Zhao Manlin very bluntly "declined" Pei Yujang's "kind offer."
As an Omega, Zhao Manlin had a strong sense of self-preservation, and she immediately warned Yu Zhiwan.
Even though Pei Yujang had told Yu Zhiwan that she was a Beta, Yu Zhiwan, wanting to ease her friend's concerns, passed this information on to the discreet Zhao Manlin. Zhao Manlin, however, showed clear disapproval when she learned that Yu Zhiwan had agreed to Pei Yujang's invitation.
They had been college roommates, though not in the same major, and Zhao Manlin had long felt a deep connection with Yu Zhiwan.
Zhao Manlin had witnessed how Yu Zhiwan endured the period after she first lost her ability to walk. For an entire year, Zhao Manlin tirelessly accompanied her up and down stairs, worried that Yu Zhiwan might hurt herself. She even stayed on campus during holidays to take care of Yu Zhiwan.
It wasn't until Yu Zhiwan could move freely with a wheelchair that Zhao Manlin felt a bit relieved.
Though she was also an Omega, Zhao Manlin didn't have any special feelings for Yu Zhiwan, but years of friendship, along with their compatible personalities, made Zhao Manlin protective of her.
She didn't want to admit it, but it was indeed a mix of sympathy for her friend's disability and an Omega's instinctive sense of danger.
A person's outstanding beauty isn't always a blessing.
When Pei Yujang began to approach Yu Zhiwan, Zhao Manlin's doubts deepened. Especially when she heard that Yu Zhiwan and Pei Yujang were going on a business trip together, she hesitated for a long time before finally voicing her concerns:
"Even if she's a Beta, your legs…"
A physically able Omega might not be too afraid of a female Beta, but Yu Zhiwan, despite her strong will, had limited mobility. If Pei Yujang intended to do anything, it would be hard for a blind and disabled Omega like Yu Zhiwan to avoid it.
Zhao Manlin had advised her against living with Liu Huanran, but Yu Zhiwan had been stubborn, and the result was almost disastrous. With Liu Huanran as a cautionary tale, Zhao Manlin had to be vigilant against Yu Zhiwan falling into a "love-struck" state again.
"Manlin, the path we take is our own choice."
Having known Zhao Manlin for many years, Yu Zhiwan understood what she was worried about, but there were things she couldn't discuss with others.
Zhao Manlin was usually a very discreet person who didn't like meddling in others' affairs, but she kept breaking her own rules for Yu Zhiwan.
Zhao Manlin took a deep breath, seemingly frustrated, but standing from an outsider's perspective, she had nothing more to say. After staring at Yu Zhiwan for a while, she abruptly turned and left without even saying goodbye for the first time.
The faint scent of an Omega lingered in the air, the subtle fragrance of osmanthus clinging to Yu Zhiwan's nose long after Zhao Manlin had gone. Yu Zhiwan couldn't see her expression or her retreating figure, but she could tell from her friend's tone that this time, she was truly upset.
Yu Zhiwan tiredly propped her hands on the café table, burying her head in her arms, quietly escaping for a moment like an ostrich, while the sound of servers moving around her mingled with the soothing music.
After a while, Yu Zhiwan finally lifted her disheveled head from the table.
Her phone was connected to her earpiece, and after dialing a number, she pressed the recording button and whispered briefly:
"Check all of Pei Yujang's movements during this time period, including the next two months, and also investigate everyone in the Pei family, including Fan Zhaozhao and Jiang Wenxiu. Leave no detail unchecked."
Yu Zhiwan provided a specific date—the day Pei Yujang had rescued her from the abandoned attic at the factory. After a brief acknowledgment from the other end, the call was cut off.
Pei Yujang hadn't been to the south in a long time, so she was a bit excited about the upcoming trip.
In her previous life, the zombie beasts were mainly active in the northern regions, where diseases were more prevalent in the south, making zombies less common there. Pei Yujang wasn't a medical professional; her main focus was combat in the north.
Ningxiang was a southern water town and flower city, with gentle mountains and soft waters, completely different from the northern Yicheng.
As soon as the plane landed, Pei Yujang felt the significant temperature difference.
By November, Yicheng was already in the depths of winter, with frost and occasional snow, while Ningxiang enjoyed a spring-like climate for most of the year, with only the lightest frost during the coldest days of winter.
