It’s So Exhausting Having Top-tier Alpha Twins As Exes - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: What If I Get Pregnant?

He remained silent. This was simply Xiang Shuyu’s temperament whenever he encountered something he couldn’t handle or was afraid to deal with, he would stay silent, believing that by waiting and enduring, the matter would eventually blow over.

One couldn’t entirely blame him; Jiang Xiayue responded well to this behavior. After being mother and son for so many years, Xiang Shuyu knew exactly what kind of reaction she preferred. Over time, this had become a maladaptive habit.

However, lately, it was as if a delayed puberty had arrived; he had developed a somewhat rebellious streak, leading to frequent arguments with her.

For Jiang Xiayue, a child losing her control was an unfriendly signal, which accelerated her own crumbling emotional state.

This rare silence, however, gave Jiang Xiayue a sense of familiar peace.

She calmed down quickly, taking deep breaths and attempting to speak to him properly: “Mama doesn’t have any ulterior motives, and I’m not trying to hurt you. Look, Shuyu, the Xiang family supported you when you studied abroad. If you marry into the family and become one of them and since Xiang Han likes you the resources you can get will only increase.”

“His liking won’t last very long.”

Xiang Shuyu felt that he and Jiang Xiayue were talking past each other. She had wandered through social circles for years and seen so many romantic affairs, yet she still possessed a nearly cruel naivety regarding love.

“Xiang Han is a wealthy man, an Alpha with intact glands. He won’t lack Omegas with high compatibility. This might just be a whim—”

“A whim is enough!” Jiang Xiayue grabbed his hands, acting as if she were desperate to impart every bit of social maneuvering she had learned to her child. “Look, baby, as long as you get married, you have a chance to carve up the Xiang family’s assets. You have a chance to use them to climb up and become one of the elite.”

Xiang Shuyu suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion. “And what if I get pregnant?”

This time, it was finally Jiang Xiayue’s turn to be speechless.

She had never considered the possibility of Xiang Shuyu getting pregnant.

“If I get pregnant, I’ll become just like you.” Xiang Shuyu didn’t know if he had picked up some verbal sparring skills from Duan Yue, but at the very least, he felt empowered to talk back to her. “When that happens, I’ll have a premature child, and then when Xiang Han gets tired of us, I’ll have to get a divorce and find someone else to marry…”

“Enough, Xiang Shuyu!” Jiang Xiayue acted as if she were hearing a horror story, instantly covering her ears. “Enough, don’t say anymore!”

Xiang Shuyu obediently shut his mouth.

He knew she found it hard to accept, but those were his honest thoughts and a very possible reality.

Seeing Jiang Xiayue like this, Xiang Shuyu felt an eerily refreshing sense of satisfaction.

This was the first time he had defied her like this the first time he tried using the thing she cared about most as a blade to pierce her heart.

It was…

Exceptionally exhilarating.

Xiang Shuyu charged his phone in his room and finally turned it on.

Duan Yue had sent many messages and left several missed calls, asking why he wasn’t answering or replying.

Xiang Shuyu thought about it and told the truth: “I had a bit of a fever after going back yesterday.”

Duan Yue replied quickly: “Was I too rough yesterday?”

“No.”

Xiang Shuyu sent a calm message: “I’m allergic to mangoes.”

Duan Yue didn’t reply for a long time. Xiang Shuyu guessed he either hadn’t seen it or saw it but didn’t consider it something worth taking to heart.

Xiang Shuyu placed his phone on the desk. He opened his computer, which contained several recording files. He had received a friend request from the head of the music department at Ducheng Games and added them.

They asked him for a few recordings.

Xiang Shuyu had his own social media accounts which he had been managing sporadically over the years, uploading tracks there. If Ducheng wanted to know his skill level, they could have searched for him directly, so asking for recordings now was likely just following official procedure.

He couldn’t help but think about Gu Yi and Ming Xiu again. He was uncertain of the situation; Duan Yue said he would handle it, which presumably meant he had already spoken to them.

So, this time, the contract didn’t seem to have been stolen by Ming Xiu.

But his heart was still in his throat. Similar things had happened many times, and he was always the losing party. It felt unsettling to actually “win” for once.

After sending the recordings, there was no response from Ducheng. Xiang Shuyu waited anxiously at the computer, distractedly flipping through sheet music to divert his attention. Every time a message notification sounded, he hurriedly clicked to check.

But this time, the message was from Duan Yue.

“I was just in a meeting. My driver will pick you up and bring you to my company in a bit.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were allergic to mangoes.”

Xiang Shuyu didn’t ask why he was being brought to the company; it might not be anything good.

Still, he got up to wash, showered, and changed his clothes.

He stood before the mirror looking at himself dressed in a plain, light-colored shirt and trousers, as bland and tasteless as ever.

After graduation, Duan Yue served as the CEO at the Duan family’s headquarters. His father held the ultimate power, but to groom his son, he had delegated part of the executive authority to his eldest. Now, the entire Duan corporation knew that Duan Yue was the Chairman’s most favored successor.

The entire office building belonged to the Duan family. Duan Yue’s driver dropped Xiang Shuyu off in the underground parking lot. Xiang Shuyu thanked him. Just before he got out, the driver couldn’t help but ask: “Would Mr. Xiang like to move to the villa in the South District?”

Xiang Shuyu’s hand paused on the door handle, seemingly surprised by the sudden suggestion.

The driver had actually managed to drive into the residential complex today, but Xiang Shuyu told him not to go further in, so he had to park near the house.

Then, he had overheard the argument between Xiang Shuyu and Jiang Xiayue. She was likely pressing him on where he was going and wanted him to go find the Xiang family’s eldest son, Xiang Han.

