Half an hour later, the two of them were sitting in the restaurant. Pei Yujing was holding a bowl of steaming hot soup noodles, slurping slowly, too embarrassed to look up at Yu Zhiwan.
She had originally thought that Yu Zhiwan's birthday was spent in a muddled state, almost passing midnight at the police station. After coming out, they hadn't even gotten to eat barbecue and almost got bitten by a dog. If even her longevity noodles were simple and plain, it would inevitably feel a bit unsatisfying.
Looking at the ingredients in the fridge, Pei Yujing planned to make a fried egg and some ham, then chop up some vegetables to fry together. It would be nutritious and tasty, and after a long sleep tomorrow, they could go out to eat something else.
However, her cooking skills were far worse than she had imagined. Although she had learned in her head, in the kitchen, she was all thumbs.
When Yu Zhiwan smelled a burnt scent and rushed over, Pei Yujing was just turning down the heat. She remembered seeing chefs on TV cooking with high heat, flipping the pan, and stir-frying with oil, sprinkling seasonings, and in no time, the food would be cooked in the pot. She didn't understand why it turned out like this when she did it herself.
The kitchen was filled with thick smoke and steam. Although Yu Zhiwan couldn't see, she knew something was wrong and quickly told Pei Yujing to turn on the range hood.
Yu Zhiwan could cook, but she was slow. Unless she was in a familiar environment, she had to carefully feel out the utensils before she dared to start cooking. Otherwise, unexpected situations might arise.
So this meal was still cooked by Pei Yujing.
Under Yu Zhiwan's guidance, Pei Yujing turned down the heat. The vegetables that were burnt were chopped into uneven pieces, especially the edges that had curled up, no longer having that fresh look, but instead looking like they had wilted for who knows how long.
She was glad that she hadn't served this to Yu Zhiwan. The presentation was too poor, even though the other party was blind, she would still be embarrassed.
In the end, they simply ate egg noodles with a bit of salt and vinegar. Pei Yujing didn't even chop any scallions, fully realizing that she wasn't cut out to show off her skills in the kitchen. Being able to eat something edible was good enough.
The next day, Pei Yujing rarely slept in until the sun was high. To reward herself and to make up for scaring Yu Zhiwan the night before, after getting up and freshening up, she looked for a good place to eat on an app and found a buffet restaurant.
The buffet restaurant was a fusion of different cuisines, combined with Ningxiang's specialties, and had a high rating—4.9 out of 5. By now, the food from the previous night had long been digested, and Pei Yujing planned to do a set of exercises first. Once Yu Zhiwan was ready, they could go for lunch.
Even in this era, Pei Yujing maintained her old habits of exercising every morning and before bed. In the morning, she usually did stretching exercises. Since there were no machines in the guesthouse, she could only do bodyweight stretches.
The city of Ningxiang was warm with soft water. It had snowed all night, but the snow hadn't accumulated in the yard, only leaving the ground damp. When they first entered the house, Pei Yujing had already covered the plants in the front yard. The back patio was enclosed, so there was no need to worry.
There was a yoga mat in the guesthouse, which was quite clean. Pei Yujing brought it into the living room to prepare for stretching when she suddenly heard the sound of Yu Zhiwan's wheelchair rolling on the floor.
"Are you exercising? Can I join you?" she asked.
Yu Zhiwan had already freshened up, her soft dark brown hair tied up with a rubber band and pinned into a bun with a silver-white hairpin. A few strands of hair hung down, and it was the first time Pei Yujing had seen her with such a playful hairstyle.
The woman had almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, and finely shaped features that were just right—not too strong, not too light. It was just that her bangs were too thick; if they were trimmed more neatly, she would look even more refreshed.
Pei Yujing had just finished her warm-up. "What do you want to do?"
Yu Zhiwan thought for a moment. "Let's work on the core."
The core refers to the muscles of the abdomen, but it's difficult to find the right point of exertion, and it's easy to use other muscles instead. For someone with leg impairments, core strength is crucial for rehabilitation, so it seemed Yu Zhiwan was sincere when she said she wanted to do rehab exercises.
Pei Yujing didn't mind having someone join her for a workout. On the contrary, this was the first time she was teaching someone with disabilities to do rehab exercises, so she was a bit nervous and excited, and immediately kicked the yoga mat aside.
She had booked this guesthouse because it had the necessary equipment for people with disabilities. There were adjustable handrails on either side of the living room. After testing the sturdiness, Pei Yujing gestured for Yu Zhiwan to grab the front rail while she stood by her side to guide her.
