TSBDRA If Line: If I had Run Away While Pregnant Extra 2

IF LINE EXTRA 2 – Xu Xishuang: I’m socially dead.

The first sign that something was wrong came when Xu Xishuang started feeling tightness in his chest, shortness of breath, and frequent headaches.

At the time, he was still traveling near the snowy mountains, and experiencing altitude sickness in high-altitude regions wasn’t unusual. Xu Xishuang didn’t think much of it. Besides, he had always been in great health since he was a child—otherwise, his family wouldn’t have let him travel the world on his own.

After leaving the Southern Hemisphere and visiting a famous vineyard to taste wine, Xu Xishuang still didn’t feel any better. In fact, things seemed to be getting worse. He couldn’t keep any food down, and he noticed he was sleeping longer and longer. His stomach had even started to swell slightly.

Xu Xishuang wasn’t the type to avoid doctors or ignore symptoms. After returning to his hotel, he called his personal physician, Dr. Xu, and described his condition in detail, waiting for a response.

Dr. Xu was silent for about a minute before finally saying, “Your symptoms… they sound an awful lot like pregnancy.”

Xu Xishuang: ?

Although Dr. Xu often joked around and had a dry sense of humor, Xu Xishuang didn’t think he would joke about something like this.

In fact, Xu Xishuang had already begun to suspect something himself—his aunt had shown similar symptoms when she was pregnant. But the problem was, he was a man. How could a man get pregnant?

With a complicated and indescribable feeling, Xu Xishuang chose to follow his instincts and made a ridiculous decision—to buy a pregnancy test.

Then, staring at the two lines on the test, he fell into a long, stunned silence.

Xu Xishuang took two hours to process everything, then called Dr. Xu again. This time, Dr. Xu reacted much faster. He stood there stunned for only five minutes before dropping his phone. He quickly picked it up and tried to speak calmly, “Mr. Xu, actually, I have a mentor named Professor Fred. He’s… been researching male pregnancy.”

“The place where Professor Fred works is actually the same city you’re in right now,” Dr. Xu spoke a little faster. “If you’re willing, you can go see him for a more precise examination to confirm whether you’re truly pregnant. If it’s confirmed, I’ll come over immediately.”

Xu Xishuang lowered his eyes. “Thank you, Dr. Xu. I understand. Sorry for the trouble.”

After hanging up, Xu Xishuang took a car to Professor Fred’s villa, which also served as his lab and private clinic. After a series of tests, Professor Fred confirmed that he was indeed pregnant and there was a new life growing inside him.

Professor Fred was both astonished and distressed, because he found that Xu Xishuang’s pregnancy was extremely dangerous. The fetus was continuously draining nutrients from Xu Xishuang’s body, which explained all his uncomfortable symptoms. And now, the child couldn’t be aborted—if it were, Xu Xishuang would die for certain. Carrying it to term was also incredibly risky, and Professor Fred couldn’t guarantee a safe delivery either.

Looking at the silent Xu Xishuang, Professor Fred, though he completely understood what he must be feeling, still asked, “The child’s father… the other father—who is it?”

There was almost no need to think about who the other father of the child was. That night with Yan Yushan had been Xu Xishuang’s first time, and after going abroad, he had been partying around nonstop. Though people had approached him, shown interest and even invited him to spend the night, he had turned them all down.

It wasn’t because Xu Xishuang was deeply in love with Yan Yushan and wanted to stay faithful. He did like him, sure, but the main reason he avoided getting involved with others was that it felt unclean to him. Romantic as chance encounters on the road might be, there was always the risk of disease.

Now that he was pregnant, there was even less reason to entertain such thoughts.

Xu Xishuang briefly explained his relationship with Yan Yushan to Professor Fred. The two of them had only slept together that one time by accident. There had been no promises made, and they had agreed not to contact each other again.

The child had come as a complete shock—no one could have predicted it. Xu Xishuang had no intention of holding Yan Yushan responsible. If he died during childbirth and only the baby was left behind, then his family would raise the child. It would have nothing to do with Yan Yushan, and he didn’t need to know.

Professor Fred expressed his understanding. He could see why Xu Xishuang had made that choice. The fact that men could get pregnant was too shocking. It was too dangerous if it got out. The fewer people who knew, the safer Xu Xishuang would be. Keeping it from the child’s other father for now was the right decision. When the public could understand and accept male pregnancy, and the law acknowledged it, then it wouldn’t be too late to tell him.

