Transmigrated As The Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife Of A Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 3

If Zhao Zhiyi were a local, he would have realized that Meng Ze’s words were essentially no different from telling him to “raise his legs higher” in bed.

But he wasn’t, and he didn’t sense anything wrong. He turned his head, exposing the back of his neck. That slender, fair stretch of skin glowed with a gentle luster in the morning sun, like jade that would feel warm to the touch.

Meng Ze lowered his eyelids halfway and peeled off the expired suppression patch on his neck. The small gland was still slightly swollen, but the tooth marks had faded significantly, turning a light red that contrasted with the surrounding snowy skin, like a single early cherry blossom petal fallen on a snowfield.

Zhao Zhiyi let out a soft “Mm”: “It still hurts a bit, please be gentle.”

Meng Ze replied, “Understood.”

He applied the new suppression patch accurately. As his fingertips brushed against Zhao Zhiyi’s warm skin, the delicate texture made him pause for a fraction of a second.

Are all Omegas this soft, or is it just Zhao Zhiyi?

Zhao Zhiyi reached back to touch his neck and narrowed his eyes with a smile: “Thanks.”

“No need,” Meng Ze said expressionlessly. “I caused it in the first place.”

Zhao Zhiyi curled his lip slightly, thinking, At least you have the decency to say it. He ignored Meng Ze and headed downstairs for breakfast.

Yu Shuen and the others were already seated at the dining table. Yu Shu’en wore a kind, beaming smile that made Zhao Zhiyi’s skin crawl: “Zhiyi, how did you sleep last night?”

Zhao Zhiyi smiled: “Very well.”

“That’s good. Come, sit,” Yu Shu’en said. “I specifically had the kitchen stew some tonic soup for you. You’re too thin, you need to nourish your body more.”

Zhao Zhiyi looked at the steaming bowl of chicken soup and didn’t refuse, sipping it obediently. A bowl of this at a restaurant would cost at least 888 yuan, right? Only a fool passes up a freebie.

Meng Ze’s expression, however, was quite sour.

Yu Shuen was a very old-fashioned patriarch. In his eyes, Yu Tao was an Omega who would eventually be married off, any children she had wouldn’t have much to do with him.

Since Zhao Zhiyi and Meng Ze had a high compatibility rate, they were destined to produce elite offspring. If they kept having children, they would eventually produce an Alpha to inherit his bloodline. Meng Ze was already a “lost cause” in his eyes, so he intended to pour all his effort into this unborn grandson, ensuring the Meng family name became a thing of the past.

If one translated Yu Shu’en’s mindset into Zhao Zhiyi’s previous world, it wasn’t hard to understand. Valuing Alphas over Omegas was essentially the same as valuing sons over daughters. The suffering women endured in that world was matched by Omegas here. In a sense, because of pheromones, an Omega’s very self-awareness could be dominated by their biological nature.

Thus, even though Yu Shu’en treated him with great affection, Zhao Zhiyi didn’t want to deal with the man. He knew clearly that in Yu Shu’en’s eyes, he wasn’t a person with full human rights, but a breeding sow waiting to give birth and Meng Ze wasn’t a son, but a tool for reproduction.

After breakfast, Zhao Zhiyi and Meng Ze left the villa together. Meng Ze asked, “Where are you going?”

“School,” Zhao Zhiyi said. “I have an exam this afternoon.”

“You… an exam?”

The original owner of the body was, like Zhao Zhiyi, a junior in college. However, while the original owner was so lazy he’d fail nine out of ten courses a semester, Zhao Zhiyi never missed an exam, not out of a love for learning, but simply because retaking classes was expensive and a waste of time.

“My friend said the professor for this course is very fierce. If I miss the exam, he’ll tear me a new one,” Zhao Zhiyi added.

Meng Ze drove him to school.

Just as Zhao Zhiyi stepped out of the car, a dark shadow rushed toward him. Startled, he took a step back before realizing it was a disheveled, stubbly Cheng Hui.

