Transmigrated as the Scumbag Alpha’s Gorgeous Wife Who Keeps Trying to Seduce Me - Chapter 45

After leaving Xue Pantao’s place, Pantao asked, “Zhao, want to go to a bar tonight? Let’s stay out all night.”

Chi Lengzhao shook her head. “I’ll pass. You two go ahead and have fun.”

Pantao hesitated for a moment, as if she wanted to say something else but held back. In the end, she simply said, “Alright. A Duo and I will go.”

Chi smiled and teased her, “Not going to see your Manager Tong tonight?”

Pantao grinned proudly. “I’ve made dinner plans with Xiao Mei’s mom. After dinner, we’re all heading to the bar.”

Chi looked surprised. “So… it’s a date?”

“No, not really. Just a casual dinner with everyone. Me, A Duo, Tong Yan, and that assistant who works at her shop.”

A Duo was quietly snacking on potato chips and asked, “I’m just the extra person. Can I skip it?”

Pantao slung an arm around her neck. “Nope. That’s exactly why you have to come. You don’t have to talk, just eat.”

A Duo nodded. “That I can do.”

As Chi got out of the car and looked across the garden, she saw a large Christmas tree by the living room window. The tree was covered in little lights, flickering gently as evening settled in. It looked warm and beautiful.

She carefully tucked the small succulent into a tote bag, adjusted her coat, and walked toward the house.

Shen Zhixi greeted her with a soft smile. “You’re home early today.”

Chi Lengzhao handed her coat to Fangfang and replied, “It’s Christmas Eve.”

Fangfang asked, “Miss Chi, should we serve dinner a bit earlier tonight?”

“Sure,” Chi said with a smile. “Since everyone’s home, let’s eat early. After dinner, how about we play cards?”

“Cards?” Fangfang blinked in surprise, her cheeks turning pink. “I don’t know how.”

Hua Zi perked up immediately. “I do! So does Housekeeper Zhou!”

Chi turned to Shen Zhixi. “Zhixi, do you know how to play?”

Shen Zhixi smiled gently. “A little, but I’m not very good.”

“That’s fine. I’m not great either. I just know the basics.” Chi smiled. “Perfect. Four of us can make a table.”

Hua Zi was thrilled. “Sorry, Fangfang, looks like you’ll be stuck watching and serving tea. Hahaha!” She ran into the kitchen to tell Housekeeper Zhou the good news.

Dinner that night was a feast. There was fish, shrimp, crab, chicken, beef, lamb—everything you could imagine. Even the vegetable dishes filled several plates.

Knowing that Shen Zhixi didn’t like beef, Chi picked out a piece of chicken for her.

When she saw how big and juicy the crab was, Chi peeled one and gently placed it on Shen Zhixi’s plate.

“I can do it myself,” Shen Zhixi said softly, a light blush on her face.

“It’s not every day we have an early dinner together. Let me pamper you this once.”

Housekeeper Zhou stood nearby, watching quietly. She smiled and felt truly comforted. The young miss really had changed since getting married.

Shen Zhixi picked up a thick slice of grilled wagyu beef and placed it on Chi’s plate. Chi dipped it in sauce and took a bite. Her eyes lit up with delight.

“This wagyu is amazing. The flavor is just right—perfectly cooked, not too tough or too soft. What a shame you don’t eat beef, Zhixi. Guess I’ll have to finish it for you.”

Chi couldn’t help watching Shen Zhixi eat. She took small, neat bites, elegant and calm. Her cheeks puffed out slightly now and then, making her look like a fluffy white bunny. It was absolutely adorable.

Chi started giving her more and more food, mostly vegetables—broccoli, bamboo shoots, lotus root, yam.

Shen Zhixi gave her a helpless look. “I can’t eat anymore.”

“Take your time. Eat what you can,” Chi said gently, though her chopsticks didn’t stop. “Be good, just one more piece of carrot.”

Shen Zhixi didn’t say anything, but her expression said plenty.

