Chapter 69

Chapter 69

That afternoon, before Lu Yunyan decided to employ a little stratagem, An Nuo obediently accompanied him to the hospital.

An Nuo took sick leave, claiming he needed a follow-up examination. HR couldn't inquire about the specifics, only requiring a doctor's note afterward.

Lu Yunyan, on the other hand, offered no explanation whatsoever—he simply vanished.

Who would dare question him?

If they both disappeared again under the guise of work, it would only raise suspicion. This way was far better.

No one cared to know what An Nuo was doing.

No one dared to question what Lu Yunyan was doing.

The two headed to the hospital where Lu Yunyan usually had his check-ups.

As the largest shareholder of this private hospital, the Lu family had established a dedicated department exclusively for Lu Yunyan.

All diagnoses were kept off the record, leaving no trace. Doctors and nurses had signed strict confidentiality agreements, serving Lu Yunyan alone.

This wasn't An Nuo's first visit; he had accompanied Lu Yunyan twice before.

Back then, they had just married. Since An Nuo's gland function hadn't fully recovered, the doctor didn't extract gland fluid. Instead, they took pheromone samples from the surface of his gland for Lu Yunyan's treatment.

Two samples were needed in total, so An Nuo had come twice.

"...Why did you bring me here today?" An Nuo asked curiously. "I thought we were going to see the previous doctor for the check-up."

Given that the other doctor was also an omega and they had visited him more frequently, An Nuo felt a greater sense of familiarity and security with him.

"This place can handle the check-up too, saving us a second trip," Lu Yunyan explained. "Yesterday, you mentioned wanting to know about my treatment progress, so of course, I should be proactive in showing you."

An Nuo's sudden questioning yesterday had flustered Lu Yunyan somewhat, but overnight, he had devised a strategy.

If An Nuo wanted to know, he would let him know.

Being evasive or making excuses would only fuel An Nuo's suspicions. It was better to appear proactive; at the very least, his attitude could dispel An Nuo's doubts.

Based on Lu Yunyan's understanding of An Nuo, even if An Nuo wanted to know about his condition, he wouldn't grasp the deeper technicalities. A few medical terms from the doctor, and An Nuo would be lost.

Ultimately, Lu Yunyan decided to come today and have An Nuo undergo a check-up as well, which could then serve as a diversion by bringing up the topic of having children.

An Nuo, trusting Lu Yunyan, harbored no suspicions: "...But there's no need to rush. Waiting a few more days would have been fine."

However, he was secretly flattered.

Who could resist the feeling of having their casual words remembered and acted upon by someone they cared about?

Lu Yunyan said, "It's better to hurry. Otherwise, you might run off with some other alpha."

"..."

But being overly possessive or jealous wasn't ideal either.

The two underwent some basic fertility tests together before separating for other examinations.

The equipment used for Lu Yunyan's gland examination was unfamiliar and highly advanced—the only one of its kind on the entire planet. The cost just to activate it was staggering.

However, since Lu Yunyan's gland was located in a sensitive area, requiring him to remove his pants for the procedure, it wasn't convenient for An Nuo to be present.

An Nuo was taken to another room to have his gland fluid drawn.

His gland function had significantly improved, so extracting a tube of gland fluid shouldn't pose a major issue.

It's just that no one had told him it would be so painful.

The needle was made of rubber, appearing soft and harmless.

Yet, with one jab, it felt incredibly sharp, and An Nuo nearly burst into tears on the spot.

He had initially been upset about having over ten tubes of blood drawn, but after this needle, An Nuo would gladly have another ten tubes taken.

In about an hour, all the test results were ready.

"I must say, in all these years, this is the first time I've seen so many of your values fall within the normal range."

An Nuo had met Lu Yunyan's primary doctor twice before. Each time, the doctor had maintained a calm and serious demeanor, as if embodying scientific detachment—but this time, he was actually smiling? And his smile seemed quite friendly?

It appeared Lu Yunyan's test results had indeed shown significant improvement this time.

"You should have come for a check-up sooner. It's been a long time since your last one, and I've urged you several times."

Lu Yunyan remained calm, joking, "I was afraid the results would be the same as before, with no good news."

"Lately, though, I've been feeling much better. I suppose the body doesn't lie."

The doctor replied, "Not just much better—this is the best result you've ever had. It seems the marking has been very helpful for your treatment."

"Yes, I started feeling much better after the marking."

Lu Yunyan looked at An Nuo: "For that, I have to thank my mate."

Not expecting Lu Yunyan to suddenly display such affection, An Nuo's face flushed, and he secretly reached out to pinch Lu Yunyan's thigh hard.

Unfortunately, he didn't succeed.

The doctor said cheerfully, "We'll use the extracted gland fluid to create stabilizers. They'll be much more effective than pheromones and easier to carry and use daily... But hasn't your rut arrived yet?"

"Yeah, it should have come a month ago."

Hearing this, An Nuo felt a wave of surreal disorientation.

He kept feeling like Lu Yunyan's rut had just passed, yet in the blink of an eye, four months had gone by?

And it was delayed by a month?

What's going on, buddy? Did your rut run away from home too?

An Nuo couldn't help but marvel at how quickly time flew.

