I Heard I’m a Scummy Alpha? [Transmigration] - Chapter 3

Before Qi Fangyue could even pull a pitiful face, Qi Yunwei quickly interjected:

“Dad, Mom, what kind of gift should we bring to the Yan family tomorrow? Should we prepare something expensive?”

The diversion worked. Qi Jiuyuan and Luo Yi let go of the matter of her talking back to Fangyue and turned their thoughts to the visit to the Yan family.

“Of course the gift should be valuable,” said Qi Jiuyuan.

Luo Yi frowned. “You know our family’s situation—where would we get the money for expensive gifts? Besides, with the Yan family’s wealth, no matter how costly it is, it’ll look ordinary to them.”

At that, she glanced at Qi Yunwei. “Anyway, Yan Zui has already been marked by Yunwei. Even if we showed up empty-handed, she still has to marry Yunwei. There’s no need to pretend we’re richer than we are.”

Qi Fangyue, biting her lip in dissatisfaction, tried to steer the conversation back. “Mom”

Before she could finish, Qi Jiusi cut her off: “Big Brother, Sister-in-law, the Yan family’s wealth is one thing, but a gift represents our family’s sincerity. Especially since Big Brother works at the Yan Corporation—you need to show how much we value Yan Zui.”

She continued, “True, we can’t afford anything too extravagant. But this gift doesn’t have to be bought. Big Brother, do you remember what Mother left us before she passed away?”

At the reminder, Qi Jiuyuan’s face lit with realization. “You mean that pair of antique jade pendants?”

Qi Jiusi nodded and smiled at Yunwei. “I watched Yunwei grow up. Now that she’s getting married, I don’t have much else to give. My pendant, together with the one you hold, can serve as her betrothal gift to the Yan family.”

Qi Fangyue, seeing her father hesitate as if ready to agree, immediately protested. Tugging on Luo Yi’s sleeve, she cried, “Mom! Didn’t you say that jade pendant was for my dowry when I got married? How can you give it to Second Sister instead? No way—I don’t agree!”

Luo Yi had always spoiled her younger daughter. She turned to Qi Jiuyuan and said, “Jiuyuan, why not just bring Jiusi’s piece? The Yan family doesn’t know they were originally a pair.”

But Qi Jiusi countered at once: “Big Brother, don’t forget Yunwei’s future spouse is Yan Zui. I’m willing to contribute my pendant, but this can’t be treated lightly. Both pieces should be given together.”

Qi Jiuyuan’s voice grew firm. “Jiusi is right. Fangyue is still young—there will be time to prepare a dowry for her. For now, Yunwei’s marriage takes priority.”

On important matters, Luo Yi usually yielded to Jiuyuan. She hugged Fangyue, who looked upset, and soothed her gently: “When the time comes, Mom will prepare you an even better dowry.”

Fangyue quickly adjusted her expression, forcing a smile. “I understand. Second Sister’s situation is more important right now.”

Her tone and demeanor were so pitiful that not only Luo Yi, but even Jiuyuan felt his heart soften. He thought to himself that he must make it up to his youngest daughter in the future.

With the matter of the wedding gift settled, Jiuyuan checked his watch and said to Luo Yi, “Have a proper talk with Yunwei this afternoon. Don’t let her embarrass herself tomorrow—it would disgrace the whole Qi family. Fanghuai and

Fangyue aren’t married yet. If things go smoothly with the Yan family, Chairman Yan might even help introduce marriage prospects later.”

He stood. “I’ve got a meeting this afternoon, so I’ll head back to the company.”

“Big Brother, give me a ride home first so I can fetch the jade pendant,” Jiusi added.

Luo Yi saw the siblings off.

The living room grew quiet. Fangyue glanced at Yunwei sipping her tea and snapped irritably: “So your marriage partner is from the Yan family? Her name is Yan Zui? Don’t tell me she’s some Omega with hidden health issues. Makes sense though—trash like you should be grateful any Omega is willing to let you mark her. You don’t get to be picky.”

