The Sickly Girl Becomes a Scum Alpha - Chapter 29

The throbbing pain in her hand was eclipsed by the joy of seeing the progress bar increase, and the life points the system immediately added helped soothe the burns.

Chu Ci looked at her reddened hand; she was going to be fine. However, Jian Sui remained uneasy. She fetched the household medical kit and found a burn ointment.

Gently dabbing away the water with a tissue, Jian Sui washed her own hands before squeezing out the cool gel. “Don’t move, this will only take a moment.”

Chu Ci looked down at Jian Sui, who was acting with extreme caution. As her cool fingers touched the injured area, the stinging sensation was instantly relieved. The gentleness of her movements made Chu Ci feel as if she were being treated like a precious treasure.

Suddenly, Chu Ci felt a bit dazed. Is Jian Sui actually caring for me?

She was genuinely surprised. In such a short time, Jian Sui was willing to forgive what “she” had done in the past. It was exactly like the description in the novel—tolerant and magnanimous—but it was also that very nature that led to her being bullied and betrayed.

After the medicine was applied, Chu Ci wanted to call the chef back to work overtime, but Jian Sui stopped her.

The chef actually lived on the estate in the annex of the back garden, along with the cleaning staff, the gardener, and Butler Sun. Calling them back was only a few steps away.

“Don’t bother them. The noodles look about ready anyway; I’ll just eat a little.” This was likely Chu Ci’s first time cooking, and Jian Sui looked at the mess on the stove. She didn’t want Chu Ci’s effort to go to waste.

“But they might taste terrible…” Chu Ci hesitated. If she had any unrealistic fantasies about her culinary skills a moment ago, she was now fully awake. She simply had no talent for cooking.

“It’s fine. I think they look alright.” Jian Sui stirred the pot with a spoon, turned the heat back on, and once they were done, strained the noodles into a bowl. She mixed a savory broth with seasonings and poured it over them. The appearance was beyond saving because Chu Ci had dumped all the ingredients in at once, but the aroma from the hot soup was actually quite appetizing.

Chu Ci watched Jian Sui’s movements in awe. Is this the culinary art of turning trash into treasure?

“You actually know how to cook?”

“Uh…” Jian Sui’s hand paused. How was she supposed to tell Chu Ci that in this world, young mistresses who had never stepped foot in a kitchen were the minority? Most ordinary people, while not master chefs, could manage a simple bowl of noodles.

“That’s amazing!” Chu Ci praised sincerely, her eyes sparkling with wonder. Everyone around her—past or present life, from Chu Xiong to Cao Xi—was a total kitchen disaster. The only people she knew who could cook were professional chefs.

Jian Sui’s face warmed at the praise. She knew it was a small thing, but she couldn’t help the flutter in her heart caused by Chu Ci’s genuine admiration and sparkling eyes.

Sitting at the dining table, Jian Sui ate quietly while Chu Ci stared at her, lost in thought. Jian Sui is so soft-hearted that she can forgive even me this quickly. What will she do after I leave?

Jian Sui didn’t know what Chu Ci was thinking, but she could feel the gaze. Her face slowly flushed pink. Who stares at someone like that while they’re eating?

“Is it too hot? I’ll get you a glass of water.” Chu Ci noticed the flush and, thinking she was burned, got up to get water. Jian Sui knew that wasn’t the reason, but she let the misunderstanding stand.

After the meal, it was time to go upstairs. Since they had a tacit understanding about sharing the bed with separate blankets, Chu Ci finally didn’t have to scramble for excuses to go out or sleep in the study.

“Chime!”

As they lay down, Jian Sui’s phone rang. It was a message from Cheng Feng.

Oh no!

They had agreed to exchange opinions after reviewing the files, but after hearing the noise and going downstairs, she had followed Chu Ci back to the room in a daze, completely forgetting about Cheng Feng.

Getting up quickly, Jian Sui met Chu Ci’s surprised gaze. “I just remembered I have work left. You sleep first, I’m going to the study.”

Chu Ci watched Jian Sui leave and blinked blankly. Is it a coincidence, or is the study just on a rotation now?

