After Being Used As A Substitute By A Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 9

“How do we play?” someone asked.

Chen Ya said irritably, “What’s the point if we aren’t playing for money? We can only play something simple. I stopped playing this stuff eight hundred years ago, it’s not stimulating at all.”

His complaining didn’t cause much of a stir.

The waiter outside was very tactful, bringing in all the notebooks and cards. A female Omega handed a notebook to everyone and coughed lightly. “Everyone can take a look. I won’t help anyone cheat. Of course, to make it more interesting, if the majority agrees, we don’t have to follow the questions in the book. Each round will have one ‘King’ card. Whoever draws it can designate anyone present. If the King says they don’t believe the answer, it turns into a Dare, or they can drink to dodge it.”

“I get it. Let’s just start.”

The female Omega shuffled the cards until they were a blur, then dealt them out. There were 52 cards in total, averaging four cards per person. She had none left over and scanned the room.

“The King card this time is the King of Diamonds. Who has it?”

A male Alpha raised his hand, looking a bit nervous. “Then… let the person with the Jack of Clubs stand up.”

“I’ll choose Truth,” a female Beta said openly. “Ask me anything.”

“I’ll ask! Is the rumor about your previous child born out of wedlock true?”

“It’s true,” the female Beta said, completely unbothered.

A burst of cheering erupted from the crowd. After that, the King card changed hands again and again. Some chose Truth, which inevitably led to personal gossip, some chose Dares, ending up dizzy after spinning five times while holding their noses, others had to sing popular songs. Laughter was constant, and the atmosphere relaxed considerably.

A faint smile hung on the corner of Qin Wei’s mouth, but her eyes held an indecipherable emotion. She accidentally met Zhongli Tang’s gaze, who knew how long she had been watching her and instinctively hid the cards in her hand.

“What’s wrong? Afraid I’ll peek?” Zhongli Tang felt a strange sensation, even though she sat right next to Qin Wei and they shared the most intimate of relationships, she felt as though she had no idea what Qin Wei was actually thinking.

“Of course. Who knows what the next round will ask? Sister, you can’t make things difficult for me,” Qin Wei said.

Zhongli Tang stared calmly into her eyes, seeing infinite attachment and reliance. She found it strange, could someone really like her this much, consistently?

If Qin Wei ever saw her true face, would she still be the same?

“Who has the Nine of Clubs?” the person with the King card shouted.

Qin Wei looked down at her cards. It was her. Her face immediately fell, and she drew out her words: “Sister…”

“Figure it out yourself,” Zhongli Tang said, feigning coldness.

Qin Wei bit her lip and hugged Zhongli Tang’s arm, rubbing against it gently. “I don’t want to do Truth or a Dare. They definitely won’t dare to trouble you, sister. Please, sister…”

Zhongli Tang dazed for a few seconds. This tone was exactly like Qin Wei’s in bed, acting spoiled and pleading, begging her over and over to be gentler. It always had the opposite effect usually, her desire to destroy would only grow heavier.

“She has it.”

Qin Wei didn’t care about the rules, she only knew her trick had worked. She swapped cards immediately and distanced herself from the responsibility.

Her small movements didn’t escape the eyes of some, but they were focused on something else.

A trace of helplessness flashed in Zhongli Tang’s eyes. The playing card slid obediently between her fingers in a beautiful flourish. “It’s me. I choose Truth. Ask away.”

The person holding the King card was more than a little nervous, looking around frantically, suddenly unsure of what to ask. He froze on the spot.

Others rarely saw Zhongli Tang at a disadvantage, so they began jeering and offering suggestions.

“I’ll ask.” Chen Ya gave the man a look, one tinged with a hint of a threat.

The man had no choice but to step back.

Chen Ya’s voice was flat, as if he were reading a script. “What does President Zhong like about Qin Wei?”

The question was sharp and abrupt, hardly something he seemed capable of coming up with on his own.

