After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently - Chapter 38

The biology teacher’s voice still echoed through the classroom, but the back corner where two desks sat side by side had fallen into a hush.

The sunlight, barely making it through the clouds, landed faintly between the two of them. Caught red-handed, Chi Yan looked at Yan Youqing’s gaze and opened her mouth slightly.

“I…”

She couldn’t come up with a complete explanation. Her eyes flicked around nervously, avoiding that calm but piercing look that seemed able to see through all pretenses.

Just then, Chi Yan’s eyes landed on the open biology textbook on the desk. The book she had basically abandoned suddenly felt like a lifeline, offering her an excuse.

“I was thinking about how dominant and recessive traits affect gene expression, so I wondered… whether the differentiation into Alpha, Beta, or Omega might also influence gene expression after it happens.” Chi Yan’s mind raced as she explained her earlier staring.

“I figured, since you’re an S-class Omega, the effects on you must be the strongest, right?”

Yan Youqing quietly looked away. Her voice was as calm and even as ever, giving nothing away.

“I haven’t noticed anything.”

“No?” Chi Yan looked surprised, then seemed to remember something and asked, “Hasn’t your taste changed at all since differentiating? Like something you used to dislike that you’ve come to enjoy?”

At that question, a small ripple moved through the calm in Yan Youqing’s eyes.

She looked at the girl sitting beside her and nodded.

“Yes.”

Chi Yan leaned in a bit, clearly curious.

“What is it?”

The class was nearly over, and with all the material for the lesson already covered, the room had grown quiet.

Chi Yan sat up straight, waiting for Yan Youqing’s answer.

But Yan Youqing didn’t speak right away. She simply held Chi Yan’s gaze, her expression calm.

Around them, the other students were quietly organizing their notes. Whispers of conversation mixed with the soft rustling of paper.

Outside, the winter landscape was still. The clouds that had been blocking the sun slowly drifted away, and a bright beam of sunlight spilled eagerly into the classroom.

Chi Yan started to wonder why Yan Youqing had suddenly gone quiet. Instinctively, she glanced at the teacher on the podium.

But the biology teacher hadn’t noticed anything. After a long lecture, she was parched and had paused to take a drink of water while listening to a class monitor ask a question.

Left without answers, Chi Yan looked back at Yan Youqing.

This time, she saw her own reflection in Yan Youqing’s eyes.

Thump. Thump.

Her heart suddenly beat hard, for no apparent reason.

Twice, forcefully, making her chest feel heavy and unsettled.

She didn’t understand what Yan Youqing’s silence meant, but the sudden rush of her heartbeat left her flustered and at a loss.

She had never felt anything like this before.

What was it?

She didn’t know.

All she could do was quickly avert her eyes and mutter, a little defensively, “Forget it then, don’t tell me.”

Wrapped in her white down jacket, Chi Yan looked like a sullen dumpling sitting at her desk, clearly sulking.

“I used to dislike preserved flowers,” Yan Youqing said, her voice steady as she looked at the girl now turned away from her.

“In the past, I thought it was pointless to try and preserve something that was meant to have its own natural cycle. But now I think… capturing that one moment can also be something beautiful.”

The soft rustle of her down jacket shifting slightly caught Chi Yan’s attention. She turned back suddenly to look at her.

Yan Youqing’s eyes were as calm and cool as ever, but maybe because she was talking about something she liked now, there was a gentler warmth beneath the icy surface.

Chi Yan hesitated, then responded with a reserved “Oh,” a little awkward, a little proud.

Still, the corners of her mouth curved upward ever so slightly.

She likes preserved flowers.

In the language office, the door was closed. Whenever someone came in or out, cold winter wind rushed in and out along with snippets of conversation.

Ms. Li Qin had a habit of giving special one-on-one help to students she liked. During the afternoon self-study period, she had called Yan Youqing over to go over her performance on the recent midterms.

Yan Youqing’s literature scores had always been steady, so they finished reviewing the paper quickly.

Li Qin watched her carefully organize the test papers and spoke more gently than she did in class.

“By the way, Youqing, our class did pretty well overall on the midterms. I don’t think we need a major seat reshuffle this time, just some small changes. You’ve been sitting in the last row. Is that still working for you?”

Yan Youqing understood what Ms. Li meant.

“I’m used to it now,” she replied.

But Ms. Li still had her doubts. She guided her gently.

“It’s okay to tell me if something doesn’t feel right. Even though you chose that seat yourself last time, I’m not going to hold that against you. Honestly, I think I was too quick to agree to let you move to the back.”

She spoke with some regret showing on her face.

Yan Youqing’s eyes grew even calmer.

“I understand your concern, but I’ve already adjusted to sitting in the back. Changing seats again would just mean adjusting all over again. That would waste time.”

Her voice was composed and logical, calmly explaining her current state. Ms. Li couldn’t help but be persuaded.

“That actually makes sense.”

Still, having acknowledged Yan Youqing’s reasoning, Ms. Li continued.

