“Uncle, I’m carrying Qiao Hailou’s child.”
—That was how Shen Yuan put it.
At first, Li Chen genuinely didn’t understand. What did “carrying Qiao Hailou’s child” even mean? Completely baffled, he asked, “Qiao Hailou has a kid? An illegitimate one? And he only told you after you got married?! Now he plans to bring the child over for you to raise??”
That was Li Chen’s interpretation. He thought Qiao Hailou was trying to dump a kid on Shen Yuan. Given Qiao Hailou’s formerly wild and unrestrained lifestyle, having left a child somewhere didn’t seem strange at all.
Li Chen got angry on Shen Yuan’s behalf. “Isn’t this going too far? Even if the child existed before he met you, he should’ve told you before the wedding! Telling you only now—he did it on purpose, didn’t he? And after pulling something this deceitful, he doesn’t even have the guts to say it himself, hiding like a coward and pushing you out as the shield?”
Shen Yuan’s face flushed bright red. He was stunned—he hadn’t expected his uncle to interpret it like that. This was completely off by a mile! He hurriedly shook his head. “No, no, you misunderstood. This child is mine and Qiao Hailou’s. Not his with someone else… I…”
Li Chen froze, then angrily slapped the newspaper onto the table. “So he went and got a surrogate? Was there really a need to rush this much? Trying to tie you down with a kid, huh! You’re still young—marrying him already put you at a disadvantage, and now he dares to trick you into having a child so early. You already decided to go abroad for further studies—you wouldn’t have agreed to this. Did he just do it first and tell you later? His character is really—”
Shen Yuan stared wide-eyed and hurried to explain. “No, no, no, that’s not it, Uncle. You still misunderstood. Please don’t get upset or jump to conclusions. Let me explain properly.”
Li Chen was still angry, but after unloading so much on Qiao Hailou, he calmed down a little. “I misunderstood again? Then what exactly do you mean? What child? Where did this child come from?”
Shen Yuan dragged over a chair and sat down properly, spine straight, speaking with great seriousness. “Uncle, I’m sorry. Let me apologize first. You’ve always treated me like your own child, yet because of my selfishness, I kept this from you. After Mom passed away, only my uncle knew about this—and Qiao Hailou knew as well.”
Li Chen frowned. “What exactly is it? And what does it have to do with the child you mentioned?”
With great difficulty, Shen Yuan said, “My body… isn’t exactly that of a complete, normal man. I have intersex characteristics. I didn’t really understand it before either… I didn’t know I could get pregnant. Anyway… I mean… I—I’m pregnant with Qiao Hailou’s child.”
He’d finally said it.
At last, the massive stone that had been hanging over Shen Yuan’s heart dropped. He watched his uncle’s reaction nervously and cautiously, guilt weighing on him as he added another apology. “I’m sorry, Uncle, for hiding this from you for so long. I didn’t dare tell anyone. I didn’t want anyone to know.”
Li Chen didn’t respond at all. He truly… felt like he understood every word individually, yet when they were strung together, he couldn’t make sense of them. Huh? What just happened?
Dazed, Li Chen took off his glasses, his movements stiff. He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
This was too bizarre…
He had to be dreaming. This had to be a dream.
After a long while, Li Chen asked in a daze, “I… don’t think I quite understand what you’re saying. You mean… you’re pregnant?”
Shen Yuan subconsciously pressed a hand to his stomach and nodded. “Yeah. It’s been confirmed. The fetus is ten and a half weeks along.”
Li Chen… Li Chen didn’t know what to say anymore. He pinched his thigh hard, so hard he almost jumped from the pain. Damn it—this was real!
He’d thought Shen Yuan eloping and secretly marrying Qiao Hailou was already a huge shock. He hadn’t expected something even bigger.
After forcing himself to calm down a little, Li Chen asked, “Are you planning to keep the child?”
Shen Yuan clenched his fists tightly. “If he can be born healthy into this world, then I want him.”
Li Chen wasn’t exactly on board, but didn’t know what to say. “…That thing you wanted to tell me on the fifth day of the New Year—was it this?”
Shen Yuan nodded in admission.
Shen Yuan had already made up his mind. He was just informing him. What could Li Chen say now? Force him not to keep the baby? Irritated, Li Chen said, “Dummy, you’re only nineteen. You’re still in school. If you keep this child, what about your studies?”
