After Differentiating into an Alpha, I Marked My Love Rival - Chapter 31

Chen Qiuyun was still chattering away. Ji Yongshu knew this was just her nature—even back when they were together, Chen Qiuyun would tirelessly profess her affection like this.

 

But the words “I like you” only stir the heart when spoken between mutual feelings. Ji Yongshu felt nothing for Chen Qiuyun, and hearing it over and over didn’t move her—it only grated on her nerves.

 

Who would’ve thought that after all these years, Chen Qiuyun’s personality hadn’t changed at all.

 

Ji Yongshu stayed silent, simply watching her coldly. Chen Qiuyun’s voice gradually trailed off, snapping out of her euphoria.

 

She, too, remembered the awkward history between her and Ji Yongshu.

 

More importantly, despite Ji Yongshu having differentiated into an Alpha, she carried the Pheromones of an Omega.

 

Chen Qiuyun had been so lost in the sweet scent of those Omega Pheromones that it was only now she realized—this Omega might have a deep connection to Ji Yongshu. Or worse, they might actually be Ji Yongshu’s Omega.

 

Though Chen Qiuyun had an innate bias against Alphas, she still knew how fiercely possessive they were of their Omegas. Others weren’t even allowed to catch a whiff of their Omega’s Pheromones, let alone mention them casually—it would only provoke displeasure.

 

Chen Qiuyun had always seen Ji Yongshu as an Omega and hadn’t fully come to terms with the fact that she had differentiated into an Alpha.

 

It wasn’t until she met the woman’s cold, distant gaze that Chen Qiuyun snapped back to reality—she had already crossed a line with Ji Yongshu.

 

But the lingering tea-like fragrance she had caught from Ji Yongshu still left her reluctant to let go.

 

She had never smelled Pheromones so intoxicating before. Even though the scent was faint, almost imperceptible, those delicate wisps drifting into her nose had sent a thrill through her.

 

Logically, Omegas shouldn’t feel drawn to the Pheromones of their own kind—they might even reject them.

 

But Chen Qiuyun was an exception. Even before her Differentiation, she had always been drawn to sweet, soft Omegas. As a child, all her playmates had been those pretty, adorable girls.

 

Even after she herself differentiated into an Omega, her preferences didn’t change.

 

OO relationships weren’t uncommon in this world, but they weren’t widespread either.

 

Still, natural-born OO lovers like Chen Qiuyun were rare.

 

Most OO relationships were like Gu Yiyi’s—strictly speaking, they weren’t attracted to the Omega attribute itself. Rather, they happened to fall for someone who was an Omega while being one themselves, thus forming an OO relationship.

 

Chen Qiuyun, however, was born this way—exclusively drawn to Omegas. This was evident in how her attitude toward Ji Yongshu had shifted.

 

Ji Yongshu was still the same person, her personality unchanged from start to finish. The only difference was her attribute changing from O to A. Yet, Chen Qiuyun’s enthusiasm for her seemed to have vanished overnight.

 

She would never have praised another Omega in front of Ji Yongshu like this before.

 

Of course, no matter what she did, Ji Yongshu’s heart remained utterly unmoved.

 

However, Chen Qiuyun kept pestering her, insisting on knowing who the owner of that tea-scented pheromone was, which annoyed Ji Yongshu greatly.

 

She couldn’t just casually disclose someone else’s information without Jiang Zhiluo’s permission, especially to an unrelated person. Moreover, it wasn’t that Ji Yongshu was biased against Chen Qiuyun—she genuinely believed Chen Qiuyun was unreliable.

 

Even setting aside their past grudges and conflicts, if Ji Yongshu were to evaluate Chen Qiuyun with complete objectivity, she still wouldn’t think Chen Qiuyun was a good match for Jiang Zhiluo.

 

Better not push the Omega into a pit of fire.

 

Ji Yongshu remained silent, and Chen Qiuyun felt as if a cat were scratching at her heart.

 

There was something inherently shameless about her personality—not that she was particularly devoted, but when it came to things she was interested in yet couldn’t obtain, Chen Qiuyun always became unreasonably stubborn.

