The Little Wretch Differentiated into an Alpha - Chapter 3

A brief silence stretched between them.

It was in this moment that Gu Yanxiu finally saw the face that had sparked so much media speculation.

It was a strikingly handsome face. Perhaps because he was so thin, his features appeared sharp and angular. Though his fringe obscured much of his brow and eyes, one thing was immediately clear: he bore absolutely no resemblance to the Gu family.

The boy had likely heard everything Zhu Xinrou just said.

Yet, he showed no emotion whatsoever. His eyes, reminiscent of an untamed canine, bypassed Gu Yanxiu entirely and fixed steadily on Zhu Xinrou.

“My papers.”

He broke the silence. His voice, caught in the crack of puberty, sounded like a gravel path being crushed under heavy wheels.

Zhu Xinrou’s face turned a mottled shade of pale and flushed. She stared back at him with undisguised loathing and resentment.

What papers?

Gu Yanxiu, already taken aback, turned toward Zhu Xinrou with a look of confusion.

In an instant, her expression shifted.

“Lu Ye, you really are a rude child! I told you to behave yourself, yet you go wandering off without a word!”

As she spoke, she stole a glance at Gu Yanxiu’s reaction. She stepped toward Lu Ye and gave him a heavy, forceful shove on the shoulder.

Lu Ye stumbled back half a step, his body turning toward Gu Yanxiu.

“Won’t you say hello to the Young Master?” Zhu Xinrou snapped.

Young Master.

Given Gu Yanxiu’s upbringing, the term felt absurdly theatrical.

Before he could protest, however, Zhu Xinrou was already herding Lu Ye toward him like a stray sheep, scolding him as they went.

“Don’t mind him, Yanxiu. This child has always been antisocial, and after spending these last few years following his father around the Lower District, he’s become a total ruffian. Lu Ye, why do you still smell so awful? Didn’t I tell you ages ago to wash off that stench of scrap metal and grease!”

Lu Ye remained silent. With an expressionless face and downcast eyes, he simply moved whenever he was pushed.

As he drew closer, Gu Yanxiu caught his scent.

It was the smell of soap mixed with a biting, cold metallic edge and a faint hint of engine oil. In the Upper District, where such heavy industrial materials had been phased out twenty years ago, the scent was jarringly out of place.

At the same time, Lu Ye’s shadow loomed over him.

He was remarkably tall much taller than his peers, and even a fraction taller than Gu Yanxiu himself. As that lean, hard body approached, Gu Yanxiu instinctively took half a step back.

Zhu Xinrou immediately stopped her shoving.

“See? You’ve offended the Young Master with your stench! Apologise, now!”

Her voice rose to a shrill, piercing pitch. She raised her hand, pressing it against the small of Lu Ye’s back, clearly intending to force him into a bow.

“Truly, no manners at all!”

Gu Yanxiu frowned and raised a hand to stop her. “That’s enough.”

He hadn’t even spoken yet. What was she doing? She was performing a scene, making him look like some cruel, high-and-mighty antagonist from a cheap drama.

After a pause, Gu Yanxiu added, “And please, stop calling me ‘Young Master’.”

Upon hearing this, the disgust on Zhu Xinrou’s face instantly melted into a look of gratitude. She gave Lu Ye’s back another heavy shove.

“The Young Master has forgiven you! Hurry up and thank him!”

Gu Yanxiu: 

What did I just say?

Noticing his frown, Zhu Xinrou quickly corrected herself with a fawning smile. “Right, right, quite right. We shouldn’t say ‘Young Master.’ You should call him ‘Brother’ from now on.”

She spoke as if Gu Yanxiu had granted her some magnificent blessing.

Fortunately, Lu Ye, who had allowed himself to be pushed around moments ago, seemed to find some steel in his spine. Despite Zhu Xinrou’s repeated attempts to press him down, he remained rooted to the spot.

He didn’t seem to be exerting much effort, though. With his eyes downcast and his head slightly bowed, he looked merely weary.

He truly resembled a malfunctioning robot.

Just as Gu Yanxiu was about to look away, Lu Ye lifted his gaze.

Those pitch-black eyes swept across Gu Yanxiu’s face without lingering for even a second before returning to Zhu Xinrou.

“Papers,” he repeated.

Zhu Xinrou’s composure visibly crumbled. She stole a look at Gu Yanxiu’s reaction before glaring venomously at Lu Ye.

“You really are a stubborn one. Did I ever say I wouldn’t give them to you?”

She turned back to Gu Yanxiu with a practiced smile. “Yanxiu, dear, go and have your dinner. Albert mentioned you have an equestrian lesson this evening; don’t let this boy hold you up.”

Gu Yanxiu glanced at the clock. There was less than an hour until his lesson.

Now that he understood the reason behind Zhu Xinrou’s secretive behaviour, he felt it wasn’t his place to meddle in someone else’s family matters so hastily.

He paid no further mind to Lu Ye. With a slight nod, he turned and headed for the dining room.

At the end of the long gallery, the servants held open the double doors. The crystal chandeliers glowed brilliantly. As the doors closed behind him, he was once again separated from the mother and son outside.

***

“Weren’t you asking for your papers? What are you staring at now!”

Zhu Xinrou’s voice turned explosive the moment they were alone.

