The CEO Omega’s 'Soft Rice' Alpha - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Lan Yan rushed over as soon as Lan Yu’s people had helped Jiang Mu into the car.

She was worried that something might have happened to the little Alpha and had imagined many scenarios, but the only thing she hadn’t expected was to rush over and see the little Alpha walking together with Zhan Ming.

Zhan Ming—the very person she had once considered signing an agreement with.

How were they together? Did the little Alpha know Zhan Ming?

Then again, they were schoolmates and both Chemistry majors; it wasn’t strange for them to know each other. But why were these two at a bar together? It couldn’t be that they were working part-time together, could it? Recalling Lan Yu’s strange tone earlier, Lan Yan had a faint, ominous premonition.

Her pupils constricted slightly as she stood still, letting the sweat from her forehead trickle down. “You… what are you doing here?”

Lan Yan had said long ago that the little Alpha didn’t belong in a place like this.

This current state of Lan Yan’s was a massive temptation for Su Yi’an. The slightly rapid breathing, the flushed cheeks, the stray hairs at her temples dampened by sweat, and that rising and falling chest…

Perhaps because it was too hot, her Sister had undone the top button of her shirt, which was usually fastened to the very top. It revealed her delicate collarbone and skin as white as snow—it looked as though a gentle bite would leave a deep mark. The shirt was thin, and because of the sweat, she could even catch a glimpse of some hidden beauty.

Su Yi’an’s gaze darkened; for a moment, she didn’t even hear what was being said. She wanted to taste the fragrant softness of those opening and closing lips. Afraid her direct gaze would expose her, Su Yi’an quickly looked away.

Lan Yan frowned and sharpened her tone: “Su Yi’an.”

Was there something shameful the little Alpha couldn’t tell her, looking so evasive? Or had the little Alpha violated the agreement and was working here behind her back—maybe even “receiving guests”?

The atmosphere between them was too subtle. Zhan Ming looked from one to the other and gently nudged Su Yi’an’s arm, reminding her: “Great-Aunt, she’s calling you.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but to Lan Yan’s ears, it was like a clap of thunder.

Great-Aunt?

The two candidates she had hesitated between for so long were… aunt and nephew?

Lan Yan involuntarily took a step back, her eyes filled with shock. After the shock came shame, followed by a sliver of irritation. She wasn’t annoyed with anyone else—she was annoyed with herself. The little Alpha’s classmates weren’t wrong; she really was that “old woman” who had “sponsored” the little Alpha. Especially since this Zhan Ming knew her situation quite well; she had even shown him the agreement before.

Lan Yan suddenly felt unable to face the little Alpha’s classmates. She had an urge to turn and run. But she was, after all, a CEO who had seen many grand occasions; she restrained herself. Aside from the deepening redness on her face, she appeared almost normal.

Su Yi’an came to her senses. She didn’t want her Sister to be embarrassed in front of an outsider, but Zhan Ming hadn’t really done anything wrong, and she couldn’t blame him for such a small slip.

So she only whispered: “You leave first. Remember, do not contact Jiang Dong again.”

Her people were outside. As long as Zhan Ming left the bar, she could guarantee he wouldn’t meet Jiang Dong again tonight. It was only a short distance, and with Lan Yu’s people watching, it should be fine. Her Sister surely had many questions now. She would explain properly and use the opportunity to spend more time with her.

Zhan Ming was obedient. He felt exceptionally uncomfortable standing between the two. After all, Lan Yan had once talked to him about the agreement. Although he and Su Yi’an weren’t blood relatives, with the “Great-Aunt” title attached, he knew Lan Yan was embarrassed, just as he was.

And, whether it was his imagination or not, the moment Lan Yan spoke, he thought he smelled a trace of pheromones on his Great-Aunt. It was very faint, and by the time he tried to sniff again, it was gone. His Great-Aunt must be very interested in this Omega, Lan Yan. It made sense; who wouldn’t be interested in such a beautiful Omega who actively approached them? He just didn’t understand why his Great-Aunt chose this method. With her net worth, pursuing someone normally should be easy. Could it be she was hiding her identity just to “play”?

