Picking Up An Alpha On Garbage Star - Chapter 22 Who Is It?

After setting up the self-destruct drones, the spaceship headed back to DS009. They spent the day in space, had a nutrient bar for lunch, and returned to the base in the afternoon. Upon arriving back at the base, Pei An sent a message to Xie Yu.

“I’ve finished my work; I’m heading home.”

Xie Yu quickly replied, “I’ll prepare dinner and wait for you at home.”

Pei An had an uneasy feeling about this exchange. Wasn’t this conversation more typical of a relationship between a person who saved other’s life and a temporary caretaker?

Pei An decided not to eat at the base’s cafeteria as he originally intended and headed home. Li Chengrui noticed this and teased him, “You’re not having dinner, huh? Oh, I get it, someone is waiting for you at home. Having someone wait for you is a different story.”

Pei An gave him a withering look and said, “You don’t get it at all. Stop making a fuss.”

Li Chengrui waved him off, looking quite cheerful. Pei An’s behavior intrigued him. Despite being a young and outstanding alpha who had accomplished many projects, he was willing to admit that Xie Yu had a certain charm, even if it was just a tiny bit more than his own.

What made Xie Yu stand out? Well, his ability to cook delicious meals was a significant factor. Even Pei An, who was not picky about food, was impressed by Xie Yu’s culinary skills. This was something that the cafeteria’s mass-produced meals couldn’t compare to.

Li Chengrui, like most alphas, had a strong sense of pride in his abilities. However, today, he was willing to admit that Xie Yu had a slight edge in charm.

Most importantly, Xie Yu treated Pei An as the leader of their organization, as a friend, and even like a younger brother, but he had never considered Pei An as a romantic partner.

From a friend and brotherly perspective, Xie Yu seemed like a great person. At least, he lacked the unpleasant habits that many alphas exhibited, and his cooking was genuinely delightful.

Upon learning that Pei An was coming home for dinner, Xie Yu immediately scrapped his plan to prepare a simple noodle dish and started preparing a proper meal.

Describing it as a proper meal might be an exaggeration. Xie Yu’s culinary skills were not on par with professional chefs in high-end restaurants, but he prepared some homestyle dishes that Pei An loved.

Pei An drove back home and was greeted by the aroma of a homecooked meal as he entered his house. He walked into the kitchen, where he saw Xie Yu putting on a performance fit for entertaining guests and preparing multiple dishes.

Pei An couldn’t help but wonder if he had been away for days or even years. Xie Yu noticed Pei An’s arrival and got so excited that he nearly danced with the spatula in his hand.

“Sorry, you’ll have to wait a little longer. The beef needs some more stewing. You should go and freshen up first,” Xie Yu said while still holding the pan.

“Alright, I’ll take a shower first,” Pei An replied. He had been working late the previous night and hadn’t had time for rest, let alone a shower. DS009 had been cooling down lately, and Pei An realized that the clothes he had on were a bit too thin. He rummaged through the wardrobe and chose a thicker set of home attire. Before heading to the bathroom, he grabbed a couple of scent blocking sprays.

Pei An stripped out of his rough military uniform and stood under the hot water. It instantly reinvigorated him, making him feel alive again. The red gem, a gift from Luo Sisi, hung around his neck, and its radiance shimmered in the light.

Pei An reached up to touch the gem, specifically caressing the red crystal in the shape of a plum blossom. This crystal was not a gemstone like a ruby or sapphire; it was a type of power stone. Each gram of this crystal contained a tremendous amount of energy, many times more than the energy in the widely used power sources in the Lyte Empire.

This crystal was called “Starfire.”

Pei An didn’t sell the Starfire for use as a power source; he used it for marketing. He turned it into a precious gem, auctioned it, and sold it to the rich. Even in the Lyte Empire, which had a massive population and many wealthy individuals, only a small number of people could afford a piece of jewelry made from Starfire. Possessing such jewelry became a symbol of wealth and power.

Pei An never wore jewelry, but Starfire was different. Starfire was his sugar daddy.

After his shower, Pei An sprayed himself with a scent-blocker spray in the bathroom. His heat was drawing near, and this wasn’t good news. If he didn’t apply a generous amount of the scent-blocker spray, Xie Yu would undoubtedly pick up on his pheromones.

If it weren’t for the tense situation recently, Pei An could relax and lock himself in his room during his heat. Although it would be challenging, it was better than walking around, emanating his pheromones like a perfume bottle. 

The most crucial issue was Xie Yu. Pei An had faith in Xie Yu’s character but couldn’t trust the damned ABO dynamics. So, he proceeded to use both bottles of the scent-blocker spray and applied it thoroughly to himself, ensuring there were no blind spots.

Better safe than sorry.

Xie Yu prepared a dinner consisting of three dishes and a soup: fish-flavored shredded pork, double pepper chicken, stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with yam, and tomato egg soup.

