The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Tan Hua glanced guiltily at Tang Yanrou, who looked mildly curious. She cleared her throat and said,
“…I’ll be going out again shortly to follow up with a client. You don’t need to wait for me—head back first.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the call before Wen Chuan’s voice finally returned, calm but carrying an odd edge:
“Are you going to drink?”

“Uh… probably not?” Tan Hua hesitated, then quickly corrected herself,
“I mean, even if we do, it’ll only be a glass or two—maybe just some red wine.”

Wen Chuan gave a low, self-deprecating laugh.
Great. Just great.

She was furious on the inside, but what came out of her mouth was a soft, tender tone:
“I’m worried about you, sis.”
Her voice was gentle, not a trace of anger to be found.
“What if you get drunk and someone takes advantage of you?”

“Where are you going for dinner? Send me the location. I’ll wait nearby and take you home after. I just… won’t feel at ease otherwise.”

Every word was laced with stubborn protectiveness.

Tan Hua blinked slowly, her lashes fluttering like small fans.
“There’s no need. Miss Tang is a very kind person—respectful, well-mannered. She wouldn’t do anything inappropriate like that.”

Tang Yanrou, caught off guard, turned to look at her in surprise.
Such a high opinion of me?

Her lips curved unconsciously in a smile before she politely looked away, pretending not to listen in on the conversation.

Miss Tang? Respectful and well-mannered?
Do you even know her that well, Tan Hua?

Wen Chuan clenched her fists on the other end of the line, inwardly convinced that her Omega had been deceived by some slick, worldly fox. Her frustration surged, and she became even more insistent—demanding that Tan Hua send her the restaurant address or else she’d just sit in the car and wait until Tan Hua showed up.

Unable to argue, Tan Hua finally caved and sent her all the information.
“Find somewhere to eat first,” she said at the end.
“I’ll call you when I’m done.”

Wen Chuan barely mumbled a response.
Eat?
How could she have the appetite for food right now?
What she really wanted was to sprout wings and fly straight to that restaurant to see what the two of them were really talking about.

With a face like thunder, she yanked the key from the ignition, flagged down a cab, and told the driver to step on it—fast. It was as if getting there in time could somehow protect Tan Hua from being manipulated by that refined socialite.

—

After handling the Wen Chuan situation, Tan Hua turned back to Tang Yanrou, apologetic.
“Sorry about that… kept you waiting.”

“It’s nothing.”
Tang Yanrou wasn’t the type to pry into others’ business. She offered a polite smile and let the matter drop, gesturing toward the restaurant.
“Let’s eat first.”

With her gesture, Tan Hua followed naturally.

The restaurant was indeed lovely. Lush greenery filled the courtyard, fairy lights sparkled softly above, and the entire setting exuded a warm and intimate charm.

Once they ordered, Tan Hua reminded herself of the real reason she was here—her assignment. So, with subtlety, she steered the conversation back toward the project again.

Tang Yanrou frowned slightly, her instinctive reaction being to brush the topic off with a vague “I’ll think about it.” But then, her mind flashed back to Tan Hua standing in that dark street, calm and composed despite her cruel upbringing and hardship.

Her heart softened without warning.
“…I can talk to Sheng Yiheng about it.”

She looked up at Tan Hua.
“Help me set up a time to meet her.”

It was a huge step forward—Tang Yanrou agreeing to even consider a direct conversation. Tan Hua’s face instantly lit up with joy.
“Of course! I’ll check in with President Sheng right away. Is there a time that works best for you?”

She was clearly overjoyed, her entire expression aglow. Her brows and eyes curved with delight, her eyes sparkling like they held tiny stars.

Tang Yanrou couldn’t help but laugh.
“Later tonight. Let me confirm my schedule once I get home, and I’ll get back to you.”

When she smiles… she really is beautiful.

Like the moment after a summer storm when the sun breaks through the clouds, scattering golden light over white flower petals still heavy with crystal raindrops—just for a second, there’s a brilliance that steals your breath away.

