“Marriage… marriage agreement?!” Ye Zhixun stammered, looking at Yu Li in disbelief.
Yu Li observed Ye Zhixun’s reaction so she hadn’t even known what she was signing earlier. She had just signed it blankly.
How naive.
“Want to back out? Too late. I expect you to honor the contract. Read it carefully, memorize every detail, or face the consequences,” Yu Li said coolly, her tone laced with threat.
Fear was the beginning of obedience.
That was Yu Li’s professional experience.
With Ye Zhixun, she had never been the “good person” from the start.
The marriage agreement was Yu Li’s decision in the moment, she wasn’t sure if it was impulsive.
As things stood, Ye Zhixun needed to be married to complete the marking.
And Yu Li herself not only needed the marking but also a partner to simplify certain matters.
Originally, Ye Zhixun had been avoiding her, and Yu Li hadn’t wanted to resort to coercion. But high-concentration suppressants were unbearable, and then she happened to see Ye Zhixun “dating” another omega. Yu Li realized that Ye Zhixun was like an incredible business opportunity fleeting. If she didn’t seize it now, someone else soon would.
So why not take it?
Even if Ye Zhixun was unwilling, she would “forcefully claim her.”
The one-year term was set partly because Qin Shuangxue had mentioned that the hospital’s research institute estimated it would take about a year before the new suppressants suitable for Yu Li would be ready for use.
A year should be enough.
After all, forced affection never lasts. Right now, Ye Zhixun feared her, but later, she might feel humiliated and resentful, keeping her close could become dangerous.
Better to set a deadline for both of them.
They could reassess if circumstances changed.
“Do you know how to do a temporary mark now?” Yu Li asked, watching Ye Zhixun, who was still dazed.
“I… I…” Ye Zhixun stuttered.
“Go find some materials and study up. Read the agreement first, it officially starts tomorrow. I’m going to rest.”
Yu Li had considered suggesting they try it immediately, but seeing Ye Zhixun’s expression and remembering the pain of a temporary mark, she decided to give her some time to learn and digest the agreement’s contents.
With that, Yu Li stood and left.
The room fell silent.
Ye Zhixun’s scattered thoughts slowly settled into reality.
Yu Li wanted a contractual marriage with her?!
This was a “sentence” Ye Zhixun had never imagined in her wildest dreams.
She scrutinized the agreement in her hands again.
The formatting and content seemed copied and modified from some work contract.
It didn’t feel like a marriage agreement more like an employment contract.
There were start and end dates.
Responsibilities and obligations, confidentiality clauses, penalties for violations, and so on.
Even stranger, Ye Zhixun was to receive a “salary”200,000 per month, with bonuses for good performance and deductions for poor performance.
Compared to the punishments Ye Zhixun had imagined Yu Li might inflict, this agreement was worlds apart.
Yu Li had said the contract would last a year, after which they’d go their separate ways.
After reading through the agreement once more, Ye Zhixun flipped back to the cover.
Four words, learned in elementary school: “Marriage Agreement.”
No mistaking it.
Yu Li’s “terrifying” nature had made Ye Zhixun expect punishment never marriage.
If it had been an ordinary omega, Ye Zhixun’s principles would have demanded she take responsibility.
But when it came to Yu Li, Ye Zhixun had never dared to even think about taking responsibility from the very beginning, hadn’t even entertained the thought. She only hoped the other woman would spare her life.
Now, Ye Zhixun suddenly realized that Yu Li wasn’t just the “Great Demon King” she was also an omega, one that Ye Ye Zhixun had marked.
The scent of Yu Li’s pheromones in the air grew fainter under the purifier’s effect.
By the end, Ye Zhixun could no longer smell it.
It was as if everything that had just happened was a dream.
Yet the marriage agreement in her hands was real, black ink on white paper.
Ye Zhixun got up and cleaned the dining area and kitchen.
Once finished, she was about to ask Yu Li if there was anything else she needed to do when a message arrived.
[That’s all for today. You can clock out. Go home and study some books or tutorial videos. Be prepared for a temporary mark tomorrow morning.]
