Chapter 70

Chapter 70

"I was too self-centered."

Lu Yao and Fu Yanhuai stood so close that even the slightest movement could bring them into contact. But Fu Yanhuai knew he couldn’t do that—it would only burden Lu Yao further.

Even so, at this moment, Fu Yanhuai desperately wanted to pull Lu Yao into his arms.

Lu Yao’s expression was strained with restraint. Fu Yanhuai spoke, his voice thick with emotion, "I thought, with my arrangements, you would continue to live well."

Lu Yao looked as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. He asked in disbelief, "Well? Where was the ‘well’? Was it when Nian Nian was silent at birth, and I didn’t even get to see his face before the doctors rushed him away for emergency care? Or was it when you thought forcing me to leave the capital was a good thing?"

The mention of this made Lu Yao's voice turn sharp. "Did you marry me just to have a child? Was I unworthy of being your partner, or even Nian Nian’s father? So you just wanted to kick me out and keep the child?"

"I—" Fu Yanhuai looked up and saw the redness in Lu Yao’s eyes. His heart ached, but he had no strength to refute. "It wasn't that you're unworthy. I just thought..."

Lu Yao no longer cared about the pheromone levels that still weren't optimal. He pulled open the door to leave, but Fu Yanhuai shut it before he could step out.

Fu Yanhuai braced his hand firmly against the door beside Lu Yao’s shoulder. Lu Yao tried to pull it open again but couldn’t. He took a deep breath, dropped his hand, and turned to glare at Fu Yanhuai, his jaw clenched.

"I don’t care what you thought. Nian Nian is my child. Even if I don't have full custody, I have the right to visit him. What gives you the right to shut me out completely? You’re his father, yet you didn’t even bother to care for him. Do you think just because you find another partner, that person will treat Nian Nian well?"

Fu Yanhuai let out a weary sigh. "I won’t fight you for custody of Nian Nian. I never intended to take him away from you. You’re his father. When he was first born and in the incubator, he cried every night, crying for you. I know who he truly needs."

Hearing that Nian Nian had been looking for him after birth, Lu Yao felt his nose burn with impending tears.

He really had left too abruptly back then. Nian Nian had been so small, uncomfortable, and scared. He shouldn’t have just walked away.

Lu Yao turned his head away, his shoulders rigid. "I don’t care who you marry or who you like or dislike. As long as Nian Nian isn’t affected, do whatever you want."

"I don’t like anyone else," Fu Yanhuai said earnestly, staring at Lu Yao. "I only like you."

A crushing sense of betrayal crashed over Lu Yao. He clenched his jaw to keep himself from breaking down in front of Fu Yanhuai.

"Are you having fun toying with me?"

Fu Yanhuai flinched as if struck as Lu Yao spat out each word through gritted teeth, "How old are you? Still playing these games of love? Do you find it amusing to see me so emotionally vulnerable because of you? You kicked me out, and now you’re pretending to have deep affection—do you really think I’d believe it?"

Fu Yanhuai said urgently, "No, that’s not it. I mean it, I really—"

Lu Yao turned the doorknob to leave, but the concentration level had just reached nine—only one point away from the qualifying range.

Lu Yao swallowed his tears, composed himself, and slowly looked back at Fu Yanhuai.

"You were... the only one I ever truly loved."

To say Lu Yao didn’t love Fu Yanhuai would be a lie even to himself. If it weren’t for love, why would he have given in to Fu Yanhuai time and again? Why would he have been overjoyed at carrying their child? Why would he have fallen so deeply for Fu Yanhuai’s momentary affection?

Tears welled in Lu Yao’s eyes. Fu Yanhuai’s heart lurched painfully. He opened his mouth with difficulty but found he had nothing to say—nothing he could say.

"But now, I don’t want you disrupting my life anymore," Lu Yao said, voice thick with tears. "Just... just for the sake of our two-year marriage, or even out of pity for me, stop treating me like this."

Stop toying with him—throwing him away like garbage when he had given his all to their family, only to return now with a damaged gland and declarations of love. Lu Yao didn’t understand. He only felt pain.

Fu Yanhuai murmured in anguish, "No, I’m not lying to you..."

This time, he truly wasn’t lying. But it seemed Lu Yao would never believe him again.

The concentration level reached ten. Lu Yao turned off the glowing indicator light and, this time, truly opened the door and left.

Fu Yanhuai went numb with shock. Bewildered and heartbroken, he slowly collapsed back into the chair. The treatment room was filled with the lingering scent of caramel pheromones, but their owner had already gone.

Fu Yanhuai couldn’t smell the caramel, and he couldn’t keep Lu Yao. Lost, he remained where he was, tightly shutting his eyes.

---

Lu Yao was in a terrible mood. He didn’t want to go straight home and worry Wen Zheng and Xia Shiyue, or make Nian Nian uneasy.

He walked aimlessly through the streets for a while, buying a few cute decorative items to place in the dessert shop once the renovations were done.

After pulling himself together, Lu Yao returned home. Nian Nian was already awake, and Wen Zheng was carrying him downstairs. The little one squirmed and fussed on the sofa until Wen Zheng picked him up again. "Your dad will be back soon, don’t be impatient."

