Ye Chengxing couldn’t help but think that the villain in the early stages really resembled a little bunny.
So pitiful, yet so adorable.
With that thought, an even deeper sense of pity welled up inside her.
She had originally felt that her actions with Li Jia today had been a bit too intimate, but seeing Li Jia’s reaction now, it didn’t seem like a big deal at all.
Li Jia probably just saw her as an older sister, which was why she was so close to her. Ye Chengxing could genuinely sense that the omega’s body was no longer as tense and guarded around her as it had been before.
This was a good thing—it symbolized that their relationship was growing closer.
And so, with a smile in her eyes, Ye Chengxing not only allowed Li Jia to nestle into her embrace but also reached out to ruffle the omega’s hair. Silently, she vowed in her heart that since the villain was still so pure and cute right now, she would absolutely be a responsible older sister from now on and take excellent care of Li Jia.
The omega was still clinging to her, but buoyed by the surge of affection spreading through her heart, Ye Chengxing indulged her completely, letting Li Jia hold on as long as she wanted.
Li Jia pressed her head against the side of Ye Chengxing’s chest, her arms wrapped around the alpha’s waist.
Her posture was so harmless and soft that it could melt anyone’s heart, causing Ye Chengxing to completely overlook the strength in the arms encircling her waist. She didn’t pay it much mind at all.
Even if she had noticed, she wouldn’t have thought anything was wrong. After all, the omega was so pitiable like this—hugging too tightly was just a sign of her anxiety. What bad intentions could she possibly have?
This embrace lasted longer than any before it.
Li Jia savored it contentedly, hugging Ye Chengxing even tighter. Subtly, she buried her face in the alpha’s neck, inhaling the pheromones emanating from her.
She had already gained far more intimate contact than before, which should have satisfied her. But now… she found herself even less able to hold back. A faint flush tinged the corners of the omega’s eyes.
Their breaths mingled in the air, the oolong tea scent swirling around her nearly enveloping her completely.
She smelled so good—so intoxicating. With only thin bath towels separating their skin, Li Jia needed only to glance sideways to meet Ye Chengxing’s gaze, that gentle look directed solely at her.
It was a shame that even after hugging for so long, she knew full well that the alpha’s scent clinging to her would soon dissipate, just like before. But… what if it were pheromones? If it were pheromones, wouldn’t they linger much longer?
The thought made it increasingly hard for Li Jia to bear.
If only it were pheromones—they would surely last a long time, filling her with the alpha’s scent, surrounding her even in her sleep.
Li Jia’s breath hitched, her own idea heating her respiration.
It was… just thinking about it made her uncontrollably excited.
The omega’s body even trembled slightly from the thrill.
Oblivious, Ye Chengxing continued ruffling her hair, offering the gentlest comfort.
They were so close.
She wanted it so badly…
Earlier, submerged in the bathtub, it hadn’t been noticeable, shielded by the water. But now, without that cover, certain things became glaringly obvious.
As Ye Chengxing glanced down, she saw a few crystalline droplets falling, like dewdrops from morning mist, landing on the floor beneath the omega’s feet and leaving faint transparent stains.
Puzzled, Ye Chengxing wondered if she hadn’t dried her properly after all. But she was sure she had.
Unable to figure it out, she simply asked, “Li Jia, did I miss drying you off earlier? There’s so much water dripping…”
Hearing her voice, Li Jia’s mind swirled with illicit desires, but her expression remained unchanged—pure and pitiful as ever. “Yeah, sister, there’s so much water. It’s getting the floor all wet. What should we do?”
Her body still pressed tightly against Ye Chengxing’s, Li Jia lifted her head slightly from the embrace. The alpha’s pheromones lingered faintly in her nose, and she murmured softly, “What should we do, my sister…”
Hearing this, Ye Chengxing assumed her words had made Li Jia anxious, as if she were being scolded. She quickly reassured her. “It’s fine, really. The bathroom floor is already wet anyway. I was just worried you’d catch a chill if you weren’t dried properly.”
With that, she tightened the bath towel around Li Jia.
Li Jia’s long, upturned eyes lowered slightly as she listened.
Compared to the Ye Chengxing from her previous life, the one before her now was so sincere, oblivious, and innocent—it only made Li Jia want to see other reactions from her even more.
But Ye Chengxing seemed utterly genuine in treating her like a little sister, not the ambiguous kind of “little sister” in a romantic relationship.
