The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 54

Is this a joke?
Tan Hua’s face slowly went blank as she met Lu Huaixu’s serious gaze. Her expression was flat, emotionless. If I really had the power to make someone fall hopelessly in love with me, would I still be stuck here struggling to finish my mission?

I’m a normal human being, not some thousand-year-old fox spirit.

“I think you’re making things difficult for me,” Tan Hua said honestly. “Seriously, President Lu, you’re being completely unreasonable right now.” She took a baffled breath. “You can just say you’re not in love with Cheng Yuan anymore after all that time—so what hope do I have?”

“Besides,” she added, crossing her arms in a big ‘X’ in front of her chest, “I don’t have what it takes to make you fall for me the way you were obsessed with her. I really think you should find someone more qualified.”

This kind of thing? Not in her skill set.

Sure, she was decent-looking and had some charm, but someone like Lu Huaixu—so calm, so self-restrained, so clear-headed—it was impossible to find an opening. There was no weakness to exploit, no vulnerability to slip through.

Even a skilled cook can’t prepare a meal without ingredients.
And capturing Lu Huaixu? In Tan Hua’s heart, that was a task set on hell mode.

She had no interest in making trouble for herself. Wasn’t it easier to quietly keep playing her role as a stand-in? Why walk headfirst into a dead end? She was not one for throwing herself into unwinnable battles.

The Omega’s body language made it very clear—this was a hard “no.”
Lu Huaixu tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing. “You don’t even dare to try?”

“President Lu, trying to provoke me won’t work.” Tan Hua rolled her eyes. “Come on, reverse psychology? That trick is ancient. Do you really think that still works?”

“If you’re that bored, why don’t you go to a factory and tighten screws or something—”

Lu Huaixu’s sharp gaze shot toward her like a blade.
Tan Hua paused mid-sentence, gulped, and wisely shut her mouth.

So soft doesn’t work… now she’s trying hard mode?
Tan Hua raised her chin stubbornly, matching Lu Huaixu’s gaze with mock fierceness. “Still not happening.”

Lu Huaixu said nothing. She just sat quietly for a moment, then—without warning—stood up and walked away.

Tan Hua blinked, confused. “…Huh?”

She gave up that easily?

Hey, couldn’t she have argued with her a little longer? What if she’d been moved by a passionate speech and actually agreed?

Lu Huaixu gave up way too fast.
Tan Hua let out a small sigh. Oh well. That ridiculous request had virtually no chance of success anyway.

She adjusted her mindset quickly and started scanning the room with curiosity. There had been a really gorgeous Omega earlier—fair-skinned, petite, and probably smelled amazing.

Tan Hua got up and was just about to press the service bell when her phone suddenly buzzed. Reflexively, she picked it up and looked at the screen:

[August 26, xxxx] A deposit of ¥100,000,000 has been credited to your account ending in 8818. Current balance is…

“!”

Tan Hua’s eyes went wide. She pulled the screen closer and counted the zeros again. And again. And again. Once she was sure she hadn’t miscounted, she immediately called Lu Huaixu.

“President Lu, what the hell is this?” she blurted.

She knew Lu Huaixu was loaded—but this kind of sudden, sky-high transfer was next-level. It still managed to shock her.

“Down payment,” Lu Huaixu replied flatly.
“Try it. If it works, there’s more where that came from.”

Tan Hua had just stood up and was about to press the service bell when her phone buzzed—
Ding—

She instinctively picked it up to check.

[August 26, xxxx] A transaction has been completed: ¥100,000,000 deposited into Tan Hua’s account ending in 8818. New balance: …

“!”

Tan Hua’s eyes widened. She brought the screen closer to count the string of zeroes—again and again—making sure she hadn’t misread it. Once she confirmed the amount, she immediately called Lu Huaixu.

“President Lu, what are you doing?” she asked, stunned.

Sure, she knew Lu Huaixu was rich—but transferring a hundred million without saying a word? That level of billionaire recklessness still shocked her.

“Down payment,” Lu Huaixu replied briefly. “Try it. If it works, there’s more.”

Tan Hua: “…”

If you’re going to put it like that… then don’t blame me for taking it seriously.

She couldn’t stop herself from smirking, though she still put on a stubborn front. “I’ll think about it.”

“Alright,” Lu Huaixu said casually after glancing at her watch. “I’ll wait.”

After hanging up, Tan Hua’s heart was pounding like a drum. She really wanted to share the news with her system. But the system… was silent.

Not a single beep.

