Months had passed, and his body was becoming heavy and clumsy.
Even though he was only three months along, Zhuang Yan felt lazy and lethargic all day, and he was prone to bouts of nausea and vomiting at the slightest provocation.
The family doctor said these were all normal reactions during pregnancy and suggested that the Alpha should release more soothing pheromones.
An Alpha’s soothing pheromones?
“Does it have to be from the biological father of the child in my belly?” Zhuang Yan asked.
The family doctor was shocked by the question coming from the beautiful Omega in front of him, but he answered truthfully: “It doesn’t necessarily have to be the biological father’s, but the biological father’s pheromones are more effective.”
Zhuang Yan nodded in understanding. “Then, Doctor, do you have any Alphas to recommend to me?”
The family doctor was shocked once again. “I’m sorry… I’m just a doctor… and our entire medical team consists of Betas.”
“Fine then.” Zhuang Yan felt a bit disappointed. If he really had to endure it through sheer willpower, it wasn’t impossible.
Zhuang Yan was actually quite pampered. Although he had been a bit mischievous as a child and had tasted the feather duster more than a few times, he hadn’t suffered a single bit of hardship he wasn’t supposed to.
However, now that he was grown, there were things he needed to shoulder, and he wouldn’t shy away from them.
The family doctor had worked for the Yue family for a long time and had heard rumors about the relationship between the young master of the Yue family and his young “wife.”
This pregnancy was likely something the young “wife” before him had schemed for in some way. Trying to get soothing pheromones from the young master of the Yue family was probably not feasible.
“If you truly don’t have any Alpha friends, I can apply for some Alpha pheromone substitutes for you.”
Although the doctor was an unmarried Beta who had never experienced the pain of pheromones or pregnancy reactions, he felt a spark of compassion when he thought of the Omega’s seemingly tragic situation.
“Alpha friends? Using a friend’s pheromones won’t have any effect on me or him?” Zhuang Yan felt a pang of regret why hadn’t he paid attention during biology class?
“It’s fine. Some pregnant Omegas who can’t get pheromones from their Alpha spouses use their father’s pheromones. Children who don’t have a spouse yet are also soothed by the pheromones of their fathers and mothers,” the family doctor explained.
Perhaps fearing that Zhuang Yan still had concerns, he elaborated on the reasons: “A pregnant Omega’s pheromones secrete a substance that repels Alphas; it’s a means for the fetus to protect itself. Between relatives, because the pheromone genes are similar, there is a certain level of rejection.”
“So you’re saying those stories about parents attacking their own children, claiming it was ‘pheromone attraction,’ are all lies?”
The family doctor hadn’t expected Zhuang Yan’s focus to land there, but he still clarified: “That’s correct. Generally, in such cases, the judge chooses to test DNA first to rule out mutations or non-biological cases before determining the punishment.”
“A crime is a crime, why go through all that trouble?” Zhuang Yan wondered. Was it because being ‘cuckolded’ could lighten the sentence?
The family doctor shook his head and continued to explain: “If it’s a genetic mutation, the child might carry recessive disease factors. In a way, this is to protect the child and to verify if the ‘extenuating circumstances’ claimed by the perpetrator are false, which would actually increase the severity of the punishment.”
The family doctor could see that this young “wife” hadn’t listened to a single word in biology class. It seemed he would need to pay more attention in the future, lest this young “wife” accidentally lose the child or himself.
“Add my contact info. If there are any problems, we can talk over the phone; you don’t need to ask the butler to call me over.” If nothing went wrong, this branch of the Yue family would only have this one child; he had to treasure it.
“Sure, I’ll scan you.”
A moment later, a friend request from “Green Swan” popped up on the family doctor’s phone. Without a doubt, it was Zhuang Yan.
Almost all of Zhuang Yan’s social media handles were “X Swan.” If he wasn’t named after a swan, it was only because he had temporarily changed it for some reason.
The “X Swan” naming convention stemmed from a cartoon he watched as a child featuring a swan family. The nobility in that swan tribe all had the surname Zhuang. Since Zhuang Yan shared that surname, he automatically associated himself with the swan nobility.
Back when social media was booming, Zhuang Yan used names like Black Swan, White Swan, Red Swan, Green Swan, Yellow Swan, Blue Swan…
He got used to it over time and, not knowing what else to change it to, he just kept using them.
In the evening, the family doctor received a message from Green Swan: “Hello, I wanted to ask, why have I been feeling flustered lately?”
The family doctor asked a series of detailed questions and finally reached a conclusion: It was caused by staying up too late.
Abroad, Yue Lu was once again being hunted. After finishing his rehabilitation, he could barely walk, and he was currently being supported by Bai Naixing and Jiang Shuimian as they evaded assassins.
They didn’t know where the danger was hidden perhaps to the left, perhaps ahead, or perhaps behind. All they could do was keep running and hiding.
As long as they could hold out until the new product launch, everything would end either the opponent would die, or they would.
Regardless of whether the new product was good or bad, or whether they could make a comeback, they had to last until then.
Back at Zhuang Yan’s house, Chi Xiaocheng arrived looking travel-worn.
