Marked by My Omega Rival After Moving In (GL, ABO) - Chapter 60

The warmth against her lips was both scorching and soft.

Xiang Shuhuai didn’t really know how to kiss, but at least she had finally figured out that she needed to tilt her head just a little, and shift her nose slightly to the side. She just pressed their lips together, keeping her eyes tightly shut, afraid to see Yu Xiaoxiao’s strange or even rejecting expression, and silently continued the kiss.

…Probably because of the suppressor patch, there was almost no trace of pheromones on Yu Xiaoxiao’s body. All Xiang Shuhuai could smell was a hint of caramel popcorn sweetness, the heat from their lips pressing together making it feel like they were burning.

They stayed like that for a long while, and the silence made Xiang Shuhuai’s heart sink lower and lower.

Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand, still holding hers, felt just as hot as before, but an uncontrollable chill began spreading from her stomach.

Finally, Xiang Shuhuai opened her eyes and pulled back.

She saw Yu Xiaoxiao standing there, her eyes blankly reflecting Xiang Shuhuai’s pale, uncomfortable face.

“Xiang…?” The alpha girl froze, staring at her, “Xiang Shuhuai…?”

…That look didn’t seem to be one of affection.

And that was when Xiang Shuhuai realized that she had probably messed up again.

She let go of Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand, turned, and picked up the backpack she had placed on the seat beside her.

…Maybe Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t want her to kiss her.

A wave of embarrassment washed over her. She raised her hand and rubbed her lips back and forth, trying to wipe away the sweetness—and the burning, foolish thoughts.

Then, she spoke.

“…Let’s go.”

Yu Xiaoxiao was still standing there, stunned, instinctively raising her hand to lightly touch her own wet lips, her ears slowly turning red.

When she came to her senses, she realized that Xiang Shuhuai had already walked off and quickly caught up with her.

“Big Ice Block, Big Ice Block,” she said, her tongue stumbling a bit from embarrassment, “Why… why did you kiss me, here…?”

“I’m sorry, Yu Xiaoxiao.”

Xiang Shuhuai turned her head slightly and glanced at her, apologizing with a calm expression.

“I shouldn’t have touched you.”

Yu Xiaoxiao blinked, confused.

“But I just looked around, everyone else has already left. There’s no one in the theater now.” Xiang Shuhuai continued, “You don’t have to worry about being seen.”

…Her tone sounded a little strange.

The alpha girl, still not fully understanding, instinctively said, “That’s not what I meant…”

Hearing this, Xiang Shuhuai quietly curled her lips into a faint smile, then took out a packet of alcohol wipes from her bag and handed them to her.

Yu Xiaoxiao stared at the packet of wipes, utterly baffled.

“…Xiang Shuhuai?”

“I’m sorry.” Xiang Shuhuai repeated, “I won’t do this again… If you think it’s dirty, you can wipe it off first. You can go wash up in the restroom later.”

Yu Xiaoxiao stood frozen for a moment, unable to respond.

Seeing her like that, Xiang Shuhuai shoved the wipes into her arms, then turned and walked away.

“Big Ice Block,” Yu Xiaoxiao suddenly came to her senses, jogging a few steps to catch up, calling her name, but only seeing her pale, expressionless profile. “Big Ice Block! Wait, I didn’t mean it like that, why are you—”

Seeing that Xiang Shuhuai didn’t slow down, but instead quickened her pace, Yu Xiaoxiao grabbed her wrist to make her stop.

Xiang Shuhuai struggled once but couldn’t free herself. She turned back to look at her with a cold, indifferent gaze.

The alpha girl was still filled with confusion and hesitation: “—Big Ice Block, are you angry again?”

“Why are you angry?”

Xiang Shuhuai closed her eyes for a moment.

Why was she angry?

“…I know, I shouldn’t be angry,” she said, “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it’s not—”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Yu Xiaoxiao.” Xiang Shuhuai said, “She should have come alone, right? Now that the movie is over, are you going to look for her?”

Yu Xiaoxiao’s expression was confused. “Who?”

…They had spent so much time together.

If it weren’t for the movie starting soon, they’d probably still be together now.

Would they be by the claw machine, like a couple of students, heads together, happily studying the stuffed toys, watching the claw reach down, then both letting out long, regretful sighs or quietly high-fiving, bending down to take out their fluffy prizes—

…They really, really seemed perfect for each other.

Thinking of that childish yet sweet scene, Xiang Shuhuai felt a strange pang in her chest, a knot of bitterness tightening within her.

She just shook her head, not answering.

The alpha girl seemed unsatisfied with her reaction, staring at her for a long while, her amber eyes filled with quiet, persistent curiosity, as if trying to read something from her expression.

