TPLTMOE – Chapter 98

 Chapter 98: Extra 15 – Marry first, love later (7)

"You're a bit hypoglycemic," the school doctor said to the young Omega in front of him. "You can ask for leave during PE class. You're already over a month pregnant—how can you still engage in strenuous exercise? Didn't the doctor explain this to you during your prenatal checkup?"

Ling Ran was stunned by these words. "Pregnant... me?"

The school doctor frowned. "Of course, you. Don't tell me you didn't know?"

Ling Ran was momentarily speechless. He truly hadn't known. Lately, he'd been feeling unusually tired, unable to get enough sleep, and his appetite hadn't been great. That morning, the smell of steamed buns had even made him nauseous, but he'd never once considered this possibility.

The school doctor suggested Ling Ran go to a larger hospital for a full checkup. Ling Ran had planned to go secretly, wait for the results to confirm the pregnancy, and then figure out how to break the news to Mr. Jiang.

But as soon as he stepped out of the school clinic, Jiang Zhiyu's car was parked right outside.

Ling Ran glanced at Qin Chengyue standing beside him, and Qin immediately confessed everything out of guilt.

After Ling Ran had previously fainted at school, Jiang Zhiyu had hired Qin Chengyue at a high salary to keep an eye on him and report any incidents immediately.

Qin Chengyue had always been attentive to Ling Ran, and getting paid for it was an added bonus. So when Ling Ran fainted again, he promptly called Jiang Zhiyu, who arrived surprisingly quickly.

Jiang Zhiyu took Ling Ran directly to a private hospital for an examination, leaving Ling Ran no chance to hide the truth. Calculating the timing, Ling Ran had gotten pregnant precisely during the Enigma's rutting period.

Even Xu Guanyi was somewhat surprised. Despite the young Omega's typically low fertility, it seemed Enigmas were unaffected—he'd conceived so quickly.

However, the young Omega's physical condition wasn't as robust as others', requiring extra caution during pregnancy.

From the moment Jiang Zhiyu learned of the pregnancy, he guarded Ling Ran as if he were the apple of his eye. He didn't dare let Ling Ran out of his sight, terrified something might happen. Ling Ran had already fainted twice when he wasn't around—such incidents could not be allowed to recur.

Jiang Zhiyu even considered having Ling Ran take a leave of absence from school, ideally keeping him bound to his side, under constant watch and care, so he could rest easy.

But seeing Ling Ran diligently working on assignments with his laptop even while resting at home, Jiang Zhiyu knew how much Ling Ran loved his major and couldn't bring himself to crush his aspirations.

Fortunately, during the early stages of pregnancy, there was no visible bump, and Ling Ran could move freely. So Jiang Zhiyu allowed him to attend classes daily, assigning Qin Chengyue to shadow him every step of the way.

Jiang Zhiyu personally handled drop-offs and pick-ups to and from school. If he was unavailable, Zhao Qin would step in. In short, Ling Ran was never to be left alone.

By the time Ling Ran was nearly two months pregnant, he began experiencing stronger pregnancy symptoms. His sensitivity to smells intensified—any mildly unpleasant odor would trigger nausea. His appetite waned further; dishes he once loved now barely tempted him, and after a few bites, he'd claim he was full and refuse to eat another mouthful.

Jiang Zhiyu would cradle him on his lap, coaxing him gently to take just a few more bites.

At first, Ling Ran would politely eat a little more to save face, but later he didn't even bother with appearances. He buried his face in Enigma's shoulder, his voice muffled as he protested, "I really don't want to eat anymore..."

Jiang Zhiyu stroked his back, his voice soft and low. "Should I ask Song Yi to make something else? What would you like to eat?"

The fluffy little head in his arms shook gently. "I don't want anything. I'm already full."

"Full after just one bowl of porridge?" A large hand rested on the soft, warm belly. "Your stomach is so small—can it really hold anything else?"

The little Omega trembled slightly, his tone tinged with grievance. "There's... a baby in there..."

"Oh?" Slender fingers traced delicate circles on his skin, drawing ambiguous arcs. "Whose baby is it?"

