Approaching this alpha again was dangerous.
Tang Jianxi’s rational mind warned her as much.
But Tang Jianxi still couldn’t forget—though she tried—the silhouette quietly wiping the window, the alpha enduring her rut in a corner, the tearful Yun Chuji who claimed her innocence was lost.
And, the perfect fit of their bodies against each other.
These memories fought against her reason, telling her that this person wasn’t actually dangerous.
Finally, Tang Jianxi’s rational mind made a decision: even if it was dangerous, could she not subdue a madwoman on her own turf?
At her home, she had a full nine AI bodyguards on standby. Even ten alphas would be walking into a trap with no escape!
Besides, she cast a critical eye over Yun Chuji’s body. The girl was tall, yes, but so thin. Without the boost from her pheromones, Tang Jianxi’s own black belt in Taekwondo would probably be enough to handle her cleanly.
Yun Chuji felt a chill run down her spine under the scrutiny. This Miss Tang hadn’t said a word since entering. Yun Chuji quietly glanced at the eight beta bodyguards behind Tang Jianxi and mentally reviewed every form of punishment she knew.
Beating with a plank.
Forced kneeling.
Drowning in a pig cage.
Forced suicide.
Beheading.
Death by a thousand cuts.
The more she thought, the more terrified she became. Just as she was about to beg for a quick end, Tang Jianxi finally spoke, her voice like a bestowed mercy. “You can live for another year, but during this year, you will follow my arrangements.”
Tang Jianxi waited for the alpha to object, at which point she would mercilessly crush her with power and moral pressure.
After all, for a creature like an alpha, submitting to an omega was more agonizing than running naked in broad daylight.
But Yun Chuji said, “Alright.”
“However…”
Here it comes, Tang Jianxi thought. Resist. Then I’ll show you the power of an omega.
“Can I go out normally?”
“Huh?”
That’s it?
“Yes, you can,” Tang Jianxi replied dryly.
So… was that all?
So easily satisfied.
With Yun Chuji being like this, Tang Jianxi was at a loss for what to say. In truth, she had no grand ambitions of imprisoning her.
The kind-faced alpha showed an expression of relief and said, “Mm, that’s good.”
Since she had to be at the mercy of her victim, there was no need to agonize over going to the library.
After all, it was an extra year of life.
A day ago, Yun Chuji might have been indifferent to life or death, but now, she wanted to live a little longer. She remembered it took her elder brother ten years to finish reading the Four Books and Five Classics. But she wasn’t preparing for the imperial examinations. A general reading, without delving too deep, should be manageable in a year.
At this moment, Tang Jianxi inexplicably felt like she was bullying an honest person. With a touch of shame, she produced the pre-prepared contract, her voice dropping an octave. “This is what you need to do for the year.”
Yun Chuji took the paper—in this era, paper was only used in restrooms and for contracts—and without much of a glance, bit her finger and pressed a bloody print onto it.
“Uh, there’s an ink pad for that.”
Tang Jianxi stood there awkwardly, now truly feeling like a bully.
After all, there was a second, more lenient version of the contract.
This one, to put it nicely, was a list of terms for atonement. To put it bluntly, it was no different from an indenture contract, something she had drafted in a fit of pique purely to humiliate the other person.
It included, but was not limited to: Party B must provide pheromonal comfort to Party A from a distance of three meters when required.
And: Party B must unconditionally comply with Party A’s requests, provided they do not violate moral or legal principles.
This type of contract was created by omegas to buy alpha slaves during the Activation War. Although it had long been buried by alphas as a historical shame, Tang Jianxi had her ways of digging it up. She had originally intended to study it as a curiosity, but now, having impulsively brought it out, she found herself in a morally compromising position.
The victim, Tang Jianxi, suddenly became cautious. “Don’t you think this contract is excessive?”
Yun Chuji smiled upon hearing this. It was the smile of a well-bred lady, barely revealing a few teeth. Tang Jianxi had never seen an alpha smile in a way that was more omega-like than an omega.
“I think it’s very good.” She lowered her eyelashes slightly, appearing a little shy. “To be honest, I’m also relieved that I don’t have to have intimate contact with Miss Tang. Not to mention, Miss Tang will be responsible for my room and board. For me, these terms are quite appropriate.”
Tang Jianxi felt a lump form in her throat. She gritted her teeth. Did this person mean she was afraid Miss Tang would have improper designs on her?
Miss Tang let out a derisive laugh. Me, Tang Jianxi, I would rather wash Tang Jianshen’s feet or donate money to alphas than ever covet Yun Chuji!
With that, all the guilt in her heart vanished. If the victim didn’t feel victimized, then there was no need for her to self-righteously criticize herself. Tang Jianxi once again lifted her proud head and disdainfully surveyed the alpha’s nest.
Tsk!
It was actually quite clean…
Hah, so omega-like! Tang Jianxi mocked herself, dealing a blow to her own pride.
“Ahem, pack your things. You’re coming to my place.”
Yun Chuji’s expression turned to one of great alarm, though on her face it only manifested as slightly wider eyes and a barely perceptible parting of her lips.
