Then Let’s Get Married
“I promised Qin Yufu I’d go. Things shouldn’t happen more than twice; after this time, Old Madam Qin’s side will give up too.”
After Cheng Jiqing finished speaking, Bai Xin’s gaze cooled.
She looked at Cheng Jiqing and said, “Is this the ‘trust’ you were talking about?”
Cheng Jiqing said, “Hear me out… So why did you tell me not to go?”
Bai Xin could have explained.
But just now, Cheng Jiqing’s first sentence had, for some reason, sparked a stubborn streak in her. She said, “If you trust me, then don’t ask.”
Cheng Jiqing paused. “I trust you, but this matter concerns me. If you give me even the slightest reason, I can listen to you. Otherwise, I’ve already agreed to someone else, and just backing out without reason isn’t right, is it?”
Hearing this, Bai Xin said coolly, “Then do as you please.”
After parting ways with Bai Xin, Cheng Jiqing watched her car drive away before retracting her gaze.
She had Yu Lan drive her to the movie theater. Her appointment with Qin Yufu was in the evening; she was free until then.
On the way to the theater, Cheng Jiqing received a WeChat message from Song Ling.
Song Ling: 【Cheng Jiqing! I’m opening a hotel soon. Come support me1 at the opening!】
Little Princess Song had a decent relationship with the original owner of the body; the two often hung out together.
Recently, aside from the occasional complaint or gossip2 about someone in their circle via WeChat, she hadn’t come looking for her. Turns out she was busy with this.
Although Song Ling was willful and had a bad temper, she didn’t harbor any ill intentions towards her.
Moreover, her emotions were plain to see3. Cheng Jiqing actually felt more at ease with people like this.
Cheng Jiqing: 【I’ll think about it.】
Song Ling: 【!! If you’re a friend, you’ll come!】
A few seconds later, Song Ling: 【Also, I’ve sunk all my allowance into this4. Do you have any money recently?】
Cheng Jiqing: 【If we’re friends, don’t talk about money.】
Song Ling: 【…?】
Cheng Jiqing shook her head. Mentioning money to her… she was still thinking about money herself.
It was a pity to give up on that chip company, ‘Lan Qi’5. That thing was destined to become one of Beicheng’s future giant conglomerates6, a real behemoth.
The Cheng family was unwilling to make a move because their mindset was too old-fashioned; they didn’t understand the future importance of new energy chips.
As a transmigrator, knowing full well it would make huge money in the future, how could she not find a way to secure it?
This sum of money was crucial.
She watched two movies in the afternoon, finishing just in time to meet Qin Yufu.
The arranged location wasn’t far, supposedly a villa belonging to the Qin family. The place was rather elegant, with an antique, rustic style. The neighboring properties had similar layouts.
Cheng Jiqing’s car drove all the way in, passing several large houses before stopping at a central location.
Qin Yufu was already there when she entered.
She sat down opposite Qin Yufu, right by the window. Through the wooden-framed glass pane, she could see the scenery in the courtyard outside.
She quite liked this kind of place.
There was a tree planted in the courtyard she passed on the way in, but she didn’t recognize what kind it was.
The specially mixed drink7 before her was freshly prepared by a bartender specially hired by the Qin family. It had to be said, Old Madam Qin operated quite differently from most people.
She actually chose a ‘blind date’ mode favored by young people.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t the original owner. She felt nothing for Qin Yufu, and Qin Yufu didn’t like her either.
“Ms. Qin, after today, the Qin family won’t involve me with you anymore, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have to meet other people you dislike.”
Cheng Jiqing picked up the glass and looked at it. The Qin family wouldn’t resort to such crude methods; the drink was clean.
Hearing this, Qin Yufu revealed a bitter expression. “But what choice do I have? For my mother’s sake, I can only endure.”
Cheng Jiqing said, “But you’ve also seen that constantly showing weakness is useless. Ms. Qin, yielding won’t necessarily make your lives better; it might even make you more miserable.”
In the book, the female lead’s early stage was just like this—depressing, helpless, anyone could step on her.
That’s why when she finally turned the tables against the odds8, it felt so satisfying.
But that was just a world in a book. Now that she existed in this world, it was real.
She didn’t think Qin Yufu had to go through so much just to grow.
