The Scumbag Who Bowed for Money (GL , ABO) - Chapter 14
“Xie Yuanwei, I’ve decided. When we get back, I’m finding you a biology teacher to give you a proper lesson.”
Le Shi propped herself up, gripping Xie Yuanwei’s face with one hand, her tone a mix of embarrassment and irritation.
Xie Yuanwei, realizing a bit too late, released her hands and blinked innocently. Her voice was muffled as she said, “It was just an instinctive reaction.”
Both of them understood, especially Le Shi. She knew that when high-compatibility Alphas and Omegas were together, sometimes physical closeness happened on instinct. In that moment, she had nearly allowed it too.
Xie Yuanwei gently held Le Shi’s wrist and slowly got up. With her other hand, she lightly patted Le Shi’s shoulder, lowering her voice to soothe her.
“I’ll get your medicine ready. We should be leaving soon.”
Le Shi didn’t say anything. Her hair was damp with sweat, clinging messily to her forehead. Her cheeks were flushed, and there was a faint shimmer of tears in her eyes. The Omega placed her hands lightly on Xie Yuanwei’s abdomen and slowly pushed herself up, moving off of her.
They had been holding each other for nearly half an hour. As soon as Le Shi moved away, Xie Yuanwei felt a sharp drop in body temperature. She curled her fingers slightly and turned her head, avoiding Le Shi’s gaze.
She got up and prepared a packet of cold medicine for her. Just as she handed it over, someone knocked on the door.
Xie Yuanwei glanced at Le Shi, who was still hesitating over whether to drink the medicine. She walked over and opened the door. Standing outside was Qian Youcheng.
He wasn’t surprised to see her. Smiling politely, he asked, “It’s getting late. Is Director Le ready to leave?”
Xie Yuanwei looked back and received a silent nod from Le Shi. Only then did she respond, “Please wait a moment. We’ll be ready soon.”
She closed the door again and noticed Le Shi setting down the cup, ready to go. Xie Yuanwei spoke up softly to stop her.
“It’s really cold outside. Even though the sun’s out, it’s still chilly.”
Without waiting for a reply, she added, “There’s an extra coat in the suitcase. You should wear it.”
Le Shi took a deep breath, then glanced sideways at her for a few seconds. In the end, she did put on the coat before walking out. Xie Yuanwei followed behind her, completely satisfied.
Taking care of Le Shi really did improve her mood.
This trip was primarily about Le Shi scouting a mountain resort investment opportunity. She had always wanted to collaborate with the Bai family, and this was finally the chance.
“This is the resort. We’ll be working with the Tourism Bureau soon. President Bai is personally overseeing the construction. Shall we head up first?”
Qian Youcheng spoke with full confidence. The area was already a popular tourist destination, and plenty of companies had their eyes on it.
Le Shi pulled down her mask with one finger. Her expression didn’t change much. She simply said, “Let’s go.”
The road leading to the resort took some time to walk. The day was slowly fading, and the sunlight dipped behind the mountains. Xie Yuanwei trailed behind in silence, only stepping forward when Le Shi needed her assistance. It was an easy role.
The scenery along the path was captivating. Whether it was the naturally winding trees or the randomly scattered stones, everything had a unique charm.
Xie Yuanwei paused and looked down. She bent over to pick up a simple rock and casually brushed off the dirt with her fingertips. Just as she was about to slip it into her pocket, she heard Le Shi calling her.
“Assistant Xie, what are you doing?”
Xie Yuanwei wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but every time Le Shi said “Assistant Xie,” her voice seemed to lift slightly at the end, laced with subtle teasing far beyond the formality of the title.
Le Shi looked a bit flushed. Her forehead was dotted with fine sweat. Xie Yuanwei finally looked up and noticed Qian Youcheng was still climbing ahead, clearly not waiting for them.
“I picked up a stone,” Xie Yuanwei answered honestly, her eyes following Le Shi’s down the slope. “Why did Qian Youcheng leave?”
She chose to answer first before asking her own question.
Le Shi was in a good mood. She lifted her hand to feel the gentle mountain breeze, then turned slightly with the faintest smile on her lips.
“We finished discussing everything. I’ve made up my mind. I let him go ahead. I wanted to explore on my own a little.”
