He was absolutely certain that he had altered Fang Xingzhou’s memory. The correct memory should have been him dressed as a woman, pretending to be Fang Xingzhou’s wife, going to the hospital for the first complete prenatal check-up.
So why did Zhouzhou just say, “as a male”?
…Had his powers failed again? Or had Fang Xingzhou long since developed immunity to his little tricks?
In his confusion, Lu Jianchuan watched as Fang Xingzhou pulled his right hand close, examining it with a deep gaze for a few seconds, then lowered his head and tasted each of the five fingertips.
Lu Jianchuan: “?”
It’s over. His wife must have been deeply traumatized. He thought. He shouldn’t have devoured the blind Eunice all at once. If he had known he would fall into a coma, he should have packed some of it back, pretending it was pork, and frozen it in the fridge to eat slowly…
After licking, Fang Xingzhou stared at his hand, lost in thought. Lu Jianchuan didn’t dare bring up the last hospital visit, only asking softly, “What does it taste like?”
Fang Xingzhou paused for a moment.
“Nothing,” he said. “It’s strange.”
Lu Jianchuan: “…Isn’t it normal to taste nothing?”
Fang Xingzhou looked at him with swollen eyes and said, “Human skin secretes sweat, especially in the summer. Normally, fingertips would have a faint salty taste.”
Lu Jianchuan: “…”
Fang Xingzhou’s state made his heart race.
After a moment, Fang Xingzhou seemed to return to normal, shifting his gaze to Lu Jianchuan’s belly and asking, “How do you feel? Any dizziness, palpitations, or blurred vision? Does your stomach hurt?”
Lu Jianchuan finally had a topic he could talk about and immediately said, “I feel so good I could run two marathons right now.”
Then he paused, gently kissing Fang Xingzhou’s cheek and eyes, and cautiously added, “I’ll go make breakfast now. How about some easy-to-digest congee? Baby, your dark circles are too heavy. It’s Sunday, so after eating, you should get some proper rest. I’ll stay with you, and so will the baby in my belly.”
Fang Xingzhou nodded wearily.
Lu Jianchuan quickly got out of bed. His cumbersome belly didn’t hinder his movements; he still moved with agility. After a quick wash, he downed eight glasses of water and energetically tied on an apron, heading to the kitchen.
Fang Xingzhou didn’t go downstairs. He stood alone in the bedroom, opened the window, and looked out at the street.
An ugly crow perched on a telephone pole.
Three ordinary snakes coiled around a tree across the street.
Frogs hopped across the dry cement road, eventually disappearing into the bushes.
At three o’clock… was the ocean. The sea was blocked by the steel forest of human construction, and from Fang Xingzhou’s position, he couldn’t see it.
Fang Xingzhou withdrew his gaze and locked eyes with the snake in the tree.
After Lu Jianchuan’s recent hunt, more and more animals were being drawn to their home. When the child was finally born, it might become even livelier.
Fang Xingzhou pursed his lips, locked the window from the inside, and turned to head to the kitchen.
…
Six days later, Lu Jianchuan was seven months pregnant.
Fang Xingzhou had another day off and took his lover, who looked like he was carrying quintuplets, to the hospital for a second prenatal check-up.
Thanks to the rich nutrients from the blind Eunice, Lu Jianchuan had been in a state of satiety this whole time, and his strength had returned to its peak. He could easily alter anyone’s memory. But the recent series of abnormalities made him cautious, especially since Fang Xingzhou had mentioned details from the first check-up. A strong sense of foreboding lingered.
Lu Jianchuan didn’t dare tamper with his wife’s mind again.
As a result, he had been restless since waking up. On the way to the hospital, he suggested for the fifth time, “How about we go to a private hospital instead?”
Last time, it was Fang Xingzhou who suggested going to a private hospital for the prenatal check-up. This time, it was Lu Jianchuan.
