After the Scumbag Alpha Accidentally Marked the Blackened Villain - Chapter 31

The airport arrival gate buzzed with crowds of people streaming past, a sea of unfamiliar faces. Lin Bie stood rooted in place, eyes fixed on the woman just a few steps away—so close that she could have taken one step forward and wrapped her into an embrace.

When an Alpha and Omega have marked each other, their senses become more attuned to the other’s pheromones. Even with suppressants on, Lin Bie could still catch the faint scent unique to Leng Jinxi lingering in the air, gently brushing the gland at the nape of her neck.

Leng Jinxi wore light makeup and a mask to avoid being recognized in the crowd. A breeze passed through, lifting the hem of her long dress and a few strands of hair, which floated toward Lin Bie’s face, brushing against her eyes.

For a moment, Lin Bie felt dazed. Leng Jinxi’s eyes had always been so beautiful. Aside from that initial cold, hateful glare when they first met, her gaze since then had always been gentle—even when upset, there was only displeasure, never malice.

She looked tired—evidence of her recent busyness. Faint dark circles shadowed her eyes, not quite hidden by concealer. And yet, her stunning beauty remained unaffected, only appearing more vivid and alive.

As she lowered her gaze to check her phone and saw Lin Bie’s message, Leng Jinxi raised her head again and met Lin Bie’s stunned eyes.

“Why are you here?”

Snapping out of her trance, Lin Bie realized she had just been hit with a beauty overload. She shut her eyes for a second to recover, then looked up again, composed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” she asked, confused.

Leng Jinxi’s brows furrowed slightly above her mask. “I canceled. Did Xia call you?”

It dawned on Lin Bie—this must be the ‘test’ Leng Wenxia had mentioned.

“She asked me to pick her up.”

“And you just came because she asked?” Leng Jinxi’s voice was muffled by the mask, softening her irritation, though the slight frown on her brow betrayed her mood.

Lin Bie could sense her displeasure and was about to respond when a cheerful voice called out nearby:

“Sis!”

Leng Jinxi turned at the sound. Lin Bie clamped her mouth shut and bit her tongue. In her heart, she crossed a big red X next to the yet-unseen younger sister.

A girl in a cap approached, dragging a suitcase and beaming with vibrant energy. As she neared, Lin Bie saw her clearly. Leng Wenxia’s youthful features were still tender—she looked even younger than Su Nian.

She ran up and threw her arms around Leng Jinxi. Lin Bie stood off to the side, coldly helping with the luggage, half-lidding her eyes and gritting her teeth.

Sure, blame her for nearly getting into a fight with Leng Jinxi. Totally her fault.

After a long hug, Leng Wenxia finally let go, eyes shining as she gazed at her sister. “I missed you so much.”

Leng Jinxi gently patted her head. “Why are you back? School isn’t on break yet.”

At that, Leng Wenxia’s smile faded. Her eyes flicked to Lin Bie and a sharp, not-so-friendly smile curled her lips, sending a chill down Lin Bie’s spine.

“You’re getting married, of course I came back. Nice to meet you, sister-in-law.”

Only God knew how terrified she had been when she heard her sister was marrying a complete jerk. How could Leng Jinxi marry someone like that?!

The news had left her tossing and turning, sleepless for days. She eventually just requested leave and flew home.

Lin Bie’s lips twitched. “Hi.”

“And I missed my sister too.” She clung to Leng Jinxi’s arm, pouting. “Don’t worry, I got permission from school. It’s fine.”

And honestly, she didn’t want to go back so soon anyway. Just thinking about all the drama back at school made her head hurt. Better to forget about it for now.

“Let’s go home—I’m starving. I’ve been dying to eat real food again.”

“Alright.” Leng Jinxi’s ice-cold aura softened noticeably in front of her sister. She glanced at Lin Bie, hesitating for a moment before turning away.

“Let’s go,” she said warmly to Leng Wenxia.

Leng Wenxia blinked. After all her experience with romantic angst back at school, she immediately sensed something was off. She stole a glance at Lin Bie—sure enough, she looked off too.

Did they argue? Leng Wenxia’s mind raced.

That won’t do! She needed to assess this Lin Bie properly, and if they were fighting, how could she evaluate anything? Clearly Lin Bie had upset her sister!

Clearly!

Leng Wenxia clung tighter to Leng Jinxi’s arm and, when her sister wasn’t looking, shot a dagger-filled glare at Lin Bie.

Lin Bie, completely confused by the hostility: “?”

Since Leng Jinxi had come straight from the set, she had originally planned to call the family driver. But Leng Wenxia insisted Lin Bie had a car, so that idea was scrapped.

Leng Wenxia hopped cheerfully into the backseat. Lin Bie, still outside the car, looked awkwardly at Leng Jinxi’s unreadable expression.

The bubbly noise had vanished, and they were back in that tense, stifling atmosphere again. Lin Bie wasn’t quite ready for it.

