The Cold Side Character from a Male-Lead Novel is Pregnant - Chapter 18

Yan Yu’s plan had encountered a flaw.

Yan Yu had considered the possibility that Chen Kan might come, but he had not expected Chen Kan to arrive so quickly.

He had originally planned everything perfectly; he would give birth according to the system’s guidance and then quickly leave the Soul Realm with the cub. However, he had not anticipated that wave after wave of dried corpses and ghosts would swarm like a sea of blood, surrounding him completely.

Yan Yu’s heart initially sank, but he soon discovered that these soul bodies were exactly as the Administrator had described. They had no intention of attacking; they were simply craving the spiritual energy radiating from him, even going as far as forming a spontaneous barrier to protect him. He decided to use the lingering spiritual pressure from the birth to repair the souls of the deceased who had squeezed to the front row, specifically those whose soul bodies were the most damaged.

But as he continued the repairs, perhaps driven by muscle memory, Yan Yu truly could not stand the sight of those with their intestines dragging on the ground or those missing their heads. He naturally began his most familiar daily task: sewing up the corpses.

Therefore, when Chen Kan arrived, this was the scene he witnessed:

An old palace maid who had been a ghost for an unknown number of years was clumsily trying to stuff her translucent internal organs back into her abdominal cavity. Yan Yu reached out, his fingertips glowing with a faint light as he guided the intestines back into place. His movements were as practiced as if he were untangling a mess of thread. A warm, healing power radiated from his bandaged left arm, and the entire process was handled with extreme patience.

The strangest part was that Chen Kan could not find the child at all. Beside Yan Yu, there was only a small kitten with exceptionally beautiful fur. Its coat shimmered with a silver-white luster, looking like a soft, glowing cloud in the dim Soul Realm.

“Scissors,” Yan Yu said, without looking back.

The kitten let out a tiny purr from its throat and gave a clever nudge with its head. The small scissors in the cloth bag floated into the air and landed steadily by Yan Yu’s hand.

Yan Yu took them and neatly snipped away several strands of tangled black energy from the palace maid’s ghostly abdomen. He began the suturing, his fingers flying.

The maid’s soul looked down at her gradually recovering stomach, dazed, and suddenly raised a hand to wipe away non-existent tears. Immediately afterward, a charred corpse hurriedly pushed the old maid aside and stuffed a blackened infant into Yan Yu’s arms.

He mended one after another, then moved on to the next. He was so busy he could hardly keep up.

Chen Kan could not bear to see Yan Yu so exhausted. He approached, carrying a wave of pure and potent Yang energy. The soul bodies prostrated at Yan Yu’s feet scattered instantly like they had seen a ghost.

Before long, the vast ruins were suddenly empty and quiet, with dust floating slowly in the dim light. Only he and Yan Yu were left staring at each other.

Chen Kan did not know what he was thinking. He stepped forward quickly, and by the time he came to his senses, his arms were already lifting the extremely weak man. He held Yan Yu with all his strength, discarded all unnecessary burdens, and walked swiftly toward home. He only wanted to leave the Soul Realm immediately.

His throat was tight with tension, and his voice was as raspy as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper. “Are you alright?” Before he could finish his sentence, a crisp slap landed on his left cheek, though it carried little strength.

Yan Yu struggled in his arms, his voice faint but icy cold. “What are you doing? Put me down.”

Yan Yu actually hit him? No, that would not do.

“You can’t even walk steadily right now.” Chen Kan ran even faster, fearing the person in his arms would struggle more.

At this, Yan Yu directly tried to jump down. Chen Kan’s brow jumped, and he looked down to see Yan Yu frowning. That cold face rarely showed such a trace of urgent, unbearable frustration.

“My cub!”

“What cub?”

Chen Kan froze for two seconds and slammed on the brakes. “Oh. Where is it?”

“You just threw it on the ground.”

