Pregnant With The Pup Of A Wealthy Old Man - Chapter 112

Chapter 112: Shen Xingting vs. Cen Jing

 

When Shen Xingting returned home with a cake and lunch, it was just past noon. The sound of running water came from the kitchen. He placed the cake and lunch on the table, walked into the kitchen, and saw Cen Jing standing by the sink, washing some greens.

 

He silently walked up and hugged him from behind.

 

“Why are you up?”

 

“Hungry.” Cen Jing’s body was still unwell. He leaned back, resting against Shen Xingting’s chest. “It’s only twelve. The party’s already over?”

 

“Not interesting. I wanted to come back and spend time with you.” Shen Xingting kissed the back of Cen Jing’s neck and said, “No need to cook. I bought lunch.”

 

Cen Jing turned around, hooked his arms around Shen Xingting’s neck, and asked, “What about my cake?”

 

“How could I neglect something my dear wife requested?” Shen Xingting leaned down to kiss his lips and smiled. “I bought two flavors, both your favorites.”

 

Cen Jing’s eyes lit up. He tiptoed to kiss Shen Xingting’s cheek, then wrapped his arms tightly around his neck, resting his head against Shen Xingting’s chest.

 

“My back hurts. Carry me over.”

 

“Okay.” Seeing him acting coy, Shen Xingting’s eyes curved with a smile.

 

He turned off the faucet and carried Cen Jing horizontally to the living room.

 

Although Cen Jing’s heart condition had been treated, he still needed medication for recovery. After lunch, Shen Xingting coaxed him into taking his medicine and then carried him back to the bedroom for a nap. When they woke up, neither of them got up; instead, they lay on the bed, holding each other and chatting.

 

“Shen Xingting, you’ve grown stubble,” Cen Jing said, touching the emerging stubble on Shen Xingting’s chin.

 

Shen Xingting responded with an “Hmm” and then kissed his forehead.

 

“I’m twenty now. Isn’t it normal to grow stubble?”

 

Hearing this, Cen Jing smiled with curved eyes. “I’m nineteen.”

 

“Perfect. Call me ‘brother,’ then.” Shen Xingting pinched his chin and raised an eyebrow.

 

Cen Jing blinked. “You can only pick one: ‘brother’ or ‘husband.’ Which do you choose?”

 

Of course, Shen Xingting chose “husband.” “I take back my last statement. I choose ‘husband.’”

 

Cen Jing laughed, leaned forward to kiss his lips, then wrapped his arms around Shen Xingting’s neck and softly called him, “Husband.”

 

Shen Xingting’s heart raced, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red. He responded with a composed “Hmm,” pretending to stay calm as he held Cen Jing in his arms.

 

With his head buried entirely in Shen Xingting’s chest, Cen Jing didn’t notice the redness creeping up his ears and cheeks.

 

…

 

The next day was the school registration day. Shen Xingting didn’t have morning classes but still got up early to accompany Cen Jing.

 

He rode his bike, carrying Cen Jing to school. While Cen Jing attended class, he sat on a bench outside the classroom, reading medical books on his phone. When it was time for lunch, he held Cen Jing’s hand, ignoring the curious stares from others, and went to the cafeteria together.

 

Dong Xinyu thought Shen Xingting had deliberately humiliated her yesterday, but today, she saw him entering the school with another boy, personally escorting him to class. At the cafeteria, he bought food, brought water, and took care of the boy meticulously, like a parent with their child.

 

She stared at their close backs, biting her lip.

 

“Where did this Cen Jing come from? I’ve never heard Shen Xingting mention him before,” said Sun Mei, who always tried to curry favor with Dong Xinyu, offering advice. “Xinyu, you can’t let this slide. Your mom has been pushing for you to marry into the Wang family. If she finds out you’re not actually dating Shen Xingting, she’ll force you to marry!”

