After the Scumbag Alpha Heard her Inner Thoughts - Chapter 48

Before entering the company, Su Wanqing pulled out a mask and handed it to Chu Muqing in the car, asking her to wear it. Chu Muqing frowned, but when Su Wanqing explained that if she didn’t want to attract a crowd, it would be best to wear it, she reluctantly accepted.

Su Wanqing led Chu Muqing to her office. She needed to sketch a few designs first before proceeding with the samples.

The office was simple, with only a desk and a chair. A pot of green pothos sat atop the table, and in the corner were two cardboard boxes.

Su Wanqing dragged in another chair from outside. “The space is a bit tight. You’ll have to make do for now.”

Unlike most readers who often skipped over clothing descriptions in novels, Su Wanqing paid special attention to them.

As a result, she knew Lu Qinghe’s clothing preferences inside and out.

Last night, she had taken Lu Qinghe’s measurements. Aside from a slight increase in her waistline, there hadn’t been much change elsewhere.

Being so familiar with Lu Qinghe made sketching the designs quick work.

She had already formed a rough idea last night, so it didn’t take long to draft three designs.

“You wait here for me. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

Su Wanqing had informed the team ahead of time. They were already waiting for her. She sent the sketches over and selected several types of fabric.

The company’s basement floor housed the sample room, where initial pieces could be made to preview the final effect before moving to mass production.

Since maternity wear wasn’t something to mass-produce, Su Wanqing planned to make just a few pieces.

Worried that Chu Muqing would get bored waiting, she quickly instructed the staff on a few key details and rushed back upstairs.

Chu Muqing patiently waited in the office. Compared to her usual environment, this workspace was tiny — one glance and you could see to the end of the floor. There wasn’t much worth exploring.

She didn’t know much about the industry. Even after founding Lan Qing, she had only visited twice, both times when Cheng Zhuo had given her a tour.

Bored in the office and feeling parched, Chu Muqing grabbed Su Wanqing’s water cup and headed toward the break room to get some water. Just as she reached the door, she overheard conversation inside.

“Boss Su asked us to make maternity clothes. Could she be pregnant?”

“Who knows? She’s beautiful, talented, and an S-class Omega.”

“Is she really S-class?”

“Yeah, I accidentally saw her medical report once.”

“But I’ve never heard of her having an Alpha.”

“Wasn’t there someone with her today?”

“She was wearing a mask and pheromone blockers — couldn’t tell what she was.”

Chu Muqing wasn’t the type to eavesdrop, but they were speaking loudly, and she wasn’t deaf.

Su Wanqing… pregnant?

If they hadn’t been living together these past few days, if she hadn’t just been at the hospital with a very obviously pregnant Omega — who also happened to be her stunningly beautiful ‘sister’ — Chu Muqing might have genuinely suspected she had been cheated on.

Chu Muqing let out a cold humph.

She had just seen Lu Qinghe and rushed back to the company to design clothes for her. Thinking about it, her grip on the water cup tightened.

Before stepping into the break room, Chu Muqing peeled off her pheromone blocker, releasing a faint but unmistakable trace of her scent — just enough for everyone to sense that she was a high-ranking Alpha.

As expected, when the scent of wild roses spread through the air, all conversation stopped abruptly. The strong pressure from a high-ranking Alpha froze the two women in place, leaving them exchanging awkward glances.

Once they hurried away, Chu Muqing filled half a cup of water, gulped it down, and returned to the office.

Just as she reached the door, Su Wanqing was stepping out of the elevator.

Su Wanqing pulled her into the office and closed the door behind them. “What’s going on with you? I could smell your pheromones even in the elevator!”

“What happened?”

“Is your gland still not fully healed?”

Chu Muqing pressed her lips together, staying silent.

Su Wanqing looked confused, not understanding what had triggered Chu Muqing’s reaction. Glancing at the time, she realized it was lunchtime.

“Want to go eat?”

At those words, Chu Muqing finally responded. “Let’s go.”

“Let’s have noodles today! There’s an amazing fish noodle shop just across the street.”

“Whatever you want.”

Chu Muqing never cared much about food — all her cravings were stirred up by Su Wanqing alone.