Cheng Hui’s eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes were wrinkled as if he hadn’t changed. He looked utterly decadent. He lunged forward excitedly to grab Zhao Zhiyi’s hand, but Zhao Zhiyi dodged in disgust: “Do you need something?”

“I know I was wrong, Zhiyi! I really know it now!” Cheng Hui was full of remorse. “I was wrong in the past. Please don’t be mad at me anymore, okay? I only realized yesterday that without you, my life has no meaning.”

Zhao Zhiyi: “Then why don’t you go die?”

Cheng Hui gave a bitter smile. “You’re still just venting, right? You said yesterday you weren’t feeling well, where does it hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital right now. I actually care about you a lot, it’s just that I drank too much yesterday…”

He looked at Zhao Zhiyi earnestly, his eyes full of “deep affection”: “Zhiyi, I really can’t live without you!”

Zhao Zhiyi said: “That’s true. Without me, who would pay for your group dinners? Who would pay for the gifts for your new girlfriends? Looking at it that way, I really am important to you.”

Cheng Hui said indignantly: “Zhiyi, how can you belittle my sincere feelings like that!”

“Enough.” Zhao Zhiyi was getting impatient. “What do you actually want?”

“I want your forgiveness,” Cheng Hui choked out. “I know I was wrong. Will you forgive me?”

The bill from yesterday’s drinking session hadn’t been settled yet! The six figure total had made his vision go dark, even after emptying his pockets, he couldn’t even cover half. That’s why he had been lurking at Zhao Zhiyi’s school since early morning.

He knew Zhao Zhiyi well or so he thought. Just act a little soft, say a few sentimental words, and he’d be wrapped around his finger again.

“Are you done?” Zhao Zhiyi asked.

“…Yes, I’m done.”

Zhao Zhiyi: “Then move, or I’m calling security.”

Cheng Hui said incredulously: “You’re kicking me out?!”

Zhao Zhiyi: “Would you prefer I tell you to ‘get lost’?”

“You…” Cheng Hui realized Zhao Zhiyi was genuinely angry this time. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly threw himself down, kneeling on the ground and grabbing the hem of Zhao Zhiyi’s clothes: “Zhiyi, I beg you to forgive me… I really love you!”

Zhao Zhiyi: “??”

Zhao Zhiyi was stunned.

A muscular man kneeling on the ground, crying with snot and tears, the scene was quite a spectacle. The original owner was already a prominent figure at school, and suddenly the sound of camera shutters clicking filled the air.

Zhao Zhiyi estimated whether he could kick Cheng Hui away, but sadly realized he probably couldn’t. He was about to call the campus security when the window of the black Bentley’s driver’s seat slowly rolled down, revealing Meng Ze’s sharp profile.

Dressed in a suit, he looked entirely out of place among the casually dressed college students, as if he belonged to a different world. Combined with a face handsome enough for a fashion magazine, he instantly drew a crowd of gazes.

Cheng Hui’s sobbing hitched in his throat, replaced by shock and terror.

He had seen Meng Ze once from a distance and recognized him immediately. What he never expected was that Meng Ze would actually drive Zhao Zhiyi to school!

Meng Ze didn’t even spare Cheng Hui a glance. He simply held out a ballpoint pen from the passenger seat: “You forgot this.”

Zhao Zhiyi quickly took it and tucked it in his pocket: “Thanks.”

Meng Ze rested one hand on the steering wheel and said, “Do well on your exam.”

Zhao Zhiyi gave an “Oh,” and Meng Ze started the car and drove away. Cheng Hui remained kneeling like a clown, not even daring to let out another whimper.

Even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn’t dare act up in front of Meng Ze. Meng Ze could crush him more easily than an ant.

Zhao Zhiyi walked straight toward the school gate. Cheng Hui scrambled up and slunk away in disgrace.

Although the original owner was a “love-brain,” the university he got into was quite good. Zhao Zhiyi walked around the campus and found his dormitory based on memory. The original owner didn’t live there, but he hadn’t checked out either.

Pushing the door open, Zhao Zhiyi saw a plump guy sitting in a chair looking at his phone. Seeing him enter, the guy immediately said, “I just saw in the group chats. Cheng Hui came to the school gate to corner you?”

