After Transmigrating Into the Scummy Alpha’s Rebirth Story - Chapter 18

No wonder Yuan Xiao’s behavior kept Chaoxi so conflicted.

This girl was so thoughtful it left people at a loss—practically no different from the personal assistant Chaoxi hired back in the real world. She could do everything.

Yuan Xiao efficiently emptied Chaoxi’s suitcase; clothes, shoes, toiletries—everything was neatly arranged throughout the business suite in no time. Once she finished all that, she went to unpack her own things.

Chaoxi watched her scurry around the room like a happy little butterfly, flitting back and forth. She was so obviously delighted that Chaoxi’s gaze unconsciously followed her the whole time. And that was when it hit Chaoxi—she’d forgotten something.

She still hadn’t replied to Qingqing’s message.

When Yuan Xiao started unpacking her own luggage, Chaoxi finally took the chance to pull out her phone and text Qingqing back.

Chaoxi: What’s the big news? Was it so important that you couldn’t wait and had to run all the way over to me?

One minute passed.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes passed.

The screen remained silent. No reply from Qingqing.

Did she actually get on a flight here?

Chaoxi couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly, then opened WeChat and sent her location to Zhao Hua.

Zhao Hua: Baby, enjoy your trip!

A mom who replies instantly, she was clearly sitting there waiting with her phone in hand.

Chaoxi: Thank you, Mom! (▽)

Zhao Hua: spinning-in-place.jpg

Zhao Hua: Is Yuan Xiao next to you? You have to remember what Mom told you, okay? watching-you.jpg

Chaoxi: She’s here, don’t worry! I’ll definitely do it! (^▽^)

Zhao Hua: love-you.jpg

Zhao Hua: finger-heart.jpg

If the plot summary didn’t say the Chairwoman of the Zhao Corporation was an over-the-top daughter-loving maniac, Chaoxi would’ve suspected this wasn’t her mother at all.

The vibes were too cute. A woman in her fifties spamming stickers like a teenager.

Chaoxi laughed as she held her phone, completely unaware that someone had come up beside her—until an arm suddenly slid around her waist.

She jumped, shoulders jolting as she whipped her head around, only to find Yuan Xiao’s face right in front of hers.

“Wifey, what’s got you smiling like that?”

Chaoxi didn’t plan on hiding anything. She simply turned her phone toward Yuan Xiao and said, “It’s my mom.”

Yuan Xiao’s pouty lips stretched into a grin. She skimmed through the messages, then laughed softly. “She’s adorable.”

Chaoxi nodded. “I think so too.”

The two of them had been on a five-hour flight. Yuan Xiao still looked bright and energized, but Chaoxi was exhausted. She had been leaning lazily against the balcony railing, and Yuan Xiao tugged her into her arms by the waist.

“Wifey, hold on a little longer. Lean on me. Once the hotel brings the food, you can eat and then sleep.”

Chaoxi rarely relied on anyone, but Alpha shoulders were broad and steady—quite comfortable. The sea breeze drifted by, and Chaoxi felt herself slipping into a doze.

And then Yuan Xiao lifted her up.

The sudden feeling of being weightless snapped Chaoxi wide awake. Instinctively, she looped her arms around Yuan Xiao’s neck, eyes wide. “What now?”

Yuan Xiao pouted. “Wifey is scolding me.”

Chaoxi looked utterly mortified. Shaking her head, tightening her hold, she quickly denied it. “No, no—I just didn’t process it right away.”

Lowering her head, Yuan Xiao gently touched her forehead to Chaoxi’s.

“Someone rang the bell, they’re delivering food. Eat first, shower, then rest.”

Chaoxi stopped struggling. Yuan Xiao carried her straight to the sofa outside and set her down before hurrying to open the door for hotel staff.

They ate dinner together as the sunset sank into the ocean. Streetlights flickered on outside, waves washed against the shore, and the sound of the tide lingered softly in the air.

Everything Yuan Xiao ordered was mild—no pepper on the pasta, foie gras served plain, even the porcini cream mushroom soup was made without diced onions. All of it was for the sake of the bite mark on the back of Chaoxi’s neck healing properly.

Chaoxi had never cared much for food; eating was merely to keep herself alive. Back when work was busy, even three meals a day weren’t guaranteed. Having someone think so carefully on her behalf made her unexpectedly moved.

