After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 30

The slender figure curled up in the suitcase, limbs folded awkwardly, looked pitiful. Mu Huayue gently lifted her out, resting the girl’s fuzzy head against her shoulder. A faint smile lingered on her lips as she murmured, “Silly little cat, Sister will take you home.”

Years of gym training had given Mu Huayue a lean, muscular build. Carrying the frail girl out of the room was effortless. Noticing the girl’s bare feet, she slipped her own slippers onto her feet.

As they reached the door, Mu Huayue spotted the burly man waiting outside. When he moved to help, she glared coldly and demanded, “Did you drug her?”

The man, nearly half a head taller than her, instinctively shrank under her gaze. He hesitated before stammering, “Yes, as Madam instructed, I administered a sleeping injection. Rest assured, Miss, I didn’t touch her otherwise.”

Mu Huayue scoffed. “Then how did she end up in the suitcase? Did she crawl in herself?”

“Well… Miss, I… I moved her very gently,” the man stammered.

Mu Huayue’s face twisted with disgust. “You touched her.”

The man hung his head, a bead of cold sweat sliding down his forehead to drip onto the floor with a plop. “I… it was Madam’s order. I… I wore gloves and carried her to the sofa. I didn’t touch anything I shouldn’t have.”

The sharp gaze that landed on him made him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles. He felt like prey caught in the sights of a hawk, certain he’d be saying goodbye to his mother and soaring to the heavens in the next instant.

Then, he heard his fate pronounced.

“What are you still standing here for? Take her back the way you came.”

The Young Miss, her arm around the frail beauty, strode away with brisk steps. Only then did the man snap out of his daze, hurriedly agreeing and scurrying after her, inwardly marveling: Truly an Alpha. One look from her and this hulking Beta is terrified. He wondered what the mother-daughter pair were up to, flitting back and forth in the dead of night. Were they sneaking out on a private jet?

He didn’t understand, nor did he dare ask. He quietly boarded the plane, instructed the pilot to return to base, and found a corner to huddle in.

In the vast cabin, only Mu Huayue and Xia Youxi remained. Secured by her seatbelt, the unconscious young woman leaned her head obediently against Mu Huayue’s shoulder. After a while, Mu Huayue’s shoulder grew stiff. She unfastened Xia Youxi’s seatbelt, laid her horizontally on the sofa with her head resting in her lap, and gently wrapped an arm around her.

The sweet floral scent of pheromones lingered around her, the once-repulsive aroma now a soothing elixir. Mu Huayue inhaled deeply, slowly closing her eyes.

On the day they first met, Xia Youxi, newly transformed into an Alpha, had bitten Mu Huayue’s nape like a young beast, injecting pheromones to temporarily mark her. This act had relieved her pain but also filled her with disgust.

Now that the temporary mark had faded, the young woman before her seemed more agreeable. The old man had said this foolish girl was merely a tool, but a remarkably useful one.

Yet, for some reason, Mu Huayue found herself increasingly reluctant to treat Xia Youxi as a mere instrument.

As the night deepened, the airplane pierced through the starry sky, landing back on solid ground before dawn.

A man quietly informed Mu Huayue that they had reached the island.

Mu Huayue acknowledged him with a nod, opening her drowsy eyes to gaze at the girl lying obediently on her. Her brows arched slightly as she smiled softly. Instead of using a suitcase, she gently supported Xia Youxi back to their residence, just as she had done upon arrival.

The security cameras near the villa had been disabled using their authority. Mu Huayue guided Xia Youxi slowly up the steps, pushed open the bedroom door, and carefully laid her back on the bed.

After a restless night, the young girl’s hair was a tangled mess, resembling a lion cub’s unruly mane. This made her chuckle. She gently smoothed the strands with her slender fingers. As she rose, she noticed Xia Weixi’s lips twitching slightly. She leaned back down, her gaze lingering on the full, pouty lips before slowly drifting upward to press a soft kiss against Xia Weixi’s forehead.

With flushed ears, she hurried away.

Xia Youxi remained completely unaware of all this, still unconscious. Even as dawn broke and it was time to report for the public performance rehearsal, she remained deeply asleep.

The man’s dose had been far too strong for her. When she finally woke up, the sun was high in the sky. Opening her eyes, she found herself surrounded by people: Guan He, Sibe, her former teammates, and the Production Team Director were all there, startling her.

“Sis, are you okay?” Sibe asked anxiously from her left.

Guan He frowned from her right. “Don’t worry. There’s no pressure on you. No one would dare force you to withdraw from the competition. I’ve already taken care of everything.”

Huh?

Still groggy, Xia Youxi pushed herself up in confusion. Guan He and Sibe supported her on either side like two guardians, leaving her feeling utterly bewildered.

She remembered vaguely encountering a dangerous man last night. Had Guan He handled it?

Wasn’t Sister Mu supposed to help her?

Xia Youxi felt a pang of regret, though she wasn’t sure why. She smiled faintly. “Thank you, Captain, for your help, and thank you all for checking on me. But the performance is about to start. Shouldn’t we go prepare?”

“Alright.”

Troubled by their enthusiasm, Xia Youxi chuckled awkwardly. “I’ll rest for a bit, change my clothes, and join you soon.”

Sibe and Guan He still hesitated, their faces etched with concern. The others coaxed and half-carried them away.

The show’s director remained anxious. “Yousey, are you sure you’ll be okay for tonight’s performance? The team doctor checked you and said you’re fine, but this place lacks proper medical equipment. Should we take you to a hospital for a thorough examination?”

