Category: After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration]

Chapter 62: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (19)

The sky, clear for half a day, started to drizzle again in the afternoon.

The roses outside the master bedroom window, nourished by the gentle rain, became even more alluring. Their sweet fragrance wafted through the glass, filling the room as if the garden had grown indoors.

Chu Ruan sat on Su Mingxiu’s lap, her back to the Alpha. She had finally managed to prop herself up, but Su Mingxiu’s mischievous knee suddenly buckled, sending her tumbling forward—

Even though she didn’t fall, her body tensed with fear. A teardrop that had been hanging from her eyelashes fell silently onto the bedroom carpet as she leaned forward.

The Omega’s reddened eyes, like carefully applied eyeshadow, were exceptionally alluring, complementing her plump, deep red lips, creating the most captivating painting in the room.

A soft moan escaped her throat. She pressed her fingertips against Su Mingxiu’s knees, wanting to escape this confinement. But her slender legs only swayed in the air, unable to find solid ground. Her ankles bumped against the edge of the bed, leaving behind light and dark red marks.

The sight of those marks on her fair skin was incredibly suggestive.

But the Omega herself was oblivious. Perhaps because freedom seemed so close, she believed she could escape this predicament. Despite her trembling, tense body and curled toes, she still tried to wriggle away.

To escape the dangerous predator behind her.

The white fabric of her bathrobe bunched up around her waist, like a snowman’s coat. But the person holding her could accurately grasp the soft waist beneath the fabric, pulling her back into their embrace. A chuckling voice, intimate and low, reached Chu Ruan’s ear, whispering against her beautiful back:

“Don’t bite.”

The Omega, her escape foiled, looked up in confusion. She had already learned the consequences of pulling off Su Mingxiu’s gloves, so how could she dare to bite again?

As soon as this thought crossed her mind, her cheeks flushed even redder, brighter than the reddest rose in the garden.

The next moment, Chu Ruan covered her mouth with one hand, stifling a moan.

The Omega’s body was truly too soft. Su Mingxiu had originally intended to keep things light, but holding her on her lap, she found herself getting addicted. Even the original owner’s mischievous nature couldn’t be suppressed. Countless wicked thoughts arose every second, each one wanting to torment the Omega until she cried.

She could only hold Chu Ruan even tighter, sighing as she said, “Teacher Chu, if you still want to go to school tomorrow, relax a little, okay?”

Chu Ruan’s constant struggling made it difficult for Su Mingxiu to let her go.

After all, even the gentlest Alpha couldn’t suppress their primal instincts. They weren’t saints.

Barely understanding her meaning, Chu Ruan raised her hand, wanting to cover her tearful eyes, wanting to cover her lips, but in the end, she couldn’t cover anything. She could only cling to Su Mingxiu’s knee, her sweaty palm slipping. Her pink fingertips fell weakly, and she whimpered: “Let… let me go…”

“That’s not possible,” Su Mingxiu chuckled, nibbling on her ear from behind. The rich mint fragrance enveloped Chu Ruan, making her tremble again. “This is something Teacher Chu begged for, I should at least satisfy you.”

“Ah!” Chu Ruan, embarrassed by the repeated use of “Teacher,” reached back to cover Su Mingxiu’s lips.

But it only resulted in another mark on her body.

***

The rain in the courtyard stopped.

The afternoon sun broke through the clouds again, shining on the city.

Chu Ruan lay back in bed, burying her head in the darkness. A cool hand behind her was treating the wound on her nape. Perhaps the touch was a bit too rough, a hand reached out from the quilt and swatted at it. There were faint bite marks on the back of the hand.

A soft “slap” sounded.

Su Mingxiu didn’t mind. She only pulled the quilt back a little, preventing Chu Ruan from suffocating, and explained with a smile: “I was really being gentle.”

The person under the quilt mumbled, “You should be gentle when you bite!”

The Alpha, who had already explained this three times, sighed helplessly. She had just marked the Omega’s gland last night.

But the pheromones Chu Ruan was releasing today were clearly abnormal. To avoid an ineffective marking, she had wanted to fully mark her to see what would happen—

But in the end, she hadn’t even done anything, and the Omega was already crying uncontrollably, saying no.

So she could only resort to biting her again.

Chu Ruan, under the quilt, was also thinking about this. She felt that she had been foolish before. She had only lost a temporary marking on her gland, but just now, she almost gave herself away completely.

… How did things escalate to this point?

She couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard she thought. Until a new bandage was applied to her nape, and a hand reached under the quilt, pulling her up. “Alright, get dressed. I’ve scheduled a checkup for you.”

If it weren’t for her concern about the ineffective temporary marking, Su Mingxiu wouldn’t have stopped so soon.

***

Monday, 6:50 AM.

On a small road a kilometer away from Jingui High School.

A silver Maybach was parked by the roadside. The person in the passenger seat quickly unbuckled their seatbelt. With a “click,” they eagerly reached for the door handle, their head constantly looking around, as if feeling guilty like a thief.

But before they could open the door, their wrist was pulled back by the person in the driver’s seat.

“Wait.”

Thinking about the results of yesterday’s checkup, Su Mingxiu felt a bit uneasy—according to the report, Chu Ruan’s physique was quite special. She was the type who wasn’t very sensitive to Alpha pheromones.

So, during her heat cycle, temporary markings were easily ineffective, only a full marking could stabilize her pheromones.

The Alpha wanted to ask the system if this was a trap set for the protagonist. After all, according to the plot of this world, this insensitivity seemed quite dangerous.

Especially since Chu Ruan’s appearance easily attracted Alphas. If one marking wasn’t effective… wouldn’t that allow many people to…?

Thinking of this, Su Mingxiu was about to warn her, but the person she had pulled back misunderstood her intentions. A blush appeared on her face as she leaned towards Su Mingxiu and kissed her lips.

Then, she asked hesitantly: “Is this okay?”

“Uh…” Su Mingxiu instantly swallowed her words and pulled the person into her arms with a smile. “That was too perfunctory, not enough.”

A few minutes later.

A figure hurried out of the car, still wearing casual clothes, but her face was flushed. She unconsciously rubbed her cheeks, then walked towards the school, facing the cool breeze. By the time she reached the school gate, she had completely recovered.

Su Mingxiu remained in the car, watching Chu Ruan’s figure disappear around the corner. Only then did she take out her phone and send a voice message.

“Didn’t you say last time that your school infirmary was short-staffed?”

***

“Ring, ring, ring!”

The morning reading bell rang.

Chu Ruan entered Class 1’s classroom. She had only intended to make a quick round. After all, the students in Class 1 were very self-disciplined. It would be better to check on the few rascals in the last row of Class 2 to see if they were seriously reading English.

But ever since she entered, Su Xinyan’s gaze had been fixed on her. So, after making her rounds, Chu Ruan thought Su Xinyan had a question and walked towards her: “Student Su, you’re not reading the text, are you staring at me because you have a question?”

Su Xinyan, reminded, immediately shook her head, holding her Chinese textbook up to cover her face.

As Chu Ruan turned around, Su Xinyan’s gaze fell on her clothes. She was wearing a royal blue turtleneck sweater, the long design making her look even more delicate, paired with plaid casual pants with rolled-up cuffs, giving her a casual yet stylish look.

The problem was—

Su Xinyan remembered that this sweater was a new fall/winter release from a certain luxury brand, and it was a cropped design.

She remembered it so clearly because she had dragged her aunt out shopping during her sick leave, and after receiving all the missed holiday gifts, she had also bought a piece of clothing as a gift in return.

This sweater was the last one in the local mall at that time.

What were the chances of the brand restocking and Chu Ruan buying the same style?

Su Xinyan cupped her face and sighed after Chu Ruan left the classroom. Looking at the other students still immersed in their morning reading, she felt like she was the only one who knew the truth.

Her deskmate nudged her. “Why have you been staring at Teacher Chu all day?”

“Looking at her clothes,” Su Xinyan replied casually, unable to share her excitement. She could only lower her head and look at her textbook.

“Oh?” Her deskmate immediately became interested. “You noticed Teacher Chu’s style changed today too? I think that sweater looks really nice on her.”

Su Xinyan paused, looking at her Omega deskmate in surprise, then patted her arm approvingly. “You have good taste.”

She bought it! Of course it’s beautiful!

She personally picked it out for her aunt!

Although it never ended up on Su Mingxiu.

***

After two morning classes…

A commotion spread throughout the classrooms of all grades.

At first, when the noise reached their class, everyone thought the school was going to announce some kind of event or holiday.

Otherwise, it couldn’t explain why the other students they saw were so excited. Until the class president of Class 1 went to ask the grade director and was sent back by Director Zou.

“What holiday? These students, instead of focusing on their studies, are always thinking about holidays!”

The class president returned dejectedly, confused. “The director didn’t say anything about a holiday. Someone go ask in the school group chat why everyone is so excited.”

Soon.

A picture spread throughout the class group chats.

“Shocking! An incredibly beautiful Alpha has arrived at the infirmary! It’s the owner of Future Biology, the one who gave the speech at the opening ceremony!”

Su Xinyan, seeing the message: “?”

She quickly ran towards the infirmary, ready to confront her heartless aunt who had forgotten about her niece after getting a partner, asking why she hadn’t told her about such a big thing.

But the entrance to the infirmary was crowded.

Students feigning illnesses were everywhere. Some said they had a headache, some said they had a cough, those who couldn’t come up with anything simply said they felt unwell. In short, every student wanted to get a closer look at the beautiful boss lady.

For a moment, Su Xinyan couldn’t even squeeze through the crowd.

She stomped her feet in frustration, wondering how to get inside, when she suddenly heard a familiar voice: “What’s going on? Is everyone sick?”

Teacher Chu, who had planned to go to the infirmary during break to change her suppression collar, was confused.

She even tapped the shoulder of a tall Alpha student in front of her and asked: “Excuse me, student—”

“Wait a minute,” the Alpha craned his neck. “Let me see what kind of Alpha could be even more attractive than me.”

He turned around, only to see a figure not wearing a school uniform.

Chu Ruan stared at him with a blank expression for two seconds. He quickly changed his tune and said respectfully in a loud voice: “Hello, Teacher!”

This startled the noisy students nearby. Many, suffering from “teacher PTSD,” turned around. The previously chaotic infirmary instantly fell silent, and many even started slipping away, pressing themselves against the wall. Soon, a path was cleared for her.

Chu Ruan followed the crowd and saw a familiar figure in a white coat standing behind the consultation desk. A silver stethoscope hung around her neck, her gloved hand pressing a student who was pretending to be sick onto the chair in front of her.

Meeting her gaze, the newly appointed school doctor of Jingui High School smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners:

“Long time no see.”

“Teacher Chu.”

Chu Ruan: “…” Had it even been three hours?

Chapter 61: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (18)

The rose fragrance in the living room grew stronger, as if someone had spilled a bottle of perfume. Chu Ruan’s fingertip had swiped away the dialing interface on Su Mingxiu’s phone, so the emergency call hadn’t gone through.

Su Mingxiu stared at her tear-stained face. After an unknown amount of time, she stood up from the chair and leaned over to wipe away the Omega’s tears. Compared to the still somewhat childish face from three years ago, the now more mature Chu Ruan looked even more alluring when she cried.

She silently wiped away Chu Ruan’s tears, their gazes meeting. After a moment, Chu Ruan suddenly reached out and hugged her. Her fragrant neck, exposed and vulnerable, was right before Su Mingxiu’s nose.

—Like a subtle invitation.

Su Mingxiu raised her hand and placed it on Chu Ruan’s shoulder blade. Compared to the Omega’s heated body, her own temperature was slightly lower. Just a slight movement of her fingertip could sense the trembling beneath her palm.

A delicate trembling, like a butterfly with its wings caught.

As she lowered her head, following the source of the fragrance, a strand of hair slipped from behind her ear and brushed against Chu Ruan’s shoulder. Then she noticed that the other party was trembling even more violently.

Whether it was from the shame of this offering or fear of what was to come, she didn’t know.

“Ruanruan, have you thought this through?”

Her red lips were only a centimeter away from the Omega’s nape, but Su Mingxiu still had to ask this question, as if she needed to hear this devotee’s confession of complete surrender before granting her protection.

Chu Ruan had grabbed onto her dress at some point, her grip so tight that her knuckles turned white. The anticipated pain didn’t come, but the flames within her burned even fiercer, her remaining rationality crumbling under the heat. Her usual weakness vanished, and she couldn’t help but blurt out: “Don’t you… know how?”

This question…

Was just as effective as asking an Alpha if they were impotent in bed.

A faint chuckle reached Chu Ruan’s ears, low and magnetic, making half her body go weak. So when she was bitten, she didn’t even feel the pain at first.

Until that faint, seemingly non-invasive cool fragrance gradually enveloped her, infiltrating her every breath, and then those sweet scents surged towards the wound on her gland!

The sudden sensation was like a thorny whip lashing across her spine, like searing heat burning an exposed wound—

The Omega in Su Mingxiu’s arms abruptly raised her head, her lips parting silently, wanting to scream out the unbearable pain. But perhaps because the Alpha’s bite was too deep, she couldn’t make a sound.

Only her body trembled, like a wildfire spreading from her shoulders throughout her entire being.

It hurts.

Chu Ruan thought hazily, Was it supposed to be this painful?

At some point, a thin layer of sweat had appeared on her skin. Just when she thought she couldn’t scream, a broken, incoherent sound escaped her throat.

Like a discordant opera, a melody gone astray.

But the Omega’s voice was naturally soft and gentle. Now, distorted like this, it reached Su Mingxiu’s ears, not as a plea for mercy, but as a reward and an invitation, encouraging her to do better, to make the Omega produce more of these beautiful sounds.

So she released the tiger from its cage.

Not only did she not loosen her grip on the gland, but she bit down even harder.

A bright red stain slowly spread from the slender nape of the person in her arms, silently covering the black lotus. As the Alpha’s pheromones were injected, the Omega’s suppression sticker completely lost its effect, its color gradually fading until it disappeared from her fair skin.

And that triumphant crimson, like a conquering army, chased after the fading seal, ruthlessly claiming its territory.

“It hurts.”

After an unknown amount of time, Chu Ruan finally found her voice amidst the seemingly endless pain, weakly squeezing out a single word, her forehead pressing against Su Mingxiu’s neck.

Sensing the prey’s struggle, the beast instinctively tightened its bite, making the Omega’s prepared plea turn into a whimper, swallowed back down her throat.

After a long while, Su Mingxiu finally came back to her senses and loosened her grip. Her smiling voice hadn’t changed, still as gentle as ever as it reached Chu Ruan’s ears.

“Sorry, did I bite too hard?”

