During Li Xi’s pregnancy, Ying Zhiyu returned daily to the Li residence at LI headquarters.
He understood the delicate link between AO differentiation in offspring and maternal sense of security.
Even if Li Xi never asked for anything, Ying Zhiyu prioritized accompanying him during pregnancy at the same level—or even higher—than work and research.
The child was theirs together. The process of carrying the child was not one-sided.
With the careful care of the Li household and the young Alpha’s presence, Li Xi’s mid-pregnancy passed smoothly.
Life seemed to have been overlaid with a layer of gentle calm.
The heart felt quiet. Steady.
But peace at home didn’t mean the outside world was calm.
News of Li Xi and Ying Zhiyu’s marriage had sparked discussion online.
Although public opinion was mostly supportive, Ying Zhiyu’s previous “abandoned girlfriend” scandal still left lingering effects.
Extreme online factions had labeled him a “scumbag Alpha,” seeing statements and lawsuits as mere PR.
Meanwhile, a small emerging group began “shipping” the couple:
“Am I the only one who thinks Lord Xi’s Alpha is handsome? Looks like even a scumbag has a looks requirement.”
“They sued but don’t believe it, rumors spread fast, but his family is clearly happy!”
“After so many edited photos, he really looks this good in raw shots?”
“This news is obviously from haters, jealous and bitter. No one would intentionally un-edit him, of course he looks good.”
“No filters here—the overhead lighting is harsh, yet he still looks commanding.”
“Fact proves: handsomeness is objective!”
“The true Omega prince and his innocent-looking male Alpha who lives off his face! Even if I were rich, I’d want to support a pretty boy Alpha!”
“Does no one notice? The lawsuit statement was issued officially by LI Group. Don’t you get it, Lord Xi is just backing his little Alpha who was wronged!”
“Domineering, handsome Omega pampering a gorgeous little Alpha—kswl!”
In reality, LI’s PR team had never encouraged the public to “ship” the couple. Both Li Xi and Ying Zhiyu knew that excessive attention would spark discussion.
Fame always attracts criticism.
In some ways, it also made it easier to make enemies in the unseen corners.
So no matter how many people were shipping them online, Ying Zhiyu and Li Xi kept a low profile, strictly keeping Li Xi’s pregnancy a secret from the public.
But there’s no wall the world can’t see through. Over time, speculation about Li Xi’s pregnancy gradually grew online.
Ying Zhiyu and Li Xi could feel that someone was still manipulating things behind the scenes.
To ensure safety, the heavily pregnant Li Xi basically stayed within LI Group headquarters, while Ying Zhiyu still had to go to school—going out was unavoidable.
Li Xi still flinched thinking of the last time Ying Zhiyu had been attacked in the underground garage.
Yet, knowing his own nature, he could never ask Ying Zhiyu to stay trapped here with him.
An Alpha cannot be contained.
Ying Zhiyu’s world didn’t revolve around LI. Li Xi realized this the first time Ying Zhiyu explained his “AO world-origin hypothesis.”
Ying Zhiyu’s research was not just about pheromones.
AO differentiation was not only about stabilizing gender ratios.
Pheromones represented a form of superior genes—or more precisely, genes in descendants fully nourished by pheromones would be “healthier.”
On the surface, differences among Alphas, Omegas, and Betas were in glands, but unseen traits—intelligence, strength, longevity—could also reflect innate advantages.
Such advantages should be shared across the ABO types; an unborn child’s genetic quality should not depend solely on whether its parents were Alpha, Omega, or Beta.
In essence, the AO differentiation research aimed to cultivate better natural genes in future generations.
July arrived, bringing the peak of the capital’s rainy season.
Heavy downpours frequently struck the city in the evenings.
As Ying Zhiyu left the Biomedical University lab, a torrential rain had already turned the sky pitch black, as if night had fallen early.
Once in the car, the driver reported: “Young Master Ying, several sections on the way back to LI headquarters are flooded. We’ll likely have to take a detour today.”
Before Ying Zhiyu could respond, his phone rang.
He glanced down and answered.
Li Xi’s voice came from the other end: “The rain’s too heavy, and many places are flooded. If it’s inconvenient, just stay at the house near the university tonight. Bring the bodyguards too.”
As he listened, Ying Zhiyu signaled the driver to continue toward LI headquarters.
He replied casually: “No problem. Just avoid the flooded sections.”
There was a pause from Li Xi. Even with the soundproofing in the luxury car, the heavy raindrops on the roof and windows were audible.
