Lu Xian’s head buzzed as she averted her gaze. “Weren’t… weren’t you almost done taking it off?”
Even though she knew the Omega was deliberately teasing her, Lu Xian couldn’t control the heat rising to her face.
On the video call, Ling Tingyu removed her clothes and raised her phone, only showing up to her collarbone. “Lu Xian, are you afraid to look at me?”
Lu Xian gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment.
Ling Tingyu adjusted the hot water, testing the temperature with her hand. “What are you thinking about? You won’t even let me see you, so why should I show you?”
Lu Xian: “……”
Ling Tingyu mimicked Lu Xian’s earlier action by placing her phone high up, adjusting the angle to match exactly how Lu Xian had positioned hers.
Preferring hotter water, Ling Tingyu soon filled the bathroom with steam, the hazy atmosphere making the scene even more alluring.
As warm water cascaded over her body, Ling Tingyu tilted her head back, letting the stream flow down her slender neck and moisten the area behind her ears.
The skin there was delicate, and a gentle touch could detect the subtle presence of scent glands, an Omega’s private area. That Ling Tingyu would expose it so unguardedly to Lu Xian spoke of trust… and temptation.
Lu Xian recalled biting that very spot, her chest burning at the memory.
Ling Tingyu’s shower lasted much longer than Lu Xian’s. When she finally emerged wrapped in a towel, half an hour had passed.
Lu Xian leaned against the sofa back, phone beside her, drowsiness creeping in.
“Which one should I use?” Ling Tingyu pondered over the body lotion options. “Lu Xian, which scent do you prefer? Milk or rose?”
Rubbing her eyes, Lu Xian mumbled, “What did you say?”
“You fell asleep?!” Ling Tingyu was indignant. How could Lu Xian doze off during her live shower was she really that unappealing?
“I’m awake,” Lu Xian assured, watching Ling Tingyu on screen. “It’s late, you should rest. You have filming tomorrow.”
“Fine.” Abandoning the lotions, Ling Tingyu changed into a nightgown and headed to bed.
The hotel sheets had been replaced with a fresh set brought by her assistant, carrying a clean, soapy fragrance.
Lying on her side, the thin straps of her nightgown slipped down her shoulders, the loose neckline failing to conceal her soft curves.
Any sleepiness Lu Xian had felt was thoroughly dispelled by Ling Tingyu’s antics.
Exhausted from the day, Ling Tingyu fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, not even bidding Lu Xian goodnight.
“……”
Flipping her phone face down, Lu Xian silently took another cold shower before resigning herself to an uncomfortable night on the sofa.
……
Waking early the next morning, Lu Xian found her phone dead, presumably from drained battery.
Stretching stiffly, she groaned at the aches from a night spent curled on the sofa.
Returning to her dorm to change, she ran into You Yijia, freshly showered after morning jogging. “You’re up earlier than me, I didn’t see you when I woke. Had breakfast yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Perfect, neither have I.” You Yijia towel-dried her hair casually. “Cafeteria together?”
“Sure.”
With the next elimination round a week away, the training camp provided three meals daily, making life resemble university days.
The walk from dorms to cafeteria gave Lu Xian time to notice You Yijia greeting numerous people along the way.
“You know all of them?” Lu Xian asked curiously.
“Of course, I can name every one,” You Yijia boasted. “I remember faces after seeing them just once.”
“Impressive.”
After getting their meals, the two were looking for seats when You Yijia spotted an empty spot and called out to Lu Xian: “There’s space here.”
Lu Xian walked over, only to find Ma Sha and Fan Yiyi sitting nearby with Lin Xu sandwiched between them.
Lin Xu had an aloof appearance and often kept to herself, making others hesitant to approach her. But those who actually interacted with her would discover she was gentle-natured and unassertive, unable to stand up for herself even when bullied.
“Please let me through, I need to leave.”
As Lin Xu stood up to go, Ma Sha blocked her path.
Trapped between the two, she had no room to move.
Fan Yiyi pulled Lin Xu back down: “Lin Xu, we just want to be friends. You’re making us really sad acting like this.”
Lin Xu clenched her fists, shoulders trembling.
“But she doesn’t want to be friends with you.” Lu Xian walked over and pressed down on Ma Sha’s shoulder. “Do you really enjoy forcing people?”
Ma Sha snapped: “You again, Lu Xian. Mind your own business.”
You Yijia blocked Fan Yiyi, signaling for Lin Xu to leave.
With a charming smile, You Yijia said to Fan Yiyi: “I love making friends, all kinds of friends. Why don’t you try being mine instead?”
Fan Yiyi, thoroughly blocked by You Yijia, stamped her foot in frustration: “Who wants to try with you? Move!”
“You think I’ll move just because you said so?” You Yijia retorted righteously. “When Lin Xu asked you to move earlier, why didn’t you?”
Fan Yiyi shot Lin Xu a glare. That perpetually pitiful, weak demeanor was truly disgusting.
During last night’s livestream competition, Lin Xu had stolen Fan Yiyi’s spotlight, and now she’d somehow gotten two Alphas to publicly defend her. She really had tricks up her sleeve.
Fan Yiyi swallowed her anger for now, she had plenty of ways to make sure Lin Xu was kicked out of the training camp.
As Fan Yiyi stormed off, You Yijia called after her: “Don’t go! Not hungry anymore?”
Ma Sha tried to stand and follow, but Lu Xian forcefully pushed her back down.
Lu Xian said coolly: “You like sitting here so much? We’ll keep you company.”
You Yijia brought over his tray and sat on the other side, trapping Ma Sha between them.
Ma Sha squirmed: “What are you doing? Let me go!”
Lu Xian and You Yijia silently ate their meals, ignoring her completely.
Lin Xu didn’t understand why Lu Xian and You Yijia were helping her. She murmured awkwardly: “Thank you.”
You Yijia replied cheerfully: “No need. We just hate seeing injustice.”
“Right?”
He nudged Ma Sha with his body his solid muscles were more than most could handle.
Ma Sha groaned, clutching her shoulder while cursing Fan Yiyi inwardly for abandoning her. How heartless.
…
After that night’s video call, Lu Xian and Ling Tingyu hadn’t spoken for days.
The day before the competition, Ling Tingyu was still filming in the mountains, too busy to even take her calls.
Lu Xian felt like a pet Ling Tingyu kept one she’d play with when she had time, then ignore when she didn’t.
This feeling of being casually discarded was awful.
She’d thought she wouldn’t care how Ling Tingyu treated her, but her real emotions proved otherwise.
Frustrated, Lu Xian ruffled her hair. She shouldn’t be having these thoughts about Ling Tingyu.
Her phone buzzed.
Ling Tingyu was calling.
At this late hour, Lu Xian had assumed she’d be asleep.
Softly, Lu Xian answered: “Hello.”
“Lu Xian.” Ling Tingyu’s tired voice came through. “I’m at the hotel across from your training camp. Come see me.” !?