Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Shen Ling looked down at the T-shirt he was wearing, confused. "This one's still fine to wear."

Huo Yanshen had already stood up. He walked to the walk-in closet, pulled open the drawer where Shen Ling kept his pajamas, and dug through it. Every piece was in a size Shen Ling had bought himself—the cotton had shrunk a bit after several washes, clinging more to his body, and none of them could fit over the slowly growing curve on Shen Ling's belly.

He pushed the drawer shut and turned to open his own.

From inside, he took out a neatly folded dark gray silk pajama set—his own. It fit him perfectly, which meant it'd be at least a size too big on Shen Ling.

Huo Yanshen walked out with the pajamas in hand. Shen Ling was still sitting on the edge of the bed, lifting the hem of his T-shirt to look at his belly. His head was bowed, and the soft round curve peeked out from beneath the hem, so pale it seemed to glow.

He poked the curve on his stomach with a finger. "Babe, I think it got a little bigger."

Huo Yanshen stopped in front of him, reached out, and grabbed the wrist of the hand lifting his shirt. Shen Ling's hand was pulled away, and the T-shirt hem fell back into place.

"Arms up."

Shen Ling obediently raised both arms.

Huo Yanshen rolled the cream-colored T-shirt up from the bottom. Shen Ling's waist was exposed, and when Huo Yanshen's fingers brushed against his side, Shen Ling gave a little flinch. Huo Yanshen peeled the T-shirt off over his shoulders and set it aside, then picked up the dark gray silk pajama top and shook it out gently.

Shen Ling started to reach for it, but Huo Yanshen had already draped it over his back, sliding Shen Ling's arms into the sleeves and fastening the buttons.

When he reached the chest, Huo Yanshen's fingers brushed across the fabric, and Shen Ling's breath caught.

Shen Ling pressed his thighs together, toes curling into the edge of the bed.

"...Honey," Shen Ling said softly.

Huo Yanshen hummed, "Mm."

Shen Ling kept his head down, fidgeting with the edge of the bedsheet. "The doctor said..."

Huo Yanshen set the pajama top aside, reached out, took Shen Ling's chin, and tilted his head up.

Shen Ling was forced to meet his gaze. Those dark eyes were glazed with a watery sheen, the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye standing out even more against his flushed skin. His lips were slightly parted, his breathing a little quicker than before.

Huo Yanshen said, "Just wait a little longer, baby."

Even though the doctor said it was fine, Shen Ling's body wasn't in great shape, and Huo Yanshen still had his reservations.

Shen Ling protested quietly, "I looked it up—after the first three months, it's okay..."

Huo Yanshen took his wrist. "No."

Shen Ling's lips pouted, but Huo Yanshen's expression didn't change. He just scooped Shen Ling up off the bed and carried him toward the bathroom.

Huo Yanshen set Shen Ling down on the vanity counter. The marble was freezing, so Huo Yanshen grabbed a towel and laid it down for Shen Ling to sit on.

The counter was just the right height to put them at eye level.

"I'll shower first," Huo Yanshen said. "Wait for me out there."

The bathroom door closed behind Huo Yanshen. A warm yellow light glowed through the frosted glass, and the sound of water started up soon after.

Shen Ling sat on the counter, chewing on his lower lip.

He leaned the back of his head against the mirror, eyes closed, one hand resting on the silk fabric over his belly.

Just then, his hand bumped into something in the drawer.

The bathroom door opened.

Shen Ling's hand was still frozen on his waistband, his entire body stiff.

Huo Yanshen walked out of the bathroom with just a dark gray towel around his waist. His hair was damp, the broad muscles of his back shifting under the dim warm light, water trailing down the dip between his shoulder blades.

He was drying his hair when he caught sight of the extra thing in Shen Ling's hand.

Huo Yanshen stopped mid-motion.

Shen Ling looked up at him, opened his palm to show him.

Huo Yanshen looked at that pitiful expression, his heart going soft, but he still stood his ground. "No, baby."

Shen Ling glared at him, lips pushed out in a pout, the pajama top sliding off one shoulder.

