PTGWD Chapter 47: Spoiling love

As it turned out, his concerns were entirely justified.

On the fifth day after eating the eyeballs, Fang Xingzhou returned home from work and noticed that the petals of the roses in the entryway were slightly curled. Though still vibrant, they showed signs of wilting, no longer as lively as they had been a few days ago.

He frowned slightly, staring at the roses for a long time before reaching out to touch the curled edges. The petals fell off lightly, landing on the shoe cabinet.

That night, Lu Jianchuan finished all the food in the fridge.

Perhaps the eyeballs had finally been fully digested, as his belly had grown a bit larger. After eating, he paced anxiously around the living room, his t-shirt now clearly stretched over his protruding stomach, resembling a human pregnancy at five months.

Fang Xingzhou couldn’t believe it. He repeatedly checked the calendar, confirming that only five days had passed since the eyeball feast, while the next nutritional supplement was recommended by the doctor in three weeks.

He rushed to the nearby mall to buy meat.

In the half hour it took him to return, Fang Xingzhou found that Lu Jianchuan had opened all the drawers in the house and was awkwardly crouching in front of the cabinet, rummaging through it. After a while, he pulled out a bag of soggy potato chips.

Fang Xingzhou: “…”

At least it wasn’t cockroaches or mice.

“I’ll take you to the farm,” he said, putting down the meat he had just bought. “You like snakes, right? Let’s buy a few tonight and make snake soup.”

Lu Jianchuan tilted his head back and poured the entire bag of expired chips into his mouth, mumbling, “It’s fine, I’m not hungry, darling. Let’s talk about it tomorrow. You should rest well; you have work tomorrow.”

Fang Xingzhou held back his frustration. Seeing that Lu Jianchuan’s condition was still relatively normal, he decided not to push further. Instead, he cooked the newly bought meat as a late-night snack for him.

Before bed, he opened WeChat, intending to message Yan Xin to request an earlier second nutritional supplement.

As soon as he opened the chat, he saw the historical message: “May pose a threat to the ‘mother’.”

His fingers hesitated. He stared at the sentence for a long time.

…Don’t spoil them….

He turned off his phone, forcing himself to look at the ceiling, repeating the mantra to himself.

A doting father ruins the child.

Prenatal education is important too.

A scientific diet is essential.

Overeating is never a healthy way to raise a child.

He repeated these thoughts like a mantra, stopping himself from contacting the institute. He fell asleep with a faint sense of anxiety and, unsurprisingly, began to dream frequently.

In his dreams, adorable crimson eyes without pupils surrounded him, chanting single syllables in a 360-degree surround sound. Their voices carried a deep sense of grievance, sounding like synthesized ghostly whispers from a horror movie.

“Hungry… eat eat… eat eat eat… papa… hungry… yummy… eat… papa… mm…”

The incessant chatter lasted all night, leaving Fang Xingzhou unable to sleep well.

And perhaps influenced by the embryo, he too began to feel hungry. Once, during a late-night emergency, he was using a scalpel to clean necrotic tissue from a patient when he suddenly felt overwhelmed by a strong hunger, staring at the black blood oozing out.

But when it came time to eat, normal food held no appeal, and he could only manage a few bites.

This mild effect was inconsequential to Fang Xingzhou, but when he thought about Lu Jianchuan enduring such hunger 24/7, his resolve began to waver.

In the second week, Fang Xingzhou opened the “Meat Market Discount Group.”

Li Xuan had sent a message the day before: “No strange magnetic field changes were detected at three o’clock. Xiangxing Street has been peaceful lately. We’ll continue to monitor. How is Mr. Lu? Why has he been frequenting the seafood market so much lately?”

The seafood market…

Lu Jianchuan had long since given in and resumed his trips to the farm.

Fang Xingzhou tracked his movements through the jade pendant and noticed that, aside from the farm, Lu Jianchuan had taken to wandering around the seafood market, lingering at various sashimi shops, perhaps searching for any leftover eggs.

For example, right now, when he switched to the surveillance system, he saw that Lu Jianchuan’s location was by the sea, where he had been for half an hour. Fang Xingzhou wasn’t sure if he was drooling over the ocean or contemplating the meaning of life as a monster.

His heart ached slightly as he silently glanced at the calendar, counting the days.

It had been fifteen days since the eyeball feast.

Two weeks. Though there was still a bit of time before the target three weeks, both he and Lu Jianchuan had tried their best…

Fang Xingzhou’s mind kept conjuring new reasons. He stared at the chat box for a long time before finally giving in and sending a message: “He’s been too hungry lately. I think… we should consider moving up the second nutritional supplement. Can we move it up by four days? If that’s okay, let’s meet at the usual place.”

As soon as the message was sent, Yan Xin immediately called him, wanting to know every detail about Lu Jianchuan’s condition over the past few days.

