ATIMFL – Chapter 3

Li Chu only watched a small part before quickly closing it, deleting the recording completely, and even destroying the monitor before diving into the bathroom.

She didn’t actually have a habit of showering multiple times a day, but her pants had become damp again during the viewing session just now.

It wasn’t her fault. Who asked this body, having just been marked, to so easily recall certain things? It forced her to take another shower and change her clothes.

After doing all this, she let out a world-weary sigh.

Sob sob sob, the female lead’s figure is really so good!

Li Chu felt that her already not-so-straight sexual orientation was in peril.

Her stomach, empty for a whole day, rumbled. Li Chu got up from the bed and went to the kitchen to see what there was to eat.

There was still a bag of frozen dumplings in the fridge. Li Chu boiled half the bag, sat at the dining table eating, and checked the original owner’s current savings.

After seeing it, Li Chu’s eyes widened. One thousand forty-two yuan and thirty cents. This was excessively meager.

But thinking about it carefully, Li Chu found it understandable. The original owner’s pay wasn’t high to begin with. When signing the contract, the company saw she was a newcomer and didn’t offer a good deal – no base salary, and a 70/30 split of her pay after taxes. In the two-plus years since her debut, she had only played female supporting roles (second or third lead) in a few TV dramas. Afterward, she made guest appearances on small variety shows. When the company realized she couldn’t be successfully promoted, they stopped giving her resources, and her life became increasingly difficult.

Li Chu finished the dumplings, washed the bowl, and pondered what to do now.

According to the plot, the female lead would run a fever for three days after differentiating, after which the body’s rejection reaction would end. During these three days, the female lead probably wouldn’t come looking for her to settle scores, but what happened after that was unknown.

She could probably bluff her way through the drugging incident, just saying she had differentiated herself, and maybe nothing would come of it.

Li Chu thought again about that drugged glass of water, feeling it was the water that had addled her brain. And did that drug have some magical power? Whoever drank it turned into an Omega?

Absurd! Utterly absurd!

Li Chu slumped like a salted fish on the sofa for a while, then suddenly sat up straight. She felt she probably couldn’t support herself through acting. She could leave the entertainment circle and find another job, maybe return to her old profession as a makeup artist. She also knew how to paint, do calligraphy, embroidery… In short, she had many skills, although she wasn’t truly proficient in any of them.

Li Chu always had great curiosity about new things she hadn’t encountered before and was very proactive. Once she thought of something, she would do it and learn very seriously. Then she would be attracted by something new, always exploring.

Although, in the end, she did indeed die while exploring.

Li Chu shook her head, trying not to think about it. It was bad luck.

She took out her phone, found her agent Tang Congnan’s WeChat, and sent him a message.

【Xiao Chu】: Brother Nan =w=

【Tang Congnan】: ?

【Tang Congnan】: What trouble are you trying to stir up now?

【Tang Congnan】: No variety shows for now. There’s a web drama, female number three, you can audition. Nothing higher. Know your limits.

A direct triple message. Li Chu fully realized how disliked the original owner was by her agent. The original owner had deleted the chat history, so she couldn’t see previous messages, but judging by the agent’s tone, their conversations probably weren’t pleasant.

【Xiao Chu】: Brother Nan, I’ve fully recognized my abilities. I don’t think I’m suited for acting.

【Tang Congnan】: Congratulations on curing your blindness [Party Popper][Party Popper]

…That’s going too far, buddy!

【Xiao Chu】: So I want to leave the entertainment circle [Finger Heart]

Li Chu tentatively stuck out a foot. Of course, she knew whether she could leave the circle wasn’t up to her agent, and the possibility of terminating the contract was slim.

She used to be semi-involved in the industry herself. As far as she knew, quite a few companies tricked naive newcomers who yearned for the circle into signing contracts. When the newcomers realized they’d been deceived and wanted to terminate, they had to pay a termination fee. Some unscrupulous companies specialized in earning this kind of money.

Even if Fu Yu Entertainment, the original owner’s company, wasn’t like that, as long as she still had even a little commercial value, the company generally wouldn’t let her go. After all, the boss was there to make money, not run a charity.

【Tang Congnan】: Saved up the contract termination fee? It’s 500,000.

【Xiao Chu】: …Ah, this

【Tang Congnan】: Then just behave yourself [Rose]

Tang Congnan cruelly rejected Li Chu’s request and shot down her idea.

Li Chu sighed. Since that was the case, she could only bite the bullet.

【Xiao Chu】: Brother Nan, I want to take a class to improve my acting.

【Tang Congnan】: Got some ambition now? I can help you find one, you pay.

【Xiao Chu】: Can the company invest? I have no money sob qwq

【Tang Congnan】: The company has already lost a lot on you. Those previous drama roles were so good! We arranged tutors for you before, but you didn’t learn seriously. Regretting it now?

