From the end of the world

Chapter 406 The Possibility of Marrying Zhu Shi 2
Zhu Shi pulled me to another corner of the mansion.

After stopping, Zhu Shi first took a long, deep breath as if he had finally surfaced, and then said, "Brother Zhuang...what do you think of Ma Zao's attitude? How do you think she is thinking?"

"I feel like she's serious about this," I said. "As for why she thinks that way... it's probably directly related to the environment she went through in the past."

I just thought seriously about Ma Zao's mental state when he said those words.

Marriage is not something that has existed in human culture since the beginning. Even if a man and a woman do not get married, there will be no sudden thunderbolt from heaven as punishment. Marriage is essentially a social notarization contract that exists in society. In the doomsday era when Ma Zao lived, this social structure had already collapsed.

Although a large human force like the Gospel House could be considered a small society, according to Ma Zao, there were no large human forces outside the Gospel House. Ma Zao had almost forgotten all about the Gospel House, and she spent most of her time wandering in the desolate land of doomsday.

She told me that in that land full of disasters, humans only cooperated in small groups. The shelters that could be found occasionally had very few people in them. The omnipresent madness made it easy for people to become demons. The probability of demons appearing in places with more people would also increase. Often, a single demon was enough to destroy an entire shelter.

Moreover, madness will corrode and wash away human memory, and the contracts and notarizations made in the past will therefore lack practical significance. Perhaps in such an absurd and terrifying environment, what is truly meaningful is the "fact" of "mutual support" and the deep feelings between each other "in the present tense" rather than the "form" of marriage.

Therefore, it is very likely that in Ma Zao's eyes, the focus of my marriage with Zhu Shi is how much benefit it can provide for me, and she does not think that this may have any actual negative impact on the relationship between her and me.

"After listening to your analysis, I also think that this is probably the truth." Zhu Shi thought, "Then how should this problem be solved? Or... should it be solved?"

"Hmm?" I heard the hidden meaning. "Aren't you going to solve this problem?"

"Although I think Ma Zao's current understanding of the concept of marriage lacks humanity and romance, I am also a person who cannot understand romantic feelings between men and women. I just have a lot of social common sense." Zhu Shi said calmly, "Grandpa's plan is absurd, and I thought it might not be feasible at first, but after calming down, I gradually realized... This doesn't seem to be a bad idea. It's even an excellent plan that is very suitable for our specific situation."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"First of all, do you still remember the topic of marriage that I talked to you about before?" Zhu Shi asked.

Because I can save my memory information in the flame, I will never forget anything. I quickly retrieved the memory mentioned by Zhu Shi. This happened after the battle of the secret base of the Humanitarian Division, when I took Ma Zao to avoid the clutches of the "Great Impermanence (Life Turbidity) behind the God Gun".

"I will get married one day. Although I don't have any romantic fantasies about the opposite sex, strictly speaking, I am the only one in this generation of the Zhu family, and my brother is the descendant of Ying Lingyun and Yin Yue. If I don't get married, the Zhu family will be extinct." Zhu Shi said, "Of course, I won't distort my free will for those traditional reasons, but I am not resistant to marriage to the extent that I will avoid it even if it disappoints my elders.

"If I have to say something else that concerns me, it's that if I, who have no ability to love, marry someone else, isn't it unfair to that person? The last time I talked to you about this topic, I felt that I couldn't marry you according to Grandpa's expectations for this reason. Do you still remember?"

I nodded: "I still remember."

"But now it's different." Zhu Shi said, "I am happy to marry Senior Brother Zhuang. The elders are very happy, and the family bloodline can be passed on. Senior Brother Zhuang can also benefit from this marriage and can continue to be with Ma Zao. Ma Zao doesn't think there is anything wrong with this approach. There is no unfairness, and no one is hurt."

"According to secular morality and laws, if I was with Ma Zao while I was married to you, that should be considered as cheating on my wife, right?" I said.

"The Great Impermanence is not bound by secular morality and laws. You are a transcendent being, so you can be bolder." Zhu Shi said, "Besides, I think you, Senior Brother Zhuang, don't have that kind of moral cleanliness, right? Do you think marrying me while you are pregnant with Ma Zao is a betrayal of Ma Zao?"

"No," I said.

Zhu Shi nodded and said, "Besides, this is just a formal marriage. To use the existing term, it is a 'political marriage'.

