Chapter 12
Bai Yan’s brain crashed on the spot, then began to operate at a speed far exceeding its usual pace.
Mr. Pei, do you know what you’re saying? What “does it look like you”? These words don’t fit your character at all!
You have no idea what was written on that card.
If I told you, it would scare you to death!
And besides, I’ve never cried like that in front of anyone, have I?!
“It doesn’t look like me at all,” Bai Yan refused to admit, biting his lower lip resentfully. His voice rose with indignation. “You’re really joking, Mr. Pei.”
A blush shot up the Omega’s cheeks, instantly dyeing his face with a vivid, lively color. His wide almond eyes were moist and captivating.
Pei Tingyu’s lips quirked up. He took his phone out of his suit pocket and tapped his bent knuckles on the armrest.
The Alpha’s low, magnetic voice teased the young man’s eardrums. “Since you’re thanking me, why not add me as a contact?”
He added meaningfully, “If anything comes up in the future, you can tell me directly. No need to trouble Song Jian.”
The young man was speechless, suspecting that Mr. Pei knew about his mistaken identity blunder, but he didn’t dare to ask. He could only lower his eyelashes, take out his phone, and scan the QR code on the man’s phone screen.
SaltedSnow: [Hello, Mr. Pei. I’m Bai Yan.]
Tingyu: [Mm.]
And so, this was their first conversation on WeChat.
Bai Yan’s profile picture was a cartoon sun with a bright, beaming smile. It was surprisingly… harmonious.
The man withdrew his gaze and changed the subject. “Song Jian said you saved his black snake. What’s that about?”
Ah? Bai Yan blinked blankly, not expecting Mr. Pei to know about that as well.
Successfully distracted, the young man thought for a moment and said in a soft, cottony voice, “Assistant Song has a pet snake, and it wouldn’t eat after waking up from hibernation.”
“I used to work part-time at a pet store and dealt with similar situations, so I told Assistant Song some methods to help the snake start eating.”
Pei Tingyu asked, “You like small animals a lot?”
Bai Yan replied, “I like them quite a bit. But compared to reptiles, I prefer Oz.”
Pei Tingyu grunted in acknowledgment and said no more.
There was a moment of silence. The blush on Bai Yan’s face slowly faded. Not wanting to hear any more jokes from Mr. Pei, he turned his gaze out the window.
The buildings outside the car changed rapidly. Compared to the bustling city center and the old, luxurious Yǎyuán on the mountaintop, the buildings here were noticeably older.
Old trees with thick trunks occupied the center of the street, their dense branches untrimmed for a long time, obscuring the signs of the shops on either side.
The Haicheng Marriage Registration Center was located at the end of this sea of green.
Since its establishment in the last century, it had never changed its location, only undergoing internal renovations. The century-old building was left to the wind and rain, symbolizing that true love never fades.
After a drive of over an hour, the Maybach stopped in front of the quaint door.
Upon entering, they were warmly received by a staff member. As a single, high-status S-class Alpha, Pei Tingyu’s marriage was no small matter.
Single Alphas in adulthood experienced frequent ruts. Without the soothing pheromones of an Omega partner, even with suppressants, it was easy to develop a disorder.
And once a severe disorder occurred, it was a significant risk to both the Alpha himself and the general public.
Therefore, the AO Matching System had always shown some preference for these “older” golden bachelors, such as giving them priority in choosing a match.
A staff member at the Marriage Registration Center handed them a form to fill out.
Learning that Bai Yan had just turned 19, had met the Alpha through the AO Matching System, and had decided to marry in less than a month, the staff member was surprised for a moment, but quickly regained her professional smile.
The female Omega looked at Bai Yan, a hint of concern in her eyes. “Forgive me for asking, but are Mr. Bai and Mr. Pei getting married voluntarily?”
She was a little worried that the Omega had been coerced, given his young age and special appearance.
“Mm, yes.” Adhering to the principle of “the more you say, the more you might say wrong,” Bai Yan gave a reserved nod and a faint smile. Beneath the table, his hands were tightly clasped, his heart pounding.
“Good.” The staff member smiled and nodded, then turned to Pei Tingyu. “According to the Omega Rights Protection Law, if an Alpha and Omega register their marriage less than six months after meeting, the marriage is considered a flash marriage.”
