I Am Her Secret Beauty - Chapter 29

Mu Xi dared not contradict Nan Xi’s words.

Not because she believed them to be true, but simply because she feared Nan Xi might spiral into emotional turmoil if denied.

Yet Nan Xi was not satisfied with Mu Xi’s silent retreat, she demanded genuine agreement from the depths of Mu Xi’s heart.

Across the dining table, Nan Xi stared unblinkingly into Mu Xi’s eyes until the intensity made Mu Xi’s skin crawl.

Shifting uncomfortably, Mu Xi was the first to lower her gaze. “I understand. Please eat, Young Miss.”

Compromise was not the same as agreement.

A fine, dense sorrow welled up from the very core of Nan Xi’s heart. Deep down, she knew that in others’ eyes, she was already a patient, and she didn’t care what those people thought. But the way Mu Xi looked at her, with that mix of pity and incomprehension, was the real blunt knife, sawing back and forth against Nan Xi’s heart.

As if to emphasize her point, whether for Mu Xi’s benefit or her own, Nan Xi also lowered her head but still insisted,

“No one can deny our feelings. Not even you.”

“…Understood.”

Mu Xi could only focus on her meal. The citrusy aroma of orange juice wafted from Nan Xi’s side of the table, drifting into Mu Xi’s nose.

Their food had already been served, but Nan Xi soon ordered a glass of wine, leaving the unsatisfactory orange juice abandoned to the side. When she called for the drink, Mu Xi stirred slightly, as if about to speak up in protest, but quickly bowed her head again and continued eating, stealing glances at the woman across from her.

The waiter soon arrived with the wine.

The moment the door opened, Mu Xi frowned.

The scent of alcohol was overpowering. The wine Nan Xi had ordered was far stronger than expected, yet alcohol was dangerous for the heart, the liver… even the mind, let alone someone as physically fragile as Nan Xi.

But Nan Xi seemed oblivious. She took the glass and threw back a large gulp in one go.

Watching as nearly half the dark amber liquid vanished, Mu Xi finally couldn’t hold back.

“Young Miss, please drink less.”

“Why?” Nan Xi replied carelessly.

“Alcohol is harmful to your health.” Seeing Nan Xi lift the glass to her lips again, Mu Xi leaned forward slightly. “If the orange juice isn’t to your taste, you could try another beverage.”

Nan Xi smirked, glancing at the pitiful orange juice in the corner before pausing mid-sip.

“And what about this wine? Should we waste it along with the orange juice?” She shook the glass at Mu Xi, tilting her chin up challengingly, her eyes reflecting Mu Xi’s unsettled expression. “Butler Mu, if you want to stop me from drinking tonight, you’ll have to come over here and finish this glass yourself.”

“…”

Mu Xi said nothing, her hands tightening slightly where Nan Xi couldn’t see.

She had no intention of proving anything. To her, whether someone was an alpha or omega was merely a gender marker, far less defining than class distinctions.

She simply didn’t want to watch Nan Xi drink that wine as if punishing herself.

Deliberately consuming something she knew would harm her body, just to spite Mu Xi, what had Mu Xi ever done to deserve this?

Nan Xi tilted her head back again, the glass of light brown liquid already at her lips, glinting under the chandelier’s glow.

She didn’t succeed in drinking the wine because Mu Xi had already appeared beside her the next second, silently snatching the glass from her hand.

“Little Miss, I hope you’ll keep your promise and stop drinking.”

Mu Xi braced one hand against the dining table while raising the glass with the other, downing the remaining liquor in one go.

It was indeed strong, spicy, with a warmth spreading through her abdomen after swallowing. But for Mu Xi, it was far from causing discomfort or clouding her judgment. For a weaker omega, though, it might have had adverse effects.

Mu Xi gently set the glass back on the table.

But it was soon knocked to the floor and shattered.

Nan Xi, a delicate omega easily affected by alcohol, wordlessly threw herself into Mu Xi’s arms, tilting her head up to forcefully kiss her.

She flung her entire weight against Mu Xi, caring only for the pleasure of the moment. This forced Mu Xi to instinctively wrap an arm around Nan Xi to keep her from falling.

Encouraged, Nan Xi wound her slender arms tightly around Mu Xi’s neck like soft seaweed, kissing her even more aggressively.

Outside the door, a waiter heard the sound of something breaking and dutifully stepped in to check on the situation, only to witness this scene.

Silently, he retreated, carefully closing the door behind him, his mind swirling with thoughts like “the seemingly wealthy young lady is kissing her bodyguard,” making it hard to focus on work.

Startled by the sound of the door opening and closing, Mu Xi’s rationality snapped back with the soft click. She pushed Nan Xi away with a bit more force.

“…Little Miss, you’re drunk.”

Mu Xi knew this was the most clichéd, overused line after being forcefully kissed, but she truly couldn’t think of anything else to say.

What else could she do? Call Nan Xi a shameless pervert? Slap her? Even selling herself wouldn’t cover the medical bills and emotional damages.

Nan Xi panted, wiping away the suspicious, transparent traces at the corner of her lips. “I’m not drunk. Didn’t you like it too?”

“…” Mu Xi closed her eyes, her tone strained. “You said we’d pretend nothing happened. Do you remember that?”

There was no need to ask, Nan Xi remembering would be a miracle.

She’d have to remember it herself, if she even could.

