After Swapping Souls with My Rival Alpha - Chapter 10

Daoist Ling Kong’s words left Chi Mu both startled and delighted. No wonder the young daoist addressed her as “master”—one glance and she could see exactly what was going on between them.

Nie Yijun, on the other hand, was accustomed to Daoist Ling Kong’s abilities. She wasn’t surprised, but she still felt pleased.

“Master,” Nie Yijun said, “I’ve come to trouble you today, hoping you could assist us a little.”

The Daoist smiled gently and gestured to the side. “Please, sit.”

Beside them was a small square table with two long benches. Chi Mu and Nie Yijun sat on the same bench.

Daoist took a seat opposite them and held out a hand toward Nie Yijun. “Give me your right hand.”

Nie Yijun extended it. Daoist’s thumb traced circles on her palm, then she lifted her gaze to her face. “Your birth chart.”

“Twelve.” Nie Yijun began, but the Daoist shook her head. “Not yours—your true self’s. That is, hers.”

She was looking at Chi Mu.

“October 4th, XXXX, 12:15 a.m.,” Chi Mu said.

She remembered clearly because her mother had often told her as a child: had she been born fifteen minutes earlier, it would have been October 3rd, and she and Chi Xi wouldn’t be twins born on the same day.

“And yours?” Daoist asked Nie Yijun.

“December 15th, XXXX,” Nie Yijun thought for a moment. “I’m not exactly sure of the time—probably in the morning.”

The Daoist also took Chi Mu’s right hand. Chi Mu was puzzled—what was she trying to do? Fortune-telling?

“You lack water and wood in your Five Elements,” Daoist said. “Water nourishes wood, and wood feeds fire. Nie Yijun, your chart lacks fire. The hour missing fire corresponds to the si period—9 to 11 a.m. The two of you are born at complementary hours; you balance and complete each other perfectly.”

“Ah.” Chi Mu nodded. She and Chi Xi both lacked water in their Five Elements, which was why their father had included water in their names. But Chi Mu also lacked wood, so she was named Mu.

“Then why did things turn out this way?” Chi Mu asked.

Daoist Ling Kong withdrew her hands and smiled. “Perhaps it’s fate.”

Fate?

Chi Mu gave Nie Yijun a highly unimpressed glance. Seeing it was her own body, she turned back to Daoist Ling Kong. “Master, you mean a karmic bond, right? I don’t want a deep fate with her.”

Nie Yijun barely reacted. She asked, “Is there a way to return to normal?”

Daoist’s eyes twinkled with amusement. She said softly, “Be kind to others, be kind to yourself. Where there is a way for others, there is a retreat for oneself. In doing good, even if blessings do not arrive, misfortune has already been kept at bay. Where you can forgive, forgive.”

Chi Mu was stunned. Even after leaving Huai’en Temple with Nie Yijun, she still didn’t understand a word of what Daoist Ling Kong had said.

“Do you understand what she means?”

Nie Yijun bowed toward Daoist Ling Kong’s direction, then turned and walked down the mountain.

Chi Mu followed, still mulling over her words. “‘Where you can forgive, forgive’. Does she mean I should forgive you? No way—I’m not letting it go. You still owe me for tampering with my thesis!”

Nie Yijun stopped. If Chi Mu hadn’t brought it up, she would have forgotten.

“Why do you say I tampered with your thesis?” Nie Yijun asked.

“You still ask why?” Chi Mu glared at her. “When I was writing my thesis in the lab, checking references, consulting professors—you were there the entire time. Our research group worked together. I did the experiments, and you knew everything. There’s no one else in class who opposed me as much as you did! Now I ask you—why?”

Nie Yijun stepped aside. “You need evidence when you speak. If I altered your thesis, what would I gain? You’re convicting me based on guesses and imagination. Chi Mu, do you have any sense?”

“Yeah, I know I’m not as brilliant as you. You got into Oxford even before finishing your undergrad. How am I supposed to measure up? You’re always late to class, and yet you still top your group. You’re incredible!”

