Chapter 45
He didn’t know how much damage those words could cause.
Yan Shiting’s breathing became heavier, and the blood in his body seemed to be completely ignited.
He lowered his head and kissed the tearmark under Yu Li’s right eye without restraint.
His gaze was deep, and the scorching breath that he exhaled brushed against his face, causing Yu Li to shudder involuntarily.
The memory of that night five months ago surfaced again in his mind.
The details he couldn’t forget were once again manifesting on his body.
This time, he was fully conscious.
Yan Shiting was still careful and gentle in preparing him, and Yu Li’s pale feet kicked restlessly, grasping the pillow and turning his head away.
He looked at the warm night light on the bedside table, his gaze hazy.
In his drowsy state, he suddenly remembered, “We don’t have anything…”
Yan Shiting’s hand paused.
He leaned down and kissed the corner of Yu Li’s lips, then reached into the drawer of the bedside table, taking out a half-used anti-inflammatory ointment.
“We have this.”
It looked familiar.
After recognizing the familiar packaging, Yu Li’s face turned scarlet, raising his hand to half-cover his tear-filled eyes, “You still kept this ointment.”
Yan Shiting didn’t say anything, just kissed him again.
After their argument that time, he had carefully kept that throat lozenge box and this ointment.
He couldn’t quite explain the reason for doing so at the time, but later, whenever he thought of these two items, he would recall Yu Li’s painful tears. So the words he couldn’t say out loud became a little easier.
Yu Li remembered that when he had found this ointment before, Dr. Xu had said that Yan Shiting would tell him its purpose.
Now he understood, this ointment had two uses.
The flickering light in front of him swayed.
Yan Shiting restrained himself according to Yu Li’s words, not going all the way.
But Yu Li still felt a little uncomfortable, as if being pulled into a vortex, with indescribable feelings.
He tilted his head back, the back of his head pressed against the pillow, and the hair on his forehead gradually became damp with sweat.
In his hazy state, it seemed to have been a long time when, amidst the sound of water and breathing, he heard his own phone ringing.
Yu Li’s mind became a little clearer, and he propped himself up to reach for the phone beside him.
Yan Shiting grabbed his hand, his voice a little hoarse, “It’s so late, it’s probably just a disturbing call.”
“Not a call.” Yu Li said nasally, pulling his hand out and picking up the phone to turn off the ringing alarm clock.
He put down the phone and looked at Yan Shiting, softly saying, “Happy birthday, brother.”
That alarm clock was one he had set before coming to the manor, just in case he fell asleep and couldn’t be the first to wish Yan Shiting a happy birthday.
At that time, he hadn’t thought that he would voluntarily disrupt his schedule and not sleep.
Yan Shiting’s movements paused slightly.
He looked at Yu Li, those beautiful peach blossom eyes brimming with tears, the eyelids flushed pink, the cheeks also very red.
Yan Shiting’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and a bead of sweat slid from his forehead to his chin.
He caressed Yu Li’s face and hoarsely said, “Thank you, Xiao Li.”
Yu Li’s gaze was aggrieved, he retreated a little, then asked, “Mmm… brother, when will it be better?”
In the dim yet warm light, Yu Li thought he saw a slight upward curve of Yan Shiting’s mouth.
He was a little dazed, vaguely recalling that he had never seen Yan Shiting smile before.
Yan Shiting leaned in, making up the distance Yu Li had retreated, his deep voice murmuring in his ear, “Good Xiao Li, twenty minutes.”
Yu Li nodded, trusting him and gently hugging him.
He knew Yan Shiting’s ability to control time was amazingly accurate, if he said twenty minutes, it would definitely be twenty minutes.
Of course, this time, Yan Shiting did not disappoint his trust.
…
After becoming pregnant, Yu Li’s sleep quality had been very good.
But tonight, in the latter part of the night, he seemed to sleep a little restlessly, waking up and murmuring a few times, “Want to drink water.”
Yan Shiting took out the thermometer under his arm and, seeing that he didn’t have a fever, breathed a slight sigh of relief.
