A Disabled Alpha’S Guide To Being Loved Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Childhood Friend Xu Zhiping’s Request

Xu Zhiping was a childhood friend he had grown up with. Both of them had lived with single parents in the same village.

Back when Cheng Cheng’s family fell on hard times, most of the villagers avoided them. Only Xu Zhiping and his father were still willing to visit. During high school, Cheng Cheng had often shared meals at their house.

Later, Xu Zhiping failed to get into university and didn’t want to attend a vocational college. After helping his father with work for two years, he went to the county seat to find a job. Although they lived apart, the two remained close and shared everything, chatting on WeChat every week.

“Chengzi, why are you still sleeping?” The voice on the other end of the line was rough and powerful, carrying the natural heartiness of a Beta. “I figured it’s Monday at noon, so you ought to be free, right?”

Cheng Cheng sat up in bed, propping his back against a pillow. His voice was thick with the grogginess of someone who had just woken up. “I’m free, I just didn’t get enough sleep last night, so I was catching up on some rest.”

“That’s good.” Xu Zhiping’s voice clearly relaxed. He paused for a moment, his tone turning uncharacteristically bashful. “Chengzi, I’ve got something to tell you. I’ve started seeing someone. She’s a Beta too.”

Cheng Cheng laughed instantly. “When did this happen? Why didn’t you say so sooner! You should have found someone long ago. When you weren’t in the village these past two years, your dad was always nagging me about it, worried you’d end up a bachelor for life.”

“Heh, things just finally stabilized.” Xu Zhiping’s voice softened even more, carrying a hint of self-conscious pride. “She’s a city girl, her family is in the county. It’s just… she had a fight with her family a while back and ran off on her own. I’ve been feeling a bit uneasy about it.”

Cheng Cheng’s heart tightened. “You can’t get in touch with her?”

“I can, but she told me she went to Pujiang to work.” Xu Zhiping’s voice grew heavy. “I wanted to take her there myself, but you know how it is. I’m working in construction, and the site can’t do without people. If the boss doesn’t give the nod, I really can’t leave. Chengzi, could I ask you a favor… could you go check on her? I just want to know how she’s living and if the environment is safe. I’m afraid of a girl like her suffering out there on her own and only telling me the good news while hiding the bad.”

Cheng Cheng immediately agreed. “Don’t worry, leave it to me. Send me the address. I happen to be off today. By the way, is your girlfriend working today?”

“She is. She said they have a rotating schedule, four days off a month.” Xu Zhiping’s voice brightened instantly, full of gratitude. “Thanks, Chengzi! I’ll send you the address right now!”

Cheng Cheng wanted to ask a few more questions, but he heard someone on the other end shout, “Xu Zhiping, come give us a hand!” Xu Zhiping hurriedly said, “Talk later,” and hung up.

Cheng Cheng sat on the edge of the bed in a daze for a while, his heart feeling inexplicably heavy.

Xu Zhiping worked as a scaffolder, specializing in setting up protective frames. He spent his days harnessed to hemp ropes, swaying high in the air. Cheng Cheng had visited him at the county site once last year, and just watching him had made his palms sweat.

But Xu Zhiping said that if he worked hard, he could earn over ten thousand a month, which was about the same as a white-collar worker in the city. If he did it for seven or eight years, he could buy a house in the small county town. If he didn’t earn money, he couldn’t support himself, let alone a partner.

Cheng Cheng sighed softly, feeling that he was quite lucky. At least he had met Wei Zhi, who gave him a stable job and even promised to help him manage his finances. A boss like that was hard to come by.

A few minutes later, Xu Zhiping’s message arrived. He sent the address and also pushed his girlfriend’s WeChat contact card over. “Her name is Tian Qianqian. She works as a cleaner at a hotel. Just mention my name when you add her.”

Cheng Cheng added Tian Qianqian, and her profile picture soon popped up. It was a bouncing cartoon rabbit. Her Moments were filled with selfies; she was a girl with a high ponytail who showed two little tiger teeth when she smiled, looking lively and cheerful.

Cheng Cheng couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile, feeling happy for Xu Zhiping.

Not long after, Tian Qianqian sent a voice message.

Cheng Cheng plugged in his wired earphones and clicked it. Her voice was brisk and energetic, matching her profile picture. “You’re Chengzi, right? Xu Zhiping mentions you all the time! Honestly, that man worries too much, making you make a trip out here. I’m doing great. If you arrive, just sit in the hotel lobby for a bit. My shift ends at four, and I’ll come find you then.”

Cheng Cheng replied with a “Sure” and got up to pack his things.

