After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, I Marked the Crazy Hotshot – Chapter 58

What about the future?

“Chengcheng, who is it?”

Cheng Jing’s voice came from the room behind her. Cheng Jiqing’s back suddenly tensed, and she gestured with her eyes for Bai Xin to be quiet.

Cheng Jiqing: “Oh, it’s the room service attendant.”

She raised her hand slightly again, pointed to the door, and silently mouthed to Bai Xin: “Leave first.”

Cheng Jiqing suddenly heard some movement in the room, and her heart gave a little jump. It felt as if there was an untimed bomb beneath her feet, ready to explode at any moment.

Afraid someone would come out, she gave a helpless glance at Bai Xin, who had become inexplicably stubborn, and turned to go inside first.

She quickly picked up the rose tea she had just poured on the coffee table but hadn’t drunk yet. Her steps were quick. As she reached Cheng Jing’s door, she glanced in Bai Xin’s direction. She saw the person looking at her, directly take off her high heels, and then just like that, step inside barefoot.

Cheng Jiqing: “…”

Cheng Jiqing thought to herself, This is a disaster.

Is she really not afraid of Cheng Jing finding out?

It doesn’t matter for her, but hasn’t Bai Xin always been wary of this? What’s gotten into her today?

Cheng Jiqing naturally couldn’t figure it out.

Pushing the door open a crack and going in, she indeed saw Cheng Jing sitting up in bed. “There’s still half an hour, you can rest a bit more.”

She put the cup on the table. “Have some water?”

Her expression was calm, but in her heart, she was thinking about the person outside the door.

Cheng Jing looked at the steaming water, and her usually stern face softened a bit. “Chengcheng, I thought a day like this would never come again.”

Cheng Jiqing paused. Like what? She just poured a cup of water.

“When I wasn’t feeling well before, you also brought a cup of water to my room like this. Do you remember?” Cheng Jing seemed to be starting a heartfelt conversation. “If it were possible, I really wish time could have stayed at that moment, when I was still your best older sister.”

Cheng Jiqing couldn’t respond to these almost ‘affectionate’ words. She wasn’t the original owner of the body and couldn’t feel this kind of emotion. To her, Cheng Jing was more like a collaborator, a relative of the previous soul in her body, not hers.

All she had to do was to continue this familial bond before her soul departed.

Like completing a mission.

At most, they were like friends.

“If you hadn’t heard Mom and me talking in the hallway that time, if I had been able to protect you properly, if I hadn’t said those things I shouldn’t have said to you that night, how good would that have been? But we can never go back, right?”

Cheng Jing’s stomach was upset, and she had drunk a lot of alcohol, so she unconsciously wanted to speak her mind.

“Even if you’re taking care of me now, I know we can never go back. In your heart, you won’t see me as your older sister, nor will you see me as anything else.”

Outside the door, just a wall away, Bai Xin’s lips curled into a cold, disdainful smile. She found it ridiculous.

The discomfort she had felt the few times she saw the way Cheng Jing looked at Cheng Jiqing could now be explained.

At this moment, Cheng Jiqing still didn’t understand what Cheng Jing meant by those words.

But she keenly felt that these words were strange. They were biological sisters; besides seeing Cheng Jing as an older sister, what else could she see her as?

She knew about the incident in the hallway, and she knew about the big fire.

What were those things that shouldn’t have been said?

But that wasn’t the main thing she wanted to ask right now. Since Cheng Jing wanted to talk, she had to cherish this opportunity.

Bai Xin was right at the door now. Although it was a bit crazy, there was no better time than this.

“You’ve always been protecting me,” Cheng Jiqing said softly.

She didn’t give Cheng Jing more time to think and went straight to the point: “Including the fire fifteen years ago. I’ve remembered parts of it. I know you always wanted to save me.”

Hearing this, Cheng Jing’s eyes revealed complex emotions deep within, though it was unclear what she was thinking.

“I heard you banging on the door, and I also know that the person who really got me out wasn’t you… Sis, I’ve always wanted to ask you, why did Mom pull you away? Why did she give up on me?”