As they passed a few colleagues, Su Wanqing waved and greeted them.

Normally cheerful coworkers now responded half-heartedly. Su Wanqing didn’t think much of it, assuming it was just the typical weekend overtime blues.

She stepped into the elevator, and almost immediately, intense whispers flared up behind her.

“I knew it! That was an Alpha! Just breathing her pheromones practically made me pregnant.”

“Look at those eyes — you can tell she’s gorgeous.”

“Our boss? No way she’d fall for some ordinary Alpha.”

“Seeing how clingy they are… could she really be pregnant?”

…

The noodle shop was across the street, just a short walk past the corner. Su Wanqing mumbled, “At this time, I wonder if we can still get a seat.”

As they pushed the door open, they were greeted by a bustling, lively atmosphere. The place was packed, the rich aroma of fish broth hanging heavily in the air. Su Wanqing scanned the room — only one table was free, tucked into a corner.

“Is this okay?” she asked.

Considering Chu Muqing usually dined in upscale restaurants, she wasn’t sure she’d be comfortable in this noisy, crowded little shop.

“I’m not that delicate,” Chu Muqing said, still holding her hand as they walked to the corner table.

As soon as they sat down, a cheerful waiter approached them. “Hello, beautiful ladies! Here’s the menu. Just call me when you’re ready.”

Chu Muqing glanced briefly at the menu, seeing no major differences between the dishes, and handed it over. “You’ve eaten here before. You pick.”

After spending time together, Su Wanqing had a rough understanding of Chu Muqing’s food preferences. She ordered two different kinds of fish noodles.

Though the shop was small, it was clean and neatly organized. Four rows of tables, plus a cross-row, formed a U-shaped layout. The separating wall was made with an openwork design, topped with lush green plants.

Chu Muqing didn’t recognize the plants but thought they looked nice — their leaves soft and inviting.

Su Wanqing wiped down their table with napkins and washed two cups. When she reached for the big water jug, Chu Muqing gently pressed her hand down.

“I’ll do it,” Chu Muqing said.

She picked up the jug herself, poured them each a glass of water, and took a small sip. The drink was a faint amber color, aromatic and mild — surprisingly pleasant.

The food came quickly. Within five minutes, two steaming bowls of fish noodles were set in front of them.

Su Wanqing had ordered a pickled fish broth for herself and a rich tomato broth for Chu Muqing.

As Su Wanqing unwrapped her chopsticks, she caught a whiff of the familiar fish broth. Because of her hospital stay, it had been a long time since she’d eaten here.

The noodles weren’t made purely from wheat; they were a blend of buckwheat, vegetables, and grains — creating a wholesome, hearty base for the fresh fish slices and crisp lettuce.

“You have to try this!” Su Wanqing said, her almond-shaped eyes curving into a joyful crescent. “The fish here is incredibly fresh.”

Outside of five-star hotels, it was rare to find a small shop that could handle fish so well — eliminating the fishy smell while keeping the rich flavor.

Chu Muqing, watching quietly, realized something she had already suspected:

Most of the time, Su Wanqing was pretending to be happy, pretending to be nonchalant. But only in moments like this, when facing something she truly loved, did her eyes naturally curve into bright little crescents.

She was genuinely happy now.

Lowering her gaze, Chu Muqing looked at the steaming bowl of noodles in front of her. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but somehow, it was enough to make someone so sincerely joyful.

The thick white broth floated with green lettuce leaves and small cubes of creamy tofu.

Tentatively, Chu Muqing took a sip of the soup. The savory flavor spread through her mouth — surprisingly delicious. She tried a bite of the noodles.

The noodles were springy but tender, smooth yet satisfying. No wonder Su Wanqing loved them so much.

Having not eaten here in so long, Su Wanqing ate heartily, finishing a full bowl. Her stomach now slightly bulging, she leaned back, satisfied, and finally remembered the Alpha she had temporarily forgotten across the table.

The portion of noodles wasn’t that large. Seeing that Chu Muqing still had half a bowl left, Su Wanqing realized she might have eaten a bit too eagerly.

