A Scumbag Alpha Reforms: Pampering Her Wife Without Limits - Chapter 9

A faint rustling sound came from behind her.

Xu Fangqing turned around and saw that Ning Lingzhou had woken up and was looking at her with her head slightly turned.

Their eyes met, and Xu Fangqing’s heart skipped a beat. For some reason, she suddenly felt a little nervous.

“Do you want me to call the doctor?”

She avoided Ning Lingzhou’s gaze and started toward the door.

“No, thank you.”

Ning Lingzhou’s head was still a little dizzy. Her brows were lightly furrowed, and her breathing was somewhat rapid.

After going so long without water, her mouth and throat were painfully dry, and she coughed twice in discomfort.

Xu Fangqing stopped where she was, suddenly unsure whether she should leave or stay.

Ning Lingzhou wasn’t particularly surprised that Xu Fangqing had stayed in her hospital room.

In the book, she had always been a kindhearted person who wouldn’t remain indifferent to someone who had helped her, even if that person had hurt her before.

But this was even better. The more time they spent together, the more chances Ning Lingzhou would have to earn her trust and gain her affection points.

Seeing Xu Fangqing frozen in place, Ning Lingzhou took the initiative and politely asked, “Could you help me pour a glass of water?”

Xu Fangqing turned around, walked to the bedside, and picked up the glass from the bedside table.

The water Liu Junru had poured for Ning Lingzhou earlier had already gone cold. Xu Fangqing was just about to hand it to her when she remembered Ning Lingzhou’s stomach condition and pulled her hand back. “I’ll get you some hot water.”

After she left the room, a notification sounded in Ning Lingzhou’s mind.

[Affection +1.]

Ning Lingzhou was pleasantly surprised. So as long as Xu Fangqing treated her well, she could gain affection points.

Just as she happily started to sit up,

Irene suddenly spoke. [What are you getting up for?]

Ning Lingzhou was so startled that she nearly threw out her back. “I’m going to drink water in a minute.”

[I know you’re going to drink water. Wait for her to come back and help you up.]

“That’s not necessary, is it? It’s not like I can’t get up by myself.”

Irene sounded exasperated. [In a minute, you do this… then take the opportunity to… and then play hard to get like this…]

By the time Irene finished explaining, Ning Lingzhou saw Xu Fangqing open the door and come back in, and for some inexplicable reason, she suddenly felt nervous.

Once Xu Fangqing reached her bedside,

Ning Lingzhou asked with particular embarrassment, “Could you help me sit up?”

She looked at Xu Fangqing as though afraid she might refuse, her right hand lightly clutching the bedsheet in a slightly helpless manner.

Xu Fangqing looked at her strangely, wanting to say, You’re not seriously ill to the point where you can’t get up. Why do you need help?

“This hand can’t move. I can’t put any strength into it.”

Ning Lingzhou found herself a reasonable excuse, only then relaxing slightly.

Xu Fangqing glanced at the hand with the IV in it. It really couldn’t be moved carelessly.

Seeing Ning Lingzhou struggling to push herself up with her other hand, she set down the glass and went over to help her.

Xu Fangqing’s palm was warm. The moment it touched Ning Lingzhou’s slightly cool arm, both of them froze for a second, then immediately pretended nothing had happened and avoided looking at each other’s expressions.

Ning Lingzhou was still thinking about what Irene had told her.

When Xu Fangqing reached out to help her, she was supposed to take the opportunity to grab her arm for support.

Then suddenly let out a cry and fall backward onto the bed, pulling Xu Fangqing into her arms along with her.

Their two soft, warm bodies would press tightly together, and under the ambiguous atmosphere, their feelings would naturally heat up.

But at that point she absolutely couldn’t linger. She had to let go immediately and apologize, making it look unintentional while leaving the other person room to overthink it.

No matter how Ning Lingzhou thought about it, it still felt like she would be taking liberties with her.

Her mind was still hesitating when her body had already followed Xu Fangqing’s hand and sat upright.

By the time she reached out, intending to grab Xu Fangqing,

Xu Fangqing had already quickly stood up, picked up the glass, and stuffed it into her hand. Their timing was almost too perfect.

The embarrassment of failing to take liberties with her made Ning Lingzhou’s face flush bright red in an instant.

She took the glass and immediately lowered her head to drink.

She drank too quickly and choked, coughing nonstop until her face turned red.

“Drink more slowly.”

Xu Fangqing hesitated for a moment, but still reached out and gently rubbed her back.

“Mm.”

Ning Lingzhou’s face became even redder, the flush spreading all the way to her ears and neck.

This was so humiliating.

Right now, she just wanted to lie down and play dead.

Xu Fangqing took the glass from her. In the brief moment she turned away to set it down, Ning Lingzhou had already lain back down and closed her eyes.

That movement was awfully quick. Hadn’t she just asked Xu Fangqing to help her sit up?

Xu Fangqing looked at her suspiciously. Ning Lingzhou’s previously pale face was now tinted pink, as though she had been drinking, while the tips of her ears were as red as little red beans.

Xu Fangqing guessed that she was embarrassed after choking on the water and was now pretending to sleep.

