Chapter 2: Come visit my home

Song Ciyu was always good at putting on a serious front.
Her mind wandered to all sorts of inappropriate thoughts, yet none of it showed on her face.
That expressionless countenance made her look especially severe.

Liu Qiu clenched the hem of her clothes and lowered her head.
Her black curls fell over her cheeks.
She couldn’t help feeling that her superior was staring at her for a bit too long.

‘Don’t tell me even this boss hates the original owner.’

If that were the case, she might be fired on the spot.
She might not even get severance pay, since she was the one who acted first.

Song Ciyu looked toward Zhao An and withdrew her pheromones.

Sweat had already broken out on Zhao An’s forehead.
As soon as she felt her body able to move again, she stood up immediately.
The arrogance she’d shown toward Liu Qiu vanished, replaced with a cultivated demeanor, her voice lowered as she spoke.
“Director Song, Liu Qiu was the one who splashed water on me first.”

Zhao An’s hair was still damp—proof enough.

Once she said that, others began speaking up for Zhao An.

“Yes, Director Song, Liu Qiu really did splash her first.”

“She usually looks so honest.
I didn’t expect her to suddenly act like that.”

It seemed everyone had already decided that Liu Qiu was in the wrong and deserved punishment.

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together and stayed silent.
Her fingers anxiously twisted the hem of her clothes.
Her thin, slender body was wrapped in pale skin that looked almost sickly, making her seem pitiful.

Standing next to the tall Zhao An, she looked more like the one being bullied.

Song Ciyu’s voice was neither loud nor soft.
“If it doesn’t concern you, don’t interfere.
Are the drafts finished?”

“As for this matter, I’ll check the surveillance.”
“Zhao An, Liu Qiu—you two go home for today.”

Zhao An glanced at Liu Qiu, who was standing there with her head down like a quail, and revealed a faint trace of disdain.
So what if Director Song checked the cameras?
In the end, Liu Qiu had acted first.

Besides, she hadn’t actually hit Liu Qiu.
She’d just yanked her up—who told her to be so short and skinny?

Zhao An returned to her workstation, packed up briefly, and left.

Liu Qiu stood there blankly, like a wooden post.

Song Ciyu actually disliked dull, unresponsive people.
They required far more patience.

Liu Qiu was a textbook example of someone wooden and inflexible.
Perhaps because Liu Qiu’s looks happened to be to her taste, Song Ciyu found herself giving her a bit more patience than usual.

Song Ciyu asked, “Liu Qiu, do you have anything else?”

Liu Qiu shook her head in a panic, then nodded again.
In a small voice, she said, “I want to keep working here.”

Song Ciyu was slightly surprised.
“Even if you don’t work today, your salary will still be counted.”

Liu Qiu put her black-rimmed glasses back on and lifted her head.
Song Ciyu’s face became vividly clear in her vision.

She grew even more nervous.
This superior was the kind of elegant, intellectual beauty she wouldn’t dare look at too much even in real life.

Liu Qiu just hadn’t figured out yet how to face the original owner’s wife.

As partners, they would inevitably do intimate things.

She nodded.
“I—I want to stay at the company.”

Song Ciyu found it a little amusing.
Once those tacky black-rimmed glasses went on, Liu Qiu’s eyes seemed to shrink to half their size.
Paired with that serious expression, she looked like a little dummy.

She really was a bit dull.
Who would actually want to stay at the company?

Song Ciyu nodded.
“If you want.”
She didn’t linger after saying that.

As she’d said, she needed to check the surveillance.
Any fighting within the company had to be dealt with severely.

Liu Qiu returned to her workstation.
Until the end of the workday, no one spoke to her, except for occasional work-related instructions.

She dawdled until everyone else had left before leaving the office herself.
While waiting for the elevator, she picked up her phone and glanced at it.

The so-called gentle, considerate good wife hadn’t sent her a single message all day.

Liu Qiu was now certain the system’s prompt about the original owner’s wife despising her inwardly was true.

