After Transmigrating Into the Scummy Alpha’s Rebirth Story - Chapter 19

Chao Xi felt a wave of awkwardness wash over her. At her age, making such a clumsy mistake and in front of a “kid,” no less—was genuinely embarrassing.

But Yuan Xiao didn’t laugh. She naturally pushed the breakfast cart into the room and set the food on the dining table with an air of casual confidence, keeping her back turned to Chao Xi the entire time.

She’s giving me time to fix my buttons, Chao Xi thought. The girl was surprisingly tactful. She quickly unfastened the mismatched buttons and re-aligned them correctly.

Estimating that enough time had passed, Yuan Xiao turned around and waved her over. “Wife, come have breakfast. I’ll take you out to play after we eat.”

The beach outside was already bustling. The sound of sea birds flapping their wings drifted into the room through the wide-open balcony doors, accompanied by a fresh sea breeze.

Chao Xi sat in the sunlight, her eyes tracing the elegant movements of the Alpha’s slender fingers as she prepared the meal. Yuan Xiao poured warm milk into a transparent glass, then picked up a hard-boiled egg and began to peel it.

It was a picture-perfect scene.

Resting her chin on one hand, Chaoxi watched as Yuan Xiao brought a sandwich to her lips. She opened her mouth and took a small, dainty bite. Both of them shared a soft, lingering smile. Had there been a third person in the room, they surely would have taken them for a pair of deeply devoted lovers.

Chaoxi couldn’t help but wonder: did the characters in Yan Xuyuan’s novels more or less resemble the two of them?

She let herself sink into the breakfast, lost in Yuan Xiao’s intimacy and drifting through fragments of old memories.

Years ago, Yan Xuyuan loved writing romantic, cozy snippets of their daily lives. Whenever Chaoxi caught her slacking off on her homework to write, she would feed her snacks and say gently, “Be good. Finish your work before you start daydreaming.”

Back then, that girl would take a huge bite of food and mumble while showing off her writing. “Are we sweet or what?” she’d ask.

Chaoxi remembered. Back then, they really were very sweet.

“Wife?”

Yuan Xiao’s voice suddenly broke the silence, pulling Chaoxi back to the present.

If I keep dwelling on the past, this journey into the novel will surely become a form of torture, Chaoxi thought. She forced her mind back to the girl in front of her and tilted her head. “Sorry, I drifted off.”

Yuan Xiao wasn’t upset at all. Instead, she took a tissue and leaned in to wipe a milk stain from the corner of Chaoxi’s mouth. Chaoxi instinctively flinched back, but Yuan Xiao laughed softly. “Don’t move, I haven’t finished yet.”

Chaoxi took a breath and boldly lifted her chin, staying still.

Might as well enjoy the kid’s attentiveness while it lasts, she thought. There’s plenty of mess waiting for me later.

As Yuan Xiao wiped the milk, her fingertip accidentally brushed against Chaoxi’s lip. The finger was clean, the nail a healthy, cute pink.

A habitual, reckless thought flashed through Chaoxi’s mind, she wanted to take that finger into her mouth. She was used to being a bit of a rogue; whenever she saw something cute, she wanted to “devour” it. Her eyes followed Yuan Xiao’s hand, unaware that Yuan Xiao was watching her too.

Yuan Xiao’s eyebrow twitched. For a second, she thought she had misread the look in Chaoxi’s eyes.

That look just now felt a bit ambiguous?

No, no. Yuan Xiao quickly dismissed the absurd thought. Her wife was pure and innocent, she hadn’t even been in a relationship before they got together.

She divided the peeled egg in half, offering only the white to Chaoxi.

Chaoxi ate it without a second thought. A moment later, she saw Yuan Xiao pop the entire remaining yolk into her own mouth.

Chaoxi didn’t eat yolks. She only ate the whites.

