Chapter 81
After gagging for a while, Lin Xiaoran didn’t vomit, but his stomach still felt uncomfortable, and his face was growing paler.
Gu Yang was rubbing his back, feeling a sharp pang of sympathy as he watched Lin Xiaoran’s suffering. “We should still call Dr. Zhang to come check on you.”
“No need,” Lin Xiaoran said, rinsing his mouth before pulling Gu Yang out of the bathroom. “It’s Grandma’s birthday today. We don’t want to worry her. Really, it’s nothing. I’ll feel better after lying down for a bit.”
Lin Xiaoran was feeling a bit drowsy, so he tugged Gu Yang to lie down with him.
Gu Yang, still uneasy, would close his eyes for just a couple of minutes before opening them again to check on the Omega in his arms. After repeating this a few times, he realized Lin Xiaoran had fallen into a peaceful sleep. His pale face gradually regained some color, and he seemed fine again. Only then did Gu Yang relax, lowering his head to kiss the beautiful forehead of the Omega, before finally dozing off himself.
Lin Xiaoran slept soundly.
He wasn’t someone who usually took afternoon naps. Whether at work or during rest time, he often spent his lunch break reading or working, and even when he did rest, it was usually only for about twenty minutes. But today, he slept for a full three hours. When he woke up, the sun was nearly setting, and the golden light from the window was spilling over the soft bed.
Gu Yang had already gotten up, and Bai Tang, the cat, had somehow found its way in and was happily playing with its tail on the bed.
After such a long nap, Lin Xiaoran felt refreshed. He stretched out and, reaching over, pulled Bai Tang into his arms.
“Meow~” Bai Tang mewed happily when it saw that Lin Xiaoran was awake, lying on its belly and letting him scratch its back. It purred and then crawled into Lin Xiaoran’s arms, licking his fingers affectionately.
When Lin Xiaoran and Gu Yang decided to stay in a different city, they had planned to bring Bai Tang with them. Unfortunately, they were both too busy, and with no one home to take care of the cat, they had to leave Bai Tang behind.
Thankfully, the little one didn’t seem to mind being separated for long and remained very affectionate toward them.
But Lin Xiaoran still felt a bit guilty for not being able to take better care of Bai Tang. He cuddled the cat affectionately, scratching behind its ears.
The little one, clearly enjoying the attention, stuck out its pink tongue and licked Lin Xiaoran’s face.
Just as Bai Tang licked Lin Xiaoran’s face, it was suddenly grabbed by the back of its neck, lifted up into the air.
“Meow~” Bai Tang yowled in surprise.
Lin Xiaoran, surprised, looked up and saw Gu Yang, who had gently poked the cat’s mouth and said seriously, “Bai Tang, where are you licking? That’s mine, stop licking it!”
Lin Xiaoran: “…”
Bai Tang: “Meow!”
The little cat opened its mouth, showing its sharp teeth.
Gu Yang: “Getting mad won’t help. It’s mine, don’t even think about it.”
Bai Tang: “Meow meow meow!”
Bai Tang, now furious, flailed its little legs furiously, but they were too short to reach Gu Yang. The effort looked pitiful.
Lin Xiaoran couldn’t watch any longer. He reached out to rescue Bai Tang and gently rubbed its little head.
The little one, like a child who had been wronged, tilted its head and gave Lin Xiaoran a whiny meow, before turning back to glare at Gu Yang as if to say, “See? That guy’s bullying me.”
Lin Xiaoran held Bai Tang and said, “Bite him!”
Now that the cat felt it had backup, it showed its teeth at Gu Yang, meowing with much more confidence.
Gu Yang was amused and poked the cat’s little head. “You think that having someone backing you up makes you impressive? I told you, it’s mine, so don’t get any ideas.”
Lin Xiaoran rolled his eyes, unsure why Gu Yang could act so childish, even jealous of a cat.
Seeing Bai Tang get so worked up was almost comical.
“We’ll ignore him,” Lin Xiaoran said, soothing Bai Tang. Eventually, the little cat calmed down, closing its eyes and exposing its belly for more scratches.
Gu Yang, sitting on the edge of the bed, watched the scene with a smile. He reached out to pet the cat, and then casually stroked Lin Xiaoran, getting a little benefit, which earned him a sharp glare from Lin Xiaoran. He quickly withdrew his hand and asked, “How’s your stomach now?”
“It’s better,” Lin Xiaoran replied, still focused on petting Bai Tang. It seemed like he wasn’t worried about the situation anymore.
Seeing that Lin Xiaoran’s color had returned to normal and he seemed fine, Gu Yang finally relaxed.
That evening, during the birthday celebration for Grandma Gu, Lin Xiaoran’s stomach began to churn again.
It happened just as it was their turn to toast Grandma. Lin Xiaoran had planned to hold it in and go to the bathroom after the toast, but his stomach was in such turmoil that he couldn’t hold it any longer. He quickly handed the wine to Gu Yang and covered his mouth, rushing to the bathroom.
