The Alpha’s Hidden Marriage, Public Obsession - Chapter 46

Seeing Lin Yulan so determined to press the issue today, Qu Mengxin felt somewhat helpless. She truly didn’t want to dwell on this topic any longer revisiting the past was utterly meaningless now. People couldn’t remain stagnant just because of things that had already happened.

Yes, she admitted that back then, in her attempt to test just how far Lin Yulan would go for her, she had gone a bit too far. But under those circumstances, if she hadn’t probed, she wouldn’t have been able to confirm her place in Lin Yulan’s heart.

Human emotions are easily swayed by their environment. Qu Mengxin couldn’t guarantee that if Lin Yulan had gone abroad with her, her heart would have remained hers.

The outside world was full of temptations countless Omegas more beautiful, more talented, and more understanding of Lin Yulan than her. Qu Mengxin didn’t believe any Alpha could resist being moved when faced with someone better.

Distance creates beauty, and time is the eternal filter this saying applied to everyone. She had wanted Lin Yulan to remember her like that forever.

But she hadn’t expected that after all these years, time and distance hadn’t cast a more favorable light on her in Lin Yulan’s eyes. Instead, the unanswered questions from the past had lingered until now.

“Yulan, today is my first day back in the country. Can’t we just set aside those past matters and talk about something happier?”

Hearing this response, Lin Yulan didn’t feel as hurt as she once might have. But it had never occurred to her that in Qu Mengxin’s heart, she was merely part of the so-called “past,” something so insignificant.

It made her wonder had Qu Mengxin ever truly been with her out of affection?

Or, like everyone else, was it simply because she was the future heir of the Lin Group, someone others had to treat with deference, making Qu Mengxin feel proud to be with her?

Lin Yulan didn’t want to tarnish the beautiful memories she had of Qu Mengxin with such bitter thoughts, but she desperately wanted to know the answer.

“Talk about happier things?” Lin Yulan asked. “Then, Miss Asa, what exactly counts as ‘happier things’ to you?”

Nearly seven years apart had brought drastic changes to their personalities, preferences, and perspectives. They were no longer the loving couple who had laughed and chatted so freely during their freshman year.

Qu Mengxin stood up as well, smiling. “We could talk about how we’ve each grown. Like the collaboration between Zhao Group and Lin Group, as the project lead, we could discuss work-related matters. Or, Yulan, if you’d rather not talk about work, we could share how we’ve been doing. I’m sure we still have plenty in common, just like before!”

Lin Yulan, however, smiled. “So for you, Miss Asa, all those past events can be brushed aside as if they never happened, and you can chat without reservation about so-called ‘happy moments’ now. But I’m sorry, Miss Asa—I might be a rather stubborn Alpha. If I don’t get the answers I want, I might start questioning whether this person is worth continuing to be kind to.”

Hearing Lin Yulan stop using her name, Qu Mengxin felt a pang of discomfort. “My English name was just for work. You don’t have to call me that.”

“But didn’t Miss Asa just say we should let the past stay in the past? Then calling each other by intimate names should also be a thing of the past, shouldn’t it?”

“Yulan, you!”

Before Qu Mengxin could say more, a phone suddenly rang.

She knew her own ringtone well, this wasn’t hers.

Lin Yulan pulled out her phone and glanced at it. It was a call from the assistant she had sent to keep watch.

Without hesitation, she answered in front of Qu Mengxin. “What’s up?”

From his car, the assistant had just spotted the young madam of their group walking shoulder-to-shoulder with an unfamiliar female Alpha, both laughing happily. The way that unfamiliar Alpha was looking at the young madam was clearly inappropriate, so he immediately called Lin Yulan to report.

“Assistant Manager Lin, the young madam is currently out shopping with an unfamiliar female Alpha.”

“What did you say?!”

Lin Yulan’s first thought was that the female Alpha must be Jiang Xue’s ex-girlfriend and as it turned out, her gut feeling was right. Jiang Xue was indeed out shopping with Xia Yin.

Seeing the photo the assistant sent, Lin Yulan wished the world had a magical portal. If it did, she could instantly teleport over and make that ex who dared to cozy up to her wife disappear on the spot!

“Where are they shopping?” Lin Yulan paused, then added, “Follow them in your car. If that Alpha dares to lay a finger on her including but not limited to holding hands or hugging, you call the police on my behalf immediately!”

The assistant replied softly, “Assistant Manager Lin, calling the police might not be the best move. If they’re just friends, holding hands or hugging could be normal interactions. What if the young madam gets upset?”

