After sending that message, Bai Long waited, but even after her phone screen went dark, there was still no reply.
She stared blankly at her phone for a long moment, replaying their conversation, wondering if she had once again said something wrong without meaning to.
Unlike others, Bai Long wasn’t native to this world—she lacked common sense and a sense of boundaries.
Just like back at the hospital, when she had casually complimented Lu Yue’s pheromones as “pleasant,” she had nearly been accused of sexual harassment.
The memory made her freeze for a second. She hesitated, wondering whether she should send another message to ask or apologize if she had crossed a line, when—
The traffic light ahead finally turned green.
Realizing she was running late and might miss her shift if she lingered any longer, Bai Long stopped overthinking and quickly tucked her phone away, crossing the street to head toward the café where she usually worked.
The café where Bai Long worked was quite a distance from Yicheng No. 1 High, but it had decent pay, wasn’t too busy, and the manager was an easygoing Beta with a mild temperament.
That’s why, after weighing her options carefully after transmigrating, she had quit her other two part-time jobs and kept only this one.
Even when she was hospitalized after getting hit by the volleyball, and Chen Lan had gone to request leave on her behalf, the manager had sent her a message after learning she was discharged today, telling her to rest for a couple more days.
That made Bai Long, who had already missed several days of work, feel even more guilty.
So she declined the manager’s kind offer and headed straight to work as soon as school was out today.
When Bai Long arrived, the manager was at the counter practicing latte art. Hearing the door open, he instinctively glanced up.
Recognizing who it was, his face lit up, and he quickly put down what he was doing to wave her over.
“Manager, sorry I’m late—something came up on the way and slowed me down a bit.”
Actually, Bai Long wasn’t late, she’d just made it right on time. Still, even knowing the manager wouldn’t mind, she felt a little embarrassed.
The manager was in his forties, with a refined, gentle appearance. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and had an approachable, mild-mannered air.
“No, no, you’re not late at all. The other two just got here too, and today’s not busy anyway—hardly any customers.”
“By the way, how are you feeling? Any lingering discomfort?”
“Thank you for asking, I’m pretty much recovered now. I’ll still need a follow-up check at the hospital in a while, but there shouldn’t be any major issues.”
“That’s good. As long as you’re alright.”
As he spoke, he looked Bai Long over. Seeing she didn’t appear as pale as before, he felt a bit relieved.
“Looks like you just weren’t getting enough rest. These few days off seem to have done you good—your complexion is much better than before. Xiao Bai, you’re still young—don’t overdo it. Nothing is more important than your health, understand?”
“Mm, I know, Manager. Sorry to make you worry. I’ll make sure to balance work and rest from now on.”
After exchanging a few more polite words, Bai Long went inside to change into her uniform and started her shift.
She was in charge of the pastry section. The café’s cakes were famously delicious, and they usually drew quite a crowd in the afternoon—students and office workers alike.
Not long after Bai Long changed and came out, the shop door was pushed open by a woman in a red dress, stunningly beautiful.
Almost the moment she stepped inside, everyone in the café couldn’t help but look her way.
And for good reason—she was breathtaking.
Her features were like a painting—red lips, pearly teeth, and a cascade of jet-black hair flowed down like a waterfall. She was vibrant and striking, like a rose in full bloom.
But what caught Bai Long’s attention wasn’t just the woman’s striking looks—it was more because her features bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Lu Yue’s.
Only her features were softer, without Lu Yue’s sense of aloofness and coldness.
“What are you staring at, little girl? Never seen an Alpha as good-looking as me before?”
She seemed long accustomed to being stared at. When she met Bai Long’s gaze, she wasn’t offended—she even winked playfully at her with a smile.
Bai Long had thought she was being discreet, but she hadn’t expected the other to be so perceptive—she’d been caught right away.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that you look a lot like a friend of mine, so I couldn’t help but look a little longer.”
“Is that so? Then your friend must be a pretty Alpha too.”
Bai Long was taken aback for a moment, Lu Yue’s features flashing involuntarily in her mind.
“…Yes.”
He was indeed beautiful—but he was an Omega.
Besides, they had only met once—hardly enough to be called friends.
But Bai Long avoided explaining further to prevent any misunderstanding. After all, in this world, no Alpha would want to be told they resembled an Omega.
