The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 36

“Why don’t you reconsider?” Tan Hua’s smile twitched slightly.
“I just think such a flashy bag doesn’t really suit the elegant and refined image you give off at work.”

She said it with a perfectly straight face—blatantly lying through her teeth.

Zheng Jinyu looked slightly puzzled, not quite understanding why Tan Hua would say something like that—until, at Tan Hua’s urging, she untied the wrapping and opened the gift box.

Inside lay a garish, oversized handbag in bold red and purple—an exaggerated design that looked like it belonged on a runway.
“…”

“You’re right—it’s really not my style,” Zheng Jinyu said, clearly torn.

She couldn’t help glancing sideways at Tan Hua, as if asking: This is what you meant by something that ‘matches my graceful temperament’?

Tan Hua was definitely feeling a little guilty. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and continued her nonsense with a straight face:
“You usually dress so conservatively. I just thought maybe you could try something livelier for a change.”

“And besides, this bag is one of a kind. From now on, whenever you look down and see it, you’ll think of me. Isn’t that kind of sweet?”

Tan Hua’s logic was ridiculous. That bag had nothing to do with “lively.”
“Visually assaulting” would’ve been more accurate.

Zheng Jinyu did own some loud and colorful pieces, but they were mostly random accessories chosen for bundle discounts—never serious wardrobe items.

But this? This was a meticulously chosen gift. A gift.

Zheng Jinyu didn’t even know how to respond.

After a long pause, she finally let out a soft laugh.
“Alright.”

Tan Hua wasn’t sure if Zheng Jinyu had genuinely accepted the gift or simply planned to switch to a different bag before her meeting with Sheng Yiheng. But it was nearly time to clock in again, so she quickly said her goodbyes and sped off like a gust of wind.

Zheng Jinyu looked down at the pricey—but objectively hideous—handbag in her hands and suddenly smiled. Her brows curved softly, her expression relaxed.

It was the first gift Tan Hua had ever given her.

And it had been given with the express hope that it would remind her of Tan Hua whenever she saw it.

Neither Lu Huaixu nor Sheng Yiheng had received one—only her.

Zheng Jinyu gazed in the direction Tan Hua had left and tilted her head slightly.
Why had the Omega suddenly decided to please her like this?
She frowned.
Could it be that she did something behind my back and is now trying to make amends?

Tan Hua had run fast. She made it back to the office just in time, right at the last second before her lunch break ended.

Sheng Yiheng stretched her neck, watching her return empty-handed, suspicion flickering in her heart.

Still no sign of a gift? Not even a hint?

The entire lunch break had passed.

Sheng Yiheng laced her fingers beneath her chin, watching Tan Hua casually open an entertainment app like she had no plans to approach her at all. This left her in deep thought.

If Tan Hua didn’t spend lunch picking up the gift for me, then what exactly had she been doing outside all that time?

Suddenly, Sheng Yiheng regretted not installing a surveillance device on Tan Hua too.

Still, gift-giving was a delicate matter. Since Tan Hua hadn’t mentioned it, Sheng Yiheng couldn’t exactly bring it up herself without sounding shameless.
It’s fine, she thought. There’s still an entire afternoon left.

Surely, she won’t hold off until after work… right?

With that conclusion, Sheng Yiheng decided—for now—to stop obsessing over monitoring Tan Hua.

She refocused on her computer screen… only to be greeted by a mountain of unanswered emails.

She fell into silence.

She’d spent far too much attention on the Omega today—so much so that she hadn’t even started her own work.

A wave of regret slammed into her like a tidal wave.
This isn’t right, she thought, moving her mouse absentmindedly.
Since when have I ever spent this much energy on someone who has nothing to do with me?

She couldn’t help but glance deeply in Tan Hua’s direction, her brows furrowed so tightly it looked like she could crush a fly between them.

Tan Hua, while leisurely slacking off, did sense Sheng Yiheng’s probing glances cast her way. But since the looks disappeared quickly, she didn’t think much of it.

It wasn’t until Zheng Jinyu arrived and Sheng Yiheng rose from her desk to follow her secretary to the meeting room that that indescribably complex gaze landed on her again.

Tan Hua frowned, completely puzzled.
“What’s up with Sheng Yiheng?”

She mulled over it for a long time, then suddenly jolted with a shiver and quickly asked the system:
“Don’t tell me she found out the heroine is coming back soon and now she’s planning to ditch me so she can resume her loyal, infatuated-with-the-heroine persona?”

