After the System Called Me Mom, My Arch-Nemesis Omega Fell for Me - Chapter 25

The Compatibility Office on the Tenth Floor

The clinic nurse used cotton swabs to collect trace pheromone samples from the neck glands of both individuals.

Usually, the people who came here for testing were young couples on the verge of engagement. Lu Lingzhi yawned, while Jiang Mingyue stared tensely at the screen of the testing equipment.

Beep…

The results were out. The massive screen displayed:

Pheromone Compatibility: 88%

Lu Lingzhi glanced at the popular science explanation posted on the wall: [For mature AO pairs, a compatibility of over 90% results in the best mutual attraction and a more harmonious, stable partnership.]

88% wasn’t bad. Regardless, she didn’t need to actually date Jiang Mingyue anyway.

“Tested and done. Time to go home and do homework,” she said lightheartedly. Then, remembering that homework was a miserable chore, she felt like a person whose essence had been drained. She reached out behind her to grab something, but only caught thin air.

She turned around. Jiang Mingyue hadn’t followed.

“What are you looking at? Could 88% still be considered compatible?” Lu Lingzhi asked.

However, Jiang Mingyue’s sharp eyes had caught a line of tiny scrolling text at the bottom of the screen. The background was black, and the font was minuscule: [Note: If the AO pair is in an abnormal differentiation phase, and the initial compatibility result is 80%, the compatibility is expected to increase by more than 10% once differentiation stabilizes.]

The compatibility between her and Lu Lingzhi was actually at least 98%.

Hearing the call, Jiang Mingyue turned around. “Coming.”

At the elevator, they saw a repairman. He told them, “The direct elevator is fixed. There might still be minor issues during use, but nothing serious.”

Jiang Mingyue took hold of Lu Lingzhi’s hand hanging at her side. Lu Lingzhi’s fingers were slightly cool, they seemed to tremble slightly when wrapped in Jiang Mingyue’s warm palm. Jiang Mingyue gave her no chance to break free, leading her into the empty elevator car.

As the doors slowly closed, the small space held only the two of them. Lu Lingzhi looked down at their joined hands and swayed them slightly, feeling awkward.

Jiang Mingyue stared straight ahead. “Safety first. The master said the elevator might be unstable.”

“Oh,” Lu Lingzhi mumbled. She stopped struggling and let herself be led. The warmth and slight pressure from Jiang Mingyue’s fingertips strangely dispelled the inexplicable restlessness stirred up by that 88% result.

The elevator descended smoothly to the first floor.

Ding…

The moment the doors opened, a burst of heavy panting echoed from outside.

Jiang Mingzhao had his expensive suit jacket draped over his arm. His tie was loose, and his meticulously styled hair was damp with sweat, with a few strands sticking to his forehead. He was leaning against the wall, gasping for breath, his face pale and his right palm red and swollen clearly, he had manually climbed down from the tenth floor.

Seeing this, Lu Lingzhi nearly burst out laughing. She immediately covered her mouth, but her curved eyes and the schadenfreude dancing within them couldn’t be hidden. She still remembered how the eldest Young Master Jiang had annoyed her.

Didn’t he hate seeing her and Jiang Mingyue on good terms? Didn’t he always want to flex his “good brother” status in front of his sister?

Lu Lingzhi’s eyes darted around as a plan formed. She suddenly let go of Jiang Mingyue’s hand, and before the other could react, her arm flexibly wound around Jiang Mingyue’s slender waist. With a slight tug, she pulled Jiang Mingyue naturally and intimately toward her, almost cradling her in her arms.

“My brother often bullies me.”

Jiang Mingyue had said that once. Lu Lingzhi thought: Jiang Mingyue, for the sake of your hard work lately, I’ll help you out. We might still have our issues, but that doesn’t stop me from using you to annoy your jerk of a brother.

She spoke with blatant mockery: “Yo! Isn’t this our handsome Mingzhao-gege? Why avoid the perfectly good elevator? Are we working on our cardio?”

