In the company’s front lobby, the standoff between three people left the receptionist secretly astonished.
What kind of battlefield was this? Had the suitors run into each other?
Bian You suppressed her displeasure as she walked up to Qi Zhi’e, her face dark with irritation. She spoke in a low voice, “What an unfortunate coincidence. My timing couldn’t have been worse.”
Qi Zhi’e: “…”
The man: “???”
Could you even hear the nonsense you were spouting?
“Zhi’e, after all these days, don’t you understand my feelings for you? I’m not asking for your answer right now—I just want you to give me a chance.” Ignoring Bian You, the man turned to Qi Zhi’e and poured out his heartfelt confession.
The air around Qi Zhi’e grew heavy. This man had been persistently cornering her lately, and the only reason she had come down to meet him was to make things clear and get him to give up. Who would’ve thought she’d coincidentally run into Bian You at the same time?
Listening to his words, Bian You felt a suffocating frustration. Before Qi Zhi’e could respond, she cut in sharply, “After all this time, if she hasn’t given you an answer, isn’t it obvious? Stop pretending to be clueless!”
The man instantly flared up, turning to snap at her, “What does my business with her have to do with you? Who asked for your opinion? Besides—” His gaze dropped to the insulated lunchbox Bian You was holding, and a mocking smirk curled his lips.
“Besides, no matter what, I’d still have a better chance than a defective Alpha like you, wouldn’t I?”
“???”
“My arms and legs are perfectly fine. How am I defective?”
“Are you joking?”
At her retort, the man scoffed, his disdainful eyes fixed on Bian You’s neck. “An Alpha without pheromones—isn’t that the very definition of defective?”
Bian You choked for a moment, reminded of her lack of pheromones. But she quickly brushed it off, tilting her chin up as she shot him a sidelong glance. “So what if I don’t have pheromones? Does that make me less of a person? Can I not support myself? What difference does it make?”
So what if she couldn’t mark anyone? Did relationships have to involve marking? Couldn’t people stay together without it?
“You—you’re twisting logic! Go ahead and ask—what Omega would ever accept someone like you?” The man was seething, and as if to prove a point, he recklessly unleashed his Alpha pheromones.
In the middle of the lobby, where people passed by constantly, he showed no restraint. Instead, he smirked triumphantly at Bian You.
Qi Zhi’e had initially remained coldly detached, but at this development, her expression shifted slightly. Before she could intervene, however, something was shoved into her arms along with Bian You’s words.
“Hold this.”
Bian You handed the lunchbox to Qi Zhi’e, freeing both hands before swiftly and mercilessly restraining the man. The receptionist reacted just as quickly, pulling out a suppressant and injecting it straight into his scent gland.
“How dare you!”
The man, now immobilized, was livid. His eyes bulged as he struggled violently, only to realize with shock that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free from Bian You’s grip.
How could such a slender-looking woman possess such formidable strength, even if she was an Alpha!
“What makes you think I wouldn’t dare?” Watching as the receptionist administered the suppressant injection, Bian You could clearly sense the Alpha pheromones in the air weakening. She flashed the man a dazzlingly bright smile.
“If you dare act recklessly again, not only will I pin you to the ground, I’ll beat you so badly even your own father won’t recognize you!”
The man was visibly intimidated by Bian You’s demeanor. Given how effortlessly she had restrained him, it wasn’t impossible for her to overpower him in a fight.
Was this Bian You some kind of brute? Why was she so quick to resort to violence?
“Besides, I think you got one thing wrong.” Bian You gave him a meaningful smirk.
Qi Zhi’e, standing nearby, instinctively felt a sense of foreboding at the sight of her expression. Just as she was about to intervene, Bian You swiftly tore off the scent-blocking patch on her own neck and shot the man a provocative grin.
“Who said no Omega could ever accept it? This one clearly has.”
The sweet, refreshing scent of her pheromones wafted from Bian You’s gland—a familiar aroma…
The man turned his disbelieving gaze toward Qi Zhi’e, still reeling from the shock.
Were Qi Zhi’e and Bian You a couple? Why had he never heard about this before?
The moment Bian You removed the scent patch, Qi Zhi’e’s expression turned completely unreadable, giving no hint of her thoughts or emotions.
Noticing Qi Zhi’e’s demeanor from the corner of her eye, Bian You suddenly grew uneasy. She hesitantly released the man, took the insulated lunchbox from Qi Zhi’e’s hands, and stood meekly to the side, eyes downcast, the picture of obedience.
Without sparing another glance at the man slumped on the floor, Qi Zhi’e turned and headed toward the elevator. Bian You hurried after her, shamelessly sticking close.
The receptionist blinked slowly, then glanced down at the dazed man on the floor before quietly retreating to her desk. Only then did she let out a suppressed squeal of excitement.
