After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, I Marked the Crazy Hotshot – Chapter 86

Hold Me

Through a white-painted wooden door, the low murmur of voices could be heard.

The restroom was brightly lit, filled with the faint and elegant fragrance of jasmine.

Yet, Cheng Jiqing could only smell that bewitching scent. One moment, it reminded her of a vibrant spring night; the next, of a gentle breeze and fine rain.

Bai Xin’s voice was pale and adrift, fragile, desolate, and pitiable.

“Where?” Cheng Jiqing forced herself to remain calm.

Only after asking did she realize she should have pushed the person away.

The thought crossed my mind, but I didn’t act on it immediately.

She heard Bai Xin say slowly, “My heart hurts.”

Cheng Jiqing’s heart trembled for a moment, but it wasn’t over. A buzzing sound, carrying a scorching breath, slipped past her scarf and onto her neck.

“You didn’t choose me…”

Just now, if Cheng Jiqing had chosen number 7, they would have been in the same group.

But Cheng Jiqing hadn’t.

“When I saw you with Qin Yufu, I felt awful too.” Bai Xin made no effort to hide her thoughts. “I know you’re going to say we’ve already broken up, but Chengcheng, I’m hurting.”

Those repeated words, “I’m hurting,” were like a spring about to bottom out, oscillating dangerously.

Though delicate, they acted as a trigger, stirring the restlessness deep in Cheng Jiqing’s heart.

After a moment of silence.

“Let’s go back first.”

“Can you hold me for a bit?”

Cheng Jiqing’s hands had been suspended in mid-air. Bai Xin asked, full of longing.

She missed Cheng Jiqing’s embrace, missed Cheng Jiqing’s alluring scent, missed everything about Cheng Jiqing.

Just for a moment would be enough.

A vein throbbed on Cheng Jiqing’s forehead. She knew she was on the verge of softening.

Perhaps one more step, and she would fall all over again.

But a part of her was unwilling, creating a stalemate that left her in a difficult position.

Cheng Jiqing raised her hands and grasped Bai Xin’s thin shoulders.

Bai Xin didn’t insist. Instead, she straightened up from the embrace, following the force of Cheng Jiqing’s hands.

She said nothing more, merely gazing at Cheng Jiqing with delicate and fragile eyes.

Her pair of peach blossom eyes were full of affection, hiding honeyed hooks that were slowly reaching for her.

Cheng Jiqing’s eyelids lifted slightly, breaking their intertwined gazes. Her line of sight fell on Bai Xin’s forehead, which was still dotted with fine beads of sweat.

She said coolly, “I’ve never heard of you getting carsick.”

Bai Xin never had before.

Although the embrace was brief, the fact that Cheng Jiqing hadn’t immediately pushed her away was enough to fill Bai Xin with joy.

Cheng Jiqing isn’t completely heartless towards me.

Cheng Jiqing used to say I was hard to please. See, I’m not that hard to please.

Now I can even coax myself.

Bai Xin thought to herself.

“It’s a stomachache.” Bai Xin stared straight at Cheng Jiqing. She admitted to herself that she was a ‘scheming merchant,’ refusing to let go of any opportunity to make Cheng Jiqing waver and soften.

“I don’t have an appetite, so I haven’t eaten much.”

Remembering something, Bai Xin added in a low voice, “You told me to eat properly. I did, I just don’t have an appetite.”

She looked very honest as she spoke.

Very obedient.

In reality, Bai Xin wasn’t entirely faking her tone.

It was just that when such a soft and docile tone came from Bai Xin’s lips, it invariably carried a hint of seductive charm.

Cheng Jiqing’s brow furrowed slightly. She ground her teeth and let out a soft “Mm.”

“Find something to eat later.”

“Okay,” Bai Xin said.

If I can stomach it.

Hearing that word, Cheng Jiqing thought of the unrestrained, wild Bai Xin of the past, and a strange, heavy, and unbearable emotion surged within her.

Her lips parted, as if to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.

Cheng Jiqing glanced at the sweat that was almost dry on Bai Xin’s forehead, took a pack of tissues from her pocket, pulled one out, and handed it over.

When Bai Xin reached out to take it, Cheng Jiqing was startled by the touch of her ice-cold fingers.

Her delicate brows knitted together again. For a brief two seconds, all her emotions and complex thoughts coalesced into a single question: “Why did you come here?”

