I Marked My Arch-Nemesis Omega - Chapter 41

“I haven’t encountered such a situation yet,” Song Qing said. “Let me take you to try some local specialties here.”

“Alright,” Sheng Yu nodded.

“There was a restaurant I loved when I was a kid. I don’t know if it’s still around—it’s been a long time.” As Song Qing passed by a small estate, her steps faltered. After hesitating for a moment, she gestured toward it. “This is my home.”

“Huh?” Sheng Yu was taken aback and turned to look in the direction Song Qing had indicated. The estate’s gate was open, revealing a fountain near the entrance. The main house was set farther back, its first and second floors obscured by lush greenery, making it hard to see clearly.

“Someone seems to be at the fourth-floor window of that house,” Sheng Yu remarked. “And it looks like they’re watching us.”

Song Qing glanced in that direction. “You’ve got sharp eyes.”

“Not really,” Sheng Yu replied. “I can’t see clearly—just a faint outline.”

“It might be my mother.”

“So, are you going in?”

“Since they already know I’m back, I have to.” Song Qing pressed her lips together.

Sheng Yu noticed Song Qing’s posture had stiffened considerably.

Song Qing led Sheng Yu inside. Along the way, people greeted them casually, showing no surprise—as if they had already known. Everyone’s expression seemed unchanging, almost eerily calm, giving off a robotic vibe at first glance.

They entered the largest building, where Song Qing’s mother was already waiting in the first-floor reception room. She nodded as the two walked in.

“Mom.”

“Auntie, hello. My name is Sheng Yu.” Sheng Yu offered a well-mannered smile.

“Please, have a seat.” Song Qing’s mother returned a gentle smile.

On the table were three cups of tea and some pastries.

Song Qing’s mother was a strikingly beautiful Omega, her every movement exuding grace and intellect. Her demeanor was warm and approachable, devoid of any air of superiority. Her eyes were clear, almost as if untouched by the complexities of the world.

But given that she had orchestrated Song Qing’s masquerade as an Alpha—successfully deceiving the entire Song family—she was undoubtedly far more shrewd than she appeared.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming back this time,” Song’s mother remarked, sipping her tea.

“There wasn’t anything important, so I didn’t want to bother you,” Song Qing replied.

“Will you be staying for lunch?”

Song Qing paused for a couple of seconds. “What’s prepared at home? I was planning to take her out for local dishes.”

“Then stay and eat here. The family chef cooks very authentically,” Song’s mother suggested.

Song Qing didn’t respond immediately, instead turning to Sheng Yu.

“I don’t mind. Let’s eat here,” Sheng Yu said.

Song’s mother regarded Sheng Yu warmly. “Good. I’ll have the chef prepare more dishes. This is the first time Qingqing has brought a friend home. Any dietary restrictions?”

“None. I’m not picky,” Sheng Yu replied cheerfully, then glanced at Song Qing, whose tension seemed to have intensified.

“Oh, Song Qing’s back?” Another woman descended the stairs.

Song’s mother looked up and smiled. “Yes.”

This woman was also an Omega, but her style was a stark contrast to Song’s mother’s.

“You didn’t even give me a heads-up.” The person sat down on the sofa, “Is this Song Qing’s friend? She’s really pretty, but probably not an Omega, right?”

“Yeah, I’m a Beta.”

The other nodded: “That’s good. Ah, I wonder when that brat of ours will come home to visit me. He doesn’t even call once all year.”

“Ahui is smart. He won’t get into trouble outside.”

“Smart, my foot. All he knows is causing trouble.”

Sheng Yu could roughly guess who this person was. The Empire’s marriage laws had different stipulations for Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.

Alphas could mark many Omegas, so there were no restrictions on the number of partners. Betas could only have one partner and could divorce. Omegas, due to permanent marking, could only have one partner for life, with many restrictions on divorce.

Sheng Yu glanced at Song Qing again. She sat there motionless, expressionless, but Sheng Yu could still sense her discomfort.

“Could you show me around? The garden looks really beautiful,” Sheng Yu said.

“You’re right. Sitting here is too boring. Song Qing, take your friend for a walk.”

“Okay,” Song Qing replied.

“Ah, Qingqing is so obedient. She agrees to whatever you say.”

“Indeed,” Song’s mother smiled again. “This child really is quite good.”

Once Song Qing led Sheng Yu outside, she finally relaxed a little.

“That’s my father’s third partner. He has four in total—two female Omegas and two male Omegas. There might be more outside, but I don’t know for sure,” Song Qing said.

Sheng Yu didn’t speak, just looked at Song Qing’s profile.

“My mother has five children, but four of them are Omegas. Only my older sister is an Alpha, and just a B-grade at that. I’m the youngest,” Song Qing continued. “Last year, she got pregnant again, but because of poor health, she miscarried. After that, she probably can’t conceive anymore.”

