Marked by My Omega Rival After Moving In (GL, ABO) - Chapter 57

…The warm, damp feeling, mixed with the slight hardness of teeth, still lingered on her cheek.

Xiang Shuhuai stiffened instantly.

All the sleepiness she had vanished in an instant. Her eyes widened, and her ears turned bright red. She looked at the alpha girl in front of her, unable to believe what just happened.

“Yu… Yu Xiaoxiao—”

Yu Xiaoxiao seemed a bit distracted, still staring blankly at her cheek — the spot that was now burning hot, with a faint trace of being bitten, probably leaving a mark.

“Big Ice Block.” She gazed at Xiang Shuhuai and said softly, her lips still glistening with moisture, bright red, “You taste so sweet…”

Xiang Shuhuai froze, “Ah…”

The lingering sensation on her lips was sweet and soft, slightly cool. The omega girl looked bewildered, her long hair damp, her dark eyes shimmering with moisture. The red mark from the bite still stained her cheek, making her appear pitiful.

It was like a white peach Daifuku that had been ruthlessly bitten, the sweet and delicate fragrance faint but enticing. The soft, pale skin of the fruit was slightly flushed, the pink color from the inside starting to seep out.

…It made her want to bite again, just one more time.

The stunned, absent look in Yu Xiaoxiao’s eyes only made Xiang Shuhuai’s face burn hotter. Her fingers trembled slightly in embarrassment, and she quietly looked down, waiting in silence.

It was so quiet here.

It was the afternoon, the best time for sunlight. The autumn breeze brought the moist scent of plants from the garden. And it was just the two of them here.

They had just exercised and showered, their bodies warm and soft, still carrying the faint scent of water.

…If the alpha girl wanted to do something…

Xiang Shuhuai could hear her own heartbeat.

Thump, thump, thump.

“…Xiang Shuhuai.”

She heard Yu Xiaoxiao’s voice, soft and pure, still innocent like a child. But now, it was lower than usual, as if carrying an unfamiliar, gentle temptation. It made Xiang Shuhuai’s heart tremble and ripples of strange emotions spread through her.

…What would she do?

“Xiang Shuhuai,” the alpha girl whispered again, “Close your eyes.”

Xiang Shuhuai obeyed and closed her eyes.

The world darkened, and she could feel a warm presence gently approaching, lowering itself toward her.

…Would Yu Xiaoxiao kiss her?

Would she… kiss her again, or bite her once more? Or perhaps—

As she thought this, her eyelashes fluttered, nervously waiting.

Then, Yu Xiaoxiao’s warm hand touched her cheek.

—Suddenly, a cool sensation brushed against her cheek, right where the bite mark was.

Xiang Shuhuai opened her eyes in confusion and saw the alpha girl had already finished, stepping back and smiling brightly, her eyes sparkling.

“All done, Big Ice Block.” She returned to her rocking chair, her voice carrying a small hint of pride. She smiled at Xiang Shuhuai, “Now you can touch it!”

Xiang Shuhuai froze.

…What?

She tried to raise her hand, gently touching the cool spot on her cheek.

The object she touched was thin, cool, with smooth, rounded edges, and it felt like plastic or rubber, with a bit of stickiness to keep it firmly attached to her skin.

…Was it a sticker?

Xiang Shuhuai was even more confused. She moved her finger slightly and peeled the sticker off the edge.

—Not just any sticker, it was a small red flower sticker.

The kind used to reward kindergarten or first-grade children, with large, bright red petals and a tiny center.

But this red flower looked slightly unfamiliar, not the usual stiff designs on the market. It seemed more like a hand-drawn design, with a unique, almost fairy-tale like innocence and childish charm.

…Did Yu Xiaoxiao draw this?

Staring at the small sticker on her fingertip, Xiang Shuhuai furrowed her brow in confusion and looked at the other girl with questioning eyes.

“…What is this?”

