Peng Fei's voice was pleasant, a husky deep bass. Calling her name in a low tone near her ear was an auditory delight.
With just one word, Zhan Jingchun's relaxed nerves immediately tensed, her blood surging.
"What's wrong?"
Peng Fei pecked her and asked, "Can you have a daughter for me?"
Although they had been married for over a month, Peng Fei had always wanted a child. However, because Zhan Jingchun was still traumatized by a previous miscarriage, he had been hesitant, fearing she wasn't ready.
Perhaps it was the joy of the day, or perhaps he longed for a little cutie just like Zhan Jingchun, but he finally voiced his desire.
Unexpectedly, Zhan Jingchun readily agreed, "Okay."
She loved Peng Fei, and she longed for a little darling who resembled him.
A month later, Zhan Jingchun was pregnant, and the whole family rejoiced.
Her elder brothers and second brother, as well as her two older sisters, had been married for several years and already had two children each. Even the second child of her fifth brother was over a year old.
The Zhan family hadn't welcomed a new addition in a long time. As the youngest daughter, after so many setbacks, finally conceiving was a cause for celebration. Zhan Bei Jue and Jiang Nan Fang were eager to give Peng Fei a red envelope.
"Bring your mother over."
"You are the only son in your family. It's already unfilial to not visit your parents regularly. Now that your wife is pregnant, how can you not let your mother see her? Don't worry about the house or anything; I'll cover it. She can come live with us in her old age."
But Peng Fei did not want to accept.
His in-laws had a broad perspective and were willing to overlook things, which was their prerogative. He, however, felt it would be shameless of him to accept so readily.
"I will bring my mother over, but you don't need to help. You've already helped enough. I can't be idle and rely on you for my entire life, especially now that Jingchun is pregnant. I need to support my family."
"Dad, Mom, I'm planning to start a business, live-streaming e-commerce. If you're afraid of losing face, I won't appear on camera. If you don't mind..."
Jiang Nan Fang felt there was nothing to mind.
Except for crimes that demand a life, any other mistake could be rectified. He had already corrected his ways, so why couldn't he start anew?
"Live-streaming e-commerce? That's fine. There are thirty-six trades, and each can lead to success. There's no distinction in status. As long as you're willing, we'll support whatever you do."
"Not only do we support you, but we also have connections in this field. Aunt Xiang Wan is a leader in this industry. I'll introduce you tomorrow so you can learn from her."
With Jiang Nan Fang's strong support, Peng Fei's entrepreneurial journey went smoothly.
Although his reputation was tarnished and he could no longer be a celebrity, he still had a fan base.
He posted a few videos on short-video platforms, showing him returning to his village to work in the fields and visit the food processing plant. He quickly gained hundreds of thousands of followers.
Peng Fei only promoted agricultural products, particularly seasonal produce from remote rural areas. His initial results were good, making his entrepreneurial venture much easier than for most people.
On the hundredth day of Zhan Jingchun's pregnancy, a fan in the live stream asked about the "her" he had mentioned before. He felt a surge of emotion.
After the stream ended, he edited a video himself, creating a timeline of their relationship from their first meeting to their commitment.
He had intended to answer the fan's question and express his love for Zhan Jingchun, but the video went viral.
His previous videos had garnered at most over thirty thousand likes, but this one surpassed five million likes overnight, with over seven hundred million views and more than nine hundred thousand comments, both positive and negative. His follower count increased by over eight hundred thousand in one night.
Regardless of the praise or criticism, Peng Fei pinned the video to the top. He didn't deny his past mistakes, nor did he fear judgment. He accepted everyone's supervision, and after a while, his reputation improved.
His live streams generated over seventy million yuan in daily sales. In less than two months, he earned twenty-four million yuan after taxes.
This was enough to buy a house for his mother in Nancheng, but he didn't. He gave all the money to Zhan Jingchun, intending for her to spend it lavishly. However, the next day, Zhan Jingchun showed up at his live stream unannounced and publicly hired a notary to donate all the money.
Donated...
"Peng Fei is not exploiting people online or flaunting his mistakes, which negatively impacts social morale. He is contemplating every day how to become a good person without blemishes and give back to society."
"This is just the first step he's taking to contribute to society after his career stabilized. In the future, we will collaborate with the Zhan Corporation to engage in public welfare, traveling to every impoverished mountainous region in the country to build schools and introduce excellent teachers. We welcome everyone's supervision!"
All the money earned in the early stages was donated. It wasn't until the child was born that Peng Fei could afford to buy a house and bring his mother to live with them.
Peng's mother was very considerate. Knowing her lack of education and ingrained habits, she felt it was inappropriate to live with her son and daughter-in-law. She never insisted they visit her, nor did she interfere in her granddaughter's affairs.
After her eye surgery was successfully repaired, she would go to the park daily to dance. Her life became more pleasant, and a year passed in the blink of an eye.
One day, Peng Fei returned early from a business trip. He called Zhan Jingchun, but she wasn't home.
"I'm at Mom's. The baby misses her maternal grandpa, and grandpa misses her too. We came back for a short stay. You just got back half a day ago."
"You're busy anyway, finish your work first. We'll head back tomorrow."
Peng Fei said yes, but after working until past eleven at night, he showed up at the Zhan family home uninvited.
The child had already fallen asleep with her maternal grandparents. When they met, Zhan Jingchun smiled adorably.
"Didn't we agree to go back tomorrow? Why did you come so late?"
Peng Fei hugged her, his voice filled with melancholy.
"My wife and child aren't home, and the house is as cold as an ice cellar. Aren't you afraid I'll cry? You always worried I was too devoted to our daughter, but after the baby was born, you're even more devoted than me. You don't love me anymore. Alas, if I had known, we would have enjoyed our time alone for a few more years."
That night, they stayed in Zhan Jingchun's boudoir together.
After turning off the lights, Zhan Jingchun started to touch him.
Peng Fei hadn't seen her for days and was already feeling restless. He held her hands.
"Don't provoke me. If we weren't at your parents' house, I already..."
"It's fine," Zhan Jingchun felt he was quite pitiful today and intended to appease him, showing great enthusiasm.
"Our family isn't that particular. It's fine."
"It's not about being particular. Aren't you afraid someone will hear us?"
"This house is so big, who would hear us?"
Since his wife said so, Peng Fei had no choice but to comply.
There was nothing. At the crucial moment, he was about to use his old method, but Zhan Jingchun stopped him.
"I want to have another son for you."
The following month, very successfully, Zhan Jingchun had good news.
Peng Fei was in a meeting when Zhan Jingchun said she was bringing him lunch and sent him a few words in his office.
A moment later, Peng Fei rushed in with a look of urgency.
"Wife, what do you mean by 'again'?"
Zhan Jingchun showed him the report. "What do you mean?"
Peng Fei looked at it and felt a pang of disappointment.
"Does that mean I'll be neglected for another year? No way. After the son is born, let our mother take care of him for a few days, and then you should pay attention to me too."
The child was born in winter. As they had wished, this time it was a boy who resembled Peng Fei greatly.
See, as long as one harbors a heart that loves life, the world is still beautiful and worth living!
(End of novel)
Wait for me, my new book will be ready soon. I will announce it below this book.
I will update three chapters daily. Thank you, everyone, muah!