Her boss, Little Qi, was incredible! She had actually marked an Alpha!
Bian You followed Qi Zhi’e into the elevator. Unable to gauge her mood, she kept stealing glances at her, though she couldn’t help feeling a little giddy inside.
Qi Zhi’e hadn’t rejected her company!
The two remained silent as Bian You trailed Qi Zhi’e all the way to her office. Employees passing by couldn’t help but notice the strange tension between them, their curious and gossipy eyes lingering on Bian You with a mix of awe and admiration.
Normally, anyone standing near Qi Zhi’e in this state would be trembling in fear.
Once inside the office, Qi Zhi’e shut the door and suppressed the violent thoughts swirling in her mind before fixing Bian You with a cold stare.
Bian You carefully placed the insulated lunchbox on the coffee table and offered an awkward smile at Qi Zhi’e’s frosty demeanor.
“Hungry? Let’s have lunch. I made it myself.”
With that, she opened the lunchbox and began unpacking the dishes.
Qi Zhi’e watched as she laid out the food—simple home-cooked meals, lacking the elaborate presentation of restaurant dishes, but the moment they were uncovered, the rich aroma filled the room, instantly whetting the appetite.
Her brows gradually furrowed as Qi Zhi’e observed Bian You’s eager demeanor. Especially now, with her scent-blocking patch not properly applied, Qi Zhi’e could clearly smell her own scent lingering on the other woman. Unconsciously, her nerves tensed.
This Alpha before her belonged to her—the Omega who had marked this Alpha knew it instinctively.
“Bian You, what exactly are you trying to do?” Qi Zhi’e’s voice was icy.
The only reason she hadn’t acted against Bian You yet was that the timing didn’t feel right. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t strike, nor did it mean she had let go of past grievances.
Yet despite knowing how Qi Zhi’e would treat her, Bian You still put on this hypocritical act in front of her, making Qi Zhi’e even more convinced of her ulterior motives.
“Me?” Bian You was momentarily stunned by the question before a flush of embarrassment crept across her face. She lowered her head, biting her lip lightly as she whispered, “I want to pursue you.”
Whether out of responsibility, duty, or genuine feelings—everything told Bian You to chase after Qi Zhi’e.
“Pursue me?” Qi Zhi’e’s lips curled into a mocking smile, as if recalling something. “Bian You, don’t you find that statement laughable?”
Her tone darkened abruptly, her gaze locking onto Bian You with intermittent flashes of sharpness. At times, she couldn’t help but indulge in fantasies—fantasies of plunging a blade into Bian You’s body herself.
After dying once and experiencing that slow, suffocating helplessness, Qi Zhi’e could clearly feel her psyche twisting further. A hatred for everything gnawed at her relentlessly.
She wanted to destroy everything with her own hands. She wanted to see all those who had humiliated and used her writhing in agony. Only then might she feel somewhat better.
Hearing her words, Bian You’s throat went dry. It seemed Qi Zhi’e still didn’t believe she wasn’t the original Bian You. She still saw her as the same person—how could she not find the idea of being pursued laughable?
“I know you won’t believe me, but please give me a chance—a chance to truly know me.”
Bian You knelt before Qi Zhi’e, looking up at her with unwavering sincerity. “Get to know me, and see for yourself how I’m different from before.”
“I genuinely want to pursue you—seriously, wholeheartedly.”
As her words faded, the spacious office fell into utter silence. Bian You’s gaze didn’t waver in the slightest; she met Qi Zhi’e’s eyes stubbornly, trying to convey her sincerity through sheer will.
Qi Zhi’e’s eyes flickered slightly as she leaned down closer, watching the faint pink flush spread across Bian You’s cheeks at her proximity. A cold sneer formed in her heart.
She lifted a hand to tilt Bian You’s chin up, studying her face meticulously—like appraising an object, weighing whether to purchase it and where to place it.
Bian You followed the gentle pressure of her fingers, tilting her head back slightly. At this close distance, staring into Qi Zhi’e’s face, her heart began to race uncontrollably. The thrill of excitement pulsed through her veins, spreading to every limb.
It was a peculiar sensation that seemed to empty one’s mind, effortlessly swaying thoughts with its intensity.
Yet Bian You felt no resistance, surrendering completely to this thrilling emotion as Qi Zhi’e’s reflection in her eyes grew ever more vivid.
A wordless tension seemed to spread between them. Bian You wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but the lily-of-the-valley fragrance lingering at her nose seemed to grow richer, and the fingertips resting beneath her chin—once warm—now burned so hot they might leave a mark.
Watching Bian You’s increasingly dazed expression, Qi Zhi’e curled her lips into a faint smile, her voice soft and low, sending shivers down one’s spine.
“Then you’d better behave.”