Chapter 40: Early Prenatal Education!
Although the bed was warm and fragrant, the room temperature was indeed not as comfortable as home. To keep cold air from getting in when they moved, He Siming wrapped Jiang Rong tightly from behind, pulling the blanket snugly around the two of them.
The lime scent of his pheromones melted Jiang Rong into a juicy, plump peach—sweet peach juice, rich peach fragrance, lush but not cloying.
When Jiang Rong was about to lose himself, he bit down on He Siming’s arm and let out a low, muffled moan.
The soundproofing between rooms wasn’t that good. They could hear voices next door, and if they made any noise, it would naturally be heard as well.
From behind, He Siming lightly rubbed his earlobe and whispered, “It’s okay if you make noise.”
Jiang Rong, flushed pink all over beneath the blanket, shook his head. “I don’t want to.”
“Alright, then don’t.” He Siming gently turned his chin and kissed him. “This way, no one will hear.”
He swallowed every low sound Jiang Rong made while enduring it—very effective.
It also made He Siming even more excited, but he forced himself to restrain it. He couldn’t forget that besides being allowed to eat peaches, there was also a little peach growing in Jiang Rong’s belly.
Once a week, two hours at a time—still acceptable.
Jiang Rong fell asleep contentedly in He Siming’s arms, murmuring before sleep, “He Siming, don’t leave yet.”
He Siming: “…Okay.”
The second half of the night was very quiet. Everyone who had been playing earlier returned to their rooms to rest.
Jiang Rong shifted in his sleep because his position was uncomfortable; He Siming moved forward as well.
Half-awake, Jiang Rong murmured, “He Siming?”
That movement woke He Siming too.
“Mm?”
Not only was he awakened, his body was as well.
At four in the morning, He Siming’s left forearm gained a few more shallow bite marks.
He got up, used a warm towel to clean Jiang Rong, and after tossing about for half an hour, finally went back to sleep.
Probably because everyone had gone to bed late the night before, no one woke up early. The courtyard of the guesthouse was quiet, and the owner didn’t disturb these young people who had played so hard the night before.
Sleeping in—only natural.
When Jiang Rong woke up, it was already eleven in the morning. His clothes were by the bed; his body felt clean and refreshed. Hugging the blanket, he lay there for a few seconds before remembering that after the second round last night, He Siming had cleaned him up.
Thinking about how wanton he’d been last night, he covered his face with the blanket.
He wasn’t even in heat—was it all just his Omega instincts? So this is what Omegas are like.
When He Siming pushed the door open, he saw Jiang Rong blushing alone, face covered.
On the bed he was so uninhibited; once off it, he became soft and shy again—irresistibly tempting.
He Siming set the bowl he was holding on the bedside table, sat at the edge of the bed, and pulled down the blanket covering Jiang Rong’s nose.
“Isn’t that stuffy?”
Jiang Rong shook his head. “It’s okay. You got up so early?”
He Siming said, “Not early anymore. Get up, wash up, and drink the bird’s nest.”
Jiang Rong obediently started getting dressed. Afraid he’d catch a chill, He Siming didn’t tease him, but when Jiang Rong came back after washing up, He Siming kissed him until he was almost out of breath before letting go.
Blushing, Jiang Rong started drinking the bird’s nest soup, looking at the clear liquid. “What is this?”
“Bird’s nest,” He Siming said. “I asked the owner to use the kitchen to stew it. I checked with a nutritionist—early on you can have it once every three days. I’m worried you’re not getting enough nutrition. Later, once a week is enough; too much isn’t good either.”
“I think my nutrition is fine,” Jiang Rong said.
“Is falling asleep in the middle of it ‘fine’?” He Siming asked.
Jiang Rong lowered his head while drinking. “That’s because you’re too good.”
He Siming’s lips curled up. “I am pretty good—but you still need to eat the bird’s nest.”
“…Okay.” Jiang Rong decided to drop the topic and just eat.
