Capítulo 32: 32
A tingling sensation spread through Yu Zhiwan's fingertips, making her cheeks, ears, and neck heat up, as if she were being steamed alive.
She hadn't expected Pei Yujang to suddenly "bite" her.
When an Omega gets excited, their pheromones can uncontrollably spread, acting as the perfect aphrodisiac for an Alpha. For a Beta, though, it's just like a pleasant fragrance.
The juice from the flower had a faint bitterness. Although its scent was lovely, the taste was sour and bitter, far from enjoyable.
Pei Yujang noticed that the pheromones in the air seemed to intensify. As a Beta, she wasn't as sensitive to pheromones as Alphas or Omegas, but by the time she realized it, the pheromones were likely already quite strong. She hurriedly released Yu Zhiwan's fingers from her mouth.
Turning to check Yu Zhiwan's expression, she was relieved to see the woman looking calm.
By this time, Yu Zhiwan had forced herself to "cool down," trying to maintain a serene demeanor so Pei Yujang wouldn't notice anything amiss.
While Yu Zhiwan seemed unfazed, Pei Yujang was deeply anxious.
She had just seen the female lead's blackening value drop by only one point. Was her response not satisfactory?
But she couldn't just say she wasn't going to the set anymore!
Faced with the female lead's "unpredictable" behavior, Pei Yujang's mind raced. She suddenly realized that her impulsive action of holding Yu Zhiwan's fingers might have been offensive.
After all, Yu Zhiwan was an Omega. Even though she was a Beta, biting someone's fingers without permission could be considered crossing a line. What if Yu Zhiwan was a germaphobe? Many Omegas were, given their need to maintain higher levels of personal hygiene due to their physiology.
Pei Yujang wasn't particularly fastidious about cleanliness. Although she wasn't careless, she wasn't obsessed with cleanliness either.
Without thinking further, Pei Yujang immediately extended her hand towards Yu Zhiwan's lips.
"How about you bite me back? Even the score?"
Yu Zhiwan: "..."
She gritted her teeth slowly and heavily.
Pei Yujang, fearing that she might anger her and cause the blackening value to rise again, quickly added, "I don't mind! It doesn't hurt. You can bite however you want!"
After a long silence, Yu Zhiwan squeezed out a response: "No."
"Really, you don't want to?"
Pei Yujang didn't have a fetish for being bitten. She was just worried about future retribution from the female lead, so she asked again. Yu Zhiwan's patience seemed to be wearing thin. She muttered something about being "a bit tired" and turned to leave.
Before leaving the lab, the equipment needed to be shut down, a task that wasn't difficult but fell to Pei Yujang since Yu Zhiwan was blind. After turning off the last light, Pei Yujang noticed Yu Zhiwan sitting by the door, arms crossed, her face cold.
There's a saying, "A beauty under the lamp" or "three points of charm in mourning," which alludes to the same idea.
Yu Zhiwan, dressed in clean white clothing without any adornment, her serene features highlighted by the soft, uncomplicated lighting, exuded an otherworldly, untouchable beauty.
Her delicate eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes resembled those of a southern girl, nurtured by the land of Ningxiang—like white lotus or crisp lotus roots, tender enough to drip water when bitten.
She was naturally elegant, but not plain, with perfectly spaced features. The light cast half her face in shadow, adding an indescribable edge to her soft features, giving her an aura of cold, aloof beauty.
For some reason, Pei Yujang was reminded of the idea that if the female lead's blackening value reached 100%, she would destroy the world. In the past, Pei Yujang had been curious about how a seemingly fragile Omega like Yu Zhiwan could end the world. But as they grew closer, she was beginning to understand.
This woman was much more dangerous than she appeared.
With a snap, Pei Yujang turned off the last light. The hallway lights outside automatically lit up with a soft, yellowish glow. She sighed in relief and walked over to Yu Zhiwan.
That night, Pei Yujang had another dream.
