After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Was Spoiled by a Sweet Omega - Chapter 37

The next morning.

Aunt Wu had already set the breakfast table. When she looked at the clock, it was past nine—and not a single person had come down yet.

She didn’t know much about Ning Xuan or Yu Jiayan, but Miss Yu Yazhi was never one to sleep in. Her body clock was as precise as an alarm.

Should she go upstairs and wake them?

But, Miss Yu and Ning Xuan had shared the same bed last night. Would it be inappropriate to go up now?

Just as she was hesitating, a door opened upstairs.

Aunt Wu looked up to see Yu Jiayan descending the stairs. She greeted him warmly, “Young Master Yu, good morning!”

Yu Jiayan stretched lazily, yawning without replying.

He was wearing the fresh change of clothes his driver had sent over last night, his hair still mussed from sleep. The fringe that fell over his forehead brushed his lashes, giving him a languid, careless charm.

With his strikingly handsome face and youthful features, he exuded an easy, boyish allure—at least until he opened his mouth.

“Oh? Yu Yazhi and Ning Xuan are still asleep? At this hour?” he drawled. “What’s this—are they taking after Emperor Xuanzong now? ‘Life is short and the mornings grow late’—no more morning court sessions for our king and queen?”

He strolled down the steps, scanning the living room for the two women. When he didn’t see them, his lips curled in a mischievous grin.

“Aunt Wu, you should go check. Young people these days—no sense of moderation.”

Aunt Wu: “…”

She really didn’t think his concern was necessary, but since it was indeed getting late, she decided she ought to check anyway.

Miss Yu was a workaholic—she’d never stay in bed this long unless she was unwell.

“Bang.”

Another door slammed upstairs.

Aunt Wu had barely taken two steps up when Yu Yazhi appeared at the top of the stairs. She was dressed in a cream-colored tracksuit, her long hair tied into a simple ponytail. It was a different look from her usual composed elegance—fresh, clean, and disarmingly beautiful.

Only her bright eyes were marred by a rare pair of dark circles.

Yu Jiayan spotted them immediately and burst out laughing. “Well, well—didn’t expect Ning Xuan to be so.. energetic!”

Yu Yazhi heard that loud and clear. “Nothing good ever comes out of your mouth,” she shot back coldly. “Yu Jiayan, if you can’t speak properly, then shut it. One day, that mouth of yours will be your downfall.”

She descended the stairs and stopped in front of him, arms crossed, her expression full of disdain. “Why are you still here?”

Yu Jiayan clicked his tongue, glancing at his watch. Just as he was about to retort, a car horn sounded outside.

Aunt Wu hurried out to check, then returned. “Young Master, the driver’s here to pick you up.”

Yu Jiayan gave a casual “Mm,” but his gaze lingered on Yu Yazhi’s dark circles, struggling not to laugh. “All right, all right. I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.”

As he passed Aunt Wu, he paused with a grin. “Aunt Wu, toss out the jacket I left hanging on the balcony, will you? I don’t need it anymore.”

Aunt Wu nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Yu Yazhi clenched her fists.

Just the thought of that damned jacket made her want to grab a pair of scissors and shred it to pieces.

If it hadn’t been for him, how could she have done something so stupid with Ning Xuan last night?

And because she’d done that stupid thing, she hadn’t been able to sleep a wink afterward!

“Yu Jiayan—get. Out. Now!”

Her voice rose almost to a roar; she was seconds away from losing all composure.

Yu Jiayan only clicked his tongue again. “Ferocious as ever! Poor Ning Xuan must’ve suffered under your tyranny.”

And speaking of Ning Xuan—there she came, slowly descending the stairs.

The consequences of last night’s excessive “sit-ups” were catching up with her. Even walking down the steps was painful; she kept rubbing her waist and groaning, “Ahh—ow, ow.”

It was, admittedly, very misleading.

Yu Jiayan, of course, took it the wrong way immediately. A teasing smile spread across his face. “Ning Xuan, you worked hard last night! Keep this up and the old man won’t have to worry about getting a grandchild!”