The cold air, which had swept down from the north, seemed to become subdued upon reaching the low green mountains of Ningxiang, falling as mere sprinkles after much thunder.
However, to the people of this southern city, the temperature in the low teens was already considered "cold weather," and there were few people on the streets wearing trench coats; most were bundled up in light cotton jackets.
Pei Yujang, in her long coat and boots, stood out like a sore thumb in this warm southern city.
She was strikingly beautiful, combining the boldness of a northern woman with the tall, slender frame of an Alpha. Ningxiang wasn't a big city, just a third-tier tourist spot, so it was impossible for Pei Yujang, an elegant woman accompanying another beautiful but disabled woman, to go unnoticed as they disembarked from the plane.
Patiently, Pei Yujang helped Yu Zhiwan tidy up her hair, which had gotten tousled during the flight, then bent down slightly and softly asked if she needed to go to the restroom. After receiving a negative response, they headed straight for the exit.
Collecting the materials was not a particularly difficult task, and since someone else was on a business trip nearby, Pei Yujang and Yu Zhiwan had come alone and would meet up with the others in a few days.
This was another perk granted by Pei Jinhuai, who, knowing her daughter wanted to have some fun, allowed her a few days of vacation on the company's dime.
Pei Yujang had already planned their stay before coming; they could spend three days here, after which they would have to meet up with the others for work. These three days were relatively free.
She had booked a guesthouse with two rooms, specifically chosen online for its accessibility for the disabled. Ningxiang had a pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, and low living costs, attracting many people for rehabilitation, psychological recovery, or retirement.
Pei Yujang had never traveled before and was planning a trip for the first time. She was a bit nervous at first, but upon seeing that the guesthouse matched the online photos perfectly, she relaxed completely.
The guesthouse's backyard was a garden personally planted by the owner. According to them, the flowers planted differed by season, and to maintain the element of surprise, no one had uploaded related pictures in the review section; just the text descriptions were enticing enough.
Pei Yujang pushed Yu Zhiwan through the wheelchair-accessible path, and when she opened the wooden gate to the garden, a burst of vivid colors greeted her unexpectedly.
The summer garden was full of roses and gardenias.
Despite the uniformity of the flowers, the mix of bright red roses, a few vibrant yellows, and the rare blue and black roses, scattered with pink and purple ones, created a stunning display. The gardenias served as a backdrop, their petals fluttering gently in the breeze.
Pei Yujang loved roses, not only because her previous life's pheromones carried their scent but also because she loved the fragrance of Yu Zhiwan's pheromones.
Roses are visually striking with a rich aroma, but their thorns make them difficult to handle. Even with care, it's easy to get pricked while picking them.
Yu Zhiwan, being blind, couldn't see the garden filled with different colors and types of blooming roses, but her sense of smell was more acute, and she detected a scent similar to her pheromones before they even entered.
This made her even more certain of something.
Pei Yujang, oblivious to the thoughts racing through Yu Zhiwan's mind, was in such a good mood that she felt like humming. She did her best to describe what she was seeing to Yu Zhiwan.
"In addition to red and yellow, there are also blue, pink, white, and black roses. They're all different types. The owner has arranged them very well, probably with professional help. They're paired with gardenias, which are used to create a line that forms a shape resembling the union of the sun and moon. One side has 108 roses, and the other 219…"
Pei Yujang even took the time to count the roses carefully, using simple and direct descriptions rather than flowery language, allowing Yu Zhiwan to imagine the scene for herself.
"I just checked; there are flowers in the front yard too. How about I make you a flower crown?"
Since they had high expectations for the backyard, Pei Yujang had headed straight there, but she had glanced at the front yard earlier.
The owner had mentioned that the flowers in the backyard couldn't be touched, but the ones in the front could be used for making dried flowers or petal baths, so making a flower crown was also allowed.
Yu Zhiwan, who had been quietly listening to her descriptions, raised an eyebrow:
"You can make a flower crown?"
"Of course!"
Pei Yujang wasn't skilled in crafts, but she was quite good at making flower crowns, a skill she had picked up as a form of entertainment during her previous life's military campaigns.
She could confidently guarantee that she was very good at it.
"Come on, let's go to the front yard. I'll make you a flower crown to wear. The river isn't far from here, and after we're done, we can take the barbecue grill and have a cookout by the river."
