I Really Didn't Intend to Pick Up the Black Lotus Omega - Chapter 9

Who is Lianlian?

She cared deeply.

Jiang Nianyu woke up feeling a wave of displeasure.

Yu Qing’s scent enveloped her, but this time, she tasted a different emotional flavor.

Jiang Nianyu slowly opened her eyes and, with a slight push, pressed down on Yu Qing’s arm, creating some distance between them.

She didn’t know the source of her displeasure, only that she felt deeply unhappy.

She wanted to retaliate against Yu Qing, but all she managed was this small, fleeting gesture.

Yu Qing winced at the pressure but didn’t withdraw the arm Jiang Nianyu was using as a pillow.

Realizing her clumsiness, she quickly apologized, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to. I’m a bit restless when I sleep.”

The shadow of a bird flitting past the window flickered across Jiang Nianyu’s face.

This wasn’t the answer Jiang Nianyu wanted. Her eyes were clouded with gloom, but the baby-blue irises masked her inner turmoil with an air of innocent detachment.

“You still haven’t told me who Lianlian is.”

“Lianlian…” Yu Qing repeated the name softly, reminded by Jiang Nianyu’s prompting.

Her fingers gently twirled through Jiang Nianyu’s long hair, as if mirroring the tangled, sinking thoughts in her mind.

“She was a little dog I used to have.”

Perhaps it was because she had just woken up, but Jiang Nianyu felt Yu Qing’s voice sounded as if it had been soaked in water, dripping with a dampness that seemed to seep into her displeasure, sinking along with Yu Qing’s lowered gaze.

Jiang Nianyu never imagined Lianlian would be a dog.

At the same time, a foreboding feeling settled in her heart, a sense that something wasn’t right.

“She’s already dead,” Yu Qing said softly, her warm breath heavy with moisture. “I haven’t dreamed of her in a long time either.”

Only then did Jiang Nianyu realize.

Yu Qing’s damp voice was the sound of suppressed tears.

Having lost her memories, Jiang Nianyu seemed to have also lost the understanding she had accumulated over the past twenty years. She now viewed the world with a sense of bewilderment.

Like a silent observer, she watched and allowed everything to unfold until she could grasp the underlying logic.

Before this morning, Jiang Nianyu had never questioned this approach.

As she quietly observed Yu Qing, as she always did, discerning the subtle shifts in her expression and successfully analyzing their meaning, Jiang Nianyu suddenly felt utterly lost.

Dazed and confused, her hand hung limply at her side, her fingers loosely curled.

Jiang Nianyu felt it should serve some purpose, but she couldn’t figure out what to do with it.

The room fell silent, as if they had returned to the moment when Yu Qing was still lost in her beautiful dream.

This time, Jiang Nianyu rested her head on Yu Qing’s arm, willing to let her linger in her dream a little longer.

But Yu Qing knew that if Lianlian had truly come to her dream, she wouldn’t want her to wake up feeling sad and heartbroken.

Memories, however beautiful, wouldn’t hold her captive.

Just like her relationship with Lianlian.

Just like the wonderful adoptive parents she had once known.

People must always look forward.

She would find new anchors, one after another.

Like her sister, who harbored no ill will toward her.

Like the little dog who would lick away her tears, and the memories of him.

And now…

The incessant chirping of cicadas pierced through the sweltering summer heat, while a gentle breeze flowed through the room.

Yu Qing gazed at Jiang Nianyu lying beside her, her palm hovering in the air as if still cradling the warmth of their recent embrace. In this unfamiliar ABO world, the lingering warmth made it feel a little less daunting.

“Let’s go to the supermarket later,” Yu Qing said, deliberately shaking off her melancholy and planning their day. “I have work tomorrow, so we should stock up on groceries for the next few days. That way you’ll have plenty to eat while you’re home alone.”

The bright sunlight streamed through the window, dazzling Jiang Nianyu’s eyes.

Yu Qing’s eyes lit up with their usual brightness, like a fully charged little robot.

Her arm remained pressed against Jiang Nianyu’s cheek, making Jiang Nianyu feel as if she were cradling her face.

But Jiang Nianyu felt a little lost.

