Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Lu Yao wasn’t entirely sure about the purpose of Fu Yanhuai’s current business trip; he had already been gone for three days.

Lu Yao had officially entered his eighth month of pregnancy, and Nian Nian’s increased activity was significantly draining his energy.

“It seems to be a collaboration with a local company.”

Lu Yao checked his phone. The message thread with Fu Yanhuai was still stuck on the morning greeting he’d sent; Fu Yanhuai hadn’t replied.

Struggling slightly, Lu Yao sat up in bed. “It’s almost noon.”

He wasn’t sure if Fu Yanhuai’s morning work had concluded. Truthfully, Lu Yao wasn’t very hungry. As Nian Nian grew, his stomach had less space, and in the later stages of pregnancy, he needed to carefully control his nutrient intake to prevent the baby from becoming too large.

Hugging the blanket, Lu Yao sat blankly on the bed for a while, staring aimlessly out the window, unsure of what he could do.

His phone suddenly rang, startling him. He initially thought it was Xia Shiyue, but the name displayed on the screen was Lu Qianxing.

Lu Yao paused for a moment, then frowned as he answered.

He expected Lu Qianxing to speak first, as usual, but this time, he waited a long while, and there was only silence on the other end.

Puzzled, Lu Yao glanced at his phone before putting it back to his ear. “Hello?”

After a few seconds, Lu Qianxing’s voice came through, tinged with a sarcastic, sour note. “You were just lucky to differentiate, but it proves you’re truly brainless.”

Lu Yao wasn’t angered by the unprovoked jab. No one from the Lu family had contacted him in so long; if they were suddenly calling now, it had to be important.

He didn’t understand Lu Qianxing’s meaning. After a moment of silence, Lu Yao asked, “What do you want to say?”

Lu Qianxing sounded somewhat gleeful, yet also a little annoyed. “Of course, what happens between you and President Fu is none of our business, but please, try to be more vigilant, alright? At least put on a show of being a loving couple in public. What kind of mess is this now?”

Lu Qianxing’s tone grew increasingly angry. “Do you know how upset Mom has been these past few months? And now, with this news, aren’t you making it even harder for her to face people?”

A wave of immense panic suddenly washed over Lu Yao. He suppressed his rising dread and asked, “What news?”

“Huh?” Lu Qianxing exclaimed in disbelief. “You seriously don’t know anything? Lu Yao, is there something wrong with your brain? Don’t you even know what your own alpha is doing?”

Lu Yao’s breath hitched, his heart sinking, but he still managed to maintain a semblance of calm. “What happened to Yanhuai? Is he in trouble?”

Lu Qianxing scoffed. “He’s perfectly fine. The one who isn’t fine is you.”

As if holding back for some reason, Lu Qianxing finally said with a hint of restraint, “Forget it. Just focus on giving birth safely first. When President Fu returns from his business trip, you absolutely must resolve this with him. Right now, your only value to Mom is this child.”

Lu Qianxing abruptly hung up, leaving only a dial tone in Lu Yao’s ear. But he had no time to dwell on Lu Qianxing’s strange attitude; he frantically opened a news app and searched for the business news section.

Negative news about Fu Yanhuai? How could Fu Yanhuai have negative news?

Lu Yao didn’t have to wonder for long. The news story was trending, and he spotted it immediately.

It appeared to be a candid shot from a business dinner after a formal negotiation yesterday. Fu Yanhuai stood opposite an omega who looked impeccably dressed and poised—competent and composed.

Completely unlike Lu Yao.

Fu Yanhuai’s hand was likely reaching for a wine glass from behind, but the misleading angle of the photo and the fleeting smile on his face made the image appear exceptionally intimate.

Lu Yao’s breath hitched for a moment. Suppressing the ache in his chest, he tried to calm himself, telling himself that this one photo didn’t mean anything.

But as he instinctively scrolled down, the text of the gossip article proved even more aggressive than the picture.

“President Fu praised the omega child of H City’s financial magnate. The two conversed warmly at the banquet, with President Fu showing clear affinity…”

“…greatly facilitating this collaboration. President Fu stated that such omegas are rare…”

Lu Yao suddenly couldn’t comprehend the article. Such omegas are rare—did that mean he was too ordinary?

Confused, he murmured, “Why would they say that?”

Why would this report even be published? If Fu Yanhuai hadn’t allowed it, the news media wouldn’t have released such an article.

A sudden, sharp pain tightened in his abdomen, forcing Lu Yao’s thoughts back. His appetite had decreased in late pregnancy, and his mood wasn’t good either. The abdominal pain made his face look very pale.

Lu Yao slowly took a few deep breaths to steady himself. Perhaps Fu Yanhuai’s overtures were purely for work; after all, Lu Yao knew nothing about business matters.

The abdominal pain seemed less intense than before, but Lu Yao still felt short of breath.

He struggled to hold his phone steady, but when he opened the chat interface with Fu Yanhuai, an uncontrollable wave of sadness washed over him.

Was this truly what Fu Yanhuai thought?

Lu Yao didn’t know what to ask Fu Yanhuai now. He suddenly remembered that when they first married, Fu Yanhuai was merely looking for a beta to release his pheromones.