As an outsider, even the driver could hear the resistance in Xiang Shuyu’s words. It was impossible for Jiang Xiayue not to hear it, but she ignored it, pretending she didn’t understand.

Finally, she had grown tired of the shouting and frustrated by his silent resistance, storming out with her bag in a fit of rage.

The driver had never seen a mother with such a strong desire for control, especially since Xiang Shuyu was already twenty-five an age to start his own family yet he still lived under such suffocating parental control. This made the driver feel quite sympathetic toward him.

Xiang Shuyu sensed the sympathy. He knew the driver meant well, but “domestic shame should not be aired,” so he felt quite embarrassed. He could only force a smile and say, “That’s alright. Living at home is quite convenient. If it’s inconvenient for you to pick me up, next time Duan Yue looks for me, I’ll find my own way there.”

At a time like this, he was still pushing the root of the problem onto “it’s too far to pick me up.” The driver was momentarily speechless.

He had never met someone so intent on pleasing others.

Xiang Shuyu pretended not to see the driver’s complex gaze. He had seen that look from many people. He was a “nice guy,” an idiot who didn’t know how to refuse and would release kindness to others at any opportunity. Many former close friends or elders had looked at him that way.

After all these years, he hadn’t changed at all.

Xiang Shuyu knew he was losing face, but he had lost so much already that he was somewhat numb.

He gave the driver a gentle smile, got out of the car, and followed the directions Duan Yue gave him to find the direct elevator to the CEO’s office.

He didn’t know the way and was wandering around confused when he suddenly saw two familiar figures entering an elevator.

Xiang Shuyu’s footsteps faltered.

The metallic interior of the elevator reflected their faces. He was familiar with both: one was Ming Xiu, and the other was Duan Yue.

At the moment the elevator doors closed, Xiang Shuyu felt that Duan Yue had seen him, but the gaze he met was so cold—the first time he had seen that on Duan Yue’s face—that it made his skin crawl and his spine tingle. It felt utterly foreign.

Xiang Shuyu’s mind was a mess.

Why was Ming Xiu with Duan Yue? He had clearly told Duan Yue that Ming Xiu would steal his contract, so why was Ming Xiu here?

Xiang Shuyu knew it was wrong to overthink; he had no standing or right to question or interfere in Duan Yue’s social life. But these rational thoughts were buried by chaotic emotions. He couldn’t stop the fear Ming Xiu had already stolen so many things from him, he was afraid Ming Xiu would steal Duan Yue too.

Xiang Shuyu asked himself if he really had such deep feelings for Duan Yue. Perhaps it was just possessiveness at work, making him feel panicked and unhappy.

The elevator numbers kept ticking upward. Xiang Shuyu stood before the doors; the metal surface reflected his silhouette, and his face appeared distorted and unattractive. His white shirt made him look especially dull.

Ming Xiu’s reputation online was always excellent young, with a clear and pretty face, a very appealing type. Combined with his sweet talk and ability to please people, he had many fans who liked him for his looks, not entirely for the brilliance of his skill.

Regarding guzheng performance, Xiang Shuyu possessed a confidence and sensitivity he lacked in other matters. He knew his own level within the industry and he knew Ming Xiu’s level; in terms of performance alone, Ming Xiu lacked Xiang Shuyu’s innate soul.

The internet whispered that Xiang Shuyu was tainted by the smell of money, but everyone online works for money. Ming Xiu himself relied on things other than art to obtain resources; it was just that because of his good reputation, no one noticed or mentioned these issues yet.

Xiang Shuyu sometimes felt it was unfair, but as Duan Yue said, he was a cowardly person who didn’t know how to refuse or resist. The only time he did was perhaps hiding the fact that he was dating and not telling Jiang Xiayue.

In this regard, he couldn’t compete with someone as charming as Ming Xiu, so having things that belonged to him snatched away was an inevitable outcome.

The elevator numbers began to move again, but Xiang Shuyu didn’t notice, standing there despondently, staring at his reflection in the doors.

The elevator “dinged” and the doors opened.

Duan Yue’s face suddenly appeared before him. Xiang Shuyu snapped awake, turning his eyes away in a panic, then felt his actions looked suspicious, so he hurriedly looked back and whispered, “Duan Yue.”

Duan Yue hadn’t expected Xiang Shuyu to be standing right outside the elevator. He paused, then replied: “Why didn’t you go up? The driver said he dropped you off. I waited for ages but didn’t see you. Did you lose the floor? Or couldn’t find the elevator?”

“I…” Xiang Shuyu’s throat suddenly felt tight. He desperately wanted to ask why Duan Yue was in the elevator with Ming Xiu, whether Ming Xiu would say anything to him, and if he knew they were dating.

But even when Duan Yue reached out to put an arm around his shoulder, Xiang Shuyu couldn’t bring himself to utter those questioning words.

Duan Yue observed his expression and asked, “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve lost your soul.”

He led Xiang Shuyu into the elevator, pressed the button for the top floor, and said, “Come sit in my office for a bit. I originally wanted to take you out to dinner, but a very important task suddenly came up and it might end late. I thought your mother might not let you out if it’s too late, so I called you out early.”

He finished explaining everything in one go, but looking at Xiang Shuyu, the man was still dazed, thinking about something else.

Duan Yue suddenly felt a bit displeased: “What are you thinking about?”

“Ming Xiu…” Xiang Shuyu didn’t know why he was so impulsive today, but the words came out anyway. “I just saw Ming Xiu. Just now I saw him get into the elevator.”

Duan Yue fell silent for a moment, his expression becoming serious.