A Scumbag Alpha Gets the Simp’s Script - Chapter 15

Ding!

The elevator doors opened. Yu Jinzhao was already walking out of the company building. Ever since the urge to see Pei Daowan had surfaced, she could no longer suppress it.

Staying at the office had made her restless; she desperately wanted to see her.

As for the reason, she didn’t look too deeply into it. Driving past a flower shop, she had specifically stopped to pick out a bouquet of Rain Lilies.

She felt these flowers suited Pei Daowan perfectly: resilient, unyielding, and a symbol of rebirth.

Chasing the sunset, Yu Jinzhao drove slightly faster than usual, arriving home just a moment before the sun vanished completely.

It seemed Pei Daowan had returned early today as well. She wasn’t inside, but was sitting in the small pavilion in the courtyard, reading.

The moment Yu Jinzhao entered, she saw the warm white light illuminating the woman’s face—calm and gentle. Despite the distance, Yu Jinzhao felt as if she could hear the rustle of the pages turning.

Shua—

As a page turned, Yu Jinzhao’s heart rate suddenly spiked. Her throat felt dry. She suddenly felt that the Rain Lilies in her hand weren’t enough for Pei Daowan; she deserved more beautiful, more brilliant flowers.

Pei Daowan sensed her presence. She looked up indifferently, her eyelashes fluttering as she tilted her head slightly. There was a faint look of inquiry in her eyes, as if asking: “Why are you standing at the gate instead of coming over?”

Yu Jinzhao felt like she was walking on puppet strings. She walked toward that gaze step by step—her pace was stiff, but she didn’t hesitate for a second.

She cleared her throat, trying her best to appear natural, even a bit nonchalant.

“I saw the Rain Lilies were blooming beautifully on the way back, so I bought some.”

With that, Yu Jinzhao handed over the flowers with both hands. She didn’t dare look Pei Daowan in the eye. Since she was slightly taller, she let her gaze fall on the flowerbed behind the woman.

Pei Daowan seemed to smile. It was a quick, faint smile; Yu Jinzhao couldn’t judge if it was an illusion.

Pei Daowan took the lilies and brought them to her nose. The scent was very faint—one might miss it if not paying attention—but the blooms were vibrantly colored.

“Thank you. I like them very much.”

This time, Pei Daowan’s smile was unmistakable. Even though Yu Jinzhao was avoiding her gaze, she could see the mirth spreading from the corners of those phoenix eyes, slowly overflowing layer by layer.

It felt as though something was flowing into Yu Jinzhao’s heart, leaving a trace, yet remaining impossible to grasp.

Maybe the System is right… maybe I really do like Pei Daowan. Maybe it really was love at first sight.

Yu Jinzhao also smiled. Unlike Pei Daowan’s gentle and poised smile, Yu Jinzhao’s was a mixture of uncontrollable joy and satisfaction.

“I’m glad you like them. I’m happy.”

Thump-thump-thump!

She heard her heartbeat again, the sound louder than the evening breeze. The person standing in front of her was indeed Pei Daowan.

“How nice…”

Yu Jinzhao couldn’t help but sigh out loud.

How nice! To see you the moment I get back.

Pei Daowan didn’t ask what was “nice.” She carefully cradled the flowers and turned to head inside. Yu Jinzhao instinctively followed. She watched as Pei Daowan found a beautiful vase and began to arrange the flowers, stem by stem.

Yu Jinzhao didn’t speak or offer to help; she just watched her quietly. For the first time, she deeply understood the feeling of “peaceful, beautiful years.”

“Beautiful, beautiful… truly beautiful!”

Yu Jinzhao sighed again. For a moment, even Pei Daowan couldn’t tell if she was talking about the flowers or her.

“Host! Yu Jinzhao definitely thinks you are beautiful. I stake my life on it!”

Pei Daowan’s expression didn’t change, but a hint of annoyance colored her heart. At a time like this, no irrelevant things should be popping up.

“Don’t speak unless I ask you.”

If the System had a face, it would be pouting with grievance. It thought it could earn some points, only to be doused with cold water. It immediately went silent and stayed obediently quiet.

