After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 6

No, this was just her excuse. She was an Alpha, and Alphas always spoke grand words to achieve their goals.

Once Xia Weixi climbed to the position she desired and found a patron even more powerful than Mu Huayue, she would kick her into the abyss. Xia Youxi couldn’t let her guard down for a few kind words or a few days of obedience. This was an Alpha who dared to mark her and dared to dream of dominating her!

Her long lashes half-veiled her eyes as Mu Huayue leaned back on the sofa and ordered Xia Youxi, “Come here.”

Xia Youxi obediently approached. When Mu Huayue gestured for her to bend down, she lowered her head. A hand gently stroked her hair before she felt a cold sensation on her neck as something was fastened there.

Mu Huayue was clearly in a foul mood, and Xia Youxi didn’t dare move without permission. She remained standing with her head bowed. A pale hand entered her field of vision, two fingers pinching a silver-white metal tag. With a gentle tug, it pulled at her neck, forcing her to take another step forward.

“Sister Mu,” Xia Youxi said, her face showing her confusion. She knew it was probably just a necklace, but it felt like she had been leashed. Those beautiful, yet cold eyes were so close she could almost feel Mu Huayue’s breath on her skin.

Xia Youxi’s heart inexplicably fluttered as she stared blankly at Mu Huayue. Seeing the faint, almost mocking smile on those thin lips, she knew the woman’s mind was filled with malicious thoughts, yet she couldn’t help but blush and avert her gaze.

“Look at me,” Mu Huayue said softly, forcing Xia Youxi’s eyes back to hers. Xia Youxi blinked rapidly, and with each blink, she noticed the curve of Mu Huayue’s lips widening, as if her amusement had turned into genuine delight—though that delight was built on Xia Youxi’s humiliation.

“I told you, I only brought you back because I was missing a cat. This tag is proof of your status. I hope you’ll remember it forever.”

Mu Huayue’s slender fingers released the metal disc, which settled against Xia Youxi’s chest. Xia Youxi frowned slightly, but Mu Huayue wasn’t finished with her. “Do you want to know what will happen if you take it off?”

Xia Youxi shook her head violently, but she knew she couldn’t change Mu Huayue’s mind. She could only watch as Mu Huayue gently pushed her away, leaned back against the sofa, and lazily commanded, “Try taking it off.”

Xia Youxi continued to shake her head. Mu Huayue stared intently at her, humming softly as if activating a switch in Xia Youxi’s body. With her eyes closed, Xia Youxi reached for the “necklace.”

The moment her fingers touched it, a jolt of electricity surged through her fingertips, paralyzing her hand and causing her to drop the device. The current persisted as the circular plate slid down and pressed against her chest, sending a tingling numbness spreading through her entire body. She collapsed to the floor, clutching her chest and gazing pitifully at Mu Huayue.

Through her tear-blurred vision, Xia Youxi saw Mu Huayue’s fingertip slide across her phone screen. The discomfort in her body vanished. A finger tilted her chin upward, forcing her to meet the condescending gaze of the woman above her. Xia Youxi saw a mischievous glint in Mu Huayue’s eyes.

“Remember this feeling, my little kitten. I trust that even when your mistress isn’t around, you’ll keep your mouth shut, won’t you?”

This was a threat to silence her about the secret.

But the term “mistress” still made Xia Youxi blush.

Xia Youxi squeezed out a tear, which slid down her cheek and landed near Mu Huayue’s hand. Mu Huayue casually wiped it away, her cold expression softening slightly. She withdrew her hand with a soft humph. “If you’re scared, just keep it on. It won’t hurt if you don’t take it off.”

The pitiful-looking young woman raised her hand. Mu Huayue assumed she was about to pledge her loyalty, but instead, she heard these words:

“Sister Mu, may I ask a question?”

“What is it?” Mu Huayue replied.

Xia Youxi frowned slightly, her face timid. “Is this… waterproof?”

Mu Huayue: …

“Of course.”

Assured by Mu Huayue’s guarantee, Xia Youxi pressed her palm against the “necklace” and smiled brightly. “Don’t worry, Sister, I’ll wear it carefully.”

Is this child stupid? Mu Huayue thought, responding listlessly, “Mm.”

After leaving Mu Huayue’s house, Xia Youxi hailed a taxi. Out of CEO Mu’s sight, she lifted the crescent-shaped pendant to examine it. The front was engraved with a fluffy cat’s head, while the back bore the English word “Yousey” and the inscription “Pt999” at the bottom.

She chuckled softly. She had initially thought it resembled a leash, but it turned out to be quite accurate. This was a cat collar, albeit an extravagant one crafted from high-grade platinum.

And she, Xia Youxi, China’s most inspiring top-tier female celebrity—renowned for her talent, beauty, and impeccable reputation—shared a name with Mu Huayue’s pet cat.

She suddenly remembered a funny incident.

It happened while she was reading this novel. In the original text, she learned that Mu Huayue had once kept a cat. More than her parents or her illegitimate younger brother, the cat had been her closest companion. Whenever she suffered hardship, she would seek solace in its presence.

Tragically, last winter, when the illegitimate Male Lead was assigned to Ba Feng Entertainment—a sign that his father was allowing him to seize power—Mu Huayue’s cat fell ill and passed away.

Her only true companion had become a cold corpse, and Mu Huayue’s heart froze with it. Perhaps she was destined to never experience warmth.

Xia Youxi still remembered how her heart had clenched when she read that passage. She had even left a comment in the comments section: “Sister Mu, don’t cry! Your kitty isn’t really gone!”

Little did she know that her flippant remark would come true. She had actually replaced Yousey.

