Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Boss of the Disabled Heroine - Chapter 26

Pei Yujiang wasn’t unfamiliar with Jiang Wenxiu’s habit of cursing usually during games when she encountered incompetent teammates, her tone would turn sharp, or it was just part of her everyday speech.

But this was the first time Pei Yujiang had seen the girl lash out so fiercely and explicitly, hurling such vicious insults at someone.

If even Pei Yujiang, an uninvolved bystander, found the words harsh, how could Liu Huanran, the target, not notice? The woman trembled with rage, her pretty face flushing crimson as she stammered, “Y-you!” utterly defeated by a mere high schooler.

Though Jiang Wenxiu had hit puberty early and shot up in height, her youthful face made it obvious she was still a teenager, someone who could only sneak into bars or clubs with help.

Truth be told, Jiang Wenxiu had seen Liu Huanran at the bar a few times.

She went purely for the lively atmosphere young and fond of dancing, Jiang Wenxiu saw nothing wrong with it, though her parents had been keeping a tighter leash on her lately.

Especially after Pei Yujiang meddled and tattled to Fan Zhaozhao, who then realized she couldn’t spoil her daughter so much. Now, she checked Jiang Wenxiu’s homework daily after school, leaving the girl no time to go out.

But during her earlier visits, Jiang Wenxiu had coincidentally witnessed Liu Huanran flirting with pretty girls, always waiting until they were about to kiss her before pushing them away, righteously declaring she had a wife.

It made Jiang Wenxiu sick to her stomach.

Though she was an Alpha herself, she would never be such a scumbag. Her mother had been wronged by a male Alpha in the past, and Jiang Wenxiu loathed her so-called father so much she wished she didn’t share his blood.

Some female Alphas, blinded by their secondary gender’s privilege, forgot they were still women, bullying Omegas without remorse.

As Jiang Wenxiu confronted Liu Huanran, Pei Yujiang unaware of the full context approached but immediately shielded Yu Zhiwan upon spotting her.

“What’s going on here?”

Though she addressed both, her gaze fixed on Liu Huanran.

Jiang Wenxiu seized the initiative, throwing shade at Pei Yujiang in the process:

“Seriously, sis, shouldn’t you just beat up trash like this who thinks with their e-dick and glands? Why bother asking? Show her the same energy you used on me!”

Liu Huanran: “…”

She suddenly recalled the humiliation of being punched to her knees in the rain, unable to get up.

Back then, she’d needed days of bed rest, her spine aching at the slightest movement. She still didn’t know how Pei Yujiang just a Beta, not even an Alpha had managed to hit so hard.

That said, after last time, Liu Huanran knew better than to provoke Pei Yujiang directly.

Glaring resentfully at Yu Zhiwan who, blind to her gaze, remained silent Liu Huanran was met with another curse from Jiang Wenxiu:

“Keep staring and I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

With that, Liu Huanran turned and left.

Pei Yujiang stared at her retreating figure for a moment before gently patting Yu Zhiwan’s shoulder and softly asking:

“Were you scared?”

Conventionally, a considerate Omega would shake their head at this point and bravely say “No.” But Yu Zhiwan wasn’t the type to suppress her feelings.

Her mood had been soured by Liu Huanran, and she certainly wasn’t about to let others feel at ease either. As soon as Pei Yujiang asked the question, a clear tear slowly rolled down Yu Zhiwan’s cheek.

Her nose turned red, almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears, her expression full of grievance. With her naturally gentle, unthreatening features, the tears pattered down as she hastily raised a hand to wipe them away, lowering her head as if unwilling to let others see her vulnerability. Pei Yujiang immediately panicked, pulling out tissues.

She had intended to hand the tissues over, but Yu Zhiwan gradually began crying so hard she could barely catch her breath, as if determined to vent all the grievances she’d suffered from Liu Huanran.

Pei Yujiang could only crouch down, carefully using the tissues to dry her tears one by one.

As Pei Yujiang knelt on one knee to wipe Yu Zhiwan’s tears, Jiang Wenxiu deeply felt like a third wheel with the wattage of her presence far too bright, and promptly made her exit with long strides.

