The Live-In Alpha Only Wants To Inherit The Young Lady's Estate - Chapter 5

Gu Ruoling sat in the commercial van, occasionally raising her eyes to glance at the main gate of Capital University.

Aunt Zhang, who had accompanied her, couldn’t help but ask the driver, “Old Li, are you sure Miss Zhu will come out from this gate? Capital University has several campus gates.”

The driver was entirely certain. “I pick her up here every time. Miss Zhu always gets in the car from this spot.”

Gu Ruoling carefully watched the figures shifting in and out of the campus entrance, but none of them were Zhu Qingjia.

She should be staying in her dorm tonight, right?

Aunt Zhang checked the time. “It’s already been over an hour. Are we sure we can wait out Miss Zhu?”

The driver didn’t reply; no one could say for sure.

The longer they waited, the more despondent Gu Ruoling became. When Zhu Qingjia had transferred money to her that day, it had been via a direct QR code scan. Despite knowing each other for so long, they didn’t even have each other’s contact information.

Before her disappointment could deepen, Old Li spoke up with excitement, “I see Miss Zhu! Look over there—is that her in the white T-shirt with her hair tied up?”

Following the direction Old Li was pointing, Gu Ruoling did indeed see Zhu Qingjia.

She was laughing, looking incredibly happy. She had people on either side of her, crowding around her as they talked, laughed, and bantered.

So this is what she looks like at school.

A youthful, vibrant college student, brimming with fresh vitality.

It was completely different from her own lifeless self.

Gu Ruoling felt an intense wave of envy—and a touch of jealousy—toward those who could stand by Zhu Qingjia’s side.

If only the person standing next to her could be herself.

Seeing the group walk further away, Old Li immediately started the car and followed.

The one thing a university neighborhood never lacked was a food street. Tonight, Zhu Qingjia was treating her roommates to barbecue here.

The reason was that her part-time tutoring gig had come to an end.

That day, when Jingjing saw her return with a neck covered in injuries, she had been startled out of her wits, assuming Zhu Qingjia had been bullied.

But Zhu Qingjia had merely smiled, explaining that the child she was tutoring had thrown a tantrum. It wasn’t intentional, nor was it severe, and it would heal in a few days.

Xiaotong and their other roommate, Yinzi, had both adamantly advised her against taking that part-time job ever again. If she ended up with even worse injuries next time, she wouldn’t even have a shoulder to cry on.

Zhu Qingjia only smiled. Under her roommates’ combined threats and inducements, she finally agreed to stop taking that particular gig.

Out of that 20,000 yuan, after deducting the 19,000-plus yuan spent on the drug screening, a few hundred yuan remained. It was just enough to treat them to a meal.

They arrived at a wildly popular barbecue stall. The ingredients were fresh, the chili powder was fragrant, and the owner was working up a roaring sweat over the grill.

Skewers of grilled meat paired with ice-cold beer made the summer night incredibly cozy.

“Mutton skewers and brisket fat are ready!” the owner called out, placing a steaming bundle of skewers onto the table. The aroma of chili and cumin instantly rushed over them.

“Let’s clink glasses! Thanks to Qingjia for treating us to a meal using her blood, sweat, and tears,” Yinzi proposed, raising her glass.

Zhu Qingjia took a sip of her beer and laughed, chiding her, “Cut it out. I already told you it was an accident.”

“But kids these days really are hard to handle,” Xiaotong said, taking a bite of a skewer. “A high school classmate of mine over in the Physics department took a tutoring gig over the summer break. It was just a primary schooler, but they were so incredibly difficult to teach that it nearly drove him insane. After that, he completely retired from the tutoring industry.”

“Exactly. With that kind of time, it’s better to find a proper internship at a major tech firm. It’ll look a lot better on your resume when you graduate,” Jingjing said, initiating a toast with Zhu Qingjia before knocking back two large gulps.

“Drink a bit slower. I looked away for one second and you’re already on your second bottle,” Yinzi remarked, watching Jingjing deftly pop open another cap with a bottle opener.

“Leave her be. If she wants to drink, let her. When you’re suffering from a broken heart, you really do need a little alcohol to smooth things over.”

The moment those words left Xiaotong’s mouth, both Zhu Qingjia and Yinzi turned their eyes to her.

“Haha,” Xiaotong let out an awkward laugh. The person in question was right here, so bringing it up might not have been the best move.