 

Dong Xinyu’s family owned a business. Recently, her father had to retire, and her mother’s business faced significant challenges. Many companies they’d previously worked with wanted to take advantage of the situation, but the Wang family, who had received favors from her father in the past, didn’t seize the opportunity and even proposed marriage.

 

However, Dong Xinyu didn’t like Wang Sen at all. She felt nothing for him, and such a marriage would never bring her happiness.

 

Besides, Wang Sen was too ordinary-looking. Though Shen Xingting’s family background was modest, he was handsome and smart. Dong Xinyu firmly believed that with the right platform, Shen Xingting would surprise everyone.

 

Thinking about this, Dong Xinyu frowned at the smiling side profile of the boy next to Shen Xingting.

 

That afternoon, Shen Xingting had classes at another campus. To ensure Cen Jing wouldn’t be bored, he asked Li Jue to accompany him to explore the school.

 

Li Jue had always assumed Cen Jing was a girl. Seeing him now as a boy left him utterly stunned.

 

“Damn, Cen Jing, you’re a guy!” Li Jue exclaimed, staring at Cen Jing’s clean short hair, white T-shirt, and jeans in shock.

 

“Sorry, I wasn’t well before. My family raised me as a girl since childhood to avoid accidents.” Cen Jing smiled gently, but his voice immediately revealed his identity.

 

Li Jue gaped. “Wow, even your voice changed!”

 

“Quit overreacting.” Shen Xingting gave him a light smack on the back of the head. “He had a late voice change.”

 

“So what? Why hit me?” Li Jue muttered, rubbing his head.

 

“It’s getting late. You should head to class,” Cen Jing said to Shen Xingting.

 

“Alright.” Shen Xingting hugged him, nuzzling his hair reluctantly. “I’ll go now. Let Li Jue show you around for a bit.”

 

“Mm.”

 

“Ugh, so lovey-dovey.” After Shen Xingting left, Li Jue clicked his tongue. “A few days ago, he criticized me for being overly sweet to girls. He should hear himself now. Such a double standard.”

 

He glanced at Cen Jing, who was smiling at him with curved eyes, and immediately felt a chill down his spine.

 

“Ahem, I wasn’t criticizing him. I was saying you two are so close! I’m genuinely happy for you guys, finally being together after all these years!” Li Jue rambled.

 

Hearing him mention the past, Cen Jing’s delicate brows furrowed.

 

“Li Jue, could you tell me about what happened after I left? Shen Xingting refuses to tell me.”

 

Hearing this, Li Jue’s expression turned serious.

 

“Of course, but I don’t know much. I just know that the day you didn’t show up at school, he learned from the homeroom teacher that you were preparing to go abroad. He skipped classes to look for you at home, but by the time he got there, you and your family had already moved.

 

“The next time I saw Shen Xingting was a week later. He came back to school quieter and more withdrawn, dedicating himself to studying. During breaks and lunch, he read medical books that no one else could understand. His roommate Guo Xiaojun said he would often see Shen Xingting studying late into the night.

 

“I later found out he wanted to go to medical school. His grades were way above the bar for S University’s medical department, but he was determined to go there because it was your shared dream. Studying medicine was his lifelong promise to you.”

 

Li Jue looked at him. “As Shen Xingting’s friend, I’m so grateful you came back.”

 

Seeing Cen Jing bow his head silently, Li Jue thought he was crying and panicked. “Don’t cry! If Shen Xingting finds out, he’ll think I bullied you!”

 

“I’m not crying,” Cen Jing said, lifting his head.

 

Li Jue saw that his eyes were only slightly red and sighed in relief.

 

His phone buzzed. He checked the message from their advisor asking class representatives to attend a meeting.

 

“Seriously? A meeting now?”

 

“If you’re busy, go ahead. I’ll be fine on my own,” Cen Jing said.

 

Li Jue hesitated. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

 

Cen Jing smiled. “I’m not a girl, remember? I’m a guy, just like you.”

