SPTASPTO 02

Chapter 2 

Taking Her Home

Ning Xuechu lowered her gaze and carefully opened the door.
Just wide enough for one person to slip through.

The moment the woman entered, Xuechu immediately closed it again and asked warily,

“Who are you? Why are you looking for me?”

The woman didn’t answer right away.
Instead, she slowly looked around the tiny, shabby room.

No heater, no air-conditioning—only a dim bulb casting weak yellow light that made everything seem steeped in quiet sadness.
A few simple pieces of furniture filled the cramped space; the thin fabric wardrobe held some old, worn clothes.

It was humble, yet tidied with care.

A flicker of heartache crossed the woman’s beautiful eyes.
When she turned back and met those cautious, deer-like eyes, her heart softened completely.

She wanted to step forward and hug Ning Xuechu—but stopped herself midway.
Forcing a smile, she said softly:

“I’m your sister. My name is An Jianqing. I’m an S-rank Alpha…”

Her voice trembled slightly, unable to hide the joy beneath it.

“I don’t have a sister—certainly not an S-rank Alpha sister.”
Xuechu cut her off sharply, her thin chest heaving as if struck.

Seeing the shock in the woman’s eyes, she bit her lip and repeated,

“I’m an orphan. A normal Omega. I have no family.”

Each word landed heavily. The corners of her eyes flushed red from emotion; under the dim light, tears shimmered in her dark irises.

A cold gust slipped through the window cracks, but Xuechu didn’t feel it.
Her gaze stayed defiant, fixed on the woman before her.

“My parents are dead. I have no relatives—and I don’t need any.”

The woman heard the sorrow and hatred hidden in those words.
Her heart clenched painfully as she softened her tone:

“Xuechu, those were your adoptive parents.
Your real parents were the former heads of Ning Group.
Your father was an A+ Alpha, and your mother an A+ Omega.
Before they passed, they made me promise to find you.”

“Two A+ parents? That’s impossible—how could they have a normal Omega child?”
Suspicion deepened in Xuechu’s eyes; like a frightened animal, her voice turned hoarse.
“What are you after?”

“Please, don’t be scared. I mean you no harm.”
The woman quickly tried to calm her, taking a thick folder from her luxury handbag.
She set it on the table and said softly,
“Here—look. These are the proofs.”

Xuechu’s eyes flickered.
She glanced at the woman—seeing she wasn’t approaching—then cautiously picked up the documents.

Her pupils widened as she read; her cold fingers trembled.

The report stated that her DNA matched the late chairman of Ning Group with 99% certainty.

That number could only mean one thing—
She was the Ning family’s daughter.

Shock swept through her. Her hands shook so violently she almost dropped the papers.
She tried to speak, but her throat seized up, no sound emerging.

“Xuechu,” the woman’s gentle voice came again, warm and coaxing,
“you’re the sister I’ve been searching for all these years. Come home with me.”

With a thud, the papers slipped from Xuechu’s trembling fingers and scattered across the floor.

She shook her head, a bitter smile twisting her lips.
Her voice broke into a hoarse cry:

“This isn’t funny. Not at all…
You’re an Alpha—you’re rich—so you think you can just play with people like this?”

Each question tore from her throat between sobs, edged with despair—like someone pushed to the very brink.

The commotion drew the people outside; the door burst open.

Before the bodyguards could speak, An Jianqing turned sharply, her eyes icy.

“Get out.”

Startled, they exchanged glances and obediently retreated, closing the door behind them.

Only the two women remained. The cold wind seeped mercilessly through the cracks in the walls.

An Jianqing stood still for a moment, then removed her coat.
She walked over and draped it over Xuechu’s thin shoulders.

Her voice softened to a whisper:

“Xuechu, I know this is hard to accept right now. That’s okay.
I’ll give you a couple of days to think.
There’s a business card in the coat pocket—call me when you’re ready.”

A pleasant Alpha scent drifted beside her. Ning Xuechu’s body tensed instinctively. She took a small step back, and the coat that carried the Alpha’s fragrance slipped from her shoulders to the floor.

Lowering her gaze, she said nothing. Her eyes reddened slightly as she bit down on her lip, refusing to let the tears fall.