Yuerong’s company location wasn’t in the bustling city center, but it wasn’t too remote either nestled in beautiful scenery perfect for quietly focusing on makeup research. The evening breeze carried the chill of approaching winter as Jiang Wenxiu paced the corridor. Restless by nature, she seemed to have boundless energy to burn. Her phone kept beeping with messages from classmate and friend group chats.

Soon, she received a photo of a club.

Someone @’ed her, urging her to come celebrate their sister’s birthday.

Though it wasn’t her sister, Jiang Wenxiu loved joining in the fun. She immediately abandoned what seemed like a dull family gathering and headed straight for the birthday party.

By the time Pei Yujiang finished handling matters, she discovered the young Jiang Wenxiu had already run off. Fan Zhaozhao apologized somewhat sheepishly:

“This child has always been wild since she was little. We never really restrained her before, and suddenly imposing restrictions might trigger teenage rebellion. As long as it’s nothing too excessive, we let her be. Hope you don’t mind.”

Although Fan Zhaozhao no longer really permitted her to frequent such places, since it was a proper gathering at a classmate’s invitation, she let the girl go to avoid upsetting her. Pei Yujiang naturally didn’t mind, she wasn’t particular about how many people attended gatherings anyway. But at Pei Jinhuai’s request, she still brought Yu Zhiwan along.

Pei Jinhuai had reserved a restaurant, and the group drove over together.

During the meal, Pei Jinhuai couldn’t stop praising Yu Zhiwan, continuously using serving chopsticks to add dishes to her bowl. With Jiang Wenxiu absent today and Pei Jinhuai and Fan Zhaozhao being a married couple, Pei Yujiang couldn’t shake the feeling that this resembled bringing a girlfriend home to meet the parents.

The awkwardness made her keep glancing toward Yu Zhiwan.

Yet Yu Zhiwan showed no signs of impatience despite the elder’s attentions, responding to everything with thoughtful grace. Pei Jinhuai couldn’t have been more satisfied with her now, hardly even minding Yu Zhiwan’s disability anymore.

Pei Yujiang even suspected that if she declared wanting to marry Yu Zhiwan today, Pei Jinhuai would have the wedding venue prepared by tomorrow.

After barely enduring the meal, Pei Yujiang wanted to return home but didn’t know how to ask Yu Zhiwan for directions. Just as she was hesitating, she suddenly heard the Omega softly ask:

“Could you take a walk with me?”

As the saying goes, a hundred steps after meals lead to ninety-nine years of life. Though Yu Zhiwan couldn’t walk due to her leg disability, she seemed to enjoy going out for a stroll after dinner. Pei Yujiang naturally wouldn’t refuse her small request and left after saying goodbye to the two elders.

Before leaving, Pei Jinhuai even playfully winked at her.

The scenery near the restaurant was beautiful too. Not far away was a river, with neon lights shimmering on the rippling blue waves. The air carried a slight chill, so Pei Yujiang took off her coat and draped it over Yu Zhiwan to keep her warm. The two chatted casually as they walked.

“That’s the Heng River ahead of us.”

Hearing the howling wind over the river, Pei Yujiang mentioned this to her. Yu Zhiwan immediately asked:

“Did you ever come here for the Water Splashing Festival before?”

Pei Yujiang blurted out:

“No.”

She was from two hundred years in the future, how could she have participated in the Water Splashing Festival here? By her time, war had already broken out, and entertainment options had become scarce.

Moreover, this river would eventually dry up in the future, no longer deserving the name “river,” becoming more like a long stream. Later, many people used it for washing clothes and dumping household waste, causing the Heng River to deteriorate until it became completely unusable.

Yu Zhiwan was a native of Yicheng. From her words, Pei Yujiang learned that this river had originally been a small stream, gradually expanded over time.

When Yicheng was less developed, many people enjoyed coming here for the Water Splashing Festival, scooping water from the river to splash on each other. Back then, there were no bustling streets on either side, nor any bridges people crossed using small stone steps.

Over the centuries, Yicheng had experienced rises and falls. Having lived through its most desolate period and now seeing its prosperity, Pei Yujiang found it hard to imagine Yicheng as the rural village it once was.

