Chapter 40
Unknown storm
“I’m not young anymore.” Mi Rui’an shook her head, looking at Wei Jiangxue with disappointment. “We’ve both reached the age where we should be independent.”
Looking at Mi Rui'an, who was still a little kid in front of her, Wei Jiangxue sighed: "Alright, whatever you say."
This side of Mi Rui'an was quite novel to her, and Wei Jiangxue's heart softened instantly.
She took the knife from the counter, cut the mousse cake, and forcefully pushed a slice of cake in front of Mi Rui'an: "If you enjoy this meal, I'll promise you I'll talk to others less often."
Wei Jiangxue was careful and only said to reduce the number of times she talked to others, but did not say that she would ignore others completely.
Perhaps because Wei Jiangxue had given in so few times, Mi Rui'an didn't think much of it and happily agreed.
"Silly child." Wei Jiangxue's gaze toward Mi Rui'an grew even more loving. The latter, however, did not continue to ramble on about those so-called "Omega behavioral guidelines," having completely forgotten his mother's admonitions, and was now devouring the food on the table.
Wei Jiangxue glanced at the food and made a general judgment. Mi Ruian seemed to prefer meat. As for the vegetarian dishes on the table, she only touched them a few times at the beginning. After Wei Jiangxue made the exchange request, Mi Ruian stopped touching them.
Hmm, she hardly eats any vegetables, a bad habit that needs to be corrected. Wei Jiangxue silently noted this in her mind and began to think about how she would persuade Mi Rui'an to eat more vegetables if she were the one cooking.
Perhaps you could make colorful vegetable noodles, or chop the vegetables into small pieces and wrap them inside meatballs...
As Wei Jiangxue was thinking, she noticed a blurry image moving in front of her. She steadied herself and realized that it was Mi Rui'an testing her with his hand.
“I’m eating right there, why aren’t you looking at me?” Mi Rui’an said rudely.
Seeing her expression, Wei Jiangxue knew that Mi Rui'an was probably about to get angry.
As expected of a young lady, she has such a bad temper. She even needs someone to watch her while she eats. Does she need someone to watch her while she sleeps?
"It would be strange if I stared at you while you ate," Wei Jiangxue said softly, shaking her head with amusement.
"I don't blame you. You said you wanted me to be happy, but you don't watch me. How do you know if I've done it?" Mi Rui'an complained, only calming down after Wei Jiangxue repeatedly assured her that she would keep an eye on her while she ate.
"...Okay, then you have to eat with a smile. How am I supposed to know how you're feeling if you're making a face?"
"Okay, then I'll eat one more bite, and you have to say one more word to me."
Let's just go along with Mi Rui'an, Wei Jiangxue has no other choice anyway. When Mi Rui'an fed her the first bite of food, Wei Jiangxue started counting.
One of them stared seriously at the person opposite him, while the other ate with a smile, creating an extremely strange scene. Wei Jiangxue was the first to lose her temper. When Mi Rui'an's eating speed noticeably slowed down, she stopped him first: "Okay, I've counted to seventy-eight. Don't overeat. If you throw up, you'll be the one who feels uncomfortable."
Wei Jiangxue was Mi Ruian's playmate. Although she didn't know the specific requirements of Mi Ruian's family, Wei Jiangxue thought that those adults would never want their daughter to suffer.
Wei Jiangxue herself felt sorry for her; she couldn't understand why Mi Rui'an was trying so hard to feed her.
Just want to talk to her a little more?
But even if Mi Rui'an wanted to chat, she would chat with her.
Moreover, this was an agreement reached jointly by Wei Jiangxue and Mi Ruian. For Mi Ruian to eat until she was almost vomiting just because of an agreement, Wei Jiangxue would be the first to be held accountable.
“I… can still eat…” Mi Rui’an continued to struggle, clutching the spoon.
But when Wei Jiangxue reached out and took the spoon away, she obediently did not resist at all.
Who raised this idiot?
