To Marry My Little Chestnut - Chapter 37

Yu Yan really acted like a little pufferfish, obediently opening his mouth to take a bite. Tears clung to his eyelashes, and he pursed his lips, looking both pitiful and fiercely determined. “Am I fierce?”

His voice was soft and ethereal, scratching at one’s heart like a feather. Zheng Tingyang looked down at his own fingertips, which Yu Yan had bitten until they were slightly damp. His Adam’s apple could not help but roll. Even if he could not smell pheromones, he still felt that Yu Yan was excessively sweet from the inside out.

Zheng Tingyang laughed softly. “Fierce.”

Yu Yan’s misty eyes curved slightly. “Then,”

“I will listen to you.” In Zheng Tingyang’s deep dark eyes, there seemed to be a vast world filled with tenderness. He placed dense, fine kisses on the corners of Yu Yan’s lips. “I will listen to everything you say. I am only afraid of letting you suffer grievances.”

“Little Fish,” he held Yu Yan’s hand. “I just do not want you to be wronged. Although President Yu had other motives for raising you and had a thousand faults, I am grateful to him for one thing: he raised you in luxury since you were a child and protected you with every indulgence. Even when people liked you in high school, he obstructed them in every way. You did suffer after the family went bankrupt, but that is not something you should have to endure.”

“If not for the bankruptcy, and if not for the fact that I am a Beta, you would not have had to suffer through the heat periods. Zhou Jiangru told me that an Omega’s heat is very difficult, and I have seen it myself. That is why I am unwilling to accept it. Little Fish, do you understand me?”

Yu Yan looked down at him quietly. The man’s rugged facial features represented a person who could support the heavens, yet he only spoke with such warmth and gentleness when talking to him, questioning him bit by bit.

Yu Yan nodded. “I understand.”

“But I would not like marrying anyone else. Tingyang, I do not mind. And the heat period does not seem that hard to endure.”

At this point, his ear tips turned red. He felt that if he spoke the thoughts in his mind aloud, they would burn his mouth. Although Zheng Tingyang was tall in high school, he had been chronically abused by his foster father; back then, he was as thin as a flagpole in his school uniform. Now, after years of life and death struggles at the port, his muscle definition was clear but not exaggerated. When he wore a suit and shirt, his chest muscles were well-shaped and full of power.

With such a big change and enough stamina to toss him around all night, Yu Yan felt that even if the man had not undergone that surgery, his heat period probably would not be too difficult.

Zheng Tingyang’s body had been altered to fit his own perfectly. Yu Yan barely had time to cry before he would faint from sobbing, so how could he have the energy to feel the physical discomfort of the heat?

Zheng Tingyang always felt he was not capable or good enough. Yu Yan looked down at his protruding belly, thinking that since his belly had been made so large, Tingyang was surprisingly still insecure. Was it because he had not fed the man enough?

His small hand tugged at Zheng Tingyang. “Do not keep things from me anymore in the future, okay? We will discuss things together. I will listen to you.”

The Omega was incredibly well-behaved. Zheng Tingyang’s heart melted; there was no way he could refuse.

Before the marriage, Zheng Tingyang had already ordered experimental animals. However, because there had been no precedent for the experiment on humans, the sample composition required a period of refinement. Otherwise, he had originally planned to marry Yu Yan only after having a gland through injections. The experiment was shelved, so after much thought, he found the method of pearl implants, thinking that making Yu Yan even a fraction more comfortable was worth it.

However, most people could not handle three rows of pearls, and neither could Yu Yan. Every time they were intimate, he was like a water balloon pricked by a needle; a squeeze would lead to a leak, and more force would lead to more. Little Fish was made of water; his tears and everything else seemed endless.

“How did the talk with President Pei go? If you are very busy with work, I can take care of the baby myself. Mr. Li showed me just now; the baby is only this small.” He gestured a size, only as long as a forearm. “They probably won’t be much trouble. You just do your work.”

Zheng Tingyang shook his head. “No business trips.”

He could not leave Yu Yan alone at home, let alone let Yu Yan take care of the child by himself. Had Yu Yan not suffered enough carrying the child? He had seen how uncomfortable the body became in the mid-to-late stages of pregnancy. He could not bear even a fraction of the pregnancy’s hardships for him; once the child was born, would he really let Yu Yan continue to suffer? That would be inhuman. If Yu Yan suffered even slightly by his side, it was because he, Zheng Tingyang, was incompetent.

“Then,”

“He came to find me because he was worried that Li Yan’s ears are not good and he cannot fly back and forth constantly. Besides, they want to travel the world. He cares for his person, and naturally, I care for mine.”

Yu Yan let out an “Oh.” “But Mr. Li is also quite nice.”

If this project did not require a controlling stake, Pei Changji would not have sought him out.

“He still has a capable secretary. I told him to settle abroad for a while. Although there is a time difference, I will tell him how to handle the night market once it opens. Practical operations are all that is needed.”

Yu Yan asked belatedly, “Does that mean staying up late?”