“…Ying Zhiyu, I don’t want you running back and forth just to accompany me.”
Li Xi had long wanted to say this—he didn’t want the Alpha to be so tired.
Helicopter travel was too conspicuous, leaving Ying Zhiyu no choice but to commute daily between LI headquarters and Biomedical University.
But now, he was no longer an “unknown nobody.” The previous “scumbag news” had revealed his face to the public.
With the city abuzz about Li Xi’s pregnancy, taking the subway was clearly unsafe and impractical.
Living at the Li residence meant early mornings—before six—and often returning home around nine or ten at night. Dinner was simple, and sleep came quickly before leaving again early.
Li Xi had long considered suggesting that Ying Zhiyu stay near the university instead of commuting weekly.
But he, too, was human.
He enjoyed the Alpha’s presence and hadn’t voiced it… until now.
Yet when Li Xi insisted that Ying Zhiyu needn’t suffer the commute, he remained calm over the phone: “I’m not coming home to accompany anyone. I’m just going home.”
Accompanying someone implies sacrifice.
Going home? That’s as natural as it gets.
Just as the little life in Li Xi’s womb wasn’t for Ying Zhiyu alone—the child came from their shared hope and carried both their love and blessings.
Alphas had always been this way.
To save money in the expensive capital, his parents hadn’t reserved an extra room for Ying Zhiyu near the university.
Yet he’d insisted on returning home weekly.
Even if it was just lying on the living room sofa for a few hours, or waking in the middle of the night to help his parents make buns or breakfast.
He genuinely wanted to see his family and feel the warmth of home.
His sense of responsibility and care for family was real.
Li Xi didn’t argue further about staying near the university.
“Tell the driver to go slow… be careful on the road.”
“Got it,” Ying Zhiyu replied.
Though the driver had avoided many flooded areas, when approaching LI headquarters in the southern district, they were still blocked by a flooded road.
The driver stopped: “Young Master Ying, crossing this could stall the engine.”
He cautiously moved half a wheel into the water, then pulled back. By experience, the deepest part could indeed cause the engine to fail.
Two options presented themselves: detour around, which would take too long, or risk crossing the water.
The first was unnecessarily time-consuming. The second, if stalled in the deepest spot, could be more troublesome.
Ying Zhiyu looked out the rear window.
The rain fell harder, threatening to intensify.
The headquarters building loomed ahead. He could walk a short distance from a nearby overpass to avoid the flooded section—a near-perfect solution, though he’d get wet.
As he prepared to decide, a car pulled up beside them.
A high-clearance Mercedes G-Class lowered its driver-side window, revealing a face slightly unfamiliar yet vaguely recognizable.
Of course—it was Wen Xinrui, the Omega mother of Li Qin and Li Lü, driving. Li Qin sat in the passenger seat.
Recognizing Ying Zhiyu’s car, Wen Xinrui called before he could lower the window: “Handsome, want a ride?”
Her G-Class had far more clearance than Ying Zhiyu’s Maybach, making the flooded road easy to cross.
He lowered his window and called out: “Big sister.”
Li Qin’s expression remained formal: “I’m heading back too. Let’s go together.”
Without hesitation, Ying Zhiyu replied: “Sure, thanks.”
The bodyguard beside him frowned: “Young Master Ying…”
After Wen Xinrui’s divorce from Li Songqian, relations between the Li and Wen families were uncertain.
Li Xi, the third young master, had never interacted with the former Omega matriarch.
If Ying Zhiyu got in her car, the bodyguard couldn’t follow…
Ying Zhiyu shook his head: “It’s fine.”
He opened the door and climbed into the G-Class.
With Li Qin present, there was no risk—she wouldn’t openly threaten him if she still sought the LI Group inheritance.
Ten minutes later, Wen Xinrui’s car stopped outside the Li family garden villa.
Servants with umbrellas awaited at the gate. Li Qin went in first, saying little.
Ying Zhiyu thanked Wen Xinrui politely and stepped out, only to find holding the umbrella for him was—
Zhou Shen.
The Li family’s head steward, personally welcoming him?
Zhou Shen held a large umbrella, bowing slightly with respect: “Third Young Master is waiting at the gate.”
Ying Zhiyu nodded: “Alright, let’s go.”
Night, wind, rain.
He followed Zhou Shen quickly into the Li garden villa.
From a distance, he saw Li Xi under the porch, wearing a thin black windbreaker over his bulky belly. Rain had splashed the hem, but he stood quietly, eyes fixed on the Alpha approaching through the storm.