A Vicious Scum Alpha in a Heartthrob Novel - Chapter 20

The attraction of the stewed pear with rock sugar was truly immense—so much so that Fu Jinghua stopped talking entirely and stayed in the kitchen, waiting to see when it would be done.

Fortunately, they had chatted for a while, so the wait wasn’t excessively long, sparing Xu Qingshui from feeling too awkward. At this moment, Xu Qingshui couldn’t fathom Fu Jinghua’s thoughts at all.

Sensing the pear soup was nearly ready, Xu Qingshui said to her, “The soup is done. Go wash your hands; I’ll bring it over in a moment.”

Fu Jinghua’s phoenix eyes stared straight at Xu Qingshui as she asked, “Are you trying to chase me away?”

Xu Qingshui’s breath hitched. “…”

“I am not.”

Xu Qingshui added, “Then come with me.” After saying this, she stopped worrying about Fu Jinghua and turned toward the dining table. Fu Jinghua didn’t speak but followed silently behind her.

To be honest, Xu Qingshui felt a bit out of control herself. Fu Jinghua was acting completely different from her usual self, which left Xu Qingshui unsure of how to treat her.

She set the soup down and turned around, nearly bumping lips with Fu Jinghua—the woman had been following her like a shadow.

Xu Qingshui’s breathing quickened for a beat. She steadied herself and looked down at Fu Jinghua. The woman’s hair was draped softly over her shoulders, and her upturned eyes were cast down, revealing a hint of loneliness.

It was truly bizarre.

Looking into those eyes, Xu Qingshui actually felt a surge of emotion, as if she had somehow hurt her. But in reality, she hadn’t; she had been speaking to her perfectly kindly.

She noticed Fu Jinghua’s nose twitching almost imperceptibly as she took a light sniff.

Xu Qingshui froze in place, not daring to move. She inadvertently released a bit more pheromones, looked away, and said, “Let’s go wash our hands together.”

If the passion of the previous night had only given Xu Qingshui a vague suspicion, Fu Jinghua’s current behavior completely confirmed her theory. This wasn’t just a simple need for pheromones—the woman had entered her “sensitive period” (rut/heat), but she had been trying to control and hide it.

Fu Jinghua took another breath of the pheromones before saying coldly, “Fine.”

Fu Jinghua didn’t realize that her actions had completely exposed her mind. Because she had repressed herself so harshly before, now that she was actually marked by an Alpha, she developed an indescribable attraction and reliance that her logic couldn’t control.

During this period, she would be irritable and easily angered, yet also extremely dependent on her partner, unable to stop herself from wanting to be physically close and touching them. The partner, in turn, needs to provide enough security and understanding to help them get through the sensitive period.

Xu Qingshui recalled the information she had read previously, wondering if Fu Jinghua was stubborn or just overconfident to try and hide something this important. She could roughly understand Fu Jinghua’s mindset; perhaps she feared that showing dependency would make her feel easy to manipulate, or perhaps she was simply unwilling to accept it. Someone so proud, yet ultimately unable to control being influenced by pheromones.

Xu Qingshui chose to show respect and understanding. She sighed, proactively took Fu Jinghua’s hand, and said, “Let’s go together.” An Omega in their sensitive period needs a lot of physical touch.

Rational as Fu Jinghua usually was, she didn’t find anything odd about two people needing to hold hands just to go to their own bathroom. She just looked at their interlaced hands—specifically Xu Qingshui’s. Those hands were long and powerful, with veins faintly visible when she applied pressure. There was no doubt they were beautiful hands.

In a certain sense, those hands looked inexplicably “provocative.”

Fu Jinghua looked away and said, “Okay, let’s go together.”

When they reached the bathroom, Xu Qingshui finished washing first. As she looked up to grab a paper towel, she unexpectedly caught Fu Jinghua’s gaze in the mirror. The woman’s phoenix eyes dazed for a moment before she stared right back at Xu Qingshui.