“For you, of course.”

…

Cheng Jiqing suddenly regretted asking that question.

“Will you blame me for following you?” Bai Xin asked in turn.

The sweat on Bai Xin’s forehead was still there, the tissue still clutched in her hand. The little bit of warmth from their embrace and the faint heat from Cheng Jiqing’s fingers on the tissue were already showing signs of warming her body.

How miraculous.

Bai Xin suddenly thought, if she were to fall ill one day, Cheng Jiqing would be her best medicine.

No one else could cure her.

Cheng Jiqing didn’t speak; it was a question she couldn’t answer.

Bai Xin’s arrival was, to put it mildly, unexpected. But could she blame Bai Xin? She asked herself from the heart.

She couldn’t give an answer.

The answer was therefore obvious.

“Chengcheng, have you been happy? In the days without you, I haven’t been happy.”

Bai Xin’s gaze locked onto Cheng Jiqing.

Cheng Jiqing’s eyelashes cast a row of shadows, as dark as ink.

“Bai Xin…”

Before she could finish, the sweater at her waist was grabbed. The person before her suddenly took a step closer, and Cheng Jiqing instinctively leaned her upper body back.

But it was only a futile arc.

Bai Xin raised a hand to her scarf, her fingertips pressing down as if adjusting it for her.

She could almost feel the slight coolness of that hand. Strangely, her glands were faintly heating up.

Bai Xin’s clear voice sounded by her ear:

“If there’s a next time, I will still choose 7.”

Bai Xin returned to the lounge.

The other guests expressed their concern, whether genuine or feigned, and Bai Xin gave simple replies.

Director Yu Wei also came over to ask if she was alright, and Bai Xin shook her head.

Her knuckles curled, slowly rubbing against her palm.

Her stomach still felt upset, but her heart was feeling better.

Perhaps she had started to recover the moment Cheng Jiqing came looking for her.

She glanced at Cheng Jiqing, who was quietly reading a book opposite her, paused for a moment, then lowered her gaze to check her phone.

There were several messages from Bai Zhaoliang asking to see her, which she deleted directly.

After quickly handling a few company issues, she went back and saw Zhou Yushu’s reply.

【Qi Xiaoran is easy to deal with.】

【But you should remind Cheng Jiqing that people are already digging into her background.】

Bai Xin wasn’t worried about this.

Because Cheng Jiqing never cared about such things. It was true even before she entered the entertainment industry. Even if her identity as an investor in Lan Qi was exposed, Cheng Jiqing wouldn’t be surprised.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, she suddenly heard someone call her name.

A staff member walked over to her with a cup of hot water and a sandwich.

“Drink some hot water to warm your stomach. We’re about to board, so eat something to tide you over.”

Bai Xin accepted the items.

The water and sandwich were both warm. Holding them in her hands, her dimples pressed down softly, then quickly smoothed out.

No one saw the delight in her eyes.

Before they parted just now, Cheng Jiqing had looked like she didn’t want to bother with her.

After returning, she had also sat opposite her.

However, Cheng Jiqing didn’t know that Bai Xin had only told her that she hadn’t eaten—this food wasn’t from the staff.

Cheng Jiqing kept her head down and turned a page.

She should have finished the end of 《Going Ashore》 long ago, but when she reached the final part, it was during that period of heavy, blanketing snow.

She had empathized too deeply and couldn’t bring herself to continue reading.

Only now did she finally have the thought to pick it up again.

‘On the day we first met, I knew that when the mermaid queen was moved by love, her tail would curl up. On the day I came ashore, I knew that when she was sad, her tail would also curl up.

I also knew that the mermaid queen’s tears would not turn into pearls.

I still chose to come ashore.

The place where I came ashore is also the place where I jumped.

Where it began is where it ends.’

…

‘I came ashore and headed away from the sea.’

‘In a direction of no return.’

This was the final chapter.

But Cheng Jiqing suddenly discovered there was one more chapter after it.

It began with the exact same sentence as the start of the book.

‘There are many things in this world that cannot be explained, such as love.

I began to receive keepsakes from the sea: shells, pearls, conches…

Suddenly one day, I received a golden scale from a mermaid.

Legend has it that the mermaid queen is born with three golden scales, which symbolize the queen’s dignity, power, and life.’