“It’s a little red flower,” Yu Xiaoxiao said confidently, “I drew it! Big Ice Block, do you like it?”

As she spoke, the romantic atmosphere that had been hanging in the air earlier disappeared completely.

…Why do I like something so childish?

Xiang Shuhuai didn’t speak, but her black eyes clearly showed her confusion.

Seeing this, Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t get discouraged. She dug around in her pocket, rummaging for a moment before pulling out a light beige, thick paper card and stuffing it into Xiang Shuhuai’s hands.

—It was a hand-drawn card, like a membership card.

The card had ten circles arranged in a row, the right size to fit the little red flower stickers, and the empty space around them was decorated with yellow-orange plant borders. In the bottom right corner, there was a small, obedient cat curled up.

Xiang Shuhuai flipped the card over and saw the front had a cheerful golden retriever wagging its tail, holding a small card in its mouth. The card had thick, bold words written with a marker, like a promotional slogan: “Collect ten red flowers for a reward,” with a small pink heart dangling at the end.

“I made it, Big Ice Block.” Yu Xiaoxiao explained seriously, guiding her to stick the flower in the right spot, “You put the red flower here.”

“This is your honesty card,” she continued, “Every time you’re honest with me, I’ll give you a little red flower.”

“Today, it’s because you told me why you’re afraid of water.”

Yu Xiaoxiao said with a smile, her eyes twinkling, “Big Ice Block, you need to be more honest with me from now on, okay? You said I don’t understand you, but sometimes I don’t even know why you get upset. Just tell me next time.”

“How about it?” She looked at her with sparkling eyes, full of expectation, as if she was really proud of this idea. “—When you collect ten, I’ll have a reward prepared for you. A mysterious reward, Big Ice Block, are you excited?”

…So childish.

Xiang Shuhuai wanted to complain about how childish it all was. Whether it was the little red flower prepared for kindergarten kids, or the hand-drawn card and the mysterious reward.

What…honesty card.

It felt like she hadn’t grown up, just like how childish Yu Xiaoxiao was.

But as she thought this, holding the card which was half the size of her palm, she still felt a strange pang in her nose and a warm sensation rush to her eyes.

To hide the strange, wet feeling in her eyes, she lowered her gaze, not answering.

“…Ah.” Seeing this, Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her with some regret, as if she had been rejected. Her previously proud and happy demeanor dropped a little, like a little dog’s tail hanging low. “…Big Ice Block, don’t you like it?”

…In response, Xiang Shuhuai reached out and tugged at the hem of her shirt.

“Yu Xiaoxiao.”

She said, her head still lowered, her voice thick with a damp feeling, like mist on the moon.

Yu Xiaoxiao was pulled in front of her. After waiting a while without hearing anything, she tried to ask, “What’s wrong, Big Ice Block… Ah!”

—It was Xiang Shuhuai who pulled her down into a soft, warm embrace.

The position was a little awkward. Yu Xiaoxiao wanted to adjust, but then she felt the body in her arms tremble silently, just like when she cried before. This made Yu Xiaoxiao immediately freeze and stop moving, just quietly continuing the hug.

After a while, when the trembling seemed to stop, she couldn’t help but ask softly, “…Big Ice Block? Did you cry?”

…Xiang Shuhuai buried her face in Yu Xiaoxiao’s shoulder and didn’t say anything.

How could it be crying?

She felt a little upset at Yu Xiaoxiao’s guess, and the hand that was holding the alpha girl’s shoulder tightened.

Xiang Shuhuai thought, she didn’t always cry.

She just wanted to hug for a while. Why couldn’t she hug when she wasn’t crying?

But Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t know about the thoughts in her heart. Seeing she didn’t respond, it almost felt like she had accepted the assumption.

“Ah, so you’re crying again…”

So the alpha girl softened her voice, saying. Her comforting way was already practiced, as she gently patted the back of the person in her arms. “It’s okay, Big Ice Block, it’s alright…”

Xiang Shuhuai muttered, “I didn’t cry.”

