Yu Li lay sprawled on the sofa like a boneless creature, her head lolling toward Ye Zhixun’s side. Unsure how to support her, Ye Zhixun hesitated for a moment before Yu Li’s head came to rest against her thigh.
Ye Zhixun felt a slight numbness in her leg.
“Jiejie, you should go back to your room to sleep. What would you like to eat? I’ll make it for you,” Ye Zhixun asked softly. Without makeup, Yu Li looked extremely pale from Ye Zhixun’s angle, her complexion carrying a hint of sickly pallor, her lips faintly colored. For once, she seemed somewhat connected to the word “delicate,” softened by a hazy glow that blurred her usual sharpness.
Yu Li lifted her gaze to Ye Zhixun, dissatisfaction flickering in her eyes.
With other alphas, she despised their inability to suppress their pheromones, releasing them indiscriminately. But with Ye Zhixun, she couldn’t catch even a whiff, no matter how much she wanted to.
She had to release her own pheromones first before Ye Zhixun would respond in kind.
Having just been temporarily marked that morning, Yu Li felt uncomfortable weak and fatigued and had no intention of releasing any pheromones now.
“Do you know what a pearl oyster is?” Yu Li asked Ye Zhixun.
“Pearl oyster? To eat? The supermarket has river clams, but I haven’t seen pearl oysters specifically. If you’d like to try them, I can look for some next time,” Ye Zhixun replied.
“…” Yu Li stared at her, then beckoned for Ye Zhixun to lean down.
Ye Zhixun paused before slowly bending closer, expecting Yu Li to whisper something. Instead, her cheek was pinched.
“I meant, you’re like a pearl oyster!” Yu Li said.
“…” Ye Zhixun’s eyes widened.
Yu Li released her cheek, letting her hand drop listlessly. Feeling unwell, she lacked the energy to say anything more.
“I’ll just nap here for a bit. Go make dinner,” Yu Li murmured, too lethargic to move.
As Ye Zhixun walked away, the spot where Yu Li had pinched her felt oddly numb.
Was Yu Li teasing her?
That couldn’t be. She must be feverish, just like how she had seemed different after drinking a little alcohol that one time.
Ye Zhixun had originally planned to prepare a lavish meal, but given Yu Li’s condition, she opted for something lighter, congee with greens and minced pork, corn pancakes, a side of wood ear salad, and stir-fried napa cabbage with red peppers. The colors alone made the dishes appetizing.
When Ye Zhixun called Yu Li for dinner, she had already sat up, typing away on her laptop.
“Jiejie, dinner’s ready,” Ye Zhixun said.
Yu Li hummed in acknowledgment, finishing her sentence before rising.
Ye Zhixun could tell Yu Li’s fever hadn’t subsided.
Her energy was still drained, her face pale save for a faint flush under her eyes. It was as if the usual sharp edges of her demeanor had softened, leaving her subdued.
Yu Li ate slowly.
Previously, Ye Zhixun hadn’t dared to watch her eat, but today, she wanted to see if Yu Li enjoyed the meal. Yet Yu Li moved as if in slow motion, pausing occasionally, lost in thought or perhaps in complete mental blankness.
After a while, Yu Li set down her chopsticks, unable to eat more, and curled back on the sofa with her laptop.
By the time Ye Zhixun finished cleaning up, Yu Li was already on a conference call, headphones on, speaking a foreign language with fluid, polished precision.
Despite her obvious discomfort, her pallor, her exhaustion, her wilted demeanor she worked relentlessly, her performance betraying no sign of illness.
Was she really pushing herself this hard without resting?
When people fall ill, they tend to become much lazier. At that time, she wouldn’t even feel like cooking meals.
Late at night, Yu Li was still working.
Was this the self-discipline of a demon queen?
After finishing a conference call, Yu Li held her laptop, intently reading something and occasionally typing replies.
Ye Zhixun wanted to persuade Yu Li to rest, but she didn’t seem to have the right to say anything.
“Oh, you can go back first. Remember to study hard,” Yu Li suddenly seemed to remember Ye Zhixun was still there and looked up to say.
