Chapter 7
Leaving Shen Shu’s ward, Xu Jinnan’s troubled thoughts distracted her. It wasn’t until she reached her own ward that she absently touched the back of her neck.
That familiar throbbing pain again.
Her scent gland felt like a mosquito bite, a small, raised bump, radiating heat.
Xu Jinnan walked silently towards her room, oblivious to the nurses and patients pausing at a distance, as if she carried something frightening.
They only relaxed after her door closed.
A doctor emerged from her room – the same one who’d rushed to her apartment.
A nurse approached him. “Dr. Lin, you’re Miss Xu’s attending physician. What rank is she? An S-class Alpha?”
Dr. Lin, one of the few who knew Xu Jinnan was an Omega, replied, “Why do you ask?” Hearing the nurse explain the Alpha pressure they’d felt from Xu Jinnan, he smiled. “You’re probably just intimidated by her.”
Unaware of the conversation outside, Xu Jinnan lay uncomfortably on her bed, closing her eyes. Soon, she felt like the bed was on fire, roasting her alive.
She drifted into a feverish sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, Professor Qin’s familiar voice filled her ears. He stopped talking to the nurse when he realized she was awake.
“Miss Xu?”
“I’m feeling unwell again, like the other day,” Xu Jinnan said.
Professor Qin dismissed everyone else and approached her with the test results. “Are you feeling numb again?”
“Yes.”
“The nurse said you just visited Miss Shen’s ward?”
“Yes.”
Xu Jinnan’s voice was low.
“Have you experienced this before after interacting with Miss Shen?”
“Just that one time…” Xu Jinnan paused, her mind suddenly clearing. She looked up. “You’re not saying this is related to her, are you?”
“It requires further investigation.” Professor Qin didn’t confirm, then continued, “Also, due to your failed differentiation, your scent glands are inactive, and you can’t perceive pheromones. That’s why your Omega reports have always shown a zero pheromone level.”
Normally, both Alphas and Omegas had a pheromone level, indicating both their sensitivity to and their ability to perceive pheromones.
The scale ranged from 0 to 10, with 0 being no sensitivity and 10 being extremely sensitive.
A 10 for an Alpha meant they were highly susceptible to pheromones, while a 10 for an Omega meant they were prone to heat cycles. 10 was rare and usually required medication.
“Your levels fluctuated last time, reaching 1. But in just a few days, it’s risen to 5.”
“So, pheromones are affecting me now?” Xu Jinnan mused. “Even if that’s true, what does it have to do with Shen Shu?” She’d never heard of an Omega being affected by another Omega’s pheromones.
Professor Qin said, “It’s certainly unusual. That’s why I’d like to discuss bringing in some specialists for a consultation. You’ll need further testing.”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Professor Qin watched her expression. After spending the past few days with her, he wasn’t as intimidated as before.
It was as if she’d become a different person overnight – polite and considerate. He’d heard she’d almost cried when a nurse missed her vein while giving her an IV, but Xu Jinnan had comforted the nurse instead of lashing out.
The old Xu Jinnan would have stabbed the nurse with the needle.
As expected, Xu Jinnan agreed.
She had always valued her health. Whatever she planned to do, her body was her most important asset in this world.
Besides, she needed time to think about her next move.
Over the next few days, Lu Yun replaced everything in Xu Jinnan’s room during each visit. Even a slightly browned banana had to be replaced with one freshly picked.
As a villainous supporting character, Lu Yun was certainly detestable.
But as a mother, she was surprisingly touching.
Xu Jinnan realized something important: she needed to prepare for the possibility of never returning home. Shen Shu, Lu Yun… these people were her only connections in this world.
Xu Jinnan formed a new plan.
To survive in this world, relying on the Xu family wasn’t enough. She needed to become powerful herself. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to help Shen Shu, let alone herself.
She remembered that in the book, the Xu family soon faced a crisis.
