Chapter 14

She had been wrestling with her inner turmoil the whole time, so she hadn’t paid any attention to the doctor’s instructions about the side effects of the allergy medication. At worst, it would just cause some vomiting and diarrhea.

Lin Xu was absentminded. Why wasn’t Shu Qingyou staying with her?

Did she have to add that doctor’s contact info? Was Shu Qingyou just bad at turning people down, or did she actually accept the doctor’s blatant interest?

Clutching the prescription, Lin Xu stormed out the door in a huff, only to come face-to-face with Shu Qingyou holding Shu Rong’s little hand. Shu Qingyou gave her a faint glance, and Lin Xu turned her face away.

“How’d the doctor say?”

Shu Qingyou drew closer. The red spots on Lin Xu’s fair face had faded somewhat, indicating it wasn’t serious. “Do I need a blood draw and injection, or just pills?”

“You still know to care about me, huh?”

Lin Xu stepped past Shu Qingyou, but after a few paces, she realized she didn’t have money to pay for the meds. Embarrassed, she shuffled back, unfolded the prescription, and jabbed at it.

“Hey, you go pay. For the meds on here.”

Moody as ever, Shu Qingyou murmured her assent in a low voice.

The prescription listed the diagnosis—cacao alkaloid derivatives triggering a pheromone allergy—along with the corresponding medications. As far as she knew, Lin Xu had no history of pheromone allergies, just the obvious skin reaction.

Shu Qingyou asked seriously, “Nothing else to watch out for?”

“Or what? You don’t believe me!”

Her face looked like a little calico cat’s. The corner of Shu Qingyou’s eye curved slightly. Had being away from Lin Xu made her anxious?

“I believe you. Here, put this on.”

Shu Qingyou pulled a white mask from her pocket. Lin Xu glanced at it and said without thinking, “You put it on for me.”

“Your face damaged or your hands broken?”

“You!”

She was clearly mocking her. Lin Xu felt like she was about to develop nodules from sheer anger. She snatched the packaging, tore it open with a rip, and slapped the mask over her red spots.

Throwing a tantrum at Shu Qingyou with righteous indignation: “Bye!”

“Wait.” Shu Qingyou handed Shu Rong over. “You two go wait by the car.”

Before Lin Xu could respond, Shu Qingyou’s fingertip brushed her face ever so lightly.

“Still pretty.”

The cool, soft pad of her finger slowed Lin Xu’s breathing. The sensation vanished in an instant, and Lin Xu rationalized it away—Shu Qingyou was just showing basic concern.

But her mood lightened a bit. She muttered under her breath, Only a little. She’d grill her about that doctor’s intentions later.

A few minutes later, they were back by the car. Bored, Lin Xu waited idly beside it.

The crisp air at least soothed her mood somewhat. She finally turned her gaze to Shu Rong and scooped her up by the armpits like a kitten.

Shu Rong was so light—probably just over twenty pounds.

Lin Xu wasn’t sure about the average weight for a three-year-old and judged on her own that the child was as skinny as Shu Qingyou, like a sickly little thing.

“If only you could talk. What exactly did your mom chat about with that white coat?”

She couldn’t understand anyway, but Shu Rong felt like Lin Xu was shaking her dizzy. She let out a little ying, and Lin Xu relented, patting her head and setting her on the car hood.

She made Shu Rong hold onto her clothes so the little one wouldn’t wander off.

Instead of dwelling on it, she should think about the possibility of Betas and Omegas together. Irritated, she ruffled the hair at the back of her head and searched on her phone.

[Beta and Omega: Can they date?]

As her finger scrolled, her mood sank lower and lower. Soon, her emotions had plummeted like a weightless stone, heavy on her chest.

Shu Qingyou emerged from the hospital building and spotted Lin Xu right away—tall and long-legged. She slowed her steps involuntarily.

Lin Xu wore a black pilot jacket with dark jeans below, leaning lazily and casually. Her chestnut long curls draped behind her.

