After Transmigrating into a Scummy Alpha, I Became a Tool Person - Chapter 24

Lin Chen looked surprised as he walked over from the opposite side. “What a coincidence, running into you here.”

He had spotted Xia Qiqi from a distance just moments earlier—and noticed the woman standing beside her. The woman was tall, with chestnut curls cascading over her shoulders and bright peach-blossom eyes that seemed to smile as they looked at Xia Qiqi without blinking.

“Mr. Lin,” Xia Qiqi greeted calmly.

“And this is?” Lin Chen turned to the woman beside her.

“My wife,” Xia Qiqi introduced evenly.

Lin Chen smiled and extended a polite greeting. “Hello, I’m Lin Chen.”

“Xie Yinian,” she replied succinctly.

“Miss Xie, Miss Xia, are you two heading home? Do you need a ride?” Lin Chen offered with a good-natured smile.

“We drove here ourselves, thank you,” Xie Yinian declined politely but firmly.

Lin Chen sighed with a hint of regret. “Alright then.”

He turned to Xia Qiqi with a faint smile. “Goodbye.”

Xia Qiqi gave a light nod.

Lin Chen lingered for a brief moment, eyes filled with reluctant admiration, before finally walking away.

Xie Yinian watched the tall, handsome man’s retreating figure. For some reason, she could’ve sworn she saw affection in his gaze when he looked at Xia Qiqi.

A faint discomfort bloomed in her chest—like something she liked was suddenly being coveted by someone else. It was irrational, but she didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“Who was that?” Xie Yinian asked, trying to sound casual, though even she didn’t realize there was a trace of jealousy in her voice.

“Just someone I’ve met a few times,” Xia Qiqi replied lightly.

Hearing that, some of the sourness in Xie Yinian’s chest dissipated. “Oh.”

Xia Qiqi glanced at her curiously. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.” Xie Yinian slid into the driver’s seat and started the car.

Xia Qiqi got in beside her. As they drove away from the mall, Xie Yinian remained unusually quiet.

Xia Qiqi noticed the difference. Normally, Xie Yinian was quite talkative, but now she seemed lost in thought. “You’re in a bad mood?” she asked softly.

Xie Yinian nodded. She really wasn’t in a great mood. Just remembering the way Lin Chen had looked at Xia Qiqi stirred that unpleasant feeling again.

“You called him Mr. Lin. Is he some kind of rich second generation?” she asked, her tone faintly sour.

Xia Qiqi blinked. She wasn’t sure what his wealth had to do with Xie Yinian’s mood, but she still answered honestly. “Mm. His family’s pretty well-off.”

Xie Yinian pursed her lips. “And how did you two meet?”

“The first time was at work. The second time, at a dinner party,” Xia Qiqi said truthfully.

“You remember quite clearly,” Xie Yinian said, her tone dripping with envy.

Xia Qiqi pressed her lips together. She could tell Xie Yinian wasn’t exactly happy, but she didn’t know why.

“They weren’t pleasant memories,” she said softly. “Better forgotten.”

Hearing that, Xie Yinian relaxed. Seeing Xia Qiqi’s indifference toward the man made that knot of jealousy in her heart quietly unravel.

“By the way,” Xie Yinian said after a moment, “I’m going to visit my parents in a few days. I accidentally let it slip about us. My mom insisted I bring you along.”

Her tone carried a touch of helplessness. She hadn’t planned to tell her mother, but after Mrs. Xie saw the neighbor’s daughter showing off her spouse and kids, she’d been nagging nonstop.

Out of frustration, Xie Yinian had blurted out that she and Xia Qiqi were married.

Mrs. Xie had been shocked, then thrilled—immediately demanding to meet her daughter’s wife.

Xia Qiqi didn’t think it was a big deal. “That’s fine. I’ll go with you,” she said easily.

Xie Yinian blinked. “Really? You won’t find it troublesome?”

“No,” Xia Qiqi said with a small smile. “It’s no trouble.” After all, theirs was a mutually beneficial arrangement—helping out a little was the least she could do.

“When do we leave?”

“On the seventeenth, around ten in the morning.”

“Alright.”

The next morning.

Xie Yinian woke up early, yawning as she went downstairs to grab breakfast—only to hear sounds coming from the kitchen.

When she peeked inside, she was startled to find Xia Qiqi busy making breakfast. The woman wore gloves, carefully taking golden-brown toast sandwiches out of the oven and plating them neatly with a few cherry tomatoes for garnish.

She wasn’t much of a cook, but she had learned a little about baking—it wasn’t too difficult.

Since Aunt Jiang had been away these days and they’d stopped ordering greasy takeout, Xie Yinian had been the one cooking most of the time. Xia Qiqi felt bad always letting her handle it alone, so she’d watched a few tutorials online and decided to make breakfast herself.

The air was filled with a warm, buttery aroma.

“Smells amazing,” Xie Yinian said, inhaling deeply.

She walked up beside Xia Qiqi. “You made this?”

Xia Qiqi nodded.

“Let me try.” Xie Yinian reached out, picked up a slice, and took a bite.

Xia Qiqi watched her nervously, worried it might not taste good.

“It’s delicious!” Xie Yinian said sincerely. “Really, try it.”

Xia Qiqi took a small bite herself. The bread was soft and sweet—surprisingly good.

Xie Yinian smiled happily as she munched on her toast. Honestly, waking up to find a beautiful woman making breakfast for you—what could be better?

As she ate, she took a sip of milk.

When Xia Qiqi turned back, she noticed a small smear of cream on Xie Yinian’s cheek.

Xie Yinian blinked when she caught her staring. “What’s wrong?” she asked, licking her teeth absently.

“You’ve got cream on your face. Don’t move,” Xia Qiqi said seriously, eyes fixed on her.

Xie Yinian froze obediently.

Xia Qiqi reached out with her fingertip and gently wiped the spot of cream away.

Xie Yinian looked up at her, those peach-blossom eyes half-smiling, filled with a warmth that could drown anyone who met them.

Thump, thump.

Xia Qiqi’s heartbeat quickened uncontrollably, a strange, tender feeling curling quietly around her heart.