He helped Yu Li sit up leaning on him, and slowly fed him half a cup of warm water.
The dry throat finally felt a little better, Yu Li turned his head and snuggled into Yan Shiting’s shoulder, then fell into a deep sleep again.
When he woke up again, it was bright outside.
Yu Li picked up his phone and looked at the time, finding that it was already 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
He widened his eyes slightly, unable to believe that he had slept until this time.
The last time he slept until afternoon was because something had happened where he was staying, leaving him no choice but to stay up all night.
This time, how come… oh.
Yu Li’s face flushed red, putting down his phone and sitting up, only to find that he was wearing soft pajamas, and there was a pair of fluffy slippers next to the bed.
And he was no longer in the Yan family’s manor, but in Wanting, his and Yan Shiting’s home.
It seems that when he fell asleep, Yan Shiting had brought him back.
Yu Li let out a sigh of relief.
This way, he wouldn’t run into Yan Sui.
He put on the slippers and slowly walked towards the bathroom.
After taking just a few steps, the bedroom door was opened.
Yan Shiting was wearing black pajamas, and his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses were gentle.
Seeing that Yu Li was already awake, Yan Shiting walked over and bent down to pick him up horizontally.
“Still uncomfortable?”
Yu Li wrapped one arm around his shoulder and shook his head in response.
Yan Shiting nodded without saying anything else, carrying him to the bathroom to wash up, and then to the dining table.
On the table was light and simple food, all steaming with white heat.
Eating the meal, Yu Li’s gaze fell on Yan Shiting beside him.
He suddenly remembered that last night he thought he had seen Yan Shiting smile.
But at the time, he was in an inappropriate state, and before he could take a good look, he was pulled back into the vortex of indescribable feelings.
Yu Li pressed his lips tightly, lightly poking the rice with his chopsticks.
He felt a bit of a pity, since being together, he could feel that Yan Shiting had become much gentler, his facial expressions no longer so cold, but he still hadn’t been able to see him smile.
After finishing the meal, Yu Li felt sleepy again.
Yan Shiting didn’t go to the company today, and stayed to take a nap with him.
Perhaps because he was too tired, Yu Li had a very chaotic dream.
He dreamed that he was holding a soft, chubby little child, about three years old, who looked very much like him, sweetly calling him “Dad”.
Immediately after, Yan Shiting walked over from the other side, his face cold and stern.
Yu Li pointed at him and said to the child, “Good child, this is also Dad.”
However, as Yan Shiting approached, the child in his arms suddenly burst into tears with a “waa”.
The child’s cry was so clear, as if it had really happened, causing Yu Li to wake up with a start.
He panted heavily, his mind not yet fully awake.
Yan Shiting quickly grabbed his hand and patted his back, “What’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”
Yu Li’s gaze was hazy and dazed as he looked at the Yan Shiting in front of him.
He suddenly felt a little aggrieved, worried that their child would really be scared and cry by Yan Shiting in the future.
He raised his hand and poked Yan Shiting’s mouth corner, “Brother, smile.”
Yan Shiting was taken aback.
Yu Li was still aggrieved, “Smile, don’t always have a stern expression, what if the baby is afraid of you after it’s born?”
Yan Shiting didn’t say anything, his hands gently and rhythmically patting Yu Li’s back.
Soon, Yu Li fell asleep again.
When he woke up again, Yu Li had forgotten the little episode during his afternoon nap, thinking he had just had a series of dreams.
–
The time of the pregnancy had also unknowingly passed five months.
Yu Li felt that he was experiencing some not-so-good reactions again.
His emotions became unstable, there were always some thoughts in his head that were unusual, and he would occasionally feel very aggrieved.
It seems that knowing there would always be someone to coddle him, those strange thoughts just kept increasing.
For example, on a cold winter night, he woke up in the middle of the night and nudged Yan Shiting, “Brother, I want to eat ice cream.”
The house was very warm, and eating a bit of ice cream to satisfy his craving wouldn’t be a problem.