They had lunch with everyone at noon. The main dishes were a bit greasy, so He Siming ordered a few lighter dishes separately for Jiang Rong.
With so many guys, everyone preferred meat. The lighter dishes sat untouched; they thought they were ordered for the girls, not realizing they were a special exception just for Jiang Rong.
In the afternoon, Li Yizhou told everyone there was go-karting nearby, as well as live-action CS games; if they wanted something more relaxed, they could also go pick strawberries in a greenhouse.
Most people chose go-karting or CS, including the girls.
For Jiang Rong, these were currently high-risk activities, and He Siming refused outright.
Ding Yan was shocked. “You’re not going?”
What about the legendary mountain-road racing god from back then?
“I’ll go pick strawberries with Jiang Rong,” He Siming said. “It’s cold; I don’t feel like moving.”
Yao Shule looked at Jiang Rong. “You’re not going either?”
“No,” Jiang Rong said. “I’m afraid of the cold. The strawberry greenhouse should be warmer.”
“Alright,” Yao Shule said. “Then pick more for us to eat tonight.”
“Sure.”
He did feel a bit regretful—go-karting and CS must be fun. He’d never played games with so many friends before.
As everyone left, Jiang Rong sighed by the window.
He Siming pinched the back of his neck. “Once the little one’s born, we’ll play together—guaranteed to be more fun than them.”
Jiang Rong nodded. “Then let’s go pick strawberries. The sun’s really nice.”
He hadn’t picked strawberries before either. If he couldn’t do thrilling activities, something gentle was fine too.
He Siming somehow produced a hat and scarf and put them on him.
“When did you buy these?” Jiang Rong asked. He’d been staying on campus lately and hadn’t bought a scarf; for a hat he just used the hood on his down jacket.
“I had them delivered yesterday at noon,” He Siming said. “It’s freezing—be careful.”
Jiang Rong rubbed his nose. “Am I living too roughly?”
Compared to him, He Siming took such thorough care of everything. This supposed Omega-in-training was less attentive than a fake Alpha from another world.
“Do whatever makes you comfortable,” He Siming said, squeezing his palm. “I’ll handle the rest.”
“He Siming, you’re really good to me,” Jiang Rong said, turning back to kiss him.
“Good that you know,” He Siming said warmly. “Let’s go pick strawberries.”
They went to Li Yizhou’s uncle’s strawberry farm.
There were different varieties, and naturally the prices weren’t cheap.
Jiang Rong particularly loved cream strawberries—they had a milky fragrance, soft with a bit of firmness. This variety was more expensive, and fewer people came to that greenhouse.
He Siming carried the basket the whole time and recorded a few videos.
“How about we record something for the baby?” he asked.
Jiang Rong held a cream strawberry. He was wearing a light blue down jacket He Siming had brought back to the dorm earlier; it made his skin look even fairer.
Smiling, he said, “Sure. What should I say?”
He Siming held up his phone. “Anything. How big is the baby now?”
“The baby’s six weeks old,” Jiang Rong said. “Should be a bit bigger than before. I’ll eat another strawberry for the baby.”
“Don’t eat too many,” He Siming laughed. “They’re cold.”
Jiang Rong got a little sly. “The baby says they like them.”
He Siming laughed. So Jiang Rong had this cute side too—another discovery.
After having the staff deliver the strawberries back to the guesthouse, they went to a nearby glasshouse lounge that was lush and spring-like inside. There were tables and chairs, heating, and sunlight—it felt just like being indoors, warm all over.
Neither of them was very into sweets, so they ordered a “tea by the stove”—more for the vibe than anything.
Yao Shule posted in the group chat about how wild their activities were. Jiang Rong sent back photos of peanuts, red dates, sweet potatoes, and corn from their tea setup.
Yao Shule: You’re making me hungry.
Jiang Rong: We’ll bring you strawberries. They’re really sweet.
Yao Shule: Nice nice, love you baby!
He Siming stared at the screen for three seconds. Who was Yao Shule calling “baby”?!
