The next day, Lin Xi woke up very early. Outside, the sky had just brightened, and thick fog shrouded the distant mountain peaks, casting an ethereal glow over the lush greenery—so beautiful it seemed otherworldly.
Lin Xi brushed her teeth while Fang, already awake, squatted beside her to wash up. Lin Xi gently patted Fang’s hair before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
These days, schooling conditions were much better than before. The school provided a midday meal, unlike when Lin Xi attended classes in Xingshui Village, where students had to bring their own lunches.
There was still some leftover rice from the night before. Lin Xi scooped out a handful of pickled mustard greens from the earthenware jar in the corner and chopped them finely. The greens had been prepared just a few days prior by Chi Xiangping, using mustard stems from their home garden.
Mustard greens had a slight bitterness when stir-fried or boiled, but when pickled, that bitterness vanished, leaving them crisp and refreshing. Whether stir-fried or served cold as a salad, they were delicious.
No dining table in Yunnan was complete without pickled vegetables. Every household ate them at least once or twice a week.
As Lin Xi finished chopping the greens, Fang came in after washing up. A moment later, she returned, this time holding a few spring onions.
"Have you packed your schoolbag?" Lin Xi asked. "Did you finish your homework?"
Fang obediently sat on a stool by the firepit. She poked the ashes with fire tongs, uncovering the still-glowing embers from last night, then added fresh firewood from the stack nearby.
These chores were second nature to Fang, her movements swift and practiced. In Daling Mountain Town, where winters were much colder, the firepit was the primary source of warmth.
With the recent drop in temperature, Lin Xi’s family had also lit their firepit. Mornings and evenings were now spent gathered around its warmth.
Lin Xi had been just like Fang in her childhood, doing all sorts of chores without complaint. She said nothing about it now.
She turned on the gas stove, added a spoonful of lard to the dried wok, and cracked two eggs, scrambling them quickly. The chopped pickled greens went in next, stir-fried briefly before the leftover rice was added and broken apart. A pinch of salt, some chicken bouillon, and a dash of soy sauce seasoned the dish. Finally, she sprinkled the spring onions and plated the meal.
By then, Chi Xiangping had also woken up. Seeing Lin Xi had already cooked, the elderly woman, long accustomed to rising early to care for her granddaughter, felt a little embarrassed.
"Lately, I don’t know what’s come over me," she said. "The moment I lie down, I fall asleep and don’t wake till dawn—not even a dream in between. If I hadn’t heard the noise, I might’ve slept even longer."
Before, Chi Xiangping would go to bed early but toss and turn until midnight before finally drifting off, only to wake again soon after.
But ever since Lin Xi returned, Chi Xiangping had been sleeping more soundly, even indulging in the rare luxury of sleeping in.
In her entire life, Chi Xiangping had only slept late as a young girl—and even then, it was rare. In her generation, if a girl rose late, the whole village would gossip about it for ages.
Nowadays, young girls could sleep as long as they pleased at home, and no one would say a word.
"Eating well and sleeping soundly keeps you healthy. I made pickled vegetable fried rice—Fang and I will eat first, Granny. Once you’ve washed up, you can have some too. Later, when Yuran and Ming Yue wake up, just heat the rice in the microwave for them."
A few days ago, Lin Xi had given Yao Yuran and her two daughters a dose of gene repair serum. Yao Yuran’s health had been in terrible shape, so the effects of the serum were especially noticeable—she was eating better and sleeping more now.
Her energy and complexion had improved significantly.
"Alright, alright, I got it," Chi Xiangping said before heading off to wash her face.
Fang had already served herself a bowl of rice. After the two of them finished eating, Lin Xi drove Fang to school. On the way, they passed a few children from the same village.
Lin Xi pulled over and rolled down the window. The kids spotted her and called out, "Sister Xi!" before scrambling into the car.
Things were different here compared to the city—children usually walked to school together in groups, and it was rare for parents to drop them off.
Once they were settled, Lin Xi turned to them. "Little Chao, Little Ling, you’re both in third grade, right?"
Little Ling, sitting behind the driver’s seat, perked up at her name and leaned forward, her voice bright. "Yeah! Auntie, do you want me to look after Yao Mingxing?"
