Did she notice?
The range she could sense suddenly grew blurry, and Li Jia slowly narrowed her eyes.
She probably hadn’t.
It looked like… she was just adjusting the position of her necklace.
Even if she had noticed, it wouldn’t matter. Li Jia had long since prepared an explanation for the situation, and Ye Chengxing wouldn’t suspect a thing.
“Sister…” Inside the room, the Omega’s fingertip brushed over her necklace as she murmured softly.
Even though Li Jia knew Ye Chengxing wouldn’t notice—or that even if she did, her attitude toward Li Jia wouldn’t change—this moment still conjured an uncontrollable image of Ye Chengxing coming to hate her.
Compared to that mere possibility that hadn’t even happened yet, the scenes in her mind were far more vivid. She saw herself in the villa, watching Ye Chengxing avoid her and act deliberately distant, powerless to do anything about it. She pictured the joy of finally hearing Ye Chengxing return home, only to rush out and find another Omega standing by her side, calling her “sister” with intimate affection.
What could she do to keep Ye Chengxing by her side forever?
“I’m sorry…”
But she truly had no idea what to do anymore, and she couldn’t make a choice.
Today’s gourmet dishes had sold out as quickly as ever. By the afternoon, Ye Chengxing hung up the sold-out sign and closed shop.
Disappointed customers who hadn’t managed to buy anything drifted away, while others lingered reluctantly, asking about tomorrow’s exact sale times and insisting they would come early to queue up.
“It’s fine, everyone. Don’t be too disappointed. I’ll try to increase the quantity of gourmet dishes available for sale.”
Ye Chengxing removed her gloves and spoke reassuringly.
“Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”
“That’s right, no need to feel pressured. Even if we can’t buy any next time, we’ll keep coming back. Your food is truly delicious, and the prices are so fair.”
“Exactly. Please don’t push yourself too hard. If you’re too tired, it’s okay to close for a rest. We’ll wait.”
Hearing Ye Chengxing’s words, the remaining customers turned the tables, comforting her instead. She couldn’t help but smile wryly at their response.
In a way, most people in this world truly treated gourmet chefs like gods.
Even so, Ye Chengxing decided to ramp up her production. She didn’t mind the extra fatigue; what mattered most was that she desperately needed the money right now. The profit offers from those conglomerates weren’t low, to be sure, but the risks were sky-high and the roots of the problem far too tangled. That was why she was still concealing her identity, letting people speculate wildly on Star Net without revealing even a hint of the truth.
The more people who knew, the greater the chance of something going wrong. Ye Chengxing hadn’t hired any store clerks, relying solely on artificial intelligence.
Though AI technology was highly advanced, it still couldn’t match the flexibility of real humans in certain situations. Voice commands and pre-set instructions were simply too rigid.
Her workload had thus increased significantly, but she was still the only one truly busy. The following days weren’t any easier than before—in fact, they were even more hectic.
And truthfully, the previous days hadn’t been overwhelmingly busy; she’d simply stayed away to avoid Li Jia. Now she was genuinely swamped, and with the legal proceedings against Starflash Entertainment underway, a tangle of complications piled on top.
The one thing that brought Ye Chengxing some relief was that Li Jia probably hadn’t logged into Star Net, meaning she hadn’t seen those comments and messages.
Ye Chengxing breathed a quiet sigh of relief. As long as Li Jia hadn’t seen them, it was fine.
She couldn’t be entirely sure, of course—it was just her guess. But if Li Jia had seen them, her expression and mood would surely have changed, and right now the Omega seemed fully immersed in her studies, preparing for the upcoming entrance exam.
She probably didn’t have time to check Star Net news, did she?
Especially since Ye Chengxing had asked probing questions a few times.
Li Jia’s emotions had remained stable, her evenings unchanged—though she had grown even clingier, more intimate with Ye Chengxing.
Ye Chengxing had initially felt awkward about sharing a bed with her, but given the circumstances, she now found it rather convenient for taking care of the Omega.
As for everything else… they’d deal with it once this matter was settled.
