Pregnant with the Empress’s Alpha Heir - Chapter 30.1

A clear morning.

Gu Yingying stood at the school gate, holding her small suitcase.

She had barely waited five minutes when a familiar voice called out from a distance.

“Yingying.” Gu Zhilan jogged toward her, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

“Sorry, am I late?”

Gu Yingying patted his shoulder. “No need to rush, Lan-ge.

“You’re not late, I just came out early.”

Glancing at the time on his smart device, Gu Zhilan exhaled in relief.

“We still have about ten minutes before the scheduled meeting time. Let’s wait a bit longer.”

“By the way, Yingying, have you eaten breakfast?” he asked, pulling out a bag of milk and bread from his backpack.

Gu Yingying waved her hand. “No need, Lan-ge. I’ve already eaten. You have it.”

After a brief pause, Gu Zhilan packed the food back into his bag.

As they waited, the two naturally fell into casual conversation.

Gu Zhilan watched the passing cars. “Yingying, do you really think your roommate can arrange a private flight?

“I asked around, and my friends all said that traveling from Academy Star to Capital Star and back in just one day isn’t possible with civilian-grade spacecraft.”

Gu Yingying pursed her lips. “Honestly, I’m not sure either.”

She turned to him. “But don’t worry, Lan-ge. I’ve confirmed with Taozi, and I trust she wouldn’t make empty promises.

“She genuinely wants to invite us to the wedding.”

Gu Zhilan ruffled her hair. “Got it.”

Gu Yingying stuck out her tongue playfully.

“I know you probably don’t really want to go, Lan-ge. With those two experts at your hospital now, I bet you’d rather spend every waking hour shadowing them.”

Gu Zhilan chuckled.

While his decision to accompany Yingying was largely motivated by his concern for his little sister, it wasn’t the only reason.

“Not exactly,” he explained. “I’ve actually wanted to visit Capital Star for a while. It’s the pinnacle of mental field studies.

“Haha, I know I’d never get into the Royal Affiliated Hospital, but just taking a photo outside the building would be enough for me.”

Gu Yingying nodded in understanding.

She rose on her tiptoes. “Then after the wedding, I’ll go with you!

“I can even take your picture!”

Gu Zhilan smiled and agreed with a soft “Okay.”

A few minutes later, a luxury car pulled up in front of them.

Heng Ying rolled down the window.

The moment she spotted the petite and adorable Gu Yingying, her original purpose flew out of her mind.

“Well, hello there, little beauty. Good morning.”

Gu Yingying froze, frowned, and took a step back.

Gu Zhilan moved closer, shielding her.

Noticing their guarded reactions, Heng Ying lost interest in teasing them.

She removed her sunglasses and said, “Alright, I’ll stop messing with you. You two are Gu Yingying and Gu, uh, Gu Zhilan, right?”

Only now did the Gu siblings get a clear look at Heng Ying’s face and both were momentarily stunned.

The Heng family was practically a household name on Academy Star. As the eldest daughter, Heng Ying was notorious in elite circles for her wild lifestyle.

Gossip outlets, and even mainstream media on Academy Star, frequently reported on her escapades whether it was her latest bar-hopping spree or her ever-changing lineup of young model girlfriends.

The moment they saw her face, Gu Yingying and Gu Zhilan immediately recognized Heng Ying’s identity.

What astonished them was that someone of such vastly different social standing would appear in this place and accurately call them by name.

Gu Yingying was the first to react.

“Are you Taozi’s friend?” she ventured. “Here to pick us up?”

Heng Ying nodded, casually pressing a button to open the rear car door.

“Correct. I’ve been ordered to personally escort you to the Capital Star.”

“It’s getting late. Hop in, pretty girl and handsome boy. The starship is already waiting.”

Gu Yingying and Gu Zhilan exchanged glances.

Both saw hesitation reflected in each other’s eyes.

Quite apart from Heng Ying’s status, her manner of speaking alone made them balk.

But under the circumstances, refusing to get in the car seemed even more awkward.

As the male Alpha, Gu Zhilan stepped forward. “We appreciate your trouble.”

“However, both Yingying and I have names. Please just address us directly.”

