PTBC chapter 52

Before January 28th, two days in advance, Xia Yan and Xu Cong had already taken time off to attend Fu Hui and Li Song’an’s wedding.

The wedding was overseas, held at an ancient manor, which was also used for guests to rest and helped somewhat with blocking the paparazzi tracking Xu Cong and Xia Yan.

Before the wedding, there was really nothing to do, everything was handed over to the wedding planner and the butler. Fu Hui and Li Song’an each had their own bachelor and bachelorette parties, and the two groups occupied separate villas in the manor.

Xia Yan had no idea what was happening on Li Song’an’s side, but on their side, it was pure chaos.

Fu Hui was drunk, crying and clinging to her younger brother.

“It’s not easy for me, I’ve had to fight my way through so much to marry your brother-in-law. I’ve been pursuing him since middle school. I picked him up after school, bought him breakfast, warmed his hands, saved up to buy him a violin. It took me forever to win him over, and now, damn it, my rivals are everywhere, like wild grass growing again with the spring breeze.”

Fu Hui slapped her thigh, still gnashing her teeth in anger.

“That Zhao Zhili, Jian Muwei, Zhang Qian… and who else? I sent wedding invitations to all of them, booked a private jet to bring them over,” Fu Hui continued, slapping her thigh. “They’re all sitting in the front row of the wedding! I want them to open their eyes wide and see me exchange rings with Song’an!”

Xia Yan was laughing so hard he nearly couldn’t breathe. It was the same story, over and over again, as she rambled drunkenly.

But Fu Hui’s tear-streaked face was too funny, and he couldn’t stop himself from recording the scene on his phone and sending it to Li Song’an.

Fu Hui noticed Xia Yan was filming her.

She straightened up, pushing her hair aside, and her face, which looked somewhat like Xia Yan’s, was full of boldness, flushed from the alcohol, with eyes sparkling in an indescribable flirtatious manner.

She slapped her brother’s shoulder, “You’re still recording this? You’re a single dog, not even inheriting our family’s good genes. Our dads were already planning to elope at your age. By this time, I was already being all lovey-dovey with Song’an. And look at you, still single after all these years. What a useless guy.”

She gave Xia Yan a light smack on the head.

Then, she saw Xu Cong next to them and didn’t let him off either.

“And Xu Cong, you too. You’re worse than Xia Yan, you’ve got that good looking face and good genes for nothing,” she shook her head and poured herself another drink, sighing. “You two are really a couple of hopeless cases.”

Xia Yan froze, instinctively glancing at Xu Cong.

They were sitting quite far apart in the noisy and dimly lit hall, and since the party had started, they had barely spoken to each other. Fortunately, Fu Hui had invited enough people, with many young people making noise, so no one had noticed their awkwardness.

But now, being suddenly singled out by Fu Hui, they exchanged glances from across the room.

Xia Yan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, while Xu Cong stiffened his smile, but neither of them said anything. It felt like being pricked by something and then quickly looking away.

“Mind your own business and stop worrying about others,” Xia Yan immediately slapped his sister on the back, “Just get your own wedding sorted out. With how popular Li Ge is, don’t drop the ball tomorrow, or he might just replace you on the spot.”

Fu Hui caught the key words and immediately sobered up a bit, straightening up with a dark look. “Let’s see who dares to replace me!”

Everyone around burst out laughing.

A bunch of alphas threw flower petals, streamers, and candies at her.

“Wow, you’re strict with him!”

“Fu Hui, you’re hopeless!”

“Can you be a little more decent? Stop embarrassing us alphas.”

Fu Hui stood up proudly, looking down at the crowd. “I can’t help it. Taking care of my partner is a great trait passed down from my dads. Our family only knows how to spoil our partners.”

Now Xia Yan laughed along with everyone. He clapped his hands in the middle of the crowd, enjoying the moment.

Under the sparkling lights, Fu Hui’s face was full of pride, standing in the crowd like a queen who owned the world, because tomorrow she was marrying the love of her life.

Xia Yan usually argued and fought with her, wishing to peel her skin off at times, but at this moment, he genuinely felt happy for his sister, even feeling a bit grateful.

So grateful, the person Fu Hui loved, loved her deeply in return.

They would be the happiest couple, just like their two dads who eloped together all those years ago.

Xia Yan’s lips curved into a smile, and for some reason, his eyes turned a little misty.

…..

The next day, on the wedding day, Xia Yan personally witnessed Fu Hui and Li Song’an exchanging rings, the two of them saying their wedding vows to each other.

Fu Hui’s voice trembled.

She said, “Ten years ago, the first time I saw you, by the window at school, you were staring out at the phoenix tree leaves. I thought to myself, how silly this omega is, but then you suddenly turned around and looked at me, and honestly, I felt like the whole world lit up… At that time, I hadn’t fallen in love with you yet, I never imagined that ten years later, I would be holding your hand in front of all our friends and family…”

Despite having rehearsed the night before, Xia Yan still felt his eyes sting with tears. He tried to look up, but the tears just kept welling up, and he had to lower his head in embarrassment.

Xu Cong noticed and handed him a handkerchief.

It was blue, soft, and now dampened by Xia Yan’s tears.

