Wang Tian had called Shen Xuan's father "Young Master" since childhood. Now, facing Shen Xuan, he didn't know what to call him. Fortunately, Shen Xuan saw his awkwardness and told him to just call him Xuan'er, as Wang Tian was no longer a servant of their family.
"I couldn't compensate you in the past, Father, and now there's no opportunity," Wang Tian's brows twitched, as if he were trying hard to suppress his emotions. "Now I just hope you can live well. Your wife treats you so well, you can be considered to have found happiness after hardship."
A'Fu had few memories of spending time with his father since childhood. Although he had spent a month with Wang Tian at the Lu residence before, after three days of estrangement, his communication skills with Wang Tian had regressed to their previous state.
He could only answer stiffly, "Father doesn't need compensation."
Seeing that Wang Tian didn't speak, he swallowed and then stiffly said, "I'm living very well now, Father doesn't need to worry."
"Good, as long as you're living well." Wang Tian then seemed to remember something and suddenly leaned closer to A'Fu, whispering, "Have you learned from the booklet I gave you these past three days?"
"..." A'Fu was momentarily speechless. He bit his lip and mumbled softly with a blush, "My wife treats me very well, she doesn't need me to do these things."
"That's good, that's good." Wang Tian smiled even more heartily upon hearing this. This daughter-in-law truly doted on her son. He said no more, getting up to check on Gu Yitong's cooking progress in the kitchen.
After lunch, watching the two figures leave, Wang Tian recalled how Gu Yitong kept picking food for A'Fu during lunch and frequently asked if he was still feeling nauseous. Wang Tian nodded with a smile, tears welling up in his eyes, and slowly turned back into the house.
The two who left did not go home but went directly to the Lu residence.
"Young Master!"
"A'Fu!"
Shen Xuan and A'Fu huddled together as soon as they met, as if they had been separated for years. A'Fu's eyes were even redder.
Gu Yitong and Lu Yu saw that the two were so reluctant to part and did not disturb them, leaving the main hall for them. The two women went directly to the study.
"Don't cry," Shen Xuan raised his hand and pinched A'Fu's cheek. "You're going to be a father, and you're still crying?"
"No." A'Fu sniffled, feeling a little embarrassed. Since his pregnancy began, he had been unable to control his emotions, and even a slight emotion would be amplified infinitely. He hadn't intended to cry at all. "I just missed you so much, Young Master."
"Miss me?" Shen Xuan's eyes held a smile as he looked A'Fu up and down. "You seem to have gained weight these past three days. Is this missing me?"
"Ah? I really gained weight?" A'Fu looked down at himself in a panic.
"I was kidding, you haven't gained weight." Shen Xuan chuckled. "My A'Fu's complexion has improved, he hasn't gained weight."
"Mm." A'Fu nodded thoughtfully. "It's just because of this child, I'm afraid I'll gain weight soon."
"I'm quite envious of you, having a child so easily." Shen Xuan looked at A'Fu's still flat stomach and sighed slightly, the envy in his eyes impossible to hide.
A'Fu had always been by Shen Xuan's side and had experienced the incident with the contraceptive soup with him. He naturally knew how much his Young Master longed for a child.
"Young Master, you can't rush this. You injured yourself since childhood. The family head's medical skills are superb, perhaps there's already a little baby in your belly." A'Fu giggled and rubbed Shen Xuan's hand, which had unconsciously rested on his abdomen.
"I hope so." Shen Xuan sighed and placed his hand on A'Fu's. "Are you still experiencing severe morning sickness today?"
"Not severe." A'Fu smiled and shook his head. Thinking of something, a slight worry appeared on his face. "It's just that my belly will get big soon, and I'll gain weight quickly."
Shen Xuan was silent for a moment, glancing at A'Fu. He knew what A'Fu was worried about, but since he was pregnant, such things were probably unavoidable.
"A chubby A'Fu is also very cute. I always complain that you're too thin."
"I saw my father's stomach when I was little." A'Fu's tone was very low. Perhaps pregnancy emotions were so sensitive. "It wasn't good-looking."
With just those four words, Shen Xuan could feel that A'Fu was on the verge of tears from sadness.
"There is gain only after sacrifice. Don't be sad, this is a symbol of you becoming a father, the first step towards becoming stronger." Shen Xuan also felt a sudden sadness along with A'Fu. However, since things had come to this, he could only comfort him like this. "I'll ask my wife to make some medicine to see if it can recover."
If it could recover completely, Shen Xuan couldn't guarantee it. He could only comfort him for now, as his emotions were sensitive and it was best not to affect his health.
"It's almost three months, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's six days until three months." A'Fu thought for a moment and gave an accurate answer.
"You remember so clearly?" Shen Xuan suddenly found an idea to distract A'Fu and leaned closer to him with a mischievous smile.
A'Fu was no longer the unmarried man he was before. Hearing Shen Xuan say this, he suddenly understood what Shen Xuan was smiling about. His face turned red, and he stammered, "No."
"It's okay, I won't laugh at you, and even if it were true, what of it?" Shen Xuan leaned close to A'Fu's ear and whispered, "Food and desire are natural."
"Young Master!" A'Fu was stunned by Shen Xuan's words. He glanced around in a panic, confirming no one else was present, before breathing a sigh of relief. "How can you say that, Young Master?"
"Why can't I? Isn't it just you and me?" Shen Xuan smiled gently, stroking A'Fu's hair. "My wife told me this. I was originally shocked by it, but after my wife's explanation, I actually found it very reasonable."
"Women and men are all people, they all have desires. Men can also enjoy them."
"Young Master, please stop!" A'Fu anxiously reached out to cover Shen Xuan's mouth, afraid he would say something shocking.
These were words he had never heard before, words that perhaps all the men here had never considered.
The men here had a low status and could only obey their wives. They were even forbidden to have their own desires, because in the eyes of the world, men were for procreation and also for satisfying women's desires.
Women could indulge in passion, could take multiple male consorts, and could even visit brothels for leisure without being ridiculed. Some would even be proud of it, using it as capital for their own boasting.
But none of these were allowed for men. The restrictions on men here were even more severe than "preserving heavenly principles and destroying human desires."
A man's chastity was paramount. He had to serve his wife at all times, without his own thoughts or desires. Even when with his wife, he could not show any signs of unbearable emotion, otherwise, he would be shamed as a lecherous husband.
This was inherently unfair. As long as one was human, one had desires. If women could, then men could too. Since both could derive pleasure from it, why should men be treated so harshly?