My Wife Is The Female Lead In A Scum Alpha Novel - Chapter 4

04

Gu Qingci had developed a habit during her years in the apocalypse—no matter how dire the circumstances, she could fall asleep instantly when it was time to rest, and her sleep quality was excellent. Consequently, she required very little sleep.

By mao hour, around five or six in the morning, Gu Qingci woke up, rubbing her eyes, feeling refreshed.

Thinking back to the events of the previous day, she assessed her current situation and found herself in a rather good mood.

Compared to being chased by disgusting zombies every day, this was practically paradise. As long as she could win over Ruan Zhi and become her trusted subordinate, life here would be perfect.

Gu Qingci got out of bed, full of energy.

The rest of the household at Mojin Pavilion were still asleep.

Ignoring the others, Gu Qingci began her morning workout.

Out of sheer survival instinct, she had another habit—no matter how bad things got, she always made time to exercise and strengthen her body.

If her body was weak and she couldn’t run fast, how could she survive in the apocalypse?

Mojin Pavilion was too small for proper stretching, so Gu Qingci did some aerobic exercises and stretching in her bedroom, followed by over a dozen sets of anaerobic movements.

This body looked identical to the one she had in the apocalypse, but it was too thin and frail. Her physical condition wasn’t great, so she needed to train more.

By the time she had worked up a sweat and her stomach was growling with hunger, the rest of the household finally began stirring.

Gu Qingci requested hot water to wash up, then went to the wardrobe and picked out a red robe. She studied it for a while before putting it on.

Admittedly, despite the Gu family’s poverty, they still maintained appearances. The fabric of the robes was quite good—light and airy, giving off an elegant, flowing vibe when worn.

As she stepped out of her room, she ran into the maid, Dongxue.

Dongxue blushed slightly when she saw Gu Qingci.

Gu Qingci hadn’t asked for help dressing, and she had chosen a red robe—one she rarely wore. With her slender waist cinched and her posture straight, she looked taller than usual, exuding energy and vitality. She was much more attractive this way.

“Dongxue, perfect timing. Help me with my hair.” Gu Qingci said when she saw her.

If she had to do it herself, she’d only manage a simple ponytail. But here, there were no elastic hair ties—only ribbons without stretch. She had tried tying her hair, but it ended up loose and messy, so she had no choice but to ask for help.

Dongxue curtsied and followed Gu Qingci into the room to help her with her hair.

Gu Qingci asked for something simple.

Dongxue was skilled at hairstyling and quickly finished.

Half of Gu Qingci’s hair was left loose, while the other half was pulled up and secured with a hairpin, with a red ribbon trailing down. It was neat, refreshing, and gave off an air of both elegance and vigor.

Gu Qingci was quite satisfied.

“My lord, the Madam has requested that you join her for breakfast at Jifu Garden after washing up.” Dongxue informed her once the hairstyle was done.

Gu Qingci was starving, so she headed to Jifu Garden with Dongxue.

The gambling-addicted father of the original Gu Qingci was already dead. Now, aside from Gu Qingci herself, the only other master of the household was her mother, Xue Sanniang, an omega.

Though referred to as “Madam” Xue Sanniang was only in her thirties—still quite young.

Gu Qingci didn’t have much affection for this mother, but since they were connected by bl00d, she felt a slight sense of responsibility toward her.

As soon as Gu Qingci entered Jifu Garden, she heard Xue Sanniang’s voice. Her previously straight posture nearly faltered, and she almost tripped over nothing.

“As a wife, you must understand propriety. Did your family not teach you anything? Stand there and serve the dishes—show some awareness. If you knew how to serve properly, my A Ci wouldn’t have…”

Xue Sanniang’s words were full of disdain.

Xue Sanniang was the daughter of a minor official’s concubine. Her life before marriage had been difficult, and even after marrying Gu Qingci’s father, she hadn’t enjoyed many good days. Now that she was a mother-in-law, she had taken to acting like a domineering matriarch.

Gu Qingci didn’t dare listen to another word. If Xue Sanniang kept talking, she might just expedite their deaths—and the tiny sense of responsibility she felt would vanish entirely. She quickened her pace.

Jifu Garden was slightly larger than Mojin Pavilion, but not by much. It was nothing compared to Xiuyi Garden.

As Gu Qingci strode forward, she deliberately coughed loudly.

In the dining hall, Ruan Zhi stood beside a woman in her thirties, her eyes lowered, appearing docile and virtuous. But when she glanced up at Gu Qingci, there was a faint, mocking smile in her gaze.

Gu Qingci broke out in a cold sweat. It felt like countless embroidery needles were flying toward her.

This is deadly.

Useless teammates were worse than no teammates at all.

Ruan Zhi’s knees had still been swollen the night before. Making her stand now must have been agonizing.

And then there was the verbal abuse on top of it.

Was Xue Sanniang trying to get them all killed?

Gu Qingci had probably already died eight hundred times in Ruan Zhi’s mind.

“A Ci, you’re here! Why are you coughing? Did you catch a chill last night? Poor child, marrying such an inconsiderate wife is truly…” Xue Sanniang began, but before she could finish, Gu Qingci strode forward and swept Ruan Zhi into her arms, carrying her bridal-style.

