Transmigrating Before The Crazy Beauty Scum A Loses Control - Chapter 23

Zuo Baixuan tucked the gleaming fruit knife back into her bag.

Taking advantage of the moment before Luan Yenan entered, she quickly scanned the room’s layout, ensuring there were no traps.

She had only glimpsed this room once before, through a crack in the door while the cleaning aunt was inside.

Now, the room’s arrangement had changed significantly.

She noticed two cardboard boxes in the corner.

All the flashy accessories had been put away.

“Here, take this.” Luan Yenan walked in.

Zuo Baixuan turned around to see a large apple being held out to her.

Was this person delayed because she went to get an apple?

“What’s this for?” Zuo Baixuan didn’t take the apple, instead mimicking Luan Yenan’s earlier tone of feigned ignorance.

Luan Yenan smirked, amused by teasing the young girl. But the playful banter ended there. She placed the apple on the nearby table and kicked out two cardboard boxes from under it.

“Let’s get back to the main topic. I want to reorganize the wardrobe a bit.”

A bit?

Zuo Baixuan could see two more fully packed cardboard boxes under the table, indicating that at least an entire wardrobe’s worth of items had been cleared out.

“If you’re reorganizing the wardrobe, just do it according to your own taste. Why involve me?” Zuo Baixuan felt she was being toyed with and turned to leave.

But Luan Yenan stepped closer, blocking her path.

The proximity of the Alpha made the Omega instinctively frown in alertness.

In the more open space outside, she hadn’t noticed it.

But inside the bedroom, even though the door was open, the ventilation system wasn’t running. She caught a faint whiff of vodka.

Her gaze shifted.

The scent-blocking patch on the back of Luan Yenan’s neck was still firmly in place.

Could she really be detecting the trace amounts of pheromones in Luan Yenan’s saliva?

As Luan Yenan opened the wardrobe, she said, “Originally, yes. But I thought about it, and if I followed my own taste, I might end up throwing out the entire wardrobe.”

Zuo Baixuan’s expression turned odd.

What kind of statement was that?

Was she implying that her taste was inferior, leaving only the dregs for her to see?

But she didn’t voice her thoughts.

Luan Yenan, with her back to Zuo Baixuan, couldn’t see her expression but guessed her internal monologue from the heavier breathing. She smiled and added, “Because for certain occasions, I’m not entirely sure what attire would be more appropriate.”

“What occasions?”

Zuo Baixuan couldn’t think of any situation where her taste would be needed to help pick out clothes.

Business events, family banquets, or even casual outings—Luan Yenan should have plenty of experience handling those.

Moreover, in such settings, people would be watching her every move, hardly daring to criticize her choice of attire.

This was why, in the posts from the past two years, while people criticized Luan Yenan for various things, there was only one post about her clothing, and it didn’t spark any follow-up discussions.

For ordinary people, dressing however they pleased might be seen as improper or rude, but for Luan Yenan, it wasn’t. Instead, it served as a constant reminder of the powerful backing of the Luan family behind this top-tier rich second-generation heiress.

Luan Yenan opened all the wardrobes and turned to look at Zuo Baixuan.

“School. Jing City University.”

She said this with the natural composure of someone in a position of authority, making it clear that this was a statement, not a discussion.

But it also indicated that her visit to the school was likely for serious business.

What kind of business, though?

Could it be that she wanted to make money through the school?

Zuo Baixuan recalled Luan Yenan’s bold statement in front of Luan Muyin.

[“I want to invest.”]

Choosing to incubate a project at the school was indeed a good idea.

While the school would own the patent rights, the returns might not be as high as those from external projects, but they would be more stable. Regardless of the outcome, the school would provide a safety net, preventing total failure.

Moreover, knowing it was Luan Yenan behind the project, the school would naturally give the Luan family some face.

“Did you secure the funding?” Zuo Baixuan asked abruptly.

Luan Yenan replied vaguely, “Someone will give it to me eventually.”

Zuo Baixuan realized how naive she had been to think that offering to help repay the debt could be one of her bargaining chips.

For someone in the rich second-generation circle, the resources and connections they possessed were vast, and their horizons were broader than those of ordinary people.

Zuo Baixuan believed that if Luan Yenan really wanted money, she could easily borrow a few hundred thousand or even millions from her peers, as long as she was willing to swallow her pride.

Capitalists always had more and faster ways to make money than the proletariat. She was the one who needed to leverage resources and connections.

“Fine, I’ll help you.”

If Luan Yenan’s fashion sense reverted overnight, or if she deliberately wore bizarre outfits on campus, it wouldn’t bother Luan Yenan herself, but it would certainly cause trouble for Zuo Baixuan.

As Zuo Baixuan passed by the first wardrobe, the clothes with studded decorations were almost entirely discarded.

Only a couple of less exaggerated pieces were kept, suitable for social occasions with an entertainment focus.

Luan Yenan had no objections.

She briskly tossed the remaining items into the boxes—these leather jackets had never been her treasures anyway.

Zuo Baixuan didn’t bother to dwell on how fickle this scumbag Alpha could be and moved to the second wardrobe.

Upon seeing its contents, her face immediately flushed.

Not only were the undergarments styles she would never wear, but why was there also a small whip hanging on the inside of the wardrobe door?

She had heard rumors about this scumbag Alpha’s wild ways, but this was beyond what she had imagined.

No wonder Lin Xiaoxiao had referred to her as “a change of taste.”