Qin Yufu was a natural tech talent. The book said that in the early stages, she would rely on specialized technology to gain the support of several admirers, and in the mid-to-late stages, she would begin to reveal her business acumen.
“You have your own talent; your way out isn’t necessarily within the Qin family. Including your mother—her staying in the Qin family might not be for her own sake either. You should understand better than me, being in the Qin family: in a place where the weak are prey to the strong9, yielding and weakness only earn contempt. Have you ever been valued by anyone else in the Qin family because of your compliance?”
Qin Yufu’s heart jolted.
She fell silent. The windows were tightly shut, and the stuffy wind outside couldn’t get in, but turning her head, she could see leaves fluttering down as the wind blew.
At this moment, Qin Yufu felt like she was one of those leaves blown by the wind, never in control of her own fate.
She asked, “Can I do it?”
Cheng Jiqing countered, “Why not?”
“What if you were me?”
“I would find my own path. Of course, this doesn’t mean hitting a stone with an egg10, but rather having new plans. As long as you plan, it’s not too late.”
Those words were spoken to Qin Yufu, but also to herself.
The Cheng family business was large and established, but ultimately, she wasn’t the original owner. Moreover, the lesson from this Qin Yufu incident told her that the Cheng family might not always be her backing.
Even with Cheng Jing around, she couldn’t rely entirely on her.
Besides, behind Cheng Jing was a Fu Rongjun whom she couldn’t figure out.
So she also had to have plans.
Cheng Jiqing opened the window slightly. Suddenly, she heard a commotion, followed by a strange fragrance drifting in on the air…
Qin Family Tea Room.
One of the places frequented by Beicheng’s celebrities—noble, elegant, with a unique charm.
Old Madam Qin sat on a sandalwood chair, gracefully lifting her teacup for a sip. “Is it about time?”
The butler standing before her replied, “Yes, the person was sent over early. Fortunately, this person is greedy and obedient, relatively easy to control… Calculating the time, the heat period should have started by now.”
Old Madam Qin acknowledged with satisfaction. She heard the butler ask, “But if we do this, and Fu Rongjun’s side finds out, will it…”
She smiled. “Will it what? She herself said she would cooperate no matter the method. What do you think that means? But I do admire her. They say even a vicious tiger won’t eat its cubs11, yet both Cheng Jing and Cheng Jiqing are her own flesh and blood. To throw out the younger daughter for the sake of the elder daughter… truly ruthless.”
“You’re right. I even suspect Cheng Jiqing isn’t her biological daughter.”
Old Madam Qin put down her teacup, sneering, “Who knows? I don’t concern myself with these family trifles.”
“The people at the villa just reported that those two are chatting quite well. Coupled with that specially mixed drink, things should work out.”
“Once it’s done, find someone to spread the news, then give Fu Rongjun a call.”
At that time, she would go with Fu Rongjun. With elders present to exert pressure, relying on Cheng Jiqing’s lingering old feelings for Qin Yufu, plus the fact that the deed would be done12, Cheng Jiqing probably wouldn’t refuse the marriage anymore.
Things would naturally fall into place13.
Cheng Jiqing was a pawn, but wasn’t Qin Yufu one too?
Fu Rongjun did it for Cheng Jing, and she did it for the Qin family.
After a while.
Old Madam Qin stood up and straightened her clothes. “Alright, time to go.”
Just as the door opened, Old Madam Qin was suddenly tackled by someone lunging at her. Simultaneously, the air filled with the pheromones of an Omega in heat. Old Madam Qin was knocked to the ground, hurting too much to get up.
The butler immediately rushed forward to pull the attacker away. “Someone help, quickly!”
The butler was a Beta, unaffected by pheromones, but the Old Madam was an Alpha. No matter how old, facing an Omega, there would always be some degree of discomfort.
“Pull her away, quickly!”
Old Madam Qin yelled.
People outside heard the commotion and rushed over. The butler managed to yank the person away, but upon seeing clearly who was in heat, both he and the Old Madam froze.
“You…”
Old Madam Qin’s expression changed slightly. “Why are you here?!”
The Omega in heat was none other than the one who should have been at the Qin family villa right now… that Omega relative in her heat period.
“Grand-aunt14, Grand-aunt, help me… quickly help me…”
Old Madam Qin kicked the person away in shame and fury!
“Damn thing15! What are you doing here?! How could you be here!”
