章 89: 89
The long kiss finally ended, and Pei Yujang reluctantly lowered her head, leaning against Yu Zhiwan's shoulder, breathing lightly.
During the kiss, Pei Yujang instinctively sought out the Omega's gland, intending to tease it with her sensitive fingers. In the past, when they kissed, Yu Zhiwan would often release a strong scent of pheromones, adding to the atmosphere's intimacy. But this time, Pei Yujang noticed something unusual—there was no release of pheromones, and she couldn't smell any on Yu Zhiwan.
This was clearly abnormal.
Based on the date, Yu Zhiwan should have been in her heat period by now. Pei Yujang had thought of reminding her, but considering how cautious and meticulous Yu Zhiwan was, she figured Yu Zhiwan would have been aware of the dangers of being in heat, especially as an Omega. Since Yu Zhiwan hadn't mentioned it, Pei Yujang didn't press further.
Noticing Pei Yujang's questioning gaze, Yu Zhiwan seemed to guess what she was thinking and explained, "I took some medication to adjust my heat period. Otherwise, our recent activities would be very troublesome."
Just as Beta women could take short-term contraceptives to adjust their menstrual cycles when they had important tasks, Omegas had similar methods. However, it was undoubtedly harmful to the body.
Pei Yujang hadn't expected Yu Zhiwan to resort to medication, and a wave of pain washed over her as she tightened her grip on Yu Zhiwan's fingers. "But you…"
"I'm fine. I adjusted the dosage myself. I'll recover after this period is over."
Before Pei Yujang could dwell on her emotions, Yu Zhiwan leaned in again, this time kissing her earlobe. Pei Yujang's small, smooth earlobes, without any piercings, resembled delicate, white jade, which the Omega took into her mouth, teasing with her tongue, spreading a tingling warmth through Pei Yujang's body.
Pei Yujang's breathing grew heavier as she wrapped her arms around Yu Zhiwan's shoulders. Her long fingers brushed against the Omega's soft cheeks, gently lifting the damp strands of hair that clung to her face. The strands, soaked with sweat, were pulled back with a small clip from Pei Yujang's pocket.
In the distance, someone in Yicheng was setting off fireworks. The colorful bursts lit up the night sky, faint sounds reaching them even from afar. Pei Yujang rolled down the car window slightly, peeking out to point excitedly at the Omega sitting on her lap.
"It's the starry sky fireworks!"
The "starry sky" was a popular new type of firework, initially a special effect on the TTK short video platform. Later, a company capitalized on its popularity and turned it into a real-life firework.
The fireworks exploded in the sky, scattering like stars across the heavens. Though their brilliance faded quickly, the moment of their burst was breathtakingly beautiful—and expensive.
Pei Yujang hadn't planned on buying fireworks. Instead, she and Yu Zhiwan got out of the car and watched the night sky's firework display together.
"The fireworks are beautiful, but it's a shame they're only visible for a limited time," Pei Yujang remarked, unable to suppress her awe.
Yu Zhiwan, standing beside her, looked up and said, "I hope we can see them again this time next year."
Sensing the meaning behind her words, Pei Yujang quickly asked, "Are you leaving?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want me to walk you?"
"No need. Go home; it's cold."
The Omega was always gentle with her, and after they started dating, Yu Zhiwan often showed her affectionate, clingy side. Pei Yujang hadn't seen this composed, slightly distant demeanor in a long time.
Yu Zhiwan's confident, graceful steps as she walked away, even in casual clothes, reminded Pei Yujang of how she must look when wearing a lab coat and glasses, carefully operating her instruments.
Despite her delicate hands and seemingly frail shoulders, the Omega carried the hope for humanity's future. The antidote for the zombie virus would come from their research institute, but how much risk did they bear, and what kind of psychological pressure did they endure?
"Professor Yu!" Pei Yujang suddenly cupped her hands around her mouth and called out.
Yu Zhiwan was a researcher, and Pei Yujang had always referred to such individuals as "professor" out of respect. She looked at Yu Zhiwan with a gaze full of hopeful anticipation and the tender affection of a lover. She wanted to call her back, but was suddenly too shy.
She didn't know what to say, and she was afraid of wasting Yu Zhiwan's time. Her girlfriend's time was truly "as precious as gold," and not wanting to hold her up, she simply made a "good luck" gesture.
Yu Zhiwan understood her meaning and responded with an "OK" gesture before disappearing into the alleyway from which she had come. Watching her leave, Pei Yujang realized something wasn't right. Yu Zhiwan hadn't taken a shortcut—she had probably run the entire way.
Pei Yujang's eyes welled up with tears.
They were both running down different paths at the same pace.