But she could reconstruct Yu Zhiwan’s childhood from her stories, knowing that Yu Zhiwan had once played here too. Back then, though blind, her legs weren’t disabled, and she could walk normally. Now, she was confined to a wheelchair, listening to others describe Yicheng’s rapid changes.

Pei Yujiang suddenly felt emotional. At least Yu Zhiwan wouldn’t witness Yicheng’s future decline. By the time the city fell into endless warfare, Yu Zhiwan would have long passed, spared the deeper sorrow Pei Yujiang felt.

Having once defended this homeland and now seeing its flourishing present, she couldn’t help but feel an immense sense of loss.

Yet no matter how much it changed, Yicheng remained her hometown the place where she grew up. Even after joining the military and being stationed elsewhere, this was the place she missed most.

And what about the nature of this world?

Pei Yujiang had always wondered about the connection between this novel and herself. After perishing together with the zombie beasts, she hadn’t truly died but instead traveled two hundred years into Yicheng’s past, inhabiting the body of someone with her name and meeting Yu Zhiwan.

Yu Zhiwan was one of the female leads in this novel, but based on Pei Yujiang’s extensive reading experience, she felt the story was written from a “dominant protagonist” perspective.

Almost everything in the book served as setup to make Liu Huanran look impressive, those who bullied her got humiliated, she could fool around freely, while the protagonist’s love interest remained chaste for her, endured hardships while pregnant, and ultimately gave her a beautiful, mysterious young wife without any effort, allowing her to effortlessly gain both a spouse and a child.

Liu Huanran even pulled all sorts of questionable stunts, like kidnapping Yu Zhiwan and having others harass her, only to swoop in as the savior. Wasn’t this classic PUA, telling the Omega she was almost “tainted,” and that only Liu Huanran could be her salvation?

The novel was full of such baffling behavior, yet Yu Zhiwan seemed completely unfazed, still believing Liu Huanran was wonderful, clinging to her like an incurable love-struck fool.

But could someone like that really bring happiness?

Even in a “redemption arc” story, someone like her didn’t deserve a second chance, she belonged in the incinerator, reduced to ashes.

Pei Yujiang also recalled that day when someone had approached Liu Huanran, urging her to forcibly mark Yu Zhiwan. Once an Alpha marked an Omega unless it was temporary, the Omega would most likely get pregnant. That person clearly wanted to use a child to chain Yu Zhiwan to Liu Huanran. But why would they help Liu Huanran?

Later, when Pei Yujiang tried to investigate the person in black, all traces had vanished.

Maybe they had changed clothes and left. In any case, by the time Pei Yujiang checked the surveillance footage, there was no sign of them. Wing City was vast, and finding one person in a sea of faces was no easy task especially if they weren’t even from the city to begin with.

Just who had Yu Zhiwan crossed?

Yu Zhiwan hadn’t shared much about her background, and since she didn’t want to talk about it, Pei Yujiang didn’t press her though she couldn’t help but speculate.

The riverside scenery was nice, but a bit chilly. Pei Yujiang planned to take Yu Zhiwan for a short stroll before heading back. On their way, they ran into a few influencers filming. They were laughing on a sightseeing boat when a girl in a pink-and-white padded jacket spotted Pei Yujiang and immediately called out:

“Hold on!”

The girl had a round, sweet face and looked like an Omega. The boat wasn’t far from the shore, and since there was a docking spot nearby, it pulled over. The round-faced girl disembarked and jogged toward them amid her friends’ teasing.

“Can I add you on Talk, sis?”

Talk was this world’s most popular messaging app.

At her words, Yu Zhiwan, sitting in the wheelchair, pursed her lips but stayed silent, waiting for Pei Yujiang to respond.

Pei Yujiang didn’t know this girl at all and didn’t understand why people nowadays wanted to add strangers on Talk. The girl seemed young, probably only slightly older than Jiang Wenxiu. After a moment’s thought, Pei Yujiang couldn’t resist warning her:

“I don’t add strangers. Talk is a private app with social circles adding random people isn’t safe. It’s easy to expose personal info. You shouldn’t add just anyone either.”

