Transmigrated into a Classic Dog-Blood Drama as the Scummy Alpha - Chapter 22.1

Sunday Morning at the Zoo

As usual, the family woke up early on Sunday morning. But when Shen Xian saw Lin Qinghan, she couldn’t help but feel a hint of awkwardness between them. She had thought their relationship was steadily improving, like increasing favorability points in a game—but now it felt like they were stuck in place.

Shen Tian, however, was blissfully unaware of any tension between the adults. She ate her breakfast happily, already excited to see the animals later.

After the meal, Lin Qinghan dressed Shen Tian in a soft pink outfit. The little girl bounced around the house, hugging Lin Qinghan’s leg one moment and Shen Xian’s the next. The twin tufts on top of her head bobbed with each movement—she couldn’t have looked more excited.

Once they stepped outside, Shen Tian stood between the two adults, grinning wide to reveal her tiny white teeth. “Tiantian wants Mama and Mommy to hold her hands,” she announced, stretching out both arms—one for Lin Qinghan and one for Shen Xian.

Shen Xian glanced at Lin Qinghan, and seeing no objection, smiled and gently pinched the little girl’s cheek. “Okay, Tiantian can have it her way.”

The indoor petting zoo was nearby, located on the fourth floor of a shopping mall. It only took them a short walk to get there. Shen Xian rushed ahead to buy the tickets and turned to Lin Qinghan. “Qinghan, you take Tiantian in first. I’ll go grab some juice.”

“Okay,” Lin Qinghan replied and took Shen Tian’s hand, walking inside.

They had barely taken a few steps when someone called out. Lin Qinghan turned to see Lu Jianbai approaching with a young boy. When he saw it really was Lin Qinghan, he lit up and quickly led the boy over.

“Qinghan! What a surprise. I brought my nephew here to play and didn’t expect to run into you. Is this Tiantian? She’s adorable.” As he spoke, he reached out to pat Shen Tian’s head.

Shen Tian quickly shrank back, clutching Lin Qinghan’s leg and peeking out shyly.

“Sorry,” Lin Qinghan said gently. “She’s a little shy around strangers.”

“No worries, that’s on me. Didn’t mean to scare her,” Lu Jianbai said with a smile. “Tiantian, Uncle’s not a bad guy.”

Shen Tian stayed hidden behind Lin Qinghan, only her round little face peeking out.

Trying to ease the mood, Lu Jianbai introduced the boy beside him. “This is my nephew, Youyou. Say hi to the lady.”

The boy, clearly less shy, smiled sweetly. “Hi, Auntie! Hi, little sister~”

Just then, Shen Xian returned, holding three cups of juice. Lu Jianbai’s smile faltered slightly upon seeing her. It took him a few seconds to regain his composure.

Tiantian spotted Shen Xian and immediately ran over to hug her leg. Her big eyes darted between Shen Xian’s face and the drinks in her hand. “Mommy, what do you have there?” she asked sweetly.

Shen Xian chuckled. She knew exactly what the little one wanted. She opened the bag and crouched down, “Here, Tiantian can choose—watermelon, pomegranate, or orange. Which one do you want?”

Tiantian’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the cups, torn between them. Her indecision made Shen Xian laugh. She ruffled Tian Tian’s little pigtails and said, “Let’s try the watermelon one today, okay? Mami will get the others next time.”

She inserted the straw into the cup and handed it to the little girl. The juice cup was so big it completely covered her face. She took a sip and grinned, dimples showing. “Mommy, it’s yummy! Tiantian loves watermelon juice~” she giggled, leaning against Shen Xian for a cuddle.

“As long as Tiantian’s happy,” Shen Xian said, patting her soft cheeks.

Then she turned and offered one of the other juices to the boy. “Which one would you like?”

The boy looked to Lu Jianbai, who quickly stepped in. “Oh, no need—we’ll buy something later. Don’t trouble yourself.”

Shen Xian gave him a brief glance and handed the orange juice to the boy anyway.

The boy took it eagerly and smiled. “Thank you, Auntie!”

“No problem,” Shen Xian replied with a smile.

Lu Jianbai looked a little awkward. “Uh, well… thanks, then.”

Shen Xian handed the last cup to Lin Qinghan. She didn’t want to accept it at first, but noticing that Shen Tian was watching them closely, she took it to avoid any misunderstanding.

Tiantian, still clinging to her giant juice cup, tugged at Shen Xian’s sleeve. “Mommy, I want to see the animals now. Let’s go!”

“Alright, let’s go see the animals,” Shen Xian said brightly. Without waiting for Lu Jianbai to say more, she added, “Dr. Lu, we’ll head off now. Hope you and the little one have a great time.”

The forced smile on Lu Jianbai’s face practically froze. He had been hoping to tag along with them, but Shen Xian’s words were as good as a dismissal. With no excuse to follow, he could only say, “Alright, we’ll head over this way then.”

