Chapter 214: I Don’t Want Children
When he left home today, Mr. Mu and Mrs. Mu had warned him over and over again, terrified he would anger the Monarch and the Eldest Prince.
That explained why Mu Tangfeng was so hesitant.
Although his parents doted on him, his father was rather strict when it came to rules, and at the very least, expected him to act appropriately for the occasion.
Jiang Xia, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but let out a scoff.
Mu Tangfeng seemed to feel a bit pathetic acting this way in front of Lanlan, so he forced himself to look calm and made the introduction. "Dad, Mom, this is the female I like, Shi Lan."
At his words, the flames of gossip were once again fanned among the surrounding males.
’Here we go, here we go! The Jiang Family is easy-going, but Mu Tangfeng’s father is a different story. He’s probably the only one who can make Mu Tangfeng a little scared, the only one who can keep his own son in line.’
’Besides, the Mu Family is different from the Jiang Family. They only have this one son. The Paradise Bird Clan is already rare, and the Mu Family line is thin. He can’t possibly watch his son marry a useless female who has no fertility, can he?’
Mr. Mu had seen the background check and didn’t really approve, but not to the point of outright rejection.
Both parents stared intently at Shi Lan.
This was the first time they had met.
Unlike she had imagined—while Mu Tangfeng was fair-skinned and exquisitely handsome, his father was a brawny, muscular man with a sturdy build and a darker complexion.
His mother had a benevolent appearance, but her eyes held the sternness of someone in authority.
Unlike the easygoing feeling she got from Jiang Xia’s parents, this time Shi Lan felt an intimidating pressure, but she didn’t falter.
Since she intended to take Mu Tangfeng as her Beast Husband, she had to take responsibility in front of his parents. She couldn’t shrink back, wanting him without accepting the consequences.
She looked at the couple and curved her lips into a smile. "It’s a pleasure to meet you both," she said in a warm voice.
The scrutinizing look in Mr. Mu’s eyes faded slightly, replaced by a trace of admiration. It was rare to find a young female who wasn’t afraid of him when he deliberately put on a stern face.
The sternness on Mrs. Mu’s face gradually faded, replaced by a smile. "You must be Lanlan? My Feng’er has mentioned you many times. We didn’t get the chance at the last birthday, but I’m so glad to finally meet you now."
"Thank you for your birthday gift. I loved it."
Shi Lan pursed her lips, a little embarrassed. "My apologies, Ma’am. I was planning to pay you a proper visit another time."
"Not at all."
Mrs. Mu didn’t really mind such a trivial matter. Besides, she had wanted to use the last birthday party as an opportunity to see for herself the female her son was always talking about.
She looked at Shi Lan. ’She really is a pretty young lady, with a calm and composed demeanor. I heard she even managed to escape a kidnapping by herself last time. It’s just a pity... her spiritual power is still too weak, and I hear her Fertility Value is only 0.’
For the Mu Family, this was indeed a major problem.
The Mu Family only had this one son, and she had to consider the next generation. That was the very reason she’d had Tang Feng take her surname.
Mrs. Mu glanced up at her son. Since they had arrived, he had only spared them a few glances at the beginning. Now, his eyes were fixed solely on his female, and he was idly playing with her hand. A relaxed, natural smile would occasionally grace his lips.
As his mother, Mrs. Mu could, of course, tell how serious her son was this time.
Though she had her reservations, she wouldn’t embarrass Shi Lan in front of so many people. She simply said, "You two have fun. We won’t disturb you young people any longer."
Hearing this, Mu Tangfeng finally came back to his senses, his eyes brightening. "Got it, Mom and Dad. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Lanlan. Dad, you just focus on keeping Mom company."
Mrs. Mu shot her son an exasperated look, then turned and walked away.
Mr. Mu lowered his voice again. "Don’t cause any trouble."
"I know."
Mu Tangfeng mumbled discontentedly, "I have a female now. I’ve become much more mature."
"You’d better have."
