Unlike Alphas, who become very irritable during their susceptibility period, Omegas not only enter a state of high fertility during their heat period, craving the mark of an Alpha, but their emotional state also becomes fragile. When an Omega is without their Alpha, they often resort to using items scented with their Alpha's scent, or they might pay for professional companionship services. In short, it's challenging for an Omega to endure the heat period alone.
Pei Yujang, having once been an Alpha, knew how difficult the susceptibility period could be. Comparing it to an Omega's heat period, she could imagine how hard it was for Yu Zhiwan right now.
Sweat beaded on Yu Zhiwan's pale nose, and her rapid breathing flushed her face red. Her hands twisted the fabric of her clothes unconsciously, looking so lost and helpless that Pei Yujang felt if she refused Yu Zhiwan now, the Omega's tears would flow like a dam breaking.
If she were an Alpha, she would undoubtedly refuse such an ambiguous request. But as a Beta, she couldn't mark Yu Zhiwan and could guarantee that she wouldn't take advantage of the Omega.
But did that mean she should refuse?
While Pei Yujang hesitated, Yu Zhiwan's condition deteriorated rapidly. Not daring to delay any longer, Pei Yujang bit her lip and stepped forward, lifting Yu Zhiwan from the wheelchair.
This was likely the first time she had carried Yu Zhiwan like this—last time, in the hospital, it was more about lifting the wheelchair together. The Omega in her arms was light, and Pei Yujang was careful not to use too much force, fearing she might hurt her. Slowly, she placed her on a chair.
Seeing the anxiety flash across Yu Zhiwan's face as they separated, Pei Yujang gently explained, "I'll stay with you, but let me dry your hair first."
She didn't want Yu Zhiwan to catch a cold or get too agitated, so after retrieving a hairdryer, Pei Yujang began drying Yu Zhiwan's hair.
The Omega's hair was long, well-maintained, and smooth, showing signs of regular trimming. The faint floral scent of orchid shampoo lingered in her slightly damp hair, and the cool moisture was quickly replaced by the warm air from the hairdryer.
Pei Yujang's fingertips massaged Yu Zhiwan's scalp gently. Pei Yujang had a knack for massage, and as the Omega sat comfortably in the chair, her eyes drooped lazily, like a contented cat.
As Pei Yujang's long fingers pressed more firmly on her temples, Yu Zhiwan suddenly asked in her clear voice, "You're not planning to make me fall asleep and then move me to another room, are you?"
Pei Yujang, who had indeed intended to do just that, was speechless. Did she give it away too easily?
Realizing her plan was foiled, Pei Yujang had no choice but to obediently carry Yu Zhiwan to her own bed after turning off the hairdryer.
Her bed was soft and clean, and so was the Omega. Pei Yujang didn't mind someone else sleeping in her bed—she wasn't particularly fussy about cleanliness. Still, there was an awkwardness between them now, slowly spreading.
Pei Yujang had never slept alone with anyone before, only once sharing a large tent with several female Alpha comrades. But that was different; they were chatting and hanging out, not in a situation like this.
Earlier, when Pei Yujang lifted Yu Zhiwan, she accidentally touched her disabled legs.
Yu Zhiwan's legs hadn't been amputated; they had lost sensation. They looked well-maintained, as if someone regularly massaged them to improve blood circulation. The muscles hadn't atrophied and appeared almost like normal legs.
They were, however, slightly thinner than usual, due to the lack of exercise. Massage alone wasn't enough to maintain muscle tone.
Her skin was soft and smooth, with barely visible pores—not just on her face, but also her collarbones and the glimpse of her ankle below her nightdress. Her other exposed skin was equally fair and delicate.
If not for her disability, she would undoubtedly be an incredibly alluring beauty.
Now, this great beauty lay on Pei Yujang's bed, searching for her hand, gently intertwining their fingers.
Women's hands were always soft, almost as if made of water. Since Pei Yujang's arrival in this world, her body had returned to a pre-war state, with delicate skin on her hands. But Yu Zhiwan's palm was even softer, and as she intertwined their fingers, she carefully avoided the calluses on Pei Yujang's hands. The Beta could faintly sense the Omega's pheromones winding around her.
In her heat period, the Omega's pheromones became even more tempting, designed to provoke an Alpha's urge to mark. It was an instinctive allure, impossible for any Alpha to resist. However, as a Beta, Pei Yujang wasn't affected in that way.
Even so, it didn't stop her from finding Yu Zhiwan's scent incredibly pleasant. From their first meeting, it had imprinted itself deeply in her mind. But this was the first time she could smell Yu Zhiwan's pheromones so clearly.
