Chapter 12
Song Jinzhi sat by the balcony, taking light sips of coffee, her gaze drifting over the passing cars. It wasn't that the vehicles held any special appeal, rather, when she woke each morning and faced another tedious day ahead, she always needed to do something to settle herself. She knew the life she was living now was what most Omegas were accustomed to. From the moment of birth, their path was already mapped out.
Grow up, study, come of age, endure heats, work briefly, marry an Alpha, and from then on, become a wife, a mother, living a mediocre and uneventful existence. Every time these thoughts surfaced, a faint bitterness welled up in Song Jinzhi's heart, because she knew she was traveling the same road, drawing ever closer to the version of herself she despised most.
"A Jin, what are you up to?" Jing Yu's face suddenly appeared on the communicator. Song Jinzhi forced out a smile and lifted her coffee cup for her friend to see. "Not much. Just having coffee. And you? I thought you said you've been busy lately. What made you suddenly have time to reach out?" Song Jinzhi had no desire to show her despondent side to her best friend, and apparently, her pretense was quite effective.
"I called because I missed you. Besides, today isn't a workday, you must have lost track of the days."
Jing Yu spoke casually, completely oblivious to the helplessness flickering in Song Jinzhi's eyes. A sudden silence stretched between them for a moment before Jing Yu spoke first.
"A Jin, how about coming with me to a concert tonight? Tonight's pianist is brilliant. You'll love her." Jing Yu spoke with deliberate emphasis. Hearing this, Song Jinzhi felt a stir of curiosity. She knew Jing Yu rarely sustained interest in anything beyond a few minutes, so for her to offer such praise, the pianist must indeed be exceptional.
"What time does it start?" "Seven in the evening. I'll pick you up then. If that one at your place dares to stop you from coming out, I'll deal with her for you." Jing Yu said lightly. Song Jinzhi smiled and shook her head at her words. She knew Gu Sijiu, for the time being at least, wouldn't restrict her from going out the way she used to. Compared to controlling her, Gu Sijiu seemed far more preoccupied with... skincare.
Having made plans with Jing Yu, Song Jinzhi suddenly found she had something to look forward to. She quietly read in her room, then began to dress and groom herself two hours before the appointed time. Gu Sijiu, having just retrieved her newly purchased facial masks from the doorstep, had no sooner stepped inside than she saw Song Jinzhi descending the stairs, impeccably dressed and stunningly beautiful, as if heading out for a date. Gu Sijiu couldn't help staring a few extra moments, mentally awarding Song Jinzhi's ensemble an extremely high score.
Song Jinzhi was beautiful. Though Gu Sijiu never voiced it, in her heart she never denied this. Song Jinzhi possessed the tall and slender figure most Omegas lacked. Her frame seemed slender, yet in truth, where curves were due, there was no shortage. She wore a black knee length dress, the front hem split in a slit that revealed glimpses of her fair legs with every step.
At the sides of her ribcage, the design featured cutouts, with two black straps looping past her collarbones to connect to the fabric at the back. The neckline was modestly low, revealing a pronounced cleavage and the half concealed swell of her breasts. The dress was boldly designed and difficult to wear, yet on Song Jinzhi it did not appear the least bit suggestive; instead, she wore it with an air of dignified grace.
She had swept her hair up into an updo. A diamond necklace rested at her throat. Her delicate makeup was impeccable. Even if her expression, upon seeing Gu Sijiu, held a hint of displeasure, she was still beautiful. Gu Sijiu regarded her with appreciation, the kind of pure, aesthetic pleasure one feels at the sight of something beautiful. Meeting her eyes, Song Jinzhi saw no malice within them, which did slightly surprise her.
After all, in the past, if she so much as dressed up a little to go out, Gu Sijiu would surely mock her with snide remarks. Back then, Gu Sijiu had been like some twisted, hideous insect. The very feel of her gaze on herself had been unbearable to Song Jinzhi. But now it was different. The admiration in Gu Sijiu's eyes was far too obvious.
"This dress is lovely. It suits you very well." Gu Sijiu offered genuine praise, though in her heart, she still felt that she herself would look even more beautiful and alluring in such a dress, of course, using her original figure as reference. "Mm." Song Jinzhi replied to Gu Sijiu's words with only a single, indifferent syllable. She wanted to leave as quickly as possible, unwilling to keep Jing Yu waiting.
"Enjoy yourself." With that, Gu Sijiu grabbed her facial masks and headed upstairs eagerly, without the slightest hesitation. She didn't even ask where Song Jinzhi was going or what she was doing. This sudden freedom left Song Jinzhi feeling somewhat unfamiliar, but on second thought, if Gu Sijiu truly stopped asking about her outings from now on, that would be a good thing.
"Well? Did she give you a hard time?" Song Jinzhi had barely gotten into the car when Jing Yu started questioning her. She shook her head and said it was fine. Jing Yu, seeing no fresh injuries on her and noting her complexion looked well enough, felt reassured. The two of them drove all the way to the concert venue. With half an hour until the performance began, quite a few people were already preparing to enter. Song Jinzhi noticed that most attendees were dressed in suits and formal gowns, their conversation and demeanor impeccably polite. It was her first time at such a concert, she hadn't expected the atmosphere to be so solemn.
"Today's performer is fairly well known. Trust me, you'll adore her pieces." Jing Yu said mysteriously, before leading Song Jinzhi into the concert hall. Once they were seated, Song Jinzhi realized their seats were in the VIP section. She began to believe that Jing Yu was, indeed, genuinely fond of the person performing tonight.
