Writing angst is so fricking hard. Also, MY FINGERS HURT, DAMN.

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The grand dining room of the Mo family mansion was bathed in the soft glow of a crystal chandelier, its light casting elegant patterns across the long mahogany table and the heavy silk drapes that framed tall windows.

The air carried the rich aromas of a meticulously prepared dinner—savory braised meats, steamed vegetables glistening with delicate sauces, and fragrant rice—yet the warmth of the meal did little to ease the underlying tension that always seemed to thicken the atmosphere during family dinners.

Porcelain plates clinked softly against silverware, and the large room echoed with voices that carried both pride and subtle pressure.

It was the same familiar scene for Mo Xingxue. She sat quietly beside her mother, listening as her parents gushed over Mo Fangyue’s latest achievements while the familiar weight of "omega duties" pressed down on her shoulders. The conversation flowed around her like a current she had long learned to navigate in silence.

"Oh, right," Mo Fangyue said suddenly, as if remembering something important. She quickly pulled out her phone, her face lighting up with pride as she showed her parents her latest test scores—all perfect A’s. "Look!"

Her parents leaned in, their eyes gleaming with unmistakable joy. Father Mo laughed heartily, his voice booming through the dining room. "Haha, as expected of you, my star!" He reached over and personally placed more tender meat onto Mo Fangyue’s plate.

To his left, Mother Mo’s eyes dripped with pride as she listened to her younger daughter recount the details of her academic success. "My good child!" she exclaimed, her laughter full of genuine delight.

Mo Fangyue grinned, soaking in the praise like sunlight after rain.

Meanwhile, Mo Xingxue remained silent beside her mother. She ate peacefully and quietly, her movements precise and controlled, the only sign of her inner state the slight tension in her fingers around her fork. The food tasted bland on her tongue tonight, as it often did during these dinners.

"Good, good," Father Mo nodded in approval, his chest puffed with satisfaction. Mother Mo looked at the two with quiet tenderness, love and adoration clear in her gaze.

"Old Mo," she said coquettishly, turning to her husband. "Now that Xiaoyue is getting older, shouldn’t you work hard to get more investments for our company so she doesn’t have to work too hard?"

Her eyes drifted briefly to Mo Xingxue, as if only now remembering she had another daughter.

"Oh, right," Father Mo said, his gaze shifting to Mo Xingxue as well. The burning weight of their attention made her shoulders stiffen, but she continued eating without reaction.

"Mo Xingxue," her mother called out.

Mo Xingxue already knew where this was heading. She pursed her lips, closed her eyes for a brief moment to steady herself, then opened them again and looked at her parents politely. "Yes?"

"You’re already turning eighteen," Mother Mo said, elegantly wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "Isn’t it time for you to get engaged?"

Mo Xingxue pursed her lips again, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "....I still don’t want to get engaged, Mother," she admitted, her gaze drifting back to her plate.

"Nonsense!" Her father screamed, banging both hands on the table with a loud thud that made the dishes rattle. Mo Xingxue flinched, looking at him in fear and confusion.

"We have fed you for years and taken good care of you," he yelled, pointing an angry finger at her, his face turning red with rage. "It’s time for you to do something good for your family!"

Mo Xingxue clenched her hands under the table and couldn’t help but interject. "I am planning to do something for this family," she said firmly. Her father’s eyes widened. Before he could respond, she continued, "And I plan to do that by working in the company and helping Mo Fangyue."

"Ha! An omega working?" Mother Mo said, looking at her daughter with open disdain. "You’re an omega. The only work you’ll be doing is birthing children and supporting your family," she said condescendingly.

Father Mo nodded in agreement. "That’s right. So don’t get overconfident by saying all those things, because birthing and managing the household is where you belong." He took a sip of water to calm himself.

Mo Fangyue, who had stayed silent throughout, clenched her own hands tightly but didn’t dare speak up. She simply looked down at her plate.

Mo Xingxue looked at her parents, her eyes stinging with unshed tears, yet she refused to let them fall. She clenched her jaw and ignored them, not wanting to spoil what little appetite she had left or skip dinner entirely again.

Seeing Mo Xingxue’s silence, Father Mo felt his anger flare once more. Just as he opened his mouth to reprimand her further, Mother Mo stopped him with a subtle shake of her head. She turned to Mo Xingxue, her expression hardening. "You are going to get engaged as soon as possible, Mo Xingxue."

Then her gaze softened as it shifted to Mo Fangyue across the table before hardening again. "Your marriage alliance with another family would help our family grow. That’s the help you can give to your sister and us. Stop rebelling."