Despite Luan Yenan’s recent behavior making her seem different from the rumors, seeing these items inevitably brought up associations. She couldn’t help but wonder what kinds of games this person had played with her exes and how many more exes with similar tastes she might encounter in the future.

At this thought, Zuo Baixuan’s expression darkened, feeling nauseated. She nearly lost all interest in helping.

“Why did you stop? Don’t tell me you’re interested in this wardrobe?” Luan Yenan reached past Zuo Baixuan into the wardrobe, pulled out the whip, and even swung it in the air in front of her.

The sharp “crack” of the whip made Zuo Baixuan’s muscles tense.

Once again, she caught the scent of vodka in the air.

This time, it was her nose, her tongue, and her glands simultaneously detecting the pheromones.

What was this about?

The small whip continued to crack through the air.

Luan Yenan’s strength was no joke—no wonder Zuo Baixuan had been immobilized when her hands were pinned that day.

Almost instinctively, Zuo Baixuan leaned back, one hand in her bag, the other raised in a defensive gesture.

Though it was a defensive move, it held no real significance. If Luan Yenan truly had any intentions, she could easily overpower Zuo Baixuan with one hand.

This seemingly pointless defensive reaction, however, caught Luan Yenan’s attention.

She frowned slightly and tilted her head to look at Zuo Baixuan. “Did your adoptive parents abuse you?”

Zuo Baixuan felt the heat behind her and cursed internally—why did this question require standing so close?!

“When I was younger and tried to run away, they did. But later, when they realized I could make money, they stopped. They wanted to use me as a cash cow. They only occasionally locked me in a small room, like the day you came to propose.” Zuo Baixuan answered truthfully, her tone devoid of emotion, trying to make it sound like she wasn’t being sarcastic.

She even added a hint of sweetness to her voice, devoid of any real feeling.

The older she got, the more skilled she became at using this kind of linguistic camouflage.

Because of this, her adoptive parents had rarely locked her in the dark room in recent years.

After all, any sadness or anger she might have felt had been exhausted long ago. Wearing a mask to get through life wasn’t a big deal for her.

To her, her adoptive family was nothing more than a bunch of filthy rats that would eventually self-destruct. They weren’t worth her energy.

After hearing this, Luan Yenan didn’t offer any comment. Suddenly, she lost all interest in the conversation. Without a word, she tossed the whip and some inappropriate undergarments into the cardboard box.

Even though she had reunited with her mother in this world, it didn’t mean the memories of the past had vanished from her mind.

It was as if a switch had been flipped. Luan Yenan’s breathing grew heavier, and the atmosphere turned tense.

Zuo Baixuan lowered her head, using her hair to hide her expression.

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, she snapped out of her momentary defensive reaction and felt a bit awkward.

But then she realized something was off.

Why did this person react so strongly to the topic of “domestic abuse”?

Her response seemed more like someone who had experienced it herself.

But Luan Muyin and Luan Xing didn’t seem like the type to resort to violence. Could it have been Luan Yenan’s grandfather?

She had heard that Luan Lizheng was a traditional Alpha who believed in strict discipline. It was entirely possible.

Zuo Baixuan’s mind raced with speculation.

Suddenly, in the silence, Luan Yenan took a deep breath near Zuo Baixuan’s neck.

The sudden rush of air startled Zuo Baixuan.

This was the kind of flirtatious behavior that warranted pulling out a knife in response.

Luan Yenan had done this on Friday when she was acting crazy.

Why was she doing it again now?

Zuo Baixuan whipped her head around, her hair lashing across Luan Yenan’s face.

She turned to see Luan Yenan’s vacant gaze.

It was as if she was lost in thought, drowning in some unpleasant memory.

The sting on her face brought Luan Yenan back to reality.

The faint red marks on Luan Yenan’s non-scarred skin showed just how hard Zuo Baixuan had swung her hair. But Luan Yenan wasn’t angry, just slightly dazed.

As Zuo Baixuan turned her head, more of the pleasant vanilla scent wafted from the scent-blocking patch on her neck.

Luan Yenan was certain she hadn’t misjudged.

Pheromones could convey signals during interactions.

In that brief moment, she had almost been dragged back into the pain and confusion of her childhood memories, but the vanilla pheromones had provided comfort.

What did it mean for an Omega to release pheromones in front of an Alpha while still in a self-protective state?

Seduction?

She knew Zuo Baixuan couldn’t possibly be in that kind of situation.

So there was only one other possibility.

Almost simultaneously, Luan Yenan noticed the unnatural sensation at the back of her neck. It wasn’t related to her childhood memories or unease, but rather an internal excitement, a primal urge for courtship shouted by her genes.

Like an animal, devoid of emotion.

She didn’t like it.

Luan Yenan leaned back and said directly to Zuo Baixuan, “Your heat cycle has started, and your pheromones are affecting me.”

She quickly walked to the wall and turned on the room’s ventilation system, slowly drawing away the possibility of vanilla and vodka colliding.

Zuo Baixuan only realized the issue after being reminded.

She had thought the scent of vodka earlier was because Luan Yenan was too close, unable to control her pheromones, or perhaps even intentionally releasing them.

Now it seemed this wasn’t Luan Yenan’s problem at all, but rather her own heightened sensitivity to pheromones.

Zuo Baixuan reached up to touch the back of her neck, where the scent-blocking patch had shifted slightly due to moisture.

