Chapter 225: 1990: A Family by the Spring Chapter 225: What Must I Do to Make You Have Confidence in Me

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Try discussing it properly with Li Liang again."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to meddle too much in other people's family affairs, intending to end the topic: "There are still some days until New Year's, don't rush to make a decision; give yourself enough time to consider, and speak only after you've thought it through clearly."

"I understand."

Wu Meng smiled gratefully, lifted her eyelids to glance toward the Customer Service Department, and a surge of anger rose again: "I heard everything those people said just now; one day I'll find an opportunity to fire all those meddling busybodies, so that they'll have nothing to do all day and will only gossip behind others' backs."

"Let them say whatever they want."

Lin Xiyu didn't take it to heart: "I've heard these words many times; the teachers at school long ago stopped being taboo about it, and even our Principal specially called me to his office, saying he knew a folk remedy for infertility, and asked if I wanted to try it."

"Your principal?"

Wu Meng had seen the principal of their school and was deeply impressed by his Mediterranean-style hairstyle: "The one with a shiny forehead whose hair is almost all gone?"

"Mm..."

Lin Xiyu laughed helplessly: "Can you understand that feeling? After finally being summoned by the Principal once, it wasn't because of good work performance, but because of infertility."

"Your principal is too much of a busybody, meddling in this kind of thing."

Wu Meng couldn't understand: "He's a male leader telling this to a female subordinate, not even thinking about whether she'd feel embarrassed."

"That's right..."

Lin Xiyu self-mocked: "I was so embarrassed at the time, I wanted to dig a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment into the ground with my toes."

"Your principal is really a talent."

Wu Meng almost spat out her laugh: "Even if caring for a subordinate, it's not appropriate for a male leader to say this; whoever this happened to would feel awkward, not flipping your face on the spot already counts as a good temper."

"Flipping faces is impossible..."

Lin Xiyu smiled bitterly helplessly: "I'm still counting on that bit of salary to live; no matter how little I earn, it's money I earned myself, spending it gives me confidence. If a woman has no job and relies on men for everything, constantly reaching out for money, over time it definitely won't work. When young, it's fine; men like novelty and can still give you a good face. But wait until the day one grows old and loses one's beauty, and one will surely be disliked."

"Hearing this from your mouth feels a bit off."

Wu Meng felt something was wrong and asked somewhat surprisedly: "Is Guben not good to you? Why do you suddenly have such strong feelings?"

"He is very good to me..."

Lin Xiyu didn't want her to guess wildly and frankly stated her thoughts: "But difficulty conceiving is a fact; I don't want to deceive myself, living in lies, saying it doesn't matter not having children, just adopt one if you want..."

"Can an adopted child be the same as a biological one? The more money one earns, the more one needs a biological heir to inherit; even if Guben says he doesn't care now, it can't be guaranteed he won't change in the future. When that day comes, what will I have left? Besides the bit of money I saved myself, I'll have nothing..."

—

"This line of thinking of yours is dangerous..."

Wu Meng listened with her heart pounding: "Just now you advised me to be more open-minded, not to overthink, not to bury a seed of hidden danger in my heart; now you're being muddleheaded yourself, torturing yourself with things that haven't happened."

"Guben is the most considerate, gentle, and perfect husband I've ever seen; he takes care of you with meticulous attention. If you said other men would be philanderers and have children with other women to inherit the family business, I'd believe it. But Guben won't."

"I'd bet ten thousand to one that Guben absolutely won't do such a thing. Besides you, he's not even willing to glance at other women. Not to mention anything else, just take Zhang Xiaoqian and Liu Rushi—neither is a bewitching great beauty. If he had even a bit of a philandering heart, he couldn't resist the temptation; during those years in the United States, he would have gotten together with them, and it wouldn't be your turn to marry him."

—

"This is fate, I suppose..."

Lin Xiyu's eyes showed regret: "Gain and loss. If I had known earlier that losing a child would be the price to reconcile with him, I might not have chosen to marry him."

"Xiyu..."

Wu Meng didn't expect that the more she advised, the more her mood sank; she was annoyed to no end: "You absolutely must not go down a rabbit hole, you can't torment yourself over this. Right now, your body is the most important thing. Nurture your body well, it's better than anything. Even if we take ten thousand steps back, even if we can't have children in this lifetime, you still have to treat yourself a little better, right?"

