PM Chapter 81

最佳契合 (Perfect Match) – 十九瑶

Chapter 81

　　Cheng Xiu is a prime example of a person who lives by the schedule. If he says seven days, he means seven days, not a single day more or less. As soon as He An’s heat cycle ended, he got the news and rushed to the door with Dai Xiao.

On that snowy day, the cold wind cut right through the skin. Zheng Feiluan was the one who came to open the door.

He An gave them slippers and looked over to see that Dai Xiao and Cheng Xiu each had a bouquet of flowers in their hands. Cheng Xiu’s bouquet contained red roses and sunflowers, while Dai Xiao’s had white lilies and carnations. Because of the obvious difference in style, he chuckled and asked, “How thoughtful of you. You’re giving me two bouquets of flowers?”

“Oh, we bought the wrong one.” Cheng Xiu yielded.

Dai Xiao also explained, “I bought the lilies at the airport, thinking that because we were visiting a patient, they should be modest and elegant. Just now, as the car was on its way, I suddenly realized that you were actually… getting married, right? So I quickly picked up some red flowers at a stand on the side of the road.”

“That’s why we brought both bouquets so neither would be wasted.” Cheng Xiu pointed to Dai Xiao’s arms and said, “This one is for visiting a patient,” and then he pointed to his own arms and said, “This one is for congrats.”

“Thank you, all of them are nice.”

He An put a blanket over his head and walked to a safe spot. He then took the flowers from them and gave them to Mrs. Zhou, telling her to water them, cut off the stems, and take good care of them.

⋮

　　When Cheng Xiu walked into the room, he quickly walked around He An, treating him like a piece of china and making sure that every part of his body was fine before he felt relieved.

Dai Xiao smelled the scent in the air and remarked, “Your native pheromones are quite nice.”

Although it was intended as praise, Zheng Feiluan’s possessiveness was at its peak after spending the heat cycle with He An. When he heard that, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy, which caused him to furrow his brow and sulk bitterly.

After that, his sides were pinched.

Zheng Feiluan: “…..”

He An looked fine and kept talking to Dai Xiao, “Really? You can smell my pheromones?”

Dai Xiao nodded, “Of course I can. Why?”

“That’s so weird. I couldn’t smell it before, and because no alpha could either, I was always considered dull and undesirable.” He An felt surprised and touched the back of his neck and said, “It seems that my glands are different now than they were before this injury.”

“What are you saying?!”

Zheng Feiluan’s anxiety level was skyrocketing, and he didn’t take the news well. He An didn’t explain it to him but instead grinned and led Dai Xiao and the others to the living room.

Cheng Xiu brought more than just flowers. He also brought a big bag full of gifts. He sat down on the couch and clicked it open. Baby products like diapers, pacifiers, small socks, mittens, and cotton blankets were all in it.

“We can’t think of a gift to celebrate your heat cycle, so we thought to give something practical.” Cheng Xiu grinned and added, “Considering your compatibility, these should be useful soon.”

“…Thanks.”

He An smiled and poured them tea from the kettle, “And the inn? You’re both here, so who’s in charge of the inn now?”

Dai Xiao answered, “Last month, we hired a woman who had worked as an HR manager in a large company for ten years. She resigned and agreed to spend a year with us. She’s very skilled and motivated. We left the inn to her.”

“That’s great.”

He An composed himself and asked with concern, “Well… did Xie Yan’s fans come to pester you lately?”

“Yeah, of course they did!” Cheng Xiu grabbed up the teacup and blew on it. “But they’re quite docile. They’re powerless against Dai Xiao in fighting and against insulting me. Some people went to the OTA platform in secret and used lies to make false reports, which set off the reputation protection system. No one can give us a bad evaluation in the last few months.”

Zheng Feiluan was sitting on a round stool and carefully cutting scented wood into the fireplace. Listening to this, he let out a little cough, “Well, I actually requested that the platform activate the protection.”

“Uh…”

Cheng Xiu scratched his head and said, “Th-thank you, Mr. Zheng, for being so kind to us.”

Zheng Feiluan meant to ask for credit and a reward. He glanced at He An instinctively after saying this. After seeing his nod of approval, he set down the firewood bits, closed the fireplace door, and said with pride, “As I should.”

⋮

　　There were three or four refills of hot tea, and the coffee table was set up with freshly made pastries. They brought Linglan downstairs to greet her adored alpha and beta dads, and she kissed their cheeks immediately.

As the sun sank below the horizon, the small group of people continued their conversation as warmly as they had in Luotan Town.

“Oh, and where are you going to be staying for the night? Need help finding a hotel nearby?” He An suddenly remembered this matter as Dai Xiao and the others were getting ready to leave.

“At my place.” Cheng Xiu calmly replied, “My wedding house on West Miyang Road hasn’t been sold yet. As soon as I clean it up, we can hang out there. It’s been empty for the past two years. The bedding and other stuff are likely damp. I need to grab a new bed, so I’m going to the store—hold on a second!”

