Amid the groans of S-Class students, “Enough, I can’t watch this anymore,” “My eyes are burning,” “Let’s just disperse,” “I’d rather self-destruct than watch this OO romance”, the semester finally came to an end.
Thanks to the popularity he’d gained while pretending to be an Omega, Ji Qiu successfully submitted his internship application before the holidays, getting early approval to start clinical rotations, a year ahead of everyone else.
Liang Chen only learned about it when he returned to the hospital. Coming out of his office, he saw Ji Qiu busily moving between wards in a white coat for a second, he thought he was seeing things.
After all, this was the person his own son had his eye on. Liang Chen waved him over.
“I thought S-Class was already on break. What’s this about?”
Since the man standing before him was both his mentor and his boyfriend’s father, Ji Qiu couldn’t help being nervous.
“Uncle Liang… I applied for early internship training. I’m not going home for the break.”
Dean Liang nodded thoughtfully, but then suddenly remembered that Ji Qiu was still living with his son, and his expression darkened.
Fortunately, Ji Qiu’s social intelligence was excellent. Reading the look on Liang Chen’s face, he quickly explained,
“Uncle Liang! I didn’t do this on purpose! I just wanted to earn credits earlier for next semester! And Yan Yan often goes home too I take good care of him, don’t worry!”
At the mention of “taking care,” Ji Qiu felt a little guilty. His cooking hadn’t improved at all despite recent efforts. He couldn’t just serve up his first disastrous attempts again, so he now always tasted the food before serving often ending with the two of them giving up and ordering takeout anyway.
Liang Chen didn’t know those details. Though still a bit annoyed, he trusted Ji Qiu enough to just sigh and nod.
“Alright. But why rush to earn credits? Isn’t S-Class automatically promoted?”
— Because your son’s pregnant, sir.
Of course, Ji Qiu didn’t dare say that aloud. He just muttered it in his head and gave a random excuse instead.
KB had been unusually quiet lately. Liang Chen had even asked around and got the same response each time: they’d gone dormant. Suspicious, but nothing to do except wait and see.
After a few reminders, Liang Chen was called away by a nurse.
Ji Qiu, with his bright looks and easygoing nature, was already well-liked in the hospital. He spoke politely, worked diligently, and got along with everyone, nurses from every department adored him.
“Xiao Ji! Xiao Ji!” A cheerful nurse waved him over, not noticing Liang Chen beside him. “Change the dressing on bed 17! Write up the order first!”
Since interns needed supervision, Ji Qiu’s system login was under his mentor’s ID. He quickly agreed and sat down to start typing.
“Alright, go on,” Liang Chen said, waving him off. It wouldn’t look right to linger any longer just because of who he was.
Watching Ji Qiu hurry away, Liang Chen couldn’t help thinking, this young man actually seemed quite reliable.
Meanwhile, his beloved son was secretly planning how to break the news to him.
The Lunar New Year came early that year. Lai Qiutong went home, but Ji Qiu couldn’t — he had to stay at the hospital until term resumed.
Liang Chen didn’t have it easy either. Even with vacation time, he still had endless work, while his wife kept herself busy with friends, afternoon teas, hiking trips, social gatherings. The house was only lively when all three family members happened to be home for dinner.
In the end, both parents tacitly accepted that Ji Qiu and Liang Yan were spending most of their time together at least they were still in the same city.
Liang Yan began reviewing upcoming coursework. After all, pregnancy was no small matter it would inevitably affect his studies.
Their daily routine had become stable. If Ji Qiu worked a regular shift, Liang Yan stayed home waiting for him. Ji Qiu had long given up on becoming a “master chef” and instead brought home good food every day. When he had night duty, he carefully arranged everything Liang Yan might need and even video-called him from the hospital.
Liang Yan’s morning sickness came and went, but fatigue was constant. He often fell asleep mid-conversation, only to wake up to a loud “Doctor Ji!” from a nurse.
On screen, Ji Qiu was always in his white coat, a wall of medical charts behind him but his eyes were always smiling, gentle and bright whenever he looked at Liang Yan.
If anyone happened to see the call, they’d ask curiously how his partner felt about him working while they stayed home. Ji Qiu would quickly cover the camera and teasingly say, “My boyfriend doesn’t like meeting strangers,” his tone dripping with affection.
Just like in school, Ji Qiu remained popular but for different reasons. In school, his appeal was his playful “green tea” act. In the hospital, it was his genuine kindness and patience. Everyone from department heads to patients’ families spoke highly of him.
Liang Yan sometimes thought back to what Ji Qiu once said: If not for what happened with Ji Yang, my life would’ve been completely different.
But now, he could see that Ji Qiu truly loved this profession and excelled in it.
