My Alpha Has a Split Personality - Chapter 25

Chi Yunhan returned feeling quite puzzled. She sidled up to Lu Xiangyuan and asked, “I didn’t see the fragrance you mentioned. Where is it?”

 

Receiving no response, she noticed Lu Xiangyuan clenching her jaw tightly, fingers balled into fists, clearly furious. Chi Yunhan asked again, confused, “What’s wrong with you?”

 

Lu Xiangyuan looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and said, “It’s nothing. I just thought about my boss—she’s pressuring me to go back and blow glass bottles. It’s infuriating.”

 

Lu Xiangyuan worked with perfume bottles. High-quality perfume bottles were crafted by glassblowing—melting sand and shaping it through precise blowing techniques to form the desired shapes and colors. It was a skilled trade requiring strong lung capacity.

 

Extremely exhausting.

 

Chi Yunhan asked, “Aren’t you off work? Why is she making you go back and blow bottles?”

 

“Yeah, she’s notoriously stingy,” Lu Xiangyuan sighed, pointing to her cheeks. “These past few days of blowing have left my cheeks swollen, and my salary hasn’t even gone up.”

 

They did look slightly swollen. Chi Yunhan touched them gently, her voice laced with concern. “Then take a day off. I’ll go back to the company and request leave for you.”

 

Lu Xiangyuan nodded. “Thanks.”

 

Then, she took out her phone and searched on the official website, navigating to PFE’s page. She typed three characters.

 

The search result popped up: No matches.

 

Chi Yunhan chuckled. “You typed it wrong. Why are you searching for Jiang Muning?”

 

Lu Xiangyuan tried another search—this time for “Twilight.” She found a recent announcement posted at 9 a.m.:

 

After unanimous deliberation by PFE, the original “Summer Night Tuberose” has been officially renamed “Steel Forest,” with the lead perfumer also reassigned. This decision comes from PFE’s executive, Twilight.

 

“Damn, Twilight acted fast. I thought they’d wait until the perfume was finished before announcing this,” Chi Yunhan remarked, surprised, peering at Lu Xiangyuan’s phone.

 

The rest of the news mostly praised Twilight—after all, she was their cash cow and their boss.

 

“This Twilight is pretty impressive.”

 

As she spoke, Chi Yunhan turned toward Jiang Muning’s direction and noticed she had finished her work, now watching them intently, fingers tapping lightly on the transparent glass countertop.

 

Chi Yunhan lowered her voice and continued talking to Lu Xiangyuan. “Why is this Twilight so mysterious? I’ve searched for her photos before, but there’s not a single trace online. I’m starting to think that rumor you mentioned might be true.”

 

“Huh?” Lu Xiangyuan looked at her, puzzled.

 

“You know, the one you told me—that she was bitten by someone when she came of age, fell seriously ill, and since then, PFE has strictly prohibited Omegas from entering.”

 

“Oh, that. Could be true, I guess.” Lu Xiangyuan scrolled through the official website and pointed at a product. “Here, this is the one I meant—the couples’ fragrance. Go ask the salesperson if they still have it in stock.”

 

“This is last year’s fragrance—it’s out of season. Who buys last year’s Valentine’s scent for their current lover?”

 

The word “lover” was uttered with a hint of shyness. Chi Yunhan shook her head at Lu Xiangyuan again, “Xiangyuan, even though you said you’ve been in a relationship before, I deeply suspect you broke up because you’re just too straight. Really.”

 

Lu Xiangyuan pursed her lips. She was tired of talking about that past love of hers. Ah, she didn’t want to recall it anymore. So many romantic feelings had already drifted away with the wind.

 

Chi Yunhan chuckled, then turned her head and was startled to see Jiang Muning standing at the counter beside her, flipping through a small booklet and carefully reading the perfume descriptions inside.

 

“When did you get here? You scared me.”

 

“Just now,” Jiang Muning replied indifferently. She then picked up a scent strip nearby, sniffed it, and said, “It’s alright.”

 

“Where’s your colleague?”

 

Chi Yunhan glanced around, but the people who had been standing with Jiang Muning earlier were nowhere to be seen.

 

“They went back to the company,” Jiang Muning said.

 

“Then why didn’t you go back?”

 

“No rush. It’s not time yet.”

 

Chi Yunhan checked her watch. “But I have to go back to work soon. Are you coming with me? It seems pretty far from here to your company.”

 

Jiang Muning didn’t answer. Instead, she turned to the sales assistant and said, “Wrap these two bottles up.”

 

The assistant quickly took out a gift box, handling it with care. She tied a ribbon around the small box and even included a greeting card inside.