Little Ling’s full name was Lin Ling, the daughter of Lin Xi’s eldest cousin. Glancing at her through the rearview mirror, Lin Xi chuckled. "You’re sharp. From now on, walk to and from school with Yao Mingxing, okay? She’s new here and doesn’t know her way around yet. Show her the ropes."
"No problem! Actually, I wanted to call Yao Mingxing to walk with me this morning, but I wasn’t sure if she’d already left, so I didn’t go." The villagers were close-knit, and the kids got along well too—they stuck together even more outside the village.
Lin Ling had always been outgoing, bold, and fiercely protective of her friends. With her around, Lin Xi wasn’t worried about Fang being bullied.
Back in Yushu Village, Fang hadn’t had any friends—none of the other girls wanted to play with her. But yesterday, Lin Ling had chatted with her warmly, and Fang had smiled at her right away.
Lin Ling had flashed her a bright grin in return. Now, listening to Lin Xi and Lin Ling talk, Fang’s cheeks flushed slightly.
As Lin Ling kept chatting, the other kids in the car joined in, their voices lively and cheerful. Fang listened, then tentatively added to the conversation.
By the time Lin Xi dropped them off at school, Lin Ling and Fang were already walking hand in hand through the gates, fast friends.
Today wasn’t market day, but Xing Shui Township’s streets were lined with shops. Lin Xi found a decent children’s clothing store and bought outfits for Fang and Yue.
Next door, she picked up two sets of clothes each for Chi Xiangping and Yao Yuran.
After that, she stopped by a local specialty shop for some regional goods, then swung by a pharmacy for two syringes. Back in the car, she carefully injected the gene repair serum into the vacuum-sealed cured meat she’d just bought.
The gene repair serum from the post-apocalyptic wasteland world had been developed under unique environmental conditions, leading to multiple formulations. Injecting it into cured meat wouldn’t compromise its efficacy.
This time, Lin Xi walked confidently into the Xing Shui Village post office. The staff not only recorded her ID number but also took her photo.
Lin Xi guessed this was probably the aftermath of the weapon blueprints she had sent to the state and the dispatched copy of the "Orchid Pavilion Preface."
She didn’t say anything, simply following the staff’s instructions. However, an auntie next to her mailing a package wasn’t happy.
“I’ve never had to take a photo when sending packages before. Why is everything getting so complicated?” she grumbled, her face sour.
The staff had heard this complaint many times over the past few days. Patiently, she explained, “This is an order from above. If we don’t take photos of senders, they’ll deduct our pay.”
At that, the auntie fell silent, though her displeasure remained.
Lin Xi paid the postage and left. Once outside, she sent WeChat messages to Ye Bingbing’s mother and Xu Huanhuan’s mother.
Both replied quickly. Xu Huanhuan’s mother, especially—her voice in the messages sounded choked up, as if she were holding back tears.
Lin Xi relayed this to Xu Huanhuan. It was the middle of the night where Xu Huanhuan was, and the news left her too restless to sleep. She poured herself a cup of aged wine she had been saving and took slow sips.
The cross-dimensional chat group was a peculiar thing. She had once begged Lin Xi to try sending photos of her and her son to her mother. But the results were disappointing. While Lin Xi and the others in the group could see the pictures, the screenshots sent to her parents appeared blank. The same went for screenshots of Lin Xi’s chats with her mother—Xu Huanhuan couldn’t view them either.
The loophole had been closed, but Xu Huanhuan felt no joy. She envied Ye Bingbing deeply—at least Ye Bingbing could return to see her parents after crossing over. As for her? Even in death, she would never have that chance.
Heart heavy, she drank sip after sip. The ancient wine was low in alcohol content, carrying a faint sourness, but her body had long lost its tolerance. Soon, her vision blurred.
In her daze, she thought she saw Mr. Gu, the merchant she did business with. Xu Huanhuan crooked a finger at him.
After mailing the package, Lin Xi headed home. Before she even reached Fengyu Bridge, she spotted people working in the empty fields lining the road.