Even with the ventilation system on, drawing away the vanilla scent, the concentration of vodka in the air had intensified.

For an Alpha, an Omega’s pheromones were like bait. History was filled with countless examples proving that when humans underwent differentiation, they would lose a part of their rationality during pheromone surges.

No matter how extreme the danger, Alphas would use every ounce of their strength to compete for mating rights.

And now, an Omega was in her private space, completely unguarded.

How was this any different from concubines being washed clean and sent to an emperor’s side in ancient times?

The whip that cracked through the air and the sharpened fruit knife, in this atmosphere, could only serve as tools to heighten the mood.

Luan Yenan watched as the little white flower’s expression gradually turned to panic.

The Omega’s body trembled slightly, and compared to the Alpha’s temptation, the Omega was suffering even more.

She was directly subjected to the genetic assault passed down from her ancestors. Her heat cycle, triggered by the alluring pheromones of a top-tier Alpha, became even more intense.

Luan Yenan’s narrow fox-like eyes gleamed with amusement.

She walked back to her spot, reached out to the defenseless Zuo Baixuan, hooked a finger under her chin, and lifted her lowered head to meet her gaze.

“You’re so wary of me, yet you came here without even calculating your heat cycle? I really can’t tell if you’re deliberately testing me. Trying to make me break the contract so I leave with nothing?”

The Omega’s heat cycle brought with it a natural softness, and her consciousness lasted only five seconds. Her raised eyes were like blooming peach blossoms.

Zuo Baixuan couldn’t explain why her usually stable heat cycle had suddenly deviated from the predicted date.

But it was definitely influenced by the vodka.

She didn’t like drinking, but now there was a voice in her heart urging her to try it.

Luan Yenan’s breath hitched as she met those eyes.

Something was fiercely stimulating the back of her neck, her bl00d vessels throbbing uncontrollably, her chest rising and falling.

Her canine teeth emerged from beneath her gums.

Possessiveness surged.

Luan Yenan wanted to reach out and grip Zuo Baixuan’s snow-white swan-like neck, pin her against the wall, and sink her teeth into the back of her neck.

This uncontrollable, crazy desire was even stronger than it had been on Friday night.

It made Luan Yenan let out an impatient click of her tongue.

“Tch, wait here.”

She quickly released Zuo Baixuan and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Luan Yenan enjoyed watching everything descend into chaos, but she didn’t like being the one thrown into disarray.

She thought that if one day she truly marked Zuo Baixuan, it would be the result of her consciously controlling both her mind and body.

Not like this, unclear and ambiguous, when just moments ago they were organizing the wardrobe, doing something entirely unrelated.

Yet suddenly, it felt like someone had force-fed her a forbidden drug, her heart racing uncontrollably just from the stimulation of pheromones, devoid of any emotion.

She preferred to be the one who threw everything into chaos, the disruptor. She wanted to be the sole controller amidst the disorder.

This feeling of being manipulated—she rejected it.

As soon as she stepped out, she tore off the soaked scent-blocking patch from the back of her neck, letting the excess pheromones disperse into the air, carried away by the stronger ventilation system and natural airflow outside.

But even so, Luan Yenan had underestimated the impact of her S-class top-tier Alpha pheromones.

Among the six staff members in the study finalizing the last adjustments, four were Betas, and two were Alphas.

When the two lower-level Alphas caught a whiff of the pheromones drifting in from outside, they first frowned, then quickly exchanged knowing smiles.

They were used to it, thinking that rich people just knew how to have fun, even with others in the house.

But before the two could finish their silent exchange of mischievous thoughts, or even share a few words with their colleagues, the pheromones came crashing in like a storm.

The sharp, pungent scent of vodka immediately overwhelmed the lower-level Alphas, causing their legs to go weak. They stumbled back a couple of steps before collapsing to the ground.

This was the rejection and warning from an Alpha to other Alphas within her territory.

It made it clear to them that this place was ruled by a young and powerful top-tier Alpha. If they didn’t leave, their only fate was death.

Rumors had it that this top-tier Alpha already suffered from a pheromone-related illness. If they were to be suffocated by her pheromones, there would be no one to reason with. The two lower-level Alphas panicked instantly.

“Help… help…”

“I can’t breathe…”

The weak cries for help from the two Alphas caught the attention of their colleagues.

The Betas couldn’t sense the pheromones, but seeing their Alpha coworkers in such a state, they understood what was happening.

The POS machine guy was the first to rush out of the study.

He saw Luan Yenan standing by the window, reapplying a scent-blocking patch to the back of her neck.

Despite just wearing a casual shirt and looking relaxed, the moment she glanced up, even he, a Beta, felt a chill. From Luan Yenan’s cool and indifferent expression, he sensed an overwhelming pressure.

A fear of accidentally intruding into a lion’s territory rose from the depths of his heart, as if he were prey caught in the gaze of a predator, silently begging for the territory’s ruler to mercifully spare them.

Luan Yenan simply gave him a faint look, seemingly realizing what had happened in the study. She frowned slightly and said, “Sorry, I’m dealing with something right now. You all can leave first. I can handle the final touches myself.”

The POS machine guy felt as if he had been granted amnesty.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he hurried back.

The four Beta colleagues, working in pairs, quickly carried the two Alpha coworkers away, fleeing in such a hurry that they didn’t even bother to offer a polite farewell to Luan Yenan.

Luan Yenan gently touched the spot on the back of her neck where the patch was applied. The irritation in her heart eased slightly after these outsiders left for more than ten seconds.

