Chapter 79: Before I Met You (Pei × Bai) [Extra]
Expenses: “Breakfast: two steamed buns, one egg, 2.5 yuan.”
“Lunch: green pepper and shredded pork rice, 7.5 yuan + 39.8 yuan.”
“Dinner: convenience store, 0.”
Note: The stir-fry at noon, the heat wasn’t controlled well, and the pot was broken. An extra expense of 39.8 yuan, to be deducted from next month’s egg expenses. Remember, remember.
Income: “Convenience store night shift, 6 hours for a total of 300 yuan.”
Note: During holidays, it’s 10 yuan more per hour than usual ^v^. I’ll try to get selected for the Spring Festival shift, and there’s also a 200 yuan holiday bonus.
The evening wind howled, and the window wasn’t closed tightly. It creaked and groaned with every gust of wind.
The bone-chilling cold seeped in through the crack of the window. The heating in the convenience store wasn’t very strong, and Bai Yan’s hands were red from the cold.
He rubbed his two hands together and blew on them a few times. Only after his palms had warmed up did he pick up his phone and continue to type.
With the Spring Festival approaching, the two children Bai Yan was tutoring had stopped their lessons, and the milk tea shop where he worked part-time had also temporarily closed for the owner’s vacation.
Huixin had been tight on funds recently. Bai Yan had no other income and had to find a part-time job at a nearby convenience store.
The night shift was from 6 PM to 12 AM. During the holiday period, he could earn 300 yuan a day. 10 days of part-time work plus the holiday bonus would be 3200 yuan. After deducting his living expenses, he could still transfer 2800 yuan back.
Although it was just a drop in the bucket for the orphanage, it could at least add a meat dish to the children’s dinner.
Exiting the accounting software and seeing the four-digit bank account balance, Bai Yan sighed, and the braised pork bun in his hand suddenly lost its flavor.
“Bai Yan, are you done eating? We’ve got a new batch of instant noodles in the shop. We need to get them sorted out before the New Year, so we’re starting early today.”
The manager’s distant call came from the front.
“Okay, I’m coming.” Bai Yan finished his bun in a few bites, lifted the curtain, and went out.
The students who had stayed in the university town were mostly nocturnal. The evenings were busier than the days, with more customers and more miscellaneous tasks. The work was not easy.
He was busy until the last batch of students had finished their instant noodles and left. Bai Yan wiped the tables, swept and mopped the floor, closed and locked the door, and could finally go home.
There was no subway after the night shift. The young man pushed the bicycle that the manager had kindly provided and left tiredly from the back door.
Fine snowflakes drifted down from the sky. The news said that the snowy weather would continue for some time.
He hadn’t walked more than a few steps in the dim and secluded alley when the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated, buzzing.
Worried that it was a message from the orphanage, Bai Yan quickly took out his phone with one hand.
His gloved fingers were clumsy. He tried several times before he could press the power button.
Before he could unlock it, a special effect of colorful fireworks popped up first.
Then, a birthday cake, accompanied by cheerful background music, swayed and slowly grew from small to large, occupying the entire screen.
The two candles on the top layer were lit with a bang, forming the number 19.
[Hello, Mr. Bai Yan. Happy 19th birthday! Congratulations on being another year older.]
[On this special day, all the staff of the AO Association wish you a new year of smooth sailing and all your wishes coming true!]
[In addition, the system has learned that you are currently single. According to the regulations (see “Omega Protection Law” for details), your personal information has been entered into the AO Matching System. Click the link below to log in to the APP to view.]
[We wish you an early meeting with your other half.]
His sleep-deprived brain was too slow. He read the text message over and over again. The time in the corner jumped from 12:22 AM to 12:26 AM.
Only then did Bai Yan belatedly realize that today was New Year’s Eve.
It was the day he had been picked up by the director and brought to the orphanage.
It was also his registered birthday.
AO Matching System, the other half of your heart…
Bai Yan pressed his lips together and, without much expectation, put the phone back in his pocket.
