After the Strategy Failed, the Heroine Turned into a Crematorium - Chapter 45

“What, did you really expect me to keep your mark?”

Bian You curled her lips in a sneer, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she cast a mocking glance at Qi Zhie.

Cold, resistant, aggressive.

Qi Zhie frowned slightly, the discomfort in her chest growing stronger.

Bian You casually set down her glass and walked past Qi Zhie toward the door. Just before closing it, she deleted her fingerprint from the lock and said, “Since we’re no longer connected, it’s best to remove these things for safety. And don’t forget to change the password.”

As the door closed softly behind her, the lingering traces of Bian You’s presence in the air seemed to dissipate bit by bit, pressing down on Qi Zhie until her head throbbed with pain.

Even at a time like this, Bian You had to remind her so considerately, just like her gentle nature, always exuding an irresistible tenderness.

Exhausted, Qi Zhie rubbed her temples. How had she become so indecisive?

After leaving Qi Zhie’s home, Bian You sat in her car for a long time, alone. Only when she finally noticed the gnawing hunger in her stomach did she drive away from the neighborhood and stop at a random restaurant to eat.

Recently, news about Bian You had been overshadowed by more sensational and buzzworthy headlines. Compared to the overwhelming attention before, her online presence had faded significantly. Yet, when she arrived at the hospital to have her mark removed, the doctor still recognized her.

Fortunately, the doctor had professional integrity. Even though they recognized her, they pretended not to and proceeded with the necessary preoperative preparations as requested. Bian You signed several documents, and as she was wheeled into the operating room, she closed her eyes and realized that even now, her emotions remained eerily calm without even a trace of fear about the impending procedure.

Her pheromones weren’t fully stabilized, making the removal surgery particularly risky at this stage. But Bian You couldn’t wait a moment longer.

Every time she caught the scent of Qi Zhie’s pheromones on herself, she felt as though she still belonged to her. But the truth was, Qi Zhie had already discarded her. This lingering sensation could only be the work of hormonal influence.

Once, she had willingly been Qi Zhie’s possession. Now, the thought disgusted her. Looking back, she realized belatedly how low she had placed herself in that relationship. If even she had diminished her own worth, how could Qi Zhie have ever valued her?

The anesthesia seeped in, her consciousness growing hazy. Just before slipping into oblivion, her final thought was a desperate wish to return to the world as it once was.

But she knew all too well, that world was forever out of reach.

Bian You woke to pain. The stark white ceiling loomed above her, the sterile scent of disinfectant filling her nose. A sharp, searing agony radiated from the back of her neck, making her eyes sting with unshed tears. Her body tensed involuntarily, trembling.

It hurt so much that it felt like her neck had been twisted apart, held together only by nerves, each pulse of pain excruciatingly clear.

“Ms. Bian, you’re awake.”

Assistant Zhou, who had been keeping vigil, immediately stood to check on her. But when she saw Bian You’s reddened eyes and tear-streaked face, her voice faltered, and an ache bloomed in her chest.

This was the first time she had seen Bian You cry. Though no sound escaped her, the sight of her silently shedding tears still made her heart ache.

How could anyone bear to hurt her like this?

She carefully wiped Bian You’s tears with a tissue, trying to distract her by chattering about recent company events. She mentioned how Bian Lian had argued with the board members over her situation, proving she wasn’t as cold-hearted as people thought.

But no matter what she said, Bian You seemed unresponsive. Eventually, she gave up and simply asked, “Are you feeling any discomfort?”

The moment the words left her lips, Assistant Zhou knew it was a pointless question. Even as a beta, she was well aware of the agony that came with an AO mark removal reportedly more excruciating than being stabbed twice.

A knife wound might damage flesh, but mark removal seared through the nerves.

“It hurts.”

Bian You’s gaze drifted weakly toward the ceiling, her vision blurred by unshed tears. The only thing she could feel was pain so overwhelming she couldn’t even lift a hand to touch the wound.

