My Childhood Friend, Who Is An Omega, Has Become My Personal Secretary - Chapter 24

Zhang Linen felt a numbness spread throughout her entire body, as if a stream of water were gliding through her.

“President Ji, you really aren’t giving me any face at all; you haven’t entered my livestream even once,” Shen Jiuyue complained. Her tone, however, was light and airy, sounding more like a coquettish pout.

Ji Zeyuan’s mind was entirely on Zhang Linen. She only wanted to hang up as quickly as possible and asked without the slightest hint of subtlety, “Do you have something urgent to discuss?”

Shen Jiuyue let out a soft huff. “President Ji, have you looked at the trending searches?”

Ji Zeyuan felt a sense of aversion toward Shen Jiuyue’s habit of beating around the bush and being cryptic. She replied crossly, “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

On the other end of the line, Shen Jiuyue’s speech quickened. She said urgently, “Our ‘CP’ [Couple Pairing] is on the trending searches!”

On this end of the phone, Ji Zeyuan: “…”

“Ahem, it’s like this, President Ji. The public has dug deep into your personal information… of course, I find such behavior absolutely despicable and illegal, but it has let them know that you are a very outstanding female Alpha.”

“The ‘shipping’ culture is very prevalent right now. I’m decent-looking, and you, President Ji, have extraordinary features, so the public has started shipping us as a couple.”

Ji Zeyuan’s mind took several turns, but she still found it difficult to comprehend the words coming out of Shen Jiuyue’s mouth.

“Miss Shen, did you not clarify the situation?” Ji Zeyuan asked, cutting straight to the point.

“I did clarify, but perhaps my choice of words wasn’t clear enough and caused some misunderstandings. I’m very sorry…”

Ji Zeyuan had already lost her patience. She interrupted Shen Jiuyue and said bluntly, “I believe your PR team will handle these matters. I am not a celebrity like you, Miss Shen, and I have no need to rely on hype to attract attention.”

These words were so direct that Shen Jiuyue was stunned for a second or two. She became somewhat annoyed and asked, “Since you put it that way, President Ji, why were you willing to agree to go to the amusement park with me? Was it purely to apologize?”

“I don’t feel it is necessary to explain that to you. It sounds like you don’t have any actual business with me, so I will end this call now.”

With that, Ji Zeyuan hung up the phone without mercy.

When facing Shen Jiuyue, Ji Zeyuan was always subconsciously impatient, but she didn’t actually dislike her. In fact, her first impression of Shen Jiuyue had been quite good, viewing her as a clever and courageous woman.

Ji Zeyuan returned to the ward. Zhang Linen was sitting quietly on the bed, as still and beautiful as a porcelain doll.

“You two talked for a long time,” Zhang Linen spoke softly, her voice devoid of discernible emotion.

Ji Zeyuan was momentarily dazed. She thought to herself: Was it a long time?

Zhang Linen curled up, hugging her knees to her chest. She looked as pitiful as an abandoned white cat. The gaze she directed at Ji Zeyuan was filled with grievance and flinching: “Why did you lie to me?”

Ji Zeyuan was at a loss for words. After a pause, she explained, “Because you don’t like Shen Jiuyue, I was afraid you would be angry if you knew.”

Zhang Linen countered with a question: “You knew I didn’t like her, yet you still went with her to—”

She didn’t finish the sentence. Her expression darkened completely.

Ji Zeyuan panicked instantly. She wanted to explain, but her reason held her back, reminding her that not explaining might actually be better.

The window was half-open and not secured tightly. The wind made the window frame creak, and a chilly breeze whistled in from outside. Ji Zeyuan walked silently to the window and closed it.

The dark night was mysterious and filled with a sense of dread. As Ji Zeyuan closed the window, she caught a glimpse of two girls under a streetlamp downstairs. The night was too dark to see their faces clearly; she could only faintly hear bits of laughter drifting through the evening wind.

Fragments of memory flashed through Ji Zeyuan’s mind, and her nose prickled with a sudden bitterness.

“Xiao En…” Ji Zeyuan stood by the window with her back to Zhang Linen. She spoke softly, “Sometimes we have to face certain realities. Things don’t always turn out the way we hope. Life often deviates from the expected track.”

As her voice fell, the room became deathly quiet. Zhang Linen did not respond.

It was several minutes before Ji Zeyuan mustered the courage to turn around. She tried her best to curl the corners of her mouth into a forced, passable smile, only to see that Zhang Linen was already covered in tears.