However, Jian Sui’s work was real, unlike her own excuses. Chu Ci felt relieved, rolled to the middle of the bed, and closed her eyes. Since Jian Sui was in the study, she might as well occupy the center.

Once relaxed, she became much more active in her sleep. She was no longer as well-behaved as when she slept beside Jian Sui. Soon, she was wriggling around, her arms and legs finding comfortable spots, occupying most of the middle of the bed.

When Jian Sui got busy, she truly lost track of time. By the time she finished discussing the details with Cheng Feng and finalized the plan, it was past midnight.

It was late. She stretched her shoulders, shut down the computer, and crept back to the room. Knowing Chu Ci should be asleep, she tiptoed to the bedside.

There was a hint of early summer in the air, making it much warmer. Even the cold-prone Chu Ci had let an arm slip out from under the covers, occupying the very center of the bed.

Carefully sitting on the edge, Jian Sui finally had a chance to look closely at Chu Ci’s sleeping face. The moonlight from the garden was dim, but enough to see her clearly.

Chu Ci lay on her side, half her face buried in a soft pillow. Her eyes, usually clear and gentle, were closed, her long lashes casting shadows. Her porcelain-white skin made her look fragile, like her name—an exquisite piece of china that needed careful handling.

Yet this “fragile china” had no self-awareness, always running into danger. Jian Sui lifted Chu Ci’s hand; the burns on her fair skin were still glaringly red and heart-wrenching to look at. She carefully applied another layer of ointment.

After finishing, Jian Sui fell into a daze. She could feel herself sinking into Chu Ci’s kindness, and she had no desire to struggle. She was letting herself drown in it.

After a long time, her eyes grew tired. She looked at the space at the edge of the bed and the space next to Chu Ci. No longer caring about the usual distance, she lay down right next to her. Only in the deep of the night, when Chu Ci couldn’t see and her reason was at its weakest, did she dare indulge her feelings and move closer, following her heart without worrying about the uncertain future.

Chu Ci felt exceptionally comfortable. When the alarm rang, she was reluctant to wake up, hugging her “pillow” and rubbing her face against it. She wanted to play ostrich and keep sleeping. Who cares about work!

Wait…

A second before her consciousness drifted back to sleep, Chu Ci realized something. Where did a body pillow come from on this bed?!

The thought snapped her awake. She threw her eyes open and looked into her arms. Because she woke up too fast, her brain was lagging. She stared at Jian Sui in her arms for three full seconds before reality hit.

Good heavens!! What have I done?

Scrambling off the bed, Chu Ci’s face turned bright red. She looked at Jian Sui, who had been awakened by the commotion and was looking back with hazy, confused eyes. Chu Ci’s guilt reached its peak. “I don’t know why this happened, I must have slept too soundly, I… I…”

The more she panicked, the more incoherent she became. Her brain was overloaded and nearly crashed again. Her face was practically steaming.

Jian Sui was startled by the reaction. Looking at her own and Chu Ci’s intact pajamas, she wondered if something had happened while they slept. She sighed in relief and moved to the edge of the bed to comfort the obviously distressed Chu Ci. “Nothing happened. Calm down.”

“But just now I…” Chu Ci’s voice dropped, her eyes avoiding Jian Sui’s. “I was hugging you.”

Jian Sui: …

Who on earth spread the rumor that Chu Ci is a seasoned player? With this level of innocence, doesn’t the rumor-monger’s conscience hurt?

Although Jian Sui repeatedly insisted it was just a hug and didn’t matter, Chu Ci couldn’t get over it. There were plenty of guest rooms, but Chu Ci knew that sleeping separately would be a blatant signal of marital discord, making Jian Sui’s life in the Chu family even harder. Yet, staying in the same room made this situation unavoidable.

Chu Ci made a decision. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll sleep on the floor. Don’t worry, this will never happen again.”

Jian Sui was dumbfounded, but before she could say anything, a determined Chu Ci had already left the room, even choosing to wash up elsewhere.

Chu Ci truly felt too ashamed to see Jian Sui. How could she sleep so “freely” last night? Not only did she roll over to Jian Sui, but she also used her as a body pillow. These hands are truly troublesome!