As Cheng Jiqing spoke, her voice gradually became hoarse. Her emotions came on quickly; she had a talent for acting. Sometimes, she didn’t even need to build up to it to get into character.

She lowered her eyes, and those two short sentences were already filled with a sense of grievance.

Cheng Jing only felt a pang in her heart, yet she was also glad that Cheng Jiqing hadn’t remembered everything.

“Chengcheng, Mom didn’t do it on purpose. Don’t hate her. It’s just that the fire was too big at the time, and she thought she couldn’t save you… Chengcheng, no one gave up on you.”

Is that really how it was? She thought she couldn’t be saved?

Although Cheng Jiqing hadn’t remembered what happened before the fire, she knew that if Fu Rongjun had come in at that time, she could have saved the original owner of the body.

But that woman didn’t.

Instead, the person who saved her was a stranger.

“Then who was the woman who saved me? I want to know.”

The stomach pain made her face slightly pale. Cheng Jing was silent for a moment. “That woman was named Lu Man. She was Bai Zhaoliang’s ex-wife, and also Bai Xin’s biological mother.”

Bai Xin leaned against the door, her head slightly raised, her coiled hair resting against the champagne-colored wallpaper. She squinted at the chandelier on the living room ceiling.

Expressionless.

Inside the room, Cheng Jiqing’s low voice could be heard asking questions.

“I heard Bai Xin’s mother died in the fire… So she died saving me…?” Cheng Jiqing frowned, her eyes filled with distress.

As if she had genuinely just found out.

Cheng Jing frowned. “Chengcheng, this has nothing to do with you! She didn’t die because of you!”

Cheng Jiqing said urgently, “How could it have nothing to do with me? She saved me, but she didn’t make it out, right? Then why did she die? That was a human life!”

A series of three questions. Cheng Jing was worried Cheng Jiqing would blame herself:

“She didn’t die trying to save you…”

Cheng Jiqing fell silent.

Of course, she knew. And then… who was it for?

She didn’t press further. Being too eager would seem overly deliberate. Cheng Jing was a very cautious person. The fact that she hadn’t mentioned this before indicated that, for Cheng Jing, she didn’t want her to know too much.

After a couple of seconds, Cheng Jiqing said dejectedly, “If not because of me, then because of whom? You don’t have to humor me.”

Cheng Jing didn’t want to see Cheng Jiqing like this. She thought for a moment and said, “She died trying to save Bai Zhaoliang.”

…

Bai Xin’s eyelashes trembled. Her nails dug deeper into her skin.

It was clearly something she had long expected.

A chill also rose in Cheng Jiqing’s heart. She thought of the person outside the door, wondering how much pain she must be in right now.

She said, “But Bai Zhaoliang got out. Why didn’t Lu Man?”

She saw the sweat on Cheng Jing’s face and handed her a tissue. Cheng Jing felt a little warmth in her heart, thinking that perhaps this was also a chance to become close with Cheng Jiqing again.

She couldn’t let Cheng Jiqing know about other things, but it wasn’t impossible to talk about Bai Zhaoliang.

Cheng Jing said, “The fire spread very fiercely at that time. Beforehand, Bai Zhaoliang was in the study waiting for Cheng Lan to come back, not with us… Later, after Lu Man rescued you, she heard Bai Zhaoliang calling for help from the hallway… She went back.”

But in reality, at that time, Fu Rongjun, she, and Cheng Jiqing hadn’t gotten out immediately.

Because the door was closed, and the handle was too hot to turn.

They were trapped for a while, able to do nothing but wait for rescue. By then, Cheng Jiqing had already passed out from the smoke.

Just then, Lu Man emerged from the thick smoke, supporting Bai Zhaoliang.

Bai Zhaoliang was holding a piece of cloth over his mouth, torn from Lu Man’s dress.

There was also a large burn mark on her leg, but the woman’s expression was resolute. It seemed she only wanted to save people, disregarding everything else.

“Lu Man told us to go to a corner where there was no fire and wait for rescue, but an accident happened.”

Cheng Jing recalled the situation at that time, her face darkening slightly. Her disgust and contempt for Bai Zhaoliang over the years were not unfounded¹. “A beam from the ceiling crashed down, landing right in front of Bai Zhaoliang and Lu Man.”

