Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Yao Xianqing, who had stayed up all night watching over You Nan, felt the back of You Nan's hand. Finding it a bit cold, he carefully tucked it back under the blanket.

He then picked up his phone and stepped out to make a call.

On the other end, Yao's mom had just woken up and was sitting at her dressing table doing her makeup when her son's call came through.

Mother Yao answered and put the phone on speaker, filling the room with Yao Xianqing's voice.

"Mom, are you up? I have something to tell you."

Mother Yao was applying foundation in front of the mirror. "Go on."

On his end, Yao Xianqing stood by the corridor window, unlocking it, opening the glass pane, then closing it again, a nervous and excited gesture. "The person I love is pregnant."

A series of clattering sounds erupted from the other end. Shocked, Mother Yao dropped her powder puff. As she bent to pick it up, her head accidentally bumped the table's edge, making it wobble. The bottles and jars on it tumbled down one after another, several shattering and leaving the floor a mess.

Hearing her son's news, Mother Yao was too incensed to care about the damage; her eyes blazed with fury. "What!"

"Yao Xianqing, you little brat, say that again to your mother!"

Yao Xianqing stiffened, realizing how easily his words could be misunderstood, and quickly explained, "It's not what you think."

"Then is this child yours?" His mother's sharp question cut through the phone.

Yao Xianqing's explanation caught in his throat—the child was indeed his. He replied weakly, "Yes."

"Aiya! Yao Huarong, get out of the bathroom right now!" Yao Xianqing heard his mother's shrill call for his father on the other end. "Look what your son has done!"

"Now he's calling me to clean up his mess!"

Yao Xianqing: "..."

Yao Xianqing tried to salvage the situation, utterly bewildered by how things had escalated.

He had only intended to call and share the news of You Nan's pregnancy with his mom, but somehow it had spiraled into this.

"Mom," Yao Xianqing listened carefully. Hearing his father approach and his mother now having someone to vent her anger on, Yao Xianqing finally spoke.

Xu Peihua was livid. "Bah! Don't call me Mom!"

With that, she hung up. All Yao Xianqing heard was the "beep beep beep" dial tone.

Yao Xianqing stood by the corridor window, letting the outside wind blow against him. He touched his chest, felt a pang of sympathy for his father for two seconds, then returned to the room to accompany his wife.

As the Taoists say, better a dead friend than a dead priest. His father would just have to bear the injustice.

In the room, You Nan had woken up. He opened his eyes, startled by the unfamiliar surroundings, but as his pre-sleep memories returned, he realized where he was.

"Yao Xianqing?"

You Nan looked around but saw no one, a wave of disappointment washing over him. He called out without much hope, and his man hurried in from outside, phone in hand.

You Nan's eyes brightened when he saw him.

"I'm here!" Yao Xianqing, seeing You Nan needed him, quickly put down his phone and reached out to hold You Nan's hand, which had emerged from the blanket, gripping it tightly.

"How are you feeling? I'll call the doctor to check on you."

Yao Xianqing's expression was gentle, and he exuded a calm, unflappable demeanor when facing difficult situations.

You Nan's mood settled as soon as he saw him.

You Nan used a bit of strength to squeeze back and shook his head, "I feel okay."

Yao Xianqing was still uneasy, his gaze falling on You Nan's belly, covered by the blanket. In truth, since learning the news last night, he had been somewhat dazed.

He and You Nan were actually going to have a child.

Yao Xianqing snapped back to attention, kissed You Nan's finger, his eyes filled with deep emotion. "Wait here for me; I'll go find the doctor. I'm still not entirely reassured."

You Nan could sense Yao Xianqing's concern for him, so he didn't stop him.

"Then have someone apply medicine to your face too," You Nan said, looking at Yao Xianqing's bruised lip and cheek, his dissatisfaction and resentment towards Qi Yuwen deepening.

After all, Yao Xianqing was someone Qi Yuwen had once liked; how could he have struck him so hard?

The corner of his lip, even after being medicated last night, was still bruised, marring such a dignified and handsome face.

Yao Xianqing, seeing You Nan so concerned about him, was overjoyed. "Okay, wait for me to come back."

The doctor who came to check on You Nan was the same one from last night. Having stayed up most of the night without going home, the doctor was still energetic and eager to examine You Nan again.