Heng Ying rubbed her nose and muttered under her breath, “How tedious.”

Fortunately she remembered her mission. After letting her gaze linger briefly on Gu Yingying’s face, she looked away.

Gu Zhilan busied himself loading their luggage his large backpack and Gu Yingying’s small suitcase into the vehicle before joining his sister in the back seat.

With the doors locked, Heng Ying drove toward the Heng family’s private starship port.

Inside the car, the music played slightly too loud.

Up front, Heng Ying swayed subtly to the rhythm while driving in silence.

In the back, Gu Yingying and Gu Zhilan didn’t dare make a sound.

Simultaneously, they both opened their neural interfaces to communicate via text.

[Gu Zhilan: Yingying, am I seeing this right? Isn’t that the eldest daughter of the Heng family?]

[Gu Yingying: Brother, what a coincidence, I was thinking the same.]

Having reached this consensus, they swallowed hard while exchanging glances.

Gu Zhilan continued typing.

[Gu Zhilan: Her mannerisms confirm it’s definitely her. Why would she come to pick us up? And say she “received orders”? Who could possibly give her orders?]

[Gu Yingying: I don’t know either.]

After some thought, Gu Yingying edited another message.

[Gu Yingying: Maybe Taozi comes from a good family herself. Or perhaps the person she’s marrying this time is very high-status.]

Gu Zhilan’s mouth twisted awkwardly.

[Gu Zhilan: No no no, you don’t understand!]

[Gu Zhilan: The Hengs are the foremost family on our Academic Star. I truly can’t imagine what kind of wedding could warrant her serving as chauffeur.]

This message left them both silent.

They couldn’t deduce more information or rather, didn’t dare speculate further.

The luxury car lived up to its reputation, swiftly delivering them to their destination.

The starship bound for Capital Star already awaited at the launchpad.

As soon as Heng Ying opened the car door, attendants came forward.

She tossed them the keys. “Be careful with my baby. Not a single scratch.”

The guards bowed. “Understood, miss.” Then added, “The starship is prepared in Sector B03, ready for immediate departure.”

Heng Ying nodded.

She glanced back at Gu Yingying and Gu Zhilan.

First impressions mattered. Their initial encounter had already shown her she and the Gu siblings moved in different circles, with little common ground.

At this moment, she directly signaled to the guard, “I’ll go ahead first. Find someone to guide my two little guests.”

The guard nodded.

Heng Ying lazily waved at Gu Yingying with a smile and walked straight away.

Seeing her leave, Gu Yingying and Gu Zhilan didn’t feel slighted at all. Instead, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Zhilan retrieved his large backpack and Gu Yingying’s suitcase from the car. Unlike Heng Ying who traveled empty-handed, the Gu siblings, though from a scholarly family, came from modest means. To save money and for convenience, they had brought quite a few of their own belongings for this trip.

After hoisting the bulging backpack onto his shoulders, Gu Zhilan turned to Gu Yingying, “Yingying, give me the suitcase.”

Gu Yingying shook her head, gripping the suitcase handle tightly. “Brother, it’s fine. There’s not much, I can carry it myself.”

Although Gu Zhilan was also an Alpha, his profession as a doctor meant his physical strength was only slightly better than an average person’s. Gu Yingying, being independent by nature, didn’t want to burden him with such trivial matters.

Gu Zhilan adjusted his backpack. “It’s alright, give it to me. I can’t let you, an Omega, carry things by yourself when we’re out together.”

As they were discussing this, the person assigned to guide them arrived. This staff member was a Beta who usually served wealthy clients like Heng Ying and knew exactly how to judge people by their appearance. From afar, just by looking at the Gu siblings’ attire, he could tell they were ordinary folks and immediately lost all enthusiasm.

“Hurry up, hurry up, the spaceship is waiting,” the staff member called out.

Seizing the opportunity, Gu Yingying quickly pulled her suitcase and trotted over to him, waving back, “Brother, come on!”

Left with no choice, Gu Zhilan could only watch as Gu Yingying dragged her luggage herself. Fortunately, the docking area wasn’t far, and within less than ten minutes, they arrived at B03.

