Chapter 123
Lu Gu’s eyes were moist. Truthfully, he had never been one to cry easily, only when he was beaten could he not hold back his tears. But now, seeing Shen Xuanqing smile, he tried hard to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes.
“It’s nothing, sister-in-law and Elder Brother also had children late. They only got pregnant this year, so there’s no need to rush.” Shen Xuanqing couldn’t bear to see his husband teary-eyed. His heart softened, and even his voice gentled.
“Mm.” Lu Gu nodded heavily, his voice muffled with a nasal tone. A tear finally escaped from the corner of his eye, and he quickly wiped it away, feeling a little embarrassed.
Shen Xuanqing glanced at the two people walking ahead and said in a low voice, “Alright, let’s go back.”
Lu Gu wiped away the tear stains and, without saying a word, obediently followed.
On the way back, none of the four forgot about buying meat. They stopped by Meng Dayue’s house and came back with three strings of meat.
When they returned home, neither Ji Qiuyue nor Shen Yaoqing said much. Naturally, Shen Xuanqing didn’t mention to Wei Lanxiang that Lu Gu might have difficulty conceiving, not wanting to make him feel worse. After all, these things couldn’t be rushed.
At the new house, Lu Gu squatted beside the chicken coop, chopping grass. The air was filled with the soft clucking of hens.
The originally large chicken coop had been divided into two sections, one big and one small. The hens and chicks were confined to the smaller area. The fence used to separate the sections was an old one from the old house, which no longer housed chickens or ducks, so the fence had become unnecessary.
The larger section of the chicken coop had been turned over by Lu Gu and Shen Xuanqing, and they had casually scattered grass and vegetable seeds before covering them with soil. After watering, the seeds would sprout in a few days.
Chickens loved to scratch and dig in the gravel and dirt with their claws, so they had to be temporarily separated. Otherwise, the seeds would surely be dug up and eaten.
Shen Xuanqing came in through the back door carrying a wooden bucket. He had fetched water from the river, and Guaizi followed him into the fenced area. Using a gourd ladle, he began watering the soil. “Take it slow when we go up the mountain tomorrow, we will bring a few extra eggs. Remember to eat one every day.”
“Mm, I know,” Lu Gu replied. He hadn’t forgotten what the doctor had said. The eggs laid by the young hens were enough for him and Shen Xuanqing to each have one every day.
As he spoke, he pulled over two chicken feed bowls, scooped the chopped grass into them, and mixed it with the wheat bran inside. Then he carried the bowls over to the hens.
As soon as the bowls were set down, the chickens, big and small gathered around it, surrounding it completely. They lowered their heads and pecked at the food.
Lu Gu glanced at the water bowl and said, “There’s not much water left.”
“Here.” Shen Xuanqing scooped a ladleful from the bucket and handed it to him.
After pouring the water, Lu Gu stood still for a moment, resting. He watched Shen Xuanqing water the soil, his mind wandering. When he finally snapped out of it, he said, “I’ll go cut some grass for the cows and sheep.”
“Mm, take the dog with you,” Shen Xuanqing said and straightened up.
Lu Gu picked up the bamboo basket from the ground and called for Guaizi. The two of them left through the back door.
Shen Xuanqing watched his figure disappear outside, feeling a mix of melancholy and helplessness. He sighed softly. Today, he had been too eager. He had thought that since he couldn’t discern the pulse himself, he’d let the doctor check if Lu Gu was pregnant. But instead, he had heard those words.
Even though he had said it didn’t matter, it was hard not to feel a little concerned. If he felt this way, how much more must Lu Gu be affected? Keeping busy was good, it would prevent overthinking.
Getting married and having children were seen as natural and inevitable. All the ancestors had followed this path, and in Qingxi Village, Shen Xuanqing had seen and heard the same. It was only natural to have such expectations. He knew a bit about why Ji Qiuyue hadn’t gotten pregnant after marriage, but Lu Gu’s situation was different.
He had heard of shuang'ers and women who had difficulty conceiving or couldn’t conceive at all, most of them were divorced by their husbands.
So after returning home, he hadn’t dared to mention it to Wei Lanxiang. He wasn’t sure what he was afraid of, but after sorting through his thoughts, he felt it was best not to let more people know.
He frowned slightly, thinking to himself that if his mother found out Lu Gu had trouble conceiving, even if she didn’t make a scene in front of him, she would surely argue with him behind his back. If Lu Gu got pregnant in a couple of years, it would be fine. But if he didn’t, there would likely be arguments, as having children was a serious matter.
Shen Xuanqing exhaled softly. He wasn’t afraid of arguments, he could handle them. What he feared most was the idea of divorce.
Lu Gu was soft-hearted and had suffered greatly in the Lu family, to the point where he couldn’t even get enough to eat. Moreover, he had cut off all ties with the Lu family. If Lu Gu really left him, he wouldn't be able to survive.
The thought made his chest ache inexplicably. It was a suffocating, distressing feeling, and within moments, his heart was filled with bitterness.
No matter what, they couldn't go down the path of divorce.
After calming down, Shen Xuanqing thought for a while and came up with an excuse. If Wei Lanxiang ever asked, he would say they didn’t have enough money and didn’t want Lu Gu to have children yet. His children would need to be raised with care, not haphazardly fed like in the countryside.
In his mother’s eyes, he had always been stubborn. Whether she believed him or not, he would stick to this reason. As for the rest, they would take it one step at a time. The doctor had said it wasn’t impossible for Lu Gu to conceive, it would just be more difficult. In a couple of years, when Lu Gu’s health improved, they might even have several children.
People shouldn’t get stuck in their thoughts, or they would only feel more frustrated and stifled.
Having lived to this age, Shen Xuanqing had experienced the hardships of poverty and the cold stares of others. Naturally, he had developed a certain resilience. Once he made a decision, he wouldn’t dwell on it. In fact, the thought of having several children with Lu Gu in a couple of years made him realize that the money they had now really wasn’t enough. The excuse he had come up with suddenly felt real.
After finishing the watering, he tossed the gourd ladle back into the bucket and went out to find Lu Gu.
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