Lu Man subconsciously pushed Bai Zhaoliang away.

But her own foot was pinned by the beam.

Outside the door.

Listening to Cheng Jing’s words, Bai Xin’s nails dug into her skin like blades. She lowered her head and watched the bright red liquid well up.

Cheng Jing said, “At that time, Lu Man’s leg was only pinned; she actually could have been pulled out. Bai Zhaoliang did try to pull her the first time, but it was a wooden building, and the fire spread quickly. That dog² was scared out of his wits… After trying twice and failing to pull her out, he gave up…”

“The fire was raging, but Mom and I both saw it clearly. Bai Zhaoliang pried Lu Man’s pleading hand off him, got up, and ran.”

Bai Xin watched the blood pool, then reached out and caught it as it dripped into her palm.

She seemed to hear the beam crashing down, heavily pressing on her mother. She seemed to see her mother’s pained, helpless, and even desperate expression at that moment.

Bai Xin closed her eyes and gave a silent, bitter smile.

“That animal!”

Cheng Jiqing gritted her teeth, feeling an unbearable tightness in her chest.

The thought that Bai Xin was hearing their conversation word by word made her heart ache even more.

Cheng Jing sneered, “Bai Zhaoliang has always been a despicable person, resorting to any means for profit. He’s the type who’d willingly be a dog for personal gain.”

Cheng Jiqing had heard from Tang Jia that Bai Zhaoliang had divorced Zhou Ping and married Lu Man back then just for a piece of land. While married to Lu Man, he secretly met with Zhou Ping and had Bai Xingxing with her.

Bai Xin was only thirteen at the time…

What kind of blow must that have been?

Cheng Jiqing’s heart ached.

“At that time, you and Fu Rongjun… couldn’t you have saved her either?”

Actually, she knew this question carried a hint of moral blackmail.

Cheng Jing fell silent. Her expression became a little strange. After a long pause, facing Cheng Jiqing’s intense gaze, she sighed, “Maybe we could have, maybe not. We were far away.”

In that situation, Fu Rongjun would never have let her take such a risk.

Cheng Jiqing fell silent.

When Cheng Jing and Fu Rongjun were there, who could excessively blame them for choosing to save or not to save?

But that animal Bai Zhaoliang was different, especially for Lu Man…

Lu Man was in that situation because she saved him, yet Bai Zhaoliang pried her hand away. It was a classic case of the farmer and the snake³.

She suddenly noticed an unfamiliar name, Cheng Lan.

“Was Mom—I mean, Cheng Lan—also there at the time?” Cheng Jiqing wasn’t used to saying that word.

“No, she hadn’t returned yet. But afterwards, when she found out Lu Man saved you, she started cooperating with the Bai family’s company. And the family discussed… not to disclose it publicly, fearing that despicable Bai Zhaoliang would latch onto us. After you woke up, you were particularly resistant to anything about that incident, so I never mentioned it in front of you.”

“But like this… how unfair is it to the person who truly deserves to know the truth?” Cheng Jiqing murmured, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the door.

She collected herself. “So you and Fu Rongjun were essentially helping Bai Zhaoliang hide it. Later, the Cheng family’s company even cooperated with the Bai family’s company. Didn’t Bai Zhaoliang himself find that strange?”

What reason did the Cheng family use?

Cheng Jing paused, as if jolted slightly awake, but in the end, she still said something: “Bai Zhaoliang made a deal with us afterwards, using a piece of land… The specifics are too long ago, I can’t explain clearly now.”

Half truth, half lie.

Cheng Jiqing pieced together the clues—

Cheng Lan only knew that Lu Man had saved the original owner of the body; she was unaware of the other events at the villa.

But Bai Zhaoliang definitely made a deal with Cheng Jing and Fu Rongjun. Tang Jia had said Bai Zhaoliang didn’t get Lu Man’s piece of land, which means this wasn’t the real reason Cheng Jing and Fu Rongjun helped Bai Zhaoliang hide the truth.

What Bai Zhaoliang truly offered in the deal wasn’t land.