The butler: “Old Madam, something’s wrong.”
The butler’s reminder made Old Madam Qin’s heart clench; she also had a bad feeling. The next second, the woman on the floor suddenly lunged at her legs. Just then, people rushed in from outside.
Several people were at the door; the butler couldn’t even close it in time.
Among them were several well-known CEOs and their wives from their social circle.
More importantly, the butler recognized one person at the door as a reporter from a famous financial gossip magazine.
That person was taking out a camera.
Qin Family Villa.
All was calm. The window was slightly open. Cheng Jiqing finally identified the fragrance—it turned out the tree in the courtyard was a night-blooming jasmine16.
“Actually, Fu Rongjun… I mean, my mom, might also have a hand in this matter.”
Cheng Jiqing said.
Hearing this, surprise showed in Qin Yufu’s eyes.
Cheng Jiqing smiled. “You’re also Old Madam Qin’s granddaughter. Does she show you any pity?”
Qin Yufu lowered her eyes. Naturally, there was none. The Old Madam looked down on her mother’s background and disliked her even more. Otherwise, why would she push her out time and time again?
Cheng Jiqing said, “So my situation isn’t much different from yours. It’s just that we both need to change, to adapt to this world.”
Perhaps moved by emotion, she unconsciously picked up the drink before her and took a sip.
Only after drinking did she remember they were still in the Qin family’s villa.
But then she thought, one sip probably wouldn’t hurt.
After another moment.
Cheng Jiqing’s phone vibrated slightly. She stood up to bid Qin Yufu farewell. “Ms. Qin, I hope everything goes smoothly for you in the future.”
Qin Yufu remained seated, silently gazing out the window, perhaps pondering Cheng Jiqing’s words, or perhaps thinking about something else.
Cheng Jiqing exited the villa. As the door opened, she immediately saw the black BMW parked by the roadside.
She walked to the rear passenger seat, opened the door, and got in. The scent of the night-blooming jasmine was somewhat blocked out.
Following it was the woman’s familiar light fragrance.
She looked up and met Bai Xin’s cool gaze. She smiled slightly.
“Hi, Ms. Bai.”
Time rewound to the afternoon.
“Then do as you please.”
Cheng Jiqing observed Bai Xin’s unhappy expression, lowering her eyes slightly. “Why do you get angry so easily? Angry to the point of being unreasonable.”
The words were almost accusatory, yet softened by the gentle tone, they carried a hint of indulgence.
Hearing this, Bai Xin seemed to recall something, her expression softening slightly.
After a two-second pause, she said, “The Qin family has arranged a treacherous banquet17 for you.”
She quietly informed Cheng Jiqing of the news she had gathered, concise and very clear.
After hearing the whole thing, Cheng Jiqing’s expression darkened slightly. She truly didn’t understand the Qin family well, nor had she imagined that people of their age could stoop to such despicable levels.
“I still have to go.”
Bai Xin’s eyes darkened slightly. “Why?”
Cheng Jiqing: “If I only know how to avoid things like this, then the same methods will be used against me next time. I need to let them know where my bottom line is.”
Bai Xin’s brow relaxed, revealing a hint of admiration. “What do you plan to do?”
Cheng Jiqing said slowly, “Give them a taste of their own medicine.”18
Inside the car.
Cheng Jiqing gave Bai Xin a smile. That Qin family relative in heat—she had Yu Lan find her in the afternoon. Nothing much was done, just redirecting the person who was supposed to be sent to her, instead sending her to the tea room Old Madam Qin frequented.
As for the Old Madam’s frequent haunt, Bai Xin had provided the information.
Originally, she could have let that Qin relative go, but Bai Xin said the person had voluntarily cooperated with the Qin family to harm her.
So she didn’t show mercy either.
Bai Xin turned on her phone and handed it to her.
Cheng Jiqing lowered her head. It was a draft article about to be published, but the accompanying image section was still empty.
Naturally, no one would believe Old Madam Qin would do anything with some relative, but such a scene was enough to disgrace the Qin family.
Besides, several prominent families were present at the time.
For an old woman who had lived to this age, wasn’t face the most important thing?
Since she didn’t want face, then she wouldn’t have any.
“Thank you for your trouble, Ms. Bai, and your reporter friend.” Cheng Jiqing leaned her head against the seat, tilting it with a smile.
