Staying Alive by Clinging to the Cold O CEO - Chapter 6

8:00 AM.

Meng Li sat punctually in the large lecture hall.

The original host’s school, Jingda University, was a comprehensive ABO university newly established in the capital in recent years. It was known for its open and inclusive academic atmosphere and its diverse, active campus life.

The school offered both compulsory courses and electives tailored to different interests. Basic ABO Knowledge and Ideology was a core course for all sophomores. Consequently, it was held in a massive hall capable of seating a thousand people, bringing together students from various majors.

The lecturer was a young Alpha professor with blue eyes and long hair. His teaching style was professional yet witty and humorous. Rather than just reading from a textbook, he integrated reality with theory based on his own insights, guiding students to grasp knowledge through simple, relatable concepts.

The professor was vivid, occasionally sprinkling in interesting case studies. The classroom atmosphere was relaxed, often rippling with student laughter. Meng Li listened with rapt attention, taking diligent notes and finding the lecture quite rewarding.

“Class dismissed.”

The professor tossed the chalk into its box and leaned his hands on the podium. “Everyone, don’t leave just yet. Which one is Meng Li?”

Sitting in the dead center of the second row, Meng Li had just closed her book. She raised her hand in total confusion, instantly feeling the weight of a thousand pairs of eyes converging on her.

“What is it, Professor?”

The professor replied, “It’s nothing. You failed the in-class quiz from last session. Come to my office in a bit.”

Meng Li hadn’t been held back by a teacher since kindergarten. She murmured to herself, “I didn’t know you could get detention for schoolwork in university.”

A Beta sitting next to her gave her a look of pity and whispered, “It’s a first for us, too. This is the first time the Professor has ever kept someone behind.”

“…”

So, her quiz results were just that bad, huh?

“Forty percent.”

Outside the window, the camphor trees were lush, the cicadas chirped in waves, and the sunlight was brilliant.

The professor sighed, crossed his legs, and pushed the exam paper in front of Meng Li.

“In three years of teaching, this is the first time I’ve graded a score this low. Luckily, it wasn’t a final exam, or I wouldn’t even be able to help you pass. I saw you sitting in the second row, and you seemed to be listening quite seriously. Is there something you didn’t understand?”

The rims of Meng Li’s ears turned red. She looked sheepishly at the paper she had completed right after transmigrating; it was covered in red ‘X’ marks. Looking at it now, she could pretty much see where she had gone wrong.

“Your lectures are very easy to follow; I can understand everything.” She explained guiltily, “Last time I had a cold and felt a bit lightheaded, so I didn’t answer carefully. It definitely won’t happen again.”

“That’s good.” The professor’s eyes curved as he joked, “Alphas must take basic courses seriously. If you don’t learn this well, finding a partner later won’t be a minor headache—you won’t be popular with Omegas.”

Meng Li naturally took it seriously. She had recorded almost every word the professor said, but she still couldn’t completely transform that physiological data into innate common sense. She wanted it to be like a language—smooth and instinctive.

She asked studiously, “Professor, are there any professional books you recommend?”

The professor listed several titles, which Meng Li noted down. He added, “These are enough for the basics. Additionally, you can log onto the school forum. There’s an ‘AO Common Knowledge’ section that updates study questions daily for reference.”

“On a side note,” the professor twirled his pen, his blue eyes blinking as he sketched a flower on a scrap of paper, “I personally prefer the ‘Life’ section. There are many tips shared there on how to foster AO relationships. They are extremely effective.”

It was the first Meng Li had heard of the forum. “I will look into it seriously.”

The professor was amused by her academic, rigorous tone. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “They really work. There’s a trending post about ‘How to Hook an Omega Lover’—I actually used the tips from that thread to win over my girlfriend.”

Meng Li’s heart stirred. She wondered if there were any posts on how to “discreetly get skinship.”

Leaving the office, she didn’t rush to leave campus. After checking out the recommended books from the library, she found a seat and logged onto the school forum.

The moment she logged in, she saw a thread on the homepage with bold red letters labeled “Ultra Viral”: “A Must-Learn for ‘Hook-Style’ Alphas: How to Make Your Omega Lover Obsessed with You.”

The eye-catching title must have come from an alumnus who understood the way of viral traffic. Before she knew it, Meng Li had clicked in and started browsing.

A door to a new world opened before her. Fostering an AO relationship was actually this simple?

She read for two hours until the library closed for the morning. Leaving the library, she took the bus back. Returning to her apartment, she packed her remaining daily essentials into her suitcase and grabbed a bowl of noodles downstairs for lunch.

At 2:00 PM, she met the driver sent to pick her up. The Maybach carried her smoothly along the wide roads, and in less than half an hour, it stopped in front of a white European-style villa.

Meng Li used the key from the driver to open the door. Pulling her suitcase, she locked eyes with a middle-aged woman wiping a table in the living room.

