After Setting Me Up With My Ex, The Aloof Alpha Regrets It - Chapter 23.1

Chapter 23.1: I’m an Alpha, So it’s Probably not Appropriate for me to Hug Her.

Zhu Yunqi accepted her identity as a mech repairer.

Before coming here, she was worried about how to cover up her real profession if Shi Li asked. Unexpectedly, Shi Li didn’t ask and even created a fake identity for her.

“Sometimes I do, but this is the first time in the Star Territory. You were amazing yesterday. You wounded one of them, which is why he couldn’t escape as quickly, and we were able to catch up.”

The faint gunshot she heard from the bedroom as she went upstairs was the sound of Shi Li pulling the trigger of a mini pistol.

After a check, the fleeing space pirate had a hole in his thigh from a particle bullet. Although not fatal, it hindered his movement.

Zhu Yunqi told Shi Li these things to cheer her up. Hurting those who bullied you can bring a sense of satisfaction, which might help to overcome the trauma.

Shi Li’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

So, she really did hit him… Even though she was shaking with fear, she was bound by ropes and fired the shot from the side. After that shot, her first time holding a gun, the recoil made her hand numb.

As the recoil numbed her hand, a short “bang” rang out, followed by the dull thud of something sharp entering flesh. She couldn’t tell if she had hurt the other person. Then, a loud slap landed, stunning her.

The man cursed loudly, “You dare to hit me, you’re looking for death!”

Then the door opened and closed, and it seemed someone had left. The remaining person snatched her pistol, stomped on it a few times, and turned her head with his dirty, greasy hand, forcing her to lower her head and expose her nape. Long-dormant memories were suddenly awakened, and she was in a helpless situation again… She remembered struggling almost hysterically, and then something cold pricked her nape.

The man leaned in, his face ugly, and his smile seemed to come from hell. “You don’t know what’s good for you. An Omega dares to touch me. Oh, you haven’t been marked yet… Omegas are more fun after they’ve been given a dose of the drug.”

Her breathing became rapid. Her hands shook uncontrollably.

Her bloodless lips were slightly parted, and she gasped for air like a fish out of water.

How could this happen all of a sudden? Zhu Yunqi rushed forward, took the bowl from Shi Li’s hand, and placed it on the small table.

It was her fault; she shouldn’t have brought up last night’s events. The trauma for Shi Li was much deeper than she thought. What did they do to her?

“Shi Li, Shi Li! It’s okay, it’s me. I’m here.”

Zhu Yunqi wanted to hold Shi Li in her arms to comfort her, but she was afraid that her Alpha identity would further intensify Shi Li’s fear. Her hands trembled awkwardly, not knowing whether to put them down or to hold the thin, pitiful Omega on the hospital bed. In the end, she gently placed a hand on Shi Li’s shoulder and slowly patted it.

Shi Li’s eyes were a little unfocused, and tiny beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. She bit her finger helplessly, telling herself over and over in her heart that this was a hospital, the person next to her was Zhu Yunqi, there was no danger, there were no horrible Alphas… She mustn’t lose face in front of Zhu Yunqi. She had to act healthy, act normal, and not be looked down upon as a useless Omega who collapses at the slightest thing…

“It’s okay, Shi Li, you’ll be okay. Everything is in the past…”

She murmured in a barely audible voice, comforting herself and suppressing the urge to vomit.

She couldn’t possibly throw up the food Zhu Yunqi had painstakingly brought.

When Zhu Yunqi heard what she was saying, her heart immediately clenched.

Shi Li was in so much pain, yet she wasn’t lashing out or venting. Instead, she was constantly trying to convince herself.

Zhu Yunqi thought she was an idiot for bringing up a painful memory when she knew Shi Li had just gone through something so traumatic.

Zhu Yunqi wanted to go back in time one minute and punch herself.

She felt an unprecedented sense of defeat and self-blame.

The Alpha lowered her gray eyes. “Shi Li, this is not your fault.”

You can blame anyone. But you must never blame yourself.

Zhu Yunqi said in her heart.

She couldn’t eat the rest of the shrimp porridge. Shi Li’s face was paler than paper. Omegas were naturally frail, and at this moment, she looked like a fragile porcelain doll that could shatter at a touch. Even the beautiful tear mole on her face seemed to have faded in color.

After comforting Shi Li, Dr. Ji left the room to give them some space.

Zhu Yunqi didn’t dare to stay any longer. She waited for Tang Yingchi to return from the restroom. With someone to watch over Shi Li, she lowered her head and left the room. Her hair, for the first time, was not neatly tied up, but a loose, crooked bun hanging on her back, giving her a look of loneliness.

She met Dr. Ji in the hallway.

Seeing her come out, Dr. Ji was surprised. “Aren’t you going to stay with her a little longer?”

Zhu Yunqi frowned. “She’s afraid of Alphas. It’s my fault for being clumsy with my words and making her recall painful memories.”

