Top-Tier Omega: Chasing Alpha to the Crematorium – Chapter 31
by Little PandaDry Wood and Raging Fire
Song Qingpei dragged her exhausted body back home. Pushing open Song Song’s bedroom door, she saw her daughter sleeping soundly, a faint smile lingering on her lips.
She leaned down and pressed a kiss to Song Song’s forehead. “Goodnight, baby,” she whispered.
She quietly closed the door. Standing in the hallway, her gaze drifted involuntarily toward Ming Yu’s room.
The door was shut tight. Assuming Ming Yu had already gone to sleep, Song Qingpei felt an inexplicable wave of relief and turned toward her own room.
However, the moment she pushed open her door and flicked on the lights, the sight before her made her freeze.
Ming Yu was lying in her bed, covered with her blanket, seemingly fast asleep.
Song Qingpei stood in the doorway, momentarily at a loss for how to react. She had thought Ming Yu had finally given up on these headache-inducing antics. She hadn’t expected things to be so complicated.
“Ming Yu.” Feeling helpless, Song Qingpei walked over and roused her. “What are you doing here?” she asked softly.
Hearing her voice, Ming Yu slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Song Qingpei standing beside the bed, a faint smile touched the corners of her mouth.
Suddenly, she reached out, grabbed Song Qingpei by the wrist, and yanked her down onto the bed.
Caught completely off guard, Song Qingpei ended up pinned flush against Ming Yu’s body.
“You—” Song Qingpei started to struggle upright, but Ming Yu wrapped her arms tightly around her waist, refusing to let her move.
Ming Yu pressed her face close to the side of Song Qingpei’s neck. Abruptly, her brow furrowed, and her movements stilled. The unfamiliar scent of an Omega’s pheromones washed over her, igniting a fierce surge of jealousy in her chest.
“Why do you smell of another Omega?” Ming Yu’s voice turned ice-cold, laced with interrogation.
Song Qingpei blanked for a second before offering a vague reply. “It’s just from contact at work. It’s nothing special.”
But Ming Yu was unrelenting, her tone growing even frostier. “Contact at work? What exactly is going on between you and Murong Ruixue?”
Flustered, Song Qingpei blurted out, “She… she did confess her feelings to me today, but I turned her down.”
Hearing those words instantly fanned the flames of Ming Yu’s anger.
“I knew it. That woman harbored bad intentions right from the start! And you’re actually defending her?”
“Ming Yu, calm down.” Seeing Ming Yu getting so worked up, Song Qingpei tried to explain. “Murong Ruixue and I are just colleagues. Her confessing to me is her business, and I’ve already explicitly rejected her.”
“Rejected her?” Ming Yu let out a cold laugh, her tone dripping with vinegar. “Then why are you still getting so close to her? Sounds to me like you’re interested in her too. You just can’t wait to start a new relationship, can you?”
“My relationship with Murong Ruixue is strictly professional cooperation. It’s nowhere near as complicated as you’re making it out to be.”
Pushed to annoyance by Ming Yu’s interrogation, Song Qingpei’s tone cooled. “Go back to your own room. We can talk when you’ve calmed down.”
With that, Song Qingpei prepared to push herself up.
Instead, Ming Yu seized her wrist in a vice-like grip, squeezing so hard it sent a jolt of pain through Song Qingpei’s arm.
She tried to wrench her hand free, but Ming Yu held on with a death grip, refusing to let go.
The atmosphere between them, which had only just begun to ease, instantly became violently tense again.
Ming Yu’s overbearing and utterly baffling attitude thoroughly infuriated Song Qingpei. It was as if she were treating her like a pet—summoning her at a whim and waving her away just as easily. When she detested her, she could trample her dignity into the dirt and humiliate her without a shred of respect. And when, out of nowhere, she lost her mind and realized she still had feelings for her, she thought a flimsy apology would be enough to start completely over, entirely disregarding Song Qingpei’s own thoughts.
Was she really so cheap and lowly? Song Qingpei felt that she had been far too soft on Ming Yu, which was why Ming Yu assumed she had no temper and could be molded, kneaded, and pushed around at will.