That gaze made Xiang Shuhuai uncomfortable, like her heart, buried deep inside her chest and stained with mud, was being exposed.

She tried to free her wrist from the grip, but couldn’t. So, she gave up and let the other person hold it, lowering her gaze.

“Do you want to keep going, with the date?” Xiang Shuhuai asked softly. “If you do, let’s go.”

Yu Xiaoxiao blinked.

“Mm…” She thought for a moment, then said, “Let’s go, then?”

The two of them left the theater, stepping back into the bright and lively cinema lobby.

Yu Xiaoxiao, trailing behind, watched her quiet, indifferent profile with confusion, still wondering why Xiang Shuhuai was angry.

Then, as if struck by inspiration, she suddenly let go of Xiang Shuhuai’s wrist and eagerly pulled something out of her pocket, trying to cheer her up.

“Big Ice Block,” she said, smiling with sparkling eyes, “Here!”

Xiang Shuhuai lowered her gaze.

It was a small, palm-sized plush toy, a milk-colored cat lounging comfortably, licking its paw. She’d seen them in the claw machines.

…It was the one she had caught with Xiang Qing.

The scene she had imagined suddenly seemed real. The image of her and the cute, radiant omega girl, excitedly leaning together, laughing joyfully—

Her heart clenched violently. Xiang Shuhuai stared at the plush toy in her hand, almost feeling a strange dizziness.

She suddenly looked up, wanting to ask, but when her eyes met the bright gaze of the alpha girl, she couldn’t say a word.

…The toy they had caught together is now being offered to me?

But she couldn’t ask.

“What’s wrong, Big Ice Block?” the alpha girl tilted her head. “Don’t you like it?”

She reached out, trying to touch Xu Shuhuai’s fingers, which felt icy to the touch.

“…I…” Xu Shuhuai heard her own voice, “That’s the one you caught, I didn’t want it…”

Yu Xiaoxiao looked confused. “—We?”

“…You two were together before the movie started.”

“—Ah, you mean Xiao Xiang,” she suddenly understood and laughed, “No, she’s my colleague. We just happened to run into each other… Did you see her, Big Ice Block? Where were you just now? I didn’t see you anywhere…”

…It wasn’t just a coincidence.

They had been together for so long.

Xu Shuhuai didn’t realize her complaints sounded like a child’s, so direct and naive, but her heart hurt with bitterness.

She pulled her hand away from Yu Xiaoxiao’s, “You’ve clearly been together this whole time…”

Her voice got smaller and smaller, head hanging down, feeling so sad she could hardly speak.

“I’ve been waiting where we agreed, but… but you—”

—You couldn’t even see me.

Suddenly, a pair of bright eyes appeared in her vision. Yu Xiaoxiao had bent down, looking up at her with concern.

“…Big Ice Block,” the alpha girl quietly asked, “Are you jealous?”

Xu Shuhuai instinctively wanted to deny it: “I—”

Jealous?

Such a strange word.

…How could she be jealous?

She muttered, “…I’m not.”

“You’re definitely jealous,” Yu Xiaoxiao laughed happily, “Big Ice Block, you’re so cute.”

No, I’m not—

She swatted away Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand as she tried to poke her cheek and tried to say seriously, “Yu Xiaoxiao, I’m still mad at you.”

But this only made the alpha girl even happier, her round eyes squinting into two little crescents, just smiling at her.

“I know, Big Ice Block,” she said, “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you, I just thought you hadn’t come back yet, so I figured I could ask her some things. And it just so happened that Xiang Qing wanted a toy, so I helped her grab it… Don’t be upset, okay? Here, this cat toy is for you. If you don’t like it, we can go catch some others, alright?”

“…I don’t dislike it.” Xu Shuhuai clenched the plush toy in her hand and quietly said, “Let’s go catch more.”

“Okay.” Yu Xiaoxiao smiled at her, “Then we’ll catch them all, and they’re all yours.”

She straightened up, smiled at Xu Shuhuai, and held out her right hand.

“—Xu Shuhuai, let’s hold hands, okay?”

It wasn’t the kind of handholding where you grab someone’s wrist.

…It was the kind of handholding between lovers.

“…Mm.” Xu Shuhuai barely whispered as she stretched out her left hand.

After a brief hesitation in mid-air, she grasped Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand, and the alpha girl immediately returned the grip.

The heat and certainty of her touch enveloped Xu Shuhuai’s hand. Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand, unlike hers, was a bit calloused from holding a paintbrush, yet it was so soft, almost making her feel… like Yu Xiaoxiao’s heartbeat was coming through the linked hands.

Thump, thump, thump.

…Xu Shuhuai’s ears turned red.

So, they went to the claw machine together. Xu Shuhuai was never good at these games. After a few tries at a little toy that Yu Xiaoxiao said was “easy to catch,” she gave up. Seeing Xu Shuhuai sulking by herself, Yu Xiaoxiao took the handle from her, and with a single attempt, she caught the toy.

