Transmigrated as the Imperial Princess's Scumbag Alpha Ex-Wife - Chapter 41

How did the teaching begin?

The ever-decreasing distance, Bai Shuzhou’s cool voice and teasing fingertips… As Zhu Yu unconsciously released her pheromones, the temperature in the vast room subtly rose.

Just holding each other’s hands, their veins intertwining like branches, already felt lush and verdant. The rustling of leaves filled the air as their shadows, elongated by the floor-to-ceiling windows, swayed silently.

Zhu Yu boldly offered a light, open kiss, no longer fearing the lurking danger.

If a pair of dark, prying eyes truly lurked behind some hidden mirror, she wanted to declare her claim, to proclaim to the world, and to tell that person:

Our love is honest and pure. It is you who are despicable, hiding in the shadows and plotting. I will protect Bai Shuzhou. I fear you not!

The girl’s bluff was delivered with remarkable composure and assertiveness, like a small animal raising its paws to appear larger, defending its territory.

Even her usually slow-burning emotions were now fueled by her racing heart, urging her to take the initiative.

Noses slowly touched, followed by soft lips.

Between their tangled breaths, pheromones spilled uncontrollably. Omegas were naturally more sensitive to scents, and Bai Shuzhou, with her SSS+ Mental Power, was constantly bombarded by the world’s subtle intrusions on her senses.

Zhu Yu’s presence was particularly overwhelming.

Just this morning, a mere touch had sent Zhu Yu fleeing with flushed ears. Now, she pressed closer, her lips pursed.

The warm, woody fragrance wove into an intricate net, enveloping the girl’s body heat as she reverently cradled the Cold Jade before her.

A hint of Zhu Yu’s unique red stained Bai Shuzhou’s thin lips, shaping them into an exquisitely beautiful form. Her lips parted slightly, releasing a soft, drawn-out sigh.

“Mmm…”

Faced with Zhu Yu’s sudden surge of pheromones, the woman’s narrow eyes narrowed slightly. Her curled lashes could no longer conceal the light in her eyes, yet she abruptly pulled back from her dazed state, maintaining her composure.

She pinched Zhu Yu’s sensitive gland at the nape of her neck with measured force, her magnetic voice lingering on her tongue:

“Wrong.”

“I didn’t teach you that.”

The abrupt interruption revealed Bai Shuzhou’s uncompromising strictness.

Zhu Yu blinked, meeting Bai Shuzhou’s icy, pale blue eyes. Knowing this was punishment for her poor performance, she bit her lip and painstakingly began to retract her pheromones, gathering the rose-dew-dampened candies one by one back into the clear glass jar, like picking up dewdrops from a rose petal.

The girl, who had been so confident just moments ago, now had the corners of her eyes flushed red, feigning composure. In her haste, she accidentally swallowed a tiny bit of Bai Shuzhou’s pheromones.

At first, the taste was cold, like walking by a moonlit lake at night, the scent of a gentle breeze.

But as it slid down her throat, it suddenly turned intensely sweet on her tongue, sweeter than sugar cubes, making Zhu Yu whimper involuntarily. The glass jar tipped over, and the colorful candies tumbled across the floor.

The woody scent she had been struggling to suppress now intensified uncontrollably.

Bai Shuzhou was acutely sensitive to Zhu Yu’s pheromones and immediately sensed the overwhelming emotions surging within the girl.

Every warm, tender wisp of her scent spoke of affection.

The girl’s round, black-and-white eyes, her lip caught between her teeth, conveyed a sense of coquettishness even without a word.

Gentle, deeply affectionate, and utterly non-aggressive, she was the antithesis of the traditional Alpha archetype.

But she shouldn’t indulge Zhu Yu any further, allowing her to continue recklessly squandering her pheromones and genuine emotions so openly.

…It was dangerous, in every sense of the word.

The woman shifted her gaze slightly, her cool voice softening. “What’s the difference between an Alpha who can’t control their pheromones and a wild beast?”

There was no further punishment. Bai Shuzhou simply released Zhu Yu’s hand, and Zhu Yu panicked.

