1122 - Chapter 45

A week later, they took a blood test just in case, but unfortunately, the results weren’t as hoped no pregnancy.

Still, they weren’t discouraged and decided to let nature take its course.

After his heat, Jiang Yi seemed to have fully recovered, with his physical condition improving in all aspects. Even his high blood pressure was much better than before, and as long as he took his medication regularly, there were no issues.

Yan Nanchen was the same. Every time he went for a follow-up, his psychologist had good news for him.

Just as the doctor had said, the best medicine in the world was having a patient and loving partner by your side.

In the following days, they worked together. After acquiring the latest batch of medical equipment, the Secondary Differentiation Gene Detection Technology made another breakthrough and would soon enter the clinical trial phase, making the technology available to major hospitals.

During this period, they also welcomed each heat together, choosing to let things unfold naturally.

They regretted not being brave enough five years ago and lamented the five years they had lost without each other in their lives. But there were no “what ifs” in life, it was never smooth sailing, never exactly as one wished. True happiness was rare and seldom came without effort.

So they chose to move forward, cherishing each day together more than ever before. They were honest with each other, relied on each other, trusted each other, and tried to make up for the five years they had lost.

Two years later,

The conference room was hosting the launch ceremony for the “Secondary Differentiation Gene Detection Technology Officially Put into Use.”

Yan Nanchen was giving a technical explanation and outlining the development plan for the future.

Jiang Yi, however, was struggling to stay awake, propping his head up with his hand, eyelids heavy. He didn’t notice at all that someone’s gaze had been lingering on him full of helplessness and affection.

Beside him, Chu Beiheng was logged into the account of “Agent J,” hacking posts made by online trolls. He happened to glance over and saw Jiang Yi’s head nodding forward, about to hit the table, so he quickly patted his arm.

“Stop dozing off during the meeting.”

Jiang Yi startled awake, his eyes dazed and confused. It took him a moment to realize they were still in the meeting. Rubbing his forehead with the hand that had been propping his head, he wondered why he’d been feeling so sleepy lately.

Then he glanced at Chu Beiheng beside him and saw the incomprehensible code on his computer screen. “And what are you doing?”

“I’m stanning. You wouldn’t understand.” Chu Beiheng’s lips curled slightly as if he’d thought of something.

“That Li Yu guy?”

Chu Beiheng looked at Jiang Yi in surprise, but mindful of the ongoing meeting, he glanced at Yan Nanchen and found his murderous gaze already fixed on them. He lowered his head and whispered, “How did you know?”

“Qiao Qiao told me.” Jiang Yi also noticed Yan Nanchen’s stare and deliberately averted his eyes, pretending to focus on the plan in front of him. He wondered if his nap had been noticed.

Chu Beiheng clicked his tongue. So much for Qiao Qiao keeping his secret.

When the meeting finally ended, Yan Nanchen announced in a deep voice, “Meeting adjourned.” Then he added, “President Chu and President Jiang, stay behind.”

Chu Beiheng & Jiang Yi: “…”

Only after everyone else had left and the conference room door closed did Yan Nanchen walk over to them. Leaning against the edge of the table, he crossed his arms and looked down at them with a dark, unreadable gaze. “So, what were you two talking about?”

Glancing inadvertently at Chu Beiheng’s laptop on the table, Jiang Yi caught sight of a very familiar term at that moment.

[Code Name J]

He raised an eyebrow.

Chu Beiheng looked up and met Yan Nanchen’s half-smiling gaze, suddenly feeling a chill down his spine. He turned back to his computer with a resigned expression, realizing his login interface was still open. With a defeated sigh, he silently reached out and shut it down.

“Little brother, let me explain.”

“I already guessed,” Yan Nanchen said, noticing Jiang Yi rubbing his temples again out of the corner of his eye. Assuming it was another headache, he reached over to massage the back of Jiang Yi’s neck. “Those photos were sent by you.”

Chu Beiheng: “…” He looked at Yan Nanchen with suspicion, as if staring at a gullible fool.

“What photos?” Jiang Yi, now much more comfortable under Yan Nanchen’s ministrations and less drowsy, grew curious at their cryptic exchange.

“Your photos from abroad, including pregnancy shots. Chu Beiheng would periodically bundle them up and sell them to me, all clearly priced.”

Jiang Yi’s eyes widened in disbelief as he turned to Chu Beiheng. “You!”

“Wait, wait!” Chu Beiheng panicked and hurried to explain. “Let me clarify. My intention was… Back when Nanchen was seriously ill and constantly searching for you, Dad initially asked me to take a photo of you to give Nanchen some hope. So I…”

“Seized a business opportunity?” Yan Nanchen arched a brow while observing Jiang Yi’s reaction. Seeing that he seemed to be enjoying the massage, he continued. “Jiang Yi, do you know how much he charged?”

