Chapter 121: Just Eat the Book

Peng Min’s words left Huang Yu unsure whether he should be happy, express his joy, or remain silent. He had once harbored many fantasies about his future children, from their birth to their upbringing and education. However, those daydreams had always involved another woman.

"What, are you not happy?" Peng Min, ever perceptive, immediately noticed the strange expression on his face and asked directly.

"No, it’s not that. It’s just that nothing is confirmed yet, and I’m afraid of getting my hopes up for nothing. Besides, if you are pregnant, shouldn't we stop being intimate at night?" Huang Yu asked. He didn't mention Li Jia, the woman he had thought of. He didn't know when it had started, but he had subconsciously begun to avoid mentioning her name in front of Peng Min.

Upon hearing this, Peng Min’s face flushed. She said, "What are you thinking? We should wait a few days to see if my period arrives. If it doesn't, we’ll need to test to be sure. It’s not that we can’t be intimate at all; if you’re in the mood, I can help you out in other ways."

Huang Yu’s heart rate quickened. Over the past two weeks, he and Peng Min had indeed been very happy together, exploring various ways to enhance their intimacy. In some respects, she had opened a brand-new world for him.

Over the next few days, Peng Min’s period did not arrive, which gave her a strong hunch. She bought a pregnancy test, and it confirmed that she was indeed expecting. When Huang Yu learned the news, he was genuinely happy and wanted to take her home to meet his parents, but Peng Min refused. She didn't seem particularly interested in meeting them.

During this time, Huang Yu spent his work hours reading books on pregnancy and child-rearing, looking forward to the day his child would be born. As for marriage, Huang Yu had brought up the idea of registering their marriage after they moved into the villa. Since they were already living as a married couple, it would only make things official. Peng Min was happy about the suggestion, but she refused for a reason that left Huang Yu both amused and speechless: she was still three months shy of turning twenty and was not yet of legal age to register a marriage.

Once the pregnancy was confirmed, Peng Min’s progress in overcoming her drug addiction improved significantly over the following week. Perhaps she didn't want to bring an unhealthy baby into the world because of her own habits. Huang Yu spent all his spare time trying to nourish her, often leaving the research institute early to rush home and take care of her. His efforts made Peng Min chuckle; she felt no morning sickness or discomfort, as it was still too early for such symptoms.

Huang Yu spent most of his time at home with her. Since Peng Min liked anime, he found classic series for them to watch together. They also set aside two hours each day for light, gentle exercise.

Perhaps because Huang Yu had learned that his father, Huang Tianhua, was involved in the narcotics trade, his perception of his father had shifted. He chose not to inform his parents that Peng Min was pregnant or that they were going to be grandparents. Besides, as far as he knew, his parents had left Kunming for a trip to the United States and, as was their custom, wouldn't be back for at least a month.

Huang Yu occasionally thought of Li Jia, but these thoughts grew increasingly rare and further apart. Reflecting on his time with Peng Min, he sometimes felt that his past vows of undying love and devotion seemed like a joke. He spent time reading every day, though his mind would often drift from the pages to deeper reflections on life.

Like now. A cup of tea sat on his desk, steam rising from it. Huang Yu held a document on African history but stared vacantly out the window at the drizzling rain. Peng Min walked in with a plate of sliced fruit. Before she even got close, she saw him lost in thought.

"Yu, what are you thinking about so intensely?" she asked, setting the fruit aside and wrapping her arms around him from behind, whispering into his ear.

"I was just thinking about how unpredictable life can be, much like the weather outside. Who would have thought that yesterday's bright sunshine would turn into such a gloomy, rainy day?" He turned his head, kissed her cheek, and replied.

"That's what weather forecasts are for," Peng Min joked. She was never one to be overly sentimental.

Huang Yu was momentarily speechless; it was such a typical remark from her. Uninterested in the rain, she let go of him, ate a piece of fruit with a toothpick, sat down next to him, and picked up the document he had been holding.

"'The Rise and Fall of Africa: The First Dynasty of Egypt,'" she read aloud while snacking.

Huang Yu looked away from the window, ate some fruit, and heard her read the title. He was surprised, as she had never asked about his specific work—only that he worked at a provincial research institute. Because of the pregnancy, he had brought home several documents to study, and this happened to be one of them.

"Why are you reading this?" she asked curiously.

"This is my job," Huang Yu smiled.

"Your institute researches this?" she continued.

Huang Yu laughed, feeling it was time to educate his wife on his profession. "I study history. My master’s degree is in world history, and I’m most interested in African history. The institute I work for specializes in that field, though we don't have an active project right now, so I’m quite free."

"Oh, is Egypt in Africa? And why is African history interesting? In my impression, Africa is very backward and poor. What’s there to study in a place like that?" she asked, tilting her head.

Huang Yu, now energized by the topic, explained, "African history is an indispensable part of world history. Africa, or the 'Land of Sunshine,' is the second-largest continent in both area and population. It is true that most of the fifty-plus countries there are poor and underdeveloped, plagued by social issues, which is why most people have a negative impression of it. But that is largely due to the modern era, where Africa was colonized by European powers."

"So, why study it? Shouldn't you study the history of powerful nations, or our own history? We are a great ancient civilization, after all," Peng Min argued.

"Oh, so you know we're a great ancient civilization?" Huang Yu looked at her with genuine surprise.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not illiterate; I finished nine years of compulsory education, you know! Besides, ask anyone on the street—who doesn't know that?" she retorted indignantly, though she looked quite pleased with herself.

"Fair point. Let me test you then: what are the ancient civilizations of the world?" Huang Yu asked, tapping her forehead.

"That would be..." She faltered, unable to come up with an answer.

Huang Yu smiled. "The four great ancient civilizations are Ancient Egypt, Ancient Babylon, Ancient India, and Ancient China. But Africa once created many brilliant civilizations, and many of its nations were prosperous and powerful. Egypt, for example, is the site of the world’s first nation and the first dynasty, which had a profound impact on history."

He didn't want to belittle her, so he simply provided the context.

"You're the smart one. Why bother eating fruit? Just eat your books," she said with a roll of her eyes. She put down the document, picked up the fruit platter, and walked away. As she left, she patted her belly and muttered, "Baby, when you grow up, don't be as unromantic as your father, you hear?"

Huang Yu reached out for a piece of fruit, but his hand froze in mid-air as he watched her walk off with the entire platter.