At the thought, her voice dropped several degrees. “Ming Yu, let me go! Did you hear me?!”
The fury in her words was so palpable that Ming Yu looked up at her in sheer astonishment.
Song Qingpei’s lips were pressed into a tight, thin line. Her entire body was as rigid as a drawn bowstring, looking as though the slightest provocation would completely snap the thread of her rationality.
Ming Yu felt an unprompted spike of panic. She didn’t provoke Song Qingpei any further, but she absolutely did not want to let go, either.
The two of them remained deadlocked. Meeting Song Qingpei’s cold, furious gaze, Ming Yu unconsciously lowered her voice. “Song Qingpei, I don’t like it when you smell like another Omega.”
“Ming Yu, you don’t have the right to dictate my life. You’re the one who said it yourself—we don’t have any relationship anymore.”
Since explaining things nicely wasn’t working, Song Qingpei chose to strike directly at her heart.
Ming Yu’s breath caught in her throat. Forcing down her temper, she explained, “I regret it. I’ve already apologized. What more do you want from me?”
Just listen to that. Was that how a human being spoke? Song Qingpei was so angry she almost laughed. Did Ming Yu honestly believe that condescending to offer a lightweight apology could simply erase all the humiliation and pain she had inflicted before? Worst of all, Ming Yu still hadn’t learned the meaning of respect. She constantly resorted to that same bossy, entitled attitude to deal with her.
After working overtime the entire night, Song Qingpei was bone-tired. She had no energy left to stay tangled up with her.
Gathering her strength, she violently wrenched her hand free from Ming Yu’s grasp and said coldly, “Get out. I need to rest!”
Saying that, she reached out to grab Ming Yu, fully intending to physically throw her out of the room.
Unable to maintain her facade any longer, Ming Yu said in frustration, “Song Qingpei, what exactly do you want me to do? Just tell me, and I’ll change. Isn’t that enough?”
Change, her foot. Song Qingpei would believe in ghosts before she believed Ming Yu could change.
It was the first time Song Qingpei had ever been so ‘violent’ with Ming Yu. She hauled her directly up from the bed, dumping all of her pent-up dissatisfaction as she pulled. “Out! Get out! I’ve been exhausted all day, and I need to sleep. I really don’t have the time to sit here and argue about this nonsense with you. I’m begging you, just leave me alone, okay?”
Ming Yu was, after all, an Omega. Once Song Qingpei actually applied force, she wasn’t a match for her at all and was easily hauled up from the mattress. Having always occupied the dominant position, Ming Yu was stunned. It seemed she hadn’t anticipated Song Qingpei actually daring to treat her this way.
By the time she snapped out of it, she had already been dragged to the bedroom door, on the verge of being kicked out.
In a moment of desperation, Ming Yu uttered the trigger word: “Mengmeng.”
Instantly, Ming Yu’s expression changed. Her eyes softened, carrying a trace of grievance and insecurity.
She let go of Song Qingpei’s hand, biting her lower lip. Her voice dropped, taking on a tearful waver. “Jiejie… do you not like Mengmeng anymore? Why do you smell like another Omega?”
Song Qingpei froze mid-motion, staring at the Ming Yu before her in disbelief.
The ‘Mengmeng’ who had once haunted her every waking dream seemed to have returned in that very moment.
She stared blankly at Ming Yu, momentarily forgetting how to react.
Seeing her stay silent, Ming Yu—no, at this moment, ‘Mengmeng’—felt even more wronged. She threw herself into Song Qingpei’s embrace, hugging her tightly as tears began to stream down her face, dampening the fabric across Song Qingpei’s chest.
“Wuwu, Jiejie, why are you trying to chase Mengmeng away?”
“Say something, Jiejie…”
Each tearful cry of “Jiejie” made Song Qingpei’s heart tremble as if she were trapped in a dream.
It wasn’t until the hot tears seared against her chest that she jolted awake, murmuring numbly, “Mengmeng…”
Trembling, Song Qingpei reached up to cup Ming Yu’s cheek, her eyes swimming with complex emotions.
‘Mengmeng’ clung to her desperately, her voice choking on a sob. “Jiejie, do you not like Mengmeng anymore? Are you… throwing me away?”