System: “…That’s not entirely impossible.”

After all, we are dealing with a scumbag Alpha here. You can’t seriously expect Sheng Yiheng to grow a conscience.

“That’s such a shame,” Tan Hua sighed deeply, looking mournful.
“I haven’t even cashed in yet.”

While the system sat in stunned silence, Tan Hua shot it a lazy side-eye.
“This is your fault. You should’ve sent me here earlier.”
“If I fail the mission in the end, some of the blame’s on you.”

System: “???”
Excuse me? You’re the one who spends all day eyeing everyone’s wallets instead of properly pursuing your targets. How is this my fault as a literal AI?

“I don’t think it’ll come to that,” the system said, its circuits sparking in distress as it checked the storyline.
“If nothing changes, the heroine isn’t scheduled to return for another two or three months.”

“So you still have time to seduce more scumbag Alphas. You just need to start hustling.”

At this point, the system might as well whisper directly into Tan Hua’s ear:
“Time is running out. Stop with the nonsense—just get in there and work.”

Tan Hua raised a surprised brow.
“That long?”

The system didn’t like her tone. She sounded almost… disappointed.

Worried, the system looked her dead in the eyes and said seriously:
“Host, I want to remind you that your targets are the heroine’s suitors. Not the heroine herself.”

“You’re not seriously already bored with these scummy Alphas and looking for a fresh thrill by going after the heroine, are you?”

“What are you even talking about?” Tan Hua blinked innocently and waved a hand casually.
“Got it, got it. Stop nagging.”

The system studied her from top to bottom, trying to detect even a trace of deviation. But in the end, it found nothing suspicious.

It could only cling to hope—hope that its host was a red-blooded Alpha-lover with zero interest in Omegas.
But then again, the more it thought about it, the more it realized: a quiet, obedient host like that… didn’t exactly fit the chaotic female lead profile of an X-rated story.

This was giving the system a serious headache.

It had been quite a while since Sheng Yiheng last worked with Zheng Jinyu.

Their last collaboration had been way back—during the early days of Sheng Yiheng’s startup, right after receiving a massive investment from her grandfather. Back then, she’d been young, arrogant, and utterly clueless, making her an easy mark.

That was the time when the soft-spoken, graceful woman standing before her now—Zheng Jinyu—and the cunning, sharp-minded Lu Huaixu had joined forces and nearly scammed her out of every cent of her seed funding.

After that incident, Sheng Yiheng had avoided doing business with either of them ever again—especially anything involving money.

In the business world, the prettier a woman looked, the more dangerous she was underneath. The more harmless her appearance, the more ruthless her true nature.

That was the painful lesson Sheng Yiheng had learned from dealing with two particular Alphas—Zheng Jinyu and Lu Huaixu.

After her experiences with those two, Sheng Yiheng had become extremely cautious around beautiful women. She scrutinized every detail, terrified that the slightest misstep might once again lead to disaster.

It could be said that Zheng Jinyu and Lu Huaixu had completely changed her once-carefree personality—so much so that, at one point, she had nearly become as cold and venomous as they were.

So now, as Sheng Yiheng sat facing Zheng Jinyu—who appeared gentle and poised on the outside—she couldn’t help but scoff inwardly.

Still, on the surface, she remained polite.
“President Zheng, you finally made it. Please, have a seat.”

She casually pulled out a chair and sat down first, her eyes scanning the room as she prepared to speak—when suddenly, her gaze froze.

It had landed squarely on the vividly colored handbag sitting beside Zheng Jinyu.

Wasn’t that one of the bags Tan Hua had ordered yesterday?

How had it ended up in Zheng Jinyu’s hands?

A coincidence?

Zheng Jinyu noticed the flicker of confusion in her gaze and slightly furrowed her brows, unsure what prompted the look. Now wasn’t the time to call Tan Hua over for questioning, so Sheng Yiheng forced a smile and tried to keep things light, her tone only half-joking:
“That’s quite a nice new bag you’ve got there, President Zheng.”

Zheng Jinyu looked down at the bag in question. After a brief pause, she smiled faintly.
“A friend gave it to me. You think it looks good too?”

A friend…

Sheng Yiheng’s thoughts immediately jumped back to Tan Hua—and her oddly indifferent attitude toward her all day.

Everything suddenly made sense.

No wonder she hadn’t shown any intention of gifting anything. Turns out, she’d already given it away… to someone else.

What a performance, Sheng Yiheng thought bitterly. You really went all in to keep it from me, didn’t you?