It was Cheng Jing and Fu Rongjun’s secret.

Bai Zhaoliang’s secret has been revealed, so what about Cheng Jing and Fu Rongjun’s?

Cheng Jiqing wished she could go out immediately to see Bai Xin. She didn’t know if the person outside was wiping away tears.

Everyone was scheming, but the only innocent person was Bai Xin.

She truly hated all this scheming.

“This is also why I don’t want you to get involved with the Bai family, especially Bai Xin,” Cheng Jing said. “This family is too messy. Let’s not even talk about Bai Zhaoliang. Although Bai Xin is Lu Man’s daughter, she’s definitely no pushover and not a good person.”

Cheng Jiqing snapped back to attention, her tone changing slightly. “Bai Xin is exceptionally capable, and I haven’t heard of her harming anyone. Besides, her mother saved me. You’d better not say such things in front of me again.”

She retorted so quickly that Cheng Jing even felt a twinge of jealousy.

But then she thought, perhaps Cheng Jiqing was only like this because she had just heard that Bai Xin’s mother saved her. Cheng Jing didn’t try to forcibly correct her anymore and said, “Alright, let’s not talk about this for now.”

But Cheng Jiqing looked up.

And so, Cheng Jing noticed that Cheng Jiqing’s complexion wasn’t very good.

“Chengcheng?” Cheng Jing said. “Are you upset because you thought about that incident?”

Cheng Jiqing had originally forced herself not to think about the fire scene, but Cheng Jing’s reminder made images of the blazing fire flash through her mind.

Her heart pounded, the blood in her veins seemed to surge as if stimulated, and even her gland gave a sudden, sharp throb.

That stinging, itchy sensation came again.

Her body had been acting strangely all evening.

Cheng Jiqing shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Cheng Jing looked at her for a moment. After taking medicine, the discomfort in her stomach had eased a bit, and her voice wasn’t as weak. She said, “Go drink some water.”

Cheng Jiqing pressed her lips together. Naturally, she also wanted to go out immediately and check on Bai Xin.

She stood up and said, “Then you rest a bit more.”

“It’s almost time,” Cheng Jing shook her head.

Hearing this, Cheng Jiqing knew Cheng Jing was preparing to leave. She didn’t say more and got up to walk out—as soon as she stepped out, she saw the figure at the door.

The Omega seemed to be in a daze; she couldn’t see any emotion on that small face.

Cheng Jiqing’s heart ached. She opened the door to the adjacent room and pulled Bai Xin’s hand, leading her inside.

She hadn’t forgotten that Bai Xin’s high heels were still at the entrance. She walked a few steps to the doorway, bent down, and put the high heels into a cabinet.

Just as the cabinet door closed.

“What’s wrong?”

Cheng Jing came out of the room.

There was an element of a guilty conscience, but acting was her profession. She stood up with a normal expression. “Nothing, just checking if there are other slippers. Are you going down?”

She directly changed the subject and walked over.

Cheng Jing nodded. Just as she was about to speak, her phone rang.

Her steps towards the door paused, and she walked to the sofa and sat down briefly.

Cheng Jiqing glanced at the slightly ajar door of the guest bedroom.

She hadn’t had time to close it earlier, and surprisingly, Bai Xin hadn’t moved to close it either.

“It’s nothing, just came up to rest for a bit. Thanks for your concern, CEO Liu.”

“I’ll be right down.”

Cheng Jing spoke in a low voice on the phone. Suddenly, her gaze, which had been directed mid-air, fell on the guest bedroom door…

Cheng Jiqing noticed her gaze and couldn’t help but feel nervous for Bai Xin.

Bai Xin just had to come at this time. If she were discovered, there was nothing to be done.

She would just protect her.

The next second, Cheng Jing stood up.

Then she turned her head, glanced at Cheng Jiqing, and hung up the phone at the same time. “I have to go down. You don’t look too well. Stay here for a while. I’ll take you back when I’m done.”

Cheng Jiqing just wanted to send her off first, so she temporarily agreed.

The door opened, then closed again.

Cheng Jiqing waited a few seconds, then went forward and locked the door, before quickly heading to the guest bedroom.

