Omega, Always Wants to Mark Me - Chapter 17

Lu Jinxi seemed a bit off. In the restroom, Ming Xiaoyue stood at the sink, the cold water washing over her hands as she stared absently into the mirror, her brow furrowed.

“A-Yue, you’re here! We’ve been looking for you,” Wu Yingyun’s undisguisedly cheerful voice rang out.

Ming Xiaoyue took a deep breath, exhaling the stuffiness in her chest and the heavy thoughts weighing on her mind. She turned off the water, looked over, and asked with a smile, “Oh? What’s up?”

Wu Yingyun approached and said, “Song Wanwen suggested we run through the choreography one more time. After all, A-Jin and I have been practicing our solos all afternoon.”

As Wu Yingyun drew closer, Ming Xiaoyue noticed the faint flush on her cheeks and the unusually light tone in her voice.

Watching Wu Yingyun’s undisguised joy, Ming Xiaoyue felt a sudden, inexplicable tightness in her chest. She dismissed the fleeting discomfort as insignificant.

“Alright,” Ming Xiaoyue murmured, drying her hands and following Wu Yingyun back to the practice room.

Returning to the room, Ming Xiaoyue glanced around, but the moment her eyes met Lu Jinxi’s, she immediately looked away.

The tightness in her chest returned, and without even realizing it, her brow furrowed slightly.

Ming Xiaoyue now understood what had been bothering her about Lu Jinxi: she was deliberately avoiding her, and her methods were painfully obvious.

How pathetic, Ming Xiaoyue thought, her expression hardening as she walked past Lu Jinxi. As expected, Lu Jinxi subtly moved behind Wen Yifan and Song Wanwen as Ming Xiaoyue approached.

“Shall we run through it once first?” Song Wanwen, the team leader, asked for everyone’s opinion.

“Sure, let’s do it.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’m fine with that.”

After the others agreed, Song Wanwen stepped aside and started the music.

Lu Jinxi, now suddenly exposed without her usual cover, shifted slightly behind Song Wanwen, making Ming Xiaoyue feel like a virus.

Hmph, Ming Xiaoyue sneered inwardly. Perfect. Just perfect. Yet, inexplicably, a nameless fire began to burn in her chest.

As the music began, the group quickly took their positions. They formed a triangle, with Wen Yifan at the apex as the lead vocalist, followed by Song Wanwen and Wu Yingyun in the second tier, and Lu Jinxi and Ming Xiaoyue facing each other at the base.

With crisp, coordinated movements, they crossed paths and regrouped in sync with the music’s rhythm. As the climax approached, the focus shifted to Lu Jinxi and Wu Yingyun for their solo performance.

The others tactfully stepped back to give them space. The two women stood half-embracing, their bodies swaying slightly as they turned their heads to face opposite directions. Then came the teasing touches, caresses, pushes away, and sudden pulls back together.

Ming Xiaoyue watched as Lu Jinxi’s arm wrapped around Wu Yingyun’s waist, her other hand gliding down Wu Yingyun’s spine from shoulder to lower back. Finally, their heads drew closer, creating the illusion from behind that they were kissing.

Ming Xiaoyue felt a strange unease creeping over her, an inexplicable irritation. Yet she suppressed the nameless anger and completed the dance.

Fortunately, no one in the group lagged behind. As the music ended, everyone except Ming Xiaoyue and Lu Jinxi—who rarely performed such demanding routines in their previous lives—panted heavily, their bodies strained.

Song Wanwen retrieved the camera that had been filming from the other side and reviewed the footage. Wen Yifan had trailed behind Song Wanwen like a little follower throughout the entire performance.

Wu Yingyun, her cheeks flushed with shyness, also leaned in to watch the replay.

For a moment, only Ming Xiaoyue and Lu Jinxi remained in the center of the empty space, their breathing slightly labored. Ming Xiaoyue didn’t know why her gaze drifted uncontrollably toward Lu Jinxi, only to catch her stealing a glance back.

But the next moment, she immediately averted her gaze, straightened her posture, and walked toward the group.

Ming Xiaoyue frowned. Is she avoiding me again? she thought, quickening her pace to deliberately stand beside Lu Jinxi. No matter how Lu Jinxi tried to evade her, weaving through the other team members to escape Ming Xiaoyue’s proximity, Ming Xiaoyue relentlessly closed the gap, squeezing in wherever she could.

Whether it was due to Ming Xiaoyue’s emotional turmoil or a lingering effect of the reverse marking, amidst the clashing scents of perfume, sweat, and faint traces of chaotic pheromones, she thought she could faintly detect Lu Jinxi’s sweet citrus Omega pheromone.

Yet, just then, Lu Jinxi leaned slightly back, attempting to create distance. Her breathing slowed, and her throat tightened.

Wen Yifan murmured, “The rhythm’s fine, but the positioning is still a bit messy.”

Wu Yingyun nodded in agreement. “Exactly! Especially the transition after the climax—the way they snap back into formation feels awkward.”

Song Wanwen chimed in with a playful jab, “Tsk, tsk, tsk! Who knew A Jin, usually so quiet and reserved, could be such a dominant Alpha? She’s totally stealing the show!”

The words had barely left her lips when Wu Yingyun’s face flushed pink. Fortunately, everyone’s attention was fixed on the camera, so no one noticed.

