A Disguised Scum Alpha Marked Her Aloof Ex-Wife - Chapter 32

Bed partner.

A partner in bed.

For one instant, Zhu Yu’s soul left her body and flew into space. After struggling to circle around the traditional four-piece bedding set, and confirming that she could not possibly be a pillowcase or duvet cover, she accepted with some difficulty that this referred to a tacit, intimate yet distant relationship between adults.

Bai Shuzhou had bitten the words very lightly. Although the ending rose, making it a question, there was a strange certainty in it.

She had always trusted her own judgment more. And “bed partner” sounded much safer than “lover,” maintaining just the right distance—close, yet far.

Zhu Yu widened her eyes and met eighteen-year-old Bai Shuzhou’s indifferent gaze. She, obedient as a quail, had never imagined in this life or the last that this word would one day be used on her.

And with Bai Shuzhou, no less.

Defined personally by Bai Shuzhou.

Wait.

She suddenly realized that a person’s behavior might change because of their environment and experiences, but their underlying logic and core probably would not change.

And Bai Shuzhou, after losing her memories, seemed to have effortlessly used one precise term to puncture the layer of paper Zhu Yu had never dared to think too deeply about.

So that money was not a love token. It was…

A reward?

It would have been better if it had been money to buy bedding!!!

The young woman looked very wronged, practically as if she were staring at a heartless betrayer, stubbornly wanting an explanation.

Bai Shuzhou frowned slightly. After a moment of silence, she turned her head to avoid Zhu Yu’s gaze. Her voice was light as a feather falling to the ground.

“Good night.”

It was a proper and irrefutable order to leave.

She sank into the soft pillow, sliding lower and lower, until Zhu Yu could only see her smooth forehead and those lightly narrowed eyes.

The fluffy white down quilt softened the sharp aura around her. She was stuck in that half-slid position, like snow about to melt but not yet melted, revealing a softness inconsistent with her icy expression.

The glacier floated on the surface. Her scattered white hair loosely covered her flickering pale blue eyes, and behind those loose strands, the tips of her ears faintly flushed pink.

“Right.”

Zhu Yu coughed and suddenly spoke.

“That’s exactly how it is. And we also have goodnight kisses. You were the one who set that rule.”

“…”

Those ice-blue eyes snapped open. A clear trace of confusion flashed through them.

Bai Shuzhou did not like overly intimate physical contact with others. Having suddenly lost her memories, she currently had no way to verify whether Zhu Yu’s words were true.

Zhu Yu leaned close to her ear, cupping a hand near her lips, deliberately lowering her voice mysteriously. Her tone was pressed down with a magnetic quality as she imitated the woman’s businesslike manner.

“This is also for your treatment. You should know better than anyone that when we kiss… it benefits you.”

At this moment, she seemed to comprehend the mindset of those in power without a teacher.

When interests were involved, that was the most convincing language.

After speaking, she kept a straight face and quickly pecked Bai Shuzhou’s soft cheek.

Rather than a kiss, it was more like a touch carrying a faint trace of mental power, like a tiny current of electricity, tingling as it darted across Bai Shuzhou’s stunned cheek.

When Zhu Yu had first discovered her ability, they had been kissing. She realized that using it this way was actually more flexible than gathering mental power in her palm.

That warm touch, carrying healing energy, was like a small patch of sunlight lightly pressing close and then leaving.

After throwing down those words, Zhu Yu put one hand in her pocket, bowed with a carefree posture, and turned to leave.

“Good night, my princess.”

Her magnetic voice was pressed very low. Bai Shuzhou, lying on the hospital bed, simply watched as the young woman’s slender figure appeared somewhat romantic, her steps brisk and clean, without the slightest reluctance.

Zhu Yu took a deep breath.

Success. Run!

The hand in her pocket pinched until her knuckles turned pale. As soon as she reached the blind spot, Zhu Yu immediately quickened her steps, wishing she could fly out on the spot.

If she did not leave, it would be over once Bai Shuzhou came back to her senses. After all, even this way of using her ability had been taught to her by Bai Shuzhou herself.