Song Qingpei’s heart instantly melted.
Out of sheer habit, she began to gently pat ‘Mengmeng’ on the back, offering soft reassurance. “No, I haven’t stopped liking you. Mengmeng, stop crying, okay?”
But ‘Mengmeng’ only cried harder, hiccuping through her sobs. “You’re lying… you smell like another Omega, and you yelled at me… Have you fallen in love with someone else?”
Song Qingpei let out a helpless sigh. Her heart ached for her, yet she felt utterly powerless against it.
She gently lifted ‘Mengmeng’s’ face, looking deeply into her eyes. “Mengmeng, I haven’t fallen for anyone else. I only like you. Truly.”
‘Mengmeng’ blinked her teary eyes, her voice still thick with unshed tears. “Then… then you’re not allowed to get so close to other Omegas anymore, okay?”
Song Qingpei nodded, her tone infinitely gentle. “Okay.”
Only then did ‘Mengmeng’ calm down a little. She leaned against Song Qingpei’s chest, muttering softly, “Jiejie, you can’t lie to me… if you lie to me, I’ll be so sad…”
As Song Qingpei gently stroked ‘Mengmeng’s’ hair, a whirlwind of conflicting feelings surged within her.
She knew that the ‘Mengmeng’ before her had to be an intentional facade put on by Ming Yu, yet she still couldn’t fight off the overwhelming ache of sympathy in her chest. Softly, she said, “I won’t lie to you, Mengmeng. Believe me, okay?”
‘Mengmeng’ nodded and obediently closed her eyes. “Jiejie, I’m so sleepy…”
“Go to sleep. I’ll stay right here with you.”
Her breathing gradually leveled out; it seemed she really had fallen asleep.
Looking down at the person in her arms, Song Qingpei felt a chaotic mix of emotions.
She had no idea why Ming Yu had suddenly reverted like this, nor did she know how she was going to face the Ming Yu who would wake up the next morning. All she knew was that, for this brief moment, she couldn’t help but greedily hold onto this fleeting tenderness.
Holding ‘Mengmeng’ gently, she leaned back against the headboard, pulled the covers over her, and simply watched her in silence.
The night was deep and quiet, but Song Qingpei’s heart remained restless for a long time.
She couldn’t help but sigh, whispering into the dark, “Mengmeng, if only you could stay like this forever.”
The only answer she received was the steady rhythm of ‘Mengmeng’s’ breathing.
Leaning against the headboard, Song Qingpei closed her eyes, her mind brimming with tangled thoughts.
She knew this was destined to be a sleepless night.
Morning sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains and spilled into the room. Ming Yu slowly opened her eyes, her consciousness gradually returning.
She turned her head and saw Song Qingpei still fast asleep, her brow slightly relaxed, seemingly resting very peacefully.
The memories of the previous night came rushing back like a tidal wave. She remembered how she had used the hypnosis trigger to become ‘Mengmeng’, how Song Qingpei had so tenderly comforted her, and the profound sense of security she had felt nestled in Song Qingpei’s embrace.
But now, fully lucid again, those emotions felt as if they were walled off by some invisible barrier, distant and out of reach.
Ming Yu let out a soft sigh, a sour feeling settling in her chest.
She was happy that Song Qingpei still treated ‘Mengmeng’ with such gentleness, but at the same time, she felt jealous—jealous of herself. The contradictory emotions made her feel ridiculous, yet she couldn’t ignore them.
Just then, Song Qingpei’s eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze initially fell upon Ming Yu’s face with a profound softness. “Mengmeng…” she murmured.
Ming Yu’s heart gave a violent lurch. Before she could even respond, the look in Song Qingpei’s eyes shifted.
She seemed to snap fully awake in an instant, realizing that the person in front of her was no longer the dependent ‘Mengmeng’ from last night, but the Ming Yu who had recovered her memories.
Her tone immediately turned distant. “You’re awake?”
Noticing the shift, Ming Yu felt a prick of displeasure, but she nodded anyway. “Mm.”
Song Qingpei sat up and massaged her temples, her voice laced with exhaustion and confusion. “Last night… what exactly happened with you?”
