Her Pheromones Smell Like Sparkling Water (GL) - Chapter 20

Shen Tingjun could only watch as Shang Ranzhu picked up that bottle of suppressant that was accidentally dropped. Her throat tightened, unable to swallow the lump forming in it. Something like this—something that could indirectly expose her identity—had just happened without warning.

Shang Ranzhu stood right in front of the green emergency exit sign, blocking the only source of light in the dim stairwell. She couldn’t see Shen Tingjun’s expression clearly, only that her face seemed pale, and even her eyes had lost their light.

Shen Tingjun’s eyes were locked on the bottle in Shang Ranzhu’s hand. Without saying a word, she abruptly reached out and snatched it back. “It has nothing to do with you.”

Shang Ranzhu had not expected her to act so rudely. In that brief moment of shock, Shen Tingjun pushed open the door beside her and fled in panic. Her heels clacked loudly against the marble floor, and the emergency door creaked and rattled from being slammed so hard, the rusty hinges echoing down the corridor.

Stunned, Shang Ranzhu braced one hand against the door to stop its endless noise. Low nightlights dimly lit the long, narrow hallway.

Shen Tingjun had just… left like that.

Shang Ranzhu couldn’t understand it—why had Shen Tingjun reacted so strongly over just a bottle of suppressant? She looked down at the hand that had held it and slowly curled her fingers into a fist.

*****

Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Chen Ming was pacing anxiously. She knew she’d said the wrong thing earlier and had been silently praying for the CP gods to reunite her favorite couple.

When the door creaked open, she turned around excitedly, only to see Shang Ranzhu standing there alone. Her heart sank.

“H-how did it go?”

“It’s over between us.” Shang Ranzhu’s face fell, looking as deflated as a wilted eggplant.

“What?!” Chen Ming was even more devastated than she was. She was just an ordinary CP fan. She wanted to be the one pushing heads together, not tearing couples apart!

“You didn’t explain it to her properly, did you? Want me to talk to her? Don’t worry, I swear I’ll talk to her. Come here, let me give our poor little Zhu a hug.” She opened her arms wide, offering some friendly comfort.

Dragging her feet, Shang Ranzhu slumped into Chen Ming’s embrace; her voice was soft and tinged with tears, sounding utterly betrayed. “Xiao Ming’er… Shen Tingjun… She has someone else.”

“What?!” Chen Ming grabbed her shoulders with eyes going wide like walnuts. “How do you know?”

Shang Ranzhu dropped onto the sofa with a thud and sighed, utterly dispirited. “I saw an Omega suppressant on her.”

“Well… maybe it’s for her?” Chen Ming tried to joke, hoping to lighten the mood.

But Shang Ranzhu wasn’t in the mood for jokes. Her gaze was dull as she looked at Chen Ming. “Have you ever seen an Alpha using a suppressant?”

“Then… why would she have one?” Chen Ming asked, confused.

“I asked her that too,” Shang Ranzhu said, letting out another sigh. “But she didn’t even try to explain. She just left.”

“That’s so out of character for her.” Chen Ming looked shocked. “You don’t think she really has some Omega lover and doesn’t want to ruin her image, so she just ran away without saying anything?”

Hearing even Chen Ming say that made Shang Ranzhu collapse back into the couch, groaning.

Her love hadn’t even had the chance to begin, and it had already been snatched away and killed in its cradle.

Chen Ming frowned and muttered to herself, “That can’t be right. She’s an Alpha. If it was just some casual fling, couldn’t she just give them a temporary mark?”

Then, like something clicked in her head, she sat on the armrest beside Shang Ranzhu and smacked her excitedly. “Hey! Don’t give up! Maybe it’s just a fling! Look—your Shen-laoshi didn’t even mark them. That has to mean she’s not emotionally invested. You still have a chance!”

Shang Ranzhu’s eyes lit up instantly. She sat upright and suddenly full of renewed hope. “Really?”

