Acting as the Powerful Background Character in a Scummy Alpha Novel - Chapter 24
With Xiao He personally stepping in, several previously stalled projects began to see a turnaround. The nascent negative public opinion was quietly seized and controlled by her team.
Xiao He sat in her office, reviewing the results of the investigation she had tasked Peng En with. She planned to shift the focus of future investments toward healthcare, new energy, and future technology. Traditional industries had already passed their peak; the trend of annual decline was irreversible. To achieve a new breakthrough, aligning with the current global trends was the most appropriate move.
Circling several names on the document, Xiao He handed it to Peng En. “Get me detailed information on these as soon as possible. Also, look into a company called Zenanet, or the G Group. The more details, the better.”
“G Group? Why the sudden interest, President Xiao? We haven’t had much intersection with them. It’s an emerging conglomerate with incredibly aggressive momentum, especially in biotechnology. Come to think of it, we might actually have opportunities for cooperation in the future.”
Peng En thought for a moment, assuming Xiao He was simply interested in the firm.
“Cooperation isn’t a certainty. Just investigate first. Don’t let others know; keep it a secret, especially regarding their management layer.”
Xiao He had no other reason to investigate this group other than the fact that it appeared at the end of the original novel. In the book, the heirs—driven by petty jealousy and reckless behavior—had kicked the already teetering Xiao Group off the cliff. The once vast and glorious empire fell into the dust, splintered, and was carved up by predatory rivals. Among them, the G Group seized nearly 70% of the Xiao Group’s assets, becoming the new titan of City A overnight.
For a book that spent almost its entire length on the love-hate drama of those five “human cubs,” the sections involving business were pitifully sparse. The G Group had only been mentioned as a backdrop to facilitate the five protagonists’ transition to a “simple and warm” ordinary life.
Regarding this G Group, which was destined to replace the Xiao Group, Xiao He had a premonition that they were a foe rather than a friend. If that was the case, she needed to make plans early.
Peng En caught the unusual tone in Xiao He’s voice and turned serious. “I will have the files on the G Group on your desk as soon as possible.”
“Mhm. And while you’re at it, arrange for someone to research a lightweight, low-profile monitoring bracelet. This one is uncomfortable.”
Xiao He raised her hand, pointing to the monitoring bracelet on her wrist. It had many benefits, but she disliked the design, and there was plenty of room for improvement.
“Understood. I’ll get that on the schedule immediately.”
Peng En looked at his “willful” boss and, of course, went to arrange it at once.
On the other side, Jing Shen hurried to the hospital. Upon entering the ward, she saw Xiao Linchu vomiting violently in the bathroom, while Xiao Shuyuan sat on the balcony, staying as far away from the bathroom as possible.
It took a long time for Xiao Linchu to emerge. She had rinsed her mouth and was irritably brushing her teeth. After finishing, she tossed the used toothbrush into the trash and froze when she saw Jing Shen.
Clearly, she hadn’t expected Jing Shen to be there. Jing Shen pointed out that there was still some foam on her face; Linchu immediately ducked back into the bathroom and didn’t come out until she had tidied herself up properly.
“Jing Shen, why are you here?”
“I heard you couldn’t eat anything, so I came to check on you. I brought some fruit.” Jing Shen pointed to the fruit basket she had brought.
Xiao Shuyuan immediately stepped in from the balcony. “Don’t bother giving her food. She vomits everything she eats right now. I’m being annoyed to death.”
“You can leave. No one is keeping you here,” Linchu snapped, clearly not fond of Shuyuan’s presence.
“As if I want to stay here,” Shuyuan shot back, then turned to Jing Shen. “Jing Shen, how is the house? Who’s there?”
“President Xiao wasn’t home when I left. The guests in the side wing have all departed. It should just be Yuelan left now,” Jing Shen answered.
“Everyone’s gone? Really? Even my parents?” Xiao Shuyuan was surprised, but then realized that after what happened yesterday, Xiao He wouldn’t allow them to continue their antics. Restoring peace to the estate was only natural.