Wei Jiangxue looked down at Mi Ruian, whose mouth she had covered, and wondered if even if she said in a harsh voice, "I'm a bully, give me money, or I'll hit you," Mi Ruian would still obediently hand over all the money she had.
Is the larger version of Mi Rui'an like this? No way.
Even though Wei Jiangxue didn't have many memories of Mi Rui'an at that age, she subconsciously felt that the other party seemed difficult to deal with. If she remembered correctly, Mi Rui'an would become a boss in the future.
Wei Jiangxue became increasingly curious about how Mi Rui'an had transformed from a naive and innocent girl into an industry elite; the contrast was simply too great.
*
The timeline did not jump again for a while, so Wei Jiangxue stayed here for the time being.
After several months of observation and learning, she has figured out her responsibilities as a "playmate".
In summary: play with Mi Rui'an, accompany Mi Rui'an to treatment, and be available whenever Mi Rui'an calls.
Meanwhile, the parents who should have been there to provide companionship had vanished without a trace, only occasionally sending a few messages. The adults said they were busy with work, but Wei Jiangxue felt that they were afraid of being attacked by Mi Rui'an's pheromones.
Although Wei Jiangxue never spoke ill of Mi Rui'an's family in front of her, she had a very poor opinion of the two of them in private.
This made her feel even more affection for Mi Rui'an.
In the past, Wei Jiangxue didn't understand why Mi Rui'an always wanted her to stay by his side; now it seems that it was a sign of insecurity.
Because Wei Jiangxue was a playmate arranged by the adults, Mi Ruian placed a certain degree of affection and attachment on her, trying to draw enough love from Wei Jiangxue.
Did Mi Rui'an's feelings for her remain unchanged after they grew up, or was it just that Mi Rui'an himself misunderstood?
Wei Jiangxue gazed at Mi Rui'an, who was fast asleep on the hospital bed, and fell into deep thought.
Today was, as usual, the day Mi Rui'an came for treatment. Wei Jiangxue didn't really understand what kind of treatment it was, but even a fool could see that after Mi Rui'an underwent the so-called "pheromone intervention treatment," her condition seemed to be getting worse and worse.
Outsiders say that Mi Rui'an's pheromones have become less aggressive, and that Mi Rui'an might be recovering soon and will soon become a normal Omega, but Wei Jiangxue can't sense any good signs.
Her strongest feeling was that the scent of roses emanated from within, revealing her weakness. Did this mean she was getting better?
Why did Wei Jiangxue feel that Mi Rui'an's health was getting worse and worse?
Mi Rui'an used to have the energy to tease her and the two of them would play around together, but now Mi Rui'an spends most of her time sleeping.
According to the doctors and nurses, Wei Jiangxue was the only one who was not attacked by Mi Rui'an's Omeg, so her feelings were naturally not as profound as those of the more vulnerable ones.
It sounded reasonable, but Wei Jiangxue disagreed.
Wei Jiangxue was indeed the only one unaffected by Mi Rui'an's pheromones, which was the main reason why she was ultimately chosen as Mi Rui'an's playmate.
Before Mi Rui'an received treatment, Wei Jiangxue had already stayed by her side. She witnessed the changes in Mi Rui'an's body and saw her become "delicate" and "fragile".
Such Omegas are most likely to evoke the protective instincts of Alphas, making them ideal partners.
But for no apparent reason, Wei Jiangxue only felt sad.
“You can’t take these medications anymore, and you can’t stay in this sanatorium any longer. They’re not doing this for your own good…”
After agonizing for several days and nights, Wei Jiangxue finally held Mi Rui'an's hand.
Because Mi Rui'an always cooperated with the treatment and Wei Jiangxue was also well-behaved and obedient, the nurse would leave in a hurry after delivering the medicine instead of watching Mi Rui'an take the pills.
So after the nurse left, Wei Jiangxue took the medicine first and gently shook her head at Mi Rui'an.
"But how can I become a normal, perfect Omega if I don't take the medicine? Even my loving mothers are afraid of my pheromones... They haven't appeared for a long time, have they started to hate me?" Mi Rui'an didn't rush over to snatch the medicine back, she just lowered her head, looking sad and heartbroken.
