Transmigrated into a Trashy A and Ended Up with My Grudge-filled Best Friend and My Own CP - Chapter 59

Dead.

Ding Moyan’s expression shifted slightly as her teeth bit into the soft flesh of her lower lip. A thought whispered in her mind—perhaps it was a woman’s intuition—but she felt this person had an indirect connection to the deaths of Zou Ye and Jiǎng Pèi.

Then there was the other co-author of that unnatural “Genetically Modified Organisms” book, Zou Ming. According to the System Panel’s search, the surname Zou was only inherited by the Zou family in the entire star system. So, what was Zou Ming’s relationship to Zou Ye? She remembered there was no such person among the main lineage of the Zou family—could he be from a branch family?

If she dug deeper, was it possible that Zou Ming and Wang Ye had also been in contact?

A Beta transforming into an Omega—what had the President discovered in the final chapter she read?

Wang Ye was a Beta. What was the connection between the two…?

Ding Moyan pondered as she turned her head, her gaze abruptly meeting Zong Jia’s eyes.

Zong Jia was staring at her. Just moments ago, when Ding Moyan had mentioned Shen Chang’an’s name, her brows had furrowed almost imperceptibly.

“Do you know Shen Chang’an?” Zong Jia asked.

“No, I just saw the name in a book.” Watching the President’s gaze grow colder, Ding Moyan instinctively tensed, pressing her lips together. Silently, she opened her System Panel backpack, rummaging through skill cards before selecting and activating one. For now, it was best to listen to the President’s thoughts to answer appropriately.

Zong Jia’s fingers traced the rim of her teacup. “A book?”

[‘Listen to the Heart’ skill card activated. Please select a story character.]

Ding Moyan chose Zong Jia without hesitation. Aside from avoiding the President’s triggers, she wanted to know why the mere mention of Shen Chang’an had provoked such a swift reaction.

[Skill activated. User will have one hour of access to story character Zong Jia’s inner thoughts.]

[Countdown initiated.]

[00:59:59]

[00:59:58]

[…]

“I saw it on the bookshelf in your room.” Feeling more confident, the pallor in Ding Moyan’s face eased slightly. She feigned confusion. “Why? Is there something wrong with the book?”

Zong Jia studied Ding Moyan’s expression for a few seconds before calmly looking away. “I don’t know if Ye Ye has told you yet, but Jiǎng Pèi is dead.”

Ding Moyan’s back stiffened, her mind instantly on high alert. Just as she was about to respond, four words echoed in her ears—‘Are you sad?’

Zong Jia hadn’t spoken. The words had spilled from her heart. Then, Ding Moyan heard another thought—‘After all, you liked him so much.’ Her eyes narrowed slightly, caught off guard, and the water she had been drinking went down the wrong pipe, making her cough.

Ding Moyan: Who the hell would like Jiǎng Pèi?

Remembering how Jiǎng Pèi had called her “Mo Mo,” a shiver ran down her spine, her arms breaking out in goosebumps.

Ding Moyan widened her eyes slightly, pretending she hadn’t known about Jiǎng Pèi’s death, feigning shock. Ye Ye had been the one to tell her, so as far as the President knew, she was unaware. Of course, it was possible Zong Jia had already guessed—but either way, acting the part couldn’t hurt.

Seeing Ding Moyan’s reaction, Zong Jia’s pupils dimmed, though her expression remained composed. Yet the turmoil in her heart rippled into Ding Moyan, who was eavesdropping.

Disobedient. Ran away. Anesthesia. Tied up…

Ding Moyan’s eyes gradually took on a strange glint as she slowly dissected the key words.

Ding Moyan’s eyelids twitched slightly, her throat dry as she picked up the teacup handed to her and took a sip, trying to calm her somewhat panicked and fearful state.

Who could tell her why the seemingly normal President had such terrifyingly dangerous thoughts running through her mind?

If this was the norm, then didn’t it mean she had been dancing on the edge of danger all along? If the President ever lost control and truly erupted, wouldn’t she be doomed?

Seated across from her, Zong Mu, the host of this tea gathering, noticed something amiss. Holding his teacup, he studied them intently.

And it wasn’t just him many of the Zong family’s branch members also turned their gazes in their direction.

“Ding Moyan.” Zong Jia called out when she noticed Moyan had been lost in thought for too long.

Zong Jia’s voice snapped Moyan back to reality. She spoke softly, “P-President, how did she die?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Zong Jia’s expression darkened instantly.

