After a Disabled Alpha Marked a Yandere Female Lead - Chapter 9
Chapter 9
After Zhu Qingluo returned to her room, she busied herself with her own affairs and didn’t notice when Jiang Yun came back.
It wasn’t until the sun set and her alarm clock rang that her heart skipped a beat. This was the time she had set every day to stop all work.
Zhu Qingluo went downstairs, appearing at the dining table on time.
However, Jiang Yun did not appear as scheduled.
She looked at the table of dishes in front of her, suspecting that the other woman might not be coming.
Just as Zhu Qingluo felt confused, a shadow suddenly fell in front of her. When she looked up, she saw Jiang Yun sitting down opposite her.
Her expression was normal, with a hint of fatigue between her brows, as if she had just woken up from a nap.
Jiang Yun didn’t look at her and began to eat.
There was nothing outwardly abnormal, yet something was different.
This feeling was very subtle, perhaps not even noticed by Jiang Yun herself.
Zhu Qingluo had been observing her for a long time.
Based on past experience, Jiang Yun should be unhappy and would probably say a few sharp words to her, but now, absolutely nothing was happening.
“I have something I want to ask, but I don’t know if I should.”
“Don’t,” Jiang Yun said, slowly stirring her soup with a spoon.
Zhu Qingluo closed her mouth.
Something was not right. It was very not right.
Despite her confusion, she tried her best to minimize her presence according to Jiang Yun’s “needs.”
Zhu Qingluo buried her head in her food, occasionally glancing at the other woman.
Jiang Yun’s movements were unhurried, as if she were enjoying the meal. But on closer inspection, Zhu Qingluo noticed that she didn’t touch the same dish twice, and her intake was minimal.
Time suddenly became very long.
The atmosphere at the dining table was silent, gradually turning oppressive and a little suffocating.
Zhu Qingluo cast aside the thoughts in her head and inexplicably felt relaxed.
It was also good for Jiang Yun to be a little quieter.
At the very least, she wouldn’t casually look for “trouble” for her.
Later that night, Zhu Qingluo went to the hallway and saw that there was still someone in the living room. After a moment of thought, she went downstairs at just the right time.
The light from the crystal chandelier was dim. Two small black butterflyfish were swimming in the fish tank, and a faint wisp of incense lingered in the air.
Zhu Qingluo glanced at them as she passed by.
The fish were entirely black, covered in white spots, with smooth lines and graceful swimming movements. They were an ornamental breed that looked very expensive.
The two fish swam over without a care, seemingly curious about her as well.
Was this a new “pet”?
As she thought this, she caught a glimpse of the woman drinking wine.
The crimson wine stained her lips. The light swayed, easily making one feel drunk.
Jiang Yun’s expression was unreadable, and she hadn’t noticed Zhu Qingluo.
Zhu Qingluo picked up the magazine next to her, flipped to the page from yesterday, and said, “Miss Jiang, should I start now?”
It took Jiang Yun a moment to turn her head and look at her.
There was no surprise or any other emotion on her face. She said in a lifeless tone, “I don’t want to listen anymore.”
“Okay.” Zhu Qingluo closed the magazine and asked patiently, “What do you want me to do?”
A long silence.
Perhaps due to the angle, a wisp of light flashed in front of Zhu Qingluo’s eyes.
She saw Jiang Yun holding the glass of wine. Her fair fingertips were slightly red as she gently swirled the glass, which reflected the light.
Jiang Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she took a small sip.
From the corner of her eye, Zhu Qingluo was still there.
Jiang Yun couldn’t help but frown and said, “Do you know that you are very boring? Don’t always hover around me.”
“…”
Zhu Qingluo was speechless. This woman’s mood changed faster than flipping a book.
She was summoned and then dismissed at will.
“No problem.”
She put the magazine back neatly, pushed her wheelchair, and returned the way she came, very quickly disappearing without a trace.
After leaving the living room, Zhu Qingluo slowed down, and she could no longer hold back the smile on her face.
She had a vague guess in her heart.
Jiang Yun had lost interest in her.
So, now she didn’t even want to see her, and perhaps Jiang Yun would only look at her more during her sensitive period.
This state was very comfortable and free.
Zhu Qingluo was happy that she didn’t have to act around the other woman.
Perhaps because of this change in her mindset, a flash of inspiration appeared in her mind. When she looked at her old drafts, she suddenly felt they were no good.
Feeling bored, she sat down at the table and started working.
Time passed quietly, until late at night, when the moon climbed above the trees outside her window.
Zhu Qingluo put down her pen and immediately felt a soreness in her back and neck.
Her design philosophy was based on handmade, geometric forms, a natural beauty that was not lacking in romance and passion.
The draft was for a gemstone necklace.
Zhu Qingluo looked at it for a while, and her heart moved slightly. She found the original draft and thought of what the butler had unintentionally told her.
Jiang Yun might have a similar piece of jewelry, and she had just happened to draw it by mistake.
She typed the keywords into the search engine based on the general shape.
Because Jiang Yun was low-key and a recluse, there was very little public information about her. After more than an hour, her search yielded no results.
Zhu Qingluo’s eyes were dry, and her face was illuminated by the blue light of the computer.
When her mind was sluggish, the mouse suddenly stopped. She noticed a news report and scrolled to the title.
Emergency! The Exploration Ship Sinks Unexpectedly, No Survivors.
She glanced at the time. It had happened seventeen years ago.