Time passed quickly. Ji Qiu had just finished one department rotation when New Year’s Eve approached. He was unlucky enough or maybe lucky to be scheduled for the shift right before New Year’s Eve.
When the duty roster came out, he had just finished a night shift. The two of them were lounging lazily on the couch, enjoying a rare quiet afternoon together.
“Are you going home this year?” Liang Yan asked after checking the schedule.
He felt that ever since getting pregnant, something about him had subtly changed maybe his moods, maybe his mannerisms but he couldn’t quite pinpoint how, so he stopped thinking about it.
“Probably not…” Ji Qiu hesitated. “Qiutong-jie will… go in my place.”
Liang Yan frowned. “Go in your place?”
Ji Qiu sighed. “My mother… she still thinks I’m Ji Yang.”
His parents had separated early. When Ji Yang died, their mother refused to accept it. Without proper treatment and since she had already been living apart from their father — she broke down completely. Ji Qiu hadn’t yet differentiated then, while Ji Yang had already become an Omega.
Their father was unreachable, and their mother, naïve and fragile had no way to protect her rights. In the end, Ji Qiu and Lai Qiutong had to handle all the compensation and negotiations themselves.
But when Ji Qiu saw his mother again, she called him Yangyang. She could recall every detail about Ji Yang yet seemed to have selectively forgotten she had another son at all.
He’d tried many times to explain, but every attempt only triggered her violent rejection. Both he and Lai Qiutong were busy, unable to care for her full-time, so he decided to play along until things stabilized.
“Then come to my house,” Liang Yan suddenly said. “My dad said if you’re willing, you can spend the New Year with us.”
It wasn’t his first time being invited, and after his recent hard work, Liang Yan’s parents had clearly come around. They’d stopped fixating on his secondary gender. Their invitation meant true acceptance.
Before the holiday, Liang Chen finally wrapped up his work. Liang’s mother cooked up a feast planning for a lively New Year’s Eve.
Ji Qiu and Liang Yan arrived on time, just around noon. The house was filled with the smell of bubbling hotpot.
Since everyone knew each other well by now, there was no need for small talk. They sat around the steaming pot, chatting comfortably.
Then, Dean Liang cleared his throat seriously, the kind of sound that made people straighten up instinctively, as if a meeting was about to start.
His sharp eyes darted between Ji Qiu and his son, and he frowned.
“So… how far have you two gone?”
He didn’t mean it harshly, he just wanted to be informed. He was open-minded enough not to make things difficult.
But hearing that, Ji Qiu steeled himself.
Before coming, he and Liang Yan had agreed they should tell Liang Chen something this time but they hadn’t expected him to bring it up first.
Since there was no way out, Ji Qiu thought — If I’m going to die, might as well make it quick.
He had done countless rounds of mental preparation, yet in the end, he still lacked the courage to take that final step.
Ji Qiu shot a desperate look at Liang Yan, eyes filled with pitiful pleading.
Yan Yan, save me.
Liang Yan nearly gagged at that expression. ???
You say it yourself.
Ji Qiu couldn’t hold back he reached behind his back and poked Liang Yan’s waist lightly, whispering with his eyes, Yan Yan, I’m nervous QAQ!
Liang Yan squirmed from the ticklish touch, glaring a warning at him: Do that again and you’re not sleeping in the bed tonight.
Ji Qiu refused to give up and sneakily tugged at Liang Yan’s shirt again.
Annoyed, Liang Yan reached out and pinched him hard.
Ji Qiu hissed in pain, reflexively sucking in a breath.
Their silent back-and-forth “soul conversation” was getting obvious enough that Liang Chen finally sensed something was off. He spoke bluntly, “I’m talking to you two… which one of you is going to answer?”
Liang Yan immediately straightened up, face calm. “He will.”
Then he glanced sideways at Ji Qiu.
Their original plan had been to ease into the topic subtly after all, Liang Yan hadn’t even met Ji Qiu’s family yet.
But right then, Ji Qiu, who had been calmly cooking hotpot for Liang Yan, suddenly slid off his chair, clutching Dean Liang’s leg with teary eyes like a sinner begging for forgiveness.
Liang Yan instantly had a bad feeling.
Well, guess it’s do or die.
Ji Qiu took a deep breath to psych himself up. Charge, Ji Xiao Qiu!
Liang Chen was startled. “Xiao Ji, what are you—??”
Why was this kid suddenly paying him such a grand bow?
Ji Qiu’s face grew more and more resolute, like a man ready to face execution. Since he’d already made the first move, he might as well go all the way. He shut his eyes and blurted out—
“Dad!! You’re gonna be a grandpa!!”
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