“Miss Meng,” Auntie Qian called out.

Meng Li was puzzled. “You know me?”

Auntie Qian had kind eyes and a warm smile, her face etched with a few wrinkles from the passage of time. “President Ming briefed me. She said you’d be arriving today.”

Meng Li nodded. “How should I address you?”

“Miss Meng can just call me Auntie Qian.”

Smiling as she approached, Auntie Qian insisted on taking the suitcase despite Meng Li’s protests and led her from the foyer into the living room.

The living room was spacious and minimalist. Aside from a cold-toned painting of a snowy moon hanging on the wall, there were no extra decorations. A floor lamp stood by the balcony next to a black petal-shaped sofa and a wool rug; it had the pristine look of a place that wasn’t often lived in.

Auntie Qian gave Meng Li a tour of the house, finally pushing open the door to a room on the second floor without entering. “This is the room for you and President Ming. Pillows and toiletries are ready. If you need anything else, just let me know.”

Meng Li got the gist and thanked her repeatedly.

“It’s only right,” Auntie Qian said bluntly. “President Ming said that you are the other half-owner of this house.”

After the introduction, she didn’t linger and went back to her work. Meng Li dragged her suitcase into the room and began slowly unpacking.

Around 6:00 PM, there was a knock on the door. Auntie Qian stood outside, leaning against the doorframe. “Miss Meng, I’m heading off work. Dinner is ready. President Ming isn’t back yet; she’s likely working late. Her portion is warming in the kitchen, but I’ve brought yours out. Remember to eat while it’s hot.”

Meng Li wasn’t in a hurry to eat. She sat at the dining table until 7:00 PM, but the woman didn’t return.

Swinging her legs, she thought of the “Hook-Style Alpha” tips from the forum. They were highly praised by Alpha netizens, supposedly an “irresistible temptation” for an Omega to come home.

Should she give it a try?

Meng Li picked up her phone and took a photo of her delicate collarbones. She didn’t look for a specific angle; on her fair skin, the straight, beautiful lines of her collarbones extended outward. The photo captured part of her neck and shoulders—a clean sort of seduction. She didn’t go any lower than the edge of her collar.

The forum said: Alphas hook, Omegas’ souls drift. The skin left to the imagination would make an O blush, their heart race, and leave them unable to resist coming home immediately.

Meng Li sent the photo to Ming Yufu and typed slowly:

[With an Alpha like me, what time is President Ming coming home?]

Translated, the subtext was: I’m hungry, I miss you, come back soon.

At that moment, the conference hall at the Ming Headquarters was brightly lit, filled with constant chatter. Ming Yufu was taciturn, her “do not approach” aura surrounding her. Only very occasionally, when others were in a deadlock, would she offer a decisive opinion.

Amidst the discussion about tomorrow’s charitable medical project, the photo popped up on Ming Yufu’s phone.

A slender neck, collarbones with high tension, and the faint shadows in the hollows above and below—the lines were exquisite and dizzying.

A photo that could be viewed in a second held Ming Yufu’s gaze for over a minute. Suddenly, she turned her eyes away and lowered her head to type.

[Rain: Working late. Don’t wait up.]

Meng Li stared blankly at the business-like words, suddenly speechless. Her pool of tenderness had crashed into a thick, unromantic iceberg and shattered into pieces.

Weren’t “Hook-Style” Alphas supposed to be invincible?

The discussion ended after 8:00 PM. Assistant Ji finished summarizing the last solution and heard an ethereal, airy voice beside her.

“What does it mean when an Alpha sends a photo of their collarbones to an Omega?”

Assistant Ji’s pen slipped, and her notebook almost hit the floor. Was she hallucinating from overtime stress?

She turned around; Ming Yufu looked perfectly composed, waiting for her answer. Assistant Ji’s shock was no less than hearing that her Beta neighbor had confessed to the street-food vendor just to get the recipe for grilled cold noodles, then dumped them immediately after learning the secret.

Who? Which Alpha had the guts to send a collarbone pic to President Ming?

Professionalism suppressed her curiosity. Assistant Ji pushed up her glasses and said, “An Alpha sending a collarbone photo carries a strong, subtle hint. Usually, it’s with the intent to get closer. Sent to an Omega, there’s an 80% chance they like you.”

Ming Yufu’s profile was as clear and cold as winter jade. “And the other 20%?”

Assistant Ji said, “The other 20%? They aren’t a ‘proper’ Alpha.”

The girl had made a “Good A” declaration just while applying a Band-Aid; it was impossible for her to be “improper.” Ming Yufu lifted her gaze halfway and dismissed it: “She isn’t that kind of A.”

Assistant Ji said bluntly, “Then they must definitely like you.”

The long shadows of Ming Yufu’s lashes fell into her eyes. “It’s not me.”