Chaoxi froze slightly, a seed of suspicion taking root. Yuan Xiao just married me. How does she know such specific details? Even if this is a book written by my first love, shouldn’t the characters have a “getting to know you” phase?

Swallowing the egg white, she asked tentatively, “How did you know I don’t eat the yolk?”

Yuan Xiao panicked. It had been a subconscious move!

My wife is too sharp! Just feeding her an egg white nearly blew my cover. She racked her brain for an excuse. “Yolks are high in cholesterol,” she blurted out. “I didn’t want you eating too much of it.”

Chaoxi considered this. It made sense.

It must be a coincidence, she told herself. I’ve been on edge because the last two days have felt so surreal.

Once they finished breakfast, Chaoxi watched Yuan Xiao clear the table and asked, “So, where are we going?”

“There’s an exotic street nearby with lots of snacks and shops,” Yuan Xiao replied while stacking plates. “When we get tired, we can sit in a bookstore there. Their milk tea is famous online.”

Noting that Yuan Xiao was wearing sneakers, Chaoxi said, “Wait for me a moment. I need to change my clothes and shoes.”

“Sure, Wife. I’ll go return the cart.”

After a quick change, Chaoxi was determined not to repeat her “button incident”—Yuan Xiao returned.

“I’m ready, let’s go,” Chaoxi said, opening the door.

But Yuan Xiao led her back into the room. “Let’s grab a few things first.”

She pulled out pheromone-blocking spray, a neck collar, a mask, and a baseball cap from a drawer, along with a sun umbrella and sunscreen. She set them on the entryway table and turned Chaoxi to face her, resting her hands on her shoulders.

“Sunscreen first.”

“I already applied some,” Chaoxi noted.

“The sun is strong. Another layer won’t hurt,” Yuan Xiao insisted.

Chaoxi gave in and closed her eyes. The touch of Yuan Xiao’s fingertips was careful, almost reverent like someone maintaining a piece of priceless jewelry. The sunscreen felt cool and soothing. Chaoxi relaxed, her heart fluttering as her other senses heightened in the darkness of her closed eyes.

Yuan Xiao held her breath. Her fingers traced Chaoxi’s delicate features before moving down to her graceful neck. Seeing her wife’s trusting expression, Yuan Xiao’s heart raced with joy, though she didn’t dare show it.

My wife is far too tempting, she lamented inwardly. She hurried to finish before her own pheromones started acting up. “Wife, all done.”

Chaoxi opened her eyes. “That was fast.”

Yuan Xiao avoided her gaze, turning Chaoxi around to face away from her. “We’re going to a public place. Let’s spray this first.”

It was a gentle, plant-based pheromone blocker. When sprayed on the gland at the back of her neck, it felt like a light mist of water. Then, Yuan Xiao picked up the neck collar. “Let me put this on for you.”

As she fastened the collar, Yuan Xiao let out a long breath. She never realized such small tasks could be so nerve-wracking. Chaoxi’s gland was healing, but it wasn’t fully closed yet. Even with the spray blocking the “Wild Rose” scent, the sight of an Omega’s nape was enough to stir any Alpha.

By the time the collar was on, Yuan Xiao’s face was beet red.

When Chao Xi turned around, she saw it clearly. Yuan Xiao had “cold-white” skin, usually making her look aloof, so the bright flush on her cheeks was heart-meltingly cute.

It hit Chaoxi’s “sweet spot” perfectly. On an impulse, she stood on her tiptoes and gave Yuan Xiao’s cheek a quick, audible kiss.

Mwah!

Chaoxi immediately froze. Was I too forward? The original character is supposed to be a pure, shy little flower!

“Let’s go! Weren’t we going to the exotic street?” Yuan Xiao stammered, visibly flustered. She scrambled for her mask and cap, dropping the cap on the floor before fumbling to pick it up.

Chaoxi walked out ahead, hiding a smirk. The original owner of this body would likely never have known that this “Scum Alpha” could be so adorable, simply because she would never have been bold enough to initiate a kiss.

