The Gentle Man Next Door is a Rabbit - 65

 

TGMNDIAR - 65

Xu Mu was stunned for a few seconds, uncertain, and then he sniffed again. 

But he got scratched by a claw. 

"Hiss—" Xu Mu's brow twitched. "Did your nails grow longer?" 

The lop-eared rabbit seemed not to hear him, kicking its legs anxiously, and making gurgling noises in its throat. 

The previously pacified agitation and anxiety surged up again, and his ears flapped wildly. 

Xu Mu firmly held onto the lop-eared rabbit in his hands, asking anxiously, "Brother Nian, what's wrong?" 

The lop-eared rabbit twisted its body, its legs kicking fiercely forward. 

Xu Mu agilely dodged and found his previous position and buried his face in its belly again. 

The fur was soft against his skin, not prickly at all. 

Based on the sensation just now, Xu Mu slowly moved his lips downward. 

One hand groped on top, pushing aside layers of fur. 

Huh? Why does it feel like there's more flesh on the belly? 

Xu Mu wasn't sure, so he pinched it, finding it bulging. 

His first reaction was that it had gained weight. 

But upon further thought, he found it not very scientific. 

"Brother Nian, I feel like your belly..." 

Xu Mu pinched left and right. 

Woosh—

Xu Mu saw an arc flying from the air straight towards his eyes. Without time to think, he immediately closed them.

In an instant, a faint milk fragrance flooded his nose. 

Xu Mu pursed his lips, tasting the flavor seeping into his mouth, a hint of milk mixed with a slightly fishy smell.

His gaze fell on the lop-eared rabbit's belly as he opened his palm.

"You... are you having a false pregnancy?" Xu Mu had only raised male rabbits in his past life and had only read about female rabbits in rabbit-raising manuals. He carefully examined the lop-eared rabbit's body, noticing its slightly round and bulging belly. He also discovered a spot on its paw that had been bitten bare.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Xu Mu gently held the lop-eared rabbit's hand, his brows tightly furrowed.

Bai Nian felt uncomfortable all over, especially in his stomach, he had the urge to vomit. His ears drooped forward, remaining silent.

The more Xu Mu looked, the more distressed he became. "Ah, Brother Nian, you should have told me about your false pregnancy."

"Let me see your hand, did you draw blood from your scratches..." Suddenly, he paused, a sudden realization hitting him.

Wait a minute, Brother Nian's gender seems to be—

Xu Mu lowered his head, asking with difficulty, "Brother Nian, you're not... really pregnant, are you?"

Carefully calculating, it wasn't entirely impossible. At least, based on their previous frequency, there were several times that they did it without using any protection...

Xu Mu's hand trembled, his voice unconsciously becoming cautious. "Shouldn't we... get a check-up first?"

Bai Nian reluctantly summoned his spirits, sighing silently. This kid actually thinks quite a lot...

It wasn’t easy for him to get pregnant, after all. Bai Nian was well aware of his physical condition; the development of his internal structure wasn't optimal, making it difficult for him to conceive.

"Brother Nian?" Xu Mu's mind was in disarray, his voice barely audible as he gently caressed the lop-eared rabbit's cheek.

Bai Nian leaned against Xu Mu, his tail swaying ever so slightly. Yet, he still extended his hand and gently touched Xu Mu's cheek.

He said, ‘Don't worry.’

In the room, an already-used pregnancy test strip lay diagonally on the bedside table, its torn packaging scattered around.

"You can't eat anything at all?" Xu Mu crouched by the bedside, his chin resting on the blanket as he softly inquired.

"...Don't feel like it," Bai Nian replied wearily, his voice slightly muffled.

Xu Mu pushed aside his damp bangs and wiped his forehead with a tissue. "But if you don't eat at noon and then skip dinner, won't your stomach feel uncomfortable?"

"Eating makes it even more uncomfortable," Ba Nian muttered.

Xu Mu reached under the blanket and rubbed his stomach. It dawned on him belatedly that Ba Nian's waist seemed a bit softer compared to before. Previously, he could easily feel his bones, but now it was rather soft.

"Annoying..." Bai Nian sounded somewhat irritated.

"What's wrong?" Xu Mu didn't quite catch it, only hearing one word.

Bai Nian muttered, "Don't touch me."

"Okay, okay, I won't touch you," Xu Mu quickly withdrew his hand. Despite having tested and confirmed that it was a false alarm, and just a false pregnancy, Ba Nian's hormones were unstable and many of her actions were subconscious.