Yunwei replied calmly, “What I said to you earlier—that was my mistake.”

Fangyue blinked, then smirked, lifting her chin with a haughty tilt. “So you realize you were wrong? Hurry up and apologize to me then.”

“I meant,” Yunwei smiled as she looked up at her, “you’re already a gossip. No need to change.”

“You—!” Fangyue’s face turned pale with fury, eyes flashing with disbelief.

Yunwei had always been a useless pushover, never daring to talk back. Since when had she become so sharp-tongued, quick enough that Fangyue herself couldn’t keep up?

Luo Yi returned without noticing Fangyue’s mood. She had a daunting task ahead—at the very least, she had to coach Yunwei into being presentable before the Yan family.

Sitting down, Luo Yi spoke bluntly: “Qi Yunwei, I know you’re pleased with yourself right now. You think that just because you marked Yan Zui, you’re set for life? Do you have any idea why an Omega like Yan Zui is capable of running the Yan Corporation? Just because she’s Chairman Yan’s only daughter? How naïve!”

Yunwei perked up, straightening slightly from her lazy posture. “Oh? Then why?”

The ten-minute novel she had skimmed before bed had only ever described Yan Zui falling in love, or being on the way to falling in love. There was hardly a word about how she was impressive enough to command a massive corporation.

So Luo Yi spent nearly two hours lecturing her—first recounting Yan Zui’s life and achievements, then drilling her step by step on how to behave before the Yan family tomorrow, down to the smallest detail.

By the latter half, Yunwei had tuned most of it out, still marveling at Yan Zui’s brilliance.

Finally, Luo Yi asked, “Have you got all that memorized?”

“What?” Yunwei blinked back to attention.

Luo Yi inhaled deeply, telling herself to stay calm. No matter how useless she is, she’s still my daughter. “Clearly you can’t remember everything. So just keep one thing in mind: tomorrow at the Yan family, speak less and smile more.”

“That’s easy. Got it.” Yunwei answered cheerfully.

Luo Yi waved her off impatiently. “Go, get out of my sight—you’re giving me a headache.”

“Alright, I’ll head back to my room.” Yunwei complied readily. After sitting all afternoon, her back was killing her.

Upstairs on the third floor, she found three rooms in a row but didn’t know which was hers.

She checked them one by one. A game room. A home theater. Finally, the innermost one—it had to be her bedroom.

Opening the door, she saw it was barely half the size of the others. The wallpaper was dark and oppressive.

Inside stood only a single bed and a wardrobe. A plain wooden chair substituted for a nightstand, holding a glass cup with half-finished water.

She wasn’t sure how long the cup had been left there. Qi Yunwei walked over, picked it up, and tilted it toward the sunset light—there was a thin layer of dust on the water’s surface.

Setting the glass back down, she turned into the washroom. Standing before the sink, she leaned closer to the mirror to examine the face reflected there.

It was identical to her real-life face, only thinner, paler, the corners of her eyes showing fatigue. Her lips were dry, her short ear-length hair dull and yellowing, as if from malnutrition.

After looking long enough, Qi Yunwei frowned slightly. She’d better restore her appearance as soon as possible. Otherwise, standing next to Yan Zui in the future, she’d be like a beauty paired with a wild weed.

Since the marriage was inevitable, she had to at least make herself worthy of Yan Zui’s brilliance.

After climbing two flights of stairs and standing for a while, her back finally gave out. She leaned against the wall, made her way back to the bed, and lay down intending to rest for a moment. But once she closed her eyes, she drifted off by accident, dreamed all through the night, and only woke when daylight was spilling in bright and clear.

Holding her stomach, she sat up. Skipping dinner had left her so hungry her head was muddled. It felt as if she had dreamed endlessly.

After washing up, Qi Yunwei went downstairs in search of food.

The house was silent—no one around.

The dining table beside the kitchen had a single breakfast placed upon it. She took a bite of a bun, only to find it had long gone cold.