With that in mind, Bai Long didn’t continue down that line. Seeing the woman’s warm smile, she seemed approachable enough, which put Bai Long a bit more at ease.
“So, ma’am, what can I help you with today?”
The woman curved her lips into a smile. Her bright red lips made her features appear even more vivid against her fair skin.
“Hmm… could you pack that cake in the display case for me, and grab a few cream puffs as well.”
“Oh, and help me write a card to put inside.”
Bai Long deftly packaged the cake for her. When the woman mentioned including a note, she picked up a pen and asked.
“Certainly. What would you like written on it?”
“Hmm, that’s a tough question.”
The woman tapped her red lips thoughtfully, but a glint of mischief flashed in her eyes beneath her long lashes.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Bai Long’s earnest, waiting expression and found it amusing.
She couldn’t resist teasing a little.
“Little girl, let’s say you were so busy that you neglected your Omega during their dependency period. Besides buying them their favorite sweets, what would you write to apologize so they’d forgive you?”
This question was completely outside Bai Long’s scope of knowledge.
On one hand, Lu Yue wasn’t her Omega. On the other, she really had no experience with matters like this.
But as soon as she heard the words, Lu Yue’s face involuntarily surfaced in Bai Long’s mind.
She recalled how, after being marked, he had seemed to want her to stay.
A strange sense of guilt suddenly crept over her.
“…Drink more hot water?”
As soon as Bai Long spoke, the woman’s smile froze, and the playful glint faded from her eyes.
“Little girl, if you keep this up, you’re going to end up alone forever.”
“…”
Whimper QwQ.
Sob. Don’t talk nonsense. I’m not… I didn’t…
…
While Bai Long’s heart was quietly weighed down by a vague sense of guilt over what had happened, Lu Yue, preparing for his discharge at the hospital, was completely unaware.
The man sat by the window, bathed in the golden-orange glow of the setting sun, which seemed to cast a faint golden outline around him.
Holding his phone, ears slightly flushed, he stared distractedly at the message Bai Long had sent.
She said she misses him? Was it due to the lingering influence of pheromones, or did she genuinely feel something for him?
What if she really developed an obsession after the marking? After all, he might be a little older, but he had the physique, the looks, high pheromone compatibility, and—most importantly—he was filthy rich.
That girl loved money so much—falling for him didn’t seem too hard to understand.
But she’s so young—just turned eighteen, right? And he’s almost thirty. Wouldn’t that be a bit like an old cow eating young grass…
Wait, why was he calling himself the old cow? What’s so great about being eighteen? So what if she’s young? He’s an S-rank Omega, handsome and loaded. Who’s out of whose league here isn’t even clear!
Damn, she almost derailed his thinking.
Why should he care whether she likes him or not? This is just a transactional relationship—feelings shouldn’t even be part of the picture! The whole point of the arrangement was to gain freedom and avoid being tied down by some Alpha! Who needs romance? Keep it simple!
Just as Lu Yue was getting increasingly irritated by Bai Long’s message, running his hands through his hair and unsure how to reply, Liang Shen pushed the door open, having just finished his rounds.
“So? Did chatting with her help? Feel a bit calmer now… Hey, what’s with youlr face? Why are you so red?”
When Liang Shen was adding Bai Long’s contact earlier, Lu Yue had been staring intently at him, clutching the bedding that had almost completely lost Bai Long’s pheromone scent. The pressure was too much.
Thinking that some proper communication might help ease Lu Yue’s dependency, Liang Shen had handed him the phone.
“…It’s nothing. Just stuffy with the window closed.”
Lu Yue was too proud to admit he wanted to add Bai Long himself, let alone arrange a meeting without a convoluted excuse.
So Liang Shen obviously didn’t buy it and shot him a skeptical glance.
“Really? I would’ve thought you were getting worked up by that girl again.”
As he spoke, he walked over and took the phone from Lu Yue’s hands.
“You two have been chatting for a while. Let’s see what was said—”
“Hey! Do you have any manners? That’s my privacy—you can’t just look!”
“Huh? Wait, since she thinks she’s talking to me, why can’t I see what she said?”
