After Transmigrating Into a Book, I Was Forced to Play the Role of a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

The little girl quickly immersed herself in the world of drawing, happily swinging her legs at times. Guan Ziyu watched the little girl, her eyes curving slightly.

“Are you thirsty? Want some juice?” Guan Ziyu asked softly.

“Yes, thank you, Sister,” the little girl said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Guan Ziyu.

“Okay, you play nicely by yourself. I’ll go downstairs and be right back,” Guan Ziyu instructed gently. The little girl nodded obediently.

When Guan Ziyu went downstairs, her mother had just returned from morning exercise. Seeing Guan Ziyu, she smiled and asked, “Ziyu, did you bring back that little friend you mentioned?”

Guan Ziyu nodded, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and smiled with lowered eyes. “Yes, she’s playing in my room. I came down to get her some juice.”

“What kind of little friend has you so attentive?” Qi Ying asked, curious about the child Guan Ziyu mentioned. For a year, Ziyu had gone almost every weekend to spend time with this little friend.

“She’s a bit shy, Mom. Don’t scare her later,” Guan Ziyu said with a smile.

“Am I a tiger? Would I scare someone?” Qi Ying said, playfully glaring at her daughter.

Guan Ziyu carried two cups of juice upstairs, with Qi Ying following behind.

Hearing footsteps, Liu Can’s eyes lit up, knowing it was her sister returning. She looked expectantly at the door. “Sister.”

“Have you waited long?” Guan Ziyu asked softly.

“No,” Liu Can said, shaking her head. Her gaze shifted to the person behind Guan Ziyu, and she politely greeted, “Hello, Aunt.”

“Oh, hello,” Qi Ying replied, slightly stunned before greeting Liu Can. She had heard Guan Ziyu talk about a little friend and assumed Liu Can was a young child, so she was surprised. Seeing Liu Can, she felt a pang of pity. Such a nice girl, how did she end up with an intellectual disability?

“You play with Ziyu. I’m going upstairs to shower,” Qi Ying said, smiling at Liu Can.

“Okay,” Liu Can nodded obediently, took the apple juice Guan Ziyu handed her, and drank slowly.

As Qi Ying went upstairs, she felt something was off. If Liu Can were a child, it would be fine for her daughter to visit out of pity or fondness for a cute kid. But Liu Can was clearly an adult omega, and Qi Ying worried her daughter might get too attached.

Guan Ziyu saw the little girl drinking juice obediently, gently rubbed her head, and smiled as the little girl looked up, giving her a sweet smile.

“The juice Sister made is so good,” the little girl said, sweetly praising Guan Ziyu.

Guan Ziyu leaned against the desk, chuckling. “Little flatterer, you’ve learned to compliment people.”

After drinking juice, Guan Ziyu worried the little girl might get bored with just drawing. She grabbed a tablet and softly asked, “Want to watch a cartoon together? We can draw later.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to Sister,” the little girl said, sitting obediently.

Guan Ziyu pulled a chair to sit beside Liu Can, playing a movie on the tablet. On the desk, she placed some nut snacks, peeling them into a small bowl for the little girl to eat directly.

The little girl smiled sweetly at Guan Ziyu. “Thank you, Sister.”

“No need to thank me. So polite with me,” Guan Ziyu said, laughing and shaking her head. She wasn’t interested in cartoons but enjoyed feeding the little girl. Seeing her eat happily, Guan Ziyu’s mood lifted.

After going upstairs, Qi Ying grew more uneasy. She changed clothes and returned, seeing her daughter and Liu Can watching a cartoon together. Liu Can watched intently, while her daughter peeled nuts, her gaze mostly on Liu Can. This set off alarm bells for Qi Ying. Could her daughter really have feelings for this intellectually disabled girl?

Qi Ying had meant to say hello but couldn’t move her feet and turned to leave.

After eating for a while, Liu Can felt full and looked at Guan Ziyu. “Sister, I can’t eat anymore.”

“Okay, don’t eat then. Save some room for lunch,” Guan Ziyu said, grabbing a wet wipe to clean her hands while talking to Liu Can.

“Sister, was that your mom earlier?” the little girl asked obediently.

“Yes, my family is nice. Don’t be nervous at lunch. Just treat it like your own home,” Guan Ziyu said softly.

“Okay, with Sister here, I’m not scared,” the little girl said, nodding.

