After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Became a Slave to My Beloved Wife - Chapter 2

Qiao Wenyu’s long lashes fluttered slightly. Her hands trembled with nowhere to rest, making her look like a startled rabbit—nervous, helpless, and searching for comfort.

Jiang Nian had to admit: this kind of gentle, delicate appearance was exactly her type. Combined with Qiao Wenyu’s soft, pure demeanor, it immediately triggered Jiang Nian’s protective instincts.

According to the original novel, Qiao Wenyu’s seemingly submissive personality was either an act—or she would turn dark and twisted later. But Jiang Nian couldn’t tell which version she was dealing with yet. All she knew was, faced with such a pitiful beauty, she had to treat her well.

With one thought in mind—to become this sister’s loyal little pup—Jiang Nian blurted out:

“I’ll take responsibility.”

Qiao Wenyu looked up at her with soft-colored eyes, a flicker of surprise flashing by—so brief, it was almost invisible.

“…Alright. I’m not feeling well, so I won’t stay for dinner.” She nodded politely and used her discomfort as an excuse to leave early. She couldn’t stay any longer—not when Jiang Nian’s red wine-scented pheromones were still in the air. Even if they were good for her health, they were far too tempting.

Jiang Nian watched her thin figure walking toward the door and quickly offered, “Let me walk you out.”

Qiao Wenyu paused for a second but shook her head without turning around. She walked away without looking back, followed closely by her agent and assistant.

Soon, the room emptied, leaving only Jiang Nian and her secretary behind.

“President Jiang, Miss Qiao seemed… a little scared of you,” Lu Renbing said cautiously, pushing his glasses up his nose. “If you prefer someone more obedient, I can make arrangements tonight.”

As soon as he said that, Jiang Nian understood exactly what he meant. So this so-called background character—Lu Renbing—was in charge of finding new ‘fish’ for the original Jiang Nian’s ‘pond.’

She stared at him in silence, thinking about how to politely shut this down. If her behavior suddenly changed too drastically, it would raise suspicions. She’d have to ease into the new persona slowly.

As Jiang Nian narrowed her eyes, her face calm and lips slightly pressed together, her sharp phoenix eyes glinted coldly. The cool tone of her irises made her look especially intimidating.

The secretary fidgeted nervously under her gaze. “President Jiang… are you upset?”

“What kind of arrangements are we talking about?” she asked vaguely.

He blinked, then quickly bowed his head and explained, “I can find you an Omega who fits your preferences. Or if you’re curious about trying an Alpha, I can make that happen too. There are many Omegas in your social contact list waiting for a chance to meet you. I’ll make sure to choose the most obedient one.”

Wow, that’s… quite the service, Jiang Nian thought. But her face remained blank. She simply narrowed her eyes slightly and looked down at him from her seat.

“President Jiang?”

“Fine. Pick one,” she said casually. She only agreed to keep up appearances—not because she intended to play along.

That night, Jiang Nian went to one of the high-end lounges the original owner used to frequent. Inside the private room that Lu Renbing had prepared, she met a sweet-faced, gentle little Omega.

The room was lit with warm orange lights, filled with soft aromatherapy scents. Even the rose petals scattered on the floor were clearly part of a carefully crafted atmosphere. Everything screamed romantic seduction.

But Jiang Nian stayed up all night—not for what everyone expected. She spent the entire evening having a deep, awkward heart-to-heart with the pretty little Omega.

After all, back in her world, Jiang Nian had never even dated, let alone touched anyone romantically. She was just a university student. Now she wanted to take care of Qiao Wenyu, but she didn’t even know how to properly soothe someone with her pheromones. She needed someone to explain it in detail.

“President Jiang, your pheromones smell so good,” the pretty Omega whispered softly, leaning in with a sweet smile and gentle movements.

Jiang Nian finally figured out how to release a comforting pheromone. She gave the Omega a friendly pat and chuckled, “Thanks. But if you could tone yours down a bit, that’d be great—my nose is really sensitive.”

After saying goodbye, she left.

The obedient little Omega was left sitting there, her smile frozen as she watched Jiang Nian rush out.

Jiang Nian was exhausted as she stepped out of the hotel room. She originally planned to head home, catch up on some sleep, and go into the office later. But just as she got in the car, her secretary delivered new orders:

“President Jiang, I was just informed by Miss Qiao’s agent that the families want you and Miss Qiao to register your marriage today.”

“What?”

“Miss Qiao is currently in training. Shall I send someone to pick her up?” Lu Renbing asked.

Jiang Nian stared out the window, drowsy and still half-asleep. She mumbled, “Go pick her up. Now.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The car started. The luxury vehicle sped down the road and arrived at Qiao Wenyu’s training center not long after.

Jiang Nian had dozed off for a bit during the ride, and she felt much better by the time they arrived. The early spring morning was still a bit chilly. She tightened her shawl as she stepped out of the car.

The crisp air smelled faintly of dew. As she walked, her hairpin slipped loose. Instead of fixing it, she pulled it off entirely and tossed it to her secretary, letting her long black hair flutter freely in the breeze.

Jiang Nian followed the assistant through a maze of hallways before finally stopping in front of a dance studio.

The assistant knocked on the door and led her inside.

Qiao Wenyu was in the middle of training with a female Beta when Jiang Nian’s sudden arrival interrupted their session.

“Good morning, Miss Qiao,” Jiang Nian said with a polite smile, releasing a subtle wave of her pheromones.

