A Scumbag Alpha Gets the Simp’s Script - Chapter 25.2

In truth, Yu Jinzhao didn’t work overtime today. She intentionally drove around for a long time, only heading home near 7:00 PM. she was afraid she’d get back before Pei Daowan and have to wait; she found waiting agonizing, especially since she was expecting the “compensation” promised this morning.

When Yu Jinzhao arrived home, Pei Daowan was indeed there. She had changed into loungewear and was sitting on the sofa, doing nothing. She looked quiet and almost “good,” as if she had been waiting for Yu Jinzhao.

“You’re back!”

Pei Daowan let out a soft sound. “Mm.”

She suddenly smiled—a soft smile with all her thorns retracted. She looked almost invitingly casual. She had realized that Yu Jinzhao’s thoughts were easy to read: she only wanted an apology because she felt she’d been treated unfairly. She was someone who sought fairness and equality.

Knowing this, Pei Daowan knew what to do. Years in the corporate world had taught her how to manage people. For someone like Yu Jinzhao, sincerity was the best tool.

She poured a glass of water. “Was work tiring today?” Her voice was soothing.

Yu Jinzhao looked troubled. The sun must have risen in the west today. Pei Daowan never asked such questions. Was this her way of showing weakness? It was a bit hard to get used to.

“It was alright.”

“You were always curious about what I was doing. There’s an industry gathering this Thursday afternoon. I’d like to invite you to come with me.”

An industry gathering? Pei Daowan added, perhaps fearing she’d think of the previous contracts: “You won’t need to sign anything. It’s a semi-private gathering.”

Oho! Was this the legendary “business tycoon” gathering where people pointed at the landscape and said, “The weather is turning cold; it’s time for the Yu Corporation to go bankrupt”?

Noticing Yu Jinzhao’s thoughts drifting, Pei Daowan lightly tugged at her sleeve. “So, will you go?”

Yu Jinzhao gave a light cough, suppressing a smile. “When is it?”

“In a few days. The time isn’t set yet.”

“Mm-hmm. I suppose I could go.”

Seeing Yu Jinzhao’s mood improve, Pei Daowan felt it was a bit funny. The girl was easier to coax than she’d imagined. Truly… adorable.

Thinking of the director for the girl group, Yu Jinzhao began to mutter: “But I haven’t settled on a director yet. I’m not sure if I’ll have time.”

When she was angry, she’d stubbornly refused to see Li Jin, insisting on finding someone else. But after looking around, she realized Li Jin was indeed the best fit, yet her pride kept her from giving in.

Pei Daowan rolled her eyes. She didn’t know what to say to that. She reached out and ruffled Yu Jinzhao’s hair twice.

“I’ll help you set up a meeting with her…” She noticed the twitch of Yu Jinzhao’s lips. “But Li Jin really doesn’t like the Yu family. Even for me, I can only get her to meet you. The final decision is hers.”

“That’s fine! I know that. It won’t be in the Yu family’s name, I promise. The Yu family is just providing funds; I have the decision-making power. They won’t interfere.”

She’d found that Li Jin disliked the Yu family and had openly mocked them. It was a miracle Yu Xincheng hadn’t crushed her, though perhaps his reach just didn’t extend to the entertainment world.

Fearing Pei Daowan would think her fickle, Yu Jinzhao gritted her teeth and added: “Good Sister~” She grabbed the woman’s sleeve and swayed it back and forth, acting spoiled.

Pei Daowan arched an eyebrow. This was the second time she’d heard that “Good Sister” address. It felt strange, but she didn’t hate it. Seeing Yu Jinzhao acting like this, she couldn’t refuse.

“One more thing: I can’t guarantee she’ll agree…”

“It’s okay! You just need to introduce me. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Oh? So confident?”

Yu Jinzhao smiled proudly. “Of course. I’ve done thorough research. Li Jin is famous, but domestic variety shows lack innovation. She’s clearly been holding back, refusing many offers while still paying attention to the industry. That means she’s waiting for a script she’s satisfied with. I’m confident I can move her.”

Pei Daowan gave a half-smile. “I didn’t realize you were this sharp.”

“Well, I did start a business. I lost money, but I can still sense market trends.”

“I can introduce you. But how will you repay me?”

Pei Daowan finished her water and tilted her head, watching Yu Jinzhao for an answer.

Yu Jinzhao was stunned. Wasn’t this supposed to be her apology? Why do I have to repay her now?

Throwing caution to the wind, Yu Jinzhao took a step forward. Instead of swaying the sleeve, she made a motion as if to hug the woman’s leg. “Good Sister~ You’re the best~”

She was actually quite bashful; she’d never done this to anyone, and the woman was both her type and a person she liked.

