The CEO Omega’s 'Soft Rice' Alpha - Chapter 30 (1)

Chapter 30 (1)

Lan Yan had specifically avoided the malls near her office to evade such nauseating encounters, yet Zhang Baiyang had managed to sniff her out from across the city. She had to admit, in the specialized field of disgusting her, Zhang Baiyang possessed remarkable perseverance.

“It wasn’t a coincidence; Director Zhang has certainly put in the effort.”

Facing such a man, Lan Yan had nothing more to say. She placed her shopping bags in the back seat and signaled Su Yi’an to get in. Her refined upbringing barely restrained the urge to curse him out on the street.

Su Yi’an gave Zhang Baiyang a meaningful look, sat down, buckled her seatbelt, and remained silent. If all went according to plan, this man wouldn’t be free for much longer; soon, he would be far too busy to harass her Sister. She didn’t take this greasy man seriously; he wasn’t worth the mental energy. No matter how one looked at it, anyone with eyes would choose her over Zhang Baiyang.

Besides, what mattered was Sister’s attitude. As long as Sister’s heart was unclaimed, she didn’t need to be too anxious. For now, she just needed to play the role of the sweet “Little Alpha” in Sister’s heart.

Seeing Lan Yan prepare to leave, Zhang Baiyang panicked. He hopped out of his car and blocked her path. “It’s my grandfather’s eightieth birthday. I’m here to deliver an invitation personally. CEO Lan wouldn’t deny me this face, would she?”

“Naturally.” Lan Yan sat in the driver’s seat, gave a fake smile, rolled down the window, and snatched the invitation. Coldly, she said, “Invitation received. Now, move out of the way, Director Zhang.” Her foot was already hovering over the accelerator.

“Wait!” Zhang Baiyang hurriedly jammed his hand against the window glass. “Since we’ve bumped into each other, why don’t I treat you to dinner? My grandfather has been mentioning you lately.”

Old Master Zhang was a kind elder who used to play chess with Lan Yan’s own grandfather. Lan Yan had a good impression of him, making it all the more baffling how the same genetics could produce someone as repulsive as Zhang Baiyang. He was like a piece of sticky candy—not particularly dangerous, but extremely gross.

Lan Yan’s impatience peaked. Just as she was about to snap, Su Yi’an spoke up nonchalantly: “Sister and I have already eaten. We have things to do. Would this Uncle please be so kind as to move? Thank you!”

She was perfectly polite, but the word “Uncle” turned Zhang Baiyang’s face green. He was only thirty-five—six years older than Lan Yan. This little “Pretty Boy” was calling her “Sister” while calling him “Uncle,” clearly using age to mock him.

Zhang Baiyang glared at Su Yi’an, his voice sharp: “Isn’t this the Alpha CEO Lan has been keeping lately? I heard she doesn’t even have pheromones. No matter how undiscriminating you are, Lan Yan, you shouldn’t keep a useless waste. These college girls nowadays are truly shameless so young and already looking for a free ride.”

A little white face living off a woman… how can she compete with me? I’ll show her how cruel society is soon enough.

Zhang Baiyang paused, then continued with pure malice: “Actually, CEO Lan and I are of the same generation. You should call her ‘Auntie,’ little girl.” When it came to sarcasm, he had never lost.

Su Yi’an lowered her eyes and said nothing, looking as though she had been struck down by his words. In reality, she was counting silently in her head: Three, two…

When she reached “one,” Lan Yan simply barked “Get lost,” rolled up the window, and drove away, leaving a fuming Zhang Baiyang in the dust.

“Lan Yan!” Zhang Baiyang roared. If he hadn’t pulled his hand back in time, he would have been seriously injured. What’s so good about that little brat that Lan Yan protects her like that?

He returned to his car, his expression growing more vicious. Lately, the Zhang Group had been under constant pressure, while the Lan Corporation was thriving. The more this happened, the more he wanted Lan Yan—not just for her, but for the family backing her. Tomorrow’s banquet would be his chance. Once people saw them together, she would have no choice but to marry him, and the vast Lan enterprise would be his.

After losing Zhang Baiyang, Lan Yan felt more worried than angry. She glanced at the silent girl beside her, fearing the man’s words had wounded her pride. As an Alpha, nothing mattered more than pheromones, and Su Yi’an had lost hers for Lan Yin’s sake. The thought made Lan Yan’s guilt intensify.

She chose her words carefully. “We’re almost there. Look at those clothes—take the ones you like to school. The rest I’ll take home so you have things to wear when you visit.”

