The Scummy Alpha Transmigrated into a Tragedy Novel and Went Viral! - Chapter 19

Early the next morning, all the celebrities woke up to put on makeup and prepare for the day’s filming. Though both Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu looked flawless even bare-faced, the director—out of respect for their privacy—chose not to film their just-woken-up state, and instead started the shoot directly from breakfast.

By the time Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu arrived at the dining hall, Xiao Chengyi and Bai Weilan were already seated. The two were chatting and laughing, the air between them practically bubbling with pink hearts—an atmosphere so sweet that no one else could possibly intrude. After greeting them, Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu took their seats. Moments later, Jiang Yiyu swaggered in and sat right next to Cheng Jingling.

Her hand froze halfway through pouring water, and she sighed deeply.

“Morning, goddess!” Jiang Yiyu greeted Ji Yufu across Cheng Jingling, blatantly ignoring her presence.

“Good morning,” Ji Yufu replied with a polite smile.

Cheng Jingling didn’t bother arguing. She passed Ji Yufu her glass of water, then poured one for herself and quietly waited for breakfast to be served.

When Cai Keke arrived, the atmosphere immediately grew livelier. Jiang Yiyu’s eyes lit up.

“Keke-jie, do you have any more of those gifts from the production team?”

Cheng Jingling sipped her water, her ears pricking up despite herself.

“What’s wrong?” Cai Keke asked, puzzled.

“Ah, we ran out already! One box only lasts two days! We—” Jiang Yiyu started to complain, only for Wang Zicheng to quickly cover his mouth before he could blurt out something inappropriate. Cai Keke’s face flushed with embarrassment—she was just a hard-working Omega and shouldn’t have to deal with this.

Cheng Jingling nearly choked on her water, coughing violently. Ji Yufu patted her back soothingly, while Cai Keke rushed to hand her tissues.

Still coughing, Cheng Jingling caught Jiang Yiyu’s mocking look.

“What? So worked up—did that excite you?” he teased.

“This is a live recording,” Cheng Jingling said incredulously. “You people seriously have no boundaries?”

“Hey, can’t help it when the relationship’s good!” Jiang Yiyu said, utterly unbothered. His father had poured millions into the show—he could do whatever he wanted. “That’s considered over the line to you? Don’t tell me you actually can’t handle it?” He leaned forward, looking past Cheng Jingling at Ji Yufu, clicking his tongue in feigned sympathy.

Ji Yufu pretended not to notice, calmly wiping the spilled water from the table.

All eyes turned to Cheng Jingling. For an Alpha to be publicly questioned like that—it was humiliating. But instead of getting angry, she simply smiled.

“Whether I can or can’t isn’t for you to decide.”

The others’ gazes shifted back to Ji Yufu again. Feeling their stares, her hand paused mid-wipe, then resumed with more force than before.

“But I don’t really blame you,” Cheng Jingling added coolly. “Ordinary minds are only capable of thinking about ordinary things.” She finished her sentence with a graceful sip of water.

Jiang Yiyu snorted. “Oh, so you think you’re above it all? You’re not ordinary?”

Cheng Jingling set down her glass lightly and looked at him.

“I am,” she said calmly. “But unlike you, I don’t announce it to the world just to make a fool of myself.”

“You!”

“Breakfast is served!”

Before Jiang Yiyu could retort, Zhong Junhong interrupted cheerfully, leading the staff as they brought out the dishes. And just like that, the little scene came to an end.

After the meal, Zhong Junhong and Cai Keke revealed the next mission. Before receiving it, everyone had to turn in their phones and even their smartwatches—any device capable of communication was strictly forbidden.

Each pair then came forward to draw an envelope and receive a Polaroid camera.

“Yesterday, you all learned about Yun City’s flower cultivation industry,” Zhong Junhong explained. “Today, you’ll continue exploring Yun City—this time focusing on its tourist attractions. Inside each of your envelopes are five famous locations you need to visit!”

“That’s right,” Cai Keke added. “When you reach a location, take a selfie with your Polaroid camera as proof. This round is an individual mission.”

“Among those five locations,” Zhong Junhong continued, “one is the most romantic spot of all. There will be a special romantic surprise there tonight. Each location you check in earns you 20 points, and finding the romantic surprise gives you another 20. Those who complete all locations will receive bonus points depending on how fast they finish.”

“What’s the point of the points?” Cheng Jingling raised her hand.

“The points determine your ranking,” Cai Keke said with a grin. “The higher your score, the better your standing. Here’s a hint—top three get extra rewards, while the bottom two will face punishments!”

“The mission ends at 9 p.m.,” Zhong Junhong concluded. “From now on, you’re on your own for the whole day!”

After the rules were explained, the two hosts announced the start of the mission. Everyone tore open their envelopes and compared them with their partners’—sure enough, the destinations were completely different. Each envelope also contained 50 yuan with a note saying it was their “activity allowance,” to be used freely—but it had to cover both lunch and dinner.

The sudden reality check threw the pampered celebrities into chaos. But since the game had begun, quitting wasn’t an option.

Cheng Jingling stared down at the crisp 50-yuan bill in her hand, utterly bewildered. In her entire life, she’d only ever seen small bills like this on television. Surprisingly, though, it felt rather nice to the touch.

For Ji Yufu, however, this task was child’s play. She had grown up in an ordinary family, unlike Cheng Jingling or Jiang Yiyu—pampered “princesses” and “young masters” who’d never had to deal with real life. Thinking of that, Ji Yufu couldn’t help but feel a little worried for her partner.