"Take good care of your body, dress yourself beautifully, spend every penny on yourself, let yourself live exquisitely, don't shortchange yourself."

"What does a woman live this life for? Isn't it just to be comfortable and happy? As long as you're good, everything else is empty. Men like beauties, so we'll carefully maintain ourselves, not letting time leave traces on us, so he can never leave you for a lifetime."

—

"Mengmeng, you're getting better and better at talking."

Lin Xiyu found it amusing and laughed while teasing: "Sometimes I feel like I don't even recognize you anymore. Look at you now, so full of airs, your words have depth, with that elite vibe. Are you still the silly Mengmeng from high school days who was easily fooled and did homework for others?"

"Don't mention that again..."

Wu Meng gave an embarrassed laugh: "I was really stupid back then; thinking about it now makes me feel so ashamed. I wish I could travel back to the past and start over..."

"So fast, ten years have passed in the blink of an eye."

Lin Xiyu sighed faintly: "Back when we graduated high school, the matter of filming the documentary is still vivid in my eyes. In the blink of an eye, we're all approaching thirty."

"Indeed, years pass by just like that, one after another."

Wu Meng was also full of melancholy: "Sometimes I wonder what I've done all these years. I feel like I have no achievements at all, just passing day after day in mediocrity."

"Don't you have a house and a car?"

Lin Xiyu laughed and scolded playfully: "An annual salary of several hundred thousand counts as high income even in Shanghai. What else is there to be dissatisfied with? If this got out, it would surely anger a bunch of people. You call this mediocrity? What about those who can only earn hard money and barely fill their stomachs? With you saying this, we might as well all stop living."

"I did earn some money, but in my heart, I always feel a bit empty."

Wu Meng pursed her lips and smiled bitterly: "Maybe I really should go back to Jinan and have a child with Liangzi. With a child, there'd be one more tie, and earning money would have motivation."

"Then go back."

Lin Xiyu suppressed her own heartache and smiled while advising: "I can't have children, but you're different. You have a choice. If you can have one, then have one. Cherishing blessings is a blessing. Have one early while you're young. Don't wait until you're older and can't conceive easily, then regret it."

"Xiyu, you're the best."

Wu Meng was moved to tears: "I knew you truly meant well for me and thought of me. All these years, you've never changed."

"You've been very good to me too."

Lin Xiyu smiled gently: "When I was sad and heartbroken, it was you who accompanied and comforted me. Without you, I couldn't have made it through those years."

"Xiyu, I can't bear to part with you."

Wu Meng choked up and leaned forward, embracing her: "I don't want to leave. If I go, we'll be separated. So far away, I won't be able to see you even if I want to."

"Then don't go."

Lin Xiyu went along with her thoughts: "Stay in Shanghai and keep me company."

"But I can't let go of Liangzi."

Wu Meng sniffled and fell into conflict again.

"Then go back."

Lin Xiyu laughed and cried at the same time.

"So conflicted..."

Wu Meng was extremely distressed: "Am I too greedy, unwilling to give up either of you two?"

"Mengmeng, actually I think you've already made your choice."

Lin Xiyu spoke her true thoughts for her: "When you said you felt empty and wanted to have a child, I knew I couldn't keep you. Your heart had already flown back to Jinan, back to Li Liang's side."

"If you want to go back, go back. Don't leave yourself with regrets. Money can be earned again, but once feelings are cracked, they're hard to mend. You waited so many years for Li Liang, and finally have a chance to reunite. Don't make things hard for yourself for money. Even if you have a child, Xingyao's doors will always be open to you. Guben and I welcome you back anytime."

"Xiyu, you're too kind. I love you so much."

Wu Meng was moved to tears, hugging Lin Xiyu and crying like a child.

—

After finishing the business discussion, Guben returned from outside and saw Lin Xiyu standing alone in a daze by the floor-to-ceiling window of the President's Office. He took off his coat and embraced her from behind.

"Mengmeng is resigning. She's going back to Jinan for the New Year and won't be coming back."

Lin Xiyu knew it was him without turning around. She leaned back, resting in his arms.

"Xiyu, what do I need to do to make you have faith in me..."

Guben held her tightly, his voice hoarse, carrying undisguised helplessness and heartache.

Lin Xiyu laughed in exasperation: "I was going to tell you about Wu Meng, but I didn't expect this person to be so quick with her mouth—she told you what I said first."

"Fortunately she told me."

