PE Ch38.2: Xiao Pan ran away, right?

Pan Yinchuan successfully returned home. The days he didn’t meet his parents were explained away with a simple “staying at a friend’s house to avoid danger.”

Because Wang Xiu didn’t want to talk about her past in Central City, both mother and son had secrets, so they tacitly avoided those topics.

Anyway, the security in Jiuhe City was extraordinarily good now, incredibly good. The three of them were reunited, and nothing could be more satisfying than that!

“I’ve been home for almost half a month; I need to find a job,” Pan Yinchuan said, having studied online courses for a while, finding it a bit boring to stay at home.

Life suddenly returning to normal left him feeling a bit unreal and empty every morning.

… Probably because he was idle, Pan Yinchuan concluded.

“I think you shouldn’t look for that job. Small cities don’t have that demand. High-level care needs are in big cities, and big cities are dangerous.” Having nearly lost his son once, Pan Yue Shan was reluctant to let his son go far.

“Why not find a clerical job?” Pan Yue Shan suggested.

“Clerical jobs pay too little,” Pan Yinchuan replied without thinking.

Pan Yue Shan peeled an apple for him and said, “So what? Your mom and I have some savings. This house, though small, is enough for us. We don’t need that much money.”

Pan Yinchuan suddenly remembered that he should have at least seven million in his account now.

He seemed to be… a wealthy person.

At least in a small place like Jiuhe City, he was.

But this money… he felt a bit embarrassed to use it.

Pan Yinchuan held the apple for a long time without saying another word.

Seeing him in a daze, Pan Yue Shan said awkwardly, “Do you still want to go to a big city? If you really want to go, your mom and I can’t stop you…”

Pan Yinchuan snapped out of it, took a bite of the apple, and said, “No, I won’t go. I’ll check the job listings tomorrow.”

“Great,” Pan Yue Shan was overjoyed and put on an apron, saying, “Today, Dad will make you some pork rib soup.”

Pan Yinchuan bit the apple and smiled. When there was no one else in the living room, he took out his phone, logged into mobile banking, and checked his account balance.

He hadn’t activated SMS notifications, which cost three yuan a month. He found mobile banking convenient enough, so he didn’t want to spend the extra three yuan.

The app page loaded, and a string of numbers popped up—

67,900,000.00

Pan Yinchuan blinked and stared at the numbers to confirm.

It wasn’t the expected seven million or even six million.

It was sixty-seven million!

Pan Yinchuan’s eyelid twitched heavily. When he realized it, he instinctively called Assistant Zhang.

Central Government Building.

Assistant Zhang was in a low conversation when his phone rang. Instinctively, he reached to hang up, but a glance at the screen startled him.

Pan Yinchuan?

Pan Yinchuan!!!

Without bothering to greet the person in front of him, Assistant Zhang turned and ran frantically.

“Assistant Zhang?”

“What’s wrong with Assistant Zhang?”

“Did I say something wrong?”

Assistant Zhang arrived at the 29th floor where a meeting was in progress. He could only pace anxiously outside.

When the meeting concluded, Huai Yu was the first to step out. Seeing Assistant Zhang waiting there, he asked, “What’s the matter?”

Assistant Zhang glanced at the missed call on his phone.

Only one.

And it hadn’t rung again since.

But he still lowered his voice and approached Huai Yu to whisper, “Sir, just now Mr. Pan called.”

There was no change in Huai Yu’s expression; he just stood there for a good half-minute.

He didn’t move, and those behind him dared not move either, all stuck at the door of the conference room.

“What did he say?” Huai Yu asked.

“I missed the call and hung up.”

“…”

“I’ll call him back.” Assistant Zhang said firmly.

As Assistant Zhang dialed back, Pan Yinchuan was leaning on the balcony railing, enjoying the breeze.

A neighbor poked their head out and smiled, “When did you come back, Xiao Pan?”

“I’ve been back for many days, haven’t gone out much, so you haven’t seen me.”

“Come over for dinner tonight at my place. My daughter just came back from out of town.”

“My dad’s making pork rib soup tonight, so I won’t come over. If you don’t mind, I’ll come over tomorrow for a meal.”

“Sure, I’ll buy some garlic shoots to stir-fry with pork tomorrow. I remember you like that.” The neighbor happily replied.

Pan Yinchuan nodded with a smile, then took out his phone. After hesitating for a moment, he turned back into the bedroom and answered, “Hello, Assistant Zhang.”

Assistant Zhang was barely enduring the long wait on the other end.

“Mr. Pan, is there something you need from me?” Assistant Zhang lowered his voice.

“Was there a mistake with the money? I saw over sixty million in my account.”

“Oh, that. No mistake there. Remember the contract? After it expired, you were supposed to receive a house in Central City and a car as gifts. Since you didn’t plan to move to Central City and didn’t choose a car, we decided to credit the full amount to your account.”

Pan Yinchuan was speechless.

It was true according to the contract.

Perhaps their credibility was overly generous.

“It’s quite a lot,” Pan Yinchuan murmured softly.

Center Government Building.