Mo Xingxue stayed silent, her hands shaking from how tightly she gripped her fork. Seeing her return to her docile attitude, Father Mo finally calmed down.

"Oh," he said suddenly, a cunning smile spreading across his face as he remembered something. "Aren’t you best friends with the heir of the Su family?" Mo Xingxue snapped her head up, disbelief written across her features.

Father Mo laughed, pleased with his own "genius" plan. "You two have invested many emotions for each other, no?" In response, Mo Xingxue’s expression grew colder and colder. As if oblivious to the mood, Mother Mo interjected excitedly, "Oh, and isn’t she an S-class alpha? How wonderful! If she got together with Mo Xingxue, she would give birth to many alpha babies." Mother Mo said, already imagining the bright future ahead.

The two parents laughed heartily, their voices echoing in the grand dining room as they painted visions of expanded influence and strong heirs.

Just then, Mo Xingxue banged her hands on the table and stood up abruptly. Under the bewildered and furious eyes of her parents, she shot them a sharp glare. "Don’t bring Yanyan into this," she said firmly before turning and walking away.

Despite the screams and screeches of her parents demanding she come back, she didn’t stop. She kept walking, straight toward her room.

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Mo Xingxue shut the door of her room with a loud click, her face carefully blank. She glanced briefly at her study desk, where test scores marked with perfect A+ grades sat neatly arranged, then turned her gaze away. She lay down on her bed, eyes unfocused as she stared at the ceiling.

She could endure her parents’ mockery. Their blatant bias between her and Mo Fangyue. Their prejudice and stereotyping simply because she was an omega. She could endure it all without batting an eye. But what she couldn’t endure was them dragging Su Wanyan into their schemes.

Her best friend knew nothing about her family’s messy ambitions, and Mo Xingxue wanted it to stay that way. She wanted Su Wanyan far away from this toxicity.

Mo Xingxue stared at the ceiling and closed her eyes, her hands trembling slightly. She exhaled a long, steadying breath and opened them again. Sitting up, she reached for her phone on the bedside table and opened WeeChat, clicking into her conversation with Su Wanyan.

Their last messages from just an hour ago showed Su Wanyan complaining lightheartedly about her duties as class monitor. Mo Xingxue smiled tenderly, the ice in her expression finally melting.

As if connected by some invisible thread, Su Wanyan messaged her at that exact moment.

|Hey, have you got dinner yet?|

Mo Xingxue remembered the painful scene at the dining table and the food she had barely touched. She lied gently.

|Yeah, I ate all of my food.|

She sent along a cute "I’m full" meme. The two chatted for a while, the simple exchange bringing a rare warmth to Mo Xingxue’s chest.

|Oh, wait. Mom is calling me.|

Su Wanyan typed. Mo Xingxue replied that she understood. Su Wanyan sent a heart gif before going offline. Mo Xingxue stared at the screen for a long minute, then turned off her phone. She placed it down and, remembering her parents’ schemes, stood up with renewed determination.

She walked straight to her door, left her room, and headed toward her father’s office.

I won’t let Yanyan be a part of your schemes.

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The door to Father Mo’s private office was slightly ajar, allowing a sliver of warm lamplight to spill into the dimly lit hallway. Inside, Father Mo leaned back in his luxurious leather chair, laughing heartily with unmistakable satisfaction.

His eyes gleamed with calculated joy as he spoke into the speakerphone resting on his polished mahogany desk. The room smelled of aged wood, expensive cologne, and the faint bitterness of strong tea cooling in a porcelain cup.

"Haha, Su Wanyan is indeed amazing," he praised smoothly.

"Oh, no. She isn’t that amazing," a female voice replied from the other end—Mother Su’s tone carrying a mix of fondness and modesty. "It’s because your daughter Mo Xingxue kept telling her to study that she got those grades."

"You’re right, Mom!" Su Wanyan’s clear, bright voice chimed in next, full of genuine praise. "I wouldn’t be where I am now if it isn’t for Mo Xingxue."

"Shut up," Mother Su scolded her daughter lightly, though affection undercut the words.

Father Mo’s smile deepened into something sharper, more calculating. He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. "Doctor Su, you’re a smart person," he began, leaning back further as if the world bent to his will. "You know why I am calling, right?"

There was a noticeable pause on the other line. The silence stretched long enough that Father Mo glanced at the phone to confirm the call was still connected. Finally, Mother Su replied, her voice cautious. "I believe that forcing this engagement upon them would be a mistake."

