Chapter 25: The Chaebol Heir’s Canary — “Little Yu, I Like You.” Part 2

Shi Yu hadn’t expected her to tell her this. Her sleepiness faded significantly.

“Mother said the Jiang family needs an heir, and since I wasn’t interested in omegas, she took it upon herself to arrange for me to be with the omega she found… The plan was to keep the child and part ways with the omega, giving her sufficient compensation. That way, everyone would get what they wanted.”

As Shi Yu listened, she actually felt a measure of sympathy for Jiang Qiuyan. In her position, there must have been so many things beyond her control.

Jiang Qiuyan lowered her head and happened to see Shi Yu’s big, blinking eyes. A smile touched the corners of her eyes.

“I didn’t want my child to grow up in that kind of environment, so I agreed to the arranged meeting. The engagement with Pei Shuyu was purely contractual. No feelings were involved.”

Pei Shuyu didn’t want to marry her either. She had someone she liked, but couldn’t overpower her parents and didn’t dare defy them. So when Jiang Qiuyan proposed a fake marriage, she agreed without hesitation.

But Jiang Qiuyan, with all her calculations, hadn’t foreseen meeting Shi Yu.

The day after they moved to Moon Island, she canceled the engagement with Pei Shuyu. It was their side that kept clinging on.

Pei Pharmaceuticals’ revenue had dropped sharply in recent years due to Shi Huaixin’s reckless operations. That was why Pei Yiyi was so desperate to arrange a marriage alliance with the Jiang family. She needed a powerful backer to save Pei Pharmaceuticals.

Unfortunately, Jiang Qiuyan wasn’t willing.

At twenty-eight, she had grown up according to her mother’s expectations, even her dress and demeanor following the rules. This was the first time she wanted to live according to her own heart.

She liked Shi Yu, so she wanted to give her the best.

She liked Shi Yu, so she wanted to keep her at her side.

She liked Shi Yu. Did Shi Yu like her?

“Little Yu, do you like me?”

Perhaps the lingering heat of the rut was still affecting her reason and judgment. She asked whatever was on her mind. Only after the words left her mouth did she realize what she had said. Jiang Qiuyan waited anxiously for the answer.

Shi Yu’s sleepiness vanished completely. She tilted her head up to look at Jiang Qiuyan. The dim nightlight hid the other’s emotions; she couldn’t read a thing.

Shi Yu thought about it. Besides not disliking her and feeling safe with her, did she have feelings of like for this woman?

If she liked her, it should be romantic love. But even now, she still believed that what she and Jiang Qiuyan had was a mutually beneficial transaction.

Even if Jiang Qiuyan said it wasn’t a deal, it still couldn’t be called love, right?

“What about you? Do you like me?”

Unable to reach any conclusion, she decided to throw the question back.

She thought Jiang Qiuyan would argue, but after a few seconds of silence, the woman lowered her head and kissed her lips.

“It’s my fault. I should have told you sooner.”

Shi Yu: “?!”

What does that mean? Not only did she not deny it, but she said something so suggestive?

Jiang Qiuyan saw her eyes widen and pinched her cheek. She said again, “Little Yu, I like you.”

They say that when it comes to liking someone, even if you cover your mouth, it’ll spill out through your eyes. She felt she had been quite obvious about it. Who knew the other party was completely oblivious.

Was it that the girl had no eye for these things, or was it her own fault for not being more obvious?

Now it was Shi Yu’s turn to fall silent. Her mind raced but came up completely blank. She had no idea how to respond.

Seeing her stunned expression, Jiang Qiuyan’s heart chilled by half. But she still persisted and asked, “Do you like me?”

Shi Yu shook her head and said, “I don’t know.”

This was an answer born of careful thought.

She didn’t even know what liking felt like. How could she rashly admit to it?

The other half of her heart chilled too. Jiang Qiuyan rubbed her chin against Shi Yu’s forehead, not knowing what to do with her.

“If you don’t like me, just say so. You don’t have to force yourself.”

Shi Yu: “I don’t dislike you. Being with you makes me happy. A lifetime of this seems fine too. So I genuinely don’t know.”

The dead heart in Jiang Qiuyan’s chest stirred back to life. She crushed Shi Yu into her embrace and kissed the top of her head with tender indulgence.

Her little cat wasn’t clueless at all. Otherwise, how could she be such an expert at keeping someone on tenterhooks?

After that roller coaster of emotions, Jiang Qiuyan’s temperature had risen several degrees. Shi Yu was pressed against her chest and quickly sweated all over, but she dared not move, afraid of accidentally provoking Jiang Qiuyan and losing any chance of sleep tonight.

Thankfully, the suppressants kicked in. Jiang Qiuyan’s feverish desire was brought under control, and the pheromone concentration dropped significantly. Shi Yu had wanted to say something, but her eyelids were too heavy to keep open. She soon fell into deep sleep.

The next day, she was woken by the aroma of food. Opening her eyes, she saw Jiang Qiuyan leaning against the doorframe in an apron, watching her with a smile.

That apron is quite nice… wait, this apron…

Why is she wearing only an apron?!

Jiang Qiuyan said mildly, “Breakfast is ready. Do you want to get up now, or a bit later?”

Shi Yu said blankly, “I’ll get up now.”

“Take your time. No rush.” Jiang Qiuyan turned and left, and Shi Yu squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.

