I Heard I’m a Scummy Alpha? [Transmigration] - Chapter 26.2

Qi Yunwei didn’t mind her guardedness. She simply moved to the other side of the bed and lay down. “If you don’t mind, I don’t either. Just tell me the time a day in advance.”

“Alright.”

Yan Zui replied to Huang Momo: Okay, see you then.

She put down her phone and lay back.

The space between them was empty. They had tried putting pillows or blankets there, but Yan Zui always ended up tossing them off in her sleep. She’d already given up.

She always rolled into Qi Yunwei’s arms anyway—barrier or not.

Qi Yunwei spent her money, marked her once a month, and offered an arm to sleep in. It wasn’t a bad deal.

Closing her eyes, Yan Zui was about to drift off when something struck her.

She hadn’t actually given Qi Yunwei any money yet. And Qi Yunwei had never once asked.

“Qi Yunwei.” Yan Zui called softly.

Her breathing was steady, as if she’d already fallen asleep.

“So fast asleep?” Yan Zui shifted closer and reached out to touch her arm, raising her voice slightly. “Qi Yunwei.”

Still no response. She was completely out.

Yan Zui hated leaving things unsettled until morning—it would only keep her awake. She edged another five centimeters closer, propped herself up with one hand, and with the other, shook Qi Yunwei’s arm.

Just as she thought there was no way she’d stay unresponsive, Qi Yunwei suddenly caught her wrist. With a slight pull, Yan Zui lost balance and fell straight into her arms.

It was as if Qi Yunwei had been waiting in her sleep. She turned onto her side, an arm sliding naturally around Yan Zui.

For the first time, Yan Zui found herself drifting off while resting in a familiar embrace. For a long moment, she couldn’t quite collect herself.

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a faint glow over Qi Yunwei’s face. Yan Zui suspected she might be faking sleep. Tilting her head, she studied her expression—nothing gave her away.

“Qi Yunwei, you’re not pretending, are you?” Yan Zui asked suddenly.

Qi Yunwei didn’t even flutter an eyelash.

Uncomfortable in her hold, Yan Zui tried prying her arm free to retreat to her own side.

Even if it meant a sleepless night, she didn’t want to lie awake in Qi Yunwei’s arms.

She managed to create a little distance, but the next moment Qi Yunwei pulled her right back in.

Not only that—her hand rested gently on Yan Zui’s back, patting softly, as if soothing her to sleep.

Yan Zui: “…”

The touch sent tingles down her spine. Her taut nerves slowly unraveled with each rhythmic pat. Drowsiness welled up at once. Her lashes trembled, then lowered, until her eyes finally closed in surrender.

The quivering stopped, leaving only quiet peace.

Qi Yunwei slept through it all, completely unaware.

When she came to in the morning she habitually waited for Yan Zui to wake and settle back beside her before pretending to be just waking up.

Xiaoman piped up suddenly: “Master, you were so brave last night.”

Qi Yunwei blinked in confusion. [Why are you praising me all of a sudden? Did I do something last night? I don’t think so, right?]

Xiaoman: [Last night Yan Zui seemed to remember something she wanted to tell you before falling asleep, but then you fell asleep. Yan Zui tried to wake you — when she took hold of your arm, you pulled her into your arms.]

“…” Qi Yunwei opened her eyes and glanced quickly at Yan Zui in her arms.

Xiaoman: [Not only that]

Qi Yunwei, shocked: [There’s more?]

Xiaoman in a high, cuddly voice: [Yes! Yan Zui tried to get out of your arms, but you held her tightly and gently patted her back until she fell asleep.]

Qi Yunwei felt doomed. [What else did I do to Yan Zui?]

Xiaoman: [Then Yan Zui fell asleep being soothed by you. I watched the whole time. She slept very well in your arms. Don’t worry — when she wakes, act like you didn’t know, she won’t be mad.]

[Will Yan Zui wake up and drag me to the civil affairs office to get a divorce?]

[Impossible. You’ve already marked Yan Zui; the civil affairs office won’t allow a divorce.]

Qi Yunwei didn’t find that comforting at all.

She felt the beautiful woman in her arms getting a little hot to the touch, but she had to pretend to be asleep and couldn’t move. Her heart hammered so hard she thought it might burst while she waited for Yan Zui to wake up and confront her.

She didn’t know how long she’d waited before she finally couldn’t stand it anymore. She wanted to move so badly. [Xiaoman, is Yan Zui awake yet?]

[No signs of waking yet.]

Qi Yunwei decided the worst that could happen was Yan Zui discovering she’d known they’d slept in each other’s arms all night. Falling asleep was one thing — staying perfectly still while fully awake would be unbearable.

“Master!”

Qi Yunwei slowly opened her eyes. The sharp morning light stung; she blinked and adjusted, and then realized Yan Zui was looking at her from inside her arms.

Their eyes met, and for a moment Qi Yunwei felt as if her heart had gone numb.

“Master, sorry — you and Yan Zui opened your eyes at the same time. I didn’t have time to warn you.” Xiaoman complained.

[It’s okay. Not your fault.] It was her own fault; how could she have been so bold while half-asleep?

“Good morning,” Qi Yunwei said, startled, her greeting dry and awkward. Her arm was frozen around Yan Zui’s slim waist; she forgot to pull it back.

Yan Zui blinked slowly; the moisture at the corners of her deep, dark-blue eyes clung to her lashes, as if she’d only half-woken.

They stared at each other for four or five seconds, maybe longer. Qi Yunwei felt herself drawn entirely into those impossibly lovely deep-blue eyes; time slipped away.

