Picking Up An Alpha On Garbage Star - Chapter 77

On the first day of the last month of the year, Lyte Republic held its founding ceremony.

 

Pei An ascended to the central square, accompanied by many others, and the square was filled with spectators.

 

According to the schedule, Pei An would first deliver a speech on the founding of the nation, followed by the raising of the new national flag.

 

Pei An had begun writing the speech a month in advance and revised it repeatedly. He was never satisfied, and his habit of writing drafts on paper meant that, by the end of the month, the discarded drafts could be stacked like bricks.

 

Unlike his speeches as the Secretary-General of the Independent Army, where he could criticize rebels, the royal family, and traitors, the founding ceremony’s speech left no room for error. He pondered every word and had numerous people review the final draft.

 

The speech, which had been reviewed by countless people, was finally brought by Pei An to the podium.

 

Despite knowing it by heart, Pei An brought the speech with him out of fear that nervousness might cause him to forget what he needed to say.

 

The speech was most familiar to Xie Yu, who had heard it repeatedly as Pei An practiced at home. Over time, Xie Yu could automatically complete the sentences when Pei An spoke.

 

To be fair, the speech, the result of a month of work, was splendid. However, Xie Yu was even more captivated by the exceptional person delivering it.

 

At just over thirty years old, Pei An’s presence and speech were no less impressive than those of an emperor who had ruled for decades, and perhaps even stronger.

 

And this remarkable person was Xie Yu’s partner.

 

After the speech came the flag-raising ceremony and the national anthem, a profoundly sacred moment.

 

At the command to “stand up,” no one hesitated. The entire central square rose almost simultaneously.

 

The national flag guard, composed of elite troops from the Independent Army, marched toward the flagpole under the warm light of the star. The golden ring and cotton flowers on the flag were illuminated in the warm light.

 

Approaching steadily, the flag was escorted to the flagpole with precise steps.

 

The flag-raising began.

 

The national anthem “Hero” played, and tens of thousands sang it. As the anthem’s powerful notes filled the air, the flag rose smoothly into the sky.

 

The breeze cleared some of the lingering clouds, allowing the star’s light to shine directly on the fluttering flag.

 

The Star Network broadcast the founding ceremony live, and with billions watching simultaneously, Lyte Republic was officially established.

 

…

 

All the work gradually fell into place. Pei An continued to use the parliament building as his office.

 

There was a suggestion to convert the former royal palace into his office and residence, and future heads of state could live there. Pei An declined this suggestion.

 

“Madam, I don’t deny the palace is beautiful, but it is too extravagant and might distract people. I believe the parliament building is well-suited for our work.”

 

Not only did Pei An avoid moving into the opulent palace, but he also converted it into a museum with exhibitions, charging a symbolic entrance fee.

 

The new regime confiscated the illegal assets of the old aristocracy. Those without criminal records could still live comfortably, but those who committed crimes, especially treason, had all their assets seized. Many private estates on Central Star were converted into national properties.

 

These estates were transformed into high-end hotels, catering to accommodation and banquets, and tourism was vigorously developed on Central Star.

 

Many companies were nationalized, and important strategic resources were taken into state ownership, with private exploitation prohibited.

 

The film and television industry began producing dramas and movies about the Independent Army’s fight against the rebels. Many real-life figures, inspired by Pei An, participated in interviews to provide material for these works.

 

Unexpectedly, they became anxious about being portrayed on screen.

 

Pei An personally initiated a film project starring Lieutenant Geng Ting and her husband Major Pei Song, depicting the story of those fighting hard on unseen battlefields.

 

Holding his child, Pei Zhi Yu, who could now say “Daddy,” Pei An pointed to the names of Geng Ting and Pei Song and taught him: “This is your mother, Lieutenant Geng Ting, and this is your father, Major Pei Song. Our Guang Guang is the descendant of heroes.”

 

Young Guang Guang, only able to say simple phrases, did not yet understand. By the time he comprehended, the TV series “Ashi Xingmang,” based on his parents, had already become well-known.

 

However, Pei An was adamant about not appearing on screen himself. He found the idea terrifying and therefore did not approve of the project. He also rejected any project featuring Xie Yu, believing that no actor could portray Xie Yu’s inner journey.

 

Thus, this was the first time Pei An used his power as a head of state for personal reasons.

 

Pei An received a letter from Ms. Catherine. She had been away for several months, and this was the first message she had sent, and it was in the form of a letter.

 

In the letter, Catherine mentioned the planets she had visited over the past few months, traveling and resting. She felt that her current situation was very good, better than before.

 

She also said she had brought postcards for Pei An, but since interstellar postage for postcards was too expensive, she decided to collect them in an album. Once the album was filled, she would send it to Pei An as a gift.