“…Mm. Then, sis, I’ll head back first,” Ye Zhixun replied, her face warming slightly at Yu Li’s last remark.
Ye Zhixun left Weigang Residence and returned to her own place. After washing up, she leaned against the headboard and checked her phone.
Some negative trending topics about Yu Li were still circulating.
Had Yu Li not dealt with the online backlash while working on her laptop earlier?
Ye Zhixun browsed through a few posts, her frown deepening.
[Yu Jewelry’s sales and raw gem procurement have all been handed over to the eldest son of the Yu family. Yu Li has already been sidelined her departure is just a matter of time.]
[I’ve said it before, what can an omega really achieve? She’s just a pretty face.]
[Fans might be drawn to her looks, but with her reputation in tatters, supporting her is just embarrassing.]
[Who was it that held Yu Jewelry together when the company was struggling? If you want to seize power now, just say it outright. Smearing a beauty while calling her a talentless vase is just too much.]
[Yu Jewelry is about to undergo a leadership change. Tsk tsk, such dirty tactics in an internal power struggle. Disgusting. Come here, Yu Beauty, cry in my arms.]
Before this, Ye Zhixun had only known that people were slandering Yu Li, but she hadn’t considered the reasons behind it.
An internal power struggle, an upcoming leadership transition, Yu Li was being bullied and marginalized within the Yu family. All these smear campaigns were just meant to ruin her reputation and push her out of management.
Perhaps it wasn’t that Yu Li didn’t want to handle it, but that she no longer had the ability to?
The Yu Li she had always imagined was invincibly strong, the one who bullied others while no one dared to cross her the one in complete control.
But in reality, this Yu Li was being pressured and bullied by her own family and competitors.
Ye Zhixun pressed her lips together, recalling how Yu Li barely ate a few bites at meals, how she lay weakly on the sofa when sick, resting briefly before forcing herself back to work…
Unable to hold back, Ye Zhixun pulled out her laptop again.
She blasted through several accounts one after another, continuing until her laptop grew hot and the clock showed past 1 a.m. Only then did she wash up and go to bed.
The next day was the weekend, and for once, the weather was clear. When Ye Zhixun went to Yu Li’s place in the morning, Yu Li looked even more exhausted than before.
After breakfast, Yu Li had intended to ask Ye Zhixun for another temporary mark, but a sudden phone call interrupted them. There was an urgent matter to handle, so Yu Li changed clothes and grabbed her bag to leave.
“I have something to take care of outside. I won’t be back for lunch, I’ll let you know if I return in the afternoon,” Yu Li said to Ye Zhixun.
“Sis, you’re still working on the weekend? No rest?” Ye Zhixun couldn’t help but ask.
“Retail stores don’t close for weekends,” Yu Li replied.
“…” Ye Zhixun watched as Yu Li hurried out the door, sighing inwardly.
She didn’t even know if Yu Li had fully recovered from her illness or if her heat had completely passed yet here she was, rushing off to work again.
With no classes on the weekend, Ye Zhixun had plenty of free time. After leaving Weigang Residence, she went to the library, looked up some more information, and expanded her knowledge.
That afternoon, Gu Qiaqia invited Ye Zhixun to go hiking with a group of about a dozen people, including Cheng Yafu, whom Gu Qiaqia liked, and Cheng Yafu’s good friend Huo Jinmian.
Huo Jinmian looked at Ye Zhixun with a bit more interest.
Ye Zhixun dressed rather plainly, often wearing sportswear and sneakers, with her hair tied in a simple ponytail.
But she was naturally good-looking no matter what she wore, it looked good on her, even elevating the clothes themselves.
“Ye Zhixun, the fruit you gave me last time was really delicious. Is this a new variety that’s only been around for a few years? I’d never had it before,” Huo Jinmian said to Ye Zhixun.
When she had first brought the fruit home, her sister Huo Jinle and the rest of the family had been a bit skeptical.
No brand, no label, it didn’t seem very safe.
But the fruit looked high-quality, and after tasting it, Huo Jinmian found it quite delicious, so she persuaded Huo Jinle to try a few bites.
