After Little Sweet Omega Runs with the Ball - Chapter 3
As a low-level employee like Song Shuangtian, she wouldn’t normally have the chance to meet a big boss like Ji Mingxue.
Seated at her workstation, Song Shuangtian idly browsed the latest news about ST Group. Unsurprisingly, the internet was flooded with scathing comments, accusing ST’s management of being shameless for releasing designs that were blatant copies of M Group’s latest high-end jewelry collection.
A smaller faction was busy cursing Song Shuangtian, the so-called “unworthy omega heir”, though none of these online critics actually knew who the heir was.
That didn’t stop them from dragging Song Shuangtian’s entire family tree into the trending insults.
Song Shuangtian: “…”
She pressed a hand to her throbbing forehead. Was there any possibility that M Group’s latest jewelry collection had also been designed by her?
How was that not considered original?
Just as Song Shuangtian picked up her dip pen in frustration, sketching out M Group’s new season jewelry designs,
Cui Yu burst into the room, rapping her knuckles sharply against Song Shuangtian’s desk.
Cui Yu’s grin stretched ear to ear.
“Quick, quick second-floor conference room! The big boss is holding a meeting and wants us there too.”
Song Shuangtian’s smile faltered for a split second. “President Ji?”
Heads turned across the office, eyes gleaming with envy.
An ordinary employee rarely got to attend a meeting with Ji Mingxue. The lowest-ranking participant was usually a deputy director. After feigning appropriate surprise, Song Shuangtian felt a faint itch on the gland at the nape of her neck.
That damn alpha.
A flawless look of astonishment flickered through Song Shuangtian’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes. “Am I really allowed to join?”
Cui Yu grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the elevator. “Of course! The orchid-themed three-piece set you designed recently got the big boss’s approval. The 3D department’s already working on the models.”
Song Shuangtian, out of habit, had a lollipop in her mouth. With a crisp snap, she bit it clean in half.
Cui Yu sighed inside the elevator. “I wonder if ST Group’s going to plagiarize us again this time.”
Song Shuangtian: “…”
She scratched her head.
Song Shuangtian: “Very likely.”
Cui Yu sighed. “Right? If they copy us again, I’m dragging you with me to confront them. We’ll sue them straight to court.”
Song Shuangtian guiltily averted her gaze.
Once inside the conference room, after a brief wait,
Song Shuangtian and Cui Yu took seats at the far end of the table. The high-ranking executives seated ahead were all stiffly formal, far beyond the social reach of someone like Cui Yu or Song Shuangtian.
Even the usually sociable Cui Yu could only offer a quick, polite bow in greeting.
The tense silence in the room was finally broken by Ji Mingxue’s timely arrival.
The muffled sound of high heels sinking into thick carpet echoed through the space.
The alpha’s gaze swept over the faces in the room before finally settling on Song Shuangtian.
Song Shuangtian: “…”
Following Ji Mingxue’s line of sight, every pair of eyes in the room turned toward Song Shuangtian, who was still mid-bow in greeting.
The back of her neck ached again.
Damn, that bite had been vicious.
The omega lowered her lashes as if shy, her ears slowly flushing a delicate shade of pink.
Only then did Ji Mingxue withdraw her gaze. A faint, icy fragrance of white magnolia detectable only to omegas drifted imperceptibly through the air.
The meeting proceeded without any mention of Song Shuangtian’s work. It was just another ordinary high-level discussion.
On the surface, Song Shuangtian appeared to understand nothing, but in reality, her CPU was already overheating.
The meeting not only discussed the cities for next quarter’s new store openings but also touched on how to benchmark ST Group’s selection criteria for global brand ambassadors.
Song Shuangtian scribbled furiously in her notes.
Cui Yu watched from the side, clicking her tongue in amazement, and secretly gave her a thumbs-up.
Which big boss wouldn’t want to see their employees taking notes like mad?
Ji Mingxue’s cool voice rang out from above, “Alright, the meeting is adjourned. Song Shuangtian, stay behind.”
Just as all the senior executives had assumed Song Shuangtian was merely there as a silent note-taker, they froze in unison upon hearing the boss’s command.
What exactly was so special about this new omega employee?
Even Lu Xing, the vice president who had always been by Ji Mingxue’s side, paused and cast a probing glance at Song Shuangtian.
That little girl was going places.
Song Shuangtian lifted her head in confusion, clutching her notebook, and met Ji Mingxue’s deep, obsidian-like eyes.
The reflection of the young woman was crystal clear in Ji Mingxue’s gaze.
In an instant, the unique magnetic field between an alpha and an omega unfurled, their highly compatible pheromones silently entwining endlessly in the office.
The cool string of pearls around Song Shuangtian’s neck suddenly felt scalding, an illusion that instantly reminded her of that night when the alpha had gripped the pearl necklace from behind, like reins on a horse or a noose around a swan’s neck.
“Cui Yu, you stay too.”
