The Scumbag Who Bowed for Money - Chapter 23

A sudden sharp tingling at the back of her neck made Xie Yuanwei unable to straighten her back. She gently touched her gland, then slowly crouched down and covered her face with her hands.

It wasn’t wrong for Le Shi to use her. Xie Yuanwei accepted it willingly. She didn’t have the original host’s luck or talent. All she did was use this identity to start over in a different way.

Xie Yuanwei whispered, “Let’s take it slow.”

The sound of running water from the bathroom stopped. Xie Yuanwei peeked through one eye, stared for a few seconds, then got up after calming herself down, pretending nothing had happened.

Le Shi had changed into light gray pajamas. She walked over, glanced at the time, and asked Xie Yuanwei if she wanted to take a shower.

Xie Yuanwei shook her head to decline. After a moment of silence, she spoke gently, “When your parents come later, please don’t force yourself to pretend or say things you don’t mean, alright?”

The Omega paused slightly, then asked, “But how do you know what counts as pretending?”

Xie Yuanwei lowered her head without replying. She couldn’t come up with a proper answer. The Alpha took a deep breath and looked up at her.

“Do you have any suppressants?”

Le Shi’s expression changed slightly. She didn’t understand at first. “What do you mean?”

“I need suppressants,” Xie Yuanwei repeated. “I don’t want to go through the nesting behavior again.”

“I don’t have any. I’ll ask Dr. Li about it,” Le Shi said, her eyelashes trembling as she pushed down the disappointment in her eyes. “I’ll order food from the restaurant.”

Xie Yuanwei declined. She let out a slow breath and felt the atmosphere turn heavy. She didn’t dare meet Le Shi’s eyes.

“Have them send the ingredients. I’ll cook. I want your parents to see that I’ve changed.”

As she started to head downstairs, Le Shi suddenly grabbed her arm, stopping her. The Omega’s hand was warm and soft, still slightly damp. Her palm pressed against Xie Yuanwei’s skin. For an Alpha in the middle of a nesting cycle, this kind of touch was especially sensitive. Every small move from the Omega affected her emotions.

Xie Yuanwei suddenly felt like crying. Her voice caught as she asked, “What’s wrong?”

Le Shi seemed nervous and didn’t know where to look. “Why do you need suppressants?”

“I just meant that reverse marking increases the need for them, and it’s not good for your health.”

Xie Yuanwei blinked and glanced sideways at her. She smiled faintly. “I know. But I still want them.”

Just thirty minutes earlier, they had been so close. Now they stood with only a small space between them, enough that either one could lean in for a hug. But neither of them moved. In the silence, both refused to take that first step.

“I’ll have my assistant send them,” Le Shi finally said as she let go of her hand. She sensed something was wrong with Xie Yuanwei, but when she tried to read her expression, the Alpha had already walked away.

Le Shi’s hands clenched at her sides. After adjusting her emotions, she picked up her phone.

It had rung a few times earlier, but they hadn’t noticed. Now she saw a message from Dr. Li.

Dr. Li: “I’m sorry, President Le. I think Xie Yuanwei figured things out. She probably knows that you deliberately triggered her susceptible period.”

Le Shi froze in place. Only then did she realize why Xie Yuanwei’s emotions had changed. She felt like she had been lifted up and dropped again. Her body went weak. She hadn’t meant anything by it. She just acted on impulse at the time.

She quickly replied to Dr. Li and checked the rest of her messages. Her parents said they were at the door and asked her to open it.

“Xie Yuanwei!”

Le Shi turned and rushed downstairs. Before she reached the bottom, she heard her mother’s voice.

“Miss Xie? Why are you here?”

Her steps quickened. When she saw Xie Yuanwei’s back, she felt relieved. She heard the Alpha reply in a calm and steady tone, “Shi and I are partners. Of course we should be together.”

Mr. Le snorted and walked past Xie Yuanwei without even glancing at her. He looked straight at his daughter and scolded her.

“This is completely inappropriate. Living together before marriage. If people find out, it would bring shame to our family.”

Le Shi opened her mouth to speak, but Xie Yuanwei stepped forward first. She walked to her side and held her hand.

“Uncle, Auntie, we don’t believe this will bring any harm. Please sit down. I’ll make some tea.”

