After My Fiancée Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha - Chapter 31

Xie Chensong said, “Tang Cheng, let’s compete again!”

Tang Cheng didn’t want to waste time with her. “I still have things to pack.”

“You’ve already mastered all the equipment. This time it’ll be fair if we compete again!” Xie Chensong pressed on relentlessly, refusing to let Tang Cheng go.

The one still hung up on the outcome of that match wasn’t Tang Cheng at all—it was the junior standing before her.

“Why do you insist on competing with me? If you don’t want to see me, I’ll respect that. You still have sketches to finish, and I’m busy too.”

Tang Cheng declined once more and turned to leave, but Xie Chensong grabbed her arm.

At that moment, the office door opened. Two people entered, locking eyes with the pair in conflict. Yu Xia’an, who had been playing a mobile game at her desk, quickly flipped her phone face down, unsure whether to step in or pretend she hadn’t seen anything.

The newcomers were Lu Xinxue and Lin Xin.

Tang Cheng kept her composure. Acting flustered would only make her look guilty. She glanced down at the hand gripping her arm. Xie Chensong seemed to realize it was inappropriate and quickly let go, sneaking a look at Lu Xinxue.

Lu Xinxue remained calm, just like Tang Cheng. The one who reacted most strongly was Lin Xin, whose nose practically twisted with anger.

“Lin Xin,” Lu Xinxue called, stopping at the doorway.

The atmosphere in the office dropped sharply.

Tang Cheng lowered her head, not moving toward Lu Xinxue.

Lin Xin looked at her with complicated emotions. You came here to ask questions yourself, why say nothing now?

“There was an incident at the recent recruitment fair. One of the mechanics scheduled for the third round never arrived. Surveillance shows he entered the internal lab area. I’m here to ask if any of you saw suspicious individuals.”

Yu Xia’an thought back. No wonder Lin Xin hadn’t even had time to banter earlier.

“He didn’t have clearance to enter. We suspect there’s a mole inside the company,” Lin Xin said, her eyes calm—so different from her usual carefree demeanor.

Yuan Jie replied, “I stayed in the lab all day. Didn’t see anyone suspicious.”

Yu Fan added, “I was working with Group Seven on a project. Didn’t see anyone either.”

Lin Xin turned to Xie Chensong, who shook her head. “I didn’t see anyone.”

Lin Xin nodded, shifting her gaze to Lu Xinxue, who stood silently at the door. Unsure whether to leave or wait, she hesitated.

The office fell into a heavy silence. If Lu Xinxue didn’t move, no one else would speak.

Finally, Lu Xinxue gave Lin Xin a nod and left, breaking the oppressive atmosphere.

Seeing her go, Yu Xia’an nudged Tang Cheng with her elbow, signaling with her eyes. “Go after her.”

Tang Cheng decided not to disturb her colleagues further. She quickly followed Lu Xinxue.

There was no doubt—Lu Xinxue had come for her. Tang Cheng knew her own state was affecting Lu Xinxue. Though words stuck in her throat, her hand moved on its own, grabbing Lu Xinxue’s arm.

“If you have nothing to say, let go. End it here.”

Lu Xinxue’s voice was cool, restrained. The hand Tang Cheng held tried to pull free.

Tang Cheng clutched tighter, hesitated, opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Lu Xinxue lost patience. She yanked her hand back sharply. “Tang Cheng, I’m busy.”

“Give me time to think. Once I sort it out, I’ll tell you everything.”

Tang Cheng faltered, but that was all she could say.

As a child, Lu Xinxue discarded anything she couldn’t use. Her room held few old things—her first rusty wrench, a childish baby bowl, her first unworn dress. Anything without value was thrown away. That decisiveness was what allowed her, at twenty-six, to elevate the Lu Corporation to new heights.

But in matters of the heart, that same decisiveness became the reason for Tang Cheng’s hesitation. She couldn’t admit failure. Lu Xinxue had brought her into the company because of her skill at repairing machinery. If Lu Xinxue discovered she couldn’t even fix a single chip, would she discard Tang Cheng like that rusty wrench?

Tang Cheng didn’t dare gamble. She retreated again and again, too timid to face the truth.

She let Lu Xinxue go—or rather, they let each other go, cooling off in silence.

Tang Cheng didn’t know if Lu Xinxue understood her struggles over the past six years, or if she still cherished the past. It didn’t matter. Staying by Lu Xinxue’s side gave her time to find answers, even if she was being used, drained of value.

