I Really Didn't Intend to Pick Up the Black Lotus Omega - Chapter 44

Yu Qing couldn’t tell if the Head Nurse knew something.

 

It was just a routine pheromone test, yet it felt like earth-shattering good news.

 

In certain situations, it could prove useful.

 

Those words, combined with the Head Nurse’s beaming smile, made Yu Qing’s face burn uncontrollably.

 

She didn’t know how to respond to the test results, overwhelmed by a wave of embarrassment.

 

Trying to look on the bright side, at least this incident had proven that a Beta guardian kissing an Omega ward wouldn’t land them in jail.

 

And fortunately, Jiang Nianyu’s health report had come with Yu Qing’s.

 

It showed that Jiang Nianyu’s vital signs were all normal, her heat period had passed, and she was cleared for discharge.

 

After a hectic day, the two had to compress their original plans for the morning.

 

To avoid rush hour, Yu Qing and Jiang Nianyu first went grocery shopping.

 

They bought a lot of groceries and returned to their apartment, already planning what to cook at home over the weekend.

 

But as soon as they stepped out of the elevator, a pungent smell of something burning filled the hallway.

 

Yu Qing, ever vigilant, immediately wrinkled her nose. “Niannian, do you smell something?”

 

Jiang Nianyu, her expression calm, instinctively glanced toward her own apartment.

 

More precisely, toward the apartment next door.

 

“Cough, cough, cough!”

 

Just then, the door to Yu Qing’s neighbor’s apartment was flung open.

 

Jiang Siqing, wearing an apron and brandishing a spatula, stumbled out of the apartment in a disheveled state.

 

Through the smoke, Yu Qing recognized the familiar face and couldn’t suppress her surprise. “Si… Qing?”

 

Hearing Yu Qing’s voice, Jiang Siqing’s face lit up with surprise, tinged with awkwardness.

 

She had never imagined meeting Yu Qing in such a disheveled state. After hastily tidying her messy hair, she managed a strained greeting. “Sis-Sister.”

 

“What are you doing…?” Yu Qing’s gaze fell on the open door behind Jiang Siqing, and realization dawned.

 

So this was where Siqing had moved to, as Gong Ning had mentioned.

 

So the neighbor who had dashed out so hurriedly yesterday was Siqing.

 

“I was just trying to make myself a pancake.”

 

Jiang Siqing mistakenly thought Yu Qing was asking what had happened and began explaining, her voice filled with grievance.

 

But she couldn’t finish her explanation; the result was already painfully obvious.

 

Whoosh!

 

The roar of flames erupted from the house. Yu Qing immediately noticed the pot in Siqing’s kitchen had caught fire.

 

Staring at the towering flames, Yu Qing abandoned any thought of discussing moving or what Siqing had been doing. She immediately barked orders at the others: “Sanmao, quickly shut off the gas valve! Niannian, don’t go in there—it’s too dangerous!”

 

Despite the division of labor, Yu Qing still assigned Jiang Nianyu to the safest spot, handing her the items she was carrying.

 

Then, with unwavering courage, she charged into the kitchen to confront the burning pot.

 

Heaven only knew what culinary abomination Jiang Siqing had been attempting. The charred pancake was unrecognizable, reduced to a smoldering mass.

 

In the sweltering summer heat, the added heat felt almost blinding.

 

Yu Qing endured the scorching temperature, swiftly lifting the pot onto a pre-soaked towel and slamming the lid shut.

 

Yu Qing’s movements were fluid and practiced, while the flustered Jiang Siqing stumbled around the kitchen, her hands waving helplessly.

 

“Sister, where’s the valve?” she asked, circling the room.

 

“I…”

 

“Let me handle this.”

 

Yu Qing sighed, about to tell Jiang Siqing to leave so she could take over.

 

But before she could act, footsteps rushed into the kitchen. Jiang Nianyu, moving with practiced ease, opened the cabinet above the stove, shut off the gas valve, and then cut the kitchen’s power.

 

As the kitchen darkened, her slender, tall figure was clearly silhouetted against the wall by the foyer light. The scene was more striking and unforgettable than any panel from a manga.

 

Yu Qing froze for a moment.

 

Then she felt Jiang Siqing tugging at her sleeve.

 

Standing uselessly to the side, Jiang Siqing asked timidly, “Sister… is it okay now?”

 

Yu Qing could tell the girl was terrified. Though she wanted to scold her, she patted Jiang Siqing’s shoulder to reassure her. “It’s okay now.”

 

Jiang Nianyu, however, wasn’t in such a forgiving mood.

 

Jiang Nianyu glanced at Jiang Siqing, her gaze subtle yet sharp as it flickered over the hand clinging to Yu Qing’s arm. Her brow furrowed even deeper. “Are you cooking or setting the house on fire?”

 

Jiang Siqing bit her lip. “…Cooking.”

 

The young heiress was accustomed to extravagant spending, having blown through tens of thousands of yuan in less than a month.