Or about him inheriting the Yu Group, for that matter.

Ah, what a genius he was!

Yu Yazhi pressed a hand to her forehead and silently chanted to herself: Don’t get mad. Don’t get mad. At least he believes it now. Once he’s convinced, maybe I can finally have some peace.

“Young Master, shall we leave now?”

The driver stood outside the living room, speaking in a low voice.

Yu Jiayan flashed an OK gesture, then winked flamboyantly at the two women. “A brand-new day! Wishing you both fruitful endeavors!”

Ning Xuan and Yu Yazhi: “…”

First thing in the morning—and already slimed by his shamelessness.

Finally, Yu Jiayan was gone.

At the breakfast table, Ning Xuan and Yu Yazhi sat opposite each other, eating in awkward silence while Aunt Wu and the maids sneaked curious glances at them.

Noticing Ning Xuan’s discomfort, Yu Yazhi told them calmly, “You don’t need to serve us here. Go tend to your other tasks.”

“Yes, Miss.”

They all left with knowing smiles.

Only the two of them remained in the dining room.

The air felt thick with unspoken tension.

Ning Xuan kept her head down, quietly eating, her heart fluttering under Yu Yazhi’s gaze. Maybe she shouldn’t have stayed for breakfast after all. But, why was she looking at her like that? Did she have something to say?

Yu Yazhi, in truth, was just trying to sound casual. “Do you have any plans for today?” she asked.

Ning Xuan looked up quickly. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll check with Luoluo later.”

That reminded her—she hadn’t even asked whether Luoluo’s sister had given birth to a boy or a girl.

It was a happy occasion; Luoluo deserved a few days off to be with her family.

Thinking of that, she called her. “Hey, Luoluo?”

On the other end, Zhao Luoluo’s voice was choked with tears. “Xuan-jie”

Ning Xuan’s heart skipped a beat. “What’s wrong?”

Was she crying?

What happened?

Don’t tell me—did something go wrong with her sister’s delivery?

Zhao Luoluo’s voice trembled, as if she was holding back tears. “I’m fine. Sorry, I didn’t manage to pick you up last night.”

Ning Xuan wasn’t concerned about that. She asked anxiously, “What happened? Where are you now? Your sister.”

She didn’t dare finish that sentence.

Zhao Luoluo caught what she left unsaid and let out a small, shaky laugh. “My sister’s fine. Both mother and baby are safe.”

Ning Xuan still couldn’t relax. “Then why are you crying?”

Zhao Luoluo laughed and cried at the same time. “I just feel awful. My sister went into labor last night, but she couldn’t deliver naturally and had to go in for a C-section. Her mother-in-law is insane—she kept insisting that only babies born naturally are smart. She refused to let them operate. I was so angry I ended up fighting with her.”

Ning Xuan: “……”

What kind of monster-in-law was that?

“It’s a good thing I went last night. Otherwise, my sister might’ve.”

Zhao Luoluo broke off, crying harder at the thought.

She had already cried all night. Just talking about it again made the tears flow.

Ning Xuan hurried to comfort her, her voice soft and warm. “You did the right thing, Luoluo. Really. Don’t cry anymore. Where are you now? I’ll come see you.”

Zhao Luoluo choked out, “No need. There are too many people at the hospital, it’s not convenient for you to come. I just can’t leave right now. Xuan-jie, I was actually calling to ask for two days off.”

“Of course,” Ning Xuan said immediately. “Take as long as you need. Stay with your sister—after everything that happened, she’s probably still shaken.”

Anyone would be. To be in such danger, while your husband and mother-in-law only cared about the baby and not the mother—just thinking about it made her heart ache.

Zhao Luoluo thanked her and hung up.

Ning Xuan sat for a while, then decided to go check on her anyway.

Yu Yazhi seemed to have overheard enough to guess what was going on. Seeing Ning Xuan stand up, she set down her chopsticks and said gently, “I’ll drive you.”

Ning Xuan blinked in surprise. What was happening? She’d helped her remove her makeup last night, and now she wanted to drive her this morning? Had she turned over a new leaf overnight?