Just listening to her soothing voice, one would think she was a gentle and considerate person. But the messy bite marks on the Omega’s gland revealed a completely different truth—

Chu Ruan had provoked a true beast.

The kind that could snap her neck without a sound, leaving her no chance to cry for help even on the verge of death.

Like an elegant leopard in the jungle, leisurely grooming its fur under a tree, its tail swaying lazily, no one knowing that a gazelle carcass had appeared on the tree at some point.

The emotions that couldn’t surface during the intense pain finally surged forth after Su Mingxiu released her bite. Chu Ruan’s grip on Su Mingxiu’s dress weakened, tears streaming down her face silently. After a while, she finally sobbed: “It hurts… so much…”

“You bit too hard… I’m broken…”

The gland was an Omega’s weak spot. Even a slight touch could make them tremble involuntarily.

Moreover, being bitten and injected with pheromones so forcefully, Chu Ruan had heard her Omega friends share their first marking experiences, but none of them had cried as miserably as she was now.

She felt like she had never been so badly injured, she didn’t even dare to touch it. An uncontrollable panic spread through her, as if a piece of her nape had been bitten off.

Su Mingxiu touched her canine teeth with her tongue, still tasting a faint metallic tang. She picked up the person in her arms and walked towards the bedroom, whispering soothingly: “You won’t break.”

But she didn’t deny that she had marked Chu Ruan too harshly.

Chu Ruan was still trembling in her arms, her entire attention focused on the pain in her nape, not caring about anything else.

***

Inside the cozy bedroom, the Omega was placed on the soft bed.

Chu Ruan seemed to have an endless supply of tears. Her clear eyes were washed with tears. As she sank into the soft quilt, she finally noticed the change in environment.

Thinking about how painful it was just to have her gland marked, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be fully marked…

She started to have second thoughts. She curled up on the bed, tugging at Su Mingxiu’s skirt softly. “Can we… next time…?” Continue?

Su Mingxiu knew the importance of taking things slow. If she pushed Chu Ruan too far in one go, she might scare the little girl away. So she only smiled and gently caressed Chu Ruan’s cheek with her finger. “Don’t worry, I won’t force you.”

Saying this, she stood up and went to get the first aid kit, preparing to treat the wound on Chu Ruan’s nape.

Although Omega glands had strong regenerative abilities, the wound looked quite gruesome now. But with proper rest, it would heal mostly by tomorrow morning.

But Su Mingxiu knew that Chu Ruan was delicate, so she still wanted to treat her properly.

However, when she returned with the first aid kit, she saw that the Omega had fallen asleep on the bed. In such a short time, the bleeding from the bite on her nape had stopped, even the tiny stain on her beige dress had dried.

Su Mingxiu’s gaze softened. She gently applied a gel to Chu Ruan’s wound, covered it with a small bandage, then helped her change into pajamas. After washing up, she turned off the lights and went to sleep.

***

Early the next morning.

Chu Ruan was awakened by her biological clock a little after six. When she opened her eyes and saw the unfamiliar environment, her sleepiness instantly vanished.

Only after she followed the feeling of being held and turned around, seeing the beautiful face, even more stunning in sleep, did she relax.

Then…

The scenes from last night came flooding back.

Including how she drank the wine, how her pheromones erupted, how she subtly confessed her feelings, how the Alpha marked her, and how she cried in pain.

“Uh…!” Chu Ruan slowly pulled up the quilt, gradually covering her face, from her lips to her nose, then to her forehead.

After staying like this for half a minute, she suddenly pulled the quilt away, feeling that her mind had calmed down. She could now accept the fact that she was “trying to pursue Su Mingxiu.” Just then, she met the other person’s open eyes.

The blackout curtains blocked most of the sunlight, but the faint light that seeped through was enough for her to see the amusement in those black eyes.

Chu Ruan was startled again. “When did you wake up?”

Su Mingxiu looked at her with amusement. Only after making Chu Ruan feel embarrassed did she reply slowly: “When you were trying to suffocate yourself with the quilt.”

“Uh…” Chu Ruan wondered how she could make Su Mingxiu forget this embarrassing moment.

But she quickly realized that most of her embarrassing moments in life had been witnessed by this person. She could only comfort herself, Life is short, just endure it.

But meeting Su Mingxiu’s amused gaze, Chu Ruan couldn’t help but reach out and cover Su Mingxiu’s eyes. “Stop laughing!”

Su Mingxiu pulled her hand down and kissed her palm.

Soft, and ticklish.

The Omega couldn’t help but curl her fingers, almost forgetting how fiercely this Alpha had bitten her gland last night. She only felt that this Alpha was so hateful, always seducing her.

She tried her best to resist the urge to pull her hand back and said: “You… you marked me, and our engagement is still valid, so you can’t mark anyone else.”

Actually, what she wanted to say was…

Don’t do these things to anyone else, especially don’t show them that beautiful smile.

But that would make her seem too possessive, which wasn’t good.

The Alpha, watching her expression change, guessed her unspoken words. She chuckled and suddenly teased: “But haven’t I fully marked you yet?”

As soon as she finished speaking, she was rewarded with a blushing tomato.

Chu Ruan, easily embarrassed, couldn’t handle these highly suggestive topics. She could only get out of bed and head to the bathroom to wash up, leaving a flustered sentence: “No! It’s too soon!”

***

Su Mingxiu looked at her retreating figure, a hint of unsatisfied longing in her eyes. After calming herself down, she also got out of bed. Hearing the sound of water coming from the bathroom, guessing that Chu Ruan was showering, she walked towards the vanity outside.

Just as she finished washing her face, she heard the doorbell.

It was the property management, sending their quarterly gift after learning that she was back. Perhaps because the residents here were either wealthy or influential, the property management’s service was meticulous. Even the person they sent to deliver the gift was a cute Omega, hoping to bring a smile to the resident’s face.

So, when Chu Ruan came out of the bathroom, she heard the conversation at the door.

She was only wearing a white bathrobe, about to borrow some clothes from Su Mingxiu. But when she reached the living room and saw the smiling, unfamiliar face at the door, her eyelids twitched involuntarily.

Su Mingxiu, hearing her footsteps, had to stop the chattering girl in front of her. “Okay, I’ll learn more about your current services next time, thank you.”

She casually placed the gift by the entrance and walked towards Chu Ruan. “The temperature is dropping these days, why are you wearing so little?”

The Alpha approached, wanting to adjust Chu Ruan’s bathrobe. But Chu Ruan pulled down her collar, and as that sweet fragrance wafted closer, Su Mingxiu realized that her pheromones were leaking again.

Chu Ruan leaned closer, smelling another Omega’s scent on Su Mingxiu.

—Actually, Omega pheromones were difficult to detect under the effect of suppression stickers. But some Omegas used perfumes with similar scents to enhance their charm.

That’s why this scent, similar to her own pheromones, lingered in the air.

The next moment…

Su Mingxiu, who had been wondering if the marking from last night wasn’t strong enough, suddenly felt a sharp pain on her lips.

She looked down and saw a hint of fierce anger in her Omega’s round eyes. Chu Ruan’s fingertip poked her shoulder as she asked seriously: “Who were you smiling at just now?”

***

At the breakfast table.

After explaining, Su Mingxiu pulled the clingy little girl into her arms. Smelling her increasingly strong pheromones, she couldn’t help but wonder, was it because she hadn’t given her enough pheromones during the marking last night, or was the Omega aroused again?

But even if it was due to her emotions, it shouldn’t have happened so quickly. Was there something wrong with her body?

Just as she was thinking this, Chu Ruan bit her lip again, unaware of the possessiveness fueled by her pheromones. She warned: “Don’t smile at anyone else!”

The mark Chu Ruan had left was still visible on Su Mingxiu’s lips. She could only coax her and reply: “Okay.”

After a pause, she asked: “Are you feeling unwell?”

The person in her arms nodded. “Hot.”

Su Mingxiu’s hand, originally resting on Chu Ruan’s waist, moved upwards, as if wanting to check the wound on her nape. But Chu Ruan suddenly remembered the searing pain from last night.

The Omega, her eyes already glazed over, shrank her neck, instinctively dodging Su Mingxiu’s touch. “Don’t bite…”

Su Mingxiu lifted her chin helplessly. “Then what do you want, hmm?”

As the weather was getting colder, the Alpha’s gloves were no longer the same cold black silk as before, but a slightly thicker style with intricate lace patterns. But the black lace against her skin made the Omega feel uncomfortable.

So Chu Ruan turned her head, stared at the gloves covering those beautiful hands for a while, then suddenly opened her mouth and bit Su Mingxiu’s fingertip.

The lace pattern scraped against her dry, red lips, then moistened by her tongue. Chu Ruan held the fabric between her teeth, turning her head like a pet tugging on its owner’s clothes, mumbling: “I want this…”

The perfectly fitted gloves, not a single inch too big, were now held between those cute teeth, slowly being pulled away from the jade-like skin.

The emotions in Su Mingxiu’s eyes surged like a storm brewing on the sea, dark and oppressive. If anyone dared to look directly at her, they would be suffocated by the pressure.

Unfortunately, the person in her arms didn’t notice. She only focused on removing those troublesome gloves.

Until the Alpha’s fair fingertips touched her lips, her voice filled with a gentle smile, concealing the dangerous emotions, leaving only the sweetest bait: “How much do you want?”

Chapter 60: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (17)

As they left the bar, a light drizzle began to fall on the city.

Autumn’s chill had finally crept into this city. Su Mingxiu sat in a red sports car, the windows rolled down. She had chosen this car to blend in with the local police for her task, but now it had become the most eye-catching presence.

There were many luxury cars and beautiful people outside the bar, but anyone who glanced at her couldn’t help but stop in their tracks. In just five minutes, countless people had approached her, only to be turned away dejectedly.

Chu Ruan, after saying goodbye to Zhao Chun’er, hurried out of the bar and saw Su Mingxiu sitting in the car, her head tilted as if smiling at someone—

In the humid city, the fine drizzle couldn’t conceal the bright red of the sports car, making both the car and its owner the most dazzling presence on this night.

She puffed out her cheeks, sulking at someone unknown, and walked to the other side of the car with her head down, opening the door and silently getting in.

Su Mingxiu heard the noise and turned to look at her. Before she could speak, she saw Chu Ruan suddenly reach for the seatbelt, fastening it properly without even greeting her.

“Who upset you?”

She asked with a chuckle, her melodious voice, like a mountain spring, flowing through the car.

Chu Ruan was actually angry at herself, angry at her own cowardice and her inability to express her thoughts. Now, being asked this, she didn’t know how to answer. Her lips moved for a long time, but no words came out.

The Alpha seemed to have anticipated her reaction and guessed: “Could it be me?”

She played out the entire scene by herself, the teasing tone in her voice particularly strong, making the only listener in the car feel embarrassed.

“I remember giving someone a chance earlier, asking her what she wanted.”

“She said she only wanted dinner, right?”

Chu Ruan clutched the seatbelt in front of her, her eyes downcast. After a long silence, she finally said: “I’m not angry at you.”

Su Mingxiu let out a soft “Oh.” Having received her answer, she didn’t press further. Instead, she stepped on the gas pedal, and the sports car, like a red lightning bolt, roared into the rainy night.

***

After arriving at their destination, Chu Ruan realized it wasn’t a place she had been to before.

It was a townhouse. They walked through a rose garden, and half of the house lit up before them. The windows were washed clean by the rain, water cascading down the edges, while raindrops clung to the rest of the glass.

She followed Su Mingxiu, thinking about her silence in the car, feeling that it was impolite to visit someone’s home like this.

So she pushed down her jumbled thoughts and asked proactively: “This place is beautiful. Is this your current residence?”

Su Mingxiu stood by the entrance, pulling down the shoe cabinet on the wall. She turned to Chu Ruan and said: “Didn’t you dislike my previous apartment?”

The implication behind these words was too much.

Chu Ruan’s barely calmed heart started to race again.

Was it because she disliked it that Su Mingxiu had chosen a different place tonight?

Or was she just teasing her?

But the person who had dropped this bombshell didn’t seem to notice her inner turmoil at all. After taking out a pair of white rabbit slippers for her, she walked straight to the four-door refrigerator and asked, her back to Chu Ruan: “We’re too late, even if I called someone to prepare, it’s hard to get many fresh ingredients at this hour. But I have some steaks in the freezer, do you eat Western food?”

“Yes.”

Chu Ruan walked behind her, wanting to ask if there was anything she could help with, but before she could speak, she saw Su Mingxiu looking into the refrigerator, taking out a box of sashimi and some fresh sushi that the housekeeper had left for emergencies.

“If you’re hungry, have some of this first.”

Su Mingxiu placed the two boxes on the dining table, took out a packet of wasabi and soy sauce, and turned around, smiling at Chu Ruan. “Although eating cold food isn’t good for your stomach in this weather, I remember you like spicy food, right?”

Chu Ruan, who had wanted to refuse the sushi, swallowed her words upon seeing the playful glint in Su Mingxiu’s eyes.

She could only watch helplessly as Su Mingxiu went to the kitchen and retrieved a small celadon dish for the sauce.

The Alpha wasn’t wearing her usual uniquely designed suit today. Instead, she had changed into a black cocktail dress with a cinched waist. This made her less intimidating, highlighting her softer side, and the distance between them seemed to disappear, making it easier for those unspoken desires to surface.

Chu Ruan looked at her shoulders, her long legs, the faint glow of her collarbone as she walked over with the small dish, the shadow and the pale skin of her swan-like neck.

Until Su Mingxiu picked up a piece of sushi with her rosewood chopsticks, dipped it in the soy sauce mixed with a whole packet of wasabi, and brought it to her lips. Chu Ruan opened her mouth and ate it without hesitation.

Then: “!!”

A wave of spiciness shot straight to the top of her head!

Chu Ruan’s eyes instantly welled up with tears. She couldn’t even taste the sushi, only feeling a burning sensation in her mouth and throat, not knowing whether to spit it out or swallow it. Through her blurry vision, she vaguely saw the beautiful woman leaning closer, asking curiously:

“Is it good?”

Chu Ruan struggled to move her jaw and finally swallowed the sushi. She blinked away the tears clinging to her eyelashes, which were caught by Su Mingxiu’s approaching fingertip.

“Don’t tell me you’re crying from the spiciness?”

Those red lips moved, her voice incredibly pleasant, yet every word was like adding fuel to the fire.

Perhaps overwhelmed by the wasabi, hearing Su Mingxiu’s teasing, she suddenly reached out, wrapped her arms around Su Mingxiu’s neck, and leaned in, transferring the remaining spiciness in her mouth—

The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room were covered in a layer of cold mist, the blurred surface making the scene even clearer.

