Marked by My Omega Rival After Moving In (GL, ABO) - Chapter 66

Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t understand at first, staring blankly as her shirt hem was held. “What…?”

“What… a complete omega?”

The omega girl, half asleep and half awake, tightened her grip on the hem of Yu Xiaoxiao’s shirt, but made no sound, her black eyes staring at her silently, as though lost in thought.

Her eyes were hazy, tinged with a hint of sleepiness, but they were focused on Yu Xiaoxiao with a kind of quiet dependence—honest and dreamy.

The light in those eyes seemed about to flicker out, like a half-moon in the depths of a pond, at risk of being shattered by a falling leaf at any moment.

Yu Xiaoxiao unconsciously softened her breath.

…This was unusual.

Only then did she start to realize.

The room was filled with open bottles of synthetic alpha pheromones. When Yu Xiaoxiao had returned, the air in the living room still carried the lingering scent of those chaotic synthetic alpha pheromones. The new plastic bag on the sofa was packed with all kinds of pheromone-related medications.

…Meanwhile, Xiang Shuhuai was curled up in a corner, her face flushed, brows furrowed, and lips so pale they seemed drained of color. There were deep bite marks on her lips, as though her soft lips had been brutally treated. Her chest barely rose and fell.

Yu Xiaoxiao was startled, standing there helplessly, unsure whether to approach, worried that something might be wrong with her. For a moment, she thought about calling an ambulance.

Fortunately, she noticed that Xiang Shuhuai’s breathing was steady, and she was just sleeping. Her body didn’t seem to have any major issues.

As an omega in her sensitive period, it had taken her a lot of effort to suppress her instincts with medication, but the smell from the synthetic pheromones almost triggered her primal reactions. She had to hide in her room and put on another pheromone blocker, took some more medicine, and even wore a mask, waiting for the smell to dissipate before she could breathe freely.

Seeing that Xiang Shuhuai was still trembling slightly, seemingly trapped in a disturbing nightmare, Yu Xiaoxiao grabbed a soft blanket and crouched down, gently releasing some of her own pheromones to cover up the unpleasant synthetic ones.

A faint, sweet fragrance spread, wrapping around her like warmth. Over time, Xiang Shuhuai’s furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and her face showed the peaceful, tired expression of someone finally finding rest.

Yu Xiaoxiao saw that she was sleeping poorly and didn’t want to disturb her. After checking her temperature, she decided not to wake her, but instead moved everything to the living room to stay by her side. She didn’t cook dinner, just made something light, but Xiang Shuhuai didn’t wake up.

Now that Xiang Shuhuai had woken, Yu Xiaoxiao wanted to ask about everything, but seeing her expression, she suddenly found it hard to speak.

She gently took Xiang Shuhuai’s hand, which was still gripping her shirt. It was icy to the touch, but she didn’t pull away, instead wrapping her hand around Xiang Shuhuai’s cold, slender fingers.

“…Big Ice Block,” Yu Xiaoxiao said softly, trying to comfort her, “You’ve been asleep for so long, but your hands are still so cold. Do you want to go sleep in the bedroom? The sofa’s so small…”

Xiang Shuhuai held her hand firmly, staring at her with quiet persistence, without saying a word.

“Alright then.” Yu Xiaoxiao took it as a refusal, gently tightened her grip on her hand, and then asked, “…Would you like something to eat? You’ve been sleeping for a while, maybe you’re a bit hungry?”

Xiang Shuhuai still didn’t respond, looking like she hadn’t fully woken up, her expression still hazy with drowsiness and confusion.

Yu Xiaoxiao moved closer, planning to sit next to her for a while. But when she looked down, she saw the pale, dry, cracked lips of Xiang Shuhuai, with a faint trace of bl00d oozing from the wound.

The bl00d had dried, and the jagged bite marks were still visible. It was clear that her soft lips had been roughly treated, not cherished by their owner.

Yu Xiaoxiao felt a pang of sadness and sympathy in her heart.

