A Disguised Scum Alpha Marked Her Aloof Ex-Wife - Chapter 15

Inside the pure white nutrient solution factory, the cold machinery operated with rhythmic precision. The administrator walked past with an elegant, hands-off air. Behind her, a group of well-trained youths exchanged a glance, skillfully pivoting from technical jargon to office gossip.

“The interval gap must be controlled within 3%… hey, have you noticed Zhu Yu has been acting weird lately?”

“Everyone gets like that after working too long. She was the one who wasn’t normal when she first arrived.”

“No, she looks really depressed. She didn’t even eat the free premium nutrient gummies at lunch. Highly suspicious! Could she have been dumped? Did she fall for a guest at the bar?”

Xiao Shan lifted her eyes along with the “cat colleague’s” exaggerated tone, looking at Zhu Yu, who was currently slumped like a soft slime. She analyzed calmly: “She’s always touching that fake ring from the vintage shop. I heard second-hand antiques easily carry ‘unclean’ things. Maybe she’s possessed.”

The two were on completely different wavelengths. The cat colleague rubbed the goosebumps on her arm. “Ugh, this is a scientific society; stop reading those weird forums! The probability of her being in love is much higher than her being cursed, right?”

“No, it’s a fifty-fifty split. Both can happen simultaneously. For example, she could be in love with the ring’s previous owner. In the dead of night, a Soul Ring appears…”

Xiao Shan’s tone was eerie, nearly making the cat colleague’s fur stand on end.

Zhu Yu lifted her head feebly: “I’ll tell you a secret… I can hear you, you know.”

Xiao Shan frowned: “Why are you so weak? Did you not eat?”

The cat colleague leaned in: “Or is it heart-trouble? Tell us quickly, we’ll help you think of something!”

“Lately, I’ve been feeling… a bit overstretched.” Zhu Yu took a shallow breath.

She’d been getting sleepy so easily lately. The moment she got home, she didn’t want to do anything; she even found it hard to condense her spiritual power while massaging Bai Shuzhou.

She couldn’t close any sales at Paradis, the manager was haunting the place like a ghost, and Bai Shuzhou was always smiling at Nan Gong while only giving her a cold face…

“You’re just too tired,” Xiao Shan patted her sympathetically. “Take a few days off and get some rest.”

Zhu Yu thought of Bai Shuzhou’s icy eyes and immediately shook her head. She always felt that staying home for long periods made her even less likable; at least working outside allowed her to escape for a while.

When everything is empty, it gets very lonely.

Slacking off at work is basically finding a free entertainment venue.

Zhu Yu comforted herself with a bleak smile.

That evening, she drifted gloomily over to Paradis. Another wealthy businesswoman had opened a champagne tower for Nan Gong.

Everyone really loved Nan Gong.

The golden dome of the second floor opened, and banknotes rained down. Zhu Yu, as if seeking vengeance, shed her jacket and began picking up money like a reversed jellyfish.

Facing the temptation of gold, the girl revealed a rare wild side. The manager, who had been hesitating to speak, saw her eyes light up and quickly ran off, returning a moment later to mysteriously pull Zhu Yu aside.

The manager coughed and handed her a prized folder, speaking earnestly: “If you really want to make money—I mean, earn one final big score—you should study this ‘persona.’ It’s your blessing that you look a bit like her. This person is incredibly charming and competitive!”

Zhu Yu looked down. Inside the folder was a set of wanted posters.

The Empire’s Number One Wanted Criminal: Zhu Yu.

“…”

Her vision went dark. She swallowed with difficulty and immediately pointed her toes toward the door, already wanting to run. “Are you sure you didn’t grab the wrong one?”

The girl on the wanted poster had one hand in her pocket, a defiant smile on her lips. A plain white shirt and black trousers traced her broad shoulders and narrow waist. Her gaze was sharp and poised, like a sword about to be unsheathed.

The charges: Illegal possession of arms, kidnapping a member of the Royal Family.

Though the poster tried its best to avoid mentioning her military merits, Zhu Yu was stunned as she flipped to the back.

“Why are there personal portraits?? Isn’t she a wanted criminal?!”

“Zero worldliness. And you call yourself a university student? Don’t just look at the surface of things.”

The manager looked at her with disappointment. “Do you think ‘Star of the Commoners’ is just a joke? Imperial noble monopolies are so severe, yet she carved out a blood-soaked path and shattered the myth of bloodline supremacy. A D-grade Alpha managed to win the Princess’s favor! What a terrifying woman!”

“This ‘wanted’ status is just a play. I have insider info: this is all the Emperor’s scheme. In reality, the little Consort and the Princess eloped for a honeymoon. What young couple wants to be managed by their elders every day? The Emperor used it as an excuse to clean up the disobedient nobles! Read the news more, kid. The power balance in the Northern Sector has completely flipped…”

The “eloping Consort” herself: “…” As expected of a smuggler’s den; the situation at Paradis is too complex.

