Little Succubus Transmigrates into a Fishing Type O - Chapter 20

Late Night

Gu Jianyou’s breathing was rapid. “What do you want? Resources? Money? Name your price—I can give you anything.”

She held Bai Ruanruan tightly from behind, her mind in turmoil, her breaths quick and scorching.

Yet Bai Ruanruan seemed not to hear her, lying with her back turned. Soon, soft, even breaths filled the silence.

She had fallen asleep—carelessly, thoughtlessly asleep.

The Omega’s pheromones drifted gently through the bedroom.

Gu Jianyou gripped the sheets tightly, forcing her gaze away from the slender stretch of Bai Ruanruan’s exposed neck.

That neck was beautiful, adorned with intricate crimson patterns.

The sharp, cold scent of irises clashed violently in the air, making Gu Jianyou feel as though she stood on a violently rocking boat, her rationality fraying like a rope about to snap.

The shallow breathing beside her sounded like a knife slowly sawing through that rope, severing her self-control bit by bit.

She restrained herself, despising how the pheromones controlled her, digging her fingernails into the emerald ring on her pinky.

The harder she tried to ignore the presence on the bed, the more Bai Ruanruan’s sweet fragrance overwhelmed her—

Her restraint shattered.

Gu Jianyou flung herself onto the bed, yanking the emerald ring off her finger. The sharp drag of metal against skin did nothing to calm the Alpha.

Cold sweat beaded at her temples as she clenched the now-warm ring in her palm—

Then, in a burst of frustration, she hurled it to the floor.

The delicate ring landed soundlessly on the plush carpet, its impact softer than a sparrow alighting on a branch.

A dull thud.

Like a fist striking cotton.

The precious emerald didn’t even crack.

Gu Jianyou’s frustration deepened, despairing at the loss of the self-control she had always prided herself on.

Unconsciously, her body inched closer to Bai Ruanruan, her fingers clutching the sleeve of the sleeping woman.

She lay awake until dawn.

……

The next morning.

When Bai Ruanruan woke, the space beside her was cold.

She rubbed her tousled hair. “Sister?”

Gu Jianyou pushed open the door, dark circles faintly shadowing her weary face.

“Morning.”

Bai Ruanruan’s lips curled in a knowing half-smile as she studied Gu Jianyou. “What kind of clothes does Auntie like?”

This was Gu Jianyou’s home—there were no spare outfits here. Bai Ruanruan expected her to have a secretary rush out to buy something.

Gu Jianyou glanced at her, then turned to the walk-in closet, retrieving a loose white lace dress and a creamy cashmere coat.

She tossed them onto the bed before selecting a pair of pearl earrings and a matching necklace, her back still turned.

Bai Ruanruan obediently changed, her tone teasing. “Bad mood today, Sister?”

Gu Jianyou’s hand trembled slightly as she picked up a glass of milk, her voice rougher than usual.

“I’m fine.”

Gifts for her aunt were already arranged on the table. Gu Jianyou took a sip of hot milk, then nudged a steaming bowl of porridge toward Bai Ruanruan.

Dressed in ivory white, Bai Ruanruan’s already innocent appearance took on a soft, radiant glow—like a winter sun.

But those mesmerizing peach-blossom eyes betrayed that this little rabbit wasn’t as pure as she seemed.

Bai Ruanruan tilted her head. “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

Gu Jianyou, who hadn’t slept at all, remained silent, her gaze growing more probing.

“Eat first. We leave in half an hour.” She set down her half-finished milk. “It’s cold outside—remember to wear gloves.”

Gu Jianyou placed a pair of white lambskin gloves in front of Bai Ruanruan.

She seemed to find even looking at Bai Ruanruan troublesome, turning away sharply to leave.

Yet, out of the corner of her eye, she caught the girl at the dining table picking up the half-finished glass of milk she had drunk from, taking small, deliberate sips.

Gu Jianyou’s pupils constricted abruptly, her heart tightening as if bound by countless threads—

Bai Ruanruan licked the milk from the corner of her lips, feigning distress.

“Sorry, I have a habit of drinking milk every morning. This was the only glass on the table.”

Her straightforward, unpretentious explanation only darkened Gu Jianyou’s gaze further. All the way to the car, Gu Jianyou refused to meet her eyes.

