After the System Called Me Mom, My Arch-Nemesis Omega Fell for Me - Chapter 35

Half-Mountain Villa

Outside the window, the rain fell for an unknown duration, pattering, sometimes hurried, sometimes gentle, beating against the glass as if performing a lingering melody for the spring colors within the room.

The air grew thick, permeated by two distinct pheromones. Two figures lay on the bed, locked in a tight embrace, their breaths intertwining. The subtle sounds of panting and the rustle of fabric were magnified in the gaps between the rain, sounding exceptionally clear and tantalizing.

As long as the wind and rain outside remained entangled, this intimacy, a mix of restraint and indulgence, continued. Just as Chang Xi reached the peak of pleasure, letting out a soft, melodious moan.

Vibrate, vibrate, vibrate…

A cold white light suddenly flickered to life, instantly piercing the darkness of the bedroom.

Xie Floating Clouds (Xie Fuyun) frowned immediately, letting out a click of extreme displeasure. Her slender fingers had been deeply buried in Chang Xi’s hair, cradling the back of her head as she planted a possessive kiss on her delicate, fragile neck. This abrupt vibration and light were like a bucket of ice water poured over their passion.

“Go answer the phone,” Chang Xi’s voice carried the lingering traces of arousal and a hint of lazy hoarseness as she gave her a light push.

“No,” Xie Floating Clouds muttered irritably. In a fit of petty revenge, she bit Chang Xi’s collarbone again, tightening her arms to coil her firmly in her embrace. “I don’t care if the sky falls, today, I just want to love you properly.”

Amused by her childish behavior, Chang Xi chuckled and turned to dodge. “Fine, then ignore it. At worst, we’ll actually end up with a life on our hands.”

Xie Floating Clouds paused, cursed under her breath for a few moments, and finally sat up. Chang Xi took the opportunity to rise as well, wrapping herself in a velvet dressing gown and walking toward the bathroom, leaving behind a graceful silhouette.

Xie Floating Clouds grabbed a silk robe, not even bothering to tie the belt properly. Carrying the heat of unspent desire and a low pressure of clear dissatisfaction, she grabbed the phone and strode barefoot into the living room.

The caller ID showed her mother.

She answered, her tone returning to its usual steady state: “Mom.”

Her mother’s warm yet urgent voice came through: “Floating Clouds, I heard… you have a child?”

News traveled fast.

Xie Floating Clouds’ expression darkened, her fingertips tightening unconsciously. “…Yeah.”

Her mother’s voice was filled with anticipation and caution: “Is it… your child with Chang Xi? Actually, more than ten years ago, I heard rumors that you and Chang Xi were traveling everywhere with a little girl. They said she was as beautiful as a little princess, and you even bought her a little Sika deer…”

Uninterested in the reminiscence, Xie Floating Clouds cut her off, her voice turning a few degrees colder: “Does he know?”

Naturally, she was referring to the head of the Taiyu Group. Her father.

“So he knows,” Xie Floating Clouds said. “Who told you?”

“Director Su called today. Your father seemed quite happy to hear it,” Madam Xie tried to soften the atmosphere. “Floating Clouds, let the past be the past. Bring the child and Chang Xi back to the Xie family. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for us to be a happy family together?”

“Hmph! Do you even hear yourself?” Xie Floating Clouds scoffed, recounting the past injuries in a calm tone. “Back then, you said I disgraced the family. You said Chang Xi was delusional, plotting to use a child to climb the social ladder, disgusting. You said even being a mistress was too good for her, demeaning her to the point of worthlessness. Why should my Chang Xi endure your insults?”

“I still remember you forcing Chang Xi away… You said if I dared to chase after her, I’d never have to return to the Xie family. Why should the past just be the past? It’s not over. It will never be over.”

“…We were doing it for your own good. Cinderella stories only happen in fairy tales.”

“For my own good?” Xie Floating Clouds exposed her mercilessly. “Your compromise is only because I’ve reached a certain age. Which noble lady in the capital is willing to marry me now? Who wants to play stepmother? Looking around, only Chang Xi is left. You haven’t ‘accepted’ her, she has simply become the ‘optimal solution’ now that her status has changed.”

