Chapter 22

On June 27th, Chi Yumo’s 22nd birthday, she got up early in the morning and cooked herself a bowl of longevity noodles just like her grandmother had taught her.

Tomatoes and ham for a prosperous future. Two poached eggs for reunion and double blessings.

Last year’s longevity noodles had been beef noodles cooked for her by Aunt Han at the old mansion.

She loved beef, so Aunt Han had piled the bowl full.

Even when Chi Yumo’s belly swelled from eating, Shi Youwan had smilingly picked some out of her bowl and eaten them with her.

After Shi Youwan left for work, Aunt Han had said to her—I’ve never seen the eldest young lady eat from anyone else’s bowl. Back when the second young lady was mischievous and tried to put her leftovers into the eldest young lady’s bowl, the eldest young lady didn’t get angry on the surface or scold her, but she immediately had us bring new bowls and chopsticks for her.

These heartwarming little details of daily life were like a bone-melting venom planted in Chi Yumo’s body, gnawing relentlessly at her heart day and night.

Yesterday, Shi Youwan had replied to her with [Okay], and this morning she had also sent birthday wishes.

[Shi Youwan: Xiao Mo, happy birthday.]

[Shi Youwan: Zhang Kai will pick you up tonight.]

[Chi Yumo: Thank you, sister.]

[Chi Yumo: I’ll wait at home.]

At eight in the evening, that car she had once crashed into appeared right on time downstairs.

“Sorry to trouble you, Kai Ge,” she said politely as she got into the car. Without turning his head, Zhang Kai said, “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you, Kai Ge.”

After that, the two rode in silence.

Chi Yumo knew all the routes from her old place to the old mansion by heart. Less than ten minutes into the drive, she sensed something was wrong with the direction.

“We’re not going to the old mansion?”

“President Shi prepared a birthday gift for you,” Zhang Kai answered irrelevantly.

“?”

“It’s a bit far. Put on your headphones and listen to some music.”

Another forty minutes passed before the car finally came to a steady stop. This wasn’t “a bit far”—it was across the city.

In the garage, Zhang Kai walked ahead to lead the way, bringing Chi Yumo to an elevator. He pressed the floor button and then stepped out again. “27-6. President Shi is waiting for you.”

Was it a newly bought house?

27-6?

June 27th?

Could the house be the birthday gift Shi Youwan had bought for her?

Full of doubts, Chi Yumo reached the door of 27-6 and hesitated before knocking. “Sister.”

Shi Youwan reached out a hand, her smile blooming like a flower. “Xiao Mo, come in.”

The interior featured a modern minimalist design—marble, high-end grays, neutral soft furnishings, and sleek lines—comfortable and serene, yet stylish and refined.

The apartment wasn’t large; everything was clear at a glance: two bedrooms, two living rooms, one kitchen, one bathroom.

A boxed birthday cake sat on the coffee table, the same brand as the one from last year when Shi Youwan had celebrated her birthday.

On one side of the living room TV wall stood a piano.

Unlike the grand piano at the old mansion, this one was an upright piano.

Shi Youwan held Chi Yumo’s hand after she changed into slippers and stood in the living room. “In a few days, you’ll be starting at the Provincial Drama Troupe, right? This apartment is just a ten-minute drive from the troupe—convenient for your commute.”

Yinzhou City was the capital of Jinhuai Province. Both Jinhuai Drama Academy and Jinhuai University were in Yinzhou, but the Provincial Drama Troupe was not.

“When did you buy it, sister?”

“The first time you mentioned applying to the Provincial Drama Troupe in your senior year, I had Qiao Ke keep an eye out around here. I believe that whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve.”

Chi Yumo thought back.

The first time she had mentioned the provincial troupe was right after the winter break of her junior year, when classmates were discussing whether to start interning at work units over the summer to gain stage performance experience and boost their competitiveness for graduation job hunts.

Qiao Ke had asked about her target unit, and she had told Qiao Ke she wanted to join the Provincial Drama Troupe.

Had Shi Youwan been preparing this birthday gift for her that early?

“But sister, such an expensive gift…”

“Xiao Mo.” Shi Youwan’s fingertip pressed against Chi Yumo’s lips. “The house isn’t the gift.”

The fingertip lingered on her lips for only a second before Shi Youwan pulled Chi Yumo to the piano. “This is the gift you wanted.”

“The house is under Qiao Ke’s name; you’re just the tenant here. You can negotiate the rent with her.” As she spoke, Shi Youwan guided Chi Yumo to sit together on the piano bench. “You’re going to the Capital Drama Theater in the future, after all. This place is just a temporary stop for you.”

