Staying Alive by Clinging to the Cold O CEO - Chapter 2

Caught in the act of peeking, Meng Li’s heart skipped a beat at the other woman’s beauty, but she quickly followed up with a generous smile.

Appreciating beauty was a human instinct; admiring a fairy was her solemn responsibility. After all, everyone is responsible for taking care of their own eyes.

Just as she was about to casually look away, Meng Li’s peripheral vision caught a paper plane darting toward the woman’s right eye. Her pupils contracted.

“Watch out!”

Ming Yufu had never seen so many expressions flicker across a single face like a revolving lantern—sincerity, lightness, chagrin, friendliness, anxiety…

The girl didn’t look like any of the elegant gentlemen or ladies at the banquet—those who were dignified, orderly, mature, and sophisticated. Her face was sweet and vibrant, radiant with youth; every inch of her fair skin exuded a thick sense of vitality, delivering a vivid impact.

Ming Yufu knit her dark brows.

Because of the distance, she couldn’t hear the other person’s voice. She could only see the girl, who had just been staring blankly at her, now gesticulating anxiously.

Those red lips opened and closed urgently.

A faint gust of wind stirred, and a dark shadow streaked past her eyes. Before Ming Yufu could think, she instinctively tilted her head to the right and closed her eyes.

A sharp sting brushed against the bridge of her nose.

“I’m sorry!”

The child who picked up the paper plane apologized in a panic, standing there uneasily with a friend. They kept their heads down, not daring to move.

The woman’s profile was devastatingly beautiful, her long, deep pupils cold and indifferent, like a distant “Cold Jade Bodhisattva.” Her aura made the children dare not approach, let alone look at her closely.

As the pain gradually subsided, Ming Yufu gripped the wheelchair armrest tightly. Her jade-like face, carved as if from ice, showed no change. She shook her head slightly. “It’s fine.”

The child apologized once more, and the two friends scrambled away, pulling and tugging at each other.

Ming Yufu lowered her gaze, found a mirror, and inspected her face.

The injury wasn’t heavy; the surface of the skin was broken, and a small bead of blood was welling up.

Suddenly, a slender hand with distinct knuckles appeared in her peripheral vision.

The fingers were long, with a small red mole on the webbing between the thumb and forefinger. The fingertips held a milky-white handkerchief.

She lifted her eyelids, her gaze colliding with the girl’s bright face.

It was her.

Meng Li said, “The bridge of your nose is bleeding. You should wipe it.”

Her shoulders and back were thin; as she leaned over slightly, her tea-colored curls slid from behind her shoulder to her chest. Her light-colored “peach-blossom” eyes were upturned at the corners—possessing the pure aura of a forest deer combined with the enchanting charm of a fox.

As their gazes met, Ming Yufu pursed her lips. “No need. I’m not used to using other people’s things.”

A germaphobe?

Meng Li considerately displayed the handkerchief. “It hasn’t been used. It’s brand new.”

Ming Yufu’s gaze lingered on the square cloth for a moment. The silk fibers were soft and clean, reminding her of the girl’s aura.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Meng Li’s smile was brilliantly sweet.

In the moment Ming Yufu was quietly observing her, Meng Li also noticed details she had missed earlier due to the distance.

The woman wore a silver suppressor collar, about a finger-width wide, around her neck.

In this world, besides male and female, humans were divided into three second genders: Alpha, Beta, and Omega. Beta glands are regressed and produce no pheromones, making them physiologically similar to ordinary people. Alphas and Omegas, however, are easily influenced by the pheromones secreted by the glands at the back of their necks, which can lead to loss of control or conflict.

Therefore, under the laws of the Huaxia Kingdom, Alphas apply suppressor patches to their glands to physically control pheromone leakage, while Omegas usually wear various styles of suppressor collars to mask the scent of their pheromones.

The woman was an Omega.

The instant the handkerchief was passed, their knuckles accidentally brushed against each other.

Meng Li’s finger twitched.

The other woman’s hand felt like cold jade. Even though it was only a brief touch, the icy sensation lingered on her finger, refusing to dissipate. It felt as if she had been placed under a freezing spell by a snow goddess.

She glanced down at the “enchanted” fingertip, and her gaze swept past the red numbers on her right wrist. Like seeing a miracle where a faucet’s water flows backward toward the sky, her peach-blossom eyes widened.

It wasn’t an illusion. The life-expectancy countdown numbers—which had always been stuck to the inside of her right wrist like a tattoo, decreasing like sand in an hourglass—had actually increased by forty-eight hours.

