Xie Shimian held Hua Zhi’s ankle in her hand, leaving a red mark on the snow-white skin.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Hua Zhi’s breathing was rapid, her gaze unfocused with nervousness.
Her foot was cradled in Xie Shimian’s palm.
It was as if her entire body was bound by an invisible spell.
Hua Zhi’s voice was hoarse: “I’m not a spy.”
Xie Shimian’s eyes flickered slightly, her fingers trailing from the ankle up to the calf.
“Oh? Then why were you eavesdropping outside the third conference room?”
The Alpha’s aura was aggressive. “Zhi Zhi looks like a spy, the surveillance shows you acting like a spy so you must be a spy, no?”
The Omega gazed at her helplessly. The once-spacious room suddenly felt stiflingly hot.
Even breathing became scorching.
The Omega felt suffocated, as if a rope were tightening around her neck.
It was strange, terrifying yet her body didn’t resist.
Her hands were pinned down by Xie Shimian, trapped in a corner like a criminal under interrogation.
Her cheek pressed against the carpet, the back of her neck completely exposed.
“I’m not a spy, and I didn’t eavesdrop on purpose.”
Hua Zhi defended herself, “I came to the company just to…”
Xie Shimian tightened her grip, watching with cruel amusement as tears spilled from the Omega’s eyes, her voice raspy as she tried to explain.
The sadistic Alpha had no interest in the truth.
She only enjoyed the sight of the Omega crying.
In the corner of Hua Zhi’s vision, Xie Shimian flashed a helpless smile.
Someone like her would surely be “dealt with” by the higher-ups sooner or later.
“Just to what?” Xie Shimian demanded coldly.
Hua Zhi’s voice grew weaker, her lashes lowering.
“I just wanted to see you.”
An Omega’s heart was overly sensitive. After a temporary mark, the absence of their Alpha’s presence could leave them deeply unsettled.
The kitten knew she was just a lover without a title, with no right to see Xie Shimian whenever she pleased.
But what if, what if Xie Shimian indulged her just this once?
At least for now, her Alpha had no one else by her side. She could monopolize this affection.
Hua Zhi’s lips were dry. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on the meeting. Can you believe me this time, sister?”
Her benefactor had been right, if something looked like a spy, the surveillance showed a spy, and logic pointed to a spy, then ninety-nine percent of the time, it was a spy.
As the pressure on her wrist intensified, Hua Zhi thought she could hear the bones creaking in protest.
She was roughly flipped onto the bed, pinned down like a fugitive.
“Sister!”
The kitten looked up at Xie Shimian with tear-filled eyes.
Suddenly, the pressure on her wrist vanished.
Just as Hua Zhi felt a flicker of relief, a sharp pain shot through the gland on her neck, wrenching a scream from her.
The sudden marking sent tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.
Her entire body trembled.
It hurt so much. Her benefactor showed no mercy at all. (Dear moderators, there is no inappropriate content or behavior here, please take note respectfully.
This wasn’t the first time Hua Zhi had experienced pain, but Xie Shimian’s marks were the only ones she couldn’t forget. She couldn’t even tell if it was the pain or something else entirely.
Xie Shimian greedily marked the gland. “I believe you. I believe everything Zhi Zhi says.”
Outside the window, the snow fell heavier, blanketing the sill in white. In the distance, the chime of a clock marked the hour.
The winter on the capital planet was exceptionally long, and due to the interstellar temperatures and the planet’s rotation speed, this year’s snowfall was particularly heavy.
The soft rustling of falling snow mixed with the crackling sound of burning firewood in the office, creating a soothing ambiance.
“Zhizhi, happy 18th birthday.”
Hua Zhi curled up in her arms, murmuring softly, “Mmm.”
The little kitten had already lost her voice, unable to even meow properly.
Xie Shimin stood barefoot on the carpet, draped in a wine-red robe, her long, curly hair swaying near the small of her back.
She took a cake box out of the fridge.
Xie Shimin said gently, “In my hometown, it’s a tradition to eat cake and longevity noodles on birthdays.”
Hua Zhi sat leaning against the edge of the bed, her small face flushed with shyness.
“I’ll go make you some noodles. Be good.” Xie Shimin placed the cake in her palm. “Eat this first if you’re hungry.”
It was a small four-inch cake, just enough for one person to finish.
As Xie Shimin turned toward the kitchen in the lounge, Hua Zhi suddenly called out to her.
