Dressed as the Scumbag Alpha Mom of the Tragic Female Lead (ABO, GL) - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

At 5:30 p.m. in November, the sky was already quite dark, with only the dim yellow campus streetlights casting a faint glow.

Jiang Chuxie stood under a streetlight in front of the Omega dorm, as if enveloped in a halo. The moment Gu Lingjun saw her, it felt like time had stopped.

Her tall, elegant figure, refined and beautiful face, and especially her mesmerizing eyes gave Gu Lingjun a strange sense of familiarity, as if from another lifetime.

This familiarity didn’t come from the Jiang Chuxie she’d known for less than two months, but from some vague, shadowy image in her mind… or perhaps her subconscious.

Rationally, it was just a physiological phenomenon called déjà vu. But for some reason, Gu Lingjun felt a twinge of unease.

“Lingjun, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re starstruck?”

As she was lost in thought, Zhao Zi, who had been quiet beside her, waved a hand in front of her face.

Gu Lingjun snapped back to reality, looking at Zhao Zi’s grinning face. After a moment, she said softly, “I… didn’t recognize her for a second.”

Zhao Zi nodded empathetically, leaning in to whisper, “Same here. It took me a while to realize the other one was Jiang Chuxie. I always thought she must be good-looking, but I didn’t expect her to look that stunning all dressed up. Zhuang Qi really went all out.”

Gu Lingjun gave a faint smile. “I should thank Senior Zhuang and apologize to her.”

“No big deal, she won’t mind.” Zhao Zi grabbed Gu Lingjun’s arm, pulling her toward the two. “Right now, the important thing is to get to your dance partner. Look at how many people are eyeing her.”

After chatting with Zhao Zi, Gu Lingjun’s strange feeling had completely vanished. But then, Jiang Chuxie’s gaze met hers, and she couldn’t think about anything else.

Jiang Chuxie’s eyes were somewhere between phoenix and fox-like, a shape that usually gave off a sharp, intimidating vibe. Yet, for some reason, when Gu Lingjun met her calm, composed gaze, she felt at ease.

It wasn’t warm or gentle, even carrying a hint of coldness and distance. But somehow, that very gaze swept away all her earlier unease.

This was the Jiang Chuxie she should be familiar with, the one she’d just gotten to know over the past two months.

“Not bad, neither of you is late.”

Zhao Zi, pulling Gu Lingjun along, greeted them casually, treating Jiang Chuxie like an old friend.

“How could we be late? Making two beautiful people wait would be a crime.”

Unlike Jiang Chuxie, who was indifferent to the surrounding stares, Zhuang Qi clearly relished them. She even raised her voice a bit, as if afraid her dramatic lines wouldn’t be overheard.

Zhao Zi let out a soft “tch,” rolling her eyes. “Tone it down. I’ve known you long enough not to fall for that.”

“Don’t be like that, give me some face.”

“Some face? If I hadn’t agreed to be your partner, who’d you have asked?”

“There’s no shortage of Omegas who’d want to be my partner.”

“True, but I wonder if they could handle being picked by you.”

The two were clearly old friends, bickering within moments. Meanwhile, Jiang Chuxie and Gu Lingjun—one reserved and silent, the other calmly… pretending to be calm—looked nothing like dance partners.

Zhao Zi, ever the social pro, took Gu Lingjun’s hand and placed it in front of Jiang Chuxie. “What are you staring at? Hurry up and take your partner. If she gets lost, don’t blame me.”

Gu Lingjun’s face flushed slightly, her expression shy, eyes lowered as if she didn’t dare look at Jiang Chuxie.

No one could tell that Jiang Chuxie, outwardly cool and composed, was already internally crashing.

How much time had passed from the moment she saw Gu Lingjun to when she walked up to her?

Jiang Chuxie couldn’t tell.

It felt like an eternity, yet also just a fleeting moment. All she knew was her mind was blank, unable to form coherent words, her palms faintly sweaty.

Looking at the fair, delicate hand Zhao Zi placed before her, Jiang Chuxie discreetly wiped her own damp palm. Perhaps because of this brief hesitation, Gu Lingjun’s hand trembled slightly, as if about to pull back.

Jiang Chuxie’s brain short-circuited, and by the time she realized it, she’d already grabbed Gu Lingjun’s hand.

“Senior Jiang…”

Gu Lingjun’s hand was soft and smooth, its mere touch enough to melt hearts. Jiang Chuxie suspected her heart rate was over 150—how else could she hear her heartbeat in her ears?

Thankfully, six years of faking it had honed her ability to stay composed on the surface.

She placed Gu Lingjun’s hand on her arm, saying solemnly, “Let’s go.”

“Mm.”

Gu Lingjun let herself be led softly, while Zhao Zi boldly linked arms with Zhuang Qi, laughing. “Zhuang Showoff, if you could tone it down like Jiang Chuxie, I wouldn’t roast you every day.”

Zhuang Qi’s face darkened. “You’re only happy if you’re roasting me, huh? How am I showy?”

“Not showy? You’re always putting on a performance. Addicted to being the campus idol, aren’t you? I agreed to be your partner, not your shield. If I get any hate, you’re the one I’m coming for.”

Zhuang Qi sighed helplessly. “Who’d dare hate on you, Miss Zhao? Fine, I owe you this time. Name it—dinner, gifts, I’m in.”