“What are you afraid of?” Sheng Yu asked.

“Everything,” Song Qing led Sheng Yu to the artificial lake. “When I come of age, my family will probably arrange an Omega for me. What should I do then? What if I can’t refuse?”

“Sometimes I think it’d be nice if I could just die on the battlefield.”

“Song Qing.”

“Hmm?”

“I never realized before how good you are at talking nonsense.”

Song Qing: “…”

“Why did you suddenly start cursing?” Song Qing looked at Sheng Yu with disdain.

“Because I don’t know how else to describe that speech of yours,” Sheng Yu said. “Did you expect me to praise you? Otherwise, tell me—how should I characterize that little monologue?”

“If you were following the normal path, how many Omegas would you take?” Song Qing stared at the water. “S-grades are very popular.”

Sheng Yu: ???

“No need to be embarrassed. After all, I’ve hardly seen any Alphas who only had one partner their whole lives—unless they died young,” Song Qing said mockingly.

Sheng Yu looked at Song Qing and laughed: “I rarely see you so full of resentment.”

“Oh, you dodged the question.”

“Probably zero,” Sheng Yu said, hands in her pockets. “I’m not really fond of establishing overly intimate relationships with people.”

“So, you never intended to take responsibility from the start?”

“I think you’re deliberately twisting my words. Of course, I’m willing to take responsibility for you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked you what our relationship was back then,” Sheng Yu replied, still with her hands in her pockets. “I was already thinking about what to do next, but as it turns out, I was just being presumptuous.”

Song Qing let out a soft laugh.

“Why did the conversation suddenly shift to me?”

“Who knows,” Song Qing said, crossing her arms.

“Let’s not dwell on things that haven’t happened yet,” Sheng Yu said, lowering her voice as she leaned closer to Song Qing. “I don’t have any experience, and it took me a while to realize something… You wouldn’t get pregnant, would you? I was too embarrassed to ask before.”

Song Qing: “…”

“No, I took care of it afterward. You didn’t exactly seem reliable.”

Sheng Yu coughed lightly, masking her embarrassment, and fell silent.

“Miss, Miss Sheng, dinner is ready.”

“Alright,” Sheng Yu responded immediately. “Let’s go, let’s eat.”

By the time Sheng Yu and Song Qing arrived at the dining room, the other four were already there. Sheng Yu noticed the two male Omegas Song Qing had mentioned earlier. One of them was excessively thin and looked sickly, while the other glanced at Sheng Yu for a couple of seconds before averting his gaze.

The table was laden with dishes, each one rich in color, aroma, and flavor. Only after Song’s mother gave the signal did everyone begin to eat.

No one spoke at the table. The Omega who had greeted Sheng Yu earlier tried to lighten the mood a few times, but when his efforts fell flat, he too fell silent.

Midway through the meal, Sheng Yu caught a faint whiff of pheromones. She took a sip of soup, pretending not to notice. Song Qing glanced at Sheng Yu, and soon the scent disappeared without anyone raising an objection.

After dinner, Song Qing was called away by her mother, leaving the talkative Omega to chat with Sheng Yu.

The Omega, named You Yue, was only twenty-seven years old.

“Twenty-seven?” Sheng Yu was shocked. He was so young.

“Yes, but I came here when I was seventeen,” You Yue said with a smile. “I wasn’t born into nobility. General Song took an interest in me because I’m an A-grade.”

Sheng Yu wasn’t sure how to respond.

Meanwhile, Song Qing followed her mother to the study. Despite facing south, the room still carried a slight chill.

“Why are you looking into S-grade pheromones? Have you changed your mind?” Song’s mother asked, her voice still gentle as she looked at Song Qing.

“No, I’m helping someone else look into it.”

Song’s mother stared into Song Qing’s eyes, pulling her closer. Though her grip wasn’t strong—Song Qing could have easily resisted—she didn’t fight back.

Her mother brushed aside Song Qing’s hair, examining the gland on her neck, her voice turning cold. “Who marked you? Even an S-grade Alpha won’t elevate your status as an Omega much. Do you understand? Power must remain in your own hands.”

“I know,” Song Qing replied calmly.

“Qi Liao?” Mother Song asked, “It couldn’t be him—he’s not in the top ten. And it certainly couldn’t be Cheng Yuan. There haven’t been any new top-ten Alphas recently. The youngest among them is already thirty-seven.”

“No,” Song Qing replied, looking at her mother. “Mom, please don’t ask anymore. It was just an accident. She’ll keep my secret, and I know what I need to do.”

Mother Song stared into Song Qing’s eyes before finally releasing her grip. “Don’t disappoint me.”