The Stunning Omega CEO Always Wants Me to Mark Her - Chapter 8

“How is it wrong? It’s perfectly right.”

Zhu Huan picked up the thread: “This is the last chance, you know. If you two are really that scared, better not go in.”

Wen Xiangzhu exchanged a look with Lu Xiaomeng before shaking her head. “I want to go.”

Lin Sui stayed silent. She could still feel her hand being tightly held—the warmth soft, yet sticky with nervous sweat, wrapping around her fingers.

As they stepped into the haunted house, the heavy doors swung shut behind them.

The only light came from a dim overhead bulb. In front of them stretched a narrow corridor leading into nothing. To their right was another passage, just as narrow, just as empty.

One glance, and Lin Sui understood. “This is basically a maze. We need to find the right path and go upstairs to meet the owner of this house.”

“That guy just now said to go right.” Lu Xiaomeng swallowed nervously. “Should we… try the right side?”

“That guy was off,” Zhu Huan cut in. “He said we were five people, and even called us ‘fresh and tasty’.”

The words fell into silence. Nobody spoke again. All Lin Sui could feel was the hand clutching hers tightening even more.

She hesitated, but didn’t shake it off, only asked calmly, “Class rep, which way do you think we should go?”

The girl beside her blinked and glanced around. “No idea. Both corridors look the same. Nothing to go by.”

“What about you, Lu Xiaomeng?” Lin Sui tilted her head toward her.

Caught off guard at being asked, Lu Xiaomeng froze a moment, then stammered, “How about… we go right? Just to see if what that guy said was true or not?”

“Fine.” For reasons she didn’t bother to analyze, Lin Sui smiled. “Let’s go right, then.”

Zhu Huan stared at her in surprise, baffled, but didn’t argue.

Even Lin Sui herself wasn’t sure what she was expecting. Maybe it was just a streak of mischief. She already knew that path was the wrong one—yet she wanted to see how the others would react when they got scared.

The right passage ended in a turn to the left.

They had barely rounded the corner when a strange sound came from behind them.

Wen Xiangzhu gripped Lin Sui’s hand tighter. “W-what… what was that?”

Lin Sui glanced back, paused briefly, then said, “It means… we’ve got company.”

At that, Wen Xiangzhu nearly jumped out of her skin. She had been only holding onto Lin Sui before, but now she clutched her whole arm and buried herself against her. “Wh-what do you mean!?”

Her faint fragrance brushed Lin Sui’s nose; her arm was pressed with soft warmth. Lin Sui’s expression stiffened. She couldn’t decide whether to shake her off or just let her cling.

Zhu Huan looked at the sight—Wen Xiangzhu wrapped around Lin Sui like an octopus—and after a moment’s hesitation said, “Well… if you two aren’t running, I’m going first.”

With that, she bolted forward.

Lu Xiaomeng, glancing between the two who stayed frozen in place, quickly hurried after. “Wait for me!”

The narrow corridor emptied fast, leaving only the two of them.

Lin Sui drew a slow breath. “Don’t hang onto me.”

Wen Xiangzhu hunched her shoulders, voice trembling with the edge of tears. “I’m scared…”

Lin Sui’s brow twitched. She turned her head to glance at the NPC shambling closer with a knife, then bent slightly to whisper, “If you don’t move, the servant with the blade will catch us.”

The words had barely left her lips before Wen Xiangzhu shrieked and tugged hard at her arm. “Run, run—let’s go!”

Lin Sui let out a small laugh. “Fine, fine, let’s go.”

The NPC kept up the act dutifully, following them at a steady pace, never too near, never too far. Yet Lin Sui couldn’t shake the feeling that the actor’s gaze carried a hint of resentment.

Just as she thought, the haunted house really was a maze—every turn opened onto yet another branching path.

They stumbled along, crossing paths with several NPCs, until at last they found a staircase.

Zhu Huan and Lu Xiaomeng were already there, waiting who knew how long.

“You’re slow.”

Lin Sui shot Zhu Huan a glare.

With Wen Xiangzhu glued to her arm the whole way, walking fast had been impossible.

Finally realizing it, Wen Xiangzhu loosened her hold at once. She lowered her head, lips pressed tight, her cheeks burning red.

Zhu Huan’s eyes flicked between them, her tone oddly amused. “Not bad… what were you two sneaking off to do?”

Lin Sui blinked, completely baffled, and rolled her eyes at her.

The rest of the haunted house went by without fuss. By the time they stepped back outside, night had already fallen.

Zhu Huan let out a long sigh. “Boring. That was way too easy.”

Lin Sui checked her phone. “It’s about time. Everyone else already headed back.”

“Mm.” Zhu Huan nodded and pulled out her phone. “Then let’s call it a day. My driver’s waiting out front.”

Lu Xiaomeng hurried over to tug Wen Xiangzhu’s sleeve. “Let’s go together. We can keep each other company.”

At once, the rest froze in awkward realization.

Right—they’d forgotten.

Zhu Huan knew well enough about Lin Sui’s desire to avoid suspicion. She quickly smoothed things over, looping an arm through Lu Xiaomeng’s. “Come on, I’ll have my driver drop you off. Don’t mention it.”

“But Wenwen will be alone—”

“Don’t worry about her. Lin Sui will take care of it.”

“…Alright then.”

The two of them walked off, leaving Lin Sui to glance sideways at Wen Xiangzhu.

“Come on. Time to go home.”

“Okay.”

By the time they reached the gate, the car was already waiting.