Chu Beiheng grew even more flustered, shooting Yan Nanchen a pleading look to spare him in brotherly solidarity. But when Jiang Yi’s gaze landed on him, he turned away, propped his cheek on his hand, and resigned himself to the situation.

“How much?” Jiang Yi could somewhat understand Chu Beiheng’s motives, but hearing terms like “bundled” and “clearly priced,” the quantity must have been substantial.

“Altogether, it added up to over a billion,” Yan Nanchen said nonchalantly.

Jiang Yi froze, then slowly lifted his head to stare at Yan Nanchen, his eyes filled with disbelief. “Are you insane? Spending a billion on photos?!”

“They were your photos,” Yan Nanchen replied, picking up on Jiang Yi’s tone that implied he thought him a fool. Smiling, he added, “Looking at them made me feel better, as if you were still by my side. So spending a little money was worth it.”

“A little money?!” Jiang Yi couldn’t fathom it. To him, money was just numbers, but to others, a billion was an unimaginable fortune.

And spending it on photos, no less.

He had once worn himself out negotiating with Robert over an 800-million project, barely managing to close the deal.

Chu Beiheng seized the moment to interject, “Ah, my brother’s loaded, right, Nanchen? And you were happy to spend it, weren’t you?”

“Chu Beiheng,” Jiang Yi said sternly, “you sold my photos without my consent. That’s a violation of my rights.” Still reeling from the absurd price tag, he kicked Chu Beiheng under the table. “Did you use his money to fund your celebrity obsessions?”

“Not at all!” Chu Beiheng raised his hands innocently. “When we were in M Country, I took care of Qiao Qiao diligently. I wasn’t chasing stars back then. I only started these past two years.”

The more he spoke, the guiltier he sounded.

“I’m going to sue you.” Jiang Yi still thought a billion was outrageous and couldn’t help feeling indignant. He glanced at Yan Nanchen. “And you’re just as foolish. Think of all the better things you could’ve done with that money.”

Yan Nanchen smiled without responding, but there was no doubt those photos had saved him. “Brother, you should go first.”

Without another word, Chu Beiheng stood up, grabbed his laptop, and swiftly left the conference room, tossing back a remark: “I’m off to chase stars.”

Seeing this, Jiang Yi made to stand as well, but Yan Nanchen pressed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“I should thank him. That money was well spent.Yan Nanchen knew Jiang Yi was a little upset, though not truly angry probably just feeling sorry about the money. He pulled Jiang Yi close and wrapped him in his arms. “To me, money is just a number. You’re the one I should truly care about.”

“You’re such an idiot. A billion yuan!” Jiang Yi rested his chin on Yan Nanchen’s shoulder, frowning, then suddenly felt nauseous. “You’ve made me so mad I feel sick.”

“Sick?” Yan Nanchen immediately released him, gripping his hands anxiously.

Perhaps it was those words, but the two exchanged a glance, simultaneously guessing the same thing.

“I have been feeling a bit off lately,” Jiang Yi mused. “I’ve been sleeping a lot more, haven’t I?”

“Mm.” Yan Nanchen leaned in, pressing his forehead to Jiang Yi’s, his voice warm as he gazed at him. “You were dozing off during the meeting earlier, and after work too falling asleep the moment you got in the car. You really have been sleeping a lot recently.”

Jiang Yi pursed his lips, suppressing a smile as realization dawned. He nipped at Yan Nanchen’s lower lip.

Understanding, Yan Nanchen caressed the small of his back and deepened the kiss.

After waiting two years, just as his body had fully recovered, the surprise had arrived.

At the hospital,

“Congratulations, you two. You’re going to be fathers six weeks along.”

Jiang Yi held the pregnancy report in his hands, momentarily dazed. When this long-awaited surprise finally arrived, he was at a loss, but more than anything, his eyes welled up with tears.

This wasn’t about transferring his longing for Nian Nian onto this child it was a new hope in its own right.

And this time, he wasn’t alone.

This child would grow up safe and sound under the care of two fathers.

“Yi Yi, thank you.”

Jiang Yi looked at Yan Nanchen, meeting his reddened eyes, and smiled knowingly. “Congratulations, First Dad. You got your wish.”

Yan Nanchen laughed through his tears. “I’m so happy. This time, I finally get to be with you every step of the way.”

Their fingers intertwined, palms warm and damp with emotion.

Parking lot.

The previously composed President Yan was now anything but.

Yan Nanchen sat in the driver’s seat, staring down at the pregnancy report in his hands. With utmost care, he pinched the corners of the document, reading and rereading the details. He had already gone over it countless times, but he needed to see it again, he was just too overjoyed.