The girl in the beige dress was leaning over the table, pinning the woman in the black dress against the chair. Her closed eyes trembled, whether from nervousness or something else.

She couldn’t see the amusement flashing in the eyes of the person she was kissing.

A raindrop slid diagonally across the mist, abruptly dividing the scene.

Inside the house.

After tasting the pungent spiciness, Su Mingxiu waited patiently for a while. Seeing that Chu Ruan had no intention of stopping, she didn’t know if it was because of the wasabi’s influence or simply because Chu Ruan wanted to get back at her. She chuckled softly and placed her hand on the Omega’s shoulder, gently pushing her away.

“Okay.”

As if coaxing a child, she said softly: “Teacher Chu only said she wanted to eat, she didn’t say she wanted to eat me.”

“Ah!” Chu Ruan suddenly snapped out of her daze, her face flushed red, her limbs flailing awkwardly.

Especially after seeing the smudge of her orange lipstick on Su Mingxiu’s lips, she was even more flustered.

After a long while, her slow brain finally replayed the scene, and she said defensively: “You knew I was lying about liking spicy food, and you still deliberately messed with me.”

So it served Su Mingxiu right to be fed that spiciness.

Su Mingxiu leaned back against the dark wooden chair, her smile alluring, making it impossible to tell if she had been affected by Chu Ruan’s childish actions. After a while, she said innocently: “How would I know?”

“Could it be that Teacher Chu enjoys lying, so she’s always waiting for someone to expose her?”

Chu Ruan: “…”

Hearing the title “Teacher” at this moment made her feel uncomfortable, as if she was doing something bad while wearing a saintly disguise. So she instinctively refuted it: “Don’t call me Teacher Chu now.”

Su Mingxiu readily changed her address: “Ruanruan.”

She continued the previous topic: “What else did you lie about?”

The Omega couldn’t answer. She stammered for a while, then suddenly pulled Su Mingxiu up and pushed her towards the kitchen, mumbling: “The steak seems to be thawed, Dr. Su.”

***

Raindrops pattered against the windows.

Chu Ruan sat at the dining table, smelling the sizzling sound of the steak being pan-fried. The enticing aroma of meat filled the room, and she was indeed starving. She took a bite of the sushi to tide her over.

But having learned her lesson with the wasabi, she didn’t dare to dip it in the soy sauce again.

Soon, two plates were brought out, each with a piece of M9 steak. The meat was cooked perfectly, the glistening fat on the dark marbling making one’s mouth water. After Su Mingxiu heated up the black pepper sauce and served it, Chu Ruan couldn’t wait to dig in.

As usual, she ate too quickly. For the rest of the time, Chu Ruan could only watch the person across from her.

“Want some red wine?”

Su Mingxiu, thinking about the collection in the wine cellar, looked up and asked.

When the Omega shook her head, she added softly: “That’s fine, I can still drive you back later.”

Hearing this, Chu Ruan glanced at the rain outside, which still hadn’t stopped. She hadn’t felt anything when she got out of the car earlier, but now, thinking about leaving this place, she felt a chill for no reason.

She didn’t want to move, didn’t want to leave.

She suddenly changed her mind. “I’ll have some.”

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow in confusion. Chu Ruan bit her lip and quickly explained: “The wine here must be good, it would be a shame not to try it.”

Just like that, she extended her stay by two hours.

When the aroma of wine filled the living room, Su Mingxiu picked up the transparent decanter and poured red wine into two goblets, handing one to Chu Ruan.

The Omega, who had never had alcohol in school and, as a teacher, rarely had the opportunity to attend social events, took the goblet and cautiously took a sip.

Bitter. Astringent.

She swirled the wine in her mouth, unable to understand what was so good about this expensive drink.

Su Mingxiu, seeing her put down the goblet, hesitate for a long time, then pick it up again, reached out and stopped her.

Ever since removing her gloves at the bar, her beautiful hands had been constantly in Chu Ruan’s sight.

Now, she asked with a smile: “If you don’t like it, why drink it?”

Chu Ruan looked up at her, silent.

She had only taken one sip, but the alcohol was already rushing to her head, making her feel warm all over. When Chu Ruan looked at Su Mingxiu, her eyes were filled with a watery sheen.

She looked like she had been wronged, like an abandoned pet.

Su Mingxiu, caught off guard by her accusing glare, initially found it amusing. But after a few seconds, smelling the wine mixed with a faint rose fragrance in the air, her expression changed.

She looked at Chu Ruan with surprise. “I thought those cases of alcohol allergy triggering pheromone outbursts only existed in textbooks.”

She hadn’t expected Chu Ruan to also…

The Alpha immediately stopped teasing and gave a command to her phone: “System, call the nearest hospital emergency line and ask them to prepare suppressants.”

“Your command has been received.” The phone screen lit up, displaying the dialing interface.

But a hand pressed down on it. The person slumped on the table mumbled in protest: “No suppressants.”

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, grabbed the wrist resting on her phone, and asked with a playful smile: “Ruanruan, do you know what you’re saying?”

“Yes!” Chu Ruan replied loudly this time.

Whether it was the effect of that sip of wine or the feeling of her pheromones breaking through the suppression sticker, she opened her eyes, her round eyes looking at Su Mingxiu. She grumbled: “Only you don’t know…”

“What don’t I know?”

“Uh…” A silent pause, accompanied by the spreading floral fragrance.

After a long while, Su Mingxiu finally sighed. “Ruanruan, if you don’t tell me, how would I know what you want?”

“You know!” This time, her voice was even louder.

But it was laced with a sob.

The Omega, dominated by her pheromones and a bit of alcohol, was acting on impulse, yet also exceptionally sincere. Even though she knew that the Alpha’s previous attempts to force her were only to hear her true feelings,

She genuinely wanted to stand before Su Mingxiu and confess everything.

Chu Ruan wanted Su Mingxiu to stop touching and embracing other people, to only look at her, to only smile at her.

She wanted to ask Su Mingxiu if they could stay engaged, because she had realized that she liked her a little.

But she just couldn’t bring herself to say those words.

She kept retreating, again and again.

Every time she mustered up her courage, as soon as she met the Alpha’s smiling eyes, which seemed to see through her, she couldn’t confess her feelings. She was afraid of being laughed at, afraid of being rejected, afraid of being humiliated.

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Drip, landing on the table.

Chu Ruan was battling with herself, afraid that Su Mingxiu would call an ambulance, but also afraid of missing this opportunity. She grabbed Su Mingxiu’s hand, her grip tight, her silent sobs turning into choked sounds: “I…”

“I will tell you…”

“But can’t you… wait a little?”

Even though she hadn’t said the most important words yet, she was already afraid of being rejected. The sunlight from the opening ceremony was still imprinted in her memory, making Chu Ruan feel that if she didn’t give a reason, she might hear Su Mingxiu’s rejection.

After all, this Alpha was so unpredictable. She could be kind to her one second and ask her to leave the next.

Just like three years ago, wanting to hold her while sleeping on their first meeting, then disappearing for so long.

When she returned, it was as if she didn’t know Chu Ruan anymore. If it weren’t for Su Xinyan, Chu Ruan wouldn’t have known how to reconnect with her.

From then till now, Chu Ruan had never understood Su Mingxiu’s thoughts.

Because of the unknown, she was afraid, unsure if she could hold on.

So she raised her tear-filled eyes, her vision blurry, and looked at Su Mingxiu. Her voice hoarse, she carefully placed her only bargaining chip on the table, praying for a bit of luck: “They… they’re not engaged to you.”

“Only I am.”

So, could you give me another chance?

Be patient, wait for me to slowly confess my feelings to you?

Chapter 59: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (16)

The vinegar was the last ingredient to be added to the stir-fried potato shreds. Chu Ruan practically glanced at Su Mingxiu after every drop, worried that she wouldn’t get the amount right.

Only when the Alpha chuckled and said “That’s enough” did she turn off the heat and transfer the potato shreds to a plate.

The atmosphere in the kitchen couldn’t be more harmonious. The final dishes were steamed meatballs, stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar, and a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

Even though the potato shreds were slightly burnt due to the initial high heat, the meatball filling was unevenly shaped, and the tomatoes in the scrambled eggs seemed a bit undercooked—

This was Chu Ruan’s best performance yet.

Before setting the dishes on the table, she took advantage of Su Mingxiu turning around and quickly took a bite of each dish, confirming that the taste was acceptable. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

The person who turned around, holding a paper towel dispenser, glanced at the Omega across from her and chuckled. “Were you… sneaking a taste?”

Chu Ruan’s eyes widened, and she immediately shook her head vigorously. But a paper towel was pressed against her lips. When she came back to her senses, seeing the oil stain on the towel, she quickly snatched it away, her face flushed red, and crumpled it into a ball. “I wasn’t…” I wasn’t sneaking a taste.

But the person sitting across from her only smiled and said: “It’s alright, go ahead and eat.”

The little kitten, caught red-handed, had no way to defend herself. She could only pick up her chopsticks and angrily stab a piece of scrambled egg.

Su Mingxiu looked at the band-aids on her fingers, the bloodstains already dried and flaky. After finishing her meal, she offered: “I’ll wash the dishes.”

“No need!”

Chu Ruan ate even faster than her. After all, she was used to having her meals interrupted by various tasks. So she had developed the habit of eating quickly.

As Su Mingxiu put down her chopsticks, Chu Ruan habitually started clearing the table, but her wrist was held down by Su Mingxiu. Her voice was still gentle: “Please get the first aid kit, Teacher Chu. Let’s change the band-aids on your hand and see how serious it is.”

Actually, the Omega still wanted to argue.

Like how she shouldn’t let a guest do chores.

But hearing Su Mingxiu’s words, she unconsciously obeyed, silently leaving the table and instinctively searching for the first aid kit.

***

Su Mingxiu unbuttoned her suit jacket, gathered the dishes, and walked towards the living room, removing her gloves and casually putting them in her pocket.

Reaching Chu Ruan, she held out her hand. Her slender, jade-like fingers were presented before Chu Ruan’s eyes. After staring at them for a long time, she finally realized what Su Mingxiu meant and placed her hand, with the band-aids removed, on Su Mingxiu’s palm.

Compared to Su Mingxiu’s flawless fingers, Chu Ruan felt that her own hands were ugly, her fingers short and stubby, with red burn marks. She immediately looked away, not wanting to see the stark contrast.

She even tried to pull her hand back.

But Su Mingxiu caught it. “Don’t move.”

The person half-squatting down looked for burn ointment in the first aid kit. Thankfully, it was decent. She looked up at the person on the sofa. “It’s good that you treated it in time, but you should avoid touching the blisters after applying the ointment. Now that they’re popped, doesn’t it hurt?”

Of course it hurt.

Chu Ruan had been trying to avoid writing on the board during her morning classes. But the workload was there, no matter how careful she was, it was useless. She rubbed her nose with her left hand and replied softly: “I can do it myself, I’ll be careful.”

Just like those patients who dismissed their doctors.

Su Mingxiu did let go of her hand, but as she picked up the ointment with a cotton swab, she said casually: “If you don’t treat popped blisters properly, they’re very likely to leave scars.”

“Uh…” Chu Ruan silently offered her hand again, mumbling three words, her face and ears burning red. “Please help me.”

But the Alpha only handed her the cotton swab with the ointment and said with a playful smile: “Didn’t Teacher Chu say you could do it yourself just now?”

If this were before, Chu Ruan would have snatched the cotton swab without hesitation, not caring about the consequences, she definitely wouldn’t back down now.

But in the years they had been apart, she had learned the consequences of acting tough when she didn’t know her limits.

Even though she felt so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself, Chu Ruan still forced herself to continue: “Just now… I was wrong.”

“Please, Dr. Su…”

Her face was redder than a tomato, her voice softer than a mosquito’s buzz. Especially the word “please,” uttered in a barely audible tone. But her pouting lips were even more adorable than her words.

Soft and pink, like rose-flavored jelly.

Su Mingxiu didn’t push her too far. Seeing that the Omega had made some progress, she decided to stop there. She took Chu Ruan’s hand and treated her wound gently and carefully.

The familiar scene reminded Chu Ruan of the time she had confronted a bag snatcher with Zhao Chun’er a few years ago. Back then, she had been taken to the hospital and refused to cooperate with Su Mingxiu, resulting in a harsh lesson with hydrogen peroxide—

She had been forced to apologize.

But as long as she was honest, Su Mingxiu would put away her mischievousness and treat her gently.

“Done.”

After carefully applying a new band-aid, avoiding the wound, Su Mingxiu stood up, threw the packaging into the trash can, and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

Chu Ruan came back to her senses, seeing the neatly applied band-aid on her finger. She vaguely remembered that she hadn’t felt any discomfort while Su Mingxiu was treating her wound. She looked towards the kitchen, her gaze fixed on the person washing dishes, thinking absentmindedly:

Does she treat everyone like this, or… only me?

***

“Thank you for the hospitality, Teacher Chu.”

1:30 PM.

After finishing the fruit after their meal, Su Mingxiu noticed that Chu Ruan was about to leave, so she followed her out. She said with a smile, then added: “Next time you’re free, I’ll invite you to my place. You can pre-order the dishes.”

Chu Ruan looked at her, stunned. She knew she should politely decline. After all, she hadn’t done anything to help Su Mingxiu. Instead, Su Mingxiu had done more for her. But…

She was afraid that if she refused, she wouldn’t have another chance to see Su Mingxiu again.

She pursed her lips and quickly smiled back, like a white sunflower by the roadside, pure and adorable. “Okay.”

Su Mingxiu walked towards her car, under Chu Ruan’s lingering gaze. Before she could unlock the door, she received a call. “Hello?”

Standing under the sunlight, Su Mingxiu listened to the caller’s request, pondered for a moment, and agreed readily: “Okay.”

“No problem, next Saturday, right?”

“It’s my duty as a citizen of the Federation to assist the police in bringing these criminals to justice.”

***

“Hello?”

This Friday, Chu Ruan, who was supervising evening self-study in the classroom, saw an incoming call. In the silent classroom, only the sound of the air conditioner’s fan blades could be heard. She picked up her phone and walked out into the hallway.

It was Zhao Chun’er calling.

“Teacher Chu, are you free tomorrow night?” Zhao Chun’er’s voice was full of excitement, her mood seemingly very good.

Chu Ruan, however, seriously considered her question. After a moment, she replied: “I have an academic forum to attend in the city tomorrow morning, but I’m free in the evening. Do you have any plans?”

The person on the other end grumbled with dissatisfaction, then, remembering how Chu Ruan had been working overtime every day since starting at Jingui High School, rarely even resting on weekends, she said dejectedly: “Forget it, I knew you wouldn’t remember. It’s my birthday tomorrow, and I’m celebrating at a friend’s new bar in the evening. Chu Ruan, if you dare to be late or stand me up, you’re dead!”

