最佳契合 (Perfect Match) – 十九瑶
Chapter 29
Zheng Feiluan carelessly tossed the photographs while showing disgust, “Since you already have these, I’m sure you have it under control. But I don’t need to protect my reputation right now. I’m free to do whatever I want without affecting you.”
With an irritated expression, Zheng Feiyi moved closer to him and said, “Of course you need to protect it – if your psychological issues get exposed, it would surely impact Jiusheng’s stock price.”
“How?” Zheng Feiluan snorted, “I’m no longer tied to Jiusheng.”
“Don’t fucking play dumb with me!”
Zheng Feiyi got angry and grabbed him by the collar, “Even if you’ve been gone for ten years, you can’t be apart from Jiusheng!”
Zheng Feiluan grinned, “So that’s why you came running over to help me, huh?”
This level of logic is quite simple and easy to grasp.
The transfer of authority and duty has been finalized, and Zheng Feiyi has taken over the spotlight. However, as far as the public knows, Zheng Feiluan is still seen as the one who represented Jiusheng for over a decade. He may convince himself to accept his fate and let people see him with his messy beard, but Zheng Feiyi can’t.
Everyone in Jiusheng can’t.
It’s also tough for the newly appointed CEO Zheng, who works during the day but has to come in at night to clean up his predecessor’s mess for the sake of the company’s reputation.
Zheng Feiluan patted his older brother’s shoulder and said calmly, ”Representing Jiusheng is your duty now, not mine. Do you want to divert their eyes from me? It’s simple. Give interviews to magazines, attend all the events at which you have to make appearances, make a great deal out of claiming Jiusheng as your own, and who knows, they might not care about me by then, right?”
After talking, he said, “Brother, I’m giving you a boost.” And then he laughed coldly and went on, “The more miserable and messy I am, the more appealing you’ll be, and the more you’ll be able to hold Jiusheng tightly. Isn’t that great?”
“Great my ass!” Zheng Feiyi shouted angrily, “You still see me as your enemy, not your brother, don’t you? Zheng Feiluan, you were blessed to grow up with everything in your favor; you’ve never been gullible or naïve, and you’ve never felt the crushing weight of defeat. But let me tell you, I’m also an alpha, and I’ve been in your shadows for thirty years. You would’ve gone completely nuts by now if you’d gone through what I did!”
“That’s because you’re too scared to face me head-on!”
“You think you won based on strength, right? No, it’s your natural pheromones!” Zheng Feiyi glared at him as he emphasized the word “natural” very firmly, “In the past, you climbed all the way up by relying on pheromones, and now you’ve been pulled down again by pheromones—aside from running out into the streets and going crazy, haven’t you ever thought about why?”
The sound of their arguments echoed throughout the garage’s hundreds of square meters, both brothers looking at each other violently, as if they were planning to rip out someone’s eyeballs.
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They were both naturally stubborn, and both of them refused to back down. Zheng Feiyi, however, clenched his jaw and eventually calmed his anger, letting the hot blood rushing to his head subside.
He scooped up the photos that were lying around, put each one in the envelope, and then pushed them hard into Zheng Feiluan’s arms.
“You wrecked four cars in a month. If you keep sleepwalking like this, you’ll die on the streets! When I got home, dad asked about you and said he was worried that you’d be lonely after leaving Jiusheng. I lied for you and said you were fine. Feiluan, I can keep these tickets and photos for now, and if there are more tomorrow, I’ll do the same. But in the future, if you die from a car crash, I won’t be able to hide that from anyone!”
He continued, “You’re free to mindlessly roam the streets until you find your mate. But remember, your life is not just yours. Dad is too old to be worried. If you make him worry about you all day, our old man will never allow you to come back to Jiusheng!”
In the middle of his final line, he knocked over Zheng Feiluan and left the garage.
Zheng Feiluan held the envelope and stood on the side of the car for a while.
Half past two in the morning, rows upon rows of white glowing bulbs illuminated the ceiling; the lighting was erratic, flickering a few times, casting an unsettling pale light on his face.
He then lowered his head and let out a foggy sigh that was full of fatigue and emptiness.
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The snowstorm that had been raging over Yuanjiang for several days finally stopped as he made his way back to his bedroom.
