Guide To Lying Flat And Getting Rich As A Kept Alpha - Chapter 56

56

The crowd fell silent for a moment before erupting into hushed whispers.

In this world, sexual behavior was heavily influenced by pheromone physiology, making it relatively free and open. According to data, 80% of people had engaged in sexual activity after differentiating during puberty. Legally, there were few restrictions on infidelity among adults. As long as both parties consented, sexual interactions between any individuals for any reason were considered perfectly natural. There was little to no stigma or shame attached to such behavior, and no one would judge someone for having sexual experiences.

Even if Cheng Youqing, during a hotel stay, had taken a fancy to a waiter and slept with them, it would be seen as entirely normal. At most, people might make a snide comment like, “As expected of a top-tier Omega, with such strong desires, even sleeping with a waiter.” That would be the extent of it.

The reason for the crowd’s uproar was the melodramatic nature of the situation and how this Zhang Sheng knew about it. For him to air such a trivial matter in front of so many people made him look like a deranged clown.

After all, Cheng Youqing’s marriage to this alpha hadn’t been celebrated with a banquet, suggesting she wasn’t particularly satisfied with her. An alpha who married into her family was, frankly, unimpressive—likely just a momentary lapse of judgment driven by lust. Zhang Sheng, a minor deputy manager, probably didn’t even have the chance to speak to Cheng Youqing directly, and even if he did, she might not believe him. By making a fool of himself in this setting, he had exposed Luo Hetu’s true colors to everyone and forced Cheng Youqing to make a decision.

“Who’s this Zhang Sheng? He’s got some guts, and he seems to know a lot.”

“He’s Cui Erniu’s right-hand man now, independently managing a major project. Cui Erniu thinks highly of him.”

“No wonder he’s so bold. That old geezer Cui Erniu backs him up. Even if Zhang Sheng claims he’s doing this for Cheng Youqing’s sake, exposing her wife’s flaws like this won’t make her happy. But with Cui Erniu behind him, even Cheng Youqing can’t touch him.”

“If what this guy says is true, then Luo Hetu really isn’t anything good. With impure motives, cozying up to an Omega and switching sides the moment real benefits appear—someone like that should be ditched ASAP.”

“The problem is, what if Cheng Youqing’s too swayed by pheromones to let go? If she’s smart, she’d take this chance to cut ties publicly and find someone else later.”

“A defective Alpha can still satisfy someone?”

“Defective Alphas are the wildest. They may not perform well physically, but they’ve got plenty of tricks. Heirs of big companies are careful about avoiding illegitimate children, but defective Alphas don’t have that worry. Some people love playing with defective Alphas—haven’t you heard of those exclusive defective Alpha nightclubs?”

The crowd chattered animatedly, their gazes toward Luo Hetu growing even more disdainful.

Luo Hetu had no time to care about their opinions. She was utterly dumbfounded by this soap opera-level drama.

What the hell? Who did what? When did this happen? What does it have to do with Chun Yuyan? Oh, she slept with Chun Yuyan?? Is she unclean now?? Wait, no, Zhang Sheng said it was with Cheng Youqing. Phew, okay.

But half a second later, her mind spiraled again. She had never worked as a waiter.

Confused, she looked at Cheng Youqing. “What nonsense is he spouting?”

Cheng Youqing glanced at her, tilting her head slightly. “You forgot?”

Forgot. So it was true.

A summer job, something about school, right?

But that wasn’t her—it was the original Xiao Luo.

Luo Hetu processed this for a moment before saying dryly, “I forgot. I told you I forgot about my past.”

Cheng Youqing let out a soft “heh.”

Ignoring Zhang Sheng’s accusations for now, Luo Hetu’s mind was consumed with one thought: Xiao Luo must have had a platonic crush on Cheng Youqing!

Her head started spinning. A sour feeling crept in. Then she thought about how she had inexplicably transmigrated into this body, forcibly replacing Xiao Luo. If anything, she was the one who wronged Xiao Luo. This story didn’t originally involve her.

