After a Disabled Alpha Marked a Yandere Female Lead - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Late at night, the desk was illuminated by fluorescent lights.

In front of Zhu Qingluo were some basic drafts. The lines were clean and the surrounding space was blank, lacking a defined style or imagery.

Next to her were stacks of related materials, piled up like a small mountain.

It looked a bit messy, but the person sitting at the desk had not shown any reaction for a long time.

Zhu Qingluo sat there all night, but still had no clue.

Because her personal energy was limited, these drafts were all drawn during fragmented moments, with minor adjustments made daily.

But today was exceptionally dull and long.

After a while, the scratching sound of a pen on paper echoed in the air.

Zhu Qingluo held her pen and stopped. She looked at the design on the paper, felt that something was completely wrong, and put her pen down.

She crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into the trash can.

This was nowhere near enough.

So, she no longer had the heart to think about design, to avoid getting frustrated. Soon after, she went to bed.

Looking at the gray and white ceiling, her mind became even more clear.

Zhu Qingluo recalled her past memories, and new ideas popped up.

She had basically established herself in the Jiang family. Jiang Yun’s “good” behavior was only increasing, and she guessed that this state would continue as long as the sensitive period didn’t arrive.

Now she didn’t have to worry about funding but needed to focus on finding a suitable opportunity.

She didn’t want the opportunity to slip away.

As she was thinking, Zhu Qingluo’s consciousness gradually drifted, and she fell into a deep sleep.

It was a dreamless night.

Zhu Qingluo may have encountered a bottleneck, but she didn’t dwell on it all day and instead focused her attention on other things.

When Jiang Yun was eating or reading the newspaper, she would be by her side to provide companionship, always ready for a challenge. But once Jiang Yun was happy, she would stop.

Sometimes, she felt that Jiang Yun was quite easy to deal with.

Early this morning, Jiang Yun suddenly made an unusual request: to accompany her on a walk.

Zhu Qingluo was looking at her drafts. When she heard this, she folded it and put it into her tool bag. She turned to look at the other woman, feeling a little surprised.

But Jiang Yun didn’t say much. She just put on a coat and walked toward the door.

Seeing this, Zhu Qingluo followed closely behind.

The scenery outside the Jiang family estate was roughly divided into two areas. To the east was a wide, open road, and to the west was a gingko tree forest.

Zhu Qingluo took two steps and knew that they were headed for the latter.

This was the opposite direction from where she usually went, so she was not very familiar with the terrain ahead. And Jiang Yun apparently had no specific destination.

About ten minutes later.

They passed by a small path. On both sides were gingko trees with lush, green leaves swaying slightly in the breeze.

A signpost was leaning crookedly, too old to read the characters on it.

“Have you ever been here before?”

“No.”

Jiang Yun’s pace was not fast, exuding a sense of leisurely calm.

Zhu Qingluo easily kept up, saying very little and not proactively starting any conversation.

“You seem to have adapted quite well to your current situation,” Jiang Yun said unhurriedly, her hands in the pockets of her windbreaker.

“I still have things I can’t give up,” Zhu Qingluo thought for a moment and continued.

“It’s a spiritual motivation. The beginning is difficult, but after a while, you’ll realize that life can’t get any worse than this.”

“Can’t it?” Jiang Yun mumbled softly.

Zhu Qingluo didn’t hear her and naturally couldn’t respond.

Suddenly, Jiang Yun thought of something and looked at her profile, her eyes slightly dazed.

The person in front of her was a perfect example.

Some people’s vitality was as tenacious as wild grass, coming back to life with the spring breeze next year.

“If you get better now, would you still be willing to stay in the Jiang family?” Jiang Yun said.

Zhu Qingluo was a little surprised.

The possibility was slim, but not impossible.

She thought seriously for a moment and said, “Of course.”

As long as Jiang Yun needs her, it will be the same in the future.

A vague smile appeared on Jiang Yun’s lips, but she didn’t speak again.

After the two of them chatted for a while, the gingko forest around them gradually thinned out. The wind was mixed with the smell of rain and plants.

The surroundings were exceptionally quiet, and no one could be seen on the road.

Occasionally, a small animal would appear. Before she could even identify the species, it would scurry into the treetops or bushes.

Zhu Qingluo felt a sense of peace at this moment.

This experience was different from her usual walks because, even with a servant accompanying her, for some reason, they generally wouldn’t chat with her.

She noticed Jiang Yun’s gaze and naturally followed it.

Looking into the distance, she saw clouds and mist shrouding the outline of a green mountain.

Something wasn’t right…

Before she could figure it out, the woman next to her suddenly stopped and said softly, “Hmm, normally, everyone should stop here.”

Zhu Qingluo was a little curious. “What’s up there?”

Jiang Yun looked at her sideways. After a moment, she said, “The cemetery.”

“…”

After speaking, Jiang Yun withdrew her gaze, turned around, and walked back.

Zhu Qingluo came back to her senses and quietly followed her.

If she wasn’t mistaken, that mountain was said to be the Jiang family cemetery, where the ashes of several generations were buried.

Maybe it was just a feeling, but she suddenly felt a gust of cold wind blowing past her.

When they walked into the gingko forest ahead, the treetops were dense, and the sun was hot. Zhu Qingluo’s body gradually warmed up.

“Did I scare you?” Jiang Yun said, her eyes filled with a smile.

Zhu Qingluo looked at her and feigned a hint of fear. “A little.”

The other woman’s smile became more serene.

