The Scumbag Alpha is Courting Death Again - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Matcha Four Seasons Spring: Sleeping Beauty Xia and Her Love Bodyguard…

At the end of the hospital corridor, the window was half-closed. The incoming wind carried the chill of early winter, catching the hem of the woman’s coat.

Her low-heeled patent leather shoes clicked on the tile floor, her steps imbued with suppressed urgency. Song Yu stood with her arms crossed. When the red light of the emergency room turned green, the heavy stone suspended in her heart dropped.

The doctor pushed the door open, pulled down his mask, and advised: “The patient needs rest. Please wait a while before visiting.”

Song Yu thanked him, peering into the emergency room over the doctor’s shoulder. A faint figure was reflected on the curtain. Xia Jinzhao was motionless, likely not yet awake.

The elevator opened with a flurry of footsteps. Lin Cheng’an hurried over, breathing unevenly. Her first words upon seeing Song Yu were: “An accident at the set?”

“She’s inside. Don’t go in yet,” Song Yu didn’t directly answer the question.

Lin Cheng’an paused, giving an irritated tsk. “You didn’t see the swarm of reporters downstairs, all heads!” She dramatically spread her arms: “With this kind of incident, is the movie still filming?”

“It was just a guest appearance. The main leads are safe for now.” Although her words sounded unfeeling, Song Yu had been immersed in the business world for many years and certainly prioritized profit.

Understanding this, the fire in Lin Cheng’an’s heart slightly subsided. She slumped onto the long bench like a rag doll, looking around.

“Hey, where’s Xia Jinzhao’s useless wife? Why didn’t she come along?”

Song Yu lowered her gaze, unconsciously stroking the plain ring on her index finger, and softly said: “I didn’t let her come. Don’t you think it’s messy enough?”

“True,” Lin Cheng’an nodded in agreement. “She wouldn’t be much use even if she came. She probably can’t even afford the hospital bills.”

“Speaking of which, it’s really bad luck. Ever since Xia Jinzhao got close to her, she’s been in the hospital every other day. Count how many times this is…” She counted on her fingers, her complaints further irritating the already distressed Song Yu. The latter walked to the window, looking towards the hospital entrance. The entrance was completely blocked. The security guards were struggling to manage the crowd. Behind the seldom-used iron fence, a few nimble reporters climbed up, but were quickly spotted and reluctantly retreated.

Seeing that Song Yu wasn’t listening intently, Lin Cheng’an felt unamused and stopped talking.

A cloud of gloom hung over them. Both women looked unwell. Time passed in the suffocating atmosphere until a voice broke the silence.

“I’ll call the public relations team first, and then I’ll go down and personally explain to the reporters.”

Lin Cheng’an jumped up from the chair: “What are you trying to do?!” Reporters were desperate to dig for any traces of their rumored relationship. With Xia Jinzhao still in a coma, the pressure was completely tilted, falling entirely on Song Yu’s shoulders.

Song Yu made a shushing gesture, glancing at Xia Jinzhao through the door. The woman’s breathing was shallow. Equipment constantly monitored her vital signs. Her cold face was paler than usual, like a faded yellow petal fallen to the mud, lifeless.

“I’m perfectly sober. Don’t worry,” Song Yu smiled self-deprecatingly.

Seeing that she couldn’t be persuaded, Lin Cheng’an was speechless: “I should have never come here. Are you intentionally trying to annoy me?” She made a move to leave but was called back.

“Tell them to not let anyone in. Say that Jinzhao needs rest.”

“You’ll also have to see if she appreciates it when she wakes up!” Lin Cheng’an rolled her eyes, not knowing if she took the instruction to heart, and left angrily, clutching her bag.

The elevator doors closed, the bright red numbers on the panel flashing, stinging the eyes. Song Yu rubbed the bridge of her nose, turning around.

She had a good reputation with the media. Although she wasn’t primarily responsible this time, her negotiations with the construction team were strained. Moreover, several of the injured had significant public influence. Any misstep could lead to public backlash.

Song Yu built her business from scratch and had weathered countless storms. This incident was not particularly difficult for her, but because it involved Xia Jinzhao, her agitated emotions inevitably took precedence.

She stood at the door, accompanying a few nurses to transfer the patient to the special care unit. The air was filled with a faint smell of disinfectant. The sterile white color created a solemn atmosphere. Staying in such a space for too long felt oppressive.

In the ward, Song Yu pulled up a chair and sat down, examining Xia Jinzhao’s features. The hereditary features of the Xia family made their looks somewhat similar.

Lifting her eyes, she looked at the bedside table, which held the injured person’s personal belongings that had just been delivered. The phone, which had been crushed under the collapsed building, had a shattered screen protector, like a spider web. Touching it caused a sharp pain in her fingertip.

She reached out and picked it up, unlocking it with Xia Jinzhao’s fingerprint. Among the pile of unread WeChat messages, the pinned contact caught Song Yu’s attention. She tapped on it. Next to the last message was a bright red exclamation mark.

Unsent.

Looking at the contact name, she immediately recognized the recipient, a smirk of irony playing on her lips. At the last moment of her life, she was sending a message to Ming Xi.

Song Yu was helpless. A graceful smile was always on her face, but she also possessed a sharp edge, like a needle hidden in cotton. At this moment, half of the woman’s face was hidden in the shadows. She raised her hand, gently stroking Xia Jinzhao’s forehead, and murmured to herself.

“So heartless.”

