Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha and Got Marked by the Enemy (ABO, GL) - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

“Don’t be afraid.”

At this moment, Ming Zhu’s voice was unexpectedly softer than usual, her two words spoken gently, like a spring breeze, yet firm.

Her gaze didn’t seem as cold either. At such close range, Yu Jing could even see her own tiny reflection in Ming Zhu’s eyes, surrounded by a soft glow, so warm it made her want to sink into it.

Her unusual tone and look, like the hand on Yu Jing’s waist, seemed to offer a steadying strength.

Was it an illusion?

Yu Jing instinctively stood on tiptoes, trying to discern, when footsteps sounded behind her. Her body stiffened, and she turned to look.

Zhang Xu was chasing after her, his face dark.

He was furious, his expression grim. Seeing Yu Jing hadn’t gotten far, he gave a sinister smirk, quickening his pace to catch her.

Yu Jing thought he was coming to settle the score. Her heart raced, her hands gripping Ming Zhu’s shoulders tighter.

The hand on her waist seemed to tighten slightly too, but not enough to feel restrictive. Her body slowly relaxed, eyes fixed on Zhang Xu.

He took two steps forward, then suddenly stopped.

Seeing Ming Zhu holding Yu Jing, his advance faltered, his anger fading. Hands in his pockets, he leaned lazily against the wall, looking at the two figures ahead with a careless drawl. “Isn’t that Ming Zhu? Long time no see.”

Ming Zhu, holding the smaller girl, shifted her gaze from Yu Jing’s tense face, looking up lightly. “Zhang Xu.”

The same two words, but her tone was noticeably colder.

Yu Jing instinctively looked up at her.

Ming Zhu’s jaw was tight, her face expressionless, her light eyes full of disdain.

Yu Jing was stunned.

Zhang Xu was, after all, one of the show’s investors. Why was Ming Zhu’s attitude toward him even worse than hers?

Yu Jing couldn’t figure it out, too busy studying her expression, when Zhang Xu’s sarcastic voice cut in. “Two female Alphas hugging like this? Pretty open-minded.”

Two female Alphas?

Yu Jing’s brain lagged, looking down at their closely entwined position. The snapped thread in her mind buzzed, reason returning, instantly waking her up.

She hurriedly pulled her hands from Ming Zhu’s shoulders, stumbling back a few steps, only to have Ming Zhu grab her wrist.

“?” Yu Jing looked at her, confused.

Ming Zhu didn’t explain, gently pulling her to stand behind her.

Yu Jing was even more baffled. Peering over Ming Zhu’s shoulder, she saw Zhang Xu eyeing them predatorily, his face making her stomach churn. She quickly looked back at the tall figure shielding her.

Was Ming Zhu… protecting her???

It felt unbelievable. Confused by her strange actions, Yu Jing stared at her profile, noting her alluring thin lips move, her tone colder still. “She hasn’t differentiated yet, so she’s not exactly an Alpha.”

“…”

If this were before, Yu Jing would’ve exploded at such words, arguing back. But having unexpectedly differentiated into an Omega, she had no ground to retort.

And Ming Zhu’s words, directed at Zhang Xu, didn’t seem like a taunt.

Still unclear on the situation, Yu Jing played dumb, staying silent to observe.

“It’s been a year, and you still haven’t differentiated?” Zhang Xu’s skeptical gaze turned to her.

“…” Feeling guilty and resentful, Yu Jing pressed her lips tight, avoiding his nauseating stare, looking only at Ming Zhu.

Maybe because of the contrast, compared to the sleazy Zhang Xu, she suddenly felt the annoying woman wasn’t so bad—beautiful, with a pleasant voice, and crucially, not harassing her.

She couldn’t help stealing a few more glances.

Ming Zhu, unaware of her gaze, stared at Zhang Xu coldly, her voice firm and sharp. “Our country’s laws state that harassing someone of the same s3x is a crime, with a minimum of five days’ detention for sexual harassment. If the victim is undifferentiated, the penalty doubles.” She pointed casually, her tone unhurried. “There are cameras here. Gathering evidence would be easy.”

She didn’t name names, but Zhang Xu understood instantly.

