Chapter 21

Zhai You stood up.

The dazzling, breathtaking aura around her instantly transformed into the imposing presence of someone six-foot-three, so oppressive that Jiang Bailu’s breathing stopped for a moment. She slowly turned her head away.

Sure enough, she was still instinctively afraid of Alphas. Perhaps it came from some unpleasant memories from her childhood.

Zhai You put her phone away, making sure there wouldn’t be any more accidents.

She turned her head and saw that Jiang Bailu was already standing with her back to her, her posture rigidly straight. Her tension was obvious, accompanied by a faint tremble of fear.

Zhai You silently stared at Jiang Bailu’s back.

After a pause, she withdrew her gaze, used her hands to smooth the wrinkles from her shirt, put on her riding jacket, and walked over. “Time to go out.”

Jiang Bailu raised her head. Her eyes were resolute, like a flower growing on the edge of a cliff that would never be blown down no matter how fiercely the wind raged. Zhai You looked down at her without speaking.

Zhai You tipped her chin toward the door. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Let’s go…”

Out at the riding grounds, that group of friends really was waiting around to watch the excitement. They were practically missing only a slice of melon each.

Their heads were lined up neatly together. When Zhai You [read the original at bailiantales.com]came out with Jiang Bailu, they immediately felt that unmistakable celebrity aura—the kind where no matter where someone went, they naturally became the center of the spotlight.

The friends couldn’t look away. They lowered their heads to look at their own riding clothes, then looked at Zhai You, and even at Jiang Bailu.

They could literally go shoot an advertisement like this, couldn’t they?

Su Luo, who had absolutely no business sense and only wanted to eat, drink, and coast through life, ran over. “I specially found a gentle little horse for Sister-in-law. Let her try it.”

Maybe he had no ambition to make money, but when it came to service, he was genuinely thoughtful.

No wonder, judging from the chat history, Su Luo was always the one inviting her out, and there were always plenty of people whenever they went somewhere. This guy really did have a knack for it.

Zhai You nodded, a pleased smile appearing on her face without her even realizing it. But once Su Luo had someone lead the little horse over, that smile disappeared and turned into faint indifference.

He wasn’t bringing one for her?

Did she look like someone who knew how to ride?

Su Luo’s judgment was terrible.

Su Luo genuinely hadn’t noticed anything wrong. He walked over and patted the horse’s rump. “The guys aren’t riding in this area, so we don’t disturb this one. That’s why I didn’t have your horse brought over.”

So she actually had her own horse at the ranch…

Good thing he hadn’t brought it over.

Jiang Bailu tugged at Zhai You, her slender brows knitting delicately together. “Isn’t it a little strange for everyone to stand there watching me ride?”

She wasn’t some competitor in a tournament, yet she had somehow acquired an entire row of spectators.

And she was riding a little horse, so there was absolutely nothing worth watching, okay? Obviously, they were watching her. But Jiang Bailu suppressed her displeasure and only phrased it tactfully.

Zhai You had already taken the reins. Feeling as if they were scorching hot in her hands, she immediately tossed them to Jiang Bailu.

The moment she heard that, she jumped in. “You came to a horse ranch just to watch someone else ride? What, can’t afford the fee and decided to sneak in? Either throw them all out, or everyone picks a horse and starts riding!”

Preferably they could mount their horses and run as far away as possible.

Zhai You paused. “I’ll stay with Jiang Bailu.”

She could hold the reins while Jiang Bailu rode. There probably wouldn’t be too much of a problem.

But…

She couldn’t drive, she couldn’t ride, while Jiang Bailu could do both. The more she thought about it, the more she felt a little useless. Next time, she needed to take Jiang Bailu somewhere she was actually good at, otherwise it was far too embarrassing.

Su Luo hesitated for a while. He actually liked riding horses and naturally wasn’t going to become a mere spectator just for the sake of gossip.

As the host, if no one else rode, he could only stay with them. But now that Zhai You had unauthorized copy lost her temper and said all that, he could use her words to threaten everyone else into riding.

“Whatever you say, Sister Zhai.”

