Work Text:
Shen Wenlang sighed and closed his laptop.
His headache was growing stronger. His work was endless and nobody in his team understood what he wanted. He needed to double check every single thing, a new habit coerced by the absence of his trusted secretary-slash-the one who got away, Gao Tu. Gao Tu used to be the reliable filter, detailed enough to catch any mistakes while also deeply understanding Wenlang’s preference to make the proposal easier to comprehend and thus quicker to approve / disapprove.
Ever since Gao Tu’s disappearance three years ago, Shen Wenlang’s world has gone downhill. His Life and Work lost their meaning. His tea was never served how he liked it. The reports submitted to him were messy and full of mistakes. Things became more complicated and often missed his standard. Honestly, Shen Wenlang just focuses on work to keep himself going. Without Gao Tu, it seemed his life really lost a crucial part.
It's not like he was idle. He was driven to find Gao Tu with whatever means available, yet he got nothing so far. He knew Gao Tu must be alive somewhere, because he couldn't accept otherwise. Gao Tu must be living and have given birth by now. Shen Wenlang knew Gao Tu, the beta-slash-omega, was a soft hearted bunny who would fight to the end for his family–the baby included. Shen Wenlang cursed himself every time he remembered his harsh offer to abort the baby. At that moment he was too shocked to react, and too slow to realise how his action was perceived by Gao Tu. Gao Tu must have been afraid that Shen Wenlang would abort their baby. Now, the S-class Alpha just wanted to find Gao Tu and begged him to stay, to give him a chance to explain, and to let him support his bunny and their baby.
Regret always comes after.
He followed Gao Tu’s father to find out where Gao Tu was. Unfortunately, the lowlife of a man was not even useful, missing three days after their meeting and never being seen by anyone again. Shen Wenlang suspected foul play, but Hua Yong declined to admit it was him. The Enigma might be a manipulative SOB, but he was rather honest. Shen Wenlang then focused on Gao Tu’s sister, but she suddenly left no papertrail or anything after she was discharged from the hospital. Not even a return check up appointment.
The most mortifying part was that Shen Wenlang now suffered from the mate-seeking syndrome. He dreaded his rut so much he started to take inhibitors, which messed up with his health. Even the toilet scented Sheng Shaouyou looked concerned when he visited their house. The only thing holding him sane was Little Peanut. He spoiled the kid like there is no tomorrow. He fought a lot with Sheng Shaouyou because of that. However, Hua Yong’s need to be alone with his Mr. Sheng meant Little Peanut spent more time with Wenlang.
His rut was getting near and Shen Wenlang needed to go to hospital soon. He dreaded the nauseating feeling after the injection that made everything seem miserable and dreadful.
His phone suddenly rang, and Shen Wenlang saw a weird number on the screen. It was a landline from another country. It looked like a scam. So he declined it. Yet the phone rang again, showing the same call number. Shen Wenlang ignored it, but it kept ringing. Frustrated by the sound, he growled and answered the phone.
“Who is this?” he growled.
“Good morning, may I speak to Mr. Shen Wenlang please?”
“Who are you?”
“We are from B Hospital. You are listed as the emergency contact for Mr. Gao Tu and Gao Lele. Am I speaking to the right person?”
Gao Tu.
Emergency contact.
Gao Lele.
Hospital.
“... Yes. Yes. I am him. What happened? Where are they? Are they okay?” Wenlang immediately answered eagerly.
“Unfortunately Mr. Gao has been in a coma for the past week. According to his insurance, we can only keep him until tomorrow. We need you to sign the paperwork to keep him in, or any discussion on Mr. Gao’s future medical treatment. Are you available to come to the Hospital, sir?”
“What.” Shen Wenlang felt dread filled his chest. Coma? His Gao Tu was in a coma for the past week? “Yes, I will sign anything. I will come for discussion. Give me the address and contact number then.”
After getting the contact details, Shen Wenlang checked the hospital and found out it was a small general hospital in a country a few hours away by plane. He immediately told his secretary to get his private jet ready and he went that same moment to the private airport, without even packing anything. He ordered his secretary to prepare for his landing and hotel in the said country, while also giving the hospital his billing details.
The whole flight he was torn between happily finding Gao Tu and his son (Gao Lele!), while also worried about Gao Tu’s condition. He felt very weak in the face of any possibilities. He couldn’t sleep a wink throughout the flight, dreading what he would find there.
When he reached the hospital a day later, he immediately went to the room he was told to.
The room was small and full of antiseptic smell. It was a crowded three-patients per room, but fortunately the other two beds were empty. On the last bed near the window, Gao Tu lay on the bed with a pale face and a lot of tubes inserted into his body.
Shen Wenlang couldn't bear it anymore and he kneeled beside the bed, taking Gao Tu’s cold hand and kissed it. “Gao Tu. I found you.”
The door opened and a doctor came in with a nurse behind her. The nurse was also holding a boy, no more than three, the same size as Little Peanut.