 

She might not have truly liked Ji Yongshu that much before, but Ji Yongshu avoided her like the plague. Knowing full well how much she was bothering the other woman, Chen Qiuyun still shamelessly clung to her.

 

The only saving grace was that she knew how to toe the line, never pushing things to the point of outright hostility.

 

The reason they eventually cut ties wasn’t because of some dramatic fallout—Chen Qiuyun simply realized Ji Yongshu would never accept her and decided to stop bothering her. Ji Yongshu, of course, was more than happy to oblige, and the two of them silently drifted apart.

 

Looking back on those ridiculous past events now, Chen Qiuyun actually felt quite embarrassed. But when she saw Ji Yongshu’s aloof and indifferent face, the words “I’m sorry” just wouldn’t come out.

 

No matter how thick-skinned she was when pursuing someone, she still had a shred of pride left.

 

She didn’t need to think hard to imagine how Ji Yongshu would react if she actually apologized—the other woman would probably mock her from head to toe.

 

She had personally experienced just how scathing the usually restrained and polite Miss Ji could be in private.

 

Chen Qiuyun finally shut her mouth, and Ji Yongshu exhaled softly in relief. “I won’t tell you, and don’t even think about making a move on her.”

 

Chen Qiuyun could hear the disdain in her words, but she was long used to it—it didn’t faze her at all.

 

“So, she really is your Omega?”

 

Hadn’t Ji Yongshu only just undergone secondary differentiation into an Alpha? How did she get an Omega so quickly?

 

Chen Qiuyun’s voice was thick with envy. Despite her flirtatious and frivolous demeanor, she had actually never been in a relationship before.

 

Every Omega she took a liking to either already had a partner or simply didn’t like Omegas, outright rejecting her confessions.

 

Chen Qiuyun also wanted a sweet, soft Omega girlfriend!

 

She glared at Ji Yongshu’s calm expression, a surge of intense jealousy rising in her heart.

 

Why did Ji Yongshu have all the luck?

 

Back when she was still an Omega—even though she wasn’t into Omegas—there were still plenty of Omegas who secretly had crushes on her, quietly slipping her love letters.

 

Now that she had differentiated into an Alpha, she was probably even more popular among Omegas.

 

No wonder she had a girlfriend so quickly.

 

Meanwhile, Chen Qiuyun might as well have carved the words “I’m into Omegas” on her forehead, yet not a single Omega liked her!

 

Some were drowning in abundance, while others were parched with drought—life was truly unfair!

 

Ji Yongshu couldn’t care less about what the person before her was thinking. She had already completed the task Bai Yingying assigned her and could now report back.

 

Ji Yongshu had even considered just having the driver deliver a fruit basket—she couldn’t be bothered to come see for herself.

 

But then she thought that if Bai Yingying asked about Chen Qiuyun’s condition, she’d have nothing to say. So, Ji Yongshu reluctantly made the trip.

 

Now that she’d seen her, Chen Qiuyun was clearly lively enough. So what if she’d broken a leg? It wasn’t life-threatening—no need for Ji Yongshu to fuss over her.

 

With that thought, Ji Yongshu stood up and brushed off nonexistent dust from her clothes. “Since you’re about to rest, I’ll take my leave.”

 

Chen Qiuyun: ???

 

Chen Qiuyun was stunned. When had she ever said she was going to rest?

 

Ji Yongshu could lie with such a straight face that even Chen Qiuyun almost believed it.

 

“Won’t you stay a little longer?”

 

She was bored out of her mind. Even if Ji Yongshu didn’t particularly like her, Chen Qiuyun still hoped someone would stay and chat.

 

But Ji Yongshu was preoccupied with Jiang Zhiluo downstairs, and she really had nothing to say to Chen Qiuyun. She shook her head slightly. “No, I have other matters to attend to.”

 

Seeing how eager Ji Yongshu was to leave, Chen Qiuyun suddenly understood. “Wait—you didn’t come to the hospital for something else and just happened to drop by, did you?”

 

Ji Yongshu looked down at her without a word.

 

Chen Qiuyun cursed under her breath. She’d guessed right!

 

No wonder Ji Yongshu had “graciously” come to visit her in the hospital—she was just a side trip!

