Rebirth With the Beast_23

 

Chapter 113

“Cold season is almost here; a beast herd is heading our way. They went out at dawn to hunt fresh meat.”

As Suyi spoke, he picked up a meatball and held it to Tang Yu’s mouth. Tang Yu took a bite and was instantly distracted by how good it was—crispy outside, tender inside, with a rich, lingering flavor.

“This is delicious!” Tang Yu struggled to sit up. Suyi immediately found a cushion and propped it behind him. If Tang Yu didn’t have something to lean on, he’d collapse in no time.

And once Tang Yu toppled over, it was like the sky flipping—getting himself up again was a pipe dream.

Once, when Tang Yu was home, Jells had gone out. When he came back, he found Tang Yu lying flat on his back with a look of utter despair. Jells had propped him up before leaving, but Tang Yu had tried to reach for a piece of fruit and accidentally fell back down—then couldn’t get up again. So he just lay there, big belly and all, waiting hopelessly for Jells to return.

After that incident, Tang Yu was always afraid to be alone. So this time, before heading out, Jells dropped him off at Suyi’s place—not only because it was safer there, but also to prevent Tang Yu from “turtling over” again.

Suyi and Tang Yu chatted and snacked, and before they knew it, they’d eaten everything within reach.

Suddenly realizing, Suyi patted his belly in mock disgust. “Damn, gluttony really is contagious. Keep this up and my perfect figure is done for.”

Tang Yu shot him a withering look, then rubbed his own stomach.

“Heh… feels like I’m smuggling a basketball.”

“Basketball?” Suyi glanced over, then couldn’t help scooting within arm’s reach, staring hard at Tang Yu’s belly.

Feeling uneasy under the gaze, Tang Yu blurted, “If you’re going to touch it, be careful.”

Suyi reached out—then pulled back halfway. He remembered his mom’s story: when she’d been pregnant with him, a childless neighbor had come asking to touch her belly to “borrow some luck.” His mom, pitying her, agreed—and, amazingly, the aunt really did get pregnant afterward.

Superstitious or not, Suyi decided not to risk it. Much as he liked kids, they already had two at home; better enjoy their two-person world for now.

Seeing him zone out, Tang Yu thought Suyi was afraid of jinxing something and didn’t dare touch. So he grabbed Suyi’s hand without warning and planted it right on his stomach.

“With you as godfather, what’s there to be scared of?” Tang Yu said generously.

Suyi jolted as if shocked and went blank.

Lowering his eyes to the hand on Tang Yu’s belly, he felt a sudden, ominous pang.

Tang Yu noticed his face change. “Captain Su, you okay?”

Suyi slowly withdrew his hand and forced a wry smile. “Should… should be fine.”

“What do you mean, should be fine?” Tang Yu rolled his eyes. “Either you’re fine or you’re not.”

That afternoon, Jells and the others returned with a bounty of game.

Sensing something, Jells copied Sinor’s tactic: he butchered everything and hauled it all to Suyi’s house.

He’d always been one of the top hunters, and usually what his household couldn’t eat he distributed to others. But this time everyone had plenty, and it would be a waste to throw anything out. So, thick-skinned, he moved the lot into Suyi’s place.

People were curious but didn’t pry. Everyone knew Suyi had a big cellar; maybe Jells was just stashing the meat there.

Later, Sinor took Suyi out—turns out he and Jells, to avoid attention, had put even more game in a cave outside the valley.

Staring at the cave piled with carcasses, Suyi’s face twitched. None of it had been processed yet, so he resigned himself to dragging one toward the river.

He’d barely gone a few steps when a wave of dizziness hit.

“What’s wrong? You look terrible.” Sinor immediately noticed and dropped what he was carrying, scooping Suyi up and hurrying home.

Suyi didn’t feel bad, exactly—just bone-deep lazy. In the end, Jells and Sinor handled all the butchering themselves, sneaking out at night to do it.

