The Professor frowned: "Tu Bai, you have been spacing out during class lately. Are you feeling unwell?"
".. I have a bit of a Cold," Tu Bai said softly.
Then you need to make sure you get enough rest." Professor waved his hand. "Sit down.
Tu Bai sat down, his face flushing. The Classmate beside him teased in a low voice, "Tu Bai-kun, were you out playing thief last night? Your dark circles are so heavy."
Tu Bai said nothing and lowered his head to look at his textbook, but he couldn't process a single word.
On Tuesday at noon, while watching TV in the Cafeteria, a news report aired an advertisement for pet adoption; in the image, a Little White Rabbit was curled up in a cage, its Eyes glistening.
As Tu Bai watched, his Eyes turned red.
He hurriedly lowered his head to shovel down his food, but his tears still fell into the bowl.
The Classmate sitting opposite him was startled: "Tu Bai-kun? Are you okay?"
I'm fine.." Tu Bai wiped his face. "It's just.. the Rabbit is too pitiful.
The Classmate had a strange expression: "That was just an Advertisement.."
Tu Bai did not explain, hurriedly finished his meal, left.
On Wednesday evening, Gojo Satoru had agreed to pick him up for dinner at seven o'clock, but he didn't arrive until seven-ten. He was ten minutes late.
Tu Bai stood below the Apartment Building, holding the dessert he had originally intended to give to Gojo Satoru—he had originally wanted to bring it for him to eat.
Gojo Satoru got out of the car and walked over with a smile: "Sorry, sorry, there was a traffic jam on the way—"
Tu Bai suddenly slammed the Dessert Box in his hands onto the ground.
The plastic box cracked, yellow Pudding splashed all over the floor.
Gojo Satoru was stunned.
Tu Bai was also stunned. He looked at the Pudding on the ground, then at his own hands, unable to believe that he was the one who had dropped it.
"I.." He opened his mouth.
Gojo Satoru walked over, not looking at the Pudding on the floor, but instead looking at Tu Bai: "What's wrong? Are you angry with me?"
Tu Bai shook his head, his voice trembling slightly. "It's not that.. I don't know.. I just suddenly.."
He suddenly burst into tears.
Tears welled up without warning, flowing uncontrollably.
Gojo Satoru panicked, fumbling as he pulled out tissues: "Don't cry, it's my fault, I'll definitely be on time next time—"
It's not your fault.." Tu Bai said while crying, "I don't know what's wrong with me either.. I just feel so terrible..
Gojo Satoru pulled him into his embrace and gently patted his back: "Alright, alright, stop crying. We'll go eat something else. What do you want to eat?"
Tu Bai cried in his arms for a while before slowly calming down. He raised his head, his eyes red: "I want to eat ramen."
Alright, let's have ramen.
That night, Tu Bai ate two bowls of ramen and even added a soft-boiled egg. Gojo Satoru sat opposite him watching him eat, a hint of worry in his eyes.
On Thursday, he even began to exhibit nesting instincts.
Tu Bai didn't even realize it himself. When he woke up in the morning, he saw the Sunglasses that Gojo Satoru had left behind last time sitting on the nightstand, he naturally picked them up and placed them into his own nightstand drawer.
While tidying up the room at noon, he saw Gojo Satoru's jacket draped over the sofa—Gojo Satoru had said he took it off because it was hot and left it there a few days ago. Tu Bai picked up the jacket and took a sniff; it carried Gojo Satoru's scent, a faint aroma of soap mixed with a hint of sweetness from dessert.
He hesitated for a moment, folded the Jacket, also put it into the Nightstand.
When he drank water at night, he used the same Mug that Gojo Satoru had used last time. After finishing, he washed the cup, wiped it dry, then.. also put it in the Nightstand.
It wasn't until Gojo Satoru came to the Tu Bai Apartment to find him on Friday that Tu Bai realized what he had done.
Gojo Satoru said, "Did I leave my sunglasses at your place? And my jacket, too."
Tu Bai's heart tightened: ".. Yeah."
Where is it? I'll take it; I need to use it today.
Tu Bai walked to the Nightstand and opened the drawer.
Inside, they were arranged neatly: Sunglasses, a Jacket, a Mug, even a Lighter that Gojo Satoru had left behind before, half a pack of candy, even a used Straw.
