Accidentally Marked My Ex’s Powerful Sister (GL, ABO) - Chapter 12
When Ye Zhixun returned to her apartment, her roommate Gu Qiaqia was still awake. Seeing Ye carrying her usual thermal lunchbox, apparently retrieved from Yu Qi’s place with a completely dazed expression, Gu patted her shoulder.
“Ah-Xun, I bought some alcohol. Let’s drink to drown our sorrows and forget everything!” Gu said to Ye.
“…Thanks, but it won’t help,” Ye replied, her consciousness temporarily returning as she looked at Gu.
“Oh right, I almost forgot your alcohol metabolism is ridiculously strong. You’re practically immune to getting drunk… Well then, maybe we could…” Gu was about to suggest other breakup coping methods when Ye pressed down on her shoulder.
“Go to sleep. I’m exhausted from running around all day,” Ye said.
“Don’t bottle things up. You can talk to me about anything,” Gu said seriously, knowing Ye had been “marathoning” today and must be genuinely tired.
Ye nodded slightly.
Having shared this apartment for over two years, Gu was one of Ye’s few close friends.
Yet some things were truly difficult to share with friends especially matters bound by confidentiality promises.
After putting her things away, Ye washed up, changed into pajamas, and returned to her room.
Lying in bed staring blankly at the ceiling for a long while, Ye suddenly sat up, grabbed her hair in frustration, then collapsed back down looking utterly defeated.
Both physically and mentally drained, yet sleep remained elusive.
“I need a personal assistant at Victoria Harbour Court. Since you can cook, starting today you’ll be my life assistant. I won’t be at Victoria Harbour Court often, it’s just a part-time position. Acceptable?”
Yu Li’s words still echoed in her ears.
Ye was genuinely intimidated by Yu Li. Staying far away and cutting ties would have been ideal.
But Yu Li actually wanted her as a personal assistant!
Could she refuse?
A refusal might get her killed by Yu Li’s glare.
Moreover, setting aside that night’s incident, just returning the “found” ring meant she owed Yu Li yet again.
In the end, Ye had reluctantly agreed.
This was probably Yu Li’s new method of “punishing” her.
And Ye had to admit, it was terrifyingly effective.
Why had she been so eager to showcase her cooking skills, desperately seeking Yu Li’s approval?
Now she was trapped.
Ye foresaw endless difficult days ahead.
Life was truly bitter.
Usually content and emotionally stable, able to face challenges calmly this was the first time Ye found mere existence so arduous.
Yet this gloomy future failed to suppress certain memories demanding attention.
Even as she feared Yu Li, other aspects of the woman flooded her mind.
Heartbroken over the breakup?
There wasn’t even mental space for that.
Unable to sleep, Ye got up to do push-ups, determined to exhaust her last reserves of energy when a knock came at her door.
“Almost forgot something arrived for you. Sent by Yu Qi’s people,” Gu said at the doorway, holding a box.
Ye froze at the sight, recalling Yu Qi’s daytime promise to return all her belongings.
Thanking Gu, Ye brought the box inside and opened it.
Her phone lay on top.
Ignoring other items for now, Ye immediately plugged in the charger.
Upon powering up, countless missed calls and unread messages flooded the screen.
Ye Zhixun glanced at her phone, aside from Gu Qiaqia’s call, there were several others from her grandmother, aunt, cousin, and more.
She pressed a hand to her forehead.
Normally, they only called once a week. She hadn’t expected them to reach out at this moment.
Ye Zhixun decided to call her cousin first.
“Ah-Xun, we finally got through to you! We were so worried, why wasn’t your phone working?” Cousin Ye Zhiyi’s voice was anxious as soon as the call connected.
“My phone died. Sorry about that,” Ye Zhixun replied.
“Are you okay, Ah-Xun? Is it true that you and Xiao Xi broke up?” Ye Zhiyi pressed immediately.
Ye Zhixun stiffened. Yu Qi had publicly announced her single status, and her birthday banquet had been widely publicized. It wasn’t surprising that her cousin, who frequently browsed the internet, had found out.
“Yes. I’m fine, it was just a normal breakup. Does Grandma and Aunt know?” Ye Zhixun asked, worried that her family might be distressed.
She and Yu Qi had been together for three years. Though she hadn’t brought Yu Qi back to her hometown, her family had seen her during video calls.
Yu Qi was sweet-looking with an equally sweet voice, and the family adored her.
They had even planned for Yu Qi to visit during the holidays but now, that wouldn’t be happening.