The fog of money-induced excitement faded a little. She bit her finger and began to think: Did Lu Huaixu give her such a large amount of money because—even in her own mind—she knew this was an impossible mission?

Was it just hush money for making a fool of herself? A petty payment for performing like a clown?

Tan Hua’s thoughts froze. Wow. This woman really thinks she can throw money at me and watch me dance for her entertainment?

Unacceptable.

Righteously indignant, she pulled out her phone, opened her shopping app, and typed with lightning speed:

“How to make a rich woman fall in love with me?”

The search results were all over the place—outdated tricks, ridiculous gimmicks. Tan Hua’s eyelids twitched.

This is all useless. She sighed and tucked her phone away. Relying on others won’t help. I’ll have to figure this out myself.

Now that she had a new mission to worry about, she didn’t stay long at the nightclub. She drove straight back to the bar, rushed into her room, locked the door, and didn’t turn off the lights until late into the night.

The next day, when Sheng Yiheng saw Tan Hua again after a full night’s sleep, she was stunned. Tan Hua looked like a ghost—drained, pale, with dark circles almost dragging on the floor.

She frowned. “Did you spend last night stealing someone’s girlfriend?”

Tan Hua shot her a blank stare. “Yeah… last night…” She suddenly paused, then narrowed her eyes and looked at Sheng Yiheng strangely.

There was something off about her expression, so much so that Sheng Yiheng instinctively leaned back, trying to create distance.

But Tan Hua suddenly lunged forward, her hand shooting out past Sheng Yiheng’s face to pin her to the wall.

With a smirk curling at the edge of her lips, Tan Hua tilted her head, eyes glinting.
“Heh. Woman, you’ve successfully caught my attention.”

Sheng Yiheng: “…?”
She blinked, brows furrowed in utter disbelief.

She glanced up at the Omega. Tan Hua’s expression was serious, but her eyes were laced with mockery, cold detachment, and a careless playfulness. It was weird. But somehow… weirdly magnetic.

A few seconds passed before Sheng Yiheng came back to her senses. She frowned deeply. “Step back.”

She barked coldly, “You’re at work. What are you doing messing around like this?”
Cheng Yuan is about to return. If someone sees this and it gets back to her, I’ll be out of the picture before I can blink.

Her expression turned even darker, exuding unmistakable authority.

Tan Hua lowered her gaze, her lashes fluttering like sharp little knives. After a few seconds of silence, she let out a mocking laugh.

“I’ll give you a chance to come clean,” she said.

“Tell me—when did you secretly fall for me?” Her lips curled up wickedly. “Don’t think you’ve been hiding it well.”

She tapped her own eye with her free hand. “Everything you’re trying to conceal—can’t escape these eyes.”

Then she reached out and gently lifted Sheng Yiheng’s beautiful jaw.

“Confess, and you’ll be spared. Resist, and face the consequences.”

Her soft fingers pressed against Sheng Yiheng’s jaw, making her heart skip a beat.
She stared in a daze at the wild and flamboyant Tan Hua, her brain slowing to a crawl.

What the hell is wrong with her today?

Did she take the wrong meds last night? Or drink too much and never sober up?

Sheng Yiheng felt like she was about to faint. Her face darkened further. She opened her mouth, ready to snap back, but Tan Hua beat her to it:

“Sheng Yiheng, there are plenty of Alphas who want to date me. You’re just the least remarkable of them all.”

“There are ones more beautiful than you, richer than you, smarter than you, younger than you—I have plenty to choose from.”

The harsh words froze Sheng Yiheng mid-sentence.

What did she mean by that? Was she talking about that brat Wen Chuan? Or was she referring to herself—or worse, Zheng Jinyu?

Sheng Yiheng suddenly felt like her brain couldn’t keep up.

When exactly did this so-called stand-in manage to wrap even Lu Huaixu and Zheng Jinyu around her little finger? Was it while slacking off in the office? Or when she was out of reach after hours?

She fell into deep thought.

The moment felt so serious—and came so out of nowhere—that Sheng Yiheng didn’t even realize her jaw was still being held tightly by Tan Hua’s hand.

“…Very well, woman,” Sheng Yiheng muttered, trying to collect her thoughts.

But Tan Hua wasn’t done. She interrupted again, with wicked delight:

“You clearly have all sorts of dirty thoughts about me, don’t you?”

Tan Hua leaned in slightly, closing the distance between her and Sheng Yiheng.
“So that’s why you’re not resisting me.”

“When I touch you like this, all close and intimate, you’re secretly enjoying it, aren’t you?”

