A Fatal Attraction from Lawyer A - Chapter 81

Gu Yuxi finished selecting a waist trainer that suited him. Throughout the process, he remained completely oblivious to Luo Panzhi’s aggrieved expression. After settling the bill, he began to feel hungry.

“I have a craving for tangyuan (glutinous rice balls),” Gu Yuxi said.

Luo Panzhi took the shopping bags from Gu Yuxi’s hands. Hearing that he actually wanted something sweet, Luo naturally led him toward food. “Let’s go. There should be a dessert shop just ahead.”

“I also want fried chicken,” Gu Yuxi added. He wasn’t usually a fan of fried food, but it was a sudden whim.

Luo Panzhi knitted his brows. “That’s a bit greasy. You’ll feel uncomfortable after eating it.”

“I’ll just have one bite and see.”

Luo Panzhi fell silent for two seconds, as if realizing something inevitable. “And then, when you can’t finish it, you’ll give the rest to me?”

Gu Yuxi nodded with a smile. “Mhm, that’s exactly what I mean.”

Luo Panzhi looked helpless, but if his partner wanted it, he would get it. He instructed the bodyguards to buy the fried chicken first while they headed to the dessert shop to rest and eat.

Inside the shop, the two handsome men sat among a crowd of young women, looking quite conspicuous.

“Is the inspection team still giving the Galaxy Group a hard time?” Gu Yuxi asked as he began his second bowl of tangyuan. It was rare for him to crave sweets, especially the chewy, “mochi-like” kind, and his appetite was unusually good.

Seeing this, Luo Panzhi pushed his own bowl of milk-based tangyuan toward him. Resting his head on one hand, he watched Gu Yuxi eat. “They wouldn’t dare. It could easily spark a trade dispute between our country and Country F. But the real issue is that Country F wants to increase export tariffs on BO-Sexual Inducers; it takes two to tango, after all.”

“I recall the BO-Sexual Inducer was a joint development between the Galaxy Research Institute and Country F’s Gemini Group? Why does the relationship feel so strained?”

Luo Panzhi nodded. “Yes. During the research phase, a specific cell type developed by Gemini was licensed to the Galaxy Institute. It’s not that the Galaxy Group and the Gemini Group are on bad terms—how could we be? The CEO of Gemini Group is my paternal uncle, Luo Qingwen—Jian Wenxing’s father.”

Gu Yuxi froze for a second; he truly hadn’t known that.

Luo Panzhi continued, “The main issue is that the Galaxy Group is a tall tree catching much wind. Especially when our vaccines are exported, anti-vaxxers are everywhere. Some use the opportunity to claim the Galaxy Group is conspiring with foreign powers. The previous Ruixing Hospital conspiracy theory was a typical example, though it was largely overshadowed by the Mo Wenbin scandal. In fact, Ruixing Hospital likely put a lot of effort into slandering the BO-Sexual Inducers.”

Gu Yuxi recalled the initial Ruixing Hospital incident. “So, what is the status of Ruixing Hospital now?”

“Since the chairman was arrested, Ruixing went bankrupt and was acquired by Galaxy Hospital.” Noticing a bit of milk on the corner of Gu Yuxi’s lip, Luo Panzhi reached out and wiped it away with his thumb. “Just focus on resting now. Don’t worry; everything is fine.”

Gu Yuxi finished the second bowl and gave Luo Panzhi a flat look.

Luo Panzhi immediately realized his mistake and chuckled helplessly. “Alright, ask whatever you want. I’m just afraid you’ll overthink things. What else do you want to know?”

Gu Yuxi thought to himself that this was more like it. Being kept in the dark would only make him feel uneasy. “How is the situation in L-Province…”

The two chatted while finishing their desserts. By the time the bodyguards arrived with the fried chicken, Gu Yuxi had already finished three bowls of tangyuan. Feeling incredibly full, he looked at Luo Panzhi. “I don’t want the chicken anymore. I’m stuffed.”

Despite the aroma of fresh fried chicken wafting through the box, he couldn’t eat another bite.

Luo Panzhi gave him a “told-you-so” look. He told the bodyguards to find a nearby table and eat the chicken themselves. He didn’t want it either; since Gu Yuxi had become pregnant, Luo had lost count of how many leftovers he had finished. Even the bodyguards had gained weight recently.

Aside from Gu Yuxi himself, everyone around him was getting plumper.

After their stroll, they headed home in a spacious RV. With the partition raised, the back became a private sanctuary, remaining stable regardless of the vehicle’s movement.

Luo Panzhi leaned back and saw Gu Yuxi rubbing his stomach. He turned and pulled him into his arms. “Did you eat too much?”

Gu Yuxi relaxed against Luo Panzhi’s chest and yawned. “I’m a bit bloated.”

“Let me rub it for you.” Luo Panzhi gently massaged the pregnancy bump through the clothes. To take better care of Gu Yuxi—who often suffered from indigestion—he had specifically consulted his eldest father.

He hadn’t known until he asked that you shouldn’t rub a pregnant belly in circles, as the baby might follow the movement of the palm, potentially leading to umbilical cord entanglement.

Drowsy from the massage, Gu Yuxi rested his head on Luo Panzhi’s shoulder, his eyelids growing heavy. “I’m going to sleep for a bit. Wake me when we get home.”

“Okay,” Luo Panzhi whispered, kissing his eyelid.

Upon returning home, Luo Panzhi was called into an emergency meeting. He had to leave Gu Yuxi to rest while he went to the study.

