Chapter 26: The Chaebol Heir’s Canary — “I’m So Heartbroken. You Have to Make It Up to Me.” Part 3

The necklace was simple yet elegant, with a strong sense of design. Shi Yu liked it at first sight, so when Jiang Qiuyan asked, she didn’t refuse.

Jiang Qiuyan took the necklace from the saleswoman and said to Shi Yu, “Let me put it on you.”

Shi Yu walked up to her, exposing her slender, fair neck. As Jiang Qiuyan fastened it, she “accidentally” brushed Shi Yu’s gland, making her spine shiver.

Seeing the little cat’s reddening ears, she “accidentally” touched it twice more. By the time the necklace was on, Shi Yu’s face was flushed crimson.

Jiang Qiuyan said nothing. After paying, she pulled Shi Yu to a quiet corner and kissed her.

Shi Yu wrapped her arms around her neck and opened her lips to meet her.

Lips and teeth intertwined, breaths mingling. Shi Yu tried her best to restrain her pheromones, but a little still escaped. The sweet, intoxicating scent drifted into the air, luring Jiang Qiuyan’s pheromones to break free as well.

Jiang Qiuyan quickly ended the kiss and pressed Shi Yu firmly against her, not looking at her current state.

Based on her knowledge of herself, if she looked, she definitely wouldn’t be able to hold back.

Shi Yu’s legs were jelly from the kiss. She leaned against her for a while before tugging her sleeve and speaking softly.

“I can walk now.”

Jiang Qiuyan released her, nuzzling with her nose. “Be patient a little longer. I’ll take care of you when we get home.”

“It’s fine. It’ll pass quickly.”

Shi Yu said this and walked past her. Jiang Qiuyan followed behind, eyes darkening at the slight protrusion of her gland.

Was that successful teasing or a failure?

After more shopping, Shi Yu didn’t dare glance at anything for more than three seconds. She was utterly exhausted. She found a nearby café to rest, and the moment she walked in, she heard a commotion.

“Eldest Miss Pei, this dress was handmade by a French master designer. You splashed coffee all over me and can’t even apologize?”

Shi Yu had been about to leave, but hearing “Eldest Miss Pei,” she paused.

“An apology isn’t enough. For a dress that expensive, she should pay.”

“What are you saying? A mere few hundred thousand, would the eldest miss not have it?”

Someone snorted with schadenfreude. “She used to be able to scrape more than that from between her fingers. But now…”

Shi Yu looked past the group and saw Pei Shuyu standing awkwardly in the middle, facing an omega with a haughty expression and sneering contempt.

Two months apart and Pei Shuyu seemed like a different person. She was meek and submissive, not uttering a word as people spoke to her like that, head down and at a loss.

Shi Yu found it strange. With how much Pei Yiyi doted on her daughter, how could she not have sent Pei Shuyu abroad in this situation?

Shi Yu turned to look at Jiang Qiuyan. Jiang Qiuyan scratched her nose and looked away.

She was the type who settled scores on the spot. Pei Shuyu had schemed against her; how could she not retaliate? Pei Yiyi had wanted to send her daughter away, but Jiang Qiuyan had blocked it. Knowing she was in the wrong and needing Jiang Corporation’s help, Pei Yiyi could only sacrifice her daughter.

And then there was Pei Shuyu’s beta lover. After seeing the marketing press release from Pei Pharmaceuticals, they had lost all affection and broken up with Pei Shuyu. No amount of pleading changed their mind.

Of course, Jiang Qiuyan had applied some pressure too. But fundamentally, their feelings just weren’t strong enough. Besides, young people should be focusing on building their careers. How could they be held back by romance?

“Do you know something?”

Jiang Qiuyan put on an innocent expression. “No idea. I’ve been busy looking for you and haven’t paid attention to outside matters for ages.”

The reason she had kept things from Shi Yu was that the girl was too kind-hearted. Just like now, seeing Pei Shuyu reduced to this state, she was already feeling sorry for her.

“Forget it. I won’t make things difficult for you. If you kneel and admit your mistake, I won’t make you pay.”

The haughty omega spoke with contempt. No one around was helping Pei Shuyu. They were all watching the show, and some even pushed her, urging her to kneel.