After dinner, Hua Zi eagerly helped clean the table and began setting up the mahjong table.

“Miss Chi, where should we play?”

“In the activity room. It’s warmer over there.”

“Got it!”

Chi shook her head with a smile. “I didn’t know Hua Zi was such a gambler. Looks like we’re going to lose tonight. Just look at how excited she is—she must be really good.”

Shen Zhixi sat with Zai Zai in her arms, gently petting his soft fur. “Hua Zi just loves being around people. She picked it up from playing with my mom.”

“So she’s a top student from your mom. How’s her skill level?”

“Not very good. She loses most of the time.”

Chi couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Then tonight I’ll try to beat her for once.”

They started playing around 7:30 in the evening and originally planned to wrap up by 10. But Hua Zi refused to quit. “One more round! Just one more!” she kept saying.

Eventually, they played until 11.

Poor Hua Zi still lost. And she lost even more than she had at 10.

Chi and Shen Zhixi didn’t win either. Housekeeper Zhou took home all the winnings.

She grinned happily. “Thank you, Miss Chi. Thank you, Young Madam. Thank you, Hua Zi.”

Hua Zi gritted her teeth in frustration. “Housekeeper Zhou, you better treat us to milk tea tomorrow. I want the most expensive one!”

“No problem at all. I’ll even order ten cups for you if you want!”

Hua Zi grumbled, “So frustrating!”

After her shower, Chi Lengzhao carefully took the little succulent out of the tote bag. Thinking about giving it to Shen Zhixi as a Christmas gift, she felt like a nervous teenager, full of uncertainty and anticipation.

Shen Zhixi will like it, right?

Chi Lengzhao hid the plant behind her back and quietly pushed open the bedroom door.

Shen Zhixi wasn’t sitting on the bed scrolling through her phone or reading, as she usually did. She was standing in front of the wardrobe, head lowered. Her expression wasn’t visible, but Chi could see a gentle pink blush on her fair cheeks.

Hearing the door open, Shen Zhixi quickly shut the wardrobe and turned around to face her.

“Zhixi, today’s Christmas Eve… I, um, I have a little gift for you.”

Chi Lengzhao had never felt so nervous, not even when speaking in front of a crowd. Her cheeks were flushed as she pulled the hidden plant from behind her back and held it out in both hands.

“This is for you!”

Shen Zhixi was clearly surprised. She accepted the small box with both hands and opened it. Inside was the adorable succulent. The moment she saw the two long, bunny-like ears, her face lit up.

“It’s so cute! Absolutely adorable!”

Seeing the sparkle in her eyes and the soft smile on her lips, Chi Lengzhao finally relaxed. Her heart, which had been pounding with nerves, now fluttered with joy.

“It’s called Monilaria obconica. People call it Little Bunny. Isn’t it adorable? Look at those bunny ears. Don’t they kind of look like us?”

As soon as she said it, Chi felt her words were a little too self-indulgent and quickly stopped talking.

Luckily, Shen Zhixi was completely focused on the plant and didn’t notice anything odd. Her smile deepened as she said, “Thank you. I really like it. I’ll take good care of these two little bunnies.”

Chi Lengzhao nodded. “The shopkeeper said they’re sensitive to the cold.”

Shen Zhixi softly acknowledged that, then placed the pot on the sunny windowsill—right where she’d see it the moment she woke up each day.

Then she said, “I have a gift for you too.”

“What is it?” Chi Lengzhao’s eyes lit up with excitement.

It didn’t matter what Shen Zhixi gave her—a note, a handmade leaf bookmark, a pretty piece of candy—she would be thrilled no matter what.

Shen Zhixi opened the wardrobe again and took out a soft, peach-pink scarf.

“I made this for you. I knitted it myself.”

Chi Lengzhao was stunned. She hadn’t expected Shen Zhixi to personally knit something for her, let alone know how to knit at all.

“Can I help you try it on?” Shen Zhixi asked.

