Chapter 66

Chapter 66

You Nan hadn’t initially realized he was pregnant. He attended classes, exercised, and ate as usual, with nothing seeming out of the ordinary.

It wasn’t until three months later, standing before a mirror and gazing at his belly with a puzzled expression, that he called out, "Jiang Songen! Come here and tell me, have I gained weight lately?"

Jiang Songen entered the bathroom and looked down at You Nan’s abdomen.

You Nan was wearing his oversized loungewear, which enveloped him completely, making it impossible to discern anything through the fabric.

Jiang Songen walked behind You Nan, bending slightly to rest his chin on You Nan’s shoulder.

"Not really," he murmured.

You Nan pressed his hand against the fabric, and a subtle curve in his belly immediately became apparent. "How about now?"

Jiang Songen nodded uncertainly, comparing. "Maybe a little. A bit of extra weight looks good on you, more substantial."

You Nan lowered his hand, and the curve vanished once more.

Jiang Songen asked, "What’s wrong? You don’t look happy."

You Nan was capable of pregnancy, and now, while brushing his teeth, he’d noticed this anomaly and couldn’t help but connect it to that possibility.

He began to retrace the unusual signs from the past month.

"I’ve felt constantly tired this month," You Nan said, gazing at his reflection, noticing the faint dark circles under his eyes.

Jiang Songen responded with concern, "That’s just because your major courses are so demanding."

You Nan continued, "There were even more core classes in my freshman year, and I wasn't like this then."

Jiang Songen took his hand and led him to the sofa. "Things weren’t as busy back then. It’s normal to feel exhausted when you’re swamped."

Nowadays, whenever Jiang Songen didn’t have classes, he would go to his family’s company to help out, starting from the bottom with a regular salary.

Juggling between the branch office and school, the number of intimate moments between Jiang Songen and You Nan in the evenings had drastically decreased.

He wanted to be intimate with his partner, but by the time he finished work, his partner was already asleep.

He’d lost the urge too.

You Nan, pursing his lips, suddenly asked him, "Have you ever come inside me?"

Jiang Songen’s neck instantly flushed crimson.

The man lied defensively, "No, I haven’t."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jiang Songen knew he had given himself away.

His denial was too quick—it was obvious he was guilty.

You Nan’s eyebrows furrowed, displeased. "When did you do it?"

Jiang Songen was cornered. His bravado lasted only a few seconds before he confessed everything.

After admitting his mistake, Jiang Songen tried to comfort his dear partner. He wrapped an arm around You Nan’s waist and kissed his face, but his arm was swatted away.

"This shouldn’t be a problem, right? It’s been three months..."

Jiang Songen's words trailed off.

He stared at You Nan's belly, a rare look of bewilderment appearing on his usually handsome and radiant face.

Jiang Songen considered a possibility, his heart racing.

He licked his lips, "Honey, you couldn't... be pregnant, could you?"

He whispered the last three words, as if afraid of startling something.

"How could you be pregnant?"

How would you know there's a baby in your belly?

Jiang Songen was desperate for answers. He'd forgotten all about the possibility of a child; he just wanted to know how his partner could know about the pregnancy.

Was it because someone around them had a similar experience, or something else?

Having been with Jiang Songen for so many years, You Nan could tell exactly what the expression on his face meant.

You Nan snapped, pushing the man who'd messed up behind his back to the side, "A premonition!"

Actually, it was a special ability, but You Nan couldn't explain that to Jiang Songen.

You Nan stood up and grabbed Jiang Songen's clothes, growing anxious, "Does your family invest in any private hospitals? The kind with doctors who keep their mouths shut."

Jiang Songen quickly regained his usual composure. He immediately stood up and hugged his partner.

Why did his partner want to find a tight-lipped doctor? Did he not want their child?

It was only then that Jiang Songen thought about his and You Nan's child. He was very nervous, having lost his usual calm.

He softened his voice and pleaded with You Nan, "Xiao Nan, if we really have a child, will you keep the baby?"