The black sedan drove into the suburban villa district.

Nestled against mountains and facing water, the area was lush with greenery, the air noticeably fresher than in the city.

Gu Jianyou gripped the steering wheel tightly, her focus ostensibly on the road—

Yet her peripheral vision involuntarily strayed to the sliver of Bai Ruanruan’s exposed wrist.

She was wearing the same white lambskin gloves Gu Jianyou had once worn, the cuffs stopping just below the wrist, leaving the delicate bones and veins of her hand on full display.

When Gu Jianyou had worn them, a friend once remarked, “Not pulling the gloves up past your wrists is like wearing a dress meant to tease—it’s strangely alluring.”

After that, she had never worn them again.

Bai Ruanruan interlaced her fingers, worried. “Will your aunt like me?”

Gu Jianyou parked the car, opened the door for Bai Ruanruan, and retrieved gifts from the trunk.

“Her name is Qin Qiuyue. My mother was a violinist, but my aunt had little musical talent—she preferred painting. She drew many portraits of me as a child. After my mother’s death, she took care of me longer than my father ever did.”

Her voice was soft, as if reluctant to disturb the surrounding tranquility.

“Over a decade ago, my aunt had a girlfriend. But because they were both Omegas, their families intervened, forcibly matching the other woman with an Alpha. They invited my aunt and me to the wedding. Half a year later, she jumped into the river and died. My aunt never loved again.”

The compatibility of pheromones mattered far more than so-called social status.

Her parents, her aunt and her lover—everyone around Gu Jianyou had been entangled in tragedies born from an Alpha’s impulsiveness and irrationality.

In such terrifying relationships, Omegas were always the ones who suffered most.

With a sigh, Gu Jianyou took Bai Ruanruan’s hand and pressed the doorbell.

Bai Ruanruan glanced at her discreetly, fingertips brushing lightly against her palm in silent comfort.

The door opened.

The elegant noblewoman, her face still bearing traces of illness from a recent hospital visit, brightened at the sight of them.

“Ah, it’s Youyou! And this must be Miss Bai, the one you mentioned on the phone?”

Qin Qiuyue’s features bore a striking resemblance to Gu Jianyou’s. Bai Ruanruan slipped effortlessly into character, offering a sweet, demure smile, clinging to Gu Jianyou’s hand like a bashful young bride.

Startled by the sudden grasp, Gu Jianyou gently returned the hold.

A maid brought tea and pastries as Qin Qiuyue led them to the greenhouse for refreshments.

Silently observing her niece and Bai Ruanruan, Qin Qiuyue teased, “Youyou, why is your face so red?”

Gu Jianyou removed her coat, restraining herself from releasing her Alpha pheromones.

“It’s just the heat. I’m not blushing.”

The greenhouse was filled with rare and exotic flowers from around the world, but Gu Jianyou preferred the hardy double-petaled lilies over the delicate, fussy blooms.

Her fingers lightly brushed the petals. “It’s quite hot today, isn’t it?”

Qin Qiuyue raised an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps it’s because I’m ill—I find the weather rather chilly.”

Gu Jianyou’s fingers traced the supple petals as Bai Ruanruan affectionately leaned against her arm.

“It’s kind of you, such a busy person, to visit me,” Qin Qiuyue said warmly. “How long have you two known each other? How did you meet? When’s the wedding?”

Gu Jianyou glanced at Bai Ruanruan. Her aunt, having been convalescing for so long, paid little attention to the outside world and wouldn’t bother investigating trivial details.

They met at a bar.

They slept together the same night.

It had only been three months.

Bai Ruanruan nestled against Gu Jianyou’s shoulder like a delicate bird, her cheeks faintly flushed, her peach-blossom eyes gazing adoringly at her beloved alpha.

“I was dragged into the bar and harassed,” she said softly. “But Sister saved me. If not for her, I might have…”

Her eyes glistened with just the right amount of sorrow—whether it was mostly acting or genuine emotion was hard to tell.

Her gentle voice lingered in Gu Jianyou’s ear, making her earlobes burn even redder, her face hotter.

Gu Jianyou wanted to pull away from Bai Ruanruan’s tight grip, but she didn’t dare move in front of her aunt. Her eyes silently pleaded with Bai Ruanruan to loosen her hold.

