Guide To Lying Flat And Getting Rich As A Kept Alpha - Chapter 59
59
Cheng Youqing felt that something was off with her alpha at home.
Recently, she had been unusually free. All the projects she had poured her heart into were progressing smoothly, and the various factions within the group were either keeping each other in check or had been thoroughly dealt with by her. Aside from her second uncle occasionally stirring up trouble for no reason, her wings were fully fledged, and there was temporarily nothing demanding her full attention.
In a rare good mood, the chairman thought that since she had been neglecting her newlywed alpha, she might either take her on a trip or stay home more to spend time with the person who always looked unhappy when she refused to sleep together.
However, after that night, Luo Hetu seemed to have something on her mind. She was no longer her usual self—always eagerly approaching with a smile in her eyes whenever she saw Cheng Youqing. Now, Luo Hetu went out early and returned late, tending to her businesses as usual, and spent most of her time at home in the study. She slept only in her own bedroom, as if she had suddenly lost all desire for Cheng Youqing.
The third time Luo Hetu finished dinner in silence and went upstairs, Cheng Youqing frowned and called Zhou Chenghuan.
“The gossip you’ve been waiting for has come to you,” she said.
Zhou Chenghuan replied, “I’m thrilled, but sorry, I have surgery in a bit. Tomorrow at 9 a.m., I’ll sacrifice my night shift to hear you out.”
For the first time, aside from when she was genuinely unwell, Cheng Youqing didn’t stand Zhou Chenghuan up. This fact alone was enough for Zhou Chenghuan to tease her about it multiple times when they met the next morning.
“You think your alpha doesn’t like you anymore?” Zhou Chenghuan asked.
Cheng Youqing responded, “Am I the kind of person who gets boring so easily?”
“Not exactly. Rather than being tiresome, you’re more the type that’s hard to get close to. Even the most scheming people would be driven away by that icy, freezing stare of yours.”
“I haven’t been like that with Luo Hetu.”
“Right, which is why your relationship should be pretty good. At the very least, she should genuinely like you.”
Cheng Youqing’s expression softened at those words, but then she saw Zhou Chenghuan making a phone call.
“You have something else going on?” she asked.
“No, I’m calling Chen Lie to join us. It’s rare to get some gossip about Cheng Youqing, and she’ll definitely come. I heard last time you had her come over to check out your wife.”
“…How did that rumor even start? I only asked her to look over a contract.”
Zhou Chenghuan grinned, “I’m skipping sleep today. I’m covering the bill for the whole table. Let’s chat for a bit, grab lunch, and keep talking in the afternoon. Or maybe go sing karaoke.”
Cheng Youqing sipped her coffee, suddenly feeling inexplicably exhausted.
Chen Lie arrived in less than half an hour, wearing a tight skirt with her hair cascading like a waterfall down her back. As stunning as ever, she turned heads, including the alpha waiters, who couldn’t take his eyes off her.
The table of three strikingly beautiful omegas made the air in the coffee shop feel as though it was filled with sweet, floating bubbles.
Thankfully, this Shanhe Tuling-selected shop was known for its “mind your own business” atmosphere and strict no-smoking policy. If anyone stared too blatantly at them, a waiter would politely intervene, unafraid of offending customers. This was one reason the shop was so popular—it stuck to its rules stubbornly, much like a certain little alpha.
Irritated that her thoughts had drifted back to Luo Hetu, Cheng Youqing tapped her fingers on the table. “So, what’s the problem?”
For the sake of Chen Lie, who had just arrived and was brimming with curiosity, Cheng Youqing recounted her concerns again.
Chen Lie laughed. “It’s not that she’s tired of you. You must have done something wrong and upset your little alpha. I’ve said before that being in a relationship with you would be exhausting. Only certain alphas, driven by pheromones, would dare try to have something with you. The smart ones keep their distance, afraid you’ll break their spirit.”
Cheng Youqing frowned. “How is it my fault?”
“I told you last time—your alpha is sharp. If she’s not wholeheartedly devoted to you, then she’s incredibly cunning. I lean toward the former. What do you think?”
Cheng Youqing pursed her lips.
Zhou Chenghuan chimed in, “I also think it’s the former. Luo Hetu doesn’t seem like someone with too many schemes. She feels very sincere.”
