I Was Just a Scumbag Extra, But She Loved Me Anyway [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 6

“I really do love her.”

“I don’t even know what’s wrong with me… I’ve thought about breaking up with her, but after losing her, I was in so much pain. It felt like I’d lost my soul and my purpose. Every day was hollow—I didn’t even know what I was supposed to be doing.”

Ruan Shengsheng stood behind the laboratory building, her voice choked with sobs.

As evening fell, the surroundings gradually dimmed. The shadows of the trees blurred into shades of light and dark, and even the birds that had lingered near the lab took flight. In the growing sense of solitude, Jiang Youning stood silently nearby, eyes lowered, watching Ruan Shengsheng cry like a weeping blossom battered by the rain.

Perhaps she pitied Ruan Shengsheng.

But Ruan Shengsheng’s fierce love and hatred were always incomprehensible to her.

“Professor, what should I do?” Ruan Shengsheng wiped away her tears with her sleeve in despair. “She clearly doesn’t love me that much, but I still can’t leave her. I want her to love only me—I want her to see only me.”

Jiang Youning’s brows knit together ever so slightly before smoothing out again. Her voice remained calm:
“Is that why you gave up your internship at the last minute?”

Ruan Shengsheng bit her lip and looked up at Jiang Youning, her eyes filled with sorrow.
“I… I thought about rejecting her. But Zhong Li said she loves me. She never admitted it before—not even once. When she finally said it… I just couldn’t say no.”

Jiang Youning’s frown deepened despite herself.

The ache in her chest was a strange mix of sorrow, frustration, and sympathy. She wanted to comfort Ruan Shengsheng, to gently pull her into an embrace. But her ever-logical mind, honed by years of scientific research, only echoed one clear thought:

Is this really the student I poured so much time and energy into training?

Where had things gone wrong? How had a once-driven, diligent student ended up so lost over some reckless alpha?

Emotion and reason clashed within her, pulling her in opposing directions.

In the end, Jiang Youning only said, “You’re throwing away your future.”

“But I really love her… I can’t help it. Professor, what should I do?”

Ruan Shengsheng broke down, crying uncontrollably, and suddenly threw herself into Jiang Youning’s arms.

At that moment, Su Chenli arrived at the edge of the secluded courtyard, drawn by Ruan Shengsheng’s cries. She caught sight of Ruan Shengsheng collapsing into Jiang Youning’s arms—and froze in shock.

Jiang Youning, caught off guard, also froze as Ruan Shengsheng embraced her.

The warm, soft body in her arms carried a faint sweetness—not the scent of perfume, but the subtle, instinctual aroma of alpha and omega pheromones, searching for their own kind.

Jiang Youning stiffened in silence for a moment, then quietly pushed Ruan Shengsheng away.
“You should head back. I’ll take care of the internship and your thesis.”

Ruan Shengsheng looked up at her with tear-stained eyes, filled with confusion and vulnerability.

Jiang Youning didn’t respond. She simply lowered her gaze, quietly observing Ruan Shengsheng as if she were a beautiful porcelain doll behind glass—lovely, but never meant to be one of her own.

She knew Ruan Shengsheng wasn’t faking. The girl simply didn’t have the clarity to understand the messy entanglement between her and Zhong Li, nor the consequences of her actions. She was just following her emotions, in the only way she knew how.

That was Ruan Shengsheng—naïve, almost foolishly so.

Jiang Youning closed her eyes briefly, hiding the turmoil within.

Ruan Shengsheng stared at her for a moment, searching for meaning in her expression, but finding none. Uncertain, she bit her lip and lowered her head.

Jiang Youning saw this and sighed inwardly. Softening her tone, she said, “Go back now.”

Ruan Shengsheng finally lifted her head, glanced hesitantly at Jiang Youning, then turned and slowly walked away—looking back at every step like a pitiful stray.

