Top-Tier Omega: Chasing Alpha to the Crematorium – Chapter 20
by Little PandaWill You Marry Again?
After leaving, Song Qingpei felt a pang of regret.
It wasn’t that she regretted dropping all pretenses with Ming Yu, but she worried. Ming Yu was used to being in charge, and having been so thoroughly rebuffed, she might just kick Song Qingpei out in a fit of pique. After all, Song Qingpei had nothing to her name; she would truly be homeless.
But on second thought, if she kept enduring it, she’d probably fall into a depression first.
Forget it, she thought. I’ll deal with it when it happens. I’ll just have to play it by ear.1
She decided to make peace with herself first. Adjusting her mood, she walked through the door with a lighter step.
In the great hall, Song Song was sitting on the sofa hugging her little bear, her short legs swinging back and forth. She was saying something to Butler Su, but her big eyes were fixed on the entrance.
The moment she saw a figure appear, she leaped off the sofa and joyfully rushed toward Song Qingpei, bear in tow.
Song Qingpei readily crouched down, opening her arms for a big hug.
“Mama, Mama~”
Song Song’s soft, wheedling tone melted Song Qingpei’s heart into a puddle. She quickly bent to lift her up, planting two loud kisses on her little cheek. “My baby, were you a good girl today?”
“Mhm, mhm, Mama, I was super good.” Song Song nodded vigorously.
The gloom in Song Qingpei’s heart was swept away. “Song Song is the best,” she praised.
Song Song pouted, looking aggrieved. “But Mama and Mommy weren’t home, so no one played with me. It’s no fun being all by myself.”
Song Qingpei stroked her little head and coaxed her softly, “Then how about Mama takes you out to play this weekend?”
“No,” Song Song refused in a split second.
Song Qingpei was a little surprised. “Why not?”
“I don’t wanna go out and play. I wanna sleep with Mama. I haven’t had a sleepy-sleep with Mama in so long.”
Cooing in her baby voice, Song Song looked at Song Qingpei with an expectant face.
Song Qingpei hesitated for a few seconds but still agreed.
“Alright.”
Hearing her promise, Song Song was instantly delighted. She snuggled against Song Qingpei, nuzzling her and chanting, “Mama’s the best, Mama’s the best~”
Seeing her daughter’s adorable display, Song Qingpei felt her heart melt all over again.
She patted her gently and smiled. “Alright, stop being a sweet-talker. Mama’s going to take a shower and change. You go wait in Mama’s room first.”
“Okay, okay!” Song Song clapped her little hands excitedly.
Song Qingpei smiled and ruffled her hair. After greeting Butler Su, she carried Song Song upstairs.
Just as they went up, Ming Yu came through the door.
Seeing her exhausted expression, Butler Su immediately stepped forward. “Admiral, you’re back. Shall I have the kitchen prepare a late-night snack?”
Ming Yu waved a hand. “How are Song Song’s lessons coming along?”
Butler Su answered respectfully, “The private tutor has been following the school’s curriculum in detail. The Little Miss is a fast learner. I believe there will be no problems when school starts.”
Hearing this, Ming Yu seemed to think of something and ordered, “Bring me Song Song’s curriculum.”
Butler Su immediately went to fetch it and handed it to her. Ming Yu took the papers and walked quickly upstairs.
At the turn of the stairs on the second floor, she paused.
It’s just a discussion about Song Song’s education. Song Qingpei won’t refuse that, will she?
Even as she reassured herself, Ming Yu couldn’t help but feel her back tense. She turned and walked toward Song Qingpei’s room.
As she neared the door, she heard the sound of giggling from within.
She walked closer. Just as she was about to knock, she heard Song Song’s voice. “Mama, are you still mad at Mommy?”
Ming Yu instinctively slowed her steps, even quieting her breathing. Her heart began to pound with an inexplicable nervousness.
She waited cautiously for Song Qingpei’s answer.
