What to Do if You Mess With an Omega? - Chapter 3

Ning Hanzhu was dumbfounded.

With Xu Yuqing’s looks and aura, she stood out like a sore thumb on Alpha Star, impossible to ignore. Her camel-colored coat paired with a white shirt made her look like a peony blooming under the night sky, radiating light.

“Sister, this pretty lady says she’s your friend. How come I’ve never seen her before?”

“I…”

They’d only met twice, actually.

“What a coincidence.”

“Not a coincidence. I specifically asked them to bring me to you.”

Ning Hanzhu followed Xu Yuqing’s pointing finger to the corner, where four figures squatted in a row—Snake Bro and his lackeys. Snake Bro, hands in pockets, looked a bit displeased. “She said she wanted to find you, so I brought her.”

Ning Hanzhu was baffled.

Find her for what?

She hadn’t taken her protection money.

Xu Yuqing waved dismissively at the four. “Alright, you can leave now.”

Snake Bro was the last to stand, shaking out his legs before shooting Ning Hanzhu a fierce glare, like he was throwing down a challenge to a rival.

“Now, let’s talk about our business.”

“Our… business?”

Xu Yuqing gave her a slight smile, then suddenly pulled out a lollipop. “Qianqian, want one?”

Ning Qianqian instinctively looked at Ning Hanzhu, her eyes pleading, hard to refuse. But Ning Hanzhu quickly covered her mouth. “First, tell me why you’re here.”

Xu Yuqing clicked her tongue. Quite cautious.

“Yesterday, they took me to a hotel, supposedly one of the best on Alpha Star, with top-notch security, guaranteed no disturbances. So, I slept soundly.” Xu Yuqing paused. “Until midnight, when I was woken by strange noises.”

“Hm?”

“The sound of someone picking the lock.”

Ning Hanzhu’s hair nearly stood on end. “Then what?”

Xu Yuqing glanced at her lightly. “Good thing I’d wedged a chair against the door. I didn’t sleep the rest of the night.” To prove her point, she leaned closer, pointing at the dark circles under her eyes. “See? Do I have bags under my eyes?”

A soft breeze passed by.

Ning Hanzhu caught a whiff of fragrance, like high-end woody perfume, but when she inhaled again, it was gone. She didn’t dwell on it, instead fixating on a red mole near the corner of Xu Yuqing’s eye.

That mole, placed right there, was almost too sensual.

“Did you see?”

“Oh, yeah, I saw.”

Xu Yuqing’s skin was flawless, making the dark circles impossible to miss.

Ning Hanzhu glanced again. A girl alone, encountering something like this, would naturally be scared. If it were her in the middle of the night, her soul might’ve fled. “How about switching to another hotel?”

Xu Yuqing raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with the suggestion.

Even her dissatisfaction was pleasing to the eye.

Ning Hanzhu listed options. “There are a few decent ones nearby, close to the relief station. If anything happens, you can get help right away. Want me to take you to check them out?”

Xu Yuqing nodded slightly. “Lead the way.”

Ning Qianqian’s small steps couldn’t keep up, and with the sky darkening, Ning Hanzhu scooped her up. After lifting her, something felt off, so she weighed her in her arms. “Qianqian, have you lost weight?”

Ning Qianqian patted her round little belly. “No, Sister, I got fatter.”

Ning Hanzhu quickly pulled down her lifted shirt. “Girls can’t just lift their clothes, especially outside.”

Xu Yuqing watched with curiosity. “You two sisters have a great relationship.”

With their parents dead in battle, Ning Qianqian was the only family the original owner had left. Since Ning Hanzhu had taken over this body, she naturally took on the responsibility. Besides, who wouldn’t love such an adorable sister?

“Are you an only child?”

A flicker of surprise crossed Xu Yuqing’s face, followed by a smile. “Not exactly.”

Ning Hanzhu expected her to elaborate, but Xu Yuqing stayed unusually quiet until they reached the hotel.

“Here we are.”

Ning Hanzhu led her inside. The hotel was well-equipped. She was about to ask about check-in when Xu Yuqing complained, “The decor’s outdated, no security at the entrance, and anyone can just walk in. You think I’d be safe staying here?”

Ning Hanzhu looked around. The “anyone” seemed to refer to the three of them.

“…”

“What, am I wrong?”

Ning Hanzhu scratched her head. It wasn’t about right or wrong—if the guest wasn’t satisfied, no amount of talk would help. “Let’s check out the next one.”

She even gave Xu Yuqing a heads-up. “The top hotels on Alpha Star are old brands. They may look worn outside, but they’re renovated yearly.”

