Chapter 15

Sleeping Together

The movie’s ominous music continued. The monster’s roar sounded like it could strike down the protagonist at any moment, holding the tension tightly in place.

Ning Xuechu peeked through her lashes for a moment, caught sight of the screen, then quickly closed her eyes again.

She shrank into herself, trembling, and hugged An Jianqing even tighter, mumbling softly, “So scary…”

An Jianqing chuckled lightly and wrapped an arm around the girl, her long fingers patting her thin back in a soothing rhythm.

The movie wasn’t truly terrifying—its visuals and atmosphere were simply crafted to startle those who were timid.

The girl in her arms was shaking constantly, clearly frightened, yet still curious enough to want to see what happened to the protagonist next.

“It’s okay now. The protagonist got away. It’s not scary anymore,” An Jianqing said softly.

Ning Xuechu hesitated before opening her eyes. Seeing that the scene had shifted to something calm, she exhaled in relief.

She glanced up at An Jianqing and quickly withdrew from her arms, blushing. “Was I really embarrassing just now?” she asked in a small voice.

An Jianqing laughed. “Horror movies are meant to be scary. It’s normal to be afraid.”

“Then why isn’t Sister afraid?” Ning Xuechu asked curiously.

“Maybe because you’re here,” An Jianqing replied with a smile.

Under the dim lights, her bright eyes shimmered softly, carrying a warmth that made her seem almost ethereal—so beautiful it made Ning Xuechu’s heart flutter.

She lowered her head and pressed her palm against her chest.

She knew that An Jianqing’s words were just a lighthearted comfort, yet her heart still skipped uncontrollably.

Ning Xuechu was annoyed at herself.

She hadn’t managed to shake the other’s heart—on the contrary, she was the one being stirred.

The rest of the movie unfolded calmly, without another jump scare.

Ning Xuechu found no more chances to get close, so she sat quietly beside her.

When the movie ended, the lights brightened again.

An Jianqing stood and smiled. “Sit here for a bit, Xuechu. I’ll go wash some cherries.”

“Okay,” Ning Xuechu replied sweetly.

From the bathroom came the sound of running water, and soon An Jianqing returned carrying a plate of washed cherries.

Ning Xuechu looked up and saw her approaching—tall, graceful, with that gentle smile softening her beautiful face.

For a brief moment, Ning Xuechu felt an illusion—they looked like a couple.

“Xuechu, try one.” An Jianqing set down the plate, picked up a cherry, and held it out between her fingers.

Ning Xuechu leaned forward and took it directly from her hand, lips brushing against the woman’s fingertips as she bit down.

The damp warmth that spread across her fingertips made An Jianqing’s heart tighten. She quickly pulled her hand back, slightly flustered. “I’ll go make some milk,” she said hastily, and left before Ning Xuechu could respond.

Watching her retreating figure, Ning Xuechu thought the graceful back looked almost like it was escaping.

She frowned slightly, lowered her head, and slowly chewed the cherry in her mouth. Beneath the sweetness and tang, there seemed to linger a trace of warmth.

She couldn’t help but recall the moment just now.

She hadn’t meant to do it—it was instinctive. But she had clearly felt the stiffness in An Jianqing’s body at that instant.

She had wanted to apologize and break the tension, but An Jianqing had given her no chance.

Still, that was fine. The subtle awkwardness—the faint, unspoken tension—was exactly what she wanted.

An Jianqing returned with two cups of milk, her expression calm again.

“Xuechu, have some milk to settle your nerves. I’ll put on a literary film,” she said.

“Okay, Sister,” Ning Xuechu replied with a bright smile, pretending not to notice anything.

An Jianqing set up the film and sat on the edge of the sofa, sipping her milk quietly.

She watched the screen intently, occasionally pausing to frown and think.

Ning Xuechu wasn’t interested in art films. She kept herself occupied by eating cherries until the plate was empty, then turned her gaze back to the movie in boredom.

The film depicted a pair of lovers, all tenderness and longing—it made her yawn.

When she turned her head again, An Jianqing was still focused, completely immersed in the story.

As the two lovers on-screen were forced to part, Ning Xuechu clearly saw tears glimmer in An Jianqing’s eyes.

She couldn’t help but feel dismissive.

In her experience, true love didn’t exist—only family disputes and struggles over profit.

She didn’t believe in love. Or rather, she didn’t believe anyone could stay loyal to one person in the face of temptation from wealth and fame.

At least, she had never seen it happen.

“Sister…” Ning Xuechu called softly, handing over a tissue.

An Jianqing accepted the tissue, giving a slightly embarrassed smile.
“Thank you, Xuechu.”

Her voice was a little choked, threaded with the remnants of tears. That normally cool, composed face now looked soft and fragile—so heartbreakingly beautiful that it stirred sympathy.

Ning Xuechu took one glance, then turned her eyes back to the screen.

Even though she resented An Jianqing for monopolizing the Ning family’s wealth, she couldn’t deny it—this woman possessed a beauty that could make anyone lose themselves.

