最佳契合 (Perfect Match) – 十九瑶
Chapter 48
There was complete silence throughout the night.
The following day, the sunlight streamed in through the window, waking Linglan from her sleep. The tiny child was bursting with energy, crying and crawling towards He An, trying to ask for a mouthful of milk.
Even though he was still nursing, he covered his chest sluggishly, sat up, and made a bottle of warm milk for her right away.
The fluffy chick plush from Zheng Feiluan was set on the table, making Linglan’s eyes twinkle as she looked up, stretching her arms, and babbling as she asked for it. He An handed it to her, and she embraced it tightly, lovingly patted and squeezed, hugging it on the bed while rolling about in circles. When squeezing wasn’t enough, she bit its little wings with her baby teeth.
After He An gave her a bath, he carried her outside.
Nobody was out of their rooms yet, and the courtyard was empty except for Liubailiu, who paced around lazily on the floor with his tail drooped. The moment he caught sight of them coming, his tail sprang straight up, and he darted over, excitedly taking three steps before circling back to show He An his kitty bowl.
The bowl was turned upside down, and not even one grain of cat food was there.
Liubailiu curled over onto his back, and he waited anxiously for He An, “Mrrrow!”
“Hungry!”
Worried that her dad wouldn’t understand, Linglan held her bottle and interpreted for it while massaging her own little belly.
…Why hasn’t Dai Xiao gotten up yet?
He glanced over to the room where Cheng Xiu and Dai Xiao were staying, and a slight feeling of concern washed over him for them. Even though it was past the usual wake-up time, nobody seemed to be in the room.
After returning from Zheng Feiluan’s place last night, Cheng Xiu and Dai Xiao got into an argument.
He An went for a hot bath in the bathroom after that, thinking the problem was solved. The moment he finished, he could hear the arguing outside his window. The two of them kept quiet, likely due to the guests’ need for rest, but their anger did not subside. They were fighting, and neither of them was willing to back down. Dai Xiao left the room, grabbed his stuff, and went to tidy up in the public living room as the door flung open with a final bang noise.
They still haven’t made up after a whole night?
For some reason, He An felt compelled to give Liubailiu more food after seeing him wailing painfully. Not too much, not too little; just lightly sprinkled at the bottom of the bowl.
When Liubailiu seemed satisfied, he bowed his head and chewed with a crunch. Linglan stood beside him while holding the fluffy chick plush and watched as he ate them all one by one—sweet milk cake is Linglan’s favorite, but He An constantly warns her not to eat too much. She believes she has deeply felt the “pain” of “not eating enough” and chooses not to put her beloved big cat to the same suffering; so, she needs to see his satisfied eating before she can finally relax.
⋮
Quickly after finishing his meal, Liubailiu gracefully extended his waist, sprinted a short distance up the wall’s eaves, and then went outside in search of a feral cat to fight. He An then opened the inn’s door and led Linglan to the stone bridge to see the ducks.
Ducks sit on the clear, algae-green water beneath the bridge, occasionally pecking at fish and other times grooming their feathers, as a series of gentle blue waves sway behind them. Yawen Street is starting to get busy, and stores are popping up all over the place, but… why does the bar across the street seem a little off?
He An squinted and saw a red sign dangling from it.
Out of Business.
Wait, what does that mean?
⋮
“Good morning.”
A person standing nearby greeted him.
The voice caused He An to turn his head, and he eventually saw Zheng Feiluan standing next to him. He had sparkling eyes, nicely groomed hair, and a spotless shirt and tie. At first glance, he looked like a male business model from a magazine.
“Good… good morning.”
His heartbeat had somehow gone haywire.
What he is unaware of is that Zheng Feiluan had to get up and arrange everything from his suit case and spend thirty minutes choosing his attire to produce this impressive first glance. He was in a rush and didn’t plan to spend a lot of time here; he packed three or four outfits and tried on each one a dozen times before settling on one that he thought looked great.
