The Scumbag Alpha is Courting Death Again - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Mint Dark Chocolate. Unwilling to Face Reality, “There’s Nothing Between You and Me…”

In the end, Ming Xi was still worried about leaving Xia Jinzhao alone in the room, so she shamelessly leaned against the door. She deliberately spread a thin blanket on the floor, planning to make do with spending the night by the door, so that if anything unexpected happened to the other party, she could rush in immediately, as the sofa was too far from the corridor.

The female protagonist wasn’t stupid. With a known malicious person lurking outside, the door would certainly be locked.

The midsummer heat had long passed, yet the air still felt sticky and thick. Her sweat-soaked shirt clung to Ming Xi’s back. The dryness in her throat and the tingling sensation in her bones made her wish she could jump into a river for relief.

So hot.

Having gained a rough understanding of the world’s setting, she knew that the sensation pulling at her was the Omega’s pheromone. A subtle bitterness brushed past her breath, followed by a refreshing aftertaste that made her dizzy and captivated.

So, she pressed close to the door crack, trying to feel a slight comfort from it. Her curled-up figure wrapped half of the blanket, looking exactly like a pitiful, abandoned creature.

Of course, that was just what she thought. To an outsider, her behavior right now was indistinguishable from a pervert stalking at night.

As a rich, intoxicating feeling washed over her, drowsiness crept in. Just as Ming Xi was about to fall asleep, a distinct unlocking sound came from by her feet, particularly jarring in the quiet, spacious living room.

Oh no, could it be a burglar?

She quickly sat up, looking alertly toward the half-open entrance door. The cool white light of the voice-activated lamp spilled onto the floor mat. The newcomer was dressed in a long beige coat, their desolate figure marked by the dust of travel.

When the person’s eyes met the bewildered little gaze in the gloom, the former was the first to exclaim in a low voice: “Who’s there!”

As the words fell, the ceiling lamp outside the door suddenly lit up. Ming Xi instinctively squinted, like a criminal undergoing interrogation.

“Who are you?” Seeing that the newcomer was well-dressed and didn’t look like a thief picking locks in the middle of the night, she stood up out of politeness.

The blatant scrutiny fell upon Ming Xi. Remembering the serious business, the woman said coldly: “Move aside.”

Before Ming Xi could react, the person strode over and raised a hand to knock on the door.

“Jinzhao, open the door, it’s Lin Cheng’an.”

Hearing this familiar name, Ming Xi’s stalled brain started working again.

Lin Cheng’an, introduced to Xia Jinzhao by Song Yu, was a conscientious private doctor. In the book, their relationship quickly warmed up, partly due to her matchmaking.

The woman carried a light, fresh scent of disinfectant, which diluted the thick pheromones in the air. Ming Xi finally regained control of her body and looked at the person in front of her with apprehension.

Song Yu knew of her existence, so this doctor was also unwelcoming toward her. Realizing it was someone she knew, Xia Jinzhao in the room lowered her guard and dragged her exhausted, uncomfortable body to open the door.

Thinking of lending the doctor a hand and simultaneously boosting her favorability with Xia Jinzhao, Ming Xi shuffled her feet, ready to enter, only to have the door mercilessly shut in her face, causing an abrupt pain in her nose from the squeeze.

“If you don’t want me in, then don’t want me in,” she muttered, rubbing her nose. The sleepiness that had just hit her was completely dispelled.

A hollow, hungry feeling came from her stomach. She first pressed her ear against the door to listen for a moment, ensuring the two inside wouldn’t come out, before tiptoeing into the kitchen.

As a dependent, even cooking a meal felt restrictive.

The kitchen in this residence was semi-open, maintaining the simple and practical style. A counter separated the kitchen from the dining area. The surface was clean and polished, spotless.

Opening the refrigerator, the abundance of ingredients was dazzling, mostly in unopened packages. This clearly indicated that Xia Jinzhao almost never cooked.

Ming Xi picked and chose, finally finding a half-opened bag of dried noodles. She lit the stove, trying to make the smallest sound possible to avoid attracting the attention of the other two in the room.

Meanwhile, inside the room.

The woman’s long hair was damp with sweat. She looked as if she had been pulled out of the water. She leaned against the wall, seeking the last trace of coolness, her lips slightly parted, exhaling hot breaths.

Lin Cheng’an hurriedly placed the medical kit on the table and half-knelt on the floor to check Xia Jinzhao’s temperature. She had noticed the abnormality in the other party’s voice over the phone before coming, but upon arrival, she found the situation far more severe than she had imagined.

“It was all fine before, wasn’t it?” She took a syringe from the medical kit. “Did you take the suppressant? Why is the heat cycle reaction so strong?”

A flurry of questions was met with Xia Jinzhao’s weakened resolve. Leaning against the corner, she coughed violently and weakly uttered that name.

“Ming Xi…”

The woman showed none of her usual noble and cold arrogance, looking like a fragile dodder flower that had lost the host it relied on for nourishment.

Just then, the test results came out. Staring at the values displayed on the palm-sized screen, Lin Cheng’an was incredulous: “This… Did she drug you?”

Despite being a good friend, being noisy when she was physically drained inevitably annoyed Xia Jinzhao. She simply took the suppressant from the medical kit and, ignoring Lin Cheng’an’s objections, injected it directly into her scent gland.

The pain, like being gnawed by insects, receded like a tide. Her right hand trembled as she threw the syringe away. She licked her dry lips.

“Water.”

Startled by her fluent and bold sequence of actions, Lin Cheng’an’s words of reprimand were caught in her throat. Knowing that Xia Jinzhao was always a taciturn and practical person, she quickly fetched the bottled water from the cabinet and helped her swallow a relief capsule with it.