“Yes!”

Chi leaned forward slightly and lowered her head. She felt the soft scarf wrap gently around her neck. Then, a pair of fair, delicate hands tied a neat knot in front of her chest.

Chi’s eyes were drawn to those hands—slender fingers, slender wrists, skin as smooth and white as jade. They were truly beautiful.

“All done,” Shen Zhixi said as she looked up.

Chi lifted her eyes too, and their gazes met.

Shen Zhixi’s eyes sparkled like stars, bright and deep. They reminded Chi of a quiet, endless river, pulling her in completely.

Her heart pounded wildly. Her cheeks grew hotter by the second. The beating in her chest was almost too much to bear.

“Zhixi…” Chi whispered, barely able to get the words out.

A wave of uncontrollable restlessness surged through her. Her blood felt like it was burning.

Seeing Chi’s lips inching closer, Shen Zhixi lowered her head slightly. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, twisted nervously.

But she didn’t pull away.

She didn’t hide.

She only stood there, heart racing faster and faster.

Chi Lengzhao leaned in closer, and closer. There was only one thought in her mind now—she wanted to kiss Shen Zhixi. She wanted to taste her lips, to savor the scent of laurel that made her so enchanted.

Just then, a loud ringtone broke the moment.

Both of them froze, like waking suddenly from a dream, and quickly pulled away from each other.

Chi answered the call. Pantao’s urgent voice came through the phone.

“Zhao, you need to get here right now! Shi Xin’s stirring up trouble again. I don’t know what he said to Si Yu, but she’s crying like crazy. She’s completely falling apart!”

Afraid that Chi might hesitate, Pantao shouted, “Zhao, you have to come! I think Shi Xin’s trying to take Si Yu away with him. If she really goes with him, it’s over! I can’t stop them!”

Chi Lengzhao understood exactly what Pantao meant by “take Si Yu away.” No matter what, she was still living under the identity of the original Chi Lengzhao. She couldn’t turn her back on Si Yu.

“Zhixi, something came up. I need to go to Pantao’s place. There’s been a situation.”

She quickly pulled on a sweater, threw on a coat, stepped into her boots, and said, “Get some rest. I’ll be back later tonight.”

Shen Zhixi had already overheard some of the conversation and didn’t say a word. She just watched Chi rush to get dressed and already knew where she was going—and who she was going to see.

Just as Chi reached the door, she realized Shen Zhixi hadn’t spoken a single word.

She turned around and saw her standing still, head lowered, her lips tightly pressed together.

Chi’s heart ached. She walked over and hugged her tightly.

“I’ll be back soon. Please believe me.”

Shen Zhixi stood frozen. By the time she came back to her senses, the warmth of the embrace was already gone. Chi had disappeared beyond the door.

Now the room was completely silent.

Shen Zhixi walked to the window. She watched as Chi drove away in the Rolls-Royce, its red taillights vanishing into the dark.

It was like she was speaking to Chi, or maybe to herself.

“I know you’re not really her. But I want to believe in you. I’ll wait for you to come back.”

In the packed bar, men and women danced closely together. Because it was Christmas Eve, the crowd was larger and wilder than usual.

Chi Lengzhao pushed her way through the noisy, crowded space, trying to find the private room Pantao had mentioned.

“Wow! Hey, beautiful! Let’s have a drink together!” a man whistled and called out.

“She’s Chi Lengzhao! An S-class Alpha! What are you even trying for?”

Chi Lengzhao thought to herself, Looks like my reputation hasn’t faded. I haven’t been here in so long, and people still recognize me.

“Chi, gorgeous as always. Why are you alone tonight? It’s Christmas Eve. How about buying me a drink?” A seductive-looking woman approached, trying to lean close.

Chi gave her a quick glance. She looked no older than twenty, dressed in a way that tried to appear mature and sultry beyond her age.

“No thanks. I’m here to find someone.”

