Dressed as the Scumbag Alpha Mom of the Tragic Female Lead (ABO, GL) - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

After hearing the discussion, Liang Que stormed out to express his displeasure. Zhuang Qi, Zhao Zi, and Chen Yue didn’t pay him much mind, preparing to continue strategizing. Gu Lingjun and Jiang Chuxie left together.

“Thank you.”

As soon as they left the office, Jiang Chuxie hurriedly thanked Gu Lingjun, who pressed her index finger to her lips, signaling silence.

“I should be thanking you, Senior.”

Jiang Chuxie realized she’d been too eager, a faint blush spreading across her face.

Though not as dazzling as last night, perhaps because Gu Lingjun had seen her at her most vulnerable, she found that even with glasses and plain attire, she could fully imagine Jiang Chuxie’s beauty.

Since last night, the image of a drenched, helpless Jiang Chuxie crying in her arms had lingered in her mind.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Gu Lingjun covered her mouth, coughing lightly, instantly throwing Jiang Chuxie into a flurry of concern.

“Are you okay? Is it a cold? Have you taken medicine?”

Gu Lingjun shook her head. “I overslept, my roommates were out, and there’s no medicine in the dorm…”

“So you haven’t eaten or taken medicine yet?”

“I ate some bread before coming…”

“Bread’s not enough!”

Jiang Chuxie hadn’t expected Gu Lingjun to be so bad at taking care of herself.

“You should’ve said something earlier. We wasted so much time with them!”

Gu Lingjun didn’t respond, just smiled at her.

Realizing she’d overreacted, Jiang Chuxie cleared her throat awkwardly. This wasn’t even her business—why was she so worked up?

“Let’s get food now and buy some medicine.”

But she couldn’t help it!

The thought of Gu Lingjun, sick and hungry, dealing with Liang Que and lying to help her made Jiang Chuxie’s bl00d pressure spike.

Gu Lingjun nodded. “I’m heading to my off-campus apartment. I don’t want to spread my cold to my roommates.”

So considerate.

“Will your driver pick you up?”

“Uncle Wu’s busy these days. It’s fine—I’ll take a taxi.”

How was that fine?

Sick, unfed, and with that pale face—she could faint any moment!

Jiang Chuxie hesitated only briefly. “I’ll take you.”

“That’s too much trouble…”

“Consider it thanks for helping me just now.”

Jiang Chuxie’s expression was resolute. Gu Lingjun smiled, no longer refusing. “Thank you, Senior.”

Compared to before, Jiang Chuxie’s attitude today was infinitely softer. Gu Lingjun knew why—yesterday’s events had truly broken through her defenses.

The seemingly proud, aloof Alpha was actually upright and pure. Gu Lingjun didn’t want anyone else to discover this devastating contrast.

Helping Jiang Chuxie today was objectively beneficial, but subjectively driven by selfish motives.

She wasn’t incurious about why Jiang Chuxie carried suppressants, where they came from, or why she was so adept at handling an Omega’s heat.

But their relationship wasn’t close enough for such questions. She needed to deepen their bond—or rather, make Jiang Chuxie owe her more.

Her illness, desire to help Jiang Chuxie, and avoiding infecting roommates were all genuine.

She’d only… told a small lie about Uncle Wu and used a little tactic. Helping Jiang Chuxie spontaneously in a tough moment felt different from a planned assist.

She was aware she was exploiting Jiang Chuxie’s kindness, but since her goal wasn’t to harm her, it was forgivable, right?

The apartment Gu Lian bought for his daughter was close to campus, a ten-minute taxi ride. Located in a bustling area with ample amenities, it was well-equipped. Learning Gu Lingjun had no medicine or food at home, Jiang Chuxie detoured to a nearby pharmacy and supermarket.

“You could’ve waited at the café.” Jiang Chuxie looked helplessly at Gu Lingjun, who insisted on coming. “Don’t faint while walking.”

“I won’t. It’s just a scratchy throat and a little dizziness.”

Those were textbook cold symptoms!

Jiang Chuxie opened a newly bought mask and handed it to her. “Put this on. Let’s finish quickly.”

“Mm.”

Jiang Chuxie swiftly bought meat, eggs, vegetables, and bread. Gu Lingjun mentioned her parents cooked at home last time, so Jiang Chuxie assumed there were seasonings and rice.

“Let’s head back.”

She’d planned to drop Gu Lingjun at the building entrance, but realizing she couldn’t carry the heavy bags, Jiang Chuxie decided to take her to her door.

Gu Lingjun eyed the two big bags with curiosity and excitement, her flushed cheeks either from joy or illness.

