Chapter 56: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (13)
As Su Mingxiu carried her whining niece on her back, the passionate speeches from the school’s assembly could still be heard through the loudspeakers, occasionally interspersed with crackling static.
The little girl, clinging to Su Mingxiu’s back, was diligently holding an umbrella to shield them from the sun. She tried to cover her ears when a particularly loud burst of static came through, but it was futile. She could only sigh and comment with curiosity: “Auntie, what kind of suppression patch are you using? It’s so effective, I can’t even smell your scent.”
As she spoke, Su Mingxiu handed the absence note and her student ID to the security guard and walked briskly towards the parking lot.
The scorching sun baked the air, the late summer heat lingering like midsummer. Amidst the occasional chirping of insects, Su Mingxiu’s voice was lazy:
“It’s not about the suppression patch.”
“Hmm?”
“It doesn’t have a scent.”
“Huh?”
Su Xinyan was shocked by her answer. She hadn’t differentiated three years ago, so she couldn’t smell Su Mingxiu’s pheromones during their previous encounters.
Now that she had differentiated into an Omega, she could finally sense the scents of every family member and was even wary of Alpha pheromones, no longer daring to be as unrestrained as before in the presence of those elders with powerful auras.
But it was different with her aunt. Since their reunion, she hadn’t smelled anything, yet she still felt a sense of inexplicable danger. If it weren’t for Su Mingxiu’s continued indulgence towards her, and her undeniable attraction to beauty, she wouldn’t dare get so close.
“How is that possible?” Su Xinyan whispered in her ear. “Is there something wrong?”
Could this be the reason why her aunt had remained single since adulthood and, even after being matched with someone at the Genetic Matching Center, still hadn’t gotten married? Was it because of a hidden medical condition?
After all, it was common knowledge that an Alpha who couldn’t release pheromones was at the bottom of the hierarchy, completely lacking competitiveness. They couldn’t intimidate their peers, nor could they mark Omegas. Wasn’t that practically useless?
“Stop guessing.”
Su Mingxiu opened the passenger door, placed her niece inside, and fastened her seatbelt. Noticing the red rash spreading on Su Xinyan’s neck, she quickened her pace towards the driver’s seat.
After driving off, she saw those curious eyes shining like headlights beside her. For the sake of road safety, she set the system to assist with driving and turned to Su Xinyan: “Although my pheromones don’t have a scent, I’m still not sure if you can’t smell them because of the allergic reaction near your gland or something else.”
Su Xinyan: “?”
She instinctively thought Su Mingxiu was beating around the bush. But the little girl quickly recalled the words of those Omega suitors who had tried to get close to Su Mingxiu in the past, their families of similar status to the Sus. Her eyes lit up.
“Oh, right! I asked a few Omega brothers and sisters who wanted to pursue you before, and they all gave different answers.”
Su Xinyan still remembered their answers.
Some said Su Mingxiu’s pheromones smelled like red wine, others said like rich chocolate liqueur, and some even said like cotton candy, apples, and so on.
Back then, the little niece, who hadn’t differentiated yet, thought angrily that people in love were truly selfish, not even willing to share the scent of their beloved’s pheromones with others.
That’s why, after differentiating, she decided to satisfy her own curiosity.
But she didn’t expect—
That perhaps those people were all telling the truth.
Combining Su Mingxiu’s earlier statement that her “pheromones don’t have a scent,” the little girl gasped, a sudden realization dawning on her. “You mean… Auntie does have pheromones, but they’re scentless, and everyone who smells them automatically imagines a scent?”
“That’s so cool!” She clapped excitedly in the car.
Su Mingxiu’s eyes crinkled with a helpless smile. She felt that this girl was truly a child, not worried about the potential danger to her own body but only curious about these trivial matters.
The next moment, she saw Su Xinyan blinking, pulling at her seatbelt, trying to lean closer and ask: “What about Teacher Chu?”
“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow.