It was quite strange for a man to be pregnant.

But You Nan wasn't awkward about it.

He followed the doctor's instructions, lifted the blanket and pulled his shirt up, but halfway through, a hand suddenly grabbed hold of it.

You Nan looked over at Yao Xianqing, who was smiling, his voice lowered a bit, his smile somewhat forced. "Exposing so much of your belly, be careful not to catch a cold."

His tone was concerned.

In reality, he was being possessive, unwilling to let You Nan expose too much skin.

The doctor, who understood instantly, was speechless.

No, he had no such thoughts.

You Nan didn't understand, but he was obedient. Whatever Yao Xianqing said, he did, allowing Yao Xianqing to apply something to his belly for the doctor.

This time, in broad daylight, the doctor could examine carefully.

Indeed, the small uterus was there, and inside it was a tiny life.

It was real.

The doctor relaxed, his smile genuine, his tone excited. "It's good, no problems."

Yao Xianqing acknowledged, used a tissue to wipe You Nan's belly clean, and carefully adjusted his clothes and blanket. "I'm going to talk to the doctor for a bit; I'll be back soon."

You Nan nodded.

"Doctor, hello," the doctor, who had just stepped out, stopped. Yao Xianqing behind him closed the door and caught up.

The doctor, containing his excitement about confirming You Nan's pregnancy in a male body in front of the family member, asked, "What can I do for you?"

Yao Xianqing's gaze was calm, completely different from the joy he showed when facing You Nan in the room.

"Please keep my partner's physical condition confidential and don't discuss it with others. While such cases exist, they are extremely rare. I'm really worried about my partner and his health. If I'd known he could get pregnant, I wouldn't have chosen to have this child."

Yao Xianqing understood the pain of childbirth. He lowered his eyes, full of self-reproach. If only he had restrained himself that night, perhaps You Nan wouldn't have to go through this.

"My partner also wants to live a peaceful life with me, and we don’t wish to be disturbed by outside drama."

Yao Xianqing’s tone was gentle, but his gaze locked intently on the doctor, as if he could tell if he was being honest. "Can you understand how I feel?"

His words resonated with the doctor.

Cases of natural male pregnancy were extremely rare, something many would never encounter in a lifetime. He felt fortunate to have come across one and had privately hoped to learn more.

However, since the family had specifically approached him, the doctor straightened up, putting his curiosity aside. "Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t disclose anything. I will protect your partner’s privacy."

Yao Xianqing smiled, his serious demeanor relaxing. "Thank you. You’ve worked hard through the night, and it must have been tough. I know the director of your hospital—I’ll have him get you some time off. Once you leave, don’t say no; I’ll have my driver take you home to avoid driving while fatigued."

As he spoke, Yao Xianqing had already taken out his phone and sent a few messages.

Within minutes, the doctor’s phone rang.

Yao Xianqing seemed to know what the call was about and nodded to him before stepping away.

The doctor answered the phone and was informed by HR that the director, taking into account his all-night shift without rest, had arranged for him to take time off until the day after tomorrow.

After hanging up, the doctor was dazed—it was the first time he had ever received such treatment. Was this the privilege of serving the wealthy?

Yao Xianqing returned to the room with breakfast he had just had someone buy.

He set up the bedside table and helped You Nan sit up.

You Nan, being cared for so meticulously, felt almost helpless. His face flushed slightly. "You don’t have to do this; I can get up on my own."

Yao Xianqing took the breakfast out of the bag and arranged it on the table. "You’re pregnant—it’s only right that I take extra care of you."

"Try this—I had someone buy shrimp and tofu soup from a restaurant, along with some yellow steamed buns." Yao Xianqing even tried to feed You Nan personally, but You Nan quickly stopped him.

"I’ll do it myself."

He felt a bit embarrassed. "The baby isn’t even two months along yet—there’s no need for this."

Yao Xianqing nodded along casually, but You Nan could tell he wasn't really listening.

Well, if he wants to do it, let him.

You Nan went quiet.

Seeing this, Yao Xianqing brought a peeled tea egg to his lips. "Have one."

You Nan looked up at him, meeting his gaze, then quickly averted his eyes. Under Yao Xianqing’s amused look, he ate the tea egg from Yao Xianqing’s hand.

