After Differentiating into an Alpha, I Marked My Love Rival - Chapter 17

Ji Yongshu was somewhat surprised when Jiang Zhiluo mentioned she was the first person she had ever brought home.

Given Jiang Zhiluo’s personality, she shouldn’t lack friends—had she really never invited any of them over before?

But then again, some people simply preferred not to let others into their private living space, which was perfectly normal.

She deliberately avoided thinking about why Jiang Zhiluo had taken the initiative to invite her here.

It was only five in the afternoon, and the sun hadn’t yet set. Warm sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on the cream-colored floor.

Jiang Zhiluo’s home was exceptionally cozy—the sofa was draped with a beige-patterned cover, the table held a woven fruit basket, and a white vase with a few beautiful white Lisianthus flowers stood nearby.

The sunlight bathed the white petals, their faint pink edges shimmering with gold, each bloom exquisitely radiant.

Not to mention the faint, indescribable fragrance lingering in the air—something warm and comforting.

In such an environment, Ji Yongshu instinctively softened her footsteps.

Just then, she suddenly heard the tiny whimpers of a puppy coming from a corner of the living room.

It was that chubby little Labrador!

Ji Yongshu didn’t realize how her eyes instantly lit up at the sound, but Jiang Zhiluo, who had been watching her closely, noticed the change in her expression.

“The puppy might be hungry.”

Since Ji Yongshu wasn’t in a hurry to leave, she set her bag down on Jiang Zhiluo’s sofa, removed the shawl from her shoulders, and walked toward the puppy in her pale yellow qipao and slippers.

“Let me take a look.”

She crouched down and playfully teased the puppy in the cardboard box, only for the hungry little thing to immediately latch onto her fingertip, gnawing and suckling eagerly.

Even though Ji Yongshu had washed her hands upon entering, she still didn’t dare let the puppy lick her too much and quickly withdrew her finger.

“She’s really hungry. Let’s give her some milk,” she said without turning around, addressing Jiang Zhiluo.

As she spoke, she gently stroked the puppy’s belly, her heart melting at the warm, soft touch.

“She might also need to pee,” she murmured uncertainly.

Puppies digested quickly and needed frequent bathroom breaks.

The one Jiang Zhiluo was raising was especially well-behaved—it knew not to relieve itself in the cardboard box. Even when desperate, it would only whimper loudly, never dirtying its sleeping area.

Ji Yongshu had never cleaned up after a puppy before and felt momentarily at a loss, turning to Jiang Zhiluo for help.

Jiang Zhiluo was shaking a bottle filled with warm goat’s milk.

Meeting Jiang Zhiluo’s expectant gaze, Ji Yongshu couldn’t help but wonder who between them was the one with years of dog-raising experience.

“I’ll handle it,” Jiang Zhiluo said, handing the bottle to Ji Yongshu. “Sister, hold this for me first.”

Ji Yongshu took it reflexively, only realizing her own awkwardness when Jiang Zhiluo carried the puppy to the bathroom. She cleared her throat, slightly embarrassed.

And here she’d claimed to be experienced with dogs—yet she didn’t even know how to help one relieve itself.

But back then, she had only ever fed them. These tasks had never been her responsibility.

Jiang Zhiluo returned with the little puppy much sooner than Ji Yongshu had anticipated.

Ji Yongshu couldn’t even imagine Jiang Zhiluo picking up after the puppy.

Such a gentle, refined beauty suddenly seemed pulled down to the mortal world, infused with the warmth of everyday life.

When Jiang Zhiluo caught the strange look in the woman’s eyes as she stood in the living room, she immediately understood what the other was thinking. She shook her head with faint amusement but didn’t explain.

“The little one must be starving,” Ji Yongshu said, pulling her wandering thoughts back and handing the milk bottle to Jiang Zhiluo.

The omega cradled the soft little puppy in her arms, guiding the n1pple into its mouth. The pup, clearly famished, suckled eagerly with tiny whimpers, its pink mouth smacking occasionally.

Its tail wagged unconsciously behind it, its round belly rising and falling with each gulp, tiny paws trembling as it drank.

So well-behaved.

Ji Yongshu stared at the puppy intently, unable to tear her eyes away even for a moment.

Labrador puppies had curly fur, docile as plush toys. The white coat was soft and smooth to the touch, warm with the pup’s body heat—so endearing that Ji Yongshu couldn’t resist petting it.

Jiang Zhiluo held the puppy with one arm while feeding it with the other.

Ji Yongshu knelt in front of her, watching the pup together, occasionally reaching out to stroke its little head.

The scene was so heartwarming that one wished to capture it instantly. The warm sunlight bathed them, as if rejoicing in the moment.

Jiang Zhiluo stole a glance at Ji Yongshu, her gaze lingering on the woman’s tender expression, reluctant to look away.

Ji Yongshu was smiling, her eyes brimming with warmth.

Her pupils were darker than most, giving her an inscrutable, dangerous air when she wasn’t smiling.

But when she did, her face melted like ice under a warm breeze, softening into something tender.

Though that tenderness wasn’t meant for her, Jiang Zhiluo still greedily drank in the sight, etching it deeply into her memory.

Let her be selfish just this once—pretend that Ji Yongshu’s warmth and affection in this moment were all for her.

She stared for so long that Ji Yongshu could no longer pretend not to notice. Lifting her eyes, she met the omega’s gaze and asked softly, “What are you thinking about?”

Why was she looking at her like that?

