VBNWDW - Chapter 31
Chapter 31
"Xi Zhoulu, you're done for!"
The rain continued to fall, a ceaseless patter.
As the words fell, Xi Zhoulu instinctively closed her eyes, but the pain she expected never came. Instead, loose strands of hair brushed against her cheek, sending a ticklish, numb sensation across her skin.
The familiar scent of roses enveloped her. Guided by the warm, intermittent fragrance, Xi Zhoulu could tell the other person was extremely close, yet she couldn't feel a single touch.
Her pale, thin lips pressed into a straight line. Xi Zhoulu opened her eyes, only to see the woman sweep her hair to one side, exposing her completely unguarded, vulnerable gland.
Xi Zhoulu froze, her brow furrowing in confusion before quickly smoothing out. She forced her voice to sound cold and hard. "What are you doing?"
The other person answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Letting you bite it."
Xi Zhoulu didn't know what to think. She had always felt that this person was different from other Alphas, but she never imagined she would so casually offer such a vital spot to her lips.
After all, no matter how much attitudes had changed, the gland remained an incredibly important area.
This was especially true for Alphas, who had arrogance etched into their very bones. They would sooner cover the back of their necks with an iron plate than expose their vulnerability to an Omega, as if doing so would break their so-called pride.
Omegas weren't quite as extreme, but they were still highly vigilant. From a young age, they were taught that it was a crucial place, to be bared only before an Alpha they had chosen.
But Luo Yueqing seemed as if she had never received such an education. The last time, in the bathtub, she had leaned over and held her tightly, completely revealing the gland that should have been hidden.
Xi Zhoulu hadn't been able to resist then and had indeed taken a bite. Though she left no pheromones, she had left a faint tooth mark.
Luo Yueqing had complained endlessly about it afterward, whining pitifully that it hurt ten, even a hundred times more than anywhere else, and demanded no small amount of compensation.
Xi Zhoulu had assumed this was her subtle way of resisting, so after placating her, she had never touched it again.
But now, here it was again, presented brazenly before her lips. The rose-scented honey, laced with the aroma of red wine, condensed into dewdrops around the gland, as if inviting her for a taste.
Her barely noticeable Adam's apple bobbed. Xi Zhoulu turned her head away, her voice inexplicably deep and husky. "What do you really want?"
In all her imagined scenarios, she had pictured a sober Luo Yueqing questioning her, getting angry, demanding compensation—but never this.
The aftereffects of her hangover still lingered. Luo Yueqing couldn't hold the position for long and simply collapsed onto Xi Zhoulu, letting out a sigh of relief.
Xi Zhoulu grunted, instinctively wanting to raise her hands to protect herself, but she gripped the bedsheets instead.
"For you to bite, for you to mark," Luo Yueqing answered casually, as if it were no big deal.
Xi Zhoulu was somewhat bewildered, but then she heard the woman continue, "Will you be able to trust me then, Xi Zhoulu?"
"You punish me, but don't you suffer yourself?"
It was an expression of utter helplessness. Her usually carefree tone had become gentle and earnest, leaving one at a loss for how to respond.
"Hmm?"
Luo Yueqing tilted her head, found the evasive, pale blue-gray eyes, and met their gaze. Then she asked again, "You triggered my heat wave, but you're suffering the same punishment. Don't you feel awful?"
This seemingly rational and aloof Omega was, in fact, quite rebellious and reckless.
She was fully aware of the price of enduring a heat without a partner to alleviate it, yet she persisted until her mental power was in complete disarray, ultimately leading to a headache and fainting.
She knew perfectly well that inducing an Alpha with her pheromones would cause her to suffer the same unbearable torment, yet she did it anyway, sitting on the sofa and holding out until the very last moment.
That soaking wet carpet was certainly not Luo Yueqing's doing alone.
Just how much could Xi Zhoulu endure?
Even Luo Yueqing, whose senses were dulled by alcohol, couldn't help but whimper and beg. What kind of willpower must a sober Xi Zhoulu have possessed to stop herself from getting closer?
"That's none of your business," Xi Zhoulu couldn't help but say stubbornly.
Luo Yueqing laughed, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes shimmering. "Then don't you want to know what Shen Xianyun and I just talked about?" she asked deliberately.
