My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 152 Doing Right for Little Miao

“I didn’t say you were stealing food.”

Lu Yuan spoke slowly, his gaze passing over the two of them and looking at the gap between the sofa and the wall.

Chen Xiaomiao followed Lu Yuan's gaze and looked back. She saw a corner of a white plastic bag sticking out from the seam, as if it were a silent mockery.

Oh no, they've been caught red-handed!
Seeing that she couldn't deny it any longer, Chen Xiaomiao had no choice but to hang her head and helplessly put her two index fingers together.

"I...I'll just try a little bit..."

Lu Yuan didn't say anything more, nor did he bother with the bag of "evidence." He first walked to the window and opened it, letting the fresh, humid air from outside flow in to dilute the overpowering smell of spices in the room.

Then, he rolled up his sleeves, pulled out a trash bag from under the coffee table, grabbed a rag, and quickly cleaned up the "crime scene" left by the master and apprentice.

Throughout the entire process, he didn't say a word, his movements were unhurried, and his face remained expressionless.

But the more this happened, the more uneasy Chen Xiaomiao felt.

Lu Jiaxin was a clever girl. Seeing that things were not going well and that even her master was listless, she knew that if she, as an "accomplice," stayed any longer, she would definitely suffer the consequences.

She quietly moved to the entrance, slung her little schoolbag over her shoulder, winked at Chen Xiaomiao and mouthed "I'm outta here," then slipped away and made a hasty retreat.

The couple was suddenly left alone in the living room.

Chen Xiaomiao fiddled with the loose thread on the sofa cushion, secretly glancing at Lu Yuan's expression, and cautiously asked, "Lu Yuan, are you... not angry?"

"angry?"

Lu Yuan threw the used tissue into the trash can, turned around, and sighed softly.

"You've already eaten it, why should I be angry? Next time you really can't resist the urge, just tell me in advance. Food from small shops outside is never very clean."

"Oh……"

Chen Xiaomiao smiled sheepishly and promised ingratiatingly, "I know, I'll definitely hold back next time!"

Looking at her confident and determined expression, Lu Yuan had no temper left.

As for how credible that "next time" was, he knew perfectly well.

In the days that followed, several spicy and sour appetizers quietly appeared on Aunt Wang's menu.

Chen Xiaomiao understood perfectly that this was the man's silent compromise and consideration, so she wisely stopped clamoring to eat those oily and salty foods.

The days slipped by in a haze of soup and drowsiness, and April arrived.

Spring arrives in Jiangcheng with a lingering warmth, and the air is always filled with a moist mist.

Chen Xiaomiao's body visibly became "plump," her originally slender waist completely disappeared, and her lower abdomen protruded roundly, as if she had stuffed a small melon under her skirt.

Her excessive sleepiness has subsided considerably, and she's now able to stay alert and keep up with the teachers' lessons every day.

When she wasn't studying, Chen Xiaomiao would spend all her time lounging on the sofa, either with a knitting needle in her hand or holding a piece of soft cloth, clumsily making clothes for the little one in her belly, trying to learn the methods Chen Xiaozhi had taught her.

Before they knew it, it was Qingming Festival again. Lu Yuan went to his parents' graves to share the good news with them. Afterwards, his grandmother, Sun Yumei, called them over for dinner.

As soon as you enter, the aroma of food wafts over you.

When Sun Yumei saw Chen Xiaomiao, she immediately smiled broadly and quickly came over, carefully taking her arm.

"Oh dear, my belly is getting bigger every day."

The old lady's voice was loud and clear, filled with genuine joy: "Come in and sit down. There's some old hen soup simmering in the kitchen; it'll help you nourish yourself."

"Now that there are two of you, you can't go hungry."

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the atmosphere in the room was just right.

Sun Yumei put down her chopsticks, her gaze shifting back and forth between Lu Yuan and Chen Xiaomiao. In the end, she couldn't help but ask tentatively, "Xiaoyuan, Xiaomiao, Grandma wants to discuss something with you."

Lu Yuan was picking fish bones off Chen Xiaomiao when he heard this and looked up.

