Marked by My Omega Rival After Moving In (GL, ABO) - Chapter 22
What happened that day was left unresolved.
The Big Ice Block wouldn’t answer her. Even though she was the one who had said those things, she lowered her gaze, looking as if she had been bullied. As Yu Xiaoxiao stared at the top of her head, about to speak up and question her, Assistant Yi knocked and entered the room.
They had to discuss work, so Yu Xiaoxiao had to leave, carrying her things. As she turned to leave, she saw that annoying person slump her shoulders and let out a sigh of relief.
…What was that about?
Yu Xiaoxiao thought about it and felt wronged.
She puffed up her cheeks, pushed aside the pale pink cream, and forcefully poked the little strawberry on the cake.
What kind of expression was that? She didn’t understand.
She had spoken those words to Shu Huai herself, it wasn’t like she was bullying that annoying person…
“Hey,” she huffed, poking at the pitiful strawberry, and looked up at her friend across the table. “Stop laughing…!! What are you laughing about?”
Gu Wei was laughing so much she had to shake her head quickly. “I’m not laughing.”
Gu Wei was an alpha, with long curly hair and plum-colored purple lipstick. When she smiled, she had a very charming vibe. She was the oldest daughter in her family, just like Yu Xiaoxiao, always pressed to learn the company’s business. It was only after a long week that Yu Xiaoxiao had finally managed to drag her out for a break.
She’d invited Gu Wei because she was the one with the most romantic experience—she had more than a dozen ex-girlfriends. Yu Xiaoxiao hadn’t really thought about why she was asking a friend with so much experience for advice on her relationship with Xiang Shu Huai—but in the end, it was pointless. As soon as Yu Xiaoxiao started talking about her troubles, Gu Wei was holding in her laughter.
Yu Xiaoxiao glared at her, pretending to throw the strawberry on her fork at her.
“I’m already miserable enough. My mom forces me to stay at the company, and now I’m dealing with this… what’s wrong with you?!” She said, frustrated, taking a bite of the cake. “You said you’d give me advice—if you keep laughing, I’m kicking you out!”
“I swear, I’m not laughing, really,” Gu Wei said with a smile. “I just think it’s interesting.”
Yu Xiaoxiao mumbled, “I don’t think it’s interesting at all…”
“Sure, sure.” Her friend quickly added, “I just feel like—listening to you, it seems like that friend of yours is a pretty mature person, but she’s acting all childish with you. Is this like… a declaration of breaking up?”
Yu Xiaoxiao lowered her head and stared at the cake for a while before speaking, “…She’s not my friend.”
Gu Wei smiled again.
“Well, if you’re so confused, why not ask her directly?” She said. “If you ask her, you’ll know for sure.”
…She did want to.
After that day, Xiang Shu Huai seemed to have made up her mind not to talk to her. She didn’t go home, didn’t reply to her messages, and whenever Yu Xiaoxiao went to the company, it was always Assistant Yi who handled her, apologetically telling her that Xiang Shu Huai was busy—compared to Xiang Shu Huai, Yi was a total angel. Every time Yu Xiaoxiao asked anything about her boss, Yi would look guilty, like a hero, and tightly shut her mouth, saying nothing.
“…She’s still avoiding me,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, poking at the poor little cake again, her voice low. “I don’t understand what she’s thinking.”
She couldn’t understand Xiang Shu Huai. She said so much, implying that she wanted to distance herself from Yu Xiaoxiao, but didn’t mention her own feelings at all.
That annoying person also said that Assistant Yi misunderstood their relationship, that she was busy and it wasn’t appropriate for them to hang out together—but she never said whether she liked or hated Yu Xiaoxiao.
…And that expression.
It was that cold, indifferent smile that would make Yu Xiaoxiao angry just looking at it, a perfect, aloof look, but her eyes—those black eyes—were strangely out of place, so clear that they almost seemed fragile. It felt like if Yu Xiaoxiao had said something right then, she might have just started crying.
Because of her own imagination, Yu Xiaoxiao froze.
…That Big Ice Block… could she cry?
Seeing that Yu Xiaoxiao had suddenly gone quiet, looking deep in thought, Gu Wei called her name: “Xiao Yu?”
Yu Xiaoxiao, lost in thought, blurted out, “I want to see her cry.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she suddenly realized what she had said and her face turned bright red. Gu Wei, looking somewhat enlightened, smiled knowingly, with a teasing expression.
