Marked by My Omega Rival After Moving In (GL, ABO) - Chapter 36
The Yu Family
Yu Xiaoxiao lived in a villa district by the water, not far from the city center. There was a park nearby, and it was quite lively during the day.
She drove her car into the garage and parked it, while searching for her keys in her pocket and leading her friend to the door. Xiang Shuhuai followed behind, feeling extremely nervous but also unable to resist looking around at the small garden in front of Yu Xiaoxiao’s house.
Compared to the vast garden of the Xiang family estate, this one was small, just a flower bed really, maybe a small corner of a garden. But it was well-kept, vibrant, with plants growing in a wild but orderly way, all of it lush and green.
Xiang Shuhuai took a closer look and noticed a slender bamboo trellis with what seemed to be a cucumber plant—its tiny yellow flowers were just starting to bloom.
Huh?
Noticing her gaze, Yu Xiaoxiao stepped forward, grabbed two cucumbers that looked about the same size, and tossed one to Xiang Shuhuai. “My dad planted these. There’s a patch of sunflowers behind it too. Later, we can sneak out and pick some—we can eat these cucumbers now, they’re nice and fresh. Just stick it in your pocket for now, though, or my dad will definitely scold me if he sees I’m picking his veggies…”
Xiang Shuhuai nodded in agreement, slipping the prickly cucumber into her pocket.
She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the cramps in her stomach from the nervousness, preparing herself to face the family of her only friend.
Yu Xiaoxiao pushed open the door.
“—Dad!” She called out upon seeing someone in the living room, “Where’s Mom?”
“Ah, Nan Nan, don’t push the door so hard! People will think we need to replace the glass,” Yu Xiaoxiao’s father said as he walked over, “Your mom just left. Xiaocong came by earlier to find her, they left just a little while ago. Are you looking for her?”
He walked toward the entryway with a warm expression. “So, which friend did you bring home today?”
Xiang Shuhuai was standing by the doormat, waiting to take off her shoes. When she saw Yu Xiaoxiao’s father approaching, she quickly adopted a polite posture and nodded her head. “Hello, Uncle Chen.”
Yu Xiaoxiao’s father was slightly surprised to see her, but nodded in return. “Oh, oh, hello, hello.”
“Dad,” Yu Xiaoxiao squatted down to look for her slippers, “Where are my old slippers? I always kept them here, but now they’re gone—”
“Ah, don’t talk about it,” Yu Xiaoxiao’s father sighed. “Aunt Zhang cleaned up yesterday, and I haven’t been able to find them since. You could’ve told me you were bringing a friend over, I didn’t expect the house to be such a mess…”
“Uncle Chen,” Xiang Shuhuai said a little awkwardly, “Just call me Shuhuai.”
“Ah, okay,” he replied. “Nan Nan, look at Shuhuai, so composed. You two are the same age—”
Yu Xiaoxiao stuck out her tongue at her father in response.
Eventually, Yu Xiaoxiao found a pair of thick, fluffy slippers. They were shaped like cat faces, with pointy ears that wobbled as she walked. She knew Xiang Shuhuai couldn’t argue in front of her parents, so she just wore them.
Yu Xiaoxiao’s father headed into the living room first, with the two of them following behind. As Yu Xiaoxiao stood up proudly, Xiang Shuhuai glanced down at her own slippers and couldn’t help but gently poke Yu Xiaoxiao in the back.
Yu Xiaoxiao nearly jumped, spinning around with an exaggerated expression to scold her. “Big Ice Block—”
Xiang Shuhuai lifted her foot and nudged Yu Xiaoxiao’s ankle with the little cat ears.
The noise was too much, and Yu Xiaoxiao’s father looked over just as the two of them were teasing each other. Yu Xiaoxiao gave him a smug look while Xiang Shuhuai, realizing what she had just done, turned bright red.
After they sat on the sofa and began chatting with Yu Xiaoxiao’s father, Xiang Shuhuai still couldn’t shake off the heat on her face.
Yu Xiaoxiao’s father wasn’t familiar with business matters, which was exactly Xiang Shuhuai’s area of expertise. But now, she wasn’t in her usual environment—she was at her friend’s house.
That strange role made her tense, and she focused all her energy on responding carefully to every sentence.
There wasn’t much to talk about. She asked about Xiang Hongshan’s health and how the Xiang family business was doing. The answers, of course, were all fine—nothing else really to discuss.
