After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Became a Slave to My Beloved Wife - Chapter 21

Lying on the ground, Yan Fu suddenly realized something. His face contorted with rage as he lunged at Jiang Nian, completely abandoning any sense of composure.

“That punch was for Wenyu,” Jiang Nian said calmly, dodging all of Yan Fu’s attacks without retaliating. After all, a wise person prefers words over fists. That single punch earlier—that was her standing up for Qiao Wenyu.

The situation grew increasingly chaotic. No matter how hard Yan Fu tried—using either brute force or pheromone suppression—he was still no match for Jiang Nian. The difference between an average Alpha and a top-tier Alpha couldn’t be more obvious.

“You—!” Yan Fu was frozen in place by Jiang Nian’s pheromonal dominance, unable to move, his expression filled with fury.

“Enough! Have you no shame?” a stern voice cut through the tension as a middle-aged man with a menacing air stepped out from the rear of the house. Yan Zhong had finally appeared.

Jiang Nian looked at him for the first time. She didn’t recognize him at first, but just from his demeanor and imposing presence, she knew—this man was not to be taken lightly.

Yan Zhong ordered the servants to take his son for treatment, then slowly walked up to Jiang Nian. His thick brows furrowed as he stared her down.

“You… you’re Jiang Xian’s daughter?”

“I am,” Jiang Nian replied, instantly confirming the man’s identity—he was indeed Qiao Wenyu’s father, Yan Zhong, who dared speak her mother’s name so casually.

Yan Zhong hesitated briefly, then let out a cold laugh. “A top-tier Alpha shouldn’t be so reckless.”

As he spoke, a wave of pheromones with the scent of aged sandalwood wafted toward her, both provocative and probing.

Just as Jiang Nian expected, Yan Zhong was also a top-tier Alpha. And with the advantage of age and experience, he wielded his pheromones far more precisely. For a moment, he even managed to suppress Jiang Nian’s presence.

“Hmph. I thought my useless daughter had married someone of worth. Turns out, you’re nothing special,” he said with a sneer before turning and walking off, tossing a cold “See them out” over his shoulder.

The servants bowed to their master and then surrounded Jiang Nian and Qiao Wenyu. Their tone wasn’t outright hostile, but far from respectful. “Ladies, the gate’s that way.”

Jiang Nian had never been dismissed like this before. Since arriving in this world, people of all statuses had treated her with courtesy—until now. The Yan family was the first to truly look down on her.

Pride flaring, she didn’t want to leave without putting up a fight. She hadn’t yet gotten justice for Qiao Wenyu.

“Xiao Nian, let’s go.” Qiao Wenyu saw right through her thoughts. She wasn’t ready to completely sever ties with her family just yet. “I’m tired. I just want to go home and rest.”

Only for her sake did Jiang Nian hold back. She led Qiao Wenyu away from the estate.

Once outside, Jiang Nian fumed. “You let them treat you like that? And you didn’t even call me? You just walked into that on your own?”

Qiao Wenyu relaxed a little and replied gently, “It’s been like this for years. I’m used to it.”

“For years?! You don’t feel sorry for yourself, but I do!” Jiang Nian blurted it out without thinking, her feelings spilling over.

Hearing this, Qiao Wenyu gave a soft smile. “Thank you for coming.”

Jiang Nian, who had been tense with anger, suddenly felt her emotions soften. Her nose tingled, her eyes reddened.

“Come on. Let’s go home,” Qiao Wenyu said, moved by the gesture. It was the first time someone had stood up for her without asking for anything in return.

Jiang Nian, brash and impulsive but easily soothed, led her away from that toxic place.

By the time they got back on the road, dusk had fallen. It was the tail end of rush hour, and traffic was heavy—every red light meant minutes of waiting.

Inside the car, it was quiet. Jiang Nian focused on driving, while Qiao Wenyu leaned back, gazing out the window at the night.

Finally, Jiang Nian shifted the car into neutral, cleared her throat, and said, “Sister… next time you go to a family gathering like that, take me with you. I’ll protect you.”

“I know, Xiao Nian. But… it won’t help. My father holds more power than you realize. He looks down on everyone,” Qiao Wenyu murmured, her head lowering as she mocked herself, “He controls even my life. Why would he let you protect me?”

“How can you say that? The only thing you’ve ‘suffered’ is marrying me. You can control your own career…” Jiang Nian trailed off. She realized something didn’t add up.