After starting with a neutral topic, she continued softly, “Actually, the most important thing for an Alpha is their character. Don’t pay attention to that garbage. He’s ugly, so he has to find superiority elsewhere. You’re so beautiful; even without pheromones, many people will like you. Don’t… don’t overthink it.”

It was a clumsy attempt at comfort. Su Yi’an wanted to laugh. She pressed her lips together, looked up with a serious expression, and asked, “Sister, do I really have to call you ‘Auntie’?”

She knew Sister Grape felt guilty and wouldn’t let that greasy man insult her, which was why she had stayed quiet. But she didn’t want Sister to feel too guilty. However, the thought of calling her “Auntie” while marking her… that was a bit much.

Lan Yan: “…Call me Sister!”

So the girl wasn’t sad about her pheromones; she was stuck on this ridiculous question? Lan Yan felt her heart hitch. She wasn’t even thirty yet—she was twenty-nine. She wasn’t old at all! It was all Zhang Baiyang’s fault for making her seem aged.

Lan Yan stole a glance at Su Yi’an’s youthful face and felt a pang of “cardiac arrest.” Compared to this girl in the prime of her youth, she did feel old. If she had married early, her children could probably be running errands by now.

Suddenly self-conscious about her age, Lan Yan parked the car near the university and announced they had arrived. Her attention shifted immediately to the rearview mirror. Her makeup was flawless—no wrinkles. Good. I’m not old. I look younger than my peers. I am NOT in the same generation as Zhang Baiyang.

Su Yi’an had only asked the question to distract her, and she had already forgotten it. Seeing Lan Yan’s sudden coldness, she felt a bit dejected. Grabbing a beige dress, she got out, but turned back a second later. “It’s past noon. Sister, do you want to eat something before you go?”

Sister hadn’t even gently reminded her to take the clothes. Though her expression hadn’t changed much, Su Yi’an sensed she was unhappy. It was a subtle, feminine “sixth sense.” It wasn’t anything she had done, so it had to be Zhang Baiyang. Fine. I’ll make sure that man never appears before Sister again.

Lan Yan looked at herself in the mirror. She didn’t see any traces of time, but the “Auntie” comment still rankled. “Eat by yourself. I’m going back. I’ll pick you up after class,” she said, her face stiffening. It was a rare day off and her pheromones were stable; she wanted to visit her grandfather.

She usually lived with her grandfather and cousins in the villa, but had moved out to avoid affecting them with her pheromone issues. Her grandfather had already called several times begging her to come home.

Lan Yan looked cold, but she was actually someone who feared loneliness and valued affection deeply—she just rarely showed it.

Denied the answer she wanted, Su Yi’an’s mood soured, though she didn’t show it. She said goodbye and walked into the school, then doubled back to hide in a corner and watch her beloved Sister drive away. “A day apart feels like three autumns”—she felt miserable after just a minute.

Once the car vanished, she walked into the campus. She’d only had a bowl of noodles and wasn’t that hungry anymore. If Sister wasn’t eating, she didn’t want to either. Maybe I’ll buy some grapes, she thought. The ones in the dorm were likely gone.

She went to the campus fruit stand. Her eyes were drawn to the large, translucent, juicy grapes—they looked just like Sister’s…

Su Yi’an’s breath hitched. She suppressed the vivid images flashing in her mind and reached for a bunch of the cheapest, less-fresh grapes. On campus, she had to maintain her “poor student” image.

“Auntie, how much for these?” she asked the owner.

The owner, a plump woman in her fifties, remembered Su Yi’an’s beautiful face. The girl always bought the cheapest grapes—a frugal, good student. “Three yuan a catty. This is about two catties. Just give me five yuan.”

“Thank you, Auntie.” Su Yi’an took out her phone.

A hand reached from behind and handed over five yuan. “Hey, Little Su! When did you get back? Buying grapes again without saying hello?”

Su Yi’an turned to see He Xia, who was holding hands with a younger student. Su Yi’an froze. He Xia looked triumphant, and there were faint red marks on her neck. It’s only been one night and they’ve already reached that stage?

“Ahem… let me introduce my girlfriend, Zeng Wei. You’ve met before. I won’t say more—I’ll treat everyone to dinner another day!” He Xia coughed, looking uncharacteristically shy under Su Yi’an’s scrutiny. She never dreamed her confession last night would lead to a room at a hotel. After all these years, she was finally no longer a “virgin Alpha.”

“Good,” Su Yi’an nodded. She was happy for them.

He Xia grinned. “Then it’s settled. Thursday night, the junior girls are free. Bring your ‘someone’ along, too.”

