How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? (GL, ABO) - Chapter 12
“It won’t happen.”
Under the table, Cheng Wan gently rested her hand over her stomach. She looked up at Bai Juntang and said softly, “I’ve been eating well lately. I won’t let it go hungry.”
Bai Juntang gave her a longer look, then finally nodded and let out a quiet “mm.”
Maybe it was because home-style dishes were more to her taste than Western food, but Cheng Wan ended up eating two full bowls of rice, along with plenty of meat and vegetables—she truly gave Bai Juntang a lot of face.
Just before 2 p.m., Bai Juntang dropped Cheng Wan off in the company’s underground parking garage and left.
Since morning, Li Chen had been blowing up her phone. She had skipped the morning meeting, but there was no way she could miss the one in the afternoon. Fortunately, the headquarters wasn’t far away, so getting there was easy.
After parking downstairs, Bai Juntang stepped out of the car and walked into the building in her high heels.
As soon as the receptionist saw her arrive, she hurried over holding a folder, jogging slightly to keep up behind her.
“President Bai, here’s the record of this morning’s meeting. Everything’s in here. This afternoon’s session is mostly focused on overseas targets and planning. We’ve also included comparative data from the past two years…”
Listening to the assistant’s rundown, the two of them quickly arrived at the 15th-floor conference room.
Li Chen was already waiting at the door. As soon as Bai Juntang stepped out of the elevator, he said, “There are ten minutes left before the meeting starts. Did you review this morning’s meeting notes, President Bai?”
Bai Juntang sighed in mild frustration, her ears were still ringing from the constant updates.
Taking advantage of the remaining ten minutes, Li Chen recapped the key points from that morning’s discussion.
During the meeting itself, Bai Juntang didn’t say much. She sipped her coffee now and then, quietly listening as the team presented the strategy for the next quarter.
“President Bai, this is our proposed plan for next quarter. We’ve also completed the bid proposals for several major projects. Please take a look.”
As she finished speaking, a female Alpha stood up and handed her documents over to Bai Juntang.
Bai Juntang glanced at the document and was surprised to see the name of the branch office where Cheng Wan worked.
As she flipped through the proposal and bidding documents, her eyes landed on the signature page at the end—and there, she saw Cheng Wan’s name.
A faint smile touched Bai Juntang’s lips. With her gaze lowered slightly, she turned to the Alpha who had handed over the documents and said, “This is very well done. Both the proposal and the bid are thorough and well-prepared. It looks like your team put in a lot of effort.”
Yang Zhiman smiled quickly and replied, “We’re just doing our job.”
Bai Juntang lightly brushed her thumb over Cheng Wan’s name before closing the folder. Then she looked at Yang Zhiman and added, “Make sure to praise your team when you get back. Out of all the companies that submitted materials, yours was the most complete. The other departments and branches could learn a thing or two from you.”
Being praised by Bai Juntang in front of everyone at the meeting made Yang Zhiman feel proud, even if she kept her excitement hidden. Inside, she was absolutely delighted.
Back at the office, Yang Zhiman wasted no time in gathering everyone to boost morale, emphasizing the recognition they had received from the higher-ups.
“This was all thanks to Manager Zhou,” Yang Zhiman told the team. “She really did an outstanding job this time. From now on, everyone should follow her example and work hard to create more value for the company.”
Chang Le, sitting next to Cheng Wan, leaned over and muttered under her breath, “We’re creating value, sure—but it’s not like we’re seeing any of it in our paychecks.”
Yang Zhiman, who had sharp hearing, caught the whisper and looked over at the two of them, clearly displeased. “What are you two whispering about over there?”
Chang Le quickly shrank into her chair. Cheng Wan gave her a glance, then quietly lowered her head as well.
Yang Zhiman stared at Cheng Wan for a moment. She suddenly remembered seeing her throwing up in the restroom during overtime not long ago. After the meeting ended, she called Manager Zhou into her office.
“Zhou-jie, I need to ask you something.”
Sitting in the boss’s chair, Yang Zhiman looked up at her and asked, “What’s going on with Cheng Wan? I saw her vomiting in the bathroom during that late shift. And today, her face didn’t look good either. Is she sick?”
Though her words sounded like concern, her expression suggested she was digging for more information.
Cheng Wan was the only Omega in the entire branch office. When she was first hired, Yang Zhiman hadn’t joined the company yet. By the time Yang found out there was an Omega on staff, she had already formed a negative opinion of Cheng Wan.
In the eyes of many Alphas, Omegas simply didn’t belong in the workplace.
They lacked fixed schedules, had weaker stamina, and most importantly—they could get pregnant easily. For a company, that was seen as a serious disadvantage.
Once an Omega got pregnant, they often couldn’t do heavy work. The company would have to approve maternity leave, then three to four months off for childbirth, followed by more time for nursing and other leave requirements.
On top of all that, the company would also have to cover government-mandated benefits. Just the maternity allowance alone was a considerable expense. For these reasons, Yang Zhiman never supported the idea of having an Omega on the team.
The last time she saw Cheng Wan throwing up in the restroom, she immediately suspected she might be pregnant—but with no proof, all she could do was call in the manager of Cheng Wan’s department: Manager Zhou.
“She’s sick?”
