The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 50.1

A familiar voice abruptly yanked Tan Hua out of her gleeful gossip-watching mode and back into reality.

She blinked, eyes following the sound. When she saw Wen Chuan’s face—shocked, disbelieving, mixed with fury and heartbreak—her expression shifted in alarm. Instinctively, she ducked behind Zheng Jinyu.

But only a moment later, she composed herself and stepped back out from behind Zheng Jinyu, offering a polite smile.
“Hello.”

Her calm, collected manner made it seem like she wasn’t the one who had just panicked because she’d been caught in a lie. That ease, that brazen attitude—it was infuriating.

Wen Chuan wanted to confront her, to demand an explanation, but with both Ms. Wei and Zheng Jinyu staring at her with the same confused expression, she had no choice but to swallow her anger—for now.
“Hello,” she replied coldly.

Her voice was curt, her gaze sharp and unflinching as she stared at Tan Hua like she was trying to burn holes through her with her eyes.

Tan Hua felt a twinge of guilt but quickly forced a smile, taking a small step back and gesturing toward the door.
“Shall we talk inside?”

Zheng Jinyu, as if snapping out of a trance, quickly spoke up,
“Yes, come in.”

She turned around, her gaze briefly falling on Tan Hua—complex, unreadable.

Tan Hua instinctively scratched the side of her nose. What the hell… who would’ve thought Wen Chuan’s mother and Zheng Jinyu knew each other? And apparently, they were even on good terms?

This was insane.

She should’ve seen it coming. In these kinds of old-school melodramas, anything could happen. Unfortunately, it was a little too late now.

While Zheng Jinyu welcomed Ms. Wei and Wen Chuan inside, Tan Hua made an excuse to prepare tea, but really, she lingered in the kitchen alone, dragging her feet.

The system almost burst out laughing.
“I told you, Host—you should’ve kept a lower profile instead of flirting around like crazy. Now look, you’ve crashed and burned.”

Let’s see how you clean up this mess, it thought, delighting in the drama.

“It’s not that big of a problem,” Tan Hua said, making an ‘OK’ gesture.
“Zheng Jinyu and Wen Chuan’s mother don’t know the full story. I can bluff my way through. After all, the only one I really need to handle is Wen Chuan.”

She tilted her head and smiled.
“And I wouldn’t even call it ‘deception.’ Back when the original Tan Hua signed that stand-in contract with Wen Chuan, she never asked for clarification, did she?”

“Besides, I’m already divorced from Zheng Jinyu. I’m not her wife anymore,” Tan Hua added, righteous in her twisted logic.
“So really, this is Ms. Wei’s fault for being behind on the news. That’s what led to Wen Chuan’s misunderstanding.”

System: …So it’s all Ms. Wei’s fault, huh? You take zero responsibility?

Tan Hua had been stalling in the kitchen for quite a while. Only when Zheng Jinyu finally called out to her did she reluctantly bring out the tea, walking slowly and deliberately.

The moment she appeared, Wen Chuan’s eyes locked onto her like magnets.

Ms. Wei raised a hand to cover her face, completely at a loss.
Okay, so maybe my kid accidentally fell for someone else’s wife… but does she have to make it this obvious?

Staring so openly at your mother’s friend’s “wife” like that—what even is this?

Ms. Wei felt her brain beginning to short-circuit.

She subtly lifted her hand and gently nudged Wen Chuan with her elbow, signaling her to calm down and be a little more discreet. But Wen Chuan didn’t even glance her way.

Now that was awkward.

Trying to save the moment, Ms. Wei turned to Zheng Jinyu with a forced smile and started small talk.
“I happened to be nearby after work and suddenly realized we haven’t seen each other in quite a while. So, I brought a little something over to visit and catch up.”

Even though she was used to facing high-stress business situations, Wen Chuan’s blatant rudeness left her feeling unsteady.
“Though it’s quite late—I hope I’m not intruding.”

Interrupting your sweet couple time, she thought, but left it unsaid.

But the more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Wasn’t Zheng Jinyu always cold and indifferent toward this Omega wife of hers? She’d never even brought her home before.

In fact, the only reason Ms. Wei knew about their relationship at all was because the Omega had once shown up at a dinner event. She and Zheng Jinyu ended up arguing in the restroom, and Ms. Wei happened to overhear them. Since Zheng Jinyu hadn’t tried to hide anything at the time, Ms. Wei had learned the basics of the situation.

Now, Ms. Wei was starting to regret it—she really shouldn’t have jumped to label Tan Hua as the Omega right away. If she hadn’t done that, the atmosphere wouldn’t feel so unbearably awkward right now.