Gu Yang hurriedly set things down and followed him.
The guests in the living room noticed the situation and became concerned, but then someone spoke up, “Oh, based on that reaction, maybe he’s…”
At first, no one had thought in that direction, but once the idea was suggested, it quickly spread.
“It seems like it. They’ve been married for a few years now, it’s about time they have a child.”
“Yeah, when I was pregnant, I also felt nauseous and had a stomach like his. It’s exactly the same.”
“Has he checked yet? It’s easy to test these days, you can find out right away.”
…
In the bathroom, one person was gagging and the other was concerned, completely unaware of what was being discussed outside. When they returned, Grandma Gu and Lin Lan each grabbed Lin Xiaoran’s hand, both visibly excited, “Xiaoran, could you be pregnant?”
“Huh?” Lin Xiaoran was stunned, and Gu Yang, who was just about to call Dr. Zhang, froze at Grandma’s words as well.
Grandma, now fully focused on Lin Xiaoran, quickly instructed Gu Yang, “Yangyang, what are you standing there for? Call Dr. Zhang, and tell him to bring a pregnancy test.”
Lin Lan gently stroked her son’s hair and smiled tenderly, “Let’s test first, just in case, alright?”
“Yes, yes, yes, if you’re really pregnant, with how careless you two are, Xiaoran, you’ll suffer!” Grandma said, pulling Lin Xiaoran to sit down. She seemed so worried that she completely forgot they still hadn’t toasted to her birthday, as Lin Xiaoran and Gu Yang hadn’t even gotten a chance to do so yet.
Not just Grandma and Lin Lan, but everyone else in the room was now focused on Lin Xiaoran, as if he were already pregnant.
But Lin Xiaoran and Gu Yang never had plans for a child, and they had always taken precautions. There was no way he could be pregnant.
But he didn’t have a chance to explain, as everyone was already crowding around him, eagerly sharing advice on what to do after pregnancy.
Gu Yang also thought the idea was outlandish, but calling Dr. Zhang was indeed a priority, and he also mentioned bringing the pregnancy test, as Grandma insisted. It seemed like today’s celebration wouldn’t be over until Lin Xiaoran took the test. They were just trying to appease Grandma.
Lin Xiaoran thought the same. After Dr. Zhang arrived with the pregnancy test, he didn’t say much and just took it into the bathroom.
Five minutes later, the bathroom door cracked open, and a long, pale hand reached out, grabbing Gu Yang by the collar and pulling him in.
With a loud thud, the door closed behind them. Lin Xiaoran pushed Gu Yang against the door. Reflexively, Gu Yang wrapped his arms around Lin Xiaoran’s waist, about to ask what was going on when he heard Lin Xiaoran, flustered and furious, shout, “Damn it, didn’t you bring protection at the hospital last time?”
“Huh?” Gu Yang froze, his mind a bit scrambled.
“What do you mean?” he thought.
Lin Xiaoran raised the pregnancy test in front of him. “Look for yourself!”
Two clear red lines appeared on the test.
Gu Yang stared blankly at the test, as if he couldn’t understand what he was seeing. His usually calm, smiling eyes were wide in confusion. He kept glancing between the pregnancy test and Lin Xiaoran’s face.
At first, Lin Xiaoran was seething with anger. After all, they hadn’t planned for a child, and they hadn’t been trying for one. It was an unexpected situation, and Lin Xiaoran wanted to hold Gu Yang accountable.
But seeing the dazed expression on Gu Yang’s face, Lin Xiaoran couldn’t help but want to laugh.
He released Gu Yang and, with an air of indifference, said, “Looks like our Yang-ge is upset.”
Then, he turned his back to throw the pregnancy test into the trash.
Gu Yang finally snapped out of it, quickly rushing forward to hug Lin Xiaoran from behind. “Who said I’m upset? I’m ecstatic! Baby, you really… are pregnant?”
He lowered his hand and rested it on Lin Xiaoran’s stomach, still uncertain.
Now that he thought about it, the last time he came back from the U.S., Lin Xiaoran had agreed to sleep with him in the department for the first time after a month apart. Gu Yang had been so excited that he didn’t use protection, and he didn’t have any on him at the time.
Afterward, they went on a date and watched a movie, forgetting to use any contraception… and now, it seemed like they had “won the lottery.”
Lin Xiaoran didn’t speak. He simply handed the pregnancy test back to him.
Two red lines, a clear sign that it was accurate, and that there was little chance of error.
That meant Lin Xiaoran really was pregnant!
Gu Yang couldn’t help but pull him into a tight hug, not knowing what emotions were flooding through him.
Although they hadn’t planned for this, the unexpected happened, and it was Gu Yang and Lin Xiaoran’s child. Gu Yang couldn’t help but feel happy, despite the situation.
