Acting as the Powerful Background Character in a Scummy Alpha Novel - Chapter 23

Aside from Xiao Linchu, whose head was wrapped in gauze, Xie Fang and the Xiao cousin were covered in black and blue bruises, and the cousin seemed to be limping.

The parents of both sides arrived as well. Although they knew their children were in the wrong, their hearts still ached seeing them beaten to such a sorry state.

“President Xiao, look, let’s just call it even. we’ll have the children apologize. It was our failure to educate them, the children…”

Xiao He glanced at Xiao Linchu, who was lying on the hospital bed diagnosed with a mild concussion. “An apology is your duty. Furthermore, in any matter, one must understand the price they have to pay. Letting them go inside to cool off for a few days to dampen their tempers is quite good, don’t you think?”

She intended to pursue the matter to the end. Before another word could be said, the police had arrived.

By the time they were taken away, Xie Fang and the Xiao cousin finally knew the meaning of fear, dragged away amidst a chorus of wailing and howls.

Xie Qingyu and Xiao Shuyuan stood to the side in silence. This outcome was already quite fair.

Xie Qingyu’s Omega father, seeing his daughter taken away, was crying uncontrollably. Not daring to blame Xiao He, he turned to hit Xie Qingyu instead. “She’s your own sister! How could you be so heartless, hitting her like that? Are you even her brother?!”

Slap after slap landed on Xie Qingyu. He was pushed and shoved until he hit the hospital wall. When it seemed his father wouldn’t stop, Xie Qingyu reached his limit and shoved him away. “Don’t you know exactly what she’s been doing out there? You refuse to discipline her now—will you only be happy when she moves on to arson and murder? Can you cover for her for her entire life?!”

But Xie Qingyu’s outburst did not bring about parental self-reflection. His mother stepped forward and delivered a stinging slap to his face. “We spoiled you the same way! Did you go out and commit arson? Or are you only capable of being a tyrant toward your own family?”

The slap left Xie Qingyu stunned. He didn’t snap out of it until his parents had left.

Xiao He had a nurse bring an ice pack and handed it to Xie Qingyu. His face was already swelling visibly, a testament to how hard that slap had been.

Xie Qingyu took the ice pack and pressed it to his face, and only then did the tears fall. He lowered his head to avoid Xiao He’s gaze and sat on a nearby bench, his tears creating small splashes on the hospital floor.

Xiao Shuyuan, for once, didn’t mock him. Everyone was equally pathetic tonight.

Looking at the text from her mother questioning why she was meddling in others’ business, Shuyuan simply turned off her phone.

“Auntie, go back and rest. I’ll watch over Linchu here. Since she’s awake, she’ll be fine.”

It wasn’t exactly for Linchu’s sake; Shuyuan just didn’t want to go back yet. She’d hide for as long as she could.

Xie Qingyu insisted on staying too. Chu Yuelan thought about the current atmosphere back at the side wing and decided the hospital was a better place to be.

Xiao He didn’t force them. She only took Jing Shen back with her.

Sitting in the car on the way back, Xiao He looked at Butler Lin in the passenger seat. “Before dawn tomorrow, I want no more ‘uninvited guests’ remaining in the estate.”

Butler Lin acknowledged the order. Xiao He closed her eyes in the back seat to rest.

It seemed the situation was even worse than she had anticipated. The power of two large families was undeniable, and blood ties could be the most secure of bonds—but they could also be the sharpest knives.

“Shared glory, shared ruin.” Given the current state of the Xiao and Xie families, they didn’t need external threats; their own people could bring them down. If a true scandal broke out, it would be a media frenzy.

She couldn’t let that happen. Now that she recognized the problem, she had to excise it. Like a contaminated wound, it had to be cut away even if it hurt. It seemed the matter of splitting the clans was becoming urgent.

As she was calculating, Xiao He felt Jing Shen’s hands massaging her head, smoothing out her furrowed brow.

She decided to stop thinking about it for a moment. Xiao He emptied her mind to rest. When she felt ready, she opened her eyes to tell Jing Shen to take a break, only to notice a large scrape on the girl’s elbow. It was already seeping blood.

“You’re injured too?”

She took Jing Shen’s wrist. Hearing the girl hiss in a sharp breath, Xiao He realized her wrist was also sprained.

“It’s nothing. Some medicine will fix it.”