Jiang Zhiluo remained unruffled. After setting the empty bottle on the coffee table, she cupped the puppy in both hands and placed it on the floor.

“I was thinking… I haven’t named the puppy yet. What do you think would suit it, jie?”

Since she refused to say, Ji Yongshu took her at her word.

“It’s so round and soft.”

She tapped the pup’s head lightly with her fingertip. The little dog had latched onto a corner of her qipao, gnawing away contentedly.

“Let’s call it Mianmian.”

Soft and fluffy.

“Mianmian,” Jiang Zhiluo repeated, her face softening into a gentle smile. “It fits.”

Ji Yongshu didn’t respond, and Jiang Zhiluo said nothing more. The two simply watched quietly as the puppy chewed on Ji Yongshu’s qipao, like doting on a mischievous, lively child.

Ji Yongshu probably didn’t realize how much they resembled a pair of newly minted alpha-omega parents, eagerly choosing a name for their child with excitement and anticipation.

After what felt like an eternity, Jiang Zhiluo finally murmured, “Sister, I need to go find something.”

Ji Yongshu snapped out of her daze and glanced at her watch. To her surprise, nearly an hour had passed since she stepped into Jiang Zhiluo’s home.

Had she really spent over half an hour just staring at a puppy?

She didn’t understand what was happening to her, but she had to admit—being with Jiang Zhiluo brought her an inexplicable sense of ease, which was why she hadn’t noticed time slipping away.

“Alright, go ahead.”

Ji Yongshu didn’t look up, continuing to tease the puppy with her fingers to mask her flustered state.

As the sound of footsteps faded, her mind wandered again—what could Jiang Zhiluo possibly give her?

There weren’t many items that could absorb someone’s pheromones and retain them for a short period.

Jiang Zhiluo soon returned. When Ji Yongshu looked up and saw what she was holding, her expression froze momentarily.

It was a round, plush orange toy.

The bright orange body was adorned with two green leaves, two round eyes, and a pouting mouth that looked on the verge of tears.

The reason for Ji Yongshu’s surprise was simple—she had once owned an identical plushie.

Over two years ago, while accompanying an omega friend on an outing, she had won the orange plush from a claw machine at an arcade. Her friend had loved it, so Ji Yongshu had given it to her.

Later, however, they encountered a crying little girl on the street. To comfort her, her friend had passed the toy along.

It was a trivial incident, but the plushie’s distinctive expression had left a lasting impression on Ji Yongshu, which was why she recognized it instantly.

Then again, such toys weren’t exactly rare. It wasn’t strange for Jiang Zhiluo to have one just like it.

Noticing Ji Yongshu’s lingering gaze, Jiang Zhiluo nervously squeezed the plushie’s soft body and explained shyly, “I like hugging it when I sleep. It should meet your requirements, Sister.”

It wasn’t really a “requirement”—Ji Yongshu was already grateful for Jiang Zhiluo’s willingness to help. She would have accepted anything.

“Thank you. It’s adorable.”

At the compliment, Jiang Zhiluo’s cheeks flushed crimson, as if the praise had been directed at her instead.

She handed the plushie over, murmuring, “If… its pheromones aren’t strong enough, you can always come back to me.”

Ji Yongshu’s lashes fluttered slightly. “Alright. Thank you, Zhiluo.”

The impact of those words was undeniable—Jiang Zhiluo’s face burned even brighter, her blush now impossible to hide.

Peeking up at Ji Yongshu with bashful eyes, she stammered, “Y-You’re welcome.”

Ji Yongshu averted her gaze and stood. “Then I won’t disturb you any longer.”

Jiang Zhiluo escorted her to the underground garage, where Xie Yangqing was waiting by the car. Upon seeing them, he stepped forward.

“Miss Ji, Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Zhiluo gave him a slight nod before turning to Ji Yongshu. “Be careful on your way back, sister.”

“Let me know if you need anything.”

Ji Yongshu curved her lips into a faint smile. “Mm, thank you.”

On the way back, Jiang Zhiluo’s bodyguard drove the car. With an outsider present, Xie Yangqing couldn’t ask her anything, so he had to wait until they returned to the Ji residence before bringing up what had just happened.

Ji Yongshu shook the bag in her hand—inside was the orange plush toy Jiang Zhiluo had given her.

Xie Yangqing let out a sigh of relief. It was good that Jiang Zhiluo was willing to help.

Ji Yongshu placed the orange plush toy on her bedside.

Though she knew she was still in the throes of her rut, it hadn’t affected her much before, so Ji Yongshu hadn’t been particularly vigilant. But that very night, it hit her hard.

An alpha in rut loses all reason and logic. Ji Yongshu had locked her door from the inside, leaving no way for anyone to enter.

Bai Yingying paced anxiously outside the room, tears welling in her eyes. Ji Fengchu wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders and comforted her, “Don’t worry too much. Yongshu knows her limits.”

She had locked the door while still lucid—meaning she was confident she could endure the rut on her own.

Bai Yingying could only fret helplessly.

While those outsides were frantic with worry, Ji Yongshu inside could no longer hear anything.

The alpha, consumed by restless agitation, wore only a thin camisole nightgown, her damp hair cascading messily down her back. She curled into a ball in the corner, knees hugged tightly to her chest, her eyes bloodshot and wild.

Ji Yongshu clutched the orange plush toy desperately, burying her nose into it, inhaling deeply to absorb the faint, sweet fragrance of tea.

Mmm… so good.

It smelled like her wife!

I want my wife.