1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 225 What can I do to make you have confidence in me?

"Let's discuss it with Li Liang again."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to get too involved in other people's family affairs and intentionally ended the topic: "There's still some time before the New Year, don't rush to make a decision, give yourself enough time to think it through before you speak."

"I see."

Wu Meng smiled gratefully, glanced at the customer service department, and then felt a surge of anger: "I heard what those people said just now. I'll find an opportunity to fire those gossipy people another day. They're always idle and gossiping behind people's backs."

"Let them say whatever they want."

Lin Xiyu didn't take it to heart: "I've heard these things many times. The teachers at school don't shy away from them anymore. Even our principal called me to his office and said he knew a folk remedy for infertility and asked if I wanted to try it."

"Your principal?"

Wu Meng had met their school's principal and was deeply impressed by his Mediterranean-style hairstyle: "The one with a shiny forehead and almost no hair left?"

"Um"

Lin Xiyu was both amused and exasperated: "Can you understand that feeling? You finally get a meeting with the principal, not because of your good work performance, but because you're infertile."

"Your principal is such a busybody, meddling in things like this."

Wu Meng couldn't understand: "He's a male leader, saying this to his female subordinate, doesn't he think about whether she'll feel embarrassed?"

That's exactly what I mean.

Lin Xiyu joked about herself: "I was so embarrassed at the time, I wished I could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground with my toes."

"Your principal is truly a talented individual."

Wu Meng almost burst out laughing: "Even if you care about your subordinates, it's inappropriate for a male leader to say this. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in this situation. You're already showing good temper by not losing your temper on the spot."

"It's impossible for us to turn against each other."

Lin Xiyu smiled wryly: "I still rely on that little bit of salary to make ends meet. No matter how little I earn, it's still my own money, so I feel confident spending it. If a woman doesn't work, she has to rely on a man for everything and keep asking for money. It won't work in the long run. It's okay when you're young. Men are interested in something new and can still give you a good look. But when you get old and lose your looks, you'll be disliked."

"It doesn't sound quite right coming from you."

Wu Meng sensed something was off and asked with some surprise, "Isn't Gu Bin good to you? Why do you suddenly have such strong feelings about this?"

He was very good to me.

Lin Xiyu didn't want her to speculate, so she frankly stated her thoughts: "But it's a fact that I have difficulty conceiving, and I don't want to lie to myself and live a lie, saying that it's okay not to have children, and that we can adopt one if we want one."

"Can an adopted child be the same as a biological one? The more money you earn, the more you need a biological child to inherit it. Even if Gu Bin says he doesn't care now, there's no guarantee he won't change his mind later. When that day comes, what will I have left? Nothing but the little money I've saved up."

-

"Your idea is dangerous."

Wu Meng listened with a pounding heart: "You just advised me to think more positively and not to overthink things and plant a seed of trouble in my heart. Now you're making a fool of yourself again, torturing yourself with things that haven't happened yet."

"Gu Bin is the most considerate, gentle, and perfect husband I've ever met. He takes such good care of you. If you say that other men are unfaithful and would have children with other women in order to inherit the family business, I would believe you. But Gu Bin is not."

“I’m willing to give you a thousand guarantees that Gu Bin would never do that. He wouldn’t even give another woman a second glance except for you. Take Zhang Xiaoqian and Liu Rushi for example, aren’t they both stunning beauties? If he had even a little bit of a flirtatious streak, he wouldn’t have been able to resist the temptation. He would have been with both of them during those years in America. It’s not your turn to marry him.”

-

"This is fate."

Lin Xiyu looked wistful: "There are gains and losses. If I had known that I would have to lose my child to get back together with him, I might not have chosen to marry him."

"Xi Yu"

Wu Meng didn't expect that the more she tried to persuade her, the more depressed Wu Meng became. She was extremely annoyed: "You must not get stuck on this. You can't let this wear you down. Right now, your health is the most important thing. Taking care of your health is more important than anything else. Even if we can't have children in this lifetime, we still have to be good to ourselves, right?"

"Take good care of your body, dress up beautifully, spend every penny on yourself, live a refined life, and don't mistreat yourself."

"What does a woman live for? Isn't it to be comfortable and happy? As long as you are good, everything else is meaningless. Men like beautiful women, so we should take good care of ourselves and not let the years leave any marks on our bodies, so that he can never leave us for the rest of his life."