Before the performance began, every seat was filled. After a while, the stage gradually darkened, leaving only the pure white piano on the platform illuminated. As the performance officially commenced, a female Alpha emerged from behind the curtain. Song Jinzhi could feel the delight radiating from the people around her upon the performer's entrance. They were all fervent, yet restrained the impulse to cry out.
Song Jinzhi set her gaze upon that Alpha, studying her carefully. One could see she was a person of exceptional upbringing and temperament. Dressed in a white floor length gown, she walked gracefully to the piano, bowed to the audience, and then took her seat. Her long black hair, reaching her waist, cascaded down her back. Her face was touched with slightly retro, understated makeup, or rather, her features themselves belonged to a more classic type.
She had a high bridged, delicate nose, and her pink lips curved in a lovely, faint smile. Beneath the light, her pale profile gleamed with a sacred quality. Her eyes, large and almond shaped, were shaded with light eyeshadow, giving her an exceedingly gentle look. She placed both hands on the keys. A single note sounded, and from the very first bar, it struck the listener as breathtaking.
At first, Song Jinzhi's mindset had been that of merely accompanying someone. But by the midpoint, she too had become wholly immersed in the music. Even after the one hour performance ended, the melodies still lingered in her mind, and she couldn't quite pull herself back. Seeing her distracted state, Jing Yu's expression grew somewhat smug. She and Song Jinzhi left the venue but didn't rush back; they planned to eat out first before heading home.
"A Jin, there's another friend of mine coming over. What do you say we all have dinner together?" Jing Yu said gently. Learning that another friend was joining, Song Jinzhi didn't object. The two arrived at the restaurant. They had just taken their seats when they heard another set of footsteps. Song Jinzhi turned to look. The newcomer was none other than the pianist herself. Before leaving, Song Jinzhi had made a point of noting the performer's name: Wen Qiulan.
"Apologies, I was just changing. I've arrived a little late. A Yu, it's been a while." It was the first time Song Jinzhi had heard Wen Qiulan speak; during the entire performance, the woman hadn't uttered a word. Her voice was remarkably soft, gentle as if steeped in water. Moreover, despite being an Alpha, she carried absolutely no sense of oppression, a rather uncommon trait.
"It's nothing. We know you're a very busy person. Come, sit. This is my friend, Song Jinzhi. She's seeing your performance for the first time." Jing Yu introduced the two, after which Wen Qiulan sat down beside Jing Yu. During the meal, Jing Yu, acting as the intermediary, kept steering Wen Qiulan into conversation with herself. Song Jinzhi could sense Jing Yu was deliberately trying to facilitate an acquaintance between herself and Wen Qiulan. Understanding what her friend was scheming, Song Jinzhi didn't call her out on it. Moreover, Wen Qiulan did indeed prove to be someone she could talk to easily.
Song Jinzhi loved reading, and as it happened, Wen Qiulan was a bibliophile as well. The two struck up a conversation and both felt a sense of regret for not having met sooner. Watching them exchange words back and forth, Jing Yu felt immensely satisfied with her arrangements for the day. Midway, when Wen Qiulan excused herself to the restroom, Jing Yu couldn't resist winking and raising her eyebrows at Song Jinzhi.
"Hey, so what do you think? A Jin, let me tell you, Teacher Wen is a truly wonderful Alpha. I knew you two would hit it off."
By now, Jing Yu no longer hid her intentions. In truth, she had simply wanted Song Jinzhi and Wen Qiulan to meet. If they happened to feel a mutual attraction, all the better, since she looked down on Gu Sijiu from every conceivable angle. Hearing this, Song Jinzhi felt a bit helpless. She was indeed willing to become friends with Wen Qiulan, but only friends. She was already bound by a marriage engagement, Gu Sijiu represented not just one person, but the entire Gu Family.
"A Yu, thank you. But I already have an engagement. Please don't entertain any more crooked ideas about this. Teacher Wen is certainly an outstanding Alpha, and I'm very happy to have met her, but the two of us aren't suited to be together." Song Jinzhi didn't hide her appreciation of Wen Qiulan, it was simply that she felt no romantic flutter for her.
"Ah, I understand. Truthfully, I didn't have so many scheming thoughts to begin with. I used to be a fan of Teacher Wen, and after meeting her backstage a few times, we became friends. A Jin, I understand your concerns. I won't do this sort of thing again." Jing Yu said, a note of apology in her voice. Song Jinzhi shook her head, signaling it wasn't a serious matter.
After that conversation, when Wen Qiulan returned, they sat a while longer before deciding to leave. Walking out, Song Jinzhi's mind drifted to thoughts of Gu Sijiu, and in her momentary distraction, she misstepped on a stairway. Her body lurched forward. Wen Qiulan, walking behind her, saw this and moved swiftly to steady her, then immediately stepped back and put distance between them.
"My apologies for the impropriety, Miss Song." Wen Qiulan said softly. She was aware that Alphas and Omegas must not touch casually, but in the situation just now, had she not supported Song Jinzhi, the other might have fallen. "It's nothing. I wasn't watching my step." Song Jinzhi gave a light laugh. The three then parted ways, each returning to their own home.
Song Jinzhi hailed a car to take her back. She opened the door and, right away, caught sight of Gu Sijiu sitting on the sofa. The woman was wearing an extremely revealing deep V red dress. Even at home, she had painted her lips a vivid red. Most baffling of all, at this moment, she was swirling a tall stemmed wine glass, and in the glass was not red wine, but milk...
A surge of irritation rose in Song Jinzhi's heart. Yes, the mere sight of Gu Sijiu irked her...
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