Omega, Always Wants to Mark Me - Chapter 21

The three women parted ways. First, Lu Jinxi left, having spent too much time there already. Her fans, who hadn’t seen her on camera all day, might start to suspect something.

“I’m leaving now, Captain,” Lu Jinxi said, striding toward the door. She politely opened it, but then paused, pursing her lips.

For a moment, she hesitated, unsure whether to address Ming Xiaoyue. After all, Ming Xiaoyue had once said, “I’ll save face for you in front of the cameras, but after they’re off, you’re on your own.”

Since they were now off-camera, should she even acknowledge Ming Xiaoyue before leaving?

Song Wanwen, ever perceptive, noticed the sudden tension between the two women. She quickly interjected, “Go ahead. We’ll catch up later. Just explain the situation to Wu Yingyun—she’ll understand.”

“Okay,” Lu Jinxi replied tersely. Before leaving, she couldn’t resist stealing a barely perceptible glance at Ming Xiaoyue before striding out.

“Alright,” Song Wanwen said after her figure disappeared, unable to resist speaking. “Xiaoyue, now that it’s just the two of us, is there anything you want to tell me?”

Ming Xiaoyue looked up, smiling. “Hmm, actually, there is something.”

“What is it?”

“You and Wen Yifan… be careful. Shipping CPs is one thing, but don’t start believing it’s real. This world might not be as accepting as you think.”

Ming Xiaoyue’s warning was brief and pointed.

After her words, Song Wanwen frowned and countered, “What about Lu Jinxi? Don’t you have anything to say about her?”

“Her? Hah,” Ming Xiaoyue scoffed, her tone turning slightly aggressive when Lu Jinxi’s name came up.

Song Wanwen noticed the change immediately. A moment later, Ming Xiaoyue’s dismissive words rang out.

“Just an insignificant person.”

Song Wanwen had always felt that Lu Jinxi held a special place in Ming Xiaoyue’s heart, but the reality seemed far from her assumptions. Before she could offer any further advice, Ming Xiaoyue had already moved on.

“Alright, it’s about time. I’m going to head out and see how Wu Yingyun reacts,” Ming Xiaoyue said, and promptly left.

The corridor leading to the recovery room was eerily quiet, the atmosphere thick with tension.

As Ming Xiaoyue opened the door, she saw Lu Jinxi standing a few meters from the hospital bed, her face taut and lips pressed into a thin line. The moment Ming Xiaoyue entered, all eyes in the room turned toward her.

“What’s wrong?” Ming Xiaoyue asked with a smile, feigning ignorance.

Wu Yingyun looked at Lu Jinxi through tear-filled eyes, whispering, “A Jin, I don’t believe it. Ming Xiaoyue—” Her voice suddenly rose.

“Hmm?” Ming Xiaoyue walked over and sat on the stool beside the bed, instinctively reaching for the apple and fruit knife on the bedside table.

But in the next instant, Wu Yingyun grabbed her wrist with desperate force, as if clinging to a lifeline.

“A-Yue, A Jin doesn’t want to do the solo with me anymore. Did you know about this?”

Ming Xiaoyue didn’t know what Lu Jinxi had told Wu Yingyun, but she sensed something was terribly wrong. Her first instinct was to analyze the situation and weigh the pros and cons with her.

Lu Jinxi, who rarely spoke, suddenly broke the silence. “Ming Xiaoyue doesn’t know this, but I felt we weren’t suited for a solo performance. Ultimately, I’m still an Alpha, and it’s… inconvenient.”

“And Ming Xiaoyue is convenient?!” Wu Yingyun roared back, her voice filled with resentment.

Lu Jinxi pressed her lips together, thinking for a moment before offering a more convincing explanation. “At least… during our collaborations, there were never any accidents.”

Tears welled in Wu Yingyun’s eyes as she weakly protested, “The doctor said it was a heat trigger! I didn’t want this to happen either! Lu Jinxi, how can you just… because of one accident…”

“Enough!” Ming Xiaoyue cut in coldly. Hearing this, she finally understood: Lu Jinxi was taking full responsibility for the decision to switch partners for the solo performance.

“I’m sorry. This was all for the team’s benefit. I apologize, Wu Yingyun,” Lu Jinxi said, her voice firm.

“This is all for you, isn’t it!” Wu Yingyun cried out, her voice cracking with pain as all her hopes and ambitions shattered. Why did it have to be Ming Xiaoyue? In an instant, her admiration twisted into bitter jealousy.

Lu Jinxi didn’t deny it, and Wu Yingyun already suspected Song Wanwen was involved. But she couldn’t understand why Lu Jinxi would favor Ming Xiaoyue so fiercely, protecting her from even the slightest criticism.

“Ming Xiaoyue,” Wu Yingyun demanded, her eyes burning with resentment, “if you and the Captain both agree, I’ll step aside.”

“Actually, we…” Ming Xiaoyue began to explain, but Lu Jinxi cut her off with a cold glare, her gaze darkening as she glanced at the camera in the corner.

“This has nothing to do with her. If you truly can’t accept it, you and Ming Xiaoyue can perform the solo together. I’ll withdraw.”

“Ha,” Wu Yingyun scoffed, finally understanding Lu Jinxi’s unwavering favoritism. Continuing to argue would only make her look petty.

“Fine. I’ll grant you your wish. I’m withdrawing—from the entire shoot.”

As Wu Yingyun’s words hung in the air, a ripple of surprise spread across the faces of everyone present, even Lu Jinxi’s expression flickered slightly.

