Marked by My Omega Rival After Moving In (GL, ABO) - Chapter 71

She was crying so hard, tears falling in streams between their necks, the warm droplets almost forming a damp lake with the scent of grass and wood.

“Ugh…” The alpha girl cried into her shoulder, still sobbing, “Big Ice Block…”

She was crying, holding on so tightly, and Xu Hui could almost hear a sense of guilt in her voice. But she didn’t understand.

…It clearly had nothing to do with this innocent and carefree alpha girl.

This was just something that had happened to her in the past, something that had long been resolved and was so trivial. It was cruel and ugly.

It wasn’t worth all these tears from Yu Xiaoxiao.

“Alright.”

So, Xu Hui awkwardly tried to comfort her in the same way Yu Xiaoxiao had comforted her, gently rubbing the girl’s fluffy hair, trying to soothe her.

“Don’t cry, Yu Xiaoxiao. It really doesn’t matter.”

Yu Xiaoxiao sniffled, but she only hugged her tighter.

“…Ugh,” she cried. “I shouldn’t have… shouldn’t have let you see him alone… ugh…”

…Was she scared?

How cute. Xu Hui thought. That was such a typical response from Yu Xiaoxiao, but completely different from her own way of thinking.

“It’s fine,” Xu Hui said lightly, smiling. “I’m not afraid anymore.”

This wasn’t a lie.

Xu Hui really wasn’t afraid anymore. She just found it utterly ridiculous, the sight of that alpha man crumpled in front of her, crawling and begging her for mercy.

And she also found it funny that she, back then, was so weak, so scared, shivering all over just because of someone like him.

…But really, Sun Tao was nothing.

Her entire high school life, fooled and helpless, so weak and foolish… that time was laughable.

Xu Hui thought this quietly and coldly laughed at herself.

“—Big Ice Block.”

Suddenly, the alpha girl spoke up, her voice still muffled with tears.

“Are… are you thinking about something bad?” she asked.

Xu Hui froze for a moment. “What?”

“Are you thinking about something bad again?” Yu Xiaoxiao repeated, still burying her face in Xu Hui’s neck, her voice wet and childish. “Don’t, Big Ice Block.”

Xu Hui was stunned. “How do you know?”

“—I just know, Big Ice Block.”

Yu Xiaoxiao said it with a little playful satisfaction, as if she were proud of herself.

Her fluffy head rubbed against Xu Hui’s neck, sniffing like a little dog. Then she said, “I can smell it.”

…What was that smell?

Xu Hui was confused, and before she could laugh helplessly, Yu Xiaoxiao’s voice changed again, and her tone became teary once more, as if she was about to cry again.

“Don’t do this… Xu Hui… ugh,” her tears spilled down again, soaking the neck.

Xu Hui, overwhelmed by the inexplicable tears, didn’t know what to do.

“…Yu Xiaoxiao, Yu Xiaoxiao,” she called helplessly, “Don’t cry…”

But the alpha girl’s tears still fell heavily. Xu Hui, at a loss, walked in circles beside her, and finally, she awkwardly approached, trying to comfort her the way Yu Xiaoxiao had done before—by gently kissing the tears away.

Her lips were cool and soft, tentative, almost like the lightest of butterfly touches on her wet cheek.

One kiss, gently raised, then falling again, uncertain and cautious, as if any sudden movement might scare the butterfly away, making it disappear.

With each light, careful kiss, the tears were wiped away, and without realizing it, the alpha girl stopped sobbing, lifting her face to look at her lover with tear-filled eyes.

She saw Xu Hui with her eyes closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly. The two were so close, like they were in an embrace, as Xu Hui placed comforting kisses on her cheek.

“Yu Xiaoxiao,” she whispered, “Don’t cry…”

Yu Xiaoxiao then tilted her head up and met the falling kiss.

She pulled her lover into a tight embrace, exchanging a hot, tear-flavored kiss.

With a soft “pop,” Yu Xiaoxiao pulled away from the soft lips. Her lover’s cold lips were now stained with a bright, hot color—just like her flushed cheeks.

As she pulled back, Yu Xiaoxiao’s fingers gently brushed her cheek, moving slightly, touching the delicate and fragile neck.

…And the scar on the back of her neck, one that couldn’t be seen anymore.

That was the scar Xu Hui had given herself, nearly cutting off her own neck with all the strength and determination she could muster, sharp and decisive. She was so young at the time.

In her earlier words, her lover had deliberately left out these details, downplaying everything.

But just thinking about it made Yu Xiaoxiao’s heart ache, and she almost wanted to cry.

“…Xu Hui.”

She whispered softly.

Her fingers gently caressed the slender neck, and Yu Xiaoxiao seemed to see the high school version of Xu Hui from many years ago, pale, thin, still so youthful and naive.