The heated atmosphere in the room cooled by several degrees instantly. In their eyes, the relationship between the two certainly wasn’t “true love,” but it wasn’t something to be punctured so bluntly either.

Qin Wei’s expression remained neutral. She tilted her head slightly, watching Zhongli Tang out of the corner of her eye.

Zhongli Tang noticed her gaze but feared seeing expectation in Qin Wei’s eyes. However, that fear was negligible. She arched an eyebrow, her voice sounding casual. “Pheromones, I suppose. They smell good.”

Everyone was surprised by this answer. They hadn’t expected Zhongli Tang to be with someone based purely on Alpha biological instinct.

“Have you two done a compatibility test?” Chen Ya pressed urgently.

Only then did Zhongli Tang truly look at him. Her face went completely cold, and her tone was anything but gentle. “That’s a second question.”

Compatibility is a test done when Alphas and Omegas (AOs) get married usually, if it’s below 40%, they are advised to break up. Since she and Qin Wei weren’t going to get married, Zhongli Tang had no intention of doing the test. Knowing it herself was enough; why should an outsider ask? He should weigh his own importance first.

Chen Ya was intimidated but felt he couldn’t back down. Then he thought: if Sister Xu Sui were here, how could Zhongli Tang stand up for an Omega who meant nothing? He hated Qin Wei even more.

Qin Wei felt his vicious gaze. The corners of her eyes curved slightly. Her features were usually cold, but this smile made it impossible to look away. She raised her arm and rested it casually on Zhongli Tang’s shoulder, her fair skin peeking through. In front of everyone, she didn’t seem shy at all, she just looked like someone swept up in the moment after hearing a confession from a lover.

“Sister helped me, so to be fair, I’ll say a Truth as well. Actually, I like your pheromones just as much.”

Her breath was warm, and a faint scent of agarwood (Oud) seemed to drift by.

Zhongli Tang stiffened for a moment. The skin behind her ear was sensitive, she actually felt as if it were a kiss. She forced herself to stay calm. “Sit properly.”

Qin Wei shrugged, withdrew without lingering, and sat back in her original spot. She intentionally arched her brows, putting on the air of someone basking in favor.

Chen Ya was practically grinding his teeth in rage. She’s intentionally provoking me, isn’t she?! Just wait until Xu Sui comes back. Let’s see if Zhongli Tang stays with you then. You won’t even have a place to cry!

He suddenly remembered something and became smug again. “President Zhong must be lying. Just drink. Besides, what kind of pheromones could possibly entrance you?”

A female Omega nearby blinked. When she was an actress, she had designs on Zhongli Tang. Not only was the other woman a resource rich Movie Queen, but she also had the massive Gamma support behind her. Even though Gamma had suffered a major incident, the actress wasn’t as high and mighty as Xu Sui, that was enough. But Zhongli Tang hadn’t spared her a glance, so she had given up and behaved herself.

Yet, Zhongli Tang actually liked someone, even if it was just for pheromones, it was surprising enough.

Zhongli Tang narrowed her eyes, looking sharp and aggressive. Chen Ya’s legs trembled, but he stiffened his neck and refused to back down. After all, with his friendship with Xu Sui, he wouldn’t get into real trouble.

Ultimately, Zhongli Tang reached for the glass, but Qin Wei caught her hand. Her tone was casual: “My pheromones are Agarwood.”

As soon as the words fell, the lively scene turned somber and quiet. The looks directed at Qin Wei became meaningful. Another substitute. So what if they’d been together for three years? They’d still break up before long.

The female Omega, not understanding the tension, laughed and teased, “It must smell wonderful. My Rose pheromones are quite ordinary, they’re everywhere these days.”

Qin Wei shook her head. “Not at all. I think you look very much like a rose.” She paused. “Besides, experiments on changing pheromone scents have made some progress. It should be fully operational in a while.”

Due to confidentiality, she couldn’t reveal too many details about the experiments. Saying this much was enough.

The two looked at each other. The female Omega had never heard such words before and was momentarily stunned.

