After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Refuse to Get Divorced - Chapter 24

The woman’s voice was soft and fluid—the kind of intellectual, “big sister” voice that commanded respect.

Zhu Qingran usually thought of herself as someone who wanted to call her pampered wife “Sister,” but this woman’s voice sounded like she could truly be the “Big Sister” to Du Shiyu.

Compared to her charming, comforting voice, however, the woman seemed even more adept at being physically forward. The moment she reached out to take Du Shiyu’s arm, Zhu Qingran felt her vision blur with raw jealousy.

She blamed only herself for being a step too slow, failing to reach her wife’s side in time.

The woman, sensing the contact, offered a radiant smile and looked toward Zhu Qingran.

“Little Zhu, I hope you don’t mind a sister like me being close to her own little sister. My apologies; Shiyu and I haven’t seen each other in so long that I’ve missed her terribly. Reaching out has just become a habit.”

In any other context, wouldn’t a comment like that be a deliberate declaration of war?

Would Zhu Qingran “not mind”? She minded immensely!

But this was the doorstep of her in-laws’ home. Zhu Qingran couldn’t afford to lose her temper here. She endured.

“If I said I did mind, would you actually pull your hand back, Big Sister?” Zhu Qingran reached out to take her wife’s hand.

To her frustration, the woman didn’t let go. “Little Zhu, perhaps you don’t know me well. I’ve always been a woman of action—why would I withdraw a hand I’ve already extended?”

The woman’s tone was breezy, but her actions were infuriating. She practically waltzed the little beauty into the courtyard, leaving Zhu Qingran, the “official partner,” standing there all alone.

In that moment, Zhu Qingran wished time would freeze. If she could do it over, she would have escorted her wife out from her own side of the car, leaving no opening for anyone else.

But the world doesn’t provide “Regret Medicine.” Even a place as powerful as the IO Group couldn’t research a formula for a do-over.

A shadow flickered in Zhu Qingran’s eyes. She tried her best to suppress her unease, determined not to lose face in front of her wife’s family.

But she couldn’t seem to manage it.

Was her wife really going to let that woman lead her around? Would she lean against that so-called intellectual sister and tell her she missed her? But she’s mine.

Sigh.

Look at you, Zhu Qingran. You’re so stubborn and proud that you won’t show any weakness, and now you can’t even beat a childhood friend. How did you have the thick skin to claim you had this marriage under control? Absolutely pathetic!

Zhu Qingran was seconds away from scolding herself into a puddle of misery.

“Shiyu, it’s been so long. You never take the initiative to contact me or tell me you miss me! Is it because I, your first teacher, am no longer important? Am I just a faded old flower now?”

The woman’s voice grated on Zhu Qingran’s nerves with every syllable. Her breathy sighs felt like a lethal hook snagging Zhu Qingran’s very soul, holding her life in the balance. The usually fearless President Zhu felt like sealing off all her senses and becoming a living statue.

She couldn’t take it anymore! She didn’t want to hear what came next!

“Sister Chensi, it’s been a while. I have missed you. Between being busy with work and looking after the family, I haven’t been able to find the time to visit. I hope you can forgive me. You’re a celebrity at the training center; everyone praises your youthful looks. Don’t let me hear you talking about getting old ever again.”

Her wife had spoken. She had actually said she missed that childhood friend, Fu Chensi.

Little Zhu’s heart was bitter. Little Zhu wanted to cry.

Even though her wife had only expressed a polite sentiment without any over-the-top words or actions, Zhu Qingran felt wronged. It wasn’t just the sting of seeing her wife being friendly with someone else; it was the regret of all those years she herself had wasted and missed out on.

Zhu Qingran couldn’t even find an opening to join the conversation. Her expertise lay in products and profits—but this Chensi person seemed capable in those areas too.

What else could she say? Hey, I’ve differentiated into a 3S-rank Alpha, can you beat that?

The other woman would probably just reply: “I opened a 4S dealership, President Zhu—feel free to come overpay for a car to support a friend’s business.”

In short: it was a mismatch of epic proportions. She had no winning cards.

Zhu Qingran’s hand, which had been resting on the car door, moved to nervously pick at her own fingers. she turned her wedding ring, feeling a sense of cold desolation.

Perhaps sensing her pathetic state, she felt her wife’s gaze turn toward her. At most, she expected her wife—surrounded by the childhood friend’s attention—to say a casual “keep up.”

Rather than waiting for a command to follow, Zhu Qingran decided to use her long legs and just walk. This was her in-laws’ house; they were family. There was no reason to be a coward in front of some outsider “friend.”

She resolved to walk through the gates herself, without needing a reminder.

“Oh, Little Zhu.”

That childhood friend, Chensi, really wouldn’t let her be. Even when Zhu Qingran ignored her, she insisted on making her presence felt. While her wife hadn’t said anything, Chensi turned around first. She smiled with curved eyes, looking warm and approachable.

But that “warmth” was the last thing Zhu Qingran wanted.

“Little Zhu, stay close. Don’t get lost. Just treat this as your own home; don’t be a stranger.”

Fu Chensi’s words nearly made Zhu Qingran choke on her own spit. Talk about an eye-opener. Back when she was being oppressed by unscrupulous bosses, she thought they were the most disgusting beings on earth. Now, her worldview was being rewritten.

“I’m visiting my own in-laws, so thank you for your concern, ‘Big Sister.’ If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were the head of this household and I was the guest—though technically, I suppose I am just the visiting son-in-law.”

Zhu Qingran had reached her limit for endurance. If she suppressed herself any further, she’d turn into a “Ninja Turtle”—repressed and, judging by the green theme, potentially cheated on.