Xi Zhoulu froze. Before she could answer, Luo Yueqing revealed the answer herself.
"I pulled open my shirt…"
Her deliberately drawn-out tone was a sign of Luo Yueqing's wicked sense of humor. She clearly hadn't forgotten what happened earlier and was determined to tease Xi Zhoulu.
Xi Zhoulu's expression darkened, and the bedsheet she was clutching crumpled into a ball. The reason she had been beating around the bush, never getting to the point, was simply because she was afraid to face it.
Luo Yueqing watched her until her face was grim, then quickly finished her sentence: "And I showed her the bite mark you left."
Xi Zhoulu was clearly stunned. Her thin lips parted and closed, but no words came out.
Luo Yueqing continued, "Shen Xianyun likes you. Did you know that?"
"She's an Omega," Xi Zhoulu retorted instinctively.
"So an Omega can't like you?" Luo Yueqing raised an eyebrow. "Or are you going to trot out that theory about you being a cripple again?"
"You're the one attracting admirers without even knowing it, CEO Xi."
"I'm busy dealing with my love rival while you're busy being jealous. Don't you think that's ridiculous?"
Luo Yueqing spared her no mercy, speaking bluntly. Before Xi Zhoulu could react, she lowered her head slightly, pressing their foreheads together, cutting off all of Xi Zhoulu's escape routes and forcing her to see nothing but her.
"Xi Zhoulu, tell me, what should I do?" she sighed, her voice so faint it felt like a gust of wind could scatter it.
"How can I make you trust me a little more?"
A kitten that has been abused is always on guard, wishing it could trade its fur for sharp spines to scare away anyone who comes near.
"My background—you've already investigated it thoroughly. My parents still need your financial support. My work…"
Luo Yueqing smiled faintly and said frankly, "I imagine that with a slight lift of your hand, the great CEO Xi could ensure that not a single studio would dare take my commissions again."
"And there's the prenuptial agreement we signed. Don't forget, whoever initiates a divorce has to give up all their assets and leave with nothing."
She enunciated each word, as if making a tempting promise. "I am completely dependent on you. I'm someone who can't leave you at all."
"What are you so afraid of?"
"What do I have to do to earn your trust?"
Luo Yueqing murmured, her voice as soft as if she were telling a bedtime story. "We could get marked sooner, if that would make you feel more at ease."
"It's just…"
Luo Yueqing tilted her head, adding nonchalantly, "We'd have to put having children on the agenda as well."
They had both been deliberately avoiding the topic. Although Old Master Xi was eager for an heir, he wasn't an unreasonable man. He would give them some time to adjust, since only after being marked by each other would they have the highest chance of producing a high-grade descendant.
So, getting marked meant sacrificing some of their time and being pressured by Old Master Xi to prepare ahead of schedule.
The choice was now in Xi Zhoulu's hands, but she couldn't make a decision. Her eyes darted away, only to be forcefully pulled back by the person on top of her.
Her hand, which had been gripping the sheet, relaxed and then tightened again. Xi Zhoulu took a deep breath but couldn't manage to say anything.
Luo Yueqing found this amusing. It was a rare sight to see such a guilty, flustered, and lost expression on the face of the ever-calculating CEO Xi.
Luo Yueqing enunciated her name clearly. "Xi Zhoulu."
"Mm…" Xi Zhoulu answered in a low voice.
"Next time, can you listen to me more," Luo Yueqing paused, then emphasized, "when I'm not drunk."
"I was wrong," Xi Zhoulu said, pursing her lips. Her thick, lowered lashes cast a pale gray shadow on her eyelids.
Luo Yueqing smiled but said, "Just a verbal apology? Even a child knows to offer compensation. Isn't CEO Xi being a little insincere?"
Now that the other woman was making a demand, Xi Zhoulu actually felt a sense of relief. She said quietly, "What do you want?"
"I can have whatever I want?" A glint of light flashed in Luo Yueqing's eyes as she remembered something. She added, "You did say before that you would give me anything."
Xi Zhoulu already sensed something was amiss but was in no position to resist. She could only manage a muffled "mm."
Luo Yueqing immediately broke into a smile. "Then you have to answer whatever I say and cooperate with whatever I do, alright?"