After careful thought, Xu Xishuang decided to tell his family about the pregnancy.

Mother Xu cried for a long time out of heartache. Though she desperately wanted Xu Xishuang to come home so the family could take care of him, she also knew that if he did, the news of his pregnancy would be nearly impossible to hide.

The Xu family hadn’t come this far without making enemies along the way. As the eldest son of the Xu family and the only male among the younger generation, Xu Xishuang had always been pampered growing up. With two highly capable older sisters managing the company, he had never shown any intention of taking over and often wandered the world freely. Still, there were plenty of people keeping a close eye on him.

After some discussion, Xu Xishuang ultimately decided to stay abroad for the pregnancy. He would live in Professor Fred’s private hospital, with Dr. Xu accompanying him. Only after safely delivering the baby, confirming his body was recovering, and ensuring the child’s health would he return to China.

The danger of Xu Xishuang’s pregnancy and delivery was only shared with his parents, no one else knew much. So when Xu Lu found out, she wasn’t too worried—she just thought her cousin was seriously badass. Not only was he smart, handsome, and talented in many things—he could even have a baby! She felt vindicated by all the danmei novels she had read!

Xu Lu kept pestering Xu Xishuang, trying to find out who the other father was. Mother Xu and Father Xu were also listening in, but Xu Xishuang dodged the question and soon ended the call.

The following months of pregnancy weren’t as miserable as Xu Xishuang had imagined, but they were still grueling. His once healthy body had become frail—he’d be out of breath after just a few steps, and sometimes coughed up blood, which scared Dr. Xu and Professor Fred out of their minds at first.

Dr. Xu and Professor Fred reassured him that after he gave birth, they would do their best to help him recover. He might not be as robust as he once was, but they were confident they could ensure he would live a long life. That finally eased Xu Xishuang’s mind a bit.

During the pregnancy, when he had nothing to do, Xu Xishuang would watch TV dramas and films that Yan Yushan had acted in, feeling that this way, it was as if Yan Yushan was spending time with the baby too.

Then one day, while lying on the sofa watching Yan Yushan’s latest historical drama with the baby in his belly, labor hit him without warning.

The tearing pain was indescribable. It was so intense that at one point, Xu Xishuang truly thought he was going to die. He passed out several times, and even in hindsight, the whole experience felt terrifying. Labor came half a month earlier than expected, but fortunately, Professor Fred and Dr. Xu’s medical expertise pulled him through. He survived a brush with death, and both father and child were safe.

When Xu Xishuang woke up, he stared at the bright white, familiar ceiling of the hospital and let out a long breath, filled with the relief of having made it out alive.

…

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

“Stop looking at stocks, Xu Qingci,” Xu Xishuang took the tablet from his son’s hands. “Get some sleep. When you wake up, we’ll be landing, and you’ll get to see your aunts and grandparents.”

Xu Qingci nodded. “Okay, Daddy.”

“Tudou is such a good boy,” Wen Han, sitting on the other side of the bed, glanced at Xu Qingci and called him by his nickname with a smile. “Tudou, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

Lying in the center of the first-class cabin’s bed, Xu Qingci thought for a moment, then answered Wen Han in his soft, childish voice, “Uncle Wen, I want to be a successful businessman.”

Xu Xishuang and Wen Han: …

After Xu Qingci had fallen asleep, Wen Han sat next to Xu Xishuang and couldn’t help but whisper, “I remember you once told me Tudou’s other dad was a bad-tempered celebrity, right? And you—you love freedom and travel. How did Tudou end up with such a serious, focused personality and an interest in business? Where did that come from?”

“Must be inborn,” Xu Xishuang replied, rubbing his temples, clearly exhausted. “He was precocious. Even as a baby he didn’t cry or fuss, he just liked to quietly read picture books. Later he got interested in numbers, and then with my dad… Well, you know my dad’s always wanted an heir. When he would call and talk to Tudou, he liked teaching him about business. Who would’ve thought Tudou actually picked it all up?”

Xu Xishuang shrugged. “He’s made more money from stocks than the combined net worth of the two of us.”

Wen Han glanced back at the three-year-old future business tycoon: …

Seriously… we’re not even on the same level as a three-year-old.

