After the Bigshot Turned into a Gold-Digging Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 2

Yi Jinbai was light—so light that Jiang Shuiyun could hoist her onto her back without exerting much effort.

She walked out of the flower shop and strolled slowly toward home, steady and unhurried with every step.

“I can walk on my own.”

A soft voice came from behind him, but Jiang Shuiyun didn’t stop. Instead, she turned into a nearby pharmacy.

She gently set Yi Jinbai down on the long bench, then went to ask the clerk for medicine.

“This one is for external use—apply twice a day. Massage lightly after applying; it helps with bruising and pain relief. This one is oral—take one capsule three times a day after meals. Altogether, that’ll be sixty-eight.”

The clerk handed over a paper bag of medicine. Jiang Shuiyun memorized every instruction carefully before paying. Her already-thin wallet flattened even more.

Carrying the medicine, she returned to Yi Jinbai and attempted to lift her onto her back again, but she refused.

“I can walk myself.”

She stood up stubbornly and tried to walk out the door. Jiang Shuiyun could only reach out helplessly to guard her. As expected, she barely made it two steps before stumbling, nearly falling.

Jiang Shuiyun caught her. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she simply turned her back to her again and bent down, silently offering to carry her.

The road home from the flower shop wasn’t short. Neither of them spoke, but the atmosphere was much better than before. At the very least, Yi Jinbai no longer clung to her like a stiff block of stone.

When they finally reached the mouth of the alley, Jiang Shuiyun ignored the X-ray-like stares from the neighbors. Yi Jinbai, however, flushed with embarrassment, burying her face against Jiang Shuiyun’s shoulder. Her warm, delicate breath grazed her ear, staining it red almost instantly.

She had never been this close to an Omega before. Jiang Shuiyun’s expression remained calm, but her heart was galloping wildly inside her chest—like a horse that had broken loose and could not be reined in.

She took two deep breaths. Standing before the small courtyard gate, she finally got her heartbeat under control.

But then a new problem arose: both hands were currently occupied carrying Yi Jinbai.

Who was going to unlock the door?

Before she could even shift her weight to try, Yi Jinbai extended an arm, leaning forward just enough to turn the key and push the door open.

They repeated the same maneuver to open the house door. Jiang Shuiyun carried her to the old, narrow couch and set her down.

Finally home.

She looked at the medicine in her hand, then at Yi Jinbai’s ankle—swollen and purple.

“Sit here and don’t move. I’ll get some water to clean the injury before applying the medicine.”

After giving her instructions, she headed toward the courtyard with a basin. Halfway there, she frowned at herself. Years in the military had made her used to giving orders.

Was her tone a bit too harsh just now?

She pressed her lips together, mentally adding “tone problem” to the list of things she needed to work on.

After filling the basin halfway, she carried it back inside. As expected, Yi Jinbai had obediently stayed put—though she was clearly nervous, fingers twisting restlessly in her lap.

Placing the basin by her feet, Jiang Shuiyun pulled over a small stool. Then she took out the external medicine.

“I’m going to clean the wound and apply the medicine. It might hurt a little. If it does, tell me.”

“I can do it my—”

Yi Jinbai tensed up when she realized Jiang Shuiyun meant to wash her feet, but the moment she met Jiang Shuiyun’s gaze, her refusal died on her lips. Just like earlier on the street, there was no room left for negotiation.

Jiang Shuiyun had no idea she had unintentionally intimidated her again. Seeing no resistance, she gently removed her shoe and guided her foot into the warm water.

With a towel soaked in the basin, she lightly cleaned her injured ankle. After everything was washed, she carefully lifted her calf and rested it across her own knee.

She wrung out the towel and dried the water on her skin. Then she opened the bottle of medicine and used a cotton swab to dab it onto the bruised areas. Yi Jinbai could clearly endure pain well— even when she pressed over torn skin, she only bit down lightly on her lower lip, making no sound.

When the medicine was all applied, Jiang Shuiyun warmed her palms by rubbing them together before gently massaging the swollen area. Her hands were warm—warm enough to help the bruising fade faster.

Yi Jinbai’s ankle was so slender her hand could circle it with ease. It looked fragile enough to snap with too much force.

Thinking so, her movements grew even more delicate.

After spending considerable effort, she finally finished tending to her foot. Then she looked at the packet of oral medicine.

“Take after meals.”

Meals.

This was where things became difficult.

She glanced toward the darkening sky outside, then toward the lone pack of biscuits left in the house. Feeding two people on that would barely count as dinner.

“You stay here and rest. I’ll go buy some biscuits. Is there anything else you want to eat?”

After everything that happened that afternoon, Yi Jinbai finally raised her head and shook it.

Even such a tiny response was progress. Feeling encouraged, Jiang Shuiyun grabbed her coat and headed out.

There was a small convenience stand right at the alley entrance. It was surprisingly well-stocked. She bought several packs of biscuits and bread in various flavors. Her gaze drifted to the jars of candy by the door. After a moment of hesitation, she picked a handful of small colorful sweets and a round lollipop before paying.

