After Appearing on a Dating Show with a Top-Star Omega - Chapter 9

The next morning.

The alarm rang loudly. Jiang Yuan rolled over and turned it off, then sat up with a frown.

The nerves at her temples throbbed and twitched, sending out a sharp ache. She raised a hand to support her head.

Yesterday, she had stayed up very late scrolling through Weibo. She usually kept a regular schedule, but last night, she had actually stayed awake until two.

Jiang Yuan got out of bed to wash up.

Only after cold water splashed onto her face did her mind barely clear.

After turning around twice, she finally remembered that she was at Senior Yu’s house.

Jiang Yuan’s footsteps came to an emergency stop at the door.

She returned to the bathroom and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles on her clothes in front of the mirror before walking out.

Sunlight quietly poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the living room. The surroundings were silent. Only the kitchen carried faint movement.

Jiang Yuan turned on her toes and walked over.

In the kitchen, a figure stood in front of the frying pan. That person wore an apron, her figure slim and graceful, standing elegant and upright like a magnolia.

Yu Qingshi carefully flipped the egg over.

The moment hot oil met water, it crackled and splattered everywhere.

“Ah.” Yu Qingshi was startled by the sudden change and instinctively dodged backward.

Her back collided straight into a warm body.

Jiang Yuan wrapped one arm around Yu Qingshi and shielded her face with her hand, while her other hand picked up the nearby pot lid to block the splattering oil.

“Are you okay?” Jiang Yuan quickly lowered her head to ask. Only after Yu Qingshi stood steadily did she slowly let go.

“I’m fine.” Yu Qingshi was still a little stunned.

The pan gradually calmed down. Jiang Yuan put down the lid, took the spatula from Yu Qingshi’s hand, and placed the fried egg into a bowl.

Yu Qingshi stood beside her and quietly defended herself. “I know how to fry eggs.”

Her voice was soft, like a casual murmur.

Jiang Yuan found her adorable and explained with a light laugh, “The spatula probably had water on it.”

Jiang Yuan joined in making breakfast, and the remaining plating was completed by the two of them together.

The toaster toasted the white bread until it was golden and crisp. Jiang Yuan picked it up and laid it on the table.

The two spread mayonnaise on it, added fried egg, bacon, and lettuce, then cut the toast diagonally.

A nutritious and delicious sandwich was finished.

Jiang Yuan brought the sandwich to the dining table, and Yu Qingshi followed behind her, setting out the milk.

The plates and glasses were arranged neatly, adding several splashes of color to the white wooden table. It looked delicate and warm.

The two sat facing each other for breakfast.

The sandwich had plenty of filling, and black pepper had been sprinkled over the surface. When bitten into, it made a crisp crunch.

The soft-boiled egg broke open, golden yolk flowing out and slowly seeping into the soft toast.

The lettuce was refreshing, the meat fragrance rich, and the combination was perfect.

Jiang Yuan praised, “Qingshi made this even better than the cafeteria’s.”

“Really?” Although Yu Qingshi asked, the corners of her lips had already curved into a smile.

“Really, really.” Jiang Yuan was affected by her mood and smiled along with her.

“There weren’t many ingredients at home, so there was only enough to make one. Next time, I’ll make more.”

“Okay.” Jiang Yuan accepted it naturally.

Yu Qingshi reminded her, “I have a work engagement in another province today, so I can’t send you back to school. I’ll have my assistant send you later.”

“Mm.” Jiang Yuan obediently nodded, then continued asking, “What kind of work does Qingshi have this time?”

“An ad shoot for Fanssty.” Yu Qingshi held nothing back. Afraid Jiang Yuan might not know, she explained, “It’s a jewelry brand.”

Jiang Yuan thought for a moment and felt it sounded a little familiar. She seemed to have heard Liang You mention it a few times.

“A blue-blood luxury brand?” she unconsciously said her thoughts aloud.

“Blue blood” originated from ancient Spain. The nobles had pale skin through which blue veins could be seen, and they regarded this as a symbol of nobility. Later, the term entered the fashion world and came to refer to high-end luxury brands.

Yu Qingshi was surprised. “Yuanyuan even knows this?”

She knew Jiang Yuan did not pay much attention to the entertainment industry, so she had not expected her to even know a term like blue blood.

“I don’t really understand it. I just heard my roommates talk about it.”

Yu Qingshi understood and continued explaining, “They recently launched a new series and invited me to try it on for a shoot.”

Jiang Yuan had heard Liang You mention this before. New series jewelry like this would only be allowed to be announced and lent out after a designated celebrity wore it publicly.

Usually, they invited famous and influential celebrities in the industry.

Jiang Yuan praised her. “The first person to wear it publicly? Qingshi is amazing.”

Fragments of light shone in her burning black eyes, filled with Yu Qingshi’s reflection.

Yu Qingshi felt embarrassed under that gaze and rarely looked away shyly.

