After Dating the President O, I Turned Into a Puppy-Like Lover - Chapter 45

Jiang He returned to the island with a heart full of unresolved emotions.

She sat by the sea. In winter, the ocean was vast and desolate, the cold wind lifting the strands of hair across her forehead, relentlessly coating her in chill.

The wind scattered her tangled thoughts, yet paradoxically gave her clarity.

She remembered—ten years ago, she had returned to the island under the same bleak mood.

But unlike before, she had changed. She no longer bottled everything inside, silently digesting her pain.

She knew she had made mistakes in the past.

Now she understood, and was slowly correcting them.

This time, she would not retreat just because of someone’s provocation.

Until Dan Sirou herself confirmed she was truly with Zhou Tingchen, Jiang He would not back down.

With her mind made up, Jiang He rose from the rock, brushing sand from her clothes.

Her body had grown stiff from sitting too long in the cold wind. As she climbed down, she nearly slipped.

The island was small, home to only twenty or thirty thousand residents. The only way to the mainland was by boat. There were no large malls or hospitals, only small shops and clinics to meet basic needs.

Precisely because of this isolation, the island’s natural beauty remained well preserved.

At dusk, walking along the coastal road as the sun set carried its own quiet charm.

On her way home, Jiang He passed the palm-lined road. The weather was gloomy, the tall trees adding to the bleakness of the gray sky.

She met Grandma Zhushun from across the street. Jiang He smiled faintly and greeted her.

The old woman squinted, recognizing her after several tries. “Xiao He, you’ve grown so much! I almost didn’t recognize you. I remember when you first left, you were only this tall.” She gestured to her collarbone.

Jiang He smiled. “It’s been five years.”

“Yes,” Grandma Zhushun sighed, her eyes suddenly dim. “Five years already.”

Jiang He knew she was thinking of her late partner.

Grandma Zhushun was an Alpha, now in her sixties. She lived across from Jiang He’s house, though they hadn’t been close at first.

There weren’t many roads on the island. Back then, Grandma Zhushun would walk with her partner every evening, while Jiang He ran at the same time. Gradually, they became acquainted.

Jiang He hadn’t spoken much in those days, and there were few peers her age. Zhushun’s Omega partner, a retired kindergarten teacher, was gentle and treated Jiang He like a granddaughter.

The year Jiang He left for Dongcheng, Zhushun’s Omega passed away. Jiang He had been shocked, and saddened to think how Zhushun would manage alone.

They had chosen not to have children. After her partner’s death, Zhushun was left solitary.

Jiang He didn’t linger, offering a brief farewell. She wasn’t skilled at comforting others, her words were always shallow phrases like “Don’t be sad” or “Don’t cry.”

Afterward, Jiang He resumed her training routine.

Every morning, she ran a lap around the coastal road. After a month of recovery, her body fat dropped again, her abs clearly defined.

She was satisfied.

Ten days of winter break passed quickly. The New Year drew closer.

The streets, supermarkets, and shops brimmed with festive atmosphere. Even the neighborhood grew livelier.

Dan Sirou had been busy these days. Each day was full, sometimes exhausting, but with her mother’s health improving and the New Year approaching, the fatigue felt worthwhile.

She had first accompanied her mother for a hospital check-up. The results were optimistic: two more exams in the next six months, and if all went well, her mother could live like anyone else.

Since the pheromone riot incident, her mother’s autism symptoms had eased. She now went shopping with her, bought groceries, stocked up for the New Year, and slowly emerged from past shadows to embrace life again.

Dan Sirou felt deeply relieved.

Around New Year, the weather warmed. The sun shone daily, bathing the earth in gentle light. Each day began beautifully with the morning sun.

As the holiday neared, Xia Lin returned from training and invited her out.

Dan Sirou had finished her tasks and was free, so she agreed to meet at a café.

She hadn’t expected Xia Lin to bring her boyfriend along, something never mentioned in their plans.

When he stepped away to take a call, Dan Sirou’s polite composure slipped. She sighed, half amused, half exasperated. “Didn’t you always say you didn’t want me to meet him? And now you bring him out?”

Xia Lin sipped her coffee, embarrassed, unable to meet her eyes. “He’s leaving for Nancheng in a couple of days. I just couldn’t bear it.”

“You’re together every day. Is a few days apart really so unbearable?” Dan Sirou looked at her, finding her strangely unfamiliar. Her friend’s mind was now filled only with romance.

