After the Scumbag Alpha Accidentally Marked the Blackened Villain - Chapter 22.2

Thankfully, the moment passed quickly. Lin Bie released her, trying to feign composure, but the slight tremor in her voice gave everything away.

“Returning the favor,” she murmured, pulling her arms back.

Leng Jinxi froze, only understanding after a long pause—this was revenge for biting Lin Bie’s gland earlier.

But why bite her shoulder? Shouldn’t she have gone for the gland too?

Her eyes quivered, staring at Lin Bie, who now knelt dumbfounded on the floor. Jinxi couldn’t utter a single word. A subtle sense of disappointment crept into her chest.

Lin Bie sat still, eyes shut for a while, waiting for the burning in her neck to subside. But the moment she recalled what Leng Jinxi had done to her earlier, a surge of frustration flared inside her.

Didn’t she know Alpha glands shouldn’t be bitten at random? She was older than Lin Bie and yet acted less mature.

With a huff, Lin Bie tidied up Leng Jinxi’s rumpled clothes with a stern expression, then gently pulled her up by the hand.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

She held Leng Jinxi’s arm carefully, keeping a respectful distance.

There were two doors to the storage room—the back one was locked from the inside, but luckily the front wasn’t bolted after the others had left. With a light push, the door creaked open.

Fresh air hit them like salvation. Lin Bie felt like she’d just escaped death. She was so relieved she could cry, swiping a hand messily across her face.

Leng Jinxi saw and reached out to tuck some hair behind her ear, but then noticed a faint trickle of bl00d at the corner of Lin Bie’s mouth.

Her eyes widened slightly, fingers trembling. Her breath stuttered. She quickly averted her gaze, no longer daring to look at those lips.

What had felt like an ambiguous entanglement in that cramped storage room—she still couldn’t decipher Lin Bie’s intentions—but seeing that self-inflicted wound from restraint made her feel… different. Not as heartbroken, perhaps. Something deeper.

She lowered her eyes to the arm Lin Bie still held. Emotions churned within her like an endless tide.

For the first time, Leng Jinxi could clearly sense that Lin Bie had changed—completely unlike the woman she used to know.

She thought back to the shattered, chaotic dreams, and her brows drew together in a frosty, unresolved sorrow.

Lin Bie… who are you, really?

________________________________________

Afraid Shan Yi might be lying in wait, and worried someone might spot their disheveled state, Lin Bie chose an isolated path back.

Luckily, most of the crew had gone off to watch the livestream chaos. They didn’t run into anyone on the way and made it back to Leng Jinxi’s dressing room without incident.

The staff had searched the room earlier, found no one, and left. But Lin Bie still worried they might double back. As soon as they were inside, she locked the door and shut all the windows before finally letting out a long breath.

Now truly safe, Lin Bie felt all her strength drain away. She collapsed against the wall in exhaustion. Leng Jinxi took out two suppressant patches and handed one to her.

Still slumped on the floor, Lin Bie reached to take the patch—only to see a smear of bl00d from her scratched palm. Her heart skipped. She snatched the patch quickly and withdrew her hand.

Damn. Just one trip to the tool room and she looked like she’d been in a brawl.

She peeked at Leng Jinxi, relieved to find her expression unchanged. Lin Bie curled her wounded hand into a fist, not wanting her to see.

Suppressant patch in hand, she peeled it open and applied it to her neck. The cool touch on her overheated gland made her sigh in relief for the first time—it felt amazing. Whoever invented these things deserved a medal.

The fog in her mind began to clear, the heat ebbing with each passing second. She finally felt better.

But she noticed Leng Jinxi still standing there, unmoving, casting a shadow over her. Confused, Lin Bie tilted her head.

Leng Jinxi still held the second patch out toward her. “Take it,” she said softly.

“I already applied mine,” Lin Bie replied, puzzled.

“I meant—apply it for me,” Leng Jinxi said, voice like a whisper of silk.

“What?” Lin Bie blinked in disbelief, thinking she must’ve misheard.

With a sigh, Leng Jinxi looked at her with a helpless, almost tender gaze. “I’m too tired. Help me apply it.”

Enduring the effects of her heat cycle and that earlier struggle had drained her. The fact that she could even speak with a calm expression was already sheer willpower.

Lin Bie stared, still stunned, until she noticed the fatigue so clearly etched in Jinxi’s eyes. Then it finally clicked.

“Oh! O-okay!” she scrambled to her feet, and when their fingers touched during the handoff, she felt a chill rush through her.

Leng Jinxi gave her a faint nod. “Thank you,” she murmured, then turned, lifting her hair to reveal the back of her neck—a faintly flushed, swollen gland.

Her porcelain-white skin glowed under the light. Lin Bie instinctively bit her lip—but winced when the fresh wound stung again. She let out a pained hiss.

Jinxi turned around quickly. “What’s wrong?” she asked, brows furrowed in concern.

“I—I’m fine. Just bit the same spot again,” Lin Bie stammered.

Realizing she may have overreacted, Jinxi gave her a fleeting glance and turned back around.

The awkward tension in the room melted away after the brief interruption, giving Lin Bie some space to breathe.

She opened the patch carefully, holding it with both hands as she reached toward the gland.

Normally, Alpha and Omega glands match skin tone—only during heat or susceptibility periods do they flush red. Leng Jinxi’s gland now glowed a light blush, almost inviting mischief.

The gentle scent of camellia curled in the air, teasing Lin Bie like a kitten’s tail against her chest. Her hands stiffened—she wasn’t sure how to proceed.

Her fingertip accidentally brushed against that sensitive skin. Leng Jinxi shivered uncontrollably, a suppressed gasp slipping through her clenched teeth. The sound reached Lin Bie’s ear and stopped her cold. Her cheeks flushed instantly.

Her fingers began to tremble. She shut her eyes tight. Screw it—just do it. She slapped the patch on in one quick motion.

The moment her fingers touched Jinxi’s soft skin, a tingling shot through her hand, then down into her chest. They had done far worse in the storage room, but somehow… her heart still raced.

Leng Jinxi wasn’t immune either. Lin Bie’s touch left her breathless. She placed her hands against her chest, trying to calm her chaotic breathing.

“All done,” Lin Bie said quickly. She helped fix Jinxi’s hair, fingers still tingling.

Outside, the wind rustled the curtains, dispersing the heady scent of pheromones—but not the softness lingering on Lin Bie’s fingertips.

Leng Jinxi turned around with her usual cool expression, but her eyes shimmered, as if she had just been wronged.

Lin Bie’s breath caught. The look on her face—fragile and wounded—brought a wave of guilt and grief.

She clenched her fists, thinking of the ordeals Jinxi had endured, the career she nearly lost.

“I’ll make sure you get justice,” Lin Bie said firmly. “I won’t let Shan Yi get away with this.”

There was no room for doubt in her voice—only unwavering resolve.

“Really?” Leng Jinxi looked up at her with a slight smile, eyes glinting with satisfaction.

Lin Bie… had become even more obedient than before.