After Getting Pregnant, I Fought for a Divorce from My Alpha - Chapter 29
Before An Xiangdi could ask what Shen Xiao meant by “maybe,” the private doctor arrived on set.
Liu Qing hurried out to bring the doctor in. The doctor immediately began a thorough treatment for An Xiangdi’s wound and also checked on Ying Chong and An Xiao.
“No contact with water for a week. Apply the medicine twice a day—morning and evening—and be sure to change the gauze each time,” the doctor instructed carefully and methodically.
“The baby…” It was the first time Shen Xiao mentioned the child in front of others.
The doctor, upon hearing the word “baby,” exploded like a lit firecracker.
“Mr. An is pregnant?! I’ve warned you before, Mr. Shen! Whatever you do, you must be extremely cautious! If he had injured his waist or abdomen instead of his hand today, you wouldn’t even have time to regret it!”
The entire crew fell into silence, some secretly enjoying the sight of Shen Xiao being scolded.
Seeing Shen Xiao being lectured, An Xiangdi had the urge to laugh but suppressed it because the doctor was still there.
Though the incident wasn’t technically Shen Xiao’s fault, he listened to the scolding and carefully memorized all the doctor’s instructions.
Afterward, Liu Qing arranged a car to respectfully send the doctor off.
The crew, with Director Wang Xingxiu’s permission, left the set and returned to the hotel to rest. Once most people had left, An Xiangdi took the initiative to approach Wang Xingxiu.
“Director Wang, I need to take a few days off. My dad asked me to go home.”
“Sure, Shen Xiao already told me. Go ahead,” Wang Xingxiu agreed without hesitation. “We’ll probably be ready to resume filming by the time you’re back.”
“Thank you.”
Outside, Shen Xiao was talking to Yao Honglang.
“You’re going back?” Yao Honglang asked.
“Tomorrow. We should be back in three or four days,” An Xiangdi replied truthfully.
Yao Honglang let out an “oh” and said, “If there’s any update about the incident on set, I’ll contact you.”
He didn’t wait for An Xiangdi to respond and quickly walked away.
Back at the hotel, Shen Xiao helped An Xiangdi pack while An Xiangdi took care of some miscellaneous items himself.
As he tossed his rings and earrings into a jewelry box, his hand paused when he picked up a silver ring. The image of the makeup artist’s hand from earlier that morning flashed through his mind.
That ring was part of a set—but now, only one remained.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Xiao noticed his sudden pause.
“…Nothing,” An Xiangdi snapped out of it and tossed the ring into the box. With just a ring, he couldn’t accuse anyone—it could all be a coincidence.
Because his right hand was injured, taking a shower was difficult. An Xiangdi struggled on his own for a while before Shen Xiao barged into the bathroom, baring all.
“I should’ve used a plastic bag to cover it. Such a hassle,” An Xiangdi muttered, letting Shen Xiao help wash him.
“It’s not breathable,” Shen Xiao immediately dismissed the idea.
As the washcloth brushed against the back of his neck—his gland—An Xiangdi let out a muffled moan, his eyes reddening. “Don’t touch there.”
Shen Xiao glanced at the gland. Maybe it was his imagination, but it seemed more prominent than before.
He bent down and kissed it.
An Xiangdi’s knees buckled as he leaned against Shen Xiao, panting.
“I told you not to touch that.” Ever since getting pregnant, his gland had become incredibly sensitive.
Seeing his flushed cheeks, Shen Xiao gently pulled him into an embrace and kissed him deeply.
When they finally came up for air, An Xiangdi pushed him out of the bathroom regardless of his inconvenience. He needed space.
…
The next afternoon, Shen Xiao drove Cheng Youyi’s car and took An Xiangdi back to his hometown—Yaohai City, a smaller city near Zhongming City.
When An Xiangdi was little, his father, An Hongxian, had work in Zhongming City, so the family moved there and became neighbors with Shen Xiao’s family. Later, when his parents retired, they returned to their old house in Yaohai.
His parents were artists, so their home was filled with artistic touches and musical elements.
Ding Mei’s grand piano was placed in the music room on the second floor. It was one of only two limited editions in the country—money couldn’t even buy another one like it.
Shen Xiao parked the car outside their courtyard and carried multiple bags of nutritional supplements as they entered the house together.
“Dad.” Before even seeing his father, An Xiangdi called out.
This was a preemptive move—otherwise, his dad would definitely ask why he didn’t greet him upon entering.
An Hongxian was in the kitchen preparing dinner. He dropped his ladle and rushed out without even taking off his apron.
Seeing him about to hug An Xiangdi, Shen Xiao quickly stepped in front and caught him.
“Dad, Xiangdi is pregnant. Please be careful.”
An Hongxian, unable to hug his son, looked disappointed. But once the reality of the pregnancy hit, he started muttering sentimentally.
“Ah, he’s all grown up now…”
Twenty-nine-year-old An Xiangdi rubbed his nose. Thankfully Shen Xiao blocked his dad; otherwise, he probably would’ve dodged the hug and caused a round of nagging.
Ding Mei walked down the stairs from the music room in a black floral dress and a graceful updo.
