The Scumbag Who Bowed for Money - Chapter 19

“Why did you come back?”

Le Shi did not take the medicine from Xie Yuanwei’s hand like she had expected. Instead, she stood quietly in place, her gaze calm and unreadable. She looked down slightly at the Alpha and said, “I thought you weren’t coming back. I was planning to leave tomorrow.”

Xie Yuanwei pulled her hand back, looking slightly embarrassed. She swallowed and replied, “Something came up.”

“Is it something you can’t tell me?”

Xie Yuanwei shook her head gently. “It’s not that I can’t tell you. I just wasn’t ready to explain. I acted too quickly, and I should have said something before I left.”

Le Shi slowly walked up to her and asked in a soft voice, “So you just left, without saying anything?”

Xie Yuanwei had rushed back without stopping to drink water. Her throat was dry and sore, and her voice came out lower than usual. “I was upset at the time, and then…”

She trailed off. She had hoped Le Shi would send her a message, even just a quick one asking where she had gone.

Le Shi gave a cold chuckle. “So you were the one who was upset. Alright then.”

She didn’t say anything more and turned to walk away. Bai Zhiqu, who had been standing nearby the whole time, quietly stepped aside, clearly enjoying the tension.

“Wait. At least take the medicine first.” Xie Yuanwei reached out and grabbed Le Shi’s wrist. She tried to comfort her and opened the small medicine box at the same time. “I know you’re angry, but don’t ignore your health.”

“I don’t want it.” Le Shi forcefully pulled her arm away. The box slipped from her hand and hit the ground.

“What right do you have to be angry?”

The transparent box popped open, and a few pills rolled across the floor. Xie Yuanwei froze for a moment, then silently crouched down and picked them up, carefully closing the box.

There were twenty pills in total. Seven had fallen out. Le Shi only needed two pills per dose, and with ongoing pheromone therapy, it should last a long time.

Xie Yuanwei held the dirty pills in her hand. Seeing Le Shi’s eyes starting to tear up, she quietly said, “You’re right. I had no reason to be upset. I crossed a line.”

“Please don’t be mad anymore.”

Le Shi turned her head and took a deep breath. In the end, she reached out, grabbed Xie Yuanwei’s hand, and led her back into the room.

Bai Zhiqu looked down and sighed.

“So boring.”

She shook her head and strolled back into the villa. As she walked, she called her father and spoke in a spoiled tone.

“Dad, has the contract with Le Corporation been signed yet? Hurry up already…”

Le Shi was overwhelmed with emotion. She opened the door and pulled Xie Yuanwei inside.

“Where did you go?” she asked, her voice rough.

Xie Yuanwei gave the excuse she had already prepared. “I have a friend nearby. I was so angry this morning that I went to see her to calm down before coming back.”

Le Shi looked her in the eye. “What’s your friend’s name?”

“That’s private,” Xie Yuanwei answered.

Le Shi suddenly laughed. She closed her eyes briefly and then snapped them open.

“Private? You liar. You’re such a liar.”

“What’s wrong?” Xie Yuanwei finally realized something was off. She rushed forward and tried to hug her, but Le Shi resisted and struggled in her arms.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t be angry. I’ll tell you everything, alright?”

Le Shi’s whole body was trembling as she cried silently. Xie Yuanwei gently patted her back and held her tightly.

She guided Le Shi toward the bed and lay down with her. As they settled, Xie Yuanwei stroked her hair and spoke softly.

“What happened? Why are you crying like this?”

Whether in the original story or during their recent days together, she had rarely seen Le Shi break down like this. Xie Yuanwei’s heart ached. She continued to gently pat her back and whisper to her.

She didn’t know how long the crying lasted. Eventually, Le Shi’s breathing grew steady again. Xie Yuanwei spoke softly.

“Do you want some water?”

Le Shi’s voice was hoarse as she rested on Xie Yuanwei’s chest. Her words came slowly. “I’m sorry, Xie Yuanwei.”

“Hmm?”

“I shouldn’t have lost my temper.”

Le Shi reached out and hugged her tightly, biting her lip.

“I thought you were leaving. I was afraid you were just playing with me.”

Xie Yuanwei brushed her hair away gently and said seriously, “I would never do that.”

Le Shi gave a small hum in response, but didn’t say whether she believed her or not.

“I’m scared. But I can’t tell you why yet.”

“Then I’ll wait,” Xie Yuanwei said, running her fingers gently along Le Shi’s arm. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The sky darkened, and the warm glow of sunset filled the room. The light softened everything around them, washing away the earlier tears and tension. Le Shi sat up slightly. One side of her face was bathed in golden light. Her eyes were gentle.

“What kind of medicine did you bring?”

Xie Yuanwei took the box out of her pocket and handed it to her.

“I asked your doctor about it. She had a trusted friend make this for you.”

“Give it a try.” Her voice was filled with hope.

Le Shi took the box, examined the pills carefully, and said nothing at first. Then she asked, “What about the ones that fell on the floor?”

“I threw them away when I came in. They were dirty.”

Le Shi still looked unwell. Her eyes were red, and her expression was gloomy. But she got out of bed, poured herself a glass of water, and swallowed one pill.