But if she lost that value, then what? Yu Xia’an was right: her world revolved only around Lu Xinxue. It was pathetic, and she had known it since youth.

Who would care about a piece of driftwood? Lu Xinxue had been her everything—her food, her spirit, her mechanical skills. Without Lu Xinxue, there would be no Tang Cheng today. How could she shamelessly claim she wanted to live the rest of her life for herself?

Silence comes from either inferiority or pride. Tang Cheng’s was the former; Lu Xinxue’s, the latter.

Their mutual erosion would one day become irreversible.

Back in the office, Lin Xin had already left. Everyone returned to work, the earlier episode quickly brushed aside.

At noon, Xie Chensong remained in the office. The air carried the scent of Omega pheromones. Tang Cheng deliberately caught up with Yu Xia’an to avoid being alone with her.

The four of them headed to the cafeteria.

Yu Xia’an asked, “Why did you come out today?”

Yu Fan nudged her, mouthing: “Xie Chensong.”

Yu Xia’an understood. Xie Chensong had been in heat the past two days, her pheromones leaking easily. Since Tang Cheng already had a partner, being alone with her was inappropriate.

The conversation drifted until Yu Fan suddenly asked, “Sister Tang, why have I never smelled your pheromones?”

Except for Yuan Jie, who was a Beta, the others were Alphas. No offense was intended.

Tang Cheng touched the back of her neck. She hadn’t paid attention to it lately. Even when with Lu Xinxue, she could only smell Lu’s thyme scent. Her own pheromones hadn’t surfaced in a long time.

“I’ve been suppressing them,” she explained. It was likely a side effect of reverse marking. Even during intimacy with Lu Xinxue, her sweet basil scent hadn’t been released.

When the topic turned to Xie Chensong, Yu Xia’an casually mentioned things about her, not clear who she was speaking to.

Omegas, limited by natural strength, often chose creative roles in the mechanics division. Xie Chensong was no exception.

Back when she entered A University’s mechanical engineering program, she was a rising star. Setting aside her Omega identity, her creative ability alone was unmatched. In the past four cohorts, aside from one mechanical prodigy from a prestigious family, only a few seniors nearing graduation could rival her.

There had once been Tang Cheng too—but she fell into disgrace, becoming the laughingstock of A University.

Tang Cheng listened quietly, offering no comment.

Two years ago, when Yu Xia’an formed Group Five, she recruited Yu Fan for electronic programming, lured Yuan Jie from another company for logistics and maintenance, but still lacked a creative mechanic to anchor the team. Visiting her professor at A University, she was recommended the sophomore Xie Chensong.

Back then, Xie Chensong was a black-haired youth with proper glasses, her inexperience practically spilling out of the frame.

Yu Xia’an tucked away the photo on her phone and continued, “At first, President Lu wasn’t convinced. But after seeing her design work, she was astonished.”

Tang Cheng ate a bite of greens. That part was surely exaggerated—Lu Xinxue would never be “astonished.”

Afterward, Xie Chensong was admitted to the Lu Corporation on special terms. In two years, she balanced both academics and career, becoming one of A University’s most outstanding mechanical engineering graduates.

Tang Cheng lowered her head. If the past six years hadn’t been stolen from her, would she have shone as brightly as Xie Chensong?

No one could give her an answer.

Meanwhile, Yuan Jie started a new topic, mentioning the conflict between Group Two and Group One. Just a few days ago, both had summoned the mechanical department manager.

Tang Cheng listened quietly. Within the Lu Corporation’s mechanical division, there was only one manager, yet two people held real authority—the extra one being Yu Xia’an.

Yu Xia’an’s Fifth Group operated independently, directly under Lu Xinxue’s supervision.

In a sense, Lu Xinxue was Tang Cheng’s superior.

After lunch, the group returned to the office. On the way, Yu Xia’an lowered her voice and asked Tang Cheng:

“Why did you choose this path in the first place?”

“Because of Lu Xinxue.”

“Ah?” Yu Xia’an seemed surprised. “That’s the reason?”

“Then why did you choose this path?” Tang Cheng countered.

“Because it pays well.”

Tang Cheng fell silent. Her own reason wasn’t much better.

“Alright then. I’ll wait for you.”

Wait for what? Tang Cheng didn’t understand. She wanted to ask more, but they had already reached the office. Yu Xia’an stepped in first, preparing for her nap.

Tang Cheng entered last, noticing Xie Chensong still busy in the lab while the others rested.

