Omega, Always Wants to Mark Me - Chapter 29

“Um, so is there some connection between these things?” Ming Xiaoyue asked, still confused.

Wen Yifan fell silent for a moment, but Song Wanwen, understanding Wen Yifan’s meaning, stepped in to explain.

“Emm, how to put it… You could think of it as even friends can feel jealousy and possessiveness. Maybe because Yang Yuting is an Alpha, she also feels possessive toward Xi Ruoqiong.”

“Um,” Ming Xiaoyue hesitated, then ventured, “But Xi Ruoqiong is a Beta, right?”

“Alright, alright, Yifan’s just speculating. Just focus on not caring about Yang Yuting, okay?” Song Wanwen, unable to keep up the pretense, abruptly changed the subject.

“Okay, so are you guys done eating? Let’s head back to the practice room and keep practicing.”

“Sure.”

When the three returned to the practice room, they unexpectedly found Lu Jinxi practicing in a corner. Without a word, they watched her sweat-drenched back in silent understanding.

In truth, setting aside all other factors, Lu Jinxi’s skill level wasn’t low at all—she was actually above average. Combined with her relentless effort, she had considerable potential to debut.

Lu Jinxi stopped moving, recently she had become particularly sensitive to Ming Xiaoyue’s pheromones, so she immediately turned around and saw the three of them. She nodded slightly in greeting.

“A Jin, you haven’t eaten yet, have you? I packed you a fruit salad. Eat it before you continue training,” Song Wanwen said, breaking the silence.

“Thank you,” Lu Jinxi replied, lowering her head slightly as she touched the back of her neck. The pheromone patch seemed to have peeled up at one corner due to sweat.

Lu Jinxi hurried to the locker to grab a new patch, then applied an isolation spray. “You guys can continue practicing. I’m going to the restroom,” she said.

“Okay,” Song Wanwen replied, trying to ease the awkwardness.

As Lu Jinxi walked away, Ming Xiaoyue suddenly spoke up in a cold, sarcastic tone: “Hurry back. Don’t go off doing pointless things again. You’d be better off practicing your dance with me.”

Lu Jinxi’s grip tightened on the door handle, sensing the barbed edge in Ming Xiaoyue’s words. But she simply replied with a curt “Okay” before leaving.

The moment the door closed, Song Wanwen couldn’t help but speak up for Lu Jinxi.

“A-Yue, A Jin is actually one of the most good-tempered Alphas I know. You don’t have to be so sarcastic with her all the time.”

“Oh,” Ming Xiaoyue replied indifferently. “What does her good temper have to do with me? I’m just stating facts. Am I wrong?”

Song Wanwen didn’t know how to respond for a moment. She had noticed that while Yang Yuting only targeted Ming Xiaoyue, Ming Xiaoyue seemed to inexplicably direct all her bad temper toward Lu Jinxi.

Never mind, Song Wanwen thought. It’s their business. I shouldn’t judge. They’re adults; they should know how to handle themselves.

The three continued practicing. This time, Lu Jinxi obediently returned early. Before she could approach Ming Xiaoyue, Ming Xiaoyue snapped, “Food.”

“Ah, oh, thank you,” Lu Jinxi replied meekly, walking over to the wall-mounted seat and picking up the fruit salad Song Wanwen had packed.

Ming Xiaoyue watched her solo performance without a word.

After finishing her salad, Lu Jinxi sat holding the empty container, staring blankly at Ming Xiaoyue’s fluid movements.

“Why are you always spacing out?!” Ming Xiaoyue stopped dancing and glared at Lu Jinxi.

“Ah? Sorry, I was just waiting for you to finish this part before talking to you,” Lu Jinxi stammered, quickly tidying up her trash and standing up.

“Hmm. I can practice my solo routines alone, but for the duet, no matter how well I practice, it’s still a collaboration between two people.”

Ming Xiaoyue’s words were actually a subtle jab at Lu Jinxi.

“Mm, I understand. I’m sorry. I’ll try my best to adjust my attitude.”

Ming Xiaoyue wasn’t sure if she had become immune to Lu Jinxi’s apologies. Besides, after reflecting on Song Wanwen’s words, she realized there was some truth to them.

She had indeed been unfairly projecting her anger from her previous life onto Lu Jinxi.

But whether it was the incident at the hotel or the Wu Yingyun affair, some things truly needed to be put behind them.

“Alright, let’s run through the routine once to test it,” Ming Xiaoyue said, crouching down to adjust the music.

As the music began, their movements flowed seamlessly together. This time, Lu Jinxi finally found her rhythm, her every gesture and expression approaching perfection.

When the song ended, both women were slightly breathless. Lu Jinxi instinctively grabbed a towel and handed it to Ming Xiaoyue, who accepted it without hesitation.

“Whew, that’s much better,” Ming Xiaoyue said, straightening up and wiping her sweat. “But why do you always keep your hand hovering over my waist?”

“I—” In the heat of their sweat, Lu Jinxi’s pheromones spread more rapidly. She could now clearly sense that Ming Xiaoyue’s Omega pheromones seemed less repulsed by her.

Lu Jinxi let out a silent sigh of relief. “After all, I’m an Alpha,” she said. “You Omegas are the ones who get taken advantage of. These little gestures don’t matter; they won’t affect the overall impression.”

“But what if other viewers see it from a different angle?” Ming Xiaoyue pressed. This wasn’t just alarmist talk; when they took center stage, the audience would have a 360-degree view with no blind spots. It was entirely possible someone might notice.

