Chapter 39 1/2

“He will refute him word for word.” Dr. Xiao Jiang’s thinking is agile, no longer in the stiff state of the defense hall. Cen Lang really wants to tease Jiang maliciously again, but his arm is about to break down: “Fifty thousand, yes or no.”

Jiang Li: “Not interested.”

Cen Lang: “Your refusal is not in line with your style. It indicates that you are guilty and afraid to face the crime scene.”

Jiang, as if stepping on the tail, retorted, “I didn’t commit a crime.” He let Cen Lang bite him first and consulted opinions after sobering up. How could it be considered a crime? He still needs to enter the Institute of Information Research with a clean political record.

Cen Lang: “Alright, you didn’t. I did it voluntarily.”

Jiang Li: “I don’t know what you volunteered for.”

Cen Lang: “Then, as a friend, you don’t want to help me gather evidence?”

Jiang Li fluttered his eyelashes: “Sorry, my belly is too big; I can’t squat down.”

Cen Lang was stunned, instantly regretting. He couldn’t float; if he floated, he would forget the inconveniences of his pregnant wife. Without thinking, he spoke like a scumbag who let his pregnant wife go out to earn money.

Cen Lang: “Sorry, I didn’t consider. I just wanted to contribute… to the formula money.”

Jiang Li brought up the regulation: “According to federal regulations, after six months of pregnancy, a maternity allowance is received every month. After childbirth, the nursery will also provide formula, so I don’t need to buy it.”

Cen Lang: “You” want to put the child in a nursery, huh? Then how do you plan to live from now until childbirth? If he lets Jiang Li deal with it on his own, what kind of life will it be? Also, what happened in the last three months, and why did the usually composed Jiang Li panic so much on the stage?

Cen Lang asked bluntly, “Were you bullied in the lab? Is someone jealous of your success? Is someone trying to make you perform poorly in the defense and lose favor with Zhou Qingyuan?”

As soon as the word “bullying” came out, Jiang Fu’s eyes trembled. Cen Lang actually guessed so much—not now, but when he was in the orphanage as a child.

“No, they are all very good to me and provide me with help,” Jiang Li explained. “I was a bit nervous. I’m pregnant and worried about not performing well. The professors below are all professionals, and they have high requirements for the level of the thesis.”

Cen Lang didn’t believe it at all. It was evident that Jiang Jun was very averse to this matter, a thorn deeply rooted in his heart, causing him to almost lose control during the defense. Unfortunately, in Jiang Li’s heart, he was not worthy of entrusting this secret.

To make Jiang Li trust him, Cen Lang couldn’t push too hard. If a person is oppressed by money and power in everything he wants to do, and pointing out his choices from a high position is too vulgar, would he still reveal his thoughts to others?

Jiang Li thought,

Let him do whatever he wants, and I’ll follow behind.

So, Cen Lang didn’t mention the sponsorship of formula money again, saying, “Where will you live after graduation?”

Jiang Li evaded the issue: “Rent a house outside.”

Cen Lang: “Well, that’s a plan.”

Jiang Li nodded. Of course, he frowned, holding his stomach, not forgetting to enlighten: “I need to use the bathroom. The position of the bladder is compressed by the fetus, and I have to go if I want to.”

Cen Lang was amused by his unnecessary explanation. This preview of running away was too cute.

“You go,” Cen Lang generously let him go.

Jiang Li: “Hmm.”

“Jiang Li.” Cen Lang suddenly called him, leaning against the blackboard, feeling somewhat low. “Is it true that you are an underground caregiver?”

Jiang Li was stunned. To be honest, he thought Cen Lang must have caught concrete evidence. He was convinced that he did, so why insist on having him admit it? Would it change anything?

Jiang Li raised his eyelids, perhaps because Cen Lang’s pheromones gave him a sense of security. His phobia dissipated faster than at any other time. In his childhood, he often had a fever because of this, and growing up, he would order himself to forget quickly after leaving the situation.

Today, his stomach, which was a bit uncomfortable, quickly returned to normal.

Every time his pheromone dependence occurred, Cen Lang happened to be by his side. This coincidence was not arranged by fate, but Cen Lang actively rushed over each time.

Jiang Li couldn’t help but feel grateful.

He shouldn’t treat Cen Lang like this.

He admitted, “It’s me. After I went back, I rushed to do experiments and got a bit tired. I wrote at the wrong time, but it was just one day off, and it didn’t affect anything.”

He emphasized that changing the time was an unintentional mistake.

Cen Lang: “My intuition tells me that you cured my storm syndrome.” Jiang Li remained silent for a moment. “I didn’t do much, just acupuncture.”

Cen Lang remembered the inexplicable needle marks on his body. So that’s how it was. He didn’t mention the sensitive topic of the pregnancy process, instead circling around Jiang Li’s minefield to gather more information: “Are you completely immune to storm syndrome, or does it still hurt?”

