Why Did the Top Alpha Suddenly Stop Acting Out? - Chapter 48

After hanging up the phone, Fang Xin didn’t return to her room or do anything else. She simply sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, quietly waiting for Ye Shuyi to arrive. Her gaze was fixed outside the window, her eyes reflecting the falling snow beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass. It was unclear what she was thinking about.

The snowflakes drifted down outside, and she focused on one among the countless others, watching as it fell freely and whimsically.

It should land on that leaf, shouldn’t it? The one with the slightly yellowed tip.

It was almost there, just a little more. Please, don’t let anything go wrong.

But something did go wrong. The snowflake seemed to have been gently nudged by a passing breeze, veering off its original path and aimlessly drifting to the ground, merging into the already thick blanket of snow, becoming one with the rest.

Fang Xin stared at the snow pile and murmured to herself, “It was so close, wasn’t it?”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Fang Xin took one last look at the snow pile before slowly standing up and walking to the front door.

She opened the door and looked at the woman standing there, travel-worn and weary. Without any preamble, she said, “It was so close, wasn’t it?”

They had been so close to reconciling. Yi Qian, that fool, had happily bragged about it to her like an idiot more than once. So why had things ended up like this again?

Ye Shuyi was momentarily taken aback by the abrupt question. “What do you mean?” she asked, puzzled.

Fang Xin didn’t answer. She just kept staring at her, and Ye Shuyi met her gaze in return.

An inexplicable tension hung between them.

After a long silence, Fang Xin seemed to suddenly come to some realization. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed and turned away. “Come in,” she said.

The two walked through the living room to the door of Yi Qian’s room. Just as Ye Shuyi was about to open the door after saying a quiet “thank you,” Fang Xin reached out to stop her.

Frowning, Fang Xin sighed again, as if steeling herself for what she was about to say. “Even though I’m Yi Qian’s best friend, I don’t have much right to interfere in what happens between the two of you. But there’s something I still want to say.”

“I’ve known Yi Qian since we were kids. Before she met you, no matter what happened, I’d never seen her so utterly broken, not even on the day her parents divorced. The only two times I’ve ever seen her like that were because of you. The first was when you broke up with her. This time,  I don’t know exactly what happened between you two, and I don’t know if there’ll be a third time.”

She paused, locking eyes with Ye Shuyi, her expression solemn. “What I’m trying to say is, if you’ve come back this time without any intention of staying by her side for good, if it’s just loneliness or something else making you want to come back only to leave again.”

She took a deep breath, her face serious. “If that’s the case, then even if it means Yi Qian has to go through that pain one more time, I hope you’ll make it clear to her this time. Tell her why you’re back, what your intentions are, or whatever else you need to say. And then,  if things can’t work out the way she hopes just do what you did when you broke up. Walk away. Disappear. Make sure she can’t find you anywhere. And after that, I hope you never come back.”

After saying this, Fang Xin left the doorway, leaving Ye Shuyi standing alone.

Ye Shuyi looked up at the tightly closed door before her, her grip on the handle so tight that her veins bulged. After a moment of hesitation, she finally turned the knob and stepped inside.

The room was pitch dark, save for the faint glow of streetlights from the community outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, barely outlining the figure lying curled up on the bed.

She didn’t turn on the light, moving forward quietly. When she was just a step away from the bed, the person on it suddenly spoke:

“Go back. I don’t want to see you right now.”

The tone was flat but thick with congestion, the voice hoarse.

Even without turning to see who had entered, an alpha in their sensitive period had heightened perception. The moment the door opened, just a trace of the other’s scent was enough for her to know who it was.

In the darkness, Ye Shuyi raised her hand, pausing mid-air before slowly lowering it again. But she didn’t leave just stood there, frozen.

The room was silent, so quiet that their breathing seemed audible.

Seconds, or perhaps minutes, passed before the person on the bed spoke again:

“Ye Shuyi, just go. I’m in so much pain right now. If you stay, I’m afraid I’ll say something I’ll regret.”

“So, please. Just leave.”

In the dimness, Ye Shuyi’s brows furrowed deeply. She swallowed, licking her dry lips, fists clenched as she replied, “I’ll leave if you want. But first, answer me one thing why were you so angry today?”

After Yi Qian left that afternoon, she had thought long and hard about it. But no matter how she looked at it, there was nothing wrong with the collaborative stage proposal nothing that could cause any issues.

She truly couldn’t understand why this had made Yi Qian so furious, why she was now so,  hurt.

The memory of Yi Qian saying she’d once wished they’d never met felt like a needle prick to her heart. Not excruciating, but enough that even the slightest touch sent waves of pain through her. Ye Shuyi forced her voice to remain steady.

“You can tell me what upset you, and we can work through it together. Why say something like that to me?”

Her calm tone wavered, a hint of a sob breaking through.