Pei Daowan felt uncomfortable. She took a breath, resisting the urge to push her away. Fortunately, the girl was only pretending to hug her and hadn’t actually touched her.

“Alright, alright. Then this matter is settled. Neither of us will be angry anymore.”

Shame hit her belatedly. Yu Jinzhao hurriedly let go and took a large step back. Too embarrassed to look at Pei Daowan, she missed the obscure look that flashed through the woman’s eyes.

“I’ll ask her when she’s free. But be warned: she’s as arrogant and ill-tempered as the rumors say. She especially dislikes Alphas. You need to be careful.”

Yu Jinzhao was surprised. If she remembered correctly, Li Jin was an Alpha herself. Was it a case of same-sex repulsion? She didn’t quite understand. Although she was an Alpha, she wasn’t from this world and didn’t have a visceral concept of those labels.

To her, a person was a person first, and their gender markers came second. Her standard for judging people was character, not biology.

“Thank you!”

Yu Jinzhao was still a bit awkward. After a cold war, being coaxed in just a few sentences felt like she’d lost face.

“Pei Daowan!” she suddenly called out.

Pei Daowan didn’t even move an eyebrow. “How disrespectful. Why are you calling my name?”

“If there’s anything I can help you with, just ask. As long as it’s within my power, I won’t refuse.”

“I know, I know. So talkative. Who was the one pouting earlier?” Pei Daowan sounded impatient, as if she didn’t want to talk anymore.

Yet, inexplicably, Yu Jinzhao sensed that she was just acting tough. She wasn’t being mean; she just didn’t know what to say and was using that attitude to cover her embarrassment.

Kind of cute!

The thought popped up unbidden. Yu Jinzhao pinched herself; she should keep that thought to herself and not say it to Pei Daowan’s face. Watching her back as she walked away, Yu Jinzhao shouted: “See you tomorrow! I’ll be back early tomorrow night!”

Pei Daowan paused for a moment before continuing. “Come back whenever you want. You don’t need to tell me.”

“I have to. After all, we’re now…”

Yu Jinzhao stopped. What were they? Wives? Roommates? Or…

“Now what?” Pei Daowan didn’t rush upstairs this time. She turned back and waited for an answer.

“Allies! Firm allies!”

Hearing that, Pei Daowan turned quickly. Yu Jinzhao couldn’t see her face, only heard her voice from a distance: “I see.”

Yu Jinzhao smiled, tidied the table, and headed upstairs happily.

The next day, around 4:00 or 5:00 PM, Yu Jinzhao pushed her work aside. She hadn’t forgotten her promise to be home early. She’d been looking forward to it all day; she wanted to see Pei Daowan and have some time alone with her.

On the way back, she stopped at a supermarket. Since it was early, she could buy ingredients for dinner so it would be ready when Pei Daowan arrived.

She took out her phone. Since adding Pei Daowan, they hadn’t communicated once. The name and number had been sitting at the top of her list. She stared at the name for a long time before clicking the profile. You couldn’t set custom avatars here, so hers looked like everyone else’s, yet Yu Jinzhao studied it for a long while.

After some hesitation, she sent a message: [Will you be home for dinner tonight?]

She thought it would take a while to get a response, but Pei Daowan replied almost instantly. Seeing the words on the screen, Yu Jinzhao couldn’t help but smile. She tucked her phone away, her steps light as she planned the evening’s menu.

When Pei Daowan arrived home, Yu Jinzhao was finishing the last dish. She beamed the moment she saw her. “Dinner’s just ready. Put your bag down and wash your hands.”

“Mm.”

Pei Daowan gave a soft response. She didn’t put her bag down immediately but scanned the table. It was quite a feast; just for the two of them, there were four dishes and a soup.

Seeing her standing by the door, Yu Jinzhao walked over and reached for her slippers, as if she intended to help her put them on. Pei Daowan instinctively took a step back, her rejection obvious. “I’ll do it.” Fearing she’d been too harsh, she added: “Thank you. I’m not used to people helping me.”

Yu Jinzhao didn’t dwell on it and just urged her to eat.

At the table, Pei Daowan confirmed that Yu Jinzhao had been very thoughtful. Everything was a dish she liked; the girl had remembered everything the System said on the first day. An odd feeling rose in her heart. If someone like Yu Jinzhao truly falls in love with someone, what would it be like? Would she be even more meticulous, or is this just the tip of the iceberg?

“Try it. See which one you like best.”

Pei Daowan bit her lip. “Don’t go to so much trouble next time. We have a housekeeper, and you’re busy too…”

Yu Jinzhao interrupted her with a rare show of firmness. “You know, at my house, the person who cooks is a hero. They should be rewarded or treated, not told it’s a ‘trouble.’ For me, the best reward is you thinking it’s delicious.”