However…
Looks may have captivated He An, but they will never work on Linglan.
The little girl was completely unimpressed. The mere sight of Zheng Feiluan nearly caused her to throw the chick plush like a grenade. Fortunately, she liked the chick so much, and after giving it some thought, she decided that losing her adorable new toy because of Zheng Feiluan wasn’t worth it. So she quickly snuggled it again.
“It’s alright, sweetie. Don’t be scared; Uncle will not bother you in any way.” He An gently comforted her.
…Uncle.
Zheng Feiluan’s heart sank at the way he was addressed, but he still forced a “friendly” smile in an attempt to look kind.
Unluckily, due to his habit of carrying himself seriously, she perceived him as overly friendly, resembling a wolf grandmother with pointy ears and sharp fangs. Linglan sensed the fake kindness, and her eyes widened as she clinched her little fists beneath her arms, innocently getting ready to punch him in the face.
Zheng Feiluan could only comfort himself, thinking at least Linglan had accepted the fluffy chick plush. As for himself… he knows that he will have a hard time erasing the reputation of a bad parent.
“Umm…” He An pointed to the red sign of the bar across the street, “They’re… closed?”
“Yes.” Zheng Feiluan nodded.
“Is it… because of you?” He An asked.
He remembered Cheng Xiu’s analogy of cutting down a tree and sealing it with concrete and felt that it had some connection to Zheng Feiluan. Zheng Feiluan gave him a subtle smile and replied, “Yes, I bought it.”
“…..”
That’s too…
“Do you think it’s too much?” Zheng Feiluan turned to look at him.
He An nodded seriously.
Maybe it was simply his personality trait, but he was not a fan of this very extreme approach.
Zheng Feiluan, on the other hand, had his own reason, “Actually, this is one of the most practical solutions—how can you keep a bar quiet at night? It’s simple; there’s no bar.”
He An raised an eyebrow.
He An’s heart still has impenetrable difficulty, “But the expense is too high. You mentioned last night that you would have a talk, but I thought it was just talk, so…”
He An humbly accepted his help.
However, acquiring the bar itself is far beyond the level of assistance that He An is willing to accept.
Zheng Feiluan smiled.
“Don’t overthink it. Instead of looking at it as an expense, it’s more appropriate to refer to it as an investment. It’s the consumable products that need actual spending anyway. And who knows? It could even turn out to be a wise investment.”
Zheng Feiluan raised his chin and looked across the river at the loosely drooping Hustle and Bustle signboard, “A town with a unique architecture and a location that has been supervised by the local Wang family, I can say with confidence that it’s worth investing in.”
“But won’t they sit back and raise the price?” He An said, “We’ve negotiated with them at least five or six times, and they’ve always played the cards against us. They are aware that we’re anxious to buy it and that we have nothing to do, so it’s highly likely that they will find a way to increase the price. We have absolutely no bargaining power…”
He was grateful, and Zheng Feiluan smiled gently.
We.
He loved that word, and he loved it much more because it came from He An’s mouth.
⋮
“Of course we have.” He replied.
He An was taken aback and felt confused as he looked at Zheng Feiluan.
“Last night’s scenario may have been slightly different from what you expected.” Zheng Feiluan said with a playful grin, raising the corners of his mouth. “I’m a businessman who is passing through Luotan Town. I’m an alcoholic, and I went in for a couple drinks after seeing the bar open. After a few drinks, most people feel an impulse to rant. For instance, they might go up to the bar owner and complain that it’s been quite hard to do business lately.”
“Of course, absolutely no business is easy; in fact, all careers are more or less stressful. While we were talking, probably to comfort me, they revealed to me something: the bar’s income has been less than impressive. So I took the chance to delve into the subject by asking, “Do you know why big shopping centers were built?—a solo bar owner is like a solo store owner: no amount of advertising will bring in enough customers to maintain the business. Unless a group of similar-minded people comes together and supports each other.”
