Chapter 86

This action was a bit intimate. If it had happened during the day, there would have been all kinds of gossip.  

But it was nighttime now, and the sky had long since darkened. There were hardly any people outside. Some households, unwilling to light their kerosene lamps, had already gone to bed.  

So, Shen Yiyi did not struggle to break free. Instead, she stopped in her tracks, wrapped her arms around his lean waist, and looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”  

Li Chen turned off the flashlight and likewise wrapped his arms around her slender waist. Shaking his head, he spoke in a low, somber voice: “We won’t have any more children.”  

After Shen Yiyi went in to check on Lin Daniu, Li Chen had arrived.  

He had heard Lin Daniu’s waves of agonized screams loud and clear.

When he learned that the situation had become so severe that they had to choose between saving the mother or the child, a cold sweat instantly broke out all over his body.  

He knew childbirth was dangerous for women. That was why, when Shen Yiyi had been pregnant with both of their children, he had taken her to the hospital to give birth.  

But Shen Yiyi had delivered both times extremely quickly.

She had barely gone in before coming back out, and even the doctors had praised her for having a strong body.  

But if…  

Li Chen could not bear to imagine it.  

As he thought about it, he tightened his arms and held the person in his embrace even closer.  

???  

Shen Yiyi was momentarily stunned. She had not expected him to say such words.  

In fact, even though this body had already given birth to three children, when she had delivered Three Baos, she had the system.

Her body had been well taken care of, and even if she wanted to have another child, it was completely possible.

But in truth, she also did not want to have another child.  

In her past life, she had owed Li Chen and their three sons too much. In this life, she only wanted to give all the love she had left to them.  

If she had another child, she wasn’t sure if she would still have the energy to divide her attention.  

But she didn’t know how to bring this up with Li Chen. She also felt that she had only just returned not too long ago. Even though Li Chen had gradually adapted to her changes, it had still been a short time.

Deep down, he surely hadn’t fully trusted her yet.  

She was afraid that if she told him now that she didn’t want to have more children, he would misunderstand and think it was because she didn’t love him, that she didn’t want to have his child, which would create distance between them again.  

Or perhaps he wouldn’t misunderstand, but if he actually wanted a soft, sweet daughter and had to give up on that because she didn’t want to have another child, he might be left with regret.  

That wasn’t what Shen Yiyi wanted to see.  

Every morning after their nights together, she would secretly take a contraceptive pill from her space.

She had planned to find an opportunity to discuss it with Li Chen later. If he truly wanted a daughter, she could still consider having another child.  

But now, he had actually said it himself—“We won’t have any more children.”  

“Why?” Shen Yiyi asked.  

“I just want you to be well.” Li Chen said.  

Shen Yiyi’s lips curved into a smile. She leaned in closer and hugged him even tighter. “Alright, then we won’t have any more children.”  

“Mm.” Li Chen rested his chin on the top of her head and responded softly.

After enjoying a brief moment of warmth, the two finally held hands again and walked home together.  

At home, Mother Li was still there, while the Three Baos had already gone to bed.

Just as she was about to leave, she saw the two of them returning together and gave them a mischievous smile.  

Li Chen and Shen Yiyi: “……”  

The two finally let go of each other’s hands. Li Chen went to get the food that had been kept warm in the pot for Shen Yiyi, while Shen Yiyi sat down and started eating.  

Mother Li, seeing that they had returned, didn’t rush to leave. Instead, she sat down and casually chatted with Shen Yiyi. “I heard that Qiangzi’s wife couldn’t give birth because the baby was too big? Is everything alright now?”  

“It’s fine now.” Shen Yiyi said. “A baby girl, around seven pounds. But Qiangzi’s wife is too thin, so the baby got stuck.”  

“A girl, huh…” Mother Li’s tone carried a hint of regret. “Why couldn’t it have been a boy? Sigh~”  

?  

Shen Yiyi looked up at her. “Mother, a daughter is just as good. Qiangzi and his mother-in-law are both very happy.”  

Mother Li let out an awkward laugh. “Yes, yes, daughters are good too. I just feel like for the first child, having a son would be better.”  

“She’s not even having her first child. Wangcai was the first.” Shen Yiyi replied, not knowing why she suddenly found herself arguing with Mother Li.  

“That’s different.” Mother Li insisted. “Wangcai was brought into the marriage by Qiangzi’s wife. He’s not Qiangzi’s biological son.”  

“When Qiangzi and Daniu got married, they had already agreed that Wangcai would be part of the family. Qiangzi accepted it, even changed Wangcai’s surname. Wangcai is Qiangzi’s son now! And besides—” Shen Yiyi returned to her original point— “The first child, whether boy or girl, is just as good. Mother, your way of thinking isn’t right. You should change it.”

Mother Li was momentarily choked by Shen Yiyi’s retort. Instinctively, she glanced at Li Chen.  

Li Chen was busy making malted milk for his wife, not even raising his head.  

That was clearly his way of siding with his wife.  

Mother Li adjusted her tone, deciding not to argue with Shen Yiyi. “Alright, alright, you’re right about everything. But…”  

She glanced at Shen Yiyi’s stomach and smiled knowingly. “Since daughters are so great, shouldn’t you two consider having one?”  

As soon as she finished speaking, before Shen Yiyi could even respond, Li Chen placed the cup of malted milk in front of Shen Yiyi and said: “Mother, my wife and I don’t plan on having any more children.”

Mother Li was stunned. “Why not? You two are still young. You should at least try for a daughter…”  

“In any case, we’ve decided not to, and that’s final.” Li Chen’s tone was straightforward and firm, completely shutting down any further discussion.  

Mother Li looked at Li Chen, then at Shen Yiyi, remaining silent for a long moment before finally saying: “Alright, I’ll head home then.”  

Anyone with eyes could see that Mother Li was a little displeased.  

But Shen Yiyi had no intention of coaxing her.

Whether or not they had children was a decision that only she and Li Chen, as husband and wife, could make together. No one else had the right to interfere—not even her mother-in-law.  

She glanced at Li Chen, and he took her hand in his. “It’s fine. She’ll come around on her own.”  

Shen Yiyi smiled. “Alright.”