Chapter 62.1

The show “Newlyweds and Golden Weddings” had just aired its first episode, and its ratings were already far ahead of other variety shows.

The couple Song Chaowen and his wife naturally garnered the most attention due to their existing popularity. Following them were Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan, who seemed to be on the verge of surpassing Song Chaowen and his wife in popularity.

Several prominent accounts had shared clips of Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan.

There was no need to mention Xu Yuan—her segments catching toys and singing off-key were enough to draw attention. Just to highlight her popularity, Xu Yuan’s Weibo had been dug up, and within a few days, her followers had nearly reached hundreds of thousands, which was truly astonishing.

Meng Zhengrong also received plenty of praise. Even though he was feeling unwell, he didn’t want to waste the time of the other couples. Instead, he secretly went to buy medicine without letting anyone know he was sick. Just this one act had earned him countless likes.

One netizen commented that for someone like Meng Zhengrong, with his background and status, to be considerate of others to this extent was remarkable. Moreover, he appeared humble on the show, and the best part was—his character was simply too charming!

Standing over 1.8 meters tall and looking almost as good as Song Chaowen, he was rich and handsome, treating his wife so gently while being humble and low-key.

Meng Zhengrong read these comments, stifling his laughter in bed more than once.

This was the effect he wanted, but the way these netizens praised him truly made him a bit shy.

During these moments, Xu Yuan would look at him with disdain and say, “I really want to expose your true self online.”

What maturity, what humility, what gentle demeanor!

Nonsense! He was clearly just a childish guy!

Meng Zhengrong, hearing her words, wasn’t angry. Instead, he rolled over, pinning Xu Yuan beneath him, rubbing his unshaven stubble against her soft face, and chuckled, “Only you get to see my true self.”

Men, regardless of their age, always have a childish side. Young men don’t hide it, while mature men conceal it, only showing it in front of their loved ones—it’s a privilege.

Xu Yuan couldn’t stand the stubble poking her, so she reached out to pinch the flesh on the inner thigh of Meng Zhengrong.

Meng Zhengrong immediately released her, wincing in pain.

The two of them playfully wrestled on the bed, grabbing pillows to hit each other like children. After tiring themselves out, they sat on the bed facing each other and couldn’t help but burst into laughter, feeling incredibly relaxed.

It was a pity that there were no cameras around to capture their genuine interactions; otherwise, their real way of getting along could have attracted even more fans.

The day before the show recording, Meng Zhengrong took Xu Yuan to attend the full moon banquet of a close friend’s baby.

During this time, Xu Yuan had met most of Meng Zhengrong’s friends, and this particular friend was Meng Zhengrong’s childhood friend from a well-known family in the city.

Xu Yuan had heard Meng Zhengrong mention that this friend’s love story with his wife was like something out of a novel.

The two had been entangled since they were around fifteen or sixteen, having gone through over a decade of ups and downs. It hadn’t been easy, but they finally got married with the consent of both families. Not long after their wedding, the wife became pregnant, and they had welcomed a baby not too long ago, which was quite a happy ending.

Since Meng Zhengrong was very close with this friend, they didn’t go directly to the banquet hall but instead headed to the house to see the baby and the mother.

The friend’s name was quite interesting—Song Ci.

Song Ci was beaming with pride, unable to hide his delight. Upon seeing Meng Zhengrong, he punched his shoulder playfully, saying, “Have you prepared a red envelope? You’ve leveled up to be a godfather now!”

“Really?” Meng Zhengrong shrugged. “You’re asking for a red envelope as soon as we meet. Can’t we just enjoy our time together?”

Song Ci laughed mischievously, “I’m saving up for baby formula. Some people want to save but don’t have the chance!”

Xu Yuan understood his implication. Fortunately, she had shared a meal with Song Ci a few times and had a decent relationship with him. She calmly replied, “Who says there’s no opportunity? It’ll happen soon.”

Meng Zhengrong’s buddies all appreciated Xu Yuan’s joking nature and burst into laughter. “Uh-oh, we’re all going bankrupt! If the sister-in-law says so, does that mean there’s good news coming?”

Xu Yuan smiled and said, “If there’s good news, none of you will be able to escape.”

After some playful banter at the door, they went to the upstairs bedroom. Song Ci’s wife was taking pictures of the baby lying on the bed. Upon seeing Xu Yuan, she excitedly grabbed her arm and said, “Just now, he looked at me! Does that mean he knows I’m his mother?”

Xu Yuan couldn’t help but laugh, “Of course he knows who his mom is.”

Though it was called a full moon banquet, the baby was almost two months old and had just now been brought out to show everyone.

The baby had big eyes like grapes. It was almost winter, but the room was warm, and the baby wasn’t dressed too warmly. Since Christmas was approaching, he was dressed in a red sweater and pants, and with his fair skin, he looked incredibly adorable.

He was very well-behaved, not afraid of the strangers in the room, instead looking at them with his big eyes.

