Acting as the Powerful Background Character in a Scummy Alpha Novel - Chapter 5

The following weekend, Jing Shen and Chu Yuelan went to the manager to resign. The manager was very understanding and settled their wages. He also handed them thick red envelopes—a bonus from Xi Ling, who had been in such a good mood after her hole-in-one that she treated the entire staff.

Luck was on their side. Jing Shen calculated her savings and realized that if she lived frugally, she had enough to cover not only her senior year expenses but also her tuition and living costs for her first year of university. This meant she could finally focus entirely on her studies.

When school started on Monday, Jing Shen heard about a new work-study support program. Although rumors said President Xiao had invested in it specifically to force Xie Qingyu to work, Jing Shen was genuinely interested. If she joined, she could save almost all of her living expenses for the year.

She signed up immediately and passed without suspense; aside from the unwilling Xie Qingyu, Jing Shen was the only student to volunteer.

“Usually, you just need to serve food in the kitchen, and your own meals will be free. Additionally, cleaning tasks offer extra wage bonuses. You can arrange your schedule as needed,” the temporary project manager explained.

Jing Shen found the work manageable. During lunch, she officially started her shift—and saw a completely transformed Xie Qingyu in the back of the cafeteria.

In just one week, the young master who used to dominate the school in his sports car was now sitting on a small stool, expertly peeling and washing vegetables. His cool, hair-gelled style had collapsed into soft strands, with a single tuft of his natural curls sticking up—a tiny, stubborn remnant of his unyielding pride.

He looked much more pleasant this way. Jing Shen didn’t go out of her way to provoke him; she simply put on her apron, mask, hairnet, and gloves, and stood at the window to serve food.

Xie Qingyu didn’t notice her at first. It wasn’t until they finished their tasks and sat down to eat their own meals after most people had left that he realized he had a new colleague.

“Jing Shen? What did you do wrong to be banished to this ‘Infinite Hell’ too?” Xie Qingyu wasn’t close to her, but he had found her interesting when they first met. Before he could interact with her more, he had lost his own freedom.

“I’m here to work. I didn’t do anything wrong,” Jing Shen replied. To her, Xie Qingyu’s “interaction” was synonymous with “trouble.” She wanted to finish her meal and leave as quickly as possible.

“You’re doing this work without being forced? Did a donkey kick you in the head?” Xie Qingyu was bewildered. If it weren’t for the two massive bodyguards glaring at him, he would have run away a hundred times over. Who would choose this?

Jing Shen looked at him like he was an idiot. The young master couldn’t seem to grasp that not everyone had a billion-dollar family fortune to squander.

“Hey! What’s with that look?!” Xie Qingyu snapped, slamming the table. Jing Shen didn’t bother arguing; she picked up her tray and moved to a quieter spot.

This silent dismissal infuriated him even more. He pointed at her and complained to his bodyguards, “Did you see that?! What does she mean by that?!”

The two bodyguards exchanged a glance and looked away, equally unwilling to deal with him.

Xie Qingyu was so angry he nearly cried. “You’re all rebelling! Just you wait! This Young Master will make a comeback one day! This mountain can’t keep me pinned down forever!”

Jing Shen wasn’t worried. With those bodyguards watching him, he couldn’t cause any real trouble. She finished her lunch, put away her utensils, and headed back to her dorm for a nap.

Heistan High School’s facilities were top-tier. Even the dorms were luxurious. Jing Shen stayed in an apartment-style building where, due to the rarity of Omegas, students lived in two-person rooms.

Standing before her slightly ajar door, Jing Shen was about to enter when she felt a gut instinct that something was wrong. She stepped back instantly, just as a large basin of water splashed down. If she hadn’t moved, she would have been soaked.

Looking at the basin bouncing on the floor, Jing Shen could only think of one person who would come up with such a childish prank.

Several students walked out of her room. Jing Shen frowned. “Did Xie Qingyu send you?”

“Good that you know. Young Master Xie is in a bit of trouble, but that doesn’t mean just anyone can bully him,” the leader said, kicking the basin aside. He and his group surrounded her. “Especially you.”

Most students here were wealthy and looked down on scholarship students like Jing Shen. With Xie Qingyu’s “order” to give her a hard time, they were eager to comply. Jing Shen gripped her backpack straps, ready to throw it and run if things turned violent.

“You kids! What are you doing?! I’m the new dorm supervisor. Return to your rooms for your nap immediately! No brawling!” a woman’s voice boomed, startling the group.

“What are you shouting for? Mind your own business! Get lost before you get hurt!” The leader sneered. These kids were used to running rampant and didn’t care about a mere dorm supervisor.

“The Principal said the school is strictly enforcing discipline these days. Any issues must be reported immediately. This is a mandate from the Board of Directors—which means all of your parents signed off on it. Are you sure you want to go against them?”

The “new supervisor” was clearly not someone to be trifled with. The group hesitated. They could ignore teachers, but the Board consisted of the most powerful parents in the city.

“Let’s go!” The leader glared at Jing Shen and the woman before leading his group away.

Jing Shen breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“No need. Actually, I’m not a dorm supervisor.”

“Huh?” Jing Shen’s heart rate spiked again.

The woman held up a folder. “I’m a lawyer from the Xiao Group. President Xiao heard there were bullying issues at this school, so she had me draft a document to give to the Principal and notify the Board to sign. I came to do some field research. Lucky coincidence, right? I’ll report this to President Xiao when I get back.”

Dressed in a tailored professional suit, she certainly didn’t look like a dorm supervisor. No wonder her presence had been so commanding. Jing Shen was stunned to realize Xiao He had helped her yet again.

When Jing Shen entered her room, she found her roommate hiding in a corner of the balcony. Her bed and closet had been ransacked. Her things were covered in ink, her clothes and blankets shredded with scissors, and her toiletries ruined.