"...How could that be? There must be a reason why they didn't show up," Wei Jiangxue said against her conscience.
Perhaps it's not because of dislike, but simply fear—fear that the child she gives birth to will harm her. Or perhaps she's simply busy with other things, like work.
However, the second reason is the most far-fetched. After all, even Mi Rui'an's uncle and aunt had time to visit her, so how could Mi Rui'an's mother and the others not have the opportunity?
Wei Jiangxue immediately made a judgment—Mi Rui'an's mother did not want to come.
But she wouldn't tell Mi Rui'an any of this.
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
After dealing with the medicine that Mi Rui'an hadn't taken, Wei Jiangxue returned to the VIP suite and heard the voices of Mi Feng and his wife, Bai Rong.
"Rui'an, how are you feeling now?"
"Your uncle has already arranged things at the sanatorium, so you can focus on getting better here!"
Wei Jiangxue pursed her lips. For some reason, she felt nauseous every time she heard Mi Feng and Bai Rong's voices.
Perhaps it's simply a matter of incompatibility between people; the other person seems to treat Mi Rui'an quite well, but just doesn't suit Wei Jiangxue's taste in appearance.
The two even looked somewhat like a married couple, with shifty eyes and a creepy demeanor. Wei Jiangxue would often mistake Mi Feng and Bai Rong for each other if she wasn't careful.
However, Mi Feng is an Alpha and Bai Rong is an Omega, so Wei Jiangxue can usually identify them by their pheromones.
Of course, these are all Wei Jiangxue's personal opinions. Anyway, Mi Rui'an doesn't dislike Mi Feng and the others, so it's not Wei Jiangxue's place to comment.
She turned around and went for a stroll in the sunlit flower garden of the sanatorium, so as not to let those two people get in her way.
Just then, Wei Jiangxue saw the gardener watering the flowers and volunteered to help, carrying a watering can to water the flowers.
After the flowerbed in front of the sanatorium building was completely moistened, Wei Jiangxue heard Mi Rui'an calling her voice—
"Where have you been? I've been looking for you for ages, and here you are, watering the flowers..."
Mi Rui'an looked resentful. Upon seeing Wei Jiangxue, she rushed over and hugged her.
Wei Jiangxue was already used to her affectionate gestures. She dragged Mi Rui'an back to the gardener with her, and then dragged Mi Rui'an back to her room: "It's nothing, I was just helping to water the flowers. So, have you finished talking over there? Your uncle and aunt should have left by now, right?"
“You don’t like them? Then I won’t let them in next time.” Mi Rui’an keenly sensed Wei Jiangxue’s displeasure and casually pronounced judgment on Mi Feng and Bai Rong’s handling of the situation.
Wei Jiangxue was silent for a moment: "Well... okay, I admit I do dislike them a little bit."
"Hmph, I knew it." Mi Rui'an rubbed Wei Jiangxue's face triumphantly. "I feel much more energetic today since you said you didn't need to take your medicine."
"If anyone asks about it later, just tell them about me. I really feel something's wrong; that medicine didn't help you at all," Wei Jiangxue complained.
"Are you worried about me?" Mi Rui'an looked at her curiously.
“…Yes.” Wei Jiangxue directly admitted her feelings.
Mi Rui'an smiled instantly, her eyes crinkling at the corners: "What we two conspired to do, we should both take responsibility for. I will protect you, don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid," Wei Jiangxue said awkwardly, avoiding Mi Rui'an's gaze.
*
Memories of the sanatorium are a mix of laughter and the fragrance of flowers, along with a touch of melancholy.
But as Mi Rui'an stopped taking the medication, her initial worry gradually dissipated. The two had developed a tacit understanding: one would pretend to take the medication, while the other would secretly destroy it.
For reasons unknown, Wei Jiangxue kept a portion of the medicine.
She wanted to find out what the medicine was made of and what its effects were when she had the chance to go out.
