Chapter 65 [VIP]

The previous semester was so exciting that Pei Xingzhi didn't really feel the arrival of the summer break after his freshman year.

He seemed to have been busy with a lot this semester, yet it also felt like he hadn't done anything at all. In the end, it was all just back to where he started when he first met Xie Nanyi. His life was still fulfilling, but now Xie Nanyi was an unpredictable element.

Xie Nanyi seemed to have forgotten that their relationship was merely a contractual bond between them, and she wholeheartedly threw herself into her romantic game with Pei Xingzhi. She even clung to Pei Xingzhi, wanting to stay at his house for a while, though she eventually gave up the idea after Pei Xingzhi firmly refused.

He didn't want to tell his parents about his relationship with Xie Nanyi, and even if there was a contract, he didn't want anyone to know.

The word "summer vacation" doesn't exist in Pei Xingzhi's family's dictionary. Pei's parents are still as busy as ever. Pei Xingzhi stayed at home for a few weeks, and the number of days they spent at home can be counted on two hands.

With his parents away, Pei Xingzhi had more free time. Apart from dealing with Xie Nanyi's endless whining and checking up on him every day, Pei Xingzhi spent almost all of his summer vacation with Chu Ling.

Happiness can only be felt through comparison. Compared to Chu Ling's busy summer vacation, Pei Xingzhi felt that he should still be happy.

Chu Ling had to come to his place during the day to help him modify the program, and at night he had to work part-time at a bar until the early hours of the morning. Several times he fell asleep while coding, and Pei Xingzhi had to call him for a long time to wake him up. Pei Xingzhi advised him to rest more, but he waved his hand and said that he was already used to it.

Chu Ling rarely talked about his family affairs, but based on Pei Xingzhi's understanding of him over this period, it was obvious that his family situation was probably quite complicated. Otherwise, an Omega top student with full tuition and scholarships wouldn't be living such a hardworking, innocent life. Pei Xingzhi didn't like to pry into other people's privacy, and since Chu Ling didn't want to talk about it, Pei Xingzhi never asked. When the two sat together, they simply edited programs together and didn't say anything extra.

Xie Nanyi, however, would get jealous for a long time every time he checked on Pei Xingzhi and saw Chu Ling sitting next to him. He would talk to the two of them sarcastically for a while and even ordered Pei Xingzhi not to hang up the phone, otherwise he would immediately go to Pei Xingzhi's house and wait at his door until Pei Xingzhi's parents came back.

Based on Pei Xingzhi's understanding of him, Xie Nanyi was indeed capable of such behavior. Therefore, every time the two of them talked on the phone, Chu Ling, as an innocent bystander, was always forced to listen to Xie Nanyi's jealous and sour words, as well as Xie Nanyi's shameless "confession of love".

Pei Xingzhi always wished he could reach through the screen and beat Xie Nanyi up, but Chu Ling took it well, at most only showing a slight change in expression.

Regarding the imprints on Pei Xingzhi and Xie Nanyi, he was one of the few people who knew the whole story. He was all too clear about the Xie family's attitude. He had initially thought that Xie Nanyi was only trying to stabilize her pheromones, but now it seemed that the Xie family had miscalculated.

The Xie family, a bunch of heartless people, actually raised a devoted lover.

"Pei Xiaozhi, didn't I tell you that there should be two cushions between you two?"

Just as Chu Ling was leaning closer to examine the program that Pei Xingzhi had just sent, Xie Nanyi's voice rang out softly from between the two of them.

Pei Xingzhi sighed helplessly, took the phone that was lying between the two of them, and placed Xie Nanyi on the screen in front of them.

"Xie Nanyi, have you had enough? If you keep making noise, I'm hanging up!" Xie Nanyi claimed she wanted to become a virtual barrier separating the two of them from their real-life closeness, and insisted that Pei Xingzhi place his phone between them. To quiet him down, Pei Xingzhi complied, but the woman became increasingly unreasonable, making even more demands.

"Xiao Zhi, I can't even be by your side to be with you, can't I ask for more?" Xie Nan saw that Pei Xingzhi was showing signs of getting angry, so he immediately picked up Wuyun as a shield. The two of them looked at Pei Xingzhi on the other side of the screen with pitiful expressions, which made him unable to get angry for a moment.

