Chapter 61

“Grandma, could you not get involved? I know what I’m doing,” Lin Xu thought left and right before saying woodenly, “Worst case scenario, don’t we have a child as a fallback…”

Typical words from a scumbag woman, trying to bind someone for life with a child.

This choked Old Lady Lin, her brows furrowing deeply. She couldn’t expect her granddaughter to be perfectly upright, but she couldn’t abandon her principles.

Meddling in relationships as an elder often backfired, so the old woman made an effort to smooth out the frustration in her chest and finally relented to her only granddaughter.

“Compensate them financially as you should.”

“Okay, okay, of course.” Lin Xu agreed, though it was hard to bring up. Shu Qingyou had too little desire for material things.

When they broke up back then, she hadn’t taken a single valuable item, and the check was probably long gone.

Lin Xu suddenly thought of something and seriously asked about the purpose of those two dogs coming over downstairs. Old Lady Lin brushed it off, only telling her that she had stripped them of their shares and positions.

That was it? Lin Xu was clearly unsatisfied with this outcome. If it were her, she would at least break their arms and legs before sending them to prison—brutal, but effective.

Her dissatisfaction was written on her face, and Old Lady Lin saw through her little scheme early on. She said steadily, “They’ve stashed a lot of assets abroad, transferred from the main family. This little matter is yours to handle…”

Though the old lady said so, in reality, it would require a board meeting vote—just a formality.

The old lady was concerned about her health and, seeing that Lin Xu was still alive and kicking enough to argue unreasonably, let her be.

Lin Xu’s wandering heart had already drifted to Shu Qingyou’s side the moment the topic turned to her health.

Relationship issues were the trickiest. Lin Xu searched upstairs and downstairs but couldn’t find anyone.

Finally, the old housekeeper couldn’t stand watching the young miss flit about like a headless fly and kindly reminded her, “Miss Shu and the others are playing in the backyard.”

It was freezing cold—didn’t they worry about catching a cold? Lin Xu grabbed a thick wool coat from the room and draped it over her arm.

The crab-apple sky pressed down heavily, blending with the pines and cypresses. The Old Mansion was built against the mountain, with cameras covering the outer walls.

Farther out was an artificial lake carved into the hillside. Lin Xu rarely stayed here; the last time was when she clung to the railing and jumped off to escape.

Pretty embarrassing—her foolish heroic deed had probably spread through the cameras by now.

On the vast lawn big enough for a soccer game, Lin Xu spotted a small figure sitting on the swing, with Shu Qingyou behind her, giving pushes.

She didn’t walk fast. Shu Qingyou looked up, her thin skin somewhat reddened by the wind, her nose tip tinged pink.

Playing with Shu Rong took some energy. As Lin Xu approached, she saw that Shu Qingyou’s lips were bloodier than usual, making them look even more delicate and kissable.

Shu Rong sweetly hugged Lin Xu’s leg. Before, swings were only at the park, but always taken by others.

She was so envious. She nuzzled Lin Xu a few times with her head, her actions expressing thanks to big sis for bringing her here to swing.

Lin Xu understood and placed a big hand on Shu Rong’s soft hair. “No need to thank me. What are you to me? There’ll be more fun things later.”

Wow, more fun things. Shu Rong just nodded with a beaming smile.

Lin Xu patted her and had her sit back down. She turned to drape the coat over Shu Qingyou, exhaling a puff of misty breath. “What made you think of coming here?”

“Nothing better to do, just wandering around. The scenery is decent.” Shu Qingyou kept pushing the swing, standing on one side with Lin Xu on the other.

“What about you? Are you okay?”

Lin Xu’s heart skipped a beat. Shu Qingyou was just talking normally, but she reacted like a startled snake in a cup, always feeling like she’d be caught by the tail any second.

“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“One of those two, I’ve seen before. Be careful.”

Shu Qingyou wasn’t unreasonable. Their car accident probably had hidden circumstances, and even if she guessed, there was little she could do to help Lin Xu.

A sense of helpless frustration settled in.

Lin Xu saw her expression quite grave, her gaze fully on her, brimming with concern.

She was too easy to fool, Lin Xu thought. Shu Qingyou’s trust in her only added to the unease she could barely handle.

You can’t hide paper in fire, so before the fire came, better destroy the evidence as much as possible.

Lin Xu curved her lips. “It’s fine. Even if I don’t act, Grandma won’t sit idly by.”

Shu Qingyou hummed, then lowered her long lashes, her smooth hair falling to her jaw, her complexion paler than before.

She looked at the ground, recalling her late grandmother. The love from the older generation was irreplaceable. Shu Qingyou said faintly, “You have to be filial to Grandma.”

Don’t get all sentimental now, sis, Lin Xu was at a loss and looked down to check if Shu Qingyou was shedding little pearls.

She hooked Shu Qingyou’s arm and pulled her close. Soft and tender in her embrace, bumping into her chest didn’t hurt at all. The Omega’s sweet scent was better than any pillow.

“Hey…” Shu Qingyou held back her weight modestly, “Be careful. Your bones just healed.”

“Let’s not talk about that.” Lin Xu lowered her gaze, holding her close, cheek to cheek. Shu Qingyou’s face was several degrees cooler than hers. Ignoring the faint trace of her appearance, the touch was smooth.

She rubbed against her more, watching Shu Qingyou squeeze her eye shut. Lin Xu’s heart melted into a puddle. “Earlier in front of my grandma, you teased me.”

