After My Fiancée Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha - Chapter 18

According to the rules, a tie favors Blackjack.

The victory, once seemingly certain for Zhang He, returned to Tang Cheng’s hands.

Zhang He’s face darkened. She suddenly lunged forward, twisting her hand around Tang Cheng’s neck. “You cheated!”

Tang Cheng brushed her hand away, stepping back to keep a safe distance. “A bet is a bet. What’s wrong—can’t accept losing?”

With so many eyes on them, she doubted she would dare do anything reckless.

“Another round!”

He Si intervened quickly. “Zhang He, control yourself. If word spreads that I’m cheating, it’ll ruin business.”

At the mention of He Si, Zhang He’s fury shifted, her eyes bloodshot. But He Si only shook his head, helpless.

Tang Cheng ignored Zhang He’s glare and turned away.

The crowd parted instinctively, their eyes drawn to the cards on the table.

It was clear now—He Si had been cheating, and Zhang He had known. He Si’s rise owed much to Zhang He’s backing. Perhaps the scheme to trap her had been theirs all along.

Leaving the noisy chaos of Star City, Tang Cheng finally breathed fresh air. She followed her phone’s navigation toward the small tavern in the alley where she had arranged to meet the blond youth.

The alley was dim, lit only by scattered lamps from nearby homes. The summer cicadas had gone silent, leaving an eerie stillness.

She lowered the volume on her phone. The air reeked of alcohol. Behind her, footsteps approached.

A shadow stretched long. A thick arm swung toward her.

Tang Cheng bent low, dodging the punch, retreating to widen the gap. Five youths emerged, their faces obscured. Were they Zhang He’s men or the unseen watcher whose gaze she had felt earlier?

The leader flashed a spring knife. The cramped alley left her no chance to retreat to the main road.

She knew she couldn’t outfight professionals who lived by violence. The blade gleamed white under the moonlight, chilling. Tang Cheng narrowed her eyes, forcing herself to focus.

Step by step, they pressed closer. She backed away, calculating how to avoid a fatal wound. Would they let her go if she took two stabs?

“Hey! Playing tough in the middle of the night?”

A whistle cut through the air. A brick flew under the moonlight, smashing against the head of the nearest thug. The sound drew every gaze upward. On the tiled roof, a faint light caught blond hair—provocative, defiant.

“Looking for death!”

The gang split—two lunged at Tang Cheng, two scrambled up the roof after the blond.

Tang Cheng bolted, legs pumping.

The narrow alley couldn’t hold two runners side by side. The thugs collided, slowing themselves. Tang Cheng’s long legs and slim frame carried her faster, guided by the faint map in her mind.

At last, she burst onto the main road, bent over, gasping among the rushing crowd.

That blond—he was insane.

Who were these people, coming at her with such murderous intent?

Still panting, she turned. From the alley, another figure emerged. Their eyes met, awkwardly.

“What are you doing here?”

“You haven’t paid the balance. You think I’d let you run?”

On the main road, the danger was gone. Tang Cheng, still shaken, slipped deeper into the crowd.

Her life—she treasured it fiercely.

The blond pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it. The ember glowed red in the night.

“Drink?”

He led her toward a bustling street lined with taverns.

They walked quickly, reaching one in minutes.

Tang Cheng declined his offer to order, asking only for a glass of milk.

The blond smirked. “No smoking, no drinking. What a model Alpha.”

Tang Cheng retorted, “If that’s what makes a good Alpha, then the world is full of them.”

She accepted the milk from the waiter, sipping lightly. Not bad.

The blond leaned on his hand, idly flicking his lighter.

Tang Cheng asked, “I still don’t know your name.”

“Bo Long.”

“Bo Long? That’s a rare surname.”

He nodded as his drink arrived. “How did you avoid being tricked this time?”

“I’m a mechanic. I’m sensitive to these things.”

It was simple. She had hidden a Blackjack card through sleight of hand, passing it to the dealer without notice. Two cards had crushed chips, making the deck uneven. When the dealer shuffled, the cards caught, giving her a chance to draw a known card. With the smallest card and a Blackjack in hand, she had an extra draw. She gambled Zhang He would bust and she did.

With two fixed points, she had confidence to turn the tide.

Bo Long hadn’t expected her to have such skill.

“Impressive.”

“How many people have they cheated like this?” Tang Cheng pressed, hoping for more.

Bo Long snorted. “Plenty.”

“And you collect the money?”

“It’s all on the casino’s books. They can order me around like anyone else.”

Just as she suspected—chip manipulation paired with rigged tables. A perfect scheme.

To rise so high, conspiracies were inevitable.

