What to Do if You Mess With an Omega? - Chapter 22

Xu Yuqing saw her return with a light step, even humming a little tune, and looking utterly cheerful. She took advantage of Ning Hanzhu bending over to ask softly, “What happy thing did you run into?”

Ning Hanzhu felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of how she had just fooled one of Xu Yuqing’s suitors. “Nothing much. I just met someone quite amusing.”

The two whispered to each other as if no one else existed, a sight that wounded a large swath of Alphas. Over these years, Xu Yuqing had been bound to the Yan family because of the engagement. With Yan Bojing watching her like a hawk from the side, others who might have designs on her had to think twice before acting.

Those who were only slightly inferior to Yan Bojing hardly dared approach. Now, however, word had spread that the engagement between the two families had fallen apart. Before they could make their move, someone else had beaten them to it.

Where the hell had this one crawled out from!?

“Yuqing, you returned early without even letting me know. I could have arranged for someone to pick you up.”

“Oh, if it isn’t Young Master Yan.”

Yan Bojing nodded toward Luo Tianran by way of greeting. His gaze remained fixed on Xu Yuqing, those deep eyes brimming with tender affection.

As for Ning Hanzhu, he did not spare her so much as a glance, as if she did not exist at all.

Ning Hanzhu, however, sized him up with open curiosity. Was this the former fiancé everyone had mentioned? He was tall enough, five centimeters taller than her, and his handsome face matched Xu Yuqing’s perfectly. He even wore a military uniform adorned with three medals—preliminarily, she pegged him as a young general, with a family background that suited her as well.

They were the picture of a golden couple.

But in the next second, Ning Hanzhu wanted to spit in his face.

“Who put this filthy stuff out here? Don’t you know Yuqing doesn’t like it?”

“???”

There it was—Alphas were all big pig’s trotters at heart.

With that, he beckoned, and two men in military uniforms stepped forward at once to take away the plate Ning Hanzhu had painstakingly filled.

“Wait. Who told you to touch it?”

Ning Hanzhu pressed down on the hand reaching for the plate and refused to budge. “At least respect someone else’s hard work. Can’t you ask the person involved before laying a finger on it?”

One after another, always wasting food.

These dishes would be luxuries on Elf Star, things many people never tasted in a lifetime.

She took back her earlier thought that the two made a golden couple. This big pig’s trotter did not deserve Xu Yuqing at all. She jerked her chin toward Xu Yuqing.

“Exactly. Young Master Yan, you sure throw your weight around. You barge in here and start dictating what even our Sister Xu can eat. But I’m curious—what’s your relationship with her now? On what grounds do you think you can meddle?”

Luo Tianran smiled at him sweetly, then waited for Yang Xiu to feed her another peeled prickly shrimp.

Ning Hanzhu’s eye twitched at how much she was enjoying it.

Yan Bojing’s lips curved in a gentle smile. “Second Miss Luo, I ran into one of your brother’s men yesterday. I heard he got injured by a king bug on the front lines this time. I just wonder how serious the injury is.”

Luo Tianran shot to her feet at those words. She grabbed Yang Xiu and headed for the exit. After two steps, she suddenly doubled back. Her face wore its usual cheeky grin, but her trembling hands betrayed her mood. “Sister Xu, I’ll have to excuse myself for today. We’ll get together another time. Then, little sister will definitely prepare a generous gift.”

Xu Yuqing nodded. “All right. Let me know if you need anything.”

Luo Tianran nodded gratefully, then left without so much as a glance at Yan Bojing. She moved at top speed this time, ignoring attempts by others to detain her.

She must have been truly urgent.

With just one sentence, he had sent Luo Tianran packing. Ning Hanzhu could not help reassessing this ex in front of her.

Without Luo Tianran, the atmosphere around them shifted at once.

Xu Yuqing suddenly patted Ning Hanzhu’s waist. Ning Hanzhu, caught off guard, nearly jumped. She shot the other woman a helpless glance. Was the waist some spot you could just pat casually?

Xu Yuqing had not expected such a big reaction from her either and felt a bit deflated. “So sensitive?”

Ning Hanzhu, “…”

She was ticklish, was that not allowed?

No one said Alphas could not be ticklish.

The two flirted and bantered right in front of her ex-fiancé Yan Bojing as if he were not even there. Yan Bojing could tolerate it, but someone else could not stand it any longer.

“Xu Yuqing.”

That voice drew every gaze in the room.

Ning Hanzhu spared a glance at the woman striding over. She wore heavy, garish makeup that masked her natural features, and her outfit was a touch too exaggerated. She stormed up to them in a rage. “Xu Yuqing, you do not deserve Brother Yan at all.”

Yan Bojing’s expression finally changed. “Miss Du, please mind your words.”

Du Wenmei huffed in frustration. “She’s right in front of you, carrying on like this with another Alpha, and you’re still defending her? I’m just indignant on your behalf.”

Xu Yuqing ignored the two of them completely. She merely reached out with two slender, articulated fingers and lightly tugged at Ning Hanzhu’s sleeve. “I want more.”

Ning Hanzhu found the gesture utterly endearing.

Was this still the Xu Yuqing who had faced down a mugging without flinching? How had she suddenly become so soft? It made refusal impossible.

“I’ll peel for you.”

“Wait here.”

Ning Hanzhu rolled up her sleeves and got to work. Only after she finished a whole plate did she realize that in all her years, this was probably the first time she had ever peeled shrimp for someone.

And she had actually enjoyed it quite a bit.

Damn.

Did she have some masochistic streak, liking to wait on people?

No way, no way.

There had never been any sign of it before.

Yan Bojing suddenly half-kneeled in front of Xu Yuqing, his posture low. Ning Hanzhu could even see the whorl in his hair clearly. “Yuqing, you like these? I can peel them for you.”

Xu Yuqing glanced at him faintly. “Yan Bojing, I told you our engagement is no longer valid. As for the one beside you, can’t you see how much she likes you?”

Yan Bojing frowned. “Her liking me is her business. What does it have to do with me? So many people like me, but I only like you.”

Whoa.

Ning Hanzhu saw the Du woman beside him look on the verge of tears at those words, then bolt without another moment’s hesitation.

Yan Bojing noticed the chili oil staining Xu Yuqing’s hands and reached for a napkin to take her hand and wipe it.

Xu Yuqing slapped away the hand trying to grab hers. The action let Yan Bojing catch a whiff of an unusual pheromone scent, though.

His hand paused. The gentleness in his eyes sharpened into something piercing as he looked at Ning Hanzhu like so much trash. “Yuqing, I won’t oppose you taking another Alpha, but how could you choose one so inferior?”

Ning Hanzhu, “???”

Listen to what this bastard was saying—is that even human speech?