PE Ch26: Protective Instincts

Pan Yinchuan paused for a moment, then tried to propose a rational line of thinking to Huai Yu: “First, I need to go home and look for the ‘editor’ Lao Yu mentioned to rule out your first theory. As for the second one, I think it’s completely impossible.”

“Secondly, if there’s another possibility…” Pan Yinchuan pointed to the photo in the news, “could it be that this person put on my clothes, orchestrated everything, and tried to frame me?”

“To plan this, they need to know you, know Yu Jia’an, and reasonably possess your clothes without raising suspicion. Who else could be that close to you?”

When saying “who else,” Huai Yu’s tone noticeably changed.

Pan Yinchuan sighed tiredly, “What kind of mess is this?”

“I’ll go back and find that so-called editor first.”

However, Huai Yu pressed further: “Who else has had access to your clothes?”

“No one else, only Yu Jia’an.”

“You had another friend in high school.”

Pan Yinchuan was stunned, “Mr. Huai even knows about this? Did you just look it up along with the social news?”

Pan Yinchuan continued, “He’s not really my friend; he’s Yu Jia’an’s friend, and he’s an Omega. Yu Jia’an introduced us. He couldn’t possibly have my clothes; I rarely interacted with him…”

“Rarely interacted? Why?”

“Uh, because he’s an Omega. It’s not appropriate to be too close.”

Huai Yu got the answer he wanted, and his blood-stained brows and eyes appeared much gentler.

But when the Alpha spoke, he still sounded domineering and forceful: “You don’t need to go back.”

“Mr. Huai…”

“No one can be certain whether Lao Yu told others about you having the editor. Others might kill you for this thing, or even… kill your parents.”

Pan Yinchuan’s throat tightened, his brow slowly furrowed, and his lips pursed downward.

Just like a piece of jade, flawless and transparent, clean and clear, only when you touch it do you feel its bone-chilling coldness.

At this moment, Pan Yinchuan was that bone-chilling coldness.

Huai Yu had never seen him with such an expression, not even the first time they met when he was embarrassedly held by Xiu Ling’s bodyguards.

The Alpha’s voice immediately softened: “Someone will be watching your home, your parents will be relocated, and you don’t need to go back.”

Pan Yinchuan looked up at him: “Thank you, Mr. Huai.”

Huai Yu lowered his eyes and gently reminded him: “This is not part of the contract, you understand?”

Pan Yinchuan was still digesting the overwhelming shock and struggled to suppress the aggression surging inside him. He asked a beat late: “Will it deduct from my pay?”

“Do you think I care about that bit of money?” Huai Yu retorted.

“Then what do you mean, Mr. Huai…”

“Weren’t you quite smart when you left Central City?”

Pan Yinchuan suddenly realized.

Why didn’t he say so earlier!

He lowered his head and kissed Huai Yu’s wrist.

Huai Yu’s fingers moved, pressed against his cheek, and said, “Is this the only trick you know?”

…What else?

Pan Yinchuan snapped out of his earlier mood and racked his brain to think of other tricks. Hmm, what else?

Pan Yinchuan hesitantly stuck out his tongue and licked.

Huai Yu suddenly pinched his face again.

Is that enough? Pan Yinchuan slowly blinked.

But then Huai Yu didn’t make any other moves.

Just as he was puzzled, Pan Yinchuan heard Huai Yu’s voice above his head: “Not enough.”

Not only not enough, but Huai Yu also paused and said: “According to Lao Yu, you are very seductive.”

“Didn’t Mr. Huai already determine that everything Lao Yu said was false?”

“I’m not Yu Jia’an, how do I know if you did seduce him back then.”

“…Is Huai Yu becoming more unreasonable? Pan Yinchuan really wanted to bite him.

Huai Yu saw Pan Yinchuan standing there, not moving for a long time.

Angry?

Huai Yu let go and said softly: “Save it.”

“Save it?” Pan Yinchuan straightened up, not showing any signs of being on the verge of tears.

Huai Yu pinched his fingertips: “Yes, save it for next time. Now, write me a list of everything Yu Jia’an has ever given you, every single item. I will have people verify and check according to the list.”

After speaking, Huai Yu switched the tablet to note mode, pulled out a pen for him, and opened the car door, clearly having other matters to attend to.

Seeing him about to leave, Pan Yinchuan had a sudden moment of clarity.

He quickly raised his hand and grabbed Huai Yu’s coat hem.

Huai Yu looked down: “Hmm?”

Pan Yinchuan suddenly jumped up and kissed Huai Yu on the chin. His head even bumped against the car door frame.

Huai Yu’s eyelid twitched, and he pressed Pan Yinchuan back down with a hand on his head.

“This counts as flattering?” Huai Yu asked, looking down at him.

