Chapter 71 Pregnancy: How come you're pregnant with someone else's child?

Qingduo froze, looking at Zeng Zhengqing in shock, and said, "You don't want...you don't want to have a child with me?"

“I think,” Zeng Zhengqing replied quickly, “but not now.”

"When I heard you might be pregnant, I was filled with utter remorse. I knew perfectly well you didn't want to be a mother, yet I let it happen... I, I... Sigh, it's all my fault!" he said with shame.

Qingduo was very puzzled: "How do you know I don't want to..."

I only thought it in my mind, I didn't say it out loud!

Ah! She remembered! She had mentioned it when she begged for forgiveness after seducing Qingqing in that camellia dress!

Qingduo listened as he continued, "I'm a few years older than you, and there are some things you can't think of, but I have to be thorough. Fortunately, it was a false alarm. If my negligence had led to an irreversible result, no matter how much I tried to make amends, I would never forgive myself!"

He lowered his head, filled with self-reproach. Qingduo couldn't bear it, patted his shoulder, and comforted him, "Alright, alright! Nothing's wrong, is it? Don't overthink it!" Her tone was like coaxing a child.

Zeng Zhengqing closed his eyes and couldn't help but chuckle. He gazed into her eyes and said softly, "Azhao, I hope that the child will arrive with our mutual anticipation and blessings. Don't worry too much, just wait for that moment to come naturally!"

Qingduo nodded happily and vigorously: "Yes!"

Zeng Zhengqing smiled with relief, but Qingduo seemed to suddenly remember something, her face turning serious as she leaned close to his ear. Even though there were only the two of them in the room, she whispered as if afraid someone would overhear, "Qingqing, what should we do if we want to... cough, I mean, that in the future? Do we have to wait until we want a child before we do it?"

She frowned, annoyed, and said, "Isn't this taking too long?"

“No need for that.” Zeng Zhengqing immediately understood her meaning and said, “There are contraceptive methods specifically for men. I will prepare them before next time. I can’t let you suffer the consequences and damage your body.”

Qingduo nodded solemnly, but suddenly met Zeng Zhengqing's ambiguous smile. Her face flushed red instantly. She opened her mouth to explain, but didn't know what to say. Just then, she heard Zeng Zhengqing ask with a smile, "Last time, Madam said she needed time, but now you can't wait any longer?"

"What? No way!" Qingduo blushed and denied it repeatedly. "Don't talk nonsense! It's not true! I, I just thought of it in advance! I was just being thorough!"

"What a fine example of 'thorough consideration'!" Zeng Zhengqing said sternly. "Then how did you end up pregnant with someone else's child?"

"Huh?" Qingduo's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? I'm not pregnant!"

"What do you mean, 'not'?" Zeng Zhengqing suppressed a laugh and flicked her nose with his index finger. "Didn't you secretly get pregnant from eating lion's head meatballs, roasted mutton, goose and duck skewers, black chicken soup, and shaved ice sugar dumplings, and now you're so full you're nauseous?"

Qingduo was dumbfounded, then realized what was happening, angrily picked up a pillow and threw it at him, shouting, "Zeng Zhengqing! Are you never going to stop?!"

Bad guy!

She yelled, "I'm never talking to you again!"

Never again, never again, never again!!!

*

Qingduo lay comfortably in bed, the blankets tucked in tightly, only her head peeking out. She watched Zeng Zhengqing get dressed and lazily asked, "What are you planning to do about Huiying's matter?"

“After all, what Granny Li said was just something I heard. I can’t just listen to her side of the story. I need to find out whether this is true or false first.”

“I’d love for this to be false! Didn’t Granny Li say that the man is very important, surnamed Kang? Or what kind of official is he? He’s going to take up his post in Wuzhou,” Qingduo said. “Although if Huiying marries into Wuzhou, I can visit her all the time, she’s about my age. Just thinking about her marrying that man who’s the same age as my father makes my head buzz and I feel disgusted from the bottom of my heart!”

"Ugh!" Her nose and eyes scrunched up, her lips turned down sharply, and her eyes revealed undisguised disgust.

"Don't worry, give me some time to find out the truth," Zeng Zhengqing comforted him.

“My uncle is a bit old-fashioned and insists on following the rules in everything. But he also loves his daughters very much and has never mistreated them. The marriages of my eldest sister and second sister were both carefully chosen by my uncle. I don’t think he would make such a decision.”

Qingduo disagreed: "Who can say for sure about such things? Doesn't my dad love me? But that doesn't stop him from coming home later! Ever since he found out that I could earn money by painting and support myself, I rarely saw him, and later he simply stopped coming back."