A full two days.

Even before transmigrating, Meng Li could see her own life countdown.

That row of constantly decreasing red numbers appeared after she was diagnosed with a terminal illness in her original world. They couldn’t be rubbed off or washed away. Like a nightmare, only she could see them.

Meng Li had accepted her tragic, string-of-bad-luck fate, but now the path had opened up. She saw a glimmer of hope in her dark future.

So, the life countdown could actually be increased.

Moreover, even though they weren’t touching right now, as long as she stayed close to her, the countdown on her wrist was still growing in reverse.

It had turned into a “life-extension timer.”

It was just growing slowly—one second at a time.

It was like a fish finding water, winter grass meeting spring, a cat finding catnip, or an Alpha meeting their “Destined Omega.”

Meng Li looked at her “miracle cure,” her eyes sparkling as if stars had fallen into them. She almost wanted to weep with joy.

A divine doctor! What a powerful and beautiful hand—restoring life with a single touch.

She was saved.

Ming Yufu wasn’t used to being so close to others. She silently operated her smart wheelchair and took a step back. “Are you alright?”

Meng Li restrained her excitement and gave a reserved smile. “I’m fine. Just wait for me a moment.”

She disappeared into the back garden like a small whirlwind. Her light purple dress fluttered and swayed like mist.

Ming Yufu had never waited for anyone. she looked down at the handkerchief she was still holding and hadn’t returned.

A moment later, Meng Li reappeared, walking briskly toward the woman. She held a Band-Aid with the packaging already peeled off, her smile pure and bright.

“An untreated wound can easily get infected. Let’s put a Band-Aid on it.”

Ming Yufu leaned back to avoid the approaching fingers. In the moment Meng Li froze, Ming Yufu opened her thin lips: “Thank you, I can do it myself.”

Well then.

Missing an opportunity to test the effects, a trace of regret flashed in Meng Li’s eyes. She handed over the Band-Aid. “Here.”

Ming Yufu peeled off the white plastic film. Holding the adhesive strip with her fingertips, she hesitated just before applying it to the bridge of her nose.

Meng Li understood. Acting as eyes for the woman who couldn’t see her own wound, she directed: “A bit to the left.”

“No, a bit further down.”

“Too far down, a bit more to the right.”

“…”

Ming Yufu handed the Band-Aid back to Meng Li. “I’ll trouble you, then.”

“It’s no trouble, just a small thing.”

Meng Li chuckled, her snowy-white teeth peeking through her lips. She held both ends of the Band-Aid, her eyes focused as she leaned in close.

A faint, dry woody scent—similar to white sandalwood—emanated from the Omega, drifting into her nose.

Pheromones aren’t supposed to be released at will, especially since she was wearing a suppressor collar; the sandalwood must be a fragrance she used. It was faint and very pleasant.

As the soft pads of Meng Li’s fingers brushed her cheek, Ming Yufu’s body tensed up. She felt trapped between Meng Li and the wheelchair.

There was nowhere to hide.

The wound on the bridge of her nose throbbed again—but perhaps it wasn’t pain. It was the warm temperature of the other woman’s fingertips, brushing against her skin like willow branches, bringing a dense itch that created a strange illusion.

Meng Li blinked. Sensing the stagnant atmosphere, she joked: “Don’t be nervous, relax. I don’t bite.”

The girl’s red lips were slightly parted, and her sweet, warm breath blew against Ming Yufu’s face.

The Omega didn’t speak. She inhaled the girl’s scent, exhaled, and her body tensed even further. Yet on the surface, she remained composed, her expression inviolable. Those phoenix eyes were dark and deep, as if no light could reach them.

Meng Li glanced at the other woman’s tightly pursed lips. The woman had a powerful aura like a snow leopard—noble and dignified—but Meng Li inappropriately thought of a cat with a stiff face. Every hair on its body screamed “Do Not Approach,” yet it gave her the strange urge to give it a pet.

A shallow smile rippled in her eyes, charming and clear. “Really, despite me being an Alpha, I’m a very helpful ‘Good A’.”

She was definitely not the villainous scum Alpha from the original plot who did nothing but evil.

Ming Yufu stared at the small mole under the girl’s eye, two fingers away from the left eye. Her dark eyes wavered.

“All done.”

Meng Li withdrew her hand, restoring a safe distance. She glanced at her wrist; the countdown had increased by ninety-six hours.

Because the contact lasted longer than before, the life points gained were two days more than before. The phantom hypothesis in her mind had become reality.

