Chapter 19
Xu Jinnan’s explanation was interrupted by her vibrating phone.
After the call, she apologized. “Can we postpone dinner? Something came up.”
Shen Shu didn’t mind.
“Go ahead.”
But the awkwardness lingered. Xu Jinnan touched her nose, turning to Shen Shu. “We’ll talk about this later,” she murmured, referring to the WeChat incident.
The multiple personalities excuse was convenient; after all, it wasn’t her who’d added Shen Shu. But with Zhou Pei still present, it wasn’t the right time to discuss it.
She regretted not changing her number sooner.
“Just drop me off first,” Shen Shu said.
“No need,” Xu Jinnan replied. “Zhou Pei can take you home. I’ll take a taxi. It’s not far.”
Shen Shu didn’t argue. As Xu Jinnan got out of the car, she saw her hail a taxi in the rearview mirror.
She hadn’t had much of an appetite anyway.
A few minutes later, she received a WeChat message from Xu Jinnan.
Xu Jinnan: [Going back to Xingcheng?] Xingcheng was the name of her apartment complex.
Shen Shu: [Yes]
When they arrived, Zhou Pei offered to carry Shen Shu’s luggage upstairs, but she declined.
The suitcase was heavy, so she messaged Xu Jinnan about it once she was in the elevator.
Xu Jinnan replied instantly: [Should I come get it tonight?]
…
Shen Shu was typing “Tomorrow is fine too” when she received six digits from Xu Jinnan – her building’s access code and apartment number.
Shen Shu stared at the numbers, a strange feeling… a flicker of warmth, perhaps… spreading through her.
Did this mean Xu Jinnan had earned a bit of her trust?
Then she remembered to change Xu Jinnan’s contact name. Her profile picture was a simple crescent moon against a white background, matching her tattoo. Her WeChat ID was the same symbol, and her Moments were empty.
Just like her personality – aloof and distant.
The car stopped outside the Blue View Restaurant.
It was a newly opened high-end restaurant in North City. The person Xu Jinnan was meeting was already there.
A female Omega in a pinkish-blue suit, beige heels, and short, silver-gray hair. Each color was difficult to pull off, but she wore them with a unique style.
Her name was Tong Jia, the founder of Sacred Heart Pictures.
Unfortunately, after producing two hit dramas in its first two years, Sacred Heart had struggled. There had been offers for acquisition and investment, but they all came with strings attached, demanding they produce commercially viable dramas, following trends or casting popular actors.
Tong Jia had refused them all, including Xu Jinnan’s offer.
As a result, Sacred Heart was both famous and infamous, often ridiculed by industry giants.
“Miss Xu, you told me you would only provide funding and wouldn’t interfere with Sacred Heart’s decisions. Did I hear that correctly?”
Xu Jinnan swirled her wine. “That’s correct. An initial investment of ten million, with one condition.”
Tong Jia nodded knowingly. There was no such thing as a free lunch. After hearing Xu Jinnan’s condition, her eyes widened. “That’s it? Just give someone a role?” Ten million could buy any role, even in today’s market.
Besides, if Xu Jinnan wanted to promote someone, plenty of big companies would be happy to help. Why seek out Sacred Heart?
“I’m investing because I believe in Sacred Heart’s potential to resist mainstream trends. I’m a good judge of character,” Xu Jinnan replied.
She had a photographic memory – in the novel, Shen Shu and Tong Jia became friends, and Shen Shu even helped her secure investments. Sacred Heart later rose to prominence with a Republican-era drama.
Tong Jia studied her for a moment. “Miss Xu,” she said with a smile, “just so you know, I have a girlfriend.”
Xu Jinnan was speechless. Being a reformed scumbag was hard; even a compliment could be misconstrued as flirting.
Everyone had a partner.
“I have a wife,” she replied.
Tong Jia, unimpressed, didn’t treat Xu Jinnan with the deference usually shown to investors. A hint of disdain colored her smile. “So, you’re spending this ten million for your wife?”
“You’re right.”
“?”
Xu Jinnan arrived at Shen Shu’s apartment building a little after eight in the evening.
Chen Bo had called twice, but she’d hung up both times.
[Nan-jie, I have something really exciting, you’ll love it.]
[Don’t say I didn’t give you a heads-up.]
Xu Jinnan glanced at the messages and dismissed them.
She entered the access code and took the elevator upstairs, calculating her finances. The original Xu Jinnan, despite her extravagant lifestyle, wasn’t broke. With Lu Yun’s regular allowances, she had over fifteen million in various accounts. Xu Jinnan wasn’t interested in her money; she would need to find other ways to fund her investments.
She rang the doorbell, and after a moment, the door opened.
Shen Shu, dressed in comfortable home clothes, greeted her. The cool air from the apartment was a welcome relief from the summer heat.
“Water or tea?” she asked.
Xu Jinnan looked down at the pink bunny slippers she’d been given. “…Water, please.” She wiggled her toes. I’m supposed to be a fierce Alpha, she thought, amused.
“Cai Ying bought them. They’re the only new ones,” Shen Shu explained.
