The Scumbag Alpha is Courting Death Again - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Taro Mochi. Two Lines of Tears of Iron Bars

The lights of the hotel changed and blurred. Figures on the dance floor held each other’s waists, surrounded by deafening rock music. A group of people sat on the corner sofa. The men were playing a dice game, while Ming Xi huddled to the side, gorging on the fruit platter.

She thought she would get a hot meal by coming here, but there were only snacks and fruits—not even enough to line her teeth!

She thought angrily, considering how to bring up borrowing money. Perhaps her appearance of being deep in thought was out of sync with the environment, so Gou Dongxi, who invited her, proactively spoke up.

“You’ve been so busy having fun, I haven’t asked you yet,” the man, whose yellow hair looked cheap under the spotlight, nudged Ming Xi’s elbow. “How was last night?”

The girl’s features were hidden in the dark blue ambient light. She slowly chewed, accepted the fruit beer offered by the person opposite, and asked casually, “How was what?”

Thinking of what happened last night, Ming Xi felt like crying without tears. She was sitting at home, and trouble came from the sky. She hadn’t even properly enjoyed her hard-earned salary before she accidentally took the blame for the scumbag’s identity.

The frustration that had been temporarily relieved gathered again. The beer slid down her throat, eliciting a sour and spicy sensation. Ming Xi’s face had smooth contours, and her features combined into an indescribably comfortable and refreshing look, like a fruit smoothie on a hot summer day. It was precisely this honest-looking face that made her deceptive.

Perhaps due to the change of soul, her current demeanor was softened by the hazy light. The drunken friend was emboldened, saying with a cheeky smile, “The Xia family’s heiress, of course. She’s usually reserved, but with the medicine, she must have obediently softened up.”

This group of people, relying on the original host’s protection, spoke flippantly and without restraint. Ming Xi already had nothing in common with them, and now that the female lead’s wound was exposed, an inexplicable burst of anger flared up in her heart.

So, they were the ones who gave her the contraband drug.

She put down her cup. The sharp sound of glass hitting the table was drowned out by the cheerful conversation.

“Aiyo, I’m so envious. Sister Ming is truly blessed. We can only watch a video for fun,” Gou Dongxi echoed from the side.

Ming Xi weighed the feasibility of causing a scene in the bar. Considering her lack of strength and the crowd opposite, she felt like she had swallowed a fly—she couldn’t swallow it down or spit it out. She kept her mouth glued to the rim of the cup, remaining silent.

A hand was suddenly spread open in front of her. The man complained, “What about the video you promised?”

I’ll endure.

“What video?” She took a deep breath, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Hearing this, Gou Dongxi was surprised: “The video of Xia Jinzhao being drugged, didn’t you forget? You could even make a fortune with that!”

“I forgot,” Ming Xi’s lips were tightly pressed.

Her stiff tone served as a warning. Anyone sensible wouldn’t ask again, but this group insisted on testing her bottom line repeatedly.

Dissatisfied with the answer, the silver-haired man “Tsked” and shouted, “Didn’t we agree? What kind of job performance is that!”

The man’s sharp and pointed attitude instantly shattered the carefully crafted atmosphere of harmony. The semi-enclosed sofa created a barrier, completely isolating the flirtation and revelry outside.

Seeing the situation going south, Gou Dongxi hastily picked up an empty cup in front of him, refilled it with beer, and handed it over: “Let’s talk nicely. We’re all friends, why the big temper? Come on, Sister Ming, have another drink. If you forgot this time, there’s always next time…”

Next time?

This sentence was like a stone thrown into a lake, instantly creating ripples.

She thought of the female lead’s hateful, disgusted gaze, Lin Cheng’an’s attitude of watching the chaos unfold, and herself, a bystander, being inexplicably dragged into the conflict and having to take the blame and pay the debt for someone else.

Finally, Ming Xi couldn’t bear it anymore and forcefully pushed away the offered drink. The force was so great that the liquid spilled. The sparkling fruit beer instantly splashed into Gou Dongxi’s nose and mouth.

“Damn it! What the hell are you doing—”

Before the words could fall, a figure suddenly loomed beside him. Ming Xi stood up and closed in, gritting her teeth: “Another drink? She and I were almost killed by you guys!”

After speaking, she swept the table, grabbed an newly opened bottle of liquor, and then clutched Gou Dongxi’s nest-like yellow hair, pouring the drink from head to toe.

The liquor in the narrow bottle gurgled out. The intense aroma evaporated and mixed with the messy pheromones, making her stomach churn.

“Had enough to drink? If not, drink more!” Ming Xi rarely got angry, but even with her good temper, the strange experiences from last night until now had made her feel wronged and irritable.

Gou Dongxi was utterly stunned. When he came to his senses, he wiped his face: “Are you sick?!”

With his wet, bedraggled short hair, he stood up and grabbed Ming Xi’s collar. Ming Xi initially thought she would be at a disadvantage, but the Alpha physique meant there wasn’t a huge physical disparity between her and the opponent.

Seeing the situation turn bad, the silver-haired man who fueled the fire quickly tried to mediate. The scene was chaotic and quickly drew the attention of the bar counter.

Ming Xi had never been in a fight since she was a child and had no interest in this kind of instinctual, territorial behavior. Thus, she only played defense, which, to an outsider, made her look surprisingly composed.

This unruffled attitude angered Gou Dongxi. Just as he picked up an ashtray, preparing to smash it onto the woman’s forehead, a sharp reprimand interrupted them.

