Chapter 2: Suppression
Jiang Mi sat ramrod straight on the heather-gray fabric sofa, her legs pressed together. She was wearing a light blue, business-casual dress, which made her wonder if she looked like someone at a job interview.
She adjusted her posture, fidgeted with her hands folded in her lap, took a quiet breath, and then feigned a magnanimous look toward the person in the single armchair. “Yan… Teacher Yan, I always thought you shared Auntie Mo’s surname, so I never expected…”
As a child, she had only ever heard people call her “Weiwei,” so she never imagined that the older sister she knew back then was actually Yan Wei.
Meeting that stunningly pale face, Jiang Mi’s words still came out haltingly. To avoid seeming like she was trying to curry favor, she kept it as brief as possible.
“I was a little surprised to see you just now. I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t startle you.”
Her hands were hot, palms sweating as if she’d just pulled them out of hot water, but only she knew that.
Her glands throbbed in time with her heart, threatening to accelerate. She kept her breathing as light as possible, but she could still smell the sweet yet cool scent of brandy… This, too, was something only she knew.
Jiang Mi didn’t dare to think about what she was smelling. All her attention was focused on waiting.
A few seconds passed.
“Your name is Jiang Mi?”
The voice was light and detached, even colder than it sounded on screen, and not quite what Jiang Mi had imagined.
Her black hair was casually tied back, the strands dark and glossy. She wore a high-necked, cream-colored knit top and a high-waisted black leather skirt. Her legs were crossed, revealing the cool white skin of her calves. After speaking, she bent slightly to set down the glass in her hand.
The glass landed on the frosted glass coffee table. The jade bracelet on Yan Wei’s left wrist swayed gently, and Jiang Mi’s heart couldn’t help but skip another beat.
Jiang Mi nodded. She wasn’t disappointed by the question. So many years had passed, and Yan Wei was so busy every day; it was normal for her not to remember.
She introduced herself earnestly, “Jiang, as in ginger candy. Mi, as in to make up for.”
Yan Wei was also sizing up the person before her. There were too many people in the entertainment industry, so many that she had almost no impression of this person or this name. It was only a few days ago that she heard Mo Xi had brought an Alpha back to her house, which was why she had rushed back. She hadn’t expected Mo Xi to be less than truthful and not tell her who this person was.
Similarly, it was clear that Mo Xi hadn’t told Jiang Mi who she was either.
Excellent. Her mother and sister had recently developed a habit of acting first and reporting later.
A trace of coldness flashed in Yan Wei’s eyes. A fire seemed to shoot through her body, and even her glands felt a burning sensation. She was certain this bodily heat had started the moment she came into contact with the Alpha before her.
She couldn’t sense any Alpha pheromones flowing around them, yet the milky fragrance of pheromones was truly, tangibly in the air she breathed, as if it were about to solidify and trap her.
Her gaze grew colder and colder, because the other person was clearly completely unaware of this.
She couldn’t hear a single word Jiang Mi was saying.
“Teacher Yan, I’m so happy. Actually, I’m your…”
“I don’t remember much about my childhood,” Yan Wei looked up. “So to me, you’re actually a stranger.”
Jiang Mi paused. “Ah, I know, I understand.”
“I’ll be staying in Huai City for a while, but I’m not used to having strangers live in my home. I hope you can understand that.”
“I understand, of course I understand. I had no intention of staying here, none at all.”
Jiang Mi’s feelings were complicated. Facing the idol she had followed for years, her excitement, nervousness, and anticipation were magnifying with every passing second.
But from the moment she realized that the “sister” in her heart and Yan Wei were the same person, her reason and sense of propriety had completely erased any thought of staying.
However, hearing Yan Wei say it out loud was still different.
She said she was just a stranger.
But that was perfectly normal.
Just being able to see Yan Wei in person was a huge win. Besides, she had even… hugged Yan Wei.
At that thought, the scent of brandy seemed to grow even richer.
Jiang Mi knew very well what this was. In this world, only two types of people could smell the pheromones of others.
Either Yan Wei was in heat, causing her pheromones to leak, and she was voluntarily releasing scent molecules to deliberately entice her, or—she and Yan Wei had an extremely high compatibility rate, meeting the conditions for a perfect match.
Obviously, it couldn’t be the former. She wasn’t worthy.
As for the latter… Jiang Mi felt inexplicably nervous and guilty. The sweat on her palms increased. She hoped her face wasn’t too red and that the sound of her heartbeat would be quiet enough not to be heard by Yan Wei.
Although it was absurd, it was the only remaining possibility. Thankfully, judging by Yan Wei’s reaction, it seemed only she could smell the pheromones. As long as she pretended nothing was happening, that it didn’t exist, they wouldn’t have to be awkward, and there wouldn’t be any problems.
