I Really Didn't Intend to Pick Up the Black Lotus Omega - Chapter 23

The moment Yu Qing met Jiang Nianyu’s gaze, she felt her bl00d run cold.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s skin was strikingly pale, making her stand out even in the darkness. Her dark eyelashes drooped heavily over her eyes, blocking out any light. Yu Qing couldn’t see the beautiful blue irises, only a chilling indifference in Jiang Nianyu’s eyes that sent a shiver down her spine.

 

Yu Qing remained frozen, her gaze locked with Jiang Nianyu’s, her voice caught in her throat, unable to rise or fall. She felt like she had been caught red-handed.

 

“A rabbit?”

 

Yu Qingyun’s voice broke the silence. She frowned as she picked up the soft, innocent-looking toy from the ground, casually holding it in her hand.

 

Puzzled by its sudden appearance, Yu Qingyun silently turned to Yu Qing for an explanation.

 

Yu Qing glanced at the rabbit, then at Yu Qingyun, momentarily speechless.

 

She knew perfectly well who was responsible for this.

 

But she had no intention of letting Yu Qingyun discover that she was sheltering an Omega at home.

 

After a few seconds, Yu Qingyun’s suspicion deepened as Yu Qing remained silent.

 

Yu Qingyun frowned deeply, her gaze about to lift toward the second floor as she spoke.

 

Sensing the danger, Yu Qing immediately took the blame upon herself. “Ah… actually, I didn’t just clean the bathroom today. I was doing a whole-house deep clean and dug out a ton of old clothes I’d been meaning to declutter. That’s why the second floor is such a mess…”

 

Hearing her sister rattle off this lengthy explanation at breakneck speed, Yu Qingyun, for once, struggled to keep up.

 

But that didn’t seem to matter. She squeezed the rabbit in her hand and used it as an excuse to lecture Yu Qing. “Haven’t I told you to keep your personal affairs in order?”

 

“I know, I messed up,” Yu Qing admitted, though she resented it.

 

Between Jiang Nianyu and her own pride, she chose to swallow her pride and admit defeat.

 

“This second floor of yours…”

 

Yu Qing still couldn’t stop Yu Qingyun from looking up. As she spoke, Yu Qingyun tilted her head upward.

 

“Sister—”

 

Yu Qing gasped, scrambling for an explanation.

 

To her surprise, when she and Yu Qingyun looked up again, Jiang Nianyu was gone.

 

The railing where Jiang Nianyu had been standing was now empty, save for a pile of clothes teetering precariously on the edge.

 

Yu Qingyun glanced at Yu Qing, her expression flat, a hint of disdain in her eyes.

 

Yu Qing returned the look, her lips pressed tightly together, a fawning smile plastered on her face.

 

“It’s a mess,” Yu Qing finished her earlier, abruptly halted sentence.

 

Yu Qingyun sighed helplessly and shoved the rabbit back into Yu Qing’s hands. “Here, take your rabbit. I’m going to the bathroom to dry my skirt.”

 

“Okay, I’ll put it away right now!”

 

Though Yu Qingyun’s tone was somewhat domineering, Yu Qing nodded eagerly. She was delighted to receive such direct orders and practically sprinted upstairs, eager to obey.

 

Yu Qingyun watched her younger sister dash up the stairs, her gaze lingering on Yu Qing’s hurried figure for a long moment.

 

This urgency didn’t seem like someone simply putting away a rabbit.

 

It looked more like someone rushing to meet someone.

 

 

Yu Qing climbed the stairs, only to realize that Jiang Nianyu wasn’t just out of sight from below.

 

Even now, upstairs, she couldn’t find a trace of Jiang Nianyu anywhere.

 

The sound of Yu Qingyun closing the door downstairs reached her ears. Yu Qing softly called out Jiang Nianyu’s name: “Jiang Nianyu.”

 

The room was eerily silent. The sound of Jiang Nianyu’s name, spoken by Yu Qing, mingled with the patter of rain, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

 

It sounded both cautious and anxious, even a little bewildered. How could she have lost her in such a small space?

 

“Jiang Nian…”

 

“A-Qing.”

 

Just as Yu Qing was about to call out again, a familiar weight pressed against her back, wrapping around her from behind.

