Chapter 26 – Revised

Chapter 26 - Revised

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No sooner had the photos and videos of the dishes been uploaded to StarNet than Ye Chengxing received numerous requests for reservations. If not for having prepared much more food this time and limiting the number of reservation slots, there wouldn't have been any need to sell them at the store—they would've been fully booked already.

After a batch was reserved, the remaining food also sold out quickly.

Despite the swift sales, Ye Chengxing took her time on the way back, proceeding with caution. It's better to be safe than sorry, especially considering how impoverished the culinary industry was in this world. The food she was selling was undeniably ostentatious—so much so that it couldn't even be described as merely high-profile. To give an apt analogy, it was like everyone else was still using letters for communication, while she brought out a smartphone.

Thus, despite the booming sales and skyrocketing profits, Ye Chengxing remained cautious. Sometimes, being too ostentatious and drawing too much attention wasn't a good thing. There might be someone watching from the shadows. As a result, by the time Ye Chengxing returned home, it wasn't particularly early.

Ye Chengxing checked the time; it should be around the end of the tutoring session. She hadn't driven up to the villa yet, but it wasn't far. Looking up, it was within sight, but there was no light. From a distance, it appeared completely dark, without a single light shining.

Especially upon getting closer, the entire villa was pitch-black and silent.

Ye Chengxing furrowed her brows.

Something seemed off.

…Could Li Jia have gone out?

But Ye Chengxing immediately dismissed the thought—it was unlikely at this time.

So, was she resting? But Li Jia didn't usually sleep at this hour…though such things weren't always predictable.

With that in mind, Ye Chengxing opened the door quietly, whispering to Xiao Bai and lowering its volume. She took off her coat gently, barely making a sound throughout the process.

After tidying up, Ye Chengxing was about to go upstairs to check if Li Jia was resting when she suddenly heard Omega's voice nearby.

It was somewhat eerie and unexpected.

Even with good psychological resilience, Ye Chengxing was startled, but she quickly realized it was Li Jia and said with a smile, "I thought you were asleep and was going to check upstairs. Turns out you're not sleeping. Why didn't you turn on the lights? It's too dark."

Without waiting for Li Jia's response, she reached for the light switch while saying, "By the way, did you have dinner?"

However, as she extended her hand, the lights didn't turn on. Another hand, belonging to Omega, grabbed hers and pressed it against the wall.

In the darkness, she felt warm breaths on her neck, almost scorching hot.

Her body was pressed against the wall, giving Ye Chengxing a sense of restraint.

She instinctively moved, but felt Omega's grip tighten. This movement seemed to be misinterpreted as struggling or an attempt to escape, causing Li Jia to hold her tightly.

"I saw the shop was closed, but Sister didn't send a message or come home. I assumed you wouldn't return tonight, so I didn't turn on the lights…" After a long pause, Li Jia's soft voice echoed in the darkness.

Despite the turmoil of thoughts, Omega's voice betrayed no emotion.

There was much left unsaid, but it was all swallowed down.

Actually, whether Ye Chengxing came back or not wasn't something Li Jia could control. What reason did she have to question where Sister went at night or whether she would return home? She had none.

This house might just be a place for Ye Chengxing to rest.

But for Li Jia, without Ye Chengxing, what kind of home was it? Dinner was the same—eating alone at the dining table without Ye Chengxing didn't seem to matter.

Turning on the lights and illuminating the room only made it feel emptier, more unbearable, and more unsettling without Ye Chengxing.

Initially, Ye Chengxing found it odd to be pressed against the wall like this, especially right after returning home. It felt as if she had done something wrong. However, hearing Li Jia's concern, she relaxed. Usually, she would send a message about her activities, but today had been chaotic. She hadn't had time to send a message after removing her disguise and taking detours on the way back. Li Jia must have been worried.

Ye Chengxing didn't respond for a few seconds.

In the darkness, Li Jia's voice sounded again: "So…where did Sister go?"

As she spoke, Omega subtly sniffed her neck.

Perhaps the only thing that could calm her now was the absence of other people's pheromone scents on Ye Chengxing.

Although she knew the Alpha in front of her wasn't the Ye Chengxing from her past life, she still struggled to control her anxious speculations and thoughts.

Hearing this, Ye Chengxing finally snapped back to reality.

Omega's breath warmed her ear.