"Take a deep breath, then engage your core muscles. Feel the tension in your abdomen, and use your core to lift your body…"
Although Yu Zhiwan was blind, she was very smart, having been influenced by her extraordinary parents since childhood, and could quickly understand Pei Yujing's instructions. With Pei Yujing as her "coach" by her side, she didn't have to worry about falling.
However, she was still an Omega, and not used to exercising, so she started to run out of energy after a while. The one-minute rest between each exercise was not enough for someone unaccustomed to working out, and her strength hadn't fully recovered.
Yu Zhiwan was panting heavily, sweat beading on her forehead and trickling down from her temples. Her skin was fair, and as she exerted herself, her neck turned slightly red, and faint veins became visible as she strained.
Sweat also dampened her back, and because the heater was on, she wasn't wearing thick clothing, just a thermal undershirt, but now she felt too hot and wanted to take off her outer layer.
She was born with a strong will, unwilling to give up easily. As she felt her core strength building under Pei Yujing's guidance, she was even more reluctant to stop. She rolled up her sleeves, her forearms tensing, and Pei Yujing placed a hand on her back, gently supporting her spine to prevent injury.
Being so close, Pei Yujing could smell the scent of roses and raspberries from Yu Zhiwan, her favorite fragrance. At this moment, the rose scent was strong, like it had been steeped in boiling water, the petals unfurling, the aroma intoxicating.
Pei Yujing was completely enveloped in the intoxicating floral fragrance and asked from behind, "Do you still have the strength?"
Yu Zhiwan felt she was almost out of energy. She was about to say "No," but then thought that if she admitted she was out of strength, Pei Yujing might start working out on her own.
At the last moment, she changed her response to a hesitant question:
"When you work out, do you take off your jacket?"
Pei Yujing: "Hm?"
In the morning, she was only doing stretches, so there was no need to take off her jacket. However, Pei Yujing was used to wearing less while exercising because she would sweat, and since today they were indoors with the heater on, she was only wearing a tank top.
Yu Zhiwan seemed a bit shy but, after hesitating for a moment, made up her mind:
"Do you have abs? Can I touch them for motivation?"
Abs aren't exclusive to men; women who work out can have abs too, though not as pronounced as an eight-pack. The lines are clear and defined—clothing makes them look slim, but when you take it off, they look great. Abs and the V-cut lines are achieved through strong willpower and consistent training.
More Alphas tend to have abs, Betas less so, and Omega bodies aren't very suitable for building muscle.
Pei Yujing had heard people express curiosity about her abs more than once, but her answer was always the same:
"No."
She didn't let just anyone touch her, not even other women. Plus, she was ticklish.
Since Pei Yujing didn't agree, Yu Zhiwan didn't push or insist and simply let go of the equipment to rest on the side. After Pei Yujing finished her set of stretches, she took a short break, went to her room to change, and by the time she was ready, Yu Zhiwan was already prepared and waiting for her in the living room.
Pei Yujing was almost at the door when she suddenly remembered something and rushed back to her room to grab a lipstick from her luggage.
It was a gift from Yu Zhiwan.
Pei Yujing had never thought about wearing makeup when going out before, always going out with a fresh face. Her skin wasn't really taken care of either, relying on youth to keep it looking good.
Fortunately, her skin was naturally clear, and she looked great even without makeup.
Today, Pei Yujing was in a whimsical mood and decided to apply lipstick for the first time. Those hands that could hold a heavy sword steadily were terrible at applying lipstick.
It wasn't that her hands were shaky, but that she applied too much, making her lips look odd. Pei Yujing recalled seeing some people draw lines on their lips but couldn't remember exactly how it was done. After several tries, it still didn't look right.
Yu Zhiwan was patiently waiting in the living room, not urging her at all. However, Pei Yujing felt bad for taking so long and was too embarrassed to ask the blind girl to help her.
So, she poked her head out and called:
"Zhiwan, wait a minute!"
Pei Yujing quickly shut the bathroom door, opened a shopping app, and searched for "lipstick," remembering that some models would demonstrate how to apply it.
Since arriving in this era, she hadn't done any online shopping herself; all the browsing and shopping history belonged to the original owner of her body. Although technology was advanced in the future, it was useless in the barren wasteland, so this was Pei Yujing's first time experiencing the power of big data.
But the top products recommended by the internet's big data weren't makeup lipsticks for girls, but various kinds of adult toys.
Minutes had passed since she closed the door, and from outside, Yu Zhiwan's clear voice sounded, not rushing, just casually asking:
"Are you done?"
She was probably hungry, too, as she was wheeling herself over.
Although Pei Yujing knew the other party couldn't see, a sudden wave of embarrassment still surged over her, making her hastily switch pages, frantically tapping to exit.
Pei Yujing decided to give up and grabbed a tissue to blot her lips, wiping away the excess lipstick. She raised her voice, trying her best to sound normal:
"I'm ready!"