His eyes reddened, his hands trembling faintly.

Name: Jiang Yi

Age: 33

Gender: Secondary Differentiation Omega

Progesterone: 78.04

β-HCG: 161,465.13

Diagnosis: Early Pregnancy

The emotions buried deep in his heart for so many years seemed to finally find release this time. That crumpled pregnancy test result he had accidentally stepped on back then, it had also shown six weeks. And that fake abortion report, he had cried over it countless times until the ink smeared.

Both of those were things that made him cry every time he looked at them. And now, this one would make him cry too because it was the antidote to all the despair he had once felt.

It was also an antidote granted by Jiang Yi’s permission.

He took a deep breath and pressed the pregnancy test result against his chest, unable to hold back his tears once more.

Jiang Yi watched Yan Nanchen, seeing him examine the pregnancy test result over and over again. Ever since finding out at the hospital that he was pregnant, Yan Nanchen had been enveloped in intense emotions excitement, sorrow, a complicated mix of feelings.

Even after getting into the car, he kept looking at it tirelessly.

Then, when Jiang Yi saw Yan Nanchen press the test result to his chest and burst into tears, his heart ached for him. But in that same moment, he also felt the depth of Yan Nanchen’s love far beyond what he had imagined.

Was his puppy crying tears of joy because he was pregnant?

Surely it wasn’t just that.

“Puppy.”

Jiang Yi leaned closer to Yan Nanchen, placing a hand on the back of his head and gently stroking. Softly, he asked, “Don’t cry. I can’t even tell if you’re happy or not anymore.”

“I am happy.” Yan Nanchen lifted his tear-streaked face to look at Jiang Yi, but the moment their eyes met, fresh tears spilled over. “You’re still willing to have a child with me. You’re not afraid. I’m so happy I can’t stop crying.”

Seeing him cry like this, Jiang Yi couldn’t help but laugh, unaware that his own eyes had reddened too. He wiped Yan Nanchen’s tears with the back of his hand. “I thought you were sad.”

“I—” Yan Nanchen choked up. He lowered his head and carefully folded the pregnancy test result, then took out a handkerchief, wrapped the paper in it, and tucked it into his pocket. “I won’t step on this one carelessly again.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yi froze for a moment, remembering that incident too. “You still remember that.”

Back then, he had been overjoyed, eager to share the news of his pregnancy with his puppy only to be met with a bolt from the blue that day. During their argument, he had thrown the test result at Yan Nanchen, who had stepped on it.

“How could I ever forget?” Yan Nanchen treated the pregnancy test result like a precious treasure, carefully storing it away before turning to Jiang Yi. “Yi Yi, can we go back to our old home?”

At his words, Jiang Yi thought of the key he had never moved and never carried with him.

“But I didn’t bring the key.”

“I did.” Yan Nanchen quickly pulled a key from his pocket, presenting it to Jiang Yi like a proud offering. “I always carry it with me.”

Jiang Yi smirked. “Why do you carry it around?”

“Because I wanted to go back with you.” Yan Nanchen placed the key in Jiang Yi’s hand, lowering his gaze. “I wanted to return there.”

“And if I said no, would you really not go? You have your own key, after all.” Jiang Yi couldn’t resist ruffling his hair, he looked like a dejected big dog, and it made his fingers itch.

“I wanted to wait for you.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yi suddenly thought of the past five years. “You never went in before?” They had bought that place, hadn’t they? Surely he hadn’t never set foot inside?

Yan Nanchen shook his head. “No, at most, I just stood by the door.”

Jiang Yi’s heart ached at his words. He pinched Yan Nanchen’s ear gently. “You’re such a fool.”

“I just wanted to wait for you to come back, so we could go home together.” Yan Nanchen turned his head slightly, pressing a kiss to Jiang Yi’s wrist. His deep eyes reflected Jiang Yi’s image. “I know the past can’t be undone, but this home, I want to go back.”

This home still held his deepest longing.

The small black velvet box that once held the house keys was originally meant for a ring. Back then, he hadn’t dared, so he could only substitute one thing for another. And the ring he had taken away was quietly waiting for the right moment.

“Yiyi, take me home, okay?”

Listening to Yan Nanchen’s pleading tone, Jiang Yi felt something subtle. Perhaps Yan Nanchen valued him too much, always speaking in a lowered, cautious voice, as if afraid of upsetting him.

With a mix of exasperation and affection, Jiang Yi pinched Yan Nanchen’s cheek. “What do you mean, ‘take you home’? We’re going home together.” Then he pressed his face against Yan Nanchen’s, leaning close to his ear to whisper:

“Puppy, I love you so much. So, you don’t have to be careful just be my puppy again, okay?”

“Okay.”

Yan Nanchen thought to himself then tonight it is.

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