Chapter 27

“Who are you?”

The person who opened the door was Ji Xiaotong. The one waiting outside, supporting Fu Haitang, was Fu Yilan.

The question was also from Fu Yilan.

A woman.

In Fu Haitang’s house?

Ji Xiaotong had been gaming late into the night. She heard the sound of a key card at the door and thought it was Fu Haitang coming home. She got up to open the door and saw a very familiar face—carrying her assigned-but-mismatched host, Fu Haitang.

“Who are you?” Ji Xiaotong asked dumbfounded.

Ji Xiaotong wore an oversized long T-shirt. Her chin-length bob looked like a frizzy bird’s nest. With her doll-like face and voice, she looked very young, like a silly little girl.

Fu Yilan clicked her tongue. “Her key card has the name of the complex and the building number. I swiped the card all the way to this floor. Isn’t this Fu Haitang’s house?”

Ji Xiaotong nodded as if she were pounding garlic. “Yes, yes!”

“Are you sure?” Fu Yilan asked again. This wasn’t the answer she wanted.

Ji Xiaotong looked Fu Yilan up and down, her eyes and mouth widening. She was certain now. This was her birth mother!

“Of course!” Ji Xiaotong jumped up and grabbed Fu Yilan. “Of course! Yes! This is home!”

Where Mom is, home is!

“I…” Fu Haitang slowly regained consciousness. Fu Yilan glanced at her. “Good, you’re awake. You’re home.” She then broke free from Fu Haitang’s limp grasp and handed her off to Ji Xiaotong. “You can take her—oops!”

Fu Yilan stumbled. Ji Xiaotong had pulled her into the apartment.

Thud! Fu Haitang’s head hit the entryway wall. She rolled her eyes and passed out again.

“Hiss—” Fu Yilan sucked in a cold breath, pointing at Ji Xiaotong. “You—”

Bang! Ji Xiaotong slammed the apartment door shut, turned around, put her hands on her hips, and threw her head back, laughing wildly. “Hahahaha.”

Fu Yilan’s mouth hung open as she stared at Ji Xiaotong in a daze.

“I, I’m sorry, hehe.” Ji Xiaotong wiped the drool from her mouth. “Mom… Mama! Wait a second! Come in, come in, come in and sit down first!”

Ji Xiaotong then disappeared like a gust of wind in the direction of the bedroom.

“…”

Fu Yilan had no choice but to drag Fu Haitang from the entryway to the living room. These last few steps took all her strength. Fu Yilan gritted her teeth. “You can sleep on the floor. I’m going to get a drink of water.”

“Ah!” Fu Yilan turned around and was met with a wide grin. “You scared me to death.”

Ji Xiaotong: “Hehe, you want water? I’ll pour you some. Put on these clothes first; I’ll go get your water.”

Fu Yilan looked at the clothes being handed to her. “…I don’t want water anymore. I’m going back.”

“No, no, no, no—” Ji Xiaotong held a cup of scalding hot water, grinning as she offered it to Fu Yilan. “You smell like alcohol. You’ll feel more comfortable after you wash up and change.”

Ji Xiaotong’s speech suddenly sped up. “And I’ve locked the apartment door. There’s no way you can leave!”

Fu Yilan: “…”

Fu Yilan glanced at Fu Haitang on the floor and then looked at Ji Xiaotong. This girl in front of her was so silly. She didn’t seem like a threat. Fine. It was a hot summer night, and she had just carried a limp hundred-pound person. She was covered in sweat and the smell of alcohol. She’d just wash up and interrogate Fu Haitang when she woke up.

Ten minutes later.

Fu Yilan was wearing the dress Ji Xiaotong had given her. It was a simple white camisole, but it had a delicate texture with hidden patterns and embroidery. In her hand, she held black stockings that reached her calves, a small pair of gloves, and a tiny hat for decoration.

Once she put it on, what else could she be but an omega starlet at a party?

Ji Xiaotong covered her mouth with both hands. “You’re so pretty! Wuwuwu, why aren’t you wearing the stockings, the hat, and the gloves? Put them on, put them on! I’ll help you!”

Fu Yilan stood with her arms spread, her long eyelashes lowered as she watched Ji Xiaotong busily put the hat on her. “Whose dress is this? What kind of occasion is it for? Are you making me wear a gown at night?”

“It’s mine!” Ji Xiaotong waved her hand, put her hands on her hips, and looked at Fu Yilan. After a while, she suddenly felt guilty. “Hehe,” she giggled, “Actually, Fu Haitang bought it.”

Fu Yilan: “…”

“What’s your relationship?” Fu Yilan asked.

Ji Xiaotong immediately distanced herself from Fu Haitang. “No, no, no. We don’t have any relationship! I’m just living here temporarily!”

