I Really Didn't Intend to Pick Up the Black Lotus Omega - Chapter 27

The foyer light resembled a stage spotlight, trapping a clumsy actor in its center.

 

Yu Qing leaned back against the cabinet, her entire body feeling dizzy and disoriented.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s fingers sank into her hair, effortlessly prying open her lips.

 

After braving the wind all the way here, Jiang Nianyu’s lips were dry and rough as they brushed against Yu Qing’s.

 

Hadn’t she already tasted me and discovered I had a flavor?

 

Why is she trying again so soon?

 

Feeling her resolve begin to crumble, Yu Qing frowned slightly.

 

She wanted to resist, but the alcohol churning in her system made her crave nothing more than to lie down and sleep.

 

But Jiang Nianyu wouldn’t let her.

 

Perhaps sensing Yu Qing’s hesitation, Jiang Nianyu’s hand, still tangled in her hair, effortlessly tightened around her neck.

 

The kiss grew more forceful, tugging at Yu Qing’s nerves as it deepened inch by inch.

 

The faint lemon-mint aroma in the foyer gradually mingled with other scents. Yu Qing swallowed, unconsciously allowing Jiang Nianyu’s tongue to sweep across her mouth, her throat feeling as if it had been brushed by countless camellia blossoms.

 

The apartment corridor was unusually quiet tonight. Each time a neighbor passed by, the thump-thump of their footsteps echoed like Yu Qing’s own heartbeat.

 

Her half-closed eyes flickered open, revealing Jiang Nianyu’s face magnified to fill her vision.

 

Such a beautiful blue, Yu Qing thought hazily. The lamplight shimmers within them like the stars we saw in the car tonight.

 

She drifted further into her daze, thinking that if something felt this good, doing it a second time wouldn’t be so bad.

 

The moment this thought crossed Yu Qing’s mind, Jiang Nianyu felt her teeth relax, yielding more easily to her.

 

This eased the sudden, inexplicable frustration and agitation that had gripped Jiang Nianyu moments before.

 

In fact, when Yu Qing had uttered that “she,” Jiang Nianyu’s heart had clenched as if someone had knocked over the diffuser by the door. The minty scent pierced her nostrils, while the tartness of lemon suffocated her.

 

We were just supposed to have dinner together, Jiang Nianyu wondered. How did things escalate to this?

 

Jiang Nianyu had always believed that living with Yu Qing made her the most special person in her life.

 

Whether it was Siqing gifting Yu Qing a rabbit plushie or Yu Qingyun cramming the refrigerator with home-cooked meals, Jiang Nianyu had always felt superior to these things.

 

Who was this “she” that Yu Qing cared about so deeply?

 

How many secrets was Yu Qing still hiding from her?

 

For a fleeting moment, Jiang Nianyu even considered cutting Yu Qing open to see what lay inside her heart.

 

Even if the bloody spectacle would surely make Yu Qing’s bright eyes lose their focus forever.

 

But her inexplicable obsession was quickly restrained by an equally inexplicable rationality.

 

Beside Yu Qing, she could inhale the familiar scent that had soothed her through countless nightmare-ridden nights.

 

Those alcohol-hazed eyes, lowered in slumber, would tomorrow once again brim with the sunlight she craved most.

 

How could she bear to dissect that heart just to peek inside?

 

Even the mere sight of Yu Qing’s downcast gaze had filled her with such anguish.

 

The dim lighting softened the expressions on everyone’s faces, but the shadows concealed Jiang Nianyu’s own obsessive and bewildered gaze.

 

Without understanding why, Jiang Nianyu reached around Yu Qing’s long hair and gently stroked the back of her neck.

 

Betas lacked the forbidden gland, so Jiang Nianyu’s fingers met empty space, only fueling her audacity.

 

She traced, painted, and fantasized about the source of this Beta scent, yearning to claim it entirely with her teeth.

 

“Mmm… mmm…”

 

Her rapid, heated breaths echoed hazily in the foyer.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s fingers relentlessly teased Yu Qing’s nerves. Yu Qing’s cheeks, which had been faintly flushed from the alcohol, now burned crimson.

 

Her mind went numb, completely losing its ability to think.