Bai Xin’s gaze fell on Cheng Jiqing’s face. The lighting was dim, and she couldn’t see her complexion clearly, only feeling that from this angle, Cheng Jiqing looked a bit cute.
Her gaze softened.
“Mm… you’re welcome.”
Bai Xin said, “The Qin family will definitely investigate afterwards. Once the news is out, think about how you’ll handle your family.”
“Fu Rongjun?” Cheng Jiqing said, “Not considered family.”
Neither to the original owner, nor to her, right?
A mother who schemes against her own daughter—counts for shit19.
She thought she had survived 28 years in her original world; even by this world’s age calculation, that was 27 years. From the orphanage to the entertainment industry, to transmigrating.
The things she had experienced, the people she had seen, were countless.
But compared to this ABO world, her understanding was still too limited.
She hadn’t expected the Qin family’s methods, nor that Fu Rongjun would also have a role in this matter.
Cheng Jiqing narrowed her eyes slightly. Due to the gradually rising drowsiness and dizziness, she frowned slightly. “I hope that after today, Fu Rongjun also knows that I’m not that easy to control.”
Today, she had slapped the Qin family’s face, and also given Fu Rongjun a reminder.
She finished speaking and closed her eyes. “Ms. Bai, shall we go back?”
She had clearly only had one sip, and the drink tasted sweet, but she hadn’t expected the aftereffect to be so strong.
Bai Xin heard that last sentence, ‘Shall we go back?’.
Silent for a moment, she asked, “Back where?”
Cheng Jiqing opened her hazy eyes. In just a few minutes, she felt her mind becoming increasingly muddled, so much so that it took her several seconds to answer, “Nanjing20.”
She felt like she had overlooked something.
Before she could figure it out, she heard Bai Xin giving instructions to the driver in front.
So she said no more. The aftereffect was kicking in; she was a bit sleepy.
“I’ll take a nap. Call me when we arrive, ‘kay.”
Cheng Jiqing closed her eyes and mumbled. Warmth approached from her side, Bai Xin’s unique scent drilling into her nostrils. She heard a cool yet alluring voice.
“Cheng Jiqing, did you drink alcohol?” Bai Xin smelled the faint scent of alcohol.
“One sip.”
“Drunk from one sip?”
“…Not drunk.” Cheng Jiqing forced her eyes open to prove she wasn’t drunk after just one sip. “Just feeling it go to my head. A short nap will fix it.”
“You dare drink just anyone’s alcohol?”
“Wasn’t that careless?”
Cheng Jiqing said.
She rubbed her temples; they were throbbing dizzily.
Thinking she had made preparations beforehand, she had let her guard down a bit. Although the Qin family wouldn’t dare to drug her, this drink indeed had a kick.
Bai Xin stared at her for a long moment, then returned to her original position. “Mm, sleep then.”
The car stopped downstairs at Nanjing.
The driver in the front seat had already left.
Bai Xin turned her head to look at the sleeping Cheng Jiqing. That face was exceptionally striking; though not an exaggerated, heaven-defying beauty, it could easily capture one’s gaze.
When Cheng Jiqing was silent, those fox eyes leaned towards coldness, but right now, she looked unbelievably docile.
Her complexion should be quite flushed; even sitting beside her, one could feel the rising temperature.
Besides that, there was another piece of evidence. Bai Xin’s gaze shifted downwards—Cheng Jiqing had undone a button in her sleep just now.
At that moment, the collar gaped slightly, faintly revealing the line of her collarbone.
The more hidden something is, the more it makes one want to explore.
Bai Xin rubbed the pads of her fingers together; they felt itchy.
She retracted her gaze, reached out, and pinched Cheng Jiqing’s earlobe, calling softly, “Cheng Jiqing.”
Cheng Jiqing’s ear tickled. Her pleasant dream disturbed, she let out a dissatisfied breath, then heard the familiar voice by her ear.
“We’re here.”
Cheng Jiqing’s hazy consciousness hadn’t returned much. Realizing she was still in the car and Bai Xin was still beside her, she stared blankly for a moment.
Her head was very dizzy, her eyes felt too heavy to open. Getting out of the car, her legs lacked strength, and she nearly fell to the ground.
Bai Xin walked over. She herself wasn’t very strong, and her left hand was injured, so she could only use her right hand to pull Cheng Jiqing.
