After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, I Marked the Crazy Hotshot – Chapter 17
by Little PandaPhoto
Nanjing Apartments.
Only the original host’s fingerprints could open it.
Cheng Jiqing entered, placed the bag containing Bai Xin’s clothes in the entryway, planning to find someone to take them for dry cleaning tomorrow.
The room’s color palette leaned cool. There were two landscape murals on the wall: one of an azure sky, another of pink-green peach blossoms. Aside from those was the largest one above the headboard, an oil painting of the sea.
Cheng Jiqing took a quick look; the original host’s wardrobe was slightly different from the home’s decor. There were no brightly colored clothes, basically all cool or dark tones.
For some reason, the image of the flame in Zeng Lu’s hand flashed before Cheng Jiqing’s eyes.
She didn’t dwell on it, yawned, placed her phone on the bed, sat on the edge, and took off her trousers first, then grabbed a set of pajamas.
Two straight legs stepped into the bathroom; her foot hooked back, toes pushing the door closed.
Her cyan-wood colored curly hair was simply tied up in a bun as she turned on the showerhead.
“Taking a shower.”
Bai Xin’s light, captivating voice suddenly echoed in her ear.
Cheng Jiqing: “……”
“Didn’t you say it was convenient to take calls?”
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re taking a shower… and still calling me?”
“It doesn’t affect me.” The voice on the other end paused. “What? Does it affect you?”
Cheng Jiqing had choked up at the time; she felt Bai Xin’s tone was somewhat deliberate.
Even the sound of water stopping by her ear, then starting up again…
Thinking of this, Cheng Jiqing took off the white jade bodhi1 bracelet from her wrist, watching the water fall from the showerhead, pattering down, steam swirling—the images popping into an adult woman’s mind were not suitable for children.
The tips of her ears turned slightly red, her heartbeat quickening a notch.
Any normal person would be affected, right?
How many ordinary mortals wearing Buddhist beads are truly pure of heart and free from desire2?
But what was Bai Xin thinking when she said that to her?
Did she not see her as an outsider, or not see her as a woman, or not see her as an alpha?
Definitely not the first one, but the second and third weren’t exactly compliments either.
Cheng Jiqing’s mind wandered3 as she stepped under the showerhead.
It was only while showering that she noticed a stinging pain in her shoulder.
After getting out, she glanced back in the mirror and sure enough, saw three long scratch marks—left by Bai Xin when Cheng Jiqing had deliberately tried to scare her into relaxing.
“Tsk… Is this woman part cat or something?”
Cheng Jiqing muttered, wrapping the bath towel around herself. She stepped out, then, after a moment, sauntered back in.
Looking in the mirror, she took her phone and snapped a picture of her shoulder.
This is a workplace injury. It would be a shame if Miss Bai didn’t know.
Cheng Jiqing smiled faintly, looking at the photo she just took; the three claw marks were exceptionally clear. She was very satisfied.
……
After sending the message to Bai Xin, she noticed Zeng Lu had sent her a WeChat message twenty minutes ago.
【Little CEO Cheng, how about you see if you’re free Monday evening? The newly renovated style at Shenghao4, you’ll definitely like it.】
【Come on, we haven’t had a proper chat recently.】
Cheng Jiqing didn’t reply, deciding to deal with it tomorrow.
She changed into her pajamas, climbed into bed ready to rest, when her gaze flickered over and landed on the nightstand to her right.
After looking for a few seconds, something seemed to pique her curiosity.
So, Cheng Jiqing rolled over, reached out, and pulled open the drawer.
Inside lay a mobile phone.
Cheng Jiqing took it out and turned it on; it required a six-digit passcode to unlock. She could see many text messages and missed calls, but due to privacy settings, she couldn’t see who they were from.
She tried a few passcodes the original host might typically use, failed, and finally, she tried her own birthday. July 7th. Still failed. Due to too many incorrect attempts, it locked for five minutes.
Cheng Jiqing temporarily lost interest, then her attention was drawn to the bank card in the drawer.
When she realized only the original host could open the door, Cheng Jiqing had a feeling that the original host might not be as foolish as she thought.
Even if the author’s settings were like that, here they weren’t just paper figures5, but people with their own thoughts and selves.
Having fought so fiercely with Cheng Jing, how could she not leave herself a way out?
Sure enough, when Cheng Jiqing tried logging into the account and saw the balance on the card, the brown pupils in her fox-like eyes lit up slightly.
It seemed the original host had several other residences. Could there be surprises in other places too?
Cheng Jiqing felt a little excited. She had just transmigrated and faced a pile of messy affairs; the filming matter couldn’t be settled immediately.
Going out without any money in hand really lacked confidence.
Thinking this, Cheng Jiqing felt that the book 《Savage Backlash》 was good in every way—the romance plot, even the stock funds and business warfare were well-written.
It only missed writing one thing: winning lottery numbers.
If she were the author, she would definitely write this plot point.