A-Organization's retaliation came faster than expected. Two days later, Yu Zhiwan contacted Pei Yujang through a brief video call, first to confirm her identity, and second to inform Pei Yujang that she had to relocate.
Pei Yujang immediately became nervous. "Do you need me to pick you up? Where are you—"
She was about to ask "where are you going" but realized that this was likely classified information that couldn't be disclosed. Even though their research institutions were allied, the development of a zombie virus antidote was top secret, something A-Organization likely didn't know about. Therefore, security had to be airtight.
Pei Yujang swallowed the words that had been on the tip of her tongue.
"Don't worry about me. If I can come back for the New Year, I will. If not, it's just a matter of time," Yu Zhiwan said.
She didn't have time to ask Pei Yujang about her family, knowing that Pei Yujang would take care of them. With that assurance, Yu Zhiwan quickly ended the call.
As the dial tone echoed in her ears, Pei Yujang felt a mix of emotions.
Yueyang had already given everyone time off for the holidays. After finalizing a new order, Pei Jinhui took a short break as well. Fan Zhaozhao sensed something was off and didn't allow Jiang Wenxiu to go out. So when Pei Yujang asked everyone to pack up and prepare to move to Xiangcheng, it didn't take much effort.
"Big Sis," Jiang Wenxiu said, clearly reluctant to leave Yicheng. She had been stuck at home recently, but now that the New Year was approaching and she was almost 18, she knew better than to act like a child. She understood Pei Yujang had her reasons. "When will we be back?"
Pei Yujang could only reply, "I'm not sure."
Even in Xiangcheng, she couldn't guarantee her family's safety, but she would do her best.
New Year's Eve in Yicheng was lively, with red lanterns and festive decorations everywhere, filling the air with a sense of relaxation and celebration. Yet amidst this, Pei Yujang led her family—minus Yu Zhiwan—on a journey from the airport.
They traveled light, with most of their luggage shipped ahead, not even bothering with airport baggage check. They looked like they were heading on a vacation, even though the shipping costs were high. But at a time like this, money was no object.
Their accommodation was arranged by the mayor of Xiangcheng, who had her people protecting the area to ensure Pei Yujang's family would be safe.
Pei Yujang hadn't even finished her New Year's Eve dinner when the mayor called her away. When she arrived at the office, there were several unfamiliar faces. One of them, judging by his features, appeared to be a foreigner, yet he spoke fluent Guobang, handing her a transparent bag.
"This was found in the school's infirmary."
Inside the transparent medical bag were several syringes of various sizes, the needles blackened, looking eerie. Pei Yujang put on gloves and picked one up to examine it closely. Though she wasn't well-versed in medical matters, she listened as an expert explained.
"They've been conducting similar experiments here, but the subjects are a small group of children. These children are mostly left behind, with their parents working away from home. Many only have grandparents who visit occasionally, and some grandparents rely on minimal welfare to survive, barely able to take care of themselves. So—"
So they became the perfect resources for experimentation?
Even though she had expected to hear such news, Pei Yujang felt a coldness wash over her, as if she were submerged in ice water, chilling her to the bone.
Many of these children were either deaf-mute or had cognitive impairments, unable to speak out about the horrors they endured, even if they wanted to. And even if they did, who would listen? Who would believe them?
"A year ago, an insurance company began sponsoring benefits for these children, even donating hearing aids and other essentials," the mayor's face was dark and severe. Pei Yujang had never seen her look like this before.
The woman, though an Alpha, usually spoke in soft, measured tones, with a subtle, gentle charm. Apart from her confusion regarding her wife, she was generally competent.
Pei Yujang felt her brows furrow as she forced herself to stay composed.
Although she didn't have children, seeing these physically challenged children being victimized made it hard for her to swallow. Let alone the mayor, who must have felt guilt and panic, realizing such things happened right under her nose.
"Since it's winter break, the children are staying in the school dorms. In a couple of days, I'll arrange an identity for you to get inside," the mayor said, rubbing her temples. "Can you do it?"
Their plan had been thrown off course as they dug deeper, but Pei Yujang didn't hesitate to agree.
The mayor moved quickly, and within a few days, she found an identity for Pei Yujang, even hiring a makeup artist—not the kind for beauty tutorials, but one skilled in disguise, transforming her appearance.
Luckily, it was winter, so Pei Yujang could wear layers to conceal her figure. The artist's skills were remarkable, quickly making Pei Yujang look like a completely different person.
When Pei Yujang descended the stairs, the mayor didn't recognize her at first, pausing before nodding in approval.
The mayor was clearly in a foul mood, but Pei Yujang didn't pry. She boarded a car designated for her and, after some twists and turns, successfully entered the school.