“That’s more like it.”

The two friends laughed and chatted, while Jiang Chuxie and Gu Lingjun stayed shy or… pretending to be calm. Gu Lingjun, holding Jiang Chuxie’s arm, walked quietly alongside the other two.

Zhuang Qi and Jiang Chuxie were already eye-catching enough, but with Zhao Zi and Gu Lingjun—two department beauties—added, they drew countless stares along the way.

“Senior,” perhaps feeling the silence was awkward, Gu Lingjun spoke softly. “Your look today really suits you. You look great.”

Jiang Chuxie was already a mess inside, her bl00d rushing to her head. This sudden compliment turned her ears predictably red.

Luckily, her long hair hid it.

“You… look great today too.”

She hesitated but finally said the sincere words. After all… Gu Lingjun didn’t see her as a romantic prospect. Her shyness was just her personality, so there was no need to overthink. If so, genuinely complimenting a friend wasn’t a big deal.

Besides, Gu Lingjun really… looked stunning today.

Her usual bare-faced beauty was already striking, but today’s light makeup highlighted her delicate, refined features. With her intricate princess braid, elegant lavender gown, and white lace shawl, she could pass for a princess.

The moment Jiang Chuxie saw her, her mind buzzed with descriptions, but when she held Gu Lingjun’s hand, those chaotic thoughts miraculously vanished.

What she could confirm was that her feelings now were utterly real, without a trace of exaggeration. Even without those flowery compliments nagging her, she could still feel Gu Lingjun’s beauty.

The scent of orchids slowly took over her senses, her heartbeat steadied, yet her chest felt gradually filled with something.

“Thank you.”

Gu Lingjun lowered her face, looking demure and delicate, her soft voice stirring an instinctive urge to protect.

Jiang Chuxie didn’t dare look directly at her, but her peripheral vision kept stealing glances.

“I’m the one who should thank you for accepting my invitation, or I’d have had to come to the welcome party alone.”

Jiang Chuxie pressed her lips together, wanting to speak but holding back. She really wanted to ask why Gu Lingjun insisted on inviting her, but the question felt strange. It was as if she was fishing for an answer, making her feel guilty.

“Just this once.”

Gu Lingjun smiled gently. “Even if it’s just this once, I’m very grateful. Actually, after that incident, my parents wanted me to drop out and go home…”

Jiang Chuxie’s heart skipped a beat, blurting out, “You’re dropping out? Wasn’t everything resolved?”

Gu Lingjun raised her eyes slightly, her smile turning playful. “Senior, you really can’t ignore someone in trouble, can you?”

Jiang Chuxie caught a hint of mischief in her gaze, quickly looking away, embarrassed. “I-I was just asking…”

Gu Lingjun smiled, knowingly changing the subject. “If it were the old me, I probably would’ve listened to my parents and dropped out.”

Her understanding eased Jiang Chuxie’s awkwardness, allowing her to mumble a response.

“So you’re not dropping out now?”

“No, I’m not. I chose this university and this major myself. It’s my goal, and I don’t want to give it up because of someone else’s mistake.”

The seemingly delicate, gentle girl now looked so strong and resolute, her radiance so captivating that Jiang Chuxie couldn’t look away.

“I’m… really glad to hear you say that.”

The words came from the heart. Jiang Chuxie even started imagining that if Gu Lingjun could change her submissive nature, she’d never repeat the original tragedy, no matter who she faced in the future.

“I’m glad I could think that, say that, and make that decision so firmly. And I think it’s all because of you, Senior. You helped me that day, guided me, and gave me courage.”

“I guided you?”

The help was undeniable, but Jiang Chuxie didn’t recall any guiding. Her attitude had been cold, to say the least.

“Of course. You said no matter why I met Zhao Gang, it wasn’t an excuse for his crime or my fault. I didn’t need to explain myself to you or anyone. You said you helped me because you couldn’t stand a crime happening in front of you, for your own sake, not mine, so I didn’t need to thank you… Those words helped me.”

Jiang Chuxie’s face heated up—she vaguely remembered saying that. But then she’d taken the five million, basically slapping her own face.

“…I already accepted your mom’s thanks.”

Gu Lingjun’s eyes sparkled, her smile bright. “Whether you needed it is one thing; whether we gave it is another. Just like you helping me, this payment was less about thanking you and more about us wanting peace of mind. So you accepting it really helped us a lot.”

God, Jiang Chuxie nearly died of shame, wishing she could hand Gu Lingjun a book on emotional intelligence.

No wonder she was Gu Lian’s daughter—soft-natured, but flawless in social grace.

“Helping you today evens us out.”

Faced with Jiang Chuxie’s stubbornness, Gu Lingjun just nodded lightly. “I understand.”

Jiang Chuxie accepting the money did put Gu Lingjun at ease. Some people obsess over debts owed to them, but others dwell on favors they owe.

Jiang Chuxie was clearly the latter. If she owed Jiang Chuxie, they might never cross paths again. But if Jiang Chuxie felt indebted to her, she’d likely feel uneasy forever.

That was why she’d asked Gu Lian to increase the payment and why she was 70-80% sure Jiang Chuxie would accept her invitation.

Gu Lingjun made no excuses for her calculated approach to getting closer to Jiang Chuxie.