“You don’t understand,” Xia Lin said, flustered. She knew how shameful it was to be so lovestruck, she had once vowed to be a career woman. “When you love someone, you want to be with them every hour, every minute. Who would complain about too much time together?”

“Is that so?” Dan Sirou mused.

“Mm.” Xia Lin took another sip, looking troubled.

It was ironic. Before befriending Dan Sirou, Xia Lin had both envied and looked down on her, envied her background and brilliance, yet dismissed her as a hopeless romantic.

Now, she felt thoroughly slapped in the face.

She had once prided herself on being a career-driven woman, only to drown in the tenderness of an Alpha. The very Omega she used to look down on—Dan Sirou was now thriving, the first Omega president of Qingyu’s student council, admired by countless peers and favored by the leadership.

Xia Lin no longer even dared to compare herself to her.

Sitting across from her, Dan Sirou looked much the same as she had in childhood, only grown proportionally. But her aura had transformed completely. Gone was the softness and immaturity of youth; now she embodied both the grace of an Omega and the decisiveness of a leader.

Damn it, Xia Lin thought. She’s exactly the person I’ve always wanted to become.

Perhaps because the gap between them had widened so much, Xia Lin had let go of her hostility. Once she shed those feelings, Dan Sirou naturally became her closest friend.

Still, every now and then, a trace of unwillingness lingered.

She wanted to pull Dan Sirou down into the same waters—if they were alike, their bond would be even stronger.

That was why she had tried so hard to push Zhou Tingchen and Dan Sirou together.

But she hadn’t expected Zhou Tingchen to be so useless, going off to mark another Omega, then coming to her asking what to do after being caught by Dan Sirou.

What to do? Xia Lin wanted to smash his head open and see what was inside.

She had already lost hope in him. Even if Dan Sirou forgave him someday, Xia Lin would strongly oppose it. As her friend, she couldn’t allow someone like Zhou Tingchen near her family. She wouldn’t risk Yang Can being influenced by him.

“About Zhou Tingchen, what do you plan to do?” Xia Lin asked suddenly, setting down her cup.

“He told you?” Dan Sirou asked.

They hadn’t met much lately. Since Xia Lin had fallen in love, even her messages had dwindled. So, there was only one explanation.

“Mm,” Xia Lin admitted openly. “He asked me for advice.”

“And did you give him any?” Dan Sirou asked.

“No.” Xia Lin huffed. “I told him, ‘Figure it out yourself.’”

Dan Sirou chuckled softly, saying nothing more.

Just then, Yang Can returned from his phone call.

The boy had a clean buzz cut and wore a work jacket, looking rugged and masculine.

He was polite, greeting Dan Sirou with a smile, but otherwise kept his distance, his attention fixed entirely on Xia Lin.

Xia Lin was delighted. She loved that his eyes held only her.

For Dan Sirou, those five minutes felt unusually long.

Every gesture, every glance between them was awkward for an outsider. Couples’ conversations left no room for others. At such times, Dan Sirou would simply lift her cup, sip her coffee gracefully, and watch them with quiet composure.

“Baby, do you need the restroom?” Xia Lin asked suddenly.

“I.” His lips formed no, but under Xia Lin’s gaze, he quickly changed it to, “Yes.”

He politely excused himself to Dan Sirou, then headed off.

Xia Lin beamed at Dan Sirou. “Rou, what do you think of him?”

Dan Sirou glanced in his direction, nodded approvingly. “Very good.”

“Of course.” Xia Lin said proudly. “You know, today was his final test. If he can resist your charm, then I’ll marry him without hesitation.”

Dan Sirou: “…”

“I’m busy too, you know,” she muttered, a little exasperated.

“I know.” Xia Lin grinned. “My dear Dan Dan, forgive me. I’m in a rush, I’ll go to the restroom too.”

With that, she hurried off after Yang Can.

Dan Sirou sighed, blowing a strand of hair from her forehead.

After five minutes, she thought they’d be back.

After ten, she wondered if they’d eaten something bad yesterday.

After fifteen, she felt something was wrong. She checked the time on her phone, then glanced to see if Xia Lin had messaged her.

Around eighteen minutes later, Xia Lin finally returned. Her boyfriend was still in the restroom.

Dan Sirou looked up. The girl’s once neat hair was now disheveled, her lipstick freshly reapplied, glaringly bright.

Dan Sirou lowered her gaze, took a sip of coffee, and said nothing.

She understood perfectly, but chose silence.

Poor Dan Dan, used as a third wheel. One day, she would make sure to return the favor.

(After all, lovers’ games, our Dan Dan will have her turn too.)