“This place is beautiful.”
She said it with quiet admiration. With her back to Xie Yuanwei, the fading light of sunset blurred her outline. It looked as though she was blending into the golden glow, her entire presence softened and gentle.
Xie Yuanwei took out her phone and raised it.
“Director Le, don’t move. Let me take a photo of you.”
But Le Shi didn’t listen. Instead, she turned around and extended her hand slightly, bending her fingers.
“Let me see the rock you picked up.”
At that moment, Xie Yuanwei’s hand twitched, and the camera accidentally captured a photo.
She blinked, slightly stunned. Opening the picture, she saw Le Shi standing with her back to the light. Behind her, the sky was tinted red by the sun. Her clothes fluttered in the wind, hair half-lifted into the air. Even though she wore several layers, she still looked delicate. She wore a faint smile and reached out as if to pull Xie Yuanwei into that moment with her.
Xie Yuanwei stared at the photo for a few seconds, then quickly switched back to the camera. Realizing Le Shi was still waiting, she fumbled to take the stone from her pocket and handed it over.
“Sorry, I got distracted for a second.”
“This stone isn’t anything special. I didn’t even clean it properly. You should wipe your hands later.”
Le Shi gave a small nod, indicating that she had heard. She picked up the stone and examined it carefully under the glow of the sunset, turning it in her hand. After a while, she didn’t notice anything particularly special about it. Slowly, she began to lower her hand, just about to turn away when she felt Xie Yuanwei’s presence behind her.
Xie Yuanwei was standing right behind her.
“There’s nothing special about the stone. I just liked it.”
She gently took the stone back and pulled out a wet wipe, carefully cleaning the dust off Le Shi’s fingers one by one.
Her gaze was focused and attentive as she wiped away every speck of dirt. Their hands touched, and a subtle warmth began to rise between them.
In truth, Le Shi’s body temperature was slightly low. Xie Yuanwei had noticed it before. Holding the Omega always felt cool, almost cold. She wasn’t sure if it was related to her condition…
Xie Yuanwei wrapped the used wipe in a small trash bag she had prepared in advance. After tidying everything up, she finally looked up and smiled, lips pressed slightly together. In Le Shi’s eyes, she saw a reflection of herself.
With a warm tone, the Alpha said softly, “Let’s go.”
In her pocket was a stone she had picked up on a whim, something ordinary at first glance but instantly likable. Just like the first time she saw Le Shi—it wasn’t like watching someone on TV. She had only needed a single look to feel drawn in, to want to be closer.
And at that moment, she had made up her mind. She was going to stick to her sponsor, Le Shi, no matter what. No one could drive her away.
The stone steps leading up to the mountain villa were long. By the time the two of them reached the entrance, the sky had already darkened. Bai Tu and Qian Youcheng were waiting for them.
The moment Bai Tu saw Le Shi arrive, he immediately smiled and took two steps forward, reaching out as if to support her.
But the Omega quietly stepped aside, effortlessly avoiding his hand.
Xie Yuanwei didn’t miss the gesture. She quickly stepped up and naturally took her place beside Le Shi, blocking Bai Tu’s approach.
Bai Tu didn’t take offense. With gentlemanly composure, he gestured toward the entrance and said, “Director Le, please.”
“Thank you,” Le Shi replied, her tone polite but not overly warm.
The exterior of the villa was styled like a traditional building, full of old-world charm. Inside, the warm lights shone brightly, as if guiding the way. The atmosphere radiated a subtle sense of comfort, showing that Bai Tu had put great effort into the presentation.
Still, Xie Yuanwei couldn’t shake the faint sense of unease growing inside her. She felt like she had forgotten something important.
It wasn’t until they were about to enter the villa that Le Shi suddenly stopped in her tracks. Xie Yuanwei looked at her, confused, standing still and waiting for the Omega to speak.
Le Shi turned her head slightly, but her gaze landed directly on Xie Yuanwei. Her eyes were noticeably colder, though her voice came out calm and even.
“I heard President Bai’s daughter, Bai Zhiqu, is also here.”
The smile instantly vanished from Xie Yuanwei’s face.
Right. That was it.
Damn.
That was the Omega who originally belonged to the previous version of her. The original Xie Yuanwei’s Omega.