After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Was Spoiled by a Sweet Omega - Chapter 98

“Besides that, do you have anything else to discuss?”

Yu Yazhi didn’t particularly care how much money Sun Meiqing managed to scrape together in the divorce settlement. She had come here for a far more serious matter.

Yu Zhengcheng had indeed summoned her for the divorce, but hearing her question, he countered, “Do you have something else?”

Yu Yazhi nodded and brought up the matter of Sun Chi’s suicide.

Yu Zhengcheng’s face drained of color. “You, you suspect Sun Meiqing killed him?”

How could that be? He was her only brother!

“I intend to report it to the police,” Yu Yazhi stated firmly. “Even if the statute of limitations for a public prosecution has passed, the deaths of Sun Chi and the man he allegedly killed involve two lives. It was a major felony. Under our laws, such cases are pursued to the very end.”

Yu Zhengcheng sat there, stunned. He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that the woman who had shared his bed for twenty years might be a cold-blooded killer.

Seeing him frozen in shock, Yu Yazhi didn’t linger. She gave a slight bow, took Ning Xuan’s hand, and walked out of the study.

Ning Xuan was equally reeling from Yu Yazhi’s explosive revelation. The moment they stepped out, she opened her mouth to ask a question, but she saw the lawyer approaching with something to say and suppressed her curiosity for the moment.

“Miss Yu, how did the talk with the Chairman go?”

“No rush. Just start preparing the necessary documents for the divorce first.”

With that, Yu Yazhi led Ning Xuan downstairs. It wasn’t until they were safely in the car that Ning Xuan finally spoke. “Why did you suddenly accuse Sun Meiqing of murder?”

“It’s a suspicion. Something feels wrong,” Yu Yazhi replied. “I met Sun Meiqing’s brother back then. He didn’t strike me as the type to commit suicide. That bottle of poisoned wine was very likely sent by Sun Meiqing herself.”

Perhaps Sun Meiqing hadn’t expected Sun Chi to share the wine with someone else and that it happened to be the debt collector. Through a strange twist of fate, the police at the time viewed it as a desperate act of murder-suicide fueled by revenge.

Ning Xuan felt a chill run down her spine. “If your suspicion is correct, Sun Meiqing is more terrifying than I thought.”

“Indeed. She is a master of disguise.”

For over twenty years, Yu Yazhi hadn’t been able to point to a single specific fault in Sun Meiqing, yet she had instinctively avoided her. Now, she realized why.

Neither spoke for the rest of the drive. Yu Yazhi went straight to the police station and found the officer in charge of criminal investigations to report her suspicions.

Naturally, the officer wasn’t going to reopen an old investigation based on a mere hunch. “Miss Yu, do you have any evidence?”

“Isn’t it your job to find the evidence?”

“It’s been over twenty years. Setting aside the statute of limitations, this case was closed long ago. The investigation at the time surely had conclusive evidence.”

Yu Yazhi was momentarily at a loss for words.

The officer continued, “Miss Yu, you are a public figure. Casting such suspicions on your stepmother without proof won’t look good if it gets out.”

“My suspicion of her is just that suspicion. It has nothing to do with any other interests.” Yu Yazhi’s expression turned solemn. She stood up and said coldly, “If you want evidence, I will find it.”

Without another word, she led Ning Xuan out of the station.

“The police’s hesitation is normal,” Ning Xuan noted once they were outside. “Aside from the timeframe, overturning a closed case would significantly damage the department’s credibility.”

Yu Yazhi remained silent, her face tense as she got back into the car.

“I won’t stop you if you want to investigate,” Ning Xuan continued, “but you must be careful. If Sun Meiqing, if she’s really capable of murder, she won’t hesitate to come after you if she finds out you’re digging into her past.”

This served as a reminder for Yu Yazhi. “You’re right.”

“It’s like a lie,” Yazhi murmured to herself. “Once you tell one, you have to tell another to cover it up. If she really killed someone and realizes someone knows, she won’t be able to sit still.” An idea was already forming in her mind.

Ning Xuan felt uneasy. “Yu Yazhi, don’t do anything reckless.”

Yu Yazhi looked at her and gave a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t put myself in danger.”

Ning Xuan didn’t quite believe her. The situation was spiraling into chaos. Just then, her phone rang. It was Director He, asking when she would be back on set.

“I, I think I need a few more days.”

With Yu Yazhi in this state, how could she possibly leave?