The physical reactions grew harder to suppress, yet Li Jia’s face betrayed no change. She hugged Ye Chengxing tightly in return, greedily inhaling her scent. “It’s okay. I’ll handle it myself in a bit… But speaking of which, don’t you have things to take care of this afternoon, sister?”
Ye Chengxing hadn’t been tracking time closely until Li Jia mentioned it. Only then did she realize how much time had passed. Their bathing process had indeed dragged on unusually long.
The morning’s food sales had been explosively popular, so she planned to make more for a second round in the evening, but time wasn’t pressing yet.
Ye Chengxing shook her head. “No rush. Let me dry you off first, and then I need to check if your wound got wet.”
She had washed Li Jia herself throughout, but that didn’t guarantee the omega hadn’t gotten splashed at all. Bathrooms were humid places by nature, and Li Jia’s palm wound had worsened once before—she couldn’t let it happen again.
With the omega still nestled in her arms, Ye Chengxing simply grabbed a towel in that position, intending to wipe her down again.
The water had likely trailed down her legs, so she guessed the area near her thighs hadn’t been dried thoroughly.
Even though she’d already said plenty of embarrassing things earlier, Ye Chengxing still felt shy bringing it up again. Her voice was soft and low. “Li Jia, I might need you to spread your legs a little more.”
The omega complied effortlessly, parting her legs for her. Ye Chengxing folded the towel smaller and gently wiped the skin near Li Jia’s inner thighs.
The towel’s texture was a bit rougher. After rubbing it over a few times, as if confirming it was dry, Ye Chengxing followed up by lightly stroking the area with her fingertips. That touch over the sensitive flesh sent shivers rippling through her.
Unaware of the effect, her touch caused Li Jia’s arms around Ye Chengxing’s neck to tighten instinctively, clenching and releasing, leaving faint wrinkles on the alpha’s bath towel.
“There, all dry now.” Ye Chengxing smiled, releasing Li Jia and setting the towel aside in the auto-cleaning device.
In the moment she turned to tidy up, she didn’t notice that the spot on the omega’s inner thigh she’d just wiped wasn’t drier—instead, it glistened with even more wetness.
After leaving the bathroom, Ye Chengxing checked Li Jia’s palm wound again.
Her careful efforts in the bathroom had paid off—the wound hadn’t gotten wet at all.
Ye Chengxing gave a few instructions, noticed that Li Jia had already laid out fresh clothes, and tactfully left the room.
Though one could say they’d bathed together, that had been due to circumstances. Now that Li Jia needed to change, it was better for her to step out.
But just as she rose, Li Jia’s voice rang out. “Sister, for the next couple of days, if I need to wash my hair or freshen up, can I call you to help? Yesterday, when I tried doing it myself, the wound got worse…”
Ye Chengxing froze at the words.
She suddenly remembered that while she’d learned her mishandling had worsened Li Jia’s wound, she’d jumped to conclusions without asking why, assuming the omega had self-harmed.
Now it made sense—washing up or hair required hands.
She had misunderstood Li Jia.
The omega had been too shy to ask for help, and she’d arbitrarily decided, even spanking her and sternly scolding her…
“I’m sorry. I misunderstood you before,” Ye Chengxing pressed her lips together and halted her departure, guilt swelling further in her heart. “Of course you can ask me for these things. It won’t be any trouble at all—you’re never a trouble.”
Li Jia didn’t accuse her of being rash or act aggrieved at the apology. Instead, she showed that sensible smile, her lovely eyes curving like the moon in the sky. “Sister, you don’t need to apologize to me. It’s fine. I know you’re doing it for my own good—you’re just worried about me. I’m happy about it.”
Hearing this, Ye Chengxing’s guilt intensified to an unbearable degree.
She couldn’t help sighing inwardly once more. What an ultimate little angel the villain was. Even though she’d been the one misunderstood, she didn’t blame her at all and even said she understood it was out of concern.
So wonderful, so kind, so heartbreaking.
With that in mind, Ye Chengxing’s guilt and heartache crashed over her like waves, drowning her completely. “Li Jia, no need to stand on ceremony with me. You’re still recovering, and since you’ve started calling me sister, taking care of you is what I should do. Really, don’t hold back.”
Li Jia lifted her gaze to meet hers, her amber pupils shimmering like water. “Really, sister?”
Ye Chengxing nodded, her voice softening even more. “Of course.”