“So, I’m not just anyone?”

“You’re Lu Xinxue’s fiancée. And more importantly—you keep your word.”

He referred to the deal she had struck with him at the police station.

Tang Cheng suddenly remembered. She opened her phone, transferring the same amount as last time. “Thank you for helping me. You kept your promise.”

“I like doing business with people who keep theirs.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I just want to survive.” Bo Long pocketed the money on his phone, lowering his voice. “The General Manager has been watching you.”

“The General Manager?”

The blond nodded, draining half his glass in one gulp.

Bo Long continued, “You’re Lu Xinxue’s fiancée. Why risk your life like this?”

Tang Cheng replied evenly, “Because she’s strong, I must depend on her?”

Bo Long smirked. “Fair point. You’re an Alpha.”

Tang Cheng’s gaze sharpened. “It has nothing to do with secondary gender. More than looking up at her, I want us to meet eye to eye—as equals.” Her seriousness forced Bo Long to sober his grin.

“Interesting. You think you can catch up to Lu Xinxue?”

“Why not? I can.”

Bo Long chuckled. “I’ll never understand the hobbies of the rich. Next time you’ve got a job like this, call me.”

Tang Cheng nodded, dismissing him.

The stench of cheap cigarettes clung to him as he left, carrying away the heavy air. Tang Cheng felt lighter.

In her first twenty years, she had never imagined making deals with men like him.

Her bleak life had offered no one willing to stand by her in critical moments. She had entrusted everything to Lu Xinxue. Losing her meant losing the world itself.

For the first time, Tang Cheng felt she had lived a failed life.

When she returned home, the upstairs bedroom light was already on. Lu Xinxue was there.

Inside, Tang Cheng began reviewing Star City’s corporate holdings. The public records offered little.

General Manager: Yuan Tai.

He also owned a small machinery company connected to the Gu family.

It seemed she would need to confront him directly to uncover the truth.

As she pondered, footsteps descended. She looked up. Lu Xinxue stood at the stairway, clad in a pure white nightdress. Her calves were bare, her arms pale and delicate like lotus stems in summer water. Her hair fell loose, her eyes locked on Tang Cheng.

Tang Cheng drew a deep breath, rising. “Axin, what’s wrong?”

“Where were you this afternoon?”

“Star City.”

“You never change.”

“I cleared my debt with Zhang He, then went to investigate.”

“Investigate what?”

“To see who’s trying to destroy me.”

Silence. Lu Xinxue, taller by a head on the stairs, pressed down on Tang Cheng with her presence.

Her voice rose. “Didn’t I tell you to stay home?” Her eyes burned with anger. Tang Cheng had never seen her like this—losing control.

Tang Cheng swallowed her own retort. The first emotion that rose was pain.

What had she done to push the ever-composed Lu Xinxue to this point?

She opened her arms, stepping up. Lu Xinxue didn’t resist. Tang Cheng climbed another step, gently wrapping her arms around her shoulders—careful not to cross the line into intimacy, but offering comfort.

She didn’t understand why Lu Xinxue kept her at a distance, why she restricted her freedom. But all Tang Cheng felt now was guilt, sorrow, and the urge to soothe her.

Before the emotion could settle, Lu Xinxue bent suddenly, biting into the gland at her nape.

Tang Cheng clenched her teeth, refusing to cry out.

Moments later, she pulled back. A silver thread of saliva stretched, broke.

Tang Cheng whispered, “Axin, I won’t let this interfere with the interview.”

Almost instantly, Lu Xinxue pushed her away. Tang Cheng stumbled down two steps, the warmth fading from her arms into the air.

Lu Xinxue’s eyes held disbelief. “You only need to become Lu Corporation’s mechanic.” She repeated it firmly.

“And after that? What about us?”

“Tang Cheng, we’re twenty-six. Do you really think this is the age to talk about love?” Her eyes were cold, filled with despair—like a drowning soul with no escape.

Tang Cheng’s breath caught. She feared saying anything that might provoke harsher words.

But she was still twenty at heart. The six stolen years had been a dream. Waking erased them all. Someone had stolen those years from her and Lu Xinxue, forcing Xinxue forward alone, through endless trials, until she no longer clung to their bond while Tang Cheng remained trapped in the past.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Tang Cheng’s lips trembled. Days of struggle collapsed into helplessness. Her tall frame bent, fingers loosening, as if life itself were counting down.

“You know, even if you don’t tell me, I’ll uncover the truth.”

Lu Xinxue’s voice cut sharp. “What can you do? Stop being childish. I just need you to stay put and stop causing trouble!”

Her raised voice carried a warning that crushed Tang Cheng’s will to resist further.