Hidden behind the lush foliage of the wisteria vines, Su Chenli nearly burst out laughing—not from amusement, but sheer exasperation.

Leaving the internship and thesis to Jiang Youning?

The audacity!

A selfish alpha and a clingy little flower—neither of them had any sense of responsibility.

Fuming, Su Chenli turned sharply to leave but accidentally kicked the edge of a white plastic flower trough. The resulting clink broke the silence.

Jiang Youning, still lost in thought in the clearing, immediately caught the sound. Her expression sharpened as she turned her head, all traces of vulnerability wiped clean. Her gaze was cold and commanding again—this was Professor Jiang, aloof and unreachable.

“Who’s there?”

Startled by her voice, Su Chenli ducked quickly, pressing herself into the shadows by the wall. Only after confirming that Jiang Youning had stopped calling out did she dare peek toward the courtyard again.

She only wanted to see whether Jiang Youning had noticed her. But the moment she looked up, her eyes locked with Jiang Youning’s, who was walking toward her with a cold expression.

Jiang Youning paused briefly and seemed to frown.
“You?”

Su Chenli froze.

Damn it. I’ve been caught.

“What are you doing here?” Jiang Youning asked, looking her over.

Su Chenli: “…”

What was she supposed to say?

That she was worried about the little flower getting too close to her? That she didn’t want the naive omega anywhere near that scumbag alpha?

That’d make her sound like a possessive control freak.

Besides, in this world, Jiang Youning had nothing to do with her. She had no right to interfere—no standing at all.

…Well, at least she’s a typical scumbag alpha.

And how could you ever judge a scumbag alpha’s actions with reason?

Su Chenli sighed softly, resigning herself to playing the role to the end. She had considered whether to salvage her image a little in front of Jiang Youning, but the way things kept unfolding always seemed to force her into being the scumbag alpha.

Under the streetlamp, Jiang Youning watched as Su Chenli stopped trying to hide and stood tall, her posture relaxing. She looked at Jiang Youning with a half-smile, her figure graceful and striking in the soft light.

“It’s me. Your campus doesn’t have a gatekeeper, does it? Why wouldn’t I be able to get in?” Su Chenli smiled, a hint of mischief in her gaze as she looked at Jiang Youning.

“Just visiting the campus?” Jiang Youning’s cool eyes reflected the faint glow of the streetlamp. She stared straight at Su Chenli.

Su Chenli gave a short, dismissive laugh. With ease, she stepped over the flower bed and said casually, “Do you really think that’s all?”

Jiang Youning’s brows drew together slightly as she lowered her lashes, thinking briefly. Whatever conclusion she reached, her expression suddenly dulled, as if she’d lost interest in continuing the conversation.

Su Chenli brushed off some petals stuck to her hem, glancing up unintentionally—and froze for a second when she saw Jiang Youning’s face.

Jiang Youning already had a cold, fragile sort of beauty. When she furrowed her brows even slightly, it was enough to make someone’s heart waver. But in that moment, she looked even more heartbreakingly vulnerable… the kind of look that made one want to tease her.

Su Chenli quickly looked away and shut her eyes.

What the hell was she thinking?

Thinking of the beautiful professor like that—how was she any different from those cliché alphas and clingy omegas?

She scolded herself back to sanity, took a deep breath, and forced a cocky grin back onto her face. Her tone turned playful again:
“Instead of asking boring questions, don’t you want to know what I just saw?”

Jiang Youning raised her eyes slightly. “What are you trying to say?”

“Professor Jiang,” Su Chenli tilted her head with a bold grin, “you and your student—alone, embracing each other behind the lab building, in a secluded spot… Doesn’t that strike you as a little inappropriate?”

“…Are you trying to blackmail me?” Jiang Youning shot her a cold look and turned to leave. “Heh. Suit yourself.”

Let’s see who can really threaten whom.

Su Chenli: “??”
Wait, what? That’s not how she was supposed to react! She just wanted to give her a friendly warning!

