After the Scumbag Alpha Heard her Inner Thoughts (GL) - Chapter 30

Xu Chengke instinctively replied, thinking that Su Wanqing must have told Chu Muqing already.
But after he spoke, he noticed Chu Muqing didn’t pick up the conversation at all.

This morning, when he left, Chu Muqing had seemed to be in a good mood—
Completely different from now.
It suddenly struck him: What if Madam had secretly booked her ticket and hadn’t told either of them?

His eyes darted nervously between Chu Muqing and the phone that had just gone dark.
At that moment, he finally understood.

“Madam does have to go back,” Xu Chengke said hurriedly, trying to smooth things over.
“Lanqing still has a lot of work waiting.”

He definitely didn’t want to be caught between the storm after Su Wanqing left.

“I said she couldn’t go back?” Chu Muqing shot him a glare.

Xu Chengke immediately shut his mouth, awkwardly cleaning up the table, then quickly tidied the trash around the room and grabbed it all to take outside.

He wasn’t usually this diligent.
But today, right now, he just wanted to escape this minefield as quickly as possible.

Carrying two bags of trash to the door, he happened to bump into Su Wanqing returning from the hotel.

At a glance, she probably hadn’t realized yet that Chu Muqing knew about her flight tomorrow.
As they brushed past each other, Xu Chengke quickly whispered:
“Madam, Boss knows you’re flying back tomorrow. You might want to… calm her down.”

Su Wanqing had been about to casually greet him but froze instantly when she heard that.

How? How did she find out?!

Then she remembered—
She had rushed back to the hotel to pack, leaving her phone behind in the hospital room.
It was probably Ji Yu, that hot-headed girl, bombarding her again.

She hadn’t intended to leave without saying goodbye—
She just hadn’t figured out how to bring it up yet.
Xu Chengke had told her that once things here stabilized, Chu Muqing would return to Beicheng too.
Now, with her surgery recovery delaying everything, the timeline was uncertain.

It wasn’t like a life-and-death farewell.
Su Wanqing hadn’t wanted to make a big deal out of it, so she kept it to herself.

Entering the hospital room, she found Chu Muqing sitting upright in bed, working on her laptop.
The bed tray was cleverly designed to hold the computer perfectly.
She alternated between staring at the screen and tapping the keyboard, completely immersed—
That familiar cold, mechanical work-mode had returned.

Su Wanqing walked over and asked softly,
“My phone’s here, right?”

“Yeah,” Chu Muqing said, retrieving it from beside the computer and handing it to her.
“Have you eaten?”

Su Wanqing shook her head.

She hadn’t brought any local currency, so the past few days, Xu Chengke had been ordering all her meals.
Today, she had planned to stroll outside, maybe find a place to eat on her own—
But without her phone, she had to turn back and pack her things at the hotel instead.

“Not yet,” she admitted.

“I’ll go with you.”

Without hesitation, Chu Muqing closed her laptop and packed up the tray table, getting out of bed in one smooth, practiced motion.

“Alright,” Su Wanqing agreed.

It seemed like Chu Muqing didn’t react much to her leaving tomorrow.
The little speech Su Wanqing had been frantically preparing earlier suddenly felt unnecessary.

With her stomach grumbling from hunger, she pushed her thoughts aside.
One thing at a time. First, food.

Chu Muqing threw on a jacket and walked ahead, while Su Wanqing obediently followed behind.

In a foreign place like this, it was nice not having to worry about directions with Chu Muqing leading the way.

Night had fallen completely.
The city lights here were even more dazzling than Beicheng’s—
Under the glow of street lamps and neon signs, it was as bright as daytime.

Chu Muqing was quiet, speaking little.
They turned down two corners before stopping in front of a small izakaya.
Su Wanqing didn’t even catch the name.

The interior was filled with lush plants, giving off a tropical rainforest vibe.
She glanced around curiously while Chu Muqing exchanged a few words with the manager.
Soon, a server came over and led them upstairs.

Su Wanqing didn’t ask what they were eating.
She simply sat down beside Chu Muqing, watching as she stood to pour her a glass of water.

“There’s not much Chinese food around here—mostly Western.
This place is closer to Chinese style,” Chu Muqing explained.