She couldn’t keep up with Yu Qing’s sudden shift in mood, and the memory of Yu Qing’s anguished shouts against overtime in her sleep resurfaced in her mind.

How can someone feel heartbroken and yet still be full of hope?

Why is work so loathsome, yet so motivating?

But that didn’t matter.

Later, Jiang Nianyu understood everything.

Through Yu Qing.

On weekdays, the city’s workers were confined to their workstations, leaving even the supermarkets feeling eerily empty.

Yu Qing had initially worried that Jiang Nianyu might feel uneasy in the unfamiliar environment, but today’s quiet atmosphere turned out to be perfect.

Like a parent socializing their pet kitten, Yu Qing followed Jiang Nianyu through the aisles, letting her browse at her own pace.

It would have been even better if Jiang Nianyu didn’t always pick out the most expensive items with such unerring accuracy.

“This one,” Jiang Nianyu said, once again precisely selecting two of the smallest and priciest ice cream boxes from the freezer and placing them before Yu Qing.

Truthfully, Yu Qing was happy to indulge Jiang Nianyu’s tastes as long as she didn’t choose anything outrageously expensive. After all, her choices always reflected excellent taste.

But staring at the price tag, Yu Qing felt she owed it to her meager monthly salary of 5,500 yuan to hesitate. “Let’s just get one to try first,” she suggested.

Jiang Nianyu lowered her gaze, as if disappointed. She glanced at the ice cream in her hand before obediently putting one back. “Okay.”

“Darling, I remember you love matcha chocolate, right? Want a box?”

“Yes, please! Thank you, darling.”

“No need for thanks. Just remember, darling, never settle for a Beta again. Living on government subsidies, they can’t afford to buy you anything.”

Yu Qing had never cared much for couples who were all over each other, constantly calling each other “darling.” If she found it annoying, she’d simply walk away. But she hadn’t expected the man’s rant to be directed at her.

Gripping the handle of her shopping cart, Yu Qing was about to speak when the man loudly declared, “Excuse me, if you can’t afford it, don’t block the aisle, okay?”

Yu Qing immediately turned, casting a disdainful glance at the Alpha man. “Is anyone here?”

The Alpha man froze for a moment, then snapped, “Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Yu Qing remained composed, condescendingly soothing him. “Don’t get so worked up. Can’t even control your own temper? No wonder you need so much ice cream. Tsk, tsk.”

“You—!”

“I’m warning you, there are security cameras here.”

The Alpha man’s anger spiraled out of control, his face flushed with rage.

Yu Qing merely glanced at him, unfazed by his threats, before leading Jiang Nianyu away.

The air conditioning had silenced the lively summer atmosphere, but the unpleasant scent lingered.

After walking only a few steps, Jiang Nianyu murmured, “I didn’t like what that Alpha said.”

“Me neither,” Yu Qing agreed. “That’s why I cursed him out.”

Jiang Nianyu looked up at Yu Qing, her pale eyes shadowed by the nearby shelf, giving them a cold, almost icy appearance.

Before Yu Qing could notice her gaze, Jiang Nianyu shifted her attention to the ice cream in the cart. “I want to change flavors,” she said.

Yu Qing was about to nod when she saw the Alpha man still standing by the freezer. “I’ll go with you,” she immediately offered.

“I want to go alone,” Jiang Nianyu replied, shaking her head.

Her voice was soft, yet carried an inexplicable firmness, like a small flower growing on a rooftop, tentatively reaching out to touch the world.

Yu Qing sensed that preventing Jiang Nianyu from going alone would crush the fragile confidence she had mustered to take this first step toward the outside world.

Though deeply uneasy, she relented. “Then be careful.”

Jiang Nianyu nodded earnestly, picked up the ice cream, and walked toward the freezer.

The supermarket’s bustling music drowned out the sound of the cart’s wheels. A head peeked out from behind a mountain of promotional goods piled high on a shelf.

Yu Qing kept a close watch, ready to rush over if the Alpha man tried to harass Jiang Nianyu.

But to her surprise, Jiang Nianyu’s exchange went smoothly.