Zheng Tingyang did not answer directly but touched Yu Yan’s belly and leaned over to listen. The little guy was very quiet during the day, usually sleeping in the belly, but kicked at night. It had already made Yu Yan’s sleep restless for several days.

Since the fetal movement became obvious, Yu Yan’s appetite had improved, but he was afraid to eat too much because of the little demon inside. If the child moved or kicked randomly and hit his stomach, Yu Yan would vomit everything up and be unable to recover for a long time.

“While the little one is asleep, do you want some creme brulee?”

Yu Yan asked, “But it is almost the New Year. The owner has probably already closed for the holidays.”

He only liked the small desserts from the hotpot restaurant. New Year’s Eve was only two days away; no shop could withstand such a hassle. It was quite annoying.

Zheng Tingyang laughed softly. “I have a way. Wait for me a moment.”

He went into the bedroom to get a blanket to cover him. The sofa at home functioned like a chaise longue when reclined. Yu Yan sat quietly chatting with Xiang Qian on his phone, occasionally looking toward the kitchen.

There were five or six aprons in the house. Zheng Tingyang had been very careful after Yu Yan became pregnant, knowing he was sensitive to smells. He used different aprons for making soup, stir-frying, and making desserts. At home, the man wore very casual cotton solid-colored hoodies, but he tied on an apron with a small flower pattern. His silhouette was busy in the kitchen. Yu Yan secretly took a photo and sent it to Xiang Qian, who commented, “The ‘house husband’ vibe is maxed out.”

When Xiang Qian processed it, he exclaimed, “I remember him in high school being totally unreliable, always fighting, looking fierce as hell. I never thought there would come a day when he would wash his hands to make soup for you. It is truly bizarre.”

Yu Yan replied to him, “Tingyang is not that kind of person. Do not speak ill of him.”

Many people said Zheng Tingyang was fierce and not to be trifled with. Xiang Qian’s initial impression of Zheng Tingyang from their youth was hard to change, but even Ning Yuan from the flower shop had warned him that Tingyang was not a good person. Even more recently, Mr. Li, who had just left, said seeing Zheng Tingyang was like seeing a leopard.

Yu Yan thought it was very strange. Why did everyone say that? Tingyang might be a bit serious at work, but work requires serious effort. This only proved that Tingyang was an extremely professional person with excellent character. In private life, all of Tingyang’s time was given to the home and to him; others simply had no way of knowing his gentleness.

Thinking carefully, Yu Yan felt the reason Tingyang gave others a bad impression was probably because of himself. He pursed his lips and smiled with satisfaction.

The kitchen was open-plan. Zheng Tingyang beat the eggs and put them in the oven, then took grapes from the refrigerator to peel. He looked up to see Yu Yan holding his phone on the sofa, smiling sweetly. The sunlight spilled around him like a celestial being descending to earth, nestled quietly in the nest Zheng Tingyang had meticulously created.

Seeing this scene, the protruding pregnant belly under the blanket, and the thin shoulders made him look very delicate. The collar of his pajamas was slightly open; he was very beautiful. Zheng Tingyang watched for a moment and felt his throat go dry. Perhaps it was because it was too hot near the oven. He rubbed his temples helplessly. He thought that Yu Yan’s health was not good, so he should not provoke him.

Yu Yan could not stand to see him suffer, but Yu Yan himself was sensitive; he could never last more than a minute. Moreover, Yu Yan’s mouth was small. Whenever Zheng Tingyang saw him cry or whimper, he easily lost control. The man’s inner bastard could not hide the urge to ruin him. After thinking it over, Zheng Tingyang simply turned his back and went to the other side to peel the grapes.

On the sofa, Yu Yan had no idea he had just escaped being bullied. He continued chatting with Xiang Qian without a care, listening to him complain about work.

“It turns out my dad never intended for me to take over the family business. He even thought about having me get married quickly to find a capable Alpha to help out. You could say I really lucked out this time. Who exactly saw through to my brilliant talent?”

“Little Fish, Little Fish, I am telling you, everyone in the company calls me Young President Xiang. It feels amazing!”

“I never thought a piece of ‘useless mud’ like me would have a day where people respected and feared me. I have only been at the company for a few days, and several sons of vice presidents are already asking me out for dinner, though none of them are as handsome as my ex-boyfriend.”

The Xiang family business was not large, but it was long-standing and stable in Haicheng. It was similar to the Yu family’s company, being top-tier in Haicheng but having difficulty expanding to other cities and provinces.

Yu Yan asked softly, “Now that you are a Vice President, do you have to go out for dinners and socialize with those people?”

Xiang Qian said, “Of course. After all, I am starting to have real power. Whoever needs funds approved or whatever project is ongoing has to pass through my eyes and get my nod. It feels like being an emperor, hahaha!”

“But I am telling you, even with my small company, once I became Vice President, people started arranging political marriages. Does your Zheng Tingyang have many ‘birds and bees’ fluttering around him?”

“You are too naive. Do not just ignore everything because you are pregnant! He might have some ‘little vixen’ at the company. Did he ever explain the Xiao Kai thing to you? What did he say?”