It truly felt like half a year had passed in the blink of an eye.

But then he thought about the two little kittens at home, which had already grown into large cats weighing fifteen and twelve pounds respectively.

He still remembered how tiny they were when they first arrived, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.

Now, if they suddenly decided to parkour onto An Nuo's stomach, he felt like his intestines might just be knocked right out of him.

"A month is fine; we can continue to observe," the doctor said. "If conditions permit, this might be a good opportunity to try adjusting the cycle."

An alpha's rut is considered normal within three to six months, and generally, the longer it is, the better, as it causes the least disruption to daily life.

"It's truly a miracle... To be honest, I had almost given up hope for your condition before. Every time I saw you, I felt my medical skills were declining sharply."

The doctor never once mentioned the possibility of a full recovery, but such an exaggerated and vivid way of expressing it was a clever form of indirect suggestion.

To An Nuo, it sounded as though Lu Yunyan was not far from recovery.

"There are many rare, almost incurable diseases in this world. Only a very few, extremely lucky individuals, like you, can encounter a natural treatment that offers healing."

"I used to be an absolute believer in science, but seeing the two of you, I can't help but believe in fate... You two are definitely guided by destiny, a match made in heaven!"

An Nuo was too embarrassed to even look up.

Lu Yunyan also found it a bit exaggerated.

Although they had coordinated in advance, asking the doctor to speak as positively as possible and avoid mentioning whether a full recovery was possible—he didn't want his partner to worry too much—the doctor's performance was a bit over the top.

Anyone unaware might mistake him for an actor hired by Lu Yunyan.

Lu Yunyan secretly glanced at An Nuo.

Fortunately, An Nuo was young, perhaps at an age where he was more tolerant of flamboyant language.

Lu Yunyan naturally changed the subject: "So, are we clear to try for a child now?"

An Nuo lowered his head even more shyly.

No matter how often it happened, he admired Lu Yunyan's ability to say whatever was on his mind, no matter how bold.

But the doctor, who had been all smiles just a moment ago, instantly changed his expression, reverting to the cold, clinical demeanor An Nuo had seen before.

An Nuo didn't hear the doctor's response and looked up. Seeing the doctor's reaction, his heart sank. Was he infertile?

Lu Yunyan was also surprised by the doctor's reaction. The shift was too abrupt.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem somewhere?"

The doctor stroked his chin and made some unintelligible, odd sounds: "...How should I put this? How do I say this?"

Lu Yunyan said, "Just say it directly."

"Actually, based on the examination reports, there's nothing wrong with either of your bodies. You both have fully functional reproductive systems."

Lu Yunyan said, "...But?"

The doctor looked at Lu Yunyan: "It's not really a 'but.' You can have children, of course you can. It's just that, due to your congenital genetic condition, you'll need to work harder than the average couple."

"Be more specific. Don't be so vague."

"Alright, simply put, the conception rate is relatively low. For others, the probability of pregnancy during the rut or heat cycle is very high, but for you, it's probably only about one-fourth."

"And in your case, medication won't help because it's ineffective."

Hearing this, Lu Yunyan fell silent.

An Nuo also fell silent.

So it was Lu Yunyan who was almost infertile.

After a while, Lu Yunyan spoke up: "But you never mentioned this before."

The doctor sighed: "I never thought you'd actually meet your destined omega before, so I didn't want to discourage you unnecessarily."

"..."

After delivering the disheartening news, the doctor comforted them: "It's okay, it's okay. Don't take it so hard. If natural ability is lacking, diligence can compensate."

An Nuo thought: ?

Is that the right thing to say here?

"You're both still so young. If you start preparing now and adopt a persistent effort strategy, you'll eventually succeed."

An Nuo: .........

Sometimes he really hated having ears—and having perfect hearing. By the time he realized what shocking remarks were being said, it was already too late.

No wonder he was Lu Yunyan's doctor. In certain aspects of personality, they must be very well-matched.

...

After the doctor's appointment, half the afternoon had already passed.

The two didn't return to the company and went straight home instead.

An Nuo's intuition told him that this news must have hit Lu Yunyan hard.

Because Lu Yunyan's mood was visibly subdued, and after returning home, he shut himself in the study to drink gloomily.

—An Nuo saw the little robot bringing the drinks with his own eyes.

After thinking it over, An Nuo felt he should comfort Lu Yunyan. After wavering briefly, he knocked on the study door and went in.

Lu Yunyan was standing by the window, holding a glass of wine. Seeing An Nuo enter, he seemed a bit surprised: "Why did you come in?"

An Nuo didn't say anything, just edged closer.

Lu Yunyan could guess: "Did you come specifically to comfort me?"

He smiled: "Actually, it's not necessary. Let me be alone for a while to process it."

An Nuo wasn't so naive as to not understand; Lu Yunyan was hinting that he wanted to be alone.

But An Nuo pretended not to understand: "...It's fine. I can work through it with you."

He stood beside Lu Yunyan.

He had prepared many comforting words beforehand and even thought about giving Lu Yunyan's shoulder a reassuring pat and drinking alongside him boldly.

But when he actually saw Lu Yunyan, he was speechless.

After a long, long time, he finally managed to blurt out: "...Do you really want a child that much?"