I Heard I’m a Scummy Alpha? [Transmigration] - Chapter 26.1

“Secretly taking pheromone suppressants, disguising himself as a Beta while sticking close to an Omega—if I report him, will there be any punishment?” Qi Yunwei asked hopefully.

She hadn’t had time to research the laws here yet, but if she could use this chance to send Qin Lifeng to prison, that would be ideal.

Yan Zui’s expression remained cool. “It’s one of the privileges Alphas enjoy. Everything Qin Lifeng has done was for the purpose of pursuing me, and the law grants special leniency when it comes to pursuing an Omega. So—he’s not guilty.”

Qi Yunwei frowned in confusion. “But what if, in the process of pursuing you, he hurts you? For example, if he forces a mark?”

A flicker of memory passed over Yan Zui’s face, her gaze turning colder. “Didn’t you do the very same thing? Drugging me, forcing a mark, marrying me—making yourself my so-called legitimate Alpha. If you hadn’t struck first, the one sitting across from me at lunch right now might very well have been Qin Lifeng.”

Qi Yunwei’s chest tightened. Was there truly not a single good person in Yan Zui’s life? It was as if fate had conspired to throw every scumbag into her path.

Yan Zui had spoken to wound her, and instantly regretted it. Normally she wasn’t this easily shaken.

She waited for Qi Yunwei to flare up, to get angry, maybe even lash out. But instead, Qi Yunwei merely lowered her eyes slightly, glancing at her with what seemed like quiet heartache.

Yan Zui’s brows furrowed. That strange, unsettling feeling returned.

The Qi Yunwei who had drugged her had been vicious, almost feral. The Qi Yunwei before her now was bright, gentle. If not for the certainty that there was only one Qi Yunwei in this world, she might have believed they were two different people.

She picked up a piece of cherry sweet-and-sour pork, biting into the tangy sweetness laced with the faint fragrance of cherries. The flavor spread through her mouth, and her mood lightened ever so slightly.

At two o’clock sharp, Qi Yunwei left. Only after her departure did Qin Lifeng return to the CEO’s office.

“Lifeng, I need a word with you.” Yan Zui’s expression was calm as she gestured for him to approach.

In this world, Alphas held a natural advantage—laws written by Alphas, a society tilted in their favor.

Now that Yan Zui knew Qin Lifeng’s true gender, she would never keep him at her side. But Qin Lifeng wasn’t just any Alpha—he came from a family with underworld ties. Getting him to resign would require careful thought.

Qin Lifeng stepped forward, his rugged features taut, his dark eyes locked onto her.

Yan Zui’s ocean-blue eyes met his, cold and steady. The moment their gazes clashed, Qin Lifeng’s breath hitched. His fists tightened, but he was the first to look away.

“President Yan, I have something to tell you as well,” he said in a low voice.

She studied him, unsure of his intent. “Go ahead.”

Qin Lifeng hesitated, then said, “President Yan, I’ve decided to resign.”

The decision had not come easily. Every day by her side, watching her and Qi Yunwei together, jealousy corroded him like venom through his veins. He wanted to act, to claim her—but as nothing more than a bodyguard, he had no right, no power. In her eyes, that was all he would ever be.

Qi Yunwei’s words had echoed in his mind these past days: without equal standing, Yan Zui would never truly see him. Even if she did, his falsified identity and concealed gender left no room for anything more.

He’d had enough of this torturous nearness—close enough to see, but never to touch. He wanted his identity back, to stand as her equal. When that time came, with Qi Yunwei—useless as she was—as contrast, his image in Yan Zui’s eyes would surely shine brighter.

Resolve lit his gaze, burning like a flame. He repeated more firmly, “President Yan, my family is facing some issues. I have no choice but to resign.”

Yan Zui hadn’t expected him to bring up resignation as well.

That he was the one to ask to leave was convenient—no need to offend him. Though she couldn’t be sure what strings he might pull once gone, for now, it was the best outcome. Removing Qin Lifeng from her side was like removing a ticking bomb.

