My Wife Is The Female Lead In A Scum Alpha Novel - Chapter 11

11

Outside, thunder rumbled incessantly as the servants of the Ruan household hurried to close the doors and gather their belongings.

Qin Ruofang and Ruan Maolin shut the windows and doors in their room, exchanging the information they each knew.

“I think she’s changed her ways. You’re overthinking it. Didn’t she refuse to confiscate anything? With her previous arrogance, she would have looked down on us for reeking of money. Why would she be so friendly now?” Qin Ruofang said to Ruan Maolin.

“Old habits die hard. I heard she’s been trying to curry favor with a common-born girl, often sending her gifts. She must be planning to take a concubine. The way she’s acting toward Ah Zhi now—if she’s not after money, why else would she be so attentive? Don’t underestimate alpha.” Ruan Maolin sighed.

“Ah Zhi said she wouldn’t take a concubine. This is just your speculation. I think things are fine as they are—let’s wait and see. Let’s not talk about this for now. Ah Zhi specifically emphasized one thing to me: we must not take on business from the south. She said bandits run rampant there, and it’s too dangerous. I think we should hold off on going to Jiangnan for now. The cloth shop’s business is still doing well.” Qin Ruofang said, shooting Ruan Maolin a glance.

“How well can business really be? You’ve never seen what large-scale commerce looks like. Jinyu wants to change his household registration, and the official is demanding twenty thousand taels! If our business were big enough, we wouldn’t even blink at such a sum. Jinyu could then attend the academy, take the imperial exams, and change his fate. Jinyu is already eleven—we don’t have much time left.” Ruan Maolin said gravely.

“That man is asking for an exorbitant price, it’s really… Why don’t we wait until Xuanming passes the imperial exams and secures an official position? Perhaps he could help Jinyu change his registration. His academy teacher said he’s certain to pass the provincial exams this year.” Qin Ruofang suggested.

“Wait for Xuanming? I’m afraid time won’t allow it. We need to prepare on both fronts.” Ruan Maolin frowned.

“Then you must be careful when you go out.” Qin Ruofang said.

“Mn, I’ll bring more guards.” Ruan Maolin nodded.

Outside, the rain poured fiercely, and within moments, the courtyard was flooded.

Nanny Qin instructed the servants of Xiuyi Garden to attend to their duties, ensuring no one disturbed the people inside the room for the time being.

Lian Rong stared at the tightly shut door, her face slightly flushed, her eyes filled with envy.

In broad daylight, with the door closed so tightly—how shameful.

The dim light of the rainy day made the unlit room even gloomier.

The damp scent of rain seeped in, mingling with the sweet fragrance of fruit and the rich aroma of tea in the air.

Under the quilt, Gu Qingci’s eyes were red, her forehead and the tip of her nose dotted with fine beads of sweat.

This time, biting the scent gland felt different from the last.

It was as if a stimulant had been added, making her lose control.

Gu Qingci pressed Ruan Zhi down, her fangs sinking deeper into the scent gland than before, with more force.

Time slipped away unnoticed. The thunder faded, the clouds dispersed, and the sun emerged.

With a muffled thud, Gu Qingci tumbled out from under the brocade quilt, landing on the steps below the bed.

The quilt was thrown aside as Ruan Zhi emerged.

Ruan Zhi’s neatly styled hair was now disheveled, her phoenix eyes rimmed with red. The front of her robe was crumpled from being pressed down, her chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath. One shoulder of her garment had been pulled open, revealing snow-white skin and the swollen, bleeding scent gland on her neck—red and bitten raw.

She looked thoroughly ravished.

Gu Qingci lay on the steps, and with just one glance upward, she felt like a predator spotting its prey, unable to resist the urge to pounce.

But when her eyes met Ruan Zhi’s icy gaze, a sliver of reason returned.

Ruan Zhi pulled her clothes back up and stretched out a fair foot, kicking Gu Qingci in the shoulder.

The kick wasn’t forceful, but the anger behind it was palpable.

Gu Qingci obediently rolled away.

“Madam, I’m sorry… You released so much pheromones, it was so sweet, I…” Gu Qingci stammered, looking at Ruan Zhi with a pitiful expression.

Thud! Before she could finish, a pillow flew at her, landing squarely on her body.

Gu Qingci didn’t dare say another word.

She felt a pang of regret.

Earlier, while pinning Ruan Zhi down, aside from being intoxicated by her pheromones, an inexplicable sense of possessiveness had surged through her mind. She’d wanted to leave a deeper mark on Ruan Zhi’s scent gland.

Her thoughts had crossed a line, and in the heat of the moment, she’d lost control of her strength.

She’d bitten too hard.

Ruan Zhi felt it even more painfully than the last time.

“Get out, tell Lian Rui to prepare water.” Ruan Zhi said, her voice slightly hoarse.

Gu Qingci scrambled to her feet and hurried out, straightening her clothes as she went.

Once Gu Qingci turned away, Ruan Zhi’s cold expression shifted slightly, her brows knitting together.

Even the slightest brush of fabric against her scent gland sent waves of pain radiating through her neck and shoulders.

Ruan Zhi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Such a dog. The second time was even worse than the first.

Moreover, Gu Qingci’s strength was overwhelming. She’d pressed Ruan Zhi down with her entire body, gripping her shoulders, chest, and waist with unyielding force while sinking her teeth mercilessly into the scent gland. It had made Ruan Zhi feel like prey caught in the jaws of a beast.

She pulled the quilt higher over herself.

Gradually, her emotions settled, her expression turning detached and cold.

She hadn’t expected the afflictions of her past life to follow her here.

When the thunder had sounded, it was as if she’d been plunged into the depths of hell, reliving all her worst experiences as if they were happening all over again.

