After Becoming the Scummy Alpha in a Substitute Romance - Chapter 33

Saturday.

Under Jian Ya’s lead, the team finished their tasks earlier than planned.

After work, Shen Shuyi was still hesitating. But when she stepped out of the lab, she saw Jian Ya already waiting by the door.

There was a soft smile on Jian Ya’s face. Lately, Shen Shuyi had often seen that same smile—warm, gentle, and reassuring.

“You really don’t have to come with me,” Shen Shuyi said as she approached her.

She paused for a moment, then looked at Jian Ya and added, “The Shen family doesn’t truly care about our relationship. They only see you as someone they can use to get benefits from the Jian family.”

“I know,” Jian Ya replied calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “That’s what both sides wanted when we got married.”

“Then why are you still—”

“You don’t need to feel guilty,” Jian Ya said softly. “In marriages between powerful families, the older generation always has their own calculations. It was never just about the Shen family using me. If our marriage didn’t benefit the Jian family too, they would’ve never agreed to it.”

She smiled casually, completely at ease. “People who run families like ours never allow themselves to lose anything.”

Shen Shuyi didn’t know how to respond. Deep down, she felt Jian Ya was only saying this to make her feel better, so she wouldn’t try to stop her from coming along.

But Jian Ya’s words made sense.

Yes, the Shen family had used her to reach for benefits through the Jian family. But the Jian family—if they had nothing to gain—would have never agreed to the match in the first place.

In the end, it had always been a calculated exchange between two powerful families.

With that thought, Shen Shuyi didn’t say anything else. She finally agreed to let Jian Ya come with her.

The Shen family’s estate wasn’t near the city center—it was located on the outskirts, halfway up a mountain.

It was said that the estate had been chosen personally by the Shen family’s patriarch years ago. He believed the location had good feng shui, which would bring lasting fortune to the family.

Some people believed it. Some didn’t.

Still, no one could deny the place was beautiful.

Backed by a natural hot spring, it stayed warm in winter and cool in summer. It was quiet and peaceful. In a city filled with noise and pollution, this place felt like a rare escape.

Since Jian Ya had never been there and didn’t know the area, Shen Shuyi drove.

When they arrived at the front gate of the Shen estate, both of them stepped out of the car.

Shen Shuyi stood for a long time in front of the car, quietly staring at the familiar building.

Finally, she turned to Jian Ya, who had been silently waiting nearby, and said in a low voice,

“Let’s go.”

Jian Ya gave a small nod. She had noticed that Shen Shuyi wasn’t in a great mood today, so she didn’t try to start a conversation and stayed quieter than usual.

The parking lot was still a bit of a walk from the main house.

The two of them walked side by side in silence, sharing an unspoken understanding. Neither said a word.

The closer they got to the house, the cooler the air became. Since the estate was further into the hills, the temperature noticeably dropped.

A light breeze blew past, and the chill brushed against their exposed skin.

“Achoo.” Shen Shuyi sneezed and instinctively rubbed her arms.

She had come straight from the lab without changing clothes. It hadn’t felt cold during the day, but now that evening was approaching, the temperature difference was more noticeable.

She didn’t think much of it. This visit was just another task—have a meal, say a few things, and it would be over.

That’s how it had always been.

As she was thinking that, a sudden warmth wrapped around her.

She turned slightly and saw Jian Ya placing her own jacket over her shoulders.

Without it, Jian Ya was only wearing a thin T-shirt.

Shen Shuyi frowned and reached up to take the jacket off, but Jian Ya quickly stopped her and said with a smile, “This jacket’s freshly washed. It’s clean, I promise.”

Shen Shuyi couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh, both amused and helpless. “That’s not what I meant. It’s pretty cold, and without your jacket, you might catch a chill.”

Hearing that, Jian Ya understood right away.

So it wasn’t that Shen Shuyi didn’t want to wear something she had worn—it wasn’t about hygiene.

Jian Ya quietly let out a breath of relief. That made sense. She took care of herself and was always clean, so she hadn’t thought it would actually bother Shen Shuyi.

Of course, if it was her as a person that Shen Shuyi disliked, there wasn’t much she could do about that.

“Don’t worry about me getting cold,” Jian Ya said casually. “You know, because of my pheromones, my body temperature’s always on the warmer side. Even in the middle of winter, I’m fine in short sleeves.”

Shen Shuyi said nothing.

Even though the two of them hadn’t spent that much time together, she did know that part was true. Jian Ya’s body really did feel like a furnace—always warm.

Jian Ya added, “Besides, we came back to deal with some family drama. This jacket might save us from a lot of awkward explanations.”

That last comment made Shen Shuyi slowly lower her hand.

She didn’t say anything else. Head slightly lowered, she continued walking forward, quietly.

The trees on both sides of the path swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves rustling softly.

This time, as the wind passed over Shen Shuyi, she didn’t feel cold at all. Thanks to the jacket wrapped around her, the chill in the air didn’t reach her. Still, she instinctively tugged the collar tighter, pulling the jacket more snugly around her.

Jian Ya’s jacket had a fresh, clean scent.

Mixed in with that freshness was a warm feeling, like sunlight touching the skin, something that seemed to quietly chase away the coldness inside.