Almost as if they were pressed against her face.
For an Omega, pheromones and their glands were extremely private, akin to sexual organs, not something to be shown to others. Yet Yu Zhiwan seemed entirely unguarded around her.
As Pei Yujang inhaled the Omega's fragrance, she felt herself slightly swayed, leaning in closer, wanting more of that intoxicating scent.
Sensing Pei Yujang's willingness, Yu Zhiwan turned toward her.
With her lower body immobilized, Yu Zhiwan could only rely on her core strength to turn over on the bed—a difficult task for someone untrained.
Pei Yujang had left only a small nightlight on. Seeing the Omega inching her way toward her, using her elbows to support herself on the bed, Pei Yujang's heart softened, and she helped Yu Zhiwan into her arms, allowing the Omega to nestle against her.
Omegas in heat loved physical contact, and the two of them were so close now that Pei Yujang could feel the warm blood coursing through her neck, unsure if it was hers or Yu Zhiwan's.
The fresh scent of rose and raspberry filled her nose, making her feel slightly dizzy, her mind growing foggy. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, she felt Yu Zhiwan guiding her hand to rest on her stomach.
Pei Yujang's ears immediately burned with heat.
She wanted to pull away but feared hurting Yu Zhiwan's feelings. An Omega's emotions during heat were fragile and difficult to soothe, so she decided to let it be.
Yu Zhiwan's belly was soft and flat, and to be honest, it felt rather nice.
But lying in Pei Yujang's arms, with her arm wrapped around her, meant Pei Yujang's hand often brushed against something soft.
The Omega, deep in her heat, didn't seem to notice, even unconsciously snuggling closer, her head resting on Pei Yujang's shoulder, her face buried in her collarbone.
Yu Zhiwan's lips occasionally grazed her collarbone, sending shivers down her spine. Pei Yujang couldn't bring herself to push her away, allowing the Omega to nuzzle her collarbone.
After a while, when Yu Zhiwan couldn't detect any pheromones from Pei Yujang, she let out a frustrated sigh, her voice muffled as she remained buried in Pei Yujang's chest.
She complained, "Why aren't you an Alpha?"
"Why would I need to be an Alpha?" Pei Yujang countered.
In truth, she was content being a Beta now—especially since she didn't have to cut out her glands to avoid being overwhelmed by pheromones. In this situation, she could keep her composure, unlike before when she'd have to flee quickly.
"So you could mark me as an Alpha."
Yu Zhiwan's voice, normally clear, had taken on a soft, almost coquettish tone. Her lips hovered near Pei Yujang's collarbone, seeking comfort in the scent of her body wash, at this critical point in her heat when she would usually inject an inhibitor.
Inhibitors were like water for extinguishing a fire, instantly quelling an Omega's desires, especially the highly effective ones that could bring their emotions to a freezing point. But Pei Yujang knew that if she got up to fetch an inhibitor, her relationship with Yu Zhiwan would hit an equally icy low.
Omegas in heat were notoriously unreasonable, and disrupting their mood would only make them more so.
Yu Zhiwan's pale fingers poked at Pei Yujang's side, her tone playful, as she began to whine:
"Hey, why aren't you an Alpha?"
If you hate it so much, get off me! Pei Yujang screamed inwardly, on the verge of collapse.
Her ears were burning up, but she forced herself to remain calm, using every ounce of willpower to keep her voice steady as she tried to soothe her:
"I'm sorry, it's my fault. I'll make sure to reincarnate as an Alpha next time."
Yu Zhiwan lay in her arms, and Pei Yujang couldn't see her expression, nor did she know if the Omega was satisfied with her response. But soon after, Yu Zhiwan lazily wriggled in her embrace and said,
"Then I'll give you a chance—you can mark me now, and you'll turn into an Alpha."
Pei Yujang felt the blood rush to her head, her face heating up to the point of near explosion. She had never been in such close contact with an Omega in heat, let alone someone as attractive as Yu Zhiwan.
Long ago, one of her comrades had returned from a brief honeymoon during a lull in the war. When Pei Yujang reunited with her, a few close friends gathered to chat, and someone, tipsy from alcohol, had mischievously asked,
"You're back already? Didn't your wife cling to you during her heat?"
The woman had blushed furiously but, taking pride in being the only one among them with a wife, had boasted,
"She clung to me every day before her heat started. I had to persuade her to use an inhibitor because I might not be able to return during her heat period. Otherwise, I might never have made it back."
