After Little Sweet Omega Runs with the Ball - Chapter 22.2

It was the first time she had ever seen the big boss so thoroughly stumped, and a mischievous part of her wanted to capture the moment and show it to Song Shuangtian.

Would that heartless omega even laugh if she saw this?

Ji Mingxue scanned the sparsely furnished apartment just a table, a bed, and a few chairs, with no proper workspace to speak of.

The only remotely cozy touch was a plush rug spread across the bedroom floor.

A small desk sat atop the rug, clearly where Song Shuangtian usually worked on her designs.

The walls were peeling, the washing machine was an outdated model, and a leaky pipe had left a puddle on the tiled floor.

The place carried the musty scent of an old building.

The distinguished alpha leader had clearly never set foot in such a run-down place in her life.

If she had to compare it to anything, it might resemble the dormitories at the No. 3 Western Mine though those had been promptly upgraded to five-star hotel standards the moment she arrived.

Ji Mingxue pressed a hand to her throbbing temple. “Did she say where she was moving?”

The old landlady shook her head.

The alpha stood by the window, spotting a discarded gland patch on the table left behind by the omega. Her temples pulsed with pain.

“That girl left something for you. You’re Ji Mingxue, right?”

The old woman handed Ji Mingxue a box in clumsy Mandarin.

On the box was a note that read: “For Ji Mingxue’s eyes only.”

Ji Mingxue’s gaze flickered as she recognized the familiar black velvet case, the kind used exclusively by M Group for storing gemstones.

She opened it to find a flawlessly cut diamond and an emerald inside.

Ji Mingxue: “…”

Ji Mingxue: The damage was minimal, but the insult was profound.

Lu Xing: “Is this, a gift you gave Song Shuangtian?”

Ji Mingxue watched Lu Xing’s lips, half-expecting her to say the words “payment for services.”

The two gemstones lay quietly in the black velvet box, silently confirming that this had indeed been the residence of that heartless omega.

And yet.

Inside the luxury car, both Lu Xing and Ji Mingxue fell into a heavy silence.

Lu Xing: “So, Song Shuangtian wasn’t after your money after all.”

Gems of this quality could fetch a lifetime’s worth of wealth at any auction house.

Ji Mingxue: “She only took her salary.”

Ji Mingxue couldn’t stand the way Lu Xing maintained a calm, rational expression while clearly relishing the drama.

The black luxury car stood out far too much in a place like this. Lu Xing pulled onto the highway. “Where to?”

“Back to the company.”

Both occupants in the car maintained a tacit silence, but Lu Xing inadvertently stumbled upon a juicy piece of gossip.

Though neither of them voiced it, they both knew that Song Shuangtian had no interest in Ji Mingxue’s wealth she hadn’t even taken the promotion opportunity.

It seemed she wasn’t particularly ambitious.

So the only reason she stayed by Ji Mingxue’s side was…

The de facto head of M Group, the sole heir of an established jewelry dynasty, had been played Ji Mingxue’s grip on the jewelry box tightened until the black velvet lining inside cracked, and the box shattered.

The two gemstones inside tumbled onto the leather seat.

After rolling a couple of dazzling circles, they settled, quietly radiating their brilliance.

For an alpha, this was nothing short of an insult.

No status, no money, no benefits just diligently working as an employee, only to be subjected to workplace harassment and coerced into sleeping with the boss.

Between the omega and the alpha, it was hard to say who had it worse.

Ji Mingxue’s indescribable mood persisted until the afternoon when she returned to M Group’s headquarters.

As Lu Xing pushed open the office door, she suddenly remembered an important meeting scheduled for today.

Usually as precise as an AI in her work, Lu Xing tapped her forehead with a fountain pen. “The representatives from ST Group have been waiting in the conference room for an hour.”

She sighed. “My apologies. I overlooked this today.”

As the vice president, Lu Xing shouldn’t have been the one admitting fault, but the secretary had called her multiple times each time, Lu Xing had been too engrossed in the gossip to notice.

And what delicious gossip it was.

Unusually, Ji Mingxue didn’t seem displeased by Lu Xing’s oversight. Only when she heard “ST Group” did her brows knit tightly together.

Misfortune never comes alone. Ji Mingxue was already in a foul mood after her girlfriend had disappeared following an argument, and now ST Group was pushing for a collaboration could things get any more irritating?

“This time, it’s ST Group’s chairman.”

Chairman Song Chuang had fully taken over his wife Qiu Tingnan’s company, but after Qiu Tingnan’s death, ST Group became Song Chuang’s personal fiefdom.

