The Scumbag Who Bowed for Money (GL , ABO) - Chapter 6

“Le Shi worked really late, and her skin broke out in red rashes. She looked uncomfortable. I heard today is Omega Day. Does that mean there’s also an Alpha Day and a Beta Day?”

Xie Yuanwei had no idea that one casual sentence would turn out to be the truth. Le Shi was still sitting on her lap, and her eyes were turning red from emotion. Her voice trembled slightly at the end.

“You…”

Xie Yuanwei could tell that Le Shi was not angry at her, but rather upset with herself.

“Don’t cry.”

Xie Yuanwei quickly reached out to grab a tissue, but before she could, Le Shi grabbed her hand to stop her.

“I really didn’t mean anything by it. I was just saying things without thinking.”

Since she couldn’t pull away, Xie Yuanwei carefully wiped the tears from Le Shi’s face. She spoke softly, trying to comfort her.

“Don’t cry. I was just joking. There’s no reason to cry like this.”

Suddenly, tears began to slide down Le Shi’s cheeks. She grabbed Xie Yuanwei’s arm, feeling overwhelmed by shame. She wasn’t blaming Xie Yuanwei. Deep down, she knew this alpha couldn’t possibly figure things out on her own. But her well-hidden secret had been exposed so suddenly, and that made her lose control.

In a quiet voice, she said, “I have pheromone dependency.”

Xie Yuanwei narrowed her eyes, trying to cover up her confusion. She gave a small hum of understanding, then looked up seriously.

“So what kind of illness is that exactly?”

“Pheromone addiction? So the reason you keep hugging me and brought me home is to treat that?”

She didn’t seem bothered at all. Her tone stayed relaxed. She even handed another tissue to Le Shi.

“Here, wipe your tears. If you keep crying like this, your eyes will be sore later.”

Le Shi let her hand rest lightly on Xie Yuanwei’s shoulder and asked softly,
“You’re not… angry?”

There was a trace of hesitation in her voice. She continued speaking.

“I’m using you, you know.”

“Why would I be angry?”

Xie Yuanwei looked up at her with calm, steady eyes.

“You’re the one supporting me right now. I live in your home, I work at your company. If people find out, they’ll say I’m freeloading. And besides, I don’t get along with my family anyway. I didn’t want to go back there.”

Le Shi couldn’t bring herself to meet her eyes. She still seemed doubtful.

“Are you really telling the truth?”

“Of course.” Xie Yuanwei nodded.

“In everyone’s eyes, I’m already a useless person with a bad reputation. Being with you is honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. If you had really kicked me out yesterday, I wouldn’t have had a way to fight back.”

She paused for a moment, then added,

“So does this condition need surgery or something? Like removing glands or extracting pheromones?”

Le Shi finally laughed. She shook her head and moved off of Xie Yuanwei’s lap. She sat down on the couch beside her.

“No, it’s not like that. I just need your pheromones. Usually, a hug or a kiss is enough. Some physical closeness helps.”

Xie Yuanwei nodded thoughtfully. Then she asked,

“Can it be completely cured? Like with a full bond?”

The directness of her question startled Le Shi. She frowned and stared at her.

“Do you even understand what you’re saying?”

Xie Yuanwei chuckled and leaned back on the sofa. The cushion sank under her as she shifted her weight. She sighed and looked at her fingers.

“All that crying was just because of this?”

Le Shi was silent for a moment. Then she decisively picked up her meal and started eating.

Xie Yuanwei looked at her back and smiled. Somehow, no matter what she did, Le Shi just seemed cute.

Being with someone you liked really did feel nice.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t. Go ahead and eat. If you ever need me, just let me know. I’ll always come.”

Xie Yuanwei stood up and waved lightly at her.

“See you later.”

She quietly closed the office door behind her. Thinking about how the novel had described Le Shi, she remembered that once the main character began her success arc, Le Shi’s presence had faded into the background. Most of her scenes showed her desperately clinging to the main character, needing her pheromones like she was addicted. It made her seem pitiful, almost like a lovesick follower.

Xie Yuanwei figured that must be why Le Shi relied on the original version of her.

But imagining Le Shi in that kind of situation, begging for help and being rejected, left her feeling uncomfortable.

“Better to focus on work.”

She decided not to overthink. With a clear mind, she returned to her desk and quietly began her shift, though in reality, she was just passing the time.

That evening, Le Shi didn’t work overtime. Xie Yuanwei clocked out on time and waited downstairs. When she saw Le Shi coming out, she quickly walked over and opened the car door.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t let anyone see anything. I’ll protect our secret with my life.”

She made a zipping motion across her lips, then got into the driver’s seat and started the car.

“If you’re tired, President Le, take a nap. I’ll cook dinner when we get home.”

Le Shi lay down in the back seat, covering her eyes with one hand. Her voice was low and warm.

“You really adjusted fast.”

Xie Yuanwei let out a quiet laugh.

“I’m a doer. I want to show you I’m changing for real.”

Le Shi went quiet for a few seconds. Then she turned her back toward her. The car drove smoothly down the road. After a long pause, she spoke softly.

“You really are different.”

It wasn’t clear whether she meant to say it aloud or to herself.

“Alright.”

The curtains were drawn tightly around the living room. The lights were a warm yellow, and the soft slippers made no sound against the carpet. Xie Yuanwei walked to the sofa, then crouched down gently in front of Le Shi. The soft light fell across Le Shi’s sleeping face. Xie Yuanwei carefully reached out and gave her a small poke.

“Time to eat.”