 

Speaking of gifts, Pei An received presents from various places every day. He kept the inexpensive ones and returned the expensive ones. He occasionally wore handmade brooches from children at public events and told everyone that they were gifts from a young friend, wishing the child good studies.

 

The school reforms had been completed, and Lyte Republic no longer had prohibitively expensive tuition fees that many ordinary families could not afford. Educational resources were now controlled by the state. Tuition fees at each educational stage were regulated, with strict rules against arbitrary fees and profiteering. Any violations were punishable by imprisonment.

 

Finally, everyone could attend school equally. Getting into a good university was no longer based on family wealth but on one’s own ability to pass entrance exams. Those who succeeded in the exams could attend; those who did not could apply to another university.

 

As for the military academies, the specifics of their reforms would depend on Marshal Xie Yu. Given his strictness, he would not allow the military to be used as a place for gaining credentials.

 

Discipline and regulations were being strictly enforced, and Marshal Xie had extensive experience.

 

…

 

Three months after the founding ceremony, in February of the following year, a promotion ceremony was held.

 

The officers retained their previous ranks, and this promotion ceremony would see young officers being promoted based on their military achievements and awarded merit medals.

 

Generals from the previous generation, including Xie Rao and others, were invited to the ceremony. For example, Zhuge Yue and his group, who were colonels before, were promoted to lieutenant generals due to their accumulated military merits. Their honor was comparable to that of the previous generation of generals, having fought through blood and fire. Those who were already generals were promoted as well, with the lowest rank being from major general to lieutenant general. The earliest group to be reorganized into the Independent Army, including Han Jingshan, were promoted to full generals.

 

Gu Fan touched his general’s epaulettes and suddenly hugged Gu Yuan Yang. “Father, am I alright? Did I make you proud?”

 

Gu Yuan Yang pretended to be disdainful. “It’s just a general. Your father is one too. Nothing to brag about.”

 

Just a general?

 

The generals who did not get promoted to general looked enviously at Gu Yuan Yang. Commander Gu, this is really too much.

 

As for Xie Yu, he had become the Marshal of Lyte Republic, commanding the entire army. Pei An, as the head of state, personally awarded Xie Yu the merit medal.

 

“Marshal Xie Yu, the Republic’s army depends on you. Do a good job,” Pei An formally shook hands with Xie Yu.

 

Xie Yu: “I will.”

 

A reporter captured this moment.

 

Although it was a perfectly formal photo, netizens went wild on the Star Network.

 

[“I declare! This is the wedding scene of the Head of State and the Marshal!”]

 

[“The Head of State and the Marshal are such a perfect match! The ‘Two Yuan’ CP is so ship-worthy!”]

 

[“But still, doesn’t the ‘Two Yuan’ CP seem a bit strange? I prefer ‘Sui Yu Er An’!”]

 

[“Two Yuan! Just Two Yuan!”]

 

[“Sui Yu Er An! Sui Yu Er An!”](Two Yuan)

 

…

 

Pei An, who didn’t understand why this was such a topic of debate, thought: “…”

 

Whether it’s ‘Two Yuan’ CP or ‘Sui Yu Er An,’ isn’t it all about him and Xie Yu?

 

Oh well, as long as everyone is happy.

 

When the topic of a “wedding photo” was brought up, so was the question of when they would hold a wedding.

 

“Shouldn’t the Head of State and the Marshal have a grand wedding?”

 

“Not necessarily. The Head of State doesn’t seem like someone who would indulge in extravagance. He might not hold a lavish wedding with the Marshal.”

 

“Then, won’t they hold a wedding at all? Not having a wedding would be a major regret in life, wouldn’t it?”

 

“But do you really think the Head of State and the Marshal have time to plan a wedding? When I got married, it took us more than half a year to prepare, and there were so many things to do. The Head of State and the Marshal have work; they can’t just take time off to plan a wedding.”

 

“Not having a wedding is really a pity…”

 

Xie Yu also asked Pei An about this. He said, “No one would not look forward to having a grand wedding with their loved one, ideally with the whole world witnessing their happiness together. An, have you really decided not to have a wedding?”

 

He felt he owed Pei An, as Pei An would be with him and yet not even have a wedding.

 

“If we were to hold a wedding, the guest list would be endless—government officials, military leaders. Missing anyone would be an issue, and even a hundred tables wouldn’t be enough. We’d have to go around toasting each table. Does that even feel like a wedding?” Pei An leaned into Xie Yu’s arms, closing the browser page Xie Yu was reading, forbidding him from looking at the netizens’ discussions.

 

“Xie Yu, I don’t want our wedding to turn into a networking event, so it’s okay if we don’t have one. Besides, with our reputation, even just posting a photo of our marriage certificate would make everyone ecstatic. Everyone knows we’re in love; everyone knows we’re together for life.” Pei An kissed Xie Yu’s cheek. “Billions of people are witnessing it.”

