I was approached by a cat-eared girl.

“That’s just how cats are. They have this characteristic: they’re disrespectful when you get close, but resentful when you keep them at a distance,” Chen Shuo said, then looked at Bai Xiaoqi. “Right, honey?”

"Ah."

Bai Xiaoqi casually agreed, still holding her child and pondering what "being too close leads to disrespect, while being too distant leads to resentment" meant; it certainly didn't sound like a compliment.

She was a cat a few years ago, so... am I like that too?

If Chen Shuo knew what she was thinking, he would definitely give a definite answer—yes, that's right.

Take Walnut as an example. Before she had a baby, every time Anya came over, no matter what her purpose was, she would always hug Walnut and masturbate her for half a day.

Walnut was extremely unwilling, displaying a defiant attitude, and always tried to avoid this woman. Only when he couldn't avoid her would he reluctantly let her stroke him a couple of times, and then take the opportunity to break free.

Since the addition of two babies to the family, Anya always carries the children whenever she comes over. As for Walnut...

Who is it? I don't know them.

This attitude makes Walnut look like a resentful woman confined to her chambers; as the saying goes, fortunes change, and one should never underestimate a young person...

No, that's not right. Anyway, fortunes change. The walnut used to ignore Anya, but now Anya is out of its league.

Every time Anya comes over, it eagerly runs over to pet it, but unfortunately, it doesn't get any attention.

This situation is like Bai Xiaoqi's. Although she recovered very well after giving birth, Chen Shuo was afraid that something might happen, so he refrained from touching her and didn't touch her for three months after giving birth.

Bai Xiaoqi wouldn't let him bully her even if he wanted to.

Just two days after the 100th day of his life, Chen Shuo finally stopped being a virtuous man.

In this situation, it's exactly the same.

Chapter 305 The Child Is Asleep

Life is a series of choices, neither right nor wrong. Each stage brings different insights and different thoughts, which in turn create different lives.

Back when Chen Shuo first entered the workforce, he couldn't withstand the boss's kindness. In the manager's office, facing that big face, he left with the words "You idiot, I'm not putting up with this anymore," and then angrily resigned.

Back then, he was young and impetuous, and he felt that he could live a comfortable life on his own. Later, it turned out that he did live a very comfortable life. From a young man in his early twenties, he is now married and has two children.

But after becoming a husband and a father, my mindset has changed somewhat, and my perspective on things is different from before.

Are you going out to work?

Bai Xiaoqi was holding her eldest child and breastfeeding him with a bottle. The children's cafeteria had too little food; it wasn't enough for the three of them. Formula was much better; as long as the supermarket was open, it was available anytime.

Upon hearing Chen Shuo's words, she couldn't help but look up, her expression momentarily blank.

From the time we met until now, nearly four years have passed. Every day, I've watched him stay at home, typing away on his keyboard. Sometimes, when he receives a large monthly payment for his writing, he'll excitedly share his joy with me, and then we'll go out for a big meal.

But now he says he has to go to work, does that mean he won't write anymore?

If I stop writing, will that kind of thing never happen again? Turning away from the computer, her face was full of excitement, and she said: I got a lot of royalties this month, let's go out for a big meal tonight!

And more importantly, if this guy goes to work, you won't see him all day.

"I do have this idea. I need to find a job, otherwise how will I support you and the child?"

"Aren't we doing quite well now? And we even have savings."

How much savings do you have?

"Around 100,000 or so."

"Look, it's only a little over 100,000. Let me do the math for you. We have two kids now. Let's start with the cost of formula. A can of formula costs 400 yuan. They both eat a lot, so we need nine cans a month. Just the formula alone costs more than 3,000 yuan a month."

There are also diapers, clothes, and nursing supplies, which cost two to three thousand a month, not counting other things like bathtubs, baby bath wash, and skin cream.

Add to that our adult expenses, and it all adds up to at least ten thousand yuan a month. At this rate, how long can a hundred thousand yuan last?

This is a feeling that can only be experienced after becoming a husband and a father. Chen Shuo looked at his wife and then at the two children. Although the family was not very wealthy, he always thought about giving his wife and two children the best within his means.

Then more than 10,000 yuan was spent in a month.

Even a singer with over 30 million in his bank account panicked. How could someone with only 100,000 in savings and over 10,000 in monthly expenses not panic?

"But don't we make money every month?"

Although Bai Xiaoqi wasn't very good at math, he knew that accounts weren't calculated the way he did; he couldn't just calculate expenses, he also had to calculate income.

As for income.....

"As for income, I can only make a maximum of 10,000 a month now. Your online store is starting to do well, and you make a little over 5,000 a month."

Chen Shuo directly reported the expenses: due to pregnancy and taking care of the new mother, he stopped writing for almost a year, and the book was abandoned before it was finished. Although many readers expressed their understanding, some readers were lost, which was something that couldn't be helped.

Bai Xiaoqi's online store is a little better off, as it has always been run in a hands-off manner. Sometimes, when customers send messages to ask about something, they can't find customer service. She only replies when she happens to be there, otherwise she just ignores them.

Although the business model is terrible, it has been open for almost three years and has started to improve, which is better than before when it was barely surviving.

"Yes, that adds up to more than 15,000 yuan. You can save several thousand yuan every month. And the child won't drink milk forever or use diapers forever. It will be fine when he grows up."

"It will cost more money when they grow up."

Chen Shuo leaned back on the sofa, staring intently at the ceiling.

Most young people today have a habit of overspending, and the older generation mostly disapproves of this.

