I Heard I’m a Scummy Alpha? [Transmigration] - Chapter 52

Yan Zui: Did I sound smug? I was just stating a fact.

Huang Momo: [Image] Darling, look at the last message you sent. You were definitely smug.

Yan Zui opened the image. “…”

Yan Zui: That was just a random sticker. It has nothing to do with my mood.

Huang Momo: Good, because for a second I thought you’d turned into one of those Stockholm syndrome cases—falling for someone who bullies you.

Huang Momo: Haha, but of course, that’s impossible. You’re way too clear-headed for that.

Yan Zui’s eyes flickered guiltily toward Qi Yunwei, who was sitting beside her playing on her phone. Qi Yunwei sensed her gaze and looked up. “What is it? Did Huang Momo say something?”

“No,” Yan Zui replied. “I just realized we’ve been cooped up in this villa since coming back.”

A hint of embarrassment crossed Qi Yunwei’s dark eyes. “I told you—it was just an excuse. I didn’t want you staying at Qiao Haiyue’s, so I made one up.”

“Got it.” Yan Zui pressed her lips together to hide a smile and lowered her head to continue chatting with Huang Momo.

Qi Yunwei, however, felt a chill in her chest. Yan Zui had hardly slept last night, yet she looked so happy now—and all of this had started after she ran into Qiao Haiyue.

It seemed she would need to step up her “jealousy game.” Best to cut off any further contact between the two.

Yan Zui: Momo, do you think it’s possible for someone to become another person?

The Qi Yunwei she knew now seemed nothing like the Qi Yunwei who had drugged and marked her in the beginning.

And the dossier circulating at the company—the one that painted Qi Yunwei as useless trash—completely contradicted the woman she knew, who was competent, sharp, and even capable of creating an advanced AI robot like Xiao Jiu.

Could someone who had barely studied, even dropped out of college, suddenly transform and achieve all this?

Was Qi Yunwei really Qi Yunwei?

Huang Momo: Huh? How could a person become someone else? Zuizui, what are you talking about?

Yan Zui: Just read a sci-fi novel. Random thought.

Huang Momo: You’re acting weird today.

Yan Zui: Weird how?

Yan Zui didn’t feel any different from usual.

Huang Momo: Hard to explain. Just a gut feeling. Maybe you didn’t sleep well. Anyway, what’s your plan for getting Qi Yunwei to share a bed with you? Honestly, with your charm, all you’d need to do is crook a finger and she’d come running.

Yan Zui: You’re exaggerating.

Huang Momo: Not at all! She gets jealous over you—clear sign she likes you. And when you like someone, don’t you just do whatever they want.

Yan Zui’s face heated at the teasing.

Yan Zui: Don’t talk nonsense.

Meanwhile, Qi Yunwei had just finished replying to Du Yifan’s message and noticed Yan Zui wasn’t in the living room. She got up to look for her.

Du Yifan had suddenly messaged her asking if she was still taking orders. Qi Yunwei told him about her plan to start a company and asked if he wanted to jump ship and join. Du Yifan didn’t hesitate—he immediately agreed. Qi Yunwei then asked him to start scouting talent on the forums. A company couldn’t be run with just one or two people.

Qi Yunwei circled the first floor, not finding Yan Zui. Just as she was about to head upstairs, she saw Yan Zui coming down with a camera hanging around her neck.

“Heading out?” Qi Yunwei asked.

Yan Zui nodded. “The sunlight’s perfect right now. I want to take some photos.”

“I’ll come with you,” Qi Yunwei said immediately.

It was supposed to be a private beach, but there was no real barrier separating it from the one next door. If Qiao Haiyue suddenly showed up again, pestering Yan Zui, what then?

She had to stay close—just in case.

Yan Zui didn’t mind, her tone casual. “Sure.”

The two walked onto the beach. Yan Zui began photographing the foamy white waves.

“Why not shoot the sunrise instead?” Qi Yunwei asked. Compared to the ever-present surf, a sunrise seemed far more unique.

Yan Zui snapped a shot, then rose unhurriedly. “Didn’t sleep well last night. Couldn’t wake up early enough, or I would have.”

Her hair tie looked loose, threatening to slip off at any moment.

Qi Yunwei stepped behind her. “Looks like I’ll have to make sure you get to bed earlier tonight.” She removed the hair tie, and Yan Zui’s glossy black curls spilled over her shoulders.

Seeing Yan Zui start to turn, Qi Yunwei quickly explained, “It was too loose. Let me redo it for you.”

Yan Zui stayed still, letting her.

Qi Yunwei thought she looked surprisingly obedient like this.

As she gathered the hair, Yan Zui’s ears peeked out—flushed a delicate red.

Was she embarrassed?