He maintained his carefree demeanor, standing straight with a forced smile. “Ming Zhu, you can eat carelessly, but you can’t speak carelessly. I just came to wash my hands, ran into her, and said hello. I didn’t do anything—ask her if you don’t believe me.”

He nodded toward Yu Jing.

Both turned to her—one with a threatening smile, the other with calm encouragement.

Yu Jing’s sluggish brain cleared, her spine straightening as she grasped the situation.

Zhang Xu’s harassment earlier must’ve been seen by Ming Zhu, who was speaking up for her.

But just half an hour ago, Ming Zhu’s attitude was different—her unmasked disdain when returning the bracelet was clear. She obviously disliked Yu Jing, so why the sudden change?

It was too strange.

The more Yu Jing thought, the odder it seemed. The sense of being protected vanished, her heart sinking. She stepped back, distancing herself from Ming Zhu.

In an instant, the three formed a tense triangle.

Zhang Xu whistled smugly.

Yu Jing eyed them warily.

Zhang Xu’s ill intentions were clear. As for Ming Zhu… she still couldn’t read her.

The situation didn’t allow for deep thought. Yu Jing’s hands pressed against her pant seams, her gaze guarded.

Ming Zhu frowned as she saw Yu Jing retreat.

“Little beauty,” Zhang Xu said lightly, arms crossed, smirking at her. “Did I harass you just now?”

Don’t you have any self-awareness? Yu Jing gritted her teeth, inwardly cursing.

In the heat of the moment, she’d stomped on Zhang Xu to avoid being assaulted. Now, calmer, she didn’t dare act rashly.

The weak had to yield.

Clenching her jaw, suppressing her anger, she lowered her eyes and muttered, “No.”

Ming Zhu watched her bowed head, her brow furrowing again.

Pleased with her answer, Zhang Xu laughed arrogantly, hands in pockets, stepping toward her.

Seeing his moving feet, Yu Jing’s fingers curled, torn between running or staying. Suddenly, someone stepped between her and Zhang Xu.

A faint cold fragrance brushed her nose.

Yu Jing looked up, stunned at the tall figure shielding her again, utterly confused.

What was Ming Zhu doing?

In her daze, a strong nicotine-like scent hit her—pungent, nauseating, panic-inducing.

No, not smoke—Alpha pheromones!

Yu Jing felt suffocated, clutching her chest, looking up.

Zhang Xu’s face twisted, releasing provocative pheromones to challenge Ming Zhu’s interference.

It was the second time Yu Jing smelled another Alpha’s pheromones besides Ming Zhu’s, and it was awful! Her breathing faltered, wanting to cover her nose but afraid of being noticed, so she endured.

How could an undifferentiated Alpha smell pheromones?

She didn’t want to expose herself, but her body betrayed her. Her pheromones stirred under the aggressive Alpha scent, heart racing, body heating, mind fogging.

Alpha pheromones could challenge peers or subdue Omegas. If this continued, her own pheromones might be triggered.

She wanted to run, but her body felt weak, held by Zhang Xu’s pheromones, instinctively wanting to submit.

No…

Zhang Xu was trash—she couldn’t submit to him!

Not daring to release her pheromones, Yu Jing relied on willpower to resist.

But her Omega body was too frail; she felt she couldn’t hold out long. If her pheromones leaked, her differentiation secret would be exposed.

Anxious, she tried to stay alert with pain, clenching her teeth. In a haze, she caught a cool tea fragrance.

It was the familiar, soothing cold scent that calmed her mind and pain.

Yu Jing inhaled deeply, her body’s restlessness easing, regaining some clarity. Following the scent, she saw Ming Zhu’s resolute back.

Her tall, upright figure completely blocked Zhang Xu’s view. He couldn’t see Yu Jing, nor could Ming Zhu.

So slim, with thin shoulders, yet she felt so reliable, so safe.

Yu Jing’s mind, muddled by the clashing pheromones, forgot their prior enmity. Enveloped by Ming Zhu’s cold fragrance, she felt comforted, longing to lean against her back.

Her feet shifted.

The sharp nicotine scent snapped her awake.

Alpha instincts were naturally hostile. After Ming Zhu released her pheromones, Zhang Xu doubled down.

But it was futile.

His intensified pheromones didn’t faze Ming Zhu at all!

