Transmigrated as a Scum Alpha Cannon Fodder, Sweetly Pampering the Heroine - Chapter 14

“I checked,” Xu Jinman said.

Zhou Pei had already shown her the surveillance footage last night. There was nothing unusual. She was certain someone was helping Yin Xue behind the scenes, because Yin Xue had answered a phone call after getting out of the car before heading toward the employee entrance.

The only way to find answers might be through Yin Xue herself.

Xu Jinman chose to give up.

In her understanding, Yin Xue and the original owner of her body shared certain traits, such as mental fixations. Recalling the few descriptions of their interactions in the novel, as well as Yin Xue’s words last night…

There might be something deeper hidden between them.

It wasn’t fear that made Xu Jinman back down, but her genuine desire to avoid further entanglement.

Shen Shu didn’t reply, leaning against the window with her eyes closed.

At that moment, Xu Jinman received a text message from an unknown number:

I messaged you on WeChat but got no response. I’ve arrived in Qucheng. There’s progress on the matter you asked me to investigate. I should be able to return next month.

Qucheng.

The name sounded familiar. Then she remembered: among the people in the original owner’s life, only her father, Xu Tao, had come from Qucheng. Xu Tao had moved to Beicheng at twenty to start his business, met Lu Yun, and then divorced his loveless wife back home.

He also brought his son and daughter from his previous marriage to Beicheng to raise.

What was the original Xu Jinman investigating about Xu Tao?

Xu Jinman didn’t recognize the name and replied with a standard “OK.”

There were no other message records. She opened WeChat, which she had logged out of earlier due to the overwhelming number of notifications and hadn’t remembered to log back in until now.

As soon as she logged in, her WeChat list erupted with notifications like a thunderclap.

After finally scrolling through to find the contact that matched the SMS, she found no chat history.

The contact was labeled “Wang Zheng.” She had no recollection of the name, and the contact’s Moments feed was blank.

With no leads and no other information, Xu Jinman leaned back in her chair, her pale legs crossed beneath her short skirt, and idly scrolled through her message list.

Song Ronghui: I’ve taken her away. You’ve driven her to this point—you’re completely insane.

Several group chats had messages mentioning her, but she didn’t bother to open them.

Her finger swiped down.

She had never paid attention to these messages before, nor had she checked who they were from. But now, as she looked through them…

The more she saw, the more uneasy she felt.

Apart from a few named contacts and miscellaneous groups, the remaining notes were all combinations of numbers and letters.

Xu Jinman randomly tapped on a few. Among them were live-streaming influencers, actors, and even celebrities.

16C, 37D, 44C, 90F…

She stared at the numbers, lost in thought.

The first part is a number, and the second part is a bust size.

…

They really know how to play.

After a quick glance, she noted that the WeChat group had over three hundred members, not a large number, but the numbered contacts made up the majority.

To put it another way, if I met one person every day, I wouldn’t repeat anyone for half a year.

The sheer workload dissuaded Xu Jinman from deleting the contacts. She decided to simply change her phone number.

I wonder if a second or third Yin Xue might appear in this group?

Shen Shu and I already have enough on our plates.

Xu Jinman glanced at Shen Shu, whose face was turned toward the window, likely to avoid speaking to her. Shen Shu’s eyes remained closed, her face bathed in warm light, and her long lashes cast faint shadows.

Her aloofness was so intense that even the scorching sunlight outside seemed to cool down.

After a half-hour drive, the car pulled up to the Bauhinia Garden Villa District.

Wei Wuqing was waiting at the entrance, accompanied by two other women. Xu Jinman lowered her head slightly. “Who are they?”

A flicker of surprise crossed Shen Shu’s face.

“What is it?” Xu Jinman asked.

“My aunt and cousin, Chen Xiaxia,” Shen Shu replied.

Xu Jinman noticed a subtle, scrutinizing look in Shen Shu’s eyes when she mentioned the name, as if Xu Jinman should recognize it.

Before they could approach, a fragrant breeze swept over them. A young woman in a dress rushed forward, looped her arm through Xu Jinman’s, and chirped sweetly, “Man-jie, it’s been ages since I’ve seen you!”

So she did know her.

Xu Jinman gently disengaged the girl’s arm. “I’m here with your cousin,” she said, casually draping an arm around Shen Shu’s shoulder.

Shen Shu stiffened slightly before relaxing again. Wei Wuqing smiled and ushered them inside.

“There was a last-minute project, so your father and Shen Jun had to go on a business trip. They won’t be back until next week. I invited my aunt and Xiaxia over to keep the house from feeling so empty,” Wei Wuqing explained, arranging for Xu Jinman to sit down and placing the most lavish dishes in front of her.