She reached up, gently brushing her fingers across Xiang Shuhuai’s pale, almost transparent cheek, lingering for a moment before stopping just above the injured lips, too hesitant to touch them again.

…Doesn’t it hurt?

“…Big Ice Block,” she said softly, “I’ll go get you a glass of water. Will you drink a little?”

As she stood up, she was suddenly stopped by a pull on her sleeve.

It was Xiang Shuhuai, gazing up at her, her face paling as she looked at Yu Xiaoxiao standing up.

“Don’t…”

Her voice trembled with anxiety, and her dark eyes held a fragile ripple of fear, as though she was on the verge of crying.

“Don’t go, Yu Xiaoxiao…”

“—I won’t go.” Yu Xiaoxiao gently stroked her tensed wrist to reassure her. “I’m not leaving, Big Ice Block. I’m just going to get a glass of water. Alright?”

Xiang Shuhuai continued to look at her with that almost pleading expression.

“Yu Xiaoxiao…”

She seemed so fragile, her black eyes moist and looking as if she would cry at any moment. It was like a seashell had opened to reveal its soft, vulnerable interior. This was the first time Yu Xiaoxiao had seen Xiang Shuhuai so completely open.

…As cute as it was, Yu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but feel concerned. What had happened to her?

She didn’t want to scare Xiang Shuhuai, so she lifted her hand, gently pinched her soft, icy cheek, and then lightly covered her eyes.

With her view blocked, Xiang Shuhuai looked up in confusion.

“Eh…?”

“Big Ice Block, close your eyes and count to sixty, okay?” Yu Xiaoxiao smiled softly. “When you finish, I’ll be here again. I won’t disappear.”

This was something she had learned from her mother. When she was little, her mother, Yu Danchun, had often been busy with work in the United States, rarely coming home. Whenever she did, Yu Xiaoxiao would beg her to stay and sleep with her, refusing to let her go.

Yú Dānchūn occasionally had to step out to take a call, so she asked her to count. When little Yú Xiǎoxiǎo reached sixty, her mother returned, with a piece of chocolate candy in her pocket that her dad had told her not to sneak after brushing her teeth at night.

Yú Xiǎoxiǎo thought, since Xiàng Shūhuái was originally her little sister, and now she was acting so much like a child, maybe it was okay to tease her with a little joke like this.

Under her hand, Xiàng Shūhuái’s fluffy, downy lashes twitched a bit, paused for a moment, and then a small voice came through, “Okay…”

Yú Xiǎoxiǎo smiled proudly, rubbing Xiàng Shūhuái’s cheek and speaking in a soft tone meant for children, “Good girl, I brought you some candy.”

Once she started counting quietly, Yú Xiǎoxiǎo tiptoed to the kitchen, poured a cup of warm honey water, grabbed the box of candy, and also picked up a small toy from the nearby cabinet.

She quietly returned to the living room and stood in front of Xiàng Shūhuái, who had just reached fifty-seven.

“Fifty-eight, fifty-nine…”

The girl kept her eyes shut, her lashes trembling slightly from nervousness as she waited, like a butterfly gently resting on the surface of a pond, causing small ripples, her dark downy lashes fluttering.

Yú Xiǎoxiǎo silently set the cup of water and candy box down, then brought the little cow-patterned cat plush toy up to her face.

“…Sixty.”

She hesitated slightly, said it softly, and then paused before slowly opening her eyes.

“Ta-da!” Yú Xiǎoxiǎo smiled at her, gave her cheek a gentle kiss with the toy cat, “I’m back, Big Ice Block.”

Xiàng Shūhuái stared blankly at the little cat, then at her.

Finally, she responded in a soft voice, “Mm…”

“Okay, want some water?” Yú Xiǎoxiǎo handed her the warm cup of water, then sat next to her with the candy box, gently saying, “Your lips are really dry, Big Ice Block. And your hands are so cold. Hold the cup for a while to warm up, then have some candy—hmm, which one do you want? Chocolate? Or fruit candy?”

