After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently (GL) - Chapter 15

Outside the window, a late-night car passed by. Its headlights flashed across Chi Yan’s face, as if tossing a stone into the already scattered stream of her thoughts.

Ripples met and collided on the uneasy surface of her mind. Somehow, they canceled each other out and pulled her away from the questions that had no answers.

Her phone was still vibrating irregularly in her hand. That was when she realized that in the brief moment she had zoned out, Wang Chuning’s lively persuasion had nearly swayed Zhong Yi to her side.

Chi Yan frowned as she read Wang Chuning’s messages, seeing how she used the same passionate tone she normally reserved for promoting her favorite idols. This time, she was trying to promote the idea of Chi Yan and Yan Youqing being a couple. In response, Chi Yan quoted Zhong Yi’s earlier message back at Wang Chuning.
“Get your neck washed and ready. I’m coming for you tomorrow.”

Zhong Yi immediately jumped at the chance to tease her.
“Haha, Ah-Ning, you are so done for.”

Wang Chuning quickly started begging.
“Yan-jie, please. I’m just an innocent Alpha who’s never seen the world.”
“I’ll buy you milk tea. The hardest one to get. Taro boba with grass jelly, okay?”
She even sent a crying emoji to beg for mercy.

Chi Yan looked at the message and could almost feel Wang Chuning’s desperation through the screen. Her lips curved into a small smile. Then she closed the group chat and switched her phone to Do Not Disturb mode.

The room, already quiet, now fell into complete stillness. Chi Yan reopened the notes that Yan Youqing had sent her.

The pen scratched softly across the paper. With the wind outside as a quiet backdrop, the sound felt uneven and offbeat.

The English words and their Chinese explanations were still laid out in the same clear order, but Chi Yan found herself unable to focus.

Her thoughts kept drifting. She carelessly wrote down a line of vocabulary, then reached for her phone again. Without really thinking about it, she tapped the link that Wang Chuning had shared in their group chat.

The link opened to page three of a forum thread. After scrolling a few times, Chi Yan found the photo of herself and Yan Youqing. Yan Youqing looked as calm and cold as ever.

Even though the angle of the photo was well chosen, the dim lighting had not drawn much attention. No one seemed interested in the pairing that Wang Chuning was so excited about. A few people even left negative comments.

It made sense. She and Yan Youqing each had their own supporters. People who disliked each other would never support the same couple.

So what was there to worry about?

Chi Yan looked at the photo buried among the lines of text. Her eyes lowered slightly as she let out a soft breath.

Then she closed the forum and reopened her final page of notes, continuing her quiet determination to push through.

That determination carried her all the way to midnight.

And that meant she got up late the next morning.

The soft morning sunlight spilled into the room like a drop of color in clear water. Just a little bit of it filled the entire space.

Chi Yan lay wrapped in her soft bed. When her alarm rang for the fifth time, she reached for the phone above her head and pulled it under the blanket.

But the moment she saw the time on the screen, the last traces of sleep vanished instantly.

It was six thirty.

There was a reason why Chen Defeng was called “Crazy Chen” behind his back.

According to the school rules, students were supposed to arrive before seven for morning study. But after Chen joined the school, he insisted on arriving ten minutes early. For senior year students, it had to be fifteen minutes earlier than that.

The disciplinary committee followed his rule strictly. Even being one second late would get your name recorded. No exceptions were made.

A lot of students were unhappy but didn’t dare say anything. That was why in her past life, Chi Yan, even as a Beta, had earned a lot of support.

She got dressed, grabbed her breakfast, and rode her bike out the door.

It felt strange not to hear Xu Yongli scolding her after waking up late. Chi Yan was not used to the silence, but underneath it, she felt a rare sense of peace, something she barely remembered from her previous life.

The wind brushed against her cheeks as she rode quickly through the morning streets. It carried the fresh, clean scent that only early hours could bring.

The river shimmered in the sunlight, golden reflections stretching into a thin line that followed along her gaze, almost like it was chasing her.

Sunlight streamed through the rows of trees beside the school gate. The dense leaves filtered out the lingering heat of autumn, making the entire road feel calm and peaceful.

Chi Yan arrived just in time and, as expected, saw Yan Youqing standing at the school gate, wearing her signature red armband.

The bright morning light fell cleanly on her. Her summer uniform shirt outlined her slim figure, and not a single wrinkle could be seen.

Her long hair hung loosely over her shoulders and chest. It swayed gently in the breeze, releasing a subtle, fresh scent. It reminded Chi Yan of the photo she had seen the night before.

The sunlight passed through the school’s name plaque above the gate and landed on Yan Youqing’s face. The faint crease between her brows was clearly visible.

Chi Yan found her thoughts confusing. Just because she had leaned on Yan Youqing during her differentiation, did she really need to keep thinking about it like this?

