The Alpha’s Hidden Marriage, Public Obsession - Chapter 43

Given how explicitly the topic had been broached, there was no way Xia Yin would believe her if she denied it now.

But Jiang Xue was in no mood to discuss this. She didn’t want to revisit anything related to Lin Yulan that despicable Alpha. Just the mention of him made her wish she had kicked him harder back then!

“Xia Yin, didn’t we come here to eat? Why bring this up all of a sudden?” Jiang Xue deliberately tried to steer the conversation elsewhere, but Xia Yin was clearly determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Xue, you have someone you like, don’t you? An Alpha?”

“Xia Yin, I—”

“You don’t want to talk about it,did something unpleasant happen between you two? Or did she do something to hurt you?”

As an Alpha, Xia Yin was particularly sensitive in this regard, especially when it came to the Omega she liked. Her intuition was razor-sharp.

“I don’t mean to pry into your privacy. It’s just that some things are better shared with family or friends rather than bottled up inside,” Xia Yin said gently. “Even adults need to vent sometimes.”

Perhaps it was the trust in Xia Yin’s tone that made Jiang Xue momentarily want to pour everything out to her. But she quickly reined in the impulse. “Xia Yin, thank you for your concern, but I’m really fine.”

“So, you do have an Alpha you like, don’t you?”

Jiang Xue didn’t answer, which was as good as an admission.

She had originally intended to explain that while she had once liked an Alpha, it was all in the past proof that her feelings had been nothing more than unrequited affection. But considering Xia Yin’s own feelings for her, Jiang Xue held back.

She didn’t feel that way about Xia Yin neither physically nor emotionally. Even if she no longer cared for Lin Yulan, even if she were to move on and find another Alpha in the future, someone like Xia Yin wouldn’t be in the running.

Jiang Xue didn’t know how to put it. They were better off as friends, not lovers.

“Are the two of you together?” Xia Yin pressed.

Together? They were more than together, they were legally married. If not for Lin Yulan’s lingering attachment to Qu Mengxin, they would have long since ended up in bed together.

But she couldn’t tell Xia Yin any of this. These were private matters she didn’t want to burden others with, nor did she want undue attention on her personal life.

“Xia Yin, I’m sorry, but I don’t like discussing these things…”

Xia Yin quickly clarified, “Xue, I think you’ve misunderstood me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not trying to pry into your private life. Everyone has secrets they’d rather keep to themselves that’s completely normal. The reason I asked is just to know whether you’re with her or not.”

Xia Yin reached out and gently placed her hand over Jiang Xue’s. “If you’re not with her… could you consider me instead?”

Jiang Xue recoiled as if shocked, pulling her hand back. She stared at Xia Yin, momentarily at a loss for words.

But she wasn’t the type of Omega who deliberately strung others along. If she liked someone, she liked them; if she didn’t, she didn’t. If she didn’t like someone, she would make it clear to them directly. That way, neither of them would waste their time, and there would be no lingering hopes better for both parties.

“Xia Yin, I think we’re good as friends, don’t you?”

Words like these were practically a rejection, but from them, Xia Yin deduced that Jiang Xue wasn’t currently with that Alpha or rather, Jiang Xue hadn’t agreed to that Alpha’s pursuit. It was just that Alpha unilaterally pursuing her.

But the two scenarios were contradictory.

Jiang Xue liked that Alpha, and that Alpha wanted to pursue her, yet the two still weren’t together. That meant there had to be some external factor keeping them apart was it their parents?

That seemed to be the only explanation that made sense. Otherwise, Xia Yin couldn’t understand why, if they both liked each other, they still hadn’t gotten together.

In that case, she still had a chance.

“Xiaoxue, but I don’t want to just be friends with you.” Xia Yin also withdrew her outstretched hand, gazing at Jiang Xue with deep affection as she said, “When I first returned to the country, I didn’t know anyone. The only reason I came to teach at the school was because a friend of my younger sister had an emergency and couldn’t find anyone else to help, so she asked me to give it a try.”

“But as expected, the school wasn’t optimistic about an outsider like me someone whose abilities were completely unknown. Even the instructors there barely paid me any attention. Only you. Only you took the time to explain every little detail to me, even the ones I hadn’t noticed. That was the moment I was deeply drawn to you. Maybe that’s what they call love at first sight.”

Jiang Xue turned her head away, instinctively avoiding Xia Yin’s gaze. Right now, she was hesitating should she tell Xia Yin the truth about what had really happened back then?