“That Ming Xi is up to no good. I’ve disliked her for a long time, and she was even lurking around outside just now…” Lin Cheng’an was indignant. “But how did she get this medicine? It’s not circulated on the market.”

The cool water slid down her esophagus into her stomach, and the effect was quick. When Xia Jinzhao looked up again, her clear eyes revealed solemnity and coldness.

“Given her shady friends, wouldn’t it be easy for her to obtain contraband?” The woman gave a mocking smile. “I underestimated her before. I didn’t think she had the audacity.”

“Then… what are you planning to do?” A look of disgust flashed in Lin Cheng’an’s eyes. “Why don’t you tell Song Yu? She definitely has ways to handle it—”

Xia Jinzhao snorted before Lin Cheng’an could finish, then stood up to straighten her messy clothes. Only after her long fingers fastened the top button did she slowly speak.

“No need. I’ve troubled her too many times. I’ll solve my own problems.”

The sheer curtain of the bay window was stirred by the night breeze, revealing the brightly lit city far away. The woman gathered her long hair, seemingly having recovered her usual calm and collected demeanor.

She walked barefoot to the bedside table and effortlessly picked up the hidden pinhole camera, then squeezed it hard. The delicate device instantly shattered into pieces, falling from between her fingers to the floor.

“Prescribe some medicine for me. It’s late. Sorry to have troubled you to come all this way.” Xia Jinzhao found a coat in the closet and put it on, covering her semi-bare back.

If it weren’t absolutely necessary, she would never let anyone, not even a friend, see her vulnerability.

Seeing her walk toward the door, Lin Cheng’an sensed her intention and quietly reminded her: “That Ming Xi is still outside. I’m afraid you might be in danger. Should I stay with you?”

“If she could truly subdue me normally, she wouldn’t resort to such methods.” Xia Jinzhao pressed down on the door handle.

The woman stood at the boundary between light and shadow. Her deep-set eyes were against the light, making her true emotions inscrutable. The door was about to open, and that cool scent, accompanied by the bitter aftertaste, invaded the space.

The warm yellow light from the kitchen was cast upon the wooden floor. The clattering of pots and pans was accompanied by a cheerful humming. Ming Xi was utterly unaware of the brewing hostility behind her. With the mindset of “stall for as long as possible,” she excitedly scooped up the noodle soup to check the seasoning.

She was an optimist. At best, she would be taken away by the police tomorrow morning. Since running away was futile, she might as well die a full-bellied ghost.

Fortunately, her cooking skills hadn’t deteriorated. The soup was just as delicious and flavorful.

Ming Xi couldn’t help but feel smug. In her previous life, she was busy with work. When orders were high, she sometimes wouldn’t eat for seven or eight hours, leading to a serious stomach illness. She had to eat lightly to recuperate, which was how she honed her cooking skills.

Just then, a shadow fell across the countertop, followed by a familiar female voice.

“You certainly have time for leisure.”

This sentence was laced with a forced, cold smile, instantly raising goosebumps all over Ming Xi’s body. The hot soup rushed down her throat, making her cough uncontrollably.

She turned her head to see the woman leaning against the counter, her gaze not falling on her.

It must be said that Xia Jinzhao’s ability to win the Movie Queen title for the next three years wasn’t just due to her excellent acting skills; her unforgettable face alone was enough to make people recognize her instantly at first glance.

Her complexion was warm white like jade. When her eyelids drooped lazily, they carried a hint of cold indifference. Rather than a vibrant, sexy star, she was more like a handful of cold snow melting on a fervent heart. Standing there quietly, her exceptional temperament was impossible to ignore.

“Miss Xia, Miss Xia.” As soon as she saw Xia Jinzhao, countless mental comments flashed across Ming Xi’s mind.

I’m finished, she’s here to settle the score with me, but I’m truly not a scumbag! I just mistakenly entered this world! My fault, my fault…

She quickly shielded the pots and bowls behind her, wishing she could bite her own tongue off.

How was this thick-skinned behavior any different from usurping the host’s place? Could someone please knock her out right now, so she can sleep until tomorrow morning and go straight to the police station!

The woman’s eyes were dark, seemingly pressing in on a trapped beast step by step. Ming Xi’s breathing hitched. In a trance, she saw a transparent version of herself float out of her body, only to hurriedly grab the spirit and stuff it back in.

The atmosphere dropped to freezing point. Determined to break the awkwardness, she cautiously held up the newly poured bowl of noodles and stammered for a long time: “How about, a bowl for you?”

Lin Cheng’an, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but cover her face, internally despising her.

What an idiot.

This nonsensical action seemed to catch the person off guard. Xia Jinzhao’s gaze fell on the steaming bowl of noodles, and she gently pushed the bowl away with her hand.

“I appreciate your kindness, Miss Ming. However, the matter that just occurred…”

The woman deliberately drew out her last syllable, enjoying Ming Xi’s reaction. Sure enough, seeing the latter’s expression colorful, like an overturned palette, she sneered inwardly.

No matter how malicious she was, she was just a coward who put on a fierce front, easily intimidated.

“I’m willing to do anything! I’ll cooperate with anything!” Ming Xi said righteously, her eyes as determined as a hero heading to martyrdom.

A faint laugh was heard, though how much sincerity it contained was unknown. Xia Jinzhao leaned against the edge of the counter, her posture relaxed.

“Shall we talk?”

This invitation, which should have conveyed goodwill, somehow sent a chill down Ming Xi’s spine.