Ming Yu’s chest tightened. She knew what Song Qingpei was suspecting.
Not wanting to reveal anything about the hypnosis, she offered a vague excuse. “What do you mean? I’ve been under a lot of pressure at work lately. My mental state hasn’t been great, so I might have lost control a bit.”
Song Qingpei frowned, clearly not fully buying the explanation. She stared into Ming Yu’s eyes, trying to parse the truth from them, but Ming Yu’s expression was so impeccably calm she found no opening.
In the end, Song Qingpei merely gave a detached reply. “Then make sure you get some rest. Don’t overwork yourself.”
Ming Yu nodded, but a wave of disappointment washed over her.
She didn’t like this cold attitude from Song Qingpei. Thinking back to the tenderness Song Qingpei had shown ‘Mengmeng’ last night, that bitter jealousy bubbled up again. And when she remembered Murong Ruixue confessing to Song Qingpei, the jealousy burned even hotter.
Unable to stop herself from using it as an excuse to lash out, she issued another warning. “You and Murong Ruixue… you’d better keep your distance.”
There it was again—that overbearing, commanding tone. Song Qingpei’s brow furrowed. “My relationship with Murong Ruixue is strictly professional. You don’t need to use that commanding tone to warn me. Furthermore, I am not your subordinate. Who I associate with is not something I need to report to you… Admiral Ming Yu!” She deliberately placed heavy emphasis on those last three words.
Ming Yu choked on her rebuttal. A thread of genuine grievance seeped into her voice. “Why can’t you treat me the same way you treat Mengmeng? We are literally the same person!”
Song Qingpei’s eyes darkened as she fired back, “What about you? Why can’t you treat me the way Mengmeng does? The version of you from last night would never speak to me in that tone.”
Ming Yu was left momentarily speechless. Remembering the way she had whined and acted spoiled in Song Qingpei’s arms last night, she looked away uncomfortably and muttered, “I… I can’t do that.”
“And so, I can’t treat you the way I treat Mengmeng, either,” Song Qingpei said evenly. “I can understand your position, so please extend me the same courtesy. Admiral Ming, don’t be a hypocrite.”
Ming Yu opened her mouth to argue, but found she had absolutely nothing to say.
Right at that moment, her light-terminal suddenly chimed, shattering the oppressive silence in the room.
Ming Yu glanced down and saw that it was a call from Ming Rui.
She answered it, and Ming Rui’s voice filtered through the communicator. “Cousin, there’s… something problematic about Murong Ruixue’s background. I’ll explain the details to you in person.”
Ming Yu’s heart sank. She instantly realized that the situation was likely far more complicated than she had imagined.
She hurriedly tossed out a “I have something to take care of” to Song Qingpei, got up, and left the room.
Song Qingpei watched her retreating back. She knew perfectly well that Ming Yu was hiding something, but there wasn’t even time to press the issue. She could only let out a weary sigh.
Ming Yu briskly walked out of the house. The moment she got into the car, she dialed Ming Rui’s communicator.
“Ming Rui, where are you right now?”
“Cousin, I’m waiting for you in my office at the Military Headquarters Building,” Ming Rui replied.
After hanging up, Ming Yu’s mood grew even heavier.
She didn’t know what Ming Rui had uncovered, but her intuition told her that Murong Ruixue’s identity was likely far from simple.
Upon arriving at the Military Headquarters Building, Ming Yu headed straight for the office.
Pushing the door open, she found Ming Rui frowning deeply over a document file.
Seeing Ming Yu enter, she immediately stood up and handed the file over. “Cousin, take a look at this first.”
Ming Yu took the file and scanned it rapidly.
As she read further, her expression grew increasingly solemn.
In the results of Murong Ruixue’s background check, one particular piece of information caught her absolute attention—
The document indicated that Murong Ruixue was actually connected to Murong Xia. Murong Xia was the shadow founder of the Blue Sea Group and maintained close ties with the remnants of the Black Kite rebel faction. She was a figure who should have been executed long ago, yet had suddenly reappeared to make contact with Murong Ruixue.
Furthermore, the Federation Bureau of Investigation was already conducting a secret probe into the matter.
