Chapter 68

Chapter 68

==================

Ye Chengxing held Li Jia tightly.

She thought she was probably beyond redemption, but the first thing she felt was heartache.

But Li Jia didn't want this either.

How had things between them become like this?

Or perhaps everything had always been a superficial facade of beauty, and now she was truly seeing the lingering illness that had never healed beneath the surface.

Despite having already decided not to leave, at this moment Ye Chengxing deeply felt —

There's no going back.

There was no way she could leave.

How could she leave?

"Keep looking at me, possess me," the Omega leaned over again to kiss her, words and kisses falling together, "Can you love me? Please love me, don't hate me."

Ye Chengxing no longer avoided her kiss.

"I love you."

"Right here, by your side, I won't go anywhere."

She knew Li Jia still didn't believe her, but she patiently responded, words melting into the air.

Their heartbeats were indistinguishable.

...how could there be someone so dangerous yet fragile.

She wasn't crying, but the corners of her eyes were tinged with a pale pink like early spring cherry blossoms, her misty eyes like a lake.

The pale golden chain brushed against her skin with each movement as she tilted her head and was pulled down.

Their gazes met in mid-air, touching and caressing.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

Not just the water that slid down from her fingertips, Ye Chengxing felt as if the mist in Li Jia's eyes turned into rain she couldn't avoid, making her damp as well.

However, as the words fell, the Omega's waist moved more actively than before.

"Don't get distracted..."

She looked down at her, the mist in her eyes turning into uncontrollable tears, her lips parting and closing, the last words coming out extremely slow and soft, her face flushed with passion.

"And this way, the feeling of being owned by you is clearer."

Even though her words were scattered and barely coherent, she still enticed her further.

The pheromones of black tea and white peach had long been mingling indoors without restraint, blending into a faint scent unique to them.

Ye Chengxing's breath paused.

Really...

Her other hand gripped Li Jia's waist, pulling her closer.

Li Jia was caught off guard by the sudden pull, almost collapsing onto her.

It was too stimulating.

But she couldn't move with her waist being held.

The moonlight outside was bright, obscured by heavy curtains.

Water splashed indoors.

Ye Chengxing slightly narrowed her eyes, loosening her grip a little.

She withdrew her hand, wanting to raise her fingertip to wipe away the water, then realized her hand was wet too.

"Feeling good? You sprayed me all over." She licked the water from the corner of her lip, teasing her with a smile.

She felt Li Jia's body tremble even more at her words. Thinking she was a bit embarrassed, she didn't expect Li Jia to say in a mesmerized tone, "I like it so much."

The Omega bent down slightly, staring unblinkingly at her, as if trying to engrave this image deep into her eyes, "I've imagined you like this for a long time. You don't know, many times I listened to your voice through the necklace and used toys in my room that were soaked in your pheromones..."

Ye Chengxing paused at her words, laughing a little, "You little pervert."

She slightly turned her head and bit the top, removing the Fingerstall that had been thoroughly used, then opened a new one.

"One more time?" She got up while holding her, "This time, help me tie my hair up."

******

After that, Ye Chengxing began to intentionally avoid topics related to going out.

Because even if the intention of her words wasn't meant that way, Li Jia would interpret them differently.

She was suspicious, sensitive, nearly extreme, especially when it came to these kinds of topics, unable to suppress her unease.

It was almost panic, panic that Ye Chengxing would leave her, so she held on very tightly, like she was holding onto the only bit of light she had, afraid it would disappear if she let go, holding on tightly no matter what.

Sometimes Ye Chengxing thought the reason for this might be that Li Jia knew she didn't have much time left, which was why she clung to her day and night.

This villa really lacked nothing, plus with the existence of the smart robot, they didn't need to go out to buy anything even if they were short of something.

They were like an ordinary couple living together.

However, the good weather after the heavy snow didn't last for several days.

It started to snow again these days, not heavy, but continuous, forming a thick, fluffy layer of white.

Ye Chengxing was seized by a whim and pulled Li Jia into the backyard to build a snowman.

The warmth inside the house made the cold in the backyard feel even more distinct upon stepping out.

She put gloves and a scarf on Li Jia, adjusted her clothes, and then started building the snowman.

"When I was little, I loved snowy days because we could build snowmen," Ye Chengxing said as she packed the snow. This triggered some memories from her past, and before she knew it, she was chatting with Li Jia. "Sometimes my mom and mother would join me. Once, I had just finished building the snowman when my mom snatched its head away at lightning speed and ran off, laughing at my stunned expression. My mother retrieved the snowman's head from her and helped me put it back on, telling me to ignore my mom, that silly ghost."

Now that Li Jia knew she wasn't from this world, Ye Chengxing no longer held back while talking. Although she hadn't been particularly secretive before, she was much more open now.

Li Jia watched her pack the snow and paused before starting to do the same.

She had seen people build snowmen before but never understood the significance or why anyone would want to be outside in the winter doing this. Still, they seemed to enjoy themselves.

Curious, she tried building a snowman one snowy day, all alone, and ended up with something that barely resembled one.

At the time, she thought it was utterly pointless.

But now, listening to Ye Chengxing's amused words, Li Jia imagined the scene described and vaguely sensed something. The true fun seemed to lie in building the snowman, yet it also transcended that.