Seeing that Jiang Youning was really about to walk away, Su Chenli quickly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. “Wait!”

“What are you doing?” Jiang Youning turned back and glared at her icily.

Su Chenli almost laughed out of sheer frustration. Why did it feel like she was the one caught red-handed?

But Jiang Youning didn’t care about any of that. Her gaze grew colder and colder as she looked at Su Chenli. Left with no choice, Su Chenli hesitated, then lowered her voice:

“Zhong Li already knows that Ruan Shengsheng secretly returned to the country. She might already be back too. And she knows Shengsheng came back because of you.”

Jiang Youning glanced at her, expression unreadable. “So?”

Su Chenli was briefly stunned. Why is she so dense?

“So shouldn’t you stay away from Ruan Shengsheng? If you keep getting involved, Zhong Li is bound to come after you.”

“That’s all you came to say? Then I don’t care,” Jiang Youning replied coldly. “Let that piece of trash do whatever she wants. It’s not like she hasn’t caused me enough trouble already.”

Su Chenli paused. Thinking back over the plot of the original story… she realized Jiang Youning was right. Even in the parts she hadn’t personally witnessed, Zhong Li had never left her alone.

As Su Chenli stood in silence, Jiang Youning gave a slight tug of her wrist, clearly signaling for her to let go.

Su Chenli snapped out of it, but instead of loosening her grip, she held on even tighter. “That’s not the only thing. There’s something else… You really should stay away from Ruan Shengsheng.”

Jiang Youning paused, shooting her a glance full of confusion and sarcasm. Then she gave a cold laugh. “Is this you sticking up for your friend? Threatening me because of Zhong Li?”

“I’m not—” Su Chenli instinctively began to deny it, but the words caught in her throat.

She was supposed to be the scumbag alpha now, wasn’t she? Playing the bad guy came with the role. She couldn’t refute Jiang Youning’s words.

Taking a deep breath, she skipped over the motive and said simply, “Haven’t you realized it? Being close to Ruan Shengsheng only brings you trouble.”

Jiang Youning was quiet for a moment. Then, her voice flat: “No, I haven’t.”

“You—” Su Chenli nearly exploded with frustration. Then she suddenly remembered what Jiang Youning had said to the little flower just moments ago. Without thinking, she blurted it out:
“You’re wasting your future too!”

The moment the words left her mouth, Jiang Youning froze. Her long lashes trembled slightly. But before Su Chenli could read her expression, she turned her face away.

If Su Chenli hadn’t been holding her wrist, she might not have noticed Jiang Youning’s subtle change at all.

Feeling a bit awkward, Su Chenli loosened her grip. “Did I hurt you…?”

“Have you finished processing your experimental data?” Jiang Youning suddenly asked, cutting her off.

Su Chenli: “…”

Su Chenli: “???”

Wait, what? How did they get back to homework?! Was Professor Jiang treating her like a student again?

“I’m seriously trying to get you to stop being so stubborn,” Su Chenli frowned, her tone growing firm. “Even if you’re you, trying to change the subject at a time like this is just going to piss me off.”

Jiang Youning was silent for a moment, then looked up at her. “What did you just call me?”

“I called you…” Su Chenli began, then abruptly realized—

She had accidentally said it out loud.

The name she only ever used for Jiang Youning in her head.

Her voice faltered immediately. “I, uh…”

Jiang Youning quietly stared at her.

Su Chenli: “…”

“…Just remembered there’s something urgent at the company. I’ll head out first. Um, think about what I said, seriously.”
Feeling the heat rise to her ears, Su Chenli lost her nerve completely. Without even bothering to come up with a decent excuse, she turned and fled in a panic.

The sound of her hurried footsteps gradually faded, and the secluded courtyard returned to silence.