Her other hand clenched reflexively on the lily petals, plucking one from the plant her aunt had painstakingly nurtured.

The scent of lilies clung to her palm, mingling with the sweetness of peaches. For the first time, Gu Jianyou noticed how stifling the air in this greenhouse was.

Was such an enclosed, airless space really suitable for her frail aunt’s recovery?

Qin Qiuyue, who was sensitive to cold, frowned. “You’re unusually warm today, Youyou.”

She turned to her attendant. “Is it hot in here?”

The attendant shook her head. “The door was just opened—cold air came in. Would you like another blanket, Madam?”

Gu Jianyou: “…”

Qin Qiuyue draped the blanket over her knees and smiled brightly. “Who knew our Youyou would turn out to be a chivalrous hero rescuing a beauty?”

“When you were little, you swore you’d never take a wife. And here you are, barely in your twenties, already breaking that promise.”

Her life had been too uneventful—just seeing her niece more often was enough to satisfy her, and she naturally wanted to chatter a little more.

Gu Jianyou’s face burned even hotter. She desperately wanted to change the subject, but her aunt clearly had other plans.

Qin Qiuyue gave her a meaningful look. “We just baked a salted cream red velvet cake today—low sugar. Why don’t you get a slice for Miss Bai?”

Reluctantly, Gu Jianyou pushed the cake toward Bai Ruanruan.

Bai Ruanruan blushed demurely. “Sister may seem fierce, but she’s actually so kind to me in private. She brings me nourishing soup on set, drives me back to my dorm at night. Once, when I nearly got into a car accident, she came to save me again.”

Her gaze was tender, like a new bride meeting her in-laws for the first time. “Without Sister, I truly don’t know what I’d do.”

Gu Jianyou’s lips parted slightly.

The truth she couldn’t admit to outsiders was—

She only sent the girl nourishing soup to build up her health for a proper mating mark.

She would drive to the film set whenever she had free time, staying in her car for hours on end, handling work while watching Bai Ruanruan from afar—much like the obsessive fans often talked about in the industry.

She had indeed saved the young girl from a near car accident, but then immediately carried her into the dormitory, trespassing into an Omega’s private space—a gesture that was undeniably intrusive.

Gu Jianyou stiffly held a fork, feeding a piece of red velvet cake to Bai Ruanruan.

She hardly dared to meet the eyes of this impossibly innocent girl.

Bai Ruanruan had no obligation to play along with her act, nor to romanticize her past invasive behavior as some dreamy, sweet romance. She could have easily brushed it off…

But Bai Ruanruan didn’t.

As if sensing something, Bai Ruanruan looked up at her and silently mouthed:

“You’ve been so good to me, sister. It’s my duty to help you.”

The girl parted her lips, the color of candied strawberries, and took the bite of cake into her mouth.

Gu Jianyou, still rigid, fed her another piece.

A shadow flickered in her heart.

Was this just repayment…?

Could there be even the slightest, tiniest bit of something else…?

A headache surged through her—she didn’t dare dwell on it.

Later that night

Qin Qiuyue, who had lived alone in solitude for years, had few people she could reach out to besides Gu Jianyou.

Having raised Gu Jianyou since childhood, she knew her temperament—cold, extreme, burning others and herself alike.

She needed someone to untangle the knots in her heart.

Whether that person was an Omega, Beta, or Alpha, Qin Qiuyue would accept it.

As an elder, she couldn’t bear to watch Gu Jianyou remain trapped in the past.

After seeing them off at the door, Qin Qiuyue wrapped herself in a blanket and stood by the glass window, watching the two from a distance.

She murmured to her attendant, “Bai Ruanruan is always clinging to her, but Jianyou barely reacts. Where’s the passion of young love?”

The attendant replied, “I’ll go take a closer look.”

A trace of worry flickered in Qin Qiuyue’s eyes. “Do you think that child might…”

Might she have just found someone at random to put her at ease?

She didn’t voice the thought, unwilling to entertain it—but Gu Jianyou’s restraint was too obvious.

Outside

Gu Jianyou pressed Bai Ruanruan against the car door, breathing heavily. “Enough. Stop acting. The performance is over.”

Bai Ruanruan smirked. “Is it? Or is sister just too cold?”