But unlike her past life, this time, someone had held her the entire time.

Warmth had seeped into her, the sweet fragrance enveloping her, softening the darkness around her.

Having Gu Qingci temporarily mark her had been partly due to the stimulation of her scent gland, but also because she’d wanted that sweetness to suppress and overwrite the shadows clinging to her.

Only, the accompanying experience had been far from pleasant.

After sitting quietly for a while, Ruan Zhi heard Lian Rui announce her presence outside.

She got up and headed to the washroom.

Meanwhile, Gu Qingci waited outside, full of anxiety.

Nanny Qin brought her a plate of pastries and a bowl of almond paste, as if thinking she’d worked hard and needed replenishment.

Gu Qingci felt a little awkward but ate everything in silence.

After finishing, she found the sweetness cloying.

She wanted tea.

Gu Qingci patted her head, willing herself to calm down.

She was just a lowly employee.

A temporary mark was just part of the job.

She repeated this to herself over and over.

Before long, Lian Rui came out.

“My lord, Madam requests your presence inside.” Lian Rui said to Gu Qingci.

Adjusting her expression, Gu Qingci entered Ruan Zhi’s room.

The mingled pheromones still lingering in the air made her face heat up.

Ruan Zhi had just bathed, her long hair loose and neatly combed. She wore a new water-red silk robe and sat poised on one side of the canopy bed, her face like ice, her demeanor noble yet aloof.

Gu Qingci suddenly remembered how disheveled Ruan Zhi had looked earlier and felt her throat tighten.

“Today counts as one tael of silver.” Ruan Zhi said lightly, extending a slender hand.

Gu Qingci accepted the silver ingot, her expression shifting before her face flushed.

Was Ruan Zhi saying her skills were lacking? That today’s “service” was only worth one tael?

Last time, she’d gotten ten.

This was a steep pay cut.

“If you don’t improve, I might as well hire an alpha from a male brothel…” Ruan Zhi added.

“No!” Gu Qingci blurted out, her voice louder than intended.

“I mean—I’ll study, I’ll improve.” she quickly amended, softening her tone and looking at Ruan Zhi with innocent, pleading eyes.

Ruan Zhi averted her gaze.

“I need to rest for a while. You may do as you please. Later, I’ll have Lian Rui summon you. Several shopkeepers will be coming to review accounts, including those from the Gu family’s rice shop and cosmetics shop. I’ve called them all here.” Ruan Zhi said, drawing the bed curtains shut.

Gu Qingci acknowledged her words, watching as the curtains obscured Ruan Zhi’s figure before stepping out.

Outside, she sighed dejectedly.

Are there any… instructional books in this world?

How does one improve the experience for the person being marked?

If she didn’t up her “skills” soon and kept making Ruan Zhi uncomfortable, she might really follow through on her threat.

Gu Qingci didn’t want Ruan Zhi to find someone else.

So, she needed to figure out how to get better.

“My lord, why the sigh? Is something troubling you?” a voice asked. Gu Qingci turned to see Nanny Qin approaching with a stationery box, likely on her way to see Ruan Zhi.

Gu Qingci stepped closer.

“Nanny Qin, Madam is upset because I bit her too hard. Could you find some medicine to apply to her wound?” Gu Qingci asked.

“Thank you for your concern, my lord. This old servant will find medicine for Madam.” Nanny Qin replied with a smile.

Ah, the bond after marking truly makes one more considerate.

“Nanny Qin, do you know of any books I could study… to make Madam feel better?” Gu Qingci glanced around before whispering conspiratorially.

“…Has the lord not seen them? The Fire-Avoiding Illustrations.” Nanny Qin replied matter-of-factly, her age making her unflustered by such topics.

“Where can I find them?” Gu Qingci asked—she’d never heard of them.

“Wait a moment, my lord. I’ll fetch them for you.” Nanny Qin said.

“Wait—don’t let Madam know.” Gu Qingci added hastily as Nanny Qin moved toward Ruan Zhi’s room.

“This old servant understands.” Nanny Qin replied with a knowing smile.

Gu Qingci waited outside while Nanny Qin entered Ruan Zhi’s room with the stationery box. Soon after, she emerged with an exquisitely bound illustrated book.

Too embarrassed to meet Nanny Qin’s eyes, Gu Qingci muttered a quick thanks before tucking the book into her robes and fleeing.

Her own quarters, Mojin Pavilion, were the only safe place now.

Gu Qingci hurried back, shut the door, and began reading.

Her face burned as she flipped through the pages.

The delicate brushwork was quite realistic.

But the content was… advanced.

She’d just wanted tips on temporary marking, not a full Kama Sutra!

These illustrations didn’t even note the omega’s sensations—how was she supposed to know what worked? It would require experimentation.

But while biting a scent gland, also fondling…? Did she have a death wish?

After skimming for a while, Lian Rui’s voice sounded outside.

“My lord, Madam requests your presence in the Listening Bamboo Hall.” Lian Rui called.

“…” Gu Qingci set the book aside, rubbed her cheeks to compose herself, and stepped out.

On her way to the hall, she noticed workers constructing something—a stable for the chestnut horse from her father-in-law’s house.

Gu Qingci hadn’t ordered this; Ruan Zhi had arranged it.

Craftsmen were also building a carriage frame nearby.

Once done, they could travel by carriage instead of renting.

Gu Qingci checked on her horse, stroking its back, her mood lifting.

Now, her only worry was how to serve Ruan Zhi well.

Her boss took care of everything else.

If she could also get a dog, a cat, discover more delicious foods, enjoy operas and music, and travel occasionally, her lazy, retired life would be perfect.

Smiling at the thought, Gu Qingci arrived at the Listening Bamboo Hall.