After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, I Marked the Crazy Hotshot – Chapter 87
by Little PandaYou Don’t Mind, Right?
An Omega’s unique scent lingered at the tip of Cheng Jiqing’s nose.
It crashed into her breath and leaped into her heavy heart.
“I don’t want to.”
She said.
Visibly, the light in Bai Xin’s eyes dimmed. The space had not yet fallen completely silent; people behind and around them were still talking.
Cheng Jiqing’s voice wasn’t loud, deliberately kept low. “Go back.”
Bai Xin took a light breath, her teeth pressing into the soft flesh inside her lip.
“What if I say no?”
Cheng Jiqing said, “You clearly can’t stand it, so why subject yourself to this torment?”
The subtext was—this is only the first episode. Bai Xin was not the type of person to willingly swallow her pride and endure grievances. Yet now, she was reining herself in before her, not flaring up, being obedient and well-behaved.
Why suffer this ordeal?
Bai Xin naturally understood. She had come prepared for a thousand scenarios, knowing she would face Cheng Jiqing’s coldness.
But when Cheng Jiqing actually told her to leave, her heart still ached.
The bit of self-composure she had gathered before boarding the plane was now on the verge of wavering.
Bai Xin’s upper body was still pressed against the partition next to her seat, her gaze darkening. “Chengcheng, if you think a few words can prick me enough to make me leave, then by all means, say them.”
After speaking, she leaned back, turning her head to the other side.
It was as if she didn’t want Cheng Jiqing to see her emotions.
Hearing this, Cheng Jiqing watched her for a few seconds before also turning her head away, saying no more.
The atmosphere between the two sank into silence.
For the several hours after the plane took off, they didn’t exchange another word.
The cabin window was pitch black. Cheng Jiqing had been sleeping, but her thoughts were pulled back by the vibration of her phone.
She looked down at WeChat; it was a message from Song Ling.
Song Ling: 【Little CEO Cheng, who’s your sugar daddy?】
Cheng Jiqing: 【…?】
Song Ling sent a Weibo link. She clicked on it.
An anonymous post from a Big V1 had already surpassed five thousand likes and had over two thousand comments.
Cheng Jiqing looked at the image in the post.
‘Spilling some tea, heavily censored. Cheng Jiqing from 《Let’s Go Together》, she got into Yixin through the ‘back door.’ What Qi Xiaoran said is true. In the beginning, Cheng Jiqing was just an extra. I have a picture. Then, that top-tier agent in the industry took a fancy to her but had no intention of signing her (thought she was a flower vase2). It was the big boss behind Cheng Jiqing who approached the agent and insisted that she personally manage her, so she had no choice but to sign. After that, resources were just piled on her. Her first drama was a lead role, it’s truly exaggerated, trending on the hot search every single day. A blatant forced push. Moreover, this big boss is very powerful. Celebrities like Li Yunlan and Zhou Qing, who usually don’t interact much on Weibo, were forced to engage for business.’
‘Later, she terminated her contract with Yixin, probably because she had a falling out with the big boss. But she’s capable, you know? She turned around and latched onto a new big boss. Let me put it this way, both of them are incredibly powerful, top-tier in Beicheng’s business world. You can make some bold guesses upwards.
Now, her drama isn’t even out yet, and she’s on another popular variety show… You get the picture, read between the lines.’
There was also a photo.
It was surprisingly a picture of her auditioning at Beicheng Film and Television City.
The likely intention was to show that she indeed came from a grassroots background and was kept by a succession of patrons… leading to a flood of resources and her rise to prominence.
Cheng Jiqing: “…”
If she weren’t the person in question, she might have almost believed this exposé.
Cheng Jiqing smiled silently and scrolled down to the comments.
‘I knew something was strange, how did she rise so fast with better and better resources? Cheng-jie is amazing.’
‘Guess upwards? How far up?’
‘Isn’t Yixin owned by XM? The CEO’s surname is Zhou, right? Is there even a need to guess…’
Seeing this comment, Cheng Jiqing raised an eyebrow. Well then, so she supposedly climbed the ladder thanks to Zhou Yushu?
She inexplicably turned her head to look at the person beside her.
The lights had been dimmed. Bai Xin, at some point, had turned to face her. She was wearing makeup today; her fair cheeks had a pinkish hue, her eyeliner was slightly winged, her eyelids had a faint pearlescent shimmer, and her eyelashes were long and distinct.