“Who would complain about having too much money?” Assistant Zhang paused for a moment, not daring to look at Huai Yu’s expression. In a half-joking tone, he continued, lowering his voice, “If you think there’s too much money, it’s simple. Instead of returning it to me, just come back yourself and stay a few more months. Problem solved, right?”

“I’ll transfer some back to you.”

“…” Assistant Zhang rubbed his face. Why was this so difficult? How did it end up like this?

“Don’t, it’s fine! You keep it.” Assistant Zhang managed to force a smile, “Otherwise, people might think Mr. Huai is too stingy.”

Pan Yinchuan thought about it and agreed. If word got out, it could tarnish Huai Yu’s reputation.

“That settles it then. You’re busy, Assistant Zhang.” Pan Yinchuan hung up the phone.

Assistant Zhang wanted to say he wasn’t busy, but he just slowly pocketed his phone instead.

“What did he say?” Huai Yu asked with lowered eyes.

“He said there was an excess of money.”

“…”

Huai Yu didn’t ask further questions and strode forward.

The bigwigs who had been stuck in the conference room finally followed him out.

Pan Yinchuan leaned against the desk, feeling extremely uncomfortable all over.

Too much money.

And explaining its origin was even harder…

“Yinchuan!” Dad suddenly knocked on the door.

“What’s up, Dad?” Pan Yinchuan quickly stashed his phone back in his pocket and opened the door.

“I just heard Aunt Cheng inviting you for dinner.”

“Yes, but aren’t you stewing pork ribs tonight? I’ll come over tomorrow…”

“What tomorrow? Go now.”

“There’s no rush.”

Pan Yueshan stared at him, “Are you stupid, my son? You never dated in school, and now you’re a blockhead? Aunt Cheng is nice. Why do you think she mentioned her daughter coming back? Think about it.”

Blin…d date?

Pan Yinchuan slowly pieced together these two words in his mind.

Aunt Cheng’s daughter, he didn’t have much of an impression. But he vividly remembered she was also a Beta.

A Beta girl who grew up next door.

It should fit Pan Yinchuan’s earliest conception of a future partner.

But…

But…

But!

Pan Yinchuan said, “Then I can’t go tonight, and I can’t go tomorrow.”

“Why?” Pan Yueshan was dumbfounded. “Aunt Cheng’s daughter fits the mold. With the good security in Jiuhu City now, she plans to work here after graduation. I saw her today when I came back from buying groceries. She has a good personality, sweet-mouthed, even greeted me…”

Pan Yinchuan, separated by the fabric, touched his phone in his pocket.

Because there was still so much money inside.

Though he believed his s*xual orientation leaned towards Beta girls, and even found attractive Omegas could make his heart race, he had slept with an Alpha male.

Not just once, but many times.

Pan Yinchuan had never thought about this issue before. Now, facing a “blind date,” his mind became extraordinarily clear. All those unconsidered matters presented themselves vividly in his mind.

If he were to meet Aunt Cheng’s daughter.

If he were to “date” a Beta woman.

What would that be?

Wouldn’t that be deceiving marriage?

“That’s like treating someone as a ‘gullible fool,’ isn’t it?”

Just thinking about it, Pan Yinchuan felt a sense of shame that would make him want to slap himself even in the middle of the night.

“Yinchuan, come here,” Wang Xiu suddenly interjected.

Pan Yinchuan responded with a quick “yes” and obediently followed Wang Xiu into the bedroom.

Wang Xiu casually locked the door behind them.

Leaving Pan Yueshan outside bewildered, “What’s going on? I haven’t done anything wrong these past few days. Why am I being excluded?”

Inside the room,

Wang Xiu asked, “The friend you brought home last time, is he your boyfriend?”

The last time brought home … it was Jian Yan, right?

“No, no, he’s not,” Pan Yinchuan denied repeatedly.

“Then the one you brought back later?”

The one he brought back later was… huh, that was the bodyguard that Huai Yu sent him.

Pan Yinchuan quickly said, “That’s not it either!”

“Then who was it?” Wang Xiu asked seriously.

Pan Yinchuan, of course, couldn’t mention Huai Yu. He remained silent for a moment and said, “No one. But I suddenly realized… I think I don’t really like girls.”

That’s all he could say.

“You’ve always been a good kid since you were little. Whatever you like, your dad and I won’t object. I also believe you haven’t been fooling around outside,” Wang Xiu guessed. Among the two friends Pan Yinchuan brought back last time, one of them was probably someone he liked.

Just didn’t start dating.

Or maybe the other person doesn’t like her son?

“It’s okay, now that you’ve made it clear, if anyone introduces a girl to you again, Mom will help you turn her down. But since you promised Aunt Cheng to have dinner, you should go and explain it to Aunt Cheng.”

Pan Yinchuan nodded with tears in his eyes.

That night, he didn’t know how his mother talked to his father.

The next day, when he was brushing his teeth, Pan Yueshan suddenly squeezed over and said, “Dad’s department has a new Beta boy. Would you like to have dinner with him another day?”

Pan Yueshan also heard Wang Xiu say that it was very likely that his son did not like the person he liked.

Then he had to quickly help his son out of his emotional trauma!

Pan Yinchuan clenched a mouthful of toothpaste foam and said, “Ah?”