Chapter 7

After listening, Chu Ci had a rough understanding of her straightforward personality.
In fact, he had already considered a plan: he owned a courtyard house, which Lin Tian could stay in for the time being. As for household registration, he would have to get someone to handle that.
He shared his plan with Lin Tian. She nodded, remembering that Chu Ci had indeed lost his memory. But he only forgot events after turning seventeen, he had forgotten her and his mother’s remarriage.
Lin Tian wasted no time asking: “Do you still remember your family?”
Chu Ci awkwardly touched his nose. “Yes, I only forgot things after I turned seventeen.”
Lin Tian couldn’t help internally scolding the author but maintained her smiling face. She and the child in her belly were pure cannon fodder, tools to advance the plot.
She said, “Well, that’s some luck in misfortune. Otherwise, your family would have been worried without news of you.”
Chu Ci had only briefly mentioned his family to the original Lin Tian.
“The courtyard needs some tidying up. For the next couple of days, you’ll have to stay at the school guesthouse,” Chu Ci said, guilt flashing at her smile. After a moment, he cleared his throat awkwardly.
Lin Tian had no objections and agreed.
When she looked up, Chu Ci saw her beautiful, clear eyes.
“It’s almost noon. Are you hungry? How about I take you to eat first?” Chu Ci asked, avoiding her gaze.
“Sure! After eating, I want to go to the hospital for a checkup. I’m a bit worried,” Lin Tian said, unapologetically assertive.
Chu Ci then remembered she was pregnant. He felt annoyed at his past self for leaving his pregnant wife in the countryside. Even knowing it was a temporary measure, it caused her hardship.
A hint of tenderness appeared in his eyes as he looked at her belly, his tone softening: “Of course. After we eat, I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“Great!” Lin Tian’s smile was radiant. Chu Ci turned his head, slightly afraid to look again. Whether it was because of her identity as his wife, from the moment he first saw her, he was unusually attentive to everything about her.
He couldn’t help but wonder how he and Lin Tian had gotten married, and whether their married life had been happy.
The sudden thought made him flush behind the ears.
Fortunately, Lin Tian was lost in her own thoughts and didn’t notice, or she would have teased this “white moonlight” male supporting character.
Her attitude toward Chu Ci was casual, partly because she already knew his character from the book, and partly because of her own perspective. She trusted him and didn’t feel he was a stranger.
For now, Chu Ci was just the father of her child and her partner in life.
She was a businesswoman, skilled at weighing pros and cons.
They got up and slowly walked to a nearby state-run restaurant. Inside, Chu Ci gestured for Lin Tian to order. She didn’t hold back: she ordered sweet-and-sour pork ribs, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, dry-fried green beans, and cabbage-tofu soup. They each had a bowl of rice, and Chu Ci paid without changing expression.
Lin Tian was satisfied, men should be generous.
During the meal, Chu Ci hesitated a little before finally asking, “I want to know… how did we get married? And about my time in the countryside… can you tell me?”
“No problem,” Lin Tian said, brushing some stray hair behind her ear casually.
Chu Ci mirrored her gesture, noticing her flawless skin. For a fleeting moment, he had a ridiculous thought: maybe he was swayed by her appearance when marrying her.
Even though he never considered himself superficial, how else could he explain marrying in the countryside?
Lin Tian couldn’t guess his thoughts. She looked up and calmly explained the truth: “Back then, my mother plotted against you, making me fall into the water in front of you. I didn’t dare resist her and obeyed. You should know yourself, you’re not someone who’d stand by and watch. In that village, rumors could ruin lives. My mother threatened you, and you softened your heart, so you went to my family to propose.”
She spoke lightly, almost nonchalantly.
Chu Ci imagined the scene. That indeed was something he would have done. Responsibility was ingrained in him. Somehow, knowing the truth made him feel relieved.
Acting purely on attraction went against his principles.
Though he realized the marriage was hasty, now that they were married, he couldn’t deny his responsibilities as a husband, especially since they had a child.
Thinking this, his heart softened. From the initial uncertainty to the present anticipation, the shift felt sudden yet natural.
Chu Ci was lost in thought, momentarily silent.
“What if you want a divorce? I can agree… but it has to wait until after I give birth,” Lin Tian said thoughtfully.
“What? I never thought about divorce. Why would you say that? I was just thinking about other things. I would never abandon my wife and child,” Chu Ci said firmly and sincerely, without hesitation.
