too!"

Jiang Yanwei wore a snow-white long dress, her delicate, porcelain-like skin glowing under the lights. Her hair cascaded in soft waves, and the subtle shimmer of eyeshadow at the corners of her eyes added a touch of pure yet seductive charm.

As she passed by Lu Qingzhuo, a group of journalists trailed behind her, eager for interviews. From Lu Qingzhuo's perspective, however, it was clear that Jiang Yanwei wasn't happy.

"Look at that sour face. Another year at the Golden Crane Awards, and she's still just a runner-up. Honestly, her acting isn't even that impressive — she just got lucky with a good script," Xie Yun muttered disdainfully.

While grumbling about Jiang Yanwei, Xie Yun simultaneously showered Lu Qingzhuo with praise. "I'm telling you, Lu Lu, you just need the right opportunity. With your phenomenal acting skills, you'll snatch that Best Actress award from her in no time!"

Lu Qingzhuo chuckled softly. "Best Actress, huh? Forget it. The scripts I'm getting lately — nine out of ten cast me as either a school bully or a murderer. Do you really think my future looks promising?"

Xie Yun was momentarily stunned into silence. It was true — their company was deliberately pushing Lu Qingzhuo toward a 'controversial path,' which, while garnering attention, also flooded her comment sections with endless hate.

But hey, hate was still attention. Xie Yun believed that one day, Lu Qingzhuo would turn the tides, achieving both fame and fortune — and she would be there to ride the wave with her.

The film festival was packed with A-list celebrities. Compared to them, Lu Qingzhuo was little more than decorative scenery. Still, the cameras occasionally panned to her, and like clockwork, sharp-eyed haters in the audience spotted her, sparking yet another wave of online criticism.

"It's just publicity," Lu Qingzhuo laughed, tapping her phone screen. "Look, Xiao Xie, we just showed up, and we're already trending. So many enthusiastic netizens are passionately sharing their 'unique insights' about me. Honestly, it's hard to stay humble. Anyone who doesn’t know better might think I stole their rice."

"Exactly! We're famous!" Xie Yun echoed with exaggerated enthusiasm.

Lu Qingzhuo grabbed a small piece of matcha cake, took a bite, and immediately regretted it. The overwhelming sweetness drowned out any trace of matcha flavor, leaving her disappointed.

She had come on an empty stomach, hoping to enjoy a decent meal, but after scanning the venue, she found nothing appetizing. In the end, she resorted to digging a packet of spicy strips from Xie Yun's bag to satisfy her hunger.

Just then, a notification chimed.

Ding-dong.

Lu Qingzhuo glanced at her phone. The contact name immediately sobered her mood.

Assistant Han: [Your trending topic has been taken down. President Fu asked you to be more mindful in the future.]

Lu Qingzhuo exited the chat and opened Weibo. Sure enough, her name had disappeared from the entertainment headlines. No surprise there — the Shunxing Group's public relations team was unmatched, erasing traces of controversy with seamless precision.

After hesitating briefly, she typed a response: [Thank you.]

Their exchanges were always formal and detached, more like conversations between mindless robots. Scrolling through the sparse chat history, she found only mechanical exchanges like "thank you," "okay," "you're welcome," and "hmm."

This time, after sending "thank you," Assistant Han didn't even bother replying.

How distant they had become.

Lu Qingzhuo's gaze drifted toward the distant award stage. Her mind replayed the moment before she arrived here — the horrifying scene when a massive crystal chandelier collapsed during her acceptance speech.

It was the proudest moment of her career — winning her second Best Actress award at an international film festival before she even turned thirty. Yet, before she could fully relish the glory, she was crushed under the falling chandelier and met her untimely death.

Goosebumps prickled her skin. She finished her spicy strips and took a sip of water, but the sweetness lingering in her throat suddenly felt suffocating.

She couldn't accept it — but she was already dead.

Somehow, fueled by an unwilling obsession, she found herself transmigrated into the body of a minor cannon fodder character in a low-quality romance drama adapted from a poorly written web novel.

