Chapter 47

How could she even begin to describe the emotions surging through her heart at this moment?

Though she knew Ye Chengxing had always kept this matter close to heart—and the Alpha had assured her more than once that she would help, that those scum would face punishment—Li Jia hadn’t truly let herself dwell on it. It wasn’t a lack of trust in Ye Chengxing; even if it ultimately fell through, it wouldn’t have mattered.

No one had ever cared about her like this before. That gesture alone was precious enough, more than enough.

But now… Ye Chengxing had truly made it happen.

Li Jia found herself lost in Ye Chengxing’s gaze for a long moment.

The way she looked at her was so earnest, filled only with her reflection.

Her heart felt like it had melted into a soft, tingling mess.

Seeing Li Jia still frozen like that, Ye Chengxing’s lips curved into an even warmer smile.

A faint cherry blush colored the Omega’s cheeks. If not for the occasional blink, she might have looked completely stunned.

Ye Chengxing closed the door behind her and walked over to Li Jia’s side. She studied her for another moment before lightly brushing her fingertip against Li Jia’s cheek. “Your face is burning up. Are you unhappy with this outcome?”

That gentle touch snapped Li Jia back to reality.

She captured Ye Chengxing’s fingertip in her own hand, pressing her cheek more intimately into the Alpha’s palm.

Li Jia tilted her head slightly, her flushed, glossy lips brushing across the palm. A thin layer of pink tinged her eyes’ outer corners as she held Ye Chengxing’s gaze. After a pause of two seconds, she murmured softly, almost reluctantly, “No… I’m just so happy I don’t know how to express it.”

Ye Chengxing had only meant to graze her with a fingertip, but Li Jia had gripped it instead.

She coughed lightly, her own face tinting red. She had intended to pull away, but seeing that expression softened her resolve completely.

If she wanted to hold on, what was a little hand-holding?

“Still, we’ll need to prepare for the trial in advance,” Ye Chengxing continued, her voice steady. “But don’t worry, Xiao Li. I’ll be right by your side the whole time. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”

Li Jia listened, a flicker of bewilderment crossing her face. “Sister, I… how am I supposed to repay your kindness?”

Ye Chengxing couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Repay? Talking about repayment between us feels too distant.”

She paused there, running her free hand through her hair before dropping her gaze a bit shyly. “Besides, in this whole world, Xiao Li—you’re the most important person to me.”

The words hung in the air, and Li Jia’s grip on Ye Chengxing’s fingertip tightened unconsciously.

She stared at the Alpha, who looked a touch embarrassed by her own straightforward confession, her eyes drifting to those lips.

…What was she supposed to do?

She wanted to kiss her so badly right now.

To feel the warmth of her lips, taste her tongue, dive deeper into the kiss after a breathless pause.

Ye Chengxing waited for a reply that didn’t come. She let out an awkward laugh and started to lift her eyes again. “Haha, that did sound a bit cheesy…”

But before she could even focus, Li Jia released her fingertip and covered her eyes.

The sudden block on her vision left Ye Chengxing blinking in adjustment. Instinctively, she grasped Li Jia’s wrist—the nearest, most trusted presence. “Xiao Li? What’s wrong?”

That hint of dependence in Ye Chengxing’s voice made Li Jia’s pupils contract. Her eyes rimmed red, she took a steadying breath and kept her tone as even as possible. “It’s not cheesy at all. You’re the most important person to me too, Sister.”

“I’m just… so happy right now, on the verge of happy tears. I couldn’t control my expression, so I covered your eyes… Sorry.”

Ye Chengxing let out a soft laugh, her voice gentle. “What’s there to apologize for? I get it—I understand that feeling completely.”

Li Jia bit her lip, looking at Ye Chengxing.

Her gentle voice echoed in her ears, her heartbeat thundering like it might burst.

After a long moment, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to the back of her own hand—the one over Ye Chengxing’s eyes.

Her eyes’ outer corners flushed red, her breathing uneven.

The moment she did it, Li Jia regretted it a little. She’d only meant to ease her own overwhelming urges, but now they spiraled even more out of control.

And the Alpha she was yearning for remained blissfully unaware, her voice laced with concern and worry.

They were so close.

Li Jia could feel the warmth of those lips parting and closing, along with that faint… irresistibly alluring pheromone scent.

She drew another shaky breath, her gaze nearly obsessive as it lingered on Ye Chengxing.

“I’m not okay,” she whispered, her lips brushing the hand’s back, her warm breath ambiguously teasing. “Sister… could you say my name again? Coax me a little?”

With her vision blocked, Ye Chengxing’s other senses sharpened.

Even blind, the sound of Li Jia’s voice made her flutter her long, curled lashes against the Omega’s palm. Patiently, she began to soothe her.

She was always so patient with her. So gentle.

And that was exactly why Li Jia felt her own thoughts about Ye Chengxing were so unspeakably vile.

The Omega lowered her eyes.

The contract was ending. Would her attention fade afterward? What if… Ye Chengxing wanted to help someone else?