Her lips were the color of a red rose, full and shapely.
Cheng Jiqing’s gaze paused briefly on her lips before moving down to Bai Xin’s body—the blanket that was supposed to be covering her had slipped down to her wrist.
She pretended not to see and lowered her head to look at her phone again.
She continued scrolling.
‘Aren’t there two big bosses? Who’s the other one? Cheng Corporation? Still guessing upwards, is Cheng Jiqing that amazing?’
‘I think those in this thread guessing Cheng Corporation make sense. Isn’t CEO Cheng unmarried? It’s normal to keep a celebrity.’
‘? Isn’t the CEO of Cheng Corporation an Alpha? No way, your circle is truly a mess.’
Cheng Jiqing was thoroughly amused.
It was deep in the night in Beicheng, yet so many people were still enjoying the gossip.
But she had to admit, this generation of netizens had sharp noses. If one had to say, both Cheng Corporation and XM were indeed related to her.
She exited the page and went back to reply to Song Ling.
Her fingertips tapped open the keyboard, but she didn’t type immediately. After staring at the screen in brief silence, she took a deep breath, then suddenly turned and raised her hand.
She lightly pinched a corner of the blanket with two fingers and pulled it up to cover Bai Xin’s arm.
Then, she nonchalantly turned her head back.
She didn’t know that as she turned back, the Omega’s feather-like lashes fluttered gently.
Cheng Jiqing looked at her phone.
Song Ling: 【These dumb#sses, don’t let me find out who’s behind this, I’ll kill them.】
Song Ling: 【Can you think of who it might be? I’ve already sent someone to look for that blogger.】
Song Ling: 【I bet Cheng Jing will flip out when she sees this too.】
Cheng Jiqing didn’t reply for a moment, and Song Ling’s messages came one after another. She could imagine her friend’s fuming state.
A slight curve appeared on Cheng Jiqing’s lips: 【No need to look for them, it’s unnecessary. It’s so late, you should get some sleep.】
This information was all fragmented, but it did require certain channels to obtain. However, it wasn’t necessarily because she had offended someone. There were plenty of people who sought a sense of accomplishment, who thought they knew everything after getting a few pieces of information.
There were always people like that in the world; it was nothing strange.
Besides, the more one tried to explain such matters, the messier they became. Even if she clarified, people wouldn’t necessarily believe her.
But she couldn’t do nothing either, or it would be seen as a tacit admission.
She glanced at the time.
It should be around 1 AM in Beicheng. She’d deal with it when Beicheng’s day began.
Late at night, even netizens needed to sleep.
There’s never been a more considerate subject of the gossip3 than me, Cheng Jiqing thought.
Song Ling: 【Sleep? What sleep? I haven’t even gotten to the main point!】
Song Ling: 【Are you selectively reading my messages? You, Bai Xin, and Qin Yufu, what kind of lineup is this? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a spectacular scene.】
Song Ling: 【An Omega first love, an Alpha ex-girlfriend, the ultimate love triangle. Even steel isn’t as hard as your head.】
Cheng Jiqing: 【…Shut up.】
Cheng Jiqing: 【Not a first love, no love triangle, thank you very much.】
Song Ling: 【But other people don’t know that. I bet you won’t even need to clarify before someone digs it all up. And then the relationship between the three of you will be impossible to hide.】
Cheng Jiqing had a headache too.
She had just messaged Qin Yufu, who said she was chosen for the show by chance.
Other things didn’t matter as much, but she was worried that as things escalated, the public’s attention would fall on Bai Xin.
Under the camera’s lens, every subtle expression would be magnified countless times.
Bai Xin’s constitution was so poor, and she was so sensitive. If anything happened… the possibility of her identity as a 3S Omega being exposed would increase exponentially.
Bai Xin shouldn’t have come. Given her forbearance over the years, she shouldn’t have impulsively come here. For Bai Xin, it was dangerous.
The time difference between Beicheng and Denmark was seven hours at this time.
The plane arrived at Kastrup Airport at one in the afternoon, European time.
Outside the airport, very light snow was falling, yet the sky was clear and white.
Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, located on the island of Zealand. It is also the largest city and port, once named the world’s most livable city. It is separated from Malmö, Sweden, by just a strait.
After a ten-hour journey, everyone was exhausted and had no time to appreciate the city’s local customs and culture.
