Her Rose – Chapter 83

The sound of thunder outside woke Cheng Ying from the floor. She pushed up her numb body, staggering for a moment before steadying herself against the wall. Walking to the window, she pulled open the drawn curtains.

The sky had turned completely dark. Dense raindrops pelted the window, leaving streaks of water running down.

The city lights failed to illuminate the layers of black clouds, though bright flashes of lightning occasionally flickered through them.

It was a sign of an impending downpour.

Cheng Ying clutched the curtain tightly. In this unfamiliar place, where could Jiang Hanguang possibly go?

It seemed she had a choice, but in reality, she had none.

If her heart were truly made of steel, if she could truly bear to let go, why would she deceive herself by saying nothing, thinking nothing, and only wanting to spend these last peaceful moments with Jiang Hanguang?

Hacking into Qingtian City’s surveillance system wasn’t difficult for Cheng Mantou, so it didn’t take Cheng Ying long to find Jiang Hanguang at a bus stop not far from the residential complex.

The streetlight cast a ghastly white glow, enveloping the small bus stop where the woman sat all alone.

She was soaked to the bone, wearing the thin sweater she had on at home. Her lips were pale from the cold, and her long, wet hair clung to her face, making her look both wretched and fragile.

Yet she just sat there quietly, watching the weather outside her small shelter grow ever more gloomy and dreadful.

A homeless stray cat was curled up on her lap. It, too, was soaked and shivering, nuzzling its head into her embrace in an attempt to find a sliver of warmth.

Cheng Ying’s car stopped in front of the bus stop. The headlights pierced the endless night like two arrows shot with no return, stirring not even an echo.

Jiang Hanguang slowly looked over. Under the streetlight, her dark eyes glinted with a faint, cold light.

They were so calm and indifferent, yet they burned like two raging flames, searing Cheng Ying’s heart.

She frantically opened the car door, rushed into the dense curtain of rain, and ran to Jiang Hanguang.

This wasn’t a case of her not wanting Jiang Hanguang; it was now clearly Jiang Hanguang who didn’t want her.

Cheng Ying knelt, grabbing Jiang Hanguang’s hand. It was as cold as a block of ice.

It was different from back at home, where the cold had been superficial, merely the lingering effect of extreme shock.

Now, however, the chill had seeped deep into her bones. No matter how much Cheng Ying rubbed her hands, she couldn’t bring any warmth to them.

Cheng Ying didn’t dare to imagine how long Jiang Hanguang had been walking in this cold, dreary rain.

Her tears continued to fall. It took her several attempts to remove her coat and wrap it around the slender woman before her.

Jiang Hanguang struggled twice, and from the force of it, she seemed to mean it. But her strength had been nearly depleted by the cold rain, leaving her helpless against the Alpha’s brute force. She could only turn her head away stubbornly, presenting Cheng Ying with a cold profile.

“I was wrong, I was wrong…” Cheng Ying murmured, lifting the Omega into her arms and kissing her icy forehead. “Baby, let’s go home first.”

Startled by Cheng Ying’s movement, the cat fell to the ground with a pitiful meow.

Jiang Hanguang’s gaze fell on the cat, and before she could speak, Cheng Ying picked it up too.

She tossed the cat into the back seat, then carefully settled Jiang Hanguang into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt.

Jiang Hanguang remained silent the entire time, not even sparing her a glance, as if Cheng Ying was less important than the stray cat she had just met while sheltering from the rain.

A heavy ache settled in Cheng Ying’s heart, but she didn’t dare voice any objection. She got into the driver’s seat, commanded the car to head home, and took Jiang Hanguang’s hands in hers, rubbing them and breathing warm air onto them in an attempt to warm her up.

Back home, Cheng Ying carried Jiang Hanguang to the bathroom. She started filling the tub with water, set Jiang Hanguang down on a chair just outside, and began to peel off her clothes with trembling hands.

It was truly a peeling motion; the soaked clothes clung to her body like a wrapper that had gotten wet and stuck fast to a piece of chocolate.

Underneath, her skin was deathly pale from the cold. The fair, tender skin that had once made Cheng Ying’s heart race now looked like flawless jade.

Fair and soft, yet utterly lifeless.

Cheng Ying raised a hand and wiped her tears away fiercely, so hard her eyes stung. As if holding a recovered treasure, she carefully and tightly pulled Jiang Hanguang into her embrace.

Jiang Hanguang didn’t struggle or speak, like a docile doll, as the Alpha placed her into the warm water.

The water, overly warm against her cold skin, made her shiver. She finally reacted, grabbing Cheng Ying’s hand as it rubbed her arm. She glanced at the other woman coolly, her voice smooth and detached. “I’ll do it myself.”

Cheng Ying paused, stopping her actions. She silently stood up and went outside.

But Jiang Hanguang didn’t actually wash herself. She simply stared blankly at the ceiling, letting the warm water prickle her skin.

Was I being too willful? she wondered. Perhaps Cheng Ying truly has reasons she can’t explain, perhaps she really is doing this to protect me.

She had muddled through so many things before, so why couldn’t she get past this one?

