novelraw Chapter 222: Three Days Later
Chapter 222: Three Days Later
"I should tell Leander about it too. If he finds out late, he’ll just take it out on Qiong Xing again."
Leander really hated being informed late when it came to Qiong Xing.
It was only natural since he also Qiong Xing’s mate but if something was postponed with the thought that "it can wait," Leander would later find out and vent his frustration on Qiong Xing, asking why no one told him sooner.
That, more than anything, was a problem.
Frankly, Elias didn’t care how angry Leander might get, but he hated seeing Qiong Xing become depressed because of it.
So, even though it was troublesome, he also went to inform Leander that Qiong Xing was currently asleep in his room and warned him firmly to finish his work before going to see him.
Otherwise, Leander would undoubtedly abandon everything and rush over immediately.
"I get how you feel, but don’t do anything that’ll cause trouble for him later. If he finds out everyone was inconvenienced because of him, he’ll feel down."
"I-I know! I’ll finish up first then I’ll go! Right away!"
As long as it was after he finished, Elias had nothing more to say.
Having said what needed to be said, he hurried off to finish his own work as well.
However, what they thought was just sleep from a cold... Qiong Xing did not wake up until three days later.
...
None of them had expected him to remain asleep for three whole days and Joa and the others were at a loss.
The only saving grace was that, unlike before, he didn’t seem to be suffering in pain.
He slept peacefully, even smiling at times as if he were having pleasant dreams.
If they didn’t know this was already the third day of him not waking, Joa might have been able to smile too.
But even seeing that gentle expression, knowing he wouldn’t move or speak it was honestly taking a toll on him.
"Please... just wake up already. I’ve had enough of waiting."
As he muttered that like a prayer, it felt as though it reached him, there was a faint squeeze in the hand he was holding.
Joa who is startled quickly lifted his head and looked at Qiong Xing.
He saw Qiong Xing’s eyelids trembled slightly.
"...Qiong Xing?"
"...My body... hurts."
"You slept too long, idiot."
Having lain motionless for three days, his body protested loudly.
Even as he complained of the pain, Qiong Xing tried to sit up and Joa helped him.
With a soft laugh, Qiong Xing stretched out his arms and Joa embraced him as if to confirm it that he was alive.
"Sorry for worrying you. Where is everyone?"
"Asleep. They’ve been by your side the whole time. I finally got them to rest by saying you’d cry if they collapsed."
Leander and the others had insisted on staying by his side until he woke up.
Only after being told that Qiong Xing would be upset if they wore themselves out did they finally go to sleep.
Even then, unwilling to be far, they were apparently sleeping in a pile in Albe’s room next door, ready to rush over at any moment.
"Wait here. I’ll go call them—"
"Before that, there’s something I want to talk about."
"Talk?"
Joa tried to step away to call Leander and the others, but the arm wrapped around his back didn’t let go.
Qiong Xing pressed closer to him, almost as if seeking comfort. Though he felt a little guilty toward Leander and the others who were surely worried, Joa tightened his embrace, wanting to feel that he was truly there.
"How much are you planning to worry us? Cari and Lian were crying, you kno—...huh?"
"Did you notice?"
The moment he let out a relieved breath, he realized it.
Until just now, the relief of Qiong Xing waking up had kept him from noticing, but now that he had calmed down, he could tell.
"Huh? Your scent... it’s... different... what?"
"My scent?"
Qiong Xing smiled softly, clearly aware of what Joa was trying to say.
If anything, he seemed to be urging him to figure it out as he rubbing his head lightly against Joa’s chest.
"Your scent has changed... Are you... carrying a child?"
"Yes. You can tell, right? It’s your child, Joa."
A change in scent meant pregnancy.
And the only ones who could notice that change... were one’s mate and the child’s parent.
Which meant that Joa who had noticed it, was the father and Qiong Xing was carrying his child.
"...You’re kidding, right?"
"Are you not happy?"
"Idiot! Of course I’m happy!"
There was no greater joy than this.
It was so overwhelming that it almost brought him to tears.
He couldn’t even make sense of how someone could make him this happy as lashing out with words that didn’t quite match his feelings.
"This is incredible," he said, overcome with joy as he kissed him, their lips meeting with heated emotion.
He’s mine. My mate.
The thought echoed loudly in his heart.
"Mm... Joa..."
"This is incredible... a miracle."
It wasn’t that he had never hoped for it.
But somewhere along the way, he had almost given up, making this feel like nothing short of a miracle.
"Make sure you live a long life, okay?"
"Of course I will. Even if you tell me I’m a nuisance, I’ll live as long as I can."
Even if it was just a few more minutes—no, even a few seconds longer—he would live, all the way until the very end.
"...Aren’t you curious how I knew?"
"Now that you mention it... yeah. How did you know?"
Joa had never told Qiong Xing about scent changes, nor had he ever seen anyone else explain it to him.
And as for the pregnancy, when had he even realized?
Now that he thought about it, there were too many things that didn’t make sense.
"I was told... in a dream."
"In a dream?"