Gu Jianyou lowered her gaze, not daring to look at her.

But the sweet, intoxicating pheromones clung to her relentlessly, tempting the Alpha to pin her down and bite—to devour the peach flesh, skin and all, with the most primal hunger.

Gu Jianyou tightened her grip on Bai Ruanruan’s wrist, her body inexplicably drunk with desire.

She wanted to crush her, just as she had crushed the layered lilies in the greenhouse earlier, her heated breaths laced with their fragrance.

The girl before her wore clothes she had bought, gloves she had chosen,

and lipstick she had once used.

A stifled sound escaped Gu Jianyou’s throat as she forced out the words: “Can I kiss you?”

Bai Ruanruan leaned against the cold car door and laughed. “In what capacity, sister?”

Her fingers brushed through Gu Jianyou’s long hair. “I always thought your curls were permed. I never imagined they were natural. So beautiful.”

Gu Jianyou tilted her head curiously. Pretty? She was used to it—her hair naturally formed big waves without any styling.

Bai Ruanruan bloomed like a wildflower, boldly and unapologetically displaying her beauty.

Unable to hear what the girl was murmuring, Gu Jianyou let her fingers trail along Bai Ruanruan’s wrist before biting her lower lip.

Her long lashes brushed against Bai Ruanruan’s cheek as she guided the younger woman’s hand to her own cascading hair.

Gu Jianyou mused that her old friend had been right—

Gloves revealing just a sliver of the backhand were designed to invite touch, to let others’ fingers explore their intimate interiors.

Feeling those slightly flushed, feverish fingertips—

Ordinary hands now radiated irresistible allure.

The commotion grew too loud—

Not only did her personal assistant hear it, but even Qin Qiuyue caught the distant thud of bodies colliding against car doors from afar.

The two women watched the surveillance feed from the entrance camera.

The lens captured the young couple mid-kiss.

Even worldly Qin Qiuyue flushed crimson, covering her mouth. “This… this is practically bullying…”

How could she take such liberties with an Omega who adored her, right under the glaring surveillance cameras?!

Averting her eyes, Qin Qiuyue patted her chest and hastily switched off the screen.

Guiltily murmuring, “I actually doubted their sincerity earlier… Who knew Youyou had this side to her?”

……

Gu Jianyou never expected her unrestrained moment to be fully recorded by the cameras.

She opened the passenger door for Bai Ruanruan.

A woman in a fur coat approached—tall boots clicking, a diamond-studded clutch in hand.

Her elegant, aristocratic face looked vaguely familiar.

“Elder cousin!” the woman exclaimed upon stopping before them, eyes widening.

Gu Jianyou frowned. With so many relatives, she could never keep track.

The woman smiled demurely. “Here to visit Madame too? I’ve been staying nearby since her discharge. Seeing her in good health puts my mind at ease.”

“Your consideration is appreciated,” Gu Jianyou replied, still unable to place her.

As Gu Jianyou settled into the driver’s seat, the woman waved gracefully by the window. “You probably don’t remember—you used to carry me as a child, calling me Yaoyao.”

Qin Yaoyao’s gaze briefly skimmed over Bai Ruanruan in the passenger seat, her warm, dignified expression unchanged.

Gu Jianyou withdrew her gaze, still drawing blanks.

Bai Ruanruan pointed at her kiss-swollen lips. “So many people around Sister.”

“My apologies,” Gu Jianyou said. “I’m heading to the office—shall I take you home first?”

Naturally, to her own residence, not the cramped dormitory for artists.

Bai Ruanruan reapplied her lipstick in the mirror. “To the set.”

Gu Jianyou’s frown deepened. She wanted to argue—after being kissed into jelly, shouldn’t the girl rest rather than exhaust herself filming?

Then it struck her: Bai Ruanruan was determined to chase her acting dreams through her own efforts, not become some gilded cage’s songbird.

Reluctantly, she dropped her off at the suburban filming location.

“I’ll pick you up tonight.”

=

Bai Ruanruan stood roadside, flashing an OK sign.

Her lips remained slightly swollen, though the lipstick masked it well.

Exhaling winter mist, the girl waved at the departing black sedan.

Only when the car disappeared did she turn toward the studio.

“What have you been up to lately?” Jiajia ran over. “There was an important scene to shoot this morning, and you weren’t even here.”