Shi Yu didn’t pity her. She had been through the same thing before, only the bullying had come from Shi Huaixin and the Pei family.

She glanced at Jiang Qiuyan. The woman’s expression was calm, her feelings unreadable. Shi Yu’s eyes darted. “Do you want to help her?”

Jiang Qiuyan quickly stepped back. “No! Not at all!”

She wouldn’t fall for such an obvious trap. But this kid was learning bad habits, actually digging pits for her.

Before Shi Yu could say more, a clatter erupted from the group. Pei Shuyu had been shoved to the ground.

“Still think you’re an eldest miss? Pei Shuyu, a phoenix off its perch is less than a chicken. Drop the act.”

“Maybe she hasn’t adjusted yet. She used to be so proud, nose in the air. How could she fit in with us common folk?”

“Tch! Too bad Pei Pharmaceuticals is about to go bankrupt. This eldest miss is about to become a fallen lady.”

Shi Yu stared straight at Pei Shuyu. As if sensing it, the other looked up. Seeing her, hope lit up in her eyes before quickly dimming as she lowered her head again.

In that moment, Shi Yu remembered the kindness Pei Shuyu had shown her back at the Pei family.

She hadn’t always been able to help, but she had often saved her from Shi Huaixin’s hands, sparing her physical pain.

It was ironic to say, but those acts of help were real.

“So many people watching. Are you going to drag this out forever?”

The omega whose dress was ruined leaned down and pinched Pei Shuyu’s chin, her tone icy. “Look at you, so pitiful and fragile. Is this the face you use to seduce alphas and betas?”

Shi Yu couldn’t listen to this anymore.

Even if Pei Shuyu was at fault, this was going too far with the slander. As a fellow omega, how could this person show zero empathy?

Shi Yu wanted to step in, but with so many people around, she lost her nerve. She could only look at Jiang Qiuyan with pleading eyes.

Jiang Qiuyan received her signal and tilted her head. “Want me to help her?”

Shi Yu nodded.

Jiang Qiuyan smiled and shook her head. “If I help, you won’t blame me?”

“No, just hurry up.” Shi Yu gave her a light push.

Jiang Qiuyan cleared her throat lightly. The crowd automatically parted to make a path for her, gazes darting between her and Shi Yu, everyone looking like they were about to feast on gossip.

“How much is the dress? I’ll pay.”

Ji Zhen glanced at her and said irritably, “Mind your own business!”

Shi Yu was a little surprised. The Jiang family sat at the top of Hai City’s food chain, yet this omega showed Jiang Qiuyan no respect at all.

In that moment, she grew curious about this proud omega.

“You used to be so close. Why take things so far?”

Ji Zhen’s expression shifted, her voice growing colder. “Are you deliberately picking a fight?”

Jiang Qiuyan regarded her coolly. “No. I just wanted a cup of coffee, but you’re occupying the café. It’s making me very unhappy.”

She swept her gaze across the crowd and said flatly, “If all you want is to humiliate Pei Shuyu, please do it somewhere else. Don’t disturb others.”

Ji Zhen sneered. “I just want her to pay for my dress. She keeps dragging things out. What am I supposed to do?”

Jiang Qiuyan took out a checkbook from her bag, wrote a string of numbers, and handed it to Ji Zhen. “Two hundred thousand. More than enough for that dress.”

“Two hundred thousand? Are you joking? She didn’t just ruin my dress. She also ruined the jewelry I’m wearing. The cleaning fee alone is over a million.”

Only then did Shi Yu notice the extravagant necklace around Ji Zhen’s neck. A pure, deep green. It looked like the emerald Jiang Qiuyan had mentioned before.

She couldn’t see anything wrong with it, but when someone wanted to make up a charge, they never lacked for excuses.

Shi Yu fumbled around in the bag Jiang Qiuyan was carrying and pulled out her own wallet, taking out a card.

“Use this card.” At least it’s the wolf’s own wool.

This was the five million Pei Yiyi had given her. She hadn’t had time to spend it before Jiang Qiuyan dragged her back. Now it came in handy.