After coming out, Bai Xin followed behind Cheng Jiqing, pulling her luggage in silence.
One of the wheels on Qin Yufu’s suitcase was broken. When they were retrieving the luggage, Cheng Jiqing helped her carry it.
Bai Xin watched the entire scene from the side.
She saw very clearly as Cheng Jiqing tilted her head down and said something to Qin Yufu.
A voice only the two of them could hear.
Bai Xin’s hand holding her luggage tightened.
Is Cheng Jiqing doing this on purpose?
Does she really want to see me pushed to my limit?
Or does she truly no longer care about my feelings?
Her chest felt heavy.
Leaving the airport.
Cheng Jiqing felt the gazes of the people around her change somewhat. She remembered the trending topic online; they must have seen it too.
Just as she was thinking, a voice approached.
“Xiao Cheng, the news online is fake, right?”
Cheng Jiqing looked up. Qi Xiaoran was asking with a serious expression, looking entirely innocent.
Aside from Bai Xin and Qin Yufu, the other guests and even the surrounding camera crew revealed probing gazes.
She retorted, “What do you think?”
Qi Xiaoran: “I’m sure you’re not that kind of person, but gossip can be vicious. You should clarify it quickly.”
The last sentence sounded very sincere.
Hearing this, Cheng Jiqing glanced at the cameraman beside her and said jokingly, “Thank you for your concern, Teacher Qi, for worrying about me in front of so many people.”
She was good-tempered and didn’t like to cause trouble, but she had one trait—she didn’t put up with sh#t-stirrers.
The production team’s surprise live broadcast yesterday had a great effect, but because of time differences in some locations, they would give advance notice before going live during future activities.
Although it wasn’t live now, what was recorded could still be broadcast. And controversial clips that could attract attention were unlikely to be cut by the production team.
Weren’t Qi Xiaoran’s words just pushing her further into the storm?
If she didn’t have some substance, who knows where she’d be swept away to.
After Cheng Jiqing spoke, Qi Xiaoran’s expression indeed stiffened for a moment. She probably hadn’t expected Cheng Jiqing, who looked easy to bully, to be not the least bit soft.
She was embarrassed but quickly showed a look of realization and guilt. “Ah, that’s not what I meant.”
“Of course, I understand.”
Cheng Jiqing said gently, “You didn’t mean that.”
After speaking, she gave a slight smile and walked towards the vehicle.
Qi Xiaoran stood on the spot, looking ‘aggrieved,’ and asked Lu Xi, “Is Chengcheng angry? I’m just so bad with words.”
Lu Xi consoled her from the side, “Let’s go, it’s fine. Chengcheng didn’t mind it, don’t overthink it.”
Qi Xiaoran looked up, about to say something, when she suddenly saw Bai Xin walk over in two steps. Bai Xin said nothing, but that pair of stunning eyes swept over her coolly.
She said nothing, but for a moment, it sent an unexplainable chill down Qi Xiaoran’s spine.
…
They sat in the same groups as on the plane. Cheng Jiqing helped put Qin Yufu’s luggage away.
As she boarded the vehicle, Cheng Jiqing caught someone looking at her out of the corner of her eye, but she didn’t look up. Throughout this whole journey, she thought Bai Xin would do or cause something, but Bai Xin did nothing.
She could feel Bai Xin’s restraint.
If Bai Xin could be like before, turning and leaving in a fit of anger, it would actually be a good thing for Bai Xin herself.
But she didn’t.
She admitted that Bai Xin was changing, changing in the direction she wanted.
However, Cheng Jiqing did not feel good about it.
The drive from the airport to the city was short, only twenty minutes.
The accommodation was in a villa district, a modern-style two-story house.
The living room was spacious, with an open-plan kitchen and an excellent view.
Next to it was a long, white rectangular dining table. A European-style patterned tablecloth draped down, on which were placed several exquisite pastries and black tea.
“Everyone, please rest in the living room for a while. We’ve prepared afternoon tea for you. Have something to eat, and we’ll talk about the upcoming arrangements in an hour.”
Everyone sat on chairs or the sofa in the room, relaxing.
They were all exhausted.
The cameras were turned off at this time.
Qin Yufu glanced at Cheng Jiqing and said, “I’m going to check out the back. Cheng Jiqing, are you coming?”
Cheng Jiqing nodded. “Okay.”
