The Scummy Alpha Transmigrated into a Tragedy Novel and Went Viral! - Chapter 23

After a good night’s sleep, Cheng Jingling was jolted awake by her alarm early the next morning. She winced in pain, frowning as she instinctively tightened her arms around the soft, fragrant “pillow” in her embrace. Burying her face into it, she inhaled deeply—such a soothing scent—and her entire body relaxed. She wanted nothing more than to stay like this a little longer.

Ji Yufu, however, woke up first. She found herself lying on her side, with a wide, empty space on the left—so much for the middle boundary line that was supposed to separate them. The quilt was tangled into a heap at the foot of the bed.

For a moment, she was so shocked she couldn’t even speak. Convinced she must be dreaming, she shut her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again only to find nothing had changed. The warmth against her back was real, and so was the gentle breathing brushing her ear.

She couldn’t understand how she and Cheng Jingling had ended up sleeping in such an intimate position. Embarrassment and irritation flooded her—yet, come to think of it, she had been the one who crossed the line first last night.

Carefully, Ji Yufu lifted the arm resting around her waist, intending to slip away quietly from the scene of the crime. But just as she was halfway up, the alarm went off again. Seeing Cheng Jingling stir, Ji Yufu could only feign sleep. Cheng Jingling, still drowsy, mistook her for a pillow and rubbed her cheek against Ji Yufu’s shoulder, nuzzling contentedly before she finally blinked awake.

And then—her mind went blank.

Ji Yufu was nestled right in her arms, the pillow that had been between them had completely vanished.

Cheng Jingling’s sleepiness evaporated in an instant. Everything had been perfectly normal when she’d fallen asleep!

She quietly leaned closer to check if Ji Yufu was awake, waving a hand in front of her face. What she didn’t notice was Ji Yufu clenching her fist under the blanket, silently fighting the urge to react.

Only after confirming that Ji Yufu didn’t move did Cheng Jingling breathe a sigh of relief. She tried to gently pull out her left arm—which Ji Yufu was using as a pillow—but her arm had gone completely numb. She tugged too hard, and Ji Yufu’s head dropped heavily onto the mattress. Even a Best Actress couldn’t keep up the act after that.

Ji Yufu’s eyes opened, and she sat up stiffly. Before she could decide how to respond, Cheng Jingling panicked first.

“I didn’t cross the line!” she blurted.

Backing away to prove her innocence, she lost her balance and tumbled off the bed with a loud thud. Ji Yufu instinctively reached out to catch her, but she was a second too late—Cheng Jingling landed sprawled on the floor, limbs akimbo.

“Are you okay?”

Cheng Jingling bared her teeth in pain but forced a grin. “I’m fine.”

After that little morning mishap, both tacitly agreed never to mention the incident again. Cheng Jingling rubbed her tingling arm, picked up the fallen pillow, patted it clean, and set it back on the bed. Internally, she grumbled: One pillow here, one over there—what a war zone. If someone had filmed this, who knows what people would think.

In the bathroom, Ji Yufu’s cheeks still burned when she remembered what had just happened. It was her first time ever waking up in an Alpha’s arms. Warmer than she’d imagined—gentle, steady, and incredibly comforting. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to cool the heat beneath her skin. Don’t think about it. It’s nothing. Yet, her reflection in the mirror betrayed her agitation.

When Ji Yufu came out, Cheng Jingling went in. As she brushed her teeth, she couldn’t stop recalling the sensation of holding Ji Yufu, that intoxicating scent that lingered in her nose.

Tempting. The word snapped her out of her daze. Of course! That scent—she’d noticed it last night—it wasn’t just perfume. It was Ji Yufu’s pheromone.

Cheng Jingling hurriedly finished washing up and stepped out. Ji Yufu was already dressed but hadn’t put on makeup. Her face was unusually flushed.

Cheng Jingling frowned and stepped closer, leaning in to sniff.

“What are you doing?” Ji Yufu jumped, startled.

“It smells so good,” Cheng Jingling murmured.

Ji Yufu’s heart skipped a beat.

“Wait, are you—” Cheng Jingling hesitated, “—in your susceptible period?”

Ji Yufu froze, then realization dawned. All the signs fit perfectly.

She remembered what Dr. Lin had told her during her last check-up:

“Because of the suppressant overdose, your glands were overstimulated and damaged. You may experience irregular or frequent susceptible periods. You should be mentally prepared.”

“Give me the suppressant,” Ji Yufu said coldly.