You Nan couldn't break free from his embrace. He looked at this man who had made a mistake and only admitted it now, gritting his teeth, "We don't even know if there is one yet, I'm just guessing."

"It might also be some other illness or something."

If You Nan hadn't said that, it might have been fine, but as soon as he did, Jiang Songen's face instantly lost all color.

What a terrible thing to say!

He'd rather it be their child in there than anything else!

He started to become even more nervous than You Nan, "No! It must be that we have a child!"

He couldn't think about anything else; he was young and didn't want to have a heart attack.

You Nan: "..."

You Nan wanted to laugh, but he held it in.

007 didn't live with them. It stayed with You Ruan and Jiang Songen's parents, being taken care of, living much more comfortably than with these two who could hardly see each other all day.

You Nan couldn't even confirm with it right now.

Jiang Songen was burning with impatience. He immediately drove his partner to the private hospital his family controlled. On the way, he called his mother to ask if there were any trustworthy OB-GYNs at the hospital.

Mrs. Jiang was getting her nails done at home. She took the news in stride; her son wouldn't need it himself, so it was probably either for a favor or just helping out.

"Yeah, we do."

She mentioned two names and then asked, "Is it for a classmate or a coworker who needs a checkup?"

Jiang Songen said it was neither one, "It's for You Nan."

"Hey, I can't talk right now, I'll call you back later."

After saying that, Jiang Songen hung up and quickly called the hospital director to pull some strings.

Mrs. Jiang was still sitting on the sofa, completely stunned.

She listened to the dial tone on her phone, unable to process it.

Mrs. Jiang called a nanny over and asked, "Can boys get pregnant?"

The nanny laughed, "How could a boy possibly have a baby bump?"

Mrs. Jiang suddenly stood up, a possibility dawning on her that made her instantly see red.

"I'm going to see Jiang Songen."

The nanny had no idea what was going on, but seeing Mrs. Jiang heading out, she hurried upstairs to fetch her coat.

"Madam, what's wrong?"

Mrs. Jiang frowned.

What do you think?

Xiao Nan is a boy and can't get pregnant. Jiang Songen suddenly wants to take someone to the hospital—it must be a girl.

If it's not a classmate or a colleague, then what else could it be?

It must be a one-night stand!

What does that mean? Her son has betrayed Xiao Nan.

Just a couple of months ago, he was talking to her about wanting to get engaged to Xiao Nan early and settle the marriage.

Luckily, back then she had been waiting to see the Cheng family's wedding, wanting to learn from their experience to make it better, so she hadn't agreed.

And now, this little bastard pulls something like this and doesn't even explain it properly.

Mrs. Jiang was absolutely livid.

Jiang Songen had no idea that his mother was already on the warpath.

He took You Nan to the hospital and went straight to the OB-GYN department.

The doctor applied the cold ultrasound gel to You Nan's stomach.

As he applied it, he couldn't help but question reality, wondering why they hadn't done any other tests before coming straight here.

For a man to give birth, he would need a uterus in his belly.

The odds of that are even smaller than one in tens of millions.

Until the image on the computer screen actually showed a "small structure" and a developing embryo.

The obstetrician and the hospital director standing beside him were both utterly astonished.

They never in their wildest dreams imagined such an incredibly rare occurrence to happen at their hospital.

Although Jiang Songen wasn't medically trained, he could roughly guess from the image.

He spoke softly, as if afraid of scaring the little thing on the screen, "Is that a baby in the belly?"

The doctor was practically breathless, "Yes..."

Jiang Songen and You Nan, lying on the bed, exchanged a glance. The man couldn't hide his shock and joy.

You Nan found Jiang Songen's nervousness amusing and couldn't help but give him a light push.

Jiang Songen understood what he meant.

The man held his hand, his hand trembling slightly, "Wait a moment."

You Nan refused, "Go tell your mom quickly."

Jiang Songen was urged again by You Nan, so he took his phone, looking back at his partner and unborn child every few steps before finally stepping out after what felt like forever.

He called his mother from the hallway.

She answered immediately, picking up before the first ring finished.

