Chapter 102: What Method Do You Think Can Get Him to Have a Child First?

Chapter 102: Chapter 102: What Method Do You Think Can Get Him to Have a Child First?

Outside, she could faintly hear Zhiqiu calling for her. If she didn’t get out soon, Zhiqiu would surely come looking. Cui Lingyao had no time to argue with him. She shot him a glare, lifted the carriage curtain, and hurried out.

Only one person remained in the spacious carriage.

Little by little, Xie Jinbai let his strength drain away. He leaned against the carriage wall and slowly closed his eyes.

He could be as powerful, as perceptive, and as infallibly strategic as he wanted, but none of it could stand up to a single look of annoyance from her.

...

That evening, the convoy arrived safely in a county within Xuzhou.

It was already dark when they arrived, so they found a random inn to stay the night.

The inn wasn’t large.

Their party was large, so Shen Er, who was in charge of accommodations, greeted the Shopkeeper the moment he walked in and booked all of their remaining rooms.

Faced with such a large booking, the Shopkeeper happily agreed.

But Cui Lingyao’s heart sank, and she instinctively glanced at the carriage still waiting outside.

’He probably planned to do the same as this morning—wait for us to get settled before coming in.’

But to her surprise...

The carriage that had been trailing their procession stopped at the entrance for only a moment before its wheels began to turn, slowly pulling it away.

For some reason, Cui Lingyao felt a strange pang in her heart.

It was a sour, bitter feeling...

This morning, he had looked so aggrieved.

But she knew it was mostly an act, so she had remained completely unmoved.

Now, however... Cui Lingyao truly felt that he had changed.

He was such a powerful, domineering, and autocratic man; she never would have dreamed he would humble himself to such a degree.

The carriage gradually disappeared from sight under the bright moonlight.

The young woman beside him didn’t look away for a long time.

She seemed deeply moved.

His knuckles, hidden within his sleeves, tightened. Shen Tingyu couldn’t resist speaking up. "You needn’t be so touched. He’s merely retreating to advance."

It was the first time he had ever so bluntly exposed his rival’s scheme.

Even when they had returned from the Duke Zhao Mansion and she had proposed calling off their engagement.

He had merely guided her to her own conclusion.

’Speaking ill of others behind their backs is not the act of a gentleman.’

Cui Lingyao was taken aback. She stared at him in astonishment, clearly not expecting him to... act this way.

Shen Tingyu lowered his gaze to her and said softly, "I am a man, and I’m reasonably clever. I can guess his intentions, more or less."

"He understands your nature. He knows that being forceful would only backfire, so he’s deliberately making a show of ’conceding’ at every turn to soften your heart."

’She’s a soft-hearted young woman, one who feels pity even for strangers.’

’Let alone a man who was her husband, with whom she had shared a bed for three years.’

’He wants to reawaken her old feelings for him.’

’He wants her to go back with him and live peacefully.’

’And to that end, he was truly sparing no expense.’

"He may genuinely love you, but he isn’t being sincere. He’s using all manner of schemes and tactics just to win you back."

Shen Tingyu’s lips thinned. "Our engagement can be canceled," he said resolutely. "Even if we don’t marry, by status, you are still my younger sister. I can’t bear to watch you turn back to him like this."

’Three years ago, it cost her her life.’

’Even as a bystander, he couldn’t let it go.’

’How could *she* let it go so easily?’

’That was her life on the line.’

It was rare to see him so solemn.

Every single word was spoken out of consideration for her.

He was like an earnest older brother, terrified his younger sister would once again choose the wrong path.

Cui Lingyao was speechless for a long moment before forcing a smile. "How about we eat first?"

They were still in the main hall.

At his instruction, the area around them had likely been cleared.

’The moon is already high in the sky, and we haven’t even had dinner yet.’

Cui Lingyao simply didn’t want to discuss the topic.

Shen Tingyu, however, thought she was just being guarded with him.

’After all, they hadn’t known each other for very long.’

’And in terms of shared history, how could he possibly compare to Xie Jinbai?’

’To her, his heartfelt words probably sounded presumptuous, like he was trying to sow discord.’

His expression darkened as he gave a slight nod. "Let’s eat, then."

They ate in a private room, of course.

It was just the two of them.

The atmosphere during the meal was strangely quiet.

Cui Lingyao had finished half a bowl of millet when she caught a glimpse of his expression from the corner of her eye. After a moment’s thought, she decided to explain. "Don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t implying you were being meddlesome."

Her words were direct and remarkably frank.

’She wouldn’t be this frank if she didn’t consider him an ally.’

Shen Tingyu’s brow smoothed out. He lifted his gaze to her, a relieved smile gracing his features. "Really?"

"Really,"

Cui Lingyao said, "My history with him is complicated; it can’t be explained in a few words. But you’re right. I know he’s deliberately humbling himself just to soften my heart and move me. Everything he says and does is to achieve his goal, not to offer a sincere apology."

"...But for someone so proud to go to such lengths is, in itself, a genuine effort. I can’t just remain unmoved."

’Carrots and sticks, threats and promises, a posture of humility, and even just now, his silent choice to go to another inn...’

’All of it was for her.’

’Who could say there was no sincerity in that?’

’He was just a prodigy from a young age, accustomed to maximizing his gains in everything he does. He simply lacks the reckless sincerity of youth.’

Accustomed to the endless machinations of the court, Shen Tingyu was taken aback by such frank and heartfelt words. He fell silent for a few moments, mulling them over.

"So..." he asked, "you forgive him for causing your death?"

Cui Lingyao shook her head. "It’s not a matter of forgiving him or not."

’Only I know that my death had nothing to do with Xie Jinbai at all.’

’It was my chance to go home.’

’If it weren’t for the system, given how quickly Xie Jinbai came to save me, I definitely wouldn’t have died.’

"When I first came back, I really did think about just living out my life peacefully in this new identity, far away from him and all the drama. But things didn’t go according to plan... he recognized me. And since he has, we’re destined to remain entangled..."

Cui Lingyao had been at a loss as to how to complete her mission, but as the conversation reached this point, she seized the opportunity. "My only hesitation about marrying him again," she began, "is the issue of an heir..."

She paused, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on the man across from her.

She seemed to be waiting for him to offer a suggestion.

Shen Tingyu prided himself on not being a fool, but he genuinely couldn’t grasp her meaning. Under the gaze of her bright, blinking eyes, he asked, "What about an heir?"

"His heir, of course,"

Cui Lingyao replied without a second thought, "He’s getting on in years and doesn’t have a single child to his name. If I marry him, who knows how many people will be staring at my stomach again. The pressure to produce an heir is too much. I can’t handle it, and I don’t want to. So, what do you think would be a good way to get him to have a child first?"

"..."

Shen Tingyu was silent for a moment. Once he was certain he hadn’t misheard, his expression slowly stiffened until he was practically dumbfounded.

’She was talking about a child.’

’Xie Jinbai wasn’t just her former husband; he was the man she was considering marrying again.’

’And she was upset that he didn’t have a child, so she wanted him to have one with another woman.’

’What kind of logic was that?’

’No wife in the entire world, no matter how virtuous or magnanimous, would ever suggest such a thing.’

And yet, her expression was completely serious. She wasn’t joking in the slightest.