After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Became a Slave to My Beloved Wife - Chapter 33 (A Strange Surveillance Footage)

In the bottom-right corner of the surveillance footage, the timestamp appeared in white text: 7:30-something PM, last night. Tong Yunyao entered Fengyun Entertainment through the side door. Her face was slightly blurred, but even from this brief clip, her sneaky demeanor was obvious.

“She came in around 7:30 last night… Keep playing it. I want to see if she ever left,” Jiang Nian instructed, pointing at the screen.

The security guard wiped the sweat from his brow and forced a smile. “President Jiang, you’re acting like a detective. Did this woman steal something from you?”

“I said keep playing the footage. Stop talking nonsense,” Jiang Nian said, tapping the desk.

Jiang’s close friend, Jiang Fenyun, quickly stepped in between them. “Hey, if my sister wants to watch, let her watch. Why wouldn’t she?” She turned to the guard and gestured for him to continue the video, then shot him a sharp look that clearly meant keep your mouth shut.

From the moment Tong Yunyao entered the building at 7:38 PM, the footage continued at normal speed. Jiang Nian watched intently, unwilling to miss even the slightest detail.

Feigning boredom, Jiang Fenyun calmly pulled out her phone. In reality, she was already prepared for this.

A text message popped up from her younger sister:

— Sis, the photos of me having dinner with Jiang Nian are out.

Jiang Fenyun smiled in satisfaction and casually opened the gossip link her sister had sent.

After skimming the contents, she was a little surprised — there was some unexpected benefit in all of this.

“Oh my God, girl! Forget this for a second!” Jiang Fenyun gasped in mock shock and grabbed Jiang Nian’s arm, showing her the phone. “Look at this! Since when did you and Qiao Wenyu become tabloid fodder? You with my sister, and your wife with my cousin? What kind of earth-shattering drama is this? These two headlines are stacked right on top of each other — what’s going on?”

Jiang Nian wasn’t too bothered about the gossip concerning herself. Her attention was locked on the story involving Qiao Wenyu and Bai Ye.

#Shocking: Idol Qiao Wenyu in a Relationship with Bai Group Heir!
#Rising Star and Her Sponsor Allegedly Dating – Romantic Sparks Flying!
#So Romantic! Real-Life Drama Mirrors TV Romance!

The accompanying photos were taken during a business trip Qiao Wenyu and Bai Ye had taken abroad. The camera angles and setting were just right — they really did look like a couple in love, gazing into each other’s eyes on a city street.

As Jiang Nian fixated on the news, Jiang Fenyun gave the security guard a side glance and mouthed, “Turn it off.”

The guard quickly hit the pause button, not daring to make a sound.

After reading both gossip articles, Jiang Nian had lost all interest in the surveillance footage. “Do you have a way to suppress these stories?”

“Of course. There are plenty of ways. Why don’t we go to my office and discuss it in detail?” Jiang Fenyun suggested. She just wanted to keep Jiang Nian from watching the rest of the footage.

Jiang Nian hesitated for a moment, not immediately agreeing.

“Trust me, girl. I’ll send you the full footage later — the whole thing. You can watch it however and whenever you want. I’ll also have the security team keep an eye on all exits. If they spot Tong Yunyao, they’ll bring her straight to you,” Jiang Fenyun said with a wink, slinging an arm around Jiang Nian’s shoulders.

Jiang Nian thought for a moment, pinching her chin, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s deal with this first.”

“Come on, let’s see how we can clean this up.” Jiang Fenyun led Jiang Nian out, casting a meaningful glance at the guard as they left.

The security guard immediately understood. Tong Yunyao was someone the boss valued. If the boss wanted to protect her, then the footage needed to be edited.

Cutting out a piece wouldn’t hurt.

Outside the room, Jiang Nian remained unaware of her friend’s subtle maneuver. Her mind was still focused on how to handle the gossip scandal.

“Fenyun, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. What’s your sister’s deal?”

Jiang Fenyun froze for a moment, then quickly smiled and patted Jiang Nian’s shoulder. “Didn’t I tell you before? I asked my sister to treat you to dinner so she’d stop clinging to you. How was I supposed to know this would happen? So many paparazzi are after Jiang Qianqian — someone must’ve snapped you two without either of you noticing.”

“Handle it. Have her clear it up with the media herself or use some other method. Just make sure it gets explained properly,” Jiang Nian said, overwhelmed by everything going on. The most troubling thing was still the rumor involving Qiao Wenyu and Bai Ye.

When it rains, it pours…

Back at the office, Jiang Fenyun went to the PR department to handle the crisis. Before leaving, she told Jiang Nian to wait in her office.

“Don’t take too long,” Jiang Nian said as she leaned against the desk, watching her leave.

While waiting, Jiang Nian paced around, arms crossed, lost in thought. As she passed by Jiang Fenyun’s file cabinet, her eyes caught a picture frame placed face down on a shelf.

Curious, she picked it up and set it upright.

The photo showed Jiang Fenyun and a pretty, delicate-looking girl. Judging from their youthful appearances, it was likely taken in high school.

“Who’s this…” Jiang Nian frowned, trying to recall who the girl might be. But she had no knowledge of the original story and couldn’t rely on the body’s memories. She couldn’t place the person.

Whoever it was, she didn’t seem to be an important character.

In the photo, Jiang Fenyun was secretly gazing at the girl beside her — the affection in her eyes was clear as day.