But after a few exchanges, Yu Xiaoxiao’s father suddenly mentioned her health.
“Shuhuai,” he said, “I can tell from your complexion—do you ever have trouble sleeping, or feel short of breath and dizzy sometimes?”
Xiang Shuhuai nodded. “Hmm… Uncle Chen, do you know about this kind of thing?”
“I wouldn’t say I know much, just a little,” Yu Xiaoxiao’s father said. “I can tell your lips are pale. That means your bl00d circulation might not be great, and your stomach and spleen are weak.”
“—Dan Chun has the same problem. You all work so hard and long hours, it leaves some health issues behind. You’re still young, though, so you can take care of it now, before it becomes a bigger problem.”
Yu Xiaoxiao leaned in. “So what should she do?”
Looking at his carefree and energetic daughter, Yu Xiaoxiao’s father sighed before replying. “She should strengthen her stomach and spleen, eat more root vegetables, like coix seeds or yam, and also iron-rich foods like red meat. Eating more meat will give you more energy. You’re all in a good position now, so it’s a good idea to take care of your health…”
“Got it,” Xiang Shuhuai replied. “Thank you, Uncle Chen.”
“It’s no trouble. We’re the ones who should be thankful for you taking care of Nan Nan these days,” Yu Xiaoxiao’s father said. “This silly child of mine doesn’t make things easy. I don’t know if she’s dragging you into trouble again…”
“…Dad!!” Yu Xiaoxiao complained. “I haven’t done anything wrong!”
Yu Xiaoxiao’s father laughed.
The conversation shifted away from Xiang Shuhuai, and she quietly held her teacup, lowering her head to try to hide behind the steam rising from the cup.
This place felt so different from the Xiang family home.
The small garden with vegetables, the not-so-large two-story villa, the cucumbers, and even the faded slippers. And her family.
…This place really felt like “home.”
There was a faint scent of fresh fruit and vegetables in the air, unlike the cold, sterile fragrance in the Xiang family mansion, which gave Xiang Shuhuai a rare sense of relaxation.
But soon, her anxiety returned. In this completely unfamiliar setting, her palms were sweating, her stomach was tense, and even her fingers were trembling.
When Yu Xiaoxiao began joking with her father again, Xiang Shuhuai just sat quietly, nodding and agreeing with whatever her father said at the appropriate moments.
On the other couch, Yu Xiaoxiao’s father continued to observe her.
He was surprised—both by her unexpected visit and how different this version of Xiang Shuhuai was from what he’d imagined.
As the partner of the CEO of Fuxiao, he’d seen Xiang Hongshan at various events. He’d also heard from Yu Dan Chun about business matters. The young and famous Xiang Shuhuai was known for being cold-blooded, shrewd, ambitious, and even dangerous—just like her father.
But this Xiang Shuhuai, sitting in front of him, was composed and mature, her every gesture impeccably controlled, like someone much older than her actual age. But she also seemed so—well, like a quiet, awkward kid who had been dragged home by his energetic daughter.
Watching the two of them mess around earlier, she seemed just like the other kids.
This made Yu Xiaoxiao’s father curious.
After a while, he suddenly said, “Oh, by the way, Shuhuai, would you like to see some of Xiaoxiao’s childhood photos? We found a few old albums the other day, including some from when she performed at her kindergarten…”
“—No no no no no!” Yu Xiaoxiao jumped up in a panic, her words tumbling out quickly. “Dad, please don’t!”
“What’s wrong?” her father asked. “They’re so fun! Nan Nan, you used to paint your cheeks red and tie little braids, then go up and laugh and joke—it was adorable! Let Shuhuai see them!”
Yu Xiaoxiao tried to stop him but failed. As her father went to find the album, she quickly took the teacup from Xiang Shuhuai’s hands and calmly placed it on the table.
Before her father realized, she grabbed Xiang Shuhuai’s wrist and dragged her upstairs. “—We’re going to our room, Dad!”
Xiang Shuhuai, stumbling a little as she was pulled along, instinctively asked, “Yu Xiaoxiao…”
But all she heard was her father calling from downstairs: “Nan, if you want something to eat, come down and get it yourself!”
Once in the bedroom, Yu Xiaoxiao threw herself onto the bed with a loud “thud.” Seeing Xiang Shuhuai still standing awkwardly by the bed, she motioned to the bed beside her. “Sit down, Big Ice Block.”
Xiang Shuhuai nodded and carefully sat next to her, trying to steady her breath and pressing against her stomach, which was still tightening.
