Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Boss of the Disabled Heroine - Chapter 75

Yu Zhiwan’s remark about “not sleeping well” wasn’t meant in that way. Seeing Zhao Manlin’s reaction, she belatedly realized her friend had misinterpreted it and couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation.

However, Zhao Manlin didn’t dwell on the topic.

As longtime friends, Zhao Manlin couldn’t bring herself to say something like “I missed you.” Instead, she asked about Yu Zhiwan’s current situation with Pei Yujiang. When she heard that Liu Huanran would likely be spending a long time behind bars, she sneered viciously:

“Scum like her, who only preys on vulnerable Omegas, should’ve been locked up ages ago. How dare she kidnap you? Did she really think the law didn’t apply to her?”

“By the way, if you and Pei Yujiang are serious about this relationship…”

Zhao Manlin hesitated, as if wanting to say something but holding back. Yu Zhiwan noticed and urged her to speak her mind.

“Never mind. Pei Yujiang is a Beta, and a woman at that, so it’s safer. It’s fine.”

Zhao Manlin studied her for a moment, her gaze lingering on Yu Zhiwan’s glossy black hair and delicate features. Something about Yu Zhiwan reminded her of past events, stirring an uncomfortable feeling in her chest. Sensing her shift in mood, Yu Zhiwan asked directly:

“Are you thinking about that person again?”

Zhao Manlin responded with a muted “Mm.”

Back when they were in university, Zhao Manlin had dated a female Alpha.

Though Zhao Manlin was a career-driven Omega, she couldn’t resist the Alpha’s charm, and the two had been inseparable for a while. During that period, Zhao Manlin spent more time with her girlfriend, mainly because Yu Zhiwan wasn’t fond of social activities. The two often went shopping together.

Then, one evening, her girlfriend suggested they stay out instead of going back. What two love-struck adults would do alone together overnight was self-explanatory.

Zhao Manlin wasn’t particularly conservative, but for safety’s sake, she insisted they both get health checkups before taking things further. Even if both parties were willing, they still had to take responsibility for each other’s well-being.

Her girlfriend had been deeply offended, interpreting it as a lack of trust. After some back-and-forth, they parted on bad terms. During their ensuing cold war, the Alpha’s ex-girlfriend showed up at their dormitory, causing a scene and publicly accusing Zhao Manlin of being the other woman.

The incident blew up, even drawing the attention of the dean. The Omega made a huge spectacle, calling Zhao Manlin out by name for “seducing” the Alpha. Within days, intimate photos of the two surfaced on the campus forum.

They hadn’t done anything extreme, so there were no explicit photos, but it was still disgusting enough. The Alpha remained silent, and after Zhao Manlin slapped her, she ended the relationship.

Later, Zhao Manlin learned that the Omega had been pregnant and the timing coincided with their cold war. The revelation made her sick to her stomach, and from then on, she held a deep-seated aversion to Alphas, including Liu Huanran and even Pei Yujiang, who had initially posed as one.

At first, she had been skeptical about Pei Yujiang and Yu Zhiwan’s relationship, but she gradually changed her mind over time.

Zhao Manlin didn’t wallow in the past for long. Instead, she explained what had triggered the unpleasant memories:

“During the time you were away, Jiajia resigned.”

Yu Zhiwan wasn’t very familiar with the internal affairs of Yuerong. It took her a few seconds to recall the person in question:

“Chen Tingjia? The department head?”

“Yes, she suddenly resigned, saying she wanted to prepare for pregnancy. But she just got married last month.”

Zhao Manlin was the deputy head of the planning department, while Chen Tingjia was her superior as the department head. Despite this, the two had a close relationship. Chen Tingjia was cheerful and always smiling, treating all employees in the planning department with kindness and never putting on airs.

She was diligent in her work and, despite her young age and high position, remained humble. Even Pei Jinhuai held her in high regard and had planned to give her a raise after Yuerong went public. Yet, despite such promising prospects, Chen Tingjia resigned without warning.

As an Omega, getting pregnant was straightforward for Chen Tingjia, all it took was being deeply marked by an alpha during her heat cycle, and she could conceive quickly. She was in good health, didn’t need medical treatment to conceive, and at 27 or 28, she wasn’t considered an older mother.

Zhao Manlin was utterly shocked at the time, thinking Chen Tingjia was joking. Even colleagues from HR tried to persuade her to stay, and Pei Jinhuai personally spoke with her, but to no avail.

