Chapter 67
Xu Jinnan changed into her slippers and entered the living room, where Cai Ying was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, engrossed in a mobile game, the volume turned down low.
A voice from the game said, “Help me!”
“…” Someone help me too, Xu Jinnan thought.
She had shared a bed with Shen Shu for the first time last night, not out of necessity, but by choice. If she slept on the floor tonight, what would Shen Shu think?
Her heightened sensitivity and erratic Alpha pheromones were a concern. Professor Qin had said that excitement, sexual arousal, deep kissing, skin contact… all of these could trigger a reaction.
Sharing a bed, it would be impossible to avoid physical contact…
And last night, despite their close proximity, she hadn’t had any adverse reactions. Should she consider herself lucky?
It seemed her fate depended on luck now.
“Come and try this,” Shen Shu’s voice called out from the kitchen, interrupting her thoughts.
“Shu Shu, ask Xu Jinnan to try it. I’m busy,” Cai Ying whined.
“Is the game that important?” Xu Jinnan asked, walking towards the kitchen island. “Such a child.”
Cai Ying glared at her, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. “Can you shut up? It’s your fault! I got distracted and died!”
Xu Jinnan glanced at her, amused by her outburst. Teasing Cai Ying was like teasing a five-year-old; it was strangely entertaining.
She had even told Shen Shu that if Cai Ying and Little Crescent Moon ever met, they would probably become best friends.
Xu Jinnan smiled faintly. “Let me try it,” she said to Shen Shu.
Before she could even finish her sentence, Shen Shu had already picked up a piece of beef, blown on it gently, and held it out to her, a purely instinctive gesture, afraid Xu Jinnan would burn her tongue.
Shen Shu offered her the chopsticks.
Xu Jinnan leaned closer, her lips parting slightly as she took the beef from Shen Shu’s chopsticks.
She chewed thoughtfully, then nodded. “It’s good.”
“Tsk tsk,” Cai Ying muttered, making a face.
As they were eating, Cai Ying walked over to the table and noticed Xu Jinnan’s feet.
“Matching couple slippers,” she commented dryly.
Xu Jinnan looked down and saw Shen Shu was wearing the pink slippers, the matching pair to her own blue ones.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she glanced at Shen Shu, who, her expression unchanged, simply sat down beside her.
“Let’s eat,” she said.
“Xu Jinnan, are you sure you just tasted the beef?” Cai Ying asked, taking a sip of her drink.
Before Xu Jinnan could reply, Shen Shu asked, “What do you mean?”
“Babe, let’s just wait for Xu Jinnan to cook next time,” Cai Ying said.
Shen Shu: “…”
Cai Ying, meeting Shen Shu’s slightly threatening gaze, placed a piece of beef in her bowl. “Why don’t you try it yourself?” She was well aware of Shen Shu’s… limitations in the kitchen, especially when it came to meat dishes. She remembered a time when, for Cai Ying’s birthday, Shen Shu had prepared a “feast.”
She couldn’t remember what they had eaten.
Only that she had spent the next two days in the hospital with food poisoning.
Shen Shu’s cooking had improved since then, but there were still occasional… mishaps.
Like now.
Shen Shu took a bite of the beef and paused, her jaw clenching.
It was tough.
And salty.
Cai Ying, not wanting to discourage her, forced a smile. “It’s edible, right, Xu Jinnan? Look how much she’s enjoying it!”
Xu Jinnan took two more pieces of beef, her expression calm. “It’s more than edible. It’s delicious,” she said, her tone sincere, as if they weren’t eating the same dish.
Throughout the meal, Xu Jinnan was the only one who ate the beef, and Shen Shu, unable to watch any longer, said softly, “Don’t force yourself if you don’t like it.”
“No, it’s really good,” Xu Jinnan insisted.
After a few bites, Cai Ying felt like she had been force-fed enough secondhand sweetness and took out her phone, opening her chat with “Teacher Han,” which was pinned at the top of her list.
