After Becoming an Alpha, I Marked My Nemesis - Chapter 41

Zhou Qian and Song Luoxue had a decent relationship in high school, sometimes even grabbing lunch together in the cafeteria. It was during those times that Zhou Qian learned Song Luoxue always preferred a ham sandwich for breakfast.

Noticing Zhou Qian lost in thought, Song Luoxue smiled and asked, “What’s on your mind? You always seem so distracted when we’re alone.”

“Ah… I wasn’t—” Just as Zhou Qian was about to reply, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Song Luoxue’s face darkened instantly. On such a beautiful morning, someone had dared to interrupt their private time. Irritated, she stood up to answer the door, but Zhou Qian quickly rose first. “I’ll get it,” she said, stepping out of the living room.

Song Luoxue’s villa was surrounded by iron gates. Through the bars, Zhou Qian saw a middle-aged man and an elderly woman with graying hair peering inside. At the same moment, the old woman spotted Zhou Qian’s fluffy head peeking through the gate and shrieked excitedly, “Xiao Xue! It’s me, Xiao Xue!”

Zhou Qian frowned at the piercing noise. She left the entrance hall and approached the iron gate. “Who are you two?” she asked.

The elderly woman, with her silver hair, sharp features, and fashionable attire, smiled warmly at Zhou Qian. “Xiao Xue, it’s me! Do you remember me? I’m your mother.”

Zhou Qian’s frown deepened. Mother?

Seeing Zhou Qian’s stunned expression, as if she were trying to recall something, the woman continued, “Oh, Xiao Xue, you’ve become even more beautiful than you were eight years ago! No wonder you’re such a big star. Just look at that lovely face!”

Wasn’t Song Luoxue an orphan? How could she have a mother?

And this woman mistook me for Song Luoxue the moment she saw me. How could she possibly be her real mother?

Zhou Qian hated having her appearance judged. Growing impatient, she said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know you. Please leave.”

She turned to go back inside, but the elderly woman called out again, “Xiao Xue, you can’t be so heartless! We raised you for ten years! You can’t just disown us!”

“Exactly, Sister! You can’t be so heartless! Our parents raised you for so long, and now you won’t even acknowledge us, let alone let us in!”

The elderly woman and the young man continued shouting at the villa gate. Zhou Qian refused to open the door, standing by the fence instead. “If you keep yelling like this, I’ll call security.”

What are the security guards at this wealthy residential complex even doing? How did they let these people in?

“Fine! Song Luoxue, you ungrateful wretch! You’ve forgotten over a decade of our kindness in raising you, you viper!”

The woman, having failed to claim kinship, erupted into a tirade. Her words triggered a memory in Zhou Qian, reminding her of a plot point from  The White Moonlight’s Revenge . She recalled that Song Luoxue had been an orphan, adopted by a couple when she was ten years old. The couple had a good-for-nothing son who was utterly incapable of caring for them in their old age.

Desperate to secure their family’s legacy, the couple had doted on their spoiled and unruly son. That’s why they had adopted Song Luoxue at ten years old—their true motive was to ensure someone would care for them in their old age.

Ever since adopting Xiao Luoxue, the couple had subjected her to constant abuse. She was often left hungry, poorly clothed, and covered in bruises. Seizing her chance, Song Luoxue ran away the day she turned eighteen and obtained her national identity card, never seeing her adoptive parents again.

Zhou Qian’s stomach churned with anger at the thought. She glared at the woman shouting insults at the iron gate—likely Song Luoxue’s former adoptive mother—and the middle-aged man beside her, probably her good-for-nothing son.

Zhou Qian recalled that Song Luoxue’s adoptive mother was named Li Xiulan, and her son was called Zhao Fugui.

As Li Xiulan continued her tirade, a dog in the opposite villa suddenly began barking loudly. The cacophony of human curses and canine howls created a chaotic din.

Just as Zhou Qian was about to confront Li Xiulan, Song Luoxue abruptly pushed open the gate and stepped out, a smile spreading across her face. “Oh, I thought we had some distinguished guests. It’s just you? What brings you here?”

Li Xiulan’s face darkened. “Who do you think you are?”

Song Luoxue chuckled at her words, then opened the iron gate and approached the mother and son. “It’s only been eight years. Have you already forgotten what I look like?”

Li Xiulan froze, staring at Song Luoxue in disbelief. “You… you’re Song Luoxue?”

Song Luoxue smiled again. “After all these years, I thought your eyes might be failing, mistaking someone else for me. But it seems your vision is perfectly fine, isn’t it?”

Li Xiulan’s face twisted with anger at Song Luoxue’s words, but she needed her help. She forced a smile and continued, “Xiao Xue, it’s my fault. My eyes are getting blurry. Your friends are all so beautiful, just like you, that I got confused.”