Walking home through the quiet alley, she lifted her gaze. Scattered stars dotted the deep blue sky, mysterious and distant. They reminded her inevitably of the days she had spent fighting in space.

As her gaze lowered, the small courtyard came into view, a faint warm glow spilling from inside and calming the stir of emotions within her.

When she stepped into the yard, she heard a bubbling sound. Inside the house, Yi Jinbai was leaning on the couch arm, trying to steady herself as she reached toward a pot of boiling water she had heated.

“Sit down—I’ll get it.”

Jiang Shuiyun set the bread and biscuits on the table, helped Yi Jinbai sit back down, and casually slipped the lollipop she’d bought into Yi Jinbai’s hand.

“Hiss!”

A sudden burst of steam sprayed across Jiang Shuiyun’s fingers. With no experience at all, she sucked in a sharp breath at the sting. The sound startled Yi Jinbai, who had been staring blankly at her candy, and she quickly turned around.

“Turn off the stove first. Cover it with a towel. Why don’t I just do it?”

“No need. Just tell me what to do.”

Jiang Shuiyun blew on her fingertips, then followed Yi Jinbai’s instructions—clumsily turning off the flame and using a towel to lift the kettle before pouring the hot water into the bottle.

The process was rough, but at least the result was good.

She poured each of them a glass of warm water, then opened the bread and biscuits.

Noticing Yi Jinbai’s gaze lingering on her fingertips, Jiang Shuiyun handed her the bread, then simply stretched out her hand for her to see. “It’s nothing. Doesn’t hurt at all. It’ll be fine in a moment.”

“Mm.”

Yi Jinbai glanced at her fingers again before lowering her head to nibble quietly at the bread.

While eating, Jiang Shuiyun scrolled through the recruitment notices she had saved earlier. After comparing them again and again, the esports position still seemed the most suitable. The only issue was that she had to push her rank into the top three thousand within the next few days.

One step at a time.

Decision made, she set down her phone—only to find that Yi Jinbai had already finished eating.

“Want another one?”

Yi Jinbai shook her head. She seemed full.

Jiang Shuiyun grabbed the medicine box from the side, poured another glass of water, and handed both to her. “Take your meds first, then rest early. I’ve still got some things to deal with, so I’ll sleep after I finish.”

Yi Jinbai took the pills. Just after she swallowed them, Jiang Shuiyun pulled a tiny colorful candy from her pocket and placed it in her hand. “Here, have a sweet. Wash the bitterness away.”

After Yi Jinbai ate the candy, Jiang Shuiyun half-supported, half-carried her to the small narrow bed—barely one meter wide. She poured another glass of water and set it on the bedside table.

“Get some sleep. I’ll be on the sofa. Call me if you need anything.”

Yi Jinbai’s face was buried under the blankets. Jiang Shuiyun tucked the covers securely around her, turned off the light, and softly said, “Good night.”

Once Yi Jinbai was settled, Jiang Shuiyun returned to the sofa, pulled over her laptop, and got to work.

This tiny house had no distinction between living room and bedroom: the dining table was right by the door, the sofa beside it, and then the little bed next to the sofa. As long as she looked up, Jiang Shuiyun could see Yi Jinbai lying there.

She lowered the brightness of the screen, put on her headphones, and opened the game—doing her best not to make noise.

Star Wars had exploded in popularity in the past two years and quickly became a nationwide phenomenon. Naturally, the professional scene was booming as well.

After skimming the introduction, Jiang Shuiyun logged into the original host’s account.

For a delinquent rich second-generation, the original host truly didn’t disappoint: the account was stacked with paid skins and effects, maxed out in level—only the ranked score was subpar, hovering somewhere around ten thousandth place.

She calculated what it would take to reach the top three thousand.

Flexing her fingers, she concluded—it wasn’t impossible.

Back in her original world, Jiang Shuiyun had played a very similar game—she had even ranked in the interstellar top ten. The only difference was that the tech there was more advanced; games were fully holographic. Here, everything still relied on keyboards.

After reading through the beginner’s guide and familiarizing herself with the controls, she played two warm-up matches.

The account level was very high; Jiang Shuiyun, unfamiliar with the controls, didn’t score great—but at least her rank didn’t drop.

After three to five matches, she was already finding her rhythm and officially started climbing.

As the softened tapping of keys filled the quiet room, Yi Jinbai gradually drifted off to sleep.

By the time it was deep into the night, Jiang Shuiyun had reached the goal she set for herself. She didn’t play an extra round. She shut down her computer, stood, and poured herself a glass of water.

Under the faint moonlight, her gaze fell on Yi Jinbai’s sleeping face.

Let everything go smoothly, she silently hoped.

She curled up on the sofa for the night and woke feeling as if she’d been beaten from head to toe. Stretching in the morning sunlight, her joints cracked loudly.

Rubbing her shoulders, she looked toward the bed—only to find it empty.

Where could Yi Jinbai have gone with an injured foot?

A bit anxious, Jiang Shuiyun grabbed her coat and headed out to search.

Just as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw Yi Jinbai returning—one hand holding a bunch of fresh vegetables, the other bracing herself against the wall as she slowly made her way back.