Chapter 50

The Omega’s fingertips brushing against her cheek were as gentle as her voice, yet the sense of danger they imparted grew ever stronger.

Beyond that unease lingered a subtle, persistent contradiction she couldn’t quite shake.

Ye Chengxing met Li Jia’s eyes, her gaze momentarily stunned.

How to put it…

She had never seen Li Jia like this before. It was so different from her usual self that it felt utterly foreign, as if she had become a completely different person.

However, listening to Li Jia’s words brought one thing to mind for Ye Chengxing—

She must have picked up these pheromones while teaching Xi Yue and the others how to cook, especially since Xi Yue had been injured.

Due to her high aversion, Li Jia was far more sensitive to others’ pheromones than most. If she hadn’t mentioned it, Ye Chengxing wouldn’t have realized her own body was tainted with them. And since Li Jia was always the closest to her, she was especially attuned to Ye Chengxing’s scent. Having those foreign pheromones mixed in must have been deeply uncomfortable.

Noticing Ye Chengxing’s clearly reminiscing expression, Li Jia kept the curve of her smile unchanged, though her fingertips unconsciously eased their pressure.

The Omega’s fingertips trailed downward, grazing over her lips.

Ye Chengxing felt a faint tingle where those fingertips brushed her lips.

She looked at Li Jia, brushing aside the subtle feeling in her heart. After a pause, she spoke first. “I didn’t go to any shady places.”

She then carefully recounted the afternoon’s events to Li Jia—from how she had run into Xi Yue and the others, to her own thoughts at the time, and exactly how she had ended up with those pheromones—all laid out clear as day.

As Ye Chengxing spoke, she closely watched Li Jia’s expression. Once finished, she pursed her lips. “…That’s what happened. Sorry, Xiao Li. You must feel really uncomfortable right now. I’ll get out and buy some Pheromone Freshener Spray.”

Hearing this, Li Jia’s expression softened, and the hand encircling Ye Chengxing’s wrist released its grip.

Ye Chengxing felt it clearly—in that instant, the strange, dangerous aura that had clung to Li Jia vanished, and the familiar Li Jia she knew returned.

Li Jia looked at her, her tone soft and pitiable. “Sister, of course I believe you.”

As she spoke, a look of barely tolerable discomfort crossed her face again. “But these pheromones are just too chaotic. Buying Pheromone Freshener Spray would take time, and I want these scents gone now. So don’t go buy any, Sister. Just do it my way.”

Ye Chengxing hesitated, guessing Li Jia might have some other tool on hand to dispel pheromone scents. She nodded. “Alright, then we’ll do it your way.”

But as soon as the words left her mouth, Li Jia fell silent. She lifted her fingertips and lightly hooked a strand of the Alpha’s hair.

Seeing no further action, Ye Chengxing was about to ask what the method was when, the next second, the familiar white peach scent bloomed richly right in front of her.

The Omega’s pheromones were clear and sweetly fragrant.

Like the fruit-flavored candies from childhood, or freshly picked white peaches—thin-skinned, with soft, juicy flesh that burst with sweet nectar at the gentlest bite.

Ye Chengxing hadn’t expected this to be Li Jia’s method.

From the previous treatment session, Li Jia’s pheromones were no longer unfamiliar to her. In fact, their high compatibility made the sensation even more vivid now.

The released pheromones reflected their owner’s current mood as well.

Rather than merely clearing the foreign scents, the Omega’s pheromones felt like a possessive claim, laced with displeased expulsion. They entwined boldly yet softly.

The pull between Alpha and Omega pheromones was already lethally potent on its own, let alone in the enclosed space of a car.

Ye Chengxing felt every breath filled with that excessively rich sweet fragrance.

Her Alpha instincts urged her to respond.

Dizziness clouded her vision. She bit the tip of her tongue and silently recited Li Jia’s name in her mind, desperately reining in those instincts.

The moment her own pheromones teetered on the edge of control, leaking faintly, she reached out and gripped Li Jia’s wrist. “…That’s enough.”

Ye Chengxing squeezed her eyes shut briefly and looked away, avoiding Li Jia’s gaze. She didn’t quite dare meet her eyes right then.

Even without a mirror, she could imagine the emotion swirling in her own gaze. Needless to say, it was far from innocent.

She felt truly guilty.

Afraid of hurting Li Jia, Ye Chengxing released her grip quickly. But her gaze stayed averted, her voice low. “That’s enough, Xiao Li. I only have your pheromone scent on me now.”