 

The embrace pinned Yu Qing firmly to the bed, the iron frame groaning weakly under their combined weight.

 

The sheets, still warm from someone having lain there moments ago, retained a lingering heat. The damp, chilly wind blowing in through the window added a layer of clammy moisture to their pressed skin.

 

In the summer heat, Yu Qing’s nightgown was loose and thin. Jiang Nianyu’s fingers easily traced marks across her skin, leaving unmistakable imprints of her ownership.

 

Those fingers were so slender and refined, as they brushed across Yu Qing’s abdomen with a barely perceptible touch.

 

Thump, thump!

 

The faint scent of camellias in the room clung to Yu Qing’s throat, causing her heart to race erratically.

 

Before Yu Qing could recover from Jiang Nianyu’s sudden closeness, the woman’s voice whispered against her ear.

 

“Who’s that Alpha?”

 

Unconcerned about being overheard by Yu Qingyun, Jiang Nianyu’s voice was soft, like an ice cube freshly retrieved from the heavy rain outside.

 

As always, her tone was both aloof and recklessly presumptuous.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s Heat had passed, but Yu Qing…

 

Unable to smell her own scent, Yu Qing fiercely suppressed the vivid memories that threatened to resurface, refusing to indulge in the lingering pleasure.

 

After a moment of forced calm, Yu Qing replied, “That’s my sister.”

 

For some inexplicable reason, she added, “My biological sister.”

 

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nianyu’s expression shifted slightly.

 

The hand encircling Yu Qing’s waist loosened a fraction as she effortlessly took the rabbit from Yu Qing’s grasp and cradled it in her arms.

 

That seemingly harmless face sank into the soft, rabbit-shaped head that still carried Yu Qing’s scent.

 

Jiang Nianyu remained silent, relieved she had chosen this rabbit and not the plaster statue on the bedside table.

 

Despite her relief, Jiang Nianyu still harbored resentment toward Yu Qingyun. “Are you afraid of her seeing me?” she asked.

 

Conversation required eye contact. Hearing this, Yu Qing turned to face Jiang Nianyu.

 

In the dim light, Jiang Nianyu slowly lifted her face from where it had been buried in the rabbit’s head. Her innocent eyes met Yu Qing’s gaze, the vast loneliness behind her making her appear even more fragile and slender.

 

Yu Qing felt a pang of guilt, as if she had struck a nerve.

 

Though it was difficult and cruel, she decided to voice her concerns to Jiang Nianyu. “I’m worried… she might not agree to you living here.”

 

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nianyu’s eyes suddenly lowered.

 

Compared to her earlier direct hostility toward Yu Qingyun, or the struggle and disgust she had shown when tearing apart the other rabbit doll Siqing had given her, her reaction to this news was far more complex.

 

Even the rabbit Jiang Nianyu held tightly in her arms seemed to tense up.

 

Jiang Nianyu thought she was being honest.

 

She had no memories and no identity.

 

On this rain-soaked afternoon, Jiang Nianyu felt a deep sense of unfairness between herself and Yu Qing.

 

She was a person without a past, while Yu Qing had so much history—so much that Jiang Nianyu knew nothing about it.

 

Even without conversation, the room wasn’t silent.

 

The relentless rain outside, the hum of the hairdryer from the bathroom, and the chaotic sounds swirling in Yu Qing’s ears made her head feel like it was being slowly roasted.

 

Sensing Yu Qing might do something to her, Jiang Nianyu reached out to smooth the tangled strands of hair framing her face. “I’m sorry,” Yu Qing said. “I thought if my sister came while you were asleep, you wouldn’t have to see her.”

 

Hearing this, Jiang Nianyu touched her neck. “It hurts,” she murmured, her voice soft and slightly hoarse.

 

Yu Qing understood: Jiang Nianyu would have fallen asleep, but the pain from the gland at the back of her neck had woken her.

 

Yu Qing felt even more guilty. “It must be because your Heat was delayed for too long. I’m sorry, I didn’t take good enough care of you.”

 

Jiang Nianyu looked at Yu Qing’s guilty expression and shook her head earnestly.

 

She seemed so forgiving.

 

Yet she always held the upper hand.

