After Marrying the Cold Omega in Secret - Chapter 21

The two of them sat at the table by the window. Chu Jin gently unwrapped the bandage, layer by layer. The wound still looked alarming, but thankfully the water had not completely soaked through. Only the edges were slightly damp.

Chi Ye’s fingers were long and elegant, with clearly defined knuckles and faint veins visible beneath the skin. They appeared delicate, but carried strength. The light redness at her fingertips added an unexpected touch of sensuality.

As an alpha, having hands this beautiful felt like a rare gift. Chu Jin was determined not to let any scars remain.

Those hands would be important in the future.

She dipped a cotton swab in iodine and began disinfecting the wound with careful strokes.

Chi Ye frowned slightly.

“Did I hurt you?” Chu Jin asked, nervous.

The question sounded a little suggestive, but Chi Ye knew she was only trying to be gentle. She nodded.

“A little.”

“I will be more careful.” Chu Jin spoke softly. Her movements became even more delicate, as if she were handling something priceless. After each touch, she puckered her lips and gently blew cool air over the wound.

The faint breeze soothed the sting. It mixed with a tingling sensation that seemed to stir something inside Chi Ye. The calm surface of her heart began to ripple.

Chi Ye was lost in thought when Chu Jin suddenly spoke.

“I am sorry.”

Chi Ye looked at her. “What for?”

“For earlier, during the truth or dare game. I know you were upset. It was my fault.”

Chu Jin spoke while lowering her eyes, carefully wrapping a fresh layer of gauze around the wound.

Chi Ye silently agreed. She had been upset.

When Chu Jin leaned in near the end of the game, Chi Ye had instinctively pushed her away. It was not exactly rejection. It was more like nervous hesitation.

She did not expect Chu Jin to give up and take the penalty drink instead of completing the challenge.

“Oh?” Chi Ye glanced at her, voice calm and teasing. “What exactly did you do wrong?”

Chu Jin heard the change in her tone and finally felt some relief. She continued.

“I crossed a boundary. I should not have acted that way toward you. When I drew that card, I should have refused from the start.”

Chi Ye stayed quiet for a moment.

Chu Jin still kept her head down, not daring to look at her. She went on explaining.

“I promise I will never do something like that again, President Chi. I swear.”

Chi Ye had not expected this kind of explanation.

So it was not that Chu Jin had been unwilling to continue. She had only stopped because she thought Chi Ye would not accept it.

In that moment, any frustration she had vanished completely.

She responded gently.

“You did well.”

Chu Jin looked up quickly, surprised. She had not expected that answer.

The bandage was finished. Chi Ye casually touched the gauze with her other hand, then looked back at Chu Jin.

“But it still was not good enough.”

“What do you mean?”

Chu Jin did not understand. Or maybe she needed confirmation that what she thought was correct.

“I told you before. You have the highest level of authority.”

Chi Ye spoke slowly.

She had said it once while they were shopping. In order to make Yan Sisi jealous, Chu Jin had permission to do whatever she needed, even if it involved things as bold as a near-kiss during a game.

Chu Jin’s emotions became complicated. She was not sure if she felt happy or uneasy. Her gaze drifted to Chi Ye’s lips again.

Her voice lowered.

“Even kissing is allowed?”

Chi Ye’s eyes paused slightly. She stared at her for a moment, then leaned forward and answered in a soft voice.

“You are fully allowed to use your rights as my wife.”

The word “wife” made Chu Jin’s chest tighten.

Maybe it was the alcohol still in her system. Her emotions felt sensitive and fragile. That sentence triggered a strange mix of joy and sadness, pulling her in both directions at once.

But she quickly pulled herself back together. She reminded herself of the contract, of the ten billion yuan involved. That little sadness vanished in an instant.

She smiled and replied with playful charm.

“Alright, wifey.”

Chi Ye seemed dazed for a moment but quickly returned to her usual calm.

“By the way,” she said, as if she had just remembered something. “Earlier, when you drew the card to show the latest photo in your gallery, why didn’t you show it?”

Chu Jin had not expected the question. She quickly repeated the excuse she had used before.

“It was too simple. Not interesting enough for the audience.”

Chi Ye narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly unconvinced.

