After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, I Marked the Crazy Hotshot – Chapter 86
by Little PandaHold 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 Xinβs voice was pale and adrift, fragile, desolate, and pitiable.
βWhere?β 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, βMy heart hurts.β
Cheng Jiqingβs heart trembled for a moment, but it wasnβt over. A buzzing sound, carrying a scorching breath, slipped past her scarf and onto her neck.
βYou didnβt choose meβ¦β
Just now, if Cheng Jiqing had chosen number 7, they would have been in the same group.
But Cheng Jiqing hadnβt.
βWhen I saw you with Qin Yufu, I felt awful too.β Bai Xin made no effort to hide her thoughts. βI know youβre going to say weβve already broken up, but Chengcheng, Iβm hurting.β
Those repeated words, βIβm hurting,β were like a spring about to bottom out, oscillating dangerously.
Though delicate, they acted as a trigger, stirring the restlessness deep in Cheng Jiqingβs heart.
After a moment of silence.
βLetβs go back first.β
βCan you hold me for a bit?β
Cheng Jiqingβs hands had been suspended in mid-air. Bai Xin asked, full of longing.
She missed Cheng Jiqingβs embrace, missed Cheng Jiqingβs alluring scent, missed everything about Cheng Jiqing.
Just for a moment would be enough.
A vein throbbed on Cheng Jiqingβs 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 Xinβs thin shoulders.
Bai Xin didnβt insist. Instead, she straightened up from the embrace, following the force of Cheng Jiqingβs 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 Jiqingβs eyelids lifted slightly, breaking their intertwined gazes. Her line of sight fell on Bai Xinβs forehead, which was still dotted with fine beads of sweat.
She said coolly, βIβve never heard of you getting carsick.β
Bai Xin never had before.
Although the embrace was brief, the fact that Cheng Jiqing hadnβt 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, Iβm not that hard to please.
Now I can even coax myself.
Bai Xin thought to herself.
βItβs a stomachache.β Bai Xin stared straight at Cheng Jiqing. She admitted to herself that she was a βscheming merchant,β refusing to let go of any opportunity to make Cheng Jiqing waver and soften.
βI donβt have an appetite, so I havenβt eaten much.β
Remembering something, Bai Xin added in a low voice, βYou told me to eat properly. I did, I just donβt have an appetite.β
She looked very honest as she spoke.
Very obedient.
In reality, Bai Xin wasnβt entirely faking her tone.
It was just that when such a soft and docile tone came from Bai Xinβs lips, it invariably carried a hint of seductive charm.
Cheng Jiqingβs brow furrowed slightly. She ground her teeth and let out a soft βMm.β
βFind something to eat later.β
βOkay,β 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 Xinβs 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: βWhy did you come here?β
βFor you, of course.β
β¦
Cheng Jiqing suddenly regretted asking that question.
βWill you blame me for following you?β Bai Xin asked in turn.
The sweat on Bai Xinβs 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 Jiqingβs 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 didnβt speak; it was a question she couldnβt answer.
Bai Xinβs arrival was, to put it mildly, unexpected. But could she blame Bai Xin? She asked herself from the heart.
She couldnβt give an answer.
The answer was therefore obvious.
βChengcheng, have you been happy? In the days without you, I havenβt been happy.β
Bai Xinβs gaze locked onto Cheng Jiqing.
Cheng Jiqingβs eyelashes cast a row of shadows, as dark as ink.
βBai Xinβ¦β
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 Xinβs clear voice sounded by her ear:
βIf thereβs a next time, I will still choose 7.β
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 Yushuβs reply.
γQi Xiaoran is easy to deal with.γ
γBut you should remind Cheng Jiqing that people are already digging into her background.γ
Bai Xin wasnβt 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 wouldnβt 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.
βDrink some hot water to warm your stomach. Weβre about to board, so eat something to tide you over.β
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 eatenβthis food wasn’t from the staff.
Cheng Jiqing kept her head down and turned a page.
She should have finished the end of γGoing Ashoreγ long ago, but when she reached the final part, it was during that period of heavy, blanketing snow.
She had empathized too deeply and couldnβt bring herself to continue reading.
Only now did she finally have the thought to pick it up again.
βOn 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 queenβs 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.β
β¦
βI came ashore and headed away from the sea.β
βIn a direction of no return.β
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.
βThere are many things in this world that cannot be explained, such as love.
I began to receive keepsakes from the sea: shells, pearls, conchesβ¦
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 queenβs dignity, power, and life.β
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. βBai Xin, why did you come too?β
In the waiting lounge earlier, she had tried to talk to Bai Xin, but Bai Xinβs attitude had been rather indifferent, so she hadn’t dared to ask much.
Right now, the other guests were all talking amongst themselves.
Bai Xinβs gaze shifted from Cheng Jiqingβs back to Qin Yufuβs face. She suddenly let out a short laugh. βWhat about you? Why did you come?β
Qin Yufu pursed her lips and replied, βI saw the news online, thought it looked interesting, and just gave it a try. I didn’t expect them to contact me.β
Bai Xin looked at her for two seconds. βIs that so.β
Her gaze was as sharp as a physical object, as if it could see through everything, making oneβs heart inexplicably flustered.
Qin Yufu replied, βYes.β
βWerenβt you asking why I came?β Bai Xin stopped walking and stared at Qin Yufu, saying word by word, βFor Cheng Jiqing.β
Qin Yufuβs expression faltered slightly.
The corners of Bai Xinβs 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 didnβt know who would be sitting next to her.
After taking her seat, she watched as Bai Xin walked over, step by stepβ¦
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: ββ¦β
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 wasnβt resistance.
She immediately shook her head to clear it.
Soon, Lu Xi put down her bag and greeted her, βChengcheng, Iβm sitting next to you.β
Cheng Jiqing smiled and said, βWelcome.β
βXixi.β
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 Xinβs hand rested lightly on the back of the seat. βCan I switch seats with you? I like the aisle.β
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. βOf course, you can.β
Bai Xin tilted her head. The white, form-fitting turtleneck sweater made her skin look even more translucent and captivating. Her eyelashes lowered slightly. βThank you.β
Cheng Jiqing: ββ¦β
A white figure sat down beside her, bringing with it a subtle fragrance that only Cheng Jiqing could distinguishβthe 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, βMiss Bai, shouldnβt you be a little more low-key?β
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, wasnβt 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, βWhatβs wrong?β
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 Xinβs upper body abruptly leaned closer.
βChengcheng, you donβt want to sit with me?β
The author has something to say:
Bai-jie: You donβt want to do it with me?2
Chengcheng: ?
Footnotes
- ι³ζ§ | yΔ«n kΓ²ng | A slang term for someone who has a fetish or strong preference for pleasant voices.
- The author is making a pun here. The word for βsitβ (ε | zuΓ²) sounds identical to the word for βdoβ or βmakeβ (ε | zuΓ²), which in this context is a euphemism for βmake loveβ.
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