The woman smirked. “Looking for Si Yu, right? You’re late. She’s already got company tonight.”

Chi didn’t respond. She quickened her pace, pushing through the crowd toward the private rooms.

“The last one at the back,” the woman called out. “It’s packed in here. If you release your pheromones, people will move aside. They’ll know you’re here.”

“Thanks,” Chi said sincerely, but she chose not to release any pheromones. She used her own strength to push through the crowd.

The woman looked surprised, shrugged, and turned back to her drink.

Inside the hallway, voices were rising in argument.

“Xue Pantao, you’re so annoying! Move out of the way!”

Pantao blocked the doorway with her body. “Shi Xin, let go of Si Yu! You can leave, but not with her!”

“You’re too nosy. Is Si Yu your girlfriend or something? Move before I make you!”

Pantao had always been a little afraid of Shi Xin. He was taller, more aggressive, richer, and way more favored by the family than she was. If things got ugly, her father wouldn’t stand up for her. He’d probably slap her for causing trouble.

She turned toward Si Yu, pleading, “Si Yu, wake up! Zhao is almost here. She’s on her way. You can’t go with him!”

A hard punch landed on Pantao’s stomach. She bent over in pain, face twisting, and dropped to the ground holding her belly.

Tong Yan frowned and stood up. Her young assistant tugged on her arm and whispered, “Boss, don’t get involved. These people are powerful. We can’t afford to mess with them.”

Tong Yan looked back and said calmly, “You and A Duo stay out of this.” Then she stepped forward and faced Shi Xin directly.

“Mr. Shi, Si Yu isn’t sober right now. We’re all worried about her. Please let her go.”

“She wants to leave with me. Why should I let her go?” Shi Xin looked Tong Yan over from head to toe, grinning with a disgusting smirk. “You’re not bad looking. But I’m busy tonight. Maybe another time.”

“You—” Tong Yan’s face darkened in anger. “Watch your mouth.”

Pantao, still crouched down, pulled at Tong Yan’s sleeve and whispered, “Come here… be careful.”

Tong Yan bent down slightly. “Are you alright, Pantao?”

“I’m fine… I’ll be okay…”

Shi Xin sneered. “So you’re Tong Yan. Honestly, you’re not all that. If you’re into someone like Pantao, why not pick me instead? I’m at least a hundred times better. Whatever she’s paying you, I’ll double it.”

“You’re shameless!” Tong Yan couldn’t take it anymore and slapped him across the face.

But she was just an Omega. Shi Xin easily grabbed her wrist and held her firmly.

He laughed again, voice full of arrogance. “A rose with thorns. Fine. Let’s have some fun tonight. I don’t mind sharing.”

Tong Yan struggled, trying to pull her arm free. At the same time, she grabbed Si Yu and shook her lightly. “Miss Si Yu, please wake up. Come on, focus.”

Shi Xin shoved Tong Yan’s hand away. “Stay out of this. This doesn’t concern you.”

Si Yu was completely drunk, her whole body limp and weak. Every time she tried to pull away from Shi Xin’s pheromones, he tightened his hold on her.

“Let me go… please let go…” she murmured.

Pantao forced herself up, swaying on her feet. She stood in front of Tong Yan and shielded her.

“Shi Xin! You’re not taking Si Yu anywhere! She’s Zhao’s girlfriend. You can’t take her!”

“Oh really? You’re brave now, Pantao? Talking back to me?” Shi Xin stepped forward and jabbed her finger hard against Pantao’s chest. “Figure out where you stand. Who do you think you’re supposed to follow?”

“I follow Zhao. I choose Zhao, every time,” Pantao said firmly.

“Just like Hanzi, huh? Another ungrateful brat. Have you forgotten who took you in when you had nowhere to go?”

Pantao didn’t answer.

She remembered. She’d run away after a huge fight with her parents and ended up at Shi Xin’s place. The four of them drank until they couldn’t stand, while she cried and ranted for three days straight.