Through the door, Song Qingpei’s reply sounded devoid of emotion. “Song Song, Mama isn’t mad at her.”
Ming Yu frowned. That was clearly the tone one used to placate a child.
And Song Song’s reaction proved that even the child wasn’t placated. “Mama, you’re lying. You are mad. You won’t even talk to Mommy.”
“Hasn’t Mommy apologized to you yet?”
“Mama, will you like Mommy?”
The little girl’s questions came like a repeating crossbow,2 but they also voiced the very questions in Ming Yu’s own heart.
At the thought of apologizing, she still felt she couldn’t bring herself to do it.3
But if she apologized, and Song Qingpei was willing to return to how she was before, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t apologize…
But Song Qingpei’s next words shattered all her fantasies. “Song Song, Mama doesn’t like your mommy. In the future, Mama and Mommy might have other partners, but that won’t change the fact that we both love you very much…”
The response was Song Song bursting into a loud wail.
Ming Yu could barely listen anymore. She clenched the curriculum in her hand.
Song Qingpei was clearly drawing a line between them, even brazenly conveying this idea to her daughter. Thinking of the strange Omega pheromones from that night, her anger surged. Is she that desperate?
Suppressing the raging fire in her chest, Ming Yu turned with a dark face and walked away.
Completely unaware that Ming Yu had been there, Song Qingpei was frantically trying to soothe the little girl who had dissolved into tears.
The moment she heard she might get a stepmother, Song Song had a complete meltdown, clinging to Song Qingpei and crying until she was gasping for breath.4 “Wuwu~ Song Song will be good, Mama, don’t… don’t get Song Song a stepmom, okay? Wuwu…”
Song Qingpei froze, her heart aching.
During this period of conflict with Ming Yu, the issue of Song Song had been weighing heavily on her mind.
Since Ming Yu had already gone on a blind date, marriage was surely a matter of time. If their daughter stayed with her, she would have to accept it. The very thought made her heart clench in pain.
But seeing her daughter crying like this now, she couldn’t help but blame herself. Had she been too hasty?
She held Song Song, kissing her again and again. “Song Song, please don’t cry, okay? Mama was wrong. Mama won’t abandon Song Song…”
The little girl sobbed, refusing to be placated. “Mama’s a liar, wuwuwu, don’t leave Song Song…”
Her pitiful appearance made Song Qingpei’s heart feel as if it were being twisted in a vice, filled with guilt and pain.
A pang shot through her. She pulled Song Song into her arms and said softly, “Song Song, don’t cry. Mama won’t abandon you…”
“Wuwu…”
“Mama promises. I’ll never abandon Song Song in my whole life…”
In that moment, Song Qingpei’s resolve to fight Ming Yu for Song Song solidified once more. No matter how vast the gap between them, she had to desperately try to catch up.
At the very least, she had hope now. She was no longer a useless person with no mental strength.
Song Qingpei’s promise finally stabilized Song Song’s emotions. She then patiently explained for a long time until the little girl understood that it wasn’t Mama who was going to find her a stepmom, but Mommy.
As expected, the little girl wasn’t as sad anymore. But she was angrier. “Bad Mommy! You made Mama mad, and now you want to get me a stepmom! Let’s not have her anymore, okay?”
“Er…” Song Qingpei was speechless.
She couldn’t have wished for anything more, but if Ming Yu found out, she probably wouldn’t let the matter rest.
Thinking of this unsolvable problem gave Song Qingpei another headache. She could only soothe Song Song to sleep for now.
The little girl quickly fell asleep in her arms.
Looking at her sweet, peaceful face, Song Qingpei sighed softly.
“Song Song… Mama will never give up on you…”
Song Qingpei gently placed a kiss on the little girl’s forehead, her mood growing heavy.
She couldn’t imagine where she and Ming Yu were headed.
But she had no choice but to face it.
If she didn’t work hard, didn’t fight, didn’t strive, she would never be qualified to speak to Ming Yu as an equal…
The next day, Song Qingpei woke Song Song up.