Under the warm, hazy glow of the streetlamp, Jiang Youning remained standing by the flowerbed, unmoving. Her gaze quietly followed Su Chenli’s retreating figure until she completely disappeared from sight.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Youning raised her hand and pulled out a thin silver chain from beneath her shirt. Hanging from the chain was a delicate, silver-crafted pendant—reminiscent of an old-fashioned pocket watch.

She stared at the necklace without a word, waiting until the lingering warmth on the metal had completely faded. Then she gently pressed a small latch on the side of the pendant. The cover responded swiftly and flipped open, revealing a small, polished mirror—and beneath it, a photo.

The photo, hidden inside the pendant, was clearly a bit old. Its edges were slightly discolored, and behind the softly blurred background, other figures seemed faintly visible…

Jiang Youning remembered. It had been taken at a quiet, nearly empty café. At the time, she had just led her team in completing a minor project in collaboration with a major company and was reviewing the data afterward. She’d pulled out her phone to capture a detail worth noting, but just then, Ruan Shengsheng had suddenly leaned into the frame—smiling, bright and carefree.

This was the photo that moment left behind.

Jiang Youning stared at the image she’d kept closest to her heart for so long, memories of everything between her and Ruan Shengsheng flooding back.

She must have been obsessed with Ruan Shengsheng too.

And yet…
She absentmindedly pressed a hand to her chest, where a dull ache had begun—something like the pain of a broken heart. It was familiar. She pressed her palm there again, instinctively and numbly.

But why? Why did she become so fixated on Ruan Shengsheng?

She had no idea when the line between teacher and student had started to blur. Her memory was blank on that point—as if she had simply fallen in love with her out of nowhere.

Time passed. The ache in her chest slowly faded. Jiang Youning glanced once more at the photo in her hand and gave a bitter smile.

Maybe human love and resentment never needed a reason. Just like how she couldn’t understand Ruan Shengsheng’s feelings, perhaps hers were equally irrational.

And then she remembered what Su Chenli had said—“You’re wasting your future too.”

Pretty lady, huh…

Jiang Youning let out a soft, self-mocking laugh and clasped the pendant shut with a single hand.

…Just a… pretty-faced, airheaded heiress, that’s all.

At the same time, Zhong Li’s private jet finally touched down. The moment she stepped off the plane, she swapped phones and immediately called Ruan Shengsheng. While giving a quick gesture to her driver to prepare the car and head to H University, she softened her tone and cooed into the phone:

“Baby, where are you right now? I’ll come pick you up.”

“Zhong Li, I don’t want to see you anymore. Let’s break up,” Ruan Shengsheng sobbed on the other end. “My professor was right—staying with you will only make me lose myself. I love you, but I can’t keep living without boundaries. Let’s end it.”

“What did you say?” Zhong Li froze mid-step. Her practiced sweet tone fell apart. All she seemed to hear were the words “I love you” and “break up.”

“I said we’re breaking up!” Ruan Shengsheng shouted, then hung up in a panic, as if unable to face the consequences.

Zhong Li stood there in silence, her phone still at her ear. After a long pause, she let out a cold, disbelieving laugh—like she’d just heard the punchline to some absurd joke.

At that moment, the driver approached and said the car was ready and asked if they should head out.

Zhong Li scoffed and threw her phone aside without even looking at it. Turning away, she snapped,
“Forget it. We’re not going.”

Behind her, the assistant barely managed to catch the falling phone and hesitantly asked, “President Zhong, what about the gift you prepared for Miss Ruan…?”

“Don’t bother!”

Her voice rang out, furious and unrestrained.

On the second floor, the clean glass window reflected Zhong Li’s eyes—cold and venomous.

She says she loves me, and still wants to break up? Zhong Li scoffed again, unable to believe a word. As if anyone would buy that crap. Ruan Shengsheng must have someone else…

Jiang Youning, isn’t it?
It’s always her. Every time Ruan Shengsheng throws a tantrum, she’s behind it somewhere…

What a piece of work.
She really dares to steal from me? Not this time. I’m not letting this go.