Near dawn, Sinor bathed before coming back to the room; even so, Suyi caught a strong whiff of blood on him. As Suyi opened his mouth to speak, his stomach heaved.

Seeing his face change, Sinor reached to steady him, but Suyi shoved him away.

Sinor froze, then understood: the smell on him was making Suyi queasy.

But before, Suyi hadn’t minded blood at all—he’d hunted with his own hands. What was going on now?

Both of them were baffled.

With no better option, for the first time they slept in separate rooms—like some couple hitting the seven-year itch.

For several nights in a row, Suyi slept poorly, dreaming of all kinds of children or of little beasts running through a forest.

Meanwhile, the beastmen were busy. The recent herd had left a pervasive stink of blood around the valley that wouldn’t disperse, likely to attract more predators.

For the valley’s safety, everyone worked nonstop: more traps, stronger defenses, fixing up the tunnels to be more livable, storing food and water underground. They didn’t want their females suffering down there.

Two or three more days passed. The big river’s ice had melted completely. In the middle of the night, a thudding came from one of the sluice gates.

The warning horns blared across the valley.

Sinor got up and went out at once, returning shortly after. He wrapped Suyi up—fur and all—scooped up both kids, and headed out the door.

Outside was chaos—people coming and going, shouting everywhere.

Suyi groaned, uncomfortable. “What’s going on? It’s cold!”

Sinor kissed his forehead and strode down into the tunnels.

Once Suyi and the children were settled, Sinor said, “Sleep. Don’t worry.”

Suyi’s eyelids fluttered. “Mn. Be careful.” He was clearer now, but still too lethargic to move. He knew a herd must have come—by the look of things, a big one. After Sinor left, more females and children were brought in.

Tang Yu was among the last. He clearly didn’t want to be there and kept picking a fight with Jells. Jells, stone-faced, settled him beside Suyi and piled food into his arms.

Because the tunnels weren’t as warm as home, Jells hadn’t brought fresh fruit—mostly dried fruit instead.

Tang Yu held a sealed jar—bone broth Jells had cooked. Jells wasn’t much of a cook, but Tang Yu wasn’t picky.

He gulped it down, and when Suyi, now more awake, pointed a finger at the jar, Tang Yu shot him a look—this lazy, bossy Suyi was begging for a smack.

Still, he handed the jar over. “Here. I thought you’d insist on going out to hunt.”

Suyi took a sip and closed his eyes, saying nothing. The two kids, though, were full of energy. Little Ilai ran off to play with friends, then came back to burrow into Suyi’s arms.

Compared to lively Little Ilai, Dino was much more obedient. He helped Tang Yu fetch food now and then, and occasionally nibbled some himself. When Suyi rolled over and the fur cover slipped, Dino quietly pulled it back up.

Watching, Tang Yu thought: When I have a kid, I’m raising him just like Dino.

He didn’t know his own cub would be nothing like Dino—more like Tang Yu himself, a little terror keeping everyone on their toes.

This herd was huge, and many beastmen were injured. Mino and Ian didn’t go down into the tunnels; they stayed above tending the wounded.

Stifled underground for a whole day, Suyi couldn’t stand it and slipped out to take a look. The guards at the tunnel entrance didn’t stop him. If it had been any other female, they’d never allow it—but this was Suyi. Everyone had seen what he could do. Even looking pale, he was still Suyi.

The “formidable” Suyi looked up at the sky and understood why they’d put everyone underground—this herd had flying beasts with it?

He’d rarely seen flyers and frowned. The valley walls kept land beasts out, but they couldn’t block birds.

He’d barely gone a few steps when the circling beasts spotted him.

At this point there were no females or children left above. The flyers tore around people’s yards, wrecking things. Many had meat strips drying in their courtyards; most of it had already been eaten.

Now, catching sight of a moving piece of meat—Suyi—the flock dove at him. Startled, he ducked into a nearby house.

