Chapter 2 (6)
Yu Jia certainly wasn't stupid enough to tell him. She suddenly felt a little absurd that she was the one who was most upset about Yu Meng's divorce.
What did it have to do with her? Was it really necessary for her to get so worked up? But the shock in her heart was real and unavoidable.
Yu Jia, questioning herself, attributed these strange developments to the openness of society. She saw more, saw more temptations, and felt restless. She thought Yu Meng was playing with fire, unsatisfied. But, if she put herself in his shoes, what if Di Liren used violence against her? How would she react?
Yu Jia was at a loss for a solution for a long time and could only overturn this hypothesis - a scholar like Li Ren would never take action.
Li Ren asked for help from his capable elder sister. Soon, Yu Jia secured a job at the university press, assigned to the social affairs office. She had a workspace again, and returned to the workplace as a professional woman.
The publishing house works from nine to five, a very regular routine. Yu Jia's supervisor is a woman named Zhang, slightly younger than her and unmarried. Therefore, she can't call her Sister Zhang or Xiao Zhang. She has to call her Director Zhang. Director Zhang is pretty and unmarried, so there must be something going on. But Yu Jia doesn't ask or pry. She strictly adheres to the "rules of big city life" that Li Ren taught her. The personnel relationships here are complicated, and no one knows who is behind whom, or what the connections are. Therefore, she must be careful with her mouth and control her curiosity.
However, what you see can still be identified.
Yu Jia noticed three things: First, the number of elderly people. Because of the long history, there were many retired and rehired veterans. They would occasionally visit for guidance and concern, keeping Yu Jia busy. Director Zhang, noting her ability to entertain the elderly—perhaps because she was also an "old lady"—gave her extra work.
Second, there were a lot of women. And they all came in through various connections. With so many women, they were gossipy, and even the smallest details could stir up a stir. There were no secrets here. Yu Jia had only been here for three days, and almost everyone knew her inside and out. Thanks to Li Ren, the employees still gave her some face.
Third, the prevalence of women led to the prevalence of pregnant women. She noticed that some young women, who had been employed for less than a year, were already strolling the hallways with bulging bellies. Even those with one child were no less impressive. People of all ages were expecting a second child. At first glance, especially during lunch in the cafeteria, an uninformed observer might mistake this place for a maternity hospital or a postpartum care center. When the women gathered together, the conversation was often about children. Interestingly, Yu Jia had initially opposed Sisi's study abroad, but upon hearing that many of her colleagues' children were going abroad, in the US, Japan, and Canada, she began to talk about her future plans to send her daughter abroad to see the world.
Yu Jia went through her pre-employment physical exam. Everything was normal. However, the gynecological exam center wasn't very thorough. One weekend, Yu Jia asked Li Ren to accompany her to the hospital. She had a plan, but she'd discuss it with Li Ren after the exam.
"What's the problem?"
"It's okay, just ask for a review."
"Where? All over your body?"
"Partial."
"Where?" Di Liren asked.
"Ovaries." Yu Jia answered truthfully.
Liren didn't ask any more questions. At the weekend, he took a day off, put Das Kapital aside, and accompanied Yu Jia to the hospital. Sisi had English tutoring and was not at home.
Accompanying his wife to see a doctor is Li Ren’s responsibility as a husband.
The main examination was an ultrasound to check the ovarian morphology, followed by six hormone tests to determine normal ovarian function. During the ultrasound, a curtain was drawn, with a person standing outside. It was a makeshift setting. The doctor examined her carefully, and the examination room was silent. After a long while, the female doctor finally said, "You can get up." Yu Jia sat up, pulled her clothes in place, and asked how she was feeling.
"Normal form."
Yu Jia glanced at the curtain. The shadow of the standing figure was reflected on it, tall and large. "It won't affect fertility, right?"
"It depends on the results of the hormone test," the doctor said. She leaned over to look at the age column on the form. "At your age, you'd be considered advanced maternal age. But it's not too late. If natural conception is difficult, you could consider IVF. We have this program in our hospital. It's a specialty."
Yu Jia thanked him. She was sure Li Ren heard her. The shadow on the curtain shifted. The couple had discussed having another child a few years ago and had expressed interest in having another.
Liren wanted it. He was naturally somewhat patriarchal. The Di family had been simple for generations, prioritizing boys. Liren had received many privileges since childhood, and as an adult, he felt a great responsibility.
We must pass on the incense.
Yu Jia's attitude at the time was to let things take their own course. If he came, she'd have him. If he didn't, she could accept it. However, during that time, they lived apart, and Li Ren's occasional homecomings were always rushed. And as they'd been together for years, their passion gradually faded. After a while, they were busy, but never really had a hit. After that, their sexual life gradually became less frequent. Eventually, it stopped altogether. There was no sign of children.