Nie Yijun glanced at her for a moment, then turned and kept walking.

“Why’d you stop talking? Feeling guilty, huh?” Chi Mu chased after her. “The king of lateness!”

Nie Yijun sighed, exasperated. “Chi Mu, I said you don’t get it. This isn’t about me—it’s about your thesis.”

“Fine, then the thesis. Nie Yijun, you tampered with it and ran, almost ruining my graduation!”

“I’ll say this one last time: I, Nie Yijun, dare to act and take responsibility. I didn’t alter your thesis—you’ve got the wrong person.”

“Nonsense! You only dare to deny it because I have no proof!”

Nie Yijun quickened her pace down the mountain, clearly wanting no further discussion.

Alright. No evidence, so the thesis issue could be set aside for now. But old grudges were another matter entirely.

Chi Mu arrived at the bottom drenched in sweat. Nie Yijun was already waiting in the car. Without a glance, Chi Mu walked past, then returned, opening the driver-side door. “It’s Zhou Anxue’s birthday tonight. Take me with you.”

Nie Yijun, sending a message, looked up. “Sure. But tomorrow I have to go to Tianhu City Second Hospital. Take me along.”

“Got it!” Chi Mu turned and walked away. “Don’t forget the gift!”

Nie Yijun watched her retreating figure, lost in thought. What had Daoist Ling Kong meant? “Where you can forgive, forgive,” she believed she had never opposed Chi Mu. It was Chi Mu who had resented her during college.

Be kind to others, be kind to yourself. Where there is a way for others, there is a retreat for oneself. In doing good, even if blessings do not arrive, misfortune has already been kept at bay.

The words were simple enough on the surface. But Nie Yijun couldn’t figure out how to act on them. As a doctor, she always put “goodness” first. Clearly, this wasn’t the kind of “good” she thought it was.

Your birth times are complementary, perfectly balancing each other.

She and Chi Mu were complementary? In what way? No matter how she considered it, Nie Yijun couldn’t see any aspect where she needed Chi Mu to complete herself. And the reverse was also true.

No answer presented itself. Nie Yijun could only keep her appointments. She returned to the Chi residence, picked up an unopened box from Chi Mu’s jewelry cabinet, and drove to the address Chi Mu had given her.

The address was a KTV, and Chi Mu was already waiting at the entrance, holding a bouquet of flowers.

She shoved the flowers into Nie Yijun’s arms and said, “Remember to call her Xiao Xue.”

A vibrant bundle of red roses brushed against Nie Yijun’s chin. She tilted her head and sneezed—having a sensitive nose had its downsides.

“She’s your girlfriend?” Nie Yijun asked.

Chi Mu led her into the elevator. “No.”

Nie Yijun nodded in relief. Good, she thought. She really wouldn’t have been able to handle that.

But when she actually met her, Nie Yijun was still taken aback. The moment she saw Zhou Anxue, the little Omega immediately threw her arms around Nie Yijun, hugging her tightly. “Chi Mu-jiejie, I missed you so much!”

Nie Yijun froze, spreading her hands, glancing at Chi Mu in confusion.

Chi Mu immediately jumped in. “You must be Xiao Xue. Remember me?”

Zhou Anxue released her grip and looked at Chi Mu. “You’re the one who answered the phone yesterday?”

“You’ve got a good memory,” Chi Mu said, taking the flowers from Nie Yijun’s hands and giving them to Zhou Anxue. “I’m Nie Yijun. These are from your Chi Mu-jiejie. Happy birthday.”

Zhou Anxue’s cute face lit up with an even sweeter smile. She looked at Nie Yijun coquettishly. “Aren’t you going to say something?”

Nie Yijun had no idea what was going on. I thought she wasn’t your girlfriend, what’s with this scene?

Chi Mu nudged Nie Yijun’s waist. Slowly, Nie Yijun extended the gift in her hands. “Happy birthday Xiao Xue.”

Zhou Anxue pulled Nie Yijun over to the sofa in the private room. Nie Yijun sat stiffly beside her.