The little girl whimpered and opened her eyes. They were slightly red and swollen from crying so much last night, a heart-wrenching sight. Song Qingpei couldn’t bear it and gave in to her whining.
She dressed her, letting her cling to her like a koala the entire time, and carried her downstairs.
At breakfast, she had to coax and feed her, earning a frown from Butler Su, though he didn’t dare say anything.
It wasn’t until Ming Yu came downstairs that her gaze fell upon the two of them.
The mother and daughter, in a tacit understanding, ignored her.
Song Qingpei pretended not to see her. Song Song shot her a heavy snort.
Ming Yu frowned at the sight and walked over to sit opposite them.
She wanted to speak to Song Qingpei, but remembering what she’d heard last night, she felt she shouldn’t back down so easily.
So she turned her gaze to Song Song and said, “Song Song, sit up properly. Eat by yourself.”
Song Song turned her face away, completely ignoring her.
Seeing this, Ming Yu’s tone grew heavier. “Song Song!”
This time, Song Song finally reacted. She turned her head and looked at Ming Yu, huffing, “You’re mean!”
Ming Yu was speechless.
What’s wrong with this child today?
Song Qingpei coughed lightly from the side. “Song Song isn’t happy today. Don’t be too strict with her.”
Ming Yu glanced at Song Qingpei but said nothing.
Instead, she looked back at Song Song and said sternly, “There are rules for eating. What did the etiquette teacher teach you? Have you forgotten so soon?”
At her words, the little girl’s eyes filled with tears. She looked utterly wronged. “Bad Mommy! I’m not talking to you anymore!”
In a huff, the little girl turned and ran upstairs.
Song Qingpei quickly stood up to follow, but Ming Yu stopped her.
“You can’t spoil her so much…”
But Song Qingpei didn’t listen. She ignored her words and hurried after her daughter.
By the time she had soothed Song Song and come back downstairs, Ming Yu was already gone.
Song Qingpei was seething. She felt more and more that something was wrong with Ming Yu. To be so strict with Song Song, a child of only three and a half, was going too far.
Thinking about the life Song Song would have to face, she felt even more certain that her decision was the right one.
No matter what, she would never give up custody of her daughter.
For the next few days, mother and daughter tacitly ignored Ming Yu. Not only did they not speak to her, they didn’t even look her in the eye. She had never experienced such a sense of defeat, this feeling of being cold-shouldered and disliked.
It was like a basin of cold water had been dumped over her head, extinguishing all her fire.
Especially her daughter, who had grown so much closer to her, was suddenly ignoring her.
Ming Yu was convinced this was all Song Qingpei’s doing.
But Song Qingpei’s sudden coldness and strange behavior left Ming Yu completely in the dark about what she was planning.5
Is she really planning to give up Song Song and leave?
How is that possible?
Ming Yu was still unwilling to believe that Song Qingpei would be willing to give all this up. After all, she had no one on Planet Lan to rely on. Without her, she would have trouble even surviving. How could she dare?
Did she think finding one job meant she could turn her life around?
Ming Yu couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at her naivety. An impulse even rose within her—if she made her lose that job, would that solve all her problems and make Song Qingpei obedient again?
So, after returning from Military Headquarters, Ming Yu decided to talk to Song Song first.
But as soon as she found her, the little girl huffily turned her head to the side, clearly still angry.
Ming Yu sighed helplessly and could only try to coax her. “Song Song…”
“Bad Mommy, don’t touch me!” the little girl mumbled stubbornly. “You were mean to me! You don’t like me, so I don’t like you anymore!”
Ming Yu had no choice but to soften her attitude. “Song Song, how could Mommy not like you?”
“Hmph, I don’t believe you!” The little girl pouted and glared at her, saying indignantly, “Bad Mommy! You want to get me a stepmom! I’m not talking to you anymore!”