"That's why I say, Qingqing!" she declared confidently, "You can't really predict people's hearts!"

Zeng Zhengqing knew that Qingduo had always resented her father-in-law's frequenting of brothels and his neglect of her affairs. As a result, whenever similar matters were mentioned later, she would always view them with this resentment. Once she made up her mind, she would insist on it and no one could persuade her otherwise. He could only shake his head helplessly and give up.

But Qingduo persisted, saying, "Besides, if Huiying marries this old man, what will happen to Yin Heng?"

“Yin Heng?” Zeng Zhengqing frowned. “Who is Yin Heng?”

Qingduo said, "It's the person Huiying likes!"

She recounted in detail how she had witnessed Huiying and the scholar's encounter, and then told Zeng Zhengqing about what she knew about Yin Heng. Seeing that he remained silent with a furrowed brow, she couldn't help but sit up and speak well of Huiying and the scholar.

“I heard from Huiying that she first met Brother Yin at a poetry club event on the street. Brother Yin recited poetry fluently and won first prize. She remembered him immediately, but she never expected to run into him again later.”

"The second time was at the temple fair. Huiying got separated from the maids and was panicking in the crowd when she ran into Brother Yin. Although he didn't know her, he still escorted her back safely. That's how the two of them gradually became familiar with each other and developed feelings for each other."

Qingduo added, "When I saw the way they looked at each other, I thought of us. I really hope they can be like us and stay together for a long time."

Zeng Zhengqing sat on the edge of the bed and pondered, "Alas! But according to what you just said, this scholar's family background is really ordinary, and there is a huge disparity between them and our family. I'm afraid my uncle may not be able to agree to this marriage."

“I’m poor too!” Qingduo said, “yet you still married me! Is it just because we were engaged? If we weren’t engaged, but we were in love, would you still refuse to marry me?”

“It’s different.” Zeng Zhengqing sighed softly. “Let me put it this way. As the saying goes, ‘Marry a man for food and clothing.’ A man is the pillar of the family and has to support the family. If you marry me, life will be better. Huiying has been pampered since childhood and has never suffered. You don’t want her to marry someone who can’t even afford her usual lifestyle, do you?”

"Even if my uncle eventually agrees, how can this man not feel pressured in such an unbalanced state of 'you are superior to me'? No matter how good their relationship is now, life is about the mundane things like food and fuel. When the hardships of life overshadow this sweetness, won't they really develop resentment towards each other?"

“Didn’t you just say, ‘How can you be sure what people’s hearts are like?’” Zeng Zhengqing retorted.

Qingduo was speechless. Although she hoped that the two lovers would eventually get married, she couldn't refute the reality that Qingqing said.

According to him, there's absolutely no chance for Huiying and her Brother Yin to get together. Qingduo exclaimed "Oh dear!" and kicked her legs, muttering, "How complicated this is!"

But she was still unwilling to give up, pouting as she looked at Zeng Zhengqing, still holding a sliver of hope in her heart: "Qingqing, is there really no other way?"

Zeng Zhengqing put his five fingers together and couldn't help but pinch her pouting lips. As if he was thinking about something, he suddenly asked, "Did you just say that Yin Heng is very talented?"

*

Huiying ran over, looking utterly dejected and pale: "Sister-in-law, is my older brother home?"

Qingduo put down the painting she was halfway through and went to greet her. Seeing her expression, she vaguely guessed the reason: "He's not here, what's wrong?"

"Sister-in-law!" Huiying cried out pitifully, "My father wants me to marry! I don't want to! That man, that man, he's so old!"

"Don't worry, we know about this. Qingqing said that your uncle has always doted on you, so this might not be true. Didn't you ask your father?" Qingduo comforted her.

"I haven't asked yet." Tears streamed down Huiying's face. "My mind is a mess, I don't know what to do. Luckily, my older brother is back, so I can ask him for help. If Father really makes up his mind, there's nothing I can do!"

Qingduo's eyes widened: "Is being a father in your Zeng family always this comfortable?"

A promise is a promise, and no argument is allowed?

What about all the mistreatment my father has suffered over the years?

She scratched her head, thankful that her father didn't know how other people acted as "fathers," otherwise he would have cried out that he was "suffering a loss."

It's impossible in this life, let him be reborn into a better life in the next!

She had to go home and persuade her father to do more good deeds in this life so that he could register to be the father of the "Zeng family" in the next life.

Huiying continued, "Father has always admired that man's talent. His teacher was once the Minister of Rites. I guess that's why he's considering a marriage alliance. Besides, Father always feels that no one in the family is in officialdom, so we have no one to rely on. He himself has no sons, and his elder brother Zhengqing runs a bookstore. It's uncertain whether Zhengji will even take the imperial examinations. Now that there's an opportunity to curry favor, he naturally won't let it pass."

