I Heard I’m a Scummy Alpha? [Transmigration] - Chapter 42.1

Xuan Mingzhu took out her phone and called Xuan Zeming. Once the call connected, she recounted the entire situation in detail.

“I don’t know why, but Yan Zui seems really fond of Qi Yunwei. Just now in the meeting, after she whispered with Qi Yunwei for a bit, she immediately insisted on replacing Xuan Baiquan’s project manager—and she was very firm about it. Dad, what do you think we should do?”

Xuan Mingzhu switched the call to speakerphone. Xuan Baiquan glanced at the phone with anticipation.

Xuan Zeming paused thoughtfully, then replied calmly, “Fine. You handle the project manager selection as you see fit. Try to placate Baiquan, but the company’s interests come first. It’s okay if he feels a little aggrieved.”

Xuan Baiquan froze on the spot, every joint seemingly glued in place. He couldn’t move an inch.

He never expected that, for the sake of the company’s so-called interests, his father—the man who had always spoiled him—would ask him to give up his position. Could these really be the words of the father who had always dote on him?

“Okay, Dad. I’ll talk to Baiquan and convince him,” Xuan Mingzhu said, hanging up the phone. Seeing Baiquan’s expression, she felt a surge of satisfaction.

Ever since childhood, she had to constantly work hard to earn even a shred of Xuan Zeming’s attention, while Xuan Baiquan had gotten everything he wanted without lifting a finger.

Just now, she had deliberately not told Xuan Zeming that Xuan Baiquan was nearby. If he had known, he certainly wouldn’t have spoken so firmly. Perhaps if Xuan Baiquan had pouted or begged, Xuan Zeming might have disregarded even the company’s interests.

Xuan Baiquan, naïve as he was, would certainly feel a crack forming in his perception of the father-son relationship after Xuan Zeming’s words.

Mingzhu secretly grinned but outwardly sighed, consoling him, “Baiquan, Dad was just thinking of how to report to the shareholders. This project is really important.”

After a long pause, Xuan Baiquan reluctantly said, “I understand Sis. You can replace me.”

Xuan Mingzhu patted him on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go back to the meeting.”

Xuan Baiquan lowered his head. “I no longer have a position. You go ahead; I’ll stay behind.”

“What will you do then?” Xuan Mingzhu asked, concerned.

“I’ll take a cab back to the hotel,” Xuan Baiquan said morosely.

“Be careful,” Xuan Mingzhu reminded him before turning back to the meeting room.

Xuan Baiquan suddenly looked up, as if to say something, but he noticed the faint upward curve of Xuan Mingzhu’s lips as she walked away.

He froze. Did he really see that? Why was she smiling? Was she happy that he lost his position?

Xuan Mingzhu returned to the meeting room in high spirits, pushing open the door and immediately putting on a facade of concern mixed with helplessness toward her brother.

She went to her seat and spoke to Yan Zui with an air of resignation, “President Yan, we accept your suggestion. I will appoint a more experienced person as project manager.”

Qi Yunwei nodded in satisfaction. “Still sensible, Xuan.”

Yan Zui said, “As promised, remove Xuan Baiquan. The clause will be implemented as you said.”

Xuan Mingzhu immediately abandoned her pretense of concern, her face lit with a broad smile. “Thank you, President Yan.”

The meeting ended, leaving Xuan Mingzhu extremely satisfied.

Thanks to Qi Yunwei’s subtle but effective pressure, the contract clauses were mostly settled with Yan Zui compromising. All Xuan Mingzhu had done was help Qi Yunwei push Xuan Baiquan aside.

“See you tomorrow, President Yan, Miss Qi,” Xuan Mingzhu said, shaking hands with them.

In front of Qi Yunwei, she was tactful, lightly touching Yan Zui’s hand before immediately letting go.

Seeing Qi Yunwei’s satisfied expression, Xuan Mingzhu thought smugly: Enjoy your smiles while you can. Once this cooperation is finalized, your wife will soon be mine.

