After The Shared Beta Was Abandoned By The Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 12

The atmosphere inside the car was stiflingly tense on the way home from the banquet.

Yu Baiyi leaned against the leather seat, her gaze fixed on her phone screen. The messages she had sent Lin Xiaogu several hours ago still had not received a reply.

Irritated, she locked her phone, tossed it aside, and looked out at the neon lights rapidly receding beyond the window.

The only sound inside the car was the low hum of the engine.

As they approached the family estate, Yu Baiyi suddenly spoke, her voice tinged with impatience.

“I still have something to do later, so I won’t be going inside.”

Bai Weiran did not turn around. Her gaze remained fixed on the road illuminated by the headlights as she replied calmly, “We’re having dinner with the Lin family tonight to finalize the wedding date. Are you certain you want to leave at a time like this?”

The words were like invisible shackles, instantly pinning Yu Baiyi in place.

She fell silent, her jaw tightening slightly.

After a while, Bai Weiran broke the silence again. This time, her voice carried an unavoidable scrutiny.

“You were the one who arranged for Lin Xiaogu to work at the procuratorate.”

Yu Baiyi looked up, her brows drawing together.

“…What?”

“Who told you?”

Then she reconsidered.

Who else could it possibly have been?

“Xi Bingye?” Sarcasm entered Yu Baiyi’s voice. “Why does she tell everyone everything?”

“If she hadn’t told me, how much longer were you planning to hide it?” Bai Weiran turned and gave her a cold, piercing glance. “Explain yourself. Why did you send Lin Xiaogu there, and why did you later make her resign?”

Yu Baiyi did not respond. She merely turned her head toward the window.

“Yu Baiyi.” Bai Weiran’s voice sank, carrying an unquestionable command. “Speak.”

“Stop asking.” Yu Baiyi’s voice was muffled. “Do you think I’ll tell you just because you ask?”

Bai Weiran was briefly rendered speechless.

Her relationship with this daughter had always been distant without being estranged, familiar without ever being close.

In Yu Baiyi’s early years, Bai Weiran had been occupied with military and political affairs, leaving her young daughter alone at home. By the time the situation stabilized, Yu Baiyi had entered a closed military academy.

The two of them had rarely spent any meaningful time alone together.

Bai Weiran suppressed the complicated emotions stirring inside her and adopted an even firmer attitude.

“Send Lin Xiaogu back to the procuratorate by tomorrow at the latest.”

“Impossible,” Yu Baiyi answered decisively.

“That isn’t for you to decide,” Bai Weiran said in a tone that allowed no argument. “You’re going to marry Ziyue soon. There are many matters to handle, and not the slightest mistake can be permitted. Working at the procuratorate will keep Lin Xiaogu occupied and farther away from you. Send her back as soon as possible. Don’t let her interfere with what truly matters.”

She paused, placing greater emphasis on her next words.

“Do you understand?”

“If you refuse to listen to me, I have plenty of ways to separate the two of you.”

After a long silence, Yu Baiyi forced a low reply from her throat.

“…I understand.”

When they returned to the brightly lit family estate, the Lin family was already waiting in the living room.

Beneath the crystal chandelier, the parents from both families exchanged warm greetings with smiles on their faces.

After the usual pleasantries, Bai Weiran came directly to the point.

“Besides settling on an auspicious wedding date for the children, I assume our future in-laws have something else they wish to discuss?”

Lin Ziyue’s mother, Lin Bin, smiled and set down her teacup. Her tone was gentle, but she went straight to the heart of the matter.

“There is indeed one small issue. Our group’s new medicine will soon be released, but we recently heard that several competitors are also preparing to launch similar products. As you know, in business, timing determines the market. If we fall even one step behind, both our initial investment and our market share will be significantly affected.”

She paused, her gaze passing over Bai Weiran and Yu Baiyi.

“Therefore, we may… not have enough time to complete the full clinical-trial cycle.”

Lin Bin immediately added with confidence, “Of course, please rest assured. Since we’re willing to release this medicine, we can absolutely guarantee its safety. You have our word on that.”

Bai Weiran held her teacup without speaking, seemingly weighing the matter.

Yu Baiyi, however, frowned and spoke directly.

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

Lin Bin looked at her, her smile unchanged.

“Baiyi, we may need you to… speak with a few of your old acquaintances in the approval department. Ask them to be flexible with the process—to overlook a few things and allow our medicine to pass first.”

“If something actually goes wrong later, won’t I be the one held responsible?” Yu Baiyi sneered, speaking without the slightest courtesy. “Until you can guarantee with absolute certainty that there won’t be any accidents, I won’t be speaking to anyone on your behalf.”

“Baiyi.” Bai Weiran interrupted at the appropriate moment and glanced at her daughter. Her tone was mild but carried an unquestionable authority. “Go to the balcony and keep Ziyue company. Enjoy the night view together.”

Yu Baiyi met her mother’s gaze for a moment. In the end, she pressed her lips together and silently pushed open the heavy glass door before walking onto the balcony.

The night breeze outside was cool.

Lin Ziyue was leaning against the railing, a long, slender cigarette held between her fingers.

