Reborn as the Heartless Alpha - Chapter 25.3

Zhou Zhou sat by the bed, her heart pounding wildly, unsure whether it was from joy or something else.

This was the first time she had ever stared so openly at Miss Song, without needing to quickly avert her gaze because Miss Song’s eyes were still closed.

Was it her imagination, or did Miss Song seem subtly different now? When “Miss Song” had leaned over her earlier, she had clearly seen a tiny black mole on the right side of her nose. But now, it was gone.

Had she been too flustered to see properly?

When Song Yi woke, she found Zhou Zhou sitting by the bed, lost in thought.

Not wanting to disturb her, Song Yi watched her quietly, though her heart still stirred restlessly.

Her palm was warm, the original scumbag Alpha had been holding Zhou Zhou’s hand the whole time, and for some reason, she hadn’t let go either.

Almost instinctively, she propped herself up on her elbow and gave Zhou Zhou a quick, light hug, releasing her so fast that Zhou Zhou, just snapping out of her daze, wasn’t sure if it had really happened.

“Miss Song, you’re awake?” Zhou Zhou asked happily.

“Mhm.” Song Yi smiled, her gaze lingering on Zhou Zhou.

She was still wondering, why had she been able to return? The moment Zhou Zhou tore off the scent-blocking patch and her sweet cherry pheromones spilled out, something inside her had surged, overwhelming the original scumbag Alpha and driving her out of her body.

Zhou Zhou grew a little self-conscious under her stare and instinctively raised a hand to cover her faceon ly to realize she couldn’t move it. Looking down, she saw her hand still clasped firmly in Miss Song’s.

Song Yi took Zhou Zhou’s hand and gently pulled her down to lie beside her, closing her eyes as she said, “Stay and nap with me.”

Zhou Zhou obediently lay down. Song Yi released her hand and pulled the blanket over her as well.

Having stayed up all night and then having her body forcibly reclaimed by the original scumbag Alpha early in the morning, followed by a struggle that lasted until noon, she was exhausted.

She quickly closed her eyes and, nestled beside Zhou Zhou, surrounded by the soothing, intoxicatingly sweet scent of cherries, drifted peacefully into sleep.

Zhou Zhou, however, couldn’t sleep. Lying beside Miss Song, she kept wondering why the woman had behaved so differently earlier, one moment violent, with ambiguous, teasing words, and the next, gentle as water, making her feel as if bathed in spring warmth.

They had shared a bed before, but back then, both had stayed on the edges, never as close as they were now. Zhou Zhou tilted her head slightly, studying Miss Song’s profile.

Strangely, the tiny mole by Miss Song’s nostril was gone.

It seemed to appear only when she was in a frenzied state.

The room was unlit, the window only slightly ajar, the curtains blocking most of the sunlight. The bed lay in a dim corner, barely touched by the light. Zhou Zhou stared at Miss Song for a long time until, growing tired, she slowly closed her eyes as well.

Meanwhile, Ding Chen had just finished cleaning up the mess in the lab. Glancing at the time 3 PM she realized she was hungry and headed to the kitchen to whip up something to eat. As she passed the room where Song Yi and Zhou Zhou were resting, she paused deliberately.

Not out of nosiness, but because professional ethics demanded she keep an eye on Song Yi’s condition.

Bang! A loud crash came from inside the room.

Ding Chen froze for a few seconds before swiftly slipping away.

Typical Song Yi.

The sound of the collapsing bed hadn’t been enough to wake Song Yi from deep sleep, but the impact of hitting the floor was. She jolted awake, immediately turning to check on Zhou Zhou, who had scraped her elbow somewhere and was bleeding. Frowning, Song Yi scooped her up into her arms.

Before Zhou Zhou could react, she was already airborne.

“Ding Chen’s bed is such poor quality. It collapsed just from the two of us lying on it.”

Zhou Zhou wrapped her arms around Miss Song’s neck without a word, sensing her anger.

Song Yi was angry not just because the ruined bed had cut her nap short, but because Zhou Zhou had gotten hurt.

“Does it hurt?” she asked softly, looking down at her.

Zhou Zhou shook her head slightly, arms still looped around her neck, as if struck mute. She felt weightless, floating. She didn’t quite understand why Miss Song would fuss over such a minor injury, treating her like some priceless treasure that couldn’t be scratched or bruised.

She’d had worse falls before.

She knew she should say something that her legs were fine, that she could walk on her own but she didn’t.