“Jing Shen, why did you have to provoke them? Being your roommate is a nightmare…” the roommate complained, stepping over the mess to get to her own bed. “Can’t you just switch rooms? I don’t want to be dragged into your mess next time.”

“I’m sorry,” Jing Shen whispered. She didn’t talk much with her roommate, but the girl had indeed been caught in the crossfire.

She spent the entire nap period cleaning up the ink and debris. By the time she was done, she realized she had no bedding for the night and would have to spend a lot of money to replace her daily necessities. She would have to deal with it after class.

Meanwhile, at the Xiao Group, the lawyer briefed Xiao He.

“President Xiao, you truly have foresight. These kids are lawless. In the short time I was there, I witnessed a bullying incident firsthand.”

Xiao He’s pen paused. It wasn’t foresight; it was the plot of the novel. “Is the paperwork handled?”

“Yes. The Board passed it unanimously. The Principal guaranteed increased security and patrols. I even put it into practice—it seems these ‘human cubs’ are still afraid of their parents.” The lawyer then leaned in. “Do you want to know who was behind the bullying?”

Xiao He’s temple throbbed. She closed her eyes. “Who in my family was it this time?”

“They weren’t directly there, but the bullies kept mentioning ‘Young Master Xie.’ I suspect it has everything to do with Master Qingyu.” The lawyer described the vandalism and the threat of violence.

“Wait… was the victim named Jing Shen?” Xiao He realized.

“I didn’t ask, but she was a simply dressed Omega with modest belongings. Her family background is likely poor…”

In Heistan, that description fit only a few people. It was definitely her.

“It seems I’ve been too lenient,” Xiao He muttered, capping her pen and calling for Secretary Li.

That afternoon, the driver picked up Xie Qingyu and the others and brought them back to the Xiao Estate. Usually, they stayed at school during the week, so this sudden summons filled them with dread—especially when they found Xiao He waiting for them in the central hall.

“First, I must reflect on myself,” Xiao He began slowly. “Since bringing you here, I have shown too little concern. Lack of discipline is my fault.”

The guillotine felt as if it were hanging over their heads.

“I give you two choices. The door is open. If you don’t want my discipline, walk out now and we will cut ties. If you want to stay, you follow my rules.”

No one moved. Even a trembling Xie Qingyu stayed put.

“Auntie, no one wants to leave,” Xiao Shuyuan said.

“Rest assured, I will give you chances to regret this. You can leave anytime.” Xiao He stood up, her gaze sweeping over them, seeing through their hidden thoughts. She stopped in front of Xie Qingyu and beckoned. Someone brought out a rattan switch the thickness of two fingers.

Xie Qingyu paled. “Auntie! I don’t know what I did! I’ve been washing dishes and mopping floors every day! I haven’t even slacked off! Ask the bodyguards!”

“Think carefully. About today.”

“Today? I didn’t…” Xie Qingyu’s voice cracked. Then he remembered. “It’s Jing Shen! She provoked me! I didn’t do much, just told some people to give her a lesson. I didn’t actually do anything! Look at my phone, I only sent one text!”

In his terror, he confessed everything.

“A lesson?” Xiao He looked at the phone. “We live in a society ruled by law. Since when do you decide what a ‘lesson’ is? Do you know what they actually did?”

“I don’t! I swear! I was in class all afternoon! I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again!” Xie Qingyu was filled with regret. He had no idea those idiots would go so far, but now it was all on his head.

“Vandalism, trespassing, criminal intimidation, and assault. Do you know the legal penalties for those?” Xiao He didn’t specify the degree; she let his imagination run wild.

“Pay a fine?” Xie Qingyu suggested. In his world, money solved everything.

“Legal illiterate,” Xiao He muttered, patting his cheek. “Butler Lin, explain the relevant laws to Master Xie. Then have him copy them a hundred times while reading them aloud. If I can’t hear his voice from the courtyard, he starts over from the beginning.”

Xie Qingyu wanted to protest, but one look into Xiao He’s eyes silenced him. He huddled at a tiny table in the corner to begin his task.

“The rest of you, listen and memorize these laws. You must recite them to Butler Lin before you can leave,” Xiao He told the other three. “And reflect on whether you have ever done such things.”

She lingered her gaze on Xiao Shuyuan, who lowered her head even further.

“Also, throw out Xie Qingyu’s mattress tonight. From now on, the bedboard is enough for him.”

After school, Jing Shen went back to her dorm to make a shopping list. She found a note from her roommate on her desk:

【Jing Shen! Can you please move out!!】

The bullies had found a way to make her life miserable by targeting those around her. Jing Shen stood there for a long time before writing back:

【Okay.】

She needed to buy necessities and find a place to rent. A single dorm was impossible, and a new roommate would face the same trouble. But City A was expensive; she couldn’t afford rent.

As she walked out of the school gates, she saw a low-profile luxury car. A driver stepped out. “Student Jing Shen? President Xiao would like to see you.”

Jing Shen sat nervously in the back of the car. “President Xiao.”

“I heard about today. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Xiao He felt a surge of pity. This female lead really had a rough life.

“It’s okay. Your lawyer helped me.”

Xiao He noticed that despite everything, Jing Shen didn’t look resentful, just downcast. This kid is too good-natured.

“Jing Shen, are you going out to buy things?”

“Yes, some daily necessities.” She didn’t mention the rent; she didn’t want to be a burden.

“I’ll go with you,” Xiao He said.

Jing Shen was startled. “No, I can’t trouble you with such a small thing.”

“Listen to me,” Xiao He said gently. “If you stay in that dorm, they will keep targeting you. It won’t always be a ‘coincidence’ that someone helps. So, if you’re willing, I’d like you to move in with me.”