It must have hurt.

Xu Hui was such a smart person; it must have been an incredibly cruel situation, one so hopeless that there was no way out, forcing her to cut off her own gland with a simple utility knife.

So, she asked, “…Did it hurt?”

Xu Hui paused for a moment.

She probably wanted to instinctively deny that it hurt, but looking into Yu Xiaoxiao’s amber eyes, filled with concern and emotions she didn’t fully understand, her words just didn’t come out.

“…A little.”

Then Xu Hui heard herself say, her voice light, almost as if she were dreaming.

“…It hurt a little… just a little.”

And she received an incredibly warm embrace.

“It’s okay, it’s okay now.”

She could hear the alpha girl speaking, her body trembling, as if she was trying to control her emotions. The way she held onto her arms was so tight, as if she wanted to press her into her own body.

“It’s okay, Xiang Shuhuai, I’ll protect you… it won’t hurt anymore, from now on, I’ll always protect you…”

Xiang Shuhuai sat there, stunned, feeling utterly lost.

…Why?

She didn’t understand. Just like she didn’t understand why Yu Xiaoxiao liked her, she couldn’t understand what in her could be worth protecting, or why Yu Xiaoxiao was holding her so tightly. But she did feel safe.

It was as if, in this warm and firm embrace, nothing bad would ever happen again. All misfortune would be kept far away, leaving only the soft reassurance of safety. She could let go of all her defenses, leaning into this little sun-like warmth.

She could melt.

“…It hurts, Yu Xiaoxiao.”

Xiang Shuhuai softly leaned into the embrace, staring at the darkness ahead, her voice almost lost in the haze.

“It really hurts. It’s always been like this…”

This time, the alpha girl didn’t cry anymore. She just held her even tighter.

“It’s okay, Xiang Shuhuai, it’s okay.”

The girl, pure like a happy prince, murmured softly. Her voice still carried a hint of the lingering sadness, but she swore with such innocence and determination.

“It’s okay. I’ll protect you. From now on, nothing bad will happen again. You won’t hurt anymore…”

Xiang Shuhuai closed her eyes, letting herself drift into the warm, comforting darkness, not thinking about anything, surrendering to the safety it offered.

Although it was only a brief meeting with that disgusting man, it had stirred up memories from the past, and Xiang Shuhuai felt somewhat exhausted. Yu Xiaoxiao, too, had cried so much that she didn’t want to move. The two of them stayed there, holding each other, and peacefully fell asleep on the couch.

When Xiang Shuhuai woke up, she saw the sleeping face of the alpha girl right next to her. She also noticed the coat draped over her body and was momentarily stunned.

…Her body was weak. Even during the hottest summer, when she woke up from a nap, her hands and feet were always cold, so cold that she had to curl her fingers and wait for a while before she could move normally.

But now, her hands were warm. Warm, with Yu Xiaoxiao’s body heat. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the coat or because of the embrace.

No one had disturbed them, and the sky outside had darkened. Through the window of the reception room, she could vaguely see a quiet, misty, amber-blue glow. Xiang Shuhuai stared at it for a while before turning her gaze back to the alpha girl lying next to her.

Yu Xiaoxiao had cried for so long. Her eyes were swollen, and her nose was red. Her round, baby-faced cheeks looked innocent, but she was frowning, unlike her usual carefree self. It was as if she was worried about something.

Xiang Shuhuai looked at her, and without thinking, reached out her hand, gently placing it on the girl’s brow, as if trying to smooth out the frown.

At the moment her fingers touched, Yu Xiaoxiao seemed to sense it. She suddenly opened her eyes.

Xiang Shuhuai was startled. She saw those bright, round eyes staring at her, blinking a few times before the drowsy look gradually faded away.

“Big Ice Block.”

The alpha girl stared at her for a while, then suddenly got an idea and asked.

“—Shall we go stargazing?”

Xiang Shuhuai was puzzled. “Eh?”

…Stargazing?

And so, they really did go stargazing.

Yu Xiaoxiao went home to swap cars and drove them both to a park on the outskirts. She quickly found an open area perfect for stargazing, pulling out all the prepared items from the trunk one by one.

It was clear that she had decided on this on a whim, yet for some reason, she had all the supplies ready. Sleeping bags, an electric stove, a tent, stargazing pens, a telescope, a thick astronomy book, and even a large bag of food ingredients.

“When I was in high school, I used to go stargazing with Gu Wei and the others from the astronomy club,” Yu Xiaoxiao explained, noticing Xiang Shuhuai’s surprised gaze.

She walked over to the driver’s side and opened the car’s convertible roof. “Ah, but actually, I don’t really know much… I just know that the sky here is really good, and there are so many stars.”