“With all my years of slacking around in the entertainment circle, I’m telling you—it checks out. She’s almost thirty. There’s no way she’s been single all this time. How else would she manage her personal needs? Can’t be using her hands forever, right?” Chen Ming gave her a knowing look.

“But that’s so scummy of her,” Shang Ranzhu muttered. “I heard using suppressants for a long time isn’t good for an Omega’s health.”

But now that she’d convinced herself that Shen Tingjun didn’t really care about her little lover, Shang Ranzhu no longer cared whether Shen Tingjun was “scummy” or not—let alone feeling sorry for her so-called rival. “So what if it’s unhealthy? She’s the one who got involved with our Shen-laoshi. That’s the price she pays.”

Chen Ming had finally seen how terrifying a love-struck Alpha could be. Looking into Shang Ranzhu’s eyes—burning with the urge to devour that unknown little Omega—she suddenly felt a little sorry for the girl they hadn’t even seen yet.

*****

Ever since she found out Shen Tingjun might have a secret Omega lover, Shang Ranzhu had been counting the days until she could be discharged. The thought of Shen Tingjun sleeping alone in their dorm these past few nights left her tossing and turning. Late into the night, she’d let out dramatic sighs, so much so that Chen Ming—who was staying with her—couldn’t take it anymore and punched her twice.

Honestly, it wasn’t Shang Ranzhu’s fault. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could picture was Shen Tingjun getting intimate with her secret lover while she was away—making out recklessly, taking full advantage of the empty dorm.

Chen Ming had even said yesterday that the training grounds were closed for maintenance this week, which meant all training was suspended.

Wouldn’t that give Shen Tingjun even more free time to spend alone with that little Omega?

With the curtains drawn and soundproof walls, wasn’t that dorm practically a paradise for debauchery?

There were so many perfect places for them to mess around—the soft carpeted floor, the steamy shower… even her tiny desk stool.

Shen Tingjun, with her long, snowy arms, would lift the Omega with ease, pressing her close, kissing her with a hunger that couldn’t be stopped. The kiss would grow so intense that her lips would swell and turn red, and when they finally parted, a thin silver thread of saliva would still connect them—sinfully seductive.

Shang Ranzhu’s mind was filled with these filthy, jealous thoughts, driving her nearly insane.

Finally, after four agonizing days in the hospital, she was discharged—dragging a bleary-eyed Chen Ming along, whose dark circles practically reached her chin. On the way back, Shang Ranzhu went all out: a flawless makeup look, red patent leather boots, and a vintage-style deep-V black dress that hugged her waist and oozed sultry charm.

Their nanny van stopped in front of the dorm. It wasn’t peak hours, but still, a crowd had gathered at the entrance, buzzing with excitement.

“Ahhh! Shang Ranzhu is killing me!!”

“Shang Ranzhu! Marry me!!”

“This way, Shang Ranzhu!!!”

The moment Chen Ming opened the car door, all the screaming doubled in volume. Shang Ranzhu stepped out, head down and giving a quick glance around. Her sharp eyeliner added a fierce edge, sending the crowd into a fresh wave of shrieks.

She curled one corner of her red lips into a smirk, waved nonchalantly at the crowd, and swiftly entered the building with her staff.

“This look is a masterpiece,” Shang Ranzhu murmured, fiddling with the ring on her finger. She was burning with anticipation to finally see Shen Tingjun again.

Their room was still the same, and behind the frosted glass, she could see a dim light, but no shadows moved. Everything was quiet.

She took the luggage from Chen Ming and said, “Alright, I’ve got it from here. You can go.”

“Good luck!” Chen Ming gave her a thumbs-up.

Shang Ranzhu shot her a confident look, smoothed her skirt, and with a flutter of nerves, pushed open the door she’d been longing for.

Meanwhile, Shen Tingjun was sitting at her desk in a simple white tee and jeans; her figure was straight and neat. Her black hair flowed down her shoulders, partly covering her face and leaving only the outline of her delicate nose in view.