Ironically, when her agent first handed her the script in her past life, she had scoffed at it, thinking it was beneath her. But now, she was living as the pitiful, scandal-ridden character she once rejected.

If she had accepted that role, would she have avoided her tragic death?

In this world, she had no overpowered 'golden finger' cheat — only a copy of the drama's script. According to the storyline, as long as she obediently followed the plot and played the scandal-ridden, universally hated character, she could safely live to the age of eighty.

Simple enough.

But things went off track the moment Fu Yumian, the omega CEO of Fu Group, set her sights on her.

Lu Qingzhuo was an alpha, though she hardly fit the typical aggressive alpha stereotype. With a slender waist, long legs, natural smiley lips, and captivating peach blossom eyes that seemed to hook people's souls when she smiled — her looks alone made her a magnet for attention.

She couldn't blame anyone for the backlash. The company deliberately crafted her image as a delicate little flower, causing her to face relentless public hatred.

"Lu Lu, you seem a bit down. Shouldn't you be happy that your trending post was removed?"

Lu Qingzhuo, dressed in a high-end white evening gown, walked gracefully while Xie Yun followed closely, worried she might accidentally ruin the dress and have to compensate for it.

People often accused her of copying Jiang Yanwei's style, but Lu Qingzhuo had no defense. The company forcefully shaped her image, leaving her powerless to resist.

The award ceremony finally ended. Lu Qingzhuo stretched her limbs, preparing to leave when a rising starlet in a black swan gown accidentally stepped on her dress.

A sharp tearing sound echoed in the air.

Xie Yun's face twisted in horror, nearly letting out a scream.

What a disaster.

Lu Qingzhuo lowered her gaze, staring at the large tear in her dress. Slowly, she raised her head to meet the starlet’s apologetic gaze.

The girl, wide-eyed and flustered, immediately covered her mouth. "Teacher Lu, I'm so sorry! I didn’t mean to step on your dress!"

The person who arrived was none other than Ye Shutong, a rising actress. This year, she had starred in a hit historical romance drama, which skyrocketed her fame overnight, doubling her market value and successfully pushing her into the ranks of second-tier actresses.

Among the artists from the same company, the economic benefits Ye Shutong brought in were incomparable to what the other two combined could achieve.

"Oh, is that so."

Lu Qingzhuo smiled faintly at her. It was clear that Ye Shutong intended to brush off the incident with a quick apology and walk away unscathed. However, Lu Qingzhuo rose from her seat, calmly stepping in to block her path. Her almond-shaped eyes held a playful, ambiguous glint.

"My custom dress wasn't cheap, you know."

Ye Shutong hadn't anticipated this response. The usually meek and accommodating alpha, who was known to silently endure any scolding or injustice, was now confronting her in public. Had she lost her mind?

"What do you want then?"

Lu Qingzhuo looked genuinely surprised by Ye Shutong's audacity. She raised a hand to gesture toward her own chest, her tone filled with disbelief. "Huh? You're asking me? Isn't it obvious? You should compensate me."

Even Ye Shutong's assistant was momentarily stunned. Given Lu Qingzhuo's usual doormat personality¹, she should have been the one offering a profuse apology and quietly covering the cost. What was going on today?

1. Doormat Personality  (窝囊废): This term is often used derogatorily to describe someone who lacks a backbone and endures mistreatment without resistance. In this context, it reflects Lu Qingzhuo's previously perceived submissive personality.

"You..."

Ye Shutong's face turned scarlet with anger. She had assumed Lu Qingzhuo would simply accept the blame and slink away in embarrassment. Yet here she was, shamelessly demanding compensation without a trace of deference.

"What? What about me?" Lu Qingzhuo's almond eyes shimmered with false innocence as she leaned slightly toward Ye Shutong, who was half a head shorter than her. "Ms. Ye, my dress cost eighty-eight thousand yuan. Surely, that’s within your budget, right?"

"Of course, I can afford it..."