“Does Luotan Town have a bar street? Yes, of course there is. They’re thinking of relocating, and I went along with it, saying that this bar of yours is in a great spot, and that I would be open to taking it over if it meant we could strike a new contract.”
“So, the entire time…” He An’s eyes widened, “you used your personal name?”
“That’s right.”
With a hint of embarrassment, He An said, “I thought… you were using pheromones to negotiate…”
“He An, I know you think I’m some sort of pheromone beast,” Zheng Feiluan said with a profound smile, “Pheromones do come in handy, but they aren’t magic. And not to brag, but… I’m still somewhat capable.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Zheng Feiluan kept a gentle expression and then explained, “At that time, I was “drunk,” confused, and rambling about my initial price. Even if the initial price was actually reasonable, the other party would feel cheated, so they think they know my price limit and won’t raise it without reason. As for myself, I am now “sober” and “regretful,” and I want to discuss it with them about my lower price limit.”
He An slightly opened his mouth, but he didn’t seem to know what to say.
“It’s exciting, right?” Zheng Feiluan asked him.
“…Hmm.”
“Any discussion involving money or business tends to be exciting. I can handle it with 10% of my energy if it’s for you.” Zheng Feiluan chuckled, lifted his hand, pointed across the street, and warmly said, “I’ll go over first before the bar owner comes. He might demand more money from us if he catches us talking.”
When he reached the middle of the stone bridge, his steps trembled, and he turned around, holding on to the railing, “He An, before I return, would you mind taking some time to think about what type of business you’d like to see open once the bar closes?”
Still taken aback, He An quietly nods in his direction and says, “Oh, okay.”
⋮
Zheng Feiluan has been out all morning. Soon enough, the problematic beta couple from last night showed up, checked out of the room, and began yelling at each other. It was obvious they were still on edge, but they didn’t bother to cause a scene.
While they were checking out, He An remained silent and personally escorted them out the door.
When he came back, he approached Cheng Xiu to talk about the bar.
Cheng Xiu was lying on the living room sofa, head down, staring at the ceiling, filled with depression. When he found out that Zheng Feiluan had bought the bar, he didn’t even raise an eyelid and simply said, “Don’t ask me; I have no opinion. Anyway, the inn, the bar, and the money to buy the bar aren’t even mine. As an outsider, I lack the expertise needed to take on any kind of managerial position. Dai Xiao is the boss and the most important person in this inn, so ask him instead. I’m nothing more than a prop—no, I’m not good enough even as a prop…”
“Oh yeah, be cautious with that guy…” Cheng Xiu quickly said, “his self-esteem might explode.”
As an alpha, a problem that he couldn’t solve on his own but that another alpha was able to resolve easily by throwing away money would make anyone explode in anger.
He An realizes this, so he was very careful when he explained it to Dai Xiao, keeping an eye on his reaction.
Surprisingly, Dai Xiao stayed calm, continued to trim flowers and plants, and said, “Perfect. The problem is solved; we even got a storefront for free, and I won’t have to deal with those scumbags again. Any further conflicts could’ve probably endangered our lives—anyway, tell this to Cheng Xiu for me: Locking doors and windows isn’t a reasonable way to deal with people or even animals. If he does that again, I’ll kill him.”
As he flexed his biceps, the garden shears snapped and chopped a three-finger-thick tree branch.
Stepping back, He An nodded and said, “…Got it.”
⋮
The minute and hour hands were perfectly aligned, indicating twelve o’clock, when Zheng Feiluan handed He An a stack of contracts.
This time, not only He An but also Dai Xiao kneeled down.
Having spent two years in Luotan Town, he is well-versed in the town’s harsh administrative system. No matter what you do, it’s like attempting to reach the end while encountering countless obstacles that slow you down when they can and completely block your path when they can. It’s not possible to go on more than twelve trips. How Zheng Feiluan managed to complete all the necessary steps—negotiating the price, signing the contract, and completing all the procedures—in just a few hours was beyond his comprehension.