Cai Ying: [Ugh, they’re making me sick with their PDA.]
A few seconds later:
Teacher Han: [Oh?]
Cai Ying: [It’s nothing. What are you doing?]
Teacher Han: [Out running errands.]
Cai Ying: [Okay, take your time.]
She took a sip of water, and her phone buzzed with a reply: [Miss me?]
A smile touched her lips, her eyes sparkling. [Yes! There’s a disgusting couple in front of me, flaunting their love.] She added a crying emoji.
There was no immediate reply, and Cai Ying, putting down her phone, heard Xu Jinnan mention Chen Bo’s name.
Something about a land deal. She didn’t pay attention, but the name reminded her of something.
“Oh, my dad mentioned a birthday banquet. Shu Shu, are you going?” The Shen family hadn’t been invited in previous years, but this year was different. Now that Shen Shu was married to Xu Jinnan, even companies like HP, almost equal in status to the Xu family, were sending them invitations.
“I’m not sure yet,” Shen Shu replied, though she was likely to attend.
“I’ll go if you go,” Cai Ying said, then added, “You should go. You should give him another slap for what he did at the hospital.” She had been there when Chen Bo had tried to drug Shen Shu with that disgusting “hangover cure.”
Xu Jinnan didn’t participate in the conversation, getting up to refill her water glass.
As Shen Shu and Cai Ying were talking, Shen Shu noticed Xu Jinnan stand up, then, catching Cai Ying’s eye, they both smiled.
“Shu Shu,” Cai Ying whispered, “it’s really salty.”
Shen Shu’s lips curved into a smile. She knew.
She wouldn’t normally find this amusing – knowing she shouldn’t laugh, yet unable to suppress the amusement bubbling up inside her.
After dinner, Xu Jinnan was about to wash the dishes when she received a phone call, and Shen Shu took the dishes to the sink.
As she was washing them, Cai Ying approached her, her voice low. “Shu Shu, are your… thighs sore?” she asked, still too embarrassed to be more direct.
She hadn’t noticed earlier, but Shen Shu’s movements had been slightly stiff.
Shen Shu, focused on the dishes, nodded. “Yes, still sore from horseback riding yesterday.”
“…” Cai Ying’s eyes widened. “Oh, right! I forgot you went horseback riding! I thought it was…”
“Thought what?” Shen Shu asked instinctively.
Cai Ying nudged her arm with her elbow, grinning suggestively, but didn’t elaborate.
Shen Shu quickly understood, rolling her eyes. “…Stop listening to Tong Jia’s nonsense.” Sore thighs, in popular culture, often had a sexual connotation. While that wasn’t the reason for her own discomfort, Cai Ying’s words had planted the thought in her mind.
She felt a strange warmth spreading through her.
—
Xu Jinnan started changing the bedsheets in the guest room, and Cai Ying joined her, then, halfway through, abandoned the task and went back to the living room to talk to Shen Shu. Despite turning twenty next year, she still had the attention span of a child, rarely persevering with anything unless it was truly important to her.
Xu Jinnan straightened the duvet, looking at the discarded sheets and remembering waking up with Shen Shu that morning.
She had actually been awake before the kiss.
To be precise, she had woken up when Shen Shu’s arm brushed against her chest.
What Shen Shu didn’t know was that after she left the room, Xu Jinnan had changed her underwear.
And washed it while she was brushing her teeth.
She exhaled slowly, her breath warm, like Shen Shu’s breath on her face that morning.
Just then, she heard Cai Ying call out from the living room, “Xu Jinnan~ no need to change the sheets for me!” Her voice was cheerful, and she grabbed her phone charger from the sofa. “I’m going on a date! I’m not staying here tonight!”
Xu Jinnan & Shen Shu: “…”
“Han Ling?” Shen Shu asked.
