After the Scumbag Alpha Accidentally Marked the Blackened Villain - Chapter 35

Lin Bie had a dream—one that took her back to the moment before she transmigrated into this book’s world. She relived everything that happened in those final moments of her original life.

Her grandmother had passed away. She returned home to arrange the funeral, and on the way back, while driving along a mountain road, a landslide occurred. A torrent of mud and rocks came crashing down, burying both her car and the road in a matter of seconds.

It was within that slow descent into suffocation, in the flickering of life flashing before her eyes, that Lin Bie entered this new world.

Most people don’t remember what happens right before death. Even in her dream, Lin Bie observed it all from a third-person perspective, as if through a foggy window—hazy and unclear. She had no idea what she had done or prayed for that could have caused a fate-altering system to choose her and give her another chance at life.

Maybe it was her unwillingness to give in. Her refusal to accept the flood of rumors and abuse that social media had dumped on her. Her resentment toward the hired trolls who smeared her name, or the marketing accounts that made a profit by trampling on her dignity.

She stood quietly amidst the fog of her subconscious, staring at the car crushed beneath the landslide and the motionless figure inside. Her bl00d felt as cold as the night surrounding her.

Then, she suddenly noticed the nearly unconscious version of herself stir slightly. That broken and bruised body somehow managed to lift a fractured arm. Her hand curled around something, then pressed against her chest—sincere, devout, and unwavering.

Lin Bie was stunned. She instinctively wanted to move closer for a better look, but just as she did, it became hard to breathe. In an instant, the entire scene dissolved into a deep, suffocating sea, and she couldn’t catch her breath.

Just before the crushing weight of death could reach her again, Lin Bie’s eyes flew open. She gasped like a drowning person pulled from the depths, drenched in cold sweat that clung to her skin like sea foam.

As her consciousness returned and she realized it had only been a nightmare—one about her life before transmigration—she couldn’t shake her curiosity. She still didn’t know how or why she had ended up in this world, but what she saw of herself in that dream only left her with more questions.

But reality didn’t give her the luxury of reflection.

A soft murmur sounded from her chest. Lin Bie froze. She suddenly became aware of the suffocating weight pressing against her and the feeling of another body tightly wrapped in her arms.

She was cradling Leng Jinxi. One arm was around her waist, a leg intertwined between hers. Leng Jinxi’s leg, in turn, rested over her own.

She stiffly tilted her head down and saw only a smooth crown of black hair. The woman nestled against her hadn’t moved beyond that small sound—likely just sleep-talking—and remained peacefully asleep in her embrace.

Lin Bie didn’t dare move a muscle.

How did she end up sleeping like this with Leng Jinxi? And to make matters worse, had held her so tightly it gave her nightmares from lack of air?

What on earth happened?

Could her sleeping habits really be this terrible? Had she simply never noticed because she always slept alone? Did her body now instinctively latch onto someone else to sleep well?

Lin Bie, what the hell is wrong with you? she scolded herself.

But even as she berated herself inwardly, her body refused to let go. She was terrified that if she moved even a little, Leng Jinxi would wake up, and they’d both be stuck staring at each other in silent horror. Just imagining it made her want to curl up and die of embarrassment.

The nightmare had completely vanished from her mind. All she could think about was the awkwardness of the situation. Her brain was racing, and the hand on Leng Jinxi’s waist was already numb with tension.

She was paralyzed by the fear that one wrong move might wake her up.

Slowly, carefully, Lin Bie began to withdraw her arm, finger by finger. Every brush against Leng Jinxi’s soft, warm skin left a brand-like memory on her hand, making even her breath feel heated.

She turned her head slightly so that her breath wouldn’t fall on Leng Jinxi’s skin. Just as she was about to shift her leg, the woman in her arms stirred and slowly lifted her head.

Their eyes met.

Two beautiful gazes locked in the morning stillness, and the room was suddenly silent.

Lin Bie could hear the soft dripping of rain outside the window, the rapid pounding of her heart echoing in her ears. Leng Jinxi’s eyes still held the drowsy glaze of sleep as she looked at her.

Lin Bie’s heart jumped into her throat. She swallowed hard, trying to match Leng Jinxi’s gaze that was gradually sharpening with cold clarity. She tentatively opened her mouth.

“You’re awake?”

Leng Jinxi didn’t reply immediately. Her gaze swept over Lin Bie—from the top of her head to the way their bodies were entangled in a tight embrace. Her long lashes fluttered in the morning light like butterfly wings.

“Heh.” A soft chuckle escaped her lips.

Lin Bie froze.

Oh no. She’s going to yell at me, isn’t she? Her blackening value must be skyrocketing right now. What the hell did I do last night? How did I even fall asleep so early?

Her mind was a mess of panic and regret. She didn’t notice the fleeting smile and satisfaction that flickered through Leng Jinxi’s eyes.

“Still not getting up?” Leng Jinxi’s voice was calm and cool as always, slipping into Lin Bie’s ear just before she pulled herself free from the embrace—offering no warmth, no lingering sentiment.

Lin Bie blinked, stunned. Somehow, the loss of that soft, warm presence from her arms made her feel… reluctant. But she quickly pushed the feeling down.

