The CEO Omega I Picked Up Has Run Away - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Sister, please just lend me this chicken. She’s just recovered from a serious illness and needs the nourishment. When I have money, I’ll pay you back ten chickens, alright?”

“I’m begging you, Sister. Little Wan is such a beautiful Omega—do you really have the heart to watch her go hungry along with us?”

When Ji Shu woke up, she saw a young man in his twenties with dark skin, an honest and simple face, and a sturdy build trying to snatch an old hen from her hands.

Initially, Ji Shu couldn’t move; she seemed to have lost control over her body. Suddenly, an electronic mechanical voice echoed in her mind.

“Welcome, Host, to the ABO romance novel The CEO and the Country Bumpkin. I am your system, Xiao Tiantian. You have died in the real world and there is no possibility of going back. Please use your current identity to strive and survive in this world.”

“This book primarily tells the story of the love-hate entanglements between a poor country boy (Alpha) and an amnesiac female CEO (Omega). Your identity is Ji Shu, the cousin of the male lead, Ji Hen. You are lazier and poorer than him, but that doesn’t matter. Our goal is to lead the male lead to wealth through farming.”

Hearing this self-proclaimed system, Ji Shu finally remembered: she was dead. She had died during a martial arts match with her senior brother. Ji Shu had held back at every turn, but her brother, desperate for the position of Sect Leader, used a dirty trick to take her life.

Little did he know, she had no interest in being the Sect Leader. Her dream was simple: to retire early, drink tea, practice martial arts, and cook.

Ji Shu was an orphan who had been lucky enough to be taken in by her master. She grew up in a family of ancient martial artists. The man who killed her was her master’s biological son, the “senior brother” she had grown up with. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t sad, but she didn’t feel much hatred. She considered it a final repayment for her master’s care. Without him, she would have died long ago.

Farming wasn’t difficult for Ji Shu. Aside from reading and martial arts, she usually spent her time growing vegetables and cooking. Perhaps in this world, she could live her ideal idle life.

Just as Ji Shu was about to agree, the system added: “One hour of farming earns you 10 yuan. Ten hours a day is 100 yuan. That’s 3,000 yuan a month—you won’t even be able to spend it all!”

Ji Shu paused: “…Unbind.”

Setting aside the question of what 3,000 yuan a month could buy, farming for ten hours a day was the exact opposite of the life she imagined. Farming could be a hobby, but it absolutely could not be her entire life. Ten hours sounded exhausting.

Her immediate refusal panicked the system, which quickly tried to compensate: “Is it because the money is too little? After the one-month internship, the hourly wage increases exponentially! The farming tasks are very simple, you don’t even have to use your brain…”

As the system rambled on, Ji Shu realized she could move again. The young man’s grip was strong; seeing the hen’s wings about to break in the struggle, Ji Shu instinctively let go.

The young man lost his balance, and the hen took the opportunity to break free. It fluttered onto the young man’s head and, in an act of revenge, dropped a pile of droppings. The greenish-white mess was incredibly conspicuous on the young man’s freshly shaved buzz cut.

“Thanks, Sister! I’ll definitely pay you back once I strike it rich!” Ji Hen ignored his disheveled state, terrified that his lazy and stingy cousin would change her mind. He grabbed the hen, pulled out a kitchen knife he had prepared, and slit its throat in one swift motion.

He had found “Little Wan” half a month ago. To treat her injuries, he had spent his entire savings. He hadn’t even received his wages from his recent odd jobs and was nearly out of food. Driven to desperation, he remembered the hen his cousin kept for eggs. His cousin had naturally refused to lend it, so he had to resort to being “shameless”—half-borrowing and half-snatching. Fortunately, after his earnest begging, his cousin finally realized a human life was more important than a chicken’s life and let go.

Chicken blood splattered everywhere. To avoid getting stained, Ji Shu dodged with lightning-fast reflexes. A soft chuckle reached her ears.

Ji Shu looked toward the sound. A woman so beautiful she seemed to have walked out of a novel was leaning against a dilapidated wooden shack. She wore no makeup, her long, wavy black hair draped over her shoulders, and her long, straight legs were clad in black trousers. The top two buttons of her white shirt were undone, revealing delicate, fair collarbones. Despite the simple outfit, she couldn’t hide her innate air of nobility.

