Picking Up An Alpha On Garbage Star - Chapter 75

On the day the *Liangyuan* entered Central Star, The Lyte Empire was completely declared destroyed.

The *Liangyuan* docked at the spaceport where Xie Yu and the army were already waiting. Pei An descended from the *Liangyuan*, and Xie Yu greeted him with a warm hug.

“An An, we did it,” Xie Yu’s voice sounded in Pei An’s ear.

Yes, they had succeeded. The entire territory of The Lyte Empire was now under the control of the Independent Army. The remaining forces that The Lyte Empire could still command were either severely damaged by the Independent Army, surrendered, or revolted. In short, those who follow the righteous path will receive more help, while those who deviate will receive less. The royal family and the parliament it represented would now be a thing of the past.

The sky now displayed golden kapok flower flags.

“The Mondrei family’s estate has been secured. Shall we go there now?” Xie Yu asked.

Pei An nodded. “I also brought my grandparents. They will accompany us.”

The Pei couple were family members, so their disembarkation position was different from Pei An’s. As Pei An was also the Secretary-General of the Independent Army, he naturally went ahead while waiting for the Pei couple and their child, Pei Zhiyu.

During this time, Pei An also met Xie Rao and Gu Yuanyang for the first time in person, having previously only seen them briefly in videos.

“Father, Uncle Gu, this is Pei An, our Secretary-General of the Independent Army.” In this formal setting, Xie Yu made an official introduction, reserving more casual remarks for a later time.

Xie Rao and Gu Yuanyang, both dressed in crisp military uniforms, exuded the commanding presence of high-ranking military officers. Both raised their hands in salute.

In the future, Pei An would be the leader of the country, so their salute was not excessive.

“Hello, Commander Xie, Commander Gu,” Pei An shook hands with both, “I’ve heard so much about you.”

Xie Rao was fine; after all, he was meeting his son’s partner and felt pleased. However, Gu Yuanyang couldn’t help but shed tears upon seeing the face so similar to Pei Ru Yu’s.

It was truly a striking resemblance.

“Lao Gu, you’d better hold back those tears on this grand occasion,” Xie Rao whispered, “Otherwise, if you end up trending on StarNet with a runny nose and tears, don’t blame me for not warning you.”

Gu Yuanyang replied irritably, “It’s you who’ll be trending with tears and snot.”

Pei An smiled slightly. “Thank you for all your hard work and efforts during this time. You’ve done a lot to bring about the end of the internal strife.”

There were still some media present, so it wasn’t the time for reminiscing. They needed to follow the necessary procedures first before discussing other matters.

Under the cameras, they discussed many things. Once the photos were posted online, many netizens were moved to tears. One commenter wrote, “Seeing them together, I think I understand what a sense of security feels like.”

This made it to second place on the trending list.

The first place was “Family Portrait” because some netizens felt that the group of them together really looked like a family photo.

After leaving the spaceport, the media coverage ended, and Pei An boarded a hover car heading to the Mondrei family estate, with the Pei couple and Pei Zhiyu in another hover car following behind.

Central Star had a large land area, but the nobility there were numerous. Each occupied a large piece of land, creating their own domains, and no one was allowed to enter. The sprawling estates were clearly the territory of the nobility.

The Mondrei family estate was one of the largest on Central Star, larger than any other estate except for the palace. The hover car took quite a while to reach the estate.

However, no matter how luxurious the estate was, it was now surrounded by the Independent Army, and not even a bird could escape.

Many Mondrei family members had already fled, intending to live in hiding to avoid being scorned under the Mondrei name. Some had stayed, either unable to let go of the Mondrei family’s glory or hoping not to face retribution.

The latter hope was rather naive. They foolishly believed that Pei An, being the biological son of their family head, wouldn’t actually harm him. After the change of regime, they thought they would be the most prestigious family in the country as Pei An’s own kin.

Pei An shattered such unrealistic fantasies himself.

Pei An met the Pei couple at the hover car and, with Xie Yu’s company and protection, they entered the opulently magnificent house.

The Independent Army’s officers were highly disciplined; they restricted the Mondrei family members’ freedom without resorting to physical restraints or abuse.

Even as a war criminal, Clovis Mondrei was only wearing electronic shackles on his limbs.

“Clovis Mondrei,” Pei An called out the name of the dejected man as he entered the house.

Clovis Mondrei looked up and, upon seeing Pei An, became excited. “Good child, I am your father, your biological father. You’ve come to rescue me, haven’t you?”

He tried to lunge at Pei An but was forcibly restrained by the soldiers on either side of him. No matter how strong he was, Clovis Mondrei could only sit obediently on the sofa.

Daring to claim to be the Secretary-General’s father?

