The Scumbag Alpha is Courting Death Again - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Butter Rice Cake: Since You Owe So Many Favors, You Should Pay With Your Body…

Seeing that Xia Jinzhao was not averse, Zhou Zhenhui handed over a pair of loose black cargo pants and encouraged her.

“Sister Xia, try this on to see the effect.”

The woman was poised and distinguished, like an elegant orchid with soaring branches, exuding mature hormones in every gesture. Now dressed fashionably, she was like a casual and unrestrained breeze.

If she encountered someone like this on the street, Ming Xi would absolutely not look twice, because the intangible aura they emitted already classified them as people from two different worlds.

Simply put, she had a “hip person phobia.”

When the person left the living room, a light cough sounded nearby. The young assistant bumped her shoulder, enjoying the spectacle.

“So handsome Sister Xia, are you stunned?”

“She looks good,” Ming Xi nodded. Her reaction might have been too calm, giving the impression of perfunctoriness.

Zhou Zhenhui pouted: “Honestly, this style is the first time Sister Xia has tried it. It’s truly a refreshing sight!”

If you knew Song Yu’s entrance comes with special effects, would you be more surprised?

Ming Xi answered silently in her heart.

As if hearing her thoughts, the young girl suddenly looked up, her bright eyes fixed on her.

Feeling uncomfortable under the gaze, Ming Xi was awkward: “Is there something on my face?”

With that, she raised her hand to touch her cheek, feeling the rough texture of the dressing.

…There really is something.

“How’s the wound?” Zhou Zhenhui pointed to her own left cheek, showing concern.

The scene that night had frightened her. The scar ran across half her cheek. The white, porcelain-like skin carried a strong smell of bl00d, making the flaw a noticeable contrast to her beauty.

A lifelong law-abiding citizen, she was not used to such a scene.

“It’s alright. It’s scabbed and just waiting to fall off,” Ming Xi replied obediently.

“Dr. Lin’s skills are great. She usually only helps out for Song Yu’s sake. This time, because of you, our sister owes her a huge favor.”

Zhou Zhenhui intentionally said this to highlight Ming Xi’s importance in Xia Jinzhao’s heart.

After saying it, she pondered it herself, feeling it might be perceived as pressure, and quickly clarified.

“I didn’t mean to imply you’re troublesome or anything…”

However, Ming Xi was drawn to the name the other party mentioned. She waved her hand to show she didn’t mind and leaned closer to ask.

“Owes Song Yu a favor? How far along are they?”

Judging by the sound of it, are they still not very familiar?

Since the last time she kicked Song Yu into the pool at Xia Shurui’s coming-of-age party, the two had no further interaction. Ming Xi still felt a bit ashamed recalling that “great achievement.”

“How far along are they?” Zhou Zhenhui repeated, confused. “What progress could they have?”

That’s right. At this point, the two are still in that ambiguous, tangled stage.

“Like… no sparks at all?” Ming Xi moved closer to her.

Hearing this, the assistant slapped her forehead, suddenly realizing: “You’re shipping the Goldfish CP, right?”

Perhaps finding it too strange for Xia Jinzhao’s official wife to ship her with another woman, Ming Xi instinctively denied it.

“No, I was just asking.”

“But these CPs and stuff are mostly fake. Just enjoy the fun. Besides, both parties aren’t very keen on being tied together. Don’t bring it up to the people involved, okay?”

Zhou Zhenhui spoke seriously, dropping her usual joking demeanor.

Ming Xi: … You must be the rival fan, right?

“Are you Xia Jinzhao’s sole-fan?” she asked.

“No,” saying this, Zhou Zhenhui turned to look at her, excitedly. “I’m the head fan of you two! Can’t you tell?”

Ming Xi slowly displayed a question mark on her face.

“Think about how romantic it is! Two people forced into a marriage by family, embarking on a romantic journey of love after marriage…” Zhou Zhenhui looked intoxicated, clearly having read many clichéd romance novels.

The two huddled next to the sofa like secretive hamsters, until the bathroom door opened and Xia Jinzhao emerged, her long, straight black hair slightly drooping.

Her gaze lingered on Ming Xi for a moment, then quickly moved away.

“Little Zhou, come here for a second.”

“Aye, coming!” Zhou Zhenhui answered brightly, not forgetting to wink at Ming Xi before leaving.

