When their lips parted, Shi Yue was gasping for air.
She was annoyed with herself for being so weak-kneed, almost unable to stand just from a deep kiss. However, when she looked up, she saw that Leng Yanmi's face was tinged with a rosy blush, spreading all the way to her ears and down her neck.
Feeling playful, Shi Yue took the opportunity to sneak in a quick lick at the corner of Leng Yanmi's lips.
As she pulled away, Leng Yanmi's hand, which was tangled in Shi Yue's hair, tightened, tugging at her thick locks.
Outside, there was chaos as the staff dealt with the pregnant Omega's pheromone incident, but in the clean, quiet stall, the two of them exchanged breaths and warmth.
Once again, Shi Yue caught a faint whiff of tea and instinctively leaned closer to sniff around Leng Yanmi's neck.
Leng Yanmi cupped her cheek, her thumb grazing Shi Yue's vivid red lips as delicately as if plucking a flower.
"What's so funny?" Leng Yanmi asked, her voice low and husky.
"I want some tea," Shi Yue replied, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "The finest quality leaves."
"Mm." Leng Yanmi nodded. "I'll take you."
Shi Yue raised her head, trying to read her expression. "Is Auntie asking me out on a date?"
Leng Yanmi hesitated for two seconds. "Will you go?"
"I'll have to check my schedule." Though she didn't give an immediate answer, Shi Yue's arms were already wrapped around Leng Yanmi's waist. Clinging to her like the little tease she was, she said, "Auntie, I'm quite busy, you know."
Their eyes locked in the air, and Leng Yanmi simply said, "No rush."
Shi Yue's eyes gleamed with amusement.
After a while, the outside commotion subsided, and the restaurant announced over the loudspeakers that it was safe. They apologized to the guests for the inconvenience.
Shi Yue couldn't linger in the Alpha restroom for long, so she quickly returned to their original table when the staff cleared the area. Leng Yanmi followed a few steps behind, reaching out to straighten Shi Yue's hair and collar.
The restaurant manager approached with a waiter, thanking Shi Yue sincerely. Her quick reaction had helped prevent a major pheromone incident.
Shi Yue politely declined the gift card the manager offered. "No need. It's what anyone should do."
"The lady was taken to the hospital by her partner. Before leaving, she asked me to thank you properly. They're a newlywed couple and didn't realize she was pregnant." Perhaps noticing Leng Yanmi's presence, the manager then asked, "Are you in the pre-pregnancy phase as well? Your Alpha partner here looks very responsible."
Leng Yanmi, who had been calm until now, suddenly stiffened.
Shi Yue, resting her chin on her hand, smiled with narrowed eyes.
She replied, "She's much more than just responsible."
With her class time approaching, they didn't linger and soon left the restaurant.
Leng Yanmi drove Shi Yue back to the teaching building. Just as she was about to say something, she got an urgent call. Shi Yue couldn't hear the conversation clearly, but from Leng Yanmi's responses, it seemed like an emergency business meeting.
Shi Yue glanced at the time. If she didn't go to the classroom now, she would definitely be late.
But since Leng Yanmi hadn't unlocked the car after parking, the passenger door wouldn't open.
Seeing that Leng Yanmi was still on the phone, Shi Yue had no choice but to take matters into her own hands—
She leaned over and nestled into Leng Yanmi's embrace.
"You go ahead and arrange the client tour..." Leng Yanmi's voice abruptly cut off.
On the other end, her subordinate called out, "Hello? Boss? Boss?" realizing she had gone silent.
With innocent eyes, Shi Yue looked up at Leng Yanmi, and under her intense gaze, she pressed the unlock button beside the steering wheel.
Click.
Leng Yanmi realized what she was up to, pursed her lips, and continued the call. "I'm here."
With her goal achieved, Shi Yue leaned back, ready to exit the car.
"You go ahead with the tour. I'll head back now. Remember to notify the sales department..." Leng Yanmi resumed her instructions, suddenly feeling something warm brush against her cheek.
She looked up just in time to see Shi Yue gracefully slip out of the car, waving at her through the window.
Leng Yanmi reached up to touch her cheek, watching as Shi Yue's figure grew smaller while heading towards the teaching building.
Exhaling slowly, Leng Yanmi finished the last two points of her instructions and then drove off, leaving the university campus under the night sky.
That night, as usual, she worked late into the evening.
Returning to her city apartment, she opened her phone to check for work updates but saw two other notifications. She hesitated, unexpectedly not prioritizing work this time, and instead opened her chat with Shi Yue.
Inside was a photo Shi Yue had taken of the moonlight outside the teaching building.
She had written: "What an unforgettable night~"
Leng Yanmi's fingers hovered over the screen for a long time, crafting a response.
"When shall we go for tea?"
At this hour, Shi Yue was already in bed.
She wasn't making excuses when she said she was busy; her coursework, the marriage situation, and the Shi family company matters took up most of her energy. Yawning, she lazily typed back: "When I'm free from classes, I guess."
She sent the message and immediately went to sleep.
On the other side, Leng Yanmi stared at that reply for a while.
The work group chat had already exploded with 99+ messages, and notifications from several senior executives were piling up. One of the managers, impatient, had even sent a call request.
Leng Yanmi answered, her first words were: "Do you realize it's rest time now?"
The other person was left speechless.
"Uh, sorry, Boss. I'll report to you tomorrow."
Hanging up, he looked at his phone with a complicated expression.
Those of them who had direct contact with Leng Yanmi earned millions yearly and were used to being on call 24/7. Naturally, Leng Yanmi herself was the prime example of a "workaholic."
He wondered if the sun had risen in the west today because he'd never expected to hear "rest" from his boss.
However, Leng Yanmi couldn't care less about what her subordinates thought.
She called Leng Mingchuan. "Get me the class schedule for your school's third-year fashion design program."
"Huh?" Leng Mingchuan took two seconds to react. "Oh, oh, a class schedule. Uh, Auntie, why do you need a class schedule?"
Leng Yanmi: "Two minutes."
Hearing the beep as the call disconnected, Leng Mingchuan almost jumped out of bed.
Calming down, he suddenly recalled something and hurriedly sent Leng Yanmi Shen Lingling's schedule—Shi Yue and Shen Lingling were in the same program and year.
After sending it, his thoughts spun out of control, and he began to panic.
"Auntie, why do you need Lingling's class schedule?"
"Are you planning to make a move on her? Offer her five million to leave me?!"
"Don't you dare test her with those cheap tactics. I've told you, Lingling is not like that!"
"..."
[This user is not your friend. Please add them to send messages.]
"What?!" Seeing the red exclamation mark, Leng Mingchuan wailed and collapsed back onto his bed.
He cautiously sent a friend request and spent three anxious days before Leng Yanmi added him back.