Chapter 113
When she left the empty classroom, Zhuang Chi felt the air in the corridor was much colder than in the classroom, making her shiver subconsciously.
She knew it was likely because she had worked up a bit of a sweat during their earlier entanglement—if she was like this, Gu Ximian was probably no better off. Worried they might catch a cold going out like this, Zhuang Chi looked at Gu Ximian. “Why don’t we wait a bit before going out? It’s not good to be hit by the wind when you’re warm.”
Gu Ximian was looking down slightly, her lower face buried in the dark blue scarf loosely wrapped around her neck. She only looked up when she heard Zhuang Chi’s voice and said softly, “...Mm.”
Zhuang Chi felt that the scarf looked different on Gu Ximian than when she wore it herself; it seemed to exude an air of nobility. She took a few extra glances, but the scarf’s main purpose right now wasn’t to keep Gu Ximian warm. The sight of it made her think of what it was meant to hide, and she couldn’t help but blush. When Gu Ximian, who had looked over, caught her gaze, she hastily tried to cover it up by changing the subject. “Do you… do you think we should continue looking around?”
...It was a rather pointless question. This was Gu Ximian’s alma mater, where she had spent a full three years. What could there possibly be that she wanted to see? She was only accompanying Zhuang Chi on a trip down memory lane. But Zhuang Chi was no longer in the mood to continue the tour. Her memory of this school had just been painted with a stroke that was far too bold and colorful, almost overshadowing all her previous memories. She had generally been a very well-behaved and good student, and now, belatedly realizing what she had done in a school, she felt restless just being on campus.
After the temporary mark, both of them knew they had gone a little too far. They were so shy that even making eye contact was difficult. Although they both intentionally avoided talking about it, the atmosphere remained subtly thick. Zhuang Chi thought Gu Ximian probably felt the same way and would want to leave the school as soon as possible. But unexpectedly, after a moment of silence, Gu Ximian nodded calmly. “Let’s keep looking. It’s still early.”
With that, she took the lead and started walking. Zhuang Chi had no choice but to follow, forcing herself to make small talk with Gu Ximian about places in the academic building they both remembered. But her mind was not focused, and before long, she couldn’t help but ask, “...Speaking of which, were there any security cameras in that empty classroom...?”
“...” Gu Ximian was silent for a long moment before replying, “...They probably wouldn’t be on during the winter break. I’ll have someone confirm it later.”
Zhuang Chi nodded hastily, feeling somewhat relieved. But a short while later, her thoughts drifted again. Her eyes kept darting to Gu Ximian’s neck, and she couldn’t resist asking, “...Will your suppression collar rub against where I bit you just now—um, I mean, will it rub against a place that hurts you?”
Gu Ximian’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly. She looked away, avoiding Zhuang Chi’s gaze, and said in a small voice, “It won’t. You didn’t… hurt me.”
Zhuang Chi’s breathing hitched for a beat. Her mind was filled with thoughts of, really? Is Gu Ximian just trying to placate me? She had clearly used some force when she bit, and she had seen the messy state of Gu Ximian’s neck afterward…
The more she walked, the hotter her face became. Zhuang Chi desperately wanted to stop replaying the memories in her mind, but with the faint taste of sweetness still lingering on her tongue, it was truly a difficult task. She followed Gu Ximian absentmindedly for a while longer before finally speaking again, “After we get back, you probably can’t keep wearing the scarf all the time—”
Gu Ximian finally couldn’t take it anymore. She turned around, grabbed Zhuang Chi, and pressed her against the nearby wall, glaring at her with embarrassed anger. “...This is all you can think about.”
...Could she really be blamed for this? Zhuang Chi looked at Gu Ximian pitifully, not quite daring to take a deep breath. She said in a small voice, “...Well… I have to reflect on it, don’t I?”
