AMBTICBPIB Chapter 52

Chu Yi quietly slipped into the bathroom. It was empty, with no one in the stalls. He ducked into one, quickly locked the door, and listened for any sounds outside, like a thief.

Reassured that no one was there, Chu Yi finally relaxed. He’d never been so furtive before.

The thought of what he was about to do made him feel even more guilty and slightly incredulous.

That morning, Chu Yi had woken up feeling nauseous again. He’d secretly hidden in the bathroom, vomiting for a long time, careful not to let Shen Jin know.

During his lunch break, he’d quietly slipped into a pharmacy. Only after leaving did he realize he’d bought a pregnancy test.

Perhaps it was psychological, but Chu Yi increasingly felt his symptoms matched those described online. Compelled by some inexplicable urge, he’d bought the test and now, during the quiet midday hours, he was in the bathroom to take it.

Chu Yi had never used a pregnancy test before. After studying the instructions for a while, he finally understood how to use it. As he unwrapped the test, he still couldn’t believe it was possible. *He couldn’t be pregnant,* he thought, but to ease his anxiety, he decided to take the test anyway.

A few minutes later, Chu Yi stared at the test strip, his mind going blank. One line was dark red, the other faint. He quickly reread the instructions: two red lines meant pregnancy!

*How could he, a male, possibly be pregnant?!*

He frantically pulled out his phone and searched online. He finally found the information he was looking for: the internet said there were many reasons for this result—a faulty test, incorrect usage, or hormonal imbalances. Two red lines didn’t necessarily mean pregnancy; a hospital examination was the only reliable confirmation.

Reading this, Chu Yi felt some relief. The panic subsided. The internet made sense—two red lines didn’t automatically mean pregnancy. Maybe the test was just faulty. He conveniently forgot that just days earlier, he had warned himself not to trust everything he read online.

Carefully wrapping the test strip in toilet paper until nothing was visible, Chu Yi finally tossed it into the trash can.

*I should have just waited for Dr. Meng to come home next time and asked him directly. If I’d known it would scare me like this, I wouldn’t have even taken the test.*

Chu Yi emerged from the stall just as someone entered the bathroom. Feeling guilty, he quickly left.

After school, the homeroom teacher posted in the class group chat, asking if any boys were available to help move things.

The teacher had a good rapport with the students, and the boys immediately volunteered without hesitation. Helping the teacher move some desks and chairs was a matter of course.

It took the dozen or so boys quite a while to move the several dozen chairs.

What remained were the heavier, larger desks, which required two or more boys to carry together.

Jiang Xu was considerate of Chu Yi, not letting him carry the heavy desks. “Go move those small stools. This is too heavy for you.”

Chu Yi bristled. “Don’t underestimate me! I might be stronger than you think.”

To prove he wasn’t weak, Chu Yi and Jiang Xu grunted and strained together to move a large desk.

After about thirty minutes of hauling, they finally finished.

Exhausted, Chu Yi and Jiang Xu sat down to rest, both panting heavily.

Jiang Xu said, “It looked easy, but I didn’t expect it to be so tiring. Are you okay?”

Chu Yi, sweat beading on his forehead from exhaustion, replied, “I’m fine.”

To thank the students for their help, the teacher bought them drinks.

As they rested and chatted, Chu Yi noticed a distinct mark on Jiang Xu’s collarbone. Before, he might have dismissed it as a mosquito bite, but now he knew better. It seemed Jiang Xu and Zhou Huaixiao were quite close.

Their conversation was interrupted by a vibration from Chu Yi’s phone. He suddenly remembered that Shen Jin was supposed to pick him up today. He had completely forgotten to text Shen Jin to let him know he’d be late.

That meant Shen Jin had been waiting outside for nearly an hour.

Chu Yi excused himself and hurried off.

As he got into the car, sweat broke out on his forehead again.

He had jogged all the way here.

Shen Jin wiped the sweat from his face. “Why did you run?”

“I didn’t want you to worry about waiting,” Chu Yi replied.

Shen Jin sighed in exasperation. “Next time, don’t rush so much. Take your time.”

Chu Yi nodded, his heart still racing from the exertion.

As Shen Jin wiped his sweat, he noticed Chu Yi’s reddened fingers. Frowning, he asked, “What were you doing earlier? Your hands are so red—all these lines, like they were squeezed too hard.”

Chu Yi explained that he had been helping his classmates move things earlier, and the marks were probably from that.

“It doesn’t hurt, really,” Chu Yi insisted. His fair skin bruised easily with even slight pressure.

Then, Chu Yi saw Shen Jin do something completely unexpected. Shen Jin took off his bracelet and put it on Chu Yi’s wrist.

The bracelet rested quietly on Chu Yi’s wrist, showing no reaction.

Chu Yi suddenly smiled. “See? I wasn’t lying. It really doesn’t hurt. You can relax now.”

Chu Yi took off the bracelet and put it back on Shen Jin’s wrist. “Don’t just take it off like that again.”

Shen Jin looked at Chu Yi. “You’ve seemed a bit listless these past few days. Should we go to the hospital now to get you checked out?”

Chu Yi waved his hand dismissively. “I’m fine. I feel perfectly fine.”

“Are you sure?” Shen Jin pressed.

