After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently (GL) - Chapter 12
The dark night sky stretched out like a giant net, quietly gathering everything beneath it.
In the living room, the light from a passing car briefly flickered across the walls. The sound of the engine, though not loud, echoed clearly through the quiet house.
But the silence did not last long. Xu Yongli, for once, took the initiative. She gave Yanyan a rare, flattering smile and said, “Yanyan, you’re back. Aunt made chicken soup for you. After everything you’ve been through today, you must be hungry. Let me get you a bowl.”
Yanyan watched as Xu Yongli eagerly walked toward the kitchen. She smiled slightly and said, “Aunt, why are you being so nice today?”
“Well, after today you’re eighteen. You’ve become an Alpha, which means you’re an adult now. As your aunt, I should start treating you differently than before, not just as a child,” Xu Yongli replied, returning with the soup and offering it with a warm expression.
A gentle, comforting aroma rose from the white porcelain bowl. Yanyan twirled her spoon, stirring the glistening oil on top, then lifted her eyes a little.
“A child? This family’s name is Xu, but mine is Chi. Don’t you think that makes a difference?”
Xu Minxue, who had always been spoiled by his mother and had no understanding of hierarchy among Alphas, jumped in immediately. He pointed at Yanyan and snapped, “This isn’t school, Chi Yanyan. If you keep running your mouth, I swear I’ll shut it for you.”
Yanyan frowned, clearly annoyed.
What did he mean by “this isn’t school”? Since when did Xu Minxue start following rules?
“Don’t think just because you’re an S-class Alpha now you can act however you want. You’re right, this family’s name is Xu, not Chi. So let me tell you something—”
Before he could finish, Yanyan gently tapped her spoon against the side of the bowl. The clear sound rang out softly but firmly.
She looked up at him. That single glance made Xu Minxue go completely silent.
The natural pressure between Alphas could be overwhelming, especially when it came from an S-class. Yanyan’s eyes reflected the chandelier’s glow, dark and intense, like a void that could pull everything in. Xu Minxue’s mind went completely blank.
The scent of agave filled the air, pouring from Yanyan like an invisible force that crashed toward him. Just moments ago, he had been shouting, but now he could not even lift his head. The sharp, biting scent pressed against his chest like it was going to tear him apart.
“Yanyan, please,” Xu Yongli said quickly, her heart pounding. “He’s your cousin. He’s immature. Let it go just this once.”
Yanyan glanced at her coldly and said two words.
“Apologize.”
She had already learned how to control the release of her pheromones, and the agave scent grew stronger as she spoke. Her calm voice made the pressure even heavier.
Xu Minxue’s heart raced under the weight. The strength of the S-class Alpha’s presence left no room to resist. Everything about his defiance suddenly felt powerless and ridiculous.
The once arrogant Xu Minxue lowered his head. Sweating and uncomfortable, he gave in.
“I’m sorry. I really am. Please stop. I’m begging you, is that not enough?”
Yanyan had never expected him to apologize sincerely. The moment he bowed his head, she withdrew her pheromones.
The heavy scent vanished quickly. Xu Yongli, still shaken, rushed to scold her son before anything else could happen.
“Go to your room and finish your homework. Now.”
Xu Minxue was clearly upset, but the sweat on his palms reminded him of what he had just experienced. It was the second time that day he had been forced to back down, and his frustration had nowhere to go.
He glared at Yanyan, then picked up his backpack and walked away without looking back.
The loud slam of his bedroom door echoed through the house. It only made him seem even more pathetic.
Yanyan took a slow sip of the chicken soup and said with interest, “Since Aunt said we’re going to interact differently now, how about we talk things through properly?”
Xu Yongli wasn’t sure what Yanyan meant, but she sat down across from her. Her hands were still cold. “Alright, Yanyan. Go ahead.”
“You’re being so polite, it feels strange,” Yanyan said lightly, teasing with a smile.
But the smile faded quickly as she continued in a calm, serious tone.
“I don’t have anything too difficult to say. This house belongs to the Xu family. I’m just staying here. I’ve always understood that.”
Hearing her speak so sensibly, Xu Yongli began to feel slightly more at ease.
But then her heart tightened again when Yanyan continued.
“My father sends five thousand yuan every month for my living expenses. I only get five hundred. Do you have anything you want to say about that?”
There was hesitation in Xu Yongli’s eyes.
She had no real excuse. Their family had two Alphas and lived carefully, but their monthly costs were not very high. Between her frugality and Xu Minxue’s allowance of nearly two thousand, the five thousand from Chi Yan’s father had covered everything. She had just treated the rest as her own income.
Yanyan noticed her hesitation and did not wait for her to make up an excuse.
