Chapter 39

Chapter 39

"What evaluation report? Am I supposed to write it myself?!"

It was a new day, and the café remained closed. Lu Yao accompanied Xia Shiyue, listing items needed for the shop's reopening.

Xia Shiyue was furious. "What's his deal? Does he look down on my shop?"

Lu Yao cautiously replied, "Perhaps not. Fu Group's investment might just be standard procedure."

"Standard procedure or not," Xia Shiyue grumbled indignantly, "it’s not like I’m begging for his investment! I’ll make this shop work."

Fu Yanhuai truly was nothing special. The brief positive impression from yesterday must have been a momentary lapse of judgment.

"But I think turning it into a restaurant would boost business," Lu Yao said, looking around the space again. "Popular restaurants attract a lot of visitors."

A dessert shop, however, would struggle. Xia Shiyue’s shop seemed too expensive, and its location near a university meant students likely wouldn’t frequent it. For the elite, established luxury brands would be their first choice. A restaurant, by contrast, clearly had broader appeal.

After a night's reflection, Xia Shiyue had regained his confidence. "I agree. This time, it’ll definitely work."

As workers moved in and out, adjusting and installing kitchen equipment, Lu Yao felt a little lightheaded from standing. He uncapped a bottle of yogurt and began to drink.

Xia Shiyue quickly asked, "Are you tired? Go sit over there and rest."

"No," Lu Yao swallowed the yogurt. "I’m not that tired, but I’ve been getting hungry quickly lately. If I don’t eat, my blood sugar drops."

As he spoke, he pulled a small packet of biscuits from his coat pocket. "Want some? They’re delicious—made by our chef at home."

"No, thanks." Xia Shiyue sighed. "Your coat pocket is like a magic pouch full of snacks."

Lu Yao gave an embarrassed smile. "I’m always hungry."

Perhaps it was Nian Nian's growth spurt; Lu Yao had stocked up on plenty of small snacks to tide him over.

Xia Shiyue rubbed his chin and asked, "Little Deer, when are you planning to start your maternity leave?"

Lu Yao hesitated. "Probably from the seventh month, but if I’m feeling well, I might delay it by another month."

Xia Shiyue pondered. "Then we should definitely hire one more pastry chef."

Lu Yao opened the packet of biscuits and ate one. Xia Shiyue watched, suddenly craving some too. "Are they really that good? Better than what you make?"

Lu Yao generously shared. "They’re delicious. Our chef at home is very skilled."

The two munched on biscuits while observing the equipment installation. Xia Shiyue’s thoughts drifted. "How many chefs do you think we should hire?"

Lu Yao swallowed his biscuit. "Maybe start with two and see how it goes."

He suggested a way to save costs. "For assistant chefs, Gu Hechen could help. I think he’s pretty good at cooking."

Xia Shiyue was too free with money, so cutting costs where possible was wise.

Xia Shiyue muttered, "Isn’t that a bit too few…"

Lu Yao tactfully replied, "Let’s observe the customer flow first."

Xia Shiyue thought of his father’s stern, drawn face and sighed. "Fine."

"But can Gu Hechen really handle being an assistant chef?" Xia Shiyue worried. "He seems even less reliable than I am."

"He should be fine," Lu Yao said after a pause. "At least the staff meals he makes are really tasty."

Still skeptical, Xia Shiyue reluctantly agreed.

The shop reopened after a three-day closure, now with a dedicated dessert section in the kitchen. The first week’s results weren’t obvious, but after Xia Shiyue’s extensive promotion, the number of diners increased significantly.

Lu Yao resumed the work he loved. Life was peaceful now, and he had no complaints—except that Fu Yanhuai was coming home later and later, leaving them with less and less time together.

Fu Yanhuai still held him, and the blend of silver fir and caramel scents remained comforting. Yet, Lu Yao sometimes felt lost.

Perhaps Fu Yanhuai was just very busy. Lu Yao tried not to disturb him.

On the bright side, the foot traffic at the shop was rising. Xia Shiyue seemed poised for his first business success.

Unfortunately, by then, Lu Yao had entered his seventh month of pregnancy. After his prenatal checkup, he officially began his maternity leave.

Lu Yao opened a new jar of massage oil, warming the cream in his palms before applying it to his belly.

Soon, Nian Nian eagerly chased after Lu Yao’s hand, responding playfully. Lu Yao couldn’t help but laugh. "Be good, we’re almost done."

Now, during checkups, Nian Nian’s movements were clearly visible. He was an energetic little one, spending much of his time actively moving around.

Lu Yao had bought many adorable toys. Though they weren’t needed yet, Nian Nian would soon require plenty to aid his development.