In the meantime, Ye Chengxing had a head-on encounter with Lin Que and his entourage.
Lin Que didn’t lack for money, especially with those conglomerates and elites backing him. The lawyers he hired outclassed even Jiang Lubai in terms of cost and reputation—top-tier attorneys with nearly flawless records.
The day they crossed paths, rain was falling from a sky uniformly shrouded in gloom. Water pattered down relentlessly, kicking up bits of dust along the roadside.
Ye Chengxing was accompanied only by Jiang Lubai and a single bodyguard. Compared to the near-army of people surrounding Lin Que, their numbers seemed pitifully few—but their presence matched his in intensity, even overshadowing it despite the disparity.
Spotting Ye Chengxing, Lin Que let out two chuckles, halting his steps. He gestured for those behind him to stop as well. The Beta’s expression brimmed with smug satisfaction, his voice muffled slightly by the rain. “Miss Ye, long time no see.”
Ye Chengxing didn’t break stride. She didn’t spare Lin Que a single glance, merely letting out a soft, derisive snicker as they brushed past each other.
It was quiet, but the mockery hit with full force.
Lin Que’s feigned composure nearly cracked at the sound—or rather, it did crack. He’d been playing it cool moments before, but now he whipped around toward Ye Chengxing’s retreating back, sneering furiously. “Ye Chengxing, don’t let that ‘Miss Ye’ title go to your head. Without the Ye Family, what the hell are you? That ‘Ye’ person… is about to wake up. How much longer do you think you can keep hopping around? Instead of trying to save others, you should worry about yourself.”
Ye Chengxing kept walking without a response. Lin Que laughed even louder. “Look at yourself—what the hell do you even think you are? Other people might not say it, but you’ve actually convinced yourself you’re something special. That lawyer you hired? She’s a goddamn joke.”
At Lin Que’s words, Ye Chengxing didn’t pause, but the little bodyguard holding an umbrella over her twisted her head with a fierce glare. “And what the hell are you? So pathetic. You think you’re worthy of talking to our Miss Ye?”
Ye Chengxing’s lips curved in amusement. She said to the bodyguard, “Little An, remember—there’s no need to talk to dogs.”
Even Jiang Lubai, who rarely spoke much, chimed in with perfect politeness. “Precisely. Miss Ye is absolutely right. How could a dog possibly understand human speech?”
By the time they had walked farther away, Lin Que finally reacted. He bellowed in outrage, “Who are you calling a dog!”
“Ye Chengxing! I’m telling you, you won’t be arrogant for long. Just you wait…”
Lin Que seemed to keep muttering curses, but the distance drowned out his words.
Little An couldn’t hold back a loud laugh. “That Lin guy’s IQ must be pretty low. He’s hilarious.”
“Since when has his IQ ever been high?” Ye Chengxing shook her head.
Jiang Lubai nodded in agreement, her assessment spot-on. “He’s a complete idiot. The lawyers he hired aren’t a match for me either, Miss Ye. Rest assured—they won’t win.”
“I know.” Ye Chengxing lifted her gaze from beneath the umbrella, staring out at the hazy gray sky in the distance.
Even if this world, this society, had rotted to its core, she still believed justice would triumph over darkness. And if it wouldn’t… she would make it so.
“Li Jia, I will bring light into your life.”
Her fingertip brushed the necklace at her throat, her voice soft yet resolute.
Murmuring half to herself, Ye Chengxing turned to Jiang Lubai and Little An. “Alright, let’s get in the car and head back. Sorry to trouble you both this time.”
“No trouble at all—it’s my honor to serve you.” Little An waved her hands hurriedly at Ye Chengxing’s words, laughing awkwardly.
Jiang Lubai shook her head as well. “Yes, Miss Ye. This is all part of our duty. And personally, I very much look forward to the day they receive the punishment they deserve.”
Ye Chengxing smiled, suddenly feeling that this world wasn’t beyond saving after all.
On this path, she wasn’t walking alone.
—
“I will bring light into your life.”
The voice from her earpiece was gentle and firm, leaving Li Jia momentarily dazed.