Tu Bai's face turned red in a moment.
Gojo Satoru walked over, saw the things in the drawer, raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"
I-I was just helping you tidy up!" Tu Bai explained hurriedly, "It's not good to leave these things lying around haphazardly, so I put them away..
"Stored in the nightstand?" Gojo Satoru asked with a faint, knowing smile.
Because.. because it was convenient!" Tu Bai stammered incoherently, "And it's clean here, it won't collect dust..
Gojo Satoru said nothing, merely looking at him, his eyes containing something that Tu Bai could not quite understand.
Tu Bai took the items out one by one and stuffed them into Gojo Satoru's hands: "Here, take them and go, quickly."
Gojo Satoru took them but did not leave. He leaned against the wall, looking at Tu Bai: "Xiao Bai, you have really been incorrect lately."
.. I know.
Go see a doctor.
I'm not going," Tu Bai said, turning around. "I just have Stress; exams are coming up soon.
Gojo Satoru fell silent for a moment, then said, "Alright. But if you feel any discomfort, you must tell me."
.. Yeah.
Gojo Satoru left. Tu Bai closed the door, leaned his back against the door panel, slowly slid down to sit on the floor.
He touched his abdomen.
It was still flat.
But he just had a feeling.. that there was something inside.
Something different.
That night, Tu Bai waited until midnight, only after confirming that Gojo Satoru would not suddenly walk through the wall did he open his computer.
He logged into an encrypted forum—an internal communication platform for the Demon Race that required Demon Power fluctuations to enter. He rarely used it and had hardly logged on since registering.
He typed into the Search Box: "Male Demon Race vomiting lethargy emotion loss collection items".
Enter.
Page Jump, revealing an Ancient Record.
The Posting Time was one hundred years ago, the Poster was Anonymous, but the post revealed that they were a Rabbit Demon.
The Title is: "Records of Special Phenomena That May Occur After the Fusion of Demon Power"
Tu Bai clicked on it.
The Post was very long and written in Classical Chinese, with some words and phrases being quite obscure. Tu Bai read down slowly.
The first part discussed the principles of the fusion of Demon Power, so Tu Bai skipped it. The middle section discussed some case studies, which Tu Bai skimmed through quickly.
Until he saw this passage:
.. Three months after I formed a bond with my Daoist Partner (Human), I suddenly felt something strange in my body. I began experiencing morning sickness, excessive sleepiness, my Emotions fluctuated like the tides. At first, I thought it was an illness, but the physicians could find nothing. Later, I gradually felt a warm current in my Abdomen, like a sign of life being nurtured..
Tu Bai stared at the Screen, his Eyes wide open.
He slowly placed his hand on his abdomen.
Inside.. is there something?
Is it Baby?
His and Gojo Satoru's??
But they didn't do anything.
He only touched his Back..
Tu Bai suddenly remembered the "Demon Power Fusion" mentioned at the beginning of the Post.
His Cursed Energy had indeed undergone Demon Power Fusion with Gojo Satoru's; Gojo Satoru's Cursed Energy had entered his body, his Demon Power had responded in kind.
Plus, that time our Backs touched..
Tu Bai suddenly stood up and rushed into the Bathroom.
He faced the Mirror, lifted his Clothes, looked at his flat Abdomen.
Then he closed his eyes, concentrated his spirit, used his Demon Power to sense.
At first, there was nothing.
But gradually, he felt it—deep within his abdomen, there was a faint, warm energy. It was very subtle, like a tiny seed, resting quietly there.
Tu Bai opened his eyes, looking at himself in the Mirror.
His face was pale, his Eyes were wide open, his hands were trembling.
It was true.
He is pregnant.
Gojo Satoru's child.
Author's Note:
----------------------
Chapter 23
Tu Bai slumped on the bathroom floor tiles, his back against the cold wall, still clutching his Mobile Phone in his hand. The Screen displayed the previous Call Log, with the most recent entry being: Tu Bao.
He stared at that Name for a long while, his Finger trembling.
His reflection in the Bathroom mirror showed a face as pale as paper, his Eyes wide open with prominent dark circles. His Black hair was a mess, his pajama collar was crooked, revealing a section of his collarbone.
He lowered his head, his hand touched his abdomen again.