After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 48

“Ah.”

A soft gasp reached Xia Youxi’s ear as a warm, jade-like body pressed against her chest. She instinctively wrapped her arms around the figure, opened her eyes, and, as expected, saw Mu Huayue’s beautiful face, her expression strained and unnatural.

“Sister, you’re back?” Xia Youxi murmured, her voice still thick with sleep, carrying a lazy, coquettish tone. She felt Mu Huayue struggle in her arms but held her tighter, gazing up at her with a dazed expression.

They were too close, their noses nearly touching, their faces flushed from each other’s warm breath. The scent glands on Xia Youxi’s neck pulsed with an unfamiliar urgency. Mu Huayue raised a hand to pat the person beneath her, her voice trembling slightly as she said, “Let go. Let go of me.”

Against all reason, Xia Youxi refused to release her. Instead, she pressed Mu Huayue closer, nuzzling her head against her shoulder and softening her voice to say, “I missed you, Sister.”

The hand braced against Xia Youxi’s arm slipped, and Mu Huayue seemed to freeze. After a moment, she huffed, “You’re such a spoiled child. Come on, get up.”

Xia Youxi remained pressed against her, the sweet fragrance filling her nostrils. Mu Huayue tilted her head, almost yearning for Xia Youxi’s lips to brush against her neck.

The cool, woody fragrance blurred Xia Youxi’s senses, and she couldn’t resist pecking a kiss on Mu Huayue’s smooth shoulder.

“Mmm…”

A soft moan escaped Huayue’s lips, seeming to send a signal. Xia Youxi’s pulse quickened at the back of her neck. Though she wanted to pull away, she leaned forward instead, wrapping her arm around Mu Huayue’s shoulder and pressing her against the seat back.

“You—”

A few strands of chestnut hair clung to Huayue’s cheek, her phoenix eyes now clouded with worldly desires. Xia Youxi gently brushed the hair aside, lowering her head like a kitten eyeing an intriguing toy, and began to nibble at Huayue’s crimson lips.

Huayue’s hand suddenly pressed against Xia Youxi’s back, pulling her forward an inch. The woman before her had already closed her eyes. Xia Youxi watched her, her hand slowly sliding down Huayue’s shoulder. The woman beneath her palm seemed to tremble slightly. Xia Youxi shifted her hand again, but a sudden, shrill ringtone shattered the low moans, snapping her wandering rationality back into focus.

Xia Youxi stared at the woman before her, speechless. It was still a beautiful face, but now her hair was disheveled, her lips slightly swollen, her eyes glazed with a watery mist, and the collar of her robe had come undone, revealing a red mark on her shoulder.

What have I just done?

Xia Youxi abruptly released her grip, stumbling backward to collapse onto the floor. Her eyes were filled with panic and disbelief, alternating between remorse and self-loathing. She felt like the worst kind of scumbag, having taken advantage of someone when they were vulnerable.

Her heart sank into an abyss. Unable to think of any way to make amends, she straightened up, slapped herself hard across the face, and lowered her head in silent shame.

The silence hung heavy in the air. Xia Youxi stared at the floor, her mind a chaotic mess. Overwhelmed by guilt and self-reproach, she couldn’t think of any excuses, nor did she want to shirk responsibility. If Mu Huayue were to punish her with the most severe electric shock right then, she would willingly accept it.

After a moment, she heard a soft rustling sound. The person in front of her had straightened up and was adjusting her disheveled clothes. A gaze fell upon her head, though she couldn’t see it clearly and only lowered her head further.

But what was coming couldn’t be avoided. A hand gripped her chin, forcing her head up. She looked at Mu Huayue again, but this time the woman’s eyes were cold and distant, devoid of the vulnerability she had shown earlier. Did she hate me now?

A sharp pain pierced Xia Youxi’s heart. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Tears spilled down her cheeks, dripping onto Mu Huayue’s hand.

She was clearly the mischievous little cat, yet somehow looked more like the victim.

Mu Huayue scoffed, her voice cold as she demanded, “Lost your tongue?”

Xia Youxi looked up, her crystalline eyes devoid of any malicious intent, filled only with shame and regret. She didn’t try to evade responsibility, immediately admitting her fault: “I’m sorry, Sister. I… couldn’t control myself.”

Mu Huayue understood this perfectly.

Omegas in their Dispersal Bloom Period exerted an irresistible allure on Alphas. Moreover, Xia Youxi was her Marked possession, a primal instinct rooted in their bodies, one that mere willpower couldn’t suppress.

To be honest, Mu Huayue bore some responsibility herself. Her resistance had been wavering. But what truly surprised her was Xia Youxi’s reaction. Unlike other Alphas who would revel in their conquest with smug satisfaction or boast arrogantly, Xia Youxi knelt before her, slapped herself hard across the face, and awaited her judgment.

This foolish girl… where was the arrogance of a true Alpha?

Mu Huayue’s fingers traced the five distinct marks on Xia Youxi’s cheek. The force behind the blow was undeniable; this wasn’t an act.

Her fingers gently caressed Xia Youxi’s cheek, but her voice carried a hint of mockery: “So, if you can’t control yourself, you just do whatever you want?”

Xia Youxi raised her hand, about to strike herself again, but Mu Huayue’s reflexes were faster. She grabbed Xia Youxi’s wrist and pressed it down firmly. “Don’t you know you’re an actress? You have a shoot in a few days. Are you trying to ruin my contract?”

