After the Sickly Child Differentiates into A - Chapter 52

“What’s the matter?” Wen Xihe stood in the corridor, rubbing the back of her neck.

Su Yue glanced at the time. “When will Old Master Wen and the others arrive?”

“Soon.”

“Then let’s wait for them to arrive before heading to the conference room together.”

The two sat down on the chairs and waited for about ten minutes until Wen Xize and the still sprightly Old Master Wen, now in his eighties, hurriedly arrived.

Su Yue led them to the conference room. Omitting the parts that couldn’t be disclosed, she explained the need for an Omega to assist in Lin Li’s treatment. She asked the family to help arrange a “matchmaking” session and bring the candidates to the hospital for a physical examination to facilitate the extraction of pheromones. Finally, she assured them that under no circumstances would the wishes of either party be disregarded treatment would only proceed with mutual consent.

To be honest, though, Su Yue still preferred finding someone within the military. They were disciplined, had a certain level of awareness, and could incidentally provide some protection for Lin Li.

Old Master Wen and Wen Xize, who knew more details, wore slightly odd expressions after hearing the explanation. Wen Xihe, on the other hand, suddenly snapped back to reality, finally processing the fact that the sweet, soft Omega sister she had always cherished had turned into an Alpha. She sank into sorrow, unable to pull herself out of it.

Before long, Wen Xihe managed to console herself. Even though Lin Li had differentiated into an Alpha, she was still her sweet, soft little sister. Alpha or Omega, it didn’t matter!

As they left the conference room, Wen Xihe said to her grandfather and eldest brother, “Let’s keep this matter from Jingzhi for now, shall we?”

Given Wen Jingzhi’s possessiveness and fiercely protective nature, if they started arranging matchmaking for Lin Li now, they’d definitely be met with a frosty reception.

Wen Xize nodded in deep agreement. Old Master Wen cleared his throat but didn’t respond, silently acquiescing.

When they reached the outside of the hospital room, Wen Xihe walked ahead and pushed the door open. Turning her head, she noticed the two by the hospital bed and froze, suddenly feeling an inexplicable urge to step back and close the door.

By the bedside, the aloof woman who had already awakened was half-leaning against the headboard. The slender young girl sat at the edge of the bed, elbows propped on the mattress, looking up at the woman.

The older woman raised her right hand, her fingertip gently touching the corner of the girl’s eye. A tender smile graced her pale, weary face. The girl affectionately tilted her cheek, her movements full of attachment.

Wen Xihe stood frozen in place until Wen Xize gave her shoulder a light push, snapping her out of her daze. She silently cursed herself for her muddled thoughts and wild imagination.

The woman on the bed noticed the three of them. Her gaze shifted toward them, and she greeted them calmly before turning her attention back to the girl, asking softly, “Are you uncomfortable?”

Why are your eyes still so red?

Lin Li shook her head gently. “I’m not uncomfortable anymore. Is Sister still feeling unwell?”

It’s all my fault for making Sister sick.

Wen Xihe watched the two, feeling as though they were enveloped in an aura that isolated them from everyone else, an intimacy that shut out the world. She frowned, her eyes scanning back and forth between them but finding nothing amiss.

“I’m not uncomfortable.” Wen Jingzhi sat up a little straighter, reached out, and lifted the girl, wrapping an arm around her waist to seat her properly on the edge of the bed. She glanced at the bandage wrapped around the girl’s neck and patted her slender back. “Go back and lie down.”

Lin Li obediently replied, “Okay.”

As she stood up to leave, the girl’s fingertips inadvertently brushed against Wen Jingzhi’s palm. The jade-like fingers trembled slightly and curled inward.

Wen Xihe’s frown deepened.

When Lin Li returned to the hospital bed, Old Master Wen and Wen Xize sat down beside her, while Wen Xihe went over to Wen Jingzhi’s bedside. After sitting down, she frowned and studied her closely.

The ice block, as usual, showed no expression, making it impossible to read anything.

But something felt really strange, an indescribable oddness.

“Hmm?” Why was she staring without saying a word?

Maybe it was just her imagination.

Wen Xihe relaxed her frown, leaned in closer, and whispered, “Dr. Su and I didn’t say too much about what happened. We only mentioned that you had a bit of your pheromones extracted and were tired, so you fell asleep. Don’t slip up.”

Su Yue had kept it quiet purely because the plans had changed. Since Wen Jingzhi wasn’t strictly needed anymore, there was no point in bringing it up and making Old Master Wen overthink things.