She was close to Jiang Fenyun and knew all about Qiao Wenyu’s situation in the entertainment world. A while ago, Qiao Wenyu had gained some popularity through a reality show, but then faded back into obscurity. Even when Jiang Fenyun tried giving her resources, the projects always fell through—either due to disputes or sudden investor withdrawals. Some productions were canceled outright.

Now, after Qiao Wenyu’s comment, Jiang Nian finally connected the dots.

It wasn’t just bad luck. The Yan family was actively suppressing her.

Just how much must Yan Zhong hate his own daughter…?

“Was it your father?” Jiang Nian asked quietly.

Qiao Wenyu nodded. “He wants me to stay mediocre, forever beneath him.”

“What kind of father does that…” Jiang Nian muttered, wanting to say more, but the light turned green and traffic started moving again.

When they got home, Jiang Nian noticed a sealed envelope in the mailbox. Thinking it was some company document, she glanced at the label and saw it was addressed to Qiao Wenyu.

“Sister, something came for you,” she said, handing it over. Seeing Qiao Wenyu begin to open it, she asked casually, “Is it for a show or something?”

Qiao Wenyu pulled out the document, scanned it, and sighed. “It’s a contract termination for an ad I took earlier. Didn’t expect they’d pull out too.”

“You…” Jiang Nian wanted to ask if she was upset, but thought better of it. After everything the Yan family had put her through, this was probably nothing new.

After a moment’s thought, she said, “Sister, you’re not working right now, are you?”

“Seems like it. I haven’t received any bookings,” Qiao Wenyu replied calmly.

Jiang Nian grabbed her hand, her eyes sparkling. “Then let’s go on vacation! I bought a private island a while back—it’s beautiful. We could stay there for a few days and just relax.”

“You don’t need to go to work?”

Qiao Wenyu couldn’t resist Jiang Nian’s enthusiasm and could only agree. “Alright, then.”

Just like that, a vacation on a private island was arranged. It was also the first time Jiang Nian learned that her family owned a helicopter. She couldn’t help but marvel—same name, same character, yet the original Jiang Nian in this story came from an astonishingly wealthy background. So young and already had access to a helicopter.

She thought back to her life in the original world, where she even had to calculate whether she could afford to attend school events.

The flight from the city to the island took about eight or nine hours. Jiang Nian had worked through the night, and as soon as she boarded the aircraft, sleepiness hit her.

“Big Sister, I’m a little tired. Goodnight.” Jiang Nian put on her eye mask, and drowsiness quickly overtook her. By the time she said the last two words, her eyes were already closing.

A faint rose scent lingered in the air, and even in her dreams, Jiang Nian smiled in contentment.

When Jiang Nian awoke, the helicopter was just beginning its descent.

“Big Sister, look! The sunset is so beautiful.” Jiang Nian pointed out the window, feeling refreshed after her nap.

Qiao Wenyu gazed at her profile and noticed a few strands of Jiang Nian’s hair sticking up like a little unruly puppy. That small tuft of curled hair swayed in the breeze, and she couldn’t help but raise her hand to smooth it down.

Jiang Nian jolted as if she had been electrocuted, her eyes suddenly wide open.

“Ah, your hair was sticking up,” Qiao Wenyu said, curling her index finger under her nose to feign a cough—clearly a bit embarrassed.

Jiang Nian touched her head and smiled. “Thanks.”

After landing, Jiang Nian led Qiao Wenyu to the villa on the island.

As they entered, a housekeeper greeted them with a warm smile. “Welcome, Miss Jiang, Miss Qiao.”

“Auntie Wang, we’ll be troubling you these few days,” Jiang Nian said. She vaguely remembered this woman and assumed she was the villa’s housekeeper.

Auntie Wang beamed. “Miss Jiang, you’re too polite! I’ve been hoping you’d come and stay more often.”

From her chatter, Jiang Nian learned that Auntie Wang had likely been her nanny when she was young. Due to her age and reduced physical strength, she had been reassigned here to manage the island villa. If no one came to stay, she only needed to visit once a month for cleaning.

After settling in, Jiang Nian suggested going for a swim at the beach. Although Qiao Wenyu looked reluctant, she agreed so as not to spoil the mood.

It was dusk—the perfect time to watch the sunset over the sea. Jiang Nian quickly changed into a swimsuit, put on sunglasses, and waited downstairs for Qiao Wenyu.

