The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 60

Also?

Sheng Yiheng’s breath hitched.
She suddenly felt her heart pounding hard against her chest.

Who else—besides herself—would Cheng Yuan be referring to when she said also liked Tan Hua?

Zheng Jinyu?

It had to be. No one else came to mind.

Sheng Yiheng frowned deeply.
Suddenly, things felt a lot more complicated.

How did Cheng Yuan find out about Zheng Jinyu and Tan Hua’s situation?
Could Tan Hua have reached out to tell her herself?

No, that was unlikely.
Tan Hua hadn’t met Cheng Yuan, didn’t have her contact information.
Where would she even find her to brag about some kind of trophy?

Then only one possibility remained: Zheng Jinyu must have been the one to tell Cheng Yuan.

But why?

Sheng Yiheng racked her brain, coming up empty.
Wasn’t Zheng Jinyu head over heels for Cheng Yuan before she left? Hadn’t she promised to wait for her to return?

So what was going on now?

Her thoughts were a mess.

Eventually, she lowered her head and stared intently at the two messages on her screen, as if trying to read between the lines for some crack, some hidden lie.

“How did you know—”

She typed half the sentence, then abruptly came to her senses and deleted it all in a panic.
She replied instead with a quick denial:

“No. I had a client meeting that day.”

On the other side of the conversation, Cheng Yuan gave a soft, mirthless laugh. It didn’t reach her eyes.

“But I never told you what time my flight was landing.”
“And yet you turned me down right away, Yiheng.”

There was a subtle accusation in her words.

“Are you telling me you’re booked solid that day—from morning to night?”

Sheng Yiheng could tell Cheng Yuan was upset.
And at this point, even if it wasn’t entirely true, she had no choice but to lie all the way through.

“Yeah… I have a business trip scheduled.”

Cheng Yuan didn’t respond.

She didn’t press any further—but she didn’t reply either.

Sheng Yiheng held her phone in her hand, suddenly overwhelmed by a strange mix of emotions.
She hadn’t meant to lie—not really—but now that she had, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

It made her feel like she’d just cheated and gotten caught red-handed by the one she was actually supposed to be loyal to.

Guilt. Anxiety. And, inexplicably… a thrill.

Addictive, even.

When she realized what she was feeling, Sheng Yiheng froze.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Her heart clenched.

When did I become this shameless kind of Alpha?

This wasn’t her. She wasn’t the kind of person who’d think such things.

—

Meanwhile, Cheng Yuan leaned against the balcony railing. A slim cigarette burned slowly between her fingers.

She stared into the distance with unfocused eyes.

Someone walked over and teased gently,
“What are you thinking about? You look miles away.”

“Nothing,” Cheng Yuan replied with a faint smile.
It was polite but distant.
“Why are you out here? Not staying with the others?”

“Well, you weren’t there.”
The woman leaned against the railing too, turning slightly to face her. Her gaze was soft and affectionate.
“It’s not fun without you.”

Cheng Yuan gave a small smile and raised the cigarette to her lips.
Her eyes grew distant.
“I think I’m going to head back early.”

The woman blinked in surprise.
“Didn’t you already move your flight up weeks ago? You’re leaving even earlier now?”

“There are some things waiting for me back home.”
She laughed lightly.
“Complicated things.”

The woman studied her for a long moment, confirming she wasn’t lying.
Then she shrugged.
“How much earlier are we talking? Tomorrow? The day after?”

“Not sure yet,” Cheng Yuan answered.
Her tone was unreadable.
“If it’s something tricky, I can’t just fly back unprepared.”

“Not like I’m heading into an ambush.”

The woman chuckled, shaking her head affectionately.
“Alright. Just call me if you need anything.”

Cheng Yuan nodded. After the woman left, she slowly turned back to her phone.

Her eyes landed on Tan Hua’s contact information and lingered there. She didn’t move for a long time.

The cigarette between her lips burned lower and lower, the ash almost tipping onto her evening gown before she finally stirred.

