Chapter 4

Getting Used to Her New Home

The Ning family was one of the most renowned wealthy families in the region, worth billions, with countless businesses spanning an extensive range of industries.

When Ning Xuechu first laid eyes on the Ning family’s mansion, her eyes widened in astonishment.

Even though she tried to restrain her curiosity, she couldn’t help but glance around secretly.

The place was enormous — far grander than any mansion she had ever seen on television — completely beyond her imagination.

“Xuechu, this will be your room from now on. No matter what happens, you can always come to me. My room’s right next to yours,” An Jianqing said as she led Ning Xuechu through the halls, finally stopping in front of a beautifully decorated bedroom.

Of course, this kind of introduction could have been handled by one of the household staff.

But since this was Ning Xuechu’s first time here — and since An Jianqing was the only person she knew and trusted — she wanted to personally show her around.

“Thank you,” Ning Xuechu said softly, lowering her head. Her voice was delicate and obedient.

She looked like a rabbit that had wandered into an unfamiliar forest — full of curiosity, yet cautious at every step.

“Xuechu, get some rest,” An Jianqing said with a smile.

She turned to leave — but suddenly, someone tugged on her sleeve.

Turning her head, she met a pair of timid eyes glimmering with hesitation, as if the girl were afraid of being left behind.

A flicker of pity crossed An Jianqing’s heart, and she returned a reassuring smile.

“Can I… call you ‘sister’?” Ning Xuechu bit her lip lightly.

As soon as she said it, tears shimmered faintly in her eyes, like ripples of moonlight on water.

It was a beautiful sight.

An Jianqing’s eyes flickered, joy spreading through her whole body.

She had searched for this lost sister for more than ten years — all for the day she could finally hear that single word: sister. Then, she would no longer owe her adoptive parents anything.

“Of course you can,” she replied softly. “We’re the closest people in the world.”

“…Sister,” Ning Xuechu said, a happy smile spreading across her face. Her eyes sparkled as she gathered her courage and hugged the Alpha before her.

She didn’t dare hold tightly — just a light, gentle embrace.

Even so, the Alpha’s warmth and elegant scent enveloped her, seeping into her every breath — intoxicating.

At this distance, she could feel the soft warmth of the other’s body, the faint sweetness that clung to her.

If she were a real Omega, holding such a high-ranking Alpha this close, her heart would be racing, her face flushed with uncontrollable heat.

But unfortunately… she wasn’t a real Omega.

“Xuechu, go on — take a look around. See if you like the room. If there’s anything you want to change, just tell me,” An Jianqing said gently, reaching out to brush a hand through the girl’s soft hair.

When Ning Xuechu didn’t pull away, her smile brightened.

“Okay, Sister…” Ning Xuechu nodded obediently, and as she said the word sister, her eyes shimmered like starlight.

An Jianqing froze for a heartbeat, then quickly recovered.

Though this younger sister was just an ordinary-level Omega, her delicate features were as fine and lovely as those of any high-ranking one.

Even dressed simply, she drew the eye effortlessly.

She was, however, painfully thin.

When An Jianqing had hugged her, she could feel how frail and bony her frame was. She would have to help her gain some weight later.

Ning Xuechu looked around the dreamy bedroom, covering her mouth in delighted surprise.

She turned to An Jianqing, her eyes full of gratitude and joy.
“Sister, thank you. I’ve never seen such a beautiful room before.”

“No need to be so polite. I’m glad you like it,” An Jianqing replied, her lips curving into a gentle smile, her eyes soft with affection.

All her days of personally overseeing the room’s decoration had been worth it — seeing this reaction filled her with a quiet happiness.

“I really like it… I really do. No one’s ever treated me this well before…” Ning Xuechu’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes glistening as if she might cry again.

Her words came out broken, full of emotion and choked tears.

An Jianqing’s heart ached. She gently soothed her,
“Xuechu, don’t worry. The past is behind you now.”

She had already looked into everything — the couple who had adopted Ning Xuechu were kind people, childless, and had treated her as their own daughter.

Unfortunately, her adoptive parents had died in a car accident.

After they passed away, Ning Xuechu could only stay at her uncle’s house.

Her uncle’s family had a child of their own, and they did not treat Ning Xuechu well.

When An Jianqing had first learned about it, she’d been so angry that her heart trembled. For a brief moment, countless ideas of revenge crossed her mind.

But in the end, she calmed herself down.

After all, those people had raised Ning Xuechu for many years — she couldn’t repay kindness with resentment.

She had originally planned to give them a large sum of money as a token of gratitude, but after seeing how cruel and vicious that woman had been toward Ning Xuechu, she abandoned the idea.

She decided not to pursue what had already happened — but if those people ever dared to bully Ning Xuechu again, she wouldn’t show mercy.

“Thank you, Sister…” Ning Xuechu began to cry again, crystal-clear tears streaking down her thin cheeks, making her look even more fragile and pitiful.

A soft light of affection appeared in An Jianqing’s eyes as she smiled comfortingly.
“Xuechu, get some rest. I hope you’ll get used to life here soon.”

Ning Xuechu nodded quickly, lips pressed together in a meek little smile.

Once she returned to her room and closed the door, she wiped away the tears from her face carelessly.

The room was warmly decorated, full of soft, girlish touches — but Ning Xuechu had no interest in admiring it.

Her formerly docile and timid expression vanished, replaced by a calm, cold indifference. The lively sparkle in her eyes turned icy.

