She Pretends to be A, She Pretends to be O - Chapter 1

In the shabby, low-rent apartment, the only intact table held an unopened inhibitor syringe.

The woman seated before it gazed quietly at the inhibitor, a flicker of pain flashing through her dark eyes. She wore a thin black sweater and faded jeans, the cold wind seeping through window cracks making her shiver involuntarily.

Clenching her teeth, her expressionless face hardened with resolve. She swiftly opened the inhibitor and injected it into her left arm with practiced ease. A bone-chilling pain instantly spread through her body as she gritted her teeth, waiting for it to pass.

Soon, the cramped room filled with the cloying scent of an Omega. A cold, satisfied smile curled her lips as she stood to efficiently dispose of the used syringe. Outside, darkness had fallen completely.

The dim yellow interior was ravaged by howling winds while upstairs, a woman’s shrill curses clashed with a child’s wails downstairs, a cacophony of urban despair. The woman frowned in disgust, finishing a packet of crackers with grim determination before turning off the light.

Sitting motionless on the bed, her icy eyes tracked the faint light filtering through the window. This dilapidated old complex housed endless neighborhood squabbles and poverty’s quiet tragedies two years of witnessing them had etched weariness into her bones. Though she longed to escape, the expensive inhibitors consumed all her part-time earnings, leaving nothing even for a winter coat as December’s chill set in.

Her phone screen lit up the darkness: “Ning Xuechu, come home this weekend or I’ll break your legs.” Unfazed by the threat, she exhaled on stiff fingers before replying, “Understood, Aunt. I’ll return after my last class.” The fading light revealed her impassive face before darkness swallowed it whole, her eyes turning as cold as the night.

Meanwhile, in a gleaming high-rise office, manicured fingers traced a dossier on the polished desk. “Ning Xuechu, 20, university student, low-tier Omega. Orphaned at ten, raised by uncle’s family. Solitary, friendless, works part-time…” The impeccably dressed woman reading aloud wore a luxury watch that glinted under the lights.

Her jet-black hair cascaded around a porcelain face as slender fingers trembled over the page, lingering on the name. “Xuechu… Ning Xuechu… Finally found you…” Tears welled in her beautiful eyes, a mix of disbelief and overwhelming joy.

The face in the photograph was unfamiliar to her, yet the name ‘Xue Chu’ had long been etched deep into her soul.

From the moment she first heard that name at six years old, she had carried it in her heart.

Now, twenty years had passed.

The woman’s long, thick lashes fluttered as two clear trails of tears rolled down her flawless, pale cheeks.

She raised a hand to cover her crimson lips, stifling the sob that threatened to escape.

In the vast office, only the sound of her joyful weeping could be heard.

After a long while, she wiped away her tears with her fingertips, picked up the photo album on the desk, and smiled brightly. “I’ve found Xue Chu. She’s an Omega probably not what you expected, but I’ll bring her home. I’ll make sure she returns to her roots and fulfills your wishes.”

The album showed a middle-aged couple. The woman in the photo bore some resemblance to them.

Her voice soft but resolute, the woman’s tear-filled eyes hardened with determination.

Ning Xuechu walked down the street, a single-strap bag slung over her shoulder, dressed in thin clothing.

Surrounded by people bundled in thick winter coats, her slender frame stood out starkly.

The early winter wind carried a biting chill, raising goosebumps on exposed skin.

Ning Xuechu shivered, clutching the steamed buns she had just bought.

She warmed her hands briefly with their fading heat before darting to the bus stop.

“Some Omega girls these days dress so lightly just to look pretty. I wonder which Alpha they’re trying to catch,” remarked a woman waiting for the same bus, her tone dripping with undisguised mockery.

Ning Xuechu shot her a cold glance.

The icy glare made the woman falter, and she fell silent.

Bus after bus passed, but none were the one she was waiting for.

The buns in her hand had gone cold. Lowering her head, she quickly finished them while they still held a trace of warmth.

Wiping her hands, she looked up just in time to see a well-dressed Omega woman stepping into a private car.

A flicker of envy surfaced in Ning Xuechu’s eyes.

But just as quickly, she snapped out of it, her gaze turning icy once more.

Finally, her bus arrived, and the crowd surged forward in a scramble to board.

Expressionless, Ning Xuechu stood at the back of the crowd, the last to step on.

The packed bus had no seats left, forcing her to stand.

Unpleasant odors wafted around her, and she wrinkled her nose, enduring in silence.

When her stop came, she squeezed through the crowd and hurried off.