Chen Lie added, “Exactly. She doesn’t hide what she wants. She cries when she’s sad, gets embarrassed when she should, and acts cute when the moment calls for it. She’s not incapable of scheming—she just doesn’t bother. She’s a good alpha.”
Cheng Youqing, rarely explaining herself, said, “Last time, I really just asked you to look at a contract for her.”
“Doesn’t matter. The point is, both of us have praised her, and she’s unlikely to have fooled us both. So, for an alpha who seems like a decent person, how did you manage to upset her?”
Cheng Youqing’s expression grew colder. Of course, she didn’t know.
If she knew, would she be here asking them?
“Hold on, I’m not done asking questions.” Chen Lie said, clearly a step ahead of Zhou Chenghuan, which was why Zhou had called her over. Seeing Chen Lie gearing up, Zhou Chenghuan’s face lit up with excitement.
“Cheng Youqing, what made someone like you, who never talks about her love life, come to us with this kind of question?”
Cheng Youqing replied, “Because I didn’t have a love life before.”
“Is your alpha completely ignoring you? That’s bad—cold violence. Even if she’s great in every other way, you should break up.”
“No, she’s not completely ignoring me. She’s just being polite, but it’s obvious she’s upset.”
“How do you feel about her treating you this way?”
“Of course I’m not happy. Who wants their spouse to act like this?”
“Not necessarily. I always thought that even if you got married, you’d treat your spouse this way—cold and distant. Anyone who marries you would be miserable, always trying to warm up to your cold demeanor. Maybe she’s just tired.”
Cheng Youqing took a sip of her coffee and, after a moment of silence, said, “But she wasn’t like this before.”
“What was she like before?”
“Very affectionate.”
Zhou Chenghuan waited for more. “That’s it? Two words?”
Cheng Youqing continued sipping her coffee.
Chen Lie pressed, “How affectionate? Let’s be clear: if you don’t tell us, we won’t know what’s wrong, and you’ll waste your morning here without getting the answers you want.”
For someone who had been preparing to take over a massive conglomerate since her twenties, wasting a morning without results was an unforgivable sin. Cheng Youqing relented.
“She’d always stare at me.”
It seemed like she really liked me.
“When no one was around, she’d come close, liking to nuzzle against me. She never wanted to sleep alone and would come to me with her pillow.”
When sleeping, she’d always inch toward me, and even if I pushed her away, she’d stick close again, carrying that warm, grassy scent. It wasn’t about pheromone attraction—she just always wanted to be near me.
“She never got upset with me over trivial things, followed rules, and listened to advice. She was always well-mannered, and whenever she went out, she’d bring me food.”
Like a loyal, pretty little dog who’d chosen its master.
Cheng Youqing felt she’d said enough and looked at the two. “So?”
Zhou Chenghuan glanced at Chen Lie.
Chen Lie smiled charmingly. “Very good.”
Zhou Chenghuan let out a squeal. “So shippable!”
“Ship what?”
“Snacking on melon seeds,” Chen Lie said, adopting a teaching tone with Cheng Youqing. “She really likes you.”
Cheng Youqing’s mood lifted, her brows relaxing.
“First, there’s definitely a reason she’s suddenly being cold. Rather than being cold, she’s probably upset. You must have done something wrong to make her angry or hurt her, and it’s not a small thing.”
“Second, don’t you really like and want her to go back to being as clingy as before?”
Cheng Youqing glanced at her.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Cheng Youqing, you need to be clear about your feelings so you don’t hurt your alpha again.”
“I don’t even know how I hurt her.”
“You like that she likes you. But liking someone can’t last if it’s one-sided. Even if Luo Hetu isn’t scheming, she’s clear-headed and open-minded. If you keep hurting her, not responding to her feelings, and refusing to acknowledge your own, she’ll be heartbroken. And when she’s heartbroken, she’ll leave you.”
“So, the first thing you need to figure out is how much you actually like her.”
Luo Hetu was busy with other matters.
She had investigated Cui Erniu’s background. He was a prominent figure, one of the top players in Jiang City’s business world. Aside from the semi-retired Mr. Zhou, no one could really handle him.
Other groups generally avoided direct conflict with him or planned to outlast him, given that he was already sixty and wouldn’t be able to cause trouble for much longer.
After reviewing Cui Erniu’s information, Luo Hetu thought for a while and pulled out Xiao Tong to ask, “Is there any way to steal the information from Zhang Sheng’s mind?”
