Cocoon (Lily ABO) - Chapter 11

It had to be said that the laboratory’s cooling system was always incredibly effective. Even though they were at the tail end of summer, as August bled into September, the temperature in the entire building had become ridiculously low. Ling Yu tied her hair back and glanced at the central AC display reading “69°F.” She silently fastened the last button on her lab coat; she was very sensitive to the cold.

Ling Yu’s research project focused on developing a new type of inhibitor to effectively block induced heat in Omegas. If successful, its future clinical application would bring immense benefits to countless people. In the scientific community, research results with such tangible potential often attracted a flood of investment.

Consequently, after Ling Yu produced several high-quality papers in succession, her project successfully secured a significant amount of funding. However, her unintentional excellence had invited the jealousy of others.

Liu Xiaoliang’s dark, predatory gaze followed Ling Yu’s busy figure. Technically, he was the Postdoc in this lab, yet the undergraduates and students from other labs preferred seeking out Ling Yu for guidance. They were more inclined to invite her to private gatherings and dinners, and even their boss, Han Jingman, showed clear favoritism toward her.

Why? He was an Alpha too, seven years older than Ling Yu, and he arguably knew more. His experimental results were certainly not inferior to hers, so why was she the only one who received investment? He couldn’t accept it. Liu Xiaoliang watched Ling Yu’s every move in the lab; everyone made mistakes, and he refused to believe he couldn’t find some dirt on her.

After testing the inhibitory response of a new biotin, Ling Yu transferred the sample to cultured cells. As long as the cells survived normally, the next step would be animal testing.

Once she finished tidying her lab bench, it was almost time for work. Ling Yu said goodbye to her lab mates as usual. When she politely said, “See you tomorrow, Senior,” all she got in return was a cold snort and a roll of the eyes.

Ling Yu was long accustomed to this. Liu Xiaoliang’s hostility wasn’t new; workplace friction in the lab was often inexplicably petty.

Fortunately, the only person she truly cared about was Han Jingman. At the thought of her, a flicker of sadness crossed Ling Yu’s eyes. Last weekend, Han Jingman had sent a mass email to the lab members announcing she would be away on a business trip for a while, without specifying a return date. She had simply vanished.

Ling Yu initially thought Han Jingman was hiding because of her. She had waited outside Han Jingman’s apartment for an entire night without seeing the lights turn on, realizing then that she really wasn’t home.

When she arrived at Strings, Diana had already taken over from the previous shift and was ready at the front desk. Ling Yu greeted her and went to the breakroom to change, preparing for the evening’s guests.

During a break, Ling Yu asked Diana if she knew of any apartments for rent or shared houses nearby. She didn’t have many requirements; she just wanted somewhere safe and affordable.

The reason was that her landlord had started a new relationship with a cute, clingy Omega boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. When the partner suggested moving in together, Ling Yu realized it was time for her to move out.

Coincidentally, her lease was up at the end of the month, so she had started her search. However, the apartments she browsed on rental websites were either in rough neighborhoods or far too expensive. She wanted to find a price she could manage in an environment that wasn’t too bleak.

Diana thought for a moment but swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue, only saying she would keep an eye out. Ling Yu gave her a faint smile, thanked her, and returned to work.

Diana actually had many things she wanted to ask—like what happened to the marks on Ling Yu’s face, why she had been so down lately, and if she would be willing to be her roommate.

Just then, a sharp alarm blared from the large-screen TV in the dining hall. It was a red weather alert: a hurricane would make landfall tonight. The news anchor urged everyone to head home early, secure doors and windows, and stay alert for heavy rain.

Living on the East Coast, summer hurricanes were nothing new. But when Ling Yu and the others turned off the restaurant lights, they realized the wind outside was already howling. Broken leaves and branches lashed against them, and the sky began to pour.

Ling Yu realized things were bad. She quickly said goodbye to Diana and drove straight to Han Jingman’s apartment. The balcony plants were untended; once the hurricane fully hit, they would undoubtedly be destroyed.

Sure enough, when Ling Yu rushed over, several lush potted plants had already blown over, crashing off their stands and spilling soil everywhere. An entire rack of succulents had been battered by the sudden torrential rain, their fleshy leaves scattered.

Not stopping to grieve, Ling Yu stood on the balcony, her thin frame nearly swept away by the gale. She cleared a space in the living room and carried the plants inside one by one.

The rain grew heavier, drummed against her so hard she could barely keep her eyes open. Her face was a mask of rainwater, and not a single inch of her was dry; she looked like she had just been fished out of the ocean.

She went back and forth until the entire balcony was cleared. She hadn’t had time to check the damaged plants yet, so after locking the balcony door, she took her own towel to wipe her face, then padded the floor with it. She knelt down, pressing her face close to the plants to inspect the breaks.

Click. The apartment door suddenly opened. Ling Yu looked up in shock to find Han Jingman entering with a suitcase.

Clearly not expecting anyone to be home, Han Jingman was also startled to see the living room lights on. She had originally planned to return with Wei Zhen, but she hadn’t expected Jian Ying to follow them to Chicago.

Recalling the scene she had stumbled upon at the hotel, Han Jingman’s ears flushed red. She had booked a late-night flight to return early on her own, only to learn after landing that the hurricane was making landfall and the airport would soon close.

She looked at Ling Yu, who was currently crouching on the floor in an awkward posture, staring at her with wide eyes. Seeing the plants scattered across the floor, she understood immediately.

Ling Yu scrambled to her feet, rainwater dripping from her soaked pant legs onto the floor. She stood there awkwardly, not daring to lift her head. Her wet hair clung to her sharp features. She had a thousand things to say but couldn’t utter a word. Finally, she managed a dry:

“I’m sorry, Professor Han. I didn’t mean to… I’ll leave right now.”

Han Jingman hadn’t been caught in the rain on her way back; aside from a few streaks of water from her suitcase, she was perfectly clean. Seeing Ling Yu frantically crouching down to wipe the floor, Han Jingman felt a flicker of displeasure. She had never seen Ling Yu so submissive. She turned to the bathroom to get a clean towel, just as Ling Yu was about to leave.

Han Jingman caught her, her brow furrowing slightly. She’s soaking wet and doesn’t even know to dry herself. What if she gets sick? Almost out of habit, she raised her hand, intending to wipe the water from Ling Yu’s face.

Feeling her arm suddenly grabbed and seeing the hand move in her peripheral vision, Ling Yu’s body flinched. Before she could even see what it was, she instinctively covered her face and took a step back.

Han Jingman’s right hand, holding the towel, froze in mid-air. She bit her lower lip, her eyes fixed on the person before her.

Ling Yu was afraid of her.