After Differentiating into an Alpha, I Marked My Love Rival - Chapter 7

After learning that Zhou Yi had met Jiang Zhiluo, Ji Yongshu found herself inexplicably restless, as if something significant was about to happen.

She exhaled deeply, reassuring herself that everything was within her expectations—no surprises would occur.

The tablet in her hands still displayed the plot that had captivated her earlier, but now she couldn’t focus on it at all.

Unconsciously, her gaze drifted to the time in the upper right corner, each second feeling agonizingly slow.

Just half an hour later, Xie Yangqing’s call came through.

Ji Yongshu startled, only then realizing she had been spacing out for so long.

She rubbed her sore eyelids, her eyes so dry they nearly teared up.

Xie Yangqing’s voice came through the phone: “Miss Zhou Yi has already left.”

Ji Yongshu had guessed this was the reason for his call, but hearing it aloud, she instinctively responded, “So soon?”

Xie Yangqing couldn’t help but chuckle on the other end. “Miss Ji?”

Only then did Ji Yongshu realize she had spoken her thoughts out loud.

Embarrassment washed over her. Thinking it was one thing, but letting Xie Yangqing hear it—would he assume her mind was full of indecent thoughts?

“Where did Zhou Yi go afterward?” Ji Yongshu quickly changed the subject.

Xie Yangqing composed himself, his tone returning to its usual calm and detached cadence. “She headed back toward the company.”

Ji Yongshu understood—it had just been a brief meeting.

Of course. Not every encounter had to lead to something. She was overthinking it.

It was broad daylight on a workday—Zhou Yi wouldn’t abandon her responsibilities for Jiang Zhiluo.

Ji Yongshu cleared her throat. “So, this was all for nothing?”

“Not necessarily,” Xie Yangqing said. “I’ll send you the photos.”

After hanging up, Ji Yongshu received the images from Xie Yangqing.

She studied them for a while. The first two only showed Zhou Yi, looking hurried and glancing around nervously as she stepped out of the car, as if afraid of being noticed.

Clearly up to no good.

For some reason, Ji Yongshu actually laughed aloud at the sight.

Zhou Yi’s cautious demeanor must have amused her.

The first two photos were unremarkable—just Zhou Yi—so Ji Yongshu skimmed them quickly.

But the last photo featured a bright-eyed, radiant girl in a qipao, her slender waist accentuated to a breathtaking degree. Her long hair cascaded down her back, spilling over her shoulders as she bent to enter the car, her stunning face half-hidden.

Just the sight of that face brought back the memory of the warmth of those lips.

Ji Yongshu’s expression darkened as she forcefully suppressed the inappropriate thoughts.

What the hell? Why had she been dwelling on this so much lately?

She could only blame it on the effects of her secondary gender differentiation.

On the verge of becoming an alpha, her mindset was shifting accordingly, making her prone to wandering thoughts at the sight of an omega.

Ji Yongshu cursed inwardly. Was she really turning into one of those creepy, obsessive alphas?

She considered it—the Ji family had omega maids, yet she had never entertained improper thoughts about them.

Except for Jiang Zhiluo.

Perhaps it was because she had caught Jiang Zhiluo’s pheromones during her differentiation period that she harbored such unusual thoughts about her.

Ji Yongshu couldn’t help but rub her scent gland again. Over the past couple of days, she hadn’t felt as exhausted, but her body still lacked energy—she’d rather lie down than sit up.

Relying entirely on Zhou Yi was out of the question. Who knew when she’d go see Jiang Zhiluo again?

Ji Yongshu pulled up Jiang Zhiluo’s profile on her phone. She had already reviewed it countless times, yet something still felt off.

According to the records, Jiang Zhiluo was just a wealthy young woman from a decent family—though not as prominent as the Ji or Zhou families.

But Ji Yongshu couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the whole story.

She opened the photo Xie Yangqing had just sent, her gaze settling on the man standing by the car door, shielding Jiang Zhiluo’s head from above.

Tall and imposing, his face was resolute, his eyes carrying a distinct intensity.

Though his focus was mostly on Jiang Zhiluo, his peripheral vision seemed to flicker toward the camera.

Ji Yongshu’s expression grew increasingly serious. There was something undeniably dangerous about this man—he didn’t seem like an ordinary bodyguard.

His demeanor bore an uncanny resemblance to that mercenary who often followed Ji Fengchu.

Recalling that man—always expressionless, his occasional glances laced with a cold, metallic scent—Ji Yongshu couldn’t help but wonder:

Just who is Jiang Zhiluo?

After a moment of contemplation, she sent Xie Yangqing a message:

Try to arrange a meeting with Jiang Zhiluo for me.

She knew Xie Yangqing would find a way.

A few minutes later, he replied:

Got it.

Ji Yongshu didn’t mention this to Bai Yingqian just yet. To this day, her mother remained unaware that her future daughter-in-law had already strayed.

She wasn’t sure what Ji Fengchu had told her, but Bai Yingqian hadn’t brought up Ji Yongshu’s engagement to Zhou Yi again.

That afternoon, Xie Yangqing sent another update:

Miss Jiang has agreed. The location is up to you.

Ji Yongshu was surprised. Jiang Zhiluo was actually letting her choose the venue?

Didn’t she worry about potential danger?

Then again, remembering Jiang Zhiluo’s enigmatic bodyguard, it made sense.

With someone like that protecting her, what did she have to fear?

Ji Yongshu picked a private dining establishment—the very same place where Zhou Yi had met Jiang Zhiluo.

