The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 41

Tang Yanrou spoke earnestly, almost pleading, as if desperate to correct what she saw as Tan Hua’s misguided and reckless thinking.

“There’s an old saying: a broken mirror can’t be made whole again. In love, if one person has wronged the other, it’s nearly impossible for the relationship to return to how it used to be—like nothing ever happened.”

Tan Hua stared at her, face blank and blinking slowly, her expression full of confusion.
“…System,” she muttered inwardly, “I think she’s seriously misunderstood me.”

Seriously, the system thought. She’s practically one step away from saying ‘You’re a married woman now—act like it and behave yourself.’

But since the misunderstanding was already that deep, Tan Hua didn’t bother correcting it anymore. She decided to play along. With a deliberately fragile gesture, she lifted her hand and wiped away an imaginary tear from the corner of her eye.

“But… we can’t go back to how it was.”

The Omega’s face suddenly took on a sorrowful, fragile expression, as if she was on the verge of tears.
“She already has another Omega in her heart—someone unique and irreplaceable. She loves her so much it’s practically life or death. Even though she’s been abroad for years, she still can’t forget her.”

“In her eyes,” Tan Hua continued, brows gently furrowed and eyes tinged red, “I’ve only ever been a substitute. A stand-in for the one she really loves.”

“She’s never truly seen me. Never cared about me.”

“All this time, I’ve just been… someone who hides in the shadows, quietly surviving, like a thief sneaking behind someone else’s back—completely invisible, completely dispensable.”

Her voice was soft, but filled with unmistakable sadness.

Tang Yanrou hadn’t expected there to be so much pain behind Tan Hua’s story. Her heart grew heavy. She wanted to say something to comfort her, but worried that whatever she said might make things worse—might accidentally rub salt into a fresh wound.

So neither of them spoke.
The music around them drifted on. Voices filled the background.
But between the two of them, it was deathly silent.

The stillness made Tang Yanrou increasingly uneasy. She couldn’t help but question why she had even brought up the topic in the first place.
She was certain she’d be kept awake all night with guilt.

But Tan Hua quickly lifted her head and forced a smile—one that looked strong, if a little brittle.
“It’s alright,” she said softly. “I’m used to it. Her indifference doesn’t really hurt me anymore.”

“I’ve suffered so much since I was young. Compared to that, playing the role of a stand-in is nothing.”

She even began to comfort Tang Yanrou in return.
“Honestly, compared to most people in the world, I’m lucky.”

“I don’t have to work myself to the bone every day. I don’t have to scheme my way through endless negotiations. I don’t have to suffer harassment or mistreatment at work. I get to live comfortably. That’s more than enough for me.”

Tan Hua smiled lightly, like it was nothing at all.
“Life was never meant to be perfect. As long as you can get by—more or less—that’s good enough.”

But the more calmly she spoke, the worse Tang Yanrou felt.
After a long pause, she finally opened her mouth and murmured, “…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s fine,” Tan Hua said, turning her head toward her.

Her eyes—gentle and expressive—rested quietly on the flustered Alpha.

“You’re beautiful. So, it’s okay.”

Under the hazy lights, the delicate Omega lifted the corners of her lips in a smile.
She looked like she was glowing—like sunshine in the middle of July.
But behind that dazzling smile, there was sorrow in her eyes—deep, aching sorrow that made people instinctively want to protect her.

To Tang Yanrou, the Omega in front of her was like a delicate white flower blooming alone on a vast, wild mountain slope.
She had sprouted with difficulty, broken through the soil with difficulty, survived scorching sun, harsh winters, wind, and rain—and finally, she bloomed into something bright and beautiful.

That moment was absolutely dazzling.

For a split second, Tang Yanrou was entranced. She suddenly felt that this Omega was so pure, so genuine—completely different from any other Omega she’d ever met.

She was strong and kind. Even though the world had kissed her with pain, she still answered with a song.
She grew stubbornly, seemingly used to hardship, as if she’d accepted how harsh the world could be—but at the same time, she never truly gave in.
She was still fighting, still pushing back with the little strength she had, trying to change her own fate.

Tang Yanrou had never met such a resilient and radiant Omega.

Over the years, she’d met all kinds of Omegas.
Some came from wealth and were spoiled to the point of being arrogant and unruly—entitled in their words and actions, lacking basic respect for others. Just watching them was enough to make her frown.
Some came from less privileged backgrounds and, along with their families, saw the world purely through the lens of money and materialism. When they looked at her, all they saw were the benefits she could offer them.