Pei An sat at the dining table, unable to resist taking a deep breath. The aroma was heavenly. They were both human, so why did Xie Yu’s culinary skills outshine his so dramatically?

Today, Pei An wore a home outfit with buttons. However, he had left one button unfastened, and it had fallen off when he tried to pick up food.

Xie Yu paused while holding his chopsticks. He and Pei An shared a home, and just from observing the bathroom, which was usually clean except for toiletries, he could tell that Pei An wasn’t the type to wear jewelry. Maybe Pei An thought that jewelry would disrupt his daily life.

But today, Pei An was wearing a necklace.

Xie Yu suddenly felt a pang of unease.

This was Pei An, the one who dealt with administrative affairs, confronted the underworld, and always tackled matters directly. What kind of person could make Pei An wear jewelry he wouldn’t typically wear? He had taken a shower and didn’t even remove the necklace. How much did he love it?

Xie Yu daydreamed for a moment. Could even someone like Pei An, who appeared as unattainable as a high peak, be just like ordinary people in some aspects?

Even if Pei An could be brought down to a more relatable level, he should have a bit more self-awareness. Was Pei An so easily approachable by anyone?

Pei An had already eaten over half of his meal, while Xie Yu’s plate remained full. But Xie Yu’s thoughts were in disarray, and he looked bitter and desolate.

Pei An observed Xie Yu, who increasingly resembled an abandoned dog. The ones that were left behind by their owners.

“What are you thinking about? Are you going to eat your food?” Pei An spoke up.

Pei An’s voice snapped Xie Yu out of his silent contemplation, though he was unsure why he was feeling melancholic.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought. I’ll eat now,” Xie Yu said. He was a practical person; when it was time to eat, he ate without hesitation. In no time, he had cleared nearly half of his plate.

Pei An: “…I don’t get it.”

Pei An thought to himself, people can’t be perfect in every aspect. While Xie Yu had become an outstanding commander and cook, some other areas might have their problems. Xie Yu still dwelled on the question of why Pei An was wearing jewelry sent by someone else, but Pei An didn’t have much to discuss with him. As a result, this meal turned out to be their most silent one ever.

“I’m going to take a nap. Please don’t wake me up unless it’s necessary,” Pei An, who had been working long hours lately, was mentally exhausted and desperately needed some sleep.

“Oh, sure, no problem,” Xie Yu replied, his thoughts still scattered and unfocused.

Pei An had no interest in being a confidant for the suddenly moody Xie Yu. He entered his room, locked the door, and laid down for some rest.

During his nap, Pei An had a dream, a dream about his father, or rather, the previous inhabitant of his body.

The former owner of this body was also named Pei An but was fundamentally different from the strong and resourceful Pei An who had survived in the post-apocalyptic world. This “Pei An” was fragile.

When Pei An had been reborn into this body, “Pei An” had already passed away due to a mental illness that caused unbearable suffering. The young “Pei An” had wept and told his father that he was in too much pain and wanted to become a star.

Pei An had witnessed “Pei An’s” death and then opened his eyes. The new Pei An who had taken over this body was completely different, lacking the child’s innocence and carrying the burden of life’s numerous struggles.

The son had died, and a moment later, he had opened his eyes. It sounded like a ghost story. Pei An knew that he couldn’t pretend to be the innocent and inexperienced “Pei An.” So, he had admitted right away that he wasn’t the “Pei An” from before.

In a situation like this, most parents would be furious and despair at the sight of their child passing away and then their body being inhabited by a wandering soul. But “Pei An’s” father was different.

Pei An could never forget the gentle voice. It was so soothing that it could make him forget the stench and blood of the post-apocalyptic world.

“It’s okay. You’re also named Pei An, and you came right after my child passed away. You must be a gift from heaven.”

“Pei An” was very frail at the time. Though Pei An possessed formidable psychic powers, his physical attributes were considerably weak. During this period, “Pei An’s” father had taken care of him lovingly. It was only through this nurturing that Pei An had gradually improved and regained his physical strength. He had made a full recovery before starting to exercise.

In the era of interstellar travel, human lifespans had become longer. “Pei An’s” father was now in his fifties but looked like a young man in his twenties.

Initially, Pei An would have found it difficult to call someone in their thirties or forties “father.” But when he found out that “Pei An’s” father was in his fifties, Pei An had to get used to the idea of calling him “father.”

The Bright ship was bustling with people. If Pei An didn’t call him “father,” he would undoubtedly raise suspicions. Not everyone could accept the concept of being possessed by another soul, which was both strange and disturbing.

“Father” had prepared many delicious dishes. In the post-apocalyptic world, there was a shortage of tasty food. After his rebirth, Pei An had thoroughly enjoyed satisfying his appetite.

As he continued to dream, Pei An felt hungry. He smacked his lips and longed for the taste of various delicious foods.

“I’m hungry, Father…”

Could you prepare something delicious for me?

Xie Yu stood frozen in place, maintaining his half-bent posture.

Little did he expect that he would become a father without ever experiencing love.