She turned toward the sound of the door. Light filtered in through the sheer curtains, bathing her in a soft glow. She looked like a fairy descended from the clouds—pure and divine.

For a moment, Shen Tingjun froze, a flicker of surprise and panic in her eyes. “You’re back already?”

“Mm-hmm.” Shang Ranzhu gave a playful shrug and rolled her suitcase into the room.

The place was clean and tidy—nothing like the scandalous mess she’d imagined in the hospital. She even took a deep breath, trying to pick up any unfamiliar scent. But aside from the faint pine and bamboo fragrance unique to Shen Tingjun, there was only a hint of something like unripe green apples that smelled unpleasant.

No trace of any Omega.

So, Shen Tingjun hadn’t fooled around while she was gone.

Of course not. Her Shen-laoshi was always elegant and restrained. There was no way she’d bring a little lover back here.

Just as Shang Ranzhu was thinking this, the curtain by the balcony rustled—and a silhouette appeared behind it.

Then a girl, wearing Shen Tingjun’s pajamas, bounced out cheerfully. Her hair was tied in two red bows, and she flung her arms around Shen Tingjun’s neck like a spoiled child. “Jie-jie, some woman dressed like a fluffy black chicken showed up in front of our dorm just now! There were so many people crowding around her. Was she from your drama crew?”

What the hell?!

Shang Ranzhu’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

Shen Tingjun had actually brought a little Omega here?!

And she looked younger than her!

“Xiao Nian.” Shen Tingjun lightly tapped the girl’s arm, hinting that someone else was in the room.

The girl, Shen Nianlan, peeked over and whispered into Shen Tingjun’s ear, “Jie-jie, the black chicken.”

Shang Ranzhu—clearly not seeing the family resemblance—was practically smoking from the ears. The way that girl clung to Shen Tingjun and whispered in her ear like that?

Seriously?

Since when did even actresses’ secret lovers stop caring about keeping up appearances?

Even in front of someone else, they were still all over each other—hugging and whispering so close that it was unbearable.

Shen Tingjun clicked her tongue in mild annoyance but didn’t seem truly angry. She just gently squeezed Shen Nianlan’s hand and said, “Don’t talk nonsense. This is Shang Ranzhu. She’s a few days older than you—you should call her ‘sister.’”

“You’re Shang Ranzhu?” Shen Nianlan lifted her head and stared, sizing up the new movie queen who had once dared to bad-mouth her beloved sister.

Being stared at like that made Shang Ranzhu uncomfortable. She responded coldly with a curt “Yeah,” then added, “What?”

Shen Nianlan, already unimpressed with her, became even more hostile after seeing that attitude. “Nothing. I just purely don’t like the way you look.”

“And what gives you the right not to like me?” Shang Ranzhu was quickly losing her patience with this fearless little brat.

So this was the kind of wild little lover Shen Tingjun kept?

Still young and naive, Shen Nianlan acted like a child and was completely unafraid. She shot back, “Because you said mean things about my sister! That’s enough reason to dislike you!”

Hearing this little brat keep calling her “sister” over and over again made Shang Ranzhu boil over with jealousy. She was practically drowning in vinegar. “Your sister? She’s my sister too!”

Shen Nianlan stomped her foot in fury and clung tightly to Shen Tingjun’s arm. “Why should my sister be your sister? She’s mine!”

“She’s mine!” Shang Ranzhu wasn’t backing down either. She dropped her luggage and marched up to Shen Tingjun, grabbing her other arm.

“My sister!”

“My sister!!”

…

Like two kindergarteners fighting over a toy, these two—clearly not on the same wavelength—kept shouting “my sister” back and forth while tugging on Shen Tingjun.

But they weren’t kids anymore. And as the tug-of-war intensified, both of them unknowingly released their pheromones.

