Reborn as the Heartless Alpha - Chapter 47.1

“Why am I so good to Zhou Zhou?”

Song Yi was stunned by the sudden question. It was something she hadn’t explicitly thought about before, but now that she considered it, being good to Zhou Zhou seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Back when she was just a reader, she felt that a girl as wonderful as Zhou Zhou shouldn’t have to cross paths with the “Scum Alpha” and endure all that physical and emotional suffering.

She shared the sentiment of many readers of The Scum Alpha Always Abandons Others: when you meet a girl like Zhou Zhou, you want to spoil her; how could anyone have the heart to hurt her?

It’s an instinct, Song Yi thought.

She turned her head slightly to find Zhou Zhou still waiting for an answer. Her round apricot eyes were clear, like gems without impurities or a pristine, unpolluted lake. When she blinked, her thick, long lashes fluttered like beautiful butterflies.

“Ms. Song?” Zhou Zhou tilted her head in confusion.

Song Yi forced herself to look away from Zhou Zhou’s face and gave a light cough. “I… I don’t really know why either.”

Having said that, she walked out of the newly finished walk-in closet, her footsteps a bit hurried and disorganized.

After she left, Zhou Zhou remained alone in the room. She worried that she had asked a question that put Ms. Song in a difficult position. Given her status, she really shouldn’t be prying like that; she should just be grateful instead of harboringly such wishful expectations.

I must never do that again, Zhou Zhou resolved in her heart.

Song Yi went downstairs to the first floor, where a lavish lunch was already laid out on the table. She looked back toward the second floor, wanting to call Zhou Zhou down, but remembered her somewhat awkward exit and wasn’t sure what to do.

“Are you waiting for Ms. Zhou, Ms. Song?” the cook asked kindly, bringing a bowl of light vegetable soup out from the kitchen.

Song Yi gave a slight nod.

“Why not just go up and call her?” the auntie asked with a smile. “Did you have a little spat?”

“No.” Song Yi heard the misunderstanding in the auntie’s tone regarding her and Zhou Zhou’s relationship. She didn’t want to discuss it further, and the auntie, taking the hint, stopped commenting on her young employer’s private life and went back to her work.

Meanwhile, Zhou Zhou was still in the closet on the second floor. She opened the windows to let the air circulate, clearing out the faint scent of the recent renovations. She stood by the window, staring into the distance.

The phone call from Mr. Lin, the teacher who had been her homeroom tutor for three years in high school, snapped her out of her daze. She answered quickly. Mr. Lin’s voice was as affectionate and gentle as ever. He first asked if she had eaten lunch, then inquired about her living situation and whether she had found work. He mentioned a tutoring job he could introduce her to, but Zhou Zhou politely declined, saying she had already found a good job.

Mr. Lin was happy for her and mentioned that the college entrance exam results would be out in a couple of days. He told her not to be nervous and invited her to his home for lunch when she came to school to check her results the day after tomorrow, so they could discuss filling out her university preferences. She agreed, thanked him, and hung up.

Time really did fly. She had already been at Ms. Song’s house for a while.

She glanced at the time—it was nearly one o’clock. She should go down to eat, but thinking about how she might have made Ms. Song uncomfortable, she stayed by the window, planning to wait until Ms. Song finished.

Unexpectedly, she received a message from Ms. You.

You Xuechu: Zhou Zhou, what are you and Song Yi having for lunch? [Crying cat meme]

Zhou Zhou immediately replied with the names of the dishes she had coordinated with the cook yesterday, then added a worried question.

Zhou Zhou: Is Ms. You feeling unwell? Do you need me to notify Ms. Song?

You Xuechu: No need.

You Xuechu was slumped listlessly on her sofa, deciding to confide in Zhou Zhou.

You Xuechu: Ding Chen came by yesterday and left some nutritional supplements. She said drinking one every morning would regulate my diet, but I had one today and it feels useless. [Crying cat meme]

Zhou Zhou paused. Ms. You has trouble eating?

Looking at the crying cat emoji, she felt it was a huge contrast to the Ms. You she knew. She felt bad for her, especially since Ms. You had been so kind to her.

You Xuechu: I want to eat the noodles you make. Zhou Zhou, can you come over and cook a bowl for me?

Zhou Zhou: Yes.

Zhou Zhou didn’t delay. She turned and headed downstairs. Seeing Song Yi standing by the dining table, she hesitated for a second before saying, “Ms. Song, is it okay if I go out for a bit?”

Song Yi saw the anxious look on Zhou Zhou’s face and nodded. “Go ahead.”

With permission granted, Zhou Zhou hurried out. Song Yi instinctively followed for a few steps. “Do you need me to drive you?”

Zhou Zhou stopped but didn’t turn around. “No need, thank you, Ms. Song.”

After declining, she debated whether to tell Ms. Song about Ms. You’s condition. Remembering she promised Ms. You not to say anything, she didn’t speak directly but gave a hint: “I’m just going nearby.”

Song Yi quickly understood. “Nearby” could only mean You Xuechu’s place.

She curled her lips into a small smile. “Call me if you need anything.”

“…Okay.” Zhou Zhou agreed after a moment’s hesitation. She assumed Ms. Song had caught the hint but was too proud to show direct concern. Even if Ms. Song said she didn’t like Ms. You romantically, the bond of friendship was still there.