Not only that, her subtle yet commanding cold fragrance steadily overpowered his, completely suppressing it!

Zhang Xu swayed, a flash of shock and fear in his red eyes.

He… lost?

An Alpha showdown, silent and swift, ended in seconds.

Zhang Xu steadied himself against the wall, staring at the unshaken Ming Zhu, shaken to his core.

What was her genetic level?

This was his second pheromone clash with Ming Zhu.

Last year at Qingshui Bay, Zhang Xu, captivated by her beauty and aura, had tried to make a move. Though she was an Alpha, he’d subdued others before and was confident. He tested her with his pheromones, only to meet resistance. Ming Zhu didn’t yield, countering with her own pheromones.

That time, neither won, interrupted by a phone call. A girl’s sweet voice coaxed him, and he left Ming Zhu for softer company, frustrated.

He’d seen her pride and defiance but didn’t believe he’d lose to her.

A male Alpha suppressed by a female Alpha? If word got out, he’d be a laughingstock.

He must’ve been careless, letting her gain the upper hand.

His pride challenged, Zhang Xu rallied, ready to counter.

“What’s all the excitement about?” a voice interrupted, disrupting the standoff.

Zhang Xu’s gaze sharpened, retracting his pheromones, looking at the newcomer.

Yang Ming, out to use the restroom, approached with a smile.

Noticing the lingering pheromones, his expression shifted, eyes darting between Zhang Xu and Ming Zhu, sensing a conflict. His mind raced, masking his surprise, casually addressing Ming Zhu. “You haven’t left?”

Lost in the cold fragrance, Yu Jing snapped to attention, her scattered gaze focusing on Ming Zhu’s back.

Right—why hadn’t Ming Zhu left?

Before Ming Zhu could answer, her phone buzzed. Seeing Zhou Qi’s call, she paused, then said to Yang Ming, “Came to wash my hands.”

Yang Ming eyed her dry hands, sensing an excuse. Unsure what had happened, he felt the tension in the air.

Ming Zhu was his guest star, Zhang Xu the investor—taking sides wasn’t wise. He gave Ming Zhu a subtle look. “If you have things to do, go handle them.”

Ming Zhu nodded faintly, turning to see Yu Jing’s pale face. Quickly, she reached out to steady her swaying body. “You okay?”

Yu Jing flinched as if burned, pulling away from the disorienting pheromones, waving dismissively to seem strong.

Seeing her poor complexion, Ming Zhu hesitated to speak.

“Director Yang,” Yu Jing bit her lip, looking at him, mustering her last shred of reason. “I’m not feeling well. Can I leave early?”

“You’re here too?” Yang Ming hadn’t noticed her, blocked by Ming Zhu. Seeing her pale, sickly face, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Yu Jing pressed her stomach, suppressing her surging pheromones, lying stiffly, “I’m on my period. Cramps.”

Hearing it was a personal issue, Yang Ming looked embarrassed, not pressing further. Clearing his throat, he said formally, “You all worked hard today. If you’re unwell, go rest.”

“Thank you, Director.” Yu Jing bowed, avoiding the others’ reactions, and left.

Zhang Xu was reluctant but couldn’t act out with Yang Ming there, watching her slip away.

Ming Zhu’s phone kept buzzing. She nodded to Yang Ming and left.

Her gaze followed Yu Jing’s unsteady figure, answering the call. “Wait a sec, I’m coming out.”

Zhou Qi said okay.

Ming Zhu ended the call, wanting to catch up and explain.

Hearing footsteps, Yu Jing didn’t look back, speeding up until she was running.

Ming Zhu paused, stopping her pursuit.

She’d talk to her at the hotel, she thought.

Yu Jing didn’t return to the hotel.

It wasn’t an excuse—she genuinely felt unwell, her pheromones unstable, ready to erupt. Worse than cramps, it left her anxious.

Too many people were in the room, so she didn’t go back to say goodbye, only texting Xiao Yihuan to pass on the message, then calling Shen Jiayu.

Soon, Shen Jiayu and Xiao Ye came out, seeing her slumped against a wall, exhausted. They asked what was wrong.

Yu Jing couldn’t explain, only saying Zhang Xu and Ming Zhu’s pheromones caused her state.