Everything in this room had been prepared in advance — which meant that this woman had been certain she would return to the Ning family.

This was a move in a game that An Jianqing believed she controlled entirely.

“I’ve seen through tricks like this before,” Ning Xuechu muttered with a faint sneer, her gaze sweeping across the room in disdain. “I won’t fall for them again.”

Back when her uncle’s family had adopted her, they’d put on a show of warmth and sincerity for the outside world, claiming they would treat her like their own daughter.

But within days, they had greedily seized all the inheritance her adoptive parents had left behind, treating her harshly ever since.

An Jianqing was no different from those people now.

She only wanted to coax her — to use her.

But Ning Xuechu wouldn’t be fooled again.

After a week of living in the Ning household, Ning Xuechu had finally adapted to her new identity.

Every morning when she woke, a lavish breakfast awaited her, and servants attended to her every need.

She no longer had to worry about going hungry, nor force herself to eat nothing but cheap buns until she felt sick just to save money.

Now there was a chauffeur to take her wherever she needed to go. She no longer had to squeeze into overcrowded buses like a sardine in a can, enduring the unpleasant smells around her.

Everything felt so unbelievably perfect — and yet, it was real.

After finishing breakfast, Ning Xuechu dressed in a simple yet elegant designer outfit and slung her old schoolbag over her shoulder as she prepared to leave.

“Xuechu, I’ll drive you to school today,” An Jianqing said, setting down her utensils and gracefully dabbing at her lips with a silk napkin.

At those words, Ning Xuechu’s eyes lit up with a flash of delight — though she quickly lowered her head, speaking softly, “Sister, you still have work. Wouldn’t that trouble you too much?”

“It’s no trouble. I don’t have anything urgent this morning; it’s fine if I go in a little later,” An Jianqing replied with a gentle smile.

After saying that, she headed toward the door first.

Ning Xuechu’s face brightened slightly as she obediently followed behind.

Sitting in the passenger seat, she fastened her seatbelt. Her bright eyes flickered with nervousness as she whispered, “Sister, I can go by myself…”

“Xuechu, you don’t have to be so polite with me. I want to take you today,” An Jianqing said with a light laugh, her tone tinged with guilt. “I’ve been busy these past few days and haven’t had time to take proper care of you.”

Ning Xuechu quickly shook her head, her thin face full of panic and unease.
“Sister, please don’t say that. You’ve already been so good to me. If it weren’t for you, I—”

Her voice wavered, trembling with emotion, and she bit her lip to stop herself from crying.

An Jianqing didn’t like people who cried easily, but every time she saw the cautious look in Ning Xuechu’s eyes, her heart ached a little more.

This child had endured so much over the years — she wanted to make it all up to her somehow.

“Xuechu, I’m your sister,” An Jianqing said softly, starting the car. “It’s only right that I take care of you.”

Ning Xuechu froze, tears welling brighter in her eyes.

She lowered her head, long lashes trembling as they hid the tears that threatened to fall.

Her heart pounded violently in her chest.

She clenched her fingers tightly, her long nails digging into her palm. The faint sting helped calm her heartbeat bit by bit.

She knew those words were false — yet, against all reason, she still wanted to believe them.

Was it really possible that someone in this world could care for her sincerely, without any thought of money or status?

Ning Xuechu didn’t know. She just lowered her head further, hands tightening in her lap.

An Jianqing noticed the subtle movement.

She could tell that Ning Xuechu was lonely in the mansion — that even surrounded by servants, she still felt isolated and helpless.

Every time she saw her, that thin little face would light up with cautious joy, as if a drowning person had just grasped a lifeline.

The light in her eyes always pierced An Jianqing’s heart, stirring an aching tenderness that made her want to do more, to be better to her.

“Xuechu, we’re here,” An Jianqing said as she opened the car door with a smile.

Her beautiful features and graceful, noble bearing immediately drew the attention of everyone nearby.

As Ning Xuechu stepped out, she felt the curious, envious gazes of the people around her.

Once, she had been the one watching others step out of luxury cars with the same envy.

But now, she was the one being admired — and she couldn’t help but feel a quiet thrill of happiness.

“Sister, I’m going to class now. Please drive safely,” Ning Xuechu said with a well-behaved smile.

An Jianqing’s heart softened again. She reached out to gently pat Ning Xuechu’s hair.
“Remember to eat well at school, Xuechu. Treat yourself to something nice once in a while — don’t skimp and make yourself suffer.”

When she heard that last line, Ning Xuechu’s heart tightened.

It seemed that many of her private matters had been thoroughly investigated.

Then—did this Alpha already know that she was only pretending to be an Omega?

A flicker of panic rose in her chest, but she still smiled sweetly.
“I understand, Sister. I’ll eat properly.”

An Jianqing was very generous with her. She gave Ning Xuechu fifty thousand yuan in pocket money every month.

On the second day after Ning Xuechu had arrived at the Ning residence, she had taken her out shopping, buying her all kinds of expensive luxury items — spending freely, as if the money meant nothing at all.

She had to admit, an Alpha who was willing to spend lavishly could easily make people feel a certain fondness.

But she wasn’t like those naïve Omegas.

What she wanted was far more than just pocket money.

The Ning family’s fortune — she was determined to have it.

A faint smile curved Ning Xuechu’s lips, but when her gaze shifted to a certain spot, her eyes turned cold.