Transmigrated as the Heroine’s Perfect Alpha - Chapter 6

A full three bags of IV fluids would take at least two hours to finish, based on Xie Ling’s limited experience with IV drips in her past life.

She had not eaten breakfast yet, and before she could even open her mouth to ask, the housekeeper, Auntie Chen, had already had someone set up a portable dining table and brought over a bowl of thin congee at the perfect temperature to eat.

Flattered, Xie Ling shook her head gently. She sighed inwardly at how wonderful the lives of the wealthy were. She then obediently placed her left hand, which was pierced by the IV needle, on the sofa armrest. She gestured with her right hand to decline the older woman’s offer to feed her, choosing to lower her head and eat the porridge herself.

The pure white porcelain bowl contained what looked like very ordinary congee, but it tasted unusually delicious. The rice grains were cooked until soft and mushy, melting in her mouth; it was indeed perfect for a patient.

This was the specially prepared morning rice porridge for Xie Hongfei, who suffered from chronic pharyngitis. Since He Rong also occasionally had some, the housekeeper always prepared extra. Today’s bowl happened to be one of the leftovers.

Xie Ling’s throat felt a bit constricted, making it difficult to swallow, so she stopped after eating only half the bowl. Unexpectedly, the moment she set the spoon down, she saw the housekeeper, who had been busy running around, leading two people past the courtyard.

Sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, Xie Ling saw everything clearly through the glass. Ji Xue and Lin Man were walking side-by-side, their styles of dress quite similar. Even without looking closely, it was obvious that Ji Xue’s clothes did not fit her well; they were a bit loose. With Xie Ling’s high intelligence, she instantly deduced that those were Lin Man’s clothes.

What was going on? She was wearing Lin Man’s clothes. Did she not go home last night?

Even if they were the official couple, was this progress not a little too fast?

A sour feeling surged in Xie Ling’s heart. She tapped the system in her mind: “I do not remember writing this scene.”

Xiao Fan: “Due to your previous misconduct, a chain reaction has occurred. Please handle the upcoming plot carefully. A friendly reminder: if further misconduct occurs, the system will automatically administer punishment.”

“I am asking if them being together last night counts as OOC? Do they not need to be punished?” Xie Ling roared internally, belatedly realizing something. “Also, why did you stop using honorifics? It was ‘you’ (polite form) just last night!”

Xiao Fan: “I already told you that this system only serves one user at a time. Therefore, they are certainly not within the system’s scope of surveillance, so they do not need to be electrocuted.”

“…”

“As for the issue of honorifics, I will address you however I please. This system holds the right of final interpretation. If you have any questions, feel free to file an appeal.”

Xie Ling: “You hooligan!”

Xiao Fan: “The ‘Hooligan’ themed voice pack has been installed and enabled. No further action is required. Thank you for your support and love.”

“…”

When Lin Man and Ji Xue appeared in the living room, Xie Ling, still hooked up to her IV drip, had an expression that shifted unpredictably.

Ji Xue, dressed in black, stood beside Lin Man holding a white shawl in her arms. At first glance, Xie Ling recognized it as her own. She even thought they might have come to return it. But upon remembering the threat of the system’s sudden electrocutions, she decided it was better to stick to the script.

The housekeeper noticed the young miss, who had turned to look at them at some point, and spoke up proactively: “Miss Lin and Miss Ji said they lost something very important in the backyard last night, so…”

Xie Ling raised a hand, signaling for her to stop talking and just do whatever needed to be done. She was exhausted and did not really want to deal with any of them.

The housekeeper nodded and led them, along with several servants, through the villa’s back door toward the backyard.

Ji Xue, who had been walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Lin Man, suddenly slowed her pace. She walked to the very back of the group and even stopped when they were about to exit the living room.

Xie Ling was too far away to understand what Ji Xue wanted. She gave her a curious look.

Ji Xue looked strange. She turned around slowly, tightened her grip on the shawl, and opened and closed her red lips, but no sound came out.

