I Was Just a Scumbag Extra, But She Loved Me Anyway [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 45

On the third floor of the Su family villa, the lights in the lounge adjoining Su Chenli’s bedroom were off. She sat quietly on the small sofa in the center of the room, laying photo after photo on the table in front of her.

Once the last photo was placed down, she finally stopped and sat back, frowning as she studied the scattered images.

Every photo had the same subject: Cheng Shijing.

The backgrounds varied—some were taken in H City, others in different cities altogether. There were shots of Cheng Shijing slipping into alleyways, moving suspiciously, as well as photos of him after all-nighters: face pale, eyes bloodshot, yet visibly high with manic excitement.

“This Cheng Shijing… definitely a seasoned gambler,” Su Chenli muttered as she looked over the pictures.

Ever since that day she’d met him in Pei Nanxu’s office, she’d quietly arranged for someone to tail him. With the help of overseas contacts, she had completely uncovered his past.

Eight years ago, when the Cheng family collapsed, Cheng Shijing fled to New Zealand with every bit of money he could gather. While traveling in the Americas, he picked up a gambling addiction, and from then on, things spiraled. He blew through all the money he had taken with him and racked up massive debts.

Even the portion of his debt that Cheng Xi had helped him settle was only partial—something even Cheng Xi didn’t know. This time, Cheng Shijing hadn’t returned home out of sentiment. He was running for his life, hiding from creditors.

And yet, even under those circumstances, the first thing he did after receiving money from Su Chenli was gamble—not pay off his debts.

Su Chenli stared at one of the photos with a trace of mockery on her lips. She gave a cold scoff and leaned back against the sofa, pulling out her phone to contact a familiar lawyer.

She sent over all the chat logs and screenshots of the money transfer in one go, then typed:
[So how does this count legally? Can I get the money back?]

The lawyer, an old and sharp-witted associate of the Su family, replied almost immediately:
[Recovering the money won’t be a problem. But since you’re asking me… you’re thinking of filing it as extortion, right?]

A slow smile curved on Su Chenli’s lips as she replied:
[You get me.]

[It’s tricky, but doable.]

Su Chenli paused for a moment, then typed again:
[What if I add gambling into the mix?]

[?!] The lawyer clearly hadn’t expected that.
[There’s gambling involved too? …If he has a history of criminal behavior, that’s even better. As long as he profited from it, we can calculate the amount and press charges accordingly. Judging by what he got from you, a heavy sentence is entirely possible.]

Staring at the message, Su Chenli thought for a second, then made another call.

As soon as the call connected, the other side answered energetically,
“Boss! Got any new instructions?”

“…Still following the target?” Su Chenli asked, glancing again at the photos on the table.

“Don’t worry,” the man replied confidently, “With me on this, we won’t lose him. I can tell you exactly how many sips of beer he had with his midnight snack.”

“…That’s not necessary,” Su Chenli said, expressionless, eyes sliding away. She had no interest in knowing what garbage Cheng Shijing was eating late at night. “As long as you haven’t lost him, it’s fine. How’s the thing I asked you to handle going? Did you bring up that ‘money-making opportunity’?”

The man chuckled.
“Of course I did. That old bastard’s sharp in all the wrong ways. The second my guy mentioned it, he caught on instantly—and next thing we knew, he was already teaming up with those other gambling rats to start a scam.”

“So you’re saying he fell for it? And your guys haven’t gotten involved, right?”

“Don’t worry,” the voice on the other end replied confidently. “We’re only feeding that Cheng guy the bait. My people haven’t touched a thing themselves.”

“Alright. Keep watching him. I’ll call when the time is right.” Su Chenli hung up the call without hesitation.

She tossed her phone aside and leaned over to gather the photos on the table. She had to put them away—there was no way she could let the pretty older sister see these… or she’d end up explaining for hours.

It was ridiculous, really. Cheng Shijing actually thought he could take her money for free?