Lu Yue was left speechless. His long eyelashes trembled slightly—the possessive instinct during the dependency period was strong.l0
So strong that he didn’t even want to share their chat history with anyone else.
“There’s nothing interesting to see. She was busy heading to her part-time job. We only exchanged a few sentences…”
He seemed to have more to say, his gaze continuously drifting toward Liang Shen.
Then, as if remembering something, his cheeks began to flush faintly.
“…Actually, let me ask you something—after a bite mark, would an Alpha also develop any dependency?”
“Logically, no. But with high compatibility like yours, there might be some degree of influence.”
“Why? Did she say something to you?”
Lu Yue fell silent again, but this time, Liang Shen didn’t need to press further. Just the sight of Lu Yue’s ears turning pink under his dark hair gave it away.
“Looks like she’s affected by you too.”
“That’s a good thing. If an Alpha felt nothing toward an Omega they’d marked, it would mean the Omega was being suppressed one-sidedly. That would be far more dangerous.”
“Since you’re satisfied with her marking, and you haven’t found another suitable candidate yet anyway, why not make this a long-term arrangement? It’s rare to have such high compatibility, and that girl clearly needs the money. Plus, she’s still a bit naïve and easy to manage.”
Lu Yue had actually considered this idea already. But he was currently in the dependency period—he worried his judgment might be clouded by the pheromones.
He intended to wait until the dependency period passed and he could think clearly again before making a decision.
As he opened his mouth, about to share his thoughts and concerns with Liang Shen, the phone in Liang Shen’s hand suddenly buzzed, vibrating softly.
Lu Yue’s heart skipped a beat, remembering the message he hadn’t replied to earlier. His head snapped up instinctively.
Liang Shen wasn’t startled by the sudden buzz of the phone—it was Lu Yue’s sudden, intense reaction that caught him off guard.
“…Seriously, it’s just a message. Do you need to react so strongly? Almost made me drop the damn phone.”
He muttered this under his breath and glanced down at the screen. After Lu Yue’s earlier behavior, seeing Bai Long’s ID didn’t surprise him much.
“Speak of the devil. Look—it’s a message from Bai Long.”
Liang Shen paused, unsure whether he should read it himself or hand it to Lu Yue. Before he could decide, Lu Yue quickly got up and walked over.
“What did she say?”
The man was impatient, as if he wanted to snatch the phone right out of Liang Shen’s hand.
“Hmm… she’s asking how you’re recovering.”
“Not bad—you two are making quick progress. The girl even knows to check in on you proactively now.”
Liang Shen teased as he observed the man beside him.
“Seems like she wants to see you. How should I reply? Should I just ask her to come over?”
Lu Yue’s heart skipped a beat. If it were before, he’d have jumped at the chance—after all, he was in the dependency period but too proud to ask directly.
But that one message—“missing him”—had hit him, a perpetually single, older Omega, way too hard. It left him restless, his thoughts tangled and scattered.
So he didn’t answer immediately, only clenching his fists unconsciously in his nervousness.
Calm down, Lu Yue. It’s just the pheromones messing with you.
You don’t like her, and whether she likes you or not doesn’t matter either.
“Hey, I’m asking you a question—why are you zoning out?”
Liang Shen, unaware of the internal battle raging in the man before him, waved a hand in front of his face.
“…Ask her what she wants first.”
He watched Lu Yue’s tense expression, suspicious but not pressing further, and sent the message as instructed.
This time, the other side didn’t reply with text—they sent a voice message instead.
“It’s nothing, really. It’s just that today I heard Omegas in the dependency period can have a really hard time without their Alpha around.”
“So… I wanted to ask—do you think he needs me to come keep him company?”
Since the speaker was on, Lu Yue heard every word Bai Long said.
Not just Lu Yue—Liang Shen was also quite surprised by how forward Bai Long was being this time.
“Well, well. Looks like I was right. Seems the girl ‘awakened’ a bit after marking you once.”
Awakened?
If it were any other Alpha, Lu Yue might have believed that.
But remembering how decisively she took the money and walked out of the room without looking back after the marking, Lu Yue went silent.
“I don’t think so.”
“…I think she’s probably just looking to make some extra money.”
“…”
Now that he mentioned it… that actually seemed quite possible.