Chapter 51

Li Jia’s voice hung in the air, and Ye Chengxing’s movements froze in an instant.

She turned her gaze sideways toward Li Jia.

How on earth was she able to wear such an innocent expression while asking that kind of question so brazenly and without a hint of shame?

Ye Chengxing had just about given up on her suspicions, convinced that Li Jia truly didn’t understand. But after hearing that question, she now suspected the Omega was playing dumb.

She was momentarily at a loss for words.

Was that really the key point? Had everything she’d said before just been hot air?

She had made it clear that such actions were more appropriate between lovers. Had her probing been too subtle? But why had Li Jia skipped right over repeating that particular line?

Ye Chengxing kept staring at Li Jia, who smiled back at her without a care in the world.

Nothing could be read on the Omega’s face.

Logically speaking, if it was all an act, staring into her eyes like this should reveal some flaw.

But even after staring for a while, Ye Chengxing saw no cracks in Li Jia’s facade. Li Jia didn’t even have any superfluous little gestures, like touching the tip of her nose. Instead, it was Ye Chengxing who broke first, embarrassed to keep staring.

Still, her thoughts inevitably spun off in the direction Li Jia’s words had suggested.

Had she been seduced?

It seemed…

Realizing what she was thinking, Ye Chengxing snapped back to reality. She denied it swiftly and emphatically. “How could that be? Of course not.”

Li Jia’s eyes narrowed slightly at her words, but then she caught sight of the Alpha’s evasive gaze, unwilling to meet her eyes, and the faint flush on her cheeks. She couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

Truth be told, upon hearing Ye Chengxing’s denial, Li Jia was tempted to push further—to say something like, “Since you say no, that means I can do it again next time, right?”

But that might make her intentions too obvious, so she decided to leave it there.

After all, she couldn’t risk things going off the rails.

Laughter shimmered in Li Jia’s eyes. “Just kidding. Of course I know you wouldn’t.”

Ye Chengxing nodded solemnly, though her mind grew even more tangled.

Li Jia surely knew how high their pheromone compatibility was.

Not to mention anything else—with such a high match rate, how could she possibly remain unmoved in the face of the Omega’s potent pheromones? Was Li Jia really going to believe her just because she said no?

What on earth was Li Jia thinking?

Though her mind churned with ups and downs, when Ye Chengxing got out of the car to open the door for Li Jia, she didn’t forget the backpack in the rear seat. She retrieved Li Jia’s bag and held it naturally in her left hand, anticipating that Li Jia would soon take her right one.

The night sky was clear, with the moon bright and stars sparse.

Ye Chengxing closed the car door, and sure enough, the next second Li Jia stepped over and took her hand.

“I had so much fun at school today. So this is what it feels like. I love it.”

Ye Chengxing nodded with a smile. “I’m glad you like it.”

After saying that, she paused, realizing how perfunctory it sounded, and added a few more words.

But her mind was still full of what had happened in the car, and her thoughts kept wandering.

As soon as they entered the villa, Xiao Bai came to welcome them home, just like always.

Ye Chengxing froze again at the sound of Xiao Bai’s greeting.

…Right, this villa did have two female owners, so its enthusiastic welcome made perfect sense.

But watching Li Jia head upstairs to tidy up, Ye Chengxing hesitated before calling out to her. She schooled her expression into utter seriousness and asked, “Xiao Li, can you tell me why you used that method in the car?”

Li Jia turned at her words. Seeing Ye Chengxing’s expression, the retort that had been on the tip of her tongue faltered unexpectedly.

…Not even a flicker of emotion?

Ye Chengxing rarely spoke to her with such gravity.

This question felt serious. Could she brush it off?

The room fell quiet for a moment, their breaths the only sound clearly audible.

After a long while, Ye Chengxing heard Li Jia speak. “The reason… was just that. Their pheromones made me uncomfortable.”

Ye Chengxing remembered that line; Li Jia had already said it once in the car.

But this answer didn’t clarify things—it only muddled them further.

Ye Chengxing acknowledged it and asked again, “Because of the rejection reaction?”

Li Jia met her gaze naturally. “What else could it be?”

Ye Chengxing’s lips curved slightly. She smiled as warmly as ever. “Nothing, just asking. Get some good rest tonight—don’t stay up too late.”

“You too, sis. Good night in advance.”

Watching Li Jia turn and head upstairs, Ye Chengxing pressed her palm to her forehead and let out a breath.

What had just happened? Why had she thought Li Jia did that out of jealousy?

The mere word made her heart pound erratically.

Would Li Jia get jealous over her?

She didn’t know.

But the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to fit.

And there was that time long ago when they’d met Bai Tang—Li Jia’s reaction had been intense then, too.

…

Li Jia climbed the stairs step by step. Only after entering her room did the smile fade from her face.