Lianhua Village had little arable land, and most of their fields were scattered outside. Those laboring now were all villagers from her community.
Among them was her uncle’s family. She stopped her bike and stepped off. “Uncle, what are you all doing?”
Lin Xi’s great-uncle had two sons and a daughter, named after rivers and lakes—Jiang, He, and Hu.
Lin Dajiang, wearing a straw hat, walked over. “Didn’t you hear? They’re planning a tourist route. Come spring, there’ll be no flowers—just bare lotus leaves. Not much to look at. So the village head asked everyone to plant rapeseed.”
“When it blooms, it’ll be pretty, and later we can press the seeds for oil.” Lin Dajiang, the eldest in the family, had never left to work elsewhere. For decades, he’d tended these fields.
After Lin Xi's grandfather passed away, Chi Xiangping's health began to decline, so their family's land was rented out to Lin Dajiang's household at a price of one hundred yuan per mu.
They didn’t need cash upfront—instead, after harvesting rice and corn, Lin Dajiang’s family would provide grain to Lin Xi’s household based on the market price.
Everything looks better when connected in patches, and rapeseed flowers are no exception. Lin Xi recalled how, when she was working in Beijing, her company organized a spring outing to Yunmi District to see the blooming rapeseed fields.
Under the blue sky and white clouds, the dazzling expanse of yellow was truly eye-catching: "This is perfect—both beautiful and practical. Uncle, when is my third aunt coming back?"
Her third aunt lived in another township, a drive of over half an hour away. Since returning, Lin Xi had been so busy that she hadn’t had the chance to visit her yet.
"Your eldest cousin is getting married soon, so her family is busy renovating their house. She probably won’t be back for a while."
Lin Xi already knew about this and nodded. "Then I’ll go see her in a couple of days when I’m less busy."
"Sure. When you go, let me know—I’ll have you bring something for your aunt." Lin Dajiang had always been close to his siblings, especially his youngest sister, Lin Xiaohu.
"Alright." With that, Lin Xi prepared to leave. She had an appointment with a construction crew and was in a hurry herself.
After exchanging a few more words with Lin Xi, Lin Dajiang went to plant rapeseed. With oil prices so high, harvesting the seeds and pressing them into oil would be profitable, whether sold or kept for household use.
Lin Xi drove her car into the village. Gu Dahong and the others were already hard at work, and Da Mingbao had come out to join the bustle.
Lin Xi pulled over and walked up to her. "What are you planting?"
"Some peach and pear trees—they’ll bloom next spring. Over there, we’ve also scattered flower seeds. Thanks to my insistence, they’re poppies. In a few months, this whole path will be covered in them—it’ll be gorgeous."
Da Mingbao had loved poppies since childhood and remained devoted to them. She’d already filled her own home with them, and now she was determined to cover the entire village.
"Now that you mention it, I’m looking forward to it." As they chatted, a small truck pulled up beside them, loaded with peach and plum saplings half a person tall.
Lin Xi nudged Da Mingbao. "The village is really going all out—these must be saplings that are a few years old already, right?"
"Three years old. They’ll definitely bear fruit next year." As the village chief’s daughter, Da Mingbao always had insider information.
Lin Xi picked up a shovel and joined in, filling the soil. Looking around, she saw endless rows of elderly villagers out planting fruit trees.
Watching everyone work with such vitality, Lin Xi happily pitched in.
After filling the soil and watering the saplings with a hose, the construction crew Lin Xi had scheduled arrived.
Building the guesthouse was a major project for the village. For the first two years after completion, Lin Xi would give a third of the revenue to the village—a substantial sum.
Gu Dahong and Du Shuncheng followed along. Lin Xi showed the construction team the guesthouse blueprints she had obtained from a neighboring province the day before.
The leader of the construction team was named Feng Weimin, and his team was the largest in the township. He had been building houses since the 1990s and could still read blueprints.
Lin Xi specifically sought him out to purchase architectural plans—designs she had seen on Douyin, all in the New Chinese style. She had fallen in love with them the moment she came across them while browsing in Beijing. She had bookmarked the creator’s account long ago, and just two nights prior, she had privately messaged them, providing the dimensions of the approved foundation plot and even offering extra payment. Money could make the devil turn the millstone—the creator worked through the night, and when Lin Xi visited their architectural firm the next day, they were still chugging coffee to stay alive.
