How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? - Chapter 104

As soon as Cheng Wan heard a familiar voice outside, she let out a small sigh of relief. She quickly responded and walked over. After peeking through the peephole and confirming it was Wu Qingwen, she finally opened the door and welcomed her in.

Wu Qingwen changed her shoes at the entrance, placed the things in her hands on a side cabinet, and said, “I was just showing a client a house nearby. I figured since you just moved into the apartment, you might not be used to it yet, so I thought I’d stop by and check on you.”

She pulled out some packed food from her bag and smiled. “This restaurant makes amazing sesame chicken. I figured you probably haven’t tried it, so I brought some over. Besides the chicken, there’s also a cold dish and a stir-fry. You don’t mind if I join you for lunch, do you?”

Cheng Wan looked a little embarrassed but smiled and said quickly, “Miss Wu, you’re being too kind. I haven’t eaten yet either, and since you brought food, please have a seat. I’ll go start cooking some rice.”

Wu Qingwen didn’t hold back. She took off her coat and, clearly familiar with the place, began setting the food on the table. She called out to Cheng Wan in the kitchen with a grin, “No need to make rice. I bought five-yuan worth of baked flatbread. Let’s just eat that.”

Cheng Wan had already started rinsing the rice. Hearing this, she turned a bit awkward. “But I already started…”

Wu Qingwen glanced over and smiled as she walked in, gently taking the bowl of soaked rice from Cheng Wan’s hands. “It’s alright. I remember we still have sweet potatoes from yesterday. I’ll add more water and make porridge. I hope you’re okay with that.”

As she spoke, she opened the fridge and pulled out the sweet potatoes left over from their hotpot meal the day before.

Seeing Cheng Wan standing stiffly in the small kitchen, Wu Qingwen couldn’t help but smile. “Why don’t you go sit down? This kitchen’s way too small for both of us.”

Cheng Wan hesitated and said, “How can I let you do the cooking?”

“Wasn’t I the one who handled the hotpot yesterday too?” Wu Qingwen replied.

“But… but still…”

“It’s fine,” Wu Qingwen said with a smile. “Just go rest. I’ll be done soon.”

Seeing that she had already rolled up her sleeves and was ready to get to work, Cheng Wan had no choice but to leave the kitchen. It really was too cramped for two people.

The takeout dishes had been laid out on the table, and their delicious aroma filled the room, making Cheng Wan’s appetite grow. She set the table, washed her hands in the bathroom, and came back just as Wu Qingwen put the porridge into the rice cooker and sat down to wait for lunch.

When Cheng Wan sat down, Wu Qingwen noticed something stuck to her forehead. She looked more closely and realized it was a bandage.

“What happened?” she asked with concern. “You were fine yesterday when I went out with Chang Le. How did you end up getting hurt?”

Cheng Wan touched her forehead, remembered what happened the night before, and told Wu Qingwen the whole story.

When she heard there was a domestic abuser living next door, Wu Qingwen was shocked and frowned slightly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what kind of people lived next door. If I had known, I never would’ve recommended this apartment to you.”

Cheng Wan shook her head. “There’s no need to apologize. The apartment itself is great. You can’t be expected to know what the neighbors are like. I don’t blame you.”

Wu Qingwen looked at the wound on Cheng Wan’s forehead and still felt responsible. After all, she was the one who introduced her to the place. Something like this happening on the very first day made her feel even more uneasy.

“I can’t explain this to Chang Le,” she said, getting up. “Let me go see what I can do. Maybe I can help somehow.”

Cheng Wan wanted to stop her, but Wu Qingwen looked her in the eye and said seriously, “You’re a friend of Chang Le, and you’re also my client. I can’t just turn a blind eye. If Chang Le finds out and asks me about it, I wouldn’t know what to say.”

She walked out of the apartment and went to knock on the door next door.

Cheng Wan followed her. She was worried that things might get out of hand, that there might be an argument or even a fight. If that happened, she wanted to be there to help.

The door opened, and the woman from last night appeared. All three of them froze.

Wu Qingwen and Cheng Wan were stunned to see that the woman’s face was covered in bruises. There wasn’t a single spot left untouched. She was wearing an oversized white T-shirt, which made her look even smaller and thinner. Her exposed arms were shockingly bony, and her whole presence felt dim and lifeless, like a ghost.

The woman hadn’t expected to see strangers. Her sunken black eyes stared at them warily, and she asked softly, “Who… are you looking for?”

Wu Qingwen quickly composed herself, frowned slightly, and reached out to grab the woman’s wrist. “I live next door. I heard you were hurt badly last night. Let me take you to the hospital.”

The woman instinctively pulled her arm away and slammed the door shut. “Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me! I… I’m fine! I don’t need to go to the hospital.”

Wu Qingwen turned to Cheng Wan, then spoke through the door. “Please don’t worry. We’re not here to hurt you. We just want to help.”

It sounded like the woman inside had started crying, but it was hard to hear clearly through the door. They waited outside for over twenty minutes, but there was nothing more they could do. Finally, Wu Qingwen looked at Cheng Wan and said, “Maybe I should help you find another place. With neighbors like this, I really don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone.”

Cheng Wan looked at Wu Qingwen, but her thoughts were with the woman inside. She looked so frail that Cheng Wan genuinely feared she might not survive the next beating.

