A Disguised Scum Alpha Marked Her Aloof Ex-Wife - Chapter 9

The first time Bai Shuzhou called her name, it was followed by a resentful slap.

The first time she said “come here,” her touch was cool as she pulled down the mask, and her sudden kiss was incredibly soft.

Her beautiful voice could always sway Zhu Yu’s emotions with ease. The fear was real, but so was the anticipation; Zhu Yu simply couldn’t refuse her.

Just by looking into those pale blue eyes, Zhu Yu couldn’t fathom how anyone could find it in their heart to hurt her, let alone cruelly kidnap her daughter to use as leverage…

Stop thinking about a daughter!

Even if Zhu Yu lacked common sense in this strange world, she knew you couldn’t get pregnant just from a kiss. That kiss was likely Bai Shuzhou’s last resort of a boundary… they were already “ex-wives in waiting”; to keep pestering her would be rude!

Zhu Yu forced herself to look away. The entire room was filled with the aroma of food. She noticed a large new electric rice cooker, with curls of white steam puffing out from the vent.

Helan stood to the side with her arms crossed, her expression toward Zhu Yu quite complex. However, the girl didn’t notice at all. Whether looking directly or stealing glances, her attention remained fixed on Bai Shuzhou, save for a few clumsy attempts at a disguise.

While her thoughts were spinning a thousand miles a minute, in reality, Zhu Yu just walked toward Bai Shuzhou and responded with feigned calmness, “I’m back.”

On the wooden table sat a high stack of bowls. Through these small porcelain mountains, the woman’s face—looking a bit fuller—showed a trace of color. Her voice remained faint: “How was work?”

Bai Shuzhou was actually showing concern. Flattered, Zhu Yu pinched her wrist. “It was good. The work is easy, everyone was quite caring, and lunch was included. I met a very nice colleague.”

“Really?” Her thin lips parted.

Their eyes met. Zhu Yu watched as that overly beautiful face shifted from indifferent calm to a gentle ripple. She smiled.

It was the first time Zhu Yu had seen Bai Shuzhou smile. Her pale blue eyes took on the silhouette of a moon—not a full moon, but a sharp, jagged crescent.

A moment of silence; a moment of ten thousand galloping horses.

There were no beacon fires or feudal lords, and she wasn’t King You of Zhou. She was just a tiny, dazed person gazing up at the moon.

Be it mockery or hypocrisy, Zhu Yu couldn’t tell. She only knew that the woman’s smile was real, like the dappled shadows on the moon, making her ethereal joys and sorrows seem more grounded.

The girl didn’t speak. Her habit of pinching her wrist was a sign of intense emotional fluctuation. Bai Shuzhou lowered her eyes in satisfaction, masking a bone-deep chill. She didn’t bother sparing the girl another glance.

The original Zhu Yu was born in poverty. After gaining power on the Imperial Star, she bought a massive amount of luxury goods. Her private image was the polar opposite of the “Star of the Commoners” persona she meticulously cultivated.

While drunk, she would wear Arlanka silk gowns, half-open, smiling as she poured royal reserve rose wine over herself. The deep red liquid would wet her collarbones and slide down her chest. She would raise an empty glass, toasting to no one in particular.

She had said, “I will absolutely, positively never go back to the way things were.”

“I will have money, power, and prestige. Everyone shall kneel at my feet…”

Bai Shuzhou still remembered when they first met; Zhu Yu would share stories of her part-time jobs. At the time, she pretended to be a diligent, resilient “little white flower,” but in reality, she loathed those days of swallowing her pride.

“Why can you not see the hardships of the common people at all, my noble Princess?”

I am watching, Zhu Yu.

Since you love performing so much.

The hardships you described—show them to me one more time.

Bai Shuzhou took a handkerchief, wiped her fingers, raised an eyebrow, and leaned back against the headboard, smiling at Helan.

The smile was as light as air, possessing no weight. Helan looked away, unable to bear it.

Helan glanced at He Ming, who was happily running back and forth, then at Zhu Yu. She sighed lowly. “Xiao Yu, let’s step outside to talk.”

That reaction… Zhu Yu felt a sudden, terrible premonition, like the final announcement in a hospital ward when a doctor pointedly calls the family aside.

Ptooey, ptooey! How could she think such unlucky thoughts? Bai Shuzhou would surely live a long life!

