I Really Didn't Intend to Pick Up the Black Lotus Omega - Chapter 20

Dull thunder rumbled overhead as storm clouds crowded the sky, their pale, crumpled appearance resembling deliberately crumpled paper.

 

Pedestrians hurried along the streets, and cars speeding past the roadside kicked up gusts of cold, biting wind.

 

Rain was coming, and everyone was eager to get home.

 

Yu Qing was no exception.

 

She walked briskly, carrying two large bags, her pace undiminished by the weight.

 

The massive hospital building loomed behind her, growing smaller with each step, but the doctor’s words swirled in the wind, lingering in her mind.

 

“She’s in Heat, seeking your mark.”

 

“Isn’t this just the typical Omega’s dependence on an Alpha during Heat…?”

 

Yu Qing realized the doctor had been about to say “dependence” before stopping abruptly.

 

But she wasn’t an Alpha. How could Jiang Nianyu possibly develop such dependence on her?

 

The wind whipped through the dense branches lining the road, creating a chaotic rustling.

 

As Yu Qing hurried along the path, she suddenly remembered that this sense of dependence had already been present when Jiang Nianyu was hospitalized.

 

The concrete road she had walked barefoot was far hotter than the stone slabs under this gloomy sky.

 

That day, she had stubbornly, recklessly begged Yu Qing to stay.

 

Her cool blue eyes, illuminated by the sun, had shone brighter than any precious gem in the world.

 

The Head Nurse had said it was an Omega’s “imprinting” instinct in times of crisis, akin to a fledgling bird clinging to its parent.

 

So, was Jiang Nianyu’s clinginess during her Heat also due to this?

 

Was it merely an Omega’s innate nature?

 

If someone else had passed by the alley that day, would Jiang Nianyu have clung to them instead?

 

The afternoon was stifling, the oppressive weather making it hard to breathe. The rain refused to fall, adding to the suffocating atmosphere.

 

A nameless sense of loss weighed on Yu Qing, the heavy bag in her hand making her fingers ache.

 

“…Sometimes people need more than just pheromones. You’re an adult now; you should know what else they crave.”

 

“Little girl, don’t be insecure. Your fingers are slender, with distinct bones—they’re excellent tools.”

 

Heavy clouds drifted across the sky, allowing slivers of sunlight to pierce through the gaps.

 

The doctor’s words echoed in Yu Qing’s mind. This time, she couldn’t control her thoughts and found herself inexplicably staring at her own fingers.

 

Slender and well-proportioned, with clearly defined bones.

 

Yu Qing stared blankly at her fingers, as if examining a newly acquired tool.

 

She flexed the hand carrying the bag, noticing the red marks left by the plastic digging into her fingertips. Even these marks seemed strangely beautiful.

 

Is this finger because of…?

 

“Beep! Beep!”

 

The red light at the intersection flashed, like a glaring exclamation mark jolting Yu Qing’s mind.

 

At the last moment before running the red light, Yu Qing snapped awake. The hand she’d been staring at suddenly clenched tightly around the bag.

 

Yu Qing, what are you thinking?!

 

Get your eyes off your fingers!

 

The plastic bag rustled, sounding like expensive reagents and medications protesting their haphazard packing.

 

Though pedestrians hurried past, many lingered to glance at Yu Qing as they passed.

 

No one could understand why a Beta would be buying so many Omega products.

 

The pharmacy clerk nearly split her face with a smile as she saw Miss Fortune out.

 

“Regular suppressants are generally suitable for all constitutions, take effect quickly, but their duration is short.”

 

“Potent suppressants take longer to work but offer superior efficacy, making them ideal for Omegas who require high purity Alpha pheromones or situations where timely injections during Heat are impossible.”

 

“Your Omega is so lucky to have someone as considerate as you!”

 

Hearing the clerk’s words, Yu Qing nearly corrected her several times, clarifying that she and Jiang Nianyu weren’t together.

 

She worried that Jiang Nianyu following her—a clueless Beta—might be more of a misfortune than a blessing.

 

It was her oversight regarding Jiang Nianyu’s Heat that had caused these delays.

 

Yu Qing desperately wanted to make up for neglecting Jiang Nianyu, yet she didn’t know how to compensate for her neglect.

 

In the end, she simply bought a large quantity of suppressants, suppressant patches, and Heat-specific products recommended by the clerk.

 

Yu Qing’s rational mind assured her that these items would ensure Jiang Nianyu’s smooth passage through Heat.

 

She wouldn’t need Yu Qing’s fingers.

 

“That’s right, it won’t happen,” Yu Qing said, nodding firmly, her eyes filled with unwavering conviction.