Only the oversized, old-fashioned blue rubber slippers on her feet—clearly belonging to a man—ruined the aesthetic. She looked like a wealthy heiress who had accidentally fallen into a pigsty.

The woman’s narrow phoenix eyes curved slightly, and her lips tilted up. This smile added warmth to her cold beauty, making her look even more exquisite and entirely out of place in her dilapidated surroundings. Despite the scorching sun, Ji Shu felt as if she were witnessing the melting of ice and snow; she could smell the scent of spring—warmth, vitality, and the fragrance of greenery. It was an indescribable, yet wonderful, scent.

This was the most beautiful woman Ji Shu had ever seen—though that might be because she had grown up surrounded by men and “tomboy” types. She was truly a novel’s female lead. Even though people had told Ji Shu she was good-looking, she felt she couldn’t compare to this person.

At that moment, Ji Shu felt her face flush. She hurriedly looked away, but when her eyes met the rough, dark face of the young man, she couldn’t help but frown.

This was the male lead, Ji Hen?

Compared to the female lead, they looked like they belonged to different centuries. Their looks, height, and backgrounds didn’t match at all. Could it be that Ji Hen was taking advantage of Li Mengwan’s amnesia to deceive her? As a man, how could he act so immorally? It was incredibly unfair to the woman. As a fellow woman, Ji Shu didn’t want to stand by and watch this happen.

She interrupted the system’s long lecture: “I agree.”

Ji Hen, with his rustic appearance and a height of less than 1.7 meters (actually shorter than the female lead), looked like a poor match. Even if they were to be together, it should be after Li Mengwan regained her memory. How could he take advantage of her vulnerability?

Ji Shu thought this, but the desire to protect the woman wasn’t the only reason she agreed to the farming tasks. The system said she could choose her own hours; the less she worked, the less she got paid. This meant she didn’t have to work ten hours every day. This was fine; since she couldn’t go back anyway, a little less money didn’t matter. She never had much desire for material things.

However, she understood “romance novels,” but what did “ABO” mean? She asked the system.

The system explained: “Unlike your original world, this book has six genders: Male Alpha, Female Alpha, Male Beta, Female Beta, Male Omega, and Female Omega. Alphas have stronger mental power, while Omegas have higher fertility. Children born from their union usually have high IQs. Betas are ordinary people, making up the majority, just like in your old world.”

Ji Shu: “You mean two women or two men can have children?” The setting upended her worldview.

System: “Correct, as long as one side is an Alpha and the other is an Omega.”

“Then I am…” Ji Shu asked worriedly. She didn’t want any strange “parts” appearing on her. It was hard to imagine two people of the same biological sex having a child.

System: “You’re lucky! You’re one of only ten Alphas in the whole village. Even if you’re lazy, you get an 800-yuan monthly government subsidy. However, if you’re not married by twenty-five, you’ll be forcibly assigned an Omega to have children. This subsidy is only for Alphas and Omegas, intended to encourage birth rates.”

“The original owner was a layabout who didn’t farm her fields. She fantasized about marrying an Omega and having children to support her, so she applied for the subsidy as soon as she turned eighteen.”

Seeing Ji Shu’s concern, the system continued: “Don’t worry about anatomy. Alphas and Omegas conceive via pheromones. Regardless of gender, people here look no different from those in your world.”

Ji Shu: “…Can I return the original owner’s subsidy?” She didn’t feel lucky at all. She didn’t want to get married; being alone was fine. Marriage meant trouble. Plus, with these settings, she didn’t even know if she should be with a man or a woman. Even if she’d never been in love, she always thought she’d be with a man. Now… it was hard to imagine a man with a “big belly” coming home. Most importantly, marriage was a huge deal—it required mutual affection.

System: “No, you can’t. And you’re currently penniless. Even your last hen was just killed by the male lead. Without the subsidy, you won’t even have food to eat.”

Ji Shu suppressed her frustration: “How old am I?”