Xu Yuqing suddenly asked, “Have you stayed in one?”

Ning Hanzhu choked. “No, but I worked in one.”

The original owner’s memories held an unpleasant incident. She’d worked as a server for a month. The boss, seeing her diligence, was about to offer her a permanent position when a guest’s valuable item went missing.

It was found in her locker, and she was fired.

Xu Yuqing gave her a sidelong glance.

At the second hotel, the staff was new. This time, Xu Yuqing didn’t critique the lobby but followed the server to see a room. It was spotless, pristine.

To Ning Hanzhu, it seemed like a decent hotel.

But Xu Yuqing pushed the window, which creaked loudly, and lifted the blanket. “This window hasn’t been maintained in ages. What if someone climbs in at night…”

That would be a horror story.

Seeing her dissatisfaction, Ning Hanzhu didn’t argue and took her to a third, then a fourth hotel. By the time she realized it, night had fallen. Streetlights glowed, and a few hovercars zipped overhead.

Ning Hanzhu rarely stayed out this late. She stared at the twinkling night lights, strung together like a sea of stars, and for a moment, found Alpha Star oddly beautiful.

“Hey, your sister looks sleepy.”

Xu Yuqing’s reminder made Ning Hanzhu notice Ning Qianqian, who’d fallen asleep on her shoulder. She looked at Xu Yuqing, who looked back, and they stared at each other on the street.

“How about…”

Maybe it was the lighting, but Xu Yuqing’s captivating eyes seemed to sparkle brighter. Ning Hanzhu steeled herself. “How about I take you to the relief station?”

Xu Yuqing’s face turned cold. “No way.”

Ning Hanzhu fretted. “If that doesn’t work, I can go with you to the police. Tell them what happened, and they should protect you.”

Xu Yuqing gave a half-smile. “You really want me to go to the police? I can’t promise I won’t say something I shouldn’t.”

Ning Hanzhu, “…”

She’d almost forgotten—she was still one of the would-be robbers in Xu Yuqing’s eyes. One wrong step, and every step after was wrong.

This wouldn’t do, that wouldn’t do.

Ning Hanzhu gave up. “So, beautiful Beta miss, what do you want?”

Xu Yuqing said, “You seem reliable. How about you take me in?”

“!!!”

Ning Hanzhu was horrified. “No way.”

Her body was now an Alpha, and Xu Yuqing was a Beta. In this ridiculous world, Alphas could marry Betas and have kids. While Betas’ fertility wasn’t as high as Omegas’, who were rare and precious, most Alphas settled for Betas to form families.

Bringing her home would be like a lone Alpha and a lone Beta together. She hadn’t forgotten this was a steamy adult novel.

Xu Yuqing was displeased. “You dare refuse me?”

Ning Hanzhu had never dealt with something like this before; her head was spinning. “Miss Beta, it’s for your own good. You might not know, but I just differentiated into an Alpha. My pheromones aren’t stable yet. I might do something awful to you.”

Xu Yuqing found her earnestness oddly cute.

“I’m not afraid.”

“I…” I’m afraid.

The original owner had died during differentiation. If her body had any flaws and her pheromones went haywire, she feared this world’s absurd rules might push her urges in the wrong direction.

She’d never even had a partner or held hands.

Seeing her reluctance, Xu Yuqing sighed lightly. “Fine, I’ll go back to last night’s hotel. If someone tries to break in again, I’ll just end this rotten life with a knife.”

With that, she turned and left.

Ning Hanzhu watched her resolute figure fade, as if a vibrant life was slipping away. If it were a stranger, if she didn’t know… she couldn’t just let someone die.

She felt like she agonized for ages, but it was only a few breaths. As Xu Yuqing walked further, she called out, “Wait.”

Xu Yuqing’s steps paused, but she didn’t turn back immediately.

“You can stay one night, just one. Tomorrow, I’ll figure something else out.”

“Great.”

Ning Hanzhu reluctantly led her to their place, warning her, “I live in government-subsidized housing. It’s small and a bit messy. Make do for tonight.”

Xu Yuqing nodded repeatedly. “Got it, got it.”

When they arrived and saw the rows of tiny, pigeon-cage-like buildings, Xu Yuqing gasped. She’d underestimated how cramped the sisters’ home was.

The small space held a bed, a tiny table, and a pile of metal scraps in the corner that looked like junk.

With two adults standing in the middle, any big movement meant they might bump into each other.

Xu Yuqing’s breath caught.

Was it too late to regret this?