 

Thunder rumbled in the distance, as if reminding people of forgotten memories.

 

Memories like the neck that had been brushed against, the clothes that had been worn and embraced without permission, and the figure that had appeared in her bed in the middle of the night.

 

 

Yu Qing hurried through the apartment building’s entrance just as the first raindrop fell from the sky.

 

She wondered if the rain would be worth her frantic rush. After dodging that single drop, the sky only drizzled a few more times before stopping altogether.

 

Yu Qing frowned, annoyed at the dried-up rain. “If you’re going to rain, just get on with it! Doesn’t this world have artificial rain?” she grumbled, carrying two heavy bags into the elevator.

 

An unusual gust of wind lifted the stray strands of hair framing her face.

 

The apartment’s temperature was a stark contrast to the stifling heat outside. Despite being separated by only a wall, it felt like two entirely different worlds.

 

Relaxed, Yu Qing moved with a light step.

 

The thought of finally solving Jiang Nianyu’s tormenting problem made her hum a cheerful tune.

 

“Today’s a good day, my heart is…”

 

The humming overlapped with the sound of the key turning in the lock. As the door swung open, the overwhelming fragrance of countless white camellias rushed out.

 

As a Beta, Yu Qing remained completely oblivious to the scent.

 

Like a hunter returning with a prize-laden bag, she announced in a particularly loud voice, “I’m home!”

 

The plastic bag rustled as Yu Qing sat down in the foyer, breaking the oppressive silence of the overly quiet house.

 

Since no one answered her, she didn’t find it odd. Instead, she set down the bag that had been digging into her hand all the way home, nursing her sore hand for a while before slipping into her slippers and heading inside.

 

“Jiang Nianyu, look what I brought you!”

 

Yu Qing walked through the house, thick with Jiang Nianyu’s pheromones, acting as if nothing were amiss. White Camellias twined around her fingers and wrist, their tendrils reaching for the glands hidden beneath her hair, attempting to invade them.

 

But Betas have no glands, making this invasion futile.

 

Even with the room overflowing with White Camellias, Yu Qing remained oblivious.

 

She shook her reddened fingers, her mind focused solely on finding Jiang Nianyu, apologizing, and making amends.

 

Then she would tell her that she would be more attentive to understanding Omegas and would take better care of her in the future.

 

“Jiang Nian…”

 

But her resolve shattered when she noticed the scattered gift boxes on the bar counter.

 

Cotton lay scattered across the floor, and a tattered rabbit plushie, its stuffing torn out, lay on the ground, its empty fabric shell staring up at her with quiet helplessness.

 

Yu Qing’s steps froze abruptly.

 

The sunlight stretched her shadow long, as if isolating her in the center of the living room.

 

She glanced back, her gaze distant. The severed White Camellias lay piled on the floor like broken jade, their pure, romantic petals overlapping in a greedy, overwhelming embrace.

 

Thump-thump.

 

Thump-thump!

 

Her heart pounded against her chest, catching her off guard.

 

Finally, the Beta realized something was wrong.

 

“Jiang Nianyu,” she called out, her voice echoing through the apartment as she searched for the other woman.

 

Her small loft apartment was only sixty square meters; she could see the entire space from the foyer.

 

Yet now, even after reaching the living room, the apartment suddenly felt vast, too large to take in with a single glance.

 

Yu Qing called Jiang Nianyu’s name several more times, but there was no response.

 

The computer on the living room table was still lit, the virtual dog on the screen wagging its tail at her.

 

Following the affectionate wagging tail upward, Yu Qing finally noticed that her apartment had a second floor.

 

Thump, thump, thump.

 

The stairs echoed with heavy footsteps, like the ones rushing toward her in a fragmented memory.

 

Yet these footsteps were lighter, more genuine, utterly unlike the distorted sounds of her memory.

 

Yu Qing hurried upstairs and saw a small, rounded bulge beneath the covers on her bed.

 

It was like a child playing hide-and-seek, foolishly believing that hiding in the dark would keep fate from finding them.

 

The idea that Betas have an instinct for Omegas might seem laughable.

 

But Yu Qing felt it—she was certain Jiang Nianyu was hiding there.

 

“Jiang Nianyu,” Yu Qing whispered, crouching cautiously before the small bulge. She gently tugged at a corner of the blanket, softening her voice.

 

Instantly, a wave of heat surged from beneath the covers.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s hand still clutched the blanket’s edge. Countless layers of clothing piled atop her, as if threatening to crush her, yet also forming a comforting sanctuary.