She knew it!

They were both eighteen. Facing such a strange scene, how could Bai Shuzhou possibly be that calm?

She was only forcing herself to hold on!

How could feelings be handled like official business? If things were already unclear, then asking for a little sweetness was also very normal.

The theory was sound, but her cheeks were burning.

Zhu Yu pressed her hand against her lips and practically jogged away from the scene.

At the corner, her shoulder suddenly hurt as she solidly bumped into someone.

The two each staggered half a step and looked up at the same time, both a little panicked.

The yellow-haired researcher said loudly, “I’m sorry, Your Highness Zhu Yu!”

Zhu Yu immediately waved her hands aside. “It’s fine, it’s fine! Thank you, goodbye, good night!”

The two socially anxious people nodded hurriedly in perfect tacit understanding, then quickly separated, as if they had never met, not adding even the slightest trouble for each other.

The researcher gently pushed open the door to perform routine maintenance on the instruments at the entrance. Light from the corridor shone in, making the room seem especially dim for a moment.

In the distance, those eyes, sharp as gemstones, were unusually clear in the dark.

She saw the princess, who should have been asleep, stretching out slender fingers pale almost to translucence and pressing them against her soft cheek. Her expression was difficult to read, and her fingertip unconsciously rubbed very lightly.

……

After only one night, Zhu Yu revived at full health.

The soft touch of Bai Shuzhou’s face and her faint fragrance seemed to still linger on Zhu Yu’s fingers and at the tip of her nose, making her hug her pillow and toss and turn all night without sleeping well.

Why had she kissed her cheek, not her lips?

She began a delayed reflection, while also feeling that her ambition was quietly swelling.

Even if they were defined by that kind of relationship, it was still a stable relationship acknowledged between adults.

She was still the person closest to Bai Shuzhou!

Although there was a slight suspicion of taking advantage of someone’s weakness, but—but her ability really was useful to Bai Shuzhou. If their feelings were mutual, how could it count as deception?

Since she could not sleep anyway, she simply spent the entire night looking up materials related to mental power.

With a terminal, her efficiency greatly increased. Three virtual screens could even be opened at the same time.

For the first time, Zhu Yu truly felt what it meant to say, “Back in our day, how could we have had such good things?” The terminal was expensive, but there was indeed a reason for it. In terms of user experience, it completely defeated the cheap terminal machines of the chaotic zone.

But there did not seem to be many materials specifically studying mental power. Publicly available information was pitifully scarce, as though it had been deliberately cleaned out by human hands. Instead, on some bizarre urban legend forums, discussions about “abilities” were much more active.

This kind of cutting-edge technology was probably monopolized. Perhaps it would only gradually be declassified after several more decades.

The second-hand repair books Zhu Yu had bought from Baima mentioned a little of it, but according to Baima, parts of those books had also been deliberately deleted. From writing, publication, to acquisition, the so-called “latest” technology had probably already iterated hundreds of times.

She had no clue at all.

Zhu Yu could only plan to bite the bullet during the day and ask her Academy friends for advice.

The yellow-haired researcher was named Yu Yan. She was a shy yet hot-blooded person, a PhD in biological sciences. She would repost Science Daily articles into the “One Loving Planet Family” group, occasionally mixed with one or two inspirational articles about equality for commoners. It unexpectedly matched the group name quite well.

The others were much colder. Zhu Yu did not know whether all geniuses were like this. They chatted fine in person, but online they were icy and sparing with words.

Zhu Yu was afraid Yu Yan would feel awkward, so she pulled through the messages one by one and replied to each. The attached images were several thumbs-ups. Although every profession was like a mountain separating worlds, and Zhu Yu could not understand those Science Daily articles, liking them was always correct.

At noon, while preparing ingredients, she politely asked in the icy group chat: Is there anything everyone wants to eat?

The group chat became lively again. Everyone strongly advised Zhu Yu not to be too polite. Just something simple would do, like braised beef wide noodles. No need to separate wet and dry ingredients. The soup soaking into the noodles made it flavorful.

Eh. Were Empire people’s tastes this unified?