Cai Ying nodded. “I’m not a scumbag. Who else would it be? She’s picking me up soon. We’re going to the movies, then I’ll go straight home… Isn’t it better if I’m not here? No third wheel,” she added, seeing their strange expressions.
—
Twenty minutes later, Cai Ying stood up to leave, and since it was getting late, Shen Shu offered to walk her downstairs.
“Don’t bother. Your leg is still hurting,” Cai Ying said. “It’s just downstairs. I’ll be fine.”
Xu Jinnan, also noticing Shen Shu’s slight limp, and knowing the muscle soreness would likely worsen in the next few days, stood up. “I’ll go with her. I need to take out the trash anyway.”
As they were leaving, Cai Ying grabbed the half-peeled orange she had been eating.
—
In the elevator, Xu Jinnan glanced at the newly completed recreational area. It was deserted at this hour.
Han Ling hadn’t arrived yet, so Xu Jinnan went to take out the trash.
When she returned, Cai Ying was on the phone.
“Wait for me outside, by the stone bench. I’ll be right out,” she said, then hung up.
Xu Jinnan smiled faintly. “So secretive? Afraid we’ll judge you?”
“No,” Cai Ying replied. “I’ll introduce you when things are more… official.” It was a bit sudden, and she hadn’t told Han Ling about them yet.
Xu Jinnan, who had been teasing, seeing Cai Ying’s serious expression, chuckled. “Go on then, Miss Cai. Don’t keep your girlfriend waiting.” The word “girlfriend,” for someone newly in love, was like a sweet melody.
A smug look appeared in Cai Ying’s eyes. “You should hurry back too. Don’t keep your wife waiting,” she retorted.
—
Through the rearview mirror, Han Wenling saw an Omega approaching her black Maybach, dressed in a pale yellow hoodie, a white mini skirt, and a light-colored trench coat, her long, slender legs faintly visible.
She extinguished her cigarette and unlocked the car.
As Cai Ying got into the passenger seat, the sweet scent of lychee, mingled with the cool night air, filled the car.
Han Wenling’s gaze flickered over Cai Ying’s legs. “Aren’t you cold in that skirt?” she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
“I’ll be fine. I’m not going to be outside for long. And look!” Cai Ying said, holding out a half-peeled orange. “I stole this for you.”
Han Wenling had known from their first meeting that Cai Ying was a cheerful, playful person, but she had discovered there was more to her than that.
Cai Ying possessed a certain innocence, a simple purity Han Wenling had never encountered before.
A naive optimism, a cheerful disposition, a fierce sense of justice…
It was a stark contrast to Han Wenling’s own world, and perhaps that was why, even though nothing had happened between them, she enjoyed spending time with Cai Ying.
“Stole it how?” she asked, taking the orange slice from Cai Ying’s hand, her fingers brushing against Cai Ying’s wrist, then bringing the orange to her lips and eating it, her gaze fixed on Cai Ying, intense and unwavering, like a predator’s stare.
Cai Ying’s hand twitched slightly in her grasp, then, after Han Wenling swallowed the orange, she asked, “Was it good?”
Han Wenling smiled faintly, her lips curving upwards. Did she realize how suggestive that sounded?
She released Cai Ying’s hand and reached for her vibrating phone, replying casually, “It was good.” Then, seeing the caller ID, her smile vanished, and she pressed the side button, silencing the call and putting the phone back in her pocket.
“Have you decided on a movie?” she asked, starting the car.
Cai Ying, noticing the shift in her mood, suggested a title.
They chatted normally during the drive, but Cai Ying could sense Han Wenling’s mood had soured after that phone call.
She had seemed different from the start.
Her phone rang twice more, but she ignored it, and Cai Ying, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, “Who is it? Aren’t you going to answer?”
“Family,” Han Wenling replied curtly.
Cai Ying felt a pang of disappointment. She realized she didn’t know much about Han Wenling, who rarely shared anything personal.
And she hadn’t told Han Wenling much about herself either, hadn’t even introduced her to her friends.