“Yes, I also think it looks very good.”

As Pei Daowan said this, she wasn’t looking at the flowers. She was looking at Yu Jinzhao, her gaze never wavering.

Fwoosh!

Yu Jinzhao could clearly feel her cheeks heating up, the warmth spreading from her neck upward. She turned away clumsily, echoing the sentiment as an escape. Her heartbeat drowned out all other sounds; her mind held nothing but the phrase: So beautiful!

Pei Daowan watched Yu Jinzhao’s shy, pure reaction with interest. She found it a bit funny and a bit cute. The girl was even more innocent and easy to handle than she’d imagined.

She had to admit, Yu Jinzhao was indeed good-looking. Even though it was the exact same face she used to view with disgust and nausea, not much time had passed, yet looking at this face now brought her no discomfort—only a flicker of joy.

She had scrutinized Yu Jinzhao just now: sharp brow bones, a straight bridge of the nose, and deep eyes—she had a slightly mixed-race look. But when she smiled, that sharpness was softened significantly, making her look approachable, like a friendly older sister next door.

She really does have some looks, Pei Daowan thought.

She wasn’t one to judge by appearance, and since she was beautiful herself, she usually couldn’t tell if others were “pretty” or “ugly.” But looking at Yu Jinzhao now, she was truly handsome.

Seeing that Yu Jinzhao was genuinely embarrassed, Pei Daowan stopped teasing.

“Have you eaten?”

There was a hint of tenderness and doting in her voice that she herself didn’t notice.

Yu Jinzhao finally adjusted her emotions and turned back, feigning composure. “Not yet. I came straight home after work.”

“That’s perfect. I haven’t eaten either. I’ll take you out; there’s a Japanese restaurant downstairs that tastes quite good.”

Yu Jinzhao had no reason to refuse, and she didn’t want to anyway, so she agreed immediately. Since it was close by, they didn’t drive, choosing to walk down slowly instead.

Pei Daowan had returned a bit earlier and had changed into comfortable loungewear: an apricot-white long dress in a cotton-linen texture, with a simple knit cardigan over it.

Yu Jinzhao had seen this kind of outfit on many people countless times, but she’d never felt it was special. Yet on Pei Daowan, it looked exceptionally good.

She had seen Pei Daowan in formal wear—sharp, elegant, and with a “queenly” aura that made people stay in line. Now, seeing her in casual home clothes brought out a different feeling.

The contrast!

Once that thought appeared, Yu Jinzhao became a bit distracted, her heart filled with a strange emotion. No one else saw Pei Daowan like this; they only saw the tip of the iceberg, while she saw the other side.

Most importantly, she was taking her to dinner—for the second time! Who else had this privilege?

The woman hated the original soul so much; she definitely wouldn’t have eaten dinner with her, let alone had such a harmonious moment. Perhaps… it was because of her?

At this point, Yu Jinzhao hit the brakes. No, no, I can’t keep thinking like this. I can’t forget my purpose.

Truly, lust dazes the mind!

Yu Jinzhao was lost in thought along the way, not paying full attention to her surroundings. Naturally, she didn’t notice that Pei Daowan was observing her the whole time.

Pei Daowan clearly saw Yu Jinzhao’s mouth curve up one moment with uncontrollable excitement, then saw her brow furrow the next in a struggle.

What is she thinking about? To be this conflicted.

When crossing the street, Pei Daowan finally couldn’t help it. Yu Jinzhao looked truly out of it. She reached out and lightly took hold of Yu Jinzhao’s shoulder, guiding her back toward the crosswalk.

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a hint of a warning: “Focus. Watch where you’re going.”

The moment Pei Daowan’s hand touched her shoulder, Yu Jinzhao went stiff. She only followed Pei Daowan’s lead after a second’s delay.

She touched my shoulder!

She just touched me!

Just now, she touched my shoulder!

Yu Jinzhao’s mind was occupied entirely by those few seconds. Even though it was brief and through clothing—she couldn’t even feel the woman’s body heat—the sensation lingered. She felt as if her left shoulder had become very heavy, making her want to move it, yet she remained frozen, walking stiffly until they reached the restaurant.

