Chapter 423: Yan Jie Cheng, Adopting a Child

The eldest uncle took a long time to come out, making Jia Zhangshi increasingly guilty, and she lost her confidence in speaking.

Especially the surrounding neighbors, none of them wished her well.

She slowly got up, then moved toward her own room, and when she saw an opportunity, she turned and ran.

"Xu Damao, you wait, this matter isn't over."

Jia Zhangshi's escape drew a crowd of laughing people.

Jia Zhangshi had always been the type not to be provoked, but now she had no backing, and was really just a stray dog.

People, once they reveal a weakness, no matter how capable, can become the object of others' teasing.

Many people's gazes toward her changed.

Jia Zhangshi, who always thought herself clever, still hadn't realized this.

San Da Ye's home.

After Xu Damao got married, Yan Jie Cheng also felt anxious inside.

Plus, Yu Li and he had grown apart in heart and virtue, so the home was no longer a home.

Besides threatening Yu Li with fierceness, he had no other means.

Yan Jie Cheng was so worried he couldn't stand it, turned and entered Yan Fu Gui's house.

Seeing it was his eldest son, San Da Ye's heart gave a jolt.

Because of this son, he had already spent quite a bit of money.

Now, seeing his eldest son made him afraid.

"Jiecheng, why aren't you accompanying Yu Li and came to my place?"

This is contempt.

Although Yan Jie Cheng heard that, what could he do? Now he could only rely on his own parents.

"Dad, I'm miserable—Xu Damao has remarried too, I, I… sob sob…"

As he spoke he burst into tears; he truly felt wronged—what was he to do in this life? Father not affectionate, mother not loving, wife estranged, and no children.

He was desperate to death; only someone living in that era could truly feel that sensation.

Seeing the child in such pain, the money‑loving San Da Ye glanced at San Da Ma.

San Da Ma calculated the accounts, nodded, and thought, after all it's their own child; on matters of right and wrong, San Da Ye is still reliable.

"Hey, stop crying, stop crying—if we can't, we'll just adopt one; even if it's not good‑looking, at least we'll have an heir."

"However, Jiecheng, it's not that Dad wants to settle accounts with you—look, Jie Fang is already working, and it's time to discuss marriage."

"This money…"

Yan Jie Cheng and his wife both have jobs now; honestly they've saved some money, but the money is in Yu Li's hands.

Women of this era are different from ours back then; it's rare for them to steal their husband's family money.

Moreover, it's rare for them to divorce and split the husband's family property.

Furthermore, there's no squandering; each one is a little expert at finance, carefully budgeting.

One could say that in this era, women have saved a family's finances.

(Feeling inspired, in the past mothers were mostly good at handling money.)

So it's only natural for wives to manage money in this era.

Yan Jie Cheng understood San Da Ye's meaning at a glance, and he hesitated a moment.

"Dad, we don't have much money; if we adopt, we'd still have to support a child."

Afterward he looked pitifully at San Da Ye, then turned his head to San Da Ma, with a teary expression that even the two accounting experts couldn't bear.

San Da Ye let out a sigh.

"Dad will cover half."

"However, there's something I need to discuss with you."

"After adopting a child, if you still live in the courtyard, you also understand the character of those people."

"You'd better move out, so that no one knows your child is adopted, there'll be less gossip, and you won't feel stifled."

"And your house, give it to Jie Fang to live in—he also needs to discuss marriage."

Yan Jie Cheng had no objection to this, only feeling a bit reluctant.

"Dad, then what about the rent?"

San Da Ye glared.

"What rent? That house is yours rented—what money do you need?"

Yan Jie Cheng muttered.

"We've paid rent for ten years."

San Da Ma advised.

"You two haven't claimed your housing subsidy yet; together it's over five hundred."

"How about you settle on an apartment building this winter?"

"As an older brother, you shouldn't keep calculating these things for your younger brother."

"Otherwise go ask Jie Fang for it—you're the older brother, can you bring yourself to lower your face?"

Yan Jie Cheng could certainly lower himself, but needing a child, he still had to rely on these two, and he suffered the loss.

"I'll go back and discuss it with my wife."

Yu Li was at Gu Ning's home; since falling out with Yan Jie Cheng, she and Gu Ning have become affectionate.

Yan Jie Cheng stood at the door and called out.

"Yu Li, Yu Li, I'm looking for you about something."

Yu Li heard that, but didn't move at all.

Gu Ning pushed her.

"Go check it out; maybe there really is something. If he dares to make a move, you call out—I'll bring the rolling pin to back you up."

Yu Li hugged Gu Ning and bit her hard.

"Ning sis, I'm counting on you."

Gu Ning wiped the saliva off her face, disgusted.

"Hurry up, hurry up, how dirty."

Yu Li bid farewell to Gu Ning, walking out of the Gu family's small courtyard with a grim face.

Yan Jie Cheng had grown immune to Yu Li's deadpan expression.

Like a sycophant, he followed behind and went inside.

Gu Ning sat on her own bed and said coldly.

"Speak."

Yan Jie Cheng then explained the matter of adopting a child.

Yu Li was somewhat moved.

If they divorced, Yan Jie Cheng would fight desperately; she could also feel his despair, truly afraid he might do something.

So she could only give him the cold shoulder, waiting until he couldn't take it and he himself would bring up divorce.

Now he suddenly said he wanted to adopt a child.

This left her a bit at a loss.

After adopting a child, divorce would be even harder; at the same time she doubted whether she could really manage to divorce.

Is it a risky gamble, or just muddling through to survive?

Adopting a child, in this day and age, isn't really anything novel.

Seeing Yu Li hesitate, Yan Jie Cheng encouraged her.

"Adopting a child, we'll secure a long-term rental this winter, move out, and no one will know we're adoptive parents—no gossip."

"Our dad will contribute half for the adoption."

After thinking for a while, Yu Li still nodded and agreed.

Yan Jie Cheng, aside from being unable to have children, is otherwise fine; she has no good reason to divorce him.

Unless she exposes Yan Jie Cheng's inability to have children.

Doing that would truly tear their faces apart.

"I agree, but since we're adopting, let's adopt two—a boy and a girl."

"The kind with no parents, physically healthy, and decent-looking."

"Ideally, between three and six years old."

From watching others with kids, she could tell that before age three is the most exhausting.

Since we're going to adopt, we might as well pick one that's easy to get.

Children aged three to six, as they grow older, will forget things from early childhood.

Once they're older they can remember things, but if they're too young you still have to carry them; most importantly, before age three kids get sick more often and mortality is higher.

She chose the best time.

As long as they don't say anything, they'll be considered biological.

Yan Jie Cheng nodded in agreement; the daughter-in-law is preparing to go all-in—this means she's not planning to divorce him.

This is a good thing, necessary—it's just about spending a bit more money.

Upon arriving at San Da Ye's place, San Da Ye, who knew the situation, almost felt heartbroken.

"I'm just trying to extort a house from you—why are you still dragging your father into this?"

San Da Ye still wanted to say he disagreed.

Yan Jie Cheng, as if he had expected this all along, burst into tears?

"Dad, if not this way, Yu Li really won't stay with me."

"Dad, Mom, please save me—if Yu Li won't be with me, what's the point of living? Let me just die."

Look, Jia Zhangshi is still useful in this big courtyard; Yan Jie Cheng has learned the art of pity.