Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The housekeeper wheeled the cart upstairs again. Given Lu Yao's current health and past eating habits, the small dishes placed before him were clean in color, visibly wholesome, non-irritating, and nutritious.

They just didn't look very appetizing.

Lu Yao picked up a green vegetable and put it in his mouth. Whether it tasted good was no longer the main concern; he was simply afraid he might throw up again.

The housekeeper waited nervously until he had fully swallowed before letting out a sudden sigh of relief. Fu Yanhuai carefully observed Lu Yao's expression. "Does it suit your taste?"

Lu Yao still felt a little unwell, but this time, it didn't immediately cause nausea—it was within tolerable limits. The housekeeper slid a cup of passionfruit juice toward Lu Yao, who took a sip, and the discomfort completely vanished.

Lu Yao turned to Fu Yanhuai. "I don't feel sick anymore."

Seeing Lu Yao look so docile and soft, Fu Yanhuai's tone unconsciously softened. "It's fine if you can't finish it. Just leave it. I'll go call Mom."

Lu Yao nodded. After two seconds of mental preparation, he cautiously resumed eating.

Fu Yanhuai stepped aside. "Mom."

Wen Zheng quickly responded on the other end of the line. "I was just about to ask you—why aren't you coming back today? Is it because of Lu Yao and the baby..."

"His pregnancy symptoms are quite severe," Fu Yanhuai stated directly. "Perhaps it's because his reproductive cavity isn't fully developed yet. Also, the fetus's condition is unstable, and the doctor advised more bed rest."

Wen Zheng sounded displeased. "Then why did you insist on coming back? Wouldn't that just make Lu Yao more anxious? How is he now?"

Fu Yanhuai glanced at Lu Yao, who was diligently eating inside the room. He said simply, "Average."

Wen Zheng was speechless. "Would it kill you to say a few more words? Would it lower your CEO aura?"

"Probably not." Fu Yanhuai's presence was innate. He withdrew his gaze from Lu Yao. "Would you like to come and stay with Lu Yao for a while?"

Wen Zheng had the same idea, but after a moment's thought, she said, "I'll go see him today first. I haven't seen him since he got pregnant. Once I arrive, I'll ask Lu Yao what he thinks—after all, this is your and Lu Yao's home."

If Lu Yao also liked the idea, she could have her belongings sent over. All that could be arranged easily.

"Alright." Fu Yanhuai had achieved his goal. "Then I'll trouble you with that. I'll go take care of Lu Yao now."

Wen Zheng hung up and immediately began changing. Fu Jizhong, who was nearby, asked, "What's going on?"

"Lu Yao isn't feeling well. The doctor told him to stay in bed." Wen Zheng didn't bother explaining in detail. She summarized succinctly, "I'm going to see him. If everything's fine, I'll come back. You stay home—too many people would be inconvenient."

Fu Jizhong muttered, "What's inconvenient about that? Fine, I won't go. Tell him to rest well."

Wen Zheng brushed him off. "Lu Yao would just get nervous seeing you. Besides, you're no good at taking care of people. Stay home and fish."

Her words made perfect sense. Fu Jizhong lowered his head again to study the chess manual, but as he looked up, his eyes unconsciously fell upon the succulent on the table. His hand, holding a chess piece, paused. After a moment of contemplation, he finally sent Fu Yanhuai a message.

"Lu Yao's having a tough time with the pregnancy. I'll give him some spending money so he can buy whatever he likes to eat."

Seeing Wen Zheng about to leave, Fu Jizhong spoke up. "Take the household allowance card with you."

Wen Zheng stopped in surprise. "For Lu Yao?"

Fu Jizhong sighed. Unlike Fu Yanhuai, who was born into a privileged status and wealth, Lu Yao was a pitiable child. "If he's feeling unwell and his mood is low, tell Fu Yanhuai to be patient with him."

Wen Zheng's smile softened considerably. "Alright, I'll be sure to tell him. I'm off now."

Each dish was served in small portions, but Lu Yao still couldn't finish. He had only taken a small bite of rice and eaten some of the vegetables, but he had finished all the passionfruit juice.

Fu Yanhuai noticed Lu Yao's complexion had paled again. He released his pheromones and pulled Lu Yao into his arms. "Tired? Want to lean on me for a bit?"

The scent of Silver Fir greatly eased Lu Yao. He instinctively nestled into Fu Yanhuai's embrace. "A little."

Lu Yao sounded a bit embarrassed saying this, because he hadn't done anything all week—today, he had only woken up, lain in bed, and sat up—yet he was still very tired. It almost sounded like he was being deliberately difficult.

He added in a small voice, "It's not that bad. I'll feel better after resting a bit."

Fu Yanhuai bundled Lu Yao up in the blankets. The housekeeper quietly cleared the table and exited the room.

"You're pregnant. Feeling tired is normal." Lu Yao's hair spilled across the pillow, his dark, luminous eyes quietly watching Fu Yanhuai, who spoke patiently. "There's nothing you can't say. All you need to do right now is rest."

Fu Yanhuai had no expectations of Lu Yao. His only criteria when choosing a marriage partner had been that they be a beta and not cause trouble.

Fu Yanhuai had never intended this marriage to last forever. In truth, Lu Yao wasn't suited to be the Fu family's partner. But now...

Lu Yao reached out from under the covers, timidly yet hopefully brushing his fingers against Fu Yanhuai's. "I know. I'll take care of myself and the baby."

Fu Yanhuai's expression remained unchanged. He lowered his gaze and tucked Lu Yao's hand back under the covers. "Sleep."

Since he couldn't form a complete bond with anyone else, this child might very well be his sole heir.

