After Becoming the Scummy Alpha in a Substitute Romance (GL) - Chapter 9

After Jian Ya spoke, both women fell into silence.

She had never truly liked anyone before. Never knew how to express such a feeling.

But in this moment, she didn’t want to hide it.

Shen Shuyi looked at her quietly. After a long pause, a soft laugh escaped her lips.

It wasn’t a warm laugh—it carried a trace of mockery, and a bit of clarity.

Plenty of people had told her they “liked” her before. But without a doubt, this was the most absurd one yet.

Liked her?

Was destroying everything she cared about some kind of twisted expression of affection?

Now she understood.

She finally understood what Jian Ya really meant—and what she really wanted.

She should’ve seen it the moment Jian Ya walked into the lab.

After all, hadn’t this always been what Jian Ya truly desired?

At that moment, Shen Shuyi was overwhelmed by an intense inner struggle.

Her pride and her passion for her work were tearing her apart.

But finally, she closed her eyes.

Maybe… the choice wasn’t that hard after all.

After all, appearances were just that—only skin deep.

Jian Ya stood there, unmoving, watching her.

Ever since the words slipped out of her mouth, she’d been tense.

She couldn’t read Shen Shuyi’s thoughts in that long, heavy silence.

In the past, she had fought tooth and nail with rival corporations in high-stakes battles—facing betrayals and threats without blinking.

But now?

Her palms were soaked with sweat.

Then, she saw Shen Shuyi slowly raise her hand.

Her fingers trembled slightly as they reached her collar—and unfastened the top button of her blouse.

Then the second one.

Her pale neck came into view, followed by her delicate collarbone.

Faint red marks still lingered above Shen Shuyi’s collarbone—traces left from the struggle the day before. They had faded slightly, but were still clearly visible.

They were her marks.

Jian Ya didn’t know why, but a sudden heat surged through her body, rushing upward and making her head spin.

Shen Shuyi was undeniably beautiful—no one could deny that.

But right now, standing before her in a crisp white lab coat, her beauty carried an added restraint, a quiet sense of control and distance.

That contrast—of discipline and allure—was overwhelming to Jian Ya. It bombarded her senses, tugged at her nerves, and stirred a primal restlessness deep inside her.

She even felt her mouth go dry.

“Jian Ya,” Shen Shuyi said, her voice low but firm, “if you want to mark me, today is fine. Tomorrow is fine. I’m willing to be her substitute—as long as you give me ten hours each day to work. The rest of the time, I’m yours to deal with however you want. You’ll have what you came for. Then please, leave this place. Is that acceptable?”

As she spoke, her pale, slender fingers reached for the third button on her blouse.

But her resistance was so strong that her body visibly tensed.

She tried several times—but couldn’t undo it.

Her pale face grew even more colorless with every failed attempt.

Jian Ya watched her closely, and her heart sank.

Now she understood what Shen Shuyi meant—and how badly her words had been misunderstood.

She wasn’t surprised. After what the original Jian Ya had done to her, how could Shen Shuyi possibly believe her now?

On the outside, Shen Shuyi looked strong, like she didn’t care at all.

But Jian Ya could see past the surface. She saw the vulnerability hidden beneath that calm.
She saw her helplessness.

Jian Ya let out a quiet sigh in her heart.

Then she stepped forward and gently took Shen Shuyi’s wrist, stopping her from going any further.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said softly. “And I know… I know you probably won’t believe anything I say right now. But time will prove it. I just need you to give me a little more time.”

As she spoke, she slowly helped Shen Shuyi fasten the button she’d struggled with.

“I understand what you’re afraid of. Yes, I have my own reasons for staying here—but none of them involve hurting you. I won’t touch anything critical to the project. If it makes you more comfortable, treat me like an assistant, someone doing grunt work. Also, I made it clear when I came in—no one knows who I am. So you don’t have to worry about me using my identity to pressure anyone. Everything will continue just like before.”

After she finished speaking, Jian Ya gave her a small, reassuring smile.

Then, without another word, she opened the door and stepped out of the room.

The door closed quietly behind her.

And once again, Shen Shuyi was alone in the break room.

Shen Shuyi stared in the direction Jian Ya had just left. It felt as if the last bit of strength had drained from her body. She sank slowly onto the bench in the break room.

Her chest rose and fell faintly, and her fingers unconsciously rested on the buttons at her collar.

She felt lost.

Everything that had just happened left her more confused about Jian Ya’s intentions than ever.

It did seem like Jian Ya had changed—but Shen Shuyi couldn’t bring herself to believe that someone could change so drastically in such a short amount of time.

What exactly was Jian Ya after?

At this point, Shen Shuyi truly couldn’t tell.

She couldn’t think of anything that would still interest Jian Ya more than her body. That was the only explanation she could make sense of.

Her eyes lowered slightly.

Whatever the truth was, one thing Jian Ya had said wasn’t wrong:

Time will prove everything.

Back in the lab, several team members watched Jian Ya return with subtle, curious glances.

They hadn’t clearly heard the brief exchange between her and Professor Shen at the door, but the fact that she was called away so quickly had already sparked a wave of silent sympathy.

Everyone here knew what it was like to face Professor Shen’s intensity.

She had a presence that could make even the most confident Alpha buckle under pressure.

Now this shy-looking newcomer? Everyone was certain she’d been called out to be scolded—maybe even brought to tears.

That’s why, as Jian Ya returned, many watched her closely to see what kind of state she was in.

Jian Ya had taken a few deep breaths after leaving the break room, trying to calm the storm inside her.

But even so, when she stepped back into the lab, her face still showed traces of frustration and quiet exhaustion.

Shen Shuyi didn’t believe her.

That lack of trust felt like a wall she couldn’t break through. No matter how much she wanted to reach her, that wall was still there—solid and cold.

She didn’t even know if it could ever be crossed.

Her silence didn’t go unnoticed. A woman named Jiang Shuqi noticed her right away.

Despite being referred to as “the young one,” Jiang Shuqi was actually two years older than Jian Ya.

Anyone qualified to be on this project had real talent.

“So? What happened?” Jiang Shuqi asked in a quiet voice, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern. “You look pretty down. What did Professor Shen say to you?”

There was a hint of gossip in her voice, but it was friendly—comforting, even.

Jian Ya quickly pulled herself together, pushing down the disappointment from earlier. She gave a helpless shrug and put on a slightly embarrassed look. “She gave me an on-the-spot interview,” she said with a sigh. “Wanted to see if I was qualified.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Professor Shen,” Jiang Shuqi said, fully believing it. “So? How did it go?”

Jian Ya let out another sigh. “Probably not great. She said I’m not ready to join the actual project yet. For now, I’ll just be doing odd jobs—she doesn’t want me messing things up.”

Jiang Shuqi nodded with understanding. “Yeah, if someone doesn’t have the skills, it’s better not to rush. But don’t take it too hard. If Professor Shen didn’t kick you out, that means she still sees potential in you. Just take your time—start with the basics, learn what you can. You might get the chance to join in later.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Jian Ya replied softly.

Looking at Jian Ya’s pitiful expression, Jiang Shuqi suddenly laughed.

“Alright, don’t look so sad. Worst case, I’ll take you under my wing. As long as you’re willing to learn, I’ll make sure you improve quickly.”

Just as her voice fell, a cold, sharp voice came from the doorway—so firm it sent a chill through everyone in the lab.

“I’ll be assigning her tasks. The rest of you, get back to work.”