Chapter 4
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, they were going to register the marriage! So soon?
Bai Yan was in a daze, clutching the ring box as he stumbled out of the study.
Even if it was a contract marriage, it was still the first time in his life he would be “forming a family,” even if this “family” was just a fleeting fantasy.
After washing up, the Omega curled up under the velvet quilt, a thousand thoughts flashing through his mind.
The soft bed was large enough that even if he tossed and turned like a pancake on a griddle, he wouldn’t fall off.
The small nightlight cast a faint blue halo. After what felt like countless turns, Bai Yan finally, grudgingly, drifted off to sleep.
In the quiet night, the faint scent of jasmine floated, gradually suffusing every corner of the room.
The next morning at seven o’clock, Bai Yan was woken by his phone’s alarm.
The young man sat up in bed, his eyes bleary with sleep, his fluffy white hair a mess.
He rubbed his eyes twice and stretched out an arm to grab the dark-screened phone on his bedside table.
He pressed the screen several times, but it remained unresponsive. The young man leaned back against the headboard, his brain slowly turning, until he finally realized it had run out of battery.
He had bought this phone from a second-hand market. It lost its charge incredibly quickly. Fortunately, it was durable and cheap, so he had never replaced it.
Having determined the approximate time, the Omega plugged the phone into its charging cable and paid it no more mind.
The young man threw back the covers and, with a sluggish body, slowly shuffled to the bathroom.
After washing up, Bai Yan wiped the fog from the mirror. It was only then, as he met the gaze of the white-haired young man with flushed cheeks and wandering eyes, that he slowly realized something was wrong.
A neglected dryness shot up from his throat. Bai Yan frowned and coughed twice; his voice was indeed a little hoarse.
A flash of habitual resignation crossed the young man’s face in the mirror. He knew he had caught a cold again.
It was probably because he’d been out in the cold wind yesterday and hadn’t slept well last night. His body was just like that, prone to illness at the slightest chill.
Fortunately, it wasn’t serious yet. Having been sick so often, he was practically his own doctor. Bai Yan swallowed two vitamin tablets, planning to mix a packet of cold medicine after breakfast.
He drank a large glass of warm water and felt much better. He got dressed and prepared to go downstairs.
Just as Bai Yan pulled open his door, he caught sight of the closed, dark brown, solid wood door opposite his. His heart instantly leaped into his throat. Before his brain could react, his hand had already moved, slamming the door shut.
He had almost forgotten—today he was supposed to go register the marriage with Mr. Pei!
Bai Yan leaned against the door, clutching his overly enthusiastic heart, and tried to mentally prepare himself.
It’s just signing a paper at the Marriage Registration Center. Nothing to worry about.
Besides, he and Mr. Pei were, well, having a flash marriage.
This meant that every month, and every year, the AO Matching System would send someone to their home to verify that his and the Alpha’s marital relationship was real.
In his current state, there was no way he would pass.
Since he had signed the agreement, how could he hold Mr. Pei back?
Bai Yan’s eyelashes trembled as he took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was much firmer. He gently pushed the door open and headed downstairs.
As he walked into the elegantly decorated dining room, the sweet scent of stewed pears filled the air.
The young man’s expression unconsciously relaxed. The aunties at the orphanage rarely made desserts, but in the winter, they would occasionally make pear soup.
Most of the children at Huixin Orphanage had poor health and were prone to getting sick in the cold. A bowl of warm pear soup, even if its effect was minimal, would at least make them feel much more comfortable.
Chen Shulan pulled out a long bench and placed a bowl of pear soup in front of the young man, her face wreathed in smiles.
“A-Yan is here. The Young Master specifically asked the kitchen to make this before he left. He said the weather has been a bit dry lately, and we should be careful.”
The Omega held the bowl with both hands and asked with some curiosity, “Does Mr. Pei care about things like this?”
“Of course,” Chen Shulan said, her eyes crinkling with her smile. “A-Yan, don’t be fooled by the Young Master’s cold appearance. He’s actually very meticulous.”
The housekeeper stroked her chin, reminiscing. “Even Oz, it was the Young Master who found him and brought him back. Oz was so thin back then, abandoned on the roadside because he was sick. So pitiful. If the Young Master hadn’t found him, who knows if he would have survived.”
“If it weren’t for that incident, the Young Master wouldn’t have…” The Beta’s eyes showed a hint of sadness. She smiled and didn’t continue.
So Mr. Pei has this side to him—eh! Wait, did I miss something?!
The young man shot his head up, finally asking with dawning realization, “Mr. Pei has already left?”
“Yes, I heard there was some problem with a collaboration in the neighboring province. The Young Master and Assistant Song rushed to the airport before dawn.”
Bai Yan took out his fully charged phone. Sure enough, he saw a red dot next to the pinned chat. A message had been sent at six o’clock this morning. But because his phone had been off, he hadn’t received it.
Assistant Song had once again expressed his apologies, explaining that due to an emergency, Mr. Pei had to go on a last-minute business trip. He asked Young Master Bai not to worry; they would arrange for the marriage registration as soon as Mr. Pei returned.
SaltedSnow: [Okay, Assistant Song.]
Bai Yan typed out a reply and put his phone back in his pocket.
He couldn’t quite put a name to the feeling in his heart. The thing he had worried about all night had just floated away, for now.
It was like preparing for a final exam for ages, studying day and night, feeling nervous and apprehensive before the test, only to have it canceled at the last minute due to an unforeseen event.