Truthfully, she liked being held by Miss Song. She couldn’t explain why, but she did.

Song Yi herself couldn’t pinpoint why she was so tense over Zhou Zhou’s well-being. The moment she saw her hurt, instinct took over.

Carrying Zhou Zhou out of the room, she began calling for Ding Chen.

Hearing the summons, Ding Chen emerged from the kitchen, a comical sight in her white lab coat, wielding a kitchen knife.

“Miss Song, you!” Ding Chen hastily hid the knife behind her back, first scanning Song Yi before her gaze settled on Zhou Zhou.

She noticed the blood on Zhou Zhou’s elbow and instinctively adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose to mask her reaction.

Not only had the bed collapsed, but someone had gotten hurt, things had clearly been more intense than she’d imagined.

Song Yi got straight to the point. “Put whatever you’re doing aside for now and take a look at Zhou Zhou.”

“Got it.” Ding Chen immediately set down the kitchen knife and quickly fetched a first aid kit.

Song Yi placed Zhou Zhou on the shabby gray sofa, its quality didn’t look great either. She didn’t dare sit, afraid it might collapse under her weight.

Ding Chen sat beside Zhou Zhou and professionally tended to her wounds. Once finished, she cautiously asked in a hushed tone, “Are there any other injuries?”

Zhou Zhou shook her head lightly. Ding Chen found it odd but didn’t press further, because just then, she caught the smell of something burning and yelled, “Oh no!” before dashing back to the kitchen.

Two minutes later, Ding Chen returned with a strange expression, carrying three plates of charred, mushy noodles.

“Uh, noodle soup? Miss Song, Miss Zhou, could you make do with this?”

Song Yi frowned, a hint of self-doubt in her voice. “Dr. Ding, is the salary I pay you every month really that meager?”

“No.” Ding Chen lowered her head and poked at the sticky mess with a silver fork. “I just got distracted for a bit. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have turned out so,tragic.”

“What about the bed?”

“Maybe, Miss Song’s exercise was too intense. The bed just couldn’t take it.” Ding Chen stammered.

Song Yi suddenly laughed. “What are you imagining? Even if it were what you’re thinking, that bed’s quality is still terrible.”

“And this sofa.” Song Yi paused for a moment, recalling. “I remember when I bought this villa for you, I also gave you a generous budget to furnish it yourself.”

Ding Chen’s villa was practically hollow inside bare to the extreme. She had poured almost all her money into research, never expecting Song Yi to actually visit.

She admitted as much. Song Yi listened silently, then pulled out her phone and transferred a sum to Ding Chen on the spot. “Buy some decent furniture. If you have any necessary research projects, discuss them with me. If approved, I’ll fully fund them.”

Song Yi believed those dedicated to research shouldn’t have to live in hardship. Ding Chen, however, thought Song Yi had become far more visionary and business-savvy than before.

“Thank you, Miss Song.” Ding Chen said gratefully.

Song Yi glanced at the blackened mush on the table. “Let’s just order takeout.”

“Delivery doesn’t come out here.” Ding Chen replied. “This place is too remote.”

Song Yi was at a loss for words. “Where’s the water? I’ll get a glass.”

Ding Chen pointed to the kitchen. Seizing the moment while Song Yi was away, she asked, “Miss Zhou, can you cook?”

Zhou Zhou hesitated, then nodded. “A little, simple things.”

“There’s more noodles in the kitchen.”

“Okay.” She had just learned how to make tomato and egg noodles that morning.

As Zhou Zhou stepped into the kitchen, she heard Song Yi’s complaint: “Ding Chen, why does your water taste like medicine too?”

Bent over packing up the first aid kit, Ding Chen calmly pushed at the indentation between her glasses. “Sterilization.”

“…”

Song Yi had had enough and was about to leave when she noticed Zhou Zhou had also entered.

Zhou Zhou blinked up at her. “Miss Song, let me cook some noodles for you.”

Originally wanting to leave the superficially-a-doctor-but-actually-a-research-maniac Ding Chen’s shabby apartment as soon as possible, Song Yi found herself nodding inexplicably under Zhou Zhou’s sparkling eyes. “I’ll assist you,” she said.

She was indeed hungry, having not eaten a single grain since morning.

Zhou Zhou searched everywhere for noodles but couldn’t find any in the lower cabinets. Song Yi opened the upper ones and handed her the noodles. Apart from that, they only found three eggs.

Song Yi couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: How on earth does Ding Chen survive?