Shen Ling pressed his face into him, opened his mouth, and bit down hard on the muscle of Huo Yanshen's shoulder, sinking his teeth in hard.

Huo Yanshen looked down at Shen Ling biting his shoulder. The veins on his neck bulged up from his collarbone, throbbing visibly along his jawline.

His hand pressed against Shen Ling's lower back, his palm burning through the silk, fingers clenching then letting go.

Shen Ling had bitten enough. He let go. "You're not playing fair."

Huo Yanshen turned his gaze back to Shen Ling's face, his eyes dark. "Baby, sit up."

Huo Yanshen kissed his forehead, then bent down—

Shen Ling looked down at him, confused, then it hit him what Huo Yanshen was about to do. "Huo Yanshen, you don't have to..."

Huo Yanshen lowered his head.

Shen Ling's words cut off into a short, sharp gasp.

...

Huo Yanshen wiped the corner of his mouth with a tissue, then rose and kissed Shen Ling.

Shen Ling tasted himself.

Shen Ling went boneless on the counter, barely any strength left, needing Huo Yanshen to hold him up so he wouldn't slide off.

"You... you're such a pervert." Shen Ling struggled back.

Huo Yanshen huffed a low laugh, and Shen Ling felt everywhere Huo Yanshen had kissed—and the tips of his ears—burning.

*

In October, Huo Yanshen flew to Hong Kong early with Shen Ling.

When they got off the plane, they discovered the city had hit a sudden cold snap overnight. None of Shen Ling's thin cardigans were going to work.

Huo Yanshen took Shen Ling out to buy a few cream-colored cashmere cardigans. Wrapped up in the oversized cardigans, Shen Ling looked like a soft little snowball.

Huo Yanshen's Hong Kong branch office was in Central. Shen Ling was tucked into a beanbag chair by the window, with a little side table next to it holding a dish of nuts, a dish of dried fruit, a cup of yogurt, and a drawer stocked with crackers and little snack packs.

That day, Huo Yanshen sat behind his desk dealing with emails.

Shen Ling curled up in the beanbag, scrolling on his phone, when a notification popped up—"Ten Signs Your Husband Loves You."

The first few points were fine—saying that if your husband loves you, he'll remember what you like to eat, blow-dry your hair, and cover you with the blanket when you kick it off in the middle of the night.

Shen Ling mentally checked off each one as he read—his husband did all of it.

The last point: a husband who truly loves you won't mind when you're dirty or smelly.

Shen Ling turned off his phone screen, rolled over, and stared at Huo Yanshen thoughtfully.

The afternoon sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows outlined Huo Yanshen's profile. His gaze was focused, but he'd been working non-stop for days, and exhaustion showed in his expression.

Shen Ling climbed off the bean bag, went around to the back of the desk, opened Huo Yanshen's arm, and sat on his lap.

"Baby?" Huo Yanshen said.

Shen Ling pressed his face into the crook of Huo Yanshen's shoulder, looking unusually serious. "Husband, I have a question for you."

Huo Yanshen set the documents aside, rested his hand on Shen Ling's waist, and waited.

"If... I mean, if I took a bath, would you drink my bath water?"

The moment he said it, Shen Ling buried his face in Huo Yanshen's chest, the tips of his ears turning red.

A moment of silence.

"I'd drink any kind of water from you, baby," Huo Yanshen said evenly.

Shen Ling: o.O

Shen Ling thought about the scope of "any kind of water," his expression shifting several times before he finally said, a little shyly,

"Actually, I... I could drink yours too..."

Huo Yanshen reached out and flicked at his earlobe.

"Ow!" Shen Ling covered his ear and glared at him.

"Think it through before you say that again," Huo Yanshen said.

Shen Ling pouted and buried his head back in the crook of Huo Yanshen's shoulder.

Two knocks sounded from outside the door.

Shen Ling scrambled off Huo Yanshen's lap, darted back to the bean bag, curled up into a ball, grabbed the yogurt cup, and pretended he'd been diligently eating the whole time.