 

Jiang Muning handed the perfume to Chi Yunhan. “For you.”

 

“Huh? You bought this for me?”

 

Jiang Muning remained silent. There were too many people around, and Chi Yunhan didn’t like the feeling of being stared at. She took the perfume and said, “Let’s go then.”

 

As they left, the sales assistants followed them to the door, enthusiastically holding it open and bowing. “Welcome back next time.”

 

Chi Yunhan was inwardly amazed. No wonder PFE was so popular—with service like this, what other brand could compare? Back when she visited other high-end perfume stores, the sales assistants had acted so arrogant, looking down their noses at her, practically telling her to get lost.

 

Tsk tsk.

 

Jiang Muning walked ahead with long strides, making it hard for Chi Yunhan to keep up. Lu Xiangyuan tugged at her sleeve from behind and pointed at a car for her to see.

 

“What’s up?” Chi Yunhan widened her eyes.

 

“That’s Jiang Muning’s car. Bet you don’t believe me.”

 

Then, she heard Chi Yunhan scoff. “No way! I know that car—it’s a Rolls-Royce!”

 

In novels, domineering CEOs always drove this kind of car. Back in her student days, Chi Yunhan had been obsessed with stories where the cold CEO fell in love with the heroine. Those CEOs would often send the heroine to school in a fleet of a hundred Rolls-Royces.

 

Chi Yunhan had fantasized about it too. She might not recognize other luxury cars, but she’d never mistake a Rolls-Royce!

 

Lu Xiangyuan said seriously, “Trust me on this.”

 

Chi Yunhan laughed. “That’s definitely not Jiang Muning’s car.”

 

Lu Xiangyuan’s gaze shifted. She walked into a nearby flower shop, picked up a cactus from the entrance, and declared, “If that car isn’t Jiang Muning’s, I’ll livestream myself eating this cactus.”

 

Chi Yunhan scratched her head. “No need to go that far.”

 

Just as Lu Xiangyuan finished paying and took the bag from the shop owner, Jiang Muning walked past them expressionlessly, pushing an electric scooter.

 

When she reached them, Jiang Muning glanced at her phone and said, “Now the base fare won’t be charged.”

 

Lu Xiangyuan’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She reached to pinch her thigh but accidentally grabbed a cactus instead. Taking a deep breath, she felt like she was ascending to heaven.

 

What kind of magical world was this?

 

Jiang Muning pushing an electric scooter?

 

Chi Yunhan walked over to Jiang Muning and said, “At least they have some self-awareness by canceling the base fare. Otherwise, I’d wish them bankruptcy sooner rather than later.”

 

Jiang Muning simply hummed in agreement, then turned to Lu Xiangyuan. “The scooter can’t carry three people. Maybe we should just call a ride—it’d be more convenient for all three of us.”

 

Chi Yunhan thought it over and agreed. “Should you or I call it?”

 

Jiang Muning deftly tapped on her phone, first claiming a ride discount coupon before booking. “I have a coupon—it’ll save us five yuan.”

 

“Does your friend need to take leave? Where does she live?”

 

After a busy moment, she finally had time to look at Lu Xiangyuan, her gaze calm. Only Lu Xiangyuan stood there in utter bewilderment.

 

“Yes, yes, yes!” Chi Yunhan chimed in, entering the address. “Xiangyuan’s face hurts. I’ll help her request leave later. She lives—”

 

“No need!” Lu Xiangyuan cut them off, forcing a dry laugh. “No trouble at all. I’m not in any pain now—I’m perfectly fine. I can go back to work.”

 

“And—” She glanced around, her eyes landing on the electric scooter nearby. “I’ll just ride this. I know how to ride a scooter. Hahaha, taking a ride would be too expensive.”

 

The green cactus was placed in the basket, its tiny spines bristling. One bite of that, and her mouth would be done for.

 

Chi Yunhan drove the scooter up front, while Jiang Muning sat comfortably in the back, her long legs awkwardly half-bent with nowhere to stretch.

 

Under the blazing sun, the breeze blew gently, bringing some relief. Chi Yunhan’s clothes billowed in the wind, and Jiang Muning reached out to smooth them down. “Are you close with her?” she asked.

 

Chi Yunhan replied, “Of course. Otherwise, how could we be good friends? She’s my only close friend. Want to know why?”

 

Jiang Muning said she didn’t.

 

Chi Yunhan explained, “At first, we weren’t that close—just coworkers. Then one time, we happened to sit together during a meal. My sister was being really nasty, badmouthing me to Xiangyuan, trying to keep her from hanging out with me. But Xiangyuan shut her down. After that, we found we shared the same values and morals, and our friendship just grew stronger.”