The feeling in that moment required no complex idioms to describe; Ji Zeyuan felt as if her heart was breaking.

“I’m sorry.” Ji Zeyuan rushed to the side of the bed and dropped to one knee. Like a sinner seeking redemption, she leaned beside Zhang Linen, her voice choked with emotion: “Don’t cry, Xiao En. Don’t cry for me anymore. I’m not worth it.”

Zhang Linen said nothing. Her tears simply flowed silently. The wind was blocked out by the window, but the “rustling” sound continued incessantly.

…

The next day at noon, Ji Zeyuan completed the transfer procedures for Zhang Linen.

Hua Jianjiu stopped by the Third Hospital before going to work, but she couldn’t get in—she was blocked at the door by Ji Zeyuan.

“I say, President Ji, isn’t this a bit of a double standard? You’re allowed in, but a low-level person like me isn’t? Does that mean I’m not worthy?” Hua Jianjiu joked.

Ji Zeyuan, however, couldn’t bring herself to smile. She sighed, her expression grim as she explained, “It’s not that I won’t let you in; it’s that you can’t go in.”

Ji Zeyuan then informed Hua Jianjiu that Zhang Linen was suffering from Pheromone Phobia and explained that this condition meant she could not have contact with Alphas or Omegas.

Hua Jianjiu’s smile gradually froze. By the time the explanation ended, she lowered her head in guilt, her voice full of apology: “I’m sorry. I didn’t know about this. I shouldn’t have been so flippant.”

Looking at the sincerely apologetic Hua Jianjiu, Ji Zeyuan did not blame her. She gazed through the small window on the ward door at Zhang Linen, who was sitting quietly by the window, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

“I’m granting you a day of paid leave; you don’t need to work today. There are some things I want to ask you.” Ji Zeyuan withdrew her gaze from Zhang Linen and looked at Hua Jianjiu. The slight curve of her lips vanished, and her eyes turned desolate.

Hua Jianjiu’s heart tightened. For the first time, she really didn’t want to take a paid day off.

…

The silver-black Maybach at the hospital entrance was very flashy, but the people coming to the hospital were exhausted by the struggle of life and had no time for envy.

The driver stood outside the car, leaving the private space inside for Ji Zeyuan and Hua Jianjiu.

“Senior,” Ji Zeyuan began.

This title made Hua Jianjiu shiver. Goosebumps broke out all over her body. One must realize that many years ago during high school, even when Hua Jianjiu used her status as Student Council President to pressure Ji Zeyuan, Ji Zeyuan had never once called her “Senior.”

“As you know, I was abroad for a long time. I missed many things happening domestically,” Ji Zeyuan paused, her gaze fixing directly on Hua Jianjiu’s eyes. “Especially regarding Zhang Linen. Although many things about her haven’t changed, the changes that have occurred are very obvious.”

Hua Jianjiu’s head began to ache. She thought: If you want to ask how Zhang Linen has been, just say it. Why all these twists and turns? Does anyone not know she’s the one you care about most?

“Do you know how her relationship with her family has become?” Ji Zeyuan asked.

A clear rift had developed between Zhang Linen and Aunt Zhang. Ji Zeyuan had sensed it faintly during their last dinner, and she only confirmed the fact after realizing that Aunt Zhang’s number was no longer in Zhang Linen’s emergency contacts.

Hua Jianjiu shook her head. “She never talks about family matters. She rarely even talks to me. I’m not very clear on her private affairs.”

“Then do you know why she didn’t go to university? I have a faint feeling… she…” Ji Zeyuan had to start several times before she found the courage to finish the sentence. “Did she not go to university because of me?”

Hua Jianjiu hesitated, not wanting to say. But she didn’t want to lie about it either, so she could only look at Ji Zeyuan in silence.

Ji Zeyuan understood instantly. Her eyes trembled, and her regret was palpable.

“Has she had a very hard time these past few years?” Ji Zeyuan took a long breath and asked.

Hua Jianjiu pursed her lips, opening and closing her mouth. Ultimately, she did not sugarcoat the truth.

“Xiao Yuan, after you left, Zhang Linen’s life can’t just be described as ‘not good.’ You could say her life became absolutely disastrous. I thought you would have known.”

“How could you…” Hua Jianjiu stopped herself. Ji Zeyuan’s remorseful appearance made her unable to continue questioning. Instead, she offered comfort: “It’s not your fault. Things change; it’s a natural phenomenon.”