The moment Lu Yao stepped inside, Nian Nian snapped his head toward the sound, eyes sparkling as he squirmed excitedly in Wen Zheng’s arms. Lu Yao hurried over to take him, and Wen Zheng sighed in relief. "Nian Nian’s been looking for you ever since he woke up."

Remembering Fu Yanhuai’s words—how Nian Nian, born prematurely, had been alone in the hospital room, crying for him every day—Lu Yao held the child a little tighter.

The sweet scent of Lu Yao’s pheromones still lingered on him. Nian Nian happily burrowed into the crook of his neck with a contented hum.

Lu Yao’s heart softened. "Were you looking for Daddy for a long time? Were you good at home?"

Wen Zheng smiled. "Kids bounce back so fast. I was worried he’d feel unwell after the car ride today, but after a nap, he’s full of energy again."

Lu Yao sat down with Nian Nian in his arms, a pang of guilt hitting him. "I should’ve bundled him up more with the season changing. I keep thinking it’s fine since we’re at home."

Wen Zheng was practical. "All babies this age get sick. Fevers and colds are just part of growing up."

Still, Lu Yao tenderly stroked Nian Nian’s chubby little face and resolved, "I’ll be more careful from now on."

Nian Nian loved being with Lu Yao the most. Though he could now sit independently for short periods, he was usually restless—except when with Lu Yao. In his father’s arms, he became a quiet, well-behaved baby, content to chew on his pacifier while resting against Lu Yao’s shoulder.

Once Nian Nian calmed down, Lu Yao turned to Wen Zheng and said quietly, "The doctor said Fu Yanhuai’s gland can still produce normal reactions. It’ll probably recover gradually."

Wen Zheng paused. "So it’s not too serious, then."

"In that case," she continued decisively, "unless it’s absolutely necessary, focus on your own work. Aren’t you and Shiyue opening a shop? That’ll keep you plenty busy. The doctors will handle his treatment—you don’t need to keep going."

Lu Yao had expected Wen Zheng to be happy about the news, hoping Fu Yanhuai’s gland would heal quickly.

Uneasy, he asked, "But won’t that affect his recovery?"

Wen Zheng tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and replied matter-of-factly, "Your gland hasn’t fully healed either. If you keep assisting his treatment, what if something goes wrong again?"

She glanced at Nian Nian. "He’s been waking up less at night lately. Good sleep and good food mean faster growth—this period is crucial for his development. An S-grade gland’s survival instinct isn’t that weak. Given even the slightest chance, it’ll fight to recover."

At the mention of their child, Lu Yao wavered unconditionally. "Alright."

After all, Fu Yanhuai would be living with them. If anything went wrong, the doctors would inform him. If pheromone soothing was truly needed, he could always go then.

Wen Zheng shared a similar thought. With Fu Yanhuai under her watch, any issues could be addressed directly. If he was already living with Lu Yao, why keep dragging him to the hospital? Let Fu Yanhuai deal with it himself.

Lu Yao stayed downstairs for a while longer. As Wen Zheng played with Nian Nian and Cream, he sat lost in his thoughts.

They really needed to open the shop soon. Once the renovations were done, they had to open for business quickly.

After dinner, Lu Yao and Xia Shiyue returned to their room. Lu Yao pulled out the initial draft of Fu Yanhuai’s business proposal, now covered in annotations in black ink—his own additions.

While Lu Yao focused on the business model, Xia Shiyue was more interested in the store layout.

"Little Deer, look—what if we turn this area into a photo-op area? Customers can take pictures here first, make it Instagram-worthy." Xia Shiyue showed Lu Yao a quick mockup on his tablet. After examining it, Lu Yao nodded. "This location would work. The natural light is better here."

"Hmm..."

Xia Shiyue pondered, "Maybe we can tweak this section too. Let me think about it."

Lu Yao continued searching for unfamiliar financial terms while diligently filling in the gaps in the proposal.

Xia Shiyue couldn’t help but quietly admire how seriously Lu Yao approached everything he did.

"I can really tell you were a top student in school," Xia Shiyue said, lying on his side on the bed as he watched Lu Yao. "I’ve never put this much effort into learning anything."

Xia Shiyue’s grades weren’t bad, but he had never been at the top of his class. Nor did he need to devote himself entirely to academics—for someone like him, learning instruments, riding horses, and playing golf was just as important.

Lu Yao didn’t consider this effort. He replied casually, "Well, I don’t have anything else to do anyway. Might as well try it out."

Otherwise, he’d have to go to Fu Yanhuai for help again, and apart from matters concerning the gland and the child, Lu Yao wanted no further involvement with him.

Xia Shiyue said sincerely, "Even if it’s just a casual attempt, I think it looks really professional."

He couldn’t have written this much just by winging it. Reflecting on his own entrepreneurial journey, Xia Shiyue realized he had always jumped right in.

Lu Yao lifted his head from the proposal. "We should still consult professionals. I just don’t want to be totally lost and end up causing trouble when we actually open."

"Don’t worry," Xia Shiyue bolted upright. "Which big boss meticulously planned out every single day when they first started? They all figured things out as they went. We've totally got this."

Xia Shiyue’s confidence rubbed off on Lu Yao, who smiled and said, "We’ll definitely succeed."