Yu Antong read the news about Jia Sibo and felt like he had eaten a bad melon; it was quite nauseating.

It seems he managed a thorough image rehab. After more than half a year, netizens have forgotten about his infidelity. It's surprising that nobody criticized him on this show.

A significant reason might be that Jia Sibo isn't a celebrity. Netizens' feelings towards him aren't that strong; most don't care much about him.

After this episode aired, many didn't recognize him or associate him with his past scandal involving Sangyu.

Some netizens did recall the noisy infidelity scandal from the previous year. Xu Lulu, who had spectated the whole event, noticed Jia Sibo was one of the hosts of "The Chef is Here!" She wanted to comment, but seeing no one else mentioning it, she refrained.

Nevermind. She quite liked the show, and the incident had long passed. It's better not to dredge up the past and attract negative attention.

Jia Sibo's image plummeted in Yu Antong's mind. Recalling Jia Sibo's uncomfortable gaze in the restroom, Yu Antong felt he would likely not change his ways and might still cause trouble.

However, during the last episode recording, he didn't display any inappropriate behavior. Regardless, it's wise to remain cautious around him.

Midnight Reading Web.

Yu Antong made up his mind and set the matter aside. Hearing a car outside, he peeked out to see Xing Lixuan's vehicle.

"Finished work?" Yu Antong greeted him at the door.

"Yes." Xing Lixuan removed his coat and hung it up. "Was Xiao Nian well-behaved today?"

Yu Antong glanced at his belly and said, "He can't move right now. How can he be misbehaving?"

Ever since the morning sickness phase passed, other than frequent urination, he didn't feel significant changes. Sometimes, he forgot he was carrying a baby.

As Yu Antong spoke, he suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!"

"What happened?!" Xing Lixuan, supporting Yu Antong, looked at him anxiously, his heart racing.

"Him!" Yu Antong pointed at his belly, excitedly blurting out, "He just kicked me!"

"Really? The baby's moving? Come sit here." Xing Lixuan seemed even more thrilled, silently counting the months — four and a half, indeed time for fetal movement.

He helped Yu Antong sit on the living room couch. Kneeling on one knee, he leaned over to place his ear against Yu Antong's belly.

The room was warm, with Yu Antong wearing only a knitted shirt. Xing Lixuan listened intently, one hand on his knee and the other wrapped around Yu Antong's waist, eager to catch any hint of their baby's movements.

Yu Antong slowed his breathing, the sensation he just felt was so novel. For the first time, he truly felt that he was carrying a baby inside him, a bond of blood between him and Xing Lixuan. It represented the strongest familial tie he had ever known in his two lifetimes.

After listening for a while and hearing nothing, Xing Lixuan lifted his head to look at Yu Antong, asking, "Did the baby move again?"

"No," Yu Antong replied, shaking his head with a hint of regret for not feeling the baby's movement again. "Just as I was saying he wouldn't move, he gave me a kick. Do you think he can understand me and is purposefully contradicting me?"

As he spoke, Yu Antong began to laugh. He knew that a fetus of only a few months couldn't understand adult speech, but he couldn't help but imagine the baby stretching or turning inside him.

"Ah!"

Just as Xing Lixuan was about to stand after touching Yu Antong's stomach, he heard Yu Antong exclaim. Simultaneously, he felt a slight movement under his palm.

"He kicked me again, did you feel it?!" Yu Antong's eyes sparkled with surprise and excitement.

"Yes, I felt it." Xing Lixuan sat next to Yu Antong, struggling to contain his own emotions, and gave him a deep kiss.

"Hey, why'd you kiss me so suddenly?" Yu Antong lightly pounded on Xing Lixuan, pursing his lips, "That was a bit too forceful, you've hurt my lips."

Xing Lixuan hugged Yu Antong in silence, his heart full to the brim with emotions solely for him.

That subtle movement, transmitted to his hand through the soft fabric of Yu Antong's clothing, was so light yet so clear and tangible.

The two sat in silence for a while. With no further movement from the little one, Xing Lixuan said, "I've had someone meet Dr. Smith in the US. But he and his team are in the midst of an important medical research and cannot leave for now."

Yu Antong inquired, "So, are we going to the US?"

"Yes, I'd like to take you to see him first," Xing Lixuan said. "Dr. Smith mentioned his project would take another two months. After that, he can come to our country. Let's go see him first and decide the next steps."

"Okay," Yu Antong agreed, "Can you manage to leave your company? When do we leave?"

Xing Lixuan assured, "Don't worry about that. I'll arrange everything at the company. We can set out the day after tomorrow."

During dinner, Xing Lixuan informed his parents of their plans to visit the US. His mother agreed, saying, "It's good to get a consultation. It'll put your minds at ease. I'll accompany you."

"There's no need," Xing Lixuan responded, "Just the two of us will suffice."

His father chimed in, "Can you manage everything on your own? Let your mother accompany you."

Yu Antong interjected, "Mom, I'm fine. I'm not heavily pregnant yet and don't need much care."

He secretly wished to roam freely with Xing Lixuan in the US without the elders' supervision.

As Xing Lixuan's mother was about to respond, Yu Antong felt another movement in his belly, saying, "I felt the baby move again."

