Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lin Wan and Xia MO sat under the orange tree. Xia MO pursed her lips and hesitated. Something seemed to be troubling her.
âWhat is it?â asked Lin Wan. âJust say it.â
Xia MO suddenly grabbed Lin Wan on the shoulder.
Lin Wan was a little surprised. âSister, be gentle. You will crush my shoulder bones.â
âWanwan, I am done for!â
âWhy? What happened?â
Xia MO didnât know how to break the news to her. She was in her forties. Her son would be old enough to get married and settle down in a few years. Her period was a week late. Xia MO was massively worried.
There could be just one explanation. She had gone through something quite similar when she was pregnant with Xiao Yi.
âI just⦠itâs over for me!â
Lin Wan was stunned. She had never seen Xia MO this flustered before. âDonât tell me old Xiao is having an affair!â
Xia MOâs eyes widened in shock. âWhat? No!â she said. âYou think anyone would be interested in my Xiao?â
âThen donât be like the Festival Group!â said Lin Wan. âYou are creating unnecessary suspense and making me worried! â
âWanwan⦠brace yourself for this news, okay?â n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIs it Yanchen then?â asked Lin Wan. âIs he the one cheating on me?â
âNo!â said Xia Mo. âWho hurt you in the past? Why are you thinking of affairs and such? I think I am pregnant! I donât know what to doâ¦â
Xia Mots grip tightened on Lin Wanâs shoulders. She gently pushed Xia Mots hands away. âIsnât that great, though? You only have one child. You did tell me itâs lonely with only you and old Xiao at home. Having another will be good for you.â
Lin Wan was happy for Xia Mo. Having only one child was great, but sometimes it could get lonelv for the Darents and the child. Lin Wan grew uD in an orphanage with many children. She liked having siblings.
Xia MO sighed. Lin Wan didnât seem to understand what she was trying to say.
âI know itâs lively to have another child, but⦠Donât you think I am past the age of having another baby?â
She wanted to emphasize that she was old, and Xiao Yi was already an adult at the age of marrying and having his own child. How awkward would it be for him to have a little brother or a sister who was the same age as his own child? Xia MO couldnât bear to think about it.
âOh⦠you feel it would be awkward to have a child now since Xiao Yi is all grown up.â Lin Wan finally understood.
âWhat should I do? I usually donât care about what others think, but this is bothering me.â
Lin Wan held Xia Moâs hands in her own. âIf you want a child, just do it. Why would people talk about older women having children? Even if they do, you donât have to worry about it. The country has a three-children policy now. That means, even our country encourages people to have more children. Whatâs wrong with being a mother in your 40s or 50s, anyway?
âThat⦠makes sense,â said Xia Mo. âAre you trying to persuade me to have another child?â
âI am doing no such thing. I am just trying to support you in whatever you want to do. You are just in your 40s right now. Thatâs not even that old! Plenty of celebrities in their 40s have babies. Do you think people are so jobless that they will criticize us about everything in our lives?â
âAs expected from the host of the âNight Talkâ livestream! I feel a lot better after talking to you,â said Xia Mo. âBut I donât know how Xiao Tianlin will feel about this. He is almost 50, and he wants to retire early. Do you think he would be willing to raise another baby with me? Itâs not easy to raise a child.â
âOh, come on! Your family is well-off financially. You can afford to raise another child. Besides, Xiao Yi pretty much earns his own way now. He is a professional gamer and does well in academics,â said Lin Wan. âAre you absolutely sure youâre pregnant?â
âI am not 100% sure, but my period is late,â said Xia Mo. âFor a moment, I didnât want to live anymore. I felt so much pressure. I feel a lot better after talking to you. I think I need to talk to you more often when I feel overwhelmed.â
Lin Wan was surprised. âReally? You were feeling suicidal?â asked Lin Wan. âLook, you can always talk to me. I am here for you. Donât even think of killing yourself, okay? If you really donât want another child, there are other ways. Donât put yourself through that alone.â
Xia MO nodded. âPlease donât tell anyone about this. What if I am just overreacting? I might not even be pregnant.â
âDonât worry. I wonât tell anyone.â
âAlright,â said Xia MO in relief. âWhat about you? Donât you want to consider having a child of your own?â Lin Wan sighed. âLi Yanchen does.â
âYou can talk to me about it.â
âWell⦠he has mentioned it a few times.â
âWhat did you say?
âI just⦠I told him we already have three sons. If I have a baby, and it turns out to be a boy, then I would have to deal with four daughters-in-law in the future, which would put immense pressure on me. I was just using that as an excuse to discourage him. However, he is adamant. He said we could live separately. He also said that if we have a daughter, she will be pampered by three elder brothers, so I donât need to worry too much.â
âHmm⦠he definitely wants a baby with you. I mean, he loves you. So, it makes sense that he wants a baby with you, no matter how many sons he might have had in the past.â
Lin Wan understood that. âI assume you have read news where brothers turn against each other and their family for family properties and such?â
Xia MO rolled her eyes at Lin Wan. âThat canât happen in your family. Xuanxuan makes his own money as a celebrity. When he gets older, his wealth might even exceed his fatherâs. As for Xinxin, he does so well in games. I know he wants to be a professional gamer. He told Xiao Yi that he wants nothing to do with the company and wants to build his own name in the gaming industry. Jiejie is too young right now.â
âThey are all kids right now,â said Lin Wan. âThey donât know what they are saying. Their opinions might change as they grow up.â
âThatâs true, but I still think the three kids are too kind and independent to create feuds in the family. I donât think they will fight for the family fortune.â
Lin Wan sighed. âYou might be right. But I still have other concerns. I need time to think. Letâs talk about it when I have figured out a solution to my concerns. Also, I have only just finished knitting half of what you taught me. Should we go and continue?â
âSure.â
Lin Wan headed to Xia Moâs house with her. They took out their woolen balls of thread from a box and sat in front of the camera.
In the courtyard of the Li family house, Xiao Tianlin was already waiting for Li Yanchen. âBrother Li, a man should have other things to do than stick to his wife every second. Women get tired when you stay with them all the time and give them no time to themselves..â