Chen Kan’s breathing stopped. Holding Yan Yu, he performed a sharp turn and sprinted back.

At the original spot, a fluffy little thing radiating a soft halo sat crouched. The silver-white kitten opened its glass-like round eyes, which were shimmering with watery light, and gazed gloomily at the two who had returned. It sat there, tiny as it was, with its mouth tightly gripping a tool bag that was larger than its own body. The tip of its tail was curled slightly, and its entire being projected a sense of being wronged and abandoned.

Chen Kan looked at the cat. The cat looked at Chen Kan. The air was silent for a few seconds.

Chen Kan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He lowered his voice and asked uncertainly, “Yan Yu?”

Yan Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His cold voice carried a heavy sense of fatigue and disdain. “This is it,” he said, seemingly too tired to say more as he used the last of his patience. “Pick it up, quickly.”

After leaving the Soul Realm, everything seemed to return to a calm state. Their lives returned to a regular track. Although Chen Kan asked about the birth several times, Yan Yu never went into detail. He went back to work the next day as usual, though his face remained pale. When Chen Kan asked how he felt, he only replied with “it is nothing” or “I am fine.”

Chen Kan had no choice but to ask around the Soul Realm and the cultivation world. The sources of information were messy; some were completely fabricated, while others were exaggerated. Some said Yan Yu had almost bled dry and exhausted his spiritual power just to provide indiscriminate aid to lonely ghosts. Others said Yan Yu had pulled a hair from his ear which turned into a golden thread that could sew up a corpse’s stomach. Chen Kan felt they were describing Sun Wukong rather than Yan Yu. The only certainty was that Yan Yu must have suffered greatly during the birth, which was why he avoided the topic and refused to bring up the past.

But why did Yan Yu give birth to a cat? How was it born, and from where? It was so strange.

Chen Kan faced the kitten, and the kitten faced Chen Kan. They sat there staring at each other.

A spirit cat is the size of a five or six month old kitten at birth. Its fur is beautiful, with a delicate silver-white luster. However, the flaw was its arrogant temperament and its complete lack of interest in Chen Kan.

When Yan Yu was home, it never caused trouble. The whole cat was so sweet it was almost cloying; it would show its belly, use a high-pitched “meow,” and even use its large fluffy tail to rhythmically brush against Yan Yu’s calf. When Yan Yu was not home, the cat showed great skill. Even though Chen Kan had sealed the windows, it could still slip out through the gap near the natural gas pipe. Its shadow flashed across the surveillance cameras of seven or eight nearby neighborhoods, like a patrolling security guard.

For some reason, it especially liked to protect stray kittens that were struggling to survive. In just three days, it had brought back six of them.

So, while Chen Kan cleaned up the mess and set up nests for the cats, he kept an eye on the guest bedroom. Yan Yu seemed to tacitly allow the existence of these little guys, but he had no intention of being close to them. It was as if he were drawing a line, or perhaps preparing to leave at any moment.

Until that night, Yan Yu looked at the computer screen and spoke in a flat voice. “The birth is over, and everything seems fine. I am going to pack up my single dormitory and aim to move out by next Monday.”

Chen Kan’s knuckles tightened slightly on the baby food spoon. “What about the cat?”

Yan Yu did not look up, his gaze remaining on the screen. “You look after the cats and dogs for now. My work schedule is very full, and I need to make up for the reports I missed these past few days.”

Chen Kan wanted to ask “What about me?”, but he felt the question was almost ridiculous. Although they had dated and were exes, they had never been very close from beginning to end. They were like lovers who had chosen each other for a short-term fling. From the time they started dating, they each kept a part of themselves hidden and never truly shared their foundations. They never discussed anything related to the past or the future. While maintaining adult rationality, they used pure physical attraction and a sexual relationship to maintain an ambiguous status called “a couple” that was actually just “bed partners.”

Then, at the first sign of trouble, they went their separate ways. When Chen Kan was transferred for work, Yan Yu naturally proposed a breakup.