Seeing this, An Jianqing realized that her own Alpha pheromones must have stimulated the Omega.

But Omegas were supposed to be attracted, not repelled. Still, considering that Ning Xuechu needed time to process such a shocking revelation, An Jianqing didn’t dwell on it.

“Xuechu, I’ll leave for now,” she said softly from the doorway, looking at the dazed girl inside the dim room. “If you need anything, you can call me anytime.”

Ning Xuechu slowly raised her head. Her unfocused gaze gradually gathered into focus, finally reflecting the silhouette of an Alpha.

The door closed with a quiet click, leaving her once again alone in the cold, silent room.

Ning Xuechu looked down at the coat on the floor. After a moment of stillness, she picked it up and tossed it into the trash bin, then left for work.

---

Ning Xuechu felt like her mind was wrapped in fog.

She didn’t know how she had walked out of the door, nor if she had even mapped out the cheapest route to work.

By the time she came back to her senses, she was already standing in the back kitchen of her part-time job, washing dishes.

Staring blankly at the water in the sink, she mechanically scrubbed the plates.

Her heart was a mess—stirred up like the water swirling before her eyes.

If someone had told her that she was actually the daughter of a wealthy family, kidnapped when she was young…
That her rich parents had been searching for her for years and had left behind a vast fortune for her to inherit…

She would’ve scoffed—utter nonsense.

But now, something more absurd than a TV drama had happened to her.

As long as she said “yes,” she would become a rich heiress, with endless wealth at her disposal.

No longer would she have to live under someone else’s roof.
No longer would she have to wear shabby clothes and be mocked for it.
She could stop struggling—and still have the kind of life others spent their whole lives chasing.

Ning Xuechu’s heart wavered, confusion and longing tangled together.

And at this moment, when she needed someone to talk to most, she realized there was no one she could confide in.

“Xiao Ning, focus on your work. Don’t space out, or the supervisor will scold you,” the woman washing dishes beside her reminded gently.

Snapping out of her daze, Ning Xuechu nodded quickly and focused on cleaning again.

By the time she finished her shift, it was already past eleven. There was just one last bus left to take home.

She looked down at her fingers, wrinkled from soaking in water too long, and gave a small, bitter smile.

A cold gust of wind swept through as she stepped outside. Hugging her thin coat closer, she half-ran toward the bus stop.

The night was quiet and chilly, the streets bathed in a pale, cold glow. Everything around her felt unreal.

The Alpha woman’s words replayed again and again in her mind, battering her already unsettled heart.

Ning Xuechu took a deep breath, trying to drive away the chaos in her chest.

Just then, a sleek luxury car pulled up beside her.

The window rolled down, revealing a refined, beautiful face—the very Alpha who had turned her world upside down.

An Jianqing.

“Xuechu, get in. I’ll take you home,” An Jianqing said softly from behind the wheel.

Her elegant fingers rested on the steering wheel, manicured to perfection, exuding effortless grace and wealth.

Ning Xuechu’s eyes flickered. She lowered her head without answering, her pale fingers nervously twisting the hem of her worn clothes.

An Jianqing smiled gently, stepped out of the car herself, walked over, and opened the passenger door. “Come on,” she coaxed warmly. “It’s warmer inside.”

Her soft, fragrant voice brushed against Ning Xuechu’s ear, sending a tremor through her heart. She instinctively stepped back.

But under An Jianqing’s patient, smiling gaze, Ning Xuechu finally lowered her head and climbed into the car.

It was indeed warm inside. Soft music played, wrapping the space in a relaxing calm.

But Ning Xuechu couldn’t relax. She sat stiffly, eyes fixed on the windshield, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Her back was straight, her posture taut—like a wary cat on alert.

“Xuechu, you don’t have to be so nervous,” An Jianqing said with a smile, leaning closer.

A faint fragrance spread through the air—the scent of an Alpha’s pheromones enveloping her completely.

Ning Xuechu froze. Her heartbeat quickened violently.

She widened her eyes, staring at the stunning profile so close to her face.

As the Alpha leaned in, her breathing grew shallower, almost stopping entirely.