As soon as they walked away, Shen Tian lifted her watermelon juice high above her head—though it only reached Shen Xian’s chest. “Mommy doesn’t have juice, right? Mommy can drink Tiantian’s! I’ll share~” she chirped in her tiny voice.

Shen Xian quickly bent down and took a sip. “Mommy’s got it now—Tiantian is such a good girl.”

Pleased by the praise, Tiantian’s dimples deepened even more. Lin Qinghan, watching from the side, couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene between them.

Meanwhile, Lu Jianbai hadn’t gone far. While his nephew Youyou leaned over a railing to watch the hamsters, Lu Jianbai kept glancing back at Lin Qinghan and the others. Seeing the three of them together—like a perfect little family—only made his disappointment grow. He feared that before he even had the chance to speak his heart, he’d already lost.

Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan took Shen Tian to see the bunnies next. A few white fluffy rabbits were lounging quietly in their pen. Some brave children crouched nearby, reaching out to pet them.

Shen Tian stood close to Shen Xian, watching curiously but hesitantly. Her cautious expression made Shen Xian laugh. “Do you want to pet one, Tiantian? They’re soft and gentle. They won’t bite.”

Tiantian clutched her juice and nuzzled Shen Xian’s side, eyes wide with excitement. “Really? Tiantian can pet them?”

“Of course. Let me hold your juice,” Shen Xian said, kneeling down with her.

Tiantian glanced at Shen Xian, then at Lin Qinghan, and sweetly coaxed, “Tiantian wants Mama and Mommy to pet bunnies too~ Come with me, Mama!”

Lin Qinghan’s eyes softened. She crouched on Tiantian’s other side and gently stroked her cheek. “Okay, Mama will stay with our little cuddle bug too.”

Tiantian hesitated, then bravely reached out with her tiny hand, hovering just above one rabbit’s back. She looked to Shen Xian for reassurance.

Understanding immediately, Shen Xian extended her hand and stroked the rabbit gently. The bunny remained motionless, completely relaxed. “See? The bunny’s really good—it doesn’t bite.”

“Wow! It didn’t bite Mommy! Bunny’s as well-behaved as Tiantian! Then… then Tiantian can pet too!” she said excitedly, placing both hands gently on the bunny’s back and softly stroking it.

“Mommy, Mama, bunny is so soft and cute! Tiantian likes it!”

Lin Qinghan’s smile didn’t fade. “My Tiantian is just as adorable—no, even more than the bunny.”

Hearing that, Shen Tian’s dimples deepened as she grew bolder, now petting the bunny’s belly. “Good bunny, don’t bite, okay? Only good bunnies don’t bite!”

Shen Xian watched her daughter “educate” the rabbit and looked up, only to meet Lin Qinghan’s smiling eyes. For a moment, she couldn’t look away—Qinghan really was beautiful when she smiled. She found herself staring a little too long.

Noticing the gaze, Lin Qinghan arched a brow coldly. Shen Xian immediately averted her eyes, mumbling to herself, Sheesh, I was just looking. Does she have to glare like that? Still, she didn’t dare keep staring.

Better safe than sorry when it came to the cold CEO.

Seeing that Tiantian had already played with the bunny for quite a while, Shen Xian crouched beside her and asked, “Tiantian, do you want to see some other animals now? There are lots more to visit.”

Tiantian tilted her little head, thought for a moment, and gently patted the bunny’s back like she was comforting it. “Bunny, be good, okay? Tiantian will come play with you again next time~”

Hand in hand with Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan, Tiantian reluctantly said goodbye to the bunny and moved on to the next animal exhibit. The next area featured mostly reptiles—spiders, lizards, and similar creatures. The moment Tiantian saw them, she instinctively clung to Shen Xian’s leg, clearly frightened.

Shen Xian handed her juice to Lin Qinghan, who met her gaze briefly before accepting it. With her hands free, Shen Xian scooped Tiantian into her arms and pointed to the glass enclosures. “Tiantian, if you ever see animals that look like these, you need to stay far away from them. Most of them are poisonous and might bite—really hard.”

Tiantian immediately hugged her tighter. “No, no, I don’t want any mean animals. Tiantian’s scared~”

Shen Xian chuckled and gently reassured her, “They’re all behind glass and can’t come out, so don’t worry. Let’s go see something else.”

Tiantian nodded vigorously, eager to leave the reptiles behind.

After walking a bit further, they arrived at the cat area. The enclosure was filled with different types of kittens, most of them friendly and docile.

Tiantian looked up at Shen Xian with wide eyes and tugged at her hand. “Mommy, the kitties are all fluffy and cute. Can I pet one?”

“Of course you can, but we’ll need to wash your hands afterward.”

“Okay! Mama, come pet kitties with me too,” Tiantian said, pulling Lin Qinghan down beside her.

Thanks to her experience with the bunnies, Tiantian was now much braver. She reached out with a small hand and gently petted the back of a brownish cat that resembled a Garfield. The cat lazily opened one eye at her touch, then immediately closed it again, sprawling back out like a fluffy pancake.