Su Wanqing looked up at her, a little surprised.

She had been struggling with the food here ever since she arrived.
Aside from the first day, when she was starving, she had barely eaten much.

Even that, Chu Muqing had noticed.

“What time’s your flight tomorrow?” Chu Muqing asked.

“Nine o’clock,” Su Wanqing answered.

“Have Xu Chengke take you.”

“Actually… I meant to tell you the day I booked the flight,”
Su Wanqing said softly,
“but you had your follow-up appointment that day and were busy all day. After that, I just never found the right moment.”

“Mm,” Chu Muqing replied, the sound flat and unreadable.

Su Wanqing couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
Chu Muqing was always hard to figure out—
At least, just looking at her face revealed nothing.

But somehow, Chu Muqing could easily see through others, as if she had years of experience commanding people from a higher position.

The private room fell into a strange, heavy silence.
The air itself seemed thinner, but Chu Muqing didn’t seem bothered.
She sat there calmly, occasionally refilling her own glass of water.

Luckily, the awkwardness didn’t last long.
The server soon arrived with their food.
Chu Muqing leaned back in her chair, glancing down at her phone as the dishes were laid out.

Just like she said, the food really was more Chinese-style.
If Su Wanqing had to describe it, it felt like a mix between street-style oden or spicy mixed skewers from Beicheng.

At least it wasn’t burgers, fries, or steak.

Seeing the spread, Su Wanqing’s eyes lit up.
She didn’t even care that she was sitting across from someone whose mood was impossible to guess—
She ripped open her chopsticks and dug in enthusiastically.

【So good! Life feels complete.】
【If I stayed here any longer, I’d probably turn into a hamburger myself.】
【Now I understand why my brother said, you might not learn much overseas, but your cooking skills will skyrocket.】
【It’s seriously delicious.】
【Even the drinks are amazing.】

Chu Muqing, who had been glancing at her phone, found her attention slowly drifting away from the screen—
And settling on Su Wanqing’s face.

These past few days, Su Wanqing had tried hard to hide her emotions.
Even though the doctors had reassured them repeatedly that there was no major issue, that it was just a matter of gland recovery,
Su Wanqing still worried constantly.
Chu Muqing wasn’t made of stone—
She could see it all.

Even though her face stayed mostly blank, the slight lift at the corners of her eyes, the soft murmuring in her heart—
Everything about Su Wanqing was radiating pure, innocent happiness.

Worried about keeping Chu Muqing waiting too long, Su Wanqing ate quickly.
Chu Muqing glanced at her and teased,
“Is someone trying to steal your food?”

With a fish ball in her mouth, Su Wanqing glanced back at her and said,
“I was afraid you needed to rest.”

“I’m not that fragile,” Chu Muqing said lightly.

Hearing that, Su Wanqing relaxed, taking her time finishing the last few bites.
Thankfully, it was just the two of them in the room—
Otherwise, given her speed and appetite, she might’ve been mistaken for a refugee.

After dinner, Chu Muqing paid the bill and led her outside.

The streets were even livelier than when they had first come out.
As they passed a small plaza, they saw a crowd gathered, with the sound of a piano drifting through the air.

This country had a lot of street performers, and their skills weren’t bad at all.
Su Wanqing didn’t know much about music, but the melody was smooth, flowing, and easy on the ears.

Noticing Su Wanqing slowing down, Chu Muqing glanced over.
She was standing still, listening intently.

“Do you like it?” Chu Muqing asked.

“It’s nice,” Su Wanqing replied honestly.

Without warning, Chu Muqing reached out and took her hand, weaving through the crowd.
The people were friendly, making way for them until they stood right near the front.

The performer was a young man with loosely curled golden hair.
His profile was striking—classic Western features,
and his bright blue eyes occasionally flicked toward the crowd, gleaming like marbles in a shop window.

Suddenly, Chu Muqing walked over and whispered something to him.
The performer beamed warmly, immediately standing up and gesturing for her to take the seat.

Su Wanqing’s eyes widened in shock.

She watched as Chu Muqing sat down at the piano, her back straight and poised.
After testing a few notes, she placed both hands on the keys—
and began to play.

It was a slow, soothing piece.
Su Wanqing hardly paid attention to the melody itself—all she could see was Chu Muqing.