 

Jiang Muning let out an “Oh,” then asked, “Do you know about her family situation?”

 

“What situation?”

 

“Her family background.”

 

“About the same as mine.”

 

Though Lu Xiangyuan was more emotionally expressive.

 

As good friends, Chi Yunhan naturally kept Lu Xiangyuan’s secrets and wouldn’t casually spill them.

 

Jiang Muning didn’t press further, but Chi Yunhan found it odd. “Why do I feel like you know Xiangyuan?” she asked.

 

Jiang Muning said, “I don’t.” Then added, “But someone I know might know her.”

 

That seemed like a stretch. Chi Yunhan didn’t probe deeper—it wasn’t strange for people in the same city or district to have mutual acquaintances.

 

She dropped Jiang Muning off first, waving as Jiang Muning headed back to the office. Jiang Muning turned to look at her. “Be careful.”

 

“I’ll pick you up tonight. If you’re not feeling well, go back to the hospital early~”

 

Chi Yunhan then circled back to find Lu Xiangyuan squatting at the company entrance, sweltering under the heat yet unfazed. Her expression was complicated, sighing as if she had lost all hope in life.

 

Seeing her return, Lu Xiangyuan stood up, fanning herself with her hand, and followed behind her with a hesitant look, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

 

Chi Yunhan lectured her, “Listen, she’s just an ordinary person like you. Don’t look at her through tinted glasses.”

 

“I…” Lu Xiangyuan was at a loss for words.

 

Fine, an ordinary person.

 

Chi Yunhan carried the two boxes of perfume, sniffing them as she walked, muttering, “I told you she’d send me something, but you didn’t believe me. Now I don’t even know what to give her in return.”

 

She stopped and turned to look at Lu Xiangyuan, who seemed utterly dejected, and asked with concern, “Seriously, does your face still hurt?”

 

Lu Xiangyuan was on the verge of tears.

 

Back at the office, she applied for leave, using her annual vacation days.

 

Reason for leave: Face hurts. Hurts so much I can’t speak. Hurts so much I can’t breathe.

 

…

 

After that, workdays came and went. Without Chi Yurong to bother her or anyone else causing trouble, life became as bland as water—so quiet it made Chi Yunhan feel oddly uneasy.

 

Of course, her peace didn’t last long before Father and Mother Chi showed up to make a scene, cornering her at the company entrance.

 

“What does her faulty formula have to do with me?” Chi Yunhan was exasperated the moment she saw them.

 

Mother Chi was dressed formally today, like a stern noblewoman. She pursed her lips, still hesitating over how to broach the subject.

 

But Father Chi beside her was far more anxious and said softly, “Yunhan, wasn’t the formula your sister used the one you gave her? The responsibility falls on you this time.”

 

“What proof do you have that I gave it to her? Dad, you’re so biased. The moment something goes wrong, you pin the blame on me.” Chi Yunhan’s expression twisted with pain, the resentment she’d bottled up for so long finally spilling out. “Can’t you stop emotionally blackmailing me every time? Just because she messed up doesn’t mean it’s automatically my fault.”

 

“But Yunhan, your sister always trusted your formulas. Nothing went wrong before. If you just explain things to the police, your sister can be released.” Father Chi spoke gently, “After all, she’s your sister. We can’t just let her go to jail, can we?”

 

In truth, jail would be the least of her worries. If Twilight refused to relent, Chi Yurong’s career would be over—her license revoked, her future in perfumery destroyed, all her past efforts washed away like water under a bridge.

 

Father Chi’s reasoning was airtight: After all, she’s your sister. Hah.

 

In modern society, nothing cuts deeper than family. After struggling so hard to break free, a single phrase—after all, they’re family—reconnects the severed threads.

 

Why should she?

 

Father Chi continued, “Your sister trusted you completely. Even if the formula wasn’t perfect, even if the result smelled awful, she stuck with it. She just wanted to prove herself so she could take care of you later.”

 

Chi Yunhan laughed coldly. “Every single formula she ever used came from me. Did she ever call them awful before? Did she ever once thank me? She always promised to get me into the perfumery lab, but here I am, still just a designer. What good is her trust? I don’t trust her anymore. How do I know she isn’t just trying to pin this on me and make me take the fall?”

 

Her sharp retort left Father Chi—always the milder one—flustered and defensive. “She did thank you. It’s just… family doesn’t need to say it out loud all the time. You understand, don’t you…?”

 

Before she could finish, Mother Chi cut her off. Skilled at putting on a facade, Mother Chi curved her lips into an elegant smile. “Hanhan, you’ve always been unruly. Your sister has constantly indulged you and even got you into the company. How can you live with yourself after harming her like this? Even if you manage to drag your sister down, you’ll never become a perfumer. Think carefully about whether this is worth it.”

