After the Scumbag Alpha Accidentally Marked the Blackened Villain - Chapter 32

Her voice was gentle, laced with the haze of alcohol, like a drenched kitten curled up in the storm. Leng Jinxi’s eyes shimmered with grievance, as if Lin Bie stepping out of the bedroom would mean she was abandoning her completely.

Lin Bie was shocked. The same Leng Jinxi who had once been as frosty as ice now looked at her with a pitiful, accusing gaze. ” Leng Jinxi, do you even know what you’re saying right now?”

She tried to pull her hand away, but as soon as she moved, Leng Jinxi noticed and tightened her grip.

Lin Bie felt as though her bones might be crushed.

“Let go… first,” Lin Bie winced, her brows pinching together as she drew a sharp breath.

Since when did Leng Jinxi become so strong? And why was she looking at her like she was some heartless jerk who had betrayed her? What did she do wrong?

Her head throbbed as she tried using her other hand to break free, only to receive a sharp glare from Leng Jinxi that halted her.

Thankfully, Leng Jinxi realized she’d been gripping too hard. Though clearly not entirely drunk, she wasn’t sober either—just lucid enough to notice Lin Bie’s expression wasn’t from shame but from pain. She loosened her grip a little, but only just. Her hand remained firmly clamped around Lin Bie’s wrist, stubbornly unwilling to let go.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you? You don’t even want to share a room with me.”

She lowered her head, staring at the red marks on Lin Bie’s wrist, gently rubbing them with her thumb. Her voice floated like it was skimming over crushed ice, fragile, as though if Lin Bie said “yes,” she’d shatter instantly.

Lin Bie was now certain Leng Jinxi was truly drunk. Any earlier sign of composure had been a façade. Now she was talking nonsense.

With a sigh, Lin Bie raised a hand to her forehead and spoke with deliberate calm: “What are you saying? I already promised you and Wenxia that I wouldn’t leave. And look—it’s already dark. The forecast said there’d be a thunderstorm tonight. There’s no way I’ll go anywhere.”

Still feeling Leng Jinxi’s iron grip, she decided to lie: “Besides, I’m afraid of thunder. As soon as it starts, I freeze up. I wouldn’t be able to drive even if I wanted to.”

Feeling slightly guilty, she rubbed her nose. Leng Jinxi was drunk enough she probably wouldn’t notice how clumsy that lie was.

Sure enough, Leng Jinxi’s grip paused.

She looked up, uncertain. “Really?”

Lin Bie nodded firmly.

But Leng Jinxi frowned, eyes narrowing in suspicion. She shook her head. “No… that’s not right. You’re not afraid of thunder…”

She muttered on, her words slurring into a string of drunken babble. Lin Bie just let her go on, assuming she was too drunk to make sense.

“I know my own body best,” Lin Bie said calmly. “I’m terrified of thunder. I always have been. The sound makes me shake all over. There’s no way I’m leaving tonight. Now, can you please let go of my hand?”

As if fate wanted to back her up, the sky suddenly cracked with a loud thunderclap. The booming sound echoed through the bright bedroom, even startling the little kitten curled up under the blankets.

Lin Bie wasn’t actually afraid of thunder, but the sudden noise made her jump. Before she could pretend to be frightened, she was already enveloped in soft, warm arms.

Softness pressed against softness. The faint scent of Leng Jinxi’s pheromones and the crisp aroma of alcohol tickled Lin Bie’s nose. Leng Jinxi hugged her tightly around the waist, burying herself in Lin Bie’s arms, her face tucked into Lin Bie’s neck, trembling.

Lin Bie: “…Turns out I’m not the one afraid of thunder.”

Stunned by the familiar floral scent, she slowly came back to her senses and wrapped her arms around the woman trembling in her embrace.

“See? There’s thunder outside. You’re scared, and I’m scared too. So even if just to keep you company, I have to stay.”

She gently patted Leng Jinxi’s back, quietly marveling at how unexpectedly adorable she was when drunk—so different from her usual self.

Yes… even cuter than a kitten.

Leng Jinxi curled into her shoulder, not saying a word. Even though Lin Bie’s comfort seemed to help, her body still trembled, clearly frightened.

Just as Lin Bie was about to pull away and guide her to the bed, she heard the faint sound of sniffling. Alarmed, she gently pushed her away and saw Leng Jinxi wincing with pain, brows furrowed.