Toying with an Omega’s feelings and deceiving them for money or sex was even more shameful than being a “kept man.” If that were the case, he wouldn’t help her. Zhan Ming shot a cryptic glance at Su Yi’an and left without hesitation.

Su Yi’an had no idea what her nephew was thinking; all her thoughts were on Lan Yan. Seeing Zhan Ming leave, she adjusted her emotions, walked to Lan Yan’s side, and obediently lowered her head: “That was Zhan Ming. He was brought to this bar by Jiang Dong. I came to save him; I didn’t do anything else. I know Sister doesn’t like me being in this place.”

The three of them had never met at the same time before, so at this moment, she supposedly shouldn’t know about the history between her Sister and Zhan Ming. Without unnecessary words, Su Yi’an’s first sentence was an explanation.

Lan Yan’s expression softened slightly, but she still couldn’t hide her embarrassment. “Zhan Ming is your… nephew?”

The light in the hallway was dim, but it didn’t stop Su Yi’an from seeing the emotions in her eyes. She couldn’t bear to see her Sister feel bad or blame herself, so she nodded: “A distant nephew, I suppose. I saw him once when he was a child and hadn’t seen him much since. I only got in touch because I knew about his family situation and we’re at the same school. Actually, there’s not much of an emotional bond. If Sister doesn’t like him, I can…”

Su Yi’an was telling the truth as well. Aside from her true identity and the System, she didn’t want to hide things from her Sister unless necessary. These two things, however, were things she couldn’t say right now.

“No need,” Lan Yan interrupted urgently, taking a deep breath. “I just… I just didn’t expect it.”

Indeed, she hadn’t expected it. The little Alpha surprised her in too many ways—first it was that kind of movie, now she was Zhan Ming’s Great-Aunt. However, she wasn’t an unreasonable woman; she wouldn’t force the little Alpha to distance herself from a relative just because she disliked him, even if he was a distant one. Although the little Alpha said there was no bond, who knew if that was true? The little Alpha probably sensed the oddness on her face and said that on purpose.

She had to admit, the little Alpha was extremely considerate. Her heart did feel much better. Seeing that the little Alpha was completely unaware of the history between her and Zhan Ming, Lan Yan decided to keep this matter buried in her heart. If she was this embarrassed and ashamed, how would the little Alpha—who had a very strong sense of self-esteem—feel? If the little Alpha found out, would she be unable to face her again?

Let the matter end here. She would find a way to seal Zhan Ming’s mouth another day so he wouldn’t tell the little Alpha. She would just be embarrassed alone. Currently, the little Alpha’s pheromones were her favorite; she had no intention of changing.

Lan Yan tried to stop thinking about the awkward relationship and asked in a relaxed tone: “Is Zhan Ming’s situation resolved now? Do you need my help?” She didn’t want to care about or see Zhan Ming again, but out of consideration for the little Alpha, she asked anyway.

Her Sister was so gentle that Su Yi’an felt a bit shy. She shook her head, her ears turning red. “It’s resolved. Brother Lan helped. But Sister, why are you here?” Because of the System, she knew the content of the call between Lan Yan and Lan Yu, but neither of them knew she could hear. This question was just a way to start another conversation.

The lights flickered. At the stairwell, a man and a woman came out kissing passionately. The noise was so loud it was impossible for them to miss. Both of them flushed simultaneously.

“Jiang Mu got drunk, I came over…” Lan Yan swallowed the rest of her words as she watched the couple, who were kissing noisily and becoming more and more excessive. She turned around and led the way downstairs. “Let’s talk outside.”

The man and woman were an Alpha and an Omega; the scent of their intertwined pheromones could be smelled from a distance. This was a common sight in a bar—two people taking a liking to each other and heading to a room was nothing special.