At this, Li Chen ground his teeth at the thought of Qiao Hailou. “It’s all that old bastard Qiao Hailou’s fault! Something this big, and he lets you come clean by yourself! He knows that if he were here, I’d beat him until he couldn’t get up! If you have this child now, won’t your education be delayed?”
Knowing he was in the wrong, Shen Yuan defended Qiao Hailou in a low voice. “It won’t be delayed. Qiao Hailou said he’ll go study with me. He’ll take care of the baby while I attend school.”
Li Chen froze, emotions tangled. He resented Qiao Hailou for getting Shen Yuan pregnant, but if Qiao Hailou really was willing to accompany him and take care of the child, then that was a separate matter—at least it showed some responsibility. Still, he didn’t quite believe it. “Really? Are you sure? What if he’s just sweet-talking you? Once the child’s born, if he changes his mind, you can’t exactly shove the baby back into your belly.”
Shen Yuan often called Qiao Hailou a big liar in private, but hearing his uncle doubt him, he rushed to vouch for Qiao Hailou instead. “He wouldn’t lie to me. He’s already started arranging people to take over his work. We’ve planned everything. The training program I’m joining is actually just a smokescreen Qiao Hailou set up. I’ll use that as an excuse to go abroad and give birth there… after that, I’ll enroll in school. We’re already looking at houses for sale near the campus.”
Qiao Hailou really was a bastard, Li Chen thought. He clearly did something wrong—tricking a kid into having his child—yet he’d arranged everything so flawlessly that Li Chen couldn’t even find a hole to criticize.
Then, all of a sudden, Li Chen’s overheated brain caught onto a detail he’d missed earlier. “Wait. How far along did you say the baby is? Ten and a half weeks? You’re sure? You’ve only been married a little over a month.”
Shen Yuan had thought he could gloss over it, but his uncle still caught it. He was mortified—pregnant before marriage was really indecent. His face flushed crimson. “It… it is ten and a half weeks…”
Li Chen said, “So you were already pregnant before the wedding?”
Shen Yuan said, “B-but I didn’t know back then.”
Li Chen snapped, furious. “Whether you knew or not isn’t the point!”
Sleeping with a nineteen-year-old kid without protection—scum!
Getting him pregnant before marriage—scum among scum!
Thank God Qiao Hailou took responsibility and married him. Otherwise, Li Chen would’ve wanted to kill him. The child he’d painstakingly raised was ruined by some old man like this!
Li Chen shot to his feet, getting angrier the more he thought about it. “Something involving a human life, and he lets you come clean alone? Where is Qiao Hailou right now?!”
Seeing him look ready to roll up his sleeves and beat someone, Shen Yuan said with a red face, “No—it was me. I was afraid you’d hit him, so I didn’t let him come. I didn’t tell him. Otherwise, he definitely would’ve come with me. Last time, he came with me too, remember? Uncle, calm down. I was careless too. Qiao Hailou didn’t do it on purpose. Don’t blame him for everything—I share responsibility. This definitely isn’t something one person could do alone.”
That only made Li Chen angrier. Qiao Hailou being scum was one thing—Shen Yuan still defending him made it worse. A married son really was water spilled out of the basin.
Li Chen glared at him. “You’re still speaking up for him! So he’s completely innocent, and you’re taking all the blame yourself? You’re way too good to him—so good I’m starting to wonder if he put some kind of spell on you!”
Shen Yuan obediently took the scolding, but still murmured in defense, “It was my choice to keep the baby. Qiao Hailou treats me very well. He’s really worried about me—he actually didn’t want me to have the baby that much.”
Li Chen had nothing left to say. Whenever he criticized Qiao Hailou, Shen Yuan simply wouldn’t hear it.
Seeing that his uncle seemed to have accepted the situation, Shen Yuan cautiously asked, “Uncle… then can I go live with Qiao Hailou? I really miss him.”
Li Chen said, “You really have no backbone.”
Shen Yuan’s face reddened beyond belief.
Left with no choice, Li Chen said, “Then pack your things. I’ll take you over there now.”
Shen Yuan said earnestly, trying to be independent, “It’s okay, Uncle. I’m not that fragile. I can drive over myself.”
Li Chen replied, “I want to see Qiao Hailou.”
Shen Yuan let out a small “Huh?” and asked worriedly, “You’re not still planning to hit him, are you? Please don’t.”
Li Chen truly had no temper left. Look at how Shen Yuan was already siding with him. “I promise I won’t hit him, okay? As the child’s father, I’m allowed to ask him a few questions, right?”
