After Differentiation, My Arch-nemesis Thinks I’m Fragrant - Chapter 24

Seeing that Zhao Qinglan barely looked up at him, Wen Bai guessed that it was likely too late for him to switch sides and seek a brighter path now.

However, he had always been skilled at managing his emotions. Maintaining his poise, he found an excuse and left Class 1.

On the other hand, the students watching the drama unfolded began to glean something from the reversal of this story.

They all knew that throughout the entire galaxy, while Omegas were precious, in the eyes of those truly in power, that “preciousness” was more akin to a resource. It did not mean Omegas were allowed to reach the top tier of power alongside Alphas. Shu Youzhan’s differentiation result was a turning point.

Although it didn’t stop her from remaining the most pampered next generation of the Shu family, it was equivalent to personally severing the path toward becoming a leader.

Some who usually feared her power and wealth now looked at Shu Youzhan with expressions of gloating.

Particularly since she was sitting next to Zhao Qinglan—compared to Zhao Qinglan, who had already been announced as the heir…

It was as if Shu Youzhan had suddenly been cast from heaven to hell.

They were now as different as clouds and mud.

Shu Youzhan’s expression remained calm, appearing as though she didn’t feel the gazes directed at her. After handing in her homework, she returned to her usual routine, taking out her morning study materials. Propping her head on her left hand, she listlessly flipped through the pages with her right.

However, she had forgotten to silent the phone in her desk drawer.

The sound of a news subscription notification rang out. Shu Youzhan reached in to pull it out, habitually glancing at today’s headline, only to see a large line of text: “SHOCKING! The highly anticipated heir of the Fourth Galaxy’s Shu family meets with such an accident!”

The accompanying photo was a candid shot from an unknown time. Shu Youzhan glanced at it and realized it was from the day Wei Shuangchi picked her up from the hospital. The image was a bit blurry, but the angle was cunning, making her look incredibly despondent.

Even without clicking on it, Shu Youzhan knew the media had caught the scent and couldn’t wait to announce the fact that she had differentiated into an Omega.

Perhaps the topics regarding her were already pinned and trending on every forum and board online.

Bored, she silenced her phone and tossed it back into the drawer. It accidentally hit the metal bottom with a “thud,” which, in the eyes of others, looked more like an outburst of shame and anger.

Ever since Zhao Qinglan finished speaking to Wen Bai, she had been very quiet. She didn’t intentionally turn to look at her, but instead kept her head down, fiddling with her phone and reading the messages Sun Jue was sending her.

“Link: Huge Gossip! Let’s talk about one of the biggest names in our school!”

“Boss, should I find someone to ban this post? The chat in there is getting a bit out of hand.”

Zhao Qinglan tapped on the screen: “Just ban the ones that are too excessive. Use ‘sensitive topics’ as the reason.”

In truth, according to her own plans, she wanted to ban all discussions related to Shu Youzhan.

Given the absolute power the Shu and Zhao families held in the Fourth Galaxy, this wouldn’t be difficult.

However, without Shu Youzhan mentioning it herself, it would be inappropriate for her to overstep. Public opinion couldn’t be blocked entirely; the more people were forbidden from speaking, the more outrageous the rumors would become, which would ultimately backfire on Shu Youzhan and leave her in a more disadvantageous position.

Zhao Qinglan put down her phone and took a subtle breath, forcing herself not to use a strange, gentle, or pained tone to speak to Shu Youzhan. Right now, Shu Youzhan didn’t need any comfort, especially not from her.

At the same time…

Not far away, Pei Yi looked over frequently, her worried gaze impossible to hide.

During the morning study period, she had kept a chat window open with Shu Mi, learning from her the source of these rumors spreading today.

She was both startled by the internal competition within these upper-class Shu family circles and deeply worried for her friend.

Although she was just an ordinary Beta and didn’t have the opportunity to experience pheromone suppression, knowing Shu Mi and Shu Youzhan allowed her to vaguely understand the differences between these genders.

The entire morning, Pei Yi and Shu Mi had been reporting the outrageous anonymous posts on campus.

Simultaneously, she couldn’t help but wonder: what would Shu Youzhan do in the future?

Today’s morning study felt exceptionally long.

The student representative leading the reading was distracted, and the students below were whispering, hiding their phones behind textbooks and leaning in to talk. It seemed everyone was immersed in their own world.

It wasn’t until the bell rang that Pei Yi clenched her fists to cheer herself up. Feeling the need to say something, she stood up and crossed the aisle. For the first time, she approached their seats while Zhao Qinglan was still there.

“Sister Xiao Shu! Will you go to the commissary with me?”

Shu Youzhan thought for a moment. “Let’s go…”

She stood up and, without blinking, walked out from behind Zhao Qinglan’s chair. She naturally followed Pei Yi out. Only then did Zhao Qinglan finally look up, her gaze following their backs as they left the classroom.

“I recently discovered a brand of biscuits that tastes amazing. I’d call them the ‘Light of Biscuits.’ You have to try some later!”

Descending the stairs, Pei Yi spoke with exceptional enthusiasm. Shu Youzhan, who originally had no expression, felt her friend’s effort to cheer her up and couldn’t help but purse her lips.