Once Zhou Zhou left, Song Yi realized the girl hadn’t eaten lunch yet. She looked at the table full of food—dishes Zhou Zhou had picked specifically based on the original host’s favorite tastes.

Aside from cherries, Song Yi didn’t have many strong dietary preferences, but because Zhou Zhou had helped prepare this, everything seemed much more appetizing. She sat down but couldn’t help sending Zhou Zhou a message before starting.

Song Yi: Remember to eat lunch. Don’t let yourself go hungry.

When Zhou Zhou arrived at You Xuechu’s villa, she went straight to the kitchen. Although there was a full table of food there too, Ms. You seemed unable to swallow any of it. While she couldn’t quite understand why Ms. You preferred her simple noodles, she didn’t want Ms. You to suffer—nor did she want Ms. Song to be upset by Ms. You’s distress.

Yesterday, Ding Chen had left a week’s worth of supplements for You Xuechu. They tasted like plastic-flavored juice. You Xuechu had forced herself to drink them, but after three bottles, she felt nothing but bloated. They didn’t work for her.

Her only hope was Zhou Zhou. She could actually eat the noodles Zhou Zhou made.

There were no ready-made noodles in the house, so they had to be made from scratch. Zhou Zhou watched a video tutorial while You Xuechu watched along. When Zhou Zhou was kneading the dough, You Xuechu saw she was struggling and took over the task.

“Did Dr. Ding’s supplements really not help?” Zhou Zhou asked curiously.

“Yeah,” You Xuechu said, her voice full of disappointment. “She’s brilliant, but even she has blind spots.”

Zhou Zhou stood behind her and was silent for a while before whispering, “It will get better.”

“Let’s not talk about sad things,” You Xuechu said. Kneading the dough was more satisfying than squeezing the ball Ding Chen gave her. She asked gossipily, “How did your date with Song Yi go yesterday? Was it fun?”

“Ms. You, you’ve misunderstood. It wasn’t a date,” Zhou Zhou denied with a blush.

You Xuechu laughed. “Alright, alright, not a date. But were you happy?”

“…I was… quite happy.” Zhou Zhou lowered her head, her fingers twisting together, her face already red.

You Xuechu felt a bit better. She calculated that Zhou Zhou had been with Song Yi for a while now, and Song Yi hadn’t hurt her; in fact, they seemed to get along well. Her bad impression of Song Yi lessened a bit more.

“Where did you go?”

“The mall, the university, and a cinema,” Zhou Zhou replied briefly.

You Xuechu laughed again. “Very pure-hearted romance.”

She remembered that when Song Yi used to target a girl, she’d usually go straight to the point; she never had this kind of patience. The fact that Zhou Zhou had stayed safely by her side for so many days showed that her position in Song Yi’s heart was very different.

Song Yi is serious this time. It’s like… a player finally settling down.

You Xuechu stopped kneading and turned to look at Zhou Zhou. She truly felt that a girl like Zhou Zhou had that kind of power. Even a player wouldn’t have the heart to be a “scum” when facing her.

“Ms. You?” Zhou Zhou blinked, confused by the stare.

“Zhou Zhou, do you think the dough is okay like this?”

“It’s perfect!” Zhou Zhou said happily, taking over.

You Xuechu stepped aside to watch her roll out the dough and cut it into long, thin strips. Zhou Zhou couldn’t do hand-pulled noodles, so she used this method instead. She worked with extreme focus, and You Xuechu envied that.

Aside from Chess, You Xuechu didn’t feel she could focus on much of anything. She could never reach the “extreme” or meet her parents’ expectations. She still wasn’t sure if she was disappointed in herself or in her parents for having those expectations.

Zhou Zhou finished the noodles quickly. There were two bowls, both of which she pushed toward You Xuechu. You Xuechu pushed one back.

“Haven’t you eaten yet, Zhou Zhou?” You Xuechu smiled. “One bowl is enough for me. Two would be too much; Dr. Ding said I shouldn’t binge.”

Zhou Zhou was surprised Ms. You noticed she hadn’t eaten. You Xuechu went to get a pair of matching silver chopsticks and handed them to her. “Thank you, Ms. You.”

You Xuechu sat with her cheek in her hand, watching Zhou Zhou with a smile. “I should be the one thanking you for coming over so suddenly.”

“It’s no problem. I’m just glad I can help.” Zhou Zhou’s eyes sparkled with a healing light.

As she ate, You Xuechu glanced at the lavish, untouched lunch on the other table. “Zhou Zhou, don’t you think I’m strange?”

She felt uneasy after asking, putting on a nonchalant front and laughing as if she didn’t care.

Zhou Zhou thought for a moment and shook her head. “I’ve always felt that everyone in this world is different. As long as you don’t hurt others, any difference should be respected.”

The fake smile on You Xuechu’s face faltered. She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat seriously.

Just then, Zhou Zhou’s phone vibrated. You Xuechu recognized the special notification tone and looked up. “Is that a message from Song Yi?”

Zhou Zhou nodded and checked the message. It was Ms. Song telling her not to forget to eat and to call if she needed anything. A warm current flowed through her heart, and she replied immediately.

Zhou Zhou: Okay, thank you Ms. Song.

She didn’t want Ms. Song to worry, even if it was just a possibility.

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