Madam Xie was rendered speechless for a long time. The sound of soft sobbing came through the phone. “…What do you want me to say? Do you want me to defy your father? The education I received since childhood was like this… I… I know he is overbearing and cold, but do you want me to divorce him? To hand over the vast family business to those vultures outside?”

“…Mom, there’s no audience here. You don’t need to perform this tragedy anymore.”

Breaking down, Madam Xie said, “If you won’t let me see her, I’ll go to the school to find her.”

Xie Floating Clouds fell silent. After a few seconds, she compromised. “She hasn’t been well lately. Her pheromones are disordered, and she needs rest. I will arrange a time for you to meet. But I have one condition, you must not reveal her true age to the public.”

Hearing her daughter relent, Madam Xie was overjoyed, her tone instantly brightening. “Then I’ll prepare some gifts… How about gems? Diamonds? Didn’t you give her a crown before? Do young girls like sparkly things? I have a nice set of emeralds. Oh, your father has an ‘egg’, supposedly one of only 62 in the world. I’ll go demand it now.”

Xie Floating Clouds reminded her: “Aren’t you afraid I’m lying to you?”

“Your eyes and hers are so similar. Eyes don’t lie. I will do my best to maneuver your father regarding the marriage, for the sake of his granddaughter. You should also take a step back.”

Xie Floating Clouds: “…The child’s name is Lu Bao (Deer Baby).”

After hanging up, Chang Xi emerged from the bathroom. The sound of water had stopped.

Chang Xi held a glass of lemon water. She walked naturally to Xie Floating Clouds’ side, handed her the glass, and sat on her lap. The warm post-bath air mixed with Chang Xi’s pheromones enveloped Xie Floating Clouds.

Capturing the knot of frustration in her brow, Chang Xi used two slender fingers to gently lift the corners of Xie Floating Clouds’ pursed lips into a forced smile.

“My CEO Xie,” her voice sounded like it was soaked in warm water. “What great matters of state are troubling you so?”

Xie Floating Clouds didn’t answer immediately. She simply wrapped her arms around Chang Xi’s warm body and rested her chin heavily on her soft shoulder.

After a long silence, she spoke muffledly, “I just feel… my Xi’er has been wronged. Xi’er… I…”

Chang Xi, ever brilliant, immediately sensed the helplessness in the embrace and breath. She didn’t press for details, but instead hugged her tighter, patting her back gently to provide silent support.

“Xie Floating Clouds, if you want me to marry you, keep dreaming,” she teased in a light tone. “A hundred years ago, I might have agreed, since your family actually had a throne. Your great, great grandfather was an emperor. I’d just have to work hard to outlive you all. But now? What era is this? Your family still follows rules like morning and evening greetings and nearly 108 house regulations. It’s like you don’t even treat a daughter-in-law as human. I’m fine like this. I have money, leisure, a filial daughter, and eventually a daughter-in-law.”

After a moment, Chang Xi pushed her back slightly. She held the lemon water to her lips and gave her a small sip.

“Ugh… so sour.”

The acidity hit her nose and eyes, causing a physiological layer of moisture to well up in her black eyes, like stars falling into a deep pool on a cold night.

Seeing her adorable look, Chang Xi couldn’t help but laugh. She used her fingertip to gently wipe away the tear at the corner of her eye. “They want to take Lu Bao back?”

“…Yeah. I plan to send her back during the New Year.” This was Xie Floating Clouds’ plan.

Chang Xi nodded thoughtfully and suddenly asked, “Then, regarding the cooperation between Taiyu Group and the Pei Group… shouldn’t you push it forward? Help Pei Song secure her position as heir, she should give something back to our Lu Bao.”

Xie Floating Clouds regained her business like demeanor. “No, I’m going to let Pei Song hang a bit longer.”

Chang Xi asked, “Then you plan to give it to Shisheng Group?”

The Shisheng Group in the Capital and the Pei Group in Yun City were both robotics giants. Taiyu Group’s chips were the leaders in the domestic supply chain. Shisheng and Taiyu had cooperated for years, whereas the partnership with Pei was new.