Both being medical professionals, their conversation was efficient. In less than five minutes, they had finalized the new supplement plan.

Yan Xin: “I agree with your assessment. If Mr. Lu’s energy needs are too high, it’s better to have smaller, more frequent meals. We can reduce the second supplement and move it up. Let’s meet at the usual place at 12:30 p.m.”

Fang Xingzhou felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted. He turned off his phone and let out a long sigh of relief.

He drove home.

As soon as he started heading back, the person lingering by the sea in the surveillance footage immediately began rushing home, even faster than last time, reaching home at a speed of 120 km/h, arriving five minutes before Fang Xingzhou parked.

Fang Xingzhou had bought ten snakes from the market today.

He carried the snakes into the house, habitually glancing at the roses. The petals were even yellower than yesterday.

He sighed inwardly. “Deer.”

Lu Jianchuan strode out of the bathroom, his increasingly prominent belly leading the way. When he saw the net bag in Fang Xingzhou’s hand, his eyes lit up.

“Snakes for dinner?!”

Fang Xingzhou knew that human cooking methods would only dampen Lu Jianchuan’s appetite, so he said, “Not yet. Let’s keep them at home for a while, fatten them up before eating.”

Lu Jianchuan’s eyes sparkled even brighter. He nodded repeatedly. “Great idea. These snakes look so skinny. I can catch some mice from outside to feed them. I’ll make sure they get nice and plump.”

Fang Xingzhou thought of the increasingly clean streets: “…Spare the mice of City C. They may not be popular, but they’re part of the ecosystem. Don’t wipe them out. I’ll feed the snakes meat.”

Lu Jianchuan barely listened, already eager: “Okay!”

Fang Xingzhou hung the snakes in their net bag on the balcony. “Then let’s have beef for dinner tonight.”

Lu Jianchuan’s eyes were glued to the snakes. Distracted, he said, “Sure, honey. You start cooking, and I’ll help you stir-fry in a bit.”

Fang Xingzhou gave him a gentle kiss and turned to the kitchen, deliberately closing the door to give Lu Jianchuan some privacy. He took out some marinated beef from the fridge and began slicing it.

It was already June, and the weather was getting hotter. The first summer night storm was brewing on the horizon, with dark red clouds hanging in the deep night sky. Occasional flashes of lightning lit up the room, accompanied by low rumbles of thunder.

Fang Xingzhou watched the beef being sliced on the cutting board.

The living room was enveloped in heavy silence, broken only by the occasional thunder. Time ticked by, but Lu Jianchuan didn’t join him in the kitchen to cook and sneak bites as usual. Instead…

Another flash of lightning lit up the room. Fang Xingzhou couldn’t help but glance back.

Lu Jianchuan was indeed standing on the balcony.

His hair was still damp, dripping water as he tilted his head slightly, looking at the net bag hanging on the clothesline. The snakes inside were thrashing wildly, their mouths open in terrified hisses, warning the man before them.

The lightning cast a terrifying silhouette of the scene.

Fang Xingzhou, still holding the knife, saw Lu Jianchuan suddenly turn his head. He quickly looked away, pretending nothing had happened, and continued slicing the beef on the cutting board.

A cautious gaze lingered on his back for a few seconds before disappearing.

Fang Xingzhou continued slicing the beef without a word, counting the time in his head. Half a minute later, he glanced away from his hands and back at the balcony, even deliberately making the knife cuts louder to feign focus on his task.

On the balcony, Lu Jianchuan had already grabbed one of the snakes from the net bag. Its mouth was wide open, its tongue flicking out in warning, its tail tightly coiled around his arm.

The next second, Lu Jianchuan’s arm lifted, blocked from view by his body.

When his arm reappeared in Fang Xingzhou’s line of sight, the snake was gone. All that remained was the torn net bag, the frequent flashes of lightning, and the increasingly terrified surviving snakes.

Fang Xingzhou smiled slightly and stopped paying attention to the balcony. He finished slicing the last piece of beef, marinated it with soy sauce and white pepper, and began washing rice to cook.

Ten minutes later, footsteps slowly approached the kitchen from the balcony.

A cold body hugged him from behind, the increasingly prominent belly pressing against his back.

Lu Jianchuan smelled of rain. He nuzzled Fang Xingzhou’s cheek, then leaned his head on his shoulder like an affectionate snake, his voice low and melodious, close to his ear: “It’s raining, darling.”

Fang Xingzhou smiled softly. “Yeah, we can sleep well tonight.”

Lu Jianchuan was silent for two seconds.

When he spoke again, his voice was softer. “I have some bad news…”

Fang Xingzhou’s smile deepened.

He turned his head to look at Lu Jianchuan’s shimmering, clear eyes, pretending to know nothing. “What bad news?”