 

Studying Ji Yongshu’s expression, Chen Qiuyun clicked her tongue. “You look perfectly fine—not sick at all. So why are you here?”

 

Her eyes gleamed mischievously. “Could it be… you’re here with your Omega?”

 

She was still deeply curious about that tea-scented Omega.

 

Even if she couldn’t pursue her, being friends would be nice!

 

At those words, Ji Yongshu’s expression turned icy. She shot Chen Qiuyun a warning glare. “I told you—don’t even think about her.”

 

This was the first time Chen Qiuyun had seen Ji Yongshu so protective of an Omega. She pouted. “Fine, fine. No need to be stingy.”

 

Ji Yongshu had no patience left for this conversation. She grabbed her bag and turned to leave, but Chen Qiuyun suddenly called out, “Are you and Gu Yiyi still close?”

 

Without looking back, Ji Yongshu replied, “Obviously.”

 

Gu Yiyi had never done anything to betray her—why wouldn’t they still be friends?

 

After Ji Yongshu left and closed the door behind her, Chen Qiuyun slumped back against the headboard, all traces of amusement gone from her lips.

 

“Why is it fair? We both had the same intentions—why does she get to?”

 

She muttered to herself, then remembered Ji Yongshu wasn’t even the Omega she liked anymore. The resentment in her chest slowly faded.

 

Who needed an Alpha anyway? All she wanted was a sweet, obedient Omega!

 

——

 

Jiang Zhiluo stirred awake, the warm scent of sweet peaches filling her nose. Before she even opened her eyes, she instinctively leaned forward, inhaling deeper—the fragrance grew richer.

 

Jiang Zhiluo forced herself to open her sore eyelids. Although she had been mostly unconscious from last night until now, she hadn’t slept peacefully at all.

 

The wound kept throbbing with pain, and the fever left her mind foggy, unable to focus on anything.

 

After staring blankly into space for two minutes, she finally noticed a woman’s coat lying beside her.

 

That enticing sweet peach fragrance was emanating from the coat.

 

Without a doubt, it belonged to Ji Yongshu.

 

Jiang Zhiluo didn’t know when Ji Yongshu had come. She felt a pang of regret, upset that she hadn’t been able to speak with her.

 

She had known Ji Yongshu was coming. After moistening her throat in the morning, she had forced herself to stay awake for a while, but exhaustion eventually overwhelmed her, and she drifted back to sleep.

 

At least Ji Yongshu had left her coat behind. The Alpha’s pheromones eased some of the disappointment in Jiang Zhiluo’s heart.

 

Unable to resist, she used her uninjured arm to pull the coat closer, nuzzling her cheek gently against the collar.

 

Ji Yongshu often wore these little blazers—soft and comfortable fabric that didn’t irritate even the tenderest skin.

 

After rubbing her face against it, knowing no one was in the room, she buried her face in the coat like some lovesick fool, inhaling deeply.

 

She was chasing that peach scent. Her body, temporarily marked, craved the Alpha’s pheromones for comfort. But with the Alpha who had marked her absent, this was the only way Jiang Zhiluo could soothe the longing inside her.

 

Where did Sister go?

 

She guessed Ji Yongshu must have gone to the company. The Alpha was always busy with work, so squeezing in time to visit was already a rare gesture. Jiang Zhiluo understood.

 

But understanding rationally was one thing—emotionally, she couldn’t bear to see her leave.

 

When will Sister come to see me again?

 

She still had to stay in the hospital for a few more days, waiting for the wound on her arm to heal further before she could be discharged.

 

Lingering under the covers with the Alpha’s coat for a while longer, she finally reached toward the nightstand, wanting to check her phone.

 

But instead, her fingers brushed against something else.

 

Something like plastic wrap.

 

Her injured arm limited her movements, and when she first woke up, the Alpha’s coat had monopolized her attention—so she hadn’t noticed anything else on the nightstand.

 

Only now did she realize there was a bouquet of fox-tail lilies sitting there.

 

Her drowsy eyes widened abruptly. Struggling to shift her body and failing, she called her bodyguard in.