He didn’t even use Jiusheng.
⋮
A delicate document, called the gift contract, was placed above the property rights contract.
Party A is Zheng Feiluan, and Party B is Linglan.
Zheng Feiluan has already signed his name on it, and as soon as He An, who is Linglan’s guardian, does the same, the bar, which has disturbed the Olive Inn for a long time, will change ownership and will belong to the father and daughter. After having Linglan, He An was also evicted from his rental home and found himself without his own small nest. This property serves as a solid assurance that, with enough rental income, he can eat and afford clothing and not have to rely on others all day long.
And this time, Zheng Feiluan was no longer arrogant.
However, He An still resolutely refused to sign.
Zheng Feiluan reassured him, “Don’t worry, I bought the bar with Linglan’s alimony. You deserve it. You declined to take the money, so I can only provide it to you in another way, and whether you rent or sell it is totally up to you.”
“No, I can’t accept it.”
He An firmly refused to sign anything, shaking his head in protest. He had already decided to draw a line, but he was stuck owing a favor from that day and was terrified that his involvement with Zheng Feiluan would only grow, making it impossible for him to escape.
Zheng Feiluan asked, “You don’t want it?”
“No, I don’t.”
“But if you don’t want it, someone has to.” Zheng Feiluan said.
He An asked back, “How about you?”
“Me?” Zheng Feiluan couldn’t help but chuckle, “I have to go back to Yuanjiang in the afternoon. Who’s going to look after it if it’s left to me?”
He took a small step forward, leaned down slightly, and whispered to He An’s ear, “You won’t accept it, and you refuse to let me stay for long. What other choice do I have?”
“I…”
He An froze, then realized that there were only two choices for him: accept the property or let Zheng Feiluan stay.
He has no intention of taking over the property, so… what about Zheng Feiluan?
Can he stay?
This alpha, with whom he had a deep-seated resentment, had used his abilities and financial resources to help the Olive Inn solve a long-running problem. By any measure, it was excessively unfair to send someone back to Yuanjiang the same day the issue was resolved.
He An couldn’t do such a thing.
Why don’t we let him stay for a bit?
This idea is efficient, but something always goes wrong. A bitter thought crossed He An’s mind as he quietly lifted his head to meet Zheng Feiluan’s delighted eyes. At that moment, it all came together.
“You… actually planned against me?”
He glanced across to Cheng Xiu and Dai Xiao, who were standing next to him, and asked in a low voice.
“Yes, on purpose.” Zheng Feiluan was so blunt that it shocked him, “He An, God granted me this amazing opportunity seemingly out of nowhere. I really can’t give it up, and you shouldn’t be too anxious. I just have one small question: Is it worth it for me to stay another day based on what I achieved from yesterday to now?”
“…It’s worth it.”
He answered truthfully after asking himself.
“It’s worth one day, so give me another day, okay?” Zheng Feiluan pleaded, “I don’t want too much all at once; I just need a day. If it satisfies you today, give another day, and if it satisfies you again tomorrow, give another day. If you decide you’re no longer content with me, just take the key back, and I promise to leave right away. I won’t stay a minute longer.”
It’s a simple enough request, with plenty of room to spare, to turn a drop of water into an ocean.1An idiom that implies that little things done repeatedly and passionately can eventually provide results that exceed one’s wildest dreams.
“Okay.”
After a moment’s hesitation, He An nodded to express his agreement.
The unexpected turn of events left Zheng Feiluan dumbfounded. A sigh of relief left him when he finally came to the realization that He An wasn’t kidding.
⋮
Don’t worry, He An.
What I did to you was wrong, and I’ll never do it again.
I promise to be gentle and patient as I stay with you day by day until you give me permission to stay forever.
✕✕✕
I’m so sorry for the late update! I binge-watched True Blood on Netflix hehe
Translated and edited by janemoyu (12/06/23)