Finally, remembering that Yu Zhiwan didn’t like her serious demeanor, Pei Yujiang curved her lips into a smile, letting warmth shine through her eyes as she added softly to the girl:

“Don’t you think so?”

Pei Yujiang hadn’t dressed up much today, but with her striking features especially those captivating eyes that weren’t the usual dark brown but a deep blue-black, shimmering brilliantly under the light, she still looked stunning.

Her long, naturally wavy hair cascaded down, giving off an effortlessly elegant vibe. Tall, with legs that seemed to go on forever and a figure to match, she was the epitome of grace.

Many women who preferred other women had a soft spot for the mature, elegant type. When Pei Yujiang smiled, there was an unconscious tenderness in her expression, like doting on a child. The girl’s face flushed instantly, and she stammered out a flustered “Mm-hmm.”

“Will you come back here again, sis? Next time we meet, when we’re not strangers anymore, can we exchange contacts.”

She tried mimicking Pei Yujiang’s tone with a playful “Okay?” but was abruptly interrupted by a sudden cough.

The round-faced girl hadn’t failed to notice Yu Zhiwan.

Even as a disabled person, Yu Zhiwan’s striking beauty was impossible to ignore. But given her condition and Pei Yujiang’s seemingly unattainable standards, the girl had instinctively assumed she couldn’t possibly be Pei Yujiang’s girlfriend.

Hearing Yu Zhiwan cough, Pei Yujiang worried it was from the river breeze. Without even saying goodbye to the girl, she hastily wheeled Yu Zhiwan away.

By the time they reached the underground parking lot, Yu Zhiwan’s coughing had subsided. As Pei Yujiang opened the car door, she heard Yu Zhiwan murmur softly:

“Sorry for interrupting your conversation with that girl.”

After settling Yu Zhiwan into the backseat her usual spot for safety and comfort, Pei Yujiang folded the wheelchair and stowed it away. Then, as if making casual conversation, Yu Zhiwan asked:

“Was she pretty?”

Pei Yujiang tried to recall. She didn’t remember the girl’s face clearly, just that she seemed around Jiang Wenxiu’s age and… decent-looking? To Pei Yujiang, most people were just “decent,” except for stunning beauties like Yu Zhiwan, who stood out effortlessly.

Speaking critically about someone behind their back didn’t sit right with her. Not wanting Yu Zhiwan to think she was harsh in her judgments, Pei Yujiang cleared her throat:

“Yeah, she was cute petite and lively. Youthful energy, you know?”

The girl had been wearing nothing but stockings in this freezing weather talk about “youthful energy”!

Yu Zhiwan simply replied, “Oh.”

As Pei Yujiang started the engine, she added:

“Though these days, there are plenty of pretty scammers out there. If some sweet-voiced girl or guy tries to get your contact info next time, just steer clear.”

Yu Zhiwan seemed lost in thought for a moment before Pei Yujiang suddenly heard her burst into quiet laughter from the backseat.

A few days later, returning from her morning workout, Pei Yujiang spotted a familiar figure by her doorstep and hurried over, meeting Yu Zhiwan’s warm smile.

The Omega lifted a steaming plastic bag, its warmth defying the winter chill:

“Open up. I made you breakfast.”

Yu Zhiwan’s cooking skills were something she had known about for a while, but Pei Yujiang was still half-asleep when she opened the door until she saw Yu Zhiwan pull a key from her pocket.

A key nearly identical in style to her own.

The standard issue for this residential complex.

“I didn’t want the hassle of getting in and out of the car every day, so I took the liberty of moving next door to you. I’ll trouble you a bit, I’ll make you breakfast every morning,” Yu Zhiwan said as she untied the knot of a plastic bag. “Is that alright, Little Pei?”

In the past, whenever Pei Yujiang heard that title, it was usually laced with sarcasm. But Yu Zhiwan’s tone now was gentle and sincere.

Having someone prepare breakfast for her every day? Pei Yujiang was more than happy with that. Then it occurred to her since she went to the company daily anyway, giving Yu Zhiwan a ride was just a small detour. She was definitely the one benefiting here. Plus, Yu Zhiwan had even given her gifts before.

Pei Yujiang decided to return the favor.

