Chapter 120: Ch 120: Sickly Sweet and Murderous Glances

As Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue continued resting beneath the tree, their voices soft and peaceful, the cameraman kept recording every quiet moment. The live barrage, of course, cooed endlessly over the childhood sweethearts—until the moment the two of them casually planned to move in together. Then the chat completely lost its collective mind.

[OMG, OMG???]

[Y’ALL! DID YOU HEAR THAT TOO?]

[OMG?! I KNOW I ALWAYS MANIFESTED THEIR COHABITATION ERA, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW IT’LL BE THIS SOON!]

[I can die happy now. Sayonara, min’na....]

[LMAO, THE SUDDEN SWITCH TO JAPANESE!]

[My mission is done.. I can finally go back to heaven.]

[??? Are you saying you’re an angel?]

[Yes. Isn’t it obvious?]

[...Riddle me this, if you’re an angel, why are you always with demons? You’re the one who keeps saying the demons are spreading your legs, after all.]

[...Next question.]

[LMAOOO]

While the barrage continued drifting further and further from the actual topic, Su Wanyan suddenly heard a quiet chuckle somewhere behind them. It was followed by the soft rustling of grass, as though several people were walking closer. She turned her attention toward the dense trees, eyes scanning carefully. The dappled light shifted across the leaves, but the figures remained unclear.

Even with her glasses on, she still couldn’t make out any figures. Su Wanyan sighed.

The potion is great and all, she thought with a small pang of heartache, but why did it upgrade every skill and characteristic except my vision? I’m still blind as a bat.

"What’s wrong?" Mo Xingxue asked softly. The quiet concern in her voice was immediate.

Su Wanyan looked down at the woman in her arms and smiled. "It’s nothing," she answered gently, pulling Mo Xingxue a little tighter against her for comfort. The warmth of the omega’s body and the soft snow-lotus scent wrapped around her like a familiar shield.

Mo Xingxue chuckled and shook her head. "You’re going to squish me to death," she said, voice equal parts fond and exasperated. The words carried no real complaint.

"It’s a great way to di—"

Su Wanyan never finished the sentence. A sharp pinch landed on her side. The touch was precise and playful, the exact kind of retaliation Mo Xingxue always used when the teasing went too far.

"Ouch!" she yelped. She hadn’t actually felt any real pain—she simply wanted to give Mo Xingxue the reaction she was looking for. The exaggerated sound made the omega’s lips twitch.

Mo Xingxue scoffed and pushed her away with a distinctly coquettish motion. The soft grass pressed against them as they shifted. Su Wanyan laughed and leaned back slightly. "Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you."

Just then a loud chuckle rang out from the trees.

"Get a room," Qin Yuran called, finally having recovered enough energy to tease them. The words were bright and full of familiar mischief.

Su Wanyan turned and saw Qin Yuran standing a short distance away with Song Meiyu, Zhao Yichen, and Han Jiho. The four of them looked cleaner than the last time she had seen them, the earlier dirt and exhaustion washed away. She smiled at the two now-clean alphas.

"No more dirt?" she teased, chuckling when both of them frowned playfully at her. The expression on their faces was pure, exaggerated offense.

In the next second the two alphas charged. Su Wanyan immediately released Mo Xingxue and put a little distance between them, the protective instinct automatic. Before Mo Xingxue could even ask what was happening, the pair pounced.

"Oof—!"

Su Wanyan shielded herself and rolled. The soft grass cushioned the impact. Because Zhao Yichen had jumped while tackling her, the momentum sent him flying. He landed hard on the grass in a perfect starfish pose and let out a cry of pain that was more dramatic than serious.

Qin Yuran, aiming for the same target, missed completely and hit the ground face-first. The soft earth and scattered leaves did little to soften the embarrassment.

"Ouch!" she groaned, covering her forehead and rolling over several times. Leaves stuck to her hair and clothes as she moved.

Su Wanyan sat up and burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. "That’s karma!" the sound rang out under the trees, bright and free.

The two alphas only groaned in response and began plucking handfuls of grass to throw at her. Soft green blades flew through the air in uneven arcs. Su Wanyan simply laughed it all off, ducking and batting the grass away with zero dignity and complete enjoyment.

Nearby, Han Jiho and Song Meiyu shook their heads with matching fond expressions. The late sunlight caught the edges of their faces as they watched the chaotic scene.

"They’re like some big children," Han Jiho remarked in his usual dry, sarcastic tone. The words carried quiet affection beneath the dryness.

Song Meiyu chuckled and nodded. "Agreed. It’s like watching a pair of seven-year-olds." Her eyes stayed on Qin Yuran, who was now enthusiastically throwing leaves at Su Wanyan, the earlier face-plant already forgotten in favor of revenge.

The two omegas settled down on either side of the still-slightly-stunned Mo Xingxue. The soft grass pressed against them as they sat, the quiet presence of the other two creating a small, steady circle around her.

"Luckily your alpha is more chill," Han Jiho said as he sat on her left. The casual claim in the words—your alpha—settled into the air without fanfare.

Mo Xingxue blinked out of her daze and smiled. She found it quietly pleasing that the others already treated Su Wanyan as hers. It’s a bit like finally getting something you’ve wanted and saved for over years, she thought. The quiet satisfaction was warm and steady in her chest.

Song Meiyu sat on her right and sighed in agreement. "In contrast to our childish pair, Su Wanyan is indeed mature." There was only appreciation and fondness in her voice—no envy at all. The words carried quiet respect.

Mo Xingxue smiled at the compliments, then looked toward Su Wanyan, who was still being cheerfully ganged up on by the two alphas. Grass still flew through the air. Laughter still rang out under the trees. Her eyes softened with unmistakable love.