And there were those who came from truly poor families—but Tang Yanrou had never had the chance to meet them. They simply didn’t share the same social circles.

But the Omega in front of her? This was the first time she had interacted with someone whose entire yearly—or even decade-long—income was less than her daily allowance.
A girl born into utter poverty.

Tang Yanrou had always heard teachers and others around her say, “Out of the mountains come the unruly,” but as she looked at this pale-skinned, beautiful Omega quietly grieving beside her, she realized… maybe that wasn’t entirely true.

Despite her circumstances, this Omega was clear-headed, strong, independent, and hopeful. All the best qualities written in books—she carried every one of them.

Tang Yanrou’s heart started to race. She could feel her emotions tightening.
“…We could try being friends,” she said gently.

“If that Alpha ever bullies you, treats you badly, or insults you, you can come to me.”

“I can be your support.”

After saying that, Tang Yanrou held her breath, eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at Tan Hua.

Huh?
Tan Hua stared back at her, dumbfounded. How did things suddenly escalate to this?

She looked into Tang Yanrou’s sparkling, starry eyes, mouth half open in disbelief, and fell completely silent.

Wait a minute… how is she this easy to fool?

She’s not just a hopeless romantic—she’s a total sweetheart.

Tan Hua couldn’t help but ask the system,
“Has Tang Yanrou seriously never faced any real setbacks? Like being betrayed, lied to, or bullied by someone close?”

“With her background?” the system snorted. “Who would dare bully her?”

Then, in a rare moment of solemnity, it added,
“Honestly, I think the biggest misfortune Tang Yanrou’s ever experienced in her life…
…is meeting you today, Host.”

Tan Hua: “…”

I swear, I’m this close to slapping you.

The system, sensing danger, promptly disappeared after that last comment. But even in hiding, it continued monitoring Tang Yanrou from the shadows, trying to recall any relevant storyline details connected to her.

“Really?” Tan Hua’s eyes lit up just a little after finishing her silent conversation with the system. She sounded genuinely happy as she asked the question.
But just as quickly, the light in her eyes dimmed again.

“…It’s fine,” she said softly.
“I know my place. I’ve never expected things that were never meant to be mine.”

She lifted her lips into a faint, calm smile.
“Being able to talk so openly with you today, Miss Tang, is already a great blessing in my life. I really appreciate you taking the time to listen to all my troubles.”

“Don’t belittle yourself like that. Actually, I—”
Tang Yanrou was just beginning to speak when she suddenly felt a shadow fall over them.

She looked up and saw Sheng Yiheng standing there, her face expressionless, eyes locked onto Tan Hua.

Tang Yanrou instinctively turned to Tan Hua, only to see her abruptly shoot to her feet, clearly panicked as she rushed to distance herself.

“There’s nothing going on between us!”

Sheng Yiheng had no idea what kind of drama this was supposed to be now, but at Tan Hua’s words, she instinctively let out a cold, dry laugh.

“We’re going. Time to head home.”

Her gaze slid past Tang Yanrou—who was staring daggers at her—and landed back on Tan Hua with that signature cold-as-a-coffin-lid expression.
Really? Smearing my image in front of someone again?

Tan Hua pretended not to see the accusation in her eyes. She obediently walked over to Sheng Yiheng’s side. She wanted to say a few parting words to Tang Yanrou, but in the end, she visibly held herself back.

“Goodbye, Miss Tang,” she said instead.

“It was really nice meeting you today.”
She smiled so brightly it took Tang Yanrou’s breath away—just for a second, it felt like the world had been lit up.

By the time Tang Yanrou came back to her senses, only the fluttering edge of the Omega’s dress remained in view.

She stood there, dazed, staring in the direction Tan Hua had gone.
For a moment, she felt like something inside her had gone with her… leaving a small, quiet emptiness behind.

Sheng Yiheng gave Tan Hua a full scan—top to bottom, side to side.

Tan Hua frowned and looked back at her. After a long pause, Sheng Yiheng finally retracted her stare and asked,
“You and Tang Yanrou—are you two close?”

Tan Hua raised her eyebrows. “Don’t you already know the answer to that?”

Her tone was calm but cool.

That answer hit Sheng Yiheng like a punch to the throat. She didn’t know what was wrong with Tan Hua today—why she was so short-tempered, like a stick of dynamite ready to explode.

But knowing how bad things could get when Tan Hua was angry, Sheng Yiheng instinctively softened her tone.