 

After the Lyte Republic’s marriage law was enacted, Pei An and Xie Yu showed off their marriage certificate. Just the certificate, without saying anything, was enough to stir up the star network.

 

Although they didn’t have a wedding, having a family meal together was still necessary. The Pei family didn’t plan to live long-term at the Xie residence, so they settled down on the central star, leading a leisurely life and leaving their company to professional managers.

 

They often spent time with Xie Rao and You Xingzhou, taking care of Pei Zhiyu. Now that Pei Zhiyu had started learning to walk, he needed constant supervision, as the little guy loved crawling all over the place.

 

Pei An and Xie Yu took a trip to Anmo Star for its first memorial event.

 

Currently, Anmo Star hadn’t cleared its radiation, so anyone visiting had to wear protective suits to be outside.

 

In front of the tall and majestic monument, which was piled with flowers, the rainy, gray weather always brought back memories of the moment Anmo Star was devastated by biochemical weapons.

 

Pei An had arranged for people to maintain Anmo Star, clearing the destroyed buildings and dealing with radiation and leftover toxic substances. Someday, Anmo Star might recover and become a habitable planet again, but not yet.

 

Apart from representatives from various sectors, there was a special group of attendees: the war criminals that Pei An had ordered to be relocated to Anmo Star.

 

Under military supervision, these war criminals stood among the crowd attending the memorial, unable to leave for any reason.

 

However, the tearful civilians didn’t know there were war criminals in the crowd, otherwise, these criminals might have been beaten to death by the angry crowd at this resting place of millions of souls.

 

The war criminals had been on Anmo Star for some time, having to drill and attend classes daily. The teachers lectured on topics the criminals didn’t like, and those who couldn’t answer questions would be criticized and even given homework. Every afternoon, they had to leave their camp for three star-hours to clear radiation and toxic substances outside.

 

The areas they cleaned varied; some places needed multiple visits, while others only required one. Some who wished to atone tried to take on more work but were stopped by the warden.

 

“If you sincerely repent, be well-prepared before stepping into that area,” the warden said, as beyond lay the monument.

 

Today, they were brought to the monument, listening to the suffering of Anmo Star and their crimes.

 

After the memorial event, Pei An visited the war criminals’ camp.

 

The camp was a prison, with Ye Xiuzhe as its warden.

 

When Ye Xiuzhe volunteered to be the warden on Anmo Star, Pei An was surprised, as the conditions there were harsh, and Ye Xiuzhe, a lieutenant general, choosing to be a warden seemed inappropriate.

 

Ye Xiuzhe simply said he found the task of reforming war criminals challenging, and with peace in the land, as a general, he had little to do. It was better to find a place to exert his efforts.

 

Thus, Ye Xiuzhe came to Anmo Star.

 

“How are things now?” Pei An asked. “Is it hard to handle?”

 

Ye Xiuzhe smiled. “At first, these war criminals didn’t obey me, likely because the rebel army always saw omegas as resources. They stubbornly thought I, an omega, couldn’t control them, causing trouble every day.”

 

Despite their defeat and surrender, their outdated beliefs were deeply ingrained.

 

But Ye Xiuzhe didn’t see this as a big issue. “If they don’t obey, just discipline them until they do. If they still resist, then discipline them more.”

 

After every beating, Ye Xiuzhe would mock them lightly. “You look down on omegas? How can you not even defeat an omega like me? Oh, by the way, our Head of State is also an omega, and you lost to us.”

 

Ye Xiuzhe’s words cut deep, and within days, he had thoroughly broken their spirits.

 

“These war criminals are very stubborn. Getting them to fully repent will take years. You’ll likely be on Anmo Star for a long time.” Pei An avoided Xie Yu, quietly asking Ye Xiuzhe, “Do you plan to start a family?”

 

Ye Xiuzhe just smiled. “Such things should follow fate; there’s no need to force it.”

 

Pei An thought about it and agreed. Ye Xiuzhe’s estrus periods would be difficult to endure.

 

He had already gotten used to not using inhibitors during estrus periods, and even those produced by the Manzhu team had side effects. Long-term use of any medication would lead to resistance, not to mention that inhibitors themselves counteract physiological instincts. Ye Xiuzhe was an extremely excellent soldier, and if his body was harmed because of this, it would be a great loss.

 

A war criminal somehow learned that Pei An and Xie Yu had arrived at Anmo Star and requested to see them. Ye Xiuzhe asked Pei An and Xie Yu for their opinions, and Pei An agreed.

 

He was curious to see what this war criminal wanted to say.

 

In a simple office, a scruffy war criminal stood stiffly as soon as the door opened.

