Omega, Always Wants to Mark Me - Chapter 18

Lu Jinxi obediently went to the hallway, feeling a pang of guilt as she touched the inhibitor patch on the back of her neck. Could it really be that my pheromone leak triggered Wu Yingyun’s heat?

Lu Jinxi pressed her lips into a tight line, her expression icy. Without her phone, she couldn’t contact Doctor Wang to ask what was going on.

Meanwhile, against their will, the incident had already sparked heated debate online:

Should Alphas be required to wear pheromone testing bracelets?

Oh my god, I always thought Lu Jinxi was one of the more composed types. Are there any Alphas in the world who can actually control themselves?

I sincerely suggest they wear them. Otherwise, when Alphas leak pheromones, it’s always us Omegas who suffer the consequences.

Ha! The world is just a giant, poorly-run stage, and it’s always the Alphas who get pampered!

Why should we Alphas wear that thing? Have we committed any crimes?

The Alpha pheromone monitoring bracelet was originally issued to supervise Alpha rapists, preventing them from endangering society. If their pheromone concentration reached a certain level, the bracelet would deliver an electric shock, knocking the Alpha unconscious.

So, we only start monitoring after an Omega gets hurt? We only start fixing things after irreversible damage has been done?!

I just finished crying over my ship this morning, and now this drama? Who understands?! Never stan Chinese entertainment stars, especially Alphas!

Hah, I suggest we blacklist Lu Jinxi!

I can’t understand why they mix Alphas and Omegas in the selection process!

Support Alphas wearing pheromone detection bracelets!

Upvote!

+1!

Just as the debate on the forum was reaching a fever pitch, capitalists forcibly shut it down. Even the occasional sparks of information that managed to surface were quickly suppressed.

The official announcement was deliberately vague: Protect the online environment. Do not incite conflict between Alphas and Omegas. The internet is not a lawless realm. Please exercise caution in your speech!

The Omega Rights Movement had been proposed several times, but each year it was delayed. Given that the upper echelons of society were predominantly Alpha, public discontent had long been simmering. This blatant official bias served as a major catalyst.

Outside, chaos had erupted, but inside the closed set, Ming Xiaoyue, while Wu Yingyun was being examined by the doctor, excused herself to use the restroom and left the lounge.

Ming Xiaoyue walked straight to the hallway and opened the door, immediately spotting Lu Jinxi standing in a shadowy corner.

Before Ming Xiaoyue could approach, Lu Jinxi, unusually assertive, called out, “Don’t come any closer!”

Ming Xiaoyue froze, noticing Lu Jinxi’s stubborn expression and a hint of forlorn isolation in the shadows.

Realizing her tone had been too harsh, Lu Jinxi softened her voice and murmured, “Just say what you need to from there.”

Ming Xiaoyue frowned. Was Lu Jinxi trying to tell her what to do?

Ignoring Lu Jinxi’s words, Ming Xiaoyue continued toward her, but Lu Jinxi retreated further, whispering, “Ming Xiaoyue, don’t come any closer.” As she spoke, she touched the inhibitor patch on the back of her neck to confirm it was still in place.

“What are you so afraid of?!” Ming Xiaoyue demanded coldly, striding forward and grabbing Lu Jinxi by the collar, pulling her back from the staircase she was about to reach.

Lu Jinxi pressed her lips into a tight line, refusing to answer.

“Heh, you don’t actually think Wu Yingyun’s heat has anything to do with you, do you?” Ming Xiaoyue cut straight to the heart of their unspoken tension.

Lu Jinxi remained stubbornly silent, her mouth sealed as tightly as a gourd.

Ming Xiaoyue frowned, utterly exasperated by Lu Jinxi’s stubborn silence.

The two women stood locked in a wordless standoff. Finally, Ming Xiaoyue sighed softly and murmured, “Lu Jinxi, this isn’t your fault. You managed to control yourself even in that critical situation at the hotel. I don’t believe Wu Yingyun’s heat is your responsibility.”

“But…” Lu Jinxi lowered her gaze, her voice barely audible. “This afternoon, I was the only one with her.”

A flicker of emotion crossed Ming Xiaoyue’s eyes as she snapped, “Look down!”

Lu Jinxi tilted her head back, evading Ming Xiaoyue’s outstretched hand. Watching her hand fall empty, Ming Xiaoyue’s patience finally snapped. She grabbed Lu Jinxi by the collar and yanked her back.

With her other hand, she retrieved the isolation spray she had just swiped and sprayed Lu Jinxi thoroughly. “Stay here for now,” she ordered. “I’ll check the situation. Try not to come out unless it’s me.”

Ming Xiaoyue released her grip on Lu Jinxi and turned to leave.

Lu Jinxi watched her retreating figure, unable to hold back. “Ming Xiaoyue, why are you helping me? You clearly…”

Her voice trailed off, and she turned her face slightly away.

Ming Xiaoyue heard her dejected murmur from behind.

“I was even ready to let you go…”

“Lu Jinxi, do you misunderstand me? I am who I am. I will never belong to anyone, never be an appendage to someone else’s name, never be called Lu Jinxi’s wife…”

“I’m sorry,” Lu Jinxi blurted out, realizing she had spoken rashly again. She scrambled to recover, “I just… you, Xi Ruoqiong, you all…”

Ming Xiaoyue frowned. “Xi Ruoqiong? Why do you think I have anything to do with her?”