In the list of victims, all of whom were rich or powerful, one person was “Xie Zelan.”
She was a close friend of Jiang Yun’s mother.
Zhu Qingluo knew this because Xie Zelan was the mother of Male Protagonist One in the novel. The two families were close, and it was said that Xie Zelan was very good to Jiang Yun.
Seeing this, Zhu Qingluo closed her computer.
She hadn’t found any jewelry similar to the original draft, so she put it into the drawer.
In front of her was the second draft she had drawn, a brand new style.
The more Zhu Qingluo looked at it, the more satisfied she was. She suddenly had an idea and picked up her pen to add an “annotation” to the blank space.
Maybe there was still a chance.
…
The third day, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse.
Zhu Qingluo came back from a stroll outside. She had something on her mind, so she went in a different direction after entering the house.
The Jiang family estate was peaceful. A cool breeze blew through the hallway in front of her.
On the open balcony, the trees were dark and deep, covering the sky and the sun, and their shadows on the ground were like a menacing beast.
She knew Jiang Yun was inside. Before she could get close, the butler blocked her view.
“I’m sorry,” the butler said politely.
“Miss Jiang does not wish to be disturbed by anyone.”
Zhu Qingluo looked at her, her expression serious. “But, I have to fulfill my promise.”
“What promise?”
“It’s a secret,” Zhu Qingluo said, taking a draft from her pocket. “This is for her. If you don’t believe me, you can go and ask her.”
The butler’s expression was hesitant, but it was not a good time to verify.
So, she took the draft in front of Zhu Qingluo.
“I will give this to Miss Jiang.”
Zhu Qingluo did not pester her and turned to leave.
Seeing this, the butler believed her a little. She looked at the neatly folded paper in her hand.
She took two steps forward, stood by the door, chose her words carefully, and said respectfully, “This is from Miss Zhu.”
“Hmm.” Jiang Yun was unconcerned.
She didn’t even glance at it and didn’t ask any related questions.
For a moment, the butler couldn’t guess her mood. To be safe, she placed the draft on the table next to her.
Then, the butler backed out.
Silence fell over the area.
On the small black table, the water in the fish tank was only half full and crystal clear. The two small fish lazily spat bubbles. In just two days, they had become plump and greasy, and it took a long time for them to swim.
Jiang Yun’s eyes were half-closed. She opened the small, round box in her hand.
Inside was a Stone Sparrow brooch.
Its design was unique, extravagant, and playful, made of tourmaline, black opal, and spessartine garnet.
There was originally a whole set of brooches when it was first designed, but now, there was only one left in the world.
Because the rest… had all sunk to the bottom of the sea.
A scene appeared in front of her eyes: a storm and heavy rain, endless surging waves, a ship swaying and about to capsize, and then suddenly disappearing from the surface of the sea.
A shattered sound came from the darkness.
The images vanished in an instant. The sound of a gentle breeze returned to her ears. She looked away and closed the box again.
Suddenly, Jiang Yun glanced at the fish tank on the table. The small fish was wagging its tail at her.
A smile appeared on Jiang Yun’s lips. She took a little bit of fish food and casually sprinkled it on the water.
In a moment, the two fish scrambled to the surface and ate it all.
She watched for a moment, then picked up the small net next to her.
She scooped one out of the water.
The black butterflyfish’s belly was round and bloated, a burden. Its jumping movements were minimal.
Its eyeballs bulged, almost splitting open, and it kept opening and closing its mouth in the air.
After a long time, the black butterflyfish stopped moving.
…
The next morning, the sunlight poured onto the windowsill.
Zhu Qingluo felt refreshed. She wheeled herself into the living room and passed by the fish tank. She suddenly felt that something was different.
She couldn’t help but look and found that there was only one small fish inside.
The fish tank was suddenly spacious. The fish swam alone, not knowing that its companion was gone.
So, she asked the butler what had happened to the other fish, and the butler only said that it had died.
“This fish…” Zhu Qingluo’s eyes lit up. She wanted to ask if it could be eaten, but the butler gave her a warning look.
Her mind quickly spun. She asked with concern, “Miss Jiang must be very sad, right?”
The butler neither confirmed nor denied it.
Zhu Qingluo took a step forward, thought for a moment, and asked in a low voice, “Did she look at it?”
The butler knew she was referring to the draft but didn’t say anything.
At that time, Jiang Yun knew of the draft’s existence, so strictly speaking, she did “look” at it.
“She did,” the butler said.
Zhu Qingluo paused, then asked, “Did she say anything?”
To this question, the butler only shook her head.
“…”
This shouldn’t be.
Zhu Qingluo was a little confused. Whether it was anger or annoyance, the other person would always have some kind of reaction.
Just as she was silent for a moment, a hint of disdain appeared in the butler’s eyes, and she said coldly, “Miss Zhu, please do your duty.”
“It would be best if you could see reality. Aside from the title of being a member of the Jiang family, you won’t get any other benefits from Miss Jiang.”
Zhu Qingluo was silent for a moment. “Is that what she wanted to tell me?”
The butler’s expression was serious. She said, “I’m warning you.”
Then, the butler returned to her respectful demeanor and left her.
Zhu Qingluo lingered for a moment, a little lost in thought.
Suddenly, her phone received a notification.
She received a message from the real estate agent. For a while, the housing market was tight. Although she felt a certain location was good, she hadn’t been able to get a viewing date.
Today, the other party told her that she could go and see it.
Attached below were pictures of the entire space of the location.