Willing to Be for Her - Chapter 17

The crane-shaped floor lamp in the living room flickered erratically, casting dim, wavering light on Luo Xuan’s disheveled silver hair, which seemed to float weightlessly in the gloom.

Luo Xuan’s clear, youthful face was etched with panic and guilt. The red marks left by the woman’s nails on her butterfly bones throbbed faintly, the wounds burning with a mild itch as they were exposed to the air, now devoid of lingering intimacy.

“Ning Yiqing, I… I’m sorry,” Luo Xuan’s voice trembled with bewildered fear, driven by an instinctive urge to salvage something. “The doctor said my pheromone levels might be restored through surgery. Please wait for me, okay?”

Ning Yiqing lowered his gaze, his tear-streaked profile so noble, so beautiful, like a deity forever pure and untouched by love, hate, or worldly desires.

“Get dressed and leave immediately. I don’t want to see you right now.”

Luo Xuan gritted her teeth, her vision blurring as her bl00d burned like molten lava, nearly scalding her from within.

*Where could she go? Where could she possibly go?*

Disappointment, heartbreak, anger, guilt, and confusion crashed over Luo Xuan simultaneously.

Her expression dazed and lost, she stumbled out of the villa and into the torrential rain. The light blue hoodie, saturated with her pheromones, was instantly soaked through.

Even with her hat pulled low, rainwater streamed down her damp silver hair, trickling past her nose and seeping into the tightly pressed seam of her lips.

The salty rain washed over the bite wound on her lip, left by the woman, causing a sharp, undeniable sting.

The cherry tree in the courtyard swayed gently.

She lowered her head, moving forward as if lost, like an abandoned animal, rainwater pooling in her reddened eyes.

Semi-transparent raindrops strung together like shards of glass, forming shimmering walls that appeared before Luo Xuan. She moved forward unconsciously, piercing the thin, sharp curtain of rain.

An Alpha marking an Omega they genuinely loved should have been a sweet and beautiful moment, especially since both had experienced an unparalleled bliss during the marking process due to their exceptionally high compatibility.

But it had become a complete and utter mistake.

The torrential rain extinguished the lingering warmth of Ning Yiqing’s presence on Luo Xuan’s skin, yet the girl could still feel the lingering effects of the White Sandalwood pheromones: confusion, loss of control, and absolute infatuation.

If she were still an S-Class Alpha, she wouldn’t be completely defenseless against Omega pheromones and could have regained control in time.

*Ha, if only.* She was a lowly, self-control-challenged C-Class Alpha.

Luo Xuan felt like she had become a despicable person, taking advantage of someone in their vulnerable state.

Under the dim yellow streetlights, cars occasionally passed by on the road, and a misty haze hung in the rain-streaked air. Luo Xuan’s hands trembled slightly as she pulled out her phone. After a moment’s hesitation, she dialed Lan Leren’s number.

“Miss Luo Xuan, what’s wrong?” Lan Leren answered the call, surprised, as she parked her car. She could hear the sound of rain pouring through the phone.

“Le Ran-jie, I’m sorry to bother you so late, but Ning Yiqing… she might be feeling very unwell. Could you please check on her for me? Thank you.”

Standing before the villa’s gate, Lan Leren paused her hand on the doorbell. The strange feeling in her heart only intensified. “I was just about to deliver some documents to President Ning. Did something… happen between you two? Are you outside alone?”

A long silence stretched over the phone line before Luo Xuan spoke again in a low voice:

“Le Ran-jie, thank you for your trouble.”

Then she hung up.

With this, Ning Yiqing should be safe. After all, a newly marked Omega’s body and mind were exceptionally fragile.

The woman’s voice kept echoing in Luo Xuan’s ears, calling her “Star.”

*Don’t be afraid. Your eyes are like stars—so beautiful, as gentle as that single ray of light.*

*Star, you’re such a kind child.*

No matter how hurt she felt, Luo Xuan found it impossible to be angry with her.

Luo Xuan realized she was actually quite soft-hearted, despite having spent her entire life fighting and brawling, and being branded by her family as a heartless, soulless monster.

