Top-Tier Omega: Chasing Alpha to the Crematorium – Chapter 35
by Little PandaCrying So Miserably
Song Qingpei had no other choice. Fuming, she turned and headed back to the villa.
Song Song was sitting on the living room sofa. Seeing her storm in, she asked with concern, “Mama, what’s wrong?”
Song Qingpei sat beside her daughter and gently pulled her into her arms. The faint, milky scent on Song Song calmed her a little. She managed to squeeze out a smile. “It’s nothing, Mama is just a little angry.”
“Mama, did you argue with Mommy again?” Song Song tilted her small face up to ask.
Song Qingpei froze. “How did you know?”
“Because when Mommy left this morning, she looked really upset,” Song Song whispered. “She also told me to keep a close eye on Mama and not let you go outside, saying it’s very dangerous out there.”
Hearing her daughter say this, Song Qingpei grew even angrier.
What danger outside? To think she’d even lie to a child. Ming Yu truly had no shame left.
Song Qingpei was practically furious enough to die, cursing the woman a hundred times over in her heart.
Until the doorbell suddenly rang.
Song Qingpei got up to answer it, and froze in surprise when she saw the visitor.
“Ming Rui, what are you doing here?” Song Qingpei was a little taken aback.
Ming Rui peeked into the house and lowered her voice. “I heard Cousin isn’t letting you leave the house, so I came specifically to check on you.”
Song Qingpei gave a bitter smile. “You certainly are well-informed.”
Ming Rui laughed it off and went over to chat with Song Song. She kept glancing at Song Qingpei, looking as though she had something to say but was hesitating.
Seeing this, Song Qingpei assumed Ming Yu had sent her to act as a peacemaker. Deciding to strike first, she complained about all the wicked things Ming Yu had done, and finally asked rhetorically, “Tell me, for an Admiral to do something like this, isn’t it going too far?”
Pulling her aside, Ming Rui whispered, “Cousin definitely went too far this time. But don’t be too angry; she just cares about you too much.”
“Cares about me?” Song Qingpei couldn’t help but sneer. “She calls this caring? This is clearly just her desire for control acting up!”
“Sigh, Cousin has been under strict demands from Grandmother since she was little. She doesn’t really know how to express her feelings.”
Saying this, Ming Rui sighed. “Cousin wasn’t like this before. When she was little, she was so soft and cute. She was super clingy with me and loved to cry. She’d cry and ask if I didn’t like her anymore—an absolute little pitiful thing.”
“But ever since my eldest cousin passed away in an accident and Cousin became the heir to the Ming family, Grandmother started strictly disciplining her. Grandmother especially disliked her soft, timid personality and couldn’t stand to see her cry. She even hired people to design a specialized training program for Cousin. After that, Cousin slowly changed into a completely different person, becoming the cold and distant Admiral Ming Yu you see today. It’s such a pity; I still prefer the old Cousin.”
Listening to Ming Rui, Song Qingpei felt her description sounded more and more like the ‘Mengmeng’ in her memory.
She blurted out in astonishment, “This Ming Yu you’re describing… sounds exactly like Mengmeng.”
“Mengmeng?” Ming Rui looked confused.
Song Qingpei realized she didn’t know about Mengmeng and quickly explained, “Sorry, Mengmeng is the name Ming Yu used when she lost her memory.”
Hearing Song Qingpei bring up how Ming Yu acted after losing her memory, Ming Rui immediately grew interested and couldn’t help but press for details.
Without overthinking it, Song Qingpei described ‘Mengmeng’ from her memories: innocent, gentle, seemingly very insecure, and extremely clingy.
It was drastically different from the current Ming Yu—it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she had become an entirely different person.
The more she listened, the more Ming Rui felt something was wrong. The ‘Mengmeng’ that Song Qingpei described was exactly the personality her cousin was originally supposed to have. She couldn’t help but ask, “Then do you feel that after Cousin came back yesterday, she was different from before?”
Song Qingpei complained, “She is definitely different. She’s become completely unreasonable.”
“Then do you think there’s a possibility…” Ming Rui pondered for a moment before probing, “That Cousin’s state after losing her memory is what her true personality should be?”