Sure enough, the next second, Bai Nian apologetically murmured, "I'm sorry, Ah Mu, I can't control my emotions..."

His nerves were taut, and he felt a slight pain..

Even lying down like this, his stomach churned uncomfortably, making him feel nauseous but unable to vomit.

"It's okay," Xu Mu shook his head. "Still feel like vomiting? Do you want to smell some peppermint oil?"

"No need..."

"You've sweated a lot. Shall I wipe it off for you?"

"Mm..."

Xu Mu carefully wiped Bai Nian's face, neck, and back.

Suddenly, Bai Nian tensed up all over, his face turning a shade paler.

Xu Mu immediately noticed. "Feeling nauseous?"

He was always mindful of what Ba Nian had said about feeling sick and wanting to vomit.

"Not really," Bai Nian's voice weakened slightly. 

Due to the surge in hormones, his chest felt constricted. A dull, throbbing pain pounded his nerves, causing immense suffering. Plus, being pinched during his transformation left him in a state of discomfort.

It was like a dam blocking the flow of water, exerting all his strength but unable to break through.

Xu Mu felt distressed watching him. "Shouldn't we go to the hospital?"

Bai Nian immediately rejected the idea. "No need. Going to the hospital won't help. Doctors can't prescribe any medicine."

"How would we know if we don't go?" Xu Mu was getting anxious.

Bai Nian coughed softly and his lips grew paler, his attitude becoming noticeably resistant.

"I understand my own body's condition," he murmured. "I already have a hormonal imbalance issue, which fluctuates between good and bad. I usually take some medication for it... so certain common drugs are not suitable for me."

Xu Mu fell silent. He couldn't quite grasp his feelings about all this. These things... he seemed to have completely overlooked.

"I'm sorry, Brother Nian, I didn't know—" Xu Mu began, feeling guilty.

"No need to apologize," Bai Nian interrupted softly. "I didn't mention it, and there weren't any symptoms before. How could you have known?"

"But there were symptoms. Weren't the frequent transformations a sign?" Xu Mu countered.

"That's a different matter," Bai Nian sighed. He didn't have the energy to argue with Xu Mu. 

Then, softly, he added, "I feel a bit cold, Ah Mu, can you hold me?"

Xu Mu felt awkward. "How should I hold you? Should I come on top? Hold you over the covers? Or should I hold you inside the covers?"

Bai Nian smiled. "Inside the covers."

Xu Mu quickly took off his coat and, taking advantage of the warmth of his sweater, slipped under the covers and held Bai Nian tightly in his arms.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

Bai Nian rested his cheek on Xu Mu's chest and sighed. "Yes, it is."

Xu Mu asked, "Are you feeling cold?"

"No," Bai Nian whispered with closed eyes. "I just want you to hold me."

Xu Mu muttered, "Really? Am I some kind of miraculous remedy?"

Bai Nian chuckled softly, his spirits lifted by Xu Mu's banter.

He gradually slowed down his breathing, smelling the faint soap scent on the young man's body, and the spasms in his stomach seemed to ease a bit.

"Having a fake pregnancy is too miserable... I need to be more careful in the future, I absolutely can't forget. Hmm, Brother Nian, you also have to remind me... Ah, is it caused by stimulation that it's like this? Can it be treated, it seems like I can't say that, is there a way to prevent it?"

Xu Mu was muttering, already thinking about the long term.

Bai Nian didn't feel annoyed, instead trying hard to take in every word.

"Maybe because it's the first time, so the reaction is worse."

Xu Mu paused, "You never had this before?"

Bai Nian pursed his lips, saying not too happily, "If I had felt like throwing up before, wouldn't I know?"

"I didn't mean that." Xu Mu hurriedly reassured, "I'm not familiar with that aspect of knowledge, so I made assumptions, thinking, hmm, maybe you were stimulated by something."

"Oh." 

Xu Mu held his face, starting to gently peck him.

"Brother Nian, don't be angry, I was wrong. Think about it, getting angry is not good, no one will take the pain for you, you might even get wrinkles... "

Bai Nian glanced at him sideways and lightly pushed him away.

Xu Mu chuckled awkwardly, "Slip of the tongue, it's me getting wrinkles. I’ll look anxious and look old."

Bai Nian couldn't help but laugh.

"Does your stomach feel better?"

"Yeah."

"Do you still feel like throwing up?"

"Not at the moment."

"I'll rub your belly, will it feel better?" 

Bai Nian's eyelashes trembled slightly, but he remained silent.