The manager spoke with passionate intensity, spit flying everywhere. Seeing the girl looking as dazed as a quail, he slapped her shoulder heavily, his expression ferocious:

“Do you know the biggest difference between you and her?”

Zhu Yu shook her head quickly, assuming a posture of humble learning.

“Aura! The look in your eyes! Predators are just more competitive than herbivores. You have to be proactive! What’s with all these clothes? The great Star of the Commoners—she used to seduce the Princess like this in the early days. Look at this uniform, look at this gaze…”

“It’s like a Samoyed versus a Wolf. One can only be a dog, while the other is cool. Do you get what I mean?”

Zhu Yu thought to herself: A Samoyed isn’t a herbivore either. They eat dog food and meat-and-veg mixes, and people brush their fur for them. That sounds great.

But she still pretended to have an epiphany for the manager.

A low chuckle came from the doorway.

Who’s eavesdropping on business secrets? The manager turned around unhappily, but seeing Nan Gong, he immediately broke into a smile. He pointed at her for Zhu Yu: “See? That’s a wolf. You know how popular she is, right?”

Zhu Yu knew. No one! Knew better than her! Just how—annoying—this person was!

Who smiles in that strained, sultry voice all day? So fake. Isn’t she tired? Zhu Yu lowered her voice and imitated Nan Gong’s tone with an eerie, cold laugh.

Nan Gong was delighted. She walked over and ruffed Zhu Yu’s hair with a cheerful wave. “You aren’t suited for this line of work. Quit while you’re ahead.”

Out of the corner of her eye, her fingernail tapped the wanted poster in Zhu Yu’s hand with a crisp clack. She said meaningfully: “Go to the Federation and be a full-time repair technician. Wouldn’t that be better? The Empire’s backwards systems are like a swamp. Why should a commoner like you get stuck in it…”

She was fully focused, the wrist hidden in her pocket tense, anticipating a clash of wits and will.

However, Zhu Yu just said, “Oh. Makes sense. I think the Federation is pretty good too.”

It was like punching a bale of cotton.

Zhu Yu drifted away. With no guests requesting her, she hid in a corner to slack off, grabbing a fluffy colleague to “huff” her face into their fur… she deliberately waited until very late to go home.

Without the “Enchanting Saxophone” playing, the journey became even lonelier.

She had a small glass of wine, and her mind was a mess. One moment it was the astronomical bounty on the wanted poster, the next it was the tacit exchange between Bai Shuzhou and Nan Gong. She unconsciously sniffed her nose and grew furious.

I was the one who fixed the game consoles they play! I even bought the cartridges! Next time, I won’t let Nan Gong play, or I’ll secretly swap her button mapping… wait, would that be too mean?

Does Bai Shuzhou like wolves?

In the silent street, Zhu Yu paused and imitated a few wolf howls.

Awoo—

She had a bit of a talent for mimicry; it was quite lifelike. Zhu Yu was very satisfied.

Hmph. Can Nan Gong do that? Can the original Zhu Yu do that?

A moment later, a lazy, answering wolf howl drifted back from the distant wasteland.

Zhu Yu’s eyes went wide, her buzz mostly gone. She quickly wrapped her coat tight and sprinted home.

There are actually real wolves! So scary!!!

The wolves woken up in the middle of the night looked at each other: Strange. What kind of accent does that kid have? Can’t understand her. Is she lost?

Zhu Yu used to have excellent sleep quality, but tonight she was tossy and restless. During her shift, she had secretly checked the ticket prices to the nearest Federal sector; they were much cheaper than going back to the Imperial Capital.

If it were just her, she could buy a standing-room ticket on a cargo starship. She just needed to save a bit more. Paradis dealt in smuggling; if she asked her colleagues, they might know of some discounted channels.

She wasn’t that “Star of the Commoners” Zhu Yu. She didn’t have that much ambition, nor that much charm.

If the person surrounded by nobles that day had been the original owner, maybe she wouldn’t have had to flee with the Princess in such a pathetic state?

She couldn’t bring her harm, but she couldn’t shield her from the storm either. In the end, she was just an ordinary person.

The physical exhaustion and discomfort made her mood drop further. Zhu Yu unconsciously touched the ring; it reflected a haunting red light in the darkness, crystal clear as if it had just drunk its fill of blood.

Her eyelids were heavy, yet her consciousness was piercingly sharp. Her soul and body felt detached, drifting through a long winter, unable to reach the other shore.

In the white void, Zhu Yu suddenly heard a faint moan.

Vines were growing rampantly, blooming with the most vivid flowers, making the woman’s silver hair look even more deathly pale. She almost merged with the snowy landscape, hands still clasped like a martyr in a holy scripture, about to be buried by pain.

A small section of vine climbed to Zhu Yu’s side, a curved branch hooking around her pinky, silently coiling—a silent plea or invitation.

Though it was a summer night, the entire room was terrifyingly cold.

Warm yellow spiritual power scattered like fireflies. Zhu Yu scrambled up in a daze, pulled back the white gauze, and saw Bai Shuzhou shivering. Her lip had been bitten through in her refusal to show weakness, and the dripping blood bloomed into a decadent rose on her neck, silently withering.