This time, the dream was straightforward. She dreamt of Yu Zhiwan in a dimly lit, converted basement laboratory, having herself tied up.
The rope, soaked in saline solution, was rough and scraped painfully against her skin, especially since her body was already covered in welts from the woman's whip, each wound bleeding profusely.
Pei Yujang screamed for help in vain, watching helplessly as Yu Zhiwan released several snakes she had been keeping.
They were colorful pythons, with old, sharp teeth, slithering across the floor, their tongues flickering ominously in the dim light. Pei Yujang had no idea where Yu Zhiwan had acquired such creatures.
Yu Zhiwan pressed the whip against her chin, cutting her skin so that blood dripped, exciting the carnivorous animals who were eager to pounce.
The whip, soaked in saline, brushed across her wounds, causing Pei Yujang to suck in a breath. The woman, all the while, pressed the rough whip against her collarbone, applying pressure as she asked in a mockingly sinister tone:
"Do you want to undress yourself, or shall I do it for you?"
In the dream, the madwoman's suggestion wasn't of anything erotic. Pei Yujang guessed it meant either stripping her down to expose her bloody wounds to the snakes or something even more gruesome—like flaying her alive.
Either way, it was too cruel for a living person to endure.
Pei Yujang woke up in terror.
When she woke, it was already daylight. Drenched in sweat, she hurried to the bathroom to shower. The warm steam gradually washed away the terror of the dream, and as the hot water cascaded down, her nerves slowly calmed.
Standing in the spacious shower, arms outstretched to enjoy the water, Pei Yujang noticed that the water seemed to be getting colder. She adjusted the temperature, only to hear a sudden "pop" from outside.
The lights instantly went out, and the water heater shut off, plunging the bathroom into a dim, murky light.
Did the power go out, or was it a trip?
Usually, the landlord would notify tenants of a power outage, so it was more likely a trip. Pei Yujang, with a towel casually wrapped around her, prepared to get dressed—only to realize—
She had rushed into the shower without bringing a change of clothes.
Her dirty clothes were already in the laundry basket, and her pajamas were soaked with sweat. Putting them back on would make the shower pointless.
Clicking her tongue, Pei Yujang wrapped herself in a disposable towel and dashed out.
Fortunately, the circuit breaker was in the living room. Pei Yujang fiddled with it and quickly restored the power, planning to return to the bathroom for a final rinse.
As she re-entered the bathroom, loosening her towel, she suddenly bumped into Yu Zhiwan, who was already inside.
The living room and bathroom were far apart, with soundproofing in between. Focused on fixing the breaker, Pei Yujang hadn't noticed Yu Zhiwan approaching.
And the bathroom door had been left open. Inside, there were two sections: one for the vanity and sink, and another for the toilet and shower. The well-positioned, spacious guesthouse had allowed her to forget to close the door when she rushed out, never expecting Yu Zhiwan to come in at that moment.
Pei Yujang hastily grabbed the towel and covered herself.
Although she knew Yu Zhiwan was blind and couldn't see her, embarrassment still sent waves of heat rushing to her face.
Especially after such a vivid dream, running into the person involved first thing in the morning brought the memories flooding back. While Pei Yujang's body was now clean and unscarred, she couldn't help but recall her bloodied, pleading self from the dream.
Pei Yujang started coughing violently.
Though Yu Zhiwan couldn't see and didn't know what was happening, she realized something was wrong and sensed the awkwardness:
"I came over and noticed the bathroom door was open, so I thought I'd take a shower..."
Pei Yujang waved her hand. "I was showering, but the breaker tripped, so I went out to fix it. Just give me a few minutes to finish."
After Yu Zhiwan stepped aside, Pei Yujang hurried to her bedroom to grab fresh clothes, quickly rinsed off, and changed. Without even drying her hair, she gave Yu Zhiwan the bathroom.
Using a towel to dry her hair roughly, Pei Yujang sat on her bed, scheduling a time to visit Chen Lulu's film set.