With a soft click, An Jianqing straightened up again, eyebrows gently arched, lips curved in a tender smile. “There. Your seatbelt’s fastened. I’m going to drive now. If you’re tired, you can rest for a bit—I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

In those brief seconds, Ning Xuechu had broken out in a cold sweat.

The car started and sped down the empty street.

Ning Xuechu turned her face to the window, watching the blur of colorful city lights pass by, sinking deep into thought.

Everything she had once envied in others was now within her reach—yet she felt no happiness.
Only fear, and endless unease.

She began to regret it—getting into a stranger’s car so easily.

Especially when that stranger was an S-class Alpha.

“Xuechu, do you want some milk tea?” An Jianqing asked gently, pulling the car to the side of the road.

Before Ning Xuechu could answer, the sound of the car door opening interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up and saw the Alpha’s graceful figure walking away through the cold wind. Her eyes darkened.

After a long moment, she pinched the back of her hand hard and whispered to herself,
“She’s just buying you milk tea. Are you really that easily moved by a stranger?”

The sting of pain snapped her back to her senses, her face returning to its usual blank calm.

When An Jianqing came back holding two cups of milk tea, she got into the car and handed one over with a smile.

“You used to love mango-flavored things when you were little,” she said warmly. “So I bought mango milk tea for you. I hope you’ll like it.”

“Thank you,” Ning Xuechu replied politely, her tone distant. “But I’m allergic to mango.”

She lowered her head, staring at the reddened mark on the back of her hand, suppressing the desire burning deep inside her.

Hearing that, An Jianqing paused for a moment, then immediately switched to a cup of peach-flavored milk tea. With a gentle smile, she asked softly,
“You’re not allergic to peach flavor, right?”

Ning Xuechu swallowed hard, keeping her head down without answering.

Seeing her reaction, An Jianqing’s lips curved slightly upward. She reached over, took the girl’s tense hand, and placed the cup of peach-flavored milk tea onto it.

Warmth spread through Ning Xuechu’s palm at once, and the sweet scent of peaches lingered at the tip of her nose, making her throat feel dry and parched.

She fought hard to restrain herself, holding the cup carefully in her arms — but she didn’t drink it.

It was just a cup of milk tea. She mustn’t fall for the trap.

Watching her stubbornly resist, An Jianqing couldn’t help but find her rather adorable.

After dropping her off, An Jianqing leaned out of the car window with a gentle smile.
“Xuechu, call me if you ever need anything.”

Ning Xuechu clutched the cup tightly, staring in the direction where the car had disappeared, her expression unreadable.

---

Author’s Note:

Upcoming story for pre-collection:
“I’m More Obsessed Than the Villain [Transmigration]”

Shen Man unexpectedly transmigrated into an old-fashioned, dog-blood romance novel — as the beautiful but brainless saintly heroine who was always bullied by the evil supporting female.

The original heroine treated the villainess with sincere kindness, only to be repeatedly plotted against and deceived.

When Shen Man arrived in the story, she happened to catch the villainess drugging the heroine — intending to make her lose her mind and end up with a stranger.

—

Watching Shen Man’s body grow hot and her eyes blur, the woman smirked proudly.
“Dear Sister Man, enjoy your night.”

But as soon as she spoke, a strong force gripped her wrist and pulled her into a burning embrace.

Seeing the shock in the woman’s eyes, Shen Man smiled wickedly.
“Shushu, since you’re the one who drugged me… you’ll have to take responsibility.”

Before Lin Shushu could even struggle, her soft lips were seized in an urgent kiss.

She never imagined that one day, she’d be completely devoured by another woman.

“From now on, you’re my woman,” Shen Man whispered with bloodshot, possessive eyes, gazing at the red marks all over the woman beneath her.
“You’re not allowed to be close or flirt with anyone else. From now on, both your heart and body belong only to me.”

Lin Shushu ran away in fear.

“You can’t escape,” came the low, demonic voice from behind — like a whisper from hell.

—

Shen Man thought she had completely tamed the story’s most dangerous villain.
But she was wrong.

“Sister Man, didn’t you say you only loved me? Then why are you with another woman?” Lin Shu’s eyes gleamed crimson as she looked down at the helpless woman on the bed.
“I’m jealous. You’ll have to make it up to me.”