A Scummy Alpha and An Award-Winning Omega Actress Fell in Love After an Arranged Marriage - Chapter 18

Jiang Ling finally regained her composure and detected a cold, thinly veiled anger in Lu Xueyin’s hoarse and weak voice.

So, this newlywed couple didn’t end up in the hospital because they were both inexperienced and accidentally went too hard during their first Marking.

There was another reason?

The person Lu Xueyin contacted at a time like this must be reliable.

Jiang Ling confirmed the address and room number with Lu Xueyin, asking whether the hospital visit was discreet, if there were any paparazzi lurking, and whether fans could sneak in.

Lu Xueyin wasn’t sure.

When she left that house, her mind had been in chaos.

It wasn’t until she got into the car that the Inhibitor pulled her back to some semblance of rationality. By then, she had already put on a mask.

“It should be fine. Sheng Lan seemed pretty calm.”

The conversation ended there.

Sheng Lan stood at the foot of the hospital bed, close to Lu Xueyin.

She had been watching Lu Xueyin’s back and her pale, exhausted face reflected in the glass window.

This proximity would normally make Lu Xueyin feel unsafe, but seeing her swaying unsteadily, Sheng Lan had stepped closer.

When their gazes met in the glass, Sheng Lan offered a faint smile.

“Ready for the injection? Dr. Meng is about to get off work.”

The injection didn’t require Dr. Meng’s presence, but the standoff had dragged on too long. Given Lu Xueyin and Sheng Lan’s high profiles, the nurse had to step out first.

Lu Xueyin gave a slight nod. After hanging up the phone, she shuffled slowly toward the bed.

She looked like she might collapse at any moment.

Every inch of her radiated fragility.

Up close, Sheng Lan could see the faint blue veins beneath her skin.

Like a meticulously crafted porcelain doll.

Beautiful, delicate, and stirring an overwhelming urge to protect.

For some inexplicable reason.

Perhaps because she had reconnected with the outside world and spoken to someone she trusted, Lu Xueyin now seemed to possess an unshakable sense of security.

Or maybe, in her extreme weakness, she had wrapped herself in a facade of forced strength.

Instead of walking along the wall to the head of the bed, she first approached the foot, passing by Sheng Lan before finally sitting down on the bed.

The sleeve of her hospital gown brushed against the back of Sheng Lan’s hand.

That spot had just had an IV, the bandage had long been peeled off and discarded by Sheng Lan.

The needle mark had scabbed over, leaving a tiny speck of dried blood.

Now, it began to itch.

Sheng Lan instinctively scratched it, easily breaking the skin and leaving a faint smear of blood on her fingertip.

The scent of May roses stirred restlessly in the air.

To Sheng Lan, the bloodstain resembled a rose petal.

She turned to look.

Lu Xueyin had already settled on the bed, facing Sheng Lan directly.

Her lips were even drier now.

A testament to her leading lady genes somehow, they hadn’t cracked.

Sheng Lan’s throat felt parched too.

She was a pragmatic person.

Thirsty? Drink water. She poured a glass for Lu Xueyin as well.

Lu Xueyin refused to take it from her, asking Dr. Meng instead, “Could you pour me some water, Dr. Meng? Sorry for the trouble.”

Dr. Meng wanted no part of this battlefield and simply placed the glass Sheng Lan had poured onto the bedside table.

Sheng Lan nearly laughed out loud.

Only when Lu Xueyin shot her a murderous glare did she raise her hands in surrender.

“Eat first. Dr. Meng and I need to talk.”

She wanted to ask in detail about Lu Xueyin’s condition.

Lu Xueyin insisted they discuss it right there. “I have the right to know about my own health.”

Fine. Sheng Lan asked Yu Cheng to step out.

Yu Cheng shot her a look of utter betrayal as if she were being abandoned after her usefulness had expired before grabbing her takeout and leaving.

As soon as the door closed, Sheng Lan pulled up a chair by the bed and got straight to the point with Meng Chan, “What are the chances she has Pheromone Imbalance Syndrome?”

Lu Xueyin had impeccable table manners, eating with quiet elegance. Her hair was loosely tied back with a ribbon, a few stray strands falling over her forehead, which she casually tucked behind her ear.

She didn’t look at them, nor did she show any sign of concern or surprise.

Only her fingers gripping the spoon turned white from the pressure.

Seeing her composure, Meng Chan finally answered, “We’ll have to wait for tomorrow morning’s test results. Her pheromones are unstable right now.”

The test tomorrow morning was specifically for Pheromone Imbalance Syndrome.

Sheng Lan asked about other symptoms too, all the aftereffects mentioned in the original book.

Drowsiness, sensitivity, irritability these were common.

A few cases even involved fever, diarrhea, and some who could only find relief through Marking.

Lu Xueyin could no longer pretend to be indifferent.

Sheng Lan’s questions sounded like genuine concern for her health, as if she had researched this thoroughly.

But to Lu Xueyin, it felt more like Sheng Lan wanted her to have these symptoms, why else would she pull this stunt on their wedding night?

She scoffed softly and set down the spoon.

The body, however, doesn’t always obey the mind.