Jiang Li: “I don’t perceive anything.”

Cen Lang: “Does it change during pregnancy?”

Jiang Li: “No.”

Cen Lang: “Can you smell my pheromones?”

Jiang Li: “No.”

One question, one answer, both cooperating well.

Cen Lang concluded that Jiang Li might be the legendary top-tier beta who is immune to all pheromones, using this characteristic for part-time work. They were a good match.

Jiang Li left the classroom and went to find the bathroom.

Cen Lang watched his back, his eyes curving. Indeed, giving Dr. Xiao Jiang a little sweet taste of successful escape, he readily admitted.

He might find it a bit difficult to admit that the child is his, but Cen Lang doesn’t mind. What he cares most about is whether his pheromones will make Jiang Li uncomfortable.

At least, he doesn’t need to be chased while being shocked, and when he’s alone, he can release his pheromones freely. He faced Jiang Li, who always suppressed himself and only bounced back more and more.

Jiang Li contacted Yang Xiaoli in the bathroom and asked, “Where are you?”

Yang Xiaoli: “At the entrance of the campus, hurry up and get in the car.”

Jiang Li immediately took a detour, got in the car, and only sent a message to Cen Lang after leaving the city: “I met a friend; I’ll go ahead.” Then he turned off his phone and leaned back on the chair, exhausted. It wasn’t unexpected that the defense wouldn’t go smoothly, but Cen Lang’s sudden appearance and questioning were unexpected.

He must insist on not revealing the pregnancy timeline.

Jiang Li went straight to the house in District D6 that he had rented, with low material desires. The landlord had prepared furniture, and he moved the things from the dormitory without needing to buy anything else.

He printed a stack of medical journals half his height, planning to read them one by one during the pregnancy.

The institute doesn’t admit people based on academic years; it’s an application system. Jiang Li planned to apply around December, and if everything goes smoothly, he will officially join in February next year after the Chinese New Year.

He will spend the New Year with his little treasure, having a family.

Jiang Li envisioned celebrating the New Year for the first time. Because little Jiang Li was always dirty at critical moments, during the orphanage visits by caring people giving New Year gifts, the director never allowed him to appear in photos. Other kids would get red envelopes, and little Jiang Li could only pick up the empty shells they didn’t want, pretending he had them too.

He didn’t know if the director would collect the money from the red envelopes, but when a kid spent all the money buying sugar-coated haws from a street vendor and claimed the red envelope was lost, another kid found the red envelope under little Jiang’s pillow.

They accused little Jiang Li of stealing, but he had seen the other kid eating the sugar-coated haws; his clothes were stained with maltose.

The director didn’t distinguish right from wrong. That year, Jiang Li had no food for the New Year.

Jiang Li touched his stomach, thinking, There is no need for someone else to sponsor; the formula for money for the little one is essential. Knock-knock, someone knocked on the door, shouting, “Plumber.”

Jiang Li, after moving in, found that the sink in the bathroom was leaking. Afraid of accidentally slipping, he immediately called a plumber. Although he could buy tools online and do it himself, as he told Cen Lang, it’s not good to squat with a big belly, and hiring a plumber is not expensive.

He stood up and walked to the door, about to open it, when he suddenly smelled a faint disinfectant odor.

It was Cen Lang posing as the plumber.

Jiang Li’s hand pressed on the door handle, hesitating for a moment. However, taking advantage of a door as a barrier, he secretly inhaled the pheromones. Although Cen Lang clearly heard Jiang Li’s footsteps approaching, he didn’t open the door. He had to admit, “I am a plumber with the last name Cen.”

Jiang Li:..

So, Cen Lang had decided to follow him, allowing him to leave easily? In the end, Jiang Li still opened the door and said, “I made an appointment with Mr. Liu.”

“My skills are better than his; I can even repair battleships.” Cen Lang’s gaze moved down to Jiang Li’s lower abdomen. Alone at home, he was wearing a pure cotton short-sleeve shirt, much more obvious than during the defense. The roundness of his six-month pregnant belly was very pronounced.

Jiang Li covered his stomach and took a step back.

Cen Lang, looking at his fingers and then at his fair arms… They first met in winter, and Jiang Li always wrapped himself up from head to toe. Cen Lang thought that, fortunately, he doesn’t need to wear a detection device anymore; otherwise, he would be shocked again.

Jiang Li decided to make things clear: “The child has nothing to do with you, and I don’t want to be in a relationship. I just want to raise the child well. Cen’s time is precious, and he should go and make achievements.”

Cen Lang casually said, “My family’s business is large, lacking an heir. My hobby is being a father.”

Jiang Li’s face changed.

Cen Lang suddenly remembered that Jiang watched battles for parental rights in wealthy families. He had inadvertently given him some disgusting methods of contention.

Oh no, he said the wrong thing. Jiang Li must think he wants to snatch the child.

Cen Lang wished he could shoot himself twice, one shot to silence the initial talk.