Ye Chengxing worked quickly, and soon, the snowman began to take shape.

After setting the form, she inserted black buttons for eyes and placed a small carrot for a nose.

Ye Chengxing clapped her hands. "Isn't it cute?"

Li Jia's gaze lingered on her for a moment before nodding. "Cute."

After a brief pause, she continued, "What were your mom and mother like? Can you describe them to me? I'm curious."

She genuinely was curious.

In that moment, she realized how different she and Ye Chengxing truly were.

This difference went beyond personality; it was something deeper.

When Li Jia asked, Ye Chengxing's eyes curved into a smile. "They're both wonderful people. If they met you, they'd like you very much."

She didn't realize how soft her voice became when she spoke about them, almost instantly softening her tone.

However, after answering, Ye Chengxing suddenly realized the topic might not be suitable for Li Jia.

She had let herself go, saying whatever came to mind.

Worried that Li Jia might recall unpleasant memories, Ye Chengxing was about to change the subject when Li Jia asked, "What was the world you came from like?"

Although Li Jia spoke before Ye Chengxing could change the topic, her question was a good segue.

Ye Chengxing thought for a moment and said, "My world... is similar yet different from this one. It's less technologically advanced, without the Alpha, Beta, and Omega gender distinctions or pheromones. Restaurants line the streets, and the food there is really delicious."

Li Jia observed Ye Chengxing's smiling face. She seemed to have so much to say, looking happy and filled with nostalgia.

"But the biggest difference is that in our world, we celebrate New Year's Day."

"What's New Year's Day?" Li Jia asked.

"It's... a festival marking the transition from winter to spring, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new. People gather, stay up late, make dumplings, paste couplets, share reunion dinners, give children lucky money, and visit relatives and friends. It's a lively celebration."

Li Jia blinked slowly as she listened.

Ye Chengxing's explanation wasn't long, but it contained several unfamiliar terms.

Before Li Jia could ask, Ye Chengxing started explaining each term.

"The lucky money given to children symbolizes their safety and well-being in the new year."

"Staying up late can also be seen as ringing in the new year. On the last day of the old year, people stay awake until the first day of the new year arrives. In the past, fireworks were common, beautiful displays, but they're not allowed as much now."

As she spoke, Ye Chengxing adjusted the snowman's body and other imperfect parts.

"There we go, the snowman is done." She looked at the snowman contentedly and stood up.

Upon standing, Ye Chengxing met Li Jia's gaze straight on.

The Omega seemed to have been watching her the whole time, her eyes conveying a complex mix of emotions that Ye Chengxing couldn't quite decipher.

"What's wrong? Are you bored?" Ye Chengxing realized she had gotten too absorbed in building the snowman. She had brought Li Jia along to build one, but ended up doing most of the work herself.

She cleared her throat. "It must be cold. Let's go insi—"

Before she could finish, Li Jia shook her head. "I'm not cold, nor am I bored. I'm happy being with you, but..."

She bit her lip. "Don't you want to return to your own world?"

Return to her own world?

Ye Chengxing paused, then laughed.

She moved closer to Li Jia, wanting to touch her hair, but remembered she still had her gloves on. She removed one glove and gently stroked Li Jia's hair. "Our Little Li is in this world."

Feeling her touch, Li Jia felt increasingly lost.

Previously, she only wanted to keep Ye Chengxing by her side, for nothing was scarier than losing her.

But at this moment, her mind was filled with scene after scene of Ye Chengxing's affectionate expressions.

It seemed as if Li Jia had never considered Ye Chengxing's thoughts, only feeling that she couldn't lose her.

But what did Ye Chengxing think?

Once again, Wen Qingqi's words echoed in her ears:

"Li Jia, do you know what love is?"

"You have no idea. Yes, I deliberately stayed by her side with an interference device, but do you even see her as a person? Monitoring when you want to, tracking when you want to, interfering with her social life when you want to—she's a person, not your possession. If you truly love her, you should respect her."

Li Jia suddenly felt a strong sense of panic.

"Sis, do you hate me?"

"Hmm?" Ye Chengxing met Li Jia's gaze, somewhat puzzled by her question. However, after spending this time together, she understood just how uneasy she was inside.

Thus, Ye Chengxing's gaze softened even more. "How could I hate you? I love you."

After saying this, Li Jia didn't respond. Ye Chengxing continued on her own, "But thinking about it, the time now would be around the New Year in my world... Little Li, how about we celebrate the New Year together?"

She curved her lips into a smile, her eyes filled with gentle warmth.

Meeting her gaze, Li Jia felt as if she was drowning in them for a moment.

She thought she should refuse and let her go home, as Ye Chengxing said, the New Year was a time to return home and reunite with family.

She had no family, only Ye Chengxing, but Ye Chengxing had many family members and friends.

But, but...

Just let her be selfish one last time.

After this, she would definitely let her go.

After a long while, Ye Chengxing heard Li Jia softly reply, "Okay, we'll celebrate the New Year together."

—She really only wanted this last period of time.

--------------------

Author's note:

Thank you to the following angels for your support~

I'm very grateful for everyone's support, and I will continue to work hard!