That was like hitting a star system for a scam.

“Clovis Mondrei, over the years, you have conducted illegal drug experiments in secret, collaborated with the rebels to attack the *Bright Goddess*, and during the war, you provided billions in support to the rebels. Do you have any objections to what I’ve said?” Pei An spoke calmly, even though he had once hated this man so much he wanted to personally rip him apart. Now, he could state his crimes with a detached demeanor.

Clovis Mondrei didn’t respond; he just laughed maniacally, his body twitching uncontrollably and tears streaming down his face.

Xie Yu raised his hand slightly, and the soldiers understood. One of them stepped forward and punched Clovis Mondrei, knocking him back to his senses.

“Do you think you can evade judgment by pretending to be insane?” Xie Yu said, tugging at his white gloves, slightly irritated.

Clovis Mondrei stopped laughing and looked at Pei An with a bizarre expression: “It doesn’t matter if I die. This country will be ruled by my son, and then my grandson, and great-grandson. Even if you change your surname, what can you do? You, Pei An, the Secretary General of the Independent Army, still have the blood of the Mondrei family in you!”

The Pei couple could hardly believe that the gentleman they once knew had become such a madman.

Pei An remained unmoved, not even twitching an eyebrow: “Is that your plan?”

Clovis Mondrei revealed a grim smile: “As long as I know that my family’s bloodline will rule this country in the future, I can die in peace!”

“Oh, that’s quite unfortunate,” Pei An said. “Firstly, we are establishing the Lite Republic, and a republic has no monarch. I, Pei An, have no throne to inherit. Secondly, I can’t have children. Your bloodline ends with me, so don’t dream about future generations.”

Clovis Mondrei was stunned for a long while, then started struggling wildly: “Why can’t you have children? Is it because that surname Xie can’t? No, you must have children! You must!”

Xie Yu stepped forward and struck Clovis Mondrei’s jaw to silence him, as the noise was disturbing Guang Guang’s sleep.

“Don’t you know why I can’t have children?” Pei An shrugged. “It’s all your doing, after all.”

Clovis Mondrei’s eyes widened in shock. Could the drug experiments have caused Pei An to lose his fertility?

How could this be? How could this happen?

Clovis Mondrei could only struggle helplessly against the soldiers holding him.

The Pei couple, seeing Clovis Mondrei in such a state, felt too exhausted to scold him. What’s the point in arguing with a lunatic?

In any case, Clovis Mondrei would be executed.

However, just now, Pei An revealed that he couldn’t have children. This was news to them.

This scum truly is a disaster!

“Alright, stop your howling,” Xie Yu rubbed his ears, having never realized how much like a buzzing fly this man was, “We came to notify you that you should prepare to die, don’t think we’re here to give you any hope.”

Pei An left his final words with cold indifference: “Your execution day will be broadcasted live across the entire star network.”

He had destroyed Clovis Mondrei’s last psychological defense.

Once outside the Mondrei family estate, Pei An felt the air was much fresher.

“We have no other plans for today. Let’s go home,” Xie Yu said, getting into the hovercar and giving the driver an address.

“Grandpa and Grandma are coming too,” Xie Yu added.

Pei An quietly raised the partition to prevent the front seats from hearing his conversation with Xie Yu.

“Xie Yu, in my original world, a person in their thirties would be considered as having grandparents in their eighties, and eighty-year-olds there are already gray-haired.” Calling the Pei couple Grandpa and Grandma was a huge psychological challenge for Pei An every time he said it.

In this interstellar age, where the average lifespan is over a hundred years, having multiple generations living together is common and doesn’t seem unusual.

“Is it uncomfortable for you to address my father and mother like that?” Xie Yu asked with a smile.

“Not particularly…” Wait, Pei An suddenly looked up, “Today is the day we meet the parents?”

Well, they arrived and immediately met the parents, both sets of parents were there, and it was the perfect timing.

“I didn’t bring a gift for the first visit to your home. Isn’t that inappropriate?” Pei An became nervous; this was his first time meeting the parents in two lifetimes.

Xie Yu steadied Pei An, helping him sit down: “No need; it’s our family who should be offering gifts, as we’re the ones requesting you join our family.”

Xie Yu wasn’t lying. In their world, if an omega were to visit an alpha’s family for the first time with a gift, it would be seen as an act of flattery, whereas it was considered impolite if the alpha did not bring a gift when visiting the omega’s family.

Pei An didn’t quite understand, but it was likely related to the second gender concept in this world, leading to such customs.

Despite this, Pei An remained very nervous, nearly digging his trimmed nails into Xie Yu’s palm, his eyes darting around restlessly.

“If you’re nervous, let’s do something to distract you,” Xie Yu suggested.