As she said this, her gaze subconsciously flickered towards Bai Xin.
The others were too tired, already slumped in their seats, with no energy to care.
Only Bai Xin sat where she was, taking a sip of water. Her aura was as deep as a secluded valley, her long eyelashes lowered, hiding whatever emotions lay beneath.
She sat there quietly.
Like the calm before a blizzard.
Cheng Jiqing and Qin Yufu went to the back, one after the other.
Standing in the spacious backyard, the winter garden still had green plants, trimmed very neatly and beautifully.
A cold wind swept by, carrying the sparse snowflakes in the air.
Denmark rarely has heavy snow.
“Miss Qin, what did you want to talk to me about?”
Cheng Jiqing asked.
Just after leaving the airport, Qin Yufu had said she wanted to find a convenient time to talk to her about something.
Qin Yufu tucked her ink-black hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were slightly rosy, and she looked hesitant, but she quickly took a breath and looked up. “Cheng Jiqing, I want to tell you, my participation in this show…”
She met Cheng Jiqing’s clean and exquisite eyes, paused, and then continued, “I was indeed interested in this show, but I hadn’t confirmed my participation at that time. But my friend accidentally found out you would be coming, so that’s why I confirmed.”
Cheng Jiqing was a little stunned. “…Huh?”
Qin Yufu took another deep breath of the cold air, mustering her courage. “I originally wanted to use this opportunity to slowly get to know you, but it might be too late now. You told me to fight for what I want, right?”
Cheng Jiqing already understood.
She gently cut her off, “Um, Miss Qin.”
“You don’t have to be nervous. I just wanted to let you know that I have… feelings for you.” The wind was blowing, but the heat on Qin Yufu’s face didn’t dissipate. She said, “It’s not that deep kind of love, but the kind of like where being with you feels very comfortable. So, I want to give it a try.”
It was also Bai Xin’s frankness that suddenly gave her the idea to confess.
She knew she wasn’t as decisive as Bai Xin, always hesitating about everything. But seeing how Bai Xin had even entered a fake marriage with her to hide her Omega identity, and now she could disregard her Omega identity to step into the public eye.
She could even frankly state that she came for Cheng Jiqing.
Why couldn’t she admit it too?
Although it wasn’t entirely for Cheng Jiqing, it would be a pity to miss out.
Cheng Jiqing was a very good person.
“I’m not nervous.”
The mist from her breath dissipated in an instant. Cheng Jiqing blinked and said, “But Miss Qin, I…”
“You don’t have to rush to give me an answer.”
The wind blew, rustling through the yard, and also stirred the white knitted long dress around the corner…
When the two returned, the director was just coming over. The ‘sage time4‘ was over.
Bai Xin wasn’t at the table. Cheng Jiqing glanced over and saw Bai Xin, head slightly bowed, washing her hands at the kitchen island.
She stood about two meters away from the crowd.
Her coat was off, and a high-necked, form-fitting knit dress clung to her curvaceous figure. Because she was washing her hands, the sleeves were rolled up, revealing skin as white as jade, resting softly on the counter.
Distant from the others, her aura was clear, cold, and lonely yet stunning.
Everyone in the room couldn’t help but steal another glance.
Due to the grouping, there was no designated tour leader this time. Director Yuwei was cuing the next part of the schedule.
“You’ll all be staying here for two days and three nights, so you can now discuss the accommodation arrangements. There are four rooms in total. One downstairs, three upstairs, and of course, the sofa. We won’t interfere with that…” Yuwei’s words were laced with a joke as she said, “Now, you all can discuss it amongst yourselves.”
To the public.
Cheng Jiqing, Bai Xin, and Lu Xi were Alphas.
Qi Xiaoran and the athlete were Betas.
Only Qin Yufu was an Omega.
“Yufu will definitely get her own room,” Lu Xi analyzed.
Alphas and Betas, having different attributes, would also generally avoid rooming together.
Two Betas, given the number of rooms, would logically share one.
That left two rooms for three Alphas, which should be easy to sort out.
Qi Xiaoran suddenly said, “I don’t sleep very well… can I have a room to myself?”
Hearing this, the group looked at each other.
“Then someone will have to sleep on the sofa,” Lu Xi said.
Cheng Jiqing thought that neither she nor Bai Xin could sleep on the sofa.