 

The foyer light flickered erratically in Yu Qing’s eyes, and for a moment, she felt as if she were falling into a starry river.

 

Yu Qing’s limbs went limp, her body adrift.

 

In her increasingly hazy and disoriented breathing, her vision blurred, and she felt herself about to be swept away by the turbulent currents, homeless and adrift.

 

Just like the years she had endured.

 

But just as Yu Qing was about to slip away, she felt a pair of hands grip her tightly.

 

Slender fingers traced down her arm, seeking her wrist, and interlaced with her own.

 

Their fingers locked firmly together, binding them securely, preventing Yu Qing from becoming a solitary wanderer.

 

Enveloped in this comforting embrace, Yu Qing wanted to ask for this person’s name.

 

The person, her breath warm against Yu Qing’s ear, whispered, “Call me Niannian.”

 

“Niannian…”

 

Buzz! Buzz!

 

Yu Qing murmured softly, the phone vibrating against her cheek.

 

What could be more terrifying than the jarring alarm of an iPhone ringing in your ear at dawn?

 

If anything, it was discovering this was the third alarm, the lock screen glaring at 8:35 AM.

 

I’m going to be late!

 

Yu Qing grabbed her clothes, not even bothering to find her slippers, and raced barefoot down the stairs.

 

The commotion naturally drew Jiang Nianyu from the kitchen.

 

Holding Yu Qing’s lunch bag in one hand, Jiang Nianyu slipped on her shoes and slung her backpack over her shoulder, waving goodbye.

 

“I’m off!”

 

“Your lunch.”

 

Yu Qing was about to push open the door when she felt her fate’s throat being gripped.

 

Jiang Nianyu tugged gently on Yu Qing’s crossbody bag from behind and slipped the lunch bag into it. “Breakfast is in there too.”

 

How strange.

 

Despite the urgency of being late, Yu Qing turned to look at Jiang Nianyu, who was handing her the lunch bag, and felt a sudden sense of calm.

 

The hangover headache faded into insignificance; in that moment, she felt utterly redeemed.

 

Yu Qing glanced at her newly stuffed bag, her spirits lifting. She smiled at Jiang Nianyu and said quickly, “Thanks, Niannian!”

 

Before Jiang Nianyu could react, Yu Qing darted out the door like a fleeting breeze, leaving no trace behind.

 

Yet this breeze, now named “Niannian,” had left its mark on Jiang Nianyu’s face.

 

She froze for a moment.

 

Then, a soft smile curved her lips, as if she had just heard the most wonderful news in over twenty years.

 

 

Yu Qing hadn’t even noticed she was calling Jiang Nianyu “Niannian.”

 

Desperate to earn her perfect attendance bonus, she had sprinted through the streets, paying no attention to her surroundings or the shops she passed.

 

She barely squeezed onto the subway at the last minute, scanned a shared bike, and pedaled furiously to the office.

 

“8:59 AM. Check-in successful. Have a pleasant workday,” the monotonous mechanical voice of the time clock announced. To Yu Qing, it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.

 

“Pleasant? I’m beyond pleasant,” she muttered, dragging her aching legs to her workstation. She collapsed into her chair, still panting heavily.

 

Gong Ning sipped her coffee leisurely, turning to observe Yu Qing’s disheveled state with a smile. “Late start today?”

 

“Mhm,” Yu Qing nodded, grabbing the cup Gong Ning had left on the desk and gulping it down in one go. “Yesterday…”

 

Whether it was the rush of water flooding her mind or something else entirely, Yu Qing’s mind went blank as she tried to recall the previous day.

 

The last memory in her mind was leaving her original body’s home. The experience had been unpleasant, and she had no desire to discuss it. “Ugh, let’s not talk about it,” she said.

 

“Got it,” Gong Ning replied, giving Yu Qing a knowing look. She then poked Yu Qing’s shirt. “But… shouldn’t you check your clothes?”

 

Yu Qing paused, then followed Gong Ning’s gaze. She realized she had put her shirt on inside out. “Damn it! No wonder so many people were staring at me all day.”

 

She quickly stripped off the shirt.