Normally, Fu Jinghua would have pretended not to see her and spoken first, but now she was perfectly quiet.

A trace of amusement flashed in Xu Qingshui’s eyes. After a pause, she asked casually, “Do you want me to help you wash your hands?”

Fu Jinghua’s eyes crinkled slightly. “Okay.”

Xu Qingshui’s heart skipped a beat. So cute.

Fu Jinghua leaned right in. Xu Qingshui felt the bathroom suddenly become cramped as the scent of roses filled the air. Fu Jinghua reached out and took Xu Qingshui’s hand. Xu Qingshui turned the woman’s hands over, enveloping them in her own. Looking at those fair fingers, she turned on the tap and washed them quietly.

Fu Jinghua looked down at their joined hands and suddenly spoke: “Xu Qingshui, I’m hot.”

Xu Qingshui’s fingertips paused. Her position was very delicate—she was facing Fu Jinghua’s nape. Her throat moved as she asked, “How do you want to cool down?”

Fu Jinghua: “I want pheromones.”

Without any hesitation this time, Xu Qingshui slowly grazed the gland on the back of the woman’s neck with her canine teeth before suddenly biting down. Instantly, the scents of Brandy and Rose swirled together in the confined space. It was so sweet, an airtight entanglement.

Fu Jinghua’s hand on the edge of the sink tightened abruptly, but she still didn’t make a sound.

This marking lasted longer than any before, or perhaps Xu Qingshui was just injecting slowly; regardless, the scent lingering in the air refused to dissipate. The water in the sink flowed steadily, and it was quite some time before anyone remembered to turn it off.

They both had a light sheen of sweat and washed their hands once more. This time, Fu Jinghua didn’t put on a scent-blocking patch. There was a slight stinging sensation there; any stimulus felt heightened to her senses. She simply followed behind Xu Qingshui, leaving the bathroom obediently.

The pear soup wasn’t too hot anymore. Xu Qingshui served a bowl for her before preparing to go to the bedroom to get some medicine. Although Fu Jinghua didn’t say it hurt, Xu Qingshui had seen the swelling on her neck. Out of guilt, she wanted to make her more comfortable.

But as she stood up, Fu Jinghua rose as well. Xu Qingshui sighed. “You don’t need to move. Stay here and drink your soup. I’m just getting medicine; I’ll be right back.”

Fu Jinghua: “I’m going with you.”

Xu Qingshui: “…”

“Fine.”

Sensitive-period Fu Jinghua is terrifyingly clingy.

Once Xu Qingshui got the medicine and they were in the same room, she finally sat down to drink her soup while applying the ointment to Fu Jinghua’s gland. Although it was a bit stinging and uncomfortable, because it was Xu Qingshui doing it, Fu Jinghua didn’t feel her usual aversion. She only shivered slightly, never pausing her soup-drinking.

Once the medicine was on, Fu Jinghua had had enough, but she had a small appetite. She hadn’t finished, leaving a bit of soup and pear at the bottom. She looked at the bowl, frowning with slight unhappiness. Seeing Xu Qingshui had just sat down, Fu Jinghua looked at her expectantly and asked, “Do you want some soup? I’ll ladle some for you.”

Before Xu Qingshui could answer, Fu Jinghua quickly stood up, took her own bowl, ladled a tiny bit out, and placed it in front of Xu Qingshui.

Xu Qingshui: “…”

Fine, considering she’s being this cute.

Xu Qingshui drained the soup in the bowl. Looking at Fu Jinghua’s moist lips, she said for some reason, “It’s quite good.”

Fu Jinghua’s eyes crinkled into crescent moons.

As she came back to her senses, Xu Qingshui began to feel a bit of regret. Sensitive-period Fu Jinghua was significantly cuter than usual, which made Xu Qingshui feel—in a vague way—like she was being controlled. Unknowingly, she was following the woman’s lead entirely.

The influence of the sensitive period is truly terrifying.