As if she’d ever hand over money to someone who dared to threaten Pei Nanxu.

[Host, are you seriously planning to send Cheng Shijing to prison?] the system asked, sounding a bit uneasy.

“Why not?” Su Chenli replied calmly as she stacked the photos. “He deserves it, doesn’t he?”

[I mean… yeah, sure.] The system hesitated.
[I’m just worried this might speed up the plot. In the original timeline, Cheng Shijing played a pretty big role in Pei Nanxu’s story. A lot of her decisions were influenced by him. If that part disappears too early, the whole story might move forward faster than expected.]

Su Chenli’s hands paused mid-motion. She was quiet for a few seconds before continuing to neatly organize the remaining photos.

“…I don’t even want to throw Chu Ningxin under the bus completely. Do you really think I’d just stand by and let Pei Nanxu be bullied, all so I could spend more time with her?”

[Alright, alright… I get it. But the risk is real. I’m just doing my job and giving you a heads-up, okay?]

Su Chenli didn’t respond right away. After a brief silence, she suddenly stood up, letting the last photo fall back onto the table.

[W-What are you doing, Host?!]

Su Chenli stared at the door.
“I’m going to find Pei Nanxu.”

[Wait, huh?] the system stammered in confusion.
[Why? Did something happen?]

Su Chenli didn’t answer.

She hadn’t noticed any danger. She had no urgent reason to act. She just… wanted to see Pei Nanxu again. Wanted to be near her, even if only for a little while longer.

Pei Nanxu’s room was on the second floor.

The Su family’s old estate was large enough that each of the four family members had their own separate spaces and rarely crossed paths. Pei Nanxu’s room was on the same floor as the original host’s father and Cheng Xi, but in a different wing. Usually, she and Cheng Xi didn’t even use the same staircase.

As long as Su Chenli took the alternate stairwell, she’d avoid bumping into either of them.

With that plan in mind, she walked quickly through the carefully decorated music room and collector’s hall, heading straight for Pei Nanxu’s room—only to open the door and find Pei Nanxu already standing there, hand raised, about to knock.

Pei Nanxu froze for a moment. Her expression was uncertain, almost hesitant. When she saw Su Chenli suddenly appear in front of her, there was even a flicker of nervousness.

Su Chenli also paused in surprise. She had just been thinking about going to see Pei Nanxu, and now here she was—right in front of her.

Was this… fate being generous for once?

The two stood silently—one inside the room, the other just outside—looking at each other. For a few still seconds, neither of them said a word.

They were both lost in their thoughts.

After a moment of silence, Pei Nanxu seemed to think of something. Without a word, she suddenly turned and started walking back down the hallway.

“I just came up to take a look. It’s really nothing.”

Su Chenli blinked in disbelief.
“…What?!”

There was no way she was letting Pei Nanxu leave just like that. She quickly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.
“You’re already here. Why not stay with me for a little while?”

Pei Nanxu bit her lip and turned around. Her eyes met Su Chenli’s with a complicated expression.

“…What is it?” Su Chenli paused, softening her voice. “Do you… have something you want to tell me?”

Pei Nanxu didn’t answer. She just looked at her.

Su Chenli hesitated, not sure what Pei Nanxu was thinking, but she followed her instincts. Holding her hand gently, she whispered with a slight pout,
“I kind of missed you.”

Pei Nanxu’s lips moved slightly, and sure enough, her expression softened a little.

Su Chenli’s eyes lit up. She gently tugged Pei Nanxu a few steps toward her room, and while Pei Nanxu still seemed a little dazed, she took the chance to pull her inside.

Pei Nanxu quietly stood behind her, watching her carefully. It wasn’t until she noticed Su Chenli checking the hallway—making sure no one saw them—that something in her completely unraveled. Suddenly, she reached out, grabbed Su Chenli’s sleeve, turned her around, and kissed her.

