After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently - Chapter 24

The night breeze passed through the still-lush branches, carrying a few yellowing leaves that fluttered quietly to the ground.

From time to time, the sound of ambulances rushing by broke the stillness of the evening. Chi Yan stood awkwardly, shifting her weight as her toes, which had been resting, began to move again.

She had just made fun of someone in front of their own daughter.

No wonder Yan Youqing had seemed unwilling to talk about that group of people earlier.

While Chi Yan nervously dug her toes into the ground, nearly regretting herself into a knot, Yan Youqing’s Omega mother, Yan Ning, spoke.

“Yanyan, why are you back at the hospital? Are you here visiting someone?”

“I’m not feeling well, Mom,” Yan Youqing replied in a calm, distant tone.

Her overly composed voice made it seem like there was a certain coldness between her and her mother.

Even though they stood so close, it felt like there was an invisible distance between them, long and impossible to cross.

“Not feeling well? What’s wrong?” Yan Ning asked. She sounded a little concerned, but not deeply so.

“During my heat cycle, I was exposed to an Alpha’s pheromones and had an adverse reaction. I came to get checked out,” Yan Youqing explained.

For the first time, an expression broke across Yan Ning’s calm face. She quickly reached out and held her daughter’s arm, her voice filled with nervousness.

“Yanyan, are you alright?”

Yan Youqing shook her head and glanced at the girl standing beside her.

“Thanks to Chi Yan, I’m fine now.”

Yan Ning followed her gaze and looked at the girl beside her daughter. Her expression softened.

“Thank you, young lady,” she said sincerely.

Still caught in the embarrassment of her earlier mistake, Chi Yan was surprised to hear her name mentioned. She fumbled for a moment, then quickly pulled out a lollipop she had in hand, smiled politely, and replied.

“There’s no need to thank me, Auntie. It was nothing, really.”

“Alphas aren’t allowed to release pheromones without reason, especially not at school. The school should be held responsible,” said Song Yanxing, who had been silent until now.

Song Yanxing was tall, and her voice carried a mature, mellow richness, like aged wine. Even though she was not an S-rank Alpha, her commanding presence made Chi Yan feel a bit intimidated.

“So what do you plan to do, Yanxing?”

Although Yan Ning was Yan Youqing’s mother, when it came time to defend her daughter and speak up on her behalf, she turned to the woman who had raised the issue instead of asking her daughter what she wanted.

“The company’s lawyers will investigate and handle it,” Song Yanxing replied.

Then she placed her hand gently on Yan Ning’s shoulder.

“You still need to do your prenatal checkup. Don’t stress yourself.”

“Alright,” Yan Ning said with a soft smile, gently holding Song Yanxing’s hand in return.

“Make sure to arrange a doctor for Yanyan too. She must have been scared today.”

“Of course,” Song Yanxing nodded, assuring her with ease.

The two women continued talking to each other, sharing a quiet intimacy that felt almost harmonious.

After the brief exchange, Yan Ning looked back at Chi Yan and said warmly.

“Thank you again today, dear.”

Her gaze was gentle, and she spoke with a calm, coaxing tone.

“Could I ask you for one more favor?”

Chi Yan felt her heart soften under the woman’s gentleness and, almost instinctively, nodded.

“Of course, Auntie. If I can do it, I will.”

“I still need to go for my checkup. Can I leave Yanyan in your care?”

Her voice was soft and full of trust.

“Sure,” Chi Yan agreed, feeling like she was under a spell.

“Thank you.”

Yan Ning reached out and gently patted Chi Yan’s head with a warm, motherly touch.

By the time Chi Yan came back to her senses, the impressive group that had just been in front of her had already walked away.

The sun had fully set, and only the glow of the streetlights lit up the now unusually quiet surroundings.

Chi Yan slowly gathered her thoughts. She could not say why, but something about the earlier exchange felt strange.

She looked at Yan Youqing, who stood beside her, and after licking a bit of candy from her lips, decided to offer a safe and neutral comment.

“Your two moms… seem pretty loving, huh?”

Yan Youqing looked at her with a calm expression.

“Auntie Song is not my mother. She’s my stepmother.”

Chi Yan blinked.

And in that instant, she understood what had felt so off about the earlier scene.

Both women had spoken words of concern for Yan Youqing, but neither of them had done anything that truly showed it.

They had lawyers handle the incident. They had doctors arrange checkups. When it came to something that required personal presence, like going with her daughter to a medical examination, Yan Ning passed the responsibility on to Chi Yan.

What her family had given her was material care, not emotional support.

Yan Youqing was a child abandoned by affection.

At some point, the moon had risen above the treetops, its soft, round glow hinting that the Mid-Autumn Festival was near.

That was a holiday meant for family reunions.

Yan Youqing glanced at her watch and spoke calmly.

“It’s getting late. There’s still more to do. You should head home.”

She did not seem in a good mood.

Even though her expression remained unreadable, Chi Yan could still feel it.

As the silence stretched on, Yan Youqing suddenly noticed that the weight in her hand had disappeared.

The girl she had tried to send away was walking ahead, giving her a view of her small, determined back. Her slim shoulders carried two heavy schoolbags.

“What are you rambling about? I’m already here. What’s a little more time?”

Without waiting for a reply, Chi Yan headed toward the hospital building.

Yan Youqing paused for half a second before stepping forward to catch up.

The autumn wind was chilly, brushing against the girl’s arms as if trying to steal the last bit of warmth she had.

Yan Youqing looked at Chi Yan walking beside her and felt as if she had finally grabbed onto something real. In the current that had always pushed her away from warmth, this moment allowed her to take a breath.

Song Yanxing’s team worked quickly. A doctor was soon arranged for Yan Youqing’s checkup, and by the time she was being examined, the lawyer had already arrived.

