Chapter 15: Okay

Liu Qiu poured half a glass of wine for herself and for Song Ciyu.

The crystal-clear red liquid swirled in the water glass. Song Ciyu only took a light sip, the bitter taste of alcohol spreading across her tongue before she set the glass down and looked toward Liu Qiu.

The wine did not taste particularly strong—more like a slightly unpleasant fruit juice than liquor.

But its aftereffects were powerful.

When she brought the bottle, she hadn’t had any special intentions. Now, she did.

Liu Qiu focused on the wine in her glass and took a slow sip. She found it acceptable—slightly bitter, but more sweet than anything else.

She couldn’t help wondering if something that tasted like fruit juice could even get her drunk. If it couldn’t, she would just pretend.

She had originally wanted Song Ciyu and Bai Qingqing to have more opportunities to interact, but Bai Qingqing wasn’t home. On top of that, she had cooked such an awful meal. It would be better if Song Ciyu left early.

Time passed little by little. A flush rose to Liu Qiu’s cheeks, her gaze growing unfocused as she sat there blankly staring at Song Ciyu.

She had planned to throw away the dishes after Song Ciyu left.

Yet Song Ciyu calmly ate half of every single dish, pairing it with wine.

Liu Qiu was too surprised to speak. Her head felt muddled as she tilted it and asked, “Isn’t it bad?”

Looking at her dazed expression, Song Ciyu set down her chopsticks and rested the backs of her hands against her chin. “It is,” she answered honestly.

Liu Qiu’s eyes widened. “Th-then why are you still eating it?”

A faint smile curved Song Ciyu’s lips. “Because you made it. Of course I’ll eat it.”

Liu Qiu let out a soft “oh,” sitting upright with her hands on her knees, her posture stiff and obedient.

Song Ciyu rose unhurriedly, and Liu Qiu’s gaze followed her movement.

Coming to stand before her, Song Ciyu reached out and removed Liu Qiu’s glasses.

The world turned blurry. Liu Qiu’s reactions were slow; it wasn’t until the glasses were set on the table that she realized what had happened. “Wh-why did you take off my glasses?” she stammered.

Instead of answering, Song Ciyu said, “Liu Qiu, you’re drunk.”

Liu Qiu nodded slowly. “Seems like it.” Her head was spinning; she wasn’t quite sure what she was doing or saying anymore.

The alcohol made her whole body burn, hot and uncomfortable. She wanted a cold shower.

She stood up, intending to head to the bathroom, but as soon as she moved, a hand pressed down on her shoulder.

Tilting her head back, she saw Song Ciyu’s blurred features. Her pale pink lips, dampened by wine, looked especially glossy and full. “What?” she murmured.

Song Ciyu studied her closely. Drunk Liu Qiu seemed… different.

“Liu Qiu, drink a little more with me.”

After frowning slightly and taking a moment to process the words, Liu Qiu obediently replied, “Okay.”

Song Ciyu’s lashes trembled faintly. That was the difference—drunk Liu Qiu was exceptionally compliant.

She returned to her seat, poured another half glass for Liu Qiu, and raised her own. “Thank you for today, Liu Qiu. I enjoyed this meal very much.”

Liu Qiu mimicked her, clinking their glasses together, though her movements were noticeably stiff.

The clear chime of glass echoed softly. Song Ciyu only took another sip. Liu Qiu, however, gulped down the entire half glass in one go.

She hiccupped lightly. Her body went slack as she slumped onto the table, breathing heavily, clearly very drunk.

At that moment, Song Ciyu set her glass aside and walked over, gently patting Liu Qiu’s shoulder. “Liu Qiu?”

Liu Qiu turned her head toward the sound. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, her vision swaying. She couldn’t see clearly.

Who was this? Who was eating with her at home?

Oh… Director Song.

Her voice turned sticky and soft. “Director…”

Song Ciyu narrowed her eyes slightly, placing a hand on Liu Qiu’s thin arm. “You’re drunk. I’ll help you to your room to rest.”

Liu Qiu straightened up and smiled obediently at her. “Okay.” Dimples deepened in her cheeks, as though brimming with intoxicating sweetness.

Song Ciyu’s expression darkened. She leaned closer, studying Liu Qiu’s face. “Liu Qiu, smile again.”

Liu Qiu blinked her long, straight lashes, her voice slightly hoarse. “Okay.” She obediently smiled again, sweet and pliant.

Song Ciyu grasped her chin, the soft skin warm beneath her fingers. Her face remained expressionless, but her gaze had grown frighteningly dark.

A strong tulip scent slowly enveloped them both.

Liu Qiu was even more enticing than she had imagined—too obedient.

Staring into Liu Qiu’s hazy eyes, countless wicked thoughts surged through Song Ciyu’s mind.

Her heart beat too fast. Perhaps she was drunk too. She gently pulled Liu Qiu up from the chair.

