Chapter 16
Pursuing the Offensive
When Ning Xuechu left school and walked out the gate, she saw a striking sports car parked by the roadside.
Standing next to the car was none other than Qiu Mengxi, her outfit of designer brands drawing the attention of many passersby.
When she spotted Ning Xuechu, Qiu Mengxi raised her brows and smiled in her direction.
Suppressing the disgust rising inside, Ning Xuechu put on an innocent expression and walked over, asking simply,
“Miss Qiu, what are you doing here?”
“Naturally, I’m here to pick up a little beauty,” Qiu Mengxi replied with a smile, her eyes full of affectionate meaning.
Pretending not to understand, Ning Xuechu responded with a cheerful smile,
“Oh, I see. Then I’ll be going.”
“How could the little beauty just leave like that?” Qiu Mengxi reached out to stop her, her smile deepening.
Ning Xuechu froze for a moment, glanced around nervously, and asked uncertainly,
“Do you… mean me?”
“Of course.” Qiu Mengxi chuckled softly and opened the car door.
Ning Xuechu couldn’t find a polite way to refuse. Blushing, she climbed into the car.
Just as she fastened her seatbelt, Qiu Mengxi settled into the driver’s seat and handed her a bouquet of fresh, dewy roses carrying a faint scent of red wine.
“These are for you,” Qiu Mengxi said with a smile, releasing her own pheromones—the exact same fragrance as red wine and roses.
Lowering her voice deliberately, she murmured,
“Do you like them?”
For one Alpha to release pheromones toward another Alpha was a provocation—especially when the other’s level wasn’t low.
A flicker of fighting spirit stirred within Ning Xuechu. She struggled to suppress the urge and lowered her head, saying nothing.
Qiu Mengxi thought she was shy and chuckled,
“I wonder if the little beauty would be willing to do me the honor of joining me for dinner? I’ve already made reservations.”
Though phrased as a question, her tone left no room for refusal.
Ning Xuechu nodded slightly.
Recently, An Jianqing had bought a large number of roses scented like red wine—Qiu Mengxi’s pheromone scent.
Using such a special way to experience another Alpha’s scent… what a painstaking effort.
The more Ning Xuechu thought about it, the angrier she became. Her fingers curled tightly into a fist at her side.
The car started moving.
Through the rearview mirror, Ning Xuechu noticed a familiar car following them.
It was clear the driver of that car had seen them—and decided to follow.
Just then, Qiu Mengxi’s phone rang.
She didn’t answer immediately, waiting until the ringtone was about to end before picking up.
Pressing the speakerphone, she said lazily,
“Jianqing, what is it?”
“Did you pick up Xuechu?” An Jianqing’s voice sounded a little tense.
“I’ve invited Miss Ning to dinner. Isn’t that right, Miss Ning?” Qiu Mengxi drawled the words deliberately.
“Sister, would you like to join us?” Ning Xuechu asked sweetly.
“Mm.” An Jianqing answered quickly.
Qiu Mengxi’s lips curved upward, pride gleaming in her eyes as if she had just won a battle.
Seeing that expression, Ning Xuechu sneered inwardly.
Now she understood Qiu Mengxi’s motive—she was using her to show off in front of An Jianqing.
Qiu Mengxi clearly knew An Jianqing’s feelings, yet since both were Alphas, their relationship was doomed to impossibility.
Two Alphas couldn’t conceive children, and Qiu Mengxi was the sole heir of the Qiu family. Her family would never allow her to marry another Alpha.
The two cars drove side by side. When Ning Xuechu turned her head, she could see An Jianqing. She leaned out slightly and said happily,
“Sister, Miss Qiu is taking me to dinner!”
“Xuechu, don’t lean out the window—it’s dangerous,” An Jianqing reminded her.
Ning Xuechu quickly pulled back inside, resting her head against the glass as she looked at An Jianqing.
Seeing this, Qiu Mengxi’s eyes flickered. She laughed lightly,
“Little beauty, if you keep staring at Jianqing like that, you’ll distract her. What if something happens?”
“Really?” Ning Xuechu blinked her big eyes nervously and obediently turned her head away.
An Jianqing kept driving but stole glances at the car beside hers.
She couldn’t relax—afraid that Qiu Mengxi might cross the line and act too intimately with Ning Xuechu.
Chapter 17 – The Breaking Point
When the two cars stopped at a red light, An Jianqing turned her head and met Qiu Mengxi’s gaze.
Her eyes were sharp, carrying a silent warning.
She knew all too well how Qiu Mengxi courted people—with flowers, luxury cars, and sweet words. With her looks and status, she could easily make any Omega fall head over heels.
“Jianqing, why so serious? It’s just dinner,” Qiu Mengxi said with a smile, deliberately emphasizing the last few words.
She looked utterly pleased with herself, unaffected by An Jianqing’s cold expression. In fact, she interpreted Jianqing’s anger as jealousy—proof that she cared.
In the past, whenever Qiu Mengxi dated someone, An Jianqing would seem hurt but always offered her sincere blessings, never betraying any personal feelings.
But today, seeing An Jianqing’s composure break gave Qiu Mengxi a strange thrill—like she had just proven her own importance in Jianqing’s heart.
“Xuechu, come over to my car,” An Jianqing said, eyes still fixed on Qiu Mengxi. “Since we’re all having dinner together, there’s no need to trouble Miss Qiu.”
“How could having a beauty as company ever be a bother?” Qiu Mengxi smirked and started the car as the light turned orange.
An Jianqing’s expression tensed, anxiety overshadowing her anger.
When she first saw Qiu Mengxi pick up Ning Xuechu, her reaction hadn’t been jealousy—it was fear.
She feared that naïve, inexperienced Ning Xuechu might fall for Qiu Mengxi’s carefully crafted illusion of love.
An Jianqing knew too well the pain of loving a flirtatious Alpha who never truly cared. She didn’t want Ning Xuechu to be deceived—body and heart.
No matter how sincerely Qiu Mengxi swore otherwise, An Jianqing could never believe her feelings were genuine.
The two cars arrived one after another at an upscale restaurant.
An Jianqing was the first to get out. She walked over, opened the car door, and saw the bouquet of roses in Ning Xuechu’s arms.
“Xuechu, get out—and return the flowers,” she said coldly.
Her tone carried such icy command that Ning Xuechu flinched. Meekly, she set the flowers down and followed behind An Jianqing with her head lowered, like a child who had done something wrong.
Seeing this, Qiu Mengxi only smiled more brightly.
“Jianqing, why be so distant? Sooner or later, we’ll…”
She didn’t finish the sentence, but her meaning was obvious.
“Xuechu prefers gentle and kind Alphas,” An Jianqing cut in coldly, taking Ning Xuechu by the hand and leading her inside.
Qiu Mengxi stood where she was, her smile slowly cooling.
The three of them sat together for dinner, but two were clearly in bad moods.
Caught between two Alphas, Ning Xuechu felt the pressure and dared only to eat from the dishes right in front of her.
She glanced left and right. Seeing that neither of them had touched their food, she asked cautiously,
“Sister, why aren’t you two eating?”
“You go ahead,” An Jianqing replied coldly. “When you’re done, come back to my car. I’ll take you home.”
Ning Xuechu nodded obediently, not daring to say another word, and focused quietly on her meal.
The two women across from her remained silent. The atmosphere at the table was still and tense—yet it didn’t stop Ning Xuechu’s appetite.