Chu Ruan was startled. Without even hanging up the phone, she opened her calendar and saw the marked event. She tapped her head, then picked up the phone again and apologized with a forced smile.

“I didn’t forget! It’s just not time yet, right?”

After making her excuse, she added in a low voice: “I’ll be there. I’m supervising evening self-study now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Is there anything you want as a gift?”

“No!” Zhao Chun’er said. “Just bring yourself.”

Because of this call, Chu Ruan actually spent some time that night opening her wardrobe and looking for something to wear to her friend’s birthday party.

She couldn’t just wear her everyday clothes to school.

After rummaging for a while, she finally found a dress she had worn to the graduation party at Willowleaf University. The beige fabric wasn’t smooth, it looked like it was pieced together from white rose petals, with occasional gold thread accents that added a touch of sparkle.

The dress was cinched at the waist and reached her knees. The asymmetrical collar revealed one shoulder, a design that combined both cuteness and sexiness.

Saturday arrived.

After attending the conference, Chu Ruan went straight to a nearby mall and picked out a newly released pheromone perfume for Zhao Chun’er. She returned home, changed into her dress, put on some makeup, and headed towards the location Zhao Chun’er had sent her.

It was a bustling bar. Even though it was just dusk, it was already packed. The DJ’s music, mixed with heavy metal, allowed people who usually suppressed their personalities at work to release their stress on the dance floor.

Chu Ruan lowered her head, typing on her phone to ask Zhao Chun’er for her exact location.

But before she could take a few steps, a cocktail was thrust in front of her. A tall Alpha raised an eyebrow at her. “May I have the honor of buying you a drink?”

His gaze was full of suggestive hints, blatantly scanning Chu Ruan’s delicate collarbone and round shoulders. But he knew this wasn’t the Omega’s most alluring form.

He had caught a glimpse of her from behind earlier, and the black lotus blooming on her fair skin was what truly captivated him. But now, seeing her face, he was pleasantly surprised.

Someone with such a sexy back actually had such a pure and innocent face. It was like an angel and a devil combined, both purity and allure embodied in one person—

How could he be so lucky to encounter such a perfect Omega?

“Sorry,” Chu Ruan didn’t even look at him. She walked around the drink and said politely: “I’m looking for my friend, I’m not interested in drinking right now.”

“How can I become your friend then?” The other party persisted.

At the same time, more people noticed Chu Ruan. The Omega, walking under the colorful lights, was like a lamb that had wandered into a pack of wolves, instantly attracting the attention of many predators.

Chu Ruan felt disgusted. Seizing the opportunity while a few of them were arguing amongst themselves, she quickly slipped away and headed towards the bathroom, deciding to have her friends come and get her.

***

Meanwhile…

Inside a private room.

Several Betas and Omegas were looking at the woman sitting in the center of the booth with infatuated gazes. Her face, free of makeup yet still stunningly beautiful, seemed like the Creator’s most perfect masterpiece.

Especially now, wearing a black mini dress, they all felt that this was the best-designed piece of clothing they had ever seen.

It wasn’t that the dress was particularly special—

It was simply because the person wearing it was so exceptional that even a few pieces of fabric looked beautiful on her.

They whispered amongst themselves, but not having received any instructions, they didn’t dare to approach her directly. They could only communicate with their eyes until a clear voice came through their earpieces.

The next moment.

They rushed towards the Alpha, one after another. Some poured her drinks, some asked if she wanted company. The last one, looking around, boldly sat on her lap and reached out to hug her neck. Finding that she wasn’t reprimanded, the person smiled sweetly and leaned closer, praising: “You’re truly the most beautiful guest I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh?” Su Mingxiu looked at her calmly, as if oblivious to their flattery. She only responded with a casual hum.

“It’s true,” the woman sitting on her lap said, her body soft and pliant as she leaned against Su Mingxiu. “Especially this mole, it’s so sexy.”

Saying this, her throat moved slightly, as if wanting to leave her mark on this beautiful face.

But this time, as soon as she moved, her chin was caught. Those deep, unfathomable black eyes looked at her.

Even though they reflected her image, the Omega felt a chill run down her spine. Then, that heavenly voice rang out: “Don’t move.”

Su Mingxiu’s lips curved into a slow smile as she stared into the other person’s eyes. “I didn’t give you the right to offend me—”

The person sitting on her lap was initially excited by this intense gaze. But soon, her body stiffened, as if she had seen something terrifying in Su Mingxiu’s eyes. After a few seconds, she screamed and fell off Su Mingxiu’s lap.

But the illusion didn’t disappear.

Even after falling off the booth and cowering in a corner, she couldn’t break free from her panicked state, startling her companions.

Even the Alpha who was about to be taken advantage of put on a surprised expression and asked politely, meeting the gazes of the others: “Does your friend… have some kind of illness?”

Soon, someone entered the room from outside and pulled the terrified person in the corner away.

A Beta took her place, but they were wary of Su Mingxiu’s warning earlier. So they only sat beside Su Mingxiu, holding a freshly poured drink, and said with a flattering smile:

“I apologize for that, she might not have had enough rest today and isn’t in a good mental state.”

“I’ll drink this as an apology, please don’t be angry.”

As the door opened and closed—

Someone in the hallway accidentally glanced inside.

Su Mingxiu looked over casually, her gaze lingering for less than a second before she looked away. She raised her hand and caressed the face that had leaned closer, a faint smile reappearing on her lips.

***

“Ruanruan? What are you thinking about?”

Zhao Chun’er, who had brought Chu Ruan back to their booth, noticed that she was still lost in thought. She nudged her gently, handed her a glass of milk, and said with a smile: “I know you’re a teacher and have to set a good example. Look, you should have seen the bartender’s expression when I asked for milk, it was like he was about to call security and check my ID.”

Chu Ruan forced a smile, trying to erase the scene from her mind. She told herself that her engagement with Su Mingxiu was practically nonexistent, and it was a good thing that the other party wasn’t paying attention to her. She should be happy.

But her smile was incredibly bitter.

Zhao Chun’er couldn’t help but ask: “Ruanruan, why do you look like you just found out your lover is cheating but have to pretend to be happy?”

“Ah!” Chu Ruan exclaimed: “No!”

She quickly shook her head and handed over the gift bag she had brought. “Happy birthday! Don’t say such things!”

Seeing that she couldn’t get anything out of Chu Ruan, Zhao Chun’er dropped the subject and happily accepted the gift. She introduced Chu Ruan to the other friends who had come, and they chatted and drank merrily, cut the cake, and even hit the dance floor when the mood struck.

Chu Ruan sat in a corner, holding a plate of cake, her fork unconsciously poking at a strawberry. But the strawberry slipped and slid in the white cream, evading her fork.

Her expression became even more distant.

She glanced at the private room she had passed by earlier from time to time, her thoughts wandering. After a while, she finished the cake in one go, put down the plate, and wanted to say hello to her friend, but she couldn’t find Zhao Chun’er. She could only walk towards the private room with a determined look.

She had made up her mind.

Although their engagement was about to be dissolved soon, Su Mingxiu should still be considerate. At least… she shouldn’t be flirting with others right in front of her.

She had her pride too!

The angry Omega walked over, already thinking about what she would say after barging in. But to her surprise, she saw a police cordon. A police officer smiled at her and said: “We’re handling a case, please don’t approach.”

“Excuse me.”

Chu Ruan turned and left. After walking a few steps, she suddenly thought, if something had happened here, where did Su Mingxiu go? Was she okay?

The main hall would be cleared out soon, right?

Her barely sorted thoughts were disrupted again, and she bumped into someone.

“Sorry…”

Chu Ruan straightened up, about to continue walking with her head down, when the buckle on her waist was caught by a hand. That familiar, pleasant voice reached her ears, as elegant as a viola: “Where are you going, Teacher Chu?”

The Omega immediately came back to her senses and looked up, meeting those alluring eyes. Noticing that Su Mingxiu’s fingers were hooked onto her dress, she swatted her hand away without hesitation.

“Don’t touch me.”

She had just seen Su Mingxiu touching countless people’s faces with those gloves.

Dirty!

Su Mingxiu withdrew her hand and raised an eyebrow, as if confused about why she had angered Chu Ruan again.

Seeing that Chu Ruan hadn’t seen anything unnecessary, Su Mingxiu greeted her and was about to leave. But just as she turned around, her skirt was grabbed.

She could only turn back calmly and heard the Omega, who had just been disgusted by her, squeeze out a sentence: “You… didn’t you say you wanted to treat me to dinner? I happen to be free now.”

Those pitch-black eyes looked at her deeply, a hint of amusement dancing in them.

Su Mingxiu chuckled softly, turning back to face Chu Ruan. After staring at her for a moment, she asked: “Just want to have dinner?”

“Uh…” Chu Ruan bit her lip and didn’t answer.

The Alpha standing before her suddenly removed her gloves and tossed them into a nearby trash can. Her fair fingertips glowed faintly in the dim lighting of the bar, like the finest white jade.

The noisy music in the bar had stopped at some point.

Now, those jade-like fingers gently lifted Chu Ruan’s chin, tilting her head up. Looking at that stubborn face, Su Mingxiu leaned closer, her seductive voice reaching Chu Ruan’s ears: “Ruanruan, I’ll give you another chance.”

“Think carefully, what do you really want?”

Chu Ruan unconsciously bit her lower lip.

Looking at Su Mingxiu’s beautiful face at such close range, her heartbeat quickened, her pupils constricting and dilating. In a daze, she suddenly remembered that this was the second time Su Mingxiu had called her so intimately.

—The first time was on the bed in the master bedroom, the night they first met.

Countless past intimate scenes flashed before her eyes. Chu Ruan’s lips moved slightly, as if she was drowning in a wave of emotions. After a long while, she could only parrot Su Mingxiu’s words clumsily: “Want…”

Want what?

Chapter 58: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (15)

Can’t wait?

Can’t wait for this meal, or can’t wait for…?

A little figure appeared on Chu Ruan’s shoulder, hands on her hips, head tilted back, shouting in her ear: Don’t overthink it! She’s definitely just afraid you’ll go back on your word, or she’s actually hungry, there’s no other possibility!

Right.

Shouldn’t overthink it.

Chu Ruan unconsciously nodded along with this inner voice, absentmindedly leading Su Mingxiu towards the dormitory building provided by the school. Only when they walked from the sunlight into the shade of the building did she realize how scorching the sun was today. Her cheeks were burning, prompting her to raise her hand to cool herself down.

But another hand, approaching from the side, was faster—

Even bathed in sunlight, the silk glove couldn’t retain any warmth. Now, blown by the cool breeze in the hallway, it brought a faint minty sweetness as it touched her cheek, making Chu Ruan shiver. Her clear eyes met those smiling, alluring eyes.

“Your face is hot, are you having a heatstroke?”

Su Mingxiu’s expression was full of concern.

Chu Ruan, however, instinctively took a step back, dodging her touch. She saw Su Mingxiu’s hand still suspended in mid-air, as if surprised by her reaction.

But before Chu Ruan could speak, Su Mingxiu calmly withdrew her hand, her expression unchanged. She said: “Sorry, I forgot you don’t like being touched by me.”

That’s not it!

Chu Ruan’s lips moved, wanting to explain, but even she couldn’t say why she had dodged. In those few seconds of hesitation, the person in the white suit had already looked away, her gaze sweeping over the hallway: “Which floor?”

“Third floor.”

The guest was the first to take a step, her long legs easily climbing two steps at a time, as if she had lived here for years.

Chu Ruan, lagging behind, followed absentmindedly, her gaze fixed on Su Mingxiu’s back. The spot on her cheek that had been touched felt cooler instead of warmer. She always felt hot, unconsciously raising her hand to pat and pinch her cheek, but even after entering the apartment, that side of her face felt even hotter, like it was burning.

She could only lower her head, using the act of handing Su Mingxiu slippers to hide her flustered state.

Su Mingxiu changed her shoes and was immediately drawn to the apartment’s decorations. The style was warm and cozy, the colors all rich and inviting. There was a lime green beanbag chair and a flamingo pink rug by the reading lamp.

The various colors, instead of clashing, were arranged harmoniously, turning this two-bedroom apartment into a welcoming nest, inviting one to linger.

“You… you sit down for a while, I’ll change and start cooking.”

“There’s food in the fridge, you can also see what you want to eat.”

After saying this, the Omega hurried towards her room. Closing the door behind her, she saw her flushed face in the full-length mirror beside her. Even the skin around her collarbone was tinged pink.

She leaned against the door weakly, not understanding why she was so embarrassed. Then, she smelled an even stronger floral fragrance, and the edge of the suppression collar on her neck turned a dark red. She was startled: “!”

Chu Ruan belatedly realized that she had been so busy with her students, grading papers, preparing lessons, and dealing with countless other tasks that she had forgotten to change her suppression collar. That’s why she had been so embarrassed again and again today.

Almost…

She had almost exposed that embarrassing side of herself to Su Mingxiu again.

The burning emotions in her heart were extinguished by this fear. Chu Ruan, who had been feeling hot all over, now felt her hands and feet turn cold. After sitting on the floor for a while to regain her strength, she got up and walked towards the wardrobe.

She first found a thin, short-sleeved T-shirt for lounging, then reached for a suppression collar. But her hand touched a stack of… gifts she had received before.

Chu Ruan’s fingers moved, picking up the stack of suppression tattoo stickers.

She knew she should put them down and get a suppression collar instead, but remembering Su Mingxiu’s apology earlier, she pursed her lips and opened the package.

***

“Creak.”

The old refrigerator door opened, the warm yellow light illuminating the neatly arranged food inside. There were green peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and other vegetables on the shelves, even the seasonings and eggs were placed in their designated compartments.

In the freezer were brand-name steaks, chicken legs, and so on. Everything looked organized, except…

Su Mingxiu pulled open the bottom drawer and saw a torn package with two plump dumplings spilling out.

A helpless smile appeared on her face. She felt that these dumplings were Chu Ruan’s favorite food.

So, when she heard the bedroom door open, she turned around politely and asked: “How about dumplings?”

Chu Ruan was about to grab an apron from the wall. Hearing this, she blinked, then quickly nodded. “Okay, what filling do you want?”

Su Mingxiu’s slender fingers rested on the edge of the freezer compartment. She was half-squatting in front of the refrigerator. Compared to the old, stained appliance, her suit was impeccably clean, making Chu Ruan feel a pang of shame. She shouldn’t have impulsively agreed to let Su Mingxiu come over.

But the other person only smiled, pointing at the half-eaten bag of frozen dumplings. “Don’t we have some ready-made ones?”