Inside, he pulled a bow from his space. He aimed at the nearest beast—not large, but with vicious claws and teeth—and loosed.

The arrow punched through its skull; gore splattered. Suyi reached for another arrow and a wave of vertigo hit. Heart sinking, he slammed the door and slumped to the floor.

What’s wrong with me? he thought. Is that white-hair sickness still not gone? As doubt gnawed at him, more beasts gathered outside.

The commotion drew others.

A beastman, shifting to beast form, charged over. With so many beasts converging, it had to be a trapped female or child. He roared, scattering one or two.

But the rest, insatiable, bared their fangs and stood their ground.

Suyi took a steadying breath and peered through the crack at the bottom of the door. The beastman outside was that wandering beastman.

He still carried old injuries and hadn’t been sent out to clear the outer valley. So he’d stayed to handle the flyers, which were annoying but not that deadly.

Annoying or not, numbers told, and the wanderer was getting overwhelmed.

Soon he was bleeding from several fresh wounds. Suyi nocked and loosed two quick arrows.

They whistled past the wanderer and neatly drilled two skulls.

He glanced at the fallen beasts, then at the half-open door.

Saying nothing, he moved more decisively, cutting down the rest.

With Suyi picking off targets now and then, the flock thinned quickly. Only then did Suyi cover his nose and mouth and step outside.

The wanderer blinked at him, then comprehension dawned. Noting how unwell Suyi looked, he hesitated, went inside, and found a large pelt.

“Sorry, you’ll have to make do for a bit,” he said, wrapping Suyi in it. Suyi didn’t refuse—he felt heavy-headed.

“Mm. Take me to Mino. And… don’t tell Sinor I came out,” Suyi said.

The wanderer stalled. He’d planned to take Suyi straight to Sinor. Even if he wasn’t the sharpest, he could see Suyi wasn’t well. Females who felt sick usually wanted their partners—he’d assumed Suyi had risked coming out to find Sinor.

He carried Suyi to Mino’s. Mino flipped the pelt back and found him pale as paper.

He dropped what he was doing and examined Suyi carefully. Ian hurried over.

“What happened?” Ian asked, suddenly anxious—he’d never seen Suyi so weak.

Mino checked, then froze. He checked again, incredulous.

Snapping his head up, he blurted, “He—he’s pregnant!”

“Pregnant?!” Ian’s voice shot up.

The whole room erupted. Pregnancy was good news. Even the injured tried to crowd in to see what a “pregnant male” looked like.

Someone, overjoyed, limped off to spread the word.

Suyi dozed in a haze, half-hearing the buzz around him.

Chapter 114

The noise grated on Suyi’s nerves, but he was too lazy to open his eyes, so he lay there half asleep, half awake.

Once he’d settled Suyi, Mino looked toward the wanderer waiting outside. Mino always found him a bit pitiful—like Ian, he’d been tormented by that wretch Loxi. Now that Loxi was gone, it was a relief.

“You’re hurt too. Let me take a look?” Mino said, walking over.

The wanderer blinked, caught off guard by the sudden concern. Only when others tugged him inside did he react.

Seeing how stiff he was, Mino had to smile. He remembered how he himself used to be—timid and skittish—while the wanderer was merely ill at ease.

When Sinor was told he was going to be a father, he thought he’d misheard—until one of the injured repeated it loudly. Then he sprinted back to the valley. Thinking of how Suyi had been reacting to the smell of blood, he chastised himself all the way for not noticing sooner.

Mino was treating the wounded at his own home. Because patients came often, he’d renovated the courtyard and added several rooms.

When Sinor arrived, Suyi was still groggy. Seeing him lying weakly on a dirty pelt made Sinor’s heart twist.

Suyi liked things clean; Sinor trembled as he carefully gathered him up. The place was crowded and chaotic. He wanted to take Suyi home, but someone blocked him.

Looking up, he saw the wanderer frowning at him.

