The fingers on Ying Zhiyu’s left hand healed almost completely within two weeks.
Although the blisters counted as superficial second-degree burns, timely treatment meant the wounds fully recovered with no scars.
Even the Alpha bodyguard who had been injured in the back benefited from the suit jacket acting as a critical barrier.
Removing the jacket, rinsing, and subsequent medical treatment were all handled correctly. The doctor also judged that at least no depressed scars would remain, and any pigmentation changes would likely fade completely over the next few years.
Meanwhile, the “delivery man” who attacked Ying Zhiyu was revealed to be a Beta university student.
He insisted the attack was due to mistaken identity.
Strangely, his background was completely clean; even the Li family could find no issues, as if he truly had no connection to any organization at all.
Because the incident had happened suddenly, they had no further information or dialogue to use as a reference point. In the end, the matter could only be handed over to the police.
Ying Zhiyu, having seen large-scale crises in his previous life, was not frightened by a single unexpected attack.
But after this, he began consciously paying attention to the people in his school laboratory.
Once a thought arose, countless new speculations followed.
He even considered whether the people who had kidnapped him in his previous life were really only targeting the Li family’s heir battle.
Or perhaps multiple factors were at play at the same time.
By the eleventh year of their marriage in his previous life, Ying Zhiyu had already become one of the most advanced researchers in China in the field of “AO differentiation.”
If he did not modestly put it, he could be considered an authority on the subject of “how to increase AO differentiation rates.”
And yet, the group most affected by AO differentiation—the majority Beta population—seemed to have always been overlooked by him…
Ying Zhiyu had not forgotten that not long ago, Li Xi had reminded him that Li Lü was secretly investigating the research projects currently ongoing in their school laboratory.
As one of the Li family heirs, it was natural for Li Lü to track Ying Zhiyu’s movements—an inherently advantageous position.
Using someone else’s hand to strike? Anyone could do that.
A Beta?
Li Lü?
Ying Zhiyu mentally placed a question mark.
Effort brings reward.
Both Ying Zhiyu and Li Xi were young and healthy. With a pheromone compatibility of over 90%, once they decided to have children, there would be little chance of complications—the child would come as expected.
When Li Xi discovered the pregnancy through a blood HCG test, Qin Baoyan estimated the gestation to be less than three weeks.
Since it was still very early, Qin Baoyan suggested Li Xi have a follow-up blood HCG test in 48–72 hours to confirm the pregnancy.
That evening, Li Xi told Ying Zhiyu.
Although they had already prepared to have children and anticipated this time would go smoothly, when Li Xi actually told him that she might be pregnant, Ying Zhiyu froze, staring at her for a long moment without moving.
In their previous life, they had eleven years of marriage.
And yet, they had never had a child.
Li Xi walked from the study doorway to stand near Ying Zhiyu.
Because both were busy with work and often had other matters to handle after hours, each of their residences had two studies.
Before Li Xi entered Ying Zhiyu’s study, he was wearing glasses and reading documents.
He had mild astigmatism; it normally didn’t affect him, but sometimes he wore glasses at night.
Li Xi removed Ying Zhiyu’s glasses and, unusually, kissed the bridge of his high nose.
“Is that reaction happiness… or unhappiness?”
Ying Zhiyu thought the answer was obvious.
Given Li Xi’s personality, if he were unhappy, how could he be kissing him right now?
Quickly regaining his composure—after all, a husband-to-be shouldn’t be too emotional—Ying Zhiyu held the person in front of him. With one standing and looking down, the other seated and looking up, they exchanged a gentle, lingering kiss.
Remaining composed didn’t mean he withheld joy.
A crescent-shaped smile curved at the corner of Ying Zhiyu’s eyes. Half joking, half imagining, he said, “Maybe I should run up and down a couple flights of stairs to burn off this happiness I’ve been holding inside.”
Pausing briefly, he adopted a slightly more serious tone. “In the days ahead, Brother Xi Xi will have to work a little harder.”
Pregnancy is difficult for anyone, even the heir to a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate.
Although Li Xi was born with a silver spoon, he was not the type to shy away from hardship.
The Li family, having established a dominant presence in the pheromone industry, had progressive and equitable views on Alphas and Omegas, whose interactions are deeply bound through pheromones.
The family’s long-standing wealth may have introduced some unavoidable upper-class arrogance.