It was easy for her to see that something was off.
But the original owner had grown up in an orphanage.
Because of that strange inferior-Alpha trait, she’d often been bullied and looked down on.
She’d never experienced much kindness.

As a result, even a shallow bit of goodwill or gentleness made her feel loved.

Poor original owner.
She’d never known much happiness as a child, only to end up being cuckolded as an adult.

[System, is someone this miserable really the female lead?]

The system sounded smug.
[Of course!
Compared to tragic heroines who lose limbs, miscarry, and get tortured endlessly without dying, this is much better.]

Liu Qiu had nothing to say.
Once again, she regretted boarding the system’s pirate ship.

“Ding.”

The elevator arrived.
The heavy doors slowly opened.

Liu Qiu kept her head down and didn’t notice the other person inside.

Only when a pleasant voice sounded did she freeze.
“Liu Qiu, keeping your head down like that all the time isn’t good.”

She jerked her head up and saw Song Ciyu’s face.
The elevator lighting was a bright white, casting a jade-like sheen over Song Ciyu’s fair skin.

Her expression was cool, her temperament rational.

“S-Song Director,” Liu Qiu stammered.

Song Ciyu nodded slightly.
After that brief contact earlier, she already had a good grasp of what kind of person Liu Qiu was.
She spoke first.
“I already know the full story of what happened today.”

“You weren’t at fault.”
“I’ll have everyone who slandered you write self-criticisms.”

That made Liu Qiu quietly happy.
Looks like she wouldn’t have to resign.

A boss was indeed a boss—she wouldn’t blame someone without first verifying the truth.

The elevator stopped again, and the doors opened.
This time, quite a few people crowded in—employees from other companies.

Liu Qiu was skinny and got squeezed toward the very back.
She looked at Song Ciyu and realized that despite how crowded it was, no one dared squeeze against her.
She stood there, with everyone around her carefully avoiding contact.

Liu Qiu felt like everyone was too tall.
Her glasses were about to be knocked off.
Left with no choice, she took them off and put them into her small bag.

She turned her back to face the corner wall.
The elevator stopped again.
The crowd surged, and it seemed someone else was trying to squeeze in.

Suddenly, a body pressed close behind her—too close.
Her butt was practically pressed against the other person’s thigh.

Her whole body tensed.
She didn’t dare move.

Song Ciyu braced one hand against the wall and looked down at the round, dark crown of Liu Qiu’s head.
Once again, she was reminded of just how small Liu Qiu’s Alpha build was.

She could completely shield Liu Qiu from view if she wanted to.

As an Alpha, instinct told her to reject being so close to another Alpha, but—

Song Ciyu’s throat bobbed.
Pinning down an Alpha of the same s*x actually seemed… interesting.

What’s more, Liu Qiu was a married Alpha.

Song Ciyu was very clear that she’d developed a trace of interest in Liu Qiu.

This was the first time she’d realized she might have a penchant for coveting someone else’s wife.

If Liu Qiu could turn around, she’d see that there was no one else around her at all.
Only Song Ciyu was pressing her there, the scene looking almost unspeakable.

The elevator reached the first floor, and everyone surged out at once.

The pressure behind her vanished.
Liu Qiu let out a small breath of relief and turned to leave—only to crash straight into someone’s chest.

Song Ciyu steadied her by the shoulder and gently pushed her away.
In a refined tone, she said, “Liu Qiu, don’t be so reckless.”

At such close range, Liu Qiu finally realized the person who’d been pressing against her was her superior.

“S-Sorry.”

But Song Ciyu had already turned and left.

[System, is she angry?]

The system let out a sinister chuckle.
[If it were me, I’d be angry too—being forced to touch a poor, ugly subordinate.]

Liu Qiu: [……go die, System.]

The system was completely useless, except for clowning around.

When she stepped out of the company, the sky wasn’t fully dark yet.
Dusk had dyed the entire world yellow.