The person next to her, like a child, quietly nodded, leaning against her, drinking a few sips, then holding the warm cup to warm her hands. Yú Xiǎoxiǎo noticed her pale fingertips curling slightly, slowly regaining color from the warmth.

“Yú… Mmm.”

She opened her mouth, only to have Yú Xiǎoxiǎo quickly slip a piece of fruit-flavored soft candy inside.

As the clear, sweet flavor spread in her mouth, Xiàng Shūhuái widened her eyes in disbelief, looking at Yú Xiǎoxiǎo. The alpha girl just tilted her head innocently and looked back at her, “…Eh-heh.”

—She instinctively held the soft candy with her teeth, not yet swallowing, with her lips slightly parted, the white sugary coating of the candy stained on her soft lips, and the tip of her tongue warm and red.

Her black eyes were wet, so innocent and pure as they looked at Yú Xiǎoxiǎo, making her heart race uncontrollably, pounding fast.

For a moment, Yú Xiǎoxiǎo couldn’t tell whether it was her own thoughts or her instincts as an alpha in her sensitive period.

She wanted… to taste that sweet candy.

But in the end, she didn’t move. After Xiàng Shūhuái finished the warm water, Yú Xiǎoxiǎo wrapped her arm around her shoulder, and they lay down side by side on the sofa.

The sofa was large, but still a bit narrow for two adults. Yú Xiǎoxiǎo lay on the outer side, carefully wrapping both of them up in a blanket from head to toe. Xiàng Shūhuái tugged on the corner of her shirt, waiting until Yú Xiǎoxiǎo settled in, then quietly curled up in her arms, like a clingy cat.

Under the soft blanket, their legs tangled together, their body heat mixing in the warmth, their long hair intertwined.

Between them was the little cow-patterned cat plush toy, which Xiàng Shūhuái held tightly, gently stroking it.

“Big Ice Block,” Yú Xiǎoxiǎo said, seeing her stroking the little toy, “What were you going to say just now?”

She reached out and held Xiàng Shūhuái’s hand in hers.

It was still a little cold, but much better than when she had just woken up. Now, she looked like a weak young girl, not like an ice sculpture that could break at any moment. The fresh warmth was like the sweetness of fruit candy, spreading across her face.

“…I,” Xiàng Shūhuái raised her gaze, her black eyes glistening, “Like me a little more, Yú Xiǎoxiǎo.”

She said it so honestly, her body language straightforward, but her expression seemed a bit distant, like she was looking at an illusion, someone who only existed in her dream, not a trustworthy lover.

That made Yú Xiǎoxiǎo’s heart tighten, wanting to pull her entirely into her embrace.

“Of course.” She smiled, kissed Xiàng Shūhuái’s forehead softly, “I really like you, Big Ice Block. I like you so, so much.”

Xiàng Shūhuái, still holding the fruit candy in her mouth, gently nodded, burying her face deeper into her shoulder.

Then, Yú Xiǎoxiǎo released her pheromones, gently patting the back of the cat plush in her arms, slowly soothing her back into drowsiness, yawning quietly before closing her eyes.

Her sensitive period made Yú Xiǎoxiǎo’s body temperature rise higher than usual, like a warm furnace, perfect for a cat to sleep on. It was also perfect for Xiàng Shūhuái.

Seeing her finally let go of her defenses in the warmth, Yú Xiǎoxiǎo hesitated, then gently asked:

“Big Ice Block…?”

The little cat in her arms sleepily responded, “Mmm…”

“Big Ice Block…”

She softened her voice, coaxing her gently.

“You mentioned earlier, about becoming a complete omega… what does that mean? Will it hurt you?”

Xiàng Shūhuái frowned, reluctantly snuggling deeper into her arms, shutting her eyes to block out the sound that was disturbing her sleep.

“Xiàng Shūhuái…?” Yú Xiǎoxiǎo didn’t give up, “Hmm? Tell me, okay?”

She heard the person in her arms respond vaguely, almost like sleep talk.

“Wuu, senior…” she murmured, “Don’t tell…”

Soon, in the comforting, soft sweetness, exhausted Xiàng Shūhuái completely fell into a deep sleep.