“What are you doing!” A uniformed police officer walked through the surging crowd to their front.

Drunk troublemakers in bars were not uncommon. Most people were used to it. Moreover, the police station for this street was not far from Charm Bar, so the officers arrived within five minutes after someone called the police.

“Daring to cause trouble and provocation right here!” The police officer’s attitude was stern. His gaze swept over the group, pointing to the less involved people in the small cluster to clarify the situation.

Ming Xi instantly calmed down, straightened her clothes, and distanced herself from Gou Dongxi, loudly pleading her innocence.

“Officer, I am a law-abiding citizen! He started the trouble!”

She even exposed the scratch marks on her wrist to prove her innocence, sounding exactly like a complaining elementary school student.

“Stop shouting! All of you come with me!”

Meanwhile, in Huayang Qingyuan.

The woman leaned against the counter. The soft and comfortable home wear clung to her body, outlining a vague silhouette. Her long eyelashes lowered as she stared at the illuminated phone screen, which displayed a photograph.

The dim light revealed a familiar face. She was surrounded by a group of delinquents, her expression unclear.

The colorful cocktail settled into a rich rosy color, shaking out a lightness of mockery in Xia Jinzhao’s eyes that was almost unnoticeable. She lowered her gaze and opened the WeChat chat box.

Song Yu: “A friend passed by the bar and took this.”

The other party was very cautious, making no comments about the photo, leaving her to guess whether the attitude was condemnation or a friendly reminder.

Her finger hovered in the air, paused for a few seconds, then dropped.

Xia Jinzhao: “Thanks.”

She didn’t know what she was thanking her for. Ming Xi’s comings and goings had nothing to do with her, and she didn’t want to know.

The slightly fawning face from last night surfaced in her mind. The woman rubbed her temples, intending to stand up when a sudden phone ring broke the silence.

“Hello, may I speak to Ms. Xia?”

The autumn night was silent. Outside the anti-theft window, tree shadows rustled. The polished tile floor reflected white light. The person on the long bench had their hands folded, staring blankly at the tips of their shoes.

Just then, a staff member walked over, holding a form and a pen: “And you, when will your family member arrive?”

Ming Xi’s eyes flickered, struggling with how to explain.

“Um… Officer, I’m actually an adult. I can take care of myself.”

It wasn’t a prison sentence. She really didn’t understand why family members had to sign off after receiving an education at the police station. Moreover, in this world, besides Xia Jinzhao, she barely knew anyone else.

She reopened her contact list. Facing the list of names, her gaze finally settled on the prominently pinned contact of the Ms. Xia.

It seemed she had no choice but to call her.

Ming Xi mentally composed an eight-hundred-word essay to explain that her fight was justifiable. She also tidied her appearance, trying to look less disheveled.

She had finally made up her mind to work hard to earn the female lead’s favor, yet all she was doing was causing trouble for her. Now, not only could she not change Xia Jinzhao’s opinion of her, but the female lead would likely see her as nothing but a nuisance.

The moment she dialed, she took a deep breath. The apologies stuck in her throat, only to be completely rebuffed by the message: “The number you have dialed is currently switched off.”

Ming Xi: “…”

Fine. She was blocked. It was understandable, considering the outrageous things she had done.

Putting down the phone, the officer opposite her noticed her embarrassment and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Um, could you please help me make a call?”

Ten minutes later, a black sedan stopped in front of the steps. The woman stepped out of the driver’s seat. Her curled hair swayed with her movement. Dressed in a black dress, she merged with the moonlight, adding a touch of indifference to her demeanor.

Ming Xi was fidgeting like an ant on a hot pan. Hearing the approaching footsteps, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Seeing the arrival, the police officer confirmed the information again: “Are you Ms. Ming Xi’s family member?”

The soft voice was slightly muffled by the mask. Xia Jinzhao lowered her eyelashes and, after a few seconds of silence, hummed in assent.

She seemed unwilling to admit it.

That makes sense. Ming Xi, to her, was like a stain on a piece of white paper.

“Sign here, please,” the officer handed the form to Xia Jinzhao, then turned to lecture Ming Xi, “Considering this is a first offense, we’ll give you a minor warning and not detain you. But if you gather to fight in a bar again, we will pursue legal responsibility.”

Ming Xi wanted to say a few more words, but Xia Jinzhao quickly signed her name and returned the pen.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh? Oh.” Ming Xi bowed and apologized to the officer. When she looked up, the woman had already walked a distance.

“Wait for me.” She quickly chased after her.

The moonlight was like a ribbon, casting fragmented, silver-like light on the steps. Seeing that Xia Jinzhao had no intention of waiting for her, Ming Xi jogged over, stepping on her shadow, and whispered.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble tonight.”

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, crushed by the overlapping footsteps. Suddenly, the woman stopped and slightly turned her head. From Ming Xi’s angle, she could see her distinct jawline.

“Remember your place.”

At first, Ming Xi thought Xia Jinzhao intended to warn her to behave herself. Then she reconsidered. The only reason she was willing to come to the police station to bail her out was fear that the incident would escalate and bring unnecessary gossip to the Xia family.

Ming Xi shrank like a quail, silently following behind. Seeing Xia Jinzhao get into the car, she prepared to walk around to the other side to sit in the passenger seat.

Who knew the woman wouldn’t give her a chance, pressing the accelerator and driving away, leaving Ming Xi to inhale a mouthful of exhaust.

Ming Xi: “…”