She feared Bai Shuzhou’s coldness and disappointment most of all, especially now, with the lingering scent of their intimacy still clinging to her fingertips, constantly undermining her already fragile willpower.

It was Zhu Yu who had begged Bai Shuzhou to teach her, who had yearned to become stronger. Bai Shuzhou had explained everything in meticulous detail, yet she still struggled to control herself…

Her past learning had been too effortless. Bai Shuzhou was a genius, and if Zhu Yu hadn’t lost her memories, the years of experience would have made her more patient and understanding. She would have found better ways to guide Zhu Yu, especially since Zhu Yu was a complete novice in this area, having received no prior training whatsoever.

At this stage, Bai Shuzhou was still operating under the elite education she had received as Crown Prince: as long as the goal was achieved, the process didn’t matter.

From childhood, she had been indoctrinated with Darwinian principles of survival of the fittest. As someone standing at the top of the food chain, she should never have resigned herself to becoming “disabled” or “weak.”

Yet she had differentiated into an Omega, failed to develop a secondary form, and suffered leg injuries that prevented her from walking freely. This hidden anxiety unconsciously projected itself onto Zhu Yu.

Please, Zhu Yu begged silently, pinching her wrist hard to stay conscious and forcibly suppressing her overflowing pheromones.

Her skin flushed crimson from the pinching, showing no mercy to herself.

She hid the hand behind her back, her movements shifting from clumsy and hesitant to swift and decisive. The warm, woody scent vanished without a trace.

Noticing Zhu Yu’s progress, Bai Shuzhou tilted her chin in satisfaction, kissed the corner of her lips, and chuckled softly, “Such a good girl.”

From a cold kiss to a sweet one, her ear tingled as his light voice brushed against it. Zhu Yu’s earlobes burned, completely under Bai Shuzhou’s control.

Zhu Yu loved it when Bai Shuzhou praised her like this. It felt as if her entire heart had been filled with happiness, both sweet and overwhelming, so tender it would soften with the slightest touch.

The kiss on her cheek lingered briefly. Before Zhu Yu could even realize it, the dominance she had fought so hard to claim had already slipped silently into Bai Shuzhou’s grasp, along with every emotion she felt.

Instead of deepening the kiss, Bai Shuzhou shifted her attention toward the doorway. Zhu Yu, completely absorbed in the moment, didn’t notice the door had opened until a pure white figure stood there.

“You’re here?” Bai Shuzhou asked.

Zhu Yu instinctively pressed her lips together, trying to preserve the lingering sensation. Though her mind echoed with declarations of ownership and defiance against prying eyes, when she followed Bai Shuzhou’s gaze, she saw White Bird’s eyes were blank and curious, like a blank sheet of paper.

“Ah, you’re here…” Zhu Yu said, feeling deeply embarrassed. She scrambled down clumsily, cleared her throat twice, and pretended to be very busy.

Then, belatedly, she wondered why she felt guilty. They were wives! What was wrong with being seen?

And why was Bai Shuzhou’s tone so calm? As if she had grown accustomed to White Bird’s presence and held a unique patience toward her.

Bai Shuzhou was fiercely protective of her boundaries and territory, rarely tolerating intrusions into her personal space.

Yet White Bird merely stood there, dazed. Bai Shuzhou raised her hand and softly called, “Come here.”

Those words—Zhu Yu had only ever heard Bai Shuzhou say them to her before, leaving a deep impression.

Her tone was intimate and natural.

Come here. I allow you to approach.

White Bird’s footsteps were light and quick, almost a little run as she approached, her trust in Bai Shuzhou evident.

Zhu Yu watched as White Bird settled into the spot she had just vacated, her soft body leaving a slight indentation like a bird’s nest, still warm from Zhu Yu’s lingering heat.

This was still within the bounds of normal social interaction, but…

Too close! Too close!

The sweetness in Zhu Yu’s heart dissolved, leaving only a sour, jealous ache.

She had never realized she could be so petty. She had always been generous, even when starving, willing to share half her only pastry.

But when it came to affection, even the slightest division made her acutely sensitive and deeply possessive.

