Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Lu Yao awoke three days later, blinking until his vision gradually cleared.

With difficulty, he turned his head to the side. The strange sensations in his body brought back memories of what had happened before he lost consciousness.

By now, Lu Yao was beyond tears. The slight sting in his neck as he moved brought him back to full awareness.

He struggled to remove the oxygen mask, unsure if it was his imagination, but he could distinctly smell Silver Fir—the last scent he wanted to encounter.

Before he could pull it off, the room door was hastily pushed open. "Mr. Lu!"

Dr. Xu rushed in, followed by several staff members. She immediately went to the bedside to check Lu Yao’s vital signs.

Lu Yao lay still, his gaze lowered, lost in thought.

After reviewing the data, Dr. Xu finally exhaled in relief. She carefully chose her words: "Mr. Lu, you’ve been unconscious for three days. Your baby is doing well and is awake, but his organs aren’t fully developed yet, so he can’t leave the incubator."

Lu Yao was certain he smelled Fu Yanhuai’s pheromones. He turned his head away in extreme aversion, trying to pull off the oxygen mask.

Dr. Xu quickly stopped him. "You can’t remove it yet. Is it uncomfortable?"

Lu Yao stared at her silently, but his hand remained firm.

Helpless, Dr. Xu offered, "Would you like us to switch you to a different type of oxygen device?"

Through the mask, Lu Yao’s voice was muffled: "No… there’s… pheromones."

Dr. Xu paused. "You need an alpha’s pheromones to help stabilize your gland."

An omega’s pheromone levels fluctuate drastically after childbirth, and the gland is closely linked to overall health. Therefore, their partner’s pheromones are crucial for stabilization. This process typically lasts from one month to half a year, depending on the omega’s recovery.

Dr. Xu also struggled to understand why Fu Yanhuai had suddenly acted this way. Though Lu Yao’s background didn’t quite align with the Fu family’s, still…

She sighed inwardly. Those born into privilege, who’ve lived lives of ease, often believe every aspect of their existence should be flawless.

Lu Yao seemed not to hear Dr. Xu. He continued to claw at the mask, unwilling to be tainted by anything connected to Fu Yanhuai.

Dr. Xu glanced back slightly, and the nurses quietly exited the room. Unable to bear it, Dr. Xu briefly removed the mask.

Lu Yao’s eyes were clear. "Is the baby okay?"

Dr. Xu reassured him, "All his functions are within normal range. You don’t need to worry."

Lu Yao struggled to get out of bed. "I want to see him."

Of course, Dr. Xu dared not let Lu Yao exert himself further. She leaned down urgently. "No visitors are allowed in the sterile NICU. Today’s visiting hours are over. Tomorrow, we can record a video for you."

She worried Lu Yao might hemorrhage again if he became agitated. The baby was still on IVs and monitors; she feared Lu Yao would be distressed if he saw him.

When Lu Yao persisted in trying to get out of bed, Dr. Xu repeatedly assured him, "Mr. Fu has returned. He’s seen the baby. He is the father, after all. Do you think he won’t take good care of the child?"

Suddenly, Lu Yao’s eyes, red-rimmed, fixed on her. "Did Fu Yanhuai tell you to say all this?"

Dr. Xu didn’t miss the hostility in Lu Yao’s gaze. Startled, her grip loosened. "No, you…"

Lu Yao didn’t believe her. He didn’t trust anyone now.

His pent-up anguish erupted. "Nian Nian is my child too! Why won’t you let me see him?!"

Dr. Xu promised, "Tomorrow, tomorrow you will definitely be able to visit."

Lu Yao didn’t want to hear it. He only wanted to confirm his child was healthy; he didn’t trust the doctor’s words.

Helpless, Dr. Xu straightened up and reluctantly took a readmission notice from a nearby drawer.

"Actually, the lawyer also left this document for you."

Dr. Xu wanted to reassure Lu Yao as much as possible. "Everything will be handled properly. The most important thing now is your recovery. You mustn’t overexert yourself."

Lu Yao gritted his teeth, staring intently at the readmission notice. He looked at Dr. Xu and asked, "Was this traded for Nian Nian?"