Back at the hotel, Xuan Mingzhu first knocked on Xuan Baiquan’s door. He opened it, and seeing the worry on her face, his suspicions only deepened.

“Baiquan, are you okay?” Xuan Mingzhu asked.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, Sis,” he replied, shaking his head.

Seeing that his complexion was alright, Xuan Mingzhu felt reassured. “If you’re feeling uncomfortable, be sure to tell me.”

After patting him on the shoulder, she returned to her own room.

Xuan Baiquan’s gaze followed her until she disappeared behind the door.

Once inside his own room, he closed the door, sat on his bed, and held his phone limply in his hands.

He hesitated for a long time, wondering whether he should message Yan Zui.

Yan Zui had been in the meeting, so she wouldn’t have had time to reply. But now that it was over, maybe she would have a moment?

Xuan Baiquan opened their chat history, staring at their previous messages. He still couldn’t understand why Yan Zui treated him so coldly in real life.

At the Yan Corporation headquarters, top-floor CEO office:

Seeing Qi Yunwei holding the phone used to contact Xuan Baiquan, Yan Zui sat upright on the sofa and asked, “Does Xuan Baiquan really reach out to you?”

Qi Yunwei replied, “Of course. The more you push him, the more he gets fired up.”

Just as she finished speaking, the phone vibrated twice.

Curious, Yan Zui leaned over. Qi Yunwei gestured for her to sit beside her and watch.

Shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee, Qi Yunwei’s full attention was on the phone, without an ounce of embarrassment.

Yan Zui glanced at her, eyes landing on the screen.

Xuan Baiquan: Xiao Jiu, are you still busy? [Crying Emoji]

“Tsk, Baiquan’s clever—playing the victim right away,” Qi Yunwei said.

She asked Yan Zui, “If it was you, how would you reply?”

Yan Zui said coldly, “Busy.”

Qi Yunwei laughed. “And then? How would you continue the conversation?”

Yan Zui asked, “What would you do?”

Qi Yunwei replied, “Watch me.”

Heaven in Water: I’m free now.

Xuan Baiquan: Today, I know it was Qi Yunwei who made you replace me, right?

Heaven in Water: Yes.

Xuan Baiquan: I knew it had to be her!

Xuan Baiquan: But I don’t understand, Xiao Jiu. Why do you like someone like Qi Yunwei? I don’t see any merit in her. What does she have to earn your love?

Qi Yunwei: “Dare to secretly drag me down? Of course, I earned Yan Zui’s love with my own charm.”

Nearby, Yan Zui herself: “…”

Heaven in Water: I don’t love her.

Xuan Baiquan: You don’t love her? Then why?

Heaven in Water: One of the conditions for me to continue as CEO of Yan Corporation is to follow my father’s wishes, and that includes being with Qi Yunwei.

Xuan Baiquan: Has Uncle lost his mind? How could he match you with an Alpha like her?

Heaven in Water: Because Qi Yunwei agreed to marry into the Yan family.

Xuan Baiquan was silent for a long while.

An Alpha, naturally proud, agreeing to marry in—that was something he had never seen before.

No wonder, no wonder Yan Zui could tolerate her.

Xuan Baiquan: “Xiao Jiu, I don’t blame you for this. Don’t carry any guilt in your heart.”

As Qi Yunwei was typing a reply, Yan Zui suddenly said, “Xuan Baiquan’s face is huge.”

Qi Yunwei laughed at her teasing. “Maybe he really thinks you’d feel guilty.”

Heaven in Water: You don’t blame me?

Xuan Baiquan replied earnestly: “Xiao Jiu, how could I ever blame you?”

Yan Zui was immediately disgusted. “I’m going to work.”

Qi Yunwei said, “Relax. Just treat him as a joke. Besides, he’s confessing to ‘Xiao Jiu,’ not you.”

Opening her folder, Yan Zui muttered, “Good thing Xiao Jiu doesn’t know how disgusting he really is.”

After Yan Zui left, Qi Yunwei focused on dealing with Xuan Baiquan.