 

“Mmm…”

 

Sensing her sanctuary had been discovered, a faint, trembling whimper escaped Jiang Nianyu’s throat.

 

Yu Qing flinched, mirroring Jiang Nianyu’s tremor.

 

The scene before her was eerily similar to what she had witnessed in the living room after returning home from work that day, yet subtly different.

 

Within Yu Qing’s line of sight, Jiang Nianyu lay curled on her side, just as she had before.

 

But this time, Jiang Nianyu was drenched in hot sweat, her shirt hanging loosely and disheveled on her body.

 

Her breathing was heavy, her flushed neck and chest rising and falling with each labored breath, like flowing crimson clouds.

 

Boom.

 

The rain held off, but the thunder outside the window rumbled with a stifled, oppressive weight.

 

Dark clouds blanketed the sky, as if the world were sinking into oblivion.

 

In that instant, Yu Qing felt as if only she and Jiang Nianyu remained in the entire world.

 

“Jiang Nianyu, wake up.”

 

Yu Qing’s rationality still held sway, urging her to rouse Jiang Nianyu and assess her condition.

 

Her voice seemed to be the perfect antidote. Jiang Nianyu stirred, shifting her head on the pillow.

 

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

 

Her clear, cold eyes shimmered like restless seawater.

 

The summer heat shimmered relentlessly, gradually engulfing even her vision.

 

The person before her felt so familiar.

 

And the scent… even more so.

 

Jiang Nianyu gazed at Yu Qing, who was crouched beside her, her lips parting and closing several times in a wordless struggle. Only when that familiar scent flooded her mouth and throat did she finally manage to call out Yu Qing’s name: “…A-Qing?”

 

“Yes,” Yu Qing replied. “I’m back.”

 

Hearing this, Jiang Nianyu couldn’t help but tremble.

 

She lowered her head, her peripheral vision catching the scene below.

 

The scattered wreckage lay in pieces, the rabbit plush’s eyes fixed on her, as if whispering, You’ve been found out.

 

Anxiety surged within her, and Jiang Nianyu’s pheromones involuntarily leaked from her neck.

 

In that moment, Jiang Nianyu suddenly realized that both the reassurance she had sought by hiding here and the overwhelming insecurity she felt were entirely tied to this one person.

 

How was she supposed to tell the difference?

 

Even if I die, would dying in Yu Qing’s scent still be a kind of happiness?

 

As soon as Jiang Nianyu reached this point, she felt her body begin to lose control.

 

She bit down hard on her lip, trying to suppress the strange sounds that threatened to escape, but the hot, ragged breaths rolling through her throat still fell heavily onto Yu Qing’s hand.

 

So hot.

 

Yu Qing’s hand burned, and a corresponding sharp throb seemed to jolt through her chest.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s face was flushed with heat, the tips of her ears and nose stained an unremovable red.

 

Yu Qing froze, momentarily stunned.

 

She admitted she wasn’t a particularly rational person. Her heart, which had been pounding with anxiety the entire journey, was now thrown into complete disarray by this sight.

 

“I’m sorry, A-Qing…”

 

Jiang Nianyu’s mind was muddled, her brow furrowed tightly.

 

No one could tell if her pain or self-reproach was the cause, but only apologies escaped her pale lips, directed at Yu Qing.

 

Yu Qing swallowed hard, barely managing to find her voice. “What are you apologizing for?”

 

“I… I didn’t mean to.”

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

“…The rabbit… it’s broken.”

 

Between ragged breaths, Jiang Nianyu curled up against Yu Qing.

 

Cold sweat soaked Jiang Nianyu’s forehead, dripping onto the back of Yu Qing’s hand, leaving a patch of damp, icy coolness.

 

No one could tell if it was sweat, tears, or something else entirely.

 

Though water was the most inert substance in the world, Yu Qing felt as if Jiang Nianyu’s forehead had cut a gash in her heart.

 

The living room floor remained strewn with debris, but Yu Qing had never intended to scold Jiang Nianyu for the mess.

 

Jiang Nianyu was so cautious, so obedient yet fragile.

 

It was just a toy, yet it had terrified her so deeply that even during her Heat, she begged Yu Qing with tear-filled eyes.

 

An indescribable sensation spread through Yu Qing’s limbs, as if she were experiencing Jiang Nianyu’s fear and anxiety as her own.

 

“It’s okay, if it’s broken, it’s broken,” Yu Qing said, lifting Jiang Nianyu’s face. “Don’t feel guilty, and don’t be afraid. This is your home, and home should make you feel safe.”

 

This was nothing like the memory fragments she had seen.