Lu Jianchuan took a deep breath, his lips curling into a faint, pleading smile. His voice grew quieter. “I was… curious about the snakes, so I played with them on the balcony for a while.”

He emphasized the word “played.”

Fang Xingzhou nodded, patiently waiting for him to continue. “And?”

Lu Jianchuan kissed the corner of his mouth.

“Then, the net bag tore, and they fell onto the balcony. I was afraid they’d scare you, so I quickly closed the balcony door,” he said. “…And they slithered away.”

After spitting out the hastily fabricated lie, his heart pounded. He exhaled deeply, his belly pressing even tighter against Fang Xingzhou’s back. “I’m sorry, Zhouzhou.”

Fang Xingzhou put the washed rice into the rice cooker and pressed the start button. Then he turned around and hugged Lu Jianchuan back.

He looked into Lu Jianchuan’s eyes, his smile gentle, and said slowly, “It’s okay, Deer. They’re just ten snakes.”

“If they’re gone, they’re gone. I’ll buy you more tomorrow.”

Lu Jianchuan stared at his lover in a daze.

His intuition twitched slightly, vaguely sensing that his lover’s reaction was a bit unusual. But at this moment, he could clearly feel that he was deeply loved.

Fang Xingzhou’s love was unquestionable—intense, reckless, even bordering on unconditional…

In Fang Xingzhou’s pupils, he saw his own reflection.

A surge of love welled up in his heart, like the rainstorm outside, pouring down from thousands of meters high, washing away the faint doubts in his mind.

Lu Jianchuan couldn’t help but tighten his arms, his belly warming slightly. Overwhelmed with emotion, he lowered his head and kissed Fang Xingzhou’s forehead. “Darling, you’re so good to me.”

Fang Xingzhou picked up a piece of marinated beef from the cutting board and stuffed it into Lu Jianchuan’s mouth. “Still hungry?”

Lu Jianchuan smiled, his eyes filled with contentment and love. “Not really. I’ll help you stir-fry.”

He tied on an apron, humming a cheerful tune, and lit the gas stove amidst the increasingly frequent flashes of lightning, pouring in peanut oil.

As the scallions and ginger hit the hot oil, the sizzling sound mixed with the rising aroma, creating a warm, homely atmosphere that kept the storm outside the kitchen.

Fang Xingzhou leaned against the kitchen counter, watching the person before him execute a perfect flip of the wok, and couldn’t help but smile.

In the world of monsters, Lu Jianchuan’s cooking skills must be top-notch.

Fang Xingzhou said, “Today is Monday.”

Lu Jianchuan hummed in acknowledgment. “Yes, it’s Monday. What’s up?”

Fang Xingzhou: “Hang in there for three more days. On Thursday, I’ll treat you to a feast.”

Lu Jianchuan chuckled, flipping the wok again with flair. “Sure, I’m looking forward to it.”

…

The heavy rain didn’t let up for three days.

On Wednesday, after Fang Xingzhou left for work, he noticed that Lu Jianchuan had spent the entire day by the stormy sea, unsure of what he was doing.

Fang Xingzhou, worried that Lu Jianchuan might act impulsively due to extreme hunger, sent him a message: “I’ll take you out for something delicious tomorrow. Come home early; the rain is getting heavier.”

Lu Jianchuan: “Okay, I’ll be back soon.”

After sending the message, he lingered by the sea for another half hour, reluctant to leave.

When he returned home, his mood was somewhat down. Before bed, he half-complained, half-reflected to Fang Xingzhou: “The public safety in City C is just too good, Zhouzhou. How can it be this good? Ten years ago, there were bad guys everywhere. You could stumble upon crime scenes just walking at night. But now… it’s hard to believe. Did I do so many good deeds over the past ten years that I helped the police catch all the bad guys?”

It seemed he hadn’t found any trace of the blind Eunice.

Fang Xingzhou, on the other hand, felt a sense of relief. He smiled and said, “Officer Li would be thrilled to hear you praise the public safety like this.”

Lu Jianchuan wrapped his arms and legs around Fang Xingzhou, his belly pressed against his waist, the little one inside doing somersaults.

“But it’s just too good…” he muttered, still unwilling to give up. “How can it be this good… Not a single one in the entire City C. I can’t go to City B too often… Ah, the public safety is just too good.”

Fang Xingzhou gently patted his back, pretending not to hear. “Sleep. There’ll be something delicious tomorrow.”

Lu Jianchuan reluctantly closed his eyes, and the bedroom fell silent.

The summer storm continued relentlessly, pounding the roof and windows. Occasional flashes of lightning lit up the dark, heavy clouds.

After the hundredth flash of lightning, Lu Jianchuan suddenly sat up in bed, clutching his belly, his eyes glowing with a hungry green light in the darkness.

The half-tentacle he had left by the sea had sensed a fleeting mysterious presence.

He looked in the direction of the seafood market, his mouth watering uncontrollably.