Chapter 178: What is the purpose of marrying a wife?
"That’s called marriage. Legally, it’s referred to as the establishnt of matrimony, where both parties formalize their spousal relationship following the conditions and procedures set by the law, taking on the rights, obligations, and other responsibilities that co with it."
"What you’re talking about, getting married, seems to refer to hosting a wedding banquet. This doesn’t require an ID card. One represents a legal aning, while the other is a social one. As long as the banquet is held, we’d be considered husband and wife in the eyes of society."
Xu Qing didn’t expect Jiang He to be more eager than him, leaving him sowhat caught off guard. "Do you want to hold a banquet? We can get the certificate later."
"What do you think?" Jiang He pondered, trying to grasp the modern formalities like docunts and betrothal gifts.
Just getting a certificate without a banquet felt like a private agreent, yet only hosting a banquet without a certificate seed more like a private agreent. Strange—was this how the tis had changed?
"My thoughts? Hmm... If we go ahead, this little apartnt would be our new ho. The whole thing about matchmakers and betrothal gifts wouldn’t apply, and it seems you don’t need a dowry either."
Xu Qing scratched his head. Why didn’t getting such a good deal feel satisfying?
When Xu Qing ntioned "new ho," Jiang He’s breath hitched, and she impulsively thought—if they got married, wouldn’t that an a wedding night?
...But having children seed inevitable anyway, just a matter of ti.
"This house... isn’t shabby," she said hesitantly. The thought of the wedding night felt intimidating.
"If we wait a few years, we might be able to get a bigger house. Even if we can’t save much, my dad might give this place, and we can chip in for a new one, so the pressure won’t be too bad."
"Oh, I... I’ll go with the flow."
Jiang He stopped agonizing over it. After all, if he dared to break up, she’d beat him to death. Sooner or later was fine... preferably later.
She felt kind of devious.
"We can hold the banquet first. As long as we don’t have kids imdiately, we can sleep together..."
"? ?"
Jiang He frowned. "You’re poking ."
D*mn it! Xu Qing felt his thoughts run wild.
He used to tease Qin Hao for being a virgin, yet wasn’t he in the sa boat? He just hid it better, making people think otherwise.
"Let’s cook," he said.
"Okay." Jiang He blushed and went into the kitchen, only to co back monts later to get ingredients from the fridge.
"Having kids is terrifying," she said.
"Hmm... are you scared?"
"I’m not scared. I’m just saying it’s a scary thing." Standing by the fridge, she sneaked a glance at Xu Qing. "How many kids do you want?"
"Two?"
"Just two?" Jiang He was stunned.
"You think that’s too few?" Xu Qing was even more shocked. Were ancient people really this intense?
Having five, six, or even seven kids? Forget about the current two-child policy—even if it allowed five, six, or seven, Xu Qing didn’t think he could afford that.
"I don’t want to have any!"
"Oh, that’s fine too."
"Ah?" Jiang He suspected she’d misheard.
"Nowadays, lots of people choose not to have kids. They’re called DINKs. Honestly, having kids doesn’t serve much purpose—they’re just little money-eating monsters." Xu Qing leaned against the window, looking outside while ignoring Jiang He’s confusion. Won in love always had strange thoughts and irrational brain circuits.
Not to ntion, she was over a thousand years old. Whatever he said now wouldn’t matter—she’d understand soday. For now, agreeing with her was enough.
He casually added, "Besides, this whole ‘continuing the bloodline’ idea requires boys, right? Boys who must have more boys, and so on. Eventually, a generation will have an only daughter, and it’ll end there. So, it’s aningless. It might as well stop with ."
"Really?" Jiang He stared at him in shock. Was there really soone who agreed not to have kids? Then why get married?
She thought for a mont and asked, "Why marry a wife then?"
"To cuddle and sleep together, of course. What does that have to do with kids? Isn’t it nice to sleep at night holding a soft, warm wife?" Xu Qing said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"So... so..."