Muttering in annoyance while washing up, Chu Ci changed quickly, skipped breakfast, and had the driver take her straight to the office. Jian Sui came out only to see the car’s taillights. Troubled, she also lost her appetite and drove to her own office.

Sitting in her office, Chu Ci thought about how she had finally discovered Jian Sui was being so good to her, yet she had turned around and done that. Chu Ci, oh Chu Ci, you really are…

While she was gritting her teeth at herself, her phone rang. It was Cao Xi.

“What is it?” Chu Ci answered weakly, her mind full of regret.

“Haven’t woken up yet?” Cao Xi was full of energy, sounding like she had pulled another all-nighter. “How about some good news to cheer you up?”

“Good news?” Chu Ci remembered she had tasked Cao Xi with handling Zhao Zhu’s company and Qian Quan’s group. Results this soon?

“Yeah! Let me tell you, these guys can’t come up with a single good idea, but their heads are full of dirty tricks. We’re making steady progress with Zhao Zhu’s company, but this is an unexpected bonus.”

“So?” Chu Ci asked, playing along.

“The news is! While we were figuring out how to gut Zhao Zhu’s company, we kept an eye on her, right? Guess what we found in just two days? She’s cheated on your dad!!”

Chu Ci: … How is this ‘good’ news?

The silence didn’t stop Cao Xi. “And there’s more! We’ve investigated from every angle. It turns out Zhao Zhu knows nothing about management. When your dad gave her that company, it was a gold mine, but now it’s just an empty shell. The only reason no one has touched her is because of your dad and the Chu Group’s reputation. Otherwise, she’d have been eaten alive. You’re basically picking up the scraps.”

Cao Xi and Qian Quan were playboys, but they were rich playboys with vast networks; finding these secrets wasn’t a miracle.

Chu Ci wasn’t very surprised. Seeing Zhao Zhu busier with shopping than Chu Xiong was a clear indicator she wasn’t managing a company. “But what about the management? They can’t all be idiots.”

“The team your dad left was great, but Zhao Zhu couldn’t stand them. she replaced them with young, good-looking people she liked, making the whole company miserable. While they want growth, Zhao Zhu only wants to squander money. The fact that the company still has a cash flow is a testament to how solid that original team was.”

Cao Xi thought she was a big spender, but Zhao Zhu put her to shame. Cao Xi bought things she liked; Zhao Zhu was like a dam with a broken floodgate.

“How else is she squandering it?” Chu Ci asked, curious. Emptying a company that size without buying massive assets like houses or jewelry at home was a feat in itself. After all, the original host and Cao Xi only spent their allowance—pittance compared to a company’s revenue. That company used to be top three in Chu Group’s investments, with a net profit of over a billion a year.

Cao Xi lowered her voice. “This is where the importance of staying away from gambling comes in.”

Chu Ci straightened up instantly. “She’s involved in that?”

“I’m not sure about everything, but gambling for sure,” Cao Xi said knowingly. “Qian Quan told me he can set up a game and have Zhao Zhu lose the entire company to him. We won’t have to spend a cent. Then we take a few hundred million from you, easy peasy. Isn’t that brilliant?”

Chu Ci frowned. “I told you, no crimes.”

“I know, I know! Qian Quan said it!” Cao Xi quickly distanced herself. “They said it would be abroad. They’ve found out Zhao Zhu is heading to Cantras this Friday for a high-stakes game. They guaranteed it would be clean and untraceable domestically.”

“Still no. That’s the line.” Chu Ci didn’t want to become a criminal like the original host, nor did she want her friends to go down that path. “I can afford the time and the money. Do not break the law.”

There was a long silence on Cao Xi’s end. “Actually, if this goes well, I can double-cross Qian Quan and the others. You’d get everything for free and the ‘crime’ wouldn’t touch you.”

Chu Ci’s voice was resolute. “Cao Xi, once you step on that path, you can’t get off. That level of temptation and consequence-free pleasure is addictive. It leads to madness and destruction. I don’t want this to be the starting point of your ruin. Your safety and your future are worth more than any amount of money. Cao Xi, are you listening?”