With a slight frown, she pushed her bike toward the school gate. Just as she was about to enter, a hand suddenly reached out and blocked her path.

It was Chen Niannian, standing beside Yan Youqing.

Chi Yan had a good idea of what was coming. She asked with a hint of sarcasm,
“I’m late again, aren’t I?”

“No.”

Just as Chen Niannian was about to nod, Yan Youqing spoke.

Her voice was as calm as ever. She said to Chi Yan,
“You entered at forty-four past.”

Chen Niannian looked at the watch on her wrist in surprise. Chi Yan also seemed a little doubtful.

But when she looked at Yan Youqing’s cold and distant face, all her suspicions faded. The icy stillness in her expression left no room for questions.

Chi Yan did not say anything more. She raised an eyebrow and replied,
“You said it, not me.”

Then she walked her bike past Yan Youqing and headed toward the bicycle shed behind the senior building.

By the time Chen Niannian checked her watch again to confirm the time, Chi Yan was already far away.

She was clearly puzzled.
“Ayan, there’s nothing wrong with my watch. Could it be that yours is off?”

“Seems like it.”
Yan Youqing glanced down at her own wrist and then at Chen Niannian’s watch. The two were almost perfectly in sync. She nodded calmly.

Sunlight brushed across the rooftop of the school building and spilled quietly into the courtyard. Yan Youqing shifted her gaze without drawing attention, watching the students entering the gate.

Soft murmurs and whispers drifted through the air. Among them, the Alpha girl walking alone under the drooping willows stood out.

The senior building sat in the far western corner of the school, where it was quieter and less crowded.

Between the outer wall and the flowerbeds, a wisteria vine stretched along a wooden frame. Its delicate, clustered blossoms trembled lightly in the breeze, looking especially beautiful.

Ayan walked her bike under the arch of wisteria. She had barely taken in the scene when she noticed two familiar figures near the bicycle shed.

Zhong Yi and Wang Chuning were standing under the shed, clearly waiting for her.

“What is it? Didn’t see me yesterday afternoon and already started missing me?”
Ayan stopped her bike and asked with a teasing smile.

“I told you Ayan wouldn’t really be mad at me,” Wang Chuning said quickly, picking up the mood and trying to flatter her.
“S-class Alphas really do have a different level of tolerance.”

“Nice try.”
Ayan saw through her immediately and held out her hand.
“One hand gives me milk tea. The other gets to keep its neck safe. Shipping couples is risky. Think before you dive in.”

Zhong Yi and Wang Chuning had been Ayan’s close friends since junior high. They knew this tone meant she wasn’t actually upset.

“Of course. I placed the order already. As soon as the shop opens, I’ll bring it to you. Extra boba, double portion,” Wang Chuning promised.

She moved closer, about to give Ayan a playful kiss on the cheek.

Ayan leaned back in mock disgust.
“Respect personal space.”

“Exactly,” Zhong Yi agreed quickly.
“Ah-Ning, if you keep doing that, you’ll scare off all the Omegas who have a crush on Ayan.”

As she spoke, she nudged Ayan with her elbow and gave her a meaningful look.

Ayan raised an eyebrow, confused, and followed her line of sight.

Near the side entrance of the building, a timid girl stood peeking around the wall. She seemed to be holding something in her hands.

The moment she realized Ayan was looking, she panicked like a startled rabbit and quickly hid behind the wall.

“See her?” Zhong Yi whispered.
“I’ve seen that girl hanging around the back door of our classroom earlier this morning. She was looking at your seat. I think she’s here to confess. That thing she’s holding is probably a letter and a gift.”

“Wow. I’ve been an Alpha for a year, and no Omega has ever confessed to me,” Wang Chuning said with mock sorrow.
But even then, she couldn’t help commenting,
“Cute Omegas are just the perfect match for any couple pairing.”

Sunlight filtered through the blue plastic roof of the bike shed and spilled over the three of them. Zhong Yi and Wang Chuning were clearly more excited about this than Ayan was. Ayan simply narrowed her eyes, deep in thought.

Although her memory of it was vague, the scene triggered something familiar.

She remembered that shortly after senior year started, there had been an Omega who gave her a love letter at the bike shed and said she didn’t mind that Ayan was a Beta.

Ayan also remembered turning her down right away. She didn’t accept the confession or the gift.

At the time, both Zhong Yi and Wang Chuning scolded her for being too harsh, saying her response had been almost coldhearted.

Later on, Ayan did reflect on it.

She realized she had probably been too blunt. It must have taken a lot of courage for that Omega to confess, especially with her friends watching. In hindsight, she should have softened her tone, even if she still meant to reject her.

As Ayan was quietly thinking about how she might make up for that moment if she got the chance, Zhong Yi suddenly tugged at her sleeve.

“Ayan, why is Yan Youqing coming this way with the whole disciplinary committee?”