Jiang Wuyue was not an exceptionally kind-hearted person, but she could not stand by and leave someone in mortal danger either.
Coco was a Beta who could not smell Xiao Sui’s pheromones. As an Alpha with high matching compatibility, Jiang Wuyue understood precisely why Xiao Sui had fainted.
The rich scent of strawberry milk hanging in the air began to affect Jiang Wuyue’s mind. Supporting herself against the door, she pressed hard on the inhibitor patch at the back of her neck with her other hand, forcing herself to stay clear-headed.
She instructed Coco, “Call the front desk immediately. Have them send up inhibitor patches or suppressants, and call an ambulance.”
This was not the first time Xiao Sui had collapsed. After her initial panic, Coco realized Xiao Sui’s breakdown was likely caused by unstable pheromones triggering another fainting spell. However, with Jiang Wuyue present, this Alpha gave her a reassuring sense of reliability. Coco quickly calmed down, made the call to the front desk as instructed, and then bit her lip during the wait, pleading, “Miss Jiang, could you perhaps generously share some of your pheromones?”
Jiang Wuyue picked up a glass of cold tea from the table, drank it down, and looked at Coco in surprise.
“I know this request is abrupt, but your pheromones would definitely be of great help to Xiao Sui.”
“I also know quite a bit about Alphas and Omegas,” Coco urged earnestly. “Xiao Sui is very stubborn. She would rather harm her own body than try anyone else. If you can help her, maybe you can bring her around to give up on a relationship that is destined to fail.”
Her plea was heartfelt and sincere. Jiang Wuyue joked lightly, “It doesn’t seem like there’s much benefit in it for me.”
Coco replied seriously, “How could that be? If Xiao Sui falls in love with you, it would be a good thing for both of you.”
The smile faded from Jiang Wuyue’s face as she turned her gaze toward the person lying on the sofa, her brows furrowed in discomfort.
After a long pause, she let out a sigh. “Consider this a losing bargain on my part.”
Coco closed the door, holding the inhibitor patch handed over by the server. She thought to herself that Xiao Sui’s charm was indeed formidable—who wouldn’t be moved by her love?
Yet, after only a short moment, the door opened again. Coco looked in astonishment at Jiang Wuyue, who walked out pressing her back neck, her face slightly flushed. “I’ve already given Miss Xiao some pheromones to soothe her. It’s still best to take her to the hospital for treatment. I’ll take my leave now.”
Coco was dumbfounded. Jiang Wuyue left so cleanly and decisively—did she truly have no interest in Xiao Sui?
Pushing the door open to step inside, Coco couldn’t smell Jiang Wuyue’s pheromones floating in the room. She watched as the tight furrow in Xiao Sui’s brow relaxed, her entire body seemingly wrapped in tranquility.
Jiang Wuyue removed her hand from the nape of her neck, her fingertips still retaining the heat from skin. Xiao Sui’s pheromones held a powerful attraction for her; she had exercised immense self-control just to release a tiny thread of soothing pheromones. It wasn’t just Xiao Sui who had to desperately suppress the physiological instincts brought on by an Omega—she had to do the exact same thing.
Taking a few deep breaths, Jiang Wuyue leaned against the wall, tilting her neck back slightly to close her eyes in the brief silence. As the numbness in her limbs gradually receded, she couldn’t help but ponder: Would she, too, turn out like Xiao Sui one day?
She walked slowly along the wall. Up ahead, the door of a private room was pushed open, and a middle-aged female Alpha stepped out with a terrible expression. She had a rare-skin luxury bag slung over her elbow and was using a tissue to wipe her hands. She barked angrily back into the room, “Do you really think you can hold down the position of Dongqin’s heir? A crippled Beta is nothing more than a pathetic wretch.”
Having vented her fury, the woman noticed a stranger nearby. She swept a cold glance over Jiang Wuyue before leaving behind an arrogant back.
Dongqin. Cripple.
The two keywords spoken by the woman caused Jiang Wuyue’s steps to pause slightly.