For now, she’d treat Xiao Luo as Cheng Youqing’s ex.

So, Xiao Luo had gone to Cheng Youqing’s room, and later learned that the person who booked the room was Chun Yuyan. After this platonic encounter, this pure-hearted warrior fell for Chun Yuyan, willing to do anything for her—go to prison, take the fall for her boyfriend, even die for her.

What?

Just because of a platonic moment? That’s enough to be so devoted? Wasn’t this world supposed to be super open about these things?

Luo Hetu scratched her dizzy, spinning head and looked at the clownish man in front of her. She decided to deal with this slanderous beast first.

“Mr. Zhang, there’s a fundamental flaw in your story: I don’t like Chun Yuyan at all. I’ve emphasized this to both of you multiple times, haven’t I? I’ve been avoiding you two, so can you stop spouting nonsense?”

Before Chun Yuyan could respond, Luo Hetu cut her off. “How many times have I rejected Chun Yuyan? Xu Ruyan, come out and tell them.”

Xu Ruyan spoke up. “When I first met Teacher Xiao Luo, Miss Chun came looking for Teacher Xiao Luo, asking her for something and refusing to let her leave. Teacher Xiao Luo specifically called security to escort Miss Chun away and made it clear she had no interest in her, telling her to stop bothering her. She said it quite harshly. Later, when I visited Shanhe Tuling, I occasionally saw Miss Chun looking for Teacher Xiao Luo. I witnessed it three or four times myself, and it was always Chun Yuyan seeking out Teacher Luo. Teacher Luo never gave her the time of day.”

The crowd gasped in unison: Ohhh!

Chun Yuyan protested, “You’re lying! Your words can’t be trusted. You’re biased toward Luo Hetu. She’s already married, yet you’re still chasing her, trying to be a homewrecker.”

Xu Ruyan’s face flushed with anger. “I’m not a homewrecker! Teacher Xiao Luo is an amazing person. I just admire her and want her to be happy. You’re the one who keeps clinging to her. How dare you claim she’s the one who likes you?”

Luo Hetu added, “Chun Yuyan, you and Zhang Sheng took advantage of my past naivety, treating you as friends and doing so much for you. Back then, Zhang Sheng demanded too much of me—making me fight his battles, clean up his messes, and he still owes me five thousand bucks that he hasn’t paid back. I’ve told you both to leave me alone multiple times, but you keep coming back to disgust me. Zhang Sheng, when your gland was damaged, Chun Yuyan kept pushing me to visit you in the hospital. You two have been eyeing my gland for a while, haven’t you? Zhang Sheng, your gland’s fixed now? Whose defective Alpha gland did you use? Should I call the police right now?”

The crowd’s eyes shifted to Zhang Sheng and Chun Yuyan.

Zhang Sheng’s face turned pale and green. “Luo Hetu, don’t change the subject. You have no proof for any of that. But I have evidence that you and Chairman Cheng left a hotel together from the same direction.”

“That only proves I had a fling with Chairman Cheng. It doesn’t prove I was obsessed with Chun Yuyan afterward, because I never was, and I don’t like her at all. How many times do I have to tell you two to stay away from me before you believe it? Are you that confident in your own charm?”

“I can vouch for that,” a young girl’s voice chimed in.

Sun Yinuo popped up out of nowhere.

“When I first met Teacher Xiao Luo, she was running a stall. This couple, thinking they knew her, bossed her around, demanding she reserve a book for them. Teacher Luo said there was a line and wouldn’t let them cut in. This woman went on and on, saying, ‘Hetu, you weren’t like this before. You used to give me the best things first,’ making a scene to get her way. Teacher Luo said right then and there that she didn’t like her and told them to stay away. From what I heard, it wasn’t the first time she’d said it. Back then, Teacher Luo didn’t even know my sister. Everyone who bought books at the South City Market heard about it.”

Sun Yinuo’s tone was exaggeratedly dramatic, and Chun Yuyan’s face alternated between red and white. Someone in the crowd snickered.

