After Cat A Saved the Wrong Female Lead - Chapter 29
Chapter 29: Heartbeats Out of Rhythm
A beauty, delicate as jade, pressed her fingertip to her lips and made a kissing gesture—who could resist?
Tang Li certainly couldn’t.
She surrendered immediately, letting Qin Shiyang dip her finger into the medicinal soup and gently touch it to Tang Li’s lips.
Tang Li didn’t taste anything strange at first, so Qin Shiyang, coaxing and teasing, brought the whole bowl to her lips. Tang Li took a big gulp without hesitation—only to choke and cough violently, nearly yelping in surprise.
Her face scrunched up in displeasure.
“What did you put in this medicine?!”
It didn’t just taste bitter—it had a bizarre mix of flavors. Though she never considered herself picky, just one sip was enough to make her gag. Qin Shiyang lifted the bowl and took a sip herself. Unlike Tang Li’s dramatic reaction, she remained perfectly calm.
Her expression was so composed that Tang Li couldn’t help but be surprised.
“It’s fine. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to bitter medicine. This doesn’t taste that weird to me.”
After being poisoned in the past, Qin Shiyang had sought help from countless doctors to no avail. She’d spent years immersed in medicinal treatments, consuming who knew how many kinds of medicine. When things worsened, she had to switch from oral medicine to more aggressive medicinal soaks.
“I once had a serious illness. My family worried it might affect my ability to have children.”
She said this lightly, but Tang Li answered without hesitation:
“So what? Just don’t have any.”
Tang Li was an Alpha who couldn’t conceive. Even if she were an Omega, she’d never want to give birth. What’s wrong with enjoying life as a couple? Why add extra burdens?
But right after she spoke, Tang Li remembered—she was only Qin Shiyang’s temporary contract spouse.
“Don’t get possessive over someone else’s uterus,” she quickly corrected herself, righteously delivering a dose of feminist wisdom:
“The idea that every Omega has to have a child to be ‘complete’ is outdated nonsense. Everyone has the right to live their life however they want—no one else gets to decide.”
Their food delivery arrived just then. The hospital required all takeout to be left in a locker downstairs, so Qin Shiyang asked Tang Li to wait while she went to fetch it.
Tang Li lay on the bed, bored. Her head still spun a little—no phones, no TV—so she grabbed a literary magazine from the nightstand. She’d just finished one story when she heard voices outside the room.
Her hearing was better than most. The voice was close—and intentionally loud. Tang Li made out the words:
“So what if she’s married? Why hide? Come serve me a bit too.”
She yanked out her IV, pressed a tissue to the bleeding spot, and went to the door—just in time to see someone speaking rudely to Qin Shiyang.
A girl, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, tall and likely an Alpha, stared at Qin Shiyang with undisguised provocation.
Tang Li recognized her—Bai Zhizhi, a distant cousin.
Rich families truly produced their fair share of spoiled brats. Aside from the original Tang Li, this Bai Zhizhi was another example: freshly differentiated, maybe not even of legal age yet, and already brimming with arrogance.
Qin Shiyang held the takeout, glancing at her coldly before looking away. Bai Zhizhi didn’t touch her, but followed her like a pestering fly:
“Hey, I’m talking nicely. Don’t make me use force.”
“Bai Zhizhi.”
Tang Li suddenly opened the door, startling Bai Zhizhi. When she saw it was Tang Li, she became even more smug.
Bai Xuan—Tang Li’s mother—held no real power in the Bai family. With their grandmother’s mind no longer as sharp, Bai Xuan and Tang Li became easy targets. Publicly things remained cordial, but behind the scenes, people like Bai Zhizhi felt free to speak without filter.
She kept eyeing Qin Shiyang, and seeing Tang Li protect her only fueled her excitement.
Tang Li frowned.
“So your mom raised you like this, huh? Impressive parenting.”
“Even bad parenting’s better than yours—divorced and bitter,” Bai Zhizhi snapped. “What, that’s your wife? She’s hot—aren’t you afraid she’ll cheat—”
Before she could finish, Tang Li stepped forward, brows furrowed, and released a burst of her pheromones. Unlike the chaotic outburst from last time, this one was precise—sweet, intoxicating ylang-ylang flooded the air.
“Cough, cough!”
An Alpha unleashing pheromones face-to-face with another Alpha was a direct challenge. For someone like Bai Zhizhi, hot-tempered and immature, it was unbearable. She instinctively shoved at Tang Li.
