Chapter 56 Online Romance with a Bad Beta: Spending the Night with an Alpha

The next morning, Gloria arrived at the hospital with her clothes and met her boss in the ward.

She sat in a chair, still wearing her clothes, her face showing signs of fatigue, her hands pressed against her thighs, massaging them incessantly.

Hearing the voice, she turned her face to the left and said, "Give it to me."

Gloria stepped forward with the bag of clothes and placed it on the table beside her: "These are the clothes you asked me to bring, and this is the breakfast you asked me to bring. Please have some."

Xi Congshuang barely slept all night, having paid a heavy price for the four points of Honkai value, and responded softly.

Gloria stood quietly to the side, and accidentally noticed the dark circles under her boss's eyes. She thought to herself that her boss cared so much about the alpha in the ward that he had even gotten himself dark circles under his eyes.

Although I don't understand why the boss was rubbing her legs, maybe she stayed up all night taking care of her and accidentally hurt her legs.

Gloria refused to think about what kind of caregiver would need to use their legs. Standing to the side, she smiled at Xi Congshuang and said, "I informed everyone last night that you would be attending the weekly meeting today. The meeting is expected to start in two hours."

Her gaze lingered on Xi Congshuang's face for a moment: "You have some dark circles under your eyes, would you like me to cover them up with some makeup?"

Dark circles under the eyes?

Xi Congshuang, who has a regular sleep schedule, rarely heard this word. Considering that she had barely slept all night, it was normal for her to hear it.

Xi Congshuang looked in the mirror. Her dark circles weren't very obvious, but you could still see them if you looked closely. She declined Gloria's suggestion: "No need, it's fine as it is."

Gloria: "???"

Good? What's so good about it?

The boss rarely returns to the company for a weekly meeting, shouldn't he be in his best spirits to handle it?

After all, the company was rife with rumors about the boss being a playboy and incompetent, so she thought the other party was going back today to salvage his image.

Although the boss's various actions indeed demonstrate that he is an incompetent playboy... she is Xi Congshuang's subordinate and will only be loyal to the boss.

As long as the boss is there, the high salary is there too.

Instead of engaging in all that backstabbing and infighting, it's better to stick with the rich and carefree playboy boss.

He's just a lackey, easy peasy!

Xi Congshuang didn't say anything more. After having breakfast, she got up to change her clothes.

A few minutes later, the person who had changed clothes came out of the washroom, bowing his head to straighten the dark green gemstone cuffs on his sleeves.

Gloria's eyes lit up, feeling that she was mostly safe.

I'm going to the office today. Gloria brought me some business-style clothes, hoping to impress the boss with her attire. Unexpectedly, she actually managed to bring out the boss's inherent elite temperament.

Xi Congshuang stood in front of the mirror, deeply regretting her mistake.

The figure in the mirror was tall and elegant, wearing a dark black suit jacket with dark green gemstone cufflinks that added a touch of brightness. His gaze towards the mirror was indifferent.

She doesn't look like a spoiled brat; she looks more like she used to be when she was working.

The fatigue on his face seemed to be from working overtime all night, making it hard to imagine that he was a playboy who had indulged in a night of revelry and hurriedly got out of bed.

Looking up at the AI, Xi Congshuang gave up the idea of ​​changing her clothes. It was getting late, and there wasn't enough time to change in time.

One's reputation should be able to make up for this deficiency.

She turned around and asked, "Gloria, do you have any non-prescription glasses?"

If someone has dark circles under their eyes and still wears glasses, it will seem to some observant person that they are trying to cover it up.

She doesn't have the idea of ​​breaking away from her original character setting yet; Xi Congshuang keeps her character setting separate from that of the female lead and other characters.

*

"...Professor Wei said that this is likely to be cyclical. The first two patients she treated also experienced similar symptoms and had some rejection reactions after taking the medication."

After returning from the examination, Tan Yicheng listened to her assistant's words. The assistant explained the case to Tan Yicheng on behalf of her teacher and comforted her, "It's okay. The teacher said your situation is actually not too bad, not very..."

"Click." Before Tan Yicheng could reach out to open the door, the ward door opened.

She looked up and was taken aback.

The person standing behind the door was Xi Congshuang. She had changed into a suit, and frameless glasses perched on her delicate nose. Her indifferent gaze, seen through the lenses, exuded an air of abstinence and elite sophistication.

"..."

I never imagined Xi Congshuang had this side to her; she really is... quite different.

The person who opened the door was Gloria, who greeted Tan Yicheng with a smile: "Good morning, Miss Tan."

Tan Yicheng snapped out of her reverie and nodded: "Good morning."

You can't hit a smiling face. Gloria always has a smile on her face, and she looks sincere and polite, making it hard for people to dislike her.

As Xi Congshuang left, she said to Tan Yicheng as she passed by, "I'm going to the company today, and I expect to come back this afternoon."