His favorite was the little white deer plush. He placed it by his pillow and, after applying the oil, pressed it gently against his belly. "This is Nian Nian’s best friend," he said seriously.

The plush was steeped in a strong scent of caramel pheromones. Lu Yao gave it a few soft squeezes—it was so plush and soft.

"Your father won’t be home for a long time…"

Lu Yao checked the time and murmured, "Not until it’s almost bedtime."

If only Fu Yanhuai could be home more often. There were so many moments of Nian Nian’s growth Lu Yao wanted to share, but his Alpha was barely around.

Doing the math, Lu Yao whispered, "Less than two weeks until the eighth month…"

Entering the third trimester brought new discomforts. The ease of the second trimester vanished under his growing weight, straining his back.

Lu Yao clumsily shifted positions, taking forever to get comfortable. Nian Nian seemed to sense something and gradually settled down.

His eyelids drooping, Lu Yao waited for the oil to dry. His sleep had worsened lately—he tossed and turned most nights, with only fragmented rest.

Floating between sleep and wakefulness, he suddenly jolted awake, realizing he hadn’t covered himself with a blanket.

After struggling to pull the blanket over himself, sleep wouldn't come again. Lu Yao whispered, "What a long day."

He read Nian Nian a storybook alone, slowly got up for dinner, then huddled on the living room sofa, waiting for full darkness.

Fu Yanhuai’s change in attitude hadn't happened overnight, but this growing, subtle coldness left Lu Yao even more bewildered. He didn’t know if he’d done something wrong or why Fu Yanhuai was treating him this way.

As usual, Fu Yanhuai didn't come home until nearly 10 p.m. and, unsurprisingly, found Lu Yao curled on the couch.

Lu Yao slept uncomfortably, his belly making his position look awkward.

Fu Yanhuai stopped just short, not wanting to wake him. But the slightest touch would wake Lu Yao.

Massaging his forehead, Fu Yanhuai took the far end of the couch.

He didn't have to wait long, as Lu Yao soon twitched, clutching his leg with a low whimper.

Fu Yanhuai's massage technique on Lu Yao's calf was practiced and smooth, but Lu Yao's face scrunched up in pain. "It hurts so much..."

Fu Yanhuai didn't scold him, speaking calmly instead. "You should cover yourself with a blanket. Getting chilled can cause cramps."

As the pain gradually eased, sweat beaded on Lu Yao's forehead. "I just wanted to sit for a while..."

Fu Yanhuai released calming pheromones and wiped Lu Yao's sweat away. "Next time, don’t wait up for me so late. Go to bed first."

Lu Yao's face was still pale, still shaken from the pain. He gazed at Fu Yanhuai, lost, before murmuring dejectedly, "But you've been so busy lately... It's been so long since we..."

He bit his lip. Even in the past, their conversations hadn’t been particularly frequent, but this felt different.

He didn’t even know what he wanted Fu Yanhuai to do. On the surface, Fu Yanhuai seemed to be doing everything he was supposed to.

"You need to take care of yourself in your third trimester," Fu Yanhuai said, ignoring Lu Yao’s unspoken question. "Let’s go upstairs."

But Lu Yao didn’t take the offered hand. Forcing a smile, he looked up and asked, "Is it because work has been too hectic lately? Or... did I do something wrong?"

Fu Yanhuai bent down and pulled Lu Yao up. "No."

The hope in Lu Yao’s eyes faded bit by bit. He followed Fu Yanhuai upstairs without a word.

"There’s some business in City H," Fu Yanhuai mentioned offhandedly. "I’ll be gone for a week, leaving soon. I should be back around the same time as my parents."

Since Lu Yao’s condition was stable, Wen Zheng and Fu Jizhong had taken a short trip. By the time Lu Yao reached his eighth month, Wen Zheng wouldn’t travel at all—she planned to stay in the capital until Nian Nian turned one before considering traveling again.

Lu Yao’s face fell further. His throat felt dry as he asked, "Will you be gone for a whole week?"

Fu Yanhuai noticed something was off. He turned back, frowning at Lu Yao’s pallor.

"If things go smoothly, I’ll be back in less than a week," Fu Yanhuai said quietly. "I’ll leave pheromone suppressants to ensure your body remains stable."

The suppressants weren’t the issue. Lu Yao clenched his fists, not wanting to trouble him more. "Okay."

His heart ached, but he said nothing more. "Then... come back soon."

Fu Yanhuai kissed his forehead. "I will. Don’t worry."

Lu Yao put on a brave voice. "If you and your parents return together, I’ll go pick you up."

"No need," Fu Yanhuai replied casually. "I’ll be back before them. Take care of yourself—no more falling asleep on the couch." "I will." The kiss gave Lu Yao a small spark of comfort. "I’ll wait for you to come back."