How could this be?!

Tao Fengche’s mind buzzed, and he stood frozen in place.

The vast amount of information in Jie Yushu’s words went beyond his comprehension. Instinctively, he looked at Sui Yuesheng, but the latter’s eyes were filled with confusion and incomprehension, not the intense shock that Tao Fengche felt.

…Of course, Sui Yuesheng was unaware of the details.

Tao Fengche took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. “But wasn’t my uncle diagnosed with azoospermia? His health report, which you personally handed to me when you came to the Tao family earlier this year, confirmed that. Mr. Jie, are you sure about this child…?”

Lacking experience in handling such matters, Tao Fengche tried to phrase it delicately, but his tone was still a bit stiff, and the doubt in his words was unmistakable.

Alphas naturally have a biological advantage, but Tao Fengche didn’t want to use his second-gender status to pressure others. His late father, Tao Zhixing, had always taught him to be a gentleman. If given a choice, Tao Fengche wouldn’t want to question a pregnant Omega like this.

But the whole situation was simply too ridiculous.

Azoospermia.
A child.
What kind of joke was this? Could Jie Yushu self-pollinate?!

“Young master Tao, I’m certain.” Jie Yushu abruptly cut off Tao Fengche’s unfinished words, his voice carrying a hint of irritation. “I know what you’re implying. Even though I’m an Omega being kept, I still maintain my professional ethics. I’ve never slept with anyone other than Zhao Jiayang.”

Perhaps realizing he had been too impulsive and sharp, Jie Yushu paused for a few seconds before adding in a softer tone, “Zhao Jiayang only wants clean people.”

“That’s not what I meant…” Tao Fengche was deeply embarrassed, rushing to explain. “What I’m trying to say… um, well, actually that’s kind of what I meant, but…”

As a young alpha, he had never encountered a situation like this. He stammered for a while, feeling as if his tongue had never been so clumsy before.

It was already late autumn, and the cold wind was biting, yet standing in the middle of the road, Tao Fengche felt a layer of sweat almost forming on his forehead.

Inwardly, he was filled with distress. At that moment, his free hand was suddenly taken hold of.

The other person’s hand was cold, like holding a handful of snow in the middle of winter. The grip was light but carried a reassuring strength. Tao Fengche reflexively tightened his own grip, intertwining their fingers, pulling the person close to prevent them from slipping away.

It was as if an invisible hand in the void untangled the chaotic thoughts in his mind, sorting them out one by one. Tao Fengche looked up and met Sui Yuesheng’s worried gaze, blinking lightly.

In the next moment, he spoke again. “But I truly meant no offense. If my earlier question upset you, I sincerely apologize.”

Sui Yuesheng quietly observed him finish his words, slightly tightening his grip, nodding, and mouthing the words: Stay steady, don’t let him lead you, try to get more out of him.

—Don’t worry, Ge.

Tao Fengche smiled faintly, responding in kind with his lips.

“It’s okay, Young master Tao, I understand.” Jie Yushu’s voice sounded much calmer now as he resumed speaking. “I tested several times before calling you. Although I haven’t had the chance to visit the hospital due to my job, the result is likely accurate.”

“But even I feel something’s strange. I know condoms aren’t 100% foolproof, but Zhao Jiayang’s medical report came directly from his private doctor, and we came straight to your family’s house after that…”

Jie Yushu sounded doubtful, pausing for a few seconds in confusion, then apologized with a hint of hesitation. “Sorry, Young master Tao, would you be able to contact Zhao Jiayang for me? I’d like to discuss the situation with him directly, after all…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but both people on the other end of the phone understood the unsaid words—after all, Tao Fengche was just an outsider, while Zhao Jiayang was the child’s other father.

Tao Fengche took another deep breath.

The biting air entering his lungs felt like frostbite, and the mental pressure weighing on him was now beyond description.

Sui Yuesheng quietly observed him, his gaze gentle, with a touch of encouragement—he wouldn’t intervene or resolve the matter for Tao Fengche unless he explicitly asked for help.

Tao Fengche was about to turn eighteen. He needed to grow up, to learn how to face various problems. Compared to the deceptions of the business world, today’s events were merely an appetizer.

Tao Fengche understood this well, but he still didn’t quite know how to begin. Emotionally, he wanted to tell a kind lie, say that Zhao Jiayang had gone on a trip to an island with poor reception, to cover up the situation. But the truth always comes out, and the lie would eventually be exposed.

Logic told him that honesty was the best choice, but he genuinely worried that Jie Yushu wouldn’t be able to handle it. The latter was so famous that even Tao Fengche, who had no interest in entertainment gossip, had heard rumors about his frail health—he had been hospitalized after filming underwater scenes, for instance. Yan Yi despised Jie Yushu, as her favorite actor was his rival, and frequently complained about Jie Yushu in class. Tao Fengche, sitting in front of her, had overheard it countless times.

Tao Fengche pressed his lips together in discomfort.

What he was about to say would be far too cruel to Jie Yushu, and he struggled to find the resolve.

Time seemed to lose meaning at that moment. Perhaps a long time passed, or perhaps it was just a moment, but eventually, Tao Fengche spoke: “Mr. Jie, is there anyone with you right now? A personal assistant or someone similar?”

“No,” Jie Yushu misunderstood the question. “Don’t worry, Young master Tao, I don’t have any work commitments for the next few days, I’m on vacation, and I’m home alone. There’s no one else here, and there’s no surveillance equipment…”

“That’s not what I meant,” Tao Fengche paused slightly. “Please find a soft place to sit down first, and then we can continue, alright?”

