I Was Just a Scumbag Extra, But She Loved Me Anyway [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 4

Jiang Youning stepped into the office area suddenly, her expression calm and distant. She turned slightly, handing the documents in her hand to a researcher behind her.

As she turned her head, Su Chenli got a clear look at her profile.

Her features were delicate, with an innate sense of fragility. The curve of her nose was soft and graceful, a single strand of hair falling along her cheek… and that subtle, quiet sorrow she seemed to carry—like it was born into her bones—sparked a deep curiosity in Su Chenli. She couldn’t help but want to understand her more.

“Is that her?” Jiang Youning lifted her gaze and glanced at Su Chenli.

The office was silent.

A few researchers and interns, reading Jiang Youning’s mood, didn’t dare say a word.

It was obvious to Su Chenli that Jiang Youning held a high position here. Even though she was young—probably younger than most of the researchers in the room—everyone instinctively deferred to her.

“Uh…” Su Chenli, suddenly feeling guilty, said, “Yeah, that’s me.”

The new lead of the R&D division is Jiang Youning?

She hadn’t heard a single person mention the director’s name on the way here. If someone had even said a “Jiang,” she might have suspected something! This was unreal.

Jiang Youning seemed to smile slightly at her answer—but the smile never reached her eyes. Her cool gaze swept across Su Chenli’s face, sharp and chilly.

Su Chenli: “…”

Oh no. She suddenly remembered what happened the last time they met.

In an attempt to stop Jiang Youning from becoming just another heartbroken supporting character, she’d used the worst pickup line in history… and acted like a complete flirt with no morals. Back then, Jiang Youning had said:

“I hope you won’t regret what you said today.”

Su Chenli: “…”

Yeah. She regretted it. So much.

Didn’t her dad say Jiang Youning had access to world-class lab data and cutting-edge research—and that her involvement could directly influence the Su Group’s ability to secure future market share?

If Jiang Youning walked away, her dad would kick her out of the house and freeze her credit cards.

No wonder Jiang Youning had sounded so sure of herself last time… She must’ve already accepted the Su Group’s invitation and knew she’d be in charge. That’s why she’d said those words with such confidence!

Jiang Youning gave her a cold glance, then turned and walked out of the office area.

“Let’s talk in my office.”

Su Chenli: “…” I really don’t want to go.

Jiang Youning’s office was large and immaculate. Besides a few potted plants and shelves holding documents and coffee mugs, the space was bare.

She had taken off her lab coat and was now seated behind her desk.

In a lab coat, Jiang Youning had that cool, reserved beauty—like someone untouchable. Without it, she looked like a poised, high-end professional—a stunning woman with authority.

A pair of silver-framed glasses softened the sharpness of her eyes. Her slender fingers toyed with a silver pen.

The pearlescent white deep V-neck blouse she wore outlined her elegant figure. The collar rested on her collarbones, revealing the delicate dip at the center of her chest.

Su Chenli glanced at her, then quickly looked away. She silently counted her heartbeats, trying to steady her breathing.

No matter how many times she saw her… this woman was just stunning.

Jiang Youning glanced over Su Chenli’s personnel file, then slowly set it down. Her eyes met Su Chenli’s, calm and unblinking.

“Why do you think you’re qualified to be part of this project?” she asked.

Su Chenli thought for a second. “Probably… because my dad’s rich?”

Jiang Youning shot her a frosty look, then lowered her eyes again, as if even looking at her was a waste of time. “Money can’t fix your lack of professional knowledge. Based on your background, you’re an outsider here.”

Su Chenli actually wanted to agree with her—she really didn’t know anything.

But she wasn’t just herself anymore—she was also a member of the “scumbag Alpha crew.” Last time they met, she had just finished putting on that “flirty bad girl” act in front of Jiang Youning. Even if she tried to explain herself now, Jiang Youning probably wouldn’t believe a word of it.

Su Chenli sighed silently in her heart.

Guess it’s time to keep acting. Good thing I’m a trained professional.

“I’m not interested in experiments, and I won’t interfere with your research,” she said casually. “I’m just here to check in and show face.”

She walked closer to the desk and leaned forward slightly. Her long black hair slipped over her shoulder and hung in the air.

Her fox-like eyes—stunning and sharp—locked onto Jiang Youning. “But I really didn’t expect you, Professor Jiang, to be the new technical lead at the Su Group’s R&D center…”

Su Chenli curved her lips into a subtle smile. Her eyes sparkled like scattered stardust—mischievous and charming.