She didn’t want to eat the food Sheng Lan had brought, but her stomach betrayed her with a loud, drawn-out growl in the quiet hospital room.

Lu Xueyin’s face remained blank, but the flush of embarrassment creeping up her cheeks gave her away.

This wave of agitation drained most of her remaining energy. Leaning against the pillow, she felt weakness seeping from her very bones.

Her lips parted slightly as she panted.

Sheng Lan moved to sit on the edge of the bed and began feeding her the congee.

In such a vulnerable state, resistance was futile just self-sabotage.

Lu Xueyin ate obediently.

The conversation couldn’t continue. Meng Chan cut straight to the conclusion: “All those complications are possible. She must finish these IV drips tonight they’re to suppress the Inducer. After the tests, she’ll need more medication to dilute the Inducer until it’s completely flushed out.”

She sent a quick message, and soon a nurse arrived with a printed liability waiver.

“If you want to leave, sign this first. I won’t be responsible for any issues afterward.”

So, when Jiang Ling arrived, she couldn’t take Lu Xueyin home.

She shooed Sheng Lan away. “Spare us the fake concern now.”

She’d thought Sheng Lan was decent, a bright, sunny girl. Who knew she’d play such a dirty trick?

Sheng Lan was bitter. Sheng Lan was wronged.

She checked her phone. So far, they’d only secured evidence from the “poisoned room” and retrieved Lu Xueyin’s phone without issue.

The arrests were still underway.

The culprits weren’t caught yet, and Lu Xueyin was furious.

If Sheng Lan tried to explain now, she’d only be accused of shifting blame.

Little did they know, she was the one shouldering the blame.

She turned to Lu Xueyin. “Rest first. We’ll talk after sunrise.”

About the divorce.

Lu Xueyin’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Sure.”

Tsk.

Someone’s feeling bold with backup.

Adorable.

Sheng Lan’s room was next door, where Yu Cheng was already settled in.

Ever the eager beaver, she’d showered and changed into a patient gown like it was the latest trend, striking poses for photos.

When Sheng Lan entered, Yu Cheng cheered, “Country bumpkin goes to the city!”

She emphasized, “And it’s not even because I’m sick!”

So fashionable.

Yu Cheng posted a nine-grid collage on social media and demanded Sheng Lan like, comment, and share.

“Payment for delivering the phone tonight.”

Sheng Lan grabbed her clothes, heading for the shower. “Sharing might be overkill?”

Yu Cheng: “Then leave a thirty-word comment minimum.”

Sheng Lan agreed.

After entering the bathroom, she first gave Yu Cheng’s post a like.

She then copied and pasted “Hope they’re okay” six times in the comments.

With her leading the way, the comments under Yu Cheng’s post quickly became unbearable.

Yu Cheng shouted Sheng Lan’s name loudly from outside.

“Are you out of your mind?!”

It was a hospital room, and the soundproofing wasn’t great.

Lu Xueyin had just closed her eyes to rest when the angry shout startled her awake, her heart skipping two beats in shock.

Jiang Ling was furious. “What kind of time is this to be fooling around?!”

As if she didn’t care about Xueyin at all!

Lu Xueyin reached out and pressed the call button.

When the nurse came to ask what was wrong, Lu Xueyin complained about the noise from the next room.

The bathroom was near the door, and a top-tier Alpha’s senses were exceptionally sharp.

Even through the sound of running water and the closed door, Sheng Lan could hear Yu Cheng being scolded by the nurse.

All because of a complaint from the little rose next door.

Sheng Lan suddenly chuckled.

When she came out, Yu Cheng was curled up under the covers, pretending to be asleep.

The single room had been converted into a twin, so Sheng Lan sat on the other empty bed and pulled out her vibrating phone.

It was a message from Yu Cheng.

[Yu Cheng]: Was your wife just jealous?

[Yu Cheng]: I thought about it for a long time, and jealousy is the only explanation.

Otherwise, why would she complain?!

[Yu Cheng]: Then again, it is your wedding night, and your wife is in my room. It’s understandable she’d be mad.

Sheng Lan towel-dried her hair and defended Lu Xueyin. “No, she just thought you were being noisy.”

She spoke aloud, but Yu Cheng insisted on texting.

[Yu Cheng]: You really don’t understand Omegas. Many have a cleanliness complex they hate it when their Alpha has Marked someone else. And here you are, sharing a room with me. Her possessiveness kicked in.

Sheng Lan shook her head.

What a bold assumption.

Yu Cheng sat up.

She gathered all her personal belongings to switch rooms, muttering, “I didn’t think two Alphas needed to avoid suspicion, but neither did you? You saw me in here and still had zero awareness.”

Sheng Lan didn’t see the point.

They were getting divorced tomorrow anyway.

Besides, wasn’t Jiang Ling also in Lu Xueyin’s room?

Surely this wouldn’t count against her and raise her cannon fodder score.

Whether it did or not, Yu Cheng left.

Too tired to think about anything else, Sheng Lan set an alarm before bed, hoping to accompany Lu Xueyin for her checkup in the morning, then closed her eyes.

If all went well, they could discuss the divorce right after.

Goodbye, little rose.

Support