He grasped Xu Mu's wrist and slowly moved it upwards, pressing against the position of his heart.

Xu Mu paused for a moment.

Bai Nian also lifted his head, his gray-blue eyes misted with moisture, seemingly conveying something.

Xu Mu's Adam's apple moved, and he tightened his fingers.

In that moment, he seemed to understand remarkably.

His throat suddenly felt dry, with the lingering scent of milk spreading across his taste buds.

"Ah Mu," Bai Nian softly called out.

"Um..." Xu Mu blinked rapidly. "Do you need me to get something to help you?"

Bai Nian placed his fingertips against Xu Mu's lips and rubbed them gently.

"No need."

...

"Brother Nian, if you're tired, you should rest first. I'll take Ye Ye to bed."

"Um..." a lazy voice responded.

A basin of hot water was placed on the carpet, with steam rising.

Xu Mu rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, veins bulging, muscles clearly defined.

He was wringing a towel.

Bright red rose petals floated in the basin, with a few drops of soothing essential oil added by Nades.

As the hot air spread, the scent of roses completely masked the scent of milk.

Xu Mu wrung the water from the towel and dried his hands.

He bent down and kissed Bai Nian's lips.

Before he could pry open his lips, Bai Nian turned his face away.

"You smell of milk," Bai Nian said.

"Xu Mu chuckled, “Brother Nian, why do you dislike yourself?'"

Bai Nian's ears turned red, and that redness spread across his face. He tucked himself on the blanket and covered his face, and mumbled, "Go check on Ye Ye."

Xu Mu didn't argue with Bai Nian, just smiled, "Okay."

As he reached the door, he suddenly asked, "Will there be more in the future?"

“...more what?”

Xu Mu clicked his tongue, feeling a bit unsatisfied.

"I think there will be," he said to himself, "Can I still drink it in the future?"

Bai Nian: "..."

"It tastes quite good."

"We have bottled and instant ones at home. You can heat one up for Ye Ye and pour yourself a glass," Bai Nian replied.

Xu Mu shook his head, "It's not the same."

"...Don't you think it has a fishy smell?"

Xu Mu sincerely said, "No."

Bai Nian fell silent.

After a while, he softly said, "It’s up to you."

-

Xu Mu deliberately learned a lot about relevant physiological knowledge, especially about false pregnancy in rabbits.

He racked his brains trying to figure out how to take care of the other person, but the next day he found that it seemed unnecessary. 

Except for that one night when Bai Nian's condition was a bit bad, the following days were basically back to normal. 

Xu Mu was happy on one hand that the other didn't have to suffer for it, but on the other hand, he felt a somewhat indescribable regret. If he had to describe it, it was probably that he really enjoyed the feeling of taking care of Bai Nian, it made him feel strangely fulfilled. 

However, there was one fantastic thing. 

Every night when Xu Mu slept, he hugged a rabbit with a milky scent! 

It felt soft and cuddly, plus he could drink milk every day—it couldn’t be more perfect!

…

"Want to go eat hotpot together?" Lou Haoyu stepped out of the classroom, and with the wind blowing, his mind instantly cleared.

Nian Yueyue also chimed in, "Yeah, let's go together. Let's celebrate after finishing the final exams."

Xu Mu shook his head, "Sorry, I have something else to do, maybe next time."

Lou Haoyu nudged his shoulder, "What's so important?"

"Hanging out with my boyfriend." Xu Mu honestly replied.

Lou Haoyu: "..."

He wryly smiled, "You've wounded the heart of the loneliest man in the entire universe."

Xu Mu casually apologized, "Hmm, sorry."

Nian Yueyue, holding her face, said, "Oh, so sweet, I want to date too. Just imagine, in this cold winter, cuddling with your lover—"

She stomped her feet, hugged Zou Ning, "Wuwuwu, so happy."

Zou Ning yawned, patting her head, slowly repeating, "Happy."

Xu Mu said, "Fate will always come around. I'm off, see you next semester."

He waved and prepared to descend the stairs.

"Wait, Xu Mu, do you know we have physical exams next week?" Lou Haoyu suddenly spoke up.

Xu Mu froze, turning his head stiffly, "Phy...sical exams?"

"Yeah," Nian Yueyue continued, "The heating system in the indoor running track malfunctioned before, so it's under repair. The entire sophomore year's physical exams got delayed."

"The school sent out a notification in the morning," she remembered she hadn't forwarded it to the class group, so she quickly did so, "For our major... let me see, the arranged time is next Friday."