Not long after his wife’s early passing, Song Chuang took in several mistresses.

One of the more favored ones bore him an alpha illegitimate child.

At the mention of Song Chuang’s name, Ji Mingxue took a slow sip of coffee before carelessly setting the cup down.

“Tastes terrible.”

Lu Xing smiled perfectly. “Of course. My brewing skills are no match for Miss Song’s.”

At the mention of “Miss Song,” both of them froze.

Could the shared surname be a coincidence?

One was an orphan living in a remote rental, while the other was the heir to ST Group.

The surname Song wasn’t uncommon in a company with tens of thousands of employees, there were at least seventy or a hundred Songs.

Ji Mingxue’s lips curled slightly. “What a fitting name, ST Group.”

The abbreviation of ST Group had long been a subject of ridicule in the industry, with many quietly mocking it as the shorthand for “delisted.”

No one dared to say it outright, treating it as nothing more than a harmless joke.

At this moment, the gazes of the two in the office locked, and the secretary who knocked on the door nearly hesitated to enter under the oppressive tension.

Lu Xing forced a dry laugh. “Maybe it’s just a coincidence. ST Group seems to have plenty of those.”

Ji Mingxue stood up, brushing off nonexistent dust from her clothes.

After all, wasn’t “ST” also the abbreviation of Song Shuangtian’s name?

Neither of them chose to pierce that thin layer of paper between them. Instead, they silently walked into the meeting room.

After a long wait, Song Chuang and the illegitimate son beside him exchanged glances, their faces instantly plastered with what could only be described as ingratiating smiles.

Ji Mingxue showed no trace of apology. “Something came up,” she said.

Song Chuang nodded with a smile. “You must be busy with work,” he replied, immediately extending his hand for a handshake.

Ji Mingxue withdrew her hand the moment it touched Song Chuang’s palm.

If not for maintaining superficial courtesy, she wouldn’t have even bothered to touch his hand.

As for the illegitimate son beside him, he didn’t even warrant a single glance from Ji Mingxue.

“If I understand correctly, there is a female heir. May I ask who that is?”

“I believe I’ve made it clear, if your company wishes to collaborate with M Group, we will not accept any heir other than Qiu Tingnan’s daughter.”

“That girl has issues with her pheromones. She’s neither an alpha nor an omega most likely a defective beta. Hardly a legitimate heir.”

Song Chuang’s smile was impeccable, his face even carrying a hint of superficial paternal regret.

Qiu Tingnan’s only daughter wasn’t the heir?

Ji Mingxue’s already foul mood today plummeted to rock bottom. If not for maintaining social decorum, she would have turned and walked away right then.

Song Chuang clearly sensed that the moment those words left his mouth, the meeting room fell into a deathly silence.

He had no idea why Ji Mingxue had suddenly brought up Song Shuangtian, that child, and could only force a smile while muttering a few more words.

Ji Mingxue’s fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, a gesture that could only be interpreted as outright contempt for the other side.

But Song Chuang was here to seek cooperation. His smile didn’t falter in the slightest despite Ji Mingxue’s displeasure.

“ST Group wishes to collaborate with M Group for mutual development. Regarding the pricing of rare gemstone ores.”

Song Chuang was inwardly panicking. After hearing about the situation at M Group’s Western No. 3 Mine from Yuan Yin, the thought of being choked on raw materials by M Group in the future had terrified him into rushing here with his son to negotiate.

Even among alphas, there were hierarchies. Someone like Song Chuang, with his petty schemes, stood no chance of hiding them from Ji Mingxue.

His eyes darted nervously, and under the overwhelming pressure of her pheromones, beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.

Despite being a moderately successful middle-aged man, he was utterly out of his depth in front of Ji Mingxue, a junior in age. His speech stumbled several times.

The tapping of Ji Mingxue’s fingers abruptly stopped. “Not many within M Group are privy to details about the Western No. 3 Mine. Yet, President Song seems remarkably well-informed.”

Song Chuang’s words caught in his throat. His face flushed red, then paled, before finally turning a sickly shade of purple.

“I…”

Had this been a business negotiation with a worthy opponent, Ji Mingxue’s words wouldn’t have reduced the other party to such a pitiful state. But from the start, this meeting had been anything but equal.

“It seems President Song is quite familiar with M Group’s internal affairs.”

Ji Mingxue had been investigating whether ST Group had planted spies within M Group. After thorough screening, only a few low-level employees with no significant roles had been uncovered.

As for those with access to mining-related information there had been no leads whatsoever.

The meeting hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Lu Xing and Ji Mingxue exchanged a fleeting glance from the corners of their eyes. Lu Xing’s expression gradually darkened.