While waiting for Chen Lulu's reply, a thought struck her. People in Yicheng usually didn't shower in the winter; the city was too cold for it to be a common practice, even with central heating.
Moreover, Yu Zhiwan was blind, which made bathing inconvenient. Why would she decide to take a shower first thing in the morning?
The more Pei Yujang thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
This wouldn't normally cause her to overthink, but given Yu Zhiwan's increasing blackening value, the potential for world destruction, and the recurring nightmares where Yu Zhiwan tortured her mercilessly, Pei Yujang couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling.
Was Yu Zhiwan's blackening value about to reach its peak? Could she be planning to do something drastic?
During the apocalypse, Pei Yujang didn't have many forms of entertainment. She didn't like fooling around with Omegas or engaging in inappropriate banter with idle colleagues. Instead, she enjoyed reading old novels left from the pre-apocalypse days.
However, the novels she read were rarely romantic; they mostly dealt with murder mysteries. She did, however, read some of the once-popular "scum Alpha" novels but often dropped them midway. She usually hoped the Omega protagonists would exact revenge on the scum Alpha, but instead, the stories often ended with the Alpha getting the girl.
If she had been treated the way those Omegas were, without knowing that the person had changed, she would see them as an eternal enemy and wouldn't be swayed just because the scum Alpha reformed and flirted with her.
As the protagonist of a novel, Yu Zhiwan hadn't retaliated against Liu Huanran, who had once bullied her. Could it be that her hatred was now being redirected towards Pei Yujang?
Pei Yujang didn't think she was overthinking this. It seemed like a very real possibility.
If she still went to the film set today, would Yu Zhiwan feel abandoned, leading to even more severe blackening, perhaps reaching an irreversible point?
The film set was tempting, but Yu Zhiwan's favor was more important. If it meant preserving her life, she would give up both.
Pei Yujang thought it over for less than two minutes. Messages sent within two minutes could still be retracted, so she acted quickly, using her fastest typing speed ever to retract the message to Chen Lulu. Since Chen Lulu was likely busy filming and wouldn't be checking her phone constantly, she probably hadn't seen the message yet.
After thinking up a suitable excuse, Pei Yujang sent another message to Chen Lulu:
"Sorry, something came up, and I can't make it today. It's work-related. How about I support you when your show airs?"
"Work-related issues" was one of the best universal excuses, as most people wouldn't probe further, knowing it could involve privacy.
A few minutes later, Chen Lulu replied, though it seemed to be her assistant speaking:
[Chen Lulu]: "Got it."
When Yu Zhiwan came out of the bathroom, Pei Yujang couldn't wait to tell her the news. If she didn't go, Yu Zhiwan shouldn't have any reason to blacken further, right?
When Pei Yujang went over, she saw Yu Zhiwan holding a small bamboo basket—their laundry basket. Each of them had one.
Pei Yujang offered to help her carry it to the laundry room, but to her surprise, Yu Zhiwan quickly tightened her grip on the basket:
"No need, I can do it myself."
Pei Yujang was taken aback.
Since they had become closer, Pei Yujang had often helped Yu Zhiwan with daily tasks that might be difficult for a blind person, tasks that were easy for her, who had no physical disabilities.
Helping her carry the laundry basket wasn't the same as doing her laundry. She was just going to put it in the laundry room—what was the big deal?
Pei Yujang blinked nervously.
Was this a sign that the female lead was starting to dislike her?
Pei Yujang wasn't lying to Chen Lulu; their time in Ningxiang was indeed short. The day after they confirmed the extraction was successful, they returned to Yicheng without wasting any time.
Although Pei Yujang didn't get to try the fish maw hotpot she had been looking forward to, she was invited to dinner the night she returned to Yicheng.
The invitation came from Zhao Longshuang, the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Her Alpha mother was one of Pei Jinhui's business partners.
Like the original Pei Yujang, Zhao Longshuang was also a Beta who liked Omegas. The two were kindred spirits. Zhao Longshuang was smart and cunning, with many connections. It was through her that the original Pei Yujang had gained access to Alpha pheromone extract.