“When I found him, he was surrounded by a bunch of beasts outside a house. If I hadn’t arrived in time, your baby would’ve been in danger,” the wanderer said. In his mind, Sinor wasn’t a good mate—how could he not even know his partner was pregnant?

Sinor paused, then murmured thanks. He knew it was a rebuke, but he had no defense. It was his fault—he’d been focused on the valley and missed all Suyi’s recent signs.

He took Suyi home, changed his clothes, and chose the softest pelt to wrap him in.

“Suyi? Suyi?” he whispered at his ear.

Suyi blinked drowsily. “Why are you back?”

“Be good. Take me into your space.” Sinor didn’t answer the question, just coaxed him gently.

“Why?” Suyi frowned.

“Go in first; I’ll explain,” Sinor said again.

Helpless, Suyi took his hand, and the two slipped into the space.

Carrying him with practiced ease, Sinor headed inside.

“Suyi, you’re pregnant. It’s too chaotic and too cold outside. Stay in here and rest. When you’ve had enough rest, you can come out, okay?” He set Suyi on the bed, smiling at how clingy he’d become.

“What about outside—wait.” Suyi suddenly felt he was missing something.

Baby? What baby?

He jolted upright, and the sharp movement sent his head spinning.

Sinor steadied him and placed a hand on his belly. It was still flat; there was nothing to feel yet.

“You—you just said I… what?”

Suyi’s hair was sticking up messily; his eyes were round with a dazed, adorable look that made Sinor’s heart itch.

Sinor turned and kissed his cheek. “A baby. You’re having a baby.”

Suyi was about to say something, but seeing the smile in Sinor’s eyes made him swallow the words. He didn’t want Sinor to know that, actually, he hadn’t wanted a child. His expression flickered, then he forced a sweet grin.

“Haha—pregnant—great. R-really great.”

Inside, though, waves were crashing. No wonder he’d been so off lately—those were pregnancy symptoms. He’d thought he was just spring-drowsy.

“It’s warm, quiet, and safe in here. Be good and rest. Things outside should be settled by tomorrow. When you come out, be careful—if I’m not in the room waiting for you, don’t go out on your own,” Sinor said, gently pressing him back down while giving careful instructions.

After sending Sinor out of the space, Suyi lifted the covers with mixed feelings and rubbed his belly. It still felt unreal—that a tiny life was starting inside him.

He’d been dead set against having a child, but now that he was pregnant, he couldn’t very well not have it. One of his better traits was that he could roll with things—just as he’d accepted being reborn into someone else’s “wife.”

Any rough-and-tumble guy told that would probably flip the table; Suyi hadn’t.

“Something others pray for, and it’s me and Tang Yu who get knocked up one after another,” he muttered, then flopped back down.

When he next opened his eyes, a day had passed.

Starving, he grabbed a piece of fruit and gnawed as he stepped out of the space.

He was immediately pulled into an embrace.

Seeing him emerge, Sinor let out a breath—he’d been afraid Suyi would sleep straight through and forget.

Suyi sniffed him. Sinor smelled nice—he’d bathed and put something on.

Catching the motion, Sinor smiled. “Mino made a fragrance. He says since you react so strongly to the smell of blood, you might be carrying a female.”

Female?

“You can even tell that?” Su Yi thought it was amazing.

“Yes, it’s obvious. Look at Tang Yu—he doesn’t really have any other reactions. He just sleeps and eats a lot, because he’s carrying a healthy little beast cub. But you—your reaction is already so strong even though you just conceived. That must mean it’s a female.”

As Xinuo spoke, he happily kissed Su Yi on the lips. Females were naturally more delicate, and in the past two years, fewer and fewer little females were being born in the tribes. In the eyes of others, Su Yi was unimaginably blessed to be pregnant with a little female.

Xinuo clearly adored this child. He was normally a man of few words, but once the subject turned to Su Yi’s belly, he couldn’t stop talking.

