Chapter 148

Behind Zhong Ning’s hemline, which she herself did not notice, a suspicious wet stain was slowly spreading and seeping through.

When she returned to the hall, the lively dance music was deafening. At the center of the cleared floor, many people were dancing, colorful lights flashing, making it feel almost like a bar.

Zhong Ning picked up a roasted chicken wing, sizzling with oil and fragrance, and took a bite. With that delicious taste in her stomach, her earlier unhappiness was instantly forgotten.

As time passed, the atmosphere grew even more heated. It was already past eleven o’clock, yet everyone was still laughing and playing, even more energetic than before.

Zhong Ning tugged at her collar. Maybe it was because there were too many people, but she felt stifled and warm. It could also be because she had drunk a whole bottle of alcohol, and the heat of the liquor was making her flush.

The spinning wheel on the table before her even looked like it had double shadows. Could it be that she was drunk?

The young lady of the Xu family sitting beside her glanced over and cried out in surprise: “Your face is way too red! Did you really get drunk off just one bottle, little President Zhong?”

Zhong Ning touched her face, using the back of her hand to test it. It was burning hot. “Don’t tease me. I’m not any president yet. I shouldn’t be drunk—my head’s still clear—it’s just that I feel a bit hot.”

She let out a breath, feeling as though she was already sweating from the heat.

“I’ll go get you a cold drink, wait a moment.”

Miss Xu stood up and soon returned with a glass of sparkling water filled with ice. “Here, have a sip, it’s plenty fizzy.”

She held the glass out, but Zhong Ning did not take it. Instead, she suddenly grabbed her wrist. The moment her fingers touched the sleeve, it was like she had grabbed a burning coal—she quickly flung it away.

Something was wrong.

She was not right.

That sudden motion even caused the drink to spill.

Miss Xu was startled. “What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell? Do you want to go lie down first?”

Her eyes showed concern, her tone full of care. A soft fragrance, fluffy and gentle like a cloud, followed her closeness and slipped into Zhong Ning’s nose.

Zhong Ning shot up to her feet. “I…I’ll go back to my room first!”

But the moment she stood, dizziness swept over her, and she nearly collapsed. Brushing away Miss Xu’s supporting hand, Zhong Ning held her forehead with one hand and staggered away.

What was going on?

After realizing her body temperature was rising, the small flame that had been burning inside her suddenly burst into a raging fire, as if to scorch her organs dry.

That familiar heat surged through her limbs and bones. Panting heavily, Zhong Ning supported herself against the wall. This cruise ship felt ridiculously large—no matter how she walked, she could not seem to reach her own room.

Her heat cycle was clearly not supposed to come at this time. Why did it suddenly arrive early?

The tide within her surged violently, like an old house suddenly catching fire, igniting all at once.

After just two more steps, Zhong Ning stumbled when climbing the stairs, almost falling to her knees. With her sweaty hands clutching the handrail, she leaned against it and drew in deep breaths, catching the scent of her own pheromones spreading.

No, she had to get back to her room quickly.

For an alpha to enter heat in public was an extremely dangerous matter. It could even trigger omegas to go into heat, creating utter chaos.

She was an S-class alpha. Although the suppression of her pheromone level was far lighter now than in her earlier years, its effects remained unchanged.

If she didn’t hurry back and get someone to deliver a tranquilizer, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Luckily, most people were still in the hall at the party. She was walking quickly and had already put some distance between herself and the crowd. As long as she held on a little longer…

Supporting herself against the wall as she moved, Zhong Ning fumbled for her phone and used the voice assistant to call Fu Nanshuang. She was also an alpha, so she wouldn’t be affected by pheromones.

The call rang once with no answer.

Zhong Ning’s vision was already double. She dialed again, silently praying to every deity she could remember.

It connected!

Fu Nanshuang’s voice came through faintly against the pounding music. Realizing the noise, she stepped outside while holding her phone. “What’s wrong, Little Ning? You even called me?”

Gasping harshly, Zhong Ning saw a bead of sweat tremble and fall into the carpet. She spoke in broken words: “I… I went into heat… do you have a tranquilizer?”

Fu Nanshuang was shocked. “What! Where are you now?”

Zhong Ning leaned against the wall, sweat streaming like a small river, soaking her clothes. “Second floor… stairs…” Even speaking a few words felt life-threatening. She bit her tongue hard, the sharp pain clearing her mind for a brief moment. “On the way back to my room.”

“Wait for me, I’m coming right now!”

Fu Nanshuang sprinted immediately. She had trained in sanda, and if nothing else, her stamina was excellent. She leapt up the stairs in just a few steps, running almost like a hundred-meter dash, and finally saw Zhong Ning slumped against the wall in the third-floor corridor.

She was rolling herself along the wall like a pancake, pressing against it to force her body to move forward.

“How did you go into heat? I remember this isn’t your day.” Without another word, Fu Nanshuang grabbed her arm and half-hoisted her onto her shoulder.

“I don’t know either.” Zhong Ning leaned on her with relief, pressing all her weight down on her.

“I didn’t bring a tranquilizer. And that stuff isn’t universal—it depends on compatibility. Even if I had some, I couldn’t give it to you.”

Fu Nanshuang comforted her. “The cruise ship isn’t too far from shore. Adding in the time from the city, having someone deliver it will take about four or five hours. You’ll have to endure. The rooms have ventilation equipment.”

“It’s fine… holding out four or five hours won’t kill me.”

Zhong Ning didn’t have the strength to say another word. Once Fu Nanshuang got her into the room, she collapsed onto the bed.

Fu Nanshuang turned on the ventilation, then stepped out and locked the door to prevent anyone from accidentally walking in.

Zhong Ning, burning with heat, felt drowsy as though she were being baked alive. In her daze, she muttered Xie Shiqing’s name.

Her phone lay quietly to the side, the synthetic voice of the smart assistant responding: “Okay, dialing ‘Xie Shiqing’ for you.”

Chapter 56

Hot, parched…

Zhong Ning felt like a fish thrown into the desert, opening its gills in vain but unable to breathe oxygen, her body rubbed raw by coarse sand, leaving her in waves of stabbing pain.

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