“Still think you’re not drunk?” she said faintly.
Cheng Jiqing was extremely dizzy but could still hear her speaking, insisting, “Not drunk. No such thing.”
Cheng Jiqing hadn’t completely lost consciousness. Though she swayed while walking, she could still move on her own, so Bai Xin didn’t need to exert too much force.
She wouldn’t fall while moving, but once inside the elevator and stationary, Cheng Jiqing became unsteady.
One wobble and she was about to fall. Bai Xin caught her just in time, but Cheng Jiqing’s strength was greater, sending Bai Xin bumping against the elevator wall. Her back felt a slight chill as Cheng Jiqing’s forehead lowered to press against hers.
Their breaths mingled.
There was the smell of alcohol, and also Cheng Jiqing’s scent.
Bai Xin’s forehead felt hot, her cheeks brushed by the Alpha’s fervent aura. Her voice slightly hoarse, she said, “Don’t randomly drink when you go out in the future.”
Cheng Jiqing subconsciously knew they were too close now, but another vague, fog-like feeling held her back. She lost her own judgment, letting her body’s instincts take over.
Her breathing deepened, already in a drunken tone: “I need to use the restroom.”
Bai Xin: “…”
Fortunately, Cheng Jiqing still remembered the door code.
Once inside, Cheng Jiqing kicked off her high heels and staggered towards the washroom. In her mind, Cheng Jiqing hadn’t fully adapted to her current environment yet.
Thinking she was still in her home from her original world.
Bai Xin watched the person who claimed to need the restroom head towards the kitchen: “…”
She went forward and grabbed her. “Wrong way.”
Cheng Jiqing said, “Not wrong.”
This was her home, how could she be wrong.
Bai Xin hadn’t expected that drunk Cheng Jiqing would also have such a stubborn side.
She found it inexplicably amusing.
Afraid of making her hold it too long, Bai Xin took Cheng Jiqing’s hand with her right hand and led her to the washroom door.
“You don’t need to be taught how to use the toilet, right?” There was actually a teasing undertone to this question.
Cheng Jiqing groggily recognized her current surroundings; they were familiar. She somewhat recognized it and remembered she was no longer in her original world.
Hearing the soft voice, she unconsciously hummed an ‘Mm’.
But because the end tone rose, it carried a questioning inflection.
Bai Xin looked at her for two seconds, her ink-black pupils deepening inexplicably.
She took Cheng Jiqing’s hand, placed it on Cheng Jiqing’s suit pants, and used her thumb and forefinger to guide Cheng Jiqing’s fingers to touch the black button.
Bai Xin asked faintly, “Know how now?”
At this moment, Bai Xin felt like a bad person corrupting a young lady.
At this instant, Cheng Jiqing’s consciousness returned somewhat to normal, perhaps due to physiological reaction, perhaps due to a strange agitation caused by the presence of the person before her.
Her breathing became slightly rapid.
Cheng Jiqing gazed at the woman in front of her. The trembling of those peach-blossom eyes imbued the Omega with extreme charm, regardless of her expression.
She was somewhat lost in thought.
She didn’t speak. Bai Xin assumed she was too drunk to think straight, reached out directly, unbuttoned it for her, then gently pushed her inside.
And closed the door.
Cheng Jiqing stood inside the door, facing the mirror.
In the mirror, her face was flushed crimson, her expression dazed, only the tumultuous beating of her heart was impossible to ignore.
Her thoughts were clear one moment, chaotic the next.
When Bai Xin unbuttoned it, she was conscious… very conscious.
Outside the door, Bai Xin let out a heavy breath. Her hand smoothed over the silk scarf at her waist. She hadn’t changed clothes; she was still wearing the same outfit from the daytime.
Her five fingers slowly tightened around the scarf, then she walked to the kitchen and took out a bottle of ice water.
Ignoring the pain, she twisted it open with some force.
She needed to calm down.
For an Omega whose heat cycle was unstable, this version of Cheng Jiqing made it hard for her not to have other thoughts.
Cheng Jiqing stumbled out. Bai Xin barely had to support her before she flopped headfirst onto the sofa…
Judging by her posture, it looked like she wouldn’t be getting up again.
Bai Xin walked over, adjusted her skirt, and crouched down in front of Cheng Jiqing.