Holding back had been far from easy; thin sweat beaded on her forehead.

Ye Chengxing could sense Li Jia wanted to mark her even more thoroughly with her pheromones. But if it went on, she might lose control of her own. Faint traces of her Alpha oolong tea-scented pheromones were already drifting in the air.

Li Jia seemed oblivious. Hearing Ye Chengxing’s words, she leaned in closer, sniffing at her neck. Satisfied, she said happily, “Now Sister only has my scent. Much better.”

Much… better?

What an oddly subtle word.

She probably just meant it felt better without the other pheromones.

Ye Chengxing hummed in acknowledgment. Before Li Jia could sniff more, she subtly drew a deep breath and exhaled, then abruptly turned and pressed the Omega back into the passenger seat.

Anticipating the suddenness, Ye Chengxing had cushioned Li Jia’s waist with her hand to keep the seat from digging in.

“Sister?” Li Jia gazed at Ye Chengxing drawing nearer and leaning over her, calling out uncertainly.

Ye Chengxing avoided her eyes and thus missed the glint of anticipation in Li Jia’s gaze.

With a sharp click, she firmly fastened Li Jia’s seatbelt. At the same time, she said, “Don’t move around.”

Once the seatbelt was secure, Ye Chengxing settled back into the driver’s seat.

The Omega’s pheromone scent still lingered in the car, filling every breath. Her body felt unbearably hot, and her throat grew parched. Ye Chengxing’s expression remained unchanged, but she reached up and undid the top two buttons of her shirt.

Afterward, she casually swept her long hair back and started the engine.

She considered cracking the window for air, but when Li Jia tugged her coat tighter at the slightest opening, she rolled it back up. She even turned on the interior air conditioning.

Glancing up in the interim, Ye Chengxing caught sight of Li Jia watching her in the rearview mirror.

Their gazes met briefly there. Ye Chengxing looked away first, swiftly.

Two seconds passed before she slowly said, “By the way, that method for removing pheromones… don’t use it on Alphas anymore.”

Li Jia tilted her head, her lips curving into a sweet smile. “Why? Compared to buying Pheromone Freshener Spray, doesn’t Sister think covering it with my pheromones is quicker and more convenient?”

She asked so naturally.

Listening to Li Jia’s voice stirred that subtle sense of wrongness again. Ye Chengxing recalled the earlier moment when Li Jia had gripped her wrist and warned her not to lie.

The Omega’s demeanor then had contrasted sharply with now.

Ye Chengxing pursed her lips, words not yet formed, when Li Jia said guiltily, “Actually, I get it. I scared you earlier, didn’t I?”

“I don’t know what got into me. Maybe because I’m getting closer to Sister… sometimes I feel like with you, I don’t have to be so well-behaved…”

Ye Chengxing blinked.

So Li Jia thought she knew about her aversion to foreign pheromones yet had been careless, and this was her way of voicing her unhappiness?

Enlightenment dawned. The lingering unease in Ye Chengxing’s heart vanished in an instant.

It made sense, really. Li Jia was affectionate and clingy, but she rarely showed negative emotions—mostly just spoiled behavior.

The thought suddenly tugged at Ye Chengxing’s heartstrings. Perhaps Li Jia had felt wronged other times but held back to avoid upsetting her, merely smiling it off.

“Sorry, Sister. Were you mad? I won’t do it again.” The Omega’s tone was dejected.

Ye Chengxing shook her head. “No, no—don’t apologize. I should be the one saying sorry. I almost misunderstood you.”

As she spoke, they neared home.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ye Chengxing repeated herself. “But really, Xiao Li, don’t use that method again.”

Her words were vague. Li Jia seemed puzzled, letting out a soft, questioning hum. “What method? Can Sister be more specific?”

Having said it once before, Ye Chengxing found it harder to voice now. “It’s… using your pheromones repeatedly to overwrite the other scents until only yours remains on me. Between an Alpha and Omega, it’s too seductive—like something for lovers. Not suitable for us.”

She blushed uncontrollably before Li Jia could respond.

What kind of things was she saying?

But Li Jia truly seemed clueless; otherwise, she wouldn’t have done it. Better to explain clearly, lest she try it on someone else someday and cause trouble.

They had just pulled up to the house. Ye Chengxing parked and exhaled. “Let’s head inside first. We can talk there.”

But before she could reach for the door handle, Li Jia repeated softly, “Too intimate a seduction…”

Then, in a light voice, she asked, “So, Sister… did I seduce you?”