After the Divorce, My Ex-Wife Suddenly Became an Alpha - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: The Honeymoon Suite

N92 Mine Star is located in the southwestern system of the Federation’s distant starfield. Due to long-term mineral extraction, the surface is riddled with pits and craters. On top of that, the influence of three suns causes the temperature to remain perpetually high, making the heat unbearable.

Even the locals joke that N92 is a place where “not even three feet of land are flat, but the sky is sunny every single day.” With extremely low rainfall, the uneven roads often kick up clouds of dust, so every household builds tall courtyard walls and decorates them with brightly colored mosaic tiles.

Another result of the water shortage is the inability to plant decorative vegetation on a large scale. Thus, instead of fresh flowers, the locals are more accustomed to appreciating different types of spices. Nearly every street corner holds a golden shrine and an incense burner, from which the mixed fragrances of nutmeg, clove, saffron, and turmeric drift in the air with complex, sweet aromas.

Chi Yuejing sat in the backseat of a jeep, jostled continuously by the poor road conditions. For several moments, she even felt as if she were riding in a single-soldier combat mech—that was how bumpy the ride was.

Driving the vehicle was Kasha, a young local Alpha woman around 20 years old, working in logistics for Cross Star stationed on N92. She had beautiful chocolate-toned skin and bright, sparkling eyes. It was clear she took pride in being entrusted with such a task, doing her best to drive steadily while enthusiastically introducing the local customs and culture.

Today’s task was to find a place to live. The house Gu Jin Xiao had stayed in previously was near the mine and shared with several researchers. Now that Chi Yuejing, her spouse, had joined, it was no longer convenient to cohabit, so they needed to find a new place.

Kasha had contacted a local real estate agent in advance. When the agent learned that the client was related to a major mine owner, their service level instantly rose several notches, and they quickly found several upscale listings in the central district.

With Kasha and the agent accompanying her, Chi Yuejing viewed several of these properties. Compared to the nearby residential neighborhoods, houses in the central area were clearly more luxurious in both appearance and amenities. According to the agent, most residents in this area were either local elites or mine owners from other planets.

One small house especially caught her eye. It was a two-story villa painted in a serene turquoise hue. Passing through the arched porch, one would see a small garden lush with palm and fiddle-leaf fig trees. The first floor was designed with a vaulted ceiling to allow natural light and ventilation. A gentle cross-breeze wafted through the spacious living room, easing the oppressive heat.

Noticing her interest, the agent beamed. “You’ve got excellent taste. This house has never been rented out before. It was originally meant to be the owner’s honeymoon home. But due to a job relocation to a neighboring planet, they just put it on the market… Please, come take a look here…”

To prove he wasn’t exaggerating, he cheerfully motioned for Chi Yuejing to glance into the bedroom. Sunlight filtered through the pale blue blinds, casting shimmering wave-like patterns on the wall, and in the shadowy light, heart-shaped glimmers appeared—clearly custom-made window slats.

The agent winked knowingly. “At night, turn on the lights and let it shine through like this. Then open a chilled bottle of Kuyi Leaf Wine with your wife—it’ll be a romantic atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else…”

Chi Yuejing hadn’t imagined such a scene before, but a small smile appeared in her eyes. After thinking for a moment, she said, “Please wait a moment—I need to discuss it with my wife.”

She walked to the other end of the porch and dialed her communicator. On the screen, Gu Jin Xiao’s face quickly appeared. Judging by the background, she was still near the mining site—her fair cheeks slightly sunburnt, and her eyes softened as they fixed on Chi Yuejing’s face with a smile.

“Sorry I made you go house-hunting by yourself,” she said, picking up a fallen welding rod and placing it back on the workbench. “…Things have just been too hectic here.”

Chi Yuejing’s voice was gentle. “It’s fine. I wanted to experience the local atmosphere anyway. It’s no trouble at all.”

She turned the camera around. “I called to talk about a house I found. It’s in the central district, on the main street… has a little garden, and the interior’s quite new. I think you might like it…”

As her camera panned, it swept past the lush little garden, the antique ceiling fan under the arched roof, and the spacious kitchen window… Gu Jin Xiao watched carefully and nodded. “It’s beautiful… What about the rooms?”

She meant to ask how many bedrooms it had, but perhaps due to poor signal, Chi Yuejing didn’t catch the question. Instead, she turned the camera back to her face, clearly delighted by Gu Jin Xiao’s approval. Her eyes sparkled. “I’m so glad you like it. We saw three places this morning—finally found the right one.”

Seeing how Chi Yuejing had endured the heat to house-hunt alone made Gu Jin Xiao feel a little guilty. Although Chi Yuejing’s official task was to protect her, it didn’t sit right to treat her like a subordinate. So she didn’t hesitate and said, “Okay. If you think it’s good, then let’s go with that one.”

Chi Yuejing nodded with a soft smile. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

After reminding her to drink more water, she ended the call and turned to the agent. “She’s agreed. We’ll take this house.”

The agent beamed with joy, immediately offering flurries of compliments as he went to handle the contract paperwork. Meanwhile, Kasha, who had quietly watched the whole interaction, smiled and said softly, “Captain Chi, you and Miss Gu really have a great relationship.”

She had lived on N92 her entire life, where a more traditional view of hierarchy prevailed. Her own parents never discussed anything as equals—her Alpha father always had the final say. That was typical in most families.

