After Differentiating into an Alpha, I Marked My Love Rival - Chapter 9

Jiang Zhiluo pondered over her words, surprisingly detecting a different meaning in them.

“If I’m not suitable for President Zhou, then who am I suitable for?”

Ji Yongshu had thought Jiang Zhiluo would at least feel a hint of shame upon hearing this. Instead, the woman actually countered by asking who she was suitable for.

Wasn’t this an outright—if subtle—rejection of her statement?

In Jiang Zhiluo’s mind, she and Zhou Yi were probably a perfect match.

Ji Yongshu’s face flushed with anger, her lips pressed into a tight line as she glared at Jiang Zhiluo with icy, heavy eyes.

Only then did Jiang Zhiluo realize her mistake, silently cursing herself for misspeaking.

She had only meant to tease Ji Yongshu, but her words likely came across as deliberate mockery.

Hurriedly, she tried to backtrack: “Of course I know there’s no possibility between me and President Zhou.”

Ji Yongshu exhaled sharply, recognizing her own lapse in composure. No matter how furious she was, she shouldn’t have let it show.

For some reason, she felt as though she had lost ground in front of Jiang Zhiluo, and her words grew sharper, each one aimed to wound.

“Of course, there’s no possibility between you and Zhou Yi. Unless Miss Jiang’s memory is failing, you should recall that Zhou Yi and I got engaged three months ago.”

Jiang Zhiluo’s breath hitched, her eyes darkening with a deep flush of red. Tears welled up, shimmering as if they might spill at any moment.

Ji Yongshu froze. From the moment they met, Jiang Zhiluo’s reactions kept catching her off guard.

She had intended to deliver a few more cutting remarks, but the sight of those reddened eyes rendered her speechless.

It almost felt like she was bullying Jiang Zhiluo.

Unable to bear it, Ji Yongshu averted her gaze, silently berating herself for being so weak. The fault wasn’t hers—no matter how harsh her words, they were justified. Why should she sympathize with someone who meddled in another’s relationship?

“Jiejie, do you really plan to marry Zhou Yi?”

Jiejie.

Ji Yongshu recalled that night when Jiang Zhiluo had called her the same way—softly, breathlessly, between gasps.

“Miss Jiang and I aren’t nearly close enough for such familiarity,” Ji Yongshu reminded her coldly.

Ignoring the rebuke, Jiang Zhiluo repeated, “Do you really want to marry Zhou Yi?”

Ji Yongshu’s patience snapped. “That’s between Zhou Yi and me. What right do you have to ask?”

Jiang Zhiluo trembled slightly, lowering her head to hide her tear-filled eyes.

After a long silence, she picked up her phone and tapped the screen a few times.

A familiar voice played the next moment.

“Ji Yongshu is just spoiled, domineering and overbearing…”

“I’ll break off the engagement with Ji Yongshu…”

This time, Ji Yongshu was genuinely stunned. Shock gave way to a surge of triumph.

She had been searching for proof of Zhou Yi’s infidelity—something that would clearly place the blame on her. This recording was exactly what she needed.

As for Jiang Zhiluo’s motive in playing it for her, Ji Yongshu interpreted it as gloating.

“Zhou Yi doesn’t want to marry you. She doesn’t treat you well either.” Jiang Zhiluo stared at her stubbornly, fingers clutching her own clothes tightly.

Ji Yongshu had no patience to listen to her ramblings. Her mind was solely focused on how to obtain that audio recording from Jiang Zhiluo.

As for Zhou Yi, that scumbag alpha—she wasn’t some rare treasure. Ji Yongshu wasn’t dead set on her anyway. Whoever wanted her could have her; Ji certainly didn’t.

If Jiang Zhiluo was so desperate to be with Zhou Yi, she’d gladly let her have her way.

“Jiang Zhiluo.” Ji Yongshu called her name directly, shedding all pretense of politeness and kindness. “I know you want to be with Zhou Yi. Coincidentally, I also want to break off the engagement. Give me that audio, and I’ll make sure you get what you want.”

Jiang Zhiluo was stunned by the revelation, staring blankly at Ji Yongshu before stammering, “R-really? You really want to call off the engagement?”

So, Ji Yongshu didn’t actually want to be with Zhou Yi!

Joy flooded Jiang Zhiluo’s heart. Though tears still glistened in her eyes, the corners of her lips curled into a smile, like a child surrounded by candy. Her gaze toward Ji Yongshu practically sparkled.

Was she really that infatuated with Zhou Yi?

Ji Yongshu arched a brow. Though a small part of her didn’t want the person who’d ruined her engagement to feel too triumphant, she didn’t actually care for Zhou Yi. Strictly speaking, Jiang Zhiluo hadn’t harmed her in any real way.

As for those petty rumors, Ji Yongshu dismissed them as idle gossip from people with too much time on their hands.

As for Jiang Zhiluo? Let her and that scumbag alpha Zhou Yi stay locked together forever.

Once she’d made up her mind, Ji Yongshu relaxed further, a faint smile playing on her lips. She tilted her chin at Jiang Zhiluo. “This is a deal where neither of us loses.”

“After I break off the engagement with Zhou Yi, whatever you do with her is none of my concern.”

Jiang Zhiluo didn’t want to hear that name from Ji Yongshu’s lips. She gazed at her eagerly. “If I give you the audio, you’ll really call off the engagement with Zhou Yi?”

Ji Yongshu nodded, mentally calculating the timeline for her second gender differentiation. “I’ll end it as soon as possible—within a week.”

After all, this wasn’t just between her and Zhou Yi; it involved the collaboration between their families as well.

Jiang Zhiluo’s fingers hovered over her phone. “Then… can we add each other on WeChat?”