“I should have learned from you earlier, taking a video would have been great,” Bai Xin murmured.
Cheng Jiqing was lying face down, her defined features slightly squished against the soft sofa. Now Bai Xin could clearly see that pink flush.
It was the color of peach blossoms at their most brilliant.
Like a flush of arousal.
Only her lips were dry from dehydration. After watching for a few seconds, she reached out and touched those lips. They weren’t smooth, hotter than usual.
Perhaps disturbed by her touch, Cheng Jiqing slept restlessly, turning over unhappily.
Bai Xin stood up, went into Cheng Jiqing’s room, took a thin blanket from the bed, and covered her.
She turned the central air conditioning in the living room up two degrees, then walked into the guest bedroom.
The moment she turned away, Cheng Jiqing opened her eyes.
She pressed her lips together where Bai Xin had touched them, resisted the urge to drink water, and closed her eyes again.
Slowly exhaling, forcing down the heat and her heart rate.
How to put it?
Her body might still feel the effects of the alcohol, but her mind was clear. So she was a bit unsure how to face her not-so-sober self from earlier.
Like in the elevator, like in the kitchen, and… in front of the washroom door.
The moment Bai Xin unbuttoned her pants, she had frozen.
So she might as well pretend she still wasn’t sober now.
As for Bai Xin touching her lips just now, she’d just pretend it was a dream she had while drunk.
‘Thump—’
“Ow.” Cheng Jiqing cried out, rubbing her sore butt, and pushed herself up using the edge of the sofa.
Cheng Jiqing’s lips and throat were extremely dry, like she was dying of thirst. Seeing a glass of water on the table, she first leaned over, picked it up, and drank her fill.
The cold water went down, and she finally felt more awake.
Then the memories from before she slept assaulted her again.
Cheng Jiqing: “…”
Although she hadn’t been thinking much at the time, she could remember the process, which was terrifying.
Just thinking about the look Bai Xin would give her tomorrow, she was already dying of social embarrassment.
What did Bai Xin say yesterday while crouching in front of her? Take a video? Good thing she didn’t think of taking a video.
Truly too kind.
Cheng Jiqing supported her waist and sat up. Only one lamp was on in the living room, making it rather dim. Her gaze unconsciously drifted towards the guest bedroom, suddenly noticing a sliver of light showing from under the door.
She took her phone out of her pocket and found it had automatically shut down.
Not knowing the time, she wasn’t sure if Bai Xin hadn’t slept or had woken up.
Cheng Jiqing walked over and heard faint sounds coming from inside the room. She paused, listened again, and confirmed Bai Xin was currently awake.
So she knocked on the door.
“The door’s unlocked.”
Cheng Jiqing opened the door.
Bai Xin was sitting on the beige single sofa by the window, laptop resting on her legs, looking up at her.
“Sobered up?”
Cheng Jiqing: “…Mm.”
Drunk after one sip—saying that out loud would really ruin her reputation.
She admitted it unwillingly.
But admitting she was drunk allowed her to use the excuse of ‘memory loss’.
Social death wasn’t scary; just deny everything.
Cheng Jiqing skipped the questioning part directly and moved to the next topic: “My phone died. What time is it?”
Bai Xin shifted her gaze from Cheng Jiqing’s face, looked down, and said, “Not quite five.”
“You didn’t sleep?”
“Woke up, couldn’t sleep.”
Her sleep wasn’t very good. Bai Xin said, “I borrowed your laptop.”
Cheng Jiqing didn’t mind; she had nothing to hide.
Noticing Bai Xin’s clothes—a pajama top, but still wearing the black skirt from daytime below.
Cheng Jiqing asked, “Why didn’t you change into pajama pants?”
“Not comfortable.”
“Okay.” Cheng Jiqing nodded, wondering if she should prepare some nightgowns next time; this person was too delicate. The thought emerged, and Cheng Jiqing immediately realized this line of thinking wasn’t right.
“Then you continue working. I’ll go back to my room to charge my phone.”
“Cheng Jiqing.”
“Hm?”
Cheng Jiqing turned back.
Bai Xin said, “Let’s talk.”[
…
Cheng Jiqing sat on the bed, Bai Xin sat on the sofa, the laptop now closed.
Bai Xin said, “How have you considered the matter I mentioned last time?”