Moyan quickly shut her mouth, sensing the dangerous thoughts swirling in the mind of the person beside her words like “breaking limbs” and “imprisonment” rising to the surface.

Ding Moyan: Damn it! This is life-threatening!

“She died in Zou Ye’s dorm,” Zong Jia answered coldly.

“Oh, okay.” Learning her lesson, Moyan nodded, deliberately steering the conversation away from Jiǎng Pèi. She picked up a pink macaron from the long table and offered it to Zong Jia, trying to appease her. “President, here, have a treat.”

Zong Jia lowered her gaze, silently eyeing the small dessert presented before her.

The onlookers gasped. Zong Jia was hardly the type to indulge in sweets, and most of them shot Moyan looks of schadenfreude.

Ye Ye bit her lip, her eyes fixed intently on the scene.

Zong Jia sat with elegant poise, her expression aloof as she made no move to accept the treat.

Just as Moyan was about to awkwardly withdraw her hand, she received a message: ‘Why aren’t you feeding me?’

“???” Three question marks popped up in Moyan’s head. Once she processed it, she took a deep breath and brought the pink macaron to the President’s lips, feeding her.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Zong Jia “condescended” to take a bite, her brows furrowed as if in disdain yet she still deigned to taste the food her Alpha had offered.

Zong Mu’s hand trembled as he held his teacup. He retracted his dropped jaw, muttering to himself. Ever since that game of So I Ha, he had sensed that Zong Jia treated this Alpha named Ding Moyan differently. But he never imagined that someone as cold-blooded as Zong Jia would one day choose an Alpha and even heed her words.

“President, is it good?” Moyan asked with a smile.

Zong Jia: “Average.” So sweet.

Moyan took a bite from the same macaron Zong Jia had tasted and assessed, “It really is sweet.”

Zong Jia’s throat moved slightly as she stared at the spot Moyan had bitten, her eyes tinged with red.

“Hmm.” Shen Changle stroked her chin thoughtfully, watching the two beside her flaunt their affection without restraint, unable to find the right words to comment.

Zong Ci, seated next to Zong Mu, couldn’t resist chiming in. “Sister Mo Yan and Sister are so lovey-dovey! Are you always this affectionate?”

Zong Ci blinked her large, watery eyes, her long lashes fluttering innocently, making her seem like a naive little sister speaking harmless words.

For a moment, Moyan didn’t know how to respond. She feared that a poorly chosen answer might trigger the President’s darker thoughts like imprisonment or breaking legs.

Shen Changle curled his lips lazily, leaning back in his chair with an indolent air. He spoke bluntly, showing no regard for Zong Ci’s face: “Zong Ci, saying you lack tact would be giving you too much credit. Can’t you see someone’s feeding her little cookies? Yet you still have to butt in.”

Being called out like this, Zong Ci’s expression immediately soured.

Zong Mu, holding a teacup, couldn’t help but chuckle at Zong Ci’s embarrassment, not caring in the slightest that they were from the same branch of the family.

Zong Ci shot him a fierce glare. “What are you laughing at?”

“None of your business,” Zong Mu retorted coldly, curling his lip disdainfully.

To put it bluntly, since they’d already been exiled from the main family, what right did they have to act so high and mighty in front of him?

…

After the macaron debacle, the tea party moved on to its main agenda.

“Zong Jia, who would’ve thought you’d be the first among us siblings to find a partner,” Zong Yuan, Zong Jia’s cousin, spoke up first. “How did you and Miss Ding meet, anyway? I heard that when you two got together, Miss Ding was chasing after someone at the Rose Workshop, wasn’t she? What was the name…”

“Jiǎng Pèi.”

They all had some inkling about Zong Jia being summoned by the police, and by bringing up this name again in this setting, he was clearly trying to dredge up the old matter.

Ding Moyan kept her head down, sipping her tea while secretly pricking up her ears to listen.

This guy was on good terms with Zong Mu, you could say they’d grown up practically joined at the hip.

The original story didn’t have many specific details, but Ding Moyan remembered that Zong Yuan’s final fate was being sent off to a barbaric planet by the family head, where he died from mutant radiation. A pretty gruesome ending that made her click her tongue.

Zong Jia’s expression remained cool as she lifted her teacup with slender fingers, taking a small sip before replying evenly, “You’re so concerned about my Alpha. What, do you have feelings for her?”

