She pretends to be an Alpha, she pretends to be an Omega_
Chapter – 17
Opening the refrigerator, she indeed saw the snowman.
An Jianqing had stored it in a small transparent box, perfectly preserved.
Ning Xuechu stared quietly, her dark eyes rippling with a faint emotion.
She pressed her lips together, forcefully shut the refrigerator door, and pushed the image of the snowman out of her mind.
“Miss Ning, come have breakfast,” Aunt Lian called from behind.
Ning Xuechu turned around, glanced at the dining table, then looked at the clock on the wall.
It was eight in the morning, but the person who should have been sitting at the table was absent.
“Aunt Lian, where’s Sister An?” Ning Xuechu blinked, her voice tinged with hesitation.
“Miss An is still in her room. She asked you to go ahead and eat,” Aunt Lian said with a smile, gesturing for her to come over.
Ning Xuechu looked towards the upstairs, her large eyes full of confusion. “Is Sister An okay?” she asked, her tone filled with concern and worry. Her mind clearly wasn’t on breakfast, and she showed no intention of moving towards the table.
“Don’t worry, Miss Ning. Miss An spends one or two days each month staying in her room without coming out,” Aunt Lian explained.
“One or two days inside?” Ning Xuechu lowered her gaze, repeating the words silently.
Seeing her still looking worried, Aunt Lian smiled and continued reassuringly, “Miss Ning, please have your breakfast first.”
Understanding the implication, Ning Xuechu nodded obediently and sat down to eat.
As soon as she settled, the scent of roses wafted to her nose.
Upon closer sniff, it was mixed with the aroma of red wine.
The two distinct scents intertwined, as if roses had been steeped in wine, creating a somewhat pungent fragrance.
Aunt Lian clearly noticed the smell too, but her expression remained unchanged as she walked out.
Shortly after, Aunt Lian returned, followed by three men dressed in identical uniforms bearing the name of a flower shop.
“Just place them here,” Aunt Lian instructed.
Ning Xuechu paused her meal, stood up, and looked over curiously.
The three florists moved in and out continuously, quickly filling the room with the fragrance of roses.
The vibrant red color was a visual assault, and after staring for a while, Ning Xuechu felt slightly dizzy.
She left her seat, approached Aunt Lian, and blinked as she asked, “Aunt Lian, why are there so many roses? And the smell of red wine?”
“Miss An requested this. She buys a batch of roses every month. Later, I’ll have someone bring them to her room,” Aunt Lian replied.
Ning Xuechu couldn’t help but glance upstairs.
An Jianqing’s door was tightly shut, but she was certain that the person inside must have heard the commotion downstairs.
“Why does Sister An buy so many roses every month?” Ning Xuechu asked curiously.
“That’s Miss An’s wish. We don’t know the reason,” Aunt Lian said.
The underlying message was clear: she shouldn’t pry.
Ning Xuechu smiled obediently, finished her meal, and left for school.
*
Two days later, the tightly shut door finally opened.
Ning Xuechu stood at the doorway, holding a tray of steaming food, and smiled sweetly at the person inside. “Sister, are you okay? I was so worried about you these past two days.”
“Thank you, I’m fine,” An Jianqing replied with a soft smile, her pale face carrying a trace of pallor, as if she were recovering from an illness.
Ning Xuechu discreetly studied her for a moment but found nothing amiss.
She lowered her gaze and peered into the room.
Her eyes met a room filled with roses, accompanied by the strong scent of red wine.
“Achoo!” Ning Xuechu couldn’t hold back a sneeze. When she looked up, her dark, bright eyes glistened with tears.
In those eyes, An Jianqing saw confusion and curiosity, yet she chose not to address it directly. Instead, she smiled and said, “Let me take it.”
She reached out to take the tray.
Ning Xuechu sidestepped, shook her head, and said, “Sister, you still seem a bit unwell. Let me bring it in for you.”
With those words, she carried the tray into the room.
The rich scent of roses washed over her, mixed with a faint, almost imperceptible smell.
It was so subtle that one might doubt their own senses.
Ning Xuechu set the tray on the table. As she straightened up, her attention was caught by a photograph on the bedside table.
The photo was preserved in an elegant frame, looking as good as new, a clear sign of its importance to its owner.
In the picture were two beautiful young women, their smiles radiant, both around eighteen years old.
They stood shoulder to shoulder, very close, even intimate.
The one on the left was An Jianqing. Compared to her current composed and polished self, she appeared more youthful and pure then, her shy smile unable to conceal her joy.
The person on the right had upturned eyes and exquisite features that carried a maturity beyond her years.
Her hand rested on An Jianqing’s shoulder, and she was leaning in as if sharing a secret.
The smile on An Jianqing’s face seemed to have been coaxed out by her.
Ning Xuechu frowned, an uncomfortable feeling swelling in her heart, as if blocked by a heavy stone.
She was about to reach for the photo when a pale hand suddenly reached out and took it before she could.
“Xuechu, the smell in the room is quite strong. You should go out now,” An Jianqing said gently, holding the frame close to her chest.
Beneath her calm demeanor, Ning Xuechu敏锐地 sensed a thread of tension.
The person in the photo must be very important to An Jianqing.
“Alright, Sister. Please remember to eat and take care of yourself,” Ning Xuechu said, suppressing the inexplicable anger rising within her, and left with a well-practiced obedient smile.
In the moment she closed the door, she saw An Jianqing carefully placing the photo down, treating it like a fragile treasure.
Ning Xuechu’s heart felt even more stifled.