She changed the topic and reminded her of something else. “I already handled last night’s news. The marketing account has deleted its account, and I’ll continue following up on the situation. Don’t worry, Yuanyuan. It won’t affect your life.”

It had already deleted its account?

Even Jiang Yuan’s motion of chewing the sandwich slowed slightly. She lowered her eyes.

She thought of the Yu family mentioned in the Weibo comments last night.

She had searched along those lines.

The current CEO of Yu Group was Yu Qingshi’s biological older sister—Yu Qingyi.

Jiang Yuan did not know what was wrong, but it felt as though a stone was blocking her heart. Her emotions were strange.

She and Yu Qingshi were eating face-to-face across the dining table.

Yet there seemed to be a clear, uncrossable gulf between them.

An S-rank Omega, a Best Actress, the daughter of the Yu family.

Layers of halos were stacked upon the person opposite her.

And she seemed to be nothing more than an inconspicuous grain of sand.

“Thank you, Qingshi.” Jiang Yuan replied with the corners of her lips curved, but the smile in her eyes had faded a lot.

Yu Qingshi stared at her blankly. Suddenly, she really wanted to tell Jiang Yuan that this girl, who clearly could not lie at all, had also smiled very reluctantly just now.

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then changed her words. “I’ll send you back?”

“N-no need.” Jiang Yuan shook her head and refused. “I can go by myself.”

“Good luck with your shoot today, Qingshi.”

＊

After breakfast.

When Jiang Yuan returned to school, the first class was about to start.

She hurriedly ran to the teaching building. After spotting her roommates in the lecture hall, she immediately went over and sat down.

As soon as Jiang Yuan sat, Qi Meng’an and Liang You’s gazes moved toward her.

Qi Meng’an pointed to the desk compartment. “I brought your textbook.”

Jiang Yuan said, “Thank you, Meng’an.”

But the two of them still did not move their gazes away.

Jiang Yuan felt a little nervous under their stares. “…What’s wrong?”

Qi Meng’an looked around, lowered her head, and leaned over. “Did you really stay at Senior’s house yesterday?”

“Mm.” Jiang Yuan admitted stiffly.

Liang You poked her head out from the side, her words pitiful. “You actually have connections to know Senior, and you even got together with her. Wuwuwuwu.”

Jiang Yuan: “…”

She did not know how to explain, so she simply closed her mouth and let her roommates imagine things on their own.

Before class started, Liang You secretly passed over a poster. “Xiao Yuan, ask Senior to sign this for me.”

Jiang Yuan nodded. “But I’m not sure if she’ll—”

As she spoke, she casually unfolded the poster.

The moment her gaze landed on Yu Qingshi on the beach, Jiang Yuan abruptly fell silent. Her eyes widened, and her hands moved faster than her brain, immediately closing the poster again.

With a loud “bang—”

The movement was so heavy and the sound so loud that it even drew the attention of the people nearby.

The base of Jiang Yuan’s neck instantly flushed red, spreading all the way behind her ears.

The poster had been shot on a beach. Yu Qingshi was wearing a red one-piece swimsuit, lying on a beach picnic cloth, casually raising a hand to block the blazing sunlight.

The image was lazy and sexy.

The swimsuit was actually rather conservative, and the poster only captured up to her waist, but the impact of red and white was intense, piercing straight into Jiang Yuan’s eyes.

“N-no, this won’t do.” Jiang Yuan immediately changed her words and rejected it.

Her tone was too sharp, so she hurriedly added, “Th-this one won’t do.”

“What’s wrong with this one?” Liang You opened the poster and looked left and right, completely satisfied. “It’s so pretty. This is the one I think looks the best.”

“D-don’t look at it.” Jiang Yuan covered her face and said in embarrassment.

“Fine then.” Liang You carefully put it away, moving gently for fear of leaving even the slightest crease. “I’ll change it to another one next time.”

Jiang Yuan took a deep breath to calm down. “Okay.”

One class passed in a rush. Jiang Yuan did not even react when the teacher stepped down from the podium.

For the entire class, she had actually not taken in a single thing.

Jiang Yuan silently put away the notebook where she had not written a single word and followed her two roommates out.

“Jiang Yuan.”

A faint call suddenly came from beside the door.

Jiang Yuan looked over and met a familiar face.

She had just seen her yesterday.

It was Jiang Qi.

Jiang Qi hesitated. “Can I talk to you?”

Jiang Yuan was puzzled, but still nodded. “Sure.”

The two came to the small path beside the teaching building.

Jiang Qi took out her phone and showed her a screenshot.

After seeing what it was, Jiang Yuan’s pupils shrank slightly.

On the screen was clearly a screenshot of last night’s marketing account’s Weibo post.

Jiang Yuan was stunned and remembered the chance encounter on the forest path last night.

Jiang Qi bit her lip and asked, “The person in this photo… is that you?”

There was nothing to deny. Jiang Yuan admitted it plainly. “It’s me.”