The room was veiled in a dim, enchanting filter. A little pale yellow light from the outside world shone in, enough so she wouldn’t be unable to see the person.

Bai Xin was sitting on the bed, her back, wrapped in the qipao, slightly curved.

As if crushed by something.

Cheng Jiqing didn’t turn on the light. She squatted down and looked up at Bai Xin. There were no tears on her face. In the faint light, she still showed no emotion, as if devoid of joy or sorrow.

She frowned and took Bai Xin’s hand in hers. Those hands were as cold as water, soft and cool.

“Bai Xin.”

She called out softly.

Bai Xin’s fingers twitched, but she didn’t speak.

Her breathing was extremely light.

Cheng Jiqing felt distressed. She straightened up slightly and pulled the person into her embrace.

Bai Xin was covered in a cold sweat. After being held by Cheng Jiqing for a while, she finally seemed able to breathe again, taking a deep, heavy breath.

As if she had come back to life.

“Say something to me?” Cheng Jiqing coaxed.

She hadn’t experienced Bai Xin’s despair, yet she could still feel pain; how much more so for Bai Xin, who had endured it step by difficult step.

Bai Xin turned her head and pressed her lips to Cheng Jiqing’s neck, without a word.

Cheng Jiqing’s breath hitched for a moment. Her breathing became erratic, especially quickly today.

Cheng Jiqing looked up, gazing into those dim, lifeless eyes amidst the sea of dark lights. This silence made Cheng Jiqing’s heart feel heavy, making her feel that Bai Xin was hiding her emotions deep inside, not sharing them.

She gently pinched Bai Xin’s chin, tilting her face upwards, then leaned down and kissed her.

Since she couldn’t speak, then she would use other means to make her Omega open her mouth.

She kissed her very gently.

Drawing Bai Xin’s recovering breaths into her own lungs.

Bai Xin finally couldn’t take it anymore and let out a clinging sound. She gripped Cheng Jiqing’s hand with force, pulling her backwards, and they tumbled into the soft quilt.

As they fell, Cheng Jiqing saw fine raindrops on the window, which, illuminated by the lights, shimmered with rainbow colors.

The colors in the darkness were particularly captivating.

Cheng Jiqing knew this place was very dangerous; she should leave with Bai Xin immediately…

The slit of the qipao wasn’t as high as the one on her dance costume, but it was still very convenient. The early autumn night breeze was growing cooler, and after the fine rain, there was an even greater sense of desolation. Yet, her fingertips became hot as soon as they touched moisture, as if that rain had been heated.

A heat that could start a prairie fire.

Bai Xin’s leg lifted, but Cheng Jiqing pressed it down more firmly. She said gently, “Say something, Xinxin.”

She kissed Bai Xin again, like the beginning of an ultimate, fierce battle, starting gently.

The more she resisted, the more Bai Xin tried to lift up. She knew Bai Xin was unwilling to speak and was just trying to use this method to make Bai Xin temporarily forget that painful experience.

Clearly, she succeeded.

Bai Xin couldn’t match her strength. Breathing heavily, she hugged Cheng Jiqing, their foreheads touching as she exhaled.

“Cheng Jiqing, you b#stard.”

She had no strength left.

Cheng Jiqing sighed in relief internally and smiled. “Mm, I’m a b#stard.”

…

It didn’t last long.

She understood Bai Xin—in this aspect.

Cheng Jiqing picked Bai Xin up with one arm, helped her dress underneath, smoothed out the wrinkled qipao, and then fastened the frog closures.⁴

The only thing Cheng Jiqing found regrettable was probably that these frog closures only went up to the collarbone; they were so tight she wanted to rip them right off.

This dark thought, however, made her gland suddenly go numb, and her throat began to itch.

She really wasn’t herself tonight.

“Don’t think about it. We’re going home.”

Cheng Jiqing said in a low, hoarse voice.

The room was filled with a sweet, cloying scent. In the dim light, Bai Xin looked at Cheng Jiqing. “Cheng Jiqing, will you always be by my side?”

Cheng Jiqing helped her fasten the last button and said, “My answer right now is, yes.”