“Get some rest too,” Wen Han said to Xu Xishuang. “Your body still hasn’t fully recovered.”

Xu Xishuang nodded. “Alright.”

Before falling asleep with Xu Qingci in his arms, Xu Xishuang turned his head slightly to glance at Wen Han, who was sitting by the bed reading a law book, and let out a soft sigh in his heart.

Wen Han was a friend he had met two years ago—like him, he could have children.

But unlike Xu Xishuang, Wen Han had always known he could get pregnant. It was a trait passed down through a special genetic inheritance in his family, where the men were all capable of giving birth. Wen Han had chosen to become a doctor in hopes of curing himself.

He had always kept this secret hidden, but during university and swept up in love, he confided in his then-boyfriend—a scumbag.

After learning Wen Han could get pregnant, that man deliberately didn’t use protection during sex and got Wen Han pregnant. Then he threatened him to keep the baby and even tried to imprison him.

Fortunately, Wen Han managed to escape and fled abroad. He later heard that Professor Fred was researching male pregnancy, so with a nervous heart, he came to seek him out. That was when he met Xu Xishuang, who had already given birth, and the one-year-old Xu Qingci.

Later on, because Wen Han had suffered a series of shocks and betrayals during his pregnancy, constantly on the run and living in fear, his health broke down. Though he did manage to recover somewhat afterward, it still wasn’t enough to prevent the unborn child from dying due to complications.

Wen Han set up a small gravestone for the baby. He loved that child, but at the same time, the baby brought him pain because every time he thought about the other father, that man, fear would take over. Yet when he lost the baby, Wen Han felt a grief so sharp it tore through him.

It took him six months to pull himself out of the pain. He threw himself back into medicine, started working with Professor Fred, and eventually helped another man—someone like himself, who could also bear children—successfully deliver a baby.

This return to China marked the final step for Wen Han in fully moving on from his past pain. He had continued his studies abroad and was now back as an exchange student. Xu Xishuang, after giving birth, had also chosen to return to school. In order to better advocate for legislation on male pregnancy, he had gone into law and was now also returning to China as an exchange student.

What made them both happy was that they had been accepted into the same university, so they decided to come back together.

Upon hearing that Xu Xishuang was returning, the Xu family had gathered early in the airport terminal to welcome him. When they saw him leading a fair-skinned, adorable child—chubby-cheeked yet calm and serious in expression—Xu Lu couldn’t help letting out a scream. Father Xu, Mother Xu, and the rest of the sisters and relatives all broke into smiles.

Just as Xu Lu was glancing at Wen Han with curious, gossipy eyes, Xu Xishuang introduced Wen Han to them, clearly stating that they were friends and that the two of them would soon be starting grad school together.

Xu Lu quickly withdrew her gaze, sheepishly touched her face, and went off to play with her little nephew.

Wen Han had already rented a place near campus, so he said temporary goodbyes to the Xu family. Xu Xishuang returned home with his family. Just when he thought he would get to enjoy some relaxing and carefree days before school started, he never imagined that his mom—like every middle-aged woman with a kid—would start nagging him about marriage.

“Mom,” Xu Xishuang said in disbelief, “did you forget I’m technically a widower, divorced, and raising a three-year-old?”

Someone with his status would be completely undesirable on the marriage market, wouldn’t they? Besides, he had no intention of getting married again.

To protect him, the Xu family had told the outside world that the child was from a marriage Xu Xishuang had while abroad, and that the mother had passed away.

So, when he said he was a divorced, single dad and a widower, it wasn’t a lie.

Mother Xu wanted to smack him and tell him to stop talking like that, but remembering that his health wasn’t good, she pulled her hand back. She looked at Xu Qingci, who was quietly reading company documents beside her, and felt a bit better. She couldn’t help but say gently, “You’ve never told us who the child’s father is, but I have a feeling Tudou’s dad must be someone calm, mature, cold and domineering, a CEO worth hundreds of billions who could bankrupt anyone with a snap of his fingers.”

Xu Xishuang: “…Mom, maybe ease up on the CEO romance novels.”

Mother Xu huffed and looked at Xu Qingci. “Hmph, I can’t say about the rest, but with how well-behaved our Xiao Tudou is, his father must have a very gentle temper.”