 

For the first time, when Jiang Nianyu’s face was lifted, she felt no suffocating, painful grip.

 

There were no demands, no imperious commands.

 

Yu Qing’s voice, like her scent, was clean and gentle.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s trembling pupils filled with longing for the “home” Yu Qing spoke of.

 

Yet immediately afterward, she didn’t dare meet Yu Qing’s gaze—

 

“I didn’t know you were in heat. It’s okay if you did those things because you were feeling unwell.”

 

The word “heat” felt both familiar and foreign to Jiang Nianyu.

 

Her subconscious told her that as an Omega, she should know what it meant.

 

But to her current, amnesiac self, her unfocused eyes were filled with confusion.

 

…Heat.

 

So her current discomfort was all because of this?

 

Was her longing for Yu Qing’s scent also due to this?

 

No.

 

That wasn’t right…

 

“It’s okay now,” Yu Qing said.

 

Before Jiang Nianyu could deny it, Yu Qing’s fingers, resting on her cheek, gently brushed against her skin.

 

Yu Qing didn’t seem to care how intimate their actions were, attributing everything to this damned “heat.”

 

Perhaps the scent clinging to clothing was inherently different from the scent emanating directly from the person.

 

Jiang Nianyu rested her head on Yu Qing’s palm, feeling her heartbeat. The world suddenly seemed vivid and alive.

 

Does it even matter anymore?

 

She was selfish, despicable.

 

If lying could make Yu Qing trust her, keep her close, and stay with her forever, she wouldn’t hesitate to use it.

 

Wasn’t there a term for it?

 

A benevolent lie.

 

“Besides, I’m the one who should apologize. As your Omega guardian, I didn’t even realize you were in Heat. I’ve already bought a Suppressant. Wait here, I’ll get it for you right away. Once you inject it, you’ll be fine.”

 

Yu Qing spoke a long string of words to Jiang Nianyu, the words “apologize” and “Suppressant” blurring together in Jiang Nianyu’s mind.

 

One moment, she had been basking in the refreshing air of Yu Qing’s presence, like a life-giving rain. The next, that rain was dissipating, lost in the mist.

 

Her peace lasted less than half a second.

 

The sky before the storm was choked with impenetrable clouds, leaving Jiang Nianyu no sliver of sunlight to cling to.

 

She watched the world flicker before her eyes. The figure that had stood backlit in her vision vanished with a blink, instantly reappearing by the staircase.

 

Yu Qing moved so quickly.

 

The nightmare caught up with Jiang Nianyu in an instant.

 

You’re a child of the Jiang Family. You can’t afford to fail. If you don’t learn it today, you’re not allowed to come out!

 

“Xiaoyu, my Xiaoyu, my most beloved child, you can’t forget me, do you understand? Do you understand?!”

 

“Hey, who told you to sit here? Can’t you see this is my seat?”

 

“Stop banging. No one will hear you. You might as well stay put inside.”

 

Jiang Siqing’s fingers dug into Jiang Nianyu’s cheeks, her voice dripping with condescending mockery.

 

The scent Jiang Nianyu had just caught vanished in an instant. Her glands throbbed, tearing at her neck as a monstrous desire bloomed within her, threatening to consume her body.

 

I want it so badly.

 

I want it so badly.

 

Don’t leave me.

 

Don’t leave me!

 

“Ugh…”

 

The heat was scalding, as if Jiang Nianyu were being boiled alive.

 

She wanted to curl up in agony, but she was too weak to resist the overwhelming sensation. Greed surged through her like a tidal wave, crushing her teetering rationality underfoot.

 

A trembling shadow slowly rose from the wall, mirroring the sun outside the skylight.

 

She was fragile, yet unbreakable.

 

She murmured softly, whispering incessantly.

 

Like a celestial being’s infant form wading through a muddy river, she searched wistfully for the vessel that had briefly housed her: “A-Qing, where did you go?”

 

She didn’t want “I’m sorry.”

 

She didn’t need a “Suppressant” either.

 

She only wanted the person who had just brought her that sense of security.

 

 

Yu Qing descended the stairs even faster than she had climbed them, taking two steps at a time until she reached the foyer.

 

The medications she had brought back hadn’t been put away yet, still piled on the shoe-changing bench. The bag was loosely tied with a butterfly knot, easy to open.

 

The potent suppressant came in a long, expensive-looking box, placed at the bottom.

 

With practiced precision, Yu Qing retrieved a single strip from the box, her hands moving swiftly as she tore open the sealed packaging.

 

Rip.