She hadn’t expected the usually noble and aloof Ning Lingzhou to have such an adorable side. Xu Fangqing suddenly felt like laughing.

A rapid clatter of high heels sounded from the corridor, harsh and irritating.

Xu Fangqing quietly walked over and closed the door.

She had only just turned around when the hospital-room door was suddenly pushed open.

“Lingzhou!”

Zhou Xin strode in on her high heels, bumping Xu Fangqing aside before rushing to the bedside and grabbing Ning Lingzhou’s hand, her eyes filled with distress. “Lingzhou, how are you?”

Ning Lingzhou had originally intended to keep pretending to sleep, but Zhou Xin was so noisy that she could no longer keep it up.

She opened her eyes and immediately looked toward Xu Fangqing. Seeing that Xu Fangqing had no expression on her face and was standing by the doorway with one hand holding her arm,

Ning Lingzhou frowned at Zhou Xin, pulled her hand free, and said coldly, “Why are you here?”

“I heard from Auntie that Xu Fangqing caused you to end up in the hospital, so I rushed over.

“How are you? Do you still have a fever? Does your stomach still hurt?”

As she spoke, she reached out to touch Ning Lingzhou’s forehead, then even tried lifting the blanket to touch her stomach.

“W-What are you doing?!”

Ning Lingzhou irritably pushed her hand away and shifted backward, wanting to put some distance between them.

“I’m just worried about you.”

Zhou Xin looked at her helplessly and aggrievedly. “Don’t be angry.”

“Go home.”

Ning Lingzhou directly ordered her to leave. “I want to rest.”

She tugged at the thin blanket, closed her eyes, and turned her head away, not wanting to look at her anymore.

Zhou Xin’s mouth drooped again and again as tears gathered in her eyes, looking terribly wronged.

“Lingzhou~~~”

Seeing Ning Lingzhou continue to ignore her, Zhou Xin slowly stood up and looked at her reluctantly. “Then get some proper rest. I’ll go.”

When she passed Xu Fangqing, Zhou Xin glared viciously at her, pointed at her, and warned through gritted teeth, “You’d better take good care of Lingzhou, otherwise I—”

“Qingqing.”

Ning Lingzhou patted the bed. “Come here. I can’t sleep without you beside me.”

Those ambiguous, possessive words entered Zhou Xin’s ears. Her hand trembled, tears glimmering in her eyes as her heart twisted painfully.

Did Ning Lingzhou really care about Xu Fangqing this much?

First she had harshly warned Zhou Xin not to touch Xu Fangqing, and now she wouldn’t even let her say anything to her?

They were the ones who had grown up together, inseparable childhood friends!

Zhou Xin had always thought Ning Lingzhou was merely playing with Xu Fangqing. Once she got tired of her, she would come back to Zhou Xin’s side and once again become the friend who treated her best, the person she loved most.

She could endure Ning Lingzhou not loving her. She could endure Ning Lingzhou not caring about her feelings and continuing to be only her friend.

But she couldn’t endure someone else occupying Ning Lingzhou’s attention.

Even less could she endure someone else occupying Ning Lingzhou’s heart.

Zhou Xin clenched her fists and glared angrily at Xu Fangqing, the fury inside her surging higher and higher.

Seeing Xu Fangqing remain motionless, her brows even furrowed as though she were reluctant,

Zhou Xin couldn’t believe that someone she regarded as a treasure could be treated with such disdain by Xu Fangqing.

Suddenly, Zhou Xin couldn’t stand it anymore and shoved Xu Fangqing. “Lingzhou called you. Didn’t you hear?”

Xu Fangqing didn’t want to put on a performance with Ning Lingzhou in front of Zhou Xin.

She also knew Ning Lingzhou was only trying to anger Zhou Xin so she would leave faster.

She just hadn’t expected that instead of being driven away, Zhou Xin would actually shove her.

That shove was fueled by anger and carried considerable force.

Caught off guard, Xu Fangqing pitched forward and was about to fall to the floor.

“Qingqing!”

Ning Lingzhou suddenly rolled out of bed and caught her.

With a crash, Ning Lingzhou’s IV bottle was yanked down and shattered on the floor, sending glass fragments scattering everywhere.

Xu Fangqing fell fully into Ning Lingzhou’s arms, her head buried against the warm softness of her neck. She caught a faint trace of Ning Lingzhou’s pheromones spilling out—crisp and refreshing, carrying a distinctive cool fragrance that was soothing and intoxicating.

For no reason, her heartbeat accelerated. She didn’t know whether it was because she had been frightened or because of Ning Lingzhou.

Ning Lingzhou was still holding her, both hands wrapped around her sensitive waist.

Xu Fangqing came back to her senses and gently pushed Ning Lingzhou away.

Ning Lingzhou immediately let go and asked with concern, “Are you okay?”

Xu Fangqing shook her head, her face flushed pink. Looking down, she saw blood backing up into the IV catheter at Ning Lingzhou’s wrist. “Your hand…”

Ning Lingzhou immediately hid her hand behind her back. “It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt.”

The movement tugged at the needle, and she couldn’t help frowning and letting out an “Ow.”

