Chapter 92: Thirty Weeks Pregnant
As everyone knows, the quickest way to become familiar with someone is to gossip about mutual acquaintances.
At this moment, Xie had become the sacrificial lamb. Chu Qing spared no effort in talking to Chi Wang about him. “I gave him that nickname because he was always so quiet as a child. I hoped he would talk more, be more lively, so I called him ‘Shengsheng.'”
Chi Wang said, “Well, it doesn’t seem to have worked.”
Chu Qing sighed, “Yes, it didn’t have much effect. You see, even at his age, you can’t get a word out of him even if you beat him with three sticks.”1
Chi Wang burst into laughter. “Hahaha!”
Xie: “…”
Xie Yunting: “…”
Too vulgar, my dear wife. At least leave our son some dignity, thought Xie Yunting.
Chi Wang stifled his laughter and spoke up for Xie, “Actually, he’s much better now. He talks a lot when he’s with me.”
Chu Qing said, “When you’re in a relationship, you have to change a bit; otherwise, who would want him? Don’t you agree?”
Xie: “…”
Chi Wang laughed heartily, “Yes, yes!”
Xie Yunting called over the waiter and ordered three cups of coffee and a cup of hot milk.
Father and son essentially became wallflowers on the side, while Chi Wang and Chu Qing chatted enthusiastically. They couldn’t stop talking about Xie, even discussing his childhood stories.
Chi Wang listened with great interest.
Beside them, Xie maintained a stoic expression. Xie Yunting reached out and patted his hand in a gesture of comfort.
Son, forget about saving face today.
Xie: “…”
After this chat, Chi Wang and Chu Qing finally warmed up to each other. They even exchanged contact information and created a small group chat called “A Loving Family.”
Chi Wang looked at it and laughed. He had seen similar group names in Luo Lianyun and Shu Tingyu’s family chats; they were remarkably similar.
Chu Qing didn’t mention Chi Wang’s pregnancy. Such matters aren’t suitable to bring up at a first meeting. Today was simply about getting acquainted, and that was the sole purpose.
After the meeting, Chi Wang and Xie went home. On the way, Chi Wang said to Xie, “Senior, your mom is really easy to get along with.”
She had smiled at him the whole time, very gentle, without any of that condescending attitude elders sometimes have. She didn’t feel like an elder at all; more like a peer.
Xie didn’t say anything. It was a good thing that Chi Wang and Chu Qing got along.
But having his secrets exposed was always unpleasant.
Sure enough, before long, Chi Wang began to tease him. “Shengsheng~ From now on, I won’t call you ‘Senior’ anymore; I’ll call you ‘Shengsheng’~”
Chi Wang elongated his voice, his eyes and mouth filled with laughter. His eyes were like stars, his lips red and teeth white, exuding a vibrant, youthful charm.
“…”
Xie looked at his beautiful eyes brimming with life and said seriously, “Don’t.”
Chi Wang asked, “Why not? It’s such a nice name. Don’t you like it? Or do you prefer me calling you ‘Senior’? But that feels too distant.”
As he spoke, he tilted his head slightly to look at Xie, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Since you don’t like it, I’ll have to keep calling you ‘Senior.'”
Xie said, “You could call me ‘Husband’; that would be more intimate.”
Chi Wang: “…”
The smile vanished from his face. Like a quail, he shrank his head into his coat collar.
Husband? Me, a stalwart young man, calling another man ‘Husband’?
That’s way too damn cheesy.
Actually, Chi Wang hadn’t even considered himself gay. He had never liked girls, but he also hadn’t liked boys. Due to psychological trauma from middle school, he had always felt a bit of fear and aversion towards men’s bodies other than his own.
Could someone like that be gay?
Impossible.
But with Xie…
Uh.
Classmate Xiao Xie is quite handsome, with beautiful blue veins and a righteous, proper appearance. He’s particularly upright, and with his physique and fair skin, there’s a beauty that defies logic.
Chi Wang didn’t dislike him; in fact, he quite liked him.
Getting off track, even though Chi Wang was pregnant, he never doubted his own masculinity. He wouldn’t feel confused or lost because he had reproductive organs. His self-awareness was very clear. Even though he had strong feelings for Xie, his heart beating fervently for him, he didn’t think of himself as gay.