“Are you Mr. Shen Wenlang?” the doctor asked. Shen Wenlang nodded quickly. The doctor smiled stiffly. “I am sorry we need to call you. You were listed as the final emergency contact for Mr. Gao Tu. Unfortunately, after Miss Gao Qing’s passing last month, Mr. Gao Tu’s condition deteriorated. He was admitted to intensive care last week from exhaustion and kidney failure from overwork. He suddenly fainted and fell into a coma for the past week. We have been taking care of Little Lele here, but since it is not covered by insurance, we can only rely on our nurses. Mr. Gao Tu and Miss Gao Qing have been in our care for the past year or so, so we want to help him as much as we can.”
The nurse looked like she wanted to cry, but she quickly smiled at the boy. “Lele, look! It’s Mr. Shen! Do you know him?”
The little boy looked at Shen Wenlang and quickly turned to hug the nurse’s neck.
The doctor sighed. “I am guessing you are his Alpha-father?”
Shen Wenlang just nodded but his mouth was so dry. He couldn’t open his mouth. The little boy looked so different from Peanut. Where Peanut was little Shaouyou with Hua Yong's confidence and extrovertly able to assert dominance, Little Lele was shy, thin but unmistakably Shen Wenlang. His face’s a carbon copy of Wenlang when he was small.
And he knew everyone could see how similar both of them were.
“This is personal, but I got your number from Gao Qing.” the doctor told him again. “Gao Qing is-was my friend, and she secretly told me your number just in case something happened to both her and Mr. Gao Tu. They have no one else, and we request that you… maybe you can take care of Lele. but if you don’t want to do it, we understand. We will put him in the orphanage instead.”
“No!” Shen Wenlang barked, making everyone startled. Lele looked scared and started crying. Yet where Peanut usually cried out loud to make his displeasure known, Little Lele cried with his small hands closing his mouth, as if to keep silent. The nurse, after quickly recovering from her surprise, immediately gave the boy soft kisses and wiped his tears away.
It made Shen Wenlang’s chest hurt.
“I am sorry.” Wenlang lowered his voice, “I will take care of my so ..Lele.” the name sounded foreign, but so precious. Wenlang wanted nothing but Lele to accept him as his father.
“Thank you, we really appreciate it. Mr. Gao Tu and Gao Qing are very dear to us, and we want the best for Lele. If, by any chance, you cannot take care of him, please tell me first before you give him away.”
The thought of abandoning his own son made Wenlang flinch. “Never. I will never abandon him. I will take responsibility for Gao Tu and Lele, my omega and my son.”
It was a promise given on the spot, but Wenlang knew he would honor it for the rest of his life.
The doctor kindly explained what happened to Gao Tu and the options they have.
For the past three years, Gao Tu and Gao Qing have been in and out the small hospital. Gao Qing was fine but she relapsed a year ago. By then, she was bound to the hospital bed. Gao Tu ended up working two part time jobs. The hospital residents fell pity for the siblings and their little Lele, so they tried to help whenever they could. They allowed Lele to stay with them when Gao Tu needed to work, feeding the siblings with any leftover hospital food, etc. Gao Tu was very thankful but hesitant to keep asking for them, and apparently took another part time job.
This time, his body really dropped. His pregnancy and birth wasn’t the easiest, and post-natal exhaustions further reduced his body immunity. Trying to save every penny didn’t help either, and slowly Gao Tu forgot to eat or drink for the longest time, while keeping using medicines and inhibitors to stuff out his heat. It attacked his right kidney, which contributed to his bad health. He suddenly passed out while taking Lele from the nurses a week ago, and ever since then, he was in a coma.
The doctors and nurses who already loved the siblings and Lele like their own niece/nephews all chipped in to cover fees outside the insurance coverage. However, they could only do so much, and Lele looked so pitiful, silently waiting on his Omega Father’s bedside, watching in silence, waiting for his Papa to open his eyes.
The doctor finally gave up and called the number Gao Qing used to tell her in confidence before she passed away– it was the number of Lele’s Alpha parent, but just only for last resort. It was fortunate that Gao Qing passed on that contact, because a few weeks after she told the doctor, she passed away and Gao Tu’s grief pushed the already weakened and overworked omega into coma.
Shen Wenlang wanted to hit himself repeatedly when he heard what Gao Tu had gone through. He should be there, helping and protecting his … His omega, but he was too deep in stupid self-wallowing and chasing useless tracks that he was late.
Gao Tu’s kidney needed to be operated on and taken. He could still live normally with one kidney, however it would hinder his lifestyle of many part time jobs, because one kidney couldn't sustain prolonged overwork. In essence, if Gao Tu wanted to live, he needed a lot of rest, less stress, and over the clock support.
And all of that was given if only Gao Tu could wake up from his coma.