Xu Fangqing’s heart trembled with it. She supported her and said, “Sit down first.”

“Lingzhou, your hand is bleeding.”

Seeing Ning Lingzhou disregard her own safety and spring up to catch Xu Fangqing made Zhou Xin both furious and heartbroken.

“Hurry up and get the doctor!”

Zhou Xin shouted at Xu Fangqing.

“Qingqing.”

Xu Fangqing turned at the sound of Ning Lingzhou calling her. Ning Lingzhou said gently, “I’ll go get the doctor. I’ll be right back.”

After speaking, Xu Fangqing quickly turned and left the room.

Once outside, she leaned against the wall and let out a long breath.

The scene from just now replayed in her mind. Ning Lingzhou had looked genuinely anxious, getting up without any regard for herself just to catch her.

The fear that Xu Fangqing might get hurt had seemed to come from the heart.

It didn’t look fake.

“Lingzhou, are you really going to stop caring about your own body just because of Xu Fangqing? Look at your hand.”

Ning Lingzhou had always been radiant and beautiful. Yet Xu Fangqing had reduced her to this weak, sickly state and even caused her to get hurt.

Zhou Xin was anxious and furious, but more than anything, helpless.

She had never been able to do anything about Ning Lingzhou.

Once Ning Lingzhou decided she wanted to do something, no one could stop her.

Ning Lingzhou sucked in a breath from the pain, but the gaze she turned on Zhou Xin was incomparably cold. “Zhou Xin, I told you before. No one is allowed to touch what’s mine. You pushed Qingqing just now. Think about how you’re going to apologize for it.”

When Xu Fangqing heard her say, “No one is allowed to touch what’s mine,” she suddenly turned around and looked toward the door.

If only Ning Lingzhou had said something like that at the banquet that day, when that Alpha asked whether Ning Lingzhou could let her play with Xu Fangqing.

Xu Fangqing would definitely have looked at her with deep emotion.

Words like that, words that made someone feel protected and safe, were supposed to be said openly in front of everyone.

What was the point of hiding them?

Hearing Ning Lingzhou’s words, Zhou Xin suddenly stood up and snapped angrily, “She caused you to end up like this! It’s already generous of me not to settle the score with her. Why should I apologize to her?”

“If you don’t apologize, then don’t appear in front of me again.”

Ning Lingzhou hadn’t wanted to see Zhou Xin in the first place. If she could use this as an excuse to distance herself from her, even better.

“Why?!”

Zhou Xin was both angry and anxious as she explained, “I-I barely pushed her! Who knew she’d be so delicate? I think she deliberately made a show of it in front of you. I’m not apologizing to her.”

“Get out.”

Ning Lingzhou closed her eyes and lay back down, no longer wanting to look at her.

“Lingzhou, you can’t treat me like this…”

Zhou Xin grabbed her hand and acted coquettishly.

Ning Lingzhou flung her hand away and said coldly, “Get out!”

Xu Fangqing came back in with the doctor just in time to see Zhou Xin get up and run out with reddened eyes.

The doctor treated Ning Lingzhou’s wound and restarted the IV.

Soon, only the two of them were left in the room again.

It was so quiet that it became awkward.

Xu Fangqing rubbed her arm and sat on the sofa, glancing left and right with nothing to do.

Ning Lingzhou lay on the bed with her eyes closed, seemingly genuinely asleep.

Carefully looking at someone’s face while they slept was something lovers did.

Xu Fangqing only glanced at Ning Lingzhou once before looking away. That beautiful face didn’t need to be engraved into her mind.

It was June, and the air conditioner in the room was set a little too low.

Worried that Ning Lingzhou might catch another cold, Xu Fangqing found the remote and raised the temperature slightly.

Feeling a little hungry, Xu Fangqing rubbed her stomach and quietly got up.

She asked the doctor what Ning Lingzhou was allowed to eat, then went to the hospital cafeteria and packed two meals.

When she returned to the hospital-room door and was just about to open it, she heard Liu Junru complaining to Ning Lingzhou inside.

“I told her to stay and look after you, and now no one even knows where she went. I don’t think she cares about you at all. You’ve reduced yourself to this state for a woman like that. Is it really worth it?”

Xu Fangqing’s grip tightened around the bag of food. Anger rose in her chest, and she was just about to throw it into the trash can beside her when she heard Ning Lingzhou speak.

“Mom, stop talking.”

When Ning Lingzhou woke up and didn’t see Xu Fangqing, she had also assumed she had left.

But in front of Liu Junru, she couldn’t admit she had no idea where Xu Fangqing was, so she could only make up an excuse.

“Qingqing went to buy food for me. She wouldn’t abandon me and leave. If you don’t have anything else to do, you should head back first. Once my IV is finished later, I’ll go see Grandpa.”

Where that inexplicable confidence came from, or how she managed to guess correctly even while making things up, was anyone’s guess.

Since Ning Lingzhou was protecting her for no reason at all, Xu Fangqing couldn’t very well leave her unable to back up her own lie.

She pushed open the door, a gentle smile appearing on her face. “Lingzhou, I’m back.”