What kind of new fashion is this? Has the fashion world changed so much in the month I was away from Hai City?

Her brain hadn’t fully woken up yet. After staring at the ceiling for over ten seconds, she decided to shower first.

It’s probably just Jiang Qiuyan’s particular quirk. After all, she can be quite unpredictable sometimes.

Jiang Qiuyan braced her hands on the dining table, deliberately tugging her apron down a little to reveal the scenery of her chest, along with a perfectly angled profile.

The little cat said she doesn’t know if she likes me. That means there’s a chance she could. Plus, based on her previous observations, the girl seemed fairly satisfied with her looks. So she should play to her strengths and make her develop feelings of “like” sooner.

Who would have thought that at her age, she would need to use sex appeal to seduce an omega ten years her junior. It was truly…

No wonder Jiang Qiunian said she was a barren tree finally blooming, only thinking about secret crushes at thirty.

Jiang Qiuyan covered her face with her hand, blocking the sudden rush of shame.

When Shi Yu came out, she saw her décolletage half-revealed, long curly hair carefully styled and cascading to her sides, covering most of her face. But even the small portion visible was breathtakingly beautiful.

Her skin was already fair and luminous, and now in the sunlight it seemed to glow, as though she might merge with the light itself.

No matter how many times she saw it, Shi Yu couldn’t help but marvel: So beautiful!

No wonder the outside world was so interested in her love life. With looks several times better than top-tier celebrities, if she had entered the entertainment industry, she would have blown up instantly.

Hearing her footsteps, Jiang Qiuyan looked up and smiled. “Come here.”

Shi Yu sat across from her and watched her naturally lean forward to grab food. The swaying white jade kept assaulting her vision, and the doubt in her heart only deepened.

She wanted to speak but held back, then wanted to speak again.

Seeing Shi Yu staring at her, Jiang Qiuyan assumed the girl was finally catching on and secretly rejoiced. She slowly sat down and placed her hands on the table. The apron straps slipped to her elbows, the display of spring scenery all the more generous.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Shi Yu, suddenly put on the spot, paused for a few seconds before saying, “Miss Jiang, is this some kind of new fashion trend?”

“?”

“Maybe you should put some clothes on. You’ll catch a cold.”

Jiang Qiuyan: “…”

What’s the difference between this and winking at a blind person?!

She stood up in a huff to change clothes, while Shi Yu nibbled on her sandwich and murmured, “She really does like it. Did I stick my foot in my mouth?”

The enormous birdcage still sat in the living room. Jiang Qiuyan had no intention of dismantling it. Shi Yu could ignore it every time, until one night she found herself locked inside again.

Shi Yu looked at the chain around her ankle, then tilted her head up at the woman standing before her.

Jiang Qiuyan gazed down at her with hooded eyes, her presence commanding and overwhelming. Shi Yu had wanted to ask why she was being locked up again, but seeing her like this, she didn’t dare.

Jiang Qiuyan crouched down and pinched her chin. “Since we spent so much money building it, we should get our money’s worth, right?”

Shi Yu didn’t know what she was talking about and nodded blindly.

“I knew Little Yu was like me.”

She didn’t say in what way. She pulled Shi Yu into a deep kiss, lips and teeth tangled together, only letting go when Shi Yu was oxygen-deprived and soft all over.

“That day when I woke up in the hotel and saw your missed call, I knew something was wrong. By the time I rushed back, you were gone, leaving behind a note wishing me happiness. Do you know what I was thinking when I read it?”

How could Shi Yu know? Her mouth was blocked, and even speech was muffled.

“I thought, once I find you, I’m going to break your legs, put a collar on you, and keep you as my little cat alone.”

As she spoke, her hand trailed from Shi Yu’s slender calf upward. Shi Yu shivered and shrank back.

Jiang Qiuyan pinned her down, leaving her no room to retreat. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t actually do that to you. A beautiful little cat should be pampered.”

She said that, but how could she bear to do such a thing to Shi Yu? Even with countless mad ideas churning inside, seeing those innocent, pure eyes made her feel everything was her own fault.

If that day truly came, she would probably break her own legs first, then beg for Shi Yu’s pity, using her kindness to keep her at her side.

Such a pure, adorable little cat would surely take pity on her.

Jiang Qiuyan’s lips pressed forward again, more fiercely than before, sweeping through every corner, as if trying to uproot her tongue.

Shi Yu let out a soft moan and reached out to push Jiang Qiuyan, but her hands were caught and pinned above her head as she fell back onto the mattress.

“Sweet Baby, tell me again that you won’t leave me.”

Shi Yu suddenly understood with a flash of clarity. She saw the purpose behind Jiang Qiuyan’s actions. She was anxious. Because she was anxious, she needed to hear her feelings confirmed over and over.

As long as I don’t leave, is that enough? Then it doesn’t seem so hard.

“I won’t leave you. Until you’re tired of me, I won’t leave you.”

“What silly words. How could I ever tire of you?” Jiang Qiuyan kissed and sucked at her lips, her voice low and deep. “I’ll treat you even better from now on. I hope you can… little by little, slowly come to like me.”

Shi Yu leaned in to listen, caught between teeth and tongue at her ear. That restless hand slipped in from under her nightgown…

Ding-ling, the crisp sound of a chain rang out. Shi Yu drew up her legs, biting her lower lip, gripping the blanket beneath her.