With her translucent, clean aura, resilient character, and devastating beauty, Tan Hua was absolutely captivating. Tang Yanrou found herself, for the first time, genuinely believing Tan Hua’s earlier claim about her birth—that she might not be the daughter of those degenerate gamblers at all.

As the old saying goes: “Dragons birth dragons, phoenixes birth phoenixes; rats only raise burrowers.”
A drunkard and a gambler could hardly produce someone this striking.

Tang Yanrou felt her heart rate pick up again. She silently watched as Tan Hua excitedly typed away on her phone, presumably updating Sheng Yiheng on their progress. Her breathing instinctively slowed, as if afraid the slightest sound would disturb the quiet perfection of the moment.

The system, watching all this unfold, couldn’t help twitching internally.
Sheng Yiheng was right—this woman’s got a serious weakness for romance. Just two or three meetings, and she’s already falling for our host like a lovesick teenager.

If Tan Hua actually put effort into seducing her, wouldn’t Tang Yanrou just fall head-over-heels and be reduced to a hopeless simp at her feet?

The system briefly entertained a dilemma:
Would it be better for Tang Yanrou to pull Tan Hua back from the brink, helping her become a calm and loyal partner…
Or should it just let her continue stringing along all these unreliable Alphas, leaving a trail of romantic wreckage in her wake?

But then it imagined something worse—
What if Tan Hua ended up entangled with Tang Yanrou and continued juggling all the other trashy Alphas at the same time?

Even the side characters would become collateral damage…

The system abruptly stopped its own train of thought.
Nope. Don’t go there. If I keep thinking like this, the plot’s going to go completely off the rails.

Back at Sheng Yiheng’s end, she hadn’t expected much from Tan Hua’s attempt to secure the partnership. The company behind the project, though not large in scale, was extremely reputable—one of the top players in its niche industry.

Moreover, their past collaborations had always been with established, professional companies. Sheng Yiheng, by contrast, was a relatively new entrant to the field—albeit a promising one. But still, the odds weren’t in her favor.

She hadn’t held out much hope. One failed attempt wouldn’t be the end of the world. Her real goal was simply to build rapport for future opportunities—hence why she only sent Tan Hua, alone, to test the waters.

What she hadn’t anticipated… was that Tan Hua would actually succeed.

Holding her phone, Sheng Yiheng couldn’t stop herself from grinning.
She really pulled it off.

“You did great today,” she texted back.
“I’ll reward you when you’re back tomorrow.”

Forget a bonus—if Tan Hua asked for the stars in the sky, Sheng Yiheng might’ve started looking for a ladder.

Upon learning that she’d have to wait until Tang Yanrou finalized her schedule before the meeting could be arranged, Sheng Yiheng didn’t rush. Instead, she cheerfully sent over a hefty red envelope.
“Treat Miss Tang to a nice evening.”

…Wait. Miss Tang?
Her fingers froze mid-typing. Which Miss Tang?

She immediately followed up with a message.

Tan Hua replied casually:
“Of course it’s Tang Yanrou. Who else?”

Sheng Yiheng felt her vision go dark for a second.
So the red envelope she’d just sent… was basically funding Tan Hua’s flirtation mission?

The urge to retract the transfer came fast and strong—but it was too late. Tan Hua had already accepted it and even responded sweetly:
“Thank you, President Sheng. You’re beautiful and kind!”

She added,
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything perfectly for you.”

Sheng Yiheng: “…”

How could she not worry?

Had she known the company’s mysterious decision-maker was Tang Yanrou, she’d never have let Tan Hua go alone.
…Or would she?

Sheng Yiheng hesitated. The truth was, if it weren’t for Tan Hua, Tang Yanrou probably wouldn’t have agreed to a meeting at all.

She raised her hand to rub her temple, her expression turning grim.

She knew her thoughts were veering off course, so she forced herself to take a deep breath and repeat her internal mantra:
The only reason I hired her was to make money for the company. Everything else—her relationships, her charm, whatever—is none of my business. Less involvement is better.

After all… she’s just a temporary stand-in.

Once Cheng Yuan returns, she thought, there might be no reason for Tan Hua to stay.

