Shen Jiangxu brought them to a private dining restaurant.
The environment was quiet and provided high privacy. Judging by Niannian’s familiar routine of heading upstairs to find a private room, she likely came here often.
Once seated, Niannian ordered two dishes directly without even looking at the menu.
Shen Jiangxu did not stop her. Only after receiving a response of “anything is fine” from Bai Youxi did she add a few milder, lighter items, all of which were local Nancheng specialties.
Nancheng cuisine contains plenty of bold, spicy flavors, in fact, the two dishes Niannian initially ordered were quite heavy on numb spiciness, showing that she wasn’t incapable of eating spicy food.
Bai Youxi felt that this choice was undoubtedly made on her account, especially since the doctor had specifically advised her to stick to a light diet.
Sure enough, once the food was served, Shen Jiangxu rearranged the table to place those two heavy-flavored dishes farther away, deliberately separating them from her.
Niannian even solemnly instructed, “Little Kitty can’t eat these two, okay?”
Bai Youxi couldn’t help but laugh softly and replied with an “Okay.”
Truthfully, she still felt a bit dazed even now, finding it unbelievable that she had genuinely been picked up and brought home like a stray cat.
Just a few hours ago, Shen Jiangxu had aggressively come close to having her locked up, remaining full of suspicion even after the misunderstanding was cleared.
Before all the food arrived, Shen Jiangxu asked Niannian about her day at school. Niannian was thrilled, recounting everything animatedly while making sure not to leave Bai Youxi out, chatting about how they had fed the stray cat together.
Niannian’s voice carried the distinctive babyish tone of a young child, falling softly into Bai Youxi’s ears and melting her heart.
Looking at the brightly smiling Niannian and Shen Jiangxu listening attentively, a smile naturally curved on Bai Youxi’s lips.
It was only when a pair of grey eyes lifted to meet hers that she realized she had been absentmindedly staring at Shen Jiangxu.
Feeling embarrassed, Bai Youxi hurriedly picked up her water glass to take a sip, stealing a glance out of the corner of her eye. Shen Jiangxu was no longer looking at her.
It brought an odd sense of relief.
Fortunately, the remaining dishes arrived quickly, and the private room quieted down. Bai Youxi buried her head in her meal, finding everything utterly delicious.
To save money, she hadn’t eaten dinner for the past few nights; once that initial wave of hunger passed, she stopped feeling it.
Now that she was eating proper food again, an empty sensation instead stirred in her stomach.
Given her age, Niannian naturally had a small appetite. She finished quickly and sat there watching Bai Youxi eat.
Noticing this, Bai Youxi looked up, and Niannian immediately beamed. “Eat more, Little Kitty! You’ll recover faster when you’re full.”
Bai Youxi smiled and nodded.
As the meal wound down, Shen Jiangxu stood up and stepped out for a moment. Shortly after she returned, a waiter brought in a stewed pot of soup.
Shen Jiangxu signaled toward her, and the waiter placed the soup directly in front of Bai Youxi.
Bai Youxi was bewildered. “Ah, I have enough, there’s no need to order more.”
Shen Jiangxu looked over. “Drink it. It’s the restaurant’s house special soup, it’s good for your recovery.”
Blinking slowly, Bai Youxi said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
When the residential complex came into view in the distance, Bai Youxi already sensed something unusual just by looking at its recognizable landmarks.
As the car drove inside and the buildings grew clearer, Bai Youxi had to admit her hunch was correct.
Wasn’t this the famous luxury residential complex in Nancheng?
Property prices here ranked among the highest nationwide. It was said that the annual management fee for a single apartment was an exorbitant sum that ordinary people couldn’t earn in a lifetime, not something attainable simply by being wealthy.
Filled with shock, Bai Youxi looked at Shen Jiangxu driving in the front seat. The streetlight glow glided across her profile like a holy halo.
Was… was being a teacher really this lucrative?
After heading upstairs, Shen Jiangxu retrieved a pair of brand-new slippers for her.
While putting them on, Bai Youxi took in the interior decor out of the corner of her eye.
It was very understated, simple, tidy, and bright, carrying an ordinary quality that seemed modest compared to the exorbitant property value.
Maybe being a teacher isn’t actually that lucrative after all, Bai Youxi thought.
The moment she finished changing her shoes, Niannian eagerly took her hand, opening the doors one by one to introduce each room.
The apartment was huge. Niannian’s tours were always filled with minor details, stretching out their walkthrough.
However, it was very cute.
