To the outside world, she was a proud and unapproachable Alpha who never showed emotion. But in front of her, that same Alpha revealed a rare tenderness and care. It was hard not to feel like the most special person in the world in that moment.
Especially when she acted spoiled and a little clingy.
Shen Yuwei’s breathing became uneven, and she instinctively turned her eyes away.
The more she got to know Ling Jiao, the more her previous assumptions crumbled. Shen Yuwei used to think Ling Jiao was careless and never serious about anything. She believed Ling Jiao was arrogant and heartless, treating others as if their lives meant nothing. But all those thoughts were now being quietly proven wrong.
Ling Jiao was actually a good Alpha.
That said, Shen Yuwei had never shared a pair of chopsticks with anyone before. Not even with her close Omega friends or her fiancée, Guan Qing. Once, Guan Qing suggested they feed each other in the spirit of being an engaged couple. But Shen Yuwei had only frowned at the idea, thinking it was a bit inappropriate.
It wasn’t because she thought it was unsanitary.
So when Ling Jiao made the same suggestion, Shen Yuwei hesitated for only two seconds before calmly picking up a piece of shredded pork and gently bringing it to Ling Jiao’s mouth.
“It’s a little hot,” Shen Yuwei warned softly.
Ling Jiao opened her mouth and ate it. She didn’t find it hot at all. Maybe Omegas were just more sensitive to things like temperature, taste, and smell.
She tasted the food, and her expression relaxed with satisfaction.
Another bite came soon after.
Back and forth they went, and before long, most of the food in the lunchbox ended up in Ling Jiao’s stomach. When everything was gone, Ling Jiao wiped her mouth and said with a slightly embarrassed smile, “I ended up eating it all.”
Shen Yuwei’s pale features softened with a hint of a smile. “It’s alright. I couldn’t finish that much anyway.”
It was getting late, so Ling Jiao told her to get some rest.
After leaving the Omega dormitory, the night had fully arrived. The sky was dark and quiet. Moonlight poured gently across the ground and treetops. A warm breeze blew through, rustling the leaves, their shadows swaying in soft patterns across the ground.
Under a tree stood Wan Qing, waiting to report what had happened.
“Because of public pressure, the police closed the case quickly. They found a surveillance camera near a decorative lamp outside the library. It clearly recorded the person who led Shen Yuwei into the restroom in that abandoned meeting room on the third floor.”
“It turned out to be an Omega classmate who used to be close with her. She insisted she acted alone. She said she was tired of Shen Yuwei pretending to be someone she wasn’t. She believed Shen Yuwei had received resources she didn’t deserve and acted out of jealousy and resentment.”
Ling Jiao frowned. “That’s it?”
“Do you believe that? Because I don’t,” Wan Qing replied.
Wan Qing licked her lips and continued, “That’s what the police told me. They said unless new evidence appears, the case will be closed. She will be expelled. Whether or not she faces criminal charges depends on whether the victim decides to press charges.”
“I think there are more people involved. Pull one thread and the whole web might unravel.”
“Wait,” Ling Jiao interrupted her. “Who was the Omega you’re talking about?”
“Yang Li,” Wan Qing answered.
Yang Li?
Why does that name sound so familiar? Ling Jiao searched her memory for details from the book.
Wasn’t Yang Li the one who caused Shen Yuwei to break her leg during a game, leaving her with lasting damage?
In the story, Yang Li had been directed by Wang Nuo, Lou Xiaoyu, and others.
Ling Jiao’s eyes moved slightly as she began forming a plan. But it was already late, so she decided to delay any action. She yawned and looked up at the sky.
It was pitch dark all around, and barely anyone was around. She and Wan Qing standing together under a tree looked exactly like villains in a drama, whispering about something shady in the dark.
The thought made her scalp tingle.
This was Ling Jiao’s first time staying so late at school. The original version of her had no memory of where the dormitories were. She kept a calm face, but in her mind, she was scrambling to piece together memories. After a moment, she lowered her head in defeat. The original Ling Jiao had never lived on campus.