Yu Baiyi turned her back to her, maintaining a considerable distance between them.

The two remained locked in silent confrontation until the cigarette burned down.

Lin Ziyue extinguished the cigarette in a nearby ash receptacle and slowly walked over to Yu Baiyi.

“Have you heard of the daisies from Country A?” she suddenly asked, her voice quiet.

Yu Baiyi turned around with a puzzled expression.

“What about them?”

“They say the daisies there are beautiful.” Lin Ziyue tilted her head toward her, her expression blurred by the darkness. “I want a custom-made daisy bracelet. Could you go to Country A and have one made for me?”

Yu Baiyi frowned. “Can’t you go yourself?”

Lin Ziyue laughed softly, her meaning unclear.

“It would be more meaningful if you gave it to me.”

“Lin Ziyue, don’t push your luck—”

“I know.” Lin Ziyue interrupted her, her voice perfectly calm. “But since this is a partnership, we still need to keep up appearances, don’t we? I’m only asking for a bracelet. If you can’t even satisfy such a small request, I’ll find it difficult to believe… that you sincerely intend to continue our cooperation.”

Yu Baiyi turned to face her and stared directly at her for a long moment beneath the dim lighting.

The same flawless, slightly distant smile remained on Lin Ziyue’s face.

In the end, Yu Baiyi forced three icy words through clenched teeth.

“…I understand.”

The curve of Lin Ziyue’s lips deepened slightly.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing.”

“What else?” Yu Baiyi made no attempt to conceal her impatience. “You’d better say everything at once.”

“This truly is the last thing.”

Lin Ziyue stepped closer and lowered her voice until she was almost speaking beside Yu Baiyi’s ear.

“Could you… give me your little girlfriend’s contact information?”

Yu Baiyi’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

She narrowed her eyes, attempting to find some hint of mockery or hidden intent on Lin Ziyue’s composed face, but she could read nothing.

She had no idea what this woman was planning.

In the end, Yu Baiyi said nothing. She abruptly pulled open the balcony door, leaving Lin Ziyue behind with the cool night breeze.

As the glass door closed, she tossed out four cold words.

“You’re completely unreasonable.”

---

At eleven that night, after finishing dinner, Yu Baiyi drove back to the apartment where Lin Xiaogu lived.

At some unknown point, Lin Xiaogu had stopped sitting in the living room to wait for her return, though she still left a light on for her there.

Yu Baiyi opened the bedroom door.

Lin Xiaogu lay on her side with her back toward the entrance, seemingly already asleep.

Yu Baiyi lightened her footsteps as she approached, sat at the edge of the bed, and gently touched her shoulder.

“Baby, I’m home.”

Lin Xiaogu slowly turned around. Her eyes were hazy with sleep, and after recognizing Yu Baiyi, she rubbed them and gave her a faint smile.

“You’re home.”

“I’m sorry, Baby. I came back late.”

Yu Baiyi leaned closer and brushed her lips against Lin Xiaogu’s cheek.

Lin Xiaogu subtly pulled away and softly hummed in acknowledgment.

Yu Baiyi froze.

In the past, no matter how sleepy or exhausted Lin Xiaogu was, she had never rejected her affectionate touch.

Perhaps she was simply too tired.

Yu Baiyi did not think much of it.

“Look. I brought it home for you.”

Yu Baiyi stood, retrieved the exquisitely packaged enamel vase from the living room, and placed it on the blanket in front of Lin Xiaogu as though presenting a treasure.

“The vase you wanted. Do you like it?”

Lin Xiaogu sat up and accepted the vase. Her fingertips passed over the cool glaze and delicate patterns.

She studied it for a long time before raising her head to look at Yu Baiyi.

Her voice was very quiet.

“How much… did this vase cost?”

“Why are you asking that?” Yu Baiyi laughed, her tone casual. “It’s a gift. Just accept it. You don’t need to worry about the price.”

“…Mhm.”

Lin Xiaogu lowered her head and looked at the vase for a while longer before softly saying, “Thank you.”

“What did you do at home today? Why didn’t you reply to any of my messages?” Yu Baiyi remembered the matter, and displeasure entered her voice.

Lin Xiaogu shook her head.

“Nothing… I may have accidentally fallen asleep and didn’t notice my phone. I’m sorry.”

“I’ll let it go this time.”

Yu Baiyi looked away and rubbed her nose.

“But if you fail to reply to my messages promptly again, I’m going to punish you.”

Punish.

That word again.

Lin Xiaogu clearly remembered the last time she had heard it. It had been after the banquet where she embarrassed herself by kissing Yu Baiyi in public.

“Baiyi.” She raised her eyes, her voice calm. “May I ask what you mean by punishment?”

The corner of Yu Baiyi’s lips curved upward.

“What are you most afraid of?”

Lin Xiaogu fell silent.

What was she most afraid of?

She feared the bone-piercing cold of winter nights. She feared the glassy eyes of dead fish. She feared the countless ants that crawled across her skin while she hid behind piles of garbage for warmth.