Her hands lifted and pressed the keys with practiced grace.
Su Wanqing had always thought of Chu Muqing as cold, ruthless—someone who could be heartless when necessary.
She never imagined she could play the piano.
And so beautifully, too.

Not wanting to monopolize the piano too long, Chu Muqing kept the piece short, playing for about a minute before finishing gracefully.

The surrounding crowd burst into applause.
Chu Muqing gave a slight bow to thank them before walking straight back to Su Wanqing, taking her hand and leading her away.

Even after they had walked quite a distance, there were still people in the crowd whispering about them.

Curious, Su Wanqing asked,
“What did you say to her just now?”

“You really want to know?”

“Yeah.”

“I told her…”
Chu Muqing paused for effect,
“I just had a fight with my girlfriend and needed to play her favorite song to get forgiven.”

Su Wanqing’s face immediately flushed red.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

But Chu Muqing had clearly expected this reaction.
Her tightly pressed lips curved into a faint, smug smile.

They quickly made their way back to the hospital.
The familiar scent of disinfectant filled the air as they walked hand-in-hand into the ward.

After the teasing earlier, Su Wanqing’s palm had grown sweaty.
The stickiness was starting to feel uncomfortable.

She slipped into the bathroom to wash her hands, and when she came out, she saw Chu Muqing locking the hospital room door—something she usually didn’t bother doing.

“Aren’t the doctors supposed to make their rounds later?”

“They’re not coming tonight,” Chu Muqing replied calmly.

Before Su Wanqing could react, Chu Muqing grabbed her wrist and pulled her down onto the bed, looming over her.

They were so close—
She could hear Chu Muqing’s steady breathing brushing against her skin.

The surgery was over.
Chu Muqing no longer needed temporary marking to survive her heat cycles.
Her pheromones were stable now.

Su Wanqing had no idea what Chu Muqing was planning.

Chu Muqing held her wrist firmly with one hand and gently tilted her chin up with the other.
“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” she murmured.

The moment the words fell, Chu Muqing kissed her.

Cool, soft lips pressed against hers—
The kiss carried a force that refused any room for retreat.

At first, Su Wanqing was stunned, her mind going completely blank, allowing Chu Muqing to do whatever she pleased.

When she finally snapped out of it, she tried to struggle—
But Chu Muqing’s grip on her wrist was too strong, leaving her no chance to escape.

The person in front of her was someone she liked.
Realizing this, Su Wanqing stopped resisting and shyly responded to the kiss.

Feeling her response, Chu Muqing froze for a moment—
Then released her wrist, letting her hand slip under the hem of Su Wanqing’s clothes.

Her fingers brushed against soft skin, causing Su Wanqing to whimper slightly and squirm uncomfortably.

Wait—
Wasn’t this moving a little too fast?

Sensing her resistance, Chu Muqing whispered against her ear,
“Don’t move. I’m not going to do anything.”

Su Wanqing stayed still.

Chu Muqing wrapped her arms around her, resting her chin against Su Wanqing’s shoulder, nuzzling lightly near her gland.

The teasing touch sent tingles through Su Wanqing’s entire body, a shivering sensation that spread from behind her ear to every limb.

Even worse than being marked.

“Don’t stay so close,” Su Wanqing mumbled softly, her voice trembling.

Chu Muqing didn’t answer.

The two of them stayed like that, quietly embracing, lost in their own world.

After a long moment, Chu Muqing’s voice sounded low and close against her ear— “Wait for me back home.”

It felt like a promise.

Su Wanqing’s heart skipped a beat.
Did that mean what she thought it meant?

She waited, hoping Chu Muqing would say more—
But the breathing behind her gradually evened out.

Turning carefully, Su Wanqing faced her—
Sure enough, Chu Muqing had fallen asleep.

They had been together for a long time today.
Chu Muqing had been forcing herself to stay awake just to spend more time with her.

If she counted the flight time, by the time Su Wanqing boarded her plane, Chu Muqing might still be asleep.

Curled up in her arms, Su Wanqing stayed there quietly.

Earlier, during that intense kiss, they had both released a small amount of pheromones— The atami flower and rose scents intertwined, blending into the still night air until deep into the night.