“Move! I’m taking Si Yu tonight, no matter what!”

Pantao didn’t move. “You know Si Yu is Zhao’s girlfriend, and you’re still trying to take her. Shi Xin, that’s low. You’re betraying a friend.”

Shi Xin laughed coldly. “A friend? Does she even see me that way anymore? All she cares about now is her wife, Shen Zhixi!”

Pantao stayed quiet. She knew Shi Xin had made several passes at Shen Zhixi, and Zhao had clearly told her they were no longer friends.

Tong Yan also didn’t speak. It all sounded like messy drama—complicated, emotional, and full of betrayal. From what she heard, Chi Lengzhao didn’t seem much better. Married, but still involved with someone else.

Si Yu whispered again, barely conscious. “Let me go… please…”

Pantao jumped in. “Did you hear that, Shi Xin? Let her go!”

Shi Xin snorted and turned toward Si Yu. “Zhao doesn’t want you anymore. Why are you still clinging to her? Be with me. What does she have that I don’t?”

Pantao shouted, “Don’t listen to her, Si Yu! Zhao’s on her way! She’ll be here any second!”

“Yeah, right. It’s Christmas Eve! If she was really coming, she would have been here by now. She’s probably at home, holding her beautiful wife, already forgotten all about you.”

Suddenly, Si Yu tensed. She clutched her head and shook it, her expression pained.

“Stop talking! All of you, stop!”

Her knees buckled, and she started to fall.

Shi Xin reached out to catch her, but someone else got there first.

A hand shoved Shi Xin aside, another caught Si Yu before she hit the floor.

“Si Yu,” the voice called softly.

Pantao looked up and finally let out a long breath of relief.

“Zhao… thank god you made it.”

“You really came, Chi Lengzhao. Didn’t want to leave your precious little wife at home?” Shi Xin said mockingly, clearly enjoying herself.

“That’s my business. You don’t need to worry about it,” Chi replied calmly.

But that sentence seemed to strike a nerve with Si Yu. She suddenly shoved Chi hard.

“Why did you come? Go away. Just leave!” she shouted.

Shi Xin laughed. “Si Yu, you finally see her for who she is. She doesn’t love you the way you thought she did. You’re better off with me.”

Whether out of spite or heartbreak, Si Yu actually reached for Shi Xin’s arm and looked like she was ready to leave with her.

Chi Lengzhao grabbed her quickly. “Si Yu, stop it.”

Si Yu threw off her hand and turned around sharply. Her eyes were red. “So you think I’m just being dramatic, is that it?”

Shi Xin looked more pleased than ever. Pantao and Tong Yan stayed quiet. It was not a situation where either of them could say anything helpful.

Chi Lengzhao silently cursed her bad luck. Shen Zhixi was waiting for her at home, but she couldn’t just abandon Si Yu either. She could not stand by and let Si Yu be taken away by Shi Xin, not when the original Chi had once meant so much to her.

“Si Yu, please let me explain.”

“Explain what? More lies?” Si Yu snapped. “Today is Christmas Eve. Five years ago, on this exact night, you met her.”

Shi Xin added coldly, “Your five-year anniversary. Don’t tell me you forgot.”

Chi Lengzhao froze. She really didn’t know.

Si Yu saw the blank look on her face and understood everything. Her heart sank. Holding back tears, she said bitterly, “That’s what I thought.”

Then she turned and said, “Shi Xin, I’ll go with you. I don’t want to see her again.”

Shi Xin gave her a smug pat on the shoulder and flashed a victorious smile at Chi. “Did you hear that? Step aside.”

Chi stood in place, frustrated and helpless. Suddenly, she stepped forward, scooped Si Yu into her arms, and ran.

“Pantao, come on!” she called over her shoulder.

Pantao blinked, stunned, then shouted, “Coming!”

Chi called back again, “Miss Tong, please come too.”

Pantao quickly grabbed Tong Yan. “Sorry to trouble you again, Tong Yan.”

