In the living room, Zhang Guoqing didn't react. Even if his wife told him she could catch the moon in the water, he wouldn't be surprised at all.

He was about to take advantage of her guilty conscience to make some rules when he suddenly heard a strange noise from the study.

This discovery made him pause as he was packing up the return gift. He gently put the things down and gestured to Zhou Jiao to be quiet. He then focused on the matter.

After a moment, he turned his gaze to Ping An, who was helping to tidy up. Zhou Jiao had just mentioned the Zhou family's secret room, so the question of adoption came up.

Zhang Guoqing found that he had thought too simply.

Even if the second son inherits the Zhou family in the future, will the stingy Ping An remain indifferent? He was also raised by his grandfather, so why can't he inherit?

How many brothers have had their families destroyed for money? He didn't want these problems to happen to his family. Originally, he thought that since his family was wealthy, it would be enough to leave for Ping An in the future. But after hearing Zhou Jiao's vague words, he could imagine the huge difference between the two.

It wasn't that he was overthinking it. Once a child had the surname Zhou, it would inevitably disrupt the balance between the brothers when they appeared in the future.

Also, his father-in-law likes Ping An very much, and he almost explicitly asked Ping An to have the surname Zhou. Otherwise, he would not smile so happily every time the child said he was Zhou Ping An.

As his eldest son, he is not a feudal person, but he still hopes that his son will take his surname Zhang - the fate of two lives, and the regret of his grandfather in the previous life, he cannot forget.

In addition, for his parents in this life, it was already very generous of them to let their future children take Zhou Jiao's surname. He could not do anything to make them sad.

It's difficult. I had never thought about this problem before, but now I have to think about it. And the huge inheritance of the Gu family is even more of a headache. Why is Mrs. Cheng always keeping an eye on Zhou Jiao's pregnancy?

Everyone has selfish motives. The old lady dotes on Zhou Jiao not only because his wife looks like her grandmother, but more importantly, the Gu family lacks an heir. She is not willing to say it openly, so she keeps giving her a dowry. Aren't these the factors?

His wife is not a pig, giving birth endlessly. If there is a difficult delivery, who can guarantee that with such simple equipment, she can be guaranteed to be 100% safe?

Seeing his eyes fixed on her stomach, Zhou Jiao was so scared that she quickly covered her eyes and glared at him.

Zhang Guoqing shook his head and said, No!

"Um?"

Zhang Guoqing looked at his wife and shook his head again. After thinking for a while, he stood up, carried his son out of the living room, and the father and son went to the study in the east wing.

Seeing this, Zhou Jiao followed.

"dad?"

Zhang Guoqing was brewing his emotions, thinking about how to talk to his child. Unfortunately, no matter how smart he was, he was still too young!

"Dad, do you have any questions for me? Just tell me and I will answer them."

Zhang Guoqing sighed secretly: It would be great if his mother-in-law could give birth, but that damn Gu Ruyi, she got rid of it all, leaving a mess for him to clean up.

Ping An blinked in confusion, watching his father touching his head lovingly. He couldn't figure out whether he had done something big.

"Ahem..." Zhang Guoqing looked at him and hesitated for a moment, "Son, do you want a younger brother?"

Ping An pouted immediately after hearing this: "You lied to me. You said that once Uncle Fang's baby was born, my mother would give birth to a little brother for me. Where is he now?"

Zhang Guoqing paused as he was touching the child's head. It was possible that the baby was really pregnant, but he had promised his wife not to tell anyone about it. He didn't notice Zhou Jiao staring at him hungrily.

He gestured to Zhou Jiao to feel at ease, then turned his gaze to his son again: "Have you ever thought about this? You have a younger brother now. In the future, you will have to give him half of everything, including your beloved mother."

Hearing this, Xiao Ping'an's eyes widened in surprise: "Didn't you say that my future younger brother must listen to me? If I don't give it to him, how can he snatch it away?"

Look, with a temper like that, what will happen when they grow up? They might even kill each other. Besides these external factors, the most crucial point is this: Zhou will naturally inherit his grandfather's connections, but can Ping An let them go? If he's so cunning now, will he ever be convinced?

Ping An saw his father frowning, thought for a moment and immediately said, "Forget it, as long as he's my biological brother, I'll give him half. Dad, no more than that."

"And you, mom, and grandpa all have to love me the most. Otherwise, I don't want a brother anymore."

Zhang Guoqing burst out laughing.

"Dad, actually having more brothers and sisters isn't good at all. Many of my friends say they're so annoying, they cry all the time. And they also say their parents are partial."

Zhang Guoqing sighed secretly and patted the child, "Son, do you still remember that old lady who asked you to take the surname Zhou?"

"I know. They say my grandpa only has my mom as his precious child, and my mom only has me, so I'll have two surnames in the future. Don't worry, Dad. I asked my aunt, and she said that if I marry a wife with a big butt, I can have more children and take their surnames."

Zhang Guoqing laughed and scolded, "Don't listen to other people's nonsense!"

"ah?"

"I'm just kidding you. Who says you have to marry someone who can give birth to many children? You have to choose the wife you like in the future."

"Just like you and my mom, right?"

Zhou Jiao stood beside him without saying a word. If she didn't understand what he meant, she would be a fool. She had thought these questions through thoroughly.

What’s the rush?

When her children get married and start their own families, she can just divide up all the money, except for the inheritance she'll inherit. If anything goes wrong with any of them, she can just donate it all or leave it to her grandchildren. With the money in her own hands, she can still let her children have a blast!

She shook her head at Zhang Guoqing in disapproval. How old were they? If they hadn't been on contraception, they would have been pregnant by now. He was really overthinking it.

Besides, her father couldn't possibly give all his money to whichever grandson had the last name Zhou. She still had a lot of life ahead of her, so was she destined to live a life of idleness and waiting to die?

When the situation improves in the future, it won't be difficult for her to earn a fortune. Moreover, she has confidence in her child. Why worry?

"Whether the last name is Zhang or Zhou, they are all our children. I thought you were worried about something. People often say that children and grandchildren will have their own blessings, but the future is still unknown."

Zhou Jiao finished speaking, noticing her son gazing at them with confusion. "Your father is worried that you'll have siblings in the future, and that you'll suffer when you grow up. He underestimates our son. Ping An can become a truly capable man on his own, and he'll be as successful as your father in the future, right?"

Ping An immediately raised his chin happily: "Of course! I will make money to support you in the future. I can hunt and make money now, and I can also make money when I work in the future. It's really amazing!"

"Great! You're worthy of being my son." Zhou Jiao gave him a thumbs-up. "Baby, you've heard so many biographies of historical figures, but have you ever thought about this question? Why do brothers in imperial families kill each other, while the sons of generals can fight in battle together?"

Ping'an tilted his neck to look at her, then turned his gaze to his father, hoping to find the answer.

Zhou Jiao said to him seriously, "It's too early for you to ask this question, but Mom hopes you'll keep it in mind from now on. When you're eight years old and can read the Twenty-Four Histories, you'll find the answer there. This question may seem simple, but it actually contains a lot of content. Once you understand it, no matter how many brothers you have, you'll be able to be a good eldest son, and even take on the leadership role."