The person they were supposed to meet in Ningxiang had moved up their schedule and would arrive tonight. They wouldn't be staying with them but at a hotel booked by the company. However, work would officially start tonight, so Pei Yujing didn't think of their alone time as over. She just wanted to finish celebrating Yu Zhiwan's birthday.
The high rating for the buffet wasn't inflated. The ambiance was very pleasant, with two servers dressed in traditional clothing standing in front of the red lacquered wooden doors. After receiving their ticket, one of them greeted them with a soft voice and gestured for them to follow inside.
The restaurant was dimly lit, with soft background music playing. Everyone moved quietly, with no noisy children or shirtless men drinking and talking loudly.
Pei Yujing and Yu Zhiwan were led to a small pavilion on the water, surrounded by bamboo curtains, with an elegant setting. Small boats floated by on either side, and fallen petals drifted along with the current.
The server had noticed Yu Zhiwan's wheelchair and was about to take a detour to lead her across the bridge when Pei Yujing, with practiced ease, leaned over and lifted both Yu Zhiwan and the wheelchair together. Yu Zhiwan wasn't scared at all, as if she was used to it.
Pei Yujing walked across the stepping stones, carrying Yu Zhiwan without missing a step, and placed her in the pavilion, moving the stone bench aside and setting her down opposite herself.
Although this was a buffet, it was an iPad ordering system. After receiving the iPad, Pei Yujing gestured for the server to leave for now, then dragged the stone bench over to sit beside Yu Zhiwan, reading out each dish name and description, asking her what she wanted to eat.
The server who had escorted them, Xiao Ya, was incredibly envious.
She was a Beta, still unattached, dreaming of finding someone like Pei Yujing as her ideal partner. Although her gaydar wasn't always accurate, anyone could tell from the couple's intimate interaction that they were deeply in love.
Since it was still early, with not many people around, Xiao Ya, after placing their order and seeing the boss was away, took the chance to slack off and gossip with her colleague:
"Did you see the two beautiful ladies just now? The one with blue eyes, tall, and super cool—that one!"
Her colleague replied, "Yeah, I remember. Did you meet your dream partner? Thinking of stealing her away?"
Xiao Ya playfully slapped her. "No way!"
She recalled Pei Yujing's figure, height, and face, all flawless. Despite the chilly November weather in Ningxiang, Pei Yujing wore relatively light clothing, suggesting she was from out of town. Her slim waist and long legs looked even better in the knee-high boots, giving her a total dominatrix vibe.
And the woman with her, despite being disabled, was also exceptionally beautiful. Especially her eyes—almond-shaped with delicate bags under them. Her features were refined and elegant. The two women were a match made in heaven; Xiao Ya didn't even dare entertain any inappropriate thoughts!
"And I heard the sister in the wheelchair call her 'Yujing,' with such a sweet voice. That must be a nickname, right? I was about to lead the sister around, but Yujing just lifted her, wheelchair and all, with such girlfriend power! Not even an average Alpha could do that. The wheelchair is really heavy, you know. And that stone bench—last time, we needed Brother Wu to help move it, but Yujing did it so easily!"
Xiao Ya's excitement made her voice a bit loud, and her speech sped up.
As they waited by the kitchen for new teapots, their conversation drifted into the ears of nearby diners.
Chen Lulu had long stopped eating, listening intently to their conversation. If she had ears, they would surely be perked up.
Chen Lulu was in Ningxiang filming a drama. Across from her sat her industry friend, Fang Nianjing. Fang Nianjing waved a hand in front of Chen Lulu's face, speaking in a deep, magnetic voice:
"Lost in thought?"
"Don't poke me with chopsticks!"
Chen Lulu was the Omega saved by Pei Yujing at the White Pagoda in Yihu Park. After that, encouraged by Pei Yujing, she reported those who slandered her to the police, bringing them to justice.
Although the penalties for defamation were not severe, Chen Lulu, being a public figure, was destined to endure scrutiny and criticism. However, her mindset had improved considerably since then.
After recovering, she fully immersed herself in her next drama. She hadn't seen her savior, Pei Yujing, since they parted ways in Yicheng, but to her surprise, they were now both in Ningxiang.
If "Yujing" wasn't an online alias, she was more inclined to think it was a mistake in hearing, as "Pei Yujing" was a rare name.
Moreover, based on the server's description, she was even more convinced that it was Pei Yujing.
Chen Lulu felt a mix of joy and worry, gripping her cup so tightly that her knuckles turned white, reflecting her tumultuous emotions.
She wasn't socially anxious or particularly shy; in fact, she was the type of Omega who would take the initiative when encountering someone she liked. But upon hearing that Pei Yujing was already accompanied by someone, her heart felt as if it were being pulled, painful and tight.