She carried a medical kit and walked back to the bedroom door.

A faint scent of vanilla wafted out from the crack in the door.

She vaguely saw the outline of the pheromones lingering around her, trying to draw her, the Alpha, inside.

It seemed the little white flower was in a bad state. Luan Yenan lightly knocked on the door.

Behind the door…

In the shadow where the setting sun’s red glow couldn’t reach, Zuo Baixuan trembled, her shoulder bumping against the door.

She was wrapped in a blanket, sitting by the door, weakly gripping the handle.

Although Luan Yenan hadn’t done anything out of line, the abnormal pheromones were entirely caused by her own influence.

Yet, just breathing the same air as the Alpha, even through the door, left the Omega in heat gasping for breath.

She could clearly feel the Omega pheromones within her surging as if for the first time, eagerly anticipating an Alpha’s mark.

And just on the other side of the wall was the top-tier Alpha, the one most compatible with her.

She really wanted to taste the vodka.

But she didn’t want to get drunk.

Zuo Baixuan suppressed her physiological needs, her body burning with heat, yet her heart was icy cold.

Earning money to buy nutritional supplements to survive the differentiation period was nothing.

The true fear came after officially becoming an Omega, with the helplessness brought by each heat cycle.

With her back to the abyss, anyone could push her in.

In the four years since her differentiation, she had always calculated the timing and injected suppressants early.

But this time, the overwhelming presence of vodka, as a variable, destroyed the last line of defense between her and the abyss.

She thought of her mother.

That despicable man sweet-talked her mother into his grasp, marked her, had children, and married her in one swift motion.

He fed off her mother’s value, and after her family fell from grace, he revealed his true nature, his ugly side in full display.

But even so, her mother, bound by the mark within her, couldn’t leave that disgusting man. Controlled by pheromones, she lived day after day without dignity.

All because the Omega genes were written with a longing for the Alpha.

How she wished she were just an ordinary Beta, unaffected by pheromones.

The knocking continued outside the door.

Luan Yenan, increasingly agitated by the abnormal pheromones, knocked twice more. Hearing no response, she spoke impatiently, “Open the door. I’ve brought suppressants for you.”

Zuo Baixuan’s hands pressed against the door handle.

The carefully balanced rules of the gambling table, which she had worked so hard to level, tilted once again in Luan Yenan’s favor due to the inherent differences between Omega and Alpha.

Gritting her teeth, Zuo Baixuan resolved not to let Luan Yenan in.

She had just heard her dismiss the busy staff.

Now, only the two of them remained in the house.

A top-tier Alpha and an Omega in heat, just the two of them.

Outside, Luan Yenan, seeing that Zuo Baixuan still hadn’t responded, forcefully twisted the door handle.

It was locked.

She turned and found a spare key from the drawer in the living room.

With a twist, she unlocked the door.

Feeling the slight resistance from the other side, she eased her strength.

Zuo Baixuan, unable to resist, was curled up in the corner wrapped in a blanket, like a lifeless, barely breathing little white rabbit.

The concentration of vanilla pheromones in the room was severely exceeding the limit. Even with the ventilation system running at full speed, it couldn’t clear the air completely.

Suddenly, Zuo Baixuan collapsed to the floor, falling into the lingering shadow of the orange-red sunset.

Her clear eyes glazed over with a hint of ambiguity.

Luan Yenan once again felt the immense impact of Omega pheromones on an Alpha.

Despite being mentally prepared, she couldn’t suppress the restless stirring of the gland at the back of her neck.

Her expression turned serious as she clutched the suppressant and commanded, “Inject it.”

Zuo Baixuan suddenly rolled over, half her body emerging from the blanket.

Her T-shirt was crumpled and disheveled, revealing a glimpse of her toned midsection.

Her body was weak, her last shred of rationality holding on, but her body refused to obey.

She bit her lip and managed to utter three words, “You help me.”

Due to malnutrition during her differentiation, Zuo Baixuan’s gland had developed incompletely. Yet, during her heat cycle, it produced pheromones at an S-class concentration.

Her pheromones had become a trap for herself.

Luan Yenan’s body heated up alongside Zuo Baixuan’s.

Luan Yenan bent down, intending to pull Zuo Baixuan out of the blanket to make it easier to administer the injection.

But to her surprise, Zuo Baixuan moved her hand, dragging the restrained Alpha into the blanket with her. With a forceful push, she even managed to knock Luan Yenan down.

The steaming scent of vanilla and the strong vodka instantly merged within the confined space of the blanket.

Thump, thump.

Luan Yenan could hear the sound of her own heart pounding, mixed with the rising and falling of Zuo Baixuan’s chest against hers.

Emotions swelled in her mind.

The cold, hard floor beneath her and the soft, warm sensation of Zuo Baixuan above her formed a stark contrast.

It was like being caught between fire and ice, trapped in the middle.

Luan Yenan couldn’t help but laugh.

The anger of being controlled by her genes was overshadowed by this sense of novelty.

There was a fire in her heart, a passionate desire. It felt new and intriguing.

She even thought, since Zuo Baixuan had “initiated” this, maybe she should just go with the flow, follow this impulse, and experience the feeling of setting the fire ablaze.

The fermenting vanilla scent inside the blanket was issuing an invitation.

With a flip, Luan Yenan turned the tables, pinning Zuo Baixuan beneath her.

