Despite her doubts, Lang Xuan ate it anyway.
However, she didn't dare to eat too much. After eating three or four shrimp, she mustered up her courage and put the remaining shrimp meat from her bowl into Linlin's bowl.
She wondered if he would dislike her.
After all, he used all his cups himself.
Thinking about this still makes Lang Xuan feel like her heart is filled with pink bubbles.
Sure enough, Linlin smiled and said, "Not eating anymore?"
Lang Xuan nodded and whispered, "I'm full."
Linlin served her a bowl of dumpling soup, Lang Xuan sipped slowly with a spoon.
Yanran said casually, "Sister-in-law, why do you eat so little?"
For her, seafood like shrimp, crab, and shellfish don't fill her stomach at all; they're just something to have as an add-on.
She needs to eat noodles later!
Lang Xuan said, "I do little work and eat little."
"Get more active," Yanran said. "My mother said that many women from farming families can give birth to five, six, seven, or even eight children without any problems, but many wives from wealthy and powerful families often experience difficult childbirths. It's because they don't exercise."
Lang Xuan blushed deeply.
They haven't even consummated their marriage yet, so how did they start talking about having children?
Could it be that Her Majesty the Empress is in a hurry and is using Yanran's words to urge her to give birth?
That can't be right.
After all, Yanran isn't very reliable; perhaps someone else should handle this matter...
Linlin seemed to sense her embarrassment, glared at Yanran, and then said softly, "Don't listen to her trying to scare you."
Although embarrassed, Lang Xuan still said earnestly, "I think Yanran makes a good point."
Should she go back and cultivate a plot of land in the Prince's mansion to grow vegetables?
Yanran smiled and said, "Look at my sister-in-law, she understands perfectly! Sister-in-law, when we have time later, I'll teach you the Five Animal Frolics. It's the best way to exercise regularly."
Linlin said coldly, "Don't look back, we'll teach you tomorrow."
Yanran: "..."
Saying one thing and meaning another.
Didn't you just say you were talking about yourself?
Snort!
Lang Xuan said, "Then thank you, Yanran."
She'll prove me right!
She needs to take good care of her health so she can give Yuwen Duo many, many sons.
It would be great to be like the Empress, with four sons by her side. Even if the court were to fight tooth and nail over the Emperor's harem, she would Mount Tai.
After a while, another dish was served.
Stir-fried chives... what?
Looking at the pink tube cut into small sections, Lang Xuan was dumbfounded.
However, seeing that she didn't recognize anyone else, she felt relieved.
Ren Yingying was overjoyed. "Oh my, there are sea cucumbers too! Come, come, try some, they're incredibly delicious!"
Sea cucumber?
Lang Xuan picked up the extra small piece from the bowl, tasted it, and her eyes immediately lit up.
Not only is it delicious, but it's also a little crunchy?
It's really delicious!
Seeing this, Linlin ordered someone to cook another plate.
While eating, Yanran held up two fingers. "Two plates."
She asked for an extra plate!
Life by the sea must be so wonderful; she really wants to stay there forever and never go back.
"I don't want to leave!" Yanran announced loudly.
Cui Xiaoqiu just looked at her with doting smile, her hands never idle as she peeled shrimp for her.
Lang Xuan whispered, "But I heard there are Japanese pirates here..."
In the past few days, she has found out most of the situation in Jinzhou.
Although she might not be able to offer any real help, she needed to be aware of the situation to live up to her status as the Princess Consort.
Yanran immediately declared that she didn't want to leave even more!
Here, there's food, drink, and battles to fight; even the gods couldn't live a better life.
Everyone enjoyed their first meal together in a lively atmosphere before heading back to rest.
Yanran pulled Cui Xiaoqiu, wanting to go to the beach.
Cui Xiaoqiu tried to comfort her, saying, "The tide is already coming in, and it's windy at the beach. Even if you're carrying a torch, it'll easily get blown out. It's not safe."
"But I don't want to sleep," Yanran pouted.
"Then go back and wear more clothes. I'll take you to the rooftop to see the stars."
The sky by the sea is very close and blue, and the stars are dazzling at night.
Being able to sit Jingjing on the rooftop with someone you love, listening to the wind and watching the stars, is the kind of romance Cui Xiaoqiu can imagine.
"Never mind then," Yanran said. "What's so interesting about stars?"
Before Cui Xiaoqiu could even feel disappointed, she heard her say, "Come on, let's go to my room. Help me draw the Five Animal Frolics. I'll tell you what to draw."
Lang Xuan is too shy; if she can't learn it, she'll probably blush again.
I prepared the "teaching materials" for her in advance so she could continue studying when she got back.
"Good."
As long as the two of you are together, what you do is the least important choice.
Soon, Cui Xiaoqiu picked up her brush and began to paint, while Yanran walked back and forth beside her.
Cui Xiaoqiu also knew the Five Animal Frolics, so she couldn't even offer any guidance.
"Cui Xiaoqiu, today when we were talking about having children, I remembered I wanted to ask you, we'll have to have children in the future, won't we?"
Cui Xiaoqiu trembled, and the piece of paper was ruined.
He casually crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it into the brazier beside him, saying, "It won't burn."
"Why?" Yanran tilted her head and asked him.
Although she genuinely didn't want to have children, wasn't that a sign that her thinking was abnormal?
"I have no patience for kids," Cui Xiaoqiu said. "And you're not exactly a person who can be easily restrained either."
"No, you're quite patient with me."
I'm only patient with you.
Yanran chuckled. She truly couldn't imagine herself cooking, telling stories, and guiding and educating children like her mother...
She seems to be the most capable of taking children out to fight?
"What if your mother keeps pressuring you?"
Cui Xiaoqiu suddenly smiled.
"I'm talking about serious business, what are you laughing at?"
"What's the point of her urging me if I can't have a baby?"
Yanran still didn't understand. "But I can give birth... uh..."
She understood.
Cui Xiaoqiu, is it really okay for you to make fun of yourself like this?
If that's the case, Madam Cui will probably have to bring medicine to Cui Xiaoqi every day...
Cui Xiaoqiu: Hopeless.
The Cui Family still has many descendants; even if he doesn't have another child, the Cui Family line will not end.
What are the benefits of having children?
It will only cause Yanran pain, and the two of them will have less time to enjoy life together.
Both of them have many siblings, so they won't lack children even if they don't have any.
In modern terms, Cui Xiaoqiu is not only childless by choice, but also a staunch advocate of remaining single.
His plans for the future only included Yanran, not children.
Giving birth is an incredibly devastating experience for women.
Don't comfort yourself by saying that if a man is good enough, he's worth it; even if he is, the damage your body suffers doesn't lie.
Even the Empress herself was noticeably less Wuji after giving birth to Wuji and the other two children.
So let whoever wants to have the child have it; he's selfish and doesn't want to anyway.
He doesn't stop others from having children, but others shouldn't even think about telling him what to do.
He just wanted to be with Yanran, as long as they were both willing.
Yanran smiled and said, "That's great! I didn't want to have any anyway."
"It's my choice not to have children, what does that have to do with you?" Cui Xiaoqiu continued drawing with her head down.
At this moment, Lang Xuan sensed that something was wrong.