Pei An: “Then let’s do something else.” He was worried he might trip over the threshold and accidentally offer early New Year greetings to Xie Rao and You Xingzhou.

Xie Yu freed himself from Pei An’s grip and fished out two small jade rings from his pocket.

“The ring box was too conspicuous. I was afraid you would notice, so I just wrapped them in silk and put them in my pocket. They’re hidden quite well,” Xie Yu said, wiping the larger and smaller jade rings with silk.

Pei An was speechless: “You mean to distract me… by proposing now?”

Xie Yu proudly gave a little “hmph” and, in the cramped hovercar, propped one leg up and knelt on the seat, holding up the smaller jade ring.

“Pei An, I guess you’ll definitely say you’re willing,” Xie Yu declared confidently.

Pei An gave him a sideways glance: “Xie Yu, your romantic skills are really lacking.”

Xie Yu admitted candidly: “Though my romantic skills are not great, I can be very romantic.”

Pei An: “… Cut it out. Be serious about the proposal.”

Xie Yu straightened his expression and, after calming Pei An’s nerves, began his formal proposal.

“My dearest little plum blossom, can you bloom in the ice and snow named Xie Yu?”

Pei An clutched his heart. Xie Yu’s romantic skills were clearly more impressive than he had thought.

“Well, you need to provide enough soil, oxygen, water, and sunlight. If you can do that, then I can bloom,” Pei An said, extending his left hand.

He saw that the inner circle of the ring had a pattern—a snowflake design, with an X on the left and a Y on the right, representing Xie Yu’s initials.

The pattern and letters were a bit irregular, clearly carved not by a craftsman but by Xie Yu himself.

To carve a pattern inside a ring, especially on fragile jade, took considerable effort, and Xie Yu must have spent a lot of time making this ring.

The white jade ring was slowly slid onto Pei An’s finger. Xie Yu bent down and gently kissed the spot on Pei An’s left hand.

Pei An’s fingers were long and beautifully shaped, but they were not delicate; they were covered with various calluses and small scars.

But to Xie Yu, they were the most beautiful hands in the world.

“Here, help me put on my ring too,” Xie Yu said, handing Pei An the larger ring, which had a plum blossom pattern and the letters P and A carved inside.

Xie Yu was notoriously double-standard; when he put the ring on Pei An, it was a romantic declaration, but when Pei An put the ring on him, it was just a matter of fitting it on.

Pei An wasn’t so casual. Holding the ring, he asked seriously: “Xie Yu, three meals a day, for the rest of my life with you, is that okay?”

Xie Yu couldn’t hold back and kissed Pei An’s face: “I’ll take responsibility for your whole life.”

Pei An smiled and placed the ring on Xie Yu’s finger, mirroring Xie Yu’s gesture by kissing the spot where the ring was.

The two gazed at each other, their feelings deepening. Unconsciously, they moved in for a kiss, initially just brushing lips, but soon wanting something deeper.

However, the hovercar suddenly stopped.

The soldier in the front seat knocked on the partition: “Commander, are you done with the Secretary General? We’ve arrived at our destination!”

Xie Yu: “…”

Thank you, brother, for driving so fast.

Pei An and Xie Yu got out of the car. After the commotion in the car, Pei An was no longer nervous. He greeted Xie Rao and You Xingzhou, who were waiting for them, with a relaxed smile.

After finishing up with the media at the spaceport, Xie Rao had returned home first. Since they had no other plans for the day, they decided it was the perfect time to formally meet Pei An. Xie Rao was also keen to look after the house, and since Gu Yuanyang had tagged along and even brought Gu Fan with him, the two fathers were inside discussing what kind of welcome gift to prepare for Pei An.

“You’re back,” You Xingzhou quickly approached, taking Pei An in with a scrutinizing gaze. “An An looks even more spirited and handsome than in the photos.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Pei An said, feeling a rare moment of shyness.

You Xingzhou greeted Pei An and did not forget the Pei couple who came with him: “So these are the in-laws? Our families finally meet. Since you just arrived on Central Star, you probably haven’t found a place to stay yet. Why don’t you stay with us? We’re all family now.”

“This child, is this Guang Guang whom An An and Xie Yu adopted? He’s so cute and lovable.”

“Come in, everyone. Make yourselves at home.”

Xie Rao, who had no role to play in the conversation, thought: … Fine, I’ll leave it to my wife to handle things.

Invited into the house, Pei An greeted the Gu family father and son lounging on the sofa in the living room. Suddenly, Pei An began to feel nervous again.

He wasn’t sure why he was so anxious, but he was indeed feeling it.

You Xingzhou was considerate and avoided any of the awkward situations Pei An had experienced in his past life online.