Clearly, she had been waiting for his call.

"Hey, Mom."

Jiang Songen said, "Come quickly! Xiao Nan and I are at the hospital, hurry!"

Mrs. Jiang, dressed to the nines and wearing high heels, was already on her way out, radiating an intimidating presence.

Hearing her son's voice, she snorted coldly.

And he has the nerve to let Xiao Nan find out.

"You want to talk to me, huh?" Her tone was icy.

Jiang Songen, too overjoyed, didn't pick up on it: "Mom, you already know?"

Mrs. Jiang thought she had guessed correctly and was about to threaten him, telling him to watch his back.

But Jiang Songen, impatient to get back to You Nan, hastily added.

"Alright then, I won't say more. I'm going back to Xiao Nan. You hurry over too, so we can see the baby together."

With that, Jiang Songen hung up.

Mrs. Jiang, hung up on again, "..."

Clenching her teeth, Mrs. Jiang called the hospital director to ask for details.

The director, seeing the call from the major investor, rushed outside to answer.

Hearing Mrs. Jiang's questions, he was straightforward and explained everything in detail.

"This is what happened. We suspect that there was an issue when Mr. You's mother was pregnant—possibly twins, a boy and a girl, and the embryos fused together, resulting in Mr. You having a uterus in his abdomen."

Mrs. Jiang stopped in her tracks, her expression turning surprised. "So Xiao Nan is really pregnant with my son's child?"

The director confirmed, "There is indeed a naturally conceived baby in You Nan's womb."

Mrs. Jiang's demeanor instantly brightened. "Great, great, I'll head over right away."

She didn’t find anything unusual about You Nan being able to conceive and give birth.

The nanny nearby watched as her mistress, after taking the call, completely changed from her fierce demeanor and got into the car beaming with joy.

"Madam, did something good happen?" the nanny couldn’t help but ask.

Of course, there was good news.

Mrs. Jiang adjusted her clothes. "It’s too early to say now. Wait until I return."

The nanny watched as Mrs. Jiang left the house.

By the time Mrs. Jiang flew to the hospital, it was already afternoon. You Nan and Jiang Songen were still there, going through the full process of prenatal checkups.

As soon as Mrs. Jiang entered, she saw her son waiting in the VIP area. She walked over, not even bothering to sit down and rest, and immediately asked about her son-in-law, "Where’s Xiao Nan?"

"Inside," Jiang Songen said, standing up to pour tea for his mother. "He’s making up some checks now. Two or three test results are already out. Both Xiao Nan and the baby are doing well."

"That’s good to hear," Mrs. Jiang said, closing her eyes and putting her hands together devoutly. "Bless Xiao Nan and my grandchildren."

She opened her eyes again and added, "No, I need to ask the doctor. After all, Xiao Nan is a boy, and bearing children would probably be more difficult for him than for a girl."

Mrs. Jiang hurried in and then hurried out again.

Jiang Songen didn’t stop her. The more his mother cared about You Nan, the more harmonious their family would be.

You Nan had many additional checkups, and the hospital showed Mrs. Jiang both the results and the ultrasound images of the child.

Everything looked good.

For the past three months, You Nan had kept running every day and even exercised with Jiang Songen working late at night, yet the baby remained firmly nestled in his womb.

Mrs. Jiang looked at You Nan’s somewhat pointed belly, her eyes filled with both joy and worry.

"Maybe you should take a break from studies," she suggested, having held back for a while. "Stay home to have the baby, then return to finish your studies later."

She was extremely worried about You Nan and the baby’s well-being.

Jiang Songen looked up at his partner upon hearing this—the decision was ultimately You Nan’s to make.

You Nan declined. "It's manageable right now. I’m keeping up with my third-year courses. By senior year, there won’t be many classes left, and most students live outside looking for jobs. I can use that time to have the child without missing much." He felt that being pregnant shouldn't mean just staying at home and didn’t want to waste so much time because of this child.

