Chapter 27: Part 1

As soon as the words left her mouth, Ye Chengxing found herself pulled into a tight embrace by the Omega.

The hug carried emotions so intense they were nearly suffocating. Li Jia murmured softly, “Meeting you, sister, has been the luckiest thing in my entire life…”

Ye Chengxing had initially felt a bit uncomfortable in the embrace, but upon hearing those words, all she felt was pity.

The Villain really was so pitiable, such a poor little thing.

The Omega continued in her ear, her voice halting and intermittent. “Especially since even washing up will need your help later. Just thinking about it makes me feel like I’m troubling you so much.”

That tone made Ye Chengxing’s heart ache even more for her. She immediately replied, “It’s no trouble at all. Not one bit.”

Li Jia looked up at her words. “Then, sister, why don’t you just come to my room later?”

As she spoke, she hesitated before adding, “But is that okay? I’m afraid I might feel too shy to knock on your door…”

Ye Chengxing remembered how Li Jia’s wound had worsened earlier because she was too embarrassed to ask for help with water. She quickly interrupted, “Of course it’s okay.”

She figured Li Jia must have thin skin and might feel awkward living under someone else’s roof. She repeated firmly, “We’ll just go straight to your room.”

The Omega let out a genuine laugh, her tone filled with gratitude. “Thank you so much, sister.”

She left the table for Xiao Bai to clean up.

Ye Chengxing followed Li Jia into her room.

The Omega’s room was impeccably neat. On the desk sat some books and worksheets, a few of which weren’t fully closed, revealing neat, vigorous handwriting in the notes that was pleasing to the eye.

Gazing at those notes, Ye Chengxing recalled the tutor praising Li Jia’s studies. These past few days, she’d been so busy with the gourmet store that she hadn’t checked much on Li Jia’s schoolwork. Her eyes lingered on the books as she asked with concern, “By the way, are these lessons tiring for you? If they are, we can adjust the frequency or timing of the sessions.”

“Tiring?” Li Jia met her concerned gaze and paused for two seconds. “Well, a little…”

Hearing Li Jia voice her thoughts so directly, Ye Chengxing opened her mouth. She wanted to suggest adjusting the schedule if it was tiring, but before she could speak, Li Jia smiled and continued, “But the entrance exam is coming up soon. I can push through a bit longer. Besides, I love studying, and I’m so grateful to you for giving me this chance.”

There was a light in Li Jia’s eyes that made it hard to interrupt her. Listening to those words, Ye Chengxing felt her heart soften completely. Who wouldn’t love and cherish someone who had been through hardships yet still faced life with such positivity? She ruffled Li Jia’s hair and said with a warm smile, “It’s fine. We’ll do whatever you want. But don’t overdo the studying—balance work and rest. Your health comes first.”

Li Jia didn’t respond right away. Instead, she said, “But having you by my side makes studying feel even more motivating… So, sister, will you keep me company while I study?”

Ye Chengxing nodded eagerly. “Of course, no problem at all.”

Truth be told, she’d imagined this exact scene before transmigrating into the book. If she had a little sister, she would take such good care of her. Sure, she was working now, but if her sister were still in school, she would absolutely help with homework and studying.

In reality, of course, she didn’t have a sister. Friends had even teased that if she did, she wouldn’t think this way. Now, Ye Chengxing just wanted to retort—who said she wouldn’t?

But she wouldn’t think that anymore anyway, because… she had a little sister now.

Thinking of Li Jia, specks of starlight danced in Ye Chengxing’s eyes. The slight upward curve at the corners of her eyes wasn’t sharp at all; instead, it made her gaze seem infused with an indescribable tenderness, like peach blossom wine, intoxicating to behold.

After speaking, Ye Chengxing fell silent. Li Jia glanced up slightly. She could feel the Alpha’s gaze still on her, but the smile in those eyes wasn’t directed at her. It was the kind of smile that came from thinking of someone or something else.

Realizing this, Li Jia’s eyes darkened a fraction.

If this were the Ye Chengxing from her previous life, she would have understood her well—after all, disgusting people thought in disgusting ways. But the Ye Chengxing before her, the one from this life, was truly incomprehensible. She couldn’t guess her thoughts, just like how she’d once assumed it was all a facade, only for Ye Chengxing’s actions to contradict her expectations every time.

What was she thinking about now? Who was making her show such a gentle smile that it pierced Li Jia’s heart just to look at it?

The pen she’d just picked up was gripped tightly in her hand. A storm of thoughts churned inside her, but her expression grew even more innocent. She leaned closer to Ye Chengxing, her voice soft, as if it were just idle curiosity. “Sister, who are you thinking about?”

Why, when they were right here together, wasn’t her attention fully on her?

Ye Chengxing had been lost in thought. Even though she’d transmigrated into a book, she didn’t see this world as fake or look down on its people from some superior vantage. Nor did she view Li Jia as a mere paper character. To her, all of this was real and deserved sincere treatment.

The only person she truly felt close to in this world was Li Jia—the only one who felt familiar. If Li Jia depended on her, well, she depended on Li Jia too.

Moreover, emotions between people were mutual. If she treated Li Jia with sincerity, she believed Li Jia would respond in kind.

Hearing the question, Ye Chengxing blinked in confusion. They’d been talking fine—why the sudden shift to who she was thinking about?

She let out a puzzled hum.

Li Jia’s eyes darkened further.

She’d known it—the Alpha was thinking of someone else.

The Omega parted her lips, suppressing the emotions in her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, Ye Chengxing seemed to catch on and laughed. “Why do you ask that?”

