The Scumbag’s Redemption: Kept by Her (GL) - Chapter 18

The hotel room had two beds. After her shower, Ling Jiao was completely drained. She collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep right away. By the time she woke up the next morning, the girl in the other bed was already gone. She reached out and touched the sheets. They were cold.

The bedding was messy, suggesting the girl had fled before dawn.

Maybe she remembered how ridiculous she had acted while drunk and left in a panic. Ling Jiao picked up her phone and saw more than ten missed calls, several text messages, and her WeChat was completely flooded.

At the top of her pinned chats, Shen Yuwei had sent a message just after six in the morning.

[I went home first]

That was the only message she sent.

She probably just wanted to avoid worrying Ling Jiao when she woke up and found her gone.

At least she still had a little conscience.

Ling Jiao went home.

The butler was waiting at the door. The moment he saw her, he almost burst into tears.

“Miss, you are finally back.”

That did not sound promising.

The butler leaned in and whispered.

“The master is waiting for you in the study.”

Ling Jiao’s heart skipped a beat.

“Is he going to punish me?”

The butler gave her a mysterious smile.

She followed him to the study. As soon as the door opened, she saw a tall man standing by the window, his hands behind his back. The light from behind cast a shadow over him. He wore a fitted traditional jacket and had the commanding presence of someone used to being in charge.

This felt exactly like the kind of scene where someone was about to be scolded.

Ling Jiao could practically hear a thousand horses charging through her mind.

She was certain she would not escape this without consequences.

The butler quietly closed the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone. After a long pause, the man turned around. His face was stern as he stared at her.

Ling Jiao kept a smile on her face and pretended to be clueless.

“Dad, were you looking for me?”

He glared.

“You still remember I am your father? You made quite a scene yesterday. Dragging the Shen family’s eldest daughter out in front of everyone?”

“You still remember I am your father?”

“Since you are so capable, why not be my father instead?”

Ling Jiao gasped.

“Dad, I am not guilty enough for that.”

Ling Fengye stepped forward, circling her while inspecting her closely.

“They did not send anyone to hit you, did they?”

Ling Jiao straightened her back.

“Of course not. If there was any hitting, I would be the one doing it.”

Ling Fengye nodded with satisfaction.

“Good. You have the same boldness I had when I was young.”

Ling Jiao thought she was safe and finally relaxed a little. But then he frowned again and spoke coldly.

“You caused such a mess and still had the nerve to come home.”

Ling Jiao immediately clung to his arm and pleaded.

“Dad, you are my real father. If I do not come back to the Ling family, where else can I go?”

Ling Fengye kept a straight face but clearly enjoyed her affection.

“You are spared serious punishment, but you are not off the hook. I am setting three rules for you.”

“Your leave from school is about to end. You must return to class the day after tomorrow. Not only that, but you must also study hard. If your final grades are bad or you hand in a blank test, then forget about ever getting near the Shen family’s eldest daughter again.”

Ling Jiao raised her hand.

“I swear I will do it.”

In her heart, she added one more word. Someday.

She still had no idea what the college entrance exams were like in this world. She had already graduated for years. Learning all this again was harder than being back in her old life as an overworked office employee.

Still, at least she had one more day to rest.

But had her drama from last night really been settled so easily?

Apparently not.

Ling Fengye added.

“For your behavior, you will reflect in isolation for three hours.”

Ling Jiao froze.

That was never mentioned in the book.

He continued quickly.

“This is my own decision. If your mother had seen this, it would not be just three hours. Now go.”

Ling Jiao nodded quickly.

“Alright, alright.”

As the butler led her out, she passed her mother, He Meiyi, on the way into the study. Their eyes met for a moment. Her mother’s gaze was soft but carried a quiet depth that Ling Jiao could not understand. It seemed like worry, but also like disappointment.

Ling Jiao could not make sense of it.

The butler brought her to the reflection room. It was well-equipped, even nicer than some hotels, but there was no entertainment and no internet, as if there were signal blockers installed.

With nothing else to do, she ended up sleeping through the entire three hours.

When she woke up, her head was still foggy. She wandered around for a while in a daze, then fell asleep again. She ended up sleeping through her entire buffer day. On the third day, after lunch, she finally regained some energy.

The butler drove her to school. Her loyal sidekick, Wan Qing, was waiting at the gate. The moment she saw Ling Jiao get out of the car, her eyes lit up.

“Boss! You are finally here!”

Ling Jiao got out carrying a bag of snacks and drinks that the butler had packed for her. She walked toward the school.

Wan Qing chattered beside her, updating her on everything that had happened in the past few days.

She talked about how Shen Xiaoxiao, the real daughter of the Shen family, had suddenly transferred to Huayang High and caused a huge stir. She had already made it onto the omega beauty rankings and even bumped Wang Ruo down to second place. When Wang Ruo tried to pick a fight, she ended up liking Shen Xiaoxiao instead. Now the two were inseparable and went everywhere together.

Even to the restroom.

Also, all the people who used to come to their class to see Shen Yuwei had switched their attention to Shen Xiaoxiao.

Total betrayal.

Wan Qing complained.

Ling Jiao shrugged.

“That is just how people are.”

