Rebirth and making money first

Zhang Jing and Achen lived a low-key married life, a simple yet warm one. Aside from occasional morning sickness, there were no major problems. Her work was relatively easy and stress-free. Furthermore, Li Xiangyue, following her husband's instructions, took extra care of her. He even provided her with an electric rice cooker in the dormitory so she could cook her own meals.

Li Xiangyue said gently, "If you don't want to eat in the dining hall, make some soup or porridge for yourself. You can't be too tired now that you're pregnant. If you feel tired, you can go back to the dormitory and lie down anytime. Work is not that urgent. Your health is the most important thing!"

Watching Li Xiangyue chattering away was both novel and grateful to Zhang Jing. She didn't dislike Li Xiangyue; instead, she found her endearing. At the same time, she secretly resolved to keep the secret between Li Xiangyue and the dean a secret. She figured that Zhang Yongle's character and Li Xiangyue's were a perfect match. She felt the secret didn't matter; as long as everyone was happy, that was all that mattered.

Until one day, Uncle Zhang called, his voice sounded a little reproachful: "Do you still recognize me as your godfather? You didn't tell me you were getting married! You didn't tell me you were pregnant. Are you going to sever ties with me? If Xiaole hadn't told me, I could have become a grandfather directly when I went back, right?" Zhang Jing then remembered that she had forgotten to inform Uncle Zhang.

Upon learning that Zhang Jing was married and pregnant, he seemed a little angry, but more worried. "Although I don't agree with you marrying a fool, I just want you to think it over carefully. Are you angry with your godfather because of this?"

Zhang Jing hurriedly explained, "Godfather, I'm really not angry. I've just been too busy lately, studying and cramming for exams, so I really haven't had time to contact you. Plus, I've been vomiting a lot since I got pregnant, and I'm not very energetic, so I figured I'd tell you when I feel better."

After Zhang Jing finished speaking, she felt a little uneasy, unsure if her explanation would convince Uncle Zhang. After all, their relationship had always been good, and it would be a shame if a misunderstanding arose because of this incident. The real reason was, of course, what Zhang Yongle had done, and the possibility that the child in her belly might be of the Zhang family's bloodline.

Hearing this, Uncle Zhang's tone softened slightly. He knew Zhang Jing was a studious child, and the exam was indeed very important to her. Pregnant women also needed special attention for their physical condition, and they should not overwork. So, he said, "I see. Then you should also take care of your health and not overwork yourself. You should get more rest during pregnancy and stay in a good mood."

Uncle Zhang was very concerned about Zhang Jing's health. Despite Zhang Jing's refusal, he said he would mail her some supplements and nutritional products to ensure the health of her and her baby. He asked about Zhang Jing's current situation in detail and told her to take good care of herself.

Zhang Jing was deeply moved. She felt the love and support from her godfather. She said, "Thank you, godfather. I will take good care of myself. Don't worry."

Then, Zhang Jing told Uncle Zhang that her mother, brother, and sister would be coming to Shenzhen next month for a wedding, and that the two families would have a meal together. Uncle Zhang hurriedly asked for the specific time and said he would come as soon as possible. Zhang Jing hesitated and said, "Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"

Uncle Zhang immediately retorted, "What's the trouble? People live to cause trouble to each other! I'm your godfather, I must attend your wedding. After I finish dealing with things here, I'll go with your aunt."

Zhang Jing was filled with gratitude after hearing this. She knew that Uncle Zhang had always treated her like his own daughter, and this wedding was a major event in her life, so he certainly wouldn't miss it.

Zhang Jing quickly explained, "Achen and I have already registered, but we're not planning a grand wedding. We'll just have a simple dinner with relatives from both families to save money and avoid complicated ceremonies. We'll also let Mom accept the betrothal gift to make her happy. As for me, as long as I can live a simple, peaceful life, I'm content. I don't have too many aspirations."

"That requires your family's support! That idiot won't bully you, but he will be a burden to you. It's hard to say what about his family right now." Uncle Zhang insisted on his opinion. "Even if our two families are having a meal together, with your mother, your brother, and your sister's family, there will only be one or two tables of people. Are you still worried about bankrupting his family? If he marries you, that idiot will have someone to rely on for the rest of his life! Don't worry about it, I'll talk to his family myself."

Hearing this, Zhang Jing felt a warm feeling in her heart. She knew Uncle Zhang truly cared about her well-being. But she still said with some concern, "Godfather, even if you don't tell them, they'll do it. I'll tell them the number of people when the time comes, and you just wait for the feast." Uncle Zhang finally felt relieved and asked Zhang Jing if she needed anything else. She told him to tell him when she remembered, and she was welcome to tell him.

Zhang Jing expressed her gratitude to Uncle Zhang and said with a smile, "Thank you, godfather. It's great that you can come. Our family can get together, get to know each other, and celebrate this wonderful moment together." She was looking forward to the wedding day and hoped that everything would go smoothly.

