The Sickly Beauty Beta Got Pregnant After A Political Marriage - Chapter 1

It was snowing.

Inside the vast drawing room, Shen Jiayu sat alone on the sofa by the window. He tilted his head slightly, quietly watching the world outside.

He had been at the Wen family estate for over an hour, yet the master of the house had not appeared. Neither the head of the Wen family nor the young master he was set to marry, Wen Xiuheng, had shown up.

At this thought, Shen Jiayu’s eyelashes drooped slightly.

Snowflakes drifted down outside the window. The cavernous drawing room was eerily silent. A servant stood behind him, motionless and silent.

Perhaps he had caught a chill on the way over, but Shen Jiayu felt a faint dizziness. He had been frail since childhood, and his parents had spent much of their lives worrying about him. He thought to himself that if this marriage alliance could help his family, it was the only thing he could currently do for them.

Shen Jiayu coughed softly twice. His pale, slender fingers brushed against the teacup in front of him. The tea was already cold.

The servant behind him stepped forward at the right moment and politely replaced it with a fresh cup. Shen Jiayu whispered his thanks, picked up the cup, and took a small sip, the temperature was just right.

From far off in the drawing room, a set of footsteps echoed. Shen Jiayu put down his cup and stood up politely, albeit with a bit of nervousness. He straightened his clothes and stared intently at the doorway, unconsciously biting his lip.

However, the distant footsteps did not seem to be heading toward the room, after a moment, they faded away in another direction. Shen Jiayu remained standing in place, waiting silently. It wasn’t until the footsteps had been gone for quite a while that the tension on his face gradually turned into disappointment, and he slowly lowered his head.

It seemed the footsteps just now did not belong to the person he was waiting for.

The servant behind him watched the entire scene and sighed inwardly. The boy looked far too young, hardly an adult. To be called by the Master to marry the family’s young master at such an age, there had to be at least a ten years age gap between them.

Furthermore, according to the gossip among the servants, the boy was apparently a Beta. Their young master was an S-grade Alpha, if the boy was a Beta, how would the young master manage his rut?

The servant’s face remained expressionless, but inside, they were astonished. Truly, the thoughts of powerful families like the Wens were impossible to fathom.

The snow outside grew heavier, countless flakes dancing like spirits in the air. Shen Jiayu’s mood sank along with them.

He knew all too well that, in the eyes of outsiders, this marriage was a social climb. Two months ago, the Shen family went bankrupt. His father was hospitalized, and his mother was exhausted with grief. It was then that the Wen family found him and presented a contract. Only then did Shen Jiayu learn that during his grandfather’s generation, a “baby marriage” had been arranged between him and the Wen family. That was why he was standing here now.

Shen Jiayu lowered his eyes, his mind a jumble of thoughts. The dizziness from earlier hadn’t subsided, so he stared blankly at the patterns on the carpet.

After an unknown amount of time, the servant behind him suddenly stood up straight and bowed toward a figure appearing ahead. In Shen Jiayu’s downward gaze, a pair of expensive, polished black leather shoes abruptly appeared.

Shen Jiayu blinked, his brain moving slowly to confirm he wasn’t hallucinating. Then, he finally snapped back to reality and looked up sharply.

An Alpha male had appeared before him. He was very tall, requiring Shen Jiayu to tilt his head back to see him. Broad shoulders filled out a black overcoat, under which he wore a sharp, sophisticated dark gray suit. His entire presence was intensely oppressive.

A few stray snowflakes rested on the man’s shoulders, suggesting he had just come from outside. His aura was cold and piercing. His handsome face held no expression, and his silver-gray eyes beneath sharp brows were filled with indifference.

The tall, cold man simply looked down at the boy with quiet, emotionless eyes.

The moment their eyes met, Shen Jiayu felt as if the air around him had turned freezing, as if he had been suddenly thrust into the snowstorm outside. Surrounded by this chilling aura, Shen Jiayu opened his mouth but was too nervous to speak.

Wen Xiuheng looked at the boy, his father’s designated fiancé with calm indifference.

Slender, small, fragile. Those were the first words that came to mind. The boy’s eyes and hair were a pale rose-gold, like a rose that could be easily snapped. Purely by appearance, he fit the stereotypical image of an Omega. But the boy before him released no pheromones.

Wen Xiuheng frowned imperceptibly. After a moment of silence, he asked coldly, “Are you a Beta?”

