Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 86

Jiang Si’s words made it hard for Mowan Ci not to be moved. She pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes, not daring to meet Jiang Si’s gaze.

There was too much tenderness in those eyes. The more she looked, the more ashamed she felt.

It was her own assumptions about how Jiang Si might react that had kept her feeling uneasy all along.

But this wasn’t the kind of reaction Jiang Si wanted to see from her.

After the fear and chaos of the night, Jiang Si no longer cared whether she had learned the truth earlier or later.

What she cared about was how much Mowan Ci would suffer from now on.

And that she might not be able to stay by her side.

Jiang Si sighed. She brushed aside the strands of hair near Mowan Ci’s eyes, gently cupped her chin, and lifted her face.

Her eyes were slightly red, revealing all of her emotions in that moment.

“You’re still weak. You shouldn’t be thinking about anything right now. Eat on time, take your medicine on time.”

“I’ll make your favorite dishes. Lin will bring them to you.”

She didn’t say she wouldn’t come again, but the meaning behind her words was obvious. Mowan Ci suddenly panicked and grabbed the hand that had been cupping her chin, calling out urgently, “Jiang Si.”

But Jiang Si didn’t give her a chance to speak further.

She gently stroked Mowan Ci’s hair and spoke in a voice unusually soft and warm.

“You need to rest now.”

“What do you want for lunch? I’ll cook it for you.”

Mowan Ci calmed down slightly. Her eyes never left Jiang Si, and her hand still held on tightly.

She didn’t answer the question. Instead, she quietly lay down and whispered, “Stay with me until I fall asleep, will you?”

“I will,” Jiang Si agreed without thinking. Only after speaking did she recall what Lan Shao had said about the half-hour time limit.

She didn’t know how much time had already passed, but figured a little longer wouldn’t hurt.

So she sat by the bed and waited until Mowan Ci fell asleep.

True to her word, Mowan Ci held Jiang Si’s hand, closed her eyes, and quickly dozed off. Her body was exhausted, and though she had been speaking only moments ago, it didn’t take long before she drifted into sleep.

Only then did Jiang Si carefully slip out of the room.

Lan Shao was already waiting outside.

She had kept track of the time. When she saw Jiang Si, her expression was stern.

“You’re fifteen minutes late.”

Jiang Si looked away guiltily, trying to laugh it off. But Lan Shao remained serious.

“Do you know what the suppressive paste I gave you is made from?” she asked.

“Xiao Qin’s pheromones,” Jiang Si answered.

“What?”

Jiang Si had known Lan Shao had been researching Xiao Qin and Xiao Gu’s pheromones for the past two weeks, but she never imagined it was for something like this. She stared at Lan Shao in disbelief.

Lan Shao ignored her shock and nodded calmly.

“I found it odd that Xiao Gu, a Qianyuan, showed no reaction to pheromones at all.”

“After examining her, I realized that while she had become numb to most scents, her glands still retained traces of Kunze pheromones. One of them came from Xiao Qin.”

“I haven’t figured out why the Kunze pheromones in Donghai are so unusual, but I have uncovered the reason for Xiao Gu’s condition. From her first heat, she never used Qianyuan suppressant cream. Instead, every cycle, she was forcibly reverse-marked.”

“And it was Xiao Su who did it. That’s how they treated Xiao Gu.”

“I found a few other Qianyuan to ask about it, and they had similar experiences. That’s why all the Qianyuan on the island are completely obedient to Kunze. This is less of a bond and more of a poison.”

“And the source of that poison lies with the two sisters.”

“One reason Xiao Gu ended up like this is that they are both from the Xiao family. Another is that she was too young when it all started.”

“Over time, she completely lost the strength that a Qianyuan should have.”

“Jiang Si, that’s what I meant by side effects. Xiao Gu may seem fine now, but during her rain and dew phase, the pain is unbearable. Without Xiao Qin or Xiao Su, she would rather die.”

Lan Shao closed her eyes, recalling the way Xiao Gu had looked a few days ago.

Someone so strong had been reduced to nothing in front of Xiao Qin.

“Even though I diluted the suppressant cream before using it on you, I can’t guarantee the same won’t happen to you. That’s why you must be cautious.”

“So until I find a perfect solution, don’t get too close to Mowan Ci.”

“Just two months. That’s all I ask.” Lan Shao held up two fingers. Seeing the shock in Jiang Si’s eyes, she added, “Give me two months. After that, you won’t need to worry about any of this.”

Her words made Jiang Si think back to the seven-day promise she had made to Mowan Ci.

Back then, aside from the arranged engagement, she had no feelings for her. Seven days hadn’t felt long at all.

But now, even half a night apart had been hard to bear.

They were on the same ship, yet still couldn’t be together freely.

“When will she and I be able to live without all these obstacles?” Jiang Si asked quietly.

Lan Shao froze, unsure how to respond.

Seeing Jiang Si’s increasingly discouraged expression, she finally said one thing.

“After a thousand trials and endless hardship, it will pass.”

Jiang Si looked at her, then asked, “Lan Shao, can you tell me why you know so much?”

“Don’t say it’s just some kind of healing magic.”

“That’s exactly what it is,” Lan Shao interrupted, her face serious.

“There are many things I can see clearly. For example, when you appeared at the marquis’ residence, I knew you were not the same as the former marquis. But I can’t see far into the future.”

