Li Yue's cheeks flushed, her expression a mix of panic and bewilderment. They had done such things before without issue, so why did she feel such a strange flutter this time?
She couldn't fathom it. After dawdling through her bath, she emerged from the bathroom and cautiously sat on the edge of the bed.
Xing Yuan had already dried her hair. Seeing Li Yue sitting demurely by the bed, afraid to move, she frowned. Was she that terrifying?
"Come here!" she said softly.
Li Yue glanced at her and walked over.
Xing Yuan gently pushed Li Yue onto a chair and picked up the hairdryer to dry her hair.
They were so close that Li Yue could smell the chocolate-scented pheromones, instantly making her mouth dry.
She realized with startling clarity that her rut had arrived early due to the frenzy of the past two days.
Li Yue's face was a little pale. She cast a sideways glance at the expressionless Xing Yuan behind her, unsure if she could smell her pheromones. However, Xing Yuan's gentle touch made Li Yue drowsy.
Then, she truly fell asleep.
When she woke again, it was the next day.
The figure beside her had long since vanished. Li Yue's brows furrowed slightly, a sense of loss washing over her.
She gave a self-deprecating laugh, feeling uneasy about her own behavior. Wasn't it better that Xing Yuan wasn't here?
Her rut wasn't that unbearable; a few ordinary suppressants could see her through.
She took a suppressant from the drawer and injected it, then changed into a yellow long-sleeved shirt and pants. She looked at herself in the mirror.
The young woman before her was stunningly beautiful, though her complexion was a little pale. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, adding a touch of intellectual charm.
Li Yue tentatively stepped out of the villa, but no one stopped her.
It seemed her efforts yesterday had paid off; she had managed to appease herself.
Li Yue thought to herself, then quickly dismissed the thought and drove to the company.
Her assistant, upon receiving the news, cautiously approached Xing Yuan, who was engrossed in paperwork, and whispered, "Madam has left."
Xing Yuan's pen slipped, ruining a document. She tugged at her tie, a cold glint in her eyes, and ordered, "Follow her. I want to know her entire schedule for the day."
"And!" Xing Yuan threw the document at her assistant and instructed, "Print another copy."
"Yes!" The assistant pushed the door open and left.
Xing Yuan felt an uncontrollable surge of irritation. Li Yue was simply too disobedient. She disliked others coveting her omega.
Perhaps it was time to give her a legitimate status, to let everyone know that she belonged to her.
—
Upon arriving at the company, Li Yue's first task was to explain her sudden departure to her manager.
"My family doesn't support my singing, which is why they took me back in that manner last time. It was extreme, and it negatively impacted my new album. I apologize."
Her manager, Sheng Man, was also an omega and had discovered Li Yue's talent. Perhaps it was the empathy between omegas; she had always taken good care of Li Yue.
However, this time, she was furious.
"Miss Li, you assured me with absolute certainty that there would be no problems. Now that there are, are you going to blame it all on family members I don't even know exist?" Sheng Man said coldly.
She truly admired Li Yue, but it was because of her sincere attitude and her dreams, reminding Sheng Man of her own early days. But if this was Li Yue's attitude, then there was no need for her to show her special consideration anymore.
Li Yue knew that any further explanation would be seen as shirking responsibility by Sheng Man, so she fell silent.
After Sheng Man's reprimand, she concluded with one sentence, "This is the first and last time. I know you come from an influential background, but while this industry does require backing, what's more important is your innate talent.
Your beast form is a lark, which signifies you are a natural singer. But no matter how great your talent, if you don't work hard or slack off, your fans won't be satisfied.
You said you wanted to sing your own songs, and I agreed. I've never interfered with your albums all these years, and I hope you'll be worthy of my efforts.
I'm just an ordinary person in the empire; I don't have many chances to gamble."
Sheng Man's words were earnest, making Li Yue feel even more guilty.
She hadn't considered this point. In her eyes, Xing Yuan didn't pay much attention to these entertainment matters, and she had calculated the timing of her rut's onset, believing that even if she sang, she wouldn't be discovered.
But she hadn't anticipated that her rut would arrive a full three days early this time.
The White Wolf clan, to put it nicely, was possessive; to put it bluntly, they were domineering. Therefore, even when doing what she wanted, she dared not let Xing Yuan know.
"Alright, let's forget about what happened before. But being taken away in front of so many people has led many fans to suspect you have a sugar daddy. I know your character, but they don't!" Sheng Man said irritably.
The public relations efforts over the past few days had been a nightmare, and she couldn't even reach Li Yue. She had almost thought Li Yue wouldn't return.
Li Yue lowered her eyes guiltily. A sugar daddy? She did have one, and not a small one at that.
Her Alpha was powerful. Logically, she should be happy, but the pressure of being forced into a relationship with her hunter was something an ordinary bird couldn't bear.
"The brand representative also has some reservations, but he's willing to give you one chance to sing your new song for him in person."
Li Yue hesitated. She had heard about the unspoken rules in this industry, and this situation felt rather improper.
Sheng Man didn't hide anything and instead confirmed Li Yue's suspicion. "Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking. He seems quite taken with you and appears to be pursuing you.
But don't worry, you'll at most meet him once. Singing a song for him alone will be the end of it, and nothing excessive will happen."
"What do you think?"
A hint of struggle flickered across Li Yue's face. If her Highness found out, she would likely meet a terrible end. But she had finally reached this point; her albums were on the verge of release, and it would be a shame to give up now.
The White Wolf clan was involved in politics and couldn't offer support in this regard. After a moment of hesitation, Li Yue nodded gently.
It was just singing a song, at most ten minutes. Her Highness wouldn't find out, would she?
Li Yue clung to this sliver of hope, but upon returning home and seeing her Highness, that hope began to waver precariously.
Xing Yuan possessed a pair of clear silver eyes. In front of her, Li Yue always felt as though all her secrets were laid bare.