Chapter 29: A Painful Bite (part 1)

Lu Qingzhuo swallowed hard, her entire body stiffening into an awkward posture. Meanwhile, Fu Yumian lay slumped against her shoulder, completely drenched, the scent of alcohol on her skin intoxicatingly rich.

"President Fu... you... what do you want me to do?"

Lu Qingzhuo had no experience in this area. Despite being over twenty years old, she was still completely inexperienced. Her panicked reaction amused Fu Yumian at first, but soon, impatience crept in.

"You don’t know how?"

Lu Qingzhuo: "..."

Do I look like someone who would know how?!

Fu Yumian’s tone even carried a hint of reproach. "If you don’t know, why didn’t you learn?"

Lu Qingzhuo: "..."

She froze on the spot, utterly dumbfounded. Was this something she could just go and learn?

But how could she possibly refute Fu Yumian’s words to her face? All she could do was gauge Fu Yumian’s mood and comply accordingly.

"But, President Fu, this kind of thing..."

The whole idea of marking an Omega was beyond Lu Qingzhuo’s expectations. Her voice trembled, almost on the verge of tears, as she clumsily carried Fu Yumian and placed her in the center of the large bed.

A damp imprint was left on the light gray bedsheet. Lu Qingzhuo stole a glance and nearly ground her molars to dust.

The scent of alcohol in the air grew stronger, wrapping around Lu Qingzhuo like an invisible cocoon, leaving no room for escape.

"You don’t know how? I’ll teach you."

Soft and languid, Fu Yumian curled her arms around Lu Qingzhuo’s neck, pulling her closer. Tilting her head slightly, she exposed the most vulnerable and alluring spot on an Omega’s neck—flushed red and feverishly warm. Her voice, husky yet coaxing, carried a hint of enticement. "See this? Right here."

Lu Qingzhuo was locked in an internal struggle, her mind spinning in turmoil, while the Omega before her, drenched and glistening, patiently guided her.

"Bite down."

Lu Qingzhuo’s lips parted slightly—a sight that made Fu Yumian’s throat go dry. However, her entire body was weak, her wrists too feeble to lift. She lay sprawled across the plush bedding, staring intently at Lu Qingzhuo, who was awkwardly climbing onto the bed.

So unbelievably clumsy.

She didn’t know anything at all.

"President Fu... I... I’m really nervous..."

The mounting tension was nearly shattered by Lu Qingzhuo’s words. She fumbled with her belt, only to tie it into a dead knot. Looking helpless, she stared at Fu Yumian, her eyes glistening with moisture.

"President Fu, I can’t undo it."

Fu Yumian nearly bit through her own teeth. Supporting herself with weak arms, she panted, "You don’t need to undo it. Just come over here."

Lu Qingzhuo’s entire face burned as if she had been submerged in a vat of red wine. Every pore on her body was soaked in its intoxicating aroma.

"But... if I don’t undo it..."

Right now, she resembled a matcha pastry steeped in red wine—the two flavors blending into an unexpectedly sweet fragrance.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Fu Yumian was caught between laughter and exasperation. All her previous plans had unraveled in an instant. After thinking for a moment, she admitted to herself that she had probably been too hasty.

"I’m only asking you to bite me. Why are you trying to take off your clothes?"

Lu Qingzhuo seemed to awaken from a trance. Realizing what Fu Yumian actually meant, she was overcome with mortification, wanting nothing more than to slam her head into the nightstand and perish on the spot.

"President Fu... I... I misunderstood..."

Overwhelmed by shame, Lu Qingzhuo clutched her chest and carefully scooted closer. As Fu Yumian tucked her fingers into her long, dark hair, revealing the elegant curve of her neck, Lu Qingzhuo felt her blood surge, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Fu Yumian’s hoarse voice carried a sugary undertone as she urged, "Hurry up."

By all logic, an Alpha should instinctively know how to do this. So why was hers behaving like a helpless prey trapped in a spider’s web, hesitating even when the meal was laid before her?

Could she not do it?

But the scent of her pheromones told Fu Yumian otherwise. Lu Qingzhuo was young and in her prime—it was impossible that she couldn’t.

From Lu Qingzhuo’s perspective, Fu Yumian lay sideways on the bed, exposing her most vulnerable side, completely unguarded, waiting for her to claim.