Zhu Yu silently breathed a sigh of relief. She felt that this kind of steaming-hot food invisibly drew them closer. Otherwise, if she went empty-handed, she really would be too embarrassed to ask around.

On this journey, although there had been some obstacles, she had also met many kind people.

In the end, this world was still full of love!

On the other side of the screen, Yu Yan glanced at the latest message, expressionlessly tapped “Cheers to our friendship,” then lowered her head and continued organizing data.

The dense text on the large screen reflected on her face, making her look especially cold.

The researchers all lived in the Academy’s internal employee dormitories. Although this place was known for speaking through results and technical ability, the living areas of nobles and commoners were still divided very clearly.

Mm. To be precise, what nobles lived in were not dormitories, but villas.

Ever since the Feng family took control of the Southern District and vigorously promoted technological reform, researchers’ treatment had improved quite a bit. Among the public, there was even a saying: “Once you enter the Academy, one foot has stepped into the noble gate.”

This place seemed like the fairest utopia within the Empire, the cradle of ordinary people’s dreams.

Before entering the Academy, Yu Yan had been the undisputed top student of her star region. Even after arriving on the imperial capital star, she remained among the best. Only then had she won a ticket into this place.

Her mother had once instructed her with tears in her eyes that no matter how busy research got, she must remember to eat, and no matter how far she walked, she must not forget her hometown.

Carrying the dream of changing the universe, Yu Yan entered this place and then spent two years doing odd jobs, never finding time to return home.

This kind of thing was too common here.

As ordinary as she herself was.

Her boss studied genetic codes and arrogantly pointed at a string of data, telling them, “The fact that you can stand here is actually destined by fate.”

Yu Yan had numbingly echoed, “How amazing.”

A noble colleague had laughed softly and continued, “It’s all thanks to our mentor’s guidance.”

She was always doing the dirty and exhausting work, but when rewards were distributed according to merit, she would be passed over because of “insufficient innovative results” and “too little seniority.”

Yu Yan had once mustered the courage to ask why her name was not included. Her boss had lightly asked, “Everyone worked hard. In what way do you think you stood out?”

Her destined fate seemed to stop there.

Only because her starting point had already seemed to decide the height of her life.

Until…

That day.

Yu Yan’s hands paused over the keyboard. Her memories gathered back. Excitement and fanaticism flashed in her eyes, and she smiled silently.

Knock, knock.

When the knocking sounded, Yu Yan had just finished calculating the last row of data. The timing was exactly as she had predicted, without the slightest difference.

Yu Yan rubbed her stiff face, habitually locked her screen, and then turned to open the door.

At the door, the young woman pushed a small dining cart. With a cheerful “Hi,” she smiled and stuffed a heavy lunch box into Yu Yan’s arms.

“Eat it while it’s hot. It’s about to clump.”

The weight in her hands was much heavier than Yu Yan had imagined. It nearly fell, and she hurriedly hugged it tight. For a moment, she even suspected the box might be filled with gold.

This was also…

Too bold!

She looked left and right, then solemnly pulled Zhu Yu into the room.

However, facts proved she had overthought.

Zhu Yu had truly brought a huge box full of braised beef beef beef noodles.

There was so much beef that the lid could barely close. When she pushed aside the top layer, smoked sausage and an unusually rich variety of side dishes were hidden underneath.

Yu Yan choked slightly, completely not expecting the other party to have prepared this so attentively.

After all, they did not truly want to eat it. They were only acting as a foil for a certain someone. Otherwise, if one person ordered food, it would seem very deliberate.

Did Zhu Yu not understand this point?

And in order to make it seem less deliberate, Zhu Yu had forcibly copied the luxurious meal she prepared for Bai Shuzhou more than ten times.

She rubbed her hands, her brows and eyes curved.

“Um, can you all get the princess’s medical records?”

“We do have them.”

Yu Yan was a little dizzy from the smell of beef and answered instinctively. Then she became alert that this was improper and hurriedly patched it up.

“The reports here are rather complicated. These are only rough shorthand notes. Can you understand them?”