A soft red wine scent spread through the room. Qiao Wenyu shifted uncomfortably.

She had pheromone deficiency syndrome and desperately needed compatible Alpha pheromones to stabilize her condition.

After these few encounters with Jiang Nian, she had started to realize something: the only scent that made her feel physically better was Jiang Nian’s.

But… she didn’t like Jiang Nian. Every time she smelled that red wine scent, she was reminded of that uncontrollable night.

“President Jiang, what do you want?” Qiao Wenyu took a half-step back.

“I’m here to take you to register our marriage,” Jiang Nian said warmly.

“Marriage registration?”

“Mm.”

Qiao Wenyu walked up to her and said in a low voice, “Let’s talk outside, President Jiang.”

With others still in the room, Jiang Nian followed Qiao Wenyu next door to an empty practice room. The two stood face to face.

“So we’re registering today?” Qiao Wenyu lowered her gaze, unable to meet Jiang Nian’s eyes.

Sunlight from the window cast a golden glow across her delicate side profile. For a moment, Jiang Nian was dazed. She quickly looked away and gave a light cough to ease the awkwardness. “Yes. Someone else is more eager than we are.”

The engagement had originally been arranged by both families—naturally, the marriage registration was also pushed by the parents.

“I understand,” Qiao Wenyu said softly. “I’ll change my clothes and meet you downstairs.”

“Alright, I’ll wait,” Jiang Nian replied, a faint smile on her lips.

Qiao Wenyu had barely taken a few steps when she paused and added, “President Jiang, if you’d like to change too, feel free.”

“Me? No need,” Jiang Nian said after glancing down at herself. She was still wearing the same black dress from yesterday, but it was formal enough—not inappropriate for wedding photos.

“That scent on you…” Qiao Wenyu hesitated, her lips parting slightly, but in the end, she didn’t say it. “Sorry. I was being rude.”

Jiang Nian watched her leave, confused. She raised her sleeve to her nose and sniffed lightly.

Ah… it must’ve been the scent left behind by the Omega from last night. And now her nose was acting up again.

As she walked from the practice room to the parking lot, Jiang Nian noticed several trainees stealing glances at her. With a sigh, she quickly withdrew her pheromones and sprayed herself with suppressant until all the scents were masked. Only then did she feel a bit better.

By the time Qiao Wenyu came out, dressed and ready, she spotted Jiang Nian leaning casually against the car. Their eyes met—then Qiao Wenyu quickly looked away and slid into the back seat.

To avoid making things awkward, Jiang Nian chose the front passenger seat instead.

The ride was quiet, filled only with the low hum of the engine.

When they arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Jiang Nian got out first and politely opened the car door for Qiao Wenyu.

“Thank you.” Qiao Wenyu stepped out, carefully avoiding any physical contact with Jiang Nian’s arm.

Jiang Nian wasn’t the type to overthink things, but even she could see Qiao Wenyu’s deliberate distance.

So this was what a parent-arranged marriage looked like—cold and distant. But she didn’t mind. Their marriage was only in name anyway. All she needed to do was keep Qiao Wenyu calm and, ideally, help her find a truly good partner in the future.

With that thought, the tension in her face finally eased.

Inside the bureau, young couples filled the hallways—laughing, holding hands, glowing with affection. The atmosphere practically radiated pink.

As Jiang Nian and Qiao Wenyu stood in line, their arms brushed slightly. Both flinched and instinctively moved apart.

Despite the awkwardness, they managed to complete the registration process without issue.

“You two can head to the photo studio next door for the couple portrait,” one of the staff members said with a friendly nod.

Jiang Nian took the paperwork and led the way, Qiao Wenyu silently following behind.

When they entered the studio, a Beta couple was just finishing up. The photographer, an older man, waved them in.

They stepped forward, standing side by side stiffly, clearly uncomfortable.

The photographer squinted through the lens, frowned deeply, and looked back and forth between the two of them. After a long pause, he finally asked, “You two don’t seem very close… Can’t you be a little more affectionate? You are getting married, after all.”

Jiang Nian was just about to step closer when Qiao Wenyu interrupted coldly, “Just take it like this, sir.”

“…Alright,” Jiang Nian quickly agreed. She was here to serve the main character, after all—whatever Qiao Wenyu wanted, she would go along with.

The printed photo came out quickly.

On the red background, Jiang Nian stood with her long black hair cascading down, lips pressed into a neutral line. She wasn’t smiling, but she didn’t look stern either. Meanwhile, Qiao Wenyu looked visibly reluctant, her lips slightly downturned and her brows drawn tight with resistance.

Jiang Nian stared at the photo for a long moment, then sighed softly.

Dear lead character, it must be so hard for you to marry me. I promise I’ll find someone truly good for you someday.

That quiet sigh reached Qiao Wenyu’s ears. Her hand, resting against her dress, slowly curled into a fist as she turned away, her face clouded with unease.

Meanwhile, Jiang Nian—still lost in her thoughts of future matchmaking—completely missed the subtle shift in Qiao Wenyu’s mood.

Just as she turned to follow Qiao Wenyu out, she saw the woman suddenly stagger, knees buckling beneath her.

“Qiao Wenyu!” Jiang Nian called out in alarm, rushing to her side.

She caught her just in time, holding Qiao Wenyu’s fragile body in her arms.

Only then did she notice how weak her breathing was, her body trembling, and her lips deathly pale.