The couple led their two children, walking on foot to their eldest brother's home. On the road, Yaoyao asked, "Dad, is infertility hereditary?"
Fan Zehao: "?????" What kind of question is this?
"Why would you ask that?"
Yaoyao scratched his head and said, "That's what the doctor told my uncle when he was taking his pulse. He said my uncle was infertile, and then my uncle asked if infertility was hereditary. He was afraid my older brother wouldn't have an heir!"
Fan Zehao gave a faint "oh" and shook his head, stating very firmly, "It shouldn't be hereditary!"
Zhao Jiaqi: "???????"
It seemed like the issue wasn't about inheritance at all!
If their uncle was infertile, then how did the eldest son, Fan Jiangchen, and Fan Xueyao from his family come to be?
Zhao Jiaqi asked her younger son, "Sensen, what do your uncle and aunt think about this? Did they consult another doctor?"
Sensen shook his head, "They didn't see another doctor. They go to the mountain to burn incense and pray on the first and fifteenth day of each month!"
Zhao Jiaqi breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the couple hadn't thought too much about it.
Perhaps the doctor hadn't explained clearly what infertility was, or maybe he had explained it very tactfully, and they didn't understand but were too embarrassed to ask again.
After all, in ancient times, infertility was a very sensitive matter, and people feared others finding out!
The couple arrived at the eldest brother's home on foot, only to find that they were not home. They had gone to the liangpi workshop, leaving only their elderly parents at home.
Zhang Cuihua's eyes, filled with tears of joy, slid down silently upon seeing her son and daughter-in-law return. This made Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi feel even more uneasy.
"Son, you're back? When did you arrive?"
Fan Zehao gently stroked his elderly mother's greying temples, his eyes filled with heartache. Tears welled up in his eyes and flowed silently. Mother and son seemed to have a lot to say, yet not a single complete sentence was spoken.
Fan Zehao choked back his words as he replied to his elderly mother, "Mother, your unfilial son has returned."
This scene was very moving. Zhao Jiaqi couldn't bear such a sight, as it would make her feel sentimental and involuntarily recall the past and present lives.
She led her two sons and Xueyao into the house, leaving the pair of mother and son outside.
In the evening, Zhao Jiaqi personally cooked several of her specialty dishes. Her elder sister-in-law, Wang Zhaodi, helped her. The sisters-in-law chatted and laughed, recounting the past few years.
Such a warm scene hadn't happened in many years!
Inside the room, the three men chatted about family matters, mostly about making a living and business strategies. Fan Zehao, on the other hand, simply listened as his elder brother spoke, occasionally chuckling along.
Looking at his wife's satisfied smile while also seeing her worried expression, as he worked hard for the family every day, he felt his heart fill up.
What was the point of living a lifetime if not for his family? No matter how much he gained, he couldn't take it with him when he died.
At the dinner table, the family finally enjoyed a peaceful meal together. Amidst the conversation, Fan Zehao invited the elderly couple to live in his manor. His eldest brother and sister-in-law remained silent, having no objections.
Wang Zhaodi jokingly said with a laugh, "As long as Father and Mother agree, we two have no objections. We can visit them at your place once your elder brother and I are done with our work. That way, we can still see Father and Mother!"
Fan Guangping chuckled and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Agreed. Father and Mother miss you too. It's no problem for them to stay with you. When you return to the capital, I'll bring Father and Mother to stay with me."
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and continued, "Eldest Brother, the Wangfu has many people, and even more rooms. We'll live together from now on, so it'll be lively, and the children can be closer. Seeing Father and Mother will be just a step away. From now on, Zehao and I will live in the inner city and won't go anywhere else!"
These words made Zhang Cuihua very happy, but then her brow furrowed with worry. She asked Fan Zehao, "Son, Mother isn't longing for you to be the emperor, but the common people in the inner city respect you and Qiqi very much. Whenever there are festivals, many common people spontaneously send fruits and other food to the Wangfu, and even some other local specialties. Do you understand their intentions?"
Zhang Cuihua spoke indirectly, not stating her meaning clearly.
Her son, naturally, didn't understand and didn't even consider another meaning. He simply thought that the common people were genuinely grateful!
However, Zhao Jiaqi, standing nearby, heard clearly. Before Fan Zehao could speak, she replied first, "Mother, don't worry. Our country has entered a period of stable development, and we have signed friendship treaties with the surrounding vassal states, agreeing not to go to war for a hundred years. Therefore, whether this Yun Kingdom has a God of War like Fan Zehao is no longer important, and we can be at peace with our conscience."
When Fan Zehao became emperor, it was almost as if he was forced into it. In that position, he couldn't afford any selfishness. The couple had done their utmost to bring Yun Kingdom to its current state, which was no easy feat. Even Huangfu Jintao's spirit would be at peace.
As for the throne, this country inherently belonged to the Huangfu family, so they must return that formidable position to the Huangfu family!
Zhao Jiaqi watched her mother's brows slowly relax, and she smiled and continued, "For the remaining time, it's up to Zehao and me to accompany Father and Mother and take care of the children. Aren't you happy, Mother?"
Zhang Cuihua nodded repeatedly, her face beaming, "Of course, I'm happy. Tomorrow, Mother will make you noodles again, with minced meat sauce. Our family isn't poor anymore. I'll add more meat for you this time, so you can taste if it's still the same!"
These words almost made Zhao Jiaqi burst into tears.
When she first transmigrated, she was a bride, and the first meal she ate was noodles with minced meat sauce. At that time, there was only one bowl, and her mother-in-law gave it to her, preferring to go hungry herself rather than let her suffer.
"Okay, Qiqi hasn't eaten it in a long time, and I really miss it. This time I'm going to eat a big bowl!" Zhao Jiaqi said with tears in her eyes and a smile.
Sensen, watching his mother cry and laugh, tenderly wiped the tears from her face and comforted her, "Mom, eat two big bowls. Sensen's bowl is for you too!"
These simple words amused everyone.
Fan Zehao looked from his son to his wife, his mother and father sitting opposite them, his eldest brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and niece beside them. Their whole family sitting together, chatting and laughing, was so wonderful!
Life was nothing more than this!
The next day, Fan Zehao went to pick up the elderly couple. They only brought two sets of clothes for changing. He would buy the rest. He didn't want to miss this opportunity to spend money on his parents.
Seeing this, his eldest brother also came over and joked with him, "Brother, my clothes are also quite old. Perhaps..." Fan Guangping winked at him.
Fan Zehao chuckled upon hearing this, grinning widely, "That's nothing. Before that, shouldn't we settle the profit-sharing for this liangpi business? Over the years, it must have earned at least a thousand taels of silver, right? Even though we didn't work here, you can deduct half for yourself and give me five hundred taels. I'm not greedy, how about it?"