Behind the minimal layout lay a deep sense of warmth, a genuine love for home that had nothing to do with high housing prices or plain furniture.
They were a very happy family.
After completing the circuit, Niannian pulled her back to the center of the living room. “Mommy, where will Little Kitty sleep?”
Shen Jiangxu hadn’t followed them; she had gone to the kitchen to fetch water and was now sitting on the sofa.
Hearing Niannian’s question, she stood up, walked over to a room, and turned on the lights inside.
The room contained only a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe, the place Niannian had previously identified as the guest bedroom.
Shen Jiangxu turned around. “You can stay here for now. That door leads to the bathroom. I had Auntie Tong go buy some necessities, she’ll be back shortly. If anything else is missing, we can buy it tomorrow.”
Only then did Bai Youxi realize why Auntie Tong had parted ways with them earlier. Overwhelmed by the generosity, she said, “That’s too much trouble. I really don’t need much.”
“It’s no trouble, and don’t be formal, just treat it as your own home.”
Pausing briefly, Shen Jiangxu added, “Auntie Tong is around almost all day. If you need anything, you can ask her directly.”
Bai Youxi nodded in agreement.
Shen Jiangxu took Niannian’s hand. “The room hasn’t been set up yet. Come sit in the living room for a bit and wait for Auntie Tong to return and clean it up. I poured some water.”
Bai Youxi didn’t agree to wait. “The room is very clean. I can make the bed myself, no need to bother Auntie Tong.”
She was telling the truth. Though it wasn’t occupied regularly, it was clearly cleaned often and was completely ready for immediate use.
Those captivating eyes turned to look at her, under the soft white lighting, the cool grey tone was even more striking.
After a moment, Shen Jiangxu let go of Niannian and walked into the room.
Niannian followed behind her, and Bai Youxi followed Niannian.
Shen Jiangxu retrieved a set of bedding from the wardrobe. Bai Youxi quickly took it over and walked to the side to set it on the mattress.
Turning back around, she saw Shen Jiangxu handing a pillow to Niannian, seemingly at the child’s request.
After pulling out a four pieces bedding set, Shen Jiangxu closed the wardrobe door just as Bai Youxi stepped in front of her again.
Seeing her reach out, Shen Jiangxu handed over the bedding set, her bright red lips opening slightly. “The water is going to get cold.”
Bai Youxi’s back stiffened, and she quickly smiled. “I actually am a bit thirsty. There’s no rush to make the bed, let’s go drink some water first.”
Shen Jiangxu’s expression remained unchanged as she replied, “Okay.”
The two adults and the child all sat down on the sofa.
It was getting late, and time for Niannian to prepare for bed, so after sitting for just a moment, Shen Jiangxu called her to wash up.
Facing Niannian’s small retreating back, Shen Jiangxu instructed, “Call Mommy after you brush your teeth.”
“Okay~”
Bai Youxi couldn’t help but smile at the exchange.
Her water glass was nearly empty. Noticing Shen Jiangxu turning her head toward her, she instinctively lifted it to take another small sip.
As the glass returned to the table, a clear, gentle voice came from the side. “You can get a refill in the kitchen.”
Bai Youxi shook her head. “No need for now. I’ll go later if I need more.”
Shen Jiangxu nodded slightly. “I have errands to attend to during the day tomorrow. You can have Auntie Tong take you and Niannian to the nearby mall to buy a phone and get a SIM card so people can reach you.”
Recalling that the hospital still had Shen Jiangxu’s contact number on file, Bai Youxi struggled internally for a moment before finally nodding.
Whether in favors or money, she was already heavily indebted. She genuinely needed a phone and a SIM card right now, rather than declining back and forth, it was better to record it all as part of her balance owed.
Shortly after, Auntie Tong returned, both hands full carrying a mountain of bags.
Bai Youxi instinctively stood up to greet her, but just as she approached, Auntie Tong swiftly changed into her slippers, insisting there was no need to help while stepping past her toward the coffee table.
Setting the items down, Auntie Tong quickly sorted them into categories, pushing one large bag toward Bai Youxi’s direction. “Try these clothes on first to see if they fit. I’ll wash them for you in a moment.”
Bai Youxi expressed her thanks. Looking inside, she saw mostly clothing items and a large bottle of neutralizing spray, a formulation used to neutralize Alpha/Omega pheromones.
Indeed, Auntie Tong was a Beta and Niannian was just a child, so neither would be affected by pheromones. But Shen Jiangxu was an Omega, if her own Alpha pheromones leaked out, they could very likely affect Shen Jiangxu.