 

Li Jue scratched his head. “Right. I forgot. Alright, I’ll leave, but hurry home so Shen Xingting doesn’t worry.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Li Jue ran toward the office building while calling Shen Xingting, but the call showed that the other party was busy and unable to answer. He then switched to sending a WeChat message instead.

 

Meanwhile, Cen Jing sat alone on the bench for about ten minutes. Just as he was about to leave, Dong Xinyu suddenly appeared and blocked his way.

 

Cen Jing thought she was there to find some peace as well, so he grabbed his backpack and tried to walk around her. However, she pulled his backpack strap and yanked him back.

 

He frowned and turned around, looking at her with displeasure.

“Let go.”

 

Dong Xinyu was infuriated by his tone.

“So, you’re Cen Jing?” she asked, her tone laced with disdain.

 

Cen Jing gave her a quick glance and didn’t bother responding. He tried to walk away again, but she stepped in front of him, spreading her arms to block his way.

“What’s your relationship with Shen Xingting?” she asked, hostility in her voice.

 

“What does it have to do with you?” Cen Jing replied coldly.

 

“I’m Shen Xingting’s girlfriend. Do you think it has anything to do with me? You’re just a first-year student, yet on your first day of school, you managed to lure my boyfriend away. You’ve got some nerve!” Dong Xinyu gritted her teeth. “I’m warning you: stay away from Shen Xingting, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences!”

 

Hearing this, Cen Jing finally looked at her directly.

“Oh? And what consequences would those be? Are you planning to make me drop out of S University?”

 

Dong Xinyu faltered. That was indeed what she wanted to say, but she hadn’t expected him to beat her to it.

 

“You say Shen Xingting is your boyfriend, but do you know that he has been in love with someone for five or six years now?” Cen Jing smiled at her. “Well, guess what? That someone is me.”

 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to head home to cook dinner for my boyfriend.”

 

Dong Xinyu was furious as she watched Cen Jing walk away. She shouted after him, “My mom donated ten million yuan to this school! Even if I can’t make you drop out, I can make sure you don’t graduate!”

 

Cen Jing ignored her and put on his earphones to listen to music.

 

That evening, after finishing his classes, Shen Xingting came home and heard Cen Jing mention the encounter. He immediately called the university president and donated twenty million yuan in both their names.

 

The next day, the president publicly announced the donation, leaving everyone stunned.

 

“So Shen Xingting is actually that wealthy? He’s always been so low-key that I thought he was just like us—an ordinary guy.”

 

“Wow, twenty million! He donated it just like that. The last person to donate this much was Dong Xinyu’s mother, who gave ten million back then.”

 

“Yeah, and five million of that was used for scholarships. Dong Xinyu herself pocketed five hundred thousand, even though her grades only qualified her for the one-hundred-thousand tier.”

 

“Shh, be careful what you say about Dong Xinyu. Her fans might come for you if they hear this!”

 

While everyone whispered amongst themselves, Shen Xingting was holding Cen Jing’s hand and strolling around campus.

 

“This is the Maple Forest. In autumn, it turns bright red—really beautiful,” Shen Xingting said.

 

Cen Jing tilted his head to look at him.

“Let’s come back to see it together then.”

 

Shen Xingting tightened his grip on Cen Jing’s hand and smiled.

“Of course.”

 

Someone captured a photo of them holding hands and posted it on the school forum. The person didn’t mean any harm but felt that the couple’s backs looked so compatible that they had to share it.

 

Since Shen Xingting was already a well-known figure on campus, his relationship naturally became a hot topic. Within half an hour, the post had garnered hundreds of comments and even got pinned by the moderators.

 

[Ahhh! I knew someone as amazing as Shen Xingting would definitely have a significant other!]

[I’m heartbroken! But honestly, his boyfriend is so good-looking.]

[+1, he’s gorgeous! Look at that tear mole at the corner of his eye!]

[They’re such a perfect match. I’m shipping them so hard!]