Since Omegas cannot be examined in the presence of Alphas, Chi Yan waited outside on one of the corridor benches. While she waited, she also gave her witness statement to the lawyer.

In the evening, the hospital was much quieter. The white corridor seemed endless and still.

Their conversation was brief and formal. Once the statement was complete, neither of them spoke again. Even though there were now two people in the hallway, the silence felt even heavier than when Chi Yan had been alone.

The lawyer sat perfectly straight, not a single wrinkle on her suit.

Chi Yan, by contrast, leaned back casually in her chair. The faint smell of disinfectant drifting through the air made her thoughts scatter.

Although Yan Youqing’s parents rarely showed concern for her, the people they sent were undeniably competent.

From her brief conversation with the lawyer sent by Song Yanxing, Chi Yan could tell that they would not easily let go of the person who had endangered their boss’s stepdaughter. Xu Minxue had really gotten herself into trouble this time.

Chi Yan felt no guilt. A thin blood tie was not enough to justify protecting Xu Minxue. She told the lawyer everything she knew.

That also meant she was now aware that Xu Yongli might come storming into her life by tomorrow or the next day at the latest.

As the person who might have caused her son to be expelled from school, where would she go?

She could not just turn to Yan Youqing and say, “I got kicked out of my house for helping you, so now you have to take me in.”

Chi Yan gave a small, dry smile to herself. That idea was ridiculous.

She had only done a small favor. It did not change the fact that they had once been on opposite sides.

So why was she starting to have thoughts that only came with real friendship?

Just then, the sound of a door opening cut through her thoughts. A nurse opened the examination room door for Yan Youqing.

Chi Yan reacted faster than the lawyer. Seeing the female doctor who came out with her, she quickly asked, “How is she?”

“Miss Yan did have an adverse reaction to the Alpha’s pheromones,” the doctor replied. “Luckily, she received care in time, so there’s no serious problem. My recommendation is that she stays for observation for twelve hours. If she shows no signs of discomfort by tomorrow afternoon, she can be discharged.”

“We’ll need a copy of Miss Yan’s medical records. May we take a bit of your time?” the lawyer asked politely.

“Of course,” the doctor replied, then turned to the nurse. “Take Miss Yan to her room so she can rest.”

“Yes, Doctor. Miss Yan, please come with me,” the nurse said gently.

This was the first time Chi Yan had seen a VIP private hospital room.

Unlike the small, crowded shared rooms, this one was incredibly spacious and well-equipped. Besides the private bathroom, there was also a separate sitting area. Even the companion bed was twice as wide as the usual one. Everything was quiet and comfortable.

Only the smell of disinfectant was the same, spreading through the hospital by elevator and air vents into every corner.

Yan Youqing placed her things down calmly and turned to ask the nurse, “Is the room stocked with iodine and alcohol?”

The nurse nodded. “Yes, Miss Yan. It’s on the second shelf in the cabinet to your left.”

“Thank you,” Yan Youqing said as she waited for the nurse to leave. Then she pulled out a tray containing medical supplies.

Chi Yan watched her curiously and asked, “Are you hurt?”

“Your wound,” Yan Youqing replied briefly. The metal tray made a soft sound as she set it on the table.

Without asking for permission, she reached for Chi Yan’s arm with quiet certainty.

“Even if you say it’s getting better, it’s still better to clean it properly.”

Her fingers were cool as usual, but now her whole palm pressed gently against Chi Yan’s skin.

There was warmth gathered in the center of her hand, steady and soft. It passed through Chi Yan’s skin and touched her nerves.

Chi Yan blinked slowly and looked at her. Yan Youqing did not pull away or act distant. Her touch felt natural, as if it was something she was supposed to do.

Chi Yan accepted it without resistance.

“Thanks for the help,” she said softly.

The wound had not fully healed and was still sensitive. Yan Youqing treated it carefully and gently.

Chi Yan kept her eyes on her. The girl’s eyelashes, dark like feathers, caught the light as she lowered her head. Her eyes were deep and focused, as if they held all the seriousness in the world.

In her past life, Chi Yan would never have imagined that on some forgotten day ten years ago, she would save Yan Youqing from danger, and that same girl would one day sit beside her, treating her injuries.

As Yan Youqing leaned forward, her long hair slipped over her shoulder. The air between them seemed to stir, and Chi Yan could faintly smell the scent in her hair, something like the sea at dawn, refreshing and soothing.

The strange feeling from the classroom came back. There was an invisible thread tugging on her heart, pulling in time with the cotton swab brushing against her skin.

It felt far too strange.

Chi Yan did not like this feeling. She tried to distract herself by speaking.

“Your lawyer already asked for my statement. I only told her what happened after I arrived. You’ll have to tell her the rest.”

“Alright,” Yan Youqing nodded. Her hand paused briefly with the cotton swab.

She suddenly remembered what Chi Yan had said in the car on the way here. After a moment of thought, she looked up and asked, “So does that mean you really did…”

“Yes,” Chi Yan answered without hesitation.

It felt like she had finally gained the upper hand for once. Resting her chin on her hand, she smiled a little proudly.

“Yan Youqing, I’ve done so much for you. I gave you my body. I might be disowned. I might not even have a place to stay.”

She raised her eyebrows and added, half serious and half teasing, “So what are you going to do to make it up to me?”

Her tone was playful and a little childish, like someone acting spoiled after doing a good deed.

Yan Youqing’s lips pressed together slightly. Then she looked straight at her and asked quietly, “Do you want to stay here tonight?”

Her eyes were calm but serious, like two black gemstones shining in the light. That look felt like an invitation given only to Chi Yan.

Support After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently