The Scumbag’s Redemption: Kept by Her (GL) - Chapter 10
The thought came and went in a flash.
Ling Jiao returned from the window and sat comfortably on Shen Yuwei’s bed without hesitation.
The house was quiet. Outside, only the occasional sound of insects broke the silence. The night sky was full of stars, and the moon hung high, casting soft silver light that streamed through the curtains. The gentle glow fell on Ling Jiao’s eyelashes and hair, making her look almost like a figure from a dream.
Shen Yuwei, still eating her noodles in silence, looked up and caught a glimpse of her. Her eyes flickered for a moment.
She had never taken a proper look at Ling Jiao before. Usually, she was too annoyed by her presence. Ling Jiao had a habit of following her, which always made her feel uncomfortable. But now that she looked closely, she realized Ling Jiao had delicate features. Her slightly raised brows carried a faint smile.
Maybe she was imagining things because of her mood tonight.
Maybe that was why she suddenly thought Ling Jiao had a few likable qualities.
Ling Jiao dragged a chair over and sat in front of her.
“What do you think about me staying over tonight?” she asked, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Shen Yuwei’s expression changed instantly.
“No.”
She did not explain why, but Ling Jiao could already guess. One of them was an Alpha and the other was a fragile Omega. They were supposed to keep their distance. If Ling Jiao stayed the night, it would be hard to justify, even if nothing happened.
In the past, the Shen family would never have allowed this. But now, things were different. It was hard to say what rules still applied.
Ling Jiao did not argue. Once Shen Yuwei finished eating, she stood up and got ready to leave. As she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something and stopped.
“We still don’t have each other’s contact information. What I said earlier still stands.”
“Add me on WeChat and I’ll take two thousand off your debt. A good deal doesn’t wait.”
Shen Yuwei pushed her toward the door. “I’ll add you later.”
Ling Jiao leaned against the door frame. “That won’t work. I need to watch you do it.”
She took out her phone and showed her QR code. Once Shen Yuwei scanned it and added her, Ling Jiao quickly grabbed her phone and typed in a contact name for herself:
Am I Your Little Darling?
It was completely over the top.
Before saving the name, Shen Yuwei caught a glimpse of Ling Jiao’s original WeChat display name:
Two heart emojis, followed by Big Fierce A, then two dog-with-rose emojis.
Shen Yuwei was speechless.
It was enough to make her eyes ache.
Ling Jiao handed the phone back and warned her.
“Don’t block me. If I message you and you don’t reply within a day, I’ll show up at the Shen house. And I’ll double the interest you owe.”
It sounded like a threat.
But for some reason, Shen Yuwei did not feel threatened. Instead, she thought Ling Jiao was simply overthinking things.
“If I don’t reply, it means your message wasn’t worth replying to,” Shen Yuwei said with a blank expression. “If you send something useful, I might consider it.”
When Ling Jiao returned to the Ling household, the first person to greet her at the door was Madam He Meiyi.
Her skin was well maintained, with only a few fine lines around her eyes. When she saw Ling Jiao, her face lit up with joy, and her tone was full of affection.
“You’re finally home, sweetheart.”
Ling Jiao had only vague memories of the original version of herself in this world. When He Meiyi took her arm, the familiar gesture made her feel slightly uncomfortable.
“Come in. I warmed up some milk for you. Drink it and go to bed early. You have school tomorrow.”
Thinking about how the original version of her used to act, Ling Jiao straightened her back and said with confidence, “I don’t want to go to school. What’s so good about it anyway?”
He Meiyi sighed and spoke with patience. “You still have to go. School is important.”
Seeing that Ling Jiao still seemed unwilling, she gave in gently. “Alright. I’ll ask the housekeeper to call in and excuse you tomorrow.”
She led Ling Jiao into the living room and handed her the warm glass of milk.
“Drink this and go to bed. It’s already late.”
Ling Jiao held the cup but didn’t drink it right away.
“I’m too full. I can’t drink anything more.”
He Meiyi’s smile faded slightly. Her voice became calm.
“Just listen.”
Ling Jiao’s eyes shifted. Deep inside, she could still sense a trace of fear that the original version of her had once felt toward this woman.
That was interesting.
