How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? - Chapter 60

Bai Juntang gave herself a week off. Even though she was technically on vacation, her work wasn’t put on hold. For tasks that didn’t need her direct involvement, her team handled them. For everything else, Li Chen brought the documents to her home for her to review and sign.

She managed working from home quite well—it made things easier and gave her more time to stay with Cheng Wan.

Throughout that week of bed rest, Cheng Wan’s condition remained weak. The healthy glow she’d gained over the past few months disappeared almost overnight. She looked pale and drained, often lying in bed with her hands over her belly, staring silently at Guazi as the cat stared back.

Bai Juntang felt bad seeing her like this, but she still insisted that Cheng Wan stay in bed. To lift her spirits a little, she found a few light-hearted movies and dramas to keep her entertained.

Meanwhile, Li Chen stood properly in the study, wearing a pair of guest slippers, reporting on the recent progress at work. He gave an update on project plans and meeting summaries for the month, then handed over documents that needed her signature.

Bai Juntang signed her name quickly and neatly, not even looking up as she asked, “What about the other matter I asked you to look into?”

Li Chen paused, then asked, “You mean the Cheng family?”

She looked up and added, “And the adoption termination process.”

“Oh, right.” Li Chen gathered his thoughts before speaking. “Let me start with the Cheng family. Their assets have been completely frozen. Cheng Jiajian and his wife have vanished—no one knows where they are. Only their daughter is still in town, but she hasn’t been to school since the bankruptcy. She’s been staying home.”

He continued, “The court has already issued notices. Their villa is up for auction, and the company’s assets are being liquidated. From what I’ve found, Cheng Jiajian is in debt for at least 2.37 billion yuan. There’s no chance of a comeback. They’ve completely collapsed.”

Bai Juntang nodded calmly. She looked satisfied with the outcome.

“As for the adoption termination,” Li Chen lowered his voice slightly and stepped closer. “I consulted a lawyer. If there’s evidence that the adoptive family abused or mistreated Miss Cheng, the process can be handled fairly quickly.”

He knew how much Bai Juntang cared about Cheng Wan. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken an entire week off just to stay by her side.

Now that Cheng Wan was pregnant, Bai Juntang was focused on her entirely. As her assistant, Li Chen had noticed it clearly. He’d suspected from the beginning that the adoption matter was related to Cheng Wan.

Bai Juntang was quiet for a moment, then said, “I understand. You can go. I’ll call you if I need anything.”

After Li Chen left, Bai Juntang stepped out of the study and poured herself a glass of water. After thinking for a moment, she put it back and picked up a bottle of room-temperature soda water instead, then walked toward Cheng Wan’s room.

She didn’t knock—just opened the door and walked in. What she saw made her frown immediately.

Cheng Wan was standing barefoot on the floor, clearly doing something she shouldn’t have been doing.

“What are you doing?” Bai Juntang quickly walked over, took her hand, and said, “The doctor told you to stay in bed. Why aren’t you listening?”

Cheng Wan blinked at her with wide eyes, then gave a small smile and said, “Guazi dropped his toy. I was just picking it up.”

She pointed toward the corner, where a small plush ball sat. It was Guazi’s favorite toy. He liked to carry different colored ones around the house and sometimes even took them outside to show off to his “friends.”

Bai Juntang didn’t even glance at the toy. She bent down and scooped Cheng Wan up into her arms.

The sudden lift made Cheng Wan instinctively hold onto her, wrapping her arms tightly around Bai Juntang’s shoulders. After being gently laid back down on the bed, she looked up at her.

Meeting that gaze, Bai Juntang couldn’t help but feel both frustrated and fond.

She softly pinched Cheng Wan’s cheek. “Follow the doctor’s orders, alright?”

Cheng Wan sighed and nodded. She’d been lying down for days already—what were a few more?

As she settled under her blanket again, she looked up and asked, “You’ve been home a lot lately.”

“Yes,” Bai Juntang replied evenly. “I had time off, so I stayed to take care of you.”

Cheng Wan looked at her for a long moment, hesitating.

She already knew what Bai Juntang had done. The Cheng family had gone bankrupt, and her feelings about it were… complicated.

Cheng Jiajian and Xu He had never treated her well. They never really wanted to adopt her in the first place, and the relationship had always been strained.

But no matter what, that house had been her home for more than a decade. There was still some attachment—however small.

“Miss Bai,” she said softly, “Are my parents… are they okay?”

Bai Juntang didn’t look at her. Her voice was calm. “They’re probably managing.”

With the kind of debt they owed, Bai Juntang knew the Chengs were barely keeping their heads above water. They were most likely running themselves ragged trying to survive.

But she didn’t say any of that to Cheng Wan. There was no point. Cheng Wan had never truly been one of them, and now wasn’t the time for more emotional stress. Her health came first.

What mattered most now was that she stayed healthy—and waited to welcome the baby they were about to have together.

Gently changing the subject, Bai Juntang reached out and rested her hand on Cheng Wan’s round belly. Her voice softened.