She didn’t know what to do. Xie Chensong truly had reason to be proud. Yu Xia’an was twenty-nine, then came Yuan Jie, then Tang Cheng, Yu Fan was a few months younger, and the youngest was Xie Chensong, freshly graduated this year.

She worked tirelessly. In less than a week, Tang Cheng had noticed that Xie Chensong never slacked during work hours.

“Want to compete?”

Noticing Tang Cheng had no intention of resting, Xie Chensong gently asked from the lab doorway.

Tang Cheng stepped inside. Yu Xia’an’s earlier words had already sketched a rough outline of Xie Chensong in her mind, another rising star in mechanics. With that skeleton in place, she couldn’t help but want to flesh it out.

Xie Chensong’s computer was still running models, her hands busy testing tools. Tang Cheng leaned closer and noticed she was using outdated, fragile materials.

“Why use this?”

“This is the external chassis. I’m simulating whether the system can still run after shell damage,” Xie Chensong explained, glancing at Tang Cheng and sensing her unease. Tang Cheng realized Yu Xia’an, who spoke freely about Xie Chensong, probably spoke about her too when she wasn’t around.

“I didn’t lose to you because of that,” Tang Cheng said.

Xie Chensong hadn’t expected her to explain. After a pause: “Because I’m an Omega?”

Tang Cheng turned her head, denying it. “Because of that chip.”

Xie Chensong froze, surprised by the answer. Her gaze grew complicated. “I thought it was because you couldn’t accept defeat.”

Perhaps it was a polite way of putting it. Tang Cheng only smiled faintly, saying nothing.

Xie Chensong spoke again: “It was Zhou Yidong who stole your work.”

Tang Cheng nodded.

“Why didn’t you explain?”

“Better to produce the real thing than to claim failure.”

Tang Cheng sat down, idly fiddling with instruments on the table.

Xie Chensong thought aloud. “So, you’ve been researching these past six years?”

The mechanical piece slipped from Tang Cheng’s hand. She hesitated, unsure how to answer. The Omega before her had such clear eyes. She opened her mouth, then lied: “Yes.”

It was easier that way. She couldn’t explain why she had been replaced, or why she had returned.

To avoid further questioning, she changed the subject. “What about you? Why did you study mechanics?”

Yu Xia’an had asked her twice before, but Tang Cheng’s answers never satisfied her. Each time, the topic was cut short. What answer was she really seeking?

Xie Chensong replied simply: “Because I like it.”

Such a straightforward answer that Tang Cheng almost missed it.

Like it? If not for Lu Xinxue, would she herself have liked mechanics?

Perhaps she did. She enjoyed the sound of machines clicking together in her hands, the process of lifeless objects coming alive through code, the attention drawn when machines began to run.

“My mother was a mechanic too. That’s why I love it.”

Xie Chensong thought Tang Cheng hadn’t understood, so she explained more seriously.

Tang Cheng suddenly laughed. This colleague, so meticulous at first meeting, turned out to be a bit of an airhead.

Her hesitation melted away. She suddenly felt a spark of interest. “Another round?”

Xie Chensong’s clear eyes flashed with seriousness. She agreed instantly.

And so, back in the lab, they set the timer again.

The office nap alarm rang. Yu Xia’an reached out with her calloused hand to silence it. Yet the timer ticked on, the grinding of gears filled the air. She opened her bloodshot eyes and glanced sideways at the two figures working in the lab.

She smirked knowingly, pulled the thin blanket over her head, but the sounds of time skipping, parts grinding, and keys clacking wouldn’t stop. With a sigh, she threw off the blanket and sat up, muttering to herself about drafting a new office rule: no lab work during lunch breaks.

The result was a tie. Tang Cheng’s newly assembled mechanical puppy was clumsy but endearing, a counterpart to Group Two’s experiment. After Tang Cheng programmed it, the puppy spun in circles, drawing attention. Compared to Xie Chensong’s, it was far more playful.

Yu Xia’an declared Tang Cheng’s dog the winner and promptly took it away.

Tang Cheng’s arms hung loosely at her sides. After such intense focus, her fingertips throbbed and tingled.

Xie Chensong had already left the lab. The air still smelled of oil and plastic—sharp and unpleasant.

As the workday neared its end, Lu Xinxue had another social engagement that evening.

Perhaps she was avoiding Tang Cheng. These days, Tang Cheng could only take things one step at a time. Outside, clouds drifted heavily, and she couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding.