Chapter 52 Part 2

Was it because Li Jia had been too busy with filming lately? Had exhaustion finally caught up?

Her thoughts tumbled into a jumble, leaving her expression dazed.

After that hum of acknowledgment, Li Jia fell silent. When Ye Chengxing still hadn’t moved, she tilted her head slightly, her tone laced with a touch of faint puzzlement as she hesitantly asked, “Sis, aren’t you coming into the kitchen? Or is there something else…?”

Ye Chengxing snapped back to herself at Li Jia’s words. “I was just spacing out for a second. Let’s head in now.”

“As long as you’re okay.” It was another airy reply from the Omega, delivered with a smile.

On the surface, there was nothing amiss. But…

Ye Chengxing quietly shoved her tangled thoughts aside and decided to enter the kitchen with Li Jia first. Xi Yue and the others were probably nearly done by now.

She needed to inspect their dishes, offer some pointers, and hear about any hiccups they’d hit during prep.

That was the rational plan. Emotionally, though, her mind kept drifting back to what had happened right outside the kitchen.

Why had Li Jia suddenly brought up the necklace? Was it just to fill an awkward silence?

Ye Chengxing’s peripheral vision lingered on Li Jia’s figure for a moment of inner debate before she fished the Butterfly Necklace from beneath her collar and let it drape openly outside her clothes.

As usual, after wrapping up the cooking lesson with Xi Yue and the others, darkness had fallen. They’d chatted a bit longer than normal before diving in today, so they were leaving later than usual.

This time, it was Li Jia who seemed reluctant to go.

With smiles and farewells to each of them, she finally stepped away. Fu Tao wiped at imaginary tears in the corner of her eye.

Fu Tao was the sort who could liven up a room all by herself. She put on a dramatically heartbroken face and winked at Li Jia. “Come back anytime to hang with us, little sis.”

Ye Chengxing had just pulled the car up to the villa’s front gate. She stepped out and shot Fu Tao a look, letting out a long, meaningful chuckle. “Think you get to call her ‘little sis’?”

Without pausing for Fu Tao’s comeback, the hand reaching for the passenger door froze mid-motion. Two seconds ticked by before Ye Chengxing flashed a bright, perfectly casual smile. “You’re even younger than she is, you know.”

Fu Tao let out an indignant yell. “Boss! Why are you always coming at me today?”

“Am I?” Ye Chengxing swung open the passenger door. Once Li Jia settled in, she leaned over in a flash to buckle the Omega’s seatbelt, then slammed the door shut with seamless efficiency. “My little sis and I are heading home. Bye-bye—see you tomorrow.”

With a quick wave to the group, Ye Chengxing slid into the driver’s seat.

Li Jia’s fingertips brushed idly against her seatbelt. “Hanging out with them feels so lively.”

The words hit Ye Chengxing the moment she buckled up.

A sigh of sorts?

Ye Chengxing nodded along. “They really are energetic. It’s been a rough road for them to get where they are now.”

The engine purred to life.

Li Jia’s fingers continued their absentminded fiddling with the seatbelt strap.

Ye Chengxing had already explained the story once before—how she’d first encountered Xi Yue and the others.

Li Jia hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, but the description alone painted a vivid picture.

Sobs. Mumbled conversations heavy with helplessness and simmering rage toward the Gourmet Chefs who’d tormented them. Someone injured, no money for care, even floating the desperate idea of predatory loans just to fix a hand.

It sounded heartbreaking without even being there.

So…

She recalled the Alpha’s expression from that telling—her gentle smile, voice warm with compassion. “I figured, if I could help, I should. It wasn’t a big deal for me, and making a difference for them felt good.”

Of course it made sense for Ye Chengxing to step in. To help.

Just like she’d helped Li Jia at the very start.

Ye Chengxing was simply a good person like that.

So kind. So gentle. Nothing like her.

Even now, Li Jia knew there were solid reasons for it. Xi Yue and the others clearly needed the support. Logically, she had no business feeling anything extra.

But logic be damned—she craved that goodness turned solely her way.

Exclusively hers.

Greedy. Selfish. Favor alone wasn’t enough. She hated seeing Ye Chengxing smile at them. Hated the kindness extended their way. Only when it belonged to her alone did it ease the gnawing hunger even a little.

Unthinkingly, the Omega’s fingers clenched tight around the seatbelt.

Li Jia dropped her gaze.

…This sucked.

How could she make Ye Chengxing’s world shrink to just her?

Make her stop paying those people any mind.

Like in the beginning—eyes and heart full of nothing but Li Jia. Worrying for her. Aching for her. Heart aching, mind fixed, attention lingering endlessly.

Ye Chengxing waited after her words, but no reply came. She remembered, too, how Li Jia hadn’t reached for her hand today—a stark break from the norm.

The Omega still smiled now and then, but there was a wilted air about her that defied pinning down.

