最佳契合 (Perfect Match) – 十九瑶
Chapter 45
Zheng Feiluan, upon seeing him approach, quickly stood up, a fluffy chick in both arms, and said, “This… is for Linglan. Uh, first birthday present. I bought it this afternoon, but I forgot to take it with me, so I went to go back and get it.”
The chick plush took on a sphere-like appearance while floating in the air in front of him, shockingly adorable.
However, he was a little uncomfortable.
Actually, he was generous with birthday presents. His brother is fond of horses, so he gave him a purebred Hanoverian horse. Yan Ning likes birds, so he bought him a freshwater island inhabited by swans. However, this was the first time he had given a genuine first-year gift to a child. The alpha’s serene and strong demeanor clashed with the soft and cuddly plush toy. When he held it in his hand, it appeared out of place. Even Zheng Feiluan found it funny.
The thing is, Linglan’s birthday is coming up in about ten days, and he can’t be there to celebrate it in person, so he should at least send a gift to express his feelings.
After spending half an hour selecting the perfect chick doll at the stall this afternoon, he finally made his purchase. The toy had to meet all of his specifications: it had to be cute in form and fluffy to the touch, the cotton fabric had to be thick and soft, the stitching had to be smooth, and the filling had to be free of tangles.
To sum up, absolutely no flaws are allowed.
Seeing that He An didn’t take it, Zheng Feiluan lifted the toy in a restrained manner, “Don’t worry, it’s clean. I just opened it, so it hasn’t had time to get my scent on it yet.”
He An actually didn’t mind the smell at all. He stayed still, frozen with surprise by Zheng Feiluan’s awkward doll-carrying posture. After Zheng Feiluan explained it to him in such detail, he felt he couldn’t help but accept it out of contempt. He took the stuffed chick into his arms and politely thanked him.
At the very least, it seems that Zheng Feiluan has learned how to give something other than money. This is progress, isn’t it?
The lights flicker, and the two stare at each other, speechless and awkward.
“Is Linglan… sleeping?” Zheng Feiluan had no words to say.
“Yes.”
Switching back to one syllable.
“What about you? What time do you usually sleep?”
“Ten o’clock.”
Using a two-word phrase once again.
To fill the silence, Zheng Feiluan added, “How’s your… body recently? Is it better?”
“…It’s good enough.”
Three words.
Zheng Feiluan grew frustrated upon seeing He An’s refusal to get into the conversation. To soothe his irritation, he habitually rubbed the cuffs of his shirt with his thumbs and said, “In the future, if you ever face any problem, regardless of how great it is, don’t deal with it alone and come to me instead—I am serious, He An. Just think about it, alright?”
“Okay.”
He An’s eyes were calm and uncaring as he nodded his head.
Since they were no longer on speaking terms, it was pointless to bring up a topic. Softly sighing, Zheng Feiluan smiled at He An and began heading out the door.
“Wait.” He An suddenly called out to him.
Zheng Feiluan stopped immediately and asked, “What’s wrong?”
He An replied, “Wait for me for a bit. I have something for you.”
⋮
He walked out of the room carrying the stuffed chick and returned a few minutes later with a plain white envelope.
Zheng Feiluan asked, “What’s… this?”
A fresh bank card was revealed once the envelope was ripped open. There was not a single scratch on the card’s glossy surface.
“Linglan’s alimony. You appointed Lawyer Xia to give it to me, and I haven’t touched it.” He An sincerely held it up and gave it to Zheng Feiluan, “I’ve been trying to find a chance to pay you back, and it just so happens that you’re here, so take it.”
Lawyer Xia?
That is…
Zheng Feiluan thought about this person for a long time, then his face changed abruptly, and his voice was filled with embarrassment, “Paying child support… is my legal obligation.”
“I know, but I don’t want that kind of support.” He An responded, “I’d rather you spend a little change and send some bottles, socks, wipes… or a toy like you did just now.”
Money is cold, and what can be given to a child should be more or less warm.
He An lifted his head and looked firmly at Zheng Feiluan, a trace of humiliation and pain still visible in his eyes. And in the midst of all of that pain, an aura of assurance grew that Zheng Feiluan hadn’t seen before and saw it glistening, “I promised you that I would cover every expense after Linglan was born and not spend a single cent of your money. She’s almost a year old now, and she’s as healthy and intelligent as any other kid her age—see, I didn’t go back on my word.”
“I admit, I can’t do this alone, and Cheng Xiu and Dai Xiao both chipped in. And since they will always be there for me in the future, I doubt… I will ever need this money.”
He An walked forward a few steps, handed the bank card again, and said, “Zheng Feiluan, I don’t know why you left Jiusheng, but if the situation really isn’t good and you need a sum of money to get yourself around, this card returned to its original owner should help.”
“…Thanks.”
Zheng Feiluan couldn’t refuse any longer, so he just accepted it.
⋮
The evening reached the middle of the night, and the ground is wet and cool.
As the other visitors retired for the night, Zheng Feiluan stood by the second-floor window, sleepy but still alert. In an attempt to ease the irritation, he reached up and undid the buttons on his shirt. The wind blasted cold through the glass, freezing the skin on his neck and arms.
A layer of snow-frost colored moonlight flowed on the ground, which was straight and square, like a few branches drawn on a white canvas. In the dim light, against the wall, was a suitcase that remained locked and undisturbed. The bed in the center of the room was untouched. It was still the same as He An had made it in the morning.
Zheng Feiluan was leaning with one hand on the window edge, the other in his pocket, and his two blade eyebrows connected very tightly. On the corner of the window, five fingers slowly pressed out white lines.