Father Mo smiled, unfazed. "We’re not forcing this upon them. My Mo Xingxue already agreed to the engagement." The lie slipped from his lips effortlessly, smooth as silk.

"Xuexue did?" Su Wanyan’s voice rang out, confused but undeniably excited. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Uh-huh, she agreed immediately," Father Mo confirmed without a single tremor.

Mother Su still sounded hesitant, but Su Wanyan’s enthusiasm won out. "Mom, I agree with the engagement!" Su Wanyan said brightly.

Mother Su sighed deeply, the sound heavy with reluctant acceptance. "Got it, got it," she said in defeat. "We agree, CEO Mo."

"Woah, really? I’m getting engaged to Xuexue? Neat!" Su Wanyan’s clear excitement filled the line.

Father Mo smiled widely, already envisioning the strengthened alliances and future benefits for the Mo family. "It’s a good thing our daughters’ feelings are mutual."

"Likewise," Mother Su replied.

What none of them realized was that outside the office door, someone had been listening intently the entire time.

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The next day dawned bright and full of promise. Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue had planned to spend the afternoon at the amusement park—Mo Xingxue’s very first time. Su Wanyan had been incredibly pumped for weeks, researching every ride, show, and food stall that her best friend might enjoy.

She had pulled multiple all-nighters, dark circles faintly visible under her eyes, even neglecting her own test preparations. For Su Wanyan, nothing mattered more than making this day perfect for Mo Xingxue.

When Mo Xingxue stepped out of her family car, Su Wanyan was already waiting at the entrance, waving enthusiastically. "Xuexue!" she called, her eyes full of tenderness and excitement.

Mo Xingxue glanced at her but didn’t respond, her expression cool as she continued walking forward. Su Wanyan blinked in confusion but didn’t press. She simply waved goodbye to Mo Xingxue’s driver and hurried after her with a light laugh. "Wait for me!"

She’s so excited that she didn’t even greet me properly, Su Wanyan thought fondly, her gaze lingering on Mo Xingxue’s back.

The amusement park was alive with color and sound under the warm afternoon sun. Bright banners fluttered in the breeze, cheerful music played from hidden speakers, and the distant screams of delight from roller coasters mixed with the sweet scent of cotton candy and popcorn.

Su Wanyan’s steps were light and cheerful as she narrated the background of every ride and store they passed, sharing fun facts and safety tips she had memorized. Mo Xingxue remained mostly silent, her face growing colder with each passing minute despite Su Wanyan’s careful choices

—all tailored to things she knew her friend liked.

After a full schedule of rides and activities, the two finally sat down to rest at a shaded table. They enjoyed warm crepes and fresh sandwiches, the golden afternoon light filtering through the leaves overhead and casting dappled patterns on the table.

Just as Su Wanyan was about to take a bite of her sandwich, Mo Xingxue spoke. "Why did you agree to the engagement?" she asked, voice tight.

Su Wanyan put down her sandwich and smiled. "Oh, that?" she said, talking as if it were a meaningless thing. "I agreed to it because Uncle said you already agreed."

Mo Xingxue’s hands clenched tightly under the table. "I didn’t agree to any such thing."

Su Wanyan frowned, finally connecting the dots. "Uncle was lying?" she murmured quietly, feeling inexplicably guilty for agreeing so readily.

The two fell into heavy silence. Su Wanyan eventually broke it. "Xuexue, this arrangement is also fine," she said simply. At least in this way, you wouldn’t have to worry about getting engaged to someone you don’t know, Su Wanyan thought. Not daring to voice it out as Mo Xingxue was already in a foul mood.

Mo Xingxue’s eyes flashed. "Why? So you can make babies with someone you don’t feel repulsed by?" Her voice carried a sharp edge of mockery.

Su Wanyan frowned. "I didn’t say that, Xuexue. I was merely saying—"

"No, that’s what you’re saying!" Mo Xingxue cut her off, voice rising. "You’re all like them too, Yanyan! You think an omega’s duty is just giving birth and taking care of a household!" She was nearly shouting now, her body trembling with pent-up emotion.

Su Wanyan was shocked. "No, why would you think I’m like that? Do you think of me like that?" Su Wanyan tried to reason, keeping her voice calm.

Mo Xingxue banged her hands on the table and stood up, fury etched across her face. "No! Of course I don’t! The Su Wanyan I know would never think like that!" She paused, breathing heavily. "But are you even the Yanyan I know?! The Yanyan I know was clearly aware that I didn’t want to get engaged!"

Su Wanyan stayed seated, understanding Mo Xingxue’s outburst. She remained quiet, letting her rant.