Director He was clearly dissatisfied. “Ning Xuan, even Xin Lie has returned to the set with his injuries. Can you show some professional ethics? The entire crew is waiting for you. Do you know how much money we’re burning every single day?”

Although the phone wasn’t on speaker, Yu Yazhi had leaned in close enough to hear. How dare he scold my person!

Yu Yazhi wasn’t about to let that slide. She snatched the phone away, but instead of getting angry, she replied with a polite smile: “Director He, it’s me. I’m so sorry, I’ve had some personal issues here, and Ning Xuan has been looking after me. You mentioned ‘burning money,’ right? Don’t worry. I’ll add another 50 million to the investment. That should cover about half a month of ‘burning,’ shouldn’t it?”

Director He: “…”

What else could he say?

“It’s not just about the money,” Director He pivot rapidly, showing his high emotional intelligence. “There are so many people waiting for her. She worked so hard to get this role; I heard she even studied martial arts with Shang Li for a while. I just value her talent, I’d hate to see it go to waste.”

The praise was heavy and effective. Yu Yazhi gave him some face in return. “I understand. She’ll be back tomorrow. She was actually planning to surprise you.”

Having secured a definite date, Director He hung up. Yu Yazhi handed the phone back.

“I’m not going back tomorrow!” Ning Xuan protested.

Yu Yazhi laughed. “Then they’ll replace you.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

This was her first major role; it meant everything to her. If she lost it and the reason got out, her reputation in the industry would be finished.

Seeing her conflict, Yu Yazhi spoke seriously. “Go back to filming. I’ll be careful. Didn’t you bring two bodyguards? I’ll have them follow me everywhere. Nothing will happen.”

Ning Xuan listened quietly, still torn. Technically, my staying here doesn’t help with a criminal investigation. Professionals should handle professional matters. Besides, Yu Yazhi is the heroine. How could anything happen to her? Even if the plot is broken, it won’t break the ‘protagonist aura.’

Thinking this, she finally relaxed a little. “Alright.”

Yu Yazhi pinched her chin playfully. “How about a smile then?”

Ning Xuan couldn’t quite manage a smile. Yu Yazhi was carrying too much on her shoulders. The murder accusation against Sun Meiqing, in particular, would bring a storm of public scrutiny.

“I can already imagine the backlash you’ll face if this goes public.”

“So what? I’m not afraid. Like you said, a princess doesn’t worry about what others think; she only cares if her dress is dirty. I have to act according to my conscience. I can’t ignore something I know is wrong.”

Her eyes burned with a fierce light, her voice resonant with conviction. Ning Xuan was completely captivated by her charisma. In that moment, her heart belonged entirely to the woman in front of her.

“You’re amazing.”

As expected of a heroine. At this moment, Ning Xuan truly fell for her. Swept up in the emotion, the words tumbled out uncontrollably: “I love you. Yu Yazhi, I love you. Please, just stay safe.”

Yu Yazhi froze. She hadn’t expected a confession now. The somber atmosphere vanished instantly. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Without a word, she cupped Ning Xuan’s face and pulled her into a passionate, unbridled kiss.

They lost track of time in the parked car.

“Do you still want to leave?” Yu Yazhi murmured between breaths. “Ning Xuan, if you say ‘I love you’ one more time, I really won’t let you go back to the set.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

No! I still want to act!

“Did I say something just now?” Seeing Yazhi leaning in for another kiss, Ning Xuan ducked away, blushing furiously. “I, I think I was possessed for a second. Whatever I just said, forget it immediately.”

“You’re blushing,” Yu Yazhi teased, seeing through her.

“I am not. Just drive the car,” Ning Xuan stammered.

“I’d rather ‘drive’ something else.”

“The timing is wrong!”

“Once I settle all this trouble, let’s go on a honeymoon.” Yu Yazhi was already fantasizing about their life together. “Where do you want to go? After this movie wraps, don’t take on any more projects for a while, okay?”

Ning Xuan didn’t respond, pretending to be absorbed in her phone.

On WeChat:

Xin Lie: [What are you up to? When are you coming back? Having too much fun to come home?]

The chaos within the Yu family was still being kept under wraps. Only those close to the family knew about Yu Jiayan’s accident.

Ning Xuan: [Returning tomorrow.]

Xin Lie: [Good. When you arrive, we’ll hold a welcome-back dinner for you.]

Ning Xuan: [Thanks. How are you feeling? Director He said you’re back on set. Is your body holding up?]

Xin Lie: [I’m fine. Sister Jin Min is looking after me.]