 

Her hand, which had been cradling the rabbit, now rested on Yu Qing’s arm as she spoke. Her pale face, framed by soft black hair, resembled porcelain or jade, appearing both docile and clingy in the dim light—yet undeniably manipulative.

 

“Apply the medicine,” Jiang Nianyu murmured, gently pushing her advantage forward.

 

No one could resist such a voice, such a face.

 

As she spoke, Jiang Nianyu’s cool fingertips brushed against Yu Qing’s wrist.

 

Yu Qing’s breath hitched as Jiang Nianyu’s fingers, like a sinuous green snake, coiled around her wrist.

 

Unable to refuse, Yu Qing swallowed hard and nodded in agreement. “After I see her off…”

 

“Not done packing yet?”

 

Yu Qingyun’s cold voice echoed from downstairs.

 

The woman was looking up again, as if she could see everything happening by the bed.

 

Yu Qing froze, terrified of being exposed, and quickly replied, “Almost! Almost!”

 

The figure before her abruptly stood up and vanished into the rain-soaked darkness of the Yu family’s second floor.

 

Jiang Nianyu watched Yu Qing withdraw her hand, her own fingers curling inward as if still grasping something.

 

A cold wind swirled around her knuckles, each gust carrying Yu Qing’s scent into the air.

 

Jiang Nianyu told herself she should be satisfied.

 

Yet she found herself staring down at her still-empty hand, a lingering sense of loss clinging to it.

 

 

Rapid footsteps echoed down the stairs, and Yu Qing’s figure quickly came into Yu Qingyun’s view.

 

Yu Qingyun, her face cold, asked her sister, who had just rushed down, “Did you actually clean the bathroom?”

 

Yu Qing immediately felt guilty.

 

She had just hidden Jiang Nianyu’s toiletries. Could she have missed something in her haste, something Yu Qingyun had noticed…?

 

Yu Qing slowed her pace on the last few steps, stammering, “…Yes, I did.”

 

Yu Qingyun immediately held up the items in her hand and pointed to another bottle inside the bathroom. “Then why would you put these two together? Don’t you know they’ll produce toxic gas?”

 

Yu Qing stared in surprise.

 

The bottles looked familiar… weren’t they…?

 

“Didn’t you claim to have watched Conan countless times? How could you forget something so basic in real life?” Yu Qingyun said.

 

“Ah, right…” Yu Qing scratched her head.

 

As soon as Yu Qingyun spoke, she knew exactly which episode she was referring to.

 

—A classic staged suicide in the bathroom.

 

She hadn’t forgotten, after all.

 

It was Yu Qingyun who had forgotten.

 

Yu Qing was left speechless with embarrassment. Yu Qingyun seemed to acknowledge her oversight, offering no criticism as she walked to the balcony with the bottle in hand and skillfully placed it in its proper spot. “Keep this here from now on,” she said. “It’ll be more convenient for you when you do laundry.”

 

“Okay,” Yu Qing nodded obediently.

 

Her uncharacteristically compliant demeanor pleased Yu Qingyun.

 

With that settled, Yu Qingyun picked up her bag from the bar counter, preparing to leave. “Alright, you’re all grown up now. Just be careful and prioritize your safety.”

 

“I understand,” Yu Qing replied.

 

“You’d better,” Yu Qingyun said, giving her a deep, meaningful look.

 

Yu Qing suddenly felt that Yu Qingyun’s words carried a hidden meaning.

 

It was as if, beyond the two misplaced cleaning agents, there was something else she had subtly picked up on.

 

“I’ve finished my assignments for this week,” Yu Qingyun continued. “Once I’ve handed over the team’s responsibilities next week, I’ll let you know. We can go to Mom and Dad’s for dinner that evening.”

 

When Yu Qingyun abruptly shifted her tone, abandoning her cryptic remarks, Yu Qing assumed she had been overthinking things.

 

She exhaled in relief, nodding with a faint smile. “I understand, Sister.”

 

Her voice dripped with sweetness as she addressed Yu Qingyun. Seeing Yu Qing’s reaction, a flicker of amusement flashed in Yu Qingyun’s eyes.

 

By then, they had reached the door. Yu Qingyun refrained from teasing Yu Qing further, simply saying, “Good. I’ll be going now.”

