A faint blush spread across Ye Mingxuan’s face, making him look as juicy and tender as a peach. After a moment’s thought, he suddenly grabbed Tan Sizhe’s sleeve, his eyes wide with startled panic like a frightened fawn. “Sir… I had a stomachache for a while back then.”
“I’m sorry. I know getting angry isn’t good for the baby, but I couldn’t help myself…” If only one could control their emotions, Ye Mingxuan thought sadly, lowering his head.
Tan Sizhe: “Does it still hurt?”
Ye Mingxuan shook his head: “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
He didn’t know when it had stopped—perhaps when he’d shifted his focus to drawing.
Tan Sizhe pulled out his phone to contact Dr. Cai: “It’s fine. It’s still early. Let’s go to the hospital for a checkup now.”
Ye Mingxuan nodded, hugging his stomach as he leaned back, trying to find a comfortable position.
Tan Sizhe instructed the driver to turn toward the hospital. Glancing back at Ye Mingxuan, he found the other staring intently at him.
Ye Mingxuan’s hair was tousled by the wind, his nose and lips rosy red, his belly round and full. If he wore a festive red outfit and held a koi fish, he’d look like a New Year’s painting baby from a wall calendar.
Tan Sizhe felt a surge of tenderness. His hand itched to touch Ye Mingxuan again, but he restrained himself instead, placing his own palm over Ye Mingxuan’s hand as they both stroked the baby. Ye Mingxuan let out a soft “Ah,” feeling the baby’s movements.
Tan Sizhe felt a pang of cuteness, his hand itching again. But he restrained himself, instead placing his palm over Ye Mingxuan’s hand to feel the baby together. Ye Mingxuan let out a soft “Ah!” as he sensed the movement.
“Sir, did you feel that?” Ye Mingxuan smiled in wonder. “It’s like he knows we’re touching him.”
Tan Sizhe certainly felt it. His fingers touched Ye Mingxuan’s belly—soft and yielding, like a small balloon drifting on water. Yet beneath lay a fiery warmth, pulsing with movement as if a vibrant little fish swam within.
How wondrous, Tan Sizhe thought. Inside was his and Ye Mingxuan’s child—a life flowing with both their blood, a bond connecting them.
Ye Mingxuan’s eyes crinkled as he looked at Tan Sizhe, who stared at his belly with the bewildered innocence of a first-time father. Ye Mingxuan froze, suddenly finding Tan Sizhe rather adorable.
Adorable?!! He actually found his husband adorable! Ye Mingxuan looked away in confusion, but after a moment, he stole another glance.
The car arrived at the hospital. Dr. Cai immediately examined Ye Mingxuan. It was nothing serious, and Ye Mingxuan breathed a sigh of relief. Then he and Tan Sizhe returned home safely.
Aunt Fu, having received Tan Sizhe’s message earlier, had prepared a feast, allowing Ye Mingxuan to indulge himself for once.
“I knew it! With Mr. Mingxuan drawing so beautifully, he was bound to get praised by the teacher!”
Ye Mingxuan ate his yogurt, beaming with delight at Aunt Fu’s praise. He glanced up at Tan Sizhe, who was smiling warmly. Ye Mingxuan choked on a mouthful of yogurt, spilling it from the corner of his mouth. Tan Sizhe wiped it away with his hand, and Ye Mingxuan nervously stuck out his tongue to lick it clean.
After dinner, Tan Sizhe and Ye Mingxuan each returned to their study. Even in March, the evenings were still chilly, but thankfully the house had underfloor heating. Stepping into his room, Ye Mingxuan felt so warm he almost wanted to lie flat on the floor.
His husband, anticipating his thoughts, had bought him a floor sofa. Ye Mingxuan flopped onto it, stretched lazily, and curled up to check his phone.
He glanced away for a moment, only to find his messages exploding—all from the small group chat he shared with Lin Jiale and Zhang Shushu.
Lin Jiale: “Holy crap, Ye Mingxuan! What’s going on with you and Ye Yufan? Did you two get into a fight during Qi Lin’s class?!”
Zhang Shushu: “Whoa, seriously? I heard Ye Yufan got kicked out of the classroom. Is that even real?!”
[Lin Jiale tapped Ye Mingxuan]
“Mingxuan! Mingxuan! Mingxuan!”
Ye Mingxuan was stunned at how fast the gossip spread. He replied, “I just saw the messages. How did you all find out?”
Lin Jiale forwarded a forum post: “It’s trending now. Everyone’s eating watermelon.”
Ye Mingxuan hesitated for a moment before clicking to read it.
【Folks, who knew this drama would last two semesters and even span a New Year!】
【Thanks for the invite. I was there. Last time I felt embarrassed for someone else was the last time.】
【Holy crap, when Ye Yufan couldn’t draw, I was so awkward my goosebumps stood up all over.】
【Question: Why is Ye Yufan targeting Ye Mingxuan again? What’s their relationship?】
【Both Ye Yufan and Ye Mingxuan share the surname Ye. Could they be biological brothers fighting over the family fortune?】
【That’s highly possible, but Ye Yufan and Ye Mingxuan don’t look alike at all.】
Hey everyone! I just had an even more melodramatic theory—could it be a fake master and real master situation?! Ye Yufan is the pampered fake master who’s lived in luxury for years, while Ye Mingxuan is the long-lost real master. That’s why Ye Yufan has always targeted Ye Mingxuan!
Unfortunately, they were both wrong. Ye Mingxuan wasn’t the real young master, nor was he Ye Yufan’s biological brother. But the melodrama part? That was spot on.
