Transmigrated Before the Scum A Tortured the Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 26
The Alpha’s voice was low, as if someone had bullied her, with a hint of grievance and timidness.
This development was completely unexpected by Song Jiao.
For a moment, the Omega wondered if she had done something utterly atrocious.
Perhaps because Xu Jinzhao sounded so pitiful, Song Jiao, who had been completely fearless before the call, now felt a bit uneasy, as if she had hurt a loyal dog.
Song Jiao didn’t reply immediately, and Xu Jinzhao started to panic slightly.
Although the person wasn’t in front of her, her back straightened instinctively, and her words, which had initially been a personal accusation, turned into a jumbled explanation.
“I didn’t mean to interfere with your plans, it’s just that Aunt Li made some delicious food, and I thought you’d be back after class. Ah, do you have something to do? Then go ahead and do it…”
Seeing that the Alpha was even making excuses for her, ready to hang up and stop “bothering” her, Song Jiao found it both funny and exasperating, and quickly said, “No, I’m coming back now.”
The girl’s voice sounded as sweet and normal as ever through the receiver, and Xu Jinzhao relaxed, seeing that she wasn’t angry.
The suppressed grievance resurfaced, and she mumbled, “It’s almost dark, come home early. I asked Aunt Li to make a lot of dishes, and they’re all cold now.”
Song Jiao said, “I’m sorry.”
Hearing the soft apology, Xu Jinzhao’s insignificant dissatisfaction vanished, and a smile appeared on her face as she leaned back on the sofa.
“How long until you get home? I’ll ask Aunt Li to reheat the food.”
Song Jiao had already walked out of the lab entrance, and her car was parked nearby. She pressed the unlock button.
“Half an hour.”
The Alpha rambled on the phone, reminding her, “Drive slowly, don’t rush.”
Song Jiao opened the car door and sat down, casually asking, “Don’t you want me to come home sooner?”
Hearing this, the Alpha’s voice grew louder, emphasizing, “Safety first!”
The Omega’s eyes curved slightly in the rearview mirror. She fastened her seatbelt and promised, “Alright, I will. Aren’t you curious about what I’ve been doing?”
Xu Jinzhao remembered the text message notifying her of the supplementary card’s expense. Although she had given the card to Song Jiao last Friday, this was her first transaction.
The fact that she was willing to spend her money might indicate that the Omega was less resistant towards her.
Realizing this, Xu Jinzhao felt a little happy.
She said, “That’s your privacy. However, I did receive a text message about your spending, automatically sent by the bank.”
Xu Jinzhao didn’t ask where Song Jiao had spent the money.
Whereas, the former [Xu Jinzhao] didn’t allow Song Jiao to do anything without her knowledge, asking about every detail, and if Song Jiao didn’t tell her, [Xu Jinzhao] would always find out.
The Omega looked towards the western horizon, where the golden sunset and layers of beautiful clouds were visible.
Song Jiao softly said, “The sun is setting, I’m coming home now.”
The sun rose in the east and set in the west, and she knew the sun would rise again.
Hanging up the phone, Xu Jinzhao couldn’t help but look at the bank message showing the 2,000 yuan expense again.
How much money would she have to spend to buy the Omega’s trust?
Amused by her sudden thought, Xu Jinzhao shook her head, dismissing such unrealistic ideas.
She decided to ask Aunt Li to reheat the food.
Song Jiao put down her phone and looked at the small plastic gift box on the passenger seat.
The drive from Changnan University to the lab was less than half an hour, but she had deliberately stopped to browse in a street store for a while to test Xu Jinzhao.
Song Jiao wasn’t interested in shopping, she was just killing time, but she stopped when she passed a jewelry store window.
She saw a glass ball in the display.
It wasn’t anything special, but what caught her attention were the two small items inside the round glass dome.
They were two small animals, a golden retriever and a light orange kitten, sitting side by side.
The bottom of the glass ball was filled with silver glitter, mimicking snowflakes, and the two animals sat together in the snowy scene, the larger one smiling, the smaller one with a cold expression, but their bodies pressed close together.
Song Jiao stared at the window for a long time.
She thought it was something the childish Xu Jinzhao would like.
So, the glass ball was wrapped and placed on her passenger seat.