Song Qingpei paused, then shook her head. “That’s impossible, right? Memory loss is temporary; how could her amnesiac state be her true nature?”
“No, I think there’s a problem.” Ming Rui shook her head, her tone certain. “I’ve felt something was wrong since I was little. Every time Cousin visits Doctor Gong, she comes back a different person. I didn’t understand when I was a kid, but thinking about it now, there’s definitely something wrong with Doctor Gong.”
Hearing this, Song Qingpei’s heart churned. She had never considered that a secret might be hidden behind Ming Yu’s personality changes. She fell silent for a moment before asking, “Then what do you think… Doctor Gong did to Ming Yu?”
Ming Rui shook her head. “I’m not sure, but I suspect Doctor Gong might have performed some sort of psychological intervention on Cousin, maybe even… a personality modification.”
“A personality modification?” Song Qingpei’s eyes widened.
She had never imagined that Ming Yu’s coldness and dominance could be the result of artificial interference.
Seeing Song Qingpei’s shocked expression, Ming Rui’s tone turned serious. “So, I need your help. We need to investigate this together and uncover the truth.”
Song Qingpei hesitated. “What… what can I do? Ming Yu doesn’t trust me.”
“You’re wrong about that.” Ming Rui smiled, speaking with absolute certainty. “You are currently the person Cousin trusts the most. At least, during the time she lost her memory, she was completely unreserved with you. You can try to coax some information out of her, like what exactly happens when she goes to Doctor Gong’s.”
Song Qingpei frowned, struggling internally.
She did want to know the truth, but her current relationship with Ming Yu was terrible. They were practically in a cold war.
She sighed helplessly. “I’m fighting with Ming Yu right now. How could I possibly ask about something so private?”
Ming Rui fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, she gritted her teeth, as if making up her mind.
She explained, “Actually, Cousin making you resign is truly for your own good.”
Song Qingpei froze, looking up at Ming Rui. “What do you mean?”
Ming Rui took a deep breath, her tone growing heavy. “The truth is, Murong Ruixue is a member of the Black Kite rebel organization. She approached you with ulterior motives.”
“What?” Song Qingpei’s face instantly went pale.
She couldn’t believe it. The friend she had always trusted was actually part of a rebel group.
Ming Rui pulled up a document on her light-terminal and pointed it out to Song Qingpei. “This is an investigation warrant from the Federation Bureau of Investigation. See for yourself.”
As Song Qingpei read it, her hands began to tremble.
Murong Ruixue’s name was clearly written on the warrant, along with an investigation into her background. Song Qingpei’s heart plummeted to the bottom of a valley, and it felt as though all the strength had been drained from her body.
“How… how is this possible?” she muttered to herself, her voice shaking.
Ming Rui sighed, a trace of helplessness in her tone. “I know this is hard to accept, but it’s the truth. Cousin didn’t tell you because her principles are too strong, and she doesn’t want to leak classified information. Moreover… she’s not good at expressing herself.”
Song Qingpei fell silent for a moment. The anger in her heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a profound sense of disappointment and powerlessness. She hadn’t expected to be kept entirely in the dark, even fighting bitterly with Ming Yu over this very issue.
“Why didn’t she tell me sooner?” Song Qingpei asked, a hint of bewilderment in her voice.
Ming Rui shook her head. “That’s just the kind of person Cousin is. She always shoulders the responsibility herself and doesn’t want others to worry. Making you resign was genuinely to protect you.”
Song Qingpei took a deep breath, trying hard to calm her emotions.
She knew she had wrongly blamed Ming Yu, but she still found her high-handed methods hard to accept.
After a moment of silence, she said softly, “I understand. I’ll figure out a way to get some information out of Ming Yu.”
“Thank you.” Ming Rui nodded, then cautioned, “However, both of these matters must be kept strictly confidential. You absolutely cannot tell anyone. I’m taking a huge risk by telling you this.”
Song Qingpei nodded, her heart heavy. She hadn’t expected to be drawn into such a complicated situation.
Looking at Ming Rui, she asked quietly, “Then how do you plan to investigate Doctor Gong?”
Ming Rui smiled. “I already have some leads, but I need more evidence. All you need to do is help me get some key information out of Cousin; leave the rest to me.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Ming Rui stood up and patted Song Qingpei’s shoulder, her tone comforting. “Don’t overthink it. Cousin really is doing this for your own good. Just remember that.”
