AHDIBCB Chapter 07

High fever—persistent body heat left him utterly drained. And thirst—as if the moisture had been completely drained from his body. But that wasn’t the hardest part. The hardest part was the overwhelming emptiness surging inside him.

Panic, helplessness, anxiety—he knew exactly what he was doing, yet he couldn’t stop himself from worrying about the future. It felt as if all the mental preparation he had done before being admitted had been completely shattered.

He wanted to be held. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to clear his mind of all the unease and frustration.

The doctors said this was the nature of an Omega’s heat—this was why they needed an Alpha’s comfort. But Li Heng was gone. The only thing he could rely on was the suppressant.

And the suppressant couldn’t be used right away. To increase the chances of the fertilized egg implanting successfully in the reproductive cavity, he had to wait until after the implantation procedure was completed and confirmed successful before taking the suppressant.

Yuan Yi realized that this suffering was even worse than working several consecutive overnight shifts. Night shifts only brought exhaustion and sleep deprivation, but this—this was not just sleeplessness. His body and mind were unbearably tense, gripped by fear. He despised this feeling the most.

Bloodshot eyes, Yuan Yi stared at the medical staff moving through the research facility.

The lead doctor overseeing his procedure was Dr. Luo, a petite Omega woman with a warm and approachable demeanor.

Yuan Yi said to her, “Dr. Luo, I have an idea—can you hear me out?”

Dr. Luo adjusted her glasses and smiled. “Of course, Xiao Yi. You can share any thoughts with us.”

Yuan Yi said, “When I signed the agreement, I said I only wanted one—no more. But now I regret it. Can I have one more? After suffering this much, just having one feels like a loss…”

At first, he thought that having one child to raise properly would be enough. He wanted to give his child all the love he had never received growing up.

But now that he thought about it, he had no other family in this world. In the future, Principal Li and Professor Jian would be his only two relatives. Even with the child, that would make just four of them. The adults would inevitably be busy—wouldn’t that leave the child feeling lonely? He didn’t want his child to experience the same loneliness he had.

At least with one more, they’d have a companion.

Dr. Luo’s eyes lit up with joy. “If you think this way, we’d certainly be happy to accommodate you. Actually, when we first discussed this, we wanted Principal Li and Professor Jian to persuade you to consider having more than one. But they insisted on respecting your decision, and Commander Jian didn’t allow us to interfere too much in your choices. That’s why we never tried to convince you. But if you’re open to it, we’d definitely encourage you to have more. General Li’s presence alone was a powerful deterrent to Alphas—his influence on our military was immense. That ability is an unparalleled advantage on the battlefield.”

Yuan Yi frowned. “But I’ve already said that no one can dictate what career my children choose in the future. They can provide some of their special serum if necessary, but beyond that, their choices are theirs to make. I know other Alphas with this special serum who have done the same.”

Dr. Luo nodded. “Yes, but emotionally speaking, we still hope the children will join the military. Of course, it’s not mandatory. Even if they don’t become soldiers, they can still serve the nation in other ways. So, are you sure you want two?”

Yuan Yi nodded. “Transfer two. If both implant successfully, then I’ll have two. If only one remains, then it’s fate. Based on past data, what’s the implantation success rate?”

He knew the institute had prepared three fertilized eggs in total, but carrying triplets would be too risky and dangerous. Two was a more acceptable option—he just wasn’t sure if it would succeed on the first attempt.

Dr. Luo looked at Yuan Yi with curiosity and chuckled. “Very high. Unless the recipient has an underlying health issue, the success rate is over ninety-nine percent. But, Xiao Yi, why are you so calm when discussing this? You sound like a professional evaluating a case.”

A nineteen-year-old university student—an omega at that—should at least show a bit of shyness or inexperience when discussing marriage and childbirth, shouldn’t they?

Yet Yuan Yi had none of that.

In fact, as he spoke, there was an occasional glimpse of something elusive—an air of decisiveness and authority that only those in high positions naturally possessed.

Yuan Yi downed more than half a bottle of water. “Maybe I’ve just been reading too much about reproductive procedures these past couple of days. I feel numb to it now.”

Even the way he drank water didn’t resemble an omega.

Which omega wouldn’t cry during their heat? Without inhibitors or an alpha’s comfort, the desperation of this period was enough to drive anyone to madness. She had been through it herself—she knew how unbearable it was. But Yuan Yi hadn’t shed a single tear. Sweat had drenched several sets of clothes, but not once did he break down.

Dr. Luo suddenly felt like she understood why Professor Jian had so quickly agreed to let Yuan Yi bear the next generation of the Li family. Some things just ran in the blood.

Three days later, the procedure was a success. Yuan Yi went from being a single individual to carrying two new lives inside him. During his recovery, Professor Jian visited daily, bringing nutritious meals and tonics. He had little appetite, but he still appreciated the gesture.

He remained in the research district for another four days, fully recovering from his heat and ensuring there were no complications before transferring home to rest.

On the day of his discharge, Principal Li and Professor Jian came together to pick him up. That wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was that Fang Jing was there too.

“You child, how could you change your communication number without telling the family? Do you know how worried we were? I had to ask Professor Jian. She’s so busy every day, and you ended up wasting her time. You can’t do this again in the future.”

“Aunt, is there something you needed me for?” Yuan Yi asked, standing at the entrance of the research district. He hadn’t eaten much or slept well these past two days, making him look noticeably haggard.