Pei Yujang had never been interested in other people's romantic affairs and had merely smiled faintly, joining in on the teasing. But she never imagined that an Omega in heat could be so clingy—far more than she had ever imagined.
Most importantly, during these special periods, both Omegas and Alphas lost a degree of their rationality. Omegas might not be as aggressive as Alphas, but their minds would still become muddled, and they might not remember what they did or said afterward.
Pei Yujang didn't believe that Yu Zhiwan had any romantic feelings for her, but she instinctively felt that if she were a more unscrupulous person, she could record everything Yu Zhiwan was saying and doing now. It would be enough to utterly mortify the Omega once she came back to her senses.
But Pei Yujang had a strong moral compass and would never do such a thing.
Even though she received no response, Yu Zhiwan didn't get upset. Instead, she reached out her hand, and Pei Yujang instinctively caught it. But instead of intertwining their fingers again, Yu Zhiwan's hand moved up Pei Yujang's arm.
Pei Yujang, anticipating something inappropriate, quickly covered her chest with one hand while bending down to follow Yu Zhiwan's lead. She thought Yu Zhiwan was about to do something more daring, but the Omega simply touched her face and pinched her cheek hard.
Pei Yujang's face was smooth and soft, and Yu Zhiwan seemed to enjoy squeezing it, kneading it like dough.
"Xiao Yu, are you… incapable?" Yu Zhiwan teased.
Pei Yujang winced, "Ow—" It hurt!
Hearing her protest, Yu Zhiwan gently reassured her,
"It's okay, even if you're not capable, I still like you. I don't like Alphas like Liu Huanran."
Pei Yujang could only nod vigorously in agreement.
Her cheeks were still being pinched, forcing her lips into an "O" shape, making it difficult to speak. She could only manage some muffled grunts. However, the culprit, Yu Zhiwan, seemed quite pleased with herself, even pointing to her own cherry-red lips.
Pei Yujang realized that unless she complied, the night would not end easily. She deeply regretted not having the resolve to refuse Yu Zhiwan earlier.
But it was too late to refuse now. Yu Zhiwan was already in bed with her, and backing out at this point would be a bad move, potentially causing the Omega to hold a grudge. Having come this far, Pei Yujang decided she might as well see it through.
Closing her eyes, Pei Yujang leaned in and lightly brushed Yu Zhiwan's cheek with her lips, a touch so fleeting it couldn't even be called a kiss.
After that brief contact, Pei Yujang's lips felt as though they were on fire.
The next day, Pei Yujang slept in until the sun was high in the sky—an absolute rarity for someone used to rising at dawn for morning exercises.
The reason was simple: Yu Zhiwan had been relentless the previous night. Though they hadn't done anything improper, the Omega, who had shed her usual grace and composure, had been a handful, leaving Pei Yujang physically and mentally exhausted.
Moreover, the Omega's pheromones were incredibly fragrant, growing even more potent during her heat period, filling the room with their sweet aroma. Pei Yujang enjoyed the rose scent in Yu Zhiwan's pheromones, and after finally coaxing the Omega to sleep, she herself drifted off, enveloped in the scent of roses.
Before bed, she had managed to get Yu Zhiwan to take a dose of oral inhibitors. Though slower-acting than injections, oral inhibitors were effective in relieving discomfort and were well-suited for Yu Zhiwan's current state.
When Pei Yujang opened her eyes, she heard the sound of rain pouring outside.
It was still raining heavily, just as it had been the night before.
Pei Yujang had put her phone on silent mode the previous night. Now, checking it, she found a flood of messages waiting for her, and she quickly forgot the awkwardness of the night before.
She kept her eyes on her phone, replying to several messages.
The Flood Control Office, seeing the unrelenting rain, finally began taking the situation seriously, issuing mandatory stay-at-home orders and promising to send out patrols. They stated that apart from essential businesses, everything else should be closed.
Although stopping pedestrians from going outside was secondary—no one in their right mind would venture out in such weather—Pei Yujang worried that the authorities might still miss the mark. As just a regular person now, she had no authority to go to the frontlines and direct operations.
She could volunteer, but that would depend on whether the government was recruiting volunteers. Last time, she had had to stir up a commotion just to get the officials to listen to her. Now, those people probably dreaded seeing her again.
Unless absolutely necessary, she shouldn't go back. If they found an excuse to accuse her of causing trouble and detained her, it would be disastrous.
Yu Zhiwan was still peacefully asleep beside her. The oral inhibitor might have taken a while to kick in, but it seemed to be working, keeping Yu Zhiwan lost in dreams.