Ning Xuan: “…”

She understood instantly. Xin Lie’s rush to return to the set wasn’t about professional ethics, it was about the Best Actress, Jin Min.

Ning Xuan: [Haha, how’s the progress?]

Xin Lie: [It’s okay. I saw a picture of her adopted son; he’s incredibly cute. It’s the little guy’s birthday in a few days and he really likes you, so I’m booking you in advance.]

Ning Xuan: [No problem. I’ll be there.]

As she typed, her embarrassment slowly began to fade.

Yu Yazhi leaned over to peek at Ning Xuan’s WeChat and caught the content of the messages. “It’s the little guy’s birthday soon,” she noted. “Do you need to prepare a gift in advance?”

“No rush,” Ning Xuan replied as she tucked her phone away. “What’s on your agenda for now?”

“Accompany me to the headquarters for a bit,” Yu Yazhi said.

Ning Xuan agreed. “Alright.”

The two headed to the corporate headquarters. As a mature, massive corporation, the company continued to function normally even though Yu Zhengcheng hadn’t stepped foot in the office for days; however, a mountain of documents had accumulated in the Chairman’s office.

Yu Yazhi spent the entire morning processing them and still wasn’t finished. Ning Xuan stayed by her side, but since she couldn’t make heads or tails of the business files, she busied herself by making coffee and reminding Yazhi to stretch every so often.

At noon, the secretary delivered lunch. Even while eating, Yu Yazhi was busy returning calls. She spoke in a language Ning Xuan didn’t recognize, it certainly wasn’t English.

When Yazhi finally hung up, Ning Xuan couldn’t help but ask, “What language was that?”

“French.”

“Do you know any others?”

“Russian, German, Spanish. I know a bit of each.”

“That’s enough.”

“What?”

“I feel intimidated,” Ning Xuan joked.

Yu Yazhi bit back a laugh, resisting the urge to ask how many languages Ning Xuan knew.

Feeling the competitive spark, Ning Xuan declared, “Well, besides Mandarin, I can speak Cantonese and several regional dialects!”

Yu Yazhi nodded earnestly. “That’s very impressive. When we travel domestically in the future, we won’t even need a tour guide.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

I feel like I’m being looked down upon.

Pouting with mock displeasure, she said, “Don’t underestimate these dialects; they are a vital part of our national culture. My knowledge is a form of patriotism!”

Yu Yazhi continued to nod with a straight face. “Then you must teach me when you have time. I want to be patriotic, too.”

Ning Xuan: “…”

Fine. I’ve been sufficiently charmed.

“No problem. Since you’re such a humble student, I won’t charge you tuition.”

“Thank you.”

They shared a pleasant lunch filled with idle chatter. After the meal, Yu Yazhi went back to her documents, and at three o’clock, she headed out for a meeting. Since it wasn’t appropriate for Ning Xuan to tag along, she waited in the Chairman’s office.

The meeting stretched on for over an hour and showed no signs of ending. Ning Xuan stepped out to use the restroom, where she overheard some employees gossiping:

“Looks like President Yu is really taking over the family business.”

“Why do you think the Chairman suddenly stepped back?”

“Who knows? It’s so strange. You don’t think he’s been put under house arrest, do you?”

“What are you thinking? This is a society ruled by law. There’s no way President Yu would move against her own father just to take power.”

“What about her brother then? I heard Young Master Yu met with an accident. A car crash a few days ago left him in a vegetative state. The Chairman is devastated, so the company well, you know how it is.”

“My god. Are you serious?”

It was all baseless conspiracy theories. Unable to listen any longer, Ning Xuan stepped out of the stall and faced the two women touching up their makeup at the sinks.

“You really have a lot of nerve spinning these fantasies!” she snapped. “Does the company pay you to write novels?”

The two recognized her as Yu Yazhi’s person and were startled. They immediately apologized: “We’re sorry. It was just hearsay. We didn’t mean anything by it.” With that, they scurried away.

Fuming, Ning Xuan headed back to the Chairman’s office, intending to tell Yu Yazhi to crack down on these rumors.

However, in the short time it had taken her to use the restroom, something had gone terribly wrong. Two police officers had arrived at the Chairman’s office.

The older officer was currently addressing Yu Yazhi: “Miss Yu, we have discovered some suspicious points regarding your brother’s car accident. Your stepmother, Ms. Sun Meiqing, has also accused you of hiring someone to commit murder. We need you to come with us to the station.”