Gu Dahong leaned in to take a look, his eyes instantly lighting up. "Wow, this is the New Chinese style that’s trending now, isn’t it?"
Gu Dahong had built his house four or five years ago, back when European-style homes were all the rage in this area. He had loved his own house at the time, but as he grew older, something in his blood awakened, and he began developing a taste for the New Chinese aesthetic.
"Exactly. I think since our village has so many lotus ponds, building a conventional hotel-style structure wouldn’t fit. This kind of design could even become a photo spot for tourists later on. Young people nowadays love this style—it’s a selling point," Lin Xi explained her reasoning.
Gu Dahong and Du Shuncheng had traveled outside the village before and knew that visually appealing inns often played a big role in attracting visitors.
The two nodded repeatedly in agreement as the group walked toward the construction site. It was a vegetable plot spanning two acres, surrounded on all sides by lotus ponds.
Directly ahead lay Lin Family Pond, and further in the distance, a stretch of rolling mountains. To the left, a winding river flowed from the foot of the distant hills—about two meters wide, its water pristine and emerald green.
Feng Weimin took measurements with a tape and did some quick calculations on paper. The plot allocated to Lin Xi by the village covered 350 square meters. She planned to build a 300-square-meter house, leaving the remaining 50 square meters for landscaping.
Pavilions, terraces, and towers—she wanted it all. When Lin Xi decided to do something, she aimed for perfection.
Given the high-quality materials she wanted, the initial budget came to 800,000 yuan. But anyone who had built a house before knew that an 800,000-yuan budget would inevitably balloon by at least another 500,000 by the end.
Lin Xi currently had 600,000 yuan in savings, but she didn’t plan to spend it all upfront. She would put down a 200,000-yuan deposit and finance the rest through a bank loan.
Feng Weimin was familiar with the bank’s loan officers. He made a call, and in less than twenty minutes, a bank representative arrived.
The house Lin Xi currently lived in had been transferred to her name by Chi Xiangping two years prior. Over the years, she had spent her earnings as she made them, and aside from occasionally using Huabei (a credit service) for small purchases, she had never touched online loans.
With savings under her name, excellent credit, and the endorsement of village officials, Lin Xi’s loan application was approved the same day, with the funds to be disbursed within seven business days.
Once Feng Weimin received the payment, he didn’t even wait until evening—he immediately called his construction team to start laying the foundation.
The matter of building a house gave Lin Xi an excuse to skip work in the city. That evening, she went downtown to return the warehouse she had rented as a cover and drove the small truck back home. By the time she arrived, it was already ten o'clock.
After taking a shower and lying in bed, she finally had time to check her phone.
The group chat was as lively as ever. Before she could even catch up on the messages, Xu Huanhuan sent a new one to the group.
She had spent the night with her business partner. And she was planning to divorce her husband.
Ah Huahua, a regular in the group, was always the fastest to reply: [Primitive World Ah Huahua: Why? Huanhuan-jie, do you like your business partner?]
[Ancient World Xu Huanhuan: A little, I suppose. After all, Boss Gu isn’t married and doesn’t have any messy women around him. Plus, he’s only eighteen—what woman doesn’t love an eighteen-year-old high school boy?]
Xu Huanhuan had given birth to a child in the ancient world. Though she married young, she was still in her early twenties. In ancient times, women past twenty-five were considered past their prime.
[I want a divorce because I can’t stand that idiot anymore. Even though I’ve hidden away at the estate, he still sent the household account books to me, claiming it was so I, as the future lady of the house, could understand the family’s finances. The real reason was to make me see how "difficult" life was for the noble family members so I’d subsidize them.]
[I’m just glad the rules in this ancient world aren’t as strict as in the Ming or Qing dynasties. Otherwise, getting a divorce would’ve been nearly impossible.] Xu Huanhuan’s world resembled a wuxia setting. And as everyone knew, wuxia worlds were far less restrictive toward women than pure historical settings.