A tear welled up at the corner of her eye, but before it could fall, she quickly wiped it away.

Silence settled over the room once more.

Yi Qian’s chest heaved violently. Beneath the covers, her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms. Logically, it should have hurt but she felt nothing, only tightening her grip further, as if trying to crush her own emotions.

After a long pause, Yi Qian finally broke the silence:

“Ye Shuyi,  how can you not even know why I’m angry?”

“Have you really forgotten everything you did before?”

Her voice was strained to the point of trembling, like a drowning person who had exhausted all strength, barely clinging to a lifeline but too weak to cry for help.

Ye Shuyi’s expression wavered for a moment as she tried to speak, but was interrupted: “You should go. I’m really in pain.”

Wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes once more, Ye Shuyi took a deep breath and replied, “Alright, I’ll leave first. We can talk when you’ve calmed down. I’ll go now, please get some rest.”

With that, she quickly left the room, exited the house, and returned to her car, where the tears she’d been holding back finally overflowed uncontrollably.

She frantically wiped the tears from her cheeks, but as soon as she did, fresh ones would take their place, like an unending pool of stagnant water.

She grabbed a tissue to cover her eyes, but it was soon soaked through. When she pressed it slightly harder, the tissue tore apart instantly, leaving her distress fully exposed.

“It’s fine. Once she calms down and I explain, everything will be okay.”

But clearly, the situation was far more serious than she had imagined.

In the following days, Yi Qian refused to speak to her about anything unrelated to work.

Every time she called, the first words out of Yi Qian’s mouth were always, “Is this about work?”

If the answer was no, the call would end immediately.

This happened repeatedly.

Song Kechi lounged leisurely on the couch behind her, frowning at her state before remarking coolly, “She still won’t talk to you, huh?”

Ye Shuyi gazed silently at the endless darkness outside the window and nodded.

“Want me to go rough her up a bit and force her to say what she’s so mad about?” Song Kechi cracked her knuckles with a chilling sound.

Ye Shuyi slowly turned around, her expression blank as she fixed Song Kechi with a long, unreadable stare.

Song Kechi raised her hands in surrender. “Fine, fine, I won’t lay a finger on your precious darling.”

Ye Shuyi continued staring.

With a sigh, Song Kechi raised two fingers in a vow. “I said I won’t touch her, and I won’t. When have I ever broken a promise to you?”

When she followed Yi Qian to the filming set and offered her water during a break, Yi Qian refused without hesitation. “I’m not thirsty.”

Yet she immediately turned around, grabbed another bottle of water, and downed the entire thing in one go.

Ye Shuyi: “……”

Jiang Shiluo, witnessing the strange tension between them, sidled up to Ye Shuyi, trying to suppress her nosy curiosity as she asked, “What’s going on with you two? Or is Yi Qian throwing some kind of tantrum?”

“If only I knew,” Ye Shuyi sighed helplessly, glancing at her.

Jiang Shiluo pinched her chin in thought, deciding to play the good Samaritan. She walked over to Yi Qian and leaned in. “What’s this tantrum about? I’ve seen you two like this for days now haven’t you talked it out?”

“I’m not throwing a tantrum. I’m just, adjusting in advance.” Yi Qian casually tossed the empty water bottle into a nearby temporary trash bin. It landed with a clatter, but instead of looking pleased, she furrowed her brows slightly, glancing at Ye Shuyi chatting with the director in the distance before lowering her gaze and adding quietly, “I don’t think there’s any need to talk it out.”

No matter what, she was the only one hurting. Why should she go looking for more pain?

Jiang Shiluo also glanced at Ye Shuyi, frowning before pressing further. “Adjusting to what?”

Getting used to life without her again this time preparing in advance, so when that day truly comes again, at least,  it won’t hurt as much, right?

Yi Qian let out a deep sigh, then shook her head with a smile as if nothing was wrong. “It’s nothing. Just consider it my rambling.”

The day before the New Year’s Eve gala rehearsal, to help the two performers develop some chemistry for their collaborative stage, their managers quickly agreed to have them rehearse their duet in the company’s recording studio.

The weather that day was clear, with not a cloud in the sky. The sun hung high, yet it wasn’t overly hot just the right balance of warmth and coolness, perfect for wearing a sweater.

In the car, Ye Shuyi wore a white sweater paired with black skinny jeans, looking effortlessly relaxed. Anyone who didn’t know better might think she was dressed for a date rather than accompanying her artist to rehearsal.

The car came to a gentle stop in front of Yi Qian’s villa. As Ye Shuyi stepped out and glanced up, she happened to see Yi Qian walking out the door at the same moment.

Their eyes met, and in unison, they swept a glance over each other before simultaneously looking down at themselves, uncannily in sync.

Strangely enough, their outfits today were unexpectedly similar.

Almost like they were wearing inverted-color couple outfits.

