The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 18
But in the very next second, Zheng Jinyu’s rationality snapped back into place, and she immediately dismissed the absurd idea.
Lu Huaixu might have no bottom line—but she wasn’t the same.
Zheng Jinyu frowned, unable to understand—was Lu Huaixu not afraid of Cheng Yuan finding out about all this?
Or did she simply not care?
Tan Hua had walked away with flair, full of pride and confidence—until her own high heels betrayed her.
She squatted down, clutching her twisted ankle, her eyelid twitching fiercely. “I knew it. Big money never comes easy.”
She rubbed her ankle, stood up despite the pain, and immediately sent a message to Sheng Yiheng: “President Sheng, can I take a day off tomorrow?”
Sheng Yiheng replied almost instantly: “…”
Tan Hua chuckled, then sent a short video of herself limping dramatically. “I twisted my ankle just now. I need to get an X-ray at the hospital tomorrow.”
She added a pitiful emoji. “I know this doesn’t technically count as a work injury, but President Sheng, surely you’re not so cold-hearted as to deny me just one sick day?”
Sheng Yiheng responded dryly: “Late on your first day, asking for sick leave on the second—do you really think this is appropriate?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Tan Hua replied with mock innocence. “My job is to be your sweet and obedient stand-in, right? That’s hardly the same as the rest of your employees.”
“Even if it were,” she continued, “you’re the one with all the power. Whether a lowly employee like me gets to take a day off or not—it’s entirely up to you.”
That was true… Sheng Yiheng sighed, watching her delicate ankle shuffle around with none of the elegance expected from her. He pinched his brow, exasperated. “Don’t be late the day after tomorrow.”
Tan Hua cheerfully thanked him, but Sheng Yiheng added, “And stop talking about the ‘stand-in’ arrangement at the office.”
“In this company, you’re no different from anyone else on the surface.”
This time, the message carried a clear warning—one Tan Hua didn’t miss.
She narrowed her eyes and lazily typed: “I get it, I get it. President Sheng wants a secret workplace romance.”
Sheng Yiheng’s name instantly changed to “typing…”, and Tan Hua let out a laugh.
“Don’t worry, I won’t say a word.”
“After all, it’s not as fun if nobody’s keeping secrets, right?”
Sheng Yiheng didn’t reply again—likely because Tan Hua had hit a nerve.
Still limping, she instinctively made her way toward the bus stop. After a few steps, she suddenly stopped, puzzled.
“Wait, why am I hobbling to a bus stop in this condition? Why don’t I just get a ride?”
The system was speechless. Who knows?
For all her flaws, Tan Hua’s most commendable trait—according to the system—was that she never lost her original self.
While other hosts grew arrogant and tyrannical after tasting power and privilege, Tan Hua remained down-to-earth, courteous, and respectful of elders and children alike.
Her only flaw?
Promiscuity. Falling for everyone she met.
And unfortunately, that one flaw drove the system crazy.
Just as Tan Hua took out her phone to hail a ride, Zheng Jinyu—having calmed her emotions—appeared and said, “I’ll drive you.”
Tan Hua turned around sharply. With a frugal and modest air, she hesitated. “You’ll drive me? That’s too much trouble. What if we’re not headed in the same direction…”
“No matter,” Zheng Jinyu said flatly, taking out her car keys. “It won’t take much time.”
That was exactly what Tan Hua had been waiting for. At her words, she immediately latched on.
“Then thank you, President Zheng!” she beamed.
“Once I make it big, I’ll treat you to a lavish meal.”
Make it big…
Zheng Jinyu wasn’t sure what Tan Hua meant by that.
For most people, earning over two million overnight would already be considered a major windfall. But judging by Tan Hua’s attitude… it was as if 2.5 million meant no more than a couple hundred yuan.
So, how long was she planning to keep working for Lu Huaixu to reach her definition of “making it big”?
Zheng Jinyu found herself pressing her lips into a tight line.
Tan Hua slid smoothly into the car and fastened her seatbelt like she’d done it a hundred times before. Then she turned her big, innocent eyes toward Zheng Jinyu and blinked at her playfully.
Zheng Jinyu snapped back to reality, started the engine, and—without asking for Tan Hua’s address—began to drive.