An innate nobility drew eyes from all around. Lin Xu might not have noticed, but plenty of people were sneaking glances.

But when Lin Xu stayed silent, she had this sharp, unapproachable air that kept anyone from striking up a conversation.

Back in the car, Lin Xu still hugged her arms in a defensive posture. She didn’t want to hide her sulkiness and let it show plainly on her face.

Shu Qingyou took the initiative to make nice. “This med—one after meals.”

Lin Xu pretended nonchalance, her head lolling against the passenger window, listless.

“Oh.”

“Side effect: boosts Alpha pheromone sensitivity tenfold.”

That much? Lin Xu frowned but shrugged it off. Her gland was disordered anyway; she didn’t care.

“I’ll take it just once. Don’t worry about it. Who’s dying for your mark anyway?”

“…Fine.”

Shu Qingyou brushed past it lightly. Lin Xu was a million percent unhappy. She wanted attention but hadn’t considered Shu Qingyou’s tight-lipped nature.

She sighed heavily and sneaked a glance with her peripheral vision. Why won’t she comfort me?

She pulled out her phone and browsed forum posts. “Sigh!”

Honestly, raising Rongrong wasn’t this exhausting—constantly monitoring her mental state. Shu Qingyou wondered if she wasn’t cut out for parenting.

She chose her words carefully, her thumb circling the steering wheel cover.

“Did I upset you?”

At least a shred of conscience. Lin Xu inwardly badmouthed Shu Qingyou a few times.

“Not really. I’ve got a big heart. I just saw a post online earlier.”

Shu Qingyou kept her eyes on the road, calm. “Mind sharing? I’m tied up driving.”

“No biggie. I’ll read it to you. Some show-off—OP’s an Omega, love at first sight with a Beta.”

Shu Qingyou rarely checked relationship forums, but Lin Xu seemed to take these to heart, worrying her.

“Them flaunting love—does it bother you that much?”

“I’m asking you—what do you think of BO couples?” Lin Xu quickly added, lest her jealousy show, “Not just one post. Lots online like that: BO, OO, AB, AA romances.”

Shu Qingyou nodded to show she got it, pondering briefly.

“Between people, it should be about mental resonance, not just pheromone attraction.”

The words sank Lin Xu’s heart. “So, who have you resonated with?”

Shu Qingyou thought. “Someone.”

“Who?!”

She waited tensely for the answer, but Shu Qingyou played coy and wouldn’t say.

Don’t tell me…

Lin Xu had been avoiding thinking of that person. Hesitantly, she asked, “Rongrong’s Alpha mom?”

Seeing no denial from Shu Qingyou, she grew mournful again, looking all world-weary.

“Don’t sigh like that—you won’t look pretty. I meant my teacher. She’s a reliable, respectable elder.”

Shu Qingyou connected it to Lin Xu’s odd behavior since the hospital, struck by inspiration, and mentioned casually, “I have no plans to date a Beta right now.”

Lin Xu’s eyes lit up—that pleased her. She savored the words again.

Wait, no.

Lin Xu pressed, “Right now? Then why’d you add her WeChat?”

“She has some imported porcelain from overseas. Invited me to help appraise it.”

The flirting might as well be written on her face. Appraise my ass—it’s your looks she’s after.

Lin Xu blurted without thinking, “Bottom line, you added her. How could you?”

Even if they friended each other, so what? Shu Qingyou had added her out of politeness for an old schoolmate. She wouldn’t shamelessly accept invitations out of nowhere.

Shu Qingyou disliked Lin Xu’s baseless possessiveness. Four years apart—they had no relationship anymore.

She was only letting it slide because Lin Xu was clueless.

Her voice turned cold. “None of your business.”

“You—” Lin Xu bit her lip, her nose stinging. “Fine. Don’t come crying when she takes advantage of you.”

Besides you, who else would bully me like a tyrant?

Shu Qingyou said nothing more.

Once home, Lin Xu’s face was stormy. She slammed the car door hard enough to shake the vehicle, and the house door was next to suffer.