"Alright…"
The rain outside fell without end. A cool breeze blew into the room, bringing a hint of chill. The soft rustle of fabric was hidden in the deep night.
Luo Yueqing pressed close to Xi Zhoulu's lips, pecking them again and again.
Xi Zhoulu had always been a person who kept her word. Since she had agreed, she wouldn't go back on it. She tilted her chin up slightly, carefully cooperating.
The pajamas being pulled at were made of incredibly soft silk, a shirt and trousers set consistent with Xi Zhoulu's usual style—staid and conservative.
Luo Yueqing casually switched on the wall lamp. The dim light made Xi Zhoulu frown and close her eyes. She wanted to object but stopped herself.
Right now, Luo Yueqing was like someone preparing to savor a delicacy, slowly and deliberately unwrapping the packaging. Starting from the first button, each one revealed a special new view.
At the same time, she asked flippantly, "That punishment just now, how long did you think about it?"
It wasn't a difficult question. Xi Zhoulu paused for a moment before answering, "From the time I carried you out of the bathroom until we got back to the room."
So she'd been thinking about it the entire way?
Luo Yueqing clicked her tongue. It seemed this woman had been holding in a lot of anger.
How could an Omega be so possessive, not even allowing a glance at someone else?
"Are you a jar of vinegar?" Luo Yueqing couldn't help but ask.
Xi Zhoulu instinctively wanted to deny it, but the unfastening of the second button broke her train of thought.
A cool breeze slipped in through the collar, making her tense jawline even more defined.
Luo Yueqing wasn't in a hurry to lower her head. She lay on her side next to Xi Zhoulu and worked on the next button. "Did you have any strength left after you stopped?"
"I rested for a while."
"You rested for a while before going to clean up?"
Xi Zhoulu's gaze flickered for a second. She seemed to understand what kind of compensation Luo Yueqing wanted.
The third button was undone, revealing the soft, bare skin underneath. They weren't large, but they were delicate and perky, with a beautiful shape that could be perfectly cupped in one hand, with just a little spilling through the fingers.
"Hmm?" Luo Yueqing prompted, referring to her previous question. At the same time, her fingers curled slightly, leaving faint red marks on the pale skin.
"Yes…" Xi Zhoulu could only answer vaguely.
"You went by yourself? You didn't have anyone help?"
"No."
Luo Yueqing laughed and praised her, "So capable."
Xi Zhoulu didn't know what was so praiseworthy about that. It was just cleaning herself up after her legs had gone weak. She couldn't possibly have asked someone else for help.
She bit her lower lip. It hadn't seemed like a big deal before. Her legs had just been more sore and difficult to manage than usual, but it was nothing more than taking the showerhead and rinsing away the damp traces.
Luo Yueqing suddenly asked, "Was it comfortable?"
"What?" Xi Zhoulu was a little confused.
The woman explained in a low voice, "Does the hot water feel more comfortable?"
A faint blush crept up her earlobes. Xi Zhoulu finally understood what she meant. As an heir who had been strictly educated her entire life, even after learning about such matters as an adult, she found it difficult to speak about them so openly.
She gritted her teeth and could only say, "I don't know. I… I didn't do anything like that."
"Tsk, so you didn't feel anything when you were rinsing yourself off?" Luo Yueqing said nonchalantly, her hand on the rising and falling chest tightening slightly.
She asked again, "Was it comfortable?"
She refused to let it go, insisting on a precise answer.
Xi Zhoulu couldn't help but think back to before, sitting in her wheelchair as the hot water slid off the leather seat, splashing onto the floor. The scene, which had seemed so insignificant then, now felt mortifying even to recall. All those feelings she thought were subtle and could be forgotten now inexplicably returned to her body.
Xi Zhoulu managed to squeeze out two words: "It was… okay."
Luo Yueqing chuckled lightly, expressing her satisfaction, then continued to ask, "What about on the sofa? Did you press your legs together?"
She looked up at Xi Zhoulu, her deceptively innocent eyes filled with mockery. "Xi Zhoulu, I was in that state. You couldn't have felt nothing, right?" she said guilelessly.
Of course not. In fact, as an Omega, she would be even more deeply affected than an Alpha, her sensations even clearer.
