After Differentiation, My Arch-nemesis Thinks I’m Fragrant - Chapter 50

Zhao Qinglan’s grip around her waist suddenly tightened.

It didn’t seem intentional; rather, it was a more apt description to call it a manifestation of her losing control over her own emotions—an uncontrollable urge to pull the person in her arms closer, as if she wished she could rub her into her very bones and blood, binding their lives and deaths together forever.

Shu Youzhan’s breath hitched. She was already experiencing some shortness of breath due to the exhaustion from excessive physical exertion; now, under Zhao Qinglan’s sudden pressure, the air in her lungs seemed to vanish instantly. Her fingertips twitched slightly, yet she did not push Zhao Qinglan away.

Instead, she simply grew cautious, thinning her breaths until they sounded intermittent and shallow.

Far from extinguishing the spark in the other person’s heart, this unique form of indulgence only served to fan the flames of certain desires.

Zhao Qinglan endured and endured, struggling to suppress the rampaging tendencies of the Alpha genes within her body. She inhaled the cold air and exhaled a scorching heat, lowering her head slightly to bite down on Shu Youzhan’s snowy-white earlobe.

“Hiss…”

The sound of a sharp intake of air rose from her arms.

Instead of lightening her touch, Zhao Qinglan became even more audacious, increasing the pressure. Only when Shu Youzhan could barely stand it did she offer a moist, soothing comfort as a form of appeasement.

However, in the high-temperature air where pheromones mingled, this bit of comfort gradually changed its meaning, feeling more like teasing.

Shu Youzhan’s indulgence toward her was immediately withdrawn.

Finding she couldn’t push her away, Shu Youzhan buried her head and bit Zhao Qinglan’s shoulder, as if trying to exchange pain for pain.

Yet, Zhao Qinglan seemed to be made of iron, remaining indifferent to her resistance. It reached the point where Shu Youzhan was forced to speak up in reminder:

“It hurts…”

Only then did Zhao Qinglan release her teeth. Staring at the bright red ear that now bore a clear mark, she raised a hand to rub it. Her touch was uneven—sometimes heavy, sometimes light—as she said in a leisurely tone:

“Good, as long as you know it hurts.”

“Next time, if you have something to say, say it directly. If you flirt with me so recklessly again, there will be things that hurt much more than this.”

Shu Youzhan: “…”

She slapped Zhao Qinglan’s hand away, unable to understand which nerve in this woman had gone wrong again. One moment she was accepting a compliment, and the next she turned into this hooligan-like figure.

“You—”

Rubbing her own ear as if that could make the strange mark disappear, Shu Youzhan knitted her brows. Her coffee-colored eyes glared at her, and she had already prepared a thousand words of accusation in her mind. But before more than a few words could escape, her voice was indisputably cut off.

“Youyou…”

Zhao Qinglan’s expression was even more serious than hers. Shu Youzhan’s momentum broke instantly; she forgot how to respond and could only listen blankly as the other woman explained: “I am a normal Alpha. Facing the repeated confessions of the person I love, it is impossible to remain unmoved… I am already trying very hard to endure.”

This self-righteous grievance made it seem as though Shu Youzhan was the one who needed to be understanding of her.

Shu Youzhan locked eyes with her for three seconds, suddenly feeling that surge of energy to punch someone returning to her.

Time flew by like a white steed passing a gap…

In the blink of an eye, the Imperial Military Academy’s physical examination was about to begin.

Shu Youzhan made a point to invite Zhao Qinglan to her home again the night before. Thinking about the results of her practice with Shu Yu over the past few days, she couldn’t help but touch the back of her neck. She was always worried that the effect of Zhao Qinglan’s marking from a few days ago had weakened.

Just to be safe.

She wanted to deepen the mark before the exam.

Zhao Qinglan didn’t know the reason for the invitation when she arrived. The moment she followed her into the room, she smelled the faint traces of pheromones lingering throughout the space and saw the room filled with the signs of Shu Youzhan’s life. She immediately stiffened by the door.

Shu Youzhan, however, didn’t think much of it. She gave her a strange look. “Come in…”

Zhao Qinglan glanced left and right in the hallway outside, a sense of guilt rising from somewhere unknown. Fortunately, her stride remained as steady as ever, showing no signs of her inner turmoil.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped into the room, Shu Youzhan casually closed the door. Walking further inside, Shu Youzhan raised her hands to lift her cream-colored wool sweater. Amidst the crackling sound of static electricity, her thin white long-sleeved shirt underneath revealed her lean waist—one that looked like it could be covered by a single palm.

Even more eye-catching than that.

Was the skin at the site of the gland on the back of her neck, where the scab had just fallen off, leaving only a tiny, faint trace.

An Omega’s glandular tissue regenerates very quickly. This mark would disappear and return to its original state in just a few days. It was unclear if she had looked in a mirror herself.

In short, Zhao Qinglan only stole a quick glance at that snow-white neck before hurriedly averting her eyes.

Inevitably, however, the images of marking her that day flashed through her mind.

Her breathing grew heavy for no reason.

Shu Youzhan was unaware of the change. She sat down on the edge of the bed by herself. As she turned her head, her short hair moved in a sharp arc, the silver-white streak flickering within—cool and charming.