She exhaled slowly, opened a PDF attachment, and began reading.

Her dark eyes reflected the glow of the phone screen. The light in the room was warm and soft—but none of it reached her expression.

She looked cold. Ice-cold.

Her long, wavy hair, thick and lustrous like seaweed, was swept neatly over her left shoulder, revealing a pair of dazzling, expensive earrings on her fair earlobes. She looked elegant, composed, and regal.

Cheng Yuan gazed down at the screen, her expression calm and unbothered as she casually deleted the PDF, erasing every last trace. She leaned against the balcony railing, her posture both relaxed and seductively effortless.

So that’s how it is…

She let out a quiet laugh. A breeze swept through, lifting strands of her flowing hair. Paired with the white satin gown she wore, she looked like a delicate lily of the valley—pure and soft.

—

Suddenly, Tan Hua’s right eyelid twitched hard.

Left twitch means fortune, right twitch means misfortune…

A strange unease crept up her spine, completely uninvited.

She propped her chin on one hand and muttered to the system,
“Why do I have this feeling that something big is about to happen?”

She scratched at her temple, her expression showing rare confusion.

“You think it’s my real parents about to be found? Or maybe someone’s about to discover the fact that I’m just a stand-in?”

The system hesitated, its tiny lips twitching for a moment before speaking carefully:

“Have you considered… another possibility?”

Tan Hua raised a brow lazily.

The system gave an awkward smile.

“Maybe it’s because the female lead is coming back. And as a classic herbivore, you’ve subconsciously sensed the predator’s approach. Animals do have that kind of instinct, you know.”

That… kind of made sense.

But Tan Hua frowned.
“What’s there to be afraid of?”

The system’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“You’re not afraid?”
“You’ve fished all the love interests out of the female lead’s pond, and then just to be sure, you fried the rest with an electric net. If I were the female lead, and I didn’t come back to fight you to the death, I’d be Buddha reincarnated.”

“I spent decades raising those high-quality fish, only for you to ruin everything. Not even one left behind!”

The system was nearly weeping, ranting as if it were Cheng Yuan herself.

Tan Hua: “…”

Oh, please.
Wasn’t all of this because you stupid systems forced me into these dumb missions in the first place?
If not for this trash quest, would I really be throwing myself at these Alphas?

She sighed heavily.
“Well, it is what it is. What can I do about it now?”

The system turned its eyes and gave her a sidelong glance.

Tan Hua smiled lightly and said,
“What are you looking at me like that for? Unless I pay back in flesh, what other options do I have?”
“My beauty is the only bargaining chip I’ve got…”

The system: “…”
Is she seriously this shameless?

“Host, you better start mentally preparing yourself,” the system warned.
“Cheng Yuan is not some delicate little white flower who’ll just cry and suffer in silence.”

“You could end up capsizing your own ship. Don’t come crying when you’ve lost everything—underwear included.”

Tan Hua: “?? What kind of high-risk job is this?”

Despite her earlier bravado, the system’s warning struck a chord.
Tan Hua suddenly felt a twinge of anxiety. She even lost interest in watching her livestream and buried her head in her phone, scrolling nonstop.

The system called her a few times with no response. Curious, it peeked over her shoulder.

Its digital eyes nearly popped out.

Private islands in the middle of nowhere.
Heavily guarded villas.
Uninhabited paradise beaches no one’s set foot on.

Every place more extravagant than the last.

“Host… what are you doing?”
The system gaped.
Has the host really been scared so badly by the female lead that she’s planning to pack up and run away in the night? That’s not her usual style…

Tan Hua didn’t even look up, only grinned.

“Looking for honeymoon destinations.”

“Honeymoon?!”
The system was stunned.
“Host, who are you planning to abduct for that? And more importantly—do you even have that kind of money?”

“Of course I do.”
She clicked her tongue, almost offended.
“Isn’t Sheng Yiheng still paying me a salary?”