Even now, with social norms more open, he knew many classmates in the countryside had divorced, but no matter what, Chu Ci could never do such a thing. Moreover, it would be utterly irresponsible toward the children.
“Alright, then just pretend I didn’t say anything,” Lin Tian replied with a smile again, truly mercurial.
In truth, she didn’t want a divorce. The children needed a complete family. As for herself, Chu Ci was still fairly agreeable in appearance, even admirable. While she had felt this way reading the book, paper characters were one thing, real people were another. Seeing him now, Lin Tian felt at ease. At least, the author hadn’t scammed her.
Still, she thought it wise to add: “You have amnesia. Suddenly, there’s me as your wife, and we have a child. It must feel abrupt. Actually, after we got married, our feelings were ordinary. Now, we can spend some time together. If you feel it doesn’t work, or if I want a divorce, I hope we can part peacefully. As for the child, don’t overthink it. Whether we divorce or not, we are their parents.”
After thinking for a moment, Lin Tian decided they should leave themselves a safe exit.
Chu Ci, after hearing her words, was surprised: “You’re not exactly like a typical countryside girl. But I can tell you with certainty, I won’t divorce. I’ll take care of you and the children, so don’t worry.”
Lin Tian chuckled and teased: “Then, I look forward to your guidance in the future.”
She also gave him a playful warning: “I used to be timid, but after marriage, didn’t you encourage me to read more? I’ve learned a lot from books, so don’t underestimate this countryside bride.”
Chu Ci, of course, had no such thought. He smiled wryly: “Of course not. I didn’t mean that.”
He then asked: “Do you want to take college exams? I could tutor you.”
In her previous life, Lin Tian had graduated from a prestigious university and had no intention of doing it all over again. She waved her hand: “I don’t like studying. Forget it. Besides, I’m exhausted from being pregnant. Can’t you show a little sympathy?”
Her words carried a touch of playful scolding.
Chu Ci’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively lowered his head.
Just then, the waiter brought the dishes, filling the table.
The aroma was irresistible. Lin Tian instantly lost focus on talking and decided to eat properly.
She ladled herself some soup and sipped slowly.
Chu Ci naturally didn’t disturb a pregnant woman and drank his soup alongside her.
After finishing the soup, Lin Tian tried a rib. The chef of this era used real ingredients, the ribs were sweet and sour, very appetizing. Lin Tian had liked spicy food before, but as a pregnant woman, she preferred sweet and sour flavors.
Seeing her enjoy it, Chu Ci moved the sweet-and-sour ribs from his side to hers.
“I don’t like this much. You eat more,” he said.
Then he focused on finishing the remaining dishes himself.
Lin Tian smiled, her eyes sparkling: “Thank you.”
Chu Ci returned her smile: “Of course. I said I’d take good care of you both.”
Lin Tian didn’t know if his attentiveness was mostly because of the child in her belly, but she didn’t mind; receiving care was enough.
Although her appetite had grown since before, there was still about a third of the ribs left.
She knew food was precious in this era, but old habits die hard, she ordered what she wanted without thinking. Glancing at Chu Ci, who was picking up food, she teased: “Next time we eat out, I’ll order less.”
“No problem. Order whatever you want. I’ll handle the rest,” Chu Ci said warmly, finishing the remaining ribs.
Although she felt a little embarrassed making him eat her leftovers, for some reason, Lin Tian felt noticeably happier.
After the meal, they slowly walked to the bus stop, heading toward the hospital.
On the bus, Chu Ci helped her find a seat.
His long, fair fingers held her slender wrist. She was too thin, he would have to make sure she ate more. The warmth of her skin made him subtly uneasy.
No matter what, in his memory, this was the first intimate contact with a girl. Even as a lawful husband, he felt shy.
He tried to ignore the awkwardness and quickly released her wrist once she was seated.
Lin Tian, unaware, spoke about practical matters: “Is there a traditional Chinese medicine doctor at the hospital? I want to see both Western and Chinese doctors for a more accurate check.”
“Yes, we’ll follow your suggestion,” Chu Ci replied, coming back to his senses.
Seeing him so compliant, Lin Tian smiled inwardly, this was the real Chu Ci. The cold, indifferent figure described in the book didn’t match him at all. She said anything, and he didn’t oppose it.
Yet, she found it quite pleasant.