After breakfast, Yao Xianqing cleaned up without letting You Nan lift a finger. His phone on the bedside table rang—it was his father.

Yao Huarong spoke through gritted teeth, "Where are you?"

Yao Xianqing didn’t answer. Sitting by the bed, with You Nan quietly beside him, he felt calmer. "How’s Mom?"

"How do you think she is? She’s furious with you." Yao Huarong couldn’t understand how his son could do such a thing.

It wasn’t that he was conservative, but having a baby before marriage would inevitably subject him to judgment and gossip.

If his son truly cared for him, they could get engaged soon and married in six months.

Once married, they could have as many children as they wanted—no one would interfere.

But having a child without any commitment was just not right!

If Yao Xianqing were standing in front of him now, Yao Huarong would have grabbed his ear and given him a stern lecture.

Yao Huarong was both angry and frustrated, his clothes disheveled.

All because of his son’s recklessness, he had taken the heat from his wife—she had even torn his clothes. He’d have to make Yao Xianqing buy him a new one.

Yao Huarong continued, "Your mother and I are getting ready to leave now. Send us your location."

"Oh, and," Yao Xianqing’s father added, "how is he doing?"

He asked more directly, "Does he want to keep the child or not?"

Yao Xianqing instinctively glanced at You Nan beside him.

You Nan immediately turned away, avoiding his gaze.

Yao Xianqing, being mischievous, had clearly known who was calling and what would be discussed, which was why he had put the call on speaker so You Nan could hear.

Yao Xianqing felt a stir in his heart under You Nan’s gaze. He coughed lightly and replied to his father, "Don’t worry, I’ll treat him well. We both want to keep the child."

Yao Huarong fell silent, then hung up and went to his wife to relay the conversation.

Xu Peihua, hearing that the other party also loved their son and wanted to keep the child, softened her expression but sighed. "Alright, let’s hurry up and meet your future son-in-law!"

Yao Huarong said "Okay!" and quickly went to carry his wife’s bag.

You Nan, having overheard Yao Xianqing’s conversation with his family, knew he was about to meet Yao Xianqing’s parents.

He started to panic. "Meeting your parents now? Isn’t it too soon? We’ve only just gotten together. What if they find out it’s me who’s pregnant? Will they think there’s something wrong with me? That I’m not a girl…"

You Nan was terrified, rambling on to calm his nerves.

Having grown up on Blue Star, he, like everyone else, left his parents at school age to attend standardized schools and gain knowledge.

Their parents, after giving birth and caring for their young children, also needed to continuously enter small worlds to earn Energy Points.

They had to raise their children for four years until the children were old enough for kindergarten. For them, this was already a long break, as during this time, the parents only needed to take turns working in small worlds.

This way, each could have half the time to rest.

If both parents could stay alive in the small worlds, their child could stay with them until the age of four.

But if one of them died in a small world, their child would be taken away and placed under the care of a specialized department.

Death in a small world was final—it meant they were gone forever. There was no return to Blue Star.

The surviving parent, having lost both partner and child, was given no time to grieve. They were forced to continue collecting Energy Points in small worlds.

You Nan had no memories of his parents since he could remember.

The concept of "parents" was foreign to him.

His only impression of the term came from the roles of "parents" he had encountered in the many small worlds he had visited.

The loving support those parents showed their children made it hard for You Nan not to long for that kind of love.

Yao Xianqing's parents were exactly the type You Nan had hoped for.

Yao Xianqing's parents would love their child, respect his wishes, and be willing to spend time with him.

The more You Nan yearned for it, the more afraid he became to face it, and the more confused he felt.

Yao Xianqing smiled, pleased that You Nan was nervous. It showed that You Nan was serious.

Yao Xianqing held him and comforted him with a gentle shake, trying to shake off all the fear in You Nan's heart.

He wrapped You Nan in his arms, and the feeling of his embrace being filled thrilled him. Yao Xianqing had never imagined he would become so infatuated with someone one day.

"My parents are very kind and open-minded. Rest assured, no matter what happens, I’ll be with you."

Hearing Yao Xianqing’s words that sounded like a vow, You Nan’s heart unexpectedly grew calm. He didn’t know if Yao Xianqing would keep his promise, but at that moment, he was willing to believe him.

