Free Web NovelChapter 397: Chapter 155: Peddler (Part 2)
Her son and his wife were the backbone of the family. As long as they were home, she felt secure. If they weren’t, she had to be the one to stand strong. But with her thin arms and legs, she truly couldn’t support this family.
Xiang’er couldn’t help but join in the persuasion, but not only did she fail to make Mrs. Zhao budge, her efforts made Mrs. Zhao even more determined to stay.
"I can’t leave this house behind. Your father built it for me."
"If I leave too, who will tend to your father’s grave in the future?"
"A person has to know their own limits. I don’t want to be a burden to you and your wife."
No matter who spoke, it was no use. In the end, it was Chen Wanqing who went over and said a few words to Mrs. Zhao.
Just those few words were enough for Mrs. Zhao to relent. She then began bustling about, enthusiastically preparing for the move.
After Chen Wanqing returned to their room, Zhao Jing pressed her about how she had persuaded his mother. Chen Wanqing just shook her head and ignored him, refusing to say what she and Mrs. Zhao had talked about no matter what.
But how could she be a match for Zhao Jing?
Zhao Jing only needed one trick to handle her.
He always loved to wear her down in bed, making her agree to all sorts of strange requests and say reckless, shameful things. Naturally, her little secret was coaxed out of her between the sheets.
"I... I told Mother that if I were to become pregnant, it would be terribly inconvenient not to have an elder around to help..."
’A pregnancy? How was that supposed to happen?’
Zhao Jing was very greedy in this matter and had no desire for children anytime soon.
Unlike other young men of his time who married for the sake of having children, he didn’t. He had married for *her*.
To prevent an inconvenient pregnancy, he had been very restrained back in the Prefecture, never finishing inside. He even went behind her back before they left the Prefecture and, from who knows where, bought some fish bladders and sheep intestines.
Those things filled an entire box, which he solemnly placed on a shelf in his study.
Anyone who didn’t know better would surely think it contained valuable books, or perhaps ink, brushes, and paper. They wouldn’t even dare touch it while cleaning. But inside were the most unmentionable of things.
Hearing her answer, Zhao Jing let out a soft chuckle, as if he’d expected it. The more he pictured the look on her face as she’d said it, the more amusing he found it, and he couldn’t help but bury his face in her neck, his laughter muffled.
His tremors vibrated through her, sending a tingling numbness through Chen Wanqing’s entire body.
A deep, sensual blush colored her face, and she couldn’t stop herself from trying to push Zhao Jing away.
But Zhao Jing just breathed naughtily behind her ear. "Do you want a child, love?"
"We... we can. We can have one, or not. It’s... it’s mainly up to you."
In truth, Chen Wanqing wasn’t in a hurry to get pregnant.
Her mother had said it was best to wait until she was at least twenty before getting pregnant.
By then, the mother’s body would be fully developed. The child would be smarter and healthier, and even the physical damage to her own body during childbirth would be minimal.
Her mother knew all sorts of strange things. They might have sounded baffling, but they were always well-reasoned, so Chen Wanqing chose to trust her mother’s words.
Besides, her mother had also said that Jing was still a bit young and perhaps couldn’t yet bear the responsibility of being a father. It wouldn’t be too late to have a child after he was a couple of years older, more mature, and the quality of his sperm was better.
Chen Wanqing didn’t know what "sperm" was, and she didn’t dare repeat such things in front of Zhao Jing.
But just thinking about it made her uncontrollably shy, and her affectionate eyes grew even more radiant and dazzling.
Zhao Jing felt himself drowning in those eyes, and all thoughts of pregnancy were instantly thrown to the winds. Right now, he only wanted to become one with her. It would be best if no children came along to disturb them.
’It would be best to wait until they could afford to hire a wet nurse before having children,’ he thought. ’Then, Wanqing would still be his alone.’
The next day, the two of them rose early and headed to the county town.
This day was Yao’an’s birthday.
After today, Yao’an would be nine years old.
His brother-in-law’s birthday wasn’t a major event, but Zhao Jing was tired of entertaining guests. Now that he finally had an excuse, he was naturally going to take the opportunity to openly sneak away for a day of peace and quiet.
As the two of them reached the village entrance, they saw a traveling merchant carrying a shoulder pole and heading into the village.
Spotting the two of them, the merchant hawked his wares with even more vigor. "Kitchen knives, scissors, whetstones! Thimbles, silk thread, and velvet flowers! Scented pouches, tassels, rouge, and face powder! I have it all, a complete selection!"
Catching sight of the faces and attire of the two people on the ox-cart, the merchant realized they probably wouldn’t be buying any of his wares. He shut his mouth and stepped aside to let them pass on the main road.
But he wasn’t sure if it was his imagination; in the instant they passed each other, he felt that the gaze of the young man driving the cart was somewhat sharp. If looks could kill, he’d probably be dead a thousand times over.
