After Differentiating into an Alpha, I Marked My Love Rival - Chapter 13

Ji Yongshu remained silent for a long time.

Ji Fengchu could tell something from her hesitant expression—the omega’s identity must be somewhat special.

He wanted to say more, but Bai Yingying had already come out of the kitchen carrying a bowl, so Ji Fengchu swallowed his unspoken words.

“Yongyong, there’s some chicken soup simmering in the kitchen. Have a little first.”

She didn’t just bring a bowl of chicken soup but also a small bowl of steamed eggs and a plate of buns.

Given that Ji Yongshu wasn’t feeling well and had little appetite, something light was just right for her.

Ji Yongshu was genuinely hungry. She stood up and walked toward the dining table. As she passed Ji Fengchu, she lowered her voice and said, “Dad, don’t worry about this matter. I’ll handle it.”

Ji Fengchu had always trusted his daughter. Whatever Ji Yongshu said, she would deliver.

Since she didn’t want him involved, Ji Fengchu decided not to press further.

After dinner, the family gathered on the sofa to chat.

Having eaten, Ji Yongshu had regained at least some strength. Bai Yingying, sitting beside her, treated her like a child—one moment offering water, the next asking if she was cold.

“Mom, I’m fine,” she said, taking Bai Yingying’s hand. “Let’s just sit together and talk as a family.”

Ji Fengchu asked, “Did you meet Zhou Yi today?”

Ji Yongshu nodded. Only then did Bai Yingying realize she had gone out to see Zhou Yi. Worry crossed her face. “Your pheromones are unstable right now. Did Zhou Yi notice anything unusual?”

According to their plan, this matter couldn’t be revealed until Ji Yongshu’s differentiation was complete—especially not to the Zhou family.

The Ji and Zhou families were both partners and competitors. Because Ji Yongshu was an omega and engaged to Zhou Yi, the two families maintained a surface-level closeness.

But if Ji Yongshu differentiated into an alpha and called off the engagement, the carefully maintained peace would likely shatter.

To prevent the Zhou family from interfering with Ji Yongshu’s differentiation, this had to be kept strictly under wraps until the process was over.

Ji Yongshu shook her head. “She doesn’t know.”

She suspected Zhou Yi probably thought she had fallen for someone else.

Irresponsible people were always like this—assuming everyone would make the same choices they did.

No matter what Zhou Yi thought, Ji Yongshu had to end the engagement.

She was truly grateful they hadn’t registered their marriage directly but had instead agreed to an engagement first, with plans to formalize it after a year.

Back then, Ji Yongshu had just wanted an adjustment period. Now, it seemed marriage really shouldn’t be rushed.

Bai Yingying sighed. “While you were napping this afternoon, Zhou Yi’s mother called me.”

The Zhou family naturally didn’t want their partnership to collapse.

When Zhou Yi’s mother called, her tone was practically groveling, hinting that Bai Yingying should persuade Ji Yongshu.

Bai Yingying could only reply, “Yongyong has been in her room the whole time. I don’t dare try to convince her.”

Her deliberately vague response likely made Zhou Yi’s mother think Ji Yongshu was too heartbroken, hiding in her room to cry in secret. After that, she couldn’t say much more.

However, before hanging up, they agreed to visit the Ji family tomorrow.

It was likely to discuss the annulment of the engagement in detail.

Ji Yongshu took a deep breath and patted her mother’s hand. “It’s fine. After all, we’re not the ones in the wrong.”

The Zhou family did indeed come the next day.

Ji Fengchu had specifically taken the day off. When the Zhous arrived, he calmly led Mr. Zhou into the study.

Bai Yingying, meanwhile, took Mrs. Zhou to the small garden, accompanied by Ji Yongshu and Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi seemed to have had a sleepless night, faint dark circles visible under her eyes. Her gaze fixed intently on Ji Yongshu before she slowly furrowed her brows.

Ji Yongshu looked even paler and more fragile than her, her face devoid of any color, even her lips appearing unnaturally pale.

She wore a light-yellow qipao embroidered with large blue flowers, draped with a shawl, her hair loosely tied back. A few loose strands brushed against her collarbone, giving her an air of effortless elegance.

In front of Zhou Yi, Ji Yongshu had always been radiant and bold—either that or cold as ice, like plum blossoms blooming in the snow, carrying a biting chill.

That was why Zhou Yi had never liked Ji Yongshu—she was too domineering.

Influenced by her family background and personality, Zhou Yi preferred gentle, obedient omegas.

She had always believed Ji Yongshu didn’t meet her standards for a partner. Their engagement had been a reluctant arrangement, and if given the choice, she would never have picked someone like Ji Yongshu.

But now, seeing her like this, Zhou Yi wasn’t so sure anymore.

Ji Yongshu did have qualities she liked—it was just that Ji Yongshu had never shown them to her before.

Zhou Yi’s emotions were indescribably complicated.

What unsettled her even more was that, from the moment they met, Ji Yongshu hadn’t even spared her a glance, as if she didn’t exist at all.

Zhou Yi realized with painful clarity: she was beneath Ji Yongshu’s notice.

Though Mrs. Zhou kept up conversation with Bai Yingying, she was secretly observing the atmosphere between Ji Yongshu and Zhou Yi. Seeing Ji Yongshu listless and disinterested, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

She shot Zhou Yi a glare before suppressing her frustration and continuing to chat with Bai Yingying.

Mrs. Zhou’s maiden name was Xie, her given name Xi.

In her youth, she had been a spoiled, willful heiress. Marriage had tempered her somewhat, but her innate domineering nature remained unchanged.