With that, she ran off.
Ming Yu stood frozen for a second before it registered. She quickly chased after her and caught the little girl at the door.
“Song Song, you’ve misunderstood. Mommy wasn’t thinking that,” she explained patiently.
The little girl whimpered and struggled. Ming Yu simply swept her up into her arms.
“Bad Mommy! Let me go!” the little girl struggled, shouting, “Bad Mommy, put me down… put me down…”
Ming Yu didn’t let go until she saw the little girl start to cry. Only then did she have to release her.
“Don’t cry! I was wrong, okay? Can Song Song please not cry?”
“Waaaaah…”
Seeing the little girl cry so aggrievedly, Ming Yu felt terrible too. She could only hold her and clumsily try to comfort her.
Butler Su rushed over at the sound and saw the scene, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.
His Admiral had always been a stern, cold, and proud figure. When had she ever been so gentle and helpless?
At that moment, Butler Su truly didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling.
This situation was genuinely a bit awkward…
He could only cautiously approach and help coax the little girl. After a long while, her crying slowly subsided.
Having cried her fill, Song Song looked up at Ming Yu. “I don’t want a stepmom! You go ‘way!”
“Who said I was going to get you a stepmom?” Ming Yu’s face darkened considerably.
The little girl snorted. “Bad Mommy, you just bully me. I want my mama!”
Ming Yu was speechless.
“Don’t throw a tantrum. I’m not getting you a stepmom.”
Song Song stared at her with a pair of big, tear-soaked eyes, still seemingly unconvinced.
Ming Yu sighed. She had to patiently coax her for a long time before she finally got the whole story out of Song Song. Her face turned ashen with rage.
“Song Qingpei, you’ve really got some nerve.”
Hearing her shout Mama’s name so fiercely, Song Song became unhappy. “Don’t yell Mama’s name so loud!”
Seeing how she was protecting Song Qingpei, Ming Yu was so angry she didn’t know what to say.
What on earth has this woman done? To make Song Song defend her like this.
Ming Yu thought for a moment and finally said, “Song Song, listen carefully. Mommy is not going to get you a stepmom. Your mama is lying to you.”
“Mama would never lie to me!”
Song Song was instantly upset, her little fists clenched tight as she glared at Ming Yu.
This expression nearly made Ming Yu cough up blood. Her rationality seemed to be slowly slipping away.
“Your mama is lying to you!” Ming Yu repeated.
“No, Mama wouldn’t lie to me!” the little girl insisted stubbornly.
Ming Yu was speechless.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and tried to reason with the little girl in as steady a tone as possible.
“Song Song, can you please believe Mommy? Mommy really won’t get you a stepmom. In fact, it’s your mama who’s more likely to get you a stepmom…”
Song Song immediately exploded. “You’re a liar! Mama won’t get me a stepmom!”
Not wanting to create a rift between herself and her daughter, Ming Yu said cruelly, “Song Song, your mama might have other partners in the future. She might even have other children…”
At these words, Song Song, who had just stopped crying, burst into tears again. “Waaaaah… Mommy’s a liar! Mama won’t get me a stepmom, Mama won’t get me a stepmom…”
This time, she cried up a storm, and no amount of coaxing worked.
Ming Yu was at a complete loss.
A wave of helplessness washed over her. She rubbed her brow, not knowing what to do.
When Song Qingpei returned, she saw Ming Yu sitting on the living room sofa looking utterly dejected, while her daughter sat beside her with her head down, sniffling occasionally, looking extremely sad.
Song Qingpei was startled. “What… what happened to you two?”
Seeing her, Song Song immediately jumped off the sofa and into her arms, complaining tearfully, “Mama, Mommy bullied me!”
Hearing this, Song Qingpei’s expression changed. She shot her head up to look at Ming Yu.
“She’s a bad, bad Mommy!” Song Song accused Ming Yu. “She said Mama is going to get me a stepmom… I don’t want a stepmom! I don’t want a stepmom… wuwu…”
Listening to her daughter’s heart-wrenching sobs, Song Qingpei’s heart ached even more.
