Who am I?
Where am I?
What did he say? What did I hear?
Lin Qiong suddenly sat up, stunned on the examination table, looking at the screen with a blank expression.
Three minutes later, Lin Qiong lay back down, saying, "Oh, it's a tumor."
Doctor: !!!
"Please don't deceive yourself, patient!"
The doctor then pointed again at the small grayish spot, saying, "It's a child."
Lin Qiong nodded seriously, "A tumor."
"It's about a month old."
Lin Qiong curled up, "I still have a month to live."
"..."
The report was printed out shortly after, and this time the doctor directly stuck the result in front of Lin Qiong's face.
Then, pressing down on the other's shoulder, the doctor tried to make Lin Qiong accept reality, "It's a child."
Lin Qiong refused, "No, it's a tumor."
The doctor shook Lin Qiong's shoulders anxiously, "It's a child! Why don't you believe me?!"
Lin Qiong was equally frantic, "It would be better to have a tumor! It could at least be benign!!!"
Doctor: "How can you say that? Aren't you worried about the child in your belly being hurt by your words?!"
Lin Qiong looked at the doctor, almost in tears, "How could a man be pregnant? Am I not a man?!!!"
Doctor: "Isn't that something you should be asking yourself?!"
Lin Qiong looked down at his lower body.
Doctor: ...
This is too crazy, this world is just too crazy!
Lin Qiong couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he was pregnant.
He then looked down at his stomach, covered in gel, and noticed a slight curve on his pale skin.
Lin Qiong was shocked and, feeling incredibly sensitive, stammered, "Doctor, why is my stomach slightly bulging?"
The doctor began to calmly reassure him, "Because there's a child."
Lin Qiong couldn't hear anything, "But I didn't eat breakfast this morning."
"Because there's a child in your belly!"
Lin Qiong kept babbling, "And I even went to the bathroom."
The doctor suddenly shouted, "Because there's a child in your belly!!!"
A nearby nurse quickly stepped in to calm the doctor and quietly reminded, "It's only been a month, so it wouldn't show at this point."
The doctor then looked at Lin Qiong, "Then you've gained weight."
"..."
Lin Qiong continued to find excuses, "But my appetite hasn't been good lately. Why would I gain weight?"
"Because of the child."
Lin Qiong's pupils trembled, and a sense of unease and shock gradually filled his heart.
He then spoke, "Doctor, just tell me how much longer I have to live."
The doctor frowned, "What kind of talk is that? You should live a long life."
Lin Qiong used the tissue the nurse gave him to wipe the gel off his belly. "Didn't you say I was pregnant?"
"Yes, although it might affect your health, it's not significant. Besides, you're in very good health right now. If you want to keep the baby, there's no problem."
Lin Qiong looked at his pale belly, remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Doctor, why am I pregnant?"
The doctor, understanding Lin Qiong's concerns, replied, "Although there are only two sexes, people have different constitutions from birth. Male pregnancies were discovered fifty years ago and are not uncommon internationally. Though rare, cases like yours are not unheard of. Our hospital has previously had two male patients like you, and both delivered successfully."
The doctor patted Lin Qiong's shoulder, "You don't need to put too much pressure on yourself. Seeing as you're young, this might be your first time becoming a father. You can discuss this with your partner; keeping the baby might not be a bad thing."
The doctor looked Lin Qiong in the eyes, "Think positively. You should be proud."
Lin Qiong was puzzled, "Proud of what?"
"Whatever other men have, you have, and you even have something extra."
Lin Qiong: ...
Thank you, that was somewhat comforting...
As the doctor began to write notes, he continued, "Both you and the baby are healthy according to the checkup. It could be because you usually exercise, so you're physically fit, and your pregnancy is going well."
Lin Qiong felt a bit guilty hearing this.
His only exercise was intense bed activities.
He then asked, "Does that mean we can't, you know, do that?"
Though he was indirect, the doctor understood, "Of course not, it's only been a month. If you really want to, you'll have to wait until after three months."
The doctor looked at Lin Qiong and continued, "It's normal for young people to have strong needs, but now that you have a child, prioritize health first and hold off on sexual activity for now."
Lin Qiong blushed at the doctor's words.
The doctor prescribed some supplements for helping with morning sickness and then handed Lin Qiong a small booklet of pregnancy guidelines. "This contains important information for pregnant women, including what to eat and what to avoid. You should read it carefully with your partner and pay attention to it in your daily life."
Lin Qiong took the booklet like a puppet on strings, his mind already wandering far away.
He left the hospital in a daze and sat on a park bench, looking lost.
Staring at his blood test and ultrasound results, he realized he was truly pregnant.
A man like him, and yet there's a little life growing inside his belly.
Lin Qiong stared blankly, realizing he was living out a storyline from a fictional story about male pregnancy!
However, a deep sense of unease crept in. Although there were cases like his, Lin Qiong knew it wasn't normal. Would he be seen as an anomaly? Would he scare Fu Xingyun?
Instinctively, Lin Qiong placed his hand on his still-flat stomach, which looked just as normal as before, as if there was nothing inside.
"Mom! Come quickly! Let's fly a kite!"
