Guide To Lying Flat And Getting Rich As A Kept Alpha - Chapter 43

43

Though the Alpha who married into the family, Luo Hetu, always adhered to some seemingly pointless rules, she was undeniably obedient.

Cheng Youqing lowered her head to look at Luo Hetu. Not only was she obedient, but she was also strikingly good-looking. When those eyes gazed at her, they somehow carried a pure, soft charm, despite Luo Hetu often being quite domineering in bed.

Cheng Youqing’s gaze softened. “How exactly are you going to obey me?”

As expected, this seemingly harmless little Alpha effortlessly flipped their positions, pinning her beneath her.

“Aren’t you worried about harming your body?” Cheng Youqing asked.

Luo Hetu replied, “If something goes wrong, won’t Sister spend money to get me fixed?”

Cheng Youqing let out a soft scoff.

Luo Hetu kissed her lips.

The Alpha she had chosen was well-behaved, considerate, and sweet—sweet in every sense of the word.

In the end, they didn’t go further. Concerned for Luo Hetu’s health, Cheng Youqing only indulged in some light relief, not even letting her inject pheromones. It was just a “Platonic” moment. She patted Luo Hetu’s face and said, “Go to sleep.”

Luo Hetu didn’t push further. She wrapped her arms around Cheng Youqing’s waist and suddenly chuckled. “See, Sister really does care about me.”

See? So sweet.

Cheng Youqing nestled peacefully in her arms and fell asleep. Since getting married, her sleep had improved day by day, and her mood had lightened considerably. Her assistant, Xiao Zhang, had casually mentioned that the employees all noticed how much better-tempered President Cheng had become lately.

The next morning, before heading to work, Cheng Youqing told Luo Hetu that the eastern city project had been secured.

Having recovered well these past few days, Luo Hetu immediately sat up. “Really? That’s amazing!”

Cheng Youqing was putting on earrings, glancing at Luo Hetu through the mirror. “You’re that excited?”

“It’s a project that’s guaranteed to make money. You’ll definitely leave that trash Zhang Sheng in the dust.”

“Who’s Zhang Sheng?”

“You know, Chun Yuyan’s boyfriend.”

“Oh.” Cheng Youqing’s tone was utterly indifferent, clearly unfamiliar and uninterested.

Luo Hetu loved this side of her. Thankfully, she hadn’t taken off her pajamas last night. She got out of bed and sidled up to Cheng Youqing, her intent to cozy up and please her painfully obvious.

Cheng Youqing couldn’t help but smile at her antics. “You’re this happy? You didn’t agree to marry me just for this project, did you?”

“Am I an idiot? What would I even do with a project? I’m just happy when you make money.” Luo Hetu said with a grin.

Cheng Youqing turned to look at her, seeing the genuine joy on her face. After a moment’s thought, she said, “You still have those old houses up for relocation, right?”

“Four of them.” Luo Hetu eagerly held up four fingers, brimming with excitement.

“Hmm, Cheng Corporation is a bit tight on funds right now. Since you’re family, is it okay if we delay the compensation payment?”

Luo Hetu froze for a few seconds, her enthusiasm visibly deflating. “Oh.”

The corners of Cheng Youqing’s eyes crinkled with amusement.

“It’s not much money, but we can compensate with properties instead.” She applied her lipstick, then grabbed Luo Hetu’s collar, pulling her down to plant a bold red lip print on her face.

“When you have time, come to Cheng Corporation. I’ll show you the model. Within the rules, you can pick your properties first.”

Luo Hetu’s world instantly filled with joyful bubbles.

…

Zheng Xiaolong visited Cheng Corporation today on business. Though he was reluctant, his father had forced him to come, berating him for being a coward. The trouble wasn’t his alone, after all. This time, he was here to collect a debt—a debt that absolutely had to be paid.

“An Omega married to a kept Alpha? Who knows how much longer her company can hold on? What are you scared of?” his father, Zheng Dalong, had said with disdain.

Bolstered by his father’s words, Zheng Xiaolong arrived with confidence.

The secretary led him upstairs to the reception room. After sitting for a while, it belatedly dawned on him that as the creditor, he shouldn’t be the one waiting for the debtor.