“Teacher Han.”
“Yes?”
“My friend, the one I was telling you about, the one with the wife… let’s have dinner together sometime, the four of us,” Cai Ying suggested, looking at Han Wenling.
Han Wenling paused, then agreed. “Sure.”
Cai Ying’s mood lifted. “My friend is amazing. You’ll be surprised when you meet her,” she said with a smile.
“Then I can’t wait,” Han Wenling replied, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, signaling a turn, seemingly handling both the conversation and the driving with ease.
—
They arrived at Wanhe Plaza.
Han Wenling got out of the car and finally answered the call she had been ignoring.
As she walked away, she reached for a cigarette, then realized she had left them in the car.
Her tone sharpened as she spoke into the phone. “You’re telling me to get close to the He heiress for my sake? Isn’t it for your own social climbing ambitions?”
“I might not like Han Wenfang, but I wouldn’t stoop to such methods to secure my position in the company. Do you really think Dad will hand over the company to me just because I marry into the He family? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’ve been your pawn my entire life. Do I even have any freedom? Have you ever seen a pawn with free will?”
After a long pause, her anger seemed to dissipate as she listened to the voice on the other end.
She let out a cold laugh. “You’re right. Born into such a heartless family, what choice do I have?” She hung up.
The autumn night was cool, the air crisp and clear.
Her Alpha father and Omega mother had divorced when she was five, her father already having been absent for a while, their constant arguments the soundtrack of her childhood.
A month after the divorce, he had brought home another Omega, already pregnant, whom he clearly adored, and after the child was born, his affection for the little girl was evident.
Han Wenling had become an unwanted presence in her own home, more superfluous than even the servants.
Her mother had told her: You have to fight for everything in this life. Those who don’t fight get nothing.
Initially, she had followed her mother’s advice.
But reality had taught her a different lesson – it didn’t matter how hard you fought if you weren’t loved.
Only the strong could control their own destiny.
And she had become strong.
Despite rumors of Han Wenfang being the favored heir, her father had increasingly relied on her, her influence within the company far exceeding her younger sister’s.
Perhaps because of her father’s recent hospital visits, her mother, sensing his declining health, had become anxious, afraid of being left with nothing.
Han Wenling closed her eyes, a wave of frustration washing over her. Then, she felt a hand on her waist.
The scent of lychee, Cai Ying’s pheromones, mingled with the cool night air, and she looked down at the small, pale hand on her waist, hearing Cai Ying’s cheerful voice. “Teacher Han, don’t be sad!”
A warmth spread through her chest, a comforting sensation unlike anything she had ever felt before.
Cai Ying’s hand lingered on her waist, then moved slightly as she stepped in front of Han Wenling, her body close, and Han Wenling instinctively raised her arm, letting Cai Ying slip beneath it.
Cai Ying looked up at her, her eyes meeting Han Wenling’s. They weren’t smiling or gentle now, but filled with a quiet sadness, a weariness that resonated with Han Wenling.
This wasn’t the Teacher Han she knew, yet it felt… right.
“Let’s not watch a movie tonight,” Cai Ying said. “You seem upset.”
“Then what?”
“Shopping!”
“…Shopping?”
Cai Ying, taking her hand, pulled her towards the mall. “Anything you want, I’ll buy it for you.”
Han Wenling chuckled, her earlier gloom lifting slightly. “Really? Even expensive things?”
Cai Ying, hearing this, mentally calculated her allowance.
How much did I have left…?
“I should… I should have enough,” she mumbled.
If not, I can always borrow some from Shu Shu.
—
When Xu Jinnan returned to the apartment, carrying the small bag of white powder, Shen Shu was sitting on the sofa, reading what looked like a new book. Xu Jinnan saw the title as she put it down – The Ferryman.
“You still have that?” Shen Shu asked, gesturing towards the bag.