Shen Tingjun was already getting dizzy from being pulled back and forth. Now, with two waves of scent crashing against her head, she found herself breathless—even though it wasn’t her heat period. Her limbs began to weaken.

“Shen Nianlan!” Shen Tingjun shouted. There was a rare flash of anger in her voice. Her eyes darkened with frustration.

Nianlan had always been terrified of her sister when she got like this. So she immediately let go and backed off, looking like a scolded bunny.

Shang Ranzhu caught a whiff of something strange in the air. Then she realized: the sour green apple scent she’d noticed earlier—what she had instinctively disliked—was an Alpha’s pheromone. “You’re… an Alpha?”

“Obviously,” Shen Nianlan snapped, rolling her eyes.

“She’s an Alpha?” Shang Ranzhu turned to Shen Tingjun, still not quite able to believe it.

“Yeah.” Shen Tingjun looked confused. “What’s wrong?”

Shang Ranzhu felt her whole worldview collapse. She blurted out, “I thought she was an Omega!”

Nianlan hated when people mistook her for one—probably because of her youthful face. Her round eyes glared fiercely at Shang Ranzhu, both cute and angry. “I am Shen Nianlan, a proper Alpha! Couldn’t you tell from my pheromones just now?!”

“Shen Nianlan?” Shang Ranzhu froze like she’d been struck by lightning.

She’d spent her recovery days digging into her future mother-in-law’s family background. Of course she knew that name—Shen Nianlan, the second daughter of Starchaser Media, current director of the Arts & Entertainment division, and Shen Tingjun’s most cherished little sister.

Dead. She was dead. So dead.

She hadn’t even won over her wife yet, and she’d already offended her sister-in-law.

With great difficulty, Shang Ranzhu managed a stiff, awkward smile and tried to salvage her image. “Hello, little sister…”

But Nianlan just stared at her like she was crazy and shrank further behind Shen Tingjun. “Go away, you frizzed-up black chicken.”

As expected—damage control: failed.

Shang Ranzhu took a deep breath. Don’t panic. Don’t get mad. Whatever the little sister says, she’s always right.

While sitting nearby, Shen Tingjun finally frowned and scolded gently, “Xiao Nian, you can’t talk like that.”

“But jie-jie~” Nianlan pouted and leaned on Shen Tingjun to whine.

“Alright, Andy’s coming to pick you up soon. Change your clothes here. I’m taking Shang Ranzhu out for a walk. When you’re ready, send me a message.”

With that, Shen Tingjun got up to leave with Shang Ranzhu. Nianlan stomped her foot angrily. “Jie-jie! Why are you taking her side?! She just got here, and you’re already kicking me out!”

Shang Ranzhu, hearing this, couldn’t help the grin spreading across her face. Her joy was written all over her expression. She added smugly, “That’s because she’s my sister too.”

Shen Tingjun clicked her tongue softly and gave Shang Ranzhu’s hand a light tug. “Stop provoking her.”

They were already standing quite close. Taking advantage of the moment, Shang Ranzhu subtly turned her hand to clasp Shen Tingjun’s and boldly slid both of their hands into her coat pocket. She glanced sideways at her and whispered into her ear, “Got it.”

The soft whisper, the sudden intimacy—Shen Tingjun’s heart skipped a beat. Her ears flushed pink. She tugged nervously to free her hand, but like always, Shang Ranzhu had her tightly locked in place.

“What are you doing?” Shen Nianlan narrowed her eyes, glaring at Shang Ranzhu with a sharp sense of danger.

Shen Tingjun stiffened immediately with her hand still trapped. But Shang Ranzhu didn’t let go. She calmly raised an eyebrow and gave Nianlan a look that said, It’s nothing. She knew full well that from Nianlan’s angle, she couldn’t see what was really going on between them.

“Jie-jie, we should go now. Let’s not interrupt Shen Nianlan while she gets ready.” Shang Ranzhu expressed this clearly, giving Nianlan a sly smile as she pulled Shen Tingjun from the dorm.