The Cold Side Character from a Male-Lead Novel is Pregnant - Chapter 20

After Chen Kan led Yan Yu back to the palace, or rather, back home, he intercepted Yan Yu’s plan to call the Chief Eunuch to tidy up the “bedchamber.” He snatched away Yan Yu’s phone as the number was being dialed and personally prepared the guest bedroom. Only then did he lead Yan Yu inside by the arm.

“You sleep here.”

Chen Kan’s lips, which he was trying hard to keep from curving upward, were pressed into a tight line. With a serious expression, he emphasized to Yan Yu, “If you need anything, tell me directly. Do not always think about looking for others.”

Yan Yu’s face was devoid of expression; his eyes showed only a faint hint of confusion. He spoke suddenly, his voice clear and cool. “Why does the Prince not call for Eunuch Xiang, who manages internal affairs? Why must you insist on doing these things personally?”

Chen Kan’s movements faltered. He turned around and walked back to Yan Yu step by step until there was only half a step between them. He lowered his head slightly, and though his voice was soft, every word was distinct.

“Because.”

“Mm?”

Chen Kan paused for a moment, finally managing to fabricate a reason. “Because I do not want anyone else touching your things. Remember, everything involving you is my business.”

Yan Yu seemed to take a moment to process this, but he eventually nodded.

Chen Kan then arranged for him to bathe and go to sleep, even teaching him how to operate the faucets. Yan Yu’s basic common sense for survival had not been lost; it was only his sense of identity that had gone awry. From the look of things, Yan Yu now believed he was a Consort, and Chen Kan was his husband, a Prince who had been granted a title.

Chen Kan was genuinely anxious. First, he did not understand why Yan Yu’s second inner demon phase had arrived so suddenly. Second, he could not figure out which pulp fiction script Yan Yu had fallen into this time. Third, he worried whether Yan Yu’s body, having just given birth, could withstand the intense spiritual energy fluctuations brought by the inner demon.

Consequently, Chen Kan spent the night investigating. He used all his resources to collect every novel involving a “Prince” that had appeared on the market in the last two years for a systematic search. However, after finishing the search, he realized it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was impossible to pinpoint exactly which book Yan Yu was projecting himself into.

Throughout the following day, whenever Chen Kan had a free moment, he hovered by Yan Yu’s side, trying to bait more clues out of their conversations. Unfortunately, he had little success and could never grasp the most critical piece of information.

The next day, Chen Kan tried a new method. He found an excuse to get hold of Yan Yu’s phone, changed the name “Xiang Wenyuan” in the contacts to “Old Wang,” and saved his own secondary number in its place. He changed the profile picture to a landscape similar to Xiang Wenyuan’s and set the nickname back to those three words.

Once finished, he walked over to Yan Yu, who was reading a book, and handed back the phone.

“It seems there is a message,” he said in a casual tone.

Yan Yu took it and tapped on the chat box for “Xiang Wenyuan.” The latest message read:

Consort, I hope you are well. According to old custom, we need to update the seasonal allowances for the young masters under your name. Please provide their measurements and current status so arrangements can be made.

Yan Yu frowned slightly, seemingly finding Eunuch Xiang exceptionally meticulous today. However, he did not suspect anything and lowered his head to type.

Chen Kan sat not far away, watching the screen of the other phone in his hand light up repeatedly. There were even photos attached.

[Yan Yu]: Very well. These are the three sons born of my late husband. [Yan Yu]: (Photo of 1st son: A “Clouds over Snow” pattern, black with a white patch on the forehead, calm temperament.) [Yan Yu]: (Photo of 2nd son: A “Gold Quilt on Silver Bed” pattern, orange and white with four white paws, active.) [Yan Yu]: (Photo of 3rd son: The most playful, entirely snow-white with only a black tip on the tail.)

Chen Kan took one look. Weren’t these the first three strays that the “Green Tea Cat” had brought home? But the words “late husband” seemed to be a plot point.

Chen Kan’s finger paused before he immediately replied: What late husband?

Yan Yu replied: The Eunuch entered the palace late, so it is normal you do not know. I shall not hold it against you. But there is no need to ask further.

Chen Kan quickly recognized the role under his disguise and continued his inquiries respectfully. Yan Yu shared more photos like a proud parent, stating plainly: The fourth son was sired by either the First Prince or the Second Prince. You should be familiar with this matter; the allowance can remain as usual.

Chen Kan closed his eyes. What did he mean by “sired by either the First or Second Prince”? He wasn’t even sure who the father was.

