Shen Huaian and his father, Shen Qing, looked very much alike. Both had a serious demeanor.
In contrast, Shen Huaiqiu was the most approachable member of the Shen family, although Shen Huaixiu wasn’t serious, he was rather cold.
The first time Rong Shu met the Shen family, he still felt somewhat nervous despite Shen Huaixiu being by his side.
When Shen Qing saw him, he greeted him proactively: “Rong Shu, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I knew your father and saw you when you were young.”
“Hello, Uncle Shen.”
“I’m Shen Huaian, Huaixiu’s older brother. It’s nice to meet you, Rong Shu.”
“Hello, eldest brother.”
“Ah, why is everyone standing? Please, sit down. They just got out of school, they must be hungry. I’ve already asked the waiter to bring the food. Let’s eat and chat.”
Shen Huaiqiu came in from outside, seeing the group standing at the door, he immediately rolled his eyes and ushered them inside.
Once seated, Shen Huaian and Shen Huaixiu leaned towards each other, speaking quietly. Shen Huaixiu nodded from time to time.
Shen Qing turned to Rong Shu and said, “A few days ago, I discussed your marriage with your Dad. We all agree that we should respect your opinions, as forming a bond is a significant life event.”
Rong Shu didn’t expect him to be so direct. He felt a bit embarrassed for a moment.
Shen Huaixiu reached out and held his hand. “I understand, father. We will discuss it properly.”
“Alright. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Shen Huaian continued the conversation, turning his gaze towards Rong Shu: “This is our first meeting and I didn’t have time to prepare a proper gift. Please take this card.”
Rong Shu didn’t expect Shen Huaian to be the type to hand out a card upon first meeting—it was kind of impressive.
“Eldest brother, we’re family now. This card…”
As Rong Shu was about to decline, he saw Shen Huaixiu naturally take the card and then glance at Shen Qing and Shen Huaiqiu across the table.
Shen Qing reached into his pocket: “I was in a bit of a rush as well, but I managed to buy a small apartment near your school. You two can stay there for now. I hope you don’t find it too modest, Rong Shu.”
Giving away an apartment at the first meeting and then asking him not to find it too modest?
“Uncle, you’re being far too generous. I…”
“Oh, why are you all in such a hurry? I thought at least we’d wait until after the meal. Fine, well, your second brother is the poorest. I hope you don’t mind. I’ve parked the latest Lamborghini SUV in front of the gym. Here’s the key. If you don’t have time to manage it, your second brother can help take care of it.”
With that, he tossed the keys to Shen Huaixiu.
Rong Shu: “…”
Shen Huaixiu: “Well, thank you, everyone.”
Rong Shu: “Thank you.”
He said “thank you” politely, but secretly pinched Shen Huaixiu’s hand.
Shen Huaixiu remained unfazed and gave him a light squeeze in return.
Gifts, of course, had to be accepted without question.
The meal was simple and harmonious. Shen Huaian and Shen Qing had come despite their busy schedules. After finishing, they both had to rush back.
Before leaving, Shen Qing reminded Shen Huaixiu to take good care of Rong Shu.
Meanwhile, Shen Huaian instructed Shen Huaiqiu to look after both of them, to which Shen Huaiqiu retorted, feeling that his elder brother had it easy: “I’m your brother too. Back when I was in school, you didn’t take care of me like this!”
“If you went back to school now, I’d take care of you just the same.” It was clear that their bickering was a daily occurrence they were quite used to.
After parting ways with Shen Qing and Shen Huaian, Rong Shu and Shen Huaixiu returned to school.
When Shen Huaixiu went to take a shower, Rong Shu couldn’t resist calling his Dad.
As soon as the call connected, Rong Shu eagerly whispered, “Dad, today I met Huaixiu’s father and elder brother. They even gave me gifts and they’re all really expensive.”
“So, are you calling just to show off?”
“How could I? I just wanted to share it with you, hehe.”
“Looks like you’re really happy. What did Huaixiu say?”
“I said I didn’t need them, but he took them anyway.”
“I like that kid—when elders give gifts, you shouldn’t refuse. It’s normal to accept them. But our family can’t fall behind either. When are your holidays? Ask Huaixiu if he wants to come back with you.”
“There’s less than a month left. What are you planning to give Huaixiu as a meeting gift? His father gave us an apartment outside the school, his eldest brother gave us a card, and his second brother gave us a car. What do you think…?”
“Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll discuss it with your father.”
“Okay, bye for now.”
“Take care of yourself. Saturday is coming up soon—make sure Huaixiu goes with you for your check-up at the hospital.”