Tan Yicheng didn't understand why she was telling her this. She said "Oh," and only realized what she meant after the person had walked away. She asked curiously, "Why are you telling me this? What does it have to do with me?"

Even if Xi Congshuang doesn't come, it won't matter; she'll actually find it more peaceful.

It's best if she doesn't come; she doesn't want to hear any revenge stories. Last night, all she could think about were the words Xi Congshuang had said.

The nurse making rounds walked over from a distance, taking in the expressions of the two of them. After hearing Tan Yicheng's words, she pursed her lips.

She recalled the foolish things she had said last night, things she found unbearable to recall. How was that any different from sowing discord between others?

It's just unexpected that Miss Tan is an alpha who says one thing but means another, and her slightly quirky temper is quite adorable in love.

The assistant left quickly to go to the office to prepare a treatment plan for the teacher.

The beta nurse stayed in the ward, meticulously recording all of her data and adjusting the air purifier settings; only then was part of her work complete.

With nothing to do, Tan Yicheng sat on the bed looking at the smart device. Suddenly, he remembered that he had forgotten to continue talking to "Xi Xiaoxue" last night, so he swiped his finger up and down to find the chat box.

"They conspired with my hardworking uncle to kick me out of the company... leaving me homeless, either dead or insane..."

Xi Congshuang's voice suddenly flashed through her mind. She clicked her tongue in surprise at Xi Congshuang saying such nonsense to her for no reason, and then put the matter out of her mind and successfully found the chat box.

With a tap of his finger, Tan Yicheng clicked into the chat, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

It turns out there was more to the story. Xi Congshuang sent her a photo of the Milky Way. After zooming in and doing some calculations, she realized that the angle was likely taken from when she was sitting on the sofa, looking out the porthole.

It's perfectly normal for a playboy who indulges in sensual pleasures to stay out all night and have fun, so Tan Yicheng wasn't surprised.

With a slender finger, the image was magnified again, revealing several familiar stars.

The brands of the furnishings inside the boat can be determined by searching for various rental companies on the screenshot.

Based on the altitude and the distance to several numbered stars, her spaceship should have reached...

wrong.

Tan Yicheng stopped calculating in time, almost having a subconscious attack, trying to determine Xi Congshuang's location and define her activity range.

Looking at it again, the time isn't right.

The time she posted the photos was only one hour after Xi Congshuang appeared at the hospital. Such a tight schedule made it seem like she came directly from a spaceship.

But looking at Xi Congshuang last night, she didn't seem travel-worn at all, and even had the mood to wring out a towel for herself.

Why?

It can't be that a second personality actually splits out, causing a huge change in thinking, right?

During her brainstorming session, Tan Yicheng felt something dart around in her peripheral vision. She glanced to the side and saw it was a nurse making her rounds.

The other person clearly noticed her gaze and looked over.

Tan Yicheng's greatest strength is her diligence and inquisitiveness. She has simple social skills, her past experiences are not very relevant, and asking medical professionals is the best option when it comes to the question of whether she has a brain disease.

Tan Yicheng: "Nurse, I have a question for you."

The nurse, thinking she was feeling unwell, said seriously, "Tell me."

Tan Yicheng thought for a moment: "If someone's attitude towards you changes before and after, and they make many excuses to obscure their true purpose, does that mean they have ulterior motives?"

"..." Is this all you're saying to the medical staff?

Everyone is a different person before and after falling in love. As the saying goes, love makes people crazy and changes them beyond recognition!

Could it be that my words yesterday really had an effect, causing her to have negative thoughts and start to doubt whether this relationship could continue?

Although mainstream opinion encourages AO relationships, the superior genes of both partners can produce more outstanding offspring.

But what kind of society is this now? As long as it's not about betraying the Federation and marrying a space pirate, the Star People can marry whoever they want. It's just a minority, it's not like they're betraying the Federation.

The nurse blushed, embarrassed, but encouraged her, "A and AB relationships are great too! I wish you happiness!"

Tan Yicheng's expression went blank: "...Huh?"

What is she saying?

*

Before the aircraft arrived at the company on time, Xi Congshuang looked down from the aircraft window.

The Future Pharmaceuticals headquarters occupies a vast area, and from a distance, it looks like a steel giant lying on the ground.

"Destination reached." The aircraft slowly landed on the central floor of the high-rise building, making it more convenient to get to the office from here.

The car door opened, and the two people inside got out and entered the company.

Up until this point, the two beta versions did not yet have serious problems.

On the way to the elevator, Gloria brought up something: "The things you asked me to prepare last night are in your office."

Xi Congshuang then said, "Then let's go to the office first."

The meeting had been going on for a long time, but the person in the main seat had not appeared. Fifteen minutes overtime had passed, and everyone at the conference table kept looking up at the time on their smart devices.