Other students were also walking and chatting, but when their gazes inadvertently brushed past them, they couldn’t help but linger on Shu Youzhan for a moment.

The commissary was located in an open area near the playground on the first floor of the teaching building. It was especially crowded after morning study, as students who overslept and missed breakfast would swarm the place to grab bread and milk. Seeing this spectacle from afar, the two instinctively slowed their pace, unwilling to squeeze in with the crowd for the time being. They had twenty minutes between morning study and the first class anyway.

Pei Yi was talking about a bookstore she visited last weekend. In the middle of her non-stop talking, a cynical male voice came from somewhere: “Yo, isn’t this the eldest Miss Shu?”

The conversation stopped.

The surrounding students also looked over.

Shu Youzhan looked up and saw a few unfamiliar faces. They were tall and built, looking like they trained in sports year-round. However, the person surrounded by them was familiar: Shu Hua.

—The “enthusiastic citizen” who had provided the hot searches for various news outlets this morning.

Because the two were not in the same grade and were separated by two teaching buildings, they didn’t have many chances to meet at school. Today was a coincidence.

Shu Youzhan glanced over indifferently and then continued her conversation with Pei Yi as if nothing had happened: “There’s an art exhibition on the second floor of the bookstore? I feel like that’s a field I can’t appreciate.”

Seeing the tall group gathered together, Pei Yi felt they were coming with ill intent. Her response was a bit slow and she stuttered, “R-right, but there are other exhibitions too, depending on your luck.”

Just as Shu Youzhan opened her mouth, that piercing voice came again: “Hey, from the first heir to the ‘first precious marriage commodity,’ any thoughts?”

The speaker seemed afraid he wasn’t drawing enough attention…

As he spoke, Alpha pheromones were accurately directed toward them, thick and suffocating. This was one of the most common ways Omegas were bullied in daily life, because it was so hidden and so despicable.

If it were an unattached Omega, they could easily be suppressed by these pheromones or even triggered into a false heat. Even a marked Omega would feel pain and discomfort when encountering a stranger’s Alpha pheromones.

Likely because the pheromones Zhao Qinglan left in her body hadn’t finished metabolizing.

Shu Youzhan didn’t feel any strange symptoms; she only felt intense discomfort and an indescribable irritability when enveloped by those pheromones.

So, she closed her mouth.

Immediately after, she tapped Pei Yi on the shoulder, turned around, and walked toward Shu Hua’s group. The boy releasing the pheromones saw her frowning and thought his pheromones were crushing her, his heart swelling with pride.

He stood his ground, chin slightly raised, waiting for Shu Youzhan to say something weak or bluster with false bravado.

In contrast, Shu Hua, perhaps thinking of something, inadvertently took a step back.

The next second—

Shu Youzhan walked up to the Alpha who was still releasing pheromones and gave a faint smile. In the moment he was dazed by her smile.

Her right foot moved. No one saw her action clearly, but by the time they reacted, that tall figure had suddenly doubled over and then, as if struck by a heavy blow, knelt on the ground.

A sharp glint flashed before everyone’s eyes.

No one knew when she had pulled out a fountain pen. Having removed the cap, the sharp nib was now resting against the gland on the back of the boy’s neck. The cold sensation touched his skin. Just an inch forward, and this Alpha would never be able to release the pheromones he was so proud of again.

Shu Youzhan remained where she was, her gaze sweeping across the boys one by one. Her soft hair made her face look youthful and cute, but her smile at this moment was like a demon’s: “Thoughts?”

“My thoughts are… it seems like after becoming an Omega, it’s even easier to beat you up.

Hey, isn’t it too embarrassing for an Alpha to be forced to his knees by an Omega? How about I help you remove your gland to save you from embarrassing the entire Alpha population? What do you think?”

As she spoke, she pushed the pen nib forward a bit more, as if she were about to stab into his skin.

Cold sweat poured down the kneeling Alpha’s face. Shu Hua, unable to watch any longer, spoke up to warn her: “School is not a place for you to act willfully, Shu Youzhan.”

Shu Youzhan lifted her eyelids to look at him, her lips curling again: “Is that the attitude you use to talk to your grandfather, grandson?”

Teaching Building, Fourth Floor.

Students by the window who could see the commissary area called out, “Holy crap, it looks like someone is picking a fight with Shu Youzhan. Aren’t they being a bit too obvious?”

Hearing this, some people excitedly crowded the window, while others looked toward Zhao Qinglan, unsure of what they were expecting.

Ping Hui had been playing games, but he was annoyed by the crowd. He took off his headphones and looked outside, catching the sight of Shu Youzhan forcing someone to their knees. A strange chill ran through his heart, and he reflexively looked back at Zhao Qinglan.

The person who usually preferred to stay still in her seat was now also standing by the window. Her long black hair draped over her shoulder, revealing her upright profile. Ping Hui happened to see a slight curve at the corner of her mouth.

As if she were proud of something.

For some reason—

He remembered the bite mark on Shu Youzhan’s neck that day. Thinking about how the person with Shu Youzhan when she was late was Zhao Qinglan…

Ping Hui suddenly shuddered.

He seemed to have discovered a secret.