-

"Mengmeng, you're getting better and better at talking."

Lin Xiyu chuckled and teased, "Sometimes I feel like I don't even recognize you anymore. You're so sophisticated now, and you speak with such depth, you have such an elite air about you. Are you still that silly, adorable girl from high school who was easily fooled and had to do other people's homework?"

"Don't bring that up again."

Wu Meng laughed awkwardly, "I was really stupid back then. I feel so embarrassed when I think about it now. I wish I could go back in time and do it all over again."

"Wow, ten years have passed in the blink of an eye."

Lin Xiyu sighed with emotion: "I still vividly remember filming the documentary when we graduated from high school, and now we're all approaching thirty."

"Indeed, the years go by so quickly."

Wu Meng was also filled with melancholy: "Sometimes I think about what I have done all these years. I feel like I have accomplished nothing and have just wasted my days."

"Don't you already own a house and a car?"

Lin Xiyu smiled and scolded, "An annual salary of several hundred thousand is considered high income in Shanghai. What more could you want? If this gets out, it will infuriate a lot of people. If you call this mediocre, what about those who can only earn a little hard-earned money and barely make ends meet? If you say that, they might as well give up on life."

"I have made some money, but I always feel a little empty inside."

Wu Meng smiled bitterly, "Maybe I really should go back to Jinan and have a child with Liangzi. With a child, I'll have more to hold onto, and I'll have more motivation to make money."

"Then go back."

Lin Xiyu suppressed her heartache and smiled as she advised, "I can't have children, but you're different. You have a choice. If you can have children, then have them. Cherish your blessings. Have children while you're young, so you won't regret it when you're older and it's harder to have children."

"Xi Yu, you're the best."

Wu Meng was so moved she wanted to cry: "I knew you really cared about me and thought about me. You've never changed over the years."

"You're very good to me too."

Lin Xiyu smiled and said, "When I was sad and upset, you were always there for me and comforted me. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have made it through those years."

"Xi Yu, I can't bear to part with you."

Wu Meng choked back tears and leaned forward to hug him: "I don't want to leave. If I leave, we'll be separated, so far apart, and we won't be able to see each other again."

"Then we won't leave."

Lin Xiyu went along with her thoughts and said, "Stay in Shanghai and keep me company."

"But I can't let go of Liangzi."

Wu Meng sniffed, then fell into a dilemma again.

"Then go back."

Lin Xiyu was both amused and exasperated.

"I'm so conflicted."

Wu Meng was extremely distressed: "Am I being too greedy? I don't want to give up either of you."

"Mengmeng, I actually think you've already made your choice."

Lin Xiyu spoke her mind: "When you said you felt empty and wanted to have a child, I knew I couldn't keep you. Your heart had already flown back to Jinan, back to Li Liang's side."

“Go back if you want to. Don’t let yourself have any regrets. Money can be earned again, but once a relationship is broken, it’s hard to repair. You’ve waited for Li Liang for so many years, and you finally have the chance to be reunited. Don’t make things difficult for yourself because of money. Even if you have a child, Xingyao’s doors will still be open to you. Gu Bin and I will welcome you back anytime.”

"Xi Yu, you're so wonderful, I love you so much."

Wu Meng was so moved that she burst into tears, hugging Lin Xiyu and crying like a child.

After finishing his business negotiations, Gu Bin returned from outside and saw Lin Xiyu standing alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the president's office, lost in thought. He took off his coat and hugged her from behind.

"Mengmeng is resigning and going back to Jinan for the Chinese New Year. She won't be coming back."

Lin Xiyu knew it was him without turning around, so she leaned back and rested in his arms.

"Xi Yu, what can I do to make you have confidence in me?"

Gu Bin hugged the person tightly, his voice low and hoarse, filled with undisguised helplessness and heartache.

Lin Xiyu laughed in exasperation: "I was going to tell you about Wu Meng, but I didn't expect this guy to be so quick to tell you what I was going to say first."

"Fortunately, she told me."

Gu Bin's mood was very heavy: "Otherwise, I wouldn't have known that you had always been wary of me and didn't trust me as much as I thought."

"I don't"

Lin Xiyu denied it: "Mengmeng misunderstood me and just guessed."

Gu Bin knew Wu Meng very well: "She's not smart enough to make up these kinds of things."