“An An is home—come, let Mommy take a look at you.”
Compared to his dad, An Xiangdi was more willing to let his mom hug him.
But Ding Mei didn’t hug him. She grabbed his hand and immediately noticed the bandages.
“What happened? Are you hurt?”
“No, it’s just—”
“He’s been practicing,” Shen Xiao interrupted calmly.
“Practicing?” An Hongxian looked doubtful.
“Yes. His role in this drama includes scenes where the character has to function with an injured hand. Xiangdi wrapped it up during practice for realism,” Shen Xiao explained smoothly.
“I told you—just be a singer. Acting is too much trouble.” An Hongxian believed it completely.
An Xiangdi was surprised his parents were this easy to fool. He laughed and said,
“Trying new things is good. I’m so outstanding—I’ve got to show the world, right?”
“Absolutely!” An Hongxian slapped his thigh. “Our An An is the best in the world!”
Ding Mei couldn’t take it anymore and smacked him.
“Enough! If you keep going, your son’s going to fly into outer space!”
An Hongxian was about to argue when he suddenly remembered the soup on the stove and rushed back to the kitchen.
“I’ve already washed and aired the bedding. Go upstairs and settle in. Dinner will be ready soon,” Ding Mei said, reaching for the luggage.
Shen Xiao handed her the supplements instead.
“Mom, I’ve got the luggage.”
He hoisted up the suitcase, and An Xiangdi followed him upstairs after greeting his mom.
…
The old house wasn’t as fancy or spacious as modern villas, and An Xiangdi’s room—more like a guest room—was just the one he lived in as a child.
As soon as he opened the door, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. He flopped onto the bed like a bird returning to its nest, oddly joyful.
Shen Xiao turned on the lights and drew open the curtains.
“The desk is still here.”
An Xiangdi stared at the old, dull yellow desk. During their New Year visit, his mom had talked about replacing it. But An Hongxian had vehemently objected, saying, “All of An An’s memories must be preserved!”
Clearly, his dad’s persistence had triumphed.
“Just leave it. Doesn’t bother me.” An Xiangdi wasn’t sentimental, but having memories in a home felt warm.
“It’s a good thing. Our first kiss was here,” Shen Xiao said softly, fingers trailing over the desk.
An Xiangdi froze. He peeked at Shen Xiao and dove under the blanket.
“Let the past stay in the past.”
Shen Xiao chuckled.
“I’ll dream about it tonight—little pale-faced Xiangdi pushing me down on this desk, demanding we date, then stealing a kiss…”
“Shen Xiao!” An Xiangdi threw off the blanket, his face bright red.
“If you so much as crook your finger now, I’d still come over.” Shen Xiao stood by the bed, eyes full of affection.
An Xiangdi looked up at him, then yanked him down by the collar and bit his lower lip in retaliation. Only when he tasted bl00d did he let go.
“You’re mine.”
“I always have been.” Shen Xiao pulled him onto his lap, reclaiming control.
…
Half an hour later, at the dinner table, An Hongxian’s eyes flicked between Shen Xiao’s wounded lip and An Xiangdi’s red, swollen ones.
An Xiangdi felt uneasy under his stare and stuffed a chopstick full of greens into his mouth.
“Eat more meat,” An Hongxian said, about to serve him.
Ding Mei stopped him.
“He’s pregnant. Go easy on heavy food.”
“There’s no oil in it!” An Hongxian had gone out of his way to make the meal suitable for a pregnant person. He kept things light and nutritious—it couldn’t all be veggies.
“Eat whatever you want, An An. Don’t mind your dad,” Ding Mei said with a smile.
“Okay, you two eat too.” An Xiangdi served his dad some meat in an obvious attempt to flatter him.
An Hongxian finally stopped nagging and focused on the food.
An Xiangdi didn’t have much appetite but was better than during early pregnancy. Being home lifted his mood, and he ate over half a bowl of rice—though using chopsticks was difficult with his injured hand.
After dinner, An Hongxian cleaned up and started doing the dishes. Feeling bad for not being able to help, An Xiangdi followed him into the kitchen just to chat.
Meanwhile, Ding Mei pulled Shen Xiao aside.
“Come with Mom for a moment.”
“Okay.”
She led him into the music room and carefully shut the door.
“Thank you for taking care of An An all these years.”
“Mom, please don’t say that.”
“I’m just glad you two have such a good relationship now,” she sighed with relief. “Back then, when An An hid his pheromone issues from us and could only smell yours, we had no choice but to ask for your help. He liked you since childhood, but I always worried that his condition would chain you down…”
“Mom,” Shen Xiao suddenly grew serious. “I love him. So… I hope you won’t bring that up anymore.”
An Xiangdi’s pride ran deep. His pheromone defect had been a stain on his life, and he’d gone to great lengths to hide it. Now that things were improving, those who knew should take that secret to the grave.
“You’re right,” Ding Mei nodded. “I won’t bring it up again. But still, Shen Xiao… thank you.”
Shen Xiao let out a long sigh.
“I should be thanking you. If not for you, I might still be alone.”