Hearing the man’s question, Shen Jiayu finally snapped out of his daze and dizziness. His long eyelashes fluttered as he nodded slightly, his soft voice tinged with nerves. “Yes, sir.”

Another silence followed. Shen Jiayu unconsciously bit his lip, his fingers secretly gripping the hem of his shirt.

Perhaps it was because this was their first meeting, or perhaps he was overwhelmed by the man’s presence, but in his eighteen years of life, Shen Jiayu had never met an Alpha who felt so intimidating and oppressive.

Shen Jiayu felt frozen to the spot. He opened his mouth awkwardly to speak, but before he could, a steady, emotionless voice spoke again:

“Wen Xiuheng.”

Shen Jiayu’s rose colored eyes collided with the man’s calm, silver-gray pupils. He realized the man was introducing himself.

With his voice still shaky, Shen Jiayu followed suit: “Hello. My name is Shen Jiayu.”

The air went still again. Shen Jiayu could almost hear the rustle of the falling snow and his own breathing. The man, much taller than him, continued to look down at him silently. No emotion could be read from the Alpha’s face, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

In the few minutes of their meeting, the snowflakes on the man’s coat had melted and disappeared.

The atmosphere was soon broken as a butler approached them. The butler bowed first to Wen Xiuheng and then to Shen Jiayu. Shen Jiayu returned the greeting with polite caution.

The butler smiled at Wen Xiuheng. “Young Master, the Master has been waiting for you for a long time. Please follow me.”

In the Wen family’s main residence, “Master” naturally referred to Wen Xiuheng’s father, Wen Cheng.

“Excuse me,” Wen Xiuheng said to Shen Jiayu, a matter of fact courtesy.

“It’s no problem. Please go ahead…” Shen Jiayu responded softly and carefully.

The Alpha looked away and followed the butler out of the drawing room. Behind them, Shen Jiayu slowly and subtly relaxed his shoulders, his gaze dropping to the floor.

Inside the study, another impeccably dressed middle-aged Alpha was reading the daily newspaper.

A large headline on the front page read: “Wen Group Chairman Rumored to be Next Cabinet Chief; Seeking to Abandon Old Marriage Contract with Shen Family.” The sub-headline added: “Shen Family Declared Bankruptcy Two Months Ago. Father Remains Comatose in ICU.” The article mentioned the public and media’s view of the matter, with many questioning Wen’s character, suggesting that someone so heartless could not be a political leader.

Wen Cheng frowned as he scanned the text until a knock sounded at the door.

“Come in,” Wen Cheng said, his voice cold and stern.

Wen Xiuheng entered behind the butler and stood at a distance from the desk. The butler bowed and exited, closing the door.

Wen Cheng set the newspaper down, his face stern and hard. Father and son shared a clear resemblance in their features.

Wen Cheng tapped his finger on the newspaper. His voice carried an unquestionable authority. “I assume you know why I called you here today.”

As if he had already anticipated this behavior and speech, Wen Xiuheng simply stood there, his silver-gray eyes growing even colder.

Evidently, his father was not a patient man. Wen Cheng’s expression darkened further.

“I don’t care how our competitors dug up this old family matter, but these rumors cannot be allowed to affect the group’s stock price, nor more important matters.”

At this, Wen Xiuheng finally had a reaction. A faint, mocking smile touched his lips.

Wen Cheng ignored it, as if he were long accustomed to this dynamic with his son. He leaned back in his chair. He didn’t have the patience or time to waste in the study today, so he frowned and said sternly, “You know what to do.”

His tone wasn’t that of a father to a son, but a superior to a subordinate.

“Of course,” Wen Xiuheng replied, his voice like icy snow-water. He smiled, but there was no warmth in his eyes. “Didn’t you and Mother already set the example for me?”

At those words, Wen Cheng’s gaze turned frigid. Wen Xiuheng withdrew his smile, nodded coldly in farewell, and walked out of the room.

In the hallway, Wen Xiuheng’s assistant caught up with him. The assistant, Zhou Yi, was also a Beta and had worked for Wen Xiuheng for two years.

Zhou Yi hesitated for a moment before speaking. “President Wen, the Chairman’s butler just asked me to coordinate with you. They want to send that… Young Master Shen to your place today. They say it’s to stop the outside world from making a fuss and to prevent further complications…”

Zhou Yi finished cautiously, waiting for Wen Xiuheng’s reaction.