Xu Xishuang was speechless: …

He thought for a moment about Tudou’s other father—Yan Yushan. Yan Yushan wasn’t some domineering CEO. He was a superstar, a top-tier film emperor. Mature and steady? Maybe. Cold and aloof? Hard to say. But sharp-tongued? Absolutely. He had made plenty of bad actors cry on set.

As for having a good temper—that was even more impossible. Xu Xishuang distinctly remembered seeing him trending on Weibo just a few days ago, where it was reported that Yan Yushan had smashed a wine bottle over a director’s head at a banquet for trying to coerce a young actress.

His mom had managed to dodge the truth with uncanny precision.

Xu Xishuang wasn’t about to say any of this out loud, let alone correct her. The whole point was that she couldn’t guess. He had no desire for any more entanglements with Yan Yushan. He was doing just fine raising the child on his own.

Xu Xishuang thought that was the end of the matchmaking attempts—until the next day, when his mom came up to him excitedly, “The Yan family is throwing a banquet. You should go. See if there are any promising young men you like.”

Xu Xishuang froze. “Which Yan family?”

“Which other one?” Mother Xu gave him a puzzled look. “You know Yan Jingmo, right? Their family.”

“I’ve heard of him,” Xu Xishuang did his best to sound calm. “Isn’t Yan Jingmo already married?”

“He is,” Mother Xu nodded. “But he has a younger brother—that movie star, Yan Yushan.”

Xu Xishuang stirred. “I don’t want to go.”

Mother Xu said, “There’ll be all kinds of people at the banquet. Don’t you want to find Tudou a dad?”

“?” Xu Xishuang turned to her. “Aren’t I Tudou’s dad?”

In the end, Mother Xu couldn’t resist and lightly smacked his arm. “Don’t be cheeky—just go!”

Xu Xishuang stayed rooted like a mountain. “You want to find Tudou a new dad, but have you even asked for his opinion? It’s not enough for me to just agree.”

Xu Qingci looked up from the contract. “I don’t mind. Grandma said it’s too hard for Daddy to take care of me all by himself, and that we should find a strong father to protect us. That way, Daddy won’t be so tired, and he’ll get better.”

“But it’s also okay if Daddy doesn’t want to find a father,” Xu Qingci added seriously, with a solemn expression. “I’ll grow up quickly so I can protect and take care of Daddy.”

Xu Xishuang was a little stunned, warmth rising in his chest. He blinked a few times but said nothing.

“You hear that? Tudou agrees,” Mother Xu said. “I just feel bad seeing you handle everything alone. Just go this time—if you really don’t find anyone you like, I won’t push you to find a partner again.”

“So?” she pressed. “Will you go or not?”

Xu Xishuang thought for a moment.

He couldn’t directly ask if Yan Yushan would be at the banquet—that would come off as too obvious. But considering someone like Yan Yushan was a big star with a packed schedule, he probably wouldn’t bother attending a social event like this. Even if he did go, with so many people around, there was no guarantee they’d even run into each other. So it didn’t matter if he went and it might even buy him a break from being nagged about marriage.

So Xu Xishuang nodded in agreement and asked casually, “Should I bring Tudou?”

Which earned him another smack from his mother.

That evening, Xu Xishuang gave Tudou a kiss on the cheek and said goodbye, then changed into a white suit. He casually picked a fresh red rose from the bouquet delivered that day and tucked it into his chest pocket before heading out to the banquet venue.

Meanwhile, elsewhere—

“Not going,” Yan Yushan said, tossing those three words to Yan Jingmo.

Flipping through a freshly delivered script in his hands, he added coolly, “You and Yu Bai-ge can host the banquet yourselves. My schedule’s packed lately.”

Of course, that was a lie. Yan Yushan was already in a semi-retired state. He had won every major award there was to win, acted in every genre of film and television. The workaholic phase of his life was long behind him and now he was just a leisurely free agent. That also meant he was getting pestered about marriage more and more at home, especially after his older brother Yan Jingmo had rekindled his romance with his first love, Yu Bai, and ended up marrying him. With that happy ending, their parents had grown even more impatient with their still-single younger son.

Yan Jingmo said only six words. “Xu Xishuang will be there too.”

He knew about the time Yan Yushan had asked Xu Xishuang for his WeChat. Their circles overlapped, so he was also aware that Yan Yushan had quietly followed Xu Xishuang for the past three years—never reaching out, never interfering, just watching from a distance to make sure he was doing well. Carefully. Silently.