From then on, Yu Xiaoxiao would choose the toys she liked, while Xu Shuhuai just let her do the main work of catching them.

—Saying it was the main work was because they were still holding hands, neither letting go.

Although Yu Xiaoxiao only had her left hand free, she was still great at it. After setting the toy in the right position, she let Xu Shuhuai press the button with her right hand.

…So clumsy. Xu Shuhuai couldn’t help but imagine what they must look like from a third-person perspective. Probably two clueless fools, sticking together for no reason. Yu Xiaoxiao could do it all alone.

But she just wouldn’t let go.

A triumphant jingle played, and another plush toy fell from the machine. Yu Xiaoxiao bent down, picked it up, and stuffed the little plush dragon into Xu Shuhuai’s arms.

“Hehe, Big Ice Block,” she grinned, “Which one should we go for next?”

Xu Shuhuai pointed to another machine nearby.

It had lots of little toy dogs: huskies, Bernese mountain dogs, border collies, and golden retrievers. She had been eyeing them for a while.

“I want that one.” She said quietly, “That little golden retriever.”

Yu Xiaoxiao tilted her head and smiled. “—Got it!”

They had a good haul. Xu Shuhuai was holding four or five plush toys in her arms, almost dropping them. Yu Xiaoxiao had tucked the hardest-to-hold medium-sized toy into her hoodie pocket, looking like an expert at the claw machine, attracting the attention of other players.

A group of girls who seemed to be high school students came over, whispering and giggling, eventually sending one of them to ask if Yu Xiaoxiao could help them catch a toy.

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her and asked, “Big Ice Block?”

Xu Shuhuai nodded. She had been planning to let go of Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand, so the other girl could play, but when she loosened her grip, Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t let go. She tightened her hold instead. So, they kept holding hands and walked over to the claw machine together.

Yu Xiaoxiao quickly helped the girls catch the toys they wanted. The girls were so excited, thanks to Yu Xiaoxiao’s skill, that they kept asking for tips and chatting. When the movie started, they had to reluctantly leave.

“Xiao Yu,” the most lively girl came over, handing Yu Xiaoxiao a flower-shaped cotton candy from her bag, winking excitedly at her.

“—This is for you. You and this sister are going to grow old together!”

Then, she quickly ran off, catching up with her friends. They laughed and went inside the theater.

Yu Xiaoxiao and Xu Shuhuai stood there, and Yu Xiaoxiao still held the beautifully wrapped, rose-shaped cotton candy in her hand.

She looked at the candy, then at Xu Shuhuai’s red ears, and smiled, “She said we’re going to grow old together.”

Xu Shuhuai’s face turned even redder, and Yu Xiaoxiao kept smiling at her. Finally, Xu Shuhuai squeezed Yu Xiaoxiao’s hand, biting her lip and staying silent.

After leaving the theater, they walked around the mall for a bit. Their reservation at the restaurant still hadn’t been called, so they decided to sit at a milk tea shop for a while.

The rose cotton candy was on the table. Yu Xiaoxiao had a straw in her mouth, chatting casually with Xu Shuhuai.

…But when they were sitting face-to-face, they couldn’t hold hands anymore.

Xiang Shuhui curled her fingers, refusing to admit that she actually felt a little regretful for pulling away from the warm, heated touch.

“…Yu Xiaoxiao.” After chatting for a while, she couldn’t help but bring up the topic that bothered her the most. “You mentioned you had something to ask her. What did you ask?”

“Well… it was about the date,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied, a little shy, her ears turning red. Her round eyes were watery. “It’s our first date, and my friend wasn’t paying attention to me, so I wanted some advice. Xiang Qing told me that I could try holding hands during the movie, and after the movie, we could go grab toys from the claw machine, or take a walk in the mall…”

So, she spent the entire movie thinking about holding hands, but never dared to reach out.

Xiang Shuhui almost wanted to laugh. Silly girl.

“…Next time,” she said softly, “don’t leave me hanging.”

Yu Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously. “Of course!!”

As they chatted lazily, they suddenly noticed a little girl nearby, staring curiously at them. She was sitting on her mom’s lap on a high stool, holding a sundae in her small arms, looking about three or four years old, her big eyes focused on them.

Xiang Shuhui froze, not knowing how to interact with children. When she was at the Xiang family’s old house, she once scared her cousin’s two-year-old son to tears—although it was because she had threatened him. She had no clue how to communicate with young children who had a mind of their own but weren’t yet fully capable of expressing it.

It was Yu Xiaoxiao who noticed first. She turned her face toward the little girl, smiled brightly, and waved.

“Hello!” she said softly.

