Chapter 80

Shu Rong was anything but calm, both inside and out. She could only see her mother’s face on the video, and in her excitement, she thrashed her arms and legs desperately to break free from Lin Xu.

“What’s the rush?”

Lin Xu clamped one hand over her mouth and wrapped the other around her flailing legs. In the process, she took quite a few of her daughter’s wild kicks.

Her abdomen burned with sharp pain.

What a biological daughter! Lin Xu’s brows furrowed tightly as she hunched over, enduring the pain while ducking behind the outer wall of the safety passage.

She turned her gaze back to the two sneaky Omegas.

Seeing them still chatting amiably in perfect harmony, she whispered furiously into Shu Rong’s ear, “How could your mom do this to me? She decided to break up on her own, but I never agreed unilaterally.”

Out of politeness, Shu Qingyou chatted cordially with this Sugihara Yuko, completely oblivious.

The other woman was the daughter of a wealthy conglomerate, a relative of her teacher, and very kind. She visited the teacher every few days and would quietly sit beside Shu Qingyou, accompanying her as she made ceramic cups.

Sometimes they ended up having dinner together, and over time, their relationship grew closer. Yuko preferred calling her Miss Shu over her fake name.

Yuko’s lively almond-shaped eyes sparkled like they held stars. Mustering her courage, she blurted out uncontrollably, “Miss Shu, I like you.”

Shu Qingyou froze upon hearing those words, her pupils contracting slightly. Her smile didn’t fade, but it carried a hint of confusion.

Her lips parted as if to say something, but her mind failed to produce a suitable rejection.

Just as she pondered, a soft, moist touch landed on her face, the scent of lip gloss wafting to her nose.

Not only were Yuko’s lips as soft as clouds, but her voice was gentle too. “Do you like me too?”

That question left Shu Qingyou a bit hesitant. Being kissed didn’t feel bad—no revulsion at all, just not much excitement.

Faced with the girl’s expectant gaze, Shu Qingyou’s mind turned sluggishly. She couldn’t bear to reject her outright.

Witnessing this scene, Lin Xu’s heart shattered into pieces. She could tell Shu Qingyou’s body showed no resistance.

If the body doesn’t resist, the heart will fall for her soon enough…

Lin Xu felt a lump in her throat, stars bursting before her eyes. She staggered a few steps, steadying herself against the wall.

She panted heavily, taking a good while to recover before silently retreating farther away, her mind in utter chaos.

Shu Rong was a bit surprised too, but mostly indignant. She wanted to kiss Mommy too!

Before she could even greet her mom, Mommy had pressed her face-first into her chest, muffling all sound from her ears, nose, and throat. She was stunned.

Finally breathing fresh air, Shu Rong prepared to throw a little tantrum, but she shrank back upon seeing her mother’s terrifyingly gloomy expression.

Better to stay out of it.

Outside the venue, Lin Xu randomly hailed a taxi and sat in the back seat, utterly despondent.

The driver eased on the accelerator, but his passenger said nothing in the rearview mirror.

“Um, miss, where’s your destination?”

Lin Xu tuned out the world, her mind replaying the scene of Shu Qingyou being kissed over and over.

Only after the driver called out several times did she coldly report an address. Snow still fell today, and pedestrians hurried along with black or transparent umbrellas.

The world’s colors grew ever dimmer.

The restaurant she’d come to before had no closing time curfew; its signboard outside glowed with colorful tubes of light.

A yellow lantern swayed under the eaves.

A faint aroma of sake wafted from inside. Lin Xu realized this was an izakaya, a cozy pub.

As she entered, the wind chimes tinkled. The landlady recognized her at once.

“You’re back again?” Spotting the new face, the landlady’s eyes lit up. “Is this your daughter? So pretty!”

Lin Xu hadn’t planned to respond—Shu Rong couldn’t understand Japanese anyway—but she paused and smiled. “Landlady, does she look like me?”

“Uh…” The landlady peered closely, studying Shu Rong seriously. “The shape of her brows, and those beautiful eyes—they’re just like yours. And this face… she looks so familiar.”

“Mm,” Lin Xu said casually as she sat down. She ordered some bar snacks and three flasks of sake. “And some food a kid can eat.”