Shen Jiayu’s face darkened at Zhang Xu’s name but, seeing her condition, held back questions, grabbing her arm. “Let’s go to the hospital.”

Yu Jing, lips pale, nodded.

The same doctor from last time saw her.

After tests, the doctor said her recent differentiation made her pheromones unstable, disturbed by other Alpha pheromones, causing the reaction.

It matched Yu Jing’s expectations, but hearing “adverse reaction,” she recalled something odd. “I was exposed to two Alphas. One’s pheromones made me feel pain and discomfort, but the other’s… hers made me feel comfortable. Doctor, why’s that?”

The doctor adjusted his glasses, saying slowly, “Normally, the higher the genetic compatibility between an Omega and an Alpha, the stronger the reaction to their pheromones, and the more comfortable they feel.”

Ming Zhu’s pheromones weren’t just comfortable…

“If…” Alone in the room, Yu Jing still felt shy, avoiding the doctor’s gaze, fingers gripping the table. After a long pause, she whispered, “If… smelling their pheromones causes arousal, what does that mean?”

The doctor, unfazed by such questions, asked calmly, “Were you marked by them?”

Yu Jing jolted, sitting upright, blurting, “Of course not!”

“Oh.” The doctor nodded, explaining matter-of-factly, “If you weren’t marked or induced by their pheromones, yet were actively drawn to them and felt physical desire, it means your genetic compatibility with them is very, very, very high.”

His three “verys” sent a shiver through Yu Jing. Licking her dry lips, she asked, “Any adverse effects?”

“None at all,” the doctor chuckled. “On the contrary, with such high compatibility, you’d be ideal partners.”

Clang—

She knocked over the doctor’s pen holder, spilling pens everywhere.

Yu Jing’s mouth hung open, thunderstruck.

After the visit, the doctor prescribed nutrient drips. A nurse set up the IV, keeping her overnight for observation until her pheromones stabilized.

Not wanting to reveal her differentiation, Shen Jiayu got her a private room. Seeing her dazed, leaning against the headboard, she worried. “Still not feeling well?”

Yu Jing shook her head slightly, eyes unmoving.

She was processing the doctor’s words.

High compatibility with Ming Zhu? Fine, she could accept that—her pheromones smelled good.

But suitable as partners? That was absurd!

Imagining submitting to Ming Zhu’s pheromones, being forcibly marked, Yu Jing felt ill.

What top-tier Omega? She’d rather be an undifferentiated girl forever.

Her mood sank, barely hearing Shen Jiayu. A tap on her arm made her gasp softly, looking over innocently. “Why’d you hit me?”

Shen Jiayu stared at her gravely. “Did Zhang Xu do something to you again?”

The name made Yu Jing recoil. Steadying herself, she recounted his attempted assault in the restroom.

Slap— Shen Jiayu slammed her phone on the nightstand, seething. “That scumbag never changes.”

Yu Jing frowned, looking at the IV needle in her hand, thoughts drifting.

Last year at the fashion gala, Zhang Xu had harassed her too.

That night, after doing her makeup in the lounge, he slipped in, grabbing her from behind. Shocked, angry, and scared, she broke free and ran.

He didn’t succeed then, but the memory still disgusted her.

It happened again today, and she escaped by luck, but worry lingered.

“I told you Jia Cheng’s an investor in this show and not to take it, but you didn’t listen,” Shen Jiayu said.

Yu Jing snapped back, giving a forced smile to Shen Jiayu’s worried face. “They paid well.”

Knowing Jia Cheng was involved, she’d considered she might encounter Zhang Xu again and risk harassment, but she needed the money and took the chance.

She thought the show, lacking big names, wouldn’t interest him much. She didn’t expect him to show up so soon.

For ‘Treasure Hunt’, her contract paid per episode. After disrespecting Zhang Xu and stomping his foot, she likely wouldn’t be invited back.

It was a pity to lose the income, but compromising with someone like Zhang Xu for money? She couldn’t do it.

Shen Jiayu wasn’t the type to sacrifice morals for profit either. She worried Yu Jing might be replaced, but asking her artist to grovel to a creep like Zhang Xu was unthinkable.

They stared at each other, falling silent.