“I’ll give it to both,” Xie Floating Clouds said strategically. “But, I’ll let Lu Bao handle this matter.”

“Lu Bao?” Chang Xi raised an eyebrow. “That won’t do. Shisheng and Pei are both relatives and enemies. Isn’t that too hard for Lu Bao? What if she offends both?”

“Precisely because it’s hard, I must give it to her.” Xie Floating Clouds recalled Lu Lingzhi’s mention of wanting to buy a car. “She really dislikes Jiang Bao’s Panamera. She wants that new Mercedes model, it’s over 2 million. I won’t pay for it, and neither will the Lu family. So…”

“Let Pei or Shisheng foot the bill. Is 2 million expensive to invest in the future of Taiyu? I’ve always been happy spending other people’s money, especially when I get to watch them buy things for my child and say ‘thank you’ to her.”

Chang Xi immediately understood her intent and smiled. “And the other company? They can’t both buy cars. Are they sending a house?”

“Yes, a house, or a shop in a prime location for Lu Bao,” Xie Floating Clouds had already planned it out. “Didn’t Lu Bao take an elective on ‘The History of Coffee Appreciation’? She shouldn’t learn for nothing. Let her run a coffee side business occasionally. I’ve even thought of the name: ‘Deer Resting Under the Moon.’ In this economy, money is made in two areas, tech innovation like robots and AI, or affordable milk tea and coffee shops. As long as she only covers labor and utilities, her brand will be competitive.”

Chang Xi was surprised. “What do you think Shisheng and Pei are? Child rearing checkpoints? Why would they be such suckers?”

Xie Floating Clouds said matter of factly, “It’s not being a sucker, it’s called investing together in the future of Taiyu Group. They’re buying in.”

Chang Xi imagined the scene, her smile deepening as she leaned into Xie Floating Clouds. “In that case, our Lu Bao is one step closer to the heir’s seat. We can retire early and travel the world. My Lu Bao is grown up; she can support the three of us.”

Xie Floating Clouds laughed at her phrasing, the gloom in her heart finally dissipating. She teased, “What about the Lu family in Yun City? Doesn’t this count as us stealing their daughter? What if they come knocking? Dr. Chang, give me a suggestion.”

“What do you mean? We’ll just be rascals,” Chang Xi said, fanning the flames. “We’ve already moved her residency permit. Lu Bao is ours, otherwise, her kowtowing back then would be for nothing. Besides, Jiang Bao is ours too. No one can take them. If they don’t like it, they can treat it like a ‘pig butchering’ scam. Both the Lu and Jiang families have two kids, what’s wrong with them giving us one each? They need to be more generous.”

“Hahaha, Xi’er, you truly understand my heart. You are my confidante.”

She looked up, her eyes shimmering, and planted a soft kiss on Xie Floating Clouds’ beautiful lips before leaning back onto her shoulder. She twined her fingers around the thin necklace at Xie Floating Clouds’ neck, as if it were the bond connecting them.

Her voice turned low and tender as she made an eternal vow:

“Xie Floating Clouds, please use the rest of your life to love only me, only Lu Bao, and only Jiang Bao.”

“We don’t need anyone’s permission, nor do we need a piece of marriage paper to prove it.”

“We are who we are.”

Far Mountain Apartment

The faint light of dawn filtered through the gaps in the curtains, gently spilling into the room.

Lu Lingzhi gradually woke from a deep sleep. Before her consciousness fully returned, she vaguely felt a warm presence in her arms. She struggled to open one eye, and in her blurred vision, her chin was resting on a soft, protruding spot.

She shifted her eyes slightly, catching sight of a shoulder as smooth as jade and a shoulder strap that had somehow slipped down. Looking further down, she saw the alluring lines of a collarbone and several light red hickeys.

She instinctively glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand.

7:00 AM

[Lu Lingzhi: System, enter the loop. Go back two hours. Loop twice. Turn off the noise, don’t wake Mingyue.]

[System: Okay, Mama. Loop initiated. Environmental noise shielded.]

She confirmed she was holding Jiang Mingyue. Her sleeping posture was terrible, she was pinning down one of Mingyue’s arms completely. Both her hands were looped around Mingyue’s neck. How could Jiang Mingyue even sleep through this? Impressive.