If she were in Ming Shu’s palace intrigue world, Xu Huanhuan wouldn’t even be allowed to do business—let alone go outside without covering her face with a veil.
Getting a divorce would be relatively easy as long as her parents in the ancient world supported her. After all, when the Marquis’s heir had proposed to her, he had written a vow never to take a second wife.
It was in black and white, signed and witnessed by numerous relatives and elders. Xu Huanhuan now had every right to demand a divorce based on that broken promise.
As for whether people would gossip behind her back, calling her jealous or petty, Xu Huanhuan didn’t care. Everyone gets talked about—she just wouldn’t tolerate it if anyone dared to say it to her face.
And if they did? She had learned a few moves from Xiang Qianlan. Slapping someone wouldn’t be hard.
[Primitive World Ah Huahua: How shameless! Dump him.]
[1960s Boxer Xiang Qianlan: Exactly. A man’s chastity is his best dowry. That man of yours has no virtue and still dares to act entitled. Don’t let him get away with it.]
Xiang Qianlan had always despised men who acted tough while living off others.
[CEO Villainess Ye Bingbing: That’s right. There are plenty of men out there—if one doesn’t work, just replace him.]
Lin Xi, who had been single her whole life, chimed in to join the fun.
Yao Xiran didn’t speak in the group. After making a fortune, she was busy negotiating with a smuggler on the junk planet to buy a ticket and leave.
Yao Xiran's current savings were enough for her and her three siblings to live on the main planet. However, after considering various factors, they decided to settle on a neighboring planet instead. The urgency stemmed from her agreement with Lin Duxi to exchange starfall stones.
Lin Duxi had already reported the discovery of these stones to the base. The base director and researchers were visibly shocked, immediately conducting further analysis on the stones' composition.
After melting the stones at high temperatures and incorporating them into weapons, the results were undeniable. Cold weapons infused with starfall stones became exceptionally durable and sharp.
As for thermal weapons, their performance and destructive power increased fivefold compared to ordinary arms.
With irrefutable evidence before them, the base director had no choice but to accept Lin Duxi's claims.
Building a starship to leave this world was now an absolute necessity—especially since starfall stones were scattered everywhere, and the entire planet was utterly barren.
In the interstellar ABO universe, Wen Wan had already made up her mind to leave Planet M248.
The feud among the four members of the Zhao family had reached a boiling point. Just last night, Zhao Xuelian had attempted to offer herself at Qiao Yisi's doorstep, only to be intercepted by Du Ermei, who had been keeping a close eye on her.
The two women brawled right outside Qiao Yisi's room. Though Zhao Mushan and Zhao Xuanqi didn’t join the fight, they watched coldly from the sidelines.
Wen Wan observed with disdain—this family was beyond redemption. She refused to waste any more time here. Instead, she planned to leave and explore the vast wonders of the universe.
As a Beta, she was relatively safe.
Over the past while, by selling out the Zhao family to Qiao Yisi, she had not only secured legal identification but also a substantial sum of money.
With the support of the Transmigrators' group chat, her chances of evading Qiao Yisi and reaching another planet were significantly higher.
Lost in thought, Wen Wan was interrupted by a knock—two long raps followed by a short one. She instantly recognized the visitor.
She withdrew her hand from the group chat interface, irritation flashing across her face as she went to open the door.
Standing outside was Zhao Xuanqi, dressed in a tailored tuxedo. Transmigration had refined his appearance, making him even more striking than he had been on Earth.
He was a master of deception—after all, he had once charmed Wen Wan into complete submission.
Now, wearing that same gentle facade, he looked at her and said, "We were once husband and wife. Won’t you even let me inside?"
The room Wen Wan currently occupied was little more than a pigeon coop—less than ten square meters, furnished with just a bed and a desk.
She felt no attachment to this place, but it was her territory. And in her territory, Zhao Xuanqi—along with dogs—was strictly forbidden.
Her aversion to dogs stemmed from a childhood bite. As for Zhao Xuanqi? Pure, unadulterated loathing. Had it not been for the absurd "cooling-off period" divorce law in their previous world, she would have left the moment she learned of his family’s plan to let Zhao Mushan violate her.