The little girl’s face was full of gossip. “What does Teacher Chu smell when she smells your pheromones?”
“Uh…” Su Mingxiu looked at her with a playful smile. “Why are you asking about her?”
The little girl, her expression changing to “I knew it,” clicked her tongue twice, remembering the conversation she had overheard in the infirmary earlier—
“Did you two… know each other before?”
“No.”
But judging from Teacher Chu’s expression back then, it was clearly a lie.
Su Xinyan had not only inherited the Su family’s high intelligence but also their sharp observation skills.
She winked, her expression saying “I know the truth.” “You two… is there something going on?”
“Guess.”
“Is there a reward if I guess correctly?”
“What kind of reward do you want?”
“I want Auntie to stay here longer, we haven’t seen each other for three years!”
“Tell me your guess first.”
“Oh, then I have a bold guess. Could it be that she’s the fiancée you were matched with at the Genetic Matching Center three years ago?”
***
“You guessed right.”
A few hours later.
At the back gate of Jingui High School, in a window seat of a popular restaurant, Chu Ruan was holding a glass of lemonade, exhausted from the events of the first day of school. She took two large gulps.
The person sitting across from her was dressed fashionably. Her rose-red leather jacket was open at the collarbone, revealing her alluring figure. Paired with a matching denim skirt and transparent-heeled boots, she drew glances from the other diners.
This was Chu Ruan’s best friend from university, Zhao Chun’er. Working in the fashion industry after graduation, she seemed to have endless energy. Seeing her friend practically slumped over the table, she leaned closer and said with a chuckle: “Was it really that hard to guess?”
“Are you the only one in the world who doesn’t know who the owner of Future Biology is?”
Actually, Zhao Chun’er had seen Su Mingxiu from afar at a few high-profile events. But their circles didn’t overlap, and their social status was vastly different, so she had never approached Su Mingxiu.
Now, hearing her friend talk about the unexpected VIP guest at the opening ceremony, she directly revealed the answer.
“I remember, according to federal law, if two matched individuals are unable to form a harmonious family and their relationship is incompatible within four years, they can be considered a mismatch and dissolve their engagement, right?” Zhao Chun’er asked, her eyes fixed on Chu Ruan as she stirred her drink with a straw. “Could it be that she changed her mind and came back to disrupt your life?”
“No!” Chu Ruan denied it immediately.
“Oh—” Zhao Chun’er scrutinized her for a moment and reached a conclusion. “Then it’s you who changed your mind and wants to fulfill the engagement?”
“I didn’t!”
This time, Chu Ruan’s voice was so loud that the surrounding diners looked over, the chatter around them momentarily ceasing. Everyone craned their necks, trying to see who had made the noise.
Chu Ruan used her glass to cover her face, but her cheeks were already flushed red. Zhao Chun’er observed her with amusement.
After all, she had seen people pursue her friend over the years. Chu Ruan’s appearance always evoked a protective instinct in others, so she had a constant stream of admirers.
But no one had ever made her blush like this.
Zhao Chun’er propped her head on her hand and asked in a knowing tone: “Really? Seeing your fiancé become a top social elite, even more charming than before, don’t you feel even a tiny bit of regret for missing out on her?”
Chu Ruan, after listening to her words, thought carefully for a moment. Her gaze seemed to be fixed on something beyond the tablecloth. She suddenly said: “Three years ago, I already knew how remarkable she was.”
She had seen how envious and awed the Chu family was of the Su family’s status and wealth, how they practically worshipped Su Mingxiu.
As for charm…
She had experienced it firsthand at Renxin Hospital.
But why had her own feelings changed so much, from resistance three years ago to… whatever this was now?
Chu Ruan asked herself but couldn’t find an answer. After a long silence, she put down her glass, which only had lemon slices left, and whispered: “I’m just… ashamed of my attitude back then.”
Although Su Mingxiu had often teased her, she had never truly harmed her.
She even tried to teach her some things.