 

With that, Mother Chi turned and walked away. Father Chi glanced back at Chi Yunhan before quickly following.

 

Once they were farther away, Mother Chi lowered her voice to warn, “Don’t say things you shouldn’t. Didn’t you see all those people watching? She might be trying to trap you into saying something incriminating.”

 

Father Chi looked startled. “That can’t be. Yunhan still treats me well as her father. She wouldn’t be that heartless.”

 

“Things are different now. She’s found herself an Alpha with powerful connections.” Mother Chi’s chest still ached when she remembered the woman she’d seen that day.

 

Father Chi had more concerns—not just about that woman, but also about how Chi Yunhan had dressed that day. His body trembled uncontrollably as he asked, “Then… then will Hanhan still help us? Yurong is in too much danger at the police station. We need to find a way to get her out. What should we do?”

 

“No need to panic,” Mother Chi said. “If she refuses, we’ll just keep coming to see her every day. How long can she last at the company if she treats her own parents and sister so cruelly? Her reputation won’t survive it either.”

 

Shamelessness knew no bounds. No matter how refined and elegant these parents appeared on the outside, it couldn’t mask the rot festering within.

 

The moment the two walked away, Chi Yunhan tilted her head back to look at the sky, quietly sobbing.

 

A colleague who had been watching nearby, though only understanding half of what was said, asked, “Were those two your parents…? So the formula this time was actually yours?”

 

Chi Yunhan didn’t answer, only blinking away her tears.

 

The colleague quickly handed her a tissue to comfort her. Wiping her eyes, Chi Yunhan finally said, “Yes, they’re my parents. They’ve always favored my sister.”

 

Anyone with eyes could see that every word from Chi Yunhan’s parents was for her sister’s sake. But beyond the family drama, what intrigued everyone more was one question: Had all of Chi Yurong’s formulas actually come from Chi Yunhan?

 

Chi Yurong was the company’s chief perfumer. Rumor had it some higher-ups still saw value in her and were considering hiring a lawyer for her.

 

But if Chi Yurong’s formulas had been taken from Chi Yunhan, that meant she had used a ghostwriter—a grave taboo in the perfumery world.

 

This was one juicy scandal!

 

Chi Yunhan remained silent, turning to walk back to the office. The more she refused to speak, the more curious everyone became, trailing after her.

 

Zuo Yijing stayed closest. “Yunhan, so your family’s been exploiting you all this time? As an Omega barred from perfumery, they tricked you into giving them your formulas.”

 

“It’s not entirely like that,” Chi Yunhan murmured. “Some of the scents were her own work. Last year’s ‘Winter Love Song’ was genuinely hers.”

 

Chi Yurong had risen to chief perfumer mid-last year when one of her fragrances broke the company’s sales records, nearly earning a place in the Perfume Collection Hall as a masterpiece of the industry.

 

However, Chi Yurong’s second fragrance, Winter Love Song, failed to make much of an impact. If not for the fanbase built by her previous fragrance, this one would have ranked near the bottom in sales. But shortly after Winter Love Song, she quickly released a third fragrance, which broke the previous slump and returned to the top of the sales charts.

 

It was precisely because of this that the company saw value in her, hoping to bring her back to create a few more classics, believing that with further development, they could rival PFE.

 

Another colleague asked, “Which of these fragrances were actually your formulas?”

 

“Probably all the remaining ones, right? She made some improvements to them. Honestly, I think if she hadn’t tweaked them, they would’ve been inducted into the Perfume Collection Hall.”

 

Everyone was stunned. Aside from that one terrible fragrance, the rest were all Chi Yunhan’s?

 

Zuo Yijing said, “She probably tweaked them to keep you from recognizing them. My god, your sister is disgusting. But why did you keep giving them to her?”

 

“I didn’t give them to her. I was kicked out of the family a long time ago.”

 

Chi Yunhan smiled bitterly. She had barely reached adulthood, hadn’t even graduated from university yet, when her family stopped supporting her the moment compulsory education ended.

 

After that, she had to support herself, renting a place to live outside, never allowed to stay overnight whenever she visited home.

 

Chi Yunhan said dejectedly, “I don’t even know why. I treated them so well, but not only did they kick me out, they even wanted me to take the fall for my sister and go to prison.”

 

Normally, Chi Yunhan was loud and full of energy, but seeing her slumped at her desk like this, everyone couldn’t help but sympathize, patting her shoulder in comfort.