 

“A-Qing…”

 

Before she could fully tear open the sealed pouch, something suddenly pressed against her.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s arm wrapped around Yu Qing’s neck, pulling her into a tight embrace from behind. The unexpected contact sent a jolt through Yu Qing as her neck brushed against Jiang Nianyu’s feverish skin.

 

Though not an Alpha, Yu Qing froze at Jiang Nianyu’s sudden move.

 

This uncomfortably close proximity was a thousand times more intimate than the earlier face-cupping gesture. The summer clothes they wore were thin and light, offering little barrier.

 

Jiang Nianyu was wearing Yu Qing’s shirt.

 

Perhaps because of their familiarity, their bodies seemed to merge for a fleeting moment before suddenly vanishing, leaving Yu Qing exposed to Jiang Nianyu’s touch.

 

“Jiang… Nianyu,” Yu Qing said stiffly, her fingers clenching the sealed pouch until the plastic turned white and distorted.

 

“…Where are you going?” Jiang Nianyu murmured, her consciousness clouded. Her feverish breath ghosted across Yu Qing’s neck.

 

Heaven knows how she had groped her way down the hallway.

 

The fierce, overwhelming scent of White Camellia devoured its host. She stepped over a tattered rabbit plushie, its plastic eyes digging painfully into her foot, but she didn’t pause, never having possessed someone like this before.

 

Obsessive, ferocious.

 

Jiang Nianyu slowly but tightly wrapped her arms around Yu Qing from behind. Her slender, pale arms, in the dimly lit, narrow foyer, resembled a snake coiled in a damp corner.

 

“Are you going to leave me too?”

 

“Are you going to abandon me as well?”

 

The more Yu Qing had just reassured her, the more Jiang Nianyu’s anxiety grew.

 

She whispered the questions, tightening her grip on the woman in her arms.

 

The accusatory tone in her voice was icy, yet Jiang Nianyu’s hot breath burned Yu Qing’s ear and neck in relentless waves.

 

An indescribable numbness spread down Yu Qing’s spine, causing her vertebrae and nerves to spasm uncontrollably.

 

Yu Qing couldn’t bear it, her mind going blank for a few seconds.

 

This was a side of Jiang Nianyu she had never seen before.

 

Not confused, not pleading, and certainly not the aloofness that kept others at arm’s length.

 

Her innocent eyes were now filled with a dark, damp intensity, her questions more like accusations.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s fingers crept upward, casually tugging open Yu Qing’s loose collar.

 

A sudden blast of cold air from the central air conditioning sent a shiver through Yu Qing, as if she had touched something dangerous that made her instinctively recoil.

 

Yet, somehow, being entangled in Jiang Nianyu’s dangerous embrace, Yu Qing found herself experiencing an unprecedented sense of anticipation.

 

The light above the foyer flickered erratically, as if it needed repair. It blinked on and off, like a numb hand repeatedly trying to grasp and then losing connection with its emotions.

 

She lives such a lonely life.

 

Besides Lianlian, who truly needs her?

 

Leaving.

 

Abandoning.

 

No.

 

The shadow on the door repeatedly traced the figures in the foyer. They overlapped and merged, slender arms transforming into entwined, muscular limbs. The solitary silhouette was enveloped in a warm haze, like a monster blooming with white camellias.

 

Yu Qing gazed into Jiang Nianyu’s trembling eyes and said, “Jiang Nianyu, I’m not going to leave you. No one here will abandon you again.”

 

Need her.

 

Please, need her desperately.

 

Even if it’s like a snake, a crow.

 

Like a greedy, despicable jackal.

 

She desperately needed someone to need her.

 

As if only through that could she prove her worth in this world.

 

Just like her adoptive parents had chosen her, a small child, at first glance in the orphanage.

 

Just like she had tirelessly cared for her newborn sister.

 

Just as she had countless times offered help to friends who sought her assistance.

 

Just as Lianlian had whimpered beside the trash can, her voice buzzing like a fly.

 

 

Not long ago, beneath that tilted umbrella, Yu Qing had extended her hand in a silent plea for help.

 

It didn’t matter if she was wrong.

 

In her twenty-four years, hadn’t she only found one Lianlian?

 

Boom!

 

A blinding streak of light slashed across the horizon, illuminating the dark foyer.

 

The thunder rumbled slowly, a deafening roar that seemed to split the world in two.

 

Whether it was the thunder or Yu Qing’s voice, Jiang Nianyu’s eyelashes fluttered uncontrollably.

 

Burning with fever and nearly delirious, she didn’t realize that Yu Qing was steadily absorbing the torrent of her bitterness.

 

Yu Qing’s cool fingers brushed Jiang Nianyu’s tense wrist, as if offering comfort.