Between the two of them, Zhuang Chi was the one more easily affected by pheromones. She was already addicted to Gu Ximian’s pheromones, and just now, she had come dangerously close to losing control. If she hadn’t pulled back from the brink at the last second, the situation would likely be irreparable now. In the heat of the moment, she had no capacity to think about things like security cameras or the trouble the marks would cause. Afterward, she couldn’t help but think about it all, blaming herself while also reflecting on how to improve things in the future—they couldn’t have every temporary marking be such a dangerous tightrope walk.
“...” Gu Ximian fell uncomfortably silent for a long moment before finally sighing in semi-surrender. She leaned on Zhuang Chi’s shoulder and murmured, “What do you even have to reflect on…”
If anyone needed to reflect, it should be her, Gu Ximian. Even if she was reluctant to admit it, Gu Ximian knew that this time, she had been the one to tease too much, which was why this temporary mark had become so ambiguous and romantic. In the end, she was a repeat offender in this regard. From recklessly releasing an excessive amount of pheromones to soothe Zhuang Chi during her susceptible period back then, to today, when she impulsively told Zhuang Chi to bite harder—the reasons and objectives behind her actions were all the same, and the results were more or less similar. If it weren’t for Zhuang Chi’s self-control, Gu Ximian feared she would have capsized long ago.
After all this time, she hadn’t improved one bit, and at the same time… she had no intention of reflecting on it at all.
In any case, her actions had indeed achieved the effect she wanted, perhaps even better than she had imagined, to the point where she found it a little hard to handle. As Gu Ximian thought this, she leaned more brazenly into Zhuang Chi’s arms. Feeling Zhuang Chi’s body tense up slightly gave her a small sense of victory, so she went ahead and wrapped her arms around Zhuang Chi’s supple waist, locking her in an embrace.
Gu Ximian loved seeing Zhuang Chi lose her composure because of her. This was probably a terrible hobby that was hard to correct.
The only problem was probably that it was always a bit of a Pyrrhic victory. After the temporary mark, Gu Ximian had been too shy to mention it. Now, seeing that Zhuang Chi was just as unsettled and had been the first to bring it up, she felt it was fine to talk about it. After being temporarily marked, her Alpha would naturally be dependent on her. Gu Ximian moved closer to Zhuang Chi, and as she lazily lifted her head, the tip of her nose unintentionally brushed against Zhuang Chi’s delicate chin, making her jolt. She deliberately didn’t pull back, looking directly at Zhuang Chi and asking, “What were you trying to say just now? You can’t wear the scarf all the time after we get home, so what?”
Zhuang Chi’s ears were bright red. She looked down as if to escape, her thick, raven-like eyelashes hiding her bright black eyes. She was clearly embarrassed, and when she finally spoke, her voice was soft and thin. “...Uncle and Auntie will see it, right?”
She was the one who had done the deed, yet now she was the most embarrassed one. Gu Ximian’s eyes curved into a smile. She ruffled Zhuang Chi’s hair and patted her face like she was petting a dog, pretending to think for a long moment before replying, “If I’m lucky, I can get to my room with the scarf on, then find a way to cover the marks before coming out. If I’m unlucky, they’ll probably find out. If I run into my parents right when we get back—forget my dad, my mom would definitely know at a glance, maybe without me even taking off the scarf.”
“Because I was wearing lipstick properly when I left, and now…” Gu Ximian pursed her lips. Even without a mirror, she spoke with absolute certainty, her voice dropping to a whisper, “...you’ve eaten it all.”
As expected, a blush flew across Zhuang Chi’s fair face. Her gaze shifted slightly downward, and Gu Ximian knew it had landed on her lips. But according to her plan, Zhuang Chi should have glanced away in a panic, then probably asked if she had brought lipstick to touch up, to which she would have denied it even though she had. But Zhuang Chi’s gaze didn’t move away for a long time. She seemed captivated, her stare so focused it was almost tangible, practically burning Gu Ximian until she grew flustered and hot.
“...It seems… a little—”
Gu Ximian heard Zhuang Chi murmur. She was still staring intently. Then she raised her hand, and her slightly warm, soft fingertips gently touched the corner of her lips, then brushed faintly over the lips themselves. The touch was light, a gentle tap before retreating, but Gu Ximian unconsciously tightened her grip on Zhuang Chi’s waist. A tingling sensation lingered on her lips, as if they hadn’t just been touched once, but had been slowly and thoroughly caressed.
