Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Wen Zheng rediscovered a long-lost maternal love in Lu Yao. The warmth and care she found difficult to express to Fu Yanhuai flowed freely towards Lu Yao, who perfectly filled that void.

Fu Yanhuai knew Lu Yao genuinely cherished Wen Zheng’s affection, so he didn’t interrupt them, simply settling aside to attend to his emails.

Wen Zheng pressed a card into Lu Yao’s hand. "Your father gave you this. Take it—buy snacks when you’re hungry."

That sum could probably launch a snack company. Lu Yao wasn't sure of the exact amount, but the sight of the card made him instinctively hesitant to accept it.

"No, Mom, this is too much. I can’t take it."

Wen Zheng deliberately put on a stern face. "Not listening to your mother?"

She tucked the card directly into Lu Yao’s top pocket. "There. Has Dr. Xu mentioned when the next hospital check-up is?"

The latter half of her question was directed at Fu Yanhuai, who replied, "In a week."

That suggested the situation was stable, which somewhat eased Wen Zheng’s mind. Noticing Lu Yao’s pale complexion, she leaned in and asked gently, "You don’t look well. How about I stay with you at home for the next few days? I’ll leave once you’re better and can return to work at the dessert shop. Otherwise, I won’t feel at ease."

Wen Zheng was indeed deeply concerned; otherwise, she wouldn't have made this trip today. Lu Yao had differentiated from a beta to an omega, and he was still disoriented by the change. Fu Yanhuai, moreover, didn't seem like the nurturing type. Even with a housekeeper, doctor, and servants, Wen Zheng wanted to see Lu Yao with her own eyes.

Lu Yao hadn’t expected Wen Zheng to suggest this. He didn’t want to go against his own feelings; he truly loved the feeling of having a mother’s care.

"Okay," Lu Yao whispered. "Thank you, Mom."

Wen Zheng was satisfied. Fu Yanhuai had no objections—this was what he wanted too. When he was engrossed in work, he couldn't always attend to Lu Yao. Besides, Fu Yanhuai also needed some time to himself.

He didn’t know how to treat Lu Yao.

Wen Zheng stayed with Lu Yao until the fourth month of his pregnancy. His morning sickness was severe, and it wasn’t until after the fourth month that his pheromones finally stabilized.

Lu Yao was still quite slender, though his belly had begun to swell. Over the past couple of days, his morning sickness had significantly eased. The prenatal check-up showed the baby was developing well, and Lu Yao was in high spirits on the way home.

His loose winter coat concealed his belly when he sat down.

"The baby just moved again," Lu Yao said excitedly to Fu Yanhuai. "It felt like little bubbles."

Fu Yanhuai naturally slid his hand under Lu Yao’s coat, resting it over the gentle curve of his belly through the thin undershirt.

Though they had shared many intimate moments, Lu Yao still felt a blush creep up every time.

The baby’s movements weren’t frequent yet, and by the time Fu Yanhuai touched his stomach, it had already settled. Fu Yanhuai withdrew his hand and adjusted Lu Yao’s coat for him.

"He’ll grow up soon."

Lu Yao murmured beside him, "We still haven’t picked a name for him. Are we just going to keep calling him ‘baby’?"

Fu Yanhuai had no thoughts on the matter. "There’s still half a year until the birth. We can take our time. You can start with a nickname."

"Hmm..." Lu Yao racked his brain for names. "Maybe we should go home and look through a dictionary for one."

Fu Yanhuai suddenly said, "The New Year’s almost here."

"Huh?" Lu Yao looked up, puzzled. "What about it?"

Fu Yanhuai glanced at Lu Yao’s still-barely noticeable bump. "How about ‘Nian Nian’?"

It was a rather casual way to pick a name, but when said aloud, it sounded quite pleasant.

Lu Yao tried it out softly. "Nian Nian?"

Fu Yanhuai settled a hat on Lu Yao’s head. "I’ll wait in the car. Don’t talk for too long—you haven’t had lunch yet."

"Got it." Lu Yao obediently let Fu Yanhuai adjust his hat. "I’ll be out soon."

It had been a while since he’d visited Xia Shiyue at the shop. Over the past few months, his condition had been too precarious, so Xia Shiyue had been the one visiting him at home.

Fu Yanhuai watched Lu Yao enter the shop, then tapped his earpiece and lowered his eyes. "The director agreed? Good, no rush on the paperwork. The Lu family’s still the same—keep them from causing trouble."

His assistant on the other end offered a routine compliment. "You’re really attentive to Mr. Lu."

Fu Yanhuai neither confirmed nor denied it, nor did he seem particularly pleased. He gave a noncommittal hum and ended the call.

The café was warm. Though Lu Yao had only walked a few steps from the car to the shop, his health was a constant concern at home. Catching a cold now would be troublesome, so he let Fu Yanhuai put the hat on him without protest.

The indoor heating was strong. Lu Yao took off his hat and looked toward the kitchen.

"Shiyue?"

He headed toward the staff area, where Xia Shiyue stood with a smear of jam on his face, angrily berating someone. "Look at you—with those handsome features, yet you work like this? My ingredients are expensive! I’m docking your pay."

Lu Yao paused. He hadn’t seen this pastry chef before—probably a new hire.

The young alpha looked down pitifully. "I didn’t mean to… You’re not mad at me, are you?"

Lu Yao looked him over. Though he wore a mask, his thick eyebrows and bright eyes made him clearly attractive.

Xia Shiyue, won over by his looks, relented. "Fine, just remake it."

It was strange—out of all the pastry chefs, why did this guy only seek him out for guidance?