Xue Sanniang: “???”

Ruan Zhi: “???”

“Mother, please eat first. I need to speak with my wife in private at Xiuyi Garden.”

Gu Qingci couldn’t care less about maintaining her persona at this point. She tossed out those words and swiftly carried Ruan Zhi away.

Preserving my image is less important than preserving my life.

Ruan Zhi couldn’t be allowed to hear another word from Xue Sanniang.

Xue Sanniang watched her daughter’s actions, her expression shifting.

“What kind of behavior is this?! So indecent!”

She set down her chopsticks, her face flushed—whether from anger or embarrassment was unclear.

What kind of alpha carries an omega in broad daylight—and then ran off with her?!

As if there was something urgent they needed to do.

“The lord has been acting strange since yesterday. Could that merchant’s daughter have given her some kind of bewitching drug? I heard the lord personally carried water to her room—twice!” whispered stewardess Zhang, standing beside Xue Sanniang. Her voice was low, but her tone was exaggerated, and she even held up two fingers for emphasis.

“A Ci never liked her, but how could any alpha resist the seduction of an omega? When you have time, go see young lady huan. She’s been stringing A Ci along without giving her any real benefits. Just think of how much silver A Ci has already given her! If she had married in earlier, she’d probably be pregnant by now. Then that low-born woman wouldn’t have gotten close, and my A Ci wouldn’t have had to suffer.” Xue Sanniang grumbled.

The concept of social hierarchy was deeply ingrained in her. In her eyes, her daughter was far superior.

“I’ll go today. Yesterday, the lord told me to summon a servant broker. Young lady huan mentioned she needed a maid. The lord clearly has young lady huan in her heart—young lady huan knows that too. Otherwise, why would she agree to be a concubine?” Stewardess Zhang said quickly.

“Then what are you waiting for? Go!” Xue Sanniang waved her hand dismissively, and stewardess Zhang hurried off.

While Xue Sanniang waited for Gu Qingci to return, Gu Qingci had already carried Ruan Zhi all the way to Xiuyi Garden.

Gu Qingci’s current body was quite strong. Though Ruan Zhi had a voluptuous upper body, the rest of her was slender, making her light to carry.

Gu Qingci inadvertently glanced down at Ruan Zhi in her arms. The soft gauze fabric of Ruan Zhi’s robes draped elegantly, accentuating her curves.

Her chest is so full.

Her waist is so slim.

Damn it, why does Ruan Zhi’s body have such perfect proportions?!

“Madam, forgive my impropriety. Your knees are injured—you shouldn’t be standing. I’ll set you down once we reach your room.” Gu Qingci said, not daring to look any longer. She adjusted her breathing as she spoke.

Her voice was still soft and gentle, but her actions were anything but.

Ruan Zhi could feel the arms supporting her back and legs—slender yet strong.

The physical superiority of an alpha is innate.

And this one hadn’t even reached full maturity yet.

Ruan Zhi said nothing, her expression unchanging as she half-closed her eyes.

Gu Qingci had worked up a slight sweat, and her pheromones became more noticeable.

Being held so close, Ruan Zhi could smell them clearly.

A sweet-and-sour fruity scent, lighter than the day before, but enough to make Ruan Zhi’s tense body relax slightly.

Her head, which had been aching from only an hour of sleep, also seemed to ease.

Gu Qingci carried Ruan Zhi into the bedroom at Xiuyi Garden and carefully set her down on the bed, pausing to catch her breath afterward.

Ruan Zhi leaned against the soft pillows. As the scent around her faded, a hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes.

“Madam, how are your knees? Did you apply cold compresses or medicinal wine last night?” Gu Qingci asked with concern.

These aren’t just Ruan Zhi’s knees—they’re my knees too!

If something happened to these knees, could hers remain intact?

Ruan Zhi snapped out of her thoughts and saw the genuine concern in Gu Qingci’s eyes. She averted her gaze.

She had naturally taken care of her own knees.

The maid on night duty had applied medicine for her.

By morning, the pain had mostly subsided, which was why she had gone when Xue Sanniang summoned her.

Xue Sanniang loved playing the overbearing mother-in-law and had tormented Ruan Zhi more than once.

Ruan Zhi had wanted to see if Xue Sanniang was acting any differently.

And perhaps make her suffer a little in return.

But Xue Sanniang hadn’t changed at all—her words were just as vile as ever, her attitude unchanged.

She didn’t seem to have coordinated with Gu Qingci.

Before Ruan Zhi could take action, Gu Qingci had arrived.

And then, without any regard for propriety, she had picked Ruan Zhi up and run off.

Was she afraid I’d hurt Xue Sanniang?

How touching—such deep mother-daughter love.

“My knees still hurt, of course. What do you intend to do about it?” Ruan Zhi asked lazily.

“If they still hurt, you should rest. Stay here—I’ll fetch medicine and ice.” Gu Qingci hurried off.

She quickly returned with the requested items and began treating Ruan Zhi’s knees, applying medicine and cold compresses.

