Transmigrated into a Trashy A and Ended Up with My Grudge-filled Best Friend and My Own CP - Chapter 53

Taking care of Zong Jia’s condition, the heater in her room was turned up high. For Zong Jia, who had long adapted to this environment, it wasn’t an issue.

But it was torture for Ding Moyean. Unable to tolerate the heat, she soon broke into a sweat while sleeping, as if trapped in a steamer. She tossed and turned restlessly, kicking off the blankets and thrashing about on the bed like she was shadowboxing.

Ding Moyean turned over, murmuring in her sleep, “Wang Ye.”

The voice was faint, but in the darkness, it stood out starkly. Zong Jia’s eyes snapped open.

Her pale profile was indistinct in the silent depths of the night. She let out a low breath, about to wake the restless figure on the bed.

Then, in the next second, Ding Moyean kicked Zong Jia squarely.

Thud!

The loud noise made the patrolling staff outside halt in their tracks. Normally, they would check the young mistress’s room to ensure her safety and confirm no emergencies had occurred.

But today was different, the young mistress had brought a beautiful female Alpha with her.

The patroller hesitated outside the door, torn. After a moment of internal struggle, she decided to knock on the Zong Jiazhu’s door and ask for instructions.

The sudden kick forced a muffled grunt from Zong Jia’s throat.

At that moment, the chime of a phone notification stirred Ding Moyean from her daze.

Bleary-eyed, Ding Moyean sat up in bed, rubbing her face. Her palm pressed against the mattress beside her, no one was there.

“President?” she mumbled.

“Ding Moyean.”

“Huh?” Ding Moyean turned toward the voice and locked eyes with the figure sitting on the floor.

“Shit!” She jolted upright, blood draining from her face as she stared wide-eyed at the person on the ground.

Stammering, Ding Moyean scrambled off the bed and helped Zong Jia up. “P-President, h-how did you?”

“What do you think?” Zong Jia countered, her gaze inscrutable, revealing no emotion.

“I, Did I kick you in my sleep?” That was the most plausible explanation, though Ding Moyean still clung to a sliver of hope that it wasn’t her doing.

When Zong Jia didn’t respond after several seconds, the truth was clear. Ding Moyean’s heart sank, her nose stinging with the urge to cry.

“President, I, I’m sorry. I’m a restless sleeper,” she ventured cautiously, gauging Zong Jia’s expression before quickly averting her gaze again. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“I really didn’t mean to. I’m not stupid enough to kick you, President.”

“You’re certainly not stupid,” Zong Jia said, turning off her phone. She wasn’t angry there was pain, but the force of Ding Moyean’s kick hadn’t been particularly strong.

“In some ways, you’re quite clever,” Zong Jia added, her half-smile making Ding Moyean’s eyelids twitch.

“Was Zou Ye really killed by Wang Ye?”

Ding Moyean stiffened slightly, tilting her head. “President, the witnesses present at the time can confirm that.”

“Is that so?”

Zong Jia: “Yesterday morning, my people found something interesting on Zou Ye’s body.”

Ding Moyean: “Oh? Could there be more to the story?”

“They discovered overlapping needle marks on Zou Ye’s neck, as well as residue under his nails that matched the fabric of your pants.” Zong Jia continued, “According to Ye Ye, those pants were newly changed, right? They were a sample pair she gave you, a design that hasn’t even hit the market yet.”

“I was standing by the door at the time and had no opportunity to interact with her.”

“If Ye Ye isn’t lying, then you truly didn’t have the time. Though I’d much prefer to believe Ye Ye is lying.”

Ding Moyean asked, “What makes the President so suspicious and guarded against me?”

Zong Jia replied indifferently, “To be precise, I find it hard to believe you’d selflessly sacrifice so much for Wang Ye. So I had someone investigate further.”

“Of course, you can stubbornly deny it. After all, saying this now serves little purpose.”

“You!” Zong Jia paused, then scoffed with a faint “tsk,” pressing her lips together. “If I had to describe you in one word, it’d be.”

Her long lashes lowered slightly, veiling her expression as Ding Moyean softly completed the sentence: “Opportunistic.”

“Hmm.” Zong Jia nodded. “Quite self-aware.”

During breakfast at the Zong residence, the air was heavy with an awkward silence.

