The thought turned Ye Mingxuan’s face ashen. Instantly, the world spun violently. Ceilings and walls shattered, the house threatening to collapse in the next second.
No wonder…
Warmth enveloped his hand. Ye Mingxuan looked down to see Tan Sizhe holding his hand, his brows lowered, eyes deep and unfathomable.
He looked up at Dr. Zhang: “Let’s talk outside.”
“We can talk here,” Ye Mingxuan said, looking at Tan Sizhe. “I can handle it.”
Tan Sizhe: “Mingxuan…”
Ye Mingxuan’s eyes welled up. “Sir, I can handle it.”
He wasn’t that fragile. If he truly had a terminal illness, he wouldn’t seek treatment if he couldn’t afford it. He’d live out his remaining days well, working extra shifts to save more money for his mother.
Ye Mingxuan had made up his mind. He lifted his head. “Doctor, tell me.”
The doctor looked at Tan Sizhe. Tan Sizhe clasped Ye Mingxuan’s hand, exhaled a heavy sigh filled with sorrow, and nodded silently.
Dr. Zhang: “The patient…”
Ye Mingxuan closed his eyes, waiting for the doctor to deliver the final death sentence.
Dr. Zhang: “He’s pregnant.”
“?” Ye Mingxuan looked up. “What?”
Tan Sizhe thought he’d misheard too: “What did you say?”
Dr. Zhang: “He’s pregnant.”
After a brief silence, the room erupted in chaos.
Old Master Tan’s cane slipped from his grasp. “Pregnant?!”
Zhao Dongxuan gasped, “Are you serious? Pregnant?!”
Ye Xiangkai and Ye Yufan froze in shock.
Not cancer. Tan Sizhe exhaled in relief, but a surge of anger immediately welled up inside him. “Absurd! Do you know what you’re saying?”
Dr. Zhang: “Mr. Tan, it’s true.”
Tan Sizhe rubbed his temples. “You’re a doctor. You know the consequences of joking about this.”
Dr. Zhang presented the report with both hands: “Here is the patient’s ultrasound report.”
Tan Sizhe snatched it quickly, his fingertips trembling slightly as he unfolded the report.
A smile spread across the doctor’s face: “Congratulations, Mr. Mingxuan. Congratulations, Mr. Tan. Mr. Ye is already five weeks pregnant.”
Tan Sizhe stared at the ultrasound report, which clearly showed a fetal heartbeat and embryo. Even he, who had weathered countless storms, was stunned into a blank state of mind.
Not a terminal illness, but pregnancy? His belly was growing because there was a child inside??
“But I’m a man!” Ye Mingxuan looked up, eyes wide. “How could I be pregnant?!”
Dr. Zhang: “There have been documented cases of male pregnancy in international medical history. Mr. Ye is not the only one.”
Dr. Zhang: “As long as the body provides an environment suitable for fetal development, pregnancy is possible.”
“However, the probability of male pregnancy is extremely low—one in a hundred thousand. So congratulations, Mr. Mingxuan. You’ve hit the jackpot.”
Ye Mingxuan was frozen in place: “…”
Upon learning of Ye Mingxuan’s pregnancy, Old Master Tan progressed from shock and disbelief to astonished delight. He grabbed Uncle Ma’s arm: “I have… I have…”
Uncle Ma: “Congratulations, Master! Our Tan family is about to welcome a new life—you can let go now, my arm hurts.”
Tan Sizhe looked at Ye Mingxuan, who lifted his clear, moist eyes.
Five weeks. Working backward, the conception date must have been right after they got married? Except for the first time, they’d used protection every time after.
So it happened during their first time?
Ye Mingxuan’s lashes fluttered twice. Recalling that night, his neck flushed crimson all the way to his ears.
His mind was in turmoil, unsure how to face this reality.
A pregnant man.
How utterly unbelievable.
Tan Sizhe remained silent for a long while before speaking: “Everyone, leave.”
…
Ye Xiangkai picked up the teapot to pour tea, but his hand trembled, spilling liquid onto the floor. He hurriedly wiped it up with a cloth.
Ye Yufan, however, seemed unconcerned. “Mom, why are you so upset? So Ye Mingxuan is pregnant—does that mean Tan Sizhe will fall in love with him?”
No matter how doting she usually was toward her son, Zhao Dongxuan couldn’t speak calmly now. She walked over and tapped Ye Yufan on the head. “Are you stupid?! Ye Mingxuan having a child means Tan Sizhe will care about him. Even if Tan Sizhe doesn’t, Old Master Tan will. This gives Ye Mingxuan a foothold in the Tan family!”
“He’s carrying the Tan family’s seed! How could the Tans abandon him?!”
Ye Yufan snapped to realization, his lips trembling. “Really?”
“Then… then what? Won’t Ye Mingxuan walk all over me?!”
Zhao Dongxuan scoffed. He won’t just walk all over you—even your father will have to kowtow to him someday!”
Ye Yufan’s hand shook, dropping the half-peeled orange onto the floor.
…
In the vast office, the curtains were drawn tight. White lights illuminated the walls, casting a stark pallor.