Yet, if she didn't go and see her, knowing she was so close yet letting the opportunity slip by, she knew she would regret it later.
After much contemplation, Chen Lulu put on a mask and, with a heavy heart, stood up, seemingly wandering aimlessly inside.
But after a few steps, she bumped into Pei Yujing, who was coming to get something.
This buffet restaurant had a combination of ordered and self-service dishes, with items like desserts and drinks available for self-pickup. Pei Yujing was planning to get some snacks for Yu Zhiwan when she ran into someone who looked familiar.
Pei Yujing wasn't great at recognizing faces, being slightly face-blind. Although she had only met Chen Lulu once, and while she was a celebrity, Pei Yujing didn't follow stars or entertainment, mainly sticking to news, so she just found Chen Lulu vaguely familiar.
It wasn't until Chen Lulu excitedly called out to her that Pei Yujing recognized her.
"Zhang… Lulu?" She had almost forgotten the girl's name.
Chen Lulu, very good-naturedly, corrected her: "My surname is Chen."
Honestly speaking, Chen Lulu was quite pretty. After all, anyone who could make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry wouldn't be plain-looking, at least not forgettable after just one glance.
Chen Lulu had a sweet appearance and a similarly sweet temperament. Her scent was probably related to milk. Although Omega usually wore scent patches when going out, there was still a faint fragrance, like a light baby powder scent.
Pei Yujing maintained her usual habit of keeping an appropriate distance from Omega. Sensing this, Chen Lulu didn't move too close, but courteously made small talk while following her to get some food.
"Teacher Pei," Chen Lulu chose a respectful title, hesitated for a moment, then shyly asked, "Are you here in Ningxiang with your girlfriend? I'm filming here."
The words "girlfriend" were said with some pain, almost squeezed out through clenched teeth.
But Pei Yujing didn't seem to notice Chen Lulu's hidden emotions. Her attention was first on a bowl of mango sago in the freezer, and second, on correcting Chen Lulu's incorrect assumption, immediately clarifying:
"I'm single, no girlfriend."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Chen Lulu bumped into her.
Though she had been in the entertainment industry for several years, Chen Lulu was still very expressive, struggling to hide her emotions, which was partly why she often faced criticism. The Omega clapped her hand over her mouth, trying hard to contain her excitement, then shyly confirmed:
"Teacher Pei is single?"
"I'm here on a business trip with my subordinate, looking for raw materials in Ningxiang."
Pei Yujing knew that officially, she and Yu Zhiwan were just boss and subordinate. Even if they were close in private, it was important not to spread rumors.
She was telling the truth, but little did she know that Chen Lulu's heart was doing flips like a rollercoaster, finally coming to a peaceful stop.
Chen Lulu kept her emotions in check, not letting her excitement show too much, using her acting skills to play the role of a calm person. She also picked up a cup of mango sago, deciding to try it out.
Chen Lulu had always been concerned about Pei Yujing's situation, and since Pei Yujing wasn't being cold, she asked:
"What kind of movie are you filming?"
Chen Lulu was naturally talkative. When Pei Yujing showed interest in her work, she eagerly started talking about the rare opportunity to try a new genre. Known for her roles in school dramas and modern romances, Chen Lulu was challenging herself with a disaster film this time, with parts of it being filmed in Ningxiang.
When Pei Yujing heard "disaster film," she was taken aback and couldn't help but ask more. Chen Lulu, excited, talked with her all the way back to the pavilion.
Yu Zhiwan, sitting in her wheelchair, sipping Ningxiang's specialty tea, suddenly heard a sweet Omega voice, smelling faintly of milk, accompanied by laughter.
When Chen Lulu spoke, she looked up at Pei Yujing, her demeanor playful and shy:
"Disaster films can be really scary, with the makeup and all. Are you sure you want to visit the set?"
She didn't expect that after just a few words, Pei Yujing would be so interested, even saying she wanted to see the set. Chen Lulu was a serious actress, not one to put on a show, so she was so thrilled that her tone brightened.
Before Pei Yujing could respond, Yu Zhiwan's calm voice unexpectedly chimed in:
"Your lipstick is smudged, isn't it?"
Pei Yujing instinctively touched her lip corner. She had just eaten something and hadn't noticed if her lipstick had smudged, but she knew it would look awful if it did.
Yu Zhiwan beckoned her over, pulling out a lipstick in the same shade from her bag, smiling sweetly with a voice even more delicate and sweet than Chen Lulu's:
"Come here, let me touch it up for you."
Yu Zhiwan: Humph. (Sweet smile on the outside, knife in hand on the inside)