System: “About the same as in your old world. You’ll turn twenty-five in one month.”

Ji Shu: “…” Just let me end it all. I’m tired.

While Ji Shu was talking to the system, Ji Hen had already prepared the hen. He added wood to the fire surrounded by bricks, and the water in the clay pot was boiling, emitting a faint aroma of chicken. Ji Hen said eagerly: “Sister, you haven’t had lunch yet, right? Come eat with us.”

On the dirt ground outdoors, it had a rustic feel. But Ji Hen’s method of handling the chicken was too crude. The hen was old; stewing it like this wouldn’t make it very tasty.

Just as this thought crossed Ji Shu’s mind, Li Mengwan walked over slowly in the oversized slippers. With her smile retracted, she truly gave off the vibe of a female CEO—if you ignored the slippers.

Then, her words shattered the elegant aura. “Brother Ji, when will the chicken be ready? I’m hungry.” Her voice was cold, yet her tone was soft and slightly seductive.

Ji Hen was completely smitten. His rough voice softened instinctively: “Soon, very soon. Why did you come out? You’re still weak; be careful of the smoke. Just wait inside and I’ll bring it to you.”

Bewitched by beauty, Ji Shu thought. This was exactly that type of person.

Li Mengwan laughed again, looking bashful: “I’m much better now. I wanted to see if I could help Brother Ji with anything.”

Ji Hen immediately patted his chest: “No need! I can do it alone.”

Ji Shu was speechless. Who knew the honest-looking Ji Hen had the potential to be such a “simp.” Perhaps that was how he managed to win over an amnesiac CEO. But wasn’t it embarrassing to be unable to walk straight just because of a pretty woman?

“Forget it,” Ji Shu said. She didn’t really want to eat; she needed time to process her complicated feelings. The thought of being forcibly assigned an Omega soon made her miserable.

Ji Hen looked at her in surprise. He felt his cousin had changed. Usually, her favorite things were freeloading, gambling, or peeking at the village women bathing by the river. He remembered that when he first found Little Wan, his cousin would visit every day. This time, she not only gave him her last hen but even refused to eat. It was unbelievable, but Ji Hen didn’t overthink it, assuming his cousin had finally found a conscience.

The system reminded her kindly: “Aren’t you hungry? If you don’t eat now, there’s nothing at home. If you don’t believe me, look at the house to your left.”

Less than five meters away sat a small, crooked mud hut with a layer of straw on the floor and no door. If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was an outhouse. Ji Hen’s house, though old, had two wooden rooms and a full set of kitchenware. She, on the other hand, might as well be living on the street. She never imagined anyone could live so miserably. How did the original owner survive? Did she never bathe?

An image of a disheveled, ugly country woman appeared in her mind. Whether it was psychological or not, Ji Shu suddenly felt like she smelled bad. She liked a leisurely life, but she was a clean person and couldn’t stand being filthy. She regretted being bound to the system again, but there was no medicine for regret.

As her mind wandered, she heard Li Mengwan’s soft voice again: “Sister, are you really not going to eat with us? Brother Ji’s cooking is very good.”

The praise made Ji Hen ecstatic. His dark face flushed, and he worked even harder: “Haha, Little Wan, you flatter me!” He didn’t know how to cook; it was just plain boiled chicken. It was his first time, too; he usually couldn’t afford meat. It was only because Little Wan lost her memory that she’d think it was good.

Ji Shu felt a strange tug at her heart, like a feather brushing against it. Then, she smelled that spring-like fragrance again, even stronger this time. It seemed to be coming from Li Mengwan. She suddenly understood why Ji Hen was being led around by the nose. Even as a fellow woman, she felt like pampering a woman like this.

No, she reminded herself. I’m an Alpha now. We aren’t the same ‘gender.’ I need to keep my distance. And if she remembered correctly, the system said the female lead was twenty-eight—older than her and Ji Hen. Those “Brother” and “Sister” honorifics came quite easily to her. But Li Mengwan really was beautiful; she didn’t look twenty-eight at all.

Ji Shu subtly moved further away from Li Mengwan: “Alright then, I’ll have a taste.” The system’s warning was probably not an exaggeration.

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