The little Omega wrapped his arms around Jiang Zhiyu's neck and looked up at him, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yours... it's your baby..."

"Mmm, my baby," Jiang Zhiyu couldn't resist leaning down to kiss his lips. "Then, does the baby want to eat a little more?"

Somehow, the conversation had circled back to this topic. The little Omega gently cupped his still-flat stomach and earnestly explained, "The baby says he's full too. He told me secretly just now. It's not that I don't want to eat—it's the baby in my belly who doesn't want to."

Jiang Zhiyu chuckled softly and ruffled his hair. "Then, could you ask the baby in your belly if he'd like some cake?"

"Cake?" The little Omega's eyes lit up instantly. "He wants some!"

Jiang Zhiyu asked, "Who wants it?"

The little Omega pointed to his stomach. "The baby wants it."

Of course, he wanted it too.

Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Zhiyu negotiated, "Then, if you eat one more bite of vegetables, I'll give you a piece of cake. How does that sound?"

The little Omega thought for a moment. Just one bite of vegetables—he could quickly chew and swallow it with his eyes closed. In exchange, he'd get a fragrant, sweet cream cake. It was an absolute win.

He nodded eagerly. "Okay, okay!"

After Jiang Zhiyu fed him the vegetables, he asked again, "How about one more sip of soup? You'll get another piece of cake."

Just one sip of soup? The little Omega agreed again. Now he could have two pieces of cake!

And so, with coaxing and trickery, Jiang Zhiyu managed to feed him a few more bites of other foods. When he felt it was enough, he finally had Song Yi bring out the small cakes from the refrigerator.

They had been bought for him in the first place, but Jiang Zhiyu hadn't intended for him to eat them as a meal. Now, they served as bargaining chips to encourage him to eat more.

Ling Ran thought he had cleverly secured extra cakes, but in the end, after eating so much more, he could only manage two bites of cake before he was truly full. Jiang Zhiyu's goal had been achieved.

And so, day after day, Jiang Zhiyu coaxed and tricked Ling Ran into maintaining a balanced diet during his pregnancy. After the early stages of pregnancy passed, Ling Ran began to show, and his morning sickness became less noticeable.

At first, Ling Ran thought he was just gaining weight—after all, Jiang Zhiyu fed him like a little pig every day. It would have been strange if he hadn't gained weight.

But this wasn't just ordinary weight gain—his lower abdomen had swelled up like a balloon, growing larger with each passing day.

After two months of summer break spent lazing at home, his belly had expanded by more than a full size compared to before the holiday. There was no hiding it anymore; the thin layer of his abdomen had bulged into a prominently rounded sphere. None of his pants fit him now, and even his shirts were visibly stretched outward by the pronounced curve of his stomach.

Ling Ran was deeply unaccustomed to this change in his body. Wearing only a white short-sleeved shirt and standing bare- legged before the floor-length mirror, he turned left and right, examining himself from every angle. No matter how he looked at it, his belly was undeniably large. His eyes grew hot, and he nearly burst into tears.

This is terrible... How am I supposed to go back to school like this...?

Suddenly, a firm, warm chest pressed against his back from behind, enveloping the little Omega completely in an embrace.

Jiang Zhiyu also glanced into the mirror, one hand reaching around to rest his palm gently beneath Ling Ran's abdomen, fingers splayed as he softly supported and stroked the swollen curve.

With his other hand, he reached up and brushed away the tears gathering in Ling Ran's damp, reddened eyes.

"What's wrong? Is the baby bothering you?"

Ling Ran rubbed his own eyes. "No, not at all... the baby is very well-behaved..."

Most of the time, the baby in his belly was quiet. Occasionally, it would move beneath his skin, but it never caused him any distress.

Jiang Zhiyu turned him around to face him, leaning down slightly to press a kiss to his tear-stained eyelid. "If you're not feeling well, you don't have to go to school. I can have someone request leave for you."

Ling Ran shook his head. "No... I want to go."

Jiang Zhiyu didn't try to stop him. "Alright then, let's get your pants on first, okay?"

