After Mistakenly Marking Her Stunning Omega Stepsister - Chapter 62

“Well…”

Wen Xiangzhu blinked, pondering for a moment, unsure how to start.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Sui asked, noticing Wen Xiangzhu’s conflicted expression. She hesitated before adding, “Is it hard to say?”

“Not exactly,” Wen Xiangzhu replied, pursing her lips. “It’s just… complicated.”

“Why?” Lin Sui pressed.

Wen Xiangzhu looked at her and smiled. “If I asked you why you like me, and when you started feeling this way, could you answer?”

“Hmm… probably not,” Lin Sui said with a small smile.

“Let’s get ready first. We haven’t had breakfast yet.”

“Okay.”

The competition was scheduled for the weekend of the following week.

Apart from weekends and evenings at home, their daily routine remained unchanged. Except for their close friends, no one noticed anything amiss.

To ensure Wen Xiangzhu was in peak condition for the competition, Lin Sui refrained from giving her a Temporary Mark beforehand and instead administered an Inhibitor.

That day marked both the competition and Wen Xiangzhu’s birthday.

Lin Sui hadn’t forgotten.

When Wen Xiangzhu emerged, Lin Sui had already gathered all her close friends.

“You’re all here?” Wen Xiangzhu was clearly surprised but didn’t seem to realize the significance. She smiled helplessly. “It’s just a competition, no need for this.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, its warm golden light bathed the earth, casting a warm, golden glow over everything.

“It’s more than just a competition,” Lin Sui said, stepping forward. She paused, but despite being in the middle of the street, she felt no awkwardness.

She revealed the gift she had been hiding behind her back and handed it to Wen Xiangzhu.

“Wenwen, happy birthday.”

Lu Xiaomeng clapped her hands and joined in with a grin. “I got you a little plushie too!”

“And me! I bought you a top-of-the-line stationery set!” Zhu Huan chimed in.

Xu Nianen stood to the side, smiling softly. “I got you a racket, Sister Wen…”

The group chattering in the middle of the street still felt somewhat odd.

Wen Xiangzhu smiled, touched, tears welling in her eyes. “Thank you all… It’s getting late. Let’s go find somewhere to eat.”

Wen Xiangzhu herself chose the restaurant.

She’d asked Lin Sui, and Lin Sui had invited all the friends who came today.

But…

Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she murmured, “You didn’t invite Wanwan, did you?”

“I did.” Lin Sui paused. “She said she’d come, but something must have come up.”

“Oh.” Wen Xiangzhu nodded, leaving it at that.

With so many people here, it wouldn’t be fair to keep everyone waiting with empty stomachs.

As they ate, Wen Xiangzhu curiously took the gift Lin Sui had given her and asked, “Is this the same thing I saw in your room last time?”

“Uh…” Lin Sui smiled sheepishly. “Yeah.”

“When did you get this? You kept it a secret from me back then,” Wen Xiangzhu said, her eyes brightening with curiosity.

“Before school started,” Lin Sui replied. “Go on, open it. You’ll love it.”

“Really?” Wen Xiangzhu smiled, still a little doubtful. She opened the gift and froze. “This is…”

“You said it was pretty when I was picking out a gift for Wanwan last time,” Lin Sui explained, pursing her lips. “So I went and bought it for you.”

The private room was filled with a warm atmosphere. Zhu Huan and Xu Nianen were openly affectionate with each other, while Lin Sui and Wen Xiangzhu whispered close together. Only Lu Xiaomeng…

Her expression held a hint of melancholy.

She felt like a flickering light bulb.

But…

Lu Xiaomeng’s expression was complicated as she watched Lin Sui and Wen Xiangzhu lean in close, whispering. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going on between them.

Wen Xiangzhu was thrilled with the bracelet, but with everyone else around, she couldn’t make a big fuss. Instead, she secretly tugged at Lin Sui’s hand under the table.

“Help me put it on.”

“Sure.”

