After the System Called Me Mom, My Arch-Nemesis Omega Fell for Me - Chapter 13

“Oh, I have it right here.” Ji Yunyan quickly tapped open a video. “Look, this video set the Med University forums on fire yesterday. The title is super explosive: SHOCK! Med University Student Union President’s Confession Ends in Disaster. New Campus Belle’s Heart Belongs to Another as Mysterious ‘Second Young Lady’ Swoops in to Snatch Her Away!”

What a long title.

Lu Lingzhi took several aggressive gulps of her Coke and leaned in to take a look.

The footage was clearly shot on a phone in a bar; it was a bit shaky, and the environment was filled with neon lights and alcohol. The Student Union President, Jian Cheng, was holding a massive bouquet of red roses, walking toward Jiang Mingyue’s booth with an expression of deep devotion.

Right at that moment, a clear, slightly rebellious female voice rang out: “She’s staying with me.”

The camera jerked violently, as if the person filming was startled by this sudden turn of events. A large, open black umbrella suddenly cut into the frame, perfectly obscuring most of the newcomer’s face, leaving only a graceful jawline and a hint of red lips visible.

The smile on Jian Cheng’s face froze instantly. He questioned her with annoyance, “Who the hell are you?”

A light chuckle came from under the umbrella, carrying a trace of casual arrogance: “I’m your ‘Second Young Lady.’ Someone who is allowed to call Mingyue by her nickname.”

The “Second Young Lady” then called out in Jiang Mingyue’s direction, “Mingyue, let’s go.”

Immediately, Jiang Mingyue acted as if she had found her savior. She stood up at once and grabbed the umbrella-holder’s wrist. Her voice carried obvious urgency and dependence: “She’s my friend. We have things to do. We’re leaving now.” After saying that, she practically dragged the person with the umbrella out of the camera’s range.

Throughout the entire exit, the person kept the umbrella tilted toward Jiang Mingyue, shielding her firmly and ensuring the camera didn’t catch a single glimpse of her.

The Aftermath

As the video ended, the comment section was already boiling over, and the bullet-chat comments were packed tight:

• “Holy crap! Second Young Lady is such an Alpha!”
• “That aura, that ‘protecting my girl’ vibe… I’m so jealous.”
• “The way the Campus Belle grabbed her wrist, there is definitely a story there.”
• “I’m shipping this so hard! The Icy Beauty x The Overbearing Boss.”
• “Someone find out who the Second Young Lady is! That umbrella looks expensive! It’s from a Rolls-Royce. Which family is she from?”

Hahaha.

The little version of Lu Lingzhi inside her mind was already standing with hands on hips, laughing at the sky for three hundred rounds. The “cool act” was a success, a massive success and she was feeling the high. Hearing others praise her like this felt great.

Hmph, at least you guys have good taste!

This young lady is just that radiant, one glimpse is enough to leave people obsessed.

On the Med University forum, Jiang Mingyue’s background was also being picked apart. She was the daughter of the Jiang family, titans of the hotel industry in Yun City and a graduate of the top-tier private Yunlan High School with no romantic history. Therefore, Jian Cheng being rejected didn’t seem like such a shameful thing anymore.

As for the “Second Young Lady,” speculations were flying everywhere, but after hours of digging, no one had found her identity.

Ji Yunyan, meanwhile, was excitedly pointing at the video and analyzing it, completely oblivious to the expression on Lu Lingzhi’s face. “See that? Jiang Mingyue said they were friends, but look at how she grabbed her wrist that strength, that posture, she wasn’t trying to keep her distance at all!”

Lu Lingzhi couldn’t resist dropping a tiny hint. “Yunyan, don’t you think that Rolls-Royce umbrella looks familiar?”

Hearing this, Ji Yunyan squinted at the umbrella in the video, then looked back at a slightly excited “Lu Er.” “Familiar? These top-tier luxury car umbrellas all look the same! They’re low-key, luxurious, and sophisticated. That doesn’t match your ‘vibe’ at all, okay? It’s definitely not you, so stop dreaming.”

Lu Lingzhi’s smile vanished instantly.

That umbrella is mine! It’s mine!

The Reality Check

Ji Yunyan and her “Little Mom” (stepmother) had discussed this in bed for a long time last night. They actually really wanted it to be Lu Er. If it were her, it would be too sweet. Lu Er dragging Jiang Mingyue away out of jealousy because someone else was confessing to her. That tone of voice was exactly something Lu Er would say.

Childhood sweethearts. Frenemies. Rekindled flames. Names: Lu Er and Jiang Er. Lu: Vivacious and nimble. Jiang: Cold and celibate.

My god, the ship is too good, too sweet.

The imagination was beautiful, but reality was skeletal. The reason Ji Yunyan and her “Little Mom” had ruled Lu Er out was simple: Lu Er was broke.

“Er-ya, Er-er, Er-bao (Second Baby)…”

Lu Er: “…” Another day of losing her actual name to the number two. Her name was Lu Lingzhi, but she had devolved into Lu Er, then Er-er, and finally Er-Bao. Would people eventually just call her “Lu Bao”? Her current mood was exactly like the very last emoji in the fourth row of WeChat.