“I’m just… worried about you,” she said.

“As your friend, I just want to remind you—and warn you—not to get too close to Tang Yanrou.”

“Real life isn’t a fairy tale. There aren’t that many princesses or ugly ducklings that turn into—”

“Wait, what?!” Tan Hua cut her off, eyes wide, voice sharp.
“You’re calling me ugly?!”

Sheng Yiheng: “???”
Wait… that’s what you took away from that?!

Sheng Yiheng had no idea what kind of drama Tan Hua was putting on this time, but upon hearing her words, she instinctively let out a cold snort.
“Let’s go. We’re going home.”

Her gaze swept across Tang Yanrou’s furious expression before she turned her coffin-stiff face back toward Tan Hua:
Seriously? Are you out here ruining my image in front of people again?

Tan Hua pretended not to notice the silent accusation in her eyes. She obediently walked over to Sheng Yiheng’s side.
She wanted to say a few parting words to Tang Yanrou, but in the end, she visibly held herself back.

“Goodbye, Miss Tang.”
She flashed a brilliant smile—so dazzling that for a moment, it stole the breath from Tang Yanrou’s chest.

It took her a long while to recover. But by the time she came back to her senses, all that was left in her vision was the fluttering hem of the Omega’s skirt as she walked away.

Tang Yanrou stared in the direction Tan Hua had gone.
For a fleeting second, she felt as if something in her chest had left with her—leaving a sudden emptiness behind.

Sheng Yiheng gave Tan Hua a thorough once-over, head to toe, left to right.

Tan Hua frowned and glared back. After a long pause, Sheng Yiheng finally withdrew her gaze and asked,
“You two know each other that well?”

Tan Hua replied calmly, “Don’t you already know whether we do or not?”

Her voice was indifferent, but her tone sharp.

That hit Sheng Yiheng like a blockage in the throat. She couldn’t understand why Tan Hua was so explosive today—like a firecracker on edge, ready to go off at the slightest spark.
Still, she knew better than to provoke her when she was in this kind of mood, so she softened her tone without realizing it.

“I’m just worried about you.”

“As your friend, I want to remind you—and advise you—not to get too close to Tang Yanrou.”

“There aren’t as many fairy tales in real life as you think. There are no princesses, no ugly ducklings that—”

Tan Hua suddenly glared, furious.
“You’re calling me ugly?!”

Sheng Yiheng: “???”
That’s what you took from that?!

Her point had been that they were incompatible!

Sheng Yiheng stuffed one hand into her pocket and let out a slow, frustrated exhale. “What I mean is, there’s too big a gap between you and her—status, background, everything. If you two got together, it just wouldn’t be realistic.”

“I think you should give up on her. Stop daydreaming. I can introduce you to some Alphas who are a bit more… suitable for you.”

“Suitable for me?” Tan Hua smiled, her tone light but laced with danger.
“So what—you’re going to test them for me first before introducing them?”

“Because unless you try them yourself, how would you know if they’re actually suitable?”

System: “?!” What kind of unhinged thing is that to say?!

The moment Sheng Yiheng’s face turned dark—her expression practically thunderous—the system panicked and shocked Tan Hua multiple times without mercy.
“Host, mind your words!”
If this Alpha snaps, even I won’t be able to save you!

The sudden zaps made Tan Hua stagger, her vision briefly going black. She stumbled a few steps before regaining her balance.

Sheng Yiheng instinctively reached out to steady her, but her face remained cold.
“What are you playing at now? I’ve seen through all your little tricks. They don’t work on me.”

Tan Hua paused to recover, then glanced sideways at her.
“Then why did you reach out to catch me?”

Without warning, she leaned in, narrowing her eyes with a playful gleam.

“Don’t tell me you’ve already started falling for me… and just haven’t realized it yet?”

The Omega’s warm breath brushed past as she moved closer. Sheng Yiheng stiffened—just for a split second.

Then, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she suddenly jumped back, putting distance between them.

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

“Tan Hua, if you keep spreading rumors like this—don’t blame me for docking your pay.”

Tan Hua refused to back down. “If you dare dock my pay without reason, I’ll report you to the labor board.” She raised her fist. “I’ve got nothing but time. I can fight this to the bitter end.”

System: “…”

Sheng Yiheng: “…”
All this for a few measly bucks? Is it really worth going full scorched-earth over?