Only then did Sheng Yiheng snap out of it. With a sharp flick, she smacked away Tan Hua’s annoying fingers.
“Can you be normal for once?” she snapped, taking a deep breath.
“If you’re sick, go see a doctor. Don’t come here acting crazy first thing in the morning.”

She felt like her prized self-control was being completely dismantled by Tan Hua. What even is this? These utterly shameless lines—how could she say them with a straight face?

Tan Hua didn’t mind the slap at all. She just gave Sheng Yiheng a knowing look, as if she saw through everything.
“I get it—you’re playing hard to get.”

“Clumsy, sure,” Tan Hua added, smiling sweetly, “but I kind of like it.”

Sheng Yiheng’s patience was hanging by a thread. “…”

She stared at Tan Hua with a blank face. But Tan Hua only smiled wider.
“You look at me so longingly, so full of desire… clearly, you’re lusting after my body and beauty.”

“Excellent. This just got more interesting.”

Tan Hua’s mouth ran nonstop. Sheng Yiheng finally had enough.

“Tan Hua.”
She said the name with chilling calm.
“I don’t hit Omegas.”

She smiled coldly, mirroring Tan Hua’s tone.
“So let’s not ruin this beautiful day by forcing me to slap you.”

Tan Hua’s eyelid twitched. But she stayed strong, feigning calm as she carried on with the act.

“Good. So you’re not after my money or my fortune. Truly… what a rare gem you are.”

“I’ll remember you, woman.”

With that, she swaggered off, leaving Sheng Yiheng fuming in her office, chest rising and falling with rage.

Sheng Yiheng felt awful. She wanted to release her frustration, but emotionally, it was like someone had shoved a steaming pile of shift into her chest—disgusting and impossible to swallow.

She closed her eyes, trying to regain control. But in the end, the pent-up anger wouldn’t fade.
Raising her voice, she shouted:

“Tan Hua! Get back in here!”

A moment later, Tan Hua peeked her head in with a sweet, radiant smile.
“President Sheng, were you looking for me?”

She was like a completely different person—innocent, well-behaved, glowing with youthful charm.
Sheng Yiheng blinked, dazed. Was this really the same woman who just now was greasy enough to deep-fry potato chips with her words?

“What are you doing?” she asked, frowning instinctively.

Tan Hua blinked innocently. “Didn’t you call me?”

They stared at each other across the half-open door for a few long seconds.
Eventually, Sheng Yiheng waved her away in frustration, eyes closed.
“Forget it. Just go.”

Before I start remembering everything you just said and lose it all over again.

Tan Hua obediently retreated. Then, she opened her phone and quickly jotted down a note:

“As expected, no one can resist the classic CEO catchphrases.”

“Turns out even cold, overbearing types from cliché melodramatic novels love those domineering lines. Excellent. I’ve officially caught her attention—and got her little heart all tied up.”

She locked the screen and blinked thoughtfully.

Now the question is… will this work on Lu Huaixu, too?

Someone as calm and rational as her—would she really fall for these quirky, deliberately cheesy tricks? Would she see Tan Hua as refreshingly genuine, innocent, and not-at-all like those flashy, superficial types?

Well, who cares?
Tan Hua tucked her phone away.

In a world full of formulaic romantic drama tropes, if she wanted to stand out—especially among all the “white moonlight” love interests—then she had to go off-script.

She could only take the mudslide route: unexpected, unfiltered, and unforgettable.

Hopefully, Lu Huaixu appreciated this kind of over-the-top but sweet nonsense that made your heart feel like it was dipped in honey.

Tan Hua fully admitted she was doing it on purpose.
These Alphas were all beautiful, rich, and elite. They’d seen every kind of trick in the book.

If she didn’t shake things up and throw something wildly unexpected into the mix, how could she leave a lasting impression?

And leave a mark she did—because Sheng Yiheng was never going to forget what just happened.

The psychological damage Tan Hua caused had the emotional footprint of an entire courtyard mansion.

Expressionless, Sheng Yiheng gripped her mouse and tried to focus on work. But Tan Hua’s wicked, unruly smirk kept flashing in her mind.

So greasy.
And yet… she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Tan Hua peeked her head in through the doorway, smiling sweetly, eyes shining with faux surprise.
“President Sheng, were you looking for me?”

She was like a completely different person—well-behaved, innocent, full of sunshine. It was almost impossible to connect her with the greasy, over-the-top flirt she’d been just moments earlier. Sheng Yiheng stared at her, dazed, frowning instinctively.

“What are you doing?”

Tan Hua blinked innocently. “Didn’t you just call me?”

