Are You Trying to Mark Me? (GL, ABO) - Chapter 19
In a daze, Yu Ran thought back to her days at the research institute.
Actually, life at the institute wasn’t harsh—it could even be considered comfortable.
As a rare and scarce Omega, Yu Ran naturally received absolute protection.
When she was eighteen, she moved out of the orphanage and into the institute. After finishing her studies, she stayed there.
Although the institute didn’t restrict Yu Ran’s movements or daily life, they always wanted her to complete her matching as soon as possible.
Omegas are fertile all year round; female Omegas are especially ideal candidates. Yu Ran has grown up and can now marry and have children.
The matched Alpha wants to meet Yu Ran.
Tell Yu Ran to prepare quickly. Marriage and childbirth are inevitable paths for every Omega.
Because of this, Yu Ran didn’t want to meet that top-class Alpha.
Probably due to weakness from a cold and not taking her medicine on time, Yu Ran just woke up showing mild signs of being in heat.
It wasn’t serious, but she was extremely sensitive.
After a lot of effort, Yu Ran finally got up from the sofa, staggering to her bedroom door and searching inside for her medicine.
After quickly taking two pills, Yu Ran felt a pounding headache.
Her whole body burned with heat.
Every pore seemed to crave touch.
She buried her head in her knees, feeling utterly miserable…
The air still carried the scent of rum from Min Wenyi, which usually was hard to notice, but right now for Yu Ran, it acted like the perfect aphrodisiac.
Min Wenyi’s delicate hands and rounded fingers.
Her deep voice and the eyes that Yu Ran had fallen into more than once.
At this moment, everything was especially clear.
Pain.
It brought endless fantasies.
Unable to bear the images flooding her mind, Yu Ran reached for the air conditioner switch and turned it on.
The sound of the air conditioner started, and soon a cool breeze spread.
Not just in her room, but the air conditioners in the living room and throughout the house were all turned on by Yu Ran.
The icy breeze went straight to her neck, and the burning sensation eased quite a bit.
Before Yu Ran could adjust, there was a knock at the door.
“Assistant, when is dinner ready?”
Lu An’s voice came from outside, sounding muffled.
Yu Ran was too weak to lift her head and just lay on the table, pretending not to hear.
Probably from the medicine’s effect, Yu Ran couldn’t remember much, only feeling extremely tired—too tired to open her eyes—letting others come into her room and feel her forehead.
Yu Ran was sick.
A high fever of 39°C, almost unconscious.
She fell asleep in the cold air-filled house. If Min Wenyi hadn’t come back in time, who knows what would have happened.
When Min Wenyi entered, she saw all the rooms’ air conditioners running. The cold made her scalp tingle.
Around 11 p.m., Lu An called to say no one was home yet and that he had ordered takeout for dinner.
Min Wenyi found it strange. She had gone out alone, and Yu Ran should have been fine at home.
Thinking back to Yu Ran’s poor condition earlier that day, Min Wenyi dropped everything and drove straight back.
Yu Ran’s cheeks were flushed red from the fever, and her lips were cracked from dehydration. Min Wenyi poured a cup of warm water to soothe her throat.
“Should we go to the hospital?”
Lu An looked worried seeing Yu Ran’s serious fever. “If we go now, it might be less crowded.”
Neither of them could easily leave to go to the hospital. If they were sick, the assistant and agent could handle things. But now, their only assistant was sick at home, and they felt stuck.
Min Wenyi thought for a moment and said to Lu An, “Help me drive. Let’s take Yu Ran to the hospital.”
Just as Lu An nodded to get up, Yu Ran grabbed his sleeve.
She had somehow regained consciousness.
“I don’t want to go to the hospital…”
Lying under the covers, her flushed cheeks were even more obvious.
Min Wenyi reached out to touch Yu Ran’s forehead and said softly, “You have to go to the hospital. Your fever is really bad.”
Yu Ran shook her head and held onto Lu An’s big sleeve tightly.
She couldn’t go to the hospital. If she went, they’d find out she was an Omega.
Omegas already had very few job opportunities. She had finally found a job and if her identity was exposed, she’d definitely be kicked out.
Yu Ran didn’t care much about the money. She just felt happy here at this home and didn’t want to leave so soon.
So no matter what, she refused to go to the hospital.
“I’m not going. I’m fine.” Yu Ran curled up under the blanket. She felt like she was on fire under the covers, but she still gritted her teeth and insisted, “I’m not going to the hospital.”
Min Wenyi looked troubled, her face darkening as she stared at Yu Ran. Seeing that Yu Ran was determined not to go, she finally gave up.
“Lu An,” Min Wenyi turned to the boy standing nearby and said, “Go downstairs and buy some fever medicine from the 24-hour pharmacy.”
Lu An nodded and left the room.
Yu Ran quietly breathed a sigh of relief knowing she didn’t have to go to the hospital, then slowly closed her eyes.
She felt her body burning hot on the outside, but inside, she was freezing cold, which made her very uncomfortable.