After arriving in a big city, especially after settling down in a publishing house, Yu Jia decided it was time to put this matter on the agenda. The right time, right place, and right people were all there. Sisi was about to go abroad, and she couldn't stop her. But she could free up her time to raise another child. It would be tiring, yes, but if it was a boy, she believed it would greatly strengthen their relationship.
Her mother-in-law also wanted a grandchild. She had previously sought Sisi's opinion. Sisi, of her generation, was free and easy, and replied, "Whatever." She didn't care. What mattered to her was that she was about to fly away, escape the constraints of her family, and embark on a life of freedom.
Di Liren didn't say a word the entire way from the hospital to the restaurant. Yu Jia realized the situation was serious. She had to make things clear.
"Fortunately, everything is fine." After ordering the dishes, Yu Jia held the small teacup and smiled slightly.
Li Ren looked out the window and snorted faintly as a response.
"Look at those women with bulging bellies in the hospital," Yu Jia continued, "I'm still young." This was purely self-consolation.
"Looking for trouble."
"Having children is also a contribution to the country," Yu Jia said humorously. It was a little unnatural. She wasn't naturally humorous.
Liren still refused to accept the suggestion and continued drinking tea. He refused to acknowledge the contribution.
When the cold-boiled radish came, he picked up his chopsticks and started eating.
Yu Jia had no choice but to attack head-on, "It's time to get another one."
"Who will take care of it? My mother is not in good health."
Yu Jia spoke faster, but his words were a little incoherent and disorganized, "I'll take care of the child myself... Sisi will probably have gone abroad by then... I'm not too busy at work now... I have the conditions... Mom has always said that we should have a second son..." The old woman was brought out to put pressure on him.
Li Ren put down the cup. "The doctor also said that in your case, it would be dangerous to continue. Natural conception is difficult, it's not that we haven't tried it. IVF is not an option. Violating the laws of nature will be punished. Why go against the will of heaven?"
"It doesn't mean that it must be done through IVF. Maybe it will come naturally..." Yu Jia said patiently.
Li Ren didn't answer, took off his glasses, and reached out to rub the bridge of his nose.
"As long as I take good care of my body...and maintain my mood...the chances are still great..." she planned.
Infinite longing.
"I'm tired." Li Ren said.
At this point, Yu Jia could only pause the conversation. Tired. What a terrible word. Life had lost its passion, filled with ennui. He had no interest in her, and he was tired after just a few words. What should she do?
"You can tell me anything." Yu Jia said earnestly, "You can tell me anything."
"It's okay." This sentence pushed her away.
"We are husband and wife." Yu Jia said.
The closest or most distant husband and wife.
"Just make it less troublesome." Li Ren put his glasses back on, looking truly exhausted. He felt she was trouble. Not just her, but the people around her, her family, everything she had, even her concern for him, all seemed like trouble to him.
Yu Jia didn't know yet that relatives from her hometown were coming to the big city for medical treatment. Knowing that Liren was the one making the decisions at home, they had already informed him in advance. Di Liren had already agreed on their behalf, allowing Yu Jia's cousins to stay at their home for a few days. Yu Jia received a call later and couldn't help but criticize them. "You should have called me first and then made arrangements. Why did you tell Liren first? That's confusing the distinction between inside and outside." The cousins were polite on the surface, but to save the accommodation fee, their niece scolded them for recognizing them.
After hanging up the phone, the family couldn't help but scold Yu Jia. "He's changed." The cousin sighed, "People always get cocky when they want to be in a high position." The cousin's aunt said, "Li Ren is still the same." The cousin continued, "My brother-in-law is a high-ranking official and has a broad mind." The cousin's uncle added, "It must be tiring for her to be an official's wife." The cousin's aunt immediately agreed, thinking that Yu Jia had no status in the family. The cousin asked why she thought so. The cousin's aunt said, "Li Ren's mother says everywhere that their Si Si is good in every way, smart and pretty, but she is short. It's her mother's fault."
Four or five relatives arrived, with nowhere to stay, and they lay on the floor. Yu Jiagu, after all, was a member of her mother's family, and she needed their support, so she had to eat two or three meals a day. He accompanied them to find a hospital, register, and see a doctor. Li Ren only showed up once. When the relatives first arrived, he treated them to a meal. Then he lied about being on a business trip and never showed up again.
He hated them. They were all just wretches. If one person succeeded, everyone else would ascend to heaven. But the problem was, he hadn't achieved enlightenment yet. Just when he had a glimmer of hope for ascension, these people were hanging on the ground below, looking like they were worth a fortune. Hot, sticky skin! He was going to be dragged down by them.
Liren lived in the company dormitory. He hadn't brought the second volume of Capital with him. He sent a message to his daughter asking her to bring it to him.
"Wait a minute," Yu Jia called to Sisi. She'd torn a slip of paper from her desk and written, "Leaving the day after tomorrow." (Parenthesis: "I'll have dinner ready for you") tucked it into a book and asked Sisi to take it with her.
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