“Shi Li is afraid of Alphas, but she’s not afraid of you,” Dr. Ji sighed helplessly. “If she were afraid of you, she would have screamed at you to leave just now. But she was trying to keep herself under control because she was afraid of losing face in front of you. If you had just held her and comforted her properly, it would have worked even better than me holding her. You’re her friend, and I’m just a doctor. She trusts me, but she trusts you even more.”

Zhu Yunqi was a little surprised.

Could it be that Shi Li didn’t resent her for bringing up the painful memory?

“I’m an Alpha, so it’s probably not appropriate for me to hug her.”

Zhu Yunqi said without much conviction.

After a pause, she added, “She would trust me?”

“You can try it next time,” Dr. Ji said unhurriedly. “Since you’re here, I wanted to ask if you know any decent Alphas who are willing to donate their pheromones.”

Why was she suddenly asking this?

“Donate pheromones? What do you mean?” Can pheromones be donated like blood?

But now, with medical technology, artificial blood can be created, and fresh blood has become a rare commodity.

“Shi Li might need them,” Dr. Ji’s gaze was solemn. “We can’t reveal the specific condition, but we need to collect some Alpha pheromones for a rainy day. If you know any Alpha friends who are willing, you can introduce them to our hospital for further pheromone matching tests.”

“Matching tests with Shi Li?” Zhu Yunqi pressed on. “What’s a good match percentage?”

“Seventy percent or higher.”

“I can do it. I have a ninety percent match with her…”

Remembering that her light brain health manager had said it could “fluctuate by five percent,” Zhu Yunqi cautiously stated the lowest value.

Hearing this, Dr. Ji’s eyes lit up.

“Really?”

Then, her tone changed as if she realized something was amiss. The pheromone matching test between an Alpha and an Omega was a very private matter. How could this Alpha know so much about it? “Are you her client… Do you need to test pheromone matching before a collaboration?”

Zhu Yunqi glossed over it. “I tested it by accident. It’s not important.”

“You can come and take a test later. We also need time to collect Shi Li’s pheromones. It would be even better if you could recommend more people.”

A backup option flashed in Zhu Yunqi’s mind.

“No problem.”

Dr. Ji looked at her approvingly. “We apologize for not being able to tell you the specific condition. However, we can promise that the pheromones we extract will not be used for any other purpose.”

She pointed to Shi Li’s room. “Go see her. She needs someone to be with her right now.”

In front of the room, Zhu Yunqi hesitated for a while before pushing the door open.

But Shi Li was already asleep. Tang Yingchi was quietly reading a comic on her light brain next to the bed. Hearing someone come in, Tang Yingchi quickly made a “shush” gesture, telling her to be quiet.

Her expression was not good, and her eyes seemed to be shooting tiny knives at Zhu Yunqi, accusing her of making Shi Li recall bad memories.

Tang Yingchi handed the cleaned thermos to Zhu Yunqi. A 175cm tall, ice-cold female Alpha with a detached gray eye color was holding a pink cat thermos, which was inexplicably out of place.

Zhu Yunqi took the thermos but didn’t leave immediately. She had found the thermos after a long search in the pantry this morning. The internet said bright colors and cute pets were good for healing the mood. This thermos happened to be a vibrant pink with a cute little cat. It was probably something Zhu Jingxian had bought for her daughter but had never used.

She took a palm-sized ceramic flowerpot from her pants pocket. It had been hidden in her pocket for a long time, and the surface of the pot was slightly warm.

The flowerpot was shaped like a small dog with a bald head. The bald spot was the opening of the pot, revealing black soil with a layer of short, tender green grass growing from it. It really did look like a dog with green fur.

A line of text was printed on the dog’s paw: “Human, hurry up and water me! I don’t want to be a bald little dog!”

Zhu Yunqi placed the flowerpot on the corner of the bedside table.

Tang Yingchi was full of questions. This grass couldn’t be eaten, and it was ugly.

Zhu Yunqi explained in a hushed voice, “Green plants help to soothe the mind.”

She had also looked it up on the internet.

The person sleeping on the bed moved. Zhu Yunqi was afraid of waking her up again, so she quietly left the room.

The moment the door closed, the person on the bed opened her eyes.

Shi Li looked at the clump of green that symbolized life and slowly reached out from under the blanket to lightly touch the flowerpot.

…

In the afternoon, Wen Yue came to the hospital to visit Shi Li.

She was accompanied by two investigators from the Combat Department, who were her colleagues.

Looking at Shi Li’s pale face, Wen Yue was reluctant to make her recall the process of being kidnapped by the space pirates right now.

She said to her colleagues outside the room, “Can we wait a few more days? The doctor said she’s having a serious post-traumatic stress reaction.”

One of the colleagues said matter-of-factly, “But the higher-ups have instructed us to record the testimony as soon as possible. The part she needs to talk about isn’t much, and the doctors are all here, so any reactions can be handled quickly, right?”