“Can you even use one right now?” Cheng Jingling asked, worried. She knew Ji Yufu’s condition wasn’t something that could be fixed overnight.

Dr. Lin’s voice echoed in Ji Yufu’s mind again:

“It’s best to avoid suppressants for a while. If possible, let your partner provide a temporary mark instead—it can ease your symptoms and help your glands recover.”

Ji Yufu lifted her gaze to Cheng Jingling, her eyes firm yet dim. “Where’s the suppressant the director gave us?”

Unable to argue with her, Cheng Jingling fetched the small box from the drawer. Inside were six doses—three for Alphas, three for Omegas. Ji Yufu expressionlessly picked up an Omega-specific vial, injected herself with practiced ease, then wrapped the used syringe and tossed it into the trash.

“Let’s go. Time to get our makeup done.”

Cheng Jingling stared at her, still in disbelief. “You’re not going to rest? You don’t have to push yourself. I’ll tell the director.”

“I’m fine.”

Once they finished their makeup, the two of them went downstairs for breakfast. Everyone else was already seated, waiting for them. Zhong Junhong and Cai Keke joked that Cheng Jingling must have overslept from the excitement of winning yesterday’s challenge. Cheng Jingling played along with mock arrogance, drawing a round of laughter.

As they ate, the host announced the game results from the previous day. Cheng Jingling completed all checkpoints and ranked first with 120 points. Ji Yufu followed closely in second with 115.

Next came Xiao Chengyi and Bai Weilan, both with 110 points. Wang Zicheng and Jiang Yiyu were third with 105. Liu Ke and Huang Yili, as well as Jiao Yanting and Zhao Yimai, arrived past nine o’clock, earning 100 points each.

In the couple ranking, Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu topped the chart with a total of 235 points—followed by Xiao Chengyi and Bai Weilan at 220, and Wang Zicheng and Jiang Yiyu at 210.

The host grinned mysteriously as he announced that the top three teams would receive “extremely tempting rewards.” Cheng Jingling, busy enjoying her food, casually lifted her glass of milk. The simple motion somehow drew everyone’s attention—including the usually serious host, who now wore a teasing smile.

Cheng Jingling, oblivious, lowered her chopsticks and used her trembling left hand to steady the glass before taking a sip. The tremor was impossible to miss.

Everyone burst into knowing laughter—everyone except Jiang Yiyu, who, as Ji Yufu’s self-proclaimed solo stan, scowled furiously at Cheng Jingling.

Sensing the strange atmosphere, Ji Yufu followed their gazes and saw Cheng Jingling’s hand shaking uncontrollably as she drank. At first, she didn’t understand, but when she noticed everyone’s smirks—Bai Weilan even winking at her—Ji Yufu’s face flushed crimson.

She nudged Cheng Jingling under the table, her tone firm. “Stop drinking.”

The fool still hadn’t caught on.

“What’s wrong?” Cheng Jingling looked at her, confused. Seeing Ji Yufu’s red face and everyone else’s snickering, Zhao Yimai raised his eyebrows and mimicked Cheng Jingling’s trembling hand while holding his own glass.

“Young people,” he said with mock admiration, “really are full of energy.”

Cheng Jingling: “!” — Don’t be ridiculous! Her face flushed red too, which only made everyone else burst out laughing.

“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong! It’s not what you’re thinking!”

The more she tried to explain, the harder everyone laughed. “My arm’s sore because I rode a bike too long yesterday!”

“Rode a bike?” Zhao Yimai couldn’t help but blurt out, while the rest of the table stared at her like she was trying to fool them. Ji Yufu quietly covered her face with her hand, utterly mortified.

“No, she just walked too much yesterday, so I gave her a massage — that’s why her arm’s sore,” Ji Yufu quickly clarified.

“Oh.” The crowd exchanged looks that said sure, whatever you say, clearly unconvinced.

Cheng Jingling gritted her teeth. “It’s because I slept on my side last night and my arm went— mmph.” Before she could dig herself any deeper, Ji Yufu stuffed a steamed bun into her mouth. “Eat your breakfast!” she said — not just to Cheng Jingling, but to everyone at the table.

Cheng Jingling spat the bun back out and bit into it furiously. She hadn’t done anything wrong — so why did she have to take the blame for this?

Just then, the director’s voice came from behind the monitor. “Junhong, Keke, continue distributing the rewards.” So Zhong Junhong and Cai Keke resumed their task, chasing their KPI targets.