“Yeah,” Zhao Zhiyi nodded. “But he’s already left.”

Zhan Yue turned his phone screen around: “Is this CEO Meng?”

It was a candid photo, capturing the moment Zhao Zhiyi leaned down to talk to the person in the car. The lighting was blurry, and Meng Ze’s profile looked slightly ethereal, the whole photo actually had a very stylish vibe.

“He dropped me off on his way.”

“Dropped you off?” Zhan Yue raised an eyebrow. “Since when are you guys on such good terms? Isn’t it a contract marriage?”

Zhao Zhiyi: “Maybe he’s just in a good mood today?”

“Whatever, at least Cheng Hui was scared witless,” Zhan Yue said indignantly. “You have no idea, that bastard is always out there bragging about how he ‘got’ CEO Meng’s wife, belittling him to feel superior. Then this spineless coward gets scared like that just by making eye contact.”

Zhan Yue really didn’t hold a grudge. Even though he had been furious before and had even blocked Zhao Zhiyi, he was now back to acting like a close buddy: “Zhiyi, if you keep entangling yourself with Cheng Hui, I really will cut ties with you. He’s truly a piece of work.”

“Don’t worry,” Zhao Zhiyi said. “He won’t be getting another cent out of my pocket.”

Zhan Yue still looked a bit skeptical, but since Zhao Zhiyi had stated his stance, he didn’t push further. Instead, he said, “I put the notes for this afternoon’s exam on your desk. Even if it’s last minute cramming, you should take a look.”

“Thanks.” Zhao Zhiyi was quite touched. The original owner was an art student, and this exam was on Western Art Appreciation. Without the notes, a pure science student like him wouldn’t even be able to understand the questions.

After the afternoon exam ended, Zhao Zhiyi offered to treat Zhan Yue to dinner. Zhan Yue didn’t stand on ceremony. As they walked toward Gate 3 which led to a famous food street, they took a shortcut through some bushes. Zhan Yue was babbling away: “When do you plan to go back and see your dad? It’s been a year since the last time, right?”

The original owner’s relationship with his father was mediocre, and Zhao Zhiyi certainly wasn’t going to go out of his way to maintain it. “We’ll see.”

As they rounded a row of shrubs, Zhan Yue suddenly stopped: “Is someone crying?”

Zhao Zhiyi frowned, looked around, and then said, “Yeah, over there.”

Near a bench not far away, a man and a woman seemed to be arguing. The man looked incredibly impatient: “I told you, we’re just friends… Aren’t you tired of being so paranoid?! Even if I did have something going on with another O, it’s because you don’t give me enough of a sense of security!”

Zhan Yue’s eyes widened: “What kind of scumbag logic is that?”

Zhao Zhiyi didn’t want to get involved, but Zhan Yue whispered, “Hey! Isn’t that Yu Tao!”

Looking closely, the girl who was sobbing was indeed Yu Tao, who had been so arrogant that morning.

“Oh, I recognize him now. That guy is Dong Zhengfan,” Zhan Yue said. “Her boyfriend, a computer science major from the neighboring school.”

“It’s just a couple’s quarrel, we shouldn’t inter.” Before Zhao Zhiyi could finish, his brow furrowed. He stepped forward and grabbed Dong Zhengfan’s wrist. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Dong Zhengfan couldn’t shake off Yu Tao, and in a fit of rage, he had raised a hand to slap her. He was initially a bit guilty, but seeing it was Zhao Zhiyi, he regained his bravado: “What does this have to do with you? Get lost!”

An Alpha’s strength was far greater than an Omega’s. Dong Zhengfan shoved hard, expecting to easily throw Zhao Zhiyi off. To his surprise, Zhao Zhiyi stood firm and instead delivered a kick to Dong Zhengfan’s knee, making him howl in pain.

“Do you want me to help you call the police?” Zhao Zhiyi looked at Yu Tao sideways. “Assaulting an Omega can lead to criminal detention.”