“Since when does Butler Mu listen to me so obediently?” Nan Xi looked up at her, the distance between them barely half a meter. “If I order you to continue now, will you obey?”

Continue what? Mu Xi didn’t dare think about it.

She stayed silent, and so did Nan Xi, slowly winding her arms around Mu Xi’s neck again.

Mu Xi didn’t push her away this time, but she refused with her actions. Tilting her face up, she avoided Nan Xi’s lips, prompting Nan Xi to adapt, shifting downward to kiss her neck instead.

The neck was a sensitive spot. Mu Xi trembled slightly, digging her nails into her palm. She didn’t know why she didn’t push Nan Xi away a second time, whether it was fear of hurting her or… she knew the reason deep down.

As Nan Xi kissed her way down, she reached Mu Xi’s scent gland.

Covered by the detested scent patch, Nan Xi nuzzled against it with her cheek and whispered in Mu Xi’s ear, “I don’t like this restaurant’s orange juice. It’s too sweet. When it comes to oranges, I prefer them bitter, refreshing to the nose.”

“Mom told me to find another alpha, but how could any other alpha have a scent as intoxicating as yours? You’ve spoiled my taste, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to tolerate anyone else in this lifetime.”

…

The words “this lifetime” jolted Mu Xi out of her dazed reverie once more.

The time remaining in their lives was still long, very long, especially for her, whose life ought to be radiant and extraordinary.

The fleeting indulgence of the moment, once tied to that distant future, shattered like fragile bubbles scattered across the ground.

There were far too many unresolved issues between them, and none could be mended by mere physical desire.

“Alright, young miss,” Mu Xi closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, all traces of struggle and intoxication had vanished, replaced by the composed demeanor of a proper butler. “You truly are drunk. If you’ve finished your meal, I’ll escort you back.”

In just a few seconds, Mu Xi had transformed from one person into another.

Nan Xi took a few steps back, leaning against the corner of the wall as she stared at her in confusion, trying to understand why Mu Xi had changed so abruptly.

But this time, Mu Xi didn’t give her the chance. After straightening her collar slightly, she moved to leave first. Nan Xi quickly downed the glass of orange juice left in the corner, grabbed her bag, and hurried after her.

The waiter silently observed them, watching Nan Xi pay the bill, watching the marks beneath Mu Xi’s collar that couldn’t quite be hidden.

On the way back, Mu Xi opened the sunroof, though if not for fear of Nan Xi catching a cold, she would have gone full convertible. The cold night wind rushed in, tousling their hair and gradually cooling their hearts back to a safe, steady temperature.

When they arrived home, Nan Nan and Guan Yan were both seated on the sofa.

Guan Yan remained unfazed, merely nodding at Mu Xi with a smile before returning to his own affairs, as if their conversation that afternoon had never happened.

Mu Xi wished Nan Xi could develop the same habit of selective forgetfulness as her father.

But Nan Nan, after greeting Nan Xi, turned her gaze to Mu Xi, and soon let out a shocked exclamation: “Good heavens, what’s that on Butler Mu’s neck?”

In an instant, all eyes were fixed on Mu Xi’s neck, zeroing in on the sinful red marks.

Guan Yan narrowed his eyes.

Mu Xi’s smile was stiffer than ever. She had deliberately adjusted her collar before entering, yet the evidence had been exposed the moment she stepped inside. Ever since Nan Xi’s return, her mistakes had been piling up, who knew when she’d be dismissed for negligence?

“Nan Xi, you came back with Butler Mu, didn’t you see?” Nan Nan exclaimed. “Where did these come from?”

Expressionless, Nan Xi hurled her bag straight at Nan Nan’s punchable face. “How would I know? They were there before we even went to A University.”

“You didn’t ask?”

Nan Xi sneered. “Why should I care? Not everyone’s as nosy as you, prying into another adult’s private matters.”

The bag hit Nan Nan squarely, shutting her up as she hastily apologized to Mu Xi.

Without another glance at them, Nan Xi snatched her bag back and headed upstairs, tossing over her shoulder, “But Butler Mu should be more careful next time. It’s unsightly to go out like that.”

A few seconds later, the sound of a door slamming shut echoed from upstairs.

Now, everyone knew Nan Xi was in a foul mood, Nan Nan had unwittingly walked straight into the line of fire.

Guan Yan looked up with a smile and asked Mu Xi, “Butler, why is Nan Xi so upset?”

Actually, Mu Xi wasn’t in the best mood right now, but who really cared about the feelings of someone just working a job?

“She must be having some troubles at work. The young mistress usually loves working overtime, but today she left right on time without staying late,” Mu Xi replied to him.

Forcing herself to remain composed while bearing the red marks on her neck, Mu Xi went through all her work confirmations before returning to the butler’s quarters. Lying on the bed, she used a camera to examine the marks on her neck.

Nan Xi… didn’t have much strength, but every time she bit down, she really put effort into it.

Mu Xi still remembered that tingling yet painful sensation, including how when she’d first forcibly kissed her, she’d refused to part her teeth, so Nan Xi had bitten her lips instead. Thankfully, everyone was focused on her neck, so no one noticed her mouth.

Completely disregarding the consequences, unafraid of what might happen if they were discovered, her way of doing things was just like her personality.

The marks would probably fade by the time she woke up the next day.

But if they didn’t, there was nothing to be done. People always had to carry something with them as they continued living their lives…