However, he knew that the arrival of the child would have a significant impact on Lin Xiaoran’s career. Lin Xiaoran was at a crucial stage, with his career steadily rising, and the hospital’s leadership had high expectations for him.
Keeping the child at this time would be unfair to Lin Xiaoran.
“Xiaoran, I’m sorry. It’s my fault for forgetting that day…” Gu Yang began apologizing.
“Alright!” Lin Xiaoran gently pushed his hand away, turning to look at him. At this moment, his beautiful Omega eyes were no longer filled with anger. He lifted his gaze to meet Gu Yang’s and said seriously, “It’s no use talking about this now. At least we don’t have any bad habits.” Then, he nudged Gu Yang, “Let’s go. Grandma and the others are waiting for the results.”
Without waiting for Gu Yang to respond, he dragged him out of the room.
Indeed, everyone in the house was waiting for the results.
Lin Xiaoran handed the pregnancy test to Lin Lan and Grandma Gu. The roof nearly came off with the ensuing excitement.
Grandma and Lin Lan quickly fussed over Lin Xiaoran, while other guests came to congratulate him. Despite it being Grandma’s birthday, the celebration quickly turned into congratulations for Lin Xiaoran and Gu Yang.
Fortunately, everyone was considerate of Lin Xiaoran’s pregnancy, ensuring he didn’t exert too much effort. The evening ended early, and Lin Xiaoran was promptly sent to bed by Grandma and Lin Lan.
Gu Yang, who had been delayed downstairs for a while, finally came upstairs to find his Omega lazily lying on the bed, flipping through a book.
After taking a shower, Gu Yang’s hair was still damp and soft, falling over his forehead. Lin Xiaoran’s pale face, which had already been fair, now looked even paler from the morning sickness, making his lips appear soft and pink.
Although he was already past twenty-five, at this moment, Lin Xiaoran seemed to have turned back the clock. Gu Yang felt as though the image of his high school self overlapped with the present, as if time itself was particularly kind to beautiful people.
When he saw Gu Yang, Lin Xiaoran put down the book with a helpless sigh, “I should’ve just not told them. They wouldn’t even let me use my phone, saying it emits radiation.”
Gu Yang chuckled and walked over, sitting by the bed, gently pinching his face. “Just bear with it for a couple of days. I won’t restrict your freedom.”
“Really?” Lin Xiaoran raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing him.
Gu Yang immediately felt guilty, “Uh… I’ll try?”
Lin Xiaoran rolled his eyes, knowing full well that Gu Yang had always been overly dramatic, whether it was when he injured his leg or caught a cold. Now that he was pregnant, there was no way Gu Yang wouldn’t try to limit his freedom.
But then again, he realized that Gu Yang was probably just worried because he cared so much.
Suddenly, a memory flashed through Lin Xiaoran’s mind. A long time ago, before they were together, he had suffered through his heat cycle alone and would often bite his wrist in frustration. Before meeting Gu Yang, he’d done it so frequently that it didn’t bother him even when it drew blood.
But Gu Yang had seen it and, in his exaggerated way, had wrapped his wrist in bandages. People who didn’t know might have assumed he’d tried to harm himself.
Remembering that, Lin Xiaoran couldn’t help but smile, a gentle curve forming on his lips as a trace of laughter flickered in his eyes.
Gu Yang didn’t know what he was thinking but could tell that Lin Xiaoran hadn’t let this sudden change in their lives affect his mood.
From the moment Lin Xiaoran had willingly walked out of the bathroom and openly shared that he was pregnant, Gu Yang knew that Lin Xiaoran had made a decision to keep the baby.
Gu Yang felt happiness, but also a sense of tenderness.
“Xiaoran, are we really going to keep this baby?” He held Lin Xiaoran’s hand gently, looking into his eyes, speaking softly, “You don’t really want this, do you? You’re up for a title evaluation soon, and you’re likely to succeed this time. What if…?”
“It’s fine,” Lin Xiaoran interrupted him, raising an eyebrow confidently. “What’s mine will always be mine, just a couple of years later.”
Gu Yang froze for a moment, staring at his beautiful, confident Omega, feeling a happiness he couldn’t quite describe.
His Omega—always so tough on the outside, but underneath, full of love and determination.
Gu Yang knew that the reason Lin Xiaoran had made this decision wasn’t because of family expectations or any other reason—it was for him.
He leaned forward and hugged Lin Xiaoran tightly, burying his face in his neck, his voice muffled, “Xiaoran, thank you.”
Thank you for being willing to give so much for me.
He had always told Lin Xiaoran to do whatever he wanted, that he would love seeing his Omega grow into someone capable and shining in his own field. He had loved seeing Lin Xiaoran confident and radiant.
But now, his Omega was having to make sacrifices, and that stirred so many emotions in Gu Yang—joy, love, gratitude, and a deep ache in his heart.
“Silly,” Lin Xiaoran gently patted his hair, laughing softly. “It’s your child and mine. I want this too.”
