After Rebirth, My Archrival Omega Looks at Me Differently - Chapter 55 (END OF MAIN STORY)

Light from inside the apartment spilled out into the old staircase, illuminating a corner of the dim hallway. It was both faint and bright, like a dream.

The warm summer breeze brushed against the girl’s bare legs, and in her line of sight stood Yan Youqing, looking slightly travel-worn.

Chi Yan could hardly believe her eyes. Her voice was full of surprise.

“Why are you here?”

“I was worried about you,” Yan Youqing replied softly. “I came to stay with you.”

Her words were too straightforward. Chi Yan, who had never been good at handling such direct emotions, was completely at a loss.

She awkwardly raised her hand to brush back her still-damp hair.

“What’s there to worry about?” she muttered.

Then she stepped forward and took the suitcase from Yan Youqing.

“How did you get here? Did the family driver bring you? Or did you carry this big suitcase on your own?”

“The driver helped me,” Yan Youqing answered calmly.

She followed behind Chi Yan, her gaze quietly sweeping over the modest apartment that Chi Yan lived in.

Chi Yan nodded and began introducing the space, a tiny home where you could see everything at a glance.

“Well… you can see it yourself. This is it. Just two rooms. You can sleep in my room tonight. I’ll sleep in my dad’s. I just changed the sheets yesterday, so my room’s pretty clean.”

As she spoke, she slowly pushed open the bedroom door, its frame still lined with yellowing stickers. The room inside was tidy, if small.

Like anyone showing someone their private space for the first time, Chi Yan felt a little self-conscious. She rubbed her hands together.

“If there’s anything you think needs changing, just let me know. I’m not the most detail-oriented person, so I might’ve missed something…”

Before she could finish, she felt a familiar tug at the hem of her shirt.

Yan Youqing’s pale, slender fingers had once again curled around the edge of her clothes. While surveying the room, she softly called her name.

“Chi Yan.”

Chi Yan responded instinctively.

“Yeah?”

“I have a bit of trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds.”

Her voice broke the silence at the doorway. There was a hint of awkwardness in her tone as she looked gently at Chi Yan.

Chi Yan froze for a moment, unsure what to say.

Before she could come up with a response, Yan Youqing added quietly near her ear.

“It might be easier if you’re there too.”

Her eyes were as calm and cool as always, but perhaps it was the soft bedroom lighting that added a touch of vulnerability. For a moment, she looked less like a perfectly composed Omega and more like someone simply asking to be held.

The leaves outside rustled faintly in the night breeze. Yan Youqing looked straight at her, calm but impossible to refuse.

Just like that night when the power went out and she had stood in the small square of the villa community, or that time after school when she calmly got into Chi Yan’s car.

Chi Yan tightened her grip on the handle of the suitcase.

It was just one night, she thought. She wasn’t someone like Xu Minxue, the stereotypical Alpha. There was no way this would be a problem.

After hesitating for a moment, she spoke.

“If that’s the case, I guess I can stay with you for the night…”

Hearing Chi Yan agree, a flicker of joy lit up in Yan Youqing’s eyes.

She quickly added, “And this way, our schedules match up. It’ll make going to school every day easier too.”

Chi Yan froze. The suitcase slipped a little in her hand as it bumped against the baseboard.

Only now did she realize how unusually heavy the suitcase was. She turned to Yan Youqing with dawning suspicion.

“Wait… are you planning to stay here long-term?”

Yan Youqing nodded.

“Yes. I already talked to Uncle Chi. He’s staying in the hospital until June. He didn’t want you to be here alone, and with me staying here, the housekeeper doesn’t have to go back and forth every day.”

So that was why her dad had been so insistent about her coming home earlier.

Chi Yan didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. She had never imagined that her father would one day go out of his way to help her relationship progress.

“But… your family won’t mind?”

She asked cautiously, but Yan Youqing shook her head.

“Aunt Song stopped paying attention to me the moment she realized I wasn’t interested in inheriting her shares in the company. And my mom is entirely focused on my newborn sister now. She doesn’t have the energy to care about me anymore.”

The words sounded cold and heartless, but Yan Youqing said them in the calmest voice possible, as if she were just repeating a fact that had nothing to do with her.

Even though Chi Yan already knew what kind of situation Yan Youqing came from, hearing it out loud still made her feel worse than the person actually living it.

She struggled to find the right words, not knowing what could possibly comfort someone who seemed unaffected by such painful truths.