“It’s fine,” Xu Jinman replied. “We’ll have plenty of time to see each other later.”

“Yes, yes, come…” Wei Wuqing personally ladled a bowl of soup for Xu Jinman. “This is freshly made Gland Tonic Soup, highly nourishing and specially prepared for you. Try it quickly.”

Xu Jinman took the bowl, tasted a sip, and found the flavor exceptionally delicious, perfectly suited to her palate.

Seeing her reaction, Wei Wuqing smiled. “Drink more. This soup is especially effective for replenishing an Alpha’s strength.”

As Xu Jinman swallowed the soup, her brow twitched slightly. Was this soup supposed to be the Alpha equivalent of leeks and bull p3nis for men?

She glanced at her empty bowl. It was just a bowl of soup, after all. What could it hurt?

Wei Wuqing continued, “Maman, the relatives have already finalized the arrangements for your homecoming visit. Once you’re feeling a bit better in a couple of days, we’ll discuss the details.”

Xu Jinman’s gaze drifted to the plate of shrimp Shen Shu was picking at. She smiled. “Just listen to my wife on this.”

Shen Shu chewed slowly before replying, “Whatever you decide is fine with me.”

Suddenly, a delicate, pale hand reached into her field of vision, and a shrimp appeared in her bowl. Shen Shu paused.

Chen Xiaxia’s eyes darted back and forth between the two women. Several times, she reached across the table to take dishes from in front of Xu Jinman, especially the shrimp.

Xu Jinman remained unmoved.

“Xiaxia, don’t be so rude,” Chen Xiaxia’s mother finally said.

Chen Xiaxia pouted. “Cousin, I’m so jealous you have such a wonderful wife like Jinman-jie. Unlike me…” She glanced at Xu Jinman. “I love shrimp too, but no one ever helps me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Jinman’s chopsticks reached out. Before Chen Xiaxia could rejoice, Xu Jinman picked up the shrimp and placed it in Shen Shu’s bowl.

This time, Shen Shu turned to meet Xu Jinman’s gaze, signaling her to stop.

Xu Jinman’s actions were partly for show, but she also genuinely wanted to be kinder to Shen Shu, having witnessed the injustices Shen Shu had endured at the Shen Family.

Shen Shu withdrew her gaze and said to Chen Xiaxia, “If you want some, just take some.”

Chen Xiaxia’s face fell. “Never mind. You enjoy it.”

Wei Wuqing noticed that Xu Jinman rarely spoke during meals. After Chen Xiaxia’s two attempts to engage her were ignored, the table grew even quieter, punctuated only by the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks.

Xu Jinman ate with her head lowered. Her phone vibrated several times before she finally glanced at the screen on the fifth buzz.

The top notification read:

85D: Man-jie, why are you targeting me like this?

Xu Jinman froze, her gaze shifting between the “85D” notification and Chen Xiaxia, who was staring at her with wounded eyes from across the table.

……

Original Xu Jinman, you never disappoint.

After finishing her meal, Xu Jinman excused herself to rest, pulling Shen Shu into the room and closing the door behind them. Half the window was covered by a curtain, allowing the warm orange light of the setting sun to slant through the uncovered portion of the floor-to-ceiling window, bathing the room in a golden glow.

Xu Jinman turned, bringing them close for a moment. She caught a faint, sweet vanilla scent emanating from Shen Shu.

“Your cousin texted me earlier,” she said.

There was no point in hiding it.

Shen Shu stepped back, her gaze fixed on Xu Jinman for a few seconds before she said coolly, “You used to be very fond of her.”

Shen Shu and Chen Xiaxia had never gotten along. Whatever Shen Shu liked, Chen Xiaxia would try to take. The elders in their family favored Chen Xiaxia’s sweet, flattering nature, and after Chen Xiaxia entered the entertainment industry two years ago, her arrogance only grew, forcing Shen Shu to constantly yield.

Shortly after Xu Jinman appeared in Shen Shu’s life, Chen Xiaxia had made contact with her.

Though Shen Shu disliked Chen Xiaxia, she was still her cousin.

She watched Xu Jinman’s reaction closely.

So Shen Shu knew Chen Xiaxia was coming all along. No wonder she made me promise not to touch anyone close to her yesterday.

Xu Jinman replied, “That was then.”

“I told you I wouldn’t touch anyone close to you. Besides, you know I’m an Omega.”

Shen Shu: “She’s bisexual—she’s into both Alphas and Omegas. Just like you.”

“……”

Should I remind Shen Shu that she has dissociative identity disorder? What do her past actions have to do with me now?

Xu Jinman: “It’s not like I’m into every Omega.”

That didn’t sound quite right. She rephrased:

“I’m not interested in Omegas.”