After Teasing the Villain and Running Away - Chapter 20

“The person I’m engaged to is none other than Jiang Ruosheng, CEO of □□. I don’t need to introduce her—I’m sure everyone here knows her.” The resounding declaration echoed through the hall, leaving the crowd momentarily stunned into silence.

Jiang Ruosheng’s mind went blank. She felt as if her arms were bound by heavy chains, dragging her down. Gritting her teeth, she turned to Ruan Xin, who stood beside her with a faint, smiling curve to her lips. “Engaged? This wasn’t part of our agreement!”

Playing the role of a girlfriend was one thing, but announcing an engagement in front of everyone? Was Ruan Xin trying to tie her down for good?

Ruan Xin leaned in close, her breath warm against Jiang Ruosheng’s neck, her voice soft and coaxing. “What’s the difference? Playing a girlfriend or a fiancée is practically the same. There’s been a change in the Xin family’s situation—the engagement was a sudden decision.”

“Don’t worry, I promise I’ll let you go after some time.”

The familiar, devilish whisper sent a shiver down Jiang Ruosheng’s spine. Through Ruan Xin’s cold, unreadable eyes, she caught a glimpse of the woman from that night—lying by the bed, laughing recklessly, her delicate frame exuding an air of mischief.

The unfamiliar yet intoxicating scent of lime overwhelmed the refined fragrance of camellias, crisp and alluring. Meeting Jiang Ruosheng’s startled gaze, Ruan Xin idly toyed with a lock of her hair, twirling the curled strands around her slender, pale fingers.

Jiang Ruosheng frowned and pulled her hair free. “You’re an Omega?”

“What’s wrong with being an Omega?” Ruan Xin pressed a hand to her neck, where her gland pulsed uncontrollably. The side effects of prolonged pseudo-gland suppressants had built up in her system, making it impossible to rely on inhibitors any longer to mask her heats and maintain her Alpha disguise.

“This is the last time,” Ruan Xin murmured, her voice low and husky, brushing against Jiang Ruosheng’s flushed ear. The heat of her breath lingered along her neck. “Mark me, and I’ll let you go.”

Liar.

Jiang Ruosheng rubbed her temples, the alcohol burning in her stomach. The crowd around them buzzed with congratulations, the word “congratulations” starting to sound meaningless.

Sinking into the car with a headache, she knew the news of her engagement to Ruan Xin would spread like wildfire before the night was over. Even her parents, all the way overseas, would hear about it soon.

She had sworn to her sister that she would keep her distance from Ruan Xin—only to end up in this mess. The thought of facing the Jiang family’s relentless interrogation made her scalp prickle with dread.

“This isn’t the way to my place, is it?” Jiang Ruosheng glanced out the window and addressed the driver.

The driver’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, where the two women sat apart, their expressions cool and detached. “Ms. Jiang, we’re heading to Tongting District.”

Ruan Xin interjected, “We’re being followed. You’re staying at my place tonight.”

“After some consideration, it wouldn’t make sense for newly engaged, passionately in love fiancées to live apart.” She emphasized the words “passionately in love.”

The woman was clearly pushing her luck. Jiang Ruosheng’s tone was icy. “I’m busy with work. I usually sleep at the office.”

“Since we’re on the topic, there are some rules I’d like you to follow regarding our arrangement.”

“No more than two dates a week. You can pick the times, but you have to inform me in advance. You can spin the public narrative however you want—whether we’re madly in love or just putting on a show. But I won’t get involved in any Xin family matters.”

“Also, three months.” Jiang Ruosheng’s eyes shimmered with a faint light. “That’s the maximum duration I can agree to be your temporary fiancée. After that, our partnership automatically dissolves.”

Ruan Xin remained silent for a moment, her fingers lightly tapping on her thigh. As she lowered her head in thought, the emerald earrings dangling from her ears sparkled brilliantly.

Opposite them, a group of roaring motorcycles sped past, their headlights flashing before gradually disappearing into the night.

“Fine, I agree. Three months.”

Jiang Ruosheng raised an eyebrow at Ruan Xin, surprised by how readily she accepted without even attempting to negotiate.

To stand against the Xin family and Xin Ran in just three months seemed nearly impossible. Perhaps Ruan Xin still had cards up her sleeve—she was never one to fight unprepared battles.