“Yeah, yeah, our Little Big Ice Block hasn’t cried,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied, clearly not believing. “It’s me who’s crying. I’m so sad. So,Xiang Shuhuai, let me hug you for a while, okay? Just to comfort me.”

…She said she didn’t cry.

Xiang Shuhuai was about to raise her hand to hit her but couldn’t bring herself to break the comfortable, warm embrace. It felt like a blanket that had been warmed by the sun for a long time, soft and sweet, like home. It made her want to let down her guard and just melt into it.

She struggled between the desire to slap Yu Xiaoxiao and the desire to continue the hug. After a moment, the choice was clear.

So, Xiang Shuhuai just turned her face away and buried herself deeper into Yu Xiaoxiao’s arms without saying a word.

Because she wouldn’t listen to her and always misunderstood her as a crybaby.

…As punishment, she’d just stay in the hug a little longer.

Xiang Shuhuai told herself this, naturally pulling the alpha girl closer.

In the autumn courtyard, the shade of the trees rustled gently, while the warm sunlight bathed the ground. A light breeze carrying the scent of plants brushed through. It felt like everything beautiful was happening in that moment.

They quietly held each other.

Her embrace was so comfortable that Xiang Shuhuai almost fell asleep in it. It was only the last shred of her rationality that kept her from drifting into the drowsy comfort of the hug. She finally pulled herself out of Yu Xiaoxiao’s arms.

“…Oh.”

When they parted, Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her, surprised by her perfectly dry eyes, and blinked in disbelief.

“Big Ice Block,” she pouted, “You really didn’t cry.”

Xiang Shuhuai sighed inwardly.

She had already said she didn’t cry.

“Well,” the alpha girl asked, still a little confused, tilting her head, “If you didn’t cry, why did you hug for so long?”

…Wasn’t it okay to just want a hug?

Facing those shiny, puzzled eyes, Xiang Shuhuai became so embarrassed that she bit her lip and raised her hand to hit her.

“…Ah!” Yu Xiaoxiao winced in pain, but suddenly realized something and nodded. “Ah— I get it now,Xiang Shuhuai, you just wanted a hug.”

She giggled, looking a bit silly.

“So that’s it. How cute,Xiang Shuhuai.”

“—Yu Xiaoxiao.” Xiang Shuhuai hurriedly interrupted her. “Let’s go.”

She stood up from the lounge chair, blushing and turning her head away as she walked off. “Didn’t you say you’d draw me?”

“Oh, right!!” Yu Xiaoxiao responded immediately, as if she’d completely forgotten, and quickly followed after her. “Big Ice Block, I almost forgot… Let’s go to the art studio! Wait for me to grab something—”

So, they went to the art studio on the second floor. The bright and spacious studio was nearly empty. Although one side was stacked with plaster sculptures and art supplies, there was still a large open space left, with a sofa and a tall stool. In the corner, there was a figure model draped in cloth.

Strangely, despite looking like it hadn’t been visited in a long time, the studio was still clean, spotless, and the windows were shining bright.

“I just had someone clean up a little,” Yu Xiaoxiao explained when she saw Xiang Shuhuai staring at the dust covers on the sculptures, and then she pulled out a small red flower sticker from her pocket and stuck it on the back of Xiang Shuhuai’s hand with a ‘plop’.

“This sticker is for the hug just now.” She smiled brightly. “Because you wanted to hug, so I hugged you right away. But since today’s the first time, the conditions are a little more relaxed—next time you need to tell me first, Big Ice Block. I thought you were crying.”

Xiang Shuhuai lowered her head and peeled the small red flower off her hand, sticking it on the little card, mumbling, “…So childish.”

Yu Xiaoxiao wasn’t upset at all. She leaned in, “So, you don’t like it, Big Ice Block?”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll take it back.”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, pretending to take the card from her hand. Xiang Shuhuai immediately pulled it back, giving her a cold look before putting it carefully into her pocket.