Yú Xiǎoxiǎo held her, resting her chin on her shoulder, but remained wide awake, staring at the darkness in front of her, her eyes still filled with worry.

She instinctively knew this was related to the surgical plan she had seen earlier.

But unfortunately, Xiàng Shūhuái had put away the surgery book, and Yú Xiǎoxiǎo couldn’t just go through her things.

…But “senior” must refer to Yì Tèzhù, right? Does Yì Tèzhù know about this?

Yú Xiǎoxiǎo speculated, then carefully took out her phone and sent a message.

It was late at night, so she probably wouldn’t get a reply right away. Yú Xiǎoxiǎo stared at the message for a moment, sighed softly, and kissed the soft black hair of the omega girl in her arms.

The living room curtains were drawn, blocking the moonlight, only letting through the faint glow of distant neon lights, making the large space feel as vast as the universe.

And Xiàng Shūhuái was the only pale moon in this universe. Wobbly, transparent, glowing.

Then, the alpha girl put away her phone, embraced the girl in her arms, and fell asleep, surrounded by the faint sweet scent of her hair.

The next day.

When Xiàng Shūhuái woke up, the person beside her was already gone. She sat there, confused, clutching the corner of the blanket, unable to tell whether last night’s experiences were a dream or really happened.

Yú Xiǎoxiǎo, was…

She vaguely remembered the warmth from last night.

…Was it real?

The little cow-colored kitten plush was no longer there, and the candy box and water cup had also disappeared.

Only… only the faint, fruity sweetness of the candy lingered between her lips and teeth, seeming to remind her that everything from last night wasn’t just a dream. It was probably peach flavor, as if to remind her that everything from last night was real.

Wrapped in a warm blanket, Xiang Shuhuai struggled to gather her thoughts, replaying the hazy fragments of the night in her mind.

What was it… count to sixty, and then it would reappear? How childish. Xiang Shuhuai couldn’t help but smile.

That was probably really Yu Xiaoxiao, after all. She herself would never dream up such a childish scenario, like something from kindergarten.

Then, there was the kiss from the little cow kitten on her cheek, soft and fluffy. They hadn’t kissed, just held each other for a long time, and Yu Xiaoxiao kissed her forehead and long hair.

…Then, the memory of the question from Yu Xiaoxiao popped into her mind.

Xiang Shuhuai’s face went pale.

She… she seemed to have said some things she shouldn’t have.

About the surgery.

And she had even said that Yu Xiaoxiao would like her more because of it…

Xiang Shuhuai’s heart pounded quickly, and she almost nervously bit her lip.

What did Yu Xiaoxiao say in response…?

She couldn’t remember at all.

But maybe… everything from last night was just a dream.

…After all, Yu Xiaoxiao was still mad at her, and probably wouldn’t be this gentle with her.

This fact should have left Xiang Shuhuai feeling empty, but after a while, staring at her pale fingers, she recalled the warmth she had felt in the dream and slowly started to feel better.

—At least she hadn’t let Yu Xiaoxiao know about the surgery. Even if it was just a dream, it didn’t matter.

She sat in a daze for a while longer, then tried to push herself up, but her body was too weak to stand, and for a moment, she lost her balance—

Then, she fell into a warm, soft embrace.

Xiang Shuhuai looked up in surprise, only seeing the smiling face of the alpha girl, her expression full of warmth.

“Big Ice Block,” she said, “What’s wrong? How did you trip over yourself? Are you hungry? I made some food. Want to try it?”

She was casually dressed in a homey sleepwear, her messy, curly hair tied in a small bun at the back of her head, looking comfortable and relaxed.

…It seemed like she had been home for quite a while.

Xiang Shuhuai’s heart tightened. She raised her face, hearing her voice tremble as she asked, “Yu… Yu Xiaoxiao, did I say anything last night?”

Yu Xiaoxiao looked puzzled but seemed to notice the anxiety and unease in her expression. She reached up to gently ruffle her hair and said, “What? What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t say anything, Big Ice Block. You just said—”

The alpha girl started laughing, her round eyes squinting into two little crescent moons.