It didn’t have to be her hand—as long as there was physical contact with this woman, she could obtain the corresponding life points.

Belatedly, Ming Yufu touched the Band-Aid on her nose.

The Alpha’s appearance was stunning, her expression kind, innocent, and naive. Her light-brown eyes were like a stream where you could see the bottom at a single glance. No one would doubt the truth of her words—because even if she were trying to trick you, she’d succeed every time.

Except…

Ming Yufu slowly lifted her eyelids, her dark eyes reflecting Meng Li’s face. “You’re not afraid of me?”

Many people feared her status and kept a respectful distance. This girl, whom she had just met, acted as if she couldn’t sense the cold barrier separating Ming Yufu from the world. She didn’t know whether to call her simple or just thick-skinned.

“Afraid? Why would I be afraid?” Meng Li snapped back to reality, her long lashes trembling slightly. She looked confused and puzzled.

Ming Yufu studied her for a moment, then shook her head. The girl didn’t know her identity; there was no need to say more.

Before Meng Li could say anything else, Ming Yufu unlocked her phone with her slender fingers and changed the subject. “How much was the handkerchief? I’ll transfer the money to you.”

“It wasn’t much.” Meng Li shook her head with a generous air, while her hand honestly pulled up her WeChat QR code.

Ming Yufu scanned it, and a personal profile popped up.

Her fingertips paused on the phone. Ming Yufu lifted her eyes slightly. “This isn’t a payment code. You pulled up the wrong one.”

“It’s not the wrong one.”

The sunlight illuminated Meng Li’s face, and the shadows of her eyelashes fell like feathers on her cheeks. Her smile was even more dazzling than the sunlight as she said: “No need to transfer money. Let’s just be friends and get to know each other.”

Friends?

Ming Yufu rolled the word over in her mind. She didn’t need friends.

With a slight movement of her finger, Ming Yufu chose to add her. A new notification popped up in the chat box. The profile picture was a round, fat yellow bird.

Ming Yufu directly transferred 10,000 yuan.

The intent to be “even” was obvious; she wanted to draw a clear line between them.

Meng Li looked at her hesitantly. “This handkerchief was only 20 yuan.”

“Accept it.”

Meng Li’s finger slid across the screen; she chose to accept the payment. She could feel the woman’s aloofness—she wasn’t the type to open her heart easily. If she didn’t accept the money, the woman would be even more guarded.

Besides, she truly did have the selfish motive of wanting to get close to the woman to extend her life.

Meng Li typed her name into the chat box and sent it. Only then did she realize she didn’t know what to call the other woman. She asked, “What about you? What’s your name?”

“Ming Yufu.”

“Oh, Ming Yufu.”

Rain-drenched hibiscus, long autumn nights—it was a beautiful name.

Meng Li changed the contact name. A few seconds later, she suddenly jerked her head up.

This seemed to be the name of the Omega heroine’s CEO sister from the original book.

Because it was a romance novel, the description of the sister was brief. It mentioned she was the half-sister of the heroine, Ming Shu, and they had a lukewarm relationship. She was cold, arrogant, and indifferent to beauty. She had taken over the Ming Corporation at a young age and was not only a kind-hearted philanthropist but also a medical genius in the ABO field. Her beauty and talent were equally famous.

She was the definition of excellence, a living ceiling.

Unlike the main characters’ happy love story, she remained alone her entire life and died solitary.

What a pity.

If it weren’t for the fact that her meeting time with the butler had arrived, Meng Li would have loved to stick to her “catnip” and spend more time with her to absorb more life points. She wasn’t sure, in a world this big, if she would ever have another chance to meet her.

The elevator numbers jumped constantly until they reached the top floor. Led by the butler, Meng Li walked along the thick, sound-absorbing carpet.

The lighting in the corridor was dim, and the murals hanging on the walls featured bold, saturated colors.

The butler spoke in a low voice about Old Madam Ming’s preferences. Meng Li kept them in mind with her eyes downcast, until she vaguely heard a familiar voice.

It was clear as snow, unhurried and calm.

Meng Li suspected she was so obsessed with life points that she was having auditory hallucinations.

“The Old Madam is inside.”

The butler suddenly stopped and gestured with his hand.

In front of them was a half-open door.

Meng Li slowed her graceful pace, standing diagonally in front of the butler.

That ethereal voice, which seemed like an illusion, drifted from inside the room. It was light, like raindrops disappearing in mid-air before hitting the ground. Its temperature was even lower than the operating central air conditioning.

“I will consider it.”