“Oh dear,” the landlady frowned in disapproval, saying kindly, “You can’t drink with your daughter around. It’ll be a bad influence.”

Lin Xu replied offhandedly, “It’s fine. Her mommy is Miss Baishi—you know her, right?”

The landlady gasped, mouth agape. “It’s her! No wonder she looks so similar.”

In no mood for chit-chat, Lin Xu urged her to bring the sake quickly.

Soon, several cold dishes and flasks of sake were laid out, along with food for Shu Rong.

Lin Xu glanced sideways at Shu Rong and ruffled her hair. “Don’t wander off. Stay here and wait for your mommy.”

Even without the reminder, Shu Rong had no intention of running around—she couldn’t understand these people’s language anyway.

After who-knows-how-many flasks, the shop emptied out. Having drunk too much, Lin Xu had basically given up thinking. She slumped over the table, staring at Shu Rong’s uneasy little face.

The owner couple watched TV, glancing her way now and then. As time grew late, the landlady grew increasingly worried, her concern plain on her face.

This was a small town; people weren’t as detached as in the city. The customer was clearly heartbroken and drinking herself into a stupor.

“Why don’t you call Miss Baishi?”

Lin Xu stayed silent, struggling to prop herself up and down a cup of sake in one gulp.

In full self-abandonment mode, the landlady pitied the child, who hung her head silently, and grew annoyed at the irresponsible parent.

She raised her voice. “You can’t just ignore the kid!”

“Oh…” Lin Xu slurred, “Fine, I’ll call her right now… right…”

She squinted, swaying as she fumbled out her phone and instinctively opened the video call to Shu Qingyou.

A short, shrill notification tone rang out.

Shu Qingyou picked up quickly. She’d always videoed to see Shu Rong, and this time her daughter’s face appeared again.

Unable to see clearly, with a somewhat familiar background, she felt an inexplicable unease. From the warm interior, Shu Qingyou asked, “Rongrong, where’s your mommy?”

Shu Rong sulked unhappily. Why didn’t Mommy come pick her up?

The landlady waited for Lin Xu to speak, but after the call connected, she just held up the phone and flopped back onto the table.

“Miss Baishi, please come over quick. Your…” She hesitated. “Your kid’s other mom isn’t doing well.”

Having just dealt with Sugihara, now Lin Xu—and she’d brought the child too. Shu Qingyou couldn’t just leave her alone in the restaurant.

Shu Qingyou rubbed her temples in a headache. Having barely politely turned down the confession, she wearily slipped on her coat and grabbed an umbrella.

In under ten minutes, braving the raging nighttime blizzard, Shu Qingyou pushed open the door. The landlady pointed at Lin Xu.

No need to say it—the drunken, slumped figure against the wall was unmistakably her useless Alpha.

She hurried first to her daughter’s side and called softly, “Rongrong…”

Shu Rong froze, then her eyes widened rapidly. She opened her mouth to call “Mommy,” but her throat felt blocked; she couldn’t speak.

Instead, tears spilled first, reaching her lips with a salty taste.

Shu Qingyou pulled her into her arms, lowering her gaze to kiss the top of her daughter’s head.

Hearing Shu Rong’s familiar whimper, her heart melted into a puddle.

Her daughter was bundled warmly, hair grown to her shoulders—long enough for a little ponytail. She scooped up Shu Rong, who was a bit heavy now, a soft fluffy dumpling.

Lin Xu vaguely heard Shu Qingyou’s voice amid her haze, along with her talking to the landlady.

Soon, a kick landed on her shin. She whined, “Who… who hit me?”

Shu Qingyou’s eyes were icy as she scanned her up and down. “Get up. We’re going home.”

Ah, her cheating Omega urging her home. Lin Xu slowly lifted her chin, swaying as she struggled to stand.

The landlady stepped forward to help her back—it wasn’t far.

Shu Qingyou thanked her. “Let her walk herself. She needs to learn a lesson.”

Lin Xu’s eyes were misty, her steps unsteady, but she could still manage.

Then, Shu Qingyou patted Lin Xu’s flushed cheek. “Follow me home, got it?”

She held the umbrella only over herself and her daughter. Though drunk, Lin Xu wasn’t so far gone she couldn’t recognize Shu Qingyou.

