The Scumbag Alpha Movie Queen Pampers Her Wife - Chapter 44

Gu Muchu looked up again, only to find Ji Yuran had vanished from her spot.

Her heart felt like it had been struck by a heavy hammer, and her movements grew stiff and clumsy.

As if guided by instinct, she turned to scan the crowd for Ji Yuran’s figure. She also noticed that the Alpha who had been surrounded by people earlier had disappeared without a trace.

It’s over…

The thought flashed through her mind. Gu Muchu knew Gu Yiqiong all too well—a ruthless chauvinist who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

The surrounding crowd was noisy, giving her a headache. Just as Gu Muchu was about to push through the throng to search for Ji Yuran, Shen Xu approached from the opposite direction.

The man cut a refined figure, the red wine in his glass swirling with dark reflections under the light. His lips curved into a smile as he spotted her, and he strode over, murmuring, “Miss Gu, allow me to propose a toast.”

He raised his glass, his calculating eyes narrowing slightly.

Gu Muchu’s mind was entirely focused on Ji Yuran; she had no desire to waste time on him. She was about to refuse when Lu Panwei acted first.

She placed her hand on Shen Xu’s broad shoulder and patted him with the affectionate air of an elder. “Little Xu, this must be your first time meeting Muchu, isn’t it?”

The onlookers, seeing this scene, quickly grasped Gu Yiqiong’s true purpose in inviting Gu Muchu to the annual banquet. Flattery filled the air.

“Oh my, the young master of the Shen Family is truly a man of exceptional talent! President Gu is so fortunate!”

“As expected of President Gu’s discerning eye—his taste in people is simply unmatched.”

“It’s time President Gu settled down.”

These words pleased Shen Xu greatly. He straightened his posture, already taking the arranged marriage as a foregone conclusion.

The suffocating sense of inevitability made Gu Muchu feel trapped. Her upbringing forbade her from causing a scene in public, leaving her only the option of icy detachment to express her resistance.

Moreover, every move she made was under Gu Yiqiong’s watchful gaze. She feared that acting impulsively might jeopardize Ji Yuran’s position.

“Excuse me, this isn’t a good time,” she said as Shen Xu tried to move closer, her voice as cold as ice.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and awkwardness hung heavy in the air.

This was a clear affront to Shen Xu’s dignity, a blatant challenge to Gu Yiqiong’s unilateral arrangements.

The rumors surrounding the mother-daughter relationship were suddenly laid bare. Everyone now knew: they were at odds.

“Miss Gu…” Shen Xu forced a smile, his hand hovering awkwardly in mid-air, unsure whether to lower it or raise it further. He could only feign adjusting his tie.

Lu Panwei, ever perceptive, pressed her arm against Gu Muchu’s back and whispered in a voice only they could hear, “Muchu, be reasonable.”

“You can indulge your whims, but at least consider others.”

“Think of Xiao Ji.”

At those final words, Gu Muchu stiffened, her fingers gripping the stem of her wine glass so tightly they turned white.

She couldn’t miss the threat in Lu Panwei’s tone. She had only been speculating about Ji Yuran’s whereabouts before, but now she was certain: Gu Yiqiong had taken her away.

Regret clawed at her heart. She had known all along this was a trap, yet she had allowed Ji Yuran to slip out of her sight.

It felt like a knife pressed against her throat. Despite the burning anger within, she had to swallow it down.

Seeing Gu Muchu’s downcast eyes and stillness, Lu Panwei knew she had pushed far enough and stepped in to smooth things over.

“Muchu’s just being stubborn with her Aunt Gu right now. She’s not usually like this,” Lu Panwei said, turning to Shen Xu. “Don’t take it to heart, Xiao Shen.”

Shen Xu’s ashen complexion brightened, and he flashed a polite smile. “It’s no problem, Aunt Lu. Maybe Muchu’s been under a lot of work stress lately and just wants to be left alone?”

He repeated Lu Panwei’s term of address verbatim, making Gu Muchu bristle with discomfort.

“You’re so understanding, Xiao Shen. Such a good boy…” Lu Panwei beamed with satisfaction. Seeing Aunt Lu’s approval, the other guests raised their glasses, clamoring for toasts.

Exhausted both physically and mentally, Gu Muchu couldn’t refuse and nodded. She had a decent tolerance for alcohol, but even she couldn’t withstand the endless stream of drinks.