Since entering this novel’s world, Jiang Nian had never heard her best friend mention anyone she liked. And this girl hadn’t appeared in the real world either.

Jiang Nian shifted her gaze to the third person partially captured in the background — this person had their back turned and was speaking to someone outside the frame, revealing only a hint of their profile.

Strangely, Jiang Nian thought the person looked a bit like Qiao Wenyu.

Just as Jiang Nian was absorbed in the photo, the door behind her opened.

“Ah Nian, I…” Jiang Fenyun’s face changed instantly when she saw what Jiang Nian was looking at. She rushed forward and flipped the photo face down again in just a few steps.

“What are you doing? I wasn’t finished looking,” Jiang Nian asked, puzzled.

Jiang Fenyun gave an embarrassed laugh and scratched her head. “That’s just an old photo from high school. I looked terrible in it. You really aren’t afraid I’ll lose face, are you?”

“When was it taken? How come I don’t remember?” Jiang Nian asked curiously.

“You were sent abroad by your mom for a year of advanced study during that time. Totally normal you don’t remember,” Jiang Fenyun shrugged. “Alright, Ah-Nian, let’s not dwell on this. Let’s talk business.”

“Fine. What’s your plan for handling your sister’s situation?” Jiang Nian sat down on the nearby sofa, her long, fair legs elegantly crossed.

Jiang Fenyun took the seat beside her. “Ah-Nian, this one’s tricky… It all depends on my sister. I can warn her to stay away from you, but I can’t force her to do anything.”

“She seems to listen to you pretty well. How hard can it be?” Jiang Nian sighed. “Just suppress the news for now. I’ll have my assistant talk to the media and issue a clarification. Fenyun, tell your sister I’m married.”

“Yes, yes, she already knows. She probably just doesn’t want to give up yet,” Jiang Fenyun leaned closer with a teasing grin. “But can you blame her? My bestie is radiant — it’s no wonder people fall for you.”

“And what about your cousin and my wife? What do you suggest I do about that?” Jiang Nian countered, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“I promised Wenyu we wouldn’t go public with our relationship. I’ll have to ask Bai Ye to make a clarification,” Jiang Nian replied lightly, though even she wasn’t fully confident.

“Ah-Nian, if Wenyu really wants to be with someone else, there’s nothing you can do to stop it.” Jiang Fenyun smiled with a touch of mischief. “You know… maybe Qiao Wenyu just isn’t the one you’re destined for.”

“Are you trying to defend your cousin now?” Jiang Nian raised a brow.

Jiang Fenyun lifted both hands. “Not at all. Honestly, I think my cousin should find a more lively omega. She’s always so serious — it’s exhausting.”

“Enough. I’m heading back to the office to rest a bit. I’ve got a dinner engagement tonight.” Jiang Nian stood and stretched. Before leaving, she reminded Jiang Fenyun, “Don’t forget to send me the surveillance footage.”

Once Jiang Nian was gone, Jiang Fenyun rose from the sofa and walked to the shelf to pick up the framed photo.

She gazed at the delicate-looking girl in the picture, her expression tender and sorrowful. After a moment, she gently brushed her fingers across the girl’s cheek in the photo.

“Qiuqiu… I’ll get justice for you. I won’t let her off so easily,” she whispered, holding the photo close to her chest before carefully returning it to its place.

Her gaze darkened as it fell on the figure in the photo’s background — the one showing only a partial profile. Her fists clenched unconsciously, trembling slightly from the intensity of her grip.

Back at the company, Jiang Nian finally got some sleep. She hadn’t closed her eyes the entire night. But even so, her nap was restless. Her mind remained active, riddled with bizarre dreams.

When she awoke, her chest felt tight — a kind of inexplicable anxiety.

Squinting toward the window, she noticed the sky had turned overcast. A storm was coming…

Before her evening engagement, Lu Renbing entered with an updated itinerary.

“President Jiang, the factory will have the sample garments ready tomorrow. You and President Bai will need to go review them together.”

“Alright, got it.” Jiang Nian straightened her outfit in front of the mirror. “What about the media? Did you take care of that?”

The assistant nodded. “The rumors have been clarified… But regarding Miss Qiao’s story…”

“What is it?” Jiang Nian hadn’t had a chance to check her phone all afternoon.

Lu Renbing cleared her throat and spoke carefully, “President Bai posted something on Weibo that hinted at pursuing someone. Many netizens are connecting the dots and now believe the rumors are true. No one from Miss Qiao’s side has stepped forward to clarify, so the situation is getting… difficult to control.”

Hearing that Qiao Wenyu hadn’t responded at all made Jiang Nian’s heart sink.

Could it be that Wenyu really wants to be with Bai Ye…?

“No, no… she must just be busy. She probably hasn’t seen it,” Jiang Nian murmured to herself. After some thought, she decided to settle the matter in person.

“We’ll go to the factory tomorrow, all three of us. You arrange it,” she said. Then she added, “After the viewing, Wenyu will likely need to get back to the practice room quickly. Prepare a car for her.”

“Yes, President Jiang.” Lu Renbing suddenly remembered, “Oh, right — President Jiang, President Jiang Fenyun sent you a video. She asked me to remind you to check it.”

“Understood.” After the assistant left, Jiang Nian opened the email from Jiang Fenyun.

She extracted the video file and watched it from beginning to end.

In the footage, Tong Yunyao was seen entering — but never leaving.

Strange, indeed…

Support