 

Of course, some still doubted her. Fang Mengmiao pushed forward and interjected, “If you didn’t give her the formulas, then how did Yurong get them? Did she steal them? You don’t even live at home—how could she steal them from your brain? That makes no sense.”

 

“Now that is the key question,” Chi Yunhan said approvingly. “You should ask the company’s perfumers—they’d understand better than me why this happened.”

 

Chi Yunhan stood up, pulled open a drawer, and took out a small gift box. “I’m going out for a bit. Cover for me, will you?”

 

“Where are you going?” They stepped aside to let her pass, still worried. “You’re not really going to see your sister, are you? Yunhan, think carefully—this isn’t a small matter. Your parents have never treated you well. Don’t take the blame for them.”

 

“I know. I’m just going to check on things.”

 

She held up the little box. “I was planning to give them a Valentine’s Day gift. Hah. Probably just because I’m an Omega—an Alpha-favoring, Omega-neglecting family. Figures.”

 

She walked toward the door. Some followed her out for a few steps, while others turned and headed upstairs to the perfumery, eager to gossip about how Chi Yurong could have stolen Chi Yunhan’s formulas if she’d been kicked out of the house.

 

The perfumers found it laughable—wasn’t it obvious? Perfumers relied on inspiration. Even if the person wasn’t around, their notebooks and records were. Stealing them would’ve been effortless.

 

Everyone had an epiphany—of course!

 

As long as you didn’t spell it out, people’s imaginations would always run wilder than the truth. And once the rumors started spreading, Chi Yunhan wouldn’t even need to cry about her family situation—everyone would fill in the blanks for her.

 

It was a sunny day. Chi Yunhan curled her lips, placed her fingers in front of her eyes, and let out a heavy sigh.

 

She had a feeling she wouldn’t see gloomy skies anymore.

 

She went straight to the police station entrance when Lu Xiangyuan called, scolding her over the phone, “How could you not tell me about something this big? I’m coming over right now to back you up.”

 

“Tch, you just want to come for the drama, don’t you?”

 

“Don’t say that. We’re good sisters, aren’t we?”

 

“Fine, come if you want.” Chi Yunhan glanced at the nearby shops. She noticed there weren’t many businesses around the police station—the only one was an old, well-established shop selling sour plum juice and handmade jelly. It looked authentic at first glance.

 

Chi Yunhan went to the shop and ordered a bowl of cold jelly, sitting inside to drink it while waiting for Lu Xiangyuan to arrive. About half an hour later, Lu Xiangyuan appeared wearing a hat and a mask, dressed entirely in black, which made the shop owner keep staring at her.

 

“Xiangyuan, what’s with the…”

 

“My face is swollen, so I’m covering it. What’s the matter?”

 

“Nothing.” Just worried that your outfit might be too alarming, and when we go to the police station later, the officer might arrest you for questioning first.

 

Chi Yunhan ordered her a strawberry-flavored cold jelly, and the two walked toward the police station together. Seeing an officer escorting someone wearing a black hat, Chi Yunhan couldn’t help but say, “Take off your hat, it looks weird.”

 

Lu Xiangyuan glanced around hesitantly, not daring to remove her hat yet. She sighed, “I’m having such a hard time. By the way, why didn’t Jiang Muning come with you?”

 

“She went to pick up a friend. Her friend is coming from abroad. I haven’t told you about this yet—we’ll all have a meal together later.”

 

“A friend? What kind of friend?”

 

“Jiang Muning said she’s a rather eccentric person. They used to get along well, but after some incident, she went abroad. She’ll be staying here for a while…” As Chi Yunhan spoke, she felt a gust of wind beside her. Turning her head, she saw Lu Xiangyuan sprinting away at full speed.

 

In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

 

What?

 

What just happened?

 

Chi Yunhan stood there bewildered, about to chase after Lu Xiangyuan when she heard someone call out from behind her, “Yunhan.”

 

The voice was familiar.

 

Chi Yunhan turned around. On the steps in front of the police station stood a man, looking straight at her with an impassive expression, his voice low.

 

He called out, “…Yunhan, long time no see.”

 

This man was Fan Chaoming, Chi Yurong’s fiancé.

 

He stood at the entrance, his gaze fixed on Chi Yunhan as he called her name, though he made no move to approach her.

 

Chi Yunhan had no intention of speaking to him either, pretending not to see him. She walked into the police station and asked, “I’m here. What’s the matter? Do you want me to talk to Chi Yurong?”

 

Chi’s mother gave her a cold glance, as if she had expected her arrival, and sat with her arms crossed on a nearby chair.

 

She snorted, “Heartless.”

 

“Well, I came too early—didn’t that cut your reunion short?” After exchanging a few sarcastic remarks, Chi Yunhan grew tired and said, “After all, I’m here to make her face justice. Mom and Dad, you’re so cruel.”