He rarely spoke so gently, and if this had been in school, it would have made many admirers blush. Even Sui Yuesheng raised an eyebrow, but Jie Yushu suddenly felt his heart race, sensing something ominous.

“…Alright.” He tried to ignore the discomfort, attributing it to hormonal changes from the pregnancy. After settling on the sofa, he even made a joke to lighten the mood. “Young master Tao, don’t tell me Zhao Jiayang’s with some new flame again? You can just tell me, I’m not surprised.”

Jie Yushu knew full well how promiscuous Zhao Jiayang was, but he didn’t mind—he was young, beautiful, and now carrying Zhao Jiayang’s child. He wasn’t afraid he couldn’t win Zhao Jiayang’s heart.

People blinded by love often have an inexplicable confidence that they can make a playboy settle down.

“It’s not that,” Tao Fengche was silent for a moment, closing his eyes. “My uncle… passed away a few nights ago from heart failure. By the time the doctors found him, it was already too late. It happened suddenly, and we’ve kept the news from the public for now.”

He spoke cautiously.

On the other end of the phone, everything went silent, as if sound itself had been sucked into a vacuum.

Moments later, a harsh, labored breathing filled the receiver, growing heavier by the second until it became alarming. Tao Fengche had no doubt that Jie Yushu might faint, and he quickly glanced at Sui Yuesheng, who had already pulled out his phone, ready to find Jie Yushu’s address and send an ambulance.

But Jie Yushu didn’t give them the chance.

After a sob-like tremor, his voice broke through, “He…”

“My uncle passed peacefully in his sleep,” Tao Fengche added instinctively, not even knowing why he told this lie, but Jie Yushu seemed to find comfort in it.

“That’s good.”

After a pause, Jie Yushu repeated, “That’s good.”

He tried to feign calmness, but his famously poor acting skills made it painfully obvious that he was anything but calm. His fragile pretense only made Tao Fengche and Sui Yuesheng more concerned.

But Jie Yushu was oblivious to this, stubbornly continuing with a trembling voice as delicate as a violin string after playing “Flight of the Bumblebee,” “Thank you, Young master Tao, for telling me this news. I won’t say anything until your family makes an official announcement, don’t worry…”

“Do you want to give birth to this child?” In an impulsive moment, Tao Fengche suddenly interrupted Jie Yushu, who was still rambling on making promises. “If you want to, the Tao family will arrange a hospital for you and cover all the expenses. After the child is born, the Tao family will provide you with child support, and the exact amount will be up to you. Of course, you can also choose to hand the child over to the Tao family for upbringing. He is my uncle’s child, and I assure you, we will give him the best education and life.”

Tao Fengche made this promise without even consulting Sui Yuesheng.

To this day, his feelings toward Zhao Jiayang were still incredibly complicated. Zhao Jiayang was the indirect killer of Tao Zhixing, a true enemy in that regard, yet the many years of intimate relationship and deep affection weren’t fake either.

Moreover, there was Chu Yin, someone Tao Fengche deeply respected.

He had never met his biological mother, and the maternal role had always been filled by his grandmother and Chu Yin.

With Zhao Jiayang’s death, all of his secrets went with him, leaving countless mysteries behind. Tao Fengche could never forgive Zhao Jiayang’s betrayal, but if Jie Yushu was truly carrying Zhao Jiayang’s child, that would be the last bloodline of Zhao Jiayang.

Tao Fengche couldn’t ignore this fact, nor could he stand by and watch Zhao Jiayang’s posthumous child disappear.

This time, Jie Yushu remained silent for a long, long time—so long that Tao Fengche began to wonder if there was a signal issue. But the steady breathing on the other end of the line confirmed that Jie Yushu just wasn’t speaking.

After a moment of contemplation, Tao Fengche recalled Jie Yushu’s profession and the concerns that came with it—even with his limited understanding of the entertainment industry, he knew how serious pregnancy and childbirth could be for a rising star, especially an omega like Jie Yushu, who would bear the risks of childbirth.

He quickly added, “The Tao family has the best medical care. You won’t have to worry about your career being affected. We’ll handle everything. This year, we’ll say you went to the Western Continent for further studies. After the child is born…”

Tao Fengche hesitated briefly, then continued after seeing Sui Yuesheng nod slightly. “If you want to retire, you can ask for property and checks. If you want to make a comeback, with the Tao family’s backing, directors from all over the world will be open to negotiation.”

It was a generous promise.

Tao Fengche didn’t believe Jie Yushu would refuse—after all, this was the same person who had voluntarily become Zhao Jiayang’s lover for the sake of resources.

But Jie Yushu rejected him.

“…Forget it,” he said softly, his voice devoid of its usual lazy seductiveness, now cold and clear, almost reminiscent of Chu Yin. “I can’t raise it. A child with no parents—it’s not easy growing up like that.”

Tao Fengche frowned in confusion, wanting to persuade him otherwise but ultimately giving up on the idea. Jie Yushu had made his decision, and Tao Fengche couldn’t force him—after all, it was Jie Yushu’s body and his life.

“Alright then. I’ll arrange for the best hospital under our family’s name. Once you’ve coordinated your schedule, contact me, and I’ll arrange for the obstetrician to handle the surgery. Everyone involved will sign a confidentiality agreement, so you don’t need to worry about the news leaking.” After thinking for a moment, Tao Fengche added, “If you need anything else afterward, just call me through this number.”

“Okay, I understand. Thank you, Young Master Tao.”

As soon as Jie Yushu finished speaking, there was a busy signal—he had abruptly hung up.

No one made an issue of his hasty action. Tao Fengche exchanged a glance with Sui Yuesheng, both losing the desire to go to the shooting range.

“Who was Zhao Jiayang’s private doctor?!”