Even an Alpha who had been single for a long time wouldn’t possibly fall for him.
As for building a family, Bai Yan no longer held any illusions.
After all, he had been alone for too, too long.
The damp snow fell on the brim of his hat. Bai Yan lifted his eyelids and glanced at the snowflakes under the dim streetlight.
The snowflakes danced lightly, like transparent, pale moths, circling the light, and then slowly falling.
Before long, they would die in some cold night, not even waiting for the next spring.
Bai Yan slowly lowered his eyelashes, his colorless, pale skin even more transparent than the snow.
The young man silently pulled the scarf around his neck tighter. With the falling snow on his head, he pushed the clanking, almost-broken bicycle and walked step by step into the thick night.
“Mr. Pei, this is the year-end report from all the branch companies. Please sign.”
“The New Year gifts for our partners in various countries have been prepared and are expected to arrive in three days at the latest.”
“The spokesperson for the new year is currently under review by the public relations department…”
Song Jian finished reporting all the arrangements unhurriedly and stood straight, waiting for his boss’s instructions.
The man looked at the documents in front of him, his expression cold as he grunted in acknowledgment.
“Thank you for your hard work, Assistant Song. This year’s bonus has been deposited into your account. Go home early.”
“Yes, Mr. Pei.” A smile touched Song Jian’s lips. He buttoned his suit and walked out gracefully.
Just as he was about to push open the solid wood door, the Beta assistant finally couldn’t help but turn his head and say warmly, “Mr. Pei, Happy New Year.”
“Mm.” The Alpha didn’t look up from the documents in his hand and grunted absent-mindedly.
Song Jian fell silent. He glanced one last time at the cold and empty office, pushed open the door, and left, shaking his head to himself.
Looking at this situation, his boss is spending New Year’s Eve alone in the office again.
After finishing the last few documents, the man pressed his temples. Before he could take a sip of honey water to refresh himself, the phone, which was lying face down on the desk, suddenly buzzed incessantly.
Pei Tingyu’s brow furrowed. He picked up his phone and, as expected, it was a message from Qin Chudong.
[Photo] ×n
The bustling villa was decorated with lights and festoons. Qin Chudong, wearing a red sweater, was pulling Wen Yue, who was wearing a matching sweater, and taking pictures everywhere.
The man’s expression was blank as he decisively scrolled down.
RenXianGouYan: [Honeymoon on pause, home for the New Year.]
RenXianGouYan: [Hey, with a wife, the New Year is different.]
[Old Pei, are you coming over? You’re not getting any younger. Do you want me to have my mom set you up?]
[Or you can try the AO Matching System. I hear they’ve changed their algorithm, and the recommended matches are more accurate.]
[Old rule, A-Yue and I will come over to pay our New Year respects tomorrow.]
Pei Tingyu replied with an “okay.” He was just about to exit when, as if possessed, he clicked on his old friend’s social media feed.
In the photo, the two of them were leaning against each other’s shadows.
The caption read: [The luckiest thing this year was meeting you. The happiest thing in my life is marrying you. I love you, honey.]
The comment section below was a string of “Wishing you 99.”
Plus a few good-natured jokes teasing the Eldest Young Master Qin for being a romantic.
Pei Tingyu was speechless.
Heh, who was it who had vowed before the blind date that it was just a formality?
Annoying.
The Alpha put down his phone with a cold face and spread out the documents. Before long.
Bang, bang—
A loud roar suddenly erupted outside the floor-to-ceiling window.
The government’s air quality control had achieved effective results. For the first time this year, the ban on fireworks was lifted. The dissolvable, environmentally friendly fireworks were put on the market and were very popular.
Brilliant fireworks bloomed on both banks of the river, either rising to embrace the sky or diving into the river, creating splashes of water.
Pei Tingyu stood up and walked to the window, silently watching the countdown on the building opposite.
10, 9, 8, 7…
A burst of celebratory noise erupted from the square, but the top floor of the twin towers was still quiet and cold.
The man sighed to himself. Another New Year’s Eve.