Xie Yuanwei sat cross-legged on the bed and said softly, “You need to take two.”

Le Shi took another and then set the cup down.

“I know you didn’t go to see a friend today. You probably had something personal to deal with, and I won’t pry. Just let me know next time before you leave.”

Xie Yuanwei nodded. “Alright.”

She then asked, “Do you want to lie down for a bit?”

Le Shi didn’t answer. Instead, she looked at her and asked, “Are you still not going to take off your mask?”

Only then did Xie Yuanwei remember she still had it on. Her gland was still sore, and her face was probably pale. She was afraid Le Shi would notice and ask questions. Maybe she could say she had a stomach ache.

Thinking of that, she hooked her finger under the mask and pulled it down. Her lips curled into a tired smile.

“My stomach hurts a little.”

Le Shi paused, clearly displeased. She handed her a cup of warm water.

“You really are… never mind. Just lie down with me for a while.”

Xie Yuanwei was happy to. She was worried the medicine wouldn’t work and that Le Shi would suffer again.

But unexpectedly, before Le Shi could even fall asleep, Xie Yuanwei was already dozing off.

Le Shi sat up quietly, got out of bed, and walked into the bathroom.

She had her doubts.

After taking the medicine, she could already feel clear changes in her body. Xie Yuanwei must have done something behind the scenes.

She had definitely been watching over her.

“Hello, Dr. Li.”

Le Shi chose to call directly. “You probably know what I’m about to ask.”

Dr. Li, being sharp and straightforward, gave her a truthful answer. “She had her pheromones extracted. The medicine contains her pheromones, which makes it far more effective than anything you’ve used before.”

“Pheromones extracted?” Le Shi’s eyes trembled slightly. “No wonder she didn’t say anything.”

The Omega licked her dry lips and asked, “Is that harmful to the body?”

Dr. Li chuckled. “The gland is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body. Even Betas need to protect the back of their necks. While the extraction itself doesn’t damage the gland, it can cause side effects like dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. It takes time to recover. During this period, the gland becomes extremely sensitive, and the pain is usually much stronger than usual.”

“Do you know what time she left the hospital?”

“Around one in the afternoon.”

Le Shi closed her eyes and leaned on the sink. Her voice was faint. “I understand. Thank you.”

She ended the call and washed her face with cold water. Only after confirming there were no signs of tears did she walk out of the bathroom. She headed straight to the trash bin in the room. Squatting down, she looked at the discarded pills and rubbed her face in silence.

What had she just done?

She didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t understand why Xie Yuanwei would go that far. A sudden sense of guilt washed over her. She felt like she couldn’t bear the weight of it.

Before she could fully gather her thoughts, Xie Yuanwei woke up.

“What are you doing?”

Le Shi turned slightly. All the emotions she had been trying to hold back collapsed at once. Her tears fell silently. She didn’t say a word and looked away, avoiding eye contact with Xie Yuanwei.

Xie Yuanwei woke up fully in an instant. She got out of bed and rushed to her side. Seeing her crouched next to the trash bin, she assumed she was feeling sick.

“Are you nauseous? I’ll call a doctor.”

“No.” Le Shi grabbed her hand tightly, her voice trembling. “Does your gland hurt?”

The moment she asked, Xie Yuanwei understood what she meant. She adapted quickly. She crouched down beside her and answered calmly, “It hurts. But I don’t regret it. I chose this.”

“Why would you do that?”

Le Shi’s voice was so quiet that Xie Yuanwei didn’t catch it the first time.

“What did you say?”

So she repeated it. “Why would you do that?”

She turned to face her and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

“What if your gland got damaged? Do you know that it could put your life in danger? You didn’t tell me anything. You kept it from me and lied to me. And for what? I didn’t even do anything to deserve it.”

Xie Yuanwei let out a small laugh, then reached out and pulled her into a hug. They both sat on the floor together. In the soft light of the room, the Alpha gently wiped away her tears.

“You cry so much, President Le. Don’t your eyes hurt?”

Le Shi pulled her hand away but didn’t reply. Her expression was full of hurt.

“This isn’t about whether it’s worth it or not. I just wanted to do it.” Xie Yuanwei cupped her face gently. “You can say I did it for your money. I don’t care. I’m willing.”

“I don’t believe that,” Le Shi sniffled. “And even if you did want my money, I wouldn’t give you a cent.”

Xie Yuanwei let out a dramatic gasp. “Come on, I still need a little money to live. How else will I survive?”

Le Shi fired back, “Didn’t you say before that I’d be supporting you? You said you’d settle for three plain buns a day, a glass of water, and sleeping at the door. As long as I kept you alive, it was enough.”

“You made that decision on your own,” she added. “You didn’t consider the consequences or the risks at all.”

Xie Yuanwei grinned and nodded. “Yes, yes. Whatever my sponsor says is right.”

Le Shi lowered her head again, sadness returning to her expression. “I never should have pulled my hand away. What a waste of those pills.”

“Stop thinking about it. I don’t mind.” Xie Yuanwei boldly reached out and squished her cheek.

Then she spoke seriously.

“If the medicine doesn’t work well enough, we’ll try something else next time, alright?”

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