Qin Wanyang is allergic to animal fur. When he found Wuyun, winter vacation was already more than halfway over. Wuyun spent a long time in the hospital before Qin Wanyang secretly took it home and kept it in his room. After school started, Pei Xingzhi immediately brought it to his dormitory. In total, it didn't appear in front of Qin Wanyang for more than a few days. But this summer vacation is different. Qin Wanyang might come back at any time, and it wouldn't be convenient to keep it at home. Xie Nanyi volunteered to take care of Wuyun. Pei Xingzhi knew that Wuyun wouldn't suffer with him, so he simply entrusted Wuyun to his care.

That little dog, Wuyun, is a complete traitor. In less than six months of being with Xie Nanyi, he went from initially disliking her to now being completely complicit with her. The two of them are masters of using cuteness and charm; Xie Nanyi is responsible for provoking him, while Wuyun is responsible for calming his anger. Every time Pei Xingzhi sees Wuyun's big, watery eyes, he can't seem to get angry at all.

Just now, Pei Xingzhi was about to criticize Xie Nanyi, but as soon as he saw the lovely dark clouds, his heart immediately softened.

How can he still argue in front of the children?

Pei Xingzhi greeted Chu Ling and told him to make the revisions first, while he went to his room to talk to Xie Nanyi alone for a while.

Chu Ling was already used to his wife checking up on him, and without looking up, he extended his left hand and gave an "OK" sign.

Pei Xingzhi retreated to his room, where Xie Nanyi on the screen had been waiting for a long time, staring intently at the lone Pei Xingzhi. Her intense gaze gave Pei Xingzhi goosebumps.

"Are you sick? Why are you staring at me like that?" Pei Xingzhi couldn't help but scold him, then sat down in the chair and waved to Wu Yun, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

Xie Nanyi fiddled with Wuyun's little paws and waved them in its place, then rubbed her chin against Wuyun's fluffy head.

"It's been so long since I've seen you, Wuyun. You've been saying you miss me a lot lately. Our Wuyun clearly has a mother, but why does it feel like a single-parent family with only Dad by your side? Isn't that right, Wuyun?"

The cloud barked in response, and Pei Xingzhi chuckled, tapping the screen with his finger and making a virtual paw-to-paw gesture with the cloud.

“Dark clouds can’t talk. If you miss me, then miss me. Don’t use dark clouds as an excuse.”

"Okay, actually, I missed you." Xie Nanyi admitted it so readily that Pei Xingzhi didn't know what to say. He avoided Xie Nanyi's gaze and continued to talk to Wuyun.

"The cloud says it wants to see you. May I take it to meet you?"

"It doesn't seem like that's possible. My mom is allergic to dog hair, so we can't let Wuyun come over."

"If you can't let the dark clouds pass by, can you come over?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible either. I've been very busy lately and haven't had time to go out."

"Okay..." After being rejected twice, Xie Nanyi's face showed her disappointment. Wuyun, whether she understood the conversation or sensed Xie Nanyi's emotions, whimpered softly and then lowered her head.

"Why do you have to come now? It's not like we won't see each other again after school starts." Pei Xingzhi couldn't stand their behavior and quickly changed the subject.

"Has there been any result regarding the matter I asked you to do for me last time?"

Upon hearing his words, Xie Nanyi immediately composed herself, patted Wuyun's head and put it aside, then leaned closer to the phone and lowered her voice to speak.

"I shouldn't have agreed so readily. You know I'm just an ordinary college student. The military isn't my family's. Besides, my brother-in-law is just too outstanding. It would be fine if he were in a lower rank, but someone like him can't be transferred so easily."

Pei Xingzhi had anticipated this outcome. He hadn't held out much hope to begin with, and he didn't show any disappointment after hearing Xie Nanyi's words. He had signed a contract with the Xie family, and although he didn't know if it had any legal effect, his brother was still in the Xie family's hands, and he needed to make sure his brother was settled before leaving.