Zhao Manlin, the head of the planning department, was Yu Zhiwan’s Omega best friend. The two had been roommates in college and were practically inseparable, sharing everything.

Most of the company’s senior employees weren’t particularly fond of Pei Yujiang, and Zhao Manlin was no exception though her impression had improved slightly recently. Despite being an Omega, Zhao Manlin’s leadership skills rivaled some Alphas, earning her a respectable position in the company with considerable influence. As such, she wasn’t overly intimidated by Pei Yujiang.

Lately, Pei Yujiang had been following Zhao Manlin around to familiarize herself with the business operations, while also shadowing the senior accountant in the finance department. The grueling routine of running between multiple tasks left her exhausted. Now that the financial audits were finally completed, she could finally catch her breath.

Today, when Zhao Manlin returned from the break room, she noticed Pei Yujiang’s computer was left on. Her gaze inadvertently drifted to the screen, where a bold, eye-catching search query stood out in the search bar:

“What do Omega girls like?”

The related searches below included “Personality traits of Omega girls,” “Best birthday gifts for Omegas,” and so on. The earlier ones were relatively normal, but further down, the suggestions took a turn:

“What gifts imply romantic interest to an Omega?”

“What gifts make an Omega willing to sleep with someone?”

Zhao Manlin froze in place, alarm bells ringing in her mind.

She knew Pei Yujiang had been spending a lot of time with Yu Zhiwan lately. She had asked Yu Zhiwan about it and learned that the two weren’t dating, they had simply moved past their conflicts and become friends.

Yu Zhiwan hadn’t gone into much detail about their relationship, so Zhao Manlin’s suspicions about Pei Yujiang remained unaddressed.

The original Pei Yujiang had visited the company several times under the pretense of “checking in,” but in reality, she was just looking for romantic opportunities. Zhao Manlin had witnessed this multiple times, leaving her with a very poor impression.

She didn’t believe Pei Yujiango’s searches were innocent. Frowning, she was about to take a photo as evidence when she suddenly heard footsteps approaching. She quickly pocketed her phone and returned to her seat.

Pei Yujiang didn’t bother hiding anything in their shared office after all, Zhao Manlin knew about her relationship with Pei Jinhuai. She walked in while talking on the phone, flipping through her schedule with one hand and holding her phone with the other:

“Mom, how about assigning the Ningxiang collection mission to me and Yu Zhiwan? Her birthday’s coming up, and I want to give her a surprise.”

Yu Zhiwan’s birthday fell in winter. Ningxiang was a small southern town where one of the ingredients for their next product line could only be sourced, requiring sample collection. Originally, this task would have been assigned to the product development team, but Pei Yujiang was eager to take it on herself.

During a casual conversation, she had heard Yu Zhiwan mention wanting to visit the south. Coincidentally, Yu Zhiwan’s birthday was just over two weeks away. After spending considerable time searching on Zhihu, Pei Yujiango finally found a romantic idea. She planned to take Yu Zhiwan to Ningxiang next month collecting the ingredient samples while enjoying an all-expenses-paid trip together.

Yu Zhiwan had limited mobility, so if she wanted to go, her colleagues likely wouldn’t take her out for fun. Pei Yujiang had thought it through carefully with her strength, she could easily assist Yu Zhiwan, making outings convenient. Besides, Ningxiang was warm in winter, never freezing, with temperatures reaching over 10°C. It was renowned as the “City of Flowers.”

Pei Jinhuai usually agreed to Pei Yujiang’s requests, and this was just a minor matter. The moment her daughter brought it up, Pei Jinhuai immediately consented.

As she hung up the phone, Pei Yujiang noticed Zhao Manlin staring at her unblinkingly.

She wasn’t one to force warmth where it wasn’t returned. Zhao Manlin’s attitude toward her was lukewarm, so naturally, Pei Yujiang wasn’t particularly fond of her either. But considering this was Yu Zhiwan’s close friend, she couldn’t be outright rude. Gauging the other woman’s expression, she offered a friendly smile and tentatively asked:

“Do you want to come along? I can help you request leave.”

Zhao Manlin: Is she not even pretending anymore???

Support Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Boss of the Disabled Heroine