Chapter 139: Xiaoyu Wants a Child

Who could have guessed that karma would come knocking so quickly? Just moments ago, Chen Liang was inwardly mocking Shazhu, thinking that a married man lives like a beast of burden, unable to even enjoy a drink without his wife’s permission.

Yet, as soon as Chen Liang returned home and mentioned to Xiaoyu that he was going to the new house for a get-together with his childhood friends, she blinked those large, doe-like eyes of hers and looked at him, her gaze clear and sparkling. "Brother, are you going out to drink?"

Looking at Xiaoyu, Chen Liang couldn't bear to lie, so he offered a white lie. "Ah? Oh, well, you know what they say—no wine, no banquet. I'll definitely have a little, but I promise you, I’ll just have one glass. I absolutely won't drink more!"

Xiaoyu was still very naive, so she believed whatever Chen Liang said. But he knew that once they had been together longer, she wouldn't believe a single punctuation mark of his "one glass" nonsense!

"Mm! I believe you, Brother. Actually, it's not that I'm against you drinking, but we've been married for quite a while now, and it's time we had a baby. So, Brother, please drink less from now on!"

Under the daily tutelage of Old Lu, who was teaching her the art of power dynamics, Xiaoyu’s intelligence was skyrocketing. Chen Liang’s little tricks were no longer sophisticated enough to fool her.

Truly, the old man was a menace; teaching her how to balance power and influence instead of teaching her the old-fashioned "Women's Precepts" or "Virtues of Womanhood"—wouldn't that have been better? Of course, these thoughts could only exist in the depths of Chen Liang’s mind; if he ever dared to voice them, he’d be done for.

When Chen Liang heard the mention of having a child, his composure shattered internally. However, he was a seasoned "Sea Emperor" and master of time management from the future. Even though he was completely caught off guard by Xiaoyu, his expression remained as breezy and calm as ever. "Mm, I understand! I will definitely drink less from now on, okay?"

"Then come home early, Brother!" Seeing Chen Liang so "considerate," Xiaoyu gave him a quick peck on the cheek and whispered, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "Brother, if you come home early tonight, I have a surprise waiting for you!"

"Really?" Even though he knew this was a beauty trap, Chen Liang fell for it every time.

"How about we spend the night admiring the flowers under the moonlight?" Chen Liang proposed a reward that made Xiaoyu blush deep crimson.

Biting her lip with her pearly white teeth, looking even more delicate than the flowers themselves, Xiaoyu nodded almost imperceptibly. "Mm, just make sure you come home soon!"

Chen Liang was so excited he could have jumped three feet high. Damn it, he didn't even want to go drink anymore—who needs friends when you have a wife?

Despite his "beauty-before-loyalty" mindset, Chen Liang was ultimately dragged out the door by the thirsty Shazhu. The two walked along, one carrying a lunch box and the other a bottle of liquor, chatting as they went.

On the way, Chen Liang complained bitterly to Shazhu, "Tell me, Shazhu, can’t you manage your wife? Could you stop her from constantly telling Xiaoyu that she should have kids?"

Chen Liang, who hadn't had enough of his life as a newlywed, certainly didn't want a child to ruin the fun.

"Hey! I can't control that. My wife is just close to Xiaoyu and likes sharing things with her. Don't be an ingrate!" Shazhu hated anyone speaking ill of his wife. If it weren't Chen Liang, he would have slapped the person across the face.

"Fine, fine! There’s no point talking to a henpecked husband like you who thinks his wife's farts smell like roses. Walk faster, let’s finish our drinks so I can get home!"

"What? Liangzi, did Xiaoyu give you a curfew?" Shazhu mocked him.

"Thanks to your family, Xiaoyu wants a baby now too. My miserable days are just beginning!" Chen Liang sighed, wondering how he could possibly dissuade her.

Passing a supply and marketing cooperative, Chen Liang told Shazhu to wait and ran inside. He pulled a stack of liquor coupons from his pocket. "Clerk, give me a case of Moutai!"

Because he had Dage handling things at the gray market, Chen Liang had an endless supply of coupons for cigarettes and liquor.

The clerk checked the coupons carefully, confirmed they were real, and glanced at Chen Liang. "A case is six bottles, total is 46.8 yuan. Pay up!"

After counting the money and having the clerk verify it, Chen Liang was told to "wait." The clerk then went to the back warehouse to fetch the booze.

When Chen Liang emerged, Shazhu was already impatient. Seeing the extra case, Shazhu waved his net bag. "Whoa! I already brought some, why did you buy another case?"

"There are six of us, and three bottles won't be enough," Chen Liang rolled his eyes. "Quit yapping! Let's go, it's getting dark."

"Hey! Weren't you the one who took so long? And you're blaming me? Can you be reasonable?" Shazhu grumbled all the way.

When they reached the new house, Dawu and the others had already set up the tables and chairs, moved over from their own homes nearby.

As soon as Chen Liang and Shazhu entered, the goods were snatched away by the pack of hungry wolves. Without waiting for instructions, they set the table immediately.

"Brother Liang, you're the best! You really got us a case of Moutai. I've never even tasted this stuff in my life!" Little Turtle, a real boozehound, stared at the case with wide, hungry eyes.

"Hurry up and start! Once we're done, everyone goes home to their own mothers; I’ve got things to do tonight!" Chen Liang didn't stand on ceremony, grabbed a bottle, and poured himself a glass. "One bottle per person, no fighting!"

"Alright, everyone fill your glasses for the first round. This glass is for our friendship. Let's not say a word—everything is in the drink. Bottoms up!"

After the first glass came the second, and the atmosphere exploded into a roaring, lively frenzy.

Amidst the chaos, Chen Liang popped one of Shazhu’s signature spiced peanuts into his mouth and clinked glasses with him.

"Shazhu, let me tell you something," he said, taking a small sip. "The library is distributing housing. Given your seniority, getting a unit in a tube apartment building shouldn't be hard, right?"

Shazhu paused, looking at him in disbelief. "What? You want to live in a tube apartment? Have you lost your mind? Those broken buildings aren't half as comfortable as this courtyard house!"

In those days, many in the capital considered living in a "tube apartment" a status symbol, a sign that one was a cut above the rest. But to a true local of the old city, those buildings were so thin that you could hear your neighbor pass gas through three rooms. How could that compare to the comfort of a traditional courtyard house?