Li Jia hid her feelings seamlessly and met her eyes, acting like a real little sister coquettishly pleading with her big sister. “I’m just curious. You were smiling so gently.”

Here, she flashed a touch of girlish mischief. “Were you thinking of someone you like?”

Ye Chengxing chuckled helplessly and reached out to lightly knock the Omega’s head—a natural, affectionate gesture. “What are you imagining? There’s no one else. I was just thinking about you.”

Her words rang with utter sincerity, laced with an unmistakable closeness that wasn’t forced. It was the kind that made one feel truly valued.

Li Jia’s carefully masked expression and probing words froze. Hearing this, her lashes trembled slowly. After a long moment, she asked as if afraid to believe it, “You were… thinking about me?”

The answer was so unbelievable that her heartbeat stuttered, like a pebble tossed into a still lake, rippling her calm.

“Yeah, who else?” Seeing Li Jia stare blankly, Ye Chengxing smiled and repeated it.

She noticed Li Jia sometimes reacted like this—completely caught off guard by her words.

It was adorably cute.

Li Jia paused for a long while after hearing her, her lips parting and closing several times. Seconds ticked by without a word.

Only after what felt like ages did she finally respond with a soft, obedient, “Oh, I see.”

It was like a cat that had just fluffed up its fur, raising a paw to hiss and spit—only to be soothed by its owner’s petting before it could act. The teeth stayed hidden, the mouth uncurled, the fur smoothed down. It went soft and plopped back beside its owner, occasionally brushing its tail tip against her hand.

Ye Chengxing had no idea what had just transpired. Seeing Li Jia drop her curious questioning so suddenly, she chalked it up to childish whimsy—asking on a whim and moving on. The girl looked so cute right now that she couldn’t help but smile again, lips curving.

Li Jia noticed the smile and recalled the Alpha’s words.

She’d really been thinking of her?

Her heartbeat quickened just a touch.

Li Jia squeezed the pen in her hand again, the pressure the same yet somehow different.

A faint blush colored the Omega’s cheeks, her pupils shimmering with joyful clarity.

Ye Chengxing wouldn’t lie to her.

So that gentle smile must be just for her, right?

She wrote the solution steps on the worksheet methodically, each stroke elegant and precise.

Watching her, Ye Chengxing shifted and leaned back a little.

Li Jia seemed utterly focused on her work. Staring like this might make her uncomfortable.

Better to give her all the space.

With that thought, Ye Chengxing quietly stood up—only to have the Omega turn and wrap her arms around her waist. The grip was so strong that when Ye Chengxing tried to step back, she was pulled even closer.

“Sister, are you leaving? Is being with me boring you?” Her voice held innocent surprise, as if she hadn’t expected the movement and had instinctively held on to keep her there.

Ye Chengxing squirmed a bit. Being held around the waist like this felt awkward, and though she tried to pull free, she couldn’t.

Li Jia was so slender and delicate, like a willow in the wind. How did she have such strength?

Ye Chengxing stood while Li Jia sat, nearly pulled right into her lap. The position felt oddly intimate.

“I’m not leaving, and I’m not bored…” After a moment, she spoke softly, a hint of helplessness in her tone. She gently patted Li Jia’s hand. “I just worried I’d make you uncomfortable studying with me here. I was going to slip out quietly, but I still disturbed you.” And quite abruptly, at that.

Li Jia listened quietly. Only after Ye Chengxing finished did she slowly respond with a soft hum. But the arms around the Alpha’s waist didn’t loosen. Instead, they pressed her back down onto the chair.

The force was firm, yet her tone was gentle as a whisper. “Then just sit back down, sister. You don’t make me uncomfortable—in fact, having you here makes me more efficient.”

“But Sister, you still shouldn’t get up so casually. Having you by my side won’t disturb me at all. It’s just that if you’ve already sat down and then stand up again, it might interrupt your train of thought a little…” The omega spoke in a delicate, pitiful tone.

“Alright, then I won’t move.”

Ye Chengxing felt a subtle mix of emotions from the way Li Jia had wrapped her arms around her waist and pressed her back down into the seat. She always sensed that Li Jia was sometimes so pure and harmless, yet at other times carried an indescribable contradictory strangeness.

After pondering it, Ye Chengxing chalked it up to the other’s lack of security. That was why she reacted so strongly to even the slightest movement.

Ye Chengxing gazed at the omega’s profile, which had fallen quiet again once she sat back down.

So, how should she handle this lack of security?

Ye Chengxing thought for a moment and decided she needed to consider Li Jia’s feelings more deeply, to let her experience love and validation. Even if Li Jia still harbored some self-doubt deep down, it didn’t matter—Ye Chengxing would affirm her endlessly.

With that in mind, Ye Chengxing stopped fidgeting and sat quietly beside Li Jia, watching her work through the problems.

And she quickly realized that the tutor hadn’t been exaggerating at all—the praise had actually been modest.

Watching Li Jia solve problems was nothing short of a visual feast.

Her movements flowed smoothly, her accuracy was spot-on, and her handwriting was neat and beautiful.

Sensing Ye Chengxing’s gaze, Li Jia didn’t change the motion of her pen, but her mood lifted even higher. She savored this time spent together with Ye Chengxing, the corners of her lips curving up slightly.

…

By the time Li Jia finished the exercises and test papers, it was already very late.

Ye Chengxing hadn’t done any of her own work; just sitting there watching Li Jia write had left her feeling exhausted.

“Do you study this late every day?” she asked, a pang of heartache in her voice.