Redeeming That Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Omega [Transmigration] - Chapter 5
“No, I don’t,” Wen Yan said, trying to back away, but she found herself trapped. Her back was pressed against the gray wall; unless she could phase through solid matter, there was no escaping Xu Ruozhou’s grasp.
Wen Yan puffed out her chest and patted her flat chest, which was barely noticeable. “You’re my Omega. How could I possibly be afraid of you? I can’t get enough of spoiling you!”
Xu Ruozhou: ……
Remembering what had happened at the hotel, Xu Ruozhou’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Wen Yan, I don’t care what you had with Xu Mingxin in the past. I don’t care why you suddenly claim to like me. We’re tied together now. After the marriage, the Xu Family shares you’ll receive…”
Before she could finish, Wen Yan blurted out, “They’re all yours!”
Wen Yan knew how much Xu Ruozhou had sacrificed for that 5% share. She declared firmly, “If you marry me, I won’t take a single cent of the Xu Family shares!”
Xu Ruozhou finally nodded in satisfaction. “Tonight is Xu Mingxin’s birthday banquet. As her nominal elder sister, I need to attend. Now that we’ve settled the share issue, I’ll…”
Xu Ruozhou was about to leave. At this banquet, which offered maximum networking opportunities, she had no intention of wasting time with this useless Alpha from the Wen Family.
“Hey, wait a moment.” Wen Yan’s fingers brushed against the delicate skin of the Omega’s pale arm. As if shocked by an electric current, she quickly withdrew her hand, blushing.
Xu Ruozhou glanced at her, puzzled. The Alpha awkwardly rummaged through her bag and pulled out a crudely wrapped box tied with a butterfly ribbon, handing it to her.
Xu Ruozhou frowned. “What’s this?”
Wen Yan gave her a fawning smile. “Your gift. Happy birthday.”
Xu Ruozhou froze.
She and Xu Mingxin shared the same birthday—year, month, and day. Years ago, they had been mistakenly switched at birth by two women in the hospital, leading to the dramatic tale of the true and fake heiresses.
This secret was known only to the Xu Family. How could Wen Yan possibly know the truth?
“Thank you,” Xu Ruozhou said, pressing her lips into a thin line.
Seeing her accept the gift, the Alpha’s dark eyes brightened again, like those of a golden retriever being petted by its owner—obedient and affectionate.
Yes!
I’m so good at raising the female lead’s favorability!
Wen Yan beamed with pride, her face radiant.
Xu Ruozhou’s doubts, however, only deepened.
The changes in Wen Yan could no longer be explained by simple affection.
A Xu Family servant knocked on the room’s door, escorting the two to the first floor to celebrate Xu Mingxin’s birthday. Xu Ruozhou followed behind them, the Alpha’s tall, slender figure casting a shadow that nearly enveloped her entirely.
Xu Ruozhou lowered her lashes, gazing at the long, slender shadow under the light, a flicker of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes.
No one would interfere with her plans. If Wen Yan became a variable…
Then she would have to strike first, sending her to join the Wen Family’s prematurely deceased couple.
Xu Mingxin’s birthday banquet officially began.
The well-proportioned Omega had changed into a new dress. The pale purple skirt was intricately patterned, and hotel staff adjusted the air conditioning to make the expensive, custom-made gown billow slightly.
Xu Mingxin smiled sweetly, a custom-made crown of genuine gold and silver adorning her beautiful golden hair. Her parents sat beside her, their doting gazes like those of a king watching his pampered, beloved princess.
Wen Yan squeezed through the crowd, her eyes involuntarily drawn to the figure in the azure backless dress. Even as an outsider, she could sense the Xu Family’s favoritism.
Xu Ruozhou possessed an ethereal grace, yet her dress clearly didn’t fit properly, gaping at the waist. In contrast, Xu Mingxin’s pale purple, bud-like gown clung perfectly to her curves, unmistakably custom-tailored by a top designer.
Wen Yan pressed her lips together, a pang of sympathy for the female lead. Though Xu Ruozhou would one day command power and influence, for now, she had no choice but to curry favor with the Xu Family to survive.
Only her status as the Xu Family’s heiress could allow this rose, which had struggled to bloom in barren soil, to flourish in a wider world.
As if sensing her gaze, Xu Ruozhou’s reddish-brown eyes met hers. Wen Yan guiltily averted her gaze, pretending to watch Xu Mingxin unwrap gifts.
“Oh my god! Isn’t this the emerald necklace I missed photographing?!”
Xu Mingxin tore open the exquisitely packaged gift box, her jaw dropping in astonishment as she lifted the emerald necklace. Twenty-five translucent emerald beads, like stars orbiting the moon, surrounded a circular ruby at its center.
A flicker of smugness crossed Xu Mingxin’s eyes as she received this extravagantly expensive gift. She deliberately flaunted the necklace, waving it ostentatiously in front of Xu Ruozhou.
The Xu Family’s little princess smiled shyly. “Who sent this gift?”
A silver-haired Alpha in the crowd hurriedly pushed forward, as if fearing someone would steal his credit if he delayed even a second longer. “I—I gave it to her!”
Wen Yan took a closer look and recognized L Yuan, the cannon fodder who had defended Xu Mingxin at the banquet.
“Thank you, Sister L Yuan! I love it~” Xu Mingxin cooed sweetly.