Tan Hua couldn’t help but gently remind her, “President Zheng, I’ve moved. I don’t live in that rental place anymore.”
“Where did you move to?” Zheng Jinyu asked casually, not paying much attention.
“The bar from last night…” Tan Hua hadn’t finished when a sharp screech of tires cut her off. Her body lurched forward, restrained just in time by the seatbelt snapping her back.
She turned her tousled head toward Zheng Jinyu, looking both stunned and slightly annoyed. “?”
“Sorry.” Zheng Jinyu glanced at her disheveled hair, and though she found it a little amusing, she knew it wasn’t the time to laugh. She forced down the twitch at the corner of her lips and asked as calmly as possible, “You moved into a bar?”
Only then did realization dawn on her, and her expression turned serious. “Your heat cycle is about to begin… and you’re staying in a place packed with people like a bar?”
To Zheng Jinyu, this was nothing short of self-destruction.
The Alpha’s once gentle eyes were suddenly laced with a chill. She stared sharply at Tan Hua. “Huahua, if you insist on going against me, the least you could do is have a bottom line.”
“You can do whatever you want the rest of the time, but during your heat, I expect you to take your physical health seriously.”
The air, previously calm, turned tense in a heartbeat. Tan Hua leaned against her seat and chuckled softly.
“When you heard I moved into a bar, was your first reaction concern for my health… or were you worried that this body of mine—so similar to Cheng Yuan’s—might be marked by another Alpha and tarnish the beautiful image you hold of her in your mind, hmm?”
The air grew instantly heavy.
Tan Hua smiled lightly, oblivious to the change in Zheng Jinyu’s aura. Tilting her head curiously, she asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
A fire burned inside Zheng Jinyu. She couldn’t find the words.
The Omega’s repeated, reckless provocations made her feel humiliated and frustrated. She had indulged her, worried for her, thought of her wellbeing—and all she got in return was resistance and ungrateful defiance.
Zheng Jinyu took a deep breath. “Huahua, everything has a limit.”
Tan Hua only laughed more sweetly at that. She leaned in close, her warm breath brushing over Zheng Jinyu’s delicate, beautiful features. Her voice turned sultry, suggestive. “Funny, because I have no idea where your so-called limit is.”
“Why don’t you show me?”
Her hand reached out, fingers just about to touch Zheng Jinyu—only to be caught firmly in the Alpha’s grip.
Zheng Jinyu’s expression turned cold, her eyes even colder. The usual gentleness was gone, replaced by a forceful chill—yet somehow, this side of her was even more captivating.
When she caught the flicker of excitement in Tan Hua’s gaze, Zheng Jinyu suddenly released her grip as though scalded. Her voice was distant, hard, and left no room for argument:
“You’re staying at my place tonight.”
Tan Hua blinked innocently. “Under what pretense?”
Still pressing buttons, still poking at Zheng Jinyu’s rapidly thinning patience.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit improper for you to take your ex-wife, who’s about to enter heat, home with you in the middle of the night?”
She leaned in even closer, still smiling.
“What if I lose control while we sleep?”
Ignoring the frost in Zheng Jinyu’s stare, she murmured,
“Would you still be able to keep your rationality?”
Zheng Jinyu felt a sharp pang in her chest. For a split second, she seriously considered tossing Tan Hua out of the car.
Why had she become so sharp-tongued, so infuriating?
Zheng Jinyu thought for a moment—was it because of the divorce?
Had Tan Hua snapped in anger?
Maybe this was her way of lashing out, picking fights just to spite her.
Zheng Jinyu knew she was at fault, and so she swallowed her rising temper.
“I’ve already prepared inhibitors. Nothing will happen.”
“She’s so confident, I’m falling for her,” Tan Hua whispered to the system.
“I just hope she keeps that same smug tone when she finally breaks.”
The system’s metaphorical eye twitched.
“…Could you please stop seducing and emotionally wrecking people every day?”
What karmic sin did this poor woman commit in her past life to deserve you?
Tan Hua chuckled to herself, her smile landing in Zheng Jinyu’s ears like a soft tickle, igniting something beneath the surface.
Before Zheng Jinyu could dwell on the faint ripple in her heart, she heard Tan Hua’s voice again—lazy, sweet, and charged with deeper meaning:
“Let’s just hope your inhibitors actually work.”