Wen Jingzhi shot her a look that said, “Would I slip up?” Wen Xihe raised an eyebrow. “Hey, is that the right attitude?” she hissed quietly. “If Grandpa finds out, he’ll definitely punish you!”

Old Master Wen usually didn’t interfere in the younger generation’s affairs, but if any of them failed to take care of themselves or acted impulsively and got hurt, he would be furious. The punishment could range from kneeling in the ancestral hall to three strikes with his cane.

With Old Master Wen’s strength, three strikes would leave even the toughest person bedridden for three days.

Wen Jingzhi didn’t think she had done anything wrong, nor was she afraid of punishment. Ignoring Wen Xihe, she turned and picked up her phone from the bedside table.

“Shen Yuan called you so many times. Aren’t you going to call her back?” Remembering this, Wen Xihe’s expression shifted as she teased, “So, are the two of you going to work out or not? Give me a straight answer.”

The young girl who had been chatting with Old Master Wen suddenly turned her head to look over.

“I don’t know.” Wen Jingzhi’s head was still a bit foggy, and she frowned impatiently, brushing off Wen Xihe’s chatter.

“So there’s a chance.” Wen Xihe had long noticed that Shen Yuan had feelings for her ice block of a sister, but she never interfered. Over the years, she had merely observed and occasionally teased about it.

Shen Yuan, for her part, never seemed in a hurry. She went abroad when she needed to and, after returning, pursued Wen Jingzhi without being overly pushy, giving her plenty of space.

Previously, the ice block had always given cold, definitive answers like “impossible.” Now that her stance had softened, it seemed there might be hope.

Wen Xihe grinned and winked at Wen Jingzhi. “She’s going to be in the country for a year or two. There’s plenty of time for you two to get to know each other.”

Wen Jingzhi shot her a sidelong glance. “You have the energy to pester me about this?”

Wen Xihe’s smile instantly vanished.

After Lin Yi officially took over the Lin family business, she withdrew from the public eye, but in recent years, there had been no shortage of gossip about her frequently having “dinners” with Alphas or Omegas from other wealthy families.

Even though it was all business-related, it still made Wen Xihe grit her teeth in frustration.

Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to take that step, always worried that Lin Yi might not like Alphas especially given her father’s reputation and the harm he had caused her mother.

Wen Xihe sighed softly, covering her face, and glared at the ice block for bringing up such a sore subject.

“Xiao Li?” Wen Xize, having waited a while for a response, looked up at the girl in confusion. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

Lin Li withdrew her gaze, turned her head, and smiled faintly. “No, it’s fine. Grandpa Wen and Brother can decide.”

They had been testing Lin Li’s attitude toward the idea of an “arranged meeting.”

Seeing that the girl didn’t seem opposed, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. Mindful of Wen Jingzhi’s presence, they dropped the subject and changed the topic.

After dinner that evening, Old Master Wen and the other two didn’t stay long and left first. Whether it was because they hadn’t fully processed Lin Li’s current secondary gender or because they trusted her too much, even though Lin Li was now an Alpha, the three of them still left Wen Jingzhi behind to care for her.

They didn’t even mention having Lin Li move out.

Wen Jingzhi didn’t object either. She didn’t feel that Lin Li was any different from before still fragile and in need of careful “nurturing.”

It was past ten at night when Wen Jingzhi remembered Shen Yuan. She sent a message explaining the reason for her sudden departure but didn’t call back.

Shen Yuan replied quickly and didn’t call again afterward.

After exchanging a few words, Wen Jingzhi, feeling tired, ended the conversation first. She placed her phone on the bedside table and went over to Lin Li’s bed.

The girl had been drowsy after dinner and had dozed off leaning against the headboard. No one had woken her, so she was still asleep.

Wen Jingzhi sat by the bed, her gaze falling on the girl’s noticeably thinner face. A flash of crimson crossed her mind, and she closed her eyes, turning to look out the window.

This was the second time.

Wen Jingzhi’s eyes turned cold, her hand on the edge of the bed slowly clenching into a fist.

There absolutely must not, and could not, be a third time.

Suddenly, her tightly clenched hand was enveloped by a warm, small hand. Wen Jingzhi turned her head and met those deep, dark eyes. Her expression softened. “Still sleepy?”

Lin Li yawned and nodded with a smile. “Not anymore. What were you looking at just now, Sister?”

“Nothing.” Wen Jingzhi unclenched her fist, turned her wrist, and held the slender hand. “Your homeroom teacher called this afternoon. The class monitor will visit you tomorrow.”

Lin Li blinked. “Can I not be discharged tomorrow?”

“The day after tomorrow.”