Helan weighed her words, trying to be gradual. “There’s good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

“The bad news.”

“The bad news is… your sister’s injury might be to her spine, not just her legs. Do you understand what I mean?”

Helan paused. “It means she might be paralyzed, never able to stand again. It would cost hundreds of thousands at least, and even if cured, there would be permanent issues.”

The silence stretched. The moon fell, growing larger and larger before her eyes until everything went white.

Zhu Yu knew how much Bai Shuzhou loved ballet. She had spent countless hours practicing until every movement was perfect. At a young age, she was already a prima ballerina with sold-out shows.

Even the head of the rival Federation had once said “art knows no borders,” hoping to invite the Princess for a cultural exchange.

She was the Rose of the Empire, the darling of the Creator. A whole string of titles could only describe the tip of the iceberg.

Such a result… was too hard to accept.

No wonder Bai Shuzhou would blacken. If someone broke Zhu Yu’s hands and made her unable to do the work she loved, she would probably want to strangle them too.

“And the good news?” The voice squeezed from the depths of her throat sounded strange.

Helan patted Zhu Yu’s shoulder and said euphemistically, “The good news is, her appetite is quite good. Being able to eat is a blessing; she’ll recover slowly.”

Appetite is good—quite good. When Bai Shuzhou finished her third bowl of noodles, Helan worried she’d make herself sick. By the thirteenth dish, Helan was just curious about how much she could actually put away.

Seeing Zhu Yu’s oblivious, dazed look, Helan sighed silently. Bai Shuzhou had likely been starving for a long time. Having a large appetite was also a kind of “sin” for the poor.

Helan had eaten a lot since she was a child, so she empathized deeply. When her mother was laid off, the whole family lived on the cheapest near-expired nutrient solutions. Many on this planet lived that way.

The reason the massive nutrient factory was built here—aside from cheap labor—was that under Interstellar Food Safety Laws, many defective products that should be destroyed could be sold cheaply on the spot. No one would be held responsible, and people would even be grateful.

“She didn’t want me to tell you she was sick; she’s probably worried about money. Just feeding her is a significant expense now. You’re still in school; you still need to buy an interstellar ticket to get back, right?”

Zhu Yu pinched her wrist and nodded.

Even with such a serious injury, Bai Shuzhou didn’t want her to know.

The image of the woman biting her lip, tears shimmering in her eyes, involuntarily surfaced. She was so proud; how could she accept pity?

If it were that scumbag original owner, she’d probably mock her pain on purpose, using it as a weapon. Her suffering would be nothing more than a handle to be toyed with.

Why hasn’t the Guard come to find her and take her back to the palace?

Your Princess is in my hands!

For a moment, Zhu Yu even considered doing something extreme to attract official attention. But on a literal trash planet, no one cared.

No one would guess that the damaged aircraft Zhu Yu had hidden was once a military prototype, nor that an inferior Alpha could pilot a defective machine through a high-difficulty interstellar jump.

Even top-tier ace pilots have to be extremely careful with jumps; a single mistake results in being swallowed by collapsing space, dead without a grave.

They should have been annihilated in the crossfire. The furious Emperor had ordered that their remains must be found, otherwise, they couldn’t be declared dead. This was a despicable kidnapping, a conspiracy; they had to be on the run!

Zhu Yu knew nothing of the political upheaval. She only knew she needed money—lots and lots of it.

They had no money. Without money, they would go hungry, and she couldn’t treat Bai Shuzhou.

Back home, Zhu Yu never worried about this. Even though her mom was rarely around, her sister always solved every problem.

Now, it was her turn to shoulder the responsibility.

Helan sighed, patted away Zhu Yu’s hand that was pinching her reddened wrist, and checked that the door was closed. She lowered her voice: “If you don’t mind, I can introduce you to a night shift at a bar. The ‘Gold-Sucking Hole’ pays very well—six hundred for an all-nighter, plus commission on drinks.”

Hearing six hundred plus commission, Zhu Yu looked up instantly, resolute: “I’ll go!”

Helan hadn’t expected her to agree so readily; the crumpled paper in her palm became useless. She said seriously:

“On the surface it’s a bar, but in reality, it’s for smuggling. Goods between the Empire and Federation change hands there. If you really go, remember: talk less, work more. Just take your base pay. Don’t touch what you shouldn’t. Those operations are run by the underworld and space pirates, understand?”