Before Ye Shutong could finish her sentence, Lu Qingzhuo smoothly pulled out her phone, opened the Alipay payment QR code, and smiled sweetly. "That's perfect! I was worried you might be short on cash. But you're my senior, after all — even family needs to settle accounts clearly. I'll even give you a two percent discount."

"Just round it off to eighty-seven thousand."

Ye Shutong: "..."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone who had been quietly observing the drama unfold was now staring wide-eyed at Lu Qingzhuo, stunned by her uncharacteristic audacity.

But Lu Qingzhuo remained utterly unbothered. "Ms. Ye, do you not have money with you? Or did you forget your phone? No worries, I have a POS machine² with me…"

2. POS machine or Point-Of-Sale Machine used to refer to the cash register at a store. It is use to process payments and complete customer purchases.

As she reached toward Xie Yun's bag, ready to dig out the machine, a pale and slender hand shot out to stop her.

Ye Shutong clenched her teeth hard enough to crack them but still forced a smile. "You sure come prepared."

Lu Qingzhuo giggled softly. "Well, you never know what might happen. It's always good to carry tools around. Worst-case scenario, I could always use the POS machine as a brick to defend myself from unreasonable people."

Ding—

"Alipay received: eighty-eight thousand yuan!"

Ye Shutong's flawless smile visibly stiffened, though she quickly plastered it back on. No wonder she was a natural for historical dramas — her ability to maintain composure under pressure was truly impressive.

"Wow, Ms. Ye, you actually paid the full amount."

Ye Shutong shot her a vicious glare, practically throwing her phone at her assistant before storming off. Just as she was leaving, she muttered under her breath, "Fake green tea b*tch..."

Lu Qingzhuo watched her retreat with an air of casual amusement, brushing her long, straight black hair behind her shoulder. Her face remained the picture of innocence. "You're right. My pheromones do smell like green tea."

In a quiet corner of the venue, several cameras had discreetly captured the entire scene. By the time the footage exploded on social media, Lu Qingzhuo was already taste-testing different flavors of cake without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, in a high-rise office in the city center, an aloof and cold omega sat behind a pristine desk. Dressed in a tailored black business suit, her sharp phoenix eyes remained fixed on the computer screen. The reflection from her gold-rimmed glasses flashed with a hint of chill.

#Lu Qingzhuo deliberately embarrassed Ye Shutong at the banquet#

#Ye Shutong cried from the humiliation#

"Assistant Han." Her voice was cold and distant, like the frost that never melts on a snow-capped mountain. "Get the PR team to take that trending post down."

"Yes, President Fu."

Just as Assistant Han was about to leave, she hesitated before turning back. "President Fu, you might… want to see this."

Fu Yumian raised a brow. Taking the phone from Assistant Han, she scrolled down to the top comment under the trending hashtag — now with over 30,000 likes:

Fish in the Gutter: This Lu Qingzhuo is really a clout-chasing maniac. Someone should put up a sign in Jingdezhen that says 'No Lu Qingzhuo Allowed.' [dog emoji]

But the comment that dominated the thread — with over 100,000 likes — was a direct reply from Lu Qingzhuo's verified account:

Lu Qingzhuozzz: [Is she yours?]

Fu Yumian's lips twitched. "...Is she insane?"

Assistant Han swallowed nervously. "Madam does seem to have a bit of a stubborn streak. Should we still proceed with the PR cleanup?"

Fu Yumian's expression tightened. After a long silence, she finally exhaled and said, "No need. If she wants to play, let her play."

Her gaze lingered on the screen, capturing the image of Lu Qingzhuo in a pristine snow-white evening gown — stunning, but undeniably foolish.

How could someone like her… ever be worthy of being her wife?

"...Just keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't ruin herself too badly."

Fu Yumian pinched the bridge of her nose, a rare flicker of regret surfacing in her heart. For someone who had always lived a smooth-sailing life, this was perhaps the first time she wondered — had she made a terrible mistake?

------

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