Cheng Jiqing was engrossed, about to read on, when it was time to board.

The production team had bought the tickets; all the guests were in first class.

Qin Yufu walked up to Bai Xin and hesitated. “Bai Xin, why did you come too?”

In the waiting lounge earlier, she had tried to talk to Bai Xin, but Bai Xin’s attitude had been rather indifferent, so she hadn’t dared to ask much.

Right now, the other guests were all talking amongst themselves.

Bai Xin’s gaze shifted from Cheng Jiqing’s back to Qin Yufu’s face. She suddenly let out a short laugh. “What about you? Why did you come?”

Qin Yufu pursed her lips and replied, “I saw the news online, thought it looked interesting, and just gave it a try. I didn’t expect them to contact me.”

Bai Xin looked at her for two seconds. “Is that so.”

Her gaze was as sharp as a physical object, as if it could see through everything, making one’s heart inexplicably flustered.

Qin Yufu replied, “Yes.”

“Weren’t you asking why I came?” Bai Xin stopped walking and stared at Qin Yufu, saying word by word, “For Cheng Jiqing.”

Qin Yufu’s expression faltered slightly.

The corners of Bai Xin’s eyes tilted up slightly, and her full, red lips curved into a faint arc. She then turned her gaze forward.

She had lost the interest to continue the conversation, fearing that if they kept talking, her attitude would turn sour.

It was best to leave it at that.

Cheng Jiqing took her boarding pass and went on board.

A window seat.

She didn’t know who would be sitting next to her.

After taking her seat, she watched as Bai Xin walked over, step by step…

Then, she stopped at the aisle seat next to her.

Their eyes met. Cheng Jiqing was slightly stunned. Bai Xin is sitting next to me?

The thought flashed through her mind, but Bai Xin walked past her toward the back.

Cheng Jiqing: “…”

She let out a quiet sigh of relief. The flight to Denmark would take over nine hours. If Bai Xin sat next to her, who knew what kind of tricks she would pull.

The moment the thought emerged, Cheng Jiqing was alarmed to realize her first reaction wasn’t resistance.

She immediately shook her head to clear it.

Soon, Lu Xi put down her bag and greeted her, “Chengcheng, I’m sitting next to you.”

Cheng Jiqing smiled and said, “Welcome.”

“Xixi.”

Suddenly, Cheng Jiqing heard a familiar voice but an unfamiliar form of address… Lu Xi? When did they get so close?

Lifting her gaze slightly, she saw that Lu Xi also seemed a bit surprised.

Bai Xin’s hand rested lightly on the back of the seat. “Can I switch seats with you? I like the aisle.”

Just a moment ago, her attitude had been mostly cool. Lu Xi hadn’t expected her name to sound so pleasant when Bai Xin said it. As a sound-con¹, she had no reason to refuse.

Lu Xi was very straightforward. “Of course, you can.”

Bai Xin tilted her head. The white, form-fitting turtleneck sweater made her skin look even more translucent and captivating. Her eyelashes lowered slightly. “Thank you.”

Cheng Jiqing: “…”

A white figure sat down beside her, bringing with it a subtle fragrance that only Cheng Jiqing could distinguish—the lily scent of a 3S Omega emanating from within.

After all, she and Bai Xin had been together for so long, especially with how often they had done that kind of thing.

Her heart suddenly started beating faster. This scent would also appear when Bai Xin was in the mood.

It was richer than usual, with an extra trace of her unique body fragrance.

She was forced to inhale a few breaths. The thought that they would be on the plane for nine hours suddenly made her inexplicably anxious.

Unable to hold back, she turned her head and said, “Miss Bai, shouldn’t you be a little more low-key?”

Aren’t you afraid people will notice something is off?

Also, she should have said it back in the restroom. By coming on the show like this, wasn’t Bai Xin afraid of being targeted? If her identity were to be exposed, what good would it do Bai Xin?

Hearing this, Bai Xin asked, “What’s wrong?”

Cheng Jiqing was choked by that gaze. For a moment, she thought, Forget it. She doesn’t even care, so why should I worry?

The next moment, Bai Xin’s upper body abruptly leaned closer.

“Chengcheng, you don’t want to sit with me?”

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The author has something to say:

Bai-jie: You don’t want to do it with me?²

Chengcheng: ?

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