“Babe,” Ji Yunyan said, helping her crunch the numbers. “Wake up and look at reality. You aren’t who you used to be. The average spend at that influencer bar is at least 1,000 yuan. What’s your monthly allowance now? 3,000. You got 600 from three red envelopes in the group chat yesterday, and you just spent 900 on these two bags of KFC. You only have 1,500 left in your pocket. If you spend another 1,000 at a bar, you’d be left with about 18 yuan a day. If you went, you’d literally be eating instant noodles and lemon water for a month. Therefore, it’s impossible for you to have gone. Besides, it’s not weird that you know Jiang Mingyue’s nickname.”

Actually, Ji Yunyan had missed the 1,500 yuan Lu Er spent on two scratch-off lottery books. In other words, Lu Er had actually already spent all 3,000. Her remaining funds were just the 500 her sister had given her as an extra.

Watching Ji Yunyan’s serious analysis, Lu Er opened her mouth, but for a moment, she didn’t even know where to start roasting her.

Forget it. Let the world end.

Suddenly, Ji Yunyan asked again, “So, what is Jiang Mingyue’s nickname?”

Saturday

Lu Lingzhi was jolted awake by the piercing sunlight streaming through the window. Sitting up in a daze, she yawned and slowly shuffled into the bathroom.

The icy tap water splashed against her face, dispelling a bit of her drowsiness. She picked up her toothbrush, squeezed out some minty toothpaste, and stuck the electric brush in her mouth, continuing to doze off as it buzzed.

Five minutes later, the toothbrush stopped. She spat out the foam.

“Hiss.” A sharp, sudden pain exploded from the gland at the nape of her neck without warning. The toothbrush nearly slipped from her hand into the sink.

The pain came as fast as it went, leaving behind a burning aftertaste and a heart-palpitating itch. Frowning, she rubbed the back of her neck, the skin felt unusually hot to the touch. She didn’t think much of it, dismissing it as a waking hallucination.

She moved on to her facial cleanser. Fine bubbles covered her cheeks as she cupped fresh water to rinse them. The coolness was refreshing.

However, just as the water was about to leave her jawline.

Another surge, stronger this time, felt like a weak electric current shooting up her spine. Her entire shoulder jerked in a spasm, knocking the toiletries off the counter and onto the floor.

Pale-faced, Lu Lingzhi clutched the back of her neck and stumbled out of the bathroom.

Hearing the commotion, Ji Yunyan scrambled out of bed. Seeing Lu Lingzhi’s state, she asked with concern, “What happened?”

“My gland… it hurts in waves,” Lu Lingzhi muttered, the irregular stabs of pain making her restless.

“Let me see.” Ji Yunyan brushed aside Lu Lingzhi’s thick, wavy hair. A scent of cherry pheromones immediately wafted toward her.

Under the morning light, the soft gland at the nape of Lu Lingzhi’s neck was visibly swollen and red. The color was several shades darker than her healthy skin, and the faint outlines of tiny blood vessels beneath the surface looked particularly fragile and alarming.

It looked like an Alpha or Omega entering their rut or heat.

However, Ji Yunyan immediately looked at Lu Lingzhi’s face. Aside from the pain and irritability, those beautiful peach-blossom eyes were clear and her breathing was steady. She lacked that signature “heat” look, the intoxicating flush and the hazy, seductive gaze.

And… wait?

Ji Yunyan’s nose twitched instinctively. She thought she caught a faint trace of…

Sourness?

It was like the slight, boozy tartness of a ripe cherry just before it begins to ferment.

Her “Little Mom” had once taught her: High-grade Omega pheromones (like fruit or floral scents) are usually cloyingly sweet. In contrast, Alpha pheromones of the same profile often carry a refreshing, even slightly acidic quality, more aggressive and distinct.

Was that sourness just an illusion? Or… is Lu Er turning into an Alpha?

Feeling uncertain, Ji Yunyan suggested, “Maybe try a cold compress? See if it helps.” She ran to the bathroom, soaked a clean towel in cold water, wrung it out, and handed it over.

Lu Lingzhi pressed the damp, icy towel against the swollen gland. The chill seeped into her skin, and the annoying stabs of pain seemed to subside slightly. “That feels a bit better.”

“Is your heat cycle regular?” Ji Yunyan asked.

“Well…” Ever since she came back from praying to the God of Wealth on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, her heat had vanished. Doctors said it was normal for it to be unstable for a few years. “I haven’t had it in two months.”

Ji Yunyan couldn’t give her a definitive answer. She offered some comfort: “Anyway, you’re going for a check-up. You’ll find out then.”

Suddenly, her eyes landed on the area near Lu Lingzhi’s jaw, close to the ear. There seemed to be a slight swelling there too. “Are your tonsils inflamed again?”

Lu Lingzhi reached up to feel just below the angle of her jaw. Sure enough, there was a dull ache.

“Right! My tonsils have been hurting for a few days, but I’ve just been ignoring it and haven’t taken any medicine.”

“I’ve got it!” Ji Yunyan clapped her hands, convinced she’d found the logical explanation. “It’s definitely a chain reaction from your tonsillitis. The inflammation has spread to the nearby glands.”

“Glandular pathology can trigger other issues. If your tonsils are inflamed, I suggest you get that checked too.”

Was something really wrong with her gland?

Lu Lingzhi checked the time. It was already 10:50 AM.

Shoot, Jiang Mingyue was still waiting for her.

She pulled the towel away. “Yunyan, look, has it gone down?”

Ji Yunyan leaned in. Surprisingly, the gland looked much better than before. She could only marvel at how mysterious human anatomy was. She took another curious sniff. This time, it was just the sweet, cloying cherry scent.

That hint of sourness earlier… I must have still been half-asleep.