Fu Yanhuai had never said he loved him. He had made no promises. Lu Yao’s differentiation and pregnancy were both unexpected deviations from the plan.

But how could Lu Yao believe that? He had just gained a family who loved him; they had taken family photos together, and their child was about to be born.

And he truly, deeply loved Fu Yanhuai.

Even knowing he might not get an answer, Lu Yao pursed his lips and carefully sent a message.

“I saw the news about you attending the dinner. Remember to rest.”

Lu Yao’s emotions fluctuated wildly, and Nian Nian moved restlessly in his belly.

Lu Yao immediately decided not to stay cooped up in the room. Going downstairs for some fresh air might help calm his mood.

Lu Yao didn’t dare let himself get too upset; he was afraid of harming the baby.

He carefully stood up, steadying himself with the bed, and tried to compose himself before going downstairs.

The butler was still in the kitchen at this time; it would soon be lunchtime. Lu Yao planned to go out for a walk and then return.

Lu Yao’s abdomen now completely blocked his view downwards, so he walked very slowly, step by step.

Lu Yao was always cautious about risky situations, but when his phone chimed with the special notification tone he’d set for Fu Yanhuai, he couldn’t help but stop.

It was just checking a message, yet Lu Yao felt a little nervous.

Fu Yanhuai’s reply was completely different from the coldness or reassurance Lu Yao had expected. As he quietly read it, he could almost hear Fu Yanhuai’s tone: “I’ll be back in the capital from H City in two days. I actually wanted to discuss this matter with you in person.”

Lu Yao stood on the stairs, his ears ringing the moment he read the words.

Did the lack of a direct answer mean it was a bad one? Lu Yao’s nose inexplicably stung, and tears made his eyes slightly damp. He blinked twice, focusing on the stairs beneath his feet.

Perhaps not. It was probably just his pregnancy making him overly sensitive.

The butler emerged from the kitchen just then. Seeing Lu Yao standing motionless on the stairs from a distance, he quickly asked, “Mr. Lu, are you feeling unwell?”

Lu Yao swallowed the lump in his throat. He shook his head and smiled. “No.”

He was eager to go downstairs and out, not wanting the butler to notice anything amiss, but as soon as he took a step, he missed his footing.

If this were a TV drama, the moment of falling would be infinitely stretched out. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Before Lu Yao’s brain could even react, he had already crashed hard onto the ground.

The butler’s face instantly went pale. “Mr. Lu!”

The butler had never shown such panic before. Lu Yao trembled, biting his teeth tightly against the pain.

Afraid to move Lu Yao carelessly, the butler quickly dialed an emergency number to contact a doctor. “Dr. Xu? Mr. Lu fell at home, yes, just now.”

Lu Yao felt a warm flow beneath him. He strained with all his might to touch it, then raised his hand and saw the blood staining his fingers.

An indescribable terror gripped his heart. Lu Yao bit his lip hard to stay conscious, carefully cradling his belly. “Nian Nian? Nian Nian…”

He couldn’t feel Nian Nian’s movements anymore. Lu Yao forced back his tears, but the butler still heard the tremor in his voice. “Nian Nian isn’t moving.”

The butler immediately hung up and did his best to calm Lu Yao. “The ambulance will be here soon. We’ll go to the hospital for tests. Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

Lu Yao choked out, “Fu Yanhuai… won’t be back for two more days, but… but…”

But he desperately wanted his alpha to come back and be with him.

The butler quickly said, “I’ll contact Mr. Fu right away. Please, don’t panic.”

The cramping pain in his abdomen grew increasingly intense. Even curling tightly into himself offered no relief. He had a faint premonition that the baby was about to be born.

But Nian Nian was only eight months old. Lu Yao desperately clutched his belly. “Baby, please be good. It’s all my fault for not being careful. Can you just wait a little longer…?”

By the time Lu Yao was rushed to the hospital, the situation had become extremely critical. After an examination, Dr. Xu immediately and gravely told the nurse to prepare for surgery. “We can’t wait any longer. The baby is at risk of suffocation.”

Lu Yao’s hair was damp with sweat, a few strands clinging to his forehead. His lips had turned pale. Despite his weakness, Lu Yao still managed to grasp the doctor’s sleeve and weakly ask, “Doctor, Nian Nian, how is his condition?”

Dr. Xu appeared relatively calm. “Many unexpected situations can arise during an omega’s pregnancy and childbirth. I assure you, with my professional experience, that both you and Mr. Fu’s child will be safe.”

At this moment, reassuring Lu Yao was more important than anything. His fingers weakly loosened, sliding to the side, and the nurse quickly attached monitoring equipment and an oxygen mask.

Dr. Xu stayed to briefly instruct the butler on necessary items and precautions. The normally composed butler was visibly flustered. If only Wen Zheng were here now, at least someone could be with Lu Yao.

The sensation of anesthetic being injected into his body was unpleasant. The sterile white lights of the operating room illuminated Lu Yao’s bloodless face. Lu Yao closed his eyes, tears silently tracing down his cheeks.