Chapter – 21….
They didn’t seem to care when the birthday party would actually begin—it was as if they were simply there to gather and chat.
Listening to the group of women chirping noisily, Ning Xuechu felt a little overwhelmed.
She stood up and walked to An Jianqing’s side, speaking softly.
“Jiejie, I’m going to the restroom.”
“Alright, come back quickly. Everyone’s almost here,” An Jianqing said after checking the time.
Ning Xuechu nodded and turned to leave.
But she didn’t go to the restroom—instead, she wandered aimlessly through the hotel.
When she passed a luxurious suite, Ning Xuechu noticed that the door wasn’t locked.
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted out from the room—an Omega’s pheromones, at least an A+ level.
The moment Ning Xuechu caught the scent, she was affected; a wave of heat rose from within her.
She hurriedly tried to leave, but then she heard a voice from inside.
“Baby, I still have things to take care of. Next time I’ll make it up to you properly.”
The woman’s voice was low, tinged with casual laughter.
It sounded flirtatious, indulgent, and carefree.
“It’s just a birthday party. Being late doesn’t matter,” the Omega said coyly, her pheromones growing thicker in the air.
“Is the cake going to taste better than me?”
That last line was dripping with ambiguity—teasing, inviting, seductive.
Standing outside the door, Ning Xuechu felt heat surge from her glands. She immediately pressed a hand to her nape and supported herself against the wall as she hurried away.
She hadn’t gone far when a wave of Alpha dominance pressure came from behind her—followed by the Omega’s trembling pleas.
Ning Xuechu froze, her instincts sharpening. She narrowed her eyes, alert.
She turned around, just in time to see a woman walking out of that suite—her neck flushed with visible marks of what had just transpired.
Their gazes met, and Ning Xuechu’s pupils trembled.
The woman’s lips curved in a half-smile, amused.
“So it’s a cute little Omega.”
The moment she heard that, Ning Xuechu felt alarm bells ring in her mind. She quickly pretended to be overwhelmed by alpha pheromones—her body weakening, face flushing—as she slumped against the wall.
The woman chuckled lightly and withdrew her pheromone pressure, stepping toward Ning Xuechu.
Ning Xuechu took a breath, steadied herself, and stood up. Before the woman could reach out, she said, “Thank you, I’m fine.”
She started forward, but after only a couple of steps, a sudden force pulled her back, and she fell straight into the woman’s arms.
Ning Xuechu stiffened. She was just about to break free when someone appeared around the corner.
“Xuechu, what are you doing here?” An Jianqing’s anxious voice sounded. Then, as she recognized the other woman, her eyes widened in surprise and delight.
“Mengxi? You’re here? We’ve all been waiting for you—come on in.”
The joy in her tone was unmistakable.
“Alright.” Qiu Mengxi smiled, though her hand remained on Ning Xuechu’s arm. She asked with a laugh, “Jianqing, is this the person you’ve been looking for?”
The words were spoken with humor, but Ning Xuechu immediately caught the hostility beneath them—and the subtle disdain for her differentiation level.
In other words, at the very moment she recognized this woman, this woman also recognized her.
Such an important matter—and An Jianqing had told this woman? That was how much she trusted her.
A strange, unpleasant jealousy rose in Ning Xuechu’s chest. She bit her lip, her eyes reddening as she looked at An Jianqing.
“Jiejie…”
Just one word, but already tinged with sobs—crystal tears slipping down her cheeks.
An Jianqing rushed to her. “Xuechu, what’s wrong?”
“She was leaning against the wall earlier—seemed uncomfortable,” Qiu Mengxi interjected first.
“Thank you. I was worried something might happen to her alone. Luckily you were there,” An Jianqing said in relief, smiling gently.
The two continued chatting over her, as if Ning Xuechu wasn’t even there.
With Qiu Mengxi—an Alpha—here, it felt like An Jianqing didn’t see her at all.
Ning Xuechu felt a strong sense of unwillingness. She subtly freed her arm from Qiu Mengxi’s grip and then suddenly threw herself into An Jianqing’s arms, crying softly,
“Jiejie, I got turned around and forgot the room number… I was scared you’d worry…”
“As long as you’re okay.” An Jianqing smiled and gently patted her back.
Ning Xuechu only cried harder, holding An Jianqing more tightly.
Seeing this, Qiu Mengxi’s eyes flickered. She smiled.
“Jianqing, this little Omega sure clings to you. Just like a child.”
“She only knows me well. It’s normal for her to cling to me,” An Jianqing said softly as she wiped Ning Xuechu’s tears with a tissue.
Ning Xuechu stood obediently, fingers gripping An Jianqing’s sleeve tightly, as though terrified she might disappear.
“She’s already twenty—not a child anymore,” Qiu Mengxi said with a knowing smile, her gaze flicking between the two of them—a pointed reminder.
An Jianqing understood the meaning instantly. She gently brushed off Ning Xuechu’s hand.
“Everyone’s already here. The party should begin. If we make them wait any longer, I’ll be punished with even more drinks later.”
“It’s my fault they’ve waited. I’ll drink the penalty for you,” Qiu Mengxi said as she walked over and wrapped an arm around An Jianqing’s shoulders, intimately.
“I can drink it myself.” An Jianqing’s cheeks turned slightly pink.
Standing there, Ning Xuechu watched their overly intimate posture—and silently clenched her fists.