He stopped for a moment and then hit his thigh hard. “I haven’t lived there in two years. Don’t turn off the heat, water, or power. During the dead of winter, heating is everything to me. Turn off everything except the heat! I’ll contact the building’s management!”

Taking the phone in his hand, he bolted out the door in a flash.

“Why do you make such a racket every day?” Dai Xiao felt helpless as he glanced behind him and sighed.

He An smiled and asked, “It’s been two years, and you still haven’t grown used to it?”

Holding his temples, Dai Xiao said, “Maybe I’ll never get used to it in my life…”

He An laughed out loud, hugged the soft fleece pillow, and said in a low voice, “Dai Xiao, you don’t know how much Cheng Xiu loves his wedding house. He thinks about it all day. Everything from the furniture and decorations to the plants and flowers in the corners was chosen personally and maintained by him. He never let alphas in, and you’re the first.”

“So from now on, you’d like me to be the one who looks after him, huh?”

The whole situation was crystal clear to Dai Xiao in just a few words.

“Well… not completely,” He An admitted, his shame clearly showing, “When it comes to showing off his skills, Cheng Xiu is the most passionate and confident guy you’ll ever meet. You may need some patience with him, even though he isn’t particularly delicate. Dai Xiao, I know you two are simply joking when you fight. You never took it seriously, or you wouldn’t have survived for so long. But the next time you’re in a tight spot, you should give in to him a little. He may come off as reserved and quiet on the outside, but he’s actually really nice.”

Dai Xiao smiled and nodded, “I understand, don’t worry.”

When Cheng Xiu finally got off the phone, a smile spread across his face, and he said, “You know what? The property managers are very reliable. They didn’t only leave my electricity, water, and heating on, but also my Wi-Fi! I told you it wouldn’t hurt to buy a home in a great neighborhood!”

“Then we’ll head back first.” Dai Xiao got up and said, “Don’t forget to stop by Luotan Town again in the future. We’ll prepare yours and Linglan’s rooms in advance.”

“Okay!”

He An put on his coat and led them to the gate with Zheng Feiluan, watching the cab drive away from the long street. He stood on the snowy street, and there was a hint of sadness in his face.

He missed Olive Inn after only being gone for a few dozen days.

For him, it was the first place that felt like home.

When he was a kid and a teenager, his “home” in the inland felt more like a foster home. Growing up as a gentle and modest omega, he was raised by his family, patiently waiting for the day he would be offered to a strange yet well-off alpha. He was really young back then and didn’t have anywhere else to go but this “home.”

Later on, when he headed to Yuanjiang for his studies, he stayed in a dorm and switched rental places a couple of times. They were just a bunch of cramped, old houses that barely accommodated him, much less felt like a “home.”

He eventually made Olive Inn his home with Cheng Xiu.

There were swings, hydrangeas, bougainvillea, the stone river, and the chubby Liubailiu. Linglan went from being just a tiny one-month-old baby to an energetic two-year-old in no time. He also looked after himself well and had a relaxing time.

He definitely feels a lot more for Luotan Town than he does for Yuanjiang.

“If you can’t stand to leave, we can come back and stay here sometimes.” In a soft voice, Zheng Feiluan took his hand and said, “As long as you want, I will help you keep Olive Inn there forever.”

“All right.”

He An nodded and squeezed Zheng Feiluan’s hand tightly.

The two of them walked back home together, their footsteps echoing through the crunchy snow.

⋮

　　Right after the heat cycle ended, the alpha and omega fell deeply in love with each other and couldn’t stand to be apart for long periods of time.

This “long time” tends to be counted in hours.

During the day, Zheng Feiluan had a lot of work to do, and He An had to make up lessons he had missed over the last week. They were both very busy, so the only time they could spend together was at night. Unfortunately, as soon as the heat cycle ended, Zheng Feiluan’s permission to spend the night at 12 West Gardenia Street was denied.

Only in words, of course.

Night after night, a car with dim headlights would drive slowly—ten kilometers per hour—to the gate of the house. The long-awaited omega would sneak around the porch and open the door. They would quietly tiptoe through the living room and up the stairs, not letting out an air of relief until they finally made it to the bedroom.

“…Dad?”

Linglan was sitting on the bed with the plush chick in her hand, staring at them confused.

Because of Linglan, they were worried to do anything unusual. They usually shared a quick kiss and then wrapped their arms around each other to take in some warmth. So, even though Linglan was at Yan Ning’s place, Zheng Feiluan was really careful not to be too intense, especially since He An might be pregnant with a baby girl. He took his time, moving slowly and patiently, making sure He An didn’t reach that satisfying climax until he was completely worn out and sweating, up to the very end.

Before Mrs. Zhou got up in the morning, Zheng Feiluan wanted to sneak away.

This carried on for a month, and everything was peaceful.

Still, He An always had a feeling that Yan Ning was aware of something but was just ignoring it.