After a brief consideration, Ji Yongshu agreed.

Jiang Zhiluo’s hands trembled as she scanned Ji Yongshu’s QR code. She tried to control her expression, but traces of irrepressible delight still seeped through the corners of her eyes and lips.

To Ji Yongshu, it all just confirmed how desperately Jiang Zhiluo wanted to be with Zhou Yi.

A pang of melancholy struck Ji Yongshu. Even a scumbag like Zhou Yi had someone who adored her—so why couldn’t she find someone who genuinely loved her?

Was the problem really with her?

Once they’d added each other, Jiang Zhiluo swiftly sent the audio file to Ji Yongshu.

Ji Yongshu played it once, then smirked in satisfaction.

The reason she’d agreed to meet Jiang Zhiluo was to fish for information, ideally recording something that proved Zhou Yi’s infidelity.

She hadn’t expected such a windfall—this could be incredibly useful.

The thought made Ji Yongshu regard Jiang Zhiluo with slightly more favor.

“Don’t mention our meeting to Zhou Yi yet.”

If Zhou Yi found out, she might prepare in advance, and then all her plans could go down the drain.

Jiang Zhiluo quickly nodded, the strands of hair framing her cheeks lightly brushing against her skin with the movement, giving her an overall soft and gentle aura.

“I understand.”

Ji Yongshu stood up and extended her hand toward Jiang Zhiluo. “Miss Jiang, a pleasure working with you.”

Jiang Zhiluo, who had been hiding her hands under the table, rubbed them vigorously against her clothes to ensure they were dry and warm before standing up and lightly grasping Ji Yongshu’s outstretched hand.

“A pleasure working with you… sister.”

Ji Yongshu’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. Jiang Zhiluo was being a little too familiar.

Last time at the bar, it could still be explained away as her being muddled from her heat. But now she had called her “sister” twice—clearly intentional.

Ji Yongshu assumed she was just trying to annoy her and suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, withdrawing her hand without hesitation. “I’ll take my leave first.”

She strode out with her bag, her figure soon disappearing from Jiang Zhiluo’s sight.

Jiang Zhiluo lowered her gaze to her palm, a silly smile on her face. She rubbed her fingertips together, as if the lingering warmth of Ji Yongshu’s touches still remained.

She felt like a creep, savoring the memory of Ji Yongshu’s skin.

Not only that, but she also even pressed her palm against her own cheek and lightly nuzzled it.

Mmm… sister’s scent.

After a couple of rubs, Jiang Zhiluo suddenly felt something was off. Her smile faded, and her brows knitted slightly.

She brought her fingers to her nose and took a deep sniff, catching a faint whiff of sweet peach fragrance.

But this scent seemed slightly different from the one she had smelled before.

It took her a while to figure out what had changed.

Last time, what she had detected on Ji Yongshu was the pure, unmistakable pheromones of an omega.

But the lingering scent on her fingertips now… Jiang Zhiluo couldn’t quite tell whether it belonged to an omega or an alpha.

Why had Ji Yongshu’s pheromones become so strange?

Jiang Zhiluo fell into deep thought.

——

When Ji Yongshu stepped out of the private room, she was practically radiating joy. Once in the car, Xie Yangqing asked, “Seems like you got what you wanted?”

In high spirits, Ji Yongshu crossed her legs in the back seat, propping her head up with one hand as she smiled at Xie Yangqing. “And then some.”

She replayed the audio Jiang Zhiluo had sent her earlier. After a brief moment of stunned silence, Xie Yangqing burst out laughing. “Heavens, even fate is on your side.”

Who would’ve thought that the ever-cautious Zhou Yi would make such a mistake—probably blinded by beauty.

She likely never imagined Jiang Zhiluo would not only record her words but also send them straight to Ji Yongshu.

Ji Yongshu twirled her phone between her fingers, feeling exceptionally pleased. “At least I can settle this before my differentiation.”

That same afternoon, Ji Yongshu arranged to meet Zhou Yi.

At 8:30 p.m., when Ji Yongshu arrived at the agreed-upon French restaurant, Zhou Yi was already seated by the window, scrolling through her phone.

Ji Yongshu’s expression was indifferent as she set her bag aside and took the seat across from Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi looked up at her. “You’re here.”

Her expression was equally indifferent. The two of them didn’t look like they were on a date, but rather like they’d been forced to meet.

Ji Yongshu had asked her out under the pretense of a date.

Zhou Yi couldn’t understand why Ji Yongshu would suggest such a thing. They weren’t genuinely in love, so why waste each other’s time meeting like this?

At this thought, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but study Ji Yongshu’s features, noticing the woman seemed in good spirits. Though her expression remained neutral, there was a relaxed smile in her eyes.

Was she actually happy about this date?

An improbable suspicion flashed through Zhou Yi’s mind—could Ji Yongshu genuinely want to develop feelings between them?

Ji Yongshu didn’t get straight to the point, instead flipping through the menu.

She planned to eat first, lest she lose her appetite after their impending conversation.

Zhou Yi remained silent too, unsure what Ji Yongshu was scheming. She decided to wait quietly to see what the other woman had in store.

Surprisingly, the meal passed rather pleasantly. Whenever Ji Yongshu immersed herself in the food, she could almost pretend Zhou Yi wasn’t there—as long as the other woman kept quiet.

After eating her fill, Ji Yongshu dabbed her lips, had the table cleared, and ordered two coffees.

Zhou Yi watched silently, thinking Ji Yongshu indeed had something to discuss.

She just couldn’t guess what it might be.

As Zhou Yi was still speculating about Ji Yongshu’s intentions, the other woman spoke calmly:

“Zhou Yi, let’s call off our engagement.”