Feeling comfortable and relaxed, she finished dinner contentedly, then showered after resting a bit. But instead of getting sleepy, she felt wide awake.

When Chaoxi stepped out of the bathroom, Yuan Xiao was sitting on the sofa holding an iPad, watching something. Hearing the sound, she looked up and just that brief moment of meeting Chaoxi’s eyes across the room left her staring blankly.

“What?” Chaoxi towel-dried her dripping hair as she walked over and sat across from her. “What are you watching?”

Yuan Xiao snapped out of it, lifted the iPad for her to see, and said, “They’re hosting events here. Tonight, tomorrow night, and the night after that—there’s a beach party every evening.”

Chaoxi glanced at the hopeful look in her eyes. This girl really was a child at heart. She couldn’t help laughing. “Want to go together?”

Yuan Xiao set the iPad aside, got up, and crouched in front of Chaoxi. Her big eyes sparkled. “Let’s go tomorrow night. Tonight, I want my wife to rest.”

She was now calling her “wife” so casually—left and right, one “wife” after another. Chaoxi didn’t mind; in fact, the way Yuan Xiao said it so naturally made it sound oddly pleasant. Without thinking, she answered softly:

“Mm-hmm.”

The strange familiarity between them was hard to ignore—almost as if they had truly been dating for a long time, then walked hand in hand into a new marriage, becoming real wives, still basking in the sweetness of newlyweds.

Because Zhao Hua had already knocked some sense into both of them earlier, Yuan Xiao didn’t linger in Chaoxi’s room for long. She had booked two rooms. After settling Chaoxi in to rest, she took her own key card, grabbed a change of clothes, and headed to the room next door. Before leaving, she kept fussing over Chaoxi—if you wake up and feel bored, call me; if you get hungry, call me; if someone unfamiliar knocks on the door, don’t open it—and so on, one reminder after another.

Chaoxi agreed to everything. After Yuan Xiao left, she locked the door from the inside and returned to the bed.

She didn’t sleep. Instead, she called out in her heart, “Little Bunny, Be Good.”

The system appeared instantly—remarkably diligent, as always.

[System: Hello, Host. We meet again (#^.^#). Please give System-kun your command.]

Chaoxi stared up at the ceiling, her expression turning serious.

“Three things.”

[System: Please speak, Host!]

“First, the honeymoon trip is set to last fourteen days. I need to know what unexpected incidents occur halfway through. Yuan Xiao is far too clingy right now, her character setting is basically collapsing. I need to be prepared so the plot doesn’t derail and affect the main storyline.”

[System: Easy peasy! Ta-da—— Please look at the big screen!]

[Plot Summary Hint: Episode Six — ‘The Confrontation.’

Qingqing buys exclusive information from the famous paparazzo Shanzi. She immediately flies to Baba Island to inform Chaoxi. Only then does Chaoxi learn that Yuan Xiao did not willingly marry her, it was part of a deal with the chairwoman of the Zhao Corporation.

Chaoxi feels devastated and calls Zhao Hua to confirm. Zhao Hua is swamped with work and misses two video calls. After stewing for two days, Chaoxi finally decides to confront Yuan Xiao. Yuan Xiao admits it. Chaoxi is unable to accept the truth, and both end up in a heated argument.

Chaoxi demands a divorce. Yuan Xiao still needs to pay for her mother’s expensive medical bills—all funded by the Zhao Corporation. Feeling she has been played by mother and daughter, Chaoxi storms out in anger.]

After reading the plot hint, Chaoxi finally understood.

So, the original Chaoxi hadn’t known at first that their marriage was merely a transaction between Zhao Hua and Yuan Xiao. That explained many of Yuan Xiao’s earlier behaviors. The reason she cared so meticulously for Chaoxi was simply to maintain the marriage—so she could report back to Zhao Hua.

Yuan Xiao had already signed with Xinle. Since Xinle was a subsidiary of the Zhao Corporation, it was now Yuan Xiao’s sole source of income and livelihood. She was already on this path; there was no turning back.

Chaoxi set the matter aside for now. She could already infer that once Yuan Xiao flew off Baba Island, the original Chaoxi would contact the chairwoman for clarification, then rush back to reconcile with Yuan Xiao on the surface.