Song Jiao picked up the small transparent gift box, staring at the smiling golden retriever, and commented, “How foolish.”
After saying that, she couldn’t help but shake the glass ball, watching the “snowflakes” slowly fall, with the two animals snuggling together in their tiny snowy world.
By the time Song Jiao arrived home, it was indeed dark.
The garden lights were on, and Song Jiao came out of the garage, smelling the fragrance wafting from her flowerbed.
She couldn’t help but stop and walk closer, seeing the blooming jasmine in the night light.
The milky white, single-petal flowers were in full bloom, not particularly bright, and even looked a bit plain compared to the double-petal jasmine of the same species.
Xu Jinzhao understood music and painting, and seemed prone to sentimentality, the type of person who would be interested in flowers and plants.
Song Jiao reached out and broke off a small branch, twirling it between her fingers.
The white flowers and green leaves spun in the Omega’s eyes.
Carrying the flower branch and the gift, she opened the door.
Xu Jinzhao had heard the garage noise and rushed to the door, but then thought better of it.
After some deliberation, she retreated to the corner of the hallway, fiddling with the items on the miscellaneous cabinet.
When the Omega opened the door, Xu Jinzhao pretended to have just noticed her return and greeted her, “You’re home?”
Song Jiao was wearing a soft, milk tea-colored short trench coat, a plaid scarf around her neck, and a canvas bag slung across her shoulder, which seemed to contain something angular.
The temperature had dropped sharply in the past two days, and perhaps she had been exposed to the cold wind, as Song Jiao’s nose was slightly red. The scarf covered part of her chin, making her face look even smaller.
She held up a small flower to Xu Jinzhao.
Xu Jinzhao was stunned. Song Jiao walked closer, and a faint fragrance filled the air as she held the single-petal flower in front of Xu Jinzhao.
The Omega raised her eyelashes, “The jasmine in the garden is blooming.”
Xu Jinzhao took the jasmine, looking at its slightly wrinkled, soft petals, and then at Song Jiao, who had given her the flower.
Was this a gift?
As it turned out, perhaps not.
Because in the next second, Song Jiao lowered her head and opened her bag, taking out the small gift box.
The snow fell in the crystal ball, and two small animals sat together intimately, leaning on each other.
Song Jiao said, “This is for you.”
Xu Jinzhao couldn’t describe her feelings at that moment.
She felt like a candy ball that had been unwrapped and was melting in the warm sunlight.
She wanted to say something, a thank you, like, “Thank you, I love it.”
Or a compliment to the Omega, “You’re so nice, I’m glad I met you,” but she couldn’t say anything.
The Alpha didn’t take the gift for a long time, and Song Jiao thought she was dumbfounded.
Her eyes, which were already exceptionally charming, were now moist and bright, like lakes reflecting the starry velvet night sky, rippling with silent waves as her eyelashes trembled.
Her red lips moved gratefully and emotionally, as if this wasn’t a cheap gift bought from a street vendor, but some priceless treasure.
It made her hesitant and incredulous, afraid to take it.
Song Jiao gradually felt guilty under her gaze, wondering if she should have bought something better, something worthy of the Alpha’s emotion.
Xu Jinzhao finally took action, taking the glass ball and holding it tightly in her palm, still holding the small flower.
“I’m going to put it in my bedroom!” Her smile was overly excited, but Song Jiao found it bright and beautiful.
Seeing Song Jiao nod, Xu Jinzhao immediately turned and rushed upstairs, but stopped at the stairs and poked her head out, “Aunt Li is reheating the food in the kitchen. Go wash your hands, we’ll eat in a bit!”
The Alpha disappeared at the top of the stairs.
Song Jiao felt a sense of relief, as if she had been rescued from tension, glad that she didn’t have to face Xu Jinzhao’s undisguised affection for the time being.
What a truly, truly incredibly emotional person… happiness was so easy for her.
Almost the opposite of herself.
Song Jiao touched her chest, feeling her heart beating strongly, making her vividly aware of her own existence.
Living with someone like that wasn’t a bad thing.
Xu Jinzhao was overjoyed. She rushed into the bedroom with the gift from the Omega, pacing around the room.
Where should she put it?
She placed the crystal ball on the small cabinet by the door, but didn’t like it, so she picked it up again and put it on the dressing table.
