Xiang Zhilan was helpless, her shoulders slumped in dejection. Getting angry with him would only drive her crazy.

At this moment, the servants brought dishes to the table, and Chef Wang, who was in charge of cooking, said to Shen Muzhi, "Today's dishes have all been prepared according to your instructions."

Shen Muzhi nodded slightly and said to Xiang Zhilan, "Let's eat."

Xiang Zhilan originally intended to be principled and not eat, but her stomach suddenly growled loudly, and everyone in the restaurant could hear it clearly.

She was so embarrassed that she had no choice but to sit down.

Shen Muzhi ladled a bowl of soup for her and handed it to her without saying a word.

She glanced at the bowl of corn and pork rib soup, then looked at Shen Muzhi, who was gracefully peeling shrimp.

She looked away, scooped up a spoonful of soup, took a sip, and began to eat. Just as she was about to pick up a shrimp, Shen Muzhi pushed a plate of peeled shrimp in front of her.

She picked up the food without hesitation, figuring he'd get some too, since the baby in her belly was also getting some.

Recently, she has had a poor appetite. She tried to eat more, but she vomited even more, resulting in her losing weight instead of gaining weight.

I ate two full bowls of rice today, which is rare for me, and I didn't feel nauseous at all.

"Sir, Madam's things have all been put away," Butler Chen reported as he came down from his seat.

Shen Muzhi nodded and said to Xiang Zhilan, "Didn't you have something to talk to me about? Push me to go for a walk in the yard."

Xiang Zhilan was more than happy to oblige, so she immediately got up and walked behind Shen Mu, pushing Shen Mu into the courtyard.

It's early spring now, and the midday sun isn't too strong, shining warmly on them.

The villa's garden was about the size of two football fields. Xiang Zhilan pushed him around slowly, carefully considering how to persuade Shen Muzhi to correct his mistake. Before she could speak, Shen Muzhi spoke first: "Mom and Dad are coming back at the end of the month, right?"

Xiang Zhilan didn't quite catch on for a moment, thinking he was talking about his own parents, and secretly wondered to herself how she knew.

"After both sets of parents have met, the wedding should be scheduled. Do you prefer a Chinese style or a Western style?" Shen Muzhi was willing to compromise on these matters.

Xiang Zhilan then realized that he was talking about her parents, and he called them "Mom and Dad" so naturally!

“Shen Muzhi, you know exactly what I want.” She stopped and walked up to him, saying seriously, “This kind of marriage, which is tied together by a child, is really meaningless. We are both adults and should handle things more rationally.”

"Do you have someone you like right now?" Shen Muzhi suddenly looked up and asked, his gaze sharp as he looked at her.

Xiang Zhilan didn't know why the topic had shifted to this, and she subconsciously shook her head.

“Since you don’t have anyone you like and you’re pregnant with my child, why are you so resistant to being with me? Like you said, we’re adults and should handle things more rationally.” Shen Muzhi paused for a moment, then continued, “Have you ever thought that if you marry another man in the future, or if I marry another woman, we might have other children, which would make his situation very awkward? So, to avoid this situation, the best way for us is to build a family together and give him a complete and secure future.”

"Uh..." Xiang Zhilan was speechless for a moment.

"Besides, if you don't get married, how are you going to explain the child to your parents? How are your parents going to explain to relatives and friends that their daughter had a child out of wedlock? They're not young anymore, can you bear to put them under the pressure of public opinion?"

These words struck Xiang Zhilan's most vulnerable spot. After deciding to keep the child, she couldn't find a solution to this problem no matter how hard she thought about it.

She lowered her eyes and fell silent.