Bai Xin: “Right now?”

Cheng Jiqing: “Mm. Right now.”

Bai Xin: “What about the future?”

Cheng Jiqing said, “That also depends on you.”

If you can tell me your worries, your troubles, I will.

If one day you can tell me you love me, I will.

…

Cheng Jiqing picked up the paper from the floor and threw it into the trash can.

When leading Bai Xin out, she saw bloodstains on her hand again and pulled her to the restroom to clean up. “Don’t do this again in the future. Doesn’t it hurt?”

Bai Xin gazed faintly at the bloodstains being washed away by the water. Cheng Jiqing also had some on her, from when Bai Xin had touched her earlier.

“Did you hear me?” Cheng Jiqing’s tone became stern, unconsciously.

Bai Xin came back to her senses and rubbed her fingertips. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Cheng Jiqing: “…”

Her expression soured. She turned Bai Xin to face her squarely and said seriously, “Are you unwilling to listen to a single word I say?”

With Bai Xin’s rebellious nature⁵, whose words had she ever listened to? Even if she had, it was only a brief pretense. But she listened to Cheng Jiqing’s words the most.

Seeing the displeasure on that face, the coldness in Bai Xin’s heart softened a few degrees. “Got it.”

She looked at Cheng Jiqing again. “Are you not feeling well?”

Even Cheng Jing could tell, how could she not?

Cheng Jiqing said, “I’m okay, it’s not really discomfort…”

She couldn’t quite explain it herself. It felt a bit familiar, yet also quite strange. In short, it was very odd.

“Let’s go first.”

After that absurd episode, not leaving would be truly messing around.

She sent Cheng Jing a message saying she was heading home first. She hadn’t driven, so she hailed a taxi at the entrance.

Bai Xin left separately from her. She had the car drive to the side of the hotel and waited for a few minutes, but didn’t see anyone come out.

Just as she was about to message Bai Xin, a call came from her first.

“Why aren’t you out yet?”

“Cheng Jiqing.”

Cheng Jiqing paused. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to go to the company.” Bai Xin’s voice was initially light, but then she added softly, “I might not come back today.”

This time, Cheng Jiqing had some suspicions.

What Bai Xin heard tonight was perhaps related to something. She could make Bai Xin temporarily forget her suffering, but she couldn’t truly help Bai Xin, nor could she make Bai Xin let go of her hatred.

Of course, she had never thought of doing so.

She only wanted Bai Xin to be happy and for things to go smoothly for her.

Cheng Jiqing said, “Okay, don’t be too late. Make sure to rest.”

Bai Xin replied, “Got it. You too.”

The call ended. Cheng Jiqing stared out the window for a few seconds and then said to the driver, “To Nanjing.”

On this end.

Bai Xin’s gaze lingered on Cheng Jiqing’s contact name for a moment, then she exited and opened Zhou Yushu’s WeChat.

【XM meeting, now.】

Cheng Jiqing had given her the best comfort, preventing her hatred from consuming her. But she couldn’t forget. She couldn’t wait that long anymore. No matter the cost, she wanted Bai Zhaoliang to get the retribution he deserved in the shortest possible time.

She suddenly remembered what Tu Xiuxiu had said.

Originally, she was supposed to tell Cheng Jiqing, but Bai Zhaoliang’s matter came up too quickly and disrupted her thoughts… She could only wait until these next couple of days were over.

Nine o’clock.

A light rain fell in Beicheng, as if everything had been washed clean, making one’s vision clearer, and even one’s heart feel purified.

Tu Xiuxiu sat in a black car, looking at the familiar buildings outside the window. The wind rustled her ink-black hair, making her appear gentle and charming for a moment.

“Xiuxiu-jie, if you leave, will you come back?”

Hearing her assistant’s question, Tu Xiuxiu came back to her senses and smiled without much emotion. “I’ll come back, but it’ll be a while.”

The assistant said dejectedly, “I really can’t bear for you to leave. If CEO Cheng finds out…”

“From now on, don’t mention Cheng Jing in front of me,” Tu Xiuxiu said lightly. “Although Xiu Yuan is closed, the place I recommended for you is also good. Work hard there; you’ll have a better future than following me.”

