When Cheng Ying entered the Cheng’s building in a rather unpleasant mood, she didn’t expect to see an acquaintance in the gleaming reception hall.
“How dare you stop me! Do you know who I am? Let me in.”
Miss Hua Ran, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, was standing before the express elevator that went directly to the president’s office floor, verbally abusing and physically assaulting the security guard who dared to obstruct her.
But she was the petite type of Omega. Facing a security guard who was built like a wall, all her actions looked like a naughty child recklessly attacking a sturdy adult.
The security guard seemed quite wary of her, holding his hands up high, afraid that any casual attempt to block her might injure this young miss. His face wore a look of utter despair, but he had no intention of moving aside.
Cheng Ying knew what was going on with just one glance, and her mood immediately improved considerably.
She sauntered over and greeted the two, “Eh? Isn’t this Sister-in-law? Why are you arguing with a security guard here?”
The security guard looked at her as if he had seen a savior. Although Cheng Ying had no real power, her status was undeniable, and her words carried more weight than those of a nobody like him. “Young… Young Boss Cheng, Miss Hua insists on seeing President Cheng, but… but, President Cheng has already given orders not to let her in. I’m just a security guard, I really can’t make the call on this. What do you think?”
It would have been better if he hadn’t said that; his words were like poking a hornet’s nest. Miss Hua Ran jumped up and punched the security guard on the chin. “You’re lying! On what grounds would he refuse to see me?!”
The security guard clutched his chin, a pained expression on his face. The punch wasn’t heavy, but it was clear that if he couldn’t provide a suitable reason, many more would follow.
Watching the scene that was like something out of a comedy film, Cheng Ying couldn’t help but laugh out loud, immediately drawing Hua Ran’s furious glare.
“Cheng Ying, what are you laughing at?”
She immediately suppressed her smile and said flatteringly, “I was just laughing because it’s been many days, but Sister-in-law’s complexion is as good as ever.”
This was said quite insincerely. Anyone who had seen Hua Ran over a month ago and the Hua Ran of today would be shocked to find that this Omega, who could have barely been called pretty before, was now frighteningly haggard.
In Cheng Ying’s memory, Hua Ran loved to wear those dresses with complex layers and style her hair in intricate ways. The patterns on her dresses seemed to have a thousand layers, and her hairstyle looked like the result of several stylists working hard for half an hour, all so that others could recognize her noble status at a glance.
But now, she was actually wearing just a plain-colored long dress, her long hair hanging loose and somewhat messy from her prolonged exertion. She wasn’t even wearing light makeup, and her eyes were bloodshot and swollen, making her look even more like a face in the crowd.
Perhaps this description was still not accurate enough. After all, any normal person knew not to shout and cause a scene in a public place. Now, all eyes in the entire lobby were focused on this express elevator, and Cheng Ying even glimpsed several people recording with their phones.
A shrew.
Cheng Ying made a more accurate definition in her mind.
But it was obvious that Miss Hua Ran was not very clear about her own image. Hearing Cheng Ying’s compliment, she actually looked somewhat smug.
“Since you still acknowledge me as your sister-in-law,” her expression became haughty again, “then tell me, would your brother say such a thing?”
“Hmm…” Cheng Ying scratched her head, putting on a troubled expression. “That’s hard to say. I’m not my brother, how would I dare to guess his thoughts?”
“You!” Hua Ran instantly became furious again, raising her fist as if to give Cheng Ying’s chin a punch as well.
The security guard was quite dedicated to his duty. He stepped between them, separating the two, and said to Cheng Ying in a low voice with a pained face, “Young Boss Cheng, you should go quickly.”
He could see that Cheng Ying didn’t dare to offend this lady either, so he could only prepare himself to take a few more hits.
Unfortunately, the person behind him couldn’t appreciate his good intentions. She pushed aside his arm that was blocking them and said with a grin, “However, I’ve heard some rumors these past two days that might be related to why my brother won’t see you.”
Hua Ran stopped her poised fist, her gaze toward Cheng Ying a mixture of anger and confusion. “What?”
Cheng Ying glanced at the security guard. He immediately understood, turned his head, and took a large step back, adopting a “just pretend I don’t exist” posture.
Cheng Ying leaned down, moved close to Hua Ran’s ear, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “It’s all over the circle. My brother has been getting very close to Miss Fan recently. Didn’t you know?”
Hua Ran froze on the spot as if she had heard some terrible news. Cheng Ying didn’t look at her again, stepped into the opened express elevator, and gave her a polite wave.
“You should go back quickly. Making such a scene over a breakup is very unsightly.”
The end of her sentence lifted, still in her usual cynical, playful tone.
But in this situation, it added a few shades of sarcasm.
Hua Ran instinctively took a step forward to ask for details, but her path was blocked by the closing elevator doors.
Cheng Ying swaggered away. The security guard, still shaken, watched the Omega who had a look of disbelief on her face, afraid she would suddenly lash out and hurt someone.
However, this Omega, who just moments ago had been so arrogant she looked like she wanted to tear down the entire Cheng’s building, just stood there stunned for a long while, then turned, lowered her head, and slowly walked toward the main entrance.
Her dejected figure looked like a lifeless puppet, merely moving outward as its strings were pulled.
The security guard rubbed his chin, suddenly feeling that the woman he had cursed countless times in his mind as a madwoman was a bit pitiful.
Cheng Ying was actually quite grateful to Hua Ran, grateful that this young miss had used her own dignity to wash away the displeasure of being dragged out of Jiang Hanguang’s arms early in the morning.
