บท 33: 33
Seeing this scene, Pei Yujang frowned slightly.
Liu Huanran always claimed to like Yu Zhiwan, but she clearly wanted to have her cake and eat it too. The woman had practically draped herself over Liu Huanran, and now she was pretending to act all proper. Who was she trying to fool? Was this some sort of game where it didn't count as "emotional cheating" unless it went all the way?
No, it wasn't really emotional cheating since they weren't officially together.
The opulently decorated hall was clearly a place for revelry, and although the music drowned out most of the noise, the sounds of intimate kisses and other suggestive noises still reached Pei Yujang's ears.
For most people, such sounds would cause flushed cheeks and pounding hearts, but for Pei Yujang, who had survived the apocalypse, they had long lost their effect.
At that moment, Zhao Longshuang tapped her on the shoulder, pulling Pei Yujang out of her thoughts.
"Shall we go eat?"
Pei Yujang had already lost her appetite after seeing the environment. Who in their right mind would set up a dinner in a place like this? But since she was already there, she reluctantly followed Zhao Longshuang inside.
The dining area was relatively quiet, a private room decorated in deep gold tones. Here, the outside noise couldn't be heard. The meal was a pre-planned set menu, and Zhao Longshuang poured her a glass of plum wine, raising her hand to toast Pei Yujang.
Pei Yujang stared at the deep red liquid in the clear wine glass for a moment, but made no move to drink it.
Zhao Longshuang noticed her hesitation. "What's wrong? We haven't seen each other in such a short time, and you're acting like you don't know your sister anymore?"
The original Pei Yujang had truly seen Zhao Longshuang as an older sister, confiding in her about everything and taking her advice as gospel.
But Pei Yujang had no habit of drinking outside, especially not with someone like Zhao Longshuang. Alcohol could lead to mistakes, and she didn't trust Zhao Longshuang at all.
After a brief interaction with her, Pei Yujang suspected that Zhao Longshuang might even spike the drink with something "special."
Zhao Longshuang took a sip from her wine glass, the pale yellow light of the chandelier reflecting off the wine and onto her delicate collarbone. Yicheng was nearing winter, and the cold air swept through the city. Despite the heating in the room, Zhao Longshuang wore only a strapless dress, her lip gloss leaving a mark on the rim of the glass as she leaned casually on the table.
"Yujang, the Alpha pheromone extract I gave you should be expired by now. Why haven't you gone to pick up more from Lao Jiang?"
The original Pei Yujang had gotten her Alpha pheromone extracts from Zhao Longshuang. Lao Jiang was the contact Zhao Longshuang had introduced, and most of the time, the original Pei Yujang would get her supplies from him.
This included not just pheromone extracts, but also various stimulants. These were taken over a long period to enhance her "performance" to an Alpha level.
When Pei Yujang crossed over, the original had just finished a cycle of medication and was supposed to pick up the next batch, but she hadn't gone. Instead, she had a physical check-up and, after confirming that the drugs didn't cause significant harm, she stopped taking them altogether, opting to detox her body instead.
Medications are inherently harmful, and the fact that Zhao Longshuang had coaxed the original into buying illegal Alpha pheromone extracts under the guise of being a caring older sister was already a betrayal.
Only the original had been foolish enough to fall for it.
Of course, the original Pei Yujang's own questionable morals played a big role in this.
"What else could it be? Some old hag found out about the drugs and told my mom. She's been watching me closely ever since. Haven't you noticed I can't even go out without her checking in?"
The original Pei Yujang would lash out at anyone when she was upset, so Pei Yujang mimicked her tone, frowning in displeasure. She pushed the wine glass away and aggressively pressed the service bell several times.
"My throat hurts. Get me some coconut juice!"
The waiter was already waiting outside. Hearing the bell, they knocked on the door, and Zhao Longshuang shot her a somewhat indecipherable look before telling the waiter,
"Coconut juice is too sweet. Bring her chrysanthemum tea instead, to cool her down."
For someone like the original Pei Yujang, who loved indulging herself, drinking bitter chrysanthemum tea was pure torture. Pei Yujang could tell that Zhao Longshuang was testing her, so she played along, showing increasing irritation.
It was hard to tell if Zhao Longshuang really believed her act. She tapped her manicured nails on the table before sitting back down, her expression returning to normal as she spoke in the same tone they used to share:
"You mentioned before that you were pursuing an Omega. Was it Yu Zhiwan?"
Zhao Longshuang and the original Pei Yujang had always been straightforward with each other. The original had taken an interest in Yu Zhiwan and had mentioned it to Zhao Longshuang, so it wasn't surprising she remembered.