These empty words could not console Ji Zeyuan, nor had she initiated this conversation to comfort herself.

Afterward, Ji Zeyuan asked about a few more things, but most of Hua Jianjiu’s answers were “I don’t know.”

“I’m very sorry. As a friend, I was too unconcerned with Zhang Linen,” Hua Jianjiu said with a hint of regret in her tone.

Ji Zeyuan mocked herself internally: Then aren’t I, the instigator, even more detestable?

She wanted to laugh at herself, but she found she couldn’t even find that bit of dark humor. Sorrow spread through her heart like a rising tide. For the first time, Ji Zeyuan fully realized how terrible Zhang Linen’s life had been over the past eight years.

Ji Zeyuan didn’t continue the conversation with Hua Jianjiu. She returned to the ward in Building 2. Zhang Linen had changed her clothes and was sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, looking down at her phone.

“Let’s go.” Ji Zeyuan walked over. Her peripheral vision accidentally caught Zhang Linen’s phone screen and saw she was looking at the trending searches. At the top of the list was the “CP” of her and Shen Jiuyue.

Ji Zeyuan explained almost instinctively, “The media is just talking nonsense. You know how unscrupulous the media is these days.”

Zhang Linen looked up at her. Her obsidian-like pupils were clear and bright, and her voice held a hint of a smile: “You’re a celebrity now. Do you need to wear sunglasses and a mask when you go out?”

Ji Zeyuan was stunned for a moment, failing to catch Zhang Linen’s joke at first. She stammered for a bit: “Ah… that shouldn’t be necessary.”

“Why wouldn’t it be? I just saw people on the trending searches talking about your looks, saying you’re the ceiling of ‘Sapiosexuality’.” Zhang Linen paused before adding, “They say you and Shen Jiuyue are a great match.”

Ji Zeyuan looked embarrassed. “You know this kind of culture is normal these days.”

After speaking, Ji Zeyuan changed the subject to get things back on track. “Let’s go. We’re going to Wharton now.”

Wharton was the best private hospital in A City, expensive and equipped with the top medical experts in the city and even the country.

Zhang Linen was about to stand up silently when Ji Zeyuan suddenly grabbed her hand.

“You can’t go straight out right now.” Ji Zeyuan’s hand was warm and delicate. Her eyes flickered, and she spoke hesitantly, “I… I have to give you a temporary mark. To prevent you from fainting from the pheromone interference outside.”

The word “marking” often carried special connotations. Zhang Linen’s eyes suddenly looked somewhat thirsty.

She stared at Ji Zeyuan for a few seconds, then wordlessly and obediently lowered her neck. She gently brushed aside her shoulder-length hair, revealing her fair nape. Ji Zeyuan’s heart skipped a beat.

“Go ahead.” Zhang Linen’s voice was like a feather brushing against Ji Zeyuan’s heart. After taking a deep breath and preparing herself mentally, Ji Zeyuan pulled Zhang Linen by the shoulders and bit toward the gland on her neck.

A needle-like dull pain spread from the back of her neck throughout her body. Zhang Linen’s body jolted, and she couldn’t help but let out a low moan: “Ah…”

Sensing Zhang Linen’s tension, Ji Zeyuan slowed her movements. She restrained her dangerous, forbidden desires with extreme gentleness as her teeth pressed slightly harder to pierce Zhang Linen’s gland.

The pheromones of a Top-tier Alpha were slowly injected through the puncture. Zhang Linen felt numb all over, as if a stream of cool, gentle water were gliding through her body.

“Ha… is it done?” Zhang Linen’s voice trembled. Her breathing was ragged, and her body had become as soft as a pool of water.

Ji Zeyuan was still continuously injecting pheromones. She reached up to gently caress Zhang Linen’s cheek, indicating it wasn’t over yet.

Pain and an electric-like sensation of excitement intertwined and surged through her body. Zhang Linen trembled as she reached out to grasp Ji Zeyuan’s forearm, frowning in discomfort as she rubbed her face against Ji Zeyuan’s palm.

Ji Zeyuan’s soft, long hair fell onto Zhang Linen’s shoulder, occasionally brushing against her sensitive earlobe, making her body even softer.

About five minutes later, this temporary marking—named “treatment”—finally ended. Ji Zeyuan released Zhang Linen, her forehead covered in sweat from the effort of restraint. Zhang Linen, exhausted and weak, collapsed into Ji Zeyuan’s arms.