Pure sarcasm.

Jiang Mingzhao snapped his head up to see Lu Lingzhi and Jiang Mingyue standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Not only had they reconciled, but they seemed even closer. His gaze fell on Lu Lingzhi’s “paw” resting on Jiang Mingyue’s waist. Jiang Mingyue hadn’t pushed her away. A dark, gloomy mist instantly swirled in the depths of his eyes.

Very good. Truly… truly “good.”

His sinister eyes suddenly noticed that this elevator went straight to the tenth floor. The tenth floor was for compatibility tests. Has Lu Lingzhi turned into an Alpha? Is she interested in my sister again? Any Alpha would feel something for my sister. She’s cold and abstinent; who wouldn’t be captivated by her?

Feeling the heat radiating from her waist, Jiang Mingyue paused. Lu Lingzhi’s hand was on her hip, pulling her closer until they were pressed together like a pair of young lovers in the heat of a romance.

She wondered if Lu Lingzhi had seen that special line of black text. But she quickly dismissed the thought. It was more believable that Jiang Mingzhao had offended Lu Lingzhi. After all, she had just discovered that time had been reset again.

The sight of Jiang Mingzhao being forced to climb the stairs was a bit funny and a bit deserved.

She took the opportunity to lean her head against Lu Lingzhi’s shoulder, her forehead resting against the other’s slender collarbone, close to the rhythm of her heartbeat. She could smell the fresh scent of shower gel on Lu Lingzhi’s skin, along with a trace of leaking, un-stabilized Alpha pheromones.

A youthful, alluring, sweet and sour scent. Like unripe cherry wine.

Jiang Mingyue glanced up and saw Lu Lingzhi’s pale neck gradually flushing a soft pink due to her proximity. It seemed the “crazy duo” had done two good things today: punished Jian Cheng and punished her brother.

Jiang Mingzhao forced himself to stand straight, ignoring Lu Lingzhi’s mockery. “Mingyue, I have something to discuss with you.”

Jiang Mingyue acted as if she had only just noticed her brother’s presence. She feigned embarrassment and gave Lu Lingzhi a playful nudge, her voice dripping with a coquettish whine: “My brother is here, watch your behavior. Be good, I’ll take you home first.”

It wasn’t so much a rejection as it was “playing hard to get.” Having hung out with Lu Lingzhi for twelve years, Jiang Mingyue had picked up some acting skills. Lu Lingzhi was a total drama queen. Jiang Mingyue frequently had to play the supporting role to satisfy Lu Lingzhi’s “artistic pursuits.”

She smoothly grabbed Lu Lingzhi’s hand, interlacing their fingers.

Lu Lingzhi felt the tight grip and realized they were on the same wavelength. After a momentary daze, she flashed a triumphant smile at the iron-faced Jiang Mingzhao. “Mingyue, come back early. I’ll be waiting for you for dinner~~”

She finished with a wink.

Watching their intertwined hands and Lu Lingzhi’s smug, villainous expression, the veins in Jiang Mingzhao’s forehead began to throb.

Lu Lingzhi, you’re flirting with my sister right in front of me.

I could make you cry once, and I can make you cry a second time, even if you’ve become an Alpha.

“Brother, how long do you plan to stay in the capital?” Jiang Mingyue asked, stirring her coffee. She was surprised. The Jiang family’s stronghold was in Yun City, capital business was usually handled by professional managers.

Jiang Mingzhao leaned back in his chair, putting down a fashion magazine. He didn’t hide it: “The family sees potential in the capital’s development and wants to expand the hotel business. We are currently in contact with the Jian Group. They intend to sell the Cloud Peak Hot Spring Hotel.”

He shifted the subject. “After the acquisition, the brand image will need a repositioning. I plan to replace the current spokesperson.”

“Replace the spokesperson?” Jiang Mingyue frowned slightly. “Why terminate the contract so suddenly? The lady from the Ji family has always done a great job. Her image and temperament fit high-end hotels perfectly, and she has a huge fan base.”