“Okay,” she mumbled guiltily, lowering her head.

Leng Jinxi stood there, arms crossed, hair tousled from sleep, and smirked.

“Where did that strength from last night go? I couldn’t break free no matter how hard I tried.”

Her tone had an edge of teasing—just a hint of complaint. Lin Bie’s back stiffened.

So it really happened… I was clinging to her all night? God, what is wrong with me…

She was mortified. Was she about to destroy this whole commercial marriage agreement with her behavior?

“I must’ve been really tired last night… I have a bad sleeping posture,” Lin Bie rambled, anxious. “But don’t worry! I’ll never share a bed with anyone again. I promise—this won’t happen again.”

She was practically swearing an oath when Leng Jinxi’s expression abruptly went cold.

“Then get up,” she said sharply, turning away. “And don’t hang around here.”

Lin Bie panicked.

She’s really mad…

She scrambled to wrap herself in her robe and sat obediently on the bed, waiting for Leng Jinxi to toss her some clothes. She didn’t dare resist.

When they finally stepped out of the bedroom, Lin Bie immediately noticed the evidence of last night’s… intimacy.

Leng Jinxi wore only a loose t-shirt, revealing her pale collarbones and neck. Red marks dotted her skin like plum blossoms in the snow, trailing downward beneath the fabric. It was impossible not to see.

Lin Bie swallowed hard. If Leng Jinxi looked like this, then she herself probably had matching marks…

She was about to warn her when an excited voice called out:

“Sis! Come eat!”

Leng Wenxia sat at the table downstairs, looking up at the two of them. Her gaze briefly swept over Lin Bie with a sharp, warning edge.

Lin Bie understood—she was telling her not to mention anything about last night.

At that moment, their cat Xiao Guai squirmed out of Leng Wenxia’s arms and meowed at its owner.

Leng Jinxi gracefully descended the stairs. “The housekeeper already made breakfast?”

“It’s already almost ten. You two just slept too late—it’s basically brunch now,” Wenxia teased.

As the two women approached, Wenxia’s eyes landed on the matching red marks on their necks. The piece of bread in her hand dropped to her plate with a thud.

Whoa. That went way further than I thought…

Leng Jinxi noticed Wenxia’s strange expression. “What’s wrong?”

Following her gaze downward, she caught sight of the marks on her neck. Her brows arched slightly, but she said nothing. A barely perceptible smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

Lin Bie didn’t notice Leng Jinxi’s subtle amusement—she was too busy trying not to die of embarrassment. She sat stiffly at the table, picked up a piece of bread, and took a big bite to steady herself.

And then, instead of sitting beside Wenxia, Leng Jinxi took the seat next to her.

Lin Bie’s hand froze mid-bite.

She turned to look at her, and Leng Jinxi offered a sweet, seemingly innocent smile—her eyes clearly saying: If we’re going to play this game, we’re playing it right.

Lin Bie chewed slowly and muttered, “It’s… good.”

The awkward brunch eventually ended without further drama. Lin Bie was “pardoned” and finally allowed to leave the villa in peace.

She wanted to apologize to Leng Jinxi for last night, but she was afraid of bringing up old memories and causing that same withdrawn coldness she’d seen on set. So in the end, she said nothing.

She really liked the way Leng Jinxi looked that morning—bare, unguarded, with raw, real emotions in her eyes. That was the Leng Jinxi from the early chapters of the book, the one who hadn’t yet been consumed by hatred.

For some reason, whenever she thought of Leng Jinxi now, a quiet tenderness bloomed in her heart.

Even in the car after leaving, Lin Bie found herself smiling.

She had a scene to shoot in the afternoon, but for now, she wasn’t in a rush. There was one place she had never been since arriving in this novel’s world: her talent agency.

But before that, she had one more thing to do.

Thinking back to what Leng Wenxia told her last night, she pulled over, opened her phone, and found the number in her chat history with Lin Qing’s assistant. She copied the digits, and pressed dial.

—

Meanwhile, back at the villa, Leng Jinxi watched Lin Bie’s car disappear around the corner before finally turning away.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Lin Bie’s panicked face that morning. Just the memory of it made her smile again.

Things might not have gone exactly as she planned, but the results weren’t bad either. At the very least, Lin Bie didn’t truly reject her—or the idea of deepening their relationship beyond a commercial marriage.

The moment Lin Bie held her last night, only one thought had echoed in Leng Jinxi’s mind:

I want to claim her. I want to have her all to myself. I want her to be kind only to me, smile only at me. I want her gaze to fall on no one else.

She could feel it—Lin Bie’s feelings toward her were different from what she gave others. That certainty alone made Leng Jinxi’s heart swell with joy, though there was a dark, obsessive glint beneath her smile.

It didn’t matter. She would find a way to make Lin Bie fall for her—to the point she’d never want to leave.

With what happened last night, she now had leverage to keep Lin Bie close. There’d be no more running away.

With that thought, Leng Jinxi walked lightly into the living room. Seeing Wenxia sprawled lazily on the couch, playing on her phone, her expression turned stern.

“Now,” she said, “you can tell me the real reason you came back to the country.”