I Was Just a Scumbag Extra, But She Loved Me Anyway [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 38

Pei Nanxu froze for a brief moment, then quickly masked it with irritation. “What nonsense are you talking about?” she snapped.

Su Chenli looked at her deeply. “So you’re saying there’s nothing?”

“Nothing,” Pei Nanxu said, turning her face away.

“…Alright. If that’s what you say,” Su Chenli didn’t press the issue. She stepped back and shut the car door. “Take care on the road.”

Pei Nanxu pressed her lips together, clearly annoyed, and averted her gaze. Without saying a word, she started the car and drove away.

[Host, what was the point of that question just now? The affectionate supporting female doesn’t like to talk about her past with the original lead. Isn’t that just provoking her for no reason?] The system asked in confusion.

Su Chenli slipped both hands into her pockets, her eyes fixed in the direction Pei Nanxu had left. “I just don’t believe she didn’t feel even a moment of hesitation. I helped her remember.”

Oh… So is this a tactic to confuse the feelings of the affectionate supporting female? the system responded, half-understanding. So, what’s our next move, Host? We don’t need a plane to return to L City, do we?

“Let’s take a walk around the city center, check out the company Pei Nanxu is negotiating with. Then we’ll head back to L City.” Su Chenli stretched lazily. “The airport was just an excuse. I just wanted to be on the same road as her.”

Oh… the system replied.

Su Chenli ignored the slow-witted system, quietly thinking about how to remove Pei Nanxu from the storyline.

She had acted on impulse earlier. Seeing Pei Nanxu appear next to Yu Xi had made her assume something was already going on between them. But now that she was calmer and thought it through, the plot was still in the phase where Chu Ningxin couldn’t understand her own feelings and kept unintentionally trampling on Yu Xi’s dignity. Yu Xi hadn’t even separated from Chu Ningxin yet. Whatever Yu Xi might be thinking wasn’t the point… Given her character, Beautiful Sister wouldn’t do something like come between them. At most, she and Pei Nanxu were just starting to get familiar with each other.

What Pei Nanxu intended to do with Yu Xi was her own business. Su Chenli now had to focus on making Beautiful Sister recognize her.

The storyline for their first meeting in H City ended swiftly, and both Su Chenli and Pei Nanxu soon returned to L City.

They each had work to do — one working under Su Chenli’s father at headquarters, and the other just taking over an entertainment company. Neither could afford to slack off.

However, Su Chenli’s busyness mostly revolved around investigating Yu Xi’s situation, and compared to Pei Nanxu, there was a good amount of pretense involved.

That night, Su Chenli was lounging in her room, idly playing on her phone, when she received Yu Xi’s updated schedule from the crew of Dreams of the Former Liang. As the third female lead, Yu Xi didn’t have many scenes, and the filming was about to wrap up — she would soon return to L City.

With Yu Xi’s return, all key characters would finally be gathered in L City. The next phase of the plot was about to unfold. Judging that the timing was right, Su Chenli pulled up a contact and called Chu Ningxin.

“What is it?” Chu Ningxin answered quickly, her tone still lazy.

“What do you mean, ‘what is it’?” Su Chenli glanced at the dazzling city lights outside her window. “Did you find anything from the investigation I asked for?”

“Oh, that,” came Chu Ningxin’s voice, along with the faint rustle of movement — as if someone had just stood up and gotten dressed. Her tone grew slightly more serious as she continued, “Actually, I did find something. It’s not only related to your family — it seems I’m involved as well.”

Su Chenli: “…”

From what Chu Ningxin had said, Su Chenli could already guess most of it — it was probably about how Yu Xi and Pei Nanxu had known each other all along. There might be a few details off, but it couldn’t be anything else. What else could possibly connect Pei Nanxu and Chu Ningxin?

“There’s too much to explain — let’s talk in person,” Chu Ningxin said over the phone.

“…Alright.”

Although she could already guess most of it, hearing it directly wouldn’t hurt.

As Su Chenli headed downstairs with her car keys in hand, she happened to run into Pei Nanxu in the corridor on the first floor. It was late — the hallway lights were already on, casting a soft glow over the roses planted beneath the windowsill.

“Where are you going?” Pei Nanxu glanced at the car keys in Su Chenli’s hand and looked her over, slightly scrutinizing.