Lu Qingzhuo leaned in, feeling the warmth radiating from Fu Yumian’s soft body beneath her. Finding the right spot, she closed her eyes—only to kiss the other woman’s chin instead.

She couldn’t even aim properly!

What was she even doing?

Right before closing her eyes, Fu Yumian realized she might have been too optimistic.

A moment later—

Her toes curled, one slender hand gripping the bedsheet tightly while the other clutched at Lu Qingzhuo’s waist, fingers scrambling at the silky fabric of her nightdress. The veins on the back of her fair hand stood out starkly.

Fu Yumian bit down on her lower lip, trembling, before finally surrendering.

"President Fu..."

Lu Qingzhuo wrapped both arms around Fu Yumian from behind, pulling her into a firm embrace, pressing a kiss into her hair.

Even her strands of hair carried the intoxicating scent of pheromones.

Lu Qingzhuo's delicate tea-scented pheromones diffusing into the air, soothed the trembling Omega in her arms, watching the fluttering of her eyelashes and the quiver of her eyelids.

Her lips, like rose petals yet to fully bloom, were soft and dewy, exuding a tantalizing fragrance.

She must have bitten too hard.

But...

But could she really help it?

Lu Qingzhuo flicked her tongue over the sharp points of her canines, lightly biting the tip of her own tongue.

Yeah... it did hurt quite a bit.

Piercing Fu Yumian’s neck to inject pheromones—just how painful must that be?

Lu Qingzhuo used all her strength to hold Fu Yumian tightly in her arms, carefully and restrainedly releasing a small amount of soothing pheromones. The faint scent of fresh tea drifted continuously, and the trembling omega in her embrace gradually calmed down upon inhaling it.

Staring at Fu Yumian’s delicate and flawless features, Lu Qingzhuo realized this was a side of her she had never seen before. How lucky she was to witness Fu Yumian like this.

No one knew how much time had passed. The light fragrance of tea lingered in the air, seemingly intertwining with the rich aroma of red wine until the two scents finally merged.

The two of them remained closely pressed together. Lu Qingzhuo lowered her gaze, her water-like eyes fixed on Fu Yumian’s face. She found herself mesmerized by those soft, rosy lips.

By the time she regained her senses, she had already leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on them—just a fleeting touch, as light as a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water.

Even though it was merely a brief kiss, Lu Qingzhuo felt as if her heart were about to leap out of her chest.

She carefully placed Fu Yumian onto the bed, adjusted the pillow behind her head, and, worried about pressing against her slightly swollen nape, thoughtfully tilted her head to the side.

"President Fu, I’m sorry..."

After whispering this, Lu Qingzhuo hurriedly jumped off the bed, opened the door, and fled.

As the door clicked shut, the supposedly asleep Fu Yumian opened her eyes. She pressed her fingers against the lips Lu Qingzhuo had just kissed, staring at the closed door in a daze.

How foolish.

The absence of an implicit suggestion was, in itself, the strongest hint. Fu Yumian had already prepared herself mentally.

An omega in heat was irresistible to any alpha. And yet, Lu Qingzhuo had forcibly held herself back. Even when Fu Yumian had closed her eyes, fully surrendering her body to her, all Lu Qingzhuo did was administer a temporary mark—and that kiss, which hardly even counted as one. Nothing more.

Fu Yumian touched the back of her neck, where the skin was burning hot, the area most saturated with alpha pheromones.

She buried herself under the blanket, slipping out of her now sticky nightgown. Breathing in the lingering fragrance of those pheromones, she closed her eyes.

---

Lu Qingzhuo barely slept all night, lying awake until dawn, dark circles forming beneath her eyes.

Due to Fu Yumian’s heat cycle, filming had been temporarily suspended for safety reasons, effectively giving the crew a short break.

Lu Qingzhuo remained motionless in bed, her phone clutched in her hand, just in case the omega needed anything upon waking.

Unable to sleep, she idly scrolled through her phone, even forgetting to reply to the message Lin Zhiyu had sent her the previous night.

By noon, Fu Yumian still hadn’t sent any messages. Given her physical resilience, the temporary mark should have been enough to get her through the heat cycle. She likely wouldn’t need Lu Qingzhuo’s help anymore.

Lu Qingzhuo bought some fresh fruit and a bouquet of flowers, planning to visit Geng Xingluo at the nursing home. But as soon as she stepped out the door, she ran into Lin Zhiyu, who had been lurking nearby.