Bai Ruanruan smiled faintly. “My sister needed me for something. I couldn’t refuse.”

Jiajia nodded. “When the sponsor calls, you really can’t say no. Did you at least get the CEO to hook you up with some good commercial deals?”

Squinting against the wind, Bai Ruanruan looked like a cunning little fox. “Asking for favors outright would be tacky.”

Jiajia blinked. “So, you’re just waiting for the CEO to offer them to you?”

Flipping through her script, Bai Ruanruan said, “You need to be patient.”

Jiajia could almost see nine fox tails swaying behind Bai Ruanruan’s back.

Jiajia gave her a thumbs-up.

Bai Ruanruan worked efficiently, quickly making up for the morning’s missed shoot, turning the director’s slight displeasure into satisfaction.

During dinner, Jiajia specially brought over the meal box ordered by the CEO.

Suddenly, a crew member rushed in. “Someone’s here to see Teacher Bai.”

Bai Ruanruan looked puzzled. “A fan visiting the set?”

The crew member shook her head. “A very young woman who says you’ll definitely know her.”

Putting down her chopsticks, Bai Ruanruan told the crew to continue eating while she threw on a coat and went to the entrance.

The cold wind hit her as soon as she stepped outside, making her shiver. Juyin stood nearby, teeth clenched as she stared at her.

Bai Ruanruan raised an eyebrow. “Oh, it’s you.”

Juyin’s face was flushed unnaturally as she struggled to steady her voice. “Thanks to you, I got fired. But at least Gu Jianyou remembered our school ties enough to give me an internship certificate.”

As if she needed just an internship certificate.

Staggering forward, Juyin’s legs gave out just as she reached Bai Ruanruan, nearly collapsing.

Bai Ruanruan steadied her. “What’s wrong with you?”

Juyin clenched her jaw, her pheromones scattering uncontrollably.

Bai Ruanruan quickly led her to the break room and shut the door. “You’re in heat.”

Juyin gave a bitter smile. “Too many people want to curry favor with Gu Jianyou. They don’t mind bullying me to prove their loyalty. It’s disgusting.”

Coincidentally, Gu Jianyou had been busy with work and visiting her aunt, unaware of the situation.

Bai Ruanruan promised, “Those people will be fired.”

Juyin slumped onto the table, her face and neck flushed pink, gasping like a fish out of water.

She laughed weakly. “Do you want to torment me too?”

Bai Ruanruan shook her head. “I don’t have such twisted tastes.”

She wondered why Juyin had come to her instead of going straight to the hospital for suppressants.

Unromantically, Bai Ruanruan pulled two suppressants from her bag, loaded them into a syringe, and pushed them toward her. “An out-of-control Omega is dangerous. I don’t want this to make headlines tomorrow. Handle it yourself.”

Juyin stared at the rolling syringe, then looked up at Bai Ruanruan. “You…”

Bai Ruanruan kindly closed the door behind her, wanting nothing to do with the situation and finding it rather troublesome.

Through the door, Juyin asked, “Bai Ruanruan, are you really with Gu Jianyou by choice?”

Standing guard outside, Bai Ruanruan’s muffled voice reached the break room. “It’s by choice.”

Bai Ruanruan possessed a magical charm that transcended gender—whether Omega, Beta, or Alpha, no one could resist falling for her.

Ju Yin had seen many hysterical people in her life, herself included.

But Bai Ruanruan was different from anyone else. She carried herself with an effortless grace, never kicking others when they were down. Beautiful and hardworking, she would have thrived even without Gu Jianyou.

Juyin injected the cold liquid into the gland at the back of her neck.

Shivering all over, she collapsed onto the desk.

At her most vulnerable moment after being rejected by Gu Jianyou, her heart—already riddled with unrequited love for years—began to beat fervently in an entirely different way.

Outside the door, Bai Ruanruan sneezed.

Jiajia came to call her for dinner and happened to witness the scene.

“Big sis, you should put on some clothes. If you catch a cold, you’ll have to drink tonic soup every day again.”

Bai Ruanruan sneezed several times in a row. “Someone’s talking about me behind my back.”

She rubbed her reddened nose. “Fine, you stay here and make sure she gets home safely.”