The little white flower’s peach-blossom eyes were misty with moisture, but her gaze was filled with coquettishness.

“When you sober up, you’ll definitely regret being controlled by pheromones.” Luan Yenan said in a low voice, struggling to restrain that fire.

Zuo Baixuan probably had no idea how alluring she looked, breathing lightly, with slow, low gasps.

But seeing her like this, the fire in Luan Yenan’s heart turned entirely into rage. It was no longer anger at her own body losing control, but sorrow for the person beneath her.

“Do you want a mark? If you want to end this once and for all with a mark, that’s also possible.” Luan Yenan said, considering herself a qualified capitalist, at least never a philanthropist. Now that she was interested, she would only give Zuo Baixuan one last chance.

As she spoke, she revealed her eager canine teeth.

“No.” Zuo Baixuan managed to squeeze out a feeble resistance from her throat.

While saying one thing, her hand climbed onto Luan Yenan’s waist, slipping through the gap between the shirt and casual pants, gripping the fabric.

Next, a scorching palm traced over delicate skin, the warmth provoking Luan Yenan’s abdominal muscles to tighten.

Her vision swayed slightly, hidden beneath her restraint was an impending madness about to break free.

But just on the edge of indulgence, she caught sight of the tears slipping down Zuo Baixuan’s cheek and clicked her tongue softly once more.

One hand grabbed Zuo Baixuan’s T-shirt collar, pulling her up.

Zuo Baixuan’s hand, which had clung to Luan Yenan’s back and waist, tightened.

Her thoughts tangled in her mind.

Inside her pheromone-driven brain, it felt as if two little figures were arguing.

One, dressed in white, knelt on the ground with sorrowful eyes. Every effort she had made to guard against Luan Yenan had become a joke today.

“The contract, the bet, all my hopes—I destroyed them with my own hands.”

The other, dressed in black, rubbed its hands together with a sly grin, admiring Luan Yenan’s physique. After all, she was a top-tier Alpha—how could this be a loss?

“Maybe Luan Yenan’s other proposal on Saturday night wasn’t so bad after all. Let her be completely devoted to me—who needs a contract or a bet anymore?”

Before these complicated emotions could fully unravel—

A sharp pain pricked her arm and shoulder simultaneously.

Her eyes widened.

She looked toward Luan Yenan, who was leaning against her shoulder.

Luan Yenan had once again used that strange method to leave a fresh bite mark over the not-yet-healed wound on her shoulder.

And on her arm—was that familiar sensation of a foreign object. The coolness of the drug was already quelling the heat raging inside her body.

An inhibitor!

The little white figure stood up in shock. “It’s an inhibitor?!”

The black figure watched in horror as its body slowly merged with the white figure: “She actually let go of prey that was right in front of her? Is she incapable? What kind of mark is biting the shoulder?!”

After an unknown amount of time, the heat on her body subsided, and her temperature merged with the warmth of the person on top of her.

Luan Yenan slowly got up, her expression complicated.

The two pheromones in the air were gradually cleared, leaving only the lingering traces on the blanket, filled with indescribable charm.

The expression on Zuo Baixuan’s face faded, but her cheeks were still flushed with embarrassment. She looked at Luan Yenan, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say thank you but found it too awkward.

Luan Yenan’s hair fell onto Zuo Baixuan’s torn T-shirt, while the half-hanging shirt concealed secrets Zuo Baixuan dared not peek at.

“I’m sorry…” Zuo Baixuan turned her head away, finally choosing these words as her opening.

Luan Yenan clicked her tongue: “No need to apologize. I never take losses. I’ve already collected the interest. But if there’s a next time, I’ll have to seriously consider how to recover the principal.”

As she spoke, she glanced at her own disheveled shirt.

The loose shirt had been pushed up to her waist, a clear sign of how much Zuo Baixuan had taken advantage of the chaos.

If Zuo Baixuan tried to blame the whole undressing incident on pheromone interference, Luan Yenan wouldn’t believe it.

Zuo Baixuan couldn’t bear to look at Luan Yenan, her neck stiff as she refused to turn her head.

Lying in the corner by the door, she looked at the foot of the bed and the open wardrobe from a low angle.

This perspective felt so strange.

“Are you still going to organize the wardrobe?”

But Luan Yenan shook her head, her demeanor weary, even the earlier playful mood gone, replaced by a languid exhaustion, as if she were very tired.

“Help me pick out a set of clothes suitable for school. I still need to check what’s left of the finishing work in the study.”

Zuo Baixuan pursed her lips, finally managing to squeeze out a “Okay” from her throat.

Luan Yenan lifted the blanket.

Leaving Zuo Baixuan alone in the swirling pheromone currents to sort out her thoughts.

She lay motionless on the floor for a while. Noticing the slight chill on her chest, her torn clothes looking as if she had suffered some inhuman treatment, she quickly sat up, covering her chest.

Looking at the messy blanket, every wrinkle reminded her of what had just happened, yet nothing had actually happened. She blushed, pulling the blanket over her head, wanting to become an ostrich escaping everything.

The lingering pheromones on the blanket made her feel even more uneasy.

She had initially dragged the blanket off the bed to wrap herself in because her body had started to feel chilly before the heat set in.

She had almost forgotten that this blanket belonged to Luan Yenan, carrying trace pheromones that were a strong stimulus to her.

Now, with the vodka and vanilla intertwined, it reminded her of the earlier scenes that were sensual in behavior, even if her thoughts had been motivated.