Yan Zui was fully awake at last. Her long black lashes fluttered, covering her eyes for an instant before revealing them again — like a gem that, once polished, finally caught the light. “Qi Yunwei, what do you like to hold when you sleep?”

“No!” Qi Yunwei denied immediately, then hesitated. “I, I don’t think so.”

“I always used to sleep alone. There was nothing else on the bed. My waking position was basically the same as before I fell asleep. I don’t think I have a habit of hugging anything while I sleep.”

“But last night you were the one who hugged me.” Yan Zui’s voice was soft with the haze of waking; the accusation sounded more like a tease.

No one could resist Yan Zui’s petulant sweetness, and Qi Yunwei was no exception.

She felt guilty and confessed: “I’m sorry. I was half-asleep — it wasn’t on purpose. I apologize.”

Yan Zui watched her for a moment, and Qi Yunwei’s heart pounded even faster.

Her lips parted slightly. “Not just last night — since the day you moved in, I wake up in your arms every day.”

“Oh.” Qi Yunwei started to apologize reflexively, then remembered that previously it had always been Yan Zui curling against her. Last night was the first time Qi Yunwei had held Yan Zui. She stopped after a single word.

Yan Zui continued, “I know you wake earlier than I do, but you wait for me to wake and then move away from my arms so you can pretend you’re only just waking.”

Qi Yunwei had never guessed Yan Zui knew she’d been faking sleep.

“I don’t want to bring up the past, and I won’t make a fuss about last night,” Yan Zui said, “but you have to promise me something: from now on, if you wake up and find me in your arms, push me away immediately.”

Qi Yunwei blinked. Something about Yan Zui’s request felt a little off. “I promise,” she said anyway — better to agree for now; it didn’t sound like a big deal.

“Mm.” Yan Zui got up from Qi Yunwei’s arms and went to wash up.

Qi Yunwei lay there in a daze.

[Xiaoman, in the past few days, hasn’t Yan Zui been the one rolling into my arms after she fell asleep?]

[Yes.]

[And the hidden camera she placed recorded that; she knows about it, right?]

[Correct]

Somehow, hearing Yan Zui put it that way made it feel as if all those past mornings were somehow Qi Yunwei’s fault.

[Feigning sleep really was wrong of you.]

[But I was protecting Yan Zui’s dignity!]

[Xiaoman thinks Yan Zui might have assumed you wanted to hold her longer,] Xiaoman offered.

Thinking that way, maybe it is her fault.

Qi Yunwei dawdled getting out of bed until Yan Zui had finished washing and changed; this morning’s surprises had shaken her and she hadn’t recovered yet.

By the time Qi Yunwei came downstairs, Yan Zui had already left.

The butler noticed how listless she looked and couldn’t help but fuss: “Miss Yunwei, shall I make you a ginseng chicken soup at noon to help you recuperate?”

“Thank you, Uncle Jiang.”

While Qi Yunwei ate, Uncle Jiang kept using serving chopsticks to pass dishes to her and, unthinkingly, advised: “You’re still young, Miss Yunwei, but you can’t run yourself down like this. Try to get some extra sleep tonight.”

“I will,” she promised.

Qi Yunwei took a sip of congee and knew the butler was misreading the situation, but she couldn’t explain. Letting him believe she’d accept his concern would get him out of the house sooner — and that would mean she and Yan Zui could get their separate beds back and spare themselves the morning awkwardness.

“When you see her, please talk to her too — don’t just let her carry on as she pleases,” the butler added later when Yan Zui came down for breakfast. Yan Zui looked radiant; Qi Yunwei, by contrast, looked drained — as if she’d been sapped of energy.

Qi Yunwei caught the hint and lowered her eyes with a faux-shy expression. “I’ll talk to her about being more restrained.”

At lunch Qi Yunwei ladled a bowl of chicken soup for Yan Zui. Yan Zui took a sip and Qi Yunwei asked, “Is it okay? Does it taste all right?”

“Mm,” Yan Zui replied.

Remembering her earlier conversation with the butler, Qi Yunwei couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Yan Zui earnestly drinking the soup. If the butler saw Yan Zui having soup, he’d be fretting and telling her not to drink too much, insisting that “Miss Yunwei” needed to take care of herself.

“What are you smiling at?” Yan Zui asked.

“Nothing,” Qi Yunwei said.

“By the way,” she added, shifting the topic, “what were you trying to tell me last night when you called my name?”

Yan Zui’s expression flickered. A scene of being held by Qi Yunwei flashed through her mind. She lowered her eyes. “It was nothing. Since we got married I haven’t given you any money. I wanted to ask how much you need per month.”

After saying that she set down her chopsticks, went to her desk, opened a drawer, took out a card, and put it in front of Qi Yunwei.

“A credit card — one million a month limit.”

Qi Yunwei was stunned. “That’s way too much. The contract said a one-time payment of one million — how did it become one million per month?”

Had Yan Zui forgotten that the original owner drugged her? Why was she suddenly giving Qi Yunwei so much money?

Yan Zui’s face was calm. “You help me mark things; I’ll pay you — fair exchange. As for why it went from a single sum to a monthly allowance, you’ve done well recently. Consider it thanks for bringing me lunch every day.”

“If you find a monthly million too hot to handle, behave from now on.”

Qi Yunwei’s expression flickered. [Xiaoman, I think I’m being kept as a mistress.]

[Congratulations, Master.]

[This isn’t something to celebrate.]

[But Xiaoman detects that Master is very happy right now — isn’t that because you’re being supported?] Xiaoman sounded puzzled.