The Alpha’s Hidden Marriage, Public Obsession - Chapter 23

To avoid an awkward confrontation, Lin Yulan stayed in her bedroom until nearly 10:30 before finally going downstairs.

But when she came down, Jiang Xue was nowhere to be seen. After asking the butler and the maids, she learned that Jiang Xue had left the guest bedroom earlier and, without even touching the prepared breakfast, had taken a taxi back to school alone.

“She… really left without eating anything?” Lin Yulan felt a pang of guilt. “Did she… say anything else?”

The butler had seen Jiang Xue’s expression this morning and knew the two must have had a fight last night, but he didn’t pry. He simply answered the question: “Yes, the young mistress left for school immediately after coming downstairs. We tried to stop her, but she insisted, and since Madam had already given her permission, we had to let her go.”

“Oh, I see.”

Lin Yulan distractedly nibbled on her sandwich and took a few sips of milk, but Jiang Xue’s words from last night lingered in her mind, stirring an inexplicable irritation.

Though she and Jiang Xue had majored in the same subject and were in the same class in college, and though they had interacted far more than most due to Qu Mengxin, the truth was, Lin Yulan knew very little about Jiang Xue.

“Uncle Zhao, does Jiang Xue’s family know about our marriage?”

Marriage was a lifelong commitment, a major event not just for the couple but for their parents as well. Yet, despite so many days having passed since the wedding, Lin Yulan hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Jiang Xue’s parents.

Surely, no parents in the world would willingly miss their child’s wedding?

“Miss, why don’t you ask the young mistress directly?” The butler momentarily forgot about their strained relationship. “But from what Madam mentioned, the young mistress comes from a difficult background. Her parents aren’t particularly well-off, and she has an Alpha sister. Moreover, her parents don’t seem to favor her much. Maybe that’s why she didn’t tell them about the marriage?”

What era was this, still valuing Alphas over Omegas?

No wonder, back in college, while other students went home for holidays and called their families regularly, Jiang Xue never did.

Not once.

Others would rush home for reunions even if train tickets were sold out, but Jiang Xue spent every holiday and weekend working part-time jobs, never allowing herself a moment of idleness.

Lin Yulan had always assumed Jiang Xue’s family was simply struggling financially, forcing her to juggle work and studies as an Omega. It had never crossed her mind that her parents might be the reason.

“Then did my mother ever tell you why she insisted on me marrying Jiang Xue? There has to be a reason, right? At the very least, as the person most affected by this, I deserve to know why she did this.” Lin Yulan couldn’t make sense of it. “How could my mother possibly think marrying Jiang Xue would make me happy? You know I have an Omega I love, there’s no way this marriage could bring me happiness.”

The butler nodded in agreement, sharing Lin Yulan’s perspective on the matter.

As the saying goes, a forced marriage is never sweet. With one heart belonging to another Omega and the other filled with ulterior motives, how could these two possibly find happiness?

But exceptions always exist.

“Miss, while that may be true, Madam and President Lin also had an arranged marriage, yet they are deeply in love now,” the butler said. “Perhaps you could try letting go of that Omega and give the young mistress a chance?”

Lin Yulan glared at him. “Uncle Zhao, I asked why my mother insists on forcing me to marry Jiang Xue not for you to persuade me to give her a try!”

After a few more bites, Lin Yulan lost her appetite and had the breakfast cleared, leaving only a bottle of milk.

She had made a mistake this morning, she shouldn’t have brought out that post-marriage agreement. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have ended up calling Jiang Xue only to be hung up on immediately.

With that in mind, Lin Yulan took out her phone and opened Jiang Xue’s WeChat. She initially considered making a voice call since it was the weekend, Jiang Xue likely didn’t have classes. Even if she was tutoring, a sudden call shouldn’t be an issue.

But if Jiang Xue wouldn’t even answer her phone, a WeChat call would yield the same result. Lin Yulan had no choice but to give up.

After a moment’s thought, she tapped into the message box, quickly typed a line, and sent it.

To her surprise, a red exclamation mark appeared next to her message, followed by the glaring notification: “Message sent but rejected by the recipient” Jiang Xue had blocked her!

That Omega had actually blocked her out of anger!

Lin Yulan nearly cursed out loud, but then it struck her, she had gone too far today. Jiang Xue blocking her was understandable. She really had no right to be upset.

“Miss, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Lin Yulan put away her phone and stood from the couch. “Uncle Zhao, I’m heading out. If my mother asks where I went, tell her I went to find Jiang Xue.”