Xie Yuanwei subtly squeezed Le Shi’s hand. Her gaze remained calm, and her expression toward Le Shi’s parents stayed cool. From the moment they arrived, the couple had worn stern expressions. They looked sharp and mean. She couldn’t imagine how someone as kind as Le Shi had come from such a family.

“Xie Yuanwei…” Le Shi wanted to explain the situation about the pheromones. She didn’t want it to cause discomfort between them, but she felt stuck. After thinking it through, she decided to speak with her parents first.

Xie Yuanwei understood Le Shi’s thinking. Dr. Li had explained everything. He said Le Shi hadn’t done it on purpose. Her family had deep issues that caused her a lot of emotional stress. The Alpha only nodded and said she understood. She wasn’t angry.

At first, she did feel used. But when she saw the red marks on Le Shi’s neck—traces of kisses left behind when she had lost control—she realized that Le Shi hadn’t wanted those marks.

Recently, Le Shi’s attitude toward her had changed a lot. She was no longer as hostile or combative as in the original story. Still, Xie Yuanwei didn’t know how much of that change was caution, or if there was any resentment hidden behind it.

Le Shi treated her like a companion in everyday life, and that was enough for Xie Yuanwei.

Given Le Shi’s family situation, a lot of what Xie Yuanwei had done probably helped fill emotional gaps for her. That made her somewhat dependent. Besides, her pheromones were not just like medicine to Le Shi—they were also very attractive.

Xie Yuanwei poured two cups of tea, still deep in thought. Le Shi was smart and not easily swayed by emotion. It was Xie Yuanwei who had fallen for her first.

The Alpha let out a breath and smiled bitterly. No wonder she could never be the main character, even when given the chance to live like one.

“Uncle, Auntie, please enjoy the tea.”

As she handed the tea over, the atmosphere between the three of them was already tense. She placed the cups on the table, then handed them over one by one, following all the proper etiquette.

Then she sat down casually on the sofa, rested her hand on Le Shi’s shoulder, and gently pulled her into her arms.

Xie Yuanwei smiled softly. “You don’t need to worry. Shi and I are doing well. Honestly, I feel like I can’t live without her anymore.”

Le Shi said nothing but leaned quietly against her.

The Alpha had intentionally taken the pressure off Le Shi. Mr. Le looked at them and laughed angrily.

“Le Shi! Your parents are right here. Where are your manners?”

“Please don’t be so upset,” Xie Yuanwei said as she gently rubbed Le Shi’s shoulder. She smiled warmly. “This is our home, and we’re all family. There’s no need for all those formal rules.”

Mrs. Le looked heartbroken and turned to Le Shi, but before she could meet her daughter’s eyes, Xie Yuanwei had already tilted her head away. The mother’s voice was filled with disappointment.

“Le Shi, we came today to talk about your engagement. You insisted on it back then, and we didn’t stop you, thinking you would come to your senses later. We never imagined you’d still be this foolish. Don’t you know what kind of person Xie Yuanwei is?”

Le Shi finally looked at her mother. Her expression was calm and obedient, but her words were clear and firm.

“Mom, Dad, we truly love each other.”

Xie Yuanwei spoke with genuine sincerity. “Uncle, Auntie, I promise I’ll change. Please give us a chance. Don’t worry—I would never do anything to embarrass Le Shi.”

The two of them were clearly putting on a united front. It was obvious they didn’t welcome the parents’ presence.

Even their tone was laced with sarcasm.

Mr. Le wasn’t naive. He sneered and finally got to the point. “Let your uncle take over the Bo Corporation contract.”

Xie Yuanwei’s expression didn’t change, but inside she sensed something was wrong. Based on what Le Shi had shared with her before, this married couple had a messy personal life. She couldn’t help but suspect—was something going on between Mr. Le and Le Shi’s uncle?

“Dad, don’t joke like that,” Le Shi said calmly, showing no fear. She looked directly at him. “I’m in charge of Le Corporation now, and I need to guide it upward step by step. This partnership is a key opportunity. If Uncle really wants in, he can try negotiating it himself.”

Before Mr. Le could respond, Mrs. Le spoke first, clearly displeased. “Shi, your uncle is in a difficult spot. If we don’t help him now, he may never be able to hold his head up in the Le family again.”

Le Shi leaned wearily into Xie Yuanwei’s arms. She held the Alpha’s hand and closed her eyes, speaking softly. “Fine. If Mom says so, let him come tomorrow. I’ll handle it.”