The wind outside had stopped. Shadows of the trees rested quietly against the windowpane.

The room fell completely silent, even quieter than before she had opened the door.

Yan Youqing looked at Chi Yan, who was now filled with quiet empathy, and sat down on the bed.

She should have been the one receiving comfort, but now she was the one offering it.

“Don’t feel sad for me. I only told you so you’d know what’s going on. I’m not looking for comfort. I’ve gotten used to it a long time ago.”

Her voice, so calm and composed, stirred something deep in Chi Yan’s memory. It reminded her of a distant time.

She looked at Yan Youqing and, before she could stop herself, laughed softly.

Yan Youqing tilted her head in confusion.

“What’s so funny?”

“You just reminded me of how you used to talk back at the institute. The tone was exactly the same.”

Chi Yan sat down beside her and teased with a half-smile.

“So arrogant, and completely emotionless. Like the Life Sciences Institute owed you a fortune or something.”

The white light in the room was a little too bright, casting sharp shadows, but the playful smile on Chi Yan’s face was exactly the same as every time Yan Youqing had seen her in the hallway of the lab building.

Something about that moment made time feel like it had shifted around them.

Hearing Chi Yan’s teasing, Yan Youqing’s heart gave a small, unexpected jolt. For the first time, the girl who always seemed so sure of herself suddenly felt unsure.

After a pause, Yan Youqing asked quietly, “Now that you know I’m the same person I was before… are you disappointed?”

Chi Yan looked at her and asked in return, “Why would I be? Who you were then is still who you are now, isn’t it?”

The early morning waves surged gently outside, carrying the sound of the sea into the quiet room. Chi Yan glanced at the girl beside her and noticed the subtle tension in her posture. She reached out and placed her hand gently over Yan Youqing’s.

“Come on. I like you for who you are, not for the personality you choose to show. Do I look like the kind of person who gets fooled by sweet words or a pretty face?”

She paused and added with a teasing smile, “Besides, I’ve already marked you. I’m not the kind of Alpha who pretends nothing happened afterward.”

Sometimes, all it takes is a few simple words to sweep away every bit of doubt and insecurity.

Chi Yan spoke half-jokingly, her tone effortlessly breaking apart the heaviness that had started to settle in the room.

Yan Youqing gave a small smile, her voice lightly teasing. “But you really did pretend not to know me before.”

Chi Yan blinked a few times, visibly flustered. “That’s because I forgot. I didn’t mean to… I really didn’t do it on purpose.”

She stopped mid-sentence as something dawned on her.

The night had deepened. The sounds of children playing downstairs had faded.

Light from the nearby apartment buildings cast faint reflections onto the window, fragmenting into shifting shadows. One of those shadows fell over Yan Youqing’s face.

Chi Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. The realization hit her slowly and clearly.

“Yan Youqing… you remembered me from the beginning, didn’t you?”

Yan Youqing didn’t hide the truth. She simply nodded.

That confirmation hit Chi Yan like a wave. Her chest felt tight, almost aching.

She thought back to the moment when Chen Niannian had called out, “Ayan,” and how their eyes had met. She remembered the familiarity in Yan Youqing’s gaze. At that moment, she had been looking at the person who had just marked her, yet already forgotten her.

That was why she had seemed so calm.

That was why she had walked away without a word.

Chi Yan’s brows drew together, the lights above her reflecting in her eyes.

“Weren’t you hurt?” she asked quietly.

Yan Youqing shook her head. Her voice was calm, almost peaceful.

“I believed you would remember me one day. And even if you didn’t, it was still alright.”

She looked at Chi Yan steadily and continued, echoing what Chi Yan had said earlier.

“I like you because you’re you. Not because I expect anything from a temporary mark.”

“I’m an S-rank Omega. Of course I know who I’m most compatible with. Even if for a long time, that person wasn’t my Alpha.”

She said it with such calm and clarity, her eyes bright with a quiet, beautiful smile.

But the more gentle and composed her expression was, the more it made Chi Yan’s heart ache.

Without a word, she wrapped her arms around Yan Youqing and pulled her into a hug. A few tears welled up in her eyes, pure and soft.

“I’m sorry. I’ll never forget you again.”

Yan Youqing gently shook her head.

Her cool hands cupped Chi Yan’s cheeks. With a kiss, she brushed away the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

Following the tear tracks, her lips moved lower until they rested softly on Chi Yan’s.

“Don’t be sad.”

The waves crashed onto the shore, brushing up against Chi Yan’s body.

