Leng Yanmi picked a sophisticated nearby western restaurant, and the two settled at a window seat.
Shi Yue wasn't particularly hungry. Not being a fan of western cuisine, she ordered a decent-looking shrimp salad and absentmindedly picked at the shrimp.
Leng Yanmi twirled some pasta around her fork and casually asked, "You don't like it?"
Shi Yue glanced at the golden noodles drenched in meat sauce in her hand and remarked, "Somehow, it looks like what you're having tastes better."
Leng Yanmi paused.
Seeing the opportunity, Shi Yue playfully continued, "Can I try it?"
With a calm expression, Leng Yanmi raised the forkful of spaghetti and offered it to her.
Shi Yue was a bit surprised.
She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but the more she interacted with Leng Yanmi, the more she felt the other woman was easier to handle than she initially thought. When she snapped back to reality, Leng Yanmi's hand had been suspended in midair for a while, patiently waiting for Shi Yue to take the bite.
Shi Yue leaned forward, about to take the bite directly from the fork.
Leng Yanmi didn't flinch, her gaze steady as she watched.
Now it was Shi Yue's turn to feel slightly embarrassed.
She sat back, gently taking the pasta off the fork and transferring it onto her own plate. Afterward, she returned the fork with a playful, "Thank you~"
Leng Yanmi took the fork back and quietly ate half of a small, red tomato.
It was just a simple meal, and although there was a bit of playful interaction, it didn't delay them much.
After about half an hour, they had finished eating.
Leng Yanmi said she needed to use the restroom and left the table, leaving Shi Yue to wait.
Bored, Shi Yue stared out the window at the evening scene.
Suddenly, a young woman at a table in front of her covered her mouth and stood up, seemingly rushing to the bathroom. As she passed Shi Yue, she stumbled, almost falling into her. She managed to grab the edge of the table just in time to avoid disaster.
"Ugh—" Steadying herself, the woman began dry heaving.
Shi Yue quickly went to support her. "Are you alright? Do you need help?"
"I'm fine…" The woman muttered an apology, stood up with Shi Yue's help, and quickly pushed her away, rushing toward the restroom.
During their brief contact, Shi Yue had smelled a strong osmanthus scent on the woman. The memories of the original female lead told her that this was the scent of an Omega's pheromones.
Normally, an Omega wouldn't emit such an intense scent unless they were either—
In a sensitive heat period or pregnant.
Judging by her condition, the latter seemed more likely.
Seeing the woman disappear into the restroom, Shi Yue immediately informed a waiter of the situation.
An Omega emitting pheromones during pregnancy was a severe public safety issue, potentially triggering Alphas nearby to enter a sensitive period, causing all kinds of trouble.
The waiter understood the gravity of the situation and quickly took staff to check the Omega restroom.
Though the situation was still unclear, Shi Yue felt her guess was correct.
Recalling that the Alpha restroom was next door and Leng Yanmi could be separated from that pregnant woman by just a thin wall, Shi Yue couldn't sit still.
Without hesitation, she went straight to the Alpha restroom and barged in.
Luckily, the only person in the restroom was Leng Yanmi.
Leng Yanmi was at the sink washing her hands. Seeing Shi Yue come in, she froze and instinctively glanced at the sign on the wall, about to remind her of her mistake when Shi Yue grabbed her arm and pulled her into a stall.
The restroom in this upscale restaurant was meticulously clean. Two cleaning robots tirelessly polished the gleaming tiles, and the air was filled with a pleasant freshener scent with no trace of anything unpleasant.
This eased Shi Yue's worries.
"What are you doing?" Leng Yanmi asked, a mix of confusion and anger in her voice.
Now with time to explain, Shi Yue quickly recounted the incident and warned, "The space outside might already be filled with her pheromones. You should stay here and not go out."
She shook her phone for emphasis. "I'll let you know as soon as it's safe."
Even Leng Yanmi felt awkward encountering such an incident, so she turned her head and nodded.
Seeing she understood the gravity of the situation, Shi Yue turned to leave. However, things were more serious than she had anticipated. Restaurant staff had cordoned off the restroom area, and isolation measures and scent neutralizers were placed at the entrance.