Xiao Ye, listening quietly, spoke softly. “Jingjing, you said Zhang Xu harassed you, and Ming Zhu appeared, even speaking up for you? Why’s she suddenly so kind?”

Yu Jing frowned, shaking her head.

She still hadn’t figured it out.

Ming Zhu’s behavior was odd, but Yu Jing didn’t think it was kindness—there had to be an ulterior motive.

As for what motive, or why Ming Zhu disliked her so much, it didn’t seem to matter anymore. She might be replaced next episode, and they wouldn’t need to meet again.

Exhausted and irritated after a long day of filming, Yu Jing didn’t want to talk. She lay on her side.

The IV seemed to have a sedative effect. Her eyelids drooped, and she drifted into sleep.

In her dream, she and Ming Zhu were battling for the treasure:

She grabbed Ming Zhu’s slender ankle, and they tumbled down the slope into the pit.

Pinning Ming Zhu beneath her, she inhaled the cool tea fragrance, hopelessly enamored with the scent.

“Smell good?” The woman’s cool voice softened, her amber eyes like rippling spring water, gazing at her tenderly.

Drowning in that affection, Yu Jing clutched her clothes, blushing shyly. “Smells good.”

“Then… can I smell your gland?”

Her voice, laced with the seductive cold fragrance, was deliberately enticing. Unable to resist, Yu Jing would give her anything. Biting her lip, staring at that captivating face, she nodded obediently. “Sure.”

She bared her vulnerable nape without reserve.

The woman’s cool hand brushed her hair aside, her sensual red lips parting in a bewitching smile. Leaning down, she bit the sweet, soft skin of her gland…

Yu Jing gripped the sheets, jolting awake. Staring at the white ceiling, her mind blank for a few seconds, she slowly came to.

Touching her nape, she felt the thin patch, ensuring no wound or bl00d. Her racing heart calmed, and she exhaled deeply.

She’d dreamed of being marked by Ming Zhu.

And she’d willingly offered her gland!

Insane, insane.

Woken by the “nightmare,” Yu Jing didn’t dare sleep again. Sitting up, she saw Shen Jiayu and Xiao Ye asleep on the sofa. Moving quietly, she checked her phone on the nightstand—it was 1 a.m.

Sleepless, she leaned against the headboard, scrolling.

Silencing her phone, she unlocked it, noticing unread messages from a group. Confused, as she hadn’t joined any, she opened it.

Chen Chen had created a group for Treasure Hunt’s six regular MCs. In the hours she’d been gone, they’d chatted over 800 messages.

Some mentioned her, asking about her health.

Warmed, she typed, “I’m fine now, thanks for the concern~”

Chen Chen: “You’re up so late!”

Surprised someone was awake, Yu Jing smiled, typing, “Aren’t you up too, Chen-ge?”

Chen Chen: “Young people love staying up.”

Peng Ze: “Young people love staying up.”

Xiao Yihuan: “Young people love staying up.”

A neat row of messages appeared. Yu Jing noticed everyone except Xie Haichao and Ming Zhu… wait, Ming Zhu was in the group?

Yes, she was, but silent throughout.

Yu Jing hadn’t added her on WeChat. Seeing an unfamiliar avatar, she guessed it was Ming Zhu.

Curiously clicking the avatar, she saw a fluffy white kitten, surprised.

Was it her cat? Or a random internet image?

Either way, the cute picture clashed with Ming Zhu’s icy vibe.

But what did it matter to her?

Annoyed at herself, Yu Jing closed the avatar, switching to the chat. The group had added a dozen more messages.

They were chatting aimlessly, and with nothing else to do, Yu Jing joined in.

Typing quickly, a red “1” popped up on her icons.

Someone adding her as a friend this late?

Curious, she opened it, eyes widening at the friend request.

The avatar was a fluffy white cat… the one she’d just seen.

Applicant: MZ.

With a note: I’m Ming Zhu.

Yu Jing felt like she’d seen a ghost.

Ming Zhu’s sudden intervention against Zhang Xu was already suspicious, and now adding her on WeChat in the middle of the night? What was this?

In a flash, her groggy mind recalled the doctor’s words about their compatibility as partners, and the “nightmare” of being marked. Her breath caught, and she instinctively rejected the request.