If it were any other man, he wouldn’t give them a second glance.
Take handsome guys, for example. He had met plenty of them growing up. Did he ever look at them more than usual? No, he didn’t.
In high school, he joined the track and field team, and there were quite a few handsome teammates. None reached Xie’s level, but they were the typical fair-skinned, good-looking guys you’d find at any university. During training, they’d strip down to just shorts—eight-pack abs, long legs, and strong waists. He didn’t look at them any more than necessary, felt nothing special, and wasn’t intrigued at all.
He had a wide circle of friends, with many handsome men and beautiful women among them, but he felt nothing.
If you say he hadn’t matured yet… come on, he’s eighteen or nineteen. His adolescence is more than halfway over. He even watches adult films; if he were going to be moved, he would have been by now.
In short, Chi Wang didn’t consider himself gay. Liking Xie was fine, but calling him ‘Husband’ was just too damn cheesy.
Chi Wang couldn’t possibly say it.
Absolutely impossible.
Seeing him shrink like a quail and not responding, Xie was silent for a moment before saying softly, “…You can continue calling me ‘Senior.'”
At least don’t call me ‘Shengsheng’; I have my pride.
Chi Wang poked his head out. “Alright, Shengsheng.”
Xie: “…”
Forget it, as long as he’s happy.
Chi Wang stopped walking, reached out to hug Xie’s waist, and mumbled, “Husband.”
Xie: “…”
The corners of his mouth couldn’t help but lift.
Chi Wang thought: Bottom lines are meant to be broken (lol).
Successfully secured the right to call Xie by his nickname (?)
He really was a genius.
*
A few days later, Chi Wang and Chu Qing had become thoroughly familiar with each other.
This was only natural. It wasn’t their first meeting, and with the foundation laid at the previous banquet, Chi Wang didn’t feel unfamiliar with Chu Qing. It was only a matter of time before they became close.
As for Xie Yunting…
For some reason, although Xie’s father was very handsome, exuding the charm of a mature man with a strong presence, he was easily overlooked when standing next to Chu Qing.
It wasn’t until they returned home that Chi Wang realized his future father-in-law hadn’t said a word to him.
He couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy about what Xie Yunting thought of him.
He was a bit embarrassed to ask, but at this point, Chi Wang naturally hoped that Xie’s parents would like him.
He had been so focused on chatting with Chu Qing and hadn’t used any of his ‘pleasing elders’ skills on Xie Yunting. He wasn’t sure what the man thought of him.
After holding it in for a long time, he finally asked Xie.
Xie: “…My dad, you don’t need to mind him.”
Chi Wang asked naively, “Why?”
Xie’s voice was cold, “In our family, my mom calls the shots. He doesn’t have much sense.”
Chi Wang: “???”
Such extreme filial piety—it’s the first time I’ve seen someone talk about their own father like this.2
Chi Wang humbly inquired, “Why do you say that?”
Xie said, “He’s a very indifferent and cold person. You don’t need to mind him. It’s enough that my mom likes you.”
Chi Wang: “…”
What’s this logic?
Confused face.jpg
After confirming multiple times that he didn’t need to concern himself with Xie Yunting, Chi Wang fell silent.
All he could say was, Like father, like son?
Chi Wang quietly asked Shu Tingyu for a cyber incense-burning app.
He began to open his phone every day to light three sticks of electronic incense, praying to heaven and earth that the baby wouldn’t be like Xie.
He has to be like me! I don’t want to give birth to a robot—a three-generation AI that outlasts people. Just thinking about it is a disaster.
Then he thought of Xiao Fu. There’s a saying that nephews resemble their uncles, a widely accepted notion. Although he’s male, calling him ‘uncle’ makes sense. So Chi Wang added another prayer: hoping the baby wouldn’t be like Xiao Fu.
Watching Chi Wang sincerely praying every day for the baby not to be like him, Xie fell silent.
For the first time, he felt Chi Wang’s disdain.
However, his thoughts aligned with Chi Wang’s; he hoped the baby would resemble Chi Wang.