Liu Qiu blinked.
Everything in front of her was blurry—people, trees, buildings, even text, all hazy.

She wasn’t nearsighted.
But living in a nearsighted world made her feel helpless.

A car pulled up beside her.
The window rolled down, and Song Ciyu’s distinctive voice carried over.

“Liu Qiu, get in.
I’ll give you a ride.”

Liu Qiu immediately tried to refuse.
“I—”

But the system shrieked excitedly.
[Great opportunity!
Host, invite her to your place, then Target No.1 will fall in love with your wife at first sight!]

[Ask her to stay the night!
In the middle of the night, the two of them will do that-that-and-this-this right next to you, and won’t your green-hat value go up?!]

Liu Qiu abruptly changed her words.
“Thank you, Director Song.”

She got into Song Ciyu’s car.
The high-end fragrance inside wasn’t cloying at all—rather, it felt lightly refreshing.

Liu Qiu ran into a problem.
Without her glasses, she couldn’t see the seatbelt buckle clearly.

She reached into her bag to get her glasses, but a figure leaned in beside her and wrapped an arm around her.
Song Ciyu’s calm voice sounded.
“Liu Qiu, what’s your home address?”

The distance was too close—so close she could feel Song Ciyu’s faint breath.

Liu Qiu widened her eyes, staring blankly at Song Ciyu’s face so near at hand.
Song Ciyu was also looking at her.
She could see her own tiny reflection in Song Ciyu’s eyes.

The distance was distinctly intimate.

What was this?
If they got any closer, their noses would touch.

“Click.”
The sound of the seatbelt locking.

Song Ciyu sat back, one hand on the steering wheel, tapping it lightly.
“The address.”

Liu Qiu snapped back to her senses.
So she’d only been helping her fasten the seatbelt.
She’d thought Song Ciyu was about to kiss her.

A false alarm.
She felt embarrassed by her own thoughts.

[System, I thought the target was going to kiss me just now.]

The system replied.
[Not your fault, it really was too close.
But don’t overthink it, Host—relax~]

Hearing that, Liu Qiu let out a breath and gave Song Ciyu the address.

Then she fell silent.
The original owner wasn’t talkative to begin with.
Silence was the norm.

Song Ciyu glanced at Liu Qiu through the rearview mirror.
With just one look, she could etch all of Liu Qiu’s expressions into her mind.

Dull-looking, as if spacing out.
Staring out the window without moving.
Fingers gripping the seatbelt—an expression of anxiety.

Song Ciyu was curious.
What kind of person would ever take a liking to an Alpha like Liu Qiu?

The car stopped downstairs at Liu Qiu’s apartment complex.
Liu Qiu got out, her fingers twisting together.
She clearly had something else to say.

Song Ciyu realized her temper was unusually good today.
More precisely, it was unusually good when facing Liu Qiu.

She kept one hand on the steering wheel and didn’t rush to leave.
Once she set her sights on prey, she usually obtained it as quickly as possible.

Until she grew bored, she’d keep wearing that gentle, refined mask.

The system urged her frantically.
[Host, say it!
Say it now!]

Liu Qiu took a deep breath and invited her weakly.
“Director Song, th-thank you for today.”
“If you’re willing…”

“Would you like to come in and sit for a bit?”

The words were stiff, but her tone was unusually earnest.

Her eyes were misty.
Whoever she looked at, she looked at with sincerity and affection.

Song Ciyu tapped the steering wheel lightly.
Inviting someone in at this hour, with such a pleading posture—if that wasn’t seduction, what was?

If it were anyone else, Song Ciyu would’ve assumed she was being tempted.
But someone like Liu Qiu clearly didn’t have such thoughts.

She was probably the kind of old-fashioned blockhead who thought AA relationships were wrong.

Song Ciyu’s expression didn’t change.
She pretended to hesitate before slowly saying, “Alright.
But will your wife mind?”

