Omega, Always Wants to Mark Me - Chapter 37

The air hung thick with the distinct pheromones of Omegas, locked in a tense stalemate. Suddenly, behind them, Yang Yuting gasped in shock.

Ming Xiaoyue frowned and turned to look. In the next instant, Yang Yuting scrambled to her feet and hurried out of the room. Inside the lounge, other members also rose, erupting into heated discussion. Amidst the chaos, someone shouted:

“Xi Ruoqiong fell off the stage?!”

Ming Xiaoyue whipped her head around to stare at the large screen. The footage showed staff, fans, and camera operators swaying erratically.

Seeing the scene, Ming Xiaoyue leaped to her feet and rushed toward the exit. Lu Jinxi immediately followed, trailing closely behind her.

A crowd of contestants who had already finished their performances had gathered at the doorway, in the corridor, and backstage, watching the unfolding situation.

Ming Xiaoyue sprinted, her heart pounding wildly, her breath catching in her throat. Whether it was the chaos of the crowd or sheer disbelief, she couldn’t fathom how someone so vibrant on stage just moments ago could suddenly…

And why Ruoqiong? Memories of the help Ruoqiong had given her in her previous life flashed through her mind like a whirlwind. Tears welled up in Ming Xiaoyue’s eyes.

Ming Xiaoyue followed the backstage route directly beneath the stage. No matter how hard she tried to push through the crowd, staff, contestants, and a sea of fans were all clustered together, eager to witness the commotion.

Just as she felt utterly helpless, a pair of hands suddenly clamped forcefully around her neck.

Before she could panic and identify her assailant, a hat was pressed down over her head, followed by Lu Jinxi’s familiar voice from behind.

“Hold on tight,” Lu Jinxi said, her words concise yet firm, grounding Ming Xiaoyue’s frantic heart.

Lu Jinxi pulled Ming Xiaoyue into a tight embrace, forcefully carving a path through the crowd.

Amidst the deafening roar of the crowd, Ming Xiaoyue tilted her head slightly, catching a glimpse of Lu Jinxi’s strained expression. She murmured, “Thank you.”

Lu Jinxi had managed to clear a path earlier, but as they neared the center of the commotion, waves of fans swarmed the area.

As a precaution, Lu Jinxi adjusted the hat she had borrowed from a staff member and reached out to tug Ming Xiaoyue’s hat down as well, preventing her from being recognized by the fans.

“It’s nothing,” Lu Jinxi replied.

Ming Xiaoyue hadn’t expected Lu Jinxi to hear her soft murmur, and she was momentarily surprised by the response.

Lu Jinxi suddenly pressed Ming Xiaoyue’s head down, whispering urgently, “Don’t look up yet. We’re almost there.”

As she spoke, Lu Jinxi wrapped her arm tightly around Ming Xiaoyue’s waist, pulling them into an almost seamless embrace. Ming Xiaoyue’s arms, already around Lu Jinxi’s waist, instinctively tightened their grip on the thin fabric of Lu Jinxi’s back.

With her face buried against Lu Jinxi’s chest, Ming Xiaoyue felt the warmth of the embrace and heard Lu Jinxi’s strong heartbeat quicken sharply.

Listening to that steady rhythm, Ming Xiaoyue’s racing heart gradually calmed. I’m still alive…

The next moment, a staff member’s frantic shouts pierced the air: “Alright, alright! Everyone, please step back! Step back!”

“I said move! Can’t you hear me?! Get lost! Get lost!”

But the crowd didn’t budge. Even in Lu Jinxi’s arms, Ming Xiaoyue could feel the pushing and shoving from behind. It was astonishing to see Yang Yuting, a pampered heiress, behaving like a street shrew.

“We’re almost there,” Lu Jinxi said, her voice slightly strained. “Hold on tight.”

Ming Xiaoyue, who had been clutching Lu Jinxi’s back, tightened her grip. With a forceful shove, Lu Jinxi finally pushed through to the front, where staff members had formed a protective circle.

Seeing someone rushing toward them, the staff quickly reached out to stop them. Ming Xiaoyue hastily pulled off her hat and blurted out, “It’s us! Is Xi Ruoqiong okay?!”

Lu Jinxi, noticing the approaching fans, hurriedly pulled Ming Xiaoyue’s hat back over her head. The staff quickly surrounded the two women, and Yang Yuting snapped, “What are you doing here?!”

Ming Xiaoyue didn’t have time for petty arguments. “Where’s Xi Ruoqiong?” she demanded.

“I’m here,” a faint voice came from below.

“Are you okay?” Ming Xiaoyue rushed over and crouched down.

Xi Ruoqiong suddenly seemed to recall something traumatic. Her face turned deathly pale, and she clutched her head, covering her ears as she whispered, “It’s… nothing serious.”

Ming Xiaoyue glanced down and noticed claw marks on Xi Ruoqiong’s exposed arm. She pressed her lips into a thin line and asked, “What about the others? Are they hurt?”

“Get lost! Xi Ruoqiong’s fine!” Yang Yuting blocked Ming Xiaoyue’s outstretched hand. But Xi Ruoqiong immediately screamed, clutching her head.

“Aaaah!”

Lu Jinxi, who had been standing quietly to the side since they entered, grabbed Ming Xiaoyue’s arm and pulled her up. “Let’s get out of here first,” she said. “We can ask questions later.”

“Okay,” Ming Xiaoyue agreed, knowing Lu Jinxi was right.

But no matter how the staff tried to dissuade them, the crowd continued to surge forward, showing no signs of dispersing.

Watching the chaotic scene, Lu Jinxi turned to the staff and suggested, “Why don’t you split your team? Half of you can try to divert some of the crowd.”