“But that person… I heard his son is about the same age as my older brother…” Huiying trembled. “If I marry him… I… I…” The words stuck in her throat, and she could no longer speak. She covered her face and sobbed.

Qingduo was furious. She hugged Huiying tightly and said, "That's too much! He admires other people's talent, so why doesn't he marry them? Let those two old folks live together! Let's see if he can still be affectionate with them!"

Hmph! Tang Qingduo must have been a great philanthropist in her past life to be born into the Tang family in this life! In her next life, she still wants to be a daughter of the Tang family, but she must stay far away from the Zeng family!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she said passionately, "Huiying, you're not going to be my uncle's daughter anymore! I've made up my mind, you're coming to our house. We don't have so many rules here. Be my younger sister, be 'Tang Huiying'! Let's go! Let's go right now!"

Huiying was sobbing uncontrollably, unable to think straight, and let Qingduo pull her along. Qingduo, like a fighting rooster, strode out, only to bump into Zeng Zhengqing, who had just entered.

"Where are you going?" he asked, surprised.

"Mind your own business!" Qingduo put her other hand on her hip. "This is no longer your Zeng family's business! This is our Tang family's business!"

"Huh?" Zeng Zhengqing was completely confused.

"From now on, I'll take care of her! She's no longer your sister, but my sister! In short, I will never let her marry an old man!"

As soon as Qingduo finished speaking, she grabbed Huiying's hand and tried to rush out. Zeng Zhengqing quickly stopped her, both annoyed and amused: "What nonsense are you talking about! Didn't I tell you this morning not to make decisions before you understand the situation clearly?"

"Granny Li misheard! That's not true at all!"

Qingduo shouted, "No, what's wrong! No, nothing... Ah? Nothing!" She lowered her voice and glanced at Huiying. Huiying looked at her too, tears streaming down her cheeks, looking pitiful.

"Your uncle wants Huiying to marry that family's son..." Upon hearing Zeng Zhengqing's words, Huiying's sobs resumed, and she choked out:

"I don't want to! I don't want to!"

Qingduo shouted, "Isn't this like escaping one tiger's den only to fall into another? It's either father or son. What's the difference? Fifty steps or a hundred steps, it's still someone Huiying doesn't want to marry!" Huiying cried even louder.

"Let me finish!" Zeng Zhengqing said helplessly, turning to Huiying. "Huiying, I went to see Yin Heng today."

The room suddenly fell silent. Huiying's sobs abruptly stopped, and she involuntarily tightened her grip on Qingduo's hand. Qingduo didn't notice that she was staring intently at Zeng Zhengqing's mouth, swallowing hard involuntarily.

“His speech and demeanor are indeed extraordinary. I told him about you, and he frankly admitted that he was not good enough for you at the moment, but he also made a solemn promise that he would take the exam next time. He originally planned to come and propose marriage after he passed the exam.”

Huiying stared at him, tears welling in her eyes, her face flushed crimson. Qingduo's face also lit up with joy; she tugged at Zeng Zhengqing's clothes, urging him, "And then? And then? Tell me, tell me!"

"Later I asked him, if he doesn't pass the exam, does he expect my sister to keep waiting for him?"

Huiying gave a disappointed "Oh," and Qingduo became irritated: "After talking for so long, there's still no solution!"

"I think we should forget about it. We can't count on him! Even if he passes the exam, it's too late; he's too far away to help us in the short term! By the time he comes back, you'll probably have a baby already! It's better to rely on me!" Qingduo exclaimed.

“Huiying, to be honest, your sister-in-law still has some earning power. Supporting you is absolutely no problem. Come with me, let’s go back to Wuzhou!” With that, she pulled Huiying up again and was about to walk out. Huiying was stunned and had no idea what to do. She staggered a few steps after her.

This time, Zeng Zhengqing didn't stop them. He just said loudly from behind, "You think you can leave? You're too naive! Huiying, your sister-in-law may not know, but don't you know your father's methods?"

"Once you set off, you'll likely be stopped halfway to the ferry, let alone reach it! And if you're sent back, there will be no turning back!"

Qingduo stopped in her tracks, glaring at him defiantly. Seeing the reproach in his eyes, yet him standing there calmly, as was his usual self, she suddenly understood and exclaimed, "Hey! If you have a method, just tell me already! Don't keep me in suspense! You're driving me crazy!"

Huiying's eyes lit up, and she quickly asked, "Big brother, do you have any ideas?"

Zeng Zhengqing said slowly, "I want Yin Heng to marry into my family!"