They stared each other down across the half-open door for several seconds until Sheng Yiheng, clearly annoyed, shut her eyes and waved her off.
“Forget it. You can go.”

Before I start remembering everything you just said and lose it again.

Tan Hua obediently retreated and promptly opened her phone to make a note:

Turns out no one can resist the classic CEO one-liners.
Even the ice-cold overbearing ones from outdated, cliché romance novels eat that stuff up. Excellent—I’ve caught her attention and figured out her weak spot.

After writing it down, she turned off her screen and blinked thoughtfully.

Now the real question—will this trick work on Lu Huaixu too?

Would someone as rational and self-controlled as her really fall for Tan Hua’s deliberately offbeat antics? Would she think Tan Hua was different—pure, unaffected, nothing like all the other glamorous, superficial women?

Whatever. Let’s find out.
Tan Hua tucked her phone away.

In this world where every love interest seemed cut from the same mold, if she wanted to stand out—especially against the so-called “white moonlight” types—there was only one way: go full chaos.

She had to carve her own lane, be the storm in a sea of calm, the mudslide among smooth roads.

She hoped Lu Huaixu appreciated this kind of over-the-top but oddly warm and honey-sweet affection.

Tan Hua fully admitted—this was intentional.
All these Alphas were beautiful, smart, rich—they’d seen every move and every tactic. Only by doing something completely unpredictable could she leave a mark that lasted a lifetime.

And Sheng Yiheng? She was never forgetting this.
Tan Hua’s psychological warfare had carved out trauma the size of a courtyard mansion.

Expression blank, Sheng Yiheng gripped her mouse and tried to focus. But her brain wouldn’t stop replaying Tan Hua’s devilish grin and dramatic flair.

So greasy.
And yet… weirdly addictive.

Almost involuntarily, she moved her fingers and opened her browser. She typed, stared at the top search result in stark black-and-white font:

“You might be a pervert.”

With a sharp click, she slammed the tab shut.

You’re the pervert!

She silently defended herself. Adults are allowed to have quirky little preferences, okay? Some people crave zinc and eat rocks. Some are stressed and binge spicy food. Some are sad and eat sweets.

She was just… a functioning adult who happened to enjoy a little dramatic flair. What was wrong with that?

With her excuses properly rationalized, Sheng Yiheng sat up straighter. She lifted her eyes toward Tan Hua’s office. Outwardly, she looked calm. Inwardly, though, a little anticipation crept in.

When would Tan Hua strike again?

Tan Hua sensed she was being watched—but she didn’t react. She let it be.

Sheng Yiheng’s subtle, investigative glances only reinforced Tan Hua’s theory:

These old-school CEOs fall hard for old-school tactics.

Tan Hua’s fingers were already itching.
She was dying to test the same methods on Lu Huaixu.

Eyes half-closed, she imagined it: *Lu Huaixu, who’s never seen anything like this in her life, being hit with full-blown greasy CEO lines for the first time—she’d probably love it. No—she’d become obsessed.

Oh, this is going to be good.

Tan Hua could hardly wait for the end of the workday. She wanted—needed—to see Lu Huaixu.

After all, the woman did just casually drop a check with so many zeroes.

Tan Hua couldn’t let that kind of goodwill go to waste.

So, the moment work ended, she grabbed her bag and slipped out the door before Lu Huaixu could even think to stop her.

She sent a short, simple message:

[On my way. Wait for me.]

Then she sped off in her car, straight to Lu Huaixu’s house.
It wasn’t her first time—she walked right through the garden like she owned the place.

One of the housekeepers gave her a surprised look, clearly not expecting her.

“Has it been so long since I’ve been here that you’re all not used to it anymore?” Tan Hua joked lightly. But she got no response. She shrugged it off and headed straight to where Lu Huaixu usually worked.

She found her in the dining area, going over some documents at the table.
Hearing the noise, Lu Huaixu lifted her head calmly.

“You’re here.”

“Have you made up your mind?” she asked.

Tan Hua didn’t answer. Instead, she walked right up to her—and leaned in close.

“I’ll give you five million.”

A faint scent of camellia drifted in the air, clinging to Tan Hua’s presence and brushing past Lu Huaixu’s nose. But she didn’t even have time to register the pheromones.

Her attention had been completely hijacked… by Tan Hua’s words.

“What?”
The Alpha frowned slightly, genuinely confused. For once, the usually sharp light in her eyes gave way to a rare flicker of uncertainty.

“I’ll give you five million,” Tan Hua said seriously, “if you’ll just drop that ridiculous idea you had yesterday.”