She opened the box, her smile frozen. “Chi Mu-jiejie, how could you give me this?”

“What?” Chi Mu leaned over to look. Inside the box lay a mechanical watch with an oversized dial—obviously not suited for an Omega.

She tugged Nie Yijun, teeth gritted. “Say something! How could you give this?”

Nie Yijun glanced at it calmly. “Is there a problem?”

Chi Mu widened her eyes, wanting to smack Nie Yijun on the head three times.

“It’s too big,” Zhou Anxue said, holding the watch and comparing it to her wrist. “See? It’s bigger than my wrist.”

She tried it on Nie Yijun’s wrist. “It actually fits you perfectly.”

Returning the watch, Zhou Anxue pouted. “What’s your deal? You gave me a watch I can’t even wear.”

“Don’t be mad, don’t be mad,” Chi Mu coaxed. “She made a mistake. She bought two—one for each of you—but mixed them up.”

“Really?” Zhou Anxue looked at Nie Yijun.

Nie Yijun didn’t respond. Unlike Chi Mu, she couldn’t lie on the spot.

“Yes!” Chi Mu whispered, gripping Nie Yijun’s waist. “Say it already!”

Nie Yijun still didn’t speak. She always got nervous around Omegas, and even switching bodies didn’t help her feel at ease.

Zhou Anxue huffed, glaring at Nie Yijun’s apparent coldness. “I knew it. You treat all Omegas like this. I thought maybe you liked me a little, but clearly, you don’t. Fine, then we have nothing to talk about.”

She threw the roses to the floor, stomping them with her feet before grabbing her bag and leaving the room.

“Xiao Xue!” Chi Mu exclaimed, rushing after her.

“Xiao Xue, wait,” Chi Mu blocked her path. “She, she’s had a rough couple of days. Don’t take it personally.”

Zhou Anxue’s round eyes were filled with both hurt and anger. She turned her head. “You don’t get it. She’s never like this. Today, you saw it yourself—her attitude was freezing. What else does that mean?”

Chi Mu clenched her teeth, scolding Nie Yijun silently, while forcing a smile to placate Zhou Anxue. “She really didn’t mean it. She likes you.”

“This is what you call liking someone? Wrong gift, no words, don’t defend her! We weren’t even dating. I’m never talking to her again!” Zhou Anxue pushed Chi Mu away and stomped off.

Chi Mu gritted her teeth, realizing she couldn’t let it go. She flung open the private room door. “Nie Yijun! You ruined everything. Tomorrow’s Tianhu City trip? You’re on your own! I’m not coming!”

Finally, Nie Yijun reacted. “No.”

“No? You won’t say a kind word, but you have a say in this?” Chi Mu charged at her, fist raised, only to slam it onto the sofa. “I won’t go!”

“Sorry,” Nie Yijun said. “You said she’s not your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, but that doesn’t mean I can’t interact with her like I’m trying to date her!” Chi Mu shouted. “Even if nothing’s happening, she’s an Omega! Why can’t you just say something nice? Have some Alpha composure!”

“I can apologize to her.”

“Apologize for what? She said she never wants to see me again!” Chi Mu spun around in frustration. She liked Zhou Anxue’s personality and appearance, and had intended to give her a proper birthday. The celebration would have set the perfect atmosphere, all ruined by Nie Yijun.

“Chi Mu,” Nie Yijun called, “remember what Daoist Lingkong said?”

Chi Mu ignored her. Forget letting things slide—she wasn’t letting Nie Yijun off.

“If you really won’t go to Tianhu City, I’ll have to try it myself.” Nie Yijun sat down in front of Chi Mu.

Chi Mu immediately shifted away.

“Chi Mu,” Nie Yijun placed her hands on Chi Mu’s shoulders.

“Don’t touch me,” Chi Mu said. “I’ll count to three. If you don’t let go, I swear I can hit you with my own body—believe it.”

Suddenly, Nie Yijun stretched her neck forward. Chi Mu saw her own face growing larger, and before she could react, her lips were gently covered by a soft, warm touch.