How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? (GL, ABO) - Chapter 20
That night, Cheng Wan didn’t go home.
By the time she finished her work, it was already past midnight. After thinking it over, she decided not to overthink things.
She was already carrying Bai Juntang’s baby—what was there to be afraid of anymore?
Besides, she was genuinely exhausted.
There wasn’t a live-in housekeeper at Bai Juntang’s place, so by the time they arrived, the entire villa was quiet—just the two of them inside.
“I’ve set up the guest room for you,” Bai Juntang said after tidying the room. She looked over at Cheng Wan, who was sitting in the living room, resting. “The bathroom’s private, and everything inside is new. Take a shower and get some sleep. I’ll drive you to work tomorrow.”
Cheng Wan set down her cup, stood up politely, and said, “Thank you.”
Bai Juntang wanted to say a few more words—maybe talk with her a little longer—but after thinking about it, she decided not to disturb her. They’d already gotten close once earlier that night—whether it was the wine or something else, that moment had been enough for now.
Cheng Wan had been sleeping exceptionally well these days.
That night, she fell into a deep sleep and didn’t wake up until the next morning.
After all, it was someone else’s home—so Cheng Wan couldn’t help feeling a bit out of place. She ended up waking early the next morning.
From the kitchen, she heard the sound of someone preparing breakfast. Curious, she walked over and saw a middle-aged woman busily cooking. When the woman heard footsteps, she turned around, and their eyes met.
“Good morning,” the friendly-looking woman greeted her with a smile. “I’m the housekeeper here. Since you’re awake, feel free to relax a bit—breakfast will be ready soon.”
Cheng Wan noticed she was handling several breakfast items on her own and instinctively wanted to help.
“No need to trouble yourself, dear. This is my job,” the housekeeper, Aunt Pei, said kindly. “These are meals I prepare for Bai Juntang every three days. She doesn’t like having people around too much, so I come over every few days to cook and clean.”
Cheng Wan watched her wrap wontons. The wrappers were thin and translucent, and on the stove nearby, a pot of broth simmered gently.
“She’s always lived alone?” Cheng Wan asked quietly.
“She has,” Aunt Pei replied as she continued working. “I used to work for her mother, taking care of both her and her wife. After the madam passed away, her partner decided to move abroad. I couldn’t follow, so I stayed to look after Juntang.”
It seemed like Aunt Pei hadn’t had someone to chat with in a while. She looked at Cheng Wan with a warm smile. “You’re Cheng Wan, right? I heard the madam mention you before. How far along are you now?”
She was clearly referring to Cheng Wan’s pregnancy.
Cheng Wan blushed slightly and responded a bit shyly, “Almost three months.”
“Really? You don’t look it at all. Your belly hasn’t started showing.”
“Not yet. It’s still early.”
Aunt Pei was warm and attentive. She smiled and said, “I’ll make you a steamed egg custard later. My recipe is really good—Juntang’s been eating it since she was a kid.”
Cheng Wan had originally planned to leave early, hoping to slip out before Bai Juntang woke up. But with Aunt Pei so welcoming and enthusiastic, it felt awkward to decline.
Around 7 a.m., Bai Juntang finally came downstairs. She was yawning as she walked into the dining room—and the first thing she saw was Cheng Wan sitting at the table, quietly eating.
The delicious, slightly sweet aroma in the air told her right away what it was—Aunt Pei’s famous steamed egg custard.
Cheng Wan looked up when she saw her and greeted, “Good morning, Miss Bai.”
“Morning,” Bai Juntang replied as she casually adjusted her collar. She walked over and sat next to Cheng Wan, crossed her legs, and glanced at the bowl on the table. Smiling, she asked, “Is it good?”
Cheng Wan nodded slowly. “It’s delicious.”
For some reason, that made Bai Juntang feel genuinely happy. She loved hearing Cheng Wan say things like that—even if the compliment wasn’t about her. As long as it was related to her, it still felt good to hear.
“You’re awake, Juntang?” Aunt Pei came out of the kitchen carrying a small bowl of wontons. A few sprigs of bright green cilantro were sprinkled on top, and the aroma alone was incredibly appetizing.
She placed the bowl in front of Cheng Wan and said with care, “I didn’t give you too many—just six. Try them first and see if they suit your taste.”
Cheng Wan thanked her softly, picked up a porcelain spoon, scooped up a wonton, blew on it gently, and then carefully took a bite.
There was no nausea. The warm wonton went down easily, comforting and smooth.
“It’s really good,” Cheng Wan said with a smile, looking up. “This is the best wonton I’ve ever had.”
Aunt Pei beamed, her eyes nearly disappearing from her smile. Bai Juntang, still resting her chin on one hand, looked at the warm scene between them and couldn’t help but say, “Aunt Pei, I want some too—make me a bowl?”
“Of course.”
Once Aunt Pei returned to the kitchen, Bai Juntang turned toward Cheng Wan and said, “She’s been with our family for years. She used to take care of my mom. After my mom passed away, Aunt Pei stayed to help me.”