It was too dark to adjust, but Ye Chengxing blinked and tried to look at Li Jia through the dimness. She sincerely apologized first, then continued with a tone of remorse, "I'm fine, and I didn't go anywhere. I just took a detour on my way back, worried about being discovered. In the future, I'll tell you whatever I do…But you really don't have to wait for me to eat dinner. Your health is most important, so make sure to eat on time."

After her words faded, Li Jia didn't respond but asked again, "Eat on time? Will Sister come back on time?"

Ye Chengxing paused, then remembered the original Ye Chengxing's history of not coming home at night. She quickly nodded, "If there are no unexpected circumstances, of course I'll come back on time."

As she spoke, Ye Chengxing felt it was a bit strange to give such a guarantee, but seeing Li Jia turn on the lights and the Omega's eyes curve into a smile, she didn't care about the strangeness. It was enough to clear things up.

The feeling in the darkness was inexplicably odd, even making her feel a sense of danger and aggression.

But with the lights turned on and the room brightening, the dangerous aura from Omega vanished without a trace.

Li Jia, smelling the soft fragrance on Ye Chengxing, raised her eyes. After staring at each other for a few seconds, Omega's tone suddenly became low and apologetic. She hadn't let go of Ye Chengxing, but her actions were no longer as obvious as they were in the darkness. Instead, they transformed into a harmless sense of intimacy. "I'm sorry, Sister. I didn't mean to interfere with your private life. I just thought about some past events and couldn't control myself…"

Ye Chengxing had already considered this and shook her head. "I forgot to tell you, and you were just worried about me. There's nothing to it."

The strange feeling from the darkness dissipated completely. Ye Chengxing believed she must have been mistaken.

Looking at Li Jia now, she still seemed obedient, gentle, and weak.

Most likely, it was due to the lights being off earlier, causing her senses to be off.

Ye Chengxing didn't dwell on what happened in the darkness. Although Li Jia's actions always gave her a subtle sense of unease, it was probably just because of worry.

She had Xiao Bai bring out the food and pulled Li Jia to sit beside her at the dining table, smiling. "Alright, let's have dinner first."

The dinner, previously stored in the smart storage room, was still steaming hot when taken out.

Ye Chengxing placed a custard bun on Li Jia's plate: "By the way, what do you think of the food I make? Is there anything that doesn’t suit your taste? If so, let me know and I'll adjust it."

Hearing Ye Chengxing ask this, Li Jia paused slightly at the tip of her chopsticks, lifting her eyes to meet her gaze: "Sister, the food you make is naturally very delicious."

Though she knew that Li Jia's answer would likely be along these lines, being affirmed so earnestly still made Ye Chengxing a little embarrassed.

She coughed a little awkwardly: "It’s not that good... but Little Li, if you want Sister to make anything, just let me know." Given the culinary standards of this world, whatever Li Jia requested, Ye Chengxing believed she could manage. With this in mind, her tone became more confident.

Li Jia's gaze sharpened slightly upon hearing Ye Chengxing say this.

...Anything she wanted could be requested?

After a brief pause, she realized that Ye Chengxing was likely referring only to food preparation—she would cook whatever Li Jia wished, not the more intimate interpretation that had briefly crossed her mind.

With this realization, Li Jia lowered her eyes, concealing the subtle emotions within them, and responded with a smile: "Alright, I'll let you know if I have any requests."

Her hesitation was brief, and the transition was handled so naturally that no one would suspect anything amiss, or detect the almost-revealed, unspoken desires hidden beneath.

Ye Chengxing chuckled, then thought about today's sales at the Gourmet Shop, sharing the news with Li Jia happily.

There was nothing to hide from Li Jia.

In truth, Ye Chengxing felt completely alien in this world, lacking a sense of belonging. Often, she would toss and turn late into the night. Li Jia was the only person close to her in this world—the only one she trusted, the only one she was willing to trust.

The words she didn't know who to share with, the thoughts she didn't know how to express, seemed to be things she could discuss with Li Jia.

Li Jia listened intently: "As expected of Sister, you're amazing."

Ye Chengxing was getting used to Li Jia always giving positive feedback after every piece of news, but being listened to so attentively and affirmed so sincerely warmed her heart as well as making her happy.

She curved her lips upward.

But sharing these words wasn't just about joy; there was another, more important point.

She wanted to prove to Li Jia that she was someone reliable and trustworthy, someone who would work hard to make their lives better and better.

"So, Little Li, from now on, don't be afraid. Whatever happens, we will face it together, not just you alone."

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