As soon as they climbed in, Uncle Wang spoke up. “Young Miss, Second Miss, I bought the motion sickness medicine.”

Lin Sui followed his gaze, reached out to take a pack, then grabbed a bottle of water and handed both to Wen Xiangzhu.

“Take it.”

Wen Xiangzhu blinked, caught off guard, and accepted them with a dazed expression.

“What’s with that face?” Lin Sui raised a brow, watching her leisurely.

Snapping out of it, Wen Xiangzhu pressed her lips together. “Nothing…”

Only after she took the pill did the car slowly pull away.

It had been a long day. Lin Sui was indeed tired. She leaned back in her seat, drifting toward sleep.

Just as she was about to doze off, something brushed against her hand.

Her mind cleared a little. She turned her head, half-lidded eyes meeting Wen Xiangzhu’s serious gaze.

“Jiejie, I want to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“Last time, when you said I…”

Wen Xiangzhu hesitated, as if finding it hard to put into words.

Lin Sui looked at her strangely. After a pause, she pressed a button on the car door.

With a soft mechanical hum, the partition rose, completely separating the back seat from the driver in front.

“Go on,” Lin Sui leaned back, her voice listless. “He can’t see or hear us now.”

Wen Xiangzhu blinked, bit her lip, and whispered, “That time during my heat, when you gave me the suppressant—you said I liked Chen… Chen something-xing.”

At that, Lin Sui lifted her eyelids, her gaze flickering before settling on the delicate little face in front of her.

“That’s not true. I don’t even know him!” Wen Xiangzhu explained quickly. “He did give me a love letter that morning, but I rejected him. I didn’t know who he was. It was only after you mentioned it that day that I asked around and learned his name.”

She lifted her head, looking straight at Lin Sui. “Jiejie, I really didn’t.”

Lin Sui stayed silent, staring deeply into her eyes as if trying to read something hidden there.

But she was far too tired. At last, she looked away. “Why are you explaining this to me?”

“I was afraid you’d misunderstand.”

Her voice was soft, sticky-sweet, like glutinous rice melting in honey.

Lin Sui still wasn’t fully awake. She muttered absently, “Does it matter?”

“It matters a lot.” Wen Xiangzhu’s expression was firm. Afraid she wouldn’t be believed, she added, “It’s really, really important.”

That made Lin Sui chuckle softly.

“I understand.”

She remembered telling Wen Xiangzhu before: don’t disgrace the Lin family, don’t do anything that might harm them, or she would be thrown out.

Now, she understood why Wen Xiangzhu had gone out of her way to explain.

The girl truly didn’t want to be driven away.

With that realization, Lin Sui simply turned her back and drifted off into a nap.

Beside her, Wen Xiangzhu gazed at the curve of her shoulders. Her lashes trembled, and her eyes clouded with faint disappointment.

________________________________________

When they got home, Lin Sui enjoyed a long hot shower. By the time she stepped out, her whole body felt boneless, and she collapsed onto the bed.

Her dark hair spread loosely across the pillow, spilling over the pristine white sheets.

She was staring blankly when a knock sounded at the door.

“Jiejie, may I come in?”

Lin Sui refocused her eyes but had no desire to move. She called lazily through the door, “What for?”

There was no answer—only another soft knock. “Jiejie, may I?”

A headache started to build. With a sigh, Lin Sui got up and opened the door. Wen Xiangzhu stood outside in a beige nightdress, her hair damp, the towel-wrapped ends resting on her shoulders.

“Jiejie, my hair dryer broke. Could I borrow yours?”

She looked freshly showered, her cheeks rosy, her lips plump and glistening as if glossed. She seemed soft, delicate—almost edible.

Lin Sui narrowed her eyes, her gaze darkening before she finally stepped aside. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you, Jiejie.”

Wen Xiangzhu smiled sweetly and walked in.

As she passed, a faint fragrance drifted with her.

Lin Sui lowered her gaze and quietly closed the door.

Wen Xiangzhu went to the vanity, sweeping her damp hair to one side before picking up the dryer.

Lin Sui watched for a while. Before she knew it, she had stepped closer, until she stood right behind her.

Through the mirror, Wen Xiangzhu caught her reflection and gently turned the dryer off.

“Jiejie, did you need it?”

“No. You use it.”

Lin Sui’s eyes lowered, lingering on the exposed gland at the nape of her neck.

So that was it.

She had just showered and hadn’t put on a barrier patch yet.

Unwittingly, that sweet wine-like scent had already filled the room—subtle, but pervasive, seeping into every breath.

Lin Sui felt a fleeting daze, her teeth itching faintly. But as soon as she realized, she turned away, opening the balcony door and stepping into the cool night air.

The chill wind sobered her slightly.

She didn’t know how long had passed before Wen Xiangzhu quietly joined her, voice muffled.

“JIejie.”

“Mm?”

“Do you… hate me?”

Lin Sui’s heartbeat seemed to stumble.

She wasn’t someone who liked blunt honesty. Some things were better left to feeling—why force them into words?

Besides, she wasn’t even sure herself whether what she felt for Wen Xiangzhu counted as dislike.

She stayed silent for a long while. Before she could answer, Wen Xiangzhu gave a small, bitter smile.

“I understand.”

She turned to leave.

Panic flared inexplicably in Lin Sui’s chest. “No.”

At her words, Wen Xiangzhu froze. Slowly, she turned back, eyes careful, searching. “No… what?”

No what? No, she didn’t hate her?

Lin Sui wasn’t certain herself.

But she felt that if she said nothing, she might regret it.

“Mm…”

“I don’t hate you.”