“Ohoho, Brother Zong Yuan, are you trying to start an A-A romance?” Ye Ye giggled mischievously, jumping into the conversation.

“Nonsense! I don’t—”

Ye Ye: “Can I take that as you trying to weasel out of it?”

“Miss Ye, you—” Zong Yuan snapped angrily.

“Now that I’ve seen through you, you’re not going to threaten a delicate little Omega like me, are you?” Ye Ye hugged her arms dramatically.

The others present exchanged bewildered glances, thoroughly entertained by the unfolding drama.

“Miss Ye, have some tea.” Zong Mu was the first to have enough. He picked up the teapot and refilled half of Ye Ye’s cup, signaling for her to shut up.

Zong Jia set down her teacup. “Zong Yuan.”

Zong Yuan broke out in a cold sweat under her gaze. Hearing his name, he immediately stood up to defend himself. “I only like Omegas! I’m not into A-A stuff!”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense.”

“Then why are you so interested in my Alpha?” Zong Jia’s voice turned icy.

“I—I—” Zong Yuan stammered. “It’s not like it’s some big secret! Ask any student at the Rose Workshop everyone knows Ding Moyan was chasing after Jiǎng Pèi.”

“Hand raised, I didn’t know!” Ye Ye waved cheerfully. Given her family’s influence, she had no reason to fear a powerless branch family member.

“So just admit you’re into A-A relationships. There’s no shame in it. A big, strong Alpha like you shouldn’t be such a coward.”

Sensing the rising turmoil in Zong Jia’s emotions, Ding Moyan patted her shoulder and continued needling Zong Yuan along Ye Ye’s lines: “I’m not interested in your type of Alpha, Young Master Zong Yuan. But if you have a preference for fellow Alphas, I can recommend a nightclub. The Alphas there will definitely satisfy you.”

Zong Yuan was so furious that his fists clenched with a creaking sound. For now, he could do nothing about Zong Jia and Ye Ye. Everything needed careful planning. He took a deep breath to calm himself, deciding to leave the scene to avoid being driven to death by anger.

With the troublemaker gone in a huff, Ding Moyan looked at Zong Jia with a friendly gaze.

Zong Jia didn’t spare a glance at the departing figure. At that moment, her inner monologue was preoccupied with one thought: Why did she pat my shoulder instead of holding my hand?

Ding Moyan frowned slightly, her eyes flickering sideways to observe Zong Jia’s indifferent, wind-like expression. Her own face twisted awkwardly. Hold hands?

An Alpha holding an Omega’s hand with so many peers around, Ding Moyan couldn’t quite bring herself to do it.

Yet this hesitation lasted only a moment. When she heard Zong Jia suggest handcuffing their hands together, Ding Moyan steeled herself. Her fair, delicate hand slowly inched toward Zong Jia’s, then grasped it firmly.

“Hmm?” Zong Jia stiffened, a faint blush creeping onto her earlobes. Her long lashes fluttered downward uncomfortably.

“Your hands are so cold, President. Let me warm them for you,” Ding Moyan fabricated a casual excuse.

Zong Jia thought: So soft like the little cake on the table.

True to her nature as a woman of action, Zong Jia promptly squeezed the plush flesh on the back of Ding Moyan’s hand. Her silver-white hair cascaded over their intertwined fingers, conveniently obscuring the intimate scene.

No one else noticed—except the two of them.

The back of her fair hand reddened from the pinching. Ding Moyan lowered her head in embarrassment, silently averting her gaze. The heat in her cheeks intensified when the President leaned in and whispered something in a hushed tone, leaving her flustered and at a loss.

Ye Ye, sharp-eyed as ever, noticed the two nearly glued together and chuckled dryly to herself: Ding Moyan, don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for Zong Jia. The ambiguous atmosphere grew thicker. Ding Moyan’s hand was both numb and sore, and she desperately wanted to pull away. But the thought of Zong Jia concocting some bizarre new idea if she did made her hesitate.

Ding Moyan sighed inwardly, feeling utterly doomed.

Then, a wave of warmth surged through her body.

Heat erupted abruptly, spreading from the back of her neck to her entire being. Her gland, swollen and burning, throbbed painfully. A restless irritation took hold as wisps of pheromones seeped from the gland.

Ding Moyan shot to her feet too abruptly, as dark spots danced before her eyes. Staggering, she shook her head, but the splotchy shadows only multiplied.

“Ding Moyan!” Ye Ye stood up.