"It is said that in ancient times, nobles in some places achieved an alliance of interests through this kind of formal marriage. Because they had no real feelings for each other, they would turn a blind eye even if the other party cheated a little. And you don't have to worry about me cheating, because I can't have any romantic feelings for the opposite sex. You don't even have to worry that I will develop romantic feelings for you and destroy the relationship between you and Ma Zao.

"But... despite listing so many benefits, there is still a problem with this plan."

Seeing that Zhu Shi was no longer yelling and complaining as usual, but analyzing things so rationally, I was attracted by her calm attitude for a moment. At the same time, I remembered the first time she appeared in front of me as a demon hunter, and how she took the enemy's life coldly and efficiently.

I like her more like this.

"What's the question?" I thought about it and asked, "Are you trying to say that although you won't have romantic feelings for me, I might fall in love with you?"

Zhu Shi thought for a moment and said, "... Let me say something narcissistic. I know that I am very good-looking, and my personality... I also have the confidence that I am at least not bad. So objectively speaking, I think it is normal for me to be liked." "I really don't want you to ignore Ma Zao because you like me, and I don't want your relationship with Ma Zao to become bad because of this...

"So, do you like me?"

I answered honestly: "I do like you, and I like you in a heterosexual way."

"Okay, I knew it. It seems there is no need to worry that you will really develop romantic feelings for me." Zhu Shi said, "Then let's start with the real issue I want to talk about, which is having children."

Before I had time to comment on her previous conclusion, I was attracted by the next topic she brought up.

"Having a baby... I see." I said, "Even if Ma Zao has no objection to our possible marriage, it's only because she feels that it's a contract on paper, while having a baby is a substantive act between husband and wife... Even if Ma Zao didn't care before, she wouldn't sit idly by, right?"

"What's even worse is that having children is a necessary part of marriage in the eyes of most people," Zhu Shi said. "If we get married but don't plan to have children, then in the minds of the believers, the 'gold content' of this marriage will be greatly reduced, and the stability of the Zhu family as a bridge between you and the believers will also deteriorate, and the necessity of our marriage will become questionable."

"Ma Zao might compromise for me." I said, "No, it's not possible. Even if she feels uncomfortable, as long as she thinks that it will benefit me, she will suppress her thoughts... But I don't want her to force herself."

"Then the conclusion is very clear. Let's ask her in person." Zhu Shi obviously had an idea. "If she doesn't agree, we will give up this plan. Even if she wants to hide her thoughts and agree reluctantly, I can see it with my eyes. In that case, we can't force her."

After another brief discussion, we decided on a direction and then returned to Ma Zao and the others.

"Well, have you discussed it?" asked Mr. Zhu.

Zhu Shi nodded first, then looked at Ma Zao and asked, "Ma Zao, do you really think it's okay for Senior Brother Zhuang to marry me?"

"I want to be with Zhuang Cheng. At the same time, I am willing to do and accept anything as long as it is for Zhuang Cheng's good. It doesn't matter if Zhuang Cheng marries you instead of me." Ma Zao clearly expressed his true thoughts. "And even if we get married, will our relationship change? You and Zhuang Cheng have been good friends since the beginning, and you and I are also good friends now... What can such a contract change?"

"So...what if Zhuang Cheng wants me to get pregnant and have a child in the future?" Zhu Shi asked, "Will that be okay?"

Ma Zao really didn't think that far ahead. When she heard this, she was stunned.

Marriage is a cultural concept that will change dramatically with the times and may even disappear, but pregnancy and childbirth are different. Ma Zao may not understand marriage, but she should at least understand pregnancy and childbirth - at least understand that this is the result of extreme intimacy between opposite sexes.

She was in obvious turmoil and hesitation.

"Zhuang Cheng... let Zhu Shi get pregnant? And then give birth to a child..."

A look of distress appeared on her face. By the way, I also find Mazao's distressed look very cute.

At this moment, Mr. Zhu spoke as if he had been prepared, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he asked a question that seemed to go straight to the soul:

"But if Zhuang Cheng doesn't marry my granddaughter and have children, my granddaughter may marry other strange men and have children in the future. Is that okay?" he said quietly.

"Ah?" Zhu Shi seemed to be caught off guard.

At the same time, I began to imagine in my mind: What if Zhu Shi and a man I didn’t know…

And Ma Zao's eyes changed, and he said: "Xiao Wan... want to be with a man I don't know...!?"

"No, why did you react first?" Mr. Zhu seemed not to have expected this development.

Ma Zao suddenly turned around, hugged me tightly, then raised her face and said very seriously: "Zhuang Cheng, marry Zhu Shi!"

(End of this chapter)