But—Sheng Yiheng sat in silence, staring ahead, and quietly pushed that idea out of her mind.

Meanwhile, Tan Hua had already informed Sheng Yiheng before happily returning to enjoy the rest of her dinner—with a beautiful companion.

Tang Yanrou looked at the Omega beside her, her expression soft, filled with gentle affection. The air between them seemed infused with the sweet, elegant scent that clung to this Alpha.

Tan Hua discreetly studied her. In order not to startle her companion, she kept her manner reserved and her tone light, steering the conversation toward art, literature, and the changing seasons.

Tang Yanrou was gradually drawn in. Propping her face on her hand, she listened intently, fully immersed.

Under this atmosphere, Tan Hua seemed almost ethereal—like a spirit that had drifted down from the clouds. She was close enough to touch, yet unreal, otherworldly. She spoke nothing of her hardships, her past, or her pain—only the bright, open part of herself, carefully presented as a way to bring joy to others.

And the more she did, the more Tang Yanrou’s heart ached.

Through Tan Hua’s vibrant, carefree smile, she could still see the sadness hidden deep in her eyes—a delicate sorrow that made Tang Yanrou want to hold her gently in her palms and shield her from every cruelty in the world.

Finally, unable to hold back, Tang Yanrou said quietly,
“Would you consider switching jobs and coming to work for me instead?”

Tan Hua blinked in surprise.
“…What?”

She stared at Tang Yanrou in confusion, not understanding why the question came so suddenly. But considering she’d only just signed a new employment contract with Sheng Yiheng, she declined politely,
“I’m sorry. I don’t have plans to change jobs for the time being.”

“…Is it because of her?” Tang Yanrou asked softly.
“Because you can’t let her go—that’s why you won’t leave Shengyuan?”

Clearly, the “her” she referred to was Sheng Yiheng.

Tan Hua hesitated for a second, then shook her head,
“It’s not that,” she said simply.
“There are other reasons.”

But she didn’t elaborate, and so Tang Yanrou naturally misunderstood, assuming Tan Hua was just making an excuse.

She wanted to persuade her otherwise, but was afraid her concern would come across as overbearing. Suppressing her emotions, she gently asked,
“Does she treat you well?”

Is that why… you’re so unwilling to leave her?

“…Pretty well,” Tan Hua replied, thinking of her newly signed contract. She nearly broke into a grin. In fact, her happiness was practically written all over her face.
“Much better than before.”

As long as she kept working hard, her monthly salary now far exceeded what she’d ever made as someone’s stand-in. With Sheng Yiheng’s financial power, Tan Hua felt she could probably keep working there until retirement—or until the company folded.

In this new contract, she had the upper hand. She was finally benefiting.

Seeing how genuinely happy she looked, a sour, hollow feeling welled up in Tang Yanrou’s chest. She tried to control her expression, but a trace of disappointment still leaked through.

“…Congratulations.” Tang Yanrou smiled warmly and raised her wine glass.

Tan Hua smiled back and clinked her glass with hers.
“Thank you.”

Tang Yanrou smiled again—but for just a second, her eyes dimmed.

Tan Hua pretended not to notice the change in her expression and continued to keep the atmosphere cheerful, offering delicious food and thoughtful conversation. Tang Yanrou, born into luxury, had seen and eaten the best the world had to offer, but Tan Hua’s casual mention of little-known landscapes and humble joys stirred something fresh in her heart.

Places she’d never heard of, never seen.

So when Tan Hua casually suggested they go visit together sometime, Tang Yanrou didn’t even hesitate. She agreed on the spot.

She wanted to see where that wild lily had grown.

A place that was surely full of thorns and hardship.

Because Wen Chuan was still nearby waiting for her, Tan Hua didn’t stay with Tang Yanrou much longer. When Tang Yanrou offered to drive her home, she declined gently,
“Thank you, Miss Tang, but I’ve got a friend waiting nearby.”

Tang Yanrou understood immediately.
“…Alright.”

After paying the bill, the two parted ways.

Tan Hua called Wen Chuan to ask where she was, then turned back, smiling brightly, and waved goodbye to Tang Yanrou.