“No!”

Chu Ruan’s refusal was swift. Meeting Su Mingxiu’s gaze, she stammered out an explanation: “These aren’t nutritious.”

After a pause, her voice softened, as if lacking confidence. “My cooking… isn’t bad, don’t worry.”

Su Mingxiu didn’t speak.

She only stared at Chu Ruan, looking at the strands of hair falling around her face as she lowered her head, and the grey oversized T-shirt paired with her bun. She wondered what Chu Ruan had experienced in these past three years, how could she have become so…

So adorable.

Not hearing a response, Chu Ruan became anxious. She quickly put on the apron, walking towards Su Mingxiu as she tied it, wanting to pull her away from the refrigerator and prevent her from touching those dumplings again.

“Really.”

“Trust me!”

Su Mingxiu didn’t resist, stepping away from the refrigerator. Seeing her anxiousness, she raised her hands in surrender, chuckling. “Okay, I trust you.”

Hearing this, Chu Ruan was stunned, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks.

Then, as she was tying the neck strap of the apron, she got distracted and accidentally tied it too tight, forming a knot.

“Ugh…” Chu Ruan’s arm ached from trying to untie the knot.

She stood defeated in front of the open refrigerator, letting the cool air blow on her face. Then, as if remembering something, she took two steps towards Su Mingxiu, standing so close that their toes touched. She pointed at her neck and asked awkwardly: “I… accidentally tied the apron too tight, can you help me untie it?”

The Omega even lowered her head willingly.

Revealing her delicate, white nape.

As if unaware of the suggestive nature of her actions.

Especially now, with her height advantage, Su Mingxiu had a clear view of Chu Ruan’s nape. She saw a pure black lotus blooming on her skin, its petals seemingly even more delicate because of the slightly protruding vertebra of the slender Omega’s neck as she lowered her head.

A wicked black lotus on her snow-white skin, a tempting contrast.

Su Mingxiu’s eyelids twitched, but she didn’t act immediately. Instead, she asked politely: “Is that… inconvenient? I remember earlier—”

“I didn’t express myself clearly earlier.” Chu Ruan raised her head slightly to look at her. At such close range, the Omega’s upward gaze, coupled with her naturally pure and innocent face, would stir anyone’s heart. But she seemed completely oblivious or perhaps simply trusted the person before her too much. She maintained this posture and continued: “I don’t dislike being touched by you.”

If it weren’t for the sensitive location of her nape, where her gland was, she would have grabbed Su Mingxiu’s hand and made her touch it, proving that she truly didn’t hate her.

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow.

Her gaze lingered on Chu Ruan’s nape. The red string of the cheap apron pressed against the edge of the black lotus, creating a striking contrast against her luminous skin. She thought it was the most beautiful color combination in the entire room.

So she didn’t rush to break it. Instead, she slowly extended her hand, her cool fingertips brushing against the Omega’s nape.

Just a fleeting touch sent shivers down Chu Ruan’s spine. Her calves trembled involuntarily, but she forced herself to stay still. Just as she was struggling to maintain her composure, she heard a voice from above:

“Perhaps… it’s better not to, Teacher Chu.”

“Touching you here is a bit inappropriate. Where are your scissors? I’ll get them for you.”

Chu Ruan, who had been avoiding Su Mingxiu’s touch earlier, now, upon hearing these words, suddenly grabbed her hand. Raising her aching neck, she said in a soft voice, her eyes filled with an unconscious longing: “This is the only apron I have.”

There was even a hint of grievance in her voice.

—Because Su Mingxiu wasn’t willing to help her directly.

Su Mingxiu, facing this soft accusation, was speechless. She couldn’t understand why the person who wouldn’t let her touch her three years ago was now asking her to do so with such a coquettish tone.

It seemed she could never resist a cute, pleading child.

So Su Mingxiu gently moved her captured wrist and replied helplessly: “Alright.”

But she didn’t let Chu Ruan keep her head lowered. Instead, she supported her shoulder, making her turn around. Then, she reached out to untie the red string at the back of her neck.

The loose T-shirt, whether due to wear or design, had its shoulder straps slipping down. It wasn’t noticeable from the front, but when the Omega turned around, a large expanse of her fair back was revealed, especially the black lotus extending from her gland.

Back at the laboratory, Su Mingxiu had personally reviewed the design of this tattoo. Back then, she had only considered aesthetics, but she hadn’t expected it to have such an… effect on Chu Ruan.

She untied the knot absentmindedly. The two red strings fell, disappearing under the Omega’s shirt.

Hidden together with the stem and leaves of the black lotus.

***

“Sizzle!”

Twenty minutes later.

Chu Ruan, having retied her apron and prepared the ingredients, was silently reciting the steps for stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar. As she poured the water-soaked potato shreds into the hot oil, she saw the rising smoke and heard the sizzling sound. She instinctively took a few steps back.

And almost stepped on Su Mingxiu, who was leaning against the kitchen counter.

The Alpha quickly reached out and lightly caught her waist. But Chu Ruan, standing at this distance, was on tiptoe, peering into the wok, as if trying to assess the situation before deciding whether to approach.

Su Mingxiu chuckled softly and reminded her: “Teacher Chu, the food is about to burn.”

“Ah!” Chu Ruan quickly took two steps forward, her arm held high, carefully stirring the wok with a spatula. Her cautious movements made it seem like she was conducting a dangerous experiment rather than cooking.

Su Mingxiu looked at the band-aids on her fingers and sighed inwardly. She walked behind Chu Ruan, wanting to take over the spatula.

But the Omega unexpectedly held on tight, only tilting her head slightly, her gaze still fixed on the wok.

“Dr. Su, do you know how to cook?”

“Yes.” Su Mingxiu saw that her stir-frying movements were decent, confirming that she wouldn’t get injured and that the food wasn’t burning. She released her grip and took a step back. “I used to cook when I lived alone.”

After the shredded potatoes in the wok were coated in oil, Chu Ruan relaxed. Sensing that Su Mingxiu hadn’t left the kitchen, she racked her brains for a topic to talk about. Somehow, they started talking about the apartment she had rented before.

“That apartment was beautifully decorated. If it weren’t for the fact that my job is too far away, and it’s inconvenient to commute back and forth, and Jingui High School provides me with accommodation and meals, I wouldn’t have wanted to move out.”

“Oh?”

“But the property prices in Shanglinfang are too high. Even if I work hard from now on, I probably won’t be able to afford that apartment.”

Hearing the Omega’s sigh, Su Mingxiu lowered her eyes. After a long silence, she replied: “Really? Didn’t you try asking the landlord? Maybe… her price is different?”

“The market price is fixed—”

Chu Ruan wasn’t usually so talkative, but for some reason, perhaps because she was in a familiar environment, or perhaps because she had let down her guard around Su Mingxiu, she found it comfortable to chat with her. So she talked animatedly.

But she was so engrossed in their conversation that she almost forgot to add the seasonings. When she remembered, she quickly turned down the heat and rushed to get the salt.

Just as she was shaking the salt over the wok, she accidentally brushed her sleeve against it, sending it slipping down her shoulder.

Realizing this, Chu Ruan blushed slightly. But with a spatula in one hand and a bag of salt in the other, she couldn’t free her hands. She could only turn to Su Mingxiu and ask: “Can you help me pull up my sleeve?”

“Uh…” Su Mingxiu reached out and hooked the fabric back onto her shoulder. But she didn’t release her grip immediately. Instead, she asked with a smile: “I remember you used to be very wary of me, why are you so trusting now?”

Being reminded of her embarrassing past, Chu Ruan almost spilled all the salt. Thankfully, she managed to regain her composure in time, confirming that only a small amount had fallen into the wok. She let out a sigh of relief, then turned to Su Mingxiu and said: “Stop bringing up the past.”

Her clear eyes, as pure as spring water, now held a hint of amusement as she looked at Su Mingxiu. “You’re not interested in my type anyway, right?”

Su Mingxiu met her gaze for a few seconds.

Chu Ruan felt a surge of anxiety under her gaze, not even knowing what kind of answer she wanted to hear. Then, she saw the smile on Su Mingxiu’s lips deepen. Slowly, Su Mingxiu released her grip, letting the fabric fall back onto Chu Ruan’s shoulder.

—Wrong.

I’m very interested in you.

I even want to peel your skin and dismantle your bones, devour you whole.

Chapter 56: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (14)

“Today we’ll be studying a poem, ‘Jian Jia’ (蒹葭).”

Class 1, Grade 1 classroom.

Outside the window was a bright blue sky. In the center of the classroom’s four movable whiteboards was a projection screen, displaying a beautiful ancient Chinese painting. Chu Ruan stood in front of the whiteboard, writing the title with clear, precise strokes.

But as she finished the last stroke of the character “Jia-葭,” the ink from her pen smudged against the band-aid on her right middle finger. The pressure of her writing didn’t let up, pressing directly onto her wound, causing the final stroke to pause abruptly.

Su Xinyan, sitting in the second row due to her height, could clearly see the band-aids on Chu Ruan’s hand. There were two or three on her right hand alone. She wondered how she had gotten injured.

Chu Ruan turned around, her gaze sweeping over the students. She tapped the screen with her pinky finger, turning to the next page, displaying the main text of the poem, and began introducing the background.

Time flew by as she lectured. Just as the students, following her lead, finished reciting the poem that started with “The reeds and rushes are deeply green”, the bell rang.

Chu Ruan closed the textbook and lesson plan on the podium. As she lowered her eyes, the sharp glint in them disappeared.

Her soft hair was tied up in a bun today. Even though she was only wearing a simple knitted cardigan and pants, her aura was exceptionally gentle. She didn’t look like the intimidating homeroom teacher from the class next door, but more like a friendly older sister.

“That’s all for today,” she said, gathering her things and preparing to leave. “If you have any questions, you can ask me after class.”

Actually, as soon as she finished speaking, Chu Ruan was already walking towards the door. The content of the high school Chinese textbook was too simple, and the students in this class were all smart. They could easily memorize the key points by reviewing the textbook in their spare time. What required more effort from her wasn’t how to teach the knowledge, but how to assign an appropriate amount of homework to these intelligent students.

But before she could take two steps, a voice came from behind: “Teacher Chu.”

Chu Ruan stopped at the door and looked at Su Xinyan approaching her in surprise. She instinctively felt a pang of nervousness, then quickly suppressed those inappropriate emotions and responded: “Hmm?”

Su Xinyan had been staring at the band-aids on Chu Ruan’s hand throughout the entire class, wondering if Su Mingxiu knew about this. Now, chasing after Chu Ruan, she only wanted to find out the truth.

But her memory was good. Using the textbook as an excuse, she remembered the content of the lesson and asked casually: “Teacher Chu, the poem ‘Jian Jia’ was once considered to be a satire of Duke Xiang of Qin’s failure to consolidate his state with the rites of Zhou, or a lament for the inability to recruit hermits.

But now, it’s mostly interpreted as a love song, expressing the longing and sorrow of unrequited love. Which interpretation should I write for the exam?”

“Write both.”

Chu Ruan answered calmly, her clear, doe-like eyes looking at the little girl seriously, waiting for her next question.

Su Xinyan nodded and said “Okay,” then changed the subject, looking at the hand holding the lesson plan. “Teacher Chu, are you injured?”

Following her gaze, Chu Ruan saw that the edges of two band-aids on her right index finger were stained with blood. It was probably because the blisters from the burn had been squeezed while she was writing. Now, it gave the illusion of a serious injury.

But thinking about the origin of the wound, Chu Ruan instinctively shifted her hand, hiding the lesson plan behind her back. She said to Su Xinyan: “No, it’s nothing serious. Do you have any other questions?”

Su Xinyan, unable to get her answer, could only shake her head regretfully and watch Chu Ruan leave. After Chu Ruan’s figure disappeared down the hallway, she quickly ran back to the classroom.

***

“Buzz.”

The vibration of the phone on the wooden table caught Su Mingxiu’s attention.

She was having tea with the original owner’s elder brother at a mansion owned by the Su family. The mansion’s landscaping was excellent, with lush greenery outside, complemented by rare tropical plants meticulously maintained by gardeners. Through the sunlight and the treetops, she could even see a rainbow formed by the mist from a fountain in the distance.

The scenery was refreshing and calming. Su Mingxiu picked up her phone and, seeing the sender of the message, raised an eyebrow.

The person sitting across from her, seeing that she had something to attend to, lowered his head and sipped his tea, giving her enough time to handle her affairs.

Su Mingxiu entered the chat window and saw a message next to the crudely drawn stick figure avatar: “Teacher Chu is injured today! Did you know?!”

Compared to the sender’s excitement, conveyed by the numerous exclamation marks, Su Mingxiu only replied with a “?”.

I’m Busy Conquering the World: “You didn’t know? Teacher Chu’s injury is serious! It’s just that it’s not convenient for me to take a picture. Otherwise, you could see the blood, it’s soaked through the band-aid!”

Su Mingxiu frowned slightly.

Her elder brother, who had been trying not to disturb her work, noticed her expression and instinctively thought it was something important. But then, he caught a glimpse of the avatar in her chat window and was startled: “Did something happen to Xinyan at school?”

Su Mingxiu came back to her senses and quickly reassured him: “No.”

Her brother breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to ask further, but Su Mingxiu suddenly remembered something. “Xinyan said the food in Jingui’s cafeteria isn’t good. I’ll go deliver some food to her later?”

“Huh?”

Her brother was surprised. “You’re so busy, I can have my assistant take care of it—I canceled two dinners with board members today and specifically booked a restaurant for you, a place highly praised by food critics.

You rarely come back, let’s chat about the plan to open a branch here, and I’ll see if there’s anything I can help you with.”

Su Mingxiu shook her head, a smile spreading across her face.

“Another time.”

After a pause, she said: “I might stay here longer this time, Brother. You’ll have to postpone those dinners. I have a very important matter to attend to.”

Although she said this, her brother couldn’t detect any urgency in her expression.

Instead…

Her smile seemed even more meaningful.

***

Jingui High School.

Even after the last class in the morning, PE, Su Xinyan still hadn’t received any further replies from Su Mingxiu. Staring at the blank avatar, she muttered to herself, putting away her phone:

Could it be that she guessed wrong, and Auntie actually doesn’t like Teacher Chu?

Then wouldn’t she be doing more harm than good?

“Xinyan?”

“Coming, coming.”

She held her phone, about to put it in her drawer. But before getting up, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope. She put the phone in her pocket and walked out of the classroom.

PE class was the most relaxing time for the students. After listening to the teacher’s instructions, warming up, and running, they had twenty minutes of free time.