After Chen Tingjia left, Pei Jinhuai promoted Zhao Manlin to department head. However, Zhao Manlin didn’t feel much joy from the promotion, something about the situation felt off to her.

Knowing how close Zhao Manlin and Chen Tingjia were, Yu Zhiwan asked:

“Did you try contacting her afterward?”

“Yes, but she hasn’t been in touch much. She said she’s trying to reduce screen time. But Jiajia has always been strong-willed. Even if her partner wanted a child so soon, she wouldn’t just give up her career during its peak.”

After all, children could be had anytime as long as she was fertile, but missing out on career opportunities during a crucial period might mean losing them forever.

A twinge of unease shot through Yu Zhiwan’s brow as a grim suspicion took shape in her mind. If not for this, Zhao Manlin wouldn’t have rushed to tell her:

“So you suspect…”

Zhao Manlin’s expression turned grave as she dropped a bombshell: “I suspect she might have been controlled.”

Yu Zhiwan fixed her with a steady gaze.

She didn’t ask foolish questions like “Who would be controlled for no reason in a society governed by law?” nor did she offer alternative theories. Yu Zhiwan wasn’t stupid. Connecting this with recent speculations she and Pei Yuzhao had shared, her mood grew heavy.

After asking Zhao Manlin a few more key questions, Yu Zhiwan immediately went to find Pei Yuzhao.

She found Pei Yuzhao photographing the office taking detailed shots from all four directions, including a full panorama while chatting with someone on her phone.

Seeing the radiant smile on the woman’s face, Yu Zhiwan felt her mood lift and quickly wheeled over, giving Pei Yuzhao a playful tap on the waist.

Pei Yuzhao had an enviable figure tall at over 170 cm with long legs, a slender waist, and the faint outline of abs. When her core was engaged, her stomach felt firm yet smooth, with an exceptionally pleasant texture.

The tap made Pei Yuzhao jump slightly. She turned and showed Yu Zhiwan her phone:

“I’m talking to a renovation company. What do you think of these changes?”

She took pictures of her own office and the one next to it, drew an X, then circled a small area, estimated to be only ten square meters. Pei Yujiang’s office was quite spacious, specially prepared for her by Pei Jinhuai. That spot had originally been a dressing room.

Yu Zhiwan squinted, taking a good ten seconds to understand: “What are you planning to turn the dressing room into?”

“Into a separate little room, of course,” Pei Yujiang declared matter-of-factly. “That’s how it’s always written in novels.”

The dressing room was semi-open, with just a curtain for privacy when changing clothes. Now, she intended to install a proper door so that not just anyone could walk in.

Yu Zhiwan opened the reading app on her phone and saw the title Young Master Li’s Pursuit: 100% Sweet Love, Where Can the Subordinate Wife Escape? She glanced up at Pei Yujiang, then uninstalled the trashy app without a word.

Unaware that her app had been deleted, Pei Yujiang took the phone back with a cheerful smile and asked Yu Zhiwan what was up.

Their offices weren’t next to each other, and part of the reason for this renovation was to bring Yu Zhiwan into her own office space working together, eating together, making everything more convenient.

Not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm, Yu Zhiwan indulged in some small talk before they entered the office. Pei Yujiang then used her newly purchased mini coffee machine to brew a cup for her, the rich aroma of coffee beans blending with a hint of creamy sweetness.

Knowing Yu Zhiwan preferred her coffee strong, Pei Yujiang added only a little milk. After finishing, she took a sip herself and immediately frowned.

“Too bitter.”

Yu Zhiwan could down an iced Americano without batting an eye, but Pei Yujiang found even the smell unbearable, she could only handle heavily sweetened, milky lattes at best.

But the relaxed atmosphere didn’t last long. After taking a sip of her coffee, Yu Zhiwan got straight to business:

“Yujiang, something might have happened in Wing City too.”

Pei Yujiang paused mid-pour of her latte.

Yu Zhiwan summarized what Zhao Manlin had told her, neither exaggerating nor omitting details and Pei Yujiang’s frown deepened with every word.

If not for the whole mess with Organization A and their cruel human gene experimentation, Pei Yujiang might have dismissed this as an accident or just Minister Chen being lovestruck.

But with the reality of Organization A’s human experiments staring them in the face, Pei Yujiang even suspected that Minister Chen might already be at their mercy.

With a grave expression, she asked Yu Zhiwan:

“Can Zhao Manlin video call Minister Chen? If we can confirm her condition, that’s one thing. But if we can’t… it’s probably exactly what we’re thinking.”