Heaven in Water: Baiquan, you’re really great. It’s a pity I didn’t meet you sooner.

Xuan Baiquan: Xiao Jiu, it’s not too late even now!

Qi Yunwei could almost picture him jumping excitedly on the spot.

Heaven in Water: Let’s not talk about that—it’ll only make people sad.

Heaven in Water: I discovered something. I don’t know the truth, but I wanted to warn you.

Xuan Baiquan: “What is it?”

Heaven in Water: I just noticed that Qi Yunwei has been in contact with your sister. Previously, she got a new phone specifically to chat, and I accidentally saw the screen just now. Her new phone has only one contact—your sister.

Heaven in Water: At today’s meeting, because of Qi Yunwei’s persuasion, I agreed to back down on many clauses.

Seeing Yan Zui’s message, Xuan Baiquan felt his heart drop into a bottomless abyss.

Qi Yunwei had been in contact with his sister all along.

And then there was his own stripped position, and the faint smirk he glimpsed on Xuan Mingzhu’s lips.

Dizzy and nauseated, a seed of doubt had been planted in his heart. Every strange thing about Xuan Mingzhu he had previously ignored now surged into his mind.

He was Xuan Mingzhu’s younger brother, and they were twins—so why was she plotting against him?

Xuan Baiquan collapsed onto the bed, hand covering his forehead, trying to remember when Xuan Mingzhu had first started acting off.

When he said he wanted to follow her to Guangnan City, she had seemed normal. But once he requested the project manager position from Xuan Zeming to impress Yan Zui, Xuan Mingzhu’s behavior began growing increasingly strange.

She thought he was trying to compete for power, so she disregarded their sibling bond?

To drive him away, she even collaborated with the person he hated most—Qi Yunwei.

Xuan Baiquan stared expressionlessly at the pristine white ceiling.

Since Xuan Mingzhu is heartless, he won’t bother being righteous.

Isn’t Xuan Mingzhu most afraid of him contesting the company’s ownership? Fine—he’ll contest it!

Xuan Zeming sides with him. Xuan Baiquan had always known that if he hadn’t previously been uninterested in business, Xuan Mingzhu would never have had the chance to become CEO of Xuan Qian Group.

Now it’s time to restore what’s rightfully his.

If they won’t let him be project manager, then he won’t do it.

He’ll go for the CEO position.

Qi Yunwei, like a villain, had driven a wedge between the sibling bond of Xuan Mingzhu and Xuan Baiquan. She glanced at the top right of her phone, saw that lunch break was approaching, and suddenly remembered something. She turned to Yan Zui: “President Yan, earlier you said you’d take me shopping after work—does that still count?”

Yan Zui replied, “It counts.”

Seeing Qi Yunwei’s carefree attitude toward money, Yan Zui began thinking of other ways to tie her down. She researched online, consulted her best friend Huang Momo, and finally settled on the “take her shopping” plan.

Huang Momo had said that no woman can resist shopping—not even a female Alpha.

Just now, Qi Yunwei had only casually mentioned shopping in the meeting to tease Xuan Baiquan, but Yan Zui had picked up on it and proactively offered to take her shopping.

Looks like Huang Momo was right.

Though Huang Momo had no practical experience, her theoretical knowledge was enough to help.

At the end of the workday, Secretary Shen asked if they wanted her to bring lunch from the cafeteria. Yan Zui said, “No, we’re going shopping and will eat out.”

“Shopping, shopping?” Secretary Shen stammered.

She hadn’t misheard, right?

Yan Zui nodded calmly, affirming, “Shopping.”

Qi Yunwei and Yan Zui were heading to Guangnan City’s largest mall, just two streets away from the Yan Corporation headquarters. Its A-shaped structure, representing Alphas, made it a landmark.

Even on non-holidays, noon was the busiest time. They got out of the car into blinding sunlight.

Entering the mall, the cool air instantly relieved the heat.

“Summer’s perfect for a beach vacation. Shall we check out swimsuits?” Qi Yunwei suggested.