 

Now penniless, she refused to settle for cheap takeout that didn’t meet her standards, nor could she afford expensive restaurant meals. With misplaced confidence, she’d convinced herself that watching cooking shows had somehow made her a chef.

 

The moment she poured the oil into the pan, chaos erupted.

 

Grumble.

 

Jiang Siqing’s stomach let out a pitiful groan. Desperate with hunger, she mustered the courage to ask Yu Qing, “Sister, can I join you for dinner? I haven’t eaten anything all day.”

 

Yu Qing nodded. “Of course.”

 

Click.

 

Several glass lunchboxes clattered onto the counter. Jiang Nianyu had quietly slipped home and returned with a stack of containers.

 

Her face remained expressionless as she pointed to the boxes. “Microwave to heat. Leftovers go in the fridge. Eat.”

 

The food taken from the refrigerator still radiated icy coldness, but Jiang Siqing cradled it, murmuring, “I really miss Sister’s cooking…”

 

Hearing this, Yu Qing felt a flicker of suspicion. “Miss?”

 

Jiang Nianyu shot Jiang Siqing a sharp glare.

 

Flustered, Jiang Siqing quickly explained, “Ah… seeing Sister’s food container just feels so familiar. My mom used to use these too, and it always made her cooking taste more like home.”

 

Yu Qing, hearing Jiang Siqing’s rambling explanation, simply assumed she was a poor Omega who had fainted from hunger and didn’t press further. “I see.”

 

With that, she lifted the pot lid.

 

The fire had already gone out, leaving only a blackened pancake shell stuck to the bottom of the pot. “This pot is ruined. We’ll have to throw it away. Remember, never add water to this kind of fire. You need to cut off the oxygen. Understand?”

 

Instead of scolding, Yu Qing offered patient guidance.

 

Jiang Siqing’s earlier panic inexplicably subsided. She nodded obediently, admitting, “I understand my mistake, Sister.”

 

“It doesn’t seem to have much flavor left,” Yu Qing said. “Why don’t you tidy up yourself? We won’t interfere.” She handed Jiang Siqing a pack of instant sushi. “If you don’t feel like heating up food, you can eat this.”

 

This cheap plastic container couldn’t possibly hold expensive, delicious sushi.

 

Yet this very thing became the final straw that broke Jiang Siqing.

 

As she accepted the sushi from Yu Qing, tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

 

These two had brought her both homemade meals and instant food. Since running away from home, she hadn’t felt such warmth in a long time.

 

But Jiang Siqing was also stubborn and proud.

 

She would rather die than let them see her cry. Suppressing her tears, she gripped the doorknob. “Then I won’t keep you any longer. Thank you, Sister. See you at the office tomorrow.”

 

The door closed effortlessly from the inside, making Yu Qing and Jiang Nianyu feel like the ones being shut out.

 

They exchanged glances, realizing there was nothing more they could do for Jiang Siqing. Carrying their things, they returned home.

 

Just after Yu Qing and Jiang Nianyu entered the house one after the other, Yu Qing said anxiously, “That child seems off. She looked like she was about to cry.”

 

“Mm,” Jiang Nianyu murmured in agreement, her tone unreadable.

 

“Should we bring her something warm later?” Yu Qing suggested, turning on the foyer light.

 

The sudden burst of light startled Jiang Nianyu, halting her as she slipped off her shoes.

 

She disliked Yu Qing’s suggestion intensely, her gaze darkening imperceptibly.

 

“Or maybe we should just go keep her company while she eats…”

 

Unable to restrain herself, Jiang Nianyu cut Yu Qing off mid-sentence, turning abruptly to press close to her.

 

Yu Qing had just sat down on the shoe-changing stool when Jiang Nianyu’s looming presence froze her in place.

 

The overhead light cast a dim, yellow glow across Jiang Nianyu’s face, blurring her features.

 

In the narrow space, a gentle breeze stirred the wisps of hair framing Yu Qing’s cheek.

 

Jiang Nianyu pressed her nose against Yu Qing’s neck, inhaling deeply twice.

 

Jiang Nianyu didn’t notice the hand Yu Qing had clenched on the counter. The light traced the blue veins on her wrist, filling the shadows with a sinister darkness.

 

So hard to control.

 

Even after regaining her memories, even after reverting to her habitual suppression of her true emotions, Jiang Nianyu still couldn’t suppress her inexplicable possessiveness toward Yu Qing.

 

It had started when she proactively helped Jiang Siqing clean up her mess.

 

It had intensified when she saw Jiang Siqing clutching Yu Qing’s clothes, just as her amnesiac self had done in the past.

 

The unease in Jiang Nianyu’s heart had been amplified infinitely.

 

She couldn’t say she liked or disliked her younger sister; she simply resented anyone—Alpha or Omega—who dared to touch Yu Qing in the slightest.

 

Jiang Nianyu leaned against Yu Qing’s neck for an extended moment, long enough for Yu Qing to wonder if she was entering another heat cycle. Finally, Jiang Nianyu regained her composure and said calmly, “Go take a shower first.”

