A Vicious Scum Alpha in a Heartthrob Novel - Chapter 4

Xu Qingshui was a through-and-through scumbag, but to a large extent, the main reason she could sustain her “villainous Alpha” persona was because she was stinking rich.

She pulled a Lamborghini—the latest model—out of the garage. Fu Jinghua shot a glance at the car but said nothing.

Xu Qingshui didn’t notice the look. Even in her original world, she belonged to the ultra-wealthy elite. Slotted into the driver’s seat, she started the engine and tilted her chin toward the passenger side. “Get in.”

It has to be said: sometimes a car is a person’s second skin, especially when the person in question—Xu Qingshui—wasn’t exactly hard on the eyes to begin with.

Fu Jinghua sat in the car, expressionless.

Because her health had never been good in her past life, Xu Qingshui had developed a love for speed. The wind whipped through Fu Jinghua’s hair, carrying the scent of brandy to the tip of her nose.

Since they had called ahead, Xu Qingshui was able to go straight in for her check-up upon arrival at the hospital. She intended to take Fu Jinghua with her, but the moment she parked, Fu Jinghua tossed a wad of cash onto the console. She opened the door and left immediately, as if she couldn’t stand to be associated with Xu Qingshui for a second longer.

Is she treating me like a chauffeur?

The veins on Xu Qingshui’s forehead throbbed. Well, since I’m the one who ‘marked’ her, I guess I’ll just have to endure it.

“According to all indicators, Fu Jinghua’s pheromones have a powerful attraction to you. Your compatibility level is incredibly high—it’s actually quite miraculous.” The doctor’s voice carried a hint of genuine astonishment. “That’s also why you can’t retract your pheromones. Because the compatibility is so high, and because Fu Jinghua’s pheromones seem to have the ability to induce pheromonal evolution, you simply can’t control yourself.”

“However, I don’t have the specific data for Fu Jinghua’s pheromones yet. What’s left in your system is minimal; most of it has been absorbed. Bringing more samples next time might confirm this.”

The speaker was a female doctor in black-rimmed glasses. She looked young, but she was already a top-tier specialist. She was also Xu Qingshui’s former classmate, Qin Shu. They had been childhood friends, but after the original owner became too much of a degenerate, Qin Shu couldn’t stand her and they drifted apart.

She was, fundamentally, a good person.

Xu Qingshui took a sip of water and nearly choked on the last sentence. She coughed awkwardly and quickly assessed the situation. “Does anyone else know about these ‘functions’ of Fu Jinghua’s pheromones?”

Qin Shu frowned. Usually, when people asked that, it was out of concern. Coming from Xu Qingshui, it sounded like she’d found new leverage for a scheme. But out of professional ethics, she answered: “No.”

Xu Qingshui sighed in relief. “Then keep it under wraps. Don’t let anyone find out. It wouldn’t be good for Fu Jinghua if word got out.” After a pause, she added, “Consider this a personal favor. If you ever need anything, come to me.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Shu’s eyes. Ignoring the offer of a favor, she asked bluntly, “Do you actually care about her?”

Xu Qingshui nodded. “Yes. Regardless of how it happened, she is my wife.”

Truly a miracle, Qin Shu thought. A dog’s mouth actually managed to produce a pearl.

“Are you having some kind of mental breakdown?” Qin Shu asked curiously. “Did a dog eat the version of you that wanted to use schemes to ruin her career?”

Xu Qingshui shot her a sharp look. If she weren’t a different person entirely, she would have punched Qin Shu. No wonder the original owner stopped talking to her.

Seeing Xu Qingshui remain silent and seated calmly, Qin Shu couldn’t help but marvel. “Now that’s better. Finally looking like a human being.”

Xu Qingshui: “…”

She stood up. “I’ll leave the confidentiality to you, then.”

Qin Shu nodded, patting her chest. “Sure, leave it to me. Oh, by the way, I’m off duty soon. Want to go grab a drink?”

Xu Qingshui thought about it. “Sure.”

On the other side of the hospital.

Qin Yue looked at Fu Jinghua and let out a gasp. “You actually got marked?!”

“Tell me, who was it? Who actually managed to take you down? If word gets out, your suitors will probably beat that person to death.”

Fu Jinghua replied: “Xu Qingshui.”

The air fell into a rare silence. After a few seconds, Qin Yue asked cautiously, “…Are you doing okay?”

Fu Jinghua thought for a moment. “I’m fine.” It was unexpected, but it was the truth.

Qin Yue: “?!” She couldn’t help but speculate: “Is she… surprisingly capable in that department?”

Fu Jinghua remained silent. Sometimes she really wanted to knock on Qin Yue’s head to see what was inside. Finally, she said, “Xu Qingshui’s pheromones are highly attractive to me. Moreover, I feel great. I have reason to suspect her pheromones are, in a way, the same as mine.”

“Neither of our pheromones are normal.”

Qin Yue’s mouth dropped open. The fact that Fu Jinghua’s pheromones were abnormal was an accidental discovery; her scent had a special attraction and “function” for others. Once, an Alpha had tried to force her, using drugs. Fu Jinghua had leaked pheromones while resisting the drug’s influence and had exerted a massive effort to subdue him.

