Guide To Lying Flat And Getting Rich As A Kept Alpha - Chapter 1
1
“Hetu, please help him this one time. We really have no other options. I’m begging you, okay?”
It wasn’t until several minutes later that Luo Hetu realized she seemed to have entered the world of a novel she had been casually reading. She looked at the woman sitting in front of her, who had been prattling on for half an hour. This must be the novel’s female protagonist, Chun Yuyan.
They were sitting in the living room of an old, rundown house. Chun Yuyan had a delicate, innocent appearance, her pitiful, teary eyes gazing at Luo Hetu with a heart-tugging expression.
Luo Hetu blinked and looked down.
Chun Yuyan’s slender, delicate hand rested on Luo Hetu’s thigh, which was clad in long pants.
A faint scent of rose perfume wafted through the air, rich and fragrant. Luo Hetu’s head was still foggy, but the scent triggered an instinctive physical reaction, leaving her restless and agitated.
Her throat tightened, and she caught a fleeting, triumphant smile in Chun Yuyan’s eyes.
Luo Hetu shifted uncomfortably to the side, pulling away from Chun Yuyan’s hand.
Chun Yuyan froze for a moment before quickly scooting closer. “Hetu, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? If you’re not feeling good, we can ask Zhang Sheng. His sister works at the hospital and can help with anything you need.”
Luo Hetu spoke up: “No.”
Her voice came out tight, her body growing increasingly restless. She shifted further away and finally stood up. “I’m too tired. I want to be alone for a bit. I don’t want to see anyone today. I’ll find you when I’m feeling better.”
“I’ll call Zhang Sheng right now. She’ll arrange a car to pick you up.” Chun Yuyan said quickly, her movements swift, as if she couldn’t wait to act.
Luo Hetu felt a surge of irritation. She grabbed Chun Yuyan’s arm, realizing for the first time how strong she was. Chun Yuyan’s arm felt soft and fragile in her grip, and with a slight tug, she pulled the girl along.
“Ah!” Chun Yuyan let out a short, startled cry as Luo Hetu dragged her to the door and pushed her outside.
“Don’t bother me. I’m going to sleep. I won’t open the door for anyone. If you knock again, I’ll call the police.”
Her face was cold as she spoke, then she slammed the door shut and locked it.
With Chun Yuyan’s chatter gone, the room finally fell silent.
Luo Hetu sat on the living room sofa, her mind racing to process the situation.
This melodramatic ABO novel was something she’d only read to pass the time. Thinking back, she remembered she had been crossing the street before arriving here. She’d been waiting at a red light, bored, and had pulled out her phone to continue reading the novel. She was just a few pages from the end when the light turned green. She’d started walking while reading—and then, it seemed, she got hit by a car.
Damn it.
If she’d known getting hit by a car would transport her into the novel she was reading, she would’ve picked a high-tech interstellar pioneer story where she could flex her genius hacker skills. Instead, she was stuck in this ABO world set in the 1990s.
Luo Hetu didn’t understand ABO at all.
Most of the novel’s descriptions focused on the fiery, uncontrollable passion between the male and female leads, full of lustful attraction. Luo Hetu had skimmed over those parts, only vaguely aware that the alpha and omega were drawn to each other by pheromones, sniffing around like dogs, while betas were like tools in their scent-driven games, unable to smell anything themselves.
In the novel, the original Luo Hetu was Chun Yuyan’s ultimate simp, devotedly licking her boots from the start almost to the end. When Luo Hetu got hit by the car, she had just read the part where the original Luo Hetu took the fall for Chun Yuyan’s boyfriend and ended up dying in prison.
Luo Hetu not only didn’t understand ABO—she also had no patience for simps.
From the half-hour conversation with Chun Yuyan, who had been pleading with her in a soft, coquettish voice to help her boyfriend Zhang Sheng, it seemed like helping him was something Luo Hetu could do effortlessly. Refusing to help somehow made her the bad guy.
In reality, the original Luo Hetu was an orphan who never differentiated into an alpha, beta, or omega, even until she went to prison for Chun Yuyan. She had no parents, no family, and had to work harder than anyone else to achieve anything, enduring countless sneers and struggles. Nothing came easy to her, yet Chun Yuyan could sweet-talk her into risking everything, even committing crimes and dirty deeds, ultimately sacrificing her life.
What an idiot. Stupid and pitiful.
Luo Hetu wasn’t that foolish. She had no feelings for Chun Yuyan, and from their brief interaction, it was clear Chun Yuyan had no genuine affection for her either—just calculating intentions, right down to the carefully chosen rose perfume.
Luo Hetu wanted nothing more than to hop on a train and flee this manipulative white lotus ghost that very night.
Even though Luo Hetu was an undifferentiable “failure” in this world, just to be safe, she went to the bathroom, stripped off her clothes and pants, and carefully inspected her body for anything unusual. Thankfully, everything was as it should be for a normal female body—nothing extra, nothing missing.
Her body and face were almost identical to her own in her previous life: fair skin, toned muscles, a slim waist, and long legs. The only difference was that her abs were slightly more defined now, with a sleek, powerful waistline that looked particularly enticing.
