After Becoming an Alpha, I Marked My Nemesis - Chapter 18

Ladies first.

Zhou Qian anxiously scanned her surroundings. The dim night light made it difficult to navigate the park’s grassy paths, which were lined with lush greenery. However, she could spot the river, so she just needed to head in that direction.

As she ran, she called out Song Luoxue’s name: “Song Luoxue, I was wrong! Please come out!”

“Song Luoxue—”

Meanwhile, Song Luoxue stood by the river’s railing, taking deep breaths in an attempt to forget the words the other person had spoken.

Her current panic stemmed from the fact that those words had revealed her deepest feelings. Though she had often clashed with Zhou Qian in the past, her heart had long been filled with thoughts of her.

When had Zhou Qian first entered her heart? Perhaps it traced back to their high school days. Those were arguably the darkest and most somber days of Song Luoxue’s life, and likely the most difficult period for Zhou Qian’s family as well. Yet even in such dire circumstances, Zhou Qian could still wear such a beautiful smile.

Perhaps Song Luoxue had always yearned to become someone like Zhou Qian.

Just as Song Luoxue was sinking deeper into her thoughts, she suddenly heard a familiar voice: “Song Luoxue!”

Song Luoxue abruptly turned around, seeing Zhou Qian staring at her with a terrified expression. “Luo Xue… we can talk about anything. Please, just come over here.”

Song Luoxue frowned slightly at Zhou Qian’s flustered appearance. What’s going on? She looks like she’s been running.

Song Luoxue had initially intended to approach, but a sudden idea struck her. Let’s test the depth of her sincerity.

She took two steps back, spreading her arms to grip the railing behind her. “What do you think I’m going to do?”

Seeing Song Luoxue’s actions, Zhou Qian quickly pleaded, “No! Don’t step back any further! We can talk about anything. I was wrong!”

Song Luoxue smiled faintly. “What exactly were you wrong about?”

Zhou Qian paused, momentarily stunned by the question. Truthfully, she didn’t know what she had done wrong. But since Song Luoxue had asked, she had to answer. “I… I shouldn’t have argued with you. I promise to be good from now on. Please, just don’t step back any further!”

Song Luoxue’s smile deepened upon hearing this. “So, that’s what you thought made me angry.”

Zhou Qian continued, “Yes! I promise to be good from now on and never make you angry again. Please, come here!” As she spoke, she took a step forward.

Seeing Zhou Qian gradually approaching, Song Luoxue chuckled. “Wouldn’t my death be better for you? You could inherit all my wealth, wouldn’t you?”

What is this woman thinking? Zhou Qian wondered. She’s suddenly gone mad for no reason, and now she’s talking about suicide. I have no idea how to deal with her.

Zhou Qian quickly replied, “We haven’t even gotten married yet! If you die, your assets won’t go to me at all. So… it’s all my fault. Please, don’t be angry anymore. Come here, okay?”

Song Luoxue laughed again. “My assets wouldn’t go to you? Have you forgotten the contract I signed? If anything happens to me—including suicide—all my money goes to you.”

“When did you sign that? It wasn’t mentioned in the novel! Even if it existed, it would have been much later in the story. Your White Moonlight, Chu Ruobing, hasn’t even appeared yet! If you jump now, no one will come to save you!”

Zhou Qian shook her head frantically. “No, no, no! I’ll tear up that contract as soon as I get back. Please don’t jump!”

Hearing this, Song Luoxue suddenly threw her head back and laughed. “So that’s how it is. I understand your true feelings now.”

Before the words had even finished echoing, Song Luoxue turned and vaulted over the railing, plunging into the darkness. Her white dress, illuminated by the night, truly resembled moonlight—though only for the brief moment of her descent did it shine with pure, flawless radiance.

Without thinking, Zhou Qian rushed to the railing and peered down at the spot where Song Luoxue had jumped. She leaped up in panic, shouting, “Song Luoxue! Song Luoxue! What are you doing? I already said it was my fault! What do I do? What do I do?!”

Splash, splash— The waves of the Binjiang River crashed against the stone embankment with particular force that night, the sound of the water striking the rocks echoing clearly. A ringing filled Zhou Qian’s ears, and her vision nearly blacked out as she teetered on the edge of fainting.

According to the plot, after Song Luoxue jumped into the river, the day she would have her leg broken and be taken into custody was not far off.