“What else could it be? You were undergoing surgery these past two days, and your uncle and I were both worried. How are you feeling? Can your body handle it?”

“If I said I couldn’t, would you take me away?”

“Wh-what are you saying?” Fang Jing glanced awkwardly at Li Chengping and Jian Yurou. “The doctors and nurses here are the best professionals. You’re getting the finest care possible. And with Principal Li and Professor Jian caring so much for you, how would there be any need for me to take you away?”

“Since you already know that, why ask?” Yuan Yi didn’t bother hiding his sarcasm. But when he turned to Jian Yurou, his tone became much gentler. “Professor Jian, I want to go home and rest. If you and Principal Li are busy, I can go back on my own.”

“We’re not busy. Right now, nothing is more important than you.” Jian Yurou showed no reaction to Yuan Yi’s attitude toward Fang Jing and simply smiled. “Principal Li bought a lot of groceries this morning. Once we’re home, just let the chef know what you’d like to eat. Ms. Fang, would you like to join us?”

“I won’t be going.” Fang Jing was seething inside but couldn’t let it show, forcing an unpleasant expression as she tried to keep her composure. “Since Xiao Yi still has the energy to talk back to me, it looks like he’s in good spirits. Besides, he’s just had surgery and needs rest. I’ll visit when he’s more stable.”

“That works too.”

“Aunt, I’m doing quite well now. You and Uncle don’t need to worry. There’s no need to contact me unless it’s something important. I’ll be busy with my studies in the coming days, and my schedule will be tight.”

“You’re already pregnant, what’s the point of studying? You should focus on taking good care of yourself and the baby. I was even thinking of applying for a leave of absence from your school on your behalf. But I’m not sure what Principal Li and Professor Jian think about this.”

Fang Jing turned to Li Chengping and Jian Yurou, putting on an expression of concern. “Principal Li, Professor Jian, a lot of people have been paying attention to Xiao Yi’s surgery. There are so many students at the school, and kids are young and playful—it’s not always the safest environment. Wouldn’t it be better for Xiao Yi to take a break from school and return after giving birth?”

Professor Jian replied, “On this matter, Principal Li and I respect Xiao Yi’s decision. He’s only taken a temporary leave from school, and after his break, we’ll see how his health is before making any further decisions.”

“Xiao Yi, are you sure you’ll be fine?”

“I’ll be fine.”

Yuan Yi didn’t even need to think deeply to figure out Fang Jing’s motives. She must have learned about Bai Wanzhe’s background and was trying to create more opportunities for Zhou Xingran. She definitely knew he had been to school and met Bai Wanzhe.

Fang Jing clearly had intentions of setting up her son with Bai Wanzhe.

The Bai family might not be as prestigious as the Jian family, but Bai Wanzhe’s maternal family had been engaged in business for generations, accumulating an immense fortune. Bai Wanzhe was also particularly favored by his maternal relatives. Marrying into such a family would at least guarantee a life of wealth and comfort.

For the longest time, she had heard rumors that Bai Wanzhe had feelings for Yuan Yi. She and her son had secretly resented this for a long time. Now that Yuan Yi was finally “married off,” how could she not seize the opportunity?

She wished Yuan Yi would never set foot in school again. Her son had told her that when Yuan Yi went to school to request leave, Bai Wanzhe rushed over to see him immediately. Clearly, Bai Wanzhe hadn’t let go of his feelings for Yuan Yi.

She had to find a way to put an end to this situation. The whole thing irritated her to no end.

They had grown up together, attended almost all the same schools, and her son had even taken far more extracurricular classes than Yuan Yi. Yet in the end, the only thing her son was truly good at was art—where, unfortunately, he had to compete with Yuan Yi.

The most infuriating part? Yuan Yi had never even taken extracurricular classes, never had any professional guidance, yet still excelled beyond her son. Even the teachers admitted that Yuan Yi had an exceptional sensitivity to color matching.

Fang Jing suppressed her frustration, trying to speak as calmly as possible. “Since you think you can handle it, we’ll do as you say. But since you plan to continue studying, you must take it seriously. Principal Li and Professor Jian are both highly esteemed figures in the education field. Now that you’ve married into the Li family, you must work even harder—don’t bring shame to them.”

Yuan Yi smiled but didn’t even bother answering. He simply turned and left the research district.

Behind him, Fang Jing clenched her fists tightly, her nails nearly digging into her flesh. She gasped in pain and forced a smile at Jian Yurou. “This child lost his parents at a young age. My husband and I felt sorry for him, so we never disciplined him too harshly. We spoiled him too much, and now he has no sense of propriety. I must have made a fool of myself in front of you.”

Jian Yurou replied gently, “It’s not that serious. He’s just exhausted from the past few days. Usually, Xiao Yi is very well-mannered. You don’t need to worry too much.”

Fang Jing nodded in agreement, but inside, she was fuming. She had come with the intention of convincing Yuan Yi to take a leave of absence, giving her son a better chance at success. Not only had she failed, but she had also been left simmering with anger.

Still, when she thought about how her nephew had married Li Heng and was essentially bound for life, her mood improved significantly. She refused to believe the Li family would ever let Yuan Yi leave or remarry. Wasn’t he destined to be a widow for life?

So what if his late husband had been powerful? A husband who was alive, who could be by his side and cherish him, was far more valuable. As for forcing him to drop out… If she couldn’t make it happen officially, she had plenty of ways to make it impossible for him to stay in school.