No, it was still too far.
Xu Jinzhao finally placed it on the bedside table, adjusting the angle so that the two small animals in the crystal ball faced the pillow.
She took off her slippers and lay on her side on the bed, so she could see the kitten’s deliberately indifferent face.
Xu Jinzhao smiled.
She didn’t take off the transparent hard-shell packaging of the crystal ball for the time being. Instead, she sat up and sent a text message to Qi Yao.
[Customize a transparent dust cover for me, make it pretty.]
It was already past 7 PM, but Qi Yao replied instantly.
Assistant Qi: [What size does Miss want? Any requirements for design or material?]
Qi Yao was an interesting person. He addressed her as “Miss” in casual situations, but as “Assistant Xu” in formal work settings.
Xu Jinzhao now wanted to tell the whole world that Song Jiao had given her a gift.
How incredible! Just a few days ago, the Omega had threatened to slash her beautiful face, the one [she] was obsessed with, if she came any closer.
But she couldn’t tell Qi Yao. He was employed by Xu Boyang and would report her movements to him truthfully.
That psychopathic old man would probably interpret this as “falling into emotional weakness” and disapprove of her actions, interfering again.
Xu Jinzhao texted back: [Cover something apple-sized, simple is fine.]
Assistant Qi replied instantly again: [Will deliver tomorrow morning.]
Xu Jinzhao had calmed down a bit by now. Seeing the hardworking employee fulfilling her whimsical request, she felt a little guilty.
Xu Jinzhao: [No rush, do it tomorrow. Rest well after work.]
She was frustrated that she couldn’t show off her gift.
Xu Jinzhao scrolled through her contacts, recalling their past interactions, and realized they were all bad influences.
Xu Jinzhao: “…”
She opened the camera app, turned on the bedside lamp, turned off the overly bright overhead light, and looked for a good composition and angle in the warm yellow light.
Having specialized in art since childhood, Xu Jinzhao hadn’t spent much time learning photography from her father.
But with her artistic eye, she quickly took some decent photos.
The smartphone’s camera resolution wasn’t very high in this world, and the software options were limited, so she couldn’t edit the colors on her phone.
Xu Jinzhao didn’t plan to use her computer for photo editing.
She found Jiang Chao, the least objectionable person in her contact list, and sent him the photos via MMS.
Jiang Chao didn’t reply, which was normal, as it was the start of his nightlife.
But Xu Jinzhao couldn’t wait and called Jiang Chao directly.
After a busy signal, Jiang Chao didn’t answer, so Xu Jinzhao called one of Jiang Chao’s lackeys.
There was faint music in the background, and before the lackey could say “Sister Xu,” Xu Jinzhao said, “Tell Jiang Chao to answer the phone, quickly.”
The lackey went to find Jiang Chao, shouting at his boss, who was dancing closely with a pretty girl, “Brother Chao, Sister Xu needs you urgently!”
The music in the dance floor was deafening, and Jiang Chao apologized to the displeased girl.
He walked to a quieter place and answered the phone, “What is it?”
Xu Jinzhao: “Check your messages.”
She hung up, and Jiang Chao, confused, took out his phone.
He had a missed call from Xu Jinzhao and a picture message.
Jiang Chao downloaded the photos and found that they were all of the same thing—a crystal ball that only a childish kid would like.
Jiang Chao: [?]
The question mark accurately reflected his feelings.
She replied instantly.
[Pretty, right?]
[My wife gave it to me.]
[She also gave me flowers, I’ll show you.]
Jiang Chao was speechless, having been called out for such a trivial matter, but considering how obsessed Xu Jinzhao was with her wife, it wasn’t surprising.
He waited patiently, wondering if Xu Jinzhao’s wife had given her 999 red roses or something, driving her to such extremes.
A new message arrived quickly, and Jiang Chao opened the photo.
The photo was well-taken, with a thoughtful and unique angle.
…But it was just a small wildflower, obviously picked from the roadside!
Was it even the size of a fingernail?
If Xu Jinzhao were there, she could accurately describe his expression as “old man on the subway with a phone.”
Not receiving a reply from Jiang Chao, Xu Jinzhao called the lackey again.
