My Wife Is The Female Lead In A Scum Alpha Novel - Chapter 22

22

This time, the gland truly didn’t have the previous stinging sensation.

Who knew where Gu Qingci had learned such unorthodox methods?

Yet Ruan Zhi was even more irritated than the last two times.

Her gland was nearly numb.

Her body felt weak and limp, devoid of strength.

When Gu Qingci marked her, it felt as though she was completely under her control.

Her pheromones engulfed her like tidal waves, nearly suffocating.

Gu Qingci was the only life-saving buoy.

Plum and mint wine—the sweet, fruity aroma was like a harmless yet delicious bait. Unconsciously, she had drunk too much, and the lingering effects were overwhelming.

Ruan Zhi felt somewhat dizzy.

Gu Qingci was still diligently finishing up on her gland.

She really was like a little dog.

“Enough.” Ruan Zhi said hoarsely.

Gu Qingci looked up, her throat bobbing slightly as she stared directly at Ruan Zhi.

Ruan Zhi’s gland was even darker in color than last time, exuding a decadent allure.

From the gland to her neck, a flush spread across her skin, even tinting her usually cool, detached face with a faint pink hue, softening her features. Her lips were more vibrant than usual, the lower one seemingly bitten, glistening with moisture, appearing fuller than before.

Like an ethereal, unapproachable fairy now tainted with mortal dust.

Gu Qingci swallowed hard, unable to help herself.

She recalled Wen Renyi’s words—kissing was one of the best ways to comfort an omega and soothe the restlessness of a rut, a mutual interaction, especially after marking.

She wondered what Ruan Zhi’s lips tasted like.

The moment this thought surfaced, Gu Qingci pinched herself.

Marking wasn’t enough—now she was even thinking about…

Stop, stop!

Though Gu Qingci still felt unsatisfied, her restlessness had been suppressed by Ruan Zhi’s pheromones.

Overall, this was the most comfortable she had felt since her rut began.

Ruan Zhi stared coldly at Gu Qingci.

The dissatisfaction in Gu Qingci’s eyes might as well have been written on her forehead.

“Madam, thank you.” Gu Qingci said softly.

She still remembered it was Ruan Zhi who had allowed her to approach.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t know how much worse she’d be suffering right now.

“There’s still work to do later. I didn’t want you to delay things.” Ruan Zhi’s voice was ice-cold.

Gu Qingci felt a little guilty—it seemed the anger from last time hadn’t dissipated, and now it had flared up again.

This time, Gu Qingci thought she had done well with the marking, strictly following Wen Renyi’s theories.

She claimed her theories were thoroughly researched.

They shouldn’t be wrong.

Yet, Ruan Zhi was still angry.

“Go prepare water. I need to freshen up.” Ruan Zhi added.

“Madam, after marking, you can’t wash up immediately. You need to wait a bit, let your body adjust to the foreign pheromones. At this time, the alpha and omega shouldn’t separate—it helps the pheromones adapt.” Gu Qingci said gently.

“Who told you that? Or did you conduct experiments?” Ruan Zhi frowned.

“No, no, I wouldn’t dare experiment. Wen Renyi told me. She said she’s studied this.” Gu Qingci quickly clarified.

“…” Ruan Zhi was speechless. She hadn’t expected Wen Renyi to research such things.

Thinking back, after Gu Qingci’s temporary mark last time, she had immediately sent her away. Once Gu Qingci left, she had indeed felt uncomfortable.

“Madam, I don’t know if what she said is accurate. Do you think this time was an improvement?” Gu Qingci tentatively asked.

If there was no improvement, Wen Renyi’s theories needed reevaluation. She’d have to give her feedback—this was too careless.

“…” Ruan Zhi looked at Gu Qingci, unsure how she could even ask such a question.

“Worth eleven taels of silver.” Ruan Zhi paused before giving her evaluation, handing Gu Qingci eleven taels of broken silver.

If she said it wasn’t as good as the last two times, she feared this overly earnest person would take it as praise for the previous attempts.

Gu Qingci’s eyes brightened.

“Madam, you’re so kind. I’ll keep working hard.” Gu Qingci accepted the silver with a smile.

Their pheromones were still slowly releasing.

The scents mingled in the air, permeating the freshly marked body, seeping into the bloodstream, the organs.