With that in mind, Ye Chengxing spoke up again. “Hey, Xiao Li—is filming wearing you out? Make sure to rest and take care of yourself.”

The Alpha’s voice carried its familiar note of care and concern. Some of the gloom clouding Li Jia’s eyes lifted at the sound.

For one fleeting instant, she wanted to force Ye Chengxing’s world to hold only her. To make Xi Yue and the rest vanish.

But that would devastate Ye Chengxing, wouldn’t it?

She remembered those few days back, when the Alpha had lit up talking about her vision for Gourmet Street—eyes sparkling like stars.

It made Li Jia want to hold her breath, afraid to shatter something so fragile and exquisite.

No. She couldn’t do that.

She couldn’t bear to see Ye Chengxing hurt. At her core, that’s not what she wanted. She wanted her happy. Radiant.

Ye Chengxing glanced sideways in the following silence. What she saw nearly made her slam on the brakes right there amid the traffic.

She kept her grip steady on the wheel, but the words tumbled out urgently. “Xiao Li, are you feeling unwell? Your face looks awful.”

Li Jia lifted her eyes and met Ye Chengxing’s in the rearview mirror. “…I’m fine. Nothing hurts.”

Ye Chengxing wasn’t convinced. She rerouted on the spot, steering straight to the nearest hospital.

Li Jia’s health had always been fragile to begin with. Pair that with her unusual quietness today, and Ye Chengxing inwardly kicked herself for not paying closer attention sooner. What had she been thinking?

Li Jia blinked as the hospital loomed ahead mere sentences later. After a two-second stun, laughter bubbled out of her. “Sis, I really am okay. It was probably just the light.”

Ye Chengxing shook her head, her expression grave. “We’re checking anyway. You looked seriously off.” And not just pale—the whole aura screamed fragility, like a dandelion seed head waiting for the slightest breeze to scatter it.

The hospital was quiet at this hour. Ye Chengxing parked and took Li Jia’s hand to grab a number.

Li Jia could barely contain her smile.

Ye Chengxing squeezed a touch tighter and locked eyes with the Omega. After two steady seconds, she murmured, “Your schedule’s always a mess, and it’s only gotten worse since you joined the crew. I worry you’ll brush off something wrong… So let’s get it checked, okay?”

Li Jia held that gaze.

The hospital lights blazed bright, illuminating every detail. The Alpha’s pupils cradled only her reflection—intense, brimming with worry. Every word dripped with it.

The frustration that had simmered the whole drive evaporated in an instant. Her heart thundered with sheer delight.

Li Jia reined in her widening grin and nodded obediently, eyes soft. “Okay. I’ll listen to Sis.”

The checks wrapped up quickly.

Ye Chengxing scanned the results.

Physically, nothing was wrong—but poor rest might be a factor. The doctor advised more of it; her constitution was on the weak side, prone to illness even if this time was fine. Extra vigilance required.

Relief washed over Ye Chengxing.

Good. As long as she was okay.

She was already aware of the fragility and resolved to watch even closer from here on. When Li Jia stayed by her side before, it was easy—always in sight, easy to care for.

Things had changed now. School, the crew, more places ahead. She’d have to step up her game.

Especially after that glimpse in the car. Li Jia’s pallor had been alarming.

Ye Chengxing ruffled her hair gently. The results eased her mind some, but she still cautioned Li Jia. “If anything feels off—body or otherwise—tell me. Even bad moods. Talking it out often beats bottling it up.” From what she knew, actors carried heavy mental loads. If she could ease Li Jia’s, she wanted to.

Li Jia savored the soft pressure from above, squinting in bliss as she murmured agreement.

The issue that had plagued her all evening clicked into sudden clarity.

She looked at Ye Chengxing.

She loved this version of her—the one who cared so fiercely. But she couldn’t stand the thought of her in pain.

Although she had promised Ye Chengxing before that she wouldn’t do that anymore, looking at it this way, the most useful method was still only that one, huh.

Ye Chengxing put away the test results, took Li Jia’s hand again, and smiled at her with crinkled eyes. “Then let’s go home now.”

Li Jia smiled and replied affirmatively too. When Ye Chengxing turned her gaze back, her eyes discreetly fell on the hands they were holding.

…It’s okay. Previously, she did it too crudely, and at that time, not only was her action obvious, but her performance was also too eager, so that’s why Ye Chengxing discovered it. But starting from this time, she will be more cautious, pay attention to the details, and do it very perfectly. As long as it’s realistic enough to deceive, then a fake injury can become a real one.

Anyway, as long as Ye Chengxing can’t tell, it’s fine.

As long as Ye Chengxing can’t tell, then she hasn’t broken her previous words. After all, it was a genuine “injury,” not something she inflicted on herself.

In that case, Ye Chengxing could once again gaze at her intently like just now, with her eyes seeing only that one person.