He Xia hadn’t seen any suspicious marks on Su Yi’an, but since the girl hadn’t come back until this morning, she assumed she’d succeeded. Su Yi’an’s “someone” was probably just more discreet about where she left marks. Unlike her own girlfriend—quiet on the outside, but overwhelmingly passionate in private.

Su Yi’an’s eyelid twitched. “We’ll see.”

She had classes all Thursday night, and Sister likely wouldn’t want to come. Besides, if she brought her “someone” and Lan Yin realized the Omega was her own aunt… Su Yi’an couldn’t imagine the disaster.

“Wait for me, babe, I’ll buy you some lychees,” He Xia said to Zeng Wei. She ran to the stand. “Owner, how much? I’ll take them all!”

The owner glared at her. “All of them? Can you even finish them? I won’t sell them to you just to let them go to waste.”

Zeng Wei blushed and pulled on He Xia’s sleeve. “Just buy three or five catties for the roommates to try. There’s at least thirty catties here; we don’t have a fridge.” Lan-jie was right, this girl is a loudmouthed idiot, Zeng Wei thought. But idiots are good—they are easy to control.

“Fine, five catties it is,” He Xia conceded.

After dropping Zeng Wei off, He Xia pulled Su Yi’an aside. “So, Little Su… did you and your Omega… you know? Did you use the ‘stuff’ I gave you?” She made an “indescribable” gesture.

Su Yi’an felt a surge of irritation. If it weren’t for her own quick thinking, that “stuff” would have ended her relationship with Sister. “Use it yourself,” she said, shoving the black plastic bag into He Xia’s hands.

He Xia choked. “I don’t need it. I accidentally marked the junior girl completely last night. If she gets pregnant, we’ll just get married. I can afford a few kids. But you… did you just not get the chance, or did you not use it?” She was dying to know if a top-tier Alpha like Su Yi’an had finally succumbed to an Omega.

Su Yi’an said nothing and strode toward the dorm. Her feelings for Sister weren’t as shallow as He Xia’s—rushing into “that stage” in just a few days. She didn’t need to explain herself. One day, she would be holding Sister and calling her “Wife.” The thought made her breath quicken.

“Hey, wait for me!” He Xia scrambled to catch up. Back in the dorm, she continued: “Little Su, maybe you just don’t know how? Do you want some tips? A complete marking takes at least six hours—it’s a physical workout. You need to prepare nutritional supplements and water for the Omega. Most importantly, don’t rush. Don’t bite too hard at first. Step by step, it flows naturally…”

He Xia prattled on like a seasoned veteran, though she had only “tasted meat” for the first time last night. She was desperate to brag. She wanted to announce to the world that she had completely marked an Omega. She assumed Su Yi’an was just too “pure,” which was why she had no progress.

Su Yi’an’s hand paused as she washed the grapes. She looked dismissive, but her ears were perked. As she listened, images automatically formed in her mind, and her face turned redder and redder. What He Xia is describing is different from the movies and novels… Whether it was useful or not, she decided to learn a little. She and Sister would reach that point eventually. Alphas were usually the active ones; if she was too inexperienced, would Sister be displeased?

Su Yi’an wasn’t normally shy about these topics, but lately, everything reminded her of Sister Grape.

He Xia noticed her silence. “Little Su, are you listening? Why are you blushing while washing grapes? Is it some weird grape fetish?”

Little Su is so Alpha when facing thugs, but so quiet normally, He Xia thought. It’s like talking to a wall.

The heat on Su Yi’an’s face receded. She popped a grape into her mouth and said slowly, “It’s hot.”

He Xia looked at the sun outside and nodded. “It is hot at noon. I’m sweating too. A red face is normal… Wait! I’ve been talking to air this whole time?”

Frustrated, He Xia snatched a grape from Su Yi’an’s hand and ate it. Immediately, her eyes watered from the sourness. “This is the sourest grape I’ve ever eaten!”

She gave Su Yi’an a thumbs-up of respect. Getting hit with iron bars didn’t bother her, getting her gland bitten didn’t bother her, and even these sour grapes don’t faze her. Little Su has incredible endurance. No wonder she can resist the temptation of a beautiful Omega. That’s why she didn’t ‘take her down’ last night.

He Xia shuddered at the thought. I bet if Little Su was in the heat of passion, she’d still be expressionless, telling the Omega to hand over her gland. She didn’t think any Omega could stand such an unromantic Alpha.

In a way, she was right. If Su Yi’an didn’t love the person, she really might be that cold. Her warmth was reserved only for those she loved.