“Her image is fine? But there have been some unpleasant rumors lately. An insider leaked that her private life is a mess specifically, that she’s too close to her titular daughter, Ji Yunyan. Some of the photos make people blush.”

Jiang Mingyue had just taken a sip of coffee and nearly choked. “Cough, cough, cough!”

Jiang Mingzhao’s tone was cold. “As public figures, their words and deeds need to align with mainstream values. A stepmother and a stepdaughter… it’s simply a violation of social ethics. I’m considering this based on brand risk, especially since Ji Yunyan is your schoolmate.”

He glanced specifically at Jiang Mingyue. “I had the legal department waive the penalty for her family’s breach of contract. Consider it a favor.”

It was happening again.

He was cutting off her future interactions with the Ji family. But why hadn’t Ji Yunyan or her stepmother called her? They hadn’t even blocked her on WeChat.

“So, Mingyue, do you have any suitable candidates to recommend? Or any thoughts?”

Here it comes!

Jiang Mingyue glanced at the fashion magazine Jiang Mingzhao had placed on the table. The cover featured the most sought-after star of the moment. She instantly understood her brother’s intent. After all that buildup and circling around the point, this was his actual target.

He wanted to hire the person on that cover.

“I don’t participate in Group affairs.” Her face remained expressionless, but she wanted to know if the person Jiang Mingzhao wanted to hire was the one she was thinking of. “Since you brought it up, Brother, I assume you already have someone in mind?”

Jiang Mingzhao smiled with satisfaction, clearly appreciating his sister’s quick wit. “The one with the most momentum right now is Pei Ying. Every time she visits, she stays in our hotel suites. Why don’t you introduce us? If the Group can sign a star as hot as Pei Ying, the subsequent quarterly reports will look much better. Besides, you have a good relationship with Pei Song. She’s also in the capital right now looking for investment, we could have a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Pei Ying was Pei Song’s cousin.

Mutually beneficial? What is he thinking?

The investment Pei Song was seeking was from the Taiyu Group the lofty, unreachable Taiyu Group. Compared to them, the Jiang family’s hotel business was like a raw recruit. Her family dealt in hotels, not technology; how could they possibly help?

“Brother, don’t just think about signing stars to get fans to stay at the hotels. It’s better to focus on reform and innovation. Technological innovation is the primary productive force.”

Jiang Mingyue sometimes wondered: they were all wealthy families, so why were others so harmonious?

Pei Ying and Pei Song were a power duo, one a top-tier star, the other a rising star in the field of robotics, meeting at the summit of their careers. Then there were Lu Ningzhi and Lu Lingzhi the powerful straight-A student older sister and the proud, underachieving younger sister. They were famous for their deep sisterly bond. In just five days, Lu Ningzhi had called Lu Lingzhi three times.

Had Jiang Mingzhao ever asked about her studies? Had he ever asked about her health?

The smile on Jiang Mingzhao’s face froze for a fraction of a second, and a flash of coldness seemed to cross the depths of his eyes. Then, his gentle, refined mask slid back into place.

He even nodded slightly, appearing very reasonable. “Mm. I’ll listen to you. Mingyue, it’s good that your relationship with the second Lu sister has softened. Mother always says one should be magnanimous. Don’t hold a grudge anymore about her tearing up your admission letter and deleting the email from Boston University, forcing you to take the National College Entrance Exam.”

The reason Jiang Mingyue hadn’t gone to study in Boston years ago was because Lu Lingzhi had torn up her letter and deleted her emails.

Jiang Mingyue said nothing more and picked up her bag. “I’ll be going then.”

“Alright, stay safe on the road.” Jiang Mingzhao watched her leave with a smile.

Until Jiang Mingyue’s figure disappeared at the cafe entrance, his smile receded like a tide, leaving only a deathly, deep-pool calm. He stared at the residue on the rim of his cup.

his Chief Secretary asked, “Eldest Young Master, what about the spokesperson?”