Her mind grew hazy until Lu Panwei’s instructions cut through the fog.

“Muchu, take Xiao Shen out for a walk.”

Shen Xu’s cheeks flushed crimson as he gazed into her eyes, his expression brimming with anticipation.

If Gu Muchu hadn’t heard about his true nature from Shen Yiyan earlier, she might have been fooled by his seemingly harmless demeanor.

Seeing her hesitation, Lu Panwei tugged at her sleeve, scolding playfully, “Muchu!”

“I know, I know,” Gu Muchu waved her off, striding ahead.

Once they were out of Lu Panwei’s sight, the pair parted ways, sparing themselves the charade under her watchful eye.

A sharp glint flashed in Shen Xu’s eyes at her affirmative response, quickly concealed. Undeterred by Gu Muchu’s lack of interest, he doggedly followed her.

An open-air corridor connected the venue to another skyscraper. In the dead of winter, the night wind bit through the thin fabric of Gu Muchu’s dress, leaving her bare shoulders shivering.

Though not completely unconscious from the alcohol, her thoughts raced wildly, urging her to speak.

She had meant to tell him to seek a better match.

A cold gust of wind swept through, causing Gu Muchu to shiver and nearly lose her balance. Shen Xu reacted swiftly, reaching out to steady her.

The next railing reflected Shen Xu’s distorted face.

“Go back,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I just want to be alone.”

She pondered how to word her rejection so Shen Xu would give up. He likely wasn’t genuinely interested in her; he was merely trying to exploit the Gu Family’s wealth and influence through familial connections.

If he took the initiative to withdraw and persuade Gu Yiqiong, the effect would be far more decisive than if she confronted him directly.

But even if she got rid of this one, another would inevitably follow…

Perhaps clouded by alcohol, Gu Muchu’s thoughts remained muddled, unable to clearly untangle these two conflicting strategies.

“Muchu, Aunt Lu was worried about you and asked me to come check on you…”

“Just call me Miss Gu,” she interrupted before he could finish. “And you can tell her I’m not interested in this arranged marriage.”

Shen Xu’s cologne was overpowering, its cloying sweetness nauseating.

Gu Muchu truly just wanted to be alone.

She had barely taken two steps when the man’s hesitant voice called out behind her.

“Miss Gu, are you rejecting me because of that female companion of yours?”

“Was it to defy President Gu, or did you just bring someone at random?”

“If it’s the former, then… do you like her?”

Gu Muchu stopped in her tracks, finally understanding Shen Yiyan’s earlier assessment of this man.

She’d heard plenty of high-sounding excuses before, but when she turned to see his aggrieved expression, all his emotions seemed to coalesce and press down on her, as if she were the one who had wronged him.

Frustrated, Gu Muchu ran her fingers through her hair, casually smoothing the stray strands across her forehead. “Since this is a marriage of convenience,” she said coldly, “don’t put on such a lovelorn act. It’s… utterly absurd.”

Indeed, it was utterly absurd. She couldn’t fathom what Shen Xu was up to, and every second spent with him left her on edge.

Gu Muchu strode down the corridor without looking back.

The night sky was deep and starless, with only a solitary moon casting its desolate glow. She headed toward a patch of light at the other end of the corridor, where an open door reflected the weary silhouette of an Alpha.

A wave of warmth washed over her as she stepped inside. Before she could take another step, Gu Muchu reached out and grasped the wrist of the person hiding behind the door, pulling them toward her.

The Omega’s wrist bones protruded beneath her smooth, delicate skin. A faint pheromone scent lingered around her nose, and Gu Muchu felt like a bird returning to its nest, the tense strings in her mind finally loosening.

The stairwell beside the elevator was dimly lit, the shadows vaguely outlining their slender figures. Most people were at the banquet, so even the elevator rarely passed by, let alone the stairwell.

Their breaths mingled in the air, the atmosphere gradually warming. Gu Muchu, still slightly tipsy, gazed at Ji Yuran’s face in the moonlight.

The Omega’s elegant brow bones accentuated her bright, dewy peach blossom eyes. Unlike her usual composure, her brows were now slightly furrowed, as if concealing some worry.

Remembering that Ji Yuran had been with Gu Yiqiong during their time apart, Gu Muchu’s heart clenched, her throat dry.

“She didn’t… do anything to you, did she?”

Ji Yuran leaned against the window, shaking her head slightly. “No,” she replied softly.