She recalled the instant smile that had bloomed on the Alpha’s face when she’d claimed it was just the rejection reaction. Li Jia’s gaze stilled.

Why smile only after hearing that?

Relief?

It seemed she’d gone too far this time… Maybe starting tomorrow, she should heed Ye Chengxing’s words and keep some distance—at least for a bit. She couldn’t rush. Being too obvious might scare her off. Better to take it slow.

Li Jia repeated the thought to herself several times.

Lately, she’d been getting impatient, nearly losing her composure more than once.

From her observations, Ye Chengxing liked her when she was obedient. As long as she kept up the act, she could gradually make the Alpha fall for her, too.

Over the next few days, Ye Chengxing didn’t see that emotion from Li Jia again. Instead, the Omega grew even busier, and their interactions dwindled.

The first time Ye Chengxing caught a shift in Li Jia’s mood, it was hesitation over something.

Upon careful questioning, she learned a drama production had invited Li Jia to star.

But Li Jia didn’t seem keen. Ye Chengxing glanced at the script and recognized it as one that had blown up in the original book. In the story, the lead’s acting hadn’t held up, but the script was solid enough to make it a hit anyway. Both leads and supporting roles had gained massive traffic from it. Passing up a gem like this would be a shame. “Is it because you’re too busy, or something else? Want to talk about it?”

Li Jia shook her head. “No, it’s just… You did so much to get me into school. It feels like I’d be letting down your efforts if I did this now. And… if I take the role, I probably couldn’t come home for meals with you.”

With that, she looked at Ye Chengxing. “Do you want me to do it, sis?”

Ye Chengxing had imagined many reasons for Li Jia’s reluctance, but this wasn’t one of them. She let out a soft laugh, cleared her throat, and hurried to reply. “Well, first off, everything I did was to help you grow. Pursuing your dreams and passions isn’t letting me down—it’s exactly what I hoped for. Second, meals aren’t an issue. This is more important. If you want to do it, go for it. You’ve got this.”

After her encouragement, Ye Chengxing handed the script back with a beaming smile.

But after those words, Li Jia seemed even more downcast—though it lasted only a second, so fleeting Ye Chengxing wondered if she’d imagined it. Then Li Jia perked up, full of energy, and promised to give it her all.

Once she accepted the role, Li Jia’s school visits became sporadic, as the lead actress spent most of her time with the crew.

Meanwhile, Ye Chengxing was teaching Xi Yue and the others to cook. The gourmet shop kept selling as usual, and she was scouting spots on Gourmet Street, sourcing supplies, and planning store decor—running around nonstop.

Both grew busier. They couldn’t share meals, and their meetings grew infrequent.

But thinking of Li Jia surviving on nutrient liquid in the crew’s makeshift setup gave Ye Chengxing pause. After days of that for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Li Jia might tire of it. So she quietly contacted the production team via Risheng Gourmet Shop’s official channels, framing it as wanting them to promote the shop in exchange for covering their boxed meals.

Ye Chengxing had figured the excuse was flimsy and they’d likely refuse. To her surprise, the crew was thrilled and agreed before she even finished.

Fine, as long as they said yes.

She didn’t tell Li Jia, but at lunchtime that day, a message arrived: 【Today’s lunch—I could tell it was made by you without even tasting it ovo】

【But did you make every portion yourself? The crew hasn’t paid yet. Go handle the gourmet shop, sis. Nutrient liquid’s fine for me.】

After the car incident, Ye Chengxing had meticulously reviewed their interactions. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Li Jia had a strong possessive streak.

Staring at the second message—especially the opening line—she thought, Why not test it?

With that in mind, she typed out a reply: 【No, Xi Yue and the others are getting good at it. This is a chance for them to practice. Yours is the only one I made myself, so I labeled them all with names.】

After sending it, a long while passed before Li Jia’s brief response: 【Okay.】

That was it?

Ye Chengxing’s fingers paused, a flicker of doubt rising.

Had she guessed wrong?

Meanwhile, on set, the Omega clutched her phone, staring at Ye Chengxing’s message with nearly burning intensity. Pleasure curved her lips.

So this portion was hers alone—made just for her.

She was thrilled…

Li Jia’s fingers tapped away at the screen, but halfway through, she remembered something and deleted it all. She revised and retyped before sending: 【Then don’t overwork yourself, sis. Leave the crew catering to Xi Yue and them.】

Ye Chengxing read the reply and figured she must have overthought it. Li Jia seemed utterly unbothered.

She let out a wistful sigh, her fingertip resting on the screen. But before she could reply, another message popped up—

【But speaking of Xi Yue, I’m actually pretty curious about her. I’ve got free time this Sunday—if you’re heading over, sis, can you bring me along too?】