After saying goodbye to Chang Mingyuan, Ji Qiu quickly hailed a taxi and hurried home, afraid that Liang Yan might get impatient waiting for him and end up in a bad mood.
He might have been clueless about plenty of things, but when it came to people other than Liang Yan, he wasn’t stupid. From Chang Mingyuan’s expression and words, he could more or less figure out what the man thought of him.
Oh? Looks like another person who doesn’t ship me and Yan Yan together. Well, goodbye!
On the way home, Ji Qiu received another phone call.
The proposal for the new drug had been approved, but there were still plenty of procedures left to complete. The other party had initially invited Ji Qiu to work as a temporary laboratory assistant. However, considering Liang Yan’s current condition, Ji Qiu had decided to decline for the time being.
The person on the other end joked with him, “We only invited you because you previously participated in the development of the KB inhibitor. But we’re starting over from scratch on this project. If we followed the regular procedures, we wouldn’t even accept undergraduate students.”
Ji Qiu smiled and replied, “That’s fine. There’s no rush.”
The other person assumed that, since Ji Qiu was an Omega, reaching that level would be difficult for him. They politely explained the standard requirements.
“That might be rather difficult. Most of our candidates nowadays have to be PhD students at the very least.”
Ji Qiu didn’t take it to heart.
“Then I’ll wait until I graduate and apply again.”
The other person thought Ji Qiu was quite capable, but his tone was admittedly a little too confident. They responded with a few polite remarks and didn’t take his words seriously.
By the time Ji Qiu hurried home, Liang Yan had fallen asleep again on the sofa.
He wasn’t sleeping particularly peacefully. His face was buried in one corner of the sofa, his brows slightly furrowed. A blanket covered his body, but one hand was sticking out from underneath it.
The window hadn’t been properly closed, and the early spring breeze still carried a sharp chill. When Ji Qiu walked over and took Liang Yan’s exposed hand in his own, he was startled by how cold it felt.
Perhaps his own hand was simply too warm, because Liang Yan stirred and opened his eyes.
He felt as though he hadn’t been asleep for very long, yet Ji Qiu had actually hurried back just as he’d promised.
He knew he’d been a little too clingy lately, and he even disliked this version of himself. But whenever Ji Qiu actually appeared in front of him, his heart would feel completely full in that instant.
And every time that happened, Liang Yan would stop regretting his own unreasonable behavior.
Ji Qiu wrapped both hands around Liang Yan’s cold one, transferring his warmth to him.
“Should I carry you to bed so you can sleep there?”
Liang Yan nodded without saying anything, simply reaching up to hook his arms around Ji Qiu’s neck.
Ji Qiu obediently carried him to the bed. Just as he was about to get up, he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, “Oh, right, Yan Yan. You’re going to the hospital again next week, aren’t you?”
Although Liang Chen constantly complained that Ji Qiu had won his son’s heart far too easily, he had nevertheless arranged every detail of Liang Yan’s prenatal checkups. He even made sure to use old friends of his own, ensuring that everything remained confidential.
As a result, every time Liang Yan went to the hospital for a prenatal appointment, he felt as though he were an undercover agent secretly passing along intelligence.
After changing his clothes, Ji Qiu drew Liang Yan a little closer into his arms and placed one hand over his belly.
Warmth flowed steadily through the fabric. Sometimes, Liang Yan felt that Alphas really did share some inexplicable connection with the little thing growing inside him. For some reason, the warmth made him feel considerably more comfortable.
He gave a quiet “Mm.”
“Then I’ll take the whole day off in a couple of days and go with you,” Ji Qiu said. “I was so busy last time that I didn’t get the chance.”
Liang Yan had actually wanted to say, There’s no need. I can go by myself.
After all, he’d just lost control of himself and called Ji Qiu home today. If Ji Qiu had other things to take care of, constantly asking him to come back might interfere with them.
But he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
All he managed was a halfhearted shake of his head.
Ji Qiu looked puzzled. “You don’t want me to?”
Liang Yan no longer wanted to nod, either. He simply curled his fingers around Ji Qiu’s collar.
“Even if you say I don’t need to, I’m still going with you.” Seeing that Liang Yan wasn’t saying anything, Ji Qiu continued on his own, as though he already knew what was going through his mind. “Yan Yan, sometimes it’s okay to say what you want.”
“I know you need me and want me to spend more time with you, don’t you?”
Only then did Liang Yan, who had been agonizing over this little matter for so long, finally close his eyes and nod against Ji Qiu’s chest.
“Okay.”
“I want you to need me, too,” he heard Ji Qiu say.
The following few days passed in a busy but peaceful routine.
When the time for Liang Yan’s scheduled prenatal checkup arrived, Ji Qiu deliberately set aside an entire day to accompany him to the hospital.