Liu Qiu thought for a moment, then called the number labeled “Wife” in her phone.

The call was answered just as it was about to hang up.
A soft, alluring voice came from the other end.
“Darling, what’s wrong?”

Liu Qiu’s ears instantly turned red.
This was the first time someone had ever called her that.

Nervously, she said, “Um… I want to bring my superior home.”
“She helped me a lot today.”

A light laugh came through the phone.
“Of course you can, darling.”

Song Ciyu watched Liu Qiu’s every move, finding her shy demeanor irresistibly ticklish to the heart.

After hanging up, Liu Qiu touched her cheek and put her glasses back on.
“D-Director Song, let’s go.”

Song Ciyu let out a very light laugh—so fleeting no one could catch it.

She followed Liu Qiu into a place she’d never stepped foot in before.

Liu Qiu opened the door.
Warm yellow light wrapped around her whole body.

She pressed her lips together, turned to Song Ciyu, and said, “Director Song, you can just go in.”

Song Ciyu looked around.
The apartment wasn’t large, yet it felt eerily empty, devoid of any real sense of life.

A table full of food was set out, but there was no sign of anyone else.

She even began to suspect that Liu Qiu’s wife was something she’d imagined.

Song Ciyu looked at Liu Qiu.
Once back here, the oppressive heaviness around her seemed to fade a little.

[System, where’s the original owner’s wife?]

System: [She should be coming out soon.]

Liu Qiu was counting on her boss falling in love with the original owner’s wife at first sight.

She led Song Ciyu to the sofa.
Song Ciyu noticed a cute mug on the coffee table that clashed sharply with the rest of the room.

She asked, “That cup is cute.
Is it your wife’s?”

Liu Qiu’s gaze fell on the mug.
Corresponding memories flashed through her mind.

She showed a small smile.
Dimples appeared faintly on her cheeks.
“My wife bought that for me.”

Song Ciyu’s gaze froze on Liu Qiu’s smile.
Her voice softened.
“You really love your wife.”

Liu Qiu parted her lips, about to say something, when a voice with a smile suddenly sounded behind them.
“Of course.
Qiūqiū loves me very much.”

Liu Qiu whipped around.

A woman in a red dress—bewitching to the extreme—stood not far away.

Liu Qiu’s breathing hitched.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Song Ciyu and saw that her gaze had already fallen on the original owner’s wife.

She silently encouraged herself.
‘Looks like things are going smoothly.’

Like a puppy seeing its owner, Liu Qiu hurried over to the woman.

Song Ciyu thought the two would embrace passionately.
Instead, Liu Qiu stopped in front of her and smiled ingratiatingly.
“Wife, this is my superior.”

Bai Qingqing’s lips curved into a seductive smile.
She stepped around Liu Qiu and approached Song Ciyu.
“I heard from Qiūqiū that you helped her a lot.
Thank you so much.”

Though she smiled, the pressure she exuded was intense, her warning unmistakable.
Song Ciyu returned her smile.
“She’s my employee.
Helping her is only right.”

‘A Beta?’
‘That presence is quite forceful.’

The two women locked eyes.
In Liu Qiu’s eyes, they looked like they were chatting happily, smiling warmly.

[Green Hat Value: +1]

The progress bar moved.
Liu Qiu couldn’t help thinking they really were like a turtle seeing a mung bean—perfectly matched.

One married woman.
One woman who coveted someone else despite knowing she was married.
Neither was any good.

Liu Qiu had felt sorry for the original owner from the start.
Now she felt even more so.
If she truly loved this woman to death, she’d be devastated.

Fortunately, Liu Qiu didn’t love anyone in this world.

Song Ciyu could tell at a glance that the atmosphere between this woman and Liu Qiu was strange.

Liu Qiu looked like she loved her deeply, but the woman showed not the slightest affection in return.

If they were truly partners, how could she abandon her partner at the first moment to warn a stranger?

This Beta didn’t care about Liu Qiu.