They say a child’s eyes are the purest, and indeed, being looked at by such innocent and curious eyes melted even Meng Zhengrong’s heart.

“Come here, let your godfather hold you.” Meng Zhengrong picked up the baby.

The baby babbled, not resisting, and obediently settled in Meng Zhengrong’s arms.

Xu Yuan leaned closer, gently squeezing the baby’s small hand. She wanted to kiss him but held back.

The baby was too small, and his immune system wasn’t as strong as an adult’s. Saliva could carry bacteria, so it was best to be cautious.

Meng Zhengrong inhaled the sweet scent of milk from the baby, and for a moment, his heart melted.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that holding such a chubby bundle and smelling him made him feel a twinge of jealousy toward Song Ci.

Xu Yuan and the baby locked eyes. The baby’s gaze was untainted, full of curiosity about the world, quietly observing everything around him, innocent and unaware.

It was rare for Xu Yuan to be moved by such eyes.

Song Ci and his wife took the baby back, and seeing this couple unwilling to let go of their child, Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan exchanged a glance and saw envy reflected in each other’s eyes.

In this world, thinking about having a child of your own feels warm and comforting.

They really wanted to take a baby home to play with, but unfortunately, this was someone else’s child.

At the full moon banquet, Song Ci and his wife smiled brightly, while both sets of parents mingled among the guests. Though busy, their faces radiated happiness.

Since it was a full moon banquet and everyone was busy, the meal concluded, and everyone returned to their homes.

As Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan drove home, neither of them got out of the car in their garage, as if the sweet scent of milk still lingered in the air.

Neither was at the age where they were supposed to get married or have children.

However, at this moment, both Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan shared the same thought: they began to look forward to having a little baby of their own.

Although they were still in the throes of their romance and enjoyed their two-person world, this feeling of anticipation was genuine.

It was as if they suddenly really wanted a baby, without any specific reason. They didn’t feel it was time, nor did they think they were of age—they just wanted one.

Meng Zhengrong hesitated before speaking, “Wife, you said before that you were ready to be a mom. Does that still count?”

Xu Yuan didn’t expect Meng Zhengrong to bring this up, and her heart raced, “… Yes, it counts.”

Previously, Meng Zhengrong had been reluctant to have children so soon. They had always taken precautions while driving, except for that one time in the car.

Even during that time, they had taken measures, which, while not entirely foolproof, had been enough.

Of course, they had been lucky during both instances and hadn’t faced any consequences.

“Do you think we’re ready for a baby now?” Meng Zhengrong asked again.

This decision about having children, and when to have them, had to prioritize Xu Yuan’s thoughts.

Xu Yuan’s mind was a bit chaotic. “We’re about to record the show tomorrow, and we’ll be busy for several days. After a week, we’ll have more recordings. For the next couple of months, we’ll be busy. I heard Zhang Mian say that we’ll be on a variety show and that many projects in the public welfare department are just starting. You need to develop new projects and expand overseas… We’ll be quite busy for the next year or two.”

Hearing her say this, Meng Zhengrong felt a little disappointed but had to admit she was right.

In the next year or two, they would indeed be quite busy. While having a child would mean someone could help take care of it, who wouldn’t want to spend time with their baby to feel at ease?

Just as Meng Zhengrong was about to say something, Xu Yuan suddenly reached out and grasped Meng Zhengrong’s large hand, intertwining their fingers. She smiled brightly at him, her earlier confusion gone. “But so what? You want a baby, and I’ve always wanted one too. So now is the most suitable time and the best time. By the time we’re fully prepared and have enough time, our feelings may be different.”

There’s no perfect timing; as long as you want it now, it’s the best time.

Meng Zhengrong was moved by Xu Yuan’s words. Seeing her face, which couldn’t hide her smile, and the anticipation in her eyes, he nodded in agreement. “Okay.”

Xu Yuan’s ambitions had never changed, even until now and in the future. She still wanted to achieve something in her field.

She had always wanted to start her own company, wanting people to remember her not just as Mrs. Meng or the eldest daughter of the Xu family. She had been suppressing this urge because she knew she lacked experience and needed a few more years of practice.

This desire wouldn’t change, even if she had children.

However, this ambition and dream didn’t conflict with her being someone’s wife or mother.

That night, Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan excitedly discussed having children. They had recently undergone thorough check-ups at the hospital, and both were in good health. Just as the doctor said, they were ready to have kids at any time.

From now on, they will stop taking precautions. When the child would arrive would depend on fate and destiny.

Meng Zhengrong lay awake for a long time, holding Xu Yuan and glancing at her from time to time.

It was such a strange feeling.

In just over six months, he had gone from being a stranger to being familiar with her, and now they were discussing having a baby.

From strangers to soon-to-be parents, the time had indeed passed quickly.

But life didn’t have to stick to the rules. Just as Xu Yuan said, this moment felt just right.

Not too early, not too late; when they both wanted a child, it was the best time.