At the time, there was a technology that could turn an Alpha into an Omega. Fu Jinghua wanted that scumbag to suffer the same pain she had, so she used it. But during the process, they discovered the scumbag’s pheromones had actually evolved and become stronger. After testing the pheromones on a few more subjects, the theory was confirmed.

If someone like Fu Jinghua existed who could make Alphas evolve, why couldn’t there be someone who could make Omegas evolve?

“Are you saying,” Qin Yue gasped, “that Xu Qingshui’s pheromones made you evolve?”

Fu Jinghua nodded. She wasn’t one of those petite, helpless Omegas. After countless incidents of being drugged or followed, her hatred for Alphas had reached a peak. But due to biological constraints, she was often physically overpowered.

But if she could evolve… would she finally be free from the influence of other Alphas?

Qin Yue understood the implication and turned serious. “I need more of Xu Qingshui’s pheromones to verify this. Once my sister [Qin Shu] finishes her shift, I’ll steal Xu Qingshui’s data from today. I want you to come back for another check-up with her in a month.”

A smile finally touched Fu Jinghua’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Qin Yue looked at her friend. She knew how extraordinary Fu Jinghua’s constitution was, and she knew the weight of her determination. She said sympathetically, “It’s really a shame you have to be with that scumbag.”

Fu Jinghua, who had been deep in thought while rubbing her temples, answered instinctively: “She’s different now.”

Qin Yue: ?! What did I just hear?

She wanted to press for details, but seeing how exhausted Fu Jinghua looked, she let it go.

Xu Qingshui and Qin Shu met at a quiet bar. Xu Qingshui had a high tolerance and was intentionally fishing for information. One thing led to another, and she managed to learn quite a bit.

The original owner wasn’t just a “scumbag”; Xu Qingshui felt that “evil” might be a more fitting description.

Before choosing moral kidnapping, the original owner’s ideal plan was to win Fu Jinghua’s heart and make her a mistress—essentially, to get her for free. She used countless psychological tricks, including “heart-attacking” strategies. She pretended to be Fu Jinghua’s biggest fan, only to later post the most vicious, hateful comments when one of Fu’s shows had mediocre ratings, trying to destroy her career. Then, she would swoop in to “rescue” her as a savior.

To this day, Fu Jinghua likely still received daily curses from that “former fan turned hater.”

Qin Shu was getting a bit tipsy and blunt. “Sometimes you really are a piece of work.” She paused, then started to tear up. “But sometimes I feel like I’m a piece of work, too.”

Xu Qingshui didn’t know how to respond, so she gave a dry rebuttal to the first part: “That was the past.”

Qin Shu took another drink. “True. People change. Maybe I’ll change one day, too.”

Xu Qingshui patted her shoulder in encouragement.

The bar was closing, so Xu Qingshui called the top contact in Qin Shu’s phone to have her picked up. She then hailed a ride for herself. By the time she got home, the sky was dark.

Though she had a good tolerance, she had drunk enough to feel a bit hazy. Entering the house, she didn’t turn on the lights, but she was hit by a rich, heavy scent of roses.

I really must be drunk, she thought. Otherwise, why would I smell Fu Jinghua’s pheromones?

She turned on the lights. The sudden brightness cleared her mind instantly.

She saw Fu Jinghua sitting upright on the sofa. Quiet, like a porcelain doll.

Xu Qingshui’s heart skipped a beat, and her breathing slowed. She had to admit, Fu Jinghua’s looks were exactly her type. She asked, “What are you doing here?”

Fu Jinghua looked up. She seemed to have had some wine as well; her eyes were shimmering. Hearing Xu Qingshui’s voice, she tilted her head. Without her usual edge, she asked: “Am I not allowed to be here?”

The scent of roses permeated the air. Xu Qingshui fought to keep her own pheromones in check, but the woman’s scent was a direct invitation.

Xu Qingshui started to back away. “I just remembered I forgot something. I’m leaving.”

Fu Jinghua: “…” She stood up, her voice sounding slightly aggrieved if one listened closely. “A living person is standing right in front of you, and you’re telling me you’re leaving.”

Xu Qingshui paused, narrowing her eyes as she observed her. She tested the waters: “Are you… asking me to stay?”

Fu Jinghua looked at her but said nothing.

Xu Qingshui understood. Given the woman’s personality, if she were faking it, she would have been angry by now. Instead, she remained motionless.

Xu Qingshui’s brows rose. What is she trying to do?

“Fine. The thing wasn’t that important anyway. I can get it another day.”

At that moment, she recalled the agreement: No touching. She also remembered Fu Jinghua’s “don’t look at me” attitude at the hospital that morning. It was aggressive, but understandable.

…So what was this? Fu Jinghua was voluntarily releasing pheromones in her house.

As an adult, Xu Qingshui knew exactly what this meant. Yet she still didn’t walk over. Instead, she asked provocatively: “…Do you need help? I can smell your pheromones.”

For any Alpha to blatantly tell an Omega they can smell their pheromones in this setting would usually be considered harassment. Unless it was a piece of wordless flirtation between two people in the know.

Sure enough, Fu Jinghua’s voice rang out without hesitation: “I do.”

“Mark me.”