Su Chenli sighed inwardly and muttered silently: To figure out how to break up you and Yu Xi.

Of course, that wasn’t something she could say out loud. Instead, she waved her keys with a deliberately carefree smile. “Heading out for some fun. Want to come?”

Pei Nanxu shot her a look, then turned her eyes away, disapproving. “Don’t overdo it. If you cause trouble, Chairman Su will definitely find out.”

“Alright.” Su Chenli shrugged nonchalantly, still playing the part, then gave Pei Nanxu one last look before walking past her.

By the time Su Chenli arrived, Chu Ningxin had already been at the bar for quite a while. Loud music throbbed through the open space, reaching the second floor. Chu Ningxin was sitting on the center sofa, peeling an apple.

The private room had a wide view, allowing them to clearly see the crowd dancing to the beat downstairs. But once the half-open bulletproof windows were shut, the room felt surprisingly quiet.

The muffled music seemed to come from far away, and the lights had been dimmed to a soft, steady glow. It could easily be mistaken for a regular reception room.

“You’re late,” Chu Ningxin said casually.

“Well, you didn’t exactly call me early either,” Su Chenli replied, casually crossing her legs as she settled onto the sofa beside her.

Chu Ningxin set the apple aside and turned to look at her. “What made you suddenly start digging into Pei Nanxu? Haven’t you always been pretty indulgent with her?”

Su Chenli froze for a moment.

She didn’t know that… Was that part of the original character setting? They’d grown up in constant conflict, but apparently, even her close friends knew that the original Su Chenli treated Pei Nanxu differently. The vague, unwritten emotions between this Su Chenli and Pei Nanxu were more tangled than she’d thought.

Still, regardless of what the original story intended, staying in character was her top priority now.

She looked away and replied after a moment’s thought, “With Cheng Xi around, how could I not look into it?”

With all the chaos within the Su family, this excuse could pass for a catch-all.

As expected, Chu Ningxin didn’t press further. Instead, she frowned and got to the point: “I looked into it. Pei Nanxu really did grow up in an orphanage before receiving support from the Cheng family. Word is, she was always quiet even back then. But she stood out because of her academic performance — especially her talent in math. That’s how she caught their attention.”

“Good at math?” Su Chenli raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah.” Chu Ningxin’s expression grew more serious. “At the time, the Cheng family was already on the decline. Cheng Xi’s grandfather had held things together for years, but one bad investment nearly ruined them. He tried to use your family as a lifeline. Uncle Su saw right through it. Though he married Cheng Xi to repay an old favor as per the old man’s dying wish, he made it clear there would be no more kids. Pei Nanxu… I’m guessing she was Cheng Zhaohai’s idea.”

…Who the hell is Cheng Zhaohai?

Su Chenli had only come here to confirm whether Pei Nanxu and Yu Xi knew each other in the past. She hadn’t expected to unravel this whole web.

“Hey, system — what is this even? Was any of this in the original novel?”

Not at all! Congratulations, Host, you’ve triggered a hidden plotline! I didn’t know about this either. The more hidden info you uncover, the better your chances of completing the worldline and your mission! the system chirped.

Su Chenli: “…”

All she’d wanted was to learn a bit about Pei Nanxu’s backstory — she hadn’t signed up for unlocking some secret subplot.

“You know Cheng Zhaohai — Cheng Xi’s unreliable father,” Chu Ningxin said, frowning as she set a shot glass in front of Su Chenli and continued, “By then, the old man was barely hanging on, and most of the family business had fallen into Cheng Zhaohai’s hands. Everyone could tell something was off when the Chengs proposed a marriage alliance and brought in a child — but no one really looked into it. It wasn’t until you asked me to dig deeper that I found this.”

Su Chenli averted her gaze, paused for a moment, and said, “With Cheng Xi involved, how could I not look into it?”

The Su family was a tangled mess anyway — that excuse was practically a universal key.

As expected, Chu Ningxin didn’t press further and instead frowned as she got to the main point. “I did some digging. Pei Nanxu really did grow up in an orphanage before being sponsored by the Cheng family. Word is, she was always quiet and withdrawn back then. But she stood out because of her outstanding academic performance — especially in math. That’s what caught the Chengs’ attention.”

“Good at math?” Su Chenli looked at her curiously.

