Shen Tanqi endured days of morning sickness and had to accept the fact that he was really pregnant. Yet, he couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that, in a martial arts fantasy novel, a man could actually get pregnant. He figured he’d have to wait until the system was fixed to understand this peculiar situation.
Since the onset of his morning sickness, Bai Long became increasingly attentive, ensuring Shen Tanqi was well taken care of before leaving each day. Bai Long strictly warned against any vigorous activities, turning Shen Tanqi into a pampered pregnant spouse who couldn’t lift a finger.
Days became tediously dull, saved only by Little Black providing occasional amusement for Shen Tanqi. However, once Little Black recovered from its injuries, it would likely leave the cave, leaving Shen Tanqi as a lonely old man.
“Little Black, where will you go after you’ve healed?” Shen Tanqi asked lazily from the bed.
Little Black flipped over on the ground, presenting its backside, ignoring him.
Shen Tanqi found it utterly uninteresting. Bai Long left early in the morning, leaving him without anyone to talk to. After a while, he suddenly heard a tiny voice.
“So hungry, want to eat food.”
Shen Tanqi was puzzled, thinking it was Little Black speaking. He looked down, but Little Black remained lying on the ground, its tail swaying idly.
Hungry?
He got up, picked up a piece of sticky rice cake from the table, and placed it in front of Little Black, smiling as he said, “You just had fish, and now you’re hungry again? Go ahead, eat.”
Little Black lazily lifted its eyelids to give him a glance, humming, “Not hungry, not eating.”
Shen Tanqi was momentarily puzzled and tentatively asked, “Didn’t you just say you were hungry?”
Little Black on the ground seemed rather aloof, dragging its makeshift nest, made of tattered cloth, far away from Shen Tanqi, saying, “I didn’t say anything. You must have misheard. I’m going to sleep, don’t disturb me.”
Shen Tanqi looked around, finding no one in sight. Could it be that he really misheard?
He lay back on the bed, thinking it might be due to the pregnancy making him restless, and decided to get some more sleep.
But just as Shen Tanqi was about to doze off, he heard a soft voice again.
“Hungry, hungry.”
Shen Tanqi sprang up from the bed, alertly looking around, “Who’s talking?”
Little Black, startled by his sudden movement, got up too and barked twice.
The cave fell silent, with only the occasional cool breeze blowing in.
However, Shen Tanqi couldn’t sleep anymore.
Little Black looked at him puzzled and said, “Are you messing around, kid? Who would be talking? There’s no one.”
“No, I really heard someone speak just now.” Shen Tanqi couldn’t figure it out.
Little Black chuckled, its gaze sweeping across Shen Tanqi’s face, saying, “I think you’re so eager for Bai Long that you’re having hallucinations already. He hasn’t been gone that long, and you’re already this impatient.”
Shen Tanqi glanced at it, “Want a beating?”
But Little Black felt like it hit the nail on the head and laughed even more lecherously, “You’re in trouble. You’ve definitely fallen for him.”
“I love what?” Shen Tanqi felt helpless under its teasing, “We don’t have anything between us.”
How could he possibly fall for Bai Long? Firstly, their types were different, and secondly, Bai Long was a proper and earnest young man. They were fundamentally different from each other, and it would be best if they didn’t get involved as the plot unfolded, to avoid complicating things.
As for liking, Shen Tanqi briefly paused on that thought. It seemed they couldn’t be categorized as such.
If not for a debt of gratitude, they were, in the end, strangers forced into a connection.
Coincidentally, they both had amiable personalities, and one could say they were roommates forced to live together.
Would Bai Long like him?
Impossible.
“There is nothing, yet you willingly want to bear his child?” Little Black wagged its tail, lying down beside him, “Moreover, every night you guys kick me out. What are you doing? You know it very well.”
Every night during the dependence period, Bai Long would promptly chase Little Black out of the cave. Thinking about this, Shen Tanqi’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he gritted his teeth, “You’re just a dog, minding too much.”
Just as he finished speaking, Shen Tanqi distinctly heard a sentence coming from an unknown source—
“Daddy, I’m hungry.”
Shen Tanqi stood frozen in place, slowly looking down at his abdomen and gently touching it.
Sure enough, the voice appeared again.
“I want to eat cake.”
Unable to contain his shock, Shen Tanqi exclaimed, “What the heck?” He sat up, rubbed his ears, forced to believe that the voice seemed to be coming from his belly.
Curiously, he tentatively took a piece of sticky rice cake from the table and ate it without any relish.
The voice mysteriously disappeared.
He was utterly shocked, looking at Little Black and then back at his belly. Confirming that Little Black hadn’t spoken, Shen Tanqi reluctantly accepted a surreal reality.
His cub can actually speak from inside his belly?!
After pondering for a while, the baby didn’t utter another word. It seemed those earlier sounds were like a sleep-talking episode during the baby’s dreams.
