Coming out of the restroom, Sheng Mian bumped headlong into a solid chest.
“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled, rubbing her aching nose, her voice sounding muffled.
The Alpha before her was nearly a head taller than she was, with a sturdy build and arched eyebrows that gave him a wild, arrogant look. His light gray pupils reflected her startled image.
A sense of familiarity washed over her. Just then, another figure appeared behind the Alpha. Sheng Mian’s eyes flickered; wanting to leave quickly, she took a step to the left.
To her surprise, the Alpha stepped in the same direction. She moved to the right; he mirrored her again.
Sheng Mian looked up at him in confusion, strongly suspecting he was doing it on purpose.
“Oh, my bad,” the Alpha chuckled, finally turning sideways to let her pass.
“Thank you.”
Sheng Mian hurried away, calling out to a familiar figure not far off: “Shen Zhilin!”
Zhilin stopped in her tracks. Seeing Sheng Mian jogging toward her, she waited for her to catch up before resuming her pace.
The tall Alpha’s gaze drifted from Sheng Mian’s chatty silhouette to the unresponsive Shen Zhilin, a strange smile playing on his lips.
“How are you feeling? Any dizziness? Are your legs sore?”
“I’m fine.”
Hearing this, Sheng Mian felt relieved.
Pitter-patter. A few drops of rain fell, and within seconds, the sky opened up into a downpour. Their class section was too far away, so the two sought shelter inside the school building.
They stood close together. Their short sleeves were damp from the rain, the fabric clinging to their arms. Zhilin casually adjusted her position to create more space between them, but Sheng Mian instinctively stepped closer again, and the gentle radiation of Zhilin’s body heat returned.
Zhilin moved away a second time, more obviously this time. Sheng Mian froze, finally realizing the subtle act of distancing. She didn’t press closer again; instead, she stood in place, staring awkwardly at the tips of her shoes.
Silence fell between them, thick with tension.
Unable to bear the eerie atmosphere, Sheng Mian tried to find a topic. “What brand of laundry detergent do you use?”
Zhilin named a brand. Sheng Mian looked puzzled. “I use that one too. How come it doesn’t smell the same as it does on you?”
It was hard to tell if Sheng Mian was truly that innocent or if she was testing the waters with a vague probe.
Zhilin’s voice turned cold. “Why are you so obsessed with how I smell?”
“Because it’s nice! I really like the way you smell.” Sheng Mian didn’t hide the sincerity in her eyes.
Zhilin’s eyebrow twitched violently.
Then, Sheng Mian followed up with something even more devoid of boundaries: “Oh, right! That time you helped me—even though I was out of it, you smelled amazing. It didn’t seem like just laundry; was it perfume?”
In this world, praising a member of the opposite sex’s scent was often a veiled confession of love.
“That was my pheromones.”
“Pheromones?” Sheng Mian blinked, looking enlightened. “Well, your pheromones smell great. Can I smell them every now and then?”
For the first time, Sheng Mian saw Shen Zhilin’s eyes go wide.
Zhilin stepped toward her, crossing the line of personal safety. Sheng Mian watched blankly as that beautiful face moved closer and closer.
“Do you have any idea,” Zhilin asked slowly, “what it means for an Omega to actively ask for an Alpha’s pheromones?”
This was a total blind spot for Sheng Mian. She knew the basic distinction between Alphas and Omegas, but she had never looked into the finer cultural details.
Sheng Mian’s throat moved as she swallowed. Her voice was trembling. “No, I don’t.”
Zhilin pressed further. “Why is it that we’ve known each other for less than a month, yet you’ve repeatedly gone out of your way to be kind to me? Yi Chi and Qin Heng don’t get this kind of treatment from you.”
Zhilin scrutinized her, refusing to let any flicker of nervousness or confusion escape her. Sheng Mian’s kindness was too overt. Even when she received no warmth in return, she persisted. It was hard not to suspect an ulterior motive. Was she sent by ‘that family’ to watch me?
But looking at Sheng Mian’s somewhat “dim-witted” expression, Zhilin dismissed the thought. If they were going to send a spy, they wouldn’t pick a rich, powerful Omega.