He didn't dare tell him directly about his relationship with the Xie family, even though he knew it would be better to leave it to Pei Yuan. Pei Xingzhi silently pondered this in his mind, and seeing his calm demeanor, Xie Nanyi became somewhat displeased.

"Did you think I couldn't do it well from the beginning, so you didn't have any hope for me?"

"What? What's wrong with you again?" Pei Xingzhi was distracted by other things and didn't notice the young master's emotional change at all. Seeing that he had inexplicably started to throw a tantrum again, Pei Xingzhi just felt that Xie Nanyi was annoying.

"So you think I can't do anything right? Pei Xiaozhi, you underestimate me!"

"ah?"

"Pei Xingzhi, you just wait! I'll make you look at me in a completely different light!"

Xie Nanyi hung up the phone after uttering this ambitious statement, leaving Pei Xingzhi standing there, wondering what had suddenly gotten into Xie Nanyi.

This person must be crazy.

After ending his rambling phone call with Xie Nanyi, Pei Xingzhi, filled with bewilderment, pushed open the door. He had intended to confide in Chu Ling, but Chu Ling was already asleep on the sofa.

Helpless, Pei Xingzhi grabbed a blanket and covered Chu Ling with it, then sat down next to her and started playing on his phone in silence. Perhaps sleepiness is contagious, because as he played, Pei Xingzhi unknowingly drifted off to sleep himself.

When I woke up again, I heard a series of noisy footsteps.

He rubbed his cheeks and slowly opened his heavy eyelids, startled by the two people sitting opposite him.

"Dad? Mom? Why are you back?" Pei Xingzhi's lazy brain was startled awake by the two people in front of him. He quickly scanned his surroundings. Chu Ling had already left, and the things on the coffee table had been neatly arranged to the side. His computer was still on, and he wondered if Qin Wanyang had looked through its contents.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" Pei Xingzhi asked nervously, stroking his chin.

They hadn't been back for so long that Pei Xingzhi's guard had lowered considerably. All sorts of things that Qin Wanyang had explicitly forbidden were now openly displayed on the table. He didn't even know when Chu Ling had left or if they had bumped into her before she left.

"What are you saying? Why do we need to notify you in advance when we go back to our own home?" Qin Wanyang said coldly without responding. Pei's father chuckled, trying to break the deadlock, but it was clear that his words carried little weight in the family.

"These are my friend's things. He came to visit me this afternoon, and he probably forgot to take them with him." Seeing that Qin Wanyang didn't speak, Pei Xingzhi could only explain himself, trying to make Qin Wanyang believe him a little.

"Then you keep it safe for him and bring it to him next time you meet." Qin Wanyang didn't ask who Pei Xingzhi's friend was. She just waved her hand in the air, and Pei Xingzhi immediately packed everything up and stuffed it into his room as if he had received an order.

"Xiaozhi, Mom wants to talk to you."

Pei Xingzhi had just placed his things on the table when Qin Wanyang followed him in. She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked around Pei Xingzhi's room. Their room was designed by Qin Wanyang, and every detail reflected her aesthetic. Pei Xingzhi strictly adhered to her design, not adding a single thing of his own.

"Mom, is there something you need?" Pei Xingzhi obediently sat down in the chair and looked at Qin Wanyang. Although she didn't say anything, Pei Xingzhi had a vague idea that she probably wouldn't say anything to make him happy.

"Your dad's hospital director's son plans to study abroad after the semester starts. You'll be a sophomore soon, and your dad and I think we can send you abroad with him. You probably remember the director's son, right? You used to play together a lot when you were little, but he differentiated into an Alpha. He happened to run into you when you went to the hospital last time, but he didn't say hello. I heard from the director that he praised you a lot after he got home..."

Pei Xingzhi couldn't quite remember what Qin Wanyang said next. She spoke for a very long time, but the meaning of her words could be summarized in one single purpose.

As a Beta, he was honored to be noticed by an Alpha. He would use this reward to curry favor with the Alpha and make the most of his remaining value in exchange for their benefits.

He was sold by his parents.

A note from the author:

I've been working overtime a lot lately, and my writing speed is really slow, so I've been forced to delay updates. The pressure at work is just too much; I really want to quit.