Su Yi’an already had such thoughts toward the person beside her. Facing this kind of stimulus, she was afraid her own rut would be triggered. She had no resistance against her Sister Grape. If her Sister’s pheromones went into disorder again, the scene would be unimaginable. Although her glands weren’t fully healed, she had smelled her own pheromones during the emotional fluctuation just now after using the antidote. It was faint and fleeting, but it was there. Staying any longer could lead to unpredictable consequences. She didn’t want her Sister to regret it later; she wanted to be with her when she was sober. That would feel much better.

As they walked down the stairs and passed the couple, the two scents of pheromones were quite pungent. As they walked, a piece of clothing fell nearby, but the couple continued their bold actions as if no one were there. Lan Yan frowned, her pace quickening.

She appeared calm on the surface, but with the little Alpha following her, Lan Yan—who had seen many such scenes—felt a trace of panic for the first time. Her high heels were moving too fast, and she accidentally stepped on the fallen clothing, nearly tripping. Fortunately, Su Yi’an was quick to catch her. They were pinned very close together—close enough to feel each other’s heartbeats.

The couple finally stopped, glanced at them, and smiled knowingly. They didn’t do anything else but practically ran upstairs, looking incredibly impatient.

In that momentary exchange of glances, feeling the warmth under her palm, Su Yi’an’s breathing tightened. A sharp pain in the back of her neck made her pull away quickly. “Sister, let’s go.”

The System immediately issued a warning: “Host, you just finished the antidote. Your glands are not fully healed yet. Please be cautious in all things.” It didn’t state it directly, but Su Yi’an understood—her glands weren’t ready for excessive use. Even if she wanted to, her Sister wouldn’t give her the chance. The System was worrying for nothing.

However, the atmosphere in the bar was indeed ambiguous. Staying longer was risky. Not just for her—she felt her Sister’s complexion wasn’t great either. Her pheromones were likely starting to go into disorder.

Su Yi’an guessed correctly. Lan Yan felt extremely uncomfortable, but not because of her glands. Smelling the complex pheromones made her feel strangely nauseous. This was why she disliked bars. She realized she had come to bars more often recently than in the past few years combined. And this time was different; she had stayed too long. After being stimulated by that couple, she didn’t want to stay for another minute.

Fortunately, the scent of the little Alpha’s pheromones beside her was pleasant—a faint wine fragrance, clean and pure, just like the girl herself. It was intoxicating.

Wine scent?

The medicine Jiang Mu gave to induce pheromones was still in her possession; she hadn’t given it to her today. Jiang Mu had said the little Alpha’s glands had no chance of recovery, and without the medicine, it was impossible for her to have pheromones. That medicine wasn’t commercially available. So, where did the little Alpha get it?

Lan Yan’s expression changed. She suddenly grabbed Su Yi’an’s arm. “Follow me.” Regardless of the situation, they had to leave first, or she might actually vomit.

“Okay,” Su Yi’an answered obediently, but a flash of hurt crossed her eyes. Why did her Sister’s face change? Was it because she disliked her being close? Her Sister hadn’t acted like this before. Did she suddenly feel a grudge after learning about her relationship with Zhan Ming?

This was something Su Yi’an hadn’t expected. She had thought her Sister would only be embarrassed, so she hadn’t minded her knowing about the relationship. After all, she had to reveal things step by step. If she had known it would be like this, she would have waited—at least until she had a place in her Sister’s heart.

Unable to read Lan Yan’s thoughts, Su Yi’an worried more and more. Falling in love with her Sister always made her feel this insecure. Although she had money and was good-looking, feelings weren’t just about those things. Her current relationship with her Sister couldn’t withstand much of a storm.

Once they were downstairs, the music was deafening. People were dancing on the floor, lights were flashing, and figures were everywhere. One could easily get lost or be led away by some random person. Someone as good-looking as Su Yi’an or Lan Yan would easily become a target for bar regulars.