“Host, I’m a system based on real-world technology, not supernatural phenomena or mythology.”
Oh, fine.
Luo Hetu sat back in her chair, lost in thought. Zhang Sheng was definitely out of the picture, but Cui Erniu wasn’t mentioned much in the book. Would he pose a threat to Cheng Youqing later? Would he hold a grudge because of Zhang Sheng and cause trouble for her?
If someone so powerful that even the thriving Cheng Group didn’t dare confront directly decided to target Cheng Youqing, wouldn’t she be in danger?
Maybe she should hack into his system and take a look.
She wondered if the old man even had a computer at home.
As she was lost in her chaotic thoughts, Xiao Tong suddenly flickered and coughed lightly to remind her, “But Zhang Sheng kept a notebook for recording important events, and the book details where he hid it.”
Luo Hetu snapped, “…You’re making me look like an idiot. How did I miss that part?”
“It was in the extra chapters. You died before you got to them.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“You’re welcome.”
Luo Hetu quickly got up, put on her clothes, and headed out.
She found a modest flat in a residential area, its door secured with a large lock.
This was where Zhang Sheng lived before he made it big. He was born here, orphaned young, and dropped out of middle school to become a delinquent.
His starting point was strikingly similar to Xiao Luo’s.
Yet Xiao Luo had grown into a hardworking, almost saintly person.
Luo Hetu scoped out the place and returned that night with Shisan.
Shisan asked, “Teacher Luo, are we here to steal or something?”
“Not exactly,” Luo Hetu said. “Think of it as doing a public service.”
Even though the pest was already in prison.
Shisan continued, “Then why are we dressed like this?”
She was wearing a Doraemon mask, while Luo Hetu had on her Pikachu one.
“It’s better if no one sees us.”
They arrived at the flat, and Luo Hetu pulled out a universal lock-picking device she’d gotten from Xiao Tong. After fumbling for a while, she finally opened the lock.
Shisan muttered behind her, “Teacher Luo, a hammer would’ve done the job faster.”
Luo Hetu replied, “…I know.”
She was just trying not to make it too obvious they were breaking in.
With Shisan keeping watch at the door, Luo Hetu went inside, turning on her flashlight.
The house hadn’t been lived in for a long time and felt eerie in the dark. The furniture was old and sparse—just a few cabinets and a wooden bed, confirming its impoverished state.
Luo Hetu found the eastern room, where Zhang Sheng used to live. Besides basic furniture, there were posters of Hong Kong celebrities on the walls and a simply framed painting.
Shining her flashlight on it, she saw it was a traditional ink painting of a courtyard with rockeries and flowing water, beautifully done.
Luo Hetu doubted a middle school dropout like Zhang Sheng could’ve painted it but didn’t want to jump to conclusions. After studying it closely, she noticed five characters in the bottom right: “Bingchen Year, Midsummer.”
After some mental math, she figured Bingchen Year was about forty years before the book’s timeline, likely something left by Zhang Sheng’s family.
Following Xiao Tong’s instructions, she took down the painting and found a safe behind it.
Xiao Tong said, “******”
Luo Hetu snapped, “What’s with the secrecy? Do I need to pay extra?”
Xiao Tong replied, “The password is literally six asterisks.”
Luo Hetu: …
She opened the safe and found the notebook.
Flipping through it, she muttered, “His handwriting is awful.”
She packed the notebook. The safe was empty otherwise, prompting another complaint from Luo Hetu: “He did so much bad stuff—where’s all his money?”
Xiao Tong explained, “His money is in a nice house he lives in now. It’s a decoy tactic—if someone finds his money, they won’t bother looking for this notebook. It’s in the book.”
Great, another detail from the extra chapters.
Before leaving, Luo Hetu thought for a moment and took the painting off the wall, rolling it up to bring along.
Since she was already out, she and Shisan went to the house where Zhang Sheng kept his money—a high-end residential complex. Security was lax for the time, but when they finally found the door, it was sealed with a court notice.
Shisan said, “Teacher Luo, breaking in here wouldn’t be great, right?”
Obviously. With a court seal, the place had likely been searched thoroughly, and any illegal gains probably confiscated.
Or maybe they’d gone to Chun Yuyan. Luo Hetu wanted nothing to do with her.
Luo Hetu shrugged. “Fine, let’s go.”
Her five thousand bucks were never coming back.