She couldn’t help staring at her, scrutinizing her expression.

Yu Yazhi felt self-conscious under that gaze and quickly explained, “I’m heading to the office—it’s on the way. You’re in a hurry too, right?”

Since she put it that way, Ning Xuan didn’t overthink it. “Thanks.”

They both tidied up quickly and headed out together.

The underground garage was lined with over a dozen luxury sports cars.

Yu Yazhi chose a red Maserati and even opened the passenger door for her.

Ning Xuan scratched her head, feeling that something about all this was oddly off. “Thanks,” she murmured.

Once they were both inside, Yu Yazhi started the engine and entered the address for the Central Hospital into the GPS.

To avoid small talk, Ning Xuan pulled out her phone and started browsing entertainment news.

There was no shortage of gossip today—one headline after another.

And then she saw one about herself.

[Breaking! The Real Reason Ning Xuan Publicly Supported Xu Ke: She’s Sucking Up to the Former Richest Woman in Shenzhen!]

Ning Xuan: “……”

What the hell?

Xu Ke’s mother was the former richest woman in Shenzhen?

She hadn’t even known that—how could she possibly be “sucking up”?

Unbelievable!

“What kind of shameless media just makes things up out of thin air? Their ability to spin entire stories out of a single photo is seriously impressive!”

She was fuming. “I don’t admire anyone—but I have to hand it to them!”

Yu Yazhi glanced over at her, then smoothly turned the steering wheel and pulled into an empty parking spot.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, reaching for Ning Xuan’s phone.

She scanned the screen—first the glaring headline, then the photo of Ning Xuan’s bright, radiant smile, and finally the text.

If Yu Yazhi hadn’t witnessed last night herself—knew that Ning Xuan hadn’t even wanted to attend that banquet—she might’ve believed the article too. The tone and photos made Ning Xuan look scheming, as if she’d been cozying up to Xu Zeling on purpose.

Xu Zeling was a woman with both sharp instincts and incredible luck.

Her family had fallen from grace years ago, and she’d later married abroad for love. As it turned out, her husband had been sitting on massive potential. Two years ago, after divorcing him and returning to China with an astronomical settlement, she instantly reclaimed her status as the city’s wealthiest woman.

The old Ning Xuan would’ve jumped at the chance to flatter her.

But now?

Wouldn’t it be faster to curry favor with her instead?

“Need me to handle it?” Yu Yazhi asked, handing the phone back.

Ning Xuan took it, momentarily startled. She shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll have Yun-jie take care of it.”

Yu Yazhi nodded, restarting the car. As they drove on, she asked casually, “By the way, what’s your relationship with Xu Ke?”

“Nothing special,” Ning Xuan replied, scrolling through her contacts for Su Manyun’s number. “Or—well, strictly speaking, she’s my mentor. I’m her student.”

Yu Yazhi seemed pleased by that answer; a faint smile tugged at her lips—but it faded just as quickly.

“So, if there’s nothing between you two,” she said, tone deliberately mild, “then what’s with all the ‘shipping Ning Xuan and Xu Ke’ posts?”

Ning Xuan: “……”

She’d completely forgotten about that!

Her hand froze mid-dial, eyes widening in shock. “Ah—you saw it?”

Yu Yazhi gave her a sidelong glance and countered coolly, “Was I not supposed to?”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Oh no, is she mad again?

Does she think I’m flirting around?

Totally unfair!

Feeling guilty under Yu Yazhi’s sharp gaze, Ning Xuan stammered, “That—uh—that was just something her fans made up. I didn’t do anything! That girl’s really nice, though—hardworking, optimistic, bright, and willing to put in the effort. I’m sure she’ll shine even brighter on a bigger stage someday.”

Yu Yazhi: “…”

Oh, so you really admire her, huh?

That was a whole string of compliments!

Her grip on the steering wheel tightened. A wave of irritation prickled beneath her skin, and her tone grew heavier. “Sounds like you really, really like her.”

Those last few words were practically bitten out.