 

“Um… Sister?”

 

As Yu Qingyun opened the door, Yu Qing suddenly hesitated and called out to her.

 

She remembered Yu Qingyun’s earlier question about the scent in the house, and then recalled Jiang Nianyu’s embrace from behind.

 

She suddenly wanted to ask Yu Qingyun what scent she had detected.

 

After all, Yu Qingyun was an Alpha, unlike herself. She would undoubtedly be able to smell pheromones.

 

“What is it?” Yu Qingyun paused, turning to look at Yu Qing.

 

But in that instant, as Yu Qingyun’s gaze met hers, Yu Qing suddenly didn’t want to know anymore.

 

She didn’t want to hear the scent described by Yu Qingyun, nor did she want Yu Qingyun to smell Jiang Nianyu’s scent again.

 

That was her secretly hidden Omega at home.

 

She belonged to Yu Qing.

 

“Um… here, this is for you!” Yu Qing’s mind raced, swiftly changing the subject. She dashed to the living room, rummaged through the snack cart, and grabbed a bag of treats for Yu Qingyun, offering it as a substitute topic. “They’re really good! You can’t get these back home.”

 

With that, Yu Qing quickly waved goodbye, her signature smile plastered on her face. “Goodbye, Sis! Be careful on your way back.”

 

When Yu Qing smiled, her face always tilted upward, the foyer light catching her lashes and turning them golden. Her eyes were clear, and her smile was equally pure.

 

Yu Qingyun stared at the bag in her hand, her gaze clouded with complex emotions. She realized she had rarely seen Yu Qing so… radiant. Perhaps the overcast skies outside made her current brightness seem even more striking.

 

I don’t know.

 

Yu Qingyun had no answers.

 

And Yu Qing would never give her any.

 

After seeing Yu Qingyun off, Yu Qing leaned against the door and let out a relieved sigh. “Finally got through that.”

 

But her relief was short-lived. A voice called out from the living room:

 

“A-Qing.”

 

Yu Qing suddenly looked up toward the living room.

 

Jiang Nianyu had come downstairs unnoticed.

 

The dim floor lamp cast a circle of light around the sofa, enveloping Jiang Nianyu perfectly in its glow.

 

Her raven hair cascaded around her from behind, making her resemble a delicate, ethereal spirit.

 

Barefoot on the carpet, she wore Yu Qing’s clothes as usual, utterly unconcerned with formalities.

 

Yu Qing had a sudden, inexplicable feeling that Jiang Nianyu might have come downstairs while she was seeing Yu Qingyun off.

 

Jiang Nianyu, however, didn’t want Yu Qing to dwell on such “inexplicable feelings.” She pressed down on her wrist, the ointment and cotton swabs in her hand clinking softly, a silent reminder.

 

“Coming,” Yu Qing replied.

 

This was their agreement. Yu Qing retrieved the medicine she had hidden in the cabinet.

 

In the torrential downpour outside, the scene felt strangely familiar.

 

Yu Qing sat down on the sofa. Just as she lowered her head to find the corresponding glandular medicine, she looked up to find Jiang Nianyu’s bare back before her.

 

Her back glowed with a warm, golden light, its smooth, delicate skin radiating a faint heat.

 

Jiang Nianyu had long since gathered her shoulder-length hair into a bun, revealing her rounded, firm shoulders and the Suppressant Patch clinging to her neck.

 

The Suppressant Patch, worn ragged by Jiang Nianyu’s repeated Heats, its corner peeling up, no longer concealed anything. Instead, it seemed to deliberately draw attention, subtly exposing a corner of her Omega gland to Yu Qing’s eyes.

 

Though Yu Qing couldn’t smell pheromones, Jiang Nianyu’s gland was now so close, practically begging to be touched.

 

Yu Qing suddenly lost her composure, her hand rising as if guided by some unseen force toward Jiang Nianyu’s neck.

 

Her fingers brushed lightly against the Suppressant Patch, but before she could peel it off, she leaned closer.

 

The faint bulge of the gland pressed against her fingertip. A soft “Mmm…” escaped Jiang Nianyu’s lips.

 

Jiang Nianyu bit her lip, the tips of her ears, hidden beneath her hair, slowly flushing crimson.