The Alphas in Class 1 divided themselves into two teams for a casual basketball game. Some, feeling hot, went to the swimming pool together. A few Betas either returned to the classroom to study or went to the cafeteria early to wait for lunch.

Soon, only a few Omegas, wearing sunscreen and chatting under the shade of the trees, remained on the playground.

Their fair skin and long legs, accentuated by their athletic shorts, attracted the attention of many passing students.

Su Xinyan sat on the horizontal bar, swinging her legs leisurely. She glanced at the basketball court and the tennis court in the distance, then looked away listlessly.

Her friend beside her nudged her with her elbow. “There are so many Alphas in our school, but I’ve never seen you interested in any of them. Are you not interested in dating, or do you just not find any of them attractive?”

“Not attractive.”

Su Xinyan replied honestly. “They’re not good-looking enough.”

The genes of Alphas and Omegas were already one in a million, and Jingui High School was a prestigious school in the city. The students who could study here were either from wealthy families, exceptionally intelligent, or incredibly hardworking. Although it couldn’t be said that the Alphas here were the most handsome, they were still very outstanding.

As for the cafeteria that Su Xinyan deemed “unattractive”—

It was simply because this young lady from the Su family was too picky, complaining that the cafeteria, apart from offering a variety of flavors, lacked expensive seasonal ingredients. For example, she couldn’t find fresh black and white truffles or rare wild mushrooms.

Her friend, hearing this, could only “…”

Thinking about Su Xinyan’s high standards, her friend couldn’t help but ask: “Then what kind of Alpha would you consider attractive?”

Su Xinyan thought for a moment. “What do you think of the first speaker from the alumni speech on our first day of school?”

Her friend replied honestly: “I didn’t get a good look.”

Su Xinyan took out her phone, preparing to search for photos in her album.

Just then, a message popped up on her screen: “School gate, lunch, hurry.”

Seeing the white avatar, Su Xinyan’s eyes lit up. She jumped off the horizontal bar effortlessly, beckoned her friend, and said: “Come on, let’s go appreciate the most beautiful person in our family.”

***

Compared to the scorching sun on the first day of school, the city had finally accepted the arrival of autumn. The air was cooler, even the temperature near noon was pleasant.

Su Xinyan’s friend stayed near the teaching building, while she, shielding her eyes from the sun with one hand, hurried towards the school gate. As soon as she reached Su Mingxiu, she didn’t even bother looking at the lunch Su Mingxiu had brought. Instead, she said triumphantly: “See? Someone really cares about Teacher Chu!”

The little girl was clever and didn’t think that Su Mingxiu had come to the school specifically to deliver lunch out of longing for her.

The person standing outside the gate was wearing a sharp suit. The pure white design could only be pulled off by her aura. The collar was folded back to reveal a black lining, the simple contrast of colors and the flattering waistline highlighting her figure perfectly.

The person with deep-set features smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. The mole at the corner of her eye was fainter under the sunlight, yet even more distinct against her almost translucent skin. “When did I say I didn’t care?”

Wow!

Su Xinyan’s eyes lit up with gossip.

She said excitedly: “Then I’ll go ask Teacher Chu out for you!”

“No need.”

Su Mingxiu’s gaze shifted behind Su Xinyan, her smile lingering on her lips.

The little girl standing before her didn’t understand. She turned around and saw Chu Ruan walking towards the school gate from the teaching building.

Chu Ruan, who had planned to practice her cooking skills during her lunch break to avoid embarrassing herself when she actually invited Su Mingxiu over, didn’t expect to run into her again.

But there was only one school gate. It would seem deliberate to avoid her.

She could only brace herself and greet Su Mingxiu, silently praying that Su Mingxiu wouldn’t want to eat her cooking today.

“What a coincidence.”

Chu Ruan stopped at the retractable gate, her lips parting, but she didn’t know how to address Su Mingxiu.

Su Xinyan’s guardian?

Dr. Su?

Su Mingxiu?

She struggled for a while, feeling like none of them were appropriate. She finally squeezed out a greeting: “Dr… Su.”

“Eh?” Su Xinyan, who was beside her, looked at her in surprise, wondering why she would address her aunt like that. After all, Su Mingxiu hadn’t been a doctor for a long time.

Su Mingxiu chuckled softly, not minding the address. Her gaze fell on Chu Ruan’s fingertips and, based on her experience, she quickly recognized the type of wound hidden beneath the band-aid.

Although she had guessed that Su Xinyan’s earlier message was just to scare her, she still wanted to see for herself.

“Teacher Chu,” she responded. “I haven’t had lunch yet, do you have time?”

“Ah!” Chu Ruan felt that her earlier prayer had been in vain. Had she not prayed sincerely enough for any god or Buddha to hear?

Su Xinyan looked around, took the lunchbox from Su Mingxiu’s hand, and quietly slipped away. When she met up with her friend while carrying the lunchbox, she saw her friend hugging a pillar with a lovestruck expression. She couldn’t help but wave her hand in front of her friend’s face.

“Earth to…”

Her friend snapped out of it and grabbed her hand. “Is that beautiful Alpha your relative?”

“Is she pretty?” Su Xinyan asked, leading her on.

Seeing her friend nod vigorously, she chuckled and pulled her away mercilessly. “Too bad she’s not yours, and I can’t introduce her to you. Let’s go.”

***

Not far away.

Chu Ruan had already swiped her card and exited the school gate, unsure whether to accept or decline Su Mingxiu’s invitation. Thinking about the three crucian carps that had died tragically in the trash can last night, she hesitated, pretending to have forgotten about her promise to cook. She suggested with a blush: “I know a good restaurant nearby—”

“Hmm?”

Su Mingxiu turned her head, sunlight falling on her, making the black collar of her suit shimmer like silk.

She reminded Chu Ruan slowly: “I remember Teacher Chu promised to cook for me personally last time? Is there something inconvenient?”

Faced with such a direct question, Chu Ruan couldn’t avoid it. She said softly:

“No…”

“It’s just… I’m not ready yet.”

Su Mingxiu glanced at her fingertips, thinking, It’s only been a few days, who would wait for her to be ready?

“But I can’t wait anymore.”

She looked at Chu Ruan’s clear and bright eyes and said with a smile.

Thump!

A loud drumbeat suddenly sounded in her ears!

Thump, thump!

Chu Ruan stared at her blankly, not even daring to blink.

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.”

Chapter 55: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (12)

As Su Mingxiu sat down in the cool director’s office, a faint scent of osmanthus lingered in her nose.

Perhaps because she had been enveloped by the Omega’s sweet fragrance before, Su Mingxiu was particularly sensitive to Chu Ruan’s scent.

Even after years of separation, she could still accurately detect the other party’s suppressed pheromones at such close proximity, mixed with the scent of osmanthus flowers from her hoodie, creating an even more alluring fragrance.

Steam rose from the freshly brewed tea, the gradually spreading aroma dispersing the lingering floral scent. Su Mingxiu quickly regained her composure, thinking that her performance shouldn’t have disappointed the protagonist.

After all, Chu Ruan had been so eager to escape this marriage a few years ago. She shouldn’t want Su Mingxiu to reappear in her life and cause trouble.

“Dr. Su.”

While waiting for the water to boil, Director Zou first expressed his welcome on behalf of the school, showering Su Mingxiu with exaggerated praise and flattery. Unfortunately, Su Mingxiu had no interest in listening to an old man’s compliments and interrupted him in time.

“Director Zou, you misunderstand. I accepted this invitation for two reasons: firstly, to give back to my alma mater, and secondly, for some personal reasons.”

Some time ago, the Su family had mentioned in their family group chat that a younger member had been accepted into her alma mater.

But her parents were too busy with work, constantly traveling for business, and couldn’t even accompany their child to school for the start of the new semester.

Coincidentally, Jingui High School had also invited Su Mingxiu to this year’s opening ceremony. They asked her to check on their niece and see if she was adapting well to school life if she had time.

These words were just courtesy. In reality, with the Su family’s current background, they could easily send an assistant to assess the school’s facilities and teaching staff.

However, because Su Mingxiu had been developing her business far from the city for the past few years and had made Future Biology so successful, they wanted the younger generation to get closer to her, hoping for her support in the future.

Su Mingxiu knew the importance of reciprocation, having enjoyed the resources provided by the Su family to achieve her current success.

Now, she briefly explained her purpose to Director Zou. After receiving the list of new students, she successfully found the name in Class 1, Grade 1—

Su Xinyan.

Director Zou, understanding her intentions, poured her a cup of tea. Seeing the scorching sun outside, thinking about how the Su family’s child was currently enduring the heat with the other students, he suggested with a smile: “Why don’t I call Student Su over? Having a role model like you as an elder, I believe she will definitely grow into an outstanding student in the future.”

Hearing this, Su Mingxiu raised her eyes slightly, a faint smile in her eyes. She replied half-jokingly: “Is that convenient?”

“Of course,” Director Zou gave her an even more perfect excuse. “School officially starts tomorrow, and there’s a flag-raising ceremony. Student Su Xinyan was admitted with the highest score in her year. I was just about to ask her to give a speech under the national flag.”

Su Mingxiu didn’t object.

***

When Su Xinyan arrived at the office, Director Zou tactfully left the room for the aunt and niece, excusing himself to catch those students who were skipping the assembly.

The little girl in a white school uniform still had a baby face. She walked to the tea table and looked at Su Mingxiu with surprise. “Auntie?”

In the original owner’s memories, this little niece had always been a sucker for beautiful people. She had inherited her parents’ good genes and was particularly fond of beauties. During past Chinese New Year celebrations, she would always cling to Su Mingxiu, even declaring that her aunt was the most beautiful person in the world.

Su Mingxiu hadn’t been back for the past three years. The adolescent child had grown taller and matured both physically and mentally. Although Su Xinyan was happy, she was also a bit reserved, not daring to jump into Su Mingxiu’s arms like she used to.

But thinking about Su Mingxiu’s speech on the stage earlier, she felt a sense of pride. She felt that her aunt was even more radiant than she remembered. If it weren’t for the unfamiliar environment, she would definitely brag about her family’s treasure to everyone.

“You’ve grown taller.” Su Mingxiu beckoned her to sit on the chair beside her. Whether it was because of their blood ties or the girl’s endearing personality, she felt a sense of closeness to Su Xinyan.

Sensing the familiar warmth in her aunt’s eyes, Su Xinyan became less nervous. But before she could even warm up her seat, she leaned closer to Su Mingxiu and whispered mysteriously: “Auntie, you know what? Our Chinese teacher looks a lot like your fiancée.”

“Hmm?”

“Look,” Su Xinyan took out her phone and showed her a photo sent by a friend from Class 2. “This is our Chinese teacher, she’s also the homeroom teacher for the class next door. Doesn’t she look a lot like your fiancée?”

Actually, the little girl had only heard about this from her family and had briefly seen a photo.

Initially, she had been quite curious, planning to wait until Su Mingxiu brought her fiancée home during the holidays so she could see what kind of celestial being was worthy of her aunt. But after waiting and waiting, her gossip fire had died down, and she hadn’t seen Su Mingxiu’s fiancée.

It was already impressive that she could still vaguely remember Chu Ruan’s appearance.

Su Mingxiu only smiled without saying anything. To prevent the little girl from continuing to talk about Chu Ruan, she wanted to ask about the other teachers.

But as her gaze swept over Su Xinyan, she inadvertently noticed a mark on the girl’s neck, visible above her collar. She asked subconsciously:

“What’s that on your neck?”

Su Xinyan instinctively touched her neck, then realized something and smiled at her aunt: “It’s a suppression tattoo sticker, for Omegas. My friend brought it back from abroad during summer vacation. Of course, Auntie, your company’s products are the best. I just wanted to try something new, don’t worry, after I finish using this, I’ll still be your most loyal customer.”

Such sweet talk at such a young age, Su Mingxiu couldn’t help but chuckle.

She had been spending most of her time in the laboratory, and there were no Omegas around her, so she wasn’t aware that such things existed abroad. She decided to have someone bring some back for her to study the materials.

But whether it was because she had mentioned it or something else, Su Xinyan kept touching her neck during their conversation, catching Su Mingxiu’s attention.

“What’s wrong?”

“It feels a bit itchy…” Su Xinyan scratched absentmindedly, then put down her hand and asked her aunt eagerly: “You haven’t been back for so long. I heard that the food in Jingui’s cafeteria is terrible. For the sake of your niece who’s about to suffer for days, why don’t you take me out for a good meal after school?”

Su Mingxiu didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she shifted her gaze and saw the red mark on Su Xinyan’s neck, which was even slightly raised on her fair skin. She frowned.

“Where’s the school infirmary?”

“Huh?”

***

“Ah!”

On the playground.

A student with poor physical constitution, after listening to the speeches under the scorching sun for too long, fainted.

A few teachers rushed over, dispersing the students who wanted to watch the commotion. Finally, the homeroom teacher and the PE teacher carried the student to the infirmary.

The unfortunate student happened to be from Class 2, Grade 1. Chu Ruan arrived at the infirmary first and knocked on the closed wooden door. “Knock, knock, is the school doctor in? A student—”

Before she could finish speaking, the door was pulled open from inside. She was suddenly met with those alluring eyes, and she couldn’t help but freeze.

She hadn’t expected to see Su Mingxiu again so soon.

“The school doctor is out, I’m borrowing the infirmary,” Su Mingxiu explained calmly, not as surprised as Chu Ruan. “What happened to the student?”

At this moment, the PE teacher hurried over, carrying the student on his back. His voice overshadowed Chu Ruan’s: “A student fainted! It seems like heatstroke, please take a look!”

Jingui High School had recruited many new teachers this year. The PE teacher didn’t even recognize all the homeroom teachers, let alone the rarely seen school doctor.

Moreover, he had been busy patrolling earlier and wasn’t interested in the celebrities invited by the school. So he didn’t recognize Su Mingxiu at all.

Su Mingxiu stepped aside, letting him carry the student inside and place them on a bed behind a curtain.

A weak voice came from behind the curtain: “Auntie?”

“Yes, just wait a moment.” After checking the fainted student’s pupillary response, pulse, and heartbeat, Su Mingxiu disinfected her stethoscope with a wet wipe and placed it on the table beside her. She said to the PE teacher: “It’s heatstroke. They just need to rest in a cool, ventilated place and replenish their electrolytes.”

Hearing this, the PE teacher waved his hand and walked out, pointing at Chu Ruan who was still there. “She’s the student’s homeroom teacher, you can tell her.”

Chu Ruan, suddenly meeting Su Mingxiu’s gaze, felt awkward, not knowing where to put her hands. After a while, she squeezed out a sentence: “T-thank you?”