Lin Sui smiled, took the bracelet from Wen Xiangzhu, and slipped it onto her wrist. The delicate, porcelain-like wrist looked stunning with the flawless white jade bracelet. It suited her perfectly.

As the meal neared its end, their conversation became casual and scattered.

Lu Xiaomeng couldn’t resist teasing, half-joking, “Hey, you guys are being unfair! All lovey-dovey in pairs, and I’m the lone wolf?”

“Then go find someone to keep you company!” Wen Xiangzhu chuckled. “Didn’t you say you liked someone from the next class…?”

“Ah! Wenwen, stop talking nonsense,” Lu Xiaomeng said, her face flushing as she quickly interrupted.

Now everyone was curious.

Zhu Huan leaned forward slightly. “Who is it? Someone from the next class? Do I know them?”

“No one, Wenwen was just talking nonsense,” Lu Xiaomeng mumbled, her head lowered in embarrassment.

“Let me guess… the one who brings you snacks?”

“Or the one who brings you milk tea?”

“Ah! Stop talking…” Wen Xiangzhu said with a smile, her gaze inadvertently drifting to the wall clock. She frowned.

She looked down at her phone, worry etched on her face. “Wanwan still hasn’t come. I texted her, but she hasn’t replied. I hope nothing happened to her.”

“This…”

Xu Nianen frowned. Jiang Wanwan was her cousin, and naturally, she was worried. “I’ll call her.”

As she spoke, Xu Nianen picked up her phone.

But before she could unlock it, the phone rang.

It was Jiang Qing.

Xu Nianen froze for a moment before quickly answering the call.

“Sister Jiang.”

“Where are you? Come back here.”

Jiang Qing’s voice sounded serious over the phone.

“Is something wrong? Is Wanwan at home? I was just about to call her.”

Xu Nianen’s expression changed. “Is something wrong?”

Jiang Qing paused. “She’s here. Come back… come back to the Jiang family.”

“Okay.”

Xu Nianen nodded and hung up. “Wanwan is at home, but Qingqing asked me to go back to the Jiang family. Her tone sounded like something happened.”

“I’ll take you,” Zhu Huan said.

Lin Sui frowned and exchanged a glance with Wen Xiangzhu. “Then we’ll come too.”

“But…”

Xu Nianen blinked. “But Wenwen, today is your birthday.”

“It’s okay.”

Wen Xiangzhu shook her head. “I can skip my birthday. Wanwan is my friend, and that’s more important than a birthday.”

“Then…”

Luomeng hesitated. “I’ll just head home then?”

Lin Sui shook her head. “Stay with us. We don’t feel comfortable letting you go alone.”

“Right, Mengmeng. Let’s stick together,” Wen Xiangzhu added softly.

“Alright.”

The Jiang family’s driver soon arrived downstairs. The group got into the car, and before long, they were at the Jiang residence.

Jiang Qing hadn’t expected that asking Xu Nianen to return would bring so many people, including members of the Lin family.

“What’s going on?” Xu Nianen asked, her expression anxious. Though she hadn’t interacted with Jiang Wanwan much, she still liked her cousin.

Jiang Qing hesitated, then sighed. “Mom picked the Song family for Wanwan, wanting her to be engaged to them. Wanwan refused, and then… Aunt got into an argument with Mom.”

“Aunt?” Xu Nianen paused. “My mother?”

Jiang Qing nodded.

Lin Sui narrowed her eyes, her gaze suspicious. If Jiang Wanwan was being forced into an arranged marriage, why was Xu Ming in such a hurry?

The study door remained closed for hours, with Mrs. Jiang, Xu Ming, and Jiang Wanwan all inside. During that time, Jiang Qing and Xu Nianen were also called in.

Lu Xiaomeng had fallen asleep waiting.

Finally, at 9:30 PM, the study door opened.

Jiang Wanwan and Xu Nianen emerged, both looking somewhat dazed.

Realizing that Lin Sui and the others were waiting downstairs, Jiang Wanwan finally gathered her composure and led Xu Nianen downstairs by the hand.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Sui asked worriedly as she saw them descend the stairs.

