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An Huan felt the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.
After she pushed Xiao Zheng away, his eyes gradually became clear, and his previously restless body slowly returned to calm.
Then, in silence, he got off her and turned his back to her.
There was no more of the earlier passionate warmth.
This fully demonstrated his respect for her wishes.
But, why did it feel so awkward?
An Huan lightly poked his back with her finger, cleared her throat, and said, “Do you know what preconception is?”
Xiao Zheng paused and asked, “What is preconception?”
An Huan certainly wouldn’t say that the main reason she didn’t want to have another child was simply because she didn’t want to. She said, “Preconception is a medical term, it means doing preparatory work before pregnancy, such as maintaining physical health and ensuring a happy mood, so that you can have a healthier baby. And it’s not just for the mother; the father also needs to participate in preconception.”
Xiao Zheng turned around to face her, his expression puzzled, “I also need to do preconception?” Isn’t his role just to provide the seed? He can’t help her get pregnant.
“Of course!” An Huan said seriously, “The father’s health is directly related to the quality of the seed. Think about it—if the seed is unhealthy, how can the seedling grow well?”
Xiao Zheng sat up and stretched his body.
His body was strong and full of energy.
“I’m healthy, no illness!” he added, pausing for a moment before continuing, “And you’re healthy, too.”
An Huan said, “Being healthy doesn’t mean there are no toxins in your body. Tell me, do you smoke?”
In the military, who doesn’t smoke? Xiao Zheng said, “I don’t smoke excessively, one pack every two days. The brigade commander smokes two packs a day.”
An Huan gave him a lesson, “Cigarettes contain nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, which are all toxic substances. They affect the quality of the seed, and consequently, the embryo. In severe cases, it can even lead to miscarriage, birth defects, or impair the child’s intellectual development.”
Xiao Zheng was taken aback, “It’s that serious?”
An Huan nodded, “Yes, it is. That’s why, in this case, we can’t just casually get pregnant.”
Xiao Zheng said, “But Dongdong is healthy and smart. Even the brigade commander’s daughter is healthy.”
An Huan replied, “This is a matter of probability. The better the preconception, the higher the chance of having a healthy baby. On the other hand, if the preconception is poor, the baby is more likely to have problems.”
An Huan’s little speech was convincing and sounded professional.
“Where did you learn all of this?” Xiao Zheng asked.
“I read it in books,” she replied.
Xiao Zheng looked at her with bright eyes, “Wife, you know so much, you’re really cultured.”
An Huan gave him a proud look.
“So, until you quit smoking and drinking, and maintain a healthy lifestyle, I can’t get pregnant. You should go to the clinic and get some contraceptive supplies,” she said.
She wasn’t unwilling to have children for him; she just wanted to give him healthier children.
Xiao Zheng was persuaded.
The clouds in his heart were completely cleared away.
He hugged An Huan, kissed her forehead, and said softly, “Okay, I’ll go get it. After that, I’ll quit smoking and drinking.”
An Huan kissed his lips, and they held each other. In the warm atmosphere, sleepiness gradually crept in.
But it was summer, and Xiao Zheng’s body heat was high. Before long, he started sweating. Half-asleep, An Huan wriggled out of his embrace, rolling to the other side of the bed.
Xiao Zheng chuckled and covered her belly, then got up and took a cold shower in the yard.
The next morning, as An Huan woke up, she suddenly remembered that Xiao Zheng had seemed like he wanted to talk to her about work last night.
“Yes, your job has been settled. The Hongxing Food Factory has two positions available for you to choose from: one is a publicity officer, and the other is a union officer. Which one do you want to choose?”
Nowadays, the general literacy level of the population was about at the level of having just finished literacy training. A high school graduate could be considered literate, and college graduates were as rare as exotic animals.
It was easy to arrange a job for An Huan and offer her decent positions because she had a legitimate university degree. If it were any other military spouse, they might have to wait in line for who knows how long, since the county city was so small, and the number of available job positions was limited.
An Huan thought for a moment, “I’ll go for the publicity officer position.”
During her college years in her previous life, she could support herself by being a self-media blogger, so working in the publicity department was somewhat related to her previous experience.
Xiao Zheng nodded, “However, your salary grade is the lowest, level 24. I’m sorry about that.”
The original An Huan had worked for several years, even being the principal of a band, and had earned a level 22 salary. Now, it was like starting from scratch.
“It’s fine. Anyway, your salary and assets are all in my hands now. I won’t feel wronged,” An Huan said with a smile.
Xiao Zheng came from a poor background, having experienced poverty, so he valued saving money and practiced frugality. He only spent money on cigarettes.
An Huan, on the other hand, had a luxurious personality. He knew that when she spent money, she didn’t hesitate. The last time she went to the market, she bought a bunch of things, without worrying about whether they were useful or not.
However, ever since he put all his salary and assets in An Huan’s hands, Xiao Zheng had mentally prepared himself, deciding that no matter how she spent money in the future, he would not interfere.
So, although he unconsciously gritted his teeth, he still said cheerfully, “Spend the money however you want, I won’t mind!”
An Huan laughed out loud at his expression of pretending to be generous while feeling the pain inside.
Xiao Zheng felt a little embarrassed.
He then said seriously, “I do mind the money, but as long as you’re happy, it’s worth it. People are more important than money.”
An Huan couldn’t help but nod. Sometimes, being straightforward was more touching than a man who only spoke sweet words.
Her first day at work wouldn’t be until next Monday, so she still had a few days left.
An Huan decided to use the time to plant all the vegetables in the yard. When Zhou Meihua came to help her last time, she had only planted one row of chicken feather vegetables because it was simple—just dig a trench and scatter the seeds.
This time, she planned to plant peppers, tomatoes, and loofahs, which would require seedlings.
With Xiao Zheng’s guidance and help, she successfully planted the vegetables, but unfortunately, the chicken feather vegetables that had already sprouted died off! The remaining leaves were thin and weak!
Xiao Zheng said, “You need to fertilize them, otherwise, they won’t grow.”
Without chemical fertilizer, that meant using manure.
Zhou Meihua had said something similar, but after some hesitation, An Huan still decided not to trust that superstition! The weeds in the yard weren’t fertilized, but they still grew lush!
The weather was getting hotter, and the smell of the manure was unbearable.
But now, An Huan couldn’t be stubborn anymore. She didn’t want to work hard and then see no harvest.
Let it smell. Anyway, she’d be starting work soon and wouldn’t stay at home much!