“Song Yu from the Ministry of Finance is from the Song family of the Wasteland Planet. They’ve colluded with Global Intelligence and secretly pushed for the approval of the bill prohibiting nobles from engaging in commerce.”
Xie Shimin paused mid-step. “Zhizhi isn’t a spy, so why bring this up all of a sudden?”
Hua Zhi whispered, “I just heard about it.”
Xie Shimin raised an eyebrow. “The Song family, huh? A well-known clan from the Wasteland Planet. You do look a bit like a Song.”
Hua Zhi immediately denied it. “I’m not! I have nothing to do with them!”
Xie Shimin chuckled and said she was just joking before turning back to cook the noodles.
Hua Zhi muttered, “That sounded more like a joke than anything else.”
In the kitchen.
Ke Rong watched Xie Shimin cook with a complicated expression.
“What exactly are you making?”
Xie Shimin replied, “Noodles. Carbohydrates cut into strips.”
Ke Rong frowned. “That doesn’t meet the Empire’s daily nutritional guidelines.”
Xie Shimin corrected, “It’s about the ritual.”
Ke Rong: This kind of ritual feels more like junk food.
Xie Shimin added two greens and a poached egg to the longevity noodles.
“Balanced nutrition?”
Ke Rong scoffed. “Self-deception.”
Xie Shimin: “…”
“No wonder you’re single.”
Ke Rong could only watch as her young mistress carried the noodles to Hua Zhi, smiling as she lit candles and cut the cake.
The birthday passed quietly, wrapped in tender affection.
This was Hua Zhi’s first time celebrating a birthday. Before this, she hadn’t even known when her birthday was.
The sweet cream melted on her tongue, like a kiss from the person she loved most.
How could anything in the world taste this good?
Sitting in the back seat of the aircraft, Hua Zhi murmured absentmindedly, “Will I get to eat this again in the future?”
Xie Shimin teased, “Does my little girlfriend like it?”
Hua Zhi nodded vigorously, not bothering to refute the term “little girlfriend.”
Ke Rong in the driver’s seat and Xie Shan in the passenger seat exchanged an indescribable look.
The young mistress’s way of dating had a certain beauty, one that disregarded the sanity of those around her.
Xie Shimin added, “There’s no way sugar and fat could ever taste bad, but be careful not to overeat. You might gain weight.”
Hua Zhi: “…”
The kitten’s face fell instantly.
At the entrance of the grand estate.
Xie Shan stepped out of the car coldly, standing before Hua Zhi like an immovable mountain.
“I have a few words to say to Miss Hua Zhi alone.”
Xie Shimin frowned. “Don’t scare her.”
Xie Shan’s expression remained unchanged. “Young Mistress, Hua Zhi is an adult. We should communicate as adults. Give me a few minutes.”
Hua Zhi stood in the snowfield, her expression unreadable. She knew it wouldn’t be that easy to get through this.
Even if Xie Shimian didn’t pursue the matter, the people around her wouldn’t let it go.
The girl’s posture was delicate, yet her back was straight, like a proud cat.
Xie Shimian wasn’t doubting Xie Shan’s loyalty in the original story, she had protected the Xie family until the very last member died, ultimately perishing in a rebellion.
What worried her was whether the big boss would hold a grudge against her.
Xie Shimian sighed. “Fine, I’ll give you two minutes. Hurry up, don’t delay me from dating my little girlfriend.”
She played the role of a spoiled young master so convincingly that even she was starting to believe it.
Ke Rong helped Xie Shimian away. “Has your love-addled brain grown back again?”
Leaning against the railing, Xie Shimian noticed the number of guards in the manor had doubled.
“What if I told you I just have a headache, would you believe me?”
Ke Rong: “…” Obviously not.
Xie Shimian: “.”
Hua Zhi stood in the snow and said, “If you have something to say, speak plainly.”
Xie Shan’s tone was stern. “What’s your real reason for getting close to the young miss? Don’t feed me the same nonsense you used to deceive her.”
The slender girl exhaled a puff of white breath, her expression lazy, with none of the fragility she showed in front of Xie Shimian.
“What else could I want? A better life, serving the young miss well, earning money I could never dream of otherwise, isn’t that enough?”
Xie Shan: “.”
Too blunt. She didn’t know how to respond.
Xie Shimian, listening nearby, couldn’t help but laugh. Honesty was truly the ultimate weapon.
Xie Shan said coolly, “How much money do you want? I’ll give it to you, and then you’ll leave the capital planet.”
Hua Zhi’s fingers brushed over a rose, exuding the languid contentment of an Alpha’s pampering.