“Got it.”
As Shen Huaixiu came out of the bathroom, he overheard this last part. Rong Shu hung up the phone and turned to look at him. “My Dad asked if you’d like to come home with me during the holidays?”
“I’d love to.”
Shen Huaixiu didn’t hesitate at all with his response. Even if Rong Shu hadn’t brought it up, he would have gone with him anyway—he couldn’t just leave his partner alone.
Hearing this confirmation, Rong Shu immediately smiled. “Then, will you go with me to the hospital for the check-up on Saturday?”
“Of course.” Shen Huaixiu leaned in and kissed him. “Have you been feeling unwell?”
“No, I feel great now,” Rong Shu grinned as he hugged him. “During dinner, I was thinking of turning down the gifts, but you accepted them so quickly.”
“If they’re giving, just take them. No need to feel embarrassed.”
“But don’t you think it’s a bit too extravagant?”
Suddenly, they had a house, a car, and money all at once.
“It’s not. When we officially bond, they’ll give more. This is just the meeting gift.”
Shen Huaixiu said this so naturally, but Rong Shu was astonished. “They’ll give more when we bond?”
What’s the deal with the Shen family?
Even if they were wealthy, wasn’t this over the top?
Even the second brother, who kept insisting he was the poorest, gave a car worth millions!
“It’s the Shen family’s tradition. Just accept it.”
Shen Huaixiu didn’t mention that he had something prepared for Rong Shu as well, waiting for the right moment to give it to him.
Though the Rong family wasn’t lacking, Rong Shu still felt that in comparison, they didn’t quite match the Shen family’s level of generosity!
However, he could sense that the Shen family had a very good relationship with each other.
They also valued him and Shen Huaixiu a lot, and that was enough.
The next morning, when Rong Shu opened his eyes, Shen Huaixiu had already finished washing up and was sitting nearby reading. Seeing that Rong Shu was awake, he looked up. “Awake? I’ve already made an appointment. We should head to the hospital around ten. If you’re still sleepy, you can rest a bit more.”
“What time is it?” Rong Shu rubbed his eyes groggily. Lately, he felt like he’d been getting sleepy more often.
“8:40. It’s still early.”
“I won’t go back to sleep, I’ll get up and freshen up.” With that, he got out of bed, slid on his slippers, and headed into the bathroom.
Shen Huaixiu stood up, made the bed, and said, “You can’t eat breakfast before the check-up. What do you want for lunch?”
“I’m craving hotpot, or maybe barbecue. I want something spicy and with a strong flavor.”
“Let’s go to the estate. I’ll have Uncle Cheng prepare it.”
Rong Shu poked his head out from the bathroom and asked, “Won’t that be too much trouble?”
“Don’t you like the homemade fish balls?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Then it’s no trouble.”
Hearing that, Rong Shu’s eyes curved with happiness. He cheerfully went back to finish washing up.
Since they had made the appointment ahead of time, Rong Shu and Shen Huaixiu drove to the hospital in the car Shen Huaiqiu had gifted them.
On the way, Rong Shu couldn’t help but ask, “When did you get your driver’s license?”
“Before I came here.”
“You’re so good at this. Did you secretly drive before?”
“I’ve always known how, but I didn’t drive much.”
Rong Shu laughed, clearly not believing him.
They arrived at the hospital right on time, and Shen Huaixiu accompanied Rong Shu inside.
The doctor smiled when he saw the young couple. “Congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you. This is my first check-up. Is there anything I need to do?”
“Just lie down and I’ll take a look at your baby.”
Following the doctor’s instructions, Rong Shu lay down on the bed and lifted his shirt, revealing his flat stomach.
When the cold instrument slid over his skin, Rong Shu instinctively grabbed Shen Huaixiu’s hand.
“It’s alright. It’ll be over soon. The baby looks great—everything seems normal so far. Here’s the heartbeat—nice and strong. Oh, wait, there’s another one. Congratulations, it’s twins! It’s been a while since I’ve seen twins.”
As Rong Shu sat up, wiping the gel off his stomach, he asked, “Is it really twins?”
“No mistake. Both heartbeats are clear. Carrying twins will be tough, so take care not to overexert yourself and maintain a balanced diet.”
“Got it, doctor.”
As they left the examination room, Rong Shu held the ultrasound photo in his hand, still in disbelief. “How can it be twins? I didn’t feel anything at all, and look—my belly is still flat.”
Shen Huaixiu’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Yes, it’s hard to believe.”
Rong Shu chuckled to himself, then hugged Shen Huaixiu. “I hope one baby looks like you and the other like me. Then everything will be perfect!”