Mr. Mu remained skeptical of his son’s claims. He turned to Shi Lan at the side and gave a nod. "My boy has a rather... energetic temperament. I’m afraid he’ll be a handful."
Shi Lan shook her head. "Not at all, it’s no trouble. He’s wonderful."
A smile immediately lit up Mu Tangfeng’s face, reaching his eyes, and a faint blush crept up his ears.
’Jeez, Lanlan’s praising me again in front of everyone.’
’It must be because I’m so handsome today. Lanlan must like me a little bit more now.’
He smugly smoothed down the sapphire blue suit he had specially chosen for the day, then neatly adjusted the feather tucked into his collar.
Mr. Mu couldn’t stand his son’s peacocking. Looking utterly exasperated, he followed after his wife, ignoring him completely.
After seeing Mr. and Mrs. Mu off, Shi Lan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and Jiang Yan relaxed as well.
The surrounding onlookers, however, disappointed by the lack of drama, turned away with bored expressions.
But it was understandable. On an occasion like this, people of status would never do anything eye-catching or unbefitting of their station—especially not at the Eldest Prince’s first birthday gala since his release from prison.
Jiang Yan couldn’t relax now. She had to interrupt Shi Lan and the others. She took her hand, led her aside, and whispered, "Lanlan, are you serious about Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng?"
Shi Lan glanced toward a nearby sofa where the two men were sitting, seemingly prim and proper, but in reality, secretly straining to eavesdrop. A helpless feeling washed over her.
But as she looked at the two of them, who had clearly taken such care with their appearances today, her heart couldn’t help but beat a little faster.
She wasn’t the type of person to force herself into a relationship; she genuinely liked them a great deal.
She nodded. "Yes, I’m serious."
Hearing her response, Mu Tangfeng and Jiang Xia both blushed. They exchanged a glance, then simultaneously and awkwardly looked away from each other.
’Hmph, Lanlan likes me the most.’
Jiang Yan could sense the seriousness in Shi Lan’s tone. It was clear she had given this a lot of thought.
She said, "Lanlan, I’ll support whatever you choose."
"But... Jiang Xia’s parents are one thing, since the Jiang Family has two sons. The Mu Family, however, only has Mu Tangfeng. He’s their sole heir. Your... your Fertility Value of 0 could be a major obstacle."
In Jiang Yan’s eyes, her friend was perfect in every way, but she wasn’t a member of the Mu Family and couldn’t sway their opinions. All she could do was warn Shi Lan of the difficulties ahead.
If Lanlan wasn’t in too deep yet, maybe she could still get out early and not get hurt.
Shi Lan paused at her words. She didn’t know the Mu Family well, but from that brief meeting, she could certainly tell Mu Tangfeng’s parents weren’t as warm as Jiang Xia’s.
Jiang Yan was right; it was indeed a huge problem.
’I know my spiritual power is different now, thanks to Xiao Du,’ Shi Lan thought, ’but the Fertility Value... I inherited this body from its original owner. Maybe that’s something that can’t be changed.’
She asked Xiao Du in her mind, ’Xiao Du, can you tell what my Fertility Value is? Is it really 0?’
Xiao Du replied, ’Master, I’m a spirit body, so I don’t know anything about your specific Fertility Value. But if we’re talking about spiritual power, your current Level is probably higher than any other female’s here.’
’So that means the existence of a spirit body really doesn’t change one’s Fertility Value.’
Disappointment flickered in Shi Lan’s eyes, but she didn’t lose heart. ’A relationship doesn’t have to be proven with children, anyway.’
’At the very least, I won’t be the one to give up. Unless... Mu Tangfeng wants children, too.’
Mu Tangfeng, who had been eavesdropping the entire time, must have noticed her long hesitation. He grew worried that she would let this create a rift between them and decide she didn’t want him. Finally, unable to bear the anxiety, he grabbed her hand in a panic. "Lanlan, I don’t want kids! I only want you."