“What’s done is done. There’s no point in digging it up now.”
“It costs money to live outside. You make my meals and I use your water and electricity. From now on, we’ll split the money my father sends. I’ll take sixty percent, you take forty. And I won’t mention anything to my father about what’s happened before.”
She looked up at Xu Yongli and smiled.
“What do you think, Aunt?”
Her eyes sparkled with the innocence of a young girl, but the look still made Xu Yongli feel a chill deep inside.
Even though it broke her heart to see her income cut, she had no choice but to agree.
“No problem, Yanyan.”
With the most important issue settled, hunger returned quickly.
Maybe it was because she had just gone through her Alpha differentiation, but Yanyan finished her bowl of soup in just a few bites. She looked up, satisfied, and asked, “Is there more?”
Xu Yongli nodded quickly and rushed to the kitchen, bringing over the entire clay pot of soup.
The rich aroma filled the air again. Yanyan poured herself another bowl and added a drumstick to it.
But while she continued eating, she noticed that the shadow hovering over her head still had not moved.
Xu Yongli paused for a moment, then spoke with hesitation.
“Yanyan.”
“What is it?” Chi Yanyan looked at her, puzzled.
“Have you been around an Omega recently?” Xu Yongli frowned. “You’re an Alpha now. Don’t bring trouble to yourself.”
Yanyan’s brows tightened slightly when she heard that.
If there was any Omega scent on her, it had to be from earlier when Yan Youqing gave her a ride home.
She didn’t trust Xu Yongli, so she casually took a bite of the chicken drumstick in her bowl and said with little thought, “Maybe I brushed past an Omega in the hospital elevator. Don’t worry, I’m not going to make trouble for myself.”
Xu Yongli nodded. She hadn’t really been focused on Yanyan to begin with. Now that the warning was said, she turned and headed upstairs to comfort her precious son.
With her stomach full, sleepiness began to settle in.
Although it was the second day since her rebirth, this was the first time Yanyan had returned to her own room.
The walnut door still looked the same as it had in her memory. When she opened it and stepped inside, the familiar layout instantly made her feel more at ease.
The cartoon bedsheet printed with Crayon Shin-chan seemed to greet her like an old friend. Without thinking, she flopped onto the bed she hadn’t touched in years.
But before the softness of memory could embrace her, a sharp jab of pain struck her waist.
She frowned from the sudden discomfort.
Her school jacket was crumpled beneath her body. Reaching around, she felt into the pocket and pulled out a lollipop.
The wrapper was bright green and flashy, covering the candy tightly without a single crease. Under the warm light, it barely reflected anything. Just like the person who always buttoned their shirt all the way up to the top.
Yanyan stared at the candy, and Yan Youqing’s face came to mind.
Something occurred to her. She reached over and picked up the school jacket she had just taken off.
It had been worn all day and picked up many scents. Despite that, the faint smell of laundry soap still lingered, clear and soft.
Under the gentle yellow light, Yanyan held the uniform closer and sniffed carefully. She could detect something else— a subtle freshness, like morning dew. It was just like what Xu Yongli had mentioned earlier. The scent of an Omega’s pheromones.
This was the first time Yanyan had ever smelled Omega pheromones.
The freshness of dew carried a trace of sea salt, clean and slightly sharp. It was faint and complex, clinging lightly to her uniform, as if it could vanish at any moment.
So this is what Omega pheromones smell like.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, Yanyan brought the jacket closer to her face, as if drawn by something beyond her control.
The room was quiet. A breeze slipped through the not-so-well-sealed window, bringing with it the crisp scent of the morning sea.
She took another breath, then suddenly realized what she was doing. Quickly, she tossed the jacket aside.
It landed at the foot of the bed, balled up and hanging weakly off the edge like a limp sail.
Her brows were more tightly furrowed than the wrinkled fabric. The crease between them almost formed a whirlpool.
What on earth was she doing?
The soft crackle of plastic broke the silence in the room. The candy beside her was unwrapped quickly and cleanly, revealing the clear, pale green lollipop inside.
Yanyan stared at the gentle glint of light bouncing off its surface, then popped it into her mouth with a quiet click.
She didn’t have a cigarette, so this would have to do.
The phone buzzed suddenly from the pocket of the jacket she had thrown to the foot of the bed.
Her brain, foggy and half-shut down from exhaustion, was dragged back to reality.
Yanyan reached lazily toward the crumpled jacket and pulled out her phone, wondering who would be messaging her at this hour.
To her surprise, it wasn’t a message that triggered the vibration, but a friend request.
The profile photo was a square-framed section of Van Gogh’s Wild Roses, and next to it was a name made up of just three simple Chinese characters: Yan Youqing.