There’s no one around right now. If I don’t shout, no one will save her, right? If Song Luoxue dies, I’ll be free of all worries. Then I won’t even have to worry about going to jail.

No, that would be murder!

Zhou Qian pulled out her phone and dialed 119. Her hands trembled violently from extreme tension. Just as she was about to press the “Call” button, the phone slipped from her trembling grip and fell off the railing with a thud. Zhou Qian watched in horror as the glowing phone sank into the water in an instant, her mind completely blank.

What do I do? If no one comes to save Song Luoxue, she’s really doomed.

Should I jump in after her? Zhou Qian leaned half her body over the railing, just a slight push away from falling.

What should I do?

Is this my only choice?

“Song Luoxue—!” Zhou Qian screamed with all her might, her voice echoing repeatedly across the river.

Her tears fell like beads from a broken string. As she placed her other foot on the railing, a pair of hands suddenly gripped her ice-cold hands, which had turned frigid with terror.

Zhou Qian, startled by the hand reaching up from below the railing, let out a frightened burp. “Ghost!” she screamed, losing her balance in her panic and accidentally tumbling into the Binjiang River below.

“Ahhh—help me!” Zhou Qian plunged into the icy water. Though the Binjiang River didn’t freeze in winter, the near-zero-degree water still felt bone-chillingly cold.

After flailing in the river for a few moments, she heard another splash. A warm presence approached her, and a lifebuoy was slipped over her body.

This was an emergency lifebuoy stationed by the riverbank. Song Luoxue had seen Zhou Qian fall in and quickly grabbed the buoy from the shore, tossing it into the water.

“Help…” Zhou Qian sputtered in the water.

Song Luoxue tugged on the rope attached to the lifebuoy. “Stop shouting,” she said. “You’ll just swallow more water.”

She had merely jumped down onto the path beside the riverbank to gauge Zhou Qian’s reaction. Who could have imagined this fool would actually believe she had fallen in? And then, in her panic, she had fallen in herself!

Zhou Qian had no idea how she had been rescued. She felt a mysterious force pulling her, dragging her ashore. It must have been magic—after all, she couldn’t swim!

Groggy after being pulled from the water, Zhou Qian watched Song Luoxue make a phone call. “By the arched bridge in Binjiang Park. Hurry over. And bring a hot water bottle and two thick blankets.”

“Don’t ask why. This is a matter of life and death. Just get here quickly!”

Having been submerged in the icy water, Zhou Qian felt even colder now that she was ashore. Her mind felt frozen, and her teeth chattered uncontrollably from the cold. Song Luoxue rushed over and hugged her. “You really know how to cause trouble.”

By this point, Zhou Qian was incapable of coherent thought. Only one word filled her mind: cold.

Though Zhou Qian’s body was freezing, Song Luoxue’s embrace provided at least some warmth.

Even having witnessed countless brilliant performances in the past, Song Luoxue couldn’t help but wonder: Could anyone truly act this convincingly?

If this was acting, it was so realistic it bordered on the divine. If she possesses such talent, why not focus on acting, win awards, and redeem her reputation? Why waste her time on a love-obsessed Best Actress? Is her ambition limited to Song Luoxue’s meager wealth?

Zhou Qian, drenched to the bone, clung tightly to Song Luoxue. When Mo Zhen arrived, the two were still locked in their embrace. Mo Zhen gasped at the sight of them soaked in icy water. “Teacher Song, what happened?”

Seeing Mo Zhen, Song Luoxue quickly replied, “No time for explanations. Did you bring the hot water bottles and blankets?”

Mo Zhen nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, I brought everything!”

Together, Song Luoxue and Mo Zhen helped Zhou Qian into the car. Though Song Luoxue had also been submerged in the river, her swimming skills and lesser water inhalation left her in better condition than Zhou Qian. They needed to get out of their freezing, wet clothes immediately to avoid getting sick.

Just as Song Luoxue was about to remove Zhou Qian’s clothes, she noticed Mo Zhen glancing at Zhou Qian through the rearview mirror. Her expression immediately darkened. “Keep your eyes on the road. Don’t look where you shouldn’t.”

Mo Zhen had never heard Song Luoxue speak with such severity before. She quickly focused all her attention on the road ahead.

Although Zhou Qian had warned her earlier that they’d had a fight, she hadn’t expected it to be this intense. They’d even argued their way into the river! Mo Zhen had sensed something was off since they left, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

She soon pulled up to Song Luoxue’s villa. Song Luox