“You’re so good to me, sister,” Li Jia murmured, lowering her eyes. Ye Chengxing noticed a hint of moisture gathering at the corners of the omega’s eyes. “No one’s ever been this good to me before…” Good enough that she couldn’t imagine life without this ray of sunshine.
How could she keep someone this wonderful by her side forever?
She needed to be more cautious, more restrained—never lose control like she almost had in the bathroom today. If she were discovered… Ye Chengxing would be terrified and start hating her.
After all, the alpha was only treating her like a little sister, yet she was harboring other feelings for this sister, her body reacting instinctively to even the most ordinary touches.
Li Jia gazed into Ye Chengxing’s eyes.
She was so gentle, so good to her. Her body was soft, her embrace warm, even her hair carrying a faint fragrance.
Perfect in a way that shouldn’t exist in her life, like someone she should have no connection with at all.
Right now, such a person was smiling at her, right there in front of her, gently assuring her that it was all real.
For a fleeting moment, she couldn’t help but wonder how the world could produce someone like Ye Chengxing. Unbidden, the words “I came for you” echoed in her mind once more.
Everyone else in this world was just like those from her previous life. Only the Ye Chengxing standing before her was different—utterly unique.
She no longer cared to ponder where this woman had come from or why. All she wanted now was to figure out how to stay by her side… or how to keep her there forever.
These thoughts swirled in Li Jia’s heart, but her lips curved into an innocent smile. In a sweet, obedient voice, she said, “Got it. Sis, go ahead and get busy. I’ll come find you tonight. It’s not right for me to keep hogging your time like this.”
The more Li Jia spoke like that, the more Ye Chengxing’s heart ached with pity. “It’s fine. Call me anytime you need anything. But you should change out of those clothes first—don’t catch a chill.”
With a few more gentle reminders, she finally left Li Jia’s room.
Li Jia had endured too much trauma for it to heal all at once. All Ye Chengxing had done was act with basic human empathy, yet it had moved the other woman to such profound gratitude…
Her life had been so brutally hard. Even after all that suffering, when someone treated her kindly, she didn’t lash out in bitterness. Instead, she responded with thanks.
Ye Chengxing let out a soft sigh and recalled their earlier conversation in Jiang Lubai’s office.
Strictly speaking, the contract between Li Jia and Starflash Entertainment violated the law. But the man she’d signed it with was Lin Que—
A figure backed by vast wealth and influence, someone who could thumb his nose at the legal system entirely.
As long as his powerful allies wanted to shield him, that contract could be swept under the rug without consequence.
For now, Ye Chengxing had no intention of tipping her hand with Lin Que. He hadn’t noticed her moves yet, leaving him completely off-guard. If he caught wind of them, things would get far trickier. She needed more evidence—and a clearer picture of who was propping him up from the shadows.
It was like wading into deep water that looked calm on the surface but hid treacherous undertows beneath. The deeper she delved, the more darkness she uncovered.
In front of her playboy cronies, she’d carefully cultivated the image of someone who’d temporarily cleaned up her act because her new lover was such a perfect match. Those types would never believe she could truly reform anyway—and that skepticism worked in her favor. They thought it, Lin Que thought it, and it kept her safer.
The Ye Family was another ticking time bomb. A powerful clan like theirs, abandoning their eldest daughter—who supposedly suffered from mental illness—to live alone in a villa? It didn’t add up. If they truly doted on her, they would have wrapped her in cotton wool, shielding her from the slightest harm. As far as Ye Chengxing was concerned, the Ye Family’s credibility was rock-bottom.
That unease was part of why she’d decided to open the gourmet shop. The original owner of this body had zero freedom under the family’s thumb—everything controlled, leaving her constantly on edge.
Her thoughts drifted to the shop, and she considered what to sell that evening.
She didn’t know a vast array of dishes, but it was more than enough for this world. Tea eggs and braised chicken rice had sold briskly at lunch, but she wasn’t repeating them tonight. Time for something new.
Risheng Gourmet Shop’s reputation wasn’t widespread yet—just a ripple on Star Net. She had no intention of playing it low-key or hiding her skills. In a universe where gourmet cooking was a rarity, that alone was flashy enough. If she wanted to stay under the radar, she never should have opened the place to begin with. No, she was going to make it explode in popularity.
With her mind made up, Ye Chengxing decided on sweet soups, along with custard buns and shrimp dumplings—light, tempting snacks.
She set to work preparing.