Once everyone left, Jiang Bailu had already mounted the horse. The little horse pawed lightly at the ground but otherwise didn’t react.

Jiang Bailu sat steadily in the saddle and looked down at Zhai You, sizing her up from above. She smiled. “Everyone calls you Sister Zhai You.”

She really hadn’t expected Zhai You to hold such influence among this group.

Someone who didn’t know how to ride, wanted to try, but was afraid of exposing herself heard this and arrogantly raised her eyebrows. “Of course. I’m unbeatable.”

“Then, unbeatable Miss Zhai You, are you really going to stay here with me?”

Zhai You’s heart suddenly began pounding wildly.

Her hand holding the reins abruptly tightened. Her eyes widened, and some words almost burst right out of her mouth.

You’re flirting with me.

How could such a naturally ambiguous tone come out of Jiang Bailu’s mouth?

Especially with that smile. Jiang Bailu genuinely didn’t seem to mean anything by it. It looked more like casual teasing between friends.

But Zhai You had ulterior motives!

A single sentence from Jiang Bailu could become ten times more significant in her heart. She felt as though Jiang Bailu were seducing her, her heart pounding wildly while reason mercilessly poured cold water over her: Stop imagining things. Put away those filthy thoughts of yours.

Zhai You patted her own face, then turned her head and found Jiang Bailu staring at her in confusion.

What she had just done made her look slightly unwell.

Yes.

She was sick.

Zhai You had embarrassed herself thoroughly, but she had also calmed down a little. She took a deep breath. “I have to take responsibility for you.”

Jiang Bailu assumed she meant bringing her to the horse ranch. She inwardly sighed over how good Zhai You really was.

If not for…

Anyway, Zhai You truly was a very charming Alpha.

The riding grounds were vast. Sitting on horseback made Jiang Bailu’s mood feel much lighter.

The pressure she had kept bottled up for so long could finally be released through this opportunity.

“I misunderstood you before.” Jiang Bailu closed her eyes, feeling the breeze brush past her.

She was remembering.

At the banquet where they had first met, Jiang Bailu had accidentally caught sight of Zhai You’s profile while she was talking to someone, and her heart had started racing.

For the first time, she understood the kind of madness people felt when chasing celebrities.

But when Zhai You noticed her and walked over, the malice on her face had been so intense it almost became tangible, sending Jiang Bailu’s heart plunging into freezing cold.

Everything that happened afterward now seemed to have dissolved like clouds and smoke.

The current Zhai You reacted a little sluggishly. The emotions in her eyes changed so often that Jiang Bailu found it both astonishing and amusing.

Only after Jiang Bailu suddenly realized what she was doing did she discover she had been staring for a very, very long time.

Compared with that fleeting moment of attraction back then, the Zhai You before her now was alive and vivid, like an indispensable source of light.

Jiang Bailu lowered her head, her smile obvious. “You really are a very good person.”

Zhai You was constantly thinking about how to win her over. Every sentence Jiang Bailu said would go through her mind three times while she considered what the best possible response might be.

Even so, faced with this second good-person card, Zhai You was still rendered speechless.

That group of friends had each mounted a horse. Since this area was ​unauthorized copy​for beginners, the horses could only walk slowly.

Anyone who wanted to gallop freely had to go to another section.

But none of them had any interest in galloping anyway. A group of people appeared to be chatting among themselves, but their eyes were secretly watching Zhai You’s side.

“Don’t you guys feel like Sister Zhai You has become a completely different person?”

“Yeah. She suddenly ran off and got married.”

“Confusing! Absurd! Impossible to understand! Completely unbearable!”

But if they said she had changed, then when Zhai You faced them, she was still as confident as ever.

Whether standing, sitting, or walking, her back was always perfectly straight. Her eyes carried the arrogance of someone who seemed to look down on everything, mixed with an air of careless indifference.

It was as though she knew exactly how beautiful and captivating she was.

So every moment, she radiated an intense charm that made people unable to stop following her.

But to say she hadn’t changed…

Someone as arrogant and demanding as Zhai You would actually pursue an Omega?

Wasn’t someone like her supposed to slap a mistress contract down in front of the unauthorized copy other person and treat that as a blessing bestowed upon them?