Lu Jianchuan watched as his wife calmly picked up her bag, got out of the car, closed the door, and then walked to the passenger side to open the door and offer him a hand.
He felt like crying, wishing he could turn back time to four months ago and strangle the version of himself who suggested coming to this hospital for the check-up.
Seeing him hesitate, Fang Xingzhou took his hand and said, “Let’s go.”
Lu Jianchuan sighed deeply, moving out of the seat with the determination of someone walking to their death. He still couldn’t let it go: “Won’t your colleagues be scared? Last time they… ahem,” he abruptly stopped himself, swallowing his words and changing his tone, “…they kept staring at me because I’m so tall.”
“Don’t worry,” Fang Xingzhou said. “I already talked to them yesterday. Besides, if you’re in the medical field, you have to recognize that the human body is full of endless possibilities. You can’t be narrow-minded.”
Lu Jianchuan: “…”
Fang Xingzhou openly held his hand and walked into the crowded hospital.
Lu Jianchuan’s belly was so large it looked like he was about to give birth. Because of the hot weather, he only wore a thin short-sleeved shirt. As soon as he entered the lobby, he attracted the attention of almost everyone.
To Lu Jianchuan, humans other than Fang Xingzhou were no different from the flowers and grass on the roadside.
He didn’t care at all what these humans thought. What he cared about was—why was Zhouzhou so insistent on bringing him back here? It was as if he was deliberately trying to correct all the messed-up memories, using this method to tell him something important.
Lu Jianchuan felt increasingly uneasy, tightening his grip on his wife’s hand as they walked toward the perpetually crowded hospital elevator. However, this time, they didn’t have to experience the squeeze of the elevator, because as soon as Lu Jianchuan stepped inside, everyone around them instinctively took half a step back, creating a clear space around him.
Lu Jianchuan: “……”
An elderly man next to him stared at him in a daze for a few seconds, then asked Fang Xingzhou, “Your wife… is about to give birth, huh?”
Fang Xingzhou smiled at him: “Not yet. We’re just past the halfway point of the pregnancy.”
The man’s mouth slowly fell open.
“Ding.”
The elevator arrived, and Fang Xingzhou led Lu Jianchuan out.
Lu Jianchuan was lost in thought and didn’t notice which floor the elevator stopped on. It wasn’t until he saw the familiar waiting area, the familiar front desk nurse, and the familiar corridor of examination rooms that he realized they had actually arrived at the psychology department.
Lu Jianchuan immediately stopped in his tracks, as if struck by lightning: “Zhouzhou, did you take a wrong turn? We should go up one more floor. The obstetrics department is upstairs.”
Fang Xingzhou smiled and said, “No mistake. Last time, we came here to see Dr. Li. Do you remember?”
“Of course I remember, but…”
Fang Xingzhou: “My mental state has improved a lot recently, so it’s a good time to thank him.”
Lu Jianchuan: “?!”
The guilt of having altered the memories of the entire psychology department made Lu Jianchuan break out in a cold sweat: “How about next time…”
Fang Xingzhou calmly said, “We’re already here.”
Lu Jianchuan: “Honey, we’re not here for a hospital tour!!”
As they spoke, the nurse at the front desk had already spotted him. Her eyes widened, her mouth fell open, and she gradually looked bewildered, as if questioning the reality of the world.
Lu Jianchuan couldn’t move forward or backward. He could only let Fang Xingzhou pull him along, feeling as if his feet weighed a thousand pounds, slowly shuffling to the front desk. He met the nurse’s completely dazed eyes and gave her an awkward yet polite smile.
Fang Xingzhou: “Good morning. Which examination room is Dr. Li in today?”
The nurse’s gaze lingered on Lu Jianchuan’s face for a few seconds, then dropped to his belly. She murmured, “Dr. Fang, do I need to make an appointment for myself too…”
Fang Xingzhou asked, “What’s wrong?”