“She didn’t… make things difficult for you?”

“She told me to stay away from you.”

The answer was exactly what Gu Muchu had expected.

She wanted to ask more, as if prolonging the conversation could ease the anxiety of the past few hours, but the Omega beside her sighed deeply.

“That’s all she said.” Ji Yuran lowered her gaze, her tone devoid of emotion.

Gu Muchu found this amusing. “So, what else do you want?”

Ji Yuran stopped walking and met her gaze, then quickly looked away, her voice barely a whisper.

“…In dramas, they always give the female lead millions…”

Even she knew how absurd this sounded, a faint blush rising on the cheek half-hidden in the dim light.

Gu Muchu blinked, feigning ignorance. “We’re not even a couple. Why would I give you money? Roommates?”

She deliberately emphasized the last word, as if to stress the point while subtly probing.

The aftereffects of the alcohol were now hitting hard in the cramped, stuffy space. Her temples throbbed as if pressed against a blunt object, her head swam, and her vision blurred.

Ji Yuran seemed bathed in a silvery glow, making her appear indistinct.

“We’re married…” Ji Yuran retorted softly.

“So what if we’re married? If you gave me millions, I’d still leave,” Gu Muchu said, turning to study her. Ji Yuran’s gaze darted around, avoiding her eyes.

“Who doesn’t love money? Am I less important than money?” Ji Yuran shot back.

Gu Muchu couldn’t tell if she meant it. For some reason, Shen Xu’s earlier question flashed through her mind.

She had almost forgotten everything, except for one question:

“So… do you like her?”

She had faced many such questions before, but this time felt different—as if she were being dissected, leaving nothing hidden, gradually revealing emotions that had been silently growing within her.

“I’m not that bad, am I?” Gu Muchu leaned against the wall, nervously tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Ji Yuran turned her head blankly, studying Gu Muchu’s profile.

Now it was Gu Muchu’s turn to feel nervous. Being stared at was never comfortable, especially when the person doing the staring was Ji Yuran.

“Yuran, I can cook for you, encourage you to exercise, and even teach you acting techniques…”

“Besides, many roommates have irreconcilable conflicts, but we don’t.”

Fueled by alcohol, Gu Muchu spoke more than usual, sounding less composed and rambling without thinking.

Ji Yuran’s reaction was equally unusual. In the past, she would have either retorted indignantly or denied her true feelings. But now, she remained silent.

Her eyes locked onto Gu Muchu, as if stealing her very breath, making even breathing a struggle.

“So…” Gu Muchu took a deep breath, repeated “so” three times, then shrugged nonchalantly. “I think we’re actually… um, pretty compatible.”

The word “suitable” lingered on her tongue, but she swallowed it back.

With the full sentence uttered, she felt a wave of relief, only then realizing her palms were clammy with sweat.

Silence answered her.

The evening breeze slipped through the window cracks, chilling Gu Muchu to the core, as if she were sinking to the bottom of a dark, bottomless lake.

“You said you didn’t want to trouble me, but actually, I’m the one troubling you. I was so nervous when Gu Yiqiong came to see you today…”

She was talking more now, as if desperately trying to cover up her true feelings. But no matter what she said, Ji Yuran’s clear, unwavering gaze pierced through her, leaving her nowhere to hide.

“I’m sorry, Ranran,” she said, pressing a hand to her forehead, her tone light and playful. “Elder Sister was really worried today and had a bit too much to drink.”

As if afraid Ji Yuran wouldn’t believe her, Gu Muchu feigned composure and leaned closer, acting as if nothing were amiss.

“If you don’t believe me, smell for yourself. They kept pouring me drinks…”

From this angle, she could see the fine downy hairs on Ji Yuran’s cheeks, lying obediently against her skin. Their breaths mingled, carrying the scent of pheromones.

Ji Yuran will probably get angry and accuse me of teasing her again…

Gu Muchu smiled, her eyes shimmering with gentle affection, confident in her ability to predict the other woman’s reaction.

Yet she also felt a pang of injustice.

The person before her moved.

Ji Yuran rose onto her toes, and in an instant, the bridge of her nose was near Gu Muchu’s lips. For the first time, she was being obedient, genuinely trying to smell.

Then, like a curious kitten, she tentatively sniffed, her lashes lowering as her gaze settled on Gu Muchu’s mouth.

Gu Muchu’s smile vanished.