“I’m so embarrassed,” Xia Yan mumbled. “I used to want Fu Hui to be taken away by someone. When we were kids, I wished an alien would come and take her away. But now, on her wedding day, I still can’t help but get all emotional. What hardships has she had? She’s a life winner, always so in love with her partner, and here I am, actually getting brainwashed into thinking it’s not easy for her. I’m crazy.”

It felt so unreasonable.

Xu Cong couldn’t help but laugh. He curled the corner of his mouth, but then quickly restrained it.

He looked at Fu Hui and Li Song’an, who were standing under the flower arch. The two of them looked nothing short of “perfect”.

Fu Hui and Li Song’an were both dressed in beautiful light-colored suits.

To fulfill one of Fu Hui’s fantasies, Li Song’an even wore a white veil, following the old tradition of omega weddings. The delicate embroidery and sheer fabric cascaded down, partially obscuring Li Song’an’s handsome face, making him look even more ethereal and dreamy, like a dream that seemed within reach.

He wore a bit of light makeup and had suppressed his usual sharp, sarcastic demeanor. His gaze at Fu Hui was full of tenderness.

Fu Hui, being watched, stuttered and almost seemed to lose herself in Li Song’an’s presence.

The guests below couldn’t help but laugh warmly, and no one thought any less of Fu Hui for her rare awkwardness. Everyone was genuinely happy for them.

Xu Cong felt a faint envy rise within him, and a secret pain bloomed from his heart, slowly spreading throughout his body, like a slow-acting poison.

Fu Hui once said that she had imagined their wedding many times over the years, but it never seemed worthy of Li Song’an.

And what about him?

Had he ever imagined that he would receive Xia Yan’s pity and be granted a lifelong pass to be with him?

Of course, he had.

In his most beautiful dreams, he imagined that he and Xia Yan might have a chance to walk into marriage, regardless of whether they were alpha or omega.

He envisioned proposing to Xia Yan by the lake, by the sea, in the forest.

He imagined bringing Xia Yan back to the wooden cabin where he had lived as a child, snuggling inside during a snowstorm, telling Xia Yan his childhood fairy tales and legends. After Xia Yan fell asleep, he would kiss Xia Yan’s cheek.

He had thought about so many things—secret, sweet, and desperate.

But these thoughts were his alone.

He had never dared let Xia Yan know.

But now, Xia Yan finally knew.

His most secret dream, the wish that had always been buried deep in his heart, had finally shattered.

A miracle didn’t happen. Xia Yan hadn’t accepted him.

They were both present at an incredibly romantic wedding, but only as guests.

When Fu Hui and Li Song’an kissed, Xu Cong turned his head slightly and looked at Xia Yan beside him.

Xia Yan had given up on holding back. His eyes were completely red, with tears on his face. He bit his lip and clapped, looking so pitiful and adorable compared to his usual fierce, arrogant self.

Xu Cong realized with despair that even now, knowing full well that Xia Yan had rejected him, he still couldn’t stop caring.

He looked at Xia Yan.

In his heart, it was like an ocean that would never calm down, with Xia Yan’s name hidden beneath every wave.

Xia Yan felt the gaze beside him and turned toward him. His eyes were still red, but he looked like a hedgehog, angrily asking, “What are you looking at? Haven’t you seen someone cry before?”

Xu Cong chuckled softly.

He raised his hand, gently wiping the corner of Xia Yan’s eye with the handkerchief, and whispered, “I’ve seen it, but it seems like this is the first time I’ve seen you cry so badly.”

Xia Yan seemed uncomfortable, instinctively wanting to pull away, but when he met Xu Cong’s gaze, he stopped.

Countless colorful balloons, tied to pretty little flower baskets, were released into the sky by the newlyweds. They exploded with a pop in the air, scattering soft petals that gently fell onto the guests’ shoulders and hair.

Xia Yan locked eyes with Xu Cong in the shower of petals.

Xu Cong gazed at him softly.

Since that day at the wrap party, Xu Cong’s feelings had been exposed during his heat period, and they hadn’t been able to interact so peacefully for a long time.

Even though the surroundings were lively with people, at that moment, with Xu Cong’s gaze on him, Xia Yan felt like all the noise was coming from a distant place.

“Xu Cong…”

He called out instinctively.

But he himself didn’t know what he wanted to say.

The next moment, the newlyweds did something, and the guests burst into loud laughter and teasing, along with the sound of champagne being opened, its bubbles accompanying the wedding like a melody.

Xia Yan’s unfinished words were completely drowned out by the crowd.

Xu Cong’s eyelashes fluttered, and a petal fell from his hair, brushing his eye and eyebrow, before landing on his shoulder.

It was only much later that Xia Yan realized what he had wanted to say that day.

He wanted to say to Xu Cong:

Can we just stay like this and never be apart?

But the sudden commotion interrupted his thoughts. His feelings for Xu Cong were so chaotic that even he couldn’t put them into words.

He missed his chance to speak.

It took him quite some time before he finally understood what his feelings for Xu Cong truly meant.

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  Author’s Note:
  
  Xia Yan is a bit slow, please be patient with him. But it’s okay—his Alpha is a little smarter.