After the System Called Me Mom, My Arch-Nemesis Omega Fell for Me - Chapter 4

Yuanshan Apartments

The taxi pulled to a stop in the drizzling rain. Jiang Mingyue led Lu Lingzhi into the apartment. This was a residence the Jiang family had specifically purchased for her during her university years a spacious, bright three bedroom, two living room layout designed to ensure her comfort and privacy.

Lu Lingzhi found herself suddenly envious of Jiang Mingyue. Once inside, Jiang Mingyue changed her shoes and handed Lu Lingzhi a pair of panda themed slippers. She motioned for her to sit on the sofa while she went to retrieve a white medical kit.

When Jiang Mingyue returned, Lu Lingzhi reached out and touched her forehead.

The gesture made Jiang Mingyue freeze as the cool temperature of Lu Lingzhi’s hand transferred to her skin. Lu Lingzhi kept one hand on Jiang Mingyue’s forehead and the other on her own.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Mingyue asked.

Lu Lingzhi withdrew her hand, her gaze flickering over Jiang Mingyue’s flushed face. “You said you ‘saw a ghost.’ I wanted to see if you had a fever.”

Noticing the forehead thermometer in the medical kit, she remembered Jiang Mingyue was a medical student. “Cough, you should have said something sooner.”

The corners of Jiang Mingyue’s lips curled upward. “Thank you for the concern, Second Miss Lu.”

Her eyes fell on a shallow but clearly fresh scratch on the webbing of Lu Lingzhi’s hand. The edges were red, standing out starkly against her pale skin.

Jiang Mingyue picked up a cotton ball with tweezers, soaked it in alcohol, and naturally reached for the wound. “How did this happen?”

Lu Lingzhi couldn’t exactly say she’d scratched herself on a sharp card edge while frantically playing scratch-off tickets. That would be too embarrassing and entirely off-brand for her “school belle” image.

She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, then stopped, allowing Jiang Mingyue to treat it. Turning her face away to maintain her dignity, she said stiffly, “None of your business. Stop being so fake.”

Jiang Mingyue didn’t pause, acting as if she hadn’t heard the barbed comment. She deliberately dabbed the wound with the cool alcohol, causing Lu Lingzhi to let out a soft “hiss.”

Jiang Mingyue glanced at Lu Lingzhi’s bright, expressive face, seeing her own reflection in those peach-blossom eyes. “I really am concerned about you,” she said.

Lu Lingzhi: “…”

The room fell silent, the only sound being their quiet breathing.

The silence made Lu Lingzhi uncomfortable. Just as she was about to break the tension, Jiang Mingyue spoke first, her question taking an abrupt turn: “Have you felt anything unusual since you got back from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau?”

“…”

Lu Lingzhi blinked her large eyes, looking at Jiang Mingyue with total confusion.

Jiang Mingyue had to elaborate: “News reports say many tourists returning from the plateau have experienced changes in their glands. It’s currently attributed to the low-oxygen environment. Glandular differentiation anomalies are usually categorized as early, late, or secondary differentiation. If these cases aren’t handled promptly, the consequences can be severe like permanent gland damage or even losing the ability to secrete pheromones, becoming a Beta. It can cause other issues too. If you’ve had tonsillitis lately, I suggest you get checked out.”

She actually had tonsillitis.

Lu Lingzhi’s brow furrowed deeper. She interrupted, “What exactly is your major again?”

“…”

Jiang Mingyue was momentarily taken aback, realizing they had been blacklisted for two years and had barely seen each other since. “Clinical medicine. My point is, you should find time to go to the Capital General Hospital for a glandular checkup. Low oxygen can affect glands at any stage, even stable ones.”

“You talk too much,” Lu Lingzhi blurted out, her eyes full of suspicion and wariness as she leaned back to create distance.

She muttered to herself: I am never going to be friends with you again.

Despite Lu Lingzhi’s defensive posture, Jiang Mingyue’s expression remained calm. “The university hospital and the General Hospital have already seen many patients.”

Provoked, Lu Lingzhi glared at her and retorted, “Easy for you to say. You pay for my checkup then.”

“Fine,” Jiang Mingyue replied instantly. “I’ll book the most expensive one for you right now.”