The assistant wiped her tears. “I feel like you really won’t come back.”

Others didn’t know how much effort Tu Xiuxiu had poured into Xiu Yuan, but she did.

Every piece of wood and brick, every blade of grass and object, she had handled personally. Now, to close it just like that—it didn’t seem like she intended to return at all.

Tu Xiuxiu turned her gaze outside again, her expression flat. “I came with nothing. Now that I’m leaving, I’m just returning it all to her.”

In the end, Cheng Jing wasn’t a good partner, and she herself wasn’t very virtuous either.

It’s just that she was petty-minded; having fallen in love, she couldn’t bear the suffering and ended up blaming Cheng Jing for all the problems.

She was doing it on purpose, deciding to be a thoroughly bad woman before she left.

She told Bai Xin about Cheng Jing and Cheng Jiqing’s relationship. This matter would be exposed sooner or later. If Bai Xin exposed it, Cheng Jing could also taste the bitterness of her beloved loving someone else…

Tu Xiuxiu’s eyes reddened. She knew her actions were despicable.

Just this once, the last time.

From now on, we’ll go our separate ways⁶, no more involvement.

…

The banquet ended.

Cheng Jing dragged her exhausted body to the suite upstairs to rest. She didn’t have the energy to go back today.

After sitting on the sofa for a while, Secretary Liu poured her a cup of tea. Cheng Jing rubbed her forehead and asked, “Did you see Tu Xiuxiu today?”

Secretary Liu said, “I did, but she left very quickly.”

Cheng Jing: “Did she say anything?”

Secretary Liu shook her head, observing Cheng Jing’s expression. “Why don’t you give her a call?”

Cheng Jing wasn’t in good spirits. She tossed her phone aside. “Forget it.”

She felt inexplicably irritable.

After sitting for a while, she was about to get up to wash when her gaze suddenly fell on the guest bedroom door. It was open.

As if by some unseen force, she stared for a moment.

It was in that brief moment that Cheng Jing suddenly and keenly remembered something she had overlooked when Cheng Jiqing appeared earlier…

She stood up, walked to the guest bedroom doorway, and stood there for a few seconds. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“Go get the surveillance footage from this doorway.”

In less than ten minutes, Secretary Liu had the surveillance footage transferred to a tablet and brought it over.

Cheng Jing opened it and scrolled directly to the time after Cheng Jiqing had entered the room.

Soon, a woman in a white qipao entered the frame.

“Isn’t this Miss Bai?” Secretary Liu said in surprise. “Did she come to see you?”

Cheng Jing’s expression was terrible. In just two minutes, she had personally seen Bai Xin walk into the room…

And she, who had been inside the room at the time, had been completely unaware.

Cheng Jing stared gloomily at the screen. Why? And right under her nose too.

She stared at the empty doorway, which remained so for a long time in the footage.

In the surveillance video, only after she had left did Cheng Jiqing and Bai Xin come out one after the other.

The Bai family people were really something. Bai Xin was clearly even more scheming and manipulative than Bai Zhaoliang, daring to secretly pursue Cheng Jiqing.

She didn’t know when it had started.

Thinking of Cheng Jiqing’s protectiveness towards Bai Xin, Cheng Jing forcefully flipped the tablet, smashing it directly onto the floor, and gritted her teeth. “Bai. Xin.”

Secretary Liu picked it up, looking at Cheng Jing apprehensively.

Cheng Jing closed her eyes in silence for a moment. Could anyone from the Bai family approaching Cheng Jiqing mean anything good?

Bai Xin seemed quiet and unassuming; the more someone was like that, the deeper their thoughts, and even she couldn’t see through her.

If it were in the past, she would have dealt with her directly. But now… She took a breath. If Cheng Jiqing protected her, and she acted too harshly, she feared she would damage the relationship they had just managed to improve.

“Find someone to investigate.”

Cheng Jing looked over coldly and said, word by word, “Investigate this person. Thoroughly.”

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The author has something to say:

Beginning
Chengcheng: I have ways to make you talk.

Later
Chengcheng: Shhh shhh shhh shhh

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