After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently - Chapter 28

What Yan Youqing placed on Chi Yan’s desk was a medical report.

Chi Yan, used to working in the Institute of Life Sciences, immediately scanned through it and stopped at the last line. In stark black and white, it read: Pheromone compatibility rate — 99.9 percent.

Before Chi Yan could figure out who the Alpha was with such an incredibly high compatibility rate with Yan Youqing, the girl beside her spoke again.

“Before I was discharged, the hospital scheduled a full physical exam. The doctor said that because our pheromone compatibility is so high, your pheromones suppressed the rejection response in my body yesterday. Going forward, my body will develop a dependency on your pheromones.”

Chi Yan froze.

She could hardly believe that the Alpha whose pheromones matched Yan Youqing’s so well was actually her. And now, because of what happened yesterday, Yan Youqing had developed symptoms of pheromone dependency—toward her.

Chi Yan understood what pheromone dependency meant.

It wasn’t exactly a disease, but rather a byproduct of extremely high compatibility between pheromones. The most effective way to ease this condition was for the Alpha to regularly mark the Omega, injecting their pheromones into them. According to genetic studies, the higher the compatibility rate, the more likely the two individuals were to end up together. So whether it was a temporary mark or a permanent one, it wasn’t considered a big deal.

But she and Yan Youqing were rivals.

And more importantly…

“You’re still underage,” Chi Yan reminded her.

“Yes,” Yan Youqing answered softly, her eyes lowered. She continued in a calm tone, “That’s why I consulted the doctor and looked up some case studies online. Pheromone dependency doesn’t necessarily require marking. As long as an Omega remains within the range of an Alpha’s pheromone field, the symptoms can be managed.”

She was speaking about a serious personal matter, yet her voice remained composed, detached, and almost indifferent.

Clearly, she had already understood her condition before placing the report on Chi Yan’s desk. Now she stood quietly, eyes lowered, waiting for Chi Yan to respond.

The midday heat still lingered, a reminder that summer hadn’t fully faded. The faint sound of cicadas buzzed in the background, annoying yet distant.

Chi Yan stared at the report in her hands, unsure how to react.

During school, the two of them shared a desk. Naturally, Yan Youqing could catch the scent of her pheromones with no issue. But still…

“We go home separately after school,” Chi Yan pointed out thoughtfully.

Yan Youqing didn’t answer right away. After a pause, she asked, “Lawyer Chen told me earlier that he already helped move your things back to Uncle Chi’s house.”

Chi Yan nodded. “Yes, and I really need to thank you for that.”

“It was nothing,” Yan Youqing replied with a shake of her head.

Outside, the sun hung high in the sky, pouring golden light into the classroom. A bright ray fell across Yan Youqing’s profile.

She was slender. Her delicate Omega frame made her look fragile under the oversized school uniform, as if she might break with the slightest touch. Yet her expression remained cool and composed, as if she could bear any burden on her own, even if that fragile body of hers gave out completely.

And now, Yan Youqing no longer brought up the pheromone dependency. It was as if she was silently proving that very point.

Chi Yan had seen pheromone-related experiments before. She knew better than anyone how painful it could be when dependency symptoms flared up.

It was like something had been hollowed out of your body. No matter how you tried to fill the void, it remained empty. The Omega’s body would uncontrollably release pheromones in search of comfort from their Alpha.

She didn’t know if all Omegas carried that sense of weakness, but after years of wanting to see Yan Youqing in a moment of disarray, Chi Yan found herself softening as she looked at the girl sitting quietly in front of her.

She let out a long breath through her nose and pulled the conversation back to something more practical.

“Even though I moved in with my dad, his place is still on the west side of campus. Our routes home overlap a bit. So, from now on, you can wait for me at the school gate, or I’ll wait for you. I’ll walk with you part of the way and give you my jacket. You can return it to me the next day.”

“Alright,” Yan Youqing agreed with a small nod. Then she looked up slightly, as if something had just occurred to her. “But what about weekends? Pheromones evaporate easily. I’m not sure they’ll last two full days.”

Just as one problem was solved, another appeared.

Chi Yan picked up her fruit tea and jabbed the straw into the lid with more force than necessary.

The cool mix of jasmine and lemon settled in her mouth, and the delicate floral notes blended with the tartness to help clear her thoughts.

Chewing on a slightly firm piece of coconut jelly, she leaned back in her chair, thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up with a spark of inspiration.

“You’re supposed to tutor me on weekends, right? Let’s stop doing it over video. I’ll come to your place instead. How does that sound?”

“Alright,” Yan Youqing replied without hesitation.

As the afternoon class time drew near, the hallway noise grew louder. Students began returning to the classroom one after another, breaking the quiet between them.

Chi Yan continued sipping her fruit tea, staring openly at Yan Youqing’s medical report.

She still couldn’t believe her pheromones were such a perfect match with Yan Youqing’s.

It wasn’t just the 99.9 percent. Even 95 percent was rare. In her past life, after years of testing, she had hardly ever seen results like this.