“Living here? She buys you dresses to wear after you take a shower and wait for her to come home at night?” Fu Yilan’s anger was masked by a laugh.

Ji Xiaotong felt like something was off, but she’d go with whatever her “mom” said. She nodded. “Uh-huh!”

Fu Yilan’s eyes curved into crescents. She pursed her lips, a dimple appearing on her cheek. “Oh, then you should wear it!”

“Me?” Ji Xiaotong pointed at her nose, her hands twisting in front of her. “Oh, I haven’t tried it on yet.”

“Then try it,” Fu Yilan said. She changed into a bathrobe, took off the entire outfit, and smiled as she threw it at the sleeping Fu Haitang. She then used her foot to kick the bundle toward Ji Xiaotong. “You go change into it.”

Whatever Mom says, goes! Ji Xiaotong beamed. “Okay!”

Ji Xiaotong started to undress in the living room.

“What are you doing!” Fu Yilan yelled, losing control for the second time tonight. “Go change in the bathroom.”

Ji Xiaotong: “Oh.”

Fu Yilan: “Do you usually change in the living room?”

Ji Xiaotong: “Yeah. Fu Haitang never lets me into her room!” She pointed to the living room with her hand. “So I can only use this area to change and bathe.”

Fu Yilan: “Then what do you usually wear?”

“Me?” Ji Xiaotong pulled at her long T-shirt. “I only have these two pieces of clothing.”

Fu Yilan: “………………”

Ji Xiaotong: “Mom… Okay, just stand there for a bit. I’ll go change and be right back.”

Fu Yilan’s face was lined with three black streaks. A cool night breeze blew in, and she slowly came back to her senses.

“You’re into some kinky stuff.” Fu Yilan looked at the unconscious Fu Haitang on the floor, bit her lower lip, and kicked her out of frustration. “You… you’re even into bondage and exhibitionism?”

Fu Haitang lay on the floor and sneezed twice in her sleep.

A moment later, the water had cooled down a bit, and Fu Yilan took a few sips. Ji Xiaotong came out of the bathroom, grinning as she showed off her outfit. The sexy clothes looked like a child playing dress-up on her.

No matter how little she wore, she still looked innocent and well-behaved. Does Fu Haitang like this type? Fu Yilan started to doubt herself. She then glanced at her own chest. When was it that Fu Haitang seemed to love these two mounds?

“Mom… Mama… What are you thinking?” Ji Xiaotong waved her hand in front of Fu Yilan’s eyes.

Fu Yilan: “What did you call me?”

“You heard me! Oh my~” Ji Xiaotong’s face flushed. “Just… Mama! Hahaha!”

After shouting it, Ji Xiaotong was both excited and embarrassed. The joy of a mother-daughter reunion made her so excited that she hopped up and down. It wasn’t until a while later that she noticed Fu Yilan’s stiff expression.

The tide of joy receded. Ji Xiaotong nervously bit her lip. “You don’t like me calling you that, do you?”

Fu Yilan was on the verge of a breakdown. “Can a normal person accept that?” she retorted.

“No, it’s okay…” Ji Xiaotong’s tears almost fell from her eyes. “Actually, I usually call Fu Haitang that too. Don’t mind me. I just won’t call you that from now on.”

Ji Xiaotong turned her back and sobbed.

Fu Yilan: “…”

“But!” Ji Xiaotong raised her voice. “Don’t worry! I only call her my stepmom!”

Fu Yilan’s face was ashen: “…………”

Fu Haitang was still fast asleep. It was the middle of summer, and the living room’s central AC was set to a comfortable temperature, but she felt cold and curled into a ball in her sleep.

To think I actually fell for her. The dryer was spinning. Fu Yilan put a hand on it to keep from swaying.

Because of her jealousy over Sini, she had abandoned her shoot to go find Fu Haitang on the pretext of needing to use the restroom. Then, she saw Ren Qing, who was interested in Fu Haitang, flirting with her.

Jealousy went to her head. She said cruel things without a second thought, and completely irrational, she ruined the deal between Fu Haitang and Ren Qing. She even provoked Ren Qing with her words, looks, and actions for Fu Haitang’s sake.

Fu Haitang and she had a business relationship. If Ren Qing wanted to sleep with her, she would get her job back at the TV station. For a short time, that would only benefit her and not cause any harm.

What’s wrong with me? When it comes to love, have I become a hopeless romantic?

Just because Fu Haitang planned things for her and prepared clothes for her, she… she forgot about her massive debt?

Calm down!

Fu Yilan closed her eyes and then opened them again. She took a deep breath and opened the dryer, putting her own clothes back on. She gave Fu Haitang, who was lying on the floor, a long look.

