After the Divorce, My Ex-Wife Suddenly Became an Alpha - Chapter 43
Chapter 43: Deep In Debt
The return journey was still heavily congested, but the driver didn’t seem the least bit impatient. On the contrary, she kept a small smile on her lips, occasionally turning her head to glance at the person in the passenger seat.
Gu Jin Xiao’s face burned under her gaze, flushed red and hot, and she nearly buried her head into her chest. It wasn’t until she got into the car that she realized—what exactly had she just agreed to? The thought made her incredibly nervous, and for a moment, she even wished the drive home could last a little longer.
What Chi Yue Jing asked… surely meant that, right?
But they’d never actually done it before. She, herself, wasn’t even mentally prepared. Wouldn’t it be too rushed to go through with it just like that? The more she thought about it, the faster her heart pounded, her mind turning into a complete mess.
Thankfully, they soon merged onto the main road, and Chi Yue Jing temporarily refocused her attention on driving, finally ceasing the intense glances.
Gu Jin Xiao seized the opportunity, subtly shifting toward the window. She tapped her wrist terminal, switched to privacy screen mode, and opened a hidden file from her personal collection, skimming it at lightning speed.
She quickly realized that the contents were… a little lacking. That folder had been mysteriously circulated among her college roommates under the guise of “study materials,” but back then, Gu Jin Xiao had only been focused on a very different kind of “studying,” and so she’d saved just a single copy without paying it much mind.
The files mostly centered on “How to Please a Sweet, Soft Omega.”
…But Chi Yue Jing wasn’t an Omega anymore.
She closed the page in silence and logged into the starweb again, this time searching: “Winning Tactics for AA Couples.”
She hadn’t known what to expect, but after passing the age verification check, the sheer volume of information hit her like a tidal wave. The homepage alone featured quite bold photos. Just one glance had Gu Jin Xiao blushing hard.
She clicked on a post marked “Highly Recommended,” a tutorial by a female Alpha detailing all the essential preparations for a couple’s “first happy time.”
Gu Jin Xiao read carefully and with great effort. Just as she was concentrating, her right hand—resting on the seat—suddenly warmed. Chi Yue Jing had reached over at some point, gently holding her hand.
“What are you looking at?” she asked casually. “I called you and you didn’t even hear.”
Gu Jin Xiao instantly dimmed her screen another 50%, and awkwardly replied, “Just… something totally unimportant.”
After that little interlude, she didn’t dare open the post again. The car drove smoothly back into the central district. The full moon had climbed high into the sky, casting a gentle silver glow down the long street, like a layer of shimmering frost.
At their doorstep, Chi Yue Jing unlocked the gate and gestured for Gu Jin Xiao to enter first.
Gu Jin Xiao’s heart was pounding. Earlier outside, the nervousness hadn’t been that noticeable, but stepping into the enclosed space of the house made her hyper-aware of every little thing. Even her breathing felt unnaturally loud.
She stood at the entrance in a daze for a few seconds before blurting, “…Are you thirsty? Maybe I’ll get some water…”
But her hand was immediately caught by another.
Chi Yue Jing stood beside her, eyes focused as she looked at her, and after a moment, she said, “I’ll get it for you.”
Gu Jin Xiao couldn’t bear that intense gaze. So she quickly turned around, grasping for an excuse: “Then… I’ll go take a shower.”
The moment she said it, she regretted it. Why mention a shower out of nowhere? It made it sound like she was in a hurry to do something with her.
But the words were already out, so she could only grit her teeth and keep heading upstairs, trying to explain in a flat tone, “It was really hot earlier. I sweated a lot.”
A soft laugh came from behind.
Chi Yue Jing looked at her for a moment, then said, “Mm, take your time.”
“No rush.”
Her voice held a soft, teasing warmth that made Gu Jin Xiao’s ears tickle like they were being brushed by feathers. She couldn’t face her anymore—practically running into the bathroom.
Once the hot water was ready and she’d eased herself into the tub, she finally had time to revisit the post she hadn’t finished. The guide “How to Make Your Alpha Enjoy the Night” had her cheeks turning bright red, but she forced herself to study each key point with a thirst for knowledge.
The article stressed that “excellent physical stamina is crucial.” Come to think of it… Chi Yue Jing’s stamina seemed even better than hers?
She shook her head hard. This wasn’t some athletic contest. She might not be as strong, but she was still elite-tier among Alphas. When it came to this kind of thing… it should be fine, right?
After distractedly finishing the post, she quickly showered, untied her neatly done hair from earlier in the day, and let it fall softly over her shoulders. Afraid she’d taken too long, she didn’t bother tying it back and walked straight out of the bathroom.
Only a small lamp was lit in the bedroom, casting a warm, yellow glow.
She immediately saw Chi Yue Jing sitting on the sofa. She’d clearly washed up too and was quietly organizing something in her hands. When she heard the door open, she slowly looked up.
The light reflected in her clear peach blossom eyes, casting soft sparkles, her gaze warm.
Gu Jin Xiao’s heart started pounding all over again.
Her footsteps halted. She stood frozen in the doorway—unable to move forward or backward. All the information she’d just absorbed came rushing into her head like hot steam.
It was ridiculous. She was an Alpha too, so why did Chi Yue Jing make her this nervous? Wouldn’t this awkward performance make the other girl think she was totally inexperienced?
But Chi Yue Jing didn’t seem to mind. She stood and gently took Gu Jin Xiao’s hand.
“Come sit over there,” she said softly. “I’ll put some ointment on for you.”