Her earlier shopping spree had cost a fortune, but it meant she could whip up whatever she wanted without skimping on ingredients.
The original body’s reputation as a spoiled rich kid was a boon in its own way. No rigid plot forcing her hand, no mandatory quests—she had all the freedom and time she needed.
From the Smart Storage Compartment, Ye Chengxing pulled out ingredients for the sweet soups. As she did, she spotted the supplies she’d bought earlier to make crystal amber candy for Li Jia. Time had been tight, so after crafting them, she’d stashed them away and promptly forgotten.
Now that she’d seen them, she grabbed everything and laid it out, planning to make the candy first and deliver it straight to Li Jia.
Anyone with a sweet tooth wouldn’t turn their nose up at candies.
With that, Ye Chengxing focused on the task.
Amber candy was child’s play for her. Back during her study abroad days, she’d experimented with every edible thing she could get her hands on. She’d grown to love the process so much that she’d even enrolled in cooking classes. More skills in the arsenal couldn’t hurt— who knew when they’d come in handy?
If there was one thing she genuinely liked about this ABO world, it was the tech. Kitchen gadgets alone made everything a breeze. Things that would’ve taken ages back home were sped up in seconds here.
Take the amber candy she was making now. In her pre-transmigration world, it would’ve needed two or three days to set in a cool spot. Here? The Acceleration Function handled it effortlessly.
Softening the agar strips, adding water, boiling until fully dissolved—it all flew by.
This wasn’t her first time using the Acceleration Function, but it still amazed her every time. It boosted efficiency and cut down on exhaustion. Long cooking sessions could wear anyone out, constantly tweaking and stirring. Not here. This world sidestepped all that.
After another silent “high tech is the best” in her mind, Ye Chengxing sifted the agar liquid through a fine mesh, then slowly stirred in the sugar over low heat.
For reasons she couldn’t quite pinpoint, anything involving Li Jia made her strive for absolute perfection.
But then she hit a snag.
She had no idea what color Li Jia liked.
Ye Chengxing eyed the syrup, which was ready for coloring, and pondered.
No clue? Then why not go all out—a rainbow gradient, rows of creamy pastels fading beautifully into one another.
Idea locked in, the rest was straightforward. With acceleration, it wasn’t long before the glistening, gorgeous crystal amber candies were done.
She’d used pure fruit juices for the hues—fussy, but the flavor was richer and sweeter for it.
Low-saturation cream tones made them look stunningly appetizing at a glance.
Delighted, Ye Chengxing reached to carry the plate to Li Jia when footsteps sounded behind her. She turned to find Li Jia there.
The Omega had changed clothes, a faint flush at her eye corners. Ye Chengxing could’ve sworn the white peach scent of her pheromones hung thicker in the air than usual.
As if… she’d just done something.
But Ye Chengxing dismissed the notion at once.
What else spiked an Omega’s pheromones like that, aside from heat period? Self-pleasure afterward, or marking.
Li Jia had been alone upstairs in her room. It had to be her imagination.
The thought vanished as quickly as it had come. Ye Chengxing’s eyes crinkled with a smile as she beamed at Li Jia. “Perfect timing. Come try some.”
The plate of crystal amber candies was impossible to miss, their dreamy hues practically glowing.
Meeting those warm, smiling eyes, Li Jia’s lips quirked up softly. “They’re gorgeous. Selling them tonight?”
Ye Chengxing hadn’t kept the gourmet shop a secret from her—she’d shared the news herself and even solicited Li Jia’s input on the decor.
“No.” Ye Chengxing shook her head.
Her hands were freshly washed, so she simply plucked up a piece with her fingertips and held it to Li Jia’s lips.
Li Jia had just opened her mouth to say more when the candy slipped in unexpectedly.
Her lips tingled from the warm, soft brush of fingertips.
As Ye Chengxing met the Omega’s slightly dazed gaze, her own eyes sparkled with amusement, like a gentle April breeze caressing the face. “Suck on it good.”
The candy melted into sweet, fragrant bliss on her tongue. Li Jia stared into Ye Chengxing’s laughing eyes, more entranced than ever.
Ye Chengxing chuckled softly at the lack of response.
Was one little candy enough to leave her stunned?
Smiling, she explained, “These aren’t for sale.”
Not emphatic enough. She added, “I made them specially for you.”
Her voice—so achingly tender—sent Li Jia’s heart into wild, erratic thuds.
“Only for our Little Li.”
