After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently - Chapter 51

The girl’s voice was cool and clear, yet tinged with weakness. It sounded so fragile, like it could break at any moment, but somehow it silenced the entire room.

Only the sound of Chi Yan’s footsteps, carrying her away, echoed through the classroom, growing fainter and fainter.

Everyone still remembered the tension between Chi Yan and Yan Youqing back when senior year had just begun. Back then, they were constantly competing for the top spot on the rankings. Some curious Alphas in class even imagined what would happen if Chi Yan, who had recently differentiated into an S-Class Alpha, decided to go after Yan Youqing.

Whether it was jealousy or the urge to destroy what one could not have, all those thoughts completely shattered in this moment.

This may not have been what anyone expected, but the truth was clear. In that dangerous situation, the person Yan Youqing chose to rely on was Chi Yan.

Their shadows flickered across the hallway windows before vanishing into the rarely-used stairwell.

Unlike the other Omegas who had been affected by the unexpected outburst of Alpha pheromones, Yan Youqing’s condition was different. Having experienced a similar situation with Xu Minxue before, Chi Yan quickly realized that Yan Youqing was once again experiencing a rejection reaction to Alpha pheromones.

The stairwell echoed with Chi Yan’s swift and steady footsteps.

She was no longer panicking like she had the first time. Her pace was fast and firm as she carried Yan Youqing down the stairs.

For the first time, Chi Yan felt truly anxious about someone.

A breeze from the courtyard swirled into the stairwell and blew across Yan Youqing’s face, pushing strands of hair across her pale forehead. The frown hidden under her bangs became visible, her brows tightly furrowed, drawing tension into her delicate face.

Pheromones were churning inside her, throwing her emotions into chaos.

Omegas in this state were often sensitive and on edge, but because she knew she was in Chi Yan’s arms, that sensitivity turned into a fragile sense of comfort.

It felt like waves crashing against a summer shore. The warmth in the air pressed against Chi Yan’s chest, making her heart race.

She was surrounded by Yan Youqing’s scent, and her heartbeat quickened. When she looked down at the side of Yan Youqing’s face resting against her chest, her heart clenched even tighter.

The air was unstable, swirling wildly. Chi Yan did not dare release her own pheromones.

There was no other choice. She lowered her head and gently said to the girl in her arms, “The blood vessels near the neck carry a strong concentration of pheromones. Omega teeth may have degraded over time, but they can still absorb pheromones. Do you understand?”

Her voice reached Yan Youqing’s ears through the fog of her rejection symptoms.

Yan Youqing understood what Chi Yan meant, but the arms around Chi Yan’s neck only tightened further.

She did not want to bite Chi Yan.

She believed she could hold out until they reached the school infirmary for the rejection serum.

But that belief lasted only a few more moments before she heard Chi Yan speak again.

“Just bite me. You can’t go on like this. The rejection serum may not work as well as my pheromones. Besides, my pheromones were meant for you.”

Chi Yan’s voice was laced with the breathlessness of running. Her words carried a warmth that felt like a quiet promise.

Yan Youqing’s eyes were clouded with a faint mist. The afternoon sunlight poured down over Chi Yan’s head, casting her jawline in a glowing outline. Her determined gaze stayed fixed forward as she walked steadily toward the infirmary.

Yan Youqing’s eyes followed that golden line down to Chi Yan’s throat.

From behind the suppression patch on Chi Yan’s neck, the faint scent of tequila drifted out. It was subtle but distinct.

That scent, combined with Chi Yan’s whispered words, was enough to crack the last of her composure.

A sudden sharp pain made Chi Yan gasp softly.

Yan Youqing had bitten down on the delicate skin above her collarbone.

Her warm breath brushed against Chi Yan’s skin where she had pulled open her collar. The soft tip of her tongue left damp traces, drawing pheromones back into her body.

The scent of ocean mist grew stronger around Chi Yan, like waves lapping against her calves, making her legs falter as she ran.

Yan Youqing’s lips were stained with Chi Yan’s blood. Her pale skin contrasted sharply with the deep red.

Her misty eyes flicked beneath wet lashes. Her damp fringe couldn’t hide her expression. Hidden in her dark pupils was a thousand layers of emotion.

It felt as though a wild beast inside Chi Yan, held back only by the suppression patch, was beginning to stir, wanting to respond to that stunning sight.

The sunlight slanted in from the west, casting a glowing circle in Chi Yan’s vision.

The school infirmary was just ahead.

Chi Yan forced herself to look away from Yan Youqing and focused on keeping the beast in her heart locked away.

She could not give in. Not now.

Inside the infirmary corridor, the scent of disinfectant hung in the air. The shadow of a quiet girl seated outside the room stretched long beneath the overhead light.

Her collar was slightly open, unable to hide the white bandage on her collarbone.

Just a wall away was the room where Yan Youqing was resting.

Chi Yan had come here immediately after getting her wound treated in the nurse’s office.

She worried that her presence, as an Alpha, might disrupt the treatment inside, so she chose to wait quietly outside.

The thick walls of the infirmary blocked out the approaching summer heat. The hallway was filled with a cool breeze.

Even though she knew Yan Youqing wasn’t experiencing pheromone dependency, rejection reactions were still worrisome.

The door creaked open.

The nurse stepped out of the room. Seeing Chi Yan immediately rise to her feet, she gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry. It’s nothing serious. She was just given a suppressant and some serum. She’s still asleep but should wake up soon.”

To avoid disturbing the patient, the nurse kept her voice soft.