This time the movement was pronounced, like a fish swimming in his belly. The sensation was indescribable, "Is he turning over?"

The attention of both Xing Lixuan's parents was immediately drawn to Yu Antong's announcement, and the family was overwhelmed with joy.

After dinner, Yu Antong and Xing Lixuan retreated to their room to pack for their upcoming trip to the US.

Xing Li Xuan was in charge of packing, while Yu An Tong wandered around the room supervising. Every now and then, when he remembered something, he'd toss it into the suitcase, letting Xing Li Xuan arrange it neatly.

"I won't wear this one, don't pack it." Yu An Tong quickly intervened when he saw Xing Li Xuan adding a loose hoodie with black and white blocks. He'd bought it because it looked good but never tried it on. When he did, he found it too oversized, like a sack.

"You can pack this green one. The color feels lively and soothing to the eyes." Lately, he was fond of dark green and deep red hues – not worn together, of course. That combination would be an eyesore.

Xing Li Xuan set the black and white hoodie aside and took a moment with the dark green hoodie Yu An Tong mentioned. Hesitating, he remarked, "This one's not suitable."

"Why not?" Yu An Tong, having walked a few steps, pivoted back to him, hands on his hips, his posture defiant.

What's going on? Is he now dictating my fashion choices? Does Xing Li Xuan not realize the current situation? I am, after all, the one who holds the cards here.

Xing Li Xuan explained, "This one has a hood."

"So what if it has a hood! The one you picked earlier had one too..." Yu An Tong rambled on until it dawned on him why Xing Li Xuan found the green hoodie problematic.

Green and a hood might not be the best combination after all.

"Hahaha," Yu An Tong chuckled, yet he still wanted to reason, "I mean, I don't wear the hood anyway... Alright, alright, I won't bring it!"

Confronted with Xing Li Xuan's unyielding gaze, Yu An Tong relented.

"Good boy," Xing Li Xuan cooed.

Two days later, upon arriving overseas, they were met by Xing Li Xuan's associates and whisked away to their hotel to drop off luggage. Shortly after, they visited Dr. Smith's private clinic.

Unlike small clinics in China, many renowned medical institutions in the U.S. are private clinics. They might be called 'clinics,' but they're often expansive medical buildings equipped with the world's most advanced obstetric devices and technology.

Dr. Smith was a portly middle-aged man, with a diet that resulted in a noticeable double chin when he looked down. Specializing in obstetrics, he had significant clinical experience, having dealt with the rare case of male pregnancy before.

Learning of Yu An Tong's arrival, Dr. Smith, busy with lab experiments, handed his work over to his assistants and hurriedly went to greet him.

Even though he had treated a case of male pregnancy before, encountering this rarity again after two years still left him excited and intrigued.

"Hello, our friends from afar," greeted Dr. Smith, his Chinese quite proficient. After warmly greeting Yu An Tong, he scheduled an ultrasound scan.

"The baby is quite active." The little speck they had initially seen had grown significantly, with distinguishable head and limbs. During the scan, the baby even gave a couple of kicks.

After several tests, Dr. Smith announced, "Congratulations, you're expecting a healthy baby boy."

Yu An Tong was taken aback, "A boy?"

In China, prenatal examinations wouldn't reveal the baby's gender. It was unexpected news from Dr. Smith.

Xing Li Xuan squeezed Yu An Tong's hand, "Boy or girl, it makes no difference. Now that we know, I can start thinking of names."

Dr. Smith, not thinking much of it since most of his affluent patients wanted to know the gender, continued, "Based on our findings, your health is optimal for nurturing this little life. There's no need for worries or stress."

Xing Li Xuan inquired, "Will there be any risks during delivery?"

Dr. Smith responded, "There are some risks, albeit minimal. I've previously treated a case similar to your partner's. That patient wasn't as healthy, but after months of care and a scheduled C-section at term, both father and baby were perfectly fine."

After Dr. Smith discussed a few important concerns with them, both Yu An Tong and Xing Li Xuan felt much more at ease upon leaving the clinic. Hearing assurances from an experienced physician certainly helped calm their nerves.

Once relaxed, the fatigue from the long flight hit them almost immediately. Xing Li Xuan quickly noticed Yu An Tong's exhaustion, "Tired? Let's head back to the hotel for some rest."

"Mm." After boarding the car, Yu An Tong leaned against Xing Li Xuan's shoulder in the backseat, both of them browsing through local tourist attractions on a travel guide.

Yu An Tong told Xing Li Xuan, "Take a good look. Once I've adjusted to the time difference, you can take me out to explore."

This was a prior arrangement between them. He was determined to enjoy his trip rather than rush back home.

"We got married and didn't even have a honeymoon," Yu An Tong lamented, "I went back to school the day after our wedding. Who's had a more tragic fate than mine?"

Xing Li Xuan smiled, giving him a gentle peck on his pouted lips, "I'll make it up to you."

Author's Note:

Now, the mere thought of going out feels overwhelming.

Tong packing: Masks x10

A big thanks to the angels who gave me their votes or support between 2020-02-02 23:42:00 and 2020-02-03 23:31:47!

Special thanks to the angels providing support: Xiao Ke Ai with 10 bottles; Hua Chao and Mo Ying with 1 bottle each;

Thank you so much for all the support. I'll continue to work hard!

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