“One month and one year after the marriage, you will need to accept a home visit from the AO Matching System to verify that it is a de facto marriage.”
“May I ask if you can accept this?”
Pei Tingyu replied, “We will naturally cooperate fully.”
Bai Yan said, “I accept.”
“Alright, please follow me.” The staff member collected the forms and stood up to lead them to the adjacent room.
Bai Yan rubbed his stiff face and, while sneaking a breath, glanced at Mr. Pei, who was strolling leisurely beside him.
Mm, as expected of CEO Pei. He’s always so calm and composed.
An hour later, they each had a red booklet of the same size, stamped with a steel seal.
The young man carefully touched the imprint on it. In Huaguo, whether it was the family identity registration book, the household registration booklet, or the marriage certificate, they would all be stamped with this special steel seal.
Bai Yan had grown up in an orphanage, and his household registration booklet was kept there. The family identity registration book from long ago had long since been taken back when his adoption was terminated.
Perhaps the next time I see one, it will be on a divorce certificate. The Omega’s fingertips slid over the steel seal with a sense of nostalgia, a fleeting sadness in his eyes.
Bai Yan put the ring away, changed into his regular clothes, and removed the makeup from his face before going out.
The formal wear had already been taken away by the accompanying staff. When Bai Yan went out, he saw the man sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, exuding a lazy air.
The Alpha had also changed into a camel-colored greatcoat, a light-colored scarf loosely wrapped around his neck. Song Jian stood before him, bowing slightly, saying something.
Seeing Bai Yan emerge from the changing room, Pei Tingyu rose gracefully, his tone natural. “Let’s go. I’ll take you back first.”
Bai Yan shook his head with a smile, his voice warm and sweet. “There’s no need, Mr. Pei. Huixin Orphanage is very close to here. I’d like to go back and see it.”
Pei Tingyu said nothing, slowly lifting his eyelids to glance at him.
Assistant Song, standing by his side, was completely bewildered. He wisely kept his mouth shut, trying to make himself as small as possible.
Bai Yan instantly understood his meaning, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Mr. Pei must have misunderstood, thinking I’m refusing because I’m afraid of troubling him.
He looked at the Alpha before him seriously, his voice utterly sincere and pure.
“The orphanage really isn’t far. It’s only a ten-minute walk from here.”
“I was getting bored lying in the hospital before. Now that I’m finally out, I don’t really want to take a car.” The young man touched his face a little sheepishly, smiling shyly.
Pei Tingyu nodded, indicating that he understood, and walked toward Bai Yan with a calm expression.
Bai Yan’s conditioned reflex was to step back, but he forced himself to stay put, though he couldn’t stop his eyelashes from trembling.
The scent of bitter orange blossom rushed toward him. The tall figure in the young man’s pupils grew closer and closer, until he stopped in front of him, his handsome face magnified.
The Alpha nonchalantly unwrapped his scarf and bent down slightly, draping it around Bai Yan’s neck as if he were dressing a still, stiff doll.
Then, with extreme naturalness, he straightened the ends of the scarf, his fingertips unavoidably brushing against the young man’s flushed cheek.
Mm, very soft.
The man lowered his gaze, his thick lashes casting a shadow on his cheeks. He withdrew his hand, his voice so soft it was almost a sigh. “Keep your scarf on. Don’t get sick again.”
“It’s far from Yǎyuán here. If you’re ready to go back, remember to message the driver.”
“And, be careful.”
They were very close, the scents of bitter orange blossom and jasmine intertwining. The 1.9-meter-tall Alpha was so tall that with a single, light embrace, he could have pulled the petite Omega before him into his arms.
“Okay, I’ll remember,” Bai Yan said, blushing, as he came back to his senses. He hurriedly lowered his gaze.
Even his voice was a little dazed as he said goodbye. “Goodbye, Mr. Pei.”
The man grunted softly and turned to leave like a gentleman.
Song Jian followed behind his boss as quiet as a mouse.
It wasn’t until they were in the car that Song Jian, the perennial bachelor, had a sudden realization. Mr. Pei isn’t treating him like a partner at all. He’s clearly raising Young Master Bai Yan as if he were a child.
