Qi Taiguo never expected Cheng Su to propose not having children for the time being, and he couldn’t help but fall silent.
He was already twenty-eight years old, had married late, and people his age, unless there was something wrong with their health, already had children who could "fetch soy sauce."
But Cheng Su still said, not to have children for now?
Not having children for the time being was okay for him, but how could he explain this to his parents? They had long been looking forward to holding a grandchild!
"Having children and studying doesn’t really conflict!" Qi Taiguo managed to find these words to say after a long while.
As soon as Cheng Su heard this, she knew he was somewhat reluctant and then said, "Of course, I know there’s no conflict. But think about it, is it the right time for us to have children now?"
"You’re a military man, and everywhere they’re talking about family planning. It’s impossible to have more children than allowed, so we have to plan well for our first, right? It’s best to get a son in one go."
Qi Taiguo laughed in disbelief, "What ’get a son in one go’? What era are we in, you’re not still valuing sons over daughters, are you? Even if it’s a daughter, she’s still our precious little one."
Cheng Su smirked, "Have you forgotten what happened to your elder sister?"
The smile on Qi Taiguo’s face immediately darkened, and after a long time, he said, "My parents, they definitely won’t be like the Zhang family."
"I’m not saying they are. It’s just, the older generation has traditional thinking, believing it’s natural for a male heir to carry on the family line. It’s understandable for them to want a grandson, especially since you’re the eldest son! To be honest, I too like sons and would like to have a boy."
Qi Taiguo uttered, "They say a daughter is a little quilt that warms the heart, so why do you suddenly want a son?"
"Having a son means no pressure in your family, and besides, if it’s a son, we’ll raise him well, make him a real man. When he grows up, I’ll have both of you, father and son, to protect me. I won’t be at a loss," Cheng Su said, feigning calculation.
Qi Taiguo was amused by her self-evident scheming, "Nobody thinks like you, wanting to have a son to protect themselves!"
But he had to admit, her way of putting it, pleased him.
He would protect her with his son; if it was a daughter, he would protect both his daughter and wife. Either way, it was good.
"So we have to plan properly, that’s one. And two, it’s very likely we’ll only have one child, don’t you want to provide the best for them?" Cheng Su looked at him and asked.
"That’s a no-brainer, who doesn’t want the best for their child?" Taiguo said without a second thought.
"That’s right. As a company commander, even though you have a stipend and get ninety yuan a month, it’s not much. Not to mention, we still need to support your younger siblings’ education. And me, my career has just begun. To outsiders, we might seem to live comfortably, but it’s far from enough to raise a child. We need to create the best living conditions for them so they won’t be at a disadvantage from the starting line."
Qi Taiguo pursed his lips, carefully considering her words.
"We are both still young. It doesn’t matter when we have children. I am studying now, aiming for a university degree, while pursuing a career. In the future, I’ll be a successful person with both culture and a career. That way, our child will have dignity, right? By then, I will also have more energy to take care of and educate our children!" Seeing his expression soften, Cheng Su couldn’t help but continue to persuade.
"I think it’s just that you don’t want to have kids yet," Qi Taiguo eyed her suspiciously.
Cheng Su lifted her chin, looked deep into his eyes, stroked his leg with one hand, licked her lips, and said, "The main reason I don’t want to have kids right now is, I want to enjoy another couple of years of our two-person world, you know. If there’s a kid, then... hmm?"
Qi Taiguo grabbed her restless hand and said through gritted teeth, "Okay, you win!"