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Jing let out a long sigh. She counted them carefully on her fingers: relatives from Huizhou, Ah Jing, Da Zhuang and his wife, Director Chen, Mrs. Xu, colleagues from her previous company… Oh my god! How could three tables be enough? Her head suddenly turned.

Thinking of Mrs. Xu, Zhang Jing brought the food to her. She also told her that she was married and pregnant. Seeing Mrs. Xu staring at her belly in disbelief, she smiled and turned around in front of her.

"Are you happy? You're going to be a grandmother! In ten months, you'll know whether it's a boy or a girl!" Old Mrs. Xu opened and closed her mouth, and finally said, "You really did it? I underestimated you!"

Old Mrs. Xu was moved and in a good mood, she gave Zhang Jing another set of jade jewelry. "Here, this is a reward! I'll give you a set when you have another child. You're more courageous than me. I envy you and I'm jealous of you. Don't bring me groceries anymore. It's too much work. I'll ask the nurse to buy them at the supermarket downstairs. Take good care of your baby and stop running around."

Zhang Jing agreed, adding that she would occasionally buy groceries and deliver them to him, as it would be less tiring. "As a grandmother, think of a few names for me to consider. I also need to buy two maternity dresses. Do you have any friends in Shanghai? Ask them to mail them to me, and I'll pay!"

Mrs. Xu took one look at Zhang Jing's figure and said she would take care of it, as she was a seamstress herself. She told her to come back in a week to pick up the clothes. Zhang Jing asked what kind of fabric she needed and told her to buy it herself. Mrs. Xu disdainfully told her to get back to work and not worry about it.

Zhang Jing knew that the busy old lady Xu had a new goal in life, so she told her that she would take her out to the wedding banquet and asked her to dress nicely. Old lady Xu told her not to nag, but the corners of her mouth were already raised uncontrollably, and her eyes were shining.

Zhang Jing turned around and thanked God for allowing her to rewrite her life. She would not grow old alone in this life.

What puzzled Zhang Jing was that A-Long still called her. After learning that she had obtained the marriage certificate, he was very unwilling to give up and asked to meet for one last talk, otherwise he would not be reconciled.

Zhang Jing knew that this time the problem could not be solved without talking, so she suggested that he come to her house to talk it out. A-Chen also wanted to be present, and A-Long agreed.

On the way home, Zhang Jing told Achen that her ex-boyfriend would come over to talk to her later. Because Zhang Jing and Achen were married, and her ex-boyfriend was unhappy, she wanted to talk to him one last time before leaving him alone. "He's been mean to you, will he hit you? Why don't we just hide and not open the door?" Achen said.

Zhang Jing smiled. "Don't worry, I'm very capable and will protect the three of us," she said, pointing to her belly. "Then I'll recite the Guanyin Sutra and the Heart Sutra to the baby three times today." Ever since she learned to recite them fluently, Zhang Jing has insisted that Achen recite them to the fetus daily, saying it's prenatal education and will make the baby smart. Achen diligently followed through, and Zhang Jing felt happy and at ease.

Aaron knocked on the door as promised, and Achen opened the door to welcome him in, "That ex-boyfriend, Ajing is waiting for you!" Achen's words made Aaron stunned. He glanced at Achen, handed the fruit in his hand to Achen, and then entered Zhang Jing's living room.

"Have a seat," Zhang Jing said, bringing a glass of water. "I've boiled the cup twice, so it's not dirty." A-Long smiled wryly. Zhang Jing still remembered her habits. A-Chen put the fruit away and sat down beside Zhang Jing.

"Why have we come to this point? Can you tell me?" Aaron asked, "I won't be satisfied until I get to the bottom of it."

Zhang Jing asked back: "Do you love me? Have you ever loved me?" A Long was stunned.

"Look, you're just treating me like a backup. You don't know what I like or what I need. You need love and physical nourishment, while I need the stability of marriage. Neither of us is the ultimate goal for the other. So it's sensible to cut losses appropriately."

Aaron said, "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you give me time to grow up?"

Zhang Jing said, "When I was with you, I never cared whether you were rich or not. But I could tell from the little things that you didn't care about me, and it wasn't even close to love!"

Seeing that Aaron was about to retort, he stopped him and said, "Some people say that if sex is harmonious, it means your genes have helped you make the choice. Treat it well and you can live a happy life. I chose you, but you always think there are more beautiful scenery outside."

"I'm tired. From hope to disappointment to despair, I just can't keep lying to myself. Now I'm living a good life. I have a house, a shop, savings, a job with extra income, a husband, and will have children soon."

"I tried my best, studied accounting and took self-study exams, researched stocks and wrote novels, and I didn't dare to relax. I thought the meaning of hard work was to keep the people and things I liked by my side! I thought that people who loved me would appreciate me, and I thought you were that person! The one who could grow together and appreciate each other!" Zhang Jing's eyes were full of tears.

"But that was just a dream, my self-righteous love! Now we are just awake, we can't go back to the past. Let's keep each other in our memories and put a perfect end to this relationship."