And then she said, in a soft voice filled with unspoken intent:

“…The Chairman told me to take good care of you.”

Her final words trailed off softly, tinged with an indescribable smile—laden with ambiguity.

Jiang Youning heard it but showed no reaction. She merely glanced at Su Chenli with a cool look. “Don’t get carried away. According to the hierarchy, I’m your superior.”

“Oh? Alright then, Supervisor,” Su Chenli smiled, as if humoring Jiang Youning in a game of roleplay. “So you want me to be obedient?”

“That makes it the second time you’ve spoken out of turn to me—if you count our meeting at H University.” Jiang Youning’s tone was indifferent, but her words struck a nerve. She didn’t even look at Su Chenli as she continued, “I haven’t even agreed to let you stay yet. If I were to file a report, Chairman Su would likely reconsider.”

Su Chenli: “…” This is bad. My credit card privileges… are in danger.

She thought about her old man’s threats and winced inwardly before softening her stance. “Alright then, what do you want me to do?”

Jiang Youning remained silent for a while—so long that Su Chenli started to wonder if she’d misheard. Then, Jiang Youning finally spoke. “From now on, you’ll follow me. But if you want to stay in the lab, you’ll need at least a basic understanding of the operations and principles. Until then, you’re not to interfere with anything.”

Su Chenli: “?” What does that even mean?

Jiang Youning stood up and gave her a glance. “If you don’t even understand that much, go learn from Ren Yu.”

Without waiting for a response, Jiang Youning circled her desk, took her coat from the nearby rack, glanced at the still-confused Su Chenli, and said casually, “I have a class. I’m leaving this place in your hands.”

Su Chenli: …?? Excuse me?! What exactly is she leaving to me?!

“Wait a minute!”

Seeing that Jiang Youning was really about to leave, Su Chenli hurriedly called out, “What exactly are you leaving to me? And who the hell is Ren Yu?!”

“The intern who brought you in earlier—that’s Ren Yu,” Jiang Youning said, hand already on the doorknob, as she turned to reply.

Su Chenli: “…?”

And with that, Jiang Youning left the office, leaving Su Chenli standing there, stunned.

After a moment of silence, Su Chenli called on the system. “System!! Tell me, does this make any sense? I came here just to complete a mission in the background—why do I have to learn anything? Aren’t you going to step in?!”

The system answered slowly, almost hesitantly: [Well… the system isn’t really supposed to interfere with character behavior. If we could, we wouldn’t need hosts like you in the first place.]

Su Chenli frowned. “So, what you’re saying is… I have to learn and stay in that lab?”

[Not necessarily. You can refuse, theoretically. But you’ll have to deal with the consequences yourself. After all, you can’t leave this world until the two main characters reach their happily-ever-after. No matter how long it takes, that part’s up to you.]

Su Chenli understood.

If her apathy triggered some kind of butterfly effect that delayed the protagonists’ HE, she’d be the one to suffer.

…In that case, her best option was to observe first, then decide if she needed to make any changes.

With a resigned sigh, Su Chenli went off to find the intern who had brought her in earlier.

—

In the office area, Ren Yu listened in shock as Su Chenli explained everything. For a long moment, she was too stunned to speak. Then she finally asked, “S-So, President Su… are you going to help me record the data later?”

“Sure,” Su Chenli nodded. “As long as you don’t think I’m in the way.”

Once she was with Ren Yu, Su Chenli dropped her earlier flippant attitude and returned to her usual self.

Ren Yu seemed a little embarrassed and hesitated all the way to the lab. It wasn’t until Su Chenli was slipping her arm into the sleeve of a lab coat that Ren Yu finally spoke. “Um… my advisor isn’t usually like this. She’s just been in a bad mood lately.”

Bad mood? Su Chenli paused mid-motion.

She knew Jiang Youning’s attitude likely had little to do with her mood, but…

Didn’t that delicate little Omega, Xiao Baihua, go on vacation with Zhong Li? So the unreliable student who ditched the lab must really have been Ruan Shengsheng!? Jiang Youning was taking the fall again because of Xiao Baihua…

She knew it—sympathizing with a scummy A was a recipe for tragedy.

Even as an outsider to this world, it was obvious to Su Chenli that Old Man Su had invested heavily in this research project. For an intern, being involved was a golden opportunity. And Ruan Shengsheng… just skipped out?

Seriously, if that beautiful mentor were to like someone, she’d be better off liking her.