Yu Xiaoxiao watched her quietly for a while before asking, “Big Ice Block?”
Xiang Shuhuai’s pale face caught her attention.
“Are you okay? Still not feeling well?”
“No, it’s nothing.” Xiang Shuhuai quickly responded. She couldn’t avoid Yu Xiaoxiao’s worried gaze and lowered her eyes. Finally, in a soft voice, she added, “…It’s just my stomach. It’s fine.”
“Want a hot water bottle?” Yu Xiaoxiao leaned toward her. “I’ll look for some medicine… Do you need anything?”
Seeing Yu Xiaoxiao moving quickly to get up, Xiang Shuhuai gently grabbed the corner of her shirt.
“Don’t bother with anything.” She said, “I’ll be fine in a bit.”
Yu Xiaoxiao hesitated, still unconvinced, and sat back down next to her. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”
“Really, it’s fine. Don’t worry about me.” Xiang Shuhuai replied, “I’ll feel better soon.”
She pressed against her stomach again, feeling a wave of shame wash over her.
…Why does she always act like this?
Although Xiang Shuhuai’s family was wonderful, and her relatives were so kind, she couldn’t shake off her anxiety. It was so overwhelming that she found herself repeatedly thinking about her experience at the old family home. Now, the anxiety had turned into stomach pain, and it made her even more worried, which in turn made Xiang Shuhuai worry about her. This shouldn’t be happening.
The frustration and sense of unfairness caused Xiang Shuhuai to press harder on her stomach, her knuckles turning white with the effort. The sharp pain intensified as she applied more pressure. She bit her lip and thought with a hint of self-punishment, I messed up on the first try. I deserve this.
“—Does it feel better if you press like that?” Suddenly, Yu Xiaoxiao spoke up.
Xiang Shuhuai looked up in confusion and saw her trying to gently squeeze her hand, her round eyes filled with concern.
“But your hand is so cold… like an Big Ice Block. It’s not like you’re using a cold compress. Won’t this make it worse? How about I help you instead?”
Xiang Shuhuai didn’t immediately understand what she meant by “I’ll help you.” She just instinctively nodded, “Okay…”
“I’ll do it over your clothes,” Yu Xiaoxiao added.
Before Xiang Shuhuai could fully grasp what that meant, her hand was removed from her stomach, and a sudden warmth took its place.
Xiang Shuhuai blinked for a moment before realizing that it was Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand.
“Ah…” She froze, stiffening her body. “Yu Xiaoxiao…”
The girl tilted her head. “Does it feel warm?”
It was incredibly warm.
Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand was so warm, gently pressing against Xiang Shuhuai’s stomach, and even through the fabric, the heat seeped through, easing the cramping and tightness caused by the anxiety. It felt like a small, gentle heater, soothing her.
The heat made Xiang Shuhuai dazed for a moment, and she instinctively nodded. “…Mm.”
Yu Xiaoxiao asked, “Should I leave it like this?”
They were sitting face to face, and the position wasn’t very convenient. After thinking for a moment, Yu Xiaoxiao decided to pull Xiang Shuhuai onto the bed. She leaned against the soft headrest while Xiang Shuhuai sat in front of her, almost in an embrace-like position.
Xiang Shuhuai stiffened. This position… felt too much like a hug.
It felt like Yu Xiaoxiao was wrapping her up in her arms.
Just sitting quietly like this, she could feel the soft rise and fall of Yu Xiaoxiao’s breath by her ear, making her ears gradually turn red.
But Yu Xiaoxiao was so open and natural, not feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable.
Now, in this embrace-like position, Yu Xiaoxiao gently rubbed Xiang Shuhuai’s stomach, still talking, “Wow, Big Ice Block, you’re so thin. Your shoulders are poking my hand—”
Xiang Shuhuai shifted her shoulders, trying to move away. “I… I…”
“Don’t move,” Yu Xiaoxiao quickly tightened her arms around her, retracting her comment, “I exaggerated. Actually… actually, it’s fine. It’s not hard at all. It feels nice to hold.”
Xiang Shuhuai furrowed her brow, confused about whether the comment was a compliment or not.
Seeing her reaction, Yu Xiaoxiao chuckled.
“Do you feel better?”
“Mm.” Xiang Shuhuai softly replied, “…Sorry.”
Yu Xiaoxiao, puzzled, leaned in and asked with wide eyes, “Why are you apologizing?”