“Actually,” she said gently, “fifty yuan can go a long way. If you spend carefully, it’s more than enough for two meals.”

“What kind of meals?” Cheng Jingling asked, completely serious.

“Mm, you can only eat at small street-side diners, not restaurants. And before you buy anything, make sure to ask the price first.” Ji Yufu patiently explained the basics of daily life, hoping Cheng Jingling would finally grasp what fifty yuan was actually worth.

“Got it.”

“And remember to drink water.” Ji Yufu added, feeling more and more like she was sending a child out into the world.

Cheng Jingling’s assigned locations for the day were Meteor Tower, Yuhe Bay, Organ Street, Lao Gu Temple, and Wangyang Mansion. She studied the paper map in her hand and spent quite a while just figuring out where she was—Yuhe Street—which, fortunately, was closest to Yuhe Bay. A quick estimate told her it was about a kilometer away, roughly a twenty-minute walk.

Among the five destinations, the farthest was Meteor Tower—nearly five kilometers from her current spot. No wonder they’d been given a full day to complete the route. Without a car or much money, she could only rely on the “Route 11 bus”—her own two legs—to get around.

As she walked, Cheng Jingling kept an eye out for the kind of “small diner” Ji Yufu had mentioned. The aroma of street food filled the air—fried skewers, noodles, dumplings—and she found herself swallowing hard as she passed stall after stall.

When she finally arrived at her first checkpoint, Yuhe Bay, she discovered that it was the bend of the Yu River—its surface wide and shimmering, willows draping gracefully over the water. It was beautiful, and quite a few tourists were already there taking photos. She raised her camera, flashed a peace sign, and took a cheerful selfie to mark the first task as complete.

Meanwhile, Ji Yufu had gone in the opposite direction. Her assigned sites were Sulang Old Street, Xintai Plaza, Meteor Tower, Yue Lao Temple, and Jixiang Garden.

She soon reached the first destination—Sulang Old Street. The old houses stood in neat rows, quaint and peaceful. Elderly locals dressed in traditional attire manned stalls selling handmade crafts, smiling kindly as she passed. When they saw Ji Yufu approach, several vendors called out warmly to her, but she declined their invitations with a polite smile.

Standing beneath the old street’s signpost, she removed her mask and snapped a photo with it, then carefully slipped the photo into an envelope for safekeeping. The sky above was bright and cloudless; people strolled leisurely along the cobblestone street. Watching them, Ji Yufu suddenly felt a twinge of worry—she just hoped Cheng Jingling hadn’t starved herself by now.

Lost in thought, she was startled when someone suddenly grabbed her arm. The cameraman and He Yue immediately rushed over, but thankfully the stranger didn’t do anything inappropriate.

“Ms. Ji! I’m your fan! I’m so happy to see you!” the young woman said, beaming.

Ji Yufu returned her enthusiasm with a composed smile. “Thank you.”

He Yue gently reminded the girl to keep her voice down.

Startled, the girl quickly covered her mouth and glanced around nervously, afraid she might attract a crowd. Fortunately, most of the people nearby were elderly vendors who didn’t seem to notice.

“Are you here traveling?” she asked in a hushed tone.

“It’s work—but you could say it’s a bit of both,” Ji Yufu replied.

“Then let me show you around! I’m a local—I know every corner of this place!” the girl offered eagerly.

“I really appreciate it,” Ji Yufu said, “but I’m filming a show, and part of my task is to find these spots on my own. So, I’m afraid I can’t accept your help.”

“Oh, I see.” The girl looked visibly disappointed, but quickly perked up again. “Then at least tell me where you’re going—I can give you directions!”

Ji Yufu unfolded her map, and the girl studied the five marked locations before patiently explaining the fastest route and estimating the walking distances. Her help saved Ji Yufu a great deal of time.

“You’ve been a big help—thank you so much.”

The girl smiled shyly. “Then, could I get your autograph and a photo together?”

“Of course.”

The girl ran home in a hurry and came back clutching a poster of Ji Yufu. After signing it and taking a photo together, Ji Yufu even printed out a copy of their picture and gave it to her.

Before leaving, the girl gathered her courage and looked Ji Yufu straight in the eye. Word by word, she said, “Even though you’re with someone I don’t like, I still like you. I don’t believe what people say online. Please, stand back up again—prove them wrong, and prove that your choices weren’t a mistake. Most of all, be happy.”

Ji Yufu was deeply moved. She nodded earnestly. “Give me a little more time—I won’t let you down.”

At 12:30 p.m., Cheng Jingling finished her second checkpoint. The tantalizing aroma of food drifted from a nearby row of small restaurants, making her stomach growl. She stared at the line of storefronts, unable to decide where to eat, until she noticed a steamed bun shop around the corner bustling with customers. Drawn by the crowd, she went over.

She looked up at the signboard—various types of buns and simple set meals, all reasonably priced. She ordered a basket of their signature pork buns for twelve yuan.

“For here or to go?” the owner asked.

Cheng Jingling initially wanted to take it to go—she could eat while walking and save time—but then she noticed a note at the bottom of the menu: Dine in for free soup.

“I’ll eat here!” she changed her mind immediately.

Twelve yuan for buns and free soup—perfect! That meant she didn’t need to buy water, saving a little extra. With the money she saved, she could afford a cab to Meteor Tower and still have enough left for dinner.

Her mental abacus clicked away in satisfaction. The more she thought about it, the more pleased she became. Truly, such a thrifty and resourceful Alpha was a rare find indeed!