Yu Yan did not reveal Xiao Kai’s family matters, only saying, “They are good friends. He already told me.”

Xiang Qian gave a cynical laugh. “There are plenty of ‘good friends.’ I am still ‘good friends’ with my ex-boyfriend!”

“Little Fish, are you listening to me?”

Yu Yan was busy chatting with him and feared Xiang Qian’s voice was too loud and might upset Tingyang if he heard. He looked toward the kitchen but did not see Zheng Tingyang. However, the door to the bedroom where Tingyang used to stay was open. Before they lived together, they stayed in separate rooms, but since moving in together, that room seemed to be used only for Tingyang’s clothes.

Yu Yan smelled the faint scent of baked creme brulee drifting from the kitchen. The milky scent was mixed with sweetness. The oven dinged; it should be ready. He got up slowly, wanting to ask Tingyang when they could eat. The “pineapple bun” in his belly had already been digested by the baby; he could eat something new.

He pushed open the door to Tingyang’s bedroom. Seeing the gap in the door was open, he thought the man was inside, but he did not see him. Zheng Tingyang’s bedroom was very simple. He never bothered to decorate his own things, unlike Yu Yan’s room, where even the pattern and material of the carpet were chosen one by one. This room retained the simplicity of a model home and had not been lived in for half a month, so it felt a bit deserted. After all, Zheng Tingyang had moved his own pillow to Yu Yan’s room.

Xiang Qian asked over the phone, “Little Fish, why are you not talking?”

“Huh?” The little treasure in Yu Yan’s belly kicked him, causing a bit of pain. It took him a moment to walk from the living room to the bedroom. Yu Yan felt more and more that his health was truly poor. He simply sat on the bed. “I am listening.”

“It is just that Tingyang and I are so good, yet you always say this and that is bad about him. It makes my heart ache for him.”

Xiang Qian could not quite understand his logic. “What?!”

Yu Yan said, “You have only been at the company for a few days and people already want to date you. Tingyang’s position is even higher; he must have rejected many people for my sake. I cannot be heartless and suspect him; that would make him sad too.”

Xiang Qian was silenced, not knowing how to respond. After a while, he muttered, “I do not know what kind of spell he has cast on you.”

Yu Yan’s eyes lowered, and he gave a soft laugh. “It is not a spell. He is just naturally good.”

He looked down and saw a shirt sleeve caught in the gap of the wardrobe opposite the bed. Feeling that the little one in his belly had finally stopped acting up, he slowly opened the wardrobe, intending to tuck the sleeve back in.

The wardrobe opened slowly. Over the phone, Xiang Qian was still lecturing him. “You are just inexperienced in love because you did not date when you were young, you know? He is still a Beta. I am just afraid you will suffer. It is not easy being pregnant.”

Yu Yan stood blankly in front of the wardrobe; he could no longer hear anything. This wall… this room…

Behind the wardrobe was actually the bathroom. Was the mirror in the bathroom actually like this? The shirt in Yu Yan’s hand slowly fell to his feet. For a moment, he could not believe this was real. When this wardrobe was pulled open, it revealed a transparent bathroom. Zheng Tingyang’s usual shirts were placed on both sides. From here, it was clear that it was not a mirror but glass. Everything in the bathroom—that large bathtub—was visible.

He even took a step forward into the wardrobe, his fingertips touching the glass. There was an illusion that he could almost jump into the other room, as if he could touch the person in the bathroom.

Behind the glass…

What was covering Zheng Tingyang’s face was actually his—the underwear he had just changed out of yesterday. Zheng Tingyang hand-washed all his personal items to keep them cleaner; previously, some had indeed vanished after one wear. He had only thought Tingyang felt his belly had grown and was afraid the original ones would be too tight.

He stood there, watching the veins bulge on Zheng Tingyang’s palms and forearms. For the first time, he also clearly saw the three rows of pearls. Previously, he had only felt them; he had never seen them clearly.

His face turned as red as blood. He knew he should leave immediately—this was Tingyang’s private matter and he should not watch. But his feet would not move at all. He even took another step forward, his eyelashes almost touching the glass. Tingyang was actually very close to this mirror. He was in pain, burning, secretly hiding here for fear of hurting Yu Yan.

Standing in the wardrobe, a sense of voyeuristic excitement and shame quietly grew in Yu Yan’s heart. He watched Zheng Tingyang’s handsome brows gradually furrow, watched him bite down on the clothing, and saw the veins on his forearms bulge with suppressed impatience.

Yu Yan had been trained since childhood to be an obedient child. He supported his pregnant belly and watched this man surrender to him. Seeing the man almost go mad for him, Yu Yan’s heart felt a dense ache of affection, as if it were filled with Zheng Tingyang’s love.

It turned out such things existed in the world; it turned out he could watch like this. It felt as if something was shouting in the depths of his heart, and nothing could stop it. Yu Yan’s fingertips touched the glass, and even his blinking seemed to slow down. He stood there, appreciating Zheng Tingyang’s performance, unaware that he had an audience.

His lively eyes were bright and shining. Watching Tingyang here only seemed to make him feel thirsty.

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