How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? - Chapter 112

Saturday was a beautiful day, and Cheng Wan had been lying in bed since she woke up.

Following the doctor’s advice, she had stayed mostly in bed after returning home. When she got hungry, she ordered food and had it left at her door. After eating, she would lie back down to rest.

After spending an entire day like that, Cheng Wan started to feel a bit of improvement. At least when she woke up the next day, the pain in her body wasn’t as bad. She hadn’t taken the painkillers the doctor had prescribed. She was afraid that if she got used to relying on them, it would be hard to stop later. If simple rest could help her recover, then she didn’t want to take medicine unnecessarily.

It had already been over a month since she left the Bai family. The weather was getting colder. At night, temperatures dropped to around three or four degrees. The forecast said another cold front would arrive in a few days, and by then, her thin blanket wouldn’t be enough to keep warm.

While lying in bed, Cheng Wan thought about what Chang Le had said about visiting today. She figured they could go shopping together and maybe stop by some home goods stores so she could pick up everything she needed for winter.

Around nine in the morning, her phone rang.

Chang Le’s cheerful voice came through the speaker. “Wanwan, we’re already downstairs at the shopping center. We’re sitting in a milk tea shop. Come down soon!”

Cheng Wan responded and got out of bed to get dressed.

When she arrived at the milk tea shop, she realized that Chang Le hadn’t come alone.

Wu Qingwen was sitting next to her, and the two of them looked very comfortable together, laughing and chatting. It was Wu Qingwen who noticed Cheng Wan first as she walked in.

“Wanwan,” Chang Le called out, motioning for her to sit down. She pushed a cup of milk tea toward her and smiled. “We got one for you. It’s still warm.”

Cheng Wan smiled and took the straw, poking it through the lid. She took a sip and found the milk rich and smooth, and the sweetness was just right.

“Is this a new drink?” she asked curiously. “It’s really good. How come I’ve never tried it before?”

Chang Le grinned and pointed at Wu Qingwen. “My senior here recommended it. She said it’s a secret item on the menu.”

Wu Qingwen laughed. “Some of the younger girls at the office love ordering from this place. They were the ones who found the secret items. I tried it once, but it was too sweet for me. What do you think?”

“I really like it,” Cheng Wan said. “I have a bit of a sweet tooth, so it’s perfect.”

Wu Qingwen smiled, her eyes curving. “I’m glad you like it.”

Watching the two of them interact, Chang Le laughed and said, “You two are getting pretty close. Don’t forget I’m still here. The plan was for all three of us to go shopping today.”

“How could we forget you?” Wu Qingwen replied. “You said you were looking for a coat and a scarf, right? I’ll help you find something nice.”

Chang Le laughed happily.

Then Wu Qingwen turned to Cheng Wan and asked, “What about you? What are you looking for today?”

“It’s getting cold. I want to buy a quilt,” Cheng Wan said after a pause. “I don’t need anything else for now. My apartment is small, and I don’t have much space for extra stuff.”

Wu Qingwen nodded. “Let’s walk around first and check things out. Once we know what we want, we can go back and get everything. What do you two want for lunch? My treat.”

“You’re so generous,” Chang Le said playfully. “Can we have hotpot? Wanwan and I both love hotpot.”

“Sure, hotpot it is.”

The three of them got up and started shopping. They visited many clothing stores throughout the morning. Wu Qingwen had a good eye for fashion. Chang Le ended up buying two coats, a scarf, and a dress to wear under them. Even Cheng Wan found a dress she liked and decided to buy it.

By lunchtime, Cheng Wan was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. She realized that she could only handle two or three hours of activity before her body started to ache again.

While they were eating hotpot, Cheng Wan finally had a chance to sit and rest. Chang Le went to prepare the dipping sauces. Wu Qingwen, sitting across from Cheng Wan, noticed something.

“You don’t look very well,” she said, concerned. “Are you feeling alright?”

Cheng Wan didn’t want to ruin their mood. She smiled and shook her head. “I’m fine. I guess I’m just tired. It’s been a long time since I’ve walked around so much.”

Wu Qingwen looked at her with gentle concern. “Chang Le really is like a kid sometimes, rushing around without thinking. If you’re tired, you don’t have to push yourself. I can keep her company this afternoon.”

“It’s okay,” Cheng Wan replied. “I can’t stay home all the time. It’s nice to get out once in a while, especially when someone’s there to go with me.”

Wu Qingwen looked at her quietly for a moment, then said, “If you ever feel lonely, just call me. My schedule is flexible, and I can always make time to visit.”

Cheng Wan was caught off guard. She paused for a second, then gave a slightly awkward smile. “Thank you.”

The mood at the table suddenly felt a little tense.

Wu Qingwen saw Cheng Wan staring at her plate in silence. With a quiet sigh, she stood up. “I’ll go help Chang Le with the sauces. She can’t carry three servings by herself. Miss Cheng, keep an eye on the pot for me.”

Cheng Wan nodded. Once Wu Qingwen had walked away, she finally looked up and glanced at her back.

She could sense it clearly now. Wu Qingwen’s concern seemed to go beyond friendship. The truth was, they weren’t that close. Most of their time together had been thanks to Chang Le arranging things. Without her involvement, Cheng Wan probably wouldn’t have had a reason to spend time with Wu Qingwen.

