After Being Used As A Substitute By A Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 30

The interior of the Japanese restaurant was low-key and restrained. Perhaps because it was afternoon, the restaurant wasn’t crowded, only a few scattered tables were occupied. The air was filled with a faint, pleasant incense. The two of them shared similar habits neither spoke, maintaining a silence until the meal was finished.

“I remember you used to never like eating out. You always ate at the school canteen. That one morning, you even spilled something on me,” Ji Qingdai said, quietly watching Qin Wei. Her gaze was regretful, her tone tinged with a hint of sighing for the past.

Qin Wei didn’t understand why she was staring like that. Without dodging her gaze, she said calmly, “I really didn’t have money back then. You knew that.”

Ji Qingdai used to find all sorts of excuses to ask her out for meals; there was no reason she wouldn’t have known.

Meeting Ji Qingdai this time was unexpected. Qin Wei had originally thought a simple acknowledgement would suffice, but the other woman insisted on treating her to a meal. Unable to decline, she had no choice but to agree.

Ji Qingdai coughed twice. In fact, she had looked into Qin Wei’s situation back when she first started paying attention to her. At that time, everyone at school said Qin Wei was too cold and difficult to get along with. Ji Qingdai had paid closer attention out of curiosity, which was how she learned everything about the Qin family.

She had approached with an ulterior motive, but her gestures of goodwill had been returned untouched, leaving no room for negotiation.

“It’s been two years since we last met. How have you been lately?” Ji Qingdai shifted her gaze and took a sip of wine to mask her expression.

“I got into graduate school. My supervisor is Professor Qin,” Qin Wei said.

“That’s great. Even though I’m not in that major, I’ve heard of his reputation. Working under him, you’ll definitely learn a lot.” Ji Qingdai smiled. “I’m different. I’m not working in my field of study anymore. Speaking of which, it actually has a bit to do with you.”

“What is it?” Qin Wei raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Ji Qingdai: “You’ve heard of Gamma, right? I’m a medical representative. If you need anything, you can come directly to me.”

Qin Wei parted her lips, eventually nodding.

Too much time had passed between them. Their conversation circled around the past, and with few mutual friends left, they soon ran out of things to say.

By the time they stepped out, it was early evening. The number of pedestrians had increased. The glow of the setting sun accompanied the bustling but not rowdy noise, evoking many emotions.

Ji Qingdai offered to send her back, but Qin Wei shook her head and refused. She felt that if Zhongli Tang saw them, things would definitely become complicated. Ji Qingdai didn’t insist, only saying she would watch her get into a car first.

This area was an alleyway where ride hailing cars couldn’t enter, so they walked together for a distance.

Qin Wei didn’t have much on her mind, her pace even quickened slightly. But just as she was about to walk away, Ji Qingdai suddenly called out to her, her tone hiding a hint of nervousness.

Ji Qingdai noticed the fresh wound on the corner of her mouth. “Are you still with your Alpha?”

Qin Wei turned her head to look at her, her expression a bit puzzled, but she answered anyway, “Sort of.”

Though strictly speaking, they had never truly been “together.”

“Then I can wait, or I can pursue you directly,” Ji Qingdai said without hesitation.

Qin Wei wasn’t particularly surprised by this. In fact, back when Ji Qingdai graduated, she had confessed to her. At that time, Qin Wei had just gotten together with Zhongli Tang, but the main reason she didn’t accept was because of pheromones. After that, the two had lost contact.

“You don’t love me. You just haven’t ‘obtained’ me yet.”

Her voice was cold and detached, as if she weren’t talking about herself.

Ji Qingdai raised an eyebrow and smiled. She didn’t deny it instead, she admitted it quite frankly. “In my view, the desire for conquest and ‘liking’ someone aren’t mutually exclusive. Liking someone means being constantly concerned about them, and the desire for conquest is the same. There’s no difficulty in admitting this. Qin Wei, you and I are actually the same kind of people.”

She found Qin Wei very attractive, clearly cold hearted and detached, yet insisting on putting up a gentle front to the world. She pushed people away while simultaneously tugging at their heartstrings, it was practically fatal.

Qin Wei stared at her expressionlessly. She admitted Ji Qingdai was right. Even without her condition, she was destined not to truly fall in love with anyone, though she might experiment with many relationships.

Ji Qingdai was the person who understood her best.

“How about this? Let’s make a pact,” Ji Qingdai suggested.

Qin Wei didn’t object.

“If we end up together, you won’t have to pretend so hard, and I won’t have to struggle with confessions. In most situations, I won’t interfere with your private life. Naturally, for the duration of the relationship, I won’t touch other Omegas. I’ll never cross that line. Emotionally, we’ll keep it ‘point and stop.’ It ends whenever you say it ends.”

Qin Wei pursed her lips. It was undeniable that she was tempted by these terms. The other party was handing all control over to her. Based on her knowledge of Ji Qingdai, she was likely telling the truth.

“I can consider it, but not right now.”

“Fine.”

Ji Qingdai knew how difficult it was to get Qin Wei to relant. For now, she was satisfied enough; she couldn’t rush it and had to proceed slowly.

When Qin Wei arrived home, it was already seven in the evening. Before the hospital closed, she had specifically made a trip to the community clinic, but she didn’t get an appointment with Qiao Lin. Instead, she saw an older doctor.

The doctor scrutinized Qin Wei’s test results for a long time before speaking. What he said was similar to Qiao Lin’s advice, especially the part about urging her to accept a permanent mark. However, when she asked how long the allergy would last before she could stop relying on the soothing effect of a temporary mark, the doctor gave a timeframe of two weeks, provided her gland didn’t come into contact with any other Alpha’s pheromones in the short term.

That wasn’t a problem at all.

A hint of joy appeared in the depths of Qin Wei’s eyes. But as the lights flickered on and she saw Zhongli Tang on the sofa, that joy vanished instantly and inadvertently.

“Where did you go?” Zhongli Tang stared at her. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

She tried her best to control her emotions.

Heaven knew how long she had been waiting.

This time, it felt as though their roles had reversed. The difference was that when Qin Wei waited, all she could do was wait, she never questioned, and even if she did wait, there would never be any response.

Qin Wei blinked. “Did you call me, Sister? My phone was on silent, I couldn’t hear it.”

She spent most of her time in the lab; her phone was always on silent.

Zhongli Tang reluctantly accepted this reason. Her eyes were sharp, and her tone rose slightly. “What are you holding in your hand?”

“Just some materials. I waited a bit long for them.” Qin Wei avoided her gaze, naturally tucking the test results into her bag. “I thought you wouldn’t be back today, Sister.”

“Why?” Ever since Zhongli Tang moved in, she hadn’t left this place except for business trips.

“You went to the school today, Sister. You must have met many good friends.” Qin Wei’s tone carried a sense of almost innocent naivety.

“What do you mean?”

“Xu Sui, isn’t she your good friend from high school?” Qin Wei tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand why Zhonglitang was asking the question.

Kneel down gently.