Tan Sizhe sat in his executive chair, dark wooden bookshelves behind him. His gaze was lowered, phoenix eyes gleaming with a cold, piercing light.
Dr. Zhang sat on the sofa opposite, visibly tense.
Tan Sizhe sat in his executive chair, dark wooden bookshelves behind him. His brows were lowered, his phoenix-like eyes gleaming with a cold, sharp light.
Dr. Zhang sat on the sofa opposite him, nervously swallowing. ” There are international precedents for male pregnancies, but due to insufficient medical technology, only a small number have safely delivered children. Most fetuses stop developing during pregnancy and cannot survive.”
“Only a small number have safely delivered children?”
“Yes. Preliminary findings indicate the patient’s intestinal wall is connected to an underdeveloped uterus. We don’t typically call this a uterus; it’s referred to as a reproductive cavity.”
Dr. Zhang continued, “The reproductive cavity is extremely fragile. As the fetus grows, there’s a significant risk it could rupture the cavity—like continuously inflating a balloon until it bursts with a loud pop. This would cause the surrogate father to hemorrhage severely, the most critical complication.”
Tan Sizhe: “Reproductive cavity…”
Until this moment, he had no concept of this term.
Dr. Zhang tapped his phone twice. “Mr. Tan, if you’re still unclear, perhaps this will help explain.”
Tan Sizhe took the phone with skepticism, viewing the diagram: “ABO Worldview Atlas—How Omegas Give Birth.”
Dr. Zhang hastily added: “Though not a formal publication, it offers a clear explanation for Mr. Mingxuan’s pregnancy.”
“Mr. Tan, will you keep this child?”
Tan Sizhe didn’t respond immediately. A pause stretched as long as an eternity. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he croaked, “But he’s only eighteen.”
Dr. Zhang also fell silent: “Yes, Mr. Mingxuan is significantly younger than any previous cases we’ve had. But youth has its advantages—his physical constitution is stronger.”
“Mr. Tan and Mr. Mingxuan can discuss whether to keep the child. I’ll also consult with the director upon returning.”
“The pregnancy isn’t very far along yet; it can still be terminated.”
“…” Tan Sizhe returned the phone, rubbing his temples wearily. “Thank you. I’ll think it over.”
Dr. Zhang nodded. “We’ll head back then. Call us anytime if you need anything.”
Tan Sizhe nodded.
After the medical team left, Tan Sizhe sat in his office for a moment before deciding to check on Ye Mingxuan.
He walked to the bedroom and pushed open the door. Old Master Tan sat beside Ye Mingxuan, chatting cheerfully about something.
Ye Mingxuan seemed flustered, still reeling from the news of the pregnancy.
Servants bustled in and out, busily bringing tea and water for Ye Mingxuan.
Everyone wore different expressions—surprise, joy—but only Ye Mingxuan’s face was blank with bewilderment.
Uncle Ma noticed Tan Sizhe’s expressionless face. His smile vanished as he quietly followed Tan Sizhe out and closed the door. “Mr. Tan.”
“Uncle Ma,” Tan Sizhe said in a low voice, “Tell everyone in the villa not to breathe a word about what happened today.”
Uncle Ma nodded. “Understood.”
Tan Sizhe’s throat felt dry, his chest tight with unease. “Got a cigarette?”
Uncle Ma pulled a pack from his pocket. Tan Sizhe took the entire carton, clutching it in his hand.
“Mr. Tan…”
“Go on in.”
“…Alright.”
Upon hearing the news, Bai Yu nearly slipped in the bathroom, risking paralysis.
He didn’t even have time to dry his hair, rushing to get dressed and arriving with his hair still damp.
The moment he entered the office, thick smoke filled the air, stinging his eyes and nearly choking him.
Bai Yu hurriedly pulled open the curtains and threw the window wide: “Tan Sizhe, have you lost your mind? Are you smoking or starting a fire?!”
Turning around, Tan Sizhe sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the wall and smoking. Rings of smoke curled upward, blurring his features as ash fell to the floor beside him.
Bai Yu’s heart skipped a beat. He’d never seen Tan Sizhe like this before.
The Tan Sizhe he knew, ever since their student days, had always handled everything with ease and decisive ruthlessness. Where had this troubled look come from? That he even needed cigarettes to ease his anxiety?
Fresh air rushed in through the window. Bai Yuxin took several deep breaths before walking over and sitting down on the sofa beside Tan Sizhe.
” So what are you going to do now?“ Bai Yu asked. ”I can offer advice on other matters, but this one is beyond me.”
“This situation is too sudden. I’ve never encountered anything like it. I looked up past cases on the way here—the probability of a safe delivery is indeed low.” Bai Yu wasn’t joking like usual either; his expression was somewhat serious. “So what are you going to do?”
Tan Sizhe held a cigarette between his fingers, resting it on his knee. He watched the dark red ember slowly consume the tobacco, the remaining ash falling in a steady trickle.
The doctor’s words replayed in his mind, followed by the image of Ye Mingxuan’s bewildered, helpless face.
“…
Tan Sizhe lowered his eyes, his raven-feathered lashes casting a shadow. “This child cannot stay.”