“It doesn’t count?” Pan Yinchuan gave up. “Then I’ll think of something else.”

For a moment, there was a flicker of emotion in Huai Yu’s eyes, then it returned to icy coldness.

He knew Pan Yinchuan was already trying hard to please him.

If dissatisfied, he could use many methods to make Pan Yinchuan even better at “seducing” people.

But he was still not satisfied.

Pan Yinchuan had already sat back properly and started listing the items.

The first one was a jersey.

Recalling what Pan Yinchuan had said before, was it exchanged with Yu Jia’an?

Next was an MP3 player, postcards…

The things Yu Jia’an gave him varied in size. This in itself had an unusual meaning.

Huai Yu had only glanced over two or three lines, and his mind had already started to uncontrollably and calmly analyze… and the result of the analysis was very displeasing to him. That unsatisfied feeling grew stronger.

Huai Yu’s throat moved, he forcefully slammed the car door shut, then turned and summoned his subordinates.

In less than ten minutes, because the road was cordoned off, several armored vehicles swiftly arrived at Pan Yinchuan’s home.

“Mr. Pan Yueshan? Ms. Wang Xiu, right?” The visitors knocked on the door and got straight to the point. “Please come with us.”

Pan Yueshan was still holding his phone, his face filled with anxiety after repeatedly trying and failing to reach Lao Yu.

At this moment, the anxiety was frozen.

“Who are you…?” Pan Yueshan naturally thought of the government soldiers who had rushed over last time when he missed their call.

The visitors did not reveal their identity, they simply looked at Wang Xiu and said, “Ms. Wang, I believe you understand, right? We only want to temporarily protect you. By the way, your son is the same, don’t worry. He should call you later.”

Wang Xiu’s face changed dramatically.

Lao Yu wasn’t wrong, Wang Xiu had indeed been a first-generation researcher. When the second-generation research started, she voluntarily left, believing the philosophies differed.

So at this moment, Wang Xiu thought these people were after her.

She calmed down a bit and said, “Alright, we’ll go with you.”

Pan Yueshan looked at his wife in shock, “Just like that, we’re leaving?”

Wang Xiu nodded slightly and walked ahead, Pan Yueshan could only follow.

When they reached downstairs and saw the cars parked below, Pan Yueshan murmured, “They look familiar.”

Wang Xiu thought to herself that they must have been targeting her for a while now, so there was no point in resisting.

The convoy quickly left the community.

Meanwhile, another group swiftly took over the Pan residence.

In the car, Wang Xiu heard the driver making a call, saying to the other end, “Sir, everything went smoothly. You were right, they cooperated very well.”

Sir?

Who?

The driver didn’t address the other person by name, so Wang Xiu had no clue.

On the other end, Pan Yinchuan, writing, started to forget some things. He couldn’t help but yawn, leaning against the car door, trying hard to remember.

While reminiscing, he fell asleep.

Throughout the day, Yu Jia’an’s name was frequently mentioned.

A scene long buried in memory gradually resurfaced under the repeated stimulation—

“Pan Yinchuan!” someone called his name.

A fourteen-year-old Beta boy walked to the window and looked down. There stood another young Beta.

It was Yu Jia’an.

He wore a graffiti-covered T-shirt and held a large red plastic bag usually used for wholesale.

“Hurry, come down and get it, my hand is giving out,” Yu Jia’an shouted.

Fourteen-year-old Pan Yinchuan hurriedly put on slippers and went downstairs. He opened the bag and saw a big fish tank inside, with water and two fish in it.

One red, one black.

“Bought at the bird and fish market,” Yu Jia’an said, “cost eighty bucks.”

“That’s expensive, why buy this?” Pan Yinchuan naturally took one handle of the bag.

The two of them walked upstairs together, pulling the bag.

Yu Jia’an grinned, “My dad said your home’s feng shui is bad, told me to buy a fish tank to change your luck. Water generates wealth, you know? Carps leaping over the dragon gate, you know? All good stuff.”

Pan Yinchuan shook his head, looking uninterested.

They went inside, placed the fish tank on the dining table, and water splashed out.

Yu Jia’an nonchalantly wiped his face and complained, “Beta bodies are so weak, even carrying this feels heavy.”

“It’s alright,” Pan Yinchuan yawned.

“Didn’t sleep well?” Yu Jia’an asked.

“Was just about to nap when you came.”

“Your parents aren’t home…” Yu Jia’an looked around, “Come play real-life CS with me.”

“Haven’t finished my homework,” fourteen-year-old Pan Yinchuan was even more well-behaved.

Yu Jia’an looked at him, seemingly complaining and helpless, “You’re no fun, never join me for anything.”

Pan Yinchuan wasn’t angry at his comment, he bent down to get a snack from the cupboard and gave it to him, then took eighty bucks from a small tin box and handed it to Yu Jia’an.

