A Scummy Divorcee Alpha: Ex-Wife’s Top-Tier Soothing Agent - Chapter 13

Boss Zuo had cultivated a high level of professional efficiency through her hectic work. In just a few short minutes, she composed her emotions and touched up her makeup, transforming back into the glamorous, decisive, and formidable female CEO.

For Du Wan, teasing Boss Zuo until she turned red had become a daily staple of her entertainment.

The scenery outside the car window shifted quietly from bustling streets to the sparsely populated suburbs. By the time they reached their destination, the gold-rimmed sunset had dyed the entire sky crimson.

The manor was built against a mountain, stretching hundreds of meters from east to west. Standing outside the exquisite wrought-iron gates was a silver-haired woman. Her face bore no traces of time, and her every gesture exuded a manifold of charm. She wore a slip dress printed with large hibiscus flowers, looking even more vibrant and alluring than the sunset.

The woman held a slender lady’s cigarette and beckoned in their direction.

She opened her arms enthusiastically to hug Zuo Yijia, but the latter sidestepped and dodged her. The woman wasn’t angry; she leaned in and sniffed lightly, a surprised smile suddenly blossoming on her face. Her gaze fell tenderly on Zuo Yijia as she spoke softly: “Sweetheart, you still remember that bergamot is my favorite?”

“Don’t be so conceited,” Zuo Yijia retorted immediately. “That was just a random bottle of perfume I grabbed. It has nothing to do with you.”

Du Wan: “???”

Stubborn. Keep being stubborn. I saw clearly that there was only that one specific scent in the car.

The woman simply smiled, turned to the other side, and playfully blinked eyes that were strikingly similar to Zuo Yijia’s. “Welcome, new member.”

“Producer XXX, she used to be my right-hand woman. Yijia, she even held you when you were born.”

“She said your partner was a decent person and insisted I meet you.” The woman extended a hand. “I hope we haven’t startled you, Du Wan.”

Ophelia. A rare mermaid species and Zuo Yijia’s biological mother. She had divorced the previous head of the Zuo family years ago and inherited a family fortune capable of rivaling a nation’s.

In the original novel, this character wasn’t described much, and she certainly never met the Scummy Alpha. Du Wan speculated that because she hadn’t followed the original plot’s trajectory, she had triggered a “butterfly effect” by changing existing events.

At this first meeting, Du Wan had a very good impression of Ophelia. She was kind and approachable. Look at that—also a mermaid, but clearly much more polite than the one standing behind me.

Just as she was about to step forward and shake hands, she felt a jab in her waist and was shoved to the side.

Zuo Yijia remained expressionless, saying coldly: “I don’t remember. A mermaid’s inherited memories don’t include such things.”

“Are you done looking at the person?” She acted as if she were disowning her kin. “I’m busy with work. I’m going back.”

“Yijia, you always wrinkle your nose when you lie.” The woman bit her cigarette lazily, the translucent white smoke rising slowly. Her voice was as gentle as misty rain. “It’s not easy to see you. Why be in such a hurry to leave?”

“Not in a hurry? Fine—” Zuo Yijia gritted her teeth, deciding to tear off the mask completely. She pulled out a blurry photo of two people taken three months ago. “You actually sent someone to stalk me?”

Ophelia’s carmine-colored fingertips paused in mid-air. She seemed to be pondering how to explain, her brow furrowing with difficulty, creating two shallow creases.

Du Wan looked left and right.

Having grown up without many relatives, she was terrible at resolving family disputes. She could only clumsily open her mouth to soften the atmosphere: “Boss Zuo, isn’t your aunt just trying to show she cares? Really, no matter how busy you are, you shouldn’t forget to visit your elders. Coming home often is good for the family.”

Du Wan hurriedly tried to fix her words: “Wait, Auntie, you aren’t old at all! As the saying goes, a woman is like a flower at forty, in the prime of her life…”

Zuo Yijia’s face darkened, and she elbowed Du Wan in the side.

Ophelia’s furrowed brow smoothed out, and the more she looked at Du Wan, the more she liked her. “What a sweet mouth the little sweetheart has. Is ‘Boss Zuo’ a pet name between you two?”

She brushed the previous tension aside as if nothing had happened and cheerfully pulled Du Wan into the house. “It’s hot outside, look at you sweating. Come, come in quickly.”