“Absolutely. Dr. Meng is coming to the house tomorrow anyway. He can take a look then.”

Chu Yi hesitated, then decided not to mention the pregnancy test. He was convinced it was impossible and felt too embarrassed to even bring it up.

Shen Jin remained uneasy. “Are you really okay?” It wasn’t just his imagination; Chu Yi had definitely been acting off lately.

Chu Yi chuckled. “Of course I’m fine! You saw it yourself earlier—I don’t feel any discomfort.”

Knowing Chu Yi disliked hospitals, Shen Jin didn’t press the issue, resolving to have Dr. Meng give him a thorough checkup tomorrow.

Worried Shen Jin might drag him to the hospital right then, Chu Yi leaned against him and changed the subject. “What’s for dinner tonight? I’m a bit hungry.”

As expected, Shen Jin dropped the hospital talk and mentioned that fresh lamb chops had just been delivered to the villa.

“Uncle Wen said he’ll make grilled lamb chops for you tonight,” Shen Jin said.

Chu Yi’s face lit up. “Grilled lamb chops! That’s wonderful! I love Uncle Wen the most!”

Uncle Wen had noticed Chu Yi’s reduced appetite these past few days, so he’d been racking his brain to prepare something especially delicious.

Knowing Chu Yi loved grilled lamb chops, he had the tenderest lamb meat delivered. This type of lamb had no gamey taste and was exceptionally fresh, ensuring Chu Yi would enjoy it.

Uncle Wen brushed the lamb chops with his homemade dipping sauce. The grilled chops were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, their aroma mouthwatering. Today’s batch was a resounding success—the best grilled lamb chops Uncle Wen had ever made.

Uncle Wen could already picture Chu Yi’s eyes sparkling with delight when he saw the lamb chops. For a chef, the greatest joy comes from the approval of those who enjoy their food. Every time Uncle Wen watched Chu Yi eat, he felt a profound sense of accomplishment.

As expected, when Chu Yi saw the roasted lamb chops, he swallowed hard, though others might have mistaken it for anticipation of the delicious meal.

“Chu Yi, try it quickly,” Uncle Wen urged. “This is the best roasted lamb chops I’ve ever made.”

Shen Jin added another chop to Chu Yi’s plate. “Eat more.”

Chu Yi smiled. “Okay.”

Under Shen Jin’s gentle gaze, Chu Yi took a bite of the lamb chop. The meat was perfectly crisp on the outside, tender and juicy inside. “Delicious,” he murmured.

Shen Jin added more dishes to Chu Yi’s plate. “Eat more. You seem a bit thinner than before. We should have Dr. Meng check you out tomorrow.”

Chu Yi buried his face in his plate, devouring the lamb chops. After only a few bites, he suddenly stood up and rushed to the bathroom.

Shen Jin and Uncle Wen exchanged worried glances and hurried after him.

Chu Yi burst into the bathroom and immediately clutched the toilet bowl, vomiting up everything he had just eaten.

Shen Jin stood beside him, his expression a mix of worry and urgency, yet his hand gently stroked Chu Yi’s back.

“Where does it hurt?” The ingredients were definitely fresh; it couldn’t be food poisoning. He feared Chu Yi might be sick.

Chu Yi didn’t want to speak, only to keep retching.

Shen Jin grabbed a clean trash can and had Chu Yi sit on a small stool to vomit into it. This would be more comfortable. He stayed by Chu Yi’s side the entire time.

After several minutes of vomiting, Chu Yi finally finished. His eyes were red-rimmed, tears falling one by one. Shen Jin handed him a cup of warm water to rinse his mouth, wiping away his tears as he asked, “Still feeling sick?”

Chu Yi shook his head. “I’m fine now. My stomach just felt a little off earlier, but it’s okay now.”

Seeing Chu Yi’s pale face, Shen Jin frowned. “No, I’m calling Dr. Meng right away. Why did you suddenly start vomiting?”

Chu Yi insisted, “No need. I’m really fine. I just ate too quickly and accidentally threw up.”

Despite Chu Yi’s assurances, Shen Jin remained deeply concerned and immediately decided to call Dr. Meng.

Seeing his insistence, Chu Yi fell silent. He was also curious about what was wrong with himself. After taking a few steps, his vision suddenly went black, and his body went limp.

With lightning reflexes, Shen Jin caught him. Chu Yi collapsed unconscious in his arms, unresponsive to any attempts to rouse him.

Shen Jin scooped Chu Yi up and rushed outside, Uncle Wen following close behind with the car. They sped to the hospital.

During the drive, Shen Jin’s eyes reflected an unprecedented level of worry and urgency. Uncle Wen drove with utmost speed, reaching the hospital in record time.

As soon as they arrived, Shen Jin carried Chu Yi straight to the emergency room.

Dr. Meng, who had rushed over, was startled by Shen Jin’s frantic state. He immediately began examining Chu Yi.

After the examination, Dr. Meng’s eyes widened visibly. He took Chu Yi’s pulse again.

Meeting Shen Jin’s dark, anxious gaze, Dr. Meng said, “Mr. Shen, Chu Yi is fine. He’s pregnant.”

“What?” Shen Jin exclaimed.

“Chu Yi is pregnant,” Dr. Meng repeated. “Over two months along.”