The lackey’s voice was timid, “Uh, Brother Chao told me to tell you, congratulations on your marriage, and wish you happiness.”
The lackey removed all the complaints from Jiang Chao’s original message, making it more palatable.
Xu Jinzhao was satisfied, “Got it, thank him for me.”
Although Jiang Chao wasn’t someone she’d want to be close friends with, he was still useful.
While Xu Jinzhao was busy showing off her gift in the bedroom, Song Jiao took off her scarf and coat and changed into slippers.
She didn’t go upstairs to change into her pajamas immediately, but went to the kitchen.
Song Jiao had seen Aunt Li’s file at the employment agency and had asked the manager about her work experience, confirming that she had no past conflicts with employers.
The manager also mentioned that Aunt Li used to be a chef, working at a famous Changnan cuisine restaurant in the provincial capital.
Song Jiao was skeptical about this, thinking it was probably exaggerated, but it was easy to tell if someone had culinary training, so it was likely true.
Aunt Li was carrying the reheated dishes out and greeted Song Jiao.
They had met when Song Jiao signed the trial contract, and after observing Aunt Li’s demeanor, Song Jiao found her to be polite and not the type to be deceitful.
Song Jiao tended to do things right the first time and didn’t want any future trouble.
She nodded to Aunt Li and looked at the beautifully presented and fragrant dishes on the table.
Aunt Li said, “These dishes have been reheated, so they might not taste as good as when they were first made.”
She seemed a little uneasy, but Song Jiao noticed that the edges of the plates and bowls were very clean, indicating that Aunt Li had re-plated the dishes after reheating them.
This would maintain the visual appeal of the dishes, but it meant that Aunt Li had to wash more plates.
Song Jiao said, “It’s fine, I think they look good.”
Aunt Li breathed a sigh of relief.
She felt that the Omega, who looked delicate, was more strict and less forgiving than the Alpha, who had a sharper appearance.
Song Jiao chatted with Aunt Li for a few more minutes before returning to her bedroom to change.
When Song Jiao came downstairs, Xu Jinzhao was already waiting at the dining table.
The Alpha’s eyes were smiling, and she looked very happy.
She invited Aunt Li to eat with them, but Aunt Li quickly declined, “No need, I’ll eat in my room.”
Xu Jinzhao didn’t insist and turned her bright eyes towards Song Jiao.
Song Jiao sat opposite her, and Xu Jinzhao said, “Try it, I think Aunt Li is a great cook.”
Song Jiao picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of sweet and sour carp.
This dish would lose its crispy exterior and tender interior if it was made in advance and left to sit, so Xu Jinzhao had asked Aunt Li to prepare it fresh after confirming Song Jiao’s arrival time.
After tasting it, Song Jiao knew that the employment agency manager hadn’t exaggerated.
The carp was well-prepared, without any fishy smell, the golden fried exterior was crispy, the fish inside was tender, and the sweet and sour sauce was delicious.
Song Jiao looked at Xu Jinzhao, who couldn’t help but smile, asking expectantly, “Right?”
The Omega nodded honestly, but urged her, “You should eat too.”
She had specifically asked for a skilled cook to see Xu Jinzhao’s interesting eating habits again.
Xu Jinzhao was indeed hungry. She had been waiting from 5 PM to 7 PM, and if she hadn’t been waiting for Song Jiao’s approval, she would have started eating earlier.
She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat heartily.
Song Jiao occasionally glanced at the Alpha’s happy expression, thinking: Xu Jinzhao must have good manners. Despite eating so quickly and being so greedy, she still maintained a certain level of decorum.
She was now extremely curious about the Alpha. What kind of upbringing did she have, and what was her background?
The Omega slightly regretted not trying to get more information out of Xu Jinzhao while she was drunk last night.
After dinner, Aunt Li was washing the dishes in the kitchen.
Xu Jinzhao turned on the TV in the living room, leaning back on the sofa and flipping through channels.
This domestic atmosphere, filled with the warmth of daily life, was something Song Jiao hadn’t experienced since Qiao Chu’s death.
She hadn’t missed it much before, but now she was reluctant to leave, bringing her laptop and a book down from upstairs.
Seeing Song Jiao’s rather bulky laptop, Xu Jinzhao felt a strange sense of time warp.