Even if Cheng Ying were to die, it would be her own choice as an adult. I’m just her girlfriend, so why am I clinging to her so shamelessly?

She curled into a small ball in the spacious bathtub, hugging her knees and weeping silently.

But emotions couldn’t be analyzed with logic and reason. Right now, what she wanted was still simple—just an answer.

Either she would go with Cheng Ying, or… she would let go completely, with no lingering attachments left behind.

Jiang Hanguang wasn’t a willful person, but she still had her pride.

She would rather freeze to death in a desolate, icy landscape than spend the rest of her life ignorant and bewildered in a greenhouse.

The bathroom door was abruptly pulled open. Jiang Hanguang instinctively turned to look, then immediately snapped her head back.

Her voice finally held some emotion. “What are you doing?!”

The silent, completely naked Alpha paid no mind to the shame and anger in her voice, stepping into the tub as she pleased.

The water in the tub instantly overflowed, creating shallow ripples on the tiled floor.

The Alpha’s hand wrapped unyieldingly around her waist, pulling the curled-up Omega into her arms.

Like a pitiful pet, she rested her head in the beautiful crook of the woman’s neck, her warm breath brushing against the side of Jiang Hanguang’s face.

Jiang Hanguang finally began to struggle violently. “Let go of me… Mmph!”

Her movements abruptly ceased, and then her entire body began to tremble.

The sensation of her fragile gland being caught between hot lips and teeth was unpleasant, like a mild electric shock.

Cheng Ying’s woody-scented pheromones instantly filled the air, flooding irresistibly into her lungs with every breath.

As is well known, for an Omega who has just been lightly marked, that particular Alpha’s pheromones are not much different from a potent stimulant.

Heat rapidly radiated from within her, and her fair skin flushed an alluring shade of pink.

Jiang Hanguang grew frantic, but unable to struggle forcefully, she could only reach back to strike the person behind her.

“Cheng Ying!”

Her hand was seized without ceremony by the Alpha, who twisted it behind her back in a fairly standard restraining hold.

The hold forced Jiang Hanguang to arch her body. From Cheng Ying’s perspective, she could see her heaving chest and the vast expanse of snowy skin.

Her gaze darkened slightly, and she pressed her hand against it instinctively.

The smooth body in her arms trembled, and the voice calling her name was now laced with ragged breaths.

“Bastard…”

There was also a hint of anger and humiliation.

Though it was hardly the time, Cheng Ying thought that a flustered Miss Jiang had a unique flavor all her own.

Especially now, when the heat from within and the heat from the water had completely dispelled the woman’s chill. A rich rose fragrance seeped out, making her heart pound.

This is how it should be.

Don’t look at me with such heartless eyes. Don’t hurt me with such a cold tone.

I’m yours. How could you just cast me aside?

Cheng Ying turned Jiang Hanguang around to face her, seeing the woman’s reddened eyes and lips bitten pale.

She was still crying, and her tears made Cheng Ying’s heart ache so much that she couldn’t think about anything else.

She had no choice but to compromise. But first, she was going to collect some interest.

The fear of drowning at any moment made Jiang Hanguang’s voice tremble. Her delicate fingers dug into the edge of the tub as she stared, a mixture of shock and anger in her eyes, at the smiling Alpha before her.

She had no idea how her current appearance could stir such feelings of pity and affection.

Or malicious intent.

The Alpha leaned in, pulling her into an embrace. She licked her lips placatingly while whispering sweet nothings.

“If my baby wants to go, then we’ll go together, alright?”

Jiang Hanguang froze, seemingly not expecting Cheng Ying to compromise so readily. She looked at the Alpha with suspicion. “Really?”

“!”

She didn’t get an answer. What came instead were Cheng Ying’s premeditated, ill-intentioned fingers, invading along with the hot water.

“Ngh…” The woman arched her long neck, letting out a mournful cry as her back pressed against the warm wall of the bathtub.

The Alpha pressed tightly against her, her voice laced with a hint of laughter and satisfaction. “But I think you need to be taught a lesson…”

Cheng Ying seemed particularly eager today. After a few perfunctory caresses, she went straight to the main event.

The overwhelming sensation of fullness left Jiang Hanguang speechless. She could only tremble and cling to the woman on top of her, letting her have her way.

Amidst the rising and falling motions, her vision blurred with tears and her consciousness was swept away by the steaming heat. She sobbed quietly, the Alpha’s sigh-like words echoing in her ear.

“Next time you throw a tantrum, don’t play games with your own body.”

Cheng Ying gritted her teeth, controlling her strength to keep Jiang Hanguang from breaking down too quickly.

But that was difficult. She found it hard to remain rational in matters like this.

The other woman was wrapped around her so softly and tightly, making it incredibly difficult to control her instinct to forcefully conquer.

Especially with Jiang Hanguang crying so weakly, though her sobs were no longer cold and resistant.

Instead, it was more like she was being coquettish, asking her to be gentler.

She kissed the woman’s bright red ear and smiled, smug and satisfied.

Don’t harbor such unrealistic fantasies about an Alpha, Miss Jiang.

The water in the tub splashed out little by little, as if it would never stop.