Seeing the person called away to help, Ming Xi lay bored on the sofa. The leather armrest held a faint, elegant scent, the smell of Xia Jinzhao’s shampoo.

She uncomfortably moved away, shrinking into the corner.

The phone on the coffee table lit up. Thinking it was hers, she picked it up, only to realize the model was wrong.

Compared to flashy wallpapers, Xia Jinzhao preferred famous landscapes. Even her wallpaper was a world-renowned Gothic cathedral, with many white doves perching in the open space in front.

In her previous work, Ming Xi had encountered this type of person. They valued efficiency, preferring concise, short messages over verbose pleasantries. They were generally difficult to deal with.

She was about to put it down when her peripheral vision caught a familiar app notification.

Isn’t this the app where I live stream?

Ming Xi had always thought that someone with Xia Jinzhao’s personality would be more inclined to cultivate interests with a high barrier to entry, such as attending a concert in her free time or visiting an art exhibition.

I never expected this! People truly cannot be judged by appearances!

As she marveled inwardly, a hand with distinct knuckles reached over her shoulder and picked up the phone.

Turning around, she saw Xia Jinzhao standing behind her. The woman had changed out of the flamboyant outfit into an orange-red retro V-neck long dress, like a magnificent sunset draped over her, suggesting she was going out.

She lowered her eyelashes, pressed the lock screen button, then casually glanced at Ming Xi.

Her tightly pursed lips and lowered eye corners revealed a hint of displeasure. Just that one look immediately instilled a sense of subtle dread.

“I wasn’t peeking! I just grabbed the wrong phone!” Ming Xi straightened her back, swearing.

“You didn’t see anything?” Xia Jinzhao rested her hand on the backrest, leaning forward.

The highly aggressive perfume scent permeated her bones, making Ming Xi feel nervous. She swallowed dryly: “No.”

She hasn’t done anything wrong! Why is she being such a coward!

“Mhm—” The woman drew out the end of her sentence, her languid eyes scanning back and forth, as if assessing the truthfulness of the statement.

After an unknown period, the torment dissipated as Xia Jinzhao stood up.

Ming Xi exhaled a sigh of relief, then pushed her luck: “You play on Langyin too?”

Langyin was a platform that had emerged in the last two years, combining both transactional and entertainment features. Due to its enormous traffic, many e-commerce businesses had set up shop there.

The intent of the question was too obvious. Perhaps Xia Jinzhao should deny it to maintain her aloof and noble persona.

“No.”

Relieved by the answer, Ming Xi thought, Although Xia Jinzhao wouldn’t be bored enough to follow me, what if she happened to stumble upon my live stream and saw me passionately promoting products…

She was still quite conscious of her image in front of Xia Jinzhao.

But the very next sentence that followed utterly shattered Ming Xi’s illusion.

“I also never eat; I only drink dew,” Xia Jinzhao said flatly. “Satisfied?”

The rhetorical question was full of sarcasm. Ming Xi just wanted to reply with six dots.

“Why do you like arguing so much?”

The soft mumble sounded like a complaint, inexplicably softening one’s heart.

Xia Jinzhao couldn’t help but look at her, her lips moving as if she was about to say something more.

She occasionally harbored a mean streak, enjoying seeing Ming Xi rendered speechless by her retorts, her soft, velvety rabbit ears drooping in disappointment.

“Are you from S City?”

…She took back her previous thought.

Ming Xi completely ignored the other party’s look of being almost amused to irritation and looked up to ask.

“By the way, Zhou Zhenhui just told me that you owe Lin Cheng’an a favor?”

Xia Jinzhao paused: “Not exactly. Just a meal.”

She knew what Lin Cheng’an was up to. Although she had reservations, since it didn’t involve Song Yu’s wishes, she had tacitly allowed it so far.

“Is it because of me?” Ming Xi asked carefully.

“Have you heard a saying?” Xia Jinzhao placed both hands on the back of the chair, leaning in to close the distance. “When you owe a lot, you stop worrying.”

The woman’s eyes flickered. Ming Xi felt something ominous and subtly retreated.

“Then you should treat her well.”

Surrounded by Xia Jinzhao’s exclusive pheromones, she felt less confident speaking.

Hearing this, Xia Jinzhao suddenly leaned closer, smiling meaningfully.

“You owe me more favors. Why haven’t I seen you treat me well?”