Sure, Sheng Yiheng was paying her.
But not enough to buy a private island, let alone maintain one.

The system stared blankly, now unsure whether Tan Hua had gone off the deep end… or it was hallucinating.

Tan Hua, on the other hand, was happily flipping through travel apps, checking out accommodations and logistics like she was planning a world tour.

The system crouched beside her, mood complicated.

It quietly made a mental note: I need to figure out a way to keep this lunatic from leaving.

It instinctively ran a scan of Tan Hua’s physical condition—
Something… felt off.

Not sure what, it scanned again.

But the system wasn’t built for medical diagnostics, and after several tries, it still couldn’t determine the issue. In the end, it could only remind her gently:

“Host, maybe go get a health check when you have time.”

Tan Hua looked up with narrowed eyes.
“Trying to psych me out?”

“Nice try.”
Her expression turned cold.
“My body’s perfectly fine. You dirty dog, don’t you try and throw me off. I will buy that honeymoon island today.”

The system: “…”

And just like that, Tan Hua placed the order without hesitation.

The system could only watch, helpless, as her payment went through.

It felt like its heart was being carved out.
Your reckless money-burning disaster of a woman…

The system roared silently in frustration—but then suddenly remembered something important.

No matter how far the host runs, she and the female lead are tied together by fate.
Whatever suffering the female lead is destined to endure, the host will feel it too—even if she hides at the ends of the earth.

And that’s what you call…

Classic plot formula: “She runs, she chases, and neither of them can escape.”

With that comforting realization, the system finally settled down, quietly retreating back to its digital safe house to wait for the inevitable disaster—and for the host to come crawling back, begging for help.

Now that the system had gone silent, Tan Hua happily stared at the island she had just purchased.
It hadn’t cost much—since it wasn’t a popular tourist destination, it was cheaper than half a house back in China.

Still, it was a hefty expense, and it instantly reignited Tan Hua’s desire to make money—like, urgently.

The meeting between Sheng Yiheng and Tang Yanrou was scheduled for the afternoon two days from now.
Tan Hua threw herself into preparing for it, determined to lock down this deal with speed and precision.

She spent nearly all her time focused on the upcoming meeting, barely giving Sheng Yiheng the time of day.

Sheng Yiheng watched Tan Hua busily moving around the office, her mood complicated and hard to explain.
She clutched her computer mouse absentmindedly, her thoughts spiraling into a familiar loop:

Do I really… have feelings for Tan Hua?

By all logic, her “white moonlight” should still be Cheng Yuan. Cheng Yuan was coming back—shouldn’t that make her happy?

But she wasn’t happy.

And Tan Hua… she was supposed to be just a substitute. Now that the real deal was coming back, shouldn’t she be ruthlessly discarded?

But she didn’t want that.

The person she used to long for day and night suddenly didn’t feel quite so important.
And the person she once treated like a disposable pet… now made her reluctant to let go.

Without even realizing it, the roles between the two women had somehow been reversed.

But was it true that she felt nothing for Cheng Yuan now?
No. That would be a lie.

Was she really willing to give up every other Omega just for Tan Hua?
Also… not quite.

Suddenly, Sheng Yiheng felt a jolt of panic.

Wait a second… am I in love with two Omegas at the same time?

Am I—am I actually being a scumbag?

She felt like she couldn’t breathe.

—

Tan Hua glanced over at Sheng Yiheng’s dazed, slightly wilted expression and raised an eyebrow.
Weird. What’s going on with her lately?

Ah, probably just nervous because the female lead is coming back.

She sighed dramatically,
“Ah… so quick to laugh with the new, yet blind to the tears of the old.”

The system wanted to roll its eyes.
Like you’re any better. You even had mirrors installed on the ceiling of your beach villa. Who knows how many women you plan to bring there to ‘do business.’

—

Soon, the day of the meeting arrived.

Tan Hua dressed up beautifully—radiant, elegant, full of energy.