As the roof slid open, the night sky filled with countless stars was revealed.

—And there were indeed so many stars.

Under the deep blue night sky, an endless stream of stars formed a brilliant Milky Way, so clear and vivid. The starlight shimmered and flowed through the night, and with just a tilt of the head, it felt like the stars poured straight into her eyes.

…Ah.

Under the dark sky, Xiang Shuhuai curled up in the car, holding her breath as she stared at the dazzling stars, almost forgetting how to breathe.

It was so quiet…

Suddenly, a warm, soft heat covered her body. Instinctively, Xiang Shuhuai grabbed the blanket that had been draped over her, but her view was blocked by the jacket covering her head.

And Yu Xiaoxiao was outside, laughing like a child.

“…Yu Xiaoxiao!”

Xiang Shuhuai struggled, pulling herself out of the jacket, angry and ready to hit the childish alpha girl. However, as her vision cleared, she saw a glowing plastic rose light.

“Here, Big Ice Block.” Yu Xiaoxiao, holding the rose, gently shook it and smiled brightly. “I got you flowers!”

The light from the flower was a tacky deep pink, resembling a red carrot, and it looked cheaply made, like something from a mall that costs ten yuan each.

“…What’s this?”

Xiang Shuhuai said, staring at the hazy glow, then tugging at her lips, she smiled.

They had both gone shopping together, and yet she had no idea where Yu Xiaoxiao had found this flower and secretly saved it until now to give it to her.

“Flowers!” The alpha girl said confidently, her bright round eyes staring at her. “I haven’t given you flowers yet today. Big Ice Block, do you like it?”

Xiang Shuhuai took the somewhat clumsy plastic flower and pulled it into her arms with the blanket.

She lowered her head, the pink light reflecting in her eyes, and after a long while, she replied, “…Mm.”

Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t care at all if Xiang Shuhuai was indifferent or quiet. She was just happy with the answer, and she grinned, jumping out of the car and heading toward the field, where she seemed to be fiddling with something.

“Big Ice Block, put on your jacket.” She called out, still fiddling with whatever it was. “It’s really cold tonight, don’t catch a cold. Also, take off your shoes, and make sure to cover yourself with the blanket! Oh, do you want a sleeping bag—”

Xiang Shuhuai curled up in the fluffy blanket, watched her for a moment, and asked, “What are you doing?”

“I’m studying this stove,” Yu Xiaoxiao said seriously, her head down, “I’m trying to figure out how to turn it on… If it still works, we can cook something together. It’s an electric stove, so it’s safe. Big Ice Block, what do you want to eat? Ah, but it hasn’t been used for a while, I think I might—”

“…No.” Xiang Shuhuai said. “Come up here and keep me company.”

Her voice was indifferent, calm as usual, but there was a hint of indulgence in it, almost like she was acting cute in a way that made it sound natural.

When she heard her own voice, even Xiang Shuhuai was momentarily stunned. But Yu Xiaoxiao just nodded, her expression bright as she answered, “Okay—”

She then put away the other items, hugged her thermos, and climbed into the car, settling under the same blanket as Xiang Shuhuai.

She had been outside and her coat was cold from the autumn night air. Xiang Shuhuai softly said, “You’re so cold.”

Despite saying this, she still leaned against Yu Xiaoxiao, unwilling to let go.

They both took off their shoes, their feet closely pressed together under the blanket, sharing warmth. Yu Xiaoxiao was like a little heater, and even Xiang Shuhuai’s frozen toes began to feel warmer.

Meanwhile, Xiang Shuhuai was holding a plastic rose, adjusting the light’s color, completely focused like a child playing. The colorful lights reflected in her calm, dark eyes.

Yu Xiaoxiao found it amusing and decided to tease her, “Big Ice Block, can I play with it for a while?”

“No,” Xiang Shuhuai replied. “It’s mine.”

Yu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but laugh. She was given a sharp look, but immediately tried to make it up to her, “Alright, it’s yours, it’s yours.”

Under the vast starry night, the endless open plains lay in the darkness, carrying the chill of an autumn evening. Only the warmth from their shared blanket created a small, cozy fortress.

Xiang Shuhuai held the rose, looking up at the stars filling the sky, everything feeling especially quiet.

…It seemed like the atmosphere was about right. Yu Xiaoxiao thought.

“Um… Big Ice Block,” Yu Xiaoxiao spoke softly, “About that surgery… don’t do it, okay?”

She felt the person next to her suddenly freeze, as if frozen in place.

…What?

Xiang Shuhuai’s body went cold in an instant.

It felt like she was suddenly ripped away from the peaceful night.

She unconsciously clenched her jaw, struggling to speak, trying to avoid the topic:

“…What surgery?”