“This is my first time buying groceries.”

A true rich girl—she’d never even shopped for food.

“Get your nanny to make porridge. Eat, then take medicine.”

Gu Lingjun let out an “ah,” as if remembering something. “Auntie’s also busy and won’t be around…”

What a coincidence—everyone’s busy now? She and Gu Lingjun really attracted trouble!

Gu Lingjun looked apologetic. “Sorry, Senior, I forgot. I wasted your kindness. Maybe I should buy ready-made food… I-I can’t cook.”

As if that needed saying!

Jiang Chuxie sighed, resigned. “Outside food’s greasy… Let’s go back. I’ll cook for you today.”

Gu Lingjun’s eyes lit up. “You can cook?”

If she couldn’t, she’d have starved long ago.

“Just basic stuff. Don’t get your hopes up.”

Gu Lingjun, as if not hearing, beamed. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

“…”

This slightly airheaded side was adorable too.

The gentle, empathetic Gu Lingjun was captivating, but as the Gu family’s pampered daughter, her naive ignorance of hardship sparked affection.

Smart as she was, Gu Lingjun was still a sheltered eighteen-year-old. This side of her was only natural—how else could the original Jiang Chuxie have fooled her so thoroughly?

Gu Lingjun’s apartment was upscale, with an elevator and a concierge at the entrance. The concierge gave Jiang Chuxie an odd look as she entered with Gu Lingjun.

Gu Lian had bought the top floor, a two-bedroom unit nearly 300 square meters. Jiang Chuxie had never seen such a mansion in either life—and this was just for Gu Lingjun’s studies.

The world of the rich—damn capitalists!

“Senior, the kitchen’s this way.”

Gu Lingjun led her to the kitchen to unload. Rarely used and diligently cleaned, it gleamed.

The built-in double-door fridge was empty. Jiang Chuxie sorted the groceries, then surveyed the kitchen’s layout, noting where things were kept.

“I need to find the rice.”

“I don’t know where it is. Feel free to look, Senior.”

Gu Lingjun lingered at the door, showing no intent to leave. As Jiang Chuxie searched, she said, “Go sit. I’ll let you know what I find.”

“I just want to watch you cook…”

“It’ll take a while. I’ll get you milk and bread to tide you over, and you can take your medicine.”

“Fine…”

Reluctantly, Gu Lingjun went to the living room.

She genuinely wanted to see Jiang Chuxie cook—partly because she had zero culinary experience, partly because a cooking Alpha was rare.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Sitting on the sofa, Gu Lingjun felt tired. After Zhao Zi’s call, she’d only eaten two pieces of bread before rushing out. She’d felt mildly unwell then, but after sitting in the council office, her condition worsened.

On the way back, she’d seemed lively, half from being with Jiang Chuxie, half from sheer willpower.

Now alone, sinking into the soft sofa, exhaustion overwhelmed her.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Her throat itched and stung, her body shivered, and her head spun, eyes barely staying open.

Should she take medicine?

At home, Auntie or her dad reminded her when to take it. With an empty stomach, was it safe?

Unconsciously, Gu Lingjun curled up on the sofa, regretting bringing Jiang Chuxie. Had she known her illness was this bad, she wouldn’t have given the nanny time off. No one wants their crush to see them at their worst.

Ah, she really liked Jiang Chuxie, didn’t she…

“How are you so bad at taking care of yourself?”

As Gu Lingjun drifted into dazed thoughts, a helpless voice accompanied a warm blanket draping over her.

“Cold?” Jiang Chuxie tucked the blanket around her, looking around. “Where’s the AC remote?”

“There’s a heater. The switch is at the room’s entrance…”

“Got it. Wait a sec.”

Jiang Chuxie hadn’t expected Gu Lingjun to be so obedient, sitting in the living room, shivering without grabbing a blanket or turning on the heat.

She flipped on the heater, then brought the warmed milk and toasted bread to Gu Lingjun.

“Eat something,” she said, handing her the milk. “It’s hot—be careful.”

“Mm.”

Gu Lingjun’s voice was thick with a nasal tone, her eyes red and teary, cheeks flushed—her cold had worsened.

She sipped the milk, wrapped in the blanket. To Jiang Chuxie, she looked like a hamster nibbling a nut.

Last night, Gu Lingjun had comforted her. Today, their roles reversed—caring for her felt like repaying a small debt, right?

“Are you feeling feverish?”

Gu Lingjun shook her head. “I don’t know…”

Alright, rich girl, she got it!

“Pardon me.” Jiang Chuxie brushed aside Gu Lingjun’s bangs, checking her forehead with the back of her hand. “Feels like a slight fever. Eat, take your medicine, and sleep well.”