She naturally remembered the circumstances of her first meeting with Xia Yin, but it hadn’t been by her own choice. After working for several years, Jiang Xue’s biggest realization was that not everyone was as good as she imagined. Instructors were no different from the miscellaneous staff at the company there was inevitably scheming and backstabbing, or people quietly making things difficult for each other.

When it came to tasks like coordination, if anything went wrong, the blame would fall on you. Jiang Xue had initially refused. She didn’t want to do such thankless work, but at the time, she was the only one available. The other instructors were all tied up with their own projects, so in the end, the unenviable task naturally fell to her.

Fortunately, Xia Yin was an easygoing Alpha, not like the others who looked down on her or acted all high and mighty. The coordination went smoothly, without any mistakes or oversights.

That was also why Jiang Xue had a good impression of Xia Yin.

“Xia Yin, you’re a wonderful person, and I don’t want to deceive you. The truth is, there’s an Alpha I’m already fond of. Apart from her, I don’t think I could ever develop feelings for anyone else, so…” Jiang Xue paused before continuing, “I hope you can understand. You truly are an amazing person, but wasting your time on me really isn’t worth it.”

“There’s no such thing as worth or not worth it only whether one is willing or not.” Perhaps because she had spent a long time abroad, Xia Yin always spoke bluntly, never beating around the bush. “Besides, if you’re not with that Alpha, could you at least consider me? Can I know the reason why not?”

The reason?

The reason was that Lin Yulan was a complete bastard!

If she could say it out loud, she’d curse Lin Yulan to the high heavens and grind her into the dirt. Everyone knew what kind of scoundrel that Alpha was.

But she couldn’t say it.

And there was no need to. They were bound to get divorced sooner or later, it was only a matter of time.

Since they were already planning to split, badmouthing someone behind their back would make her seem utterly lacking in morals.

Of course, that bastard Alpha wouldn’t bother reasoning with her either.

“Xia Yin, I…”

In other situations, Jiang Xue would never leave someone hanging or let them feel awkward, but when it came to matters of the heart, no matter how articulate she was, she still found herself at a loss for words.

Besides, if she were to tell the truth, the answers would only hurt. Better to say nothing at all.

“Xue, can’t I even know where I fell short?”

Just then, the waiter arrived with their food. After glancing at their expressions and hearing Xia Yin’s words, the experienced server quickly deduced that this female Alpha had been rejected and was pressing the Omega for an explanation.

But anyone with common sense knew that such questions didn’t need answers. Not liking someone was just that, there didn’t have to be a reason. If one insisted on asking, it only meant the other person simply wasn’t interested, a truth so obvious it didn’t need voicing.

Still, the waiter was just an outsider, a spectator to the drama. After serving the dishes, they discreetly retreated.

“Please enjoy your meal.”

Jiang Xue murmured a thanks and turned her attention back to the table.

Xia Yin was staring at her, but Jiang Xue had no intention of answering the question. Instead, she lowered her head and focused on her food.

Xia Yin, too, felt it inappropriate to press further and followed suit, eating in silence.

An awkward atmosphere settled between them, and not another word was exchanged throughout the meal. When no one speaks, eating tends to go quickly within ten minutes, they had both finished lunch.

Jiang Xue found herself tongue-tied again, unsure how to break the silence. Instinctively, she reached for her phone, as if it were her lifeline in that moment.

But Xia Yin had already seen through her attempt to deflect and spoke first. “You don’t have to respond. I just wanted you to know that I like you.”

Jiang Xue’s fingers froze over the keyboard. She wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind. Xia Yin’s feelings were something she couldn’t accept nor could she bear them.

But she didn’t want to waste Xia Yin’s time, so she put down her phone, looked up, and said solemnly, “Xia Yin, I’m sorry. You really deserve a better Omega. Someone like me… isn’t right for you!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, her peripheral vision caught sight of an oddly familiar car outside the restaurant. Upon closer inspection, it was a modified burgundy BMW that was that bastard Alpha’s car!

Why was Lin Yulan here?

No, no, the world wasn’t that coincidental. Besides, Lin Yulan usually dined out with friends nowhere near her school.

In other words, that bastard Alpha hadn’t come here to eat, she had been following her the whole time!

Jiang Xue instinctively bit her lip but quickly released it when she remembered Xia Yin was sitting across from her, not wanting to give anything away.

“Xia Yin, I’m a bit tired today. If there’s nothing else, let’s head back to the dorm after we finish eating.”

Xia Yin asked, “You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

She wasn’t unwell anywhere except for the fact that seeing that bastard Alpha made her whole body feel uncomfortable!

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