Is it love?
“Because you’re pretty, and your pheromones smell nice,” Sheng Mian blurted out, interrupting Zhilin’s train of thought.
Zhilin’s brow smoothed over.
Fearing she would be misunderstood as having some hidden agenda, Sheng Mian explained hurriedly: “I just want to be your friend.” She stared into Zhilin’s eyes with absolute earnestness. “I mean it.”
Sheng Mian couldn’t read the look in Zhilin’s eyes. Was she happy? Annoyed?
Zhilin stepped back to her original position. She looked out at the rain and said plainly, “Okay.”
“I’m sorry. I misunderstood you.”
Sheng Mian looked at Zhilin’s profile and smiled. “It’s okay. Everyone has different social comfort zones. You’ve probably been feeling uncomfortable for a while now, haven’t you?”
Zhilin felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of irritability. She smoothed her hair. “The rain stopped.”
When they returned to their seats, Qin Heng asked, “Where did you two go?”
“Hiding from the rain.” Sheng Mian’s tone was light and cheerful; she felt like the misunderstanding had finally been cleared up.
Zhilin hadn’t said a word since sitting down, staring blankly at her phone. Yi Chi glanced from Zhilin to Sheng Mian, noting their diametrically opposed moods.
When the sports meet ended on Friday, Qin Heng rallied the group. “Let’s go get hotpot!”
“Yes!” Sheng Mian was the first to agree.
During dinner, Zhilin noticed that Sheng Mian was incredibly attentive. If someone needed a napkin, she would pass the box before they even asked; she used the communal ladle to portion out meat and vegetables for everyone.
Perhaps her warmth wasn’t just directed at Zhilin. Perhaps she was just that kind of person.
Yi Chi arrived home later that evening. “Why so late?” Yi Jianzhong asked, looking up from the sofa.
“I went out to eat with my classmates.”
Chen Lian chimed in, “Was that Sheng family Omega there too?”
Yi Chi nodded impatiently.
“Spend more time with that girl,” Chen Lian instructed. “If you need more money for outings, just let us know.”
Yi Chi sighed. “I get it. I’m going upstairs.”
“That girl never has a pleasant look on her face,” Chen Lian said with concern after she left. “Can she really get along with the Sheng girl?”
“When she comes of age, we’ll arrange blind dates,” Yi Jianzhong said, adjusting his glasses. “I’ve seen a few Alphas from good families.”
Chen Lian suddenly remembered. “The other day, CEO Wang from Zhongheng Real Estate mentioned wanting his son to meet our Yi Chi.”
Jianzhong tilted his head. “Zhongheng? I believe they just won the bid for the Nanhu district at the foot of Yuming Mountain. They’re turning it into a first-class resort. Based on the current market, the returns will be massive. Arrange a meeting in a few days.”
Chen Lian chirped a delighted “Great!” before grabbing her phone and stepping onto the balcony. Her voice drifted away as she lowered her posture into a flattering tone. “Hello, CEO Wang? It’s Chen Lian. Are you free next Saturday?”
Knock, knock. A sharp rapping at the door preceded Chen Lian’s head peeking through. She wore an exaggerated, hypocritical smile. She sat on the edge of the bed and took her daughter’s hand in her own well-manicured ones, stroking it with a gentle, calculated affection.
“Mom has something to discuss with you.”
Yi Chi remained silent. Chen Lian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Go meet with CEO Wang from Zhongheng Real Estate tomorrow.”
A coldness seeped into Yi Chi’s eyes. Chen Lian continued her sales pitch. “That CEO Wang is young, successful, handsome, and capable—a truly exceptional Alpha. He’s already made the right connections with the government and secured the development rights for the Nanhu district last year.”
“Our family is in the building materials business, and CEO Wang has wanted to meet you for a long time. If you two hit it off, the family stands to benefit. That’s a massive project.”
Like a machine gun, Chen Lian fired off praise after praise for this “CEO Wang.”
“I don’t want to go,” Yi Chi said.
