After the Divorce, My Ex-Wife Suddenly Became an Alpha - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Do You Want Me?

On the drive back home, Gu Jinxi went through a hundred and twenty possible emergency scenarios in her mind—she’d even prepared herself mentally to find a severely injured, barely breathing Chi Yuejing.

The only outcome she hadn’t imagined… was that the other person would appear completely fine and untouched.

Though to be precise, not entirely untouched—Chi Yuejing’s collar was a little disheveled, and there were two unfamiliar little girls beside her who looked even more miserable. One had a scrape on her arm, and the other’s face was streaked with dried tears.

“You’re back already?” Chi Yuejing was clearly surprised to see Gu Jinxi. She put down the gauze in her hand and stood up. “Didn’t I ask Lulu to tell you I’d be a little late…?”

The knot in Gu Jinxi’s chest loosened a bit, but a strange tinge of jealousy rose up right after. She glanced at the two pitiful little girls, then lowered her voice: “Of course I’d be worried when I hear a crying child on the other end of the line! And what’s going on with you? Who are these two?”

Chi Yuejing finally remembered to introduce them: “This is Lili and Lulu—Kasha’s younger sisters. They ran into some trouble at the market… I happened to pass by and brought them back. I thought it would only delay me for a short while…”

She nudged the girls gently, signaling them to greet her. The older one, Lulu, looked at Gu Jinxi with her big eyes full of guilt. “I’m sorry, Miss Gu. We caused you trouble.”

The girl’s arm had a visible scrape, already treated but still quite swollen. Seeing her attempt to stand, Gu Jinxi quickly raised her hand to stop her. “Sit down and don’t move—don’t be scared, I’m not mad at you two. I’m… I’m mad at her!”

She pointed at Chi Yuejing with righteous indignation. “She’s the adult, yet she’s always so careless—it’s no wonder people worry about her. I was scolding her, not you two. Don’t be anxious. I’ll call Kasha to come over right away.”

After all, they were just kids. Having family around would surely be more comforting. She called Kasha without giving too many alarming details—just told her to hurry home.

Kasha arrived quickly and was shocked by her sisters’ condition. As soon as the two girls saw their sister, they began sobbing softly. Only then did Gu Jinxi finally understand the full story.

The sisters regularly helped neighbors carry and deliver goods to earn some income. The market often had customers in need of deliveries, and they would occasionally find suitable work. But today, they had the misfortune of running into a scoundrel who falsely accused them of damaging the goods. During the argument, the man kicked at the younger sister, and the older one was injured trying to protect her.

Chi Yuejing had been on her way to the mining site to deliver lunch when she saw the scene. Without hesitation, she stopped the car, chased away the man, and brought the sisters home to treat their injuries.

And that’s how Gu Jinxi ended up receiving that choked-up, tearful call.

Kasha, feeling both worried and grateful, repeatedly thanked both Chi Yuejing and Gu Jinxi. She didn’t want to trouble her boss further and tried to take her sisters away, but Gu Jinxi stopped her.

She motioned for Chi Yuejing to help the kids into the car, then slipped a wad of cash into Kasha’s pocket and whispered, “Don’t go to some shady clinic—take them to the central district hospital and get an X-ray.”

Judging by the younger girl’s age, she was probably only around eleven or twelve. Children’s bones are soft, and if a fracture wasn’t treated properly, it could cause serious problems later.

Kasha refused the money. “How could I accept this? Major Chi already saved them—I don’t know how to repay you both.”

“Just think of it as a loan from me,” Gu Jinxi said sternly. “Hurry up, the kids are still waiting.”

She was aware of the local bias favoring Alphas over Betas. Kasha’s parents might not even be willing to pay for proper treatment for their Beta daughters. So Gu Jinxi added, “If it’s still not enough, contact me anytime.”

Once the tearfully grateful girls left, Gu Jinxi stood at the top of the steps, unmoving, pretending not to notice the cautious gaze lingering on her from behind.

“Jinxi?” Chi Yuejing gave a soft cough as a reminder.

Gu Jinxi continued pretending not to hear. Only when the Kasha sisters had gone did she finally process the earlier chaos—how worried and panicked she’d felt—and all because of this idiot colonel beside her.

Letting a little kid make the call instead of explaining things herself… Didn’t she know how anxious that would make someone?

Gu Jinxi picked up the car keys and made a move to leave. “It’s getting late… I have to get back to the mine.”

Chi Yuejing didn’t say anything. She just stepped forward and casually blocked the gate. She stood in front of her, eyes clear and bright like black glass, reflecting a silent, burning light.

Gu Jinxi’s heart fluttered under her gaze. She looked away, voice as steady as she could manage. “Why are you stopping me?”

