Top-Tier Omega: Chasing Alpha to the Crematorium – Chapter 74
by Little PandaSong Qingpei Suspects, Ming Yu is Pregnant
Ming Yu stepped through the gates of the military academy, her mind weighed down with heavy thoughts. The morning light cast her shadow long behind her.
She went first to Zhan Nansheng’s office, but it was still empty. Her aide rose immediately upon seeing her to report, “Chancellor Ming, Vice-Chancellor Zhan still has not arrived today.”
Ming Yu’s voice betrayed a hint of anxiety. “Is there any word from the Presidential Palace?”
“No,” the aide shook her head. “They only said that Vice-Chancellor Zhan is indisposed and requires quiet rest.”
Ming Yu’s brow furrowed even deeper.
Zhan Nansheng was under house arrest, and Wu Lan had been detained. Everything felt as though it were spinning out of her control.
She strode back to her own office, sat down, and began attending to her official duties.
Yet for some reason, she remained deeply unsettled, as if some danger were slowly drawing near.
Instinctively, her thoughts turned to Song Qingpei.
After a moment of silent contemplation, Ming Yu summoned Lieutenant Lin and instructed, “Tighten security at Shanshui Manor. No unfamiliar visitors are to be admitted under any circumstances without my express command.”
“Yes, Admiral,” Lieutenant Lin replied, her voice tinged with concern. “You look pale. Shall I call a doctor?”
“It’s nothing.” Ming Yu reflexively touched her abdomen, then withdrew her hand as if she had received an electric shock. “Get the car ready. I want to see Marshal Lin.”
“Yes.”
Lieutenant Lin took the order and immediately went to arrange the car.
When Ming Yu stood, a wave of dizziness washed over herβshe had barely eaten anything that morning. She was forced to brace herself against the desk just to stay upright.
Refusing to let anyone witness her vulnerability, Ming Yu forced herself to walk out and get into the car.
As the hover car passed through the dome of the Military Headquarters Building, Ming Yu wearily massaged her temples. Staring out the window at the drifting clouds, her stomach churned once more.
She gritted her teeth, forcing down the discomfort.
By the time the car stopped in front of Lin Pinghai’s Private Residence, a layer of cold sweat had already broken out on her back.
Seeing her state, Lieutenant Lin spoke up again with concern, “Admiral, are you alright? Do you need⦔
“I said I’m fine.”
Ming Yu cut her off firmly once more, got out of the car, and walked into Lin Pinghai’s Private Residence.
“Admiral Ming!”
The guards at the entrance saluted her respectfully.
Lin Pinghai, who was using illness as an excuse to avoid her duties, did not seem surprised by her arrival at all. She had even told the guards on duty in advance that once Ming Yu arrived, she should be let straight in.
Ming Yu nodded in acknowledgment and walked inside, familiar with the layout.
From a distance, she saw that the person who was supposed to be recuperating was currently tending to her flowers and plants at a leisurely pace. She didn’t look like she needed rest at all.
At this moment, how could Ming Yu not understand? As the only one of the five Marshals of the Military Headquarters who was not backed by the Four Great Families, Lin Pinghai’s excuse of resting and not going to the headquarters during this period was purely to avoid the current political turmoil.
Away from the Military Headquarters, Lin Pinghai lacked her usual stern majesty. She smiled and greeted her warmly, “Ming Yu, what made you think of coming to see me?”
“Marshal Lin, you look to be recovering quite well.”
Ming Yu spoke polite pleasantries and smiled along with her. “I have some matters regarding the military academy I would like to ask your advice on.”
“What is it? Sit down and tell me,” Lin Pinghai gestured.
The two sat down in the tea room.
Amidst the curling fragrance of the tea, Ming Yu first reported on the recruitment progress of the military academy, then changed the subject: “Marshal Lin, about Director Wu of the Investigation Bureau⦔
Midway through her sentence, Lin Pinghai’s hand paused in midair, and the surface of the tea in her cup rippled slightly.
She looked up at Ming Yu, her gaze sharp as a blade. “Ming Yu, when did you and Wu Lan get so close?”
“We worked together a few times on official business before,” Ming Yu’s fingertips unconsciously traced the rim of her cup. “Iβ¦ owe her a favor.”
Lin Pinghai set her teacup down, the porcelain clinking sharply against the table. “This matter does not fall under the Military Headquarters’ jurisdiction. The President issued the order himself; no one dares to interfere.”
Ming Yu was about to speak when she suddenly felt a sharp spasm in her stomach. She had to hunch her body slightly, asking in a hoarse voice, “Marshal, can’t youβ¦ find a way? Even if it is just to let me see her once⦔
“Ming Yu,” Lin Pinghai’s tone turned solemn. “Tell me honestly, are you caught up in something?”
The tea room fell silent for a moment.
Fine sweat seeped from Ming Yu’s forehead. Not knowing if it was from pain or tension, she forced down her discomfort.
Finally, she changed her form of address, lowering her voice to a soft plea. “Uncle Lin1, it is some private business regarding my wifeβ¦ it is very important. Please, help me.”