“…What’s wrong? Is there a problem with the situation?” On the electronic screen before her, the subordinate’s expression had frozen due to the sudden pause in conversation.
“It’s nothing,” Li Jia replied flatly after barely a second, resuming without missing a beat. “Ignore Lin Que for now. Once he’s locked up, arrange for someone to give him a proper ‘welcome.’ Keep watch on the Risheng Gourmet Shop too—no letting those conglomerates’ filthy hands touch it.”
With the orders issued simply, Li Jia cut the communication.
Most importantly, from the sound of the voice in her earpiece, Ye Chengxing was almost home.
The Omega’s previously calm expression instantly brightened with vibrant, girlish energy.
Test papers and an uncapped pen still lay on the desk, more than half the questions solved. She picked up the pen and continued working through the rest, as if she’d been sitting there studying all along.
The villa door opened, and Xiao Bai’s clear “Welcome home” rang out.
Li Jia temporarily powered down her devices, plunging the earpiece into silence.
She counted the seconds in her mind, her mood buoyant.
How many steps had Ye Chengxing climbed now?
Two soft knocks echoed from the door.
Li Jia set down her pen and hurried over, pulling it open with curved eyes and a smile. “Sister, you’re back.”
Ye Chengxing found herself enveloped in the Omega’s embrace.
A faint, sweet white peach scent wafted from Li Jia’s body.
Peering over Li Jia’s shoulder, Ye Chengxing noticed the test papers spread across the desk. She steadied her hold on Li Jia and said, “Wasn’t it your tutoring session today? You’ve been writing all day—are you tired? Did you eat properly?”
“It’s fine,” Li Jia replied, lifting her head from Ye Chengxing’s embrace with a hint of annoyance in her tone. “I didn’t even notice you coming home…”
Ye Chengxing couldn’t help but chuckle. “That’s nothing to worry about.”
“I wanted to be the first to welcome you home, but Xiao Bai beat me to it again.”
The girl’s tone was just too adorable. Ye Chengxing reached out as if coaxing a child and patted Li Jia’s back. “Don’t try to change the subject. Did you skip lunch again just waiting for me?”
Her words had barely fallen when the Omega in her arms went rigid for an instant. Ye Chengxing understood immediately.
This wasn’t the first or second time it had happened. Almost every time, Li Jia waited for her to come home so they could eat lunch together—even if it was well past the usual hour.
Ye Chengxing felt a touch of helplessness. “I eat at the shop.”
If she hadn’t mentioned it, that might have been fine—but the moment she did, Li Jia shot it down. “I don’t believe you. Sis never eats; you’re always too busy for it.”
Hearing that, Ye Chengxing guiltily turned her face away just a little.
Truth be told, Li Jia had guessed right.
She really was too swamped to squeeze in lunch.
“You,” Ye Chengxing said with a helpless curve of her lips, “I’ll go make something. Does Xiao Li want anything in particular?”
She had just started to loosen her hold when the Omega slipped out of her embrace on her own. “I’ve already made the food. We just need to sit down and eat it together…”
With that, Li Jia quickened her steps and left the room. After a few paces, she turned back to Ye Chengxing, her ponytail sweeping a graceful arc through the air. “I’ll heat it up. Sis, come down quick.”
The girl darted away like a gust of wind.
Ye Chengxing chuckled softly as she straightened the test papers on Li Jia’s desk, capped the pen, closed the door, and headed downstairs.
She hadn’t even reached the bottom when a sudden clatter of something crashing to the floor rang out, followed by a muffled grunt.
Ye Chengxing halted for a split second before racing down the stairs. “Li Jia!”
She hurried to the kitchen doorway.
The first thing she saw wasn’t the mess strewn across the floor, but the Omega who had collapsed there.
Li Jia’s head hung low. As if sensing the footsteps, she bit her lip and lifted her gaze. “…Sis.”
Her voice trembled as she spoke, the corners of her eyes red and glistening with moisture.
With it came a wave of pheromones—their sweet fragrance now at least ten times more intense than before.