Lu Jinxi immediately regretted her impulsiveness. How could she explain now?

“Never mind,” Ming Xiaoyue said coldly, seemingly unaware of their past life. “I helped you only because you helped me at the hotel. I always repay debts, both good and bad. It’s that simple. Goodbye.”

Lu Jinxi watched her retreating figure, her foot twitching as if wanting to close the distance between them. But after taking only one step, she silently withdrew it, lowering her head to stare at her shoes, the shadow cast by her crossbody bag falling across the floor.

Suddenly, Ming Xiaoyue paused, turned back, and called out, “Catch!”

Lu Jinxi jerked her head up, hastily reaching out. She glanced down—it was an isolation agent. Before she could say anything, Ming Xiaoyue said briskly, “This time I’m really leaving.”

Click! The door slammed shut, leaving Lu Jinxi staring at the now-silent hallway. “Okay,” she murmured.

When Ming Xiaoyue rushed back, Wu Yingyun was much better, almost back to her usual self. The moment she saw Ming Xiaoyue enter, she asked, “Where’s A Jin?”

Seeing the hope in Wu Yingyun’s eyes, Ming Xiaoyue felt a rare pang of guilt and avoided her gaze. As she walked over, she said, “I haven’t seen him. He probably went somewhere to avoid suspicion, considering you’re in heat.”

“Oh,” Wu Yingyun replied, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Ming Xiaoyue reached the bedside and asked Song Wanwen, who was standing nearby, “Have the results come back yet?”

“They should be here soon. The doctor said about ten minutes before he left, but it’s been over twenty now. There might be a delay.”

“Do you guys want anything to eat? I’ll go get takeout,” Ming Xiaoyue suddenly remembered that everyone had been practicing and hadn’t eaten yet. Plus, she realized she hadn’t done such strenuous activity since her acting days, and now she was feeling hungry too.

“Sure, I’ll just have a fruit salad,” Song Wanwen said.

“Me too,” Wen Yifan added softly from the side.

“Okay, Yingyun, you shouldn’t eat anything for now, just in case it affects you later,” Ming Xiaoyue said to Wu Yingyun, who was lying in bed, after taking note of their orders.

“Oh,” she replied, her tone even more disgruntled.

Just as Ming Xiaoyue opened the door, she came face-to-face with the doctor entering the room. She gave him a slight nod and stepped out.

“Yes, the tests are back. The trigger is mango. Have you eaten any recently?” the doctor asked, glancing at the report.

Wu Yingyun shook her head blankly. Having lived this long, she knew her triggers well and would never touch mango.

“The results clearly indicate a trigger. Has your heat cycle started recently?”

“Yes,” Wu Yingyun replied, nodding shyly.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Just be careful these next few days. Feeling tired is normal during this time. Get plenty of rest and avoid your triggers,” the doctor advised.

“Okay, thank you, Doctor.”

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.” The doctor turned to leave, but Ming Xiaoyue was still standing outside the door.

The others looked over as Ming Xiaoyue smiled and said, “I figured Wu Yingyun must be hungry by now. What do you want to eat?”

“Just some congee will do,” Wu Yingyun said. Whether it was psychological or not, she felt genuinely tired after hearing the doctor’s words.

“Alright, I’ll be right back,” Ming Xiaoyue replied, striding out of the room.

“So, what exactly triggered this?” Song Wanwen asked. If Wu Yingyun had no memory of the trigger, the potential danger was even greater.

Wu Yingyun understood the gravity of the situation and began to recall her day.

“I didn’t eat anything unusual today,” she said, then suddenly remembered. “Oh, wait! A Jin gave me a handful of fruit candies earlier and asked me to give them to Xiaoyue. But I forgot, and after practicing all afternoon, my bl00d sugar dropped, so I ate one. It tasted pretty good.”

Wu Yingyun pulled out the candies from her bag. Since Song Wanwen’s triggers didn’t include fruit, she unwrapped one and immediately noticed the problem.

“It’s a blend of many fruit flavors. There might be mango in it, but you probably couldn’t taste it.”

Wu Yingyun scratched her head sheepishly. “Ah, I should have checked the packaging,” she muttered.

“It’s okay, what matters is you’re safe now,” Song Wanwen reassured her.

“Hmm, but…” Wu Yingyun trailed off, looking conflicted.

Meanwhile, as Ming Xiaoyue hurried into the fire escape, Lu Jinxi remained standing at the farthest point from the door, as if she hadn’t moved at all.

“The test results are in,” Ming Xiaoyue said concisely. “Her pheromone trigger caused the heat. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Hmm,” Lu Jinxi murmured, her head bowed.

Ming Xiaoyue watched Lu Jinxi, who still hadn’t moved. Her earlier cheerful expression subtly faded as she asked, “Why are you still standing so far away?”

As she spoke, Ming Xiaoyue approached, only to be enveloped by the overwhelming scent of isolation spray.

“Cough, cough! Lu Jinxi, why did you spray so much isolation spray?”

“Sorry,” Lu Jinxi retreated, pressing herself against the wall. “I thought spraying more would prevent any pheromones from leaking…”

As she spoke, Lu Jinxi grew increasingly flustered. Ming Xiaoyue rolled her eyes in exasperation. To be honest, Ming Xiaoyue sometimes wondered if Lu Jinxi had a screw loose. The last time she’d forced herself to inject an inhibitor had been another example of her extreme behavior.