Chapter 08: Resonance

Lu Qingzhuo hadn’t expected the first thing Fu Yumian would notice to be that she was barefoot. Her half-lidded eyes fluttered slightly, her long, curled eyelashes trembling, with tiny tear droplets clinging to them.

Her lashes quivered, and the tip of Lu Qingzhuo’s nose and lips bore a faint shade of red. Fu Yumian had only ever seen her with flawless makeup on the big screen, but in front of her, Lu Qingzhuo was always barefaced.

She looked heartbreakingly beautiful when she cried—fragile yet exquisite, like a finely sculpted piece of art. Her lips appeared soft, reminiscent of a rose petal glistening with morning dew.

Lu Qingzhuo’s pheromones carried a light, pleasant tea fragrance. At that moment, a faint scent of jasmine lingered in the air—refreshing and entirely unobtrusive to Fu Yumian.

She had loathed Alphas all her life. To her, they were an inferior breed—jealous, unpredictable, and, during their susceptible periods, nothing short of a nightmare for Omegas.

The pheromone-suppressing patch on Lu Qingzhuo’s neck was peeling at the edges. She was unaware that the light scent of tea wafting from her body was becoming more noticeable. Her hands tangled together as she sat there, utterly at a loss.

Seeing her like this, Fu Yumian softened and reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

Lu Qingzhuo’s trembling shoulders stilled. She slowly lifted her gaze to meet Fu Yumian’s eyes, only to realize the woman wasn’t wearing her glasses.

Without them, her sharp phoenix eyes seemed gentler, their usual coldness softened by an unfamiliar warmth.

For some reason, Lu Qingzhuo’s heart skipped a beat. She pressed her lips together and whispered, “Thank you, President Fu… you’re my savior.”

Fu Yumian watched her obedient, adorable expression. Her fingers, which hung at her side, twitched slightly—her long, slender fingers curling inward as if resisting the urge to brush aside the stray strands of hair framing Lu Qingzhuo’s face.

She held herself back. Something told her that if she got any closer, things would spiral beyond her control.

“Is there anything else?” Fu Yumian asked, fixing her gaze on Lu Qingzhuo as she tapped her fingertips against the smooth table surface. “No need to be afraid. Just tell me.”

“That’s all, President Fu… you’re really kind…”

Lu Qingzhuo’s eyes were still red, either from prolonged crying or the stifling atmosphere. Her cheeks carried a faint flush, and her lips, glistening wet for some unknown reason, looked almost… improper.

“…”

Fu Yumian’s breath hitched. She instinctively clenched the throw pillow beside her. The moment the subtle scent of tea grew stronger, she shot up from her seat.

Startled by Fu Yumian’s abrupt movement, Lu Qingzhuo hesitated. She noticed that the other woman’s collar was slightly askew, her gaze fixed on something distant.

She called out softly, “President Fu?” But there was no response.

She stepped closer and reached out hesitantly, only to freeze mid-motion, unsure whether to withdraw or continue.

“President Fu, your collar… it’s messy.”

Fu Yumian’s eyes darkened. Her voice came out low and cool. “Mind your own business.”

“Oh…” Lu Qingzhuo awkwardly retracted her hand. Spotting a half-open bottle of red wine on the table, she tentatively suggested, “President Fu, I just opened a bottle of 1963 vintage wine. Would you like to try some?”

Fu Yumian’s pheromones carried a faint red wine fragrance, though no one had ever smelled it before. She wore pheromone-suppressing patches 24/7, ensuring that not a trace of her scent would ever escape.

Seeing that Fu Yumian remained silent, her expression unreadable, Lu Qingzhuo gathered her courage and added, “This wine has a rich and mellow aroma. Even someone like me, who rarely drinks, has fallen for its taste.”

The subtle scent of red wine spread between them. Lu Qingzhuo took a gentle whiff, then poured a glass and placed it by Fu Yumian’s hand, flashing a sweet, coaxing smile. “President Fu, just have a sip.”

Without even sparing the glass a glance, Fu Yumian turned on her heel and left, leaving Lu Qingzhuo sitting alone on the sofa, her smile frozen.

“…Seriously?”

Once Fu Yumian had disappeared from sight, Lu Qingzhuo pouted, grumbling under her breath. She downed the remaining half-glass of wine in one gulp. The lingering fragrance of red wine gradually faded, teasing her senses for a moment before vanishing as if it had never been there.

Lu Qingzhuo wasn’t a heavy drinker. After two glasses, a comfortable warmth spread through her body, leaving her lightheaded but not unwell.

She sat up, planning to take a shower before bed. But as she passed by Fu Yumian’s bedroom, her nose caught a strong red wine scent leaking from inside.

Lu Qingzhuo bit her lip, huffing indignantly to herself.

So she refused the wine earlier, only to drink it behind my back?

The scent was so intense, even with the door closed. Had she knocked over the bottle?

She knocked lightly, then stood by the door, speaking in a gentle tone. “President Fu, is everything alright? Do you need help?”