And the catalyst for that crisis was the bidding proposal on Shen Shu’s bedside table.
“You don’t need to apply the ointment tomorrow. The bruises don’t hurt anymore.”
As Xu Jinnan finished speaking, a soft knock came from the door. She called out, still hidden behind the privacy curtain.
The nurse chuckled. “Are you worried your wife will be jealous, Miss Xu? Not even letting me apply your ointment? I’m forty, not a young nurse.”
“It’s just a bruise. It’ll heal on its own.” Xu Jinnan pulled up her hospital gown, buttoning it slowly, covering her cleavage.
Jealousy was just an excuse.
Regardless, she was married. Even if the nurses were Betas, they were still women. If she could avoid unnecessary physical contact, she would.
It was a matter of respect for Shen Shu, and a personal principle.
The door opened.
It was Zhou Pei, the original Xu Jinnan’s assistant, a female Beta with short, neat black hair, dressed in a business suit. From the novel’s description, she was a fiercely loyal and rather violent subordinate.
Her violent tendencies were likely influenced by the original Xu Jinnan.
“Miss, I’ve brought the documents.”
Xu Jinnan glanced at her. “Aren’t you going to ask why I need these?”
Zhou Pei didn’t hesitate. “You told me to just do my job, not ask questions.”
Xu Jinnan raised an eyebrow, then looked through the documents, making a few changes to the figures with a pen.
Zhou Pei’s eyes flickered as she watched.
Twenty minutes later, Xu Jinnan looked up and handed the documents back to Zhou Pei. “Return these to whoever requested them and tell her to go ahead with the project. As long as it’s legal, we have to win this bid.”
Zhou Pei, her surprise masked, nodded in agreement.
Xu Jinnan stretched. After days of inactivity, she decided to join Zhou Pei for a walk downstairs.
Besides its excellent service, the specialized hospital boasted a park-like environment, with flowerbeds changing with the seasons.
As they reached the lobby and were about to enter the back garden through a glass corridor, Zhou Pei spoke, her voice cool.
“It’s Miss Yin. And…” she paused, “your wife.”
Xu Jinnan stopped, following Zhou Pei’s gaze.
Shen Shu was walking out of the inpatient building. Two women, one tall and one shorter, stood waiting for her.
Shen Shu had met Yin Xue before.
Countless times, while Xu Jinnan hurled insults at her, Yin Xue would cling to her arm, batting her eyelashes.
And after that horrific wedding, in the dimly lit corridor, Yin Xue had embraced Xu Jinnan from behind.
She had witnessed it all.
They were lovers. Everyone knew it.
Why they were here, everyone knew that too.
Shen Shu, her expression neutral, walked past them, but Yin Xue stepped forward, blocking her path.
“Miss Shen, leaving the hospital alone? Carrying your own things?” Yin Xue scanned her from head to toe. “Xu Jinnan didn’t bother to see you off? Oh, I forgot, the wedding night is over…”
The implication was clear: Xu Jinnan had grown tired of her after just one night.
The words were vulgar, the meaning vile.
Shen Shu smiled faintly. “Are you jealous?”
Yin Xue’s smile vanished, replaced by a sneer. “Jealous of what? Shen Shu, you’re nothing. Why would I be jealous of you?”
“If you’re not, then fine. No need to get so worked up.”
Shen Shu’s voice was soft, her tone even softer, as if she truly didn’t care.
The more indifferent she appeared, the angrier Yin Xue became. The Alpha beside her, behaving like a proper lady, tugged at Yin Xue’s arm, attempting to calm her down.
Yin Xue shook her off. “She only married you for fun. You’re so fragile… Who knows, maybe by tonight, you’ll be discarded…”
Before she could finish, a cool, lazy voice interrupted her.
“Wife.”
Shen Shu’s body stiffened at the sound.
Everyone turned their heads in surprise.
Xu Jinnan, still in her hospital gown, strode towards them, stopping in front of Shen Shu, all eyes on her.
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