Watching the study door close, Gu Yuxi wondered if he should let Luo Panzhi return to the office. Even though Luo chose to stay home, he still couldn’t seem to step away from work. He decided he should discuss this with him later.

Having napped in the car, Gu Yuxi was no longer sleepy. Bored, he took out the newly purchased waist trainer and went to the bathroom to try it on.

The mirror reflected a man with a prominent pregnancy bump. At over five months, his former abs were gone, replaced by a smooth, white curve. He held the waist trainer against himself; his belly was now too wide for the band to even reach halfway around. It could only be held against the front.

His expression turned subtle. He thought of his former 68cm waist, which was now 89cm. By nine months, it would surely exceed 100cm. The thought of his years of fitness training going down the drain was painful. Then again, he had just eaten three bowls of tangyuan; no wonder his stomach felt so large.

Stubbornly, he tried to measure his waist again, pulling the straps behind his back, thinking that with a little effort, he might at least be able to see how it looked.

Luo Panzhi finished his short meeting and went looking for Gu Yuxi. Hearing a soft groan from the bathroom, his thoughts drifted to a previous occasion when a heavily pregnant Gu Yuxi had “taken care of himself” while sitting on the toilet. His gaze darkened.

He walked toward the half-open door. Through the crack, he saw Gu Yuxi standing shirtless before the mirror. He was holding the jet-black waist trainer against his bump, his shoulder blades and back muscles tensed into beautiful lines as he reached behind him.

His skin was pale, his breathing heavy, and against the black fabric, the scene was incredibly erotic. Luo Panzhi’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He imagined Gu Yuxi after the birth—recovering his figure to become that cool, abstinent, suit-clad Lawyer Gu once more.

“The stomach is still too big,” Gu Yuxi complained to himself. He felt a bit of discomfort, perhaps from overeating.

Suddenly, he felt hands wrap around his waist. He stared into the mirror. Luo Panzhi stood behind him with a smile, resting his hands on the bump. “It’s not big at all. It’s beautiful.”

Gu Yuxi froze, his ears turning red. “…Aren’t you in a meeting?”

“It was a short one.” Luo Panzhi pinched his ear. “Didn’t you say you’d wear this for fitness after the baby is born?”

Gu Yuxi shivered at the touch. “Don’t, it tickles. I was just trying it out. It doesn’t fit anyway.”

Luo Panzhi chuckled. “Do you want to try it properly? Need help?”

Gu Yuxi shook his head. But just as he was about to put it away, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through his abdomen, radiating from his spine. It felt as though his stomach was being torn apart.

His face went deathly pale, and the waist trainer slipped from his nerveless fingers. He doubled over, clutching the edge of the sink with one hand and his stomach with the other.

“What’s wrong?!” Luo Panzhi grabbed him, terrified by his sudden pallor. “Is it your stomach?”

The intense cramping left Gu Yuxi speechless. He opened his mouth, but the pain swallowed his strength. Finally, he managed to gasp out: “…My stomach hurts.”

Luo Panzhi didn’t waste a second. This was beyond his ability to help. He called the bodyguards to have the car ready, then carried Gu Yuxi to the bedroom to wrap him in warm clothes before rushing out.

The drive to Galaxy Hospital was fast and smooth, but Gu Yuxi was beginning to see black from the pain. No matter how he shifted, the cramping was relentless. I only put on a waist trainer, he thought through the haze, I didn’t even tighten it. Why does it hurt so much?

“…Panpan, it hurts so much.” Unable to bear it, he bit down on his own hand.

Luo Panzhi was frantic, trying to adjust Gu Yuxi’s position to no avail. Seeing him bite himself, Luo’s expression darkened. He grabbed Gu Yuxi’s hand. “Why are you biting yourself?!”

His voice was sharper than intended due to anxiety. Gu Yuxi, already in agony, felt a surge of grievance. His eyes welled up. He buried his forehead against Luo Panzhi’s thigh, his shoulders trembling.

Luo Panzhi panicked. He’s crying. I was too harsh.

“Baby, I’m sorry. I’m just worried,” Luo Panzhi said, lifting Gu Yuxi’s head. Seeing the man’s tear-streaked, pale face broke his heart. “I wasn’t yelling at you. I just didn’t want you to bite your hand until it bled.”

Gu Yuxi took a ragged breath. “…Can you not shout when you’re anxious?”

Luo Panzhi kissed him apologetically, swearing to fix his temper.

At the hospital, the bodyguards signaled for a gurney. By chance, Dr. Su was passing by. Recognizing the RV, he immediately called for nurses. “Hurry! It’s young Mr. Luo!”

Luo Panzhi carried Gu Yuxi onto the gurney. “His stomach is cramping. It looks very painful. Please check him.”

Dr. Su pressed on Gu Yuxi’s abdomen, noting his pale face. “What did he eat? It might be intestinal spasms. Is it very sharp?”

Gu Yuxi grabbed Luo Panzhi’s hand, his eyelashes trembling. “…I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

“He just had three bowls of tangyuan,” Luo Panzhi explained.

“Three?!” Dr. Su’s eyes widened. “Tangyuan is made of glutinous rice. Pregnant patients shouldn’t eat much of that because it’s so hard to digest. This is definitely intestinal spasms caused by indigestion. Three bowls? No wonder he’s suffering.”

Luo Panzhi felt a wave of guilt. “Yes… it’s my fault.” He wiped the cold sweat from Gu Yuxi’s brow. “We won’t eat them anymore, okay?”

Gu Yuxi gasped for air through the pain. He didn’t even like tangyuan that much; it had just been a craving.

He was never eating tangyuan again.