She was livid.

She was Tan Hua’s boss. She didn’t mistreat her—on the contrary, she spent generously, supported her career, brought her into business deals, and helped her earn big money. And yet?

In the end, I still can’t compare to some Zheng Jinyu?

Sheng Yiheng’s expression remained calm, but her teeth were practically grinding to dust beneath her polite smile.

Zheng Jinyu? Really? Just because she looked soft and sweet, like someone you could trust?

Sheng Yiheng couldn’t make sense of it, and it made her furious.

“Yes, it is quite pretty,” she said with a composed smile.
“If I remember correctly, it’s not exactly cheap, is it? Must’ve cost a pretty penny for your… friend to gift it to you.”

She didn’t finish the sentence—leaving plenty of room for speculation.

Zheng Jinyu’s expression faltered slightly. Truthfully, she’d been thinking the same thing.

Tan Hua, that suspicious little schemer, suddenly going out of her way to personally deliver a bag like this…

It didn’t feel right, no matter how she tried to spin it.

Especially considering they hadn’t exactly been on good terms lately.

But then, Zheng Jinyu paused mid-thought.

What if—just maybe—the reason Tan Hua had given her the gift was exactly because of the unpleasantness they’d had recently?
Could it be that this was Tan Hua’s roundabout way of apologizing?

Zheng Jinyu knew Omegas were thin-skinned.

Too embarrassed to say sorry directly, maybe Tan Hua was acting like a kitten—offering her most prized possession as a gift, trying to earn forgiveness?

With that thought, Zheng Jinyu’s expression softened a little.

“She probably just wanted to make it up to me.”
She chuckled quietly.

Noticing that Sheng Yiheng had been oddly persistent in circling the topic of Tan Hua, Zheng Jinyu quickly shifted the conversation.

“Anyway, I brought a few things with me today—let’s get down to business.”

The topic was abruptly cut off.

Sheng Yiheng looked at her, smiling so pleasantly—so smugly—and felt an inexplicable wave of irritation.

Just a single handbag and she’s this happy?

Meanwhile, I spend eight hours a day with her, and I don’t see her tail wagging like that.

Tacky.

She smiled on the surface and replied enthusiastically:
“Perfect, I was hoping we could talk.”

But inwardly, Sheng Yiheng’s face was dark as storm clouds.

Once this meeting’s over, I’m going to find Tan Hua and have a serious talk.

Tan Hua had been happily watching a livestream, but the system suddenly popped in with an update:

“Host, just FYI—Zheng Jinyu did carry that handbag you gave her to meet Sheng Yiheng.”

The smile on Tan Hua’s face froze mid-stream.
“…What?”

After a long pause, she came back to her senses.
“It’s fine. No big deal.”
She kept her eyes on her screen.
“It’s not like Sheng Yiheng knows I gave it to her.”

“And even if she does, so what?”

“I bought it. I can give it to whomever I want. What’s it to her?”
Tan Hua leaned her cheek into her palm.
“She’s a big-time CEO with money and power. It’s not like she can’t afford a damn bag.”

“It’s not that simple,” the system warned.
“You just scammed a huge sum of money from her yesterday. If she finds out you turned around and used that money to buy a luxury gift for another Alpha… tell me, how would you feel?”

Tan Hua stayed silent.

So the system went for the kill.
“Do you think she’ll still bring you along to make big deals after this?”

Tan Hua’s expression shifted instantly.
“!”
Now that was a serious issue.

“I can still fix this.”
She muttered under her breath, and then—whoosh—shot up from her chair like she was being chased by a wild beast, bolting out the door.

Luckily, there was a luxury boutique right next to the building. Tan Hua marched in, picked out a stylish bag with ruthless efficiency, had it packed up, and rushed back to the office, breathless.

“That almost killed me.”
She collapsed onto the sofa, completely drained.

“Isn’t this just… paying out of pocket to keep my job?”

“The heroine’s coming back soon. She could boot me out any day now. Why am I still spending money to keep this up?”
The more she thought about it, the more she felt cheated.

She suddenly bolted upright.

“Nope. I’m returning it.”

Zheng Jinyu chuckled softly but quickly noticed that Sheng Yiheng kept bringing up Tan Hua—both openly and between the lines. Deciding to cut it off, she changed the subject directly.
“I brought some documents today. Let’s have a proper discussion.”

The topic came to an abrupt halt.

Sheng Yiheng watched her radiant mood, and no matter how she looked at it, she found it annoying.