She’d always been good-looking, with sharp, handsome features, bright almond-shaped eyes with slightly downturned corners, a straight nose, and a lower lip slightly fuller than the upper. Her smile was charming and likable.
Luo Hetu narcissistically admired her appearance and physique for a moment before dutifully putting her clothes back on.
Since she was an undifferentiable “failure,” she was happy to live a carefree life. In this ABO world, she didn’t care about any of the letters—just don’t drag her into the mess.
She wandered around the house, which was rented by the original Luo Hetu. It wasn’t exactly bare, but the furnishings were cheap and worn, though clean and tidy. The original Luo Hetu had no family or friends. All her money was kept in an iron box under the bulky CRT television—about two hundred yuan in cash, some loose change, and a bankbook with a balance of just over four thousand yuan.
This was all of Luo Hetu’s savings. In this city, where the average monthly wage was around six or seven hundred yuan, it was a decent sum.
The original Luo Hetu was 22 years old, had dropped out after high school, and worked as a bricklayer on construction sites—literally carrying bricks. It was grueling work, but it paid well, so she’d managed to save this money through years of scrimping. If she hadn’t lent Chun Yuyan five thousand yuan, she’d be close to being a “ten-thousand-yuan household.”
Luo Hetu clicked her tongue, wondering if the original’s failure to differentiate was due to poor nutrition from eating so frugally.
She patted her own shoulder. “Don’t worry, Xiao Luo. You had a tough life before, but now you’ve got me. They call me the Money-Making Pro in the streets. Stick with me, and we’ll eat well, drink well, and live the good life!”
As she was comforting “Xiao Luo,” an impatient knock came at the door, startling her.
“Luo Hetu, Luo Hetu, it’s Zhang Sheng. Yan’er said you’re not feeling well. I’m taking you to the hospital!”
Luo Hetu’s face darkened. These two were like lingering ghosts, pretending to be kind while scheming.
She didn’t want to respond, but worried they’d disturb the neighbors, she yanked the door open and glared coldly at the man outside.
Zhang Sheng was a tall, handsome alpha, standing at 1.8 meters. He and Chun Yuyan were a perfect match—alpha talent and omega beauty, so compatible that even a passing dog would bark in approval.
When Zhang Sheng saw her, he paused, then flashed a warm smile. “I’ve called a car. Yan’er mentioned you’re always getting injured but refuse to go to the hospital. This time, since you’re helping us out, let me do something for you. My sister works at the hospital and will take good care of you.”
The novel didn’t mention anything about a hospital, only that the original Luo Hetu helped Chun Yuyan solve Zhang Sheng’s problem. The original never asked for anything in return—not even the money Chun Yuyan owed her. When Chun Yuyan gave her a small doll as a gift, the original treasured it like it was priceless, even clutching it as she died.
Such heartfelt devotion was truly moving, but Luo Hetu couldn’t muster a single tear.
Besides, going to Zhang Sheng’s sister’s hospital didn’t sound like a good deal. She didn’t believe these two had any gratitude toward her.
“Thanks, but I’m not helping you, and I’m not going to the hospital.” Luo Hetu leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, squinting at the stunned Zhang Sheng and Chun Yuyan behind him. “If there’s nothing else, don’t disturb the neighbors. I’m exhausted from work and want to sleep. If you keep bothering me, I’ll call the police.”
Chun Yuyan grabbed the door. “Hetu, are you mad at me? I’m sorry. If I had any other choice, I wouldn’t have come to you. You know we’re all alone in this city…”
Luo Hetu picked at her ear. All alone? Chun Yuyan’s main storyline was about being the real heiress in a “true or false heiress” plot. How could she claim to be helpless? It was just that Xiao Luo was useful and didn’t require much in return.
Since things had come to this, Luo Hetu was never one to hesitate. She leaned against the doorframe, looking at the pitiful Chun Yuyan and the slightly fawning Zhang Sheng, and spoke:
“Let’s settle this now since we’re here. Chun Yuyan, I’ve helped you a lot over the years. Not only do I not owe you anything, but you owe me five thousand yuan. From now on, I want nothing to do with either of you. I sincerely wish you two a long and happy life together. But going forward, whether there’s a reason or not, don’t come bothering me again.”
She glanced at Zhang Sheng and added, “As for the money, if you have any conscience, you’ll pay it back. If you’re too stingy to part with it, consider it a generous donation from me. I’m being this magnanimous, so it wouldn’t be polite to ask for anything more.”
Zhang Sheng’s face stiffened, at a loss for words.
Chun Yuyan tried to salvage the situation. “Hetu, I know you’re upset. Let’s talk privately tomorrow…”
“Sorry, I don’t have a habit of cuckolding anyone. Oh, and just to clarify, I only helped you before because I pitied you, not because I had any feelings for you. Zhang Sheng, you should also talk to your girlfriend. Tell her to stop throwing herself at others to get what she wants. No matter how you look at it, it’s your dignity that takes the hit.”
Luo Hetu felt great after unloading all that. She watched their faces turn dark and green, then cheerfully shut the door and locked it.
Outside, the sound of the two arguing echoed.