No. She could find other things, be more fragile, more pitiable.

Even if it meant wearing a mask of feigned cuteness and vulnerability, she’d keep her close. She’d give her everything she liked.

As long as she was the only one by her side—the most important, the only one…

Just then, Ye Chengxing’s voice called out again.

“Xiao Li?”

“Xiao Li? Are you feeling better?”

Ye Chengxing wondered how someone could cry so quietly—it was heartbreaking. Before she could say more, the hand over her eyes lifted.

“I’m fine now. Thank you, Sister.” Li Jia smiled softly at her.

Ye Chengxing noticed the lingering pink at the corners of the Omega’s eyes.

…She really had been crying.

She reached up to ruffle Li Jia’s hair, grinning. “Good to hear. Now, let’s prepare for the trial together.”

It wasn’t just Ye Chengxing and Li Jia waiting for the trial. Departments across the major star systems, and countless others, were watching the case’s progress.

Time flew by, and the day of the trial arrived at last.

The proceedings were broadcast live across Star Net, given the case’s sheer severity and massive impact.

The evidence submitted was ironclad—practically a done deal. Lin Que shifted from calm indifference to anxiety, then outright panic when no one reached out to him and his own attempts to contact them failed. His face drained to a ghostly white.

Ye Chengxing wasn’t surprised by Lin Que’s expression.

Those people might have considered shielding him before, but now it was impossible. Anyone who tried would get dragged down with him.

It was obvious: Lin Que had been discarded as a useless pawn. All the blame shifted squarely onto him. After all, Starflash Entertainment could be replaced—just needed time to cultivate a new one.

But it was too late.

From the moment they’d committed those acts, they were doomed—no more escaping unscathed.

The moment the verdict was announced, Lin Que fainted on the spot. The others, upon hearing the news, tried to flee but were being rounded up one by one.

Li Jia’s contract with Starflash Entertainment was fully terminated, with separate compensation to follow.

Star Net exploded with comments—apologies flooding the screen.

【Contract terminated~ Justice served!】

【Scum gets what it deserves. Wishing our girl a smooth path to stardom!】

【Li Jia, sorry for blindly jumping on the hate bandwagon a few days ago. Hope you keep thriving.】

【Me too. Truly, deeply sorry.】

…

After the trial ended and signatures were complete, Li Jia stared at the spot for her name, hesitating a moment before signing.

The stark black ink on white paper gave her a sudden sense of falling into a dream.

Ye Chengxing, attending as an observer, waited for her credentials to be checked before crossing over to take Li Jia’s hand. Together, they left the courtroom.

Stepping outside, the first thing they felt was the warm sunlight. Ye Chengxing exhaled deeply, turning to Li Jia with a brilliant smile, her eyes crinkling. “Happy contract termination! Xiao Li’s free now.”

Li Jia gazed quietly at Ye Chengxing.

The Alpha was genuinely thrilled for her freedom.

In truth, whether it was the contract’s end or Lin Que’s fate, she didn’t feel much elation or anything particular.

In her previous life’s twisted timeline, she’d often felt like she’d died long ago. Even after escaping that hell, the nightmares lingered.

She’d grown accustomed to the humiliations and pain, to being ignored and uncared for.

From being trampled underfoot to inspiring fear in all—she preferred the latter. She didn’t need pity or concern.

She’d thought she didn’t need any of it…

But in this moment, because of the person before her, her eyes stung with unshed tears.

When Li Jia spoke, she realized not just her eyes ached—her voice was hoarse too. “Sister, I…”

Ye Chengxing blinked. “Don’t tell me you’re stumped on how to repay me again. I won’t allow it. If you really want to say something, how about we talk celebrating your successful contract termination?”

Li Jia’s breath hitched. She stared at Ye Chengxing for a long moment before turning her head, her voice muffled. “Then, Sister… can I hug you?”

Ye Chengxing melted at the sight. “Of course. Hug away—as long as you want.”

No sooner had the words left her lips than Li Jia pulled her into a tight embrace, before she could even open her arms.

A few tears soaked into Ye Chengxing’s clothes, darkening the fabric.

Through the misty veil of tears, Li Jia seemed to glimpse her old self from long ago—expressionless amid endless torment.

…How strange.

She hadn’t wanted to cry back then. So why now, truly cared for, did the tears refuse to stop? Why did she want to sob outright?

The Omega’s embrace was fierce—almost painful.

But Ye Chengxing didn’t pull away or flinch.

Because Li Jia was trembling so hard, as if pouring out all the unvoiced grievances and sorrows she’d bottled up for so long.

“Thank you, Sister…”

Ye Chengxing had originally wanted to tell her there was no need to give thanks. But as she felt the warm tears falling one by one onto her neck, the words already on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back down.

She returned Li Jia’s embrace.

Then she lifted a hand and patted the omega’s back, ever so lightly.

“It’s alright now,” she murmured. “I’m right here.”

Beneath the brilliant sunlight, their shadows lay intertwined on the ground, intimate and inseparable.