All that over a single bag? I spend eight hours a day with her, and I’ve never once seen her this cheerful. Where’s my tail-wagging moment?

Tacky.

While thinking all this, Sheng Yiheng still smiled politely and responded,
“Perfect. I was thinking the same.”

But behind that civil façade, she was already planning to confront Tan Hua the moment this meeting ended.

Meanwhile, Tan Hua was happily watching a livestream when the system suddenly popped up:
“Host, Zheng Jinyu did take the bag you gave her to meet with Sheng Yiheng.”

The smile on Tan Hua’s face froze.
“?”

After a long moment, she recovered.
“It’s fine. Whatever.”
She kept her eyes on the screen.
“It’s not like Sheng Yiheng knows I gave it to her.”

“And even if she does, so what?”
“I bought it. I can give it to whoever I want. It’s not her business.”
She rested her cheek on one hand.
“She’s a big-shot CEO. Surely she can afford a bag, right?”

“It’s not that simple,” the system said.
“You just conned a massive sum of money out of her yesterday. And now she might find out you used that money to buy gifts for other Alphas. If it were you, how would you feel?”

Seeing Tan Hua still unmoved, the system delivered the final blow:
“Think she’ll still invite you along on big-money deals after this?”

Tan Hua’s face turned serious.
“!”
Now that was a problem.

“If I go buy one now, I should still make it in time…”
She muttered, and then—whoosh—sprang to her feet like something dangerous was chasing her.

Thankfully, there was a luxury boutique right next to the office building. Tan Hua dashed in, quickly picked out a stylish handbag, had it wrapped, and sprinted back breathlessly.

“That nearly killed me,” she exhaled dramatically as she collapsed onto the office sofa.

“This isn’t just a job anymore… I’m basically paying to work now.”

“The heroine’s about to return. She could boot me anytime. Why am I still spending money to curry favor with these people?”

The more she thought about it, the more she felt this deal was a complete loss. She was just about to get back up:
“Nope. I’m taking that thing back.”

But the system stopped her just in time.
“The next project Sheng Yiheng’s about to pitch…”

“What about it?” Tan Hua asked warily.

“If all goes well, we’re talking at least tens of billions.”

Tan Hua paused.

Then she smiled brightly.

“Actually, I think this bag perfectly matches President Sheng’s elegant and mysterious aura.”
“I’ll personally deliver it to her office—graciously and respectfully.”

System: “…”
Wow. A woman’s face really can turn faster than flipping a page.

Tan Hua did end up giving the bag to Sheng Yiheng. Not out of guilt—mostly because she had just exchanged contact info with the beautiful Beta saleswoman and felt too embarrassed to return the bag.

The Beta was gorgeous, after all. Spending a little money to boost her sales numbers? Why not?

Besides, if this minor gift could also score her favor with Sheng Yiheng—and perhaps delay her inevitable abandonment when the heroine returned—it was a win-win situation.

The system, oblivious to all of Tan Hua’s calculating little schemes, simply sighed in awe.

Money really can tame this demonic host.

Sheng Yiheng and Zheng Jinyu’s meeting dragged on until nearly the end of the workday. Afterward, Sheng Yiheng personally walked Zheng Jinyu downstairs.

The two Alphas exchanged polite, surface-level smiles—courteous, yet utterly fake.

After finally seeing off Zheng Jinyu—the old fox with layers of schemes—Sheng Yiheng returned to her office, full of suppressed irritation.

And then she saw it: a gift bag sitting right on her desk.

She froze mid-step and turned to her assistant, who was holding her breath from the pressure of her boss’s expression.
“Where did that come from?”

The assistant straightened up immediately, glanced at the bag, and shook her head.
“I’m not quite sure.”

“You can go,” Sheng Yiheng said, her back turned.

But her lips curved up ever so slightly, as if she were suppressing a smile.

Could it be… Tan Hua?

Sheng Yiheng thought it over. Aside from Tan Hua, who else would dare deliver a gift directly into her office? After all, she’d explicitly forbidden any form of flattery or bribery before.

And Tan Hua was a new hire—it made sense that she wouldn’t know the rules yet.

Her smile deepened.

At least she’s smart enough to do it when I’m not around, Sheng Yiheng thought, trying to create a surprise rather than delivering it right to my face like a fool.

She walked over and, with a touch of anticipation, unwrapped the package.

The moment she saw the handbag inside, her expression froze.

This wasn’t one of the two bags Tan Hua had picked yesterday.

Her face darkened immediately.