Even though progress was slow, he could not give up. There’s absolutely no way he’d call it a day and go home just like that.
Being weak was never in his book, much less giving up.
He could accept some things, like controlling his temper and polishing his edges in order to adjust to the changes in his life that he had never experienced before, and being a devoted husband and attentive father to his child. However, there were some things that were destined not to be included in his considerations, such as giving up on He An and Linglan.
Admittedly, when they’re talking face-to-face, a single look from He An can melt his heart, but when they’re apart, he’s able to quickly regain his composure and push such irrational ideas out of his head.
Zheng Feiluan realized that the chance of losing He An forever was so great that he knew he couldn’t afford it.
Because He An is an omega.
In a society that divides the strong from the weak, alphas and even betas are most likely to harass an unmarked omega because they see them as easy prey.
There are two types of people in the world: those who set the rules and those who follow them. Zheng Feiluan was born to be a superior rule maker, and he knew better than anyone that the rules were nothing more than a tug-of-war of interests between the strong, while the weak were the fish and meat on the chopping block. Regardless of which side ultimately succeeds, the sharp blade of the sawing knife is bound to slice through the fish meat.
Cut them into pieces and weight them again. It is divided into three to seven, or four to six points.
That’s all the difference.
In the tug-of-war of interests between the three genders, omegas are always the ones that wind up on the losing end.
They are trapped by their weak physique, soft personality, and sensitive and starving heat period, and it is difficult for them to fight in groups, just like a tender egg with its shell peeled off being thrown on the tip of a knife. Even if they are strong, they can’t escape the fate of breaking.
Zheng Feiluan could not let He An go through the torture alone.
Such a beautiful omega should be—no, not “should.” He An won’t like that word; use “suitable” instead—is suitable to be marked by a powerful alpha, with independence ahead of him and security behind him. He can fly across the sky if he’d prefer not to be confined, or he can rest comfortably in the arms of the alpha and sleep soundly, letting his snowy white legs stretch out beneath his nightgown until he wakes up.
Perhaps it is the self-confidence of an alpha at work, but Zheng Feiluan is convinced that no one else but himself can become He An’s support.
Dai Xiao?
The one he didn’t believe the most was Dai Xiao.
⋮
Suddenly, there were loud, irregular noises coming from the hallway outside, as if someone had gotten into an argument.
Zheng Feiluan was worn out and too drained to listen to this. To get away from it all, he considered running a hot bath. Just as he was about to get inside the bathroom, he heard He An’s voice in the background. Suddenly, he felt like a siren had gone off inside his brain. In a panic, he spun around to go and unlock the door.
A door was left open at the end of the hall, casting a snowy light. He An was indeed there, along with Cheng Xiu, and they were having a heated discussion with the tenants.
Zheng Feiluan took a few steps closer and heard a sharp voice yell, “Did I file a complaint yesterday? Oh, did I complain? Is the problem solved now? Tell me if it’s solved or not! It’s been a day! Did you do anything at all?!”
Under the light, a burst of spit sprayed straight into He An’s face.
He An could only turn his head to avoid it and waited for the other party to finish yelling before he responded, “I’m sorry, we’ve been negotiating with the bar as much as we can, but they have a stern attitude on their end, so…”
“Sorry? Why bother feeling sorry? Can it help me sleep? Can it?” The guest angrily cut him off, “We are here to travel, and tomorrow we have to hike the mountain. The bar is too loud, and it’s impossible to rest. If we fall during the climb, will you pay for it?!”
Zheng Feiluan frowned, repressed his anger, and stepped closer until he saw the first clear view of the guests: an older beta couple. The uncle looked like he had no business speaking; he was short, chubby, and slightly balding, with sunken eyes and a slumped posture. The aunt is clearly the stronger of the two. Her brows are arched and her cheekbones are noticeable, and she stood with her hands on her hips with an aggressive stance. At first glance, she appears to be someone not to be trifled with.
An all-night bar opened across the street from the Olive Inn. Zheng Feiluan saw it early in the morning and thought nonchalantly about the inn’s poorly chosen location. It may be a bit noisy right now, but if you give it your whole attention…
How would you describe it?
The music was faint and vague but not loud, stimulating the night air to reverberate like a wave, and it was like having a rock band buried under the blankets. It’s definitely noisy, but if the windows are shut properly, the silence can be instantly restored.
He An thought the same and offered, “Let me close the window for you. You won’t be able to hear them from outside because they aren’t very loud.”
“How would that even work? The windows have to be open when I sleep!”
He was startled by the aunt’s arrogant eyes and explosive anger, which came out of her mouth like a machine gun, “If you don’t open the window, you won’t be able to breathe, right? How can we sleep if there’s no air circulation? You can’t do that. No!”
She had an unyielding attitude and refused to give in when urged to shut the window.
“Then… we have soundproofing earplugs here. You can use them for one night, okay?” He An made another offer.
“No, it’s uncomfortable!”
This time she didn’t even look at He An.
She continued to be uncooperative, and Cheng Xiu finally snapped, “Then tell me yourself, how can you be comfortable?”
The aunt had waited until late in the night to make a scene, waiting for Cheng Xiu to ask this question, and immediately said, “Let’s do it this way. I’m not going to argue anymore if you refund us the room charges, then I’ll be willing to put up with it tonight.”
“I… fuck.”
The first word spilled out of Cheng Xiu’s mouth, and the second word was squeezed through his teeth, and when he and He An looked at each other, they knew.
Of course, Zheng Feiluan also got it, and he laughed uncontrollably.
This place.
It’s really interesting, to say the least.
✕✕✕
Translated and edited by janemoyu (11/14/23)