“Thank you,” Leng Jinxi said calmly, opening the passenger door.

Lin Bie sighed and got into the driver’s seat, silently starting the car.

The car ride was just as awkward as expected. Lin Bie drove, Leng Jinxi stared out the window in silence, her porcelain profile cold and distant. She clearly didn’t want to speak to her.

Leng Wenxia glanced between them, curiosity burning in her eyes.

They really had argued. That wouldn’t do. She only had a few days in the country—if they didn’t make up, she wouldn’t learn anything about Lin Bie. Her whole mission would be a bust!

She rested her chin in her hand, eyes darting back and forth between the two. Occasionally, she even clicked her tongue, making Lin Bie increasingly uncomfortable.

What was this villainess’ sister up to? First she lured her here under false pretenses, now she’s silently scrutinizing both of them like a detective.

Lin Bie felt overwhelmed. This sister hadn’t appeared in the original novel, and she had no idea how to handle her.

Just as Lin Bie was about to speak, Leng Wenxia sensed the tension and broke the silence.

“I’m a bit hungry. Sis, can we go eat first? I’ve really missed local food.”

Her voice was playful and spoiled in a way only little sisters could pull off. Leng Jinxi’s gaze shifted from the passing trees to her sister.

“Alright. What do you feel like eating?” she asked with a smile, her voice gentle again—completely unlike how she spoke to Lin Bie.

Lin Bie gripped the steering wheel tighter.

Listening to the address Leng Wenxia gave her, Lin Bie followed the map to a part of Liucheng she’d never visited before. After finding a parking lot and stopping the car, Leng Wenxia leapt out like a little bird.

“I can’t believe the address hasn’t changed! When I was abroad, I missed the food from this restaurant more than anything!” she said excitedly, hugging her sister’s arm.

“Sis, can you hear my stomach growling? Let’s hurry inside!”

Leng Jinxi pressed her lips together and looked at Lin Bie, who was leaning against the car with a conflicted expression.

Lin Bie read her meaning and quickly waved a hand. “You two go ahead. I already ate and I’m not hungry. I’ll wait here.”

It felt awkward to tag along when two sisters were reuniting. Besides, she didn’t particularly want to spend time with Leng Wenxia, who looked at Leng Jinxi one way and her another.

Lin Bie also had a feeling that Leng Jinxi preferred to keep their interactions minimal. If even Leng Jinxi wanted distance, she wasn’t going to force it.

They were just engaged for appearances. In front of others, they had to keep up the act, but judging from how Leng Jinxi had been treating her, Lin Bie figured it was better to respect her choice.

She was just about to turn and open the car door when Leng Wenxia spoke up before Leng Jinxi could react.

“Oh, don’t be like that! It’ll be boring for you to sit here alone. Come in with us. This place is a classic—just wait until you smell the food, you’ll definitely want to eat.”

Her playful tone and bright smile caught Lin Bie off guard. She glanced at Leng Jinxi, checking her expression. Seeing no sign of discomfort or refusal, Lin Bie felt an inexplicable wave of relief and smiled lightly.

“All right then.”

To say she wasn’t hungry would’ve been a lie. No wonder Leng Wenxia had dreamed about this restaurant while overseas—the food truly was amazing.

At a round table, the three of them sat close together. As Lin Bie picked up her chopsticks to grab some food, she noticed from the corner of her eye that Leng Jinxi’s wine glass was empty—again.

How many glasses was that now?

Lin Bie leaned back in her seat, suddenly losing her appetite. Discreetly, she watched Leng Jinxi out of the corner of her eye, realizing that she hadn’t touched a single bite of food and had just been drinking.

Glass after glass disappeared into her stomach. Her cheeks were now tinged with a faint pink blush. Under the soft lighting, her long fingers gripped the wine glass firmly, as if what swirled inside wasn’t wine, but her own sorrow.

And she drank it all down, as if to drown the grief with more grief.

Lin Bie was worried the constant drinking would harm her health. She wanted to say something, but given their current relationship, she didn’t feel she had the right. Besides, Leng Jinxi still looked composed while chatting with her sister, her gaze steady and clear. She didn’t seem drunk yet.

That put Lin Bie’s mind at ease—for the moment.

The meal ended quickly. Leng Wenxia, thankfully, had been too focused on the food to put Lin Bie in an awkward position. Aside from one near-miss—when Leng Jinxi reached over her shoulder for some napkins and nearly brushed against the back of her neck, coming dangerously close to her gland—it was a relatively pleasant dinner.

Lin Bie made a mental note of the restaurant’s name, deciding she definitely wanted to come back.

By the time they left, night had fallen. The evening breeze sobered Leng Jinxi slightly. She turned to her sister.

“You should go home now.”

Leng Wenxia’s cheerful smile froze. In just a heartbeat, her eyes welled with tears, stunning Lin Bie.

Seriously? Is melodrama genetic in this family?