She said, “Mine.”

Seeing this, Yu Xiaoxiao grinned even wider, clearly proud of herself, and walked over to her, tailing her with a mischievous air.

“Big Ice Block—”

“…Weren’t you going to draw?” Xiang Shuhuai cut her off.

“Ah, yes,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Wait for me for a second.”

She ran to the other side of the studio and rummaged through the wardrobe for a while. Soon, she came back holding a white dress. With a slightly nervous expression, she offered it to her.

“Big Ice Block,” the alpha girl said, looking expectant, “Can you change into this? It’s a long dress, with long sleeves, and I’ve only worn it once. It’s already clean. I want to draw you wearing this…”

…Looking into her bright eyes, Xiang Shuhuai couldn’t bring herself to say “don’t come.”

So, she took her clothes and went to change in the other room while Yu Xiaoxiao cleaned up her art materials in the studio.

The dress was indeed as Yu Xiaoxiao had said, a light white silk long gown, in the style of ancient Greek attire. The soft, pale fabric naturally draped down, with pleats falling over her arms, covering her excessively thin arms, so she didn’t need to expose her body much.

However, the material was very thin. Although it wasn’t tight, it was light enough to see the pale color of her skin through the sheer silk.

And there was…

Xiang Shuhuai felt a little embarrassed, holding her arms because of the awkward emptiness at her chest and back. She hesitated for a while before convincing herself.

She rubbed her cheek, then let her arms fall, stretched her shoulders and neck to appear more natural, before stepping into the studio.

As soon as she made a sound, Yu Xiaoxiao peeked out from behind the easel to look at her.

Seeing Xiang Shuhuai in the new dress, she let out an amazed “Wow.”

“Big Ice Block,” Yu Xiaoxiao said softly, as if afraid of startling her, “It really suits you…”

She looked at Xiang Shuhuai eagerly. “Can I do your hair?”

Xiang Shuhuai nodded and looked around the space. “Should I sit on that tall chair?”

“No,” Yu Xiaoxiao shook her head and, after scanning the room for a moment, decided, “Ah, sit here!”

She quickly moved a small couch into the center of the room, guiding Xiang Shuhuai to sit on one side and then crouched down beside her to do her hair.

…They were very close now.

Wearing the unfamiliar, cool long gown, Xiang Shuhuai could distinctly feel the air moving against her skin, which made her sit stiffly on the couch.

Especially with Yu Xiaoxiao crouching next to the sofa, leaning forward slightly, concentrating on combing her long hair. She loosely braided a strand, slowly weaving it into a braid while her breath softly brushed against Xiang Shuhuai’s neck.

As everything became quieter, the pale amber eyes focused on her hair almost seemed unfamiliar.

Xiang Shuhuai stared at the alpha girl’s beautiful amber eyes for a long time, until Yu Xiaoxiao moved slightly and got even closer. Instinctively, Xiang Shuhuai leaned back a little, her gaze immediately dropping down, nervously looking at her chest.

Yu Xiaoxiao paused, confused.

She shifted back a bit to make it less uncomfortable for Xiang Shuhuai. “What’s wrong, Big Ice Block?”

“…Uh,” Xiang Shuhuai tugged at the hem of her dress and whispered, “The underwear…”

…This dress wasn’t suitable for wearing underwear.

The fabric was already thin, and today she was wearing dark-colored underwear, which would be clearly visible through the thin silk, especially the straps that would inevitably show. At first, she tried a few times, but no matter how she adjusted it, the dark underwear across her chest was just too eye-catching.

So, now she was wearing nothing on top.

Although the natural folds of the dress covered her chest, Xiang Shuhuai couldn’t help but feel tense, unable to relax because of this awkward exposure.

Also, because they were so close.

…Yu Xiaoxiao was just too close.