Tang Yanrou instinctively pulled up a polite smile and silently watched Tan Hua’s retreating figure fade into the night. Just as she was about to turn away, another slender, tall figure stepped into view from the side.

An Alpha—her instincts told her immediately.

Unsurprising.

Someone like Tan Hua—outstanding, beautiful—would never be short of admirers. Tang Yanrou didn’t find that strange in the least. What puzzled her was this: out of all the Alphas she could choose from, why Sheng Yiheng?

Sheng Yiheng, after all, had plenty of admirers herself. And judging from the atmosphere between them the day they met, Sheng Yiheng didn’t seem that deeply in love with Tan Hua. Not to mention, over the past few days, Tang Yanrou had caught wind of certain… rumors.

About Sheng Yiheng still being hung up on a so-called “first love.”

Tang Yanrou couldn’t help but wonder:
Did Tan Hua know about this?
Did she realize she might just be a stand-in? A shadow of someone else?

On the other side of the street, Wen Chuan narrowed her eyes at the Alpha-shaped blur in the distance and asked flatly, “Was that the woman you had dinner with?”

She stared at Tang Yanrou’s fading silhouette in the darkness. “Just the two of you?”

“Who else would there be?” Tan Hua replied matter-of-factly, puzzled by the question. “Who were you expecting?”

Omega sounded like she was ready to start a fight, her words sharp and laced with sarcasm. Wen Chuan was momentarily caught off guard. After a pause, she muttered begrudgingly,
“She looked pretty good.”

Then, more bitterly:
“No wonder you forgot I was even waiting.”

Jealousy practically oozed from her tone. But Tan Hua didn’t rise to it. She simply corrected,
“Not looked good—she is good-looking.”

She glanced at Wen Chuan with a slight, teasing smile.
“Once you get the chance to see her up close, you’ll understand.”

Wen Chuan’s temper flared immediately.
Praising another woman right in front of me? Seriously?

She knew how she felt about Tan Hua. She hated seeing her cozying up to someone else. But knowing Tan Hua wouldn’t accommodate her moods, Wen Chuan quickly suppressed her anger, forced a grin, and sidled closer.

“I want to ask you something, jiejie,” she said, gently.

Tan Hua kept walking, gaze forward. “Ask.”

“Is there… someone you like right now?”
Her voice was quiet but serious.

This mattered. A lot.

Wen Chuan knew she had competition—many Alphas were tangled up with Tan Hua. But whether or not Tan Hua currently had feelings for anyone directly affected Wen Chuan’s plans moving forward.

Tan Hua paused for a moment, puzzled. She turned her head slightly, “Why do you want to know?”

“I just want to,” Wen Chuan said, staring at her with unwavering seriousness.
“It’ll help me plan my time accordingly.”

Tan Hua had been about to tease her again, but something flickered in her mind. Her eyes glinted with mischief.

“Oh, I do.” She nodded solemnly.

Wen Chuan froze.

“…Who?”

Tan Hua tossed her hair casually and said,
“Cheng Yuan.”

Wen Chuan’s brain short-circuited.
“…What?”
Who the hell is that?!

The emotions surging in her chest twisted her face ever so slightly.

Wen Chuan’s voice jumped in pitch, utterly incredulous— “Why her?!”

How could she possibly like Cheng Yuan? How could she like Cheng Yuan? She hadn’t even seen Cheng Yuan in person.

Watching the Omega walk right past her, Wen Chuan quickly followed. “You’re messing with me on purpose, aren’t you?” She didn’t want to believe it.

She thought that even if the name that came out of Tan Huan’s mouth had been Lu Huaixu, Zheng Jinyu, or even that woman from earlier, she could’ve accepted it. But… Cheng Yuan?

“You’re just trying to upset me,” Wen Chuan said after a moment, finally coming to that conclusion.

Tan Huan gave her a faint smile. “Want to know why?” After seeing Wen Chuan nod, she replied casually, “It’s simple. If all of you like that Omega, then that Omega must be a good one. And if they’re good, of course I like them too.”

