After Becoming the Scummy Alpha in a Substitute Romance (GL) - Chapter 22

Standing outside the door was Xiao Liu, the external affairs officer in charge of outreach for their project.

His main responsibilities included negotiations with outside parties, handling social engagements, and managing various administrative tasks.

Usually, whenever Xiao Liu came to the lab, it was to discuss funding—either checking on lab expenses or, more often, talking about how much more sponsorship they needed to secure.

In the past, his visits were frequent, but lately, as the most expensive phase of the project had wrapped up, he hadn’t shown up for a while.

Now, with him suddenly appearing again, Shen Shuyi couldn’t help but wonder what was going on.

Her brows knit slightly, a hint of suspicion in her expression.

Before she could ask, a loud, brash voice echoed from the corridor, making nearly everyone in the lab frown.

“Xiao Liu, so this is your lab? It looks so plain. How can a place funded by Raven Investments look this cheap? Are you pocketing the money or what?”

Along with the voice came a strong, unpleasant smell of alcohol.

The speaker was a male Alpha—he had a protruding belly, a greasy face, and a receding hairline disguised poorly by a few strands combed over the top of his head.

With every step he took, heavy breathing followed, loud and labored like a bellows.

Shen Shuyi’s brows furrowed deeply. She pressed her lips into a thin line. It was only because Xiao Liu hurriedly tried to stop her that she didn’t immediately tell the man to leave.

Still…

She stepped forward, eyes cold and distant. Her voice was calm, but carried a chilling edge. “Sir, this is a laboratory. Please lower your voice and mind your behavior.”

The Alpha, finally stopped in his tracks, lowered his arrogant gaze to look at her for the first time.

The moment he did, a glint of amazement flashed through his eyes.

What a stunning beauty.

Her skin was pale and flawless, her features refined and cool. What stood out even more was the air of distance around her, an icy grace that made her seem untouchable—like a flower on a high mountain peak.

He was instantly captivated.

And to think such a high-caliber woman worked under him? He had no idea she even existed.

In his mind, since he managed the investments from Raven Group, everyone involved in the project naturally fell under his authority.

Fueled by alcohol, a surge of desire rose from within, clouding his already limited self-control.

“Hello, I’m Li Jinlei, project manager from Raven Investments,” he said, tugging at his collar, trying to appear gentlemanly.

Raven Group?

Shen Shuyi’s eyes narrowed slightly as she took a good look at the man in front of her.

In the early stages of this project, they had been strapped for cash. More than once, they’d come close to shutting down entirely.

Although she was the daughter of the prestigious Shen family, her position in the family was awkward. Even she was nothing more than a tool used to protect the family’s interests. Trying to get funding from them for a personal project had been out of the question.

So, despite her background, they had been forced to start like anyone else, drafting proposals, mapping out development plans, and going door to door, seeking sponsorship and investments from companies.

This project represented a gap in the medical field, something no one had seriously explored yet.

The technology they were developing used image processing to enable non-invasive monitoring. To many people, it sounded like pure fantasy. No one was willing to invest in something that seemed more like a wild idea than a real, feasible project.

After all, even the wealthiest companies didn’t just throw money away.

Back then, after being rejected by one company after another, Shen Shuyi had almost reached the point of despair. She thought the project might really fall apart.

It was at that moment that Raven Group chose to believe in her and offered their support.

The two parties had never even met in person, yet Raven Group not only provided all the funding they needed at the time, but also promised that as long as they met each phase’s goals, they would continue supporting the project until it was fully completed.

It could be said that without Raven Group, the project might never have made it this far.

Remembering this, Shen Shuyi found herself slightly more patient with the man in front of her.

Still, there were some boundaries that could not be crossed.

“Mr. Li,” she said, her voice calm and polite, “this is a working lab. Everyone is still busy and needs a quiet space. If we need to discuss something, let’s talk in another room, alright?”

“Yes, yes, of course, no problem. Let’s talk in private,” Li Jinlei replied immediately. From the moment he saw her, his eyes had been fixed on her like glue.

His stare made Shen Shuyi deeply uncomfortable, but considering how important the project was, she held back and stayed composed.

She gestured politely. “This way, please.”

Li Jinlei nodded repeatedly. His forced smile made the fat on his face bunch up awkwardly, and the obvious desire in his eyes made Shen Shuyi’s frown deepen.

Without saying anything more, she turned and began walking toward the meeting room.

She had only taken a couple of steps when she noticed from the corner of her eye that Li Jinlei’s greasy hand was reaching toward her shoulder.

A chill ran down her spine.

Every cell in her body was filled with rejection and resistance.

She quickly moved to the side to avoid him, but he seemed determined, as if he didn’t see or didn’t care about her reaction. He sped up behind her, clearly intent on putting his hand on her shoulder.

The hallway was narrow, and his aggressive approach left her with little room to move away.

Just as her disgust reached its peak, a hand suddenly shot out from the side and grabbed Li Jinlei’s wrist in midair.

“Mr. Li, we’re all adults here. Is it really that hard to control your hands?” said a laid-back voice, laced with mockery.

Both Shen Shuyi and Li Jinlei turned at once to see who it was.

Jian Ya stood there, casually leaning against the wall. The usual bright smile in her eyes had disappeared, replaced by a sharp, icy anger.

Her lips were curved slightly in a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. That small smirk carried a hint of cold sarcasm.

She stared straight at Li Jinlei, and the strength in her grip grew stronger as the anger in her heart built up.

Li Jinlei’s wrist began to ache. No matter how much he struggled, Jian Ya’s hand stayed firm, her grip completely unmoving.

The pain grew worse, and he could even hear a faint creaking from the bones in his wrist, like they were about to snap under the pressure.

Sweat started to break out on his forehead as the pain intensified.

Finally, the sharp ache helped sober him up a little. He looked at Jian Ya and couldn’t help shouting angrily.

“Let go of me, you crazy b1tch!”