Chapter 50: Are You Jealous?

The sight of Yan Menghui throwing herself into Shen Wanqing’s arms practically burned Lu Zhixia’s eyes with jealousy.

She stood rooted to the spot, watching as they lingered by the door, deep in conversation for what felt like forever. She had no idea what they were talking about.

Yan Menghui’s delicate, birdlike clinginess made her look every bit the perfect partner. Anyone who didn’t know better would swear they were a couple.

A jar of vinegar overturned in Lu Zhixia’s heart. Under normal circumstances, most people would have turned and walked away.

But Lu Zhixia wasn’t most people. Instead, she plopped down on the curb across the street, staring them down with laser focus, barely breathing.

She just wanted to see how long it would take Shen Wanqing to notice her!

It was the dead of night now, and the neighborhood felt like a ghost town, utterly silent.

Finally, Yan Menghui grabbed Shen Wanqing’s hand and acted all coquettish. The display set Lu Zhixia’s blood boiling.

While Shen Wanqing was on the phone, Yan Menghui melted into her arms, soft and pliant.

As she spoke into the receiver, her gaze flicked across the street with perfect intuition—and there was the sulking little grump, parked on the roadside bench.

“You go ahead and sleep. She’s here with me,” Shen Wanqing said. She hung up and waved at Lu Zhixia.

Lu Zhixia’s eyes went wide, but she didn’t budge.

Shen Wanqing gently disentangled herself. “Menghui, wake up.”

Yan Menghui reeked of booze and clung to her like she’d grown there.

“Menghui?” Shen Wanqing glanced across the street at the girl staring daggers at her.

“Take her inside first,” Shen Wanqing instructed. Two bodyguards stepped forward to support Yan Menghui.

Shen Wanqing stayed by the roadside and waved again. Sure enough, Lu Zhixia sat there like a statue in meditation, refusing to move.

She walked over to the railing and called out, “I’m wiped out. Don’t make me drag myself over there.”

That only made Lu Zhixia angrier. Wiped out? What about her, out here in the middle of the night instead of home? Wasn’t that exhausting?

She stayed put, stubborn as ever. “I don’t need you fussing over me. Go take care of your best friend.”

Seeing Lu Zhixia with her chin jutted out, practically tilted toward the sky, Shen Wanqing nearly laughed despite herself.

“Good Little Dog,” she cooed, hitting right at Lu Zhixia’s soft spot. “Big Sister twisted her ankle today. It hurts so bad I can’t walk. What am I supposed to do? I did it in the office—you’re not going to take responsibility?”

The Puppy deflated instantly, jumping to her feet. “You really twisted it?”

“Of course I did.” Shen Wanqing put on her best pitiful expression. “Aren’t you coming over?”

Big Dog vaulted the railing in a single bound, closing the distance in a few strides.

Shen Wanqing barely had time to react before she was swept up into a princess carry and tossed lightly into the air.

She let out a startled yelp. When she settled back into the warm embrace, she thumped Lu Zhixia’s shoulder with a playful pout. “You little rascal, hold me tighter next time. If you drop me, just see how I punish you.”

The intimate gesture and tone melted away the icy jealousy in Lu Zhixia’s heart. Her temper had flared hot and fast, but it faded just as quickly. Now she was back to shameless teasing. “Punish me how? Tell me. If I like it, maybe I’ll drop you right on the ground.”

Her mouth got tugged, her ear got pinched, and she yelped extra loud on purpose—loud enough for Yan Menghui up ahead to hear. She was staking her claim.

An Alpha’s explosive strength and endurance outclassed everyone. Their afternoon tussle hadn’t worn Lu Zhixia out at all; if anything, it left her buzzing with energy, more eager than ever.

Carrying Shen Wanqing back home was effortless—steady heartbeat, even breaths, plenty of room to chat. “So what’s really going on between you and Yan Menghui? You have to tell me everything.”

Her jealousy hung thick in the air. Shen Wanqing looped her arms around Lu Zhixia’s neck, toying with her ear as she drawled, “And what gives you the right to ask?”

The words lit a fresh spark in Lu Zhixia. She halted mid-stride, still cradling Shen Wanqing, her face turning cold. “Shen Wanqing, what exactly do you mean by that?”

Her temper had cooled for all of five minutes before boiling over again.

Shen Wanqing, though, wasn’t fazed in the slightest. She kept rubbing that ear, her voice light and even. “I need to get your head straight first—figure out exactly what we’re calling this thing between us—before I decide how much of my personal life to share.”

The rubbing sent electric tingles racing through Lu Zhixia. She ducked her head away. “Quit that and talk seriously.”

“I like rubbing. Your ear’s so soft and fun to chew on.” Shen Wanqing got away with being spoiled around Lu Zhixia, who could only indulge her as they kept walking. “Fine, then. What are we, exactly?”

“Bed buddies?” Shen Wanqing tugged her ear. Lu Zhixia glanced down. “That’s all?”

“You tell me.” Shen Wanqing shifted to playing with her face, poking her cheek. “Cat got your tongue? You’re all puffed up like a little frog.”