“Maybe we should start thinking about names for the baby.”

Cheng Wan blinked. “A name?”

Cheng Wan blinked in surprise before realizing what Bai Juntang meant. She wanted to name the baby?

Well, she was already six or seven months pregnant. With a belly that big, it was definitely time to give the baby a nickname. That way, talking to it wouldn’t feel so awkward.

“We haven’t thought of a name yet,” Cheng Wan said, gently rubbing her stomach. Her eyes sparkled slightly as she looked at Bai Juntang. “Does your family have any naming traditions or things we should avoid?”

“There’s nothing in particular,” Bai Juntang replied with a soft smile. Seeing how genuinely curious Cheng Wan was, she added, “We can choose any nickname we like. For the baby’s official name, we can ask my mother later.”

Bai Weilan.

Cheng Wan remembered the woman she had only met once. She actually had a good impression of her. After all, she had seemed… quite fond of her.

“Alright,” Cheng Wan nodded thoughtfully. “Let’s start with a nickname first.”

Bai Juntang hadn’t expected her to agree so easily. She couldn’t help smiling, her eyes curving with amusement. She leaned closer, wrapped an arm around Cheng Wan’s waist, and kissed her softly.

Maybe it was because of the recent bond, but Cheng Wan always responded to Bai Juntang’s kisses with a quiet longing. She craved the closeness. Kissing was the most direct way to express that.

The gentle kiss sent tingles through Cheng Wan’s body. She raised her hands to cradle Bai Juntang’s face. The two kissed tenderly on the bed, as if this moment had always belonged to them.

When the kiss ended, Bai Juntang looked at Cheng Wan’s slightly flushed cheeks and whispered, “Lie down and rest for a bit. I need to get back to work.”

Cheng Wan tugged lightly at the hem of her dress, reluctant to let go. She softly replied with an “mm,” her voice delicate and sweet enough to make Bai Juntang’s heart flutter.

After Bai Juntang left the bedroom, she straightened the creases in her clothes. Just then, Aunt Pei came in from outside, carrying a basket full of groceries.

“Aunt Pei,” Bai Juntang greeted her as she walked over. She glanced at the vegetables. “Are we having fish tonight?”

But Aunt Pei seemed a little uneasy. As soon as she came inside, she pulled Bai Juntang into the kitchen and peeked out through the window.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Juntang asked with a slight laugh. “Did someone follow you home from the market?”

“It’s not me,” Aunt Pei said in a low voice. “On my way back, I saw a young girl sitting outside the neighborhood entrance. It’s so hot today, I thought it was strange she was out there by herself. So I asked her a few questions.”

Aunt Pei paused, clearly unsettled. “The moment she spoke, she asked if I knew Cheng Wan. That caught me off guard. She looked about fifteen or sixteen, had a sharp tone, and something just felt off. I didn’t say anything and came straight home.”

“A teenager?” Bai Juntang frowned. “How old, exactly?”

“Fifteen or sixteen, I think,” Aunt Pei replied. “Looked like a high school student, or maybe even middle school.”

“I see.”

Bai Juntang instantly had a guess. She remembered that Cheng Wan had a younger sister who was in high school. Now that Cheng Jiajian and Xu He had fled, they likely hadn’t taken their precious daughter with them.

She had seen Cheng Qiaoqing once before. She didn’t remember much, except that the girl had disrupted a banquet. It left a bad impression and only deepened her dislike for the Cheng family.

“From now on, just order groceries online,” Bai Juntang said. “It’s too hot to be out like this. The market is just around the corner, deliveries will be quick.”

But Aunt Pei didn’t agree. As she put the vegetables in the fridge, she said, “No one picks out produce like I do. Wanwan is still recovering, and she needs fresh, nutritious food. Besides, like you said, it’s just a few steps away. A short walk won’t kill me.”

Listening to her chatter, Bai Juntang didn’t argue. Still, the mention of Cheng Qiaoqing hanging around the gate made her uneasy.

Normally, she wouldn’t worry about a teenage girl. But knowing the girl was part of the Cheng family made her take it seriously.

She had already been burned enough by the Chengs. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down.

Bai Juntang decided to go see for herself.

Using a casual excuse, she stepped out. The moment she left the house, she was hit by the sweltering heat. Under the blazing sun, even stepping outside felt like a challenge.

She made her way to the entrance Aunt Pei usually used, greeted the security guard, and didn’t see the girl. So she asked casually.

“Oh, the young girl?” the guard replied, pointing across the street. “She tried to get in this morning and made a fuss for a while. I guess the heat got to her, so she went into the dessert shop over there to cool off. You’ll probably find her inside.”

Bai Juntang thanked him, crossed the street, and pushed open the glass door of the dessert shop.

The moment she stepped in, she felt the cool air wrap around her. The difference from the blazing heat outside was so stark that she felt her whole body relax.

She scanned the room quickly and spotted a girl sitting in the corner with only a glass of lemon water in front of her.

It was Cheng Qiaoqing.

Without hesitation, Bai Juntang walked toward her.

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