More than anything…

She feared Yu Baiyi abandoning her.

Yu Baiyi reached out and affectionately rubbed the top of her head. Her tone held the certainty of someone firmly in control.

“If there’s a next time, I’ll…”

She deliberately paused, watching Lin Xiaogu’s shoulders tense slightly before slowly giving her answer.

“I won’t come home for an entire week.”

So that was the punishment.

It was childish.

But it would be quite effective against her.

Lin Xiaogu lowered her eyes, her thick lashes concealing every emotion.

“I understand,” she whispered. “I won’t ignore your messages again.”

She gently placed the vase on the bedside table, lay down again, and curled up on one side of the bed with her back toward Yu Baiyi.

After Yu Baiyi finished washing, she lay down on the other side.

An empty stretch of space separated them as they lay back-to-back.

Lin Xiaogu remained awake in the darkness.

She did not know when it had begun, but Yu Baiyi was returning home later and later, and the time they spent together was becoming increasingly scarce.

Baiyi was always busy, but Lin Xiaogu had no idea what occupied her. She could not ask whether the engagement rumors were true or whether Yu Baiyi ever intended to tell her.

At least…

At least Yu Baiyi still returned every day and lay beside her.

That… should be enough, shouldn’t it?

At least…

They could still spend this winter together.

She gently closed her eyes, but it felt as though a clump of damp cotton were lodged in her chest, so heavy and suffocating that she could barely breathe.

Everything was her fault.

From the very beginning, she should never have hoped for so much.

After an unknown amount of time, while drifting between sleep and wakefulness, Lin Xiaogu felt the mattress shift beside her.

Yu Baiyi seemed to get up for some water before lying down again. An arm gently wrapped around Lin Xiaogu from behind, carrying familiar warmth.

The movement woke Lin Xiaogu. She instinctively grabbed the hand attempting to slip beneath the hem of her nightclothes, her voice still hazy with sleep.

“…What is it?”

“Baby.” Yu Baiyi’s warm breath spilled over the back of her ear. “I’m leaving for a business trip to Country A tomorrow. I won’t be coming home for dinner.”

Lin Xiaogu was silent for a moment.

“Another business trip.”

Her voice sounded calm, but it carried a trace of disappointment she could not conceal.

“Mhm. This one will be quick. I’ll be back in two days.” Yu Baiyi tightened her arm around her. “Wait obediently for me at home, all right?”

“…Mhm.”

Lin Xiaogu tried to gently push her hand away.

“Baiyi, you must be very tired today. You should rest early.”

Yu Baiyi chuckled and slipped her hand beneath Lin Xiaogu’s nightclothes.

“You know that the kind of rest I want has never been sleep…”

Lin Xiaogu’s heart tightened. She hurriedly caught Yu Baiyi’s hand, stopping her from going any further.

“Baiyi, I don’t feel very well tonight. Could we… wait until tomorrow?”

“Didn’t I just tell you that I’m leaving on a business trip tomorrow?”

After a moment, Yu Baiyi sighed and withdrew her hand.

“Forget it. Don’t go back to sleep yet. There’s something else I need to ask you.”

Lin Xiaogu forced her heavy eyelids to remain open and looked toward Yu Baiyi’s indistinct outline in the darkness.

Yu Baiyi’s voice sounded through the silence.

“Baby, do you want to go back to work?”

Lin Xiaogu froze.

“Go back… to the procuratorate?”

“Mhm.” Yu Baiyi’s voice revealed little emotion. “I thought about it afterward, and deciding that you should resign without asking you did seem somewhat selfish. I never considered what you wanted.”

“Now I’m giving you another opportunity to choose. Do you want to return to work, or would you rather remain at home?”

Yu Baiyi calculated inwardly that if Lin Xiaogu chose to remain home, she would find a way to deal with Bai Weiran. Then she would speak properly with Xi Bingye and make that woman keep her mouth shut.

However, Lin Xiaogu’s eyes suddenly brightened in the darkness.

The change was faint, but Yu Baiyi noticed it clearly.

“Work… I can still go back to work?”

A hint of disbelieving hope entered her voice.

Yu Baiyi’s brows drew together almost imperceptibly.

“Of course you can. But think carefully. Do you truly still want to go back?”

In the darkness, Yu Baiyi’s gaze remained fixed on Lin Xiaogu’s face.

“Baiyi.”

Lin Xiaogu suddenly laughed softly. The sound was faint, carrying a certain lightness born of relief.

“Thank you… for letting me return to work.”

“Have you truly thought it through?” Yu Baiyi’s voice lowered. “The procuratorate is extremely busy. You’ll often need to travel, and there may be times when you can’t contact me. Then there’s that unpredictable superior of yours… Are you certain this is what you want?”

“Mhm.”

Lin Xiaogu answered without the slightest hesitation, her voice clear and calm.

“I’ve made up my mind, Baiyi. I want to go back to work.”

“…”

Yu Baiyi remained silent for a long time.

Finally, she abruptly turned over with her back toward Lin Xiaogu, yanked the blanket higher to cover her head, and complained irritably,

“Fine. Do whatever you want.”