That way, the child would be adorable.
*
That night, Chi Wang began to feel restless again.
The feeling of unfulfilled desire was quite uncomfortable. Sitting was uneasy, lying down was uncomfortable, and as for sleeping, forget it—how could he fall asleep?
While showering, he tried to take care of it himself.
Using the techniques Xie had taught him, it did feel much better than before, but it also left him feeling even more unsatisfied.
Having tasted fine fare, who would still fancy these paltry scraps?3
Chi Wang couldn’t continue and focused on taking a thorough shower before coming out.
In the past eight or nine days, they had tacitly avoided bringing it up.
But when Chi Wang was looking for nail clippers, he saw condoms and lubricant in the drawer, the packaging unopened—clearly newly purchased.
Chi Wang: “…”
Not saying anything but secretly preparing, huh?
So repressed and secretly passionate.6
Chi Wang closed the drawer, pretending he hadn’t seen anything.
His face was hot, suddenly realizing that he was already of an age where he could have a sex life.
Chi Wang occasionally felt this way, thinking he was still young, still in school. Dating had always seemed like an unattainable thing, and now he was pregnant and about to have a child.
If they didn’t hurry up and do it once, they really wouldn’t be able to!
Let’s give it a try today!
With that thought, Chi Wang mustered up his courage.
After Xie finished his shower and got into bed, he exchanged a glance with Chi Wang, paused for a moment, and reached out to turn off the lights.
Having spent so much time together, they could practically communicate with their eyes.
To this day, Xie had never fully seen Chi Wang’s body because they always did things after turning off the lights.
Xie hadn’t thought to change this. In the dark, people often feel braver; with the lights on, Chi Wang wouldn’t let him touch.
Xie held Chi Wang’s wrist, removing the bead bracelet he wore, interlocking their fingers, and pressed his arms down on either side of his head.
They began by kissing. Chi Wang’s upper lip was full, with a distinct cupid’s bow and a beautiful lip contour. His lips were soft and sweet to kiss, and Xie Sicheng loved kissing them.
His tongue slipped in, prying open Chi Wang’s teeth, delving deep inside, gently entwining and licking his tongue.
Chi Wang’s body grew increasingly hot. His hands were pinned and couldn’t move, but his legs were free. He lifted them, wrapping around Xie’s strong, slender waist. Unable to resist, he rubbed against him, but Xie caught his calves, stroking his increasingly soft leg muscles from bottom to top.
The atmosphere became more intense. Seizing a moment to catch his breath, Chi Wang murmured drowsily, “Do it, quickly.”
The sound of a drawer opening echoed in the darkness. Chi Wang heard the tearing of packaging and the rustling of fabric.
Soon, he felt a cool sensation as the air brushed over his sweat-dampened legs. What was once separated by fabric was now skin-to-skin contact, which made him feel especially at ease.
A damp sensation enveloped him, and Chi Wang felt an indescribable chill. The flame in his body seemed to burn even brighter because of this cold, but inside, fear began to creep in.
He wanted to call a halt, but this time Xie didn’t give him the chance. After two unsuccessful attempts before, this time was going to be different.
Chi Wang yelped. His legs, which had been intimately entwined, began to struggle, his knees pushing against Xie’s broad, firm chest to prevent him from getting closer. But Xie’s arms were long, making it hard to stop him.
Chi Wang felt like a giant clam; at first, a small gap was pried open, revealing the soft interior within reach. The gap grew wider, exposing the tender, red flesh to the light.
This feeling was terrifying.
Completely panicked, Chi Wang hastily said, “Let’s forget about today! I have things to do—I haven’t even finished my work!”
Xie’s voice was hoarse as he said, “I’ll give you a day off.”
Chi Wang: “…”
Well, he wasn’t wrong; after all, Xie was still his immediate supervisor.
Chi Wang quickly changed his excuse, “We have to submit our group project tomorrow. I still have to redo my part. Let’s stop for now—we can do it another day—ah!”
Chi Wang was stunned, trembling as he asked, “Did you… go in?”
Xie replied, “Yes.”
Chi Wang: “…”
Chi Wang: “All the way???”
Xie said, “Not yet.”