Mrs. Jiang hesitated for a long time, her expression shifting between wanting to speak and holding back. You Nan noticed but pretended not to understand, leaving it to Mrs. Jiang to come to terms with it on her own.

After a long moment, Mrs. Jiang, after wrestling with her thoughts, finally agreed.

"But Auntie does have a request," Mrs. Jiang said, willing to compromise. "I’ll come along with you both. Don’t worry—I won’t be in your way. At night, I can stay somewhere else."

"I just want what’s best for you and the baby," Mrs. Jiang held You Nan’s hand; she sighed inwardly.

By now, the season had turned to late autumn, and winter was just around the corner. The two of them had a month-long winter break from school, and after one more semester, their junior year would come to an end.

Figuring the timing, it was about time for the baby to arrive.

Since Mrs. Jiang had already made a concession, You Nan wasn’t difficult. "Thank you, Auntie."

"Alright!" Mrs. Jiang breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing You Nan’s agreement. "Jiang Songen, you have to take good care of Xiao Nan at school, understand?"

Mrs. Jiang immediately turned to her son to drill it into him.

She wanted her son to be more attentive.

Jiang Songen found it both amusing and exasperating. "Of course I’ll take good care of them. This is my partner and child we’re talking about."

Mrs. Jiang burst into laughter at his cheeky comment.

You Nan, meanwhile, covered his face with his hands, unwilling to admit that this man was his partner.

Mrs. Jiang went back home with the couple and couldn’t sit still for a moment.

One moment she felt something was missing, the next moment she felt something else was lacking.

She was on the phone nonstop—not only arranging for deliveries but also asking the housekeeper to hire two experienced confinement nannies to take special care of You Nan.

Having given birth herself, she knew very well that parenthood was no easy task.

Mrs. Jiang, thrilled by the good news, felt as energized as if she had taken a powerful tonic. Her voice was clear and lively as she called her husband to share the news.

You Nan and Jiang Songen could hear Mrs. Jiang’s voice from inside the room.

"Auntie is really so kind," You Nan said softly to Jiang Songen, lying on the bed wearily.

Although he hadn’t done much that day, all the walking around and numerous check-ups had left him quite tired.

Jiang Songen held his hand and kissed the back of it. "Yes, she is."

"Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

Jiang Songen reached over the blanket to touch You Nan’s stomach, but You Nan shook his head and said no.

Perhaps it was because You Nan was now aware of his pregnancy, but some typical pregnancy signs had started to surface.

His lack of energy was particularly noticeable.

Before Jiang Songen had even finished talking, You Nan had already fallen asleep.

Jiang Songen gently stroked his hair, tucked him in, and then went out to help his mother.

.

Mrs. Jiang ended up staying there.

She stayed in a guest room farther away from the couple’s master bedroom.

The soundproofing in the house was quite good—once the door was closed, hardly any noise could be heard. She also avoided staying in the room next to the master bedroom, wanting to give the young couple their privacy.

When Jiang Songen wasn't home, he worried about You Nan's health.

When You Nan wasn't home, it was Jiang Songen who took care of him at school.

The two of them went everywhere together. After discussing it with the teacher, Jiang Songen got permission to accompany You Nan to his professional classes.

When no one else was around, he would joke with You Nan in private.

"Our child is already getting prenatal education at such a young age."

You Nan didn’t want to engage with him and pinched the soft part of his waist. "Stop talking, I couldn’t even hear what the teacher just said."

Jiang Songen then went quiet and quietly played the role of a classmate companion.

When Jiang Songen first enrolled in school, his looks made him an instant sensation on campus.

Many people wanted to get close to him.

But Jiang Songen didn’t live on campus, and he tended to keep to himself. He was rarely seen getting close to anyone and had few friends.

He was the kind of person you could admire from afar but never get close to.

Those who liked him thought he was cool; those who didn’t thought he was putting on airs and found him insufferable.

But now, that "image" was shattered.

One day, people on campus suddenly noticed someone new hanging out with him.

Someone took a photo of them together and posted it on the school forum.