“Yeah.” Chu Ningxin’s expression turned slightly grim. “By then, the Cheng family was already on the verge of collapse. Cheng Xi’s grandfather had been keeping things afloat for years, but after one investment failure, he tried to leech off your family. Uncle Su knew exactly what was going on. Though he married Cheng Xi as a favor to the old man — to repay a past debt and look after the Cheng juniors — he made it clear from the beginning: there would be no more children. As for Pei Nanxu… that was probably Cheng Zhaohai’s idea.”

…Who the hell is Cheng Zhaohai?

Su Chenli had only intended to confirm whether Pei Nanxu and Yu Xi had known each other in the past — she hadn’t expected to dig up this whole mess.

“Hey, System,” she muttered inwardly, “what even is this? Was any of this in the original story?”

Not at all! Congratulations, Host — you’ve unlocked a hidden plotline! I had no idea either. The more hidden details you uncover, the easier it’ll be to complete the worldline and your mission! the system chirped enthusiastically.

Su Chenli: “…”

She just wanted to learn about Pei Nanxu’s past. Who said anything about unlocking bonus content?

“Cheng Zhaohai — you know, Cheng Xi’s unreliable father,” Chu Ningxin said, frowning as she set a shot glass down in front of Su Chenli and continued, “By the time the old man was barely holding on, most of the Cheng family affairs had already fallen into Zhaohai’s hands. Everyone noticed something was off when your two families arranged a marriage and the Chengs brought along a child — but no one looked too deeply into it. When you asked me to investigate, I found this.”

As she spoke, Chu Ningxin pulled a document from the folder beside her and placed it in front of Su Chenli.

Su Chenli glanced at her, then picked it up and opened it.

“This is the file the Cheng family received when they decided to take Pei Nanxu in,” Chu Ningxin said as she leaned back and watched Su Chenli’s expression grow increasingly serious. “Besides her stellar academic records, the last page is a medical report — it clearly states there’s a high chance she’ll differentiate as an Omega.”

Su Chenli stared at the last line of the report, her fingers slowly tightening around the thin sheet of paper.

In bold, the final diagnosis read: ‘Subject has an 86% probability of differentiating into Omega upon reaching adulthood.’

A child with excellent grades, taken in by the Cheng family, with a high chance of becoming an Omega — what exactly did they intend to do with her?

Su Chenli didn’t even want to imagine.

At the time, the Su family’s core consisted of just Su’s father and the original Su Chenli. Pei Nanxu was brought in as a childhood companion to Su Chenli, the family’s sole heir. Thinking deeper — even if Su Chenli didn’t differentiate into an Alpha, wasn’t Su’s father still around?

What if Su’s father had been… less honorable?

Su Chenli clenched her jaw, crushed the report in her hand, and tore it apart.

She had thought the “beautiful sister” of this world — Pei Nanxu — had finally been spared the role of the tragic, manipulated side character. But it turned out, her tragedy ran deeper than she’d imagined.

“Hey, don’t get too worked up,” Chu Ningxin said, a bit surprised by her reaction, and offered a small consolation. “We kind of suspected this already, didn’t we? Back then, Cheng Xi wasn’t that much older than we are now. And apparently, no one in the Cheng family ever taught her how to manage the business. This must’ve been Cheng Zhaohai acting on his own while the old man was on his deathbed. Honestly, it’s pathetic — if Cheng Zhaohai had any competence, would the old man have needed to hold up the whole family well into his seventies?”

Su Chenli sat there in a daze, barely registering the last part of what Chu Ningxin said.

What did she mean — they already suspected it?

Right… She was just a mission-bound outsider who entered this small world later on. The original Su Chenli and Chu Ningxin had grown up inside it — of course they would know all these hidden truths.

Su Chenli glanced at Chu Ningxin, took the file, and opened it.

“This is the file the Cheng family received when they decided to take Pei Nanxu in,” Chu Ningxin leaned back, watching Su Chenli’s expression gradually turn serious. “Besides the fact that her grades were excellent, the last page is a medical report — it clearly states there’s a high likelihood she’ll differentiate into an Omega.”

Su Chenli stared at the final line of the report, her grip slowly tightening around the thin sheet of paper.

In bold, the last line read: “Subject has an 86% probability of differentiating into an Omega after reaching adulthood.”