But soon.
His knees were completely parted. Thanks to Chi Wang’s flexible muscles, Xie spread them effortlessly.
Chi Wang: “…”
He fell silent.
After a while, he freed his arms and covered his face. Even in the darkness, he needed to hide his thoroughly flushed cheeks and moist eyes.
Resignedly, he said, “Just… be gentle. Don’t bump into the baby.”
Xie leaned down, kissing his neck, his hoarse voice carrying a hint of husky murmur, “I will.”
It was a very gentle intimacy, the experience surprisingly pleasant.
Neither of them remembered that night at the hotel, so in a sense, this was their first time.
Xie was very careful and gentle, prioritizing Chi Wang’s comfort, attending to him thoughtfully.
By the end, Chi Wang even took the initiative to change positions to facilitate Xie’s movements.
He held his belly securely, afraid of any mishaps, but in fact, it was much safer than he thought.
Xie didn’t even come close to the baby; after all, there was still a long and winding path serving as a buffer.
It was a lengthy exchange.
Afterward, Chi Wang felt somewhat exhausted. It wasn’t that his stamina was lacking; he had been tense the whole time, his muscles always tight. Once he fully relaxed, it was natural to feel very tired.
The light came on, and Chi Wang instinctively covered his face with his arms. He didn’t dare think about what expression he had, so he hid it all, revealing only half of his lips and chin.
His lips were very red and swollen, his chin damp, adorned with glistening beads of sweat.
Xie brought over warm water to wipe his body.
Chi Wang said hoarsely, “Turn off the lights.”
Xie replied, “How can I clean you with the lights off?”
Chi Wang: “…”
He said nothing more.
He didn’t want Xie to see him, but he was too weak, and his legs were still spread apart.
Embarrassed and annoyed, Chi Wang resigned himself: Forget it. He’s already been inside; what’s the harm in letting him look?
Wait, he himself hadn’t even seen, and he let Xie see?
Thinking about it, his face burned again; it was too mortifying.
Xie wrung out the warm towel, gently wiping his body. At the end, he wiped his face, reaching out to pry Chi Wang’s arms away. Lowering his gaze, he looked at Chi Wang’s moist eyes and the long, curled lashes sticking together. His eyes blinked, carrying a captivating post-intimacy charm.
Xie’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his mouth dry, and he leaned down to kiss Chi Wang’s lips.
Chi Wang was held upright as Xie kissed him for quite a while. The warm towel had become cold, so Xie went to soak it in hot water again, wiping his face and ears. After cleaning him up, he leaned down to kiss him again.
Chi Wang: “…”
He became annoyed by the incessant kissing and said irritably, “Go away, stop kissing me; you’re so annoying.”
He wanted to turn over, but his belly restricted his movements. Xie half-held him, seizing the opportunity to steal a few more kisses.
Chi Wang: “…”
He lifted his leg in a fairly smooth motion, sliding his upper body from Xie’s arms onto the bed. Both legs hooked around Xie’s neck, his feet pressing against Xie’s handsome face. He laughed, “I permit you to kiss my feet.”
He smiled mischievously, but soon couldn’t laugh anymore, because Xie actually grabbed his snow-white toes and began to peck kisses on them.
Chi Wang’s eyes widened in shock: “…”
Wait, you’re such a pervert!
Chi Wang was startled by Xie’s actions, shivering slightly, unable to speak.
Xie, however, did this with a solemn expression, kissing each toe evenly. After finishing, he held Chi Wang’s ankle, kissing upward all the way, finally reaching Chi Wang’s round belly.
Chi Wang: “…”
He finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Stop kissing! You pervert!”
Xie lowered his head, but his eyes lifted, looking at him with a deep and passionate gaze. His voice was hoarse, “Can we go again?”
He requested very politely.
Chi Wang said grumpily, “No!”
Because it had been so gentle, the duration was stretched out, and he was already a bit swollen. When wiping earlier, he felt pain. Given that he wasn’t very sensitive to pain, the actual situation was probably more severe.
How could Chi Wang dare to continue?
He refused, and Xie didn’t press further.
Xie moved the basin away, then asked Chi Wang to get up so he could change the bedsheets.