She glanced back at the room, where A Duo and the young shop assistant were still nervously nibbling on snacks.

“A Duo, stop eating. Go take her home.”

A Duo replied with a mouth full, “We’re done? We can go?”

“Yes. Tonight’s over. Get out of here. Go home.”

They pushed through the crowded bar and finally made it outside.

Shi Xin followed them for a few steps but then stopped. A wicked thought crossed her mind. She pulled out her phone and started taking pictures. A slow smile curled on her lips.

Tomorrow’s gossip headlines were about to get interesting.

Just a short distance from the bar, around 400 meters away, was a five-star hotel. Chi Lengzhao carried Si Yu straight into the lobby. Surprisingly, the front desk didn’t even stop her.

“Good evening, Miss Chi,” the receptionist said politely.

Chi paused for a moment. Si Yu, now calmer, spoke softly.

“Put me down.”

Chi gently set her down. Si Yu quickly grabbed her hand like she was afraid Chi would leave again.

“Come upstairs with me. Just for a little while?”

Pantao and Tong Yan arrived right after. Pantao was out of breath, panting heavily. For an Alpha, she looked more exhausted than Tong Yan, who was an Omega.

Hearing Si Yu’s request, Pantao said, “Go ahead, Azhao. Don’t worry about us.”

Chi nodded. She didn’t want to hurt Si Yu any more than she already had. “Alright. I’ll take you up.”

The hotel room door clicked open. Chi helped her to the bed and waited until she lay down comfortably. Just as she turned to leave, she felt arms wrap tightly around her from behind.

“Azhao,” Si Yu whispered. Her pale arms wrapped around Chi’s neck. “Where are you going? Don’t leave me.”

“Si Yu, you’ve had too much to drink. You should rest.” Chi tried to gently remove her arms.

But Si Yu clung to her tightly.

“No. I’m not drunk. I’m completely sober. Azhao, why won’t you see me? If Pantao hadn’t called you tonight, would you have come at all?”

Chi stiffened. She had no answer.

“I watched the variety show you were on.”

Tears began to fall, landing on the peach-pink scarf wrapped around Chi’s neck. At first, the warmth of the scarf softened them, but soon they turned cold as they slid down her neck.

“You really love her, don’t you? What about me? Do you not love me anymore?”

More tears followed, soaking the back of Chi’s neck.

“Azhao, please don’t be so cruel to me. I really love you. We promised we’d be together forever. Just the two of us. We said we’d always love each other. Have you forgotten?”

Chi bit her lip and lowered her head, saying nothing. She wasn’t the same Chi Lengzhao. She wasn’t the person Si Yu had loved so deeply. She couldn’t return that kind of love.

“I miss the way things used to be. I know you only married her because of your father. You’ve always been the best to me. Always.”

Si Yu cried against her back, her tears coming faster.

“Even if you don’t love me anymore, even if you really love her, please don’t push me away. Don’t ignore me. I know I’m not good enough for you. Only someone like Miss Shen deserves to be your wife. But I’m willing to stay like this, hidden in the background, just to be near you for the rest of my life.”

Chi felt a mix of emotions swelling in her chest.

Si Yu truly loved the original Chi Lengzhao.

It was a deep, painful kind of love that was impossible to ignore.

Chi slowly turned around and looked at her seriously, full of guilt.

“I’m sorry. But I’m not the same person anymore.”

“What do you mean, not the same?” Si Yu’s tears were endless. Her makeup was ruined, but she didn’t care. She grabbed tightly onto Chi’s shoulders.

“You love her now, don’t you? I said I didn’t mind. I only want to know that you still love me.”

Chi gently pressed down on her arms.

“I’m sorry. I can’t. I need to go.”

“No. You won’t even spend Christmas Eve with me?”

Si Yu pulled off the scarf from Chi’s neck and let her fingers gently touch the back of her neck.

A faint scent began to fill the room. It quickly grew stronger.