Lu Huaixu almost laughed from how absurd that sounded. “I gave you one hundred million, and you’re offering me five?”

She leaned back slightly, her eyes narrowing, sharp and dangerous as she fixed her gaze on Tan Hua.

But Tan Hua was already off in her own world, completely unbothered. She gasped in disbelief.
“You don’t want five million?” she asked, stunned. Then, with a nod, “Impressive. You really are different from every Alpha I’ve ever met.”

She smiled slyly. “But your little ‘play hard to get’ routine? Still too basic.” Then, she raised the stakes without hesitation.
“Fifty million. That’s the best I can do. Don’t say I didn’t give you a good offer.”

Lu Huaixu stared at her for a long moment, lips pressed in a flat line. Finally, she said her name—calmly, evenly, but with an edge.
“Tan Hua.”

Her tone was flat—just like Sheng Yiheng’s when she was about to explode.
“Today’s a good day.”

Tan Hua: “…”
Sure, it’s a good day—just not for pulling greasy antics in front of Lu Huaixu.

She instantly dropped the act and slid into the chair with a grin.
“Then how about you just tell me what kind of woman you actually like, President Lu?”

Lu Huaixu gave her a side glance and said coolly, “A woman. Alive. An Omega.”

Tan Hua: Wow. What a deeply specific standard.

Still, she didn’t give up. “Anything else? That’s… a pretty wide range. How am I supposed to narrow that down?”

“You’re Cheng Yuan’s stand-in. Just do what you’ve been doing,” Lu Huaixu said blandly. “If I could like her, then I can probably like you too, since you’re similar.”

“So just keep acting like her—copy how she talks, how she acts, everything.”

Tan Hua understood the logic.

The problem was… she’d never met Cheng Yuan.

Her understanding of the woman was limited to a few vague lines in the original script. She had no clue how Cheng Yuan actually behaved, especially around Lu Huaixu.

Normally, she could have just asked the system.
But, of course, the system had gone off to upgrade.

Tan Hua instantly felt like her vision went dark. A bit of panic crept in.

The Alpha was still watching her—quietly waiting for a reaction or a response.

Tan Hua thought about that massive deposit sitting pretty in her account.
If things were going to get this complicated, then fine—time to fake it ’til she made it.

She adjusted her expression immediately, returning to that cheerful, innocent version of herself with just a touch of nervousness.
“Like this?” she asked sweetly, blinking at Lu Huaixu.

Lu Huaixu didn’t even look up from her laptop. “It’ll do,” she replied casually.

She said it was fine, but everything about her face screamed, I’m not the least bit interested in you.
If she could have written it on a sign and taped it to her forehead, she would’ve.

Tan Hua started bouncing her leg anxiously. Her arms folded, eyes flicked up—and then, suddenly, she said, “There’s something I haven’t told you.”

Lu Huaixu glanced over, briefly, then went back to her screen.

Tan Hua picked up her phone, opened her photo gallery, and pushed the screen toward her.
“I’m married to Zheng Jinyu.”

Lu Huaixu froze. Her fingers stopped moving. She looked up sharply, gaze cold and direct.

She didn’t even glance at the phone—just stared straight at Tan Hua.
Even as the phone screen dimmed and turned off, her eyes never moved.

Tan Hua smiled faintly. “Wondering when we got married?”

She tilted her head thoughtfully. “It was around the time I first met you, I think.”

“At the time, I was pretending to be Cheng Yuan’s stand-in for you… while marrying her. I’d cook for her, keep the house tidy, play the perfect spouse.”

“In the morning, I’d help her get dressed, watch her drive off to work… then rush over here to play Cheng Yuan for you. And when I was done with you, I’d hurry home to make dinner for her.”

“I loved her—so much I could barely breathe. Even being apart for a second felt unbearable.”

“So every time I looked at you… I saw her.”

“And I kept wondering—why did you even need a stand-in for Cheng Yuan? If you hadn’t gotten in the way, I could’ve spent every second with her. No one would’ve been able to separate us.”

Tan Hua’s voice softened.

“So you know what, Lu Huaixu? There were moments—more than a few—when I really hated you.”

“Hated you enough to want to leave you, contract be damned.”

“But Zheng Jinyu was always busy—so busy she barely had time for me. And you… you reminded me of her, just enough that I couldn’t bring myself to leave.”

“So I stayed. I smiled. I tried my hardest to please you.”

“Because I was scared. Scared that one day, when you finally got tired of me, I wouldn’t even have a shadow of her left to hold on to.”

Lu Huaixu (internally): Wait… I was the stand-in all along?