The butler hesitated before asking, “Miss, are you really going to see the young mistress, or are you just using her as an excuse to avoid Madam?”

“You don’t trust me, Uncle Zhao?”

“I’ve watched you grow up, of course I trust you,” the butler replied helplessly. “But my trust doesn’t matter. Madam needs to believe it.”

Lin Yulan didn’t want to make things difficult for him. After all, this was Ming Zelan’s order, the butler was just following instructions. “I know. Just tell her I went to find Jiang Xue. If she doesn’t believe it, she can check my car’s GPS later.”

With that, she finished the last sip of milk, left her usual handbag behind, and walked out with just her phone and car keys.

Truthfully, Lin Yulan wasn’t sure why she wanted to apologize to Jiang Xue. She had never liked her, and Jiang Xue knew that. Whether or not she’d presented that agreement, the outcome would’ve been the same nothing would change.

Jiang Xue was clearly using this incident to vent her long-held frustrations.

But by the time Lin Yulan sorted through these thoughts, she had already driven to the gates of Jiang Xue’s university.

The university campus was much quieter on weekends compared to weekdays when classes were in session. Most students had gone out to enjoy themselves, leaving the entrance deserted. Even the security guards had more free time than usual, chatting idly with each other.

Lin Yulan stared at the university’s nameplate and suddenly felt a bit ridiculous. Jiang Xue wasn’t even on campus during weekends if she wanted to find her, coming here was pointless.

After sitting in her car for nearly ten minutes in a daze, Lin Yulan couldn’t take it anymore. Recalling Jiang Xue’s words in the bedroom and the fact that she had blocked her, it was clear this wasn’t just anger. She could just let it go after all, it wasn’t like they spent much time together anyway. Jiang Xue mostly stayed in the faculty dorm assigned by the university, so it wouldn’t be strange if they stopped contacting each other.

But the real problem was Ming Zelan.

If Ming Zelan found out that she had asked Jiang Xue to sign a post-marital agreement, she’d probably kick her out onto the streets immediately!

Under the pressure of that threat, Lin Yulan had no choice but to pull out her phone and call Jiang Xue directly. She might have blocked her on WeChat, but surely she wouldn’t block her number too.

Yet Lin Yulan had underestimated Jiang Xue’s resolve. The call went through, but the automated voice repeated, “The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later.” Hanging up and redialing made no difference.

Jiang Xue had blocked her number too!

Lin Yulan truly hadn’t expected Jiang Xue to be this resolute. Once she made up her mind, she wouldn’t leave any room for discussion.

But the post-marital agreement wasn’t even the main issue here. Jiang Xue knew that perfectly well, why did things have to come to this?

Lin Yulan couldn’t understand it.

Suddenly feeling stifled in the car, she rolled down the window and stuck her head out for some fresh air. Several passing Omegas glanced her way, but she pretended not to notice.

It wasn’t until a familiar yet unfamiliar voice spoke up beside her that Lin Yulan finally looked up.

“You?”

Lin Yulan was stunned. The world really was too small she had just come looking for Jiang Xue, and yet she ended up running into her ex-lover right at the university gates!

“What are you doing at our school?” Xia Yin, who deeply disliked this Alpha for stirring emotions in Jiang Xue, asked coldly. “Are you here to see Xiao Xue?”

Judging by her tone, Xia Yin clearly didn’t know about her and Jiang Xue’s marriage. Strangely, Lin Yulan felt a pang of guilt, like an adulterer caught in the act, afraid of being exposed on the spot. “Is… is she on campus?”

Xia Yin scoffed. “What if she is? What if she isn’t? I made myself very clear at the restaurant last time, Jiang Xue is already taken. She would never like you, so I hope you understand.”

This…

Lin Yulan’s guilt intensified. If Xia Yin wasn’t lying, then Jiang Xue was the one who had lied and had secretly married her behind her girlfriend’s back.

If this Alpha ever found out she and Jiang Xue were married… Given how hostile she was acting now before Lin Yulan had even explained why she was here, she was practically glaring daggers at her. If she ever learned the truth, wouldn’t she accuse Lin Yulan of seducing Jiang Xue and come after her with a knife?

But this wasn’t what she wanted to marry Jiang Xue!

“Nothing much!”

Lin Yulan thought to herself that whether she’d find out later was another matter; it was better than getting stabbed right now. She couldn’t let Xia Yin notice anything was off. “I need to talk to Jiang Xue. Just tell me straight is she at school or not?”

Xia Yin’s face remained expressionless, but a closer look at her eyes revealed the word “disgust.” “What exactly do you want with Xiao Xue? I can pass on a message for you.”