She quickly hugged her daughter tighter, patting her back to comfort her. “Shh, don’t cry, don’t cry. Mama won’t get Song Song a stepmom.”
Then, she looked up at Ming Yu and frowned. “What is going on?”
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” Ming Yu said irritably.
Song Qingpei paused, confused.
Ming Yu took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. “Song Qingpei, what do you gain from doing this?”
“What do you mean?” Song Qingpei didn’t understand.
“Don’t play dumb,” Ming Yu sneered. “Why are you trying to drive a wedge between me and Song Song? Spreading rumors that I’m going to get her a stepmother.”
Realizing what Ming Yu meant, Song Qingpei was about to retort when she saw Song Song staring at them with wide, nervous eyes. Afraid their argument would scare her, she quickly stopped.
After she calmed Song Song down, she had Butler Su take her upstairs.
Song Qingpei looked directly at Ming Yu and explained calmly, “You’ve already gone on a blind date. Isn’t marriage just a matter of time? I just wanted Song Song to accept it sooner rather than later.”
Hearing her state this so calmly, Ming Yu was stunned. It took her a long moment to bite out, “But I didn’t agree to it!”
“What difference does it make whether you agree or not?” Song Qingpei said placidly. “You’ll have to get married eventually. If it’s not this Miss Song, it’ll be some other woman. It doesn’t really make a difference. If Song Song stays with you, she’ll have to face this sooner or later.”
Ming Yu fell silent, her expression frighteningly grim.
She wasn’t even angry because Song Qingpei had spoken ill of her to their daughter. It was an unspeakable fear.
Song Qingpei seemed to have calmly accepted that she would marry someone else, without the slightest hint of surprise, sadness, or pain.
Did she not care one bit anymore?
Or had she already made up her mind to leave, eager to draw a line between them and start her new life?
This realization threw Ming Yu into a panic. Almost instinctively, she resisted it.
She didn’t dare to think any further. Instead, she grabbed Song Qingpei’s wrist, her voice trembling slightly. “Song Qingpei, Song Song is still little. I promise I won’t marry anyone else. And you’re not allowed to either, do you hear me?”
Song Qingpei hadn’t expected such a sudden move. She froze for a second, then calmly asked, “And how long is your promise for? A year? Three years? Five? Or…”
“I will not marry again!” Ming Yu declared urgently.
This truly shocked Song Qingpei.
“Are you sure?” she asked, a little skeptical.
Ming Yu nodded solemnly. “I’m sure! I won’t marry again!”
“Is that so…” After a moment’s thought, Song Qingpei nodded. “Then I misunderstood you. I apologize, and I’ll go explain it clearly to Song Song.”
“Hm?” Ming Yu stared at her.
She was waiting for the same promise, that she wouldn’t marry another Omega.
Song Qingpei looked at her, confused, apparently not understanding what she meant.
Ming Yu frowned, a wave of irritation rising in her. Her face turned cold. “Is there nothing else you want to say?”
The question made Song Qingpei blink. “What?”
“…”
Ming Yu’s expression was awful.
Seeing her silence, Song Qingpei couldn’t be bothered to guess. “Let’s go,” she said directly. “Let’s go explain things to Song Song, so she doesn’t start crying again.”
Seeing her play dumb, Ming Yu let out a cold, angry laugh. “Song Qingpei, have you forgotten something?”
“Hm?” Song Qingpei looked at her, uncomprehending.
Ming Yu finally lost her patience. “For Song Song’s sake, I’ve already promised not to marry again. What about you?”
Understanding her concern, Song Qingpei said, “Don’t worry, I would never hurt Song Song either. I was indeed thoughtless this time. I’ll be more careful in the future. I hope we can get along peacefully and give Song Song a healthy and happy environment to grow up in.”