Ding Moyean gaped at the lavish spread on the long table steamed buns, dumplings, glutinous rice cakes, sticky rice, sandwiches, century egg and pork congee, black rice porridge, white rice porridge, and an assortment of pastries fit for an emperor’s banquet. Her hands fidgeted nervously, unsure where to place them.

Noticing her discomfort, Yu Mu cleared his throat and placed a dumpling in Ding Moyean’s bowl. “Come, eat. Since I wasn’t sure what you’d like, I ordered a bit of everything.”

“Hope you don’t mind.”

Ding Moyean mumbled an acknowledgment, nibbling awkwardly on the dumpling, still visibly tense.

Yu Mu watched the young Alpha with growing fondness. A well-behaved, obedient Alpha like her would be perfect for his A’Jia.

Between sips of porridge, Yu Mu casually observed Ding Moyean and Zong Jia.

Zong Jia, sensing the scrutiny, swallowed a bite of pancake and asked, “Dad, what are you looking at?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Yu Mu took a sip of white rice porridge, calming his turbulent thoughts.

So energetic and spirited clearly, his worries last night had been unnecessary.

Thinking such things during breakfast was truly sinful.

With a warm smile, Yu Mu ladled a bowl of soup for Ding Moyean. “Here, Xiao Ding. This is a nourishing tonic I specially asked the cook to prepare.”

Ding Moyean stared at the red dates, goji berries, and chicken leg in the bowl, hesitating. Drinking something so rich in the morning might upset her stomach. But under their roof, refusing outright wasn’t an option.

After an internal struggle, she took a tentative sip. It tasted good just overly greasy.

Then she bit into the crab roe soup dumpling Yu Mu had just served her. The bite was too large, and the broth inside splattered onto her clothes.

Zong Jia reacted faster than the servants, immediately handing her a tissue to wipe off the stains. Ding Moyean accepted it naturally, the tension from the early morning had long been silently buried between them.

Good. This is how to win a daughter-in-law’s affection. Yu Mu nodded approvingly, pleased by his daughter’s newfound emotional awareness.

In contrast, Zong Jiazhu was far from composed. Watching the interaction between Zong Jia and Ding Moyean, he grumbled inwardly about his precious cabbage being stolen by this playboy. According to last night’s patrol report, the commotion had been quite loud.

Yu Mu placed a piece of scallion pancake into Ding Moyan’s bowl: “Where are you and Xiao Ding planning to go after dinner?”

Zong Jia replied solemnly, “The back garden.”

After last night’s rain, the air carried the scent of damp earth. Ding Moyan followed closely behind Zong Jia, her eyes darting between the shrubs on either side.

She rarely had the chance to experience nature up close. Ever since leaving the hospital, she had been confined to the house under the watchful eyes of caretakers. And after arriving in this world, she had been too preoccupied with navigating the protagonist’s affairs to spare time for flowers and greenery.

What surprised her most was that the President had brought her here. Last night, she had discreetly learned from the servants that the back garden of the main residence was seldom visited by outsiders, only members of the Zong family were usually allowed.

This meant she was being treated as one of their own.

Soon, Zong Jia led Ding Moyan to a massive tree.

Its branches were thick with foliage, and its roots twisted and intertwined so expansive that it would take over a dozen people to encircle it.

Ding Moyan gasped in awe, as if she had never seen anything like it.

This tree must be at least a hundred years old, she thought, stepping forward to touch its rough bark.

The System Panel on the right began scanning and analyzing the tree’s age and growth.

Zong Jia tilted her head slightly, gazing at the lush canopy. For a moment, her vision blurred, as if scenes from the past were resurfacing before her eyes.

“Dad, Dad, hold me,” a young child clung stubbornly to Yu Mu’s leg.

“Zong Jia, this is my wife, only I get to hold her,” Zong Jiazhu said jealously, prying the child away from Yu Mu. “When you grow up, you can hold your own wife.”

“Enough, don’t bully A-Jia,” Yu Mu arched an eyebrow, smacking Zong Jiazhu’s head in mock exasperation.

Then, bending down, he scooped the child into his arms. “This tree was already here when I was little. Back then, this land hadn’t yet been claimed by the Zong family. I actually found your silly father right under this tree. I call it the Lovers’ Tree. When A-Jia grows up, bring your wife here for a picnic, it will bless you both.”

Sincerity flickered in the child’s eyes as she nodded earnestly and replied, “Okay.”

The innocent voice of youth echoed among the branches. Time flashed forward, returning to the present.