"Wow, you left me alone last night—so which little vixen were you tangled up with this time?"

Lin Zhiyu leaned closer to Lu Qingzhuo, immediately catching the scent of an unfamiliar omega. She gritted her teeth. "Well, well! You reek of omega pheromones! And it's so strong!"

Lu Qingzhuo raised her wrist to her nose and took a deep sniff, looking baffled. "You can smell it?"

Lin Zhiyu scoffed. "Of course I can. What do you take me for, a beta? You’re practically marinated in omega pheromones! The battle must have been fierce last night—I can’t even detect your own scent anymore."

Lu Qingzhuo quickly stepped back, covering her neck and pinching her nose. "Breathe through your mouth. Stop sniffing me!"

Lin Zhiyu smirked. "Why are you acting like a dog guarding its food?" She snorted. "Your omega smells nice, I’ll admit. But I already have someone I want to spend my life with."

"That’s none of my business. Just get away from me." Lu Qingzhuo glared at Lin Zhiyu, resisting the urge to slap her. "If you can’t say anything useful, donate your mouth to someone who actually needs it. What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

She persistently sniffed her own wrist again. The omega’s scent still lingered. She had even taken three showers that morning, hoping to wash away Fu Yumian’s pheromones.

"You traitor! Who’s the omega that’s got you so bewitched?" Lin Zhiyu pouted, eyeing the dark circles under Lu Qingzhuo’s eyes. "You really wore yourself out last night, huh? Even your eye bags are showing. Must have been an intense night."

Lu Qingzhuo glared at Lin Zhiyu, warning, "Shut up. I didn’t do anything, and you better not spread rumors. Otherwise, I’ll take you down with me!"

"Fine, fine. Our years of friendship mean nothing compared to an omega now, huh?" Lin Zhiyu grumbled, then quickly changed the subject. "You know, that omega I fell for at first sight—she’s in the hospital. I heard she got injured. I want to visit her, but I don’t dare to. What should I do?"

Lu Qingzhuo: "..."

So after all this talk, Lin Zhiyu still hadn’t made any progress with her so-called love-at-first-sight romance?

Although Lu Qingzhuo wasn’t particularly experienced in pursuing omegas, she had at least seen enough to have a general idea. She asked, "Do you two even know each other?"

"Of course!" Lin Zhiyu grabbed Lu Qingzhuo’s arm excitedly. "We locked eyes once. She was out with her friends."

Lu Qingzhuo tilted her head. "And then?"

"That’s it. I told you, we locked eyes." Lin Zhiyu was still reminiscing about that moment, completely lost in it. "That was when I truly understood love—how even the air she breathed could taste sweet."

Lu Qingzhuo rubbed her arms, shuddering at the goosebumps. "Can you act normal? You sound like a total creep."

“You’ve liked her for so long. Other than making eye contact, have you done anything else?”

Lin Zhiyu shook her head. “No. She’s very mysterious. After that, I never saw her again. I even snuck into her school once, but I still couldn’t find her.”

Lu Qingzhuo asked curiously, “Which school does she go to?”

“B University, my dream alma mater.” Lin Zhiyu closed her eyes and sighed. “I never expected her to be from B University. She must be a genius.”

The corner of Lu Qingzhuo’s mouth twitched. She thought to herself: "My sister goes to B University too—she’s beautiful, adorable, and a top student who wins scholarships every year."

Wait a minute…

B University…

Hospitalized from an injury.

Lu Qingzhuo cleared her throat and continued asking, “Do you know her name? You can’t possibly not know her name, right?”

Lin Zhiyu opened her mouth but hesitated. “Well… I can’t really tell you.”

Lu Qingzhuo was dumbfounded. “You don’t even know her name, and you want to pursue her? Are you daydreaming?”

She pressed further. “Tell me, do you at least know which department she’s in?”

“I think I overheard her friend mention it last time…” Lin Zhiyu thought for a moment, as if digging through her memories. “She seems to be in the finance department.”

“Her name is Geng Xingluo.”

Lu Qingzhuo’s heart sank. The corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily as she straightened up. “Honestly, I think you’re just hypnotizing yourself. You’ve been single for so long, and now, after exchanging eye contact with an omega, you’ve convinced yourself you’re in love.”

“You don’t have to comfort me. I know myself well. She’s the only omega who makes my heart race. It’s her, for life.”

