Chapter 449 First Fetal Movement
night.
As soon as Meng Jinyao lay down, she thought of what her second sister-in-law had said, and then she thought of how her husband was already thirty years old and that his title still needed an heir. Suddenly, she became sensitive and asked abruptly, "Husband, if I give birth to a girl, will you and Mother not like it?"
Gu Jingxi was puzzled when he suddenly heard her ask such a question. He looked at her with some confusion and said, "Isn't it good to have a daughter? Daughters are well-behaved, while sons are too naughty and hard to discipline."
Meng Jinyao said softly, "But your title needs an heir."
Gu Jingxi was quite philosophical about the matter: "Even if I really don't have a son, that's fate. I'm not destined to have a son. As for an heir, the Gu family has plenty of male members, so we can always find a good successor."
After he finished speaking, he belatedly realized that Ayao would ask such a question, probably because she had heard her second sister-in-law talking about other people's affairs. So he added, "Ayao, what other people do is their business. Our family will not be like that. Whether you give birth to a boy or a girl, my mother and I will be happy."
The worry that had just welled up in Meng Jinyao's heart vanished in an instant, and a smile returned to her face. After a moment, she asked, "Husband, why do most people prefer boys? Actually, I think girls are just as good. I've heard that my mother is very talented, and my father, as a man, is far inferior to her. If women could also take the imperial examinations, maybe my mother could also pass them. Even if she didn't become a Jinshi, she could still become a Xiucai or a Juren."
Gu Jingxi replied, "Actually, when I was young, I also discussed this issue with you, sir. Without women, where would men come from? And without men, there would be no women, so why distinguish which is more important?"
When I was young?
Meng Jinyao's face froze. She subconsciously glanced at his face and felt that he still looked very young, so she didn't dwell on the question and asked, "Then how did you answer, sir?"
Gu Jingxi replied, "Sir, you said that it is the trend of the times. Most people feel that carrying on the family line is the most important thing. If you don't have the ability to change it, you can only accept it and stick to your principles."
He gently stroked Meng Jinyao's belly and said softly, "Little Xuanying, your father still adheres to his principles."
Meng Jinyao was surprised: "Xuan Ying?"
Gu Jingxi nodded with a smile: "Xuanying, our daughter."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt something gently brush against his palm. He froze instantly, his gaze shifting downwards to Meng Jinyao's stomach. His eyes held surprise and joy, and an indescribable sense of pleasure welled up inside him.
Meng Jinyao also felt it; the little one in her belly was moving. The little one seemed to be in a good mood, moving for a while before calming down.
A subtle feeling spread through her heart. She reached out and covered Gu Jingxi's hand, asking hesitantly, "Husband, did you feel anything just now? Was it just my imagination? I felt the baby move."
Gu Jingxi looked up at her, smiling broadly: "Ayao, I just called her name and she responded. It seems our daughter likes this name very much. Her formal name is Gu Xuanying."
Meng Jinyao smiled and nodded in deep agreement, "Yes, she really is a girl. She likes this name. As soon as she hears the name, she moves." She pushed Gu Jingxi's hand away, gently touched her belly, and said softly, "Xiao Xuanying, move again?"
However, she waited for a long time and called out three times, but the child did not respond and remained motionless.
She was a little frustrated and said dejectedly, "Husband, she's ignoring me."
Gu Jingxi pulled her into his arms and coaxed her softly, "She didn't do it on purpose. It's so late at night, she must be very sleepy, so she fell asleep. Talk to her again tomorrow, and she'll play with you."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao was immediately appeased and smiled again: "Husband, everyone says that daughters look like their fathers. I used to think that it would be a pity if you couldn't have a daughter with your looks. Now my wish has finally come true."
Gu Jingxi chuckled softly: "Not all daughters look like their fathers. Look at you, you look like your mother-in-law."
Meng Jinyao was silent for a while, then said, "It's fine if you look like me, I'm pretty good-looking too."