If reporters or media personnel were too conspicuous, Pei Yujang's cover was as an outsourced cafeteria worker.
Since arriving in Xiangcheng, Pei Yujang had experienced various settings, but this was her first time working in such a capacity. She replaced a newly hired worker, with everything prearranged. Today's meal was already prepared; she just needed to serve it.
The special welfare school was eerily quiet during the break, with most students staying behind, waiting, but few spoke. Pei Yujang followed the others into the cafeteria, starting to plate the pre-cooked dishes.
Once the meals were plated and ready, the students came in to eat. The meal service went smoothly, with nothing unusual, as Pei Yujang had been briefed. She observed the students, noting that aside from their disabilities, there was nothing else that stood out.
She served dinner, a simple meal of porridge and side dishes, then left the school shortly after. She barely had time to glance at the kitchen before heading back.
That night, Pei Yujang stayed in a nearby hotel, returning for her "shift" the next morning.
Pei Yujang had thought this kind of catering job would be grueling, requiring early mornings and late nights. The noodle shop owner in their rented complex had told them how they had to start making noodles at 4 AM, but this job didn't start until 8 AM.
Arriving at the school, she found herself assigned to cleaning, not cooking as she had expected. She didn't even know how to cook basic dishes, so working in a cafeteria kitchen seemed daunting. She had even taken the time to search for tutorials and learn, only to find it unnecessary.
Feeling a bit deflated, Pei Yujang spent five or six days doing cleaning work, starting to doubt if the mayor had given her the wrong identity. But on the seventh day, she was finally called in to start cooking.
Before the shift, the head chef gathered everyone for a brief meeting. Pei Yujang listened with little enthusiasm, as it was mostly routine instructions, and they didn't start working until nearly 10 AM.
The students ate at 11:30, and it took 20 minutes to reach the dining hall, plus the time to load the food. Even if they were only serving this one school, how could they possibly prepare everything in such a short time?
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious Pei Yujang became, but the head chef was already barking orders, so she had no choice but to head to her station. As soon as she entered the kitchen, she was hit by a strong, mingled smell—food, but not exactly appetizing.
She hadn't had breakfast, and she was usually a bit of a foodie, so she should have reacted differently to the scent.
Then, she saw what the bustling workers were doing. In a boiling pot of water, a plastic bag was floating, containing a dark, unappetizing portion of "fish-flavored shredded pork."
How could this catering company serve food like this?
Even with her limited culinary knowledge, Pei Yujang knew that plastic bags leaching toxins into boiling water was dangerous, and the food inside didn't look fresh. The smell of the expanding vapors made her feel nauseous.
Barely managing to keep her composure, Pei Yujang's face grew pale. She took her assigned spot, only for someone to throw a large package at her, yelling:
"Why are you just standing there? Get to work!"
Pei Yujang asked, "Is this our food?"
The person rolled their eyes at her, looking at her as if she were crazy. When Pei Yujang didn't move, they ran off to complain to the supervisor. As the woman stormed off, Pei Yujang, fearing she might be thrown out, began working. Phones had to be handed in during work, but she had hidden a camera.
If this was the food being served to the children, soaking the plastic in hot water would surely release toxins, leading to cancer in the long run. From a food safety perspective alone, this company was clearly not up to standard.
It was a small, filthy operation. Pei Yujang even saw workers with loosely tied hair entering the kitchen without the proper hats, something strictly regulated in the catering industry.
Besides "fish-flavored shredded pork," there was also "stir-fried chicken," prepared in the same way. Once the food was heated, it did smell like real food, and Pei Yujang, taking a risk, tasted a piece. It tasted normal but wasn't particularly good—hard and unappetizing.
This was likely "pre-prepared food."
Pre-prepared food came in two types: one was made in advance and served later, with only a short time between preparation and serving, as in many restaurants. This was because they couldn't keep up with orders during peak times, often preparing food the night before.
But food that had been sitting in plastic bags for who knows how long? That couldn't be healthy.
Serving this to children? Those children might not even live long enough to grow up, their lives cut short by various diseases! Their bodies were already weaker than normal. Pei Yujang couldn't believe someone would come up with such an idea. Her brows furrowed deeply, but she forced herself to act naturally, going through the motions of a diligent worker, preparing and serving the food.
The meals, once ready, looked no different from any other. The kitchen only served this one school, and during the preparation, she didn't see any additional additives, but the process itself was already appalling.
She boarded the truck, following the other workers to deliver the meals. As the new hire, no one recognized her, so she kept her head down, only occasionally making small talk.
The school opened its gates for the delivery truck, and as Pei Yujang got off, she saw teachers mingling with the students, heading towards the cafeteria. The thought of those children's fate made her sigh deeply.
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