 

“Miss Jiang, you’re awake.”

 

The bodyguard adjusted the bed to raise her up, carefully helping her sit straight before asking, “Would you like something to eat?”

 

Jiang Zhiluo hadn’t even had breakfast, so he assumed she’d be hungry by now.

 

But the Omega, now propped up in bed, seemed to ignore his question entirely, pointing excitedly at the flowers on the nightstand instead.

 

“Bring those to me.”

 

The bodyguard noticed the excitement and anticipation in Jiang Zhiluo’s eyes as she carefully cradled the bouquet of flowers and placed it before her.

 

Jiang Zhiluo seemed as though she had never seen lilies before, utterly delighted. She rubbed her palms against the bedsheet to ensure they weren’t sweaty before gingerly tracing the petals with her fingertips.

 

The soft texture beneath her fingers confirmed that this wasn’t a figment of her imagination—it was real.

 

She licked her dry lips, her voice trembling ever so slightly. “Who sent these?”

 

Though she already had a guess, she still wanted confirmation.

 

The bodyguard replied, “Miss Ji brought them. You were already asleep when she arrived.”

 

Jiang Zhiluo couldn’t take her hands off the bouquet. Had the bodyguard not witnessed it himself, he wouldn’t have believed that Jiang Zhiluo could be so enamored with a simple bunch of lilies.

 

A young woman raised with a silver spoon in her mouth had surely seen every rare and expensive flower—it wasn’t the lilies she loved, but the person who had sent them.

 

The bodyguard added, “Before leaving, Miss Ji asked me a question.”

 

Jiang Zhiluo immediately tore her gaze from the lilies, locking eyes with him. “What did she say?”

 

He repeated the question Ji Yongshu had asked him that morning, along with his own response.

 

After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Zhiluo murmured, “I see.”

 

So, her sister still didn’t believe her.

 

Jiang Zhiluo knew her story was full of holes—Ji Yongshu had simply chosen not to expose them.

 

Truthfully, she had anticipated this outcome the moment she made her decision.

 

She could have executed her plan more flawlessly, but she had wanted to test Ji Yongshu—to see if, even knowing it was her scheme, Ji Yongshu would still play along.

 

Fortunately, the result hadn’t disappointed her.

 

Still, it was a risky move, one Jiang Zhiluo wouldn’t lightly use to probe Ji Yongshu again.

 

She knew Ji Yongshu was a proud woman who disliked being manipulated.

 

The worst-case scenario would have been Ji Yongshu refusing to indulge her, but Jiang Zhiluo had already prepared a backup plan.

 

If this scheme succeeded, she might glimpse Ji Yongshu’s true feelings. If it failed, she was ready to confess outright and lay all her cards on the table.

 

Luckily, Ji Yongshu hadn’t been angry with her.

 

In this tug-of-war between them, Jiang Zhiluo was, for now, holding the upper hand.

 

But this advantage hinged entirely on Ji Yongshu’s willingness to cooperate. The moment Ji Yongshu withdrew, Jiang Zhiluo would lose everything.

 

So, to ensure Ji Yongshu would always play along, Jiang Zhiluo would keep working to strengthen her position.

 

Beyond schemes, she needed Ji Yongshu to see her sincerity.

 

The bodyguard spoke again, “Miss Jiang, we spotted two suspicious individuals near the stairwell earlier.”

 

He and Ji Yongshu’s driver had kept an eye on them, but though the pair had glanced furtively in their direction multiple times, they never approached, leaving the bodyguards with no reason to act.

 

Jiang Zhiluo frowned. “When?”

 

“Right after Miss Ji left the ward,” he answered.

 

Jiang Zhiluo guessed it might be reporters following Ji Yongshu. She knew Ji Yongshu had held a press conference this morning, and now there must be countless people keeping an eye on her. It was hardly surprising that someone had tailed her.

 

There were always those with unique connections.

 

But the hospital room was tightly guarded by bodyguards, leaving no opportunity for the followers to investigate further.

 

Suddenly, Jiang Zhiluo grew worried about Ji Yongshu. She wanted to send her a message to warn her, but then realized Ji Yongshu was probably more aware than she was of the consequences this announcement would bring.