When Bai Long returned, Shen Tanqi hastily climbed out of bed and told him about this incredible occurrence.
Bai Long, somewhat puzzled, responded, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
While there were many differences between the daemon race and humans, there seemed to be no distinction in terms of childbirth. There were no records of babies speaking inside the womb.
Thinking Shen Tanqi might be overly stressed due to the frequent dependence periods, Bai Long reassured him in a low voice, “Perhaps the dependence periods have been too frequent these days, affecting your sleep. Don’t think too much about it.”
Since Bai Long couldn’t provide a reasonable explanation, Shen Tanqi had no choice but to treat it as if nothing had happened. However, the situation was undeniably strange, and he now began to wonder if the cub in his belly was some kind of genius baby from a novel.
Fortunately, since then, Shen Tanqi hadn’t heard the baby speak again, and his belly was growing day by day. At three months, as the weather turned cooler, Shen Tanqi could feel occasional movements inside his belly—tiny hands and feet, restless and lively.
It seemed like a lively and active cub, nothing like Bai Long but more like Shen Tanqi when he was a child.
The dependence periods gradually became less frequent, but there was still a need for it every week. Every night, Bai Long used his fingers to feel the baby’s growth and the changes in Shen Tanqi’s body.
“Have you been feeling uncomfortable lately?” After checking the baby’s condition, Bai Long began examining Shen Tanqi.
Wrapped tightly in his clothes, Shen Tanqi coughed lightly and said, “Everything’s fine, no discomfort.”
As he spoke, his ears turned slightly red.
Although Bai Long didn’t entirely believe him, he refrained from pressing further. However, during the night, Shen Tanqi would inexplicably wake up, and with Bai Long’s profound abilities, he could sense any subtle disturbances in the air, not to mention Shen Tanqi tossing and turning.
In the quiet cave, a faint, ghostly flame suddenly flickered.
Awoken by Shen Tanqi’s movements, Bai Long, still drowsy, asked with a slightly hoarse voice, “What’s wrong?”
Hearing the question, Shen Tanqi immediately buried his head under the blanket and muttered, “Nothing, go back to sleep.”
Bai Long gave him a deep look, rubbed his forehead, and continued in a low voice, “Feeling unwell?”
“I said there’s nothing, go to sleep,” Shen Tanqi, irritated by the questions, responded impatiently. It was clear that his usual attitude toward Bai Long was changing with the increasing pregnancy, and he found himself growing restless with Bai Long’s inquiries.
Bai Long, upon hearing Shen Tanqi’s words, fell silent for a moment, then slowly extinguished the ghostly flame. The intense darkness swallowed the faint glow, and Shen Tanqi couldn’t suppress a muted groan. Bai Long, with his back turned, heard everything clearly.
After a while, Bai Long spoke lightly, “If you really don’t need my help, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything.”
A moment later, a hand, cautiously and somewhat eagerly, grabbed Bai Long’s wrist and pressed it against Shen Tanqi’s body.
“It’s swelling…” Shen Tanqi was extremely aggrieved. He had never expected such a reaction during pregnancy. His chest was swelling painfully, making it impossible for him to sleep.
Bai Long’s fingertips trembled slightly, instinctively wanting to pull his hand back, and his ears felt a bit warm.
“Help me, Bai Long, please.”
Shen Tanqi was so uncomfortable that he was on the verge of tears, nervously clutching Bai Long’s collar to prevent him from leaving.
At some unknown point, the flat plain had turned into small hills.
Bai Long had never seen a man go through such changes.
Their breaths entwined like affectionate and lingering lovebirds. His eyes deepened, and unable to restrain himself, he bit his lip. The soft and unbearable cries of Shen Tanqi reached his ears.
…
After finally managing to get Shen Tanqi to sleep peacefully, Bai Long heaved a sigh of relief, lying beside him and slowly closing his eyes.
His heart still pounded fiercely, tumultuous and restless, as if it wanted to burst out of his chest.
A faint, almost elusive scent of milk lingered around his nose, refusing to dissipate.
Shen Tanqi…
He had actually done such a thing to Shen Tanqi, not because of detoxification or dependence periods but simply because Shen Tanqi wanted it, so he did it. It felt as if he was being manipulated by every word and action of Shen Tanqi. However, he had already reached the stage of Nascent Soul; how could his mind and divine consciousness be easily influenced by others?
Shen Tanqi, who had once looked down on him in the Sect, was now delicately and tenderly asking for his help in his arms.
It was simply unbelievable, like a dream. Bai Long bent down to look at him.
In the vast, silent night, Bai Long heard a soft voice near his ear.
“Don’t bully Daddy.”
The voice was very small, almost indistinguishable.
Bai Long hesitated for a moment, holding his breath.
“Hate you.”
“You made Daddy cry.”
Bai Long looked down in surprise, only to see Shen Tanqi sleeping soundly, tears still lingering in the corners of his eyes.
Just now… who was speaking?
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