This had happened when she fell while trying to catch Linchu by the lake. The situation at the hospital had been so chaotic that Jing Shen hadn’t wanted to cause trouble, so she said nothing.

“It’s not a matter of whether it’s ‘nothing.’ No injury, however small, should be suffered for nothing, understand?”

For the first time, Xiao He felt Jing Shen’s sensibility was excessive. She was too enduring—or rather, too soft. She didn’t even know how to fight for her own rights. That was not the personality of a leader.

Jing Shen could tell Xiao He was angry. This was the first time she had ever upset her. She panicked. “I… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t tell me you’re sorry. You should make the person who hurt you say they’re sorry,” Xiao He frowned. “If you endure every hit you take, you’ll only be hit more. Do you understand?”

Hearing Xiao He’s words, Jing Shen understood the source of the anger. She wanted to say she wasn’t someone who always took hits without fighting back, but that she just didn’t have the chance this time. But that seemed hard to believe, so she swallowed her words and nodded. “I understand. I won’t do it again.”

Looking at the innocent-looking Jing Shen, Xiao He felt a sense of frustration at her “unpolished iron,” but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything harsher. She steadied her emotions and spoke patiently. “I’m not saying you have to follow ‘an eye for an eye’ literally. You can be flexible. Protect yourself, maintain your own interests, and don’t let yourself be bullied.”

“Mhm.”

Jing Shen promised. Xiao He ruffled her hair. “Remember: from now on, you have me behind you. Don’t always wrong yourself. Even with those four at home, don’t just endure or give in, okay?”

Jing Shen nodded, her heart feeling as though it were soaked in honey. She believed Xiao He—even though, in truth, she hadn’t been “giving in” to those four lately.

Fortunately, Xiao He hadn’t said this in front of the others. Otherwise, she would have learned that the Jing Shen they saw was not the “pushover” she imagined; that girl didn’t let a single slight slide.

After bringing her home, Xiao He had Butler Lin bring the medical kit. Since the wound was on the elbow, making it difficult for Jing Shen to reach, Xiao He applied the medicine herself.

The cool liquid stung as it touched the scrape. Jing Shen didn’t make a sound, though she couldn’t help but flinch.

“Does it hurt?”

Xiao He held Jing Shen’s arm, carefully cleaning the wound. A large patch of skin was gone, looking quite garish against her fair skin.

Looking at Xiao He’s focused expression, Jing Shen stopped caring about her arm. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“Quite the tough talker. Then just bear with it.”

She was flinching away yet claiming it didn’t hurt. Xiao He felt both heartache and irritation. After cleaning and medicating, she covered it with gauze to prevent it from rubbing during sleep.

“Are there any other injuries?” Xiao He asked suspiciously. If she hadn’t spotted this one, Jing Shen wouldn’t have said anything.

“Really, no more.” Jing Shen stretched her arms and even stood up to spin around for Xiao He, proving she was fine.

“Good. Get some rest then. It’s been a long day.”

Xiao He was relieved. She packed up the kit and stood up. Jing Shen agreed and went to her room to wash up.

Xiao He hadn’t even put the kit away when she heard Jing Shen run back out of her room in a panic.

“What is it?”

“Sister Xiao, the necklace is gone!”

Jing Shen had looked in the mirror and realized something was missing from her neck—the gemstone necklace Xiao He had personally put on her was gone.

With the night being so chaotic, she couldn’t remember when she lost it. Knowing the necklace was incredibly valuable, her eyes turned red with worry, and she prepared to rush out and look for it.

“Don’t panic,” Xiao He grabbed her. “Where are you going to look in the middle of the night? I’ll have Butler Lin take people to search those areas.”

“I want to go too.”

Jing Shen couldn’t wait. An extra person was an extra set of hands, and since she was the one who lost it, she knew best where she had been.

“Jing Shen, wait. Listen to me.” Seeing her on the verge of tears, Xiao He drew her into an embrace, gently stroking her back to calm her. “That necklace was just a toy for you to wear. It’s okay if it’s lost. Don’t worry; I’ll have more sent over tomorrow.”

The money might have meant nothing to Xiao He, but Jing Shen felt differently. She clutched Xiao He’s sleeve, tears rolling down her cheeks. “But that was the first necklace you gave me. I don’t want to lose it.”