The coolness of Jiang Chuxie’s hand felt soothing. “What about you?”

“I’ll leave after cooking. The porridge will stay warm, and the dishes will be in the fridge… You know how to use a microwave, right? Heat them for dinner. Take medicine again after, and if you’re still unwell tomorrow, ask for leave.”

Gu Lingjun’s red eyes gazed at her pitifully. “Then I won’t sleep…”

“Why not?”

“I want to know when you leave…”

Gu Lingjun’s girlish charm was overwhelming!

Though sick, Jiang Chuxie had been suppressing stray thoughts. But a frail, beautiful girl’s delicate sentiments hit her straight in the heart.

She’d told herself caring for Gu Lingjun was just repaying a favor, but her resolve wavered repeatedly.

What could she do with such a request?

“Fine, you sleep. I’ll wait until you wake up to leave.”

The sick person comes first. Help thoroughly, see it through—she wasn’t pressed for time.

“Really?” Gu Lingjun’s dejection vanished, her face lighting up. “Won’t that trouble you too much?”

At this point, why talk about trouble?

“It’s Sunday, I’ve got nothing else. Consider it my thanks.”

“No, I should thank you, Senior.”

Gu Lingjun looked relieved. Jiang Chuxie, a bit uneasy, said, “Alright, finish eating and rest. I’ve still got kitchen work.”

Gu Lingjun nodded. Seeing her obedient demeanor, Jiang Chuxie’s heart raced. She hurried back to the kitchen.

From escorting Gu Lingjun home, to entering her apartment, to staying to cook—every step was her initiative. Though meant to repay a favor, an Alpha and Omega alone together… wasn’t that a bit risky?

She hadn’t thought of it before, but Gu Lingjun’s girlish charm made her hyper-aware of their Alpha-Omega dynamic.

Jiang Chuxie still saw herself as a girl. The contrast between her body’s reactions and her idea of girlhood fueled her guilt.

She’d never grasped the proper distance between Alphas and Omegas, leading to her initial PTSD-like wariness of Omegas and her failure, after letting her guard down, to realize that visiting an Omega’s home alone was a big deal—especially with Gu Lingjun’s reactions downplaying the implications.

“Gu Lingjun trusts me too much…”

It sounded odd coming from her, but Jiang Chuxie felt Gu Lingjun should be more cautious!

While prepping ingredients, she resolved to warn Gu Lingjun when she woke. Being so trusting could get her hurt, like the Gu Lingjun in the book.

Since she’d stay until Gu Lingjun woke, Jiang Chuxie didn’t rush the cooking. Besides porridge, she prepped other ingredients, so they’d take just ten minutes to finish later.

Returning to the living room, she found Gu Lingjun asleep on the sofa, not in her room. The room was warm, and the thick blanket kept her cozy. She looked peaceful, not uncomfortable.

“Really…”

Seeing a pillow under Gu Lingjun’s head, clearly fetched from her room, Jiang Chuxie couldn’t help but chuckle.

She’d seemed so refined, yet had this childish side.

The medicine on the coffee table was opened. Jiang Chuxie checked, confirming Gu Lingjun hadn’t taken the wrong one.

With Gu Lingjun sleeping there, Jiang Chuxie didn’t dare sit close, settling on a small sofa at the other end.

Reflecting on last night and today, Jiang Chuxie marveled at fate’s twists. Yesterday, she’d planned to cut ties with Gu Lingjun after the party. Today, she was cooking for her, watching her sleep.

If they were just friends… that should be fine, right?

“Chuxie, Chuxie?”

Jiang Chuxie was shaken awake from a doze, a familiar face faintly visible in her blurry vision.

“Ugh, thanks for waking me. How long was I out?”

She fumbled for her glasses on the table. The other person chuckled, placing them on her face. “Half an hour. Is that enough? I remember you pulled an all-nighter.”

“No, I got two hours.” Jiang Chuxie yawned, adjusting her glasses. “How much do you have left? Can I take some?”

They patted her head. “I’m fine here. Just finish your part.”

“Mine’s done. I’m on Lingling’s now.” Despite her glasses, her vision stayed blurry. She shook her head, trying to stand. “I’ll wash my face.”

“Chuxie, you okay?”

A worried voice came from above. Jiang Chuxie wanted to say she was fine, but her chest ached faintly.

“…I’m fine.”

“Don’t keep taking on others’ work. Your workload’s already heavy. You’ll break down like this.”

“It’s okay… Lingling’s mom is sick. It’s a special case. She’s not usually one to trouble others.”