The world in “Jiao Jiao” was set in a bizarre era, where the internet, mobile phones, and portable computers were underdeveloped, but other aspects were similar to reality.
Song Jiao sat on the other end of the long sofa, turned on her laptop, and opened her book.
Xu Jinzhao sat up straighter, pleased that Song Jiao hadn’t retreated to her room and had even lowered the TV volume to avoid disturbing her.
The original story didn’t delve into Song Jiao’s rise to power or her main business ventures, focusing instead on her psychological journey.
Xu Jinzhao didn’t think that her presence as a variable would prevent Song Jiao from succeeding. Capable people would always excel, regardless of their circumstances.
The suffering [Xu Jinzhao] had inflicted on Song Jiao was immense, and compared to those cruel and lasting consequences, her attempts to understand Song Jiao’s mindset were insignificant.
In a wolf pack, subordinate wolves must submit to the alpha, tucking their tails and rolling over to expose their vulnerable bellies and throats, indicating they pose no threat.
Any disobedience would result in a potentially fatal attack from the alpha.
While the leadership of a wolf pack could be challenged through combat, the ABO gender system naturally stratified humans based on pheromones, creating an insurmountable physiological divide.
The pheromones of higher-ranking Alphas could intimidate Omegas, Betas, and lower-ranking Alphas, who were unable to resist, a primal instinct ingrained in their DNA.
Perhaps in ancient times, over hundreds of thousands of years, primitive higher-ranking Alphas brutally punished disobedient members of their species.
Submit to the strong, or die.
Those who chose the former passed on their DNA.
Even with the advent of morality and law in human society, descendants of those ancient survivors still experienced overwhelming fear in the presence of those capable of killing them, manifesting in their body language.
This was a human instinct so powerful that even training could barely diminish it.
As an Omega, Song Jiao couldn’t overcome her instincts with willpower, so she chose a drastic shortcut: removing her pheromone glands.
This was tantamount to sterilization and would also shorten her lifespan.
After gland removal, the remaining reproductive system would atrophy first, followed by other organs, leading to painful complications.
Song Jiao would likely live to no more than 40.
Especially in the last decade, she would rapidly decline, experiencing the swift loss of life at an unimaginable pace.
But Song Jiao clearly considered living in submission and losing her self-respect more terrifying.
Give me liberty, or give me death.
Even at the end, Xu Jinzhao didn’t believe that Song Jiao had completely lost her sense of compassion.
She had become extremely radical and uncompromising, but she still advocated for stronger legislation to protect Omega rights.
As she approached the end of her life, Song Jiao wanted to shield others from the suffering she had endured.
Perhaps she was simply trying to save the person she once was, who had suffered in silence, but that was still a positive emotion.
Lost in these thoughts, Xu Jinzhao tuned the TV to a science channel, which was showing the lives of feline predators on the savannah.
Xu Jinzhao didn’t want to dwell on such heavy topics and focused on the big cat cubs.
Song Jiao’s attention, however, was drawn to the Alpha. She held a pen in her hand, glancing at Xu Jinzhao from the corner of her eye.
The Alpha seemed engrossed in the documentary, her body relaxed, no longer as tense as when Song Jiao had first come down.
Song Jiao saw this as a good sign.
She preferred to be the one in control, holding the secrets, but with Xu Jinzhao, she had a secret desire—
She wanted to get along better with Xu Jinzhao, to make the Alpha less polite and restrained, to be closer to her.
Perhaps, she wanted to be friends with Xu Jinzhao.
This was a novel idea. In her twenty years, Song Jiao had never felt the need for friends.
But now, she suddenly did.
When Song Jiao wanted something, she would reach for it directly.
She casually took off her slippers, crossed her legs on the sofa, placed her laptop on her lap, and picked up her book and pen.
Song Jiao noticed that the Alpha glanced at her.
When the Alpha looked away, Song Jiao “accidentally” dropped her pen on the floor.
It rolled towards Xu Jinzhao.
Song Jiao looked at Xu Jinzhao.
Xu Jinzhao instinctively looked back.
The Omega’s beautiful, drooping eyes were gentle and innocent, and she asked:
“Could you please pick up my pen?”
Author’s Note:
The kitten deliberately drops something ×
The kitten wants to make friends √