“I’m glad you like it!” L Yuan’s gaze lingered only briefly on the birthday girl before she triumphantly dragged Wen Yan, who had been hiding at the back, to the front. “Wen Yan, what gift did you prepare for Mingxin?”
Wen Yan was speechless at L Yuan’s competitive behavior.
L Yuan scoffed. He had almost been fooled by this Wen Family trash. What a cunning Alpha, deliberately keeping his distance from Mingxin to attract her attention.
Now, he would reclaim his position in Mingxin’s heart. L Yuan was absolutely certain that his gift would be the most expensive and best among all the presents.
Xu Ruozhou’s gaze lowered, but it still landed on Wen Yan. She, too, was curious about what Wen Yan had prepared for Xu Mingxin.
Months ago, Wen Yan had spent a fortune at an auction to acquire a priceless blue diamond from a bankrupt collector. Xu Mingxin had been constantly mentioning this blue diamond necklace, once worn by nobility, at home these past few days.
“Wen Yan-jie, which gift is yours?” Xu Mingxin asked with a sweet smile, though her heart was filled with uncertainty. The driver had relayed Wen Yan’s message that she couldn’t afford the blue diamond necklace, yet Xu Mingxin had heard from the auction organizers that Wen Yan was the one who had won it.
Wen Yan pointed to a small, exquisitely crafted box in the corner. Xu Mingxin picked it up, weighed it in her hand, and considered its size before slowly exhaling in relief.
Wen Yan still liked her after all. Xu Mingxin glanced triumphantly at Xu Ruozhou standing nearby, her gaze seeming to say, “See? Your Alpha has always loved me!”
Xu Ruozhou’s expression remained cold and unchanging.
Xu Mingxin rubbed her hands together, her heart pounding with anticipation for the necklace. She untied the black velvet ribbon and glimpsed the familiar blue. Her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed in delight, “Wow!”
Drawn by her exaggerated reaction, everyone’s attention fixed on what must be an incredibly expensive gift. L Yuan, who had challenged Wen Yan to a gift-giving contest, felt his palms sweat with anxiety.
The gift was fully revealed.
“Huh?”
Someone among the assembled heirs of wealthy families voiced their confusion first. Xu Mingxin, the center of attention, forced an awkward smile as she held a long, blue scroll in her hands.
“Sister Wen Yan, what is this?” Her voice gradually turned strained.
“Is it a lost masterpiece by a famous painter? Or perhaps an original calligraphy piece by a renowned calligrapher?” Xu Mingxin asked, clinging to her last shred of hope.
Wen Yan shook her head, stepped forward, and took the blue scroll from Xu Mingxin. Gripping it with both hands, she slowly released her grip on the lower end of the scroll in front of everyone.
The scroll unfurled like a waterfall, revealing bold characters written with a calligraphy brush to the assembled young elites, who had never witnessed such a spectacle before.
Happy Birthday
The black ink on the white paper was still damp.
The crowd stared in stunned silence, but Wen Yan smiled warmly as she rolled up the scroll and placed it back in Xu Mingxin’s outstretched hand. “Do you like it, Sister Mingxin? This is my most sincere birthday wish for you, carefully crafted with my brush over several years.”
“It’s the thought that counts, right?”
Ignoring Xu Mingxin’s increasingly strained expression, Wen Yan turned and began clapping her hands. “Let’s all wish Sister Xu Mingxin a happy birthday and hope she finds a good match soon!”
Clap, clap, clap. Wen Yan clapped enthusiastically, while the onlookers exchanged glances before joining in with scattered applause.
Wen Yan continued clapping stubbornly with a smile. Xu Ruozhou couldn’t help but chuckle and clapped along with the crowd a few times.
Finally, thunderous applause erupted around the little princess clutching the calligraphy scroll.
Xu Mingxin’s face flushed green with anger. The pampered princess, accustomed to ordering everyone around, had been cornered by Wen Yan and forced to swallow her fury. She forced a gentle smile and said through gritted teeth, “Thank you, Sister Wen Yan. I love it.”
As the banquet ended, Wen Yan stepped out of the gilded arena of fame and fortune into the pitch-black night, exhaling a long breath.
The day had finally passed without incident. Wen Yan had avoided offending the female lead and formally declared her withdrawal from the competition to the Alphas who coveted Xu Mingxin.
Though she didn’t understand why her pheromone level had strengthened after transmigrating, she was confident that no more foolish Alphas would dare to trouble her after the banquet.
Luxury cars parked at the entrance whisked away guests one by one. Wen Yan strolled casually down the road, completely unaware when a pair of hands suddenly shot out from the hidden bushes and clamped down on her arm.
Startled, Wen Yan nearly jumped out of her skin. Recognizing her assailant, she angrily snapped, “You’re like a persistent ghost, L Yuan! Have you lost your mind, stalking me like this?”
“I told you repeatedly, I’m not chasing Xu Mingxin anymore! Why can’t you believe me and leave me alone? Haven’t you suffered enough at the banquet?”
“How dare you!” the silver-haired Alpha snarled through gritted teeth.
Wen Yan frowned slightly. “What do you mean, ‘How dare I’?”
The silver-haired Alpha seized her shoulders and shook her violently, his azure eyes bloodshot and wild. Though he was questioning Wen Yan, it seemed he was arguing with himself. “How dare you stop chasing her?!”
“Everyone loves Xu Mingxin! Everyone is pursuing her! You have to love her too!”