Chi caught the scent with her nose. It was balloon flower. The pheromones of an Omega.

“Azhao, these three days are your heat cycle. Let me stay with you. Don’t go.”

Chi froze in place, stunned.

Her heat cycle.

Now it all made sense.

No wonder she had been feeling so restless, so unsettled. The original Chi Lengzhao’s heat cycle had begun.

The susceptible period is when an Alpha needs the comfort of an Omega’s pheromones the most. During this time, an Alpha becomes like a wild animal in heat, unable to handle any form of teasing or temptation from an Omega.

The moment Si Yu’s S-class Omega pheromones drifted toward her, Chi Lengzhao’s senses were overwhelmed.

Surrounded by the intense scent, Chi Lengzhao felt her heartbeat race. The restlessness she had been trying to suppress inside her body surged up again, stronger than before. This time, the unease and discomfort were nearly unbearable.

Her Alpha instincts shouted at her. She wanted to mark this Omega. She wanted to use Si Yu’s pheromones to calm herself.

She wanted to kiss her. She wanted to bite her. She wanted to claim her.

Inside the hotel’s lounge bar, Xue Pantao and Si Yu sat facing each other.

Xue Pantao cleared her throat. “Let’s wait here for a bit. I’ll check in a while, and if nothing comes up, I’ll take you home.”

They were all adults. Chi Lengzhao and Si Yu shared that kind of relationship. At such a late hour, everyone could guess what might happen if Pantao walked Si Yu upstairs.

Maybe Chi Lengzhao would send them a message before they even asked, telling them to leave without her.

Tong Yan sipped her hot tea and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s going on between Si Yu and Chi Lengzhao? Is today their fifth anniversary?”

Xue Pantao nodded. “Yes, they met five years ago. That night, during the Peace Festival, the four of us went to a bar. Si Yu had just started singing there.”

“That night, the second son of the Wei family got drunk, climbed on stage, and started harassing Si Yu. He tried to force her to leave with him for drinks.”

“Everyone knows the younger Wei is wild,” Pantao lowered her voice. “He’s even caused real trouble before.”

“Si Yu didn’t want to go, and while they were struggling, Lengzhao rushed onto the stage, pulled Si Yu away, and declared in front of everyone, ‘She’s mine.’”

“That was how they met.”

“After that, they got close. Lengzhao showed up almost every night to support her. She’s always been a bit flirtatious, but it was understandable. She’s tall, pretty, can play piano and sing, and knows how to talk. Tons of girls liked her.”

Pantao sighed and took a big sip of juice.

“Si Yu really liked her too. Whenever Lengzhao came, she’d buy drinks for all of us. After performing, she would stick to Lengzhao’s side. We were all so jealous back then.”

“They even started a band together. Si Yu was the lead singer, and Lengzhao played the keyboard. Every time they performed, they brought the house down. Even Feng Kan, the famous singer, wrote a song for their band back then.”

“Seriously?” Tong Yan was surprised. Everyone in the music scene knew Feng Kan. Even she, a total outsider, had heard many of his songs.

“Of course. It was that song ‘Sprint.’ We only found out then that Lengzhao was truly talented. She could not only play instruments, but also sing and dance. She was a true all-rounder.”

“What happened after that? Did Chi Lengzhao cheat? Did she stop loving Si Yu?”

“No, Lengzhao always loved Si Yu. As for cheating, she did have other women, but those were just for show. A bit of vanity, to not seem left out. But Si Yu was different.”

“She even kept a presidential suite here at the hotel for Si Yu, just so it’d be easier for her to commute. She bought her a luxury apartment too. When they had time, they stayed there together like a couple, cooking and living together.”

Pantao sounded full of envy as she spoke. Her tone turned slightly bitter. “But let’s not talk about her cooking. It wasn’t good.”

Pantao had chased four different girls before. She could cook way better than Chi Lengzhao. At least her food was edible. But no matter how sincere she was, none of them wanted to become her girlfriend.