But Tang Li effortlessly caught her wrist and flung her aside. Bai Zhizhi slammed into the corner of a wall, pain shooting through her skull. Tears welled up immediately.
Tang Li, unfazed, stepped closer and even clapped her hands at her mockingly:
“Cry if you want. Go home and tell your mom it was your cousin Tang Li who made you cry.” She grabbed her by the hair, gave a firm tug to ensure no swelling had formed, then let go. “Go ahead, little one. Bye now. Good luck.”
Bai Zhizhi had been partly faking at first. But now, genuinely humiliated and crying, she fled.
Tang Li wasn’t sure what she was even doing there. She certainly wasn’t visiting her. Her mom wouldn’t have invited such relatives.
Only after the adrenaline wore off did Tang Li remember Qin Shiyang was standing right behind her. Turning around, she pasted on an innocent, guilty smile:
“Sis… I didn’t use too much force, right?”
Qin Shiyang didn’t say a word. She simply took her hand, pressed it to her lips, and placed a soft kiss there.
Turns out, Bai Zhizhi had come with her mom for a prenatal check-up.
She’d been spoiled as an only child for seventeen years. When she found out her AO mother had divorced and was now pregnant with a new partner’s child, she couldn’t accept it. She’d wandered into Tang Li’s hospital room earlier, seen the stunning woman inside, and, suspecting something, lashed out at Tang Li to vent.
But it backfired.
Her mother Bai Ya saw her crying and was instantly furious, calling Tang Li to complain.
“Oh, so you think it’s okay for your daughter to make disgusting comments about someone else’s wife and not get taught a lesson?” Tang Li didn’t even bother recalling which aunt she was. She coolly replied, “I can repeat what she said if you’d like. I even recorded it. If you think what she said was fine, let her go talk to someone else’s wife that way next time. See if they’re as patient as me.”
She hadn’t recorded anything—but her tone shut Bai Ya up.
Bai Zhizhi, of course, cried victim, conveniently omitting her own actions. Bai Ya’s first reaction wasn’t even to scold Tang Li, but to be shocked she had a wife. Could she be planning to have a child to fight over inheritance?
That thought made Bai Ya stroke her barely showing belly in worry.
Tang Li’s condition had improved, but the doctors still recommended one more night of observation. Qin Shiyang booked a check-up for herself the next day and didn’t stay the night. Tang Li, perfectly capable of taking care of herself, even walked her to the elevator.
“Cover up tonight. Don’t yank your IV again. Take your meds before bed. And don’t use scented oils if your nose acts up—it’ll slow recovery.”
As they waited for the elevator, Qin Shiyang gave her a few reminders. Dressed in a pale blue hospital gown, Tang Li still looked radiant. She nodded obediently:
“Anything else? Did you forget something?”
Qin Shiyang paused. “Drink more water?”
Tang Li pouted at the unsatisfactory answer. Just as the elevator doors opened and Qin Shiyang stepped in, Tang Li suddenly pulled her back and planted a solid kiss on her lips.
Today’s lip gloss tasted like strawberries.
….
Before collapsing from her allergic reaction, Tang Li had finished her assigned work and secured several days of paid leave. She had no qualms about taking them.
Qin Shiyang had prepared a pouch of peppermint leaves for her—a breathable herbal sachet to help soothe her nose. Alphas naturally had strong constitutions. Tang Li recovered in two days.
But news of their marriage reached her grandmother.
That worried Tang Li.
Bai Xuan could be handled easily—if Tang Li didn’t want to go to her birthday party, her mother wouldn’t force her. But her grandmother was nearly 100 years old now, no longer as mentally sharp, and constantly called for Tang Li. Thanks to Bai Ya’s big mouth, the whole family soon knew about the marriage.
Some even scolded Bai Xuan for not raising her daughter well. Who gets married and doesn’t bring their spouse home to meet the family? She was accused of being wild and disrespectful—until Bai Xuan snapped back, shutting everyone up.
In this way, Tang Li and Qin Shiyang were somewhat alike when it came to family.
The Qin family were all smiles on the surface but ruthless underneath. The Bai family, by contrast, fought openly. Some relatives hurled harsh words and painted Tang Li as a disgrace, stirring up drama in front of the elderly matriarch.
Eventually, her grandmother fainted, and Bai Xuan nearly followed suit—both were rushed to the hospital.
Even Yu Zhou came back. When Tang Li arrived, she found her outside on the hospital’s smoking balcony, a lit cigarette trembling in her hand.
