The Scummy Alpha Transmigrated into a Tragedy Novel and Went Viral! - Chapter 5

“Damn it, when are they coming out? I really can’t take this anymore!”

The paparazzo hunched in his car took a long drag of his cigarette, flicked the butt out the window, and cast a weary glance toward the east gate of St. Fiore Hospital.

“Who knows? They said she’d be discharged tonight, but it’s already midnight and we haven’t seen a thing.” The one in the passenger seat grumbled, smoke curling from his lips.

It had been over half a month since the hotel scandal involving Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu. Back then, paparazzi had sworn they’d capture footage of the two leaving the hospital, and they’d clogged the streets around it ever since. Yet no matter how long they squatted there, neither woman appeared. Only family members and agents were seen driving in and out.

Security at the hospital was airtight. No one but patients and family could enter, and even food deliveries required confirmation from the person inside. They’d thought about pretending to be patients themselves, but St. Fiore Hospital was the top private hospital in the country—where the daily cost ran into tens of thousands. It was far out of their league. Rumor had it the two would be discharged today, but after waiting till midnight, the only vehicles that passed were ambulances.

At that very moment, Cheng Jingling was sitting inside one of those ambulances, passing right by the paparazzi’s car. Her plan: wash off the staleness at a hotel first, then head home.

Ji Yufu had left the hospital a day earlier. She had intended to go back to her own place, but with paparazzi swarming outside her apartment complex, she had to reroute midway and temporarily stay at He Yue’s.

Back home after so long, both women felt oddly estranged from their surroundings.

Cheng Jingling looked around her lavish house—it was no different from her real-world home. Warmth swelled in her chest as her parents, who had been waiting anxiously, greeted her. She rushed forward and embraced them, feeling a happiness she had never known before.

Ji Yufu, meanwhile, stepped into He Yue’s neat little apartment. Flowers sat on the dining table, green plants thrived on the balcony. For the first time in ages, “home” and “warmth” became connected again in her mind. He Yue bustled about, giving her slippers, arranging her luggage, and apologetically urging her not to mind the small space. Ji Yufu smiled gently and reassured her:

“This place is very cozy and comfortable. I really like it.”

“As long as you like it, Ah Fu. This isn’t a five-star hotel, I was worried you wouldn’t be used to it.” He Yue quickly pushed Ji Yufu’s suitcase into the master bedroom. “You sit down and rest, I’ll tidy the room for you.”

Ji Yufu put down her phone and followed her in, only to see He Yue already unpacking her clothes.

Scanning the room, Ji Yufu noted the space was under twenty square meters, walls painted white, the bed dressed in pink cat-print sheets—warm and adorable. “This is the master bedroom?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me take the guest room instead. You shouldn’t inconvenience yourself, Yueyue.”

He Yue glanced up, recognizing her good intentions. With a mischievous smile she teased, “It’s no inconvenience. Just don’t peek at my little secrets.”

“What secrets do you have that I wouldn’t know?” Ji Yufu chuckled. “Hiding a handsome man, perhaps?”

Wanting to make her laugh, He Yue struck a dramatic, villainous pose, lowered her voice, and said, “No handsome man, but I do have a beauty hidden in a golden house.” She flipped her hair and raised her brows suggestively. Ji Yufu’s smile froze in an awkward grimace. Without a word, she turned and left for the living room, where He Yue promptly burst into peals of laughter, thinking to herself: Ah Fis perfect in every way—except she can’t take a joke.

Wrapped in He Yue’s carefree laughter, Ji Yufu found herself relaxing too, the corners of her lips lifting.

________________________________________

Three days later, the joint PR teams held another online meeting, this time led by Jiang Yun.

“Everyone’s here, so let’s get straight to the point. This is our first collaboration, and certainly not the last. I hope we all get to know one another and work closely going forward.”

She introduced each member of their operations and PR team, followed by the head of Weihai Group introducing theirs.

When the introductions ended, Jiang Yun clapped, and the room filled with applause. To Cheng Jingling, it felt like every clap landed on her face. In the past, her scandals never required such an army to clean up after her. Seeing the polite smiles on both sides of the screen, she couldn’t shake the feeling they were mocking her—the useless rich Alpha who only knew how to play around, and had finally “played” herself into trouble.

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to curl up and die of embarrassment. She kept her head down, fighting the urge to hang up.

“Previously, we announced to the public that Miss Cheng and Yufu are in a relationship. We’ve gradually released ‘evidence’ of this through the official accounts. Public sentiment has improved somewhat, but not by much. The next step is to reshape how the public views their relationship, remove the labels of ‘gold-digger’ and ‘fallen star’ from Yufu, and, as for Miss Cheng…” Jiang Yun hesitated before finishing, “…to rehabilitate her image as a… well… scummy Alpha.”

At those words, the whole conference call filled with audible gasps. Every professional eye turned toward Cheng Jingling, silently thinking this was an impossible task. Flustered by their accusatory stares, she sat up straighter, trying to appear composed, though her face burned red.

Ji Yufu gave a cold, silent sneer, her expression dripping with mockery.

Yang Shujuan’s face darkened like coal. She knew full well the problem lay with her daughter, yet she couldn’t resist defending her.

“You’re both in good health now. From here on, follow the plan to gradually build your CP image. Ignore the online chatter—we’ll handle it. No need to worry.”

