After fully coming to her senses, Chi Qingwei should have felt embarrassed too. But now, seeing Shen Zuofeng looking so ashamed to face anyone, her own embarrassment completely vanished, replaced instead by amusement.
Judging solely by Shen Zuofeng’s reaction, she seemed even more like an omega than Chi Qingwei, an actual omega.
From this, it appeared that Shen Zuofeng was an alpha who needed to be careful when going out.
Not only did omegas need to protect themselves, but alphas like her, who were this endearing, also needed to take good care of themselves.
Chi Qingwei touched the gland on the back of her neck. Although she could sense Shen Zuofeng’s scent on it, she could clearly tell that Shen Zuofeng had not marked her, nor had she done anything inappropriate.
Looking at the person still curled up on the floor, Chi Qingwei slowly curved her lips into a faint smile. She truly hadn’t misjudged Shen Zuofeng, this person was worth her trip to Jiangyang City.
“Alright, come up here. The floor is cold,” Chi Qingwei said.
Shen Zuofeng stiffened for a moment before gradually relaxing. She looked up at the woman sitting on the bed with a puzzled expression and hesitantly asked, “You’re not mad at me?”
Chi Qingwei carefully studied the confusion on her face in the moonlight streaming through the window and replied calmly, “I am, but we can talk about it once you’re up here.”
Seeing Chi Qingwei’s expression, Shen Zuofeng’s heart raced with uncertainty, but she obediently climbed onto the bed and lay down stiffly.
Chi Qingwei didn’t seem truly angry, but if she was, Shen Zuofeng was prepared to endure whatever scolding or punishment came her way as long as she wasn’t shut out completely.
A faint trace of amusement flickered in Chi Qingwei’s eyes. This person was unexpectedly obedient, and her willingness to follow instructions so readily pleased her.
“Thank you,” Chi Qingwei said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Even though her mind hadn’t been entirely clear earlier, she still remembered everything that had happened.
The warmth in her ears spread to the tips of her heart. Recalling how brazenly she had begged for intimacy with Shen Zuofeng earlier, Chi Qingwei felt utterly mortified. Yet Shen Zuofeng’s attitude had effectively eased her embarrassment, even stirring a bit of mischievous amusement in her.
“Zuofeng!” Chi Qingwei savored the two syllables. To her surprise, they rolled off her tongue smoothly and naturally, as if she had been calling her that for many, many years.
Shen Zuofeng’s tense expression froze. Chi Qingwei had called her Zuofeng.
The Chi Qingwei who used to address her formally as “Miss Shen” was now calling her Zuofeng.
It felt as though tens of thousands of butterflies had been set free in Shen Zuofeng’s heart, filling her with such joy that she found the way Chi Qingwei said her name utterly enchanting.
“Zuofeng, you’ve never been with an omega before, have you?” The gentle tone was soothing, yet the words carried a teasing undertone.
Hearing the playful mockery in her voice, Shen Zuofeng’s face flushed bright red.
She had actually understood what Chi Qingwei meant!
In that moment, she felt even more ashamed and indignant.
Shen Zuofeng turned over, pulling the covers over herself, feeling as though the flames that had begun to subside were now threatening to blaze up again.
Chi Qingwei chuckled softly. Though Shen Zuofeng hadn’t spoken, her answer was obvious.
Her heart couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness at this revelation.
“Zuo Feng, thank you for today.” Chi Qingwei didn’t tease her further but instead expressed her gratitude seriously once more.
She was well aware that without Shen Zuofeng’s help this time, given her out-of-control pheromones, she might not have made it through her heat cycle without losing her sanity.
Although she didn’t know how long Shen Zuofeng had to release high concentrations of pheromones to soothe her without marking her, she felt it was essential to sincerely thank her for it.
Shen Zuofeng clutched the blanket with both hands, peeking out with just her eyes visible. Gazing at Chi Qingwei’s earnest face in the darkness, she murmured softly, “As long as you’re not angry. After all, I did this without your consent.”
Chi Qingwei chuckled lightly. This side of Shen Zuofeng was truly endearing.
She had seen too many people turn into uncontrollable beasts under the influence of pheromones. Yet, Shen Zuofeng had managed to restrain herself from harming others even in such a situation, how could that not be captivating?
“Have you had dinner?” Chi Qingwei asked.
Shen Zuofeng had slept straight through dinner. Chi Qingwei had considered waking her to eat something but, seeing how exhausted she looked, decided to let her rest longer and left some food in the refrigerator for her.
“I ate what was in the fridge.”
Shen Zuofeng had expected a chaotic scene but never imagined the two of them could lie in the same bed, peacefully discussing mundane topics like meals.
“Mm.” Chi Qingwei nodded, then fell silent for a moment before saying, “Zuo Feng, later, no matter what I say, you must restrain me. Don’t believe a word of it.”
Shen Zuofeng was taken aback. She looked up at the woman, who seemed somewhat subdued, and after a moment’s thought, replied in a teasing tone, “Are you asking for me?”
Her voice lifted at the end, like a tantalizing little hook.
Chi Qingwei shot her an exasperated glance. “What else?”