“Alright, Yingyun, don’t say things you’ll regret. Don’t act impulsively,” Song Wanwen said, having rushed back just in time.

Wu Yingyun merely turned her head away, but Song Wanwen gave Ming Xiaoyue a meaningful glance. Ming Xiaoyue rose and moved to the side.

“We do owe you an apology for this, but there were reasons behind our decision. First, we had to consider the team’s best interests. Second, we were worried that Lu Jinxi’s Alpha pheromones might negatively affect you.”

As Song Wanwen finished speaking, Wu Yingyun glared defiantly at Lu Jinxi.

Lu Jinxi was about to retort when Ming Xiaoyue, who had stepped back, tugged at her sleeve and whispered, “I’ll settle the score with you later.”

“Okay, I understand. I can step aside, but I have one condition,” Wu Yingyun said, her tone now much calmer.

“What is it? Name it,” Song Wanwen replied, sounding both accommodating and eager to please.

“Anyone but Ming Xiaoyue can take my place.”

Before Wu Yingyun’s words had fully registered, Lu Jinxi couldn’t help but retort, “Why not Ming Xiaoyue?”

Wu Yingyun cast a meaningful glance at Lu Jinxi before declaring with desperate resolve, “Because of you, Lu Jinxi! Can’t you see I like you?”

Her words hung in the air, silencing the room. No one had expected Wu Yingyun to air such personal feelings, especially with the cameras still rolling.

Undeterred, Wu Yingyun pressed on, “Lu Jinxi, do you dare swear you don’t like Ming Xiaoyue?”

“I have no obligation to make any promises to you,” Lu Jinxi replied coldly, her expression hardening at the mention of Ming Xiaoyue’s name.

“Ha! Then what right do you have to favor her? Ming Xiaoyue, do you dare swear you had nothing to do with this?” Wu Yingyun’s eyes darted suspiciously around the room.

“Why is everyone always on Ming Xiaoyue’s side? Not once have you firmly chosen me! Especially you, Lu Jinxi! Why do you always selfishly favor Ming Xiaoyue? Have you ever considered my feelings?”

As Wu Yingyun spoke, her resentment grew, tears streaming down her face.

The Omega pheromones in the room grew increasingly unstable. Fearing the situation would escalate, Song Wanwen intervened, “You should all leave for now. I’ll talk to her.”

“No, I want you to answer me, Lu Jinxi!” Wu Yingyun insisted stubbornly.

Lu Jinxi’s fingertips twitched slightly at her side as she murmured, “I’m sorry, I won’t like you.”

Wu Yingyun deflated like a punctured balloon and burst into tears. Lu Jinxi continued, “I’ll take my leave now.” With a nod to the others in the room, she left.

Ming Xiaoyue, sensing Wu Yingyun’s unusually chaotic Omega pheromones, said, “I’ll go find a doctor.”

“Yingyun, why are you doing this?” Song Wanwen asked.

“I… I just can’t stand it! Why her? Ming Xiaoyue always gets special treatment at school, from the teachers too. Why? Why does she have to take away the only person I’ve ever liked? I… I…”

“Alright,” Song Wanwen said, well aware of the extreme emotional volatility Omegas experience during their heat. She sighed inwardly, feeling Lu Jinxi had handled the situation poorly.

Why choose such a blunt method to persuade Wu Yingyun? Didn’t she realize this was a 24-hour live broadcast?

Before Song Wanwen could offer further comfort, the doctor entered, immediately detecting the overwhelming pheromones. “What’s going on here?” he asked.

“She might have been triggered by something,” Song Wanwen said truthfully.

“You should leave now to avoid being induced into heat yourselves,” the doctor said, spraying an isolation agent.

“Alright,” Song Wanwen replied, leading Wen Yifan out of the room. Surprisingly, they didn’t see Ming Xiaoyue at the door.

Instead, in the hallway, Ming Xiaoyue stood glaring at Lu Jinxi, who was pressed against the wall like a child being punished. Her voice was icy as she demanded, “So what exactly are you trying to say?!”

When Lu Jinxi remained silent, Ming Xiaoyue’s anger surged. She grabbed Lu Jinxi by the collar, her voice tight with fury. “Don’t you dare stay silent!”

“Actually,” Lu Jinxi murmured, “I explicitly told her not to touch that candy today, but she didn’t give it to you.”

Ming Xiaoyue frowned, unsure why Lu Jinxi was bringing this up.

“So what? She’s still just an Omega, and one in heat at that! What right do you have to treat her like this?!”

“I also know she tampered with your clothes last time. I confronted her, and she promised it wouldn’t happen again,” Lu Jinxi whispered.

Ming Xiaoyue’s grip on Lu Jinxi’s collar gradually loosened, suspicion flickering in her eyes. “Are you saying…”

“Yes, to you, she might just seem envious and jealous. But behind the scenes, she’s already crossed too many lines. I used to think, ‘We’re a team,’ but what about next time?”

Ming Xiaoyue completely lost her grip, taking a weak half-step backward. She genuinely hadn’t realized that in her previous life, Wu Yingyun had only occasionally and casually inquired about her affairs.

There was even a period when Wu Yingyun had tried to pull her closer, though their relationship ultimately soured due to Lu Jinxi’s involvement, leading to a bitter falling-out.

She never imagined Wu Yingyun had been secretly plotting against her all along.

Having been constantly backstabbed and sabotaged in her previous life, Ming Xiaoyue knew better than anyone how lethal such petty schemers could be.

“Oh, right. She actually asked me about you during dance practice today too.” Lu Jinxi fell silent for a moment.