Du Wan clutched her side, suffering in silence.

“I’ve specially prepared a grand feast. You two must stay for dinner tonight.”

Du Wan instinctively replied: “Okay—”

Zuo Yijia glared at her from behind, as if she wanted to burn a hole in the back of her head.

“Ah—” Du Wan clamped her mouth shut and scratched her head. What was that? Felt like a cold wind just grazed the back of my skull.

The manor was strange. For such a large space, the dining table was crowded and small. When the three of them sat down, their movements even caused their arms to brush against one another.

Dinner was a seafood extravaganza. Ophelia acted as if she had hauled everything edible (and inedible) from the ocean onto the shore. Raw, cooked, large, small, bizarrely shaped—there were many fish whose names Du Wan couldn’t recognize.

At first, Du Wan didn’t dare use her chopsticks, but she couldn’t resist the raw shrimp—they were too sweet and fresh, and the dipping sauce was perfect. After a sip of sweet and sour sea buckthorn juice, she was already acting like sisters with Ophelia.

As for Zuo Yijia, she hadn’t had a good look on her face since the meal started.

Ophelia smiled and served a piece of squid to her. “Yijia, try some. I remember you used to love this.”

“I’m sorry, I stopped eating this when I was four,” Zuo Yijia stated calmly. No one noticed she was on the verge of a volcanic eruption. “I nearly died because a fish bone pierced my throat.”

Ophelia’s smile froze, a visible pang of pain appearing in her eyes. She forgot to lower her chopsticks.

“She won’t eat it, I will!” Du Wan’s habit of feeling embarrassed for others kicked in. She reached out, took the bowl, and began to feast.

Zuo Yijia had no appetite. She didn’t move her cutlery once. She rose from the table, saying expressionlessly: “Excuse me for a moment.”

Ophelia frowned and followed her out immediately.

Du Wan clutched her bowl awkwardly, unsure if she should continue. She decided to chase after them to check—it wouldn’t be too late to finish the food later.

Though the manor was only one story high, its footprint was massive, connected by hallways from east to west. The rooms were decorated in a uniform style, and unlike the Zuo residence, there wasn’t a maid every ten steps. Du Wan hadn’t run far before she got lost. Realizing she couldn’t even find her way back to finish her meal, she slapped her forehead in regret.

Du Wan wandered aimlessly like a headless fly. Passing a certain room, she suddenly heard a heated argument inside. Her gossip-loving heart began to throb. She crouched down and pressed her ear to the door, trying to make out the words.

“I don’t need your late, hypocritical concern!”

Zuo Yijia’s voice suddenly spiked, followed by the clatter of something shattering.

No wonder the atmosphere is so weird. They have deep-seated issues. Du Wan’s curiosity was piqued. She was about to continue eavesdropping when Zuo Yijia, face full of rage, burst out and nearly knocked her to the floor.

Zuo Yijia looked at her, and her eyes suddenly flashed with light.

Du Wan rubbed her rear and looked up, instantly freezing. Uh oh, what is she planning?

“Do you see?” Zuo Yijia pulled Du Wan up and put an arm around her waist. “I’m doing great! I’m very happy!”

Ophelia’s eyes were full of sorrow, carrying the weariness of one who has seen much of the world. Her voice remained soft: “I don’t want to interfere with your decisions, I just don’t want to see you repeat my mistakes. Perhaps you need to be more cautious—”

“Du Wan!” Zuo Yijia lifted her chin, commanding haughtily, “Right now, immediately, kiss me!”

Du Wan: “…”

Du Wan: “Boss Zuo, th-this isn’t very appropriate, is it?”

Calm down! Impulse is a devil!

Ophelia’s pitying gaze fell on them, as if she were tolerating two bickering juniors, or perhaps mocking the fact that Zuo Yijia was still a child.

Zuo Yijia’s rage ignited instantly. Blinded by fury, she suddenly leaned down and kissed Du Wan on the lips.

This was simply…

Too intense!!!

Du Wan’s exclamation was completely muffled. She glanced forward out of the corner of her eye and saw Ophelia covering her mouth, looking as if she were about to faint.

I’m about to faint too.

Du Wan’s vision went dark; she had no idea that kissing required breathing.

How much longer is she going to kiss me?

She truly couldn’t hold on. Her eyes rolled back, and she passed out.