Chi Wang leaned against a chair watching him, not expecting Xie to be so adept at changing the sheets and duvet cover.
Many young people nowadays don’t know how to change duvet covers. Chi Wang had encountered such roommates in middle and high school. Even in college, he was the one who changed Shu Tingyu’s duvet cover.
After changing the bedding, Chi Wang lay back down on the bed.
Because Xie’s actions had been very gentle, there wasn’t much discomfort. Chi Wang felt good, his whole body soft and especially sleepy.
He didn’t feel restless anymore. As soon as his head touched the pillow, Chi Wang fell asleep.
Having had their first time, what followed was natural.
Once you’ve tasted delicacies, who would settle for plain fare?
Before the late stage of pregnancy, they hurried to take advantage a few more times.
A box of condoms was quickly used up.
Xie’s parents had also settled in H City, with no set date to return; they were there to accompany Chi Wang as he awaited the birth.
H City didn’t have good postpartum care centers, so Chu Qing hired professionals to create a personalized one just for Chi Wang.
Now they just waited for Chi Wang to give birth.
Apart from that, Chu Qing didn’t do much else, always worried about making Chi Wang feel uncomfortable.
By April, the weather in H City had completely warmed up.
Chi Wang’s loose maternity hoodies were no longer suitable; he could only switch to oversized T-shirts.
But this didn’t conceal his belly well; after all, Chi Wang always stood with a straight back, making his round belly particularly noticeable.
He looked left and right in the mirror, finding that no matter what, he couldn’t hide it. Realizing he couldn’t go out anymore, he felt like the sky was falling.
Xie comforted him, “Others won’t think you’re pregnant; they’ll just think you have a little belly.”
Chi Wang retorted angrily, “Is it normal for a handsome guy like me to have a belly?”
Xie replied, “…Actually, it’s quite normal.”
Nowadays, many guys stay up late gaming and binge eating; having a belly is normal.
Chi Wang thought of Shu Tingyu. Well, it was indeed normal. But he said, “But for me, it’s not normal!”
Even when Chi Wang wasn’t working, just on the way, he knew many people both on and off campus. He had to save face!
So Chi Wang didn’t want to go out anymore.
But staying in made him feel stifled. So Xie came up with an idea: they would move.
Chi Wang: “…”
Alright then.
So they took advantage of the weekend and quickly moved to another place Xie owned—a large villa with some neighbors nearby.
Few people were around, but it was less than a ten-minute drive to the city center; it was quite a nice house.
Although his belly would still show, at least no one knew him here!
In fact, if Chi Wang were willing to hunch his back, the problem might be solved. After all, he was tall and slender; oversized T-shirts could easily conceal it. But he stubbornly refused to slouch or bend over, so his belly remained visible.
After moving to the new home, it was time for another prenatal check-up.
Now he was thirty weeks pregnant. At the earliest, he could give birth in seven weeks; at the latest, he had about twelve weeks left.
Time was running out for Chi Wang.
Xiao Fu contacted him more frequently. After Chi Wang moved, Xiao Fu also bought a house nearby so he could visit anytime.
This time, Xiao Fu wanted to accompany him to the check-up.
Chi Wang didn’t refuse, and Xiao Fu quietly said to him, “I have a grudge with your attending physician. Can you help me find out how he might forgive me?”
Chi Wang asked what the grudge was about. Xiao Fu didn’t answer for a long time. Chi Wang had a hunch that the issue was likely caused by Xiao Fu. Given his tendencies, Chi Wang even felt that if Xiao Fu didn’t change, he’d end up in trouble sooner or later.
Chi Wang said, “If you don’t tell me what happened, how can I help you ask? If you really don’t want to say, then forget it. The doctor is quite nice; he’s a friend of Xie’s. He won’t be less attentive to me because of you.”
Xiao Fu said gloomily, “You never know. When you give birth, I’ll definitely be there with you. If he sees me and harbors ill intentions, he might sabotage things.”
Chi Wang replied, “Because you’re like that, you think others are too?”
Xiao Fu: “…”
Chi Wang truly didn’t have any ‘big brother filter’ for him.
