Reborn as the Heartless Alpha - Chapter 56.2

“She is very impressive.” Song Hui came to Zhou Zhou’s rescue, squinting as he handed the phone to his wife.

“Wow!” Su Yurong was shocked. “The top scholar in liberal arts! That is more than just impressive!”

 

Zhou Zhou lowered her head in embarrassment.

 

“Yi Yi’s grades used to be good too, but she was unbalanced in her subjects.”

 

“Did Miss Song study science?” Zhou Zhou asked curiously.

 

“Yes, her Chinese grades were the worst. Once she got to university, she became completely unlearned. Sigh…”

 

Realizing it was not good to say such things in front of the girl her daughter liked, Su Yurong quickly shut her mouth and put a lot of food into Zhou Zhou’s bowl. “Eat more meat. High school must have been very hard. It is okay; we can make up for it now.”

 

“Thank you, Auntie,” Zhou Zhou said gratefully.

 

Zhou Zhou noticed a strange pattern: since she was a child, she seemed to be more favored by her elders, yet she suffered a lot of criticism among her peers.

 

However, now that she was older, she believed that everything would get better and better in the future.

 

After finishing her exam, You Xuechu sent a message to Song Yi asking where she was. After receiving a reply, she found that inconspicuous convenience store.

 

When she arrived, she saw Song Yi staring blankly at her phone with a piece of radish in her mouth, neither chewing nor swallowing.

 

“What are you looking at that has you so engrossed?”

Song Yi raised her eyes, intending to reply to You Xuechu, but was suddenly choked by a piece of radish.

You Xuechu watched her speechlessly and handed her a bottle of mineral water. Song Yi hurriedly unscrewed it and took a drink.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“You still have not answered my question.”

 

Song Yi’s expression faltered slightly. You Xuechu leaned forward to take a look.

 

“Ah, so you are waiting for a message from Zhou Zhou~” You Xuechu said in an exaggerated tone.

 

Song Yi looked at her blankly. “Are you hungry?”

 

“Hungry.” You Xuechu changed the subject instantly, rubbing her stomach. “The takeout I ordered at noon was not very filling.”

 

“Do you not see what time it is?” Song Yi pointed toward the counter. “Do you want an order of oden?”

 

“Is this stuff good?” You Xuechu’s beautiful brows furrowed.

 

“You will know once you try it.” Song Yi thought for a moment and added, “The radish is good; as for the rest, order whatever you like.”

 

“Fine.” You Xuechu walked over to the oden. The cashier sitting inside the counter playing games was a very young-looking girl who jerked her chin to indicate that the paper bowls were over there.

 

When You Xuechu picked up the paper bowl, her feelings were quite complex.

 

“Use the metal tongs,” Song Yi reminded her.

 

You Xuechu took a serving of almost every variety. Because Song Yi said the radish was good, she added several extra skewers of it until the paper bowl was packed to the brim.

 

Song Yi laughed. “I thought you were worried it would not taste good, yet you bought so much.”

 

You Xuechu glanced at her but said nothing. She took out her phone to snap a photo and posted it to her Moments with the picture of the overflowing bowl of oden.

 

The caption read: Recording the first time eating oden.

 

You Xuechu placed her phone on the table, hesitating: With so much, which one should she eat first?

 

Better start with the radish. Song Yi said it was good; if it tastes bad, I will hit her.

 

You Xuechu pulled a napkin from the table, wrapped it around the wooden skewer, and prepared to take her first bite.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her phone screen light up. It seemed someone had liked her post.

 

She looked up and said resentfully, “Song Yi, your hand speed is fast enough.”

 

“What?” Song Yi was confused, her eyes full of bewilderment.

 

“It was not you.” You Xuechu put down the radish and picked up her phone to look.

 

Huh?

 

The first person to like her post was actually Ding Chen.

 

Is she not very busy with her research?

 

She clicked on Ding Chen’s avatar without paying much attention and clicked “send message” to enter the chat interface.

 

“Is Doctor Ding not busy recording research data?”

 

At that moment, Ding Chen was eating some noodles she had cooked for herself. When she saw the message from You Xuechu, she stood up from the sofa, realizing belatedly that she had just happened to see You Xuechu’s post while scrolling through her Moments and had reflexively clicked “like.”