Unwilling to argue with Tan Hua any further, Sheng Yiheng turned to leave.
“Are you getting your own ride back, or should I take you?”

“Of course you’re taking me.”
What a joke. Her clothes were still at Sheng Yiheng’s place. They weren’t exactly worth a fortune, but they weren’t worthless either.

Once in the car, Sheng Yiheng didn’t say another word. She focused entirely on the laptop on her lap, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she gave rapid instructions.

Tan Hua glanced over casually. With each directive, different departments at the company sprang into action in real time.

The company had no shortage of top-tier talent, and everyone was frighteningly efficient.
So Tan Hua couldn’t help but wonder: With such a powerhouse of a team, how has Sheng Yiheng only built up this modest level of wealth after all these years?

Unable to resist her curiosity, she asked out loud.

Sheng Yiheng’s typing paused. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she turned to look at Tan Hua. She stared for so long, Tan Hua thought she’d struck a nerve and wouldn’t get an answer.

But finally, Sheng Yiheng spoke—through gritted teeth.
“In the early days, I was almost scammed out of all my startup capital.”

Her eyes lost focus for a brief moment. Then she gave a faint, bitter smile.
“I just recently managed to earn it all back… and returned it to my family.”

Tan Hua: “…”

A tragic and brooding overachiever of a CEO. Of course.

Turns out, no one’s life is easy—not even for a supposed main character like Sheng Yiheng.
Someone like Tang Yanrou, blessed by the universe at every turn, was clearly one of the rare exceptions.

Sensing it was a sensitive topic, Tan Hua wisely didn’t ask who had almost swindled Sheng Yiheng down to her underwear.
She had a strong feeling the culprit was probably someone she wouldn’t expect—and frankly, she didn’t want to get involved in that mess.

Once they got back to Sheng Yiheng’s home, Tan Hua changed clothes and left.
She sat quietly behind the wheel of her sports car for a long while, then finally said to the system,
“I’ve already got my makeup on. If I just go home like this, wouldn’t that be a waste?”

System: Spare me the roundabout excuses—if you want to stir up drama, just say it.

“So where are you thinking of going?” the system asked.

Tan Hua leaned on the steering wheel, thinking.
“Let’s go see Lu Huaixu. She gave me this car, and I haven’t properly thanked her yet.”

More importantly, the heroine had already interacted with Sheng Yiheng and Wen Chuan…
But what about Lu Huaixu?
Had the heroine made any emotional progress with her yet?

Lu Huaixu was quiet, introverted, and rarely made the first move.
If Tan Hua waited for her to reach out with updates about the female lead, she’d probably be old and grey by the time anything happened.

With that thought settled, Tan Hua messaged Lu Huaixu directly. After getting a confirmed reply, she started up the car and headed straight to Lu Huaixu’s residence.

While driving, she sighed dramatically.
“Work during the day, part-time jobs at night… even a mule in a labor brigade doesn’t work this hard.”

“But Host,” the system rushed to reassure her, afraid she might actually quit, “you’ve been earning a fortune from all this, haven’t you?”

“And besides, you’re heartless and emotionally bulletproof. None of these so-called ‘scummy’ Alphas have managed to actually hurt you—and honestly, you seem to be enjoying yourself. Isn’t that what makes this job so… rewarding?”

Tan Hua was momentarily speechless.

…She had to admit, the system’s analysis was disturbingly accurate.
She couldn’t even come up with a counterargument.

Tan Hua arrived at Lu Huaixu’s villa shortly after. She parked the car in the garage and walked to the door like she’d done it a dozen times before.

The housekeeper spotted her but didn’t even flinch—just gave a small nod in greeting and walked right past her like she belonged there.

“…?”
Tan Hua blinked and turned around. That’s it? She’s just letting me in without a word?

She stared at the housekeeper for a long moment, realizing the woman didn’t think twice about her presence. That left her with a strange, complicated feeling.

After a pause, she pushed the thought aside and walked over to Lu Huaixu.

“Long time no see, President Lu,” she said brightly.
“It’s only been a day, but it felt like three years! I missed you so much!”

Lu Huaixu glanced up at her but didn’t reply.

Tan Hua wasn’t fazed and kept talking.
“You really are so generous and kind—not to mention gorgeous. The car you gave me drives like a dream!”

“Commuting has been so much easier ever since. And especially since I’m in heat right now, it’s made everything much more convenient.”

She sat down across from Lu Huaixu and added sincerely, “So I came here today just to say thank you.”