Meanwhile, Lele was another matter to be concerned about. The little boy didn’t make any sound, a bit behind his supposed milestones. He is not suffering from malnutrition per se; but he was definitely smaller than kids his age. He was a kind, silent boy who meekly allowed people to take care of him. Even though he was still a toddler, he seemed to sense that his omega father was tired and too overworked to care for him more than he already did, so Lele seemed to accept like normal that he needed to be silent and easy for adults to handle. He never asked for anything, even when he was hungry. A nurse discovered that Lele didn't even ask for milk even though his little stomach grumbled very, very loud.
The doctor and nurse let the little family some private time and left the room. Little Lele initially refused to be held by Shen Wenlang. It seemed Lele used to be put on Gao Tu’s bed. The little toddler just looked at the unfamiliar Alpha and looked away, crawling towards his omega father’s chest instead. Then, with the familiarity of a baby, he lay stomach-down onto his unconscious father’s chest while gripping the blanket around him.
“Lele,” Wenlang whispered softly. He slowly put his hand on Lele’s exposed back, and patted the boy.
The boy looked away, but Wenlang could feel the little body trembling.
“Lele, I am your father.”
The little baby made no sound. His body kept trembling. Wenlang was at a loss on how to make his own son feel comfortable around him. He held his breath and slowly released his pheromones to soothe the baby.
Thankfully, the baby seemed to accept it as Lele turned and gave Wenlang more attention. It seemed the baby was responding positively to Wenlang’s pheromones. Happy with the progress, Shen Wenlang continued his pheromones soothe, while slowly touching Lele’s cheek.
“Hello Lele. I am your father. I am sorry for not being with you before. But I promise I will be here thereon, and I will never leave you or your mother to suffer anymore.”
Lele didn’t look like he understood, but the baby started to chomp on Shen Wenlang’s finger and gummed on it.
By the morning, Shen Wenlang managed to get Lele to accept being carried by him. It was an exhausting night, physically and mentally, but he was finally content. He has his omega and son back in his arms. He will not fail them anymore.
Shen Wenlang moved Gao Tu back to Jianghu to the best hospital under HS Group. His team managed to operate and safely take out the diseased kidney, and slowly Gao Tu’s condition improved. However, Gao Tu was still under a coma spell, and submitted to 24 hours close care in the VVIP room. Shen Wenlang visited everyday just to give Gao Tu his soothing pheromone, which seemed to help improve Gao Tu’s recuperation.
Shen Wenlang also made an altar for Gao Qing, because he knew Gao Tu would appreciate it when he woke up.
He took care of Shen Lele–he changed the name in the Jianghu registration–alongside Peanut. At first, he was afraid Lele might be too soft to handle Peanut, but he was surprised how perceptive Peanut was to Lele. Peanut became a leader and protector, slowly coaxing Lele out of his shell. Slowly Lele started to laugh out loud and cried when Peanut took his toy (a wolf doll with grey soft fur and triangle head. It seemed Lele didn’t have many toys back then, and he only had a few story books, handover building blocks and the wolf doll. Lele seemed to treasure the doll very much. Shen Wenlang wanted to believe that Gao Tu bought the doll to link Lele to Wenlang, as Wenlang’s animal symbol was a wolf and Gao Tu a bunny).
But before Wenlang could ask Peanut to return the doll, Peanut squatted and returned the doll, surprisingly apologising without being asked. “Baby don’t cry,” Peanut said in a childish voice, patting Lele’s head. Lele stopped crying and looked up with a sweet smile. Peanut seemed to be happy with Lele’s reaction and shared his toys instead, including his most treasured two fox and tiger plushies.
Hua Yong and Shaoyou were surprisingly supportive. They took care of Lele as well, preparing things Wenlang overlooked. Shaoyou was very supportive of Lele, hiring the best children's speech therapist and nutritionist for Lele. Surprisingly, Hua Yong actually looked like he liked Lele, playing with him together with Peanut. Hua Yong became the default choice of monster character whenever Lele and Peanut played pretend. They took care of Lele enough to allow Wenlang to rest. It felt good to have a support system.
The first word Lele spoke out loud was “Dadee,” and Wenlang cried on the spot. He kissed his son’s cheek and hugged him so tight Lele pushed him away and hit him on the face.
Then, the miracle arrived.
Gao Tu opened his eyes.
Both Shen Wenlanga and Lele cried when they saw Gao Tu was awake. It was a long recovery journey, and mentally Gao Tu was too hurt and hardened to accept Wenlang’s support; but slowly things got better. Wenlang relentlessly tried to prove his sincerity and love to his omega, which gradually lowered Gao Tu’s wall. By the time Lele finally entered kindergarten with Peanut, Gao Tu was able to walk by himself, albeit still needing a wheelchair for a longer distance. Their family photo of Lele entering Kindergarten was them posing in front of the building, Lele in his new uniform stood between standing and proud Shen Wenlang on the right, while Gao Tu smiling gently on a wheelchair on the left.
It was not perfect, but it was an improvement. For Shen Wenlang, he had found what his life purpose was and he would do everything he could to protect them.
~End~