Xiao Suicui had been called to invite Xi Congshuang over several times, and each time she returned with a helpless look, saying the same thing: "She said she'd come."

After a moment of silence in the meeting room, hushed discussions broke out, including sighs and head-shaking.

The middle-aged man sitting to one side of the main seat stood up and said, "Since she hasn't arrived yet, she probably has her own things to do. Let's begin."

Since things have come to this, there's nothing we can do about it.

The weekly meeting started half an hour late, and everyone quickly got into the swing of things, reporting on their work.

"Bang!" The conference room door was suddenly opened by someone. Before they could even see who it was, the alphas and omegas present could smell the fresh yet domineering scent of pheromones.

"Fresh" refers to the scent, while "domineering" describes the feeling this pheromone gives—it's the scent of an alpha.

Upon seeing the person standing in front of the door, it was Xi Congshuang. She was a beta, and the alpha scent on her could only have come from elsewhere.

Judging from her tired eyes and the dark circles under her eyes even through her frameless glasses, she was indeed a spoiled brat.

Xi Congshuang arrived late, looking utterly bored. Without even glancing at the silent executives, she sat down in the empty head seat.

Looking around at the various expressions on their faces, Xi Congshuang raised her chin and said, "Continue, I'm watching."

"..."

With her nonchalant demeanor, who would believe she could even see it? Whether she could even understand it is another matter entirely.

The meeting, which had been forced to a halt, resumed. No one was so oblivious as to stand up and criticize Xi Congshuang for being late as the company's CEO; everyone focused on the main points of the meeting.

Whether someone is truly capable or not makes little difference to the higher-ups. Xi Congshuang's reluctance to start businesses or her lack of ambition and drive represent a commitment to maintaining the status quo and stability.

Moreover, Future Pharmaceuticals is a well-known pharmaceutical company across the entire galaxy, with a wide range of businesses, including supplying medicines to the military, and has close and in-depth cooperation with them.

In short, as long as Xi Congshuang doesn't do anything drastic, the company will never go bankrupt. Just the supply line to the military alone is enough to guarantee her a lifetime of wealth and prosperity.

In front of the screen, the marketing executive was about to present the plans for the next quarter when he was interrupted by a voice.

"You're still asking me? It's because you usually don't give Xi Yanjun enough money. She just kept pestering me for more, and I was late because I was trying to earn money for her."

The murmurs abruptly ceased as everyone turned to look.

The speaker was Xi Congshuang, who was talking to the vice president next to her.

Xi Lianghan, who had started the conversation, paused for a moment: "What?"

Xi Congshuang seemed quite pleased with herself to repeat herself, even sitting up a little straighter: "I mean, I hadn't been in the office long when Xi Yanjun came in, saying that last time..."

Actually, making her sit crookedly would be difficult for Xi Congshuang, as she was already used to sitting properly and always meticulous.

Noticing the gazes of the crowd, Xi Lianghan had no choice but to speak up and stop them: "Did Yanjun really say that to you? I'll teach her a lesson when I get back. She's such a grown alpha, how can she still ask you for money? You shouldn't have given it to her."

Xi Congshuang: "Then do we have to pay it back?"

"..." Xi Lianghan smiled gently, "She should have her salary deducted."

Xi Congshuang: "Isn't her salary very low? Yesterday she told me that her salary was too low to pay for the spaceship rental and asked me to pay for it for her. She complained that I didn't give her face. I remembered what you said, 'Don't indulge her,' so I left without paying."

Xi Lianghan: "…………"

Xi Congshuang raised her hand and beckoned Gloria to hand her a stack of paper bills, which she placed on Xi Lianghan's desk: "Please take a look."

In this era of paperless offices, there are still two things that remain in paper form: bills and important documents.

Xi Congshuang: "I also really want to deduct it from Xi Yanjun's salary, but she spends too much. She would have to work in the pharmaceutical industry for at least a thousand years in the future to pay off the debt with her current salary."

"..."

The drawback of arranging low-level positions for her children in order to maintain a good image has become apparent. Although it avoided exposing Xi Yanjun's unreliable and forgetful nature, it also made her money insufficient.

Under the guise of accompanying her cousin, she deliberately tricked Xi Congshuang into becoming a sucker, and whenever anyone asked, Xi Congshuang was the one who stepped forward.

In the end, everyone only saw Xi Congshuang as a spoiled brat, and no one paid any attention to Xi Yanjun in the shadows.

What Xi Congshuang couldn't understand the most was why Xi Lianghan would go to such lengths and do things that were ultimately thankless, always trying to ruin Xi Congshuang's image.

As long as the person in charge doesn't negatively impact the company's image, whatever she likes to do won't affect the company's operations or her public image.

Who in business truly values ​​face and acts like a genuinely good person?