Before he could process this, another message from Yan Yu arrived:

As for my two sons with the late Emperor, their allowances should be drawn from the inner court. Do not trouble yourself with them.

Chen Kan: ???

[Yan Yu]: Only the Prince’s legitimate son is still young, born last December. His allowance must be exceptionally refined. The fabric must be soft, and the menu must be prepared separately. The Prince specifically instructed me on this earlier.

Chen Kan felt his temples throbbing. He stared at the screen for a long time without moving. After an unknown amount of time, he slowly typed into the chat box: I have noted it down. The Consort has truly worked hard.

This time, there was a pause before Yan Yu replied with a single word: Mm.

Chen Kan turned off the screen and set the phone aside. He walked to the window, his back to Yan Yu. After a long while, he exhaled a soft breath. Based on the complex relationship of “the protagonist has seven cubs, the smallest belongs to the male lead, three belong to the first husband, two belong to the male lead’s father, and one belongs to either the male lead’s older or second brother,” he precisely located the only vulgar novel that fit:

Seven Cubs in Hand, the World is Mine: The Survival Records of a Cold Consort.

The title made it sound like a power fantasy novel, but the content was indeed about a protagonist who produced cubs with different characters and eventually lived a happy, shameless life.

Chen Kan spent three days “savoring” this book, trying to empathize with Yan Yu and find the most agonizing part of the protagonist’s life that could serve as an inner demon. However, despite his efforts, he failed as expected. Trying to extract an emotional plotline from a pile of dialogue like “No,” “It hurts too much,” and “Aaaah” was something only a veteran reader of smut could do.

Chen Kan did not find much pain, but he did find himself running to the bathroom more often, sometimes four or five times a night. Finally, the continuous sound of the toilet flushing “flushed” the cold version of Yan Yu out of the guest room.

Yan Yu leaned against the doorframe, his clear gaze sweeping over him. After staring for a long time, he spoke slowly. “Is the Prince suffering from urinary frequency?”

Chen Kan: “…”

“Urgency?”

Chen Kan: “…”

“Incomplete emptying?”

Chen Kan: “…”

Chen Kan had just finished his business and had only a bath towel loosely wrapped around his waist. Because he had needed to solve things so many times while reading that trashy novel, he had run out of clean underwear and was currently commando. He stood by the bathroom door holding the edge of his towel, staring back at Yan Yu.

“Rest assured, the problems you mentioned are at least thirty years away. I am only in my twenties,” Chen Kan explained coldly. He stared at Yan Yu for a few more seconds before suddenly reaching out to grab his wrist.

Their skin met, and Yan Yu’s fingers were slightly cool. Chen Kan guided his hand, pressing it against his firm lower abdomen, and continued further down past the thin towel. The edge of the towel was tight, and further down was an undeniable presence and heat.

Yan Yu’s fingers curled slightly, but he did not pull away immediately. He looked up, a trace of scrutiny passing through his clear eyes.

“I know what you are thinking again,” Chen Kan said. “I am not. You can feel how hard it is.”

Yan Yu’s tone remained flat and serious. “But the Prince has indeed not recently…”

“Not interested,” Chen Kan interrupted, his expression lazy.

Yan Yu’s back leaned lightly against the doorframe as he looked down. The air stagnated for a moment, leaving only the lingering steam from the bathroom mixed with a sense of hair-trigger tension between them. Yan Yu lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the back of his hand still pressed against the other man’s warm skin.

After a moment, he slowly withdrew his hand. His voice remained rippleless, but his brow arched slightly in a silent provocation. “Is it only me you are not interested in, or are you uninterested in others as well?”

Chen Kan shifted his thoughts and said to Yan Yu with strong guiding intent:

“I do not care how many men you have had. But there are things I want to know. Why do you never tell me?”

“What do you want to know?”

“Your childhood, your past, your thoughts on life, your views on money, your parents, your friends, the world, and me.”

Chen Kan’s sudden seriousness startled Yan Yu.

“Huh?”

Yan Yu’s pupils widened slightly. His hand stopped in mid-air, his fingertips still carrying the lingering warmth of the other man. His usually cold and aloof eyes filled with a hazy confusion as he looked at Chen Kan. Yan Yu still looked very kissable, yet he seemed much easier to deceive than when he was fully conscious.

“Why does the Prince ask these things?”

Yan Yu’s voice was calm, but his eyes followed Chen Kan’s movements. Chen Kan released his wrist but did not step back. Instead, he looked at him and spoke a line from the book that was so cheesy it made his teeth ache:

“What do you think?”

Chen Kan stared intently at Yan Yu. “You are my person. Is it so strange that I want to know about you?”

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