Chapter 19: Teaching Her To Take Care Of Herself

Ni Hezhi let go after holding her for a while.

She gave Su Yu’s arm a gentle push.

“Change out of those wet clothes, okay?”

Su Yu didn’t nod.

She didn’t refuse either.

She just stood there with her lashes lowered, as still as a wooden post.

Ni Hezhi sighed.

This stiff, stubborn little dummy was harder to figure out than math and science combined.

“Hey…”

Ni Hezhi called out, a trace of grievance in her tone.

“Su Yu, you need to learn how to pursue an Omega, got it?”

Su Yu froze.

Her eyelashes fluttered rapidly, a tightness spreading in her chest.

Wh-what did that mean?

Did she… figure something out?

Su Yu looked up in a panic, her voice trembling at the tail end.

“W-what?”

“I said… I’m teaching you how to court a girl.”

Ni Hezhi’s lips curved into a smile, her tone light as she rambled casually.

“If you don’t like someone, that’s when you return the gifts she gives. But if you do like her, then you should accept it. That way, you’ll have a reason to give her something back.

That’s called reciprocity. Create more opportunities for yourself, okay?”

Her expression was relaxed, her words playful.

It looked like she was joking.

Su Yu’s facial muscles gradually stiffened.

Her heart was racing from that single line: “If you like her, accept her gift.”

She was so overwhelmed she didn’t even notice how excited she felt.

But her face remained blank.

Ni Hezhi happened to turn her head and saw that dazed expression.

Her heart sank.

“Hey, what’s with that forced look?”

“I-I was just saying to use me as a practice target… not that you actually have to chase me…”

Seeing her upset, Su Yu panicked, completely at a loss for what to do.

“N-no, that’s not it…”

“Whatever.”

Ni Hezhi mumbled, pouting.

This person was seriously impossible to win over.

No wonder she was destined to be single forever.

“I’ve already given you those clothes. Whether you throw them out or use them as rags is up to you.”

She lifted her chin, shot Su Yu a glare, and stormed out of the room like a sulking peacock.

Su Yu stood frozen in place, biting her lip hard.

She looked at the clothes in her hand.

Then silently walked into the side room.

***

Ni Hezhi stormed outside, still holding in a breath.

In the distance, she heard laughter.

Shu Hui was twirling in her new dress, lifting the skirt as she spun.

Grandma laughed so hard her face wrinkled into folds.

“Beautiful, so beautiful…”

Shu Hui beamed and spun again, catching sight of Ni Hezhi.

She bounced over and looped her arm through hers, resting her head on Ni Hezhi’s shoulder affectionately.

Ni Hezhi raised her thumb and said slowly, word by word:

“Very pretty.”

Shu Hui’s grin grew wider.

She lifted her skirt again to spin—

And a voice came from behind.

“Grandma… can we eat now?”

Ni Hezhi turned at the sound—and froze.

Her eyes locked on Su Yu and couldn’t look away.

Su Yu had changed into the sportswear she’d given her.

The egg-white hoodie shed all the dullness from earlier and made her features stand out even more.

The matching sweatpants had a brand logo along the side.

The cropped design exposed her pale ankles.

Su Yu had beautiful legs—straight and slender, but not in a weak or sickly way.

The lines flowed smoothly, full of youthful energy and just the right touch of confidence.

So it was true.

Clothes really do make the person.

Su Yu felt the heat of the Omega’s stare and blushed.

She tugged the hem of her hoodie and mumbled,

“I’ll go bring out the dishes.”

Then quickly ducked into the kitchen.

Ni Hezhi glanced at her retreating back and called out,

“Wait.”

Su Yu stopped.

Just as she was about to turn around, she felt a tug at the back of her neck.

“Your hoodie’s flipped.”

Maybe it was her first time wearing a hoodie.

The hood had bunched up behind her neck and she hadn’t noticed.

Ni Hezhi reached out to fix it.

And found herself reluctant to let go.

The little dummy looked so good like this.

Her neck was like a freshly peeled bamboo shoot—cool white and smooth, with a faint layer of tiny hairs.

So soft.

So fluffy.

So pettable.

The urge struck before she could stop it.

Ni Hezhi’s hand slid up from her cheek to her neck.

There, she discovered a small mole right on her scent gland.

So perfectly placed it was tempting to bite.

She circled her fingertip over it, gently rubbing.

Su Yu jolted as if burned, her body trembling in ripples.

Ni Hezhi leaned in, her lips brushing Su Yu’s ear.

Her voice dropped low and sweet, like melted sugar.

“Su Yu, you’re really beautiful.”

Boom—

The little dummy’s face turned completely red.