 

Chi’s mother was so angry she wanted to hit her, but the officer dutifully separated them, saying, “If you don’t want to see each other, fine. This is the only chance anyway.”

 

Chi’s mother snatched the tea from Chi’s father’s hands, blowing on it angrily while glaring at Chi Yunhan.

 

Chi Yunhan leaned against the doorway, a shadow falling over her. She glanced down, then moved to the other side, standing on tiptoe to meet Fan Chaoming’s gaze.

 

Fan Chaoming was a strange man—gloomy in temperament, his gaze cold, especially when directed at Chi Yunhan, dark and brooding, as if he had something to say to her.

 

Chi Yunhan kept sidestepping to keep her distance from him. She texted Lu Xiangyuan, asking why she had run off, adding, “Fan Chaoming definitely wants to hit me, to avenge Chi Yurong. If he dares to lay a hand on me, I’ll smash his skull—paying him back for everything, past and present.”

 

Fortunately, Fan Chaoming didn’t come over, avoiding a violent incident. As the time was about right, Chi Yunhan followed the police to meet Chi Yurong.

 

Chi Yurong had spent a day at the police station. Despite changing into clean clothes, her spirits remained quite low. When she saw Chi Yunhan, her eyes slowly lit up. Sitting down, she said, “I admit my attitude toward you was harsh before, but I never intended to harm you.”

 

Chi Yunhan didn’t respond, merely placing a gift box tied with an exquisite bow on the table. Chi Yurong looked at it in confusion and said, “Once I’m out, I’ll return your formula to you. If you want to be a perfumer, I’ll talk to the company—they’re actually interested in hiring you.”

 

The room was under surveillance. If Chi Yunhan nodded and acknowledged that the formula was hers, proving Chi Yurong had merely used it, then the charges of intentional harm and poisoning would be baseless, and Chi Yurong could walk free.

 

But instead, Chi Yunhan pulled out a suona from the box.

 

Yes, the king of instruments—the suona.

 

Chi Yurong didn’t understand her intention and continued, “The formula is all yours. I won’t take it anymore.”

 

Then, Chi Yunhan elegantly raised the suona to her lips, closed her eyes, and began to play. After a few stunned seconds, Chi Yurong heard the loud, brassy notes: “When the tune plays and the cloth is spread, the whole village gathers to be fed~”

 

“Yunhan?” Chi Yurong was dumbfounded, frozen in her seat. Chi Yunhan stepped closer and kept blowing, “Baa-baa~ When the tune plays, some depart, some carry, followed by a sea of white.”

 

The noise was deafening, ringing in her ears. The anger she had bottled up over the past few days flared uncontrollably.

 

Chi Yurong endured and endured—until she snapped. She screamed, “Chi Yunhan! Chi Yunhan! Just you wait—once I’m out, I’ll make you pay—!”

 

Chi Yunhan stood up and opened the door, as if taunting, “Come and get me if you dare.”

 

She played with dramatic flair, “The coffin is lifted, the earth is piled, friends and family start to cry~ Cry and cry, brothers and relatives all kneel down. At first, you don’t grasp the song’s meaning—by the time you do, you’re already in the coffin~”

 

A police officer pulled her away, barely holding back laughter as he quickly shut the meeting room door.

 

Chi Yunhan continued playing as she walked, running through the entire tune again. The Chi parents’ expressions shifted repeatedly. Fan Chaoming approached her, calling, “Yun—”

 

Before he could finish “han,” the suona’s blaring horn was aimed right at him, blasting mournful, dramatic, and impassioned notes.

 

“Ahem.” The nearby officers had tried several times to intervene but failed to get Chi Yunhan’s attention. Covering their mouths, they burst into laughter.

 

Mother Chi was furious, yelling at them, “Do you even have any professionalism? She’s playing that thing right in the police station, and you’re not stopping her? What’s so funny?!”

 

“Well… cough Normally, we wouldn’t laugh. But she’s your daughter—we tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t listen. Maybe you should step in… Hahaha, we just couldn’t help it.”

 

The officers laughed openly, some even banging their desks with books before finally forcing seriousness. “Stop playing, stop playing! Keep this up, and we’ll have to detain you for disturbing the peace!”

 

“Baa~” The final note fell, and Chi Yunhan’s performance came to an end. She panted heavily, “Sorry, officer. I’m not usually like this—I’m a very reserved person. It’s just that thinking about my sister having to endure hard prison time fills me with such sorrow that I couldn’t help but play a tune to see her off.”

 

Some laughed, others fumed, and for a moment, no one quite knew what to do with her.