This made Chen Kan feel very foolish because he had truly thought that even if they were in a long-distance relationship for a while, he would eventually return to Yan Yu’s side. But in Yan Yu’s list of options, it seemed he had never truly been included.

To be honest, Chen Kan did not feel it was a pity during the years they were apart. He clearly realized that besides their physical compatibility, they were not suitable in any other way. If Yan Yu chose a life partner, he might choose someone more enthusiastic, more grounded, and someone who loved him more, rather than a man like Chen Kan who could not squeeze out a word even after being poked three times, had nothing to say during dinner, and could not manage sweet talk even in bed.

They were too similar. They were like two shapes with sharp angles that could not be fitted together into a harmonious form.

So, Chen Kan actually understood why Yan Yu wanted to separate from him. He did not try too hard to make him stay at the time, allowing time to fill the empty parts of his heart and hoping that one day, when he saw Yan Yu again, he would be unbothered.

However, he failed. He found himself very conflicted. On one hand, he wanted to act indifferent in front of Yan Yu, but on the other hand, he could not help but dislike him.

Yan Yu had already picked up the sweater draped over the armrest. A kitten was currently chewing on a loose thread, so he gently removed it, put on his coat, and walked out the door. Chen Kan stayed at home staring at the cat for a while, and their eyes seemed to be cursing each other. Finally, he could not take it anymore.

He grabbed the unlucky cat, suppressed his anger, and drove to Yan Yu’s single dormitory.

Yan Yu had just arrived at the dormitory and had rolled up his sleeves to start cleaning when he heard a series of knocks on the door. It was more urgent than a debt collector. Looking through the peephole, he saw Chen Kan standing outside with a grim face, holding the cat. The cat’s expression was even worse. These two debt collectors, one big and one small, were waiting outside with extremely solemn expressions.

What was wrong?

Yan Yu opened the door expressionlessly, but before he could even ask a question, the cat in Chen Kan’s arms leaped out. It nimbly darted through the gap in the doorway, slid inside with a smooth motion, and used an elegant feline gait to jump onto the single bed where Yan Yu slept.

Yan Yu froze. He blinked slowly and then turned back to look at Chen Kan.

He saw Chen Kan’s lean, tall frame looming outside the door. One large hand gripped the doorknob, completely seizing control of the doorway. Chen Kan cast a cold, contemptuous glance at the cat on the bed, and then, with his other hand, he grabbed Yan Yu’s arm and yanked him out.

With a loud bang, the door slammed shut.

The cat was locked inside, while Yan Yu was pulled out into the hallway.

Yan Yu was startled. Just as he was about to ask “What are you doing?”, he felt the back of his head being cradled. In the next second, a domineering and forceful kiss descended without warning.

Chen Kan pressed him heavily against the door, deepening the kiss without any hesitation. His technique was skillful as he drove straight in. Yan Yu, shocked, began to push back with force. However, with his palms against Chen Kan’s chest, he could not move him an inch.

“What are you doing?” Yan Yu’s voice was very low and slightly breathless. He raised the back of his hand to wipe his lips, a movement so quick it was as if he were trying to erase a trace of something.

Chen Kan said nothing. He simply took another step forward, trapping Yan Yu between himself and the door once more. The distance was so close they could hear each other breathe.

“I am asking you,” Yan Yu looked up at him, his pupils appearing very dark in the dim light, “Chen Kan, what exactly do you want?”

Chen Kan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He wanted to say “Don’t go.” He wanted to say “The cat needs you.” In the end, he only managed to squeeze out a stiff sentence:

“Are you just going to toss me aside after you have finished using me?”

Yan Yu fell silent.

Silence spread through the hallway. The blurred sound of a television came from a neighboring room, making their heartbeats seem even softer. Yan Yu lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on Chen Kan’s white-knuckled grip. His voice was faint, as if he were stating a matter that had nothing to do with him:

“We broke up a long time ago.”