"Mhm," You Nan replied softly.

Ten minutes later, Yao Xianqing’s parents showed up in You Nan’s hospital room.

Yao Xianqing’s eyes twitched. The two had clearly made an effort to dress up—he could even smell his mother’s perfume on his father.

That was just like them. On the phone, they’d say things like, "Just wait till I get there, I’ll teach you a lesson," but in person, they were always polite and smiling. They’d never even think of hitting their child and rarely raised their voices in public.

Yao Xianqing thought, This is good!

He stood up to introduce You Nan to his parents. "Dad, Mom, this is my partner, You Nan."

You Nan followed obediently, "Hello, Uncle, Auntie."

Yao Xianqing’s parents smiled warmly. "Hello, hello."

Partner?

A man?

Yao Xianqing’s parents wondered if their eyes were playing tricks on them, misidentifying their son’s partner’s gender.

Hadn’t their son said his partner was pregnant? It couldn’t possibly be that the young man was pregnant.

And another thing!

What happened to the injury on Yao Xianqing’s face? Had he gotten into a fight with his partner?

Having lived with his parents for so long, Yao Xianqing could tell what they were thinking or about to do from the slightest frown or gesture.

Yao Xianqing patted You Nan’s arm to reassure him, then took his parents by their arms and led them out of the room, grabbing the test results on his way out.

You Nan was left alone in the room.

He pulled the blanket up to cover his stomach, his eyes gazing hopefully at the door, as if longing for something.

It was unclear how much time had passed—maybe a few minutes, maybe over ten—but eventually, the three returned.

Yao Xianqing sat back down beside You Nan. His mother had already calmed down, but his father still looked dazed, his face full of shock as if thinking, "Did I hear that right? A man can get pregnant?"

Noticing his expression out of the corner of her eye, Yao Xianqing’s mother thought he looked rather foolish and feared it would make her look bad.

She couldn’t help but secretly reached over and pinch the soft flesh at his waist, making him grimace and snap back to reality.

A smile spread across Yao Xianqing’s mother’s face as she walked over to You Nan, nudging her son aside to claim the prime spot next to him.

The pushed-aside Yao Xianqing: "..."

Amused and exasperated, Yao Xianqing went to pour glasses of water for his parents, hoping to win them over.

"Xiao Nan," Yao Xianqing’s mother said gently, her eyes softening as she looked at You Nan. Aside from the gender issue, she was quite satisfied with his appearance and temperament. "May I call you that?"

You Nan nodded immediately, feeling both flattered and touched. "Of course!"

Yao Xianqing’s mother studied You Nan carefully.

Her son had good taste—You Nan had fair skin and a nice, lasting appeal about him, one that grew more appealing the longer you looked. If they had a child together, combining the best features of both parents, the kid would surely be good-looking no matter what!

Not bad, not bad at all.

"Xianqing has already told his father and me about your condition. It’s quite rare, so we’ve decided to take you to a private hospital for special care."

She had already planned which hospital to go to. "Our family has a stake in that private hospital, so you’ll receive excellent service there."

Touched by her thoughtful consideration, You Nan agreed to follow her advice.

"Okay, I’ll listen to you, Auntie."

Yao Xianqing’s mother responded with a warm "Mm."

Outside earlier, her son had told them everything about his relationship with You Nan—including You Nan’s previous marriage and how Yao Xianqing got the injury on his face.

Honestly, it took her a long time to take it all in.

You Nan looked to be only in his early twenties, yet he had already been married. What’s more, his ex-husband was actually a friend of her son’s.

Yao Xianqing’s mother felt that even the TV dramas she watched weren’t this dramatic.

Not long ago, her son had been insisting on canceling the engagement with the Huang family, saying only that he had found someone he liked and didn’t want to hold Huang Jingling back. But he never mentioned that the person he liked was a man.

At first, Yao Xianqing’s mother struggled to accept You Nan’s gender, but Yao Xianqing was adamant—he loved You Nan, and now they even had a child together. Even if she was unwilling, there was nothing she could do.

She figured she was just getting soft-hearted with age and couldn’t bring herself to break the couple apart.