A high-performing child, taken from an orphanage by the Cheng family, with a strong likelihood of becoming an Omega… What exactly could a child like that be used for?

Su Chenli didn’t even want to speculate.

At the time, the Su family’s core household consisted only of her father and the original Su Chenli. Pei Nanxu had been brought over to grow up as a childhood companion to the Su family’s sole heir. Looking deeper, even if the original Su Chenli didn’t become an Alpha… wasn’t Su’s father still around?

And what if Su’s father hadn’t been a decent man?

Su Chenli clenched her jaw, crushing the report in her hand and tearing it to pieces.

She’d thought that the “beautiful sister” of this world — Pei Nanxu — had finally been spared a tragic role. But now it seemed she’d been caught in something even worse all along.

“Hey, don’t get too worked up,” Chu Ningxin said, glancing at her with a bit of surprise and trying to offer some comfort. “We kind of suspected this already, didn’t we? Back then, Cheng Xi wasn’t much older than we are now. And I heard she was never taught anything about the family business. This must’ve been Cheng Zhaohai taking matters into his own hands while the old man was seriously ill. It’s laughable, really — as if Cheng Zhaohai had any business sense at all. If he did, would an elderly man in his seventies have had to hold the family together for so long?”

Su Chenli paused, barely registering anything Chu Ningxin said after that.

“Suspected it already”?

Right… She was the outsider, a task-bound intruder who’d only recently entered this small world. But the original Su Chenli and Chu Ningxin had grown up here. Of course they knew the deeper truths.

…So was that why the original Su Chenli’s attitude toward Pei Nanxu had always been so strange? Because her identity made things awkward — so even if there were feelings, she had to suppress them?

But were those external factors really impossible to overcome?

“Where is Cheng Zhaohai now?” Su Chenli suddenly asked.

“Hm?” Chu Ningxin looked at her. “Didn’t he get arrested for financial crimes when the Cheng family collapsed? You forgot? I heard about it from you, actually.”

“Oh…” Su Chenli looked away, pausing for a second. “Just slipped my mind.”

Too hasty. That question had come out a bit too abruptly.

But if Cheng Zhaohai was already out of the picture, what was the original still afraid of? Why the deliberate distance from Pei Nanxu — even turning antagonistic? Maybe there was more to the story.

Su Chenli lightly rubbed the watch on her wrist and asked, “Didn’t you say this matter might involve you too? How come you haven’t mentioned that part yet?”

Chu Ningxin was quiet for a moment. “…It’s Yu Xi — the little actress who’s always hanging around me.”

“It was during this investigation that I found out: Pei Nanxu and Yu Xi grew up in the same orphanage. Apparently, they were quite close back then. They only lost contact after being adopted by different families.”

Oh, right. That part.

Su Chenli had nearly forgotten — but she still didn’t understand why Chu Ningxin was taking this so seriously. Did it really warrant a face-to-face meeting?

“Is that such a big deal?” Su Chenli looked over at her. “So what if they knew each other?”

Chu Ningxin’s expression turned slightly sour. “Maybe it wasn’t, but something about their relationship feels… off. I think they’ve already gotten back in touch, but I can’t tell when it started. I asked Yu Xi, but I don’t think she told me the truth.”

Su Chenli: “…”

She probably didn’t. Whatever was going on between them wasn’t something that could be easily explained.

“I thought you didn’t like it when others gave Pei Nanxu a hard time?” Chu Ningxin tapped the table lightly. “Well, I don’t like it when someone gets too close to someone I’m not done playing with.”

Su Chenli paused.

Now she understood why Chu Ningxin had asked her here.

It wasn’t about concern. It was about control. Chu Ningxin couldn’t tolerate Yu Xi forming new bonds outside of her influence. But because of her history with the original Su Chenli, she couldn’t openly go after Pei Nanxu either.

“So what are you suggesting…?”

“We handle our own people,” Chu Ningxin cut in. “You keep Pei Nanxu from digging into the past with anyone, and I’ll make sure Yu Xi stays away from your girl. Let’s just make sure the two of them don’t get close again. Sound fair?”

Su Chenli hadn’t expected her mission to involve teaming up with the resident scumbag Alpha…

…But damn, it really was convenient.

At least now, she could get through the first part of the plotline without too much trouble.

“Deal,” Su Chenli said without hesitation.

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