“...” Zhuang Chi looked at the glistening red of Gu Ximian’s lips. She knew it wasn’t the color of lipstick. As she quietly rubbed away the last stray bit of lipstick from her fingertips, she murmured, “...Did I kiss you too hard just now...?”
Gu Ximian didn’t speak. Zhuang Chi only heard the increasingly rapid heartbeat from their pressed-together bodies, no longer knowing whose it was. It beat out a strange rhythm, making one’s heart sway.
Zhuang Chi let out a soft sigh in her heart and finally closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss, again and again, as if mesmerized.
And having reflected on her actions, this time, she kissed very gently.
After returning home, she was, as expected, summoned for a talk by Father Gu.
Zhuang Chi sat opposite Father Gu, prim and proper, her back ramrod straight. She looked at Father Gu, who had been silent for five minutes since calling her in, and couldn't help but think that maybe she should just confess first.
Gu Ximian was currently in her room trying to remedy the marks on her neck. To be honest, Zhuang Chi felt it was a rather pointless effort. Judging by the looks from Father and Mother Gu, their secret had been exposed the moment they walked in the door—most likely because of all the kissing that happened afterward. Then, while Zhuang Chi was on her way to get a drink of water, she was intercepted by Father Gu and brought to the study. Now, the two of them were staring at each other, both tacitly aware of the topic of discussion, yet neither spoke.
...Fine, she would speak first. At this point, there was no use in hiding it. Zhuang Chi thought she shouldn’t keep Gu Ximian waiting in her room for too long, so she took a deep breath and laid everything bare. “...Uncle, I know what you want to ask. We went out today… and because of me, Gu Ximian’s susceptible period became unstable, so I gave her a temporary mark.”
She was about to apologize next, but she heard Father Gu snort and interrupt, “I know. I can smell it.”
...Oh, right. The scent would also give it away. She had completely forgotten about that. Zhuang Chi silently closed her eyes, then heard Father Gu continue, “...Ximian was willing, right?”
Although it was phrased as a question, his tone was firm, as if he already knew the answer. Seeing Zhuang Chi nod in affirmation, Father Gu slowly exhaled and suddenly changed the subject. “I see you’re wearing a pheromone suppression collar. Is it because your gland injury hasn’t healed, so you still can’t control your pheromones?”
Zhuang Chi was taken aback and explained, “I can still control the release of my pheromones, but I haven’t recovered to the point of precise control over the concentration…”
As for the reason she was wearing the collar, Zhuang Chi hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t say it. But from Father Gu’s expression, he had probably already noticed that Zhuang Chi’s collar was the same custom model as Gu Ximian’s. He nonchalantly picked up his cup and took a sip of water—no, he gulped down more than half the cup. Then he set the cup down heavily with a long sigh, startling Zhuang Chi.
“...You should know, we only have one daughter, Ximian, and she’s so outstanding.” Father Gu said, his brow furrowing slightly. “I’ve always wanted to choose a partner who is worthy of her. Even if we don’t talk about matching social status, the most basic requirement is at least good health…”
Ah. Zhuang Chi’s heart sank. This tone didn’t feel good.
As she thought this, she saw Father Gu pick up a bag from the side, zip it open with a shhh sound, and pull out a checkbook. At this very moment, rather than feeling nervous, Zhuang Chi’s thoughts took a strange turn as she gasped inwardly.
...Wow. Zhuang Chi thought. Is she about to encounter a “Here’s ten million, leave my daughter” situation? In terms of style, it was just like a plot she would write in a novel—she hadn’t written that, had she?
This thought threw her into a state of confusion. She didn’t know how to react and just stared blankly as Father Gu solemnly placed the check on the table, pushed it toward her, and looked at her seriously, saying, “You—”
“—What are you trying to say?”
Before he could finish, the closed study door was pushed open with a bang, followed by Gu Ximian’s voice. Zhuang Chi turned to see her striding to her side, her face as cold and tense as her voice. “What are you trying to do by giving her money? Why don’t you tell me?”
