After Marking the Omega Officer Who Was Pretending to Be an Alpha - Chapter 17

The morning sun slowly rose from the eastern horizon. Sunlight passed through the hazy clouds and mist, spilling over the earth. The morning breeze carried a faint trace of floral fragrance, lingering in the small alley.

The weather today was very good.

After breakfast, Shao Lanzhi left with a bamboo basket.

Shao Enzhuo had gotten up early in the morning and cleaned the house. Last night, she had clearly accompanied Ren Qiruo until very late before coming home, yet now she was full of energy and did not feel tired at all. It was just that her limbs felt inexplicably weak.

Aside from the weakness, there was nothing uncomfortable.

Shao Enzhuo did not know what was going on. Seeing that there was nothing seriously wrong, she did not take it to heart. After cleaning the house, she also washed the bowls. Then she picked up the large broom by the door and walked out, preparing to sweep the courtyard as well.

She planned to go to the stream with Ren Qiruo in the morning to catch fish.

Then in the afternoon, she would go to the lumberyard to work.

A few days ago, Shao Lanzhi had told her that her eighteenth birthday would be in two days. Buying fish at the farmers’ market or fishery in the city was a little expensive, so going to catch a few fish today in preparation for her birthday was also a good choice.

But speaking of her birthday…

During this period of time, Shao Enzhuo had more or less come to understand what kind of ABO world this was. It was said that Betas would undergo genetic differentiation within seven days before or after their eighteenth birthday. However, the exact time of differentiation was not very fixed, though the predicted time from the genetic test would not be wrong.

The arrival of her eighteenth birthday meant that…

she was about to differentiate.

Differentiate…

Was she really going to join the Hope Organization?

“Ah Zhuo!”

Ren Qiruo’s voice suddenly caught her attention.

Hearing the voice, Shao Enzhuo turned around and looked over.

She saw Ren Qiruo carrying a wooden bucket in one hand and two fishing scoop nets in the other. A sweet and charming smile bloomed on her face. She looked to be in a good mood, with none of the sorrow from losing her mother last night. Perhaps she knew that being sad was useless, and that she could only live on strongly.

Her mentality was very good.

Shao Enzhuo admired Ren Qiruo’s positivity and optimism.

“Good morning, Ah Zhuo.” Ren Qiruo smiled and waved the things in her hands. “Look what I brought.”

Shao Enzhuo’s eyes curved with a smile, and the corners of her lips lifted.

“Good morning.”

“I’ve already prepared the scoop nets for catching fish. We can go straight to the stream later,” Ren Qiruo said as she walked into the courtyard. “Do you need me to help you clean?”

“No need, I’m almost done sweeping.” Shao Enzhuo pointed at the small stool by the door. “Sit there and wait for me.”

Ren Qiruo walked over and sat on the small stool by the door.

Shao Enzhuo continued sweeping the courtyard.

Ren Qiruo placed the wooden bucket on the ground and put the scoop nets into it. She stared at Shao Enzhuo’s figure as she cleaned and asked, “Ah Zhuo, about the thing I mentioned to you last night… did you ask Grandma Shao what she thinks?”

Shao Enzhuo froze for a moment.

Only then did she remember that she had almost forgotten about it.

“I already asked Grandma what she thinks.” Shao Enzhuo stopped what she was doing and turned back to look at Ren Qiruo with a slight smile. “Grandma said you’re welcome to come live at my house anytime.”

Ren Qiruo’s eyes instantly flickered. “Really?”

“Of course. Would I lie to you?” Shao Enzhuo suddenly pressed her lips together with some distress. The issue of not having enough beds was indeed a problem. “But the bed in my house is a little small. If the two of us sleep together, it might be very cramped.”

Ren Qiruo said, “I can sleep on the floor.”

“How could I let you sleep on the floor?” Shao Enzhuo looked at Ren Qiruo seriously. She had already thought of a solution. “I plan to make another wooden bed for you. When the time comes, the two of us won’t have to squeeze together.”