He checked the navigation. The hotel where Tian Qianqian worked was on the outskirts of the city. It would take two hours by subway, involving three transfers.

After nearly two hours of traveling, Cheng Cheng finally exited the subway station. He followed the navigation for another half hour before seeing the sign for “Jijia Hotel,” which was a chain hotel.

The hotel was medium-sized. The receptionists wore uniform beige-white outfits, and the lobby was bright, with three or four sets of beige sofas for guests to rest.

The front desk was busy registering guests and didn’t notice Cheng Cheng walking in.

He sat down on a sofa and sent a message to Tian Qianqian: “I’ve arrived.” He also took a few photos of the lobby and sent them to Xu Zhiping, telling him, “The environment looks good, don’t worry.”

Just as he put down his phone, Cheng Cheng heard the sound of an argument coming from the stairwell next to the elevator, mixed with faint sobbing.

It sounded like an older woman lecturing a younger person, her voice sharp and mean. “How many times have I told you? You have to wipe the corners of the stairs too! Look at this dust, how can you not remember? Are you stupid or just thick? Your legs are bad, and your brain doesn’t work either, does it!”

“I… I didn’t get a mop.” The intern cleaner’s voice was as quiet as a mosquito.

“You dare talk back?” The older woman’s voice grew louder. “Interns don’t get mops to begin with! Can’t you just kneel down and wipe?”

“But Sister Qianqian said… mops are issued during the internship…”

“Who does she think she is! I say no, so it’s no!” Cheng Cheng heard a thud, like someone being pushed.

A second later, a small, thin figure stumbled out of the stairwell and fell heavily onto the floor, her cleaning rag dropping from her hand.

The older woman followed her out, pointing at the person on the ground and cursing, “Refusing to work hard, and at such a young age you’re already thinking about seducing men! Just because you’re an Omega, you think you can go and hook up with Alpha guests? Who told you to clean that suite! Huh? Speak up! Are you mute now? You little slut! If the manager hadn’t taken pity on your limp, would he have even hired you? Now that you failed to seduce the manager, you’re trying to hook up with others? Utterly shameless!”

As she spoke, she raised her hand to deliver a slap.

Cheng Cheng couldn’t sit still any longer. He lunged forward and pulled the person on the floor away. The slap landed squarely on his shoulder, stinging with a burning pain.

“Who… who are you!” The older woman froze for a moment. Seeing that Cheng Cheng was dressed plainly and didn’t look wealthy, she immediately became aggressive again, glaring at him fiercely. “Don’t tell me you’re another one of this cheap girl’s lovers? Heh, she really knows how to lure them in.”

Cheng Cheng shielded the person behind him. He remembered when he was cooking in the factory canteen and was being bullied and ostracized; it was the old chef, Brother Yang, who had stood up for him.

Now, he couldn’t just watch someone else be bullied and do nothing.

Cheng Cheng steadied himself, his voice calm and clear. “It doesn’t matter who I am. But you’re insulting a colleague and physically assaulting her. That constitutes intentional injury. If your manager finds out about this, or if the police are called, do you think you’ll still be able to keep your job?”

He paused and intentionally raised the phone in his hand. “I’ve already recorded your words and actions. Do you want to see?”

The older woman’s arrogant fire was instantly extinguished.

What she feared most was the manager finding out. Losing her own job was one thing, but her daughter also worked as a waitress in this hotel and interacted with many Alpha guests every day. She couldn’t let her daughter be dragged down with her.

She curled her lip and threw out a parting shot: “You can protect her for a moment, but you can’t protect her for a lifetime.” Then she sullenly entered the elevator, disappearing to some other floor.

Only after the elevator doors closed did the person behind Cheng Cheng let out a trembling sigh of relief, her voice still shaking. “Thank you…”

Cheng Cheng helped her up by the arm, only to realize that her forearms were covered in blue and purple bruises. Clearly, this wasn’t the first time she had been bullied.

“Are you okay? Do you want to sit down and have some water?”

The intern cleaner’s delicate face was still stained with tears. Looking into Cheng Cheng’s clear eyes, she bit her dry lips. “My shift is ending. Wait for me to go change. If you don’t mind, how about I buy you an orange juice? Please don’t refuse, I just want to thank you. I have an employee discount.”

Cheng Cheng saw the name on her ID badge: Su Xiaohe. He smiled and nodded. “Then thank you.”

A short while later, Su Xiaohe came out wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts, carrying two cups of orange juice.

Only then did Cheng Cheng notice that her right leg had a very pronounced limp. When she walked, her body would unconsciously lean to the left, and every step seemed to take a considerable amount of effort.