What is wrong with me?

Why have I been so distracted all evening, like my soul’s been snatched away?

“I heard from a friend that the food here is good. The owner is Japanese and has lived here for over thirty years.”

A friend? This was the first time she’d heard the word “friend” from Pei Daowan.

“Have you eaten here before?”

“Not yet. I’ve been busy. My friend asked me several times, but I never had the time. She’s been here by herself quite a bit, though.”

Hearing this, Yu Jinzhao’s lips curled up. She feigned nonchalance: “Is that so? Then let’s try it.”

Pei Daowan chose a private room upstairs, away from the noise and the crowd. There were only the two of them. She naturally handed the menu to Yu Jinzhao. “Take a look. What do you like?”

Then she pulled a thin cigarette from her bag. Before lighting it, she looked up at Yu Jinzhao.

“Do you mind?”

Though it was a question, Pei Daowan’s posture wasn’t overly polite—she seemed certain Yu Jinzhao wouldn’t refuse. And Yu Jinzhao didn’t. She nodded gently.

Pei Daowan didn’t stand on ceremony. A silver lighter appeared between her slender fingers.

Flick—

the flame bloomed, lighting up Yu Jinzhao’s soul. She couldn’t help but stare, recalling the hazy feeling of seeing her smoke that night.

The tip of the cigarette glowed, and a faint, bitter fragrance drifted out. Pei Daowan didn’t puff it immediately. Instead, she pointedly shifted her position so the smoke drifted away from Yu Jinzhao.

“You don’t smoke.” It was a statement, not a question.

Yu Jinzhao nodded. She hadn’t smoked before; there was no need to hide it. She generally didn’t touch tobacco or alcohol much, except for an occasional social drink with friends.

“That’s good.” Pei Daowan seemed to smile, her voice low. She didn’t dwell on the topic.

Yu Jinzhao watched the tobacco burn slowly, turning yellow then ash. Pei Daowan didn’t inhale deeply; she didn’t look like she was “enjoying” it, but rather like it was just a habit. After only three puffs, she decisively crushed the cigarette out and stood up to open a window.

The air circulation system was excellent. Soon, the trace of tobacco scent vanished, replaced by a faint incense. If there hadn’t been physical evidence, no one would have known she’d just smoked.

“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. I was thinking about some things.”

This wasn’t a lie. Having been reborn, she had long since quit her addiction and no longer used it to numb her will. But old habits died hard; when making major decisions, she still felt the urge to take a few puffs to steady her heart.

Yu Jinzhao didn’t ask what those “things” were. She knew their relationship hadn’t reached the point where she could pry into the other’s private business. Though she was curious, she had no standing to ask.

Yu Jinzhao let the topic slide. “It’s fine. Let’s see what to eat.”

She had only scanned the menu; it was traditional Japanese cuisine. More than what she’d order for herself, she was curious about Pei Daowan’s tastes.

“Okay.”

Pei Daowan picked up the menu and began checking off items. When she finished, she handed it back. Yu Jinzhao silently memorized the names of the dishes she’d chosen.

For a moment, they fell into a subtle silence. Yu Jinzhao had much to say but didn’t know how to start, so she kept her mouth shut. Pei Daowan, on the other hand, was debating whether to be the one to start the conversation. Rarely found in a state of hesitation, she also remained quiet.

When the server arrived with the food, both seemed to snap out of their daze.

Neither liked being served while eating, so the room returned to quiet, save for the occasional clink of utensils and soft sounds of chewing.

After they had eaten their fill, Pei Daowan decided to speak. She wanted to implement her plan as soon as possible and didn’t want to play too many games with Yu Jinzhao. She had to test her.

“I know you aren’t the real Yu Jinzhao!”

Author’s Note:

Pei Daowan OS: Truly innocent and easy to handle. [Heart]

Yu Jinzhao OS: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful to death! [Red Heart]

System OS: Aggrieved, aggrieved, aggrieved to death! [Crying]