Manager Zhou paused for a moment, then looked at Yang and said, “Maybe. Cheng Wan mentioned her stomach hasn’t been feeling well. She’s thrown up a few times, and I even saw her taking antacid tablets. It’s probably just an illness.”
Yang Zhiman narrowed her eyes in doubt, then leaned back in her chair and asked, “Does Cheng Wan have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?”
Manager Zhou blinked, surprised. “I’m not sure. My relationship with her is strictly work-related, so I really don’t know anything about her personal life.”
“Really?”
“Of course. That’s the truth.”
Yang Zhiman stared at her for a moment, then waved her off. “Alright, I understand. You can get back to work.”
After stepping out of the office, Manager Zhou walked over to Cheng Wan’s desk. She noticed Chang Le beside her, cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, pretending to type on her keyboard while chewing on something.
“Chang Le, what are you eating now?” Manager Zhou tapped her desk and scolded her seriously. “No snacking during work hours. If you eat now, what are you going to eat at dinner? You’re in your twenties already—why are you still acting like this? Have you finished the task I gave you?”
Chang Le looked up, still puffing her cheeks, and said, “Not yet.”
“You’re still eating when the work’s not done?” Manager Zhou pinched her cheek and warned, “Next time I catch you sneaking food, I’ll make you work overtime.”
Chang Le quickly covered her mouth. “I won’t do it again, Zhou-jie!”
“Oh? So now you’re threatening to quit?”
“No, no! I didn’t mean that!”
After teasing her a little more, Manager Zhou turned to Cheng Wan and said, “Come with me to my office.”
Cheng Wan blinked in surprise but quickly got up and followed her.
Once inside, Manager Zhou sat down and said gently, “Take a seat. I need to talk to you about something.”
Cheng Wan sat down, a little confused. “Is something wrong?”
“A little,” Manager Zhou replied. “Do you know what Director Yang just asked me?”
Cheng Wan shook her head.
“She asked if you’re pregnant,” Manager Zhou said directly. “How would she know something like that?”
Cheng Wan paused, then thought for a moment and said, “Maybe it’s because I threw up in the restroom during overtime last night… and she happened to see it.”
“That makes sense.”
Manager Zhou nodded in understanding. “I didn’t know what your plans were, so I didn’t say anything. I told her I didn’t know.”
“Thank you, Manager Zhou,” Cheng Wan said sincerely. “I… honestly haven’t decided when to tell anyone yet.”
“You’re still in the early stages, so feeling unwell is normal. Just take good care of yourself,” Manager Zhou said softly, then sighed. “But you should be prepared. Director Yang has never liked having Omega employees. If she finds out you’re pregnant, she’ll probably find a way to push you out.”
Cheng Wan fully understood what Manager Zhou meant. She had seen too many Omegas struggle in the workplace, which is why she had always been cautious—never allowing herself to make even the smallest mistake.
But this time, unless something unexpected happened, she might really have to leave her job soon.
When she walked out of Manager Zhou’s office, she wasn’t in a good mood. Noticing this, Chang Le quietly slipped her two fruit jellies, hoping to cheer her up.
The truth was, the atmosphere in this company was truly warm. The coworkers got along well, and the leaders treated everyone fairly.
Cheng Wan genuinely didn’t want to leave.
After work, as she got ready to go home, she looked down at the new clothes and shoes Bai Juntang had bought her. She didn’t feel like squeezing onto the crowded subway, so she called a ride instead.
It wasn’t clear whether the taxi driver had just been smoking, or if she was just feeling carsick, but the ride made her feel awful. As soon as she got out of the car, she threw up.
Completely drained, she took a shower as soon as she got home, but she still felt sick.
For once, the entire Cheng family happened to be home. There were no dinner plans outside, so the housekeeper had spent a long time preparing a big meal.
There were fish and shrimp—dishes that Cheng Qiaoqing liked—as well as plenty of food for the rest of the family.
The housekeeper had even made a special steamed egg custard just for Cheng Wan, with a few drops of sesame oil on top.
But the smell of the sesame oil was overpowering. As soon as Cheng Wan caught the scent, her stomach turned. She tried to hold it in, but in the end, she couldn’t. She rushed to the downstairs bathroom and vomited again.
Cheng Qiaoqing rolled her eyes and shouted angrily toward the bathroom, “Cheng Wan, are you seriously doing this? We’re eating dinner and you’re in there throwing up—how am I supposed to eat like this?!”
Xu He glanced at her daughter and tried to calm her. “Alright, Qiaoqing. Let her be. Just finish your dinner—you still have tutoring later. If you don’t eat enough, how are you going to focus?”
Cheng Qiaoqing pointed toward the bathroom and snapped, “She’s in there puking while I’m trying to eat. Am I having dinner, or am I supposed to eat what she threw up? It’s disgusting!”
She didn’t even wait for Xu He to respond. She just stood up and went upstairs.
Cheng Wan felt a little better after vomiting. She had clearly heard what Cheng Qiaoqing said, but there was nothing she could do—she simply couldn’t hold it in.
When she sat back down at the table, Cheng Jiajian put down his chopsticks and left without a word. He didn’t say anything, but it was clear he had lost his appetite.
Xu He looked at Cheng Wan with obvious displeasure and said coldly, “If you’re going to throw up again, go somewhere no one can see you. Don’t think just because you’re carrying some precious child that you’ve forgotten your place.”