Only then did Gu Jin Xiao notice that Chi Yue Jing was holding a cotton swab and iodine in her other hand. She’d been rummaging through the medicine box—to tend to the blisters on her feet.
This realization helped Gu Jin Xiao relax a bit. She quietly followed her over to the bed, where Chi Yue Jing naturally sat across from her and gently lifted her foot onto her lap.
Sensing Gu Jin Xiao trying to pull away, she firmly held her ankle in place. “Don’t spill iodine on the bed.”
The enclosed foot began to feel hot.
Gu Jin Xiao sat stiffly, not daring to move. The room was so quiet you could hear the sound of plastic packaging being torn open—sharp and distinct. A moment later, a cool touch landed on her heel as the cotton swab glided across her skin, ticklish.
She instinctively curled her toes, but then realized her foot was still firmly held in place, which made her breathing quicken. She glanced toward Chi Yue Jing, who was focused solely on applying the medicine.
From this angle, Chi Yue Jing’s eyelashes looked long and lush, like delicate little fans hiding her clear eyes.
Moved by impulse, Gu Jin Xiao reached out and lightly brushed a fingertip across her lashes.
Chi Yue Jing’s hand paused.
“Did I hurt you?” Gu Jin Xiao quickly pulled her hand back. Still, she couldn’t help murmuring, “Your eyelashes are so long… they look really pretty.”
A line from the article suddenly flashed in her mind—“Appropriate compliments can ease tension between partners.”
But why did it feel like the tension had increased instead?
“Thank you,” Chi Yue Jing finally said in a low voice. She set the medical supplies back on the nightstand, then reached for Gu Jin Xiao’s hand, pressing it to her cheek.
“If you like it, you can touch again.”
Gu Jin Xiao hadn’t expected her to be so bold, but before she could react, her hand was already cupping the other girl’s face. Their gazes met—those beautiful peach blossom eyes, the elegant nose, and then slowly… those soft, tempting lips.
Her heart beat faster and faster. Her fingertips felt like they were on fire, trembling slightly.
Did she really want to… touch her?
“Don’t want to anymore?” Chi Yue Jing’s voice was close, magnetic. “Then… can I touch you instead?”
The implication in that sentence was way too strong.
Gu Jin Xiao felt like all her bl00d had rushed to her head. She stared blankly at the girl in front of her and asked, foolishly, “Touch where?”
The hand around her wrist tightened slightly.
“Jin Xiao… that question,” Chi Yue Jing said softly, her tone gentle yet teasing, “makes me feel like you’re tempting me.”
Then her arm slipped around Gu Jin Xiao’s waist.
Compared to Gu Jin Xiao’s tentative and awkward movements, Chi Yue Jing’s intent was crystal clear.
“Mm…”
Their breathing began to quicken. Gu Jin Xiao felt like every vein in her body was boiling. Her skin was burning. In the end, she buried her head against Chi Yue Jing’s chest, gasping for air. Everything that was happening clearly didn’t match any of the guides she’d read.
Before she could even sort out what went wrong, Chi Yue Jing lifted her face again, her gaze sharp and blazing.
“I want to kiss you,” she whispered.
Gu Jin Xiao felt like jelly. She still had a bit of rationality left. She pressed against Chi Yue Jing’s shoulder and said, with difficulty, “Wait… Chi Yue Jing, this isn’t right…”
She didn’t get to finish.
Her wrists were gently pinned, her back pressed into the soft bedding that enveloped her like clouds.
“I wasn’t asking for your permission,” Chi Yue Jing said, caressing her flushed cheek. She smiled.
“I was just telling you a wish.”
—
The night light glowed like a tiny moon, casting a soft circle of light in the room. Scattered across the floor were a lacy nightdress, some underwear, and a pillow that had fallen at some point. Gu Jin Xiao stared at the ceiling, her eyes gleaming like starlight.
She really shouldn’t have bought so many of those lucky lanterns at the festival.
If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t be in this terribly awkward situation now. Heaven only knew what kind of wild wishes Chi Yue Jing had made. Every single thing she said was so outrageous, it left her flushed and nearly in tears.
“Chi Yue Jing…” she whimpered softly, her fingers clutching the girl’s arm, pleading, “Can you please stop making wishes…? I’m really tired…”
Her voice trailed off into incoherent murmurs. She kept repeating her name, her lashes fluttering shut.
Surrounded by the blooming scent of white iris, it filled her breath and wrapped around her soul, layer by layer, deepening steadily until everything was consumed by it.
She didn’t even remember when she’d fallen asleep. Her mind was a blur, her body completely boneless.
When she finally opened her eyes, the room was hazy with soft light—and Chi Yue Jing was gazing down at her, not moving an inch.
“What time is it?” she mumbled into the pillow, feeling sore and weak all over.
Chi Yue Jing gently tucked the blanket around her. “Still early. Go back to sleep.”
But being watched like this, how could Gu Jin Xiao fall asleep again? She buried herself deeper into the pillow, mumbling, “Why are you staring at me?”
Did this woman not get tired at all?
Chi Yue Jing blinked. She didn’t tell her that she had already been watching her for nearly an hour. That her sleeping face was too adorable—hair messy on the pillow, collar slightly askew, revealing the faint marks on her collarbone.
She’d been watching her silently, heart full and completely unable to sleep.
“Jin Xiao,” she finally said gently, “there’s one thing I should remind you.”
A sleepy murmur replied, “What is it?”
“Nothing,” Chi Yue Jing smiled, brushing her hair softly.
“I just wanted to let you know… you still owe me twenty-six more wishes.”