The nurse’s eyes were filled with deep confusion. She rubbed her temples, opened her mouth several times, and finally stammered, “I think… no, that’s right, last time…”
Fang Xingzhou smiled gently: “Did you remember something wrong? Last time, I also came to your department with my lover, four months ago. You complimented our rings.”
The nurse said dreamily, “That’s right, but…”
Lu Jianchuan could clearly feel that the hints he had left in their minds four months ago were being slowly twisted by an external force, gradually corrected toward the truth.
He felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles. Guiltily, he interrupted, “Yes, yes, so which examination room is Dr. Li in?”
The nurse: “Still in Room 5… but that’s not right. Dr. Fang, your lover was clearly… last time… or maybe not. What’s wrong with me? My head suddenly hurts…”
Lu Jianchuan grabbed Fang Xingzhou’s hand and pulled him away from the nurse, quickly heading toward Room 5.
Fang Xingzhou walked half a step behind him and said slowly, “No need to rush.”
Lu Jianchuan: “Zhouzhou, listen to me. They must be under a lot of stress working in the psychology department. It’s normal for them to develop some mental issues. You know what they say, ‘Physician, heal thyself,’ right?”
Fang Xingzhou smiled: “Yes, your Chinese has improved.”
Lu Jianchuan forced a laugh: “Ha, haha.”
Room 5 had just finished its last appointment. Fang Xingzhou pushed the door open and saw Dr. Li sitting at his computer, leisurely drinking tea.
Lu Jianchuan stood at the door, refusing to go in, and whispered, “You go in, Zhouzhou. You go.”
Fang Xingzhou walked into the examination room alone: “Dr. Li, good morning.”
Dr. Li looked up and smiled when he saw him: “Oh, it’s Director Fang. How have you been lately?”
“Pretty good. After taking your medicine, my mental state has completely returned to normal,” Fang Xingzhou said. “So I came today specifically to thank you and to formally introduce you to my lover. We’ll be welcoming a new life soon, and I’d like to invite you to the full moon celebration.”
Dr. Li: “No need to be so polite. So soon? Last time you came, it was only three or four months along, right? Congratulations!”
Then, the two of them stared at each other in silence for two seconds.
Dr. Li: “Uh, so, your lover…”
Fang Xingzhou: “Is at the door. He’s a bit shy.”
Dr. Li smiled and stood up, walking toward the door with Fang Xingzhou. “Really? Last time she came with you for the appointment, she was quite outgoing. She talked to me for a long time about your mental state. It was clear she loves you very much. Xingzhou, you’re really lucky…”
His voice trailed off.
Dr. Li and Lu Jianchuan locked eyes, and the doctor’s face instantly went blank.
Fang Xingzhou intertwined his fingers with Lu Jianchuan’s and said, “You’ve met him before—my lover. That day, he also filled out a psychological questionnaire, and the results didn’t seem too optimistic. Fortunately, he’s been healthy lately, though he’s a bit slow to react sometimes.”
Dr. Li: “…”
Lu Jianchuan: “…Hello.”
The two of them stared at each other as if meeting for the first time.
After a long while.
Dr. Li’s voice trembled: “Your lover… is male.”
Fang Xingzhou: “Of course.”
Dr. Li was on the verge of a breakdown: “But he’s pregnant?!”
Lu Jianchuan touched his belly and forced an awkward smile: “Ah, well, the human body is full of potential. Love can create miracles, don’t you think, Dr. Li?”
Dr. Li: “…”
He grabbed the doorframe, took a deep breath, and broke out in a cold sweat. “Xingzhou, I think I suddenly feel a bit unwell. Maybe the work pressure has been too much lately, and I’ve developed some mental issues… You two go ahead. When the baby is born, be sure to invite me to the celebration.”
Fang Xingzhou helped his friend steady himself: “Are you okay? Is it serious? Do you need me to help you take some time off?”