White Bird, having been isolated from society for so long, seemed oblivious. Like a naive child, she might have simply seen an empty “nest”—the one Zhu Yu had willingly vacated—and happily nestled between them.

White Bird mimed with two fingers like tiny people, gesturing animatedly. When she noticed the Double Fish Jade Pendant in front of Bai Shuzhou, she froze, her finger-figures halting mid-air.

“Do you like it?” Bai Shuzhou asked, lowering his gaze and gently placing the jade pendant between the two miniature figures. “It’s yours.”

The priceless Double Fish Jade Pendant, crafted from the finest nephrite, was casually gifted away.

White Bird glanced at the pendant, then turned to look at Zhu Yu.

Zhu Yu’s attention had been firmly fixed on Bai Shuzhou, and she hadn’t noticed the small object beside her. This pendant, specially presented by the noble Gloriel as an apology, was undoubtedly exquisite. When Zhu Yu finally looked at it, the pair of fish seemed to come alive, forming a luminous circle that shimmered with white light as they slowly swam within the jade.

Any collector with even a hint of connoisseurship would immediately recognize the pendant’s immense value. It bore a striking resemblance to a pair of national treasures lost centuries ago, leaving experts uncertain whether this was an original or a replica.

Unfortunately, Zhu Yu lacked such expertise.

She only saw two beautiful little fish joined together by a red tassel, resembling… matching couple’s pendants.

It’s a pair!

Zhu Yu didn’t lower her head, unconsciously stroking the Bl00d Crystal Ring Bai Shuzhou had given her. It was a unique, solitary piece, impossible to pair with anything else.

“Do you want one too?” Bai Shuzhou noticed Zhu Yu’s subtle mood shifts, her emotions rising and falling like ocean waves. She frowned slightly and said casually, “I’ll have Melno take you to choose materials this afternoon. We can have some custom-made for you.”

Too.

Zhu Yu felt a subtle sting, like a splinter piercing her palm.

Even though she knew Bai Shuzhou and White Bird had been childhood friends for many years, Bai Shuzhou’s even-handedness still made Zhu Yu feel, deep down, that White Bird held a slightly higher priority in her heart.

“No, no, that’s not necessary,” Zhu Yu mumbled, waving her hand. She didn’t want jade.

She just wanted a little special favor.

If what you give me is the same as what you give everyone else, then I don’t want it.

Lowering her gaze, Zhu Yu gripped her wrist, suppressing the turbulent emotions churning within her. Suddenly, a small fish-shaped snack was offered to her.

White Bird broke off a piece, smiling at Zhu Yu with eyes sparkling like when Zhu Yu had shared pastries with her before.

A gentle, friendly, and harmless smile.

Zhu Yu’s heart tightened involuntarily. She couldn’t bring herself to dislike White Bird, so she could only dip her sour jealousy into imaginary dumplings and chew, chew, chew.

Zhu Yu felt a pang of shame for her pettiness.

Bai Shuzhou’s social interactions were perfectly normal, with no inappropriate behavior. He had simply offered a casual gift. Her own tumultuous inner turmoil seemed like an overreaction.

Do I want it?

Zhu Yu secretly asked herself the question again. It was a beautiful little fish. Overwhelmed by shame, she nodded slightly. Under White Bird’s sincere gaze, she finally mustered the courage to feign nonchalance and reach out to accept it.

Fortune favors the bold!

But just as her hand rose, Bai Shuzhou had already withdrawn the half-pendant White Bird was offering, reuniting it with the piece in Zhu Yu’s palm to form a complete circle.

The Double Fish Jade Pendant was only whole when the two halves were joined.

Bai Shuzhou told White Bird, “No need. I’ll get her a new one.”

Zhu Yu’s hand hung awkwardly in the air for a moment before she quickly raised it to scratch her head, trying to cover her embarrassment. “Ahahaha, yeah, you keep it. No need to give it to me. I’m just a rough sort—I don’t really like jade, and I never have a chance to wear it anyway.”

She was both brave and cowardly, like a turtle that poked its head out for a moment before quickly retreating into its shell, pretending nothing had happened. She hid her embarrassment behind a dense curtain of words.