“What’s your President Cheng busy with? When will she be here?”

“I can’t say for sure. President Cheng will come once she’s free,” the secretary replied politely.

Zheng Xiaolong wasn’t patient enough to wait. He stood up, saying he wanted to look around. The secretary had no choice but to accompany him, signaling another secretary to notify President Cheng.

As they passed a window with half-drawn blinds, Zheng Xiaolong’s sharp eyes caught sight of Cheng Youqing inside. She was leaning against a desk, dressed in a light cyan suit, exuding an imposing aura yet with a captivating figure. Cheng Youqing was indisputably the most beautiful figure in Jiang City’s business world, though always untouchable, meant to be admired from afar.

There was someone else in the room. Zheng Xiaolong strained to see more and noticed a tall woman with long hair, dressed in a shirt and trousers, standing up and speaking to Cheng Youqing with her head tilted.

Cheng Youqing’s usually cold expression softened into a rare smile.

Zheng Xiaolong’s eyes widened. He had never seen Cheng Youqing smile.

When the woman turned, her profile was strikingly beautiful. Her smile was warm and approachable, instantly likable.

The atmosphere between them felt oddly intimate, yet there were no overt gestures of closeness.

Zheng Xiaolong frowned, puzzled, but couldn’t figure it out. Since there was no one else in the room, he, the esteemed creditor, decided to get straight to the point.

He knocked on the door and pushed it open.

Upon seeing him, the faint smile on Cheng Youqing’s lips discreetly faded. “Mr. Zheng, is something the matter?”

“Of course, it’s a big deal. The six million your company owes Wanlong is due. When are you planning to pay it back?”

Cheng Youqing glanced at the woman beside her.

The woman’s voice was clear and pleasant, like sweet, crispy custard biscuits. “Go handle your business. I’ll wait here for you.”

“Mm.” Before leaving, Cheng Youqing lightly brushed the woman’s sleeve.

It wasn’t until they reached the reception room that Zheng Xiaolong realized, belatedly, “That woman just now—was that your kept Alpha?”

Cheng Youqing shot him a glance.

They began discussing the debt. Naturally, Cheng Corporation was short on funds, and Cheng Youqing was firm about delaying repayment, offering compensation terms instead.

Zheng Xiaolong knew the money was unlikely to be repaid today. His goal was simply to press her and make a show of it. After saying what he needed to, he couldn’t resist steering the conversation to the kept Alpha. “I heard Cheng Corporation recently invested in real estate in the east of the city. I thought it was just a rumor, but I saw your model earlier. It’s real?”

“You’re only hearing about it now? Mr. Zheng’s information is quite outdated.” Cheng Youqing said coolly, sipping her tea.

Zheng Xiaolong ignored her jab and continued, “President Cheng, you’ve poured all of Cheng Corporation’s funds into a place with no commercial foundation. Was it that kept Alpha who pushed you into it? I saw you two looking at the model earlier. Is she getting involved in the project too? Pardon my bluntness, but a different field is like a different world. That useless Alpha has no education or money. Don’t be smart all your life only to end up with a scheming phoenix Alpha. Cheng Corporation is already struggling—you can’t even pay your debts. If you let a useless Alpha squander what’s left of your assets, it’ll be the end.”

Cheng Youqing leisurely finished her tea. “Thank you for the advice, Mr. Zheng.”

Zheng Xiaolong, wary of pushing too far, changed the subject. “Next month is Old Zhou’s birthday, the annual Jiang City business gala. It’s customary for couples to attend together. Don’t forget to bring your partner, President Cheng.”

As he left, Cheng Youqing escorted him to the elevator. As the doors closed and reopened, Zheng Xiaolong overheard Luo Hetu and Cheng Youqing talking.

“Then let’s settle on one shop and one residence. The other two can be considered money I’m saving with you. You’ll pay me when you make a profit, right? You wouldn’t stiff me just because we’re close, would you?”

“Maybe. After all, who knows if I’ll make money?”

“What about pocket money?”

“If the project doesn’t yield much, the whole Cheng Corporation will be scraping by. No pocket money then.”

…

The elevator doors closed again, and Zheng Xiaolong didn’t hear the rest.