Seeing the look in Cheng Wan’s eyes, Wu Qingwen sighed helplessly. “Sometimes, you really need to think about your own safety too.”

Cheng Wan looked at her and quietly nodded.

They returned to the apartment and continued eating lunch. The food had gotten cold, so Wu Qingwen reheated it. She also served the freshly made porridge, and the two of them had a simple, quiet meal.

Before leaving, Wu Qingwen reminded her, “I’ll keep looking for a new place for you. Don’t go out for the next couple of days. I’ll come by again tomorrow at noon to check on you.”

Cheng Wan nodded. There was still plenty of food left from lunch, so she wouldn’t need to go out for dinner. Besides, she had some instant noodles and eggs at home.

That afternoon, she cleaned the entire first floor and kept the windows open to let the air circulate. It felt much fresher afterward.

Around five in the evening, she heard the door next door open.

Cheng Wan immediately grew tense, worried that the man might come to cause trouble. She remembered him shouting the night before about her installing cameras or something. But more than thirty minutes passed without anything happening, and she finally relaxed a little.

Maybe the woman didn’t mention it. Or maybe the man didn’t check the footage regularly. In any case, the apartment next door stayed quiet for the rest of the night, even after Cheng Wan went to bed.

The next morning, Cheng Wan got up and made herself some breakfast. After eating, she sat on the couch on the first floor and turned on the television.

She wasn’t working at the moment, didn’t have any friends nearby, and was too afraid to go out. She had spent the entire previous day stuck inside, and it looked like today would be the same. The boredom was really starting to set in.

The TV was playing a dull variety show. Cheng Wan slouched into the cushions, lying down as she watched a few guests playing silly games. Before long, she started to feel drowsy.

Around noon, Wu Qingwen arrived again. She had brought more food with her. This time, since she had called ahead, Cheng Wan had steamed some rice in advance. It was ready just as Wu Qingwen walked in.

While they were eating, Wu Qingwen asked, “Did that man next door come over to bother you?”

Cheng Wan shook her head. “No, not yesterday and not today. Maybe he doesn’t even know we spoke to the woman.”

Wu Qingwen looked at Cheng Wan, eating so politely and quietly, and let out a soft sigh. “This is really my fault. I was a bit busy today, but I’ll be free tomorrow. I’ll take you to see a few other apartments.”

Cheng Wan smiled. “Thank you. Honestly, if it weren’t for your help, I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

Wu Qingwen felt relieved seeing her smile. “Don’t mention it. Helping you is like helping Chang Le. I’m more than happy to.”

From the moment Wu Qingwen first met Cheng Wan, she had thought she was a kind and gentle person. After spending a few days with her, she had come to admire how thoughtful and warm-hearted Cheng Wan was. Just like her junior schoolmate Chang Le had said, she really was a good person.

Even though Cheng Wan was divorced, Wu Qingwen didn’t think that mattered much. As long as two people liked each other, it didn’t matter whether it was a first or second marriage.

Before leaving, Wu Qingwen looked at her with a smile and said, “I’ll come by in the morning to pick you up. If I have time in the evening, I’ll stop by again and bring you something. Just stay home and rest, and don’t go out if you can help it.”

Cheng Wan nodded. “Thank you, Miss Wu.”

Wu Qingwen smiled and gently closed the door behind her as she left.

That afternoon, Cheng Wan ended up on the couch again, watching more shows. This time, she picked a movie. Partway through, she drifted off to sleep without even realizing it.

When she woke up, the entire apartment was dark. The TV had returned to its home screen, casting a faint blue light around the room.

What time was it?

Still half-asleep, she reached for her phone on the coffee table. When she turned on the screen, she was shocked to see that it was already past eight o’clock.

She sat up on the couch and rubbed her head.

What happened? How did she sleep that long? And why did her head hurt so much? She hadn’t done anything today.

Feeling dazed, she went into the bathroom to freshen up. Just as she stepped out, she heard someone knocking at the door.

Cheng Wan hesitated. Wu Qingwen had said that if she came over in the evening, she would call first. But she hadn’t received any calls.

The knocking came again, louder this time.

Cheng Wan called out, “Coming,” and walked over to the door. She looked through the peephole and froze.

Before she could react, a voice on the other side said impatiently, “I heard you. Open the door.”

It was Bai Juntang.

Cheng Wan stood there silently for a long moment, her face pale. Finally, she asked, “How… how did you find this place?”

Bai Juntang thought to himself that there was nowhere he couldn’t find, but he didn’t want to admit it. Instead, he said flatly, “What, your ex-husband shows up and you’re going to make me talk to you through a door? Can’t I at least come in for a cup of tea?”

“I don’t have any tea,” Cheng Wan replied.

“I brought my own.”

Bai Juntang said, “Open the door.”

Left with no choice, Cheng Wan opened it. Even though they were divorced, they hadn’t parted on terrible terms. Making him stand at the door did seem a bit cold.

As soon as Bai Juntang stepped inside, he stared at her, looking her up and down. Then, with a stiff expression, he pulled a tea bag from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Make some,” he said, his voice low and gruff.

Cheng Wan stared at the tea bag for a moment, a bit stunned. He really had brought one. Just how badly did he want that cup of tea?

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