Even though Zhao Longshuang knew this was illegal, she still helped the original Pei Yujang, acting as if she were her "trusted sister." The original story didn't delve much into her character, but Pei Yujang knew that after the Pei family's downfall, Zhao Longshuang's family benefited greatly and discarded the original Pei Yujang like an old shoe.
If it were up to Pei Yujang, she wouldn't want anything to do with someone like that. But the looming threat of the Pei family's future bankruptcy weighed heavily on her mind.
She could tell that Pei Jinhui truly cared for her, and since she called her "Mom," she didn't want to watch her mother's company go under. Zhao Longshuang might be a key player in the events leading to their downfall. So, despite her dislike, Pei Yujang didn't refuse the invitation.
After work, Zhao Longshuang sent a luxury car to pick her up from the company. She didn't come in person, and when the driver greeted Pei Yujang, he grinned and said,
"Miss Pei, Miss Zhao is waiting for you in the private room. After dinner, we're going to sing. There will be plenty of pretty Omega girls there."
Pei Yujang's reputation in the company had improved significantly over the past few months, but the driver spoke loudly, as if afraid no one would hear.
If this were the original Pei Yujang, she might not have cared about such gossip. But Pei Yujang didn't want to be labeled as someone who liked to party and play around, so she glared at the driver.
She had already informed Yu Zhiwan that she wouldn't be home tonight, but she wasn't sure if Yu Zhiwan had heard the driver's loud statement. She quickly added,
"I don't feel like singing tonight. I'd prefer to go early and leave early."
The driver simply smiled and escorted Pei Yujang to the car without further comment.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Longshuang had arranged dinner at a bathhouse.
Since coming to this world, Pei Yujang had never been to such a place. She had a natural aversion to places of indulgence.
As soon as she entered, she was greeted by the sight of dim yellow lights, eerily reminiscent of the yellow eyes of flesh-eating zombie beasts, filling her with discomfort.
The air was thick with cloying perfume, so overpowering that it was hard to understand why anyone would find such a scent appealing.
Pei Yujang disliked the environment but stood in the doorway for a moment before Zhao Longshuang, smiling broadly, came over to greet her.
Zhao Longshuang opened her arms, clearly intending to give Pei Yujang a warm hug. After all, the original Pei Yujang and Zhao Longshuang hadn't seen each other in a while. Zhao Longshuang had been abroad on business, and the original Pei Yujang had tried to meet her several times, missing her "close sister."
Of course, the original Pei Yujang didn't have romantic feelings for her. She saw Zhao Longshuang as a trusted older sister who could give her advice. It was also Zhao Longshuang who encouraged the original Pei Yujang to rebel against her family and anger Pei Jinhui.
Pei Yujang didn't like Zhao Longshuang, so she gave her a perfunctory hug before pulling away. As she did, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the lounge.
Liu Huanran was playing a game with a heavily made-up, scantily clad girl, feeding her fruit mouth-to-mouth. The girl's hand rested on Liu Huanran's thigh, her smile seductive.
Why was Liu Huanran here?
Before Pei Yujang could think further, the girl suddenly let out an "ouch."
Liu Huanran, who had been grinning moments earlier, abruptly pushed the girl away.
They were sitting on a leather sofa, and with Liu Huanran's legs crossed, the girl, caught off guard, fell awkwardly, knocking over a fruit platter in the process. The sound of it crashing echoed through the lounge, drawing attention from many onlookers.
Liu Huanran quickly bent down to pick up the fallen items while gripping the girl's slender wrist tightly. Her voice was low, and she spoke with a warning tone:
"Little girl, didn't I say not to kiss your sister directly..."
Yu Zhiwan: Why are you afraid of me?
Pei Yujang: Because I had a dream.
Pei Yujang: Why didn't you let me help you carry things?
Yu Zhiwan: ...Because I had a dream too.
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