“Mhm,” Jing Shen nodded.
Xiao Shuyuan let out a barely visible sigh of relief. It wasn’t that she truly wanted to be away from her parents, but she desperately needed a breathing space for now.
“Fine, I’ll head back then. Jing Shen, you stay here with this annoying ghost.”
Without another word, she left. Once outside the ward, Shuyuan finally turned her phone back on. Seeing a string of missed calls and texts from her mother, she took a deep breath before replying.
[My phone died last night. Auntie had me stay at the hospital to watch Xiao Linchu and I didn’t have a charger, so I didn’t see your messages.]
Finding an excuse for herself, Shuyuan watched the immediate reply from the other side, knowing that her temporary “derailment” from their control had ended.
In the ward, only Xiao Linchu and Jing Shen remained. Linchu lay back on the bed; her head still ached and she felt nauseous, but she didn’t forget to tell Jing Shen to sit down.
“Thanks for last night. I dragged you into that.”
Looking at the gauze on Linchu’s head, Jing Shen remembered how the girl had stood up for her repeatedly. It was because of that defense that Xie Fang had targeted her and had someone hit her.
“It wasn’t your fault; it was those brats. You didn’t drag me into anything. But I’ll accept the thank you—just find a chance to repay me later.”
Linchu joked with Jing Shen, not wanting to put too much pressure on her.
Jing Shen was relieved to see Linchu in a mood to joke. “If you’re going to put it that way, then I don’t need to repay you. You still owe me a favor from last time that you haven’t returned.”
“You still remember that?”
“How could I forget?”
“Then I’ll just keep owing it for now.”
They chatted for a while, eventually circling back to the fact that everyone had left the estate. Jing Shen mentioned it was Xiao He’s order and asked if Linchu would return home to recuperate for a few days after being discharged.
Mentioning home caused the relaxed expression on Linchu’s face to vanish instantly.
“The doctor says I can be discharged in two days. I’ll go straight to the school dorms. I’m not going back.”
“Why? Didn’t you come back this time anyway?” Jing Shen had thought Linchu’s quick return meant the past was behind them, as it was clear Linchu still cared for Xiao He and the home.
“My brain short-circuited this time,” Linchu stubbornly refused to admit it. “I should have known—what danger could she possibly be in? No one dares to disobey her. It’s just a matter of a single sentence to make people come or go. Why would she need me back?”
Indeed, while Xiao He’s health was poor, she still held absolute power. A light word from her could crush people; why would anyone need to worry about her?
Jing Shen pressed on. “So, what exactly is the conflict between you and President Xiao? Why is your opinion of her suddenly so negative?”
“I won’t tell you. You wouldn’t understand even if I did.” Linchu had been struggling internally. The truth she discovered was hard to accept, a monumental betrayal in her eyes. Yet, a small thought occasionally popped up: Was she being too much? This sort of thing happened in many wealthy families—why could others accept it while she couldn’t?
The two thoughts pulled at her, but in the end, her inability to accept it won out. She couldn’t share this with Jing Shen.
“Maybe I would understand? Let me guess,” Jing Shen was determined to get to the bottom of it. “Your secret medical exam, the pheromone disorder, and President Xiao. Tell me, what’s the connection between those three?”
She hadn’t expected Jing Shen to summarize the key points so accurately, though the girl couldn’t yet guess the twists involved.
“You really are quite smart. As for the rest, guess for yourself.”
Linchu still refused to speak, making Jing Shen’s teeth itch with frustration. Unfortunately, the girl was currently an invalid, so she couldn’t take action.
Jing Shen stayed at the hospital for a long time. Meanwhile, when Xiao Shuyuan returned home, she ran into Chu Yuelan.
“Weren’t you supposed to be looking after Xiao Linchu at the hospital? Why are you back?” Chu Yuelan asked. Even if there were nurses, they had volunteered to stay, so one of them should have been there. Xie Qingyu had been called away in the morning, and she had returned early to rest. Now Shuyuan was back too—what was going on?