The heat from her body radiated against Xiang Shuhuai’s skin, making her feel even more nervous, and her body felt unusually strange.

Xiang Shuhuai clenched her dress, her hand tightening and loosening, forcing her gaze away and trying to remain calm. “Ah, it’s nothing…”

But she saw Yu Xiaoxiao freeze, and as their gazes met, her face suddenly turned bright red, her cheeks flushing to the tips of her ears.

“Ah, ah… I’m sorry!” Yu Xiaoxiao hurriedly turned away, jumping back. “I… I didn’t see anything, nothing at all…”

…Her words only made things more awkward.

Yu Xiaoxiao, flustered, awkwardly finished adjusting her hair a few more times before running back behind the easel, hiding in silence. From Xiang Shuhuai’s angle, she could see half of Yu Xiaoxiao’s flushed ear.

Despite feeling shy and awkward, Xiang Shuhuai couldn’t help but smile gently.

She thought to herself, silly Yu Xiaoxiao.

Yu Xiaoxiao reminded Xiang Shuhuai of a laptop with a faulty cooling system: it heats up quickly and cools down slowly. Even after a long time, as she picked up her pencil and started sketching lightly, her ear, still visible, remained a deep red, and it was so cute it was almost unbearable.

“Big Ice Block,” she said as she sketched, still talking, “I haven’t worked with watercolors in so long, I don’t know what it’ll turn out like… Actually, at first, I wanted to braid your hair, like Artemis, since the dress is the same style…”

“Huntress goddess,” Xiang Shuhuai murmured, “Me?”

“It doesn’t quite fit,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, “So I changed my mind. But once I’m done, you’ll see.”

She noticed Xiang Shuhuai still leaning on the couch, propped up by her arm, her posture still a little uncomfortable, so she suggested, “Go ahead and lie on your side, get comfortable.”

Xiang Shuhuai hesitated. “Is it okay if I change positions?”

“Of course,” Yu Xiaoxiao responded confidently, “I’m just looking at the outline, and the atmosphere too. I can draw the light and shadow with my eyes closed.”

“…Okay,” Xiang Shuhuai finally replied, still holding her original position, quietly staring off into space.

By the time Yu Xiaoxiao finished the rough draft and lightly added the base color to the skin, she looked up and realized that at some point, her model had shifted and fallen completely asleep on the soft couch, her eyes closed.

Her head rested on the soft armrest, her cheek slightly indented, her arm naturally falling in front of her. The soft fabric of the dress gently traced her body, with the pale silk revealing the color of her skin underneath.

Her long, slightly messy black hair had lost its usual meticulousness and perfection, now loosely hanging down, a braid unraveled at the ends, spilling over her shoulder and neck, hiding the shallow scabbed wound on her forehead.

One strand of soft black hair, unguarded, fell across her lips, rising and falling with her breath, giving her a vulnerable and gentle appearance.

The sight of Xiang Shuhuai like this made Yu Xiaoxiao unconsciously soften her breath, afraid that if she exhaled too heavily, she might shatter her.

It was like the moon, but softer and more delicate, with a bit of innocence. Her ears, flushed red, were as sweet as strawberries.

The moon is unattainable, always cold, always distant, but Xiang Shuhuai was not.

…Yu Xiaoxiao stared at this scene, which seemed like it belonged in an oil painting, for a long time. She even forgot to take a photo or sketch it. Eventually, she quietly stood up and walked over.

Not Artemis, not the moon goddess.

She knelt down in front of Xiang Shuhuai, her gaze frozen on those soft lips.

They had kissed before. Twice.

…She was a nymph.

A water sprite, pure, transparent, fragile, her voice like the gentle stream of a mountain spring, as if she were as clear and unblemished as the water itself.

Her long hair was like beautiful water plants, scattered between pale skin and thin silk.

Yu Xiaoxiao held her breath.

She remembered that Xiang Shuhuai’s lips were cool, thin, and incredibly soft…

…She leaned down.