By this point, Liang Yan’s figure had begun to change noticeably. Half a month earlier, someone who didn’t look carefully might not have realized he was pregnant. Now, however, the difference was becoming increasingly obvious.
Ji Qiu waited outside while Liang Yan went in for his examination. Thanks to Liang Chen’s arrangements, they didn’t have to wait in line, and the process was completed quickly.
Before long, Liang Yan emerged after finishing his routine checkup.
“Yan Yan, is anything bothering you?” Ji Qiu asked as he took the examination report from him.
He scanned it quickly and, seeing that everything was normal, finally relaxed.
“All right, let’s go.”
Chang Mingyuan hadn’t expected to run into Ji Qiu again so soon.
This time, however, Ji Qiu had his partner with him.
Chang Mingyuan saw Ji Qiu holding several sheets of paper in one hand while leading Liang Yan out with the other. The two walked close together, their interaction intimate and their atmosphere harmonious.
He composed his expression and hurried over to greet them. After all, both of them were technically his juniors.
Forcing a smile, he called out to the pair approaching him.
“Junior! What a coincidence!”
He had originally planned to exchange a few pleasantries and ask why the two of them were at the hospital together. Had something happened to either of their health?
He could also take the opportunity to show concern for the lives of these two Omegas and indirectly lament how difficult their relationship must be.
Liang Yan certainly wouldn’t bother responding to him, but Ji Qiu smiled politely as well.
“Oh, and you are?”
Chang Mingyuan was immediately at a loss for words.
Wait a minute!
Xiao Qiu clearly isn’t face-blind!
He might not remember every single person who had confessed to him in the past, but surely he wouldn’t have awkwardly asked someone for their name like this!
It seemed that this OO relationship had affected Xiao Qiu far too deeply.
Just as Chang Mingyuan was struggling to figure out what to say next, Liang Yan’s expression had already grown impatient. He frowned and started walking forward.
Seeing him leave, Ji Qiu hurried after him and grabbed his hand, no longer bothering to engage with Chang Mingyuan.
“Yan Yan, Yan Yan! Wait for me!”
“Yan Yan,” Ji Qiu said, hooking his arm around Liang Yan’s and studying his face before pausing to explain, “I know that guy. I think he’s just another nosy senior who loves gossip.”
“Oh.” Liang Yan wasn’t particularly interested.
“But…” Ji Qiu glanced at Liang Yan’s slightly rounded belly and carefully chose his words. “I have a feeling we won’t be able to keep your pregnancy a secret much longer!”
Liang Yan had also noticed that the changes in his body were becoming increasingly obvious lately. He gave a quiet “Mm.”
They had already discussed this topic before, and he wasn’t someone who cared much about what people at school said about him.
“Let them talk, then. It’s fine.”
No matter what other people said, it wouldn’t affect his life.
Only then did Ji Qiu feel reassured. He had been worried that other people’s gossip might upset Liang Yan, but seeing how calm he was now, he finally put those concerns aside.
“That’s good. I was afraid you’d be unhappy.”
Liang Yan’s voice softened almost unconsciously.
“I’m not.”
“Great! Since we’re already out, why don’t we go eat something delicious? I’ve been wanting to try—”
“Which one of us is pregnant, you or me?”
“Me, me, me! But don’t you want to eat it, too? If you don’t, we can go somewhere else.”
“No need. Let’s go.”
The two walked farther and farther away, leaving Chang Mingyuan standing alone, watching their retreating figures.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something about Liang Yan’s lower abdomen looked strange.
Moreover, the direction they’d just come from led only to the ultrasound examination rooms…
Chang Mingyuan had recently been preparing for his postgraduate entrance examinations while contacting potential supervisors. One of the chief obstetricians he’d worked with during his internship had thought highly of him and often taught him things while he was in the department. The doctor had even given him access to his staff account.
Chang Mingyuan had come to the hospital today specifically to see that chief obstetrician.
Could it be…?
The obstetrics nurse recognized him and greeted him with a smile.
“Xiao Chang, back to help out again? Perfect timing! Your supervisor is tied up right now. Could you enter these medication orders for him? I need to go pick up the medicine.”
Chang Mingyuan nodded, found the computer he usually used, and sat down. He entered the medication orders for the nurse with practiced ease.
Just as he was about to get up, however, he sat back down again.
He swore he only wanted to take a look.
Just one glance.
What if they really had come for an obstetric examination?
He hesitated, leaving the chief obstetrician’s account logged in. Then, in the patient-name search field used by the department, he gently typed two characters.
He was stunned.
Chang Mingyuan’s thoughts began racing wildly.
His basic medical ethics as a doctor made him abandon the idea of taking a screenshot or photograph. After all, those were someone’s private medical records.
But at that moment, his excitement had reached its peak. It wasn’t exactly happiness, but something he’d firmly believed all along had finally been confirmed.