Shen Yuan shook his head. “That’s fine, that’s fine.”
At last, he could go live with Qiao Hailou again.
Shen Yuan had secretly packed his luggage long ago, just waiting for permission to move. Once his uncle agreed, Shen Yuan happily dragged out his suitcase and said, “I’m all packed. Let’s go.”
Li Chen: “…”
He walked over, sighed helplessly, and said, “Give me the suitcase. I’ll carry it. You’ve got a baby in your belly—don’t bounce around like that. It’s dangerous.”
Li Chen was genuinely scared. Xiao Lin’s biological mother had died during childbirth; it had taken him many years to crawl out of that shadow.
Feeling guilty, Shen Yuan obediently did whatever his uncle said.
In the car, Shen Yuan realized that from start to finish, his uncle hadn’t made any comment about his unusual body at all—he’d just accepted it naturally.
Li Chen asked, “So how did you find out about the baby?”
Shen Yuan paused before answering. “On the second day of the New Year, I said I was going to my uncle’s place, but I didn’t actually go. We went abroad to see a doctor… I wanted corrective surgery, and Qiao Hailou went with me. They found it during the pre-op exam.”
Li Chen sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I was scared. I was afraid you’d hate me for it… My uncle and my dad both said I was disgusting because of this.” Shen Yuan said softly. “I’m sorry, Uncle…”
Li Chen shook his head. “I’m not blaming you. It’s my fault—I didn’t earn enough of your trust and let things be delayed for so many years. If I’d known earlier, I would’ve taken you to get surgery sooner. Then maybe this wouldn’t have turned into a whole human life situation.”
Shen Yuan sent Qiao Hailou a message in advance, telling him he’d come clean with his uncle and would be moving over today.
Qiao Hailou obediently waited at home for his wife.
When Li Chen’s car arrived, Qiao Hailou immediately tensed up. Then he saw Li Chen get out, carrying Shen Yuan’s suitcase and marching toward him with murderous intent. Qiao Hailou’s heart skipped.
Is he going to hit me? Gritting his teeth, Qiao Hailou thought, Fine. If he hits me, he hits me. He won’t beat me to death. If I get a few bruises, I can even play it up and make Shen Yuan feel sorry for me.
Li Chen stopped in front of him, glared viciously—but didn’t get physical. He simply handed over the suitcase. “You carry it.”
Qiao Hailou escaped disaster. “Yes, yes, I’ll carry it.”
Shen Yuan followed a couple of steps behind.
Li Chen scrutinized Qiao Hailou from head to toe. “I really think you’re a piece of work. Shen Yuan is still so young, and you tricked him into having your child.”
Both Qiao Hailou and Shen Yuan turned bright red.
Qiao Hailou lowered his head obediently. “It’s my fault. I’ll take responsibility.”
Li Chen snapped, “You’d better!”
This time, Qiao Hailou truly didn’t dare joke around. Like a stunned teenager, he said, “No, no, of course I’ll take responsibility. I’ll do everything I can for Shen Yuan.”
Even more nervous now, Shen Yuan subconsciously stepped forward, standing in front of Qiao Hailou.
Li Chen glanced at him and clicked his tongue. “Honestly… I wasn’t going to hit him. Do you really need to protect him like that? You like him that much, huh?”
For Shen Yuan’s sake, Li Chen only scolded Qiao Hailou a couple more times before leaving.
Qiao Hailou had thick skin anyway—being scolded a bit didn’t hurt. Finally seeing Li Chen off, he carried the luggage with one hand, held his wife’s hand with the other, and brought Shen Yuan into the house, blissed out.
He’d finally tricked him back home! No more sleeping alone from today on! Truly moving!!
Shen Yuan’s luggage was moved into his room—no need for Shen Yuan to lift a finger. He’d do it all himself!
He led Shen Yuan inside, sat him on the couch, cut up a plate of fruit, poured juice and milk for him—he couldn’t have been more diligent.
After tidying everything up, Qiao Hailou came back out.
Shen Yuan asked, “When are we leaving? Isn’t the training program still not fully arranged?”
Qiao Hailou crouched down in front of him, gently touching his belly. “The program itself is easy. It’s the expert team that hasn’t been finalized yet.”
After hesitating, Shen Yuan said, “Uncle… I’ve thought about it. I want to accept Professor Haywood’s offer.”