The CEO Omega’s 'Soft Rice' Alpha - Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Neither Su Yi’an nor Lan Yan immediately reached for the plane tickets in Grandpa Lan’s hand. Both knew in their hearts that Grandpa didn’t want them to witness his final moments. Likely, Grandpa himself realized that his time was up.

That was why he had arranged not only their wedding night but even their honeymoon.

Seeing their expressions, Grandpa Lan’s smile didn’t waver. “Don’t you like the place I picked? That’s alright. I remember Yan Yan wanted to see the snow in Iceland, right? I’ll rebook the tickets. Though, it might be a bit too cold there right now.”

“Grandpa…” Lan Yan’s voice choked up. The expressions of the rest of the Lan family were equally grim.

Grandpa Lan’s smile faded intentionally. “Yan Yan’s marriage is a happy occasion. Why all these long faces? Are you brothers jealous?”

Lan Yan bit her lip, nearly bursting into tears. She knew Grandpa was trying to shield her and send her away, but how could she leave his side at a time like this?

The atmosphere turned heavy.

Su Yi’an squeezed Lan Yan’s hand and naturally took the tickets, smiling. “We love whatever Grandpa arranges. It’s just that my health is a bit poor, and I’ve been lacking physical strength lately. I probably can’t go on a long trip right now. How about this, Grandpa we go in a few days, okay?”

As she spoke, her legs trembled slightly, making her claim look very convincing.

Seeing this, Grandpa Lan couldn’t help but wonder if the soup he gave them last night was too strong, turning the energetic Rabbit he first met into a “limp-legged rabbit.” His gaze moved from Su Yi’an’s trembling legs to his granddaughter’s face, which looked quite “well-nourished.” He gave a light cough. “Alright then.”

He sighed internally. It seemed the tonic was indeed too potent, otherwise they wouldn’t have just come down now. Nutrient solutions had been sent up several times yesterday; the Rabbit had clearly been through an ordeal. A miscalculation, he thought. If I’d known, I would have told the servants to put in fewer herbs.

He sensed he was near the end. If Yan Yan watched him go, she would be devastated. But perhaps this was for the best; he believed she would soon have her own child. Then, her love would transfer to the child, and she wouldn’t grieve his passing for too long.

Grandpa Lan’s gaze was so obvious that even the Lan brothers looked at the pair with complex expressions. They hadn’t expected their sister to be the one “dominating” the Alpha. Seeing such a “weak” Alpha actually made the brothers feel more at ease. If an Alpha couldn’t even overpower an Omega in that department, they certainly wouldn’t be able to control Yan Yan with pheromones.

Lan Yan, of course, saw what they were thinking. A surge of embarrassment washed over her, momentarily masking her grief. What is the Rabbit saying?! She’s making it sound like I was the one without restraint, draining her dry. Last night, it was clearly the Rabbit who wouldn’t let me go…

She couldn’t bear to think about it further. Faced with the meaningful looks of the family—especially Lan Yin, whose face was flushed with embarrassment she secretly pinched the soft flesh at the Rabbit’s waist.

Su Yi’an: “…” She nearly dropped the tickets.

The excuse she made was interpreted the wrong way by Grandpa and the brothers. Okay, she admitted she had hinted at it, but wasn’t that because she knew Sister didn’t want to leave? She sacrificed her own image; any other excuse wouldn’t have let them off the hook so easily with Grandpa.

The pinch didn’t hurt; on the contrary, Sister’s hand was soft and weak, making Su Yi’an’s heart itch. Having just finished her rut, she was susceptible to even the slightest ripple of emotion. Su Yi’an stood still with a stiff face, looking no different than usual, but her misty eyes betrayed her. Had they not been in front of the whole family, she might have begged her Sister for a kiss or a hug, just like yesterday.

Lan Yan felt burned by that gaze and quickly withdrew her hand, pretending she hadn’t done a thing. After being together for a while, she knew exactly when the Rabbit was being a “bad rabbit” or a “good rabbit.” One look at those eyes, and she knew what her wife was thinking.

Their gazes met and parted, always carrying an unspeakable bashfulness. Though they weren’t touching, simply looking at them felt like being stuck in sticky maltose. The Lan brothers felt like they were being force-fed sugar until it was sickeningly sweet. Yan Yan was never like this before she met this little Alpha.

Grandpa Lan’s smile grew wider. “Alright, don’t just stand around the old house. Those who have work, go to work; those who have school, go to school. Go on, don’t just stare at me.”