 

However, amidst the flood of positive comments, one malicious remark surfaced:

[This is hilarious. Shen Xingting is just a gold-digger! He’s just an ordinary guy renting a tiny apartment. Where did he get twenty million? It’s all Cen Jing’s money! He’s a transfer student from Country Y and the son of an earl worth billions!]

 

Initially, no one paid attention, but the comment received so many likes and replies that it climbed to the top.

 

Li Jue, who was having lunch with a sweet-looking junior, glanced at her phone screen and saw the comment. Furious, he slammed the table and pulled out his own phone.

[Are you kidding me? The young master of the Fu Group doesn’t need to mooch off anyone! Get lost.]

 

His reply sent people scrambling to investigate. Shen Xingting had always kept a low profile, but within ten minutes, forum users uncovered some old clues.

 

[Here’s a photo from 14 years ago taken by a paparazzo. Look at the little boy in Fu Ting’s arms—he looks just like Shen Xingting!]

[OMG, I found more! Photos of Yunxing taking his youngest son to visit family and the entire family going to the movies together! Shen Xingting is indeed Fu Ting and Yunxing’s son!]

 

The revelation shocked everyone. No one had expected Shen Xingting, who lived so modestly, to be the second young master of the Fu Group.

 

[I played basketball with the young master before. My life is complete!]

[Basketball? Pfft, I gave him an award and shook his hand!]

[You guys are nothing. I’ve used the same bathroom and shower as the young master!]

[Um… bro, that’s kind of creepy.]

 

Meanwhile, Li Jue was panicking.

Young Master, I didn’t mean to! I was just trying to protect your and Young Madam’s reputation!

 

Unaware of the commotion, Shen Xingting and Cen Jing were enjoying a candlelit dinner at home.

 

“Xiao Jing, I’m ready. Are you?” Shen Xingting, dressed in formal attire, knocked on the bedroom door.

 

Cen Jing had kicked him out earlier to change alone. “Almost. Turn around and don’t peek!”

 

“Okay, I won’t look,” Shen Xingting said, though his eyes stayed glued to the door.

 

The door opened a crack, and Cen Jing peeked out to check if he was behaving. Seeing Shen Xingting facing the door, his cheeks flushed.

“I knew you wouldn’t listen!”

 

“Fine, fine, I won’t look,” Shen Xingting said soothingly, turning away.

 

Only then did Cen Jing step out, carefully adjusting his long dress.

 

“Can I turn around now?” Shen Xingting asked.

 

“Not yet,” Cen Jing replied, focusing on arranging the hemline. Finally, he stood up straight, took a deep breath, and said nervously, “Okay, you can turn around now.”

 

When Shen Xingting turned and saw him, he fell silent, his gaze fixed on Cen Jing.

 

Feeling self-conscious, Cen Jing fidgeted with the skirt.

“It looks weird, doesn’t it? I’ll go change.”

 

“You look stunning,” Shen Xingting finally said, stepping forward to hold his face gently. “Like a princess.”

 

He looked at the white gown and the golden curls cascading down Cen Jing’s back.

“This dress…”

 

“I picked it up,” Cen Jing admitted shyly.

 

Shen Xingting cupped his face and whispered, “Why? Back then, you probably hated me.”

 

Cen Jing looked up at him with a soft smile.

“I did, but the thought of throwing away such a beautiful dress made me feel terrible. It was like I was losing something important along with it.”

 

Understanding his unspoken feelings, Shen Xingting smiled and took a step back, extending his hand.

“Then, my dear princess, may I have the honor of sharing this meal with you?”

 

Cen Jing laughed.

“Are you a prince?”

 

“No, I’m a knight—a knight devoted to protecting his princess.”

 

“You’re so cheesy!” Cen Jing teased.

 

“Don’t you like it?”

 

“Well, maybe a little. Say more.”

 

“My dear princess, you are the light of my life. Without you, my world would be meaningless. So please, let me stay by your side forever.”

 

“Stop, stop! I’m laughing so hard I’m about to cry!”

 

…

 

It’s never the distant prince but the loyal knight by the princess’s side who brings her true happiness.