If she slept on the sofa, Bai Xin would have no choice but to share a room with Lu Xi, which was impossible.
And to let Bai Xin sleep on the sofa alone, she also…
At that moment, she found this Qi Xiaoran incredibly annoying.
“The sofa won’t work, it’s not a very soft material,” said the athlete, a thirty-year-old woman with the surname Zhou. She was quite direct. Looking at Qi Xiaoran, she asked, “Do you have insomnia? Or something else?”
Bai Xin suddenly spoke up, “You slept just fine on the plane and in the car.”
Her gaze fell on Qi Xiaoran.
Bai Xin’s tone was excessively cold, her words like daggers.
Qi Xiaoran: “…”
She didn’t quite understand why Bai Xin was constantly picking on her. She hadn’t offended Bai Xin, so why was she being targeted? But for some reason, she was inexplicably intimidated.
Under the cameras, Qi Xiaoran composed herself. “It’s fine, I’ll share a room with Zhou-jie then. I just have trouble sleeping sometimes, I can manage.”
“Okay, then the three of us will split the remaining two rooms. It’s not that I insist on my own room, but I grind my teeth really badly…” Lu Xi said without reservation, even smiling with a cute and generous air. “But if you don’t mind me, I’m fine with anything.”
Cheng Jiqing realized that even with Qi Xiaoran sorted out, there was still a problem.
The next second, she looked up, and her gaze collided with Bai Xin’s.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She watched as Bai Xin walked towards her step by step, hidden bloodshot veins surfacing in her peach-blossom eyes, as if her tolerance had reached its absolute limit.
It was as if she would devour someone whole if Cheng Jiqing made a choice contrary to her wishes.
Bai Xin didn’t speak, just looked at Cheng Jiqing as she approached.
A brief few seconds of silence.
Bai Xin had already reached Cheng Jiqing.
Cheng Jiqing caught a faint, fragrant scent. She pressed her lips together. If she wants to eat me, then so be it.
She could endure the teeth grinding.
She could not share a room with Bai Xin.
Bai Xin seemed to see through Cheng Jiqing’s thoughts. As a sharp pain pierced her heart, she narrowed her eyes, hiding the irrational thoughts within.
She was still waiting for an answer.
Seeing the situation, Qi Xiaoran noticed Cheng Jiqing’s hesitation and smiled. “Lu Xi is probably also afraid of disturbing others. Why don’t you two just share a room?”
“Since you’re both Alphas, you shouldn’t mind, right?”
Cheng Jiqing: “…”
Is this woman toxic?
Just as Cheng Jiqing was about to speak, a sharp pain suddenly shot through the sensitive spot on her lower back.
Bai Xin had silently pinched her there, her voice cool and clear. “We don’t mind.”
Cheng Jiqing: “…”
And so, the rooms for the first stay were settled.
Everyone prepared to move their luggage into their rooms.
After the long journey, the director told them they would have time for a nap and would go out later in the afternoon.
They had to carry their things up to the second floor, one level at a time.
“Let me help you,” Lu Xi said, taking Qin Yufu’s suitcase.
Hearing this, Cheng Jiqing didn’t look up.
She directly grabbed her own and Bai Xin’s suitcases. Bai Xin had been calm this entire time, but Cheng Jiqing instead sensed a hint of strangeness.
Entering the room, Cheng Jiqing put down her suitcase. Just as it touched the floor.
Da— a sound rang out.
She turned around. Bai Xin had already closed the door and locked it.
The author has something to say:
Chengcheng: What are you trying to do!
Bai-jie: Do what needs to be done (not really)
Footnotes
- 大V | dà V | Lit. “Big V,” referring to verified accounts on Weibo with a large number of followers, indicating they are influential.
- 花瓶 | huāpíng | Lit. “flower vase.” A derogatory slang term for a person, usually a woman, who is considered beautiful but lacks talent, intelligence, or substance.
- The original term is 瓜主 (guā zhǔ), lit. “melon owner.” In Chinese internet slang, “eating melon” (吃瓜) means watching drama or gossip unfold as a bystander. The 瓜主 is the person at the center of the gossip that others are “eating.”
- 賢者時間 | xiánzhě shíjiān | Lit. “sage time.” A term originating from Japanese internet culture (“kenja time”) that originally referred to post-coital clarity. It is now more broadly used to describe any period of calm, clarity, or a break after an intense activity.
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