Jiang He blushed fiercely, muttered sothing under her breath, and ran back to the kitchen with the ingredients.
"What did you say?" Xu Qing turned back.
Jiang He didn’t answer.
If he didn’t mishear, it sounded like she said, "Maybe just one kid?"
Xu Qing scratched his ear, pulled out a cotton swab from the coffee table, and continued cleaning his ears. One kid, two kids, three kids—what did it have to do with him, a carefree young man like Xu Qing?
That was a future issue. For now, he wasn’t even allowed to hug her properly, let alone talk about kids.
Won.
Dinner was noodles, a specialty from Jiang He’s repertoire. Using leftover ribs from lunch, she heated them up and added winter lon. The broth poured over the noodles made for a fragrant and satisfying al.
"We’re practically engaged now. Should I move into your room?" Xu Qing found the wait unbearable.
"No way. We’re not married yet, and that would be... improper relations."
"...Where did you learn that phrase?"
"Doesn’t matter. It’s not happening." Jiang He glared at him cautiously. "It’ll lead to being drowned in a pig cage."
"Aren’t you adapting to modern customs?"
"Wedding night ans after marriage. I won’t let you trick into having kids."
How could anyone agree to marry a wife who wouldn’t have kids? Jiang He thought hard. Xu Qing must be lying.
When the belly gets big, it’ll be too late to argue. Besides, it would be embarrassing to have a child out of wedlock. Even if they wouldn’t drown her in a pig cage...
"I can’t even beat you in a fight," Xu Qing said.
"That’s why you haven’t sneaked into my room in the middle of the night."
"...Even if I could, I wouldn’t. Everything I do will be consensual, transparent, and mutual. Understand?" Xu Qing sighed. "Anyway, we’re not breaking up, and right now, I just want to sleep... properly."
He shook his head and scooped up a piece of winter lon, savoring its tenderness despite it being scalding hot.
"Eventually, you’ll crawl into my bed on your own."
"Never!" Jiang He shot back confidently.
Xu Qing ignored her. Naive. She didn’t yet understand that sleeping together was just that—sleeping. Kids were a separate issue.
Dinner ended with both sweating from the al’s heat. Xu Qing washed the dishes and saw it was only six o’clock—still early for his stream. He joined Jiang He on the couch, cooling off with the fan.
Unlike air conditioning, the fan offered instant relief. Jiang He’s fringe swayed with the breeze as she let out a contented sigh. Though she didn’t know what air conditioning was, she agreed the fan was better than a hand fan.
Electricity truly was a great invention.
Cuddling and kissing, Jiang He blushed again, leaning against Xu Qing as she gazed at the ceiling light. Sothing seed missing, leaving her restless.
When Xu Qing lifted her leg to massage it, that feeling intensified. Jiang He tensed her legs, letting him continue while tossing out stray thoughts. She casually said, "This afternoon, I went with Aunt Cheng to pick up umbrellas, and a cyclist almost hit her. I pulled her back."
"You an you pulled her back normally, right?"
"Yeah, just a few steps. She said I’m really strong."
"Oh, that’s fine, as long as you didn’t start running with her." Xu Qing sighed in relief. If Jiang He had used her lightness skills, their return wouldn’t have looked normal.
"Why do you like touching my feet?" Jiang He looked away as she asked.
"I’ve thought about that. It’s not about touching—I like seeing you get shy." Xu Qing held her smooth, soft foot in his hand, stroking it gently and chuckling.
Although they didn’t share a room, the occasional kisses and cuddles were nice. Slowly but surely, he’d win her over!
"So if I don’t get shy, you’ll stop?" Jiang He seed to realize sothing, putting on a blank, expressionless face.
"Well, theoretically, it’d lose its charm. But I know you’re still shy, so... Ow! What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?"
Jiang He looked at him curiously. Sothing in Xu Qing’s pocket pressed against her leg. When she shifted slightly, he reacted like she’d flipped a switch.
Curious, she tried moving again. Yep, the sa reaction. Xu Qing frowned harder, which she found fascinating.
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