Newly married, Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen were inseparable. No matter where they went, they would stick together.
Father Qiao and mother Qiao were very pleased, father Qiao said to mother Qiao, “Ahem, I told you that I have good taste. Lu Chen is a reliable and capable child. Look at how good he is at accounting and managing restaurants. You and I can rest assured.”
“Yes,”mother Qiao replied.
When it was mid-autumn, Father Qiao and mother Qiao were really bedridden. Qiao Jinniang was suffering every day.
Lu Chen saw that Qiao Jinniang was suffering, so he went to do business with some merchants from Japan and Changbai Mountains. After helping them earn a lot of money, the Japanese foreign merchant sold two thousand-year-old ginseng to Lu Chen.
With the thousand-year-old ginseng, father Qiao and mother Qiao were just hanging on by a thread.
Qiao Jinniang was reluctant to let them go. No matter how precious the thousand-year-old ginseng was, she was not stingy in wanting her parents to live on.
In the twelfth lunar month, Qiao Jinniang’s appetite was not very good. At this moment, her parents were both sick in bed, so she could only cook dried chicken, dried duck, and other dried goods herself. She just prayed that her parents would be able to live through the New Year.
At the end of the twelfth lunar month, Qiao Jinniang could not stop vomiting.
Lu Chen said to Qiao jinniang worriedly, “What’s wrong? Are you tired from cooking those dried goods? Why Don’t you let the chefs in the restaurant do it?”
Qiao jinniang said, “No, they can’t make the taste of my father. The neighbors love to eat my father’s dried goods.”
Lu Chen said anxiously, “Your complexion is already so bad, and mother can’t even speak. if she sees your complexion, she won’t be able to walk steadily. “I’ll find a doctor to take a look at you. If you’re tired, you won’t be able to rest anymore!”
After the doctor arrived, he checked Qiao Jinniang’s pulse and said, “Congratulations, little shopkeeper. Congratulations, little shopkeeper. You’re pregnant!”
“I’m Pregnant?”Qiao Jinniang was overjoyed.
Lu Chen curved his lips into a smile and picked up Qiao Jinniang. “We have a child!”
Qiao Jinniang had asked glutinous rice to pay the doctor a lot of money. She was really looking forward to having a child.
After hearing the news, Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen held hands and went to their parents’room.
Mother Qiao had aged a lot these days. Qiao Jinniang walked to mother Qiao’s bedside and knelt down. “Mother, the Doctor said that I’m pregnant. I’m Pregnant!”
Mother Qiao had been unable to speak for a long time, but now she was saying ‘Good Morning’a few times. It was obvious that her spirits had improved a lot. Trembling, she took out two small silver bracelets from her bosom.
“These are the ones I left for my little grandson. Jinniang, I’m sorry. Mother may not be able to last through the new year with you. Lu Chen, take good care of my daughter. Otherwise, I won’t let you off even if I become a ghost!”
When Qiao Jinniang took the silver bracelet, she saw mother Qiao’s hand hanging down. She knelt on the ground and repeatedly shouted, “Mother!”
Lu Chen knelt beside her.
This new year was the most difficult for Qiao Jinniang. Not long after mother passed away, her father passed away as well.
During the New Year, when other people’s families were busy with the new year, Qiao Jinniang was busy dealing with the funeral.
Even though she had already prepared herself mentally for her parents to leave, she still felt like a bolt from the blue after this incident.
When it came to the Shangyuan Festival, the entire Lin ‘an city was bustling with activity. However, Lady Qiao Jin stayed in the small courtyard of the Qiao family, unwilling to leave her parents’house.
Lu Chen stood beside Lady Qiao Jin and said, “Jin ‘er, the dead should rest in peace. Moreover, you are pregnant. Father and mother definitely don’t want you to be so sad.”
Qiao Jinniang wiped her tears with her hand and said, “Lu Chen, do you remember what we said on our wedding night? You wanted to separate then.
“Father and mother have passed away, and I have a child. Why don’t we go to the government office tomorrow to separate…”
Lu Chen covered Qiao Jinniang’s mouth with his hand. “What nonsense are you talking about? Who said we wanted to separate? Your child hasn’t even been born yet, and you want to separate with me?
“Even if you want to chase me away, I Won’t leave!”
“I’ll take you outside to see the night scenery of the upper Yuan dynasty in Lin ‘an city. Don’t let your imagination run wild.”
Qiao Jinniang finally revealed a smile. “Then we won’t separate, okay?”
Lu Chen said, “We definitely won’t separate.”
Lu Chen and Qiao Jinniang shook hands and went to the Golden Ox Lake in Lin ‘an. The willow trees by the Golden Ox Lake were all hung with lanterns. Today, the bright moon shone brightly, making the golden ox lake water gurgle.
Lu Chen followed Qiao Jinniang to a riverbank and sat down. “The moonlight today is really beautiful.”
Qiao jinniang said, “In the past, my parents would always bring me out to play during the festival. The restaurants would also close early so that people could come to the streets to play. This year, the festival seems to be much more depressed.”
Lu Chen said, “I heard that the Crown Prince of Chang ‘an has gone missing in disaster relief. How could jiangnan officials still dare to organize the festival in such a grand manner?”
“Many people lost their families because of the flood in Huizhou. Have you ever thought that maybe your parents are still alive? Do you want to go back to Huizhou to look for your parents?”
Lu Chen said, “I’m very unfamiliar with the terms of ‘parents’. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have parents before. My Life is pretty good now. I’ll stay in the Hundred Savory restaurant peacefully and wait for our child to come out.”
“Do you think our child is a boy or a girl?”
Lu Chen took out a copper coin and said, “You throw the copper coin. If it’s the front, it’s the son. If it’s the back, it’s the daughter.”
Qiao Jinniang threw the copper coin high up, but it accidentally rolled onto the road. Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen repeatedly went to pick up the copper coin.
Xie Yun, who was coming over from the opposite side, had already picked up the copper coin and handed it to Qiao Jinniang. “Little Jin ‘er, long time no see.”
Lu Chen saw a woman about his height. He was considered tall among men, but this woman was actually only one head shorter than him. She looked beautiful, but she exuded a demonic aura. She was not as beautiful as the Jinniang.
Qiao jinniang said happily, “Miss Xie, I’m surprised to see you here today. This is my husband, Lu Chen.”
“Young master Lu.”
Lu Chen cupped his hands in return. “Miss Xie.”
Their eyes met. Xie Yun sized up Lu Chen’s extraordinary bearing. It would not be an exaggeration to say that his bearing was that of a prince and noble in Chang ‘an. No wonder the Qiao family was willing to let him, who came from an unknown background, be the Jinniang’s son-in-law.
Qiao Jinniang said to Xie Yun, “Are you only bringing your handmaidens out? Why Don’t you come with us!”
“Okay,”Xie Yun replied dotingly.
This tone made Lu Chen rather unhappy. He said to Qiao jinniang, “Quickly see if it’s heads or tails. Is it a son or a daughter?”
Xie Yun said with some surprise, “Little Jin ‘er is pregnant?”
Qiao jinniang replied, “Yes, she’s pregnant.”
She looked at the copper coin in her hand and said, “It’s heads. It’s a son.”
Lu Chen felt that it was a pity. “It would be even better if it were a daughter.”
Qiao jinniang said, “I think it’s better if the first child is a son and a younger sister. This way, if the younger sister wants to go out and play, she can have an older brother to protect her. Who knows, we might have a second daughter soon!”
Lu Chen held Qiao Jinniang’s hand and smiled.
Xie Yun actually felt that Lu Chen’s smile was a little provocative towards him. He was just a youth with an unknown background!
