Chapter 24: Really

When Liu Qiu saw the message from Song Ciyu, she hesitated over whether to reply.

She had already left the company, and strictly speaking, she no longer had much to do with Song Ciyu.

But Song Ciyu was a target character.

The conflicted look on Liu Qiu’s face as she held her phone did not escape Bai Qingqing’s notice.

Bai Qingqing walked over and asked with a smile, “Qiuqiu, what are you looking at?”

Liu Qiu honestly showed her the chat message.

Bai Qingqing’s gaze lingered on the word “supervisor” before she took Liu Qiu’s phone, her smile turning subtly meaningful. “Qiuqiu, how about we delete this person?”

Liu Qiu let out a small “Ah?” and before she could react, Bai Qingqing’s fingers tapped lightly across the screen. When the phone was handed back, Song Ciyu was no longer in her contacts.

Bai Qingqing’s fingers idly traced circles on Liu Qiu’s shoulder as she asked in a soft, coy tone, “Qiuqiu, will you blame me for deleting someone without asking?”

Liu Qiu shook her head. “No. Whatever my wife does is fine.” Besides, Song Ciyu would probably show up in person anyway. She had already witnessed how intense things were between the two of them that day. Unless Song Ciyu had grown bored, she would definitely come knocking again.

Song Ciyu waited a long time but received no reply from Liu Qiu.

The sunlight outside the window was bright, signaling the arrival of noon.

Song Ciyu frowned faintly and put her phone away. Liu Qiu would reply when she saw it. If she hadn’t responded yet, she most likely hadn’t checked her phone.

However, the sun slanted westward, and it was time to get off work.

Xu Man pulled up in her car and waved when she saw Song Ciyu coming out of the company. “Old Song, over here!” Their families were close, which naturally made them close as well.

Moreover, someone as outstanding as Song Ciyu was adored by Xu Man’s parents. Now that Song Ciyu had recovered from her illness, Xu Man had been tasked with bringing her home for dinner to check on her condition.

Song Ciyu withdrew her gaze from her phone and gave a slight nod before walking over.

The sports car rolled smoothly along the road, its bright red exterior eye-catching.

Upbeat music filled the car as Xu Man hummed along.

After a while, Xu Man asked, “Old Song, isn’t this song good?”

No response?

From the corner of her eye, she saw that Song Ciyu was still staring at her phone.

Strange. Song Ciyu wasn’t the type to be glued to electronic devices, yet she had been looking at it for half the drive.

While waiting at a red light, Xu Man turned her head and peered at Song Ciyu’s screen.

She saw Song Ciyu’s fingers move as she typed out a message.

—Liu Qiu, did something happen?

The moment the message was sent, a bright red exclamation mark appeared beside it.

Xu Man let out a low whistle. “Old Song, Liu Qiu deleted you.”

Song Ciyu’s eyes darkened. Based on her understanding of Liu Qiu, she wouldn’t quietly delete someone without a word. It was most likely Bai Qingqing who had taken Liu Qiu’s phone and done it.

She turned off the screen and lifted her gaze to the scenery outside the window. “Let’s go.”

Xu Man suppressed a laugh. Song Ciyu was probably furious, but she was good at pretending—acting as if nothing had happened.

Xu Man didn’t press the topic. With a grin, she stepped on the gas, and the cool evening breeze brushed over the sleek body of the car.

“Old Song, so what do you think of the song? Good or not?”

Song Ciyu nodded. “Mm. The vocal tone, the singing technique, and the rhythmic impact are all strong.”

Xu Man laughed. “It’s from my girlfriend’s favorite band. I didn’t care much at first, but after listening to it once, I thought it was pretty good.”

“They’re performing at Blue Bar tonight. Want to go watch?”

Song Ciyu was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. “Sure.”

Xu Man resumed humming. The band’s lead singer was an omega—very beautiful. She was mainly bringing Song Ciyu along to distract her from Liu Qiu.

It was obvious Song Ciyu was getting carried away.

Liu Qiu might be adorably dull, but she was still just an inferior alpha. If you couldn’t have her, then forget it.

Better to look for a new target—like that lead singer.