Her fingers traced the smooth surface of the pendant. Just as she’d expected, nothing happened. She knew Mu Huayue was fundamentally a gentle person.

She was just scaring herself. This little pendant wasn’t that advanced; the only one who could truly hurt her was its owner, Mu Huayue.

Xia Youxi guessed the pendant contained at least a GPS tracker and her retrieved phone.

She unlocked the screen and scrolled through the apps. Sure enough, there was a new one called “Pet Daily Log.” She opened it and found a diary-like interface. She typed in a few words: “I love you.”

When she exited and reopened the app, the screen immediately changed to a map monitoring interface with data upload indicators.

Did I guess that right?

Xia Youxi was surprised. In the novel, the male lead had installed a similar app on the female lead’s phone. The female lead accidentally typed those three words, exposing the male lead’s scheme. Now, even with different characters, the app’s trigger remained the same.

Does that mean the method to crack it is the same too?

Following the method she’d read in the novel, she accessed the phone’s developer settings and entered a line of code resembling a confession. The “Pet Daily Log” app immediately changed its interface again, revealing the monitoring party’s location.

It really hasn’t changed. A new button appeared in the app. When she tapped it, the monitoring party’s exact location was displayed.

Unscientific, but practical.

If Mu Huayue ever turned on her and tried to kill her, Xia Youxi could make a timely escape and save her life.

The taxi arrived at its destination, and Xia Youxi immediately became the center of attention again as she stepped out. Her Sister Mu, in a fit of pique, had refused to let her bring any clothes, leaving the poor girl with no choice but to change back into the daring little dress she had worn that night. She teetered into the VIP ward on her high heels.

Mu Huayue had been generous in this regard, securing a VIP room for her sister that far surpassed the living conditions Xia Youxi had seen in her adoptive parents’ home through the Mysterious Force.

A woman with dark circles under her eyes and a weary expression approached, her gaze lingering on Xia Youxi’s revealing attire. She pursed her lips slightly. “Weixi, is the wealthy benefactor you found… a good person?”

The woman’s voice was soft and hesitant, her demeanor timid and lacking confidence. Xia Youxi initially assumed this was her adoptive mother’s guilt surfacing. She smiled reassuringly. “She’s very kind. She even took me to see a doctor during my transformation.”

The woman paused, a flicker of emotion crossing her tired, clouded eyes. She studied her daughter intently, murmuring, “You’ve transformed into an Omega?”

Xia Youxi remained silent. Suddenly, the woman clasped her hands together and offered a grateful prayer: “Thank heavens! If your pheromone compatibility is high, you might become the wife of a wealthy Alpha. Then my Lailai…”

Her eyes lit up, but she abruptly stopped herself, pulling Xia Youxi into a maternal embrace. “Weixi, congratulations! Your mother believes you’ll definitely become famous.”

Having lived so many years and acted in countless dramas, Xia Youxi couldn’t possibly misunderstand the situation.

This adoptive mother favored her biological daughter, treating Xia Youxi as a cash cow.

Gently sidestepping the embrace, Xia Youxi offered a faint smile before walking to the bedside. The girl on the sickbed was emaciated, her features barely discernible. Her small body was riddled with tubes, a pitiful sight. She remained unconscious, and Xia Youxi didn’t linger. “Then I’ll leave you to rest,” she said to her mother. “I need to get to the film studio for work.”

Turning to leave, she heard her mother’s polite words echoing from the room: “Good luck, Weixi! Your mother and sister will be watching you on TV.”

Xia Youxi twitched the corner of her mouth, unsure how to respond.

The Mysterious Force had revealed that Xia Weixi was an orphan. Her adoptive parents, Xia Songbai and Lian Ruxin, were ordinary Beta-class citizens who had been unable to conceive for years. Desperate for a child, they adopted the most beautiful girl in the orphanage at the time—little Xia Weixi.

Perhaps Xia Weixi was a lucky charm. Within a year of her adoption, her adoptive parents conceived. After much hesitation, they decided to keep Xia Weixi.

The Mysterious Force hadn’t revealed the details of Xia Weixi’s relationship with her adoptive family. Xia Youxi guessed that Xia Weixi genuinely considered them her family. But what about the Xia family themselves?

Xia Youxi didn’t know, and she felt a pang of sympathy for the original owner of this body.

What a foolish girl.

“She really is a fool.”

At the same moment, Mu Huayue, sitting in her study checking her phone notifications, scoffed softly. She had seen the three words Xia Youxi had typed: I love you.

What madness has seized this foolish girl?

Is she confessing to me?

Could it be Stockholm Syndrome, making her fall in love with me after being abused?

Or was her visit to my room that day driven by love?

Really?

Thinking about it, the girl was remarkably obedient.

If told to go east, she wouldn’t go west. Even if asked to publicly declare herself an Omega, she wouldn’t refuse. She would even treat a humiliating pet collar as a treasured possession.

Does she truly love me?

Mu Huayue scoffed inwardly. Over the years, everyone who had confessed their feelings had only been after her power. She couldn’t believe someone who was a stranger just days ago could love her to the point of obsession.

Her phone buzzed with a message from her assistant, asking if she wanted to return tomorrow.

She replied: No need. Arrange for me to visit the film crew at Ba Feng Investment’s studio city tomorrow.

After sitting all day, her shoulders felt stiff. She rubbed them absently, her mind drifting back to the silly girl who had offered to massage her shoulders when she looked tired a few days ago. At the time, Mu Huayue had disliked physical contact and refused.

Now, she wondered if that hand pressing against her shoulder would feel comforting.

Forget it. Next time the girl offers, I’ll let her.

Just consider it a master’s favor to her pet. After all, that silly girl would relish it.