When Xia Shiyue pushed the door open and saw Lu Yao waiting, his face brightened. "Little Deer!"

The person inside glanced over at the sound. Lu Yao was caught off guard by his gaze, and the man’s eyes darted between Lu Yao and Xia Shiyue before looking away.

Xia Shiyue frowned. "What are you looking at? Come on, let’s not stand here."

Lu Yao came back to himself. "Who’s that? I just had my prenatal check-up and wanted to see you."

"Ah, what’s there to see about me?" Xia Shiyue pulled him toward the break area. "I was planning to visit you tomorrow. Business is slow with the New Year coming up—I’m so bored."

Lu Yao took off his coat. As they sat down, Xia Shiyue continued, "That guy’s a new college hire. His cakes are terrible."

Lu Yao suppressed a laugh. "What did he do?"

"This!" Xia Shiyue pointed at his face. "Jam! On my face! You wouldn’t believe it—after you went on leave, we had an opening, and I just couldn’t find the right person."

Xia Shiyue let out a dramatic sigh. "Running a business is tough, Little Deer. Are you coming back after the baby’s born?"

Lu Yao hesitated. "Actually, I was planning to return after the New Year."

He just wasn’t sure if Fu Yanhuai would agree.

He added, "By then, it’ll be five months—I’ll probably feel much better. Really, I feel fine now. The doctor said the baby’s healthy."

Though he was told he was slightly underweight and should eat more—but not too much. The baby was developing normally, and a sudden increase in nutrients might lead to excessive fetal growth, which would be hard on Lu Yao.

Xia Shiyue’s eyes lit up. "That’s wonderful!"

Lu Yao is hands-down the most reliable.

"Hey, did you know about Shen Jinyan going abroad to continue his studies? He's not even coming back for the New Year this year."

Lu Yao paused. It'd been ages since he last heard that name.

"Probably planned," Lu Yao said hesitantly. "I've been cooped up at home these past three months, even my..."

He'd already subconsciously started calling Wen Zheng "Mom"—he could no longer call Guan Qinglu that.

He sighed softly, "Forget it."

Xia Shiyue comforted Lu Yao, "Aunt Wen's been so good to you. Honestly, it'd be good for you to move back to the Fu family’s old residence during your third trimester. Fu Yanhuai isn’t home much, and you shouldn't be home alone."

Lu Yao hadn’t thought about this yet. "Then... I’ll have to ask Mom too."

Xia Shiyue was already used to Lu Yao calling Wen Zheng that. He lowered his head and gently touched Lu Yao’s belly. "Alright, discuss it with Fu Yanhuai."

A small smile tugged at Lu Yao’s lips at the thought of the baby. "The baby’s nickname is Nian Nian—how is it? Just thought of it."

"That’s a nice name," Xia Shiyue praised. "He'll totally be a cuddly little one."

Lu Yao’s eyes crinkled. "What kind of explanation is that? But clingy is good too."

Lu Yao said eagerly, "I'm so excited to meet our baby."

They didn't chat long. Fu Yanhuai was still waiting outside, so after Lu Yao and Xia Shiyue agreed that he would return to work after the New Year, he left.

Lu Yao got back into the car, his body feeling heavier. He exhaled as he sat down.

Fu Yanhuai took Lu Yao’s hand—it wasn’t cold.

"Just one more week. We’ll go back to the old residence two days early," Fu Yanhuai said calmly. "Then we’ll stay until after the New Year. Mom's only been home a day and has already asked about you three times."

Lu Yao agreed easily. "Sure, I miss Mom too."

Fu Yanhuai studied Lu Yao for a moment before suddenly asking, "Are you happy?"

Lu Yao was puzzled. "Yes, I am."

"Not much will change in the future," Fu Yanhuai promised. "There’ll just be a small difference."

Lu Yao didn’t think too deeply about it. "Of course it’ll be different with a baby, but we’ll definitely be able to take good care of him."

Fu Yanhuai didn’t answer that. Instead, he looked out the car window and said, "We’re home."

The housekeeper had timed lunch perfectly—the food was still hot when Lu Yao entered.

Lu Yao, worn out from the morning, was quite hungry. The dishes now gradually included more meat and stronger seasonings.

Lu Yao's mouth watered. "Looks amazing."

Lately, Lu Yao's cravings had changed slightly from before his pregnancy. He used to prefer sweeter flavors but now leaned toward savory ones.

The housekeeper smiled. "Please, go ahead and eat. The soup today has been simmering for over two hours—it’s very flavorful."

Fu Yanhuai cut the meat off the ribs into small pieces and handed them to Lu Yao. "Dr. Xu said you can eat more meat and protein."

Lu Yao was truly hungry. He finished a bowl of rice and drank all the soup.

Even after finishing, Lu Yao still seemed to want more. Wordlessly, Fu Yanhuai gave him a few more pieces of rib meat. "Go ahead, it’s fine."

This time, Lu Yao was really full. His cheeks pinkened, and with more color in his face, he looked much healthier. Shyly, he said to Fu Yanhuai, "I’m full."

"Rest on the couch a bit, then I’ll take you for a walk in the backyard."

It was good to get some gentle movement and fresh air after a meal. Lu Yao’s daily routine was now healthy and well-regulated.

"Alright. Should I pack some things at home this afternoon? So we don’t rush before the New Year."

"Mm." Fu Yanhuai stood up and pulled Lu Yao into his arms, letting him rest against his shoulder. The scent of Silver Fir was soothing, and Lu Yao closed his eyes briefly.

"You can do whatever you want—just don't push yourself."