You Yi thought of Lu Yixue’s odd behavior yesterday. Could Lu Yixue have learned about that mother-daughter pair through another channel?
Sigh, if she couldn’t hide it, then no harm in not hiding. She’d only kept quiet for Lu Yixue’s mental and emotional health.
But honestly, hahahaha, You Yi was a bit looking forward to Lu Yixue’s reaction once she found out.
After dumping her luggage at the hotel, Guan Yueying headed straight to the mall for a glamorous makeover.
“Lu Yixue sent you to Haicheng to shop?” After two hours trailing Guan Yueying through the mall, You Yi was exhausted. She had no idea why a Beta had such stamina at a time like this.
“She told me not to get spotted, so I have to doll myself up with a whole new style.” Guan Yueying was utterly justified.
“Then here’s a suggestion: There’s a comic con next door. Cosplay something to add ten centimeters to your height—even acquaintances won’t recognize you.” You Yi patted the top of Guan Yueying’s head.
“Tch, calling me short, huh? Fine, credit for the great idea—I won’t hold it against you.” Guan Yueying swatted You Yi’s hand away.
The next day, as Pei Shijin went out to buy groceries, she spotted someone furtively tailing her.
The figure sported sheep horns on her head, eyes rimmed with eyeliner thicker than a panda’s, lips swollen like sausages, wings on her back, and clothes mimicking sheep’s wool.
She looked like a total nutcase. Pei Shijin wasn’t scared—just puzzled.
Normal perverts wouldn’t fixate on a grown Alpha like her. Maybe this one lacked self-awareness.
Or could she be connected to Zheng Guoli?
Since kicking Zheng Guoli out of the clinic that day, the bastard hadn’t shown up again. Pei Shijin didn’t buy that he’d given up; he was probably plotting something worse.
After leaving the supermarket, the “sheep” was still skulking behind her. Pei Shijin hitched up her slipping bag and decided to deal with this first.
“Huh? Where’d she go?” Guan Yueying followed Pei Shijin into an alley, only to find it was a dead end—and Pei Shijin had vanished.
Suddenly, a kick landed on her butt. Guan Yueying let out an instinctive howl as she pitched forward.
Bang! She crashed hard to the ground, scraping her palms, chin, and knees bloody.
Pei Shijin planted a foot on her back. “Why are you following me?”
Cough cough. Guan Yueying felt like a mountain was crushing her, barely able to breathe. She immediately confessed. “I-It’s me, Guan Yueying.”
Pei Shijin: ?
“Sorry, I’ve been on edge lately.” Ignoring the huge question marks in her mind, Pei Shijin quickly pulled her up and brushed the dirt off her legs. “How do you feel? Let me take you to the clinic for some ointment.”
“I’m fine, really.” Guan Yueying grinned through the pain. “Just hurts—no big deal.”
“Ow—ow—it hurts so much—ah!!!” In the clinic, Guan Yueying’s wails nearly shattered the ceiling.
Pei Shijin and Song Zonghui flanked her, one on each side, helping her clean the wounds on her hands and knees.
“It’s already the gentlest treatment possible. Bear with it,” Song Zonghui said, treating her like any ordinary patient. She didn’t know Guan Yueying anyway, and with Guan Yueying’s ghostly makeup, she figured the patient had some issues.
“It’ll be done soon. Want some candy?” Pei Shijin pulled a lollipop from her pocket—the ones Lin Shu had bought for her daughter. They were pretty tasty.
“Yes.” Though her heart felt bitter, a bit of sweetness in her mouth couldn’t hurt. Guan Yueying rubbed the physiological tears from the corner of her eye with her arm and opened her mouth wide.
Pei Shijin tore open the wrapper and popped it into her mouth. Then, out of nowhere, she asked, “Why were you dressed like that and following me?”
“Uh, I saw you at the mall yesterday. It looked fun.” Guan Yueying stammered out an explanation. Think fast, brain!
She hadn’t expected Pei Shijin to spot her, let alone get kicked flying and caught red-handed. She’d never even considered a reasonable excuse.
“Oh.” Pei Shijin smiled. “It was pretty fun.”
She didn’t really need to ask. The only reason Guan Yueying would show up near her was Lu Yixue.
The difference was whether Guan Yueying had come on her own initiative for Lu Yixue or under her instructions.
“Ahem, I heard from You Yi that you’ve had some trouble lately. We’re friends, after all, and I really like the gift you gave me, so I came to check on you. If I can help, even better.” Guan Yueying racked her brains for that excuse.
Pei Shijin tentatively believed she’d come on her own.
“You Yi? You know You Yi?” Song Zonghui suddenly asked.
“Yeah, she’s my cousin.” Guan Yueying shrugged her shoulders to scratch her itchy cheek. “Why?”
“Nothing, we’re pretty close.” Song Zonghui didn’t look up, staring absently at the Patek Philippe on Guan Yueying’s wrist.
“Oh, oh, she’s mentioned you. Said you’re bold, with great medical skills, and helped her a lo—ow!” Guan Yueying tried to cozy up the connection, but her knee suddenly throbbed with intense pain, and she howled.