Song Qingpei offered a strained smile. “I know.”
After Ming Rui left, Song Qingpei sat on the sofa, experiencing a complex swirl of emotions1.
Ming Rui’s words were like a thorn buried deep in her heart. She couldn’t believe Murong Ruixue was genuinely connected to Black Kite. How could the Murong Ruixue who was both a mentor and a friend, who had cared for her so meticulously, be deceiving her with an ulterior motive?
Just as her thoughts were in turmoil, her communicator suddenly rang.
She looked down to see “Murong Ruixue” displayed on the screen.
Song Qingpei’s finger hovered over the answer button for a moment before she finally pressed it.
“Qingpei, why didn’t you come to the company today?” Over the phone, Murong Ruixue’s voice was as gentle as ever, though it carried a trace of anxiety.
Song Qingpei gripped her communicator, her throat a bit dry. “I… had something come up. I can’t go in for now.”
“Did something happen?” Murong Ruixue keenly caught onto her unusual tone, her voice growing more concerned. “You don’t sound quite right. Are you feeling unwell?”
Song Qingpei bit her lip, struggling internally.
She didn’t know how to explain, nor did she know if she should explain. Ming Rui’s warning still echoed in her ears; she couldn’t beat the grass and startle the snake2. But faced with Murong Ruixue’s concern, she couldn’t remain entirely calm either.
“I… might need to take a month off,” she finally said, her voice a little hoarse.
“Take time off?” Murong Ruixue’s voice noticeably rose. “Why do you suddenly need a leave of absence? Did something happen? Qingpei, don’t hide it from me. If something’s wrong, we can solve it together.”
Song Qingpei took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound even. “It’s nothing major, just… Ming Yu… she’s a little jealous. She thinks we’re getting too close and doesn’t want me to have contact with you anymore.”
Silence fell over the line for a moment. Then, Murong Ruixue’s slightly exasperated voice came through: “Why would Admiral Ming Yu think that? We are just regular friends. For her to make decisions for you like this is far too disrespectful to you.”
Listening to her, Song Qingpei noted that her tone remained gentle, but because her own mindset had changed, she could now hear a hint of probing and incitement in it.
Gripping the device tighter, she said quietly, “I don’t want to clash with her either, so… I’ll just follow her wishes for now.”
“Qingpei, you can’t compromise so easily.” Murong Ruixue’s voice suddenly became urgent. “You are an independent individual; you shouldn’t be controlled by anyone. By doing this, Admiral Ming Yu is clearly showing she doesn’t trust you. You need to sit down and have a proper talk with her to fight for your rights.”
“I’ll consider it,” Song Qingpei said mildly. “But lately, I really have been a bit tired. I want to rest for a while.”
“Qingpei, you—” Murong Ruixue seemed to want to say more, but ultimately just sighed. “Alright, get some good rest first. If you need anything, contact me anytime.”
“Mhm, thank you.” Saying that, Song Qingpei hung up.
She lowered the communicator, her heart heavy with conflict.
Murong Ruixue’s reaction only made her more certain that Ming Rui’s words weren’t unfounded3.
There truly was a problem with Murong Ruixue. And she, it seemed, had already been swept up into a massive conspiracy.
At the same time, Murong Ruixue set down her phone, her expression instantly darkening.
She quickly dialed another number.
“Li Man, something’s wrong,” she said, her voice low and hurried.
“What is it?”
“Song Qingpei didn’t come to the company today. She said she’s taking a month off.” Murong Ruixue tightened her grip on the phone, a thread of anxiety in her tone. “She said it’s because Ming Yu got jealous and forbade her from contacting me.”
“What?” Li Man’s voice shot up. “Why would she suddenly say that? Does she know something?”
“I don’t know. But her tone today was very strange, like she had her guard up against me.”
“Damn it!” Li Man’s voice grew increasingly agitated. “We don’t have much time left. If Song Qingpei doesn’t come to the company, our entire plan is ruined!”
“I know,” Murong Ruixue said. “But what do we do now? If she doesn’t come in, we have absolutely no way to get close to her.”