“?” Xie Ling frowned. Fearing that her hoarse voice would not express her meaning clearly, and also fearing the system’s potential punishment, she stayed calm and remained silent.

Ji Xue bit her lip, looking uneasy. She lowered her head and said, “Um, thank you for the shawl.”

Xie Ling suddenly realized what she meant. Subconsciously, she wanted to wave her hand and say, “You’re welcome,” but a buzz sounded in her ear.

However, her reaction was extremely fast. Not waiting for the system’s punishment to arrive, she immediately turned her head to look out the window. Avoiding Ji Xue’s gaze, she gave a cold, dismissive snort.

Watching Xie Ling’s profile, Ji Xue froze. Her cheeks burned. All she could think about were the rumors she had heard at school about Xie Ling. It seemed that Xie Ling truly did not like her.

She wore a saddened expression, holding back tears of grievance. After placing the shawl on the sofa, she jogged away.

Ji Xue did not understand. She had clearly never done anything wrong, and she rarely even appeared in front of Xie Ling. Why was she being treated with such cold indifference?

Listening to the fading footsteps, Xie Ling let out a long sigh of relief. She was completely unaware that, because of her insistence on maintaining the character’s persona, a tempest had stirred in the female lead’s heart, even causing her to shed tears without realizing it.

Lin Man only realized Ji Xue had fallen behind when she reached the pond. Just as she was about to go back to find her, she saw the delicate young girl jogging to catch up. Upon closer inspection, her eyes were red and wet, and her cheeks were flushed.

This appearance, based on Lin Man’s experience scolding employees, was clear: she had been scolded until she cried.

Lin Man clenched her fists, her brows furrowed tightly. Recalling everyone she had seen while passing through the living room just moments ago, she instinctively locked onto Xie Ling, who was sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She felt a burning urge to rush into the room, grab that villainous woman, and demand to know what she thought she was doing.

In fact, that is exactly what she did.

Xie Ling, still hooked up to her IV drip, was completely bewildered when she was grabbed by the collar and pinned against the sofa backrest. But when she saw Ji Xue’s tear-streaked face, she understood everything.

She was clearly an innocent bystander caught in the glare of the female lead’s halo, taking the blame for making the female lead cry.

Lin Man’s actions were the impulsive and irrational moves of an arrogant CEO acting solely on behalf of the female lead.

Clearly, Lin Man had misunderstood something. But it did not matter anymore, because her performance now perfectly embodied the overbearing CEO trope where the female lead was her entire world; only this posture was truly too provocative and arrogant.

To be treated this way in the Xie home was, well, Xie Ling felt that Lin Man must be crazy. With her throat hoarse and breathing difficult, the defenseless Xie Ling could only resign herself to looking at the face looming over her.

Honestly speaking, Lin Man was actually quite good-looking. Her facial features were sharp, and her nose bridge was particularly striking.

But it was a pity. If she really had to choose a girlfriend, Xie Ling thought she would prefer someone like Ji Xue: sweet, soft, and although a bit of a crybaby, she would probably be very comfortable to hold.

Without realizing she was seriously OOC, Xie Ling felt a numbness in her legs, and her entire body trembled twice from the sudden electric shock.

While Xie Ling was shocked, she could not help but curse internally: “Damn it! Can I not even daydream a little?!”

Xiao Fan: “No.”

Xie Ling gritted her teeth.

At the same time, Ms. He, who was coming down the stairs with her phone, had only walked halfway when she looked up and saw this chaotic scene. A thunderclap exploded in her mind. She hurriedly searched for the housekeeper and roared, “Chen Xia! Are you blind?!”

The housekeeper, Auntie Chen, had been restraining herself out of respect for the complicated relationship between Lin Man and her mistress, watching nervously from the side. Hearing the Madam’s roar and seeing the young miss being choked until she trembled, she exploded into action. With a whoosh, she grabbed Lin Man’s wrist, squeezed it hard, and twisted her arm behind her back.