“No, no,” Dr. Li stiffly walked back into the examination room. “I’m fine. It’s just that my memory is a bit muddled. I always said working in the psychology department for too long would cause problems…”
Fang Xingzhou and Lu Jianchuan watched as he sat back down at his desk, drained his thermos in one gulp, and clutched his chest as if he had just experienced a great shock.
Lu Jianchuan was also deeply shaken and tried to cover for himself: “Baby… you see, working in the psychiatry department for too long leads to mental issues. I was right, wasn’t I?”
As he spoke, he cautiously glanced at Fang Xingzhou’s expression.
“Mm,” Fang Xingzhou’s expression was calm. “Let’s go. We’ll do the check-up and see how the baby is developing.”
Hearing this, the embryo in his belly also trembled. Lu Jianchuan could feel it entering a state of high tension.
Today was the ultimate test for both father and son… Lu Jianchuan clenched his fists, his steps heavy as he followed his wife, resolutely heading upstairs.
As they reached the landing between floors, Fang Xingzhou suddenly stopped.
He turned around and looked at Lu Jianchuan, who was standing one step below him, clutching his belly and whispering something to the embryo. Fang Xingzhou suddenly said, “I remember now.”
Lu Jianchuan was startled.
“Huh?” He looked up at Fang Xingzhou. “What?”
Fang Xingzhou stood half a step above him, his gaze fixed intently on Lu Jianchuan. After a few seconds of silence, he firmly grasped the thread of memory and said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
“Last time, we were standing right here. You apologized to me, saying you hadn’t thought things through and were worried that after the check-up, there would be too much gossip that could affect my work.”
Both the big and little monsters felt their hair stand on end at these few words.
…That’s right.
What he said was completely correct.
It was on this very staircase that Lu Jianchuan had decided to alter the memories of everyone in the hospital. Naturally, their conversation couldn’t remain in Fang Xingzhou’s mind and had been quietly erased.
But now, his wife had even recalled the details of their conversation from that time.
Lu Jianchuan began to feel despair. He gripped the stair railing and forced an awkward smile: “Really? I don’t remember that…”
Fang Xingzhou reached out a hand to him.
Lu Jianchuan was momentarily stunned, then instinctively reached out his own hand, which Fang Xingzhou firmly grasped.
“Last time, I lied to you, Deer. You fell for it too easily—so easily that it made me a little angry.” Fang Xingzhou lowered his head and kissed the back of Lu Jianchuan’s hand. “You should know me better. I’ve never cared about gossip.”
Fang Xingzhou’s kiss was incredibly gentle, landing on the back of his hand like a feather carrying warmth.
Lu Jianchuan’s heart uncontrollably skipped a few beats. He opened his mouth slightly but couldn’t make a sound.
Fang Xingzhou: “I would be more than happy to announce to the world that my lover is a man, and that we have successfully welcomed a new life, soon to become fathers. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Even if you were a Venus flytrap, a frog, a fish, or any other strange creature, I would still do the same thing. Without a doubt.”
Lu Jianchuan’s hand began to sweat again—or rather, he was secreting some unpleasant monster mucus through his human skin, releasing a flood of mating signals to his partner, hoping to gain his attention and affection, all to mask the intense emotions, guilt, and fervent love in his heart.
“Honey…” His eyes turned slightly red, unable to utter a single word of defense. “You… you lied to me last time.”
“Mm,” Fang Xingzhou smiled. “I lied to you.”
Lu Jianchuan felt as if the sky above the entire world was about to collapse. He couldn’t imagine how exposed he was in front of Zhouzhou.
This should have been something terrifying enough to drive him mad, but for some reason, as Fang Xingzhou looked at him with such focused tenderness, a strange sense of confidence quietly emerged amidst his breakdown.
—Even if his lover discovered that he was an ugly, horrifying, socially unacceptable, tentacled, brain-like monstrosity, Zhouzhou would still look at him with gentle eyes and offer him unconditional love…
…Right?!
He would!