After Being Used As A Substitute By A Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 10

“Is Sister angry?” Qin Wei asked.

Zhongli Tang smiled and shook her head.

Qin Wei didn’t believe her, her tone carried a hint of dejection. “He is Sister’s friend. Treating him like that must have made things difficult for you.”

“He doesn’t count as a friend. As long as you had fun, it’s fine.”

Zhongli Tang spoke without thinking. To be honest, she didn’t even remember the Beta’s name. Her only impression was that Xu Sui had brought him along to hang out. Although she couldn’t stand him back then, she and Xu Sui had just had a massive argument over something trivial, so she had simply turned a blind eye. Not long after that, Xu Sui left for Country Y, and as her girlfriend, Zhongli Tang was the last to know.

A flicker of irony flashed in Zhongli Tang’s eyes. She had once thought she was the one who did something wrong, making countless phone calls to try and save the relationship. The answer was always a cold silence of unanswered rings. She had even considered going to Country Y to demand an answer in person, but her pride wouldn’t allow it. Combined with the vultures eyeing the Gamma technology, it was impossible to leave. In the end, she could only numb herself through work.

But a year later, she met Qin Wei, whose pheromones were strikingly similar to Xu Sui’s. The anger buried deep in her heart finally found an outlet.

“That’s good then,” Qin Wei said dismissively, her gaze falling on the dazzling, kaleidoscopic lights outside. “This is my first time in a place like this. I’ve only ever seen it on TV before. It feels… alright.”

She was allergic even to pheromone samples in the lab, let alone a bar saturated with them. Currently, she had to rely on the temporary mark Zhongli Tang had given her. Fortunately, there were only three months left.

A sense of vigilance suddenly rose in Zhongli Tang. “You can’t learn bad habits. Without me, you aren’t allowed to run off to places like this alone next time.”

Qin Wei remained silent. In most cases, Zhongli Tang couldn’t really control her anyway.

“Did you hear me, ‘Good Student’?” Zhongli Tang emphasized her tone.

Feeling pestered, Qin Wei replied perfunctorily, “I heard you, I heard you.”

Zhongli Tang frowned, a hint of regret bubbling up. Had she known, she wouldn’t have brought her here. No, she had to keep a close eye on her.

The Arrival Home

After dropping her off at the apartment building, Zhongli Tang turned to the passenger seat only to find that Qin Wei had already fallen asleep against the window.

It made sense; it had been a long, exhausting day. Given Qin Wei’s “elderly” biological clock, the fact that she hadn’t fallen asleep in the bar was already giving Zhongli Tang face.

A helpless smile flashed in Zhongli Tang’s eyes. She opened the passenger door and called out softly, “Qin Wei? Weiwei? Go upstairs to sleep.”

Qin Wei’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she ultimately remained still. Lacking a support point, she subconsciously hugged Zhongli Tang’s arm, nuzzling it carefully as if finding the most comfortable sleeping position, and then fell back into a peaceful slumber.

The night breeze blew gently with a touch of chill. Zhongli Tang’s long hair drifted in a messy yet romantic arc. She stared for a moment and finally let out a soft sigh.

Forget it.

“You certainly sleep soundly.”

Qin Wei seemed to hear a bit of movement in her half-dreaming state. Her lips moved slightly as a response, but it was nothing more than a faint gesture.

Zhongli Tang let out a soft chuckle through her nose and proceeded to lift Qin Wei directly out of the passenger seat. The car door closed automatically.

“Ugh.”

Qin Wei felt a sensation of weightlessness and became slightly panicked in her daze. She turned her head and buried it into Zhongli Tang’s embrace. Sensing the “Ocean” pheromones on her, she immediately felt at ease.

“It’s a bit late to be scared now.”

Zhongli Tang’s first thought was that she was too light. Not only did she look like a little rabbit, but her weight was like one too. In her acting career, Zhongli Tang had met many Omegas, some even skin and bones but they were different from Qin Wei. Theirs was a result of dieting, whereas Qin Wei seemed more like it was caused by carrying too much on her mind.

“Is studying that hard?”

Zhongli Tang asked in a low voice, seemingly forgetting that Qin Wei couldn’t respond. She murmured the second half to herself: “You need to eat more in the future.”

The Awakening Past

The apartment was on the third floor. She had planned to use the elevator, but since she wasn’t wearing a mask, she risked being recognized. To avoid unnecessary explanations and news headlines, she chose the stairs. It took some effort before she finally got through the door and laid Qin Wei on the bed.

Qin Wei had sensed the difference from before, it was too bumpy, making her sleep unsettled. The moment she touched the soft mattress, she immediately abandoned Zhongli Tang’s embrace.

“Truly ungrateful.”

Qin Wei simply hugged her blanket, her sleeping face serene.

Zhongli Tang caught a faint scent of alcohol, likely picked up from the environment. Qin Wei loved cleanliness and would surely be unhappy the next day. After a moment’s thought, she went into the bathroom, dampened a towel with warm water, and wiped Qin Wei’s face and neck. Qin Wei wasn’t very cooperative, constantly trying to dodge.

Zhongli Tang couldn’t help but say, “This is the first time I’ve ever looked after someone like this. I didn’t even take care of Xu Sui to this extent.”

