After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 38

The sunlight was too bright. After Meng Chang left, Mu Huayue casually drew the curtains, dimming the room. The screen’s glow reflected on her face, adding a hint of sinister mystery.

Standing beside Xia Youxi, Mu Huayue could only see the hand moving across the screen. Sensing Xia Youxi’s gaze, Mu Huayue glanced sideways, her eyes gleaming with cold stars. Her hand shot out suddenly, startling Xia Youxi into shrinking back.

Slender fingers flashed before Xia Youxi’s eyes, snatching the medicine box Meng Chang had left on her lap. Tilting her head, Mu Huayue parted the curtains slightly, examining the box’s label in the sliver of natural light.

The sunlight illuminating her profile captivated Xia Youxi. In the hazy atmosphere, Sister Mu seemed to radiate a divine aura, like a Greek goddess in an oil painting.

After a moment, Mu Huayue turned her head, catching Xia Youxi staring at her in a daze, the medicine box still clutched in her hand. Amused, she lowered her gaze to peer at the “caged bird” and asked, “What’s wrong? Scared?”

Xia Youxi blinked, silent, her timidity palpable.

Mu Huayue couldn’t resist reaching out to playfully tilt Xia Youxi’s chin. “Pick one,” she teased.

“Pick what?” Xia Youxi asked, her voice trembling.

“Do you want the injection or—” Mu Huayue waved her phone—”the electric shock?”

Xia Youxi: ……

Neither option appealed to her. Meng Chang’s medicine was highly suspicious, and only a fool would choose electrocution.

Xia Youxi opted for the third option. “I choose Sister.”

“Hmm?” Mu Huayue lowered her head to scrutinize her.

Xia Youxi adopted an obedient expression. “Sister isn’t feeling well. I’ll stay and take care of you.”

Mu Huayue chuckled. “And you think you’re capable of that in your current state?”

Xia Youxi bit her lip, recalling the image she’d seen yesterday. Hesitantly, she offered, “If Sister is worried, I can wear a muzzle.”

Mu Huayue was stunned. Muzzles were among the most despised items for Alphas, typically only used in specific scenarios. Most Alphas considered wearing one a disgrace, yet this young girl was voluntarily offering to wear one.

Doesn’t she find it humiliating?

“Are you sure?”

Faced with Mu Huayue’s skepticism, Xia Youxi nodded firmly. “Yes, I want to ensure Sister’s safety.”

The corners of Mu Huayue’s mouth involuntarily lifted, but the smile vanished as quickly as it appeared. Her hand, which had been cupping Xia Youxi’s chin, slowly slid upward, her fingers gently brushing Xia Youxi’s soft cheek. Her voice, though soft, sent a chill down Xia Youxi’s spine: “If you insist on this, wouldn’t it be better to keep it on permanently?”

Xia Youxi suspected this was just a scare tactic. She pretended to be terrified, trembling like a frail lamb. “Sister…”

“Hmm.” Mu Huayue’s hand remained in place, feeling the slight tremor beneath her palm. “What do you think your admirers would think if they saw you wearing a muzzle?” she asked casually.

This was clearly a bluff. Mu Huayue would never risk exposing her secret.

Still, considering her current Omega identity, if others were to see this, wouldn’t it become CEO Mu’s scandal?

Cruel Alpha CEO bullies vulnerable Omega.

Xia Youxi sometimes wondered if her acting was too convincing, making CEO Mu genuinely treat her like a child to tease.

But she played along, lowering her gaze and letting a single tear slide down her cheek, landing perfectly on the back of Mu Huayue’s hand. Her face was gently lifted, meeting a refined face tinged with regret.

“Why are you crying?” Mu Huayue reached out to stroke Xia Youxi’s hair, coaxing gently, “Just teasing you, silly cat.”

Xia Youxi looked up with reddened eyes, softly nuzzling the hand on her head. She said nothing, but her silent gesture had already shattered Mu Huayue’s defenses.

“Alright, stop crying now.” Mu Huayue sighed, untying Xia Youxi from the chair. She stepped back two paces, phone in hand, and announced, “I’ve had Wen An request a leave of absence for you from Yin Ke. Stay here for today. As for the muzzle—”

She pointed to a box on the table. “Meng Chang brought it. Choose one yourself.”

Xia Youxi watched Mu Huayue walk toward the door, her voice urgent, “Sister, the suppressant.”

The suppressant remained in Mu Huayue’s hand, but she had no intention of giving it to Xia Youxi. “You don’t need it for now. If you can ensure you safely navigate your Scorching Bloom Period, I’ll grant you the corresponding freedom.”

With that, Mu Huayue left.

The dining room door remained ajar. Xia Youxi rubbed her tightly bound arms and slowly stood up. She peered through the doorway and saw Mu Huayue had returned to her room, the door now firmly shut—likely locked from the inside, she guessed.

Two periods at once: a Scorching Bloom Period and a Dispersal Bloom Period combined with intermittent Floral Heat Syndrome? Xia Youxi thought. If this setup were in The Genre, it would probably drag on for ten chapters.

That was a close call.

Xia Youxi ran her fingers over the small black box on the table, casually flipped it open, and took out the contents.

The bite restraint Meng Chang had brought was far uglier than the one she’d seen in the drawing yesterday. The drawing showed a silver-gray metallic half-mask covering the lower half of the face, but this one looked more like something you’d put on a dog in her world.

No wonder she didn’t want me to bring it. It’s hideous and completely violates human aesthetics.

There was no mirror in the dining room, and even walking a few steps to the door made her arms ache. I can’t imagine how much Meng Chang hates me. This isn’t a bite restraint—it’s a torture device!