Soon, Qiao Wenyu descended the stairs in a violet-toned swimsuit, a float in her hand, and clinging slightly to the handrail.

Jiang Nian couldn’t help but stare until Qiao Wenyu stood in front of her, snapping her out of it.

Looking down at her own black-and-white one-piece, Jiang Nian silently admitted that Qiao Wenyu’s swimsuit looked far more attractive.

“Big Sister, I’m a great swimmer. Just wear the float—I’ll take you somewhere deeper,” Jiang Nian said, holding out her hand.

Qiao Wenyu hesitated, fear flickering in her eyes. She eventually put on the float and cautiously stepped into the water.

Her heart was pounding. When she was younger, her father had cruelly thrown her into a pool. Even now, water triggered a stress response.

Jiang Nian, unaware of this, urged excitedly, “Come on, Big Sister!”

Taking a deep breath, Qiao Wenyu stepped in.

The water was cold, the chill climbing from her ankles to her chest. Each step was hesitant, her hands gripping the float tightly.

Impatient, Jiang Nian swam over and gently pulled Qiao Wenyu deeper into the water.

“Ah—!” Qiao Wenyu cried out, closing her eyes in fear and instinctively wrapping her arms around the warm body before her.

Jiang Nian was stunned by the sudden embrace. It dawned on her that Qiao Wenyu was afraid of water, and she instinctively held her tighter.

Qiao Wenyu clung to Jiang Nian’s neck, eyes shut, chest pressed to chest—their bodies perfectly aligned.

While Qiao Wenyu’s eyes were still closed, Jiang Nian mischievously lowered her head and brushed a feather-light kiss on her forehead.

Jiang Nian slowed her breathing, afraid that she might not be able to restrain herself if she asked for more. She gently lifted her head and whispered hoarsely, “Don’t be scared, Big Sister. I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Haunted by childhood trauma, Qiao Wenyu murmured, “I’m still scared… I’m really afraid of the water.”

“I’ve got you,” Jiang Nian reassured her softly. “Open your eyes. Look at me—look at the sea. It’s really beautiful.”

That charming voice by her ear worked like magic. Qiao Wenyu gradually opened one eye and gazed out across the ocean.

The twilight waves shimmered with orange flecks. The sea, bathed in warmth, suddenly felt less frightening.

Maybe…

It was Jiang Nian who made her feel safe.

Overcoming her fear, Qiao Wenyu slowly opened both eyes.

“Feeling better now?” Jiang Nian asked gently.

Qiao Wenyu clutched Jiang Nian’s warm arm. “Mm, much better. I nearly drowned when I was little. I thought I’d outgrown the fear, but clearly not…”

Jiang Nian reached out and gently covered her eyes. “Then keep them closed a little longer. I’ll take you out further—you’ll fall in love with it.”

Holding her hand, Jiang Nian slowed her pace, guiding them deeper into the sea.

They stopped just short of the red line that marked the no-swimming zone. Jiang Nian looked up—the sun was almost kissing the horizon.

“Big Sister, open your eyes,” she said softly.

Qiao Wenyu looked up and saw a massive crimson sun, seemingly within reach. The shoreline blazed red, and under the sunset’s glow, the sea turned a romantic shade of rose.

The sun kept descending—

A blazing sphere sinking steadily toward the horizon, closer and closer until it vanished entirely.

Qiao Wenyu was entranced. For a moment, she forgot she was even in the water—in the very thing she feared most.

Only when the night fell did she snap out of her reverie.

“Wasn’t it beautiful? I’ve always loved sunsets. I dreamed of watching one like this for a long time,” Jiang Nian said, her words spilling out in a rush. “I imagined bringing someone I love to the closest point to the horizon… to kiss at the exact moment day turns into night. So romantic, right?”

Someone she loved?

Qiao Wenyu’s ears turned red.

Realizing how her words sounded, Jiang Nian quickly corrected herself. “B-But bringing you is wonderful too! I mean, even though we’re not lovers, I’m really happy.”

If only you could be the one I loved.

Qiao Wenyu smiled. “Xiao Nian, I really liked it. Thank you for bringing me. If you get the chance, you should definitely bring someone you love. It’s truly romantic.”

Jiang Nian looked up at the darkening sky and murmured to herself, “I already did.”

No one heard her.

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