So where did those two go? One was clearly given to Zheng Jinyu. What about the other—Lu Huaixu? Or that pretty-boy Alpha?

Her mood took a nosedive.

Based on what she knew of Tan Hua, it was at least 99% likely that she’d only remembered Sheng Yiheng after seeing Zheng Jinyu—realized she’d forgotten to give her a gift—and ran out last-minute to buy some random replacement to patch things up.

Sheng Yiheng rummaged through the box with her elegant hands, looking for a receipt.

Nothing.

She flipped through again—still no proof of purchase, no time stamp, nothing.

Wait…

There was still one way to confirm.

She decisively put down the bag and pulled up the surveillance feed from Tan Hua’s office. When she saw the Omega had vanished for an hour and a half, her crimson lips pressed into a tight line.

As expected.

She slammed the call button for Tan Hua’s office. Her voice came out low and cold, like it had been dragged from the depths of her throat:
“Come here.”

Tan Hua was munching on chips when the call came in. She blinked.
“Huh?”

She wiped her hands and frowned.
“Why do I get the feeling she’s… not very happy?”

The system opened its mouth to say something, then thought better of it. After a pause, it simply replied:
“Why don’t you go and find out?”

Tan Hua stood up.
“Fine, fine.”

Sheng Yiheng sat at her desk, practically radiating do not approach energy.

Tan Hua’s eyes quickly landed on the half-unwrapped package and gave a polite smile.
“You don’t like it?”

Sheng Yiheng looked up slowly.
“You sent it?”

“Doesn’t it look like I did?” Tan Hua shot back smoothly.

Just as the tension thickened into silence, Tan Hua suddenly clutched her chest, eyes moistening as she launched into a dramatic performance:

“We’ve known each other for so long. We’re practically sisters! Closer than blood! And yet today—you didn’t even recognize a gift from me?”

“Sheng Yiheng, you cold-blooded, heartless woman!”
“You never cared about me. To you, I’ve always been disposable—a cheap, replaceable Omega you can toss aside at will. You—”

“Enough.” Sheng Yiheng interrupted with a hand to her forehead, visibly exasperated.

Why must she do this every time? Cry and rant like she’s been personally betrayed? Does she want the entire company to gather around and watch the drama unfold?

Sheng Yiheng suddenly felt very tired.

She decided to let the matter of the last-minute bag go—for now. There was something else more pressing on her mind.

“When did you meet Zheng Jinyu?” she asked abruptly.

Tan Hua blinked, caught off guard, two perfectly timed tears still hanging from her lashes.
“Huh?”

Where did that come from?

“‘Huh’ what?” Sheng Yiheng snapped, suddenly more irritable.
“Didn’t you hear me?”

Tan Hua frowned, clearly sensing something off.
“Maybe the year before last? Or last year?”

“‘Maybe’? ‘Or’?” Sheng Yiheng stared at her blankly. You seriously don’t remember your own relationships?

She took a deep breath to control her frustration.
“So… you two are close?”

“She’s been pretty nice to me,” Tan Hua replied honestly.

It was a neutral answer. But to Sheng Yiheng, it sounded strangely biting.

“She took care of you?” she echoed, her tone disbelieving.

Zheng Jinyu, kind-hearted? Giving without expecting something in return? To a stranger—and an Omega at that?

That would be the day the sun rose in the west.

She didn’t buy it.

Sheng Yiheng narrowed her eyes.
“Is that so.”

“Yes,” Tan Hua replied, blinking innocently. Then, frowning slightly, she asked,
“President Sheng, what are you really trying to ask?”

All these roundabout questions—can’t you just get to the point?

Sheng Yiheng paused, then gave in to her irritation and said what had been on her mind all day:

“Those two bags you ordered yesterday. Why did you give one to Zheng Jinyu?”

Tan Hua instantly raised an eyebrow.
Ah, so that’s what this is about.

So, Sheng Yiheng had seen her making the purchase yesterday—thought the gift was for her—and now she was sulking after seeing it end up with someone else.

She’d waited all day, expecting a present, only to watch it show up on another Alpha’s arm.

Jealous. She’s totally jealous.

Under Sheng Yiheng’s intense gaze, Tan Hua smiled gently. Then, after a moment of thought, she opened her mouth and dropped a bomb:

“Because Zheng Jinyu is my ex-wife.”

She looked Sheng Yiheng right in the eyes, as if saying:

“You seriously think you can compete with someone I used to be married to?”

Sheng Yiheng: “???”