Lu Zhixia huffed, clearly displeased. “I’m not saying. If bed buddies is what you think, then bed buddies it is.”

“Bed buddies don’t get to know too much about my private life, you know.” Shen Wanqing’s fingertip skittered across her face like a tiny ant, itching and teasing. “So tell me—do you know Yan Menghui has a crush on you?”

She couldn’t hold back any longer and finally asked the question outright. The lighting in the villa wasn’t dim at all; she could clearly make out the expression on the face of the woman cradled in her arms.

Shen Wanqing paused in what she was doing and turned the question back on her. “Why do you think she likes me?”

Lu Zhixia didn’t want to bring up the clash she’d had with Yan Menghui that night. She had no idea what their relationship was truly like, but she could tell Shen Wanqing didn’t have many people she could lean on.

Maybe the Yan Menghui she disliked was someone deeply important to Shen Wanqing.

She didn’t know Shen Wanqing well, and she hadn’t endured her struggles. That night outside the bathroom door, she’d overheard Shen Wanqing speaking to someone on the phone—her voice raw with anguish and venom, laced with despair and something sinister. Lu Zhixia regretted her words a little now; she shouldn’t have claimed Shen Wanqing had no real hardships.

Seeing her fall silent, Shen Wanqing cut straight to it. “I won’t like her. That’s all you need to remember.”

A bit of the tension eased from Lu Zhixia’s chest, but the memory of those two intimate moments she’d witnessed lingered, and she grumbled, “Hugs are different. Don’t go pulling and tugging all the time.”

Shen Wanqing tugged at her collar with a smile. “Hugs are different, huh? So pulling and tugging is fine?”

“That works.”

“Heh.” Shen Wanqing’s cool palm pressed against her collarbone as she teased, “Talk about playing favorites.”

Lu Zhixia didn’t argue. She was playing favorites, after all.

Shen Wanqing’s hand wandered playfully, finally cupping her chin and tilting it up. “You should worry more about yourself than about me.”

“What’s there to worry about with me?” Lu Zhixia shrugged it off. “I haven’t been pulling and tugging with anyone.”

“Oh, right. Hugging Qin Zheng, putting medicine on her—none of that counts.” Shen Wanqing’s tone dripped with sarcasm. Lu Zhixia just laughed, dipping her head to gaze at her and giving the woman in her arms a little bounce. “Are you jealous, Shen Wanqing?”

“I’ll eat you up,” Shen Wanqing shot back without mercy, sinking her teeth into Lu Zhixia’s shoulder and leaving a mark.

Lu Zhixia didn’t yelp in pain. Instead, she laughed outright—and the harder Shen Wanqing bit, the louder she laughed.

Finally, Shen Wanqing thumped her shoulder and cursed, “You’re a total little pervert.”

Lu Zhixia loved roughhousing with Shen Wanqing like this—especially knowing it was something they only did together.

They tumbled and played all the way back to their room. Shen Wanqing first saw to Yan Menghui, telling Lu Zhixia to go wash up ahead.

Yan Menghui lay on the bed facing away from her.

Her shoulders trembled in quiet heaves, as if she were crying.

Shen Wanqing called her name, but she didn’t answer.

Shen Wanqing circled around to the other side of the bed. Yan Menghui had her eyes squeezed shut and had simply sprawled out flat.

Standing by the head of the bed, Shen Wanqing spoke softly. “Menghui, I want you to understand something. The debt I owe you… I’ll repay it in my own way. But it will never be with love.”

“Why not?” Yan Menghui’s voice edged toward hysteria. “Haven’t I been good enough to you? I nearly gave my life for you. Have you forgotten that night with the lightning crashing and thunder roaring, when I…”

Shen Wanqing’s brows knitted faintly as she listened to Yan Menghui dredging up that old story yet again—for the umpteenth time, no doubt.

She had tried so hard to forget, but every time she couldn’t give Yan Menghui what she wanted, the woman would tear open her old wounds and pour salt into them.

Shen Wanqing listened in silence until Yan Menghui trailed off, sobbing brokenly.

“I’m sorry. We can compromise on anything else, but not love.” Shen Wanqing had rejected Yan Menghui’s half-hearted, half-serious confessions—both directly and indirectly—far too many times to count.

Yan Menghui finally went still. Shen Wanqing lingered by the bedside for a moment, then turned and left.

The footsteps faded into the distance. Only then did Yan Menghui bury her face in the bed and let the sobs rip free.

With no other outlet for her bottled-up emotions, she poured them into a Moments post for her eyes only: I’m not reconciled to this. Not at all. All those years, and it means nothing compared to a few days. How laughable.

She hammered out another line with vicious force: Fine. If I can’t have happiness, no one can. Lu Zhixia, we’ll see about that.

Shen Wanqing returned to their room. Lu Zhixia was still splashing happily away in the bathroom.

All in all, Lu Zhixia was in high spirits today; she was humming some off-key tune again.

Shen Wanqing paused in the bathroom doorway. In that instant, the familiar scent of Ambergris Pheromone drifted out—the fragrance she loved.