“Stay for dinner. I already ordered food,” she added coldly.

Her tone was distant. Xie Yuanwei couldn’t quite figure out the complicated relationships in this family. She stayed quiet and looked down at Le Shi.

Clearly, the couple had achieved what they came for. They exchanged a few polite words, then left without hesitation or emotion.

Xie Yuanwei realized this couple wasn’t what she had expected. They weren’t as clever or manipulative as in the dramas. In fact, they seemed almost foolish.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Le Shi said, pulling away from Xie Yuanwei. Just seeing her parents seemed to drain every bit of energy from her.

Xie Yuanwei straightened her posture but didn’t say a word. She simply waited.

Le Shi let out a long sigh and covered her face with one arm. “Those two, ever since they started getting involved with each other, have had their eyes on my uncle. Neither of them is particularly capable. If Grandpa hadn’t favored my father, someone would’ve pushed them out of the company long ago. Now they’ve gotten even bolder. With their shares in Le Corporation, they act like they can do whatever they want. They even dare say things like this for the sake of their own desires.”

She spoke through clenched teeth. “If I had enough power, I wouldn’t let them manipulate me. But now that I’m starting to break free from their control, they’re panicking. Uncle convinced them I was a threat, and they believed him. They really think he’s something special.”

Xie Yuanwei froze in place. Was Le Shi saying her uncle was involved with both of her parents?

As the Alpha processed the information, she could hardly believe it. “What?”

Le Shi looked furious. She suddenly pushed Xie Yuanwei back onto the sofa and climbed on top of her. She bit her lip and lowered her voice.

“My hatred for them doesn’t come just from that. They resented me as a child. Because of me, Grandpa’s love was divided. Their emotions twisted into something ugly. When he passed, he left them shares and a fortune. I’m angry because those shares matter to me.”

As she spoke, tears began to form. She turned her head to the side. “I just can’t let it go. I want to make them angry. I want them to see that I’ve changed. I know it’s childish. I know it doesn’t make sense. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Listening to Le Shi’s quiet, strained sobs, Xie Yuanwei’s eyes softened. She reached up, cupped the Omega’s face, and gently wiped away her tears.

“I understand,” she said warmly.

She didn’t want to talk about it further. Instead, she focused on calming Le Shi. Once the Omega had settled down a bit, she asked gently, “Did you order dinner?”

Le Shi shook her head. “No.”

Xie Yuanwei looked relaxed, even smiling a little. “Then I’ll cook something. Just wait here.”

Le Shi hesitated for a moment, then climbed off her and lay on the sofa. Her voice was soft. “Alright.”

Neither of them ate much during dinner. Xie Yuanwei thought the matter had passed, but it was clear Le Shi was still troubled. She realized that her patron had no experience dealing with emotions. She just spiraled deeper into her own thoughts.

This wouldn’t do. After Le Shi went into the bathroom, Xie Yuanwei glanced at the suppressants that had been delivered. They were specifically designed to reduce Alpha nesting behavior.

But it seemed Le Shi didn’t want her to use them.

Xie Yuanwei thought about it and decided to set them aside. After all, as an excellent Alpha, she had no problem meeting her patron’s expectations.

Still, that wasn’t enough. Sitting at the table, Xie Yuanwei picked up the small clay dog Le Shi had sculpted and grabbed some paint. She began coloring it carefully.

When Le Shi came out, she saw Xie Yuanwei frowning in concentration.

“What’s wrong? You look so serious.”

She leaned in to take a closer look, then fell silent. Xie Yuanwei held up the little dog, looking distressed.

“I want to paint it,” she said helplessly.

Le Shi didn’t know how to respond. She sighed and asked, “What color are you going for? It looks… kind of awful.”

Xie Yuanwei gave a bitter smile. “I want to paint a crying puppy.”

She held the figurine up in front of Le Shi, squeezing it dramatically. “The puppy is sad. Her owner is upset. Whimper…”

Xie Yuanwei’s eyes sparkled as she pouted and looked up, blinking. She acted pitiful on purpose and added, “If her owner is upset, then the puppy is upset too.”

Le Shi tried not to laugh. “I’m not upset.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Xie Yuanwei reached out her hand and looked at her seriously. “I didn’t take the suppressant. I’m feeling really awful right now. I might actually turn into a crying puppy.”

“So… will my owner give me a hug?”

Problem-solving, one step at a time.

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