Chapter 37: Get out of here!

“Little crybaby snake, your owner is here to pick you up,” the doctor teased as he looked at the white snake.

This snake had been crying for four days and kept ramming its head against the wall. Fortunately, its recovery ability was strong, and the wounds had mostly scabbed over, so it could finally be taken home.

Bai Qingqing couldn’t hear clearly what the human was saying, but she sensed Liu Qiu’s presence.

She lifted her upper body, her scarlet vertical pupils staring straight at the doorway as a slender figure slowly came into view. It was Qiuqiu coming to take her home.

Qiuqiu hadn’t abandoned her.

Liu Qiu walked over to the storage box holding the little snake and put her hand inside. “Bai Qingqing, we’re going home.”

Qiuqiu’s lips were moving, but she couldn’t hear clearly. Ever since she woke up, she had been unable to clearly hear humans speaking.

But she didn’t want to be unable to hear even Qiuqiu’s voice.

Qiuqiu’s fingers carried a warm temperature. The little snake stretched out her head and nuzzled Liu Qiu’s pale pink-tinted fingertips with lingering affection, then slid upward along her palm and wrapped herself around Liu Qiu’s wrist three times, like a snow-white bracelet.

If she stayed wrapped around Qiuqiu like this, then Qiuqiu wouldn’t abandon her.

Pressing tightly against the delicate skin, Bai Qingqing’s slender tail tip swayed lightly. Qiuqiu’s scent—she liked it.

The doctor widened his eyes in surprise and clicked his tongue in amazement. “This is really smart. It’s my first time seeing a snake wrap itself into a ring like that on its own. Oh right, it even cries.”

“What breed is it? I’m almost tempted to buy one myself.”

Liu Qiu lifted her wrist to look at it and replied, “…I don’t know. I picked it up outside.” She couldn’t exactly say it was a demon.

After leaving the pet hospital with Bai Qingqing, Liu Qiu prepared to take a taxi home.

It was two in the afternoon. The sky was gloomy, and there weren’t many pedestrians on the road. The weather had been bad these past few days, raining from time to time. A damp breeze brushed against her cheeks, leaving a cool chill.

“Qiuqiu.” A thin, childlike voice sounded.

Liu Qiu froze for a moment and slowly lowered her head to look at the bandaged little snake wrapped around her wrist.

“Qiuqiu, don’t abandon me.”

Surprise rose in Liu Qiu’s heart. Why had Bai Qingqing’s voice turned into a child’s?

She looked around. Fortunately, there wasn’t anyone nearby. Lowering her head again, she asked softly, “You… what happened to you?”

Qiuqiu spoke again, but she still couldn’t hear clearly. Bai Qingqing tightened her body around her. “Qiuqiu, I was wrong.”

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together. Bai Qingqing seemed unable to hear what she was saying.

That day, she had come to her covered in blood, already in terrible condition. Wasn’t Bai Qingqing a demon? How could she have ended up in such a sorry state?

With a quiet sigh, Liu Qiu pulled down her long sleeve, completely covering Bai Qingqing.

Shi Ran realized something—Liu Qiu was distancing herself from her.

She had asked Liu Qiu for her address, and whenever she messaged saying she wanted to visit, Liu Qiu would tell her not to come.

The thought filled Shi Ran with suppressed frustration. Was she someone so embarrassing that Liu Qiu wanted to shake her off the moment she left?

After finishing today’s performance, Shi Ran changed her clothes and took a taxi straight to the address Liu Qiu had given her.

She wanted Liu Qiu to explain clearly why she was suddenly pushing her away.

At ten that night, Liu Qiu was reading the instructions on some medicine.

They were all for Bai Qingqing.

Seeing a small animal was even more expensive than seeing a person; it had cost her several thousand already.

“Beep, beep…” The phone rang. Liu Qiu put down the instructions and picked up her phone. Seeing the caller ID, she hesitated about whether to answer.

It was Shi Ran. She had already decided to slowly distance herself from her. Although she didn’t know how Shi Ran’s feelings had changed, she didn’t want to cause her further misunderstanding.

The phone rang for a long time before finally hanging up. Liu Qiu hadn’t even had time to relax when a text message popped up.

Shi Ran: I’m at the entrance of your new residential complex. If you don’t come out to see me, I’ll wait outside all night.

Liu Qiu frowned slightly, stood up, put on her coat, and walked out.

She and Liu Xia had found this apartment a few days ago—two bedrooms and a living room.

Liu Xia was cleaning the living room. Seeing Liu Qiu in a hurry, she asked, “What’s wrong? You’re going out this late?”

Liu Qiu pinched the hem of her clothes, hesitation surfacing on her face. “A… a friend came to see me.”

