Chapter 4

Buzz—

This time, it was Lu Zhixia’s phone ringing—a call from home.

Shen Wanqing glanced at the screen and saw the name: Mom.

She straightened up for a moment, and the four people in the convertible behind them promptly pretended to take in the scenery.

Lu Zhixia didn’t want to answer, but given the awkward situation, picking up her mother’s call seemed like the lesser evil.

She endured the inevitable lecture, which Lu Zhixia was used to by now. As it wound down, her mother reminded her not to stir up trouble.

That one call shattered the awkward spell. Lu Zhixia’s cheeks were still flushed, but she no longer avoided eye contact.

“Get out of the car. Let’s talk,” Lu Zhixia said. She’d come along only to follow the so-called rules.

Shen Wanqing didn’t make things difficult for her. Fine, they could talk—in her room.

Lu Zhixia suddenly remembered they might have been watched the whole time.

She whipped around and sure enough, that car was trailing them, its four occupants once again feigning interest in the view.

They got out, entered the hotel, opened the door… There hadn’t even been a check-in process.

Shen Wanqing’s familiarity with the place painted a clear picture in Lu Zhixia’s mind: Shen Wanqing came here often. She was just one of the women she’d brought back.

After all the drinks, Lu Zhixia’s face was impassive, but her flushed cheeks made her look almost shy.

As the elevator carried her up, Lu Zhixia replayed the evening’s events with Shen Wanqing, her expression darkening.

The top-floor suite was as lavish as a tycoon’s mansion from some TV drama, the main difference being the liquor bottles everywhere in sight.

Lu Zhixia cut straight to the point. “I’m only here to follow the rules. I’ll sleep on the sofa. Do whatever you want with the rest.”

Shen Wanqing turned to look at her. “Seems like you’ve got the roles backward.”

Tonight, Shen Wanqing had brought her here. Shen Wanqing was the host; she was the guest.

Lu Zhixia caught her drift, her tone deliberately sharp. “So what?”

“Ever heard of ‘when in Rome’?”

“I know another one: ‘the guest overpowering the host.’”

Shen Wanqing tilted her chin up slightly, sizing her up before looking away. “I’m not getting into a war of words. I’m going to take a shower first.”

The sound of running water soon echoed from the bathroom, making Lu Zhixia’s ears tingle.

She stood there for a few seconds, then walked to the door and twisted the handle. Huh? It was locked?

Lu Zhixia twisted harder a few times, but the heavy door wouldn’t budge.

She shot an exasperated glance at the bathroom, then spent a while fiddling with the door, but she couldn’t figure out how to open it.

Every interaction with Shen Wanqing that evening had made one thing clear: getting involved with her spelled trouble.

Lu Zhixia had just returned to the country and had zero interest in complications. She glanced around again, sighing inwardly at the sheer volume of alcohol everywhere.

The study, dining room, balcony… every spot was lined with all sorts of bottles.

One wall of the second bedroom was a full liquor cabinet. Though it was the secondary room, it was far larger than a typical master suite.

It came fully furnished—bookshelves, desk, wardrobe, even a home theater setup. Lu Zhixia headed to the bathroom and found it had its own bathing facilities too.

Before locking the door behind her, she tore a sticky note from the pad on the desk.

She wrote a message, stuck it on, then peeled it off to rewrite it. By the fifth one, she gave up on phrasing and just slapped it on the living room coffee table in plain sight.

Satisfied, Lu Zhixia returned to the second bedroom, locked the door, and took a shower.

The bathroom was bigger than the living room in an ordinary home— the height of luxury.

It separated the bath from the sink area, complete with a smart bathtub that Lu Zhixia operated with ease.

She filled it, adjusted the temperature, and eyed the delicate basket nearby filled with rose petals.

Lu Zhixia picked one up and sniffed it. Real flowers.

She didn’t like scents clinging to her skin, so she moved the basket aside and perched on the edge of the counter, grabbing a bottle of red wine nearby.

To her surprise, it was a high-end imported vintage. She set it back down, finished exploring, and finally slipped into the tub.

The exhaustion from days of chaos had left her without a good night’s sleep.

Now, as her weary body sank into the warm water, every muscle relaxed.

She tried some stretches, but the tub was too short, forcing her to curl up and kick her legs now and then for relief.

Yawns came one after another, the alcohol buzzing in her veins. Soaking in the balmy water, sleepiness overtook her.

Moments later, a knock jolted her awake.

She’d locked the bedroom door, so she felt safe with the bathroom door half-open.

“Open up.” Shen Wanqing’s voice, fresh from her shower, sounded even chillier.

“I left you a note on the table.” Lu Zhixia propped herself up, listening.

Silence stretched on. Lu Zhixia sank back into the tub, closed her eyes, and let out a contented sigh.

Knock knock knock—it came again!

Lu Zhixia pretended not to hear. Shen Wanqing knocked three more times. “Open the door.”

Lu Zhixia’s hand swished lazily through the water as she muttered contentedly, “I’m not opening it. What are you gonna do about it?”

Click. The sound of the door unlocking made Lu Zhixia bolt upright in alarm.

She didn’t even take the time to put on any clothes before leaping out of the bathtub. Catching a glimpse of Shen Wanqing pushing the door open from the corner of her eye, she hurriedly locked the bathroom door.

She didn’t dare let go of the knob, clutching it in tense silence. Suddenly, it hit her—her clothes were still out there.

Worse still, her bath towel wasn’t within reach. She weighed her options: if she made a dash for it now, what were the odds Shen Wanqing would fling the door open?

Shen Wanqing, wrapped in a bathrobe, held a sticky note pinched between her fingers.

Four crumpled balls of the same colored paper lay on the desk. Shen Wanqing scooped them up and sauntered over to the bathroom door. “You’ve got three minutes,” she said leisurely.