Huayang High was not like other schools. In normal schools, grades were everything. But Huayang was a prestigious private academy, and the students there were all wealthy or powerful. Shen Yuwei used to be admired not just for her grades and beauty, but because of the powerful Shen family behind her.

Now that had changed hands.

Looking at Shen Yuwei now, people just thought she could not take a hint.

Wan Qing almost bowed down in admiration.

“Boss, you are so smart.”

She followed Ling Jiao into the classroom. A wave of gasps and murmurs broke out. People were shocked that the two students who were practically always on leave, and always at the bottom of the rankings, had actually shown up.

Ling Jiao found a seat in the very back and sat down.

“Shen Yuwei is in Class 1,” Wan Qing whispered. “Shen Xiaoxiao transferred into Class 1 too.”

Ling Jiao nodded.

“Got it. I’m going back to sleep.”

She laid her head on her desk and continued catching up on her sleep.

Strangely enough, ever since her three-hour isolation session, she had felt incredibly tired. Even now, she still felt only slightly better. Dark circles formed under her eyes. Wan Qing pretended to read a book while keeping an eye out to help cover for her.

The morning passed by quickly.

Ling Jiao woke up feeling more alert. She turned to Wan Qing.

“Let’s go. We’re heading to Class 1 to eat with Shen Yuwei.”

Class 1 was on the first floor.

As Ling Jiao made her way toward Class 1, Shen Xiaoxiao was being escorted out by Wang Nuo and her crowd. From a distance, Wang Nuo spotted Ling Jiao and smirked.

“Well, look who’s trying to better herself. Even the eternal bottom-ranked student is working hard now?”

Ling Jiao treated her like air and completely ignored her.

Wang Nuo huffed and rolled her eyes before dragging Shen Xiaoxiao away by the arm.

Ling Jiao stopped a student who had just stepped out of the classroom.

“Where is Shen Yuwei?”

She had not seen her inside.

The student stiffened when he realized who was asking.

“The homeroom teacher called her to the library during second period. She’s probably helping grade papers. It has happened before, and she’s usually gone for quite a while.”

After hesitating for a moment, he added nervously.

“It’s probably best not to wait for her.”

Ling Jiao thanked him with a bright smile, which only made the student panic and quickly flee.

Ling Jiao turned to Wan Qing.

“Am I really that scary?”

Wan Qing thought for a moment.

“I think you’re fine.”

Ling Jiao walked to a quiet spot, pulled out her phone, and called the Class 1 homeroom teacher.

“When are you letting Shen Yuwei out for lunch? People need food to live. She’s probably seeing stars by now.”

The teacher sounded confused.

“She isn’t here with me.”

Ling Jiao froze.

“What?”

If she wasn’t with the teacher, then where was she?

She had been called out during second period, and no one had noticed she was still missing after several classes?

Ling Jiao’s expression changed. She broke into a run.

Wan Qing called out and rushed after her.

“Boss, where are you going?”

“Which way is the library?”

Wan Qing pointed quickly.

Ling Jiao turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction. Between students, the most common types of bullying were always the same. Locking someone in a bathroom, playing pranks, framing them for cheating. Ling Jiao hadn’t expected something like this to happen so soon.

Shen Yuwei was a top student. At an academic-focused school, she would be treasured no matter her background, especially as a rare omega.

But this was Huayang High.

And Shen Yuwei had made her fair share of enemies in the past.

Ling Jiao kept calling her while she ran. The first call didn’t connect. She tried again. The second one failed too. On the third attempt, it finally rang, but just as she was about to speak, the call was abruptly ended.

As an alpha, Ling Jiao had strong stamina. She ran the full distance from the classrooms to the library, opening every bathroom stall on every floor along the way. Nothing.

By the time she tried to call again, Shen Yuwei’s phone had been turned off.

Ling Jiao’s face darkened. She stared at the white hallway wall with a fierce glare, as if she could burn a hole through it. Wan Qing caught up, gasping for air. Her face was pale, and she bent over, clutching her knees.

“Boss… did you find her?”

Ling Jiao shook her head.

Wan Qing’s throat was dry as she forced herself to speak.

“I remember there’s an abandoned conference room on the third floor. It has a bathroom too, but no one uses it. Hardly anyone even goes there.”

Ling Jiao clenched her teeth and ran downstairs to the third-floor conference room.

The bathroom was hidden inside the conference room. If someone didn’t already know about it, they would never find it.

The door to the bathroom was locked from the inside. It wouldn’t open.

Ling Jiao called out.

“Yuwei? Shen Yuwei!”

There was no response.

She stepped back a few paces, took a running start, and kicked the door with all her strength. The door burst open, revealing a soaked Shen Yuwei lying on the floor. Her face was ghostly pale. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was faint.

She was clutching her phone tightly in one hand.

Beside her was a metal basin.

Ling Jiao’s mind went blank. She rushed forward and pulled Shen Yuwei into her arms, cradling the back of her head. Her fingers came away wet with bl00d.

Her entire body was ice cold.

In a haze, Shen Yuwei’s eyelids fluttered open. Her voice was weak and confused.

“Am I dying?”

Just days ago, Ling Jiao had told her everything would be alright. Now, here she was, injured and helpless in a school bathroom.

Ling Jiao felt her heart ache so deeply it was unbearable. She fought back her anger and spoke gently.

“You are not going to die. I promise.”