After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Became a Slave to My Beloved Wife (GL) - Chapter 29

Jiang Nian stood in the conference room adorned with roses, the air filled with the same scent as Qiao Wenyu’s pheromones. She waited brightly, full of anticipation, for Bai Ye to arrive.

She was someone exceptionally good at regulating her emotions. Though Bai Ye’s words had crushed her yesterday, after getting drunk and crying it out, she was back on her feet—like a puppy ready to spar again with wolves and leopards.

Bai Ye walked in, surrounded by employees, her expression as distant and unapproachable as ever. The moment she stepped in and caught the scent of roses, she frowned slightly, as if silently questioning Jiang Nian with her eyes: What is this about?

“President Bai,” Jiang Nian greeted her with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, a glint of mischief flickering in her gaze. “Do you like today’s meeting ambiance?”

Bai Ye glanced at her, unimpressed, completely ignoring the sea of roses around them. “President Jiang, did you fill the room with roses because Little Yu won’t let you smell her pheromones anymore, so you’re here sniffing substitutes?”

Every conversation between them seemed to be on the brink of an argument. Jiang Nian was already used to Bai Ye’s sharp tongue. She just shrugged and replied nonchalantly, “Well, they’re for you to smell. Want a taste but can’t have it, huh?”

“Please, a kid like you? Little Yu wouldn’t even give you the time of day,” Bai Ye scoffed, lifting her chin.

“Shame,” Jiang Nian retorted smoothly. “Because your sister and I had a great time last night.”

She wasn’t the least bit afraid. Jiang Nian might be cautious and timid when it came to love, but she was never the type to back down in front of a romantic rival.

Just as the tension between these two top-tier Alphas was about to ignite into a full-blown argument, both of their assistants stepped in to mediate.

“President Jiang, let’s focus on the meeting. The project is what matters most,” said Lu Renbing, stepping forward to break the tension.

It was the first time Bai Ye’s assistant had seen her boss so emotionally affected. Usually, Bai Ye was calm and composed in business settings, never once losing face in front of a partner.

“President Bai, harmony brings wealth.”

With the secretaries’ mediation, the two women finally suppressed their pheromones and took seats on opposite sides of the table. Still, when their eyes met, they were locked in an almost childish staring contest.

Bai Ye’s assistant started wondering if her boss had been possessed by something—this wasn’t her usual self at all.

When it came to discussing actual work progress, Jiang Nian and Bai Ye maintained a professional attitude. Though their opinions clashed now and then, their goals aligned, and the conversation flowed smoothly.

Neither let personal feelings interfere with business. By the time the full process had been negotiated, the project was officially set.

Once everything was settled, it was time to finalize the staffing for both parties.

The Yan family had recently been overwhelmed with other issues, so with external pressure momentarily out of the way, Jiang Nian wanted to take this opportunity to resolve project matters quickly.

“Tomorrow, we need to finalize the theme and confirm material selections with the designer,” Jiang Nian said seriously.

Bai Ye nodded. “Naturally. The budget for this project isn’t small—I’ll be following the entire process closely. I’m flying out to meet the designer tomorrow. We need to select materials for the overseas market.”

“Understood. I’ll assign someone to accompany you,” Jiang Nian said, glancing down at the staffing list in her hand.

“I want Little Yu to go abroad with me,” Bai Ye said, lifting her gaze to stare straight at Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian let out a short laugh in disbelief. “President Bai, how many times do I have to tell you? Little Yu isn’t my employee—she’s my wife. There’s no way she’s going on a business trip with you.”

“Jiang Nian, Little Yu is incredibly capable. I’ve seen her business acumen firsthand—even I have to admire her talent. What are you so afraid of?” Bai Ye smirked. “Are you worried I’ll steal her away? If she’s willing to leave you over just one trip with me, then you’ll have to accept it. Are you really going to control how she chooses?”

Jiang Nian hesitated for a moment but eventually gave in.

Bai Ye had a point—who Qiao Wenyu chose to love was her own decision. She couldn’t just tie her down out of selfishness.

“Not bad. At least you’ve got some guts,” Bai Ye said, surprisingly impressed.

After Bai Ye left, Jiang Nian remained seated, lost in thought.

How could she confess her feelings to Qiao Wenyu?

She couldn’t keep hiding her love in her heart any longer. If she couldn’t even speak the words out loud, she’d already lost to Bai Ye.

With her mind made up, Jiang Nian began planning the evening. She would reserve a romantic restaurant, arrange a candlelight dinner, and then take her sister to the riverside to watch fireworks.

When the fireworks bloomed brilliantly in the sky, she would finally confess.

After she shared her plan with her assistant, Lu Renbing cleared her throat awkwardly. “President Jiang, um… maybe something a little more creative would be better?”

“But isn’t this how people usually confess?” Jiang Nian recalled all the campus confessions she’d witnessed during university—alphas holding roses under spotlights, candles lining the ground, and crowds watching eagerly.

Now that there was no campus and she couldn’t be a student again, Jiang Nian could only copy scenes she’d seen in dramas.

Creativity wasn’t what mattered most—sincerity was.

“Understood, President Jiang. Since you’ve decided, I’ll proceed with the arrangements and inform Miss Qiao’s agent.”
Lu Renbing had no choice but to carry out Jiang Nian’s instructions and quietly left the office.