By the time the three of them left the indoor zoo, it was nearly noon. Tiantian, who had just experienced her first trip to a zoo, was still bubbling with excitement, holding onto Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan as she chattered away.

“Mommy! Mama! The animals were so cute—Tiantian loves them!”

“Then we’ll come back and visit them again sometime,” Shen Xian said with a smile. “But for now, it’s time to eat.”

As soon as Tiantian heard the word “eat,” she touched her little belly and nodded eagerly. “Mommy, I’m hungry! Tiantian wants food!”

“Alright, let’s get something to eat,” Shen Xian said, glancing over at Lin Qinghan. “It’s already late. We won’t make it home in time to cook—how about we eat out?”

“Okay,” Lin Qinghan replied, then leaned down to stroke Tiantian’s cheek. “What do you want to eat, Tiantian?”

Tiantian scrunched up her face in thought before lifting her head and declaring, “Shrimp! Tiantian wants shrimp~”

“Sure, let’s go have shrimp.”

“Yay! Mama’s the best! Tiantian loves Mama!” she cheered, hugging Lin Qinghan’s leg.

Lin Qinghan ruffled her hair with a smile. “You little sweet-talker.”

The three of them went to a restaurant that specialized in shrimp. Not long after sitting down, a steaming pot of shrimp was served. Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan were so busy peeling shrimp for Tiantian that her bowl soon overflowed with little shrimp tails sticking out before they even started eating themselves.

The shrimp came with a fragrant soy-based sauce and crispy flatbread, making it all the more flavorful. Sweetie’s little mouth was stuffed full.

“Mommy! Mama! The shrimp here is soooo yummy!” she exclaimed between bites.

“You little foodie,” Lin Qinghan laughed. “Finish what’s in your bowl, but no more after that—you don’t want to eat too much and get a tummy ache.”

“Mhm! Tiantian’s getting full too. I’ll eat more next time,” Tiantian said, blinking her big eyes at both of them.

“Alright, we’ll come again next time,” Shen Xian said, smiling at her adorably satisfied expression.

“Okay~ Tiantian loves Mommy too!” she squealed, shaking her little pigtails.

Shen Xian chuckled. “Alright, alright, you little flirt.”

With wide eyes, Tiantian protested, “No I’m not! Tiantian’s a good girl, not a flirty baby~”

“Okay, okay, Tiantian’s right,” Shen Xian quickly surrendered, pinching her cheek.

Lin Qinghan watched the two with a slight curve to her lips. Once everyone had nearly finished, she got up to settle the bill.

Shen Xian had intended to pay, but knowing Lin Qinghan preferred to keep things strictly separated between them, she didn’t insist. Instead, she sat with Tiantian and waited.

After Lin Qinghan returned, the three of them strolled leisurely back home. Tiantian, as usual, walked between them, holding one hand of each adult, connecting the three like a little human bridge.

But just as they approached the entrance to their appartment, Lin Qinghan suddenly froze. Shen Xian followed her gaze and spotted two people sitting on the stairs. One of them was Lin Zhixin. The other was a woman in her fifties or sixties, and from the context, Shen Xian immediately realized it must be Lin Qinghan’s mother.

Sure enough, Tiantian also stiffened in place and clung to Shen Xian’s leg. “Mommy… it’s Uncle and Grandma… Tiantian doesn’t want to go over there.”

“It’s okay, baby. Mommy’s here,” Shen Xian said gently, patting her head.

Across the way, Lin Zhixin had spotted them too. He quickly stood and pulled his mother to her feet, shouting, “Sis! You’re finally back! Where’ve you been? Mom and I have been waiting here all morning. We’re starving—we haven’t eaten yet!”

Jiang Fang glared at Lin Qinghan and yelled, “Exactly! I can’t believe I raised you. Your mother and brother come all this way and we can’t even get through the door! All you think about is flirting around! Already divorced and still can’t let go of Shen Xian?!”

Shen Xian immediately recognized the type—this wasn’t going to end quickly or quietly. She wasn’t afraid of loud, unreasonable people, but Tiantian was still young and shouldn’t be exposed to this kind of toxic drama. Pulling out her phone, she quickly called Fang Jinglan.

“Mom, are you free to come pick up Tiantian from Qinghan’s place?”

“We went back to the countryside yesterday—what’s wrong? Did something happen?” Fang Jinglan asked anxiously.

“Nothing serious. Qinghan’s got to work overtime, and I’ve got something to handle too. Don’t worry—I’ll look after Tiantian. Talk later, Mom,” she said, quickly hanging up.

Opening her contact list, Shen Xian saw that the only reliable person nearby was Jiang Xi. She immediately called. “Xi Xi? Are you free right now? Something came up—can you help watch a kid for me?”

“A kid? Uh, sure… Wait—when did you have a kid?” Jiang Xi asked, confused. No wonder she was asked to help with drop-offs at kindergarten last time!