Ji Xiaotong came out of the kitchen with a bucket of instant noodles. She said cautiously, “I cooked some late-night food. Mom… Lanlan, do you want some?”

“How old are you?” Fu Yilan asked, inwardly judging Fu Haitang again. She has a fling living with her, and her late-night snack is instant noodles?

Ji Xiaotong: “I’m ten…”

“Okay, stop talking!” Fu Yilan said, shocked.

Ji Xiaotong: “…Oh.”

Fu Haitang, you beast… Fu Yilan asked softly, “You’re not, you’re not an adult yet, are you?”

Ji Xiaotong: “I…”

Fu Yilan interrupted again: “Okay, stop talking!”

She didn’t want to know. Fu Yilan put a hand to her forehead. “I’m leaving. When she wakes up, please apologize for me.”

Ji Xiaotong pouted: “Do you really have to go?”

Fu Yilan suddenly felt sad. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t feel any dislike for the girl in front of her, even though two minutes ago, this girl was her romantic rival.

“Bye.” The door closed.

Fu Yilan disappeared from the doorway.

Ji Xiaotong’s nose became stuffy, and she let out a loud wail as soon as she let go of her hands. “Ah, wuwuwuwu!”

“I—” Fu Haitang opened one eye. “You’re going to burn me alive… Ji Xiaotong…”

Ji Xiaotong: “Wuwuwu!”

Fu Haitang’s head was splitting. “You spilled instant noodles on me. Are you trying to burn me to death?”

“Mom doesn’t want me anymore!” Ji Xiaotong helped Fu Haitang up. “What am I going to do… Haitang… wuwuwu…”

Her consciousness slowly returned. The memories from before she blacked out gradually came back. Fu Haitang asked: “Did Fu Yilan bring me back?”

Ji Xiaotong nodded.

Fu Haitang: “When did she leave?”

Ji Xiaotong: “She left right away! She didn’t even sit for a bit!”

“You—” Fu Haitang pointed a finger at Ji Xiaotong. “Why were you wearing my washed clothes? What did you tell her? She didn’t misunderstand who you are to me, did she?”

Ji Xiaotong shook her head. “No. I told her I live in the living room.”

Fu Haitang nodded: “It’s good that she knows you’re just my roommate. Oh, right…”

Fu Haitang sat up, a little embarrassed as she looked at Ji Xiaotong. “Would you be willing to switch dads?”

Ji Xiaotong: “What do you mean?”

“How do I put this?” Fu Haitang had figured it out. Someone like Fu Yilan, who would argue with her over a 10-yuan coffee, could only have said those things in front of Ren Qing for one reason.

Fu Haitang: “Fu Yilan has fallen in love with me.”

If the male protagonist is replaced by me, could I have a peak life?

In that case, it’s actually not a big deal to like an omega!

Fu Haitang lay in the bathtub, the corners of her mouth turned up in a wide smile.

…

“Dream on!” On the balcony, Ji Xiaotong broke off a branch from a potted plant, holding it like a weapon. She whipped the branches and leaves of the other plants, imagining them as Fu Haitang, hitting her a hundred and eighty times!

Some random nobody! How dare she fantasize about my mommy!

“But,” Ji Xiaotong said, rubbing her chin, “Mommy is Mommy. It’s not strange for anyone to like her.”

…

“Well, well!”

“The big star! It’s been a while. You finally have time to call me?”

In the quiet night, Fu Yilan walked alone on the side of the road, holding a can of beer. She listened to the phone, a bitter smile on her face, and told her friend about her recent situation.

Her friend, Zeng Jingmeng, shrieked: “What? You have a crush? No way! So fast? Is this a whirlwind romance? What kind of alpha is he? You never told me! Wait! You didn’t get marked by him, and the pheromones made you think you’re in love, right?!”

Fu Yilan pulled the phone away from her ear, almost deafened by her friend’s words. It was too late to explain the gender now. Fu Yilan took a deep breath and slowly explained. “Yes, I fell for someone. But half an hour ago, I got heartbroken. She has someone else.”

“Pfft!”

“Ah, hahahaha!”

“My sister, who’s been single forever, you’ve really grown up now. This is the Fu Yilan I know. Focus on your work and your career!”

“Wow~ I actually have a friend in the entertainment industry now!”

“Hey, let me tell you, your uncle and aunt came looking for you at my place. I didn’t say a single word. I told them you haven’t even contacted me!”

Fu Yilan found a park bench and sat down. The moon was bright, and the stars were few. She finally felt a little comfort from her friend. She’d let love go with the wind. A person like Fu Haitang wasn’t worth her true feelings.