Song Luoxue’s expression darkened instantly. “Don’t! Don’t call yourself my mother. I can’t bear it.”

Li Xiulan quickly replied with a forced smile, “Yes, yes, yes.”

Song Luoxue found Li Xiulan’s voice too loud, and speaking at the villa’s entrance was risky. If someone recorded them, it could become a major scandal.

Turning toward the house, Song Luoxue said, “Let’s talk inside.”

As soon as the words left her lips, Li Xiulan’s expression transformed. She nodded repeatedly, her face splitting into a wide, ingratiating smile. “Alright, alright, we’ll come right in.”

When Li Xiulan and Zhao Fugui entered, they gawked around like country bumpkins seeing the world for the first time. Li Xiulan, in particular, marveled aloud as she strolled into the villa’s living room. “Oh my! Xiao Xue, look at this magnificent place! Our ancestors must be smiling in their graves to have produced such a big star like you!”

Zhou Qian and Song Luoxue exchanged glances, their faces betraying a shared disdain.

Song Luoxue’s expression hardened with annoyance. “Don’t say that,” she snapped. “I don’t even know where my family’s ancestral graves are. How could I possibly know if they’re ‘smiling’ or not?”

Li Xiulan was momentarily silenced. Song Luoxue shot Zhou Qian a meaningful glance, and Zhou Qian immediately understood, slipping out of the room.

Song Luoxue’s gaze swept over Li Xiulan and her son, their eyes burning with undisguised greed. Impatiently, she demanded, “Just tell me what you two want.”

Li Xiulan forced a nervous laugh. “Nothing… Your brother and I just missed you and wanted to see how you were doing. We never imagined you’d be living so well—in a mansion, wearing designer clothes, and driving a luxury car! We’re so happy for you!”

Hearing Li Xiulan’s veiled intentions, Song Luoxue let out a cold laugh. “Thank you, but I earned all of this through my own hard work.”

Song Luoxue knew a little about the original female lead’s childhood. She knew her adoptive parents were despicable people. If Li Xiulan hadn’t come looking for her, she might have let it go. But now that she’d come knocking on her door, Song Luoxue was determined to make them pay.

Li Xiulan’s face flushed with awkwardness. “Yes, you’ve achieved all this through your own efforts. Your brother and I are so envious of you!”

Song Luoxue felt a wave of nausea as Zhao Fugui’s leering gaze lingered on her. Turning to Li Xiulan, she said, “In that case, I have something to say to you. Please ask your companion to leave first.”

Zhao Fugui slammed his fist on the table, leaping to his feet. “What do you mean by that?”

Song Luoxue didn’t even bother to look at him. She simply smiled and said, “Nothing much. I just can’t stand the sight of you.”

“You…”

Just as the man was about to explode in anger, Li Xiulan stopped him. “Since your sister wants you to leave, you should go.”

“Mom…”

Li Xiulan frantically signaled to him with her eyes. Seeing this, Zhao Fugui had no choice but to leave the room.

Just then, Zhou Qian had already summoned the neighborhood security guards. She had understood Song Luoxue’s silent plea—the woman feared the mother and son might cause trouble in the complex. As soon as she left the villa, Zhou Qian had headed straight for the security office.

Zhao Fugui was immediately apprehended by the guards as he stepped outside. “Come with us,” they ordered.

Mistaking the security guards for police officers, Zhao Fugui initially cowered at the sight of law enforcement. However, he quickly mustered a semblance of defiance and demanded, “What do you want with me? I haven’t broken any laws!”

“Just come with us,” the guards insisted.

Seeing the men in police-like uniforms refusing to back down, Zhao Fugui bolted. The guards swiftly gave chase, shouting, “Stop! No running in the complex!”

In addition to calling the security guards, Zhou Qian had also instructed Xiao Ying and the other maids to stay with Song Luoxue in the villa, ensuring the elderly woman wouldn’t cause any further disturbances.

Xiao Ying followed Zhou Qian’s instructions and served Li Xiulan a pot of tea before moving on to clean other parts of the villa.

Now that the villa was empty, Song Luoxue turned to Li Xiulan. “Alright, we’re alone now. What do you want? Just say it.”

“Nothing, Xiao Xue. Your brother and I just wanted to see you. Look how lovely your place is! We had such a hard time finding it.”

Song Luoxue took a small sip from her teacup, then slammed it heavily onto the table, her displeasure evident.

Drip… drip… drip… Tea spilled from the table, splattering across the floor.

Song Luoxue’s patience was wearing thin. “I’ve told you before, just get to the point. I hate beating around the bush.”

Li Xiulan hesitated, embarrassed to speak at first. But after hearing Song Luoxue’s bluntness, she finally revealed her true motive. “Xiao Xue, our family has been facing some financial difficulties lately…”