Yi Qian was dressed in a black sweater and white skinny jeans, equally casual and comfortable.

Practically identical, just with the colors of their tops and bottoms swapped.

Beep beep beep!

Before either could react, the sudden sound of a car horn broke the silence.

Both turned toward the noise, only to see Manager Xu leaning out of the car window, waving at Yi Qian. When her gaze shifted to Ye Shuyi, her expression flickered with surprise.

Ye Shuyi frowned. “Manager Xu, why are you here?”

“Me?” Xu Chang paused, glancing at Yi Qian in confusion before explaining, “Yi Qian asked me to pick her up. She didn’t mention you’d be coming.”

Ye Shuyi looked at the woman in front of her, who predictably chose to ignore her, turning to Xu Chang instead. “Manager Xu, could you wait a moment? I forgot something inside, I’ll be right back.”

With that, Yi Qian quickly dashed back inside, her figure disappearing behind the door in seconds.

Xu Chang stepped out of the car and approached Ye Shuyi, her expression tinged with guilt. “You two ever since that day, it’s been like this. I don’t know what Yi Qian is thinking, why she can get along with us just fine while freezing you out. But either way, I’m grateful you’re giving Rou Rou this opportunity. We all hope you two can make up soon.”

She paused, tilting her head to glance at the sun before raising a hand to shield her eyes from the unusually bright light. With a small smile, she added, “The weather’s lovely today. Since you’re here, I doubt you’ll need me anymore. I’ll head back now. Hopefully, I’ll see you both together later.”

The moment Xu Chang’s car drove off, Yi Qian reappeared from the house now wearing a blue baseball jacket instead of the black sweater, and her white skinny jeans replaced with retro blue wide-leg denim. Still casual, but a completely different style from before.

She stepped out and completely ignored Ye Shuyi standing right in front of her. Her gaze swept the surroundings briefly, but when she didn’t spot Xu Chang’s car, a slight frown creased her brow. Without a word, she turned to leave.

Ye Shuyi reached out to stop her, her eyes downcast, long lashes trembling slightly as they cast shadows under her eyes in the sunlight. Her body trembled faintly as she asked, “Yi Qian, am I invisible to you?”

Yi Qian shook off the restraining hand and frowned. “As long as you’re not here to discuss work matters, then yes you’re just air to me.” Though her tone wavered slightly, the words still came out.

She glanced at the woman behind her out of the corner of her eye and sighed silently before saying coldly, “Knowing how I feel, why do you keep coming back for more disappointment?”

Just as she was about to walk inside, Ye Shuyi grabbed her arm again, sliding her hand down to clasp Yi Qian’s palm. Feeling the chill from the other’s hand, Yi Qian frowned slightly but didn’t immediately pull away.

“If you’re still upset about the collaboration stage, why won’t you listen to my explanation?” Ye Shuyi’s eyes gradually reddened as she spoke, though she struggled to maintain her composure.

Yi Qian freed her hand once more and replied coolly, “Actions speak louder than words. No explanation is needed. Let’s leave it at that.”

When Yi Qian drove out of her garage later, she saw Ye Shuyi still standing in the same spot. She caught a glimpse of her in the rearview mirror, only to frown slightly before flooring the accelerator. The roar of the high-end sports car’s engine filled the air as it sped off into the distance, leaving the figure far behind.

Arriving at the reception area outside the company’s recording studio, Rou Rou stood up with a gentle smile as Yi Qian entered. “Good afternoon, Senior Yi,” she greeted warmly.

Yi Qian nodded with a smile. “Good afternoon.”

Xu Chang, sitting behind Rou Rou, peeked around but didn’t see Ye Shuyi, her brows unconsciously knitting together.

Before Xu Chang could say anything, Yi Qian walked up to her, arching a delicate brow as she asked nonchalantly, “Why did you leave so suddenly earlier?”

“Well! I saw Manager Ye was there,” Xu Chang paused, shooting Rou Rou a meaningful look. “Besides, Rou Rou suddenly called saying it was urgent, so I rushed back. Right, Rou Rou?”

Rou Rou quickly nodded in agreement. “Yes! I got locked in the bathroom and had no choice but to call Sister Chang for help.”

Xu Chang looked visibly relieved at this, silently giving Rou Rou a thumbs-up.

A fleeting look of disappointment crossed Yi Qian’s face as she murmured under her breath, “So it wasn’t her who told you to leave.”

“Senior Yi?” Rou Rou waved a hand in front of her. “Did you say something just now?”

Yi Qian shook her head with a faint smile, feigning nonchalance. “It’s nothing.”

“Um!” Xu Chang hesitated before finally asking, “Is Manager Ye not coming with you?”

“No,” Yi Qian replied, her gaze fixed on empty space before adding, “She probably won’t be coming.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the reception room’s doorknob turned. All three women looked up simultaneously.

Yi Qian found herself holding her breath without realizing it.

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