At this moment…

The curtain beside them was pulled open, and a fair face peeked out. Meeting Chu Ruan’s gaze, the girl said: “Eh, Teacher Chu?”

Chu Ruan found her familiar, but she wasn’t from her class. So she was stunned. Su Xinyan, however, introduced herself cheerfully. Halfway through, she saw Su Mingxiu approaching and quickly turned her gaze, looking at her aunt pitifully like a little dove, cooing with a sad expression: “Auntie, Auntie, my neck is still itchy, why is this medicine so slow?”

“Serves you right,” Su Mingxiu said, preparing an injection for another student. She didn’t even look back. “Who told you to be so careless and use something you don’t even know the origin of?”

She had already scanned it with the system—

The material of the suppression tattoo sticker on Su Xinyan’s neck was terrible. It was just flashy to appeal to young children. Omega skin was delicate, especially near the gland. Now that she was having an allergic reaction, it would be troublesome to treat.

After giving her some temporary treatment in the infirmary, Su Mingxiu planned to excuse her from school and take her to a specialized hospital for a checkup.

The Su family rarely had Omegas, and Su Xinyan was practically treated as a treasure by the entire family. The infirmary’s equipment was limited, and no matter how experienced Su Mingxiu was, she didn’t dare to jump to conclusions.

Hearing her aunt’s casual reprimand, the little girl behind the curtain slumped dejectedly, feeling that her plan for a good meal tonight had been ruined.

Thinking of this, Su Xinyan reached up to scratch the tattoo sticker on her neck in frustration, just as Su Mingxiu turned around after finishing treating the student with heatstroke. “Don’t touch it, I’ll take care of it later. Do you have a suppression collar?”

The infirmary had some, but perhaps because few students needed them, they were locked up with other valuable medicines.

“No.”

Su Xinyan shook her head carelessly again.

At this moment, Chu Ruan, who had been watching them silently, said tentatively: “I have one, do you need it now?”

Before Su Mingxiu could answer, her niece smiled at Chu Ruan cheerfully: “Thank you, Teacher Chu! You’re such a good person!”

Chu Ruan: “…”

She felt a strange mix of emotions.

But seeing that Su Mingxiu didn’t object, she stood up and walked out. As she left, she heard Su Mingxiu asking Su Xinyan if she had any more of those suppression tattoo stickers, saying she wanted to study them. The little girl replied in her innocent voice: “No, this one lasts for a month. I was planning to bring a suppression collar next time I go home.”

***

Five minutes later.

Chu Ruan returned to the infirmary and handed something to Su Mingxiu—

An unopened pheromone suppression collar and a set of Omega suppression tattoo stickers. Before the other person could ask, she explained softly: “My friend also brought me this new product when she went abroad. I forgot to take it out of my bag. I wonder if it can help you?”

As she spoke, Chu Ruan’s gaze was fixed on Su Mingxiu’s sleeve.

Standing so close, she could even clearly see the pinstripes on Su Mingxiu’s dark blue suit. They were made of thin silver threads, understated yet luxurious, perfectly complementing the golden star on her cufflink.

She had seen many people wear suits, but she couldn’t think of anyone who looked better in them than Su Mingxiu.

Chu Ruan’s thoughts wandered. She couldn’t explain her current feelings towards Su Mingxiu. Was it caution? Guilt? Regret? Inferiority?

Perhaps it was a mix of all these emotions.

She thought she had adjusted her mentality, but standing before Su Mingxiu again, Chu Ruan realized that she couldn’t suppress the turmoil in her heart.

Until…

Those gloved fingertips brushed against her cheek, picking up a small cluster of osmanthus flowers as they withdrew.

Chu Ruan looked up in a daze, her gaze meeting those deep, gentle, and mysterious eyes. “I wanted to tell you earlier, Teacher Chu, you have something on your clothes, didn’t you notice?”

Before Chu Ruan could answer, Su Mingxiu casually placed the osmanthus flowers on the table beside her, took the items from Chu Ruan’s hand, and thanked her sincerely.

Then, she asked where the homeroom teacher for Class 1 was, saying she wanted to excuse Su Xinyan from school.

Chu Ruan answered instinctively. After that faint mint fragrance left, she still hadn’t recovered from the previous encounter.

The scene of sharing that meal with Su Mingxiu three years ago, and the osmanthus cake she had taken with her, flashed before her eyes.

Then, she thought of Su Mingxiu holding the osmanthus flowers in her fingertips.

Three years ago, she had bitten those gloves. The material was thin, and it felt cold against her skin.

“Teacher Chu?”

Su Xinyan, lying on the bed behind the curtain, had been observing her for a while. Seeing her sitting there alone, her face flushed, she couldn’t help but call out to her.

“Ah!” Chu Ruan snapped out of her thoughts, her gaze meeting the student’s. Her eyes quickly cleared, and she forced herself to push away those lingering images and emotions. “What’s wrong?”

Su Mingxiu’s niece tilted her head and smiled at her with an inexplicable smugness, her cute canine teeth faintly visible. “Is my aunt… beautiful?”

Huh?

Chu Ruan blinked rapidly, not knowing how to answer at first. Then, she realized that she couldn’t discuss such things in front of a student. She pursed her lips and remained silent.

Not receiving an answer, Student Su wasn’t discouraged. Instead, she probed further: “Did you two… know each other before?”

Chapter 54: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (11)

“After the new suppression collar design was launched, this quarter’s patent fees have already covered all of last year’s experimental expenses—”

In a bright office, a lab technician in a white coat was excitedly reporting the laboratory’s quarterly performance to Su Mingxiu.

Su Mingxiu, as the investor and head of the largest research team in this laboratory, had resigned from Renxin Hospital three years ago. In the three years since taking over the laboratory,

Not only had she purchased the surrounding area to expand the biological laboratory and established a related company to handle the laboratory’s collaborations with the industry, but she had also significantly enhanced its reputation.

Initially, this laboratory was just a temporary facility for international collaboration in brain research. The original owner was more famous abroad.

But through three years of research with the team on the various functions of the system, Su Mingxiu had helped the Federation achieve breakthroughs in social life and many other fields. As a result, the Federation’s laboratory now surpassed its foreign counterpart in reputation.

Oh, right.

She had also officially renamed the laboratory to “Future Biological Laboratory.”

The project the lab technician was currently reporting on was a product developed by imitating the system’s connection and binding functions after they had cracked its firewall. This high-tech bio-lock could be locked and unlocked by binding it to the owner’s brainwaves.

Many industries in the Federation had adopted this technology. This bio-lock could maximize the security of any object. After being applied to Omega suppression collar designs earlier this year, it had significantly improved the safety of Omegas and reduced accidents caused by malfunctioning collars in public places.

The person sitting behind the desk faced away from the technician, her figure hidden by the shadow of the curtains. Her hands were clasped together, her downcast eyes concealing those overly beautiful eyes, only allowing a glimpse of her long, thick eyelashes and the faint mole at the corner of her eye.

But even a glimpse of her profile was breathtakingly beautiful.

Su Mingxiu was currently holding a paper-thin screen, browsing the latest news and information. Hearing the report,

She, who had no concept of money, only asked after the researcher finished speaking, as if remembering something: “Can the S1 project modify commands yet?”

The researcher broke out in a cold sweat. He knew that all the achievements the laboratory had made so far were insignificant. What the boss, who provided the resources and funding for their development, truly needed was something else.

“We can only decipher a small portion of the code. Its material and source code are too complex…” He explained on behalf of the S1 project team.

Su Mingxiu nodded, understanding that this meant there was no progress yet. She gestured for the researcher to leave.

After the office door closed, remembering something, Su Mingxiu said: “System, what’s on my schedule for today?”

The smart TV in the room turned on at her command, the screen displaying the calendar connected to her computer. Below each date was a dense list of appointments.

The TV’s speakers spoke reluctantly:

“Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary celebration of Jingui High School. You are invited to attend. Based on the weather forecast and traffic conditions, combined with your travel preferences, a first-class ticket on flight M567 has been booked for you, departing at 10:50 AM tomorrow. It is recommended that you leave your residence at 8:00 AM.”

After reciting this emotionlessly, the voice switched to her phone on the desk: “Even if you modify my commands, it’s only a part of me that’s bound to you in this world. If you fail the mission, or if you die without completing it, your soul will still be judged after leaving this world—”

“Noisy.”

Su Mingxiu propped her head on her hand and said with a smile: “Mute for ten hours.”

The chattering TV and phone instantly fell silent.

This was also one of the byproducts of the laboratory’s research. Transferring a small portion of the system’s code to smart devices could significantly advance existing artificial intelligence technology.

And the first thing Su Mingxiu did after extracting this part of the system was to implant a core command of loyalty.

***

It was the season of osmanthus blossoms again.

It was the start of the new school year for primary, middle, and high schools in the city. Red banners were hung on campuses, parents and children with backpacks and suitcases were everywhere, and the fragrance of osmanthus trees planted along the roads filled the air.

Jingui High School.

A girl in a thin black jacket hurried past a tree, her hat accidentally caught by a branch, showering her with fragrant osmanthus flowers.

But she was oblivious. Her slender legs, clad in light blue jeans, moved quickly as she spoke into her phone: “We need to send someone from each class to collect the new textbooks, right?”

After a brief conversation, she hung up the phone, glanced at the time, and, calculating the distance to the classroom, quickened her pace, heading towards the building ahead.

Finally, under the curious gazes of the students already in the classroom, she walked onto the podium, picked up a blue marker, and wrote two characters on the whiteboard with bold strokes:

Chu Ruan.

“Hello everyone, I’m Chu Ruan, the homeroom teacher for Class 2, Grade 1. I’ll be teaching Chinese. I hope we can all get along well this school year.”

The students had been looking at the necklace-like object on her jacket, almost blending in with the fabric, thinking that this teacher must be a cute Omega. But when they realized she was the homeroom teacher, their gazes shifted between her face and the blue characters on the whiteboard.

Ruan (Soft)?

A bolder student looked at her and asked: “Teacher, can we have your contact information?”

Chu Ruan looked at the student. After a few seconds, a smile suddenly appeared on her face. “Sure.”

Omegas were naturally delicate and beautiful. Her smile, pure and charming, bloomed like a lotus, captivating the hearts of these high school students who were just beginning to understand the concepts of beauty and ugliness.

The next moment, her expression changed abruptly. She announced with a straight face: “But before I give you my contact information, let me go over the school rules and regulations, including the content of our regular discipline inspections—”

“The third student from the left in the eighth row, Xu Sheng, right? Your bangs are covering your eyebrows. I hope that when you come to school tomorrow, your hair length will meet the standards.”

Saying this, she picked up a pair of brand new scissors from under the podium, looked at the student who had just asked for her contact information, and said coldly: “Of course, I wouldn’t mind giving you a haircut myself tomorrow.”

“Click.”

The sound of the scissors closing was particularly clear in the suddenly silent classroom.

“Now, I’ll give you my contact information. I hope you won’t need it only when you’ve done something wrong outside of school.”

The ink of the words “Chu Ruan” on the whiteboard had long dried, but whether it was because the blue ink had been contaminated or the marker was old, the dried ink had a faint reddish tint.

Chu Ruan turned around and wrote down her phone number next to her name.

Coupled with her sharp, sword-like handwriting and the metallic glint of the scissors reflecting on her face, all the students felt a chill down their spines.

—Damn.

Where was the “softness” in this homeroom teacher?

***

Jingui High School gave each class a whole morning for the teachers and students to get acquainted. In the afternoon, all the grades and classes had to gather for a school-organized assembly.

Because this batch of students happened to coincide with the school’s anniversary celebration, the assembly not only invited leaders and honorary principals, but also successful alumni who had made contributions to society.

And at the end, there was even a safety awareness lecture.

They tried to make the students’ first day at Jingui High School a meaningful one, instilling some useful knowledge in their minds, be it life goals, motivation for improvement, or at the very least, the ability to protect themselves in case of danger and live well in society.

While organizing her students to go to the playground, Chu Ruan was still thinking about the upcoming class representative selection, the content of the grade director’s meeting a few days ago, the lesson plans she needed to prepare for tonight, and so on.

In short, when she finally sat down beside her class, a pamphlet was suddenly thrust into her arms by the homeroom teacher next door.

The students, having already been given a taste of her strictness, were all very well-behaved. Even those who were secretly playing with their phones or whispering to each other, as long as they didn’t disrupt the speaker on stage, the homeroom teachers turned a blind eye.

Chu Ruan looked at the pamphlet in confusion, then heard the teacher beside her say: “Do you know Future Biology?”

Of course.

Chu Ruan instinctively reached for her neck. The new product launched by this laboratory had quickly replaced the outdated suppression collars, driving those unreliable products with malfunctioning fingerprint locks or suppression effects out of the market.

Moreover, the design of the new collars was diverse. Not only were there versions with simulated skin, but also many cute and sexy designs. Notably, they still retained the simplest black version for pharmacies, allowing all Omegas to adapt quickly.

She heard that the company behind this laboratory was even going public this year.

But what did this have to do with the assembly they were about to attend?

Her eyes widened slightly. Under the knowing gaze of the Class 1 homeroom teacher, she asked in surprise: “You mean this laboratory’s—”

“Yes,” the other teacher opened the pamphlet that had been distributed to each class, pointing at the face on the cover, which was still beautiful even with the ordinary printing. “The investor of this laboratory is actually such a young and beautiful Alpha, unexpected, right?”

“Alphas truly have superior genes. Look at all these awards and doctorate degrees. My goodness, is this what a genius’s brain looks like? Successful in every field? Neurosurgery, psychology, computer science…”

“I wonder if she was the top scorer in the college entrance exam back then?”

As her colleague gushed with admiration, Chu Ruan’s hand, resting on her suppression collar, suddenly flew away. Her gaze was fixed on the pamphlet, or rather, on the familiar face.

Since that day three years ago, when Su Mingxiu said they didn’t need to see each other anymore, she had completely disappeared from Chu Ruan’s life.

Chu Ruan hadn’t even seen any other members of the Su family.

During those three years apart, she hadn’t wasted the protection Su Mingxiu had given her. Using her status as the “fiancée of the Su family’s legitimate heir,” she cut ties with the Chu family and found a decent job with her own abilities. In the process of studying and finding a job, she had been deceived and learned many lessons.

When she thought she was finally ready for the inevitable cancellation of their engagement, she had imagined many scenarios. For example, when they met again, she would apologize to Su Mingxiu for her blind hostility towards Alphas back then, and for her foolishness in misjudging people.

On many nights, when she felt discouraged and disheartened, she would grit her teeth and persevere, telling herself that she would face Su Mingxiu calmly when they met again. Chu Ruan hoped that even without the engagement, she would have the confidence to stand before Su Mingxiu as an equal and talk to her.