She’d almost forgotten, but Lin Xu’s reminder made her realize. “Oh…”

The cool tail note hooked up lightly, stretching slowly like a little hook, tugging at Lin Xu’s trembling heartstrings.

Shu Qingyou repeated the trick, extending cool fingertips and blinking innocently. “Like this?”

Lin Xu’s palm reflexively gripped tight on her playful hand.

No more playing with fire casually. Now it had burned her legs nearly weak, but she had to keep up Alpha face.

She wanted her…

An A wanting to be taken by an O—even bitten and entered by Shu Qingyou. She couldn’t suppress the thought, staring dazedly at how gently Shu Qingyou treated her.

Suddenly, Lin Xu realized the root of her lascivious thoughts: physiological attraction.

The initial heartbeat from skin contact, step by step falling, not even needing intimacy—just eye contact or a hint of pheromones.

Lin Xu would offer herself up for Shu Qingyou to play with. Her mouth dry, she asked, “Qingyou, let’s go to Ocean Park again tomorrow.”

“Okay, it’s too late today anyway…”

Before the words finished, light was blocked from view, her lips rubbed by warmth. She let out a soft whimper as Lin Xu’s arm tightly encircled her waist.

Her mouth grew bolder, tongue prying past teeth and driving straight in.

Shu Qingyou had to grip the swing’s back rail, enduring the fiery assault of lips and tongue.

The backyard servants felt awkward watching them show affection in broad daylight and tactfully withdrew.

Only birdsong in the woods, chirp after chirp, added a touch of natural romance to the thick watery sounds between them.

Right in the thick of their inseparable kiss, Lin Xu’s belt was suddenly yanked hard. She looked down puzzled.

Shu Rong had both hands tugging at her waistband, cheeks puffed from effort, eyes watery but unrelenting.

“Rongrong, what are you doing?” Lin Xu held her hands and effortlessly pried her fingers open one by one. Tears streamed fast down Shu Rong’s face.

“What’s wrong with you? The swing was fine.”

Shu Rong used tears instead of anger, biting down hard on Lin Xu’s hand and refusing to let go.

Not fun! You’re bullying Mommy!

“Little thing bites hard…” Lin Xu had lost the mood for intimacy with Shu Qingyou and just let her bite, enduring helplessly as Shu Rong slobbered all over her hand.

“Go bite your mommy. I didn’t provoke you.”

Shu Qingyou crouched down, steadying her breath while gently wiping her tears. After all, she was her own daughter—mother knows best.

“Rongrong is such a good girl, protecting Mommy already.”

She pointed to herself. “See, she didn’t bully Mommy.”

Not right…

Lin Xu felt guilty hearing that. Shu Qingyou’s eye corners held physiological tears, revealing red-tinged desire, her thick lashes trembling under a thin mist.

Her lips were kissed swollen, vividly red like ripe fruit, needing just a squeeze to drip sweet pheromones.

Shu Rong looked, eyes spinning, silently questioning Lin Xu. Seeing her just scratch her face, she felt worse and hugged Shu Qingyou’s neck, sobbing wordlessly.

Shu Qingyou lifted her chin. “Did you just threaten her?”

Lin Xu crouched and poked Shu Qingyou’s lips. “Something like that. It’s pretty obvious here.”

Fine. Shu Qingyou shot her a glance. “In front of her from now on, restrain yourself.”

“No way, that’s too hard,” Lin Xu whined. Why did having a kid mean no public kissing? Inspiration struck. “How about we kiss more, desensitize her early.”

Robber logic.

Hearing “kiss more,” Shu Rong cried harder, thinking Mommy’s mouth was so pitiful.

Shu Qingyou put a finger to her lips, frowning slightly. “You’re a grown-up—how come you can’t break the habit of bullying your daughter?”

It made some sense. Lin Xu reviewed past scenes of Shu Rong crying—they were funny but mostly pitiful.

Lin Xu behaved, stroking Shu Rong’s back. “I admit fault. Sorry, Rongrong. I’ll be gentler with your mommy from now on.”

Asking her not to kiss the kid’s mom? Impossible. She wasn’t sexually cold.

“Right,” Lin Xu leaned to Shu Qingyou’s ear. “May I tell her I’m her mommy?”

A cold wind brushed Shu Qingyou’s face, cooling the heat. Lin Xu’s eyes burned with unprecedented eagerness. She opened her mouth but said nothing.

Even the next day heading to Ocean Park, Lin Xu still hadn’t gotten an answer.

Maybe Shu Qingyou hadn’t fully accepted her? Wouldn’t forgive? Or wanted Shu Rong to adapt slowly?

Whatever it was, Lin Xu wasn’t satisfied.

There was still time. Lin Xu held back, selectively forgetting. “Qingyou, really no need to book the whole aquarium?”

Shu Qingyou refused again. “Didn’t we agree? Tourists are part of the fun.”

Wasn’t she afraid of crowds bringing viruses… Lin Xu still remembered the day Rongrong had pneumonia, when Shu Qingyou nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

She rephrased. “Remember to have Shu Rong wear her mask.”

Today, Shu Rong nestled between them. She eyed Lin Xu warily, like last night when she slept like a little warrior guarding her mommy.

Shu Qingyou had praised her, and Lin Xu couldn’t resist joking, “Rongrong, with your little arms and legs, a gust of wind would knock you over.”