He had no ill intentions toward Liang Yan. In fact, when Liang Yan had first enrolled at the university, Chang Mingyuan had also thought he was exceptionally handsome.
(Of course, later on, Ji Qiu had captured all of his attention.)
But now that Liang Yan was pregnant, certain things were self-evident.
As everyone knew, two Omegas couldn’t open a reproductive tract for one another, let alone form a mating bond. So…
Chang Mingyuan felt as though his heart had been stabbed viciously!
Heartache!
Agony!
Good heavens!
Xiao Qiu has suffered so much!
But… but!
If the person Xiao Qiu was dating was already pregnant with a child whose father had to be some unknown Alpha, then this relationship was destined to come to an end!
With his heart pounding wildly, Chang Mingyuan hurried through the rest of his tasks, raced back to his dormitory, logged into the university forum, and opened his thread.
But before he could reveal the news, some people in the thread had already begun noticing that something was off.
[I passed by the affiliated hospital today… There’s something I want to say…]
[Does anyone else think… Liang Yan’s belly has gotten bigger?]
[???]
[?????????]
[No way! They’re the most perfect OO couple in my heart!]
[Same old rule: if you’ve got proof, show it. If you don’t, stop making things up.]
[??? Do we really need proof for this? Just use your eyes and look carefully. It’s pretty obvious, okay?]
People continued popping up in the thread. Some said they’d vaguely noticed it a few days ago, too.
Chang Mingyuan was practically bursting with excitement.
So it wasn’t just me who thought so!
And now… there’s proof!
Hahaha, you idiots who kept insisting they were perfect together! Just wait!
[OP: I saw it, too. I can’t take a picture because it involves confidential medical records, but I can confirm that Liang Yan is pregnant.]
**[HOLY SH*T!]**
**[HOLY SH*T!]**
[That’s the final nail in the coffin!]
[AAAAAAAAAA! NO! THIS CAN’T HAPPEN! THEY CAN’T HAVE A BAD ENDING!]
[My roommate just sneaked over to take a look!!! He saw it, too!!]
[It’s over! It’s over!]
[It’s true…]
As a result, Yin Tongguang inevitably began getting tagged by countless people.
**[Brother Sh*t!!! Brother Sh*t, get out here!!!]**
**[@You Don’t Know Jack Sh*t @You Don’t Know Jack Sh*t]**
[Is this the heavenly, immortal love you were talking about?!]
Unfortunately, Yin Tongguang happened to be busy that day and hadn’t had time to get on the forum to engage in another war of words with the crowd.
When no one could get a reply from Brother Sh*t, people soon began noticing something else.
[Wait a minute. So Liang Yan is pregnant now, but the two of them are still together?]
[With something this obvious, I refuse to believe Xiao Qiu hasn’t noticed!]
**[HOLY SH*T!!!!]**
[AAAAAAAAAA! MY XIAO QIU!]
[OP: I saw them, too. Xiao Qiu was still walking together with Liang Yan.]
[AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!]
**[Congratulations to OP for no longer needing to treat everyone to a meal! By the way, @You Don’t Know Jack Sh*t!]**
[I told you all along. OO relationships are just never going to work!]
[You can’t say that, though. What if Ji Qiu was the one who cheated first? Or maybe they’re both seeing other people…]
**[HOLY SH*T, MY CURIOSITY IS GOING TO KILL ME!!!!]**
[SAME!!!! WHICH ONE OF THEM CHEATED FIRST?!]
Meanwhile, Ji Qiu, who had absolutely no idea what was happening on the forum, received an unexpected gift from someone after class the following day.
It was a uniquely designed music box, probably featuring a fresh, nature-inspired theme. Its elaborate design included willow trees, a garden, a rainbow, and a lake. An elegant swan floated gracefully across the surface of the water.
The mechanism was at the bottom, and the winding key had already been installed. Ji Qiu turned the knob, and the swan began circling the lake with its neck gracefully raised.
As the gears turned, the music box dutifully began playing its tune.
The music had probably been specially selected. It wasn’t some lazy, overused choice like Für Elise.
As the swan circled the lake, the music box began playing the opening line of A Little Happiness on an endless loop, almost as if it were trying to brainwash him.
Ji Qiu: “……”
He couldn’t help laughing helplessly as he prepared to put the gift away. Then he noticed that there was also a card tucked inside the gift box.
There was no signature on it. Ji Qiu opened the card.
It contained just three short words:
“Stay strong.”
![The Return of The Lord God[quick wear]](https://i2.wp.com/knoxt.space/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/007S8ZIlly1ghl04hyuxyj30hs0owwgu.jpg?resize=85,105 "The Return of The Lord God[quick wear]")
gingerbread On TTC Chapter 99