She maintained a posture that exposed the gland to the other’s line of sight. With her back straight, she tilted her chin toward Zhao Qinglan, who was still standing not far away: “Bite me again…”

No matter how casual the tone, it could not erase the nature of the invitation.

Zhao Qinglan couldn’t help but take two steps closer. She could almost smell the scent of the sun on the bedding, which had been dried repeatedly, as well as the faint fragrance of water lilies, appearing as if they were swaying and growing at her feet.

Tender yellow stamens peeked out from layers of petals, wantonly releasing a charming, sweet fragrance.

Just like its owner—fearless and emboldened.

She leaned down slightly, supporting herself with one hand on the edge of the bed, pressing the soft mattress down significantly. Her voice was as low and raspy as a cello, murmuring into Shu Youzhan’s ear: “Hurrying to call me over just to invite me… to do this?”

Shu Youzhan couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“There’s an exam tomorrow. This is a legitimate request for help; don’t make it sound so—”

The rest of the words were suddenly swallowed. Shu Youzhan bit her lip, suppressing the moan about to escape her throat. This was because Zhao Qinglan had reached out to press the site of her gland. The skin, usually hidden under collars and rarely exposed to the light, was exceptionally sensitive to touch. A simple, firm press sent a tingle racing up and down her spine.

White light crackled through her cerebral cortex.

Her waist softened.

Shu Youzhan hurriedly reached out to brace herself against the quilt, no longer able to sit upright. After enduring the sensation for a few seconds, she couldn’t help but turn back to glare at Zhao Qinglan: “Are you going to do it or not?”

A low chuckle vibrated in Zhao Qinglan’s throat, deep and coursing into her ear like an electric current. “Since you’ve invited me so…”

The next instant…

Shu Youzhan’s shoulder was suddenly pushed, and she fell helplessly back into the soft bed. The skin on the back of her neck was first gently touched by the other. Her mind relaxed, and she had just managed to utter the word “lightly” when she lost all her strength. She could only widen her eyes as she felt a sudden, sharp pain arrive!

It must have been the feeling of canines sinking in.

Powerful pheromones followed the biting action, surging into the wound. Shu Youzhan could no longer control her whimpers. Her fingertips gripped the quilt tightly, like a kitten having its vital spot nipped, letting out a weak moan of submission.

But this did nothing to move the Alpha behind her.

Zhao Qinglan simply held her down firmly, as if allowing her no room to struggle. Even hearing the sounds, she made from the pain didn’t soften her heart in the slightest; instead, she increased the pressure, as if she intended to drive the person to the brink.

A few minutes later.

Shu Youzhan felt as if she had undergone a brutal training session. She was covered in a layer of sweat, lying in Zhao Qinglan’s arms with no strength left. She felt the other’s warm fingers stroking her hair every now and then, like a predator sated after a meal.

She felt a bit itchy from Zhao Qinglan’s movements and shifted in her arms, having forgotten when she had been arranged into such a state. Her voice carried a nasal quality from suppressing the pain, sounding soft: “Why did you bite so hard…”

Hearing Shu Youzhan’s complaint, Zhao Qinglan’s movements paused. She sighed softly: “It was already very light. It’s just that each pheromone injection is more than the last, so the stimulation of the gland wound makes you feel it’s more painful than before.”

At this point, she had intended to pinch Shu Youzhan’s nose, but her fingertips accidentally brushed near the corner of her eye, catching a bit of undried moisture. Zhao Qinglan paused, her voice carrying a hint of a smile: “Since you’re so afraid of pain, who exactly gave you the courage to provoke me in the past?”

“Just now you were asking if I was going to do it or not. If I really ‘did’ it… I wonder how much you’d cry.”

The latter part of her voice grew quieter. Rather than being intended for Shu Youzhan to hear, it sounded more like Zhao Qinglan’s playful monologue.

But Shu Youzhan wasn’t deaf, especially since they were so close.

She couldn’t help but reach back to push her, struggling to escape this dangerous person. However, when she moved, she didn’t realize what she rubbed against. Zhao Qinglan hadn’t been using much force to hold her, but now, she conversely locked the other person firmly in her embrace.

“Don’t move…” The voice falling into her ear grew a bit raspier.

Shu Youzhan detected a gritted-teeth threat within it. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she felt the wound on her gland throb with pain again. In her panic, she had a sudden stroke of wit: “I… I have an exam tomorrow!”

Her voice was very loud, nearly piercing through the door into the hallway.

Zhao Qinglan fell silent for a moment, discerning the word “cowardice” hidden in every syllable of that sentence. She silently curled her lips into a smile, took several deep breaths, and the strength in her arms loosened slightly. However, she leaned her head toward the other’s shoulder.

A gentle kiss fell.

Her tone was full of indulgence: “I know…”

Her breath fanned across Shu Youzhan’s neck. Feeling the tension in the person in her arms, Zhao Qinglan added wickedly: “You’ve tested me so many times. If you don’t pass—”

“I won’t ‘do’ it like this next time.”

She emphasized a certain word, and it immediately carried a deep, suggestive implication.

Shu Youzhan shrunk her head, her face flushed red, pretending she was temporarily deaf.