Scumbag Alpha’s Pheromones Are Toxic - Chapter 4

“I thought removing the probation period was already a big enough gesture of trust between us,” Ji Yao said calmly. “Sister Qin, for a famous star like you to take me home without a second thought—that’s already trust, isn’t it?”

“Of course.” Qin Zishu stood up and walked over to her, taking Ji Yao by the hand and leading her toward the chaise lounge. “If you’d like to extend the contract, I don’t mind drafting a new agreement.”

Ji Yao struggled a little but quickly realized that, despite Qin Zishu’s slender figure, her grip was surprisingly strong. No matter how much she tried to pull away, she couldn’t break free.

“Why is there a chaise lounge in your study?” Ji Yao asked, frowning as her eyes swept over the ornate, overly decorative piece of furniture.

When Qin Zishu was a child, she’d had a lot of bad habits. She never focused when reading, and her posture was always sloppy. Ji Yao had tried to correct her countless times, only to be met with the retort, ‘If you nag one more time, I’m not reading anymore.’

Still, whenever she caught little Qin Zishu lying down or sprawled across a desk with a book, Ji Yao would always scold her.

So now, upon seeing such an out-of-place chaise in the study, her first instinct was to think—she still lies down to read, doesn’t she?

“The study.” Ji Yao began, ready to lecture her again, “isn’t for this kind of thing. Reading like that is bad for your—”

“Oh, that?” Qin Zishu cut in smoothly. She gently pressed Ji Yao down to sit, then circled halfway around the chaise. Her slender fingertips traced along its edge as a teasing smile tugged at her lips. “What do you think this is really for?”

Ji Yao suddenly felt that the direction of this conversation was spiraling out of control. She looked up—and met Qin Zishu’s gaze head-on.

Qin Zishu stood behind her, one hand braced on her shoulder, the other loosely circling her waist. Then, lowering her head, she leaned in close, her voice low and ambiguous:

“Doing it on a bed is boring. I like it here better.”

Ji Yao’s expression changed instantly. She frowned, quickly sidestepping the chaise as if avoiding a trap, and silently put distance between them.

“Relax—it’s a joke.” Qin Zishu laughed, amused by her reaction. She sat down casually and called toward the door. “Come in.”

Her assistant, Xu Xiyan, entered nervously. “Sister Qin, here’s your suppression patch.”

That trick again.

Ji Yao could feel the veins at her temples throbbing. Now she truly understood how troublesome the grown-up Qin Zishu had become.

How could someone who used to be such a good child turn out like this? she thought in dismay. Using these kinds of manipulative tricks just to get what she wants—this isn’t direct coercion, but it’s still so underhanded.

Having an assistant deliberately mention things like ‘Do you need an inhibitor?’ or ‘Should we go to the hospital?’ was clearly meant to bait her into responding with something like—‘With me here, why would you need that?’

And once she said that, the narrative would shift—it’d look like she was the one initiating.

Qin Zishu, Ji Yao thought bitterly, you don’t have to put yourself on some moral high ground. You’ve already pushed things this far—it’s no longer about “trust,” but about how much I can still tolerate.

She had never been this disappointed in her before. Even when Qin Zishu made her sign that ridiculous agreement, she hadn’t felt so disheartened.

That could still be brushed off as a lapse in moral integrity. But this—this was deliberate manipulation, walking right down the path of becoming a scummy Alpha.

Once you start down that road, there’s no cure.

“She doesn’t need the suppression patch,” Ji Yao finally said quietly. “I’m here. That’s enough.”

Even knowing she was stepping straight into the trap, Ji Yao took the bait willingly. She couldn’t stand to watch Qin Zishu sink any lower. If this woman insisted on self-destruction, then she would chain herself to her, if only to keep her from hurting anyone else.

Lowering her gaze, Ji Yao took the patch from Xu Xiyan’s hand. “I’ll handle it.”

Something was clearly off with Ji Yao’s mood. Qin Zishu exchanged a look with her confused assistant, then gestured for her to leave the room.

“Do you really want it?” Ji Yao asked softly, sitting beside her. She tore open a patch. “Will putting it on make you happy—or would you rather I didn’t?”

Qin Zishu blinked, momentarily lost. Wasn’t she the one who decided to stay? Why was she suddenly interrogating her over a patch?

“No need, ah!”

The cool touch of the suppression patch pressed against her neck mid-sentence. Qin Zishu flinched at the icy sensation and reflexively caught Ji Yao’s wrist.

“It’s fine,” she murmured. “I’m fine now.”

“You just want someone to sleep with, don’t you?” Ji Yao’s tone was calm but cutting. Her gaze was sharp—the same look she used to give her as a teacher scolding a wayward student. “If you’re already the sponsor, just say so. There’s no point hiding behind pretense.”

Qin Zishu froze, feeling a chill of genuine panic. She straightened quickly, realizing Ji Yao was truly angry this time.

“I’m sorry.”

The apology came out of nowhere.

Ji Yao blinked.

That familiar, almost reflexive “sorry”—it always had the same disarming effect. Every time she was ready to explode, those two words defused her like a bomb that fizzled out before detonation.

“Could you get me a bottle of wine?” Qin Zishu asked softly, her earlier arrogance gone. Her expression was calm—too calm. “Let’s talk for a bit. I was too hasty.”

Seeing her sincerity, Ji Yao sighed, the edge of her anger softening. She nodded and went to fetch the wine.

The moment she left, Qin Zishu let out a long breath. The mask slipped away, leaving nothing but exhaustion. She pressed a hand over her eyes and leaned weakly against the chaise.

Unbelievable, she really came back to me.

She hadn’t changed at all—the same fiery temper, the same reckless compassion.

A shaky laugh escaped her lips. All I had to do was fall apart a little, and she came running. Just like before.

Was this right or wrong? Qin Zishu didn’t know anymore. But she’d already decided—once Ji Yao returned, she would show her everything.

She’d waited for this day so long she thought she’d go mad. And now that Ji Yao had come to her, she almost couldn’t believe it.

Qin Zishu despised people who exploited others’ kindness for their own ends. Yet now, she was doing exactly that—to the very person she loved most.

Another day of hating herself.

Ten years. Ten long years of self-loathing and regret. Somewhere along the way, her feelings had twisted into something unrecognizable. She no longer just wanted the dead to return—she wanted to keep her forever.

As a lover.

No one else in the world should ever take advantage of Ji Yao’s kindness again.

After all, kindness could get a person killed.