“You⦔ Lin Pinghai let out a long sigh. “I will do my best to arrange it. But remember, the current situation⦔ She gave Ming Yu a meaningful look. “β¦is very sensitive.”
“I understand, thank you.”
Ming Yu thanked her sincerely. It was close to noon by the time she left the Lin residence.
She got into the car and leaned against the back seat, her face deathly pale.
Through the rearview mirror, Lieutenant Lin watched her with concern. “Admiral, you haven’t eaten a thing all morning.”
Ming Yu shook her head, but as the hover car made a turn, she suddenly covered her mouth. “Stop the car!”
She grabbed a bag next to her and dry-heaved uncontrollably, but after a long time, nothing came up.
When she finally stood back up, Lieutenant Lin immediately handed her a handkerchief and a bottle of water.
“Lieutenant Lin,” Ming Yu murmured, her voice raspy.
Staring at the water sloshing inside the bottle, she made up her mind. “Help me arrange an appointment with Doctor Zhang. Keep it absolutely confidential.”
“Yes.”
An hour later, Ming Yu was restless in a private consultation room at the Military Hospital.
Doctor Zhang was a trusted confidante she had brought back from the battlefield. At this moment, she was staring at the data on the scanner, her brow furrowing tighter and tighter.
“Admiral Ming⦔ Doctor Zhang took off her glasses. “You areβ¦ pregnant, about five weeks.”
Ming Yu dug her fingernails deep into her palms, her voice trembling. “Are you sure?”
“Sure,” Doctor Zhang pulled up a holographic image. “The embryo is developing well, but the morning sickness has started a bit early. It is probably because your stress levels have been too high recently, combined with an irregular diet, making the morning sickness more severe.”
Ming Yu stared at that blurry light and shadow, a strange feeling welling up in her heart.
This was her and Qingpei’s childβ¦
But it just had to be at a time like this.
“I need to prescribe some nutritional supplements,” Doctor Zhang’s words pulled her back to reality. “Also, you had better reduce your workload; you need to rest and recuperate carefully.”
Ming Yu nodded mechanically, her thoughts already drifting far away.
She was actually pregnant!
But⦠what would Qingpei think?
The thought caused a flurry of panic in Ming Yu’s heart, her hand tightly clutching the military uniform over her abdomen.
Only in the next moment did she snap out of it, loosening her clenched hand as if terrified of hurting something. Her fingers unconsciously brushed against her lower abdomen. It was still flat, but her heart surged with an unspeakable emotion.
Her hand trembled slightly, her fingertips icy cold.
This child had arrived at the worst possible moment.
The relationship between the two of them had already become so fragile. Song Qingpei’s trust in her had long since been shaken, seeming ready to collapse at a single touch.
If she told her about the pregnancy now, what would her reaction be?
Indifference, worry, or⦠anger?
Would she think that she had engineered this pregnancy on purpose, using it as a way to make her stay?
Ming Yu didn’t dare to think any further.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
Zhan Li’s ambition had already been exposed, and Wu Lan’s loss of contact made the situation even more complex. Now was not the time to be ruled by emotion; she had to think rationally about every next step.
She could not let this child become her weakness, much less allow her original plans to be derailed by this matter.
“Go back to the manor first,” she told Lieutenant Lin, her voice so soft as if she were afraid of disturbing something. “Drive slowly.”
When Ming Yu returned to Shanshui Manor, the afterglow of the setting sun was slanting across the garden.
She stood at the porch, seeing through the floor-to-ceiling windows that Song Qingpei was accompanying Song Song, building with toy blocks on the carpet in the living room. Song Song’s laughter was crisp and sweet, and the outline of Song Qingpei’s profile looked exceptionally soft in the warm light.
She took a deep breath, adjusting her expression before pushing open the door to walk in.
“Mommy is back!” Song Song immediately threw down her blocks, running over to hug her.
Ming Yu bent down to pick up her daughter, but at the instant she bent over, she felt a wave of dizziness. She quickly changed to crouching down instead, gently hugging Song Song.
“Were you good today?” She forced her voice to sound light and cheerful.
“I was so good! Mama taught me to build a castle!” Song Song tugged her hand, dragging her toward the carpet. “Mommy, come play with us quickly!”
Ming Yu forced a smile, walked over, and sat down on the carpet.
The posture put pressure on her stomach, making it churn once again. She gritted her teeth, pretending to focus on helping Song Song build the tower, though fine beads of sweat seeped from her temples.
“Mommy, your hand is so cold,” Song Song suddenly touched her hand.
Hearing this, Song Qingpei’s gaze swept over, sizing her up with a complicated look in her eyes.
Ming Yu quickly withdrew her hand, smiling. “It’s a bit cold outside. Song Song, let Mommy see the castle you built, okay?”
She tried to shift the focus, but her vision began to go black, and the sound of Song Song’s voice in her ears seemed to be separated by a layer of water.
“β¦Mommy? Mommy, look quickly!”
Ming Yu suddenly snapped back, realizing Song Song was shaking her arm.
She forced a smile. “Song Song, Mommy suddenly remembered there is a document I haven’t read yet. You play first, and I will go upstairs to handle it.”