The warmth on Chen Lian’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling frost. “How can you be so sensible? I’ve already made the appointment. Ten o’clock tomorrow morning.”
“You said you wanted to ‘discuss’ it with me,” Yi Chi retorted. “But you went behind my back and set it in stone. Does that count as a discussion?”
Chen Lian knew she was in the wrong, but she doubled down. “CEO Wang’s time is precious; of course I had to seize the opportunity. No matter what, you’re going tomorrow.” She shifted back to a tone of earnest persuasion. “His family has such a vast estate. If you two truly hit it off, you won’t have a worry for the rest of your life!”
“Is this for me,” Yi Chi asked mockingly, “or for the money?”
Chen Lian’s face burned as if she’d been slapped. Her voice rose sharply. “Doesn’t that money get spent on you? Is there anything you’ve had since you were little that didn’t require money? How can you be so ungrateful? A man as excellent as CEO Wang, I had to work so hard to get this chance for you!”
“And what about the ones before?” Yi Chi widened her eyes, fighting to keep the tears from falling.
“Weren’t those previous bosses excellent too?” Chen Lian’s confidence wavered slightly.
Excellent? Every single one of them had been at least a decade older than Yi Chi, and they were the type who couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. The only thing “excellent” about them was their benefit to Yi Jianzhong’s career.
Thinking of those past failures, Chen Lian’s temper flared again. “Those three bosses only backed out because you didn’t show up, causing your father to lose several major orders!”
“This time, you must go,” Chen Lian said sternly. She then reached out to gently stroke the top of Yi Chi’s head. “Dress up a bit tomorrow. You really need to help the family this time.”
“It’s just a meeting,” she added.
The warmth on her head vanished a moment later. Yi Chi rubbed her eyes harshly, leaving them both rimmed with red. Bitterness swelled in her chest, stealing what little air she had left, leaving her utterly powerless.
Perhaps she should rebel. She had tried before and what was the result? She remembered clearly: a screaming match with her parents, a glass shattered against the wall, and a shard flying up to graze her forehead. Under the crushing weight of “filial piety” and the pressure to repay her parents’ upbringing, she had learned to endure. Without resistance, there were no such conflicts.
She could only numb herself over and over with the same thought: she had enjoyed a decent upbringing provided by them. It was just a meeting; it wasn’t like she was losing a limb.
Early the next morning, Chen Lian shouted for Yi Chi to get out of bed.
“Why are your eyes so swollen?” Chen Lian picked up an eyeshadow palette and applied a layer of brown, trying to mask the puffiness. “Why aren’t you wearing any makeup?”
“I woke up late.”
“At least put on some lipstick.” Chen Lian meticulously applied a nude lip gloss for her.
Chen Lian led Yi Chi out by the hand and drove to a high-end private restaurant. Yi Chi had seen this place online; it was notoriously difficult to book. A server led them to a private room.
Wang Chang rose to greet them when he saw the elegant Chen Lian. A second later, his eyes landed on Yi Chi—who was even more beautiful and pure in person than in her photos.
With no makeup and a clean, petite face, she had long, silky black hair, a high bridge to her nose, and upturned “peach blossom” eyes. A wide, greasy smile spread across Wang Chang’s face.
“I’m so sorry to keep you waiting, CEO Wang,” Chen Lian said with a fawning smile. Wang Chang’s gaze flickered to her briefly before locking onto Yi Chi.
Yi Chi stood to the side, her head turned away in stubborn silence, not even gracing the Alpha with a glance. That cold, aloof aura made Wang Chang’s heart itch with desire.
“I only just arrived myself. Besides, waiting for a beautiful woman is a pleasure in itself.”
Yi Chi was about to look up to see what kind of man could utter such nauseating words when she felt Chen Lian pat her shoulder pointedly. “I have some business to attend to,” Chen Lian said. “You two chat.”
As soon as Chen Lian left, the air in the room felt as if it had been sucked out by a vacuum.
Wang Chang wasn’t particularly tall—only about a head taller than Yi Chi and he looked to be in his thirties. His sticky, undisguised gaze made Yi Chi’s skin crawl, and his protruding belly made him look heavy and oily.