He had almost lost count of how many cold and lonely New Year’s Eves he had spent by himself.
Ding-dong—
A familiar message notification sound came from his phone.
The man’s hand hovered in mid-air, pausing for a moment.
The next second, his fingertips suddenly fell.
Drip—
The blackout curtains sensed the sufficient light and automatically parted.
Bai Yan rubbed his sleepy eyes, let out a yawn, and slowly sat up from the bed.
The smooth, soft quilt slid down with his movement, revealing the young man’s snow-white skin and graceful curves.
Even though it was already summer vacation, there was a sudden meeting in a neighboring city, and he had to go on a business trip for a few days.
It had happened so suddenly that his date with his husband had to be postponed.
Although his husband hadn’t said anything, the commotion last night had been particularly loud. It wasn’t until the latter half of the night, when he really couldn’t take it anymore, that he had finally fallen asleep.
Ugh, but it was indeed comfortable.
Knock, knock, knock—
Tuantuan’s soft, obedient voice sounded outside the door. “The sun has been out for a long time. Daddy, may I come in?”
Bai Yan tidied his pajamas, making sure all the marks were covered, then cleared his throat and said softly, “Come in, Tuantuan. Daddy is ready.”
The next second, a little yellow dumpling squeezed in through the crack of the door and threw himself into the young man’s embrace.
“Daddy, I missed you so much. Did you miss Tuantuan?”
Tuantuan rested against the Omega’s knee, his soft, chubby cheeks rubbing against the young man’s thigh, his two eyes sparkling.
A light smile touched Bai Yan’s lips. He held Tuantuan on his lap and kissed the baby’s milky fat.
“Of course, Daddy missed Tuantuan very much too. Did baby have fun at godfather’s house these past few days?”
Tuantuan snuggled in his father’s arms, swinging his little legs, and told him in a soft, glutinous voice about what had happened these past few days.
He was still wearing the little yellow duck hat his godfather had given him, which he loved so much that he was reluctant to take it off even indoors.
He had stayed at his godfather’s house for a week and had been fed so many delicious breads that he was round and chubby. Besides the long-haired Uncle Yu who loved to bully him, everything else had been very happy.
Hearing that his father was back, he had obediently packed his luggage after breakfast and had his godfather send him back.
Pei Tingyu patiently stayed by their side. Only after Tuantuan had finished speaking did he interrupt in a warm voice, “Alright, Tuantuan has seen Daddy. You haven’t seen Grandma Chen yet.”
“Let Daddy rest well. How about we take you to the zoo in a few days?”
“Okay, then Daddy, rest for a while. I’ll come see you again in the afternoon.” The child reluctantly hugged his father and then took his papa’s hand and went out with him.
The man took Tuantuan to Auntie Chen and then returned to the room.
Bai Yan had already washed up and was resting on the sofa.
Pei Tingyu wrapped his large hand around him and pulled his precious into his arms, saying softly, “Why don’t you sleep a little longer?”
“Do your legs still hurt? Do you want me to massage them?”
“Don’t move. Just like this.” Bai Yan commanded bossily, his eyes closed, and snuggled comfortably in his husband’s arms.
“Alright.” The Alpha let out a low chuckle, took his lover’s hand, and intertwined their fingers.
The jasmine pheromones floated freely in the room. No matter where they drifted, they were caught tightly by the orange blossom.
The Omega nuzzled his husband’s chest and suddenly looked up, a smile on his lips. “I had a dream last night.”
The man raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, “Was it a good dream or a nightmare?”
Bai Yan thought for a moment and then said suddenly, “I can’t quite remember, but you were in it, so it must have been a good dream.”
“What a coincidence,” Pei Tingyu said, smiling as he lowered his head and pecked at his lover’s head, adding softly, “I also had a dream last night, a dream about you.”
Their foreheads touched, their breaths intertwining. They looked at each other and smiled, and then kissed again.
Before I met you, it was the last winter of my life.
For the rest of my life, the ice and snow will melt, and a path of flowers will accompany me.
[End of Full Story]