“I can only clearly understand what’s happening now, or what’s just ahead.”

“Then why did you say I both belong here and don’t belong here?” Jiang Si asked.

“That should be obvious. But there are some things I can’t tell you.”

Lan Shao looked troubled but hoped Jiang Si would understand. Some things weren’t up to her to explain. Just because Jiang Si asked didn’t mean she had the right to answer.

“You have to walk your own path. I can’t do much for you.”

“I can pull you out of danger. I can help you find clarity. But I can’t give everything I have for your sake.”

She turned and walked back into the room, her hands behind her back.

Jiang Si stood frozen for a long moment.

Only when she saw Wei Nian approaching did she finally leave the third floor.

Where should she go?

Jiang Si didn’t know.

But for the next two months, she was not supposed to see Mowan Ci often. Naturally, that meant she should not be anywhere near her.

Although the island’s buildings were still under construction, it wasn’t difficult for Jiang Si to find a place to stay, as long as she kept her standards low.

However, when she approached the site, she was stopped by Wu Tai and the commander of the Jingwei Battalion.

Normally, her temper was calm. But in that moment, it felt like she had lost control. Frustration surged through her. She could not help thinking that even seeing Mowan Ci required permission, and now she had to wait just to find a place to sleep?

“You two…” she began, her voice full of fire, but she quickly cut herself off.

What was she doing?

She was acting irritable and impulsive, just like the person she used to be.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she gently pushed aside the two people blocking her.

“The soldiers have been camping outdoors this whole time. Why can’t I?”

“And the main building is almost finished. It provides shelter from the wind and rain. Why can’t I stay there?” She took a few more steps toward the house but soon stopped and turned back.

The Jingwei Battalion had just arrived that day. They were meant to rest for a few days with the Jingwei Guard. If she moved in, they would not be able to rest. Jiang Si thought about it and realized she was being unreasonable.

She let it go with a wave of her hand.

She decided to stay in the lower deck of the ship for a few nights and later join the construction team to help build the houses.

Very few people knew where she was staying. Most of the soldiers were stationed outside. Each day, Jiang Si returned to the kitchen on the first floor to cook for Mowan Ci, then quietly went back to the lower deck. Because so few saw her, most people assumed she still lived on the third floor.

Several days passed this way. Eventually, construction resumed on the new buildings. Jiang Si, full of unused energy and unable to focus on anything else, began working alongside the soldiers.

Half a month later, the main house was completed. She moved in and began making regular trips between the house and the ship.

The rest of her time was spent talking with the island’s residents about fishing techniques and distributing rice, flour, and oil that had been transported from the northern border.

She even found a suitable patch of land and began planting rice there.

She also continued to review the battle reports sent by Su Xun.

They were better than she had expected. At first, Nangong Yan and Mu Shuyang had expressed doubts about her because of her background.

But no one dared to look down on a general from the Jingyuan Army.

After a few victories, they had already taken five cities in the Central Plains. Su Xun had firmly established his authority among the three divisions.

As the reports came in, Jiang Si became increasingly aware that her time in Donghai was limited.

Ideally, she wanted to wait until Mowan Ci’s condition was completely stable before attempting to form an alliance with Xiao Su of Wuzhou Island.

But Xiao Su had locked herself away and acted as if she had no idea that the Jingyuan Army had already entered Donghai.

Jiang Si was too worried about Mowan Ci to take risks. She could only stay on Luzhou Island and proceed slowly and carefully.

One day, Jiang Si prepared Mowan Ci’s favorite lunch as usual and handed it to Zhi Miao, only to be told that Mowan Ci wanted to see her.

It had been more than half a month since their last meeting. Even though Jiang Si continued to cook for her every day, she had not seen her once.

Now that the opportunity came, her heart suddenly became uneasy.

Lan Shao applied a stronger version of the suppressant paste to her. It would last for a full hour and had almost no side effects. She also spread the suppressant throughout Mowan Ci’s room.

“Her Highness is much more stable now,” Lan Shao said.

“But Jiang Si, you need to be prepared. She’s changed.”

“Changed how?”

Jiang Si had barely taken a break over the past two weeks. She had kept herself busy on purpose, afraid that if she stopped, she would start thinking about Mowan Ci again. She hadn’t had much time to speak with Lan Shao.

The last time had been five days ago, when Mowan Ci had asked Lan Shao to tell her she wanted spicy boiled beef. Jiang Si had searched all over the ship for ingredients and finally managed to put together a simple version and send it to her.

The feedback had been so positive that it made Jiang Si happy for days.

She had always wanted to see Mowan Ci. It wasn’t that she feared side effects from the suppressant. It was because Lan Shao refused to give her the medicine.

But today, Lan Shao had finally given it to her, though her expression remained serious. She said nothing more.

A strange unease took root in Jiang Si’s chest. A quiet but heavy feeling began to grow.

For a brief moment, she almost didn’t want to go.

But she had already reached the stairs to the third floor. The door opened.

Mowan Ci was sitting upright in bed, looking directly at her.

After not seeing her for so long, Jiang Si noticed that Mowan Ci had gained a little weight. Her belly had started to show. Jiang Si saw her and instinctively smiled.

Mowan Ci smiled too, but it was forced and unnatural.

Jiang Si stepped forward. Something didn’t feel right. She softly called out her name.

“Wanci.”

The response she got was a cold, distant gaze, just like when they had first met.

When the right time is on.

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