“You don’t like it?” she asked.

“It’s alright,” Chu Muqing replied.

Lately, her appetite hadn’t been great — most likely because her susceptibility period was approaching.

Cheng Zhuo had mentioned that after her glands fully recovered, she would experience another susceptibility phase. Chu Muqing could already sense the changes in her body: her pheromones were becoming unstable, and her mood was growing more irritable.

Her possessiveness had intensified to the point that even Lu Qinghe, an Omega, now triggered it.

Since her afternoon schedule was clear, Su Wanqing decided to make it up to Chu Muqing. After they left the noodle shop, she asked, “Wanna go watch a movie? Ji Yu said there’s a good new release.”

“Sure,” Chu Muqing answered simply.

Su Wanqing lowered her head, opening the app to book tickets. The afternoon sun shone brightly, and they hid behind a bus stop for shade, the occasional gusts of hot wind tugging at her hair and blocking her view.

She frowned, annoyed by the messy strands.

Not long ago, Chu Muqing would have thought that activities like going to the movies or taking a stroll were complete wastes of time — and to her, wasting time meant wasting life itself.

But just now, when the sunlight fell on Su Wanqing, and she tilted her head slightly, looking up with that hopeful expression, everything else had faded away. Her instincts had responded before any rational thought could.

The mall wasn’t far; they decided to walk, treating it as a way to digest their meal.

Chu Muqing had never been to a movie theater before and knew nothing about the process. Su Wanqing retrieved their tickets and bought a combo set for two.

While waiting, Chu Muqing sat quietly in the lounge area. Su Wanqing plopped two giant buckets of popcorn into her arms and sat beside her, quickly pulling out her phone to snap a few pictures.

“Jiejie, let’s take a photo together,” Su Wanqing said, switching the camera to selfie mode.

The screen showed the two of them: Chu Muqing’s face cold and stern, arms full of popcorn buckets — a rather mismatched sight.

Before she could even take the picture, Su Wanqing burst out laughing. “Let me find a better angle. Your side profile looks better.”

“My front doesn’t look good?” Chu Muqing asked, slightly annoyed.

After meeting someone like Lu Qinghe, she had begun to feel insecure about her looks for the first time.

The waiting area was relatively quiet, so Chu Muqing clearly heard Su Wanqing’s soft mumbling.

[Your front view is beautiful too, but you look a bit too fierce.]

[Your side profile is gorgeous. This angle is perfect.]

[Come to think of it, I’ve never seen Chu Muqing smile…]

Before Chu Muqing could react, it was time for their movie to start.

The film was titled It Was You All Along — a light-hearted romance story. The plot wasn’t heavy, relying more on atmosphere than twists, but Su Wanqing was utterly absorbed, shipping the characters with intense dedication.

She watched intently, munching on popcorn, occasionally feeding some to Chu Muqing.

By the time the movie neared its climax, Su Wanqing’s bucket was almost empty. Without hesitation, she grabbed Chu Muqing’s and started digging in.

Even while eating, she didn’t forget to feed Chu Muqing another handful.

The popcorn was far too sweet. After a few pieces, Chu Muqing found it cloying. Watching Su Wanqing extend another kernel toward her, Chu Muqing caught her hand instead — and lightly licked her fingertip.

The moist, smooth touch of her tongue made Su Wanqing freeze.

Her attention shifted instantly from the screen to Chu Muqing’s face, dimly illuminated by the flickering movie light.

She wanted to ask What are you doing? but before she could, Chu Muqing’s arm, casually draped over the seat, tightened around her neck and pulled her closer.

Then, Chu Muqing kissed her.

“Mm…”

Caught off guard by the sudden proximity, Su Wanqing instinctively closed her eyes. In the darkened theater, they shared a soft, quiet kiss.

The sweet taste of popcorn lingered in their mouths.

When the movie ended, Chu Muqing’s phone buzzed twice in her pocket. She fished it out to find two newly delivered reports.

[Chu Muqing: No significant abnormalities detected in gland scan.]

[Su Wanqing: No significant abnormalities detected in gland scan.]

Support After the Scumbag Alpha Heard her Inner Thoughts