novelraw Chapter 203
Chapter 203
Pei Zhengnian hadn't expected the name he'd seriously thought of to be rejected.
He frowned and argued back,
"What's so tacky about it? That name is strong and solid! A child from a military family needs a sense of toughness. And what's so casual about 'Jianjun'? How many heroes and good men have similar names? What's wrong with it?"
"What's right about it?"
Shen Nanchu felt she shouldn't have expected anything from Pei Zhengnian. She'd have to do it herself.
Let me think. How about Pei Jingran? "Jing" meaning scenery, "Ran" meaning natural. It implies a smooth, successful life and an open, broad-minded personality. It sounds elegant and is probably not too common.
Pei Zhengnian mulled over the name a couple of times.
"Don't you think it's a bit too scholarly? Doesn't sound like a son of our Pei family. Our child's name should be resonant, something that makes people feel its strength. Jingran is too soft."
Shen Nanchu: "It's still better than Pei Jianjun."
Pei Zhengnian: "Believe me, Pei Jianjun is better than Pei Jingran!"
Shen Nanchu: "I don't believe you."
Pei Zhengnian: "..."
They went back and forth, arguing so much that the little one even stopped his babbling, opening his big eyes wide to watch them, his tiny mouth slightly agape as if enjoying the show.
Seeing the child's expression, Shen Nanchu couldn't help but smile, though she still didn't relent.
"Soft? Elegant doesn't mean weak! Besides, nowadays culture is valued. We can't let our child go to school later and have his name laughed at by classmates for being old-fashioned."
"Who would laugh?"
Pei Zhengnian reached out and touched the baby's cheek.
"If our son is called Pei Jianjun, no one at school would dare bully him for sure. So much presence!"
Shen Nanchu didn't believe it.
"I don't care. I don't agree with Pei Jianjun anyway; it's too ordinary. Either it's Pei Jingran, or we think of something else. Otherwise, let's just not decide on a name yet."
"Alright then!"
Pei Zhengnian felt both tender and helpless inside.
He leaned over and gently nudged Shen Nanchu's arm.
"Let's discuss it some more, don't be angry. Look, even the baby is watching us!"
Shen Nanchu glanced at the child, then at Pei Zhengnian's compromising expression, and couldn't help curling the corner of her mouth.
"Then think of two more. No more tacky ones like that. They need to have good meaning and sound nice."
Pei Zhengnian nodded and started pondering seriously.
He watched as the little one yawned, his small head swaying, and suddenly had an idea.
"How about Pei Anchen? 'An' for peace/safety, 'Chen' for stars. Hoping he'll be safe and peaceful all his life, and also like a star, with his own light."
Shen Nanchu nodded slightly.
"That's not bad. Much nicer sounding than Pei Jianjun, and the meaning is good too. Safety is most important, and 'star' is elegant too. Let's go with this one!"
Seeing Shen Nanchu's satisfied look, Pei Zhengnian also smiled.
"As long as you agree."
"Would you have come up with another 'Jianjun' or 'Guoqing' if I didn't?"
Shen Nanchu gave a proud hum and looked down, speaking softly to the child in her arms.
"Baby, from now on you'll be called Pei Anchen, okay? Safe and peaceful, shining like a star."
The little one seemed to understand, smiling at her, his tiny mouth moving, making soft, fuzzy sounds.
Pei Zhengnian watched the warm scene of mother and child, his heart full of contentment.
...
Night.
Pei's Mother held little Anchen in her arms, sitting on a chair. Her fingers repeatedly stroked the soft swaddling clothes around the child, a complex expression on her face.
Shen Nanchu lay on the bed, with Pei Zhengnian sitting beside her.
Pei's Mother looked down at her grandson in her arms.
"Lao'er, you say... that incident back then, was it really done on purpose?"
"Most likely yes. Someone deliberately switched the swaddling tags, aiming to let the real eldest son of the Pei family, Lei Mingyuan, be lost outside, and let the ill-intentioned Pei Zhengwei take his place."
Pei Zhengnian's voice paused.
"And, Pei Zhengwei probably always knew his true identity."
Pei Zhengnian didn't want to think of people as that bad.
But, many things from childhood that he couldn't understand before now made sense when connected to Pei Zhengwei's identity.
"Mom, the organization has already approved us moving out. Pei Zhengwei doesn't know we've seen through him yet. Keeping him at home is too dangerous. Moving out can protect you all, and it will also make it easier for Dad and me to gather evidence against him."
Pei's Mother raised her eyes, bloodshot, looking at her son's resolute face.
"Let Nanchu and Chenchen move out, that's enough."
"If I'm not here, he'll get suspicious."
Pei Zhengnian's tone was firm.
"Leave the house to me and Dad. The top priority is protecting you, Nanchu, and Anchen. Leave the rest to us."
"Grandpa, Grandma, and the third and fourth brothers... we'll bring them back after everything is over."
Shen Nanchu also chimed in to persuade her.
"Mom, don't worry. Zhengnian will handle it well."
"Chenchen is so small, I'm afraid I won't know how to take care of him properly."
Mentioning her little grandson, Pei's Mother truly couldn't let go.
"Alright then."
An idea rose in Shen Nanchu's mind.
"I was thinking of taking this opportunity to buy a siheyuan (courtyard house) in the capital."
The military family compound was good before.
But, after all, it's not as good as a siheyuan.
Spacious, for one, and it'll be valuable in the future.
Having a big courtyard, planting some flowers, growing some grass... how beautiful that would be.
"Buy a siheyuan?"
Pei Zhengnian was taken aback for a moment, then understood her thinking.
"You mean... using the relocation as a reason to legitimately set up a secure residence?"
"Mm-hmm."
Shen Nanchu nodded, her eyes brightening a bit.
"First, this house is too small, not enough for us to live in; second, with the organization's approval for us to avoid suspicion as backing, buying a house won't raise doubts. Third, when we bring Brother Mingyuan back in the future, we'll have a spacious place, comfortable to live in."
Mentioning Lei Mingyuan, a glimmer finally appeared in Pei's Mother's eyes. She wiped her tears and grasped Shen Nanchu's hand tightly.
"Nanchu is right, buying a courtyard house is good! Mom has saved up some private money over the years, I'll take it all out for you. You must find a spacious one."
"Mom, you don't need to use your money."
Shen Nanchu quickly waved her hand.
"We have enough money. Keep your money for yourself."
"Mom still has a bit of money on hand. The family is big, let's buy a large one."
Pei's Mother did indeed still have money saved, but it was all kept with Jiang Jie.
A cunning rabbit has three burrows.
Back before Pei's Father got into trouble, Pei's Mother had prepared early, taking precautions.
"How about this, Mom, what if we buy two units and connect them?"
Shen Nanchu said with excitement.
Pei Zhengnian looked at Shen Nanchu with suspicion.
He had a rough idea of how much money Shen Nanchu probably had on hand.
His own mother probably only had enough for one unit at most.
Did the two of them really have enough money on hand?
Pei Zhengnian didn't ask out loud.
Anyway, if it wasn't enough when the time came, he could borrow from his comrades.
Shen Nanchu, meanwhile, was pondering whether to buy a few more siheyuans.
Taking advantage of the fact that they're easy to buy now, the price is low, and no one can check how many properties she owns.
Might as well buy them!
Shen Nanchu decided that when she went to look at houses after her postpartum confinement, she would definitely buy more.
Anyway, the money lying idle in her space was just lying there. Better to spend it quickly while there's a good opportunity.
...