Qin Wei heard but didn’t react, though she seemed to understand something. When Zhongli Tang lightened her touch, Qin Wei became much more cooperative.

“You certainly know how to enjoy yourself.”

Just then, her phone vibrated in a series of bursts. Zhongli Tang glanced at it and froze. An ancient group chat had suddenly “resurrected.” It consisted of a few friends she had stayed in touch with, the reason it had gone dormant was that it was the only shared group between her and Xu Sui.

Doubt flashed in her eyes, but she couldn’t resist the urge. she clicked on the chat.

Chen-Chen-Chen-Chen Ya: Everyone is so busy. I’m the only student left idling around.

Exploding into Fame Soon: I have work tomorrow, have fun!

Shao’s Law Firm: I’m free next week. We haven’t gathered in a long time, let’s meet up if you’re free.

Chen-Chen-Chen-Chen Ya: @Xu Sui, what about you, Sis? I miss you so, so much. Some people have probably forgotten what you even look like.

Xu Sui: Once I finish my work here, I should be able to come back. Actually, I’ve missed you all these past few years too.

After reading the last sentence, Zhongli Tang shut her phone off. Her breathing became erratic, and her expression turned exceptionally grim.

Missed them?

She hadn’t sent a single word for years, and she calls that missing them?!

On the bed, Qin Wei sensed the shift. She slept fitfully, her brow furrowed tight. The pheromones in her gland felt the extreme anger, under the power of the “Ocean,” the tiny “Ebony” scent nearly dissipated. Between highly compatible AOs, the Omega is most sensitive to the Alpha’s emotions.

“…Sister.”

Zhongli Tang’s train of thought was broken. she watched as Qin Wei’s small face nuzzled against her hand in a gesture of lingering dependence, looking like a rabbit waiting to be fed.

Zhongli Tang was suddenly amused by her actions, and the anger in her heart faded by half. At least Qin Wei was someone who couldn’t leave her.

The Study

Zhongli Tang was woken up by a delicious aroma. Qin Wei, who should have been lying beside her, was gone, leaving no warmth behind. Unhurried, she freshened up and walked out of the bedroom.

On the table was a warm breakfast. Judging by the portions, she could tell Qin Wei hadn’t touched it yet, nor was she in the kitchen.

Zhongli Tang arched an eyebrow and walked toward the study. This was Qin Wei’s domain, the shelves were packed with materials and books, covering almost the entire wall. She remembered when they signed the contract, she had casually asked if there were any requirements for the apartment. Qin Wei had said in a small voice that she wanted a study, nothing else.

She had handed the task over to Mei Xiaowen at the time, but Qin Wei had been unexpectedly satisfied with the result.

Zhongli Tang didn’t come here often, and even when she did, she rarely stayed until the next morning, so this was only the second time she had stepped into this room.

Her footsteps and the sound of the door opening were light. Qin Wei was focused on her work and didn’t notice Zhongli Tang’s arrival.

Zhongli Tang leaned against the doorframe. The shadows from the living room light cast a soft filter over her, yet the sharpness deep in her eyes remained. She was still that high and mighty Alpha, the predator.

Strictly speaking, she had never seen Qin Wei seriously working. Yesterday had only been a glimpse on a whim, excessively beautiful and cold, keeping people at a distance, not looking like an Omega at all. Especially when she walked past, there was a sense of strangeness.

But the current Qin Wei was closer to her usual self. Her long, straight hair was pinned up with a black ink pen, with loose strands naturally framing her ears, adding a touch of unintended charm. She wore black-rimmed glasses that obscured most of the emotions in her eyes, giving her an innocent, youthful look that could easily stir one’s desires.

“Sister?”

Zhongli Tang allowed herself to walk over and embrace her from behind, her arms propped on the desk. Their breaths intertwined.

Qin Wei didn’t have the habit of using gland patches at home. The elegant yet intense scent of Ebony filled the room. She was a bit startled, but upon seeing Zhongli Tang’s face, she submissively leaned back into the embrace. Her voice was soft. “What is it, Sister? Breakfast is on the table. I made what you like.”

Zhongli Tang shook her head. She didn’t know what was wrong herself, perhaps it was the sudden news of Xu Sui that had shocked her until now. After a moment, she pointed to the computer screen and asked, “What is this?”

“The undergraduate freshmen are starting school. They want me to give a speech. I’m okay with experiments, but public speaking is a struggle. I’m afraid of embarrassing myself, so I have to write a draft first.”

Qin Wei’s expression was a bit troubled as she typed two more words on the computer.

“Our Weiwei is so impressive.”

Zhongli Tang looked at the draft full of official jargon, her eyes reflecting surprise. She knew Qin Wei had good grades, but she never knew how good. In her mind, as long as she was around, it didn’t really matter if Qin Wei studied or worked, so she had never bothered to find out.

If she hadn’t walked into the study today, she would have remained completely ignorant of Qin Wei’s affairs.

“No, it’s just for the main campus. Everyone’s grades are about the same,” Qin Wei said calmly.

Zhongli Tang leaned in and kissed her temple. Anyone else would have been shouting this news from the rooftops to get her attention. “Tell me, do you want a reward?”

Qin Wei looked puzzled, why would this deserve a reward? But out of habit, she smiled. “Of course I want one. Then, Sister, come and spend more time with me.”