Realizing the sentiment behind it, Xiao He knew Jing Shen wouldn’t be swayed. She relented. “Then I’ll go with you.”

“No, Sister Xiao, you’ve been tired enough today…” Jing Shen cared about the necklace, but she cared about Xiao He’s health more. The night air was turning autumnal; the cold breeze would be bad for her.

“Then I’ll help you search the house, and let Butler Lin’s team search the lake. It’s settled.”

Xiao He wiped the tears from Jing Shen’s face and led her downstairs by the hand.

Xiao He’s hands were perpetually cooler than average, but to Jing Shen, nothing felt warmer. She followed her side, thinking that this moment would stay in her memory forever.

The entire estate security force was mobilized. From the garden to the artificial lake outside, and even the hospital—they searched as if digging three feet into the earth.

But the necklace seemed to have vanished into thin air. They checked everywhere. Security footage showed the necklace was still on her while she was in the garden, meaning it was likely lost at the lake or the hospital. But the search area was too large. They filed a police report, but the hope of recovery was slim.

No matter how sad she was, Jing Shen had to accept reality. Under Xiao He’s persuasion, she went back to rest.

Lying in bed, Xiao He looked at Jing Shen, who was lying with her back turned. She knew the girl was still grieving, likely crying secretly.

“Jing Shen, come here.”

Hearing the voice, Jing Shen wiped her tears away with her back still turned. She got up and walked to the edge of Xiao He’s bed. “Sister Xiao, did I wake you?”

Her voice still carried a hint of a sob. Xiao He looked at her red, swollen eyes and patted the spot next to her. “Do you want to sleep here?”

Jing Shen’s eyes widened in disbelief. Xiao He waited patiently. After a long pause, Jing Shen carefully lifted the edge of the blanket and asked uncertainly, “May I?”

“Mhm.”

With the confirmation, Jing Shen lay down on the very edge of the bed. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might leap out, terrified that if she blinked, she would find it was all a dream.

Xiao He realized that while Jing Shen had stopped crying, the girl was staring at her so intensely that she herself couldn’t sleep.

She reached out and covered Jing Shen’s eyes. Xiao He turned off the light. “Close your eyes and sleep.”

Xiao He’s cool palm rested over her eyelids, feeling incredibly soothing on her swollen eyes. Jing Shen didn’t dare open them, afraid her eyelashes would brush against Xiao He’s palm and disturb her. But as she lay there, she actually fell asleep.

The night passed peacefully. Both were still in their respective positions. Xiao He woke first; seeing Jing Shen’s slightly swollen eyelids, she didn’t wake her and got out of bed from the other side.

Jing Shen slept exceptionally well. When she opened her eyes and saw the wide bed, she froze for a moment before remembering last night. Xiao He was nowhere to be seen.

She sat up quickly, realizing it was already late morning. She flopped back and patted her forehead to wake herself up. Jing Shen hugged the soft blanket, rubbing her cheek against it; it carried Xiao He’s light tea scent, which felt as reassuring as the woman herself.

After lingering for a moment, Jing Shen smoothed the bed perfectly before changing and heading out.

The estate had returned to its usual tranquility. The side wing only contained cleaning staff. Butler Lin informed her that Xiao He had gone out early. When she asked about the necklace, there was still no news. She could only accept it for now and try to focus on her lessons.

Chu Yuelan returned while Jing Shen was in class. A night at the hospital was clearly not as comfortable as home; she looked exhausted. She took note of Jing Shen’s still-swollen eyes, a clear sign she had cried the night before.

Jing Shen saw Chu Yuelan, asked the tutor for a pause, and ran out to meet her.

“How is Linchu today?”

Jing Shen felt bad knowing Linchu was hurt because of her. But her question only confirmed Chu Yuelan’s suspicion: she now believed Jing Shen had cried out of worry for Xiao Linchu.

Chu Yuelan’s expression soured, but since their relationship was currently in a fragile state of repair, she didn’t want to make things worse. She suppressed her emotions.

“Not great. She still can’t eat anything today. The doctor says this will continue for a while.”

Hearing this, Jing Shen couldn’t focus on her lessons. She apologized to the tutor and left for the hospital to see Linchu.

The tutor looked at the empty seats and helplessly packed their things. This isn’t a student asking for leave; it’s a student giving me a holiday.