“I…” Lu Jinxi hesitated, unsure how to respond.

She knew this was likely Ming Xiaoyue’s professional perfectionism flaring up again—a habit that tormented herself and others.

“Then… I’m sorry,” Lu Jinxi murmured.

“Huh? Why are you apologizing again?” Ming Xiaoyue asked, puzzled.

“If I accidentally touch you somewhere sensitive later, please forgive me,” Lu Jinxi explained.

“What’s the big deal? It’s just normal collaboration. Why are you always avoiding me, Lu Jinxi?”

Before Ming Xiaoyue could finish, Lu Jinxi quickly interjected, “I’m not!”

“Then why won’t you look me in the eye when you say that?” Ming Xiaoyue challenged, her tone firm but her hands still.

Slowly, Lu Jinxi met Ming Xiaoyue’s gaze.

“Want to try again?” Ming Xiaoyue asked.

“Mm, okay,” Lu Jinxi replied without breaking eye contact.

As the music started, Ming Xiaoyue subtly sensed Lu Jinxi’s pheromones relax considerably. This time, their movements flowed even more seamlessly than before.

“Mm, if we maintain this level during the competition, we should be fine. I’m going to practice my solo dance now. What about you?”

An inexplicable calm settled between them. The usual tension had dissipated, replaced by an unexpected harmony. At least Lu Jinxi now dared to meet her gaze directly when answering.

“Mm, okay. I’ll work on my solo dance too.”

“Mm-hmm.”

They practiced separately for the rest of the afternoon. During the final hour, at Ming Xiaoyue’s suggestion, they ran through the entire routine together. The result exceeded their expectations.

Determined to achieve perfection, they didn’t let up their efforts in the final days leading up to the competition.

The day before the competition, the production team gathered all the teams for the customary drawing of lots to determine the performance order.

Unexpectedly, Ming Xiaoyue’s team drew the last slot again, much to the chagrin of Yang Yuting, who glared daggers at Ming Xiaoyue.

“Alright, the rules remain the same as before. The duo competition will be held the day after the team competition. However, due to a member’s departure, the production team has decided to change the duo competition to a solo competition.

The competition order will be based on the previous ranking points. The top-ranked contestant gets to choose their opponent first, and the selected opponent then decides the competition format. This seems fair, right? Any objections?”

Everyone present knew the production team was merely going through the motions. Since they had already made their decision, the solo competition was a foregone conclusion.

“No objections!” the group chorused.

But there was always an exception.

“I object!” Yang Yuting stood up, her voice sharp with dissatisfaction at the agenda.

The director’s head throbbed. He knew he couldn’t afford to antagonize this woman. He dismissed the others with a wave. “Alright, everyone else who has no objections, you may leave. Yang Yuting, come with me to the control room.”

As soon as the director left, the room erupted in whispers.

“Do you think Yang Yuting will get disqualified for challenging the production team like that?”

“Who knows? She’s a real heiress. How can we compare to someone with her connections and background?”

“Tch, she always gets special treatment…”

The casual insult slipped out, sounding particularly cheap.

“Alright, everyone, shouldn’t we be heading back to practice?” Xi Ruoqiong said with a smile, standing up.

Immediately, many fell silent, casting wary glances at Xi Ruoqiong. They knew she was often seen with Yang Yuting, but since she had also helped many of them in the past, they felt obliged to give her face.

Watching most of the group disperse, Xi Ruoqiong secretly breathed a sigh of relief, though her expression turned uncharacteristically troubled.

While she had to admit Yang Yuting’s talent was undeniable, she knew that skill alone wasn’t enough to debut in a girl group. Yang Yuting’s two consecutive acts of defiance had already made her a target of public criticism.

Moreover, during the lottery draw, she had even dared to publicly accuse the production team of rigging the results. Xi Ruoqiong felt a headache coming on, unable to understand why Yang Yuting was so fixated on Ming Xiaoyue…

As she pondered this, a sudden weight settled on her shoulder. Xi Ruoqiong quickly turned her head to see Ming Xiaoyue standing beside her.

Ming Xiaoyue reassured her, “It’s okay, don’t overthink it.”

“I’m sorry, A-Yue. I don’t know why Yuting keeps…”

“It’s not your fault, so why are you apologizing? Besides, I told you, it’s fine. I’m not taking it to heart. We’re not even the last group to perform. You guys are the first, which isn’t exactly good news.”

This was true. Being the first act meant many fans might not have entered the venue yet, making it hard to get into the zone. Plus, as the later groups performed, the first group’s dance would easily be forgotten.

“That’s good,” Xi Ruoqiong sighed in relief, then asked, “Is your dance going smoothly? If things get really tough, I could talk to the directors. After my performance, I could even guest-star with your team.” Xi Ruoqiong offered help in her usual kind-hearted manner.

“It’s fine, I think everything’s already arranged. But you should give it your all!” Ming Xiaoyue encouraged.

“Yeah, you too!”

Just as Xi Ruoqiong finished speaking, Lu Jinxi suddenly appeared a step behind Ming Xiaoyue. Her voice slightly low, she said, “Ming Xiaoyue, let’s go. Song Wanwen wants to rehearse again today.”

“Okay, I’m coming,” Ming Xiaoyue replied, turning to bid farewell to Xi Ruoqiong. “See you on stage tomorrow!”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow!”

Ming Xiaoyue turned away with a relaxed expression, but unexpectedly noticed Lu Jinxi’s face was unusually serious…