Hearing her choked voice, Assistant Zhou rubbed her own eyes, her nose stuffy as she muttered, “I’ll call the doctor. This shouldn’t hurt so much their technique must be terrible!”

Bian You didn’t smile. Tears kept falling.

In that moment, she felt like a paralyzed wreck lying on the bed, utterly helpless and humiliated.

When the doctor arrived and checked her vitals, he frowned and sighed. “The unstable pheromones are still affecting you. Your gland’s readings are fluctuating too much. We’ll monitor you, but if they don’t stabilize in a couple of days, we’ll need a full debridement.”

“Again? She’s already like this,” Assistant Zhou protested.

The doctor shook his head helplessly. “Her case is unique. Without it, her pheromones will become even more uncontrollable.”

The barrage of tests left Bian You drenched in cold sweat. Only now did she understand why so many avoided mark removal it was unbearable, enough to make her wish for death.

One moment, it burned like fire; the next, it stabbed like needles. Every twinge tugged at her nerves, making her want to crack open her skull and tear them all out.

After the doctor left, Bian You spoke her second sentence since waking.

“Their medical methods are trash.”

In an ABO world, how could removing a mark hurt this much? She suspected they deliberately neglected improving the procedure.

She had found a new mission.

Once she recovered, she’d assemble a team dedicated to minimizing the trauma of mark removal making the procedure as simple as popping a pimple.

“Bian Zong…”

Assistant Zhou hesitated, unsure what to say next.

“Go rest. There’s nothing to do here,” Bian You murmured, shutting her eyes against the bone-deep pain.

“I’m not tired. Chairman Bian told me to stay with you,” Assistant Zhou insisted.

Assistant Zhou had originally been working alongside Bian You, but now that Bian You was in trouble, her position had become somewhat awkward. Bian Lian simply assigned her to take care of Bian You or perhaps Bian You had something she wanted done, and Assistant Zhou could conveniently be put to use.

Bian You didn’t say anything more. She was exhausted, yet the pain kept her from sleep.

…

News of Bian You’s mark removal still spread in small circles online. The Bian Group stepped in to suppress any further discussion about Bian You. They were currently sorting out some of the more complicated aspects of the case and didn’t want public opinion to influence the investigation.

Those in the know were aware that Bian You had undergone mark removal. The more ostentatious she had been about being marked before, the more ironic the situation seemed now. Mockery from certain quarters was inevitable, especially from those who had always felt she was an embarrassment to alphas, they laughed the hardest.

Given Bian You’s status, some didn’t dare ridicule her too openly to her face. But she knew exactly how people regarded her behind her back.

She just didn’t care. Just as she hadn’t cared about their mockery before.

Two days later, Bian You underwent another minor surgery. The post-operative pain was still intense, but her vital signs gradually stabilized, and overall, her condition was much better than after the first procedure.

“Bian Zong, what do you plan to do next?” Assistant Zhou asked curiously as she peeled an apple for Bian You.

Until Bian You’s situation was fully investigated, it was unlikely she could return to the Bian Group anytime soon. And if she couldn’t go back, surely she wouldn’t just lie around at home doing nothing?

Bian You kept her eyes closed. Her silhouette looked even thinner now, her exhaustion and lifelessness a far cry from her usual sunny, puppy-like demeanor more like someone on the verge of being laid to rest.

“Assemble a medical team to research mark removal,” Bian You said slowly, not bothering to hide her intentions.

Assistant Zhou’s hands paused mid-peel. She glanced at the bandages around Bian You’s neck. Was she so traumatized by her own experience that she wanted to change the medical landscape?

“I have a friend who’s a doctor. I’ll consult her to see which expert is most knowledgeable in this field. We can then approach them to form a team,” Assistant Zhou suggested.

“Mm,” Bian You responded listlessly.

The police were also investigating her for using network technology to infiltrate internal systems. For the time being, she couldn’t touch anything related to the internet, so investing in medical projects seemed like the perfect alternative.

Qi Family Old Residence.

Returning here again, Qi Zhie still felt no fondness for this home. If anything, after learning a certain truth, her disgust had reached its peak.