The moon is partly hidden by gloomy clouds, and the snow beneath the window patiently awaits the return of a bright light that will brighten the room and paint half of its walls white. Zheng Feiluan slept in the cold light, naked, tossing and turning, sleeping lightly but not dreaming.
He didn’t dare to step into the darkness so close to him for fear of becoming a stranger who, at some point, submitted to his desires.
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In a dreamlike state, the light that had been gently flashing his eyelids faded away, and he slipped into a peaceful state of mind. In the dream, he felt warm, gentle lips brushing his cheek, one after the other, with a deep feeling of love, as if the person knew his heart was under great stress and wished to relieve it.
The person had a pleasant smell similar to Lily of the Valley and something more aside from that.
More… what?
Confused, Zheng Feiluan wrinkled his brows in thought.
As clunky and slow as a worn-out wheel on a rusty car, his dreams are unable to move him forward. The more he tried to think of an answer, the more stuck he became. Just when he was growing impatient, the pleasant smell went away. Zheng Feiluan took several anxious breaths, catching barely a whiff of the remaining scent.
No!
Don’t go!
At that same second, every nerve in his body sent out a glowing red alert. Struggling hard to wake up from his slumber, he eventually ripped away the layers that felt like sticky cobwebs, opened his eyes, and sat up.
Like a clanging bell, his mattress creaked beneath him, alarming another person nearby.
Clink.
The sound of a spoon hitting a ceramic bowl resonated clearly and crisply.
“You’re up?” Asked a tender, youthful voice.
Zheng Feiluan rubbed his tired eyes as his vision began to clear.
A tiny hallway lit by a warm orange light leads straight in front of the bed. A figure emerged from the faint light, bent down beside the bed, hugged him around the neck, and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead, and said, “I’m making soup—mushroom with cinnamon and some date syrup to help you fight the cold. It’ll be ready in a little while, so wait in bed for a bit, alright?”
Although the light was dim, Zheng Feiluan could make out his features. His pupils dilated in surprise, and he completely forgot to blink his eyes for a moment.
It’s him!
The stunning little nightingale.
How come… you’re right here next to me?
He felt a mix of joy and confusion, stayed silent for a while, and tried to reach out to touch the omega’s face, just to be sure it was real. Before he could move, the omega frowned his eyebrows, pursed his lips in frustration, and mumbled, “Like this again… So cruel.”
I…I’m cruel?
Zheng Feiluan felt insulted and wanted to defend himself, but then he remembered that he usually talked to people with a serious face, so maybe his expression was the same?
He tried to relax his face by flexing his facial muscles to smile a little, but his cheeks were lightly pinched instead, “Still not talking, huh?”
Zheng Feiluan was perplexed.
How did this omega, who seemed so submissive and easy to control in bed, suddenly change his aura the second he got out of bed and even dared to reach out to pinch his face?
“Is there really nothing you can say? Then I’ll take that as a yes.” The omega came closer to him, stretched his finger, and lightly booped the tip of his nose, “It’s freezing, so cover yourself with the blankets and stay in bed. Don’t get up.”
As he spoke, he put both hands on Zheng Feiluan’s shoulders and pressed him down, suggesting that he should stay in bed.
Soon after, he got to his feet, put on the fluffy slippers that had fallen halfway off, and walked quickly back to the small kitchen, disappearing once again into the faint, warm light.
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Zheng Feiluan couldn’t help but freeze in place.
While sitting on the little, cramped single bed, he extended his left hand and placed it on his right shoulder – it was warm and firm, and it still had the omega’s body heat.
Just now…
That amazing sensation just now…
He pressed down once, then twice more, and the intensity was obviously about the same, but no matter how he did it, it wasn’t as soothing as the omega’s hands.
A certain type of intimacy, cleverness, and particularly subtle playfulness.
The omega must love him.
The lovely scent of red dates quickly permeated the air in this small home. Zheng Feiluan quickly relaxes as he listens to the comforting sound of the thickened white mushroom soup boiling and gurgling in the pot. The crushing weight on his chest disappeared, and the growing fatigue washed away. He rested his head against the wall and stared at his omega partner, who was busy with his head facing down, making the corners of his mouth curve into a smile.
He thought that being glued to this bed was not so bad after all.
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Translated and edited by janemoyu (11/21/23)