“Then your girlfriend is Senior Yu?” Jiang Qi continued asking, her voice trembling.

Jiang Yuan nodded silently.

Jiang Qi stopped speaking.

Silent stillness spread between the two of them.

Jiang Qi suddenly said in a small voice, “Senior Yu is an Omega.”

“I know.” Jiang Yuan tilted her head, not knowing what the other person meant by this.

“But you… are a Beta.” Jiang Qi hesitated as she spoke.

Jiang Yuan frowned. This time, she did not answer.

Afraid Jiang Yuan would misunderstand, Jiang Qi hurriedly waved her hands and explained, “I-I’m also a Beta. I don’t mean it like that.”

“It’s just… just…” Jiang Qi closed her eyes and blurted everything out at once. “Omegas need Alpha pheromones to get through their heat periods in the first place, and Senior Yu is even an S-rank Omega. You two, you two…”

“Jiang Qi.” Jiang Yuan frowned and, rarely, interrupted someone else. “You’ve offended Senior Yu.”

In ABO society, pheromones were private information. To publicly and boldly discuss an Omega’s heat period like this was crude and rude.

“I’m sorry…”

“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me.” Jiang Yuan’s voice was cold. “Also, this is between me and Senior Yu. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Is there anything else?”

Jiang Qi froze. Her palm tightened around the pink envelope, pressing it into her skin until the flesh turned pale.

No matter what, she could no longer hand it over. Jiang Qi hurriedly said, “Sorry for bothering you.”

Then she immediately turned and ran away.

Jiang Yuan remained where she was.

The summer sunlight was bright and dazzling, passing through the gaps in the leaves and scattering over her, leaving behind spots of flickering light.

Jiang Yuan stood alone on the forest path for a long time without moving.

＊

On the other side.

Yu Qingshi lifted up her hair, cooperating with the staff as they removed the large jewelry necklace from her neck.

But her thoughts had drifted far away to A City. She thought of Jiang Yuan’s forced smile that morning.

She still cared about it.

This morning, she should have sent her back…

Her manager stood beside her, flipping through the schedule on her phone.

Since it was the beginning of the month, she had not arranged much work for Yu Qingshi.

“It’s the beginning of the month. Doctor Lü wants you to come in for a follow-up check. I made an appointment for you two hours from now.”

The manager answered to Yu Qingyi. She was both Yu Qingshi’s manager and also played the role of a life steward.

Yu Qingshi’s thoughts were interrupted. She paused for a moment, then replied, “Okay.”

The hospital was in A City. As soon as the two got off the plane, they took a car straight there.

The private hospital had medical equipment specifically set up for Yu Qingshi, saving time and working efficiently, with no need to wait in line.

After receiving Yu Qingshi’s appointment, the nurses had urgently disinfected the equipment.

As soon as Yu Qingshi arrived, she immediately entered the examination process.

Blood draw, pheromone extraction, pheromone concentration monitoring.

Everything proceeded step by step.

Before long, the results were handed to Doctor Lü.

Lü Zeqing flipped through the test sheets. “You didn’t use any more suppressants at the end of last month. Your pheromone control is quite good.”

Last month, Yu Qingshi had used three suppressants, and the concentration had seriously exceeded the limit.

Because of that, she had not dared to casually come into contact with the outside world. She had canceled all her work at the end of the month and stayed home to recover.

Lü Zeqing pulled out another monthly record form.

She picked up her pen and asked routine questions according to the form.

“How does your gland feel right now? Does it hurt?”

Yu Qingshi: “It doesn’t hurt.”

“Have there been any signs of pheromone loss of control or blockage?”

“No.”

……

Lü Zeqing adjusted her glasses and recorded each item carefully on the form.

After finishing, she raised her head and reminded her, “This month, you may still only use two suppressants.”

“The examination is over. You may leave, Miss Yu.”

Yu Qingshi found it strange.

Over the past three years, she had long since become familiar with Lü Zeqing’s form.

Yu Qingshi took the initiative to ask, “You’re not asking about my partner situation?”

Lü Zeqing capped her pen. In the partner column, the words “has a Beta partner” were written clearly.

She raised her eyes with a hint of teasing. “Miss Yu, although I’m older, it’s not as if I don’t use the internet.”

“You and your Miss Beta are now known to everyone.”

Yu Qingshi’s face suddenly turned red.

The swimsuit actually isn’t bold, but Xiao Yuan can no longer look at it with an appreciative gaze. She got shy. What does that mean? [covering face and peeking]

Sigh, do you know there will be an episode of the dating show set by the sea? [covering face and peeking][milk tea]

You little couple have been clingy for a while now, so I’ll separate you for one chapter. [milk tea]

I’m climbing the newcomer rankings. Babies who like this, could you leave a comment or give me a bottle of nutrient solution? Rolling around. [I’m begging you]

Also:

The “blue blood” content in this chapter comes from online sources. The author wrote it after looking it up. [milk tea]