She quickly threw the blanket aside and even changed the duvet cover.

Changing the duvet cover, picking out clothes, she quickly completed the tasks and hurriedly left the place filled with flashbacks.

By the time Luan Yenan finished her work in the study and came out, Zuo Baixuan had already taken the computer from the dining table and retreated to her room.

Luan Yenan shook her head with a smile.

She could confirm that this time, the little white flower wasn’t scared but shy.

Back in her room, she immediately noticed the sets of clothes laid out on the bed.

But her attention was quickly drawn to the newly changed duvet cover, her brows gradually furrowing.

Meanwhile, Zuo Baixuan, hiding in her room, was handling emails.

Because the incidents at the coffee shop and the scholarship had been discovered when her adoptive parents forcibly checked her phone, Zuo Baixuan had since developed a habit of being extremely cautious. All her part-time programming projects were handled via email.

The part-time tasks or competitions she took from Jiang Lingdan were registered through Jiang Lingdan’s phone, and then troubled her good roommate to relay them to her.

After processing all the information in chronological order from oldest to newest, she finally saw an email from Jiang Lingdan.

Zuo Baixuan was a bit puzzled.

If she wasn’t at her adoptive parents’ home, Jiang Lingdan would normally text her on WeChat. Didn’t she say that Luan Yenan hadn’t restricted her freedom? Why send an email now?

When she opened the email and saw the main content was screenshots of forum rumors, she understood Jiang Lingdan’s intention.

She wanted her to know but didn’t want it to affect her.

“What’s so noble about her? She’s just expensive.”

“Someone who always gets high scholarships still needs to sell herself?”

“Who knows how she got those scholarships?”

“I heard she hooked up with the Luan family at an off-campus coffee shop. What skills, quitting her job right after getting married.”

These sarcastic, baseless speculations were filled with malice.

But she was used to it.

There were always people who, jealous of excellence they couldn’t understand, would attack beautiful girls with sharp words.

Zuo Baixuan took out her phone and initiated a message to Jiang Lingdan: [I’m fine. Don’t worry about the forum posts. They’re just three-minute hype, coming and going with the same baseless nasty comments.]

Jiang Lingdan’s nickname quickly changed to “typing.”

But after weighing her words, she realized nothing she said would matter.

So she sent a link instead: [[Link] Sis!! Professor Chen is really hiring! Really, hiring!! Go fill out the form, sign up! She really doesn’t start projects often, but when she does, it’s direct interviews to confirm the team tomorrow!]

Zuo Baixuan transferred the link to her computer, opening it while replying to Jiang Lingdan: [Even if there’s only half a day to sign up, the threshold will still be trampled.]

Jiang Lingdan: [Right, right! Go sign up, I’ll wait for your good news!]

Knock, knock, knock!

The knocking was flat, without much emotion.

But Zuo Baixuan’s limbs stiffened, her face flushed, feeling guilty as she remembered what had just happened.

Looking at the torn T-shirt she had thrown in the trash, she touched the injection mark on her arm.

Luan Yenan’s calm and composed demeanor in that situation, so different from her usual crazy behavior, made Zuo Baixuan completely overlook the small issue on her shoulder.

She sorted out her emotions and went to open the door, standing by the door.

Although she didn’t assume a defensive posture, she also didn’t invite Luan Yenan in to sit.

The latter didn’t mind, holding a blanket with a white duvet cover.

“What do you mean by this?”

Zuo Baixuan truthfully said: “The original duvet cover got dirty. You probably wouldn’t want to sleep with that, right? So I put it in the washing machine.”

But Luan Yenan flipped the blanket surface: “I’m asking, what does this mean?”

The pure white duvet cover seemed fine at first glance, but the front was printed with a cute Dalmatian, looking at Zuo Baixuan with innocent eyes, as if saying: Save me, save me, she almost tore me apart when she saw me.

“Pfft.” Zuo Baixuan had always thought she was professional at hiding her emotions, unless something was really too funny.

When she changed the duvet cover, she wasn’t sure if she should do this.

Luan Yenan and the image of a cute Dalmatian were worlds apart. But with no other options, she reluctantly changed it and flipped it to the back.

The ordinary pure white would have to do for now.

She hadn’t expected Luan Yenan to catch it so quickly.

She thought it would at least wait until tomorrow morning.

Luan Yenan looked at Zuo Baixuan’s smiling face, her delicate features turning elegant into stunning beauty.

She didn’t say anything, just kept watching.

Watching until Zuo Baixuan couldn’t take it anymore, she returned to her little white flower demeanor, apologizing softly: “This was the only bed sheet I could find. The pure white back should still be usable, right? You can make do until tomorrow when the sheets dry, and I’ll change it back for you.”

Luan Yenan narrowed her eyes but curved her lips.

Was this little white flower starting to play tricks, getting back at her for that bite?

How childish.

She took a step forward, as if intending to enter the room.

This move startled Zuo Baixuan, who had just relaxed, causing her to step back and bump into the door handle.

The door swung toward the wall and was immediately held by the door stopper. Her body tilted slightly, leaving half of her exposed.

Zuo Baixuan quickly adjusted her posture to prevent Luan Yenan from entering.

It wasn’t until much later that Zuo Baixuan realized she wasn’t stopping Luan Yenan out of fear that she might misbehave, but because her computer was still on the email interface.

Luan Yenan showed a half-smile, raised her chin, and reached out to pinch Zuo Baixuan’s cheek.