“Save up for two interstellar tickets and head for a third-tier star system—a big city. It’s different there; there are people who can provide a safety net for you, at least…” Helan didn’t finish.

“Okay. Thank you. I understand.” Zhu Yu’s answer was crisp, and she gave a solemn bow.

“Also, just pay me for the food. Forget about the rent.”

Zhu Yu hesitated. “That wouldn’t be right. It’s not easy for you to raise Xiao Ming alone. I’ll scavenge and fix more appliances to earn money. My major is maintenance; I’ve even worked on aircraft.”

“Cough.” Hearing the word aircraft, Helan’s eyes flickered. she pressed her hand to her lips and swallowed the words she was about to say.

The truth was, the small yard she’d rented to them had been abandoned for years and had no owner. She just lived nearby and happened to know how to pick locks.

Helan asked, “You really know how to fix aircraft?”

“Yes.” Though she’d fixed machinery from her previous life, no matter how the universe changed, the principles remained the same. You can’t reach the heavens by stepping on your own feet.

Helan had many connections. Zhu Yu looked at her expectantly, hoping she’d introduce her to a relevant job.

But in the end, Helan said nothing, only patting her and telling her to do her current job well first.

As Zhu Yu took her leave to go inside, Helan was also observing her. She looked her over thoroughly, especially those well-defined hands.

Helan thought for a moment and then called out, “Xiao Ming, time to go home. Are you planning to spend the night here?”

He Ming poked her head out of the room, her happiness completely ignoring the heavy atmosphere. “Can I? I see a floor mat here!”

“You can, but then don’t come back.”

“Aiyee!” He Ming stomped her feet in frustration and ran out, not forgetting to wave. “See you tomorrow, Sister!”

Silence fell over the room once more.

Bai Shuzhou lowered her eyes, waiting for Zhu Yu to drop her act. The embarrassment of poverty had always been Zhu Yu’s sore spot; she was born in the slums, vain yet insecure, and loved putting on a display of deep affection.

After all that wandering, she was back at the starting point she loathed most.

Bai Shuzhou knew all too well what Zhu Yu cared about: money, power, and reputation. She had disguised herself for years for these things. Having taken too many shortcuts, how could she be willing to work a common job?

However, the girl quietly served herself a bowl of rice and ate in large mouthfuls, her focus almost devout.

This was the “vegetable rice” Helan had just made, cooked in the rice cooker. Although there was very little salted pork, the cost was low, it was filling, and it tasted delicious.

The void in her taste buds was awakened and filled. A wave of warmth spread through her stomach.

Helan was right. As long as she could eat her fill and have strength, everything would slowly get better!

She went to the courtyard to bring in the washed electric cooker, took it apart under the lamp, and reconnected a wire. Her skills hadn’t dulled; she fixed it nimbly in a few minutes.

When the red indicator light turned on, the girl let out a satisfied smile.

The woman on the bed watched her busy silhouette indifferently. Zhu Yu brought in the broken appliances one by one, fixed them, and lined them up.

The old appliances looked like mushrooms, soon filling the entire room.

She focused, contemplated, stared, and moved her wrists with a power that was strangely grounding.

Bai Shuzhou watched for a long time without realizing it, her thick lashes blinking gently before dropping with exhaustion.

The girl stood by the bed, poking her face through the curtain, and whispered, “Are you asleep?”

Bai Shuzhou didn’t bother responding. The girl just stood there like a dog determinedly guarding a bone. Even with her eyes closed, Bai Shuzhou could feel her annoying presence; her “existence” was very strong.

Bai Shuzhou let out a cold hum from her nose.

Zhu Yu immediately picked up the cue and asked softly, “Can I use my ability to treat you and give you a massage? Don’t worry, my spiritual power has recovered a lot. I’ll definitely make you get better faster.”

She was asking, but her actions had clearly crossed the line. She sat down, smoothed out the blanket, and her warm palms gently pressed down.

Bai Shuzhou lifted her pale blue eyes. “No one is worried about you.”

Zhu Yu looked her in the eyes seriously. “But I am worried about you.”

Through the thin layer of fabric, warm light flowed beneath her palms, and a subtle current pulsed through the skin. Bai Shuzhou bit her lip, her clenched fist trembling silently.