So cold… so cold.

In the boundless frigidity, Zhu Yu crawled into the blankets. They hugged each other tightly, so cold their thoughts were frozen, so cold the healing ability could barely condense. Zhu Yu stubbornly pressed her face against Bai Shuzhou’s, forehead to forehead, trying to share her warmth.

…

In the world of ice and snow, a pair of pale blue eyes lifted from beneath white-flecked lashes.

A girl stood alone in the center of the world, flying and falling over and over until she was covered in scars. The blood pooling beneath her bloomed into a vast field of roses, burning like a fierce fire.

“Again!” she said.

The sparks set the prairie ablaze. Vines supported the girl’s frail body as she stood tall. A weak light finally pierced the darkness, and she saw it—the oppressive darkness above her head—

Was an eye.

The sky was blinking slowly, heavily.

And despite her best efforts, she could only see the tip of the iceberg.

Then, ten thousand eyes opened simultaneously. The world became as bright as day, staring fixedly at the girl.

A silver-white scalpel was pressed delicately against her skin.

What are you doing? Let her go!

Thinking of the surgical marks on Bai Shuzhou’s body, Zhu Yu watched in horror, wanting to scream. But her mouth opened and closed; no matter how much she ran, she couldn’t get closer.

“This is your destiny,” a rolling thunder said.

“You shall fight for the fate of humanity.”

No chains, no restraints; the girl just waited quietly for the arrival of so-called destiny.

Why don’t you run away?!

Zhu Yu pinched her wrist hard—no sensation. She suddenly realized: this was a dream. Bai Shuzhou’s dream.

The sharp blade sliced the skin, and ten thousand crimson petals surged out along with the pain.

This time, what Zhu Yu felt wasn’t fear, but rage.

“She doesn’t want this destiny!”

Zhu Yu lifted her face and roared: “If the fate of humanity has fallen so low that it needs to be carried by a child, then it might as well be destroyed!”

She rushed forward, grabbing the young Bai Shuzhou and running.

She was an expert at running away.

If it feels too painful, then just run. It’s no big deal!

Call it cowardice or selfishness, but you should live for yourself, fight for yourself—that is human instinct!

The girl looked at their tightly clasped hands, initially confused. The red mole on her wrist swayed in the air. Even after such inhuman treatment, those pale blue eyes remained devoid of joy or sorrow.

She calmly tried to analyze everything, as she was used to doing—deconstructing and weighing everything over and over to find the optimal solution.

Then, she very lightly lifted her hand and gripped Zhu Yu back.

Sweat, rapid gasps. The darkness behind them swallowed everything, those eyes chasing them, trying to catch them.

Zhu Yu was a bit slow and about to be caught when silver-white wings suddenly unfurled, blotting out the sun, quietly shielding her.

Roses. The woman’s unique fragrance. Even as the world plunged back into darkness, it felt warm and grounding.

The chill gradually receded. Moonlight spilled in, and the sound of cicadas filtered through the old sheet-metal frame.

The woman being held tightly on the bed opened her eyes.

A fluffy head was pressed very close, carrying a faint buzz of alcohol. The girl was curled up like a sled dog warming a human in a snowy night, or like a melting sun. The skin where they touched was damp.

This person… is so hot…

Bai Shuzhou uncomfortably tried to push her away, but was only held tighter. The girl’s soft breath brushed against her neck. It tickled.

Her beautiful brows furrowed slightly. Bai Shuzhou flicked her tail, coiling it around the girl’s waist, treating her as a large body pillow and adjusting her into a comfortable position.

In her sleep, Zhu Yu felt the “vines” coiling around her getting heavier. She brushed away the slightly cold vine, only for it to be draped back over her. After this cycle repeated, the “vine” finally grew impatient and gave her a light, sharp flick.

Hiss… Zhu Yu settled down and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning.

Zhu Yu opened her eyes blearily and saw that face—beauty so startling it took her breath away.

A perfect, flawless display at such close range.

The woman was sleeping peacefully, her lips exceptionally graced with a hint of a smile. Her silver hair fell softly like snow, her breathing light and shallow.

Zhu Yu’s heart couldn’t help but turn soft.

A tail was wrapped around her waist, nuzzling her in dissatisfaction at her silent, trembling laughter. Zhu Yu found it a bit funny and patted it soothingly.

Cold. Smooth.

What a cute little tail. So clingy.

This was a very beautiful dream.

Zhu Yu looked at the beautiful silver tail and liked it very much, intending to sleep a bit longer. She habitually pinched her wrist, only to find the tail coiling around it, pushing her fingers away one by one.

The smile on Zhu Yu’s lips froze.

Wait. Sensation. This wasn’t a dream.

Tail… where did a tail come from…

She instinctively gripped it and opened her eyes in disbelief, meeting the gaze of the tail’s owner.

The woman’s icy eye-corners were flushed red. Stray hairs shielded the sharp light in her eyes. Her voice was crisp, without a hint of guilt for being caught:

“Let go.”