Following her usual routine, Shen Wanqing gathered some fresh clothes and set them by the door, calling out for Lu Zhixia to remember to grab them when she emerged.

In the past, Lu Zhixia would crack the door open to an empty hallway. Assuming the same this time, she flung it wide without a care—only to find Shen Wanqing standing right there, eyes drinking in the sight.

She could shield her chest but not below, cover one side but not the other. Shen Wanqing stifled a laugh and clapped her hands. “What a show, Little Dog.”

Lu Zhixia ducked behind the door in a panic, glowering at her. “What are you staring at? Have you no shame!”

“We’ve seen plenty of each other by now. What’s to be shy about?” Shen Wanqing replied breezily. Lu Zhixia shot back defiantly, “Fine then—you strip for me!”

“You want a look?”

“Yes!”

“Very well.” Shen Wanqing took a step closer. “How about a lovers’ bath? I’ll let you see everything up close.”

Terrified, Lu Zhixia slammed the door and locked it with a snap. “You shameless Omega!”

Shen Wanqing always found herself wanting to laugh at Lu Zhixia’s shy reactions. She was wild yet innocent, tough yet soft, and Shen Wanqing couldn’t resist teasing her. “Alright then,” she said. “Tonight, I’ll show you something good.”

Lu Zhixia was intrigued, so when Shen Wanqing told her to hurry up and shower so she could see it afterward, she didn’t hesitate.

By the time Lu Zhixia emerged from the bathroom, Shen Wanqing had gone in to take her turn. Lu Zhixia quickly changed into a T-shirt and a pair of shorts.

Shen Wanqing’s clothes included plenty that would fit her just fine, but it was odd—aside from that first T-shirt that had felt a little snug, everything else afterward fit her like a glove.

Could Shen Wanqing’s white moonlight be an Alpha built just like her, height and all? Lu Zhixia had a million questions about Shen Wanqing, but every time she thought about asking, it felt wrong somehow.

She remembered their earlier talk about being bedmates that evening, and annoyance bubbled up inside her. She sat at the head of the bed, letting out a long sigh.

Shen Wanqing came over wrapped in her bathrobe, looking puzzled. “What’s up?”

Lu Zhixia turned to face her, her expression pitiful and woeful, like a kicked puppy.

“What are you doing?” Shen Wanqing couldn’t stand that aggrieved little-dog look of hers. “Spit it out if you have something to say.”

“Shen Wanqing,” Lu Zhixia said, “I want to ask you something.”

“Shoot.” Shen Wanqing gave her a gentle reminder. “I might not answer, but if I do, it’ll be the truth.”

Shen Wanqing tugged the quilt over and slipped beneath it, settling in. “Ask away quick. Then lights out and bed—I’ll show you that glow-in-the-dark watch.”

Lu Zhixia blinked in confusion. “A glow-in-the-dark watch? Is that even a thing?”

She got up to switch off the light, curiosity getting the better of her. “Can I see it first, then ask?”

Shen Wanqing nodded. Lu Zhixia hopped into bed right away and snuggled under the covers with her.

“It’s pitch black in here. I can’t see a thing.” Lu Zhixia frowned. “Where is it?”

Shen Wanqing reached out suddenly. A deep blue glow emanated from her watch, sparkling beautifully. It was an exquisite piece, diamonds glittering on the face. She tapped it with her fingertip. “See? It’s real.”

“Mm. Now ask.” Shen Wanqing held the watch up to cast its light on Lu Zhixia’s dark eyes. “What do you want to know?”

Now that she had permission, Lu Zhixia hesitated, fumbling for words. “I mean… well… do you have someone you like?”

She’d blurted it out but couldn’t bring herself to meet Shen Wanqing’s gaze. Keeping her head down, she added quickly, “If you don’t want to answer, that’s fine. I won’t ask who. Just yes or no.”

“You guess.”

“Yes.”

“Congratulations—you nailed it.” Shen Wanqing’s smile was radiant, but Lu Zhixia’s heart turned into a storm of tangled emotions. She threw off the covers and scrambled out of bed.

“Where are you going?”

“To the Forest Log Cabin.”

“You’re mad?” Shen Wanqing stifled a laugh. “But I was telling the truth. Don’t go. Fair’s fair—tell me, do you have someone you like?”

“Yes!” Lu Zhixia shot back fiercely. “I have a whole bunch of people I like!”

“Then can I apply to be the main wife?” Shen Wanqing slid out of bed and trailed after her.

“In your dreams!” Lu Zhixia called over her shoulder without turning. “You’ll be at the back of the line after the seventy-second concubine!”

Shen Wanqing launched herself onto Lu Zhixia’s back from behind, her voice turning deliberately coquettish. “I’m at your service tonight. I’ll make sure you’re nice and comfy—just let me be the main wife, pretty please~”

She even threw in some playful wheedling. Lu Zhixia was livid. How dare she provoke her when she already had someone she liked?

She hadn’t been fully satisfied that afternoon anyway, so she yanked the girl off her back, scooped her into her arms, and flung her onto the bed. Glaring down fiercely, she growled, “You’re not getting any sleep tonight!”