All right. No one had bothered to call her for dinner. If it wasn’t for today’s visit to the Yan family, she probably wouldn’t even have gotten this cold leftover breakfast.

She set the bun back down just as Qi Jiuyuan and Luo Yi emerged from their room, both dressed to the nines. Luo Yi caught sight of her still wearing yesterday’s clothes and frowned.

“How many times have I told you? You can’t wear the same outfit two days in a row. We’re about to visit the Yan family—go and change into something formal.”

Hungry and irritable, Qi Yunwei had no patience to humor them. “Formal? Do I even own clothes like that?”

Her wardrobe was filled with nothing but white T-shirts and jeans. Strictly speaking, she wasn’t repeating an outfit from yesterday—every piece she owned just looked identical.

“What kind of attitude is that?” Qi Jiuyuan scolded, clearly displeased.

Just as he was about to lecture her, Qi Jiusi walked in.

She too was dressed impeccably, her makeup tasteful and refined. Greeting them with a sweet “Big Brother, Sister-in-law,” she went straight to Qi Yunwei, pressed a bag into her hands, and said, “I prepared some clothes for you. Go change quickly. Once you’re done, I’ll do your makeup.”

Qi Yunwei’s cold expression instantly warmed into a smile. “Thank you, Auntie.” She hurried upstairs to change.

Luo Yi looked slightly embarrassed, and said to Qi Jiusi, “She’s already twenty-three, and she still can’t buy her own clothes? Always needing you to fuss over her—it’s disgraceful.”

Qi Jiusi only laughed. “Yunwei is an Alpha. Since when do Alphas buy their own clothes? Before marriage, it’s the elders’ job. After marriage, it’s the Omega’s. I just thought, Sister-in-law, you’re busy, so I picked some up for her.”

When Qi Yunwei came back down in her new outfit, Qi Jiusi quickly did her makeup. After setting down her brow pencil, she studied Qi Yunwei’s face, then nodded approvingly. “Much better. You look far more spirited now.”

Qi Yunwei lifted the powder compact, using the tiny mirror to check her reflection. It was true—she looked livelier. Given the poor foundation she had to work with, Qi Jiusi had done all she could.

“Let’s go. First visits shouldn’t be late.” Qi Jiuyuan rose to his feet and headed for the door.

Qi Yunwei followed along.

The Qi family’s modest townhouse was in the eastern working-class district of Guangnan City, while the Yan family’s mansion was halfway up the western hills. The drive took two hours.

Their agreed meeting time was eleven o’clock. Setting out at eight-thirty and factoring in traffic, they arrived at the Yan estate just in time to avoid being late.

At the gates, a guide car led them past a fountain, up to a red-roofed, white-walled villa. They stepped out of the car and followed the butler inside.

With a stern expression, the butler settled them in the drawing room and served tea. “Please wait a moment. The Master, Madam, and Miss will be here shortly.”

Qi Jiuyuan and Luo Yi quickly nodded, flustered. “Of course, no rush.”

Five minutes passed in silence. Neither dared voice a complaint.

Qi Jiusi’s eyes shone with suppressed excitement.

Sitting upright, Qi Yunwei also felt a faint, inexplicable thrill.

Maybe because she was about to see Yan Zui again.

Yan Zui must hate her guts now. At first, Qi Yunwei had thought she was just another victim of circumstance. But after learning the truth, she wished she could crack open the original host’s skull to see if it was filled with water.

There was no point in explaining anymore. What mattered now was how to make it up to Yan Zui, how to ease the guilt.

Even if the drug had been the original host’s doing, she was still the one who had bitten her.

The crisp sound of high heels striking the floor echoed from the stairs. Qi Yunwei lifted her head.

From the sweeping spiral staircase descended a graceful figure, one hand trailing along the railing. Her skin was like porcelain, curls tumbling over her shoulders. Halfway down, she paused, lifted her face, and her deep, ocean-dark eyes locked squarely on Qi Yunwei.

Qi Yunwei’s heart tightened at once, a ripple of nervousness coursing through her.