How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? - Chapter 61

Cheng Qiaoqing hadn’t been to school for over a week. Once a pampered daughter of a wealthy family, she had suddenly found herself penniless after her family went bankrupt. A few days ago, court officials came and sealed off their home. Since then, she had been completely without a place to stay.

The relatives she used to look down on didn’t offer help either. One after another, they treated her like the plague, pushing her away. With the Cheng family’s downfall, their extended family had also suffered financial losses. Some even went bankrupt themselves. No one had the time or resources to deal with her.

Cheng Qiaoqing had lived a life of privilege. She had never needed to worry about money. In her world, money was just a number. If it could solve a problem, it wasn’t really a problem at all. But now, the one thing she lacked most was money.

Her father’s bank card had been frozen. She only had a few hundred yuan left, which she had found hidden inside an old book on the shelf at home.

Although the villa was sealed, it wasn’t impossible to sneak in. However, there was no water or electricity. Cheng Qiaoqing, still a teenager and not skilled in anything practical, had no idea how to manage. The only person she could think of was Cheng Wan.

Her parents had never told her much, but she had overheard enough. She knew they had invested in one of Bai Juntang’s projects, which ended in disaster. Her own family went bankrupt, while Bai Juntang remained untouched. To her, it was obvious that Cheng Wan and Bai Juntang had orchestrated everything.

So she had come to confront them.

She didn’t even know where Bai Juntang lived. She had only found out through one of her father’s former drivers. Acting on impulse, she came straight over but was stopped at the entrance to the neighborhood, which infuriated her.

The cheapest drink at the dessert shop was a lemon water, and even that was more than she could afford. But if she didn’t order anything, she couldn’t sit and enjoy the air conditioning. Eventually, unable to resist, she bought the lemon water and sat down inside, sipping it slowly.

Bai Juntang walked in and spotted her right away, sitting in the corner with a straw in her mouth, playing with her phone. She stepped forward without hesitation.

Cheng Qiaoqing was scrolling through her phone when she noticed someone sit across from her. Looking up, she was surprised to see Bai Juntang in simple, casual clothes. A plain T-shirt and trousers, but Cheng Qiaoqing immediately recognized the high-end designer pieces from a magazine she’d seen before. She knew the outfit easily cost tens of thousands.

“Sister Bai…?” she said cautiously. Her voice was soft, unsure.

Bai Juntang gave a cold smile at the word “sister.” When the server came over, she ordered a coffee and sent them away.

Although Cheng Qiaoqing disliked Cheng Wan, she didn’t dislike Bai Juntang. In fact, she admired her in a way. Like her father, she had a sharp sense for wealth and status. She could spot expensive clothes and luxury cars instantly.

“Sister Bai, I’m so glad to finally see you,” Cheng Qiaoqing said with a deliberately sweet smile. “Could you help me? My family’s in trouble, and you’re the only one I can turn to.”

Bai Juntang rested her hands in her lap, looking calmly at the young girl across from her. “What exactly do you want me to help you with?”

“My family went bankrupt. My parents ran off to avoid their debts, and the house was seized by the court. I have nowhere to go,” Cheng Qiaoqing said, then leaned in slightly. “Could you give me some money? Just enough to rent a place to live. Maybe a bit more, so I can send some to my parents too. I’m sure they’re struggling.”

Watching the girl ask for money so bluntly, Bai Juntang couldn’t help but find it absurd. Teenagers really were simple. When they needed money, they just asked. No filter, no shame.

And clearly, she still had no idea who was actually responsible for her family’s collapse.

Bai Juntang wasn’t feeling particularly charitable. She had no reason to support the Cheng family’s child. Calmly, she asked, “Why didn’t your parents take you with them?”

Cheng Qiaoqing hesitated, then said, “I can’t live like that, constantly on the run. Besides, I’m underage. People collecting debts can’t do anything to me.”

The moment she said it, something clicked for Bai Juntang. The line sounded familiar.

She remembered hearing the same thing once before. Back when she had visited the Cheng home, a boy had tried to charge at Cheng Wan. He had said the same thing. That he was just a kid, and no one could touch him.

Was that boy acting on Cheng Qiaoqing’s orders?

That thought unsettled her.

She sat up straighter and looked directly at the girl. “Being underage won’t protect you forever. When you grow up, trouble will catch up to you.”

Cheng Qiaoqing didn’t seem fazed. “Sister Bai, I’m an Alpha. I’ll definitely be successful in the future. This is just a temporary hardship. If you lend me the money, I swear I’ll pay you back.”

“And what exactly will you use to pay me?” Bai Juntang said, half amused. “All your family’s accounts are frozen. The moment any money hits them, it’ll be seized.”

“Then… you could give me cash,” Cheng Qiaoqing said eagerly. “I’m using cash now anyway. When my parents come back, I’ll ask them to repay you. I’m their only daughter. They won’t abandon me.”

Bai Juntang gave her a faint smile, but her eyes stayed cold. “Is that so? Then what was Cheng Wan to them?”

“She was adopted,” Cheng Qiaoqing answered without hesitation. “She was never really one of us. My mom told me herself. They couldn’t cancel the adoption, so they were forced to take her in. What good is an Omega anyway, other than having babies? She was never supposed to be part of the family.”