As rustling sounds came from inside, Shen Wanqing unfolded the notes one by one.

The first read: Surnamed Shen, I’m not the kind of person you think I am. We’ll steer clear of each other tonight—live and let live. Tomorrow, we’re strangers.

The second: I’ve got a short fuse. You’ve poked at me one too many times tonight, and I’ve been plenty patient. Push me any further, and you’ll regret it.

The third: I’m not sleeping with you. I’m not marking you. I’m not interested in any of that, so drop the idea.

The fourth: Shen Wanqing, I’ve thought it over. I’ll take the second bedroom, you get the master. We’ll get through the night without any drama. Don’t make trouble for each other—or else, if you push me too far, I can’t predict what I’ll do.

The fifth—the one she’d finally stuck up in the living room—said: Second bedroom for me. Don’t disturb me. Thanks.

Lu Zhixia had zero interest in finishing her bath. She seized the three minutes to snatch up the bath towel and wrap it around herself.

She returned to the door and gripped the knob. “I made it all perfectly clear.”

Shen Wanqing’s gaze flicked to the pile of clothes draped over a nearby chair. The red panties stood out brazenly, especially the pair with a cartoon little dog lolling its tongue on the back, the words “Seek Luck, Avoid Calamity” scrawled above it.

Shen Wanqing tucked the notes away in a side cabinet and called out, “Open the door.”

Lu Zhixia didn’t budge. Shen Wanqing let out a sharp hiss, drawing in a breath that carried an icy edge, just like before.

“One last chance. Open it yourself.”

Lu Zhixia was set on holding out. “Like I’d want your chance.”

She soon heard the jingle of keys. The lock turned before her eyes, and she clamped down harder on the knob out of instinct.

But after bracing herself, nothing happened—no tug from the outside.

Her hand ached, and she let out a breath of relief. In that instant, the door yanked outward with force.

The knob was too small for her large hand to hold properly, and it swung open a crack.

The two women faced off. Lu Zhixia’s cheeks burned bright red, while Shen Wanqing’s expression remained coolly detached. “My stamina outmatches yours,” she reminded her. “I’d advise against pointless resistance.”

“No way!” Lu Zhixia gritted her teeth. “You’re just an omega—even a top-tier one…” The door inched open wider.

With such a small knob, they were both pulling with one hand.

Lu Zhixia threw both hands into the fray. That’s when Shen Wanqing suddenly lunged for her bath towel.

In a panic for self-preservation, Lu Zhixia clapped a hand over it—and Shen Wanqing’s lips curved into a smile as she wrenched the door fully open.

Lu Zhixia: …

“Not interested in my chance, huh?” Shen Wanqing drawled lazily.

The reality check stung fast. Lu Zhixia chalked it up to all the wine she’d downed that night, on top of the rock climbing earlier—she was running on fumes.

“I’m doing this for your own good…” Lu Zhixia tried switching to a gentler tack, but Shen Wanqing suddenly seized the edge of her towel and yanked her forward.

Lu Zhixia scrambled to cover herself. “Don’t do anything crazy!” She was buck naked underneath.

Only then did she notice the room lights were off and the curtains drawn tight. The space was pitch black, save for this faint pool of light.

Shen Wanqing reached up and flicked the switch. Click. The last trace of illumination vanished.

Lu Zhixia was plunged into blindness, but a strange calm washed over her—no risk of being exposed now.

Shen Wanqing kept hold of her towel, her tone softening a touch. “Come with me. Watch your step.”

Still fumbling in the dark, Lu Zhixia eased down the stairs, groping for a way to defuse the tension.

“I’m serious—it’s for your sake. I heard that once an omega gets marked, they’re stuck with that alpha. You don’t want that.” Lu Zhixia kept talking, her words tumbling out. When she sensed Shen Wanqing stop, she halted too. “I’d say we’re square after today. I won’t hold those earlier things against you.”

She nudged forward with her foot and felt the bed’s edge. “So, what do you think of my idea?”

“Not bad,” Shen Wanqing said, releasing her.

Against her better judgment, Lu Zhixia added, “See? You’re not the type to hold grudges, just like me.”

Shen Wanqing hummed in agreement. “True. I don’t hold grudges.”

Lu Zhixia thought she’d dodged the bullet and started to relax—only to hear that voice turn chillingly serene. “I always get revenge right on the spot.”

Her wine-soaked brain didn’t process it in time. Before she knew it, Shen Wanqing had shoved her down onto the bed.

She was forced to lie prone on the bed. With one struggle, her bath towel came loose.

The cool palm landed, brushing over the previous bite mark and circling around her gland.

Lu Zhixia shrank her neck, unable to break free no matter how hard she tried. She was both angry and annoyed: “Shen Wanqing! You… ah!”

Her gland was suddenly assaulted, and Lu Zhixia’s voice broke into a higher pitch. At that moment, her entire body had gone soft except for her mouth, which remained defiant.

“Shen Wanqing! Don’t let me catch an opportunity, or you’re dead meat… ah!” Her gland was pressed again, and Lu Zhixia trembled all over, her body going numb.

This was her first intimate experience in her 20 years of life. Lu Zhixia felt utterly at a loss. As she twisted her body sideways, she grabbed Shen Wanqing’s wrist. Furious, she let out a huff and bit down on it directly.

Shen Wanqing straddled atop her body, refusing to let her struggle or release her grip. She leaned down, her breath falling hot against her ear: “Little dogs that bite people need to be tamed.”

Author’s note:

Bodyguard: The night view tonight is truly beautiful.

Night view: Are you sure you even saw me?

Little Dog’s panties: Definitely not as pretty as me.

What are the consequences of going against Big Sister?