 

Jiang Nianyu trembled, not just from the torment of her Heat, but also from her battered body’s awkward acceptance of another’s support.

 

She curled her fingers slightly, as if trying to hold onto the lingering warmth of Yu Qing’s tenderness.

 

Yet, unconsciously, she was once again staking her claim, demanding more.

 

“A-Qing…”

 

Her feverish breath pierced through Yu Qing’s thick hair, scorching her pale neck.

 

Driven by pure Omega instinct, Jiang Nianyu leaned in, her lips finding Yu Qing’s neck with unerring precision.

 

Where does a Beta even have glands?

 

The moment Jiang Nianyu leaned in to Yu Qing’s neck, she found nothing.

 

Her bewildered eyes seemed to have forgotten that Yu Qing was a Beta. Unsatisfied with her fruitless search, she pressed against Yu Qing’s neck and began a more insistent, probing exploration.

 

The girl’s delicate nose was more intimate than any touch. Her damp breath swirled around Yu Qing’s neck as she rubbed against it relentlessly, creating a palpable sense of greedy desire surging through the narrow foyer.

 

Rip—

 

Mmm…

 

Yu Qing groaned softly, her hand clenching the Suppressant until her knuckles turned white. The half-torn packaging was now completely ruined.

 

Before transmigrating, Yu Qing had been an ordinary person. She lacked grand ambitions and possessed none of the legendary delayed gratification.

 

She lived for immediate pleasure. Even the small cake she’d put in the fridge for tomorrow’s breakfast never saw the next day’s sun.

 

Despite Jiang Nianyu’s slender frame, she was far from demure. The heat radiating from her felt like a wildfire.

 

Yu Qing’s back felt like a sheet of tracing paper, the damp heat tracing the contours of her spine in a restless, undulating motion.

 

She felt her gradually slipping sanity teetering on the brink, as if the next moment her fingers would no longer be touching Jiang Nianyu’s hand…

 

“She can’t stabilize her Omega factor by absorbing your pheromones. Her Heat won’t subside.”

 

The doctor’s words struck Yu Qing like a splash of cold water.

 

A Beta’s fingers weren’t an Alpha’s fangs, incapable of producing pheromones.

 

With bitter clarity, she knew she was less useful than a vial of Omega Suppressant.

 

Truly…

 

What a useless Beta.

 

That sliver of self-loathing became Yu Qing’s last shred of rationality.

 

Suppressing the primal urges surging within her, she told Jiang Nianyu, “Jiang Nianyu… I’m going to inject you with a Suppressant… It’ll be over soon… Just bear with it.”

 

As if fearing she might regret it, Yu Qing, clinging to her fleeting rationality, swiftly tore open the Suppressant packaging and removed the safety lock from the syringe.

 

“Mmm.”

 

“Mmm!”

 

The hot breath brushed Yu Qing’s neck, but the sharp needle pierced the arm of the person before her.

 

Two whimpers echoed through the foyer, one after the other.

 

Jiang Nianyu, still greedily savoring Yu Qing’s scent, felt the injection pierce her arm. Caught completely off guard, the slight sting amplified into an overwhelming pain.

 

This was a purely instinctive Omega reaction. The sudden pain caused her to lose control, biting down on Yu Qing’s neck.

 

Though Omegas couldn’t mark anyone without consent, this was the first time Yu Qing had ever experienced the sensation of being bitten on the neck.

 

How strange.

 

As a Beta, she should have only felt pain from the bite. Yet, beyond the pain, she also felt a peculiar throbbing ache.

 

Her scalp tingled, and for a moment, her bl00d seemed to rush backward.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s teeth relentlessly tormented the vulnerable skin. Yu Qing, unable to resist, suddenly flinched and lost her strength, allowing Jiang Nianyu to press down even harder from behind, forcing her to buckle under the weight.

 

The air grew humid, the steamy breath settling heavily around them.

 

With each breath, Yu Qing inhaled Jiang Nianyu’s hot breath, the breaths surging and clamoring like ravenous beasts devouring her own.

 

Boom.

 

Another muffled thunderclap darkened the sky visibly.

 

Yu Qing felt as if her vision had been stripped away, leaving only Jiang Nianyu’s breath warm against her neck, tracing something chaotic and fervent.

 

The heat lingered, seeping into her bones.

 

How could those lips, usually pale and reserved, become so soft?

 

Yu Qing’s mind reeled. This intimate friction felt like being submerged in wine brewed from flower petals, draining all strength from her bones.

 

Only her fragile knees remained pressed against the cold floor, as if clinging to the last shred of self-restraint.