Unaware of what was happening inside, Lu Qingzhuo inhaled the rich, sweet aroma of red wine. A slow heat curled downward in her abdomen, making her body weak. She leaned against the doorframe, slightly hunched over, trying to steady herself.

Fu Yumian curled up on the soft, oversized bed, her disheveled clothing barely covered by the thin blanket. Her usually sharp, phoenix-shaped eyes were now misted over, a fine layer of sweat beading on her forehead before trickling down her elegant jawline onto the bedsheet.

The corners of her eyes were flushed red, and she bit down hard to stifle any sweet, breathy moans. Yet, at that moment, she heard Lu Qingzhuo’s voice from outside the door.

"Go away!"

Fu Yumian tried to make her voice sound as normal as possible, but the unintentional upward lilt at the end betrayed her current state.

However, the already-dazed Lu Qingzhuo didn’t catch the subtle nuance in those words. Instead, she clutched her chest in heartbreak and left the doorway, silently lamenting how Fu Yumian—this ice sculpture of a woman—had once again frozen her fragile heart.

Inside the dimly lit room, the rich scent of red wine hung in the air, seeping into every inch of Fu Yumian’s skin and pores.

She lay sprawled on the bed, utterly drained, her trembling shoulders giving away her struggle.

Her fingertips were damp with sweat—sticky, warm, carrying a faintly sweet scent. She coughed twice, biting down on the sheets as she ground her teeth, her gaze heavy with desire.

Her heat had arrived early.

And the culprit behind it all was that damn, green-tea-scented Alpha.

Just the faintest whiff of Lu Qingzhuo’s pheromones had reduced her to this state. The higher the compatibility between an Alpha and an Omega, the more their presence intertwined like an invisible thread, binding them together—inescapable, entangled until death.

“Ah…”

A breathy moan escaped Fu Yumian’s lips. Her entire body was drenched in sweat, as if she had just been pulled out of the water, the red wine-laced scent of her pheromones thick in the air.

She had a slender yet toned figure, unlike the usual delicate and frail Omegas. If anything, Fu Yumian resembled an Alpha who hadn’t fully differentiated—tall, striking, and exuding a powerfully graceful presence.

Now, she arched her back, her delicate butterfly bones slightly protruding, her trembling waist barely able to support her upper body with the help of her long legs.

"Mm..."

After what felt like an eternity, she collapsed onto the bed, lying motionless. Her phoenix eyes, half-lidded, stared blankly at the bed canopy as she inwardly cursed herself for ever indulging Lu Qingzhuo—an absolute disaster in the making.

She dragged her pale legs off the edge of the bed, her dainty toes touching the floor. Her entire body was soaked, her skin glistening with sweat and lingering traces of fluid.

A large damp patch stained the light brown bedspread, darkening it to a deep shade. Even the thin blanket was drenched. Fu Yumian barely spared it a glance before heading straight for a bath, leaving the Beta servants to clean up the mess.

By the time she emerged from the bathroom, the sheets and blankets had been replaced with fresh ones. Lying back down, her body felt light—like a feather drifting through the air.

---

Meanwhile, Lu Qingzhuo barely got a wink of sleep that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she was bombarded with vivid dreams—strange, wild dreams.

In one of them, she had turned into a pure white snake, coiled around an elegant and delicate wrist, her tongue flicking out to lick the soft skin.

That hand was unbelievably smooth and gentle, stroking her scales from base to tip, the fingertips dragging slowly across her body. It felt so good that the white snake couldn't stop flicking its tongue, letting out a contented hiss.

In her sleep, Lu Qingzhuo squeezed her legs together, relishing the sensation of that hand gliding over her. But the moment she lifted her head, Fu Yumian’s face suddenly loomed over her.

Terrified, she jolted awake, her back drenched in a cold sweat.

“Whew…”

What a nightmare…

Her whole body tingled, her legs weak as she lay in bed, pulling the blanket over her head. Outside, the morning birds chirped away. Lu Qingzhuo groaned, deciding she would never drink so much red wine before bed again—how else could she have ended up dreaming of something so bizarre… and about Fu Yumian, of all people?

After freshening up, she passed by Fu Yumian’s bedroom on her way to breakfast. To her surprise, she saw several servants carefully carrying out a large bed, while Han Tian stood at the door, supervising.

“Assistant Han, this bed looks perfectly fine. Why are you getting rid of it?”

Lu Qingzhuo immediately recognized it as the one from Fu Yumian’s bedroom. She shook her head in dismay—look at this, the bad habits of extravagance were already spreading in her circle.

Han Tian responded politely, “It’s President Fu’s orders.”

“But that bed must’ve cost a fortune. Are you planning to sell it?”

One glance was enough for Lu Qingzhuo to tell that the bed was incredibly valuable. The wood grain was all natural, the bed legs gilded, and the headboard intricately carved—there was no way a bed of this quality cost anything less than a few million.

Then again, given Fu Yumian’s wealth, even a bed worth tens of millions wouldn’t be out of place.

“President Fu’s instructions were to burn it.”

Lu Qingzhuo: “…”

“Burn it?” she asked, dumbfounded. “Did the bed come to life and bite President Fu or something? What did it do to deserve this fate?!”  

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