When she mentioned Yu Zhiwan, Pei Yujang kept her expression neutral and nodded in acknowledgment. Zhao Longshuang seemed interested in the topic and fired off a series of questions:
"How's it going? I remember she's your employee's girlfriend, right? Are you planning to steal her away? You said you were organizing a team-building event—did you—"
Pei Yujang listened calmly at first, but when she reached her limit, she slammed her hand on the table with a loud bang, startling Zhao Longshuang. Pei Yujang's face twisted in anger.
"What do you mean, my employee's girlfriend? Who told you that? I'll rip their mouth off!"
Pei Yujang genuinely despised Liu Huanran, so her outburst of anger wasn't entirely an act. She immediately complained that Liu Huanran wasn't Yu Zhiwan's girlfriend, and they had never officially been in a relationship. Liu Huanran was just being delusional.
She then vented her frustration, cursing Liu Huanran and telling Zhao Longshuang how shameless she was for spreading rumors about her and Yu Zhiwan.
"Zhiwan and I are legitimate! Sister Shuang, I really like her. I'm not just playing around. If you hear anyone badmouthing me, let me know so I can tear them apart!"
Pei Yujang's features were sharp and striking, and when she got angry, her intensity was palpable. Her beautiful blue eyes narrowed with determination, showing how serious she was.
Zhao Longshuang watched her for a moment before chuckling softly and patting her on the shoulder.
"Alright, I'm glad to see you're serious about this. It shows you've grown up and are taking responsibility. But what about the pheromone extract? I only ordered it because you really wanted it. Now the supply is steady, and they expect regular orders. It's not easy for me to manage this if you back out."
"Yujang, we're close, but business is business. If the suppliers don't get a valid reason for the orders stopping, I can't cover the losses. And if that gap isn't filled, well, those people can be dangerous..."
Zhao Longshuang sighed, looking at Pei Yujang with feigned regret.
"I warned you before, once you get involved with people like that, it's hard to get out."
People who dealt with black market goods were certainly not legitimate. The original Pei Yujang must have realized this but had been manipulated by Zhao Longshuang's persistent coaxing and persuasion into making the wrong choice.
All the connections and information were in Zhao Longshuang's hands. Now she was trying to wash her hands clean of the matter and use it to threaten Pei Yujang.
If Zhao Longshuang decided to expose her, it wouldn't just be a matter of reputation; Pei Yujang could end up needing to go to the police station for multiple tests before being released.
Pei Yujang didn't want to pay for the original's sins, but the original had handed over the leverage to Zhao Longshuang herself, unaware of the danger.
Keeping her expression neutral, Pei Yujang pretended to be a bit nervous and nodded toward Zhao Longshuang.
"I'll think about it."
Zhao Longshuang knew when to back off, understanding that pushing too hard could backfire. Seeing that Pei Yujang was starting to get it, she moved on from the topic.
The rest of the meal was tasteless for Pei Yujang. Zhao Longshuang, noticing her mood, didn't eat much either. In the end, most of the food was left untouched and wasted.
As they were leaving, Zhao Longshuang politely offered to see her off, but Pei Yujang declined, driving off herself under Zhao Longshuang's watchful eye, successfully using the excuse of a sore throat to avoid further invitations.
Whenever the original Pei Yujang went out with Zhao Longshuang, she would take her to admire beautiful girls, but it was never more than eye candy or a bit of harmless flirting. Zhao Longshuang never let her indulge fully, keeping her just frustrated enough to seek out more on her own.
Pei Yujang couldn't fully mimic the original's emotions and interests. After all, she wasn't the original Pei Yujang and couldn't live by her persona forever. Zhao Longshuang was already suspicious, and who knew when this power struggle would fully erupt?
Deep in thought, Pei Yujang drove back to her neighborhood, only to find that the streetlights were out, though the lights in her house were still on. She distinctly remembered turning off the lights before leaving. Guided by the light, she quickly parked her car and ran home, instinctively preparing to defend herself as she opened the door.
But instead of a thief, she was met with the familiar figure of Yu Zhiwan.
Only then did Pei Yujang remember that she had given Yu Zhiwan her house key for convenience.
Hearing the door open, the Omega turned her head from the hallway, her pale fingers pointing towards the sobering soup she had placed on the dining table.
Yu Zhiwan hadn't come over for no reason; she knew Pei Yujang had a dinner, so she had prepared the sobering soup for her.
Although Pei Yujang, who hadn't actually drunk any alcohol, was still troubled, the warmth from this kind gesture surged through her heart. Just as she was about to express her gratitude, she heard Yu Zhiwan's soft voice.
"Back so soon?" Yu Zhiwan asked, "Didn't you stay longer to admire the pretty girls for me?"
Pei Yujang: She's concerned about me.
Yu Zhiwan: I'm being sarcastic.
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