In that moment, the distance between them disappeared. Yan Youqing’s lips were warm, especially compared to her cooler fingers holding Chi Yan’s wrist. That warmth felt tender and real.

Neither of them had much experience kissing, but everything felt instinctive.

Yan Youqing’s lips moved softly over Chi Yan’s. Her tongue gently pushed past the seam of her lips and parted them.

Her hand slid slowly down Chi Yan’s arm until their fingers met and locked together on the bed.

The light caught on Yan Youqing’s lashes, making them shimmer like stars in Chi Yan’s eyes.

They had kissed before. But now, as the taste of sea salt brushed her tongue, the rush of emotion that followed was even stronger and more overwhelming.

Chi Yan remembered how Wang Chuning once described kissing, with such dramatic flair that she had thought she was just obsessed with fantasy romances.

Now she understood. Wang Chuning hadn’t even come close.

She had never imagined that one kiss could make her feel like this.

Chi Yan slid her hand behind Yan Youqing’s neck and into her long hair, gently combing through the strands. The warmth of her touch passed from her fingertips to the girl in front of her. Their once-awkward kiss slowly became more confident.

The taste of tequila mixed with the scent of sea salt and lingered in the air.

Yan Youqing felt her arms growing weak. The soft mattress beneath them supported her body as her strength faded.

The rain that had been forecast all day finally began to fall. Clouds covered half the moon, and the silvery lines of rain fell softly, drawn in hazy strokes across the night sky.

Humidity crept in through the old windows, filling the bedroom with a quiet warmth. The scent of tequila drifted into the air, mixing with the smell of ocean water and a faint sweetness, like lime carried in the rain.

Eventually, the clouds seemed to release every drop they had gathered through the day. Slowly, the rain began to ease.

The damp air faded, and the room returned to a calm coolness.

Yan Youqing had fallen asleep.

Just as she had said, she did have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places. Now she was lying on her side, resting lightly against Chi Yan’s arm.

Her cold, elegant face had softened against Chi Yan’s skin. Her expression, usually composed, now carried an unexpected sweetness.

Chi Yan didn’t want to wake her. She held her breath gently, pressing her tongue against the roof of her mouth to stay quiet.

But when her tongue accidentally brushed one of her sharp teeth, the taste of sea salt returned, as vivid as before.

Moonlight filtered through the window. A shadow fell across the room beside the nightlight.

Chi Yan leaned in quietly and placed a soft kiss at the corner of Yan Youqing’s eye.

There was nothing dramatic about it.

She had simply realized something.

She loved Yan Youqing. So much.

The second to last day before the college entrance exams had arrived. The seniors at the Life Sciences High School were celebrating their graduation.

The classroom, quiet for over half a year, now echoed with chatter and the sounds of desks being cleared. The halls were full of noise for the first time in months.

Because the graduation photo required uniforms, Chi Yan wore her summer school uniform, something she had barely touched in the past three years.

The noise flowed from the front of the classroom to the back. Yan Youqing stood quietly beside her, adjusting the ribbon on Chi Yan’s shirt collar.

The thin fabric of the white blouse outlined the tall, elegant lines of the Alpha’s figure.

Yan Youqing’s fingers moved gently over the ribbon, brushing the edge of the collar. The skin beneath her fingers warmed as the steady rhythm of Chi Yan’s heartbeat grew faster.

Her focused expression made it impossible to tease or joke.

Chi Yan sat still, letting her heart race freely beneath her chest.

Click.

The sound of the camera shutter rose above the noisy chatter in the classroom, landing distinctly in Chi Yan’s ear.

She instinctively turned toward the sound and saw Zhong Yi holding her DSLR, grinning from ear to ear.

“I got it all,” Zhong Yi said cheerfully.

Chi Yan immediately moved to snatch the camera, but the necktie around her collar tugged tight and stopped her mid-motion.

Yan Youqing gave a small frown and adjusted the tie in her hands, reminding her calmly, “Don’t move.”

Chi Yan immediately returned to her proper posture, obedient as ever.

Zhong Yi laughed even more. “Ayan, someone can finally keep you in line.”

Chi Yan rolled her eyes. “As if you ever could.”

Just then, the classroom door at the back was pushed open. A breeze from the hallway swept in, and Chi Yan felt the hem of her skirt flutter. She quickly smoothed it down with her hand and glanced at Zhong Yi with a touch of unease.

“Do I look weird in this?”

Zhong Yi shook her head. “Not at all. You look great.”