“The contract didn’t say anything about this!”
Tang Jianxi guessed that “contract” was what she meant by “deed,” but she was getting really tired of this alpha spouting incomprehensible words. Had she gone mad from studying ancient culture?
She forced a smile and asked, “Do you know when my heat is?”
Yun Chuji shook her head.
Tang Jianxi widened her smile, the malice within it growing. “Thanks to you, I’m in heat every second of every day now.”
?????
Yun Chuji’s eyes grew even wider. This… this defied common sense.
In the original owner’s memory, wasn’t the frequency of an omega’s heat supposed to decrease after being permanently marked?
As if she could hear Yun Chuji’s thoughts, Tang Jianxi tossed out a medical report. “But I wasn’t completely permanently marked, was I? Now I’m in desperate need of you, my dear alpha, to provide comfort and help my body return to normal.”
A few words on the report were bolded: Pheromone Disorder (Critically Ill).
The three words in the parentheses were particularly alarming. Yun Chuji suddenly understood. No wonder Miss Tang was acting like she’d eaten three pounds of chili peppers today.
She quietly handed the report back and quietly packed her luggage.
Yun Chuji finished packing quickly. Although Tang Jianxi was satisfied with her obedient behavior, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the small bag. “Is that all? You’re staying for a year, you know.”
What she didn’t have the heart to say was, I can wait for you to pack.
The person opposite her didn’t catch the underlying meaning. Biting her lower lip, she said with some embarrassment, “My other clothes are… too improper.”
Improper? An alpha has such a concept?
The confusion on Tang Jianxi’s face was almost palpable. Yun Chuji had no choice but to explain, “They’re too revealing.”
Tang Jianxi couldn’t help but cup her ear. “Did you say something just now?”
Miss Yun had to raise her voice a little. “Too revealing.”
Tang Jianxi heard her clearly this time, but she suspected she hadn’t. What, what what?
In her extreme shock, she blurted out, “Why are you worried about that? Is there any part of you I haven’t seen?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Tang Jianxi’s face turned red.
Really, what a thing to say!
But Yun Chuji’s reaction was clearly stronger. She was so ashamed she fled back into her room. As she passed Tang Jianxi, Miss Tang could almost feel the heat radiating from her body.
She glanced back at the row of black-suited bodyguards. Despite their sunglasses, their expressions and visible features all seemed to say, “Well now, our Miss is truly a hero among omegas, starting to tease alphas already!”
Tang Jianxi covered her face and collapsed onto the sofa.
She didn’t understand. She just didn’t understand.
What she especially didn’t understand was why she just sat there waiting for a full half-hour until that strange alpha’s shyness subsided and she slowly emerged from the room. Only then did Tang Jianxi dare to whisper, “Let’s go.”
“Mm,” Yun Chuji responded softly. The corners of her eyes were suspiciously red, making one wonder if she had been crying.
Terrifying, absolutely terrifying, Tang Jianxi reflected. My hatred has definitely diminished, otherwise why would I be here indulging her madness?
My time is worth millions of star coins a minute!
Yun Chuji looked at the person spacing out with a puzzled expression. “Miss Tang, aren’t we leaving?”
Damn it, that voice really sounded like she had been crying.
“Yes, yes, let’s go,” Tang Jianxi replied in a flurry.
The two of them and the line of bodyguards walked outside, where Tang Jianxi’s fleet of hover cars was parked in front of her house.
A bodyguard came over and took Yun Chuji’s luggage. She then stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. The original owner had never ridden in such a high-class vehicle, and the last vehicle she herself had seen was a wheelbarrow for transporting grain in a bandit fortress.
Tang Jianxi, a few steps behind, saw the alpha standing frozen by the car door. Without much thought, she stepped forward and opened it for her.
Yun Chuji shot her a grateful smile, but Tang Jianxi felt as if she had eaten a poisonous mushroom from Z-District and lost her mind.
Me, one of the top omegas in S-District, just opened a car door for an alpha who schemed against me?
I could have used my optical computer to do it, why did I use my own hands!
“Miss Tang, aren’t we leaving?” Yun Chuji said for the second time. She turned her head to look at Tang Jianxi, who was staring at her own hand. The light from the artificial crystal streetlamps cast a gentle glow on her face, adding an air of tenderness.
From Tang Jianxi’s angle, she could only see Yun Chuji’s pale chin, as white as snow. She suddenly snapped out of her recent confusion and disbelief, her focus shifting entirely.
She wanted to touch that patch of white, to see if it felt like snow.
Cool and incredibly smooth.
“Um, could you come a little closer?”
Yun Chuji moved out a little, a puzzled look on her face. Tang Jianxi reached out her hand, and just as she was about to touch that coveted patch of white—the car’s pheromone detector went off.
Ah, Tang Jianxi realized in a daze. It’s not a poisonous mushroom. I’m having an episode.
Hah, this damned instinct.
But at the same time, she let out a secret sigh of relief.
Thank goodness it was just instinct.