The prey laid out on the chopping block not only couldn't resist but also had to divert her attention to answer one tricky and embarrassing question after another.
Xi Zhoulu could only answer, "I did."
Even though she tried to keep her voice low, a slight tremor was still audible. The Omega, who had been admired her whole life, had never been treated like this. The wall lamp, which usually seemed dim and soft, now felt bright and glaring. All the buttons had been undone, revealing everything.
Her slender waist rose and fell with each breath. A hand slid inch by inch over her skin, its cool temperature seeming to seep beneath her flesh and brand itself deep into her blood and bone.
As the one at fault, Xi Zhoulu could only answer every question honestly.
"Did it help?"
"No."
Luo Yueqing raised an eyebrow. "So the sofa needs to be replaced again?"
Xi Zhoulu paused for a moment, then said, "It does."
The woman of few words was now only spitting out two words at a time, wishing she could pull the covers over her head and bury herself.
The questioner remained unaffected and quickly asked, "So, do you want to?"
This time, without waiting for Xi Zhoulu's reply, she continued, "But my wrist hurts so much. I can't move. What should I do?"
She lifted her hand, revealing the marks on her slender wrist from where it had been tied.
"My knees, too," Luo Yueqing muttered, draped over her in a pitiful manner.
How could she forget? Luo Yueqing had always been a petty, wicked person who never took a loss.
"Xi Zhoulu, can you think of a way that doesn't require me to use my hands and lets me just lie here? Please?"
You see, the wicked person never made a request directly. She had to make the victim say it herself, and only then would she agree with a look of "pure and considerate" innocence.
The sound of the rain grew louder, water droplets beating down relentlessly. Fallen leaves on the ground piled up into small mounds, blocking the flow of water.
By the dim yellow light and through the half-drawn curtains, one could vaguely make out the scene inside. For some reason, only the slender shadow of one person leaning back was visible, her long hair cascading down as she tilted her head back, swaying as if blown by the wind.
Only by looking past the curtain could one see that the other person was merely sitting up at the head of the bed, her legs bent to provide a backrest for the other.
Luo Yueqing smiled lazily, her deep and bewitching features growing even more stunning, like a triumphant little fox, urging the other person not to stop.
The person facing her merely glanced up, too exhausted to utter any words of protest, and could only allow her waist to be held and pressed down.
Her weak legs naturally couldn't provide any support, especially in this situation. They were even more useless now. Her entire body leaned against the other's legs, her hands propped behind her, pressing the thin blanket down. Her legs, forced apart, trembled, and crystalline drops of water could be faintly seen dripping down.
How could such a malicious and vengeful person stop there? She complained with a smile, "Xi Zhoulu, you're touching my knee. It hurts."
It was impossible to know if she had actually touched it, but there was no way to verify it at that moment. Xi Zhoulu could only shift her body up slightly, and the fingers buried in that wet, soft place went even deeper.
She immediately let out a muffled grunt.
Looking across, the little fox's smile grew even more triumphant, her wickedness practically written on her face.
The hand on her waist squeezed lightly, and she heard the person urge, "Can't move your hips anymore? Is that all you've got, Xi Zhoulu?"
Xi Zhoulu clenched her back teeth, the mist in the corners of her eyes growing more apparent.
At some point, a clap of thunder lit up the silhouette of the distant mountains. As the torrential rain subsided, the dark clouds gradually dispersed.
The ground was covered in fallen leaves that had clogged the drains. A servant, muttering curses, had to throw on some clothes and get up early to deal with the flooded garden.
A sliver of white appeared on the horizon. The intermittent chirping of birds began, and the city slowly started to wake.
After an unknown amount of time, an irrepressible sob emerged from the room, as if someone was repeatedly murmuring "no" and "I was wrong." It was unclear from the outside, but one could roughly tell that the other person seemed to have gotten up to hold them. Yet the crying didn't stop; in fact, it grew clearer.
The wind blew the curtains open, revealing another scene of disarray. An empty wine bottle rolled across the floor.
The crying stopped abruptly, replaced by heavy breathing.
The heavy rain had clearly stopped, yet the sound of water could still be heard, soaking the entire bedsheet.
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