The Alpha did nothing. Jiang Nianyu simply brushed past him at the freezer, exchanged the ice cream without incident, and returned unharmed.

A cool breeze drifted from the freezer, and Yu Qing let out a sigh of relief.

Yu Qing felt a surge of joy, like watching her own puppy accomplish something independently. She smiled at Jiang Nianyu, who was waving to her.

The pink box pressed against Jiang Nianyu’s slender fingers created a striking contrast with her usual cool demeanor.

Watching Jiang Nianyu return, Yu Qing noticed her light steps and the hint of a smile in her eyes.

“Do you like strawberries?” Yu Qing asked, wanting to learn more about Jiang Nianyu’s preferences.

“I wouldn’t have said I liked them before,” Jiang Nianyu replied with a cryptic smile, as if playing a silent riddle. “But now, I don’t dislike them as much.”

Yu Qing was puzzled. How could someone suddenly like something they previously didn’t? Could amnesia really alter one’s taste?

Confused but not wanting to press further, Yu Qing let it go.

Over the next few minutes, the items piling up in her shopping cart gradually turned pinker.

She even grabbed a box of out-of-season strawberries without hesitation.

But when Yu Qing glanced at the receipt and saw the unusually high price next to the strawberries, she momentarily imagined a red bill waving goodbye, the same color as the bl00d draining from her heart.

“Are you trying to rip me off, supermarket?!”

“Sir, the item was scanned from your person.”

“Just because it was scanned from me doesn’t mean I took it! I suspect you’re setting me up!”

“Sir, please come with us to the security office.”

Yu Qing barely had time to feel the sting of hurt before the commotion at the other exit drew her attention.

She immediately turned toward the noise and saw the Alpha man they had encountered earlier being stopped by supermarket security.

Behind him, the security gate flashed red incessantly, its alarm blaring.

“What’s happening?” Yu Qing asked, curious.

“I don’t know,” Jiang Nianyu replied, her baby-blue eyes sparkling as she shook her head slightly.

Her expression remained calm as she observed the distant chaos, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips.

She looked like a kitten that had just protected its owner.

“Try touching me!”

Bang!

“An Alpha is attacking people! Call the police!”

“I-I didn’t do anything! You… you ran into my fist yourself!”

The argument escalated when a fist was thrown, shocking everyone nearby.

The security guard clutched his nose, frantically calling for backup.

The Alpha male seemed stunned as well, watching his girlfriend retreat from him, utterly at a loss.

“Serves you right,” Yu Qing said, having familiarized herself with this world’s laws for self-protection. “Article 150 of the Alpha Citizen’s Charter clearly states that Alphas who provoke disturbances will be criminally detained.”

“So Alphas aren’t superior beings after all,” Jiang Nianyu remarked coolly, turning to Yu Qing. “They’re far inferior to Betas.”

Yu Qing basked in the compliment. “Of course.”

The supermarket’s long fluorescent lights cast a halo-like glow around Yu Qing’s head.

She stood proudly, like a little cat with its head held high, making the corners of Jiang Nianyu’s lips curl slightly.

In the sweltering summer heat, Yu Qing didn’t want to cook. She and Jiang Nianyu bought the supermarket’s signature cold noodles and headed home.

Carrying one large and one small shopping bag, they walked to the taxi stand on the basement level, their shadows stretching side by side in the dim light.

“Wait, why did she come to the supermarket? Shouldn’t she be at the hospital with that injury?”

“You idiot, why do you think she got hurt? She wouldn’t dare go to the hospital.”

“Tch, what brains do Omegas have anyway? They can’t even walk straight when they see an Alpha.”

The men’s conversation drifted faintly from a distance, piercing Jiang Nianyu’s sharp ears.

Her grip on the shopping bag tightened abruptly. As she rounded the corner, she spotted two men in sunglasses and tailored suits, about to come face-to-face with them.

“Just 4 more…”

Yu Qing glanced at the driver who had just accepted their ride request, intending to ask Jiang Nianyu if the bag was too heavy and whether she should carry it herself.

Suddenly, a force shoved her against the wall.

Jiang Nianyu grabbed Yu Qing’s sleeve.

Then, she firmly pressed herself into Yu Qing’s arms.