Withdrawing her gaze, Jiang Ruosheng quietly watched as the car entered the villa district.

Last time, she had been in too much of a hurry to notice anything unusual. But now, she realized that not only was the layout of Ruan Xin’s bedroom identical to how it had been in the Jiang family, even the living room and other rooms on the first floor bore an uncanny resemblance.

What was this? Nostalgia? A memorial?

“Ruan Xin, why—” Jiang Ruosheng began, only to notice something was wrong.

Beads of sweat had formed on Ruan Xin’s smooth cheeks. She leaned weakly against the wall, biting her pale lips as her trembling hands blurred in her vision.

Clenching her fists, she slowly wrapped her arms around herself and staggered forward unsteadily.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Ruosheng steadied her, placing a hand on her forehead—the temperature was abnormally high.

“Probably drank too much,” Ruan Xin murmured weakly. “Starting to feel unwell…”

Frowning, Jiang Ruosheng scooped her up into her arms. Ruan Xin had always had a weak constitution—a lingering consequence of the past. Though seven years had passed and she no longer looked like that frail, petite girl, she still felt light in Jiang Ruosheng’s arms—just not as if a gust of wind could carry her away.

Carrying her to the bed, Jiang Ruosheng watched as Ruan Xin pulled several medicine bottles from the bedside drawer. “Could you get me some hot water?”

Pursing her lips, Jiang Ruosheng observed as Ruan Xin poured an assortment of differently shaped pills into her palm. These weren’t the same supplements she used to take—the names on the bottles flashed briefly but imprinted themselves in Jiang Ruosheng’s mind.

They all seemed to be neurological medications—sedatives and relaxants.

Had her health not fully recovered?

Jiang Ruosheng went to the kitchen to fetch water. Passing through the living room, she noticed a brown ashtray filled with fine white sand, several half-smoked cigarette butts stubbed out inside. Similar ashtrays were scattered around.

She frowned, stepping closer. The butts were recent—today’s, to be exact.

A faint, lingering scent of tobacco hung in the air, not overpowering but subtly perfumed.

Did Ruan Xin smoke now?

Thoughts flickered through Jiang Ruosheng’s mind as she analyzed the remnants of Ruan Xin’s habits and interests left in the house. She wasn’t sure why she was doing this, but her mind wouldn’t stop.

Returning to the bedroom, she found Ruan Xin—who should have been lying in bed—crouched by the window, curled into a small ball from behind, her soft hair cascading down her back. On the white carpet beside the bed, the pills she had just poured out lay scattered.

Jiang Ruosong’s heart suddenly tightened. She walked slowly to the little figure and bent down—

Ruan Xin was curled up, one arm hugging her knees while the other held a cigarette. She lowered her head to sniff the cigarette resting against her nose, her trembling lashes casting shadows.

Something in Jiang Ruosong’s mind seemed to collapse. She grabbed Ruan Xin’s hand holding the cigarette, intending to snatch it away, but then met those red-rimmed, tearful eyes. Stubborn moisture welled up as Ruan Xin pressed her lips into a thin, aggrieved line, glaring at Jiang Ruosong with displeasure.

“It’s mine! Don’t take it!”

Despite her adorable yet fierce expression, her grip on the cigarette was astonishingly strong, as if it were some lifeline.

Jiang Ruosong ruthlessly took the cigarette away. “Ruan Xin, do you even know what you’re doing?”

“I feel awful. Please give it back. I just want to smell it, I won’t smoke it.”

Jiang Ruosong felt scalded by Ruan Xin’s desperate, longing gaze. Pressing her lips together, she asked, “Why do you feel awful? Why do you want to smell it? Tell me, what’s really going on with your body?”

The effects of her dependency period had been triggered by Jiang Ruosong’s pheromones at the banquet, compounded by the rising effects of alcohol. The dual stimulation left Ruan Xin in such discomfort that tears welled in her eyes. “My glands hurt… I need an alpha’s pheromones to…”

An omega who had been fully marked by an alpha would have extreme reactions upon smelling that alpha’s pheromones.

This was knowledge Jiang Ruosong had learned in high school biology class. But even with a full mark, the effects would gradually fade over time—unless…

Unless what? Jiang Ruosong’s mind went blank before the answer could surface.

Because then she heard a voice, damp with emotion, whisper:

“If you won’t give it back, then mark me.”