Guan Ziyu reached out to fix Liu Can’s side bangs. The little girl, with red lips and white teeth, was truly beautiful.

At lunch, Guan Ziyu took Liu Can downstairs. Surprisingly, she saw her father and brother were home. Liu Can, shy behind her, tugged at Guan Ziyu’s hem. Guan Ziyu held the little girl’s wrist, softly comforting, “Don’t be afraid. That’s my dad and brother. They’re good people.”

Holding Guan Ziyu’s hand, Liu Can relaxed a bit. At the table, she timidly greeted Guan Ziyu’s father and brother. “Hello, Uncle. Hello, Brother.”

“Oh, hello,” Guan Mingfei, Guan Ziyu’s father, replied with a smile.

Seeing Guan Mingfei and Guan Wenbin smile at her, Liu Can relaxed further, sitting obediently beside Guan Ziyu.

“Ziyu, is this the little friend you often mention?” Guan Mingfei asked, looking at his daughter.

“Yes, Little Can is very good. I promised to bring her over to play yesterday,” Guan Ziyu said, serving soup to the little girl before serving the rest of the family.

Seeing Liu Can nervous, Guan Mingfei smiled and said, “No need to be nervous. Treat it like your own home. Eat up.”

“Okay, thank you, Uncle,” Liu Can replied quietly.

But with so many people in an unfamiliar place, Liu Can didn’t dare take food far from her, only eating the two dishes in front of her.

Guan Ziyu noticed and took Liu Can’s bowl, picking some dishes farther away.

The little girl’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Sister.”

“No need. Eat more,” Guan Ziyu said softly, her voice gentler than usual.

Guan Mingfei, Guan Wenbin, and Qi Ying exchanged glances but said nothing.

At noon, Guan Ziyu let the little girl nap in her bed. Liu Can changed into pajamas, covered with Guan Ziyu’s summer blanket, and sniffed the blanket lightly. She noticed a faint grape scent on Guan Ziyu’s blanket and pillow, which she liked, even craving grapes.

The little girl buried her face in the pillow, sniffed a few times, then lay down obediently to nap.

Guan Ziyu wasn’t sleepy. She got water from the dispenser, planning to nap in the guest room, when Qi Ying stopped her.

“Ziyu, come here. Your dad and I have something to ask you.”

Guan Ziyu, puzzled, nodded, took her cup, and went to the study, surprised to see her brother there too. Their father and brother, usually busy, hadn’t returned to the company after lunch?

“Why are you all still here? What’s going on? Why so serious?” Guan Ziyu asked, sitting on a chair.

Guan Mingfei paused, then spoke. “Ziyu, you’re not a kid anymore, so I’ll be direct. You said ‘little friend,’ so your mom and I thought Liu Can was a young child. But we saw she’s an adult omega with an intellectual disability. You’re an alpha and should keep your distance. Try not to spend time alone with her. It’s not good for either of you.”

Guan Ziyu’s fingers lightly clasped together. She looked up and asked, “Dad, what do you mean?”

“Do I need to spell it out? I respect you and Wenbin’s choices and agree to free love. Our family doesn’t need you to marry for alliances. You can date anyone, and we don’t care about their background. But Ziyu, they should at least be normal, right? Liu Can is nice-looking and has good self-care skills, but she’s not a match for you, understand?” Guan Mingfei said bluntly.

Guan Ziyu’s face paled. “Dad, what are you talking about? Liu Can and I are good friends. We’re innocent. Can you not overthink?”

“Ziyu, we’re not overthinking. I’m genuinely worried. Since college, you’ve never been attached to anyone or dated. For a year, you’ve been so attentive to that girl. Our concerns aren’t baseless, are they?” Qi Ying said calmly, looking at her daughter.

“Liu Can and I are just friends. I feel sorry for her and want to help. There’s no other meaning. I’m going back. Stop overthinking,” Guan Ziyu said, her face pale, standing to leave.

After Guan Ziyu left, Qi Ying looked at Guan Mingfei. “What do we do? Ziyu’s stubborn. What if she ends up with Liu Can?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. Wenbin and I are often away. When you’re home, talk to her. It’s easier to persuade her now before she’s too deep. Otherwise, it’ll be impossible,” Guan Mingfei said, sighing.

“Okay, I’ll keep an eye out,” Qi Ying nodded.