There was no way Lin Yulan could say she’d angered Jiang Xue over their marriage contract and was now trying to apologize to avoid being beaten to death by her own mother and thrown out to sleep on the streets.

If this female Alpha heard that, she wouldn’t even need a knife, she’d probably just take off her high heels and smash them into Lin Yulan’s face.

“What are you to her?” Lin Yulan feigned composure. “I have something important to discuss with her. Who are you? Why should I tell you? Are you her Alpha?”

Of course, Xia Yin wasn’t.

But judging by the current situation, this female Alpha clearly hadn’t meant what she’d said at the restaurant about having no interest in Jiang Xue. That had obviously been a lie made up on the spot to brush her off.

“I am.” Xia Yin knew this was wrong, but she didn’t want to hand Jiang Xue over to another Alpha. “So now, can you tell me what you want with Xiao Xue? Otherwise, I have every reason to suspect you have ill intentions, and I have the right to call the police!”

Holy shit!

So she really was Jiang Xue’s ex-lover!

If she already had an ex, why did she have to marry her?

Lin Yulan didn’t want to end up as the other woman!

Trembling, Lin Yulan probed, “Didn’t she tell you why I’m looking for her?”

If she wasn’t Jiang Xue’s real Alpha, why would Jiang Xue tell her anything?

But now, Xia Yin was certain of one thing: whatever had happened between this female Alpha and Jiang Xue wasn’t as simple as “she’s my classmate” or “we had some unpleasantness in school.”

“Although she’s my Omega, we’ve always respected each other’s privacy. We don’t interfere in each other’s personal matters.”

“If you don’t interfere, then why are you stopping me from seeing her?”

If she let this female Alpha go to Jiang Xue now, her lies would be exposed. Xia Yin didn’t want Jiang Xue to see this ugly side of her.

So there was no way she’d let Lin Yulan near Jiang Xue.

“You’re an Alpha trying to meet my Omega girlfriend alone. As her Alpha, is there anything wrong with me stopping you?”

Well, no, there wasn’t.

After all, she was the legitimate one here. No matter what, she was in the right.

But the problem now was that Jiang Xue had already married her, making her Jiang Xue’s official Alpha in name. So why did it feel like she was the one who had to hide?!

“I’ve made it clear, I have something very important to discuss with her, and I understand why you’re doing this. But if Jiang Xue isn’t at school, then I won’t trouble you further.”

With that, Lin Yulan began rolling down the car window.

But Xia Yin clearly didn’t want her to do that and directly pressed her hand down. “We’re both old foxes who’ve been around for centuries, no need to play these games. Let’s lay our cards on the table. You like Xiaoxue, don’t you?”

Huh?

She liked Jiang Xue?

How could she possibly like that scheming woman?!

This accusation was so unjust, she might as well be Dou E crying out her innocence!

“Listen, sis, I already said I just needed to talk to her about something. How did you even get the idea that I like her? What did I do or say that gave you such a wrong impression?”

Xia Yin stared intently into Lin Yulan’s eyes. In this world, only the eyes never lie.

Could it really just be her own misconception?

Seeing Xia Yin genuinely deep in thought, Lin Yulan continued, “Think about it carefully, if I really had feelings for Jiang Xue or liked her, would I encourage my love rival to pursue the Omega I’m interested in? Only an idiot would do that, right?”

That made sense.

But even if Lin Yulan was vehemently denying any feelings for Jiang Xue, Xia Yin wasn’t about to let her guard down. Just because she didn’t like her now didn’t mean things wouldn’t change in the future, who could say for sure?

“I won’t let my Omega meet an Alpha alone, whether that Alpha is a stranger or an acquaintance. I’ll nip any potential danger in the bud,” Xia Yin declared. “So if you really need to talk to her, I can relay the message for you.”

Damn, she’s got some serious possessiveness! If she ever finds out Jiang Xue is already married to her, would she actually come at me with a knife?

I can’t afford to mess with a crazy person like this!

“But by your logic, Jiang Xue is a professor at H University. If the school administrators want to speak with her privately, are you going to lecture them too?” Lin Yulan pressed on, watching Xia Yin’s expression darken further. “And it’s not just the administrators as a professor, she probably gets sent out for lectures and seminars often. There’s no way you can enforce what you’re saying unless you don’t even care about the school higher-ups.”

No way, right?

Those are the school administrators we’re talking about. And judging by the fact that Xia Yin was at H University’s entrance, this female Alpha must either be a professor or hold some other position there. There’s no way she could actually prevent Jiang Xue from meeting other Alphas alone.