Mi Rui'an's discontinuation of medication was never discovered, but Wei Jiangxue was still worried for a long time until they left the sanatorium, and her heart, which had been hanging in her throat, slowly settled down.
They were originally supposed to stay here for another three or four months, but this time Mi Rui'an's mother, Mi Jia, and Ji Ruo came to pick them up in person.
Wei Jiangxue heard a more steady and smooth sound from the car engine, different from usual, as it stopped ahead. Then the car door opened, and two figures, already somewhat familiar to her, approached, exuding the gentle aura unique to mature Omegas. Their voices were as soft as ever, carrying the obvious joy of welcoming their daughter home.
The two, who had been missing for a long time, reappeared. Wei Jiangxue naturally looked them over and noticed many interesting decorations on Mi Jia and Ji Ruo.
For example, the collar around her neck doesn't seem to be purely for aesthetic purposes. It's surrounded by unusual ripples, as if it's part of a protective barrier.
"Xiaoxue noticed?" Mi Rui'an's birth mother, the more gentle Omega Mi Jia, immediately noticed her subtle movements.
Mi Jia's voice was tinged with laughter as she raised her wrist, her sleeve slipping down to reveal a bracelet that Wei Jiangxue hadn't noticed. She shook it gently.
A very crisp, delicate sound, like the rustling of bellflowers, rang out. It wasn't the clinking of metal, but rather the soft chiming of some synthetic crystal or special alloy. "Is this it? The little gadget."
The other mother, Ji Ruo, with a more straightforward personality, chimed in with a smile, explaining, "It's a new invention from the Omega Association, still in the testing phase. It's made of special materials, and its main function is to create a very weak, directional interference field, which helps us better 'shield' the surrounding environment from overly complex or... stimulating pheromone environments." She paused, her tone becoming more relaxed, "That's great, even if An'an has... well, or in certain public places, we can stay there a little longer without worrying about her fainting at any moment."
Wei Jiangxue only vaguely understood. Blocking pheromones? It sounded like a very high-tech auxiliary device. Although she didn't understand, it seemed very useful. At least from the time they came to pick up Mi Rui'an and Wei Jiangxue until now, the mothers hadn't shown any discomfort.
In the past, they would have been able to smell the extremely faint rose pheromones on Mi Rui'an, and then they would have started to have difficulty breathing and collapsed to the ground.
As long as both sides can get along well, that's fine. Wei Jiangxue loves seeing happy endings where they make dumplings together.
This is undoubtedly a good thing. An invisible barrier that has long stood between this family and others seems to have been opened up with a crack through which people can safely pass, all because of this small ornament.
Wei Jiangxue's impression of these two mothers rose even higher. It turned out that they weren't simply and passively avoiding their daughters' thorny "differences" as she had initially assumed, but were quietly searching for solutions and trying to approach and accept them in their own way.
Watching Mi Rui'an being embraced and comforted by her mothers, her expression softening and relaxing despite her still slightly reserved demeanor, Wei Jiangxue felt a warmth rise in her heart.
She loved seeing these scenes, loved the warmth of families trying to heal their wounds and grow closer to each other. It reminded her of the home in her distant world, where her grandmother and sister awaited her. Family reunion is always a good thing.
All the previous prejudices vanished instantly. Wei Jiangxue could tell that Mi Rui'an's mood had improved considerably when her mother was around.
Unfortunately, such times are still rare. Mi Rui'an's mother would rush back at night, or she might go out again one morning.
Mi Rui'an was taken home to a penthouse apartment that was more spacious and private than the sanatorium room they had previously stayed in. The environment was comfortable and security was tight. However, Wei Jiangxue soon discovered that her two mothers didn't spend much time at home.
They would rush back late at night, their weariness barely concealed and a hint of...
Wei Jiangxue struggled to describe it precisely, but it was a chilling aura, a mixture of metallic and tense, that instinctively made her uneasy. They would quietly inquire about Mi Rui'an's condition, check the home's security system, and then quickly return to their own rooms. Sometimes, they would only show up briefly in the early morning to prepare breakfast for their daughter, give the housekeeper a few instructions, and then hurriedly drive away.