From the conversation between two servers at the periphery, it seemed the woman was unaware of her pregnancy and hadn't taken the necessary nutritional supplements for pregnant Omegas. This negligence caused a severe pheromone leak. If it hadn't been caught in time, the pheromones could have affected all nearby Alphas and Omegas.
Shi Yue couldn't leave and had to retreat into the Alpha restroom again to relay the new information.
"It might take another half an hour to resolve." She glanced at the time, relieved. "Thankfully, I'll still make it to my class."
Leng Yanmi didn't seem as relaxed.
Suddenly, she asked, "Did that woman's pheromones smell like osmanthus?"
Shi Yue looked up. "How did you know…?" She then realized, "You can smell it?"
Leng Yanmi's face was a bit pale, her neck stiff as she nodded. "It's faint, but I can smell it."
"You Alphas are much more sensitive to Omega pheromones than others..." Shi Yue frowned. "I couldn't smell a thing."
She thought for a moment. "Do you have an inhibitor with you?"
"In the car." Leng Yanmi's answer was a dead end.
Shi Yue sighed and pulled her into a stall, closing the door to isolate the outside air.
The restaurant's restroom stalls were spacious, easily accommodating the two of them. Still, as soon as Shi Yue closed the door, she squeezed closer to Leng Yanmi, pushing her into a corner.
They were close, and Leng Yanmi's breathing became noticeably shallow.
"I remember..." Shi Yue looked up at her. "Pheromones from a pregnant Omega affect Alphas more significantly. In contrast, an ordinary Omega like me who isn't in a sensitive period has a much more limited effect."
"Yes." Leng Yanmi nodded, barely hearing her own voice.
Satisfied with the answer, Shi Yue dropped her guard and trapped Leng Yanmi between herself and the wall.
It was hard to believe that Leng Yanmi, taller by a head, stayed obediently in the narrow space, docile like a tamed beast.
Shi Yue watched her eyes flicker slightly, her mood brightening.
"Auntie…" She leaned closer. "Bear with me and use my pheromones to block out the osmanthus scent, okay?"
Leng Yanmi had no choice but to comply.
In fact, the moment they entered the stall together, the osmanthus scent lingering at her nose had nearly vanished, replaced by the faint citrus fragrance from Shi Yue's nape.
As she lowered her head, she could see the glands on Shi Yue's neck through her collar, the skin as delicate as white porcelain.
Leng Yanmi couldn't resist inhaling deeply, feeling light-headed from the sweetness.
When she realized what was happening, her head was already resting on Shi Yue's shoulder. Shi Yue gently patted her back, her voice hoarse, "Alright, hold on a little longer, it'll pass soon."
Leng Yanmi opened her mouth, wanting to tell her she wasn't uncomfortable but instead felt an airy lightness, like floating in the clouds.
This unfamiliar yet incredibly relaxed feeling made her feel a bit giddy, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around Shi Yue's waist, pulling her closer.
The new position brought them so close that Shi Yue's lips nearly brushed against the side of her neck.
In that moment, Shi Yue thought she caught a whiff of a clear tea scent emanating from Leng Yanmi. But the scent dissipated quickly, as if it were a mere illusion.
She couldn't help but sniff again, while calling out, "Auntie."
"Yes?"
"Did you put on perfume?" she asked.
"..." Leng Yanmi replied with effort, "No."
After a pause, she explained, "I don't like having a scent on me."
Now that was odd.
There was no tea in the western restaurant, so there was no way Leng Yanmi could have picked up the scent here. Where was it coming from?
Shi Yue was about to tell her what she noticed but as she looked up at Leng Yanmi, she felt something soft brush against her lips.
Their breaths mingled, warm against each other's cheeks, an intimacy that blurred boundaries.
The moment she registered what had just touched her lips, Leng Yanmi's lips pressed down again.
Shi Yue was stunned for a second, with only one thought in her head—
After all the teasing, Leng Yanmi took the lead in this unexpected turn of events?!
Shi Yue wouldn't accept this so easily.
With a competitive spirit, she gently parted her lips, sensuously returning the kiss. Leng Yanmi was far more passionate on the inside than she appeared. Just as Shi Yue licked the tender flesh inside her mouth, the heat made her retreat almost immediately.
"Mmph."