The girl’s parents noticed and smiled back, encouraging their daughter to say hello. The little girl waved her chubby little hand, her voice sweet and clear, “Hello, sister.”

Seeing the two of them talking, Xiang Shuhui felt a little uncomfortable and subtly shifted away.

…Does Yu Xiaoxiao like kids?

She watched the alpha girl, who was chatting with the child, and slowly thought to herself.

It made sense. Yu Xiaoxiao grew up in such a healthy family, with a harmonious relationship with her parents. It seemed natural that she would want to raise a child of her own, to let the child grow up carefree just like she did.

Xiang Shuhui realized something.

But she… seemed like she wouldn’t be able to do that.

She knew this was a bit laughable. After all, they hadn’t even confirmed their relationship yet, and they were just acting like lovers. Let alone what the future held. As for having children… that felt even more distant.

…But what if?

What if… they really did end up taking that step? What would happen to her physical shortcomings then?

Or more immediately, what if Yu Xiaoxiao wanted to mark her…

That thought brought Xiang Shuhui’s attention back to the treatment plan she had set aside for so long.

Her gaze dropped to the pink, cotton-candy-like rose on the table beside her.

She thought about Xiang Qing. That lively, youthful omega girl.

Xiang Shuhui never doubted Yu Xiaoxiao’s sincerity when she confessed her feelings, but she had thought many times about what exactly it was that Yu Xiaoxiao liked about her. A child’s affection could be intense, but it often faded quickly, and she was pale, sensitive, and incomplete. How long would Yu Xiaoxiao still like her?

—If, if she could become a complete omega, would Yu Xiaoxiao love her longer?

That night, after the date, when she returned home, Xiang Shuhui pulled out the surgical plan again.

The fluffy cotton-candy rose sat on her bedside table, while she sat on the bed, reading the surgical details word by word.

To become a complete omega, one would need surgery to remove the remaining glands and implant artificial new glands, followed by regular pheromone treatments to maintain bodily functions. The success rate was around 83%.

After all, s3x glands were crucial organs, and the recovery period could be as short as a year, but in some cases, the pain might never fully stop. The pheromone treatment would need to continue until death.

If she underwent this treatment, there was a chance she could regain fertility, use artificial insemination, and bear children.

Xiang Shuhui stared at the words, not moving.

…It was terrifying.

She could feel her heart tightening.

It was terrifying, terrifying, terrifying—whether it was the surgery itself, the long recovery period, the endless hormone medication, or the act of bearing children.

…Could she really bring a new life into the world?

She was living a mess of a life, had never been loved, and didn’t know how to love, yet she would bring a child into the world and continue her own misfortune?

And she was terrified of pain. Just the occasional sharp pain from her glands made her miserable.

Those “treatments” would be painful, so painful, like when her glands were being removed…

Xiang Shuhui took a deep breath, then another, but the anxiety in her stomach only grew, making her feel nauseous. She broke into a cold sweat and felt her body trembling with chills. Her breathing became rapid.

She bent over, buried her face in the blanket, and tried to breathe normally.

…But she thought of Yu Xiaoxiao.

That bright, innocent alpha girl, and the people around her.

What if… what if, by doing this, she could keep Yu Xiaoxiao’s love for a little longer?

If it was possible.

Countless thoughts tangled in her mind, like a muddy, stinging storm. Xiang Shuhui thought for a long time, but couldn’t find an answer.

—Until the door was suddenly knocked on.

She jumped, instinctively covering the surgery book with the blanket and wiping away the cold sweat from her forehead before getting out of bed to open the door.

Standing outside was the alpha girl she had imagined for so long, wearing pajamas with her messy hair sticking up.

Xiang Shuhui tried to keep her voice calm, asking, “What’s wrong?”

…She really wanted to hold her hand.

That warm, steady, and comforting heat. Maybe if she held her hand, she wouldn’t feel so cold anymore.

“Big Ice Block,” Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her and whispered, “I… I wanted to talk about the kiss from today…”

Xiang Shuhui didn’t understand. “Hmm?”

“Well, that…” Yu Xiaoxiao said, shyly turning red in the ears. “I feel like… maybe I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. I want to talk about it.”

As she spoke, the alpha girl shyly followed Xiang Shuhui into the room but suddenly noticed the treatment plan thrown on the bed.

A lot of the words were hidden under the blanket, but she could see the last few characters.

—Surgical plan.

Yu Xiaoxiao froze.

The blush on her cheeks immediately disappeared, and she stopped in her tracks.

…What kind of surgery was this?

Seeing this, Xiang Shuhui turned around, slightly confused. “What’s wrong?”

“Big Ice Block.”

Yu Xiaoxiao grabbed her hand with great force, her face full of worry.

“…Are you sick?”