Gu Qingci’s gaze lingered on Ruan Zhi’s face, most often on her lips.

Ruan Zhi didn’t chase Gu Qingci away, but the latter remained propped up on her arms, hovering too close. Ruan Zhi could feel Gu Qingci’s dazzlingly bright eyes fixed on her face, making her increasingly uncomfortable.

“Move to the side!” Ruan Zhi pushed Gu Qingci, signaling her to sit properly.

Her tone was still cold.

Gu Qingci quickly got up and shifted to sit beside Ruan Zhi. She glanced at her, then immediately averted her gaze, lowering her eyes.

Ruan Zhi had a beauty that disregarded all consequences.

Stunning at first glance.

Even more breathtaking the second time.

The longer one looked, the more captivating she became.

Having a boss who ticked every box on her aesthetic checklist was a painful kind of happiness.

She had to remember—the boss and that person were the true pair.

She was just a temporary tool for companionship in the early stages.

Her role was purely to accompany.

No extra thoughts allowed.

Gu Qingci kept reminding herself.

No room for a lovestruck brain. Life required sacrifices.

For the sake of her dream slacker life, she couldn’t let her thoughts cross boundaries.

No improper thoughts about the boss!

Ruan Zhi leaned against the soft pillow, half-closing her eyes. Gu Qingci was in her line of sight, her long hair obscuring her face, only the lowered lashes and the tip of her nose visible.

The silent figure somehow gave off a pitiful, aggrieved vibe.

Had her tone been too harsh earlier?

Ruan Zhi’s fingers twitched, resisting the urge to reach out and pat that lowered head.

With Gu Qingci nearby, she did feel somewhat better.

The stormy seas soon calmed.

Her sleep-deprived head felt as though it had been meticulously massaged.

“Prepare the water.” Ruan Zhi said after a while.

Gu Qingci snapped out of her thoughts and looked up, quickly responding before scrambling up to fetch water for Ruan Zhi.

She returned with water and a clean towel, deftly wiping Ruan Zhi down.

After resting a bit longer, Ruan Zhi sat up.

Gu Qingci obediently waited for orders.

Ruan Zhi called Lian Rui to redo her hair and change her clothes.

Gu Qingci’s hair was also redone by Lian Rui, and she changed into fresh clothes.

The scent in the room had dissipated. On the surface, they each carried only their own pheromones.

Only the bl00d beneath their skin knew—their pheromones had already intertwined.

Once they were ready, Ruan Zhi prepared to leave again.

The captured Xue Linlang still hadn’t been fully interrogated.

Ruan Zhi had a feeling—that incident was somehow connected to Xue Linlang.

That kind of incense wasn’t common.

It couldn’t be a coincidence to encounter the exact same scent.

“Madam, where are you going? I’ll come with you.” Gu Qingci followed Ruan Zhi.

Ruan Zhi didn’t stop her. That matter was originally related to “Gu Qingci” Ruan Zhi suspected that “Gu Qingci” might know something—perhaps even be an accomplice. But asking the current Gu Qingci would yield nothing.

They boarded the carriage together.

The carriage had been refitted with new cushions, the scents long gone.

Gu Qingci stayed quiet, eyes downcast.

They arrived at a private residence, where the carriage stopped. Ruan Zhi and Gu Qingci alighted and entered, while Lian Rui and the coachman remained outside.

This was Xia Lingyan’s property.

After capturing Xue Linlang, Xia Lingyan had brought him here and sent word to Ruan Zhi.

Hearing the commotion outside, Xia Lingyan came out to greet them.

Seeing Gu Qingci tagging along, her expression darkened uncontrollably.

Gu Qingci instinctively moved closer to Ruan Zhi, glaring back at Xia Lingyan.

Xia Lingyan choked on her anger.

“Where is he?” Ruan Zhi asked.

“Inside, blindfolded. No need to worry about being recognized. He frequents gambling dens and owes debts. I captured him under the guise of debt collectors. Gave him a beating—he should be compliant now. Ask whatever you need. Change your voice slightly. If it’s troublesome, I’ll handle it.” Xia Lingyan ignored Gu Qingci, quickly reporting in a low voice.

She seemed well-practiced in such matters.

Xia Lingyan had previously investigated Gu Qingci, leading her to Xue Linlang, so she knew a bit about him.