“The young lady is an S-Class Omega, which makes her highly sensitive to many Alpha pheromones. Fortunately, she doesn’t reject yours. You handled the situation very well. She’s lucky to have a girlfriend like you.”

This wasn’t the first time Chi Yan had been mistaken for Yan Youqing’s girlfriend in a hospital.

Unlike last time, when she had denied it again and again, this time Chi Yan nodded seriously. Her gaze calmly settled on the still-sleeping figure in the room.

“I’m the lucky one.”

“You both are,” the nurse said with a small smile. Chi Yan’s mature demeanor seemed beyond her age.

Even so, the nurse didn’t skip any instructions.

“The young lady has a soft tissue bruise on her left wrist. When she wakes up, remind her to ice it daily. Until she fully recovers, she should avoid bumping it again, or it could leave a lasting injury.”

Chi Yan took her words seriously and nodded.

“I will. I’ll make sure she remembers.”

The short conversation ended, and the nurse gently closed the door behind her with a quiet click.

After that, the hospital room fell completely quiet. Chi Yan, seeing that Yan Youqing was still asleep, carefully moved a chair over and sat down next to her bed, doing her best not to make a sound.

The sun was setting outside, casting a soft orange glow across the window.

Yan Youqing was still asleep. Her long hair, once damp with sweat, had dried completely. It now lay gently around her head, resting quietly on the pillow and surrounding her like a dark halo.

Her thick, black lashes lay neatly along her cheeks. The contrast between her pale skin and those dark lashes made her look peaceful and delicate, like someone who would never cause trouble.

It was the first time Chi Yan had looked at her so closely. Something about the way she looked pulled her in completely, making her forget to even breathe.

“How long are you going to stare?”

Suddenly, Yan Youqing’s voice broke the silence. It was calm and steady, not too loud or too soft.

Chi Yan quickly looked away, realizing she had been caught. She met Yan Youqing’s eyes, and within them was a clear message: I saw everything.

She had been caught sneaking a glance while the other girl was sleeping. Now there was no way to deny it.

Even though Yan Youqing was her girlfriend now, Chi Yan still felt her face grow warm.

She blinked a few times and tried to change the subject. “When did you wake up?”

“Just now,” Yan Youqing replied. Her eyes stayed locked on Chi Yan’s. “I had the feeling someone was watching me.”

“You sleep too lightly,” Chi Yan sighed.

“I wouldn’t have, if it were always you sitting next to me.”

Her voice was calm and matter of fact, as if what she said needed no explanation.

Their eyes met. Chi Yan looked a little confused but didn’t say anything. Her thoughts drifted back to a certain moment.

That night during the Mid-Autumn Festival, they had watched the moon together on the rooftop at Chi Yan’s house. Yan Youqing had fallen asleep there.

That was the night Chi Yan realized she no longer disliked her.

Some things don’t need to be said out loud. Certain understandings can be shared silently.

The sunlight cast their shadows on the wall, slowly moving closer with each breath they took.

Suddenly, the quiet atmosphere was broken by a loud noise.

The door flew open with too much force, and before Chi Yan could react, a small figure rushed in and shoved her aside from the bed.

Chen Niannian looked panicked as she rushed to Yan Youqing’s side and started checking her over.

“Ah Yan, are you okay? Are you hurt? Did that Alpha from your class affect you too badly?”

Compared to Chen Niannian’s anxious flurry of questions, Yan Youqing stayed calm.

She waited for Chi Yan to steady herself, then turned to Chen Niannian and shook her head. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“See, I told you nothing would happen.”

As soon as she spoke, Zhong Yi’s teasing voice came from the doorway.

She leaned on one side of the doorframe, with Wang Chuning on the other, and smiled.

“You should’ve seen Ah Yan back there. She looked like she was ready to rip Zhang Wu apart just for getting too close to Yan Youqing. Don’t worry. As long as Ah Yan is around, no one’s going to hurt her.”

Chi Yan had known Zhong Yi for over ten years. Just from the tone of her voice, she could tell exactly what she was thinking.

Sure enough, after the teasing came the glare. Zhong Yi looked like she had come to confront her.

“Chi Yan, tell me the truth. Were you already together with Yan Youqing the day you carried her out of class?”

Chi Yan saw how serious her friend looked. She didn’t deny it.

“Yes, we were.”

She even spread her hands in mock innocence and added, “You asked if I was jealous. I said I was. But you didn’t believe me. What else could I do?”

“Chi Yan!” Zhong Yi looked shocked and furious.

Standing to the side, Wang Chuning walked over to join her and scolded Chi Yan with an exaggerated look of disappointment.

“Comrade Chi Yan, do you even understand your situation? It’s one thing to hide it from others, but I’m one of your biggest shippers. How could you keep it from me?”

She looked genuinely heartbroken.

Zhong Yi was just about to respond to that when she paused and turned to Wang Chuning suspiciously.

“Wait, Chuning…”

Before she could ask anything, Wang Chuning’s face turned serious as if she were about to interrogate someone.

“Tell the truth. You had a crush on Yan Youqing from the beginning, didn’t you? Was all that talk about being rivals just a distraction?”

“Exactly. Tell us. Was it fun lying to the both of us all this time?” Zhong Yi joined in, clearly not planning to let Chi Yan off the hook.

Just as Chi Yan was about to be “interrogated” by her two friends, a quiet cough interrupted them.

Yan Youqing was sitting up in bed now, her voice calm and steady as she spoke.

“Sorry. I was the one who had feelings for Chi Yan first.”

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