She thought of Jiang Hanguang, remembering the woman’s beautiful and well-behaved sleeping face when she left home, and her mood improved a little more.
Consequently, even the sight of Cheng Liang’s office door wasn’t so displeasing anymore.
Just as she reached the doorway, Cheng Liang’s office door, filled with a uselessly technological air, opened automatically.
Cheng Ying raised an eyebrow. Was Cheng Liang specifically waiting for her?
This was truly an unprecedented event.
She instinctively had a bad premonition, but her face still wore that nonchalant expression as she walked in.
The decor of Cheng Liang’s office was no different from a month ago. The difference was that its owner was in a good mood this time. Seeing Cheng Ying enter, Cheng Liang actually had a hint of a smile on his face and asked casually, as if making small talk, “You’re back?”
Alarm bells rang in Cheng Ying’s mind, but her face showed a somewhat fawning smile. “Yeah, it was exhausting this time. Brother, what did you want to see me for?”
“It’s good news,” Cheng Liang pushed the thick script in front of him across the desk. “I have a script here. The investor specifically requested Jiang Hanguang for the lead role.”
Cheng Ying hadn’t expected their conversation to abruptly turn to Jiang Hanguang. She was stunned for a moment, then smiled. “Who thinks so highly of my Hanguang? They could have just come to me to discuss the collaboration. Why trouble you with it, Brother?”
As she spoke, she walked to the desk, picked up the script, and flipped through a few pages.
Cheng Liang was in an exceptionally good mood today and actually continued the conversation. “The young master of the Feng family came to see me specifically a couple of days ago. This is a major production.”
Cheng Ying’s hand, flipping through the script, paused. The young master of the Feng family, Jiang Hanguang’s ex-husband, Feng Nan.
She didn’t believe for a second that a guy like that would have any good intentions.
She glanced at the plot summary, and her hand holding the script suddenly tightened.
Cheng Liang hadn’t lied to her. This movie could indeed be called a major production. The director was top-tier in the industry, and the production team was also first-rate.
The problem was with the plot—
The plot of 《Return》 was simple. It was about an Omega named Gu Qingsheng who grew up under the meticulous care of her family. After growing up, she found a partner who loved her deeply and was successful in his career. They were a match made in heaven in everyone’s eyes. But Gu Qingsheng, despite living in happiness, was not content. Deep in her heart, she harbored an innate, ineffable yearning for freedom, and even for depravity. She envied those Omegas who could play Alphas in the palm of their hands and often fantasized about doing bad things, most of which were related to sex. Her partner was wonderful, but he couldn’t stop the growth of her desire for depravity. That licentious nature gradually swelled with age. Finally, one day, this Omega who had grown up in a greenhouse made a momentous decision: she would escape this suffocating life and pursue her freedom.
So, what happened next was a matter of course. A flower from a greenhouse, carrying a desire for depravity, threw herself into the colorful world. Only one outcome awaited her: to wither and decay.
Gu Qingsheng’s subsequent experiences were basically a typical presentation of the experiences of all who willingly debase themselves. Gambling, alcoholism, drug abuse, promiscuity.
It wasn’t until she had nothing left and found herself deeply mired in a swamp from which she couldn’t escape that she finally came to her senses.
She went back to find her partner, hoping to return to his side, willing to pay any price.
But when she returned to the love nest she shared with her partner, what she saw was her partner helping an Omega who resembled her into a car heading to the hospital.
That Omega was pregnant.
That night, Gu Qingsheng leaped from a high building and was smashed into a pile of pulp.
This was actually a very cliché arthouse film, doing nothing more than exploring the dark side of human nature and admonishing people to maintain their integrity.
It had some points that could be explored in depth, and some things that could generate discussion.
If she had seen this script elsewhere, Cheng Ying’s evaluation would have been—with a good production team and some effort in marketing, it has great potential to be a hit.
But now, there was only one sentence in her mind—this was a humiliation.
The humiliation was not directed at her, but at Jiang Hanguang.
In the actor column corresponding to the protagonist Gu Qingsheng, Jiang Hanguang’s name was clearly written.
Undeniable, unchangeable.
As Jiang Hanguang’s recently divorced ex-husband, Feng Nan had given Jiang Hanguang such a role. His meaning couldn’t be clearer.
He wanted to make Jiang Hanguang play a willingly debased slut in front of all audiences. And anyone with a mind to it could just look up the film’s investment company, connect it to Feng Nan’s intentions, and then write countless suggestive articles.
In any era, destroying a person’s innocent reputation is far easier than building it.
Cheng Ying could no longer clearly recall what Feng Nan looked like, but a sneering face still involuntarily appeared in her mind.
That smile carried a malicious scrutiny, watching Jiang Hanguang as if watching a prey that could not escape the trap no matter how it struggled. It also mocked her, mocked her for overestimating her own abilities.
Jiang Hanguang had lived with this kind of beast for ten years.
Cheng Ying’s hands were about to tear the script apart. Her remaining sanity urgently supported her facial expression system, preventing her from revealing a ferocious expression in front of Cheng Liang.
So she didn’t hear Cheng Liang’s first question, not until he raised his voice.
“I’m asking you a question. What do you think of this script?”
Cheng Ying looked up and saw the mocking smile on Cheng Liang’s sanctimonious face.
To Cheng Liang, this was just another insignificant instance among his countless times of trampling on this useless cousin.
But for Cheng Ying, this was the first time she seriously considered the feasibility of getting rid of Cheng Liang right now.
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