“The Black Kite?” Ming Yu looked up, her gaze piercing sharply into Ming Rui. “Wasn’t that organization eradicated? How did they end up entangled with Murong Ruixue?”
Ming Rui nodded, her tone grave. “Exactly. The President is taking this matter extremely seriously and has ordered the Federation Bureau of Investigation to track them down with everything they have. Sister, I suspect that Murong Ruixue’s approach to Song Qingpei might be driven by ulterior motives.”
Ming Yu’s brow knit together as a wave of unease crashed over her.
She didn’t believe in coincidences this perfectly timed. For Murong Ruixue to recruit Song Qingpei into the Blue Sea Group right now and deliberately get close to her—she had to have another motive.
“What do you think her target is?” Ming Yu asked quietly.
Ming Rui shook her head, a trace of uncertainty in her voice. “It’s not clear yet, but I think her actual target might be you. After all, as the heir to the Ming family and the founder of the advanced military academy, if she really is working for the Black Kite rebel organization, her ultimate goal is absolutely not going to be simple.”
Ming Yu pondered this for a moment. “Regardless of what her target is, keep investigating. If you find anything new, notify me immediately.”
“I’ve already assigned people to monitor Murong Ruixue’s every move. But to avoid beating the grass and startling the snake1, we can’t take coercive measures against her just yet.”
“Good.” Seeing that Ming Rui had considered things so thoroughly, Ming Yu felt deeply relieved.
“Be careful, Cousin. I’ll take my leave first.”
After seeing Ming Rui off, Ming Yu sat alone in the office, her fingers tapping lightly against the desk, her eyes cold and sharp.
Her mind replayed the information Ming Rui had provided regarding Murong Ruixue, particularly her connection to the ‘Black Kite’ rebel organization. Even though there wasn’t any conclusive evidence yet, Murong Ruixue’s sudden appearance was absolutely no accident.
She picked up her communicator and dialed Song Xihan’s number.
“Xihan, come to my office.”
It wasn’t long before Song Xihan pushed the door open, a questioning look on her face. “Ming Yu, you were looking for me?”
Ming Yu nodded and gestured for her to sit before sliding the file across the desk. “Look at this first.”
Song Xihan took the document and quickly skimmed through it.
As she read, shock flashed through her eyes. “Murong Ruixue… is suspected of being involved with the Black Kite organization? How is that possible?”
“There’s no definitive proof yet, but her background is undeniably complicated. I need you to help me test her.”
Song Xihan’s expression turned entirely serious. “What do you plan to do?”
Ming Yu deliberated for a moment before saying slowly, “Invite her out to dinner tonight under the pretext of catching up.”
Song Xihan hesitated. “Won’t that tip her off? If there really is a problem with her, initiating direct contact like this might put her on high alert.”
“It won’t.” Ming Yu shook her head with absolute certainty. “It’s just catching up. You two graduated from the military academy at the same time, didn’t you? It’s just reminiscing about the old days. I’ll make sure to bring Qingpei along, so she shouldn’t suspect a thing.”
After a moment’s thought, Song Xihan nodded in agreement. “Alright. I’ll make the arrangements.”
At the same time, Ming Yu dialed Song Qingpei’s communicator.
“…Let’s get dinner together tonight.”
Song Qingpei paused, a note of surprise in her voice. “Dinner? Why all of a sudden…”
Trying her best to soften her tone, Ming Yu explained, “Xihan is treating us. Murong Ruixue will be there too. It’s a good chance to get together.”
Song Qingpei frowned. She truly couldn’t fathom what the four of them had to ‘get together’ for. It was guaranteed to be nothing but incredibly awkward.
She was just about to refuse when Song Xihan’s voice suddenly carried over the line, enthusiastically inviting her to the meal. Finding it too difficult to turn her down, Song Qingpei had no choice but to helplessly compromise.
“Alright. I’ll be there.”
As evening fell, Ming Yu and Song Xihan headed to the restaurant together.
On the way, Song Xihan couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Ming Yu, do you really suspect Murong Ruixue is tied to the Black Kite? Her background has always been spotless.”