“We’re not snobs. Honestly, if Liu Can were normal, I wouldn’t interfere,” Guan Mingfei said, rubbing his brow.

“Exactly. Such a nice girl, how did she get this condition?” Qi Ying said, full of pity.

Guan Ziyu returned to her room, her face still pale. Worried about upsetting the little girl, she planned to take her shopping in the afternoon, eat out, and send her back to Shen Hanzhi’s to avoid her parents saying anything to scare her.

Thinking of the little girl’s obedient demeanor, Guan Ziyu sighed deeply. Was it really just pity for her? She wasn’t sure herself. Rubbing her forehead, she lay down to nap.

When Guan Ziyu woke, it was almost three. She tidied up and went to the opposite room, gently pushing the door open. The little girl was awake, lying on the bed with wide eyes, looking around.

Guan Ziyu chuckled, her eyes gentle. “You’re awake. Why didn’t you come find me?”

“Didn’t want to wake you,” Liu Can said, sitting up obediently.

“So good. Get up, wash your face. I’ll take you out to play, okay?” Guan Ziyu said.

“Okay, Sister, where are we going?” the little girl asked, her eyes lighting up. Her mom was usually busy and rarely took her out.

“I’ll take you to a movie. Go wash up and change,” Guan Ziyu said softly.

Liu Can obediently washed up, changed clothes, and followed Guan Ziyu downstairs.

Guan Ziyu told the housekeeper they wouldn’t be back for dinner and took Liu Can to the car.

Guan Ziyu had the little girl sit in the passenger seat, reminding her, “Remember to buckle your seatbelt.”

Liu Can and Liu Fang rarely took cabs and usually sat in the back, so she didn’t know what Guan Ziyu meant. Clasping her hands, afraid of seeming ignorant, she quietly asked, “Sister, what’s that?”

Guan Ziyu pulled the seatbelt down, fastened it for the little girl, and softly explained, “This is the seatbelt. It goes in this buckle to keep you safe.”

“Oh, oh,” Liu Can nodded, looking expectantly at Guan Ziyu.

“Alright, let’s go. I’ll open the window a bit,” Guan Ziyu said, opening the window. A breeze blew in, more comfortable than air conditioning.

The little girl leaned by the window, curiously watching the scenery. When her mom picked her up from school, she loved zoning out on the electric scooter.

Ten minutes later, Guan Ziyu parked at the nearby mall’s parking lot.

Getting out, Guan Ziyu noticed the little girl’s nervousness outside. Afraid of losing her, she held her hand tightly and entered the elevator.

Soon, the elevator reached the top floor’s cinema. Guan Ziyu chose an animated movie suitable for the little girl, bought popcorn and drinks, and took Liu Can inside.

Before the lights dimmed, Guan Ziyu led Liu Can to their seats. She noticed many adults and couples watching the movie. She placed the drink in the armrest slot and opened the popcorn for the little girl.

The little girl, new to the cinema, curiously looked around.

Guan Ziyu said softly, “When the movie starts, the hall’s lights will turn off. Don’t be scared. I’m right beside you.”

“Okay, with Sister here, I’m not scared,” the little girl said, her cheeks puffed with popcorn.

“Good,” Guan Ziyu said, smiling and nodding.

The movie started, different from the home atmosphere. The little girl watched intently, lingering even after it ended.

Seeing her cute, Guan Ziyu stood, scraped Liu Can’s nose, and laughed. “Alright, it’s over. If you like it, I’ll bring you again next time.”

“Okay, Sister’s the best. I like Sister,” the little girl said, her flattery soaring. Guan Ziyu laughed and shook her head.

She bought the little girl a cold drink, held her hand, and strolled the floor, letting her pick food.

The little girl chose barbecue. Guan Ziyu took her to a restaurant and ordered meat.

The little girl rarely ate out, and it was her first barbecue.

Guan Ziyu looked at her and instructed, “Don’t touch the middle plate. It’s hot. Sit nicely, and I’ll grill the meat.”

“Okay, Sister,” the little girl said, arranging her plate and dipping sauces, propping her chin to watch Guan Ziyu grill.

Seeing the little girl stare at the meat, Guan Ziyu laughed and shook her head. “Almost done. Wait a bit.”

Guan Ziyu cut the meat into smaller pieces, served beef to Liu Can’s plate, took lettuce, dipped the beef in sauce, wrapped it in lettuce, and handed it to her. “Try this. It’s less greasy.”