After a moment of silence, she said, “Since you have no choice but to leave, I won’t keep you. Have Secretary Shen handle your resignation paperwork.”

“President Yan, your safety is no small matter. I can recommend some colleagues from my company. They may not be as skilled as I am, but they’re still among the best in the country. They’ll keep you safe.”

In truth, Qin Lifeng only wanted someone in place to keep watch on her after he left.

“Thank you. I’ll consider it,” Yan Zui replied—neither accepting nor refusing.

His brows drew together. Having followed her for over a year, he knew she meant what she said. If she promised to consider, she would genuinely think it through. But that also meant there was a chance she’d reject his recommended candidates. For a moment, he even felt a surge of regret about resigning.

Noticing his hesitation, Yan Zui added coolly, “I plan to invite three security firms to compete for the position. Three days from now, at Pushan Pavilion, we’ll hold tests. Only the best will be hired. If you wish, the people you recommend can also participate.”

At that, Qin Lifeng relaxed.

His company’s men were not only veterans of the streets but also former soldiers, trained and disciplined. Other firms’ bodyguards wouldn’t stand a chance.

“President Yan, I’ll take my leave.” He cast her one last deep look before turning away.

The door clicked shut. Alone at last, Yan Zui finally exhaled, a soft sigh of relief.

Learning that Qin Lifeng was an Alpha had nearly thrown her into a passive corner.

She dialed her secretary’s line, instructing Shen to process Qin Lifeng’s resignation. After a few words, she hung up and then placed another call—this time to Huang Momo.

“Zuizui! You always message me on WeChat. What’s with the sudden call? Did that Qi Yunwei bully you?” Huang Momo’s lively voice crackled through the speaker, easing Yan Zui’s tension a fraction.

“No. It’s unrelated to her. I actually need to trouble your brother.”

“My brother? He’s stuck interning at my dad’s company these days, miserable as anything. What could he possibly do for you?”

Her brother, Huang Wang, had retired from the special forces the year before and was now learning business management in preparation to inherit the family enterprise.

Yan Zui explained the situation. “Qin Lifeng’s firm has very capable bodyguards. I’m worried he’ll use this chance to plant eyes around me. I’d like your brother to see if he knows any reliable Beta friends who could work as my bodyguard.”

“What the hell! Qin Lifeng is disgusting. An Alpha pretending to be a Beta for over a year just to lurk by your side—how is that any different from some creepy stalker? Don’t worry, Zuizui. My brother’s friends are all top-class elites. He’ll definitely find you someone good. If Qin Lifeng thinks he can sneak his people in, he’s dreaming!” Huang Momo fumed.

That evening, when Yan Zui returned home from work, she sought out Qi Yunwei. She knew she’d be in the study, tinkering with her little inventions. After a brief word with the butler, she headed straight there.

The butler watched her back as she left, nodding in satisfaction. The two of them really were inseparable. Miss Yan could hardly wait a single moment after work before running to find Miss Yunwei.

At the study door, Yan Zui knocked. No reply. Her brows drew together slightly as she pushed the door open.

Inside, Qi Yunwei sat absorbed before the computer, her hands flying across the keyboard with startling speed.

Yan Zui froze for a moment, then quietly closed the door behind her, deliberately softening her steps as she approached.

Lines of code streamed rapidly across the monitor with every strike of Qi Yunwei’s fingers.

Yan Zui’s eyes narrowed. She’d investigated Qi Yunwei thoroughly—her whole life, the girl had been useless, with no talent for anything, much less computers. So what was this?

Was she putting on an act?

Or had she suddenly awakened some hidden skill?

Yan Zui stood behind her for a full ten minutes. Qi Yunwei remained wholly focused, her typing never slowing, as if the code was etched directly into her mind.

Yan Zui was certain: not even the Yan Corporation’s programmers could match Qi Yunwei’s speed.

The only question was—what about the quality of the code?