“You said you wanted me to stay with you, not leave, and that you really like me.”

“…I,” The memory of that part from last night was almost nonexistent. Xiang Shuhuai looked at the alpha girl in a daze, feeling embarrassed as she imagined how childish and honest she must have looked, her cheeks slowly flushing with shame. “…Did I really say that?”

…Then she saw a mischievous glint in the alpha girl’s eyes.

Xiang Shuhuai’s face flushed bright red. “…Yu Xiaoxiao!”

“Ah! Ouch, Big Ice Block!” Yu Xiaoxiao scrambled to block her playful slap, immediately apologizing, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry—”

Xiang Shuhuai huffed softly and pulled her hand back. Yu Xiaoxiao then looked into her eyes, which were now full of life and bright, unlike the emptiness from the previous night, and with a gentle voice, said:

“I really, really like you, Xiang Shuhuai.”

The omega girl’s face turned even redder.

“I…” She heard that voice, soft and warm, like melted moonlight, laced with a bit of embarrassment. “I also…”

They went to the dining table together and had breakfast. Since Yu Xiaoxiao hadn’t eaten much the night before, she made some nourishing porridge, fried dumplings, and even made a decent-looking pot-braised chicken.

She ate faster than Xiang Shuhuai, who ended up giving her two dumplings since she couldn’t finish them. After Xiang Shuhuai slowly finished the last dumpling, she lifted her head, only to have something cold and soft pressed against her forehead.

—It was still the little red flower sticker.

Over the past few days, Xiang Shuhuai had collected five of these stickers. This was the sixth. They were always given for trivial reasons, like wanting to go to the company with Yu Xiaoxiao, asking for a goodnight kiss, or simply clinging to Yu Xiaoxiao’s clothes and not letting go.

…What was it this time?

Yu Xiaoxiao looked at her, with the little red flower sticker on her forehead, her wide eyes open in surprise. She was so cute, Xiang Shuhuai’s heart softened.

“Today’s because of the confession,” she said seriously. “Well done, Big Ice Block. You have to keep it up.”

…Idiot.

Xiang Shuhuai thought, refusing to admit that she was indeed very interested in the reward she’d get for collecting the stickers.

She went to the coat rack by the entrance to grab her jacket, moved the sticker to a card in her wallet, and counted them again. Turning back, she saw that the alpha girl was following her, with a serious expression, walking in step behind her.

Her eyes were wide open, sparkling, and her expression was very serious, as if this were a big deal.

Xiang Shuhuai paused, confused. “…What’s wrong?”

“I just wanted to say, Big Ice Block,” Yu Xiaoxiao blinked and said seriously, “Aren’t we still arguing?”

“Ah,” Xiang Shuhuai froze for a moment before answering, “I’m sorry…”

“Why are you apologizing?” The alpha girl was confused. “Do you think it’s your fault?”

“…Mm.” Xiang Shuhuai gently nodded, “I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have said that.”

Seeing her lower her gaze, a bit guilty, Yu Xiaoxiao bent down slightly to look into her eyes.

“Don’t apologize,” the alpha girl smiled, “I know you’re just a little uneasy and worried about my relationship with my family. You didn’t mean to argue.”

Xiang Shuhuai mumbled, “…I’m sorry.”

…If she always felt insecure, she probably annoyed the bright, carefree alpha girl. That was her guess.

“Apologizing again.”

Yu Xiaoxiao helplessly grabbed her hand and suddenly had an idea.

“—Ah, how about this, Big Ice Block?” she said, “From now on, if you want to apologize or feel uneasy, just kiss me. Okay?”

“That way, I’ll know you’re feeling uneasy.”

Xiang Shuhuai stared at those amber-like, bright eyes, unable to speak for a moment.

She only saw the alpha girl tilt her head, gently pointing to her soft, warm lips with her finger, pressing her fingertip over them.

“Big Ice Block. How about today’s one?”