She rubbed her throbbing head and chuckled self-deprecatingly, feeling increasingly unlike herself.

A fiery red sports car screeched to a halt in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing a cascade of dark crimson, wavy hair. Qin Shiyi turned off the car’s music and shouted over the rain:

“Luo Xuan? Is that you? What are you doing wandering around alone so late?”

“You’re Qin… Qin Shiyi,” Luo Xuan said, surprised by her unusually sharp memory when it came to Ning Yiqing.

Gazing at the white-haired, heterochromatic girl drenched and disheveled in the downpour, yet still strikingly beautiful, Qin Shiyi felt a pang of sympathy. No one could remain unmoved by such a pure and delicate creature, like a fawn caught in the storm.

Except for a certain woman who had severed all emotional ties.

“That’s me. I was just heading for a drink. Want to join me?”

“To a bar? I’ve never been to one, and I don’t really like them. Thanks anyway.”

Qin Shiyi stepped out of the car, her alluring beauty undiminished by the rain. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Luo Xuan’s soaked arm and pulled her toward Particle Bar, its neon sign flashing at the end of the street.

“You look like you’re about to faint. Let’s get you something hot and strong.”

Contrary to Luo Xuan’s expectations, Particle Bar was unusually quiet tonight. Only a few tables were occupied by patrons casually sipping drinks, and the DJ played mellow music without the deafening noise she had anticipated.

“You and Yi Qing are such a perfect match,” Qin Shiyi said, her hips swaying seductively as she snapped her fingers. A bartender immediately brought her usual drink. “Get this little sister something to drink too, and a dry towel.”

“What do you want?” Qin Shiyi decided against getting Luo Xuan drunk, fearing Ning Yiqing’s wrath if anything happened.

“Mint water,” Luo Xuan replied absently, brushing aside her dripping bangs. Her eyes were unfocused as she instinctively added, “Three mint leaves, one lemon slice, warm water at forty-five degrees.”

Qin Shiyi sized Luo Xuan up and chuckled. “Quite particular. Eddy, make her a mint water exactly as she described.”

When the bartender delivered the drink, he was struck by Luo Xuan’s white hair and heterochromatic eyes, assuming she was Qin Shiyi’s new fling. He glanced at her twice before quickly averting his gaze.

A lemon slice perched on the glass rim, topped with a tiny white paper umbrella. Luo Xuan removed the umbrella and twirled it in her palm, realizing she truly needed one like this.

“Mint water, thank you, Sister Shiyi.”

“Luo Xuan, you’re such a good girl,” Qin Shiyi said with a delighted smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Why do you call me ‘Sister Shiyi,’ but when it comes to Yi Qing, it’s just ‘Ning Yiqing’—no ‘sister’?”

Icy raindrops clung to the girl’s thick eyelashes, poised to fall but never quite letting go. Luo Xuan murmured, “Ning Yiqing is just Ning Yiqing.”

“She’s my sister, my…” Luo Xuan paused, regrouping her thoughts. “She’s Ning Yiqing.”

“I’ve hardly ever heard anyone dare call her that. You’re quite special,” Qin Shiyi mused, sipping her golden liquor. Suddenly, she understood why Ning Yiqing sometimes seemed so conflicted and contradictory.

Luo Xuan possessed a unique aura, a pristine innocence untouched by the world’s corruption. It was a pure, romantic spirit utterly incompatible with power, wealth, fame, and ambition—a fragile purity easily shattered yet capable of rebirth.

Ning Yiqing stood in stark contrast.

The woman reigned supreme at the pinnacle of power, where the cold was unbearable. She was colder than frost, more ruthless than power itself—a sacred, solitary figure, noble yet indifferent to all.

“You have her pheromones on you,” Qin Shiyi suddenly remarked, her words carrying a piercing clarity. “I’ve heard there’s a surgery to restore pheromone levels. You could try it. Although it’s designed for damage to the glands, it might still work for you.”

Having pheromone levels that are too low means facing constant limitations—a cruel reality.