Since You Nan was carrying their family’s child, engagement and marriage arrangements had to be made immediately. However, there were social nuances to handle, such as their family’s relationship with the Huang family.

The Huang family had only recently called off the engagement with them. If their Xianqing got engaged to someone else right after, it wouldn’t look good—they had to consider the Huang family’s face.

Otherwise, even if the Huangs didn’t overthink it, others might gossip and speculate.

"Xiao Nan, how about this—you’re not even two months along yet. When the baby is around six months old, we can arrange the engagement between you and our Xianqing. What do you think?"

Yao Xianqing’s mother asked You Nan, leaving him stunned. He instinctively glanced at the man beside him.

Yao Xianqing was equally surprised but quickly recovered, his eyes lighting up with joy. "Really?"

He moved to hug You Nan but was dismissively pushed away by his mother. "Stay where you are. Don’t be so clumsy around Xiao Nan."

Yao Xianqing sulked. "That’s not what you said outside earlier."

His mother was just like that—once she’d had enough of her son, she wanted to dote on other children.

Previously, when relatives' children came over, they were more favored than he was; now that he has a wife and child, his status at home will be even lower.

But Yao Xianqing doesn’t care; he’s just thrilled his mother is open-minded enough to approve of his relationship with You Nan.

Xu Peihua thought about what she said earlier outside, "I don't agree, don't even think about getting married," without even blushing.

"What did I say? If you bring it up again, we’ll postpone it even longer."

Yao Xianqing had no choice but to give in. "I really can’t argue with you."

You Nan, protected by Yao Xianqing's mother, felt their family’s warmth and couldn't help but smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

He had never seen Yao Xianqing like this before—it's true, people are different with family than they are outside.

Yao Xianqing seemed very relaxed at that moment.

You Nan couldn't help but look forward to feeling that kind of love too in the future, right?

Yao Xianqing's parents had other things to do, so after sitting for a while, they had to head back.

Yao Xianqing walked them to the door of the hospital room but didn’t go beyond that. His mother noticed this "unfilial son" behavior and rolled her eyes at him.

Yao Xianqing ignored it.

He went back to staying close to You Nan, kissed him on the head, and discussed with his wife, "The doctor said your situation isn’t the same as a woman’s, so it's best not to overexert yourself. I noticed Zhao Jin's company has been giving you a lot of work—maybe you should quit?"

Yao Xianqing clearly remembered the stress from You Nan's recent crunch time.

You Nan shook his head. "No, I still want to work."

He couldn't make the child his whole world.

Yao Xianqing gave in immediately. "Alright then. How about working at my family’s company?"

You Nan hesitated. "That might not be good—I'm afraid people will find out."

Yao Xianqing thought, so what if they find out? But since You Nan wasn't too keen, he dropped it.

Yao Xianqing held his wife and messaged Zhao Jin, asking if he could do us a favor to hold You Nan's job at their company for ten months. As for what job he'd do after ten months, they could cross that bridge when we come to it.

If Zhao Jin found it troublesome, You Nan would just resign and not bother him.

As soon as he sent the message, Zhao Jin called.

Yao Xianqing put it on speaker, and Zhao Jin's voice filled the room. "What’s up with You Nan? Why does he need such a long leave?"

Yao Xianqing replied, "It's a health thing with You Nan."

"What kind of issue requires ten months?" Zhao Jin's voice held a laugh. "He’s not pregnant or something, is he?"

On the other end, Yao Xianqing frowned, but before he could speak, Zhao Jin continued, "Alright, I was just joking. How could a man possibly give birth?"

Zhao Jin thought for a moment and went on, "But ten months is really too long. I'm working for the family now and can't grant such an extended leave just for You Nan. However, a leave of up to three months is possible."

One month for childbirth, two months for recovery time—three months should be enough.

Zhao Jin smiled, tapping his fingers on the desk.

He heard the faint sounds of discussion from the other end and waited patiently. Sure enough, within seconds, You Nan took Yao Xianqing's phone and agreed to the arrangement.

"Okay, President Zhao, I'll continue working tomorrow, and I’ll need you to approve the three-month leave later."

Zhao Jin's voice still sounded warm. "Sure thing, no problem."

Zhao Jin hung up, and the smile instantly vanished from his face.