He had a spare key to Zhuang Yan’s place. When he opened the door, he ran straight into Zhuang Yan, who had one foot on the coffee table and the other braced against the back of the sofa, eating snacks and watching TV in an incredibly strange and difficult posture.
“Xiaocheng-ge, you’re here.” Zhuang Yan heard the noise and looked toward the door, his eyes meeting Chi Xiaocheng’s.
Chi Xiaocheng felt a chill down his spine from that bright gaze; he had a feeling that being called over wasn’t for anything good.
“Why did you call me here?”
Zhuang Yan retracted his legs and leaped on the sofa, eventually crouching in a “Wukong squat.” He blinked and spoke: “I need your help with something. It seems you’re the only one I can ask.”
“Just say it. As long as I can do it, I’ll help.” This is Xiao Shi’s younger brother, after all, Chi Xiaocheng told himself.
“I want to borrow some of your pheromones.”
“You-you-you, what did you say?” Fortunately, Chi Xiaocheng hadn’t just taken a sip of the juice on the table, or he surely would have spat it out in shock.
“It’s just a little bit of pheromones, why are you so agitated?” Zhuang Yan didn’t understand.
“Is this just about pheromones? Do you have any idea what it means if you use my pheromones? Generally, only spouses and elders’ pheromones can be used! You haven’t said this to anyone else, have you?”
Zhuang Yan leaped again, landed, and sat cross-legged to think: “I haven’t. But aren’t you my sister-in-law? There’s no need to be so formal between us.”
Zhuang Yan spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, making Chi Xiaocheng doubt his own perception of reality.
“Even so, I am an Alpha! How can you be so casual? If you need soothing pheromones, I’ll go call your parents. And from now on, you are not allowed to casually make this request to an Alpha.”
Chi Xiaocheng had a headache. How could such a silly brother not be cheated? How could he feel at ease letting Zhuang Yan live alone?
No, he would have to tell his parents later. He’d find an excuse to stay here and not go back yet; he had to watch over Zhuang Yan.
Pregnancy brain lasts for three years it’s all the fault of that certain Alpha’s inferior genes. Otherwise, how could such a clever Omega become so dim-witted?
“I’m not being casual, I asked the doctor,” Zhuang Yan said, looking at Chi Xiaocheng helplessly. Did he really seem like an idiot to him?
“The doctor said it’s okay?” Chi Xiaocheng was still skeptical. “Which doctor? How many years has he practiced? Is he experienced? Is he trustworthy?”
“The Yue family’s doctor, he’s definitely top-tier. Besides, I’m carrying a child of the Yue family; how could he let anything happen to the baby?” Zhuang Yan soothed him.
Hearing this, Chi Xiaocheng finally felt somewhat relieved.
“So, what do I need to do?”
“I don’t know, let me ask.”
Zhuang Yan really didn’t know.
He took out his phone, opened WeChat, and found the family doctor: “How should the Alpha give me pheromones?”
The other side replied instantly: “Just have him release the pheromones directly; there is no need for physical contact.”
Zhuang Yan showed the phone to Chi Xiaocheng: “Like this.”
Chi Xiaocheng nodded. This family doctor seemed reliable enough, knowing to warn Zhuang Yan against casual physical contact with Alphas.
“Then call me when you’re feeling unwell, and I’ll help you.”
“Okay, but you can’t tell my parents about this. I’m afraid they’ll worry if they find out.”
The two of them were already keeping the investigation into Wang Mongmong’s death a secret from the elders. If they found out Zhuang Yan was pregnant, abandoned by an Alpha, and making deals with others using the child, who knew how panicked they would be.
They were old; if they got agitated and something happened to their health, that would be even worse.
“Don’t worry, I know where to draw the line.” Chi Xiaocheng certainly wouldn’t blabber about everything.
“Then you stay in the master bedroom, and I’ll stay in the guest room?”
Zhuang Yan was afraid that staying in the guest room would cause Chi Xiaocheng to “see things and think of the person” (be reminded of the past).
“What’s wrong with the guest room? Am I really that fragile? Don’t worry about me; you’re the one who needs looking after right now.”
Although Wang Mongmong had bought this house and the guest room was meant for them, he had never actually stayed there, so there was no “reminiscing” or “evoking emotions” to speak of.
Zhuang Yan’s adverse reactions came on strong, requiring Chi Xiaocheng’s pheromones almost every day.
Chi Xiaocheng blamed all of this on a certain Alpha’s “inferior genes.”
Otherwise, why was Zhuang Yan able to jump and run and be so physically strong before having this child, only to turn into this state after being infused with that Alpha’s genes?
Chi Xiaocheng shared his theory with Zhuang Yan, and Zhuang Yan found it very reasonable. To prove they were right, Zhuang Yan even went to consult the family doctor.
The “is typing…” notification at the top of the family doctor’s chat window flashed repeatedly before he finally sent a simple “thumbs up” emoji.
Zhuang Yan knew he was right.
Immediately after, the family doctor sent another message: “Young Master’s Wife, aside from accepting Alpha pheromone soothing, working normally, and reading some parenting and pregnancy books, please do not do anything else.”
What does that mean? Zhuang Yan was puzzled. Had he done something strange to make the family doctor misunderstand?