Chapter 131: “If I were you, he’d be pregnant with three by now!”
For three days, Shen Zhuo stayed almost entirely within the bedroom, following every single one of Doctor Lin’s instructions to the letter.
Fortunately, Du Feng’s rut did not clash with his heat.
Otherwise, if both of them started getting petty and possessive at the same time, there was no telling how much chaos would ensue.
However, just before his heat period ended, Shen Zhuo tested himself.
Still nothing.
“Don’t worry. If you relax, it will happen naturally,” Du Feng said, holding the boy in his lap and pinching his cheek. “Come on, smile.”
Shen Zhuo remained puffed up with frustration.
“Smile a little,” Du Feng coaxed. “Madam.”
Shen Zhuo, who had been pouting, glanced at Du Feng, pursed his lips, and finally managed a small smile.
“Let’s strive to have a child this year.”
Du Feng was stunned. “Why must it be this year?”
Shen Zhuo hugged him, whispering against the man’s neck, “It just has to be this year. It must be this year.”
Because by next year, he might be dead.
Ideally, it would happen within these few months.
That way, there would still be time for him to give birth to this child.
As the heat period gradually faded, Shen Zhuo’s mind began to clear bit by bit.
He leaned on Du Feng’s shoulder, absorbing the rich, comforting, and addictive scent of rosemary.
If he really had to die…
He wanted to leave something behind before he did.
He buried his head lower and emphasized again:
“It must be this year.”
Du Feng wanted to ask why, but Shen Zhuo preemptively played the rogue card. “I’m not telling you.”
“…” Du Feng smiled and compromised, gently stroking the boy’s back. “Alright, alright.”
“Then we shall work harder.”
Once Shen Zhuo’s heat ended, it was time to address a lingering historical issue:
Fu Qishang’s engagement, and Liang Yeta’s attitude.
There had been no updates on this matter since the day Nain Tute was escorted into custody.
Although it was technically Shen Zhuo’s heat that prevented him from dealing with it, he truly hadn’t had the time or energy to care about anything else.
Now, even the troops sent to the Kingdom of Nain were returning in total victory. The Empire had received dozens of letters from nations surrendering or hoping to establish peaceful tributary relationships.
Nearly eighty percent of the countries on the continent now had firm ties of dependency with the Empire.
Yet, the emotional problems between Liang Yeta and Fu Qishang seemed entirely unresolved.
So, when half a month passed after Shen Zhuo’s heat with no news, Ai Li took the initiative to call him.
He said he wanted to ask Liang Yeta out.
” aren’t you afraid of getting grey hairs from worrying so much?”
Shen Zhuo was reviewing the materials sent by Ares, preparing for the military academy exams the next day.
Through the receiver, he could hear Ji Weishen murmuring in the background, “Calm down, calm down,” and “Here, have a candy, it’s from your favorite shop”…
Followed by Ai Li’s voice, speaking through gritted teeth:
“I’ve been annoyed with him for a long time! Ever since he started liking you, I’ve found him annoying!”
There was a two-second pause on the other end, seemingly as he ate the candy; Shen Zhuo heard the crinkle of a wrapper.
When Ai Li’s voice returned, it was muffled and slightly unclear: “Wait, that’s not right! Wasn’t he pretty normal when he liked you before?!”
“Why is he acting like a turtle now, shrinking into his shell?!”
Shen Zhuo quickly finished reading a book on Military Theory, picked up the military laws and regulations, opened the first page, and said into the phone:
“It’s possible he feels afraid.”
“Afraid? He’s the CEO of Jingyue now! People don’t call him Young Master Liang anymore, they call him President Liang. What does he have to be afraid of?”
Ai Li didn’t know about the conversation he and Du Feng had with Liang Yeta the day the Alpha was hospitalized during the entrance exams.
Thinking about it now…
Perhaps Liang Yeta had taken those words too much to heart.
Often, once a person makes a mistake and is told the correct path, they realize the gravity of it and start becoming stubbornly serious about it.
Especially since Fu Qishang’s bloodline and rank were both above Liang Yeta’s.
Liang Yeta must feel he isn’t worthy of Fu Qishang, and that he doesn’t know how to love someone properly, so he wants to stay away.
Ai Li was silent for a long while on the other end.
“Damn it, just because of that?!”
Less than two hours later, Shen Zhuo was dragged to the top-floor office of Jingyue to join Ai Li, sitting opposite Liang Yeta as if they were in a negotiation.
Shen Zhuo: “…”
Liang Yeta’s legs had recovered enough for him to walk on his own. Although slow, he no longer required external aid.
Liang Yeta actually didn’t quite understand why these two were looking for him today, especially… why Ai Li looked so angry.
Liang Yeta recalled his cooperation with Ai Yuesheng.
It had gone quite smoothly.
He then recalled his cooperation with Ares.
That hadn’t hindered Ai Li either, had it?
“You two…” Liang Yeta finally couldn’t stand the silence in the conference room; another second and he would feel needles in his back.
“What exactly are you here for today?” The young CEO didn’t need to maintain his gentle and scholarly facade in front of these two.
They were too familiar—familiar enough that cursing at each other wouldn’t affect their friendship.
So, Liang Yeta simply assumed Ai Li had come to him regarding some business issue.
But Ai Li just glared at him.
Helpless and afraid to ask further, Liang Yeta looked at Shen Zhuo beside him.
“What is he…?”
Ai Li suddenly slammed the table. “You coward!”
Liang Yeta jumped. “?”
Ai Li was never sarcastic with friends; he completely forgot all diplomatic pleasantries and asked directly:
“Do you like Fu Qishang or not?”