Hearing this, Ren Qiruo widened her eyes in surprise.

She stared at Shao Enzhuo for a few seconds, then asked in disbelief, “Ah Zhuo, you’re going to make a wooden bed for me?”

“I haven’t been working at the lumberyard for nothing these days, and I haven’t learned the lumberyard’s skills for nothing either.” Shao Enzhuo raised her brows slightly, looking rather proud. “Making a wooden bed shouldn’t be a problem. It’ll just take some time to finish. I can also ask the masters at the lumberyard for advice.”

“Thank you so much, Ah Zhuo.” Ren Qiruo ran forward excitedly and hugged Shao Enzhuo. “I’ll never forget how good you are to me. You’ll always be my benefactor.”

“You don’t need to treat me as some benefactor. Didn’t I already tell you before? From now on, Grandma and I are both your family.” Shao Enzhuo touched Ren Qiruo’s head. “Go sit on the stool and wait for me. I’m almost done cleaning. Then we’ll go catch fish together.”

Ren Qiruo smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

—

The towering branches and green leaves swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound. Sunlight passed through the branches and leaves, casting mottled silhouettes. In the distance, birds flapped their wings and flew away.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of nature.

Shao Enzhuo and Ren Qiruo walked one after the other along the forest path, carrying the wooden bucket and scoop nets. The two carefully pushed aside vines and wild grass, moving forward alertly amid the chirping of insects and birds. Before long, they saw a small stream.

The two did not stop.

Instead, they continued walking forward along the direction of the stream.

A short while later,

a lake rippling with blue-green waves appeared before their eyes. The shore was covered with stones and fine sand. The surroundings were encircled by lush green trees, making the place look as beautiful as a paradise on earth.

“Ah Zhuo, this is where we’re going to catch fish,” Ren Qiruo said, looking at the lake. “My mom used to bring me here many times. Ever since she left, I rarely came here. Isn’t it beautiful?”

Shao Enzhuo nodded and could not help sighing inwardly.

The scenery here was indeed very beautiful.

How rare.

“Then let’s start catching fish now.” As Ren Qiruo spoke, she put down the wooden bucket and scoop nets, then rolled up her sleeves and pant legs. “Do you want to compete and see who catches the first fish?”

Shao Enzhuo said, “I’ve never caught fish before…”

“You’ve actually never caught fish?” Ren Qiruo looked at Shao Enzhuo in surprise. Going out to catch fish was also a way to obtain food. Residents of the Capital of Hope should not have never caught fish before. “Are you afraid to compete?”

“I really haven’t caught fish by a lake before…” Shao Enzhuo smiled embarrassedly. “I’ve watched other people catch fish, though. But I can give it a try.”

She had seen it on television.

“Maybe you forgot because of your amnesia.” Ren Qiruo picked up the wooden bucket and scoop net. “It’s fine. I’ll teach you how to catch fish. The water by the shore is shallow, so we can go straight in. The water is also very clear. Let’s go.”

After saying that, she walked toward the lake.

Shao Enzhuo followed.

—

By the time the two left the forest, it was already noon.

The sun was shining brightly.

Their harvest that morning was pretty good, and Shao Enzhuo and Ren Qiruo had also had fun playing in the water. They caught four fish in total. The four fish could be kept alive and eaten over several meals.

When they returned to Shao Enzhuo’s house,

Ren Qiruo could not quite stand the wet clothes sticking to her body, so she first went back to her own home to bathe.

Shao Enzhuo sat in front of the stove, lighting a fire and preparing to boil water.

These clothes really felt uncomfortable.

She also had to take a hot bath first.

The fire was lit, and the water began boiling.

Shao Enzhuo stood up, wiped her hands with a towel, then turned and walked toward the room. Suddenly, she felt a muffled, burning heat in her chest. Her footsteps paused, then she continued walking inside.

