Transmigrated Into a Scumbag Alpha In a Melodramatic Novel and Been Targeted by My Love Rival - Chapter 4

Shen Ruofei stared at Shen Hong for a long moment, as if trying to understand why she would suddenly mention her resignation.

“I know that to leave the Shen Family, I would have to shed a layer of skin—give up the Shen name and sever all connections to the family’s network. I’ve already considered all of this. You’re the only remaining bloodline of Sister Yuanqing, and naturally, I hope you can uphold the Shen Family’s legacy. But whether you can do that or not isn’t something I can decide, is it?”

A subtle implication lingered in Shen Hong’s words.

Strangely, Shen Ruofei felt no panic at the news that this long-serving member of the Shen Family was resigning. Instead, she offered a sympathetic and gentle smile.

She patted Shen Hong’s arm. “It’s alright. People must part ways eventually. Take me, for example. If I hadn’t survived the surgery, the Shen Family would be in far greater turmoil now, and you’d be overwhelmed with matters to handle, wouldn’t you?”

Facing the car accident that nearly claimed her life, Shen Ruofei seemed remarkably calm, but Shen Hong’s breath caught in her throat.

“…You’ve truly changed so much since before.”

“Mm, it felt like I was in a long dream while I was unconscious.” Shen Ruofei didn’t elaborate, instead changing the subject. “Aunt Hong, you’ve watched me grow up. Even if you’re resigning, it can’t be so sudden, right? How about… while we’re investigating the mastermind behind this, you also help me find a suitable successor for your position? What do you think?”

“Of course.”

The next day, Shen Ruofei found a tall stack of documents in the study.

The desk was piled with old account books. Though well-preserved and free of dust, the marks of time were unmistakable.

Shen Ruofei asked Shen Hong what she was doing.

Looking particularly cheerful, Shen Hong pointed to the pile. “Every generation of Shen family leaders must review these account books from start to finish to understand the family’s financial situation. Sister Yuanqing left too abruptly, and with so much happening at the time, I didn’t have a chance to tell you. Since you’ll be staying home to recuperate from your injuries, let’s use this time to complete the duties a Shen Corporation leader should fulfill, alright?”

Account books.

Shen Ruofei’s head began to ache.

Why, after transmigrating into a melodramatic novel, do I have to learn how to read these tedious financial records?!

Shen Ruofei had decent grades in economic law, but her accounting practical knowledge was abysmal. Just looking at the books made her head spin, and she had no idea how to approach the problems.

Asking me to dive straight into these accounts? Who’s going to save me?!

Shen Ruofei pressed a hand to her forehead and pointed at another pile of documents. “What are these?”

Shen Hong picked up one of the files, unfolded it, and placed it before Shen Ruofei. “These are candidates suitable to become your loyal subordinates.”

These were individuals Shen Hong had identified as potential successors to her position. She had even collected their information and formatted it into uniform files.

“You’ve been planning this for a while,” Shen Ruofei remarked.

Otherwise, how could she have prepared all this so quickly?

A flicker of confusion crossed Shen Ruofei’s face as she glanced at the photograph in the file.

Thinking Shen Ruofei was surprised by someone’s name, Shen Hong turned the file around to check. She then closed it and placed it back on the table. “These are all exceptional blades. With proper honing, they’ll become the sharpest knives in your arsenal. Take Xia Wu, for example—Miss Xia. At the age of four, she suffered a family tragedy and was forced to live under the roof of relatives for years. After studying abroad, she achieved remarkable success. Five years ago, she returned to China and became the CEO of OmniTech. During her tenure, she systematically eliminated those who had driven her parents to their deaths—some through ruin, others through murder. Her methods were swift, precise, and ruthless. Aside from a somewhat tarnished reputation within the industry, she has few flaws.”

In other words, she’s like a vicious dog that bares its sharp teeth at anyone it meets.

If she could be tamed, she would undoubtedly be of great use.

Shen Ruofei understood the unspoken meaning behind Shen Hong’s words. There was clearly a purpose behind placing Xia Wu’s file on top.

She picked up the file again and discovered that Xia Wu’s contract with OmniTech would expire in just three months. This was clearly an opportune time to poach her.

However…

As one of the Heroine’s harem, Shen Ruofei’s plan inevitably required her to deeply offend Xia Wu.

“I’ll review this first.”

“Then I’ll attend to other matters. I’ll check in on your progress weekly. Take your time reviewing the file. If you have any questions, feel free to call me.”

Shen Ruofei remained silent. Shen Hong gave a polite bow and left the study.

The former head of the Shen family had loved peonies, and a garden bloomed outside the study.

Vibrant flowers blossomed before a birdcage-like glass balcony, while ivy climbed over mid-century style railings. Sunlight filtered through the blossoms, casting dappled shadows on Shen Ruofei’s white blouse.

Shen Ruofei meticulously reviewed Xia Wu’s file, then casually set it down on the desk without looking at any other documents.

Leaning back in her soft executive chair, she stared at a decorative object in the study, her gaze distant.

It seemed that to resolve the Shen family’s affairs, she first needed to complete the task assigned by the System. Otherwise, Shen Ruofei believed that, based on her own capabilities, she would be utterly incapable of resolving these matters.

She had to bring Fang Yu and Fu Ling together as soon as possible!

