I Heard I’m a Scummy Alpha? [Transmigration] - Chapter 55

On most days, the sky wouldn’t darken until after seven. But today, by five o’clock, the world outside was already swallowed in black.

Heavy clouds rolled across the sky. After dinner, while Qi Yunwei was looking up ways to help an Omega fall asleep faster, a sudden clap of thunder cracked outside.

The sound was so loud it shook the walls. Startled, Qi Yunwei said, “Anyone who didn’t know better would think something just exploded out there.”

When no response came, she looked up at Yan Zui—only to see her face pale as paper, her long lashes trembling in fright.

Qi Yunwei immediately set her phone aside, moved to sit beside her, and gently stroked her back. “What’s wrong? Did it scare you?”

Before the words had fully left her lips, another boom of thunder split the air.

The body beneath her hand went rigid. Looking down, Qi Yunwei saw Yan Zui biting her lip hard, tears welling faintly in her dark-blue eyes. Her heart clenched. She quickly covered Yan Zui’s ears with both hands. “There, there. Don’t be afraid.”

This time the silence stretched. With no thunder rolling in, Yan Zui slowly steadied herself. “I wasn’t scared,” she said softly. “It was just too sudden.”

“I just found a method that might help you sleep,” Qi Yunwei replied. “Shall I take you back to your room?”

Yan Zui nodded, though the color had yet to return to her cheeks.

As Qi Yunwei tried to withdraw her hand, Yan Zui caught it in her own. Qi Yunwei looked at her in surprise, but Yan Zui averted her gaze and said calmly, “It would be better to wait until we’re in the room before you let go.”

Yet before Qi Yunwei could answer, Yan Zui moved her hand away again and added, “Actually, keep covering them once we’re there. Otherwise, walking will be too slow.”

Outwardly, Yan Zui looked as composed as ever—cold, indifferent as she rose and walked upstairs. But Qi Yunwei, watching closely, could see the stiffness in her posture, the pallor of her face, and the tears still clinging to her lashes.

Without that, no one would ever guess she was afraid.

Qi Yunwei followed her up the stairs. Yan Zui even glanced back at the bedroom door to make sure she was right behind. Only when she saw her there did she breathe a quiet sigh of relief and step inside.

Qi Yunwei shut the door gently. “Do you want to take a hot bath before bed? It might help with the insomnia.”

Yan Zui asked instead, “And while I’m bathing—you’d cover my ears for me?”

The image flashed unbidden in Qi Yunwei’s mind, and her face flushed crimson. “That wouldn’t be very proper.”

Yan Zui was too preoccupied with fear to feel embarrassed. Since Qi Yunwei refused, she said, “I already bathed this afternoon. Forget it—let’s just sleep.”

She quickly changed into a nightdress, so fast Qi Yunwei hardly registered the movement before she was back again.

“What method did you find to help me sleep?” Yan Zui asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and lightly holding her hand.

Qi Yunwei glanced at their joined hands. She knew Yan Zui feared she would leave. “Lie down first,” she coaxed.

Yan Zui hesitated. “Don’t tell me you’re just going to sit and watch me fall asleep again?”

“No,” Qi Yunwei said. “This time I’ll sing you a lullaby.”

“Like you would for a baby.” Her voice faltered, embarrassed. “It might feel a little improper.”

She would cradle her, pat her back, and hum softly into her ear.

Yan Zui’s eyes lit faintly. After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. “All right. If it helps me sleep, I don’t mind a little impropriety.”

She lay down. Qi Yunwei climbed in from the other side and drew her into her arms.

Wrapped in the familiar scent, Yan Zui felt an ease she hadn’t known in a long time.

For the first time while fully awake, she slipped her arms around Qi Yunwei’s waist—afraid she would leave once she drifted off.

Qi Yunwei blinked in surprise. “If you hold me like this, I won’t be able to leave without waking you.”

So she really had intended to sneak away.

“Then don’t. Just stay and sleep with me.”

Qi Yunwei opened her mouth to protest, but Yan Zui cut her off: “It’s not like we haven’t shared a bed before. If the thunder wakes me and you’re not here, I’ll be up the whole night again.”

That ended the discussion.

“As long as you don’t mind,” Qi Yunwei murmured. She was always afraid of offending her.

Yan Zui buried her face against Qi Yunwei’s chest. The texture felt wrong, and she mumbled, “Shouldn’t you change into sleepwear?”

“Change in here,” she added, releasing her and fetching a matching nightdress from the wardrobe. “This one’s new—I haven’t worn it.”

Yan Zui was slimmer. When Qi Yunwei put on the dress, it was snug—not tight, but close enough to trace her figure, giving her an unintended allure.

Qi Yunwei hadn’t checked a mirror, but Yan Zui had. Her cheeks reddened. “Go to sleep,” she muttered, telling herself it was because she was tired, not because she was eager.