It was just that Chu Ruan was too slow-witted. Only after Su Mingxiu left did she understand many of the unspoken lessons.
“Don’t you like her even a little?”
Zhao Chun’er asked again.
But this time, her question didn’t carry any judgment, only a friend’s understanding. Seeing Chu Ruan look at her, she smiled and said: “I only want you to be happy. Even if you told me you hated her, disliked her before, and now you’ve changed your mind, I wouldn’t laugh at you. People’s feelings change all the time.”
“I’m just worried that you’re too proud to face your true feelings.”
“I’m afraid that after meeting someone so amazing, you won’t be able to see anyone else.”
Zhao Chun’er thought to herself, if she had had the chance to be connected with such a brilliant person, especially at the age when she was most hopeful for the future, she wouldn’t be able to look at anyone else.
Chu Ruan hesitated.
After a long silence, she smiled and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
Because the decision wasn’t hers to make.
When the Su family decided to accept this engagement, she was brought before Su Mingxiu, like a gift for her to scrutinize.
Later, it was Su Mingxiu who decided to leave, giving her these three years to breathe and grow her wings.
Whether or not to end this relationship after a year…
It wasn’t up to her.
But…
Chu Ruan also realized that now, she couldn’t even tell if she wanted to end this ill-fated relationship anymore.
***
“Teacher Chu!”
A week after the start of the new semester, the students of Jingui High School had gradually adapted to the rhythm of learning. That afternoon, Chu Ruan was about to return to the dormitory to catch up on her midday nap when she heard a cheerful greeting as soon as she stepped out of the school gate.
She looked over and saw the little girl getting out of a car not far away. It was Su Xinyan from the class next door, who had been absent for a few days and had just recovered.
“Student Su.”
Seeing her, Chu Ruan stopped under an osmanthus tree by the roadside and smiled faintly. “How’s your recovery?”
“Thank you for your concern, Teacher. I’m all better now. I’m just back to cancel my leave today.” Su Xinyan replied politely, then turned to look back. Seeing another figure getting out of the car, she winked at Chu Ruan. “My aunt wants to thank you for your help before, so… I’ll go back to school first. You two talk.”
Huh?
Chu Ruan watched as the little girl ran away quickly. Standing there, facing the approaching Su Mingxiu, she didn’t know whether to stay or leave. She only felt her heartbeat quickening, her fingers curling nervously by her side.
Until a familiar stack of items was handed to her—
“I took your tattoo stickers last time, here are some new ones.”
Chu Ruan was slightly stunned. As she reached out to take them, she noticed that the stickers were different from the ones she had given away. They seemed to have been modified.
Looking through the packaging, she found that the patterns were even more delicate and beautiful than the ones she had bought before, incredibly lifelike.
“This is…?”
“The laboratory modified the materials and redesigned the patterns. See if you like them.” Su Mingxiu’s voice was as gentle as ever. At such close proximity, it sent shivers down Chu Ruan’s spine.
“Thank you.” Chu Ruan clutched the gift tightly, not realizing how carefully she was holding it.
She didn’t say it out loud, but due to the nature of her job as a teacher, it was best to avoid wearing short skirts or using flashy suppression collars at school—
—It would set a bad example for the students.
After a pause, her voice overlapped perfectly with Su Mingxiu’s next sentence:
“Can I treat you to dinner?”
“Let me treat you to dinner.”
They both froze at the same time.
Su Mingxiu was the first to laugh. Her gaze lingered on Chu Ruan, not asking why, but only saying gently: “Oh? Are you cooking?”
“Uh…” Chu Ruan thought of her cooking skills and froze for a moment, quickly hiding her thoughts. Feeling the sweat on her palms, she tried her best to stay calm, not daring to meet Su Mingxiu’s overly beautiful eyes. She only whispered: “What… what do you want to eat?”
“Anything I want?”
Su Mingxiu’s gaze lingered on her for so long that Chu Ruan felt her entire body heating up. But she was no longer as naive as before. She only nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
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