Transmigrated as the Imperial Princess's Scumbag Alpha Ex-Wife - Chapter 42

Zhu Yu followed Yan Shuzhou’s gaze and saw a glistening tear clinging to her slender neck.

Ah, ah! This is so embarrassing! she thought, shouting about protecting her while crying… Zhu Yu touched the tip of her nose. She realized that whenever she was near Yan Shuzhou, her emotions seemed to intensify. She hadn’t been such a crybaby before.

Tears, once seen, amplify emotions and invite a response.

As a child, Zhu Yu’s tears had gone unnoticed, so she eventually stopped crying. Her sister had taught her that tears were useless; she should focus on solving problems instead.

But now, someone would wipe away her tears, even the silent, fleeting ones. Looking back, Zhu Yu found this a bit melodramatic.

Xiao Niao sat on the edge of the bed, swinging his delicate, fair legs. Mimicking Yan Shuzhou, he leaned his fluffy head forward and poked Zhu Yu’s cheek.

“No,” Zhu Yu said firmly.

Xiao Niao tilted his head in confusion.

“You’re a child. You can’t poke Sister’s face,” Zhu Yu declared with righteous indignation. When she wasn’t crying, she exuded a certain authority, which effectively intimidated Xiao Niao.

“Yes, child,” Zhu Yu said, “Xiao Niao doesn’t understand anything.”

Once she accepted this idea, Zhu Yu suddenly felt the world expand. Xiao Niao wasn’t here to tear them apart; she was here to join their family!

With a slightly reddened nose, Zhu Yu calmed herself, pondered deeply, and her brows furrowed slightly. She radiated a comforting, woody fragrance.

Now there were three of them. Yan Shuzhou was frail, and Xiao Niao was weak. Zhu Yu couldn’t afford to be weak anymore. Facing unknown dangers, she had to work hard to support this family!

Putting on a bold face, Zhu Yu said to Xiao Niao, “Call me ‘Sister,’ and I’ll protect you for the rest of your life.”

This was a preemptive strike. She didn’t want to share the title of “Sister” and her special position with Yan Shuzhou. If she could get Xiao Niao to recognize her as his sister first, then Yan Shuzhou would become her sister-wife or sister-in-law?

Such a convoluted and circuitous thought could only have occurred to Zhu Yu. Secretly marveling at her own genius, she dared not show too much pride, lest others discover her scheme. She could only gloat inwardly.

Xiao Niao looked at Zhu Yu and blinked.

Then he spat out another small fireball.

Zhu Yu’s words caused Yan Shuzhou’s lowered hand to stiffen abruptly. Fragments of shattered memories flashed through her mind: years ago, she had spoken the exact same words to Xiao Niao, word for word…

How could Zhu Yu know? No, it must be a coincidence.

She had promised, but she had failed to deliver.

In the past, she had made countless mistakes, betraying the hopes of many, ultimately leading to the current predicament…

Lacking the ruthlessness and decisiveness required, yet possessing ambitions far exceeding her capabilities, this torment far surpassed any physical pain in its ability to erode one’s will.

A dull ache began to throb in her temples again. Yan Shuzhou silently bit her lip, adding a touch of color to her pale cheeks.

She subtly observed Zhu Yu from the corner of her eye. The girl’s eyes curved into crescent moons, clear and pure, devoid of any calculated schemes or hidden agendas.

Her clenched fist relaxed, and Yan Shuzhou let out a silent sigh of relief.

Perhaps I’m being too sensitive. I shouldn’t apply the standards of the imperial court to everyone. Zhu Yu is different from the others.

After a moment of silence, Yan Shuzhou spoke up, explaining on Xiao Niao’s behalf, “He can’t speak. The Abnormal damaged his vocal cords.”

As one of the earliest volunteer test subjects, AH-003 originally showed exceptional data and was held in high regard. Yet he was the last to awaken his abilities.

Flight, time manipulation, prophecy… Researchers made countless bold hypotheses, unwilling to give up. They subjected him to cruel and bloody experiments, but all their efforts yielded nothing.

Even the briefest glimpses into his past revealed a weight too heavy to bear.

At just this mention, the girl’s pupils dilated in shock. She pressed her hands together, her voice filled with remorse. “I’m so sorry…!”

Even when he couldn’t speak, he would breathe small fireballs to try and cheer her up. He was such a good boy. Did her throat hurt?

Zhu Yu felt even more guilty, completely forgetting that it was this frail little bird who had burned through his chains at the auction that day, blasting a hole in the ventilation duct.