Heng Ying had already boarded and was leaning by the entrance, unusually serious as she listened to the captain explain the upcoming travel arrangements.

The staff member led the Gu siblings to the boarding ramp and said, “There, go on up,” before turning to leave, only to be stopped by Gu Zhilan.

“Excuse me, I’d like to ask,  what about our luggage?”

The staff member frowned in surprise. “You’re asking me? Don’t you know? You carry it up yourselves.”

Gu Yingying was taken aback. “Isn’t there a luggage channel?”

“Huh?” The staff member sneered. “Sorry, our young lady never carries loads of baggage wherever she goes. There is a luggage channel, but it’s never been used. What, do you think you’re more precious than our young lady, expecting me to specially open the luggage channel for you?”

Gu Yingying’s face flushed with embarrassment. Suppressing her anger, she replied softly, “Never mind,” and proceeded to lift the entire suitcase herself, climbing the ramp step by step.

Gu Zhilan wanted to help, but the boarding ramp wasn’t wide enough, forcing him to follow behind. He urged Gu Yingying to hand him the suitcase, but she simply repeated, “No need, I can manage.”

Helpless and frustrated, Gu Zhilan could do nothing. However, the situation soon took a turn.

Before Gu Yingying had climbed more than a few steps, Heng Ying, noticing from the entrance, rushed down two steps at a time.

She stepped in front of Gu Yingying, blocking her path with a frown. “What’s going on here?” she asked.

Gu Yingying, already frustrated and not understanding the question, grew impatient.

“Move aside,” she glared at Heng Ying. “Can’t I just carry my own luggage upstairs?”

But the next moment, Heng Ying reached out and took the suitcase from her hands.

“I was asking why my guest had to carry her own luggage.”

She glanced downward.

The staff member clearly heard her accusation and quickly raised his hands in defense. “Miss, that Omega insisted on carrying it herself. There was nothing I could do.”

Gu Yingying rolled her eyes.

She couldn’t be bothered to argue,

Dealing with such petty people was beneath her.

“Is that so?” Heng Ying smiled at the staff member. “Seems my little guest is quite considerate. Then what exactly is your purpose here?”

The staff member froze for a moment before panicking. “No, I just—”

Heng Ying waved him off. “Go see Uncle Li to process your resignation.”

Then she turned to Gu Yingying, raising an eyebrow teasingly. “I should thank my little guest for helping me save on payroll.”

Gu Yingying flushed, though whether from anger or exertion was unclear. “You!”

Heng Ying beckoned and started climbing the stairs without waiting. “Keep up.”

“Even if my little guest insisted on carrying it herself, I can’t neglect my hospitality.”

Gu Yingying chased after her. “Give me back my suitcase! I’ll do it myself!”

Unsurprisingly, her protests fell on deaf ears.

Gu Zhilan followed behind the bickering pair, sighing in resignation as he continued the climb.

The spaceship had no extra staff this time, Heng Ying truly traveled light.

Acting as their guide, she personally introduced the functional areas of the ship to the Gu siblings before leading them to the rest area, placing Gu Yingying’s suitcase outside her door.

“Alright, rest for a while. We’ll be on board for six or seven hours. You’ll be notified when meals are ready, so keep an eye out.”

“Also, if you need anything, dial ‘001’ on the room’s intercom. I’ll be at your service anytime.”

Though she addressed both of them, her smiling gaze lingered on Gu Yingying.

Having reclaimed her suitcase, Gu Yingying refused to spare her even a glance.

Unfazed, Heng Ying left after finishing her instructions.

Since their rooms faced each other, Gu Zhilan escorted Gu Yingying inside first.

The private spacecraft had been remodeled, its interior rivaling that of a luxury hotel.

The rooms Heng Ying arranged for them were top-tier.

Recalling their journey so far, Gu Zhilan couldn’t help but remark, “Miss Heng,  she’s actually quite decent, isn’t she?”

Gu Yingying wrinkled her nose.

She tossed her suitcase into a corner and retorted, “Lan-ge, what are you talking about?”

“How can someone like that be considered decent?”

Gu Zhilan chuckled. “She does seem a bit frivolous, but she’s reliable where it counts. Maybe that’s just her personality.”