Her voice rose at the end, carrying a gentle, playful tone that felt almost like a spoiled child coaxing someone awake.

“I don’t want to eat.”

Le Shi turned over and went back to sleep.

Xie Yuanwei stood and looked at her for a few seconds. Then she went to eat by herself. After finishing, she packed a clean portion into a small thermal container to keep it warm. She washed the dishes and then went back to check on Le Shi.

By then, Le Shi was already awake. She sat on the sofa, trying to fully wake up. When she saw Xie Yuanwei walking over, she asked in a hoarse voice,

“Did you eat already?”

“Yes. I saved some food for you. Go eat a little.”

Xie Yuanwei spoke softly, and Le Shi was slow to react. After a few seconds, she finally got up and replied, “Alright.”

“I’ll go take a shower upstairs first.”

“Okay.”

Xie Yuanwei watched as Le Shi opened the food container and started eating. Only then did she head upstairs, satisfied.

But even after she finished showering, she waited and waited, and the omega still didn’t come. She even fell asleep for a while and woke up to find that Le Shi still had not shown up.

The curtains in the room hadn’t been drawn tightly enough, and the breeze from the slightly open window caused the fabric to flutter softly. Half-asleep, Xie Yuanwei lifted her eyelids and reached for her phone. It was already three in the morning.

She turned her head and looked to the other side of the bed. There wasn’t a single trace of anyone having slept there. Le Shi was probably still working in the study.

“So this is what they mean by a real CEO lifestyle?”

Xie Yuanwei lifted an arm to shield her eyes. She hesitated, debating whether or not to go find Le Shi. If she did, it might seem too forward. After all, she had only known Le Shi for two days. But if she didn’t go, would that seem too heartless?

“But…” she murmured while sitting up. “The original me had known her for much longer. It should be fine if I check on her.”

She spoke to herself as she climbed out of bed, pushed open the door, and began walking down the hallway.

The house was really big, with lots of rooms. The corridor lights were dim, so her footsteps echoed slightly. Eventually, she stopped when she saw a sliver of light spilling from a door that hadn’t been fully closed.

“How many times do I have to say this? How many more drafts do you need to change? If I don’t get a complete submission by tomorrow, everyone responsible is fired.”

Le Shi ended the phone call and slumped into her chair, rubbing her temples in exhaustion. Just as she was about to stand up, she noticed Xie Yuanwei peeking through the door.

“You’re still awake?”

Her voice carried a note of surprise.

“What time is it now?”

Xie Yuanwei stepped inside and nervously fiddled with the collar of her shirt.

“A bit past three. Why haven’t you gone to bed? You’re sick, you should take better care of yourself.”

“It’s already three?” Le Shi picked up her phone to check the time. Her face showed some irritation.

“I didn’t even realize. I’ll go to bed now.”

Xie Yuanwei gave a small laugh.

“Go on then. It’s really late.”

Le Shi nodded.

“Alright. You should get some rest too.”

Xie Yuanwei stepped aside to let her pass. Just as they brushed shoulders, Le Shi suddenly stopped and turned to face her.

“Hmm?”

Xie Yuanwei blinked in confusion, but before she could say anything, Le Shi wrapped her arms around her again. The omega was slightly shorter, so she stood on tiptoe and looped her arms around Xie Yuanwei’s neck, whispering softly into her ear.

“I don’t know if you’ve read anything about pheromone dependency. It’s a condition that shortens your lifespan. For people who share a high compatibility, it can lead to intense obsession. If the person doesn’t receive enough of their partner’s pheromones in time, they start feeling chest tightness, heat, and develop red rashes.”

“Wait, does that mean you’ve broken out already?”

Xie Yuanwei’s expression shifted immediately. She gently pushed Le Shi back a step and rolled up her sleeve. Sure enough, her arm was covered in red rashes.

“Oh no.” Xie Yuanwei frowned.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Were you planning to just suffer through it in silence?”

Le Shi calmly pulled her arm back.

“I’ve had this for almost five years now. I’m used to it. And as long as I have access to your pheromones, it’s not so bad.”

As she spoke, she glanced up carefully to gauge Xie Yuanwei’s reaction. But the alpha’s thoughts were already spinning.

She looks like she’s really in pain. What would she do if I weren’t here? Just suffer through it alone?

Also, why is she still so thin? Isn’t she eating properly?

“Do you still need pheromones right now? Should I give you a bit?” Xie Yuanwei asked, clearly worried.

“If it’s really bad, you can bite me or whatever. Isn’t that how temporary marking works?”

Le Shi’s expression shifted slightly.

“You should know that a temporary mark is a very intimate act. At least, for me, it is.”

“Really?”

Xie Yuanwei gave a look of honest curiosity. Even though she had read a lot of novels, she didn’t seem to fully understand the implications.

“Alright then. I’m going to take a shower. I have work tomorrow, and so do you. Go to sleep.”

Le Shi gently pushed her away, looked up at the alpha, and saw she had drifted into thought. She didn’t press any further and walked away, pulling her sleeve back down as she went.

By the time Xie Yuanwei snapped out of it, Le Shi had already gone to the bathroom. She returned to the bedroom and lay back down on the bed. As she listened to the sound of water coming from the shower, she started to drift off.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone lit up with a new notification.

The sudden alert made her jump. She grabbed the phone and squinted at the screen. The message read:

“Today is Omega Day. Have you sent your omega any wishes?”

Omega Day?

Half-asleep, Xie Yuanwei thought to herself,
“Should I buy Le Shi some flowers?”