“Thank you for your hard work along the way. Tonight, enjoy a good dinner and rest well. This will be your home from now on, and you can come and go as you please,” You Xingzhou said.

Pei An nodded woodenly: “Thank you.”

“Your situation with Xie Yu is special, having been in love amidst the chaos of war. So we’re skipping the usual formalities. You’ll move in here, and from now on, we’re one family. As Xie Yu’s parents, we will also be your parents. And of course, your grandparents will be Xie Yu’s grandparents too. We’re all one family now.”

As You Xingzhou was getting emotional, Gu Yuanyang suddenly interrupted: “Lao Gu, shouldn’t you be arranging a position for me?”

What about me joining this family?

Xie Rao scoffed: “What kind of position are you looking for?”

Gu Yuanyang said, “Hey, Lao Xie, are you looking down on me or something? Yes, I admit I was a big fool for missing out on Pei Ruyu, but I don’t want to miss the chance to be a father to Pei Ruyu’s son, okay?”

Pei An: “…” He could understand Gu Yuanyang’s meaning, but it was really strange the way he said it.

Gu Fan covered his face with his hands, unable to bear looking at his father: “Father, why don’t you just ask Pei An if he’s willing to have you as a godfather?”

Gu Yuanyang: “Oh, right, I forgot.”

The Pei couple: “???” Is this how military families operate?

It was a bit bizarre. They took another look.

“Ah-hem.” Gu Yuanyang cleared his throat. “An An, would you be willing to be my godson? Don’t worry, I’ll definitely treat you like my own child.”

Gu Fan said faintly: “You do treat your own child well, but when you hit me back then, you really didn’t hold back.”

Gu Yuanyang: “…”

“Lao Xie, can I borrow your rolling pin?”

Gu Fan ducked over to Pei An, taking refuge in the safest place.

“If you don’t mind, I’d be happy to,” Pei An said. He had received a lot of care from Gu Yuanyang over the years, even though they had never met in person before.

For Gu Yuanyang, Pei Ruyu was an unforgettable love, and accepting Gu Yuanyang as a godfather was a way to comfort him.

Gu Yuanyang was thrilled, pacing around in front of the sofa: “I, I’m a bit excited. I need to think about what kind of welcome gift to prepare for my son.”

“Alright, take your time. We’ll give you the welcome gift first,” Xie Rao decided to ignore his brother and focus on talking to Pei An.

“Um, kid, we don’t really know what you like, so the welcome gift might not be perfect. Please don’t mind,” Xie Rao said, taking out the prepared gift. It was a wooden gift box, and the cover didn’t reveal what was inside.

You Xingzhou said: “An An, open it and see if you like it.”

Pei An looked at Xie Yu, who nodded in encouragement.

“Okay, I’ll open it then.”

Pei An opened the gift box to find a key inside—the key to the house.

“We don’t have any staff at home, and the house isn’t big. Apart from two service soldiers, no one else is around. So when you come home, you might be alone, and this key will let you open the door yourself,” You Xingzhou explained.

The key was new, clearly recently made, and had two keychains attached, one a plum blossom and the other a snowflake.

“The keychains were made by Xie Yu. With his skill, they’re just so-so,” Xie Rao modestly boasted.

Pei An held the key in his hand, feeling a warm rush in his chest.

In this world, after drifting from the age of twelve to nearly thirty-one—almost twenty years—he finally had a real home today.

The DS009 house was where he had lived the longest, but it was not a home because there were no family members. Later, when Xie Yu arrived there, it briefly became a home.

Then came several years of wandering, from twenty-six to thirty-one, finally coming to an end.

At this moment of rest, he finally had a home.

“I really like this gift,” Pei An said, unwilling to let go of the key.

Xie Rao added: “There’s another layer, hurry and take a look.”

“Alright.” Pei An carefully placed the key aside and opened the second layer, which contained another key.

“This key is for the safe, where I’ve kept all the assets I’ve earned over the years,” Xie Yu said with a smile. “I want you to manage everything I’ve earned.”

Pei An was overwhelmed by emotions, feeling cared for in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.

However, Gu Yuanyang was truly a mood-breaker: “If you’re giving such ceremonial gifts, what should I give my son?”

Pei An: “…” He probably understood why his father hadn’t noticed why Gu Yuanyang liked him.

Gu Fan quietly shared with Pei An: “When Father brought me home, he asked what I wanted. I said I wanted a battleship. I meant a model, but he took me, still in elementary school, aboard a real battleship that he piloted himself.”

Gu Yuanyang: “You little brat, are you reporting me?”

Pei An watched as Gu Fan immediately reverted to his usual self, unable to stop laughing.

This was truly wonderful.