“Well… the omega reconstruction,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, her round eyes filled with serious concern. “Xiang Shuhuai, don’t go…”

It felt like a heavy stone had fallen, and the last bit of warmth left her body.

…She… Xiang Shuhuai thought with difficulty, suddenly wanting to mock herself.

She knew.

Including—the reason why her glands were damaged, how ugly and weak she had been in high school, and now how she no longer had the functions of a normal omega. She looked perfect on the outside, but inside, she was ugly and broken, like mud…

Did Yu Xiaoxiao know all of this too?

Xiang Shuhuai softly said, “You know?”

“I… I didn’t mean to look. It’s just… that night, I overheard something you said, and I couldn’t help but worry, so I asked Assistant Yi…”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, her pale face showing her anxiety and regret.

“I’m sorry, Big Ice Block…” She squeezed Xiang Shuhuai’s cold hand tightly, almost crying. “Please don’t be like this…”

“…Why?”

Xiang Shuhuai’s voice sounded dry and unfamiliar, almost like someone else.

“Why?”

Yu Xiaoxiao stared at her, not understanding what she meant: “…Because… you look so sad?”

“You look like you’re really, really upset…”

She said, gently reaching out to touch Xiang Shuhuai’s pale face.

On that face, which looked almost transparent with paleness, her dark eyes were full of suppressed pain.

The pain was overwhelming, so intense that it seemed like it could tear her apart.

She said, “If you’re sad, it’s okay to cry… Xiang Shuhuai, don’t be like this…”

Xiang Shuhuai just gave a weak smile, lifting the corners of her lips in a cold grin.

“Why don’t you want me to do it?” She heard herself say. “If I get the surgery, it will be good for both of us.”

“You don’t have to come with me. I can go alone. I won’t waste your time. You can just think of it like I went on a business trip for a few months. Once I’m done, you can have a normal partner, like any other couple. If I can get pregnant, your family will be more satisfied with me… Yu Xiaoxiao, right?”

Xiang Shuhuai continued, suddenly remembering something.

“—Ah, of course,” she smiled, “Yu Xiaoxiao, you don’t need to feel burdened, or feel like you have to take responsibility for me or anything.”

Thinking of how things might be, her almost frozen heart suddenly ached. Xiang Shuhuai gave a self-mocking smile.

But she continued, “Marks can be erased. If you don’t want to stay with me later, I’ll erase the mark. If you don’t want kids, then…”

Before she could finish, she was interrupted by an unexpected hug.

“Xiang Shuhuai…” Yu Xiaoxiao buried her face in her neck, and from her voice, it seemed like she was about to cry. “Please don’t do this…”

Surrounded by the unfamiliar warmth, Xiang Shuhuai tried to struggle but couldn’t break free.

In the hug, Yu Xiaoxiao’s body was trembling with emotion.

So Xiang Shuhuai quietly lowered her gaze, no longer struggling, just letting herself be held, her voice calm.

“It’s really fine,” she said. “You can pretend you don’t know about this, Yu Xiaoxiao. I won’t be a burden…”

“—But it will hurt!” Yu Xiaoxiao interrupted, her voice filled with emotion as if she had shouted it.

She couldn’t hold back her tears anymore, pulling Xiang Shuhuai, fragile and thin, closer. Her tears fell.

“You’ll be in pain, Xiang Shuhuai. Why are you talking like your pain doesn’t matter…”

Crying, she deepened the hug, sobbing, “But you’ll hurt… that surgery will hurt so much… please don’t go, Xiang Shuhuai. You can’t go…”

…Xiang Shuhuai’s body in her arms was silent, weak and thin, like a shadow.

A shadow that felt like it would slip away at any moment, disappearing into the night.

Yu Xiaoxiao was scared by her own thoughts, so she ended the hug, tilted her head, and kissed Xiang Shuhuai’s cold, soft lips forcefully.

“Please don’t go…”

Tears fell onto both of their faces, and the clumsy plastic rose lay nearby.

Amidst the countless kisses, Xiang Shuhuai stared blankly at her, her dark eyes empty, reflecting only the night, looking wet, almost as if she was crying too.

Yu Xiaoxiao’s crying became more intense, her tears falling rapidly.

“I won’t break up with you, I don’t want you to erase the mark. You can’t think of yourself like that… You can’t go…”

Xiang Shuhuai was stunned for a moment, then gently tilted her head and kissed Yu Xiaoxiao’s wet cheek.

It tasted salty, like warm tears.

She absentmindedly asked, “…Really?”

Yu Xiaoxiao nodded frantically.

“We… let’s mark each other, Xiang Shuhuai, let’s mark each other…” She kissed her as if trying to pull her into her body. “We’ll mark when we go back.”

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

Yu Xiaoxiao sobbed, kissing her harder.

“I’ll never, ever leave you…”