Wen Chuan was stunned. She had never been so speechless in her entire life.

She stood there in a daze, her emotions tangled. What kind of absurd reason was that to like someone? She decided to treat Tan Huan’s words as just spite. “Honestly, I don’t think you like any Alpha.”

“I think what you love most is money,” Wen Chuan said with certainty.

And not just a little money either—only large sums. The kind of pocket change Wen Chuan had was nothing to Tan Huan.

Tan Huan didn’t deny it. Instead, she asked calmly, “It’s already so late. Are you going home or not?” She looked her up and down. “Don’t tell me you haven’t eaten yet.”

Wen Chuan nodded honestly, her tone a little pitiful. “I was afraid that if I went to eat, I’d miss you.”

“You’re really a hassle,” Tan Huan said with a soft laugh. Then she added mercilessly, “Go home and order takeout. I need to rest early. I just got a promotion and a raise—work’s been hectic.”

“And you should come see me less often. I probably won’t have much free time to meet you.” Her tone was light, almost indifferent. Wen Chuan felt wronged, but there was nothing she could say.

She asked quietly, “You don’t even have time to text or call me?”

“No,” Tan Huan replied bluntly.

Wen Chuan didn’t believe her. “What if I paid you by the hour again, like before?”

That finally got Tan Huan to look her in the eye—but she still shook her head and refused without hesitation. “Even if you paid me, I wouldn’t.”

Besides a few personal reasons, Tan Huan really had been busy. The system had assigned her a task—[Become Sheng Yiheng’s right-hand person]—and she was close to completing it. She couldn’t afford to be distracted right now.

The sooner she finished, the sooner she could figure out what kind of schemes the main system was hiding.

So no, she really didn’t have time to play house with Wen Chuan right now.

Wen Chuan looked discouraged. She opened her mouth, wanting to say more, but seeing how firm Tan Huan was, she quietly shut it again.

After sulking for a bit, her eyes suddenly lit up with hope as she asked cautiously, “If I get good grades, will you reward me?”

She just doesn’t stop, Tan Huan thought. She responded half-heartedly, “We’ll talk about it then.”

But since she didn’t say no, it meant there was still hope—Wen Chuan’s mood immediately lifted. Since they were going in the same direction, Tan Huan gave her a ride back to her apartment.

Wen Chuan lingered, clearly reluctant to leave. Only when Tan Huan gave her a fierce glare did she finally get out of the car, still unwilling. “I’ll get good grades.”

“Got it.” Tan Huan leaned against the car door lazily and waved her off. “Go on upstairs.”

Wen Chuan looked back with every few steps but eventually left. Tan Huan let out a long sigh and turned to get back in the car to return to the bar—but someone stopped her.

She looked up, a bit surprised. “Ms. Wei?”

Ms. Wei had come to check on Wen Chuan. Since her daughter hadn’t come home, she had waited patiently nearby. Her patience paid off—she not only saw Wen Chuan but also unexpectedly ran into her daughter’s little wife… no, ex-wife.

Ms. Wei looked puzzled. “I really don’t get it. What do you see in Xiao Chuan?”

“She’s immature, her grades are terrible—if she were in a normal household, she’d be the kind of child everyone says is beyond help…” Ms. Wei was still kind enough to preserve her daughter’s dignity.

“I just don’t understand what about her could possibly attract you.”

Tan Huan hadn’t expected Ms. Wei to be so direct. She couldn’t help but smile, and her lips curved into a slow, deep smirk. “Well, since even her mother says that, I suppose there’s no point hiding it anymore—”

She smiled sweetly, suddenly looking like a charming enchantress. “Of course, the reason I got close to your daughter was because of you, Sister Wei.”

Tan Huan looked completely sincere. “You’re mature, experienced, successful, and still so youthful. You’re so much more impressive than your daughter, don’t you think?”

Huanbao: Who could possibly resist such an outstanding older woman?

Ms. Wei, the Tool: You’re just trying to use me to stir up jealousy between my daughter and my best friend, aren’t you? (Her eyes gleamed with sudden insight.)

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