Yuan Xiao handed her a mask, her face still a beautiful shade of crimson, seemingly lost for words.

As they exited the hotel, the valet had already brought the car around. Yuan Xiao circled the car to open the passenger door for Chaoxi, shielding her head with a hand as she sat down.

Polite and attentive, Chaoxi noted. She really is a good kid. It’s a shame the plot demands this be a tragic romance.

“It’s only a ten-minute drive,” Yuan Xiao said as she got into the driver’s seat. “I’m not familiar with the roads, though. Wife, can you set the navigation for me?”

“Of course.”

Chaoxi gave a small nod, and Yuan Xiao started the engine.

The car was a rental. A phone mount was wedged into the air conditioning vent; once the navigation was set, the phone could just be slotted in to charge while providing a clear view for the driver. Chaoxi found the “Cultural Street” Yuan Xiao had mentioned on the map, started the route, and slid her phone into the cradle.

For the first few minutes, the drive was smooth. The two of them engaged in idle chatter, swapping trivial questions—how long Chaoxi had avoided egg yolks, what Yuan Xiao liked to eat daily, and so on. Chaoxi was naturally talkative, while Yuan Xiao was a “passive chatterbox”—as long as Chaoxi asked, she would rattle off a string of answers as if she were desperate for Chaoxi to know her better.

In those few minutes, Yuan Xiao was like a pager with the “on” switch stuck, replying non-stop until a message notification popped up on the navigation screen.

Yuan Xiao went silent. The moment the notification chimed, Chaoxi’s eyes instinctively darted to the phone.

[Qingqing]: Baby, I’m so bored. Heading to Cultural Street.

The rest of the text was cut off, but Chaoxi was certain she had seen it and Yuan Xiao had too! Chaoxi’s neck retracted instantly, making her look like a startled quail. The atmosphere in the car plummeted from cozy to an awkward freezing point.

After several seconds of heavy silence, Yuan Xiao chose to break the ice. Keeping her eyes on the road, she asked casually, “Your bestie is vacationing on Baba Island too?”

Chaoxi’s voice was as faint as a mosquito. “Uh, yeah. She’s here for a trip.”

What Chaoxi didn’t know was that Yuan Xiao had known Qingqing was on the island all along. In the original timeline, during their honeymoon, Qingqing had been the one to tell Chaoxi that their marriage was nothing more than a transaction. Unable to accept it, Chaoxi had demanded a divorce. At that time, Yuan Xiao couldn’t afford her mother’s medical bills and couldn’t leave her company; she had been backed into a corner.

They had a massive row over it, the only direct confrontation they ever had during their secret marriage. Yuan Xiao had eventually abandoned her there and flown back to D City alone.

Thinking that history was repeating itself, Yuan Xiao’s heart hammered against her ribs. How do I stop this? Keep Qingqing and Chaoxi from meeting? It seemed impossible. Even if they avoided her now and spent their fourteen-day honeymoon in peace, Qingqing would find another chance back home. Yuan Xiao had to work; she couldn’t stick to Chaoxi twenty-four hours a day. This secret couldn’t be kept forever.

Distraught at the thought of their hard-won peace being shattered, Yuan Xiao unconsciously pressed harder on the accelerator.

Chaoxi, sitting beside her, stole a glance at her darkening expression. She didn’t know how to explain herself and was equally anxious. Yuan Xiao looks pissed. Please don’t tell me we’re going to fall out before the plot even gets moving?

After a frantic internal debate, as they approached the last intersection before the Cultural Street, Chaoxi summoned her courage and acted “spoiled.”

She poked Yuan Xiao’s shoulder and said in a soft, syrupy voice, “Goddess? Wife? How about we skip the Cultural Street and go somewhere just the two of us instead?”

Yuan Xiao was stunned. Chaoxi hadn’t insisted on meeting her bestie like she did in the past; instead, she was cutely pleading for some “us” time.