As she passed the entrance of the private room, she cast a glance inside. The woman sitting in the wheelchair had her eyes cast down. Smooth long hair frame her face, which still had wet traces on it, while a large patch of her linen-colored dress was soaked through. A cup lay fallen on the floor. The state of the room made it obvious: Qin Shuangjing had just been splashed in the face with a glass of water by that middle-aged Alpha.
Jiang Wuyue hadn’t expected to meet this “passerby”—whom she had only seen once before—again three days later under such absurd and miserable circumstances.
Qin Shuangjing hadn’t moved an inch. Jiang Wuyue took a step forward, intending to pretend she hadn’t seen anything and keep walking, but a chill carrying the astringent fragrance of tea seemed to hold her back.
The words spoken by that female Alpha earlier were far too harsh. Calling her a cripple, a pathetic wretch… As the granddaughter of the current head of Dongqin Aviation, how could she ever be considered a pathetic wretch?
Jiang Wuyue doubled back and tapped her knuckles against the door.
Qin Shuangjing raised her gaze. Drops of water hung from her dense eyelashes, a flicker of bewilderment passing through her eyes, her lips pale.
Jiang Wuyue lowered her voice, taking in the mess of the room. “Do you need me to call the police?”
“It’s you,” Qin Shuangjing uttered a faint soft sigh. Even though Jiang Wuyue had witnessed her in such a wretched state, she showed no shame or anger.
“There’s no need to call the police.” Qin Shuangjing bent over to pick up the cup resting near her foot and placed it back on the table.
“But you don’t look good at all,” Jiang Wuyue informed her candidly.
Qin Shuangjing looked at her, suddenly breaking into a slight smile. “You don’t either.”
The entrance featured a decorative pattern composed of diamond-shaped mirrors. Following her words, Jiang Wuyue looked into the mirror. The flush on her cheeks hadn’t fully faded, lingering near her earlobes, and her eyes appeared moist and shimmering.
Jiang Wuyue was startled by her reflection and unconsciously recalled the words the mysterious woman had whispered in her ear that day. She let out two soft coughs to cover up her awkwardness.
Qin Shuangjing asked, “Did you just part ways with a friend? An Omega?”
Jiang Wuyue defaulted to silence. Qin Shuangjing’s fingers gently brushed over the porcelain cup carved with magnolia blossoms. “No wonder.”
“They shouldn’t be an ordinary friend, right?”
“Not quite a friend.” Recalling Xiao Sui’s attitude toward her, Jiang Wuyue corrected Qin Shuangjing’s assumption.
Qin Shuangjing seemed to freeze for a moment, her long eyelashes drooping gracefully.
Silence fell inside the room. Jiang Wuyue realized after the fact that this was only her second meeting with Qin Shuangjing. Why were they discussing whether she was making friends with an Omega? Perhaps her current appearance was simply too easy to misinterpret. Jiang Wuyue shifted her stance slightly. “Then… are you alright?”
Seeing that she was reluctant to elaborate, Qin Shuangjing followed her lead and shook her head. “The woman just now was my cousin-aunt.”
Meeting Jiang Wuyue’s gaze, she didn’t miss the surprise in the Alpha’s eyes. Qin Shuangjing mocked herself, “It’s laughable, isn’t it? My own cousin-aunt calling me a cripple.”
“She’s not wrong, though. I really am a cripple.” Qin Shuangjing’s hands slowly tightened over her knees.
If that car accident hadn’t happened, what would Qin Shuangjing be like today?
A flurry of thoughts flashed through Jiang Wuyue’s mind, but it certainly wouldn’t involve using self-deprecation to mask the massive sense of loss left by her physical disability.
“I think your cousin-aunt was just flying into a rage out of humiliation,” Jiang Wuyue shared her guess. “She made a request to you, and you refused?”
Hearing the seriousness in Jiang Wuyue’s voice, Qin Shuangjing’s hands resting on her knees slowly relaxed. “Yes.”
“Her daughter issued fake invoices and was discovered by the head office’s finance department. She didn’t dare approach my grandmother, so she came to me.”
“After all, in the eyes of my relatives, a crippled heir will still need to rely on them in the future.”