“Besides, haven’t you noticed? Even though she teases you, she hasn’t released a single trace of pheromones the entire time. She doesn’t actually mean to harass you.”

The relationship between Alphas and Omegas is quite intricate.

When an Alpha and an Omega are mutually interested, they first test the waters through pheromones.

Gu Yingying remained firm in her opinion: “Someone with a frivolous personality can’t be considered a good person!”

“Yes, yes, Yingying is absolutely right,” Gu Zhilan surrendered.

He reassured her: “Anyway, we’re only going for three days. Once the trip is over, we won’t have any further interaction with this eldest daughter of the Heng family.”

“Yingying, just bear with it for now.”

Gu Yingying nodded.

She wasn’t the type to be willful about such matters: “Mm, I understand.”

“I’ll just keep my distance from her.”

Gu Zhilan felt relieved and bid her goodnight before returning to his room.

After he left, Gu Yingying flopped onto the soft, oversized bed in the center of her room.

Puzzled, she considered contacting Yu Zhitao to ask about the wedding and Heng Ying.

But the spaceship’s signal was spotty, and considering Yu Zhitao was likely busy, Gu Yingying hesitated before ultimately deciding against it.

Thus, when she and Gu Zhilan heard Heng Ying reveal the truth about the wedding in the spaceship’s dining hall later, both were caught completely off guard.

“The Emperor’s wedding?” Gu Yingying could hardly believe her ears.

Heng Ying nodded: “Yeah, didn’t you know?”

She took a leisurely sip of wine: “Did you really think there’s anyone else who could make me rush over in a spaceship like this?”

“I’d rather be at a bar having fun.”

Gu Yingying ignored her latter remark.

“S-so, does that mean we’re going to the imperial palace tomorrow for the wedding ceremony? Tao,  Taozi no, she’s about to become the Empress!”

Gu Zhilan also snapped back to reality: “T-then that means the baby in Zhitao’s belly is the Emperor’s?!”

Heng Ying suddenly became intrigued: “You know about the baby too?”

Gu Zhilan proudly declared: “The future little princess’s first check-up and first ultrasound were done at our hospital.”

“Yingying and I were right there with her at the time.”

Heng Ying stroked her chin: “Tsk, so it was you two.”

“You must have processed the internal paperwork for her. My people couldn’t even trace which department she visited back then.”

At the time, Yu Zhitao’s security detail had followed her to the hospital but couldn’t retrieve any records once inside.

Zhen Qianqiu had kept Yu Zhitao’s true identity hidden from Heng Ying to maintain discretion, and Heng Ying hadn’t thought much of it. When she couldn’t find Yu Zhitao’s medical records, she assumed Gu Yingying was responsible and didn’t use her authority to investigate further.

Had it not been for Gu Zhilan, she might have discovered Yu Zhitao’s pregnancy much sooner.

A series of coincidences had nearly led her to commit a grave mistake, for which Zhen Qianqiu later punished her severely.

“What’s wrong with internal paperwork?” Gu Yingying glared at her.

Heng Ying rubbed her face: “Nothing. Ultimately, it was my own fault.”

“But now that I think about it, no wonder the future Empress went through so much trouble to invite you two. The Emperor even made me delay our departure because of it.”

“You’ve done them a tremendous favor. Both the Emperor and future Empress owe you their gratitude.”

Gu Yingying lowered her head: “I was just doing what I should. Even if I hadn’t known Taozi was. I would’ve helped her regardless.”

Heng Ying deliberately drew out a long nasal hum: “Hmm!”

She smiled: “Yingying is as beautiful as she is kind.”

This compliment only earned her a glare from Gu Yingying.

Standing up, Gu Yingying said, ” I’m going back to my room first.”

Heng Ying looked surprised. “Leaving so soon? It’ll be so boring alone in your room.”

She raised her glass. “Really won’t join me for a drink?”

“No!” Gu Yingying firmly refused, enunciating each word before turning to leave.

Left with no choice, Heng Ying turned her attention to Gu Zhilan. “Doctor Zhilan, care for a drink?”

Gu Zhilan waved his hand. “I don’t drink. Please enjoy yourself.”