The task of screening for corporate spies had always fallen to Lu Xing. The leak of such critical information could squarely be considered her dereliction of duty.

But beyond Lu Xing’s failure, both women found themselves entertaining another, far more unsettling possibility.

It was so outlandish that neither dared dwell on it.

Song Chuang had no idea what Ji Mingxue and Lu Xing were thinking. His lips pale, he opened his mouth several times as if to speak, but only managed a meaningless syllable.

When Song Shuangtian had relayed the information about the mineral output to Song Chuang through Yuan Yin, she hadn’t mentioned the significance of the Western No. 3 Mine. Or perhaps she had, and the listener simply hadn’t taken it seriously.

“President Ji, that’s not what I meant. I’m not clear on this kind of information either, it must have been a mistake from my subordinates.”

Song Chuang had no way to defend himself, offering only feeble excuses.

Ji Mingxue remained composed. “Enough. Let’s not waste time here. All I want is to meet Qiu Tingnan’s daughter.”

The woman who had accompanied her through her studies abroad, who had written all her recommendation letters for prestigious schools when she was still so young.

Qiu Tingnan might as well have been half a mother to Ji Mingxue.

Now, she wanted to see just how capable this daughter, who had left no trace for outsiders to uncover really was.

Ji Mingxue stepped out of the conference room. As the door closed behind her, she leaned against the railing of a deserted balcony and lit a cigarette.

Her fingers traced the white jade bracelet Qiu Tingnan had given her, and a pang of guilt struck her.

Qiu Tingnan had mentioned several times that she had a young daughter back home who longed for her return. But Ji Mingxue had selfishly wanted the woman all to herself.

Every time Qiu Tingnan prepared to leave, Ji Mingxue would feign illness, clinging to her.

When news came that Qiu Tingnan had passed away just two years after returning home, Ji Mingxue’s first reaction was disbelief. Her second was the realization that the girl her own age had barely known her mother.

Ji Mingxue knew Qiu Tingnan’s marriage to Song Chuang had been unwilling, that her life abroad had likely been an escape from both family and him.

The child was blameless, a casualty. And Ji Mingxue was, in part, the thief who had stolen that child’s chance at a mother’s love.

The sharp, acrid smoke filled her nostrils, nicotine briefly soothing her tangled emotions.

She wasn’t one for remorse, but the thought of that girl now lost somewhere in the world made her chest tighten.

As she took the last drag, the roar of an airplane engine cut across the skyline. Ji Mingxue looked up instinctively, watching as a plane streaked overhead.

For no reason at all, she clenched the two gemstones Song Shuangtian had returned to her, hidden in her pocket. The cigarette ash burned the back of her hand, snapping her back to reality. The plane was gone, but the pounding in her chest remained.

Without Song Shuangtian, how would she endure her rut?

And what about Song Shuangtian’s heat?

Would she remember to buy gland suppressants? Or would she seek out another alpha to mark her? Would she sink her teeth into someone else’s neck?

Her heart raced so violently that Ji Mingxue began to wonder if she had some undiagnosed cardiac condition.

“President Ji.”

A man’s voice sounded behind her. Ji Mingxue schooled her expression, a flicker of impatience in her eyes.

“What now?”

Ji Mingxue’s gaze swept over Song Chuang, scrutinizing him from head to toe, utterly unable to discern what about this man could possibly have caught her mentor’s attention.

In the past, Song Chuang’s family had been relatively well-off, he was a somewhat renowned jewelry merchant in the country. But after a decline due to quality issues, his business had collapsed. If not for his wife’s ST Group, he would have long gone bankrupt and liquidated.

Song Chuang lowered his head, subconsciously rubbing his hands together.

“Director Ji, it’s not that I don’t want to bring that child here, but she’s not answering my calls. I can’t even find her.”

Ji Mingxue’s expression remained cold, her indifferent eyes lifting slightly.

“Is that so? Then let’s talk after you’ve found her.”

She tightened her grip on the two gemstones in her pocket. “I have a proposal.”

The alpha took out her phone. “Perhaps you could give me her photo. My people will help you locate her.”

Ji Mingxue said this purely out of arrogant amusement, not actually expecting Song Chuang to respond.

She smirked. “Oh, and by the way, maybe you could introduce me to your ST Group’s designers. Your company’s designers have repeatedly plagiarized my employees’ work. For designers who only know how to copy and paste, I suggest you just fire them.”

Song Shuangtian was the most talented jewelry designer she had ever met. Even the brooch Ji Mingxue was wearing now had been sketched by Song Shuangtian in her spare time.