Chen Kan’s jawline tightened. He knew that, of course.

Yan Yu reached out to turn the doorknob. Chen Kan’s hand remained pressed there, unmoving. The sensor light dimmed again, leaving Yan Yu to rely on the faint light from the hallway window to see the heavy, almost stubborn glint in Chen Kan’s eyes. Yan Yu’s lips moved, but he could say nothing. He saw Chen Kan studying him with a gaze that was three parts mockery and seven parts indifference.

“So what if we broke up?” he heard Chen Kan say. “I will give you a chance. You can chase me and win me back again.”

Author’s Note: Yan Yu: ? [Question mark] (Note: The author is taking a break on Monday and will resume on Tuesday evening. Check out the new story teaser below!)

New Story Teaser: The System’s Male Idol Became the Entertainment Industry’s Public Instructor

Gu Xuxi was the recognized “Beauty with an Eight-fold Scope” of the entire North China Detachment. However, the year he earned a first-class merit, his photo was hung on the memorial wall.

But Gu Xuxi didn’t die. He traveled into a “male-frequency” web novel and became a brainless, pretty-faced idol. In the book, he was arrogant, extravagant, and played the big shot by clinging to powerful figures. Yet, even when he did nothing, the world’s resources and luck were shoved into his hands. By the end of the story, he was exposed as a negative example, his reputation collapsed, and he lost everything to the “grassroots” protagonist.

This time, when the “karma” of the plot arrived, his rivals and anti-fans dug into his past, only to be stunned. Why was this Gu Xuxi only interested in “uniting the masses,” “working seriously,” and “clocking in on time”?

Gu Xuxi was also frustrated. His new colleagues didn’t seem normal.

An award-winning actor insisted on “special training” during a celebrity sports show, wrapping his arms around Gu Xuxi’s waist and asking to be taught how to throw a discus. His voice trembled: “I… my balance is bad…” Gu Xuxi (expressionlessly correcting the form): “Tighten your core and use your arms. If you can’t do this, I suggest two more hours of practice.”

A veteran idol tried to “help a junior,” but rubbed against his leg off-camera with watery eyes: “Mommy, can you look at me just once?” Gu Xuxi (pulling out his notebook): “Inappropriate speech and behavior. One record. If it happens again, we will have a formal disciplinary talk.”

A top singer playing in an idol drama finished ten failed takes and approached with red ears: “Teacher Gu, I can’t find the feeling for this hug scene…” Gu Xuxi (stepping back, businesslike): “I suggest re-reading chapter three of ‘An Actor Prepares.’ If you need tutoring, please make an appointment according to the procedure.”

An e-sports god gave up a multi-million dollar endorsement to join the same slow-paced variety show. He looked at Gu Xuxi from afar and told the camera: “It was worth coming.” Gu Xuxi (frowning, to his assistant): “Check if he is suspected of an illegal job hop or a contract dispute.”

It turned out that if Gu Xuxi kept a pair of handcuffs on his belt, these people only got more excited. He wondered: why do these artists earn so much money without working hard? Do they even have their hearts in the job?

Because his values were so incompatible with the industry, Gu Xuxi was exhausted. Fortunately, he was under 35, had a degree, no tattoos, and was a party member. Just as his reputation reached its peak, he left the industry. The internet was shocked to find out he was… taking the civil service exam?

While the web was in an uproar, Gu Xuxi was pressed against a cold table edge, facing the gaze of Qi Shu. His professional instinct made him wary: “Thanks for deleting the trending searches, but since I landed a job at the Tax Bureau, I’m still going to audit you first.”

Qi Shu gave a low laugh, his voice full of indulgence: “Welcome. I’ll be waiting at any time. It would be best if you audited me for a lifetime.”

Gu Xuxi narrowed his eyes: ? Is he provoking me?

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