“Um…” Jiang Wanwan seemed unsure how to start. “We just learned something.”

Xu Nianen turned to glance at Jiang Wanwan, then sighed. “Actually, Wanwan is my biological sister.”

The group fell silent.

Huh?!

What…?

Wen Xiangzhu stared at Jiang Wanwan in disbelief. “What do you mean?”

“It means… my surname is actually Xu. My ‘Aunt’… she’s my real mother.”

Jiang Wanwan forced a bitter smile. “No wonder Mom ignored my wishes and insisted on this marriage alliance. All this time, the woman I’ve been calling ‘Mom’ isn’t my real mother.”

The group remained silent for a long moment.

“But… why?” Lin Sui asked, perplexed.

Jiang Qing had come down at some point and sighed.

“For a marriage alliance.”

“What?”

“Not long before I was born, my mother was diagnosed with a condition that prevented her from having any more children. The Jiang family was already in decline, so… they needed an Omega as a sacrificial pawn for a marriage alliance.” Jiang Qing looked pained. “Wanwan was that pawn. My mother and aunt begged for a month, promising to give Wanwan the best upbringing and education, before my aunt finally agreed.”

“So…”

Lin Sui took a deep breath. “I understand now.”

Everything made sense now.

Why Mrs. Jiang had abandoned Jiang Wanwan after “giving birth” to her, why Jiang Wanwan had been well-cared for yet unhappy.

Now it seemed that Xu Ming couldn’t bear to see her own daughter suffer, and regretted it.

“Then this marriage alliance…”

Wen Xiangzhu pursed her lips.

Jiang Wanwan shook her head. “My aunt… no, my mother said there was no need. She told me to choose whoever I liked.”

“She said, as long as I’m happy, that’s all that matters.”

“That’s good,” Wen Xiangzhu said, nodding thoughtfully.

From this perspective, it was actually a good thing.

Jiang Wanwan had returned to her family, and her birth mother would naturally cherish her more. She wouldn’t force her into a marriage alliance, allowing her to be with the person she truly liked.

Wen Xiangzhu lowered her head slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips.

She was genuinely happy for Jiang Wanwan.

But… she also worried about herself.

She felt lost about her future with Lin Sui.

When would they be able to be together openly?

When leaving the Jiang family residence, they had already arranged for a driver to take Lu Xiaomeng back home.

As the others departed one by one, only the Lin family’s driver had yet to arrive.

Taking advantage of the momentary solitude, Wen Xiangzhu led Lin Sui to a secluded spot in the garden, looking somewhat dejected.

Lin Sui observed her, trying to think of something comforting to say. Eventually, she simply asked, “Are you feeling down? It’s your birthday today, and then all this happened…”

“It’s not because of that,” Wen Xiangzhu replied.

Wen Xiangzhu looked helplessly at Lin Sui, forcing a smile. “I was just thinking about something.”

“What is it?” Lin Sui asked.

Wen Xiangzhu fell silent for a long moment. Her usually cheerful face was now etched with worry. After a pause, she spoke, “Seeing Wanwan like this, being forced into an arranged marriage… it really gets to me. If she were truly a daughter of the Jiang family, she’d have no choice but to marry someone she doesn’t like… Fortunately, her birth mother does care about her.”

“I don’t know if I’m making any sense. I’m not sure if you can understand what I’m trying to say. Our engagement with Wanwan was also broken by lies—by having Jiang Qing Sister plead on our behalf. Wanwan’s lack of choice back then was much like ours now, isn’t it?”

“Ours now.”

Lin Sui lowered her gaze, silently studying Wen Xiangzhu, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion.

“You mean… our relationship?” Wen Xiangzhu asked, pursing her lips.

Wen Xiangzhu paused, then gently took Lin Sui’s hand.

“Sister, if only there was a day when we wouldn’t have to hide anymore.”

Lin Sui smiled and returned the handshake.

“There will be.”

There would be such a day.

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