The formal wording made Ye Zhixun feel as though she could hear Yu Li’s indifferent tone through the text.
Her face still felt warm.
Who would’ve thought that just by stepping in and out of Victoria Harbour Court, she’d end up engaged?
The Great Demon King’s thoughts were inscrutable. Unable to make sense of it, Ye Zhixun could only follow orders.
“Jiejie, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now,” Ye Zhixun said at Yu Li’s door.
“Mm.” A low hum came from inside the room.
Ye Zhixun exhaled, glanced around once more to confirm there was nothing left for her to do, then quietly left Yu Li’s residence.
It was nearly nine. Though it wasn’t raining outside, the past few days of showers had left the air damp and chilly.
Ye Zhixun exited through the side gate and headed back to her own place.
Her phone showed missed calls and messages.
[If you don’t want these things, I’ll throw them away.]
One was from Yu Qi.
Only then did Ye Zhixun remember that Yu Qi had asked her to come to Victoria Harbour Court to retrieve some belongings.
After a moment’s thought, Ye Zhixun realized Yu Qi had already mailed back all the gifts she’d given her. There was nothing important left behind.
[Go ahead and toss them.]
She replied briefly.
Noticing a message from Gu Qiaqia as well, she responded to her too.
The missed call was from home. Not daring to delay, Ye Zhixun dialed back as she walked.
It was her grandmother.
No particular reason, just casual small talk.
“How are those two orchid plants doing? No trouble adjusting? I left care instructions on sticky notes on the pots. Make sure to follow them and explain them to Xiao Xi. Those orchids were bought the year you presented. I’ve been tending to them for years, and they only just started budding.”
Her grandmother’s voice carried through the phone.
Ye Zhixun froze.
The orchids were meant for Yu Qi. By some twist of fate, they’d ended up with Yu Li instead.
She hadn’t paid attention to them these past few days.
She’d have to check on them tomorrow.
“Don’t forget you promised to bring Xiao Xi home during the break. Your aunt and I are already preparing. It’ll be cold when you come, so we’ve made new quilts with fresh cotton. We still need to buy thick pajamas and plush slippers ask Xiao Xi what colors and patterns she likes. Whatever she enjoys, food or entertainment, we’ll prepare everything in advance…”
Her grandmother rambled on.
A bitter smile tugged at Ye Zhixun’s lips.
There might have been a chance for reconciliation right after the breakup, but now? Absolutely impossible.
It was just a shame her grandmother and aunt had been so eagerly looking forward to Yu Qi’s visit.
They were going to be disappointed.
Ye Zhixun was grateful they weren’t on a video call. At least her grandmother couldn’t see her expression.
After chatting with her grandmother for a while, Ye Zhixun hung up the phone and arrived at her residence.
“Ah Xuan, was it Yu Qi who asked you to go to Victoria Harbour Courtt?” Gu Qiaqia asked cautiously when she heard Ye Zhixun return.
“…” Ye Zhixun didn’t know how to respond.
Her relationship with Yu Li and the marriage agreement were things Yu Li had forbidden her to disclose even to Gu Qiaqia, it wasn’t appropriate to mention.
“Hey… don’t get too caught up in it. Since you’ve broken up, make a clean break. Actually, what those two girls said today made some sense. There’s no such thing as love at first sight it’s all premeditated,” Gu Qiaqia added, seeing Ye Zhixun hesitate.
“How would those who only speculate from rumors know? Still, thank you for your concern. I know it’s impossible between us now,” Ye Zhixun replied.
Three years of feelings couldn’t be swayed by others’ words her impression of Yu Qi remained unchanged.
Regarding the breakup, Yu Qi had her own reasons and Ye Zhixun respected that.
If not for Yu Li, Ye Zhixun might have tried to salvage the relationship, but now it was too late.
“Alright, let’s not talk about her. The hiking club has an event the day after tomorrow, want to go? Consider it a way to clear your mind. Cheng Yafu is going too, hehe,” Gu Qiaqia said.
