Chapter 1219: New People, New Atmosphere
Qi Xuansu had no choice but to break the silence. “Why call me Sage? Just call me by my courtesy name, ‘Tian Yuan.’”
Mo Qingdi said, “Sage Tian Yuan, I was truly happy to hear that you were coming to Longmen Prefecture.”
Qi Xuansu frowned. “No need for ‘Sage,’ just Tian Yuan is enough. Why are you being so formal? Let’s talk the way we used to.”
“But...it’s inappropriate. We’re not children anymore. I can’t disregard the rules even if you don’t mind,” Mo Qingdi said. Even so, he relaxed a little, and his expression softened.
Qi Xuansu asked, “By the way, you and Shi Yu have been together for so many years. When do you plan to have a child?”
Mo Qingdi smiled, but there was no joy in it, only helplessness. “A child...how could we afford to raise a child?”
When Qi Xuansu asked about Mo Qingdi’s recent circumstances, he merely shook his head. “Compared to others, I’m already doing quite well, so I don’t dare to be greedy. Old Shi is good at managing the household too. We want to buy a small house in Jade Capital, even if it’s a small one in the Lower Eight Neighborhoods. But no matter how we calculate it, there’s never enough money. All we can do is tighten our belts and save where we can. We can barely manage as it is with just the two of us, so how can we possibly have enough to raise a child?”
Qi Xuansu suddenly felt a wave of emotion.
He and Zhang Yuelu could afford to raise a child, yet they would most likely never have one due to their high cultivation. It was certainly a regret, but such was the world—where there is gain, there is also loss. Mo Qingdi and Shi Yu could have children, yet they could not afford to raise them.
Qi Xuansu asked again, “By the way, how is your book coming along?”
Mo Qingdi couldn’t help but sigh. “I wrote a book last year, but it got banned somehow, so the whole year’s work was for nothing. Fortunately, they didn’t ban me, so I can still keep writing. That’s the silver lining, I suppose...”
Qi Xuansu fell silent for quite some time before saying, “If something like this happens again, you can come to me. I’ll put in a word with the Qingping Bookstore.”