“Absolutely not,” Xia Youxi insisted. Since waking up, she felt perfectly normal, suspecting she had merely fainted from exhaustion the previous night. Given her sensitive status and the unknown risks of this remote area, she had to refuse.

After exchanging a few more polite formalities, the director finally left.

Once everyone had departed, Xia Youxi finally had some peace. Instead of resting, she immediately got up to look for her electronic watch. As she slipped on her slippers, she noticed they had changed.

Yesterday’s pink slippers had been replaced by a black pair. She picked them up and saw a designer logo on the side. The size was slightly larger than her usual fit, resembling Mu Huayue’s shoe size.

The shoe size wasn’t unusual; many contestants wore the same size. The shoes themselves weren’t rare either, so they proved nothing.

Xia Youxi slipped on the new slippers and went to the bathroom. In her rush last night, she had tossed her smartwatch into a corner. After crouching down and fumbling around for a while, she finally managed to retrieve it from the narrow gap. She gently brushed off the dust and tapped the screen.

It lit up, but why was it still so dim?

Her chat with Mu Huayue remained open from last night.

Sister, doesn’t she care about me?

Xia Youxi lowered her gaze and sighed softly. She had wanted to send a quick “I’m safe” message, but she withdrew her hand, placed the smartwatch in a drawer, and walked out, feeling melancholy.

Her professional training allowed her to mask her emotions in public. On stage, Xia Youxi’s smile was radiant, like an energetic kitten, melting countless hearts. Her backstage metrics soared, but she was too preoccupied to care. Backstage, she transformed into a small mushroom, still wearing a forced smile.

On stage, Sibe was showcasing her rap skills. Guan He, being her teammate and nearby, noticed Xia Youxi’s unusual behavior and quietly asked, “Still worried about what happened yesterday?”

Xia Youxi was still troubled by Mu Huayue’s inappropriate behavior the previous night, absentmindedly humming in response.

Guan He frowned and scoffed softly, “Those guys are really bad news. But don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

“Huh?” Xia Youxi hadn’t even registered what Guan He had said, yet Guan He was already reassuring her with a confident pat on the shoulder. “Relax, I’ve got this.”

Handle what?

Xia Youxi’s face showed her confusion, but Guan He offered no explanation.

On the giant screen, footage of Guan He whispering to Xia Youxi appeared. Guan He shielded half of Xia Youxi’s face, and when she pulled away, Xia Youxi looked dazed, like a startled kitten frozen in place. The scene sent the live chat into a frenzy, with viewers shipping them to death.

I can’t take it anymore! How does Yousey look so good with everyone?!

The straights are gonna have a hard time understanding this.

What did Young Miss Guan say to scare my baby like that?!

Three seconds! I need the Production Team to mic them up!

The comments flooded the screen in a rapid stream. Sibe, who had just returned to the contestants’ area, stared in disbelief. Ignoring the live cameras, she strode over and slapped Guan He on the shoulder. “Wait a minute, sis! Weren’t you the one telling my idol to embrace celibacy? How come you’re the one getting involved now?”

Sibe, known for her impulsive nature and lack of forethought, blurted out the question. Immediately, all eyes in the contestant area turned to the trio. Viewers watching the live stream couldn’t hear the audio, leaving them to speculate wildly. Many assumed it was a classic “she loves her, she loves her too” drama, completely abandoning interest in the main stage performance to stare at the three.

Xia Youxi, startled by Sibe’s outburst, snapped back to reality and quietly cautioned, “Sibe, we’re live.”

Sibe pursed her lips but didn’t back down, continuing to glare directly at Guan He.

Guan He met her gaze unflinchingly, tilting her head back with an expression of disdain. “How unlucky. The standards for idols these days are too low. You can be brainless and still make it.”

Sibe, who had actually started to find Guan He tolerable in recent days, instantly reverted to her fiery temper. “Why are you insulting people?”

Guan He scoffed. “How unlucky.”

The director overseeing the contestant area shot them a warning glance. Xia Youxi, exasperated by the two childish bickering, grabbed one by each hand and firmly pulled them down to sit beside her. “Enough, both of you. Save this for after the performance. Don’t disrupt the stage.”

Even in this moment, they prioritized the cameras—truly dedicated idols. Guan He couldn’t help but curl her lips into a satisfied smile.

Sibe sat beside them, her lips pursed.

The scene spoke volumes, and the comments section exploded with activity.

OMG, a cat and a dog?

My pet already has a monogamous relationship before I do!

Ah, is this some kind of “burning winter” romance?

You three better make it work!

Xia Youxi, beyond exasperation at the absurd comments, suddenly thought of Mu Huayue. If just Sibe had sent Sister Mu into a shock, what would happen now that Guan He was in the picture? Would Sister Mu transform into the Magneto of electromagnetism?

Tsk.

A chill ran through Xia Youxi’s body, and she hugged herself protectively.

Another comment flashed across the screen: Ah, my poor baby! She looks like a fragile sandwich cookie. Be gentle with her!

In Jing City, Mu Huayue, finally catching a break, picked up her phone and tuned into the live stream of “Show Youth.” The first thing she saw was that comment. Her dark eyes deepened with displeasure as she frowned. Sandwich cookie?

She had barely slept the previous night, worrying about this little cat. She’d been negotiating business deals since dawn, working tirelessly until now, her eyes shadowed with fatigue.

And what was that cat doing? Putting on a show of being surrounded by two lovers on national television?

Xia Weixi, you’ve really outdone yourself!