Min Wenyi reached out and gently touched Yu Ran’s forehead as she curled up under the blanket.
After taking the medicine and drinking a big cup of hot water, Yu Ran finally drifted off to a drowsy sleep.
“Sis Wenyi, you should take some medicines too, don’t catch it from her,” Lu An said as he handed Min Wenyi the medicine. “Don’t you have a commercial shoot next week?”
Min Wenyi thought for a moment and said, “Got it, just leave it there.”
“Where’s there?”
“In the desk drawer.”
Lu An went over to Yu Ran’s desk and opened the drawer. He found Yu Ran’s suppressants.
He picked one up, looking puzzled. “What’s this?”
Min Wenyi glanced back and said, “Those are Yu Ran’s vitamins. Just put the fever medicine together with them.”
That way, they won’t lose track of the medicine later.
“Vitamins?” Lu An opened the bottle cap and sniffed, confused. “These vitamins don’t have any smell at all, and there’s no label on the bottle. Where did she buy these?”
“I don’t know. Yu Ran takes them often, maybe they have other effects.”
“Oh…”
Lu An looked at the other suppressants in the drawer and said puzzled, “Is the little assistant really that weak? Why does she take so many vitamins?”
For some reason, those words lingered in Min Wenyi’s mind.
Lu An was right. Yu Ran seemed healthy. So why take vitamins?
Following Lu An’s gaze, Min Wenyi saw about three or four identical bottles in the drawer, each with around forty or fifty pills.
Isn’t that a bit much for vitamins?
“I’m heading home now,” Lu An said to Min Wenyi. “Let’s see if the fever goes down tonight. If it doesn’t, I’ll call Xinxin to come keep Yu Ran company and take her to the hospital.”
After all, Tong Xinxin was just a regular assistant, so she wouldn’t attract too much attention like the two of them.
“Okay.”
Min Wenyi replied casually, watching Lu An close the door before turning back to Yu Ran’s room.
Maybe because of the fever medicine, the little assistant was now sleeping deeply, her small eyebrows furrowed tightly, looking very uncomfortable.
Sitting beside Yu Ran, Min Wenyi reached out to rub the space between her brows.
Is the little assistant really that weak? Why does she take so many vitamins?
Lu An’s words still echoed in Min Wenyi’s ears, and she felt they made some sense.
Why was Yu Ran taking so many vitamins?
Yu Ran had a rough night’s sleep.
High fevers were always especially hard to endure.
She slept until noon the next day before waking up.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Min Wenyi sitting beside her bed, talking on the phone.
“Mm, I have something today so I won’t go. Just send me the contract later.”
“…It’s about Yu Ran. What’s going on?”
“Can you stop being so nosy?”
Yu Ran didn’t know who she was talking to, but it sounded work-related, so she didn’t interrupt.
When Min Wenyi saw Yu Ran was awake, she quickly finished the call and hung up.
“Awake?”
Min Wenyi reached out and touched Yu Ran’s forehead.
Yu Ran half-closed her eyes and nodded. “Mm, still have a fever?”
Min Wenyi looked into Yu Ran’s eyes, raised her hand, then lowered her head.
Their foreheads touched. Yu Ran could clearly see Min Wenyi’s eyelashes and hear their breathing.
“Still a fever, but not as bad as last night.”
Min Wenyi looked up and asked, “Want to go to the hospital? Lu An’s assistant is free today; she can go with you.”
Yu Ran blushed, though the fever already made her cheeks red.
“I-I don’t want to go,” Yu Ran said softly, curling deeper under the blanket. “I’ll just take more medicine.”
“If the fever doesn’t go down, it’s not up to you anymore.”
Min Wenyi took the medicine and warm water, saying, “You know, I’m not very good at taking care of people.”
Yu Ran shrank back but obediently took the medicine.
Because Yu Ran was sick, no one cooked. Naturally, all the meals were takeout ordered by Min Wenyi, who also shared some with Lu An.
After about two days, the high fever went down, but a low fever lingered.
That day, Yu Ran called Zhuo Ran and told him about her condition.
“How many suppressants do you take daily?”
Yu Ran held the phone and thought for a moment. “Twice a day, one pill each time.”
Zhuo Ran asked on the other end, “You haven’t been taking extra, right?”
“…Would taking extra cause problems?”
Living with an Alpha sometimes made Yu Ran take a few more pills than usual.
“If you take a lot, side effects will definitely happen,” Zhuo Ran said. “These suppressants are meant to control heat cycles. Taking too many naturally causes problems.”
Zhuo Ran told Yu Ran, “Looks like your body can’t handle the side effects anymore. Give me your address. I’ll send you some medicine today.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
After hanging up, Yu Ran noticed Min Wenyi standing quietly at the door. Her heart skipped a beat in surprise.
Min Wenyi looked at Yu Ran’s face, walked over, and placed a bowl of porridge by her bed.
She asked calmly, “Who were you just talking to?”
Then added, “What medicine are they sending?”