But Bai Juntang didn’t like having people in the house all the time. Since she started working, her schedule had been packed—leaving early and coming home late—so there wasn’t much for Aunt Pei to do. Eventually, they agreed she would only come every three days to clean and cook.
Cheng Wan had already heard most of this earlier during their morning chat. She sipped the warm wonton soup and said sincerely, “Thank you for letting me stay last night. I think I’ll head to work by myself. There’s no need for you to drive me.”
“Oh.” Bai Juntang looked slightly disappointed but did her best to hide it. Her voice sounded a little dull. “Are you sure you’ll be okay going alone? I mean… be careful when you cross the street.”
Cheng Wan looked at her, confused. If she remembered correctly, she was 22 years old—not 3. Of course she knew how to cross the street.
“Thank you, I’ll be careful,” she replied politely.
Bai Juntang didn’t say anything more. She just sat there, quietly watching Cheng Wan gather her things and walk out the door. Then she slumped over the table, feeling a little sulky as she stirred her bowl of wontons.
Aunt Pei came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. “I’ve packed the rest of the wontons and put them in the fridge. I also picked up some fresh vegetables and fruit. If you need anything, just call me—I’ll bring it next time.”
“Aunt Pei,” Bai Juntang set down her spoon and looked up, “when an Omega is pregnant… do they need to be extra careful?”
“Of course they do!” Aunt Pei’s tone lit up immediately, and she launched into her explanation. “Cheng Wan’s about three months along now, right? This is a really sensitive time. You have to be very careful with her diet—there are so many things she can’t eat.”
She went on and on, listing things to avoid, things to include, and tips for preparing food safely. Bai Juntang listened, but the longer it went on, the more lost she felt. She kind of understood… but also kind of didn’t.
All she could really remember was:
There are just two categories—foods she shouldn’t eat, and foods she absolutely must not eat.
Seeing the confusion on Bai Juntang’s face, Aunt Pei sighed. Clearly, she hadn’t retained much of the advice.
Then Aunt Pei asked, almost casually, “Is Cheng Wan going to move in?”
“Move in?”
Meanwhile, Cheng Wan had no idea that Bai Juntang was already making plans for her.
As soon as she got to the office, she quickly handed over the work she had finished the night before to Manager Zhou.
Manager Zhou went over the documents carefully. After making sure there were no issues, she looked up and asked, “What time did you get home last night?”
Cheng Wan thought for a moment. If she didn’t count the hour she had fallen asleep, it was around ten.
“Not long after Chang Le left, I left too,” she explained. “But by then, there were no more buses or subways, so I ended up staying at a friend’s place.”
“I see,” Manager Zhou nodded. “Chang Le mentioned she left first, and I was a little worried about you.” Then, lowering her voice slightly, she added, “Now that you’re expecting, you really need to take better care of yourself.”
Cheng Wan nodded softly. “Thank you, Zhou-jie.”
As she walked out of the office, she ran into Director Yang Zhiman. Cheng Wan greeted her with a polite nod, “Good morning, Director Yang.”
“Mm.” Yang Zhiman glanced at her with a quick, unreadable expression and walked past—but in that brief moment, she caught a faint scent in the air.
As an Alpha, Yang Zhiman was highly sensitive to Omega pheromones. She immediately noticed something had changed—Cheng Wan had been marked. Her scent, the soft white peach aroma, was now subtly laced with a deeper note that repelled any Alpha who hadn’t marked her.
“Cheng Wan.”
Yang Zhiman’s brow furrowed slightly. She stopped and called out, just as Cheng Wan was about to walk away.
Cheng Wan turned, confused. She didn’t know why she was being called back.
Yang Zhiman noticed a few curious glances from nearby employees. Her expression tightened. “Come to my office.”
Cheng Wan didn’t dare ask why. She quietly followed her in.
As soon as the door closed, Yang Zhiman tossed her bag onto the chair and sat down with her arms crossed, staring straight at Cheng Wan.
“Cheng Wan,” she asked directly, “are you pregnant?”
Cheng Wan froze for a second. Then she suddenly remembered—she had forgotten to wear a pheromone-blocking patch today.
As an Alpha, Yang Zhiman would have instantly noticed her scent.
After being permanently marked, an Omega’s pheromones change, producing a scent that’s unpleasant to any other Alpha except the one who marked them. And during pregnancy, an Omega’s body also releases a specific pheromone that warns other Alphas to stay away.
There was no hiding it anymore.
Cheng Wan gave a small nod. “Yes, Director Yang. I’m about three months along now. I’m sorry I didn’t inform you sooner.”
Yang Zhiman was quiet for a long moment before she finally smiled—but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “No need to be nervous. Pregnancy is a wonderful thing. It’s good news. You really should’ve told me earlier—then I wouldn’t have scheduled you for overtime. Right now, the most important thing for you is to get plenty of rest.”
Cheng Wan shook her head gently. “It’s alright. I can still manage my work.”
“Is that so?” Yang Zhiman chuckled, but her expression remained cool. “Usually, when an Omega is pregnant, they stay home and prepare for birth. But since you’re choosing to stay, I’m happy to have you here. Just remember—at this company, your job still comes first.”