*Spill the Tea: Campus Heartthrob Jiang Songen Actually Has a Friend!*

OP: Does anyone know this guy who’s always with Jiang Songen? How did they meet?

[Image][Image]

1L: Never seen him before.

2L: Haven't seen him either.

3L: I know him, he’s a guy in our class. He’s actually even better looking in real life, much better than in the photo.

4L: Hey, 3L, what’s his name?

I don’t know why, but the longer I look at this photo, the more I think he’s really attractive.

At first, I was only looking at my idol, but then I glanced at him and realized he’s not bad at all! They’re both like, seriously good-looking.

5L: I think so too (whispering).

6L: I guess good-looking people only hang out with other good-looking people.

7L (3L): Replying to 4L, his name is You Nan.

…

14L: I know I can't have Jiang Songen, but can I ask 3L if You Nan is single? He’s tall, fair-skinned, and well-proportioned. He comes across as really put-together and handsome.

15L (3L): Doesn't seem like it. We’ve never seen him get close to any girls. And like Jiang Songen, he doesn’t live on campus.

I don’t know much about him, though.

…

25L: OMG! Look what I just captured!

[Image] x3

26L: !!!

27L: I must not have washed my face this morning, otherwise how could I possibly see Jiang Songen crouching down to tie someone’s shoelaces?!

No way! Not my crush!

28L: They do look great together though.

29L: But isn’t this a bit too intimate? I’ve never seen two guys tying each other’s shoelaces. Even girls rarely do this for each other.

The only time my boyfriend did it for me was when we were first dating.

30L: Kinda sus.

31L: +1!

32L: I have a scary thought—are they actually together together?

33L: Nooo! Stop putting ideas in my head!

…

987L: It's been like half a month, and they’re still together!

988L: At this point, I’m starting to think they’re for real! Seriously!

You Nan and Jiang Songen had no idea about the online chatter.

They rarely checked the school forum, and no one in their class thought to mention it to them.

So neither of them knew that the post, which started out surprised they were friends, had evolved into speculation about if they were a couple. It stayed trending on the front page for over half a month.

But even if they had known, they wouldn’t have given it much thought.

They loved each other deeply and didn’t care about others’ opinions.

After three months, You Nan's pregnancy progressed quickly.

You Nan felt like he might not even make it to graduation.

Since everyone wore thick clothes in winter, nobody had noticed his expanding waistline until after final exams.

Now, You Nan was almost six months pregnant.

But he wasn't showing much.

You Nan was mindful of his diet and didn’t overeat.

Even Jiang Songen’s mother warned him against eating too much and made sure You Nan exercised regularly.

Overeating could lead to a larger baby, making childbirth more difficult. Exercise, on the other hand, helped build the mother’s strength and improve muscle tone and endurance.

Even pregnant people need to watch what they eat and stay active.

During the winter break, You Nan returned home with Jiang Songen and Mrs. Jiang.

Xiao Youruan and 007 came running when they heard the car.

Xiao Youruan didn’t rush into his brother’s arms like he used to.

He had already learned from Mrs. Jiang that his brother was expecting a baby. Babies are fragile, and he needed to protect his future little nephew or niece!

Xiao Youruan stood about two steps away from You Nan, curiously staring at his brother’s belly.

Jiang Songen and Mrs. Jiang spent every day with You Nan, so they didn’t notice any major changes in him.

But Xiao Youruan hadn’t seen his brother in almost half a year, and his first thought was that his brother had put on a little weight.

His skin was also brighter—a healthy, rosy glow—and he carried a new sense of soft, gentle quality.

Xiao Youruan had never seen his brother like this, but he instantly loved his brother like this!

Seeing Xiao Youruan staring intently, You Nan smiled and squatted down, held out his arms to his younger brother. “Come here, it’s been half a year. Let your big brother give you a hug.”

Xiao Youruan nodded vigorously, slowly moved closer, and snuggled into You Nan’s arms.

The little one gently held onto You Nan’s sleeve, secretly breathing in his brother’s soft, sun-warmed scent.

His heart was filled with blooming happiness.

Soon he'd have another family member.