It’s not worth it for me! Pei Daowan thought. When you finally see my true face—when you know everything is just me using and calculating against you—will you still be this sincere?

She didn’t say it out loud. She followed Yu Jinzhao’s lead and tried the lemon chicken. “It’s good. Really delicious. You eat too.”

Pei Daowan considered herself reserved and rarely showed strong likes or dislikes, but she had to admit Yu Jinzhao’s cooking was excellent. She wasn’t someone who cared much for food—her attitude was usually just “eat to be full”—but Yu Jinzhao brought her many different sensations.

Once again, she felt the difference between them. Yu Jinzhao knew how to live. She understood art, she could cook, she exercised regularly, and she was often seen reading. By any standard, she was an excellent individual. So far, she hadn’t seen a single flaw. The System was wrong—she wasn’t just a “good person,” she was a vivid person.

This realization made Pei Daowan uncomfortable. Her heart felt a bit sour and tight. She didn’t know where the emotion came from and could only tell herself not to get too involved with Yu Jinzhao. Back then, she didn’t know this feeling was called “inferiority.” When she finally understood those subtle, bittersweet emotions, everything would taste different.

Pei Daowan tried to ignore the feeling and changed the subject, acting like her usual composed self. “I contacted Li Jin. She’s free this Thursday at 3:00 PM. The location is the business plaza across from A University. I’ll send you her number tonight; you two can settle the exact spot.”

“Okay! Thanks for the hard work, Good Sister. You’ve done a great service.”

Pei Daowan’s brow twitched. Good Sister again! Did she not know how intimate that sounded? Especially with that slight upward lilt in her voice, like she was acting spoiled. But seeing Yu Jinzhao’s open face, Pei Daowan swallowed her unease.

“Don’t celebrate too early. I only set up the connection. That’s nothing. Whether she agrees is another story. She won’t agree just for my sake; you need to have enough to move her.”

Yu Jinzhao smiled knowingly. This was the third time Pei Daowan had warned her that the director was difficult. It seemed like she was telling her to give up, but in reality, she was showing concern. “It doesn’t matter. Without you, I wouldn’t even have taken this first step. No matter what, you’re the biggest hero.”

Pei Daowan glanced at her, her voice low. “Smooth-tongued.” Who knows how many people that mouth has tricked.

Yu Jinzhao would have protested if she knew—outside of work, she really wasn’t a talkative person. She just laughed it off. “Good Sister, you’re the best. I know. Try this soup—it’s my mom’s specialty. I specifically learned how to make it. It’s delicious.”

Yu Jinzhao served her the soup, waiting with intense anticipation for her to taste it. Pei Daowan couldn’t resist that eager look. She took a sip and gave an honest review: “Not bad. Acceptable. It is indeed good.”

Yu Jinzhao’s smile couldn’t be contained. She looked triumphant. “Of course! I’m the best cook in my house. Everyone agrees.”

Everyone? How many people have eaten your cooking? Pei Daowan took another sip and said nonchalantly, “How many people have eaten your food for you to boast ‘everyone’?”

“Um… my family, my friends, the colleagues I started my business with… I invited them over for dinner a few times.”

Not hearing “that person,” the tension in Pei Daowan’s chest loosened slightly, yet she still felt a bit disgruntled. Where do I rank? She couldn’t help but nitpick.

“The loofah is a bit overcooked… the beef could be more tender… and…”

Yu Jinzhao paused and tried a bite herself. “No, I think I handled the heat pretty well…” Catching Pei Daowan’s expression, she realized.

She stifled a laugh, her attitude incredibly indulgent. “Mm, yes. I haven’t cooked in a while, so I’m a bit rusty. I’ll learn from this and make it better next time.”

The person trying to pick a fight had hit a soft wall and been caught, yet the “victim” was being so indulgent that Pei Daowan felt she was losing face. She had always been the superior; now the roles were reversed, as if she were being humored. It made her very uncomfortable. She stiffened her expression and raised her voice slightly: “Just eat!”

Yu Jinzhao complied with a smile, showing no sign of dissatisfaction. Pei Daowan actually saw a hint of “doting” in her eyes, which made her feel uneasy.

Counting both lives, she was old enough to be the girl’s mother. Being humored by someone nearly twelve years younger was a strange feeling—not exactly unpleasant, and something she didn’t reject, but she wasn’t used to it.

Yu Jinzhao was very happy. She occasionally put food on Pei Daowan’s plate, and the woman didn’t refuse, which only increased her joy.

“Pei Daowan…” Yu Jinzhao called out.

Pei Daowan gave her a questioning look. Yu Jinzhao stared at her, her cheeks slightly flushed from concentration, her lips pursed slightly.

“I wish we had met earlier. I definitely would have…”