The Villainous Scum Alpha Was Reborn (GL) - Chapter 24
No matter the reason, Nan Ke did not want to dig too deep. After all, whether in her past life or her current one, the Yu family had only ever maintained a surface-level relationship with her. She had never truly had a voice among them.
Take Wei Huan’s wedding invitation, for example. It had been finalized at least twenty days ago. But had Bai Ruoya even met the parents at that point?
If not, how could they dare move forward with an engagement? And if they had met, then why had she known nothing about it?
The more she thought about it, the colder her heart grew. Things were already this way, so she might as well let herself move on.
Nan Ke gave Jiang Ying a quick call and found out she had already gone home. Without asking further, she tidied up a bit, grabbed her car keys, and headed to Liang Qingqing’s flower shop.
Perhaps it was because Liang Qingqing had never appeared in her past life, but every time Nan Ke saw her now, she felt a strange, grounding sense of reality. Like she had truly returned.
Her beauty was certainly captivating, but more than her looks, it was the ease and comfort Nan Ke felt around her that made her want to get closer, completely without restraint.
Nan Ke had never been in love, but the way her body responded didn’t lie. Over the years, Liang Qingqing had been the only person who made her feel like someone could actually enter her world, no matter how close they came.
When Nan Ke got out of the car, Liang Qingqing was sitting behind the counter, staring seriously at her phone.
Through the glass door, Nan Ke gazed at her elegant profile and felt a sudden rush in her chest. She lowered her head slightly and smiled to herself, her palm resting on the door handle.
She could not explain it, but something about every little move Liang Qingqing made seemed to strike the center of her aesthetic. No matter how she looked at her, she was beautiful, more flawless than any celebrity on screen.
Liang Qingqing had a short break between customers, so she opened her shopping app to browse. She wanted to see what kind of gift options were available in a similar price range.
She happened to come across a bracelet that caught her eye and was daydreaming about how beautiful it would look wrapped around Nan Ke’s fair wrist. Just then, from the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed a familiar and elegant hand tapping lightly on the counter.
“Qingqing? What are you looking at so seriously?” Nan Ke’s outfit today was more modest than last time. Her wavy hair was tied high into a neat ponytail. She looked sharp and capable, with the air of a business executive.
She had stepped through the door and called out, but Liang Qingqing didn’t react. Still absorbed in her phone, she seemed not to hear a thing.
Nan Ke waited for a moment, but got no response. Finally, she called her name again, a little louder.
Startled by the sudden appearance of that hand, Liang Qingqing snapped out of her thoughts. When she saw it was Nan Ke, she suddenly remembered her calling her name, and her ears instantly turned hot. It was such a normal way to be addressed. Throughout her life, relatives, classmates, teachers—countless people had called her that. Yet somehow, hearing it from Nan Ke’s lips made it sound especially tender.
And it made her heart flutter.
She quickly turned her phone face down and smiled, pressing her fingertips to her ear. “You’re here. Are you buying flowers again today?”
Nan Ke glanced around at the fresh bouquets behind the counter and shook her head. “No flowers. I just wanted to see you.”
Liang Qingqing froze. Her ears, which had only just returned to normal, immediately turned red again.
Nan Ke had hesitated before saying it, wondering if being so direct might be too much. But she reminded herself that they were not teenagers anymore. There was no need to be overly shy. So she simply spoke her heart.
What she had not expected was that one sentence would make Liang Qingqing’s ears look like they might start bleeding from how red they were. Concerned, she reached out to touch them gently.
The moment her cool fingertips touched the burning skin, Liang Qingqing jumped back like a spring and quickly covered her ears with both hands.
Now not only her ears but her entire face was flushed, as if she had a fever.
“Are you okay?” Nan Ke looked genuinely worried. She even leaned forward, wanting to check her forehead. Her first thought was that maybe Liang Qingqing had caught the flu from too many customer interactions.
Liang Qingqing, unable to retreat any further, pushed off the ground with her foot and slid her chair back.
“Nan Ke, are you always this straightforward?” she asked, covering her ears, then her cheeks, her eyes filled with helplessness. She looked completely different from the composed, charming businesswoman who usually greeted customers.
To Nan Ke, Liang Qingqing had always seemed proud and confident. Seeing her like this for the first time, caught off guard and flustered, made her lips curl into a smile.
Noticing Nan Ke watching her and smiling, Liang Qingqing’s heart became even more chaotic. She let out a soft sigh and stood up to splash cold water on her face.
The icy water hitting her hot skin helped her calm down quickly.
After drying her face, she took two deep breaths in front of the mirror. But no matter what she did, the corners of her mouth refused to stay down. In the end, she had to press her index fingers against her cheeks to force them back into place.
While Liang Qingqing fled to the back, Nan Ke remained at the counter, waiting. Bored, she glanced casually at the glass surface and recalled that Liang Qingqing hadn’t been wearing the maple leaf earrings. That realization made her mood dip a little.
When Liang Qingqing returned, she noticed a new order on her phone. She quickly focused on work, using it to distract herself. She read the customer note carefully and returned to the counter with a composed expression to start wrapping flowers.
Nan Ke pulled up a stool and sat nearby, watching her nimble fingers at work. But her gaze kept drifting toward the tiny earlobes that now sat bare.
Although Liang Qingqing tried to focus, she could feel Nan Ke’s eyes wandering across her face and neck. As she adjusted the decorative mesh, she finally spoke up.