The thought made Qi Yunwei uneasy. She hurriedly tied the hair back and stepped away, praising, “That actually looks really good.”

Yan Zui turned, her expression cool as ever, blue-black eyes tinged with aloofness—no sign of shyness at all.

So that redness must’ve just been from the heat.

Pushing away her strange thoughts, Qi Yunwei smiled. “Of course, most of the credit goes to the person. You’d look good no matter how it’s tied.”

Yan Zui ignored her, crouching down to photograph seashells.

Qi Yunwei glanced across the way and caught sight of Qiao Haiyue, standing on her own beach and watching them. Their eyes met. Qiao Haiyue gave her a mocking smile.

Qi Yunwei looked away. Did Yan Zui realize how childish Qiao Haiyue was being?

After crouching too long, Yan Zui wobbled a bit when she stood. Qi Yunwei rushed forward to steady her. “You okay?”

From afar, it looked as though Qi Yunwei had pulled Yan Zui into her arms.

“I’m fine. My legs just went a little numb.”

Once Yan Zui found her balance, Qi Yunwei politely let go. She looked toward Qiao Haiyue’s villa just in time to see the woman stomping back across the sand, each step sharp with anger.

The sun grew hotter. After a while, they returned to the villa to rest.

They settled onto the low couch by the window. The butler brought in two beautifully garnished cold drinks. “Miss Yan, Miss Qi, shall I prepare lunch now?”

Yan Zui glanced at the time—already past eleven. “Yes, thank you.”

The butler left. Only the two of them remained, quietly enjoying the view outside.

Qi Yunwei took a sip of her drink, then asked casually, “So, how did you and Qiao Haiyue get to know each other?”

Yan Zui gave her a look, then countered, “Is it that strange?”

“Of course it is,” Qi Yunwei said. “Sure, her company is under the Yan Corporation, but before she acted in Legend of Boling, she was just an unknown C-list actress. There are so many performers under that company—why her?”

Yan Zui turned toward the window. “It’s a cliché story. She ran into casting-couch trouble, and I happened to help. She’s talented—good looks, decent acting—so she clawed her way up. Over time she gained some popularity. Occasionally she’d ask me about business matters, and gradually we became familiar.

“Last year, I saw on her Moments that she was reviewing a script. Chatting with her, I realized it was Legend of Boling. The director happened to be my college friend’s brother, so I recommended her.”

She gave a light smile. “Now she’s skyrocketed, and the profits she’s brought in are considerable. I suppose you could call me her patron.”

“All those ‘coincidences’ and ‘happenstances’.” Qi Yunwei muttered. “You’re not just her patron—you’re her handpicked savior.”

Then, more seriously: “Qiao Haiyue isn’t as innocent as she pretends. Don’t let her fool you.”

Yan Zui shrugged. “Everyone has their secrets. Whether our meeting was truly coincidental or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that she’s making money for the company. She’s on a ten-year contract, with five years left. For my sake, she won’t breach it. That means more profit in the coming years. That’s what counts, isn’t it?”

Qi Yunwei fell silent. Darling, if you’re this pragmatic, then why did Qiao Haiyue still manage to extinguish the last light in your heart?

“Would you call Qiao Haiyue your friend?” she asked.

“Of course,” Yan Zui said. “Don’t you think she’s kind of cute when she acts spoiled? Momo is, too.”

So Yan Zui liked watching people act spoiled?

“I can do that too,” Qi Yunwei muttered.

“What?” Yan Zui asked.

Qi Yunwei’s cheeks flushed as she quickly changed the subject. “Ahem, nothing. I mean, if Qiao Haiyue ever had ulterior motives toward you, would you still treat her as a friend?”

“How could that be possible?” Yan Zui replied.

Qi Yunwei breathed a little easier—until Yan Zui added, “She likes Alphas. She’d never like me.”

“She told you she likes Alphas?” Qi Yunwei thought darkly. Scheming woman!

“I guessed.” Yan Zui’s eyes lit up with excitement. “In Legend of Boling, every Tian Gan matched perfectly with Lord Boling.”

Tian Gan was the ancient term for Alpha; Di Kun represented Omega.

“But that’s just acting,” Qi Yunwei said. “In the show, she plays a Di Kun, so of course she’s paired with a Tian Gan. That doesn’t mean anything in real life.”

“It does,” Yan Zui insisted. “I saw plenty of big fans analyze it on Weibo. Qiao Haiyue definitely likes Alphas. Her favorite is Peng Xueyu.”

Peng Xueyu was the actress who played Lord Boling’s official Alpha partner.

“…”

Qi Yunwei was speechless. To think someone as sharp as Yan Zui could be duped by fan theories into shipping Qiao Haiyue’s CP. No wonder she looked at her with such rose-tinted glasses.