She even noticed a large supply of barrier patches and suppressants in the bag Auntie Tong pushed toward Shen Jiangxu.
A sour, heavy feeling settled in her heart. Bai Youxi’s gaze shifted from those supplies toward Shen Jiangxu. “I’m sorry for putting you at risk. I will definitely use the medication on time.”
Shen Jiangxu said nothing, merely nodding.
Niannian ran over and hugged Shen Jiangxu’s leg. “Mommy, I finished brushing my teeth.”
Saying this, she showed off her squeaky clean white teeth for Shen Jiangxu to inspect.
Shen Jiangxu looked. “Good girl. Head to the bathroom first. Mommy will be right there.”
Niannian didn’t move, glancing over at Bai Youxi instead. “Mommy, I want to wash up with Little Kitty.”
Shen Jiangxu refused her request. “Little Kitty has injuries and can’t get her wounds wet. Why don’t you ask her again after she recovers?”
Niannian didn’t throw a tantrum, obediently walking off.
Hearing Shen Jiangxu call her “Little Kitty” too, Bai Youxi hesitated, about to speak up, but Shen Jiangxu was already following Niannian toward the bathroom.
Bai Youxi had no choice but to wait.
Before long, Shen Jiangxu walked back out, holding a nightgown which she handed to Bai Youxi. “This is new and has been washed in water. You can wear it for tonight.”
Bai Youxi hurriedly accepted it. “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. It’s late, you should wash up and go to sleep too. Get a good rest.”
“Okay, you too.”
Shen Jiangxu nodded and walked into the bathroom Niannian had entered earlier.
Watching her until she disappeared from view, Bai Youxi couldn’t help rubbing the nightgown in her hands. The smooth silk fabric glided softly against her fingertips, yet her heart felt heavy.
Returning to her room, she tried on the clothing Auntie Tong had bought sleepwear, hoodies, short-sleeved shirts, outerwear, pants, and undergarments. Everything was complete and fit perfectly.
She originally intended to wash them herself, but Auntie Tong followed her to the doorway and waited right outside.
Ultimately, she handed over the clothes she had changed out of to Auntie Tong, excluding her underwear.
After making the bed and changing the sheets, Bai Youxi finished her basic wash routine, applied a barrier patch, administered her suppressants, and used the neutralizing spray. Dressed in Shen Jiangxu’s nightgown, she lay down on the bed.
The bedding was soft and plush, the faint aches lingering throughout her body seemed to dissolve into the quilt, leaving her feeling nothing at all.
Up until the very moment she drifted off to sleep, a single question kept revolving in her mind:
Today… really wasn’t a dream, was it?
When the invading Alpha pheromones surged forth, Shen Jiangxu opened her eyes alertly.
Instinctively, she reached for the back of her neck, only feeling relieved after confirming her barrier patch was fully intact.
Checking her phone, the clock read 2:26 AM, still the middle of the night.
Grabbing the neutralizing spray from the nightstand, Shen Jiangxu first dispersed the Alpha pheromones surrounding her before getting out of bed and walking outside.
Her bedroom was located the furthest away from Bai Youxi’s. If Bai Youxi hadn’t released those pheromones directly outside her door, it meant Bai Youxi’s condition had grown severe.
She woke up Auntie Tong to spray neutralizing agent alongside her, proceeding all the way to Bai Youxi’s door.
The concentration of pheromones seeping from the door frame was already extremely high. Shen Jiangxu sprayed the neutralizing agent a dozen times consecutively before laying her hand on the doorknob.
The moment the door opened, a sweet scent of apricot fruit instantly rushed out, laced with a faint, intoxicating hint of yeast, resembling sparkling wine.
It was enticing, yet far from gentle, brimming with a fierce, tearing aggression.
Shen Jiangxu couldn’t help but frown. Even Auntie Tong could faintly catch the aroma, prompting her to spray the neutralizer even more vigorously.
Switching on the light and stepping up to the bed, Bai Youxi was curled into a ball beneath the quilt, with only half her face exposed, flushed with an abnormal feverish red.
Her pale lips were tightly pressed together, her brow deeply furrowed in an expression of enduring intense pain.
Shen Jiangxu reached out toward Bai Youxi’s forehead, but before her hand could even touch her, a scorching heat wrapped around her palm.
Sure enough, she was burning hot with fever.
Bringing down the fever took priority.
With that thought, Shen Jiangxu turned to retrieve medication, but a scalding hand clamped onto her wrist a step ahead.