Xu Mu: "..." Damn it, how come even in the orc world's university they have physical exams? Could it be because this is a book written by an Earthling?

"Okay, got it."

"See you next week," Lou Haoyu said with a grin.

"Um."

As soon as Xu Mu returned home, a little radish head popped up at the entrance.

"Oh ho hiya!!!" Ye Ye wielded the Sword of the Brave, clad in Saiyan armor, and wearing an iron helmet, he dashed straight into Xu Mu.

Xu Mu was still changing shoes, didn't even lift his eyes, first reached out a hand to block the "Sword of the Brave", then turned his arm and lifted Ye Ye with one hand.

"Hey, caught you, Brave Warrior, do you surrender?" Xu Mu got into character, delivering his lines with gusto.

The sword dropped onto the carpet, and Ye Ye kicked his legs wildly, howling.

"No surrender! I am a #$%*...#*& warrior!" he yelled, "I am a Super... Saiyan!!!"

Xu Mu flicked his forehead with a finger, saying regretfully, "A Super Saiyan isn't as weak as you. This warrior, you still need to train, come back to challenge me later."

"Ah ah ah ah ah!!!" Ye Ye tried to throw a punch.

Xu Mu easily caught him and gave a gentle twist.

Ye Ye instantly pouted, "Bad Daddy..." 

He stubbornly stared at Xu Mu, looking like he wanted to cry but didn't.

"...” No wonder parents get headaches as soon as kids are on vacation. It's really tough.

"Okay, go play by yourself now."

Xu Mu set him down. "Nadesi, I grant you the title of Super 'Guardian', stand in for me to face Ye Ye the Brave warrior."

Nades felt weary, "Okay, Master."

A machine and a child started playing together.

Xu Mu took out carefully selected roses from the storage compartment, tidying the petals absentmindedly, a slight smile playing on his lips.

—As expected, a candlelit dinner should always be accompanied by red roses.

Today wasn't any special occasion. Friday was arriving, and the young couple planned to go out for a date and have some fun.

Ah, how nice.

Meanwhile, in another room,

The humidifier on the desktop was emitting mist, filling the room with the scent of lavender essential oil, soothing and aiding sleep.

The suspended lamp was dim, barely illuminating a small area.

The light screen faintly glowed blue.

"...Next time she comes to take Ye Ye away from you, you don't need to worry about it."

"Okay, I understand," Bai Nian replied gently.

Mrs. Bai rubbed her forehead, "Feifei is too willful, she does whatever she wants. Sometimes I find it hard to discipline her. I can only let her biological father handle it, otherwise she might blame me for meddling too much..."

She sighed, being a stepmother was difficult, especially when dealing with a mature child. It made things even more challenging. 

Bai Nian lowered his gaze, "Don't worry too much, at least she still listens to Uncle Qin."

Mrs. Bai said, "Let's hope so."

She asked, "How have you been feeling lately? Are you and Ye Ye doing well?"

"Everything's fine," Bai Nian replied.

Mrs. Bai paused. She actually felt guilty towards her eldest son. When she divorced, she raised him alone, inevitably neglecting him at times. 

Later, when she remarried, her new husband also had a child, and they had another child together, further dividing her attention. 

Fortunately, Bai Nian had always been obedient since he was young, rarely causing her worries, which had comforted her at the time. But now looking back, she realized she hadn't been diligent enough in many aspects.

"About your health..." Mrs. Bai hesitated, "If you really can't handle it, you can bring Ye Ye back here. We'll take care of him. Children can adapt to being away from someone. They might cry a bit at first, but it's not like they can't live without—"

Bai Nian interrupted, "Mom, Ye Ye is sensitive. He'll be very upset."

Mrs. Bai felt awkward, "Okay."

She continued, "You've changed jobs, have you met any new people? At this stage, you can consider settling down."

Bai Nian tapped his fingertips on the tabletop, "Mom, I—"

Bang bang bang,  the front door echoed a few times.

The knocking seemed more like an announcement than an inquiry.

"Brother Nian!!" Xu Mu burst in, holding a large bunch of red roses, looking radiant, "Should we get ready... ready..."

He paused, frozen in place.

He happened to lock eyes with the elegant Mrs. Bai on the screen.

Their gazes met, and Mrs. Bai also hesitated for a moment before saying, "Hello?"

Xu Mu: "..."

This appearance, this demeanor, this familiar face...

He thought in despair, could it be Brother Nian's mother?!

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