She did it on purpose.

The next day at noon, Ji Yongshu took extra care with her appearance. She wore a velvet spaghetti-strap maxi dress, layered with a light coat, a pearl necklace resting against her collarbone, and a matching pearl anklet.

Her fair skin glowed against the outfit, giving her the air of a princess from a castle—every movement exuding an effortless charm.

Hearing the door open, Bai Yingqian stepped out of the study.

“Yongyong, are you going out?”

She sounded surprised. After all, Ji Yongshu had been staying home ever since learning about her impending differentiation.

“Yes, I have some business to take care of.”

Ji Yongshu offered no further explanation. Holding her small purse in one hand, she waved with the other.

“Mom, don’t wait for me for lunch.”

Bai Yingying noticed the alpha suppressant patch on the back of her neck and couldn’t help but remind her again, “Did you bring the suppressants?”

“I did.”

Ji Yongshu pushed open the door to find Xie Yangqing waiting by the car with two bodyguards.

She and Xie Yangqing sat in the back seat—this was their first meeting since that day in the study.

“How have you been feeling lately?”

Seeing that she seemed more energetic than before, Xie Yangqing inwardly breathed a small sigh of relief.

No one knew what changes secondary differentiation would bring to Ji Yongshu. Her pheromones had been extremely unstable lately, and by all accounts, she shouldn’t be going out.

But Ji Yongshu was determined to resolve this matter before her differentiation was fully complete.

“Not bad.”

She could gradually sense the changes in her body’s pheromones. Things that were once impossible now seemed effortless.

For instance, after differentiating into an alpha, her acuity had become more pronounced than before, and even her five senses had undergone subtle changes.

Ji Yongshu fully realized this one day when she opened a window and discovered she could see things that had once been unclear.

Alphas truly were nature’s favored ones—they were naturally endowed with more abilities than omegas, which was why they became leaders in every field.

Though Ji Yongshu had never felt inferior to alphas when she was an omega, she now had to admit that some physical traits simply couldn’t be compensated for.

An omega’s body was softer than an alpha’s and more susceptible to pheromonal influence.

At this thought, Ji Yongshu couldn’t help but spread open her palm. Her skin was still as fair as before, but the strength it held now felt different.

Ji Yongshu had always maintained a habit of regular exercise. Where she used to feel exhausted after training, her stamina now seemed boundless.

She accepted these changes with composure.

The only inconvenience was when going out—where she once only needed omega suppressant patches, she now had to carry alpha suppressants at all times.

Alphas were easily influenced by omega pheromones. Once they entered a rut, they would lose all rationality, driven purely by instinct.

Ji Yongshu disliked that feeling.

Before entering, she even wore a mask—a specialized one designed to block pheromones.

Xie Yangqing opened the private room’s door for her, and Ji Yongshu straightened her posture before leisurely stepping inside.

Hearing the sound, Jiang Zhiluo looked up, her gaze lingering on the mask with a flicker of surprise.

It seemed that incident the other day had left a shadow on Ji Yongshu’s mind—so much so that she wore a mask when meeting her.

Jiang Zhiluo’s fingers, hidden beneath the table, clenched slightly, a pang of disappointment flashing through her heart.

Does sister not like my pheromones?

Unaware of the other’s thoughts, Ji Yongshu took a seat across from Jiang Zhiluo, with Xie Yangqing standing behind her.

“Hello, Miss Jiang. Let me introduce myself—I’m Zhou Yi’s fiancée, Ji Yongshu.”

As Ji Yongshu spoke, she took a careful look at the omega across from her, then subtly let her gaze sweep over the man standing behind Jiang Zhiluo.

The moment her eyes landed on him, the man immediately looked back. Their gazes met briefly in the air before both quickly averted their eyes.

Sure enough, this man gave her a strange feeling—he was definitely no ordinary bodyguard.

Yet when Jiang Zhiluo heard the words “fiancée,” her expression faltered for a moment. She stared blankly at Ji Yongshu, her eyes filled with such complex emotions that Ji Yongshu couldn’t decipher what she was thinking.

“Miss Jiang?” Ji Yongshu prompted her.

Jiang Zhiluo snapped out of her daze, a faint smile curving her lips. Her eyes shimmered with a soft glow, as if the person sitting across from her shared an extremely intimate bond with her.

“Hello, Miss Ji. I’m a friend of President Zhou.”

She referred to Zhou Yi as “President Zhou.”

Ji Yongshu noted that detail.

Lowering her gaze, she picked up her teacup and took a slow sip. “Yangqing, tell the owner to start serving the dishes.”

At the same time, Jiang Zhiluo glanced at Xie Yangqing beside Ji Yongshu. She knew this person—he was a trusted confidant of her sister.

Xie Yangqing nodded. “I’ve already given the order earlier.”

With the dishes yet to arrive, silence settled over the group. Ji Yongshu continued drinking her tea while discreetly observing the girl opposite her.

Jiang Zhiluo was calmer than she had expected. Despite knowing she was sitting across from Zhou Yi’s fiancée, she showed no signs of nervousness, nor did she attempt to make conversation. It was as if she could remain silent indefinitely unless Ji Yongshu spoke first.

Ji Yongshu curled her lips slightly but said nothing.

Jiang Zhiluo wasn’t refusing to speak—she simply had no mind to think of topics.

She might have appeared composed, but no one knew her palms were already damp with sweat.

Sitting across from her was the person she had yearned for over the past two years.

Jiang Zhiluo couldn’t stay calm.