“Su Yi, the winged-snake tribe’s gestation is short. Because it’s a female, you’ll have to suffer a bit, but by the hot season, you should be able to give birth.”

Su Yi couldn’t bear to interrupt him and nodded along obediently, staring at Xinuo with wide eyes. At that moment, Xinuo seemed to shine all over. He was already handsome beyond compare, but now his whole bearing was radiant and brimming with vigor—so dazzling Su Yi couldn’t look away. His gem-like eyes glimmered brilliantly as he spoke.

“Su Yi, if it’s a little female, we have to make her an even prettier room. Mino told me that little females love beauty the most. We should make her a lovely flower room—just like Mino’s house, with all kinds of flowers planted by the window…”

As he spoke, his thin lips moved gracefully. His lip color was paler than most, but they gleamed with an inviting sheen.

Su Yi’s gaze went blank. Suddenly he pulled down Xinuo’s neck, stood on tiptoe, and pressed his lips to those thin ones.

It wasn’t heated, but it warmed the softest place in Su Yi’s heart.

Truly, pregnancy made emotions flare—mercurial, sentimental.

Su Yi closed his eyes and carefully felt Xinuo’s warmth. Xinuo, usually so composed, also lost control for a moment when Su Yi suddenly kissed him.

Without this person, what would Xinuo have become?

Still wandering without a home, with no warmth, no companions. Perhaps already dead in last winter’s snows, buried beneath endless white.

“Su Yi, you’ve worked so hard.”

Su Yi leaned against Xinuo’s chest, dawdling before finally asking, “What about the beasts—how’s that situation?”

“It’s already taken care of, don’t worry.” Xinuo said while carrying Su Yi outside—he knew Su Yi must be hungry.

“And the two children?” Su Yi clung to him like an octopus, refusing to get down.

He rationalized this behavior as pregnancy syndrome. He was a baby now, in need of Xinuo’s love.

“They’re helping clean the valley. They should be back tonight.” Xinuo replied, holding Su Yi tightly with one arm while using the other to deftly prepare food. Lately Su Yi had grown lazy, so Xinuo’s cooking had steadily improved. It still couldn’t match Su Yi’s, but among beastmen, it was already considered excellent.

After Su Yi ate his fill, little Yilai came charging in with his band of small companions.

“Mother-father! Mother-father! Uncle Mino said I’m going to be a big brother?!”

Looking at little Yilai’s short legs pumping frantically, Su Yi suddenly remembered how, long ago, Yilai had resisted the idea of him having another baby. He wanted to tease him. “That’s right.”

Su Yi, nestled in Xinuo’s arms, watched Yilai wriggle out of his shoes and scramble onto the bed in a rush.

“Mother-father, you have to rest well. Uncle Mino also said it’s a little female. I’ll protect her in the future. And my little friends too—they’ll protect her too.”

Yilai’s expression was deadly serious as he pointed toward the doorway, where a cluster of small heads bobbed. Upon hearing his words, all those little heads nodded furiously.

Su Yi had expected Yilai to say, “Mother-father, I don’t want you to have a baby.” He hadn’t thought Yilai would say this instead.

At that moment, Dino also climbed onto the bed. He carefully approached, his little face tight with seriousness.

“Mother-father,” Dino said solemnly, “can I touch the little brother?”

Hearing that, Yilai’s eyes lit up.

“I want to too!”

Xinuo frowned. “No. It’s not stable yet, and you two have no sense of gentleness.”

The boys’ faces fell in disappointment. Su Yi chuckled, lifting his clothes to reveal his firm, flat stomach.

“Little brother is still too small to feel. How about this: when he’s bigger, then you can touch him?”

Hearing that, both children stared at Su Yi’s belly—sure enough, there was nothing to see. Only then did they reluctantly climb down and run off to play.

Afterward, Su Yi’s days felt awkward. He had always been active, eager to join in anything. But since becoming pregnant, he was lethargy itself.