She spoke so earnestly that Lu Huaixu lifted her eyes and asked,
“So today’s visit is free of charge?”

Tan Hua’s flattery froze on her face. After a beat, she recovered and answered confidently,
“Of course not.”

She shook her head seriously.
“I came today to help soothe your stress and emotional exhaustion.”

“You must be tired dealing with people all day. But don’t worry—today, Teacher Tan is here as your personal therapist. Whatever’s bothering you, you can talk to me. I’ll listen and help you work through it.”

Tan Hua was excited about her role, but Lu Huaixu didn’t seem to care.

“Honestly, just sitting there quietly would help me more than anything.”

Tan Hua’s face fell. “…”
So cold. So heartless.

Lu Huaixu really didn’t seem to be in the best mood. Not wanting to get kicked out, Tan Hua obediently stayed quiet and sat off to the side.

After all, Lu Huaixu had money, was generous, and always paid her on time. There was no reason to go against her.

Tan Hua pulled out her phone, browsed the news for a bit, and casually checked on Wen Chuan’s study updates.

A long time passed before Lu Huaixu finally spoke again.

“How did you first find out about Cheng Yuan?”

“Huh?” Tan Hua blinked, surprised. It took her a few seconds to respond.
“Oh… I heard about her online.”

Back then, the original Tan Hua had seen Cheng Yuan online—a glamorous heiress living the kind of life she had always dreamed of. That was when she became determined to escape her own background and change her fate.

She shamelessly used her connection with Mu Wanyi to gather information, and then started planning and taking action. Step by step, she had gotten to where she was when Tan Hua took over.

To be honest, Tan Hua admired the original host.
If not for the limitations of her upbringing, she believed that with her intelligence and courage, that Omega would have been a capable, sharp, and independent woman.

Lu Huaixu asked again, “Then how did you know about my connection to her?”

Tan Hua looked confused. Wasn’t that public knowledge?

After a moment, she replied carefully,
“Isn’t it kind of well-known that she’s important to you? I mean… a lot of people seem to know.”

Was this really a secret?

Lu Huaixu didn’t respond. She just stared at Tan Hua for a long time. Long enough that Tan Hua thought she wasn’t going to say anything else.

Then finally, Lu Huaixu asked,
“How much do you know about her?”

Tan Hua frowned slightly. What’s with her today? She doesn’t seem like herself.

“Not much,” she answered honestly.
“I’ve never even met her. I just saw a few photos online.”

She wanted to ask what was going on, but before she could, Lu Huaixu spoke again.

“You heard her call Sheng Yiheng yesterday. You were there, weren’t you?”

Her tone was calm, but firm—like she already knew the answer no matter what Tan Hua said.

Tan Hua’s eyes widened.
How does she know that?!
Don’t tell me Sheng Yiheng spilled everything the second she got the chance?

Fingers twitching slightly, she quietly set her phone down and sat up straighter.
“I was there, but it was just a coincidence,” she said quickly.
“I didn’t mean to listen in.”

She held up two fingers. “I swear.”

Lu Huaixu didn’t even glance at her gesture.
Instead, she asked,
“If you were her—if you were Cheng Yuan—what would your plans be, romantically, after returning from studying abroad?”

Tan Hua paused, speechless.
“…Do you want the truth or something nice?”

Lu Huaixu looked at her. “What do you think?”

Tan Hua gave an awkward laugh and cleared her throat.

“If I were Cheng Yuan… I wouldn’t choose any of you.”

Lu Huaixu: “?”

“You’ve all known each other for so long. If there was any potential, it would’ve happened by now. Why wait until now?”

She tried to keep her voice neutral.
“There are plenty of Alphas out there—attractive, charming, tall, gentle. Why get caught up in a messy love triangle full of angsty stand-in drama?”

If it were me, I’d live carefree. Date whoever I liked, never settle down, and enjoy every moment without getting attached.

Now that sounds like the life.

Unfortunately, her expression gave away a little too much. Lu Huaixu narrowed her eyes and said quietly,
“So that’s why you’re stringing along me, Sheng Yiheng, Zheng Jinyu, and Wen Chuan all at the same time?”

Tan Hua froze. “?”

Wait—we were talking about Cheng Yuan. How did this suddenly turn into an interrogation about me?

Something felt wrong. Tan Hua’s mind raced.
No, wait—
The real problem here is: how did she even know I was involved with the others?!

Tan Hua: Okay. That’s it. From now on, all affairs must be strictly… underground.