After Becoming the Scummy Alpha in a Substitute Romance (GL) - Chapter 23

A cold smile rested on the corner of Jian Ya’s lips, but her grip on Li Jinlei’s wrist didn’t loosen in the slightest.

She could feel the storm of rage rising within her.

Ever since she had entered this body, she felt as though parts of the original host’s emotions still lingered.

Just like now.

The violent energy boiling inside her made her want to break the man in front of her on the spot.

“Do you know who I am? Are you looking to die?” Li Jinlei roared.

“I don’t care who you are,” Jian Ya said slowly, her voice low and firm, each word pronounced clearly.

There was a flicker of rage in her eyes, and a faint red tint began to appear in her gaze.

Something about her expression made Li Jinlei’s scalp tingle. A cold fear crept up his spine.

He had the sudden, chilling sense that she truly wanted to erase him from this world.

It was an instinctive kind of fear, the kind that came from the gut.

His legs began to tremble slightly without him even noticing.

The sudden shift in atmosphere caught everyone off guard. Xiao Liu, the head of the external affairs department, immediately sensed that something was wrong and rushed forward in a panic.

“Miss, please let go,” Xiao Liu called out urgently.

As soon as he saw Jian Ya’s actions, cold sweat soaked his back.

This was one of their major investors.

Even though the most expensive part of the project was now behind them, they still had a long road ahead. Every stage required funding.

And when they finally produced results, they would need even more money to promote and commercialize the research.

They absolutely could not afford to offend this investor.

Xiao Liu was flustered and helpless, but Jian Ya acted as if she hadn’t heard him at all.

Her eyes were now slightly red, and the fury and agitation she felt were almost breaking free, ready to engulf everyone in her path.

He had dared to have filthy thoughts about Shen Shuyi. That alone made him unforgivable.

Jian Ya didn’t know why her anger was so intense, but right now, only one thought echoed in her mind.

Then, Shen Shuyi’s voice suddenly reached her ears.

“Jian Ya.”

That cool, calm voice carried a trace of icy restraint, cutting through the fire within her like a cold breeze.

The violent impulse inside her paused, held still for just a moment by that one simple call.

She turned her head slightly to look at Shen Shuyi.

Shen Shuyi gave her a gentle shake of the head.

That small, simple gesture made Jian Ya hesitate.

A few seconds later, she finally let go, releasing Li Jinlei’s wrist. Her eyes were filled with disgust and contempt.

As soon as he was free, Li Jinlei stumbled back, clutching his wrist, which felt like it had almost broken. He glared at Jian Ya with a hateful expression.

“Who do you think you are?” he barked, but the threat he originally planned to make changed into a question at the last moment.

In this world, the stronger an Alpha’s pheromones were, the more significant their social status usually was.

The pressure Jian Ya had given off just now had been suffocating. The cold fury in her eyes had made his heart tremble.

He wanted to threaten her, maybe even seek revenge, but first, he needed to know exactly who she was.

“Me?” Jian Ya pulled the corner of her mouth into a half-smile. “Just an ordinary staff member in the lab.”

With those words, a visible change came over Li Jinlei’s face. The expression in his eyes turned sharp and threatening.

A mere lab worker dared to treat him like that? She clearly had no idea how the world worked.

In just a few seconds, he had already begun planning in his mind how to use his influence to crush her later.

A researcher tucked away in the ivory tower of a lab didn’t seem to understand that some people in this world were not to be crossed.

Acting out on impulse now to protect someone else might feel noble, but when she found herself unable to land a job in the future, living an ordinary, meaningless life, regret would come too late.

Still, he would deal with that later, once he had left.

Right now…

He was genuinely afraid that Jian Ya might actually lose control and do something reckless to him, right then and there.

Adjusting his clothes slightly, Li Jinlei turned to Shen Shuyi and said, “Professor Shen, after what just happened, I have to say I’m a bit concerned about how things are being managed here. But we are, after all, in a partnership. And I’ve always admired your work, Professor Shen, so I’m willing to give your team another chance. I actually came today to discuss the next round of funding. Could we have that conversation now?”

Shen Shuyi lowered her eyes slightly, her fingers curling just a little.

“Yes,” she said calmly.

“Then…”

Xiao Liu, seeing the tension ease at last, breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly stepped forward and suggested, “Let’s move to the lounge so we can talk about everything in detail.”

Neither Shen Shuyi nor Li Jinlei objected.

Jian Ya, with her hands in her pockets, followed the group casually from behind.

Once the others had entered the lounge, she stopped just outside the door, exhaling slowly, trying to release the pressure in her chest.

How could Jian Duan’s company employ someone like that?

Inside the lounge…

Li Jinlei made himself comfortable on the sofa like he owned the place, while Xiao Liu, ever the attentive host, poured tea for both Shen Shuyi and Li Jinlei.

“Mr. Li, we’ve known each other a long time. Whatever you need, just say the word. I’ll do everything I can to make it happen,” Xiao Liu said with a flattering smile.

“Haha, yes, we go way back. But I have to say, some people in this lab clearly don’t know how to behave,” Li Jinlei said, clearly hinting at something.

Xiao Liu, being the savvy head of external affairs, immediately understood the subtext. Thinking back to the confrontation earlier, he quickly added, “You’re absolutely right. Anyone in the lab who steps out of line should be removed. We can’t let one person ruin the atmosphere for everyone.”

Li Jinlei smiled with satisfaction. “Exactly. This lab is doing well. We can’t let a couple of bad apples spoil it for the rest.”

The two of them kept exchanging words, growing increasingly cheerful with each back-and-forth.

But Shen Shuyi sat listening, her brow slowly furrowing.

“Excuse me,” she said suddenly, cutting through their laughter without hesitation, “but any decisions about personnel in this lab are made internally. Outside parties don’t have a say.”

The smile froze on Li Jinlei’s face. His expression turned cold, and a sharp arrogance surfaced between his brows.

“So what you’re saying is, that person will still be allowed to stay?” His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

“Jian Ya’s skills are outstanding. She’s one of the most capable people in this lab, so of course she will continue working here,” Shen Shuyi replied calmly, simply stating the facts.

“So, Professor Shen, you’re insisting on going against me?” Li Jinlei narrowed his eyes. They were already small to begin with, but now they had become thin slits.

“I have no intention of opposing you. I’m just stating how things are,” she said, her tone as calm as ever.

But the more composed she sounded, the more Li Jinlei felt his pride being trampled.

“So, what you’re saying is, you no longer need our financial support?”

That one sentence was his final threat.