Her looks were impeccable, her temperament proud—an outstanding omega.

Neon lights flickered past the car windows, their reflections casting shifting shadows in Song Ciyu’s eyes, her emotions rising and falling with the passing glow.

Her fingers curled slightly.

She was still unwilling to let go.

At nine in the evening, Blue Bar.

Liu Qiu stood at the entrance, hesitating.

Bai Qingqing turned to her. “Qiuqiu, why did you stop?”

Liu Qiu’s eyes flickered before she shook her head lightly. “It’s nothing.” The lights shining through her lenses were just making her eyes uncomfortable.

Bai Qingqing lowered her gaze and reached out to take Liu Qiu’s hand. “Qiuqiu, you have to stay close to me.”

Liu Qiu’s palm was soft and warm, but the bones beneath her slender fingers were distinctly defined, their presence firm in Bai Qingqing’s grasp.

Bai Qingqing tightened her hold slightly.

Liu Qiu, however, had already been drawn in by the crowd inside and didn’t notice the small gesture.

[Are they kissing?]

[No, wait, are they—]

The system commented, [Some humans just like doing strange things. Host, don’t look. Your knowledge of these matters is at zero. Better not let your eyes be polluted.]

The sound system inside the bar wasn’t overwhelmingly loud. Flashing, brilliant lights layered the dim environment with an ambiguous glow, and the lazy music carried a faintly flirtatious undertone.

“Qiuqiu, what are you looking at?” Bai Qingqing’s voice pulled Liu Qiu’s gaze back.

Liu Qiu’s face flushed with embarrassment. “N-Nothing.”

Bai Qingqing smiled. “Good. You’d better not be watching those disgusting humans exchanging saliva.”

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together, feeling awkward inside. She didn’t notice the oddness in Bai Qingqing’s wording. “Wife, let’s find a place to sit,” she said softly.

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized her voice had been too quiet for this environment. Just as she was about to repeat herself, Bai Qingqing’s voice sounded beside her.

“Let’s go.”

Liu Qiu lowered her head to look at their joined hands and tried to pull away slightly, only to find Bai Qingqing’s grip tight.

Bai Qingqing really was acting strange.

---

“The band starts at nine-thirty. We arrived at just the right time,” Xu Man said, her voice swallowed by the noise.

Song Ciyu didn’t hear clearly and turned her head. “What?”

Xu Man opened her mouth to repeat herself, but before she could, Song Ciyu’s expression changed. She stepped around Xu Man and walked toward something behind her.

Xu Man shrugged. Whatever. The performance would be on the stage anyway; as long as they were in the bar, they’d see it.

The lead singer really was beautiful. Hopefully Old Song would switch targets. She had never seen anyone whom Song Ciyu contacted first—and not just once, but twice.

A sharp electronic buzz cut through the bar as the music suddenly shifted. Several bright white beams of light shone down, all converging on the raised stage.

“Ahhh! They’re finally here!” Cheers and screams erupted at once.

Liu Qiu blinked.

She spotted a familiar figure on stage, and her eyes widened.

It really was Shi Ran.

But Shi Ran looked different from usual today.

She wore low-waisted black denim shorts and a cropped tank top, a black collarbone chain resting at her neck. Her legs were long, her waist slender, and firm, beautiful abs defined her midriff.

Her long hair cascaded loose, and though her makeup wasn’t heavy, it gave her delicate features a sharp edge.

Under the lights, her pale skin glowed with dazzling brilliance.

By Liu Qiu’s standards, Shi Ran looked strikingly bold tonight.

“From now until two in the morning, SIT will not stop—!” Shi Ran’s powerful voice pushed the atmosphere to its peak.

The music pulsed. Her voice carried intense penetration.

Liu Qiu stood there blankly.

So—so amazing.

How could someone sing this well?

Her cheeks flushed red. She felt a surge of excitement, unable not to be infected by the atmosphere.

Every one of Liu Qiu’s expressions, every flicker in her eyes, was captured by Bai Qingqing.

Bai Qingqing lifted Liu Qiu’s hand to her lips and opened her mouth, biting down hard on the pad of her finger with her canine teeth.

Liu Qiu winced and instinctively pulled away.