“I haven’t told them yet. But this afternoon, Grandma missed you and tried calling, but couldn’t get through. Then Mom tried too, with no luck. They were so worried that if I hadn’t stopped them, they would’ve flown to Hongcheng tonight just to check on you. You’d better call and reassure them,” Ye Zhiyi said.
“Got it. Thanks, sis. Please don’t tell Grandma and Aunt yet. I’ll explain when I go back for the holidays. I’ll call them right away,” Ye Zhixun said.
Ye Zhixun had grown up with her grandmother. After her grandmother retired and returned to their rural hometown, Ye Zhixun had followed and lived with her uncle and aunt.
Her uncle and aunt were closer to her than her own parents.
Her grandmother’s health wasn’t great, and she had been especially fond of Yu Qi. If she found out about the breakup, she’d likely be heartbroken for a while.
Since Ye Zhixun didn’t have time off to visit them right now, she could only keep it a secret for now.
Ye Zhiyi didn’t ask further, and after hanging up, Ye Zhixun immediately called her grandmother.
As soon as the video call connected, the screen showed a kind-faced elderly woman whose eyes lit up with joy at the sight of Ye Zhixun, before her expression darkened in displeasure.
This was Ye Zhixun’s grandmother.
“Grandma, it’s my fault. I was at a school event, and my phone died…” Ye Zhixun quickly apologized, trying to soothe her.
“Why isn’t your battery lasting? I’ll buy you a new phone! I’ve got plenty of pension money saved up no need to scrimp,” Granny Ye huffed.
Ye Zhixun humored her grandmother’s words and finally managed to calm her down only for her aunt to take over.
“We’ve just harvested a lot of apples from the orchard, and some vegetables from the greenhouse too. Have you finished the jam? I’ll send you more Xiao Xi loves it. It’s getting cold, so we butchered a sheep. I’ll send you some to make lamb soup…”
Her aunt’s concerns were practical all about food.
Some were Ye Zhixun’s favorites, others were Yu Qi’s.
It took a while before she could finally end the call.
After talking to her family, Ye Zhixun realized, Yu Qi had occupied a significant place in their lives. The breakup wasn’t just a blow to her.
Ye Zhixun had a headache.
However, no headache could compare to Yu Li’s current situation.
All she could hope for was to behave well during this period, listen to Yu Li obediently, and wait for her anger to subside so she might be spared.
While Ye Zhixun was busy placating the two elders and continuing her push-ups, back in her hometown, her grandmother and aunt hung up the phone with grave expressions.
“That child is definitely hiding something from us tight-lipped as a gourd, keeping everything bottled up inside. I think we should pay her a visit,” Ye Zhixun’s grandmother said.
Ye Zhixun wasn’t the best actress, and her grandmother, knowing her well, had picked up on her unease.
“Mom, don’t trouble yourself, it’s freezing, and the trip would be exhausting with all the flights and transfers. Let me and Zhian’s uncle go instead. No need to mail anything; we’ll bring the things ourselves it’ll be faster and fresher. I’ll also see what else we should take along,” Aunt Ye said. She, too, had sensed something amiss and immediately decided to make the trip to Harbor City.
Unaware of this, Ye Zhixun finished her push-ups, moved on to bench presses, hip thrusts, and weighted strength training, finally exhausting herself enough to sleep.
Meanwhile, Yu Li, feeling slightly better after eating something, resumed work and didn’t sleep until the early hours.
She had always struggled with sleep, but that night was relatively better.
When she woke in the morning, Yu Li felt her stomach unsettled, hunger gnawing at her. Remembering her newly appointed personal assistant, she sent a message summoning her to prepare breakfast.
Ye Zhixun had just woken up in her own place.
After such an intense workout the day before, she should have slept soundly, dreamless.
Yet that night, she had fallen into a cycle of isolation chamber flashbacks.
By the time she woke, her marking fangs were still secreting pheromones, filling the room with a faint floral scent.
Her throat was parched.
Her memory instinctively supplied the most quenching, most delicious solution.
Releasing pheromones first thing in the morning was something Ye Zhixun had never done since her differentiation.
Before, when she had wanted to but couldn’t, she had resorted to medication.
Now, it was happening involuntarily!
As if that night had unlocked some latent alpha function within her.
Ye Zhixun sat up and smacked her forehead.
No, this wasn’t just memory. Why was her body also?
She felt her training under the instructor still wasn’t enough; she needed to intensify it further.
Just as she hurriedly got up to wash and head out for more exercise, her phone chimed with a message.
Seeing it was from the phone Yu Li had given her, she quickly checked.
Yu Li wanted her to report to work at Weigang Residence.
Ye Zhixun steeled herself, freshened up, ensured no trace of alpha pheromones lingered on her, and then headed out.