They walked slowly. Shen Shuyi stepped along the familiar cobblestone path, her long lashes trembling slightly.

She had walked this path many times.

But she had never liked it.

Every time she had come this way before, she could feel a chill in the air, one that seemed to seep through her skin and settle deep in her heart.

Over time, she got used to that kind of cold. It wasn’t comfortable, but once she accepted it, it just became part of the routine.

But this time, maybe it was because of the jacket, or maybe because of something else, for the first time, she realized that walking this path didn’t have to feel so cold.

They walked for quite a while, and just as they were about to reach the old house, a voice suddenly called out from the side.

“Maomao-jie, you’re finally back!”

A teenage boy, around 5’7″, jumped down from a large rock nearby.

His eyes were round, and when he smiled, two small dimples appeared on his cheeks. He looked directly at Shen Shuyi, his face lit up with joy.

Shen Shuyi looked at the boy, her gaze softening with affection. “What are you doing here?”

The boy scratched his head, grinning. “Grandpa said you were coming back today, so I waited here. I wanted to be the first one to see you.”

Jian Ya quietly watched their interaction.

Her first thought was, who is this boy? She didn’t remember reading about him in the original story.

Her second thought was, Maomao-jie?

Maomao? Was that Shen Shuyi’s nickname?

Jian Ya tried to mentally connect that sweet and adorable name with the cool, elegant woman beside her. It was almost impossible. She couldn’t hold back the smile that appeared at the corners of her mouth.

Her smile didn’t go unnoticed.

The boy glanced at her. The familiar warmth on his face disappeared, replaced by a polite, respectful expression. He greeted her, saying, “You must be Maomao-jie’s wife, Sister Jian, right?”

“Ahem, yes, I am,” Jian Ya replied, lightly coughing into her hand as she held back a laugh.

Still, curiosity got the better of her. She turned to Shen Shuyi and asked,
“So, Maomao is your nickname?”

Shen Shuyi stayed silent for a moment.

“Mm,” she responded briefly, her tone distant. Her eyes avoided Jian Ya’s gaze.

That reaction only made Jian Ya more curious. “But why that name? It doesn’t really match your actual name.”

“I don’t know,” Shen Shuyi replied quickly, and without giving more explanation, she started walking toward the house.

She didn’t want to explain, but the boy beside them had no intention of keeping quiet.

“Sister Jian, you didn’t know Maomao-jie’s nickname? I do, I know the story!” the boy said with a mischievous grin.

“Shen Yu,” Shen Shuyi suddenly stopped and called out.

But Shen Yu clearly understood her personality. He knew she wasn’t really mad. Seeing that Sister Jian seemed to care about Maomao-jie, he kept a safe distance and continued happily.

“Sister Jian, in our Shen family, most of our nicknames come from repeating a character in our actual names. For example, I’m Shen Yu, so my nickname is Yuyu,” he explained.

Jian Ya nodded. That made sense. A lot of people did that.

“But try doing that with Maomao-jie’s name,” Shen Yu added, his eyes twinkling.

Shen Shuyi’s name… choosing one character and repeating it?

Jian Ya quickly ran the possibilities in her mind.

Shu Shu?

Yi Yi?

She froze.

Now it made sense why they went with Maomao.

“Hahaha!” Jian Ya finally couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

She had never thought of it that way before, but now that she said the name out loud, she realized how confusing and funny it sounded. Who came up with this nickname? They were surprisingly creative.

Still smiling, Jian Ya asked, “Then how did she end up with the name Maomao?”

“Oh, that,” Shen Yu replied quickly, grinning. “I heard when Maomao sister was little, she used to climb everything, always getting into trouble like a wild little kid, so they just started calling her Maomao.”

Before Shen Shuyi could stop him, Shen Yu had already spilled everything.

“Shen Yu!” Shen Shuyi raised her voice, sounding embarrassed and frustrated.

Shen Yu just laughed out loud and quickly ran off toward the old house.

Jian Ya followed behind Shen Shuyi, her eyes full of amusement. Seeing the faint red creeping up Shen Shuyi’s neck and the tips of her ears, she couldn’t help but think she looked incredibly cute.

“So, you weren’t such a well-behaved kid after all,” Jian Ya said with a light laugh in her voice.

She had always thought someone like Shen Shuyi—so calm and elegant—must have been quiet and reserved even as a child.

“I don’t remember,” Shen Shuyi replied quickly, speeding up her steps toward the house.

“It’s really not a big deal. I was super mischievous too when I was little. I think we might actually have something in common,” Jian Ya continued teasing her.

“We don’t,” Shen Shuyi said firmly, walking even faster.

“Hey, don’t walk so fast. Why don’t you tell me more about what you were like growing up?”

Shen Shuyi didn’t respond at all.

“Sister, wait for me,” Jian Ya called playfully from behind.

Still, Shen Shuyi didn’t look back.

“Maomao sister—”

A moment later, Jian Ya felt something land on her head—it was the jacket Shen Shuyi had thrown straight at her.

“Be quiet. Stop talking,” Shen Shuyi said, her voice laced with embarrassment and annoyance.

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