Lan Yan snapped back to reality. Hiding her embarrassment, she grabbed Grandpa’s arm and followed Su Yi’an’s lead. “Grandpa, the Rabbit isn’t feeling well and has already asked for leave from school. We want to stay here for a while.”

Su Yi’an nodded. She had told the principal she was getting married, and he had given her half a month of wedding leave. Because she knew Grandpa would pass away soon, she had taken a long leave to be with Sister. But with Madman Wang interfering, she didn’t know when things would be resolved, so she added another half-month. Exactly one month.

If she could handle Madman Wang quickly, she’d have more time for Sister and could find the right moment to explain her background. For some reason, the more Sister doted on her after the marriage, the worse her premonition became. She feared Sister would find out the truth before she could confess.

To stay and watch over Grandpa with Sister, she had already discarded her pride as an Alpha. If Grandpa still tried to drive them away after such a sacrifice, it wouldn’t make sense. If push came to shove, she’d just fake a faint—she wasn’t leaving today.

The others made their own excuses: Lan Yin: “Great-grandpa, I have almost no classes and I’m mostly interning. I want to stay for a few days.” Lan Yu: “My bar hasn’t been busy, and I’m tired. Since everyone is here, I’ll rest for two days too.” Second Brother: “My drug research was suspended. I have nowhere else to stay, so I’ll stay here.”

Uncle Lan: “Dad, I have no plans, but Yan Yan’s parents and Lan Da are coming back tomorrow morning. I’ve scheduled to meet them here.” Third Brother: “I haven’t seen Yan Yan in a long time. It’s a rare occasion that she’s married, I want to hang around.”

Grandpa Lan’s face darkened as he glared at the Third Brother. “Listen to the nonsense you’re spouting! ‘A rare occasion she’s married’? I think your skin is itching for a beating.” Even so, he finally stopped trying to chase everyone away.

The whole family breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing him so energetic and normal, they even held a shred of hope. But the doctor’s words hung over them like a sharp blade.

Grandpa Lan stayed awake, and everyone chose to keep him company. He smiled, occasionally chiming in, looking at them with affection and a hint of reluctance.

Time passed. Eventually, Grandpa Lan closed his eyes. After a long silence, he slumped onto the sofa. Everyone thought he was just tired. Lan Yu reached out to wake him and move him to the bedroom: “Grandpa, we…”

The moment he touched that cold hand, Lan Yu’s face turned pale. “Grandpa?” The others panicked and swarmed around him. “Grandpa! Dad! Great-grandpa!” Their cries could not wake the man who had entered eternal sleep.

Midnight struck exactly at the start of the third day Grandpa Lan had passed away peacefully, without suffering. Before he went, he had spent his time talking to his favorite granddaughter, giving her many instructions. The gist of it was always the same: Be happy.

The system was right; he was destined to go. Even though Su Yi’an spent 99 points to ensure he felt no pain for those three days, she couldn’t save him. At most, she gave him comfort and a chance to say goodbye.

Lan Yan’s parents and the eldest brother didn’t make it back in time for the final moment. Soon, Grandpa Lan was moved to the city’s largest funeral home.

Lan Yan cried until her eyes were swollen. Su Yi’an’s heart ached so much that her own eyes remained red all night. On the second morning, the parents and the eldest brother arrived, greeted only by the coffin and a black-and-white portrait.

A light rain began to fall. Many people came to pay their respects. The funeral home was crowded, and the parking lot was full.

Su Yi’an was holding a black umbrella, wiping Sister’s tears. She happened to look up and saw a man following the eldest Lan brother. Her heart skipped a beat. That round, middle-aged man who was always smiling… wasn’t that her own father, Old Man Su?

Why is he here?! He was supposed to be in the States! If he saw her and accidentally outed her identity, she and Sister would be finished. She realized then: Old Man Su was close friends with the eldest Lan brother; that was why they had jokingly arranged a childhood betrothal between her and Lan Yin.

The situation was too sudden. As the two men walked closer, Su Yi’an’s heart pounded against her ribs. Her hand, which was wiping Sister’s face, accidentally applied too much pressure. Lan Yan let out a soft groan as her skin turned red.

Su Yi’an pulled her hand back immediately. “Sorry, Sister.” If my identity is exposed now, I don’t know if Sister can take it. My dad is her brother’s best friend, and I married his sister how awkward would that be? If the roles were reversed and her wife had lied like this, she might have killed her. She could only pray Old Man Su wouldn’t notice her.

