Transmigrated into a Classic Dog-Blood Drama as the Scummy Alpha - Chapter 21

Lin Qinghan glanced around the living room and saw a neatly folded blanket laid out on the sofa.

Then she frowned slightly. Something didn’t add up—she didn’t recall telling Shen Xian the location of last night’s dinner.

“But I don’t think I told you where the dinner was last night?” Lin Qinghan asked, a bit puzzled. Her memory of the night was spotty at best.

Shen Xian glanced at her and smiled as she replied, “You were so drunk, how could you remember? You definitely told me the address—otherwise, how would I have found you?”

Lin Qinghan thought about it. That made sense. If she hadn’t told Shen Xian, how could Shen Xian have known where to find her? Her doubts faded.

Washing the flour off her hands, Shen Xian said, “Go take a shower. You probably don’t want to wear those clothes today—they still smell like alcohol. I’ll go grab something of mine for you to wear.”

Lin Qinghan looked at Shen Xian, who was busily attending to everything, and softly muttered, “Thank you.”

Shen Xian didn’t catch it and poked her head out from the bedroom, asking, “What did you say?”

Lin Qinghan, a bit embarrassed, looked away and shook her head. “Oh, nothing.”

A moment later, Shen Xian returned with clean clothes. “They’re all new. Just make do with these for now.”

“Okay,” Lin Qinghan nodded, then took the clothes and went to the bathroom.

Soon after, Shen Tian woke up. The moment she did, she started looking for her mother. Shen Xian brought the vegetable noodles to the table, and Shen Tian ran over, hugging Shen Xian’s leg tightly.

“Mommy, where’s Mama? You promised me last night that you’d bring her home.”

“Mama’s right here.” Lin Qinghan, still drying her hair, walked over and gently touched Shen Tian’s chubby cheek.

Immediately, Shen Tian let go of Shen Xian and latched onto Lin Qinghan’s leg instead, grinning widely. “Mama, I missed you! Hug hug~”

“Okay, Mama’s here to give you a hug, little clingy baby,” Lin Qinghan said, bending down to scoop her up.

“Let’s eat first, Qinghan,” Shen Xian called out, already serving noodles into bowls.

Lin Qinghan nodded, then placed Shen Tian into her designated child seat. “Tiantian, eat well, okay?”

“Okay! I’m hungry,” Shen Tian chirped, quickly grabbing her spoon and digging in. In no time, her cheeks were stuffed full.

Lin Qinghan was hungry too. She had barely eaten anything at dinner last night before getting drunk, and her stomach was still empty, so she ended up having a second bowl.

After Lin Qinghan finished eating, Shen Xian went to the kitchen and returned with a glass of honey water. She placed it in front of Lin Qinghan and said, “I thought you might still have a headache, so I made this for you. If you’re still not feeling well, you should take the day off.”

Lin Qinghan looked down at the warm honey water, then shook her head. “It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt much anymore. Thank you.”

“Next time, don’t drink so much. And let me know where you are earlier so I can come get you. Tiantian was really worried,” Shen Xian said with a smile.

Shen Tian chimed in, face tilted up, “Yeah! I waited a long time for Mama last night!”

Lin Qinghan nodded, “Okay. If there’s a next time, I’ll let you know in advance.”

She picked up the cup and took a sip. The temperature was just right—it had obviously been adjusted to her preference. Lin Qinghan glanced at Shen Xian again but said nothing, though her emotions were stirred.

And just then, Shen Xian noticed that the virtual number above Lin Qinghan’s head had changed—from -50 to -40.

After breakfast, Lin Qinghan left for work while Shen Xian stayed home with Shen Tian, since it was the weekend and kindergarten was closed. Back at their apartment, Shen Tian behaved herself, watching cartoons quietly. Shen Xian sat beside her on the sofa, though her eyes were on the stock market displayed on her laptop.

She had spent over 10,000 yuan recently on a phone and laptop, leaving her with about 100,000 yuan. Looking at the trends for “Moon Coin,” she saw that the value hadn’t risen, but the price was still the same as a few days ago. She kept 20,000 yuan as liquid cash and invested the remaining 80,000 into Moon Coin.

At the office, Han Rui came over to check in. “Qinghan, are you okay? You were really drunk last night. Dr. Lu and I were planning to take you home, but then your ex-wife showed up. You didn’t seem to mind her, so we left you in her care.”

She didn’t say it out loud, but Han Rui had noticed how caring Shen Xian seemed—her eyes and every subconscious action had been full of tenderness.

“I’m fine. I must’ve been a handful last night—sorry for the trouble,” Lin Qinghan said with a small smile.