 

“I heard you wanted to see me. Now that you have, say what you need to say.” Pei An sat down, his face expressionless, with Xie Yu sitting next to him, ever vigilant of the war criminal.

 

“I’ve read the reports; you lost your only child during the rescue mission on Anmo Star.”

 

Pei An’s eyes flickered. He didn’t expect to hear this from a war criminal.

 

He forced a smile. “Is this why you wanted to see me?”

 

Coming to Anmo Star was not without emotion for him, but as the Head of State, he should not mix personal feelings with work. No matter how much he missed his unborn child, he should cry in private.

 

The war criminal was silent for a long time before bowing at a ninety-degree angle to Pei An. “I was the one who signed the order to deploy biochemical weapons on Anmo Star. I am a sinner. I’m sorry.”

 

Pei An squeezed Xie Yu’s hand, his breathing erratic.

 

At that moment, Xie Yu really wanted to pull out a gun and shoot the war criminal, but he held back. Both he and Pei An held back.

 

“I know I’m guilty. You can execute me. I won’t complain!” The war criminal remained bent over.

 

Pei An suppressed his trembling fingers and looked up, blinking back tears. “If you truly recognize your mistakes, you should write a confession according to the regulations and submit it to your warden, awaiting his arrangements. Do not come to me seeking extrajudicial punishment.”

 

The war criminal was stunned. “Don’t you want to kill me?”

 

Keeping these war criminals alive was a strategic decision. If Pei An killed one out of personal vendetta, he wouldn’t deserve to continue serving as the Head of State of the Lyte Republic.

 

“Since you’re in prison, obey the prison’s rules, strive for a reduced sentence, and leave as soon as possible.”

 

Pei An no longer wished to speak with this war criminal. “Xie Yu, let’s go.”

 

Xie Yu almost carried Pei An out of the office, supporting most of his weight. Once outside, Pei An bent his back and slowly squatted down.

 

Pei An bit his lip and cried silently.

 

“An’an, let’s return to the Liao Yuan. We won’t stay on Anmo Star anymore, alright?” Xie Yu hugged him, his heart aching for their lost child, for Pei An, and for himself.

 

“Don’t let anyone see me cry.” The Head of State’s dignity couldn’t be compromised. Pei An didn’t want the public to know how many tears he shed when he cried.

 

“Don’t worry, no one will know. I promise.”

 

Back on the Liao Yuan, Pei An fell into a deep sleep.

 

As he boarded the warship to Anmo Star, Pei An knew he wouldn’t be indifferent. He had been trying hard to control his emotions, but he was truly heartbroken.

 

Xie Yu was also in pain, but he had to take care of Pei An and couldn’t let both of them be overwhelmed by the painful memories.

 

Pei An’s eyes were swollen from crying. Xie Yu got a hot towel to help reduce the swelling.

 

Omegas are prone to tears, especially over certain things. Alphas might enjoy seeing omegas with teary eyes, but only in certain moments.

 

At other times, Xie Yu hoped Pei An would always be happy, joyful, and carefree.

 

Pei An had a dream where he saw Pei Ruyu again. This time, Pei Ruyu was holding a very cute little baby who smiled at Pei An.

 

“Dad!” Pei An ran towards Pei Ruyu, but found he couldn’t get close.

 

Pei Ruyu smiled and shook his head. “Child, we’re not in the same world. Stay well in your world.”

 

Pei An bit his lip and frowned. “I miss you so much.”

 

Pei Ruyu: “I know, so I brought your little one to see you.”

 

Pei An was stunned. “Is this… my child?”

 

Pei Ruyu, holding the child, waved the little hand at Pei An. “Come, say hello to your dad.”

 

The little baby babbled.

 

Pei An burst into tears.

 

“Child, you have more than a hundred years ahead of you. The future is long. Don’t look back too much; keep moving forward.” Pei Ruyu told him, “The more you look forward, the better it will be.”

 

Pei Ruyu didn’t stay long with the child in Pei An’s dream. Pei An heard Xie Yu calling his name and opened his eyes from his deep sleep.

 

“An’an, did you have a nightmare?” Xie Yu gently wiped Pei An’s tears with the towel.

 

Pei An hugged Xie Yu, both crying and laughing. “No, it was a good dream.”

 

The “Two Yuan” CP (couple pairing) is a nickname given by fans to the relationship between Pei An and Xie Yu. The name comes from combining their titles: Pei An, the Head of State, and Xie Yu, the Marshal (元首 yuán shǒu and 元帅 yuán shuài, respectively). “Two Yuan” refers to the fact that both of their titles include the character 元 (yuan), meaning “head” or “chief.”

 

Fans often create such nicknames to celebrate and discuss their favorite relationships in stories. In this case, “Two Yuan” emphasizes the high-ranking positions of both characters and their relationship.