Shen Ruofei took out her phone, opened the group chat for the Official Couple’s rivals, and sent a “1,” changing the group name to an image of a gun.

She initiated the message:

[Still no one talking? Xiao Yu called me this morning to say her research has made a major breakthrough and she’ll likely be holed up in the lab for the next few days. Are you all just going to sit around waiting for something to happen?]

Ning Shuchen: [Waiting for your orders, of course.]

Shen Ruofei found this amusing.

No way. Are these rivals actually being obedient?

Before long, Qin Rong also replied: 

[I heard from your primary physician that your brain hasn’t fully recovered and you’ve forgotten many things. Do I need to confirm that you’re not pulling my leg again?]

[Shen Ruofei: Recklessly revealing patient privacy? I could make that attending physician and your hospital pay dearly, Director Qin. Don’t break the rules.]

While it was understandable for the attending physician to inform Qin Rong, discussing such matters in the group chat was clearly inappropriate.

Qin Rong fell silent. Xia Wu then tagged Shen Ruofei, asking, [There’s more wolves than meat, Advisor Shen. How will you distribute it?]

[Shen Ruofei: You’re all so thick-headed. Xiao Yu isn’t my personal property. Why do you need me to dictate how to share? Are you all grade-schoolers who need to be pushed and prodded?]

Lu Nanzhen, who had been lurking silently, finally spoke up: 

[I believe Miss Shen wouldn’t joke about something like this. Can you finally tell us what you’re really thinking?]

[Shen Ruofei: Xiao Yu often pulls all-nighters for her research. She actually prefers the rich aroma of strong black tea over coffee. But since tea isn’t as effective as coffee, you often see her with a cup of coffee instead.]

The chat fell silent.

Nearly everyone had gone to great lengths to treat Fang Yu to coffee, thinking she genuinely loved it. They wanted to cater to her preferences, even sending her rare coffee beans from around the world.

Who could have known these gifts were completely misguided?

Xiao Yu often accommodates others’ preferences when dining out. She’s exceptionally considerate, often suppressing her own desires. Her taste leans towards spicy and sour dishes, and she has little interest in so-called high-end restaurants.

The group that always dragged Fang Yu to fancy Western, Japanese, and Chinese restaurants: [ …… ]

[She’s a pragmatist. If you want her to remember you, give her something she uses daily. Useless trinkets just gather dust in her home.]

The group that gifted Fang Yu perfume, silk scarves, gemstone pendants, and framed prints: [ …… ]

How did they completely miss the mark?

Those gifts never appeared in Fang Yu’s life. Sometimes, they would even nag her about why she wasn’t using them.

But Fang Yu would just smile and say she’d use them later, and that would be the end of it.

Now it seems clear that such gifts were nothing but clutter for a researcher like Fang Yu.

Yet the water cup and keychain that Shen Ruofei personally painted for Fang Yu in college are still in use today.

No wonder Shen Ruofei had been Fang Yu’s white moonlight for so many years.

She was truly calculating!

[Alright, that’s enough for today. How you process this is up to you. If you have any questions, tag me in the group chat and I’ll respond when I see it.]

Shen Ruofei tossed her phone aside, making a grand exit.

It didn’t matter how the Official Couple’s rivals planned to interpret her intentions. What mattered was that she had delivered the necessary information. What they did with it was beyond her control.

“You’re actually helping them chase after the heroine?!”

The System was clearly furious with Shen Ruofei’s actions.

Shen Ruofei flipped through the ledger, rubbing her temples with a frustrated expression. “I’m taking this quest seriously, okay? All this information is stuff they could have figured out themselves with a little observation and asking around. I’m just speeding things up a bit. Gaining trust isn’t easy, but once I have them all in the palm of my hand, they’ll do whatever I want. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

Just as she finished speaking, her phone lit up.

She assumed someone had tagged her in the group chat, but when she opened it, it was a message from Xia Wu.

[Private tutoring session?]

Shen Ruofei smiled with a hint of smugness. “Look, the fish is on the hook now, isn’t it? Ay, when will you finally give me a cheat code? I really can’t make sense of these ledgers. Even if I complete the task and survive, won’t my fate still be to be bullied by my relatives?”

[Current mission progress: 5%. Hurry up and reach 10% to unlock the next scenario.]

“So my approach is correct, then? The progress is actually increasing.”

…

The System was silent. It had underestimated this soul; she was quite clever.

Shen Ruofei asked Xia Wu: [What kind of private tutoring?]

At its core, winning someone over comes down to “knowing their interests.” As long as you have decent qualities, persistently showing sincerity and perseverance will always lead to success.

However, the Heroine’s harem members all came from prominent backgrounds. They treated her with excessive self-centeredness, only knowing how to give her what they thought she wanted, without understanding what she truly desired.

This seemed to be a common flaw among Alphas when dealing with Omegas.

But Shen Ruofei and Fu Ling understood the Heroine’s dreams and aspirations.

Shen Ruofei invested in Fang Yu’s research projects when she had nothing, while Fu Ling discreetly guided her when she needed help.

As for the others, they were merely moths drawn to the flame by the heroine’s halo.

Therefore, Shen Ruofei was determined to help the heroine and her official couple eliminate these useless hangers-on from her harem.

Meanwhile, Xia Wu quickly replied to Shen Ruofei’s message:

[I hope Advisor Shen can teach me…]

[How to make the person I love…]

[Accept the real me…]

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