Ling Jiao let out a small sigh and stepped back.
“I’ll take it to my room. I’ll drink it later when it cools down. It doesn’t feel good to drink it hot.”
He Meiyi smiled again and said with warmth, “Alright, have it your way.”
Ling Jiao carried the glass of milk upstairs. Guided by muscle memory, she found her room. She had come back briefly in the afternoon, and the surveillance camera she almost got caught with was still sitting on the bed, untouched.
After placing the glass down, she started dismantling the device. Since she wasn’t experienced with this kind of thing, she had to go with the most basic method: physical destruction. She dunked the small camera into water in the bathroom.
Once it was soaked, the device finally shut down and would no longer power on. It was just a cheap gadget. Ling Jiao destroyed it quickly and flushed the broken parts down the drain.
Now, she didn’t believe Shen Yuwei would have any reason to bring up the issue again. With everything taken care of, Ling Jiao lay on the unfamiliar bed. Her body relaxed completely. It didn’t take long before she sensed something strange about the room.
There was a surveillance camera mounted high in the corner. It was still turning from side to side.
She didn’t need to guess who was watching on the other side.
Ling Jiao picked up the now-cooled glass of milk and finished it in one long sip, holding her nose.
Soon after, a servant came to knock on the door and quietly took the empty glass away.
Ling Jiao then enjoyed a very restful sleep.
For the next two or three days, she did not go back to school. She spent her time basking in the sun in the garden behind the villa. When she had nothing else to do, she would send greetings to Shen Yuwei, saying good morning and good night. Most of her messages went unanswered.
A life without a nine-to-five job really felt good.
On the third evening, the Shen family held a welcome banquet to celebrate the return of their biological daughter. Influential guests from all walks of life had received invitations and came in large numbers.
Ling Jiao also received an invitation. Technically, it was addressed to her mother, Omega He Meiyi.
But Ling Jiao kept it for herself.
The last time she came, it was already nighttime. This time, the sky was still a deep blue, not yet completely dark. The housekeepers led guests inside in an orderly line. By the time Ling Jiao entered, the main hall was already filled with people. Wine glasses clinked, small talk and laughter filled the air. Everyone wore polite smiles, whether they were curious, envious, or hostile.
Some admired how the wild bird had turned into a phoenix.
Some wondered whether the wild bird was really a phoenix at all.
As for the ones with bitterness in their eyes, their emotions were tied to Shen Yuwei. After all, she had always been known for her excellent reputation. At school, she was undoubtedly considered the campus beauty, even if her personality was a little reserved.
Those who liked Shen Yuwei naturally felt upset on her behalf.
Many wanted to see what this so-called “replacement” Omega was really capable of.
Beneath the crystal chandelier in the main hall, Shen Zhiwen stood with his biological daughter Shen Xiaoxiao, smiling as he accepted congratulations from all sides.
Shen Xiaoxiao leaned against him obediently, greeting everyone sweetly, calling them uncle or sister. Her words were polite and charming.
For a while, she had everyone’s attention.
Ling Jiao looked around for a long time but didn’t see Shen Yuwei. She left the hall, crossed a small bridge, and walked through a long corridor. At the end of the path, she saw Shen Yuwei, quietly feeding fish with her head lowered.
There was noise and excitement in the front, but it was quiet and peaceful here.
It felt as if the corridor had split the world in two. All the celebration and joy belonged to others.
Shen Yuwei heard footsteps and looked up. When she saw Ling Jiao, surprise flashed in her eyes.
“Why aren’t you in the front?” she asked.
Ling Jiao smiled. “Who says everyone who gets an invitation is here to flatter Shen Xiaoxiao?”
She walked over at a slow pace. “If you keep feeding the fish like that, they’re going to flip over belly-up.”
“You’re not happy,” Ling Jiao said with certainty.
“I’m fine,” Shen Yuwei replied calmly.
Ling Jiao let out a quiet laugh. “Liar. You’re clearly not fine.”
Shen Yuwei stayed silent.
Ling Jiao leaned on the white marble railing with her elbow and chatted with her casually. As they talked, she glanced to the side and caught sight of two figures not far away.
She stopped and tilted her head.
“Look over there. Do you see who that is?”