But alongside the admiration… Sigh! Heavens! I actually crushed her all night.

I feel so bad for her. Will her arm be numb? Is her blood circulation okay? She must have complained about me eight hundred times in her head last night. Calling me a bad sleeper, saying I’m heavy. I’ve gained two pounds recently. Like a pig.

Wow! My reputation is ruined, destroyed by my own hands. I, the great campus belle of Peking University, am actually a bad sleeper.

A wave of guilt and embarrassment washed over her. Lu Lingzhi let go of Jiang Mingyue as if she had been burned. she even quietly pulled out the arm she had been pinning and quickly rolled to the other side of the bed, leaving a gap big enough for another person between them. She turned her back to Jiang Mingyue, pretending she had been sleeping there all along.

The exhaustion of her secondary differentiation left Lu Lingzhi deeply tired. Her eyes began to fight to close again. Even though she had slept for over ten hours, she wanted a bit more rest. Okay, once I’m rested enough, I still need to go back to the hospital.

[Lu Lingzhi: System, when the loop ends, remember to remind me to get a gym membership. The reason is I don’t want Jiang Mingyue to think I’m physically weak and lose more of my reputation.]

In a short while, she drifted back to sleep.

The first loop began…

The environment seemed unchanged, but time had quietly flowed back.

Jiang Mingyue moved unconsciously in her sleep, feeling like her soft pillow had disappeared. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the clock: 6:00 AM.

She blinked, her thoughts returning to last night. She had originally wanted to have a proper talk with Lu Er to explain the misunderstanding from years ago. In the end, before she could even speak, Lu Er had misunderstood.

However… she liked this outcome. An Omega who has just been marked by an Alpha will crave that Alpha’s pheromones and physical presence for the first few days.

She turned her head and looked at Lu Lingzhi, who was wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon with only the top of her head visible. Her gaze was complex.

Jiang Mingyue, were we ever best friends?

She treats me as a friend. A best friend.

Once her emotions and pheromones are more stable, I’ll have a good talk with her.

Jiang Mingyue gently lifted the quilt and stepped onto the soft carpet without making a sound. She planned to do some yoga in her master bedroom to clear her thoughts through a morning workout, leaving Lu Lingzhi enough sleep and space.

She finished a few sets of yoga stretches, letting her body wake up. Then she went into the bathroom, letting the warm water wash away the sweat and the last of her sleepiness. She dried herself, changed into clean pajamas, and carefully blow dried her long hair, which now smelled of fresh shampoo. By the time she finished, it was 7:00 AM.

She checked her phone messages. Then, she decided to make breakfast while waiting for Lu Er to wake up.

Just as she stepped out of the master bedroom, her vision changed again. The familiar secondary bedroom, the familiar bed, the familiar person.

Time had returned to 5:00 AM.

Alright, she had entered the second loop. This loop experience was actually quite practical. At least the yoga and shower she just finished felt real, her muscles were slightly sore, and she felt relaxed and ready for a bit more rest. Perfect timing.

The air conditioner hummed, providing a steady cool breeze. In her sleep, Lu Lingzhi seemed to feel a bit stuffy. She kicked off the thin quilt and rolled halfway across the large bed, revealing a stretch of white leg and a slender ankle. Like a flower bud waiting to bloom. A feast for the eyes.

Sensing the movement, Jiang Mingyue leaned over, wanting to tuck her back in so she wouldn’t catch a cold.

The moment she got close, Lu Lingzhi sensed that familiar scent, the pheromone that haunted her dreams. Her arm naturally reached out, circling Jiang Mingyue’s waist. With a slight pull, she brought that soft body back into her arms, even rubbing her chin contentedly against the other’s slightly damp hair, as if holding a cooling pillow.

Caught off guard, Jiang Mingyue’s body stiffened for a moment before relaxing. Feeling Lu Lingzhi’s breath and her posture of dependence…

Fine. Let her sleep like this a little longer.

Jiang Mingyue didn’t pull away. She simply adjusted into a more comfortable position and let Lu Lingzhi hold her, sinking together into this brief moment of tenderness.