She rose unsteadily, nearly stumbling, but forced herself to maintain a measured, even pace as she walked toward the stairs.
Once she rounded the corner of the stairs, she quickened her steps, rushing into the bedroom and lunging for the washroom.
A burst of violent dry-heaving made her kneel on the floor. Her stomach convulsed, but she could only throw up some stomach acid.
Cold sweat soaked through her shirt, leaving damp strands of hair plastered against her pale cheeks. Trembling, she pushed herself up and splashed cold water on her face. In the mirror, her eyes were bloodshot, terribly haggard.
“Ming Yu?”
The sudden knock on the door made her whole body stiffen.
Song Qingpei’s voice drifted through from the outside. “Are you alright?”
“I-I’m fine!” She hurriedly wiped her face, but her voice was so weak that she didn’t even believe it herself.
There were a few seconds of silence outside, followed by the sound of the door being pushed open.
Damn it, she had run in such a hurry that she hadn’t had time to lock the door at all.
Before Ming Yu could react, Song Qingpei had already entered, carrying a glass of water.
Their gazes met in the mirror.
Song Qingpei’s gaze shifted from Ming Yu’s sweat-soaked forehead to her pale lips, finally landing on her hand that was instinctively protecting her abdomen.
“Drink some water.” She handed the cup over, her tone unusually calm.
When Ming Yu took the cup, her fingertips trembled slightly, and the water in the cup rippled with tiny waves.
She deliberately avoided Song Qingpei’s probing gaze, resting the rim of the cup against her lips. The warm water slid down her throat, but it could not extinguish the burning sensation churning in her stomach.
“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice even more hoarse than she had imagined.
Song Qingpei did not reply immediately, only leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. The sunlight slanted in from behind her, casting a long, slender shadow on the floor that stretched right to Ming Yu’s feet.
“Your face looks very bad,” Song Qingpei slowly said, sizing her up.
Ming Yu unconsciously touched her cheek, squeezing out a smile. “Maybe I haven’t rested well lately.”
She could feel Song Qingpei’s gaze falling on her, wanting to see right through her like an X-ray.
Ming Yu stepped back unconsciously, stumbling slightly as her back hit the sink counter. She protectively shielded her abdomen out of reflex, but immediately realized her loss of composure and hastily changed the movement to smoothing her clothes.
This subtle action did not escape Song Qingpei’s eyes.
She took a step forward, saying thoughtfully, “It wasn’t like this when your stomach trouble flared up in the past.”
“Maybeβ¦ it is more serious this time.”
Ming Yu tried to make her voice sound relaxed, but a trace of trembling slipped through at the end of her words.
Song Qingpei’s gaze lingered on her abdomen. “Have you beenβ¦ throwing up all the time lately?”
Hearing this, Ming Yu’s breathing hitched. Pretending to be calm, she said, “No, just occasionally.”
Song Qingpei did not speak, only taking another step forward. The distance between them became so close they could smell each other’s scentβSong Qingpei carried the faint fragrance of children’s body wash, while Ming Yu had a light scent of disinfectant on her.
It was exactly the smell of someone who had just come out of a hospital.
“Did you see a doctor? Are you sure it is just stomach trouble?”
Song Qingpei’s voice was very soft, but it was like a hammer striking Ming Yu’s heart.
Ming Yu shifted her gaze away guiltily, whispering, “β¦It’s just stomach trouble, I’m fine.” Once she finished speaking, she forced himself to look up and meet Song Qingpei’s eyes.
Their eyes met in midair.
Song Qingpei did not seem to believe her explanation, looking directly at her and asking, “Ming Yu, are you hiding something from me?”
Ming Yu’s gaze dodged slightly as she forced a laugh, “Whatβ¦ what could I hide from you?”
Song Qingpei did not speak, only staring at Ming Yu with burning eyes.
The two of them stared at each other for a long time once again.
Ming Yu was the first to lose in this staring match, shifting her eyes away guiltily. She parted her lips, almost blurting out that secret.
Suddenly, Song Song’s crying voice drifted up from downstairs, breaking the tense atmosphere.
“Mama! Mommy!”
Ming Yu instantly came back to her senses, whispering, “I’m really fine, go and check on Song Song.”
Hearing this, Song Qingpei gave her a deep look, finally turning and walking toward the door.
Before stepping out of the room, she stopped, not looking back. “Ming Yu, you know that hiding things does not solve any problems.”
The sound of the door closing was like a dull clap of thunder.
Ming Yu suppressed another wave of rising nausea, turning to see the woman in the mirror with a deathly pale face, her eyes filled with conflict and pain.
Song Qingpei knew, or rather, she had guessed.
This realization made Ming Yu both afraid and inexplicably expectant.
If she told Qingpei she was pregnant, would she choose to stay?
But making Song Qingpei stay for the sake of this childβhow was that not putting a new set of shackles on her?
Making her live with regret for the rest of her life, unable to do the things she wanted to do. By then, how could Qingpei not resent and hate her? What would the two of them ultimately gain?
Was this truly what she wanted?
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