After two days of internal chaos, Sheng Yiheng couldn’t help but glance at her more than once.
She felt a sour pang in her chest.

When she’s with me, it’s always the bare minimum—messy hair, casual clothes.
But for Tang Yanrou? She shows up glowing, like a porcelain doll—dressed to impress, with her best face forward.

The contrast was too much.

What exactly does Tang Yanrou have that I don’t?
Why is Tan Hua putting in so much effort for her?

Sheng Yiheng felt her mood spiral. She stared harder and harder, until she couldn’t help but let out a faint, disgruntled huff.

Tan Hua heard the noise and turned around, confused.

What was that about? Why’s she making those bitter little sounds?

Just then, Tang Yanrou arrived at the meeting room.

Tan Hua gave Sheng Yiheng a professional smile and said warmly,
“President Sheng, let’s go. Miss Tang is already waiting.”

Sheng Yiheng averted her gaze, then snuck a couple more glances before reluctantly getting up.

It’s not like she’s leaving forever. What’s the rush?

A subtle irritation began brewing in Sheng Yiheng’s chest—and it intensified to a breaking point the moment she saw Tang Yanrou show up wearing a dress in the exact same shade as Tan Hua’s, as if they’d coordinated in advance.

When Tan Hua stepped beside Tang Yanrou, the two looked like a perfect match. It was impossible to ignore how well they complemented each other, like a couple straight out of a romantic drama.

Meanwhile, Sheng Yiheng?
She looked like an awkward third wheel, completely out of place. Forgotten.

Tan Hua’s eyes lit up as she noticed the similarity, “Oh wow, what a coincidence!” She pointed to Tang Yanrou’s dress, “You’re wearing pearl pink too!”

Tang Yanrou gave a soft, elegant smile. “Yeah, what a coincidence.”

Then, without missing a beat, she stole a glance at Sheng Yiheng.
The other woman was still smiling, but that iron-grey expression made it very clear: she wasn’t happy.

The curve of Tang Yanrou’s lips deepened slightly. “We must really be in sync.”

Tan Hua immediately got excited. She held onto Tang Yanrou’s arm and chatted enthusiastically, until Sheng Yiheng finally cleared her throat—pointedly.

Only then did Tan Hua cut herself off, laughing apologetically. “Sorry, got a little carried away. Let’s get to business first.”

She gave Tang Yanrou a playful wink. “We’ll chat more once we’re done.”

Still want to keep chatting? Sheng Yiheng rested her chin on her hand, eyes narrowing slightly, already plotting how to pull Tan Hua away from Tang Yanrou the moment she got the chance.

There was an unspoken current of tension in the air.
Tan Hua, completely unaware, continued playing the role of diligent little assistant.

To be fair, Sheng Yiheng hadn’t climbed back from near financial ruin after being double-crossed by Zheng Jinyu and Lu Huaishu without some serious skill.
Tang Yanrou had only agreed to this meeting out of courtesy to Tan Hua. At first, she had no real intention of working with Sheng Yiheng.

But after this conversation?
Setting personal feelings aside, Tang Yanrou had to admit—Sheng Yiheng was sharp. Wild, yes—but clever and resourceful.

If they could pull this off, the returns could far exceed what she’d expected. But the risks weren’t small, either.

As the room quieted into a brief silence, Sheng Yiheng raised a brow and shot Tan Hua a look.
Tan Hua immediately understood and jumped in to work her persuasive magic.

Tang Yanrou couldn’t help but laugh quietly at Tan Hua’s effort. Eventually, she nodded. “Give me two more days to consider.”

“I’ll let you know as soon as I have a decision.”

That was good enough for Sheng Yiheng. She nodded with satisfaction. “Then I’ll look forward to your good news. Tan Hua already reserved a place for lunch nearby—care to join us, Miss Tang?”

Tan Hua?
Tang Yanrou turned slightly, a subtle flicker of jealousy in her chest. That name sounded far too intimate.