Jiang Qiuyan looked at the card in her hand and her mood instantly soured. She fixed Ji Zhen with a sharp, icy gaze. “Settle this privately, or shall we have tea at the police station?”

Ji Zhen wasn’t truly unreasonable. Earlier she had dared to talk back to Jiang Qiuyan because she knew the woman wasn’t angry. But now she was genuinely furious, and it was a raging fury at that.

“Since someone’s pleading for you, I’ll let it go. Don’t let me see you in Hai City again, or else… hmph!”

Ji Zhen left, and the onlookers scattered like startled birds. Pei Shuyu got up from the ground and whispered her thanks to Shi Yu.

Shi Yu looked at her, feeling as though the world had been turned upside down.

Before, she had been the one standing cautiously before Pei Shuyu. But now, everything was reversed.

“You helped me before too, so we’re even. From now on, I have nothing to do with any of you. If this kind of thing happens again, I’ll walk past and ignore it.”

Shi Yu turned and walked away. Behind her came Pei Shuyu’s soft crying and a whispered “I’m sorry.”

Stepping out of the café, Shi Yu asked casually, “Why does that omega named Ji Zhen hate Pei Shuyu so much?”

“They used to date.”

A single sentence sent ripples through everything. Shi Yu slammed to a stop, digesting Jiang Qiuyan’s words, her brain short-circuiting.

“Little Yu?”

“Shut up, my brain is frying.”

Jiang Qiuyan laughed and said, “It’s not that hard to understand. They were together since kindergarten. Isn’t it normal for feelings to develop over time? But later, they both presented as omegas, and Pei Shuyu’s parents cut off contact between them. Ji Zhen couldn’t have the one she loved, and her personality changed a lot. They used to simply not get along. Now that the Pei family is weakened, she has the chance to suppress Pei Shuyu. I think she probably has both love and hate for her.”

Thinking of that suffocating pair of parents and the timid, cowardly Pei Shuyu, Shi Yu suddenly felt that perhaps Pei Shuyu had brought this upon herself.

“My money! I need to go get it back!”

Their eyes met. Jiang Qiuyan, afraid she might bolt, quickly wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Home first. I have something to ask you.”

Shi Yu was half-dragged, half-carried into the car. Once seated, Jiang Qiuyan stared at her without blinking, as if she could bore right through her.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Shi Yu felt goosebumps rise and instinctively tried to turn her face away.

“No dodging. Look at me.”

Jiang Qiuyan gripped her chin.

Shi Yu was forced to meet her gaze. She watched those phoenix eyes darken further, as though brewing a storm.

“Miss Jiang, just ask what you want to ask. Don’t look at me like that.”

Jiang Qiuyan’s gaze grew even darker. The hand on her chin tightened. “Calling me ‘Miss Jiang’ again?”

Is being polite to you a bad thing? Shi Yu opened her mouth but truly couldn’t bring herself to use her given name. Before she could get the words out, Jiang Qiuyan bit down on her lip.

“How do I fix this bad habit of yours?”

Shi Yu hissed in pain and drew a sharp breath. To her surprise, the other bit even harder, as if venting all the resentment and frustration in her heart.

Shi Yu pushed her away forcefully, frowning. “What is wrong with you? Can you stop acting like this? You’re like a split personality. It’s actually scary.”

Jiang Qiuyan looked at her with a wounded expression, her eyes inexplicably reddening.

Shi Yu: “?!” What did I do to you?

“Pei Yiyi gave you five million and you left me without hesitation. If someone else gives you five million in the future, will you leave me again?”

Shi Yu thought about it. There shouldn’t be another sucker like that, right?

“Hmm? Little Yu, say something. Am I only worth five million?” Jiang Qiuyan buried her face in the crook of Shi Yu’s neck, like a big wronged puppy.

So that was the real point? Shi Yu figured it out.

“You’re definitely worth more than five million.”

“Then how much am I worth?”

Shi Yu fell silent. This was a question with no right answer.

Jiang Qiuyan tilted her head up and kissed her, her tone complaining and petulant. “Getting a single promise from you is harder than climbing to heaven.”

“I’m so heartbroken. You have to make it up to me.”