 

Outside the police station, a black business car pulled to a stop. The secretary stepped out, puzzled by the scene inside. Though she couldn’t hear the commotion, she could see Chi Yunhan happily tooting away on her suona.

 

After a moment, she turned and made a call to Jiang Muning. “Ms. Jiang, I’ve found Ms. Chi. Yes, she’s at the police station right now.”

 

“She’s playing music and seems quite happy. I’m not sure what piece it is, but there’s an Alpha following her closely—not Ms. Lu, but a man.”

 

“The person…” The secretary glanced over again and reported truthfully, “He’s very tall and somewhat handsome. Judging by his attire, he seems to be a well-off Alpha.”

 

She hesitated, wondering if she should snap a photo to send to Jiang Muning, given how possessive Alphas could be.

 

There was silence on the other end of the line before the secretary added, “Don’t worry, I won’t let him do anything to Ms. Chi while I’m here.”

 

“Mm.”

 

The call ended.

 

The secretary entered the police station.

 

Chi Yunhan had already finished playing and was taking a deep bow, preparing to wipe down her suona and pack up to go home.

 

But Fan Chaoming kept blocking her way, irritating her enough to consider calling for the police—until the secretary arrived. Standing at the entrance, she gave Chi Yunhan a polite nod and asked, “Ms. Chi, are you in some kind of trouble?”

 

Chi Yunhan was surprised to see her but quickly remembered she was from PFE and nodded emphatically. “They’re trying to pin the blame on me, and I won’t stand for it.”

 

“Yunhan, what nonsense are you spouting?” Mother Chi glared at her, reaching out to pull her back. They were still waiting for Chi Yunhan to negotiate with PFE and force her to admit that Chi Yurong had nothing to do with this.

 

The secretary stepped in first, shielding Chi Yunhan. Mother Chi scowled. “Who are you? This is a family matter—none of your business.”

 

“My apologies, but I must intervene.” The secretary produced a settlement agreement. “This is what you mailed to me this morning. I’m returning it.”

 

Mother Chi froze, reaching out in confusion. The next second, the documents in the secretary’s hand dropped into the trash bin, leaving Mother Chi empty-handed, her face burning with humiliation.

 

The secretary dusted off her hands. “First, if you want a settlement, the compensation amount is incorrect. Our CEO’s daily salary starts at sixty million. Factoring in lost wages alone, your hundred thousand isn’t even enough to cover taxes.”

 

“But—” Mother Chi tried to argue, but the secretary cut her off. “That’s just salary. There are also the delayed contracts and stock losses over the past few days. You’d better prepare at least a billion.”

 

“Oh, and don’t even think about shifting the blame. Our CEO made it clear: since Chi Yurong was the one who delivered the fragrance sample, she must face the consequences. She’d better rot in prison.”

 

With those words, Mother Chi didn’t dare utter another sound.

 

After the secretary finished speaking, she made a phone call. The next people to enter were an entire legal team—ten in total, all dressed in sharp suits, tall and imposing, standing in the police station like a dark, overwhelming force.

 

It looked very much like the mafia.

 

The police officers were visibly uncomfortable and shooed them out into the courtyard. “Take it outside. Blocking the entrance like this is ridiculous.”

 

But the secretary had already said her piece and had no intention of negotiating with Chi Yunhan’s parents anymore. She left Mr. and Mrs. Chi awkwardly standing in the courtyard, their faces cycling through a kaleidoscope of emotions.

 

Chi Yunhan was nearly blinded by the secretary’s swift and decisive actions. “You were amazing just now. I couldn’t have slapped them down like that.”

 

So badass.

 

The secretary replied, “It’s all thanks to our boss. I’m just borrowing her authority.”

 

Right—they were from Twilight Corp. Being this domineering was practically expected.

 

Chi Yunhan turned to leave but stopped mid-step when she looked up, instinctively calling out, “Twilight?”

 

The person at the entrance lifted her head slightly at the sound of her name, revealing a familiar face. Chi Yunhan craned her neck. “Jiang Muning? Jiang Muning? What are you doing here?”

 

Jiang Muning stood at the police station entrance, her expression cool as she glanced at Chi Yunhan, then looked past her, her gaze darkening slightly.

 

The secretary stepped out behind Chi Yunhan and froze at the sight before her. She checked her watch—had only ten minutes passed?

 

Did she teleport here?

 

Weren’t you just giving a detached “Mm” over the phone?

 

Jiang Muning said calmly, “I was rerouted from the airport and thought I’d stop by.”

 

“Oh.” Chi Yunhan realized they’d been running into each other a lot lately—something that never used to happen. She walked over to inspect the car behind Jiang Muning but didn’t see a driver. “Whose car is this…?”