The omega bowed her head, refusing to let the tears fall. Su Wanyan felt her heart ache at the sight and instinctively reached out to hold Mo Xingxue’s hand, wanting to offer the comfort she always had.

But Mo Xingxue avoided her touch, looking at Su Wanyan with disgust. "Don’t touch me," she said coldly. "You disgust me."

Su Wanyan’s outstretched hand fell weakly onto the table. She smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach her eyes. "Okay," she said, her voice faltering.

Mo Xingxue panted heavily, looking at Su Wanyan with watery eyes before turning away. "Don’t show your face to me ever again," she said, her words venomous even as they stung her own heart.

Su Wanyan looked at her empty hand for a long moment, then slowly withdrew it. "Okay.. if that’s what you want," she said, her voice losing its usual brightness. She stood up. "Let’s break off our engagement."

She glanced one last time at Mo Xingxue, who remained seated, then turned and walked away from the amusement park without looking back.

Mo Xingxue collapsed back into her chair. Tears streamed down her face as her shoulders shook. She covered her face with both hands, sobbing quietly.

Su Wanyan heard the sobs but kept walking forward with determination, her own eyes stinging with unshed tears.

After crying for several long minutes, Mo Xingxue stood up on shaky legs. Her once-neat appearance was gone—hair disheveled, face streaked with tears. She hurried toward the park gate, planning to catch a cab.

But when she reached the entrance, someone waved at her. "Young Lady Mo!"

Mo Xingxue paused, recognizing Su Wanyan’s personal driver. She unconsciously glanced toward the back of the car, but Su Wanyan wasn’t there.

The driver opened the door for her politely. "The young miss booked a cab for herself. She said your driver might not arrive yet since you two left quite early, and asked me to take you home as it might be dangerous otherwise."

Mo Xingxue nodded, exhaling a shaky breath, and got in. As she settled into the seat, she noticed a photo lying there. She picked it up—it was a picture of her from earlier at the amusement park, captured in a quiet moment. Mo Xingxue held it tightly, leaning back against the seat and closing her eyes. The car carried a faint trace of Su Wanyan’s gentle chamomile pheromones.

Fresh tears streamed down her face. "I’m sorry," she murmured into the quiet space.

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Mo Xingxue pushed open the heavy front door of the Mo family mansion, the familiar click of the latch echoing in the quiet foyer. She had steeled herself for the usual barrage of shouts and accusations, the sharp echoes of her parents’ disappointment ringing through the grand halls.

Instead, an unexpected calm greeted her. The lights in the living area were dimmed, casting long, soft shadows across the marble floors and ornate furnishings. The air carried the faint scent of aged wood polish and her father’s signature cigar smoke.

Father Mo appeared from the hallway, a rare, satisfied smile on his face. He stepped forward and patted her shoulder heavily, almost approvingly. "Good, good. You really are my good daughter," he said, his voice laced with uncharacteristic warmth.

Mo Xingxue looked up at him in confusion, her brows furrowing slightly. Father Mo chuckled, clearly enjoying her bewilderment. "That darling of yours broke the engagement," he revealed.

Mo Xingxue paused, her heart skipping a beat. Why is he still happy? The question must have shown on her face because Father Mo laughed heartily, the sound booming through the quiet space.

"Your little darling said the alliance between the Su and Mo families would still continue. In return, she would like you to pursue whatever you want." He laughed again, shaking his head at what he perceived as Su Wanyan’s naivety. "Of course, I agreed. After all, they signed an exclusive contract with our family."

Mo Xingxue froze, the words hitting her like ice water. Father Mo, oblivious to the storm brewing inside her, patted her back once more and walked away, humming contentedly.

She stood there for a long moment, the grand foyer suddenly feeling too large and too empty. Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone and opened WeeChat. Her fingers moved quickly.

|Yanyan? Explain.|

The message sent, but a bright red exclamation point appeared almost instantly at the corner. She had been blocked.

Mo Xingxue’s heart dropped. Her breathing grew ragged, shallow pants escaping her lips as her chest tightened in a way she hadn’t known was possible. The world tilted slightly. She placed a hand over her racing pulse, forcing herself to slow her breathing—the technique Su Wanyan had taught her during one of her anxious episodes. Inhale. Hold. Exhale.

Gradually, her breathing steadied. Her throat felt painfully parched, and her eyes—which she thought had run dry of tears—watered once more. I’ll apologize tomorrow, she thought desperately, already planning how to take back her harsh words.