 

She picked up the water glass from the coffee table and drained it before replying.

 

“It is dinner time now.”

 

Oh, right. You Xuechu felt that asking such a question made her the strange one. It was all Song Yi’s fault for telling her earlier that Doctor Ding worked on research almost all year round without a break.

 

Song Yi, who was debating whether to message the original Alpha’s parents, felt a resentful gaze from across the table. She looked up blankly, only to find that You Xuechu was not looking at her.

 

Was it an illusion?

 

She went back to her inner struggle. She really wanted to communicate with the original Alpha’s parents to ask them not to scare Zhou Zhou, but she was afraid they would realize she was not the original Song Yi.

 

You Xuechu was still chatting with Ding Chen. She asked, “Are the glasses suitable?”

 

Ding Chen raised her index finger and habitually adjusted the frames. “They are quite suitable.”

 

“Alright, I will not keep you from your meal any longer. I am going to eat too.”

 

Ding Chen took a moment to process the message. You Xuechu’s sentence seemed to be a conversation closer. She sent an “OK” gesture and went back to her noodles, but she still glanced at the phone on the coffee table from time to time.

 

She really wanted to ask one more thing: Is the oden good?

 

You Xuechu was about to put her phone down when she noticed another like. It was Zhou Zhou.

 

“Zhou Zhou liked my post,” You Xuechu said happily. This was the very first Moment she had posted since she started using WeChat.

 

Hearing Zhou Zhou’s name, Song Yi instinctively looked up, opened You Xuechu’s Moments, and unhesitatingly added a like of her own.

 

Seeing her name listed right after Zhou Zhou’s, she curled her lips into a smile.

 

You Xuechu asked suspiciously, “What are you laughing at?”

 

“Zhou Zhou is asking you if the oden is good.”

 

“Oh, I have not tasted it yet. I will tell her after I try it.”

 

Song Yi propped her elbow on the table, resting her face in her palm, her smile never fading.

 

You Xuechu took a bite of the radish and found it quite good. She replied to Zhou Zhou: It is delicious, let us eat together next time.

 

Zhou Zhou: Okay.

 

You Xuechu put down her phone, found Song Yi still smiling, and could not help but shake her head. She replied to Zhou Zhou once more: Next time, we will not bring Song Yi.

 

“What? You have only been away for a day and you miss Zhou Zhou this much?”

 

Song Yi turned her head and saw a white bird gliding in a beautiful arc across the sky.

 

“My parents are back. They are leaving in a couple of days. I am going back for a bit. Do you want to come along?”

 

Song Yi’s reasoning was that You Xuechu was far more familiar with the original Alpha’s parents than she was. If You Xuechu went back with her, she could help distract them. They might not notice her changes as much.

 

“Hmm… let me think about it.”

 

“Three minutes.”

 

“Fine. Wait a few more minutes for me; I am going to buy something,” You Xuechu said as she ran off.

 

“What thing?”

 

Song Yi did not get a reply, so she just stood there waiting.

 

After a while, she saw You Xuechu come out carrying a large bowl of oden.

 

You Xuechu was dressed from head to toe in high-end luxury items that could not be bought on the open market; even a single strand of hair on her shoulder looked expensive. Song Yi narrowed her eyes.

 

Friendship truly is a magical thing.

 

“Is the oden for Zhou Zhou?” Song Yi asked casually as the two stood in the shade of a tree waiting for a car.

 

You Xuechu looked at her provocatively. “No way. Are you even jealous of this?”

 

“Do not talk nonsense,” Song Yi refuted calmly.

 

The car they ordered online arrived. Song Yi opened the door to let You Xuechu in first. After she got in herself, she said to You Xuechu, “I am feeling a bit carsick. I am going to listen to music and sleep for a while. Please wake me when we arrive.”

 

Before You Xuechu could agree, she saw Song Yi put on her headphones with a pained expression and lean back against the seat with her eyes closed.

 

It looks like she really feels unwell.

 

Song Yi actually gets carsick? You Xuechu was a bit surprised.

 

She suddenly realized that she had not cared much about Song Yi in the past; she had simply grabbed onto a sliver of light in the darkness and wanted to hold on tight.

 

And Song Yi’s past affection for her had not been very sincere either. Let it be canceled out; from this moment on, they were even.