Li Man fell silent for a moment before slowly calming down. “Don’t panic yet. I’ll go test the waters. If Song Qingpei really has grown suspicious, we’ll just have to use other methods.”
“Other methods?” Murong Ruixue frowned. “You mean…”
“If necessary, we make a direct move,” Li Man said, her voice ice-cold and resolute. “We cannot wait any longer.”
Murong Ruixue gripped the phone, struggling internally.
“Alright, I understand,” she said softly. “I’ll keep contacting her and try to find a way to get her back to the company.”
“Remember, we don’t have much time,” Li Man finished, then hung up.
Murong Ruixue lowered her phone and walked to the window. Staring at the bustling traffic below, her heart was a tangled mess.
She didn’t want to make a move against Song Qingpei either, but the current situation no longer allowed for hesitation.
Meanwhile.
Having nothing else to do, Song Qingpei decided to make something delicious for Song Song.
She walked into the kitchen and saw the cooks bustling about, preparing the ingredients for dinner.
Glancing around, Song Qingpei noticed a strange ingredient she had never seen before.
It was kept in a transparent glass tank. Its shape was bizarre, like some kind of deep-sea creature. Its surface was covered in tiny tentacles, and its color was an eerie blue-purple. It squirmed slightly, as if it were still alive.
“What is this?” Song Qingpei leaned in curiously, pointing at the thing.
Seeing her, Auntie Li, one of the cooks, hurried over to explain. “Miss Song, this is a ‘Tear Sea Anemone.’ It can only be caught in the deep sea. The flavor is incredibly fresh and sweet, but it is extremely troublesome to prepare. Its tentacles release a gas, and if it comes into contact with—”
Song Qingpei’s curiosity only grew as she listened. Just then, she saw the creature move and couldn’t resist reaching out to poke the Tear Sea Anemone.
Seeing this, Auntie Li cried out in alarm, “Madam, don’t touch it! That thing is dangerous!”
But it was already too late.
The moment Song Qingpei’s finger brushed the Tear Sea Anemone, the creature reacted as if threatened, instantly releasing a blast of pungent gas. A sharp, searing pain pierced her eyes, as if she had been stabbed by countless tiny needles. Her tears immediately welled up, flowing uncontrollably.
“Ah!” Song Qingpei cried out, covering her eyes as tears streamed rapidly down her cheeks.
Her eyes burned with fiery pain, and her vision blurred completely.
Auntie Li panicked, entirely at a loss for what to do. She rushed to grab a face mask and clean water, trying to help Song Qingpei ease the pain.
However, the gas was intensely irritating. Song Qingpei’s eyes were already severely red and swollen. Tears poured from them endlessly, making it impossible for her to keep them open.
Just then, Song Song heard her mother’s scream and hurried over from the living room.
Seeing Song Qingpei’s face covered in tears and her eyes swollen shut, she panicked. Running to her mother’s side, she reached out her small hands to wipe the tears away.
“Mama, what’s wrong? Don’t cry, Song Song will wipe them for you.” As Song Song spoke, she rubbed Song Qingpei’s face with her little hands.
However, the moment Song Song’s hands touched her mother’s face, the pungent gas transferred onto her as well. Song Song felt a sharp sting in her eyes, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.
“Wuwu… Mama, my eyes hurt so much…” Song Song covered her eyes, crying even harder than Song Qingpei.
Hearing the commotion, Butler Su rushed over.
Seeing both Song Qingpei and Song Song streaming with tears, she immediately realized the severity of the situation. She hastily ordered the staff to bring clean water and towels to wash their eyes, while sending someone to fetch a doctor at once.
“Miss Song, please don’t move. The doctor will be here right away.”
Butler Su comforted her while helping to wipe her eyes.
Song Qingpei’s eyes hurt so terribly she couldn’t open them at all. All she could do was keep them shut and let the tears flow without end.
Song Song was also weeping from the stinging fumes. Seeing this, Butler Su quickly had someone take her to another room to prevent her from further exposure to the gas.
The doctor arrived swiftly.
After examining her, he told Song Qingpei, “Miss Song, your eyes have been severely irritated. It will take two or three days to fully recover. During this time, try to rest with your eyes closed and avoid straining them, or the symptoms might worsen.”