Yu Zhiwan immediately contacted Zhao Manlin, who soon called Chen Tingjia.

No answer. After a long wait, a text reply finally came through, asking what was wrong.

Pei Yujiang took the phone and typed back:

“Need your help with a work issue. Could you review this proposal for me? It’s due tomorrow, but Manager Pei keeps saying it’s not up to standard.”

According to Zhao Manlin’s description, Chen Tingjia was a workaholic who treated everyone quite well. Logically speaking, she wouldn’t outright reject Zhao Manlin’s request so bluntly. Even during pregnancy preparation, it’s not like she couldn’t do anything at all, preparing for pregnancy isn’t the same as being disabled.

There was another long silence from the other end, which only deepened everyone’s suspicions. After a while, Chen Tingjia’s video call finally came through. Pei Yujiang returned the phone to Zhao Manlin, while she and Yu Zhiwan stood in the corner, waiting.

Zhao Manlin eagerly answered the call. She saw Chen Tingjia sitting in an ordinary room, covered with a blanket, looking unwell, almost as if she had a cold.

Zhao Manlin scrutinized her carefully, observing her surroundings, but noticed faint dark circles under Chen Tingjia’s eyes. Even when she used to work late, she always maintained a polished appearance. Besides being naturally youthful, she was also meticulous about skincare.

Chen Tingjia had always been full of energy. Zhao Manlin never expected that after such a short separation, the once vibrant woman would look like this. Even if she really had gone back to prepare for pregnancy, could she possibly give birth to a healthy baby in this state?

Doubt was already swirling in Zhao Manlin’s mind.

Moreover, she had been to Chen Tingjia’s home before, and it didn’t look like this. Though Chen Tingjia explained that this was her husband’s place, Zhao Manlin still found it odd.

Despite her growing suspicions, Zhao Manlin wisely avoided pressing further. She only asked a few routine work-related questions before casually inquiring if Chen Tingjia had been busy lately and why she hadn’t reached out. Chen Tingjia’s replies were brief.

Pretending not to notice her evasiveness, Zhao Manlin smiled and said:

“Then can I come visit you later? Preparing for pregnancy isn’t the same as being pregnant, even pregnant women need sunlight. If you stay cooped up like this, aren’t you afraid your baby will turn out lazy?”

She asked in a deliberately lighthearted tone, but when Chen Tingjia heard that Zhao Manlin wanted to visit, her expression flickered slightly before quickly returning to normal.

“I’ve just been feeling sluggish lately and don’t really want to see anyone. If you need anything, just message me on Talk. I’ll hang up now, time for dinner.”

With that, Chen Tingjia waved and ended the call.

Zhao Manlin remained frozen for a long time, her expression grave.

On the surface, Chen Tingjia didn’t seem to be under any physical restraint, but Zhao Manlin noticed her hands trembling slightly, making the camera shake a little.

She could sense the change in her friend through subtle expressions. After such a short time apart, Chen Tingjia was no longer the cheerful, joke-cracking department head she once knew. The exhaustion radiating from her was unmistakable, this wasn’t normal.

Seeing Zhao Manlin’s troubled reaction, Pei Yujiang had already drawn her own conclusions. She stepped forward and asked:

“When was the last time you saw her in person? And when was your last conversation?”

Zhao Manlin had recorded the video call. Now, she simply handed her phone to Pei Yujiang to review.

While Pei Yujiang was reading, Yu Zhiwan also leaned in. After going through their chat history, they confirmed that Minister Chen was indeed suspicious. Zhao Manlin had shown concern for her condition several times before, but Minister Chen had politely declined, sometimes even appearing somewhat impatient.

At first, Zhao Manlin didn’t think much of it, only feeling a bit sad that Minister Chen seemed to be distancing herself.

But now, with Yu Zhiwan and Pei Yujiang pointing it out, her heart pounded nervously:

“Then… is she in danger right now? Should we call the police?”

But without concrete evidence, the police wouldn’t take action. They couldn’t just open an investigation because a friend had suddenly grown distant. Even the usually composed Zhao Manlin grew anxious, even frustrated at herself for not noticing sooner.

“It’s fine,” Pei Yujiang reassured her. “If something had already happened, she wouldn’t be texting you here.”

She remembered what Yu Zhiwan had told her that those people sought out alphas and Omegas with unique genetic traits, either for direct experimentation or to breed the next generation, which they would then raise for their purposes.