“Mm,” Ye Zhixun nodded, understanding Gu Qiaqia’s intention.
After washing up, Ye Zhixun returned to her room but couldn’t sleep, her mind replaying the day’s events.
She had resisted marking Yu Li at the time.
But the stirred restlessness lingered.
The agreement today clearly stated in black and white: When Party A requires a temporary mark from Party B, Party A shall not evade or refuse.
Tomorrow morning, Yu Li would need the temporary mark.
Yu Li had told her to study through books or videos.
She must think I need to learn, Ye Zhixun thought.
Scratching her head, Ye Zhixun picked up her phone and searched some keywords.
#Complete steps for temporarily marking an omega#
#How to effectively improve an omega’s temporary marking experience#
After browsing a few links, her face gradually grew warm.
Partly from embarrassment, partly from guilt.
Her previous marking had indeed been too rough.
An alpha’s pheromones were foreign to an omega, requiring an adaptation process.
Moreover, the method of marking mattered.
There needed to be a soothing process afterward.
In short, even a temporary mark had many nuances.
Any misstep could cause discomfort for the omega.
Ye Zhixun took notes and memorized the key points.
By past midnight, she had evolved from a novice to a theoretical expert.
Now all that remained was practice.
Having slept poorly the past few nights and with today’s major events, Ye Zhixun exhausted herself by exercising after reviewing all available materials, finally falling asleep after 2 a.m.
On the other side, Yu Li didn’t sleep either, working on her laptop.
The omega calming inhalant kept her awake but came with side effects, tinnitus, dizziness, and stomach discomfort.
Yu Li experienced them all.
Too uncomfortable to sleep, she continued working until collapsing into a dazed slumber in the early hours.
The next day brought a temperature drop. When Yu Li woke, her head still felt heavy, and the thin blanket felt icy against her chilled skin.
She couldn’t tell if she was ill or if the side effects hadn’t faded.
When Yu Li woke up, she received a reminder from her secretary about the morning meeting, the people she needed to meet, and the places she had to go.
The morning meeting would have quite a few attendees, most of them alphas.
That was why Yu Li had asked Ye Zhixun the day before to give her a temporary mark in the morning, hoping it might make the meeting a little easier.
Yu Li got up slowly, finished her morning routine, and stepped out upon hearing noises, only to find Ye Zhixun already preparing breakfast.
The young alpha looked focused and composed while cooking, the picture of tranquility. But the moment she noticed Yu Li, she stiffened like a rabbit spotting a wolf, her calm demeanor instantly replaced by nervous tension.
“Sister, just a moment, breakfast is almost ready,” Ye Zhixun said upon seeing Yu Li.
Yu Li nodded and watched as Ye Zhixun finished up.
Soon, the meal was laid out on the table.
Yu Li took a few bites before glancing up at Ye Zhixun, who was bustling about, wiping this and that.
“Sit down and eat too,” Yu Li said.
As if given an order, Ye Zhixun obediently took a seat across from her.
Yu Li didn’t eat much and pushed her plate away once she was full, standing to observe Ye Zhixun cleaning up.
“I’m going to change. We need to leave by 8:30, get ready,” Yu Li told her.
Ye Zhixun, mouth still full, mumbled a hurried acknowledgment.
She knew exactly what “getting ready” entailed.
Ye Zhixun quickly finished the rest of her breakfast, then grabbed her toiletries and headed to the bathroom to rinse and brush her teeth.
This was the first step before a temporary mark, hygiene was essential.
After scrubbing her teeth several times, she heard Yu Li emerge and rushed to wrap up.
When Ye Zhixun stepped out, she saw Yu Li in a fresh outfit, a beige high-neck cashmere sweater paired with a coffee-colored pencil skirt, a trench coat draped over her arm, exuding sophistication.
Yu Li checked her wristwatch.
“Twenty minutes left, is that enough?” she asked.
“…Sh-should be,” Ye Zhixun stammered. She had done her research, a quick temporary mark could be done in just over ten minutes.
“Let’s begin,” Yu Li said, hanging up the coat before taking a seat on the sofa.