This is clearly just targeted at me!

“Look, you really don’t need to be so hostile toward me. I genuinely don’t like Jiang Xue,” Lin Yulan said, raising three fingers. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll swear it right now, if I ever develop feelings for Jiang Xue, now or in the future, may I be… may I be henpecked for life! Sleeping on the couch, never daring to contradict my wife, or else kneeling to copy family rules!”

Xia Yin: “…………”

Xia Yin stared at her blankly. “What does any of that have to do with me?”

“Then how do you want me to swear? Jiang Xue and I are classmates. This place is so small, it’s normal for us to run into each other. Besides, why can’t an Alpha call an Omega? Everyone has friends of the opposite sex. As long as proper boundaries are maintained, there’s no issue. You can’t just deprive her of her right to make friends because of your possessiveness, can you?”

What was she doing? They were having a perfectly fine conversation, and suddenly she started defending that woman Jiang Xue?

Lin Yulan explained, “Anyway, I don’t mean what you think. I’ve been emphasizing and explaining this over and over, I really don’t like Jiang Xue. Wasn’t what I said at the restaurant clear enough?”

Xia Yin never easily believed an Alpha’s sweet talk in such matters.

She was an Alpha herself and understood Alpha psychology all too well they often say one thing but do another. Moreover, she was well aware of Jiang Xue’s appeal to their kind. She knew exactly how many Alpha professors and students at school pursued Jiang Xue behind her back. It was something no Alpha could resist.

“Since you keep insisting you don’t like Jiang Xue, then answer me this why did you suddenly appear at that restaurant that day?” Xia Yin never believed in coincidences when it came to such things. “Don’t tell me it was just a coincidence.”

She was truly wronged, more wronged than Dou E*!

That night, she just wanted some late-night snacks and couldn’t find anyone else to go with, so she invited Ye Jing out. She had originally planned to pick a nicer place, but she wasn’t in the mood to choose. She happened to drive past that restaurant and thought, since food is food anywhere, she might as well go there.

Who would have thought Jiang Xue would be there too and with her ex-lover at that!

If she had known this would happen, she…

Lin Yulan realized she couldn’t answer this question directly. Back then, she had held a lot of resentment toward Jiang Xue and would always find ways to make her uncomfortable. If she had known Jiang Xue had a girlfriend then, she would probably have walked in without hesitation.

“If I say it was a coincidence, you probably wouldn’t believe me,” Lin Yulan tried to convince herself this wasn’t her fault, maintaining a calm appearance. “Besides, you saw it yourself, I brought an Omega with me that day. If I liked Jiang Xue, why would I do something to make her angry?”

Xia Yin sneered, “Of course you would.”

“Huh? If someone likes an Omega, would they bring another Omega in front of them? I mean, what kind of person would do that?”

Xia Yin frowned, staring hard at Lin Yulan. She strongly suspected this female Alpha was either playing dumb in front of her or if she could ask such a stupid question with a straight face, her acting skills were so superb she could become an award-winning actress in the entertainment industry.

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“Ha?” Lin Yulan thought Jiang Xue’s taste was truly terrible to choose someone with a screw loose as her Alpha. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

(*Dou E is a reference to a famous Chinese opera character who was wrongfully executed, symbolizing extreme injustice.)

Xia Yin observed carefully for quite some time, trying to peer into Lin Yulan’s heart through his eyes. Having spent many years abroad, she’d encountered all sorts of people in every imaginable situation and had long become an excellent judge of character. Yet with Lin Yulan, she couldn’t immediately determine whether he had those kinds of feelings for Jiang Xue.

What troubled her most was that she couldn’t tell whether he was being sincere or just putting on an act for her. Those eyes brimming with naive innocence, even a psychologist would probably have trouble figuring them out.

“When an Alpha encounters an Omega they like especially one they’re particularly fond of, they’ll try every possible way to get their attention. At the same time, to confirm the Omega’s true feelings or to provoke them into recognizing their own emotions, they often do things that seem unreasonable. Do you understand what I mean now?”

Lin Yulan truly didn’t understand.

If she really liked someone, she would take the initiative directly, not resort to actions she found incomprehensible and baffling. Such behavior would only cause trouble for the other person. And if the other person actually had feelings for her, these actions wouldn’t help them realize their emotions, it would have the opposite effect.

“I’m sorry, but I genuinely don’t understand what you’re saying,” Lin Yulan replied. “If I really liked an Omega, I’d be upfront with her and ask how she feels about me. If she’s interested too, then we’d just get together. So, I really don’t get what you mean.”

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