Lu Ye stood before her. The moment the dining room doors had latched, he had tilted his head toward them, his thoughts unreadable.

Hearing her voice, he looked back. His eyes remained devoid of emotion, cold and unfathomable.

Zhu Xinrou loathed those eyes. They didn’t look like hers, nor did they look like his father’s. She had no idea where he got them.

Since he was a child, he had been cold and detached, as silent as a little mute. When he stared at her, it made her skin crawl, as if she were being watched by a cold-blooded animal.

Zhu Xinrou refused to admit she was afraid of him; she simply felt she was cursed with bad luck. If only Lu Chengfeng had lived a few more years, she wouldn’t have had to bring this boy to her side just as her life was reaching its peak.

She turned and snatched her handbag from the sofa, pulling out a handful of jumbled documents.

Lu Ye’s expression finally flickered.

Seeing him look at the papers, Zhu Xinrou let out a cold laugh, though she didn’t hand them over immediately.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning.”

Lu Ye looked up.

Zhu Xinrou’s eyes were full of malice. “Thinking of running off to a shelter to play orphan, are you? Forget it. The Gu family is at a critical point in the elections; no one will allow you to be seen in a place like that. I’ve already cancelled your residency in the Lower District. If you even think of running, one phone call from the inspectors will drag you right back here.”

She spoke with gritted teeth, as if addressing an enemy.

And in truth, she did hate him. This child was a stain on her life. She wanted him gone to a shelter even more than he wanted to go.

But Gu Yi could not afford the scandal of abandoning a child. He had given her a direct order to bring Lu Ye back to the Gu household with dignity.

Yet, Zhu Xinrou never imagined that Lu Ye would be unwilling.

To leave that gutter of a slum, to become the foster son of the head of the Lush Group, to step into the very top tier of high society. How many people would kill for such a dream?

And yet, he had refused.

What was it Lu Ye had said back then?

“Just pretend you died too; I have somewhere to go,” he had said, leaning against a wall with a blank expression.

Zhu Xinrou hadn’t been able to stop herself; she had slapped him hard across the face. “Do you think I want you? I only did it because I had no choice!”

Neither her blows nor her insults had any effect. Lu Ye just stood there, like a dead man walking.

In the end, she had to use her bodyguards to search his room and seize all his documents just to force him to come with her.

The marks of her loss of control were still visible on his face. Because of that, he had been forced to wear a hat and mask in front of the media, which in turn had led to the current whirlwind of rumours regarding his identity.

Gu Yi had called this afternoon and given her a severe dressing down, cutting off her allowance for the entire month. Now, the ladies of the upper-class circles were all laughing at her. There was a tea party the day after tomorrow, and she couldn’t even afford a new set of jewellery!

It was utterly humiliating.

The more she thought about it, the more furious she became. Her face contorted, and her curses grew shrill.

“I’ve arranged a place for you to stay. Stay there and don’t let me see you wandering around!”

She shoved Lu Ye again, her face twisted with undisguised disgust.

“You reek of the Lower District. Low-born trash!”

“Are you finished?” Lu Ye asked, completely unfazed.

Zhu Xinrou hissed, then took the papers and threw them violently at his head and face.

“Get out!”

After dinner and a light walk to aid his digestion, Gu Yanxiu changed into his riding gear and headed to the back hills.

The back hills were situated just behind the main manor. The Gu family’s golf course sat at the foot of the hills, alongside a private equestrian centre.

His riding instructor was already waiting. A member of staff was leading Gu Yanxiu’s white horse, Qingshuang, around the ring to warm up.

“Xiu!” The instructor was a middle-aged Latino Alpha, a former professional rider who had won eight Federal-level championships before retiring to coach the Federal Asian Equestrian Team.

Gu Yanxiu greeted him politely and took the reins.

“Qingshuang is in top form today. How about you, Xiu? How’s your mood?”

The two of them mounted their horses and began to chat. Gu Yanxiu had been a natural talent since he began riding at five. Nowadays, his teacher rarely has to instruct him, offering only the occasional bit of guidance.

Gu Yanxiu urged Qingshuang into a light trot.

“Not bad,” he smiled, recalling the day’s domestic drama. “It’s just been a bit. Noisy at home.”

The instructor gave a hearty laugh. “According to old Asian traditions, a house full of people and noise is a sign of good fortune.”

Gu Yanxiu offered a non-committal smile but didn’t elaborate. Everyone knew he was a man of few words. The instructor took the hint, and the two began to gallop one after the other across the field.

Mount Santoscana at sunset was as beautiful as a painting. The forests were vibrant with autumn colours, the air was crisp, and the setting sun cast a red glow over the snow-capped peaks as birds took flight from the trees.

Suddenly, Gu Yanxiu noticed a small villa at the edge of the distant forest. Its door was wide open.

Is someone staying there?

The estate had several guest villas, but that one was the furthest away right on the edge of the forest where wild animals often roamed. It was usually only used in winter for guests who wanted to watch the snow.

Gu Yanxiu didn’t recall any guests being expected today. He couldn’t help but look closer.

Then, a familiar silhouette came into view.

A tall, thin youth with an old rucksack slung over one shoulder was walking along the forest path, heading toward the house.

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