 

You Xuechu actually had many questions to ask, but Song Yi clearly was in no state to talk. She could only hold the oden and watch the scenery flying past the car window.

 

Silhouettes of green fields flashed past her eyes.

 

“Master, how much longer until we arrive?” The journey was too long, and You Xuechu was bored to tears. She could not help but ask about the remaining distance.

 

“About… another half hour.”

 

You Xuechu glanced at Song Yi. Song Yi was still closing her eyes with a look of discomfort. She took out her phone, her snow-white fingers scrolling through her few WeChat contacts.

 

Her parents? She could not take the initiative to contact them; they were far too busy.

 

Song Yi? She was right beside her, suffering from carsickness.

 

Zhou Zhou? No, Song Yi had not told Zhou Zhou in advance; she probably wanted to give Zhou Zhou a surprise. She could not leak it.

 

There were a few more villa staff members. She continued scrolling down until she reached the last one.

 

Ding Chen.

 

They say research is dull and tedious. You Xuechu felt that Ding Chen might empathize with her.

 

“Is it not boring to do research every day?”

 

It was not yet 12:00 PM, not quite lunch time. She figured Ding Chen would not reply to her so quickly. Sending the message already made her feel much better. She leaned her elbow on the window sill and continued watching the scenery.

 

Suddenly the phone vibrated twice. It was a reply from Ding Chen, faster than expected.

 

“It is not boring. I enjoy doing research very much.”

 

You Xuechu felt a tiny spark of jealousy.

 

“We are not the same.”

 

“Does Miss You not like and excel at playing chess?”

 

What is the use of that if I cannot find a soulmate?

 

“Has Miss You never thought about signing up for a tournament?”

 

“No.”

 

“Why?”

 

You Xuechu was stunned.

 

“I have things to do. I will not disturb you further.”

 

Ding Chen watched the chat being unilaterally cut off again. Her eyes dimmed as she placed the phone on the workbench and continued her research.

 

At exactly 12:00 PM, the taxi stopped in front of Song Yi’s villa.

 

“We are here.” You Xuechu reached out and nudged Song Yi’s shoulder.

 

Song Yi woke up with a frown. She opened the door, got out, and stood in front of the house for a moment to steady herself.

 

“Your carsickness is so severe; why did you not ask Ding Chen for some medicine?”

 

Song Yi was stunned. She had not thought of that.

 

“Let us go in.” Song Yi leaned over and scanned her face. The iron gate opened automatically. You Xuechu stood by her side and went in with her.

 

They crossed the courtyard and walked up the steps. Standing before the large, golden carved door, You Xuechu noticed that Song Yi was nervous. Her raised hand hesitated to knock, as if she were waiting for the door to get bored.

 

However, she could understand. The aunt and uncle had returned suddenly, and she did not know how they were getting along with Zhou Zhou. It was normal for Song Yi to be worried.

 

“I will do it.” You Xuechu raised her hand and knocked on the door.

 

In truth, there was no need to knock at all. No one who could freely enter the front gate was an outsider. But since the elders were there, it was better to knock.

 

In the living room, Zhou Zhou was accompanying the two elders for lunch.

 

The sudden sound of knocking caused the laughter of the three to stop. Zhou Zhou stood up, saying she would go check. The closer she got to the door—which had been left with a tiny crack, letting in a sliver of sunlight—the more puzzled she became.

 

Who could it be?

 

She pulled the door open, and her eyes widened in a sudden pleasant surprise. She turned her head. “Auntie, Uncle, it is Miss Song and Miss You back to see you!”

 

You Xuechu could not help but laugh. She handed the oden in her hand to her. “This is very delicious. Heat it up and try some.”

 

Zhou Zhou took the oden and held it, marveling in her heart: This is way too much.

 

She raised her eyes to look at Miss Song.

 

Song Yi was staring at Zhou Zhou without blinking. Zhou Zhou looked perfectly fine, not at all as if she had been made to feel uncomfortable.

 

The couple, Su Yurong and Song Hui, also stood up and walked out. Just as they were about to say a few words to Song Yi, You Xuechu intercepted them and whispered:

 

“Auntie, Uncle, let us go and eat first.”

 

“Let the young couple have a moment to talk.”