What was the point of preserving such a filthy place?

When she saw Qu Huawan, the woman was sitting in the tearoom, sipping tea leisurely. Qi Zhie took a seat across from her, eyeing the cup of tea before her, steam still curling gently from its surface.

She didn’t drink. Instead, she raised her gaze to Madam Qu, wondering why she had summoned her back this time.

A true noblewoman, Madam Qu spent most of her days chanting sutras and reciting Buddhist scriptures, detached from worldly affairs. She exuded an air of serenity, and her appearance seemed far younger than her peers.

“I heard you broke up with that child from the Bian family?” Her tone was indifferent, so much so that it didn’t even sound like she was speaking to her own daughter it was colder than how she’d address a stranger.

Qi Zhie’s long lashes trembled slightly as she looked at her with detachment.

“You called me back just to ask this?”

Qu Huawan poured herself another cup of tea, inhaling the faint aroma before speaking calmly. “She was a good child, at least when the two of you were together.”

Qi Zhie’s lips curled slightly, her gaze growing even colder.

“You actually paid attention to her?”

And… she had even noticed Bian You’s transformation. If it had been the original host, she would never have called her a “good child.”

Qu Huawan lifted her eyes to meet Qi Zhie’s. After all, they were mother and daughter their features bore a striking resemblance, even down to the coldness in their expressions.

“I just wanted to see what kind of person would make you act this way.”

“Now, perhaps I understand.”

Qi Zhie’s expression remained unchanged, but the hand clenched tightly beneath the tea table betrayed the turmoil beneath her calm exterior.

“Truly the offspring of that man. Even your selfishness and indifference are a perfect match.” Qu Huawan suddenly smiled, a mocking twist to her lips.

“That just proves both of you were lacking, to pass down so many flaws to me.” Qi Zhie sneered. On this point, who in their family had any right to judge?

Qu Huawan scoffed. “You’re not wrong about that.”

After a pause, she lowered her gaze to her teacup, tapping lightly on its rim, her voice growing even more distant.

“But you were luckier than us in one way.”

At least there had once been someone who treated her with such genuine warmth. It was just a shame she had lost that person herself.

Qi Zhie neither confirmed nor denied her words, but in the end, she picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

“Though who’s to say that isn’t for the best?” Qu Huawan turned to glance out the window. “Our kind of genes have no business being passed down.”

Qi Zhie set down her cup.

“Did you call me here just to say all this?”

Qu Huawan didn’t respond. Instead, she slid a stack of documents across the table toward Qi Zhie.

“These are all the assets under my name. I’m transferring them to you now.”

“You?”

Qi Zhie frowned, clearly caught off guard by this sudden move.

“There’s no one else I can think of to give them to.”

“But you’re still young. There’s no need to hand them over so soon.”

Qu Huawan didn’t answer immediately. Her eyes lingered on Qi Zhie for a long moment before she finally withdrew her gaze and said flatly, “It’s time.”

Time for what?

Qi Zhie’s frown deepened.

Qu Huawan offered no explanation. She simply waited as Qi Zhie signed the documents. Soon after, a lawyer Qu Huawan had entrusted entered, collected the paperwork, and left, leaving mother and daughter sitting in silence once more.

The silence grew suffocating. Eventually, Qi Zhie stood to leave. Just as she reached the door, Qu Huawan’s voice came from behind her.

“You’ll regret it.”

Qi Zhie’s grip on the doorknob tightened. She pulled the door open and strode out without looking back.

Qu Huawan turned her gaze back to the window. Before long, she saw Qi Zhie’s figure enter the car parked in the courtyard. The vehicle sped away at breakneck speed.

Just like she had once done.

The air around Qi Zhie was heavy with tension as she left the Qi family estate.

The word “regret” seemed to be appearing more and more frequently in her life. No matter who spoke to her, those two words always seemed to linger in the air.

Regret?

Qi Zhie’s fingers gripping the steering wheel turned white at the knuckles.