Zong Jia left her seat, catching Ding Moyan before she could collapse. With one arm around her waist, she lifted her, preparing to return to the main residence to summon the family doctor.

Zong Mu curved her lips into a smirk, her tone dripping with schadenfreude. “Zong Jia, I heard you two have been holed up together these past few days. Your Alpha seems weak—so pale. Could it be she can’t handle your pheromones?”

Faking concern, Zong Mu offered, “Would you like me to introduce you to a male Alpha of A-rank?”

“No need for your concern,” Zong Jia replied coolly, cradling the warm little furnace in her arms as she turned to leave.

When Ding Moyan awoke, it was nearly noon. Her chest rose and fell steadily as she blinked groggily, Ye Ye’s pretty face coming into focus.

“Why are you here? Where’s the President?” Ding Moyan’s breath was scorching, her head pounding with feverish heat. Her voice came out weak and airy.

She remembered being carried by the President before passing out.

“She had urgent matters to attend to.”

“Oh.” Ding Moyan glanced at the time on her phone, closing her eyes briefly before saying, “Then why are you here? The tea party at twelve shouldn’t have ended yet. Shouldn’t you be chatting with your sisters and brothers?”

Ye Ye lifted her eyelids. “You think I want to come here for fun? Someone had to watch over you after you fainted. But speaking of which, you’re an Alpha, don’t you feel your heat period coming? The fact that you have no reaction, acting all indifferent toward Omegas, makes me seriously doubt your… capabilities.” She leaned in, poking Ding Moyan’s chest with her slender, rounded fingers.

“……”

Ding Moyan’s face darkened. Gritting her teeth, she retorted, “Whether I’m capable or not is none of your damn business. Unless you want to.”

“Sure, why not?” Ye Ye draped herself over Ding Moyan, blinking her lashes, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

Ding Moyan was rendered speechless by her boldness. Panting, she weakly cursed, “Get lost.”

“Hmph, can’t take a little teasing, huh?” Ye Ye pouted, crossing her arms. “By the way, the doctor gave you a Potion. It should last about twelve hours. Temporary suppressants shouldn’t be overused, you’ll have to tough out the rest yourself.”

Ding Moyan ignored her, pulling the blanket over her face. The physical discomfort left her in no mood to continue the conversation.

“Let’s talk business. There’s new progress on Zou Ye’s case.”

“Oh.”

“Yesterday evening, the police seized a batch of banned Potions labeled A-. In the Potion ranking system, A- stands for ‘destruction’ and ‘recombination.’ Only nationally certified labs are allowed to research this type, and even then, it’s extremely rare.” Ye Ye’s expression turned unusually serious. “Aside from submitting what we heard at Wang Ye’s place to the President, I also gave a copy to the police. They’ve already filed the case.”

Ding Moyan threw off the blanket, looking at her in surprise.

Ye Ye scoffed and continued, “We’re all in this together now. Even though Father Zou is pressuring to cover up the real cause of Zou Ye’s death, the police have caught wind of it. And with Jiang Pèi’s sudden death, they’d be fools not to suspect something. They’ve already assigned a team to investigate.”

Ding Moyan remained still, her mind racing through the connections, completely missing Ye Ye’s gradual approach.

Ye Ye reached out, tucking the stray hair behind Ding Moyan’s ear, her lips brushing close as she whispered, “Technically, we’re all suspects.”

The teasing murmur sent warm breath into Ding Moyan’s ear, making it twitch involuntarily. Only then did she realize how close they were.

Frowning, Ding Moyan shrank back to the left, avoiding the lips about to touch her ear.

Ye Ye smirked lightly and shrugged. “Personally, I think someone’s targeting the Zou family this time. My guess is the killer who took out Jiǎng Pèi wanted to redirect attention back to Zou Ye. Hell, there might even be a mole within the Zou family otherwise, how would the police have gotten their intel so fast?”

Listening, Ding Moyan turned back to scrolling through her System Panel, typing in Shen Chang’an’s name again. The result remained the same: no such person found.

If the protagonist was involved, how could there be no trace at all?

A phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Ye Ye hurried to the balcony to answer.

Ding Moyan turned to watch her retreating figure, licking her dry lips.

A few minutes later, Ye Ye returned, her gaze falling on the person on the bed with a slightly complicated expression. She took a deep breath and said, “I have some bad news for you.”

“Hmm.” Ding Moyan lifted her eyelids to look at her.

“Wang Ye is missing.”

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