She continued, “Second, the original host’s weak constitution, was that one of the reasons she later died during childbirth?”

[System: Um. Host, isn’t it a bit early for that question? We’re only on Episode Five. You’re supposed to be on your honeymoon.]

Chaoxi tightened her grip on the bedsheet and said through clenched teeth, “I’m already exhausted just walking a few steps. And with Yuan Xiao taking care of my every need like this, if she nurses me back to health when we return, there’s no way the original ending can even happen!”

[System: All right, all right! The original host’s weak health was one of the reasons for the fatal hemorrhage during childbirth. But the main cause was Alpha Yuan Xiao’s overly frequent marking—she didn’t hold back at all. Also, the original host’s psychological trauma contributed. So as long as you make sure Yuan Xiao completes every marking as required and the major plot points stay intact, the ending won’t be affected too much.]

Chaoxi let out a quiet sigh of relief and moved on to the third issue.

“I’ve realized something: the villa I’m living in looks identical to one I’ve seen before—not just similar, but exactly the same. And Yuan Xiao, aside from her face, looks so much like the twenty-one-year-old me. The original host’s habits and preferences are also very similar to mine. How do you explain that?”

This was the question she cared about most. She could no longer chalk all of it up to coincidence. Too many small details were quietly wrong.

She needed an answer.

Otherwise, she would continue to feel as though she were watching her past self or watching her first love again.

The system didn’t answer right away. Her mind remained silent for a long, dragging three minutes.

“Speak.”

Just as Chaoxi was growing impatient, the system finally rebooted, its mechanical voice stuttering.

[System: A reminder—the title of this book is Unattainable Love, author: Tangyuan.]

Chaoxi: “…”

Chaoxi: “!!!”

Tangyuan? That was Yan Xuyuan’s pen name!

Chaoxi’s jaw dropped. Her throat tightened as if a hand were squeezing it, she couldn’t make a sound.

Faced with the chaos of this transmigration and everything that happened afterward, she had completely overlooked the book title.

She had seen Unattainable Love somewhere before—but at the time, she hadn’t made the connection. After all, she never read Yan Xuyuan’s novels. Those familiar words would only make her cry.

The giant LED screen from before she transmigrated flashed through her mind. The backdrop behind the female author had displayed the cover of her new book. Chaoxi had been too focused on that face buried deep in her memories; she hadn’t paid attention to the title, only catching a faint glimpse.

“So, the system knew from the start that I transmigrated into my first love’s book.”

Chaoxi let out a bitter laugh as she voiced the answer she already knew.

[System, sounding helpless: Character experiences must overlap, or there’s no way to achieve the intended angst. We match hosts with the most suitable book based on personal history. This is just, hehe, coincidence. Your first love just happens to be a writer, after all.]

“Bullshit! S.h.i.t!”

Chaoxi fumed, completely at a loss. After cursing at the empty air, she even threw in an extra complaint: “No wonder everything felt familiar. I thought I was empathizing with the original host, but turns out this is what was going on.”

【System, still very polite: Since you’re already here, just accept it. Once the host finishes the plot, repents, and becomes a better person.】

“Alright, fine! What am I supposed to do with you? Whatever, bye!”

Chaoxi brusquely cut off the system’s nagging. She still didn’t feel like she was some heinous villain, and she nearly wanted to jump up and roar.

If I’ve committed a crime, let the law punish me!

But throwing me into a book, what does that even count as?

Sigh.

It’s not easy being transmigrated. President Zhao sighed once more. jpg

Even though ending up inside the book her first love wrote was a tiny bit annoying, at least she now knew the source of every existing doubt and mystery.

With the burden of the unknown lifted, Chaoxi finally relaxed completely.

That night, she slept deeply and peacefully.

The first ray of morning sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains of the suite. A ringing phone noisily dragged the sleeping girl from her dreams. Groggy and bleary-eyed, Chaoxi rubbed her eyes, groped for her phone, and glanced at the caller ID—Qingqing.

She answered and turned on speaker. Her energetic best friend immediately chirped through the phone.

“Baby, baby! Has my little baby gotten up yet?”

Chaoxi hadn’t fully awakened. “Mm?”