“Jing Shen went. Linchu kicked me out. Whatever, I didn’t want to look at her anyway.” Shuyuan intentionally twisted the sequence of events, stretched her limbs, and walked away.
The words were indeed misleading. Chu Yuelan watched Shuyuan leave, then headed back to the hospital.
In the afternoon, as Xiao He was about to leave the office, Assistant Qian entered. “President Xiao, here is a transfer application.”
Xiao He took it and glanced at it. It was from Xiao Tan and Sun Mei; the two wanted to be transferred back to the domestic branch and stop working overseas.
“Rejected.”
With a single glance, Xiao He refused.
The news traveled fast. Before Xiao He even reached home, Xiao Tan and Sun Mei were calling her.
“Cousin, why was our transfer application rejected?”
“You’re transferring back so abruptly, and there’s no one to fill the vacancy there. This matter requires a long-term plan.” Xiao He didn’t budge.
“Isn’t it just a matter of a word from you? Your sister-in-law and I haven’t seen Shuyuan in ages; we just want to be back to accompany our child. A family reunion. I’d even come back as a junior clerk if that’s what it takes.”
Still unwilling to give up, Xiao Tan tried to lower Xiao He’s guard, even using Shuyuan as leverage.
The more they insist on coming back, the more suspicious it is, Xiao He thought. She remained silent, weighing her options.
“Let’s talk about this later. I’ll bring you back once I find a suitable replacement.”
Still a refusal. Xiao He wanted to see how determined they were and exactly why they were so desperate to return.
Rejected again, the smile on Xiao Tan’s face vanished, though he had to agree. The moment Xiao He hung up, he nearly threw his phone in a rage.
“Xiao He is clearly guarding against us. She just wants to keep us completely separated from Shuyuan so she has the final say and we have no foundation domestically.”
“It doesn’t matter. She’ll agree eventually. Someone is already going to help us. This time, we stay no matter what. Once we have a voice in the Xiao Group, we’ll have a final trump card even if Xiao He refuses to name Shuyuan as the heir.”
The two shared a look; they clearly weren’t giving up.
After this incident, things remained quiet for a while. Xie Fang and her cohorts were detained. Xiao Linchu indeed went straight back to school after being discharged. Xie Qingyu became noticeably quieter overnight, staying home for his lessons and not even stepping out the front door. Xiao Shuyuan and Chu Yuelan went to school as usual.
Jing Shen also continued her lessons at home. She was by Xiao He’s side whenever the woman was home, but Xiao He seemed very busy lately, going to the office almost every day. Thus, Jing Shen spent most of her time studying in the main building.
When Xiao He reached the office, she found an invitation from Xi Ling. Xi Ling was quite frank, saying someone wanted to get to know her and had specifically asked her to be the intermediary.
Coincidentally, that person was none other than the head of the G Group—Fei Jiao—whom Xiao He had previously asked Peng En to investigate.
Thinking of the data, the G Group was indeed very young, founded only five years ago. Their boss had returned from abroad; nothing earlier had been found yet, but the development of the G Group over these five years had been spectacular.
Relying on massive initial capital and cutting-edge technology, it had struck a heavy blow to local companies in related fields the moment it landed. Realizing the danger, companies had banded together to try and crush the G Group in its infancy, but it had broken through the siege regardless, using their opposition as stepping stones.
Currently, the G Group held 80% of the market share for pheromone suppressants. This alone was incredible. Although Omegas and Alphas using suppressants were a minority, they were the elite; the profit margin was enormous. And that wasn’t all they had.
The more Xiao He investigated, the more interested she became in the G Group, especially their leader. Bold and precise in decision-making with a clear corporate identity, she kept the company in a vibrant, upward state. She was undoubtedly formidable.
Xiao He accepted Xi Ling’s invitation and arrived at the meeting on time that afternoon.
The location clearly wasn’t arranged by Xi Ling. it was in the mountains of City A—quiet, secluded, and completely unlike the places Xi Ling usually frequented.
