ABO: A Debt to Repay - Chapter 9

Because she’d slept too well the night before, Xu Xi woke up before her alarm even went off. She glanced at the clock, planning to doze a little longer—but then she noticed something wasn’t right.

There was someone behind her.

Warm breaths brushed against her ear. An arm was draped around her waist, and a leg was resting on top of her own.

There was no need to guess—it had to be He Lin.

He Lin was holding her like a stuffed animal, Xu Xi’s entire body wrapped securely in his arms.

No wonder she’d felt so safe and comforted in her dream…

Now fully awake, Xu Xi wanted to get up but didn’t want to wake He Lin. Frozen stiff, she wrestled with herself mentally until the alarm went off.

Startled, Xu Xi quickly silenced it, but it was too late—He Lin was awake.

Warm lips pressed against the back of her neck. He Lin placed a kiss there, then took a deep breath.

For Xu Xi, the kiss felt like an electric current rushing through her, tingling and making her shiver.

Afraid He Lin would do more, Xu Xi hurriedly wriggled out of his arms and sat up—but just as quickly, He Lin pulled her back down.

Xu Xi was about to resist when he heard He Lin ask:

“Why did you give my contact info to someone else?”

So that’s what this was about…

Knowing she was in the wrong, Xu Xi simply apologized: “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Won’t happen again?” He Lin scoffed. “You’ve got some guts, huh?”

He nipped Xu Xi’s earlobe. Xu Xi yelped in surprise and instinctively tried to shield her ear, but He Lin grabbed her hand.

He Lin held it in his palm and kneaded it like dough. Leaning in, he murmured against Xu Xi’s ear, “You’re my Omega now. Don’t push me away. Got it?”

Xu Xi nodded quickly. “Got it.”

Satisfied, He Lin kissed her cheek and finally let her go.

He lay sideways on the bed, propped up on one elbow, watching Xu Xi change into her school uniform and head into the bathroom to wash up.

He Lin had grown up uninterested in the family business, choosing instead to start his own. He’d gone through rough times, but he got used to being on his own—and never really felt lonely.

But ever since he marked Xu Xi, he found himself thinking about her whenever they were apart. Sleeping alone at night, he finally understood the meaning of “sleepless solitude.”

He figured it was the pheromone bond’s effect. He didn’t mind—it even felt novel.

So last night, he came over not just to “scold” Xu Xi, but to sleep soundly with his Omega in his arms.

When Xu Xi was ready for breakfast, she turned to He Lin and asked, “Aren’t you eating?”

Only then did He Lin sit up. The blanket slid down, revealing his toned, bare upper body and the V-line leading down beneath the sheets—undeniably eye-catching.

“You go ahead.”

Xu Xi closed the bedroom door behind her. When Aunt Wang saw the blush on her cheeks, she teased, “Oh my, your face is so red! Is it too hot in here? Should I turn the AC up?”

Xu Xi touched her warm face. She thought to herself, It’s all He Lin’s fault for sleeping shirtless.

“No, it’s not that hot,” she replied.

Thankfully, Aunt Wang didn’t press further, or she’d have been even more embarrassed.

By the time Xu Xi was nearly done eating, He Lin finally came out.

Just as Xu Xi was about to leave, He Lin called out, “Give me three minutes. I’ll drive you.”

It was barely a ten-minute walk—Xu Xi didn’t see the need—but she didn’t object. She obediently sat down to wait, reviewing vocabulary as she did.

True to his word, He Lin ate quickly and came out to leave with him.

Xu Xi was going to sit in the back, but He Lin called her to the front. The drive wasn’t long, and they soon arrived at the school gate.

“I’m getting out. See you later.”

“Wait a second.”

He Lin crooked her finger. When Xu Xi leaned closer, He Lin shamelessly planted a kiss on her soft lips.

“All right, now go.”

Blushing furiously, Xu Xi got out of the car in a flustered rush—her hurried steps making her look irresistibly adorable. He Lin’s eyes twinkled with delight.

What neither of them noticed was a pair of eyes watching from a distance—someone had seen everything that happened inside the car.

When Xu Xi got to class, she organized her homework and, as usual, immersed herself in studying. But just as she got into the flow, someone interrupted her.

“Well, well. Didn’t expect you to be such a good actor. Bravo.”

Xu Xi looked up to see Zhao Yuran, her face smiling but her eyes ice cold.

Now what? Xu Xi thought. I gave her the contact info—why’s she still pestering me?

Her confusion was written all over her face, which Zhao Yuran found incredibly insulting.

She’d seen it all—that moment in the car, Xu Xi kissing her “cousin.” That kind of intimacy? Cousins? As if.

And to think she’d lowered herself to politely ask Xu Xi for that guy’s number—what a joke. So, Xu Xi had a sugar daddy. So what? If Xu Xi could do it, why couldn’t she?

But the number Xu Xi gave her didn’t lead to anything. That man hadn’t responded at all. She was sure Xu Xi had whispered something on the pillow—sweet on the surface, but sly behind her back.

She’d make sure Xu Xi paid for this.

“Xu Xi, just you wait.”

…???

Wait for what?

Xu Xi didn’t quite get it, and frankly didn’t care. She lowered her head again and dove right back into her studies.