Omegas were not only a vulnerable group but also a precious reproductive resource. Since the Omega Protection Act was passed, such disputes usually favored the Omega. If Yu Tao reported it, Dong Zhengfan would be locked up for at least a week.

“…No need,” Yu Tao’s voice was raspy. “I’m fine.”

“She said she’s fine herself!” Dong Zhengfan snapped. “Let go of me!”

He wrenched himself away from Zhao Zhiyi and hurried off. Yu Tao collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

Zhan Yue was anxious: “Say something to comfort her!”

Zhao Zhiyi: “Me?”

He had zero experience comforting young girls. If he stayed there much longer, Yu Tao might think he was just there to enjoy the show.

Zhan Yue racked his brain and said dryly, “Uh, that Dong Zhengfan isn’t good enough for you at all. If he cheats, let him cheat. You can find someone better.”

The sentiment was correct. Dong Zhengfan was a poor kid who relied entirely on Yu Tao’s allowance to live a comfortable life. In that sense, Yu Tao and the original owner were the same type of “love-brains.”

“It’s not like that…” Yu Tao sobbed. “The gap between us is too big, and he lacks security. It’s my fault. I know he definitely loves me, he’s just worried we can’t be together forever, which is why he does these things.”

A row of question marks floated through Zhao Zhiyi’s mind.

What language is she speaking? I don’t understand a word.

Dong Zhengfan, a gigolo living off a woman, didn’t focus on keeping his benefactor happy, but instead fooled around outside, and Yu Tao actually thought it was her own fault??

“…I’m just useless,” Yu Tao cried. “I’m an illegitimate daughter and an Omega. Dad says my only use is to be married off in an alliance. I have no choice in my own marriage, and I can’t promise Zhengfan that we’ll get married. It’s normal for him to be afraid. If only I were an Alpha… then my brother wouldn’t be pressured by the family, and Dad would value me…”

“Uh, this sounds like something I shouldn’t be hearing. I’ll head out first,” Zhan Yue said, showing great social awareness. “Zhiyi, treat me another day!”

With that, he bolted, leaving Zhao Zhiyi to deal with Yu Tao, the ultimate love-brain, who was giving him a massive headache.

“Are you laughing at me in your head?” Yu Tao looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. “Go ahead and laugh. I know I’m pathetic…”

Zhao Zhiyi sighed, squatted down next to her, and said, “You really are quite pathetic.”

“To actually take the words of a ‘white eyed wolf’ (ingrate) like Yu Shu’en as gospel.”

Yu Tao looked at him blankly. “You… how can you talk about Dad like that?”

Zhao Zhiyi replied, “Am I wrong?”

Seeing Yu Tao’s face covered in tears, Zhao Zhiyi pulled a pack of tissues from his pocket. He took one out, thought about it, and then split it in half, handing one piece to her: “Wipe your face.”

Yu Tao: “…Do you have to be this stingy?”

Zhao Zhiyi said, “If you were crying for any other reason, I’d give you the whole pack. But since you’re crying over a scumbag, giving you half a sheet is only because of my kindness.”

Yu Tao: “.”

Yu Tao was furious. She snatched the tissue and wiped her eyes harshly. Only then did Zhao Zhiyi say slowly, “Back then, Yu Shu’en was just a poor kid with nothing but a handsome face. If he hadn’t caught Meng Qiao’s eye and married into the Meng family, who knows where he’d be turning screws right now.”

Yu Tao opened her mouth to argue but couldn’t say a single word.

Because what Zhao Zhiyi said was an objective fact.

“But how did Yu Shu’en treat Meng Qiao?” Zhao Zhiyi said. “Am I wrong to call him an ingrate?”

“…I’m sorry.” Yu Tao started crying again. “I’m an illegitimate daughter. I’m the one who ruined my brother’s family.”

Zhao Zhiyi was at a loss for how to comfort her now. While Yu Tao couldn’t choose her birth, it didn’t change the fact that she was an illegitimate child.

On one hand, she felt guilty toward Meng Ze and Meng Qiao, on the other, she couldn’t completely cut ties with her parents, so she was stuck in this unsolvable loop.