That only strengthened Song Ciyu’s determination to have Liu Qiu.

She stood and extended her hand politely.
“Hello.
My name is Song Ciyu.
I’m Liu Qiu’s direct superior.”

Bai Qingqing’s smile didn’t change as she took Song Ciyu’s hand, suddenly increasing the pressure of her grip.
“My name is Bai Qingqing.
I’m Liu Qiu’s wife.”

Liu Qiu was a convenient prey.
Until she found a new one, she wouldn’t allow anyone else to snatch her away.

She despised Liu Qiu’s cowardice and dullness.
From head to toe, she was useless and stupid.
But precisely because of that, she was obedient and easy to use—too stupid to think too deeply.

Song Ciyu didn’t back down, increasing her own grip in response.
The veins on the backs of their hands bulged faintly.

In the end, Bai Qingqing was the first to let go.
Smiling, she said, “Let’s eat first.
Otherwise the food will get cold.”

Song Ciyu glanced at Liu Qiu, who’d been watching them the whole time, and shook her head lightly.
“No.
It seems someone doesn’t welcome me.”

With that, she walked over to Liu Qiu, patted her shoulder, and subtly left her pheromones behind.
“See you tomorrow.”

Even knowing that Betas couldn’t smell them, the thought of Liu Qiu carrying her pheromones made Song Ciyu feel oddly pleased.

“No need to see me out.”

Liu Qiu blinked blankly.
She hadn’t even had a sip of water, and she was leaving already?

And who wasn’t welcoming her?
The original owner’s wife?
They’d just been smiling and holding hands—flirting shamelessly right in front of her.

Bai Qingqing smiled.
“Qiūqiū, what are you standing there for?
Come eat.”

Liu Qiu’s body tensed.
Now it was just the two of them.
She hoped she wouldn’t be exposed as not being the original owner.

Unsure what to say, Liu Qiu looked at Bai Qingqing.
Bai Qingqing met her gaze with a tender smile, said nothing more, and left.

The living room was suddenly empty, with only Liu Qiu left behind.

She frowned, sensing something off.
Bai Qingqing liked to smile, but all her actions gave Liu Qiu a feeling of being ignored.

After thoroughly reviewing the original owner’s memories, Liu Qiu realized—

The original owner and Bai Qingqing had never slept together.
After more than half a year of marriage, they still slept in separate rooms.

They also ate separately.
She rarely saw Bai Qingqing at meals.

The original owner’s belief that her wife was gentle and considerate was completely one-sided.

Because Bai Qingqing cooked for her.
Because she smiled gently at her.
Because she married her without asking for anything in return.

Such a beautiful Beta, willing to squeeze into an old, rundown apartment with an inferior Alpha like her—
The original owner thought Bai Qingqing loved her deeply.

From an outsider’s perspective, Liu Qiu saw the problem instantly.
This wasn’t a married couple at all.
They were more distant than mere roommates.

That realization made Liu Qiu relax.
If they weren’t actually close, she didn’t need to worry so much about being discovered.

So much had happened that day.
When Liu Qiu returned to her room, she fell asleep the moment she closed her eyes.

Night deepened.
She slept heavily, completely unaware that her bedroom door had opened.

Bai Qingqing slowly stepped into the room and stood by Liu Qiu’s bed.
She formed a hand seal, ensuring Liu Qiu fell into an even deeper sleep.

Her rounded pupils turned into crimson vertical slits.
She parted her lips, a forked, slender tongue extending out.
Pale green qi rose from Liu Qiu’s body, all of it streaming into Bai Qingqing’s mouth.

Normally, she would leave after absorbing essence.
But the heat surging within her told her her rut had to be resolved.

She couldn’t endure it any longer.

The snake race had rut cycles.
She’d been in this world for over half a year and still hadn’t found a suitable partner.

After thinking it through, only Liu Qiu was clean enough.

