Shadow and Light: The Bride Who Clicks Her Way to Love-Chapter 271 - 284: To Have a Child, or Not?

Xia Ling didn’t care at all: "What’s rude about that? People are thrilled to help me with things."

She hummed a tune lightly and then laughed as she added, "Besides, he doesn’t know about your relationship with Lu Shifeng. If he knew you were the Lu Family’s young mistress, he’d fall over himself to please you."

Su Xingyu shook her head and said, "I’m not used to people sucking up to me."

Xia Ling pulled her into the studio, urging, "Alright, alright, take some photos for me first. If you really feel bad, you can casually take a few shots for him too. He’s about to release a new song and needs the publicity."

This little fox!

Su Xingyu couldn’t help but laugh, realizing that she had cunningly planned everything with her friends.

Still, she wasn’t really mad and, displaying utmost professionalism, helped Xia Ling finish her promotional photos. She also snapped a couple of photos for that big star Liu Zhenjun.

This time Liu Zhenjun genuinely felt awkward: "Sorry to trouble you, Miss Su. Your photos are better than the ones taken by the photographer we hired specially."

Su Xingyu smiled lightly, modestly exchanged a few words, and left with Xia Ling.

Neither of the girls had plans for the evening, so Xia Ling took her to a bar, claiming it was owned by a friend. It was located at the highest point of the city, with rotating glass walls providing a panoramic view of the endless city lights.

Xia Ling had arranged with her friend to reserve the bar, so when they arrived, the lavish space was empty except for a bartender and a few waiters dedicated to serving them. Xia Ling ordered a pretty cocktail for herself and another one for Su Xingyu, which had a completely different style but was equally beautiful: "Look, their signature ’Brilliant Star River’—isn’t it perfect for you?"

Su Xingyu took a sip, its clear and sweet taste was pleasant, but it had a strong kick that made her slightly dizzy.

She smiled and declined: "It’s tasty, but I’m not feeling well today; let’s switch to lemon water."

Xia Ling reluctantly changed her drink, her face full of complaint: "That’s such a shame, we hardly get to go out and you’re not feeling well. I should’ve picked a day when you’re free."

Su Xingyu lowered her eyes and stared at the lemon water in her glass, her thoughts feeling as mixed as the lemon—a blend of sour, sweet, and bittersweet flavors only she could understand.

Xia Ling drank alone for a while before noticing something was off with her: "Xingyu, do you have something on your mind?"

"I..." Su Xingyu thought for a moment, having come to discuss this very thing but finding it difficult to bring up now, "You..."

"What do you mean ’you’? Just say it," Xia Ling looked at her brightly, "Tell me, tell me, I’ll help you figure it out."

Su Xingyu gathered her courage and made up her mind: "Xiaoling, you’ve been with Pei Ziheng for so long, have you ever been worried about getting pregnant? I... I don’t want a baby right now, and don’t tell Lu Shifeng."

"Tell him? I’m not that bored," Xia Ling easily agreed, then curiously asked, "Why don’t you want a baby? Little babies are so cute."

Su Xingyu shook her head: "It’s not the right time."

Xia Ling nodded understandingly, her expression turning somewhat dejected: "Sigh, Ziheng says it’s not the right time for me either. He wants me to sing for a few more years and grow a bit more, saying I’m still too young, just a child myself—how can I have a child?" Speaking about this, the lively girl surprisingly seemed a bit shy, her face slightly flushed, but she whispered, "I’m not that young."

The good thing about having a close friend is being able to share all sorts of personal thoughts.

Su Xingyu asked her, "Is it Pei Ziheng who doesn’t want you to have a baby?"

"Yes," Xia Ling unhappily nodded, sighing, "We haven’t even gotten married yet."

Su Xingyu remembered Lu Shifeng saying Pei Ziheng wouldn’t marry Xia Ling, and unconsciously started worrying, cautiously asking her: "Do you guys have plans to get married?"

"Of course we do." Xia Ling immediately perked up, smiling sweetly, "Just wait until I grow a bit more and become the greatest diva ever, then I can get married."

The greatest diva ever?

Su Xingyu really wanted to ask her what she would do if she couldn’t achieve it, but seeing her radiant smile, she swallowed those discouraging words.

Xia Ling said with concern: "But you’re different with Lu Shifeng—you’re already married, so it’d be perfectly fine to have a baby, Xingyu, you should have one. Babies are so fun!"

Su Xingyu smiled wryly, a baby wasn’t just about having fun.

She still couldn’t imagine what a baby with Lu Shifeng would be like.

"I wanted to ask you..." Su Xingyu said to Xia Ling, "Do you usually take medication, or does he take precautions?"

Xia Ling paused, blushing again for a rare moment, before smiling with her eyes bending as she quietly said: "Of course it’s him. He’s worried about my health, saying he’ll have babies with me in the future."

Looking at her blissful smile, Su Xingyu felt genuinely envious.

She really hadn’t expected such a powerful and prominent man like Pei Ziheng to make such concessions; it seemed he truly loves Xia Ling. The stuff Lu Shifeng said about Pei Ziheng not willing to marry Xia Ling must be nonsense, right? Thinking this, she felt happy for her good friend: "One day, you’ll have a healthy baby."

Xia Ling nodded happily and persuaded her again: "Xingyu, you should have one too. Why don’t you want to? Is it that Lu Shifeng doesn’t want one?"

"He does want one," Su Xingyu sighed, unsure how to explain it, "But I just feel it’s not the right time; I haven’t prepared myself mentally."

"Is it because...you don’t love him enough?" Xia Ling pondered, unable to think of another explanation, "If you love someone, you’d want to have kids with them and can’t wait to see what the product of your love together would look like. You’ve got great conditions after marrying him; you don’t have to worry about living, and there are maids to help take care of the baby, so why not have one?"

Not love him enough?

Su Xingyu didn’t know.

She was sure she liked Lu Shifeng now, but to what extent?

Was it like Xia Ling’s overwhelming sweetness for Pei Ziheng, so strong it couldn’t be undone in a lifetime?

This time she didn’t drink the lemon water, instead picking up the cocktail and taking a sip, its bittersweet flavor making her feelings even more tangled.

Then she heard Xia Ling persuading her again: "Anyway, don’t take medication. Ziheng says medicine is poisonous and you should take care of your body well for future healthy babies. Really, Xingyu, stop taking it. It won’t necessarily mean you’ll have one immediately—I’ve heard many couples wanting a baby who tried for years and couldn’t succeed."

Su Xingyu said, "Let me think about it."