She turned the camera toward Chi Yan and showed her the photos.

“If you show up to graduation dressed like this, who knows how many Omegas will fall for your legs alone.”

Zhong Yi’s comment was exaggerated, but Chi Yan barely reacted.

Her attention had already shifted to someone else in the photo.

Sunlight poured through the window beside them, casting a golden glow over Yan Youqing.

The white shirt she wore was light and fitted, outlining her slender and upright figure. The calm look in her eyes seemed completely out of place in the noisy summer, like a lotus in the middle of a pond—distant and untouchable.

But in every photo, that lotus only had eyes for her.

“I’m serious, Ayan. You in this uniform today—if you hadn’t already differentiated, you’d be a total Alpha and Omega killer. Just wait until we get outside for the graduation photo. There’ll be so many Omegas who won’t be able to take their eyes off you…”

Zhong Yi was still sipping her fruit tea as she spoke, when Yan Youqing glanced sideways at her.

She continued adjusting Chi Yan’s collar with a thoughtful tone. “Zhong Yi, didn’t Niannian say you weren’t allowed to drink cold drinks so you’d stay in top shape?”

Zhong Yi immediately swallowed both her tea and her next remark, then frantically pleaded, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Yan-jie, please don’t tell Niannian…”

At that moment, the classroom suddenly fell quiet.

The sound of suitcase wheels rolling over the floor approached.

Li Qin walked in, pulling a suitcase behind her.

She had finally abandoned the outdated suit she had worn for the past three years. Today, she wore a green cheongsam with a sunflower print.

A slit up to her thighs revealed glimpses of her long, slender legs as she walked with elegant poise.

“Wow!”

“Teacher, are you planning to steal the spotlight today?”

“Are you really going to wear that when you send us off for exams?”

The class erupted into cheers and playful teasing. Li Qin waved her hands modestly, clearly flustered by the attention.

“Alright, alright. The exam is the day after tomorrow. Don’t let your minds drift.”

She placed her suitcase beside the podium and stood at the front of the class with the same calm presence she always had during class meetings.

“This will be the last class meeting I’ll ever have with you,” she said. “Some of you have been with me for three years. Some only for two, and others for just one. Even though our time together was different, you are all part of Class 3-1. You’re all part of this family, and I give every one of you the same blessing.”

She paused and sighed lightly.

“It’s rare for me to hold a meeting without talking about discipline or grades. Honestly, I’m not even sure what to say now.”

“When you go home tonight, don’t stay up late. Sleep on time. Save your best energy for the daytime when you’ll be taking your exams. Go to bed early and wake up early. Whatever you want to do, whatever you want to play—wait until the exams are over. Keep your mind steady, do you hear me?”

“We hear you!”

“Thank you, teacher! We promise to behave!”

“We’ll give it our all and make you proud with amazing scores!”

The class echoed with promises and cheers. Li Qin felt a wave of emotions rise in her chest.

She looked at these students, soon to graduate, and for the first time didn’t call for silence. Instead, she turned to the class monitor.

“Go ahead and pass them out.”

The monitor nodded, then led a few classmates to open the suitcase Li Qin had brought.

Inside were rows of neatly arranged transparent pouches filled with exam essentials.

“These are for the exam. I’ve prepared an extra set for each of you. Keep them with the parents who will be dropping you off, just in case,” she explained.

The class monitor began handing out the pouches, one by one, in an orderly line.

Chi Yan found it odd they weren’t just passing them down row by row like they did with test papers.

Then she received her own pouch and understood.

Inside the clear bag was a piece of white paper, neatly inscribed with her name and a handwritten message of encouragement.

It was written personally by Li Qin.

She turned to look at Yan Youqing’s bag. It was the same.

Partings are always tinged with sadness, but it was this small gesture that made the entire class tear up.

Just then, a knock came from the classroom door and broke the heavy mood.

“Ms. Li, it’s time to get ready.”

It was the teacher in charge of senior photos, here to call their class.

The sun was bright, and the sky was a brilliant blue without a single cloud.

Teenage emotions came and went quickly. Soon, everyone was smiling in front of the camera.

In old photos, the two girls once stood far apart. But now, in the shifting play of light and shadow, they stood side by side.

The breeze lifted their long hair, brushing the rim of a glass laced with sea salt and tequila.

Chi Yan and Yan Youqing stood shoulder to shoulder, their white shirts touching.

No one noticed, behind the rows of classmates blocking the view, that their hands were tightly intertwined below.