Xu Jinnan took out the locked box from the closet, opened it, and placed the bag inside. “It’s still a problem. The hospital doesn’t have the equipment to analyze it,” she explained. Giving it to someone else could be dangerous.
Things were complicated enough already.
“I’ll keep it here for now and ask around.”
Shen Shu nodded, glancing at Xu Jinnan, then picked up her book again, her gaze fixed on the words on the page.
The living room was quiet, the curtains by the window swaying gently in the breeze.
Xu Jinnan coughed softly. Cai Ying’s visit, though brief, had been a rollercoaster of emotions. While she was relieved Cai Ying wasn’t staying, she couldn’t deny a faint pang of disappointment.
But mostly, she was relieved.
Shen Shu’s heat cycle was approaching, and her own pheromones were unstable, her sensitivity heightened. Any misstep could have disastrous consequences for Shen Shu.
“Get some rest,” she said softly.
“Mm,” Shen Shu replied after a moment, her voice calm.
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Shen Shu didn’t look up.
Xu Jinnan thoughtfully closed the door behind her, and Shen Shu, hearing the click, unconsciously rubbed her fingers against the cover of her book, her nails slipping slightly on the smooth surface.
She read for a few more minutes, then stood up, walked to the door, and locked it, a sudden surge of defiance making her act impulsively.
—
The next morning, Xu Jinnan woke up with a stiff back and aching legs, the muscles sore from yesterday’s horseback riding.
Shen Shu, having been more affected, would likely be feeling it even more today.
As she was making porridge, Shen Shu emerged from her bedroom, walking slowly. “How are you feeling?” Xu Jinnan asked, concerned. Shen Shu had to wear heels for her scenes today.
“I only have two scenes today. I’ll manage,” Shen Shu replied.
She had been exercising regularly before, but had stopped since getting married.
After a quick breakfast, Xu Jinnan, busy with the North District project, simply left the apartment with Shen Shu.
The van was waiting downstairs.
As they walked down the two small steps leading to the entrance, Shen Shu winced slightly, the movement jarring her sore muscles.
Tong Jia, waiting by the van, watched them approach, noticing their stiff movements.
Shen Shu had seemed uncomfortable yesterday as well.
“Whoa,” Tong Jia said, then shook her head at Xu Jinnan, her gossipy demeanor instantly replaced by her professional agent persona as they got into the van.
Tong Jia: [CEO Xu, seriously, even if you can’t control yourself, you have to be more considerate!]
Xu Jinnan: [?]
Tong Jia: [Shu Shu has to film! How could you be so rough? How is she supposed to wear heels now?]
Tong Jia: [Her legs were trembling as she walked down the stairs!]
Xu Jinnan: […Do you know anything about horseback riding?]
Tong Jia: [Holy shit!!! That’s kinky! Is it what I’m thinking? Tell me everything!]
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Xu Jinnan glanced at the traffic light, which was about to turn green, her eye twitching slightly. So, Tong Jia didn’t know about the riding stable.
Even if she told her, with Tong Jia’s mind, she would still misinterpret it.
She decided to change the subject.
She had been meaning to do this yesterday.
Xu Jinnan: [Go find Zhou Pei at the office. She has some information about the Xia Chun super topic. Give it to Xia Chun personally.]
Xu Jinnan: [My number is in the file. Tell her to contact me if she has any questions. I’ll be waiting.]
The light turned green, and she put away her phone.
—
In the van, Tong Jia leaned against Shen Shu’s shoulder, her voice low and dreamy. “I’m suddenly appreciating CEO Xu’s beauty and dominance. She’s such a badass Alpha.”
Shen Shu turned her head, gently pushing Tong Jia away. “What?”
“CEO Xu took care of that Xia Chun super topic. Quietly and efficiently. We all know how… energetic she is in bed, but that’s not the point. Can you even walk today? I’m worried you won’t be able to stand in heels,” Tong Jia said.
Shen Shu paused, considering her words.
Finally, she simply said, “Rumors.”
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