Seeing those people going out to play and buying this and that, not only living paycheck to paycheck but also owing money to Alipay and other credit services, I feel helpless but also have to say: Don't be fooled by their carefree life now. Once they get married and have children, they'll feel the pressure and start saving money.

That's absolutely true. I have two kids myself, so the pressure is doubled.

Right now it's just baby formula and diapers, but later they'll need to go to school, study, and get married. The younger one is a boy, so we need to prepare a dowry, and even though the older one is a girl, we still need to prepare a dowry.

"Are you anxious?" Bai Xiaoqi asked as she put the two babies in their cradles after they had finished feeding and fallen asleep.

"Yes, I'm very anxious."

Chen Shuo breathed a sigh of relief. As the old saying goes, "He who does not plan for the future will have trouble in the present." In modern terms, it means that one should have a long-term vision, but looking too far ahead is also not good, as it can easily lead to anxiety.

"You're overthinking things." Bai Xiaoqi leaned against him and reached out to pat Chen Shuo's head. "Just don't think so much."

"...This is not something I can control; thoughts are inherently unrestrained."

Chen Shuo said this, and it's true that thoughts are something that can't be controlled by people, just like hands. His hand naturally touched his wife's buttocks.

After giving birth, Xiao A Miao's bottom got bigger, rounder and perkier than before, and it felt even better to touch than before.

"Besides, you might not earn as much as you do writing novels if you go out to work."

As soon as he touched her, Bai Xiaoqi leaned over him, resting her chin on Chen Shuo's chest, and continued talking, trying to dissuade him from going to work.

She was the first person she didn't want to go out to work. She didn't need him to earn much money; he was always anxious and worried. Enough to make a living was enough. This guy just overthinks things.

"What I mean is to find a job, work during the day, and write novels at night, so that I can have two sources of income."

Bai Xiaoqi was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then immediately shook her head in refusal, her tone very firm, "No, no, I don't agree."

"What are your reasons? Why do you disagree?"

"That would be too tiring for you."

Going to work during the day and then coming home at night to type on a computer makes Bai Xiaoqi feel tired just thinking about it, and she absolutely refuses to accept that kind of life.

Since having children, I spend most of my time every day taking care of two babies. Excluding the time he spends writing, there are very few opportunities for the two of us to cuddle and be affectionate like this.

At night, sometimes the two children, who were sleeping soundly, would suddenly start crying and fussing, and they couldn't do anything.

If Chen Shuo goes to work and then comes home to write at night, wouldn't that kind of lifestyle...?

No.

Thinking of this, Bai Xiaoqi peeked into the cradle. The two babies were sleeping soundly, and as if they had agreed beforehand, they had clenched their little hands into fists.

She looked away, nuzzled her head against Chen Shuo's chest, and said in a soft voice, "The baby's asleep now..."

Chen Shuo was just carefully choosing his words, and now he was thinking of saying something like, "It's okay, I'm not tired, taking care of you and the child is my responsibility," and so on, basically just those tender words.

Upon hearing this, I instantly understood what she meant, and swallowed back the words I wanted to say.

He sat up, holding his wife, glanced at the cradle, then, supporting the koala clinging to him, tiptoed into the bedroom.

Chapter 306 Call Me Dad

They say they're afraid of tiring themselves out, but in reality, they still end up tiring themselves out.

After finishing, Chen Shuo lay on the bed with a sigh. The two little brats had been very cooperative today, still fast asleep in their cradles in the living room.

He held his wife close, nuzzling her neck and inhaling the fragrance of her hair, still feeling a little unsatisfied.

Chen Shuo is twenty-five years old this year. He has a lovely and beautiful wife, two babies who are crying for milk, and his kidney condition is still the same as before.

"Stop nudging, let's go take a shower."

Bai Xiaoqi looked a little tired, and lazily reached out her arm to push his head, "The child should wake up soon."

"Wait a little longer, she's not awake yet, is she?" Chen Shuo held her tightly, his hands wandering over her, touching and squeezing her skin. Feeling the smooth, soft texture, his earlier lingering desire intensified. He reached for the small box on the bedside table, but before he could open it, a loud wail suddenly came from the slightly ajar door.

Chen Shuo looked at the small square box in his hand, then glanced at the crack in the door, and finally turned his gaze back to her. Bai Xiaoqi looked at him without saying a word, but the meaning in her eyes was very clear—look, you're awake now, why don't you get up quickly?

Although she didn't say anything, Chen Shuo received these signals from her eyes. What else could he do? The child was the most important thing.

He could only put the small box back, look down at it, and sigh deeply. Children are such a hassle; he should have never had one.

.......

The winter afternoon sun was warm and comfortable. A breeze blew, and the leaves rustled in the wind. Chen Shuo, holding a thermos, sat with Bai Xiaoqi on the rooftop hanging sofa, enjoying the warm winter sun together.

Unable to persuade his wife otherwise, he didn't bring up the matter of going out to find a job again. He figured they could manage for now, and with their combined abilities, raising the two little ones to adulthood wouldn't be a problem.

As for marriage and having children in the future, children and grandchildren have their own blessings; don't be a beast of burden for them.

Look how well said!

“From now on, when you get married and have children, you’ll have to rely on yourselves. Don’t think about relying on your parents. You have to be ambitious, understand?” Chen Shuo said to the cradle next to him.

Two babies lay inside, waving their little hands and making babbling sounds.

Chen Shuo was relieved, "It's good that you agreed."

Bai Xiaoqi couldn't help but slap him, scolding, "They're so young, what do they know?"

"We should settle this matter while they are still young. You know how expensive the bride price is these days. What if we can't afford it later?"

“It’s alright, Da Bao doesn’t need a bride price, but he can still receive one.”