Dr. Xu froze. "What?"

Lu Yao raised his hand and forcefully pushed it away. The thin paper fluttered lightly to the floor.

"I don’t want it. I want Nian Nian. I want my baby."

Lu Yao disliked this place. The hospital had nothing for him—no lover, no child. All his hopes had vanished into thin air. In the end, he still had nothing.

If he was destined to have nothing, why had he been led to believe he once had something? His wish was so small. He just… he just longed for a home of his own.

This wasn’t Lu Yao’s home. Neither the Fu family estate, nor Fu Yanhuai’s villa, nor the Lu residence was.

Beijing was vast, yet there was no place for Lu Yao. Everything in the hospital made him feel suffocated. He yearned to go home.

The monitors connected to Lu Yao began beeping alarms again. His breathing grew rapid. Dr. Xu, despite everything, had to put the oxygen mask back on him.

All Dr. Xu could say was, "Mr. Fu… If you wish to speak with him, I can contact him for you."

Lu Yao turned his head away in rejection. Dr. Xu had no choice but to increase the sedative to calm him.

The scent of Silver Fir was clear and strong, but Lu Yao only found it laughable.

He never wanted to smell that scent again.

After Dr. Xu left, Lu Yao stared at the ceiling for a long time. He silently lifted his arm, which was covered in wires and connected to an IV drip.

He still had no strength. There were so many strange instruments on him that he couldn't even curl up on his side.

Everything here made Lu Yao feel out of place. A postpartum omega is in an extremely sensitive and vigilant state. His body passively accepted the Silver Fir pheromones, while his mind resisted, keeping Lu Yao constantly tense. Despite the steady flow of oxygen, Lu Yao still felt breathless.

After closing the door, Dr. Xu went straight to the neonatal intensive care unit. The large glass window allowed those outside to see clearly inside.

The tiny infant writhed and cried constantly. Fearing the IV needle might dislodge due to his small size, the nurses had loosely bound one of his hands with a medical strap.

Perhaps uncomfortable in his position, Nian Nian kept crying.

Dr. Xu walked up behind Fu Yanhuai. "Mr. Fu, Mr. Lu is still very agitated. I think…"

She glanced at Nian Nian’s condition and carefully suggested, "Perhaps we could record a short video tomorrow when the baby is doing better?"

Fu Yanhuai had been frowning the entire time. The child’s condition was unexpected, and he hadn’t anticipated Lu Yao’s severe hemorrhage either. Lawyer Chen had rushed the process to fulfill his client’s request quickly. Fu Yanhuai hadn’t wanted to personally force Lu Yao to sign the divorce papers—he couldn’t quite explain why, so he’d left the difficult task to the lawyer.

But lawyers operate without personal sentiment, which led to some deviations from his expectations. Fu Yanhuai now felt a degree of regret.

After a few seconds of silence, he asked the doctor, "Can I go see him now?"

Dr. Xu hesitated. "Mr. Lu… doesn’t seem to want to see you."

These words left Fu Yanhuai silent. Lu Yao didn’t want to see him?

It seemed Lu Yao was truly upset this time.

Fu Yanhuai had never intended for Lu Yao to leave. After a pause, he said, "Then I’ll bring the child’s video to see him tomorrow."

"Also," Dr. Xu added cautiously, "after Mr. Lu was resuscitated, Butler Yan contacted Mrs. Wen. Just now, Mrs. Wen asked me about Mr. Lu’s recovery."

"Just tell her directly," Fu Yanhuai replied, unconcerned. He didn’t think Wen Zheng would inquire too deeply. When he got married, neither she nor Fu Jizhong had said anything.

"I’ll explain it to her when she returns."

Dr. Xu doubted whether it could truly be explained, but the family affairs of the powerful boss were not for her to question. "Understood."

Fu Yanhuai rubbed his temples. "Take good care of him."

The "him" clearly referred to Lu Yao. Dr. Xu hadn’t sensed much paternal affection from Fu Yanhuai, yet his actions seemed to indicate deep care for the child.