While the others were discussing and critiquing the choreography at the front, Ming Xiaoyue’s hand, unnoticed by the group, had begun to subtly trace up Lu Jinxi’s thigh, gradually exploring higher.

Lu Jinxi felt a tingling sensation the moment she was touched, her instinctive reaction to grab the meddling hand. But Ming Xiaoyue easily evaded her grasp.

Frowning, Lu Jinxi wondered which teammate was playing this bizarre prank. She glanced down and froze mid-motion, her arm suspended in mid-air when she saw the hand’s owner.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, she turned her head slightly to look at the culprit. But Ming Xiaoyue was leaning forward, her face animated as she gazed intently at the camera, not sparing Lu Jinxi a single glance.

If it weren’t for the deliberate path of Ming Xiaoyue’s hand, which had already reached her waist, Lu Jinxi might have dismissed the touch as accidental.

Realizing they were discussing their positions, Lu Jinxi’s breathing quickened, and the familiar weakness in her legs returned. She leaned closer to Ming Xiaoyue and whispered, “Ming Xiaoyue?”

Lu Jinxi didn’t know what she had said wrong this time, but Ming Xiaoyue’s hand, which had been idly tracing her waist, suddenly pinched her hard. The sudden movement nearly made Lu Jinxi gasp, but she managed to swallow the sound.

Before Lu Jinxi could ask what was wrong, Song Wanwen spoke up from the front, “Shall we try the new choreography?”

“Sure,” the other two agreed. Ming Xiaoyue had already withdrawn her hand before they dispersed, leaving Lu Jinxi standing frozen in place, her legs feeling weak.

Song Wanwen set up the camera and patted Lu Jinxi on the shoulder. “A Jin? What’s wrong?”

Lu Jinxi took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her abdomen. “Nothing,” she replied.

“Let’s go,” Song Wanwen said, feeling guilty for making her wait.

“Okay.”

They resumed their positions as the familiar music began. But Lu Jinxi was distracted. During her solo, she lost focus and accidentally bumped into Wu Yingyun’s waist.

A familiar, lighthearted hum snapped Lu Jinxi back to reality. Wu Yingyun, her face flushed crimson, looked up at Lu Jinxi with teary eyes.

Lu Jinxi quickly pulled her hand away, avoiding contact with Wu Yingyun’s waist. She stammered, “I’m sorry, I…”

The others noticed the commotion and stopped dancing, gathering around to ask, “What’s wrong?”

At that moment, Wu Yingyun’s legs seemed to give way, and she collapsed into Lu Jinxi’s arms. Lu Jinxi froze, unsure whether to catch her or not, her movements stiffening completely.

Fortunately, Song Wanwen rushed over and caught Wu Yingyun, allowing Lu Jinxi to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“Why is your face so red?” Song Wanwen noticed Wu Yingyun’s distress. A faint scent of black tea Omega pheromones suddenly filled the air. As the only Alpha present, Lu Jinxi quickly retreated several steps to avoid any suspicion.

Ming Xiaoyue calmly suggested, “We should call a doctor to check her.”

The others agreed without hesitation. “Yes, let’s do that right away.”

Lu Jinxi immediately took charge, saying, “I’ll go get a doctor!”

As soon as she left, Song Wanwen whispered, “Is A Jin about to go into heat?”

Ming Xiaoyue’s eyelid twitched. “Why do you say that?” she asked sharply.

“I thought I smelled Alpha pheromones just now, but I’m not sure if it was hers,” Song Wanwen replied directly.

Wen Yifan chimed in softly, “I caught a faint whiff too.”

Ming Xiaoyue, having been marked by Lu Jinxi, had been constantly aware of her pheromones and hadn’t noticed the recent leak.

Wu Yingyun, however, was visibly flushed, her eyes tinged with red—clearly already in heat.

Ming Xiaoyue didn’t pursue the topic. Instead, she stood up and went to the safety cabinet prepared by the production crew. Inside were Omega Inhibitors. She grabbed one and handed it to Song Wanwen, saying, “Give her the inhibitor first.”

“Right.” Song Wanwen knew there was no time to waste. She swiftly administered the inhibitor to Wu Yingyun, and the Alpha-Omega pheromones in the air rapidly diminished.

Just then, Lu Jinxi arrived with the doctor. After opening the door, Lu Jinxi stood outside to avoid any suspicion, while the doctor conducted a quick examination and confirmed that Wu Yingyun’s heat had indeed been triggered.

“Has she consumed any triggering substances recently? Or been exposed to Alpha pheromones?” the doctor asked.

As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone’s gaze involuntarily turned toward Lu Jinxi standing in the doorway. Lu Jinxi belatedly touched the inhibitor patch on the back of her neck.

“Alright, can we take her to the lounge first?” Ming Xiaoyue asked, breaking the awkward silence.

“Yes, but she should get a full checkup later,” the doctor replied, noting that Wu Yingyun’s condition had improved significantly after the inhibitor injection, though her consciousness remained hazy.

Wen Yifan and Song Wanwen helped Wu Yingyun to her feet and led her toward the lounge. Lu Jinxi pressed herself against the wall to make way for them.

As they brushed past, Ming Xiaoyue whispered urgently, “Wait for me in the hallway. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Without waiting for Lu Jinxi’s response, Ming Xiaoyue followed the others into the lounge.