The ember glowed faintly in the wind. It wasn’t pungent like other tobacco—more herbal, more tolerable.
Tang Li, sensitive to smells, noticed it immediately. She walked over quietly, but Yu Zhou didn’t hear her. After a moment, she snuffed the cigarette without taking a puff and tossed it away.
Tang Li called her name.
“I know,” Yu Zhou replied. “Your mom can’t stand cigarette smoke.”
She sprayed herself with scent-neutralizing mist and walked over.
Tang Li didn’t usually react to all perfumes—only strong, layered ones triggered her allergies—so she didn’t move away.
Come to think of it… she (or rather, the original Tang Li) didn’t even know Bai Xuan had issues with smoke.
Or maybe she’d forgotten.
Once the scent faded, Yu Zhou approached and slung an arm around Tang Li’s shoulders.
The tall Alpha leaned on her daughter, completely dependent for once.
Sensing her fatigue, Tang Li began to gently massage her shoulders. Yu Zhou, as a director, often pulled long hours with the crew. Her neck and back had started acting up with age, and Tang Li’s massage brought noticeable relief.
“Xiao Li… Your mom’s health has never been good. She’s had heart problems since she was little, always sickly. That’s why your grandma loved her so much.”
Yu Zhou’s voice was low and muffled, her chin resting on Tang Li’s shoulder. It was the first time Tang Li had ever heard anything about Bai Xuan’s health.
“Her heart condition can’t handle stress. And because she was spoiled growing up, no one dared go against her. You were the first.”
“You used to give us headaches. We didn’t know how to raise you. We were first-time moms—we had no idea how to communicate with a young girl, let alone our own daughter.”
“But you’ve grown so much now. If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be telling you all this.” She looked at Tang Li gently. “No matter what happens between your moms, we only want one thing—for you to live happily and freely. Just don’t do anything that goes against your conscience.”
Then she went to check on Bai Xuan, leaving Tang Li deep in thought.
She used to believe her mothers didn’t care about her. But maybe they were always watching—just choosing not to interfere unless she crossed the line.
Perhaps, to them, the only rule was: don’t break the law.
So… Bai Xuan really did have heart disease. That explained why, in the original plotline, she passed away so suddenly.
Still, even knowing the reason, Tang Li felt oddly empty.
Yu Zhou may have confided in her, but she still treated her like a child—not someone who could get involved in adult matters. But now, Tang Li had unknowingly become a catalyst in this family storm.
Her grandmother’s condition wasn’t shocking—she’d lived a long life and had many children. Bai Xuan, her youngest and weakest, had always been her favorite. If the old lady passed, it would be seen as a peaceful farewell. No one was panicking.
But drama still unfolded.
Qin Shiyang noticed Tang Li’s recent internet searches: “types of heart disease,” “is surgery effective for congenital heart defects,” “how to care for heart disease patients.”
She almost thought Tang Li was the one who was sick.
But Tang Li was in perfect health. Alphas often had superior physiques—resistant to illness, able to walk outside in 0°C weather in just a coat.
She rarely caught colds. And when she did, she recovered fast.
Now she was working out daily, had built a home gym, and even went running on the complex’s track.
She became more diligent than ever, even buying supplements for others. Qin Shiyang received a batch of gold-thread bird’s nest to help with her irregular sleep schedule.
Since that incident at the hospital, Tang Li had been working even harder. Though her job wasn’t demanding, she started learning more about full-dive holographic tech. After work, she’d be nose-deep in books—especially design and technical ones.
One night, Qin Shiyang couldn’t help asking:
“Ah Li… is something wrong with your family?”
Tang Li, wearing black-rimmed glasses and looking sweet and scholarly, was startled.
“…No? Everything’s probably fine?”
The old lady had fainted because of all the commotion. She was in a private VIP suite with nurses on call, so she should be stable for now.
Even if she passed, it wouldn’t collapse the Bai family overnight.
The real war… would be over the inheritance.
The matriarch’s assets were enough to make many people’s eyes gleam with greed. Now that her health was failing, the vultures were circling.
Tang Li had no interest in joining the fight. She wasn’t close to the old lady and didn’t plan to grovel for favor like the others.
Still, recent events had made her reflect deeply.
She was young. She could still try harder, do more.
Tang Li spun around in her chair and kicked off with her legs, sliding toward Qin Shiyang with a bright, teasing smile…