After Becoming the Scummy Alpha in a Substitute Romance (GL) - Chapter 21

Jian Ya looked at her with pitiful, pleading eyes, as if silently asking for something. There was a flicker of hope in her expression that felt strangely familiar to Shen Shuyi.

After thinking for a moment, she realized where that feeling came from.

It was just like the way her little puppy at home looked at her when it wanted a treat, eyes full of cautious affection and quiet anticipation.

Now, Jian Ya had that exact same look in her eyes.

Shen Shuyi remained silent.

“Are you worried I put something in it? I didn’t. There are cameras here, so you can see everything I’ve done. If it helps, I can taste it for you too,” Jian Ya said, trying her best to reassure her.

Eventually, Shen Shuyi decided not to waste any more time going back and forth. She still couldn’t understand why Jian Ya was being so stubborn about this.

She picked up a toothpick from beside the plate, pierced a small piece of apple, and put it into her mouth.

She took a bite.

The apple was crisp, perfectly ripe, and had a great texture.

As she chewed, the fresh scent of the fruit filled her mouth, and the sweet juice spread across her tongue. Just like Jian Ya had said, it was very sweet. The flavor seemed to melt into her chest, and even the dull ache in her head from sitting too long felt slightly eased.

When Jian Ya saw her finally eat, her eyes curved into a smile, full of quiet joy. It was clear she was genuinely happy.

“It’s sweet, right? I tried it myself,” Jian Ya said with a smile. “You really need to eat more fruit. I know in your line of work, you get so busy that you forget to take care of yourself, but that’s not sustainable.”

“When you’re under that much pressure and not eating regularly, your health will suffer. Relying only on supplements is the worst way to handle it.”

“Supplements?” Shen Shuyi raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Yeah, Jiang Shuqi already told me. You’re low on vitamins, but instead of doing something about it, you’re just taking supplements to get by,” Jian Ya explained.

Shen Shuyi’s fingers tightened slightly around the toothpick.

There were no supplements. No vitamin deficiency.

What Jian Ya didn’t know was that Jiang Shuqi had seen her taking medication to regulate her pheromones, and she had lied, saying they were just vitamins.

After Jian Ya finished speaking, Shen Shuyi went quiet.

And in that silence, Jian Ya thought she caught a brief flash of disgust in Shen Shuyi’s eyes.

It came suddenly, but disappeared just as fast.

Shen Shuyi clearly didn’t want to show too much emotion in front of her.

“You bought this fruit just for me?” Shen Shuyi asked. Her tone was calm, but distant, as if putting up a wall between them.

The sudden distance made Jian Ya feel a bit unsettled.

“…Yes,” she replied quietly. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but before she could speak, Shen Shuyi interrupted her.

“There’s no need in the future. I can take care of myself. We’re just colleagues. Everyone should focus on their own responsibilities,” Shen Shuyi said firmly, placing extra emphasis on the word “colleagues.”

She wanted to make their boundaries clear.

“But colleagues can still look out for each other, right?” Jian Ya replied as if it were obvious. “And don’t worry about work. I only do these things after finishing my own tasks. I won’t slow anyone down.”

Shen Shuyi: “…”

She was left speechless by Jian Ya’s matter-of-fact tone. She looked up, wondering if Jian Ya was doing it on purpose, only to meet a pair of clear, sincere eyes.

She had originally planned to throw out a few sarcastic remarks, but the words caught in her throat and never made it out.

She decided not to engage with Jian Ya any further.

As she walked past her, her voice remained calm and cold. “If you really have nothing to do, you might as well help your team speed up their progress. The sooner they finish, the sooner we can move forward with our work.”

“Oh…” Jian Ya glanced at the plate, noticing that Shen Shuyi had only eaten a single piece of fruit. Her expression dimmed a little.

Still, she had strong resilience. The fact that Shen Shuyi had even taken one bite was already a small win. There was no need to rush.

Quickly adjusting her mood, Jian Ya replied, “I’ll go help now. It’s just… our team leader…”

She didn’t finish her sentence.

But Shen Shuyi understood what she meant.

Jian Ya’s abilities far surpassed everyone currently working on the project team, including Li Lu, the team leader. None of them could match her skill.

If Jian Ya stepped in to help, Li Lu’s authority as team lead would undoubtedly be undermined in front of everyone.

Every team develops its own balance of power and interaction. Jian Ya, being new, was afraid her involvement might disrupt that fragile balance.

It might make the team atmosphere worse instead of better.

Shen Shuyi lifted her eyes and gave Jian Ya a calm glance.

“In my team, there’s no room for idlers,” she said plainly.

If someone lacked the ability, they should step aside.

Everything in her world depended on capability. That was her principle.

Jian Ya’s eyebrows rose slightly. That line sounded very familiar.

She had once said the exact same thing when confronting incompetent executives clinging to their positions in the office.

“In my team, there’s no room for idlers.”

The coincidence of their shared mindset made Jian Ya smile faintly.

She returned to the lab.

As expected, the small project led by Li Lu had reached a dead end and couldn’t move forward.

Because their initial logic was flawed, everything they added afterward caused new issues. They were constantly patching one problem only to have others appear—like plugging one leak while springing another.

The entire team was overwhelmed by the endless stream of bugs.

“Let me try,” Jian Ya offered.

Li Lu looked up and saw Jian Ya standing there, calm and composed, a faint smile on her lips. Her expression turned slightly complicated.

As team lead, Li Lu had grown used to her team following her instructions without question.

Her plans were always carried out by the others.

But now, with Jian Ya around, she had to admit that Jian Ya’s skills were superior, and their project had moved along much faster because of her.

As a programmer, she admired Jian Ya’s talent.

But at the same time, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of comparison.

“Go ahead,” Li Lu said, standing up to give Jian Ya space. As Jian Ya sat down, a trace of resentment flickered in Li Lu’s eyes.

Jian Ya didn’t care about how others viewed her. In this world, she didn’t feel a deep sense of belonging. The only person who truly mattered to her was Shen Shuyi.

She ignored Li Lu’s stare and focused on the screen in front of her.

The sooner she finished, the sooner Shen Shuyi could get some rest.

With that in mind, Jian Ya got to work and began typing quickly.

Lines of code flowed smoothly across the screen. When Shen Shuyi returned to the lab a bit later and saw this scene, her eyes dropped slightly, hiding the tiredness in them.

She sat down, hands resting on the table, just about to begin working when someone knocked on the lab door.

Shen Shuyi stood up and opened it. The moment she saw who was standing outside, her brows furrowed slightly.