Xie Ling was already struggling to breathe; the shock made it even harder. She clutched her neck, coughing violently, while stinging pain shot through her legs, forcing tears to her eyes.

Lin Man, who had been misunderstood, had not even had a chance to do anything before she was yanked far away. Having learned self-defense for a few years, she gripped the sofa back to steady herself. After breaking free, she squared off and traded a few blows with the housekeeper.

The Lin family was different from the Xie family; they were extremely strict with the younger generation. As the only descendant of the Lin family, Lin Man had been busy with various classes since she could remember, and she had started learning self-defense at age five or six.

After all, as a future CEO, low combat strength was unacceptable, so Lin Man was naturally capable of fighting.

However, capable as she was, she was still no match for Chen Xia, who had trained at a professional bodyguard academy. Before long, Lin Man, with blood rushing to her head, was pinned to the sofa by Chen Xia and several other servants, unable to move.

He Rong stood before the sofa, looking at her coldly. “Lin Man, I do not care what you are causing trouble with my daughter about. From now on, do not you dare step into the Xie house again! Go back and tell your mother that I, He Rong, do not have a useless friend like her who cannot even teach her own daughter properly. We have no need for further contact!”

Lin Man’s face was dark, her gaze equally cold. She let out a disdainful snort, her expression dripping with mockery. “I will tell her. If you can raise a daughter like Xie Ling, a person like you has no value in associating with either!”

Xie Ling listened, stunned. Xiao Fan, who lived in her ear, spoke up again: “Congratulations! Plot progress accelerated! Conflict intensified! The ‘Xie Ling’ grievance index has been activated. Initial value is zero. Value +1.”

Xie Ling touched her forehead in frustration. She heard He Rong roar again, “Get her out of here!”

Well, the grudge was well and truly established.

As arrogant as Lin Man had been when she arrived, she was just as disheveled when she left.

Ji Xue, the female lead who should have been the focus of this scene, had a very low presence right now, wiping away tears as she helped her future wife, who had just been given a sound beating, to stand up.

Xie Ling watched the two of them through the glass, her mood quite complex.

He Rong stood beside her, hands on her hips, and snorted. “Daughter, your taste is truly rotten.”

“It is not that bad, is it?” Xie Ling looked up, realizing the first bag of IV fluid had already finished.

He Rong took a glance, waved her hand at the person behind her, and Chen Xia, receiving the command, immediately pulled an alcohol wipe from the table to sanitize her hands before coming over to change the IV bag.

Xie Ling tilted her head and watched, thinking that the housekeeper looked so gentle and soft, yet was so cool when she fought! Not only could she fight, but she could also change IV drips…

Truly, you cannot judge a book by its cover.

He Rong watched Lin Man, who had not left yet, standing outside the gate. She tapped her phone screen, and the electric gate, which had been moving slowly, suddenly increased its speed. Fortunately, Ji Xue possessed the female lead halo; sensing something was wrong before she was hit by the gate, she quickly and nimbly pulled the gloomy-looking Lin Man out of the way.

“Lin… President Lin, let us go back first.” Ji Xue did not understand why Lin Man had come to find Xie Ling, but she knew why the Xie family had beaten Lin Man. After all, Xie Ling was still hooked up to an IV drip. Wait, why was she on an IV drip? And what was up with that hoarse voice? Did she have a cold? Was she not fine last night?

The more Ji Xue thought about it, the weirder it seemed, and the more she wondered.

Lin Man looked down at the distracted Ji Xue, thinking she was still dwelling on the important item lost in the Xie family garden. Taking a deep breath, she reached out with eyes full of tenderness and took Ji Xue’s slightly cool little hand.

She said, “Do not worry, I promised you, I will definitely help you find it back.”

“Ah?” Ji Xue snapped back to reality. She had not heard clearly what Lin Man said, but she still thanked her politely. “Thank you, President Lin, for the trouble.”