If one wasn’t careful, they’d fall under her spell.

Before she realized it, the movie had ended.

An Jianqing wiped her tears and, when she turned around, saw that the girl on the sofa had already lain down, apparently asleep.

She approached, bent down, and called softly, “Xuechu… wake up…”

Ning Xuechu’s eyes stayed closed, her breathing slow and steady. No response.

An Jianqing called her name a few more times but still got no reaction. She fetched a blanket and draped it gently over the girl, dimmed the lights in the room, and moved quietly to her desk.

The soft tapping of keys soon filled the room.

After a few minutes, Ning Xuechu slowly opened her eyes.

She saw An Jianqing seated before the computer, completely absorbed in her work. She guessed the woman was handling company matters.

To this day, An Jianqing had never mentioned anything about the Ning family’s businesses to her—as if intentionally keeping her shut out.

Traditionally, family enterprises were always passed down to Alphas. No one would hand control of a vast fortune to a delicate Omega.

After all, Omegas were easily influenced by Alpha pheromones and ruled too often by emotion—fatal flaws in the ruthless battlefield of commerce.

Clearly, An Jianqing had no intention of entrusting the Ning family’s legacy to her.

But Ning Xuechu couldn’t reveal her true identity as an Alpha yet.

As far as she knew, apart from An Jianqing, there was also her uncle and a female Alpha cousin—both rivals in the inheritance fight.

If anyone discovered that she herself was an Alpha with rightful inheritance claims, she might not live long enough to claim them.

Her Omega façade wasn’t just to deceive An Jianqing—it was her shield for survival.

Until she could ensure her own safety, pretending to be an Omega was the only option.

Her thoughts drifted endlessly. The warmth of the room made her drowsy, and eventually, she slipped into real sleep.

An Jianqing finished her work, rubbing her sore shoulders, and turned toward the sofa.

The long-limbed girl was curled up like a little rabbit in the corner, looking small and defenseless.

A gentle smile tugged at An Jianqing’s lips. She rose quietly, careful not to make a sound.

The carpet underfoot softened each step. She crouched beside the sofa, watching the girl’s peaceful sleeping face.

Without realizing it, the child had already been here nearly a month.

She still remembered the first day Ning Xuechu arrived—those dark, clear eyes brimming with unease and uncertainty.

This was supposed to be her home, yet she’d looked like a stranger—lost, without parents, without belonging.

That feeling of fear and helplessness was something An Jianqing knew all too well.

When she had first come into this house, she had felt the same.

Only, she had been the lucky one. The love that should have belonged to the real daughter had been given entirely to her by the Ning couple.

Now, perhaps it was time for her to return it.

Smiling softly, An Jianqing reached out and brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen across Ning Xuechu’s forehead.

“Mm…” Ning Xuechu shifted slightly in her sleep, murmuring something indistinct.

The movement unexpectedly trapped An Jianqing’s hand under her slender neck.

She wiggled her fingers, trying to withdraw her hand, but the girl’s weight pinned it down. Not wanting to wake her, An Jianqing struggled silently for a while before finally freeing herself.

Her fingers were slightly red from the pressure, and a faint sweet scent lingered on them—a trace of cherries.

An Jianqing’s nose twitched. Strange.

She leaned closer, following the scent until she reached the girl’s shoulder.

The cherry fragrance was stronger there.

Her eyes flickered. In the dim orange glow of the lamp, she pinched her fingertips together and felt a slight dampness.

Raising her hand into the light, she realized it was cherry juice.

Letting out a quiet breath, she laughed softly at herself.

For a moment, she had actually thought it might be Ning Xuechu’s pheromone.

But why—why did the mere thought of the girl’s scent make her heartbeat quicken like that?

An Jianqing frowned, then sighed, setting the thought aside. She stood, went to bed, and turned off the light.

When Ning Xuechu woke up, she realized she wasn’t in her own room.

Startled, she sat up quickly, glancing around before recognition dawned.

She remembered now—she’d only pretended to sleep last night, but had ended up really dozing off in An Jianqing’s room.

Biting her lip in frustration, she heard the door open and instantly lay back down, feigning sleep.

“Xuechu, time to get up. You’ll be late if you don’t,” An Jianqing said gently from the doorway.

Hearing that, Ning Xuechu stretched as though just waking up.

The sofa was soft and spacious—she’d slept soundly, without discomfort.

“I’m sorry, Sister,” she murmured, lowering her head. “I must’ve fallen asleep without realizing it. I won’t do that again.”

An Omega sleeping in an Alpha’s room—if anyone heard about it, they would surely assume she was trying to seduce the Alpha.

Of course, that was her intention—but she absolutely couldn’t let An Jianqing suspect it.

“Let’s eat breakfast,” An Jianqing said with a smile, deliberately avoiding the topic. “I’ll have the butler drive you to school afterward.”

Ning Xuechu’s heart skipped. She couldn’t quite tell what that meant, so she just nodded obediently.