The magnolia brooch rested quietly on her suit lapel. Whether it was an illusion or not, she could faintly catch the scent of orange blossom pheromones lingering in the air.

Lu Xing walked by with a file folder, waving for the executives behind her to leave first.

Song Chuang hesitated for a few seconds before finally trembling as he pulled out his phone, double-checking. “As long as I find her, Director Ji will sign the raw gemstone trade contract?”

Ji Mingxue watched him with a half-smile until a photo of a young girl appeared on the phone screen.

“To be honest with you, ST Group’s latest designs were all created by Song Shuangtian. It’s her lack of integrity, plagiarizing your company’s products.”

In an instant, the atmosphere in the hallway turned eerie.

Ji Mingxue cut him off.

“This isn’t about plagiarism anymore.”

Lu Xing hurried over, wanting to catch a glimpse of the legendary ST Group heir’s photo.

Ji Mingxue didn’t stop her or perhaps she wanted to, but her brain had already stopped functioning.

“Are you serious?” Ji Mingxue’s first reaction was that Song Chuang was fucking lying to her.

Song Chuang looked innocent. “It’s true. I even have photos of her from when she was little.”

Ji Mingxue searched his face for any trace of deceit but only saw a resemblance in their facial structure.

Fuck.

The familiar-looking girl had a pair of beautiful peach-blossom eyes and wore an aged pearl necklace around her neck.

The photo was from a few years ago Song Shuangtian sat in a classroom at a foreign university, her long hair falling obediently over her shoulders as she held a few books. Outside, the wind blew, and miraculously, a magnolia tree had taken root in that foreign land. It was the season when magnolias bloomed.

“So the name ST Group?”

Song Chuang wiped the cold sweat from his temple. “My wife named it based on Song Shuangtian’s name.”

After he finished speaking, neither Ji Mingxue nor Lu Xing reacted. Their gazes were practically glued to the photo.

“Should I send the photo to Director Ji?”

Ji Mingxue uncharacteristically didn’t refuse, her voice dry: “Fine, send it to my email.”

Some people may seem like their brains are still functioning, but in reality, they’ve gone completely blank.

It wasn’t until hours later that Ji Mingxue cursed aloud in her office.

No wonder Yuan Yin had looked at Song Shuangtian so strangely on the yacht that time.

No wonder Song Shuangtian had refused her money and promotions, only asking her to focus on her work.

No wonder ST Group’s new products always bore a striking resemblance to the drafts Song Shuangtian had provided.

No wonder, Ji Mingxue closed her eyes for a moment, trying to remove the jade bracelet from her wrist, only to find it stubbornly stuck.

The pearl necklace around Song Shuangtian’s throat Ji Mingxue had tugged on it countless times, forcing Song Shuangtian closer, treating the necklace left by her mother as some sort of reins.

Forcing her mark on her omega.

She had claimed to honor the memory of Song Shuangtian’s mother, yet ended up doing something worse than a beast.

Ji Mingxue didn’t know whether to feel guilty or furious now.

Liar!

What to Do When the Lover You’re Keeping Turns Out to Be Your Mentor’s Daughter

Ji Mingxue tried several times to pull off the magnolia brooch but failed, leaving it securely pinned to her collar.

Lu Xing circled the office doorway, thinking to herself, another one’s lost it.

Lu Xing, caught off guard by the flood of revelations, wasn’t exactly clear-headed either.

So she hadn’t offended that person, right?

Ji Mingxue recalled what Song Chuang had said in the meeting about Song Shuangtian’s problematic pheromones

Neither alpha nor omega, not even beta, because her pheromones were flawed, making her unsuitable for public appearances.

No matter how talented she was, she couldn’t be recognized as ST Group’s legitimate heir.

Song Shuangtian, the flawed successor, would only tarnish ST Group’s reputation further.

Ji Mingxue’s heart pounded violently, her magnolia pheromones running wild. The throbbing at her temples made it hard to stay upright, and she collapsed into the soft chair.

The truth was, Song Shuangtian hadn’t returned to ST Group so where had she gone?

“Liar!”

“President Ji, we need your signature on Song Shuangtian’s resignation letter.”

Someone from HR, oblivious to the situation, knocked on Ji Mingxue’s office door.

Ji Mingxue: “.”

Get out!

The sound of a shattered glass echoed from the office.

At the airport of a small southwestern town, Song Shuangtian had just stepped off the plane. Rubbing her belly where she’d felt the first fetal movements, she sneezed.

“Be good, little one. Mama’s taking you to bask in the sun.”