Lin Qiong's attention was drawn to a little girl pulling her father along, waiting for her mother. This was a familiar sight from his childhood—a family of three, different families but all the same to him because he envied them.
He envied others for having parents, for having love.
Lin Qiong's gaze unconsciously followed the family. If he could see himself now, he would know that his expression hadn't changed since he was a skinny dirty child longing for a family.
Gradually, the images in his mind shifted, replacing the family with himself and Fu Xingyun, playing and flying kites with a child.
He wasn't sure how long he sat there, but when he finally stood up from the bench, it was already evening.
Lin Qiong intended to go grocery shopping as usual, but his feet unconsciously led him towards the mall. When he snapped back to reality, he found himself stepping into a baby store.
Seeing the approaching store clerk, Lin Qiong was flustered, "I... I'm just looking around."
The clerk, accustomed to such customers, quickly guessed, "You're going to be a dad, right?"
Blushing, Lin Qiong nodded.
The store clerk, noticing Lin Qiong's shyness, asked, "When is your wife due?"
Lin Qiong, feeling embarrassed, replied, "Actually, it's only been a month."
The clerk wasn't surprised and congratulated him, "Congratulations."
"Thank you."
As Lin Qiong left the store, he held a small doll in his hand, only the size of his palm. He thought it would be perfect for a child to play with.
At home, Lin Qiong was anxious and conflicted. He had no idea how to tell Fu Xingyun about the pregnancy. He lacked the courage, even though he knew Fu Xingyun loved him deeply. He couldn't be sure if the man would be frightened by the news.
The sound of the door unlocking startled Lin Qiong, and he quickly hid the items he brought home behind a couch cushion.
When Fu Xingyun walked in, Lin Qiong, instead of greeting him as usual, nervously sat on the couch, worried about the hidden items being discovered.
"You... you're back."
Fu Xingyun loosened two buttons on his shirt and walked over to sit beside Lin Qiong, then held open his arms.
Though Fu Xingyun said nothing, Lin Qiong instinctively moved into his embrace.
Fu Xingyun's large hands immediately wrapped around Lin Qiong's waist, pulling him closer.
This affectionate gesture satisfied Fu Xingyun, who then gently asked, "What did you do today?"
Lin Qiong looked away, "Not much..."
He was hesitant, unsure of how to bring up the topic.
Fu Xingyun kissed his ear and whispered, "I'll spend more time with you once I finish up in a few days."
At those words, Lin Qiong shivered.
"Didn't we just spend time together last weekend..."
Remembering that he had already been pregnant last weekend, Lin Qiong broke into a cold sweat, relieved nothing had gone wrong.
He raised his hand and patted his chest, trying to work up courage.
Deep down, Lin Qiong wanted this child, but he couldn't shake his unease and fear. After all, for a man who had lived two lifetimes, suddenly becoming pregnant wasn't something he could easily accept.
After dinner, the two of them settled on the couch; Fu Xingyun read some documents while Lin Qiong watched TV.
Lin Qiong swallowed nervously and glanced at Fu Xingyun, deciding to test the waters. He then switched the TV to a children's channel, hoping to ease into the conversation.
"Xingyun."
Fu Xingyun glanced at him, "Yes?"
Lin Qiong asked cautiously, "Do you like children?"
Fu Xingyun responded honestly, "No strong feelings."
He neither liked nor disliked them.
He looked at Lin Qiong, "Do you?"
Lin Qiong felt a bit awkward, "I just think kids are pretty cute."
Fu Xingyun recalled the silly things Fu Jinglin did when he was little. Children could indeed be cute. When Fu Jinglin did something foolish as a child, it was endearing, but as an adult, it was just frustrating...
Fu Xingyun continued flipping through his documents, "They are pretty cute."
To be honest, Fu Xingyun looked very attractive when he was focused on work. Lin Qiong swallowed nervously, "Do you want to have a child?"
Fu Xingyun replied, "No need."
Their life together had just begun, and Fu Xingyun had plans for their romantic world well into their old age.
Lin Qiong was momentarily stunned.
Fu Xingyun turned to Lin Qiong with a teasing smile, "Do you want to have a child with me?"
Lin Qiong blushed, "What... what are you saying?!"
Fu Xingyun closed his documents and pulled Lin Qiong into his arms.
Lin Qiong was startled, "What are you doing?!"
Fu Xingyun: "Having a child with you."
Lin Qiong realized what Fu Xingyun intended and immediately started to struggle. "No, we can't do this now!"
Seeing Lin Qiong's anxious expression, Fu Xingyun looked at him seriously, "What's wrong?"
Lin Qiong hesitated for a long time, his mouth opening and closing, before finally managing to say, "There's something wrong with my body."
He handed Fu Xingyun the report he had hidden under the cushion.
Seeing the hospital logo, Fu Xingyun was stunned. He quickly pulled out the ultrasound image, not even reading the report's text. He stared at the grayish shadow on the scan.
Suddenly, he pulled Lin Qiong into a tight hug.
"Don't be afraid. I'll make sure to get the best doctor to treat and remove it."
Lin Qiong: !!!