“What book?”

“Reborn as the Prime Minister and The Poisonous Concubine’s Daughter. Teacher Luo is Luo Hetu, the writer. She recently published The Noble Lady of the Marquis’s Mansion and won a literary award for her transformative work. Teacher Luo was poor but talented. She started by selling books at a stall, then got picked up by a publisher to become a full-fledged author.”

The crowd erupted again.

In this era, culture flourished, and writers held high status. Luo Hetu’s name had appeared in several magazines, making her a rising star nationwide. People assumed it was a pen name or a coincidence—nobody connected the two until now.

Though being a writer wasn’t an extraordinary status, this era retained an almost blind reverence for highly educated individuals and literary creators. All the businesses and money Luo Hetu had worked so hard for paled in comparison to her award-winning writer status in the eyes of these wealthy people.

The way everyone looked at Luo Hetu shifted dramatically, the epitome of seeing someone in a new light.

Luo Hetu seized the moment and sighed, pulling a piece of paper from her pocket. “Here’s the IOU from these two. Five thousand bucks. This shameless couple keeps slandering me, claiming I like Chun Yuyan, and they try to exploit me with that excuse. Mr. Zhang, I hear you’ve climbed to deputy manager. Why haven’t you paid back the five thousand? Are you so fond of being cuckolded that you spent it on a green hat and can’t resist wearing it every time you see me?”

The paper clearly stated Chun Yuyan’s name, owing Luo Hetu five thousand bucks. Chun Yuyan glanced at it and shouted, “That’s fake! You never made me write an IOU!”

The crowd roared: Whoa!

She’d just dug her own grave.

Of course, it was fake. Xiao Luo, who cared deeply for Chun Yuyan, would never have made her write an IOU. This was something Xiao Tong had quickly forged just now.

These two brainless fools had made themselves a laughingstock. With so many people confirming that Luo Hetu had no interest in Chun Yuyan, Zhang Sheng’s entire story fell apart at its core.

She hadn’t used this to manipulate anyone. It was just a one-night fling. All the talk of schemes and ulterior motives was just Zhang Sheng and Chun Yuyan’s delusional fantasy.

Chen Yuanyuan summed it up soulfully: “I think Mr. Zhang should try writing novels too. Who knows, he might win a literary award like Luo Hetu.”

Another girl mocked, “How embarrassing. Owing money and not paying it back, spreading rumors that someone likes her, and using it to extort favors. What kind of circus is this banquet that let these two weirdos in?”

Zhang Sheng’s face flickered between green and white. He hadn’t expected Luo Hetu to so firmly deny any feelings for Chun Yuyan. But he made a final desperate attempt. “Fine, even if you have no feelings for Yan’er, Chairman Cheng, Luo Hetu is an uneducated thug with no parents to teach her manners. She’s good at pretending. That night, she must have used tricks to seduce you. She approached you with ulterior motives—to get your money. Don’t let her fool you!”

Backed by Cui Erniu, he recklessly dragged Cheng Youqing into the fray, not caring whether she’d be pleased, hoping to force a response from her.

Under everyone’s gaze, Cheng Youqing didn’t even glance at Zhang Sheng. She said one word: “Hm.”

The crowd: Hm? What does that mean?

“I’m the one who willingly gave her money to spend.”

What?

Cheng Youqing reached out and patted Luo Hetu’s shoulder. “This kid grew up without parents, yet she stayed pure and worked hard to support herself through school. She got good grades, and even when bullied, she never fought back despite her strength. She stayed mentally healthy and didn’t go astray. Later, she worked on construction sites to save money, all while diligently writing books in her spare time. She’s smart, polite, and built her career from selling books at a stall to getting published—all on her own. She’s clean, I like her looks, I like her physique, she’s strong and skilled, obedient, and her pheromones match mine perfectly. Oh, and I especially like defective Alphas.”

Cheng Youqing suddenly smiled, her charm outshining the moon in the clouds outside the window.

“With such a great alpha, why wouldn’t I want her?”