The Cold Side Character from a Male-Lead Novel is Pregnant - Chapter 8

The following evening.

6:45 PM.

Long Zhanye waited for Yan Yu in the designated tea room, feeling increasingly uneasy as time passed. Yan Yu was already forty-five minutes late and hadn’t replied to his messages, which felt like a deliberate show of power.

After a moment of hesitation, Long Zhanye sent a WeChat message to Chen Kan to tentatively confirm:

Long Aotian: [Brother] Long Aotian: [Is your wife’s name Yan Yu?]

Though Long Zhanye was slightly older than Chen Kan, his personality led him to habitually call Chen Kan “Brother.” Their relationship was one of surface-level politeness and underlying competition.

Usually, Chen Kan never replied to his WeChat messages; they would just call each other for business. This time, however, he broke character, replying not only at all but with lightning speed.

Chen: [Yes] Chen: [Did he ask to meet you?]

Long Zhanye’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t even done anything wrong yet—how was he caught just by asking a name? Did Yan Yu tell Chen Kan himself? No, who tells their husband they’re planning an affair?

Long Aotian: [Yeah] Long Aotian: [What does he want with me?] Long Aotian: [Did you tell him to ask?] Long Aotian: [He’s stood me up for almost an hour. Won’t say why, just making me wait] Long Aotian: [He isn’t trying to hit on me, is he?]

Chen Kan replied with six dots, then followed up after a pause.

Chen: […] Chen: [In your dreams] Long Aotian: [Is it true he wants a divorce?] Long Aotian: [When did you get married? Why didn’t you tell us?] Long Aotian: [Is it because your wife isn’t good-looking?] Long Aotian: [Rate the face and body out of ten?]

This time, Chen Kan sent a voice message, his tone a cold, sharp warning:

Chen: [))) 5” (Who do you think you are, rating him?)] Chen: [))) 9” (He’s busy checking trusts and assets today. Wait a bit longer. When you see him, tone down your “straight man” vibe.)] Chen: [))) 14” (If he asks if you’re “Teng Pian,” say yes. Whatever else he says, tell him the truth. He’s in a bad mood lately; don’t provoke him. Just go along with everything he says.)]

Long Aotian: [???] Long Aotian: [Wait, brother] Long Aotian: [Why should I listen to you?]

Chen Kan was clearly losing patience and threw out his trump card:

Chen: [Do this, and the next time you want a spar, I’m game.]

Long Zhanye had invited Chen Kan to spar at least a hundred times, only to be ruthlessly rejected. Seeing Chen Kan use it as a bargaining chip, he settled back into his chair and waited for over another half hour.

During the wait, consumed by curiosity, he used his master’s connections in K City to find out who “Yan Yu” was. He found nothing—which suggested Chen Kan’s wife was a “nobody.” Had Chen Kan really married such an ordinary person that he didn’t even hold a banquet?

Suddenly, a laptop bag was placed on the table. Long Zhanye looked up. The newcomer’s sleeve shifted, revealing a slender wrist with a prominent bone and long, clean fingers. The dim light of the tea room cast a shallow golden glow over him.

A man stood by the table, his frame lean and upright like a bamboo stalk. His white shirt was slightly open at the collar, revealing a well-defined collarbone. The tailored fabric traced a waist so narrow it looked like it could be spanned by a single hand, yet his straight back exuded an air of resilient integrity.

Long Zhanye had seen many beauties, but never a male beauty like this. His breath hitched as he looked at the man’s face.

The man had a high bridge to his nose, thin lips pressed together, and a sharp, clear jawline. A few dark strands of hair fell over his forehead, making him look like snow atop a distant mountain. He looked down at Long Zhanye with a clear, chilly gaze—tranquil, yet enough to silence the usually boisterous Long Zhanye instantly.

It turned out that top-tier beauty could truly deliver a visual impact that made one overlook gender.

It took several long moments of staring before Long Zhanye realized this was a genuine man, and Chen Kan… was actually gay?! And he found a male wife?! His world view was shattering.

However, it only took 0.01 seconds for Long Zhanye to accept this new reality. His visual senses had won out, leaving him with only one thought: A guy isn’t bad either.

“Sorry for the wait.”

Even the voice was cold and melodious.

Long Zhanye dazed for a moment, his mind drifting to God-knows-what fantasy. He swallowed hard and put on his best cheerful smile: “Not at all. For a beauty like you, I’d wait forever.”

The man sat down elegantly, his back still rod-straight. The shirt tightened slightly with his movement, showing the smooth lines of his shoulders and waist—lean but not frail, like a fine sword kept in its scabbard.

He scrutinized Long Zhanye’s face and asked without judgment: “So, you’re Teng Pian?”

Thinking of Chen Kan’s promise, Long Zhanye nodded reluctantly: “That’s right. That’s me.”

Yan Yu pulled a document from his bag and pushed it forward calmly.

Long Zhanye looked down. It was a Divorce Agreement.

Long Zhanye: “?”