Not even beating around the bush.
Actually, when Bai Xin suggested talking just now, Cheng Jiqing knew what the topic would be.
Bai Xin didn’t wait for her response, stood up, took a glass of water in her hand, and continued, “You saw what happened yesterday. The reason your mother wanted to cooperate with the Qin family, to push you and Qin Yufu together—to put it bluntly, was to sell you out, and give the benefits to your older sister.”
Cheng Jiqing had seen her at the negotiation table during collaborations—her tone cool, yet explaining things smoothly, making you wary yet convinced.
“Cheng Jiqing, if not Qin Yufu, it will be someone else in the future.” Bai Xin said word by word, “Instead of someone else, it might as well be me.”
Cheng Jiqing’s brow twitched. At the last sentence.
She paused, then asked, “But have you thought about it? According to your reasoning, your Omega identity would have to be known to them. Does that not matter?”
Although she didn’t know Bai Xin’s reason for hiding her identity, that reason must be very important.
If she used marrying Bai Xin to block Fu Rongjun, to block the Cheng family’s future intentions, then Bai Xin’s identity would inevitably be exposed.
Bai Xin didn’t answer instantly.
But she was only silent for three seconds.
She said, “It doesn’t matter.”
Cheng Jiqing felt a tremor in her heart. She looked over, listening closely to the woman’s voice in the quiet space: “I ask something of you, so naturally, I am willing to take risks for you.”
These words brought Cheng Jiqing back to her senses somewhat.
Nodding in agreement, she said, “That sounds fair.”
But she didn’t say that she actually didn’t care if Fu Rongjun would try to force a marriage on her again in the future, because Fu Rongjun couldn’t succeed.
Including now, she didn’t care that much anymore whether Cheng Jing was on her side, because she had the better opportunity and plan with ‘Lan Qi’.
The Cheng family was a huge mountain to lean on, but it wasn’t completely under her control. It was only after being jointly set up today that she made the decision… relying on anyone was not as good as becoming that mountain herself.
So this reason for marrying Bai Xin wasn’t sufficient.
Actually, the day after Bai Xin proposed marriage to her, the day she found out she owned 5% of the shares, another thought had crossed her mind—cash out after reducing her holdings, take that huge sum of money, and leave, go somewhere no one could find her and live freely.
But the night that thought emerged, she experienced all sorts of death methods in her dreams.
Then the system’s voice echoed in her ear again, the words she could now recite backwards—Prevent the villain’s blackening, complete self-redemption.
The system was reminding her that trying to run away would be even more tragic than being directly killed by the villain.
She wasn’t that much of a saintly, noble person either.
Staying was to save her life. Including helping Qin Yufu wasn’t entirely out of kindness; part of it was because Qin Yufu was the female lead, and helping her also meant making another beneficial friend.
She accepted the flaws of human nature within herself.
Pure naivety in an adult couldn’t survive.
But she wasn’t willing to endure any hardship, any grievance, any matter just to survive.
She feared death, yet wasn’t that afraid of death.
What she did was so she could live well, live a good life, fulfill her dreams, but all of this was based on her willingness, acceptance, and tolerance…
If it crossed this bottom line, death wasn’t that frightening to her either.
So.
She wasn’t afraid of anyone forcing her.
Even though the system gave her a reminder, she still hadn’t agreed to Bai Xin.
Because she was also thinking.
Finally, she realized this matter wasn’t actually difficult—just a ten-minute hug every day, and over time, the interval would lengthen. Then, until Bai Xin no longer needed her at all.
They could just divorce.
Getting married wasn’t hard.
It was just that since childhood, she held a certain expectation for marriage, feeling it was incredibly sacred.
Hence the hesitation, hesitation, and more hesitation.
However, upon hearing that Bai Xin might be harmed if they didn’t marry, this hesitation wavered.
“Cheng Jiqing, I need you.”
“Can you come to my side?”
Bai Xin said, “Marry me.”
Cheng Jiqing lifted her gaze slightly, her brown pupils catching shattered light21 in the lamplight, like fallen stars.
She said slowly, “Then let’s get married.”
The author has something to say:
Wrote this all in one go, my waist is done for.
Starting the married life—
Morning, waking up in separate rooms.
Chengcheng: Hi, contract wife
Bai-jie: Come here.
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