“Let’s go.”

Zhu Qingluo nodded slightly, feeling that the other woman’s tone was different.

She had a vague idea of the reason but didn’t dare to delve deeper. Jiang Yun’s expression was normal, and she casually chatted for a couple of sentences.

“Focus. Don’t think about other things.”

Jiang Yun’s tone had a hint of dissatisfaction.

Zhu Qingluo said, “I am listening.”

“I know, but I’m not talking about the present.”

Zhu Qingluo paused, realizing that the other woman’s words had a deeper meaning.

Perhaps, she was troubled by her drafts and was sometimes absent-minded. Jiang Yun, who was closest to her, had also noticed.

She couldn’t help but frown slightly. “This isn’t what I…”

At this moment, Zhu Qingluo raised her eyes.

The sunlight streamed through the leaves, creating dappled patterns of light. The clear green and fragmented golden light cast a halo over the woman, making her features look bright and gentle.

It was a transcendent moment, an unintentional display of an unusual side.

Zhu Qingluo’s gaze stopped, and the latter half of her sentence was stuck in her throat.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration went through her mind.

Because of this interruption, she subconsciously stopped her wheelchair. Jiang Yun walked two steps forward, then stopped on the third.

“Don’t you want to go back?” the other woman said mockingly.

“Yes.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yun looked confused.

Zhu Qingluo took out her tool bag, her eyes shining with light, and said, “Miss Jiang, can you cooperate with me for a moment?”

“…”

A few minutes later.

Jiang Yun sat on a wicker chair by the side of the road, her posture graceful and meticulous.

Her expression was unreadable as she looked at the person opposite her.

Zhu Qingluo was bent over, scribbling on the paper, occasionally glancing at her.

Jiang Yun didn’t say anything to stop her from being “unfocused.” She seemed to find it a novel experience.

Therefore, Zhu Qingluo had no qualms.

In a short amount of time, she put her inspiration onto the paper.

However, anticipating Jiang Yun’s patience limit, she only completed the basic draft of the design before the other woman lost her patience.

She looked at the design and was very satisfied.

At this moment, Jiang Yun got up from the wicker chair and walked over, stopping next to her.

“Let me see.”

Zhu Qingluo didn’t hesitate and handed it to her.

After Jiang Yun took the draft, her expression suddenly froze.

The air around her became inexplicably cold and began to spread, accidentally freezing Zhu Qingluo.

Her eyes showed confusion, and she asked, “Are you… not feeling well?”

The other woman didn’t answer. Her eyes were fixed on the paper. Her hand clenched the edge, and her knuckles turned slightly white.

The next second, she seemed about to tear it to shreds.

Zhu Qingluo’s heart tightened. As if by a ghostly impulse, she grabbed the other woman’s hand and added, “It’s just a draft. I’ll add or remove details later.”

Jiang Yun felt the warmth on the back of her hand and slightly loosened her grip on the paper. She said, “There’s no need.”

“…” Zhu Qingluo was checking the draft. Her fingertips froze when she heard this.

She subconsciously looked up and met the cold gaze of the woman, which she had never seen before.

It was terrifying.

Zhu Qingluo was a little dazed and asked, forcing herself to be brave, “What do you mean?”

Jiang Yun glanced at the draft in her arms, as if she were looking at trash on the side of the road. She frowned slightly and said, “Zhu Qingluo, don’t waste your time on this.”

After speaking, Jiang Yun didn’t hesitate. She turned and left, abandoning her.

Why did the other woman’s tone sound like she was advising someone to change their career?

Zhu Qingluo felt baffled and looked at the draft again.

She was sure that even if Jiang Yun didn’t like it, it wasn’t to the point of being so unseemly.

Also, Jiang Yun wasn’t toying with her. It was more like she was expressing her personal emotions because she had been offended.

Zhu Qingluo examined the draft repeatedly but still couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

By the time she walked back, Jiang Yun was no longer in sight.

The scenery on the road was beautiful, and the air was quiet. The only sound was the faint one of her wheelchair rolling over fallen leaves.

Zhu Qingluo hadn’t made a point of remembering the route, but her memory was good. Soon, she found her way home.

Before she entered the living room, she slowed her pace and prepared herself mentally.

However, the living room was empty.

The butler walked over from the opposite side. She was a little surprised to see her. “Miss Jiang didn’t come back with you?”

Zhu Qingluo paused and gave a vague answer. “Hmm… she had something to do.”

The butler didn’t think much of it and looked enlightened.

Then, she poured Zhu Qingluo a glass of water.

As Zhu Qingluo took the cup, something fell from her pocket and landed on the floor next to her.

She was completely unaware of it and lowered her head to drink the water.

The sharp-eyed butler saw it, bent down to pick it up, and said in surprise, “Is this your design work?”

Zhu Qingluo pretended to be surprised and nodded slightly. “Yes.”

“Your foundation is very good, and your style is unique. How could it be a copy… I think that was just a rumor.”

The butler, who was usually strict, rarely praised her.

However, as she spoke, the butler also considered her feelings and smoothed things over.

Although it didn’t sound very good, either.

Zhu Qingluo didn’t mind and took the draft from the butler.

This showed that the butler had good taste.

She was about to put it away but found that the other woman’s eyes were glued to the draft. She couldn’t help but ask, “Is there a problem?”

The butler looked thoughtful. She hesitated for a moment and said to herself, “I just find it a little familiar. It seems… I’ve seen it in Miss Jiang’s room.”