“Does your head hurt?” Lin Bie asked, worried, raising her hand to massage Leng Jinxi’s scalp, her eyes filled with unfiltered concern.

Leng Jinxi looked at her with a flicker of sorrow, then cast her eyes down. Her temples throbbed painfully, but Lin Bie’s practiced fingers eased the pain significantly. There was no longer a need to keep massaging.

But Leng Jinxi didn’t say that. Instead, she spoke softly:

“It’s nothing. Drinking always gives me headaches. It’s an old problem, but it doesn’t interfere with anything.”

Lin Bie frowned. “What do you mean it’s nothing? What kind of person just ignores their health like that?”

Just as she was about to lecture her, footsteps echoed from the stairwell. She looked up—only to lock eyes with Leng Wenxia, whose face read: Did someone just kick a puppy?

Leng Wenxia: “…Tsk tsk tsk.”

Lin Bie: “…Your sister has a headache. I was just giving her a massage.”

It sounded suspicious—like a guilty explanation that only made things worse.

Leng Jinxi pulled away slightly, addressing her sister. “What is it? Did something happen?”

Her pain-glazed eyes shimmered slightly, like they’d just come away from a long, lingering kiss.

Leng Wenxia gave Lin Bie a look, rubbing her head at the doorway. This close? Yeah, right.

She clicked her tongue internally, but for her sister’s sake, pretended not to notice their ambiguous closeness and stepped into the room.

“I’ve tidied up my room. I heard you adopted an adorable kitten—where is it? It must be terrified after that thunder. Xiao Guai~”

She called the kitten by name and spotted it curled into a ball on the floor.

“Ah! So cute ahhhh!”

“How can a kitten be this adorable and cool? Let me kiss you!” She rushed over and scooped up the startled kitten, cuddling it like a lunatic.

Lin Bie & Cold Jinxi: “…”

While Leng Jinxi was distracted by her sister, Lin Bie subtly shifted away. The camellia scent on Leng Jinxi’s skin had been far too stimulating.

“Huh? Why is there a blanket on the floor?” Leng Wenxia stood up, kitten in arms, staring at the extra bedding Lin Bie had laid out.

Lin Bie’s bl00d ran cold. Crap. She forgot about that. Now it will be obvious she and Leng Jinxi weren’t actually that close.

Caught in Leng Wenxia’s questioning gaze, Lin Bie scrambled for an excuse—only for Leng Jinxi to calmly intervene.

“The housekeeper packed up your bedding, so Lin Bie and I were just getting ours to bring to you.”

Quick and composed, even her gaze was clear—none of the drunken haze remained.

Thankfully, Lin Bie had only managed to lay down a single layer of blankets before Leng Jinxi interrupted her earlier. It made the excuse all the more believable.

Leng Wenxia believed her sister without question. Her initial theory—that Lin Bie had somehow made Leng Jinxi mad and was banished from the bed—vanished. Her face lit up.

“You’re the best, Sis~”

“Not only did you give me a kitten, but you even brought me a blanket.”

Cradling the kitten in one arm, she folded the blanket quickly with the other, eyeing the two of them knowingly.

“I’ll leave you two alone now. Taking the kitten and the blanket with me. You may carry on.”

From the looks of it, Lin Bie actually treated her sister pretty well. She didn’t seem like the heartbreaker type at all. Maybe her intel was wrong?

Leng Wenxia was beginning to doubt her own investigation.

Lin Bie quickly followed her out, then turned to Leng Jinxi and said gently, “You go freshen up. I’ll make you some honey water.”

Alcohol and medicine don’t mix well, but Lin Bie had already mentally noted Leng Jinxi’s so-called “old problem.” Once Leng Jinxi stopped acting so hot-and-cold with her, she planned to take her to the hospital.

Leng Jinxi stood at the bedroom door, watching the two figures disappear down the stairs. She reached up to touch her temple, where Lin Bie’s fingers had just been. The sensation still lingered, burning into her skin.

“CRACK—” Another thunderclap rumbled outside. Leng Jinxi lifted her gaze toward the rain-streaked window. She walked over and shut the open window, sealing out the cold wind and moisture.

She rubbed her heavy head, and once Lin Bie entered the kitchen and disappeared from view, she closed the door.

—

Following Leng Wenxia downstairs, Lin Bie watched her head to her room while she went to the kitchen to make the honey water.

The kitten, free at last, rolled around the living room floor. Lin Bie scooped it up and, with the cup of honey water in her other hand, knocked on Leng Wenxia’s door.