First of all, Yan Ning is Zheng Feiluan’s biological father, and he is more familiar with his son’s scent than anybody else. Second, Linglan has been babbling quite a bit lately, and she tends to drop hints, like saying, “Dad was doing this and that last night.” Lastly, there were a couple of times when He An actually walked Zheng Feiluan out, and when he came back to the room, he just happened to run into Yan Ning, who had just woken up. Yan Ning didn’t pry into why he was out in the garden so early but instead just smiled and said, “You should get back to your room. It’s freezing out here.”

He An felt a bit guilty and hurried back to the bedroom, his face all flushed.

⋮

　　When pine cones, bells, gold ribbons, and red socks were hung from the Christmas tree in December of this year, Linglan celebrated her second birthday. Soon after, the small hydrangea that was planted during the heat cycle also sprouted on time.

In the form of morning sickness.

When He An became pregnant for the first time, Zheng Feiluan had been away for ten months and hadn’t seen morning sickness before, so he ran to Yan Ning barefoot early in the morning and banged on the door, asking in a panic, “He An threw up. What should I do?”

Yan Ning: “…..”

Zheng Feiluan’s face was pale, “Dad, what do I do? Will everything be okay?”

Yan Ning patted his shoulder and spoke carefully, “He An has been pregnant before, so everything should be good. But pregnancy is not entirely an omega’s responsibility; the alpha’s support is also needed. I advise that you talk to your doctor, get some common sense about fertility, and train yourself to be an “antiemetic”[mfn]A drug that prevents or reduces nausea and vomiting.[/mfn] so that you can handle even simple things like morning sickness…”

“Forget it. Come to the study, and I’ll teach you.”

If morning sickness isn’t managed right away, He An will suffer the most. So I should put this issue of educating my son aside for now.

⋮

　　Thirty minutes later, Zheng Feiluan came downstairs with He An. Mrs. Zhou had already put milk, muffins, scrambled eggs, porridge, and appetizers on the dining table. Linglan squatted behind him, holding a plate of beef meatballs and feeding them to Barton one at a time.

Still anxious that He An would start throwing up again in the middle of his meal, Zheng Feiluan constantly paused to look at him.

He An sighed and said, “This is only the beginning. There are still nine months to go. Relax.”

Zheng Feiluan had to contain his pleased and rushed emotions, lowering his head and eating a small pancake. Halfway through, he realized that this was the perfect chance, so he looked up and told Yan Ning, “Dad, listen… He An’s pregnant, and he really needs my pheromones.”

His eyes glittered with a burning excitement.

With a smile on his face, Yan Ning said, “You had to keep it a secret from me that you come in the dead of night and leave in the crack of dawn. That must’ve been tough for you, right?”

Zheng Feiluan coughed hard in guilt, “…It’s fine. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Then, for He An’s sake, I’ll let you move in and stay here for a few months.” Yan Ning graciously offered.

Zheng Feiluan was thankful right away.

Yan Ning continued, “Kidding aside, you two are a family, so you should live together with Linglan. My house is mainly close to the school, and Mrs. Zhou takes excellent care of me, making it easy for He An to study. When He An graduates next summer, you can live together. Young people must always adjust to being part of a small family. That’s how it is.”

“Uncle Yan…” He An set down his chopsticks, looking hesitant.

“What’s wrong?” Yan Ning asked.

“If I take Linglan with us, won’t you be lonely?”

Yan Ning lowered his chin and smiled. He looked at Linglan, who was playing with Barton, and replied, “I also have my own life. I write papers, teach, collect old books and tea, and travel whenever I have time off… I enjoy a pretty comfortable lifestyle. How can I feel lonely? Besides, Feiluan being right next to me every day would make my life shorter.”

“Come on, Dad.” Zheng Feiluan coughed hard again.

Yan Ning and He An laughed at each other, teasing Zheng Feiluan a bit more, and continued to eat breakfast happily.

⋮

　　After dinner, Zheng Feiluan scheduled an appointment with the doctor and personally took He An for a pregnancy check-up. He went to a three-hour alpha care class, as instructed by Yan Ning, and attentively learned about the struggles that omegas in different stages of pregnancy might face, the symptoms that may develop, and how to use pheromones to comfort them.

He An thought it especially compelling to see him sitting straight, nervous of missing something.

The two fathers went out, and Linglan stayed at home, so she naturally went to her grandfather.

The nice breeze in the study was blowing. Yan Ning leaned on the sofa bed, reading. Linglan sat next to him, resting soundly on his belly. Next to her was Barton, who was lying on his front paws, his two long brown ears almost touching the carpet. Fine snow fell through a French window and covered the yard outside in silence.

It’s cold outside, which makes everything calm. The animals are scared because there isn’t enough water, and the green grass has turned gray.

Yan Ning shook out the blanket, gently covering Linglan’s tummy, leaving only a pair of restless hands exposed. He then picked up the freshly brewed hot tea and took a sip.

It looks like this winter will be warm.

He thought to himself.

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Hello~! I’m sorry for being MIA for a couple of months. I forgot my user login 😂

Anyway, I’m happy to be back, and Happy Chinese New Year to everyone! 🧧🎊

Translated and edited by janemoyu (02/03/25)