Shu Qingyou stopped her just in time. “Face facts—you can’t afford to replace my stuff.”

Lin Xu whipped around and glared, hauling the four bags of snacks inside and dumping them on an empty spot, ignoring them.

Unsure what was happening, Shu Rong kept her distance, afraid of catching Lin Xu’s fiery temper.

Shu Qingyou wasn’t one to back down. She watched Lin Xu scratch and claw at the sofa in frustration and simply asked what she wanted for dinner.

Starve me to death, why don’t you? Lin Xu thought sullenly.

On second thought, she shouldn’t take it out on her stomach, but her broke status bent her spine.

“I’m just a broke ghost anyway. Feed me steamed buns and porridge so I don’t die.”

“Okay.”

Words like gold. Is your mouth made of the stuff?

Lin Xu watched Shu Qingyou turn away and stuck out her tongue in a face.

Unfortunately, Shu Rong faced her directly, looking utterly speechless. Big sis is mean to Mommy.

Lin Xu shot Shu Rong a warning glare not to make trouble.

Caught in the stare, Shu Rong shrank back. No more playing with big sis. She’s bad.

“Rongrong, come here. What TV do you like? Sis will watch with you.”

Shu Rong clutched Mommy’s skirt, silently pleading for help.

Truth be told, Shu Qingyou understood—Lin Xu’s old possessiveness was flaring, mixed with worry now.

Cold-shouldering the current Lin Xu would hurt herself more than the enemy.

She soothed her daughter. “Be good. Big sis won’t bully you. Go watch cartoons first. Mommy’s making dinner.”

Amid the sound of running water, the aroma of food soon wafted from the kitchen. Lin Xu glanced over—meat!

She secretly rejoiced. Shu Qingyou does care.

As for that faceless Alpha, Shu Qingyou never mentioned her. Hmph, probably no good.

Lin Xu settled in to watch cartoons with Shu Rong.

Just as Lin Xu was dozing off, dinner was served. The food’s fragrance whetted her appetite; her stomach was about to cave in from hunger.

She scooped up Shu Rong, buckled her into the high chair, and proactively grabbed an empty bowl and chopsticks.

Still a bit awkward, she kept her head down, serving rice and setting the table.

Each busy with their own tasks. Once Shu Qingyou tidied the counter, Lin Xu cleared her throat. “I forgive you.”

She wiped the water droplets from her hands with a towel. Despite the housework, her skin stayed smooth and fair from daily care.

Shu Qingyou acted like she hadn’t heard, waiting a few seconds.

The microwave dinged.

She opened it and took out a small plate.

One round steamed bun, steaming hot from the oven.

Lin Xu: “…”

Her mouth fell open, full of question marks. She had no intention of taking it.

Shu Qingyou’s limpid eyes were utterly innocent. “You said you wanted steamed buns.”

Lin Xu was speechless, as if to say: You’re serious?

Shu Qingyou, in her base layer shirt, had a fine figure—full where it should be, tempting. Her hair pinned up, she looked gentle, without a hint of aggression.

The south-facing kitchen let in dappled light through the branches, making Shu Qingyou’s eyes shimmer faintly.

If she painted, she’d beg Shu Qingyou to model, no question. Lin Xu’s heart stirred again.

Fine, I’m magnanimous, a good girl Alpha. Lin Xu surrendered.

Knowing not to hit a smiling face, she curved her lips and boldly approached Shu Qingyou.

She loosely grasped Shu Qingyou’s slender white wrist. Taller by a bit, she leaned down, lowering her gaze.

From the heart, Lin Xu cooed sweetly in a cajoling voice.

“Shu-jiejie, I was wrong~”

She dragged out the end note on purpose.

Releasing charm without realizing it—not the first time.

Any Omega would fall for Lin Xu’s innocent look.

After all, a top-tier Alpha’s pheromones and looks were one in a million.

Shu Qingyou’s heart jolted. Her long lashes trembled like butterfly wings.

A faint ominous twinge at her nape gland. She forced herself to stay composed and set the plate down.