“Mm, but mine is pathological. The doctor said it would only have a limited effect,” Luo Xuan replied, drying her hair, gradually relaxing. Her features softened, becoming impossibly beautiful.

“I’ll never understand how someone as emotionally detached as Ning Yiqing could be so lucky,” Qin Shiyi muttered, baffled by her own inability to find such a pure and adorable Alpha.

“Emotionally detached?”

“Yeah. She rarely saw her parents growing up. As a child, she was sickly and lived in a temple to ward off evil spirits—ancient lamps, Buddhist statues, tea ceremonies, and spiritual cultivation. She’s so pure and ascetic, she’s practically a saint. I doubt there’s anyone in this world who could make her break her vows or stir her heart.”

Speaking too quickly, Qin Shiyi hastily covered her mouth, desperate to recover, but she couldn’t think of anything to say.

Everyone knew Ning Yiqing as a person as cold as ice and as pure as snow—emotionless, devoid of desire, and utterly unmoved by sentiment.

Luo Xuan remained silent, her towel-drying slowed.

The entire space felt desolate. Qin Shiyi, who couldn’t stand the silence, pulled out her phone to avoid the awkwardness.

The mint water gradually cooled from warm to icy. Luo Xuan sipped it slowly, her soaked clothes gradually drying, clinging to her skin in wrinkled, chilly discomfort.

The mint water’s recipe remained unchanged, yet it offered none of its usual calming effects.

The brass clock on the bar wall struck seven in the morning. Luo Xuan finally felt exhaustion creeping in. Beside her, Qin Shiyi, having drunk too much, had already collapsed face-down on the bar, fast asleep.

Eddy, the bartender, listlessly polished glasses. The world seemed to slow to a crawl, and Luo Xuan closed her eyes.

“Wake up, you two. This isn’t a hotel. Go home and sleep.”

Qin Shiyi groggily opened her eyes to see Eddy’s magnified, impatient face.

A splitting headache surged through Luo Xuan as she opened her eyes. Her breathing quickened, her face paled, and she barely managed to suppress the metallic taste rising in her throat.

*I can’t scare them,* she thought. *Especially since Qin Shiyi and Eddy have been so kind.*

“Thank you for your help,” Luo Xuan said with a forced smile, pulling out her phone to pay for the drinks.

“The mint water’s on the house,” Eddy waved dismissively, not mentioning its price.

Luo Xuan paused, inexplicably refraining from insisting. Instead, she picked up her small umbrella and looked down at her phone, her gaze weary. A trending Weibo search popped up on the screen:

#LuoWeiDeliberatelyThrowsHerWeightAround, Refuses Ninghuan Jewelry Endorsement#

Ninghuan Jewelry was the high-end jewelry brand under the Ning Group, primarily managed by Ning Yiqing’s cousin, Ning Ziqi.

Luo Wei’s refusal to give Ninghuan face was tantamount to disrespecting Ning Yiqing himself.

The trending topic had emerged at 6 AM, and within an hour, it had exploded, amassing over ten thousand comments and hundreds of thousands of likes.

Qin Shiyi was about to call Luo Xuan to leave together when she glanced at the comments on Luo Xuan’s phone screen.

Leopard Laughed: How dare Luo Wei act so high and mighty? Ning Huan is a top-tier brand with countless resources that countless celebrities would kill for. Isn’t there a saying that you only truly enter the fashion world when you gain Ning Huan’s recognition?

Sticky Rice Cake: Luo Wei’s different. She could get all that with just a snap of her fingers.

Hemudu Savage: You all don’t understand. She’s loved, and those who are loved have nothing to fear. Those who know their place and act properly are the ones who aren’t loved.

The remaining comments all read: Please elaborate.

For a moment, Qin Shiyi felt so speechless she wanted to pretend she hadn’t seen anything.

Fortunately, Luo Xuan’s phone rang.

Lan Leren’s voice came through the phone.

“Miss Luo Xuan, President Ning requests your presence at the villa tomorrow evening at 8 PM. She wishes to speak with you.”