Song Qingpei nodded helplessly, inwardly kicking herself for having the itchy fingers to poke that Tear Sea Anemone.
She lay in bed, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, but the tears still wouldn’t stop flowing.
She didn’t even eat dinner. She felt utterly drained, her mood hitting rock bottom.
Song Song had been taken to the living room by Butler Su. Though her eyes no longer hurt, she was still worried about her mother and wanted to go see her.
However, afraid that she might be affected again, Song Qingpei had Butler Su stop her from entering the room.
“Why won’t Mama let me in?” Song Song pouted, her face full of grievance.
Butler Su patted her head and consoled her, “Your mama’s eyes are uncomfortable and she needs to rest. Be a good girl, Song Song. You can go see her when she’s better, okay?”
Though reluctant, Song Song nodded and sat in the living room playing with her toys.
Her eyes were still a bit red, making her look incredibly pitiful.
Not long after, Ming Yu returned.
As soon as she entered the Great Hall, she saw Song Song sitting there with red eyes, holding a toy but looking entirely distracted.
“Song Song, what’s wrong? Why are your eyes red?” Ming Yu walked over, crouched down, and asked with concern.
Song Song looked up. Seeing it was Ming Yu, she immediately threw herself into her arms, thoroughly aggrieved. Through her sobs, she said, “Mama is crying. Her eyes hurt so much, and she didn’t even eat dinner. My heart aches for Mama, but she won’t let me go in to see her.”
Hearing this, Ming Yu froze.
Song Qingpei was crying? And crying so hard she skipped dinner?
Her heart clenched. Song Qingpei had always been a resilient person; she rarely showed any vulnerability in front of her. To think that this time, she would cry so intensely over being forced to resign—even starving herself out of anger.
“Your mama… is really crying?” She still couldn’t quite believe it.
Song Song nodded, her little face full of worry. “Mama’s eyes are so red. She won’t stop crying.”
Ming Yu’s unease deepened.
She hadn’t expected things to escalate to such a serious degree. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to head upstairs to check on Song Qingpei.
She walked slowly to the door of Song Qingpei’s bedroom.
Ming Yu knocked gently. From inside came Song Qingpei’s somewhat weak voice: “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” Ming Yu said quietly.
The room fell silent for a moment before Song Qingpei’s voice sounded again: “Come in.”
Ming Yu pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The lighting in the room was dim. Song Qingpei lay in bed, her eyes shut tight, tear tracks still lingering on her face.
Her eyes were severely red and swollen, making her look incredibly haggard.
Seeing this sight, Ming Yu felt an immediate pang of pain in her heart.
She walked to the edge of the bed, a rare gentleness in her voice. “Are you… alright?”
Hearing Ming Yu’s words, Song Qingpei assumed she already knew about her embarrassing mishap. A wave of bitterness washed over her; she had truly made a fool of herself this time.
She forced herself to open her eyes slightly, trying not to look so wretched, and said in a hoarse voice, “I’m fine. It’s much better now.”
Hearing her incredibly raspy voice and looking at her red, swollen eyes, a deep ache spread through Ming Yu’s chest. It felt as though dense arrays of needles were piercing her heart. She hadn’t felt this miserable even when she was injured herself.
She opened her mouth, trying to say something, but didn’t know how to express it.
Finally, she could only force out a single sentence: “You… you can’t just refuse to eat over this.”
Song Qingpei instantly felt even more embarrassed and turned her face away. “I’m not hungry. My eyes are just a little uncomfortable. I’ll be fine after a sleep.”
Seeing her turn her face away, Ming Yu thought she was still angry and didn’t want to look at her. Her heart grew heavier. She wanted to explain, to coax her, but was too clumsy to know what to say.
After a long time, she compromised. “Stop being angry. You can make me do anything.”
Not expecting Ming Yu to suddenly say such a thing, Song Qingpei felt a surge of surprise, but mostly confusion.
Had the sun risen from the west4?
She lifted her head. Although her vision was blurry, she struggled to look in Ming Yu’s direction and asked, “What did you say?”
Ming Yu bit her lip, her voice dropping lower. “I said… stop being angry with me. You can make me do anything.”
