Chapter 143

Extra Chapter 9: Nian Tao

When did Luan Nian start wanting to be a father? Probably around the time that bastard Chen Kuan Nian started posting photos of his child in the group chat every day—and the kid was actually quite cute.

Luan Nian used to have no concept of children. He even thought it would be better not to marry or have kids, enjoying the freedom of being alone. But now his perspective had changed. Sometimes when he opened his eyes and saw Shang Zhitao’s sleeping face, he felt that having a child might actually be quite nice.

He decided to have a serious talk with Shang Zhitao.

After they had completed an intense ritual on the table, while warmth and languor still lingered in their bodies, he asked Shang Zhitao, “How about having a child?”

Shang Zhitao looked at him in shock. “Is this why you quit smoking and drinking?”

“I did it to live a long life,” Luan Nian lied.

Shang Zhitao sat up and stared at him.

“But the premise is that we should be responsible parents,” Shang Zhitao expressed her opinion earnestly.

“You can’t even cook. Being a good mother would indeed be a stretch,” Luan Nian mocked her. Seeing her about to get angry, he added leisurely, “I can cook. I can make up for your shortcomings.”

Shang Zhitao was so furious with Luan Nian that she kicked out, but he caught her ankle. “Starting now?”

“What?”

“Making a baby.”

Luan Nian pulled her into his lap, and the two of them gazed at each other on the sofa. Outside, heavy rain beat against the window, stirring Shang Zhitao’s heart into chaos.

“I won’t allow my child to have an incomplete family. I won’t allow the parents not to love each other, or not to love the child…” Shang Zhitao said.

“So? Are you planning to divorce? Don’t dream, Shang Zhitao.” Luan Nian’s hand cupped the back of her head, pulling her toward him. “Try leaving me.”

“No, I…”

Luan Nian silenced her lips, unusually gentle. Lips pressed against lips, his tongue probing in and out, brushing the corner of her mouth. “You know me. If I don’t want to do something, I won’t, but if I do, I’ll do it well.”

His hand slipped into her T-shirt. Shang Zhitao fell into his embrace and softly uttered a single word: “Okay.”

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, feeling him slowly merge with her before suddenly intensifying.

This was the first time they had done it without protection. Shang Zhitao had talked about it with Lumi before—someone as reckless as Luan Nian had always insisted on using protection. This feeling was strange, as if they were much closer than before, with no gaps left between them.

Both of them felt an extra surge of passion, though they couldn’t explain why. At one point, they slid to the floor, and that moment nearly took Shang Zhitao’s breath away. She let out a soft moan, as if something had stolen her air.

This lovemaking was like the rain outside—sometimes intense, sometimes lingering. Luan Nian’s dark eyes locked onto hers in the darkness. Occasionally, when he saw her frown or her voice change, he would ask, “Do you like this? Hmm?”

He was exploring her.

He was filled with a passion for exploring Shang Zhitao. He couldn’t stand being in the same space with her without doing anything. He loved moments like this, where he could act on impulse. He hated it when intimacy became routine. His creativity allowed him to innovate, and he was confident that even in his sixties or seventies, he could still be as lustful with Shang Zhitao as he was now. It might not be as intense then, but the passion in his heart would remain.

Shang Zhitao surrendered herself completely to him, trusting him implicitly. But this was taking a bit too long.

So making a baby was this exhausting.

Shang Zhitao thought to herself.

They continued until the sky was completely dark.

The rain was still falling. Shang Zhitao found a wall and stood on her head.

“What are you doing?”

“They say it’s easier this way.”

“Are you crazy? What do you need to do a handstand for?” Luan Nian pulled her down. “What kind of nonsense is in your head?”

He scolded Shang Zhitao harshly, but halfway through, he couldn’t hold back anymore and chuckled. He roughly ruffled her hair and said, “What a talent!”

Then he got up to make something for her and Luke to eat.

That’s how things were when they were together, but after they parted, it was different again.

Luan Nian caught an early flight on Tuesday, leaving while it was still dark outside. Shang Zhitao was still asleep. He kissed her cheek and suddenly felt reluctant to leave her.

Shang Zhitao held his hand and murmured, “Be safe.”

“Okay.”

“Come back soon.” She pressed his hand against her face, and Luan Nian’s heart softened a little. He said again, “Okay.”

He went straight to the office upon arriving in Beijing. Spotting Lumi in the hallway with a slightly swollen belly, he asked, “You’re pregnant?”

Lumi raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you think? Beat you to it, feeling a little jealous?”

Luan Nian pursed his lips and shrugged, wanting to tease her but remembering her relationship with Shang Zhitao. He gave her a rare smile and asked, “Have you been in touch with Flora lately?”