“You’re angry,” Chi Yuejing said, reaching for the gate latch and locking it. “I can’t just let you leave while you’re still mad at me.”

That kind of honest logic left Gu Jinxi momentarily speechless.

The noon sun bathed the quiet neighborhood in heat. The wind rustled the plants in the yard, their leaves brushing gently against each other like whispers across her chest. She lowered her head, avoiding Chi Yuejing’s overly bright eyes, and mumbled awkwardly, “What if… I’m mad because it’s you?”

This time, it was Chi Yuejing who went quiet for a moment.

“I made your favorite—cherry pudding,” she said after a pause. “And… since you’re mad at me, I’ll step aside now. Just go and eat it on your own. Be sure to drizzle on the jam first. You cut your hand last time trying to open the jar—so be careful this time, go slow.”

Gu Jinxi felt her anger dissolve on the spot. She bit her lip. “…You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

Saying she’d walk away and then creating a situation where she’s the only one who can help—wasn’t that just emotional blackmail over a jar of jam?

Watching her fluttering eyelashes, Chi Yuejing’s hand, which had been at her side, moved unconsciously. She slowly leaned forward, reaching out to gently take Gu Jinxi’s hand as a peace offering.

Gu Jinxi still kept her head turned stubbornly, sulking. But just as Chi Yuejing’s fingers were about to touch her wrist, she suddenly turned and marched toward the kitchen without looking back.

“Don’t follow me,” she huffed, “I still haven’t forgiven you.”

Chi Yuejing’s hand froze midair. She watched her “angry” wife walk away like she was running, and slowly, her lips curved upward into a pleased smile.

“….”

After finishing the pudding, Gu Jinxi walked out the front door with her head held high. Maybe it was due to the stress of what had happened earlier, but even after returning to her office, she still felt restless and overheated. At first, she thought it might be heatstroke—until a familiar soreness spread from the back of her neck, making her heart skip a beat.

Her heat cycle had arrived.

Years of suppressants had made her cycle irregular—sometimes she could go half a year without symptoms—but when it did hit, the dizziness and discomfort were intense. She had sensed it might be nearing back on the capital star, but with the Autumn Banquet and all the recent chaos, she’d completely ignored her body’s signals.

The growing ache and tension were wearing her down. She quickly opened a drawer and took out a small medical kit, pulling out a mini pheromone-suppressing patch. She stuck it to the back of her neck and let out a quiet breath.

She pushed through the discomfort to work through the afternoon. As night fell, she organized her files to bring them home—figuring it’d be more comfortable to finish up there. Most of the workers at the mine were Alphas. For someone in heat, being surrounded by all kinds of mixed pheromones only made the restlessness worse.

More importantly, she hadn’t even opened the box of suppressants she brought—it was still packed in her luggage at home.

She drove home at full speed and parked in front of the gate, but didn’t get out right away. Instead, she let down her hair to cover the suppressant patch on her neck, checked herself in the mirror to make sure it was concealed, then got out of the car looking composed.

The kitchen lights were on, and the sweet aroma of coconut chicken soup drifted out. Chi Yuejing stood at the stove, busy with something. When she heard the footsteps, she turned around with a hopeful smile. “You’re home?”

Noticing Gu Jinxi’s serious expression, she paused for a moment, then said, “I made your favorite—coconut chicken. The soup’s ready. Want to try it first?”

Gu Jinxi gave a noncommittal “mm.” For some reason, just seeing her made her heart thump uncontrollably. Her nape ached again, like something was trying to burst forth. She quickly turned away, pretending to still be annoyed. “I’m not hungry. It’s too hot. I’m going to take a shower. Don’t wait for me to eat.”

She thought she’d hidden it flawlessly, but Chi Yuejing’s eyes darkened slightly as she quietly observed her retreating figure.

Then, Chi Yuejing reached out and turned off the stove.

“….”

Gu Jinxi all but fled to the second floor. She took a quick cold shower to wash off the sweat, then, without drying her hair, rushed into the walk-in closet to find that life-saving box of suppressants. But the luggage was packed too full, and no matter where she searched, she couldn’t find the familiar little white box. Sweat beaded on her forehead in panic.

Where could it be?

The heat in the air grew more intense. The faint citrusy sweetness of neroli began to leak from her skin, mixing with the shower steam and quickly evaporating, spreading fast in the air.

And then, suddenly—a new scent.

It didn’t belong to her, but it was warm, gentle, and deeply familiar.

Like a drowning person grabbing hold of a long-lost lifeline, she reached out instinctively, without a second thought, and threw herself in the direction of the comforting scent.

She landed in a warm embrace, enveloped by the soft fragrance of white iris. At the same time, a familiar voice whispered by her ear:

“You’re hugging me like this… Does that mean you’re not mad at me anymore?”