"You believe her, but not me?"

Lin Xiyu felt a little guilty and deliberately feigned dissatisfaction to ask a question.

I didn't mean to blame you.

Gu Bin lowered his head, gently stroking her cheek with his forehead: "I just want to know, what exactly do I need to do to make you completely open your heart and accept me without reservation?"

"You've done a great job."

Lin Xiyu blurted it out without thinking.

"Yeah?."

Gu Bin retorted, "I feel like you're just giving me the runaround."

"real."

Not wanting him to misunderstand, Lin Xiyu added, "As a husband, you are already perfect."

"But I can't cure your physical ailments, nor can I heal your heartbreak."

Gu Bin smiled bitterly: "Sometimes, I really feel powerless and don't know what else I can do to make you happy and help you forget that painful past."

"Let's go to Hangzhou sometime when you have time."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to continue this heavy topic, so she deliberately changed the subject to ease the atmosphere: "I heard that the Guanyin Bodhisattva at Lingyan Temple is very effective in granting children, and many people go there to worship Buddha. I also want to go and worship, and ask the Bodhisattva to grant us a child."

"Row."

Gu Bin responded readily: "We'll go to Hangzhou this afternoon, stay overnight by West Lake, and head to Lingyan Temple early tomorrow morning."

"Leaving today?"

Lin Xiyu stared wide-eyed in surprise.

"Ah."

Gu Bin dotes on his wife: "You can go wherever you want. My time is entirely up to you, and you can go out anytime."

"Then you don't have to leave today, do you?"

Lin Xiyu was both amused and exasperated: "There are so many things to prepare when staying in hotels. Just for Rui Rui's clothes alone, we need to bring several sets."

There's no need to prepare anything.

Gu Bin was determined: "This time I'll drive myself, just the two of us, we won't bring anyone else."

"what?"

Lin Xiyu was a little confused: "We're not taking anyone with us? Xiaoyi just arrived, is it really appropriate for us to leave like this?"

Gu Bin dismissed it: "He's a 17-year-old lad, does he need his older sister to worry about him?"

"Too."

Lin Xiyu nodded in agreement: "He can take the train to Shanghai by himself, so he can definitely stay at home for two days without any problem."

"Don't worry about Rui Rui."

Gu Bin added, "He's eight years old now, and he's old enough to understand things. We should let go of him now. There's no need to worry about him like we did a few years ago."

"Oh dear, I forgot about that."

Lin Xiyu suddenly slapped her forehead, remembering something important: "I almost let you fool me. Grandma is going out these few days with the senior university's dance team to perform in another city. The adults won't be home, only Xiaoyi and Ruirui. No, no, I'm worried."

"What's there to worry about?"

Gu Bin patiently advised, "This is a good opportunity to let them practice their ability to live independently."

"They probably can't even cook."

"If you don't know how, you can learn."

"I'm afraid they'll blow up the pot."

"Let them fry it, I'll just buy another one."

"Aren't you worried? Playing with fire in the kitchen is so dangerous!"

"What's there to worry about? If they can't even cook a meal for themselves, they might as well just smash their heads against a block of tofu and die."

"What kind of uncle are you?"

Lin Xiyu was speechless: "If your older brother finds out, he'll beat you up."

"He doesn't have clairvoyance, how could he see that?"

"Won't Rui Rui call and complain? The father and son have a good relationship. They chat for a few minutes every night and say goodnight before Rui Rui can sleep peacefully."

"Is this happening?"

Gu Bin was unusually surprised: "How come I didn't know?"

"That's why they say men aren't good at taking care of children."

Lin Xiyu scolded playfully, "You don't even know your nephew's daily habits? Rui Rui has been calling you 'uncle' for so many years for nothing."

"I admit I haven't cared about him enough."

Gu Bin defended himself: "Isn't it because you make all the decisions in our family, big or small? I'm under your control too. You hold the reins of the household, and my status is the same as Rui Rui's. I obey your orders."

"You're really good at explaining things, aren't you?"

Lin Xiyu laughed in exasperation: "No wonder you have the eloquence of a lawyer, you're good at sophistry."

"That's it."

Before she could object, Gu Bin grabbed her and started walking: "Let's set off now. We'll arrive in Hangzhou at 3 p.m., and we can still stroll around West Lake."