Leng Wenxia opened it to see the kitten’s big green eyes blinking at her.

Her heart melted. Then she saw Lin Bie and quickly shifted back to seriousness: “What do you want?”

Lin Bie: “…You’re a master of mood swings.”

“You’ve been cleaning a while. Thought you might want some water,” Lin Bie said, offering the cup.

Leng Wenxia took it and drank half of it in one go. “You didn’t poison this or something, right?”

Lin Bie: “…”

“You’re Leng Jinxi’s sister, right?” she asked, ignoring Leng Wenxia’s skeptical glare.

“Since you’re her sister, you must know her pretty well.”

“Duh!” Leng Wenxia snatched the kitten from her arms, looking at her like she was a fool. “Of course I do.”

Lin Bie suppressed a smile and made her face serious. “Then you must’ve noticed she hasn’t been herself lately.”

Leng Wenxia’s expression froze for a moment. “Not herself… yeah, I noticed.”

Clearing her throat, she said, “Don’t tell me that’s what you came to ask about. Pfft, like I’d tell you.”

She bounced the kitten in her arms and lifted her chin proudly.

Lin Bie raised an eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t know. Well then, never mind. I’ll go now.”

As soon as Lin Bie finished speaking, she turned to leave. She had just lifted her foot—hadn’t even finished counting “three, two, one” in her mind—when the girl behind her suddenly called out.

“Wait!”

A small, satisfied smile tugged at the corners of Lin Bie’s lips as she turned back around. “What is it?”

Leng Wenxia hesitated, uncertainty clouding her face. “Is my sister… really not doing well?”

“You already know that, don’t you?”

“I’ve been abroad for an entire year. Even if I’ve heard something, it’s just bits and pieces. Tell me—what’s going on with my sister?” Her anxious tone betrayed her panic. Nothing was more terrifying to a sister-obsessed girl than realizing something was seriously wrong with her beloved big sister.

Seeing how worried she was, Lin Bie decided not to keep her in suspense.

“To be honest, I don’t know much either. Leng Jinxi hasn’t been in a good state these past few days. You wouldn’t notice it while she’s working, but the moment she’s resting, she looks really sad… like something is weighing her down that she just can’t shake.”

“I suspect something—or someone—around her is the problem.”

In truth, Lin Bie suspected Leng Xiuming was involved, but she didn’t want to point fingers so directly and risk limiting Wenxia’s perspective. It was better to leave it vague.

But to her surprise, as soon as she said that, Leng Wenxia’s expression froze… then suddenly shifted into realization.

Lin Bie’s brows lifted slightly in surprise—Wenxia clearly knew something.

“You know what it is?” she asked, unable to hide the hope in her voice, her heart suddenly tight with anticipation.

Leng Wenxia seemed to snap out of it. She paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face before she replied, “Me? How would I know? My sister has been here, I’ve been overseas… What could I possibly know?

Aren’t you her fiancée? Why are you asking me?”

Lin Bie didn’t let that slide. “You know what your sister is like. She bottles everything up, never tells anyone when something’s wrong. That’s exactly why I came to ask you—because as her sister, you probably understand her better than I do.”

She was being honest. If Leng Wenxia did know something, there was no reason to pretend otherwise. Sincerity was her best bet with this naïve but perceptive girl.

And it seemed to work—Leng Wenxia looked visibly conflicted but not resistant.

“I… I haven’t really thought about it. Let me think, okay? I’ll try to remember if she has been acting strange lately,” she mumbled, clearly flustered.

Seeing her soften, Lin Bie didn’t push. She glanced at the time and gave a small nod.

“Alright. Thanks. If you think of anything, please let me know. I’m going to bring your sister some water.”

After parting ways, Lin Bie carefully carried the glass upstairs and headed for Leng Jinxi’s bedroom.

She stopped outside the door and gave it a light knock.

There was no response—Leng Jinxi must still be in the shower. Lin Bie turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

The bed she’d recently made had been stripped—Leng Wenxia had taken both the bedding and the kitten. Lin Bie sighed, wondering what she has to say to Leng Jinxi later without having anything to distract her.

Before, she could pretend to fuss over the kitten. Now even that excuse was gone.

It was raining outside, and though the room was still warm, sleeping on the carpet without a blanket could still cause a cold.