Looking at Wen Chuan, who was clearly already hopelessly smitten, Ms. Wei regretted it even more. Of all days, why did she have to bring her daughter to meet a business associate today?

One misstep, and the consequences would last a lifetime. After nearly forty years of life, Ms. Wei finally understood what that saying meant.

She’d never felt this awkward before. Her toes practically curled into the floor with secondhand embarrassment—if sheer cringe had form, she might’ve constructed an oceanfront villa right there on the spot, complete with private beach.

As Ms. Wei quietly reflected on her decisions, Zheng Jinyu gave her a faint smile, not the least bit annoyed.
“Not at all. I’m just glad you thought of me despite your busy schedule.”

“We really haven’t seen each other in ages,” she added politely. “I was actually planning to invite you out once I wrap up my current projects at work.”

Relieved by the topic shift, Ms. Wei quickly followed her lead.
“Then let’s plan something soon. The young people at my company mentioned a new restaurant nearby. Maybe we can check it out together?”

Zheng Jinyu agreed with a smile, and the two of them tacitly chose not to acknowledge the strange tension between Tan Hua and Wen Chuan. Instead, they casually chatted about current events and work.

As the conversation moved forward, Ms. Wei gradually stopped paying attention to her daughter.

But Wen Chuan… she never looked away from Tan Hua, not even once.

She stared, eyes unblinking, as if trying to find the slightest hint of guilt or remorse in Tan Hua’s expression. But no matter how long she stared, she saw nothing she wanted to see.

Wen Chuan’s whole body felt cold. Her fingers trembled uncontrollably as she clenched her fists, using every ounce of strength to keep herself from breaking down.

She wanted nothing more than to drag Tan Hua aside and demand answers.
Why? Why did you do this to me?

She was married. Why had she still led her on? And if she had to lead her on, couldn’t she at least have given her a heads-up—so she could’ve prepared herself mentally?

If she had known Tan Hua was already married, maybe she wouldn’t have fallen so deeply, so hopelessly in love. Or even if she had, she might’ve at least buried those feelings and kept them locked away, never allowing them to surface.

But now…

Now she just felt like a joke. A pitiful clown, toyed with in the palm of Tan Hua’s hand.

Back when I confessed to her… was she laughing at me in her head?
Did she find me pathetic? Naïve?
How easily I fell into her trap. How ridiculous.

Wen Chuan’s face turned pale, her lips drained of color.

She looked like a child who had just had her heart completely shattered—fragile, hurt, and pitiful. And yet, Tan Hua sipped her tea slowly and calmly.
“Pretty people really do look good no matter what—even when they’re angry or upset.”

System: “???” What kind of nonsense are you saying now?

But then again… looking again at Wen Chuan now, the system had to admit—she did paint quite the picture.

That usual bold confidence, paired with her delicate features, porcelain skin, and now those wide, wounded eyes brimming with unshed tears—like a heartbroken puppy. She really was heartbreakingly beautiful.

The system blinked and tentatively asked,
“So, Host… are you going to comfort her?”

Tan Hua, half-hidden by the rising steam from her tea, looked relaxed and unconcerned.
“Do I look like I can say anything right now?” she muttered. “If I dare speak even one word, I’ll be up all night with anxiety. I swear, if I get any sleep tonight, I’ll take your last name.”

“That… actually sounds great,” the system mumbled. “Might make you seem a little less human.”

Tan Hua didn’t catch that clearly, but judging by the tone, she could guess the system was cursing her again.

Her eyes narrowed.
“What did you just say?”

“Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” the system blurted and then fled, tossing back one final line:
“Host, just… figure it out yourself.”

Tan Hua let out a silent sigh and lifted her teacup again—only to meet Wen Chuan’s dazed, devastated eyes.

“…Well,” she thought, a little heartbreak when you’re young builds character.

She continued sipping her tea with an air of detachment. Wen Chuan had clearly been coddled too much. A little emotional upheaval might do her some good—might teach her that the world wasn’t all sunshine and sweetness.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, the system zapped her with a jolt of guilt. Tan Hua gritted her teeth and forced herself to smile weakly as Wen Chuan looked at her with a confused and slightly lost expression.
“Why aren’t you drinking your tea?”

“This is President Zheng’s prized tea, you know. Just a small piece costs hundreds of thousands.”

Wen Chuan’s gaze slowly sharpened. She looked down at the tea, then back up at Tan Hua—so cold, so distant. Then, suddenly, she reached out, picked up the cup, and downed the tea in one go.