Her loyal AI assistant offered kindly, “There are separate dormitories for Alphas and Omegas. Zone A is for Alphas, Zone O is for Omegas. There is also a mixed Alpha-Beta dormitory. I can guide you there if you’d like.”
Ling Jiao was about to agree when her phone suddenly buzzed with a new message.
It was from Shen Yuwei.
The message was written in a subtle and polite tone:
There’s an empty bed in my dorm. You can stay here for the night if you don’t mind.
Between staying in a dorm with unfamiliar Alphas and staying with someone she already knew, the choice was easy. Ling Jiao chose the second option without hesitation.
She cheerfully made her way back to the Omega dormitory.
The rooms the school built for Omegas were quite elegant. Everything was well-equipped. While cooking was not allowed, there was a projection TV, air conditioning, and a private bathroom.
“…Am I really going to sleep in these clothes?”
Ling Jiao sniffed herself and scrunched up her face in disgust.
“I smell awful. I need a shower.”
“There are pajamas on the left side of the wardrobe,” Shen Yuwei said, pausing for a moment before adding, “They’ve never been worn. It’s just that…”
“Just what?” Ling Jiao asked as she opened the wardrobe, crouching to pull out a neatly folded nightdress that still had the tags on it.
“They’re a little revealing,” Shen Yuwei finally said after a brief cough. “All my usual ones have been worn, and I thought you might mind.”
Ling Jiao held up the featherlight silk nightdress with two fingers, looking genuinely puzzled.
“Revealing? How is this revealing? Everything that needs to be covered is covered. It’s not like it’s a bikini.”
Shen Yuwei didn’t reply. She had already said too much and knew there was no use arguing further.
“You can use everything in the bathroom,” she said softly.
“Alright,” Ling Jiao replied, then headed into the bathroom with the nightdress.
After showering, she came out and, without hesitation, got into bed wearing the silk dress.
Shen Yuwei turned her head slightly and struggled to glance over.
The short nightdress had been chosen by the housekeeper. It was made of soft, cool silk, perfect for summer and autumn nights. It bared the arms and legs, offering both comfort and style. But Shen Yuwei was very modest by nature and had never dared to wear it herself. Now that it was finally being used, it looked a little tight on Ling Jiao.
That tightness only made her well-defined figure stand out even more.
Shen Yuwei didn’t dare to look for long. She quickly turned away and pulled the blanket over her head.
The lights went out. Ling Jiao fell asleep almost immediately.
Shen Yuwei, on the other hand, tossed and turned. Her body still hadn’t recovered after losing too much blood earlier that day. She had only regained a little energy after receiving fluids in the school clinic. Since returning to the dorm, she had changed clothes but hadn’t bathed yet.
She was someone who cared deeply about cleanliness, and without a shower, she found it nearly impossible to sleep.
She couldn’t possibly ask Ling Jiao for help, so she held on as best as she could. Finally, in the middle of the night, Shen Yuwei managed to gather enough strength to climb out of bed. She wrapped her head with a towel and quietly went into the bathroom.
Soon, the sound of running water filled the room.
Ling Jiao woke up with a full bladder. The sound of the water, gentle but constant, felt like an unrelenting call, urging her more and more until her lower abdomen ached with pressure.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and quietly got out of bed.
Wearing that delicate nightdress through the dorm, she walked with one hand on her belly. Standing just outside the bathroom, she shifted her weight and took a sharp breath.
“Are you almost done in there?” she called out.
Her voice broke the rhythm of the shower.
Inside, Shen Yuwei panicked. She scrambled to dry herself off and hurriedly got dressed before opening the door.
Ling Jiao was waiting right outside. As soon as Shen Yuwei stepped out, she ducked her head and brushed past her, heading straight inside. But as she passed, the strap of her nightdress got caught on a coat hanger near the door.
The force of her movement pulled hard against the fabric.
There was a sharp ripping sound.
The front of the dress tore open across her chest and collarbone, exposing soft, delicate skin. The neckline was pulled wide open, revealing the faint flush of red beneath the silk.
Shen Yuwei froze.
Her cheeks turned bright red, like a shrimp cooked to perfection, so red they looked like they could bleed.