“Teachers and students of Jingui High School, hello everyone.”

The speaker’s introduction, droning on in the late summer heat, finally stopped. It was replaced by an exceptionally pleasant voice, as gentle as a spring breeze.

Many students in front seemed to be relieved from the heat by this voice. A commotion arose from somewhere, and soon, some bolder students even stood up, trying to get a better look at the speaker.

Gasps and exclamations came from the crowd. Some, lacking vocabulary, even resorted to swearing to express their amazement at this beautiful and charismatic Alpha boss lady.

The commotion forced the homeroom teachers to stand up and maintain order.

Only Chu Ruan remained seated, motionless. She also looked towards the cool and shaded stage, wanting to get a clear look at the speaker.

But it was too far away.

The afternoon sun was scorching, the golden disk hanging high in the sky, casting its golden light on the world, bringing about an unexpected reunion that Chu Ruan had never imagined.

Sweat trickled down her temples, but she didn’t even bother wiping it away. She sat there, stunned, a faint smile appearing on her lips, mocking her own naiveté.

—All her preparations over the past three years had been in vain.

In this reunion, she couldn’t even take a step towards Su Mingxiu. The other person was like the sun in the sky, shining even brighter than before. Everyone could only look up in awe.

And Chu Ruan had once had the chance to stand beside the sun, but she didn’t understand its brilliance back then. Only today, under the sunlight, looking down at her own shadow, did she realize that compared to Su Mingxiu, she was just a speck of dust among countless others.

Even if she had been noticed before, it was only because the light had briefly illuminated her fleeting existence.

***

Su Mingxiu’s speech wasn’t long. Because of its brevity, the speeches that followed seemed even more tedious and unbearable.

Students kept using the excuse of going to the bathroom, only to disappear for a long time. Seeing seven or eight students missing from her class, Chu Ruan, as the homeroom teacher, had to go out and find them.

After catching a few unfamiliar faces in school uniforms in various corners of the campus, Chu Ruan finally bumped into the grade director at the entrance of the bathroom.

The old Beta, with two frown lines on his face, always stern towards both teachers and students, was now smiling brighter than the chrysanthemums in the flower market. He was even bowing and scraping at the bathroom entrance, seemingly welcoming some distinguished guest.

With him guarding the area, no student dared to linger around.

Chu Ruan slowed down, intending to greet him and leave. But then, she saw a tall figure emerge from the bathroom, their voice carrying a hint of amusement: “Director Zou, I don’t think this is a good place for a conversation.”

“Of course, of course, Dr. Su, please allow me to address you as such—”

Director Zou realized his impoliteness and quickly took two steps back. He was also an educator, but he was in an administrative position. He had a natural instinct for sniffing out opportunities and recognized that this was the capable heir of the Su family in the city. He wouldn’t let go of even this small chance to show his diligence.

He reluctantly tore his gaze away from Su Mingxiu and was about to lead her away when he saw the figure not far away. He couldn’t help but be stunned. “Teacher Chu?”

His thick eyebrows, under his receding hairline, furrowed, forming an inverted “V”. Director Zou clearly didn’t understand why Chu Ruan wasn’t watching her class on the playground at this hour and was wandering around here.

Could it be that she was also trying to slack off because it was too hot?

These Omega teachers nowadays are truly delicate.

He thought, about to reprimand her, but the person who had just left the bathroom spoke before he could, glancing towards Chu Ruan: “Who?”

“Oh, a new teacher who just joined our school, teaching Grade 1.”

Director Zou, half a step behind her, offered to invite her to his office for tea and explained casually.

They walked towards Chu Ruan, one in front, the other behind.

Logic told her that she should turn around and leave now to avoid unnecessary greetings and awkwardness. But Chu Ruan was frozen in place, her feet rooted to the ground, her gaze drawn to those alluring eyes, unable to look away.

Seeing the dark blue pinstripe suit with a starry design, her heartbeat quickened.

What should she say?

Long time no see?

Hello?

Countless polite greetings flashed through Chu Ruan’s mind, but she didn’t know which one was appropriate for this situation. But the tall Alpha reached her in just a few breaths.

So close that she could smell the faint scent of mint.

The next moment—

Su Mingxiu brushed past her.

Without a single word.

Like strangers passing each other on the street.

Chu Ruan even saw a star-shaped golden cufflink on her neatly folded sleeve, a perfect match for the dark blue suit.

She turned sideways, watching Su Mingxiu’s retreating figure, her expression stiff.

Was she crazy?

Chu Ruan lowered her eyes and looked at her outstretched hand. For a moment, she had actually wanted to pluck that star off Su Mingxiu’s sleeve?

Chapter 53: The Omega Abandoned After a One-Night Stand (10)

When Chu Ruan came out of the bathroom again, she instinctively glanced at the time and realized it was already two or three in the morning. Recalling the consequences of her last late-night visit, she hesitated before stepping into the master bedroom.

Because she had commandeered the master bathroom, Su Mingxiu had used the other one. Now, she was already in her pajamas, sitting by the bed and looking at her phone, browsing information about the current employees of Smith Biological Laboratory.

Noticing Chu Ruan’s hesitation, she asked without looking up: “Don’t want to stay?”

The Omega, her nape still aching faintly, thought about her past experiences with Su Mingxiu and bit her lip. The excuse she was about to give was seemingly anticipated by the other party, leaving her speechless. She could only stand by the bed silently, observing Su Mingxiu’s attitude to gauge how long she could resist.

To her surprise, the Alpha leaning against the headboard only glanced at her and said calmly: “Then you can leave.”

Chu Ruan was stunned.

Perhaps because she had never heard this Alpha speak so agreeably, her already not-so-bright mind started working overtime, suspecting some hidden motive.

She tentatively moved her foot towards the door.

One step, two steps.

Even after her hand touched the doorframe, the person bathed in the warm bedside lamp didn’t move. Even her shadow didn’t shift.

Perhaps Chu Ruan had taken too long. Su Mingxiu had already finished browsing the information and the list of employees on the website. Seeing that Chu Ruan was still within her sight, she raised an eyebrow. “What, do you want me to see you off?”

Although she didn’t know why Su Mingxiu had changed her mind, Chu Ruan could tell from her tone that she wouldn’t go back on her word. She immediately replied: “No need!”

The Omega was about to stride out of the room and close the door behind her. But before she could do so, she heard another voice from behind: “Wait.”

Chu Ruan sneered inwardly. Here it comes.

Su Mingxiu was definitely going to mess with her.

She gripped the doorknob and turned around cautiously, meeting those pitch-black, alluring eyes. Staring at the faint mole under Su Mingxiu’s left eye, she pursed her lips, like a small animal ready to lash out at any moment.

“From tomorrow onwards, we don’t have to see each other anymore.”

“According to federal law, if an Alpha and Omega who have undergone genetic matching at the Matching Center are unable to form a harmonious family and their relationship is incompatible within four years, they can dissolve their engagement after that period.”

The person standing by the door hadn’t expected this matter, which had been troubling her for so long, to be resolved so easily.

She had thought she would have to work very hard to convince this Alpha to change her mind.

After all…

Even if they got married and had sex, it wouldn’t be the Alpha who suffered. There were even people who could help her with her heat cycles, so why not?

Her previous resistance to this marriage was only because she didn’t want to be with a complete stranger, an Alpha who would control her life and her path—

Chu Ruan opened her mouth, wanting to ask many questions. But those questions, tangled together, only allowed her to utter a single sentence:

“Why…”

As soon as she spoke, she suddenly realized that she seemed to be clinging to this person. So she abruptly changed her words: “Four years later?”

Since Su Mingxiu had no intention of being with her, why not just clarify with the Chu and Su families now and dissolve the engagement?

After all, federal law was only for ordinary people. With the Su family’s influence, finding a new wife should be a piece of cake.

Su Mingxiu looked at her with a playful smile, as if she had never met such a person before. She stared at Chu Ruan, making her feel increasingly uneasy. Then, she replied slowly: “I thought… maintaining this fake relationship would be more beneficial to you?”

After all, the future treatment of a rejected Omega from a prestigious family was obvious.

Chu Ruan naturally understood the logic behind her words.

It was precisely because she understood that she couldn’t comprehend it.

To Su Mingxiu, she should be a disobedient and rebellious Omega. Apart from bringing her endless trouble, she was of no benefit. So… why would Su Mingxiu be willing to use this engagement to protect her for four years?

It couldn’t possibly be because she liked her, right?

Hah.

“If you have no further questions, you can leave.” Su Mingxiu put her phone aside. Thinking that she could go to Smith Biological Laboratory tomorrow, get rid of this inhumane system and the ultimate mission, she felt exceptionally happy. She even gave Chu Ruan a rare, gentle reminder: “Be careful on your way back. I don’t want to receive another call from the emergency room.”

***

Chu Ruan left in a daze.

But she took Su Mingxiu’s every word to heart. As soon as she reached the ground floor of her apartment building, she took out her phone and called a ride.

However, when setting up her emergency contact, she hesitated for a long time. After scrolling through her contacts, she realized with a pang of sadness that she had very few people she could trust.

And the only person who had taken her to the hospital after she was injured was her fiancée, whom she hadn’t even exchanged contact information with, and their engagement was already doomed to fail.

She finally entered Zhao Chun’er’s number. After getting into the car, she couldn’t help but roll down the window, letting the night breeze blow on her face. As she watched the streetlights flash by, countless thoughts, like fine dust particles, rose and fell in her mind.

Until dawn.

Su Mingxiu woke up early, bought a plane ticket to the city where the laboratory was located, and transferred between two modes of transportation. But she didn’t feel tired at all. Instead, she was full of energy.

The system, perhaps sensing her loneliness as she traveled alone, actually spoke to her: “Are you trying to play hard to get with Chu Ruan?”

Not keeping her by her side, not marking her against her will, even giving her some freedom, yet still maintaining the facade of an engagement, was it to move Chu Ruan and make her fall in love before…?

Perhaps Su Mingxiu’s completion of the ultimate missions in the previous two worlds had given the system a false impression. Its starting point for all its deductions was that “Su Mingxiu would definitely complete the ultimate mission.”

Su Mingxiu said to the system with a smile: “It’s a smokescreen.”

But not for Chu Ruan.

—

The system, not understanding her answer, soon became confused. When Su Mingxiu arrived at the laboratory and requested to have her brain scanned with the most advanced equipment, it finally realized that this person had come here specifically for it!

The system was shocked. Before Su Mingxiu could even enter the examination room, it released a surge of electricity as a warning: “Host is strictly prohibited from engaging in any actions related to extracting this system! Warning! Releasing 200,000 volts of electricity!”

It had managed to accumulate so much electricity thanks to the torture it had endured from Su Mingxiu and Gui Mian in the previous world!

Now it was time…

For Su Mingxiu to suffer the consequences!

The scientist who was accompanying Su Mingxiu and introducing the laboratory’s facilities was stunned. He pointed at her hair, which was standing on end as if from static electricity. “Dr. Su, what’s wrong?”

“Don’t come near me.”

Su Mingxiu recovered from the electric shock, sneering inwardly. But on the surface, she pretended to be deeply hurt by the system and left the room.

Just when the system thought she had given up, Su Mingxiu went straight to the laboratory director and, using her identity as a member of the Su family, invested in the laboratory—

Within two hours of arriving at the biological laboratory, Su Mingxiu successfully transformed from Dr. Su, the employee, to Boss Su, the employer.

After confirming that she had the right to use and purchase equipment, she quickly ordered a lightning rod and a bunch of conductive equipment. She returned to the room where she could scan her body and said to the system calmly: “Come on, keep shocking me.”

System: “???”

Sensing danger, its automatic protection program activated, releasing electricity. But Su Mingxiu slowly put on a pair of new gloves. This was a new technology used by workers who worked on high-altitude crops during thunderstorms, allowing them to maintain their safety even when struck by lightning.

Moreover, the system’s measly few watts were nothing.

This time, not even a single strand of Su Mingxiu’s hair stood on end.

When two-thirds of its stored electricity was depleted, the system sensed something was wrong. It quickly modified its program in the background, deciding to play dead as long as Su Mingxiu didn’t perform any tests or scans.

It had to save its electricity for the critical moment!

As expected.

Sensing the system’s silence, Su Mingxiu took a step towards the scanning equipment. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and moved away a second before the system released its electricity.

Otherwise, if these delicate instruments and equipment were damaged, the laboratory would suffer millions in losses.

“Playing this game with me?”

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, a wicked smile appearing on her beautiful face, as if she had finally found a worthy opponent.

Then, she found various materials in this private laboratory and started formulating a surgical plan. The system scanned it—

Good heavens, this person is planning to implant an interference chip in herself.

Once successful, the system’s perception of the outside world would be affected, and it wouldn’t be able to judge Su Mingxiu’s actions in time. It had no choice but to shock her…

Thus began a persistent battle between the human and the system.

***

A week later.

Su Mingxiu, with an interference chip implanted in her arm, sat in front of the scanning equipment, looking at her brain scan. She had invited a renowned neurosurgeon in the country and pointed at the rice-sized object in the image, discussing the possible consequences of removing it.

The expert was utterly shocked, looking at her in disbelief. He wondered if this person had been captured by an enemy country and subjected to inhumane experiments or was involved in some secret mission—

Otherwise, how could a normal person have such a thing in their brain, and it could even discharge electricity?

For the sake of the expert’s health, as soon as she woke up from the surgery, Su Mingxiu had a friendly chat with him. Under the original owner’s exceptional hypnosis skills, the expert conveniently forgot the surgical record, thinking he had only been invited to perform a brain tumor removal.

After quickly healing her wound with a bio-therapeutic device, Su Mingxiu sat in her private laboratory, tapping her finger on a sealed container that could trap even light. Inside the translucent observation screen, she could see the rice-sized object imprisoned within.

“Come on, let’s have a chat.”

System: “…”

It couldn’t understand. Why was Su Mingxiu targeting it again in this world, even though it hadn’t been constantly reminding her or forcing her to complete missions with tedious tasks?

Hadn’t the previous two worlds been perfectly normal?

It flashed weakly, displaying a line of Chinese characters on the screen: “Chat about what?”

“Why did you choose me?”

“This is your predetermined fate.” The system still emphasized this line.

“Really? I don’t believe it.” Su Mingxiu decided to recruit some talented people from the biology department, have them sign confidentiality agreements, and then everyone could study the secrets of this system together. It would be a shame not to do some research in such a technologically advanced world.

—She would see what kind of code this so-called fate was made of.

System: “…”

It started reflecting on how it had ended up in this situation.

Why was Su Mingxiu even more difficult to deal with after losing her memories?

If it restored her memories now, would she stop these terrifying thoughts?