“But isn’t that too inhumane…”

“What’s ‘inhumane’ in the Combat Department? Wen Yue, your father is personally overseeing this matter. We can’t be careless.”

With that, the colleague glanced into the room. Shi Li already knew they were there and was slowly putting on her jacket on the bed.

“Besides, didn’t you say she was just a normal friend you met in college? Why are you so concerned about a normal friend? We can just apply for more compensation for her later. Since she’s your friend, you can mention it to General Wen, and the compensation application will surely be approved.”

After saying that, the colleague pushed the door open and went in.

Wen Yue sighed and quickly followed.

Next to the bed, she leaned over and held Shi Li’s shoulders. Restricted by the presence of her colleagues, she didn’t make any more intimate moves. Wen Yue tried to make her voice as gentle as possible to put Shi Li at ease.

“Just start from after you jumped out of the car. I’ve already told them everything that happened before that.”

Shi Li grabbed her wrist, not letting her leave.

Her eyes were watery.

“Wen Yue, do I have to talk about it now?”

Wen Yue couldn’t look her in the eyes.

She hardened her heart and turned her head. “You have to recall it sooner or later anyway. Just think of it as a painful but quick process, so you won’t have to think about it again.”

Shi Li gripped the bedsheet with her other hand. Her knuckles turned white from the force.

This wasn’t the time to fall out with Wen Yue. She had to endure it. Everything would pass.

“Wen Yue, I saved you yesterday…”

Shi Li said in a volume only they could hear.

Hearing this, Wen Yue’s heart was in agony, and she found it difficult to breathe, as if Shi Li’s hand was holding her throat instead of her wrist.

“I know. I’ll compensate you. I will, I promise. Trust me one more time. Please, they are my father’s colleagues. I haven’t prepared to come out to my dad about us, so…”

Her wrist was released.

Shi Li looked at the wall of the room with an empty gaze.

“I understand.”

Wen Yue retreated step by step. A colleague placed a miniature microphone on the blanket in front of Shi Li.

Shi Li moistened her dry throat and, with a vacant look, slowly recounted the series of events that happened after she jumped out of the car: how she was threatened by the group, how she desperately tried to stall them from harming her in the villa, and how she was forced to shoot when pushed to the brink…

She spoke very slowly, and later, she couldn’t help but gag.

Wen Yue and her colleagues sat opposite her, looking calm, but their arms under their sleeves were tense and trembling. Her unhealed wound split open, and blood seeped through the gauze, perfectly hidden by the waterproof uniform.

A colleague got up, poured a cup of warm water, and handed it to Shi Li, wanting her to continue. “Just a little more. Drink some water and take a break. Please finish the last part…”

Shi Li was already curled up in pain, instinctively pushing away the recording microphone they held out.

“Don’t…” A hopeless moan escaped her throat.

Shi Li suddenly grabbed the water cup from the bedside table and smashed it on the floor. The specially made shatterproof cup bounced a few times and rolled to Wen Yue’s feet, leaving a trail of dark water stains on her pants.

“Get out, I need to rest!”

Then, Shi Li grabbed another tissue box, a medicine bottle, and a pillow… she threw everything she could. She hesitated when she saw the small green grass pot, let go of it, and threw the apple that Tang Yingchi hadn’t finished instead.

“Enough! That’s all we’re talking about! Don’t you already know the rest? Didn’t that person called ‘Siren’ already say it all?”

Wen Yue couldn’t hold it in anymore and yelled.

She had always maintained a gentle and humble image for years. This was the first time she was so flustered. Her colleagues were also stunned.

Wen Yue kicked the cup Shi Li threw at her. “The part she needs to say has already been said. Are you just making her repeat it to verify ‘Siren’s’ words? ‘Silver Snake’—do you still question the people of the military? I say, this is enough. If my father is unhappy with you, you can blame me for everything!”

Why should she have to watch Shi Li be bullied again and again? No matter what happened, as long as Wen Lirong was involved, she was forced to obey. Now even her colleagues dared to use Wen Lirong to pressure her. They were just here for a routine investigation, not an interrogation!

Shi Li was taken away alone to save her. She had been hurt before and was so afraid of Alphas, yet she was forced to go back to the most painful moment again and again.

Wen Yue, you’re so useless. You can’t even protect your own Omega. Wen Yue’s hands clenched into fists, trembling uncontrollably. She hated it. She hated Wen Lirong for giving the order, her heartless colleagues, and herself for being powerless to resist.

One of the colleagues reacted first.

He pulled the other colleague’s arm and gestured with his eyes. “Actually, this is enough. Ms. Shi Li, thank you for your cooperation. We’ll go back and report. Lieutenant Wen Yue, are you coming back with us?”

“I’ll go by myself.”

Support After Setting Me Up With My Ex, The Aloof Alpha Regrets It