Zhongli Tang’s face was like still water. She lightly poked Qin Wei’s waist, her voice deep. “What are you looking at?”

Qin Wei immediately withdrew her gaze and gave her an even more brilliant smile, her eyes watery and filled with “love.”

Seeing this, Su He thought of something and sent a message to Zhongli Tang.

Su He: Does Qin Wei know she’s a substitute?

Zhongli Tang replied: No.

Su He: Then you better be careful. Qin Wei looks like she loves you to death. If this goes on longer, and the little lover refuses to break up, things will look ugly. Your old man won’t let an Omega off easily.

Zhongli Tang replied: Just don’t talk nonsense and it’ll be fine.

Su He: I won’t, of course. But when will an Omega be that devoted to me? Aren’t you worried that the truth will come out one day?

In fact, Zhongli Tang felt no psychological burden. She had given her a stable home, the best teachers, and a comfortable life. Qin Wei was only “obedient” in her looks and grades, even when she hid it well, Zhongli Tang had discovered the stubborn rebellion buried in her bones. No matter what trouble she caused, she could always find a way to settle it.

She didn’t care if the truth came out.

Qin Wei had no choice anyway. She only needed to keep clinging to her forever.

“Alright, alright, you’re making me blush,” the female Omega adjusted herself and continued with the cards. “Next, the Joker is the King.”

This time, Qin Wei didn’t decline. She spread her cards on the table, it was indeed the Joker. Her calm gaze fell on Chen Ya, like a drop of water passing quickly.

Chen Ya had a bad feeling. He quickly swapped all the cards with the Alpha next to him.

Qin Wei spoke deliberately slowly: “…Then, the Nine of Spades.”

Chen Ya was confident, but the card turned out to be in his hand after all. He was instantly incredulous.

How did she do that?! He had clearly swapped the cards. There was only one possibility: she had calculated his cards and everyone else’s!

Qin Wei had expected this result, she showed no surprise. “Speak. Truth or Dare?”

“Dare then,” Chen Ya said through gritted teeth, but then thinking something was wrong, he immediately changed his mind. “Truth.”

They wouldn’t dare do anything to him anyway.

Everyone began chiming in with suggestions, but none of the questions were what Qin Wei wanted to ask.

“Truth is fine,” Qin Wei pondered for a moment, her expression showing a timely trace of curiosity. “I want to ask: Why are you targeting President Zhong?”

“Who’s targeting her?!” Hearing this, Chen Ya was suddenly unable to defend himself. To admit to targeting Zhongli Tang would be a death sentence. Had he known, he would have picked a Dare, he’d rather lose face than offend Zhongli Tang.

“I think you’re lying anyway, so the punishment is three glasses of wine,” Qin Wei said tonelessly. “Please.”

Su He looked at Qin Wei, her eyes unconsciously carrying a glimmer of admiration. “Your taste in girlfriends is pretty good. She even knows how to get revenge for you.”

She wasn’t speaking quietly, so others started nodding in agreement.

But Chen Ya knew better than anyone. This wasn’t her getting revenge for Zhongli Tang, she was entirely getting revenge for herself.

His expression was indignant. He usually drank quite a bit, but this time he was being forced, and the taste was exceptionally bitter. He downed the three glasses like water and muttered, “There, satisfied?”

Zhongli Tang didn’t say a word. After a moment, she threw the cards in her hand onto the table and grabbed Qin Wei’s slender wrist. “Everyone, we have some business. Please excuse us.”

Everyone nodded in understanding.

Qin Wei was very obedient, following closely behind Zhongli Tang back to the car.

Leaving the chaotic environment, the surroundings became incredibly quiet. The air no longer held a mix of pheromones, leaving only the lingering scent of their previous intimacy.

Zhongli Tang kissed her fiercely.

Qin Wei’s amber pupils were clear enough to see to the bottom. She didn’t understand, so she could only comply.

Zhongli Tang let her go after a while, pinching Qin Wei’s earlobe. It felt like a flower petal, frighteningly soft. “Did you have fun?