“Now you’re scared of me again?”

Zuo Baixuan simply slapped Luan Yenan’s hand away with an expressionless face, meeting her gaze: “You were the one who told me not to be afraid. Now you want me to be scared? Anyway, it’s already changed. What do you want?”

“I don’t want anything. I just want to remind you to change it back tomorrow on your own. Otherwise, I’ll sleep in your room.”

Even in that earlier situation, Zuo Baixuan hadn’t experienced any wavering in her thoughts.

But now, because of Luan Yenan’s low-voiced threat, she sensed a subtle atmosphere swirling in the air.

“Got it! I have to go to school early tomorrow morning. I’ll make breakfast, hang the duvet cover, and change it for you when I get back in the afternoon!” Zuo Baixuan unconsciously raised her voice.

Luan Yenan sensed her panic and smiled silently again. She picked up the blanket and left without a word.

Still in her heat cycle, Zuo Baixuan took a couple of deep breaths, smelling the lingering scent of vodka in the air.

Looking at Luan Yenan’s retreating figure as she closed the door, she keenly sensed that their relationship had undergone subtle, almost imperceptible changes after their back-and-forth.

…

Early the next morning.

As promised to Luan Yenan, Zuo Baixuan took care of breakfast and the duvet cover before heading to school early.

After submitting her application via email yesterday, she still needed to prepare copies of all her materials and go to the office to prepare for Professor Chen’s interview.

Professor Chen, full name Chen Qian, held the title of academician and was one of the top academic figures at Jing City University. Known as a workaholic, there were even rumors that her dedication to work led to her divorce.

Her hard work paid off, as the number of articles she had published was too many to count on two hands.

She always modestly claimed her programming skills weren’t great, but she had her own unique insights into foundational algorithms, and her research capabilities had always been at the forefront globally.

From the results, she is highly productive, having incubated many projects, some of which are world-leading.

She has also mentored countless top network engineers, maintaining a significant status within the industry.

This is why, when she wanted to guarantee a confirmed collaborator for a visiting professor position, the school quickly approved it.

Even without mentioning all this, undergraduates would still fight tooth and nail to join her projects. For them, being part of a project also means a chance for guaranteed graduate admission.

Apart from the Gland Research Institute, Professor Chen’s projects offer the most guaranteed graduate spots.

“Oh my god!! Zuo’er! Do you know? The collaborator Professor Chen is guaranteeing is a complete madman! No wonder Professor Chen took a liking to this genius at first sight!”

Zuo Baixuan had just finished preparing her materials and returned to the dorm to rest for a bit when she heard Jiang Lingdan’s excited voice, holding a piece of watermelon and offering her a bite.

This double entendre was something Zuo Baixuan was used to. She took the watermelon and took a small bite: “A madman? What did he do?”

“I just heard from the office this morning. That genius saw the recruitment notice and volunteered by writing a piece of code.” Jiang Lingdan paused deliberately.

Zuo Baixuan played along and asked: “Professor Chen has received thousands of volunteer submissions before, all with code. She didn’t accept any of them. What kind of code was it this time that directly convinced Professor Chen?”

“Hehe, Professor Chen’s current project is about cybersecurity, right? Everyone else submitted code from a security perspective. But this genius sent a virus instead!”

Zuo Baixuan was stunned.

That person really is quite unconventional.

“Just because he took a different approach, Professor Chen agreed? That can’t be it, right?”

“Of course not! I heard from the office that Professor Chen was so excited, she asked the principal for the internal network administrator password. As soon as she logged in, all the files were hijacked and held ‘hostage’!”

Zuo Baixuan’s mouth dropped open. She put down the watermelon and sat on the chair next to Jiang Lingdan, trying to look at the chat records to see the exact wording.

The description was exactly the same, with no exaggeration.

“Isn’t this… ‘genius’ afraid of getting arrested?”

“That’s why I said the genius is crazy! I also heard from a junior who was trying to search for the school’s faculty for a public account promotion. At the time, she saw a very strange blank resume file. She found it odd, but when she showed it to her friends, both the intranet and the school’s external websites all went 404.”

“Was that the school’s emergency measure, or the ‘genius’s’ threat?”

Seeing Zuo Baixuan so interested, Jiang Lingdan was satisfied like a storyteller: “That’s unclear. I only heard that because the genius uploaded his own file, to avoid greater impact, they urgently blocked it.”

“This genius created a file for himself, listing himself as a visiting professor. It’s hilarious—a resume that’s half-true, seamlessly integrated into the database. Now they’re making the best of a mistake. As long as he comes to register his identity and submits a copy of his ID, he’ll be legitimate.”

Zuo Baixuan nodded repeatedly: “This is really…crazy.”

She frowned slightly, thinking of Luan Yenan, who was coming to the school today to invest.

Luan Yenan, as long as she has a brain, would definitely choose Professor Chen’s project to invest in.

Now, it’s really hard to predict what a crazy investor and a crazy genius will bring to this project.

“Zuo’er, I’m talking to you, but you’re lost in thought again. What’s on your mind?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“I said, ‘Snake, Insect, Rat, Ant’—those four guys—also applied to join this project. The forum posts escalating definitely have something to do with them too. You need to be careful.”

“Snake, Insect, Rat, Ant.”

Four guys.

Composed of three Alphas and one Omega.

They’re second-rate rich kids, but among the many wealthy heirs, they’re known for being somewhat hardworking but also a bit dirty in their methods.