“Have you reviewed the math test yet? Do you know what went wrong?”

“I was careless. I filled in two answers wrong on the answer sheet. That cost me ten points I shouldn’t have lost.”

“I see,” Ms. Li said with a sigh.

She looked pained.

“You’re not usually the kind of student who makes careless mistakes. How did that happen? If this were the college entrance exam, it could have been a disaster.”

“It won’t happen again,” Yan Youqing promised.

Ms. Li trusted her. She didn’t lecture her further and simply said, “Alright,” before letting her return to class.

The last period of the afternoon was a self-study session. The entire school building was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The cold winter wind swept into the office once again as the door opened, stealing away the warmth the girl carried with her.

Yan Youqing’s long hair, tucked behind her ear, was lifted by the breeze and blew messily across her face, covering part of her profile.

As the office door closed behind her, the reflective expression on her face gradually faded, returning to her usual cool and composed look.

She glanced down at the Chinese test paper in her hand, her eyes landing on a multiple-choice question she had corrected in red ink. Without much interest, she folded the paper and tucked it back into her pocket.

The last rays of sunlight reached into Chi Yan’s classroom, spreading a golden glow across the room.

The top students all had their heads down, focused on their work. The soft, steady sound of their pens moving across paper filled the room like music. In this classroom, not studying almost felt like a crime.

And Chi Yan, at that moment, was the biggest offender.

While everyone else flipped through textbooks and did their assignments, Chi Yan had her phone hidden inside a book, secretly looking up how to make preserved flowers.

Buying one felt too ordinary. Only something handmade could leave a lasting impression on Yan Youqing. It had to be unforgettable, something that would make her admire the effort.

Though, if she was honest, the main reason was that making one herself was much cheaper.

Chi Yan watched several videos and followed a tutorial from a popular creator online, organizing a list of materials.

She realized she could get most of the chemical ingredients from her dad’s lab. But for the wrapping and decorations, she would need to spend money. And not just a little.

Chi Yan stared at the messy calculations she had scribbled all over her notebook. Her face looked troubled.

She hadn’t yet received her share of the money she was supposed to split with Xu Yongli. Now that she had moved out, she didn’t have nearly enough pocket money to cover the cost.

She needed to find a way to earn some money quickly.

With that thought, Chi Yan picked up her pen and lightly poked Zhong Yi, who sat in the seat diagonally in front of her.

“Yi.”

Zhong Yi had been sneaking a piece of chocolate into her mouth when she got poked. She choked and started coughing.

After a few seconds, she turned to Chi Yan with teary eyes, looking wronged.

“You trying to kill me, Sister Yan?”

Chi Yan glanced at the box of chocolate resting on Zhong Yi’s lap and couldn’t help but show a little disdain.

“Eat slower. No one’s fighting you for it.”

Zhong Yi sniffled and huffed at her, then defiantly popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth.

“So, what do you want? You didn’t poke me just to scold me, did you?”

“Do I look that bored?” Chi Yan leaned her cheek on her hand.

Skipping the jokes, she went straight to the point.

“Yi, do you know any quick part-time jobs that pay well?”

Zhong Yi blinked in confusion.

“Money?”

“You’re short on money, Sister Yan? Just tell me if you need help.”

As she spoke, she moved the chocolate off her lap and started digging into her pockets.

Chi Yan watched her pull out some loose change and quickly stopped her.

“That’s not what I meant. Put that away.”

“And besides, that wouldn’t even cover a tenth of what I need.”

Zhong Yi paused, did a quick calculation on her fingers, and her eyes widened.

“Over a thousand? What do you need that much money for?”

“I just want to buy something.” Chi Yan scratched her head, unsure how to explain.

Outside, a sudden gust of winter wind rattled the windows in the hallway.

Chi Yan, unsure how to answer, pretended to be distracted by the noise. She turned her head and happened to see a figure walking past the hallway.

Though the winter coat was bulky, the girl’s posture remained upright and elegant.

The sunset, like a brush dipped in golden paint, softly outlined her profile and cast a warm glow around her.

It was Yan Youqing.

Chi Yan’s heart skipped a beat.

After getting caught staring in biology class earlier, she was now worried that Yan Youqing might notice something again. She quickly said to Zhong Yi, “Alright, if you don’t know, forget it. Just eat your chocolate before it melts. It’s way too warm in here.”

“Oh no!” Zhong Yi panicked, worried about her chocolates. She immediately turned back to protect them, completely forgetting her earlier question about the money.

Chi Yan pulled her chemistry test paper over her notebook and started focusing on balancing chemical equations, pretending to be deeply immersed.

Everything returned to normal before Yan Youqing came back to class, just the way Chi Yan had hoped.

But the moment Yan Youqing pulled out her chair and sat down, Zhong Yi suddenly spun around.

It was like a lightbulb had gone off in her head. Her round eyes sparkled with excitement and mischief.

“Sister Yan,” she whispered, leaning in. “Do you need that much money to buy a gift for someone you like?”

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