“There’s no need to apologize. This has nothing to do with you,” Yan Shuzhou replied, her gaze darkening as she saw the remorse flickering in Zhu Yu’s eyes. She wasn’t sure if what she was about to do was right, but this might be the only chance to atone for her past mistakes.

Yan Shuzhou asked softly, “Are you willing to help her?”

“Of course!” Zhu Yu replied immediately.

Yan Shuzhou pressed her hand firmly, preventing Zhu Yu from agreeing so quickly. She warned, emphasizing each word, “Abnormal energy is a double-edged sword.”

In this uncharted territory, humans must proceed with extreme caution to avoid plunging into an abyss of no return.

“Abnormal energy is intimately linked to mental energy. Overuse can be extremely dangerous.”

She deliberately emphasized the word “dangerous,” hoping Zhu Yu would reconsider. If Zhu Yu showed even the slightest hesitation or fear, she would withdraw the proposal.

But the girl’s face lit up with sudden realization. “You care about me!”

“Don’t worry, I know,” Zhu Yu reassured her. Yan Shuzhou had told her this before, and now, after losing her memory, she was repeating the warning with such earnestness—how adorable.

Completely missing the point, Zhu Yu skipped over the remark and said solemnly, “Then prioritize her treatment, but retain the original terms of the agreement.”

“?”

“For the immediate future, focus solely on treating her. Once she’s restored to normal, we’ll resume the original plan.”

Yan Shuzhou’s voice remained calm, yet she was willing to prioritize Xiao Niao’s safety over her own.

Zhu Yu felt her heart clench as if gripped by a hand, a bittersweet ache that wasn’t jealousy this time, but genuine heartache.

Whenever Yan Shuzhou held Xiao Niao, a melancholic haze seemed to linger between her brows, misty and cold, concealing her anger like a frozen lake.

Yan Shuzhou, so proud and strong, should have yearned for recovery more than anyone else, yet she willingly prioritized others’ healing over her own.

Zhu Yu, unaware of Yan Shuzhou’s past and concerns, only regretted that this time apart meant she couldn’t be by her side.

“Yu Qi…”

Yu Qi—the vital energy of Little Yu!

Zhu Yu slipped off the Bl00d Crystal Ring from her finger. Taking Yan Shuzhou’s hand in one of hers and Xiao Niao’s in the other, she stacked their hands together, creating a gesture that resembled a child’s clapping game.

This was a technique she had developed while helping Yan Shuzhou with massage and exercise. She could now subtly control her Mental Energy with both hands, though her control was still clumsy and weak, it was remarkably precise.

Between their overlapping skin, the purest golden light flowed slowly along the lines of their palms, mingling with the woody scent of roses that gradually filled the air.

Like a perpetually flowing stream, its banks lined with vibrant, tender shoots, the water ceaselessly rippled with life.

Yan Shuzhou was slightly taken aback. Previously, Zhu Yu’s Mental Energy had been faint, almost translucent gold. Now, it was remarkably dense. If concentrated further, it might even solidify into a tangible form, like her vines.

Such sustained exertion would normally be exhausting. Yan Shuzhou’s body had never been able to handle such an overload of Mental Energy, which explained her previous reckless expenditure. Even after Zhu Yu removed the Bl00d Crystal Ore that had been absorbing and suppressing her vital energy, her current aura suggested she shouldn’t be able to maintain this… endurance.

Zhu Yu was also surprised. She had only intended to demonstrate a small feat to reassure Yan Shuzhou, confident she could heal both of them simultaneously—at worst, she’d just need to eat more meat to replenish her energy.

But after learning to control her Pheromones, these gentle, plant-like energies had taken root within her Pheromones and were now feeding back into her system. As she channeled her energy outward, it was simultaneously repairing her own reserves.

A bold thought suddenly struck her: “My Mental Energy… is being amplified by my Pheromones…”

This phenomenon does indeed exist.

However.

Most often, it occurs during the Heat Period, when an Alpha’s mental energy surges due to their partner’s pheromones, leading to loss of control.

“Mom, I’ve become a perpetual motion machine!” Zhu Yu stared at her hands in disbelief.

Having grown accustomed to Yan Shuzhou’s scent, she hadn’t noticed that when she compressed and contained her pheromones earlier, a tiny wisp of rose fragrance had been swallowed along with them, now buried deep within her Divine Consciousness Sea, causing her glands to feel faintly warm.