Jiang Rong was used to Yao Shule’s way of speaking. It was actually pretty comforting—high emotional value. No wonder he had so many friends; no one minded whether he was gay.
He Siming quietly shelled peanuts for Jiang Rong, putting them on a small plate for him to eat.
Just as Jiang Rong was enjoying how sweet the peanuts were, two families entered the glasshouse lounge—six adults with four kids. It instantly went from quiet to noisy, like a children’s playground.
Two little boys chased each other around, knocking over a plastic vase on a table. When a server came to gently remind them to be careful, the parents just laughed, saying boys were like that and a little mischief was fine—completely ignoring the reminder.
He Siming started frowning.
Jiang Rong remembered that He Siming was allergic to kids. He himself didn’t like such wild kids either.
“Were you naughty as a kid?” He Siming asked.
Jiang Rong shook his head. “No.”
When his cousins played, he preferred sitting on the bed reading.
Listening to the kids’ shrieks, He Siming’s brows knit tightly. “I liked building Lego by myself at home. Our baby shouldn’t be like that, right?”
Jiang Rong grew worried too. “Hard to say. Some parents are top students, but their kids turn out to be poor students.”
He Siming: “…”
A completely unfamiliar field for him.
“Waaah!”
One of the boys tripped the other, knocking out a front tooth. His mouth filled with blood, and he started wailing. Only then did the other kids quiet down.
Finally, some peace.
Concerned, He Siming said to Jiang Rong, “Should we start prenatal education?”
“So early?” Jiang Rong asked.
“Yes,” He Siming said firmly. “Look at that kid just now.”
“But the baby’s only six weeks…”
“I think the earlier the better.”
Jiang Rong thought he was just overly nervous and didn’t take it too seriously.
That evening, Ding Yan had Li Yizhou’s uncle arrange a whole roasted lamb. Everyone ate happily, and afterward there were strawberries for dessert.
Yao Shule chattered on to Jiang Rong about his CS battle achievements; Ding Yan’s voice cut in too. When he got excited, he tossed in plenty of profanity—“fuck me,” “damn,” “holy shit,” “what the hell,” “idiot,” and so on.
Every time he cursed, He Siming’s expression darkened a bit.
How had he never noticed Ding Yan talked so dirty?
Not just Ding Yan—others had their verbal habits too. In this environment, the baby would definitely pick it up and turn into a little terror.
He Siming grew very anxious.
When Ding Yan was about to call someone an idiot for the sixth time, He Siming kicked him.
“Fuck—He Siming, why’d you kick me?!” Ding Yan yelled.
Unable to hold back, He Siming said, “Can you cut down on the swearing and be civilized?”
“I’ve always talked like this,” Ding Yan said.
“Don’t say it anymore from now on.”
“Fine, I’ll try to control it.”
“Especially in front of Jiang Rong,” He Siming added. “Not a single word.”
Damn—his status in He Siming’s heart was getting lower and lower.
“I don’t believe Jiang Rong never swears.”
“I’ve never heard him,” He Siming said.
Ding Yan: “…Damn it!” Completely outclassed.
That night, Jiang Rong and He Siming slept in the same bed again.
They didn’t stay up late. Jiang Rong lay in bed early, playing on his phone, wanting to get He Siming a gift but not knowing what to choose.
He Siming washed Jiang Rong’s changed underwear along with his own before getting into bed.
“What are you looking at?” he asked.
Jiang Rong put his phone away and leaned over. “Nothing.”
He Siming kissed his face, pink from the hot water. So easy to color—he could kiss him all day and never get enough.
“Want to stay at my place next week?”
Thinking of that blood-mouthed brat earlier, He Siming’s head started to ache. Even worse were the occasional curses from classmates—especially when gaming.
Jiang Rong was drifting toward sleep. Surrounded by He Siming’s pheromones, he felt very safe. Being soothed all night before, he’d been in good spirits all day and wasn’t very sleepy now.
The suggestion surprised him. “Isn’t the dorm more convenient for classes?”