 

“Not mine.” Jiang Muning looked at the secretary.

 

“That’s our boss’s car,” the secretary smoothly interjected, stepping toward the vehicle. She pulled out the keys, pressed the button, and the car chirped in response. Opening the door, she said, “Perfect timing—I have some business to handle. I can drop you off too.”

 

“Can I really ride in it?” Chi Yunhan hesitated, eyeing the obviously expensive car.

 

The secretary waved it off. “No problem. My boss is a very kind person, always happy to help. She’d be thrilled to know you rode in her car.”

 

Chi Yunhan climbed in first. Jiang Muning bent to follow but paused for a few seconds, glancing back. At the entrance, Fan Chaoming stood with a furrowed brow, his expression deliberately cold—yet the moment his gaze landed on Chi Yunhan, it turned inscrutable.

 

Jiang Muning reached out to steady Chi Yunhan’s waist. “Watch your head.”

 

“Got it!” Chi Yunhan settled into the seat, sinking into the plush cushions with a pleased hum. Good bosses like this were rare these days. She politely thanked them and asked, “By the way, which executive do you work for?”

 

She knew the secretary and Jiang Muning were colleagues, but she wasn’t sure which high-ranking official the secretary reported to. Since she was borrowing their car, she ought to remember the favor.

 

“Twilight—”

 

“Ah.” The secretary answered truthfully, then heard a cough. Seeing the person in the rearview mirror, she silently pressed her lips together.

 

Chi Yunhan was surprised—the secretary’s direct superior was actually Twilight. She leaned back, feeling waves of relief. Thankfully, she had only complained about Twilight to Jiang Muning and hadn’t said anything bad about Twilight to the secretary.

 

No matter who it was, hearing others talk badly about them would make them unhappy. She brooded over it for a while until Jiang Muning spoke up: “It stinks.”

 

Chi Yunhan lifted her sleeve to sniff. She had just spent some time in the interrogation room, so there was a lingering smell of smoke. “It must be from me. I’ll stand outside for a bit.”

 

Jiang Muning leaned forward slightly, closing the car door and pressing a button on it. The roof turned transparent.

 

The seat reclined as Jiang Muning half-lay back, a folder resting on her knees. She flipped through the documents while adding, “I didn’t mean you stink.”

 

That was a relief. Chi Yunhan leaned back, enjoying the plush comfort of the car. Rich people’s cars really were different.

 

There was a small TV and even gaming options—no wonder people said a luxury car was equivalent to a house. Just look at the design: you could eat, drink, relax, and even travel in style.

 

She opened a game—a simple block-pushing puzzle—and got stuck on the twelfth level. She fiddled with the controller, pushing here and there, but when only one move remained, she exited without saving.

 

“Push it over,” Jiang Muning suddenly said.

 

“Nah, it wouldn’t be polite to mess with someone else’s stuff in their car. Plus, games are sensitive—what if she wanted to clear the level herself?”

 

Jiang Muning turned a page in her file and gave a light cough toward the front.

 

The secretary chimed in, “No need to be nervous, Miss Chi. Our boss actually wants someone to help clear the levels. If you could get past a few more, you’d be doing me a huge favor.”

 

“Really?” Chi Yunhan sat up straight. After the secretary nodded, she grabbed the controller again and quickly cleared five levels. “I’m hopeless at competitive games, but I’m great at these—I can even beat the final level!”

 

She played happily, switching between different games—fighting, match-three, Snake.

 

She played lying down, sitting up—completely absorbed.

 

Occasionally, she heard Jiang Muning speaking to her. “What were you doing at the police station earlier?”

 

“Nothing much. I was playing the suona inside,” Chi Yunhan replied distractedly, focused on the game. “I play really well.”

 

“What song were you playing?”

 

“Are you close with them?”

 

Chi Yunhan cleared another level and pumped her fist, laughing.

 

“Yesss!” “Woohoo!” “Yesss, baby!”

 

The car drove steadily until Chi Yunhan, exhausted from playing, looked out the window. Only then did it accelerate, finally stopping at their destination.

 

Just as Chi Yunhan was about to push the car door open, a cold voice suddenly spoke beside her ear: “Was that man your ex-boyfriend?”

 

The words came from Jiang Muning’s throat. Chi Yunhan turned her head—at some point, Jiang Muning had removed her suit jacket and undone three buttons. Sitting as she was, the view inside was hard to miss.

 

Chi Yunhan swallowed, her gaze involuntarily flickering downward.

 

Jiang Muning added coldly with a look of disdain, “His pheromones stink, so his character must be terrible at first glance.”