Looking back, I've seen them far more often than we've had time together recently.
Wei Jiangxue instinctively sensed that something was wrong, but Mi Rui'an had been taken to a new team of experts for a medical check-up, so Wei Jiangxue couldn't tell her about her unease.
The experts discussed whether Mi Rui'an should undergo surgery, but she needed to maintain a positive mental and physical state recently and avoid significant emotional fluctuations, otherwise it would affect the outcome of the surgery.
Therefore, while playing with Mi Rui'an, Wei Jiangxue was preoccupied with thoughts about Mi Rui'an's mothers. This unusually frequent absence caused the unease that had just been dispelled by the warmth in Wei Jiangxue's heart to quietly and stubbornly resurface. She could sense the tension beneath the calm exteriors of the two mothers, and the deep worry they tried so hard to hide in their eyes when they looked at Mi Rui'an.
Something must be happening. And it's not a small matter.
She tried to subtly inquire during a break when Mi Rui'an seemed to be in a good mood, "The aunties seem to be very busy lately?"
Mi Rui'an was leaning back in a lounge chair on the terrace, resting with her eyes closed. Upon hearing this, she simply gave a faint "hmm" and said nothing more.
Sunlight fell on her pale face, her eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyelids. Wei Jiangxue dared not ask any further questions.
“I don’t know either, but instead of asking about their situation, why don’t you show more concern for me?” Mi Rui’an smiled and took the opportunity to tease Wei Jiangxue.
How much of it was genuine is something only Mi Rui'an herself knows.
With a new team of experts now on board, a comprehensive assessment of Mi Rui'an's condition has begun. Following the initial consultation, a tense yet hopeful message arrived—
Experts believe that a promising but still experimental surgical procedure could be the fundamental solution to her complex condition, which involves glandular abnormalities and the coexistence of two pheromones. The surgery carries significant risks and requires a very high level of pre-operative care—she needs to maintain a positive and stable emotional state, avoiding significant fluctuations, as these could negatively impact the surgical outcome and even increase intraoperative risks.
This news was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it brought a glimmer of hope for escaping fate; on the other hand, it became an invisible shackle, locking away Wei Jiangxue's impulse to explore and confide.
She could no longer bother Mi Rui'an with her vague, unfounded anxieties. She had to play the role of "playmate," playing lighthearted games with her, reading soothing texts, and making her happy and relaxed as much as possible.
Thus, Wei Jiangxue's life was split in two.
Half of the room was bathed in sunlight. She tried to muster all her positive emotions, accompanying Mi Rui'an on the terrace to listen to the wind, watching old movies from decades ago in the home theater, and even trying to make some simple pastries that Mi Rui'an liked with the help of the housekeeper.
Wei Jiangxue could sense Mi Rui'an's relaxation during these moments, which made her feel that she was doing the right thing.
The other half is during periods when no one knows about them.
Whenever she was alone, or late at night, and heard the sound of cars leaving and returning downstairs, her heart would involuntarily clench. She would carefully discern whether the returning footsteps were light or light, and sniff for any lingering, unusual anxiety in the air.
She repeatedly recalled the special characteristics of the two mothers, trying to find some kind of pattern, but to no avail.
This sense of separation—being burdened with worries yet forced to put on a brave face—caused Wei Jiangxue to rapidly lose weight.
She could only hold Mi Rui'an's slightly cool hand tighter, and in a place where Mi Rui'an couldn't see, she used all her strength to try to create a temporary, false, sunny sky for her.
At the same time, deep in my heart, I prayed again and again that the unknown storm would be delayed, delayed even more.
Of course, it's best not to come at all.
The setting sun painted the sky a poignant orange-red. The car that should have been home was nowhere to be seen. After receiving a phone call, the housekeeper's face turned deathly pale, and his hand holding the receiver trembled violently.
"Miss...the eldest young lady and the others...on their way back...they were in a car accident..."
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