She walked to the door and hesitantly tried to put the ugly contraption on her face. She fastened the leather straps behind her ears and locked them with a small padlock. Staring at her face, now half-covered, she couldn’t help but murmur, “After living for over twenty years, I finally…”

How strange.

Her fingers fumbled behind her head as she removed the key. Hesitantly, she walked to Mu Huayue’s door, bent down, and slid the key under the crack.

Since CEO Mu had confiscated her phone, she could only stand at the door and whisper, “Sister, I’ve put on the bite restraint. The key is on the floor outside your door. It’s quite heavy, so I’ll go sit in the living room and not disturb you.”

There was no response from inside the room. Xia Youxi lifted the heavy muzzle, feeling like she had a five-kilogram iron disc clamped to her mouth. She had to walk with her head bowed, making it the perfect “apology device.”

She shuffled over to the sofa and sat down, one hand supporting the muzzle while the other rested on the backrest. She began pondering the novel’s depiction of Alphas during their Scorching Bloom Period.

She recalled that in the original story, the male lead, Mu Shengyang, would confine the innocent female lead, Sang Rourou, to his side during his Scorching Bloom Period. They would engage in passionate encounters day and night, and then… that was it.

As a reader, Xia Youxi had found this entertaining. But now that she was living it, she couldn’t bring herself to act like Mu Shengyang, using his status and physical strength to force himself on the female lead. That was too despicable, violating her moral principles.

Deep down, she preferred things to develop naturally, with mutual consent and pleasure for both parties.

However, she wasn’t feeling particularly happy right now. Sitting there bored, her mind began to wander. Suddenly, a sharp twitch ran down the back of her neck. She instinctively pressed down on it, forcing herself to lean back and try to sleep.

Not long after, Mu Huayue emerged from her room. The moment she entered the living room, she saw Xia Youxi slumped awkwardly on the sofa, eyes tightly closed, brows furrowed, and forehead damp with sweat. The heavy iron muzzle weighed down her face, requiring her right hand to support it. Her left hand wasn’t idle either, twisted behind her back to press against her scent glands.

Is this for her sake?

Mu Huayue approached, slowly raising her hand. The young woman’s suffering was palpable, even from where she stood.

“Sister.”

Wet eyes lifted, predictably endearing. Mu Huayue lowered her hand and gently stroked Xia Youxi’s hair. “Meng Chang sent the test results. I’ve reviewed them. You should be able to endure.”

“Mm.” Xia Youxi unconsciously tilted her head. Ever since that accursed Scorching Bloom Period began, she felt increasingly out of control. To put it simply, she now wished she were the clothes clinging to Mu Huayue, pressed tightly against her.

How utterly depraved!

Xia Youxi jerked her head away, but Mu Huayue had already settled onto the sofa beside her, opening her laptop to work.

Miraculously, with Mu Huayue’s presence and the cool, woody scent filling the air, the burning at the back of Xia Youxi’s neck eased slightly. Her body, however, betrayed her thoughts. Like a hunting kitten, she stealthily crept closer, sliding her armchair against the sofa’s edge.

Mu Huayue glanced over and caught sight of Xia Weixi, her upper body leaning forward, abdomen pressed against the armrest, wearing that strange muzzle. She looked just like their mischievous Yousey used to.

Mu Huayue hummed in amusement. “Shall I fetch the cat teaser to play with you?”

“I don’t need that.”

Xia Youxi knew clearly that all she needed now was Sister Mu.

Straightening her body, she tried to sit back down and regain her composure, but the Scorching Bloom Period compelled her to act against her will. She took a step forward, reaching out to Mu Huayue.

“Hmm?” Mu Huayue regarded her with detached amusement, her eyes gleaming with coldness.

Xia Youxi didn’t want to move, but she couldn’t control herself. She murmured softly, “Sister, could you…?”

Mu Huayue’s hand hovered over her phone screen, but Xia Youxi didn’t notice, continuing, “…lend me one hand.”

“What do you want to do?” Mu Huayue frowned, her eyes flashing with distaste.

Feeling guilty, Xia Youxi lowered her head and forced out a sentence through clenched teeth: “I just want to be close to you… just to touch you.”

Mu Huayue scrutinized her coldly. She had encountered similar situations before, usually during an Omega’s Dispersal Bloom Period, a condition akin to skin hunger that required physical contact with a highly compatible partner.

This silly girl looks like an Omega, and her Scorching Bloom Period acts like one too.

So, if she hadn’t left last night, the other woman wouldn’t have suffered.

She couldn’t help but glance at Xia Youxi, thinking, You’re just asking for trouble. How foolish.

Even though the chances were less than one in ten thousand, she still instructed, “You can have it, but go to the third drawer in my room and use the restraints to tie your hands first.”

“Okay, okay,” Xia Youxi replied eagerly.

It wasn’t exactly a pleasant command, but the foolish girl went off happily.

Alphas in their Scorching Bloom Period are truly foolish.

Moments later, the silly girl returned. She had chosen the softest fabric handcuffs, clearly trying to be gentle with herself. To prove she couldn’t remove them, she even demonstrated a fancy knot for Mu Huayue, making the CEO chuckle.

“Alright, I should really record you like this and play it back for you in a couple of days.” Mu Huayue patted the seat beside her. “Sit here.”

Xia Youxi hurried over and plopped down, gazing pitifully at Mu Huayue. With a sigh, Mu Huayue offered her one hand.

Buried in work, she didn’t have time to keep an eye on the silly girl. But as her hand was squeezed and kneaded like a kitten’s toy, she sneered inwardly, letting it continue. After a while, a sudden chill ran through her hand, and a disturbing image flashed through her mind. She yanked her hand back and swung it around, snapping, “You—!”