"Grandma, tell me."

He knew that the old couple invited them over for dinner because they probably had something to talk about.

"Look, Xiao Miao's belly is getting bigger every day. In a few more months, the baby will be born."

Sun Yumei softened her tone: "The child needs to be registered after birth. When are you two planning to get your marriage certificate?" Lu Yuan was already prepared and was about to explain when Chen Xiaomiao spoke first.

She chewed rice and mumbled, "Grandma, no rush."

"What?"

Sun Yumei was taken aback, thinking she had misheard.

Aren't you in a hurry to register your child's household registration?

Lu Yuan sighed softly to himself and then continued, "Grandma, Xiao Miao is right, there's no rush."

As you know, my situation involves a lot of complicated matters. If we get the marriage certificate now, the procedures will be more troublesome, which wouldn't be good for Xiao Miao either.

He paused for a moment, then reassured the two elders.

"As for the child's household registration, you two don't need to worry about it. I have a way to solve it, and I guarantee it won't be delayed."

Sun Yumei frowned slightly as she listened to these cryptic words.

She doesn't understand anything about "involvement" or "procedures"; she only believes in old-fashioned principles.

"I don't understand the intricacies of you rich people."

The old lady gently placed her chopsticks on the table, her tone stubborn: "Fine, if we don't get a marriage certificate, we should at least have a wedding, right? Xiao Miao is a young girl who has been following you faithfully, and now she's pregnant with your child."

You can't just not give her a proper title, can you? What will people think of Xiao Miao if word gets out?"

“Exactly!” Lu Jianguo put down his teacup and chimed in, “The wedding is for outsiders to see, and it’s also a matter of attitude from the husband’s family.”

Seeing that the two elders were about to launch another offensive, Chen Xiaomiao spoke up first.

She put down her chopsticks and replied earnestly, "Grandma, I'm really not in a hurry. Organizing a banquet is too much trouble, and I'm pregnant now, so I don't have the energy to go through all that."

"We'll talk about that after the baby is born and I'm feeling better."

As Chen Xiaomiao spoke, he grinned, looking honest and sincere.

"Besides, I think that thing is just a formality, a show for others. Lu Yuan and I are living our own lives well, and that's better than anything else."

Lu Yuan listened quietly, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He knew that although Chen Xiaomiao said she "didn't have the energy" and was "just going through the motions," she was still worried about her so-called "fate."

The girl was afraid that she would bring him bad luck, and that she wouldn't be fortunate enough to stay by his side for a long time.

Whether it's the marriage certificate or the wedding banquet, the so-called misfortune will be firmly locked onto the two of them.

Having said all that, Sun Yumei and Lu Jianguo couldn't press the matter any further.

After all, the person in question said they didn't care, so if the elders kept nagging, it would just seem like they were making trouble for no reason.

"Sigh, you young people have big ideas."

Sun Yumei sighed and didn't continue the topic. She just silently served Chen Xiaomiao another bowl of chicken soup.

Before leaving, Chen Xiaomiao and Lu Jianguo watched TV in the living room, while Sun Yumei pulled Lu Yuan aside to the porch.

The old lady lowered her voice: "Xiaoyuan, tell Grandma the truth, do you... have other ideas?"

"Grandma, what are you thinking?" Lu Yuan said, both amused and exasperated. "In this life, I've only ever been committed to Xiao Miao."

"Then why do you let her act recklessly?" Sun Yumei's tone revealed anxiety: "A girl may say no, but in her heart, how can she not look forward to a wedding?"

Xiao Miao is being sensible and cares about you; you can't just assume she has no feelings for you.

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment, then looked at his grandmother's worried eyes and spoke solemnly.

"Grandma, Xiao Miao's thoughts can't be explained in a few words... Anyway, don't worry, I won't let her suffer any injustice."

Seeing her grandson's resolute attitude, Sun Yumei didn't say anything more. She simply took his hand, patted it hard, and finally gave him a heartfelt word of advice.

"You have to live up to Xiao Miao's expectations..."

(End of this chapter)