Who would have thought that the Zhao family would stoop to such shameless acts during the negotiations! By then, any affection Wen Wan had for Zhao Xuanqi had completely evaporated.
Wen Wan stood rigidly at the door, her eyes practically rolling to the back of her head. With a forced smile, she said, "Don’t say that—it wouldn’t sound good if Qiao Yisi heard. Besides, when were we ever husband and wife? At best, we were just roommates."
Her gaze then dropped pointedly to Zhao Xuanqi’s lower half. "Oh, wait, my mistake. We can’t even call it that. More like… sisters."
In this world, Betas and Omegas were reproductively incompatible. As a Beta, Wen Wan and Zhao Xuanqi, an Omega, might as well be sisters—after all, both could bear children. Even the omnipotent "Transmigration Deity" couldn’t fix Zhao Xuanqi’s body, aside from giving his little chili a hair-removal and whitening treatment. Nothing else worked.
The title of "sisters" was truly well-deserved.
Delighted to see Zhao Xuanqi’s face darken, Wen Wan grinned wider. "And don’t worry about the family lineage. Now that you can pop out kids yourself, the Zhao bloodline won’t end with you. Isn’t that just thrilling?"
In this world, Alphas—regardless of gender—were equipped with the necessary anatomy. So even if Zhao Xuanqi’s little chili was modest in size, it didn’t hinder his baby-making potential. Wen Wan smirked. "What a delightful surprise, huh? Who knew your tiny pepper wouldn’t stop you from becoming a proud parent in this era!"
Zhao Xuanqi had been functionally impotent since the age of five. Though physically lacking, he prided himself on his mental fortitude. In his worldview, childbirth was strictly a woman’s duty. Never did he imagine that after transmigrating, instead of becoming an overpowered protagonist, he’d be reduced to a glorified baby-making tool.
The sheer drop was unbearable.
Playing nice with Qiao Yisi these days had left Zhao Xuanqi seething inside. But survival demanded it.
There was no way he’d bear children for Qiao Yisi. Or anyone, for that matter.
Zhao Xuanqi had always been arrogant, convinced he deserved only the best. That’s why, the moment he joined the company, he’d zeroed in on Wen Wan as his target.
Wen Wan, neglected by her parents, was bound to crave love. She was one of the most attractive women in the office, yet her demeanor was far from spoiled. Zhao Xuanqi was certain he could control her.
Even if she discovered his physical shortcomings after marriage, he was confident she wouldn’t leave.
At first, things went exactly as he’d predicted. Wen Wan didn’t throw a tantrum when she learned the truth, nor did she demand a divorce. She didn’t even react strongly when his parents blamed her for their inability to conceive.
Back then, Zhao Xuanqi had been smug. After all, he wasn’t the only one pursuing Wen Wan at the company—he wasn’t the best catch, but he wasn’t the worst either.
That she’d chosen him, that he’d manipulated her so effortlessly, was all thanks to his skill and charm.
But for all his scheming, Zhao Xuanqi never saw this coming—his own father trying to sire a son for him.
After the initial discomfort, Zhao Xuanqi, persuaded by his parents, found their reasoning increasingly convincing. His father had given him a son, and they shared the same bloodline.
The child had been raised in front of him since infancy—he was the boy’s father. This was far better than adopting an unrelated child from outside.
Moreover, the child carried Wen Wan’s blood. She was so starved for love and desperate for a family—she would undoubtedly treat the child well.
And with the scandal of her affair with his father now in his hands, she would have no choice but to obey him for the rest of her life if she wanted to avoid ruin.
Once Wen Wan bore the child, his secret of being impotent would be completely safe. No rumors would spread outside.
At the time, Zhao Xuanqi grew more and more excited—it was a single move that solved multiple problems. His plan was flawless, except for one thing he hadn’t anticipated: Wen Wan’s refusal.
And not just refusal—she had made an enormous scene. He had originally intended for his father to force himself on her, but who could have guessed that Wen Wan, that madwoman, would hide a kitchen knife under her pillow?
What Zhao Xuanqi never expected was that after what should have been just an ordinary fight, his entire family would be transported to this godforsaken ABO world—and worse, become Omegas, relegated to nothing but breeding.