“So? Will you still get married?”
Ming Yu completely ignored her peace offering, pressing her relentlessly, demanding a clear answer.
It wasn’t that Song Qingpei had any plans to remarry, but she felt that matters of the heart were unpredictable. Who knew what the future held? She didn’t even really believe Ming Yu’s claim that she would never marry again.
Besides, she did yearn for the warmth of a family. So she answered honestly, “I don’t think we need to say so much about this. Even if you really do get married, as long as Song Song can slowly accept it, it’s not impossible. We just have to make sure we don’t hurt Song Song, right?”
Hearing this, Ming Yu was so furious she could have spit fire.6
This woman, she really did still plan to marry someone else. Was it because she saw no hope with her, so she was preparing to let go and find a new partner?7
The thought made Ming Yu tremble with rage.
Song Qingpei didn’t know what she was angry about this time. “Is that all?” she said impatiently. “I’m going to check on Song Song.”
With that, she stood up and walked upstairs.
Watching her leave, a furious flame ignited in Ming Yu’s chest. She desperately wanted to rush up, grab her by the shoulders, and force her to say the promise she wanted to hear.
But in the end, she held back.
Taking a deep breath, Ming Yu tried to quell her indignation, forcing herself not to act rashly.
This woman is probably just playing hard to get,8 to get more bargaining chips. I can’t lose my composure.
Ming Yu struggled to calm herself, then slowly walked upstairs.
She didn’t know what Song Qingpei had said to Song Song, but the little girl was no longer hostile toward her.
“Mommy~”
Seeing Ming Yu, Song Song called out.
Ming Yu walked over and stroked her little head. “Not angry anymore?”
Song Song puffed out her cheeks, a little embarrassed. “Song Song won’t call you Bad Mommy anymore~”
Ming Yu smiled. “Such a good girl.”
Song Song grinned at her, then suddenly reached out and tugged on the corner of her uniform.
Ming Yu paused, then leaned down to look at her.
“What is it, Song Song?”
Song Song immediately said, “I want Mommy to give me kisses and hugs~”
Completely won over by her sweet-talking, Ming Yu quickly bent down and lifted her up.
Song Song closed her eyes in satisfaction, a brilliant smile spreading across her face.
Seeing this, Ming Yu couldn’t resist planting a kiss on her forehead, a rare moment of tenderness.
Song Qingpei watched this scene, a complex light flickering in her eyes and an indescribable feeling in her heart.
Things could never go back to how they were. But maybe giving their daughter a harmonious family atmosphere was good enough.
Footnotes
- Original: 见招拆招 (jiàn zhāo chāi zhāo), literally ‘to see a move and dismantle it.’ A martial arts metaphor for adapting one’s strategy in response to an opponent’s actions, meaning to be flexible and handle problems as they arise.
- Original: 连珠弩 (liánzhūnǔ), a repeating crossbow. Used as a metaphor for a rapid-fire series of questions.
- Original: 拉不下脸 (lā bùxià liǎn), literally ‘unable to pull down one’s face.’ An expression for being too proud or embarrassed to do something.
- Original: 上气不接下气 (shàngqì bù jiē xiàqì), literally ‘the upper breath doesn’t meet the lower breath.’ An idiom for being breathless from exertion or crying.
- Original: 葫芦里卖的是什么药 (húlu lǐ mài de shì shénme yào), literally ‘what medicine is being sold in the gourd?’ An idiom for being unable to guess someone’s true intentions.
- Original: 七窍生烟 (qīqiàoshēngyān), literally ‘smoke comes out of the seven orifices (of the head).’ A vivid idiom for extreme anger.
- Original: 另寻新枝 (lìng xún xīn zhī), literally ‘to seek another new branch.’ A poetic way of saying to find a new lover or partner.
- Original: 欲擒故纵 (yùqíngùzòng), literally ‘in order to capture, one must first let go.’ A strategic idiom for feigning indifference to lure someone in.
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