Pei Yujang found everything about Boss Ji irritating.
But that didn't stop Yu Zhiwan from getting along quite well with her, to the point where they even planned to go fishing together this weekend.
After returning from dinner that day, Pei Yujang started looking for a place to stay. The hotel prices during this period were extremely high, with rates inflated several times over. A hotel that usually cost 300 yuan per night was now 500 yuan, and the standard rooms in this hotel, typically priced at 700 yuan, had soared to over a thousand.
Even though Pei Yujang wasn't short on money, she still found it outrageous. The property prices in Xiangcheng, already not low, surged further during the business promotion festival, yet wages didn't increase, leading to a situation where many migrant workers who came here to make a living were forced to sleep under bridges or in subway stations.
The mayor of Xiangcheng was overwhelmed by this issue and had initially managed to stabilize regular housing prices, though not hotel rates, as hotels are subject to seasonal commercial fluctuations. Taking advantage of this, Pei Yujang started searching for a suitable place to live.
She still wanted to be neighbors with Yu Zhiwan.
At the same time, Pei Yujang once again realized the importance of financial independence.
Previously, she never worried about money, only her life. After all, she had transmigrated into the body of a wealthy young lady with everything she could ever need—food, clothing, and a powerful mother who could provide for her luxurious lifestyle indefinitely. But Pei Yujang didn't want to be a freeloader.
She soon shared her thoughts with Pei Jinhui.
Since Pei Yujang started working at Yue Rong, Pei Jinhui's attitude towards her had changed. Before, unable to control her, she could only let her do as she pleased. Now that Pei Yujang showed a desire to strive forward, Pei Jinhui, while not necessarily expecting her to become a high achiever, certainly hoped she would aim higher.
Pei Yujang didn't approach this casually; it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. She had thought long and hard before settling on her plan, first going through the proper channels and sending Pei Jinhui a detailed proposal.
As part of the planning department, she had learned a lot in recent times, absorbing knowledge from Zhao Manlin and another senior colleague. Her proposal thoroughly outlined her next steps, the actions she wanted to take, the required support at each stage, and an analysis of the risks and benefits.
She was skilled at writing reports, having studied finance and journalism in college, so Pei Jinhui had no reason to doubt her. She simply assumed that her daughter had rediscovered her strengths after deciding to move forward, and was delighted.
"Yujang," Pei Jinhui replied through a video call after a few days of consideration, "Over the years, I've been muddling along, being too lenient and sentimental with the old-timers. They were the backbone who helped me build the business, but even the most loyal people can make mistakes. Those who don't keep up with the times must face the possibility of being replaced, and you were right to point that out."
"If the planning department isn't the best fit for you, I've already been considering reorganizing the marketing department. After the restructure, I'll assign it to a trusted veteran employee, and you can work with her. I'll give her a heads-up, so she won't hold you back."
"It's great for young people to have their own career ambitions. When I first started, I had to push through on my own, but you're different. You're my daughter, and I'm here to back you up. You can explore and try new things without fear of making mistakes. I'll support you no matter what."
Pei Jinhui wasn't exactly a seasoned woman; she was in her forties, not even fifty, but a few strands of gray hair were already visible among her black locks, and fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes when she smiled.
Pei Yujang had seen her calm demeanor in business negotiations and her warmth at home, not just towards her but also towards Fan Zhaozhao and Fan Zhaozhao's child, Jiang Wenxiu. Although Jiang Wenxiu was somewhat unruly, she never truly defied Pei Jinhui. This was likely because she felt a sense of guilt and because Pei Jinhui treated her well.
Since transmigrating, Pei Jinhui hadn't asked the system about the original host. This body was similar to the previous one in many ways, with reflexes, strength, hearing, and smell all far superior to an average Beta, making her an excellent candidate for anything.
The only difference was that the scars left by war on her previous body had disappeared. In her past life, she was just a few months shy of her thirtieth birthday, still young, but the physical experience was different.
In other words, it felt like she had obtained a body that was born in a time of peace.
Noticing that Pei Yujang was a bit distracted, Pei Jinhui ended the conversation, thinking she had lost interest and was about to hang up. But just then, Pei Yujang suddenly asked:
"Have you eaten yet?"
Pei Jinhui paused, clearly surprised that her daughter would say such a thing.
From childhood to now, Pei Jinhui had given her daughter the best of everything within her power, treating her with indulgence and love, only to be met with repeated defiance and rebellion.
Pei Yujang wasn't very good at expressing concern for elders, but since she had this identity now, she didn't want to inherit the original host's debts to others, though she was willing to slowly repay what was owed to Pei Jinhui.