What Wu Qingwen said just now had made her a little uncomfortable. Cheng Wan wasn’t in the right mindset to think about any other alphas at the moment. But she couldn’t stop thinking about what the doctor had told her at the hospital.

To replace her old mark, she would have to let another alpha give her a new one.

That meant letting someone else into her life.

Right now, she just wasn’t ready for that.

While they ate, Chang Le and Wu Qingwen talked about work. Cheng Wan had no job at the moment. She was still officially on maternity leave, so she sat there quietly and ate, not joining in on the conversation.

Toward the end of the meal, Cheng Wan finally spoke. “I’ve been feeling a little bored. Do you think I should look for a part-time job?”

“A part-time job?” Chang Le looked at her in surprise. “But don’t you still have a year of maternity leave left? Aren’t you planning to rest?”

“I am,” Cheng Wan replied. “But I’ve been spending more money lately. I didn’t have much savings to begin with. A few months is okay, but I can’t just sit around and watch it disappear.”

“But didn’t Miss Bai give you a large sum of money when you two separated?”

“That money… I plan to save it for Sui Sui. I don’t want to touch it.”

Chang Le looked at her with concern. “But if you don’t use that money, you really don’t have much left for daily expenses.”

Wu Qingwen, who had been sipping the barley tea the hotpot place provided for free, spoke calmly. “You could invest that money. It’s not easy to find a job in your situation right now. Since Miss Bai gave you that money so generously, you should feel free to use it. Otherwise, it just feels like all that suffering you went through was for nothing.”

Chang Le agreed and tried to persuade Cheng Wan. “Even investing a little of it would be better than nothing. Besides, Miss Bai is wealthy. She’s not going to let Sui Sui go without.”

But Cheng Wan shook her head. “What she gives Sui Sui is from her. What I give Sui Sui is from me.”

Chang Le didn’t quite understand this line of thinking, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she gently held Cheng Wan’s hand and said softly, “I’ll keep an eye out for opportunities for you.”

Cheng Wan nodded. “I’ll also try to find some part-time work. Ideally, something I can do from home. I’m still not really ready to be out and about too much.”

Wu Qingwen took a small sip from her cup and said evenly, “It’s getting late. Let’s go help Cheng Wan look for a good winter quilt.”

“Yes, it needs to be a thick one. Winter won’t be easy without it.”

“The apartment has heating, though. Once that kicks in, it shouldn’t be too cold.”

At the home goods store, Cheng Wan bought a quilt. Although the shop assistant recommended several lightweight and warm options, Cheng Wan’s budget was tight, so she chose the most affordable and practical thick cotton one.

Wu Qingwen and Chang Le helped her carry the quilt upstairs, which wasn’t an easy task.

In the afternoon, the three of them stayed in the apartment. Cheng Wan and Wu Qingwen organized the upper cabinets to make space for the new quilt, so it would have a place to be stored when summer came.

Chang Le originally wanted to keep shopping. After working more than a week straight, she had been looking forward to a relaxing weekend. But Cheng Wan was so exhausted she could barely stay upright, so she asked the two of them to go out and enjoy themselves while she stayed home.

After they left, Cheng Wan collapsed onto the sofa and fell asleep within seconds. She slept straight through until evening.

When she woke up, her mind felt blank. She raised her arm to shield her eyes. The sofa was soft but not spacious, and lying on it all afternoon had left her sore and stiff.

The doorbell rang.

Cheng Wan didn’t react right away. She wasn’t expecting anyone and had no idea who would be visiting at this hour.

Was it Bai Juntang?

She sat up slowly, glanced out the window at the dark sky and the colorful neon lights below. It was probably around seven or eight o’clock, no later than ten.

She picked up her phone and checked the time. It was just past seven thirty.

The doorbell rang again.

Then someone knocked gently and called out, “Is anyone home?”

Cheng Wan froze. The voice was unfamiliar.

“Who is it?” she asked as she walked to the door, turned on the light, and looked through the peephole.

A woman stood outside holding what looked like a lunch box. It was the single mother from next door, the one who lived with her child.

Hearing Cheng Wan’s voice, the woman smiled and said, “I made some beef stew with potatoes today and accidentally cooked too much. My fridge broke, so I thought I’d bring you some.”

Cheng Wan opened the door. Sure enough, the woman was holding a lunch box filled with freshly cooked beef and potatoes.

“My son asked for it today, so I made a bit extra,” the woman explained. “I was planning to save the rest, but then the fridge stopped working. I figured you probably haven’t eaten yet, so I brought you some. It’s still hot.”

Cheng Wan was genuinely touched and quickly stepped aside. “Thank you. Would you like to come in and sit for a bit?”

The woman waved her hand and smiled. “No, no, it’s fine. My son’s still at home. I need to help him with his kindergarten homework. Next time I have more time, I’ll stop by for tea.”

Cheng Wan accepted the food and watched the woman return to her apartment and close the door. She stepped back inside and gently shut her own door.

Holding the warm meal in her hands, Cheng Wan felt a quiet sense of comfort. At least living here wasn’t entirely lonely or unpleasant.

Support