 

Yu Qing had never imagined an Omega in heat could lose control so completely.

 

Her neck ached and tingled. With her remaining willpower, she gripped the Suppressant, waiting for it to fully inject into Jiang Nianyu’s body.

 

How long will it take for this Suppressant to work?

 

The thought had barely flashed through Yu Qing’s mind when the hand restraining her neck suddenly loosened.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s face was still pressed against Yu Qing’s neck. For some reason, Yu Qing felt her shift slightly.

 

“…A-Qing.”

 

The voice was faint, trembling with a breathy tremor.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s voice sounded weak as it whispered against Yu Qing’s ear.

 

Though the tone was gentle, Yu Qing’s body tensed.

 

Her ear itched, yet her scalp went numb. A dense, overwhelming heat surged through her again, threatening to devour her rationality.

 

Yu Qing pinched herself hard, regaining a sliver of control. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

 

Jiang Nianyu didn’t know what was wrong.

 

She had nothing to tell Yu Qing; she had simply called out her name on impulse.

 

Because she knew Yu Qing would always respond, she desperately wanted to hear her voice.

 

How fickle…

 

After Yu Qing’s question, the foyer fell silent.

 

Assuming Jiang Nianyu was feeling unwell due to her Heat, Yu Qing reassured her, “It’ll pass soon. Once you get the Suppressant injection, you’ll be fine.”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

Will it really be okay?

 

Why hadn’t the burning sensation in her body subsided?

 

Jiang Nianyu felt that her body’s development was completely different from what Yu Qing had described. She didn’t know where things had gone wrong.

 

The icy Suppressant Patch wandered across her forearm, only to be swallowed by the heat.

 

Who knew if they were warriors sent to suppress this so-called “Heat”? If it was merely dormant, how long would it remain so?

 

Anything was better than this agonizing, futile wait.

 

Anything but…

 

Listlessly, Jiang Nianyu found herself inexplicably distrustful of these cold things.

 

She turned her head to avoid the Suppressant Patch on her arm, only to find Yu Qing’s hand reaching out to touch her.

 

“Just endure a little longer, Jiang Nianyu.”

 

The hand reaching out blindly, lacking visual guidance, felt clumsy and somewhat reckless.

 

Even before Yu Qing’s hand touched the crown of her head, Jiang Nianyu could already feel the sensation of Yu Qing’s comforting touch through her hair.

 

Was it because of her Heat?

 

Even her pheromones were unusually active.

 

Through Jiang Nianyu’s hazy vision, Yu Qing’s hand lingered, unable to find her face for what felt like an eternity.

 

Impatient and lacking such patience, Jiang Nianyu leaned forward.

 

She craved this woman’s comfort, even more so, her scent…

 

Soft, searing heat.

 

Yu Qing felt less like she was caressing Jiang Nianyu’s face and more like Jiang Nianyu’s face was nuzzling her palm.

 

Her fingers, still recovering from the plastic bag handle that had cut into them earlier, bore faint red marks, now teeming with heightened sensitivity.

 

Yu Qing didn’t understand how Jiang Nianyu’s focus had shifted from her neck to her palm. The woman’s scalding breath, inevitably, landed entirely on Yu Qing’s palm.

 

Her fingers were repeatedly enveloped in the heat. Yu Qing wondered if her earlier words, “Just bear with it a little longer,” had been meant for herself.

 

With one hand steadily administering the Suppressant, Yu Qing’s other hand was completely enveloped in heat.

 

Self-restraint had become her mandatory lesson for the day.

 

“A-Qing.”

 

Jiang Nianyu chose this moment to speak.

 

Her damp lips pressed against the back of Yu Qing’s hand, each movement like plucking a taut string.

 

Yu Qing’s hand holding the Suppressant trembled slightly.

 

Unable to withstand the encroaching heat, she abruptly withdrew her other hand. Reason dictated her words: “Are you feeling any better?”

 

No.

 

Worse.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s face hung in mid-air, her scorching breath finding no purchase.

 

Fortunately, her arms still encircled Yu Qing, allowing her to brush against Yu Qing’s throat for what felt like the hundredth time.

 

What was the true nature of an Omega?

 

Was it dependence?

 

Was it fragility?

 

Or was it like the dodder vine, seemingly delicate yet capable of strangling the host plant to death?

 

“Hot.”

 

Jiang Nianyu’s thin lips parted slightly, uttering a single word before burying her face against Yu Qing’s neck once more.

 

“……!”

 

The scalding breath, hotter than fire, seared against Yu Qing’s skin.

 

Yu Qing’s heart leaped. Her fingers tightened, forcing the Suppressant to its limit.