【Tang Congnan】: Too late. Opportunities don’t wait.

Li Chu rubbed her temples, getting a headache. Tang Congnan was telling the truth. The competition in this circle was too fierce. So many people came every year to get a piece of the pie; sometimes, just having looks wasn’t enough.

Since that was the case, she had to pull out her newly acquired ace up her sleeve.

【Xiao Chu】: I differentiated into an Omega.

Alphas and Omegas were evolutions with extremely superior genes, making up a small percentage of the total human population. Alphas accounted for 7% of the total population, Omegas for 9%.

Alpha evolution primarily manifested in physical fitness and intelligence. They were usually top talents in various fields. Even untrained Alphas had significantly higher stamina and physical reaction times than Betas.

Omega evolution primarily manifested in emotional perception and fertility, with a regression in physical strength and constitution. They were weaker than ordinary people, but their conception rates were extremely high. The more outstanding the Alpha they bonded with, the higher the possibility of their offspring being an A or O.

In past eras, they were even treated as precious reproductive machines. Only after hundreds of years of the Omega rights movement led by pioneers did they gain the right to choose their own partners and a series of equal rights in modern society.

【Tang Congnan】: Really??????????

The phone call that immediately came through proved the other party’s excitement and urgency. Li Chu resignedly answered the phone.

Differentiating into an Alpha or Omega was cause for ecstatic celebration. It meant they had more buzz and attention value. Moreover, the inherent gentleness of Omegas was more sought after in the entertainment industry. The greatly enhanced perception meant they were more likely to get into character, which was also a significant point of interest in an acting career.

“Yes, yes, it’s true. If you don’t believe me, just come draw my blood.”

“Why not go directly to the hospital? I just differentiated, I don’t want to go out.”

“Got it, I’ll wait for you.”

Li Chu handled the call and planned to wait for Tang Congnan to come over to draw blood.

As for why she wouldn’t go out to the hospital, there were still Ning Manqing’s teeth marks on her gland. Any A or O could smell the scent of Cloud Mist Tea pheromones enveloping her.

Tang Congnan was a Beta; he couldn’t smell pheromones.

Li Chu didn’t want anyone to know she had been marked; it would only cause extra trouble.

Tang Congnan arrived at Li Chu’s place as quickly as possible. Checking pheromones didn’t require much blood, just a little was enough. Li Chu sat obediently on the sofa, pressing a cotton swab to the needle prick, letting Tang Congnan observe her.

“Looks like differentiation really changes people.”

Tang Congnan remembered what the previous Li Chu was like: a pretty young girl, but her eyes were full of calculation and worldliness. Now she looked clean and cute.

“Let me see your gland then?”

Actually, the easiest way to determine if someone was AO or B was to look at the back of their neck, because Betas don’t have glands.

The gland is a slightly raised area on the back of the neck, covered by skin, making it hard to see with the naked eye unless one gets very close.

Li Chu covered the back of her neck, looking at Tang Congnan with some difficulty. There were still teeth marks on it; she couldn’t let Tang Congnan see.

“Sorry, sorry, I forgot that was a bit offensive. I’ll head to the hospital first then. Don’t run off anywhere.”

Tang Congnan suddenly remembered that one shouldn’t casually ask to see an AO’s gland. For an Alpha, it was a provocation; for an Omega, it was harassment.

Tang Congnan didn’t trust others with this; he didn’t plan to delegate the task of checking the pheromones.

“It’s okay, Brother Nan. When you come back, could you help me bring some suppressants and blocking patches?”

“No problem.”

Omegas had a monthly estrus period, during which they could use suppressants or have an Alpha mark them.

Scent blocking patches were like adhesive bandages applied to the gland. Because AOs emit pheromones, which are unconsciously released during emotional fluctuations, A pheromones could interfere with others of the same type (AA pheromones repel each other) and also induce O estrus. O pheromones could also cause As to lose control. Therefore, for politeness and personal safety during daily outings, pheromone blocking patches were essential.

After Tang Congnan verified the results, he reported back to the company’s upper management. Li Chu’s life improved immediately.

The company arranged a new place for her, a high-end residential complex with better privacy, and also arranged tutors for her.

Li Chu moved to the new place wearing a blocking patch. Everything in the new home was set up. She had lunch and then began receiving the teachers’ “loving education.” After two days of studying until her head spun, she received a call from an unfamiliar number.

“Hello?”

Li Chu was still holding 《An Actor Prepares》, waiting for the other person to speak first.

“Hello, is this Li Chu? I’m Ning Manqing.”

Sob sob sob woof woof woof, receiving your call, I’m not doing well.

Li Chu miserably clenched her legs. She had uncontrollably dreamed about that night for two consecutive days. Now, just hearing the other person’s voice made her remember the “Be good, don’t be afraid” whispered in her ear.

She was very afraid, sob sob sob!