“If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t hold it in. It won’t bother me.”
Nan Ke smiled and took the opening. “It’s nothing really. I just wondered why you’re not wearing the maple leaf earrings. You told me in your message you really liked them.”
Liang Qingqing, now more composed thanks to the distraction of work, answered while arranging the flowers.
“My ears can’t really handle wearing earrings all day. And I liked them so much that I didn’t want to risk losing them while working. That would feel like letting your kindness go to waste.”
“It’s okay. I can always get you another pair,” Nan Ke replied, her mood instantly lifting.
Liang Qingqing’s hands paused for a second, then she smiled, but did not respond.
After a few more orders, it was finally lunchtime. Nan Ke knew how hardworking Liang Qingqing was, but even the most dedicated shop owner needed to eat. It was normal to take a short break.
So, while Liang Qingqing was still busy wrapping flowers, Nan Ke had already ordered lunch from a nearby restaurant. Once the delivery was picked up, she planned to take her out to eat together.
It was a fairly well-known Western restaurant. The dishes were plated so delicately they looked like pieces of art. A vase in the corner of the table held a carefully arranged bouquet of red roses. Not far from the dining area, a violinist played live music with emotion, the gentle melody drifting through the air.
Liang Qingqing looked around at the picture-perfect scene, then turned to Nan Ke with a polite smile, trying to appear calm. “This doesn’t really feel like a casual meal.”
Nan Ke’s cheeks flushed slightly. She had put a bit of effort into this lunch. The flowers on the table were specially requested by her, and the violinist had been arranged through a quiet message. But she did not feel the need to explain any of that.
The romantic atmosphere made Liang Qingqing’s already unsettled heart feel even more rebellious. She looked at the steak Nan Ke had cut for her and suddenly found it hard to chew at a normal pace.
After lunch, Nan Ke drove Liang Qingqing back to the flower shop. But even then, she seemed reluctant to leave and quietly stayed.
“Aren’t you supposed to be working today? Isn’t it a weekday?” Liang Qingqing asked after tidying up the work area and sitting down behind the counter to check the order records. She glanced up and saw Nan Ke still sitting in the same spot.
Nan Ke nodded. “I work in investment. My schedule is flexible. I didn’t feel like doing anything today. I just wanted to spend more time with you.”
Liang Qingqing froze. Did she really have to be this direct? She was going to start blushing again at this rate.
Nan Ke didn’t seem to notice how bold her words sounded. She just sat there quietly.
After a moment, Liang Qingqing took a deep breath and said, “Alright, but I already made dinner plans with Chen Ning tonight.”
Nan Ke paused for a second before asking, “Is that the one we had dinner with last time?”
“Yes,” Liang Qingqing answered.
Nan Ke smiled. “Can I come too?”
Liang Qingqing was completely stunned. Today’s Nan Ke kept surprising her, although now that she thought about it, Nan Ke always managed to catch her off guard. Realizing what she had just heard, she quickly grabbed her phone and sent a flurry of messages to Chen Ning, asking what she should do.
It was Chen Ning’s first day at work, but things were not too busy yet. She saw the message and agreed right away without thinking twice.
“Sure, let her come.”
Liang Qingqing looked up at Nan Ke’s hopeful expression. She wanted to say no but couldn’t bring herself to. So she gave a small nod. “Chen Ning said it’s fine.”
Nan Ke’s eyes lit up with appreciation. She smiled and asked, “You paid last time. Let me treat you both tonight. What do you feel like eating?”
Liang Qingqing hesitated, remembering how Chen Ning had mentioned the price of Nan Ke’s car the night before. “We were thinking of having barbecue. But if you don’t want to…”
Nan Ke immediately shook her head. “No problem at all. Let’s stick to your plan.” Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang.
It was a call from Jiang Ying.
As soon as she answered, Jiang Ying’s voice came through. “Ke-jie, where are you right now?”
“I’m at the flower shop,” Nan Ke replied like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Oh,” Jiang Ying responded. “Are you buying flowers? Should I come find you? Is Boss Liang busy? Will I be interrupting anything?”
Nan Ke looked at Liang Qingqing and replied dryly while staring at the glass in front of her. “If you were really that self-aware, you wouldn’t have even asked.”
Jiang Ying stared at her screen for a moment, then decisively hung up.
Fine. If she was going to be a third wheel today, then so be it.
When Jiang Ying arrived at the flower shop, Nan Ke was sitting on a stool, staring at Liang Qingqing with a dreamy expression. The way she looked at her wasn’t far off from that of someone deeply obsessed. Jiang Ying even wondered if Nan Ke’s intensity might scare Liang Qingqing a little.
Clearly, she did not understand the difference between mutual affection and one-sided infatuation.
Pushing open the door, Jiang Ying stepped inside and deliberately cleared her throat to let them know she had arrived.
Nan Ke turned around and frowned when she saw who it was. “Why are you here?”
“If you can come here, why can’t I? It’s not like I came for nothing. I’m here to buy flowers,” Jiang Ying said as she walked over to the shelf of roses. “Boss Liang, I’d like a bouquet of white roses.”
Liang Qingqing smiled. “Of course. Coming right up.”
Nan Ke stood up in surprise. “White roses? What for?”
“My horoscope blogger posted this week’s update yesterday,” Jiang Ying said casually as she picked up a bouquet from the display. “It said white roses will bring me luck this week.” She looked smug and a little too proud of herself.