Memories flooded her mind like a broken dam, a bitter taste spreading along her tongue. She was like a wild beast moved by compassion, silently appreciating her prey’s death struggle beneath her, restraining the urge to provoke it.

Then, she long-pressed the unsent message and clicked delete.

When Ming Xi got out of the car with Zhou Zhenhui, she stood on the periphery of the crowd, tiptoeing but still unable to see the situation inside. After word got out, many fans gathered nearby, attempting to pressure the security guards to let them in.

“Step back! Don’t cause trouble at the hospital entrance!” The security guard shouted loudly, his voice carrying far.

Risking being squeezed like a sardine, Zhou Zhenhui squeezed into the front, pleading: “I’m Xia Jinzhao’s assistant. Can you let me in?”

Fearing the person wouldn’t believe her, she quickly pulled out her ID to prove it, but was waved away like a small chick: “Everyone’s been told that no one is allowed to visit. Don’t cause trouble. Go, go, go!”

In a short while, Zhou Zhenhui was shoved outside. Ming Xi quickly grabbed her, preventing her from falling.

“How come even I can’t get in? Manager Cui didn’t mention this…” Zhou Zhenhui muttered, frantically stamping her feet.

Ming Xi was no calmer than her. Even after Xia Jinzhao was rescued, a distant glance wasn’t enough to completely put her at ease.

Just then, Song Yu called. Ming Xi walked to a quiet spot by the road and answered.

“How is Xia Jinzhao?” Ming Xi asked first.

“She’s out of danger. Now she just needs rest.” The other person seemed to be in a confined space, her voice muffled.

Ming Xi let out a long sigh, a rare smile appearing on her face: “That’s good, that’s good…”

The tense nerves finally relaxed, swallowing all the built-up negative emotions. She leaned weakly against the tree, licking her dry lips.

“I want to go see her. Is that alright?”

Song Yu chuckled: “Of course, you can. You are her lawful wife. I am just a friend. I was a little hasty earlier and overstepped, so I hope you don’t take it to heart.”

“Wait a moment, I’ll come down to meet you.”

The sensation of weightlessness disappeared. The elevator doors opened. The woman stepped out, not rushing towards the main entrance but stopping in the lobby. The trees lining the avenue had endured the scorching sun. The rich moisture in their leaves had evaporated. The withered, yellow leaves drifted down with the wind, a scene of desolation.

Ming Xi covered the phone, and hearing those words, her mind, which had been clouded by worry, quickly cleared up.

Song Yu’s earlier words echoed in her ears. Her throat felt like it was blocked by a water-soaked cotton ball, swelling up so that she couldn’t utter a single syllable. The driving force that had pushed her forward all this time, as well as her initial goal when she first arrived in this world, had become increasingly blurred as she delved deeper into her role.

When Song Yu’s words hinted at a possible withdrawal, the original plot went off the rails, uncontrollable, leaving Ming Xi momentarily confused.

No, no, no. My mind is messed up. This is a good opportunity for the two of them to advance their relationship. What am I thinking? I almost stole Song Yu’s thunder and credit.

Worrying had clouded her judgment. She had been so concerned about Xia Jinzhao’s safety that she almost couldn’t see the big picture.

After sorting out her emotions, Ming Xi managed a forced smile and refused: “No need. With you taking care of things there, I feel quite reassured.”

“Besides, I wouldn’t be much help taking care of her. Xia Jinzhao might even get more upset if she sees me, haha…”

The forced cheerfulness was too obvious. Song Yu was astute and noticed it but didn’t point it out.

“Miss Ming, are you…” she paused, “blaming me for not taking good care of Jinzhao?”

The laughter stopped abruptly. Ming Xi fell silent. She clutched the hem of her clothes, murmuring a denial. “No one wants something like this to happen. It’s not your fault.”

When she learned of the accident, she did harbor such a thought, but it was momentary and quickly dismissed. It was a matter between the two of them; she, an outsider, had no right to criticize. Song Yu’s meticulous care and support for Xia Jinzhao in the later parts of the book were enough to compensate for this minor oversight. What right did she have to condemn her?

“If it were me, my handling of it might not be perfect either. You’ve already done very well.”

Hearing Ming Xi’s insincere comfort, Song Yu curved her lips, her long lashes concealing the darkness in her eyes. She stood by the magazine rack near the glass door, took out a flyer, and, leaning it on the windowsill, slowly folded it.

Wherever her slender fingers passed, deep creases were left behind. The smooth paper gradually took shape with her skilled technique.

“Miss Ming, you are always so understanding,” Song Yu sighed. “My feelings for her are so obvious, yet you don’t blame me. Instead, you encourage it.”

“No wonder Jinzhao prefers to be close to you.” Any person would be unable to tolerate their partner being desired by someone else. Ming Xi’s various actions were, in some ways, an exception.

Ming Xi didn’t know how to respond to that. Unknowingly, Song Yu’s attitude had become strangely subtle. Upon closer inspection, it made sense, as if the world line detected the plot going awry and was forcibly correcting itself. She was supposed to be the one silently supporting Xia Jinzhao’s character.

Understanding this, Ming Xi felt relieved and pretended to be relaxed.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore. I’ll leave Jinzhao’s care to you for the next few days, as an apology.”

“I will.”

The call ended. Song Yu stared at her palm, where a paper airplane quietly rested. Her phone slid into her pocket. She freed her right hand, picked up the paper airplane, raised her arm, and tossed it toward a nearby trash can.

The light paper accurately fell into the bin, symbolizing a hit-the-target victory.

Seeing this, the woman turned and walked upstairs without looking back.