Shen Huaixiu stroked his cat ears. “They will.”
You’re so adorable, your wishes are bound to come true.
After leaving the hospital, Shen Huaixiu took out a thermal box he had prepared earlier and placed it on Rong Shu’s lap. “There’s porridge and custard buns inside. Have some to fill your stomach—it’ll take a while to get home.”
“When did you prepare this?”
As soon as Rong Shu opened the lid, the delicious aroma hit him.
“I asked Second Brother to handle it this morning.”
“Then I need to thank Second Brother.”
“He’s happy to help!”
“Hehe, if Second Brother heard you say that, he’d want to hit you again.”
“He couldn’t take me.”
“Poor Second Brother.”
“You’re not allowed to feel sorry for him.”
Rong Shu chuckled, “I’m most worried about you. Here, have one too.”
He handed a custard bun over, and Shen Huaixiu took a bite directly from his hand.
After they finished eating, Rong Shu’s belly felt warm, and he started to feel sleepy again.
His only noticeable change lately was feeling more tired. Seeing this, Shen Huaixiu reached back to grab a blanket and draped it over him. “Go ahead and sleep. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
“Okay, but make sure to wake me. Don’t let me sleep until I wake up on my own.”
He didn’t want Shen Huaixiu to stay in the car waiting for him to wake up. He’d feel bad if that happened.
Shen Huaixiu agreed readily, but when Rong Shu woke up, he found himself lying in bed.
Apparently, instead of waiting for him to wake naturally, Shen Huaixiu had carried him straight to their room. The fact that he hadn’t woken up during the whole process even amazed himself!
When Rong Shu got up, Shen Huaixiu wasn’t in the room. He washed his face, then pushed open the door and went downstairs.
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he spotted a small white alpaca lying near the doorway, looking nothing like their pet Atuo.
This little alpaca was pure white, soft, and fluffy—instantly tempting to pet.
Rong Shu was immediately drawn to it. He crouched down, wanting to give it a pat, but as soon as his hand reached out, the little alpaca jumped up and spat at him.
Rong Shu: “…”
This scene was caught by Shen Huaixiu, who had just walked in. He smiled and patted Rong Shu’s head. “Awake?”
Rong Shu looked up at him, pointing pitifully at the alpaca that was now rubbing against Shen Huaixiu’s pants.
“Did you see that? It just spat at me!”
Unable to resist, Rong Shu tried to pet the alpaca again, but the little creature lifted its head, mouth twitching, clearly preparing for another round.
Rong Shu quickly stood up and pulled his Alpha away. “He’s my Alpha! If you won’t let me pet you, then you can’t rub up against his leg!”
“Spit!”
This time, Rong Shu dodged quickly and avoided being spat on.
Shen Huaixiu chuckled softly and patted the alpaca’s head. “No spitting. Be good and let him pet you.”
The alpaca, trying to please, rubbed against Shen Huaixiu’s hand before turning its fluffy rear toward Rong Shu, as if offering itself up for a pat.
Rong Shu was so frustrated he nearly cried. Hugging Shen Huaixiu’s arm, he complained, “Don’t pet it! This alpaca is so mean. Atuo is much better—he lets me pet him and even brings me strawberries. Sure, Atuo’s a little dark, but still.”
Shen Huaixiu couldn’t help but laugh, giving his cat ears a pinch. “Alright, when Atuo comes back, we’ll let him teach this one a lesson.”
“Okay.”
Rong Shu huffed, then turned and tugged at Shen Huaixiu’s hand. “You were supposed to wake me, remember? Why did you carry me upstairs?”
“I did. I called you several times, but you wouldn’t wake up.”
Shen Huaixiu had a helpless look as if saying, “What can I do?” Even Alpha had learned to tease.
Rong Shu leaned over with a grin and gave him a quick kiss. “Alright then, I forgive you. When can we eat? I want hotpot with fish balls.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go. Uncle Cheng already has everything ready.”
“Uncle Cheng is so thoughtful.”
“And I’m not?”
“You’re the most thoughtful of all.”
As they walked into the dining room, the delicious aroma hit them. Rong Shu plopped down into a chair, taking a sip of sour plum juice.
The sour-sweet taste was the perfect appetite booster.
Since he had been craving fish balls, the table was filled with several portions, as if they were worried he wouldn’t have enough.
Shen Huaixiu, wearing an apron, focused on helping him cook.
Rong Shu, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, looked at him with a sweet smile. “Why do you look so handsome today?”
“Just because I’m helping you cook?”