Yan Shiting nodded and got up to get the ice cream from the fridge.
But just as he reached the bed, Yu Li seemed hesitant to say something.
Yan Shiting stroked his hair, “Eat it, I’ll have the rest.”
Yu Li bit his lip and said embarrassedly, “Brother, were you too sleepy? I said I want barbecue.”
He thought Yan Shiting had mistaken barbecue for ice cream.
Yan Shiting was silent for a second, “Mm, must have misheard, should I order takeout or make it at home?”
“I’ll just lick the ice cream since you’ve already got it.”
Actually, he also really wanted to eat ice cream.
After saying that, Yu Li comfortingly hugged him, then suddenly asked, “Brother, do you think barbecue ice cream would taste good?”
Yan Shiting said in a low voice, “It would give you diarrhea.”
“Oh well.” Yu Li said regretfully.
One day, while eating, seeing the thick soup on the plate, Yu Li suddenly said to Yan Shiting, “Brother, can I make you eggplant stir-fried with chocolate tomorrow?”
His cooking skills were actually quite good, he used to take charge of the cooking at home, so he didn’t intentionally propose this dark cooking combination.
He just thought that the color of stir-fried eggplants with added chocolate would look better.
Yan Shiting served him a piece of beef, not finding anything wrong with this combination, “Okay, I’ll finish it.”
That afternoon, Yu Li went to cut up some fruit for a fruit platter.
While cutting the watermelon, he couldn’t help but think of a video he saw online that day, where someone used molds to frame the watermelon to make it grow into other shapes.
Yu Li frowned, carrying the fruit platter back to the rocking chair and looking at Yan Shiting, asking, “Brother, if a watermelon is framed by a mold and grows into a heart shape, will it hurt?”
Yan Shiting was silent for a few seconds, pondering whether Yu Li wanted a philosophical or biological answer.
After thinking about it, Yan Shiting still said, “It doesn’t have pain receptors, so it won’t hurt.”
Yu Li nodded, “Oh, I see.”
In any case, no matter what far-fetched ideas Yu Li came up with, Yan Shiting would patiently answer him.
He understood that pregnant people would have all kinds of strange thoughts, and some people would even become anxious or depressed because of this.
Since Yu Li had these weird ideas, Yan Shiting could actually feel more at ease.
Yu Li’s pregnancy was already so difficult, Yan Shiting felt that he couldn’t share the burden, so he could only try his best to take care of him in other aspects.
–
Time passed quietly and warmly, and suddenly it was the end of January.
Knowing that Yu Li didn’t go back to his hometown for this winter break, Yan Sui sent a message, inviting Yu Li to the manor to celebrate the new year.
Looking at his enthusiastic messages, Yu Li thought about it and agreed.
If he didn’t go, Yan Shiting would definitely stay in Wanting to keep him company during the new year, and when Yan Sui asked, it wouldn’t be easy to explain.
In the evening, Yu Li cuddled up in Yan Shiting’s embrace, adjusting to a comfortable position, and told him about going to the manor for the new year.
After saying that, he paused and then said, “After the new year, we can also tell Yan Sui that we are together.”
Yan Shiting looked down at Yu Li, and found that the young man’s expression was calm, and after talking about making it public, he was no longer as anxious as before.
He said in a low voice, “Okay, as you wish.”
As the words fell, Yu Li frowned and let out an uncomfortable hum.
Immediately, he bent over and pressed his hand painfully on his right calf.
“It hurts…”
Seeing this, Yan Shiting sat up to massage him.
He knew this was a leg cramp for Yu Li, and fortunately he had researched it in advance and learned the massage technique, able to relieve some of the pain at this time.
With his massage, the cramping pain gradually subsided.
The tightly furrowed brows on Yu Li’s face finally relaxed.
He grabbed Yan Shiting’s sleeve, about to say something, when he suddenly felt a squirming sensation in his abdomen.
As if the baby inside was just stretching out lazily.
His eyes widened, “Brother, just now, the baby really moved.”
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