“A spotless background doesn’t mean there aren’t problems,” Ming Yu replied, a chilling edge to her voice. “The remnants of the Black Kite rebels have always lurked in the shadows. Murong Ruixue’s appearance is too coincidental. We have to be on guard.”
Song Xihan nodded. “I understand. Tonight, I’ll try to steer the conversation and see if I can pry any clues from what she says.”
Ming Yu gave a slight nod and said nothing more.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, the two ordered their food first and took a seat by the window to wait for the others.
It wasn’t long before Song Qingpei and Murong Ruixue walked into the restaurant together.
Murong Ruixue was dressed in a sharp, professional suit, a bright smile on her face. Song Qingpei, on the other hand, seemed somewhat distracted, her gaze flicking toward Ming Yu every so often, carrying an undercurrent of complicated emotions.
“Sorry, we’re late,” Murong Ruixue greeted them with a smile before taking a seat next to Song Xihan.
Song Qingpei hesitated for a moment. Ming Yu spoke up. “Qingpei, sit next to me.”
Song Qingpei’s gaze shifted over Ming Yu for a split second, but she ultimately walked over and sat down beside her.
Once the four of them were seated, the atmosphere hung awkwardly in the air.
Song Xihan was the first to break the silence, smiling at Murong Ruixue. “Ruixue, it’s been a long time. How has work been lately?”
Murong Ruixue smiled faintly, her tone light and relaxed. “Not bad at all. The Blue Sea Group has a few massive projects going right now, so we’re incredibly busy. What about you? I heard you’ve been helping Admiral Ming prepare for the new advanced military academy?”
Song Xihan nodded, smoothly steering the topic toward the past. “Yes, I’ve been rushed off my feet. Speaking of which, things weren’t nearly this busy when we were in the academy. You were quite the prominent figure on campus back then. Everyone was in absolute awe of you.”
Murong Ruixue let out a small laugh. “We were young back then. Looking back on it now, it really does make me nostalgic.”
Seizing the opportunity, Song Xihan asked, “By the way, did you go straight into the Blue Sea Group after graduation? I seem to remember you mentioning you had an adopted mother who brought you into the industry?”
“Yes, my adopted mother is one of the founders of the Blue Sea Group. She gave me a lot of opportunities.”
As she spoke, a fleeting look of guardedness crossed Murong Ruixue’s expression, though she quickly smoothed it back to natural ease. However, Ming Yu’s sharp eyes caught everything. To keep her from getting suspicious, Ming Yu deliberately decided to act up.
She suddenly spoke. “Miss Murong, I heard you confessed your feelings to Qingpei yesterday?”
The moment the words left her mouth, the atmosphere at the table froze solid.
Song Qingpei’s face turned somewhat ugly. She tried to intervene. “Ming Yu, don’t—”
But Murong Ruixue just smiled, responding with effortless grace. “Yes, I did. Qingpei is an excellent person, so naturally, people will cherish her. However, she has already clearly rejected me, and I respect her choice.”
A hint of mockery seeped into Ming Yu’s tone. “Is that so? How incredibly magnanimous of Miss Murong. Still, I’d advise you to stay far away from Qingpei. After all, there are some people you simply shouldn’t touch.”
“What exactly does the Admiral mean by that?” Murong Ruixue’s smile remained, but a frigid edge entered her eyes. “Qingpei and I are currently just colleagues. Have you misunderstood something?”
Ming Yu let out a cold scoff, preparing to fire back.
“Ming Yu, that’s enough!” Song Qingpei suddenly stood up, a surge of true anger in her voice.
Seeing this, it was impossible to tell whether Ming Yu was just putting on a show or had genuinely lost her reason to anger.
She stood up abruptly as well, her tone unyielding and authoritative. “We’ve finished eating. We’re leaving.” With that, she grabbed Song Qingpei and dragged her away.
Song Qingpei gritted her teeth. She shot Murong Ruixue an apologetic look. “Ruixue, I’m sorry about today…”
Murong Ruixue smiled and waved it off. “It’s fine, Qingpei. You go on ahead.”
Feeling utterly helpless, Song Qingpei nodded and followed Ming Yu out of the restaurant.
In the car, Song Qingpei’s expression was awful.