Su Yi’an was amused by He Xia’s reaction. A tiny smile appeared as she held up the grapes. “Want more?”

She didn’t hate He Xia, but her big mouth caused trouble. If Sister Grape heard He Xia’s nonsense, she’d think Su Yi’an was some playboy. “He who lies down with dogs rises with fleas”—she didn’t want Sister to judge her by her roommate.

He Xia waved her hands frantically. “No, no, no! Too sour! Have mercy, Little Su!”

Su Yi’an nodded, her meaning clear. “If you’re not eating, then talk less.”

“OK!” He Xia made a sign. She wasn’t stupid; she knew Su Yi’an didn’t want to hear it. But she truly believed Su Yi’an needed to learn the basic skills of an Alpha. If she got dumped by her Omega for being bad in bed, there would be nowhere to cry. Fine, I’ll stop. She’ll learn the hard way. I need a nap anyway before I go see my girlfriend. I need energy to keep her satisfied.

“Little Su, wake me up for class,” He Xia said as she flopped onto her bed.

Su Yi’an gave an “OK” sign.

The dorm finally went quiet. She took off her glasses, took out her phone, and stared at her chat history with Sister.

He Xia, who had just lain down, realized her phone wasn’t charging. She sat up and saw Su Yi’an’s phone. “Little Su! When did you get a new phone? Isn’t that the new high-end brand model?” It was expensive. He Xia had wanted an older version that looked similar but couldn’t afford it now that she had a girlfriend.

Little Su having this phone is suspicious… she thought. Could she be… a ‘Sugar Baby’ to some rich, old Omega? It would explain the expensive dress she brought back. Little Su never bought dresses, only cheap T-shirts.

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. She prepared a mental speech to guide her roommate back to the right path. But before she could speak, the beautiful roommate showed a soul-stirring smile.

“She gave it to me,” Su Yi’an said. “It’s a matching pair with hers.” Her tone was as proud as He Xia’s when she bragged about her girlfriend.

Double standards, He Xia thought. She acted so dismissive when I was bragging!

“Little Su… be honest. Should we call your ‘someone’ Uncle/Auntie or Brother/Sister?” He Xia tested tentatively. She didn’t want to see her brilliant roommate on the school forums for being a sugar baby. Why take that path when she was so talented? He Xia didn’t look down on the poor, but she looked down on those who lived off others.

Su Yi’an hesitated. “Call her… Sister.” (From her perspective, she was “Sister,” but from Lan Yin’s, she was “Auntie.”)

That hesitation made He Xia feel like the sky was falling. “Little Su! Why would you do this?” It’s true! She’s being kept by an old woman! “I have to stop this before anyone finds out. Her reputation will be ruined!”

Because Su Yi’an had saved her before, He Xia couldn’t hate her. She wanted to help. “Tell me, how much do you owe? If it’s under 50,000, I’ll help you pay it back. If it’s more, we’ll find a way. Just break up with that old woman before you’re discovered. How can you ruin your future for some old hag?”

Su Yi’an’s smile froze. “Sister is not an ‘old woman’.”

Did He Xia misunderstand something? Didn’t everyone praise Lan Yan’s beauty when they first met?

“I think you’ve been brainwashed by her! Wake up! Loving money is wrong!” He Xia sounded exactly like Chen Zhi.

Su Yi’an felt helpless. If the time were right, she’d drag her Sister in front of them and slap their faces with the truth. Sister’s skin and figure are better than all of yours combined! And do I look like I lack money? I was after her body… cough… her heart from the start.

To stop the nagging, Su Yi’an put on her headphones. She played the song she’d heard in Lan Yan’s car today. It was lyrical; Sister liked it, so she liked it.

He Xia felt her roommate was beyond saving. She sighed as she plugged in her phone. It buzzed—a message from her “Sweetheart” asking to meet at the art studio after class. He Xia’s eyes lit up. She quickly messaged back: “Babe, I have something to tell you. Help me come up with a plan, but don’t tell anyone.”

“It’s Little Su… yeah, she was tricked by an old woman… she doesn’t have a ‘beloved Omega’ at all. Help me pull her back to the right path…”

“Yeah, I never thought she’d do this. Choosing an old woman over a cute junior girl… but I think they haven’t ‘done it’ yet. I couldn’t smell any Omega pheromones on her. I can’t even smell Little Su’s pheromones lately… Okay, love you, bye!”

He Xia hung up and turned to see Su Yi’an looking at her.

“Little Su… did you hear all that?” He Xia felt a pang of guilt, then justified herself.

“By the way, I’ll be living at ‘home’ from now on. I won’t be back often,” Su Yi’an said, removing an earbud.