Liu Can obediently took it, ate a bite, and her eyes lit up. “Delicious.”

The little girl, eyes sparkling, mimicked Guan Ziyu, wrapping a piece of meat. Seeing Guan Ziyu hadn’t eaten, she offered it to her lips. “Sister, I’ll feed you.”

“Okay,” Guan Ziyu said, smiling and eating the meat the little girl fed her.

Later, Liu Can ate a lot of barbecue. Guan Ziyu took her shopping in the mall, buying her a cute little brown bear.

Liu Can, thrilled with the bear, played with it on the way back.

Guan Ziyu dropped Liu Can at Shen Hanzhi’s villa, unbuckled her seatbelt, and smiled. “Go back and be good. Let the bear keep you company. I’ll come play next weekend.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for Sister. Bye, Sister,” the little girl said politely, getting out.

Guan Ziyu watched her back, laughed, and shook her head. Being carefree like the little girl seemed nice.

She drove home. In the living room, Qi Ying and the others were eating. Guan Ziyu greeted them and went upstairs.

Qi Ying sighed. “What if we can’t persuade her?”

“No way we can’t. Ziyu’s sensible. She’s just stubborn now. She won’t do anything foolish. Let her process it,” Guan Mingfei said, sighing.

After showering, Guan Ziyu sat in a daze, her mood affected by her parents’ words at lunch. With Liu Can, she hadn’t felt it, but now she was suddenly irritable, an emotion she rarely had. She’d never thought deeply about her feelings for Liu Can, just seeing the weekly visits as a habit.

Meanwhile, Liu Can happily returned with the bear, rushing to share with Liu Fang. “Mom, Sister took me out this afternoon. We saw a movie, ate barbecue, and she bought me this bear. Isn’t it cute?”

Liu Fang’s eyes reddened. She sighed, took her daughter’s hand, and said, “Little Can, come with me.”

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Liu Can asked, seeing her mother’s expression.

Liu Fang looked at her daughter, took her to the room, closed the door, and struggled to speak. She looked at her daughter and gritted her teeth. “Little Can, I have something important to say. Let’s not play for now.”

Hearing it was important, Liu Can quickly put the bear aside.

“Mom, go ahead,” Liu Can said, smiling at Liu Fang.

Liu Fang took a deep breath and spoke. “Little Can, don’t always look for Sister Guan. She’s an alpha and will have a girlfriend someday, maybe marry her. It’s my fault for letting you two get so close.”

“Why can’t I see Sister? She’s so good to me. Mom, I really like Sister. I want to see her every day,” Liu Can said, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Little Can, you’re different from her. Sister Guan comes from a good family. She’s normal and will have an excellent omega as a girlfriend. I won’t say more about you. It’s not too late to part now, before you’re too deep. Otherwise, you’ll be the one hurt. Please, for Mom’s sake, okay?” Liu Fang said, crying.

Liu Can rarely saw her mother cry so sadly and started crying too. “Mom, can’t I be Sister’s girlfriend?”

“Little Can, people like you usually find partners with physical disabilities. Normal people rarely consider you. Ziyu’s an excellent alpha, living in a villa. We can’t aim too high,” Liu Fang said, her heart aching, but she had to make things clear before her daughter fell deeper.

“Can’t I be with Sister?” Liu Can’s tears fell, her heart aching terribly.

Liu Fang continued, “Even if she likes you now, what about later? Living together? Your adaptability is much slower. She finds you cute now, visiting twice a week to care for you. But long-term? Can she willingly care for you forever? You can’t work. Will she always like and protect you?”

This wasn’t Liu Fang’s imagination—it was reality. Few normal people could stay with someone intellectually disabled forever. Early on, things might be sweet, but over time, daily trivialities pile up. Even normal couples could be worn down by life, let alone with someone needing constant care.

Liu Can’s tears fell drop by drop, her body trembling as she hugged the bear. “Mom, but I like Sister. What do I do? Waaah…”

Seeing her daughter cry so sadly, Liu Fang cried too, pulling her into her arms and softly saying, “Don’t see her anymore. If you want to try dating, I’ll look for someone nice from your school, someone you can care for each other. Don’t think about her.”

Liu Can cried heartbreakingly, wetting the bear with her tears.