After breakfast, An Jianqing left first.

Ning Xuechu checked the time and noticed something unusual—An Jianqing had departed five minutes earlier than usual.

Her unease grew heavier, and she began to regret her deliberate act from the day before.

Sitting in the car, Ning Xuechu thought the whole way. Just before getting out, she asked softly,
“Big sister, are you mad at me today?”

“Miss Ning, please don’t overthink,” the driver replied politely. “Miss An probably just has some work at the company.”

“That’s a relief! I thought I’d done something wrong to upset her.” Ning Xuechu smiled brightly, her expression pure and harmless.

Just as she was about to step out of the car, someone knocked on the window.

“Excuse me, are you Miss Ning Xuechu?”
Outside stood a woman in a suit, her smile sweet and polite.

She was an Omega, holding a large bouquet of vibrant roses.

The air carried not only the fragrance of roses but also the faint scent of red wine—the exact same scent as the roses An Jianqing had bought that day.

Ning Xuechu’s instincts went on alert, though she kept her face calm. She tilted her head in apparent confusion. “Um, who are you, miss?”

“Miss Ning, these roses are a gift from our President Qiu. She wishes you a pleasant day.” The woman smiled as she offered the bouquet respectfully with both hands.

At the mention of “President Qiu,” Ning Xuechu immediately thought of Qiu Mengxi.

Looking innocently puzzled, she accepted the flowers and asked, “Why would President Qiu send me roses?”

“Because Miss Ning is adorable. Beautiful flowers belong with a beautiful lady—it’s only natural.” The Omega’s voice was soft and pleasant, every word sounding gentle and charming.

Ning Xuechu blushed and hurriedly tried to hand the bouquet back. “I… I can’t accept these.”

“If Miss Ning doesn’t want them, you can always throw them away,” the woman replied with an unchanging smile that didn’t seem joking in the least. “But now that they’ve been given, the bouquet belongs to you. What you do with it is entirely your choice.”

Her tone remained courteous—every “Miss Ning” filled with deference and subtle persuasion.

In just a few minutes, the woman had managed both soft and firm tactics; anyone with a weaker will might have easily been swayed by her honeyed words.

Ning Xuechu lowered her gaze, thinking for a moment before placing the flowers on the seat beside her. Then she said to the driver, “Could you please deliver these to my sister for me? I remember she really likes this kind of rose scent.”

“Miss Ning is very thoughtful. I’ll be sure to give them to Miss An,” the driver replied with a smile.

Ning Xuechu smiled happily and turned toward the school.

But as soon as she walked away, that smile faded, replaced by a grave expression.

Qiu Mengxi sending her flowers could only mean one thing—she intended to pursue her.

Being pursued by an Alpha was hardly something to be pleased about.

Of course, Ning Xuechu wasn’t foolish enough to think Qiu Mengxi was doing it out of genuine affection. This was clearly nothing more than a game of hunting prey.

She had no interest in playing along.

Having the driver deliver the flowers to An Jianqing was deliberate—she wanted An Jianqing to know.

What An Jianqing chose to do about it, however, was none of her concern.

When An Jianqing returned to her office after a meeting, she immediately noticed a vivid bouquet of roses on her desk.

Her brows furrowed slightly in confusion. “Who sent these?” she asked her assistant.

“Uncle Zhang, the driver,” the assistant replied, equally puzzled. “He asked me to tell you, ‘President Qiu sent them to Miss Ning. Miss Ning asked to have them brought here.’”

At those words, An Jianqing’s expression changed. She dismissed the assistant with a quiet “leave me.”

Once alone, she picked up her phone and called Qiu Mengxi, her tone controlled but serious.
“Dream, why did you send flowers to Xuechu?”

“You’re asking me that as if you don’t already know,” Qiu Mengxi replied lightly, her calm, amused voice suggesting she’d been expecting this call.

Anger rose in An Jianqing’s chest. “You know exactly who she is. She’s not someone you can toy with as you please.”

There was a long silence on the other end before Qiu Mengxi chuckled softly. “Jianqing, are you… angry at me?”

The teasing tone only made An Jianqing’s face harden further. “Mengxi, if you’re not sincere, then don’t go near her. I won’t allow anyone to hurt her.”

“Anyone?” Qiu Mengxi’s tone dropped, the smile vanishing. “Does that include me too?”

“Yes,” An Jianqing answered firmly.

Her fingers trembled slightly around the phone, and a sharp pain pricked in her chest.

She had never imagined that one day, she would have to speak to this person in such a harsh tone.

“Jianqing,” Qiu Mengxi said after a pause, her voice suddenly serious, “if you want me to be serious, then I will be. This marriage—between the Qius and the Nings—would be a great blessing for both families.”

An Jianqing froze, her throat tightening as if squeezed shut. She couldn’t even find the words to argue.

The line went dead.

She stared at her phone, expression blank, before slowly sitting down.

For a long moment, she closed her eyes, hiding the sorrow that flashed beneath them.