Seeing Chi Yuejing and Gu Jin Xiao jointly discuss life decisions like this was novel to her and quietly gave her a sense of warm comfort.

Chi Yuejing’s smile deepened. “Life’s something both people need to work on together. She works really hard—I want to support her however I can.”

Since there was still time after the contract was signed, Chi Yuejing asked Kasha to show her around the area. As it happened, just two streets over was a large marketplace, fully stocked with all kinds of goods—very convenient.

To her surprise, Kasha discovered that the seemingly elegant Captain Chi also knew how to cook. Together, they walked through the entire market, and by the end, their arms were loaded with food and cooking supplies.

After returning, Chi Yuejing first took out a thermal bag and packed in about half of the fruit, along with a few cuts of lamb and some cheese, then handed them to Kasha. “These are for you.”

During their earlier conversation, she’d learned that Kasha’s father had once worked in the mines but now could only do odd jobs due to a leg injury. As the eldest daughter, Kasha supported the whole family, which included two younger Beta sisters and a five-year-old Alpha brother. Clearly, things weren’t easy for them.

These goods weren’t cheap. Kasha blushed and firmly refused, saying, “This is just my job. You don’t need to give me anything else. Please don’t be so polite!”

Though poor, she had dignity and never allowed her siblings to beg for sweets or chocolates from rich mine owners’ cars like other kids in the slums. Instead, she insisted they work for their keep whenever possible.

Chi Yuejing smiled gently and placed the items into the trunk of the car. “This isn’t payment. It’s a thank-you gift from a friend. I really appreciate you helping me shop and haggle. Without you, I wouldn’t have saved nearly as much today—so please, take this home and share it with your family.”

Hearing this, Kasha could no longer decline. Thinking of how her siblings rarely got to eat fresh fruit, she blinked away the moisture in her eyes and quietly thanked her before driving off.

“…..”

Gu Jin Xiao had been working at the mine until sunset before finally getting a break. To her surprise, she received a message from Chi Yuejing saying that everything had been moved in and she didn’t need to worry about a thing.

The message made her feel a little guilty. Seeing that it was getting late, she got in her car and drove to the address, texting Chi Yuejing that she was on her way and not to go out again.

The house they rented was only about ten minutes’ drive from the mining office. As dusk fell, the courtyards of every home were filled with the aroma of dinner. The blue-domed prayer temples chimed gently, the bells echoing through the sunset, and an unconscious look of anticipation appeared on Gu Jin Xiao’s face.

She had lived on N92 for over six months now, always busy shuttling between the mine and the apartment, but this was the first time she felt what it was like to have someone waiting for her to come home.

The house was easy to find. Parking in front, Gu Jin Xiao stepped out. The white wooden courtyard gate had ornate gold-plated rings. She knocked softly.

Footsteps ran toward the door, and Chi Yuejing opened it with a smile. “Why didn’t you wait for me to pick you up?”

She looked completely different from how Gu Jin Xiao remembered—wearing a white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, and a hand-embroidered apron tied around her waist. Clearly, she had been cooking before answering the door. A delicious curry scent drifted into the courtyard, making one’s mouth water.

“It’s our first meal in the new home, so I just made a few simple dishes,” Chi Yuejing said, guiding her inside. At the entrance, she opened the shoe cabinet and took out a brand-new pair of slippers. “I bought these at the market this afternoon—they should be comfy.”

She also took the computer bag from Gu Jin Xiao and placed it on the table, her eyes crinkling. “Go wash up. Dinner’s almost ready.”

After washing her hands, Gu Jin Xiao returned to find the table set. On deep blue, flower-patterned plates was fragrant curry chicken and lemongrass mint beef. Just as she sat down, a bowl of mung bean soup was placed in front of her. Chi Yuejing handed her the sugar jar. “It’s too hot today—have some mung bean soup first.”

Who knew where she’d found mung beans on this planet? But after a long day, the cool sweetness was bliss. Gu Jin Xiao took several sips and sighed in satisfaction. “This is amazing. Compared to this, the stuff in the mine cafeteria is practically inedible…”

Chi Yuejing chuckled, her peach blossom eyes curving like crescent moons. “That’s quite the compliment.”

Seeing her bowl empty, she took it to refill with rice, saying, “The food at the cafeteria is really that bad? You’re working so hard every day—you can’t keep eating poorly. How about this? Since the market is nearby, I’ll cook and bring food to you from now on.”

Gu Jin Xiao was stunned. “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”

Compared to the mass-cooked canteen food, Chi Yuejing’s cooking was an undeniable temptation. But the thought of her shopping and cooking under this sweltering heat just to deliver food—surely it would be exhausting?

Chi Yuejing set the bowl in front of her and smiled. “If I’m cooking for you, I don’t find it troublesome at all.”

Her gaze was calm and focused, her fair and elegant face glowing like fine jade under the warm lights. Being looked at with such gentle affection made it hard to look away.

Gu Jin Xiao’s heart fluttered slightly. Under her gaze, she found herself at a loss for words.

The dining table was small, and they sat close together. In Chi Yuejing’s eyes shimmered the image of her stunned face, and it felt as if, with just a slight tilt of her head, their faces might meet.

After a few seconds, Gu Jin Xiao blinked gently. Her long lashes curved as she softly replied:

“Then you’d better be sure… because I can be quite a handful.”