Even her own parents, as staff members, had essentially been in an arranged marriage. Fortunately, they had developed genuine feelings after marriage and eventually softened, allowing her to escape.

The audacity of Organization A was worse than she had imagined, especially in Wing City, which was practically their stronghold. Pei Yujiang had returned precisely to deal with matters like this.

Minister Chen most likely hadn’t been forced into the experiments yet, but delays could lead to complications. Pei Yujiang immediately began planning her next move.

The first step was to locate Minister Chen. After some thought, Pei Yujiang realized the most useful person who could help right now was Jiang Wenxiu.

With time being of the essence and no better alternative, Pei Yujiang set her sights on Jiang Wenxiu again. That evening, she bought a pile of snacks and brought Yu Zhiwan along to her home.

Jiang Wenxiu, under Fan Zhaozhao’s strict supervision, was stuck at home struggling with homework, occasionally flipping through a comic book hidden in her notebook. Hearing the door open, she immediately dashed out.

Fan Zhaozhao was watching TV in the living room. Pei Yujiang greeted her politely:

“Aunt Fan, my mom asked me to tell you that we’re meeting at the Little Tower Restaurant at 6:30. Has Xiuxiu eaten yet? If not, we’ll take her out later.”

Fan Zhaozhao gave an “Oh,” checked the time, and hurried off to change. Pei Yujiang then signaled to Jiang Wenxiu and slipped into her room with Yu Zhiwan.

Upon hearing Pei Yujiang’s request, Jiang Wenxiu said it was no big deal but in return, she wanted Pei Yujiang to fulfill a favor for her later.

Pei Yujiang eyed her warily. “Buying a gaming console, making up excuses for long absences, or taking you to bars forget it. I can find someone else.”

Jiang Wenxiu hesitated. “No, it’s just… something like a parent-teacher meeting, school stuff. It’s not like I’m asking you to commit crimes or anything.”

Pei Yujiang: “Okay, deal.”

The place she was looking for was currently being investigated by Jiang Wenxiu. She needed to change her IP first to prevent being tracked, which would take some time. Pei Yujiang wasn’t too worried about her. She remembered from the original plot that Jiang Wenxiu was an exceptionally skilled teenage hacker, even having gotten into trouble for it before. Pei Yujiang simply asked her to find a location, it was child’s play for her, requiring neither a VPN nor access to the dark web.

While Jiang Wenxiu was busy typing away on the keyboard, Pei Yujiang felt restless and stepped out onto the balcony with Yu Zhiwan. The gentle summer evening breeze brushed against their faces, yet it couldn’t dispel the agitation in her heart. Pei Yujiang leaned motionless against the balcony railing, feeling the coolness of the ceramic tiles seep into her skin, when Yu Zhiwan’s calm voice broke the silence:

“You’re in such a hurry are you planning to go alone to scout it out once we find the location?”

Just like when she investigated the water plant.

Pei Yujiang hadn’t told her about her plans at all, but to her surprise, Yu Zhiwan had seen right through her without a word. Caught off guard, she flusteredly tried to explain:

“Not at all, I—”

Before she could finish, the woman suddenly grabbed her collar, forcing Pei Yujiang to bend down, while her other hand pressed against Pei Yujiang’s full, red lips, silencing her words with a firm touch on the cupid’s bow.

“If you think you can handle everything on your own, why do you even need me?”

Yu Zhiwan’s tone remained as composed as ever, as if they were having a normal discussion. But the moment those clear almond-shaped eyes met hers with a steady, unwavering gaze, Pei Yujiang knew, Yu Zhiwan was angry.

The Omega kept a firm grip on her collar, though not with excessive force. Standing so close, Pei Yujiang could even catch the faint, alluring scent emanating from her. Yu Zhiwan’s voice lifted slightly at the end, asking gently, “Hmm?” as if prompting a response. Yet her gentle blade cut deep, leaving Pei Yujiang speechless.

Just as she was about to muster a response, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the awkward tension. Before Pei Yujiang could straighten up, Jiang Wenxiu came rushing over.

“I’ve—”

Her words abruptly stopped mid-sentence as she took in their suggestive posture. She muttered something under her breath, Pei Yujiang didn’t catch it clearly, only hearing something like “sweethearts”, before turning to look at Jiang Wenxiu.

Jiang Wenxiu quickly changed the subject:

“I was just thinking I’d like some stir-fried goose hearts. You should buy some next time.”

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