After a moment's thought, Pei Yujang awkwardly mimicked a heart gesture with her arms above her head and smiled at Pei Jinhui through the video.
Pei Jinhui was amused, "You're too old for this kind of thing. Let's hang up now; I've got some work to do."
Two days later, when Pei Yujang received the personnel changes in the marketing department via OA, she also saw a lawyer's letter posted on Pei Jinhui's personal account, accusing the Zhao family's company of tax evasion, underreporting income, and using false wages and fraudulent donations to avoid taxes.
Pei Jinhui's account had been inactive for a while, and when it suddenly came online, some people initially thought it was a fake. But when Pei Jinhui herself went live to report the situation, the news quickly made headlines, as netizens love a juicy story, especially when it involves a high-stakes business battle.
The recent news of Pei Yujang's hospitalization had spread online, and someone had even secretly photographed her in the hospital, posting it at this time. Marketing accounts also got involved, adding fuel to the fire:
"The owner of Yue Rong accuses the Zhao Group. After years of friendship, they've turned against each other, and it's all because of a conflict between the younger generation!"
The information came from Pei Jinhui and was naturally slanted in favor of Pei Yujang. However, the Zhao Group wasn't going to take it lying down and retaliated with rumors about Pei Jinhui and Fan Zhaozhao, dragging in Pei Yujang and Jiang Wenxiu, claiming that the younger generation, like their mothers, were also up to no good.
As the two sides tore into each other, Pei Yujang, following Pei Jinhui's instructions to stay out of it, focused on her transition into the marketing department. Though not part of finance, marketing was a complex field with many challenges, enough to keep her busy for a while.
Once she got busy, she really got into it, working nonstop for more than half a month. During this time, she also continued looking for a place to live and finally found a suitable apartment in a beautiful neighborhood with reasonable rent.
The rent was 15,000 yuan per month for a furnished apartment in the city, though not in the city center. Prices in the city center would be even higher, likely over 20,000 yuan for a decent place.
Pei Yujang took Yu Zhiwan to personally check out the apartment. It wasn't far from the hospital where she needed treatment for her eyes, just a 10-kilometer drive, with convenient transportation and a nearby highway.
The apartment was fully furnished and ready to move into, but after getting permission, Pei Yujang spent another week installing equipment for the visually impaired and disabled in Yu Zhiwan's room.
The two became neighbors, though "door-to-door" wasn't quite accurate since an elevator separated them. To visit, they just had to press the elevator button and walk over.
Pei Yujang liked this arrangement because it made it much easier for Yu Zhiwan to visit her. She didn't have to worry about escorting her home every time, as it was unsafe for a blind person to walk even a short distance alone.
After each of them had been busy for a few more days, their move was finally complete on Christmas Eve. Pei Yujang also created her own social media account, launching a public account on the Talk platform and other social media accounts.
She didn't use Yue Rong's name but went with her own, "Pei Yujang," and named the public account "Caviar," which is the English word for fish roe.
She deactivated the original host's social media accounts to prevent any issues. Recently, as tensions escalated between Pei Jinhui and the Zhao Group, Pei Yujang's name had been mentioned repeatedly, and with blurry photos of her circulating online, her account gained followers quickly after its launch.
By the evening, when she checked, her public account had gained over 30,000 followers, most of whom were probably just curious onlookers.
She hadn't been out much lately, spending most of her time holed up in the hotel handling various matters or traveling back and forth between Xiangcheng and Yicheng.
In Guobang, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are legal holidays, a two-day break. With Yue Rong on holiday and no one to hand over work to, and Yu Zhiwan not going to the hospital, Pei Yujang suggested they go out that evening to experience the Christmas Eve atmosphere in Xiangcheng.
Before heading out, Pei Yujang prepared masks for both of them.
It wasn't because she was afraid of being recognized but because it was winter, and the cold wind, carrying tiny ice particles, could sting their faces.
The more cold-sensitive Omega, Yu Zhiwan, was fully bundled up.
She wore a smoke-white down jacket, a short style, with a fluffy trim on the hood that fluttered in the wind, and two cute little pom-poms dangling down. She paired it with cotton pants, but her slim figure didn't make the thick pants look bulky.
To match the festive season, Pei Yujang wore a red scarf and a white hat. She wasn't particularly sensitive to the cold, and the fringes on her top had a few strands of dark green that didn't look out of place.
Their outfits were surprisingly coordinated, and when Pei Yujang noticed it was snowing outside, she even put on thick boots before heading out, thinking it was a shame that Yu Zhiwan couldn't see it, or she could have built her a snowman.
Xiangcheng was much more bustling than Yicheng, and although Pei Yujang hadn't been out much before, she was now able to appreciate the charm of a big city.