The assistant pushed the door open. "Mr. Huo, Huo Yanbai is here. He says he wants to discuss something."

Huo Yanshen stood up, walked over to Shen Ling, bent down, and smoothed the wrinkled hem of his knit sweater. "I'm going next door to talk about some things. You stay here."

Shen Ling nodded obediently.

After Huo Yanshen left, Shen Ling stayed curled up on the bean bag for a while.

He set the plate of egg tarts on his lap and ate while scrolling through his phone. Now that his pregnancy symptoms had improved, his appetite had definitely gotten better. Before, he couldn't taste anything no matter what he ate, but now a single egg tart could make him happy for a long time.

After finishing one egg tart, he licked the flaky crumbs off his fingers and picked up another.

His belly was hidden under the fuzzy cardigan. Occasionally he'd glance down, pat it gently, and murmur, "Is the new outfit comfortable? Mama thinks it's very comfortable."

He tore open a small bag of fries the assistant had brought, popped one in his mouth, and reached into the drawer for ketchup.

Nothing.

He pulled the drawer all the way out and rummaged through it. Still nothing.

With a fry dangling from his mouth, Shen Ling stood up, pushed the door open, and headed for the cafeteria.

The hallway was quiet. He walked toward the kitchen, and as he passed the meeting room, light spilled through the door crack again.

Shen Ling didn't intend to stop—he just wanted to walk past.

But Huo Yanbai's voice soon came through the crack, loud and blustery.

"Yanshen, you've been in Hong Kong for so long now. Several projects at the Huo Group are waiting for your final call. Aren't you worried about what the old man might think?"

Huo Yanshen's voice was much more pleasant to listen to—Shen Ling felt like he was hearing music from heaven.

"Whether he has opinions or not is his business."

Hearing Huo Yanshen's voice, Shen Ling's footsteps slowed without him realizing it.

He turned his head and peered through the crack. Huo Yanbai's smile was still on his face, but most of the warmth had drained from it. He leaned forward slightly and tapped his fingers on the coffee table twice.

"I'm just giving you friendly advice. Some people would love for you to stay in Hong Kong longer. By the time you get back, the board will have scattered, and it'll be much harder to get them back on your side."

Huo Yanshen didn't respond—he just tilted his head slightly.

From that angle, he was facing directly toward the door crack, and Shen Ling could clearly see his expression.

His gaze was heavy and dark, his lips pressed together in a flat, cold line. There was no warmth in those black eyes—when he looked up at the other person, it was like looking at a lifeless object.

Shen Ling had never seen Huo Yanshen like this before.

At home, Huo Yanshen would crouch by the bed to tie his shoelaces, or scoop him out from under the covers to give him his medicine. The Huo Yanshen in Shen Ling's mind and the fierce-looking man in front of him now didn't quite match up.

The sound of a chair scraping came from the meeting room—someone had gotten up.

Shen Ling snapped out of it and ran toward the cafeteria.

The meeting room door was pulled open, and the sound of leather shoes on the floor moved toward the elevator lobby.

Shen Ling pressed himself against the wall and listened for another ten-plus seconds. Only when he was sure the hallway was completely silent did he slowly peek half his head out from around the corner.

Empty. They were gone.

Shen Ling didn't want to admit he'd been scared by the look on Huo Yanshen's face just now.

It must have been Huo Yanbai who went too far. Shen Ling had already found an excuse for Huo Yanshen in his mind—that Huo Yanbai was so sarcastic and snide, anyone would be furious!

But the fries suddenly didn't taste as good anymore.

Why did he have to run off like that?

The more Shen Ling thought about it, the more unreasonable he felt.

Shen Ling gave himself a mental scolding, then pulled out his phone and opened the food delivery app.

He remembered that Huo Yanshen loved the silky egg and beef rice from an old-school Hong Kong-style tea restaurant. That place wasn't nearby—the delivery fee was steep and the delivery time was long—but Shen Ling placed the order anyway.

Back in the office, he set the ketchup on the coffee table and sat on the sofa to wait for the delivery. His phone buzzed with a message from Huo Yanshen.