“Done.” Qi Yunwei tapped the final symbol, her body relaxing as she leaned back against the chair. Tilting her head up, she suddenly met Yan Zui’s gaze. Startled, she shot to her feet.

“Yan Zui, when did you get here? Why didn’t you call me?”

A faint glimmer flickered in Yan Zui’s dark, ocean-blue eyes. “What you were doing was important. I wasn’t in a rush.”

If she had spoken up, she wouldn’t have been able to watch such a fascinating scene.

Qi Yunwei’s incompetence—was it genuine, or just an act?

【Xiaoman, next time, remind me when she comes in.】

Xiaoman: 【Master has set Xiaoman never to disturb you while you’re working, no matter what happens.】

【This task is simple. I’m not worried about interruptions. Adjust the setting—Yan Zui is an exception. Next time she comes, remind me immediately.】

【No problem, Master, Xiaoman understands. Yan Zui is special.】

Hearing that, and then looking up at Yan Zui’s strikingly beautiful face right in front of her, Qi Yunwei felt her ears grow warm.

“Is the matter with Qin Lifeng settled?” Qi Yunwei asked first.

“That’s exactly what I came to talk to you about.” Yan Zui replied.

The two of them moved to the sofa to continue.

“After you left this afternoon, I was planning to find an excuse to adjust Qin Lifeng’s work duties. Slowly, I’d cut off his contact with me and then find a way to dismiss him. But before I even put the plan into motion, Qin Lifeng suddenly offered to resign.”

“He offered to resign?” Given his obsessive love for Yan Zui, it was hard to believe he’d leave willingly.

Yan Zui nodded. “Yes, but he also wanted to recommend my next bodyguard. I didn’t agree, just said I’d think about it. His face immediately darkened, as if he regretted resigning. To calm him, I said in a few days I’d let three security companies compete in a bidding process and choose the best candidate. Only then did he ease up.”

Qi Yunwei remembered Xiaoman’s earlier briefing—Qin Lifeng wasn’t just personally strong, his company’s bodyguards were among the best in the country.

“Will a few days be enough to find a skilled Beta bodyguard?” she asked, worry in her tone.

“I’ve already asked a friend to help,” Yan Zui replied. “Her older brother is a retired special forces soldier with plenty of professional connections. We’ll definitely find someone.”

【Master, that friend is probably Huang Momo. Her brother, Huang Wang, was a ‘special forces all-rounder.’ The soldiers under him were all top-notch before he retired.】

Qi Yunwei relaxed. “Then that’s good.”

“On the day of the bidding, Qin Lifeng will definitely be there. Come with me to Pushan Pavillion.”

“No problem,” Qi Yunwei agreed without hesitation.

Huang Momo worked quickly—before bed that night, she sent Yan Zui a WeChat message.

Qi Yunwei had already lain down. When Yan Zui said Huang Momo replied, she sat up and leaned closer to read the message with her.

They both used the same body wash. The faint scent lingering on Yan Zui made Qi Yunwei glance at her sideways. Stunned for a moment by the beauty at such close range, her heartbeat thundered as she quickly shifted her gaze to the phone screen.

Huang Momo: Zuizui, my brother narrowed it down to three candidates. Here’s their basic info. I’ll have them all compete at the bidding. They’ll definitely beat Qin Lifeng.

Yan Zui: Thanks. I’ll treat you to dinner sometime.

Huang Momo: Dinner’s no problem. Bring your Alpha too. You two haven’t even had a wedding. I want to see what kind of person Qi Yunwei really is.

Yan Zui didn’t agree on Qi Yunwei’s behalf. She wasn’t sure if Qi Yunwei would want to meet her friends.

Their relationship right now was more like patron (her) and a soft-rice Alpha. It was about money, not feelings. Qi Yunwei only needed to please her, not her friends.

“Do you want to go?” Yan Zui turned her head—only then realizing just how close they were sitting. Instinctively, she shifted away.