After the Bigshot Turned into a Gold-Digging Scumbag Alpha - Chapter 24

Once Jiang Shuiyun and Shen Yunyi reached an agreement, the remaining logistics were left for Shen Yunyi to handle. Jiang Shuiyun returned to the villa to prepare for the upcoming competition.

As she stepped inside, she found the common area in a state of chaotic energy. Everyone was busily packing their bags, a messy whirlwind of activity. Yi Jinbai had also emerged from the music room. The moment Jiang Shuiyun crossed the threshold, Yi Jinbai’s gaze shifted toward her. Strangely, that look made Jiang Shuiyun feel a flicker of guilt—which was odd, considering she hadn’t done anything clandestine.

“Is everything settled, Captain Jiang?” Xi Rong greeted her first, holding up his phone to show her a screen. “This is our planned itinerary for the next few days. Could you take a look and see if there are any issues?”

“No issues. You definitely understand these arrangements better than I do, Brother Xi. You make the calls; no need to ask me.”

Jiang Shuiyun had no intention of micromanaging every detail. Xi Rong had been a manager for years; his competence was beyond doubt, and he had far more experience in these matters than she did.

Xi Rong clapped his hands with a grin. “Great! You go ahead and pack your bags, then. I’ll handle the rest.”

Watching Jiang Shuiyun walk away, Xi Rong added a few more descriptors to his mental profile of her: measured, composed, and courteous. Most impressively, from their first meeting when she was at her lowest to now, being revered by the team, she hadn’t changed a bit. It was as if fame and status were irrelevant to her. Even as a newcomer about to captain a team into a high-stakes international tournament after only a month in the industry, she remained as calm as a still lake. She possessed a natural gravity that made people feel this was exactly how she was supposed to be. It was truly remarkable.

Xi Rong’s gaze drifted toward Yi Jinbai. He was dying to know what Jiang Shuiyun had done for a living before this, but after a few moments of internal debate, he abandoned the idea. Prying into someone’s private history was a quick way to cause friction.

Pushing his curiosity aside, he got back to finalizing tomorrow’s schedule.

Back in her room, Jiang Shuiyun pulled out a suitcase. She packed only two changes of clothes and some basic toiletries. Looking around, she realized there wasn’t much else she needed; in fact, these few items constituted almost everything she owned.

Staring at the mostly empty suitcase, she pulled the items back out and stuffed them into the large backpack Xi Rong had provided for each team member. There—no need for a suitcase at all.

Having finished packing in ten minutes, she realized Yi Jinbai hadn’t started on her own luggage yet.

Ever since their talk that day, it was as if nothing had happened. They maintained their previous dynamic, though Jiang Shuiyun had essentially moved into the guest room next door. She had also moved a computer in there, as the game upgrade project had to remain confidential for the time being.

Shouldering her backpack, Jiang Shuiyun stepped out and saw Jiao Yang chatting with Yi Jinbai.

Jiao Yang was only a few years younger than Yi Jinbai, and standing together, the age gap was practically invisible.

Jiang Shuiyun rested her arms on the third-floor railing and looked down. She realized with a start that over the past month, while her relationship with Yi Jinbai remained stagnant, Yi Jinbai’s bond with the rest of the team had flourished. She was no longer the trembling girl who hid behind Jiang Shuiyun’s back, clutching her sleeve in anxiety.

Seeing the genuine smile on Yi Jinbai’s face, Jiang Shuiyun fell into a pensive silence. What exactly have I missed during this time?

“Captain, are you done packing?”

Apostle of Slaughter stepped out of his room and greeted her. After spending so much time together, the group had become quite familiar. Jiang Shuiyun had discovered that even the shyest member, Apostle of Slaughter, was actually quite talkative once he was around people he trusted.

“Yeah, I’m done. But it looks like your Sister Jinbai hasn’t started yet.”

Jiang Shuiyun intended it as casual conversation, her eyes returning to Yi Jinbai on the first floor.

Apostle of Slaughter leaned against the railing beside her. “Sister Jinbai might be a bit tired; she’s been busy lately. But there’s no rush for packing; we don’t leave until tomorrow.”

“What’s she been busy with?” Jiang Shuiyun asked, sensing she was out of the loop.