Ning Xuan shuddered at the venom in her tone. Realizing Yu Yazhi must have misunderstood, she rushed to explain, “No, that’s not what I meant! It’s admiration—just plain admiration, really! Yesterday her mother recognized me and came over to thank me for looking after her daughter on the show. She said she liked me too—she’s my fan.”

Yu Yazhi’s heart eased a little, but her mouth still wouldn’t admit it. “Ah, a fan. Well then, sounds like you won’t have any mother-in-law issues in the future. Congratulations.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Congratulations for what exactly?!

Anger flared. “Yu Yazhi, I know my reputation isn’t great, and I get it if you don’t trust me—but you can’t just say things like that! You’ll ruin that young girl’s good name!”

Her voice rose sharply, her expression stern. She glared at Yu Yazhi, eyes blazing with fire.

Yu Yazhi was startled. It took her a few seconds to recover.

She had never seen Ning Xuan like this—so fierce, so assertive. She was always gentle, mild-tempered, but now, angry like this, it was oddly captivating.

Thump, thump.

Her heart skipped twice.

“Sorry.”

Taking a deep breath, she admitted softly, “I lost my temper just now.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

It was the first time she’d ever seen Yu Yazhi back down. She didn’t even know how to react.

God, the moment she’d snapped, she’d regretted it—terrified Yu Yazhi might just kick her out of the car.

Who could’ve guessed Yu Yazhi would actually apologize?

Maybe she wasn’t as cold or unreasonable as she seemed.

“Um.”

Ning Xuan rubbed her nose and mumbled, “Anyway, there’s nothing between me and Xu Ke. Not even a hint of ambiguity. If I’m lying, may I get hit by a.”

“I believe you. Don’t go making ridiculous vows.”

Yu Yazhi quickly cut her off, frowning. “Honestly, how old are you? Still swearing like a child.”

Ning Xuan pouted. “Well, you’re the one who wouldn’t believe me. And you’re the one making up love stories.”

Yu Yazhi: “…”

Knowing she was in the wrong, Yu Yazhi didn’t argue further. Instead, she changed the subject. “You should have your team handle it. If you need help, let me know.”

Ning Xuan thanked her and resumed dialing. “Hey, Yun-jie, it’s me.”

“Mm. I know.”

Su Manyun’s voice was still a little hoarse—she’d also attended a social event last night. Just arriving at the office, she picked up the call. “What’s wrong, my darling Ning?”

Ning Xuan explained the situation. “The news first came from that account ‘Die Without Gossip.’ Talk to their head editor. If they don’t issue a clarification, send them a lawyer’s letter. This is defamation.”

“Alright, hang on.”

Su Manyun opened her computer, did a quick search, and after skimming through the article, smacked her desk in fury. “What kind of idiot tabloid is this? They’re even saying you took money from Mrs. Xu! Just one photo from a dinner party and they dare write all that crap? I’ll contact them right now. But honestly, sweetheart, you’re not even that big of a top star yet—why are they so obsessed with milking your name for clicks?”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Wow. Thanks for the ego check.

She sighed quietly and glanced sideways at Yu Yazhi, lowering her voice. “It’s not me they’re after. It’s the Yu family they’re trying to ride off of. Anyway, just handle it for me, okay? I’ve got other things to deal with here.”

“Got it. I’m on it.”

“Okay. I’ll let you go, then.”

“Mm.”

The call ended.

By then, Yu Yazhi had parked the car.

Ning Xuan looked out the window and saw they’d arrived at Central Hospital. She turned to her with a polite smile. “Yazhi, thanks for driving me here.”

She grabbed her sunglasses and mask from her bag, put them on, and stepped out of the car.

Yu Yazhi followed suit, clearly intending to go in with her.

Ning Xuan froze. “You—you’re coming too?”

Yu Yazhi didn’t stop walking. “Your friend’s having a baby, right? Boy or girl?”

“I think it’s a girl.”

“Let’s go, then. I like girls.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Yeah, well, it’s not your kid.

What’s the point of liking her?