The thought of how his family of four had been paraded like caged pets for Qiao Yisi’s selection these past months drove Zhao Xuanqi to the brink of madness.
Two months had passed, and Qiao Yisi’s gaze toward him had grown increasingly unsettling. His mother and Zhao Xuelian had long abandoned any semblance of familial affection, now locked in a vicious feud over a pig of a man.
Zhao Xuanqi was terrified. Desperate, he had no choice but to seek help from Wen Wan—the woman he loathed with every fiber of his being.
Even though Wen Wan’s words cut like knives, and Zhao Xuanqi wished he could strangle her right then and there, he forced himself to swallow his rage. "Wen Wan, there’s no need to be so harsh. I’m here to discuss a partnership."
Hearing this, Wen Wan arched an eyebrow and gave Zhao Xuanqi a thorough once-over. She had assumed he, like his parents and sister, had been completely corrupted by Qiao Yisi’s sweet talk.
Surprisingly, he still had some sense left? But then again, that made sense—if Zhao Xuanqi had truly been that stupid, he wouldn’t have spent over a year meticulously reeling her in back then.
It was good that Zhao Xuanqi was sharp. Only if he was smart would she not look like a complete fool in comparison.
"Oh? What kind of partnership do you want to discuss?" Wen Wan’s tone softened slightly.
Zhao Xuanqi gestured toward her room with his eyes, but Wen Wan didn’t budge.
Though she was curious about what nonsense he was about to spew, her rule was ironclad: Zhao Xuanqi and dogs were forbidden from entering her space.
Principles were non-negotiable!
Zhao Xuanqi’s expression darkened again, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
Wen Wan wasn’t the least bit intimidated. After all, as a delicate Omega, if it came to a fight, Zhao Xuanqi wouldn’t stand a chance against her.
For the sake of his grand plan, Zhao Xuanqi closed his eyes briefly. "Wen Wan, Qiao Yisi hasn’t restricted your movements or your access to this world’s networks. You should know by now how precious Omegas are here."
"Our entire family are Omegas. Under Federation law, Omegas are protected. I want you to help me contact the Omega Protection Association—get them to rescue us."
"Once we leave this place, we'll be able to match with more high-quality Alphas in the gene database. We’ll repay you then."
Zhao Xuanqi spoke rapidly. They were under surveillance, and the time he had managed to steal away from the servants to find Wen Wan was extremely limited. The unconscious argument he’d just had with her had already wasted precious minutes.
Honestly, it was all because Wen Wan was so infuriating—otherwise, he wouldn’t have lost that time at all.
The thought reignited his anger, and it took considerable effort for Zhao Xuanqi to suppress the fury rising within him.
Wen Wan finally understood what Zhao Xuanqi was scheming.
She thought he was always so smug, always treating others like fools.
"Seriously, we’re enemies. Did you not drain all the water from your brain? How could you possibly think I’d help you? Do you take me for an idiot? If you ever climbed to power, the first person you’d come after would be me, wouldn’t it?"
At this point, Wen Wan had zero faith left in Zhao Xuanqi’s character. He was nothing but a despicable coward! Ever since she transmigrated here, she had gained an identity and a wristband that connected to the interstellar network—all at the cost of the Zhao family.
If they were really allowed to leave and reach the Omega Protection Association, under current federal law, as the one who betrayed them, she’d be facing prison time for harming an Omega.
Wen Wan wasn’t afraid of going to prison—but she absolutely refused to be locked up over such an absurd charge.
So the four members of the Zhao family had to stay locked in with Qiao Yisi. She wasn’t worried about Qiao Yisi later losing his temper and retaliating for his beloved.
The reason Qiao Yisi had managed to hold onto his position as planetary governor without being overthrown was because his ruthlessness surpassed what ordinary people could imagine. Once the Zhao family fell into his hands, there was no chance of escape.
After all, if they ever got out, federal law would ensure he faced the highest punishment possible.
If he dared to play favorites among the four of them, he had already prepared for every contingency.
