Yu Zhiwan sped up slightly in her wheelchair without drawing too much attention.
The person following her also adjusted their pace, maintaining a consistent distance as if casually taking in the scenery, neither falling behind nor drawing suspicion from those around them.
If Pei Yuzhang were to rush out now, her tall and striking appearance—easily mistaken for an Alpha—would likely scare the person off. After all, the original host of her body carried Alpha pheromone extracts for this very purpose. However, Pei Yuzhang chose not to act rashly.
Her years of military experience made it clear that this was no ordinary stalker. This person was skilled, not someone who decided on a whim to follow a vulnerable woman for nefarious purposes.
So, was this person hired, or did they have their own agenda?
Pei Yuzhang wasn't a trained scout, but every general had to learn both scouting and counter-scouting techniques before heading into battle. While this stalker was competent, they weren't beyond her abilities.
Lake Bin Park was vast and open, with fewer people in the wooded areas. Pei Yuzhang quickly found a vantage point, deftly avoiding the sightlines of both Yu Zhiwan and the stalker as she continued to observe.
She watched as Yu Zhiwan reached her parked car and drove home.
The stalker followed her to her house but then left without making any move against her.
Pei Yuzhang remained on high alert.
Although her current responsibilities at the company prevented her from being as carefree as before, she had kept these two days free.
After crouching in the bushes for over two hours and earning several mosquito bites as "gifts," Pei Yuzhang finally spotted someone approaching on an electric scooter. The rider was a strikingly beautiful woman with a nonchalant expression, a helmet tucked under one arm—it was Liu Huanran, the supposed "main love interest" from the original story.
This neighborhood was an older mid-range residential area with small, outdated villas. The once-popular style from over a decade ago was now considered old-fashioned.
Overgrown weeds choked the bamboo-lined paths, and the gap between two villas led to a basement, its moss-covered drainage outlet a potential slipping hazard.
Liu Huanran tried to park her scooter in the basement but nearly collided with someone exiting. After honking to no avail, her pent-up frustration from working overtime finally found an outlet, and she couldn't help but curse:
"Can't you watch where you're going, damn it!"
Before she could finish swearing, Pei Yuzhang, who couldn't see what was happening inside, heard a sharp cry, abruptly cut off.
The scooter clattered to the ground with a heavy thud.
Pei Yuzhang didn't rush down immediately.
After noticing the stalker "leave for now," she had quickly surveyed the area and discovered that the basement was connected.
She swiftly found a way into the basement.
The old neighborhood's basement reeked of dampness and rust, its air thick with the smell of mold. Pei Yuzhang carefully navigated the cluttered space, her steps as quiet as a cat's, making no noise.
The conversation between the stalker and Liu Huanran was muffled, and Pei Yuzhang couldn't make out much from her limited position. The conversation was intermittent at first, but then Liu Huanran's voice suddenly became agitated.
"You want me to betray my partner? No way! I won't do something so despicable for any amount of money! If we have a child, it'll be when she's ready, and I won't use our child as a bargaining chip!"
Her voice was passionate, but the stalker coldly dismissed her.
The stalker scoffed:
"Have you marked her? Permanently marked her? Do you think you're living out some love story? She hasn't let you touch her, has she? Have you even held hands?"
Pei Yuzhang couldn't see Liu Huanran's expression, but she could imagine that the woman's face was probably quite grim. However, what concerned Pei Yuzhang more was how this stalker knew so much about them.
Liu Huanran's silence suggested the stalker's words were true.
It seemed Yu Zhiwan and Liu Huanran were pretending to be in a relationship, possibly to keep up appearances, but it was clear Yu Zhiwan didn't like Liu Huanran and had no romantic involvement with her.
The stalker, however, was trying to coerce Liu Huanran into forcibly marking Yu Zhiwan and having a child with her to solidify their relationship. Liu Huanran refused, at least on the surface.
It appeared this stalker was monitoring their lives.
With so many confusing clues, Pei Yuzhang couldn't yet figure out why the stalker was so concerned with Yu Zhiwan and Liu Huanran. Was the stalker trying to harm Yu Zhiwan indirectly, or were they unable to do so directly?
But how long could Liu Huanran hold out?
Although it wouldn't be fair to make assumptions, Pei Yuzhang, having been an Alpha before, knew how dangerous an Alpha's heat cycle could be. During that time, reason often gave way to primal instincts, and only after satisfying those urges could an Alpha regain their rationality.
Liu Huanran's behavior suggested she wasn't very disciplined, judging by how she acted towards Yu Zhiwan—arrogant and sleazy.
What if, one day, Liu Huanran lost control and truly hurt the fragile Omega?
The thought gnawed at Pei Yuzhang, the worry eating away at her heart like a thousand tiny ants.