"Ayao is beautiful to begin with." Gu Jingxi kissed her cheek. "Go to sleep. You didn't get a nap today because we went to the Meng family's wedding. Go to bed early tonight."
Meng Jinyao nodded and then asked, "By the way, my father didn't say anything weird to you, did he?"
Gu Jingxi said, "He didn't have a chance to say that I discuss academic matters with my peers without disturbing my elders."
Meng Jinyao laughed out loud: "You're using this trick again?"
Gu Jingxi replied, "Methods don't have to be old, as long as they work. I noticed that those people's fathers were very happy for me to discuss academic matters with their sons, and I got along well with their sons as well. In this way, I was indirectly helping my two brothers-in-law to entertain guests of the same generation."
Hearing this, Meng Jinyao agreed, saying, "Don't worry about my father. The connections my grandfather built up back then have long since faded after so many years since his death. Besides, my father is a hopeless case, and my grandfather's former friends won't try to help him, lest they get themselves into trouble. Let him do what he wants now. Anyway, he has no connections, and other aristocratic families look down on him. He can't do anything interesting."
Gu Jingxi nodded: "I understand."
-
The next day.
Gu Xuanyi packed her bags last night and went to pay her respects to Madam Gu this morning. She explained that she was going to stay at her maternal grandparents' house for a while, and then took her maid and servants with her to Zhang's maternal home.
While Zhang was busy listening to the steward report on some trivial matters, after she finished listening to and dealing with these trivial matters, she learned that her daughter had left the Gu family and gone to the Zhang family. She was so angry that her face turned green. She felt that the older her child got, the more rebellious she became.
She immediately went to her two sisters-in-law to complain, saying that her daughter was disobedient and would run away from home at the drop of a hat without saying goodbye.
Meng Jinyao, being young, simply listened without offering any comment.
Chen and Zhang have been sisters-in-law for nearly twenty years. Chen knows Zhang's temperament and doesn't indulge her: "Sister-in-law, speaking of this, I have to say something about you. Look at what you've done to Xuanyi. She left early this morning as if she were running for her life. At this time, you should reflect on how you treat the child instead of blaming the child for being ignorant."
"What do I need to reflect on?" Zhang retorted with displeasure. "From childhood to adulthood, because she was my only daughter and the other two were sons, I doted on her extra. And she's still not satisfied?"
Mrs. Chen frowned: "Think carefully, what did you say to her that caused her to run away from home?"
Zhang replied, "I...I didn't say anything."
Actually, last night she was trying to reason with her daughter, telling her not to be so stubborn. She said she would be seventeen after the New Year, and in two more years she would be an old maid, and it would be hard to find a husband then.
Chen glanced at her, having despised her behavior for years, and said bluntly, "Do you think that Xuanling is a mother now, so she should get married and have children too? I think you're trying to drive the child to her death. The Gu family can afford to raise her. When we separate the family in the future, if you don't want to raise her, then give the child to me and Second Master, and we'll raise her. But from now on, she'll have to call me 'Mother' and you 'Auntie'."
Zhang was completely taken aback by her sharp retort. She was stunned and stared at her in disbelief, her eyes seeming to say: "You can snatch a child like this?"
After a moment, Zhang came to her senses, feeling wronged: "I was only doing it for her own good, how did it drive her to her death?"
"We have nothing to say to each other, so I'm going back now." Chen didn't bother with her and left without looking back after saying that.
Looking at Zhang Shi, Meng Jinyao could only comfort her, "Sister-in-law, look, Xiu Hong isn't engaged yet. Xuan Yi is younger than Xiu Hong, so there's no rush. Xuan Yi is just childish; she'll come back on her own in a few days."
After hearing this, Zhang felt a little better and decided to educate her child properly in a couple of days.
However, she was overthinking it. Xuan Yi didn't come back for several days. Not only did she not come back for several days, but she also went to her cousin's parents' house to visit. She didn't come back for more than two months afterward, and only returned near the New Year.
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