Those few sentences were enough to confirm that the kept Alpha was a freeloader, shamelessly asking Cheng Youqing for houses and money—and Cheng Youqing was indulging her.

Cheng Corporation was truly doomed.

Real Estate Development

Cheng Corporation had never ventured into real estate before. This new field was a fresh challenge, and Cheng Youqing was busier than ever, hiring professionals and holding daily meetings, often staying late.

Luo Hetu got the shop and residence she wanted. She wasn’t in a hurry for the money or the properties. Lately, she’d earned a good amount through a hacker platform, all in foreign currency stored in a neutral country’s account. She hadn’t transferred it back yet. Funds from other ventures kept flowing in, her savings growing, but she wasn’t eager to pay off loans. She happily tracked her income on her computer, content to be a money-hoarding pixiu.

Seeing Cheng Youqing leave early and return late, Luo Hetu knew the eastern city project had completed its relocation phase and entered development. After some thought, she arranged to meet Xiao Liu and Shisan.

“How’s Zhang Sheng doing lately?”

“He’s been quiet. After getting out of the hospital—despite what you said about his gland damage—he seems fine. He and Chun Yuyan attended some business banquet together. Apparently, a bunch of rich folks got into a heated argument about something related to President Cheng. I couldn’t find anyone who was there, so I don’t know much.”

Luo Hetu pondered for a moment. “I’ll ask a doctor I know. Gland damage is a big deal. If he’s acting normal, it means he’s mostly recovered. If he didn’t get what he wanted from me, he might have used someone else’s gland.”

They were in a café. Xiao Liu and Shisan weren’t used to places like this—they were more at home in a noisy street food stall with beer. Luo Hetu ordered them the café’s signature coffee. Xiao Liu took a sip and nearly spat it out from the bitterness.

Luo Hetu called the waiter. “Bring some milk and sugar.”

With those added, Xiao Liu finally survived. Watching Luo Hetu drink her coffee unfazed, he muttered, “Rich people sure know how to torture themselves.”

Shisan, unlike Xiao Liu, was a refined-looking girl with glasses, like a top student fresh from Jiang City No. 1 High School. Only those close to her knew she fought like a demon, fiercer than Ye Qingzhu.

“The eastern city project is in President Cheng’s hands now, and construction is underway. In her eyes, Zhang Sheng is nothing. But he’s good at playing dirty, and—”

And as the protagonist of this world, the heavens would likely favor him at every turn.

“Shisan, I want you to stay close to President Cheng. Protect her if there’s any danger. Xiao Liu, keep a closer eye on Zhang Sheng. Tell those two actors to slowly back off. Zhang Sheng probably hates me to the bone now. He won’t stop at just having Chun Yuyan annoy me. If those two cross him, he might trace it back to us. Get closer to his circle—you know how to handle that.”

“No problem, leave it to me.”

Luo Hetu pulled out a long wallet from her bag, counted ten deep blue bills for Xiao Liu, and another ten for Shisan. “If it’s not enough, ask me for more. Call me if anything comes up.”

She’d chosen the clever Xiao Liu and the tough Shisan to work for her. She paid them a base salary of 1,000 a month, and these extra 1,000 each were for their hard work and expenses. Luo Hetu gave generously, always more than expected.

When Cheng Youqing returned home that night past 11 p.m., Aunt Wang got up to ask if she wanted something to eat. She declined and went straight upstairs.

She thought Luo Hetu would be asleep in her own room by now, but to her surprise, Luo Hetu was waiting for her, comfortably nestled in her bed, reading the newspaper Cheng Youqing had subscribed to.

Seeing her enter, Luo Hetu said, “You’re back! It’s so late.” She got out of bed, brought her a glass of water, and after Cheng Youqing drank it, she scooted closer, sniffing the sunny cotton scent on her.

Her happiness was palpable, and she eagerly snuggled up to her.

Cheng Youqing wanted to tease her about “a cuckoo occupying a magpie’s nest” or “a monkey ruling the mountain when the tiger’s away,” but the words wouldn’t come. Seeing Luo Hetu like this, she couldn’t help but smile.

Rather than a cuckoo stealing a nest, this beautiful little Alpha, fragrant and waiting in her bed, felt more like a dessert delivered to her door.