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The next day, Mo Xingxue arrived at school much earlier than usual. The morning sun filtered through the classroom windows, casting warm rectangles of light across the wooden desks and floor. The air smelled faintly of chalk dust and the fresh scent of newly cleaned hallways.

She sat at her usual seat, her gaze repeatedly drifting to the empty chair beside her. I’ll apologize properly, she repeated silently, trying to calm her racing heart.

The door opened. Mo Xingxue’s head snapped up, hope flickering in her chest. But it wasn’t Su Wanyan—just a few early classmates chatting among themselves. It’s still early, she comforted herself.

Minutes ticked by. Students gradually trickled in, filling the room with the low hum of morning conversations. Su Wanyan’s seat remained empty. Whispers began to spread.

"Where’s the class monitor? Why hasn’t she arrived yet?"

Mo Xingxue’s worry deepened. She opened WeChat again, only to be met with that same cruel red exclamation point. Her hands tightened around her phone until her knuckles turned white.

"Let’s ask Mo Xingxue!" one classmate suggested.

"Good luck with that. Mo Xingxue doesn’t talk to anyone other than Su Wanyan," another replied.

Mo Xingxue felt their eyes on her, but she kept her expression cold and distant. The classmates eventually backed off, giving her a wider berth as the room filled.

The clock’s ticking grew louder in her ears. The bell rang, sharp and final. Still no Su Wanyan.

Their homeroom teacher entered, closing the door behind him. "Everybody settle down," he said, his voice carrying a note of reluctance.

The students obeyed, though curious murmurs continued. The teacher sighed, rubbing his temple. "We have to vote for a new class monitor."

The class erupted in uproar. "What? Why?" one of their classmates said. Another followed. "We already have Su Wanyan as our class monitor though?"

The teacher raised his hands for quiet. "I know you all have questions, but even I don’t know the full reason. Su Wanyan suddenly transferred schools."

The words hit Mo Xingxue like a physical blow. The noise around her faded into a distant hum. Su Wanyan had transferred? Su Wanyan had transferred.... Su Wanyan had transferred.... The thought looped endlessly in her mind, a twisted mantra that refused to stop.

Her ears rang. Tears threatened to spill, but she forced them back, biting the inside of her cheek until it hurt. No one noticed anything amiss—after all, Su Wanyan had been the only one who genuinely cared for her, the only one who always reached out a hand for Mo Xingxue to hold.

Now that hand was gone forever, and she was the one who had mercilessly pulled away from it.

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"Xuexue?" Su Wanyan’s soft voice rang out, pulling Mo Xingxue from her thoughts. Su Wanyan’s golden-rimmed glasses catching the light and reflecting tiny sparks from the chandelier above. She looked at her friend with genuine concern and affection, her usual gentle warmth shining through.

Mo Xingxue snapped out of her daze, her eyes focusing on the woman in front of her. Su Wanyan smiled brightly, the expression lighting up her face and easing some of the heaviness in the air. "You done with your order?" she asked gently, her voice carrying that familiar patience and care.

Mo Xingxue pursed her lips, the damning memories from her past threatening to resurface—the harsh words, the misunderstandings, the pain she had caused. She shook them off with effort and returned a small smile. "Yeah, I’m done with mine."

Su Wanyan nodded warmly and turned to the waiter standing discreetly nearby. "We’re ready to order," she said politely.

The waiter smiled and nodded, poised with his notepad. Mo Xingxue looked at Su Wanyan for a long moment, then slowly stretched her hand across the table. Her fingers brushed against Su Wanyan’s before gently intertwining with them. The touch was warm, grounding, and filled with quiet apology.

Su Wanyan looked down at their joined hands, then back up at Mo Xingxue. She tightened her hold gently, as if silently saying, I’m here.

The uneasiness in Mo Xingxue’s heart lessened, the knot in her chest loosening just a little under the steady reassurance of Su Wanyan’s touch. I’ll make it up to you, she thought, gazing at Su Wanyan with a mix of deep sadness and overwhelming tenderness.

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For the love of God, I can’t write angst. I tried my best, but I don’t think it’s sad enough. Anyway, at least I tried my best (though I think I’ll stick to fluff LOL).

Note: OH MY GOSH. THAT WAS THE MOST EMBARRASSING THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THIS APP! Thanks for pointing it out to me, twin. You have my thanks, I’ll kowtow to you millions of millions of times, just say the word.

Another note: Is someone also having problems with the edited Chapter? I can dm it to y’all guys, just drop you discord name there (I’m so sorry for causing this inconvenience QAQ)