That single look sent a shiver through Shen Zuofeng, a tingling sensation spreading through her chest, making her feel weak all over.
“Even if you didn’t say it, I wouldn’t believe you,” Shen Zuofeng whispered.
Chi Qingwei watched as the woman’s eyes drifted shut, worried she might misunderstand, and quickly added, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just—”
“You don’t need to explain,” Shen Zuofeng interrupted before she could finish, her tone firm. “I understand.”
Though Chi Qingwei couldn’t see Shen Zuofeng clearly in the dark, she could vividly picture her expression from her voice lips pressed together, eyes resolute and sincere as she conveyed her thoughts.
“Let’s sleep,” Chi Qingwei said, lying down.
Shen Zuofeng watched her movements and understood that Chi Qingwei was tacitly accepting what was to come.
Reaching out, she tucked the blanket around Chi Qingwei. Under the same covers, their warm bodies lay far apart, with enough space between them to fit two more adults.
Perhaps because she had just slept so soundly, Shen Zuofeng found herself unable to fall asleep now. Lying in bed, breathing in the faint scent of mint beside her, she stared wide-eyed at the pitch-black ceiling.
Beside her, Chi Qingwei seemed utterly exhausted. She fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes, her breathing steady and calm, completely unaffected by the presence of another person in the bed.
Shen Zuofeng turned to face Chi Qingwei, a mix of amusement and complexity swirling in her heart.
Was Chi Qingwei being too trusting? After all, she was an alpha and one who harbored ill intentions toward her.
Shen Zuofeng glanced in the direction of the bathroom, gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and silently recited: “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form; sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are also like this.”
As she chanted, it seemed as if she had truly emptied her mind and purified her senses.
Shen Zuofeng rolled out of bed, minimizing her movements as much as possible, and hurried toward the bathroom.
All of that was a lie!
Her understanding was shallow, and her mind was still occupied by worldly desires.
In the following days, their relationship progressed rapidly. Whenever Chi Qingwei’s heat began, Shen Zuofeng would immediately hold her close, enveloping her with her rich pheromones. Eventually, the two became inseparable, like conjoined twins. Shen Zuofeng refused to let go of Chi Qingwei, even insisting on holding her on her lap during meals.
Curled up in Shen Zuofeng’s embrace, Chi Qingwei was constantly surrounded by the strong scent of lime. Every cell in her body screamed with pleasure because of this pheromone. This was, without a doubt, the most comfortable heat she had experienced since her differentiation.
Today was the fifth day, and the intensity of her heat was gradually subsiding. Chi Qingwei finally had the mental space to think about other matters.
Over these five days, aside from one call from Chi Xi, no one else had contacted her.
Chi Qingwei felt a bit frustrated. That call had been answered by Shen Zuofeng. At the time, Chi Qingwei was in the throes of her heat and paid no attention to the ringing phone. In the end, Shen Zuofeng, unable to bear it, had intended to hang up. But seeing the caller ID as “Little Xi,” she worried it might be something urgent and answered on Chi Qingwei’s behalf.
As it turned out, Chi Xi was just calling to check on her cousin’s heat. However, as soon as Shen Zuofeng answered the phone, Chi Xi seemed to have connected some dots and quickly hung up. After that, no further calls came to Chi Qingwei’s phone, as if to ensure nothing would disturb the two of them.
“Little Xi must have gotten the wrong idea,” Chi Qingwei sighed helplessly.
Shen Zuofeng held her securely and said, “If you don’t want to be misunderstood, I can explain.”
Chi Qingwei draped her arms around Shen Zuofeng’s neck, lazily lifting her eyelids. “Explain what? We’ve spent my heat together, after all.”
She was just worried about Chi Xi’s loose tongue. She feared Chi Xi might spill the news to her parents, who were already concerned about her. If they found out she was willing to accept someone else, she was afraid they might do something that would startle Shen Zuofeng.
“Alright then, we won’t say anything,” Shen Zuofeng said, holding her steadily. At that moment, she was immensely grateful to be an alpha. If she were of ordinary physique and had neglected exercise due to work, she wouldn’t have had the stamina to carry Chi Qingwei around like this.
Chi Qingwei rested her head on Shen Zuofeng’s shoulder and chuckled softly. “Do all alphas have such good stamina? It’s like you never get tired.”
With Chi Qingwei’s movement, the two were now pressed closely together. As they moved, their soft curves brushed against each other, causing Shen Zuofeng’s entire face to flush red.
“How would I know about anyone else?” Shen Zuofeng gritted her teeth. “Behave yourself and stop teasing me.”
By the end of her words, Shen Zuofeng’s tone carried a hint of grievance. Over the past few days, Chi Qingwei had teased her relentlessly always stirring her up but never following through, leaving Shen Zuofeng to retreat to the bathroom to deal with the aftermath herself.
After so many days of this, Shen Zuofeng’s initial sense of shame had gradually faded, replaced by simmering frustration. Chi Qingwei was clearly taking advantage of the fact that she wouldn’t actually do anything to her, daring to provoke her again and again!
If they ever ended up together in the future, Shen Zuofeng vowed to make her taste the consequences of her reckless teasing!