Chapter 218: Keeping the Child

Chapter 218: Deciding to Keep the Child

They sat across from each other, eyes locked.

Xie Yan pressed his lips together, his eyes dark and deep as a moonless night. Fleeting flashes of panic, like distant stars flickering in the night, crossed his gaze.

"Lu Mingchao."

Xie Yan was the first to speak.

Xie Yan leaned in closer, taking Lu Mingchao's hand in his. "Mingchao, do you not want the baby?"

"Or is there something worrying you?"

"You can share anything with me."

"After all, you're the one carrying the baby, so the decision is yours alone."

Xie Yan's heart ached, though his face betrayed nothing.

Lu Mingchao's gaze wavered, her expression a mix of emotions, as she looked down at her flat stomach.

"A Yan, I do want it."

"It's just so sudden, and I'm feeling overwhelmed."

Xie Yan's head snapped up, his voice barely a whisper. "You do want it."

Lu Mingchao gently traced Xie Yan's palm. "If I have concerns, they're real."

"Worries about the toll of pregnancy."

"I'm scared of how my body will change, of my health declining."

"And the sheer terror of childbirth itself."

"A Yan, I never planned for this, but now that it's happened, we can't just take away this child's chance at life."

Xie Yan felt torn in two.

In the north, he'd heard childbirth was like facing death itself, with half a life held in the hands of the King of Hell, the risk no less than fighting to the death on the battlefield.

"Mingchao, this is on me."

"During the ten months of pregnancy, I will eat and live with you."

"If you're worried about your body changing, I'll find some royal secret recipes."

Lu Mingchao smiled. "How could it be your fault?"

"A Yan, don't always take the blame on yourself."

"With the pregnancy, Mother probably won't allow me to come and go as early and late as before, running around every day. The business in Shunhe County will have to be temporarily handed over to you."

Xie Yan said solemnly, "Don't worry."

Yunniang, having seen the doctor off, returned to find the young couple reconciled and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Chaochao, Dr. Zhang specifically instructed that you must avoid overworking and overthinking. You should rest and take care of the pregnancy, and leave the trivial matters to me and Xie Yan."

"Mom will make sure you grow up healthy and chubby."

Lu Mingchao smirked, "Mom, I don’t need to be chubby."

Gaining weight is easy, but losing it is tough.

Xie Jingyi patted her round tummy and said innocently, "Mom, being chubby is also very cute."

Lu Mingchao pinched Xie Jingyi's little face, "Mom’s Sanbao is adorable no matter what."

Xie Jingyi smiled, her eyes narrowing into a line.

She was as cute and charming as the spring flowers covering the hills.

"Mom, mom, you still haven’t told Sanbao what a joyful pulse is!"

Lu Mingchao took Xie Jingyi's hand and placed it on her belly, "A joyful pulse means Sanbao is going to have a little brother or sister."

Xie Jingyi blinked, "In your belly, Mom?"

Lu Mingchao nodded, "Yes."

"Then why don’t they call it a happy belly?" Xie Jingyi muttered softly.

Lu Mingchao: …

Word of Lu Mingchao’s pregnancy spread like wildfire through the Lu and Xie families.

Lu Chunsheng gave up his fishing obsession and took up carpentry instead. Shu Yuan and Lu Yao dropped everything, even the private school’s rules and regulations, and hurriedly drove back to Changhe County from Changxi Village. Despite her frail health, old Mrs. Lu insisted on going to Changhe County’s busiest temple to burn incense and pray for a protective charm.

Even the three kids stuck by her side whenever they could.

They doted on her, babbling sweet nothings.

After days of being treated like a rare exhibit, Lu Mingchao had had enough and urged everyone to go about their own business and not hover around her.

Shu Yuan officially took over as the teacher at Changxi Village’s private school.

Lu Yao dutifully escorted Huaiqian to Qingyun Academy for his lessons.

...

"Leizi, Chaochao’s already pregnant, and you, the eldest brother, haven’t even thought about settling down yet," Yunniang earnestly urged.

Lu Lei covered his head, begging for mercy.

"Mother, please spare me."

"I’m busy running Chaochao’s grain shop, and I’ve got my hands full. I don’t have any plans to get married for now."

Yunniang shot Lu Lei a sideways glance as she knitted, "You sure it’s just for now?"

Lu Mingchao lounged on a soft cushion, nibbling on a sour dried apricot, and smiled as she watched Lu Lei’s exaggerated expressions.

No wonder Lu Lei was hesitant to marry; Cheng Zhi had left such a deep scar that he’d become wary of women.

Yunniang continued, "You and Jinyu get along pretty well, don’t you?"

"Jinyu used to be a bit high and mighty, but she’s turned over a new leaf, hasn’t she? She’s learned to read and do math…"

Lu Lei quickly responded, "Mother, please don't play matchmaker without thinking."

"Jinyu is Chaochao's apprentice. What would people think if you paired your son with Jinyu? It would look like Jinyu can't get married and your son can't find a wife either."

Yunniang retorted irritably, "Do you think you can still get married?"

I don't know what kind of bad luck this is. He was once obsessed with Cheng Zhi, but after that incident, he would go out of his way to avoid any unfamiliar woman.

"Leizi, tell your mother the truth, are you still thinking about Cheng Zhi?"

Yunniang eyed Lu Lei suspiciously, as if she would throw the knot in her hand at him if he said something unpleasant.

Lu Lei's expression stiffened, and he shook his head, "No, I'm not."

As early as when they faced each other in court, his feelings had completely faded.

Taking a step back, Santu is a scholar aiming for an official career and needs to maintain a good reputation. Cheng Zhi, who is notorious and shunned by everyone, cannot enter the Lu family as Santu's sister-in-law.

He isn't particularly talented, and all he can do is not hold them back.

Yunniang was skeptical. "Since she has become the past, let's move forward and not dwell on the past, right?"

"You can't stop eating and drinking just because you occasionally choke."

"Chaochao, what's that word again?"

Yunniang turned to look at Lu Mingchao.

Lu Mingchao said, "Abandoning eating for fear of choking."

"Yes, that's it." Yunniang's voice was filled with frustration. "Leizi, don't be a coward."

"Are you really not going to get married and start a family just because of Cheng Zhi?"

"You're not young anymore. In Changxi Village, men your age already have children attending private school."

Lu Lei was at a loss for words and mumbled, "Mother, I really can't bring myself to think about these things right now."

"Please give me some more time."

Yunniang sighed, "You and Santu will end up lifelong bachelors."

Lu Lei didn't dare to respond, only lowering his head.

Yunniang finally threw the knot at Lu Lei's shoulder, "Don't just stand there being an eyesore; it's irritating to look at."

Both sons don't want to get married.

Yunniang wondered if she had offended some deity.

Lu Lei felt as if he had been granted a reprieve, picked up the knot, put it in the bamboo basket for needlework, and was about to leave.

"Big brother."

Lu Mingchao put down the dried apricot and said meaningfully, "I want to discuss the plans for Chaofu Grain Shop in the coming period."

Lu Lei: Haven't we already discussed this?

Chaochao's real intention isn't about the wine.

Gu Huai has arrived.