She’d planned to wait a few more days, to see if she could find someone more pleasing to the eye.
In her heart, someone as wooden as Liu Qiu was only fit to be a servant, not a bedmate.

But Liu Qiu had clearly been targeted by someone else.

She couldn’t wait anymore.
If Liu Qiu got involved with someone else tomorrow, she absolutely wouldn’t want to touch her.

Bai Qingqing wasn’t from this world.
She didn’t understand ABO dynamics at all.
She’d been struck by lightning during a tribulation and ended up in this qi-depleted world.

Now, she could only survive by absorbing the essence she once despised most.

She looked down at Liu Qiu’s flushed sleeping face.
With a thought, her body transformed into a long white snake, coiling around Liu Qiu’s entire body.

Cold, hard scales covered Liu Qiu’s skin inch by inch.

In a hoarse voice, Bai Qingqing said, “Liu Qiu, I’ve cooked for you for so long.
It’s time you repaid me.”

With that, the thick snake head pressed against Liu Qiu’s nape.
Its jaws opened, sharp fangs sinking into the back of her neck.

Pain triggered Liu Qiu’s body to shudder instinctively.

She felt unbearably heavy, suffocating, as if a giant python were wrapped around her.
Her body felt chilled, as though she could feel the snake’s scales writhing.

She desperately wanted to wake up, but her eyelids wouldn’t open.

She could only weakly clutch the bedsheets.
Her legs seemed to be forced apart—

Bai Qingqing hadn’t expected it to feel this good.
Snakes naturally loved warm, damp places.

She was addicted.
Why had she restrained herself for so long?

At this moment, she wished she could lock Liu Qiu to the bed forever.

Her pupils flickered with terrifying red light as her snake body tightened around Liu Qiu.

Her tail was damp and sticky.

She knew a little about this world.
Whether male or female, Omegas had the ability to become pregnant.

Alphas did not.
And Liu Qiu seemed to be an Alpha.

But the Qíshé snake clan—both male and female—possessed the ability to make others pregnant.

She pressed her snake body against Liu Qiu’s abdomen.
She wouldn’t let Liu Qiu conceive.
This was merely to get through her rut.
It was far from enough to leave behind offspring.

Staring at Liu Qiu’s furrowed brow, Bai Qingqing’s upper body transformed back into human form.
She bent down and bit hard into Liu Qiu’s shoulder again, injecting aphrodisiac venom once more.

This toxin numbed pain.
Liu Qiu wouldn’t feel any.

Bai Qingqing braced her hands on either side of Liu Qiu and lifted her upper body, gazing down at her sleeping face.

Perhaps the body could still feel it even in sleep.
A faint flush spread across Liu Qiu’s pale cheeks.

The snake tail rubbed continuously.
Bai Qingqing’s bewitching face was flushed with heat, pleasure overwhelming her.

“Ha… this is amazing.”

Anyone unaware would think Bai Qingqing was the one being pressed down.

She narrowed her eyes, her expression collapsing into a kind of deranged obsession.
Like a madwoman, she wrapped around the deeply sleeping Liu Qiu, taking her again and again.

This sleep was especially uncomfortable.
When Liu Qiu woke up, her head felt foggy, her body unbearably heavy.

While washing up, she saw reddish marks on her neck—almost like ligature marks.

She raised her hand to brush her teeth.
As her pajama sleeve slid down, she noticed similar marks on her wrist.

‘Don’t tell me they’re all over my body…’

Thinking that, she lifted her shirt hem.
They really were everywhere—especially on her chest, where the marks were deep red.

[System, did something happen last night?]

The system replied groggily.
[What?
Did something happen, Host?]

Liu Qiu: [……nothing.]

Maybe it was an allergic reaction.
Otherwise, how could her whole body be red?

At least the original owner’s face was identical to hers—same name, same appearance.
That was probably why she’d been chosen.

After washing up, Liu Qiu went to the living room. A single serving of food was set on the table.

Bai Qingqing sat across from it, eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.