“I arrived at Baba Island last night! Didn’t know where you were staying, and I was afraid Yuan Xiao might be right next to you, so I didn’t dare call. You didn’t reply to my messages either, so I randomly found a hotel. Now, how should we plan today? Find a moment, I’ll come to you or you come to me. We’ll meet in secret. I have something HUGE to tell you!”

Chaoxi finally remembered why her best friend came.

Sitting up with her phone in hand, she asked, “We have to avoid Yuan Xiao, right?”

“Right, right, right! Avoid her! Think of a plan. If you can’t go far, I’ll come find you. Send me your location. We’ll set a time on WeChat.”

Chaoxi thought carefully. She definitely couldn’t let Qingqing come to the hotel room, Yuan Xiao had taken this room’s key card last night.

If they got caught, it’d be disastrous. She still needed to follow the original plot: hear from Qingqing about what Yuan Xiao and Zhao Hua were secretly doing, then confirm with Zhao Hua, and only after that confront Yuan Xiao.

If not the hotel room, then where?

She and Yuan Xiao were supposed to be on a honeymoon trip. Sneaking off without being noticed would be tough.

Thinking and thinking, Chaoxi wandered to the window and pulled open the curtains.

The sunlight outside was dazzling. There were already people happily playing on the beach. It was summer break, and lots of parents had brought their kids here for vacation.

The bustling scene outside sparked an idea.

“How about this? Tonight there’s a beach event here—a party organized by the resort. You can disguise yourself a little. I’ll find an excuse to send Yuan Xiao away, and we’ll meet then.”

Qingqing lowered her voice. “Genius! Let’s do that! See you tonight, baby! Byebye byebye muamuamua.”

So cheesy. Chaoxi hung up with a laugh.

It was still early. She first sent her location to Qingqing, then went to wash up. Based on past habits, Yuan Xiao wouldn’t barge in to wake her. She’d probably wait until breakfast time.

Chaoxi hummed as she washed, letting time pass peacefully.

Everything under control felt reassuring. Looking in the mirror, she even thought her skin looked better today!

Meanwhile, in the suite next door, Yuan Xiao had been awake for a while. First, Zhao Hua video-called to check on her daughter’s condition—as a mother, she worried, and Yuan Xiao understood. After that, Yuan Xiao waited eagerly.

Last time she came on this honeymoon trip with Chaoxi, they hadn’t had much fun at all. The real reason was that she hadn’t controlled her temper and snapped at Chaoxi.

Now she finally had the chance to make up for that regret. She was so excited she could barely sit still. Her energy was through the roof. She planned to take Chaoxi out to play once she woke up.

But waiting felt excruciatingly slow. Yuan Xiao paced anxiously, unsure what to do with herself. She repeatedly checked the area around the exotic-style street they planned to visit—food, drinks, shops, entertainment. Then she showered, applied a face mask, and continued wandering around the room, just waiting for Chaoxi to call.

Left, right, still no call from her wife.

By 8:30, she couldn’t hold back anymore. Staring at herself in the full-length mirror by the door, she muttered:

“It’s about breakfast time. I’ll order food first. Once it arrives, I’ll go find my wife.”

“It shouldn’t disturb her, she slept the whole night.”

“If she doesn’t eat she’ll get hungry.”

“Alright. I’m doing this for her health. Skipping breakfast is bad!”

After repeatedly convincing herself, Yuan Xiao acted immediately. She called the hotel to order breakfast.

Fifteen minutes later, she was pushing the breakfast cart and ringing Chaoxi’s doorbell.

Perfectly timed.

Chaoxi had just finished freshening up and was about to change clothes. Her pajamas were halfway off when the doorbell chimed. There was no time to change. She hurriedly pulled the pajamas back on, fastened the buttons, and ran to the door.

“Who is it?”

Outside: “Wifey, it’s me!”

Chaoxi nearly burst out laughing. Of course she came at breakfast time.

She tidied her hair, opened the door, and smiled at Yuan Xiao. “Good morning.”

Yuan Xiao stood with one hand on the cart, her gaze landing on Chaoxi’s pajamas.

A second later, she let out a soft laugh.

Chaoxi looked down, confused and immediately wanted to die of embarrassment. jpg

She’d buttoned her pajamas wrong.