The three Alphas are respectively called Brother Long, Poison Bee, and Ant.

The Omega, who has some buckteeth, is called Hamster.

Their nicknames are edgy enough and their reputations are large enough that people forget their real names but remember their aliases vividly.

“I’ll be careful.” Zuo Baixuan gently patted Jiang Lingdan, signaling her to relax.

“Alright~ It’s about time. Let’s head to Professor Chen’s office.” Jiang Lingdan jumped up from her seat and linked arms with Zuo Baixuan.

“I’m not a kid, I don’t need someone to accompany me. I can go by myself.” Zuo Baixuan smiled, trying to pull her hand away.

“What are you talking about? You get to go for the interview, but I can’t try my luck? I thought about it yesterday—with so many high-tech big shots like you around, there’s definitely a need for someone to handle miscellaneous tasks. I’m perfect for that! So I signed up too.” Jiang Lingdan playfully raised her eyebrows.

Zuo Baixuan was both amused and exasperated. But seeing her friend so happy, she went along with it: “Yes, yes, you’re perfectly suited. Maybe you’ll be the dark horse that breaks through.”

Thinking about it, if Professor Chen could accept a crazy genius, she probably isn’t a rigid person who only cares about programming skills.

…

“Well, if it isn’t Zuo Baixuan? Oh, wait, calling her by her full name might be a bit disrespectful. Shouldn’t we call her Mrs. Luan now? What’s a wealthy lady like you doing here, trying to gild yourself by joining a project? Planning to secure your position as the ‘front-end’ young mistress?”

As soon as they arrived outside Professor Chen’s office, they heard the discordant voice.

In the hallway, there were quite a few students standing, keeping a distance from the four people by the door.

Zuo Baixuan recognized them—they were the “Snake, Insect, Rat, Ant” quartet.

The one who spoke was Poison Bee.

A skinny guy with a face full of acne scars, as if covered in compound eyes, and a venomous tongue.

Zuo Baixuan couldn’t be bothered to respond.

Jiang Lingdan was so angry she wanted to retort, but Zuo Baixuan held her back.

The other students nearby all remained silent.

Only one girl, holding onto her burly boyfriend for courage, dared to kindly remind: “Professor Chen seems to be busy. The office door is locked, and you can’t get in.”

Zuo Baixuan smiled and nodded at her, understanding the indirect warning, but she continued walking toward the quartet until she stood right in front of the office door.

She kept a low profile because she didn’t want this nonsensical filth sticking to her.

But if it was already stuck, she wouldn’t back down.

Among the four, the one who dressed most like a good student, wearing glasses and looking refined, was Brother Long. He gave Zuo Baixuan a disdainful look, then glanced at the shorter guy next to him.

The taller guy, who was embracing the shorter one, frowned slightly.

These two were Hamster and Ant, a couple.

Hamster stepped out of Ant’s embrace, scrutinized Zuo Baixuan’s outfit, and then sneered.

She looked good, but her clothes were too cheap.

A barely presentable thin shirt paired with light-colored jeans.

The standard poor college student look.

The only valuable things on her were the tacky gold ring and gold necklace.

“Looks like the rumors on the forum are true. Even though Luan Yenan married you, she didn’t spend much on you. You know, even her three-day girlfriends would at least get a limited-edition bag. Look at you, tsk tsk tsk, so pitiful, not even a decent piece of jewelry!”

Click.

Zuo Baixuan didn’t say a word but noticed the office door handle turning halfway.

The door opened inward.

Light from the room spilled out.

A familiar smiling face appeared before her.

A fair, slender arm with rolled-up sleeves reached out first, pressing against the necklace on Zuo Baixuan’s chest.

Everyone was startled.

They dared to mock Zuo Baixuan like this because they assumed Luan Yenan’s personality wouldn’t lead her to stand up for Zuo Baixuan over such a trivial matter.

But who would actually dare to touch her? After all, she was the daughter-in-law of the Luan family!

If Luan Yenan found out she was being cuckolded, there might very well be a half-crippled wreck found in the school bushes tomorrow.

Who on earth was so reckless?

“Ah, it seems the jewelry I picked has embarrassed you. Wife, even though I’m no longer relying on my family and am quite poor, I promise I’ll use the money I earn myself to buy you proper jewelry in the future.”

Luan Yenan’s mature, commanding voice came from behind the half-open door.

Jiang Lingdan, standing closest, shivered at the sound.

Help!!!

Is this, is this, that crazy, scummy Alpha?

She’s completely different from the rumors!!!

The way she’s backlit, casting Zuo’er in her shadow, is so beautiful!!!

If it’s this level of beautiful older sister, I can!!!

Ah, no no no, my friend’s wife, I can’t.

Cough cough…

Jiang Lingdan’s mind went wild for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and turned her attention to the “Snake, Insect, Rat, Ant” quartet, focused on enjoying the scene of human devolution.

The sight of their four faces simultaneously dropping and darkening was indeed hilarious.

Luan Yenan, however, didn’t care about the onlookers at all. With a smile on her face, she looked at the astonished Zuo Baixuan, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and casually pinching her earlobe.

“I’ll definitely buy you earrings first. These earlobes are so cute.” After saying this, Luan Yenan leaned in closer, her breath brushing against Zuo Baixuan’s ear. “Don’t space out now. If you don’t play along, how can I keep acting?”

Realizing what was happening, Zuo Baixuan’s ears turned bright red.