Bai Yingying, on the other hand, was the epitome of gentleness and grace, speaking softly with a faint smile that made it impossible to refuse her.

Every time Xie Xi tried to bring up the matter between Zhou Yi and Ji Yongshu, Bai Yingying deftly steered the conversation elsewhere.

No matter how anxious Xie Xi felt, she had to maintain a smile and follow Bai Yingying’s lead.

It wasn’t until they were seated that Xie Xi suddenly took Ji Yongshu’s hand, her voice full of concern. “Yongshu, your hands are so cold. Are you feeling unwell?”

Ji Yongshu pressed her lips into a faint smile. “Thank you for your concern, Aunt Xie. I might have caught a slight cold.”

As she spoke, she cast a fleeting glance at Zhou Yi before lowering her eyes again, as if unwilling to say more.

Xie Xi also recalled the phone call yesterday afternoon when Bai Yingying mentioned that Ji Yongshu had locked herself in her room, unwilling to come out.

She secretly regretted bringing up such a sore subject—why had she unwittingly touched on Ji Yongshu’s painful memories?

But then again, now that the topic was out in the open, Bai Yingying no longer had any reason to stop her from speaking further.

Xie Xi held Ji Yongshu’s hand, her tone growing even gentler. “Yongshu, I know Zhou Yi was in the wrong here. Auntie Xie already scolded her yesterday.”

“She would never dare do something like this again!”

Ji Yongshu didn’t respond, not even lifting her head. She curled up in the chair, her entire frame looking unbearably frail and pale.

Xie Xi reassured her several times, and though Ji Yongshu listened obediently, she never voiced her own thoughts, let alone forgave Zhou Yi.

Seeing that Ji Yongshu was dead set on cutting ties with Zhou Yi, Xie Xi had no choice but to shift her focus to Bai Yingying.

Her words were sincere, and she apologized repeatedly. If it had been someone with a slightly softer heart, they might have already given in to her wishes.

Bai Yingying was indeed soft-hearted—that was precisely why Xie Xi had chosen to plead with her.

Unfortunately, Bai Yingying knew nothing except that Ji Yongshu was about to present as an alpha and could no longer marry Zhou Yi under any circumstances.

Xie Xi said, “This is all Zhou Yi’s fault. You can hit her, scold her, even make her kneel and apologize to Yongshu—anything is fine.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yi’s face turned green.

But Bai Yingying waved her hands in surprise. “How could that be?”

“Zhou Yi is a good girl. What could she possibly have done wrong?”

“It’s all our Yongyong being too willful. Ah, children grow up, and I can’t control her anymore.”

No matter how many times Xie Xi insisted that Zhou Yi was at fault, Bai Yingying kept insisting that Zhou Yi was blameless and that Ji Yongshu was the one in the wrong.

Xie Xi began to suspect Bai Yingying was deliberately being sarcastic and nearly lost her composure, her jaw clenched tight.

This Bai Yingying—wasn’t she supposed to be a bit of an airhead?

Since when she had become so difficult to deal with?!

Ji Yongshu, listening nearby, could barely hold back her laughter. It took all her effort to keep a straight face—not only to avoid being noticed but also to maintain a pitiful, dejected expression.

In the end, they parted on bad terms.

When Xie Xi left, her face was expressionless, and she barely spoke another word. Zhou’s father, who had been talking with Ji Fengchu, also didn’t look too pleased.

The matter of breaking off the engagement was settled. The two families would jointly find a reliable media outlet to announce the news before releasing official statements from their respective companies.

Only after the Zhou family had left done Ji Yongshu slump onto the sofa with a long sigh of relief. “Finally got rid of them.”

Bai Yingying, however, was uncharacteristically stern, her teeth gritted. “You think this is easy for me?”

Ji Yongshu looked up at her mother to find Bai Yingying with her hands on her hips, glaring at her like an interrogator.

“You and your father are keeping everything from me now, aren’t you?”

“Out with it—what exactly did Zhou Yi do?!”

Amusement flickered in Ji Yongshu’s eyes. “So, you’ve already noticed, Mom.”

“You really thought I was stupid?!” Bai Yingying huffed with a proud little sniff.

At first, she genuinely knew nothing, but when Xie Xi spoke so seriously, she began to sense something was wrong.

Yet, that still didn’t fully click for her.

The most crucial part was that she had just caught Ji Yongshu smirking.

Right in the middle of her back-and-forth with Xie Xi.

“Here I am, your mother, being kept in the dark like a fool, and you—how dare you laugh!” Bai Yingying was furious. “Out with it! What did Zhou Yi do to betray you?”

Ji Yongshu cleared her throat and recounted Zhou Yi’s infidelity in full detail.

Bai Yingying’s eyes reddened with anger. “I should’ve cursed her out more just now!”

Ji Yongshu, in turn, comforted her mother. “It’s fine. I never liked her anyway.”

Was this really about whether she liked her or not?!

Bai Yingying shot her a glare but ultimately held her tongue.

Her daughter had been wronged, and she hadn’t even known.

Ji Yongshu could guess what she was thinking and quickly changed the subject. “By the way, Mom, I might need to go out again this afternoon.”

Bai Yingying immediately forgot about Zhou Yi’s betrayal. “You’re about to complete your differentiation, and you’re in your sensitive period. What could you possibly need to go out for?”

The smile on Ji Yongshu’s face faded slightly. She averted her gaze, letting it settle on a green potted plant nearby.

“To find the person who can help me through my sensitive period.”