17

In the old neighborhood, people rarely came and went, especially in the basement, which was mostly used for parking at night. After a few more snide remarks, the stalker finally left.

Pei Yuzhang waited until she was sure the stalker was gone before emerging. She noticed that the lights were on in Yu Zhiwan's house, and the thin curtains allowed the shadows of people moving inside to be seen. It seemed that Liu Huanran had already returned.

Pei Yuzhang stood outside for a few minutes, contemplating what she had just witnessed. When she got home, a thought struck her, and she opened the group chat where the original host and a few trusted subordinates communicated.

She had been too busy to address the incident where Yu Zhiwan had been drugged at the party, but now it was time to deal with it. Pei Yuzhang got straight to the point and directly @mentioned one of them in the group chat:

"You didn't go against my orders and drug Yu Zhiwan, did you?"

The subordinate quickly replied, "Of course not! I would never disobey your orders, Miss!"

Pei Yuzhang snorted, "You better not be lying to me."

The subordinate, clearly frightened, hastily provided proof of loyalty, even sending over his expense records to prove he hadn't bought anything suspicious, terrified that she might start suspecting him.

Pei Yuzhang wasn't seriously suspicious of him. After all, drugging Yu Zhiwan wouldn't benefit this guy—it would only annoy her.

The original host had a few loyal subordinates whom she treated generously, rewarding them handsomely for their services. They were well-paid positions, and none of them wanted to lose their place.

Seeing that her point had been made, Pei Yuzhang, feigning impatience, threw out a final command:

"I need solid evidence."

If someone had drugged Yu Zhiwan, there would be time and place markers. Purchase records could be faked, but security footage couldn't. The original host liked to keep her subordinates guessing, and Pei Yuzhang, knowing this, didn't hesitate to mute the group chat after sending her message.

She hadn't expected the original host's subordinates to be so diligent. Not long after, another subordinate privately sent her a security video clip.

Impressed by their efficiency, Pei Yuzhang opened the video. As she watched the footage, her expression grew darker, and the faint smile on her lips disappeared entirely.

Despite being cautious and avoiding anything that could be ingested, Yu Zhiwan hadn't been wary enough of those around her. Pei Yuzhang watched the clear footage, seeing Liu Huanran nervously fumbling with a small vial in her pocket. When no one was watching, she quickly waved it near Yu Zhiwan's face.

Yu Zhiwan coughed, and Liu Huanran immediately put the vial away.

A while later, Yu Zhiwan, feeling unwell, left for the restroom, while Liu Huanran paced anxiously, clearly nervous, before rushing upstairs to find her.

It was evident that this was Liu Huanran's first time doing something like this—she was so nervous that her hands were shaking. Pei Yuzhang recognized the small vial as a type of pseudo-heat stimulant. It wasn't harmful, just a prank-like substance that mimicked the onset of a heat cycle in an Omega, but the effects wore off after about thirty minutes.

Whether Liu Huanran had intended to scare Yu Zhiwan, play hero to save her, or had other plans was unclear. But combined with what she had overheard earlier, Pei Yuzhang's heart raced with alarm.

If this continued, Yu Zhiwan would inevitably end up in real danger.

Even though Liu Huanran was supposed to be the main love interest in the original plot, with a redemption arc later on, her current behavior—bullying a blind girl—was crossing a line.

**

Pei Yuzhang was not one to procrastinate when action was needed.

Liu Huanran had crossed the line one too many times. Delaying any longer would only put Yu Zhiwan in more danger.

Once she had wrapped up her work for the week, Pei Yuzhang, ignoring the system's protests, used her "Xiaoyu" account to invite Yu Zhiwan out.

By now, the two of them regularly met for meals, and Yu Zhiwan, with her limited social circle, was happy to spend time with the lively and righteous "Xiaoyu."

However, today, Yu Zhiwan mentioned she had some errands to run and would need to leave after eating. Pei Yuzhang assured her that was no problem. Her true intention wasn't just to chat but to warn the seemingly naive blind girl.

As they finished their meal, Pei Yuzhang casually brought up a news story about an Alpha who had assaulted an Omega and been arrested, simplifying the details as she watched Yu Zhiwan's expression closely.

She let out a sigh, pretending to be nonchalant, though inwardly furious at Liu Huanran:

"Alphas can be really dangerous. You need to be careful living with one."

Yu Zhiwan's reaction was calm, but she did ask, "Aren't you an Alpha too?"

Pei Yuzhang had anticipated this question and had a ready response. She cheerfully revealed the misunderstanding from earlier, though she didn't mention that she had actually purchased Alpha pheromone extracts to maintain her disguise.

Yu Zhiwan, being easy to soothe, listened attentively and nodded in understanding, smiling as if amused by the mix-up.

"So that's what happened," she said before suddenly changing the subject. "Can I touch your face?"

Pei Yuzhang was caught off guard, letting out a surprised "Huh?"

A light blush tinted Yu Zhiwan's cheeks as she shyly smiled, her tone filled with anticipation:

"I just want to know what my good friend looks like. Can you satisfy my curiosity?"

So that's what it was. Pei Yuzhang touched her face, quickly considering her options.

She was confident in her looks, and during her time as General Pei, many admirers had been drawn to her face. But she didn't want Yu Zhiwan to recognize her appearance, just in case.

As Pei Yuzhang was about to respond, someone entered the restaurant, seemingly talking on the phone.

"Just a moment. I'll meet up with a friend first and call you back. Zhiwan—" Zhao Manlin called out to Yu Zhiwan. "I'm here!"

Seeing who it was, Pei Yuzhang froze.