Caught in his little scheme, Rong Shu wasn’t embarrassed at all. He giggled and lowered his head, focusing on the fish balls in his bowl.
He really was hungry. Even though he had eaten a little before getting in the car, the nap had made him digest it all.
Shen Huaixiu ate a few bites in between, but the majority of the food ended up in Rong Shu’s stomach.
“Are you full?”
Seeing him stand up, Shen Huaixiu asked with a smile.
“Full to the brim.”
“Let’s go for a walk. Don’t just sit down right after eating.”
“Yeah, I definitely need to walk, or something’s going to pop out,” Rong Shu said, already heading outside.
As soon as he stepped out, the little alpaca came trotting in. Rong Shu quickly turned around and blocked Shen Huaixiu. “Alright, choose—me or it?”
Shen Huaixiu wrapped his arms around his waist. “You, of course.”
“Tell it, do you love me or love it?”
“Love you!”
“Humph, did you hear that, little one? Let me tell you again, this is my Alpha, mine!”
The little alpaca: “…Spit.”
After spitting, it turned and trotted off.
Shen Huaixiu chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Aren’t you being a bit childish, arguing with an alpaca?”
“That’s not just any alpaca, it’s a little mischievous spirit trying to steal you away,” Rong Shu said with a haughty expression as if daring him to deny it.
Shen Huaixiu nodded, “You’re right.”
Seeing him cooperate so well, Rong Shu was overjoyed.
As they left the villa, Rong Shu and Shen Huaixiu walked up the stone path. From a distance, Atuo, who was grazing, saw them and came running over.
The moment he saw Atuo, Rong Shu lit up with a smile and rushed over, giving Atuo’s fur a good rub. “Atuo, there was a little alpaca earlier that kept bullying me and wouldn’t let me pet it. When you go back, you have to help me teach it a lesson!”
Atuo let out a few bleats—whether he understood or not was unclear—but he and Rong Shu seemed perfectly in sync regardless.
After a leisurely stroll, Rong Shu started to feel tired. As they headed back, he couldn’t help but lean on Shen Huaixiu’s shoulder. “I’m sleepy again. Do you think if I keep eating and sleeping like this, I’ll turn into a big fatty?”
“You won’t. A little more weight is good for you.” Shen Huaixiu always thought Rong Shu was too skinny.
“I can’t turn into a big fatty. What if you don’t like me anymore?”
“That won’t happen.”
“Hmph, you Alphas are all liars.” Though Rong Shu grumbled, he held onto Shen Huaixiu’s arm without letting go.
Shen Huaixiu turned his head and gave him a kiss. “That won’t happen.”
“It better not, or you’re doomed.”
After Rong Shu said this fiercely, he wrapped his arms around Shen Huaixiu’s neck. “Do you think we should start thinking about names for the babies? Do you have any suggestions?”
“I’m fine with whatever you decide.”
“That won’t do. You’re the babies’ father, so you have to pick the big names. Don’t try to get out of it. For the nicknames, I think Pu Tao1Grape and Tao2Peach sound cute. What do you think?”
“I think they sound cute too.”
“You really have no opinion, huh?”
“Mm.”
Shen Huaixiu didn’t deny it, admitting it outright.
After they got back, Rong Shu couldn’t fight off his drowsiness and ended up napping on the couch for a while.
By the time he woke up, it was already dark. Seeing him awake, Shen Huaixiu handed him a glass of water. “Hungry?”
“Nope, I just ate before sleeping. If I keep eating as soon as I wake up, I swear I’m done for,” Rong Shu said, looking alarmed as he set the cup down. “I still haven’t done my homework. While I’m awake, let’s go through some exercises.”
“You’re not tired?”
“Doing exercises, bro? You’re asking if I’m tired? Isn’t that exactly what school tyrants like you love to do?”
Shen Huaixiu knew he was being teased and smiled, “Love it?”
“Don’t you?”
Rong Shu raised his eyebrows, his expression as if saying, Am I wrong?
Shen Huaixiu pulled him into his arms, lowered his gaze, and looked at him with deep affection. “You really don’t know what I love most?”
Rong Shu’s cheeks flushed red. He thought Shen Huaixiu was being unfair, but it made him happy. Feigning innocence, he asked, “Could it be me?”
Shen Huaixiu reached out and gently pinched his cat ears. “What do you think?”
“It’s me,” Rong Shu couldn’t help but laugh. “Hehe, I knew you loved me the most. So, can we skip the exercises? How about never doing them again?”
“No.”
“You’re such a liar!”
Author’s note:
Rong Shu: Alpha’s words are all lies! Hmph!