Lu Qingzhuo nearly blacked out from frustration. She took a deep breath to keep from losing her temper. Before her little sister could be taken away, she decided to deal with the "pig" first.

“But you don’t even have the courage to visit her in the hospital. What makes you think you can pursue her?” Lu Qingzhuo didn’t hold back. “Besides, what if she’s not single? If you recklessly rush in, you’ll only leave a terrible impression.”

Lin Zhiyu looked devastated. “Then what should I do, Qingzhuo? Help me, please! If we get married, I’ll personally deliver the wedding invitation to you!”

Lu Qingzhuo: “…”

She had never wanted to slap someone so badly in her life.

“How am I supposed to help you?” Lu Qingzhuo’s tone was stiff. She could barely handle her own problems, let alone assist Lin Zhiyu in chasing after someone—especially when that someone was her own sister. There was no way she’d introduce her to such an unreliable alpha.

“If you won’t help me, fine. I’ll pursue her myself.” Lin Zhiyu straightened up, determination rekindled. “I’ll win her over with my unwavering persistence.”

Lu Qingzhuo wanted to beat her up right then and there.

Lin Zhiyu finally noticed Lu Qingzhuo’s hands. “Why are you holding flowers? And fruit? Are you visiting someone?”

Lu Qingzhuo grabbed a clean, shiny red apple from the fruit basket and took a big bite. “Can’t I just eat it myself?”

“Fine, fine. Why so fierce?” Lin Zhiyu mumbled. She had lost the mood to continue their chat. The two went their separate ways, and Lu Qingzhuo, still fuming, stormed off.

She decided to secretly visit the nursing home that night and have a serious talk with Geng Xingluo about relationships. She needed to make sure her sister understood just how many unreliable alphas were out there.

---

That afternoon, Lu Qingzhuo took two more showers. She wasn’t sure if the scent on her body had completely faded.

The temporary mark from last night was a blur. Her eyes had been closed the entire time; she had no idea what Fu Yumian’s expression had been.

She dried her hair and sat on the sofa, planning to watch a horror movie to clear her mind of anything related to Fu Yumian. But then, another message from Fu Yumian popped up on her phone.

Fu Yumian: [Come over.]

Lu Qingzhuo stared at her phone in confusion. Hadn’t the temporary mark already been completed? She remembered learning that one mark was enough for an omega in heat.

Could it be that Fu Yumian had a unique condition and needed marking every day?

She arrived at Fu Yumian’s door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

After a moment, the door opened. The omega stood there in a white shirt. Lu Qingzhuo was wearing thin-soled slippers, making their eye level nearly the same.

Fu Yumian’s height was impressive for an omega. This was the first time Lu Qingzhuo had seen such a tall—and stunning—omega.

The door closed behind them. Lu Qingzhuo followed Fu Yumian inside and, seeing her walking steadily and looking fine, carefully asked, “President Fu, are you feeling better?”

“Your mark worked.” Fu Yumian sat on the sofa, tilting her chin slightly to indicate Lu Qingzhuo should sit too. “But you do realize that an omega’s heat cycle happens every month, right? As my legally recognized wife, you should know what to do.”

“Huh?” Lu Qingzhuo was bewildered. She blurted out, “That wasn’t in the contract, was it?”

As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed Fu Yumian’s expression turning icy. She immediately regretted it.

Fu Yumian adjusted her glasses. “Oh? You don’t want to? Helping an omega through their heat cycle is a wife’s duty, isn’t it?”

“But, President Fu, our relationship is just for appearances. We both know this is just a contract.” Seeing Fu Yumian’s gaze grow even colder, Lu Qingzhuo continued fearlessly, “I don’t think I have that obligation, do I?”

“Alright, since you put it that way, I won’t force you.” Fu Yumian casually added, “I was planning to give you a monthly allowance plus five million for last night’s effort.”

Lu Qingzhuo swallowed hard. “So this is how shallow you think I am?”

Fu Yumian picked up her exquisite, hand-painted Hermès porcelain cup and said lightly, “I was also planning to take you to buy the diamond ring that the First Lady of France once donated to a museum.”

  --------

Translator's Note:

If you like my translation, you can support this novel by buying me a cup of Ko-fi ( ˘▽˘)っ♨. I would really appreciate it. 

One Ko-fi is equivalent to one extra chapter. Please mention the name of the novel so I don't confuse it with the other novel I'm currently translating.

------

  <          |      Index      |           >