At the foot of the mountain, Xiao He saw several people waiting by the road. Aside from Xi Ling in pink and white, frantically spraying sunscreen, there was a woman in all black: Fei Jiao.
The car slowed to a halt, and Xiao He stepped out.
“Why are you waiting here?”
At the question, Xi Ling tossed her sunscreen aside. “I said I’d arrange for someone to wait and bring you in, and we’d wait inside. But Fei Jiao insisted on waiting for you personally. I couldn’t sway her—look how much sun I’m getting.”
Xiao He looked at Fei Jiao. Her skin was unnaturally pale, her light-colored pupils were unusual, and her features were dignified yet lacked any trace of mixed heritage. Her hair was jet black and lustrous.
“President Fei, you are too kind,” Xiao He said, reaching out to greet her.
“It is my honor that President Xiao would grace us with her presence.” Fei Jiao gave Xiao He’s hand a brief squeeze; they were officially acquainted.
“Enough small talk, let’s go inside. I’m dying in this sun. Move, move,” Xi Ling urged, and the group headed into the mountains.
The exterior looked unremarkable, but the interior held many secrets. This was an ecological site under the G Group, housing various animals and rare plants. They had even tunneled into the mountain to build a research base inside.
However, they weren’t there for the base. Deep in the mountains was a beautiful holiday retreat with fresh air and a flourishing ecosystem. Walking in felt instantly refreshing.
The terrain was low-lying, embraced by the mountains, featuring natural flowing water and forests. One could even see several animals that were completely unafraid of humans.
Xiao He was pleased with the environment, but Xi Ling was uninterested and already thinking of an excuse to slip away.
“I wonder if President Xiao has any interest in hunting?” Fei Jiao asked as Xiao He admired the scenery.
“I’ve collected some bows and arrows, but I’ve never actually touched them.” Xiao He shook her head; athletic activities had never had much to do with her.
“Why not try? It’s quite interesting.”
Fei Jiao had three bows brought over. These compound bows were lightweight, required little strength, yet were incredibly powerful. They were no problem for Xiao He.
Xi Ling was interested. “Old Xiao, go play. These animals are raised by her company anyway, it’s not like they’re wild.”
“But I really don’t know how. You two go play; I’ll rest here for a bit.” Xiao He sat down in a bamboo pavilion by the water. She had walked long enough and didn’t want to expend another ounce of energy. Besides, she truly had no interest in hunting.
Fei Jiao sat down to accompany her. “President Xi can take some people deeper into the woods; there are deer and such over there. I’ll stay here and have a cup of tea with President Xiao.”
“Fine. If I catch a deer, we’re having venison tonight.” Xi Ling enthusiastically led her group into the woods, leaving the two of them in the pavilion.
Fei Jiao had clearly studied Xiao He. Although they were just chatting, the topics revolved around things Xiao He was interested in. Even for a first meeting, it wasn’t awkward or dull. Even when discussing the bows at their feet, they talked about the history of the materials rather than the act of shooting.
Xiao He lightly swirled her teacup, seemingly enjoying the back-and-forth, but internally she grew more alert. Just as she had started noticing the other woman, the other woman already understood her so well.
As they were talking, Fei Jiao suddenly picked up the bow at her feet, notched an arrow, and aimed it at Xiao He.
Xiao He’s expression didn’t change. Not even the curve of her smile faltered. She watched without moving as Fei Jiao released the string, the arrow flying straight toward her.
The arrow hissed past her ear. Fei Jiao stood up, and only then did Xiao He look behind her. A multicolored snake had been pinned to a bamboo stalk, the arrow through its head. Its body was still writhing in its death throes.
Fei Jiao retrieved the arrow and looked at the now-still snake. She then looked at Xiao He, who hadn’t lost her composure for a second. “I almost let you be disturbed, President Xiao.”
“It’s fine. It proves the ecological environment here really is excellent.”
Xiao He set down her teacup, watching as Fei Jiao handed the arrow to a bodyguard. “Your archery is indeed impressive, President Fei.”
“It’s nothing, just a small hobby,” Fei Jiao said modestly with a smile.
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