Ningxiang didn't have strict city regulations, and since they were in the suburbs, there were designated areas by the river for people to use. As long as they didn't cause any damage, there were no strict rules.
It was said that sometimes there were even fireworks displays at night, though whether they would be lucky enough to see them was uncertain. But even if they didn't, it didn't matter—Pei Yujang had already planned to buy some fireworks herself. She wanted to use skyrocket fireworks so that Yu Zhiwan could hear the sound more clearly and feel more involved.
While researching the trip, Pei Yujang was almost captivated by the carefree and romantic nature of this small town.
The freedom of peacetime was gradually unfolding before her eyes. Ningxiang was not the war-torn, disease-ridden "sick town" it would become two hundred years later but rather the peaceful haven its name suggested.
By now, the sun was setting. After quickly unpacking their luggage and placing it in the room, Pei Yujang went outside to make a flower crown for Yu Zhiwan.
They were staying in a single-story house, surrounded by willows and an artificial lake. Pei Yujang, wearing jeans, easily vaulted over the wall, grabbed a willow branch, and returned.
If Yu Zhiwan could see, she would have noticed a tall, slender woman standing lazily by the wall, the cool, clear wind billowing her trench coat.
Pei Yujang's hair was slightly tousled by the wind, and she casually secured it with a hairpin. Her deep blue eyes were full of focus. She wore only a casual white shirt tucked into her jeans, her slender waist and long legs paired with black leather boots, exuding an effortless beauty.
Though Yu Zhiwan couldn't see, the scent of flowers filled the air, triggering memories she hadn't revisited in a long time—memories that seemed to have been intentionally sealed away.
Her parents' hands, accustomed to handling cold instruments, could also gently pick beautiful flowers to weave the simplest flower crowns to adorn her.
Her eyes could still see the vibrant colors of spring, and in the early summer fields of Yicheng, she could blow on the dandelion stems attached to the flower crown, sending them floating far away.
Pei Yujang hadn't intended to say anything.
She wasn't great with words and didn't know how to comfort people, worried she might accidentally make things worse. So when she first noticed something was off with Yu Zhiwan, she just slowed down her flower crown-making and quickly tried to figure out what might have upset her.
The entire day's events flashed through her mind.
She had picked up Yu Zhiwan at the door before departure, helped her onto the plane, asked the flight attendant for water when Yu Zhiwan was thirsty, covered her with a blanket when she fell asleep, and even offered her shoulder, though she believed the business-class seat was more comfortable.
She had helped her off the plane and chosen a guesthouse that met expectations. It was their first trip together, and she had been gentle and kind the whole time, without the slightest hint of displeasure, not even raising her voice at passing strangers.
So it definitely wasn't something she did.
Pei Yujang thought hard, but she couldn't figure out what was bothering Yu Zhiwan.
Yu Zhiwan felt a little embarrassed.
She didn't like others seeing her cry, except when it was necessary to fake it. She was in her twenties, and crying over a flower crown seemed absurd. Even though she was nearing her 25th birthday, her eyes and nose were sore, making it hard to control her emotions.
As she silently decided to let her tears dry and pretend nothing had happened, a clean, flower-scented tissue was suddenly placed in her palm.
Yu Zhiwan was stunned for a moment but somehow felt flustered and snapped in a small, weak voice:
"Don't look at me!"
"I'm not looking; I'm not looking at all. Really, my eyes are closed!"
Pei Yujang hurriedly explained as she knelt down, even grabbing Yu Zhiwan's hand to press it against her own eyes, making sure she felt that her eyelids were indeed shut tight.
The woman's voice was tinged with both nervousness and a bit of grievance. Pei Yujang's eyes still hurt from the poke, but she insisted on finishing her sentence.
"I wasn't going to intervene, but you're crying, and I don't want to see you cry."
She hadn't spent much time with Omegas, but she knew that Yu Zhiwan liked being close to her. Although that was during her heat period, it at least proved that Yu Zhiwan wasn't mad at her and didn't mind getting close.
To better fit into this world, Pei Yujang had studied a lot of material. She had come across an authoritative source that stated, "Hugs are healing," though she wasn't sure how true that was. However, she was certain that seeing Yu Zhiwan cry made her feel bad.
She didn't want to see Yu Zhiwan cry again, so she asked:
"How about you give me a hug? Maybe that'll make you feel better?"
Yu Zhiwan: I wasn't planning to fall for this.