Zhao Xuanqi’s gentle facade shattered completely after Wen Wan’s words. His expression darkened, a flash of venomous malice flickering in his eyes.
He hadn’t expected Wen Wan to be so ungrateful. Forcing a smile, he said, "Wan Wan, you’re misunderstanding me. I would never think that way. We came from the same place—even if we’re not married anymore, we’re still fellow countrymen."
"We should support each other, shouldn’t we? I promise you, if I get out of here, no matter what my future holds, I’ll give you the best of everything I can offer. If you don’t believe me, I swear on my life."
"Cut the crap, Zhao Xuanqi. Save that nonsense for fools—it’s wasted on me. You keep talking about climbing higher once you’re out, but where does that leave Boss Qiao?"
"Honestly, I never expected you to be this kind of person. Boss Qiao gave you gold, jewels, a life of luxury—and you’re still not satisfied? How disgraceful." Wen Wan’s earlier disgust shifted into visible disappointment.
She even shook her head. "This is truly unacceptable."
Zhao Xuanqi’s expression changed drastically, his instincts screaming that something was wrong. His intuition was sharp—just as he suspected, Wen Wan waved at someone behind Qiao Yisi and said, "Boss Qiao, you heard everything I just said to him. Those were purely his personal thoughts and have nothing to do with me."
"I’ve overstayed my welcome here, so I must leave today. Let’s meet again if fate allows."
Qiao Yisi, followed by several burly men, didn’t care about what a Beta like Wen Wan had to say. He waved dismissively at her, and Wen Wan gave Zhao Xuanqi a shove.
Staggering back two steps from the push, Zhao Xuanqi didn’t even get a glance from Wen Wan as she strode away.
Qiao Yisi stepped forward, looming over Zhao Xuanqi, whose face instantly paled. Qiao Yisi reached out and patted Zhao Xuanqi’s cheek. "Thinking of leaving me to climb the social ladder? You should’ve asked if I’d allow it!"
An Alpha overpowering an Omega was effortless—even if Qiao Yisi was one of the weaker Alphas.
He released his pheromones, the overwhelming scent crashing into Zhao Xuanqi, whose legs instantly turned to jelly.
A cold smirk curled on Qiao Yisi’s lips as he pulled Zhao Xuanqi close, tilting his head to locate the gland at the nape of his neck—then sank his teeth in without hesitation.
Zhao Xuanqi knew what this meant. He wanted to struggle, but his body was limp as a noodle, utterly powerless to resist.
He had been cramming knowledge about Omegas lately, and he knew that once marked, he’d never escape this man’s control.
Despair twisted his features. For some reason, his mind flashed back to that night—when he had locked Wen Wan in a room with his father. He wondered now if she had felt the same hopelessness he did in this moment…
The marking was successful. Qiao Yisi scooped Zhao Xuanqi into his arms and carried him toward the nearest bedroom…
"Disobedience doesn’t matter. Once you bear a child, you’ll behave." Qiao Yisi’s words were a demon’s whisper, eerily echoing the very ones his family had once used when scheming to get Wen Wan pregnant with his father’s child.
Back then, Zhao Xuanqi had never imagined those words would one day apply to him. He was a man! How could he be the one to carry a child? It was absurd. Yet he knew all too well—in this world he’d transmigrated into, he really could get pregnant.
At this moment, only one phrase echoed in Zhao Xuanqi’s mind: karma.
Wen Wan nearly sprinted out of the planetary governor’s estate. She didn’t know the way, but the second she left, she vanished into the city’s labyrinth of alleyways. At the same time, she tapped her wristband, contacting members of her group.
Harboring an Omega was a grave crime—punishable by penalties so severe no sane person would risk it. If she were in Qiao Yisi’s shoes, she’d never let herself walk away alive.
After all, only the dead could truly keep secrets.
And she didn’t want to die. Just as she’d said, she wanted to see the starry seas she could never have witnessed on Earth.
She would survive.
At the same time, Lin Xi's phone received a system notification: 【Detected group member Wen Wan, who traveled to the ABO world with her family, is currently facing a life-and-death crisis. Would you like to provide assistance? (Unrestricted delivery of supplies allowed) Yes/No.】