Furthermore, as an Omega despised by her father, she craved his attention, which was likely why she projected her feelings onto Dong Zhengfan.

Zhao Zhiyi remembered that in the original novel, Yu Tao really did marry Dong Zhengfan. Naturally, the marriage didn’t have Yu Shu’en’s approval, so he cut off all her financial support. Once Dong Zhengfan realized he couldn’t spend Yu Tao’s money anymore and even had to work to support her, his true nature was revealed.

He didn’t divorce her. Instead, he used her as a bargaining chip to blackmail Gao Ziya and Meng Ze. He spent the money he got on a lavish lifestyle while Yu Tao even had to wash his mistress’s clothes. All the hardships she had avoided in the first half of her life hit her after marriage. Upon learning that Dong Zhengfan had been constantly asking her family for money, she couldn’t take it anymore and committed suicide by slitting her wrists. She was only twenty-four when she died.

In other words, three years from now, this innocent, naive, and somewhat cowardly girl would die in a filthy little rental apartment, clutching a family photo.

“Why are you apologizing to me?” Zhao Zhiyi said. “I’m not the one you’ve wronged.”

Yu Tao cried even harder: “I apologized to my brother too, but he’ll definitely never accept me.”

“Why do you need him to accept you?” Zhao Zhiyi said. “Yu Tao, Meng Ze has no right to represent his mother in accepting or forgiving you. You say Yu Shu’en is pressuring Meng Ze, aren’t you doing the exact same thing?”

Yu Tao was stunned.

“Also,” Zhao Zhiyi clicked his tongue, “How did you manage to get into university with that brain of yours?”

“Because… because my brother donated a building to the school…”

Zhao Zhiyi was truly starting to resent the rich.

“Wait, why are you insulting me??”

Zhao Zhiyi said: “If you were even slightly smart, you’d see that Dong Zhengfan is just the second Yu Shu’en. Haven’t you seen what happened to Meng Qiao? You have a living example right next to you, and yet you dare to date a ‘Phoenix Man’ (a man from a poor background who uses women to climb the social ladder) like him. You really don’t learn.”

Yu Tao’s mouth fell open: “Zhengfan isn’t that kind of person.”

“Also…” Yu Tao hesitated, “Can you please not tell my brother about this? If he finds out, Zhengfan will definitely get beaten up.”

Zhao Zhiyi’s expression was beyond description. He didn’t understand, didn’t respect, and didn’t offer his blessing.

Yu Shuen and Gao Ziya were both quite sharp, how could they produce such a Grade-A idiot like Yu Tao?

“Our relationship isn’t that close,” Zhao Zhiyi said. “Are you done crying? If you are, I’m leaving.”

Yu Tao sniffled and said softly, “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Zhao Zhiyi raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been there and have experience. But good advice is lost on those determined to ruin themselves. I’ve done my part.”

Zhao Zhiyi didn’t pay much attention to whether Yu Tao and Dong Zhengfan reconciled, because he was overwhelmed by a piece of wonderful news, his salary for the month had arrived.

He clutched his phone and counted the zeros several times, so happy he couldn’t sleep all night. He carefully planned his finances. Aside from the money transfer, he didn’t have much contact with Meng Ze, the two returned to their “plastic couple” state of minding their own business.

With exams over, Zhao Zhiyi had nothing to do. He found a job at a dessert shop near his home. Who knew how many more months the “Boss Meng” salary would last? Men are unreliable, a job is more stable.

Zhao Zhiyi had worked in a dessert shop before, so he picked it up quickly. This elegantly decorated shop sold all sorts of expensive cakes, the kind where one look at the price gave Zhao Zhiyi a heart attack. This meant there weren’t too many customers, and consequently, the work wasn’t too tiring, which he was satisfied with.

After nearly half a month of the simple routine between home and work, the shop manager suddenly spoke up one day: “Xiao Zhao, the owner is coming over today. You’re new, so make sure to recognize their face when they arrive.”

Zhao Zhiyi didn’t take it to heart and nodded in agreement. When the wind chime at the door jingled and the manager walked in with someone, Zhao Zhiyi froze for a moment.