Chu Ci was anxious, remembering Cao Xi’s tragic end in the novel. Though they hadn’t known each other long, she valued Cao Xi’s loyalty and simple-mindedness.

“Chu Ci, where are you?” Cao Xi’s voice was uncharacteristically somber.

“At the office. Why?”

“Wait for me.” Cao Xi hung up.

“Cao Xi…” Chu Ci stared at her phone, feeling guilty. If Cao Xi went down a dark path, she would feel responsible. After several unanswered calls, she grabbed her coat to look for her. Just then, the desk phone rang. It was the lobby; a Miss Cao was here.

“Send her up.”

Chu Ci tapped the desk nervously. A moment later, the door opened. It was Cao Xi. The receptionist closed the door behind her. Before Chu Ci could speak, Cao Xi burst into tears and lunged at her in a bear hug!

Chu Ci stumbled back onto the sofa, struggling against the grip. “What are you doing?”

“Chu Ci! I never knew you cared about me this much! I’m actually that important to you!”

Chu Ci: …Then why were you acting all serious on the phone! But hearing her cry so hard, Chu Ci swallowed her retort. “Let go of me.”

“No! My parents aren’t even this good to me! I declare us soul sisters from now on! Never to be separated!”

“…If you don’t let go, we’re going to be separated by death today.”

Cao Xi jumped back in fright. Chu Ci sat up, coughing violently. Who knew this girl was so strong.

“How are you this weak now?” Cao Xi patted her back guiltily. “Is your cold still not better?”

Chu Ci leaned back, catching her breath. “Shut up.”

Cao Xi, wipes her tears, continued, “Chu Ci, why are you so good to me?” First the absolute trust with billions of yuan, and now the fierce protection of her future, even if it meant spending more money. In their circle, people would sell out their own siblings for that kind of money.

Chu Ci glanced at her, unable to understand the drama. To her, stopping a friend from becoming a criminal was just common decency. Seeing Chu Ci’s silence, Cao Xi started guessing.

“Though we’re both Alphas, if you really love me, I think a Double-A romance isn’t out of the question… Ow!” Chu Ci kicked her off the sofa. Cao Xi sat on the floor, looking pained. “What! Don’t you love me anymore?”

“Where’s my knife?” Chu Ci sat up, her fatigue gone, ready to end Cao Xi.

“Just kidding! Just kidding!!” Cao Xi scrambled up and ran.

“Stop right there!” Chu Ci realized having a massive office had downsides. She couldn’t catch her. Cao Xi grabbed the door handle, ready to bolt. “Promise me, no illegal acts. Ever.”

Cao Xi was moved again. Even while wanting to kill her, Chu Ci was worried about her. “I, Cao Xi, swear to the heavens: I will never break the law, or may I be struck by lightning!”

“Fine, fine. Just remember it.”

“Hehe! I’m going back to sleep then. Call me if you miss me, mua~ love you!”

“Bang!”

Cao Xi dodged out the door, shutting it just as Chu Ci’s shoe hit it. She left with a grin, ignoring the shock of the employees as she waved and boarded the elevator.

Chu Ci picked up her shoe. While Cao Xi was a nuisance, she felt relieved for nipping a crime in the bud. She couldn’t change everyone’s fate, but saving one was a start.

Another knock. It was Cheng Feng. “Boss, about this…”

“About Bamboo Dream?”

“Yes.”

“You and Ms. Jian handle it. No need to ask me.” Chu Ci chose absolute trust; she wanted to see Jian Sui’s capability.

“Understood.”

Chu Ci settled into her work. Among the latest projects, one caught her eye. It was for fully automated cafeteria equipment—a large project but with low technical complexity. The partner, however, was notable: The Bai Group.

Project Lead: Bai Qingqing.

It was unexpected. Bai Qingqing had just returned from abroad and was already leading projects? On second thought, her talent was novel-certified, so it wasn’t a shock.

Chu Ci felt a bit of resistance toward interacting with her, but it seemed unavoidable. Just as she was about to close the file, her temporary assistant knocked.

“Ms. Chu, the Bai Group has requested an appointment. Is this afternoon suitable?”

Chu Ci’s hand paused. Of course it is.