The bruises were still there, stark against Ruan Zhi’s pale skin—a silent accusation of the original Gu Qingci’s cruelty.

Ruan Zhi watched as Gu Qingci worked with the same attentiveness as the day before, as if the knees were her own.

If an alpha wants to, they can be this meticulous.

Most just don’t bother.

“Madam, your legs are injured and need time to heal. You shouldn’t stand for long periods. From now on, if my mother summons you, ignore her. In this household, you are the one in charge. You don’t have to listen to anyone. I’ll speak to my mother and make sure she doesn’t call you for morning greetings again.” After finishing, Gu Qingci reassured Ruan Zhi.

To be a model employee, one had to anticipate the boss’s needs and act accordingly.

Cutting off contact between Xue Sanniang and Ruan Zhi was the most effective solution.

Ruan Zhi turned her head to look at Gu Qingci.

Today, this person’s attire was different from her usual style. Her posture was straighter, and the red robes complemented her complexion, making her look lively. She seemed well-rested, with a smile on her face—radiating warmth.

Vibrant. Sincere.

The thought flickered through Ruan Zhi’s mind for only a second before her eyes cooled again.

How filial.

Shielding Xue Sanniang so thoroughly.

“Fine.” Ruan Zhi replied indifferently.

“Madam, rest here for now. I’ll take my leave. If you haven’t eaten breakfast yet, have the maids bring it to your room so you don’t have to move around.” Gu Qingci said.

Ruan Zhi nodded, not bothering to keep her.

As soon as Gu Qingci left, Ruan Zhi gestured for Lian Rui to approach and whispered a few instructions. Lian Rui promptly left.

Gu Qingci, now starving, left Xiuyi Garden with her stomach growling.

She had gone to Xue Sanniang’s place not just to eat but also to warn her against provoking Ruan Zhi again.

Just thinking about it gave her a headache.

She hated overthinking things.

Xue Sanniang, Stewardess Zhang, and the others were nothing but deadweight.

Worse, they were the ones who knew the original Gu Qingci best. If they realized she was an imposter and raised a fuss, branding her a monster, it would be a disaster.

If possible, Gu Qingci wanted to pack them all up and send them away.

Stewardess Zhang would be easy to deal with, but what about Xue Sanniang?

She was still the original Gu Qingci’s birth mother.

Lost in thought, Gu Qingci soon arrived at the dining hall where Xue Sanniang was eating. She greeted her.

“A Ci, what was that earlier? How could a proper wife be so shameless, letting her alpha carry her in broad daylight…” Xue Sanniang’s opening words made Gu Qingci’s temple throb.

A skewed perspective distorts everything.

Hoping Xue Sanniang would behave and stop provoking Ruan Zhi seemed impossible.

“Mother, I had a dream last night. I saw Father. He said… I’m going to die soon.” Gu Qingci cut her off.

“What?!” Xue Sanniang gasped.

“Mother, let me finish. Father told me in the dream that the only way to avoid death is for you and me to stay far apart—otherwise, we’ll bring misfortune upon each other, even bloodshed. We must be at least fifty li away. I… I really don’t want to be separated from you, but I don’t want to die either. Mother, what should we do?” Gu Qingci’s voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes glistening with tears. This time, she was giving it her all as an actress.

Since this was a feudal society, superstition was likely rampant.

Surely Xue Sanniang had at least some maternal love for her daughter, right?

Gu Qingci sniffled, discreetly watching Xue Sanniang’s reaction.

“That damned ghost! Even in death, he’s tormenting me! Couldn’t he have thought of another solution?!” Xue Sanniang cried out, shocked. She wiped her eyes, weeping.

Gu Qingci relaxed slightly. She actually believed it!

She felt a twinge of guilt.

Then again, this was technically saving Xue Sanniang’s life. If she kept running her mouth, she’d only speed up their demise.

“Mother, I remember we have an estate in the countryside. Why don’t you stay there for a while? Once we find another solution, I’ll bring you back.” Gu Qingci suggested tentatively.

Xue Sanniang’s face turned green.

They only had one rural estate, and in the past, it was where misbehaving concubines or servants were banished. After Gu Qingci’s father died, Xue Sanniang had sent all his concubines there to fend for themselves.

The conditions there were far worse than their current life in the small town.

“Is there really no other way? Tonight, ask your father again—tell him to think of something else! I’ll burn more paper money for him!” Xue Sanniang frowned.

“If I dream of him tonight, I’ll ask.” Gu Qingci sighed inwardly. The fact that Xue Sanniang hadn’t outright rejected such an absurd claim—and had even believed it—meant she was halfway successful.

Still, she needed to make additional preparations to convince Xue Sanniang to leave.

Gu Qingci was starving by now. Having said what she needed to, she picked up what looked like a flatbread from the table and began eating.

The texture was coarse, but she wasn’t in a position to be picky.

As Gu Qingci ate, Xue Sanniang went to buy paper money, planning to burn it as an offering.

Unnoticed, a small figure slipped away from the shadows and returned to the bedroom where Ruan Zhi was resting in Xiuyi Garden.