Ling Ran looked up at him pitifully, tears welling up in his eyes again. "But... none of them fit..."

He had already tried earlier—attempting three or four pairs without success. That was exactly why he had been standing there crying with bare legs.

Finally understanding the source of his distress, Jiang Zhiyu cupped his face, kissing away his tears before scooping him up into his arms and striding into the walk-in closet.

"Alright, baby, no more crying. Let your husband help you get dressed, okay?"

He set Ling Ran down on a soft sofa seat nearby, then pulled a pair of loose-fitting jeans from the wardrobe. Kneeling on one knee in front of him, he said gently, "Lift your foot, baby."

Ling Ran obediently raised his foot, and Jiang Zhiyu began to slide the jeans up his leg. It was then that he noticed faint, lingering red marks scattered across the pale, tender skin of his thighs—like graffiti maliciously sprayed across a pristine sheet of paper.

They were remnants from a couple of days ago. The doctor had said that once the little Omega's pregnancy stabilized, light physical activity would still be permissible.

Last time, Jiang Zhiyu hadn't held back enough. The little Omega had sobbed and trembled, crying out "husband" over and over, legs shaking uncontrollably, thoroughly overwhelmed from start to finish.

Jiang Zhiyu had held him, comforting him for a long time until he calmed down, and promised never to be so rough again.

Now, seeing the marks, it was clear just how harshly the little Omega had been treated. Jiang Zhiyu's heart ached with regret. He pressed soft kisses over the marks and asked if it still hurt.

Ling Ran cooperated as he pulled the jeans on and shook his head, saying it didn't hurt anymore.

Jiang Zhiyu helped him to his feet and adjusted the waistband of the jeans. Sure enough, the zipper stuck halfway and refused to go any further.

For the past two months, Ling Ran had hardly worn any pants at home. Sometimes he'd just put on a shirt, sometimes he wore nothing at all, and occasionally, Jiang Zhiyu would slip a skirt on him in moments of passion.

Later, Ling Ran himself began to think that wearing skirts was more convenient—his stomach didn't feel constricted, and with nothing underneath, it was more comfortable to walk around.

Wearing a skirt to school, however, was entirely inappropriate, but none of his pants fit anymore.

Ling Ran looked down at his belly, visibly protruding over the waistband, and sniffled pitifully. "It really won't work... my stomach is too big..."

Jiang Zhiyu helped him out of the pants, carried him out, and held him close, soothing him for a while. At the same time, he had someone bring over new clothes.

This time, the pants fit, but once dressed, his prominently rounded belly was still unmistakably obvious.

There was no hiding it. Besides, with Ling Ran's heavy body, Jiang Zhiyu didn't feel comfortable letting him go to class alone, so he had Zhao Qin select a few people to accompany Ling Ran to school.

After escorting Ling Ran all the way to the classroom, those few didn't leave either, quietly sitting in the back rows.

Jiang Zhiyu had already informed the school in advance. The school administration initially suggested that Ling Ran didn't need to attend classes at all and that Jiang didn't need to worry about anything else, but Jiang Zhiyu politely declined. All he asked was for the school to allow his people to stay in the classroom with Ling Ran.

As for when Ling Ran wanted to take leave or rest, it was entirely up to him.

What Jiang Zhiyu needed to do was to protect his little Omega with all his might—that was enough.

Not many Omegas attended classes with such prominent bellies. Some married and became pregnant early, but most chose to take a leave of absence, returning to school only after giving birth.

Ling Ran didn't want to be separated from Qin Chengyue; he really wanted them to graduate together, and Qin Chengyue wanted that even more.

So every day when Ling Ran came to class, Qin Chengyue was even busier than the bodyguards trailing behind, terrified that Ling Ran might bump into something or have any mishap.

The teachers and classmates were very considerate of Ling Ran, especially since he had always excelled academically and was well-liked at school.

Once, Qin Chengyue took a rare day off, so that day, the class monitor was the one who walked Ling Ran out after school.