Huo Jinle, who was usually quite particular about food, remarked that the fruit tasted just like the premium variety sold in limited quantities at a certain high-end supermarket even the cultivar seemed identical.
The only difference was the lack of branding and fancy packaging.
If what Ye Zhixun said was true that it was picked from her family’s own orchard then her family must be supplying premium fruit to supermarkets. That alone would mean a decent income.
“It’s been grown for a few years, but I’m not really sure,” Ye Zhixun replied.
Huo Jinmian asked a few more questions, but Ye Zhixun didn’t seem to know much and couldn’t confirm anything.
Huo Jinmian wasn’t particularly concerned about Ye Zhixun’s family background anyway, so she let it go and chatted about other things instead.
By mid-afternoon, the group had climbed up a small hill, rested for a while, and then started descending.
Several people, including Gu Qiaqia, were too exhausted to continue, so they handed their backpacks to Ye Zhixun to carry.
When they passed by a convenience store, Huo Jinmian went in to buy drinks for everyone.
Just as Ye Zhixun accepted the water bottle from Huo Jinmian, her phone buzzed.
She pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
[Put that bottle down. Come here.]
The message nearly made Ye Zhixun drop the water bottle.
Yu Li was here?!
The tone of the words made it seem like Yu Li was angry.
Without thinking too much, Ye Zhixun handed the bottle back to Huo Jinmian.
“Sorry, something came up. I have to go,” she said, setting down the other backpacks and only taking her own before hurrying off.
“Hey, what’s the rush?” Huo Jinmian frowned, but Ye Zhixun was already striding away with her long legs.
Could it be Yu Qi causing trouble again?
Enough was enough!
Clenching her teeth, Huo Jinmian immediately dialed Yu qi’s number.
“So what if I called her?” Yu Qi, caught off guard by the accusation on the other end of the line, decided to claim responsibility anyway.
Even though she hadn’t been the one to summon Ye Zhixun, seeing Huo Jinmian angry made her happy.
Yesterday, Ye Zhixun hadn’t come to Weigang Residence to pick up her things and had even told her to throw them away.
Yu Qi had been annoyed, but now, seeing Huo Jinmian’s irritation, her mood improved slightly.
While the two of them bickered, Ye Zhixun followed the location pin and found a black business car parked under the shade of trees.
She approached and tapped on the window. The sliding door opened.
Ye Zhixun bent down and got inside.
Inside, Yu Li was curled up in an airline-style seat, her face pale, clearly uncomfortable and in a bad mood. When she lifted her gaze, her sharp eyes made her seem like an intimidating figure who could make Ye Zhixun’s heart race with fear.
“What’s 2.2?” Yu Li asked quietly.
“…” It took Ye Zhixun a moment to realize what 2.2 referred to.
One of the clauses in their marriage agreement stated that during the duration of their contract, neither party could have ambiguous relationships with other omegas.
“No, it was my roommate who invited me. I’m not close with any of the omegas there,” Ye Zhixun hurriedly explained.
She felt like she’d been caught cheating when she was completely innocent.
How unfair!
“My apologies, I’ll remember,” Ye Zhixun said, not daring to “argue” further under Yu Li’s cold gaze despite feeling wronged.
“Prepare yourself. Temporary mark,” Yu Li commanded.
Hearing Yu Li’s authoritative tone, Ye Zhixun froze for a second before quickly getting ready.
Who would’ve thought that the intimidating Yu Li from a moment ago would now request a temporary mark?
Ye Zhixun stepped out of the car to wash her face and rinse her mouth at a nearby public restroom before returning to the vehicle.
Her pheromones refused to emerge, and her marking teeth remained stubbornly inactive.
This made Ye Zhixun feel rather embarrassed.
No matter how much of a theoretical expert she was, the inability to release pheromones was her biggest hurdle.
“Sit over there,” Yu Li frowned at Ye Zhixun, pointing to the adjacent seat.
Ye Zhixun sat down and turned to look at Yu Li, only to see her rise from her seat and then… settle onto Ye Zhixun’s lap.
Ye Zhixun’s body instantly stiffened.