The person who once looked at her with bright, sparkling eyes had now turned cold and distant in an instant. Her chest tightened abruptly.

She realized she still loved those clear, transparent eyes. Seeing them lose their luster didn’t bring her any excitement.

The car drove on, and by the time Qi Zhie snapped out of her thoughts, she somehow found herself outside a hospital.

Staring at the hospital gates, Qi Zhie’s face paled slightly, her thin lips pressed into a bloodless line.

She knew Bian You was inside this hospital. She even knew which ward Bian You was in. And she knew exactly what kind of pain Bian You had endured during the mark removal.

At this moment, their roles seemed reversed. Qi Zhie had become the irresponsible scumbag alpha in the eyes of the world, while Bian You was the wronged omega.

Qi Zhie sat in the car for a long time, lost in thought, before finally stepping out and walking through the hospital gates.

Without asking anyone for directions, she made her way straight to Bian You’s ward. Through the small window on the door, she saw Bian You lying lifelessly on the bed, gaunt and barely recognizable. Standing at the foot of the bed was Bian Lian.

Their conversation didn’t seem to be going well. Bian You’s expression remained blank, while Bian Lian frowned in anger. If not for Bian You’s fragile state, it looked like Bian Lian might have slapped her.

Qi Zhie hesitated at the door.

“Qi… CEO?” Assistant Zhou, returning with a thermos of water, looked at the figure before her uncertainly. She couldn’t fathom why Qi Zhie was here. Hadn’t she already done enough harm to Bian You? Was she here now to gloat?

She didn’t know the specifics of what had happened between Bian You and Qi Zhie, but she refused to believe the rumors that Bian You had forced herself on an omega. The old Bian You might have been capable of doing anything to get what she wanted, but the current Bian You would never.

She knew exactly how much Bian You had loved Qi Zhie.

After Bian You was falsely accused, Qi Zhie had taken no action. Combined with Bian You’s reaction, it wasn’t hard to guess that something had happened between them most likely, Qi Zhie hadn’t believed Bian You, and they had fallen out.

Given all that, wasn’t it laughable for Qi Zhie to show up now, pretending to care?

Qi Zhie looked at her but said nothing, because Bian Lian inside had heard the commotion at the door and was walking over.

The ward door opened, and through the gap, Qi Zhie’s eyes met Bian You’s for a fleeting moment. Bian You was the first to look away, closing her eyes indifferently.

Qi Zhie froze briefly before raising her gaze to meet Bian Lian’s as she stepped out.

Bian Lian studied her for a long time before finally gesturing toward the emergency stairwell.

Qi Zhie cast one last glance at Bian You before following Bian Lian to the stairwell. The heavy fire door closed behind them, plunging the space into silence, amplifying the oppressive atmosphere.

“Why are you here?” Bian Lian asked coldly.

Faced with the question, Qi Zhie pressed her lips together and didn’t answer. Or perhaps, even she didn’t know the answer.

Bian Lian looked at her with a mocking curl of her lips. “What? Do you feel like you haven’t exploited her thoroughly enough and now want to manipulate her all over again?”

Bian Lian’s words were harsh, at least, that’s how Qi Zhie perceived them yet she found herself unable to refute them.

She had indeed used Bian You.

“Her mark has been completely cleansed now. She has no ties to you whatsoever. I hope you won’t appear in front of her again from now on,” Bian Lian said coldly.

In the past, Qi Zhie had never felt anything when facing Bian Lian, but at this moment, she inexplicably felt a trace of the restraint one might feel in the presence of an elder. She remained silent for a long time.

“That’s impossible.”

Bian Lian’s expression darkened, anger flashing in her eyes.

“As long as we’re both still in Jingping City, still in this field, our meetings will inevitably happen,” Qi Zhie said calmly.

Bian Lian stared at her for a long while before finally letting out a bitter laugh. “Well, that’s perfect. The overseas company happens to need someone to manage things. Once matters here are settled, she’ll be going abroad.”

If she couldn’t fight it, at least she could avoid it.

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