No matter how many questions Lan Yan had, she wouldn’t let someone take the little Alpha away. She took Su Yi’an’s hand first. “Stay close to me.”

Unlike upstairs, the music here was so loud that you couldn’t hear the person next to you. Since it wasn’t related to a mission, the System stayed silent. Thus, Su Yi’an—unable to use her mental energy—couldn’t hear what Lan Yan said. She only saw Lan Yan’s lips moving as the lights swept by, smelled her fresh breath, and felt her slightly cool, soft hand.

Su Yi’an’s anxious heart settled instantly. Regardless of how her Sister viewed the relationship with Zhan Ming, her Sister was still tender toward her.

The two walked out of the bar hand-in-hand. The night breeze blew away all the heat.

“Get in the car.” Lan Yan led her to where she had parked, let go of her hand, and opened the door.

“Okay.” Su Yi’an sat in the passenger seat and watched Lan Yan in the driver’s seat without blinking, causing the heat that had just cooled down on Lan Yan’s face to rise again. What was with this little Alpha? She was afraid to look at her before, but now she was staring so directly. Was she trying to prove she wasn’t ashamed?

The little Alpha was so obedient that Lan Yan should have been happy, but she couldn’t ignore those eyes behind the glasses. There seemed to be too much in them—she couldn’t quite understand it, but she didn’t hate it. She even felt an indescribable joy. Lan Yan couldn’t understand the little Alpha, and she couldn’t understand the strange flutter in her own heart.

After sitting quietly in the car for a few minutes, Lan Yan finally remembered to ask: “What is going on with the pheromones on you?”

Su Yi’an was startled and quickly looked away. She had actually stared at her Sister for so many minutes and forgotten to hide her emotions. It was because her Sister had been too gentle just now. Fortunately, her Sister didn’t seem to notice anything. Her Sister’s tolerance for her seemed to be widening. Last time at the bar, her gaze hadn’t even been this direct, yet her Sister had alertly asked if she “liked” her. Now, she said nothing. Did this mean she didn’t have to hold back so much in the future—that she could even be a bit more bold?

Su Yi’an’s eyes showed confusion. “What pheromones?”

She knew what her Sister was talking about, but she couldn’t expose the System and couldn’t explain it. She didn’t want to keep lying, so she played dumb. If her Sister wanted to check, let her check. If even her Sister couldn’t find the truth, then her not knowing would be perfectly logical.

The little Alpha doesn’t know about the pheromones?

Could it be because she was stained with alcohol in the bar? Or had she smelled it wrong? After all, there might have been other Alphas in the bar whose pheromones smelled like wine. To confirm this, Lan Yan leaned in slightly toward Su Yi’an. “Come here.”

She looked like a lover asking for a kiss. Su Yi’an’s heart raced like a panicked deer. She obediently leaned in. Even though she knew her Sister didn’t mean it that way, her face flushed at the images flashing through her mind. Even her breath carried a seductive heat.

Lan Yan was caught off guard by the heat; it felt as if the warmth had spread to her own body. She stared at the little Alpha’s slightly parted lips, getting closer and closer. An indescribable tension and heat spread between them. Su Yi’an’s eyelashes fluttered, and she closed her eyes.

Fortunately, just before they touched, Lan Yan came to her senses. The sight of the little Alpha obediently closing her eyes as if waiting for a kiss made her let out a muffled chuckle. Lan Yan withdrew the emotion from her eyes and moved her gaze to Su Yi’an’s neck. Smelling that faint wine scent again, her smile vanished, and her face became serious.

It wasn’t an illusion. There was indeed a pheromone scent on the little Alpha. It was very faint, almost undetectable, and it didn’t last long, but she had definitely smelled it a moment ago. Thinking optimistically, the little Alpha’s glands were gradually recovering. But sterilization had been incurable until now. The most likely possibility was that something even more serious had gone wrong with the glands.