……

During a break in the meeting, Gu Jianyou took a drag from her cigarette and unlocked her phone. A notification flashed on her social feed.

She tapped it open—it was a photo Juyin had just posted.

She had only added her as a friend to assign tasks to the intern secretary and had forgotten to remove her afterward.

The photo showed Bai Ruanruan standing in the wind, her expression unclear in the dim twilight, though her strikingly beautiful features were faintly visible.

The caption read: Thank you for pulling me out of misery and showing me a broader world.

Gu Jianyou: “?”

If she wasn’t mistaken, wasn’t Juyin the high school classmate who had a crush on her?

Ash dropped onto her clothes. Frowning, Gu Jianyou immediately blocked her.

How dare she post something implying she had feelings for Bai Ruanruan?!

Gu Jianyou: “Secretary, find an excuse to send Juyin abroad for a few years. Make sure she doesn’t appear in front of Bai Ruanruan.”

The secretary, though confused, complied at once. “I’ll handle it right away.”

Late Night

After the secretary left, Gu Jianyou picked up a paper bag tucked beneath her desk.

Inside were layers of double-petaled lilies, their snowy-white blooms swelling the bag to bursting. Pushing aside the flowers revealed a velvet jewelry box.

Gu Jianyou opened it to inspect the contents—an iris brooch intricately carved and inlaid with gemstones.

Beneath the velvet box lay a pair of high heels.

Her assistant knocked outside. “Boss, the conference room is ready.”

Reluctantly, Gu Jianyou closed the shoebox, her mind filled with images of Bai Ruanruan’s delicate ankles.

She had never touched them, but just the sight made her fingers itch.

Seated in the meeting, Gu Jianyou glanced at the time and said to the presenter,

“Wrap this up by 7:30.”

The presenter nodded nervously. “Yes, boss.”

Everyone in the room stayed sharp, not daring to slack under the boss’s watch. Gu Jianyou herself, however, zoned out, her gaze drifting to a female executive’s high heels.

They were a pair of glossy designer stilettos, but the executive’s slightly fuller feet couldn’t quite do justice to the nine-centimeter heels’ intended effect.

On a blank margin of her documents, Gu Jianyou sketched a simple doodle—a girl with crossed legs lounging on a plush chair, while another knelt before her, slipping a glass slipper onto her foot.

With just a few strokes, she captured their expressions vividly.

If she could personally put shoes on someone, she’d have every right to caress their ankles.

The meeting dragged on, each minute feeling like an eternity, but it ended precisely at 7:30.

Gu Jianyou stood immediately and ordered flatly, “Compile the meeting notes and email them to me.”

She strode out of the office faster than employees rushing off work.

“Big sis, do you know what’s been going on lately?” A group huddled around the secretary. “The CEO’s expression in meetings has been terrifying.”

“Yeah, she kept staring at my shoes. Was it a mistake to wear such a flashy brand today?”

“Lately, the CEO has been spending much less time at headquarters than before. Is there a new project?”

The secretary couldn’t disclose her boss’s private matters, so she brushed it off with a vague response.

She quickly retrieved the document that had been doodled on by the CEO, not daring to let other employees see it.

Standing outside the office, the secretary was about to enter when a figure suddenly appeared in the hallway.

Qin Yaoyao stood gracefully at the door, sweeping her long hair aside. “I’m here to see your CEO.”

Qin Yaoyao was the kind of refined young lady who exuded elegance at first glance. Her aristocratic aura wasn’t just built on luxurious fur coats and designer items—her every movement radiated charm, instantly winning people over.

The secretary asked, “Do you have an appointment?”

Qin Yaoyao covered her mouth with a light laugh. “Of course I do. With such a meticulous secretary like you, I’m reassured about my cousin’s affairs.”

Flushing slightly under the gaze, the secretary stepped aside to let her in.

She couldn’t help but wonder—it was already quite late, and the CEO was supposed to leave in ten minutes to pick up Miss Bai from the film set.

This wasn’t the best time to receive guests.

Not daring to question her boss’s decisions, the secretary returned to her office to organize the meeting materials for the day.

Inside the office—

Gu Jianyou picked up a paper bag, ready to leave, when the door suddenly swung open.

She raised her head, frowning at the person before her.