Fu Yanhuai looked at Lu Yao's sleeping profile. As a partner, Lu Yao was ill-suited for his position—Fu Yanhuai had never taken him to any banquets or social events, nor had their marriage been publicly announced.

As a lover, Lu Yao was bland to the point of dullness.

Fu Yanhuai searched for an appropriate title to categorize Lu Yao. Perhaps "the child's father" fit best.

By the time Wen Zheng arrived, Lu Yao still hadn't woken up. Only Fu Yanhuai sat downstairs.

Wen Zheng looked up at the second floor. "Where's Lu Yao?"

"Sleeping." Fu Yanhuai, unusually, wasn't reviewing reports. He casually picked up the remote and turned on the projector, displaying the movie Lu Yao hadn't finished watching last time.

Wen Zheng sighed in relief and sat beside him. "On my way here, I asked Dr. He. If the fetus's condition is very unstable, he'll need to be hospitalized for medication and strict bed rest. But Lu Yao's situation isn't that severe—it's just first-trimester instability."

Fu Yanhuai recalled Lu Yao's condition over the past week. "Dr. Feng comes daily. Everything's normal, but he's been feeling unwell the whole time."

Wen Zheng grew concerned. "Since he's suffering, you should spend more time at home with him. Your father told me to remind you—Lu Yao's discomfort and mood swings are normal. You need to be more patient with him, understand?"

Lu Yao was easy to comfort. Even now, in such poor condition, he still listened to Fu Yanhuai.

"I know."

Fu Yanhuai checked the time. "He's been asleep for nearly three hours. I'll go check on him."

Wen Zheng immediately said, "Yes, go quickly."

Wen Zheng planned to speak with Lu Yao alone once he woke up—after all, Fu Jizhong had given her a card.

It was originally prepared for Fu Yanhuai by the Fu family, with monthly allowances deposited on schedule. However, Fu Yanhuai had started dabbling in small business ventures during his student years and joined Fu Group immediately after graduation, so the card had only been used until high school.

Now, it was perfect for Lu Yao—a little something to cheer him up.

Lu Yao had already woken but was still somewhat drowsy. He shifted slightly, turning onto his back.

His body didn't feel heavy. Waking up like this didn't feel any different from usual. Lu Yao slowly sat up, carefully wrapping the blanket around his abdomen.

The baby was quiet now, but during the fetal heart monitoring, the heartbeat was strong and clear.

“Sweetheart, are you sleeping too?”

Lu Yao gently touched his belly, his eyes filled with tenderness. "I really want to meet you soon."

Fu Yanhuai pushed the door open just in time to hear the last sentence. He didn't say a word, just walked over quietly.

Hearing the sound, Lu Yao looked up. Perhaps because he'd eaten something, he looked more lively now. "Yanhuai."

Lu Yao's eyes lit up the second he saw Fu Yanhuai. Fu Yanhuai placed his hand on Lu Yao's belly, his palm warm, warming Lu Yao's belly.

"Looks like you slept well." Seeing the color return to Lu Yao's face, Fu Yanhuai felt slightly relieved. "Your mom's here."

Lu Yao clearly froze in surprise. "Is it because we didn't go home today?"

Lu Yao's hair was messy, and Fu Yanhuai couldn't resist ruffling it again. "No, she's worried about you since you're not feeling well. Want to grab a bite? How are you feeling now?"

Recently, the most common question Lu Yao heard from those around him was whether he wanted to eat. His answer remained the same as always. "I'm still not that hungry."

With Wen Zheng around, Lu Yao wasn't thinking about food. "I'll change my clothes. Has Mom had lunch yet?"

"Meals at the old house are always on time." Fu Yanhuai stood up. "What do you want to wear?"

"Uh... just a shirt or whatever's fine." Lu Yao was still in his pajamas. "Hold on, I'll be right down."

Fu Yanhuai rested a hand on Lu Yao's shoulder. "I'll get it. Stay put."

Instead of a shirt, Fu Yanhuai picked out a loose set of casual clothes and helped Lu Yao into them without a fuss.

The faint caramel scent on Lu Yao was still subtle, but Fu Yanhuai lingered for a long time as his nose neared Lu Yao's neck.

"Did Dr. Xu say when a temporary mark would be possible?"

A full bond wasn't an option, but a temporary one during pregnancy should be. Fu Yanhuai's voice grew inexplicably hoarse, and Lu Yao's face flushed crimson.

"She didn't say." Lu Yao didn't dare move, nervously reminding Fu Yanhuai, "But it'll likely have to wait until the baby's condition is stable. Dr. Feng also said my pheromone levels are fluctuating right now."

Fu Yanhuai reluctantly drew back a bit. He gently scooped Lu Yao up and headed for the door. Lu Yao quickly protested, "Mom is downstairs. I can walk by myself."

"I'll put you down by the elevator." Fu Yanhuai reassured him. "Mom told me to take good care of you."

"Oh..."

Lu Yao stopped struggling. He liked how carefully Fu Yanhuai treated him.

Fu Yanhuai was a very, very good person. Being with him and having a child made it feel like Lu Yao had gained parents too.

Lu Yao counted himself lucky, as if all the voids from his past had been filled because of Fu Yanhuai.

Slowly, Lu Yao walked to the sofa. The moment Wen Zheng saw him, she pulled him close, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

"You've lost weight. So much weight."

Wen Zheng's heart ached. She guided Lu Yao to sit down. "Honestly, you didn't even have time to recover properly after your heat..."

Though Lu Yao's face was still pale, his mood seemed calm, and his expression was happy.

"I'm fine, Mom. I don't feel too uncomfortable."

Wen Zheng's heart softened as she hugged him. "How could you not be uncomfortable, silly boy?"

Always trying to ease her worries.