Yu Jia’an stared at him, “What are you doing?”

“The money for the fish.”

Yu Jia’an snorted, “I don’t want it.” He only took the snack, opened it, and while eating, stared at the fish tank, “I wish I were a fish.”

“Why?” Pan Yinchuan yawned again.

Yu Jia’an smiled back, “Then I could keep an eye on you, know what you’re like at home. Maybe you don’t do homework at all, but slack off, play games, read comic books, and aren’t a good student at all.”

Pan Yinchuan looked confused, not understanding the meaning.

“Crash!” A torrential downpour fell, pounding on the tin roof, very noisy.

Yu Jia’an’s face changed: “I didn’t bring an umbrella.”

Pan Yinchuan said, “I’ll go find one for you.”

Yu Jia’an grabbed the clothes Pan Yinchuan had changed out of but not yet washed from the sofa and hurriedly walked out, “No need, lend me your jacket, I’ll use it to meet my friends, it’s getting late.”

“Wash it and return it to me.”

“Okay, okay!”

Pan Yinchuan stared at the curtain of rain outside, puzzled, “Can you still play real-life CS in this weather?”

But since he had never played the game before.

“Maybe you can.” Pan Yinchuan didn’t care much, he was more interested in a math problem.

The following week.

Yu Jia’an came to school, saying he forgot to bring back his clothes.

Pan Yinchuan had just bought new clothes and wasn’t in a hurry to wear that set, he said, “Forget it if you forgot.” He seemed very easygoing.

Yu Jia’an shook his head, “Why don’t you care at all?”

Pan Yinchuan opened his pencil case, not looking up, “Because it’s not important.”

…

Later scenes gradually blurred and merged back into the depths of his memory.

Meanwhile, Huai Yu reentered the restaurant, Assistant Zhang came up and said, “Everything’s been cleaned up.”

Huai Yu nodded, “You can restore the signal blocking.”

Assistant Zhang walked beside Huai Yu and whispered, “I heard them say you ordered them to find a suspected gene editor at Pan’s house. Didn’t that thing disappear from Central City a long time ago? How could it end up at Pan’s house?”

Huai Yu brushed it off in a few words.

After hearing, Assistant Zhang’s first reaction was: “That kid is up to no good! … Lao Yu must have had more than just a news article to conclude the editor was in Pan Yinchuan’s hands. Most likely, Yu Jia’an subtly hinted to his father.”

“Mm.” Huai Yu responded somewhat absent-mindedly.

Assistant Zhang was silent for a moment, “So you mean to help Pan Yinchuan solve this problem?”

“Do you think this thing is highly attractive to Alphas?” Huai Yu asked in return.

Assistant Zhang’s eyes lit up, “Very! Although you don’t like it, people inside and outside Central City love it! To them, this thing is like the Creator!”

Having followed Huai Yu for years, Assistant Zhang could fully keep up with his thinking. He continued without hesitation, “This gene editor is bait, it can be used to prune the overgrown branches in Central City…”

Huai Yu didn’t seem particularly interested, he merely responded blandly, “Mm.”

Assistant Zhang was already used to Mr. Huai’s demeanor.

Ever since Mr. Huai experienced the Runan incident, his methods became more forceful, but his emotions towards things grew more indifferent. No matter how brilliant a plan, he wouldn’t show a hint of excitement.

Following him, Assistant Zhang also became much calmer.

So now, Assistant Zhang quickly settled his emotions, remembered another matter, and asked, “You had someone send Qin Weiwen away first? You don’t like Major Yan’s gift?”

Huai Yu glanced at him, “Speak plainly.”

Assistant Zhang touched his nose and confessed, “Your preferences determine my direction of work.”

He paused, “To be honest, I can’t figure out Pan Yinchuan’s position with you.”

“Can’t figure it out?” Huai Yu raised an eyebrow.

It should be unclear.

Because he had done some outrageous things.

Given his current status, he could do even more outrageous things, so outrageous it would be appalling.

But no one knew if outrageous was good or bad, if it was due to Alpha instincts, or Huai Yu’s personal will.

Even he himself didn’t know.

Assistant Zhang smiled helplessly, “People outside are always guessing your preferences, but what they don’t know is that even I don’t understand your preferences. I only know you like clean Betas, but beyond that, what other standards are there? Maybe I should try to find you a second Beta who fits your preferences better.”

He said, “I see Pan Yinchuan has dark circles under his eyes.”

Huai Yu pressed his lips, a sudden surge of anger rising.

“No need.” Huai Yu’s tone was somewhat cold.

Assistant Zhang was taken aback, “Okay, sir.”

“Pan Yinchuan can’t leave me now,” Huai Yu said.

Author’s Note:

Xiao Pan is quite skilled at driving people crazy 【not really】