A cool, familiar scent surrounded her. Caught off guard, Su Chenli instinctively wrapped her arms around Pei Nanxu’s warm, delicate body as their lips met.

At first, Su Chenli was confused—why was Pei Nanxu suddenly being so forward? The last time she’d taken initiative like this was when she had just recognized her.

But the moment their lips and tongues met, when warmth and breath tangled together, Su Chenli stopped thinking altogether. Even managing to close the door had been a last act of reason. All she could think about now was holding Pei Nanxu close and taking her deeper into the room.

Pei Nanxu followed her lead, slightly dazed. As her skin felt the heat of Su Chenli’s lips and hands, her mind blurred completely. Her reason felt like it was being burned away.

She had come to find Su Chenli. She wanted to hold her, kiss her—just like this. To be close. So close.

Just a moment ago, she had been suddenly triggered by something—she wasn’t sure what exactly—but a memory had resurfaced. A piece of a past life… from when she was surnamed Xie, an executive at a tech company.

The memories were vague and fragmented. But every flash of Su Chenli’s face—especially those moments right before they parted—made Pei Nanxu’s heart ache. She didn’t know how or why she remembered it so clearly, but even without the words, the pain from that farewell had carved itself into her heart. It was sharp, raw, and unbearable. All she wanted now was to be near Su Chenli, to make sure she was really here.

Lying on Su Chenli’s bed, Pei Nanxu felt both her body and mind being pushed to the edge. She couldn’t hold back any longer and wrapped her arms tightly around her.

Su Chenli responded by pressing a soft kiss against the warm, tender skin beneath her lips. Her heart and mind were completely consumed by the moment. When Pei Nanxu finally relaxed beneath her, Su Chenli lifted her head—only to notice faint tear tracks on her lover’s face.

She froze. Her heart instantly tightened.

Quickly, she moved up and gently kissed the corner of Pei Nanxu’s eye. Her voice was full of concern.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did Cheng Xi do something to you again?”

Pei Nanxu, still a little dazed, slowly lifted her hand and traced the side of Su Chenli’s face with her fingers. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.
“No… she didn’t do anything. I just… remembered something. And I really wanted to see you.”

She didn’t explain further, but Su Chenli instantly understood.

Pei Nanxu had remembered something from their previous lives—one of the worlds they had shared together.

Maybe she didn’t remember everything, but it was enough to make Su Chenli’s heart swell with joy.

They had missed each other for so long. Sometimes Su Chenli didn’t recognize Jiang Youning, and sometimes Jiang Youning didn’t recognize her. They had crossed paths, again and again, without fully finding each other. Even this time, they had almost missed their chance once more.

But thankfully… this time, fate gave them another shot.

Su Chenli gently held the hand resting on her cheek and, resisting the sting in her eyes, kissed Pei Nanxu’s palm softly.

That simple, emotion-filled kiss—free of any desire—was like a tiny spark landing between two people who had been longing for one another across lifetimes. That spark turned into a flame, drawing them closer than ever.

Su Chenli’s touch grew more tender, and Pei Nanxu followed her lead, breath quickening, offering no resistance.

Their kisses deepened, lips wet with each breath, when suddenly—

Knock, knock.

A knock sounded from the outer room.

Both of them froze on the spot.

Pei Nanxu reacted immediately, tensing up as she gripped Su Chenli’s shoulder. Su Chenli glanced at her, then sat up, cleared her throat, and called out,
“I’m here. What is it?”

A voice came from the other side of the door.
“Young Miss, the Chairman has returned. He’s invited you downstairs for dinner.”

Su Chenli looked down. Pei Nanxu was lying on the bed, hair messy, cheeks flushed, and her expression still hazy with emotion.

For once, Su Chenli actually felt a bit embarrassed. She cleared her throat again, adjusted her voice, and replied,
“Got it. I’ll… we’ll be down in a minute after I freshen up.”

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