Jiang Nian had been nervous the entire afternoon, from the moment she returned to work until she arrived at the restaurant.

The reservation was at a Western-style restaurant that required booking in advance. It had clearly been prepped beforehand—rose petals were scattered across the table, and a scented candle burned softly in the center.

She sat and waited for a while, but Qiao Wenyu never showed up.

When the agreed time passed, the person who walked through the restaurant doors wasn’t Qiao Wenyu—it was Jiang Qianqian. She stood at the entrance, scanning the room until her eyes landed on Jiang Nian. Only then did she walk over.

“Jiang-jie, I knew you’d be here.” Jiang Qianqian sat down across from her like they were old friends. “So romantic… What a pity that Qiao-jie was taken home by her family. She couldn’t make it.”

“What?” Jiang Nian lowered her gaze and checked her phone. Sure enough, there was a message from Qiao Wenyu saying she couldn’t come.

Jiang Qianqian propped her chin in her palm and sighed. “See? Qiao-jie couldn’t make it. I happened to be on set when your assistant came with the message. Since I had nothing else to do, I came on her behalf.”

“I didn’t invite you to dinner.”
Jiang Nian disliked Jiang Qianqian’s overly familiar attitude. Even someone as emotionally oblivious as she was could sense the girl’s feelings for her.

Something about it felt off—almost calculated.

“You’re friends with my sister. Why can’t you treat me to a meal?” Jiang Qianqian smiled sweetly, dimples appearing on her cheeks.

The waiter, seeing that both guests had arrived at the reserved table, began serving the dishes without asking questions.

Food was food—whether eaten alone or with someone else. Jiang Nian waved the waiter over. “Don’t serve the wine. Also, please remove all the rose petals and candles from the table.”

The waiter reached out to clear the decorations.

“Jiang-jie, must you be so heartless?” Jiang Qianqian pouted, looking wronged. “I really like you, you know.”

Jiang Nian narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharpening. Something about Jiang Qianqian didn’t sit right. “Don’t get any ideas about me. You should know exactly what kind of relationship I have with Qiao Wenyu.”

“I do know,” Jiang Qianqian replied, smiling with pressed lips. “But I can choose to ignore it. Jiang-jie, I was abroad all this time. If I’d returned earlier, the one by your side would’ve been me.”

She leaned forward slightly. “I heard Qiao-jie and my cousin had a thing. My cousin still likes her, by the way.”

“If you’re not here to eat, then leave. Don’t come here to stir up trouble,” Jiang Nian said coldly, brows furrowed, making a dismissive gesture.

“Alright, alright, I was just saying…” Jiang Qianqian finally stopped and began eating in silence.

Jiang Nian barely touched her food. She soon stood up to leave. Jiang Qianqian immediately followed like glue—sticking close and refusing to let go.

—

Meanwhile, Qiao Wenyu had been escorted back to the main residence by her father’s men.

Yan Zhong descended the stairs with a stern face, his expression growing even darker when he saw his troublesome daughter.

“Father…” Qiao Wenyu lowered her head.

Yan Zhong stopped in front of her. “You can drop that pathetic expression. I know all about your sneaky little tricks behind my back.”

“Then do you have proof, Father?” Qiao Wenyu raised her head and met his gaze directly, a subtle smile playing at her lips. “I’m just a low-profile, washed-up idol. How could I possibly stir up a storm? You’re being overly suspicious.”

“Ever since that accident involving your classmate, you’ve learned to hide well,” Yan Zhong sneered. “My daughter… You’re right—I don’t have evidence. But I can go after the people you care about. That idiot Jiang Nian pissed me off, so I’ll make sure she pays.”

Half of Yan Zhong’s face was shrouded in shadow.

Qiao Wenyu’s expression shifted slightly. Her hand, resting against her dress, clenched tightly before loosening again. She forced herself to stay calm and said, going against her true feelings,
“I don’t like Jiang Nian. You’ve misunderstood, Father. From childhood until now, anyone who’s been close to me has ended up suffering—so how could I possibly fall for someone like her? You arranged my marriage to her just because you heard she had a tainted reputation and wanted to ruin me through her. How could I ever love her?”

“You’d better not be lying to me,” Yan Zhong said, grabbing a stack of documents and throwing them in her face. “If I find out that you and Jiang Nian are scheming behind my back, you’ll both regret it.”

Qiao Wenyu’s eyes darkened, her molars grinding together. After a long pause, she finally said in a low voice, “Understood, Father.”

—

After leaving the estate, Qiao Wenyu walked alone along the roadside. She couldn’t understand why her father still had to keep pressing her.

But since he was forcing her hand, she would no longer hold back.

Yan Zhong had bl00d on his hands, and his business dealings were far from clean.

There was no turning back now. Qiao Wenyu had long made plans to bring her father down—it was time to accelerate them.

As she walked, Jiang Nian’s face suddenly popped into her mind. She smiled faintly and clutched her chest.

Little Nian…

Qiao Wenyu had many concerns—so many that she couldn’t face her feelings for Jiang Nian head-on.

Now that Yan Zhong was targeting Jiang Nian, if she truly wanted to protect her, she would have to keep her distance.