The heavy feeling in her chest became clearer and clearer.

Her limbs suddenly began to go weak.

When Shao Enzhuo reached the wardrobe, she finally realized something was wrong with her body. Unfortunately, her body did not give her any time to adjust. In an instant, heat rose inside her like fire.

For a moment, it felt as if her blood had been ignited.

Her entire body was so hot that her head spun. Her hands felt as if they had lost all strength and could not exert any force at all. A dense, tingling numbness suddenly came from the back of her neck. Immediately after, a swelling pain attacked her, spreading from the back of her neck to every limb and bone.

It was so uncomfortable, as if something was about to surge out from the back of her neck.

Everything happened too suddenly.

Shao Enzhuo’s legs went weak, and she failed to stand steady. She staggered two steps to the side and fell heavily onto the bed. A flush rapidly spread across her fair face. Her whole body was so hot it felt as if she had been thrown into a pan of boiling oil. She had never suffered like this before.

The back of her neck was even hotter, swollen, sore, and aching.

So painful. So uncomfortable.

Shao Enzhuo frowned and struggled to reach out, gently touching the back of her neck with her fingertips. She found that the gland at the back of her neck had swollen. When she had touched it while bathing before, there had been no particular feeling. Now, even a light press made her whole body go weak.

Why had this suddenly happened?

No way…

Could it be that she had matured and begun differentiating?

Shao Enzhuo lay on the bed, her entire body burning hot. Slowly, something seemed to surge from her gland. In her daze, she smelled a trace of floral fragrance. It seemed to be the scent of water lilies.

In an instant,

a piercing alarm suddenly sounded inside the house.

When Shao Enzhuo heard the alarm, she raised her eyes and looked over. She vaguely saw what seemed to be a small machine in the corner of the roof, flashing red and continuously emitting a sharp alarm.

What was this…

Why was there something like that at home?

The burning heat inside Shao Enzhuo grew more and more intense, leaving her completely unable to think. Her eyelids became heavier and heavier. Her mind sank deeper and deeper. Every inch of her skin burned red.

In a daze, she felt as if she might die.

The air was filled with an extremely strong scent of water lilies. Shao Enzhuo struggled a few times, trying to get up, but her sore, weak limbs had no strength and could not move at all.

Was she really going to die just like this…

The fragrance grew thicker and thicker.

In her blurry consciousness, Shao Enzhuo saw several vanguards in black uniforms walk into the house, holding something that looked like spray bottles. She moved her lips but could not make any sound. Her vision went black, and she instantly lost consciousness.

—

The surroundings were very quiet.

When Shao Enzhuo woke again, she found herself lying in an unfamiliar room. There was a bed and a table in the room, as well as a wardrobe against the wall.

The room door was closed.

Sunlight spilled in through the window, casting shadows of trees across the floor.

Shao Enzhuo sat up in confusion. Her body had no symptoms of discomfort, and her limbs had regained their strength. They were no longer sore or weak. She lowered her head and saw that her clothes had been changed into a comfortable gray long robe.

She felt as if she had had a very long dream.

But once she woke up, she could not remember anything.

Wait.

Shao Enzhuo remembered that before she fainted, she seemed to have seen several vanguards at home. She raised her head and observed the room’s surroundings. Had the vanguards brought her here?

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open.

A vanguard wearing a white coat walked in.

“You’re awake.”

“Where is this?” Shao Enzhuo stared blankly at the vanguard. “Did you bring me here?”

The vanguard said, “This is the Reconnaissance Department’s camp.”

Shao Enzhuo repeated, “The Reconnaissance Department’s camp?”

“Don’t you remember that you differentiated at home?” The vanguard walked toward Shao Enzhuo. He stood beside the bed and looked down at Shao Enzhuo, whose face was full of confusion. “The pheromone monitor in your home sensed your pheromones and sounded the alarm. After our Reconnaissance Department received the alarm signal, we went to your house and brought you here.”