He no longer had to worry, but he felt unsettled, because everyone knew there would be a make-up exam next semester.
Chen Shulan finished setting the table and finally noticed the persistent flush on the young man’s cheeks.
The Beta housekeeper asked with concern, “A-Yan, your face is a little red. Are you not feeling well? Should I call the family doctor to have a look?”
“No, no.” Bai Yan quickly waved his hands, offering a reassuring smile. His clear, mellow voice was slightly hoarse. “It’s just a common cold. I’ll be fine after I take some medicine.”
The young man sat on the chair, holding the bowl with both hands. The white steam puffed directly onto his small face. A layer of moisture misted his round, bright eyes, making him look quiet and well-behaved.
The family doctor happened to be on leave today. Seeing that he seemed to be in good spirits, Auntie Chen didn’t insist.
Bai Yan enjoyed his meal alone. After taking his medicine, with a warm feeling in his stomach, the young man didn’t want to go upstairs just yet. Instead, he sat on the sofa on the garden terrace to digest his food, quietly admiring the scenery beyond the glass doors.
Today was a rare day of good weather. The sky, which had been gloomy for days, had finally cleared, becoming a pristine, cloudless blue.
The lawn at the Pei residence was professionally maintained, and even though the temperature was still low, it looked lush and green in the light.
Bai Yan couldn’t stand overly intense sunlight, yet he adored the brilliant splendor of the sun.
When the sun came out, it illuminated every living thing in the world.
All of creation shone with light, and all bad moods could be swept away.
The gentle winter light fell upon the ground, making the Omega’s snow-white skin look even more delicate and beautiful. The young man’s lips couldn’t help but curve into a smile; they were no longer chapped.
Oz, having returned from running around outside, happened to see Bai Yan on the sofa and immediately bounded toward him, his wet nose happily nuzzling the young man’s calf.
The young man’s eyes curved as he ruffled the Doberman’s face, whispering softly, “Oz is back from outside. Did you have fun?”
“Woof woof woof!” The Doberman lifted its head, responding enthusiastically.
Bai Yan decided to kneel on the carpet and gently smooth the dog’s fur.
Oz was a high-needs dog, but his master was always busy and rarely had time to play with him properly. Now that he had someone to keep him company, the dog was overjoyed, its tail wagging so fast it was practically a propeller.
The big dog whimpered and buried its head in the young man’s lap. Its dew-dampened fur rubbed all over him, and before long, Bai Yan’s scarf was a sticky mess.
Before the Omega could get a good look, the phone in his pocket vibrated.
The young man patted Oz’s head helplessly. The dog, realizing it had done something wrong, tucked its tail between its legs guiltily and sat down beside him.
Bai Yan took the opportunity to open his phone. A message from Lin Yu popped up in the notification bar.
Raining: [Yanyan, the milk tea shop where you work part-time isn’t open yet, right? The subway is almost at your stop. Old place, I have something big to tell you today!]
Bai Yan’s eyelid twitched, and he instinctively bit his lip. Lin Yu was his best friend. He had originally planned to find some time later to slowly tell him everything.
Bai Yan slowly typed out a few words and sent them. [It’s not open yet. I’ll be right there.]
The young man stood up and went inside to change. His only scarf had been dirtied by Oz, so he had to change into another turtleneck sweater. It didn’t block the wind much, but it was better than nothing.
As he came downstairs, Chen Shulan happened to be walking past the staircase with Oz on a leash. Seeing Bai Yan all bundled up, she knew he was preparing to go out.
Although it was sunny outside, the wind was still cold. The housekeeper frowned with concern, but her expression remained normal as she asked Bai Yan if he was in a hurry, and if he could hold Oz for her. She needed to go upstairs to get something and was afraid the Doberman would cause trouble.
Bai Yan soothed Oz and stood obediently at the door. The young man’s skin was fair and his frame slender. Swathed in the large down jacket, he looked like a round snowball.
When Auntie Chen came back down, a high-quality, deep blue scarf was draped over her arm.
Chen Shulan smiled gently at the Omega. “My fault. I only remembered to put away the clothes and forgot to sort out the scarves. It’s cold today, A-Yan. Put on this scarf so you don’t catch another chill.”
Bai Yan stood dumbly at the door, letting Auntie Chen tie the scarf for him. A strange warmth suddenly bloomed in his heart.
He had rarely been cared for so thoughtfully by an elder. Although there were aunties at the orphanage, there were simply too many children for them to look after everyone. Once the children got a little older, they had to take on the responsibility of caring for the younger ones.
The young man lowered his eyelashes, at a loss. He pressed his pink lips together and said softly, “Thank you, Auntie Chen.”
He knew there was a whole section in the walk-in closet just for accessories. Auntie Chen was saying this so as not to make him feel awkward. He hadn’t actually planned on using anything the Pei family had provided.
Chen Shulan came over and patted his shoulder, saying gently, “I’ve already sent a message to Old Zhao. He should be waiting outside for A-Yan now. Go on.”
Oz seemed to sense Bai Yan’s emotions as well, gently nudging the young man’s knee with his nose and giving a tentative wag of his tail.
A prickle of emotion stung the young man’s nose. He gave Auntie Chen a grateful smile, then bent down to pat the Doberman’s head. “I’ll be going then.”
Bai Yan’s steps were light, his lips curved upwards as he strode out the door, raising a hand to wipe away the trace of moisture that had escaped from the corner of his eye.
So this was what it felt like to be cared for. It was such a happy feeling.
It’s so nice.
Even if it was only for three short years, he was content.