Liu Qiu’s body was soft and boneless. The moment she stood, she collapsed forward against Song Ciyu.

“S-sorry,” she mumbled.

Song Ciyu wrapped an arm around her waist, her voice low and steady. “It’s fine.” At this distance, she could completely control Liu Qiu’s slender body.

But Liu Qiu felt uncomfortable. As the heavy tulip scent filled her nose, her discomfort intensified.

Her fingers clutched at Song Ciyu’s collar as she frowned uneasily.

For some reason, her instincts rejected the scent. She didn’t like it at all.

Song Ciyu led her to a door and slowly pushed it open.

The simple furnishings and the plaid shirt draped over a chair made it obvious whose room it was.

Married, yet sleeping separately.

Liu Qiu truly was pitiful.

She sat Liu Qiu down on the edge of the bed but did not leave. Bending over, she gazed deeply into Liu Qiu’s eyes and murmured softly, “Liu Qiu, I want to mark you.”

Liu Qiu tilted her head, fingers gripping the hem of her clothes. “O-okay.” What did “mark” mean? Like leaving a note? Her muddled mind couldn’t think clearly.

In an instant, overwhelming pheromones flooded the room.

Song Ciyu could barely restrain herself as she pressed Liu Qiu down onto the bed.

Liu Qiu was small enough to be completely covered by her.

She didn’t seem to realize what she had just agreed to. With misty eyes, she looked up pitifully. “What are you doing?”

Song Ciyu didn’t answer. She turned Liu Qiu onto her stomach and pinned her down from behind.

With one hand, she brushed aside Liu Qiu’s long hair, exposing the pale, slender back of her neck.

Liu Qiu’s cheek sank into the pillow. She turned her head, trying to look back, but her body felt too weak to move.

The weight behind her made her frown. “Heavy…” she complained softly.

Song Ciyu lowered her head, her nose brushing against the exposed gland as she inhaled deeply. A rich mint scent seeped out.

Instinct made her reject it, yet psychologically she craved it. The contradiction burned through her, heat flooding her body, her eyes faintly reddening.

“Liu Qiu, I’m in heat. Help me, okay?”

“I’ll only bite. Just bite a little.” Her hot breath spilled over Liu Qiu’s nape, her voice trembling as though restraining something fierce.

Liu Qiu shrank her neck slightly, trying to process the words, but her thoughts were mush. She nodded faintly. “Okay.”

Song Ciyu’s aggressive pheromones burst forth fully, crashing into Liu Qiu without restraint.

Liu Qiu’s body trembled, moisture welling in her eyes. “Uncomfortable…”

Song Ciyu rubbed her nose against the swollen gland. Alpha could not truly mark another alpha, but every alpha was instinctively driven to try. It was carved into their genes.

“So strange… Director, it feels strange…”

Of course it did. Liu Qiu was also an alpha—her body rejected Song Ciyu’s pheromones.

Song Ciyu parted her lips, sharp canines grazing the gland. She did not pierce the skin. If she did, her pheromones would inject directly.

She could not resist instinct—the instinct to mark her prey. Yet for an alpha to be marked by another alpha meant unbearable pain.

Liu Qiu’s eyes widened, a pitiful whimper escaping her throat. A tingling sensation spread across her nape, her toes curling tightly.

“Uncomfortable—”

The mint scent exploded outward as Liu Qiu’s pheromones pushed back, rejecting Song Ciyu’s.

The two scents tangled, clashed, repelled each other.

Liu Qiu gripped the bedsheets tightly, trembling weakly, tears streaming down her face. “Director…” Her voice was thick with sobs.

Song Ciyu covered her mouth with one hand. She couldn’t listen any longer. In this situation, Liu Qiu’s soft sounds were more intoxicating than any aphrodisiac.

Muffled, Liu Qiu could only whimper faintly, the tulip scent overwhelming her senses.

Song Ciyu licked and nipped at the swollen flesh again and again, trying to leave even the faintest trace of herself behind.

But each time, it was quickly washed away by Liu Qiu’s own pheromones.

Several times, she almost bit down fully—almost pierced the gland and forced her scent inside. In that instant of pain, Liu Qiu would surely wake.

Closing her eyes, Song Ciyu pressed a kiss to the reddened, swollen nape she had tormented. Then she released her and lay down beside her instead, pulling her into her arms. “I won’t do anything more.” If she continued, she truly would lose control and forcibly mark her.

An alpha would not feel pleasure—only pain.

She did not want Liu Qiu awake. Not yet. Their relationship was not deep enough for forgiveness.

Not deep enough for Liu Qiu to tolerate being possessed by another alpha of the same s*x.

How she looked forward to it—looked forward to the day this married, inferior alpha would lie obediently beneath her.

Wrapping an arm around Liu Qiu’s waist, burying her nose in the curve of her neck, Song Ciyu held her firmly and inhaled her mint scent slowly.

“Go to sleep,” she murmured.