With Ji Mingxue’s words, the ambiguous atmosphere between them shattered.
Oh. So it was just work-related after all.
Song Shuangtian exhaled slowly in relief.
In the now-empty conference room, Cui Yu immediately pulled Song Shuangtian over to Ji Mingxue’s side.
Her overly eager smile made Song Shuangtian cringe internally, she was being introduced like a stock with an astonishing ROI.
Ji Mingxue tapped her fingers on the table. “So you’re asking for a budget increase of over 50%?”
Cui Yu cleared her throat. “Song Shuangtian’s design skills are exceptional. I’ve never seen an employee with efficiency like hers. I’m not exaggerating with her here, she can single-handedly outperform an entire design team.”
The look Cui Yu gave Song Shuangtian was brimming with trust. “ST Group won’t stand a chance next year.”
If Song Shuangtian weren’t a corporate spy, having a boss like Cui Yu would be a dream come true for any fresh graduate.
Ji Mingxue’s expression remained indifferent. Bored, she even opened her cigarette case and lit a slender ladies’ cigarette.
The faint smoke drifted through the air, quickly sucked away by the ventilation system.
Ji Mingxue’s phone lay face-down on the table, its screen reflecting an incoming call.
This wasn’t the best time to discuss budgets, and Cui Yu fully expected to be rejected and kicked out on the spot.
But so what? Opportunities in the workplace had to be seized.
Just as Cui Yu’s smile was about to falter, Ji Mingxue nodded. “Fine. Send the project budget proposal to Lu Xing’s email.”
Cui Yu: !!!!!
The scent of the slender cigarette masked the alpha’s white magnolia pheromones.
The gaze of the lazily beautiful woman leaning against the chair swept past Cui Yu’s face.
Before Ji Mingxue left, she tapped her fingers on Cui Yu’s shoulder and said, “Send Song Shuangtian’s detailed background check to Lu Xing’s email before the end of the day. This is crucial, it determines whether you’ll get this budget.”
Such blatant words were spoken directly in front of Song Shuangtian, who stood behind Cui Yu like a mere backdrop.
Ji Mingxue showed no intention of speaking to Song Shuangtian, not even sparing her a glance.
It was as if the two of them were complete strangers.
Yet the scents of orange blossom and magnolia, always intertwined in the air, had reached an impossible-to-ignore intensity. If not for Cui Yu being a beta who couldn’t smell it, she would have been immediately overwhelmed, triggering either a rut or a heat.
Against the backdrop of such highly concentrated pheromones, the cigarette held between Ji Mingxue’s fingers was nothing more than a feeble attempt at concealment.
Song Shuangtian didn’t even register what the two were saying, her fingers gripping the edge of the conference table with force.
Large beads of cold sweat formed on her forehead, and the spot beneath her gland patch began to itch and burn.
She had been running a low-grade fever for days, and even fever reducers had little effect.
The day after she and Ji Mingxue got together, the company suddenly began strictly checking whether alphas were wearing pheromone suppressants and omegas had gland patches, an unprecedented level of scrutiny at M Group.
At the company entrance, free pheromone suppressants and gland patches were handed out.
Song Shuangtian had intended to choose the alpha suppressant, but the staff forcibly applied a gland patch to her instead.
This act felt incredibly rude to Song Shuangtian, an “alpha,” but as a low-ranking employee, she had no right to refuse.
As Ji Mingxue passed by Song Shuangtian, her fingers brushed against the pearl necklace, flicking it lightly from behind.
The smooth pearls grazed the most sensitive part of Song Shuangtian’s nape.
That fleeting touch abruptly snapped Song Shuangtian out of her daze.
She stared blankly at the alpha before her, finding no trace of the mark on her neck.
The bite mark Song Shuangtian had left had long since faded over the days.
“Nice necklace.”
Song Shuangtian’s face suddenly flushed bright red!
After uttering those words, Ji Mingxue left the office as if nothing had happened.
She seemed entirely unfamiliar with Song Shuangtian and showed no interest in the junior designer Cui Yu had taken a liking to.
The aloof, high-profile CEO was as untouchable as the snow atop the highest mountain peak.
Cui Yu: “Xiao Song, your face! Goodness, why is it so red? Do you have a high fever?”
Cui Yu pressed the back of her hand against Song Shuangtian’s forehead.
“No fever, why is it this bad?”
Grabbing Song Shuangtian’s wrist, Cui Yu led her into the office, poured her a cup of hot water, and rummaged through the desk drawer for some cold medicine.
“The weather’s been unpredictable lately take care of yourself. Crushing ST’s designs is all up to you.”
Song Shuangtian: “…”
Song Shuangtian was accustomed to wearing her pearl necklace, which usually went unnoticed. But now, each pearl sliding against her skin sent strange shivers down her spine.
Mmm…
Her nape began to ache again.
Omega slumped weakly over the desk, struggling to pick up the dip pen as she outlined the preliminary design for the haute couture jewelry.