Guessing Ruan Zhi wanted to extract information, she had first intimidated him, grinding down his resistance to ensure honesty during interrogation.

Xia Lingyan glanced meaningfully at Gu Qingci—once Xue Linlang spilled the truth, let’s see how she’d try to wriggle out of it.

“Mm. You question him first. Frame it as extorting money—dig deep.” Ruan Zhi paused before adding.

She suspected Xue Linlang might have accomplices.

Xue Linlang was a gambling addict, his family poor—otherwise, he wouldn’t have married Xue Linhuan off to Gu Qingci as a concubine.

If he was truly involved in that incident, he must have had help.

Without knowing who the other party was, Ruan Zhi didn’t want to alert them prematurely.

Xia Lingyan was the expert here—let her handle the interrogation. If she failed, they’d find another way.

Xia Lingyan was energized, leading them into the inner room.

Xue Linlang was tied to a chair inside, blindfolded, trembling. A suspicious puddle stained the floor, the stench unbearable.

Ruan Zhi and Gu Qingci kept their distance. Gu Qingci waved her sleeve disdainfully, fanning away the foul odor for Ruan Zhi.

“Please, let me go! I’ll get you the money—I swear!” Xue Linlang begged upon hearing footsteps.

“Hmph, what money? From Gu Qingci? Would she give you any?” Xia Lingyan glanced at Gu Qingci, deepening her voice.

Gu Qingci shot Xia Lingyan an annoyed look—this interrogation was clearly targeting her.

But she had nothing to hide.

She’d already confessed everything to Ruan Zhi.

“She—she will! She’ll give it!” Xue Linlang insisted, sounding oddly confident.

“Who are you fooling? Don’t think I don’t know—you pawned Gu Qingci’s hairpin, used the money not to repay debts but to redeem previously pawned jewelry, then gave it all back to her. You really think she’ll give you more?” Xia Lingyan pressed.

Gu Qingci’s eyes widened at Xue Linlang—so he was the one who’d picked it up!

She’d thought she’d gotten the better end of the deal, but he’d used the money from pawning her hairpin!

“She definitely will. She marked my sister—she won’t refuse.” Xue Linlang said.

“How do you know she marked her? Did you see it?” Xia Lingyan pressed further.

“She ran off, but she took my sister with her. There’s no way she resisted marking her… the room was scented with… with aphrodisiac incense! They must be having fun somewhere right now! Once I find her, I’ll get your money.” Xue Linlang said.

“Where’d you get aphrodisiac incense? That’s banned.” Xia Lingyan shot Gu Qingci another look.

If it were true, Gu Qingci was undoubtedly guilty.

“…Someone gave it to me. I’m not lying. Let me go—I’ll find Gu Qingci right now!” Xue Linlang pleaded.

“Who gave it to you? Got proof? Tell me everything if you want to walk out. Or do you think I’m stupid? You expect me to believe you just because you say so?” Xia Lingyan demanded.

“This…” Xue Linlang hesitated.

“You want to die?” Xia Lingyan grabbed a whip from the table and lashed him.

“Ah—! I’ll talk! It was… it was the old woman from Miss Guo’s household. She said it would work on Gu Qingci. Last time… last time, she got lucky—locked in a room with aphrodisiac incense with Lady Ruan. If she hadn’t barged in first, gotten dazed by the incense, and been caught, she wouldn’t have been lucky enough to marry Lady Ruan. Otherwise, why would I need to go through the trouble of making my sister her concubine just for money…?” Xue Linlang cried out, stumbling through his words, his tone growing resentful.

The revelation stunned all three listeners.

Gu Qingci had just uncovered a hidden event not mentioned in the original plot.

The original Gu Qingci had stolen Xue Linlang’s opportunity!

They were all cut from the same cloth—no matter who Ruan Zhi ended up with, it would’ve been tragic.

The thought of Ruan Zhi being touched by this vile creature, even just looked at, filled Gu Qingci with rage.

“Lady Ruan was supposed to be mine—the Ruan family’s money too…” Xue Linlang continued.

Before he could finish, Gu Qingci—who had been standing meekly beside Ruan Zhi—lunged forward and kicked him square in the chest. The bound man toppled over with a pained cry.

:The puppy has shown its fangs—cross its wife and face its wrath ≥﹏≤