Did she hear me? He Xia didn’t know whether to be relieved or angry. “Whatever,” she muttered. Living at ‘home’? If she could afford that, why wait until now? That old woman must have talked her into moving in.

The whole afternoon, He Xia was distracted in class, getting called out by the professor several times. Su Yi’an was caught in the crossfire. “Did you have a fight with your girlfriend?” Su Yi’an asked, having to pay attention now. She’d hoped to nap since she knew the material, but because of He Xia, the whole class was looking at them. She needed her energy for when she saw Sister later.

“No,” He Xia pouted.

Su Yi’an was confused. He Xia was looking at her like she was some heartbreaker. If Sister saw this, she’d think I’m in an Alpha-Alpha relationship. “Stop looking at me like that,” she snapped.

Confirmed, He Xia thought. She’s too far gone. The old woman’s poison is deep.

As soon as class ended, He Xia dragged Su Yi’an out. “Come have dinner with me and my girlfriend.”

Su Yi’an brushed her hand off. She saw a message from Lan Yan sent thirty minutes ago: “I’ll pick you up a bit later.”

“Did Sister eat dinner? I can cook for her later,” she replied.

The reply was instant: “No, I’m eating with my family tonight. Eat at school, or go back to my place and cook for yourself.”

The joy in Su Yi’an’s eyes vanished. “Okay, Sister. I’ll eat at school.”

If Sister wasn’t eating, she had zero desire to cook. She might as well join He Xia. Maybe He Xia really was fighting with her girlfriend and needed a mediator. “Let’s go,” she said.

From just wanting a kiss, she now wanted to be with Sister every second. Desires were never satisfied. Su Yi’an didn’t know how others felt when they fell in love, but for her, every one of Sister’s moods dictated her own.

He Xia watched her mood swings in silence. The old woman’s poison is in her bone marrow. I’ll let my girlfriend talk some sense into her. If that doesn’t work, I’ll follow her tonight to see who this old woman is.

Su Yi’an saw He Xia’s strange expression but ignored it. In her experience, if He Xia had something important to say, she’d blurt it out. Anything else was just nonsense.

She thought it was a small matter until she walked into the restaurant. Lan Yin, Zeng Wei, and several other junior students were all looking at her with the same “complex” expression as He Xia.

He Xia was surprised to see Lan Yin and the others. She pulled Zeng Wei aside. “Babe, you told them?”

Zeng Wei nodded. “You said Senior Su was stubborn. I was afraid I couldn’t convince her. Lan-jie and the others are better at persuading people, so I told them. More hands make light work.”

“Smart,” He Xia lied. She hoped Su Yi’an wouldn’t blame her for being a big-mouth.

Su Yi’an felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. “Something wrong?”

A few students started to speak, but Lan Yin stopped them. She smiled and pulled out two movie tickets. “We saw Chen Zhi’s new movie yesterday. It’s very sweet—perfect for couples. They say 99% of Omegas love Chen Zhi. I’m sure Senior Su and her girlfriend haven’t seen it. There’s a 3D showing at 8:00 PM tonight at the Starry Cinema near campus. Take these as a gift from us. We wish you two a long and happy relationship.”

Lan Yin’s tone was gentle and elegant, very persuasive. Su Yi’an relaxed, took the tickets, and thanked her. My future niece is quite like Sister Grape good at handling people, though one is ‘cold outside, warm inside’ and the other ‘warm outside, cold inside’.

She really did want to watch a movie with Sister. Does Sister belong to that 99%? she wondered with a hint of jealousy. Chen Zhi is a total black-bellied person in real life only naive girls fall for her public image. If they knew her true face, they’d quit the fandom immediately.

But the movie theater near campus… that was interesting. Su Yi’an’s gaze darkened slightly as she rubbed the tickets. She smiled suddenly. “Did you girls have something to say to me? You all look like you’re holding back.”

One student blurted out before Lan Yin could stop her: “We want to pull Senior Su back to the righteous path!”

Su Yi’an glanced at He Xia, who was looking everywhere but at her. She understood. “I think you’ve misunderstood. I haven’t strayed from any path. Everything I have was obtained through proper means.” She looked deeply at Lan Yin, her eyes full of sincerity.

“But Senior He said—”

The student was interrupted as Lan Yin pressed her hand and smiled softly. “Alright. Since Senior Su said so, why dwell on it? We are all adults; we know what to do and what not to do. Let’s order and eat. I’m hungry.”

This little niece is quite insightful for her age, Su Yi’an thought.

Support