The CEO Omega’s 'Soft Rice' Alpha - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

At six in the morning, the daylight was already bright, sunlight streaming into the room. On the opposite bed, He Xia was still snoring loudly.

Though Su Yi’an guessed that Lan Yan hadn’t slept all night, she didn’t dare ask too much. Given their current relationship—hardly more than a few encounters—excessive concern could be counterproductive, even if, last night, they had…

Su Yi’an spaced out for a moment, replied with a cute kitten emoji, put down her phone, and got up to wash.

Despite using the ointment last night, the back of her neck still stung, especially near the gland. Inside the bathroom, Su Yi’an immediately lifted her long hair to check the wound in the mirror. All she could see was a swollen, purplish-red patch. it looked worse than last night, but she couldn’t see the details clearly.

“System, help me check. How’s my injury?” Su Yi’an turned to her only resource.

Ever since Su Yi’an declared her intent to replace Zhan Ming, the System had been somewhat withdrawn, preferring to sulk in silence. But seeing its host finally ask for help, it regained a sense of purpose. It scanned the area and was immediately startled by the “mountainous” swelling: “It’s… it’s gotten worse, Host! The female lead bit way too hard. You need to see a doctor immediately. In such a vital spot, even a small injury can lead to severe consequences.”

Is it really that bad?

Su Yi’an twisted her neck until it ached, finally catching a glimpse of the deep, slightly distorted teeth marks. She let her hair down, braced her hands on the sink, and looked at herself in the mirror. Suddenly, she smiled.

Sister Grape is so aggressive. So domineering.

Unlike her, who had been so careful when she bit back. At the time, she would have rather clawed her own skin off than touch Lan Yan inappropriately. In the mirror, Lan Yan’s cold yet stunning face seemed to appear behind her, smiling as she embraced her…

Su Yi’an’s breathing hitched. Remembering Lan Yan’s tender, red skin offered to her, she hurriedly lowered her head and splashed her face with several handfuls of cold water. It cooled her skin, but her heartbeat only grew louder in the quiet bathroom.

In less than two hours, she would see Sister Grape again. Every cell in Su Yi’an’s body seemed to be radiating joy.

The System was bewildered: “Why does Host look so happy? Little Crybaby isn’t joking—gland injuries for an Alpha in this world are serious. It could even lead to permanent infertility!”

Since it was this bad, Lan Yan must have bitten with real force. The Host hadn’t made a sound at the time, so the System thought it was fine. Now it realized the Host had a tolerance for pain far beyond normal people.

“Oh.”

Su Yi’an’s smile faded as she finished washing and left the bathroom. Little Crybaby was her new nickname for the System—it fit perfectly. While the System wasn’t annoying, she didn’t feel like explaining herself. Infertility? It didn’t matter to her at all.

The System pouted, on the verge of tears. Host is so mean. A total “scumbag” who burns bridges once she gets what she wants!

Su Yi’an opened her wardrobe, looking at the “street-market” clothes she once wouldn’t have glanced at with newfound interest. She had bought these recently—outdated styles, simple solid colors, all summer wear. Each set cost about fifty yuan. They looked a bit rough, so she had asked the shopkeeper to iron them specifically so they wouldn’t look suspiciously new.

She spent a full thirty minutes picking an outfit, eventually settling on the black-and-white loose set she’d first touched: a white T-shirt and black shorts. The tag said “linen,” but Su Yi’an couldn’t tell if it was real. It felt light, though the coarse fabric would likely chafe her delicate skin. It was an acceptable price to pay for the persona.

The weather was sweltering. Su Yi’an wanted to tie her hair up, but considering the marks on her neck, she had to leave it down. She noticed her complexion looked a bit dull after only four hours of sleep, so she pulled a small, unbranded bottle of high-end serum from a hidden pocket in her bag. She might be playing a poor student, but she wanted to look “exquisitely” natural for Sister Grape. No one would recognize the expensive serum anyway.

He Xia woke up groggily to find Su Yi’an fussing in front of the mirror. She yawned. “School hasn’t even started and there are no classes. Why are you up so early, Xiao Su? Looking for another part-time job?”

“You could say that.” Su Yi’an quickly stowed her serum, grabbed her bag, and changed into her sneakers. If the agreement went well today, she would be Sister Grape’s “exclusive” employee.

“Do you have to push yourself so hard?” He Xia grumbled, turning over to go back to sleep. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. “Oh! I mentioned you were looking for work to the juniors yesterday. Lan Yin has an art studio and she’s looking for a model. It’s not… revealing. Five hundred a session, right here on campus. Want to go?”

She sighed. “I’d go myself if I had your face. Think about it, Xiao Su. It’s not like an Alpha loses anything by showing a little skin. Plus, Lan Yin’s studio is full of beautiful Omegas. I could tag along and enjoy the view.”

“We’ll see.” Su Yi’an wasn’t interested, but thinking of her “niece” Lan Yin, she didn’t give a flat refusal. She had more important things to do.

“Don’t say ‘we’ll see’! Think about the money! You might even find a painter wife. If you don’t like the juniors, you can introduce them to me—”

Slam. The door closed.

He Xia stared at the ceiling. Some people are single for a reason. And why am I, with my silver tongue and family assets, also single? I have to trick her into that art studio.

It was only seven when Su Yi’an reached the ground floor. The campus was quiet. She found the car at the location Lan Yan had sent—a street near the school but out of the direct line of sight of students.

Is Sister Grape being considerate of my reputation at school? It felt like a good sign.

At 8:00 AM sharp, a black Mercedes, more low-key than the previous sports car, pulled up. The rear window rolled down, revealing a face that even heavy makeup couldn’t quite hide the exhaustion from. Her voice was listless: “Get in.”

She was still beautiful, but it was a “fragile” beauty that sparked an instinctive protectiveness in Su Yi’an. Su Yi’an sat properly beside her. Smelling a crisp mint scent instead of the usual grape, she couldn’t help but ask: “Sister, you look like you didn’t sleep well.”

“Mm.” Lan Yan massaged her temples and signaled the driver to start. She closed her eyes, clearly not in the mood for conversation.

Su Yi’an stayed quiet but asked the System internally: “Little Crybaby, the scent on Sister Grape has changed. What’s going on?”

The System, though still a bit hurt, answered dutifully: “Did Host forget? This world has a perfume called ‘Scent-Concealer.’ It’s designed for marked Omegas or Alphas who have marked others. It masks both pheromones and leaves only a minty scent. It’s very expensive, so few people use it.”

I see.

Lost in thought, Su Yi’an felt a weight on her left shoulder. Lan Yan had leaned over, her shallow breath brushing Su Yi’an’s ear. Strands of hair tickled her neck. The minty scent was surprisingly pleasant. Perhaps I like more than just grapes, Su Yi’an thought, her body stiff as a board, terrified of waking her.

By the time they reached the Municipal Hospital, Su Yi’an’s shoulder was numb. She looked at Lan Yan and gently touched her arm. “Sister, we’re here.”

Lan Yan woke with a start, her eyes misty and dazed—a stark, adorable contrast to her usual cold exterior. It hit Su Yi’an right in the heart.

“Okay, let’s get out.” The moment of cuteness lasted only three seconds before Lan Yan regained her indifference. “I’ve booked an appointment. Just some basic checks.”

Her ears, hidden from view, were tinged with red. Whether from embarrassment at sleeping on a stranger or something else, she didn’t say.

“Okay,” Su Yi’an replied, her eyes darkening. A check-up, then. She wondered if they would check pheromones. Regardless, she had to be ready.

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