And then there was the drunken Leng Jinxi. People say drunk words can’t be trusted, but from the way she’d spoken earlier, Lin Bie couldn’t help but wonder—was she really going to sleep in the same bed as Leng Jinxi tonight?

The last time they shared a bed was the night Lin Bie first transmigrated. She distinctly remembered waking up in a stranger’s bed during a rainy night… and somehow, she and Leng Jinxi had ended up tangled in the sheets. A mystery she still hadn’t solved. And clearly, Leng Jinxi wasn’t interested in revisiting that topic.

Maybe she’d never know the full truth.

Her thoughts wandered, and before she realized it, time had passed. The bathroom door behind her clicked as someone turned the handle.

Lin Bie turned around just in time to see Leng Jinxi step out, fresh from the shower. She wore a pure white nightgown, her skin pale and porcelain-like, almost doll-like under the soft lighting.

Her hair hung loosely, strands clinging to her damp chest, water dripping down and soaking through the fabric. The nightgown clung to her body, nearly translucent, tracing her graceful curves. Lin Bie’s breath caught in her throat, and she immediately averted her gaze, cheeks flushing pink.

Why… why isn’t she wearing anything underneath?

“You… you should drink some water,” Lin Bie said awkwardly, her voice dry.

She motioned toward the glass of honey water on the table but didn’t dare look at Leng Jinxi directly. Her eyes darted aimlessly across the floor—until she saw a reflection approaching.

“Why won’t you look at me?” Leng Jinxi’s voice was soft, slightly aggrieved, tinged with a hint of accusation.

“Do you think I’m not pretty?”

When Lin Bie didn’t respond, Leng Jinxi frowned and stepped closer, standing over her, dark eyes intense.

The sound of rain against the window was loud and erratic, startling Lin Bie as she sat frozen on the bed. She could feel Leng Jinxi’s gaze roving over her body—trailing across her skin like a physical touch, making her shiver.

The air in the room was growing hotter by the second. Beads of sweat dotted Lin Bie’s nose as her breath came unevenly. She could feel her composure slipping.

“Look at me,” Leng Jinxi said again—her voice low, soft, but firm, the heat of the shower still clinging to her.

Lin Bie froze. Something about that tone had weight—undeniable, impossible to ignore. She lifted her eyes instinctively, locking onto Leng Jinxi’s damp, glistening gaze.

She really was stunning.

Her beauty didn’t need makeup, lighting, or any setting—just her bare face, standing in the soft glow of the room, was enough to steal the breath from anyone’s lungs.

At this moment, her pale cheeks were tinged with an unnatural flush. That soft red was even more pronounced on her snow-white skin—especially after drinking.

Her chest rose and fell with emotion. The soaked fabric clung to her every curve, and her scent—a mix of shampoo and pheromones—invaded Lin Bie’s senses, making her head spin.

She exhaled shakily. Her awareness kicked back in all at once.

Right. Leng Jinxi was drunk.

She had already been pretty out of it before showering, and now she didn’t seem any better. Maybe even worse.

She needed to rest.

Lin Bie forced herself to speak. “Your hair’s still wet. I’ll get the dryer—then you need to sleep.”

She moved to get up, but then—

“Water or hair-drying—make up your mind,” Leng Jinxi whined, her voice strangely soft and sultry.

Lin Bie froze. A giant question mark practically hovered over her head.

What?

But she remembered Jinxi was drunk. She probably didn’t know what she was saying. Trying to stay calm, Lin Bie replied gently, “I’ll bring you water, then dry your hair. You must feel awful right now. Sit here, don’t lie down yet. I’ll be right back.”

Why is drunk Leng Jinxi so different? Wasn’t she avoiding her before? Didn’t she want to keep a distance?

What was all this?

Even so, Lin Bie couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips as she stood. She was… actually kind of happy.

Hmph. Women.

But just as she reached for the glass of water—

A slender, cool hand got there first.

Startled, she looked up to see Leng Jinxi calmly lifting the cup, taking a large sip… and then locking eyes with her.

Lin Bie’s heart skipped a beat. Something felt wrong. She took a step back—but not fast enough.

Leng Jinxi’s hand was already on her shoulder. She shoved Lin Bie backwards with surprising force, sending her stumbling until she landed on the edge of the bed.

In that moment, all traces of drunken clumsiness disappeared. Jinxi stepped forward, straddled her lap, held her face still, and—before Lin Bie could fully register what was happening—lowered her head and kissed her.