“Oh, we’re all colleagues, no need to be so formal,” Han Rui replied, smiling as she walked Lin Qinghan into the department.

At lunchtime, Lin Qinghan and Han Rui sat together. Lu Jianbai had been looking for Lin Qinghan and finally spotted her. After last night, he had a lot of questions but didn’t feel he had the right to ask. Given her personality, if he pushed too far, she might even cut off their friendship.

After calming himself, he approached with a smile. “Qinghan, Han Rui—mind if I join you?”

“Sure, just the two of us here,” Han Rui said politely. It wasn’t like she could just refuse a colleague.

Han Rui glanced at Lin Qinghan, who—as always—showed no particular expression. But thinking about how Lin Qinghan had clung to Shen Xian the night before, Han Rui figured Lu Jianbai probably didn’t stand a chance.

Lu Jianbai sat down with his tray and made small talk. “Qinghan, were you alright last night? Your ex-wife said she was picking you up because your kid was waiting at home, so we let her take you.”

“I drank too much. Thank you both for looking after me,” Lin Qinghan replied courteously, making no mention of Shen Tian.

Lu Jianbai saw that she didn’t want to talk about it, so he dropped the subject and shifted to lighter topics. But it was mostly just him and Han Rui talking—Lin Qinghan quietly listened for the most part.

That afternoon, Shen Xian and Shen Tian were enjoying a lazy day at home, both dressed in matching cow-print pajamas. The two of them were fast asleep, sprawled out in identical starfish poses.

When Lin Qinghan returned and found the living room empty, she walked into the bedroom and saw the pair sleeping soundly. Their matching poses brought an unbidden smile to her lips. But then she sighed—

Shen Xian hadn’t been working lately, and really, they had nothing to do with each other anymore. She shouldn’t keep worrying about her.

Concerned Shen Tian might not sleep at night if she napped too long, Lin Qinghan went over and gently shook her. “Tiantian, time to wake up. You won’t be able to sleep later if you nap too long now.”

Shen Tian blinked her sleepy eyes open and immediately threw her arms around Lin Qinghan’s arm. “Mama!”

“Mmm, no more naps. We’ll sleep again tonight, okay?” Lin Qinghan stroked her cheek.

Shen Xian also woke up. Her eyes met Lin Qinghan’s for a second before she awkwardly looked away. “We only fell asleep around five—didn’t actually sleep long.”

“I’m not saying you can’t nap,” Lin Qinghan said, still holding Shen Tian. “Just don’t let her sleep too much in the day or she’ll have trouble sleeping tonight.” But as soon as she said it, she regretted it. Shen Xian was just temporarily staying here—why was she giving her instructions?

Shaking off the thought, she said no more.

After getting up, Shen Xian went to cook dinner. Lin Qinghan handed Shen Tian a plush toy and followed her into the kitchen. Ever since Shen Xian moved in, Lin Qinghan hadn’t cooked a single meal. She didn’t want to grow used to Shen Xian’s presence.

Leaning against the kitchen door, she said, “Let me cook tonight. You should go play with Tiantian.”

“No need, I’ve got it. You worked all day—go keep Tiantian company.” Shen Xian didn’t stop what she was doing, washing vegetables as she spoke.

Lin Qinghan frowned slightly and finally said, “You really don’t have to do all this, Shen Xian. I don’t know why you’ve changed or what your reasons are. I’m grateful for your help with Lin Zhixin, but we’re divorced now. You’re also an Alpha. So… could you move out in a while?”

Shen Xian froze. A wave of disappointment washed over her. She had thought her efforts might at least soften Lin Qinghan’s view of her. But she had underestimated the damage the original Shen Xian had caused.

A child might be coaxed back with a few kind gestures, but Lin Qinghan was covered in invisible thorns—thorns the original had driven in herself.

Shen Xian understood. Spending these days with Shen Tian had made her realize how hard it would be to part with her, too. But she nodded and said gently, “I understand. I’m not planning to overstay. Once I’ve helped sort things out with Lin Zhixin, I’ll move out. Qinghan, please believe me—I truly mean no harm.”

Lin Qinghan met Shen Xian’s gaze and was silent for a long time. She had heard words like these too many times for them to move her anymore. Empty promises only dulled with repetition.

She turned and left for the living room.

Shen Xian sighed. The thorns embedded in Lin Qinghan were deep—and they had been embedded by her own hands.

Shen Xian wasn’t angry at her. Lin Qinghan had simply been hurt too many times, so she’d locked everyone out. What hurt Shen Xian the most was the realization that the person who caused all that pain… was her.

Words alone wouldn’t change anything now. She could only keep proving, little by little, that she was no longer the same.