What Jiang Mi didn’t know was that Yan Wei wasn’t faring any better. Her glands were throbbing violently, like a red-hot needle was prodding at their opening. Every breath became a pull, accelerating the flow of blood through her body and forcing her temperature to rise.
When Jiang Mi stood up, she didn’t make any big movements.
Nor did she have any intention of getting up to see an old acquaintance out.
She even thought this Alpha was leaving too slowly.
“Teacher Yan, I’ll be going then… It was nice to meet you.”
Jiang Mi didn’t wait for a response and strode to the door. Just as her hand touched the cool handle, the keypad door suddenly opened from the outside. She pulled her hand back and saw a relatively unfamiliar woman looking at her with pleasant surprise.
“You must be Mimi, right?”
Jiang Mi was dazed but answered yes, asking uncertainly, “Auntie Mo?”
Her mother had told her that Mo Yun was fifty this year. She was surprised because Mo Yun looked much older than her actual age. Her hair wasn’t dyed and was already streaked with gray. She wore a simple, loose-fitting linen dress, yet the contours of a beauty were still visible.
Mo Yun took her hand. “Oh my, you’re so lovely. Even prettier than on TV. Did you come to open the door for me?”
Jiang Mi: “…” I came to open the door for myself.
“So well-behaved. Come, let’s chat inside. You have no idea how happy I was when your mother told me you were coming to Huai City. We don’t really have a social circle here; it’s always better to be with old friends.”
Jiang Mi was flattered by this warm reception, but she glanced at the woman on the sofa who hadn’t even looked up and decided to cut her losses. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly heard what sounded like a sob in Auntie Mo’s voice. She looked over in shock and indeed saw the woman’s reddened eyes.
She had a soft spot for people crying.
Especially an elder with a head full of white hair.
Jiang Mi was at a loss. “Auntie Mo, what’s wrong?”
“I was just thinking about the days when we were neighbors. Even though it wasn’t for long, your mother and I have always been close. It’s so moving to finally get back in touch after all this time. Mimi… while you’re in Huai City, just stay here. I’ll come back often to take care of you for your mother.”
“No, no, no, no, no.” Jiang Mi’s internal alarms blared. She didn’t dare look toward the sofa. “The production crew arranges hotels for us. It’s more convenient for work. I wouldn’t want to trouble you, really.”
There was a clear sadness in Mo Yun’s eyes, and Jiang Mi couldn’t bear it. Her hand was held tightly. “Then just stay and chat with Auntie for a while. I want to hear how you’ve all been all these years, okay? You can stay here tonight. I’ve prepared everything for you.”
She really hadn’t expected that she and her mother held such a high place in their hearts.
But she keenly sensed a gaze from the sofa. Sure enough, the next second, she heard movement.
Yan Wei stood up. “She has her own things to do. When Mo Xi gets back, you’ll have someone to keep you company.”
Tears were already welling in Mo Yun’s eyes. “Does she have things to do, or do you? You just can’t stand to see me happy for a moment, can you?”
Jiang Mi was completely bewildered by the situation. How did the atmosphere change so suddenly?
Now she was stuck, unable to stay and unable to leave.
“Don’t mind her,” Mo Yun took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears, seemingly not wanting a junior to see her like this.
Jiang Mi looked at the woman’s face, flushed from agitation, and truly couldn’t bear it. Mo Yun was about the same age as her own mother. If it were her mother in this state, her heart would break.
But when she looked up, she met Yan Wei’s cool gaze, which seemed to say—You stay, I dare you. I’ll throw your fan credentials into the sea to feed the fish.
Mo Yun looked at her. “Mimi, can you stay?”
She sighed and looked at Yan Wei: Weiwei, can I stay?
Yan Wei: “…”
Jiang Mi didn’t say anything. She looked at the Alpha’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes, which held a mixture of difficulty, sincerity, pity, and embarrassment. It was such a convincing act that even she couldn’t tell if it was real or fake. It was a shame she wasn’t an actress.
A hint of irritation rose in her. The discomfort from her glands prevented her from wasting any more words here. She stared at Jiang Mi for two seconds, then, expressionless, bypassed them both and went straight to the study.
Jiang Mi: “…”
Great, she’s angry.
Pissing off the person you’ve been dying to meet at your very first meeting. Jiang Mi, you’re amazing. You might as well have gone back to dreaming.
Just as the person was about to reach the door, Jiang Mi heard Mo Yun say, “The door to your study is broken, and I haven’t had anyone fix it yet. You should sleep in your room tonight.”
The damage probably wasn’t severe, as the study door still closed.