The alcohol’s aftereffects were strong; even in the heavy snow and wind, she felt no cold as she trailed Shu Qingyou at half a meter’s distance.

A clingy tag-along behind her. Shu Qingyou: “Hurry up. The snow will be heavy tonight.”

She had no plans to go out tomorrow.

Lin Xu’s body and head felt heavy, waterlogged. Hearing the urging, she simply broke into a run.

Shu Qingyou: “……”

“Your mommy’s really something.”

The ten-minute walk required Shu Qingyou to keep grabbing Lin Xu’s collar, half-pushing, half-dragging her all the way home.

Shu Rong shivered from the cold outside, but once inside Mommy’s place, her eyes darted around curiously.

The temperature difference hit hard. Lin Xu thudded straight down in the entryway, collapsing.

Ensuring Lin Xu wouldn’t freeze to death, Shu Qingyou ignored her and tended to her daughter.

Shu Rong was immersed in the joy of reuniting with Mommy, calling “Mama” nonstop.

Shu Qingyou’s heart ached sweetly. Seeing her daughter on video was one thing; hearing her voice in person made her want to watch her grow up, never missing a moment.

Shu Rong glanced at Lin Xu and said curiously, “Mommy, dirty.”

Shu Qingyou offered Lin Xu no care, pouring all her gentleness onto her daughter. “Your mommy brought it on herself. Ignore her, Rongrong. Time for bed, okay?”

Shu Rong beamed widely. “Okay!”

Then she hugged Mommy’s arm, blinking her big eyes pleadingly. “Sleep… Mama.”

“Alright, Mommy will sleep with you. Wait while I deal with your mommy.”

Shu Rong puffed her soft white cheeks, shooting Mommy an unhappy glance before nodding reluctantly.

Shu Qingyou changed into pajamas and sauntered to the entryway, where Lin Xu had woken up and was staring fixedly at her.

Her eyes held discontent.

It was one of the expressions Shu Qingyou hated most. Arms crossed, she stood over Lin Xu, looking down imperiously.

“Planning to sleep here all night?”

Lin Xu’s lips moved, her head foggy. “What’s it to you? Didn’t your little lover go home with you today?”

Shu Qingyou’s elegant brows furrowed, her phoenix eyes glancing scornfully. “Little lover?”

“Yeah,” Lin Xu sneered, her gaze darkening. “You and that Omega all lovey-dovey, shameless in public.”

At those words, Shu Qingyou realized Lin Xu had tracked her again. Addicted, huh? She clenched her fist.

“Go on then—tell me, how were we shameless?”

Lin Xu stood, but her legs buckled, and she slid down by the shoe cabinet.

Frustrated, she raged, “You broke Omega ethics, cheating on me with another woman. And she has no morals either, stealing someone else’s wife, poaching!”

Shu Qingyou laughed, stepping forward and bending down to meet the dodging eyes of her A. She sneered coldly, “Broke Omega ethics? Your wife?”

She jabbed her index finger into Lin Xu’s chest, enunciating clearly, “I’ll say it once: our relationship is ancient history. Know your place, or get out of my house tonight!”

Lin Xu stared with her misty peach-blossom eyes, tears pooling instantly. She wailed and threw herself at Shu Qingyou’s legs, sobbing messily and wiping tears all over her nightgown. “I don’t care, I don’t care! You can’t be with anyone else!”

“Alive, I’m yours; dead, I’m your ghost. You took me—you can’t renege…”

Shu Qingyou couldn’t fathom where this twisted, feudal logic came from.

Her legs were covered in the mess. She tried to pull away, but failed.

“Stop it, Lin Xu.”

Seeing a hint of softening, Lin Xu grew bolder, comparing herself wildly to that Omega—even down to bedroom skills, blurting shamelessly.

This was going nowhere. Shu Qingyou bit her lip, pondering how to shove her onto the sofa.

No time to indulge this. After some thought, only one way: while Lin Xu wallowed in self-pity, Shu Qingyou raised her hand the next second.

She slapped Lin Xu across the face.

The burning sting left Lin Xu dazed, touching her cheek in shock as she looked up terrified. “Baby, what did I do wrong?”

“Go sleep over there. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Shu Qingyou pointed, then turned back to the bedroom.