The doors slammed shut behind her, leaving behind the stench of exhaust.

Kneeling by a flower bed, Ning Xuechu fought back waves of nausea.

She dry-heaved a few times before the discomfort subsided.

After a brief rest, she stood and continued toward the school.

All around her, people walked in lively groups, chatting and laughing, only she walked alone.

“Ning Xuechu, you’ve been wearing those clothes for three days now. Aren’t they filthy? Or do you just not have anything else to wear?” A mocking voice called from behind, laced with arrogance. “Oh, right. I almost forgot. You’re the poorest in our class, living off scholarships. You must be the most pitiful Omega in the world.”

The cruel laughter rang in her ears. Clenching her fists, Ning Xuechu kept her head down and walked on.

She wanted to punch the person mocking her right in the face, but this momentary impulse of anger would only cost her the scholarship.

Without the scholarship, her life would become even harder than it already was.

Ning Xuechu weighed the pros and cons in her heart. The cruel reality forced her to choose patience.

After a full day of classes, she ate the cheapest meal available in the cafeteria.

Bracing against the cold wind, she squeezed onto a crowded bus all the way back to her shabby rented apartment.

The familiar noise from upstairs and downstairs reached her ears, but she ignored it as she got ready for her part-time job.

Ever since she started university, her uncle’s family had refused to support her financially, using the excuse that she was already an adult.

The money for her education had been saved from odd jobs she’d taken before.

For over three years, she had juggled work and studies, scrimping every month just to afford suppressants.

While others discussed shopping trips and new clothes, she could only wear old, worn-out outfits while hustling between part-time jobs.

Occasionally, she would run into classmates who knew her, and the inevitable mockery would follow.

Yet even so, all she could do was keep working.

She couldn’t afford to talk back, much less quit her job.

Ning Xuechu checked the location and time for tonight’s job, searching for the cheapest route to get there.

Suddenly, a series of orderly footsteps echoed outside, followed by a knock on the door.

“Hello, is Miss Ning here?” A woman’s voice came from outside soft, polite, laced with a faint smile.

If one listened carefully, they might detect a subtle tremor of excitement hidden beneath that pleasant tone.

Ning Xuechu frowned but ignored it, continuing to look up directions.

“Miss Ning, the lights are on inside. You must be home, right? Please open the door, I need to speak with you.” The woman’s voice carried a gentle persistence, as if she wouldn’t leave until the door opened.

Ning Xuechu’s frown deepened.

After a moment of hesitation, she tightened her grip on her phone and cautiously approached the door.

Cracking it open just a sliver, she peeked outside.

In an instant, her eyes widened in shock.

The woman outside was an Alpha and not a low-ranking one. The distinct Alpha pheromones in the air made her body tremble involuntarily.

The woman was stunningly beautiful, an oval face with delicate features, perfectly proportioned, and even with minimal makeup, she was captivating.

Looking further down, her figure was flawless, her curves unmistakably alluring, dressed in a way that made her shine like a celebrity on TV.

It was enough to make anyone feel inadequate.

Especially her noble, elegant aura, which stood in stark contrast to the poverty-stricken neighborhood.

“Who are you looking for?” Ning Xuechu suppressed her surprise, though a trace of envy flickered in her dark eyes.

“The person I’m looking for is you, Xuechu. Will you open the door? I have something to tell you.” The woman’s lips curved into a tender smile, her voice light and warm.

The moment she saw Ning Xuechu, her eyes brightened, a flash of delight and surprise crossing her refined features.

For a brief second, Ning Xuechu thought this seemingly untouchable Alpha might burst into tears.

But the illusion lasted only a moment.

The way the woman said “Xuechu” rolled off her moist, red lips naturally and affectionately, like a soft spring breeze.

Ning Xuechu’s heart skipped a beat. Biting her lip lightly, she studied the woman for another second.

Then, the corner of her eye caught sight of the four bodyguards behind the woman.

After a brief moment of thought, Ning Xuechu lowered her voice and fixed the woman with an intense gaze. “Only you can come in.”

“President An…” One of the bodyguards began to speak but was silenced by the woman’s raised hand.

“Wait for me outside,” she instructed.

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

“Xuechu, can you open the door now?” the woman said with a soft laugh, her smile impossibly tender.

For a fleeting moment, Ning Xuechu was dazed.

The strong scent of an Alpha lingered at the tip of her nose. Her fingers twitched slightly, and the rusted, worn-out iron door slowly creaked open.

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