If she were just a stand-in lover, would Shi Youwan consider everything so thoughtfully for her?

Chi Yumo’s heart once again throbbed powerfully under the pull of this love poison named Shi Youwan.

“What piece would you like to hear?”

Shi Youwan’s jade-like hands gently brushed over the black and white keys. The sidelong glance held a starry sparkle in her eyes, her slightly parted red lips alluringly plump—as if clearly saying—

Xiao Mo, kiss me.

It had been a full fifteen days since they had last seen each other. Chi Yumo should have been lovesick, but her heart had undergone earth-shattering changes.

As she had planned on the way over, she would first listen to Shi Youwan’s favorite piece, accept this birthday gift she had sought, and then calmly ask—

Sister, did you have a youthful, innocent romance when you were young?

Sister, is it because there’s someone you can’t let go of that you won’t marry?

Sister, is your fondness for me connected to that person you like so much?

But Shi Youwan was a celestial goddess who bewitched hearts. In this romance woven for her by Shi Youwan, she only wanted to submit.

She didn’t want to argue with Shi Youwan on this special day, so she gave up.

She gave up seeking confirmation on whether she was a “stand-in lover.”

“Sister.”

She didn’t want to hear any piano piece anymore.

She leaned in to hug her waist and kissed Shi Youwan’s earlobe. “Fifteen days—do you know that for every one of those fifteen days and nights, I thought of you every day, wanted to kiss you, wanted you.”

Shi Youwan’s startled hand pressed a key, producing a deep, resonant note.

“Xiao Mo.”

Chi Yumo found one of those jade hands on the keys and moved it to the back of her own neck. “Sister, help me peel it off, okay?”

Lately, she had been using inhibitor patches. For the graduation performance and ceremony, she had even injected an inhibitor.

As their breaths mingled, a faint lotus scent wafted.

The aroused Omega didn’t hesitate at all. With fluid grace, she tore off the inhibitor patch from the Alpha’s gland. She missed the Alpha’s kisses, missed the Alpha’s coconut scent.

Once the patch fell away, the Alpha’s rich pheromones surged like a beast breaking free from its cage, crashing overwhelmingly toward the Omega’s exposed gland.

Matching the ferocity of the pheromones was the Alpha’s ravenous kiss.

Wild and intense, an uncontrollable beastly desire swept through every corner of the Omega’s mouth.

Their bodies pressed tight, blood burning.

A unique tacit understanding lingered between their lips, the deepening kiss like a beautiful symphony.

But at that moment, the Omega issued an untimely command. “Xiao Mo, turn off the lights. Go to the bedroom.”

In the past, the highly self-disciplined little Alpha would have obeyed meekly, suppressing her desire, taking a shower step by step, turning off the lights, and waiting in bed.

But this time, the sulky Alpha wanted to keep the lights on.

“Just once, just once.” Chi Yumo begged like a puppy. “Sister, I’ve already showered. Let me see you, kiss you…”

“Xiao Mo, be good.” Shi Youwan cupped the head that was biting at the buttons of her shirt. “Be good, okay?”

“No!”

Chi Yumo refused and switched hands to undo them, but Shi Youwan pinched her chin and forcefully pushed her away, speaking coldly. “Your desires mean disregarding my wishes?”

Shi Youwan’s plummeting temperature chilled Chi Yumo to the core, and her cold, impatient gaze plunged her into hell.

“Xiao Mo, I’m not some clingy, soft Omega who chases after you.”

Shi Youwan closed the piano lid, slowly rebuttoned the two buttons Chi Yumo had undone, and stood up. “Figure out for yourself what kind of relationship you want, what kind of partner you want.”

—President Shi, the school’s official video is out. The comments are full of praise; Miss Mo has the highest acclaim.

—President Shi, that play Dream Me in Dream has been online for three days and already has over 100,000 reposts, likes, and comments.

—President Shi, Miss Mo and Cheng Xiangxiang have CP fans now. The netizens named their CP… Cheng Mo Is Gold. Meaning both are quietly dropping bombshells, both shining gold.

—President Shi, I checked the list. Cheng Xiangxiang was also accepted by the Provincial Drama Troupe. Working in the same unit, she’ll have many chances to perform on stage with Miss Mo.

Perhaps it was time to let Xiao Mo fly high, to gain experience, to face the person truly suited to her.

“The right to use the house is yours. No one else will enter without notice. There are two bedrooms—if you want to bring someone back to stay overnight, there’s room.”

As if having made some resolve, Shi Youwan’s every word was like an ice blade stabbing into Chi Yumo’s heart. “The door’s initial code is your birthday. For safety, I suggest you change it.”