The streets were festively decorated, and even though they hadn't gone to the city center but rather to a nearby shopping street, the place was packed with people. There were many children running around, some without their parents holding their hands, and one almost bumped into Yu Zhiwan. Pei Yujang, never one to tolerate bratty behavior, immediately scolded the child to stop.
The child stopped and made a face at them.
Pei Yujang: "..."
She glared at the child, but since it wasn't Jiang Wenxiu, who was already seventeen or eighteen and could be hit if provoked, and this kid was only six or seven, one punch would be too much, and she'd end up in trouble.
"Scram!"
She shook her fist at the child.
The child's clothes were probably of poor quality because, after being scared by Pei Yujang's stern face, he stumbled and ran away, only to trip over a bright red fire hydrant. The hydrant was so obvious, yet the child still managed to bump into it. Pei Yujang was about to leave but noticed a young woman pushing an elderly person in a wheelchair calling out:
"Fanfan, don't run around, come here!"
The young woman was probably in her twenties, not looking like the boy's mother, and she had another child with her, a girl who was a bit older and more well-behaved. The girl timidly clutched the young woman's sleeve as they moved through the crowd. The young woman found the boy named Fanfan and gave him a light smack on the bottom.
"Stop causing trouble, or I won't bring you out next time."
The elderly woman being pushed laughed:
"Fanfan can't see red and green; you shouldn't let him run towards the street. But it's cold, and it's the holiday. Why aren't you out enjoying yourself with your peers instead of accompanying us old folks?"
Was that child colorblind?
As Pei Yujang was lost in thought, Fanfan had already been brought over by the young woman to apologize. The mischievous little boy from earlier now lowered his head and loudly said, "I'm sorry," to both Pei Yujang and Yu Zhiwan. Neither of them was really going to hold a grudge against a child, so Pei Yujang waved her hand to let it go, just as Yu Zhiwan softly asked:
"Are you from an orphanage?"
"Yes, I'm sorry for the trouble."
The young woman clearly didn't want to say much, whether for privacy or to protect the dignity of the elderly and children, and quickly led them away, disappearing into the crowd.
Yu Zhiwan patted Pei Yujang's hand:
"Let's go watch the fireworks. I heard this is the only time of year Xiangcheng allows fireworks."
Even though she couldn't see them, she could still hear the sound. Blind people rely on their sense of smell, hearing, and touch to experience the world.
"Okay."
Pei Yujang agreed but felt a bit complicated inside.
As soon as Yu Zhiwan mentioned the "orphanage," she immediately thought of the one near the water plant in Xiangcheng, which wasn't too far from here.
That orphanage was where the zombie virus first broke out, home to elderly and children with no background. Years ago, it had some sponsorship, but now it was funded by the government. However, Xiangcheng was too large to care for every orphanage, and this particular one had been somewhat neglected.
The streets were crowded, and food stalls filled the air with rich aromas. Pei Yujang bought some takoyaki to share with Yu Zhiwan, drizzled with fish roe. Whether it was because she was hungry, the taste was exceptionally good.
As she was throwing away the trash, the fireworks were about to start. Many people were running to better vantage points. Squatting down to pick up an empty water bottle, she tossed it into the trash bin, but her red scarf fell and got stepped on.
A black footprint immediately appeared on the corner of the red scarf.
The person who stepped on it was startled and quickly apologized:
"Sorry, sorry, I didn't see it. I'll pay for a new one—"
"No need," it was dirty, not damaged, and Pei Yujang could tell it wasn't intentional, so she waved it off. "The fireworks are about to start; you should go watch."
She casually removed the scarf from her neck and headed back to Yu Zhiwan. The exposed neck felt cold, and the chilly wind made her sniffle as she led Yu Zhiwan to a spot with a good view of the fireworks.
There weren't many people here, but it was close to the fireworks display, and they could clearly hear the sound of the fireworks exploding in the sky. When the fireworks started, there was a faint smell in the air, not too close to be overwhelming, but just right for Pei Yujang.
In Guobang, there was no "Spring Festival" like on Earth. January 1st was New Year's Day, and Christmas marked the beginning of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new.
As Pei Yujang waited for the fireworks to start, she lowered her head and complained to Yu Zhiwan:
"When I was throwing away the trash, I saw an empty water bottle on the ground and picked it up to throw it in the bin, but someone stepped on my scarf. It was so annoying."
Her scarf was something she'd casually bought online, and while she wasn't too bothered by it, the presence of someone to share with triggered her urge to vent and share the experience with Yu Zhiwan.
Today was a great day—Boss Ji wasn't around, likely back home, leaving her and Zhiwan alone, heh.