Moving quietly, Pei Yujang got out of bed to wash up. Afterward, she sprayed some air freshener around the room before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
She wasn't the best at cooking, but with some help from her phone, she managed to make toast with fried eggs and oatmeal porridge.
It was a nutritious breakfast, perfect for an Omega who had just gone through her heat.
When Pei Yujang returned, she found that Yu Zhiwan was already awake.
The memory of the previous night left her feeling awkward, but Yu Zhiwan seemed to remember nothing. Upon hearing Pei Yujang's approach, she even greeted her.
Pei Yujang was more than happy if Yu Zhiwan didn't remember anything. After all, there were parts of the night she herself couldn't quite recall, though she was certain nothing inappropriate had happened. She was a lady of principle and wouldn't take advantage of a mentally impaired Omega.
"I made breakfast. Would you like to join me?"
Yu Zhiwan replied with a simple "Sure."
Despite her disability, Yu Zhiwan didn't need much assistance. Pei Yujang only needed to push her wheelchair. Being blind, Yu Zhiwan had honed her skills in navigating by sound and touch. Her wheelchair was smart, and after mapping out the layout of the house, it guided her to the bathroom for her morning routine.
While Yu Zhiwan was washing up, Pei Yujang watched the local news in Yicheng.
The news reports were mainly focused on reassuring the public, avoiding any mention of a flood warning or the potential severity of the situation. Every news outlet was reporting the same, more or less.
Local news had to be approved by the local government, so the decision to downplay the danger was clearly at the behest of Yicheng's leaders.
Even though the risk of disaster was growing, many officials were more concerned with protecting their careers, willing to withhold information from the public to minimize perceived failures. As long as they didn't report the situation to the higher-ups in the federation, they could contain the damage and protect their performance records.
Pei Yujang knew she couldn't wait any longer and called Pei Jinhuai to get the publicity department involved.
Pei Jinhuai didn't hold a grudge for the way Pei Yujang had snapped at her days earlier; in fact, she sounded particularly pleased.
"Xiao Yu, do you need anything else? Is there anything I can help with?"
In Pei Jinhuai's eyes, Xiao Yu was a cherished daughter, even if she wasn't the most diligent. And now, seeing her taking action for the greater good only elevated her status in Pei Jinhuai's heart.
Pei Yujang could hear Pei Jinhuai whispering excitedly to Fan Zhaozhao on the other end, praising her to the skies.
Fan Zhaozhao responded, "Yes, yes, exactly."
The phone seemed to change hands, and while Pei Jinhuai made another call to the head of the publicity department, the voice on the line shifted to Jiang Wenxiu, who was casually playing a game, the sound of the game's background music coming through:
"Sis, it's raining so hard outside. Are you not coming home?"
The drainage system here was good, but it couldn't compare to the quality of the large villa Pei Jinhuai had bought. You get what you pay for. Plus, the security there was top-notch. Looking out at the rain, Pei Yujang was seriously considering going back home.
She could manage on her own, but there was also Yu Zhiwan to think about.
The only problem was how to explain it to her family.
Pei Yujang didn't respond right away. After Pei Jinhuai connected her with the publicity department, she hung up. Pei Yujang then brought out her laptop, typing furiously while eating a small piece of bread.
Yu Zhiwan stirred her oatmeal with a spoon, the sound of the spoon clinking against the bowl clear in the quiet room.
"Are you planning to go back home?" Yu Zhiwan asked.
Pei Yujang, busy rallying the team in their group chat, was trying to get everyone to act swiftly on her plans. The donation had already been made the day before; today was about publicizing it. If necessary, they could even buy a trending spot online. She couldn't believe a small city like Yicheng could keep this under wraps.
Hearing Yu Zhiwan's question, Pei Yujang swallowed her bread and answered honestly:
"I'm considering it. The conditions at home are better, but bringing you back with me might be hard to explain."
"Remember when I saved you at that factory? Someone anonymously tipped me off, and I went out of curiosity. But my mom thought I'd kidnapped you to hide you away."
Pei Yujang, feeling that her relationship with Yu Zhiwan had improved, decided to bring this up as a joke, to reassure Yu Zhiwan of her innocence.
It was, in fact, Liu Huanran who had sent her the message. The system could confirm that. If she hadn't been a person of integrity, Yu Zhiwan might have suffered. It was baffling how Liu Huanran's mind worked, always full of strange ideas.
After finishing her sentence, Pei Yujang resumed typing energetically in the group chat, only to hear the sound of a spoon clattering against the bowl.
"Why would it be hard to explain?" Yu Zhiwan asked, puzzled. "Didn't you call me your wife last night?"