“The fabric on your knee was stuck a bit. It’s fine, it’ll be over soon,” Song Zonghui reassured verbally while swiftly ripping off the adhered cloth with her hands.
Guan Yueying hadn’t recovered when Pei Shijin got to work too, the pain nearly sending her soaring.
Though it had been self-defense, Pei Shijin had injured Guan Yueying, so she offered to treat her to lunch.
“Sure, sure! You bought so many groceries—are you planning hotpot? We can just eat at your place at noon. No need for extra hassle.” Guan Yueying beamed inwardly. People relaxed at home, making it easier to probe.
Pei Shijin nodded. “Yeah, hotpot it is. Anything you want? I’ll go buy it.”
“Mm, shrimp paste, spicy beef, duck blood…” Guan Yueying didn’t hold back.
“Got it.” Pei Shijin agreed to everything.
She told Guan Yueying to wait at the clinic while she bought the ingredients, then they’d head home together.
Now only Guan Yueying and Song Zonghui remained in the clinic. Guan Yueying was quite curious about Song Zonghui.
You Yi rarely made purely platonic friends; her tastes ran to soft, delicate Omegas. For Song Zonghui to be both Pei Shijin’s good friend and You Yi’s, she must have something special.
But Song Zonghui brushed off her attempts to chat about You Yi, claiming she was busy with serious work. She wasn’t enthusiastic.
After a few tries, Guan Yueying gave up. Her wounds hurt so much QAQ.
Pei Shijin’s strength was insane. She’d heard Lu Yixue mention once that Pei Shijin had taken on five or six thugs single-handedly and doubted if it was exaggerated.
Now she had zero doubts. Top Alphas were top Alphas—gentle or not, their destructive power was terrifying. Wuwuwu.
When Pei Shijin returned, she carried three big bags of food.
Guan Yueying insisted on carrying one with her arm. Pei Shijin couldn’t refuse and hung a lighter bag on it.
The three headed to the rental together.
On the way, Guan Yueying couldn’t hold back. “How’s that trouble of yours lately? Need any help?”
She genuinely worried that the gentle Pei Shijin might not handle some sleazy old man, instructions from Lu Yixue or not. If she knew, she’d call Pei Shijin herself.
“He hasn’t come around lately. Don’t worry, I can handle it.” Pei Shijin sensed Guan Yueying’s sincerity and smiled reassuringly. “Not many ordinary people can beat me.”
Guan Yueying’s butt ached faintly. “Heh, you’re so pure. I’m afraid that old creep might play dirty. If you need anything, tell me. The Guan Family doesn’t have much pull in Haicheng, but the You Family are locals—ground snakes. Taking care of one person would be a breeze.”
At those last words, Song Zonghui glanced sideways at Guan Yueying, but she was looking at Pei Shijin and didn’t notice. She had no idea she’d just blown You Yi’s cover.
Song Zonghui had suspected lately that You Yi wasn’t fully committed to her act, but now it was confirmed.
She didn’t feel much about it—just annoyed. A good beating for You Yi would fix it.
Guan Yueying thought she was being subtle, indirectly fishing for how Pei Shijin had been lately.
Pei Shijin answered every question. Whether Guan Yueying was acting on Lu Yixue’s behalf or not, she’d assume not.
Whatever Lu Yixue did had nothing to do with her.
The rental was close to the clinic. Soon they arrived.
Pei Shijin nudged the doorbell with her elbow.
A small window on the door slid open quickly, and a childish voice rang out. “Jade, jade, 180 a pair.”
“Sesame, sesame, three mao a pile.” Pei Shijin smiled and gave the password to Taotao.
Since Lin Shu left, for safety, Taotao hadn’t left the house.
To keep the child from opening the door to strangers, Pei Shijin and Song Zonghui had to give the password every time they came home.
Password correct, the child unlocked the security door and pounced onto Pei Shijin’s leg. “Mommy, Mommy, why are you back so late?”
Before Pei Shijin could speak, “thud”—the bag on Guan Yueying’s arm dropped to the ground.
She stared in shock, pupils shaking. “Y-you… what’s your relationship?”
“She’s my friend’s daughter. My friend had something come up and asked me to watch her for a month.” Pei Shijin explained, smiling at the child. “Auntie ran into a friend, so we were delayed.”
“Oh.” Taotao didn’t pick up on Guan Yueying’s meltdown and went to hug Song Zonghui’s leg instead. “Mommy, what’s in the bags you’re carrying?”
Song Zonghui glanced at Pei Shijin and Guan Yueying, picked up Taotao, and headed inside first.
“Come on in.” Pei Shijin picked up the dropped bag and continued as they walked. “Zonghui wants to adopt the kid as a goddaughter and kept coaxing her to call her Mommy, so now she thinks she should call both of us that.”
The excuse felt flimsy. Guan Yueying’s face fell in dismay. No wonder You Yi always dodged the topic—it really wasn’t easy to explain.
Lu Yixue was one issue, but if Mingzhu found out, that would be a huge problem.
Mingzhu would be heartbroken. Mommy wasn’t by her side already, and now another kid was calling Pei Shijin Mommy too.
Suddenly, Guan Yueying felt a surge of mission: fighting for Mingzhu’s exclusive Mommy rights.