Recently, he heard that a wandering beastman had picked up a female outside. Since she was still young, he brought her to Lie, hoping to find her a good home. But the child refused to leave him, clinging to the only familiar presence. In the end, the two stayed together outside the valley.

Others worried it was unsafe, so they suggested letting the wanderer and child move into the valley. For the past two days, everyone had been helping him build a house.

Su Yi also heard Tang Yu’s temper had worsened lately, probably from anxiety as his due date approached.

Then came the news that Reger confessed to Ian—but Ian refused. Yet now that Ian’s heart knot had unraveled, he was livelier, often going hunting with the others, and his body had grown stronger.

At Su Yi’s home, the biggest change was in the children—especially little Yilai.

That once-willful boy seemed to grow up overnight. No longer always clinging to Su Yi, he began dressing himself, even occasionally helping with chores.

Though only three, he said solemnly that he had to grow up quickly so he could protect his mother-father and little brother.

Dino had started learning to hunt, sometimes helping Mino gather herbs. Most little beast cubs lacked such patience, but Dino loved to study.

With the whole family doting on him, Su Yi felt he had become nothing but a pampered rice worm.

Time passed. Another herd of beasts attacked the valley, though this time they were few and didn’t alarm the others. During the drive, they unexpectedly rescued a mated pair. Everyone was curious about these outsiders—even Su Yi.

Then one day, Tang Yu suddenly went into labor.

Su Yi wanted to go, but Xinuo forbade it.

Counting on his fingers, Su Yi realized Tang Yu’s term was over eight months—long for beastmen. His own was only five months; he would give birth just after the cold season ended, in the heat season.

Tang Yu endured contractions all day and night until he could bear no more. He insisted Su Yi come, or he wouldn’t give birth.

Mino, anxious, finally sent someone to fetch Su Yi. He hurried over, and Mino pulled him aside: “It’s an egg birth. The child seems big—he’s going to suffer.”

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Chapter 115

Su Yi grew anxious and rushed inside. Jels sat in the hall, his face grim. He said nothing, but Su Yi could tell how much he was hurting.

He and Mino quickly entered the inner room. Jels’s chamber was laid with the softest furs. Barefoot, Su Yi pushed open the door—and was hit by the sharp stench of blood.

His stomach churned. His heart churned more. That blood was Tang Yu’s, and far too much.

Tang Yu, once a pampered young master, had learned self-reliance after his rebirth. He had endured hardship. But after meeting Jels, he returned to being spoiled like before. With this pregnancy, Jels had practically put him in the sky. Now Tang Yu had suffered all day, and surely Jels’s heart had suffered with him.

Truthfully, Su Yi was afraid. What if Tang Yu couldn’t make it? What if even the spring water from his space couldn’t save him?

Just then, Tang Yu’s anguished cry split the air. “Ahhh! Captain Su! I won’t give birth! I quit!!”

Quit? Su Yi gave a bitter smile. As if it worked that way. He picked up a fur and covered his mouth and nose.

Going to the bed, he grabbed Tang Yu’s trembling, pale hand.

“It’s alright, don’t be scared. My mom told me she was in labor a whole day and night with me. You’ll make it. Don’t worry.” He wiped Tang Yu’s cold sweat as he spoke.

The heat and closeness of the room made Su Yi pale, his chest tight, sweat beading on his brow.

Mino noticed. “Are you okay? Maybe you should step out.”

Su Yi shook his head, staring at Tang Yu’s face, which grew paler by the minute, his cries weaker and weaker.

It felt like his life was slipping away. The thought terrified Su Yi—especially because this was someone he cared about. He gripped Tang Yu’s hand tighter.

“Captain Su… I don’t want to anymore. It hurts so much… will I die? Am I going to die?” Tang Yu pleaded weakly.

“Don’t sleep, Tang Yu!” Su Yi’s face changed sharply.