This was what they always told her:

“I’m going abroad, so we can’t continue. Let’s end it.”

“Pantao, you’re a good person, and I tried, but… feelings can’t be forced. Please don’t contact me again.”

“Can you stop bothering me? I was drunk and said something I didn’t mean. You’re just not my type.”

The most ridiculous one was a long-distance relationship. They never even met in person. That girl just kept asking for money. One day her mom was sick, then her grandfather, then her uncle… always small amounts, like three or four hundred thousand yuan.

Eventually, Chi Lengzhao stepped in. She took the phone and said calmly, “Hey, Pantao’s too shy to say this, but her family’s business is in trouble. Can you lend her a million yuan to help out?”

After that, the girl disappeared completely. No one ever answered the phone again.

“So Chi Lengzhao really loved Si Yu?” Tong Yan asked.

“Yes, you could tell it was genuine love. But then she suddenly started dating Shen Zhixi, the heiress of the Mei Xi Group. We were all surprised. Maybe it was because Shen Zhixi is the top Omega in Haibin? I don’t know. Anyway, Lengzhao chased her for over a year, and now they’re married.”

Tong Yan didn’t ask further. Even the deepest love can’t compete with the right match. That’s how marriages in powerful families work.

“Si Yu must be really heartbroken,” she said softly.

Xue Pantao nodded. “She never said anything, but I know it hurts her.”

After a short pause, she sighed deeply. “Honestly, after Lengzhao got married, she changed a lot. She became so serious and mature, really like a company president. It’s like she became a whole new person.”

“She’s a proper wife now. Goes to work, comes home, enjoys life with her spouse. Poor Si Yu though. I can’t say Lengzhao did anything wrong. She has a family now, and staying out of the dating scene is the right thing. It’s just… Si Yu is the one who got hurt.”

Pantao sighed again, clearly more troubled than Chi Lengzhao herself.

Tong Yan asked, “Do Chi Lengzhao and Shen Zhixi have a child? Is that who ‘darling’ is?”

Pantao laughed. “No, that’s their cat. I gave it to Lengzhao. A fairy cat, male.”

She pulled out her phone and showed Tong Yan a picture.

Tong Yan’s eyes lit up. “He’s beautiful. About two years old now? You really gave him away?”

“I had no choice. He didn’t get along with my cat, Xiao Mei. They fought all the time. So I sent him to Lengzhao’s place. He’s living the good life now.”

Tong Yan looked at a few more photos and smiled. “They’re really taking good care of him. You can see it.”

“Of course. It’s President Chi’s house. Of course he’s being spoiled.”

As they spoke, Chi Lengzhao suddenly rushed out of the elevator. Her face was flushed, and her scarf was tightly wrapped around her neck.

They were both surprised. They didn’t expect her to come down so quickly.

“Miss Tong,” Chi Lengzhao said, “could you go upstairs and check on Si Yu? She drank a lot tonight. I’m worried something might happen if she’s alone. Here’s the room key. Thank you.”

Tong Yan took the card and nodded gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”

Chi Lengzhao thanked her again, then turned to Pantao. “Pantao, I need your help. Please take me home. As fast as possible.”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay? You don’t look well.”

“I’m just feeling a little off. I’ll be fine after some rest.”

Pantao quickly hailed a taxi. On the ride, Chi Lengzhao leaned weakly against the seat. Her body felt unbearably hot, like she was burning. Her head felt heavy and dizzy.

“Just hold on a little longer, Lengzhao. We’re almost home.”

“Okay.” Chi Lengzhao gritted her teeth in silence. It wasn’t the heat she feared. It was her own pheromones. She could feel her glands reacting to Si Yu’s scent. They were swelling, restless, eager to be released.

With her eyes closed, she focused all her strength on resisting the urge. She tried with everything she had to suppress it.

A voice inside her mind warned her clearly.

Chi Lengzhao, no matter what happens, you cannot let your pheromones escape.