lcionline Chapter 168
Chapter 168
"It's about having a child!" Wu Zhengui looked at Song Nianchu with a helpless expression.
"Huh?" Song Nianchu was slightly stunned.
"Now that you've brought a husband into your home, isn't the next step to settle the matter of children?" Wu Zhengui said.
"There's no rush for that. Let nature take its course," Song Nianchu replied with an awkward smile.
Wu Zhengui wanted to say more, but Song Nianchu interrupted him.
"Uncle Zhengui, don't forget what I told you. I've been running around all day and haven't eaten yet, so I'm going home for dinner first." After speaking, Song Nianchu waved at Wu Zhengui, turned around, and strode away.
"This child..." Watching Song Nianchu's hurried departure, Wu Zhengui could not help but sigh.
"Dad, why are you so anxious? How long has Nianchu even been married? They will have kids sooner or later," Hua spoke up for Song Nianchu.
"I'm just worried that Comrade Mu's health might not be up to par. After all, he's a frail scholar. Do you think he might have some sort of problem? Should we take him to the hospital for a check-up?" Wu Zhengui frowned slightly.
"Just stop worrying about this and eat your food," Aunt Wu said with a helpless look, placing some food into Wu Zhengui's bowl with her chopsticks.
"Nianchu has no family left. How can I not keep an eye out for her? None of you take this seriously," Wu Zhengui snorted.
Aunt Wu didn't argue with him. Many young couples didn't conceive even after six months or a year of marriage. It had only been a few months; there was nothing to worry about.
"..."
Song Nianchu jogged all the way home, Wu Zhengui's words still echoing in her ears.
To be honest, finding a husband was one thing, but she was truly in no rush to have children.
This body was still young, barely twenty years old. Waiting another five or six years to have kids would be perfectly fine.
Right now, she just wanted to improve their living conditions so that their future children wouldn't lack anything materially.
She just didn't know what Mu Shi'an thought about it. She would have to find a chance to talk it over with him properly.
As Song Nianchu thought about this, she pushed open the courtyard door and walked in, just in time to see Mu Shi'an coming out of the washroom.
He was wearing a white tank top, his hair was still dripping wet, and he was holding an enamel basin filled with the clothes he had just washed.
His thick black hair was slicked back, exposing his entire forehead. His usual scholarly aura was completely gone with this look, replaced by a somewhat rugged, untamed vibe.
Song Nianchu's gaze involuntarily lingered on him. She thought that if she could have a child as good-looking as Mu Shi'an, having one a little earlier wouldn't be completely unacceptable.
Mu Shi'an, perhaps sensing Song Nianchu's gaze, looked up. He was momentarily stunned before smiling.
"You're back."
"...Yeah." Song Nianchu quickly snapped out of her daze.
Truth be told, no matter how many times she looked at Mu Shi'an's face, it still easily made her lose focus.
"You came back quite late today. There is hot water boiling for you in the kitchen. Go take a bath first. Haoxuan and I had sweet potato porridge for dinner, so I'll make a bowl of noodles for you," Mu Shi'an said, then added, "My noodles are pretty good."
"Okay." Song Nianchu didn't refuse.
Mu Shi'an hung his clothes out to dry in the courtyard before turning back to the kitchen.
By the time Song Nianchu finished her bath and came out, Mu Shi'an had already finished cooking the noodles.
A poached egg rested on top. It did look pretty good; at least it wasn't burnt this time.
"Eat up." Mu Shi'an handed the chopsticks to Song Nianchu.
She hadn't eaten until now, so she had to be hungry.
"Okay." Song Nianchu sat down and took a bite of the noodles first.
"How is it?" Mu Shi'an asked.
"You've improved." Song Nianchu nodded at him.
Mu Shi'an's expression finally relaxed. Just to avoid a culinary disaster, he had made sure to taste it himself beforehand.
Although it couldn't compare to Song Nianchu's cooking, it was at least edible.
Song Nianchu ate swiftly, bite after bite. Mu Shi'an sat opposite her, not finding her manners rude at all; instead, watching her eat made him feel an appetite.
In no time, Song Nianchu had polished off the entire bowl of noodles, broth and all. She stood up to wash the bowl, but Mu Shi'an took it from her.
"I'll wash it."
Song Nianchu smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, as she watched Mu Shi'an crouch to the side to wash the dishes.
His expression was very serious, as if he were holding a delicate precision instrument rather than a simple bowl.
She truly hadn't seen many men who could treat washing dishes with the same seriousness as conducting a scientific experiment.
"Mu Shi'an, have you ever thought about when you want kids?" Perhaps because the atmosphere was so nice, Song Nianchu couldn't help but ask.
"Kids?" Mu Shi'an looked up at her.
"Yeah, do you have a plan?" Song Nianchu nodded.
Although she wanted to have children later, this was a collaborative project between two people, and the other party's opinion had to be considered.
"I don't have any plans regarding that. It depends on what you want," Mu Shi'an said after a moment of thought.
"You don't want to have kids early?" Song Nianchu was a little surprised.
It seemed like most men wanted to produce the next generation as soon as they got married.
"Children aren't a necessity for me. If you want to have them, I will cooperate. If you don't want to, I have no objections either." Mu Shi'an stood up and placed the washed bowl into the nearby cupboard.
"You wouldn't even mind if we didn't have any?" Song Nianchu's voice raised a few pitches.
"I wouldn't mind." Mu Shi'an nodded.
"Aren't you afraid your parents will scold you?" Song Nianchu stared intently at Mu Shi'an.
If she hadn't completely failed to spot any signs of time travel on him, she would have thought he came from the same era as she did.
"Whether we have children or not is our own business. What does it have to do with my parents?" Mu Shi'an seemed a bit puzzled.
After all, his father hadn't wanted him to marry into his wife's family, yet he had done it anyway.
Song Nianchu stared at Mu Shi'an for a long while. Certain that there was not a trace of falsehood in his words, she murmured softly.
"What the factory manager said today was absolutely right. I really did pick up a treasure."
"What?" Mu Shi'an didn't quite catch that.
"Nothing. I actually quite like kids, but I don't plan on having any in the next couple of years. I want to wait until our family's living conditions are better so that the child won't have to suffer hardships with us," Song Nianchu confessed her thoughts.
"That's fine." Mu Shi'an nodded.
"Then it's settled. For the next few years, we'll just enjoy our time together as a couple." Song Nianchu felt that having a partner who was completely on the same page as her was truly a blessing.
Perhaps many people didn't want to get married or have children. Ultimately, it wasn't that they didn't want a family, but rather that society in the future was too restless, people's hearts were unsettled, and the cost of living was too high.
Under those conditions, no one truly had the courage or the capital to start a family and raise the next generation.
"Whatever you say." Seeing the smile on Song Nianchu's face, Mu Shi'an's expression softened as well.