Desperate, he took out spring water and carefully fed it to him. Tang Yu knew what it was, and that he had no strength left.

Mino said nothing, assuming it was just water to restore him.

Ian carried in hot water again and again. Suddenly Tang Yu stopped screaming, which only deepened Jels’s panic. He came to the door. “Tang Yu?”

Tang Yu opened his eyes faintly. “Captain Su… I think I hear Jels…”

His lips were cracked, his expression dazed, utterly pitiful. Su Yi knew he wanted Jels there but feared he’d lose his last bit of strength if he saw him.

“I want him…” Tang Yu whispered, voice trembling and barely audible.

Su Yi’s eyes stung. He too was pregnant, his emotions volatile. Seeing Tang Yu like this made him ache. Tang Yu, proud and vain, had told Jels before he didn’t want him inside—to keep him from seeing him in such an ugly state.

“Should I let him in?” Su Yi asked softly.

Tang Yu’s eyes flew wide, his whole body trembling. “No—”

But he was cut off. “Fool.”

A head of slightly curled black hair came into view, and those two gentle syllables made Tang Yu’s heart lurch.

Su Yi obediently stepped aside. Jels immediately sat at Tang Yu’s side. Tang Yu’s reddened eyes grew wet the instant he saw him.

People are all the same—when sick, they dread seeing loved ones, because it makes them fall apart. Tang Yu was like that. He could hold on while Su Yi held his hand. But at Jels’s voice, he wanted to cry and collapse in his arms.

Jels clasped Tang Yu’s hand tightly and carefully drew him into his embrace.

As soon as Tang Yu touched his chest, he sobbed harder, hiccuping, “Jels, Mino said… the egg’s too big, it won’t come out… it’s my fault, I ate too much…”

Jels lowered his eyes, long lashes hiding the pain within. “Then we’ll never have another.”

Tang Yu wanted to roll his eyes, but lacked the strength. He just hiccupped and looked into Jels’s eyes.

He loved those eyes—so deep, so beautiful, always focused entirely on him.

“But… if I never do again, you’ll be sad, won’t you? Hic!” He bit his tongue mid-hiccup.

“No. I won’t.” Jels’s lashes trembled. Was giving birth really so agonizing? It was his fault Tang Yu suffered.

Outside, the courtyard filled with people. Xinuo had stood there stupidly all day, worried for Su Yi inside. The blood smell leaked even to the yard. He feared Su Yi couldn’t handle it. At last, Su Yi emerged, supported by Ian.

The moment Xinuo saw him, he rushed forward, gently pulling him into his arms.

“You’re alright?” he whispered.

Su Yi waved a hand weakly, leaning against him. “Let’s go home and rest. It’s fine now.”

On the way back, Su Yi fell asleep. He dreamed.

A vast white world. He walked barefoot on soft grass, aimless, for a long time. Then he saw eggs. Enormous eggs, countless. He wandered among them in alarm. Stepping barefoot upon them, he moved cautiously, as if afraid to break the shells.

The dream shifted. He was back in the real world.

Tang Yu, heavily pregnant, was seized by Dong Xiaoxiao. Su Yi went to ransom him, but the place turned out to be a hospital. White walls everywhere, doctors and nurses rushing.

He saw a familiar figure—black, wavy long hair, dark eyes filled with grief. Following the nurse anxiously, he reached the operating room. The light above the door suddenly went out.

Had Tang Yu given birth? A boy or girl?

Su Yi hurried closer—but saw Dong Xiaoxiao weeping, and Mino crying hoarsely. Tang Yu… a difficult birth?

They wheeled out a figure covered in white cloth. A bad premonition seized Su Yi. He yanked the cloth away—and the sight shocked him awake.

“Su Yi? Su Yi? What’s wrong?” Xinuo’s anxious voice came. Su Yi opened his eyes wide, saw him, and finally let out a breath of relief.