“Sister Jinbai made flower cakes. They were delicious! Didn’t you have any, Captain?” Apostle of Slaughter scratched his head. “Oh, right, you were out. You probably missed them. There should still be some in the kitchen.”

“Is that so?”

Jiang Shuiyun realized she had never actually tasted any food prepared by Yi Jinbai.

“Yeah! Sister Jinbai is so talented. She even makes her own milk tea—it’s way better than the stuff you buy outside. She makes all kinds of snacks and even teaches us how to make them. I’ve almost learned the recipes myself.”

As Apostle of Slaughter ticked off Yi Jinbai’s virtues with an air of pure admiration, he failed to notice Jiang Shuiyun’s gaze slowly narrowing as it shifted toward him.

“So, why is it that I didn’t know about any of this?”

“Huh? How could you not know, Captain?” Apostle of Slaughter looked at her in disbelief before realizing he might have said something wrong. “I mean, it’s not that much. We’ll definitely save some for you next time! It’s just that you’re always in your room and we didn’t want to disturb you, so.”

“It’s fine. I’ve been too busy with my own work to notice.”

Jiang Shuiyun curled the corners of her mouth into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Sensing he had walked into a minefield, Apostle of Slaughter scratched his head and made a hasty excuse to slip away.

Everyone had been living and eating under the same roof for so long, yet she had been kept entirely in the dark. Jiang Shuiyun’s brow furrowed slightly. It was true that she spent almost all her time—outside of team drills—locked in her room working on the game upgrade, but unless Yi Jinbai had done it intentionally, how was it possible that not a single person had mentioned any of this to her?

But why?

Jiang Shuiyun couldn’t help but feel that something had gone sideways during their conversation the other day. Yi Jinbai was indeed changing, becoming more open and integrating perfectly with the team, but why did she seem to have a specific bone to pick with Jiang Shuiyun?

As Jiang Shuiyun stood there lost in thought, Yi Jinbai came upstairs. She walked right past Jiang Shuiyun without so much as a glance and returned to her room.

Jiang Shuiyun: Have I become transparent?

Baffled, Jiang Shuiyun knocked on Yi Jinbai’s door and entered after hearing a soft “come in.”

Yi Jinbai had pulled out her suitcase and was beginning to pack. She cast a brief look at the entering Jiang Shuiyun. “Is something the matter?”

“Jinbai, did you guys make flower cakes today?” Jiang Shuiyun asked tentatively, still unable to read the other girl’s mind.

“Yes. You don’t like sweets, so I didn’t prepare any for you,” Yi Jinbai replied, continuing with her packing.

“Oh.”

Jiang Shuiyun was at a loss for words. It was true she didn’t care much for sugary things, but something still felt off.

“I heard you made homemade milk tea before, too? The guys said it was delicious,” Jiang Shuiyun continued, probing further.

“That was a cold drink. You don’t like cold things.” This time, Yi Jinbai didn’t even look up.

There was no need for further testing. Even though everything Yi Jinbai said was factually correct, Jiang Shuiyun was now one hundred percent certain that the girl was upset with her. “Jinbai, have I done something wrong lately?”

“Why would you ask that?” Yi Jinbai countered.

The counter-question left Jiang Shuiyun feeling even more uncertain. “I just feel like the way you treat me is a bit different than before.”

Yi Jinbai zipped up her suitcase. For the first time, while her eyes remained as soft as rippling water, they held a trace of stubbornness as she looked Jiang Shuiyun directly in the eye.

“Then tell me—who are you, exactly? What is the relationship between us? And how, precisely, am I supposed to treat you?”

In that moment, Jiang Shuiyun suddenly grasped the true source of the panic and insecurity in Yi Jinbai’s heart. Her nominal “lover” was a complete stranger, yet no one knew this secret but her. Jiang Shuiyun was constantly evasive and secretive; in such a state, what did it matter if she acted “kind” or “cruel”? What did her words even mean? How could Yi Jinbai distinguish truth from lies? What was she supposed to do? What could she do?

Yi Jinbai didn’t dare gamble on her luck. She didn’t know if she had finally escaped her misery or if she had simply traded a tiger’s den for a dragon’s lair. She could only live in a state of constant, anxious guesswork.