She turned to Ming Yu, her tone lacing with reprimand. “You were way out of line today! Causing a scene like that—how am I supposed to face Murong Ruixue after this?”
Ming Yu didn’t answer the question, instead stating forcefully, “Then you don’t need to face her. Just quit your job at the Blue Sea Group.”
Song Qingpei froze, then exploded. “Are you insane?!”
Ming Yu’s voice pitched higher. “I’m doing this for your own good! Just quit the job and be done with it.”
Song Qingpei reacted violently to her dictatorial demands. “What right do you have to interfere with my work? Murong Ruixue and I are just colleagues. There was no need for you to target her like that!”
Ming Yu had absolutely no way of telling Song Qingpei the truth about Murong Ruixue. She could only mix truth with falsehood, using her jealous outburst as leverage to force Song Qingpei into compromising. But clearly, Song Qingpei was not going to give an inch.
Unable to agree on a single point, they devolved into a shouting match.
Ming Yu’s brow furrowed tightly. She knew that if they kept arguing like this, things were only going to get worse.
Taking a deep breath, she resorted to her old trick once more, softly uttering the trigger word: “Mengmeng.”
In the very next second, her expression morphed. She looked at Song Qingpei with immense grievance and accused, “You’re… yelling at me again?”
Song Qingpei was stunned. She stared at the Ming Yu before her in disbelief. No, not Ming Yu—’Mengmeng’.
She had actually returned again.
“Mengmeng…”
Song Qingpei looked at her, her eyes brimming with complex emotion.
‘Mengmeng’ glared back, leveling her tearful, wounded accusations. “You… promise me you won’t pay attention to Murong Ruixue anymore, okay? Okay?”
“Mengmeng, I have to work. Can you be reasonable, please?” Song Qingpei tried to talk sense into her.
But Mengmeng ignored it entirely, biting down hard on her demand that Song Qingpei cut off Murong Ruixue. Song Qingpei spent a long time explaining, but to absolutely no avail. Mengmeng refused to listen to a word she said and just sulked on her own.
They argued the entire way back without reaching any sort of conclusion.
By the time they returned home, the sky had grown dark.
Butler Su and the servants had been waiting at the entrance for some time. Seeing Ming Yu and Song Qingpei get out of the car together, they all stepped forward to welcome them.
However, the moment Ming Yu stepped out of the vehicle, everyone froze.
Ming Yu’s face bore an innocent, naïve smile, her eyes as crystal-clear as a child’s.
She walked up to Butler Su and chirped happily, “Butler Su, I’m back!”
Butler Su couldn’t process it for a second. He stood rooted to the spot, a flash of utter shock in his eyes.
The servants exchanged bewildered glances and began whispering among themselves.
“What happened to the Admiral? Why does she seem like a completely different person?”
“Shh, don’t talk nonsense. Be careful she doesn’t hear you.”
Butler Su snapped out of it, his face instantly hardening as he barked in a low voice, “Enough gossiping! Get back to your duties at once!”
The servants were instantly quiet as winter cicadas2. They scattered immediately, returning to their respective tasks.
Watching Ming Yu’s retreating back, Butler Su furrowed his brow, a deep sense of unease settling in his heart.
He quickly stepped aside, pulled out his communicator, and dialed Old Madam Ming’s number.
“Old Madam, something is wrong. The Admiral seems to have entered a stress state again,” Butler Su reported, a note of anxiety in his voice. “Her current condition… looks exactly like how she was when we first brought her back during her amnesia.”
There was a heavy silence on the other end of the line before Old Madam Ming’s voice finally came through. “I understand. Keep observing her for now. I will do everything I can to investigate the cause.”
After ending the call, Butler Su turned and walked toward the living room, silently keeping a watchful eye on Ming Yu.
Ming Yu was currently sitting on the rug with Song Song, playing together with absolute delight.
Holding a toy in her hands, Song Song looked at Ming Yu curiously. “Mommy, you seem a little different today.”
‘Mengmeng’ blinked her eyes and asked with a grin, “How am I different? Do you not like Mommy this way?”
Song Song tilted her head to think for a moment, then burst into a happy smile. “I like it! Mommy is super gentle today, and you’ve played with me for so long!”