Guben felt very heavy-hearted: "Otherwise I still wouldn't know. It turns out you've always been on guard against me and don't trust me as I thought."

"I didn't..."

Lin Xiyu denied it: "Mengmeng misunderstood my meaning and guessed wildly on her own."

Guben knew Wu Meng inside out: "She's not smart enough to make up these words."

"You trust her, but not me?"

Lin Xiyu felt a bit guilty and deliberately asked back with feigned displeasure.

"I don't mean to blame you."

Guben lowered his head, his forehead gently rubbing her cheek: "I just want to know—what exactly do I need to do to make you completely open your heart and accept me without reservation?"

"You've already done very well."

Lin Xiyu blurted it out without thinking.

"Really?"

Guben asked back: "I feel like you're just placating me."

"Really..."

Lin Xiyu didn't want him to misunderstand, and added: "As a husband, you're already perfect."

"But I can't cure your body, or heal your heart's wounds."

Guben smiled bitterly: "Sometimes I really feel powerless. I don't know what else I can do to make you happy, to make you forget that painful past."

"When you have time someday, let's go to Hangzhou."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to continue this heavy topic. She deliberately changed the subject to lighten the mood: "I heard the Child-giving Guanyin at Lingyan Temple is very effective. Many people go there to worship Buddha. I want to go and pray too, asking the Bodhisattva to grant us a child."

"Alright."

Guben agreed to everything: "We'll go to Hangzhou this afternoon, stay one night by West Lake, and go to Lingyan Temple early tomorrow morning."

"Leave today?"

Lin Xiyu widened her eyes in surprise.

"Mm."

Guben doted on his wife without limit: "Wherever you want to go, you go. My time is at your disposal. I can go out anytime."

"But do we have to leave today?"

Lin Xiyu laughed and cried at the same time: "Staying overnight requires preparing a lot of things. Just Ruirui's clothes alone need several sets..."

"No need to prepare..."

Guben had made up his mind: "This time I'll drive myself. Just the two of us. No one else is coming."

"Ah?"

Lin Xiyu was a bit confused: "Not bringing anyone at all? Xiaoyi just arrived. Is it okay for us both to leave?"

Guben didn't think so: "He's a seventeen-year-old young man. Does he still need his sister to worry about him?"

"True."

Lin Xiyu nodded in agreement: "He can take the train to Shanghai by himself. Staying home alone for two days should be no problem."

"Don't worry about Ruirui either."

Guben added: "He's already eight years old and sensible. We should let go. There's no need to be like the past few years, worrying about everything for him."

"Oh, I almost forgot about that."

Lin Xiyu suddenly slapped her forehead, remembering something important: "I almost let you talk me into leaving. Grandma is going out these days, taking the Old University dance troupe to perform in another city. The adults won't be home. Only Xiaoyi and Ruirui, the two children, will be here. No, no, I'm not reassured."

"What's there not to be reassured about..."

Guben endured and persuaded: "Just take this opportunity to let them exercise their ability to live independently."

"The two of them probably can't even cook rice."

"If they can't, they can learn...."

"I'm afraid they'll blow up the pot."

"Let them blow it up, just buy another one."

"Aren't you worried? How dangerous is playing with fire in the kitchen?"

"What's there to worry about? If they can't even cook a meal themselves, they might as well smash themselves to death with a piece of tofu."

"You're quite the uncle......"

Lin Xiyu was quite speechless: "If your Eldest Brother finds out, he should chop you."

"He's not clairvoyant, how could he see?"

"Won't Ruirui call to tell on them? The father and son have such a good relationship, they chat a few sentences every evening, say good night, and only then will Ruirui sleep soundly."

"Really?"

Guben was rarely surprised: "How would I know?"

"As they say, men can't raise children."

Lin Xiyu angrily rebuked: "You don't even know your nephew's daily habits, letting Ruirui call you uncle for so many years in vain."

"I admit I've cared for him a little less......"

Guben defended himself: "It's not because in our family, whether big or small matters, you make the decisions, I'm also under your control, the household power is in your hands, my status in the family is the same as Ruirui's, both obeying your orders......"

"You're really good at explaining?"

Lin Xiyu laughed in anger: "As expected of a lawyer's eloquence, good at sophistry."

"Let's just say that."

Guben didn't wait for her to retort, pulling the person and leaving: "We're setting off now, arriving in Hangzhou at 3 PM, we can still stroll around West Lake."