“If I want to secure my position as the heir, now would be a good opportunity to help them out.”
Jiang Wuyue knit her brows. “If it were me, I would make her daughter go to prison immediately.”
“The largest shareholder of Dongqin Aviation is Elder Qin, and you are the future heir. You don’t need to rely on them.”
“Besides, as long as you have money, there’s no shortage of people willing to work for you.”
Qin Shuangjing’s eyes curved gently. “You know a lot about Dongqin Aviation.”
Jiang Wuyue gave a brief hum. “It’s a famous company nationwide; I’ve naturally heard a bit about it.”
“Dongqin’s internal relationships are complex. The year my mother passed away, some people were already growing restless. I don’t want to make grandmother worry over my affairs anymore.” A strand of crystal beads rested on Qin Shuangjing’s wrist, refracting brilliant colors under the lighting angle. “Apologies for telling you so much.”
Qin Shuangjing pressed a button on the armrest, and the wheelchair moved forward slowly. Approaching the wine cabinet, she poured two glasses of dark red wine. “If you don’t mind, drink a glass with me.”
“I… can’t really drink alcohol…” Jiang Wuyue explained awkwardly. “Even a little bit of alcohol gets me drunk.”
“Really?”
“Really. And after getting drunk, I might do uncontrollable things,” Jiang Wuyue said helplessly.
Qin Shuangjing understood. She placed the glass that was meant for Jiang Wuyue onto the table. The rich aroma of red wine wafted through the room. Qin Shuangjing tilted her head back slightly and took a small sip.
Amidst the harmonious atmosphere of the room, the ringing of Jiang Wuyue’s phone shattered the quiet.
It was a debt collection call.
Jiang Wuyue’s back rested against the door. She stared at the patterns on the carpet until the ringtone automatically disconnected due to being left unanswered for too long.
Qin Shuangjing asked, “Is it a colleague calling?”
“No,” Jiang Wuyue answered succinctly. “I should leave now.” She straightened her back.
Qin Shuangjing’s lips were stained a light, shimmering red from the wine.
“Are you…” As Jiang Wuyue stepped forward, she felt she should still ask, “Aren’t you leaving now? Are you waiting for your driver to pick you up?”
“No, I have a friend who wanted me to come here to keep her company.”
Jiang Wuyue understood. She had initially thought Qin Shuangjing’s cousin-aunt had deliberately arranged to meet here. Since she had a friend around, Jiang Wuyue bade a polite farewell, “A little wine is fine for leisure, but try not to drink too much.”
Once Jiang Wuyue’s figure had completely vanished, the gentle air surrounding Qin Shuangjing slowly receded. She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the remaining tea stains from her hair, then downed the rest of the wine in the glass in one gulp, leaving a few stray drops to trickle down the smooth glass walls to the bottom.
Her card balance had emptied out once again. Jiang Wuyue walked beneath the neon lights, the late-night chill growing heavier. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself. Across the green belt, the endless sound of traffic buzzed past. Walking slowly onto the Suijiang Bridge, Jiang Wuyue rested her hands against the railing, gazing at the lights floating on the water’s surface as the occasional cargo ship blew a raspy horn while passing underneath.
A raindrop fell from the sky, landing right on the tip of Jiang Wuyue’s nose. She drowsily rubbed her cold face.
The moment she turned around, a black Bugatti pulled up silently beside her, having stayed there for an unknown amount of time.
Jiang Wuyue cast a few wary glances at it and prepared to head back from Suijiang Bridge. The door of the Bugatti opened, and a person in a formal suit stepped down from the driver’s seat, jogging over to block Jiang Wuyue’s path. “Miss Jiang, hello. My boss would like to meet you.”
“I don’t know your boss,” Jiang Wuyue said guardedly, uncomfortable with being stopped by a stranger.
“You definitely know her.” The driver opened the passenger door, inviting her inside. “My boss is An Yangxue.”
The light reflected from the car window illuminated the woman sitting upright inside, a hint of rose fragrance winding its way into Jiang Wuyue’s breath.