Could it be because they were both S-rank?

Sunlight spilled over, casting soft light into the girl’s eyes.

Yan Youqing, calm as ever, lowered her gaze and noticed Chi Yan frowning slightly at the report.

But in the next moment, that frown disappeared.

Chi Yan still didn’t understand why her pheromones were such a perfect match with Yan Youqing’s. Nor did she dwell on the dependency symptoms.

All she knew was that Yan Youqing had done her a huge favor today. Helping her manage the dependency symptoms would count as paying her back.

With that in mind, Chi Yan remembered the fruit tea she had bought earlier and pointed toward it.

“Here. I got you something to drink.”

Yan Youqing quietly withdrew her gaze from Chi Yan and turned her attention to the desk.

The cup of fruit tea Chi Yan had offered sat beside the neatly wrapped gift box. Their matching green and yellow colors made it look as though they had always belonged together.

Yan Youqing ignored the box, picked up the medical report, and replied in an even cooler voice than before.

“I don’t like milk tea.”

Chi Yan looked at her with genuine confusion.

“This stuff is delicious. You really don’t like it?”

“No,” Yan Youqing said, her voice cool and calm.

By this time, more students had filed back into the classroom. Zhong Yi wandered in slowly through the back door.

When she spotted Chi Yan, her eyes lit up and she rushed over to her desk.

“Yan, you’re finally back!”

Chi Yan smiled.

“Did you miss me?”

Zhong Yi answered without hesitation.
“Of course I missed you.”

But then the mood shifted as she continued,
“Without you in English class, the teacher just stares straight at me the whole time. I couldn’t take it anymore.”

Chi Yan’s face fell. She immediately pulled her chair away to create some distance between them.

Zhong Yi, on the other hand, suddenly noticed something interesting. She pointed to the gift box on Chi Yan’s desk and raised her voice on purpose.
“Looks like someone else missed you too.”

“What’s in it?” she asked curiously.

“I don’t know,” Chi Yan replied as she poked at the box. She never cared much for things meant to express affection.
“It sounds like it might be food. If you want it, you can have it.”

Zhong Yi’s eyes lit up with interest. As someone who loved gossip and snacks, she immediately opened the box.

Inside were chocolates. She picked one up and examined it closely. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Wow, it’s Ferrero Rocher! You really don’t want this? I wonder which Omega girl gave you a whole box of these. This must have cost a lot.”

Chi Yan frowned at her dramatic reaction.
“Why are you talking so much today? If you want them, take them. If not, I’m going to throw them out.”

As she spoke, she reached over to grab the box from Zhong Yi, aiming to toss it into the trash behind them.

Zhong Yi held it tight with both arms and quickly said,
“Wait, hold on. Let’s talk about this.”

“Yan, from now on, I’ll be your personal recycling bin. If you ever get anything like this and don’t want it, just give it to me. I promise I’ll handle it all for you. Out of sight, out of mind.”

Chi Yan had been struggling with what to do about the gift anyway. Her threat to throw it away had just been her way of venting.

As Zhong Yi said, a full box of Ferrero Rocher wasn’t cheap. Throwing it away felt like a waste, but she wasn’t about to eat it either.

The sender hadn’t left a name or even a class. It was one of those silent, anonymous crushes, which meant Chi Yan couldn’t return it even if she wanted to.

Luckily, she had Zhong Yi, who would happily take it off her hands.

Chi Yan smiled and agreed.
“Alright, it’s all yours.”

Zhong Yi grinned, hugging the box. Then she reached for the fruit tea on Chi Yan’s desk.

Chi Yan quickly moved the drink out of her reach.
“What are you doing?”

Zhong Yi blinked.
“You just said you don’t want the gift, right?”

“This one’s mine. I bought it at the school gate. I still have the receipt in my pocket,” Chi Yan replied, pulling out the crumpled slip.
“I tried messaging you earlier, but you didn’t respond.”

Zhong Yi immediately looked guilty, her expression crumpling with regret. Just as she was about to beg again for the drink, the warning bell for class rang.

She had no choice but to return to her seat, hugging the big box of chocolates like a precious treasure.

The first class was Chinese, taught by Ms. Li Qin, a strict teacher feared by everyone. The classroom, noisy just a minute ago, instantly went quiet.

Chi Yan didn’t dare break any rules under her watch. She quickly tidied her desk and reached for her fruit tea to put it away.

To her surprise, her hand reached out and found nothing.

She felt around the top of her desk but couldn’t find the cup. Confused, she looked up.

The space where the fruit tea had been was empty. Instead, it was now sitting neatly on Yan Youqing’s desk. Her usually clean and tidy workspace now had the drink that she had refused earlier.

Tiny beads of condensation clung to the cup. The lime slices inside floated gently from the recent movement.

Yan Youqing must have felt Chi Yan’s eyes on her because she slowly looked over in return.

Her lips parted just slightly, and in the quiet classroom, she calmly said two words.

“Thank you.”

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