“I understand a little. I can look things up.”

Zhu Yu’s gaze drifted toward the manuscript papers on her desk, filled with messy handwriting. For some reason, she felt a sense of familiarity.

Her mother was a doctor, and when she wrote excitedly, her handwriting also danced like dragons and phoenixes. In this era of highly advanced technology, Yu Yan could still insist on handwriting. As expected of someone doing scientific research. Such craftsmanship was moving.

On the overlapping sheets of paper, rows of characters were densely arranged.

These were all things Yu Yan had silently written down from memory.

For many sensitive documents, her authority was limited to viewing them at specific times and places. Private retention was strictly forbidden, and uploading them online was even less allowed.

Yu Yan put down her chopsticks and fell silent for a moment. The warm heat of food still lingered on her tongue.

Without showing anything, she skipped past those raw data tables detailed enough to startle the heart, drew out the simplest report from the edge, and handed it to Zhu Yu.

Having obtained what she wanted, Zhu Yu’s mature adult high-EQ warmth vanished instantly. After thanking Yu Yan, she left swiftly and contentedly.

The instant she closed the door, thinking no one could see, she clenched her fist and hopped a tiny bit.

Just like this, through “begging for alms,” she successfully gathered quite a bit of precious data, all hidden in the compartment at the bottom of the dining cart. This grand, open display instead did not arouse suspicion.

The portion for Bai Shuzhou was the largest and heaviest, pressed at the very bottom.

Zhu Yu delivered food along the way, encountering an anxious Snow Leopard Knight, a hungry Snow Leopard Knight, a repeat Snow Leopard Knight…

Before the fierce beasts could no longer bear it and wanted to act, Zhu Yu finally “willingly and proactively” delivered the final loving lunch box.

When stranded outside, Bai Shuzhou had especially liked this flavor. Roll up a chopstickful of noodles, add half a spoonful of thick broth, and cover it with a few slices of tender braised beef.

Although Zhu Yu’s cooking probably could not compare to the imperial chefs, and appearing now alongside those rare delicacies was a little like asking for humiliation…

This had been “specially made along the way,” so of course it could not compare to professionals. Zhu Yu’s mentality was very calm.

Smelling that enticing fragrance, Bai Shuzhou’s nose moved faintly. She frowned lightly, her expression indifferent and restrained, her gaze casually sweeping over Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu immediately raised both hands, indicating there was no need to give her face. With such a luxurious table before Her Highness, she could eat whatever she liked!

However, Bai Shuzhou elegantly tasted a small bite, and the corner of her eye still seemed to fall on Zhu Yu, there and not there.

As if Zhu Yu were a plate of very delicious side dishes, and should say something.

After all, in Bai Shuzhou’s understanding, when others paid such attentive effort, they must want something in return.

So she was waiting for Zhu Yu to speak.

Like a divine statue in a shrine, seated in a magnificent yet empty hall, now waiting for her devout believer to make a wish.

But the side dish and believer herself did not realize this.

Zhu Yu scratched her head, racking her brain over the goddess’s casual glance. After a very long time, she slapped her forehead, suddenly understanding Bai Shuzhou’s pause.

I know—

There’s no soup spoon!

Royal spoons were all small and exquisite, truly unsuitable for eating noodles.

It was her oversight. She had come too hurriedly and had only brought chopsticks.

So she turned and walked out to find a spoon.

She had just reached the foyer when, in the quiet air behind her, there seemed to come a slightly embarrassed yet extraordinarily adorable “slurp.”

The sound was very small, but the tips of Zhu Yu’s ears moved, and she still captured it accurately.

The person inside also seemed to notice her footsteps stopping. In tacit understanding, there immediately came a somewhat deliberate soft clink of a bowl and spoon being put down heavily.

Author’s Note:

The Statue of the Freedom Dragon manifests: Mortal, you may make a wish to me.

Devout little fish, hands clasped: Goddess, please eat a little more—

Later, the simple believer who cooked very delicious food was taken away by the goddess.

Little Fish: I was only breathing. [Pitiful]

Everyone: Impressive methods! [Angry]