“…”

Lu Lingzhi was stunned. She didn’t want to owe Jiang Mingyue a favor, let alone money. She said haughtily, “Don’t look down on me. I have a sister. I’ll ask her to pay.”

[Lu Lingzhi Online & Humble]: “I want to do a checkup package. Big sis, please, I beg you!”

[The Sister Bringing Up the Past]: “The family tried to get you to do a checkup before and Second Miss refused. Regretting it now? Who was powerful enough to change your mind? Are you in a relationship?”

[Lu Lingzhi acting tough it’s definitely NOT Jiang Mingyue]: “Can’t it just be a sudden moment of enlightenment?”

[The Sister]: “I’ll arrange the most expensive one for you. Now that you’re in college, don’t date those blonde-haired, tattooed Alphas. No hotels, no bars, no internet cafes, or any of those sketchy places. An Omega has to protect herself. If anything happens, remember to record audio and video. Don’t be a ‘silly sweet’ girl; the world is dangerous. Get back to your dorm early. If you do date, remember: follow the money to find the love. If a second-gen heir in the capital chases you, keep your eyes open. Let them chase you for six months before you agree. Don’t be a ‘love-brain’ wait, you’re not a love-brain, you just have ‘Princess Syndrome.’ Find someone who can tolerate your temper.”

Lu Lingzhi’s face fell as she stared at the wall of “sisterly love.” If she hadn’t picked a fight with Jiang Mingyue, she could have just paid for it herself. Now she had to endure a lecture from her “tyrant” sister.

Someone who could tolerate her…

Her gaze drifted toward the other person in the room.

Jiang Mingyue finished packing the medical kit. She walked to a shelf, took down a new tube of L’Occitane hand cream, and handed it to Lu Lingzhi.

“This is for you,” Jiang Mingyue said in her usual cool tone. “You just used alcohol and ointment; use some hand cream so your skin doesn’t get dry.”

Lu Lingzhi looked at the hand cream, then at Jiang Mingyue’s expressionless face. After a moment’s hesitation, she took it. Jiang Mingyue then walked into the second bedroom and closed the door.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

“Delivery!” a voice called from outside.

Lu Lingzhi didn’t open the door immediately. She checked the iPad on the table, which showed the delivery driver. After confirming it was a legitimate delivery via the door-lock app, she opened the door.

A delivery man in a wet raincoat handed her a bag.

Was it raining that hard?

Inside the bag were disposable towels, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.

A moment later, Jiang Mingyue emerged from the bedroom. She pulled a pair of panda slippers from the shoe cabinet and gestured toward the window. “It’s pouring. Stay the night. Consider it returning the favor.”

Lu Lingzhi said, “Thank… you.”

Jiang Mingyue noticed her hesitation. “Is there something you want to ask?”

“…Nothing.”

Walking into the second bedroom, Lu Lingzhi noticed the air was filled with her favorite incense. The AC was set to 26°C. On the bed was her favorite memory foam pillow, a duvet from a brand she loved, and even pajamas in her style.

She sat on the bed, legs crossed, chin resting on her hand, lost in thought.

Actually, she had wanted to ask: Weren’t you accepted into BU Medical School? Why are you at Beijing Medical University instead?

Was it to avoid the awkwardness of seeing me at BU Business School? But the campuses are two kilometers apart. You wouldn’t see someone if you didn’t want to.

She shifted her chin to her other hand.

Does it have anything to do with me?

If Jiang Mingyue wanted to, she could go to Harvard, MIT, or Cambridge without a problem.

[System eating popcorn]: “Host, why didn’t you go to Boston for business school? Was it to avoid the awkwardness of seeing her?”

[Lu Lingzhi nods]: “Yeah. I didn’t want to have too much contact with her.”

[System stops reaching for popcorn]: “Host, you’re so direct.”

[Lu Lingzhi Flexing]: “System, look at this bed she just made. The incense she just lit. The panda slippers I like. Everything here is tailored to my preferences. If I didn’t have some serious history with her, would she be this attentive?”

[System]: “Then tell me! What’s the story between you two?”

[Lu Lingzhi smiles]: “Stay tuned. Time for sleep.”