“They’re nice. Very cute,” Xu Jinnan said.
As Shen Shu turned to pour her a glass of water, Xu Jinnan sat on the sofa and opened her suitcase.
A burgundy haute couture dress, perfect for her pale skin.
Despite her usually casual demeanor, her posture was impeccable, a testament to her upbringing. Her every movement exuded an effortless elegance.
This was different from the original Xu Jinnan.
As she placed the glass of water on the table, Shen Shu noticed a faint smell of alcohol on Xu Jinnan.
“What’s this?” she asked, sitting down as Xu Jinnan pulled out a miniature safe from her suitcase.
“Let’s see what’s inside,” Xu Jinnan replied. “But I don’t know the combination.”
“…Whose is it?”
“Mine.”
“…”
Xu Jinnan corrected herself. “The other me’s. I have… a condition, remember? Like… what happened this afternoon. I don’t remember any of it.” Her response was quick and natural.
But for some reason, she felt like a cheating girlfriend making excuses.
“It was just a contact name. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Hadn’t she seen the number on the profile, not just the name?
Shen Shu watched her, suspicion flickering in her eyes. “Is there something else?”
“Like what?” Xu Jinnan asked, adjusting her mental state. It was probably for the best that Shen Shu hadn’t seen the rest.
…
Xu Jinnan focused on the safe. It wasn’t the original Xu Jinnan’s usual combination. After ruling out her birthday, Shen Shu suggested trying Lu Yun’s.
Click
The safe opened.
Xu Jinnan pulled out a small box.
The living room fell silent. The box also had a lock.
Xu Jinnan sighed. She was genuinely curious now. What could possibly be inside this thing to warrant such elaborate security measures?
As she was about to try different combinations, Shen Shu’s face paled as she looked at her phone.
“What’s wrong?” Xu Jinnan asked.
“Was that man’s name Chen Bo?” Shen Shu asked. “Chen Xiaxia is with him.”
She didn’t need to say more. They both knew what kind of person Chen Bo was.
Xu Jinnan took the phone. A video played, showing a table littered with wine bottles, the room noisy and chaotic. Chen Xiaxia, wearing a skimpy bikini, lay unconscious on a black sofa, bathed in flashing colored lights.
So that’s what those text messages meant.
“Don’t go. I’ll bring her back,” Xu Jinnan said, seeing Shen Shu get up. “If you go, how can I teach him a lesson?”
Shen Shu paused.
She wasn’t foolish. She knew those people wouldn’t dare touch Xu Jinnan. She nodded. “Be careful.”
Before leaving, Xu Jinnan tried calling Chen Bo, but he didn’t answer. He sent a text message instead.
[Emperor Hotel 888]
What Xu Jinnan didn’t know was that as soon as she left, Shen Shu received another message, one that forced her hand.
The Emperor Hotel was members-only. Xu Jinnan, a valued regular, was granted entry without question.
She walked past the extravagant decor and blaring music, ignoring the scantily clad hostesses and hosts, some of whom seemed to recognize her and tried to greet her.
She reached room 888.
No one approached her here, not even the staff, who seemed to have been instructed to stay away.
Compared to the earlier noise, this area was eerily quiet.
Xu Jinnan pushed open the door and saw Chen Xiaxia on the sofa, and another familiar figure lying beside her, also unconscious – Cai Ying.
A chilling realization washed over her.
As she stepped inside, distracted, a strong hand grabbed her from behind, pulling her into the room. She felt a sharp pain in her neck, her strength draining away.
A thud echoed as she was slammed against the door.
“Yin Xue!”
“It’s me, Nannan… Did you miss me?” Yin Xue whispered in her ear. “I missed you.”
“You’re fucking crazy—!”
Xu Jinnan groaned as another injection pierced her skin. A familiar heat surged through her.
“What did you…?”
“Something good, something to make you… horny. The same kind you used on your little wife, but since you like things a little… intense, I used a needle.” Yin Xue smiled seductively. “Do you love me now? Do you regret leaving me?”
Xu Jinnan’s face darkened. That drug only worked on Omegas. Yin Xue had known all along! No wonder she’d been so brazen in front of the original Xu Jinnan; she had leverage.
“Your little wife doesn’t know you’re an Omega, does she?” Yin Xue murmured.
The injection was making Xu Jinnan tremble. A fire raged within her, her body aching, tingling, and itching, like insects crawling beneath her skin.
Professor Qin had said this was the initial symptom of an oncoming rut. Her first rut as an Alpha was imminent.
Xu Jinnan fought to maintain control, terrified of succumbing to the overwhelming urge.
And there were two Omegas in this room!
“You were playing the doting wife, weren’t you? I’ll let her see your true, depraved self… Stop struggling. You’re just a dysfunctional, frigid Omega. I gave you a large dose of aphrodisiac with the first injection. You won’t escape me tonight.”
“You drugged Shen Shu too…?”
Xu Jinnan clenched her fists, her voice weakening.
She was losing control.
Just as her Alpha pheromones were about to be released, Shen Shu’s voice echoed from outside.
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