‘Mengmeng’ said dotingly, “Then Mommy will play with you every single day from now on, okay?”
Song Song nodded excitedly. The two of them went back to playing, their laughter echoing throughout the entire living room.
Standing off to the side, Song Qingpei watched the scene unfold with a heavy heart.
Butler Su stepped up to Song Qingpei’s side and asked quietly, “Miss Song, the Admiral…?”
Song Qingpei shook her head, a sigh of resignation in her voice. “She said she’s been under too much pressure recently, and her mental state is a little unstable. I’ll take good care of her. You don’t need to worry.”
Butler Su nodded. Though he still harbored doubts, it wasn’t his place to pry any further.
He could only retreat to the side and silently observe Ming Yu’s every move.
After a while, Song Qingpei checked the time and softly called out to Song Song, “Songsong, it’s time to take a bath and go to bed.”
Song Song pouted reluctantly. “Mommy, can we play just a little bit longer?”
Mengmeng also looked up at Song Qingpei with big, pleading eyes. “Jiejie, let Songsong play just a little longer, please?”
Looking at their identical expressions, Song Qingpei felt a wave of utter helplessness.
She crouched down and gently patted Song Song’s head. “Songsong, be good. You can play more tomorrow, okay?”
Song Song looked at Song Qingpei, then looked at Mengmeng, and ultimately gave a nod. “Okay.”
Song Qingpei took Song Song by the hand and led her upstairs for her bath.
Mengmeng remained sitting exactly where she was, staring longingly at their retreating backs, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.
When Song Qingpei finally finished coaxing Song Song to sleep and returned to the living room, she found Mengmeng still sitting in the exact same spot. She was clutching a throw pillow to her chest, her head bowed, looking the very picture of grievance.
Song Qingpei walked over to her side and asked softly, “Mengmeng, why haven’t you gone to rest yet?”
Mengmeng lifted her head. Her eyes were swimming with tears, and her voice broke with a sob. “Jiejie, are you going to go see that bad woman who seduced you tomorrow?”
“Mengmeng, it’s very rude to talk like that,” Song Qingpei chided with an exasperated sigh. “Murong Ruixue and I are just colleagues. Don’t overthink things.”
But Mengmeng shook her head, refusing to let it go. “Then promise me you won’t pay any attention to her anymore. Okay?”
Song Qingpei was left speechless, unsure of how to answer.
However, Mengmeng’s tears began to fall like pearls from a broken string, tumbling down her cheeks without end. It made Song Qingpei’s heart twist in sympathy.
“Mengmeng, stop crying…” Song Qingpei pleaded, her heart aching helplessly.
But Mengmeng acted as though she couldn’t hear a word. She clung desperately to Song Qingpei’s hand, begging through her tears, “Jiejie, promise me, please? Just don’t talk to her anymore, please?”
Song Qingpei, completely out of options, simply leaned in and kissed Mengmeng’s endlessly chattering lips.
Mengmeng’s body went stiff for a fraction of a second before melting entirely against her.
Song Qingpei’s kiss was tender and lingering, laced with an intent to soothe. Her fingers gently stroked Mengmeng’s cheek, wiping away the tears tracking down her face.
Mengmeng wrapped her arms around Song Qingpei’s neck, responding with fierce enthusiasm. As the kiss deepened, she murmured breathlessly, “Jiejie… don’t leave me…”
Song Qingpei’s kiss trailed down to her ear, her voice low, hoarse, and infinitely gentle. “I won’t leave you, Mengmeng.”
They were too familiar with one another’s bodies. Like dry wood and raging fire3, a single kiss was all it took to ignite a blazing passion between them.
A rich, heavy scent of pheromones flooded the room, gently twining itself around their bodies.
Footnotes
- The idiom 'dǎ cǎo jīng shé' means to act rashly and inadvertently alert the enemy to one's intentions.
- The idiom 'jìn ruò hán chán' describes people who are too terrified to speak, comparing them to cicadas that fall completely silent in the cold weather of late autumn and winter.
- The idiom 'gān chái liè huǒ' (dry wood and raging fire) metaphorically describes a situation where intense passion or lust is easily ignited, usually between a man and a woman, though here applied to two women.
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