Having made noodles once in the morning, Zhou Zhou remembered the steps clearly, boil water, cook the noodles, crack the eggs in at the end to poach them, season, simple and quick.

The taste was average, but compared to Ding Chen’s earlier disaster, Zhou Zhou’s poached egg noodles seemed downright delicious.

After the meal, Song Yi couldn’t stand staying any longer. She disliked the smell of various chemicals in Ding Chen’s home. Ding Chen gave her another checkup before letting her leave.

As a qualified private doctor, Ding Chen didn’t forget to remind her at the end: “Miss Song, your susceptible period normally lasts three days. If something like today happens again, you know what to do.” She glanced at Zhou Zhou.

Song Yi knew Ding Chen had misunderstood deeply and didn’t bother explaining further. With a dark expression, she only said, “Dr. Ding, at least change the bed and sofa.”

“Will do, changing them right away,” Ding Chen replied, smiling as she waved them off, thinking about the new funds she’d just received.

Once in the car, Song Yi drove manually for a while before switching to autopilot.

She turned her head to look at Zhou Zhou, wanting to say something but hesitating.

Zhou Zhou gripped the seatbelt in front of her, feeling nervous under Miss Song’s gaze, but Miss Song merely looked at her without speaking.

“Miss Song?” Zhou Zhou widened her eyes in confusion.

“Never mind,” Song Yi turned her head back. She had actually thought about the original scumbag Alpha’s return and wanted to ask if Zhou Zhou had been frightened.

“Miss Song.”

“Hmm?” Song Yi turned to look at Zhou Zhou again, gazing intently into her clear eyes.

“Miss You came by this morning.”

Song Yi froze for a second. “What did she come for?”

Zhou Zhou shook her head. Miss You hadn’t answered her at the time. Then she received Dr. Ding’s call, and everything became chaotic. It was Miss You who arranged for a driver to bring her here.

“I’ll call and ask.”

Song Yi pulled out her phone, found You Xuechu’s number in her contacts, and dialed. Zhou Zhou leaned against the car window, distracting herself with the scenery outside.

“Song Yi, when are you coming back?” You Xuechu’s urgent voice came through the phone.

“On my way now.”

“Oh.”

“Are you at my place?”

You Xuechu hung up.

Song Yi: “…”

She found it utterly baffling. Putting her phone away, she glanced to the side. Zhou Zhou was leaning against the window, her fair nape exposed. Song Yi noticed the absence of a scent-blocking patch on her gland and suddenly remembered there might still be an Alpha at home.

Pha, she rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a suppressant patch.

Originally intending to tap Zhou Zhou lightly and let her apply it herself, from her angle, Zhou Zhou seemed to be asleep.

She decided not to disturb Zhou Zhou. Instead, she tore open the packaging herself and gently applied the patch for her.

Zhou Zhou wasn’t actually asleep. When Miss Song’s fingers brushed against her, she flinched slightly. Miss Song’s hand quickly withdrew, and it took a while before Zhou Zhou realized Miss Song had just been applying the suppressant patch for her.

Leaning against the car window, she remained motionless. Even when the car pulled into Miss Song’s villa and came to a stop, she didn’t open her eyes.

You Xuechu was already waiting outside. Her expression was icy when she saw Song Yi, and she provocatively crooked a finger. “Song Yi, come here.”

Song Yi thought the original scumbag Alpha had indeed treated You Xuechu poorly, so it was understandable that You Xuechu was hostile toward her now. Seeing that Zhou Zhou was still asleep, she didn’t plan to wake her immediately.

She got out of the car alone and walked straight toward You Xuechu, stopping half a meter away. “What do you want?”

You Xuechu frowned unhappily. “I’ve been watching your house all day, and this is the attitude I get?”

Song Yi paused for a moment, feeling strange but playing along. “Thank you.”

You Xuechu held out her hand. “Pay up. The money for changing the locks and house-sitting.”

“How much?”

Song Yi’s excessive compliance irritated You Xuechu.

“A hundred thousand. In cash!”

Suddenly, Song Yi raised a finger to her lips in a shushing motion. “Zhou Zhou’s still asleep. Keep it down.”

You Xuechu glanced toward the car in surprise. There was indeed someone else inside. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Fine, for Zhou Zhou’s sake.”

“A hundred thousand in cash. Hand it over.”

“I don’t have cash.”

“Then answer me one question.”

“Alright.”

“Do you genuinely like Zhou Zhou?”

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