After the Strategy Failed, the Heroine Turned into a Crematorium - Chapter 18

The first thing Qi Zhi’e did upon returning to her room was step into the bathroom and turn on the shower under the faucet.

The icy cold water sprayed onto her face before cascading down her body, soaking her clothes and clinging to her skin. She shivered uncontrollably but still allowed the water to pour over her.

Her body alternated between chills and feverish heat, as if caught in a torturous cycle of fire and ice. With trembling hands, she pulled open the cabinet, retrieved a suppressant, and injected herself.

Her blood felt like it was boiling, waves of heat surging through her. The primal urge to give in to instinct screamed within her. Qi Zhi’e wasn’t sure if it was because she had previously spent a heat cycle with an Alpha, but this time was far more unbearable than any she had experienced before.

Yet, she suspected it had more to do with the faint trace of Alpha pheromones she had caught at the concert.

Being so easily affected by even a trace of pheromones was usually a sign of exceptionally high compatibility between an Alpha and Omega. Such pairs were often considered a match made in heaven, destined to fall in love quickly.

A shadow of bitterness darkened Qi Zhi’e’s eyes. If that were the case, it would be nothing short of ridiculous for her.

Not only was it meaningless, but it had also plunged her into this predicament.

The water droplets clung to her skin, the coolness seeping in little by little. Combined with the suppressant, her restless body finally began to settle.

Staggering weakly out of the bathroom, Qi Zhi’e remembered that the neighboring room was completely bare. She pressed her fingers to her temples in frustration before retrieving spare bedding and toiletries, placing them on the living room sofa. She then sent Bian You a message, telling her to come out and get them herself.

When Bian You received the message, she glanced at the empty bed and, for some reason, let out a soft laugh.

Was she the first outsider to stay overnight here?

And Qi Zhi’e was actually quite considerate, wasn’t she? Even in that state, she had still remembered Bian You’s needs.

In a surprisingly good mood, she momentarily forgot about her own simmering discomfort. Once she confirmed the hallway was quiet, she opened the door and carried the items back to her room.

Perhaps because they had just passed through Qi Zhi’e’s hands, Bian You could still faintly detect the lingering scent of pheromones on the bedding. Her heart burned with warmth, a soothing comfort washing over her.

After making the bed, Bian You took a shower. Only when she lay down, refreshed, did she have the energy to reflect on the night’s events. It had all happened so suddenly, catching her off guard and nearly leading to disaster.

She raised a hand to lightly touch her scent gland. Even though she had just washed it, she could still feel a faint stickiness like the smoldering heat within her that refused to dissipate, flaring up intermittently.

She worried about Qi Zhi’e next door but didn’t dare barge in uninvited. The lack of response to her message left Bian You feeling unsettled, her heart suspended in uneasy limbo.

Sensing the lingering heat in her body, Bian You injected another dose of suppressant for good measure. Under its drowsy effects, she drifted into a hazy sleep.

She woke again to the relentless ringing of her phone.

Frowning groggily, she grabbed the device and saw an unfamiliar number. She almost hung up, but noticing it was a local call, she inexplicably answered.

“President Bian, it’s Ji Jiu, President Qi’s assistant. Do you know where she is? I can’t reach her.” The moment the call connected, Ji Jiu’s voice was filled with urgency.

Originally, there was supposed to be a client meeting today to discuss a project. But as the scheduled time approached, Qi Zhi’e still hadn’t shown up, and her phone was unreachable. Left with no choice, Ji Jiu had to pull some strings to get Bian You’s number and call her after all, she knew Qi Zhi’e had gone out with Bian You the previous night.

Bian You froze for a second, her previously groggy mind snapping awake. After explaining the situation to Ji Jiu, she rubbed her temples and sat up, hesitating whether she should check on Qi Zhi’e.

Hanging up the phone, she gave herself another dose of suppressants, applied two more scent-blocking patches, and put on a mask before heading toward Qi Zhi’e’s room.

Not daring to barge in, she knocked and called Qi Zhi’e’s name, but there was no response from inside.

Bian You’s expression darkened slightly, suspecting that something might have really happened to Qi Zhi’e. She immediately pressed down on the door handle, but the door wouldn’t budge.

Frowning, Bian You felt a surge of anxiety Qi Zhi’e had locked the door from the inside!

“Qi Zhi’e! Are you okay?” She pounded on the door. When there was still no response, she hurried to the living room and began rummaging through drawers, searching for a spare key.

Spotting a set of keys, she quickly tried them on Qi Zhi’e’s door. After testing two, the door finally clicked open. Bian You exhaled in relief, but her heart immediately clenched again.

The overwhelming pheromones in the room made her slightly dizzy even with the suppressants and mask, the intensity was hard to withstand.

The room was pitch black, the heavy curtains blocking out all outside light, leaving it dim and hard to see clearly.

Bian You strode to the window and pulled the curtains open, then turned on the room’s air purifier before turning her attention to the figure curled up on the bed.

“Qi Zhi’e, how are you?”

As she approached the bed, she saw that most of Qi Zhi’e’s face was buried under the covers. Even the small part visible looked alarmingly wrong.

Her expression shifted. She quickly pulled the blanket aside, revealing Qi Zhi’e’s flushed face clearly burning up with fever. Pressing a hand to her forehead, the heat wasn’t just from a typical estrus cycle.

Without hesitation, Bian You called the Bian family’s private doctor, briefly explaining Qi Zhi’e’s condition and urging her to come immediately.

Given Qi Zhi’e’s current state, taking her to the hospital would be difficult.

While waiting, Bian You filled a basin with lukewarm water in the bathroom and began gently wiping Qi Zhi’e’s exposed skin.

“Mmm…” Qi Zhi’e’s brows furrowed tightly. Despite the high fever, not a single drop of sweat appeared on her face, a sign that her condition was worsening.

Bian You’s heart ached, her movements growing even more careful, afraid of causing her any discomfort.

Just as she finished the third wipe, the doorbell rang. Setting the cloth aside, she rushed to answer it, pulling the doctor inside without even exchanging pleasantries.

“Hey, hey, easy does it…” The doctor, her clothes now askew from being tugged, sighed helplessly as she followed Bian You to Qi Zhi’e’s bedside. The moment she saw Qi Zhi’e’s condition, all traces of humor vanished from her expression.

She was a beta, not very sensitive to pheromones. Although she faintly caught the scent in the air, it didn’t affect her much due to her beta nature.

After examining Qi Zhi’e’s condition, the doctor hooked her up to an IV and hesitated before saying, “Her condition isn’t very good. Has she been stimulated by some kind of drug before?”

“There are signs of pheromone imbalance now.”

Bian You’s expression stiffened was the root cause still from that drug incident?

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