The relationship between the boss and his father had always been strained, something Zhou Yi had known since he started. Relations in wealthy, powerful families were always more complex than in ordinary ones; as an executive assistant, Zhou Yi was used to it.

Still, seeing a father force his son to live with a stranger immediately after their first meeting for the sake of the family’s interests was a first for him. Zhou Yi chose to keep his mouth shut and wait for orders. He figured his boss would probably refuse…

But surprisingly, Wen Xiuheng said nothing until they reached the exit of the main house. Zhou Yi stole a glance at his expression, it was the same indifferent mask as always.

Zhou Yi paused briefly before getting into the passenger seat.

Wen Xiuheng sat in the back and said in a calm, emotionless tone, “Follow the original plan. Go to the next meeting.”

Zhou Yi’s jaw dropped slightly in surprise. After a pause, he said, “Yes, President Wen.”

As the driver started the car, Zhou Yi was still pondering to himself. The boss seems a bit off today…

On the way there, he had heard that the Shen family’s young master was a Beta. A Beta. When he saw that gender, he nearly bit his tongue. His boss was a “high branch” that countless Omegas dreamed of climbing; he never expected him to agree to a marriage with a Beta.

Though he had never seen his boss fall for anyone and even suspected the man had given up on emotions for the sake of being an heir, how could a Beta partner help him through his rut? Alphas were genetically wired for it. Would he still rely on medication? And if they stayed together, it would be difficult for a Beta to produce an heir for such a prestigious family…

After thinking it over, Zhou Yi reached a conclusion: The boss is a ruthless man!

Zhou Yi tossed his random guesses aside and shrugged. Perhaps the boss and his family were only using this marriage to quiet the rumors, and they would likely separate later. As an employee, he just needed to focus on his job.

In the back seat, Wen Xiuheng turned his head. His silver-gray eyes watched the falling snow outside. His expression was shadowed, his thoughts unreadable.

Meanwhile, after Wen Xiuheng had left with the butler, Shen Jiayu had been waiting quietly in the drawing room.

The slender boy sat back on the sofa, his head bowed, his rose-colored hair resting against his neck. Sensitive as he was, he felt that Mr. Wen Xiuheng likely wouldn’t agree to fulfill that contract.

After all, they were strangers. And he was a Beta, he didn’t want to hope for much.

Shen Jiayu’s head dropped lower. He felt like a clown sitting there. He felt like he still couldn’t do anything to help his family. A deep sense of helplessness and sadness washed over him, like a hand squeezing his heart. A sharp, fine pain suddenly bloomed in his chest.

Shen Jiayu’s face turned deathly pale. His already light-colored lips lost all trace of blood. He immediately clutched his chest, eyes tightly shut, trying to steady himself bit by bit.

He couldn’t afford large emotional swings, they easily triggered his congenital heart condition. Because of his heart and natural frailty, Shen Jiayu felt he had already caused his parents so much worry. He didn’t want them to worry about him now.

Shen Jiayu looked at the backpack beside him, which contained the medicine he had brought. He took small, shallow breaths, trying to ease the pain radiating from his heart.

The servant behind him noticed something was wrong and walked over in concern. Seeing the boy’s suddenly bloodless face, the servant was startled and immediately asked if he was okay.

Shen Jiayu held his chest, and after a moment, the pain began to subside. He forced a smile onto his pale face and whispered that it was okay, he just needed a moment of rest.

The servant didn’t dare lower their guard and stayed by his side, ready to call for help at any moment. After a while, some color returned to Shen Jiayu’s face, and the pain in his heart finally stopped. He gave a strained but gentle smile, telling the servant he was fine. Only then did the servant feel relieved.

A short while later, the butler from before returned. He politely asked Young Master Shen to follow him, explaining that a driver had been arranged to take him to Young Master Wen’s villa. He added that the housekeeper there had already been notified and mentioned that Young Master Wen had temporarily returned to the group to handle work.

Hearing that he was going to Wen Xiuheng’s home, Shen Jiayu looked surprised. He hadn’t expected the man to agree.

It wasn’t until the expensive car stopped in front of a villa that the reality of the marriage alliance finally hit him.

Entering the villa, he was greeted by a kind-looking woman in her forties. She introduced herself warmly as the housekeeper, Cui Hui. Seeing Shen Jiayu, Auntie Cui beamed and praised him for being such a beautiful child.