Lan Yan quickly pulled away and took out her phone. She instinctively wanted to ask Jiang Mu, but as the call went out, she remembered Jiang Mu was drunk tonight. Just then, Lan Yu’s person replied, saying Jiang Mu had been sent home and was already asleep.

“I’m taking you to the hospital for a check-up.” Lan Yan put away her phone and looked at Su Yi’an.

Su Yi’an, who had been nervously waiting for a sweet kiss, widened her eyes. “…”. Never mind that there was no kiss; what was with going to the hospital at a time like this?

The System had said that after using the antidote, the glands would recover bit by bit. People here couldn’t detect the truth; even when she was healed, it could only be attributed to a unique constitution—a miracle. She didn’t want to go to the hospital; the fear of injections would resurface.

Su Yi’an stiffened and shook her head frantically. “I’m not going. Sister, I’m healthy.”

She’d rather go back to school than the hospital—at least school didn’t have the risk of needles. Besides, her Sister said Jiang Mu was drunk. She didn’t want more people looking at her glands and knowing her business. She accepted Jiang Mu because she was her Sister’s best friend, but she couldn’t accept anyone else. And she really was fine; she just couldn’t tell her Sister the reason.

Su Yi’an’s stubborn “death before surrender” look made Lan Yan sigh. She pondered and finally realized she couldn’t do anything about this little Alpha. “Tonight, you’re coming home with me.”

At home, she could keep an eye on her. If there was a real problem, she could take her to the hospital immediately. She couldn’t feel at ease with the little Alpha at school. After all, this injury was truly sustained because of her and Lan Yin.

And… Lan Yan looked at the little Alpha’s bright-eyed and white-toothed appearance, her heart fluttering. Even if it wasn’t to stabilize her own disordered pheromones, she was willing to be with her. Who wouldn’t want a beautiful, obedient bunny?

“Huh?” Su Yi’an was still distressed about the potential injection when she heard this. She didn’t react for a moment.

Lan Yan repeated patiently: “Come home with me tonight. I’ll have Jiang Mu come over to check on you tomorrow. Can’t you smell the wine scent on yourself?”

“Okay, Sister!” The smile on Su Yi’an’s lips couldn’t be suppressed. Tonight was a real unexpected gain—another night sneaking into her Sister’s house. Although she would likely stay in the guest room, being in her Sister’s home made her just as happy. Overall, it was much better than facing He Xia in the dorm.

Su Yi’an deliberately sniffed herself and looked innocent: “I don’t smell anything. Did Sister smell it wrong?” A typical case of getting a bargain and acting innocent.

But Su Yi’an’s purpose clearly went beyond that. As she spoke, she leaned closer to Lan Yan. Lan Yan didn’t think much of it and leaned in to sniff again; she was also afraid she had smelled it wrong. The wine scent was gone, but the scent of the little Alpha’s body wash was also very pleasant—fresh and clean, just like her.

Lan Yan was captivated and involuntarily moved a bit closer. A slight itch crawled up her neck and ears with the other’s breathing. Su Yi’an uncontrollably backed away slightly.

Lan Yan blurted out: “Don’t move, let Sister smell you carefully.”

?

The moment these words were said, not only was Su Yi’an shocked, but Lan Yan herself was stunned.

“Cough… I mean, if you move, I can’t smell your pheromones. Let Jiang Mu check tomorrow. Gland issues shouldn’t be taken lightly.” Lan Yan withdrew her body with a red face. She tried to start the car, but in her fluster, she kept making mistakes.

How was she any different from those greasy old women? Was she really getting old? Lan Yan fell into deep self-doubt.

“Sister.” Su Yi’an gently pressed down on Lan Yan’s hand. “How about I drive?”

Lan Yan paused. “You know how?”

Su Yi’an didn’t say anything; she just pulled her driver’s license out of her backpack. She would slowly, subtly reveal her true self to her Sister.

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