How Could a Scumbag Alpha Possibly Love His Wife? (GL, ABO) - Chapter 5

Scent?

Cheng Wan blinked, confused by the sudden question. Even Li Chen, who was driving, paused briefly.

Bai Juntang quickly realized what she had just asked. With a slight frown, she turned her face to the side and said, “It smells like a faint fruit scent. Is that your perfume?”

As an Alpha, Li Chen subtly sniffed the air in the car, but he couldn’t detect any fruity smell. Still, he didn’t dare interrupt the conversation and focused on driving.

The mention of fruit immediately reminded Cheng Wan of her pheromone. Her natural scent was white peach, soft and sweet like fruit.

“It’s probably my scent,” she said quietly. She looked at Bai Juntang with concern and instinctively shifted closer to the window. “If it bothers you, Miss Bai, I can open the window.”

Bai Juntang, eyes still closed, stopped her calmly. “That’s not necessary. I need to rest. Wake me when we arrive.”

Li Chen responded with a quiet “Alright.”

Through the rearview mirror, he noticed Bai Juntang keeping her eyes shut, while Cheng Wan looked visibly tense. She had turned her head to the window, sitting quietly and tightly curled up. The atmosphere inside the car felt heavy.

Even though Bai Juntang had her eyes closed, she wasn’t sleeping.

Her mind was filled with thoughts. There was the company, the club, her family, and now Cheng Wan.

To suddenly be told she was going to become a mother was something she simply couldn’t accept right away.

But the truth was right in front of her. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, it had already happened.

She could still remember that night, though the details felt distant.

It had started with a business banquet. She was pressured to drink far too much.

In her world, people had turned drinking into a strategy. She had made others drink as well, but it was like fighting a battle where both sides suffered.

By the end of the night, she was too drunk to go home. So she booked a room upstairs.

She remembered that part clearly.

What she didn’t expect was that when she opened the door to her newly booked room, the lights were already on.

The warm, dim glow reached the bed, and the air held a soft, sweet scent of white peach. Her Alpha instincts sensed it instantly. There was an Omega in heat, and somehow that Omega had ended up in her room.

Cheng Wan was curled up under the white blanket, her whole body flushed from the fever.

Even with the air conditioning set to low, her skin was burning hot, as if she had just been pulled from boiling water. Her entire body was damp with sweat.

The scent in the room was like ripe peaches, too sweet and too tempting.

Her instincts took over. That smell alone was enough to pull her under. She pushed Cheng Wan into the mattress, and both of them sank into its soft surface.

At the time, Cheng Wan seemed more awake than she was. She held Bai Juntang’s hand and moved her lips, trying to say something.

But in her heated, overwhelmed state, Bai Juntang didn’t care to listen. She silenced Cheng Wan with a kiss. After tasting the sweet peach on her lips, she turned her over.

Cheng Wan’s long brown hair fell across her pale neck. Lying face down, she was completely exposed.

Her skin was soft and fair. She looked like someone who could model for a skincare brand. Her scent matched her personality—gentle, sweet, and delicate. The crimson color of her gland at the base of her neck stood out vividly against her light skin.

An Alpha’s instinct is to mark. And Bai Juntang did exactly that.

She wanted to make sure that the girl who had unexpectedly appeared in her bed would bear her mark, so the night wouldn’t be in vain.

When she woke up the next morning, Cheng Wan was lying beside her.

Bai Juntang remembered clearly that Cheng Wan had been crying. Her flushed eyes and bright red lips were still fresh in her mind.

Bai Juntang suddenly remembered what Cheng Wan had said the night of the incident.

She had begged her, saying, “Please… don’t mark me.”

Those tear-filled eyes were unusually vivid in her alcohol-blurred memory. Cheng Wan’s pleading had long since been pushed to the back of Bai Juntang’s mind.

But the truth was, she had given Cheng Wan a lifelong mark. That meant from now on, Cheng Wan would never be able to have another Alpha—only her.