The driver spoke briefly with Auntie Cui, handed over Shen Jiayu’s luggage, and left. Shen Jiayu had brought very little, only some essential clothes and the medication for his condition.

Auntie Cui showed him to his room and introduced the layout of the house. Because of her kindness, Shen Jiayu’s tension and the sense of being a stranger began to fade.

Auntie Cui could tell that Shen Jiayu didn’t look well. She guessed that after everything he had been through today, he must be exhausted. She thoughtfully left him alone to have some space, telling him to call her if he needed anything and that she would be back at dinner time. Before leaving, she made sure to ask what he liked to eat.

At this, Shen Jiayu gave his first genuine smile of the day, softly saying thank you and that he didn’t have any special requirements for food.

After Auntie Cui left, the large room became very quiet. Shen Jiayu sat down on a soft chair, the slight curve of his lips slowly falling. From now on, he was truly on his own.

But at least, he could help his family.

Shen Jiayu wiped his eyes, forced another smile, and called his mother. The video call was answered quickly, and a gentle-looking woman appeared on the screen. Seeing Shen Jiayu, his mother’s eyes turned red.

When the Wen family first offered the contract, she hadn’t agreed. As a mother, she didn’t want to trade her son’s marriage. She knew that if her husband were awake, he wouldn’t have agreed either.

But when Shen Jiayu found out, he insisted on the marriage. He had always been a good, obedient child, secretly signing that agreement was the boldest thing he had ever done. He thought this was the only way to get better treatment and more time for his father.

His mother asked with a trembling voice if he was okay. In the background of the video was Shen Jiayu’s father, lying comatose in a hospital bed. Ever since Shen Qinghuai was moved out of the ICU, he had remained in a coma.

Shen Jiayu gently told his mother not to worry, saying the Wen family were good people. He bit his lip and added softly that Mr. Wen Xiuheng was too.

They chatted for a bit more. His mother kept reminding him to take care of his health and to speak up if he felt unwell. Shen Jiayu nodded with a shallow smile, agreeing to everything and saying he would visit them at the hospital as soon as possible.

After hanging up, he finally felt the exhaustion hit him. He had been moving between different places all day.

It was still a while before dinner. Shen Jiayu leaned against the armrest for a nap and slowly closed his eyes.

Time passed…

My body feels so heavy… so cold…

Shen Jiayu thought groggily in his dream. He wanted to open his eyes, but he couldn’t wake up.

After an unknown amount of time, he seemed to hear Auntie Cui’s voice, but it grew further and further away until it vanished completely.

His consciousness plunged into total darkness.

The snow continued to fall.

The streetlights had turned on, casting shadows into the steadily moving car, making the Alpha’s handsome face appear even more sharp and deep.

There were three people in the car, but the atmosphere was silent. Zhou Yi and the driver didn’t dare disturb him at this time of day.

Wen Xiuheng held a file in his hand. It was the information on the Shen family he had asked Zhou Yi to compile after leaving the main house. He had spent the afternoon in meetings and was now on his way to a business banquet in the west city.

Wen Xiuheng opened the file. On the first page was a photo of a boy with a light smile. It looked like an older ID photo, the boy in the photo was youthful and obedient, with a bright, infectious smile.

Wen Xiuheng’s gaze rested on it.

Zhou Yi looked at him curiously through the rearview mirror. When he saw his boss holding the file, he mentally went “Wow.” He remembered his own surprise when he saw Young Master Shen’s photo, he was beautiful beyond belief. For someone with that face to be a Beta… he surpassed 99% of Omegas. Zhou Yi even wondered if the boss had agreed to the marriage because he had fallen for the boy at first sight.

Suddenly, a sharp ringtone broke the silence.

Wen Xiuheng answered the phone. Auntie Cui’s frantic voice came through: “Young Master, Young Master Shen has collapsed with a fever at home! I just called Dr. Lu to come over…”

Wen Xiuheng replied calmly that he understood.

When he hung up, the car fell silent again. His long fingers tapped twice on the file.

“Turn around,” Wen Xiuheng said in a deep voice.

Now, not only the driver but also Zhou Yi was stunned. “…Boss, you said to turn around?”

What? Aren’t we going to a banquet to talk business?

Wen Xiuheng looked at the snowflakes drifting outside the window. His voice was steady.

“Go home.”