“That’s not what I mean…”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll be careful—”

Jiang Chuxie struggled to stand, but before taking a step, the faint chest pain surged. Her blurry vision turned black, her body falling.

Down, down, into endless void, not ground.

The familiar voice lingered, sighing with concern.

“Thinking too much of others will cost you.”

“Senior, Senior…”

Jiang Chuxie jolted awake from the nightmare, her head colliding with Gu Lingjun’s as she leaned down.

“Ow—”

Caught off guard, Gu Lingjun clutched her forehead, speechless from pain. Jiang Chuxie fared no better, her ears ringing.

“Why were you…”

So close?

Gu Lingjun hissed, taking a moment to speak. “You seemed to be having a nightmare, so I wanted to wake you.”

The pain subsided. Jiang Chuxie exhaled. “You didn’t need to get that close… You okay?”

Luckily, it was their foreheads. A nose hit might’ve broken Gu Lingjun’s.

Gu Lingjun looked better but sounded hoarser.

“I’m fine.” Her forehead was red, stark against her pale skin. “Senior, your head’s really red.”

Jiang Chuxie found it amusing. “Same for you.”

“Sorry,” Gu Lingjun coughed lightly. “I was afraid you wouldn’t hear me from farther… What nightmare? I heard you mumbling about stocks and indexes.”

“Nothing…” The collision seemed to erase her memory. The dream felt vivid, yet she couldn’t recall details. She vaguely thought it was about her past life, but her memories of that time were fuzzy, save for grueling work hours. “I trade some stocks. The market’s been bad.”

“You trade stocks, Senior?”

“Just for fun.” Afraid of saying too much, Jiang Chuxie grabbed her glasses and changed the subject. “What time is it?”

“Five… You don’t have nearsightedness, right? You wear glasses to avoid attention?”

In this life, Jiang Chuxie wasn’t nearsighted. The glasses were mostly to hide her face. In her past life, she’d been a true glasses girl, over a thousand degrees, blind without them, so wearing them now felt natural.

“Various reasons… Hungry? I’ll cook now.”

“A little. Can I watch you cook now?”

Jiang Chuxie sighed. “You’re that energetic?”

Gu Lingjun smiled shyly. “I’m really curious.”

A rich girl’s fascination with common things—novel tropes weren’t all fake. Well, she was in a novel, so it made sense.

“Fine, but stay back.”

“I promise not to be a bother.”

Jiang Chuxie shook her head helplessly—not worried about bother, but Gu Lingjun getting hurt!

The kitchen was fully equipped. Jiang Chuxie quickly made steamed buns and transferred porridge from the rice cooker to a clay pot.

For illness, digestible foods like porridge or noodles were best. With no noodles but flour at Gu Lingjun’s, Jiang Chuxie made dough, filling, and wrappers, steaming them in twenty minutes.

While the buns steamed, she finished a minced meat and vegetable clay pot porridge.

Gu Lingjun had suspected Jiang Chuxie’s cooking claims were modest, given her personality—she wouldn’t offer if she wasn’t good. But seeing her skill, Gu Lingjun couldn’t hide her astonishment.

She’d thought… only chefs made buns.

“Time to eat. Wash your hands.”

Freshly steamed buns and soft porridge—Jiang Chuxie prepared a homely yet thoughtful dinner in under twenty minutes.

She carried the tray to the dining room, Gu Lingjun trailing closely, genuinely marveling, “Senior, you’re amazing.”

“It’s simple stuff.” Jiang Chuxie had her sit. “I’m heading out. Kitchen’s tidy. Take medicine half an hour after eating. Don’t sleep on the sofa tonight.”

“You’re not eating?”

“I’ll eat back home… It’s dark. I shouldn’t stay.”

Gu Lingjun inhaled, seeming to want to speak, but nodded, disappointed.

“Will your nanny be back tomorrow?”

Gu Lingjun paused, then quickly shook her head.

“If you’re still unwell, call me.”

Gu Lingjun’s dim eyes brightened. Seeing her joy, Jiang Chuxie’s faint unease vanished.

It was just repaying a favor, just friends.

After Jiang Chuxie left, the vast apartment held only Gu Lingjun. The soft porridge and steaming buns suited her tastes perfectly.

If Jiang Chuxie had stayed to eat, it’d have been even tastier, right?

Gu Lingjun felt a twinge of regret, but knowing Jiang Chuxie would return tomorrow made her discomfort and sadness trivial.

“Hey, Auntie.” Gu Lingjun sipped porridge, calling the nanny. “Yeah, I’m fine. Take a few more days… No cold, just hoarse from waking up…”

Let her enjoy Senior Jiang’s kindness a bit longer.