“Alright, I’ll call Miss Guan later to thank her for this year’s care. You can’t keep in touch,” Liu Fang said, steeling herself through tears.

She left Liu Can alone, went to the living room sofa, and called Guan Ziyu.

Guan Ziyu, fresh from a shower, saw Liu Fang’s call and answered quickly. “Aunt Liu, is something up?”

“Miss Guan, I’m so sorry. Thank you for caring for Little Can this year. But she’s 23, and I have to worry about some things. You’ve been so good to her, and I’m grateful, but she’s an omega. Lately, she keeps saying she likes you. Though her intelligence is limited, her feelings are sensitive. I’m afraid she’ll really fall for you, and it’ll be too late to stop. I know you’re a good person, but you’re normal. You understand me. Before you both get too deep, don’t meet anymore. I’m sure your family wouldn’t agree either,” Liu Fang said.

“Aunt, Little Can and I are good friends. We…” Guan Ziyu panicked at the thought of not seeing Liu Can, but her words faltered.

Was she really just friends with Liu Can? If Liu Can truly liked her, could she love and care for her forever?

Guan Ziyu questioned herself. Liu Can was wonderful, but as Liu Fang and her parents said, would they be happy together?

If she insisted on staying close to the little girl, as a healthy adult, she could easily move on from a relationship, but what about the little girl?

Guan Ziyu’s eyes reddened, her thoughts a jumble—her feelings for Liu Can, her resolve to spend a lifetime with someone intellectually disabled. She hesitated, finally saying, “Okay, I won’t go over anymore.”

“Thank you, Miss Guan. I know you understand a mother’s heart. Thank you, really, and I’m sorry for making this request,” Liu Fang said, choking up on the sofa.

Guan Ziyu didn’t know when the call ended. She felt drained, collapsing on the bed, her mind filled with the little girl’s afternoon shopping moments. Without her on weekends, how would she cope?

Guan Ziyu’s eyes reddened, holding back tears.

Meanwhile, Liu Fang sat on the sofa, sobbing uncontrollably. Shen Hanzhi and Wen Jin came down to eat, saw Liu Fang crying alone, and hurried to comfort her. Liu Fang explained the situation to them.

Shen Hanzhi nodded. “Aunt Liu, your reasoning makes sense. Temporary care is easy, but a lifetime? With Liu Can’s condition, the future is uncertain. Ziyu’s a good person and should understand your concerns. Let them take a break for now.”

Liu Fang nodded. Back in her room, Liu Can was asleep, clutching the bear, her eyes red from crying alone after Liu Fang left. Liu Fang, heartbroken, sat by the bed, covering her face and crying softly, feeling sorry for her daughter and powerless.

Over the next few days, Liu Can spoke less, lacked energy, and stayed quietly in her room drawing. Liu Fang ached for her daughter but could do nothing.

After finishing a drawing, Liu Can often sat on the yard bench with the bear, staring at the gate, as if hoping her special person would come.

On Saturday, Liu Can waited on the bench all day, returning to her room to cry quietly with the bear. Liu Fang, heartbroken, had to let her daughter process it alone.

Guan Ziyu spent Saturday mostly in her room. She went to the hospital in the morning, then stayed home in the afternoon, going nowhere.

Even Qi Ying noticed her daughter’s listlessness this week, and oddly, she didn’t visit Liu Can, which she never missed, even in rain or snow.

Curious, Qi Ying glanced upstairs but, thinking it was good her daughter didn’t go, asked no more.

Guan Ziyu felt everything was wrong at home. Whether reading medical books or watching dramas, she had no interest, even lacking an appetite for meals.

She set aside the tablet, went to her desk, and took out a coloring book—the one the little girl hadn’t finished. She wondered if the little girl was sad not seeing her today.

Guan Ziyu paused, then took Xiaohua for a walk in the community, talking to the dog. “Xiaohua, let’s go see if Big Sister’s there. Just a quick look from afar, okay?”

Xiaohua, not understanding, rubbed its head against Guan Ziyu’s leg.

Guan Ziyu took Xiaohua near Shen Hanzhi’s villa, looked through the gate, and saw no one on the bench. Feeling a bit disappointed, she remembered Liu Fang’s words and quickly walked away with Xiaohua. Without clarity on her feelings, she’d hurt the little girl. Maybe time would help her understand her heart.