Assistant Ji pivotally changed her tune. “Right, right. They must definitely like that Omega.”

“…”

Like?

Ming Yufu had never experienced it and didn’t understand the emotion. She quietly withdrew her gaze. Glancing at her cold, gorgeous face, Assistant Ji sighed in her heart. Poor Alpha—falling for their work-obsessed President is like throwing pearls before swine.

Back at the residence.

The chandelier refracted light in all directions. Ming Yufu brought dinner to the table in two trips. She pulled a pale yellow hair tie from a drawer and tied her long dark hair into a loose low ponytail. Her pale, slender neck was exposed to the air, giving her a softer appearance. Her silver fringe earrings swayed slightly, flashing with a cold light.

When she had finished about a third of her meal, she heard the sound of the indoor elevator.

Beep—

Meng Li shuffled out of the elevator in her slippers, her fluffy curls slightly messy over her shoulders, her black nightgown reaching her knees. She rubbed her tired eyes, took a breath through her parted red lips, and let out a long yawn. The sound stopped abruptly when she saw Ming Yufu, replaced by a radiant smile.

“You’re back.”

Ming Yufu nodded. She saw Meng Li sit opposite her, propping up her chin. “Have you eaten?”

There was still visible sleepiness in Meng Li’s features, but it didn’t detract from how stunningly beautiful that face looked under the lights.

“I’ve eaten,” Meng Li said. If the President isn’t coming home, I have to fill either my stomach or my life points.

She discreetly absorbed life points, watching the woman’s lips move in an elegant, rhythmic motion as she ate. Every chew was unhurried, as if she were critiquing a Michelin meal in a five-star kitchen. It was a pleasing sight.

The more she observed, the more Meng Li felt the woman was unlike anyone else she had ever met. Her aura was aloof, her dark hair draped lazily over her shoulders, yet she didn’t seem lonely. Instead, she exuded the refined nobility of moonlight on a snow-covered pine—an attraction that made one want to explore her.

“Do you want to eat a bit more? There are still dishes left,” Ming Yufu said suddenly, picking up a piece of eggplant.

Meng Li’s attention shifted. “I can’t eat another bite.”

Ming Yufu went back to eating quietly, treating the gaze on her face like thin air. She now believed Assistant Ji’s “liking” theory about 20% more. If she didn’t like her, why would Meng Li stare at her for so long?

Watching her made Meng Li crave something. She went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and returned, gulping down half of it to soothe her “lonely” mouth. She suddenly spoke from the heart: “With an Alpha like me at home, President Ming still forgets to eat and sleep, and hates coming back.”

She tried to squeeze out a few tears but failed, so she mentally played a tragic background theme of whistling northern winds. Her beautiful face looked sorrowful, like a bright pearl covered in dust.

First day living together: Omega comes home late, leaving the Alpha alone in an empty room. Truly a heart-wrenching tale.

Ming Yufu dithered. She knew she was watching a clumsy performance. The rapid blinking and the pouting lips were all a deliberate “pathetic” act, yet a never-before-felt sense of guilt sprouted in her heart.

Because no one had ever waited for her before.

Ming Yufu’s hand holding the white porcelain spoon paused. She lifted her lashes to look at her. “Do you mind?”

Ming Yufu showed very little emotion; joy and anger were hidden, and her expression was much the same whether she was happy or not.

Meng Li said earnestly, “It’s not about whether I mind. No matter how busy work is, you should try to eat on time. Irregular eating is bad for the body; your metabolism and digestive system could suffer.”

Take her, for example: three meals a day, never skips, eats regularly and healthily.

Those slightly upturned peach-blossom eyes were captivating. Currently, they were filled with concern, like a light feather landing on Ming Yufu’s heart, stirring a strange, tingly itch.

Ming Yufu’s voice softened slightly. “I understand.”

Meng Li felt a warmth in her heart.

Ming Yufu added, “Next time I work late, I’ll eat at the office first.”

Meng Li: “…” Huh?

Every extra second Ming Yufu spent at the office was a second Meng Li lost to absorb life points.

She immediately proposed, “How about this: whenever I don’t have classes, I’ll bring dinner to you.”

Ming Yufu looked at the girl’s serious expression. “No, it’s too much trouble.” She didn’t like trouble, and she hated others going to trouble for her even more.

Meng Li had her own logic. “But if you’re working late at the office with no one to remind you, it’s very easy to forget to eat, right?”

She had hit the nail on the head.

Ming Yufu didn’t look particularly embarrassed. Her eyes wavered as she picked up a bean sprout and put it to her lips.

“Sss.”

Her mouth was stung by spice. She pulled out a tissue and spat out the bean sprout, seeing it was actually a piece of red chili.

Ming Yufu: “Then I…”

Meng Li said, “I want to have dinner with you.”

Ming Yufu glanced at her slightly flushed cheeks and paused. “Next time, I’ll come home earlier.”