When the breakfast segment wrapped up, Cheng Jingling was still fuming. She yanked off her mic and marched straight toward the director. Wang Yumin, seeing her coming with fire in her eyes, quickly took off his headphones and stood up. “What’s wrong, Xiao Cheng?”

“Director, I’d like to request that the breakfast footage from earlier not be aired,” Cheng Jingling said bluntly.

“Ah, well.” Wang Yumin hesitated, glancing at her expression. “That segment actually turned out quite well — very good variety content. I’d suggest keeping it.”

“Director,” she said firmly, “I trust your professional judgment. But we really don’t want too much of our private life exposed. That includes footage from the bedroom cameras. I hope you’ll be selective and considerate about what’s used.”

Realizing there was no room for negotiation, Wang Yumin could only nod in agreement. As a seasoned variety-show veteran, he had been practically giddy over the footage just now — it was the kind of scene that would attract a flood of CP fans and skyrocket their ratings. He had already drafted the headline in his mind. But before the viral moment could even begin, it was over.

“Alright,” he said with a placid smile, “if you don’t want it aired, we’ll cut it. Anything else?”

“Actually, yes.” Cheng Jingling glanced around and lowered her voice. “Director, do you happen to have any inhibitors on hand?”

Wang Yumin froze, eyes flicking toward her with barely concealed curiosity. Young people these days, intense, he thought, but kept his face straight. “Yes, I do. How much do you need?”

“Give me a few extra doses!”

Wang Yumin: “!”

Once that matter was settled, Cheng Jingling put her mic back on and returned to filming. Each couple had a different mission for the day. As the first-place team, Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu’s reward was a full-day tour of Huacheng,

including lunch and dinner — basically a day to play and relax. The second-place couple got a half-day tour with one meal, and the third-place pair earned just a single two-person lunch.

The two lowest-ranked couples weren’t so lucky — they’d have to spend the day volunteering at a flower plantation. When that announcement was made, groans and wails erupted across the set, while Cheng Jingling stood off to the side, grinning smugly and waggling her eyebrows at Ji Yufu in triumph.

Once filming resumed, the two of them boarded a car to their first stop. By the time they arrived, the tour guide arranged by the crew was already waiting. She would be showing them around ten of Huacheng’s scenic spots and introducing them to local specialties throughout the day.

While the guide spoke enthusiastically, Cheng Jingling’s attention kept drifting to Ji Yufu. She was unusually quiet today, responding mostly with small smiles. Knowing Ji Yufu wasn’t feeling well, Cheng Jingling tried extra hard to keep the energy up — chatting with the guide, cracking jokes, and playing along with the camera — anything to prevent the poor guide from later complaining that their “top couple” had given her nothing interesting to work with.

They started from Yuhe Bay, revisiting many of the same landmarks they’d seen the previous day, plus a few new ones. The director clearly knew what he was doing — generating “sweet couple moments” while giving the stars a free city tour and some local promotion. Three birds with one stone.

This time, Cheng Jingling finally got to properly admire the sights she’d only glimpsed in passing the day before. Yun City really was full of charm.

Their group strolled leisurely through Sulang Old Street, where the guide excitedly pointed out an old lady’s stall. “Everything here is handmade local craftwork,” she said. “Very unique! And these traditional costumes — you can rent them for photos. The prices are great, and Grandma here can even braid your hair for you. Would you like to try?”

Cheng Jingling looked over at Ji Yufu, then down at her own empty pockets. For the first time in her life, she felt the sting of being broke. Yesterday, they’d insisted on giving all their leftover cash to the kind old lady at the homestay — and now she didn’t even have enough to rent a costume.

“We don’t have any money,” Cheng Jingling admitted honestly.

The guide laughed at her sheepish tone. “You don’t have to worry about that today! All the expenses are covered by the show.”

At that, Cheng Jingling’s eyes lit up. She turned to Ji Yufu with delight, and Ji Yufu smiled and nodded. Together, they picked out two beautiful traditional outfits — Ji Yufu’s was a flowing skirt paired with a soft fabric hat, while Cheng Jingling’s was a loose top and trousers. Both were generously sized and could easily be worn over their regular clothes.

When Cheng Jingling finished changing, she saw the old lady braiding Ji Yufu’s hair. The woman’s rough fingers moved deftly through the silky strands, weaving them into elegant, intricate plaits. Ji Yufu sat quietly, looking so gentle and well-behaved that Cheng Jingling could hardly look away.

She couldn’t help thinking what a shame it was that she didn’t have her phone or camera — she would’ve loved to capture that moment forever.