Jingjing had a crush on someone. Just a couple of days ago, that person had posted a photo on their WeChat Moments with someone else, announcing their relationship.

While it was just a secret crush, she could still delude herself into thinking she had a chance. Now that they had made it official, she was completely out of the running.

Her heart was shattered; all she could do was wash it down with a bit of alcohol and chew through the pain.

Wanting to pivot to another topic, Yinzi scanned the surroundings and caught sight of a striking figure.

Without even turning her head, she slapped Jingjing repeatedly, lowering her voice in sheer awe. “Forget your heartbreak, sis! Look over there—there’s an even more stunning Omega. Look quickly!”

Zhu Qingjia also raised her head, lowering the beer bottle that had been resting against her lips.

Gu Ruoling was standing just three meters away from them. Further back, the driver, Old Li, could be seen inside the commercial van.

She was wearing a pea-green dress, leaving her slender calves exposed. Her hair was down, held in place by a light green headband.

Her gaze was direct, staring solely at Zhu Qingjia as if to say: I’ve come to find you. When are you coming back?

She seemed entirely unaware of her own allure. Just as someone at the neighboring table showed interest and looked ready to strike up a conversation, Zhu Qingjia took the initiative to greet her.

She smiled and looked toward her. “Ruoling, over here.”

Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap!

Whatever everyone else was thinking, Yinzi and Xiaotong were the first to get excited.

Zhu Qingjia actually knew this drop-dead gorgeous Omega, and she had even called her by such an intimate name.

Watching Gu Ruoling walk toward them, Zhu Qingjia murmured softly, “Grab another chair.”

“I’ve got it!” Yinzi volunteered eagerly, swiftly pulling up a chair and placing it right next to Zhu Qingjia.

“Have a seat,” Zhu Qingjia said, resting her hand on the back of the chair to steady it for her.

Gu Ruoling gathered her skirt and sat down, looking at the other three with a reserved expression.

“How old are you, little sister? You’re so beautiful!”

“Yeah, are you a celebrity? How do you and our Jiajia know each other?”

“By the way, do you have a girlfriend? This is a very important question.”

The group was excessively enthusiastic, and the barrage of questions made Gu Ruoling blush.

Seeing her lower her chin in silence, Zhu Qingjia guessed she was feeling shy. She clapped her hands to call a halt. “Quiet down, you guys. She hasn’t even had anything to eat yet and you’re already cross-examining her. Is this how you treat a guest?”

Oh, right.

Xiaotong offered a piece of roasted chicken wing that she had waited quite a while to get.

Zhu Qingjia blocked it. “She can’t handle spicy food. Let’s order some non-spicy items for her.”

“Ah, I see. Your skin is so good, little sister, not a single blemish.”

Zhu Qingjia asked her what she wanted to eat. Gu Ruoling replied that anything was fine; she had never eaten street barbecue before and was quite curious about what it tasted like.

Zhu Qingjia listed off a few options, and Gu Ruoling nodded along.

Taking advantage of the moment Zhu Qingjia went over to place the order, Gu Ruoling raised her eyes to look at her retreating back.

From the moment they met just now up until she went to order, Zhu Qingjia had been looking after her. Did this mean she wasn’t angry anymore?

Or perhaps, her anger had already subsided.

Yinzi popped open a bottle of ice-cold beer for her. Seeing her fixated on Zhu Qingjia, an idea formed in her mind—this girl was definitely here for Jiajia.

“I heard Jiajia call you Ruoling just now. Is that your full name?” Yinzi asked inquisitively.

Gu Ruoling gave a small shake of her head. “My last name is Gu.”

Yinzi immediately exchanged looks with Xiaotong and Jingjing. There’s definitely something going on here.

Before she could press further, Zhu Qingjia returned.

As she sat down, she smoothly intercepted the newly opened beer in front of Gu Ruoling and poured her a cup of plain water instead.

“What are you guys chatting about?” Zhu Qingjia asked with a smile.

“What else could it be? Just the questions from earlier,” Xiaotong said, holding her beer bottle with a meaningful look. “Jia, you seem really familiar with her. Does that mean you can answer those questions for us?”

Zhu Qingjia rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Which questions?”

“How old is she?”

“Eighteen,” Zhu Qingjia replied without missing a beat.

Yinzi felt a surge of excitement. As expected, she knew.

Gu Ruoling blinked. Was there a need to be so happy over a question like that?