“I didn’t…!!” Yu Xiaoxiao snapped, flustered. “That’s not what I meant—”
“I get it, I get it,” Gu Wei nodded. “We’re adults, in our twenties, right?”
Yu Xiaoxiao’s face was bright red: “No!!!”
“Okay, okay,” Gu Wei waved her off, not teasing her anymore. “But seriously, Xiao Yu, weren’t you into Youyou before? You don’t like her anymore?”
“…Of course I do!”
Gu Wei asked, “Then who’s the person you’ve been talking about?”
Yu Xiaoxiao froze for a long time before finally saying, “She… she’s different.”
Why was she different? What made her different? Yu Xiaoxiao couldn’t figure it out. Youyou was strong and gentle, there was no one who didn’t like her, and of course, Yu Xiaoxiao was no exception. She wanted to be the best younger sister to Youyou and loved it when Youyou praised her.
…But what about Xiang Shu Huai?
Yu Xiaoxiao couldn’t explain it.
She only knew that she didn’t like Xiang Shu Huai showing her that polite, distant expression.
As for what she wanted…
Suddenly, Yu Xiaoxiao slammed down her fork and jumped up.
Gu Wei looked up, confused: “Xiao Yu?”
“I figured it out!” Yu Xiaoxiao slung her backpack over her shoulder and turned to run, throwing over her shoulder, “I’m going back now—next time, I’ll buy you and your sister drinks!”
Leaving Gu Wei behind, still confused, in the café, Yu Xiaoxiao ran out quickly.
These things were really simple.
If she couldn’t figure out what that Big Ice Block meant, she would just go and ask her directly; so what if she didn’t see her? After all, Xiang Shu Huai could run, but she couldn’t escape the office forever. Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t believe she would never come out. As for not knowing what she wanted—
At least she knew what she didn’t want, and that was enough.
She quickly arrived at the Xiang company, where the two receptionists already recognized her. They handed her a couple of candies when scanning her pass. After getting off the elevator, as usual, Yi Anning came to greet her. The moment she saw Yu Xiaoxiao, she automatically put on a somewhat apologetic expression.
“Assistant Yi!” Yu Xiaoxiao called out. “I’m here again. Is your boss still not around?”
“Ah… uh.” Yi Anning looked awkward. “The boss is busy.”
“Then I’ll just wait for her a bit,” Yu Xiaoxiao smiled. “It’s no problem for me to wait in the reception room. I won’t disturb your work.”
Yi Anning seemed uncertain. Yu Xiaoxiao blinked innocently at her.
“You go ahead with your work. Don’t worry about me. Is that okay?”
They stood there awkwardly for a while. Yi Anning hesitated. Finally, she spoke up. “I’m really sorry, but—”
Just then, the office door behind her cracked open.
“Anning.” It was Xiang Shu Huai’s voice. “It’s fine, you can go back to work.”
Yi Anning turned around, hesitated to stop her, and said, “But, boss…”
“It’s fine, Senior,” Xiang Shu Huai said.
Yi Anning reluctantly nodded and left, looking a little worried. After she left, Xiang Shu Huai opened the door, softly calling out to Yu Xiaoxiao, “Come in.”
She was wearing a coat, still looking pale and lacking color. Her eyes seemed even darker and clearer, and in the indoor light, she looked almost like she was made of glass, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow.
Her voice was low and soft, carrying a hint of tiredness.
…Was she sick again?
“Xiang Shu Huai,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Why are you avoiding me?”
Her tone was calm. “I thought I made myself clear that day.”
“I don’t understand, so I came to ask you directly,” Yu Xiaoxiao raised her head and stared into her moon-like dark eyes. “Xiang Shu Huai, do you not want to be with me?”
But Xiang Shu Huai didn’t answer.
She just turned her face away, avoiding Yu Xiaoxiao’s gaze, and said nothing.
“Xiang Shu Huai,” Yu Xiaoxiao asked again, seriously, “Do you hate me?”
Still, silence.
Finally, Xiang Shu Huai spoke, “I…”
Suddenly, a buzzing noise interrupted her words, and at the same time, a message notification meowed from Yu Xiaoxiao’s phone.
Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her phone in confusion, and Xiang Shu Huai lowered her gaze to check the new message.
“Ah…!” She widened her eyes and looked up, meeting Xiang Shu Huai’s gaze. “It’s—”
“My sister said she’s going back to the country, probably in half a week or so,” Xiang Shu Huai said. “How about you?”
Yu Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously.
“—Youyou’s coming back!”