Xia Youxi froze, looking up at Mu Huayue with bewildered helplessness. She saw CEO Mu’s brow furrow slightly, heard her scoff softly, and felt a rough pat on her head, tinged with exasperation. “Silly cat.”

Xia Youxi didn’t understand. After years of relentless career pursuit, her emotional life was a blank slate. When she made mistakes, all that remained was remorse. She sincerely apologized, “I’m sorry. I… I just felt so guilty and wanted to make Sister feel better.”

Mu Huayue hadn’t been particularly angry to begin with, but Xia Youxi’s words ignited a spark of irritation. She glared at the girl, who remained kneeling, too afraid to even breathe. Suddenly, her anger deflated. She glanced at Xia Youxi,

Xia Youxi, pulled down to sit beside Mu Huayue, remained guilt-ridden, avoiding eye contact like someone who had taken the wrong seat.

Mu Huayue chuckled inwardly, but her face remained stern, her eyes fixed on Xia Youxi as she demanded, “Do you think this is all over?”

Xia Youxi glanced at her, hesitated, and tried to kneel again, but the sofa held her firmly in place. Hearing Mu Huayue’s words, she felt a pang of despair. Wouldn’t that be letting you off too easily?

“Sister,” Xia Youxi pleaded, tilting her head to look at her. She looked so pitiful, but Mu Huayue’s expression remained unyielding. “I haven’t decided how to punish you yet. How about this? For the week before you start filming, you’ll be my Yousey.”

Xia Youxi looked confused. “Sister, aren’t I already your Yousey?”

The words were music to Mu Huayue’s ears. A faint smile curved her lips as she reached out to gently stroke Xia Youxi’s cheek. “You’re right,” she murmured, her voice softening.

In the days that followed, Xia Youxi finally understood what Mu Huayue meant by “being her Yousey.” It was exactly as it sounded: Xia Youxi was to serve as CEO Mu’s substitute little kitten.

That evening, CEO Mu needed her pheromones to soothe her Scorching Bloom Period. Xia Youxi dutifully armed herself with every precaution: a muzzle, restraints—nothing was missing. Despite ensuring she wouldn’t misbehave again, Sister Mu still regarded her with evident displeasure.

It seemed kneeling in apology hadn’t fully atoned for her mistake that day.

Xia Youxi grew even more cautious, injecting herself with an inhibitor daily. During the day, when CEO Mu went to the office, she obediently studied scripts for upcoming auditions. When CEO Mu was home, she would summon Xia Youxi to her side. While CEO Mu worked, Xia Youxi would nestle against her, resting her head on her lap, enduring the occasional “grooming” of her hair.

Truthfully, it was both comforting and somewhat unsettling.

At home, Mu Huayue wore loose, comfortable clothes. When typing on her laptop, she would unconsciously lean forward, revealing a hint of cleavage. Xia Youxi’s gaze would inadvertently drift there, and she would immediately avert her eyes, either closing them or looking down.

But her Sister Mu, for some inexplicable reason, huffed coldly, grabbed Xia Youxi’s cheek, and scolded her, “Stop fidgeting! Behave!” This left Xia Youxi with no choice but to stare back, her face flushed, suppressing her racing heart.

She considered herself well-behaved, having done everything she was supposed to. Even when CEO Mu playfully waved a cat teaser at her, Xia Youxi gently patted it and meowed.

Mu Huayue’s face had lit up with a smile at that moment, and she had stroked Xia Youxi’s chin, hinting for her to act cute. Xia Youxi had complied with a soft purr, and the cat-loving CEO had pulled her into her arms. The soft embrace and intoxicating fragrance had made Xia Youxi’s head spin for a moment, and fearing a repeat of past incidents, she had struggled free and fled.

Despite Xia Youxi’s efforts to be so sensible, Mu Huayue had scolded her, “Stop right there! Who said you could leave?”

Xia Youxi shuffled back, head bowed, and quietly explained, “Cats usually run away when they’re held.”

Mu Huayue crossed her arms and glanced at her. “Are you a cat?”

Xia Youxi nodded. “I’m Sister’s little cat now.”

Her natural response left Mu Huayue speechless. She lightly tapped Xia Youxi’s head and chided, “You really are a silly cat.”

Xia Youxi chuckled awkwardly, thinking, If I didn’t play dumb, would I have to bluntly say I wanted to learn how to knead like a cat?

How vulgar!

Wouldn’t that be desecrating the Goddess?

Xia Youxi refused to act so disrespectfully. She buried these inappropriate thoughts deep in her heart, waiting for the perfect moment to claim what was rightfully hers.

Fortunately, Mu Huayue was genuinely busy. After the Dispersal Bloom Period ended, she was rarely home, allowing Xia Youxi to calmly study the script and catch up on previous seasons of the variety show to understand its style and prepare her self-positioning for participation.

Her new show, “Let’s Challenge!”, was a competitive reality show with a different theme each episode. The theme for Xia Youxi’s episode was “Fighting for Dreams.” In essence, the guests would be divided into teams, each drawing a goal that they had to achieve within ten days to succeed in the challenge.

With tight deadlines and ambitious tasks, many guests resorted to loopholes to complete their missions. For example, if the challenge required opening a store, some would simply earn enough to buy a pushcart and set up a roadside stall. Others, with higher standards, would exhaust every means to leverage their fame, negotiate partnerships, and even share storefronts. Some of these makeshift businesses continued operating long after the show ended.

Xia Youxi found the show quite intriguing. She loved challenges and had never participated in anything similar in her original world, leaving her with a faint sense of anticipation.

However, she never imagined that her first day of filming would be marred by a deeply frustrating incident.