The Scumbag Who Bowed for Money - Chapter 36

Le Shi was silent for a few seconds. She looked at Xie Yuanwei and forced herself to suppress the irritation rising in her chest. Her voice remained steady.

“Go home.”

Xie Yuanwei was no fool. She could clearly sense the shift in Le Shi’s mood. But she didn’t try to push the conversation further. Instead, she quietly started the car and drove them home. On the way, the omega sat with the now-empty lunchbox in her arms, saying nothing. Neither of them spoke the entire ride.

It wasn’t until they were back in the kitchen and Le Shi brought out the leftovers that she finally said something.

“Is this really all you usually eat at home?”

It was a small plate of food. That was Xie Yuanwei’s lunch. And even that, she had only picked at. Le Shi felt a quiet frustration build inside her. She lifted her eyes and looked at her.

“Have I ever treated you badly?”

Xie Yuanwei shook her head, confused.

“No. Why do you ask?”

Seeing her so oblivious, Le Shi swallowed all the things she wanted to say. She finished eating in silence, then called someone to pick her up. Sitting on the couch, she kept her head down, scrolling through her phone without saying a word to Xie Yuanwei.

“President Le?”

“Le Shi?”

Xie Yuanwei slowly inched closer. Her voice softened.

“Little Shi.”

That finally drew a reaction.

“Get lost.”

Xie Yuanwei chuckled and asked gently.

“What did I do wrong this time? Weren’t you the one who said we should talk things out?”

“I did say that.”

Le Shi turned to face her. Her eyes met Xie Yuanwei’s, and in them was a faint reflection of the alpha’s silhouette. Outside, a car door closed. The sound blended into the stillness between them.

They both knew they were about to be separated. Someone had already come to pick her up. But Le Shi remained seated. Xie Yuanwei was the one who looked away first. She glanced toward the door.

“They’re here. Aren’t you heading back to work?”

“I am.”

Le Shi stood up. She looked at Xie Yuanwei, who sat with her head lowered and didn’t speak. She reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from the alpha’s cheek, tucking it behind her ear. Her voice was steady.

“I had so much I wanted to say. I edited and rewrote it over and over in my notes. But in the end, all I can say is, take good care of yourself.”

“Xie Yuanwei, can you understand what I mean?”

Xie Yuanwei lifted her head and looked into Le Shi’s eyes. She smiled like a fool.

“Hurry and go. I’ll be here waiting for you to come home for dinner.”

She watched Le Shi walk out of the house, down the path outside. Sometimes, Xie Yuanwei wondered if she was too easily overwhelmed by loneliness. Maybe she was afraid because she lacked courage. But no matter how far she strayed, she always ended up returning to the same place. And in the end, someone would always look back.

The door remained open. Xie Yuanwei didn’t move.

She watched as Le Shi turned around. Even though she was nearly out of sight, she still called back.

“Don’t forget to close the door. Take a nap at noon.”

Then came the sound of a car driving away, pulling the distance further apart. The door was still open. Xie Yuanwei sat on the couch, her eyes lowered, staring at the kitten that had just emerged.

Apparently, the kitten had been a little afraid of Le Shi and never dared to come out when she was home. But now that the omega had left, it peeked toward the road and watched the direction where the car had gone.

“Let’s call you Xiao Wei.”

Xie Yuanwei gently picked up the kitten and placed it on her lap.

“That’ll be your nickname. When Le Shi comes back, we’ll pick your full name together.”

“That way, it will feel like you’re really part of this family.”

She took a deep breath and stood up suddenly, holding the kitten in both hands. Looking into its bright little eyes, she smiled and asked,

“I’m thinking of opening a dessert shop. What do you think?”

Just one thousand words today.

I may only be eighteen, but one beer and I’m already dizzy.

Not sure if anyone else feels this, but I think my eyes are starting to blur.

Support The Scumbag Who Bowed for Money