Ding Moyan glanced sideways, intrigued by Zong Jia’s rare moment of distraction.

“President? President?”

“Hmm?” Zong Jia snapped back to reality, her gaze shifting to the Alpha beside her.

“What were you thinking about? You seemed so absorbed.” Ding Moyan asked casually, not expecting an answer.

Sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled patterns that shimmered with her movements. Thinking of her father, Zong Jia’s tone softened, and an easy smile inadvertently graced her lips. “This tree symbolizes happiness wishes come true.”

Ding Moyan caught the sight, her face flushing and heart racing.

Zong Jia, mischievously, didn’t reveal the tree’s name. “Everyone who makes a wish beneath it has their wish fulfilled.”

Ding Moyan rubbed her thumb against her chin, her eyes roaming over the tree with clear interest. “Any wish at all?”

Zong Jia lowered her lashes slightly. “Theoretically, yes. That’s what people say, at least. We can try it.”

Hearing this, Ding Moyan bowed her head, interlacing her fingers and pressing them to her chest as she made a wish.

Truthfully, she didn’t have many desires. If she had to name one, she simply wished for a peaceful, worry-free life enough to live comfortably without struggle.

After finishing her wish, she asked, “What did you wish for?”

Just as Zong Jia was about to speak, Ding Moyean interrupted, “Oh wait, wishes won’t come true if you say them out loud.”

“You can tell me what your wish was whenever it gets fulfilled, President. There’s no hurry.”

Zong Jia agreed, “Alright. Then will you tell me if your wish comes true too?”

“The President is curious about other people’s wishes?” Ding Moyean remarked.

Zong Jia replied, “I’m human. Of course I have curiosity.”

Hearing the word “human” from the President, Ding Moyean’s first reaction was strangeness and disbelief. Whether in the original plot or now, the President’s formidable capabilities that earned this position were undeniable.

During their first meeting, Ding Moyean’s sharp instincts had sensed danger like a prey animal’s innate fear of predators.

Not to mention their recent close interactions. The President effortlessly balanced school, family affairs, and management, excelling in interpersonal relationships, financial authority, and academics, completely surpassing peers of the same age.

The President seemed like an omnipotent deity proficient and outstanding at everything.

“Ding Moyean, don’t zone out in front of me.”

Ding Moyean immediately responded, “Understood. If my wish comes true, I’ll inform the President.”

Zong Jia gave a brief “Mmm.”

“President, may I go look around elsewhere?” Ding Moyean kicked a small pebble, her thoughts drifting back to the plants in the rear garden.

“Mmm.”

As Ding Moyean turned to leave, Zong Jia called out, “Wait.”

Ding Moyean halted. Zong Jia reached toward her ear, thumb brushing against her earlobe.

Ding Moyean’s heart raced wildly as a cold plum fragrance invaded her senses. Her pupils constricted instantly, freezing in place as Zong Jia’s hand lingered near her face.

“There was some dirt.” After wiping away the smudge of black ash, Zong Jia withdrew her hand.

Under the sunlight, Zong Jia’s skin glowed radiantly, so dazzling that Ding Moyean couldn’t look away.

Her throat dry, Ding Moyean swallowed hard and touched her reddened ear, unsure where the ash had even come from.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

Ding-ding-ding! A sharp ringtone shattered the ambiguous atmosphere.

An unknown number rang urgently twice before Zong Jia answered. Ding Moyean tactfully turned away, surveying the Zong family’s rear garden.

“Zong Jia.”

The voice on the other end was deep and magnetic, its tail end carrying a subtly alluring hook. Without even lifting her brows, Zong Jia responded flatly, “What is it?”

“Aren’t you going to ask who this is?”

Zong Jia said, “Ying Shu, next time you call from an unknown number, try changing your voice if you want me to ask.”

Ying Shu chuckled, loosening his tie as he spoke with familiar amusement, “Got some bad news for you, Jiang Pei is dead.”

Zong Jia’s hand paused slightly.

Before she could respond, Ying Shu continued gleefully, “Found dead this morning at the Engineering Institute. And most students there currently think you did it.”

“If I’m not mistaken, the Omega Protection Agency will be paying a visit to the Zōng family’s main residence today.”

“Let me guess your expression right now shocked, excited, scoffing, or just indifferent.”

“Well then, I’ll be awaiting their esteemed arrival.” Zong Jia arched a brow slightly.

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