Only then did Song Qingpei realize that Ming Yu thought she was still angry about being forced to resign. Her heart gave a little jolt, and she suddenly found the situation somewhat amusing.
To think Ming Yu would say such a thing just to placate her. She asked deliberately, “Really anything?”
Although she knew Song Qingpei probably couldn’t see clearly, Ming Yu still nodded solemnly. “Mhm. Except for going to work at Blue Sea.”
Song Qingpei raised her eyebrows, a sudden spark of mischief rising in her heart.
She intentionally said, “Then… what about custody of Song Song?”
Ming Yu’s expression instantly darkened, her tone turning rigid. “Except for that.”
Seeing Ming Yu’s strong reaction, Song Qingpei found it highly entertaining. Feigning annoyance, she complained, “I can’t do this, and I can’t do that. And you still say I can make you do anything.”
The usually serious Admiral found herself somewhat in the wrong.
She fell silent for a moment before saying earnestly, “Except for those two things, anything else really is fine.”
“And what if I say no to that too?” Song Qingpei purposely made things difficult for her.
Ming Yu never made empty promises. After a moment of silence, she asked in a muffled voice, “What do you suggest we do?”
That was an excellent question; she truly hadn’t figured out what to do.
In truth, after learning the facts from Ming Rui, most of Song Qingpei’s anger had dissipated. What remained was irritation over Ming Yu locking her in the house without explanation. She knew she couldn’t just compromise so easily, or else Ming Yu would only get worse.
So, after pondering for a moment, Song Qingpei deliberately said, “Then… can you let ‘Mengmeng’ out?”
In her current miserable state, looking at Mengmeng would at least make her happier than looking at Ming Yu’s stinking face. Most importantly, hadn’t Ming Yu said they were the same person, with no difference between them? Then let her taste the consequences of her own actions.
Sure enough, hearing this, Ming Yu’s face turned extremely ugly.
When she didn’t speak, Song Qingpei assumed she wouldn’t agree. Besides, her eyes were truly uncomfortable, so she couldn’t be bothered to provoke her anymore. She rolled over, turned her head away, and prepared to sleep.
Thinking she was genuinely annoyed, panic flared in Ming Yu’s heart, and she finally caved.
Gritting her teeth, she said in a low voice, “Alright. I’ll let ‘Mengmeng’ out.”
Seeing her agree so easily, Song Qingpei was stunned and stared at her in astonishment.
Ming Yu closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled a name: “Mengmeng.”
As the name was spoken, Ming Yu’s expression gradually softened. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze had become gentle and clear.
“Jiejie, what happened to you?”
Seeing Song Qingpei’s red-rimmed eyes, Mengmeng hurriedly leaned in to check on her, her voice full of concern.
Hearing that familiar voice, warmth bloomed in Song Qingpei’s chest, and tears welled up once more.
She shook her head, her voice catching. “I’m fine. My eyes just hurt a little.”
Mengmeng sat on the edge of the bed and gently cupped her face. “Jiejie, don’t worry,” she said softly. “I’ll stay right here with you until you get better.”
Feeling the warmth of Mengmeng’s palms, even knowing this was an illusion, Song Qingpei couldn’t help but feel a wave of comfort. Yet, recalling Ming Rui’s words, a surge of anxiety returned. What exactly was the deal with ‘Mengmeng’ and Ming Yu?
And how was she supposed to face all of this?
Just thinking about it made her head ache.
Footnotes
- Translated from the idiom 'wǔwèi záchén' (五味杂陈), which literally means 'five flavors mixed.' It describes a complex, chaotic blend of emotions.
- Translated from the idiom 'dǎ cǎo jīng shé' (打草惊蛇), meaning to 'beat the grass and startle the snake.' It refers to acting rashly and inadvertently alerting an enemy to one's intentions.
- Translated from the idiom 'kōngxué láifēng' (空穴来风), which literally means 'wind comes from an empty cave.' It implies that rumors or suspicions have a factual basis and are not entirely without reason.
- Translated from the idiom 'tàiyáng dǎ xībīan chūlái le' (太阳打西边出来了), literally 'the sun rising from the west.' It is a common expression used when something utterly impossible or highly uncharacteristic occurs.
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