Money Not Enough

"Welcome! How can I help you?"

"..."

"Hello!"

"Hi…?"

"Hi brother!" 

Jian Yu thought twice about backpedalling out of the shop and checked if he was in the right place or not before throwing that idea out and crossed his arms instead. 

"What are you doing here?" He asked. 

"I… am working here?" 

"Not good enough, try again." 

The other avoided his eyes from meeting Jian Yu's, his hands busy working. He had been wiping that small thing in his hands that Jian Yu was sure once he was done with it, that thing would shine so bright. 

"I need another job to live the life I want?"

"Try again."

"I need to save enough that my descendants of the seventh generations can live abundantly?" 

Jian Yu's eyebrows lifted up so high that it went above his hairline. 

"Did Inspector Han not pay you?" 

BAM! 

Jian Yu jumped. 

"You don't know how much I suffer without you there, brother! No one buys me food, no one takes care of me, no one cleans my room, I even have more paperworks to do, brother!" 

Rei whined loudly, big fat crocodile tears formed in the corner of his eyes. 

"Now i have to work in this stupid antique shop, wiping, wiping, and wiping all day long-- ouw!"

An old man appeared from the back of the shop and smacked Rei's head. "Get back to work, young man!" 

"Ouch, ouch! Stop hitting me, old geezer-- ow!" Rei tried to protect his head from incoming smacks which he failed miserably. The old man just knew where to hit next. 

"Told you to call me grandpa, where are your manners?" 

Another smack and Rei was finally left alone, sniffing like an abused puppy. 

The old man finally turned to Jian Yu. "My apologies, this young lad has yet to learn." 

"Ah no, it's fine," Jian Yu chuckled. The scene was quite entertaining to watch. "Please disiplin him however you like, that brother of mine lacks courtesy." 

"He is your brother?!" The old man looked surprised. 

"Yes, an older brother, but he never respects me as one," Jian Yu sniffed, pretending to dab the corner of his eyes. 

"That brat…" 

The old man went back to Rei and smacked his head again, receiving a few squawks in return. 

Jian Yu felt the side of his lips curled upwards at the scene. This kid needed a few lessons on proper etique. 

While they were at it, Jian Yu took a moment to admire the shop and holy mother, this place was crammed wall to wall with furniture. 

The shop was like a maze, filled with mass of furniture of all shapes and sizes. This shop was in the deserted area of Zariya, probably why people rarely visited this place hence it was quiet. 

The old man who owned this shop was around sixty years old, Jian Yu guessed. An Omega. 

Wouldn't that be dangerous for an Omega to live alone in a deserted area like this? 

But when he looked at how the old man continued to smack Rei, maybe he shouldn't worry too much. 

Rei was here. 

Like how Rei was always there for him. 

Rei would protect him from danger. 

"Young man, what do you need?" 

Snapping out of his thoughts, Jian Yu stammered out. "I-- I am here to pick up a package for Lady Clement." 

When he woke up the next morning, his body was aching all over, especially his neck. He had actually slept in that position the entire night, it was no wonder he had cramps all over. 

He took a long shower, to wash away all the grime and brushed his teeth for at least ten times. Everytime he recalled what happened yesterday, how he puked and all, his body shuddered in disgust. 

When he was done and getting ready, he got a call from one of the maids to head over to Lady Clement's study room. All that only to receive an order to pick up a package. 

"Oh! Oh yes, wait a minute," The old man went to the back of his shop and came back out with a small box wrapped in ribbons in his hands. 

"Here," He handed the box to Jian Yu. "Lovely young lady, she has always been my regular since she was a kid." 

"Always running around and almost knocking off stuff from my shelves," He chuckled. "I wonder how she is doing now after Madam Zero passed away." 

"She… Is doing fine," Jian Yu said. "Shy, hot tempered as always…" 

"Yes, indeed, she has always been that way," The old man chuckled before he paused. 

"Are you… A friend of hers, young man?" 

"Ah, no. I worked as her personal butler, sir." 

"A beta?" 

"Yes."

Something flashed behind the old man's eyes. As fast as it appeared, it disappeared, washed away. Jian Yu had to blink his eyes a couple times to make sure he didn't see wrongly. 

He looked… Sad for a moment. 

The old man suddenly moved forward and took hold of Jian Yu's other hand, the one wasn't carrying the box. 

The hands, full with wrinkles, clasped around his glove hand, gentle and warm. The old man patted his hand comfortingly and Jian Yu tilted his head in confusion. 

"It's good to see another one alive," The old man muttered under his breath. "That's good, that's good." 

He breathed out a sigh of relief and his eyes glazed over once more. "What's your name, young one?" 

He patted the back of Jian Yu's palm, patting his cheeks in a longing way before ruffling his white hair. 

"Huang Jian Yu."

But Jian Yu could only stare at him in confusion and mutter his name out in habit. He couldn't  tell him or ask him why and what's wrong as the old man looked like he was immersed in the past, even though he was itching to know. 

"That's good…" He kept repeating the same sentences over and over and Jian Yu felt his heart twist at how broken-hearted he sounded. 

CRASH! 

"I am sorry!" Rei called out from the back. 

As if someone had cut the heartbroken moment  with a knife which Rei did, a growl broke out of his throat and Jian Yu jumped. 

This old man was fierce as an Omega. 

"I am deducting that from your paycheck, you brat!" 

He whirled around, this time taking a broom with him to smack the life out of Rei.

Jian Yu wondered what had happened for the old man to have such a sad expression. Maybe he looked like his deceased family member or someone close?

Shrugging his shoulder, he could hear the sound of broom hitting and Rei's exaggerating shouts. 

Smiling, he called out. "Thank you, grandpa! I have another errand to do, so please ingrant manners into him!" 

Jian Yu exited the shop and the bells above the door ring when Jian Yu pushed it open. 

He heard shouts of 'Don't leave me Brother!' and a smack before another shout of 'shut up brat!' echoing from the shop. 

Jian Yu chuckled, maybe he should visit this shop again when he has free time, it gave out a homey vibe from it. 

It made him miss Inspector Han a bit… 

Wait.

Did Inspector Han really not pay Rei though?! 

Impossible! That kid was just being childish, acting lonely and clingy. Rei really knew how to use his charm and attacked his weak point. 

Should he… Visit this adoptive father of his?

Maybe he could spare a bit of time… 

He adjusted the box in one hand and palmed his pockets until his fingers touched a small piece of paper.

He looked at the address and frowned. 

'What the hell did Malakhi Zero want from a place like this?'