Hundreds of thousands for a sliver of tea?
Fine. I’ll finish it in one gulp—let’s see if you’re still smiling after that.

Wen Chuan had always carried herself with bold confidence—elegant, poised, with clear, striking features and porcelain skin. But now, with her eyes reddened, glassy, and filled with hurt, she looked almost like a wounded puppy. The kind that made people’s hearts ache without even trying.

The system twitched slightly.
“Host… maybe you should comfort her?”

Tan Hua, her face half-fogged from the rising steam of her tea, replied lazily,
“Look at the situation. You think this is a good time for that? If I open my mouth right now and still manage to sleep peacefully tonight, I’ll take your surname.”

“Not a bad idea,” the system muttered. “Would make you seem even less human.”

Tan Hua didn’t quite catch that last part, but it didn’t stop her from guessing the system was probably muttering something nasty under its breath again. Her eyes narrowed.
“What did you just say?”

“Nothing!” the system said quickly, then vanished with a hasty, “Host, figure it out yourself.”

Tan Hua rolled her eyes and lifted her teacup, only to catch Wen Chuan’s utterly devastated gaze straight on.

“…Sigh. A little hardship while you’re young builds character,” she told herself.

Still calm, she continued sipping her tea. That girl had clearly been pampered too much—no wonder she couldn’t handle the tiniest bit of emotional turmoil.
Well, Tan Hua thought, tonight I’ll give her a taste of life’s bitterness, teach her what darkness the world can hold, how treacherous the human heart really is—

She hadn’t even finished the thought before the system zapped her again, sending a jolt straight through her.

Teeth clenched, Tan Hua barely managed to suppress a grimace before forcing out a smile at Wen Chuan, who was now looking at her with a dazed, confused expression.
“Why aren’t you drinking any tea?”

“This is President Zheng’s prized stash,” she said lightly. “One little brick of it costs hundreds of thousands.”

Wen Chuan’s gaze began to sharpen. She stared at the tea tray, then slowly lifted her eyes to meet Tan Hua’s. Without a word, she reached out, picked up the cup, and drank it all in one go.

Hundreds of thousands, huh? Great. I’ll finish the whole damn thing. Let’s see if you’re still smiling after that.

She drank cup after cup, like someone who’d just staggered out of a desert after thirty years without water.

Ms. Wei’s mouth twitched slightly.
“…Seriously?”

Had she never had decent tea at home or what? Was this really necessary—to embarrass herself in front of others at this hour?

Ms. Wei regretted bringing her along all over again. She took a deep breath and made a silent vow never to bring Wen Chuan to another one of her private gatherings.

The more she looked, the more embarrassing it got.

Through it all, Zheng Jinyu remained calm and good-natured. Even as Wen Chuan seemed determined to polish off the entire teapot, she didn’t show a hint of annoyance. In fact, she kindly motioned to Tan Hua to brew another pot, then gently warned,
“Don’t drink too much. You might have trouble sleeping tonight.”

Wen Chuan froze mid-sip and gave her a deadpan stare.
What are you so smug about?

She watched as Zheng Jinyu drank the last sip from her own cup. Smiling just as politely, Wen Chuan replied with a cool tone,
“No need to worry, Aunt Zheng. I’m young—I don’t have that kind of problem yet.”

Ms. Wei’s glare shot over like a knife. She lowered her voice sharply.
“Is that any way to speak? Where are your manners?”

Tan Hua almost spat out her tea, then carefully sneaked a glance at Zheng Jinyu.

Thankfully, she was still smiling—outwardly at least. But whether she was actually offended or not… that, Tan Hua couldn’t quite tell.

As an elder, Zheng Jinyu naturally wouldn’t bicker with a younger girl. But Tan Hua? She was a grown adult with a job, fully responsible for herself… so when Zheng Jinyu suddenly flashed her a radiant, unreadable smile, Tan Hua nearly jumped out of her skin.

Well, that tea doesn’t taste so good anymore.

What now? Tan Hua thought nervously. Maybe I should leave with Wen Chuan and Ms. Wei when they go?

…Yeah, that didn’t seem realistic.

Lowering her head, she focused on her tea, eyes down, lips tight, pretending to be calm while her mind ran wild.

Due to Wen Chuan’s impulsive and rude behavior, Ms. Wei felt it was time to cut the visit short. After some light, empty conversation with Zheng Jinyu, she gracefully made an excuse:
“It’s getting late—we won’t bother you any longer.”

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