 

She didn’t want to disturb Ji Yongshu.

 

After much deliberation, Jiang Zhiluo merely sighed softly. “Alright, you can leave now.”

 

“But what about you—”

 

Jiang Zhiluo knew what he wanted to say and waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t feel like eating. No appetite.”

 

How could she eat when she was so worried about Ji Yongshu?

 

But the moment she finished speaking, a knock sounded at the door. Jiang Zhiluo pressed her lips together, her heart leaping with a thrilling suspicion.

 

Ji Yongshu’s driver was already outside, yet someone had still knocked on the door. The only person with that kind of authority was likely one person.

 

Jiang Zhiluo quickly instructed the bodyguard to place the flowers on the bedside table and hurried to the door, pulling it open from inside.

 

She couldn’t see who was outside, but she heard the bodyguard say, “Miss Ji.”

 

Unconsciously, Jiang Zhiluo tightened her grip on the object in her hand. The texture beneath her fingers felt different from the bedsheet, and she suddenly realized what it was. She tried to hide it, but it was already too late.

 

As Ji Yongshu stepped into the room, she saw Jiang Zhiluo stuffing a small white blazer under the blanket—except for one sleeve that remained exposed, clearly visible to Ji Yongshu.

 

Her footsteps paused, her gaze fixed on that sleeve.

 

Jiang Zhiluo followed her line of sight and looked down, flushing at her own foolishness.

 

Ji Yongshu’s blazer was now crumpled beyond recognition, clearly unwearable.

 

“I’m sorry, sister…”

 

Jiang Zhiluo peeked at Ji Yongshu, her face burning, and only relaxed when she saw a hint of amusement in the Alpha’s eyes.

 

“Have you had breakfast?” Ji Yongshu sat down by the bed, not mentioning the blazer at all, as if the exposed sleeve didn’t exist.

 

Jiang Zhiluo answered calmly, “Not yet. I just woke up and was about to eat.”

 

Ji Yongshu didn’t press further. She had someone bring in a bowl of vegetable congee—Jiang Zhiluo could only eat light foods for now.

 

The Omega’s right hand was injured, making it awkward to eat with her left. Moving around too much might aggravate the wound. Ji Yongshu took the spoon from her. “Let me help.”

 

Jiang Zhiluo was stunned, overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness. It took her a moment to recover.

 

She hadn’t been trying to appear helpless in front of Ji Yongshu on purpose. While she was delighted by the Alpha’s thoughtfulness, she also worried Ji Yongshu might misunderstand her intentions.

 

This time, she truly hadn’t meant to scheme against her sister.

 

But she couldn’t say that outright, so Jiang Zhiluo simply accepted Ji Yongshu’s tenderness.

 

Ji Yongshu wasn’t very experienced with this kind of thing. She’d seen others test the temperature of porridge with their lips when feeding someone, but given her current relationship with Jiang Zhiluo, such an action would clearly be inappropriate. She could only blow on it a little longer before carefully feeding it to Jiang Zhiluo.

 

It had cooled down a bit.

 

But Jiang Zhiluo didn’t mind. Her heart was so full of sweetness that there was no room for anything else.

 

Yet after just a few bites, Jiang Zhiluo suddenly furrowed her brows. When Ji Yongshu brought the spoon to her lips again, Jiang Zhiluo subtly sniffed at Ji Yongshu’s fingers.

 

Her fingers hidden under the covers suddenly tightened around the coat in her grip, her breathing quickening noticeably. The rise and fall of her chest grew more pronounced before being forcibly suppressed by their owner.

 

Jiang Zhiluo stared fixedly at Ji Yongshu, sweeping her gaze from head to toe, lingering repeatedly on Ji Yongshu’s face and hands.

 

When Ji Yongshu noticed her gaze, for some reason, she suddenly felt her body tense.

 

What was Jiang Zhiluo looking at?

 

Of course, Jiang Zhiluo wouldn’t answer her. Nor did she avert her gaze—only those watery eyes gradually reddened, like ripples spreading across a still lake.

 

Why did her sister carry the scent of an unfamiliar Omega’s pheromones?