Before Gu Jianyou could voice her questions, Qin Yaoyao shyly spoke first,

“Madam Qin repeatedly insisted that I come take care of my cousin. Will you blame me for coming uninvited?”

Qin Yaoyao immediately brought up Qin Qiu Yue. Gu Jianyou pressed her lips together and replied coolly, “I’m busy right now.”

Qin Yaoyao stepped forward gracefully and took the paper bag from Gu Jianyou’s hands. “There are so many flowers in here. Are you preparing for a date?”

Gu Jianyou glanced anxiously at the time, her pheromones swirling chaotically in the office.

Her slightly upturned eyes scrutinized the person before her, digging up fragmented memories of this younger cousin.

“What do you want to say?”

Qin Yaoyao’s gaze was as gentle as water. “Madam Qin gave me some old photos—all taken by her personally. Unfortunately, they were left behind at the sanatorium. Since I was passing by your company, I thought I’d ask you to accompany me to retrieve them.”

Qin Yaoyao kept mentioning Qin Qiu Yue. Gu Jianyou tightened her grip on the paper bag brimming with double-petaled lilies.

She walked to the office door. “You can go look yourself. I’ll visit Auntie tomorrow when I have time.”

Qin Yaoyao shook her head with a troubled expression. “I’m afraid that won’t do. I’m worried the staff at the sanatorium might misplace the photos. I’d like you to come identify them.”

Observing Gu Jianyou’s expression, Qin Yaoyao’s smile grew even softer. “Madam Qin isn’t in good health. As her juniors, we should take better care of her.”

Gu Jianyou picked up her phone to call Qin Qiu Yue, but Qin Yaoyao suddenly grabbed her wrist in a panic.

“Madam Qin is resting at this hour. Surely you don’t distrust my word?”

In the end, Gu Jianyou didn’t make the call to verify. Her face darkened like storm clouds.

She placed the paper bag back under the desk and sent Bai Ruanruan a message.

……

On set.

Jiajia held Bai Ruanruan’s phone. “The CEO just texted you.”

Bai Ruanruan had just finished filming her last scene. Outside, the first snow of the year was falling in flurries.

With the help of the crew, she removed her makeup. “What did Sister say?”

Jiajia: “The CEO said she has something to attend to tonight and can’t pick you up personally. As compensation, she’ll bring you a gift next time you meet.”

Under the makeup artist’s lighting, Bai Ruanruan’s delicate peach-blossom eyes shimmered even more beautifully, her light-colored irises capable of immersing anyone in the throes of passion with just a glance.

Jiajia hurried to console her: “The CEO has a lot on her plate. She can’t pick you up every day—you should take it in stride.”

Other kept lovers could barely even meet their benefactors once.

The little succubus clearly didn’t see it that way. She pursed her lips, lost in thought for a few seconds, visibly upset.

Gu Jianyou was a woman of her word. Last-minute changes had never happened before. Instinctively, Bai Ruanruan thought of the elegant woman she’d seen outside the car earlier.

How could the person she’d set her sights on be lured away so easily?

Narrowing her eyes, she said, “My phone’s about to die. It’s only natural for it to shut off now.”

Jiajia didn’t understand her meaning and pulled a charger from the drawer.

Bai Ruanruan tossed her phone—now at less than 5% battery—aside and put the charger back in the drawer.

“We didn’t see this message.”

Jiajia: “Huh?”

Bai Ruanruan thanked the staff member who had just helped remove her makeup. “Do you have a spare phone on you? Lend it to me.”

Jiajia didn’t understand Bai Ruanruan’s intention but obediently handed her the phone.

Apart from filming with Director Zheng, Bai Ruanruan received countless commercial offers daily. She wasn’t greedy and only accepted a select few, each of them top-tier. Even if fans didn’t buy the products, they could still gush endlessly over the visuals.

Wrapped in a milky-white down coat, Bai Ruanruan stood by the roadside as delicate snowflakes settled on her hair and lashes. The girl exhaled a puff of white breath, rubbing her reddened, chilled hands.

A streetlamp cast light above her. The crew’s photographer casually snapped a shot—no editing needed, ready to post.

Jiajia logged into Bai Ruanruan’s Weibo account and uploaded the caption Bai Ruanruan had just drafted from her own phone.