Seeing this, Chu Jin hurried to change the subject.

“It is getting late. We still need to send the heart message.” She glanced at Chi Ye and spoke carefully. “You should send it to the person you like.”

Chu Jin herself felt there was no one suitable to send it to, so she chose to skip it.

After that, she closed her phone and went to shower.

When she came out, Chi Ye had already gone to bed. With her eyes closed, she looked peaceful and quiet.

Chu Jin usually scrolled through her phone before sleeping. As soon as she unlocked it, a message appeared.

Thank you for your care.

The moment she read the message, she looked up at Chi Ye. Her heart skipped a beat.

Didn’t she say she was changing her heartthrob choice?

But this message contained nothing romantic. It might have just been a polite thank you.

Still, it was surprising. The famously proud President Chi had actually said thank you.

Chu Jin could not help but smile. She turned off the lights and lay down in bed.

She fell into a deep sleep.

And had a very sweet dream.

The next morning, it was Zhou Meng and Chen Mo’s turn to cook. They got up early to prepare breakfast.

As expected, Xin Ning quickly volunteered to help. She insisted on squeezing into the same car with them to buy groceries.

The three of them rode together, with Xin Ning sitting in the middle. It was a rare scene in the history of dating shows.

The rest of the group had just finished breakfast when the production team made a new announcement.

A new participant would be joining the show today.

The production team had mentioned earlier that to keep the show interesting, they would first introduce eight people, and two more would arrive later.

Just as the group returned from grocery shopping, the new contestant arrived at the villa.

Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, they could see a woman approaching with a suitcase in hand.

She was wearing a light matcha green dress and a pair of slim heels with a slight platform. Her skin was fair and smooth, and her soft curls hung neatly over her chest. Her face carried a bright and dazzling smile.

Her whole presence radiated warmth and confidence.

After changing into indoor shoes, she stepped inside and walked directly toward the group.

With a cheerful smile, she greeted everyone.

“Hello, everyone.”

The others quickly welcomed her, and the mood immediately lifted, as if someone had brought in a fresh burst of energy.

Zhou Meng stepped forward and offered her hand.

“My name is Zhou Meng.”

The woman took her hand and smiled brightly.

“I’m Qiao Man.”

“Man as in the vine from ‘climbing vine.’”

Zhou Meng’s smile grew warmer. She reached for the suitcase and offered kindly.

“Let me help you take this upstairs.”

“Thank you.” Qiao Man’s voice was crisp and pleasant. She grinned in appreciation.

There was one room left on the third floor, labeled “Azalea,” reserved for the last two arrivals.

After Zhou Meng brought her luggage upstairs, Qiao Man’s big smile faded slightly. A softer, more reserved expression took its place as she made her way back to the others. Just when it seemed she would pass by Chi Ye, she suddenly changed direction and walked toward Chu Jin.

“Hello.”

Qiao Man greeted Chu Jin directly.

Her eyes shimmered, but perhaps because she had been smiling too long, it became difficult to tell if her smile was genuine or not.

Chu Jin reached out to shake her hand and was about to introduce herself, but Qiao Man spoke first.

“I already know who you are.”

She paused for a second, then quickly listed off what she knew.

“Chu Jin, a model. You’ve done quite a few magazine shoots and several short films.”

The way she spoke made it sound like she had studied before coming on the show. Chu Jin had a strong feeling that what Qiao Man knew went beyond what she was sharing.

“That’s because I’ve been watching this show from the beginning,” Qiao Man explained when she noticed Chu Jin’s slight pause.

“You and Chi Ye,” she added, glancing toward Chi Ye, “you have a CP pairing called Jinchi. It’s very popular right now.”

Chu Jin looked at Chi Ye.

She immediately noticed that Chi Ye did not look pleased.

“I think…” Qiao Man’s voice was light and confident. She raised one eyebrow with ease. “That pairing is just average.”

Her blunt comment made everyone around them widen their eyes in disbelief.

No one expected her to say something so direct, especially with the cameras filming.

But the next thing she said was even more shocking.

Qiao Man stepped closer to Chu Jin. Her voice softened.

“I think you and I would be a better match, Jin-jie.”

Support After Marrying the Cold Omega in Secret