Perhaps it was the faint scent of herself emanating from the girl that made Wen Jingzhi’s heart soften again and again, accompanied by an indescribable sense of satisfaction. She held the girl’s hand in her palm, raised her right hand, and gently tapped the bandage on the other’s neck, asking a slightly overstepping question: “Does your gland hurt?”

Lin Li was visibly taken aback but smiled. “No, it doesn’t.”

It actually hurt a little, but compared to during her differentiation, it was much better.

She didn’t want her sister to worry any further.

Wen Jingzhi realized her question had crossed a line and pressed her lips together, pretending to ruffle the girl’s hair. “If anyone asks about your differentiation results, don’t say you’re an Alpha.”

“Okay.” Lin Li roughly understood the situation. “I won’t say anything.”

So obedient.

Wen Jingzhi curved her lips and ruffled her hair again.

One sitting, one leaning, they held hands quietly, occasionally exchanging glances but mostly gazing out the window together.

Wrapped in the scent of snow, they kept each other company like this until midnight.

It was the girl who couldn’t hold out any longer, yawning, before Wen Jingzhi got up, had her lie down, tucked her in, and returned to her own hospital bed.

The drowsy girl insisted on saying goodnight to her sister: “Goodnight, Sister.”

Wen Jingzhi let out a soft laugh and replied with a smile, “Goodnight.”

Light breathing sounds began the next second. Wen Jingzhi wiped the smile from her face, opened her eyes, and stared at the ceiling, her emotions in turmoil, too chaotic even for her to decipher.

At nine the next morning, Lin Li, who had lazed in bed for a while, had just finished breakfast when the visitors arrived.

Her class monitor was a familiar face Sun Xiaoxiao.

But it wasn’t just Sun Xiaoxiao who came; Su Ke was there too.

Su Ke went to find Lin Li early this morning and saw Sun Xiaoxiao holding flowers. After asking, she learned that Lin Li had presented, so she bought a fruit basket and followed along after consulting the teacher.

At the hospital room door, Su Ke suddenly grew nervous, standing stiffly and swallowing hard, which made Sun Xiaoxiao burst out laughing.

After knocking, they waited two seconds before the door was pulled open from inside. Wen Jingzhi looked at Sun Xiaoxiao, nodded slightly, then shifted her gaze to Su Ke. Her eyebrows twitched slightly, her eyes turning cold. She stepped aside to let them in and closed the door.

Sun Xiaoxiao greeted Wen Jingzhi and immediately went to Lin Li’s bedside. Su Ke, who had only been nervous at first, now felt her mind go blank upon seeing Wen Jingzhi. She walked stiffly, almost tripping over the foot of the bed.

Wen Jingzhi had initially planned to leave to give the youngsters some space, but noticing how close Su Ke was getting to her charge, she frowned and sat down by her own hospital bed instead.

In her subconscious, Lin Li hadn’t yet been equated with an Alpha.

As soon as Wen Jingzhi sat down, Su Ke stammered a bit. Afraid her idol might overhear, she leaned even closer to Lin Li: “Goddess no, your sister does she not like me?”

That sharp gaze carried an even colder chill, landing on her back and sending a shiver through Su Ke.

Lin Li was taken aback for a moment, then glanced at her sister, who gave a faint smile in return. She looked back and tilted her head: “Not really, my sister is very gentle.”

Sun Xiaoxiao wanted to tease but held back. After chatting with Lin Li for a bit longer, she took Su Ke and said their goodbyes.

Once the door closed, Sun Xiaoxiao couldn’t resist teasing Su Ke: “Were you trying to hold Lin Li’s hand just now?”

Su Ke’s face instantly flushed bright red, and she stammered, “N-no! I just wasn’t paying attention!”

Earlier, when she leaned in close to Lin Li, her hand had nearly brushed against the back of Lin Li’s hand.

“Oh! So, you didn’t want to hold Lin Li’s hand?”

“N-no…”

“You didn’t want to?” Sun Xiaoxiao chuckled. “Or you didn’t dare?”

“Ahem.” Lin Li, leaning against the headboard, glanced guiltily out the window and coughed lightly into her fist.

The door wasn’t soundproof.

“Did you hold hands?” Wen Jingzhi walked over to the bed and sat down, lowering her gaze to search for the girl’s hand.

“No.” Lin Li cleared her throat again. “Sun Xiaoxiao was just teasing Su Ke.”

“I’m not dating early, sis.”

“Mm.”

Wen Jingzhi glanced at the slender little hand stealthily peeking out from under the blanket, raised an eyebrow, and reached out to capture it in her palm. She turned slightly to gaze out the window.

The sunlight was just right.

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