And so, Jiang Mi had no choice but to stay in the living room and chat with Mo Yun until dinnertime. Yan Wei never came out of the study. Perhaps because she had glanced that way too many times, Mo Yun brought it up herself. “She’s slept in the study since she was a child. She doesn’t like sleeping in bedrooms.”
Jiang Mi was utterly astonished, her mind thinking: Then what does Yan Wei do when she stays in hotels for filming?
Because of her upcoming audition, Jiang Mi had been cutting out carbs recently. She just had a small bite in the living room with Mo Yun. After dinner, they chatted for a long time until finally, Mo Yun took her to her room.
It was a 200-square-meter flat. From the living room, there were six rooms in a row along the corridor.
The first on the left was the guest bedroom’s wash area, the second was her sister Mo Xi’s room, the guest bedroom she was staying in was the third, and the fourth was the study.
There were only two rooms on the right. The first was opposite hers, where Mo Yun stayed; the second was opposite the study, which should be the master bedroom.
Pushing the door open, she saw a simple decor of cream and gray, a blue floor mat with white polka dots, and a painting of a deep blue island hanging on the wall. Then Jiang Mi saw a few white roses in a vase on the bedside table.
Mo Yun said, “Your mother told me you love white roses. What do you think? Do you like it? I haven’t prepared a nightgown for you yet because I didn’t know what style you like. This is Mo Xi’s, she’s only worn it once. If you don’t mind, you can change into this. The underwear is new.”
Jiang Mi was once again flattered. She really had very few memories of Mo Yun, but Mo Yun was so thoughtful and considerate toward her. She expressed her gratitude. Mo Yun probably noticed she was a bit tired and didn’t keep her talking, telling her to wash up and rest early.
However, Jiang Mi wasn’t in a hurry to wash up. She sat on the single armchair in the room and opened her phone to dozens of WeChat messages.
Group messages.
It had all started with two messages she sent in their four-person group chat in a state of extreme nervousness after seeing Yan Wei.
[Ahhhhhh]
[I’m at my idol’s house right now, ahhhhh, ahhhhh]
She scrolled up.
apple: [Yan Wei?]
Shanshan: [? Are you crazy? Is she crazy?]
apple: [But Mimi only has one idol.]
Shanshan: [Not unless I get to meet her too!]
…
Shanshan: [Hey, where’d you go? Come out and clarify!]
Shanshan: [? If you don’t come out soon, I’m going to believe it…]
Shanshan: [Sweetie, I was too loud just now. Your dearest friend would like an autographed photo from Teacher Yan. Can you make that happen?]
Thinking about Yan Wei’s attitude toward her, Jiang Mi knew the three people in this group would never betray her even if the world ended. But since it involved Yan Wei, and she was now staying at her place, it was better to digest it herself for the time being.
She replied with a single sentence: Don’t believe it, it was a typo.
She then muted the group chat notifications and sent her mom a message to say she was safe. Jiang Mi stood up, feeling a little sad, and took her change of clothes to wash up.
It was quiet outside, the lights dim.
She subconsciously glanced at the closed study door next to her room before turning and entering the bathroom. Half an hour later, she came out wearing a pink, short-sleeved nightgown. A faint, sweet scent wafted into her nostrils. She managed to keep her mind clear as she walked to her bedroom door, when she suddenly heard a creak from next door. She lowered her eyes. In her peripheral vision, the light from the study spilled out onto the dark corridor.
A faint, comfortable breeze blew in from the windows in the living room and at the end of the corridor.
The study door had either been blown open or fully opened by someone. The way the corridor was illuminated was like a full moon emerging from the clouds, growing brighter and brighter, like some sort of welcoming ceremony.
If she had another chance to choose, Jiang Mi would definitely not have taken that step.
She shouldn’t have been that curious cat.
Jiang Mi blinked. The greedy desire to say hello or explain herself, to improve her impression in Yan Wei’s mind, made her feet move uncontrollably toward the next room.
Then she was standing in front of the study.
On the chair in front of the desk, Yan Wei was turned sideways, her fair, pinkish elbow propped on the desk. A suppressor was being pushed into her glands by her other hand. At the same time, her body was trembling slightly. Her snow-white neck was visibly turning pink, and strands of hair and sweat stuck to the veins. The Omega’s teeth were biting down hard on her lip. She tilted her head back to suppress her breathing, and when she couldn’t hold it back, a soft, broken sound escaped from between her teeth…
Jiang Mi was frozen to the spot. By the time she realized she had to run, it was too late—the person inside pulled out the syringe and, like a killer in a movie suddenly opening their eyes, looked over coldly.
Jiang Mi: “…”
***
Author’s Notes
Jiang Mi: The door made the first move.