Huo Yanshen: "Babe, tonight's meeting might run late. If it gets too late, have the assistant take you to the company dorms to rest. Don't wait up."

Shen Ling texted back a quick "okay" and put his phone down.

The delivery arrived. He set the food containers out on the coffee table, covered them back up to keep them warm, and even took off his cashmere cardigan to lay over them as a makeshift warmer.

Huo Yanshen didn't reply again after sending that message.

It wasn't until Shen Ling had taken the food to the cafeteria to reheat it a second time.

It was almost eleven by the time Huo Yanshen got back. Shen Ling was slouched on the sofa, nearly asleep.

At the sound, he sat up immediately, rubbing his eyes, and saw Huo Yanshen standing at the door.

Huo Yanshen was still wearing the same suit as before, his expression calm. Shen Ling stared at his face, feeling like something felt off.

Huo Yanshen's lips looked a little paler than usual.

"Honey," Shen Ling got up from the sofa and grabbed Huo Yanshen's hand, "are you hungry? I ordered takeout and reheated it in the cafeteria—it should still be warm."

Huo Yanshen looked down at Shen Ling.

His husband was wearing that cream-colored cashmere cardigan, looking up at him with a serious and nervous expression.

"Thank you, babe," Huo Yanshen said.

He guided Shen Ling back onto the sofa and sat down beside him.

Shen Ling opened the containers one by one. Steam came pouring out as he lifted the lids. He flinched, pulling his fingers back, then handed the spoon to Huo Yanshen.

Huo Yanshen took the spoon, scooped a few bites of rice into his mouth, then set the spoon down.

Shen Ling asked, "What's wrong? Is it not good?"

"It's good," Huo Yanshen said.

Shen Ling eyed him suspiciously. He knew Huo Yanshen's usual appetite—a single portion was nothing for him, and sometimes he could even eat two or three big bowls.

"Really?" Shen Ling asked.

Huo Yanshen ruffled his hair. "I'm not fooling you. I already had something to eat."

Shen Ling just put the lids back on the containers. "Then let's head back. It's already this late—where are we staying?"

Huo Yanshen said, "The dormitory is right downstairs. Let's go."

Back at the company dormitory, Shen Ling showered first and changed into pajamas. When Huo Yanshen came out of the shower, he turned off the overhead light, leaving only the bedside lamp on.

Huo Yanshen eased himself down beside Shen Ling.

Shen Ling turned onto his side, leaned in, and gently brushed his lips against Huo Yanshen's.

Huo Yanshen: "Go to sleep, babe."

Shen Ling closed his eyes.

The light went out, and the room went completely dark. Shen Ling lay in the dark with his eyes open, waiting for a long time.

Huo Yanshen didn't wrap his arms around him.

Shen Ling turned over in the darkness, facing Huo Yanshen's direction.

He waited until his eyes adjusted to the dark and could vaguely make out the outline of Huo Yanshen's body. He noticed that the man beside him was breathing extremely shallowly, as if afraid of letting even a hint of pain escape.

He inched a tiny bit closer to the edge of the pillow, using the faint moonlight from the window to get a better look. He could only see half of Huo Yanshen's face buried in the pillow, his brow deeply furrowed, and the hand pressed against his stomach with veins throbbing—definitely not how someone looks when sleeping normally.

Huo Yanshen was lying on his side, back slightly hunched, not how he usually slept. His arm was folded in front of him, his whole body curled up like an animal licking its wounds alone in the dark.

Shen Ling's heart clenched. He quietly crawled out from under the covers, fumbled for the bedside lamp switch, and turned it down as low as it would go.

A warm yellow glow filled the room, illuminating Huo Yanshen's curled-up body.

One of Huo Yanshen's hands was pressed firmly against his stomach, fingers curled, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

Shen Ling knew this posture all too well. Huo Yanshen's stomach was hurting.

==========Author's Note:==========

Here he comes, here he comes,

With that stomach problem he inherited.

It's gotten a bit late again today—leave comments below, and I'll pick someone to send a red envelope to~