 

“Mmm.”

 

The faint whimper brushed against Yu Qing’s earlobe, as if nipping at her neck.

 

Yu Qing’s gaze suddenly dropped. As if infected by Jiang Nianyu, her own breath grew feverish.

 

Yu Qing wasn’t sure whether to be relieved that she had injected the remaining Suppressant into Jiang Nianyu all at once. Suppressing her racing heart, she carefully withdrew the empty syringe. “The injection is done. After a nap, the heat will subside. Let’s carry you back.”

 

The heat was merely Jiang Nianyu’s excuse.

 

Clinging to Yu Qing’s neck, the surging bl00d in her body calmed slightly, leaving her wanting only to stay close to Yu Qing.

 

“Mm,” Jiang Nianyu murmured, nestling in Yu Qing’s arms and obediently nodding.

 

Boom!

 

Drip, drip.

 

Distant thunder rumbled, followed by the sound of raindrops pattering against the windowpane—crisp and cool.

 

As Yu Qing lifted Jiang Nianyu, she seemed to see a pure white camellia blossom before her eyes.

 

So thin.

 

This wasn’t the first time Yu Qing had felt this pang of concern. She resolved to nourish Jiang Nianyu more diligently in the future.

 

With this thought, Yu Qing carried Jiang Nianyu to her bedside.

 

Perhaps exhausted by the ordeal of her Heat, Jiang Nianyu had fallen asleep in Yu Qing’s arms. Yu Qing gently laid her on the bed without waking her.

 

A cool breeze slipped through the crack in the window, filling the room with warmth from the small nest Jiang Nianyu had built.

 

Yu Qing first retrieved her clothes from the bed, then carefully covered Jiang Nianyu with the duvet.

 

Her footsteps were light and swift, as if the most challenging part of the night had finally passed.

 

She forcibly banished her earlier wandering thoughts, focusing solely on her relief that Jiang Nianyu had safely weathered her Heat.

 

She wished her sweet dreams.

 

She hoped Jiang Nianyu would wake up feeling completely refreshed.

 

She longed for her to regain her health and peace of mind.

 

Boom!

 

A blinding flash of lightning streaked across the window, seeming to strike just beyond the glass.

 

Perhaps human affairs rarely align with our desires. Such stormy weather was hardly conducive to restful sleep, especially for someone with a light slumber.

 

As Yu Qing tidied up, Jiang Nianyu’s breathing grew heavy again.

 

The Suppressant, as Yu Qing had explained, was beginning to neutralize the pheromones in her body.

 

However, Jiang Nianyu’s pheromones fiercely resisted this intrusion, bristling with rejection.

 

Having tasted the genuine, vibrant pheromones, how could her senses ever accept these cheap, synthetic substitutes?

 

The storm clouds remained stubbornly massed outside the window, unleashing a torrential downpour driven by icy winds.

 

The rain seemed determined to drown the world.

 

Yu Qing, oblivious to the impending storm, hummed a cheerful tune as she returned.

 

Yet, as she reached Jiang Nianyu’s bedside, she inexplicably paused.

 

Stealthily, a shadow fell across Jiang Nianyu’s sleeping form.

 

Yu Qing propped her chin in her hands, gazing at the sleeping Jiang Nianyu through the rain-streaked window.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s delicate features resembled a masterpiece meticulously sculpted by the Creator, their depth accentuated by the dim light.

 

So beautiful.

 

Only her messy hair marred the perfection.

 

“Tsk,” Yu Qing clicked her tongue, raising her hand to brush the stray strands from Jiang Nianyu’s face.

 

But in the twilight, Jiang Nianyu’s eyes suddenly snapped open.

 

Cold yet burning with intensity, they pierced Yu Qing’s gaze.

 

Yu Qing froze, bewildered by the contradictory emotions in those eyes.

 

In contrast, Jiang Nianyu’s intentions were far simpler.

 

Her lowered gaze fixed on Yu Qing’s outstretched hand, she seized it without hesitation, pulling Yu Qing along with it.

 

The room blurred past Yu Qing’s vision, a dizzying kaleidoscope of light and shadow.

 

In the next instant, Jiang Nianyu’s nose was mere inches from hers.

 

“Jiang—!”

 

Before Yu Qing could finish, a sharp sting pricked her fingertip.

 

Who needs Suppressants to take effect?

 

Jiang Nianyu’s thumb traced Yu Qing’s fingers, then, driven by a desperate, uncontrollable hunger, she bit down.

 

Her teeth weren’t aggressive, but pleading: “A-Qing… give me…”