Lan Yan shook her head. She hadn’t slept all night, and her eyes were as red as a wolf’s. “It’s okay… Rabbit… help me out. I need a place…” She felt her head throbbing. She was Grandpa’s favorite; she couldn’t collapse in front of him. But she couldn’t hold on. Before she could finish her sentence, she collapsed into Su Yi’an’s arms. Consequently, she didn’t see that her parents had returned.

“Sister… don’t scare me!” Su Yi’an caught her and quickly carried her out. The commotion drew attention, and Old Man Su looked over, but because of the crowd surrounding Su Yi’an, he didn’t see her face clearly.

He thought he heard his daughter’s voice. Was it a hallucination? He knew his daughter had liked the Lan sister for a long time, so he assumed she might be here. Last time he tried to ask for a meeting for her, he was rejected. Clearly, his daughter had failed her pursuit. Still, he wondered if she’d snuck in because of her infatuation.

He had no idea that his daughter hadn’t just seduced his friend’s sister into bed, but had actually married her and kept him in the dark about it. If he knew, he’d definitely give her a thrashing.

“What’s wrong?” The eldest Lan brother patted his shoulder. Old Man Su shook his head. “I might have misheard. What happened over there?” “I didn’t see either. I’ll ask later.”

Su Yi’an carried Lan Yan to the car. Just as she was about to start the engine for the hospital, Lan Yan woke up. She grabbed Su Yi’an’s arm. “Rabbit, just get me a bottle of water. No hospital. I just need to rest.” She knew her own body; she was just exhausted from the rut and the sleepless night. Plus, dealing with the Lan family’s rivals among the mourners had drained her.

“Sister… we should see a doctor.” Su Yi’an felt her heart breaking. In just one night, Sister looked so haggard. She couldn’t imagine how much more painful it would have been if Grandpa had died in agony without saying goodbye.

Su Yi’an didn’t push. She got out to buy water. Lan Yan drank it, and her color improved slightly. She was exhausted, but whenever she closed her eyes, she saw Grandpa.

“Sister, sleep for a bit. My uncle and brothers are inside.” Lan Yan shook her head and unbuckled her seatbelt. It was 10:41 AM. More mourners were arriving. She had to stay strong so their rivals wouldn’t have anything to mock.

Su Yi’an held her back, her tone uncharacteristically firm. “Sister, sleep for a while. Do you want Grandpa to be sad?” Besides, Old Man Su is still inside. I cannot meet him. If she was going to confess, now was the worst time. She had to stay hidden.

Lan Yan didn’t speak, but her eyes were full of complex emotions that made Su Yi’an’s heart soften. She slowly let go of her hand.

As Lan Yan opened the car door to step out, He Xia and Lan Yin’s other friends ran over, sweating and carrying wreaths. “Auntie! It’s good you’re here, we couldn’t find the way in.” “Auntie, please accept our condolences.”

The girls were chattering when they realized Lan Yan wasn’t fully out of the car yet and Su Yi’an’s hand was still holding hers. Everyone froze. Even the talkative He Xia went silent, her eyes widening in shock.

She had organized the group to come pay respects since they were close to Lan Yin. She had texted “Junior Su” about it earlier but got no reply, assuming Su was with her girlfriend. She hadn’t expected Su to be here already.

What she really couldn’t understand was why Su was alone in a car with the “Little Auntie,” holding her hand so intimately, tens of meters away from the funeral hall.

Su Yi’an let go. Lan Yan stepped out and nodded to them. Finally, He Xia couldn’t help it. She swallowed hard. “Auntie, you and Junior Su…”

Lan Yan wasn’t in the mood for an elaborate explanation. “I felt unwell, she was going to take me to the hospital.” “Oh… I see.” The girls relaxed. That sounded reasonable.

But the next moment, Lan Yin ran over and shattered their peace. “Auntie Rabbit! Did you take Auntie to the hospital?” Lan Yin had seen Lan Yan faint earlier and only just got away. She had grown so used to the name over the last two days that it slipped out naturally.

He Xia and the others: “…” They nearly dropped their wreaths.

If they remembered correctly, the “Auntie Rabbit” Lan Yin always talked about was the “Little Auntie’s” lover. Lan Yin called Senior Su… ‘Auntie Rabbit’?!

It was the most unbelievable title they had ever heard. Looking closely, without her glasses, Su Yi’an’s eyes looked exactly like that “Auntie Rabbit” they had glimpsed once before.

Everyone fell into a silence far more awkward than before.

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