But the ability to maintain wealth over generations was inseparable from the family’s education of heirs and their philosophical outlook.
So after Han Qiyu of the Han family differentiated, environmental changes created stark psychological contrasts.
When Li Xi differentiated into an Omega at thirteen, he experienced little internal fluctuation.
From the moment he decided to claim the LI Group inheritance, he knew he would need heirs.
Pregnancy and childbirth were therefore long-planned.
When selecting an Alpha spouse, one of his priorities had always been the quality of the next generation’s genes.
Li Xi’s pregnancy was not immediately announced publicly.
Even Li Xi’s Alpha father, Li Songqian, only knew that his third son and son-in-law were in the preparatory stage for conception.
During the second blood HCG test, Ying Zhiyu accompanied Li Xi to the hospital.
He also asked Qin Baoyan about precautions for Omega pregnancy, as well as the ways and frequency Alphas should supply pheromones during this period.
During early pregnancy, strenuous exercise should be avoided.
So pheromone supply had to continue, but the method needed adjustment.
During pregnancy, Omegas no longer experienced heat cycles; the Alpha pheromones required would instead be distributed evenly across each day.
From the moment the second test confirmed the result, Ying Zhiyu strictly followed Qin Baoyan’s advice, sharing as many of his personal items as possible with Li Xi—especially clothes worn close to the body, which carried the most pheromones.
Since the two of them were similar in height and build, Ying Zhiyu’s shirts, pajamas, and robes looked perfectly natural on Li Xi.
Afterward, almost all of Li Xi’s everyday work attire ended up being Ying Zhiyu’s clothes.
The first person to notice this change was Li Xi’s sister, Li Yue.
Being twins of opposite sexes, Li Yue knew her brother too well.
Li Xi had no intention of hiding it from her, but the formal revelation came when Ying Zhiyu and Li Xi invited Li Yue over for a meal at their home.
It happened to be during the Lunar New Year, and Li Yue came to her brother’s house for dinner. The meal was lavish.
On the table sat a bottle of 1999 Romanée-Conti.
Having grown up in the Li family, a top-tier wealthy household, both Li Xi and Li Yue were knowledgeable about wine and enjoyed a drink on occasion.
But that evening, there wasn’t a wine glass in front of Li Xi—only a mug.
Li Yue leaned over to peek; the mug contained some steaming hot drink… something warm?
Testing the filet mignon on her plate with a knife and fork, she noticed it was all cooked well done.
Seeing Li Yue puzzledly cutting at the steak, Ying Zhiyu raised his wine glass and took the blame: “Sorry, I cooked the steaks together for convenience, so they’re all well done.”
Ying Zhiyu himself wasn’t very interested in steak—his main dish was a serving of truffle wild mushroom risotto.
So the one who needed the steak cooked well done had to be either Li Xi or Li Yue.
And normally, neither of them ever ate steak that well done!
The last time Li Yue had suspected her brother might be pregnant, she was more cautious this time. Seeing her brother wearing Ying Zhiyu’s clothes no longer surprised her.
But now…
A missing wine glass, well-done steak, and the knowing expressions exchanged across the table…
The answer was clear.
Li Yue’s eyes widened. “Bro… you’re pregnant?”
From the time she could remember until Li Xi’s differentiation, Li Yue had initially thought that she and her brother would be an Alpha-Omega pair.
Later, her brother differentiated into an Omega, and she, having turned sixteen without any change, became a Beta born from an AO pairing.
Li Yue had never really grasped the significance of her brother’s and her own gender changes.
Though not an Omega, female Betas, lacking pheromones, could still bear children.
Her brother, even without differentiating into an Alpha, was still loved by their father and took care of her. His position as a strong candidate for the family succession had never wavered.
So even though she had suspected once that her brother might be pregnant…
Now, on the verge of confirming it, Li Yue felt a strange, almost surreal disbelief:
Her brother could really get pregnant?
He could experience morning sickness? Have a growing belly? Move around less easily?
And soon he would have a baby?
…A sense of inexplicable fantasy.
Seeing her sister staring unblinkingly at his stomach, Li Xi smiled and stood.
He wasn’t visibly showing yet, and following Ying Zhiyu’s lead, he lifted his own cup—though his mug contained hot mint tea.
“Help cover this up with Dad for now. I have other arrangements coming up.”