“Sure,” she replied with a gentle smile.

The restaurant was in the next building. Tan Hua eagerly tried to follow Tang Yanrou to walk and chat more, but Sheng Yiheng stopped her.
“I need you to handle something first.”

Tan Hua froze. “Really?” What could possibly be so urgent right now?

It was such an obvious trick to separate them.

She narrowed her eyes at Sheng Yiheng, but her voice remained soft and sweet, “President Sheng, don’t you want to lock in Miss Tang as a client?”

Though the words were polite, Sheng Yiheng fully understood the subtext.
She clenched her jaw and forced a smile—a stiff, threatening smile. “Of course I do.”

With both hands in her pockets, she stepped closer to Tan Hua and made a mock-gentlemanly gesture. “After you.”

Satisfied, Tan Hua raised her chin proudly and strutted past, leaving Sheng Yiheng fuming in place.

Behind them, there was the soft murmur of voices, though too far away for Tang Yanrou to make out clearly.

Still, through the clean glass pane, she could see how close the two of them stood—almost pressed together.

Her fingers curled tightly into her palm.

Does Tan Hua even know she’s just a stand-in?
Does she understand what Cheng Yuan’s return really means for her?

But… what right did she have to care?

Tang Yanrou closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced calm back into her expression.

No need to rush.
She lowered her lashes, letting them shield the dark gleam in her gaze.

Even if Cheng Yuan wanted to return immediately…
Well, that still depended on whether the skies were willing to cooperate.

Tang Yanrou glanced at Tan Hua once more.

All she could do was buy her a little more time.

—

The lunch was just the three of them—no assistants, no distractions. As the food was served, Sheng Yiheng and Tang Yanrou made small talk about work.
Tan Hua focused on eating.

Halfway through, she frowned slightly. “Is it just me, or has my appetite gotten way too big lately?”

When did I start putting away this much food in one sitting?

“Probably just from being overworked,” the system mumbled, scratching its head. “Your body’s just hungrier.”

Tan Hua nodded. Made sense. She’d been staying late the past two days.
After a few more bites, she got up. “You two keep talking—I’m gonna run to the restroom real quick.”

The moment she left, the air in the room dropped several degrees.

Tang Yanrou and Sheng Yiheng exchanged glances.
They didn’t need to say much—at this point, everything was clear between them.

“I won’t let her get hurt for no reason,” Tang Yanrou said first.
Though she wore a polite smile, it never reached her eyes. Her voice was cold.

Sheng Yiheng raised a brow. “That’s very kind of you, Miss Tang.”

“But she’s doing just fine with me.”

Her words were friendly enough—but the underlying edge was unmistakable.

Tang Yanrou tilted her head, unimpressed. “Oh? Is that so?”

“But Cheng Yuan’s coming back soon, isn’t she? Are you really confident you’ll still treat Tan Hua the same once she’s back?”

That made Sheng Yiheng’s face go stiff.

—

Tan Hua was already returning, but even before she stepped inside the room, she sensed the tension like a physical wave.

She instinctively wanted to back out and pretend she hadn’t come in—
But Tang Yanrou’s voice called out warmly, leaving her no chance to escape.

She forced herself to enter and immediately wondered,
Did these two fight about who the female lead belongs to while I was gone?

She was still mulling over it when Tang Yanrou looked at her with a soft smile.
“We were just talking about you.”

Tan Hua blinked. “Oh? What were you saying?”

“We were saying how beautiful you are,” Tang Yanrou replied lightly, her tone so casual it might’ve been about the weather.
“So talented, so brave, so clever…”

“But unfortunately,” she added with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, “your taste in people leaves a lot to be desired.”

“You fell in love with someone who can’t choose between two hearts.”

Tan Hua: “…Huh?”

Tan Hua, in her head: I beg your pardon—could you maybe be more specific about which one?

President Sheng: Relationship brain? More like brain dead. Even zombies wouldn’t eat that. (Utterly speechless.)