Liu Xia smiled. “Do you need me to go with you?” She had a rough idea who it was—most likely that omega.

Liu Qiu shook her head. Liu Xia didn’t ask further, only reminded her, “Call me if anything happens. Take an umbrella. It’s drizzling outside.”

Liu Qiu responded with a soft “Mm,” took an umbrella from the entryway, and left.

While riding the elevator, Bai Qingqing moved slightly around her wrist. “Qiuqiu, I don’t like that woman.”

Liu Qiu didn’t reply.

There weren’t many people out at night. The elevator descended from the eighth floor to the first.

Just as Liu Xia had said, it was drizzling outside. Fine rain fell from the deep black sky, blurring the world. Liu Qiu opened her umbrella and walked toward the entrance of the residential complex.

Because of the lighting, Liu Qiu spotted her immediately.

Shi Ran wasn’t holding an umbrella. The rain had already dampened her hair and clothes.

Liu Qiu quickened her pace, walked up to Shi Ran, and tilted the umbrella toward her.

Shi Ran’s expression was faint, almost cold. “Liu Qiu, did I do something wrong recently?”

Liu Qiu tightened her grip on the umbrella handle. “…No.” Her pale skin carried an even colder tone in the night, making her look more fragile.

Shi Ran curved her lips into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Liu Qiu lowered her long lashes. “Shi Ran, go home.”

Shi Ran let out a soft scoff and suddenly pulled Liu Qiu into her arms. Feeling Liu Qiu’s thin body, she suppressed the anger in her heart. “Liu Qiu, tell me. Why are you distancing yourself from me?”

[Green Hat Value +1]

The voice in her mind made Liu Qiu’s thoughts falter. It was increasing even like this.

Her silence only fueled Shi Ran’s anger, mixed with grievance.

“Liu Qiu, tell me what I did wrong. Don’t push me away without explanation.”

Shi Ran’s body was soft. Held in her arms, Liu Qiu could smell a sweet apple scent. She didn’t know how to explain it. She was only a passerby. She didn’t want to use Shi Ran.

Shi Ran was a good person.

The closer they became, the deeper Shi Ran’s feelings would grow.

Liu Qiu’s lashes trembled lightly. She placed her hands on Shi Ran’s shoulders and gently pushed her away. “Shi Ran, you like me.”

Shi Ran’s eyes were slightly red. The night and drizzle blurred the world, but Liu Qiu’s face was exceptionally clear. Shi Ran clenched her fists and didn’t deny it. “Yes. I like you.”

If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have wanted to sleep with her, kiss her, come looking for her on her own.

“So because I like you, you’re distancing yourself from me? Liu Qiu, don’t go too far.”

Shi Ran’s voice lowered. “That’s not fair to me.”

[System, what should I do? I don’t know why it turned out like this. I don’t want to hurt Shi Ran.]

Liu Qiu lowered her gaze and asked in her mind.

The system suggested: [Host, bring up old grievances. For example, she treated you badly at first. Act a little wronged and push her away.]

Liu Qiu took a deep breath. She couldn’t think of a better method, so she could only follow the system’s advice.

Silently apologizing to Shi Ran in her heart.

She gently bit her lower lip, her pale pink lips parting slightly. “It’s very fair.”

Shi Ran froze, her eyes widening. “Liu Qiu!” Anger gathered like dark clouds, heavy and suffocating.

Liu Qiu lifted her eyes. Behind the thick lenses, her gaze was clear and clean, yet tinged with a grievance that made one’s heart ache. “Back then, I didn’t steal your clothes to smell them.”

“But you only believed what you saw.”

“You scolded me, pushed me, hated me.”

“Now that you like me, it doesn’t make me happy at all.”

Her voice was always soft, never loud, yet now it struck like a heavy hammer against Shi Ran’s heart.

Shi Ran was speechless. Every word Liu Qiu said was true. She couldn’t refute it.

The atmosphere fell silent, with only the fine rain drifting down.

Bai Qingqing twisted her body and poked her head out from Liu Qiu’s sleeve, her scarlet eyes fixed tightly on Shi Ran. She hated this human who approached Liu Qiu and wanted to take her away.

Liu Qiu said softly, “Shi Ran, leave.”

That should be clear enough. She had already made herself very clear. Liu Qiu shifted her gaze slightly past Shi Ran and added, “I won’t accept someone so arrogant.”

Her words made Shi Ran’s heart tremble violently. It felt as though rain had begun falling inside her heart too, grievance flooding like a rising tide.

“Liu Qiu! How long ago was that? Why are you still bringing it up?”

“I’m sorry. It was my fault.”