“I don’t want to go home, Sis,” she whined. The “home” she referred to was the Leng family’s ancestral estate. After Leng Jinxi came of age, she’d moved out. Later, when Wenxia went abroad, only their father Leng Xiuming and his illegitimate son Leng Xi were left in the house.

“You really want to send me back there? You know what it’s like—every time I go home, Dad finds some excuse to yell at me until my ears ring.”

Her pitiful tone and the single tear clinging to her long lashes even made Lin Bie feel a little sympathetic.

“And now that I’ve been an adult for years, he keeps hinting over the phone that I should hand over my shares to Leng Xi. Now that I’m back, I’m sure he’s going to push even harder. I don’t want to go home—waaah!”

The first half of her speech was coherent enough, but the second half dissolved into sobs. She clung to her sister’s arm, shaking it for pity.

Leng Jinxi’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected their father to go after Wenxia’s shares too. Her expression darkened. Looking at her pitiful little sister, she sighed deeply.

“That was careless of me. All right, you can stay at my place for now. We’ll figure it out later.”

“Yay!” Wenxia cheered, quickly wiping her tears and turning to Lin Bie. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Sis-in-law, to take me back.”

Leng Jinxi glanced at Lin Bie and gave a small nod.

Lin Bie knew the address, of course—she had, after all, woken up on that very bed when she entered this world. She’d been back several times since. It was etched into her memory.

After playing chauffeur for the day and safely dropping off her passenger, Lin Bie was about to leave when she heard a voice from the living room:

“Big Sis, Sis-in-law—go get ready for bed. I need to finish unpacking.”

Instantly, both Lin Bie and Leng Jinxi turned their gazes toward her. Feeling the heat of their stares, Wenxia looked up. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

Only then did Lin Bie realize—Wenxia thought she and Leng Jinxi were basically already married, and naturally assumed they shared a room.

Lin Bie’s lips twitched. She glanced at Leng Jinxi, who seemed equally torn, her expression unreadable.

She got the message. “All right then, you go unpack. We’ll head up. Just call if you need anything.”

With that, she looked at Leng Jinxi without much emotion and turned toward the stairs, leaving her standing behind, eyes shadowed.

Lin Bie couldn’t understand it. Why did Leng Jinxi seem to want her to stay, yet not want her too?

Ever since that phone call, everything about her had changed. But she clearly didn’t want to explain anything.

It was frustrating. And now that they were apparently sleeping in the same room, Lin Bie figured she might as well get some answers. She didn’t want these questions gnawing at her night and day.

Xiao Guai, the kitten, was already in Leng Jinxi’s bedroom. Having met Lin Bie a few times, it wasn’t too wary of her. When she took a blanket from the closet and laid it on the carpet, the curious little thing stepped on it and looked up at her with shiny eyes.

Her heart melted. She picked up the kitten and sat on the floor bed, gently stroking its soft fur.

“Xiao Guai, what do you think your mom is thinking?” Lin Bie murmured, burying her face in the kitten’s fluffy belly.

Xiao Guai didn’t understand a word but was clearly unimpressed with her sudden affection. It reached out with a fuzzy paw to push her away.

“Nooo, Xiao Guai, let me stay like this a bit longer,” Lin Bie whined, wiggling to resist.

Suddenly, the bedroom door creaked open.

Every muscle in Lin Bie’s body went rigid. Even the kitten froze.

Pressed into the soft fur, she could barely breathe. Forcing herself to stay calm, she looked up—and met a pair of cold, penetrating eyes.

She blinked, releasing the kitten. Xiao Guai darted straight to Leng Jinxi, pawing at her leg for attention.

But Jinxi didn’t even glance down at the kitten. She stood in the doorway, staring at Lin Bie. And then—just for a moment—the chill in her eyes flickered, revealing a hazy, drunken daze. The light from the hallway cast soft glints in her gaze.

Lin Bie was stunned. So… she had been drunk all along. She’d just been holding it together until she reached a place where she felt safe enough to drop the act.

An unexplainable ache rose in her chest. Forgetting her embarrassment, she quickly stood and fidgeted with her hands. “Drinking on an empty stomach will give you a headache. I’ll go make some honey water.”

She stepped forward, meaning to walk past her—but just as she did, a cold hand suddenly gripped her wrist.

The chill trembled slightly against her skin, following her pulse, spreading through her limbs.

A faint, intoxicating scent wafted up her nose, wrapping tightly around her heart like an invisible net. It was laced with the hint of wine, threading through her breath, invading her chest.

Lin Bie’s breath hitched. She turned—and found herself staring into a pair of moist, wine-flushed eyes. In front of her stood a woman who looked utterly fragile.

“Why did you make up another bed?” came the soft question.

Lin Bie blinked. “What?”

The woman didn’t answer. Her voice had already been quiet, and now her head dropped. Her body trembled, her breath tinged with wine. Her grip on Lin Bie’s wrist tightened—like she was terrified that if she let go, Lin Bie would vanish.

“Why won’t you sleep with me?”