How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? - Chapter 72

Ever since she had experienced her heat, Bai Juntang became more protective of Cheng Wan. She wanted to keep her close, always within sight. She couldn’t help it. The fear of something happening again lingered.

Lately, sharing a bed had made things more intimate between them. Cheng Wan no longer felt as awkward around Bai Juntang as she used to. Before, she would freeze up when they were alone. Now, the more time they spent together, the more attached she became.

It was early morning, around five or six, when Cheng Wan was kicked awake by the baby.

She frowned slightly, feeling the warmth behind her. Bai Juntang was holding her, arms wrapped gently around her waist.

Her belly was restless again. Sui Sui had started its usual morning routine, kicking and stretching. There was no way she could go back to sleep.

For more than half a month now, her belly had grown bigger by the day, and the baby’s movements had gotten stronger. Sometimes, a sudden kick in the middle of the night would wake her up, and just as she fully opened her eyes, the baby would go quiet again, leaving her lying there, wide awake and uncomfortable.

She gently moved Bai Juntang’s arm away and sat up in bed.

The mattress was soft, but her body still ached. Her back and waist were sore, and she had broken out in a light sweat. Her hands and feet felt swollen and weak, with no energy in them at all.

Her quiet groan must have woken Bai Juntang, who opened her eyes and looked over.

“Your back hurts?” she asked softly.

Cheng Wan nodded.

Without another word, Bai Juntang reached over and began gently massaging her lower back. Her hands were warm and careful, easing the tension little by little.

She sat up behind Cheng Wan and continued rubbing, eyes falling on her belly as it moved with the baby’s kicks. Her brows knit together unconsciously.

Even though this wasn’t the first time she had seen Cheng Wan woken up like this, Bai Juntang still couldn’t get used to it.

She had always thought pregnancy just meant carrying extra weight, like wearing a heavy backpack on the front. But seeing the baby move beneath Cheng Wan’s skin, feeling its strength from the outside, made her nervous.

Bai Juntang continued massaging for a while, then gently placed her hand on Cheng Wan’s belly. She wasn’t sure if it was the baby’s foot, hand, or head pushing up under her palm, but she sighed.

“It’s so active. I bet it’s going to be a handful after it’s born.”

Cheng Wan didn’t have an answer. She had never done this before either.

After rubbing her waist and legs for a bit longer, Bai Juntang finally stopped when Cheng Wan looked a little more comfortable. Then she helped her into the bathroom.

Staying home like this every day, Bai Juntang actually felt more exhausted than when she was working.

At the company, even though she often worked overtime, attended meetings, and went on business trips, she still had short breaks in between. But now, she was constantly on the move, always watching over Cheng Wan. And Cheng Wan, with her big belly, was going through even more.

That morning, Aunt Pei had gotten up early to make soup for Cheng Wan. When she heard the door open, she turned around and said, “Breakfast will be ready soon. Sit down and rest for now.”

Cheng Wan looked at the breakfast on the table but didn’t feel like eating. Nothing appealed to her. She frowned slightly.

Bai Juntang noticed right away. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just don’t feel like eating,” Cheng Wan replied quietly.

Hearing that, Aunt Pei walked out of the kitchen, still holding her ladle. “No appetite? Was it too bland?”

“No, it’s not that,” Cheng Wan explained, a little embarrassed. “I just feel uncomfortable. I think I’ll lie down on the sofa for a bit.”

Bai Juntang didn’t try to convince her to eat. She helped her to the sofa, covered her with a blanket, and crouched beside her.

“If you’re really not feeling well, let’s go to the hospital.”

Cheng Wan shook her head and took her hand gently. “It’s not that serious. I just need a bit of rest.”

Bai Juntang nodded. She knew how hard it had been for Cheng Wan lately. Since they were staying home anyway, it didn’t matter when she ate, as long as she was comfortable.

While Bai Juntang and Aunt Pei went to eat, Cheng Wan curled up on the sofa and reached for Guazi, the family cat. She buried her face in its soft, fluffy fur, breathing in the light scent of pet shampoo. Somehow, that made her feel a little better.

Guazi seemed to know she was pregnant and had been especially gentle with her. Cheng Wan could hug it however she wanted, and it would stay still.

After about five or six minutes, she started feeling a little less nauseous, but her appetite hadn’t returned.

Just as she was about to sit up and try eating something, her phone rang.

She reached for it. Since taking maternity leave, hardly anyone had called her. Even Changle hadn’t talked to her much lately. Who could it be?

The number on the screen was unfamiliar. It wasn’t in her contacts. She didn’t recognize it and wasn’t sure whether she should answer.

Noticing her hesitation, Bai Juntang glanced over from the dining table.

Cheng Wan hesitated, then answered the call.

“Hello?” she said, still lying on the sofa. If it was a sales call, she’d hang up immediately. She wasn’t good at handling people and was always afraid she’d accidentally agree to something.

But then a voice came through that made her entire body freeze.

“Cheng Wan.”

The voice was low and hoarse, but unmistakably familiar.

On the other end of the call, Cheng Jiajian sat in a run-down rental room, surrounded by cigarette smoke. He held the phone in one hand, a cigarette in the other.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked.