Seeing the thread spiraling further into a melodramatic family saga with no return, Ye Mingxuan left the forum and told Lin Jiale and the others: “It’s true. I never imagined my painting would be swapped out.”
Lin Jiale: “Damn! That guy’s got some nerve! If I’d been there, I’d have punched him in the face!”
Zhang Shushu: “Exactly! I’d have kicked him a couple times too.”
Ye Mingxuan sank into the sofa, already feeling sleepy. Seeing the replies, he smiled slightly: “It’s fine. As long as the teacher knows I painted it.”
Lin Jiale: “Mingxuan, I’ve noticed you’ve changed so much.”
Ye Mingxuan: “Really?” He hadn’t realized it himself.
Lin Jiale: “Yeah, you’re so much more confident now, full of life.”
Ye Mingxuan pressed his phone to his chest, pondering Lin Jiale’s words. He realized it was true—the current him was far braver than his former self.
He knew this transformation owed everything to one crucial man, who was currently handling business in the study next door.
Ye Mingxuan stared at the beige wall, as if he could see through the plaster and bricks to the man’s focused silhouette. It felt like he’d developed a delusion, gazing blankly at the empty wall for an age. Until his eyelids grew heavy, one after the other, and his head tilted sideways. Closing his eyes, he passed out.
When Tan Sizhe entered, he found a little kitten sleeping on its back, its round face and red nose spread out like a little lump.
The underfloor heating and sofa must have been too comfortable—Ye Mingxuan had fallen asleep right there. Tan Sizhe stepped forward, lifting Ye Mingxuan into his arms. The latter’s head tilted against his shoulder. Tan Sizhe weighed him—he felt heavier than before.
Oh right—now he wasn’t carrying just one person, but two.
Tan Sizhe carried Ye Mingxuan back to the bedroom, carefully placing him on the bed. He brushed aside the strands of hair covering Ye Mingxuan’s forehead, his gaze settling on the little one’s round belly.
“Be good,” Tan Sizhe said. “Don’t make Daddy uncomfortable.”
…
The next day, Ye Mingxuan woke earlier than usual. The curtains were drawn tightly, plunging the room into gloom, with only a faint glimmer of light seeping through the slits.
He rubbed his eyes and rolled over, intending to sleep some more, only to suddenly come face to face with Tan Sizhe’s sleeping features.
The black bedding and pillow made the man’s skin appear as cold and white as jade. His lashes were long, his lips thin and rosy, breathing softly as he faced Ye Mingxuan.
Tan Sizhe slept perfectly still, never moving or snoring, his breaths so light they were almost inaudible.
Ye Mingxuan had intended to go back to sleep, but now he couldn’t sleep at all. He stared at Tan Sizhe with wide, bright eyes for a long while. Feeling a bit bored, he began counting the other man’s eyelashes.
One, two, three, four, five… Counting wrong, start again… One, two, three…
“Do they look nice?”
“?” Ye Mingxuan thought he’d heard wrong, but then saw Tan Sizhe suddenly open his eyes, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Do you like them?”
“…” Ye Mingxuan backed away. “Sir! When… when did you wake up…”
His retreat was so abrupt his head nearly slammed into the nightstand. Tan Sizhe propped himself up: “Careful!” and shielded the back of his head.
Fortunately, the bed was large enough that Ye Mingxuan was still a distance from the nightstand and avoided contact. He immediately grabbed Tan Sizhe’s hand: Sir, did your hand hit anything?!”
Tan Sizhe’s words drifted into Ye Mingxuan’s heart like a gentle spring breeze. He recalled his days in a bunk bed—the iron frame rusted and worn, the top bunk piled high with luggage, leaving only the narrow bottom space for sleep. Each night, a simple turn would send him jolting awake, his head colliding with the rail.
A pang of bitterness welled up inside him, yet simultaneously, a warm spring gushed forth from a hidden spring, gently enveloping his heart.
Ye Mingxuan buried half his face in the quilt and nodded obediently.
Tan Sizhe brushed aside a strand of his hair and tucked the blanket around him. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon Ye Mingxuan’s collar. It was rather loose, and as he lay there, it had slipped slightly, revealing what lay beneath.
“!” Feeling the man’s stare, all traces of Ye Mingxuan’s earlier warmth vanished. He grabbed his collar, blushing as he whispered, “Sir, please don’t look…”
Tan Sizhe’s expression remained unchanged as he retrieved a pair of gold-rimmed glasses from the nightstand. Putting them on, he transformed into a hypocritical beast: “Have you experienced any chest tightness recently?”
Ye Mingxuan: “Sir…”
Tan Sizhe sternly corrected: “Call me Doctor Tan.”
Ye Mingxuan flinched. “Dr… Dr. Tan!”
Dr. Tan stared intently at a certain chest with solemn expression. “Dr. Tan is inquiring about your condition. Answer truthfully.” !!! So embarrassing!
Ye Mingxuan bit his lower lip until it turned cherry red, shaking his head vigorously. “N-no.”
Dr. Tan: “Hmm, it seems the previous treatment was highly effective. We’ll continue with the same regimen this time.”
“But, Doctor…” Ye Mingxuan clutched his chest, mortified by this sudden doctor-patient roleplay. “I don’t think it’s necessary…”
“If the doctor says it’s needed, it must be done.”
“No… Mmm!”
Ye Mingxuan curled up, his cheeks flushed like dawn, eyes misty with tears. Only when the blinding sunlight pierced through the curtains did Tan Sizhe remove his glasses.
“Today’s treatment is complete. Come back for a follow-up next time.” Tan Sizhe smoothed Ye Mingxuan’s collar, then leaned down to kiss his lips. “Since the patient wasn’t very cooperative, this kiss is Dr. Tan’s punishment.”
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