Ling Ran had initially declined the monitor's offer—he really didn't need anyone to escort him. He was already surrounded by several bodyguards, and the crowd couldn't even get close to him. There was even another Omega who specifically waited for Qin Chengyue's absence to help support him up close.

Moreover, the monitor was an alpha.

But the monitor was particularly caring toward all the classmates, especially Ling Ran—perhaps a bit too friendly.

Even though Ling Ran was already married and visibly pregnant.

The monitor walked Ling Ran to the school gate, where Ling Ran immediately spotted Jiang Zhiyu's car waiting for him by the roadside.

He quickly said goodbye to the monitor and turned to leave.

Suddenly, the monitor called out to him, mustering up the courage to step forward and ask, "Xiao Ran, my birthday is in a couple of days. I'm planning to invite the whole class for a meal. If you're free, would you like to come?"

Ling Ran curved his eyes into a smile. "So your birthday is coming up. Happy birthday in advance, but I probably won't be able to make it. Things are a bit inconvenient for me right now."

The class monitor quickly replied, "It's no trouble at all. We'd all love for you to come, and Chengyue will be there too. I can pick you up from home and drop you back after dinner. How does that sound?"

Ling Ran still wanted to decline, but the class monitor cut him off. "Is it because your family doesn't want you to go? Should I talk to them? We're all classmates—we'll take good care of you. Besides, you're just pregnant, not cut off from all social interactions. Is it really impossible to just have a meal together?"

Ling Ran hesitated, unsure how to refuse. "Well... um..."

The class monitor seemed to know his gentle nature and was certain he wouldn't have the heart to decline further.

Just as Ling Ran was searching for another excuse, he heard someone call his name from behind.

Turning around, he saw the tall, handsome enigma moving against the crowd, heading toward the school gate.

When he reached Ling Ran's side, he extended his arm as naturally as he had countless times before, pulling him into an embrace.

"Let's go home."

The smile in Ling Ran's eyes brightened even more. "Mm-hmm."

Jiang Zhiyu lifted his gaze and glanced coldly at the alpha standing opposite Ling Ran. Such cheap, childish tricks—how dare he play them right in front of him?

He wrapped his arm around the little Omega and began to walk away, but the class monitor grew anxious. "Xiao Ran, you haven't told me if you can come yet!"

Jiang Zhiyu answered flatly, "He can't."

The class monitor pressed, "Does Xiao Ran have other plans?"

Jiang Zhiyu replied, "Prenatal checkup."

The class monitor fell silent. It was, admittedly, a perfect excuse.

Once they got home, Jiang Zhiyu practically pestered the little Omega, asking about the class monitor.

His large hand cupped the round belly firmly, cushioning it from any jostling, ensuring no harm came to it.

But the pitiful little Omega couldn't withstand the pressure and confessed honestly—they were just classmates, and if he had to say more, the class monitor had once confessed his feelings, but Ling Ran hadn't accepted.

It would have been better not to mention it. Learning that there had been such a history between them, the enigma's possessiveness flared up completely. He pressed the little Omega down and took him to the very end, until every part of him was saturated with the scent of tequila-infused pheromones. Only then did Jiang Zhiyu feel slightly appeased, letting Ling Ran lie on top of him, his hands naturally resting on the belly, stroking it gently.

Ling Ran drifted into a drowsy sleep under his touch, his head tilting against Jiang Zhiyu's chin, nuzzling him affectionately like a small animal—utterly docile.

Jiang Zhiyu lifted his chin and kissed him deeply, leaving his lips glistening and wet. Not only were his mouth and tongue filled, but his chest felt overwhelmingly full as well.

No matter what had happened before, the little Omega was now completely and irrevocably his.

Together with the child in his belly, he possessed more than anyone else ever could.

Perhaps his initial intentions had not been pure, tainted by interests and manipulation.

But now, this emotion had slowly become utterly sincere, and this marriage was no longer just an arranged union.

The little Omega sleeping soundly in his arms was the best gift heaven had ever given him.

In the days to come, they would live even more happily and harmoniously.

T/N: Only side CP extras left!

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