“I…” Without thinking, Xiang Shuhuai admitted, “I’m such a hassle, always getting sick… so I’m sorry.”
It sounded like something a kid would say when making friends for the first time. It made Yu Xiaoxiao, who always thought of herself as the older one, smile with a sense of responsibility.
“It’s no big deal,” she said. “You’ve always been helping me. That’s what friends do.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yeah,” Yu Xiaoxiao nodded, “That’s what friends do.”
Xiang Shuhuai nodded, accepting this new bit of knowledge.
Because they were friends.
The embrace felt so warm, with a soft, sweet scent that only Yu Xiaoxiao had. It was gentle, and the pain and guilt faded away. Xiang Shuhuai began to feel a little sleepy.
She couldn’t help but wonder… does Yu Xiaoxiao treat all her friends this well?
A strange feeling stirred in her chest, but she couldn’t figure out what caused it.
She tried to tell herself that maybe… maybe it was because she had never had friends before, that’s why she felt so unfamiliar with this kind of kindness.
And so, her heart beat strangely, each thump echoing in her chest, and the sensation seemed to flow through her bones, making her fingers almost tremble.
So, this is what it feels like between friends?
“Big Ice Block,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Can I rest my head on your shoulder?”
When Xiang Shuhuai nodded, Yu Xiaoxiao lightly rested her chin on her shoulder.
She seemed like a little puppy, sniffing the fabric of Xiang Shuhuai’s shoulder as if familiarizing herself with her scent. She quickly shifted her face to the other side to avoid brushing against the sensitive part of Xiang Shuhuai’s neck, where she wore a suppressant patch.
The heat from her shoulder was soft and comforting. Surrounded by this warmth, Xiang Shuhuai’s defenses slowly melted away. Everything felt light, as though she were floating in the clouds.
She closed her eyes.
Yu Xiaoxiao’s voice came softly, “Big Ice Block, are you falling asleep?”
“What…” Xiang Shuhuai mumbled in annoyance, “What’s ‘Big Ice Block’?”
The child’s voice sounded pleased. “Because you’ve melted.”
…If she had melted, then so be it.
At that moment, Xiang Shuhuai thought.
Just before drifting off to sleep, she muttered groggily, “Yu Xiaoxiao…” She asked, “Do you… treat all your friends like this?”
Before she could hear the answer, sleep overcame her, and she sank into a warm, sweet dream.
Yu Xiaoxiao gently closed the door.
Leaning against it, she silently took deep breaths, trying to clear her mind of the strange thoughts that had appeared, hoping to cool the heat rising on her cheeks.
Clearly, Xiang Shuhuai trusted her so much, sleeping soundly beside her, defenseless. But because of her alpha instincts, she couldn’t help but have certain thoughts—
No, I shouldn’t. Yu Xiaoxiao lightly slapped her own cheek, reminding herself to push those thoughts away.
With that, she calmed herself down and continued with her thoughts.
She remembered the last time she had brought a friend home, which was back in high school. She and Gu Wei skipped a class and came back to her house to play games, then went to a nearby park to play basketball. They stayed out too late and decided to sleep at Yu Xiaoxiao’s house since her parents were away.
It was similar to what had happened with Xiang Shuhuai.
But just the thought of holding Gu Wei from behind, gently warming her stomach, and falling asleep together made Yu Xiaoxiao feel uncomfortable.
She quickly shook her head, trying to forget the image.
Then, she texted Gu Wei, asking if she would be okay with sleeping in the same bed.
Gu Wei replied quickly:【?】
【What’s going on?】
【Are you being kidnapped?】
【Yu Xiaoxiao, should I call the police?】
—See? Yu Xiaoxiao turned off the screen.
She thought, maybe it’s because… Xiang Shuhuai is just so much like a cat, it felt so natural to hold her.
She was so thin and light, but her body was soft and warm, like water, so gentle and comforting that Yu Xiaoxiao feared she might melt away. When being held, she responded like a little cat. Maybe it’s because she’s used to holding her little stray pet before, that the movement felt so natural.
…That must be it.
It’s perfectly normal, just a friendly hug, no other meaning.
After all, she and Big Ice Block are still rivals. Now that they’re friends, they’ll compete fairly.
Yu Xiaoxiao told herself firmly, nodding.
With that, she stood up, planning to go downstairs to grab something to eat.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Her father called out, “Nan Nan, go open the door! Your mom and Xiao Congyou are back!”