Bai Juntang didn’t reply. She just stared at the fifteen-year-old sitting across from her.

Cheng Qiaoqing continued, thinking she was making a good impression. “You’re an Alpha too, Sister Bai. I’m sure you understand. If it weren’t for the legal papers, Cheng Wan would’ve just been a maid in our home. I used to bully her a lot when we were little.”

She let out a laugh, proud of herself. “I’d hide her homework, soak her clothes and toss them in the yard. Watching her stay quiet, not daring to complain, it was so fun.”

Bai Juntang’s expression darkened. The image of Cheng Wan’s soaked clothes and missing homework hit her hard. She could imagine the girl, unable to go to school, silently enduring it all.

What kind of household was the Cheng family, to raise a child this cruel?

“Besides those things,” Bai Juntang asked, masking her anger behind a calm tone as she took a sip of iced coffee, “what else did your family do to Cheng Wan? Were your parents kind to her?”

“My parents didn’t treat her well either,” Cheng Qiaoqing said without hesitation. “They originally planned to cut ties with her when she turned eighteen and just let her fend for herself. But since she’s an Omega, my mom said the legal process would be troublesome. So they figured they’d keep her around as a tool for a marriage alliance. Maybe someday gift her to someone, something like that.”

As she spoke, she suddenly realized how harsh that sounded. She quickly added with a forced smile, “Please don’t be mad, Sister. I mean, Cheng Wan might not be very useful, but at least she can still have children, right?”

Bai Juntang actually let out a cold laugh, so stunned she didn’t know whether to be angry or amused. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at the girl in front of her. “You haven’t differentiated yet, have you?”

Cheng Qiaoqing nodded. “No, but I already know I’m an Alpha.”

Bai Juntang stood, towering over her. “Then let me congratulate you in advance. But I’ll also give you a reminder—being underage doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.”

Cheng Qiaoqing didn’t quite understand her meaning, but when she saw Bai Juntang turn to leave, she quickly stood up to follow.

“Sister, wait—wait! You still haven’t said if you’ll lend me money.”

Bai Juntang stopped, turned slightly, and glanced at her. After a pause, she asked, “That housekeeper you yelled at for bringing you hot water… is she still working at your house?”

“Huh?” Cheng Qiaoqing was confused by the question but still answered politely. “She’s long gone. I kicked her out.”

Bai Juntang nodded, then turned and left the dessert shop without another word. Cheng Qiaoqing wanted to follow her, but the staff stopped her—she hadn’t paid her bill.

By the time she rushed outside, Bai Juntang was already nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, on her way home, Bai Juntang casually pulled out her phone and called Li Chen.

“I’ve got a recording I’m sending you. Make sure to receive it,” she said, one hand in her pocket. “Also, help me find that housekeeper who used to work for the Cheng family. She was there for years. I’m sure she has a lot of useful information.”

Li Chen nodded on the other end. “President Bai, where did you even get the recording?”

“Some fool walked right into it,” she replied flatly. After a pause, she added, “I should still have those photos of Cheng Jiajian hitting Cheng Wan, plus the records from when they bought medicine. I’ll send those too.”

Then her voice turned sharp. “Get me a good lawyer. I don’t just want the Cheng family bankrupt. I want everyone who ever hurt Cheng Wan to pay for it.”

Just thinking about the way Cheng Qiaoqing had laughed, bragging about how she used to bully Cheng Wan like it was a joke, made Bai Juntang’s blood boil.

Underage?

She didn’t even let adults off easy. A teenager like that was hardly going to get her mercy.

When the doctor unwrapped the cuff from Cheng Wan’s arm, he packed up his things and said, “You’ve recovered well. You can start getting out of bed and walking around a little, but don’t overdo it.”

Cheng Wan gently rubbed her arm, then looked up and asked, “Can I go back to work?”

The doctor looked slightly surprised. He hadn’t expected an Omega, seven months pregnant, to still be working. “You’re still working?” he asked.

Cheng Wan nodded. “It’s not hard work. I just sit in an office most of the time. Sometimes I have to deliver documents, but recently I haven’t had to go out at all.”

“I see.” The doctor finished packing his bag. “Still, I wouldn’t recommend it. Even if you don’t need full bed rest anymore, it’s better not to return to work. Your recovery is still fragile.”

Cheng Wan looked a bit disappointed. “So I really can’t work anymore?”

Maybe it was the way she looked at him—soft, a little pleading—but the doctor sighed and said, “Technically, someone in your condition is already eligible for maternity leave. Most Omegas get at least six months, often a year or more. You can apply for it now.”

In truth, this regulation was a double-edged sword. Pregnant Omegas often faced long and difficult pregnancies, and while long-term maternity leave was available, it came with stigma. Many companies avoided hiring Omegas entirely because of these issues.

Still, seeing this young Omega so determined to keep working, the doctor didn’t want to discourage her too harshly.

“You should talk to your company’s HR department as soon as possible,” he said gently. “Your third trimester is coming, and there’s a lot more to come. At the very least, plan to take a full year off.”

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