After snapping back at Fu Chensi, she looked toward Du Shiyu with a wounded expression. Her “puppy dog” eyes were practically brimming with tears. Was her wife really going to keep ignoring her?

Seeing Fu Chensi about to wrap an arm around Du Shiyu’s waist and tuck her arm in, Zhu Qingran stood there, wide-eyed and silent, staring intently at her wife.

“Sister doesn’t even want to hold my hand, what if I get lost outside? Is Sister really okay with losing her cute Ah Ran?”

President Zhu was acting coquettish.

Since her 3S-rank “Rich Tea” pheromones couldn’t out-maneuver Fu Chensi’s “Green Tea” act, she didn’t mind playing the “spoiled” card. As the saying goes: The Alpha who acts cute gets the Omega’s love.

Based on her many experiments, the moment she called Du Shiyu “Sister,” her wife would inevitably blush. And once she blushed, Zhu Qingran could push her luck. Right now, she wasn’t looking to push her luck in the bedroom—she just wanted to push Fu Chensi out of their personal space.

However, her wife didn’t seem to react. She wouldn’t even look at her.

Little Zhu was heartbroken. Little Zhu was about to throw a tantrum.

Zhu Qingran’s eyes were rimmed with red when Du Shiyu finally cleared her throat, her voice a bit raspy.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to hold your hand? Then I’ll just.”

Hold hands?

Zhu Qingran looked down and realized that, at some point, her wife’s hand had reached back and was waiting there. No wonder Du Shiyu hadn’t rushed into the courtyard despite Fu Chensi’s peacocking; she had been waiting for Zhu Qingran the whole time.

“Hold it! Sister Shiyu is the best! Sister’s hand is the softest and smells so good. Ah Ran loves Sister the most!”

The moment their hands locked, any trace of “President Zhu” vanished. If you asked her age, she was perpetually six years old.

Before the age of six, Zhu Qingran had both parents, a home, and love—she was just a cute, free little girl. After six, she became the “Strong Alpha” and the designated heir of the Zhu family. As the hope of the family, she was forbidden from acting spoiled or showing vulnerability.

But now that she had met her wife, she wanted to show her this different side of herself. She wanted to be Du Shiyu’s most authentic partner.

Zhu Qingran didn’t just hold her hand; she hooked her pinky finger with Du Shiyu’s, ensuring they were inseparable. Once her hand was caught, Du Shiyu used her other hand to carry her clutch.

“I didn’t expect President Zhu to have such a surprising side to her,” Fu Chensi said with a light chuckle. It was impossible to tell if she actually found it cute or was simply being two-faced.

In short: come what may, she was ready. Who was afraid of whom?

“‘President Zhu’ is just a title, but Zhu Qingran is a human being. It’s only natural for me to have emotions and desires! Besides, my sister loves it when I act spoiled. She loves me the most.”

Zhu Qingran didn’t just act cute; she leaned in and rubbed her head against her wife’s fragrant shoulder. After the shoulder rub came a peck on the cheek, followed by a silent plea for a head pat. President Zhu had plenty of hair—her wife could ruffle it as much as she pleased.

What are you going to do about it?

Is the childhood “green tea” jealous?

I’m going to show off right in front of you!

Nyah, nyah, nyah!

The feeling was absolutely exhilarating. Zhu Qingran was a hair’s breadth away from lighting a victory cigar and blowing smoke rings. Leaning against her wife, she felt as though even the passing breeze was scented with perfume.

“Du Shiyu, so this is the little brat who has you so infatuated and distracted that you’ve forgotten all your rules!”

When a stern, neutral female voice sounded from behind them, Zhu Qingran’s first instinct was to shield her wife. The speaker’s aura was incredibly powerful; just from those few words, Zhu Qingran felt a crushing sense of pressure.

This pressure was different from Fu Chensi’s. Fu Chensi was a peer, a match for Zhu Qingran in a head-to-head contest where Zhu Qingran might even hold the upper hand.

But the newcomer was different.

This person spoke with the weight of experience—steady, composed, and radiating the presence of a martial arts grandmaster. Perhaps because Zhu Qingran had been practicing self-defense lately, her intuition was razor-sharp.

Before the person could utter another word, Zhu Qingran ducked and twisted her body.

Sure enough, her judgment was spot on: the newcomer had launched a surprise attack. Thanks to her recent physical training—of whatever variety—her waist wasn’t stiff or rigid, allowing her to fluidly dodge the strike.

“Oho, interesting!”

The newcomer had no intention of ending the sparring match there. She threw a two-step combination, and as her fist flew toward Zhu Qingran’s face, she opened her hand into a palm, sweeping in with a powerful gust of wind to make a grab.

However, her target seemed to have shifted; the attack was now barreling straight toward Zhu Qingran’s blind spot.

Fu Chensi tried to pull Du Shiyu away to safety, but because Du Shiyu’s hand was still tightly interlaced with Zhu Qingran’s, she couldn’t be moved immediately.

With the situation seemingly beyond repair, Zhu Qingran threw herself over Du Shiyu, shielding her completely. Was Zhu Qingran a woman who relied on her face to survive? No. She had her brains and her abilities—at worst, she’d just let her face get scratched up.

As Zhu Qingran braced for the impact, her only thought was that she couldn’t let anything happen to her wife.

“Dad!”

The moment her wife cried out, Zhu Qingran felt the attacker’s fingertips graze the fine peach fuzz on her cheek, but the follow-through never came.

There was only the sound of the wind, heavy breathing, and a low chuckle: “Not bad. At least you know to shield Shiyu. You may enter the house.”