Maybe that was why Bai Juntang could so clearly pick up on Cheng Wan’s pheromones. It was probably because of the permanent mark she had left on her. That was also why, inside the car, she had instinctively asked about the scent, only realizing what she was saying after the words left her mouth. It irritated her.

Pheromones were truly a strange thing.

Bai Juntang had stayed up working until four in the morning the night before. She had only slept three hours before getting up again to take Cheng Wan to the hospital. She had felt drained and irritable from lack of rest.

But somehow, just having Cheng Wan quietly sitting beside her in the car had helped her relax. Before she realized it, she had fallen asleep.

An Omega’s pheromones naturally had a calming effect on the Alpha who marked them.

Even though Cheng Wan sat nervously in the car, clearly uncomfortable around Bai Juntang, her pheromones hadn’t changed.

When they arrived at the hospital, the moment the car stopped, Bai Juntang opened her eyes.

Even though she had only napped for a little over twenty minutes, it felt better than sleeping four or five hours. Her energy had improved significantly.

Li Chen managed to find a rare parking spot, though it was a bit far from the outpatient building. Still, that didn’t matter much.

Bai Juntang got out of the car. Although the hospital they had gone to before had advanced equipment, some procedures were better done at the city’s top-tier hospitals. So this time, she had brought Cheng Wan to a Class A facility for a full, thorough examination.

Li Chen was already carrying the medical file and other documents, hurrying around the hospital. Thankfully, the appointments had been scheduled in advance, so there was no wait and everything moved quickly.

In addition to the basic health checks, Bai Juntang had arranged an ultrasound to check on the baby.

Lying on the examination bed, Cheng Wan felt a chill on her stomach as the cold gel was applied. The ultrasound doctor glanced at the screen and asked, “A little over a month, right?”

Cheng Wan stared at the ceiling and nodded. “Yes.”

“The fetus is developing normally. Have you done your bl00d tests and other lab work?”

“Yes, I’ve finished those. Just waiting for the results.”

“Good.”

The doctor looked at her and said, “The baby is doing fine, but you’re too thin. That’s not good. You need to eat more and get plenty of rest. You should gain at least ten pounds to reach a healthy level.”

“Ten pounds?”

Cheng Wan turned her head to look at the doctor and asked softly, “Do I really have to gain that much?”

“Ten pounds is the bare minimum,” the doctor replied. “Ideally, you should gain between fifteen and twenty pounds. I don’t even need to see your lab results to know you’re undernourished. If you lose any more weight, the baby’s health will be at risk.”

Bai Juntang remembered what Cheng Wan had said that night.

She had pleaded, “Please, don’t mark me.”

Those tear-filled eyes had been so clear in her drunken state, but Bai Juntang had pushed that moment far from her mind.

Still, she had permanently marked Cheng Wan. That meant from now on, Cheng Wan could never be with another Alpha—only her.

Maybe that was why she could clearly smell Cheng Wan’s scent in the car. She had instinctively asked about it, only realizing afterward what she was saying, which left her feeling annoyed.

Pheromones were truly strange.

She had stayed up working until four in the morning, then slept only three hours before waking up to bring Cheng Wan to the hospital. She had been tired and irritable.

But with Cheng Wan sitting quietly beside her, something changed. Just her presence had helped Bai Juntang relax. She fell asleep quickly and deeply.

An Omega’s pheromones had a natural calming effect on the Alpha who had marked them.

Even if Cheng Wan was nervous and afraid of Bai Juntang, her scent hadn’t changed.

When they arrived at the hospital, the moment the car stopped, Bai Juntang opened her eyes.

She had only slept about twenty minutes, but it felt more restful than sleeping for hours. Her mood had improved too.

Li Chen managed to park inside the hospital, though the spot was a little far from the main building. Still, it didn’t matter.

Bai Juntang got out of the car. Though the hospital they had visited before was modern, certain tests were better done at a top-tier public hospital. So she brought Cheng Wan here for a full check-up, inside and out.