“Not convenient for prenatal education.”
“…”
Seeing He Siming so serious was rare. Jiang Rong cupped his face and kissed his lips.
“Don’t be anxious. The internet says prenatal education can start around four months.”
He Siming kissed back. “But I want to live with you.”
Jiang Rong’s heart stirred. “But…”
He had arrived in this world without warning and didn’t want to draw attention. He wanted to ease into it slowly—especially now, with a little one in his belly. His emotions were unstable; he needed to be extra careful.
“I’ll find a way to let you stay at my place smoothly,” He Siming said. “We won’t let everyone know for now.”
Jiang Rong agreed, wrapping his arms around He Siming’s waist and resting his face on his chest. “Thank you.”
He Siming pinched the back of his neck and kissed him. “From now on, every ‘thank you’ earns you a kiss.”
Jiang Rong laughed and kissed him back. He loved the lime scent, and he was liking He Siming more and more as a person.
After the holiday, everyone returned to campus, and Jiang Rong and He Siming went back to living in the dorm.
Once New Year’s Day passed, final exams were next.
Jiang Rong counted the days on his phone, his mind filled with a phrase he’d learned over New Year’s—we’re screwed.
As a former scholarship-winning grindmaster Beta, he was seriously worried.
Seeing Jiang Rong sink into another little mood and even forget to wash his clothes, He Siming took the initiative to wash Jiang Rong’s changed clothes for him.
When Li Yizhou went to the bathroom, he saw He Siming washing clothes in Jiang Rong’s basin. Looking closer—it wasn’t He Siming’s. He was vigorously scrubbing a pair of white underwear.
In their dorm, Li Yizhou wore gray boxers; Yao Shule’s were colorful; He Siming mostly wore black. Only Jiang Rong wore white.
Li Yizhou’s voice shot up. “You’re washing Jiang Rong’s underwear?”
He Siming put a finger to his lips. “Don’t tell anyone.”
Li Yizhou nodded. “Oh—what’s going on?”
“He hasn’t been feeling well lately,” He Siming said. “I asked him to stay at my place, but he didn’t want to. Can you help persuade him to come stay voluntarily?”
Li Yizhou was startled. “What happened?”
He Siming pointed to his stomach. “They found something growing in his belly. I accidentally saw the test report.”
“That serious? Surgery?” Li Yizhou asked.
“Seems like it,” He Siming said. “But he doesn’t want to tell you guys. I want him to stay at my place—more comfortable than the dorm—but he’s afraid of what people will say.”
Li Yizhou suddenly understood. “That explains it. You’ve been walking to and from class together and taking special care of him. I get it now. I’ll talk to Shule and help persuade him.”
He Siming: “…Mm.” Words failed him.
He wasn’t exactly lying—there really was a little something growing in that belly.
The next day at noon, after returning to the dorm from lunch break, Li Yizhou and Yao Shule dragged chairs over and sat in front of Jiang Rong.
Jiang Rong jumped. “?”
Yao Shule looked serious. “Rongrong, we know.”
“Know what?” Jiang Rong asked.
“About you being sick,” Li Yizhou said.
“I—” Jiang Rong started. I’m not sick?
He Siming came out of the bathroom and winked at him behind their backs.
Yao Shule took his silence as embarrassment. “If you need help, be sure to tell us.”
Jiang Rong was touched by their concern. “Thank you.”
“Staying at He Siming’s place would be better for recovery,” Li Yizhou said. “Just listen to him and stay there for a while. You can come back once you’re better.”
“Is… that okay?” Jiang Rong asked.
“What’s not okay?” Yao Shule said. “Free food and lodging, no need to wash your own clothes. Then He Siming won’t have to wash your underwear anymore. Why didn’t you ask me to wash them? I’m pretty good at it too.”
“…”
Jiang Rong’s face slowly turned pink. He wished he could crawl into a crack in the floor.
Wait—how do you know he washed my underwear?!
Didn’t He Siming say he wouldn’t let anyone know?