As expected, it wasn’t for her. Why had she even reached for it? How embarrassing!

I don’t want it anymore. I’ll never want it again.

“It’s perfectly normal to like or dislike something. Don’t call yourself uncouth,” Bai Shuzhou said, his brow furrowing slightly. He disliked Zhu Yuxia’s unconscious self-deprecation. Liking or disliking something didn’t require a reason.

Zhu Yu stubbornly retorted, “I know, I was just saying it… I won’t do it again.”

She suppressed her dejected pheromones, her entire body tensing as she feigned nonchalance. She casually tucked one hand into her pocket, her gaze darting around, her very presence in the room radiating nervous energy.

Bai Shuzhou’s frown deepened. “Zhu Yu?”

“Shuzhou…” Zhu Yu swallowed the syllable awkwardly, then addressed her as “Your Highness the Princess.”

When the girl lowered her gaze, her pitch-black pupils seemed to darken further. Her facade was so perfect that it was impossible to read anything from her face.

Yet, like the difference between living water and stagnant water—the absence of even the slightest ripple—Bai Shuzhou suddenly felt a pang of regret. Perhaps he shouldn’t have pushed her so hard just now.

White Bird watched silently from the side.

Zhu Yu awkwardly gathered up all the affection she had spilled, even though her candy had long since become sticky and would spoil if kept in the jar.

Bai Shuzhou: “……”

The scent of roses silently climbed Zhu Yu’s hair, gently nudging it.

Zhu Yu sniffled, holding her breath and imagining herself as a ruthless, iron-willed warrior.

In the oppressive atmosphere, White Bird suddenly spat out a small fireball, nervously watching the two women.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Bai Shuzhou immediately moved to check on her, drawing White Bird closer and gently cupping her chin. “Open your mouth,” she murmured, examining her.

But White Bird turned slightly toward Zhu Yu and spat out another small fireball, her eyes pleading and eager to please.

Bai Shuzhou froze momentarily, her fingertips trembling imperceptibly before she clenched them into a fist. She gently hugged White Bird, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

“Don’t be afraid. You’re safe here. I swear I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

Zhu Yu felt utterly out of place, longing to blow a bubble and drift around the room. This scene felt wrong; she shouldn’t be here.

But when her gaze met White Bird’s eyes, briefly illuminated by the fireball, Zhu Yu hesitated. “Are you spitting out fireballs to make us happy?” she asked tentatively.

White Bird’s eyelashes curved into crescents as she nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at grain.

Abilities were precious, rare gifts.

If she displayed her ability, people would be happy.

I want you to be happy.

Don’t frown, don’t argue, don’t be angry… I’ll spit out fireballs for you.

Zhu Yu’s empathy was overwhelming. Her already sensitive nose could no longer hold back, and she threw herself forward, spreading her arms wide like a great roc, enveloping the pale, slender Bai Shuzhou and White Bird in a tight embrace. “I’ll protect you both!” she declared loudly.

The warm embrace bound the three of them together, their bodies pressed tightly against each other.

Too close. Half of Bai Shuzhou’s face was pressed against White Bird’s hair, his icy expression momentarily softening into confusion as his restless heart settled into calm. Then, very faintly, he bit his lip and murmured, “Zhu Yu…”

“Hm?” The girl’s voice was soft and slightly nasal. She cleared her throat deliberately, suppressing the embarrassing tremor in her voice, and replied with forced confidence, “I’m here!”

“She’s choking me.”

“Ah, sorry…!” Zhu Yu hastily released her grip.

She immediately felt a cool touch on her cheek. Bai Shuzhou’s slender fingers brushed away the tears she hadn’t managed to hide at the corner of her eye, as if sensing the unspoken hurt she carried.

It was just a tiny tear, one she couldn’t suppress. The easily placated Zhu Yu turned her clear, black-and-white eyes away, refusing to admit she’d cried. She stiffened her face and muttered, “How strange. I wonder who cried on my face.”

Bai Shuzhou watched her quietly, then softly echoed, “Yes, how strange. Someone also cried on my neck.”