“How did you two meet?” Jingjing was also incredibly curious.

Zhu Qingjia tapped the platter of skewers on the table. “The very reason I’m treating you all to this meal.”

Xiaotong’s smile nearly faltered. Could Gu Ruoling be the “child” Zhu Qingjia had spoken of?

When they first discovered the injuries on Zhu Qingjia’s body back at the dorm, they had done a fair share of venting and complaining.

“Wait, that’s not right. The age doesn’t add up,” Yinzi said, not entirely willing to give up. The child she was tutoring should have been much younger.

But Zhu Qingjia didn’t offer an explanation, letting the assumption stand.

“And the most important question: does the little sister have a girlfriend?”

The three pairs of eyes landed squarely on Zhu Qingjia. She took a sip of her beer and said gently, “You’re asking me? How should I know?”

Left with no other choice, Xiaotong turned to Gu Ruoling. Placing the newly arrived, non-spicy skewers in front of her, she asked curiously, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

Gu Ruoling glanced at Zhu Qingjia. Why hadn’t she answered just now?

After a brief thought, she said, “No.”

Zhu Qingjia gripped her beer bottle, her expression unreadable. Amidst the chorus of boisterous laughter from her roommates, she picked up a fresh bottle of beer.

“Then would you consider dating? We have plenty of high-quality Alphas at Capital University. I can introduce you to some,” Yinzi chimed in, leaning closer.

Gu Ruoling was trying to decide which skewer looked best. The kind Zhu Qingjia had been eating earlier didn’t seem to be among the ones ordered for her.

“Thank you, but… I’m married.”

Jingjing choked on her beer. Zhu Qingjia unhurriedly pulled out some tissues and handed them to her.

The other two were equally struck dumb by Gu Ruoling’s response.

Such a beautiful young girl was actually already married.

Getting hitched so young—where was the justice in the world?

Xiaotong pressed her index fingers against her temples, her mind racing through wild deductions.

Although the legal age to register a marriage was eighteen, there was no shortage of young Omegas who ended up having children early.

Was it possible that the child Zhu Qingjia had been tutoring was actually Gu Ruoling’s child?

How absurd, how wild.

She cast a dark, searching look at Zhu Qingjia and couldn’t resist dragging her off to the side. “Give it to me straight. The child you were tutoring couldn’t possibly be just one or two years old, right? The more I think about your injuries, the more they don’t seem like something an adult could do.”

“What are you thinking? Where would a one- or two-year-old child come from?” Zhu Qingjia couldn’t keep up with her bizarre train of thought.

Xiaotong gestured with her chin toward the table. “The one she gave birth to, obviously.”

“The child I tutor is her cousin.” As expected, spinning one lie meant having to use countless more to cover it up.

“A cousin, I see. That makes sense. You scared me to death; I thought the laws of family ethics had completely lost their deterrent power.”

Having finished their whispered exchange, the two returned to the table. Gu Ruoling was currently eating a skewer of grilled corn. After having a few skewers of vegetables, she picked up a skewer of beef.

She took just one small bite before her expression instantly changed.

While listening to her roommates chat, Zhu Qingjia had been keeping an eye on her. Seeing her expression falter, she spoke up at the right moment, “What’s wrong?”

“This is a bit spicy,” Gu Ruoling said, sticking out the tip of her tongue as if she had truly been burned by the heat.

“Then don’t eat it. Have some water.” Zhu Qingjia pushed the cup of plain water, which had cooled down significantly, toward her.

But Gu Ruoling didn’t move. Instead, her eyes remained fixed on Zhu Qingjia’s beer.

Zhu Qingjia caught on. “Can you drink beer? I’ll get a paper cup and pour some for you.”

Gu Ruoling nodded, then asked her, “Can’t I just drink straight from the bottle?”

They were all drinking that way, and she really wanted to give it a try.

Zhu Qingjia held out the bottle to her, but just as Gu Ruoling was about to take it, she instantly pulled it back.

Gu Ruoling was completely stunned.

She watched as Zhu Qingjia knit her brows, her tone intentionally making things difficult. “I suddenly remembered, you’re a proper lady. Can a proper lady chug straight from a bottle?”

“You!” Gu Ruoling realized Zhu Qingjia was using her own words from last time to throw it back in her face.

“Proper ladies are not allowed to drink straight from the bottle.” Zhu Qingjia took a paper cup and poured just a tiny splash for her, barely enough to give her a taste.