“Also, we’ve finalized a deal with Yun Duo Video. They’ll soon prepare a romance variety show, and you two will appear as guests to restore your public image. I expect both teams to fully cooperate. As long as the results satisfy, the payment won’t be lacking. But if anyone leaks a word of this—” her eyes swept across the screen, “—I promise the consequences will be severe.”

Her final warning sent a chill down every PR staffer’s spine, smothering any urge to gossip with friends.

Silence fell heavy in the virtual room.

Sensing the tension, Jiang Yun quickly added, “Madam Cheng is absolutely right. But we also need to deal with the paparazzi and media accounts that published those private hotel photos. They barged into the room, snapped shameless pictures, exaggerated the details, and stirred massive controversy, seriously damaging both parties’ reputations. Our lawyers confirm this constitutes invasion of privacy and defamation. We’ve already gathered evidence and will soon announce a lawsuit. When that news breaks, everyone here must spread it immediately—it’s the only way to regain some public trust. Is that clear?”

“Clear!”

After clarifying some execution details, Jiang Yun adjourned the meeting.

________________________________________

The next day, Cheng Jingling—nervous and fidgety—rode with the family butler to pick up Ji Yufu.

The butler courteously opened the car door for her. Cheng Jingling forced a friendly smile and scooted aside to make space, but Ji Yufu only gave her a cold glance before taking the opposite seat without hesitation. He Yue and another assistant Xu Wei accompanied her the whole way.

Cheng Jingling’s smile stiffened. She pressed her lips together, embarrassed, as the butler settled into his seat. With everyone aboard, the car started. Ji Yufu closed her eyes to rest, refusing to even look her way.

At the mall, Butler Ming handed them both black hats and masks. Cheng Jingling noticed Ji Yufu’s was the exact same style—practically a couple’s set.

“Miss Cheng, Miss Ji, you’ll be dining at the fourth-floor restaurant. Our staff have secured the area for safety. However, as the next part involves filming, we won’t be following too closely. You’ll need to go up on your own.”

The two got out together, but the distance between them was wide enough to fit a galaxy. They looked nothing like a couple. The paparazzi who finally caught sight of them scratched their heads—weren’t they supposed to be in love?

Butler Ming quickly whispered, “Miss Cheng, Miss Ji, you need to walk closer. Otherwise it doesn’t look like a couple at all.”

Both women halted and exchanged a glance. Ji Yufu’s expression radiated disdain, stabbing Cheng Jingling right in the heart. She told herself to endure it—this was just part of the mission. Pride didn’t matter.

After a pause, Ji Yufu wordlessly extended her arm, signaling her to link arms. Cheng Jingling bent at once, carefully supporting her hand from underneath—like a eunuch helping a consort in a palace drama.

Butler Ming nearly fainted.

The paparazzi perked up. So many tricks when they’re in love!

Ji Yufu’s expression was indescribable at such an absurd “intimate gesture.”

“Hold properly,” she hissed between her teeth.

“Got it!” Cheng Jingling gripped tighter.

Cameras clicked rapidly as the paparazzi captured their “sweet shopping trip.” The shots were immediately passed on to the next group lying in wait.

On the way to the fourth-floor restaurant, the two barely spoke. Cheng Jingling’s free hand was slick with sweat. At one point, Ji Yufu veered left while she went right; they bumped into each other before an assistant rushed up, then retreated again to give them space.

Cheng Jingling timidly pointed ahead. “The restaurant’s that way…”

Ji Yufu followed her finger, spotted the sign, and cleared her throat as if nothing happened. “Let’s go.”

At the entrance, staff led them to their reserved table—no private room, deliberately ensuring their “date” would be witnessed by many.

Cheng Jingling ordered four of the house specials. Ji Yufu added a light soup and a plate of greens. Though staged, they were both genuinely hungry after such a long morning.

As Ji Yufu sipped her green tea, Cheng Jingling’s gaze wandered out the window to the street below. It wasn’t too busy on a weekday, but food stalls still drew long lines—especially the skewers stand, its fire and aroma almost reaching her through the glass. She swallowed involuntarily.

When the servers arrived with dishes, diners at nearby tables stole glances. Cheng Jingling also gave the waiters an extra look—every one of them was good-looking, no wonder this internet-famous restaurant was so popular. Ji Yufu shook her head, amused at how her companion’s face lit up at the sight of pretty girls.

Once the food was served, Cheng Jingling’s chopsticks hovered midair before she politely gestured: “You first.”

Ji Yufu lowered her voice. “You eat yours, I’ll eat mine.”

“Okay then.” Cheng Jingling dug eagerly into the braised fish, her eyes lighting up with delight. Ji Yufu ate quietly and elegantly, sticking to her vegetables and soup.

Whether from hunger or weeks of bland hospital food, Cheng Jingling devoured her meal with gusto. Watching Ji Yufu sip soup and pick at plain greens, she thought: I could never be a celebrity. Eating like that would kill me.

“You’re only eating this? Aren’t you hungry?” she asked, genuinely impressed by Ji Yufu’s self-control. No wonder she had such a perfect figure.

“I’m not hungry.”

“You should try the house specials—they’re delicious. Or order something you like. My treat!” Cheng Jingling coaxed with a hopeful smile.