The light ahead turned red. Yuan Xiao slammed on the brakes, and both of them lurched forward with the momentum.

“Just the two of us?” Yuan Xiao turned her head in disbelief.

Chaoxi gave a vigorous, hundred-percent-certain nod. “Right! Aren’t we on our honeymoon?” she argued logically. “Who brings a bestie on a honeymoon? Take you for example, would you bring your friend, that Dr. Yanyan?”

Still dazed, Yuan Xiao shook her head. “His name is Xuan Yan.”

“Exactly, you wouldn’t bring him!” Chaoxi caught the main point. “Nobody brings besties or friends. It’s a total mood killer! So, let’s just go play by ourselves. Since she’s at the Cultural Street, we’ll just stay away!”

Yuan Xiao was more than happy to avoid Qingqing, though she still hesitated inwardly. She’d have to face the music eventually. But Chaoxi’s initiative gave her more time to prepare. She followed Chaoxi’s lead. “Wife, you’re right! I’m pulling a U-turn.”

“Do it!” Chaoxi pointed at the road ahead and snatched her phone back. “I’ll find us somewhere else to go.”

Yuan Xiao glanced at the road signs and chuckled. “I can’t turn here; it’s a straight-only lane. I’ll turn at the next intersection.”

Chaoxi had nearly forgotten the traffic rules. She looked at the road markings and let out a sigh of relief. “Good thing you noticed, or that’s three points and a two-hundred-yuan fine gone.”

The two looked at each other and burst into spontaneous laughter.

Like a couple running away together, they ditched Qingqing and pulled a U-turn at the next light. Chaoxi suggested a seaside amusement park filled with romantic activities, and Yuan Xiao agreed to everything, driving them straight toward the coast.

The island roads were winding and shaded by a canopy of green trees. Yuan Xiao rolled down the windows and retracted the car’s soft top. A cool breeze whipped through Chaoxi’s long black hair. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and cheered at the empty road ahead.

“Woo-hoo!”

Yuan Xiao stole glances at her, her eyes brimming with indulgent, doting smiles.

The road was lined with coconut and mango trees, heavy with fruit that bent the branches low. The rows of large fruits looked incredibly tempting. Seeing them, Chaoxi’s mischievous side took over.

They weren’t in a rush, so on a whim, Chaoxi nudged Yuan Xiao’s shoulder. “Pull over! Pull over!”

Yuan Xiao glanced over. “Wife, what is it?”

Chaoxi lowered her voice. “I want to pick a mango.”

Yuan Xiao slowed down, looking at the trees Chaoxi was pointing at. She laughed. “They aren’t ripe yet; they’re all green. Even if you pick them, you can’t eat them.”

Chaoxi didn’t give up. “Then can I pick a coconut?”

Yuan Xiao had never realized her wife was such a little troublemaker at heart. This was easily the “wildest” thing she’d ever seen Chaoxi do.

She actually pulled the car over. Chaoxi hopped out and started jumping, but the coconut trees were far too tall for her to reach. Yuan Xiao leaned against the car door at first, arms crossed, watching her with a grin.

Unable to reach, Chaoxi ran back and tugged on Yuan Xiao. “Help me! Help me pick one!”

Laughing, Yuan Xiao went with her. Both of them started jumping up and down. Yuan Xiao was taller than Chaoxi, but not by much. Even jumping her highest, she couldn’t reach the coconuts, even though this was a relatively short variety of tree.

After a few minutes, Chaoxi was sweating and pouting, her face a mask of disappointment.

She hung her head: Sadness.jpg

Yuan Xiao stepped in front of her and whispered, “I have an idea.”

Chaoxi looked up. “What id—”

Before she could finish, Yuan Xiao suddenly crouched down, grabbed Chaoxi’s calves, and hoisted her straight up into the air.

Chaoxi nearly died of fright.

Holy sht! I’m afraid of heights!!!*