After finishing the soup, Xu Qingshui resolved not to let Fu Jinghua influence her further. She could help the woman through the period, but she couldn’t keep giving in to her whims without limit. No matter how cute she was, it wasn’t allowed. Besides, this was just a sensitive period, not amnesia; once the memories returned, it would look like she was desperately in love with Fu Jinghua.

It’s just because of this face, which happens to hit my aesthetic standards, Xu Qingshui kept telling herself. But the moment she saw those moist, crinkled eyes, her original thoughts vanished, leaving only those slightly upturned, happy phoenix eyes.

Fu Jinghua’s looks really were perfectly to her taste. Besides, the compensation she provided was satisfactory. And as an Alpha, being good to a partner in their sensitive period was simply a sign of being responsible. There was nothing embarrassing about it.

Xu Qingshui easily convinced herself once again.

However, she ground her teeth and opened a shopping app out of a sort of playful spite. She picked out a few dresses she liked, one of which was backless, held up almost entirely by a single strap. Fu Jinghua had a beautiful back; Xu Qingshui had long wanted to see her wear something like that. She hadn’t had a proper reason before, but now she did.

Xu Qingshui decisively added the clothes to her cart and went to clear the dishes. Fu Jinghua followed her every step of the way. She was clingy, but Xu Qingshui didn’t find it annoying. It was like an arrogant cat suddenly becoming affectionate—it was only cute, never bothersome.

Once everything was cleared, Xu Qingshui opened her cart, started a voice recording, and asked Fu Jinghua, “Will you wear this for me next time? I’ll satisfy any request you have, as long as it’s within my power.”

It was a tempting offer, a fair exchange. Xu Qingshui looked at Fu Jinghua expectantly.

Fu Jinghua’s ears instantly turned red. She sensed a trap, but the deal didn’t seem difficult; they were partners after all. This wasn’t something impossible to do. She wanted to nod, but she vaguely felt something was off, as if she were getting the short end of the stick.

Fu Jinghua stayed silent for a long while. Seeing this, Xu Qingshui put her phone away and said casually, “Never mind, it’s okay if you don’t want to. After all, what I’m offering is direct and clear, but your reward is highly variable. I’m the one losing out here, no matter how you look at it.”

Not only that, she turned off the recording and made a move to delete the clothes from the cart.

Fu Jinghua: “Wait.”

Xu Qingshui looked confused: “What is it?”

Fu Jinghua’s earlobes were still red, but this time she said without hesitation, “I agree.”

Xu Qingshui added, “But this dress does look a bit revealing. Maybe forget it?”

Fu Jinghua’s tone grew urgent: “It’s fine. Turn on the recorder; let’s record it again.”

Xu Qingshui nearly burst out laughing but maintained a restrained, helpless facade. “…Alright, but don’t change your mind again, or finding clothes every time will be a hassle.”

Fu Jinghua relaxed and said, “Mm-hmm, I won’t change my mind.”

Fu Jinghua’s attention was entirely on the screen, so she didn’t see the slight curve of Xu Qingshui’s lips. She only heard the Alpha’s somewhat cold “Fine.”

It seems I made the right choice, Fu Jinghua thought.

Xu Qingshui had secured a promise and was in a great mood. She knew Fu Jinghua wasn’t someone to break her word; once she promised, she would do it. With a bit of mischief, she looked forward to Fu Jinghua’s reaction when she heard the recording later—it would definitely be a “surprise.”

The afternoon was peaceful yet fulfilling. Xu Qingshui maintained her pheromone levels to keep Fu Jinghua stable. Fu Jinghua remained clingy, and when Xu Qingshui tried to tease her, the woman’s wariness would occasionally reappear.

For example, when Xu Qingshui asked, “What is our relationship right now?”

Fu Jinghua would answer without hesitation, “Partners.”

But when Xu Qingshui said, “Shouldn’t partners share a kiss?”