@BaiRuanruan: Winter’s fine snow drifts down, waiting for a friend to bring hot tea and flowers. [Photo][Photo]

“Sharing the same snowfall with my wife is basically growing old together with her QAQ”

“Straight up—hey, wifey!”

“Sorry, my better half slipped out to embarrass herself. I’ll take her home now. (dog head)”

“@GuJianyou, how could you let your wife stand in the snow???”

“Wifey, I’ve already showered and snuggled into bed. Stop catching a cold out there—hurry into mine. (bold words)”

“Scrolled through the entire comment section and not a single pair of underwear in sight.”

After finishing her routine social media post, Bai Ruanruan told Jiajia to head home first. “I’ll wait here. It’s late—you should grab a taxi.”

Jiajia fretted, “It’s almost 11 PM, freezing cold out. Don’t catch a cold.”

She didn’t know why Bai Ruanruan insisted on standing there so late, so she could only remind her repeatedly before buying her a cup of hot milk tea, pressing it into her hands, and reluctantly boarding a cab with multiple backward glances.

Bai Ruanruan rubbed her reddened nose and snapped a photo of the snowy scenery with Jiajia’s old phone.

A light dusting of snow covered her. She brushed it off with reddened fingers, her nose adorably chilled.

She entered Gu Jianyou’s number, scheduled the photo to send at 12:30 AM, and attached a message.

The street was sparsely populated, devoid of surveillance cameras.

Bai Ruanruan took a sip of the hot milk tea, warming her hands before tucking the phone into her pocket. She then hailed a cab back to her dorm and ordered herself a spicy boiled fish for dinner.

Curled up in her soft, cozy bed, the girl nibbled on fish as the snow outside grew heavier, nearly obscuring the distant view.

A little succubus always kept her promises. She yawned, revealing tiny fangs, as a slender, black heart-tipped tail extended from her tailbone, twirled midair, and vanished.

Her phone buzzed nearby, disturbing the delicate girl’s rest. She muted it and flipped it facedown on the desk.

……

Gu Jianyou leaned back in her car after a long day, massaging her temples wearily.

Qin Yaoyao had dragged her to review photos earlier, and then a company issue cropped up in the evening. By the time she resolved it, it was already late.

The car was silent as she murmured to herself, “Tomorrow’s flowers will wilt. Need to order a fresh bouquet.”

She unlocked her phone and scrolled through Weibo’s trending topics.

#BaiRuanruan’s Snowy Confession#

She tapped the tag, revealing Bai Ruanruan’s post from hours ago.

The girl’s pure, sweet smile greeted her—like a little angel cupping her hands to catch falling snow, her petite nose tinged pink from the cold.

Gu Jianyou tapped the like button with her own account.

The young girl must be fast asleep by now, right?

Gu Jianyou’s phone suddenly buzzed with a new message.

It was from an unknown number.

Only a handful of people had access to this private number. When Gu Jianyou opened the text, her breath caught in shock.

“My phone broke on set, so I had to borrow someone else’s to message you, Sister… I’m sorry…”

“You said you’d pick me up today. I waited by the roadside for so long, but did something happen on your end? It’s freezing out here, and my health isn’t great. Would it be alright if I head back first? Apologies…”

Attached was a photo of falling snow.

It was nearly 1 a.m. now.

Gu Jianyou’s mind went blank. She slammed the accelerator, racing to the suburban filming location at breakneck speed.

The empty streets showed no trace of the little Omega.

Her heart plummeted. She couldn’t bear to confront what she’d done.

Leaving a delicate Omega waiting in the snowstorm—and instead of blaming her, the girl kept apologizing.

Gu Jianyou was consumed by crushing regret. Had she known Bai Ruanruan’s situation, she’d never have gone out with Qin Yaoyao.

Frantically, she dialed the number from the message. Ring after ring went unanswered until the call disconnected.

Despite the cold, sweat broke across Gu Jianyou’s skin.

She wanted to scold Bai Ruanruan for not picking up, but her self-reproach ran deeper—she was the one who’d failed to show up.

Her pulse hammered as she pressed her forehead against the steering wheel, praying for the call to connect. She’d accept any anger from Bai Ruanruan, deserved every word of it.

On the tenth attempt, a sleep-laden voice finally answered, laced with soft complaint:

“I was sleeping… What does Sister want so late?”