Li Chen handled the paperwork and moved quickly around the hospital. Fortunately, everything had been scheduled ahead of time, so there wasn’t much waiting.

In addition to the basic exams, Bai Juntang had also arranged an ultrasound to check on the baby.

Lying on the examination bed, Cheng Wan felt the cool gel on her stomach as the doctor worked the machine.

“It’s been over a month, right?” the doctor asked, looking at the screen.

Cheng Wan looked up at the ceiling and nodded. “Yes.”

“The baby’s developing well. Have you done your bl00d work yet?”

“Yes, we’re waiting for the results.”

The doctor gave a small nod. “Alright. The baby looks good, but you’re far too thin. That’s not okay. You need to eat more and rest. You should gain at least ten pounds to reach a healthy range.”

“Ten pounds?” Cheng Wan turned to look at the doctor and asked softly, “Do I really have to gain that much?”

“Ten is just the minimum,” the doctor said. “Honestly, fifteen to twenty pounds would be better. I don’t even need the test results to tell you you’re undernourished. If you lose more weight, the baby won’t develop properly.”

Hearing this, Bai Juntang, who was standing behind the doctor, asked, “How’s the baby doing right now?”

“The baby’s fine. You can even hear the heartbeat. Do you want to listen?”

Bai Juntang nodded. She had never heard a baby’s heartbeat before and was curious.

Cheng Wan didn’t speak, but she wanted to hear it too. The doctor turned up the volume, and the sound of a heartbeat filled the small room.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The heartbeat was steady and rhythmic. It was soft, like a quiet drum, but even so, it sounded strong and full of life.

Cheng Wan’s eyes widened.

She stared at the tiny, almost invisible figure on the screen. She had never imagined that something so small could already have its own heartbeat.

Until now, being pregnant had just been something people told her. But hearing that heartbeat made it real.

There really was a little baby inside her. Its heart was beating strongly. It was growing, trying its best to live. One day, it would be born, take its first breath, and become a healthy child.

Just thinking about that made Cheng Wan feel her own heartbeat quicken.

Bai Juntang heard it too. She looked at Cheng Wan lying on the bed, eyes wide, completely focused on the sound.

Then she remembered Cheng Wan’s tearful expression from that night—the way she had begged not to be marked.

But that night, Bai Juntang had been overwhelmed by alcohol and pheromones. She hadn’t cared. She had gone ahead with the mark, and now, there was a child.

After the ultrasound, Li Chen came back with the bl00d test results and handed everything to the doctor.

The doctor glanced through them and nodded. “Just like I said—malnutrition. Eat better, and Alpha, make sure you take care of her.”

She prescribed vitamins and medication to help support the pregnancy.

“Come back next month, and we’ll start the baby’s medical file,” the doctor said while writing. “Bring your marriage certificate, ID cards, and household registry. I’ll set everything up.”

Cheng Wan paused at that.

The ID and household papers were fine. But the marriage certificate?

She looked up at Bai Juntang without thinking. Bai Juntang’s face didn’t look great either. When she noticed Cheng Wan watching her, she quickly looked away. Cheng Wan lowered her head in a panic.

The awkward silence caught the doctor’s attention. She looked at both of them and asked, “Wait, you’re not married?”

Cheng Wan stayed quiet. Bai Juntang had no choice but to speak up. “No, not yet.”

The doctor gave a brief nod and said, “Just get it done before next month. These days, Omegas need to be married to register a child. Without a marriage certificate, your baby can’t be added to the registry. And you should already know that it’s illegal for an Omega to have an abortion without proper approval.”

After the check-up and receiving the medication, they returned to the car.

During the ultrasound, Cheng Wan had been allowed to record the baby’s heartbeat. Now, holding her phone, she wanted to listen to it again, but she didn’t dare play it out loud. She looked nervous and unsure.

As Li Chen backed the car out of the parking spot, he asked, “President Bai, where to next?”

Bai Juntang, still reading through the test report in her hands, replied calmly, “Let’s get something to eat.”