“I respect the relationship between you and Chen Kan. The agreement is drafted.”

Long Zhanye’s eyes went wide: “Me and Chen Kan?!”

Yan Yu’s brow furrowed slightly at the interruption. He leaned back, his gaze sharp and scrutinizing. He possessed a clear, solemn aura, yet what he said next was almost comical.

The beauty said, without a hint of a joke: “Now, you only need to return the twenty-five billion, and I will leave Chen Kan immediately.”

“He’s worth twenty-five billion?!” Long Zhanye stood up and slammed the table. “Sister-in-law, do I look like twenty-five billion to you?!”

Chen Kan was busy with work that day.

When he finally met Yan Yu at the restaurant where he’d been talking to Long Zhanye, Yan Yu was standing in the middle of the long street, staring at the curtain of rain alone.

Long Zhanye had messaged ahead to say he’d left. As for what they talked about, he just teased Chen Kan, telling him to ask Yan Yu himself.

Yan Yu stood in the fine rain, not even trying to seek shelter. He looked so desolate that Chen Kan was instantly reminded of the novel Wealth is Finally Free. In the story, the protagonist couldn’t accept his ten-year lover’s betrayal and suffered a mental breakdown, eventually attempting suicide.

Seeing Yan Yu’s frame looking thinner than usual, his side profile flushed unnaturally and his breathing shallow, Chen Kan felt a sharp pang in his chest. Yan Yu must have caught a cold after a day of running around followed by this rain.

Chen Kan felt a surge of guilt. He hadn’t interfered with Yan Yu’s search for assets, knowing Yan Yu wouldn’t find a single trace of 25 billion. It must be painful—like being told your whole life you’re a rich heir only to find out there’s not a cent left.

Yan Yu was probably on the verge of a breakdown.

Chen Kan held an umbrella and approached quietly from behind, preparing words of comfort.

However, as he got closer, he realized Yan Yu wasn’t watching the rain at all. His shoulders were hunched slightly as he typed furiously on his phone, seemingly oblivious to the weather.

Yan Yu was typing at high speed:

[November 18] [Physical Abnormality Observation – Supplement] Observation: The bloodline on the forearm continues to grow; the leading edge reached the acromion this evening. The form remains complete with no branching. Growth rate has increased compared to yesterday; local temperature is elevated with a slight pulsation. The rhythm remains independent of heartbeat.

[Investigation Item 01: 25 billion asset authenticity] Status: Highly doubtful. Evidence: Comprehensive check of personal accounts and related assets yielded no records. No source can provide valid proof. Conclusion: The 25 billion asset does not exist.

[Investigation Item 02: Chen Kan’s ‘Effervescent Tablet’] Status: Basically doubtful. Evidence: Contacted the only suspect with physical contact with Chen Kan. Subject is likely not “Teng Pian.” Subject violently opposed accusations of an affair and showed extreme disgust—likely a homophobic straight male. Reaction pattern does not match a third party hiding an affair. Because: Sexual demand only transfers; it does not disappear. Therefore: Teng Pian is someone else. PS: Conclusions must be based on evidence, not subjective assumptions. Avoid emotional interference. PPS: Continue observing who Chen Kan is close to. Find the real homewrecker.

[Follow-up Action] (!!!)

Just as Yan Yu finished typing three red exclamation points, he realized an umbrella was over his head.

The large umbrella tilted toward his shoulder. Yan Yu turned back warily and saw Chen Kan standing behind him, his gaze deep.

Yan Yu locked his screen, his face turning solemn: “When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

“Did you see what I wrote?”

Chen Kan replied truthfully: “I did.”

Yan Yu tilted his head back, his spiritual pressure becoming extremely unstable. He knit his brows slightly, his gaze full of suspicion and deduction. He asked Chen Kan:

“Since you saw it, let’s put our cards on the table. Answer me honestly—I won’t get angry. We’ll handle things as they need to be handled, okay?”

Chen Kan didn’t fully understand Yan Yu’s meaning, but he followed his lead without hesitation: “Okay.”

Yan Yu asked: “That person I just met. He isn’t Teng Pian, is he?”

“No.”

“Then who is he?”

“Just a friend. Surname Long.”

“Fine. Then tell me: Where is Teng Pian?”

Yan Yu turned his eyes toward him. Perhaps because of the weather, those usually rational, indifferent eyes were shimmering with a faint moisture. He looked both persistent and stunning. Chen Kan hadn’t seen him like this in a long time. He subconsciously held his breath, his heart skipping a beat, like a dragonfly hovering over still water, afraid to ripple the surface.

The silence stretched out in the rain.

The next second, Chen Kan’s hand gripped the back of Yan Yu’s neck with undeniable force, yanking him close. He leaned down and kissed him directly.

The aggression was familiar, but the movement between their lips was deeply intimate. Yan Yu was stunned by the kiss for a moment before pushing Chen Kan away.

Chen Kan’s voice rang out: “I’ve only ever loved you, Yan Yu. There has never been anyone else.”

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