Of course she did.

Even though he tried to speak in a lower voice, even though he sounded tired, she recognized him instantly.

It was her adoptive father.

Cheng Wan sat upright. Her hands trembled as she held the phone, her breathing shallow. It took her a moment to steady herself.

“…Dad,” she finally whispered.

“Not bad. At least you still remember I’m your father.”

The cigarette between Cheng Jiajian’s fingers burned slowly, flickering in the dim light of the shabby room. He asked her, “Is Bai Juntang with you right now?”

Cheng Wan glanced toward the dining area and saw that Bai Juntang was no longer looking her way. She was deep in conversation with Aunt Pei, fully focused.

The living room and dining area were far apart, and Cheng Wan’s voice was low, so Bai Juntang hadn’t noticed she was on a call.

“No,” Cheng Wan replied, her scalp tingling with unease. She didn’t understand why Cheng Jiajian was calling her now. Last time, Xu He’s call had sent her into a heat episode. She had no idea what Cheng Jiajian was planning now.

But she was sure of one thing—it couldn’t be good.

As expected, when he heard that Bai Juntang wasn’t beside her, Cheng Jiajian gave a cold chuckle.

“I took you out of the orphanage, raised you for over ten years. Funny how I never realized you had such a calculating mind. You even teamed up with Bai Juntang to ruin me.”

Cheng Wan opened her mouth to speak, but Cheng Jiajian cut her off.

“I know you want to cut ties with us,” he said in a low voice, “but without mine and your mother’s signatures, that document means nothing. You’ll always be part of the Cheng family. That twenty-billion debt I’m carrying? You share that burden too.”

Cheng Wan felt cold all over. She didn’t know what to say.

“You remember what Bai Juntang promised, don’t you?” Cheng Jiajian continued. “As long as you give birth to the child, she’d give the Cheng family one hundred million. If I’m right, your due date is only two months away.”

“What do you want?” Cheng Wan felt her head buzz. She couldn’t believe he was dragging her unborn child into this.

Her voice must have risen, because Bai Juntang looked over from the dining table. From that distance, she could only see that Cheng Wan was on the phone, not her expression.

Still, something about it didn’t feel right. Bai Juntang frowned slightly.

Clutching her belly, Cheng Wan said, “Don’t you dare think about the baby—”

“That child is my grandchild. Why would I harm it?” Cheng Jiajian replied with a fake laugh. “I’m just reminding you. As long as I don’t sign that paper, you’re still my daughter. You want to break ties with us? Fine. Have the baby, collect the money from Bai Juntang, and hand it over. Then your mother and I will sign. We’ll take the money and leave the country. Everyone walks away happy.”

He paused, then added, “This is your duty. You understand?”

Cheng Wan held the phone tightly. She didn’t understand how he could speak so calmly about something so cruel.

Wasn’t the Cheng family already bankrupt?

Hadn’t she already signed the severance agreement?

How had Cheng Jiajian managed to contact her again? And now he was using her baby to get money out of Bai Juntang and escape the country?

The panic started to rise in her chest. The peaceful morning she had woken up to now felt like it was crumbling away into chaos.

Bai Juntang noticed her distress and stood up. She walked over and took the phone from Cheng Wan’s hand. But before she could speak, the caller had already hung up.

“Who was it?” she asked. The scent of Cheng Wan’s pheromones hit her immediately—anxious, disturbed. It was a scent Bai Juntang hadn’t smelled in a long time. She sat beside her and gently reached out. “What happened? Who called you?”

Cheng Wan lowered her eyes and whispered, “It was… my dad.”

“Cheng Jiajian?” Bai Juntang’s pupils narrowed. “What did he say?”

Cheng Wan didn’t answer right away. She reached out, wrapping her arms around Bai Juntang and resting her head on her chest, eyes closed.

“He reminded me,” she whispered, “that you once said if I gave birth to the baby, you’d give the Cheng family one hundred million. He told me to hand it over so they could leave the country.”

Bai Juntang let out a cold laugh. She held Cheng Wan tighter and said calmly, “Don’t worry. I said the money was for you—not for the baby, and definitely not for the Cheng family. If they want to leave the country with that money, they’ll find they can’t even get to the airport.”

Cheng Wan didn’t reply. Her silence worried Bai Juntang, who gently stroked her face and released her calming pheromones.

“Did he say anything else?” she asked softly.

Cheng Wan stayed quiet for a long time, then asked, “That severance agreement… is it really only valid if they sign it too?”

She paused, then added in a trembling voice, “If I don’t give them the money, will they just keep coming after me?”

The thought of never being free of Cheng Jiajian’s threats, of always being under his control, made Cheng Wan feel dizzy.

Bai Juntang hadn’t expected Cheng Jiajian to even know about the agreement. He shouldn’t have received any legal notifications, not in his current situation. That meant someone on the outside must have been feeding him information.

The idea that Cheng Jiajian still had someone helping him made her laugh bitterly.

She looked at the call log on Cheng Wan’s phone. It was time to investigate who was behind all of this.

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