Asked so bluntly, Liang Yeta was stunned for a moment.
“I…”
“Qishang is about to get engaged, but before the engagement, he is still single. You still have a chance. Why don’t you fight for it?”
“We all saw it that day. You were very agitated when you heard he was getting married, but to this day, we haven’t heard a peep from you.”
“Weren’t you quite courageous before? Why are you shrinking back like a turtle now! What are you waiting for instead of chasing him yourself!”
Ai Li finished his rapid-fire scolding, let out a long breath, and finally huffed with a hint of disdain:
“If I were you, he’d be pregnant with three by now!”
Liang Yeta: “!!”
Shen Zhuo: “……”
Perhaps feeling better after the rant, Ai Li sat down and asked again, this time much more seriously:
“We have all seen Qishang’s feelings for you.”
Shen Zhuo also chimed in to help:
“I know you stopped liking me a long time ago. You just treated me as a signpost in your life. That is good; you can pursue the person you actually like.”
Ai Li sighed. “I want all my friends to be happy. So I want you to be happy, and I want him to be happy too.”
“Tell me, do you like Fu Qishang?”
Ai Li stared at Liang Yeta’s face.
“Even if it’s just a little bit of a heartbeat.”
Liang Yeta fell into silence.
He lowered his eyes, looking at the cufflink of his suit.
It was a square sapphire cufflink.
The first gift Fu Qishang had ever given him.
Was there not even a little bit?
No, there was.
He did have feelings.
He didn’t know when it started, but he had grown accustomed to a noisy blond Omega by his side.
Accustomed to no longer eating alone.
Accustomed to being greeted by a smiling face every day.
But he couldn’t.
He was just an A3 Alpha, and a merchant.
The type of person the Fu family looked down upon the most.
He wasn’t worthy of Fu Qishang.
He didn’t even know how to accept or reciprocate Fu Qishang’s feelings.
Someone like him shouldn’t waste another person’s youth.
“Wei Qi… isn’t suitable for Fu Qishang. I will find a way to end this marriage, even if Fu Qishang hates me for it.”
Liang Yeta evaded the question, his eyes dodging and withdrawn.
Ai Li knocked on the table to make Liang Yeta look up. “Answer clearly. If you say you have absolutely no feelings for Qishang, we will leave immediately.”
“And we will absolutely never ask you about it again.”
Liang Yeta: “…”
It was unclear what he was thinking.
After a long time, the Alpha finally opened his mouth.
“I do.”
Liang Yeta sighed, leaned back in his chair in resignation, closed his eyes, and nodded. “I do.”
He didn’t know what psychological mechanism was at play.
But hearing that they would never ask again…
Liang Yeta actually panicked for a moment.
Perhaps subconsciously, Liang Yeta still held a sliver of fantasy about this relationship—an emotion distinct from reason.
That was his selfish side.
“Why couldn’t you just admit it sooner?” Ai Li finally let out a breath. “Fine, that makes things easier.”
“?” Liang Yeta asked, “What do we do?”
Although Ai Li worried a lot, he knew where to draw the line.
He wouldn’t interfere too deeply in other people’s relationships.
“We create the opportunity for you; the rest depends on you.”
Creating an opportunity was something friends could do.
The rest was up to Liang Yeta himself.
Ai Li arrived like a storm with Shen Zhuo and left just as swiftly, saying he would send Liang Yeta a restaurant location for the evening and that he should grasp the chance.
Liang Yeta stared at the garden restaurant location sent to his phone, closed his eyes, and sighed.
What exactly was he doing?
He had clearly decided to stay away; hadn’t he been doing a good job of it?
Why did he agree to this again…
The message Fu Qishang received was that Wei Qi was inviting him out for dinner.
Fu Qishang felt only gratitude toward this “fiancé” who was acting alongside him.
So when Wei Qi said it was his birthday and invited His Highness for a meal…
Fu Qishang agreed without much thought.
He didn’t know why, but Wei Qi was still wearing his military uniform.
It didn’t look like he had planned this dinner in advance… rather, it looked like he had also received some last-minute notification.
“Your Highness, I hope the food suits your taste?” Wei Qi was appropriately attentive, maintaining his attitude as a tool-man.
While pouring water for Fu Qishang, he subtly glanced toward a corner table two rows away.
Ai Li had ordered a table full of food and winked at him.
When Wei Qi sat back down, Ai Li turned his head to glance at Shen Zhuo.
Shen Zhuo raised his hand to indicate that he was just here to eat and drink today.
And to watch the drama unfold.
Then Ai Li glared fiercely at Liang Yeta, who was sitting on the inside holding a cup of tea, lost in thought, and lowered his voice:
“You’re paying for this meal!”
Liang Yeta snapped back to reality and nodded.
“My treat. Order whatever you want.”
“I already ordered whatever I wanted.” Shen Zhuo finished the flower tea in his hand and pulled a slice of cake toward him.
Only then did Liang Yeta see the table full of food.
He stopped a passing waiter and silently took out a card.
Before the bill was even settled, Ai Li suddenly poked Liang Yeta and pointed to the other table.
He saw Wei Qi seem to say something, then hurriedly leave.
Leaving Fu Qishang all alone.
“It’s your turn, hurry up!” Ai Li urged him.
Liang Yeta looked at Shen Zhuo pleadingly.
Shen Zhuo simply gave him a look.
Meaning: You decide for yourself.
Liang Yeta finally took a deep breath, downed the wine in front of him in one gulp, and stood up to walk toward Fu Qishang’s seat.
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