 

Yu Qing paused, startled. The forced calmness in her voice, deliberately lowered to conceal her suppressed emotions, made her ears burn.

 

But then she realized it was her own scent making Jiang Nianyu uncomfortable.

 

Of course, she thought. I went to the hospital today and helped Siqing put out the fire.

 

The cicadas outside were still buzzing incessantly, and she must have sweated a lot in the heat. Her body odor was probably a mess.

 

Remembering that Omegas are usually more sensitive to scents, Yu Qing immediately said, “I’ll go run a bath right now and soak properly before coming out.”

 

 

The evening moon cast a gentle glow as the sun lingered behind the mountains, reluctant to set.

 

Yu Qing quietly soaked in the warm water, admiring the rare view outside the window. She reached out to stir the water, rubbing the slowly dissolving bath bomb to create delicate bubbles.

 

It had been ages since she’d indulged in such relaxation. The warm water seemed to devour the fatigue from her body, allowing her to sink comfortably into the tub and appreciate the cozy bathroom she had decorated herself.

 

The pale green mosaic tiles lining the lower walls were arranged meticulously, their muted hue complementing the crisp white ceramic tiles above.

 

An antique pendant lamp cast a warm halo of light onto the faux-wood stool, gently cradling her clothes…

 

As she gazed around, Yu Qing noticed that in her haste to start the bath, she hadn’t placed her clothes properly—her underwear had slipped and fallen onto the floor.

 

The blue floral-patterned fabric was now half-soaked, its colors split between pale and dark, staring helplessly up at its owner.

 

After a moment’s hesitation, Yu Qing picked up her phone.

 

Jiang Nianyu’s slightly puzzled voice answered, “A-Qing?”

 

“Niannian, could you do me a favor?” Yu Qing asked, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

 

“What is it?”

 

Yu Qing struggled, her cheeks flushed from the steamy bathwater. “My underwear got wet. Could you grab me a pair?”

 

Click.

 

In the quiet kitchen, the sound of something being squeezed echoed.

 

Jiang Nianyu held a bag of frozen food, its frosty packaging feeling icy in her hands, yet making her feel intensely hot.

 

Yu Qing heard the noise through the phone. Before she could ask what it was, Jiang Nianyu replied, her voice hoarse, “Just a moment.”

 

Knock, knock, knock.

 

True to her word, Jiang Nianyu’s familiar silhouette soon appeared behind the rippled glass door.

 

Yu Qing immediately looked up and called out brightly, “Come in!”

 

The humid heat enveloped Jiang Nianyu the moment she stepped inside.

 

The Junior CEO, now with her memories restored, maintained a blank expression, yet her throat involuntarily tightened.

 

Jiang Nianyu turned away, feigning indifference and avoiding Yu Qing’s gaze as much as possible. “Where should I put this?”

 

“Just set it on the little stool, Niannian. Thank you!” Yu Qing, oblivious to Jiang Nianyu’s strange behavior, chuckled bashfully, her smile as warm as ever.

 

Yu Qing’s voice seemed to tickle Jiang Nianyu’s heart, and the sweet scent in the air filled her with longing.

 

Jiang Nianyu quickly set down the item in her hands, muttered a perfunctory “You’re welcome,” and turned to leave.

 

But before she could take a step, Yu Qing called out, “Wait, Niannian!”

 

“What is it?” Jiang Nianyu froze, her response entirely instinctive.

 

“Turn around. I have a gift for you,” Yu Qing said, her eyes sparkling with playful mystery.

 

Jiang Nianyu hesitated, but eventually turned back to face Yu Qing, who was surrounded by shimmering bubbles.

 

In that instant, the vast distance Jiang Nianyu had felt between them seemed to shrink to nothing.

 

Yu Qing, radiating warmth, raised her hand under Jiang Nianyu’s conflicted gaze. “Ta-da!”

 

It was a tiny duck made of bubbles.

 

“Here’s your ducky,” Yu Qing said, holding it out to Jiang Nianyu.

 

Jiang Nianyu calmly accepted the duck, but her voice remained silent.

 

Her gaze finally drifted uncontrollably, following the hand that had brushed against her palm.

 

She didn’t want the duck; what she truly desired was the hand that had given it to her, the person behind it.

 

That slender, graceful curve shimmered through the bubbles, her cheek dusted with foam, and the bite mark on her lip stood out vividly in the light.

 

Who had bitten her lip?

 

Jiang Nianyu swallowed again, her baby-blue eyes, now clouded with heat, wavering between coldness and hesitation.

 

She hadn’t expected that even after regaining her memories, she would still struggle to maintain control for even a single day, just as she had during her amnesia.

 

Her gaze lingered on Yu Qing’s damp hair, her pale neck seemingly appearing before her eyes as if by chance.

 

The report shows that your bl00d contains Alpha pheromone factors. While you won’t fully differentiate, they could prove useful in certain situations.

 

The Head Nurse’s words echoed in Jiang Nianyu’s ears as she bit her lip lightly.

 

She was on the verge of breaking her vow.