Fu Jinghua would say bluntly, “I don’t want to kiss right now; you’ve given me enough pheromones.”

You little ungrateful thing. She was exactly the same as she was before the sensitive period. It was as if she were constantly reminding Xu Qingshui that this was only biological dependence, not a psychological attraction.

Even though she understood this, Xu Qingshui felt a strange tightness in her chest. Her mood dipped instantly, though she didn’t show it. She didn’t want Fu Jinghua to wake up later and find out her words had caused such a gloom.

They were just in a contract. As someone who had fought her way to the top, Fu Jinghua had always been true to herself and never lingered for anyone. Xu Qingshui wondered what she was even thinking—how could she think Fu Jinghua actually had feelings for her just because of those moments?

Xu Qingshui chuckled softly, quickly purging the strange emotion. She no longer had the heart to tease Fu Jinghua and asked, “Want to watch a movie?”

Though she didn’t say it, Fu Jinghua keenly sensed the dip in Xu Qingshui’s mood. Her pheromones told the story—the Brandy scent wasn’t as intense as before.

Fu Jinghua asked, puzzled, “Are you angry? Why are you angry?”

Xu Qingshui: “I’m not angry.”

Fu Jinghua was certain: “You are. Your pheromones told me.”

Xu Qingshui: “…”

I forgot about that.

“Maybe a little bit, but not much. I’ll be fine if you watch a movie with me.”

Fu Jinghua looked hesitant: “Really?”

Xu Qingshui looked into her eyes: “Really.”

“…Alright then.”

Xu Qingshui’s house was large and well-equipped, including a dedicated cinema room. They turned off the lights and sat on the sofa to watch.

The movie was from a time when Fu Jinghua’s acting had matured. She had her own style—not overacted, but filled with a blend of natural talent and polished skill. Anyone who saw her films had no reason not to love her. She was someone meant to shine on the big screen.

Watching her like this, the lingering frustration in Xu Qingshui’s heart vanished completely. This was perhaps why, as an Omega, Fu Jinghua could climb so high. Omegas received protection and kindness, but also faced many limits and shadows, making it hard to truly stand out. It was hard for an Omega to rise, and even harder to maintain that status. Yet Fu Jinghua remained a top-tier powerhouse—not because of her looks, but because of her sheer strength. Her hard work justified everything she had.

If she were easily swayed by pheromones, she wouldn’t be Fu Jinghua.

Xu Qingshui understood her strength and persistence, so she no longer felt hurt by Fu Jinghua’s practical mindset. It was a sense of “that’s how it should be.” She shouldn’t use her own ideas to “kidnap” Fu Jinghua. This was exactly who she was meant to be.

In an instant, her irritation cleared. Sensing the Brandy scent grow rich again, Fu Jinghua looked at her in surprise. “Your mood really did get better.”

Xu Qingshui nodded, making a joke again: ” I never lie.”

Fu Jinghua was surprised: “You know yourself so well.”

Xu Qingshui laughed. “Alright, I’ll tell you the reason: it’s because you’re in the movie.”

Fu Jinghua sensed something was off and was a bit displeased: “Then why weren’t you happy when I was right in front of you? Do you only like the version of me in the movies?”

Xu Qingshui paused. “I like both, but I prefer seeing you shine brilliantly in the films. You look so free and happy.”

Fu Jinghua was taken aback but felt genuinely pleased. Her lips curved up. “Thank you. Those words make me very happy. I actually quite like that version of myself, too.”

Xu Qingshui added: “Of course. The more outstanding you are, the more money you make, and the more I can borrow.”

Fu Jinghua frowned: “Is that true?” She seemed to actually believe it, her expression quite serious.

Xu Qingshui laughed: “Lie. Our finances are separate; we have an agreement. Besides, I’m very wealthy.”

“You’re truly too much.”

Xu Qingshui: “It’s because you’re so cute right now, it makes me want to tease you.”

Fu Jinghua stopped talking and turned back to the movie, though her ears were completely red.