The staff, clearly exhausted, immediately agreed. “Okay.”

Lu Jinxi glanced at Ming Xiaoyue and began softly, “Then you stay here for now…”

Before she could finish, Ming Xiaoyue cut her off firmly. “I’m going with you!”

Lu Jinxi hesitated, then suggested, “Or maybe I should go alone…”

“No!” Ming Xiaoyue refused adamantly. “One person won’t be able to draw enough of the crowd away!”

“But…” Lu Jinxi hesitated, her expression darkening. She had been jostled and grabbed by the crowd just trying to get in.

Moreover, after observing Xi Ruoqiong, she could see that while Ruoqiong wasn’t seriously injured, Yang Yuting’s reaction suggested she might have suffered a trauma from the fall.

Lu Jinxi didn’t want Ming Xiaoyue to risk getting hurt.

Sensing Lu Jinxi’s hesitation, Ming Xiaoyue wrapped her arms around Lu Jinxi’s waist and declared, “If I’m in your arms, I’ll be safe.”

The crowd gasped as Ming Xiaoyue embraced Lu Jinxi, while Lu Jinxi, as an Alpha, blushed slightly.

She cleared her throat and finally relented, “Alright, just don’t get lost.”

“Okay.” The staff narrowed the circle, and two of them approached. “Miss Lu, Miss Ming, we’re sorry, but we can only spare two escorts.”

“It’s fine. Let’s go. We shouldn’t linger too long; a pheromone surge could be dangerous,” Lu Jinxi murmured.

The two groups parted ways. The staff led Yang Yuting and Xi Ruoqiong toward the nearest exit, while Ming Xiaoyue and Lu Jinxi headed toward the center of the crowd.

Countless hands reached out, making them feel like monkeys on display. Ming Xiaoyue felt herself being tugged, her face tightening with discomfort.

Amid the clamor, Lu Jinxi whispered soothingly, “Don’t look, don’t listen. It’ll be over soon.”

Ming Xiaoyue was indeed a little flustered, though not to the point of a panic attack. After all, she had been a Best Actress in her previous life.

Fortunately, other staff members rushed to meet them at the exit. The two women successfully navigated the safety passage. Compared to the bright glare outside, the corridor felt dim as the door closed behind them.

“Are you okay?” Lu Jinxi asked softly, following behind the staff. Ming Xiaoyue remained clinging to Lu Jinxi, her brow still furrowed.

“Lu Jinxi, what did you and Tang Jinshu do today?” Ming Xiaoyue couldn’t resist asking.

“I…” Lu Jinxi began, but the carefully rehearsed lie caught in her throat at the crucial moment.

“Don’t lie to me,” Ming Xiaoyue murmured.

Lu Jinxi froze, unsure how to respond. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder. She glanced down to see Ming Xiaoyue biting into her flesh, and gasped softly.

“Forget it. If you don’t want to tell me, fine,” Ming Xiaoyue said, turning to leave.

“Wait!” Lu Jinxi called out urgently, her hand instinctively reaching for Ming Xiaoyue’s waist. A sudden intuition told her that if she let Ming Xiaoyue walk away now, it might be the end of them.

“It’s because of you!” Lu Jinxi blurted out.

“Huh?” Ming Xiaoyue murmured. “Because of what happened backstage today? But why did she approach you instead of me?”

“I…” Lu Jinxi found herself at a loss for words again, knowing she couldn’t reveal the full truth to Ming Xiaoyue.

As she struggled to find a way to downplay the situation while still being as honest as possible, Ming Xiaoyue pressed, “Because she has her eyes on you?”

Lu Jinxi’s mind raced. After a moment’s hesitation, she replied, “I… I guess you could say that.”

Ming Xiaoyue’s expression darkened instantly. She pulled away from Lu Jinxi’s embrace, and by the time Lu Jinxi reached out hesitantly, she could only grasp the corner of Ming Xiaoyue’s sleeve.

“Heh, then you’d better seize this opportunity! After all, the Tang Family’s influence is a great advantage!”

Ming Xiaoyue strode away, leaving Lu Jinxi scrambling to catch up. “Ming Xiaoyue, wait! It’s not what you think! I…”

But as they approached the brightly lit exit, a staff member interrupted, “Ladies, please wait a moment. There might be even more fans outside than there are inside.”

Lu Jinxi had no choice but to drop the subject. She glanced at Ming Xiaoyue’s cold expression, leaned closer, and tugged at her sleeve. Ming Xiaoyue turned her head away, refusing to meet her gaze.

“Let’s go,” a staff member said, handing them masks and hats.

The two women put them on. Fortunately, there were enough staff this time, and they weren’t harassed by other fans.

As they reached the roadside, a camper van opened its door, and they climbed inside.

The moment they lifted their hats, an unexpected person was waiting inside.

“Are you both alright?” Tang Jinshu asked, her voice warm and gentle. Lu Jinxi’s expression remained tense.

But when Ming Xiaoyue’s gaze met Tang Jinshu’s, an aggressive Omega pheromone suddenly filled the van.

Lu Jinxi gently tugged at Ming Xiaoyue’s sleeve, whispering a reminder: “A-Yue, your pheromone…”

Ming Xiaoyue seemed to realize her mistake. The Omega pheromone vanished instantly, and she said coldly, “I’m fine. Thanks for your concern!”

She sat as far from Tang Jinshu as possible, while Lu Jinxi remained standing, unsure what to do.

Behind Ming Xiaoyue’s back, where she couldn’t see, Tang Jinshu smirked at Lu Jinxi with undisguised schadenfreude. She lounged casually, legs crossed, propping her elbow on her knee, a smug smile playing on her lips.