Though confused, she complied. "I’ll do my best."

That night, after Lu Yao finished his last IV drip, he turned his head slightly and softly asked the nurse, "Nothing else for today?"

The nurse carefully replied, "No, the next medication will be tomorrow morning."

Lu Yao withdrew his hand, looking somewhat listless. "I want to sleep."

He emphasized sharply, "Everyone, stay away from me."

The nurse was clearly flustered. Lu Yao had been coming here for check-ups since his pregnancy, and the OB-GYN doctors and nurses were familiar with his temperament. He had never shown such a cold demeanor before.

Worried, the nurse said, "This is a private room, the only one on this floor. If we all leave, what if you feel unwell during the night?"

Lu Yao cut her off. "I don't need anyone."

The nurse nodded helplessly. As she was about to leave the room, Lu Yao suddenly asked in a quiet voice, "Where is the NICU?"

The nurse answered quickly, "It’s on the third floor. You can visit the young master once you’re feeling better."

Lu Yao didn’t respond. If the hospital wouldn’t let him see Nian Nian, he would go himself.

Lu Yao waited until late at night before slowly turning over. Earlier that day, he had gotten up briefly under the pretense of using the restroom, but Dr. Xu had quickly made him lie back down to rest.

While appropriate movement postpartum aids recovery, Lu Yao had lost too much blood, and his health had always been fragile, making him prone to fainting.

Lu Yao braced himself against the bed and slowly sat up. He removed all the wires attached to him. Standing up initially made him dizzy, and he leaned against a nearby table for a long time to steady himself.

He felt cold, so he grabbed a coat from a nearby cabinet, then very slowly walked to the door and opened it.

Fu Yanhuai wouldn’t tell him the truth, and the doctors only listened to Fu Yanhuai. Lu Yao wanted to see his child—he desperately wanted to see him now, not wait until tomorrow.

"Third floor, NICU," Lu Yao murmured, pulling his coat tighter as he entered the elevator. Just walking down the hallway had left him feeling weak. He watched numbly as the elevator descended. "I haven’t even heard him cry yet."

But he didn’t know that the moment he disconnected the monitors, alarms had blared in the nurses' station. Not just the third floor—every floor sprang to life, lights rapidly coming on.

The elevator stopped smoothly. The moment the doors opened, Lu Yao heard a nurse’s anxious voice: "Mr. Lu asked me where the NICU was!"

Lu Yao instinctively stepped back, then pressed the button to close the doors directly.

Even after the elevator doors closed, the commotion from the third floor was audible—nurses and doctors were searching for him.

Just like his pregnancy and delivery, everything about Lu Yao could be easily exposed to everyone. Fu Yanhuai could hide anything from him and do as he pleased, and the hospital could conceal things from him, disregarding his wishes by taking his child and making him sign divorce papers.

Lu Yao’s face was abnormally flushed, his thoughts muddled. The mixed pheromones in the air instinctively triggered his body’s warning to flee.

The respirator and Silver Fir pheromones had ensured clean air, but Lu Yao didn’t realize that maintaining proper gland function was crucial postpartum.

The gland patch couldn’t completely block pheromone leakage. These normally subtle, hard-to-notice scents now easily stimulated his glands. Before his brain could react, his glands had already picked up the various pheromones in the air.

Lu Yao felt this place was unsafe, utterly unsafe. He clutched his coat, breathing rapidly as he scanned the elevator.

He couldn’t stay here any longer.

A powerful sense of danger urged him to leave. Outside the hospital, it was dark. He stumbled through the grass, and behind him, the hospital lights fully illuminated.

Lu Yao didn’t know he had a fever. He instinctively walked toward less populated areas. The fresh scent of trees helped him regain some clarity.

He huddled in the shadows, looking back, unsure whether to return or leave.

Everything that had happened in the past few days now replayed clearly and uncontrollably in his mind. Lu Yao tasted a salty flavor—his own tears.

The hospital’s light illuminated the tear tracks on Lu Yao’s face. He sobbed, "Fu Yanhuai, I hate you, Fu Yanhuai…"

"I never want to see you again."