“I’m already trying to change. You can’t deny me even that chance, can you?” Shi Ran clenched her teeth, her face turning slightly pale.

Forcing down her anger, her eyes reddened and tears fell. “Liu Qiu, I’m sorry.” She couldn’t lose her temper. She couldn’t scare Liu Qiu away.

Tears were an omega’s best weapon. She wouldn’t be like that brainless fool Bai Qingqing.

Shi Ran slowly lowered her head, tears dripping from her chin. “Liu Qiu, I’m sorry.”

“I’ll change all my bad temper.”

“Don’t distance yourself from me.”

Shi Ran was beautiful. When she cried, there was a fragile, heart-wrenching quality to her. Anyone else might have softened. But she was facing Liu Qiu.

Liu Qiu took out a tissue and handed it to her. Her movements were gentle, but her words were not. “Shi Ran, wrong is wrong.”

That sentence completely shattered Shi Ran.

Her mind went blank, her gaze darkening. Suddenly, she grabbed Liu Qiu’s wrist and pulled her into her arms, her other hand gripping Liu Qiu’s chin as she kissed her. The kiss, mixed with tears, was not sweet.

Liu Qiu was stunned for a moment, the Green Hat Value in her mind surging.

[Green Hat Value +10]

Her body stiffened, yet she allowed Shi Ran to hold her lips and kiss her. The value was rising so much.

Bai Qingqing was going mad with anger. Why wasn’t Liu Qiu resisting? Did she really like this omega that much?

She tightened painfully around Liu Qiu’s wrist. In her current state, she couldn’t do anything.

Her heart felt like it was crying, aching and swollen, screaming for her to stop this omega from touching Liu Qiu.

Hatred rose in Bai Qingqing’s heart. She loosened her hold and tried to climb toward Shi Ran.

But Liu Qiu seemed to sense her movement and moved her hand behind her back, preventing her from reaching Shi Ran.

In that instant, it felt as though Bai Qingqing’s blood had stopped flowing. Her tears had long since dried; no matter how intense the sorrow, she could no longer cry.

It was so bitter. Why was loving a human this bitter?

Liu Qiu’s lack of resistance made Shi Ran’s heart pound wildly. She must have just been saying those things.

Shi Ran didn’t kiss her for long before pulling back, though her fingers still held Liu Qiu’s chin. Joy flickered in her eyes. “Liu Qiu, you didn’t reject my kiss. Were you lying to me? You don’t actually want me to leave, do you?”

Liu Qiu’s cheeks were slightly flushed. She frowned faintly and said weakly, “Now you can leave, right?”

“I have nothing left to give you.”

Shi Ran’s expression went blank. Joy shattered into shards, stabbing painfully into her heart.

So she just didn’t want her to keep pestering her? Shi Ran’s breathing came in broken waves of pain, anger surging in her tear-filled eyes.

Should she feel lucky that Liu Qiu hadn’t made it even clearer, hadn’t said something even harsher?

Shi Ran covered her face and wiped away her tears. Looking at Liu Qiu, her voice hoarse to the extreme, she said, “I regret it.” Her gaze slid from Liu Qiu’s brows and eyes down to her soft lips.

“I regret not forcing you to mark me back then.”

“In the restroom that time, I should have done it.”

Liu Qiu parted her pale lips. “You—” but what met her was another fierce kiss from Shi Ran.

Shi Ran was always passionate and direct. Whatever she wanted to say or do, she acted immediately.

Her kiss came fiercely, prying open Liu Qiu’s lips and swallowing all her unfinished words.

The back of her head and her back were pressed down, her entire body tightly fused against Shi Ran’s.

The umbrella fell to the ground and rolled twice, the fine rain falling onto both of them.

The sweet apple scent spread through her nose. Liu Qiu’s eyes reddened instantly. Shi Ran was kissing her so hard her tongue felt almost bitten through.

The cold, hard frame of her glasses pressed against her face, yet it couldn’t extinguish the impulse rising in her heart.

Shi Ran’s kiss grew more forceful, her arms tightening. Liu Qiu felt as if she were about to be crushed into Shi Ran’s body.

She was starting to run out of breath. She had never been kissed like this.

She had come to make Shi Ran leave. How had it turned into this?

[System, I won’t listen to your advice again.]

Scarlet blood tears slid from Bai Qingqing’s eyes. She had no tears left—only blood.

Immense pain and desolation intertwined, forming an eternal glacier in her heart. Her soul and marrow felt frozen to the extreme.

Bai Qingqing crawled along Liu Qiu’s arm, circling to the front. Lifting her upper body, she reached Shi Ran’s neck, looped herself around it, and tightened fiercely.

Get lost! Damn omega! Don’t touch her Qiuqiu.