Pei Yujang had never really liked Boss Ji, always feeling she was another Liu Huanran.
"Oh, right," thinking of Liu Huanran, Pei Yujang opened up. Since the fireworks hadn't started yet, she bent down to whisper in Yu Zhiwan's ear, her warm breath brushing against the Omega's ear, sending a tingling sensation down her spine. "Liu Huanran quit."
After deciding to revitalize Yue Rong, Pei Jinhui started cutting staff, keeping those who were capable and letting go of those who weren't. The savings from letting people go could be used to improve the treatment of other employees, making it easier to retain talent.
Liu Huanran resigned during this period.
In the original plot, Liu Huanran was also supposed to leave around this time, fearing that Yue Rong's decline would drag her down. But this time, with Yue Rong thriving, Liu Huanran still chose to leave, likely having found another opportunity.
As long as she didn't interfere in her life, Pei Yujang didn't care about Liu Huanran's plans and had no intention of giving that scummy Alpha any attention.
Before Yu Zhiwan could respond, the fireworks show began.
Both of them were quickly captivated by the display.
Having missed out on fireworks in Ningxiang, Pei Yujang finally got to experience them in Xiangcheng. The colorful fireworks burst into various shapes in the sky, creating a brilliant and dazzling display.
The night air was cold, but the cheers of the crowd filled the sky. Fireworks may not be rare, but the true value lies in celebrating with those close to you, letting go of burdens, and joining in the excitement of the crowd.
Pei Yujang was swept up in the atmosphere, shouting along with the crowd. She even brought a small sparkler for Yu Zhiwan to hold, letting her feel the warmth of the fire up close.
Startled by the crackling sparks, Yu Zhiwan quickly returned the sparkler to Pei Yujang:
"You play; I'm scared."
But Pei Yujang could see the eager expression on her face, so she stifled her laughter and held her hand:
"I'll help you; don't be afraid."
The small sparkler hadn't even finished burning when the sound of joyous music grew closer. Pei Yujang looked up to see a small cart approaching, with people making way and some even cheering.
"Would you ladies be interested in participating in our Christmas Eve performance? We have IDs to prove we're not scammers." A cheerful, apple-cheeked girl in a uniform approached, showing her ID to Pei Yujang. "It's simple—just finish an apple together, and there's a prize!"
A Christmas apple is usually just a regular apple, or sometimes a sweeter variety. Xiangcheng is known for its apples, and this one was big and red. Pei Yujang whispered to Yu Zhiwan, who raised an eyebrow:
"What's the prize?"
"There are all kinds of prizes; you'll draw one after."
Faced with the anticipation of the unknown, everyone feels a bit excited. Yu Zhiwan nodded in agreement, and after confirming the girl's ID, Pei Yujang accepted the challenge. The girl tied the apple to a string for them to eat together. Since Yu Zhiwan was in a wheelchair, Pei Yujang had to bend down, supporting herself on the wheelchair's armrest.
The apple-cheeked girl added, "You'll have to be blindfolded for this game."
Pei Yujang agreed.
The apple was large, and when she took a bite, the juice was sweet. Pei Yujang happened to be a bit thirsty, so she quickly took several bites, chewing rapidly. Eating with her eyes closed, she didn't notice when her lips accidentally touched something soft.
The sweet juice of the apple moistened both their lips. As Yu Zhiwan leaned in to bite another part of the apple, their lips brushed together, an unintended collision. Pei Yujang could feel the woman's breath against her cheek, the bits of apple, the fragrance—all insignificant in the moment of contact between their lips.
It wasn't the first time Pei Yujang had kissed Yu Zhiwan, but it was the first time she had "tasted" her properly.
In fact, Pei Yujang's initial intent was just to sip the apple's juice. But when she unexpectedly bumped into the Omega's lips, she inhaled the faint scent of rose and raspberry pheromones, mingling with the lingering apple flavor in her mouth.
It was sweet.
And soft.
The second round of fireworks began at that moment, the booming sounds unable to drown out her nervous heartbeat. Pei Yujang's mind and lips were numb, with only her heightened senses delivering the experience to her.
Fireworks clashed in the sky, leaving a lingering sensation after their lips parted, as the crowd cheered, and the Omega's fair face blushed with embarrassment.
Pei Yujang never imagined that she would be kissing an Omega on the bustling streets of Xiangcheng, a city untouched by the destruction of two hundred years ago, amidst a winter night's fireworks display, with the blessings and cheers of the crowd.
At that moment, the soft touch of their lips slowly faded, turning into a drumbeat, a gentle breeze, a dull chime, as the melodious chime of midnight and the arrival of Christmas rang through her heart.