Anyone could feel her suppressed anger and disappointment. Zhuang Chi looked at her worriedly, not wanting her to clash with her father. She then looked at Father Gu, only to see the middle-aged man, who had been so serious just a moment ago, now looking even more flustered than she was. His hand on the check waved frantically. “It’s… it’s so she can get her gland treated.”
““...””
Zhuang Chi and Gu Ximian were both stunned. Gu Ximian was almost dumbfounded, and it took her a long moment to slowly say, “...Haven’t we already hired a doctor? You should know about this…”
“Well… besides seeing a doctor, there are still a lot of expenses. I wanted to give Zhuang Chi a reward when she was rescued, but you wouldn’t let me then, saying she wouldn’t accept it. I finally saw her today, so I thought I’d try again.” Father Gu gradually regained some of his confidence and sat up straight again, looking righteous. “It needs to be treated quickly. Otherwise, if she can’t control her pheromone concentration, a temporary mark could be very dangerous. One slip-up and it could become a permanent—”
“...Dad!”
Gu Ximian came to her senses and cut her father off, embarrassed and annoyed. Father Gu flinched but insisted on finishing his sentence, though his voice was much smaller now, and he sounded a bit aggrieved. “...You have someone you like, can your dad really drive them away? But you two aren’t old enough to get married yet, so you should be careful before marriage. A permanent mark is a big deal, after all…”
Gu Ximian couldn’t listen anymore. She grabbed Zhuang Chi, turned, and fled. They ran right into Mother Gu, who had been listening at the door for who knows how long. Mortified by her mother’s smiling, benevolent gaze, she threw a “I’ll come apologize to Dad later” over her shoulder and made a hasty retreat, heading straight back to her room and closing the door.
Zhuang Chi, who had been dragged along the whole way, looked at Gu Ximian’s ever-changing, complex expression and could only say lamely, “It seems your uncle… is a pretty good person…”
Gu Ximian’s expression shifted again and again, and she finally couldn’t help but burst out laughing, covering her forehead. “You have no idea, just now I…”
She had lost her composure when she saw her father take Zhuang Chi for a private talk and then offer her money. She thought she really needed to apologize properly to her father later. Recalling his words, her thoughts took a turn. She looked at Zhuang Chi, who didn’t seem to have thought about it deeply, and asked, “What did you think… about what my dad said just now?”
“Hm?” Zhuang Chi blinked, recalling his words. “About me getting my gland treated? I think he’s right. I should find a solution soon, otherwise it’s a huge hidden danger—”
“Not that.”
Gu Ximian shook her head, her voice soft and quick. “...About the permanent mark.”
“Do you want to?” she asked softly. “Do you want to mark me?”
“...”
The question was so direct. Zhuang Chi unconsciously held her breath. A long moment passed before she recovered, letting out a soft sigh. “...Why do you ask that? Your uncle also said we’re not at the age for marriage yet, and… you don’t like that sort of thing, do you?”
Gu Ximian’s lips tightened slightly. She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she didn’t refute it. Zhuang Chi, of course, knew Gu Ximian very well and was aware that she was against the idea of a permanent mark, which treated an Omega like an object—at least, she had been before they fell in love.
Zhuang Chi thought for a moment and replied seriously, “It would be a lie to say I don’t want it at all, but I really don’t think it’s necessary.”
“I wasn’t from this world before. I always felt that a setting like a ‘permanent mark’ is just a concretization of possessiveness, a physically irreversible ritual. In a sense, it probably makes people feel more secure.” As she said this, Zhuang Chi shook her head gently. “But for me… there’s something that has the same meaning as a ‘permanent mark,’ something very similar.”
“—Placing a ring on the person you love.”
“So, as long as you’re willing to be with me, willing to accept my ring one day in the future,” Zhuang Chi looked at Gu Ximian, her eyes bright and earnest, “then nothing else matters. Gu Ximian, you don’t need to think about it so much. I will never do anything that would hurt you.”
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