“Your business is my business. Do not call me President Lin anymore. Have I not told you? My name is Lin Man. Just call me by my name.” Lin Man gave a gentle smile, her tone domineering, while her eyes were like bottomless pools, clear and bright, yet so eager to swallow the person in front of her whole.

Ji Xue felt a bit uncomfortable. She shifted awkwardly to the side, withdrawing her hand from Lin Man’s grasp. For some reason, she felt that if she did not step away, the woman who was half a head taller than her would lean down and kiss her.

Although she was a powerless Omega, Ji Xue firmly believed she was not a loose person. Therefore, even if the fruity scent of Lin Man’s pheromones was intoxicating, she had to maintain absolute rationality. She could not be easily conquered; she was an Omega with principles!

Unfortunately, Lin Man, standing beside her, did not think so.

Having started learning to manage the company while attending school after high school graduation, and having been in the company for years as the Lin family’s sole heir, Lin Man was accustomed to being fawned over by all sorts of Omegas. Having been pursued too aggressively, her EQ regarding women had gradually degenerated. At this moment, she had no clue about the distancing in Ji Xue’s words and actions; instead, she foolishly and unilaterally assumed Ji Xue was just shy.

But, while being confident, she was still an Alpha with gentlemanly manners. So, Lin Man stopped, glanced at her empty left hand, and pretending not to care, tilted her head and smiled. “Sorry, I was being presumptuous.”

“It is okay.” Ji Xue smiled, continuing to walk forward while maintaining a distance of one step.

Xie Ling tilted her head, watching the surveillance footage on Ms. He’s phone. With a blank face, she listened to Ms. He cursing loudly: “This scumbag Alpha! Did you see that? So shameless! Shifting her affections so quickly. The other person clearly is not interested in her, yet she has the nerve to keep reaching out to hold her hand. Wow, how did I not realize she was this disgusting before? Just like her mother! No wonder a loose mother raised a loose child!”

“Mom, calm down. As for her and me… I have already disillusioned myself regarding her.” Xie Ling thought about it, intending to reiterate that there was nothing between them, but out of concern for the original Xie Ling’s persona, she was afraid of breaking character. She hesitated and described it with an indescribable, complex emotion.

Ms. He looked at Xie Ling, wanting to scoff and mock her a bit, but then the image of Lin Man’s cold and arrogant appearance just now surfaced in her mind. She suddenly felt that what her daughter said was not so unbelievable. She did not dwell on it anymore, reached out to pat her daughter’s shoulder, sighed, and comforted her: “That is good, that is good. Out with the old, in with the new. You will find true love.”

“Mm, I know.” Xie Ling curled her lips, patted the back of Ms. He’s hand, which was resting on her left shoulder, with her right hand, and then took out her phone. Finding the blue icon on the desktop, she opened the villa’s surveillance recordings.

He Rong pulled back her hand, checked the watch on her wrist, and turned to give Chen Xia a look before jogging upstairs.

The housekeeper, Chen Xia, understood that the Madam was reminding her they were about to leave. She looked up at the sun outside, pressed a button in the living room to close the gauze curtains halfway, then grabbed the car keys and left before the Madam to start the car.

Bored from the IV drip, Xie Ling curled up on the sofa and began pulling up last night’s surveillance. Confirming that Lin Man was already standing not far from them when she had bumped into Ji Xue, she snorted, pressed fast-forward, and watched the entire process of Lin Man holding Ji Xue and leaving the Xie house at double speed. She discovered that when they reached the fountain in the front yard, a black object seemed to have slipped from the hem of Ji Xue’s coat.

So, something really did get dropped here?

After carefully examining the spot where the object fell, Xie Ling could not help but marvel at the difference between AO in this world, genuinely admiring Lin Man’s astounding arm strength and stamina. She had actually carried the female lead, who looked slim but must have weighed at least 80 or 90 catties, all the way to the end of the footage.

“As expected of an official couple! Just built different!”