Chapter 52 1/2

Jiang Wanlan has been unable to sleep soundly since the child was taken away. He wakes up at the slightest sound, fearing it might be a dream. He opens his eyes, afraid it’s all a dream, and quickly gets out of bed to find Jiang Li.

The third floor is quiet, but there seem to be people talking on the first floor.

Without taking the elevator, Jiang Wanlan runs down the stairs. Seeing Jiang Li and Lu Jing safe and sound, he finally relaxes.

“Can’t sleep well?” Jiang Wanlan, feeling selfish for letting Jiang Li stay overnight, regrets it a bit now. “I’ll take you back.” Jiang Wanlan pauses, realizing that Jiang Li has graduated, so where will he stay during this time?

“Where are you staying recently?”

Jiang Li: “I rented a house in D6 district. I came with Cen Lang to check on lichens yesterday.” Jiang Wanlan: “Why so far in D6 district?”

Jiang Li: “Because my first prenatal checkup was in D6 district, and I’m familiar with that area.” Jiang Wanlan bombards him with questions about why the first prenatal checkup was in D6 district.

Jiang Li looks at Cen Lang, hoping he can help.

Cen Lang thinks to himself, “You ran to D6 district to hide in a shabby little house, and you expect me to help you? I can’t control Little Jiang Doctor; he has Dad watching over him.”

“So far? Is there someone accompanying you?” Cen Lang deliberately teases. Just thinking about Jiang Li going for prenatal checkups alone in a distant place, he wants to tie him with a belt.

Jiang Wanlan is surprised, realizing that when he mentioned the first prenatal checkup, Cen Lang didn’t know about Jiang Li’s pregnancy. Maybe it was the ex-boyfriend who was with Jiang Li at that time.

He senses a hint of acidity in Cen Lang’s tone and quickly ends the topic: “It’s late; go to sleep.”

Jiang Li is a bit puzzled but tells Jiang Wanlan before going upstairs, “I came down to ask Dad not to go out at night.”

Jiang Wanlan looks at Lu Jing and asks, “Do you have something to do?”

Lu Jing: “No.”

Jiang Wanlan: “Too much energy?” Lu Jing agrees.

Jiang Wanlan smiles gently, a rare sight, and says, “Save it for tomorrow.”

Lu Jing hesitates for a moment and replies, “Okay.”

Jiang Wanlan escorts Jiang Li to the door of the bedroom on the third floor, then goes back downstairs and knocks on Lu Jing’s door: “Come out for a chat.”

Lu Jing immediately opens the door.

Leaning against the door, Jiang Wanlan frowns: “I feel like Cen Lang remembers the baby’s past.”

Lu Jing furrows his brows: “Top Alphas tend to be possessive.”

Jiang Wanlan says, “During pregnancy, Dad’s pheromones are needed. Has the baby been taking medication all along?”

“Cen Lang has storm syndrome, and Top Alphas are possessive. If they get too close, will it affect the baby in the belly?”

Lu Jing, having seen how far Cen Lang went to restrain his pheromones and witnessing his daily struggles, finds no fault from the Alpha’s perspective.

“It should not.” If it had an impact, Cen Lang would have taken the initiative to stay away from Jiang Li.

Jiang Wanlan doesn’t want to doubt Cen Lang internally, but Cen Lang’s response just now makes him feel something is off.

After spending the day together, Jiang Wanlan somewhat understands Jiang Li’s temperament. When it comes to interpersonal problems he can’t or doesn’t want to handle, Jiang Li will look at the first person related, and the meaning is self-evident.

No one can resist Little Jiang Doctor’s gaze. Just now, Cen Lang rarely got jealous because it involved the child.

Jiang Wanlan worries, “He may not feel it now; after all, the child and Jiang Li are still one.” “When the child is born, if he looks more like that person…”

Lu Jing also furrows his brows.

The two analyze, even planning for the day of delivery, considering moving Cen Lang away. Cen Lang, who went to the second floor to pour water for Jiang Li, says, “…”

Wait, did he forget to inform Lu Jing that the child is his?

Cen Lang calmly takes a sip of water. No wonder he can still have chicken legs on the table. He quietly goes upstairs and hands the water to Jiang Li. “There’s something.” Jiang Li looks at the half-filled cup and then at Cen Lang’s moist lips, suspecting he drank from it.

Cen Lang: “Little Jiang Doctor, you need to give me a proper status.”

Jiang Li: “What’s wrong?”

Cen Lang crouches down and touches Jiang Li’s belly: “Your dad thinks the cub isn’t mine, and he’s discussing not letting me see the child.” Jiang Li reacts, innocent: “It wasn’t me who said that.”

Cen Lang: “Consider it said by me. Last time, during a business trip with your dad, I told him about not daring to get close to you because of storm syndrome.” Lu Jing uses this to infer that the child isn’t his; where can he reason with that?

Jiang Li looks down at Cen Lang, as if seeing an unfairly treated big dog. Cen Lang could directly deny it, but he still seeks his approval first. Jiang Li intentionally says, “My dad doesn’t ask whose child it is, so how can I say?”

Cen Lang: “Ask him when the third peak of pheromone dependence syndrome will pass and hint that you’re absorbing my pheromones.” Jiang Li: “I’m a medical student; do I need to ask?”

“They misunderstood. Is your treatment not good?”

Cen Lang: “Status is more important than treatment.” Pursuing Jiang Li has just added a little difficulty.