Just then a voice drifted over—so sticky and sickly sweet that it made several heads ache on contact. The soft forest air seemed to thicken around the sound, the earlier playful warmth under the trees suddenly feeling less open.

"Aww, you three are so cute!" Lin Xuanyu cooed, walking toward them with a perfectly docile smile. The expression was soft, practiced, and almost too bright against the dappled shade.

Behind him Gu Chengze grunted and rolled his eyes at the three "idiotic" alphas still sprawled on the grass. His own clothes were once again immaculate; not a single speck of the soil Su Wanyan had once thrown at him remained.

The late sunlight caught the clean lines of his outfit as he watched the alphas roughhousing, the corner of his mouth twitching in open disgust.

I knew they were idiots, but I didn’t expect them to act like uncivilized monkeys, he thought, displeasure flashing clearly in his eyes. The soft grass, the flying leaves, the unrestrained laughter—all of it grated against the carefully maintained image he preferred.

The pair drew closer to the shaded spot. The moment they appeared, Su Wanyan sat up straight and immediately moved to stand slightly behind Mo Xingxue, ready in case anything happened. The protective shift was quiet but unmistakable.

The playful excitement on Qin Yuran’s and Zhao Yichen’s faces vanished, replaced by visible discomfort. The soft forest light continued to filter through the leaves, but the atmosphere under the canopy had shifted.

"Good day," Qin Yuran offered politely, raising a small wave. The gesture was correct, but the usual brightness in her voice was gone.

Lin Xuanyu beamed at her, showing off his brightest, sweetest smile. The expression was carefully calculated to look pure and harmless. Instead of being charmed, Qin Yuran only shivered.

Ew, she thought. The green tea smell is strong with this one. She shook her head internally. I can’t believe I actually thought he was nice and pure at the beginning. The memory of that earlier impression now felt almost embarrassing.

When the two finally reached the group, Gu Chengze’s gaze locked onto Mo Xingxue, who was still quietly speaking with Su Wanyan. His displeasure deepened. The soft way the omega leaned toward the alpha, the easy closeness between them—everything about it scraped against something raw in his chest.

This woman.... He felt tired of her endless hard-to-get games. Then he shook his head and corrected himself. No—the ones who are harder to get are more precious and worth the effort. The thought soothed him somewhat, the familiar logic of pursuit settling back into place.

His attention shifted to Su Wanyan. She was already looking back at him, her gaze sharp and unflinching. The golden-rimmed glasses caught the light as she met his eyes without hesitation. Gu Chengze raised an eyebrow, irritation flaring.

Who does she think she is to look at me like that? He gritted his teeth. She’s just an incompetent and foolish alpha!

He was about to demand that she fix her expression when Lin Xuanyu lightly held him back. The touch was soft but precise. Gu Chengze frowned and looked down. Lin Xuanyu only smiled and gave a small, calming shake of his head—stay calm.

Gu Chengze pressed his lips together and nodded. Right. We’re commencing Plan Number One, he reminded himself, forcing his anger down. The murderous edge in his eyes was carefully banked, but not extinguished.

He looked at Su Wanyan again and settled for a pure annoyed glare. The weight of it was heavy and deliberate, meant to press and intimidate.

Su Wanyan, who had merely been assessing the two of them, tilted her head in mild confusion. What is this douchebag thinking now? She shook her head, crouched down beside Mo Xingxue, and whispered, "Look at him. He looks like a certain Angry Red Bird."

Mo Xingxue glanced over, saw the furious frown and the bloodshot eyes from all the glaring, and chuckled. The soft sound was quiet and private. "That’s an insult to the Angry Red Bird," she murmured.

Su Wanyan cackled so hard that tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. "You’re right!" the laughter was bright and unrestrained, cutting through the heavier atmosphere like a clean blade.

Just then a warm palm settled on her shoulder. Su Wanyan shivered, an instinctive wave of discomfort rolling through her for reasons she couldn’t immediately name. The touch was soft, almost careful, yet something about it felt wrong—too smooth, too deliberate.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up. Lin Xuanyu stood at her right side, still wearing that sickeningly sweet smile. The expression had not changed, but the proximity made it feel sharper.

"Here, Teacher Su," he said, offering her a white handkerchief that exuded the stinging smell of White Roses, voice dripping with false gentleness. He smiled at her, his eyes turning into crescents, and closing as he gave her his brightest smile. The gesture was offered like a gift, soft and expectant.

Su Wanyan pursed her lips and slowly shook her head. "No, thank you," she said, and instead wiped her tears with her own hand. The refusal was quiet but firm, the space between them deliberately maintained.

Lin Xuanyu’s expression froze. He stayed like that for a beat too long, the perfect smile locked in place. Then he opened his eyes slowly, and a cold glint that had not been shown yet surfaced beneath the sweetness. He slowly took his hand back.

"Tsk," he let out, the sound soft and almost inaudible, yet sharp enough to cut.

The soft forest continued its quiet rhythm around them—the rustle of leaves, the shifting golden light, the distant calls of birds. But under the shade of the old trees, the playful warmth of only moments before had been replaced by something colder and more watchful.

Two different kinds of attention now rested on the small group: one openly murderous, the other carefully wrapped in sweetness that no longer reached the eyes.

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LATE AF BUT AT LEAST I UPDATED! SO, THE REASON WHY I DIDN’T UPDATE WAS BECAUSE OFFF... drumroll please.... PE PRACTICE! FAHH, I THINK I’M SERIOUSLY GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF IT! ALSO, I’MMA UPDATE AGAIN LATER, Y’ALL JUST NEED TO CHILL!