Those who are obsessed with superficial projects and engage in aimless research will only end up being devoured without a trace.

Xi Congshuang tapped the table with her fingertips and pushed a stack of bills over: "She said I didn't give her face, and I'm not happy about that. That's the real way to not give her face."

"Uncle, just take it back to her and let her see what it means to not give face."

For some reason, everyone present felt that Xi Congshuang was implying something.

But considering her past behavior, it's not surprising that she would say such childish things. She was spoiled by Mr. Xi since she was a child and does whatever she wants regardless of the occasion.

Xi Lianghan's face darkened as he grabbed the bills and looked at them one by one: "That bastard, she actually made you spend so much money on her. I wondered why she was always out all night, and I couldn't even scold her."

Xi Congshuang: "Yes, just say it's on President Xi's tab, and the bill will come naturally. We should have a good talk with her. She can't stay this hopeless forever. A person should have ambition."

"..."

It's normal for anyone to say this, but it's the most abnormal thing for Xi Congshuang to say it.

Regardless of what everyone was thinking, the expressions on their faces were all quite pleasing.

Xi Lianghan nodded in agreement: "You're right. I'll have to give her a good talking to when I get back, and I won't allow her to ask you for money to go out again."

Xi Congshuang: "Uncle."

Xi Lianghan felt he had developed a condition that made his scalp tingle whenever he heard Xi Congshuang call him "uncle": "Sigh."

Xi Congshuang tapped the pen with her fingertip: "Sign it. She said I'm not good, I'm in a bad mood, and I don't want to help her pay it off."

A senior official, unable to stand by and watch, stepped in to smooth things over: "Oh, these are all minor matters. Why don't you two, uncle and nephew, sit down and talk things out? This is not a good situation."

Xi Congshuang looked up and pointed to the bill: "I remember you two are very close, like family friends. Will you help me pay it back?"

The person: "..."

The one who stood out was severely punished, and even fewer people will speak up afterward, because Xi Congshuang will only ask one question: "Are you going to help pay it back?"

"If you're helping me pay it off, how many bills do you want me to split it into?"

"You need to help pay back these too? Then come over and pick a few to take."

So no one spoke up anymore, afraid to help pay the bill.

Xi Lianghan looked at the stack of things in his hand. He cared about his reputation and face. If he didn't sign in front of so many people, it would sound bad if word got out.

Having been a good person for so many years, I wouldn't ruin my image in the face of money and become a bloodsucker who instigates his daughter to go to his older brother and sister-in-law's house to ask their children for money.

These bills have different years, amounts, and locations of purchase, indicating that they have been accumulated over several years.

The accumulated amount is considerable, but not to the point of being unaffordable.

There's no place where someone would owe money for so long; it's only possible that they've already paid it all and are now paying it all back at once.

Did they treat him like a bank for making regular savings deposits? Xi Lianghan's temples throbbed.

It wasn't until Xi Lianghan found the first bill that he realized it was from October three years ago.

That was the third month when Xi Congshuang was unable to accept the death of her parents and was in unbearable pain. It was also the month when Xi Yanjun rekindled her sisterly bond, went to her sister to help her resolve her inner conflict, and became both a sister and a friend.

She coaxed Xi Congshuang into buying her a bag; it wasn't expensive, just 800,000 yuan.

The weekly meeting, which was supposed to be a proper meeting, turned into a notary meeting, with all the company's senior executives sitting together, watching Vice President Xi sign bills one after another.

Gloria was a competent lackey; she didn't need to maintain the aloof and sophisticated elite image like other CEO secretaries, simply reading out amounts one bill after another.

Xi Lianghan wanted to ask her to read it several times, but Gloria looked at him innocently and said, "I'm sorry, Vice President Xi, I'm not a qualified accountant. I like to increase the amount while reading it..."

"Where was I reading it again?" She glanced at the bill on the table and said knowingly, "It's a three million bill from Vic at Crown Bar, and the details include: ome..."

Xi Lianghan: "Alright, just read out the money."

Even if you're furious and your veins are bulging, you still have to carefully write your name on the blank space of the bill.

Each bill was a debt he had to pay; it's impossible to say he didn't profit from them at all.

Xi Yanjun is the only daughter in her family. She often brings home novelties, but she always spends Xi Congshuang's money on them. Who would mind that she is being filial without any effort or expense?

Xi Congshuang sat to one side, propping her head up as she watched.

How could she possibly give the female lead the opportunity to collude with Xi Lianghan to kick her out of the company?

As the company's top leader, Xi Congshuang didn't adjourn the meeting, so no one dared to leave right then and there.

Everyone was confused as to what Xi Yanjun had said to anger Xi Congshuang so much that she got out of bed with the alpha and went straight to the company to cause trouble for her uncle.

The strong scent of alph essence emanating from her was definitely from spending a whole night with an A-grade alpha.