 

Her morning had already been dramatic enough; she didn’t need any more embarrassing moments.

 

Yu Qing’s outfit was typical programmer attire: a plaid shirt worn over a camisole.

 

As the morning light streamed through the discarded shirt, it seemed filtered through a thin veil, casting a soft golden glow across her arms. The rippling muscles conveyed a sense of strength comparable to an Alpha’s.

 

“Sister, do you work out regularly?” Siqing asked, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Yu Qing’s exposed back.

 

Yu Qing finally noticed the defined lines flexing in her arm as she moved, suddenly recalling her college days.

 

Back then, she’d taken on any job, including manual labor. A single summer vacation had thickened her arms by a full inch, and her roommates relied on her to open apples they couldn’t crack themselves.

 

She wondered where the original owner of this body had gotten her muscles.

 

Yu Qing speculated aloud, answering Siqing, “Everyone used to work out in college, but I just don’t have the time anymore.”

 

She poked her now-softening arm and teased with a smile, “At this rate, these muscles will be gone soon.”

 

“Exactly!” Gong Ning nodded in agreement. “After starting work, all I want to do is collapse. There’s no time for fitness at all.” She glanced at Siqing, who had only been working for a week. “Xiao Siqing, you might not feel it yet, but after a few years, you’ll end up just like us—completely burnt out.”

 

Siqing listened with interest, smiling as she placed the items she was carrying on the desk in front of Yu Qing. “It wouldn’t be so bad to burn out with you, Sister.”

 

Gong Ning, noticing where Siqing had sat down, exclaimed in surprise, “You’re sitting there?”

 

“Sister Wang and I discussed it,” Siqing said, taking out her belongings and setting up her workspace. “She liked my shaded spot, so we switched.”

 

Yu Qing frowned. “Siqing, are you sure you did this willingly?”

 

Siqing nodded with a smile. “Of course.”

 

“But this spot gets so much sun,” Gong Ning whispered.

 

“I’ve been wanting a tan lately,” Siqing replied, still smiling.

 

Yu Qing and Gong Ning couldn’t fathom what was going through the young woman’s mind. Seeing her cheerful demeanor despite the obvious drawbacks, they hesitated to press further.

 

Just then, Siqing walked over to Yu Qing’s desk and shyly pointed at the pink puppy sticker on the corner. “Sister, where did you get this puppy sticker? Could you send me a link? My desk looks so plain and ugly—I want to decorate it too.”

 

Yu Qing glanced at Lianlian, the puppy sticker on her desk, and chuckled sheepishly. “Oh, this? I drew it myself.”

 

Siqing exclaimed in surprise, “Wow! You drew these yourself, Sister? You’re so amazing!”

 

She picked up a pink puppy sticker and examined it closely. “I knew you were a coding genius, but I never imagined you were such a talented artist too!”

 

Yu Qing continued to smile shyly, though the smile on her face suddenly stiffened slightly.

 

For some reason, Siqing’s words felt vaguely familiar.

 

It was as if she had heard something similar from someone else just yesterday.

 

“I just heard that you got praised at work yesterday, Sister! Should we have a celebratory toast after work today?” Siqing asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she looked at Yu Qing and Gong Ning.

 

This time, Yu Qing heard her own voice in her head.

 

—”I want a celebratory toast too.”

 

A celebratory toast.

 

A toast.

 

Alcohol.

 

Suddenly, countless images flashed before Yu Qing’s eyes.

 

She saw the bizarre disco ball in the bar and glasses of alcohol with lemon slices floating in them.

 

The night breeze wasn’t refreshing, and the streetlights were even more glaring than the moon.

 

Yu Qing blinked hard, and the next thing she saw was Jiang Nianyu’s face, magnified before her.

 

The girl’s soft lips, still warm from the humid summer night, gradually took on a different flavor.

 

She blinked in the night sky, as if scattering countless stars across Yu Qing’s world.

 

Yu Qing regulated her breathing, feeling her lips being kissed.

 

Her wrist was held, and inch by inch, their fingers intertwined.

 

Bang!

 

The cup in Yu Qing’s hand crashed to the ground.

 

She jolted awake.

 

Last night, she had kissed Jiang Nianyu!