Put another way—

an emperor never bowed her head to the people beneath her.

Omegas were rare to ordinary people, but in their social circle, they were common.

There were all kinds of beautiful women like Qiao Yan and Shen Yunyi clinging to Zhai You, and there were also pampered Omega young masters and young ladies hoping to form a marriage alliance with her.

Everyone had assumed that if Zhai You ever settled down, it would be with one of those delicate, pampered Omegas.

The Zhai family had money but lacked generational prestige.

Wouldn’t marrying an Omega from an established family be the obvious best choice?

Even an idiot could make that choice.

They were all Omegas anyway. What was so special about one particular Omega?

Or maybe…

Zhai You simply liked the type who looked frail but had an unbreakable will?

Maybe this group had accidentally guessed the truth.

In any case, Jiang Bailu was exactly the kind of person who grew right in the softest part of Zhai You’s heart.

No matter how much time passed or whether someone similar appeared later—

Zhai You had simply fallen for Jiang Bailu.

Zhai You led the little horse along, her heart filled with melancholy.

She still had to compete with the righteous love interest later, but right now…

she couldn’t compare with her at all.

That woman could hold Jiang Bailu right in her arms.

Meanwhile, Zhai You could only miserably walk beside the horse holding the reins, not even daring to let it run because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep up.

That was the difference between an ordinary person and a novel character.

Novel characters could do everything.

She, Zhai You, could do nothing.

No.

She couldn’t deny herself like that.

Zhai You warned herself internally.

There were still things she was good at.

She had strengths!

Wait.

Something wasn’t right.

Jiang Bailu said she knew how to ride.

Then why did the novel’s plot say she didn’t?

Could it be—

the novel lied?

“That’s enough.” Jiang Bailu called out to Zhai You.

She had already gotten used to the feeling again and could unauthorized copytry riding faster on her own. There was no need for Zhai You to keep leading the horse.

“You can go play with them too,” Jiang Bailu said considerately.

Zhai You: ……

Can’t you be a little unreasonable for once? Ask me to stay with you, okay?

“You’re really fine now?” Zhai You confirmed repeatedly.

Jiang Bailu didn’t answer. She stroked the little horse’s head.

The horse seemed very intelligent and rubbed against her, clearly showing that it liked Jiang Bailu very much.

Zhai You glanced toward that group from the corner of her eye and stubbornly said, “I don’t trust leaving you alone.”

“How about we come here privately next time? Then you can ride as much as you want.”

And then she wouldn’t have to embarrass herself so badly in front of other people…

Ride as much as you want.

Su Luo, who had slowly ridden over, only heard those four words.

He was instantly horrified.

You two—

were you seriously planning to get this wild at his horse ranch?

Su Luo spoke shakily. “We were discussing whether to go soak in the hot springs…”

He had been sent over to call them.

Now, Su Luo looked conflicted. “Actually, maybe you two shouldn’t come.”

Hot springs?

Hot springs sounded great.

Zhai You was immediately interested. “How can you have an activity and not include me? What, you don’t like me anymore?”

She had only shown off a little affection with Jiang Bailu.

Did they really need to be this petty?

Jiang Bailu sat on horseback and looked gently at Zhai You, completely unaware of the indecent thoughts running through Zhai You’s head.

After all, hot springs were like changing rooms—they were separated very clearly.

Zhai You still didn’t know her plans were destined to fail. She only saw Su Luo’s expression twist strangely. “I’m afraid you two will dirty my hot spring.”

He thought she was dirty?

Zhai You immediately became indignant.

She had only been walking around leading a horse. She hadn’t even sweated much.

How could Su Luo be like this?

And besides…

his family actually had hot springs too?

Did his family own the entire entertainment industry or something?

Now this was what you called filthy rich.

Zhai You refused to give up. “At worst, I’ll book the whole place.”

The horse Su Luo was riding shifted restlessly, just like his current mood.

After finally managing to turn the horse around and come back, Su Luo made up his mind.

“Even if you book the whole place, I’m still not letting you two soak in the same pool!!”