They lay back down. Qi Yunwei wrapped an arm around her, though Yan Zui didn’t hug her again. She only turned to face her, eyes closed, listening to the soft hum of an unfamiliar tune at her ear. The gentle voice lulled her, warmth and drowsiness flooding in until she finally slipped into sleep. Just before she did, she felt Qi Yunwei’s arms draw her closer, her face sinking into familiar softness.

At midnight, thunder boomed and rain came crashing down.

Qi Yunwei woke instantly, checking on Yan Zui—only to find her still sleeping soundly, undisturbed. Relief softened her. She brushed a fingertip beneath her eyes. “So the lullaby really does work.”

Placing her hands over Yan Zui’s ears against the continuing thunder, she soon drifted back to sleep herself.

Morning came bright and clear. Sunlight spilled into the bedroom and woke Qi Yunwei.

Opening her eyes to find Yan Zui still curled in her arms, she realized she’d slept better than she had in days.

If not for the differences between Alpha and Omega, she would want to sleep beside Yan Zui every night.

The shadows under Yan Zui’s eyes had faded after a full night’s rest. Qi Yunwei resolved to sing her to sleep every evening from now on.

But under her gaze, Yan Zui’s lashes fluttered. Slowly, drowsy blue-black eyes blinked open.

Still languid with sleep, Yan Zui tightened her arms around Qi Yunwei, nuzzling closer. “I still want to sleep.”

Qi Yunwei stroked her hair. “Then sleep a little longer.”

Yan Zui rubbed against her again. Even Qi Yunwei, usually unbothered by such things, flushed. “Yan Zui, don’t move.”

“Mm?” Yan Zui lifted her face, puzzled, her delicate features still hazy with sleep.

Qi Yunwei tried to shift back, but Yan Zui only hugged her tighter. With a faint frown, she asked, “You don’t want me to sleep a little longer?”

Qi Yunwei’s ears burned. “That’s not it.”

She was the Alpha here—it wasn’t like Yan Zui was taking advantage. But it wasn’t something she could explain outright.

Yan Zui realized what had happened. Glancing down, her cheeks burned hot.

The neckline of Qi Yunwei’s sleepwear was in complete disarray from her movements—revealing far too much.

Awkwardness swept through both of them. Yan Zui got up and went straight to the washroom, while Qi Yunwei retreated to her own room to wash up.

They met again at breakfast, both quietly focused on their food without a word.

The butler served a sweet peanut soup. Qi Yunwei asked, “Will it rain again in the coming days?”

“The forecast doesn’t show any, but summer weather is unpredictable,” he said. “One moment it’s clear, the next it storms—especially by the sea.”

“I see,” Qi Yunwei nodded.

After the butler left, she turned to Yan Zui. “Looks like, for the sake of your sleep, I’ll need to keep sharing a bed with you for the next few days.”

Yan Zui frowned lightly, thought a moment, then answered with restrained composure. “I don’t object.”

Without Qiao Haiyue to stir up trouble, the rest of the holiday passed in ease and leisure.

By the time the vacation ended, Qi Yunwei was reluctant to leave, but both had a mountain of work waiting. No matter the reluctance, they had to return.

They spent one last night at the seaside villa, then flew back to Guangnan City the next morning. Yan Zui went straight to the office after landing. On the way, a private investigator sent her a file about Qi Fanghuai.

Uninterested, Yan Zui forwarded it to Qi Yunwei.

Only then did Qi Yunwei learn that while Qin Lifeng was spreading slander about her, Qi Fanghuai had suddenly resigned from Yan Corporation.

He had been a researcher in the group’s chemical division. After leaving, he founded a pharmaceutical company. Though Qi Fangyue had claimed he funded it by selling patents, in truth those patents were worth only a few hundred thousand. The company survived thanks to a mysterious investor.

Not long after, his newly developed drug “FenNa”—a stimulant targeted at Betas—was approved and launched. Sales skyrocketed, fueled by word-of-mouth from satisfied buyers.

According to the investigator, the company had sold over ten million yuan worth of product in less than a month, with profits exceeding five million.

No wonder.

In the original novel, Qi Fanghuai had used a drug of his own making to sedate Yan Zui and imprison her. That he could create a stimulant came as no surprise to Qi Yunwei.

The question was—who was this mysterious investor?

For now, though, Qi Fanghuai posed no immediate threat. With that set aside, Qi Yunwei focused on the company she planned to establish with Yan Zui.

The first step was choosing a name.

Qi Yunwei: What do you think we should call the company?

Yan Zui: I don’t have much experience naming things. You decide. Just make sure it doesn’t link back to me. I’m still CEO of Yan Corporation.

Qi Yunwei had originally wanted to combine their names, but now she would need another idea.

Qi Yunwei: What about using the name of our holographic game?

Yan Zui: That works. What’s the game called?

Qi Yunwei: Yunmengze.

The name comes from an ancient verse: The mists rise over Yunmeng Marsh, waves crashing against Yueyang City.

Yan Zui: Sounds good. Let’s call it that.

Qi Yunwei immediately filed for registration. Two hours later, approval came through.