Not to mention Jiang Xue’s potential anger just the thought of Xia Yin’s intimate behavior toward Jiang Xue made Lin Yulan furious.

“Do as I say, and don’t give me any backtalk!” Lin Yulan snapped. “Besides, she’s an Omega. Even if that person is her friend, she’s an Alpha. Doesn’t she know Alphas and Omegas should keep their distance?! Who knows what she’s really thinking!”

The assistant: “…”

Lin Yulan ran a hand through her hair, restless as if sitting on pins and needles. “In short, the moment they show any intimacy, you nip it in the bud for me!”

The assistant felt like ten thousand horses were galloping through her mind, thinking how hard it was to earn money these days. Not only did she have to handle company affairs, but she also had to help her young CEO keep an eye on a wife who was obviously about to run off with someone else clear as day to anyone with eyes. “Understood, Young CEO Lin.”

After hanging up, Lin Yulan grew more restless the longer she thought about it.

Qu Mengxin listened nearby. Though she didn’t fully grasp the conversation or guess who Lin Yulan was talking to or who was being asked to watch whom, her Omega instincts told her that the Omega being monitored was the very one she had just been thinking about, the one Lin Yulan had been reminded of by her words.

“Yulan, who were you talking to? Is something important going on?”

Lin Yulan didn’t evade the question and nodded directly. “Yes, something very important.”

“How important?”

Lin Yulan unconsciously curled her lips. “If I had to compare, she might be more important than the project we’re discussing.”

In other words, that Omega’s matter was more important than their hard-won reunion.

For some reason, Qu Mengxin felt a pang of irritation. “Yulan, I don’t quite understand. You should know how crucial this collaboration between Zhao Corporation and Lin Corporation is. Even if you don’t care about our reunion, what could possibly be more important than this partnership?”

Her wife was about to be whisked away by that persistent ex wasn’t that more important than any business deal!

But Lin Yulan certainly wouldn’t tell Qu Mengxin that. The meddling of that lingering ex was already driving her to the brink of madness. If Qu Mengxin got involved too, then unless she and Jiang Xue were bound by fate in their next lives, this lifetime would be over, even if the mountains crumbled and the earth split.

“As for how important this collaboration is, my parents probably understand better than I do. The fact that neither of them took the time to meet you, and Zhao Corporation didn’t send higher-level executives, shows this project isn’t significant enough for either side to prioritize.” Lin Yulan steered the conversation back. “Since Ms. Asa doesn’t want to answer my earlier question, I don’t see any point in continuing this discussion. Regarding the project details, I’ll have my secretary come to talk with you later. I have urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”

Qu Mengxin quickly reached out and grabbed Lin Yulan’s hand. “Yulan, I just returned to the country and rushed here to see you without a moment’s rest. Whatever urgent matter you have, can’t it wait a little longer?”

If Ming Zelan hadn’t emphasized over the phone how critical this project was, how they couldn’t afford to let Zhao Corporation think they were being disrespectful, Lin Yulan wouldn’t have hurried back to the company. Had she known Zhao Corporation’s representative would be Qu Mengxin, she would never have come.

“Qu Mengxin, I also rushed back to see you without delay. From the moment I arrived until now, I’ve been trying to restore our relationship to what it once was. But in the end, it seems I’m the only one who feels that way.” Lin Yulan smiled bitterly. “I don’t know if you’re avoiding the past or if you truly meant what you said earlier that we should let bygones be bygones. If it’s the latter, then I don’t think there’s any point in continuing this conversation. Don’t you agree?”

This is a closed loop, there’s no solution unless the answer is revealed.

Qu Mengxin slowly released her grip on Lin Yulan’s hand, apologized, and then said, “Yulan, I swear every word I said was true. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do. You want the answer from back then, but even if I told you, would you believe me? You’ve already made it clear, you don’t trust what I say. So, does the answer even matter anymore?”

“It matters!” Lin Yulan declared firmly.

No matter how much she didn’t want to admit it now, she had to acknowledge that Qu Mengxin was her first love, her white moonlight. Even if she already knew what the answer was, she still wanted to give Qu Mengxin a chance.

Instead of answering, Qu Mengxin countered, “Fine, I can give you the answer. But before that, can you answer one question for me?”

Lin Yulan motioned for her to continue. “What question?”

After a moment of thought, Qu Mengxin asked directly, “Yulan, do you still like me now?”

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