“No rush. We need to occupy the capital’s market first. My sister will definitely secure the spokesperson during the National Day holiday.” Jiang Mingzhao brushed some dust off his clothes. “How is the performance of those ‘grey’ institutions lately?”

“Very popular. Customers have a curiosity-driven mindset, they like excitement and adventure. The ‘Maojiao’ (slow-foot) culture is prevalent, we’ve done background research on this segment. Additionally, customers prefer Omegas between the ages of 18 and 24. The market scale is huge. We’ve created different scenarios to meet customer demands. Based on a minimum membership entry threshold of 160 yuan, we are continuing to ‘harvest the leeks’ (exploit the market).”

Jiang Mingzhao looked at the reports, satisfied with this quarter’s results. “Go and investigate the recent movements of my sister and Lu Lingzhi.”

The Secretary said, “Young Master, the second Miss Lu is becoming an Alpha. The Eldest Miss wants to pursue her.”

“…”

Jiang Mingzhao was stunned. “How did you find out?”

The Secretary explained, “Last Friday afternoon, the second Miss Lu called the Secretary’s Office wanting to coordinate with the Eldest Miss and asked for her phone number. Since a new secretary answered the phone, she told Miss Lu that the Eldest Miss doesn’t participate in Group affairs. I believe Miss Lu was intentionally fishing for information. I then monitored the recent forums for the Medical University and Beijing University.”

Jiang Mingzhao understood. Lu Lingzhi knew the truth about the spokesperson change, but she hadn’t told Jiang Mingyue. That was the Lu Lingzhi he knew. The scene earlier was just an act, their relationship hadn’t softened at all, it was all his sister’s wishful thinking.

“What else did you find?”

“Last Thursday, the Eldest Miss was confessed to by Young Master Jian at a bar and was taken away by the second Miss Lu, which swept the Medical University forums. Last Friday morning, the Eldest Miss went to the General Hospital for hypoglycemia; her emergency contact was the second Miss Lu. I also found that Miss Lu posted a Douyin update that morning at a KFC on the pedestrian street just across from the hospital. Given the timing of her call to the Group, the two most likely met.”

“Last Saturday, the Eldest Miss’s Panamera appeared at the west gate of Beijing University. That night, she posted on social media saying she likes Alphas. On Sunday, the three meals delivered to the Yuanshan Apartment were not things the Eldest Miss likes. And today, Monday, you ran into them coming down from the compatibility floor. Therefore, I judge that the second Miss Lu has become an Alpha.”

Jiang Mingzhao raised an eyebrow. “You’ve uncovered the truth; you’re basically the leader of their ‘ship’ fans. What do you think of their relationship?”

The Secretary said, “So far, the Eldest Miss is still in the pursuit phase, and it might not be going smoothly. Judging by the three meals on Sunday, the Eldest Miss didn’t stay at the apartment with Miss Lu. It’s the start of the sophomore year, and the coursework isn’t complex yet. I suspect the Eldest Miss made Miss Lu angry again and was kicked out.”

“…”

For some reason, it was almost funny. His sister, such a cold, “high mountain flower” of a person had been kicked out just like that.

Just then, his phone screen lit up on the table, and a new WeChat message popped up.

[Jian Cheng: Brother Jiang, the procedures on the Jian family side are basically finalized. It’s a pleasure doing business. Are you free tonight? I’ll buy you and your sister a drink to celebrate our first collaboration and discuss the integration details?]

[Jiang Mingzhao: How do you know I have a sister?]

[Jian Cheng (with a chuckle): She happens to be my direct junior at school.]

Jiang Mingzhao muttered, “Another ‘licking dog’ (simp) arrives.”

[Jiang Mingzhao: Fine, you set the time and place. It is worth celebrating.]

Jiang Mingzhao turned to the Secretary. “Pay the Jian family a deposit first to stabilize them. Later, say we need to get a bank loan and make them wait for half a month.”