Omegas are far more sensitive to pheromonal scents. Yan Shuzhou’s eyes darkened slightly as she tentatively enveloped Zhu Yu in her rose-scented pheromones, but there was no effect.

Is it not because of her pheromones…?

Or could it be related to her unique Abnormal energy?

At that moment, Yan Shuzhou was just a hair’s breadth away from the truth. But for an Alpha to voluntarily swallow and absorb an Omega’s pheromones was unprecedented, leaving her with no prior experience to draw upon.

For generations, humanity had accepted the Alpha’s dominance and the Omega’s fragility. Marking was seen as an act of possession, a declaration of ownership.

But in truth, during deep bonding, Alphas needed Omegas to help channel their chaotic Mental Energy while simultaneously absorbing the purest, refined vital energy from their partners to “nourish” them.

They needed each other.

The field of Mental Energy research was so narrow that humanity had overlooked a crucial fact: Omegas with weaker constitutions generally possessed far greater sensitivity to both vital energy and Mental Energy than Alphas or Betas.

Perhaps some had noticed this, but dismissed it as a trivial curiosity.

Fragile, sensitive Omegas could maintain consciousness amidst overwhelming sensory input…

Meanwhile, the Alphas who believed themselves in control were becoming slaves to their own desires.

On Yan Shuzhou’s usually cold and indifferent face, surprise flashed vividly for the first time. He bit his thin lip lightly, his gaze toward Zhu Yu shimmering with emotion.

Zhu Yu felt herself floating under the gaze of those pale blue eyes. Even standing on a prize-winning stage under the spotlight couldn’t compare to this. Her lover’s gaze was like a magnifying glass, capturing every furtive little emotion.

Her pheromones unconsciously spread out, then quickly retracted, fearing Yan Shuzhou might not like it.

Praise me, praise me. Tell me, “Good girl, you did so well.”

Zhu Yu loved being praised by Yan Shuzhou like this, just as dragons naturally crave glittering treasures.

Suddenly, the scent of roses surged onto her tongue, almost matching the lingering pheromones Yan Shuzhou had left on her earlier—even more intense, more profound.

Zhu Yu, who had only just learned to control her powers, suddenly tasting so much of her lover’s pheromones felt like downing a whole bottle of rose wine. Dazed, the golden stream flowing from her palm abruptly transformed into a roaring river.

Yan Shuzhou’s porcelain-like wrist twisted sharply, clamping down on Zhu Yu’s pulse points to halt the surging river threatening to overflow.

Her magnetic voice, now husky, murmured, “That’s enough, Zhu Yu.”

The ‘Yu Qi’ she was exhibiting was far too abundant.

The mere touch of their palms had instantly triggered a surge of healing-type energy, sending a tingling, numbing sensation through Zhu Yu’s fingertips. Yet this woman remained completely oblivious.

Are all Alphas made of wood? Or is she doing this on purpose?

Yan Shuzhou frowned, both pleased by Zhu Yu’s unique energy and hesitant. Did my pre-amnesia self know this when I chose Zhu Yu…? Was she just a bed partner?

The woman’s haughty expression froze for a fleeting moment.

A mutually beneficial arrangement. I can’t lose.

But this method of treatment was far too dangerous. Until she understood the underlying principles, she’d better maintain a safe distance to prevent things from spiraling out of control.

Her Heat Period was already life-threatening, typically lasting three to seven days. She couldn’t imagine how long this abnormal situation might persist.

Yan Shuzhou had no intention of having children, making Zhu Yu’s Marking unacceptable. Their compatibility was too high, making it easy to fall into a deep bond.

But if she agreed to the Marking, wouldn’t that mean Zhu Yu would continuously provide her with the purest form of healing-type energy?

A perfect, flawless tool.

Yan Shuzhou’s ears burned, but her expression remained impassive as she rationally analyzed the entire system flow, concluding that it was a positive feedback loop.

Before this, Yan Shuzhou had never imagined that her genetic disease could one day be completely cured.

After all, the higher one climbs, the colder the air becomes. Her Mental Energy was so vast that repairing it bit by bit would require an equally immense supply of vital energy. With her Mental Energy at SSS-rank, this seemed almost impossible.

Zhu Yu’s daily comforting treatments were already exceptionally rare.

She shouldn’t ask for more.

In the contract, she had only hoped Zhu Yu could heal her legs quickly. As for anything else…

Yan Shuzhou looked up, giving Zhu Yu a complex glance.

The girl was still dazed from the Drunken Rose Wine, her eyes hazy as she proudly grinned at Yan Shuzhou.