Bai Qingqing laughed softly. “Qiuqiu, you’ve seen enough. Let’s go back.”

The music was too loud. Liu Qiu didn’t hear clearly and leaned closer. “Wife, what did you say?”

Her eyes shone brightly, excitement sparkling within them. She seemed completely immersed in the environment—vivid and alive.

Bai Qingqing’s gaze deepened abruptly. “It’s time for us to leave.”

Liu Qiu’s heart cooled instantly, disappointment surfacing in her eyes.

Logically, the original owner had always listened to Bai Qingqing. If Bai Qingqing said to leave, she should obey without hesitation.

But she still wanted to watch.

Frowning slightly, Liu Qiu looked at Bai Qingqing. The droop at the corners of her eyes made her seem pitiful as she asked hesitantly, “Wife… are we really leaving?”

If Bai Qingqing said it a second time, she would go.

If not, she would stay.

The words Bai Qingqing intended to say twisted in her throat and came out differently. “We’ll watch for another half hour.”

Liu Qiu’s brows relaxed, and she gave Bai Qingqing a shy smile. It wasn’t wide, but the dimples on her cheeks made it unbearably sweet. “Wife, you’re so nice.”

Bai Qingqing let out a faint snort. Liu Qiu really was a fool. Just letting her stay a little longer earned praise. She really adored her too much.

Liu Qiu turned her gaze back to the stage. Perhaps it was her imagination, but Shi Ran seemed to be looking in her direction the entire time.

After a moment’s thought, Liu Qiu lifted her hand and waved.

On stage, Shi Ran raised her hand and waved back while continuing to sing.

So she really had been looking at her.

Seeing Liu Qiu’s dazed expression, Shi Ran laughed. “My dear, the night is long, please don’t leave so soon.”

“Come closer, listen to the rhythm of my heart.”

Some words might sound awkward in Chinese, but when sung in a language one didn’t fully understand, they became exceptionally seductive.

Shi Ran’s voice was slightly husky, her tone lilting, making the lines feel like a whispered tease against the ear—desire-laden and provocative.

Liu Qiu listened intently when a familiar, magnetic voice sounded beside her. “Is it that good?”

She turned her head, lips parting slightly in surprise. “Director Song.”

A relaxed smile curved Song Ciyu’s lips. “What a coincidence, Liu Qiu. You don’t have to call me Director Song anymore.”

Bai Qingqing’s gaze shifted to Song Ciyu. Her lips curved upward as she lazily draped herself over Liu Qiu’s shoulder. “Darling, this person feels a bit like a ghost—always lingering, who knows what bad intentions she has.”

Song Ciyu sat upright, composed and elegant. Though she was in a bar, she carried herself as if she were in an office. “Miss Bai, addressing someone like that seems a little impolite.”

Bai Qingqing toyed with a strand of Liu Qiu’s hair, her expression languid. “How noisy.”

Song Ciyu smiled lightly. “The noisy one is someone else.”

Their voices were low and soft, yet to Liu Qiu’s ears, they sounded strangely flirtatious.

[System, do I look like a third wheel here?]

The system replied, […Hard to say.]

Liu Qiu grabbed at the fabric of her pants and suddenly stood up. “I—I’m going to the restroom.”

“Wife, wait here for me.” With that, she hurried into the crowd.

With Liu Qiu gone, Bai Qingqing didn’t even bother maintaining appearances. She sneered coldly. “Your recovery’s pretty impressive. It’s only been a few days and you’re already out looking for fun.”

Song Ciyu remained polite, speaking unhurriedly. “I wouldn’t call it looking for fun.”

“I’m just here to listen to music. Rather, doesn’t Liu Qiu love you very much?”

“Why bring you to watch an omega’s performance?”

Bai Qingqing scoffed. “What’s it to you?”

Song Ciyu smiled faintly. “Remember what I said? Be careful of omegas. The one on stage is very beautiful.”

The music stopped.

The omega Song Ciyu had called beautiful held the microphone and said, “Next up is our bassist’s solo! Do you want to see it?”

“Yes!” The roaring response shook the entire space.

The music started again.

But this time, the lead singer was nowhere to be seen on stage.