Chi Wang asked, “When did this grudge happen?”
Xiao Fu said, “When he was eighteen and I was thirteen.”
He wanted to excuse himself by saying he was too young to know better but swallowed the words. How could he not have known better at that age? He already understood a lot; he was just trying to fool Chi Wang.
Chi Wang asked, “So what did you do?”
Xiao Fu sighed and answered honestly, “I hit him with a stone and broke his head.”
Chi Wang: “…”
As expected.
Chi Wang covered his face. After a while, he asked, “You didn’t apologize afterward?”
Xiao Fu: “…”
How could he possibly go apologize?
Chi Wang said, “I won’t help you. If you want to apologize, go yourself. You’re an adult now, still doing such things. You’re too much.”
Xiao Fu felt as if arrows pierced his heart. He knew he was like this, but hearing Chi Wang bluntly criticize him was still hard to take. He said gloomily, “…I understand. I’ll go.”
Chi Wang said, “Don’t come to the prenatal check-up. I’m afraid you’ll ruin the doctor’s mood.”
Xiao Fu: “…”
Chi Wang hung up. It wasn’t surprising that his wording was harsh; during this time, he had figured out Xiao Fu’s mentality. Only by being stern with him would he listen.
The results of the thirty-week prenatal check-up came out quickly. The doctor told Chi Wang and Xie, “The due date should be around thirty-nine weeks. You need to be extra cautious during this time. Since Chi Wang doesn’t have menstruation, it’s hard to calculate the exact due date, but it’s definitely within this time frame. Chi Wang’s birth canal is too narrow; natural childbirth is impossible. Surgery is a must, and the timing of this surgery affects the baby. So you must be especially careful during this period. If you feel any abdominal pain, don’t worry about anything else; come straight to the hospital.”
Chi Wang nodded vigorously, “Got it!”
The doctor smiled kindly and said, “It’s been hard during this time. Just bear with it for nine more weeks, and it’ll all be over. I’ll suture you beautifully then, to minimize scarring as much as possible.”
Chi Wang asked curiously, “If you suture well, there won’t be a scar?”
The doctor hesitated, “Well, there will still be some scarring. Even if there’s none on the surface, it’ll feel hard when touched. I can only ensure the suturing is good, reducing the chance of external scarring.”
Chi Wang laughed, “It’s no big deal.”
He really didn’t care much about scarring; the only thing he disliked was stretch marks.
Thank goodness, he didn’t have any on his belly yet.
But only nine weeks left until birth…
Chi Wang wanted to be scared but then thought, with nine weeks left, it wouldn’t be too late to be scared in the ninth week.
Decision happily made!
Now it was already the late stage of pregnancy; logically, they shouldn’t be intimate anymore.
But Chi Wang’s desires only increased, always wanting to be close to Xie.
As if confirming, he asked the doctor again, “Doctor, we really can’t… be intimate now?”
Xie beside him: “…”
Doctor: “…”
He looked at Chi Wang; on his beautiful face were a pair of clear eyes, bright and sunny. Even when asking such questions, he seemed like he was asking a complex math problem—particularly serious and sincere.
The doctor considered for a moment and said, “Actually, your situation is quite unique. After all, the birth canal is too narrow, and it’s not on the same plane. But being intimate without proper caution can easily disturb the fetus.”
Chi Wang asked bluntly, “Then can we be gentle?”
Doctor: “…”
He cast a reproachful glance at Xie, as if to say, “Look at how you’ve led him astray!”
Xie: “…”
It was all his fault.
- “Can’t get a word out of him even if you beat him with three sticks”: An idiom meaning someone is extremely taciturn or uncommunicative.
- “Filial piety to death”: Internet slang used sarcastically when someone is being notably unfilial or disrespectful to their parents.
- “Having tasted fine fare, who would still fancy these paltry scraps?”: An expression meaning once you’ve experienced better things, it’s hard to go back to inferior ones. In the original Chinese, “Having eaten fine bran, who would settle for three melons and two dates?” where “three melons and two dates” refer to trivial or insignificant things.
- “Repressed and secretly passionate” : Describes someone who seems quiet or reserved but is actually passionate or flirtatious inside.
