CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: LI CHANG’AN LOSES HIS TEMPER

Li Changning ultimately couldn’t bring herself to voice her wish to travel around like her father and brother.

The Digestive Tea had finished brewing, and Zhao Xiaohua didn’t continue to press Li Changning with questions. Anyway, since she was going to stay at home for a while, there would be plenty of time for questions later.

After Meng Zhu drank a bowl of Digestive Tea, she praised Zhao Xiaohua extravagantly, likening her to a blossoming flower.

Li Changning told Meng Zhu that Zhao Xiaohua was currently studying medicine, to which Meng Zhu burst out, "Why would you let Xiaohua study this? She’s a girl; even if it means following you to learn embroidery, that would be fine!"

When a girl reaches a certain age, she must get married. What family would want their son’s wife treating patients?

This is nothing but nonsense!

Meng Yao understood that Meng Zhu meant no harm, and that it was a simple, ordinary reaction.

In this era, a woman’s mission was to get married and have children, support her husband, and teach her children, revolving around men and kids. At least, that’s how most women spent their lives.

Occasionally, women who stepped outside of this circle faced criticism and gossip.

"Xiaohua doesn’t like embroidery. I can’t force her, can I?" Meng Yao said, "Besides, learning a bit of medicine isn’t bad. At the very least, she can take charge of her own health. In the future, if family or friends have a headache or a slight fever, she could help, couldn’t she?"

Meng Yao knew that with Meng Zhu, she couldn’t talk about doing whatever one wants, so she had to speak in practical terms that Meng Zhu could accept.

"If you put it that way, learning some medicine seems not so bad," Meng Zhu agreed, "With this skill, she could hold her own in her in-laws’ house after getting married."

"Aunt, I’m not learning medicine to hold my own at my in-laws’ house in the future," Zhao Xiaohua said seriously. "I’m learning it to help more people not suffer from illness. In the future, I will definitely open a clinic, a medical clinic specifically for women. I want to open my clinics throughout Zhou Country so that all women can seek treatment openly instead of silently enduring pain."

Meng Zhu was stunned.

Meng Yao looked at Zhao Xiaohua with satisfaction.

Li Changning’s eyes faintly showed envy.

"After you get married in the future, what in-laws would allow you such whims?" Meng Zhu squeezed out a response.

"Then I just won’t get married," Zhao Xiaohua declared boldly.

"Nonsense, if you don’t marry, how would others view your mother, your brothers?" Meng Zhu scolded.

"Just bring in a husband to live with us. When the time comes, I’ll be the one who makes the decisions at home. I can do whatever I want!" Zhao Xiaohua said earnestly.

Not only was Meng Zhu shocked.

Meng Yao also found it both crying and laughable.

"What are you thinking, child!" Meng Zhu regained her senses, looking disapprovingly, "Little sister, you must control her well; if this goes on, what will she become in the future? Girls can’t carry on like this!"

Meng Zhu was pregnant now, so Meng Yao didn’t intend to argue with her. She just agreed and said, "I’ll definitely talk to her properly later."

"Really, Yaoyao, you better not take this lightly," Meng Zhu said worriedly, "If you don’t guide her now, she’ll become a worry for you later."

"I certainly won’t let her grow in the wrong way," Meng Yao vowed confidently.

Such a lovely girl, how could she possibly grow wayward?

Meng Yao gave Zhao Xiaohua a look, and Zhao Xiaohua got the message, pulling Li Changning away.

Meng Yao seized the opportunity to change the subject, "Sister, do you think this child is a boy or a girl?"

"When I was pregnant with Li Chang’an, I vomited for five months straight, threw up everything I ate, felt like half my life was gone. But with Changning, I never threw up once until birth. This time, there’s no reaction either. It’s empathetic, so it should be a girl," Meng Zhu replied.

"That’s not reliable," Meng Yao said. "When I had Dajiang, wasn’t it also without issues?"

"I actually hope it’s a boy, that way the Li Family will prosper in the future," Meng Zhu said. "If it’s a daughter, she’ll eventually marry out and become someone else’s family. And if it’s a boy, in the future, Changning will have another brother for support. After all, Chang’an is somewhat unreliable."

How could Li Changning’s twelve years younger brother be more reliable than Li Chang’an? Meng Yao secretly thought to herself.

"How is Chang’an unreliable? As far as I see, he cares very much for this sister, Changning," Meng Yao said.

"Without a family, how can he be a support to Changning in the future?" Meng Zhu said angrily.

Meng Yao decisively shut her mouth. If she continued the conversation, it was likely Meng Zhu would start nagging about Li Chang’an’s marriage again.

"Who let you in here!"

A furious and sharp voice suddenly rang out.

Meng Yao and Meng Zhu exchanged puzzled glances, both seeing confusion in each other’s eyes. How unfamiliar that voice sounded.

Meng Yao quickly walked out and saw Zhao Xiaoshu looking a little confused, his eyes slightly red-rimmed.

"Xiaoshu, what happened?" Meng Yao quickly asked.

In this family, Zhao Xiaoshu was the least worrisome child, and now, both Zhao Dajiang and Zhao Dahe treated this brother well, so what happened to make his eyes red?

Already feeling a bit wronged, seeing Meng Yao made him feel even more aggrieved.

"I didn’t know cousin went to the bathroom," Zhao Xiaoshu’s voice was muffled. "Next time I go, I’ll knock first."

So, was that angry voice just now from Li Chang’an?

Meng Zhu was furious, "Li Chang’an, you better get over here immediately."

Almost as soon as her words fell, Li Chang’an came from the backyard.

He looked calm, as if nothing had happened.

"Mother, please wait a moment, I need to wash my hands," Li Chang’an’s voice was normal too, hard to imagine the recent outburst had come from him.

"You said he was worry-free, did you see, a typical case of driving someone mad without taking responsibility," Meng Zhu was a bit frantic.

"Sister, deep breaths, deep breaths, don’t get upset now, you’ve still got one in your belly. Let me tell you, if you’re irritable and angry during pregnancy, the child will be as well," Meng Yao consoled Meng Zhu.

"How could I not be mad? He’s nineteen, supposedly grown, bullying a ten-year-old cousin. Look at how capable he thinks he is!" Meng Zhu said, holding her chest.

"Aunt, don’t be mad, it really was my fault," Zhao Xiaoshu said when he saw how angry Meng Zhu was, his grievance disappearing instantly, worried that Meng Zhu might harm herself with anger.

Li Chang’an, having washed his hands, stood silently with his head bowed.

"Li Chang’an, aren’t you ashamed? Listen to your cousin, how sensible he is. How could you yell at him?" Meng Zhu scolded.

Li Chang’an kept his head down, silent.

Under normal circumstances, being caught by a family member of the same gender in the bathroom shouldn’t result in such anger.

"Look at him, typical doesn’t listen," Meng Zhu was angry enough to start hitting Li Chang’an, wondering how she could have birthed such a vexing child.

"It’s not entirely Li Chang’an’s fault; Xiaoshu has responsibility too," Meng Yao said. "Xiaoshu suddenly barged in, so of course, Li Chang’an was startled. His yelling was instinctive, not aimed at Xiaoshu. It’s no big deal, let the brothers talk it out and it’ll be fine, don’t blow it out of proportion. All right, it’s fine now, Chang’an and Xiaoshu, you go do what you were doing."