The back of her neck ached terribly it felt like countless ants were gnawing at her marrow, or as if a wispy feather had brushed against it.
Her scalp tingled faintly.
Cui Yu didn’t know what Ji Mingxue needed Song Shuangtian’s background check for, but she went to the HR department and forwarded all of Song Shuangtian’s detailed information to Lu Xing’s email.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about Song Shuangtian’s resume except, perhaps, her prestigious academic background, which was enviable enough to make anyone jealous.
The line under “family members” that read “both parents deceased” only invited sighs over the unfairness of fate.
After work.
Ji Mingxue sat in her luxury car, scrolling through Song Shuangtian’s resume in her inbox.
Line after line of text flashed before her eyes as the Hetian jade bracelet on her wrist swayed slightly with each swipe of the screen.
Suddenly, the alpha pulled open the car door.
“Get in.”
Parked in the spot next to Ji Mingxue’s was a slightly worn-out sedan, its rearview mirror dangling a small yellow duck ornament that swayed precariously.
Song Shuangtian stared in shock at the abruptly opened door.
The young woman distinctly remembered that the neighboring parking spot had been empty when she parked otherwise, she would never have parked next to her boss’s car.
“President Ji?”
The girl was dressed in a creamy white long coat, with a V-neck white satin blouse underneath. The pearl necklace around her neck shimmered faintly in the dim underground garage.
Ji Mingxue grabbed the necklace directly and yanked Song Shuangtian inside.
Song Shuangtian: “…”
The rough handling immediately sent Song Shuangtian into a coughing fit, her hand pressed to her throat.
The overpowering scent of alpha, white magnolia pheromones filled the luxury car, wrapping around the omega like a sentient force, inch by inch, as if eagerly drinking in the orange blossom fragrance emanating from her.
“Mmm, ah!”
Omega’s shoulders trembled as Ji Mingxue pressed her into the seat beside her, abruptly tearing off the gland patch on the back of her neck.
The pain brought involuntary tears to Song Shuangtian’s eyes.
“What are you doing?”
Her question was met with the cold sting of alcohol.
“Still hurting?”
Ji Mingxue wiped away the alcohol and pressed her lips against Song Shuangtian’s slightly swollen gland.
“Tell me, boss, you’re not actually planning to exploit your power over a lowly employee like me, are you? M Group prides itself on elegance and sophistication your executives’ behavior is truly something to behold. I wonder what consumers would think if they saw you acting like this.”
Song Shuangtian curled her lips, marveling at the chaos within M Group.
Not that ST was any better, but for a boss to drag an employee into her car like this? It was practically the behavior of a street thug.
“Why didn’t you apply the medicine?”
Ji Mingxue squeezed a dollop of cool ointment onto the back of Song Shuangtian’s neck, spreading it with the soft pad of her finger.
The soothing chill instantly eased the burning heat of the omega’s gland.
A faint whimper escaped Song Shuangtian’s throat, there was no denying it felt good. But Ji Mingxue showed no mercy, each stroke of her fingers firmer than the last.
It felt like torment.
Or like she was waiting for her to beg.
How cruel. Too cruel.
“It hurts.”
Song Shuangtian’s fingers dug into the leather seat, leaving five distinct nail marks on the supple lambskin.
Even the most spacious luxury car felt cramped at this moment.
Song Shuangtian could barely breathe. As Ji Mingxue moved closer, she immediately dodged to the side, staring at Ji Mingxue like a wary leopard on high alert.
“Ji Mingxue, ” Song Shuangtian lowered her lashes, trembling slightly. “I can handle it myself.”
Ji Mingxue didn’t insist. She had already inhaled enough pheromones, the genetic craving of an alpha for an omega with high compatibility was completely soothed at this moment.
“Fine.”
Ji Mingxue tossed a tube of ointment into Song Shuangtian’s lap.
The back of Song Shuangtian’s neck burned fiercely. She glared at Ji Mingxue. “Director Ji, you did that on purpose.”
Ji Mingxue smiled at her without hesitation. “You must have spent a lot on tuition over the years. Can your current salary cover those loans?”
Even if Song Shuangtian were the biggest fool, she’d understand Ji Mingxue’s implication nothing more than wanting to keep her, a lowly employee, as a mistress.
A despicable workplace power play.
Song Shuangtian neither admitted nor denied it. “You hurt me.”
If she got involved with Ji Mingxue, gathering intel would become infinitely easier.
The difficulty level of the mission would drop from hell mode to child’s play.
Secretly, Song Shuangtian scoffed, Ji Mingxue was nothing special, just another fool blinded by lust.
Ji Mingxue sighed as if helpless. “Then what do you want?”
Suddenly, Song Shuangtian lunged forward, sinking her sharp little fangs into the back of Ji Mingxue’s neck, where no omega gland existed.
Ji Mingxue: “…?”
What was this little omega up to?
A provocation?