For someone like Yan Yushan, who had a notoriously bad temper, to behave that way—Xu Xishuang was the first. If anyone claimed Yan Yushan had no feelings for him, Yan Jingmo would be the last to believe it.

Upon hearing those words, Yan Yushan paused, then casually tossed the script aside. “When did he come back?”

“Just a few days ago,” Yan Jingmo replied. “So, are you coming or not?”

Yan Yushan was silent for a few seconds. “I’m coming.”

While Yan Yushan was on his way to the banquet, Xu Xishuang had already arrived. The moment he stepped out of the car, he drew plenty of attention. Since he had been out of the scene for three years, many of the newer socialites didn’t recognize him and quietly asked those around them for his name.

Someone who knew him answered in a low voice, “That’s Xu Xishuang, the eldest son of the Xu family.”

Hearing someone call his name, Xu Xishuang tilted his head slightly. A few soft strands of his long black hair slipped past his ear as he glanced over. Realizing they were talking about him, he didn’t react. There’s no emotion on his face. His long lashes fluttered slightly before he looked away and continued walking toward the main hall, casually adjusting the red rose on his chest as he went.

The person nearby couldn’t take their eyes off Xu Xishuang’s profile. “What a fitting name. Truly an ice-cold beauty.”

Xu Xishuang had never liked these kinds of social events. To him, attending a banquet wasn’t nearly as appealing as catching a wave by the sea. As a result, his expression inevitably showed a hint of irritation. Coupled with his naturally cool features, that slight annoyance came off as cold indifference, deterring many of the men and women who’d initially wanted to strike up a conversation.

After all, everyone attending this banquet came from elite families—the kind used to being pursued, admired, and surrounded by flattery. Naturally, they were proud, and even in the face of beauty, none of them wanted to risk being rejected and embarrassed in front of others.

Inside the hall, Yan Jingmo was holding a glass of wine, chatting with Yu Bai about how Yan Yushan would be arriving later. Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw Xu Xishuang walk in. He paused, then said quietly to Yu Bai, “He’s here.”

Yu Bai discreetly glanced over.

Some people just seemed to carry a different kind of aura—Xu Xishuang stood out in the crowd, almost glowing, drawing everyone’s attention without even trying.

With so many eyes on him, Xu Xishuang frowned slightly. He had only wanted to sneak over to the dessert table for a cream puff. But now that everyone was staring, how was he supposed to go?

Yu Bai pulled back his gaze and whispered in awe, “He’s really beautiful.”

“Xiao Shan’s got his work cut out for him,” Yan Jingmo said with a slight smile. “Alright, I’ll go start the banquet and say the usual pleasantries.”

Most of the guests had arrived. Yan Jingmo stepped to the front of the crowd, raised his glass, and gave the customary welcome, inviting everyone to enjoy themselves freely.

Taking advantage of everyone’s attention on Yan Jingmo, Xu Xishuang quietly slipped away, looped around the back, and made his way to the dessert table. He picked up a small plate, selected a slice of cream-covered cake and a cream puff, then crouched beside the table, using it as cover, and began happily eating.

At the same moment, Yan Yushan arrived at the hall.

He heard his brother’s voice and realized the banquet was starting. Not wanting to interrupt the speech or get mobbed by people trying to talk to him, he kept to the back. Dealing with all that socializing was annoying.

He had come tonight for one reason only. To see one person. As long as he could get close enough to say hello, that would be enough. If things went well, he hoped to get his WeChat added back too.

Thinking it over, Yan Yushan also circled around to the back, approaching the dessert and drinks table to wait until the speech was over.

There, Xu Xishuang was happily eating his cream puff, completely unaware that cream had smudged the tip of his nose.

A shadow suddenly fell over him. Xu Xishuang froze, finger halfway to his lips, about to lick off a bit of cream, and slowly turned his head.

Yan Yushan hadn’t noticed anyone crouched there at first. It was only when he got closer that he spotted someone in a white suit squatting beside the table, back turned to him, seemingly eating something.

Out of politeness, Yan Yushan started to step aside so he wouldn’t disturb them—just as the other person slowly turned around.

In that instant, both of them froze.

Xu Xishuang: …Ahhhhhh I want to die of embarrassment!! Why, why did it have to be Yan Yushan?!!

Yan Yushan: …He likes cream, and licks his fingers like a cat. So cute.