That way, if a reader transmigrated into the book, they could count money to get by. For example, writing 17 19 21 28 33 04 07 would be the next big lottery jackpot.
……
After thinking things over, Cheng Jiqing started feeling sleepy.
She put the locked phone and the card back in the drawer.
Turning over, she glanced at her phone; Bai Xin hadn’t replied. For some reason, she suddenly recalled the previous system voice.
After its abrupt appearance in the hospital that day, it hadn’t shown up again. Was it because she had attracted its attention? Or was it just a dream all along?
As Cheng Jiqing thought about it, she slowly drifted off to sleep.
Nanyang Urban Area.
A recently added engineering project for the Bai family.
The Cheng family was also one of the investors, but for the Cheng family, it was just one egg in their basket. For the Bai family, however, it was the largest investment in recent years, and Bai Zhaoliang attached great importance to it.
This was partly why Bai Zhaoliang deferred to Cheng Jing; of course, only partly.
Bai Xin closed her laptop and stood up from the single sofa.
Her white silk nightgown slipped down from her thighs, covering the area just above her knees. She rubbed her sore waist, then finally got into bed.
Her phone lay on the bedside table, buzzing[
Bai Xin picked it up; it was mostly WeChat messages from group chats. There was a @mention from Bai Zhaoliang, and two text messages.
Unlocking the phone, WeChat notifications popped up again.
The @mention in the WeChat group interrupted her thoughts. The preliminary work for the project was basically complete, and a dinner for the core team had been planned for a while.
Her assistant, Lily6, was organizing where to go.
Lily：【@BaiXin CEO Bai, you decide.】
Tech：【Right, let CEO Bai decide. Seems like everyone wants to go everywhere, haha】
Bai Xin was about to reply when she suddenly saw Bai Xingxing send a message: 【No need to choose, everyone. I’ve already arranged it. Monday night at Shenghao Entertainment. Dinner, karaoke, then later we’ll go to the bar next door. Everyone’s worked hard recently, consider it a small token of my appreciation~】
Bai Xin paused, gave a cold laugh, and typed two words: 【Okay.】
Lily immediately sent a private message.
Lily：【Boss, this Director Bai did nothing when we were busy with the preliminary work. Now she’s clearly here taking credit.】
Lily：【Do we still have to tolerate this kind of person?】
Bai Xin：【No rush.】
She ignored it further and went to look at the text message from the specially marked contact.
【Image】
【You scratched this.】
Bai Xin opened the image. It wasn’t very high definition, but the three red marks on the fair skin were strikingly visible.
She remembered the half-minute Cheng Jiqing had cornered her in the stairwell. She knew Cheng Jiqing wanted her to say something conciliatory, but she refused, so Cheng Jiqing had tried to scare her.
But that woman was still soft-hearted.
If their roles were reversed, she would release her pheromones little by little to make an in-heat Cheng Jiqing go weak at the knees for her. She wouldn’t get close, but not too far either, just maintaining a hair’s breadth distance7.
Finally, letting Cheng Jiqing torture herself until she couldn’t stand it anymore and came over, then at the peak of her breakdown, amidst the panic that everyone would discover the secret, she would hoarsely beg her.
Thinking like this, Bai Xin’s eyes darkened slightly.
Unfortunately, she was the one in need.
Bai Xin stared at the photo in her hand. That small patch of skin on the back of the shoulder, because of the scratches, took on an unusual allure.
Beside them still clung two small droplets of water from the shower…
Did Cheng Jiqing really not know what sending this kind of photo late at night to an omega she’d had relations with would make someone think?
Bai Xin shifted the air conditioner quilt aside, slightly bending her legs, the coolness of the air washing over her.
She inexplicably recalled Cheng Jiqing’s words: “If you need anything, you can call me.”
Bai Xin was quiet for a moment, then tapped open her dark phone screen.
The author has something to say:
Cheng 11: I suspect wifey doesn’t see me as a woman.
Bai 00: Then go for it, let me see if it’s true.
The lottery numbers are just for fun, please don’t take them seriously~
Footnotes
- 白玉菩提 | báiyù pútí | White jade bodhi seed bracelet, often worn for Buddhist significance or as an accessory.
- 清心寡欲 | qīngxīn guǎyù | Lit. ‘clear heart, few desires’; To be pure of heart and detached from worldly desires.
- 胡思亂想 | húsī luànxiǎng | Lit. ‘recklessly think, randomly think’; To let one’s imagination run wild, to have random or distracting thoughts.
- 聖豪 | Shèngháo | Name of an establishment (likely entertainment/dining). Note: Later referred to as 盛豪 (Shèngháo) which is likely the correct/intended name.
- 纸片人 | zhǐpiàn rén | Lit. ‘paper person/figure’. Internet slang referring to 2D fictional characters, often implying they lack depth or real agency compared to ‘real’ people.
- English name used directly in the text.
- 咫尺 | zhǐchǐ | Ancient units of length (zhi ≈ 8 inches, chi ≈ 1 foot).
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