Reborn as a Tough Army Wife-Chapter 663 - 658: Compromise

After Luo Zhiming made a phone call to Xu He’s eldest uncle, he went with Xu He to send Duan Fenghua to the bus, and then told her which stop to get off at, where Xu He’s uncle would be waiting.

Subsequently, Luo Zhiming took Xu He to the place where he was staying.

Luo Zhiming worked hauling bricks on a construction site, so naturally, he didn’t live in a great place. He lived in an old courtyard with about twenty rooms partitioned by wooden planks, housing at least eighty to ninety people. Originally, Luo Zhiming shared a room with a fellow villager, but coincidentally, the roomie had recently gone back home because his wife was giving birth. Luo Zhiming had not yet found someone to share the rent, so taking Xu He there to live was actually quite convenient.

As soon as Xu He entered the courtyard, she saw that everyone around was dressed in tattered clothes, probably either laboring at the construction site or begging on the streets, presenting a scene of bleak desolation.

She couldn’t help but blurt out with a tone of disdain, "Zhiming, is this the kind of place you live in the city?"

Upon seeing her expression, Luo Zhiming’s face turned stern and he spoke irritably, "What else did you expect? You think earning money as a laborer in the city I’d be living like an emperor? Could I afford any better place? Mine is already considered good; others share a room like this with several people."

After finishing his words, Luo Zhiming sighed and said to Xu He, "Hehua, you might as well go back with your mom tomorrow. No matter what, it’s better than here."

Xu He was already at Luo Zhiming’s place by this point and was no longer afraid that Luo Zhiming would drive her away. Therefore, she wasn’t as jittery as before. Tossing aside her belongings, she looked at Luo Zhiming resentfully and said, "Zhiming, have you stopped wanting me because I’m heavily pregnant, not looking as good, and lost my figure or what?"

Luo Zhiming was somewhat annoyed upon hearing this, "What nonsense are you talking?"

Xu He glanced at him and then pointed to her stomach, pressing him, "So does that mean you don’t care about the child in my belly? Thinking it doesn’t matter whether he exists or not, is that it?"

Seeing Luo Zhiming silent, Xu He deliberately spoke while walking out, "If that’s the case, I’ll just find a hospital to have an abortion right now. Since you don’t want this child, what’s the point of my keeping it?"

Luo Zhiming hurriedly grabbed Xu He, and with a touch of helplessness, said, "Hehua, what are you doing? When did I ever say I didn’t want this child?"

Xu He seized the opportunity to start interrogating him, "Then what do you mean by not caring about me all these days you’ve been in the city?"

Knowing he couldn’t dodge this issue, Luo Zhiming tried to put a positive spin on it, "There’s a lot to deal with here, I was thinking of saving some money to come see you when it’s time for you to give birth."

At the mention of money, Xu He’s eyes sparkled, "Really? You’ve saved money?"

Luo Zhiming hesitated for a moment, walked to the bed, and from underneath it, he pulled out a stack of bills to give to Xu He, "Hmm, I’ve saved this much, planning to save up one hundred yuan before coming home to see you."

Originally, Luo Zhiming had intended to use this money for Xu He’s childbirth expenses when he went home. Now, in order to pacify Xu He, he had to pull it out.

Holding the several hundred yuan in her hand, Xu He was overjoyed. She hugged Luo Zhiming and kissed him on the face, her hand gently brushing over his lower body while she looked at him with enticing eyes and said, "Zhiming, you are so good."

Luo Zhiming stiffened all over from Xu He’s teasing. Soon, his body started to heat up, and he hugged Xu He tightly, yet he still had some concerns, looking down at her belly, "Your belly..."

Xu He’s face blushed, and she whispered in Luo Zhiming’s ear, her breath as sweet as orchid, "The doctor said after the first three months it’s fine, you just need to be careful."

Luo Zhiming, after all, had been alone in the city for so long. Though he sometimes couldn’t help it and visited those places, spending money on women to satisfy his needs, he didn’t dare go often. Those women charged for everything, and as a brick hauler, he didn’t have that much money to spare.

Now, with Xu He’s soft warmth in his arms, he could no longer control himself, and he promptly pinned Xu He beneath him...

This time, Xu He was tender and considerate in taking care of Luo Zhiming, making him feel ecstatic and invigorated. It was this time that made at least half of Luo Zhiming’s dissatisfaction towards Xu He dissipate.

After finishing, he no longer talked about sending Xu He back. Instead, he hugged her and said softly, "Hehua, let’s stay here for a while as you wish. First, we’ll stay here for a bit. If you find it uncomfortable, we’ll find a new place. If not, we can find a place near my dad’s. The houses there are not bad, and the rent isn’t too expensive. I can afford it."

"Okay," Xu He agreed while nestled in Luo Zhiming’s arms, her mind constantly calculating. But in truth, she was willing to live with Luo Dashan. She said purposefully, "You find a time, and one day we’ll go see dad together. I haven’t seen him since he left the countryside."

"Sure," Luo Zhiming immediately agreed, but remembering that the Fang Family lived just opposite, he hesitated, "It’s just..."

"What...?"

Luo Zhiming explained, "My dad and the Fang Family’s parents live diagonally across from each other. Don’t mind that."

Xu He scoffed inwardly, surprised that Luo Zhiming and Fang Xiu were so close, but outwardly, she feigned complete indifference, "Why would I mind? You’ve already divorced Fang Xiu. There shouldn’t be any contact now, right? You merely bumped into each other today, I guess."

Luo Zhiming was taken aback, then realized Xu He must have seen him with Fang Xiu. He didn’t elaborate further, just saying, "Hmm, just bumped into each other and said hello. Don’t misunderstand."

Xu He smiled faintly, stroking Luo Zhiming’s chest gently, "I won’t misunderstand. After all, you dumped her. I believe you wouldn’t go back to your ex now."

"Right."

With Xu He staying, naturally, the first thing she did was to strictly control Luo Zhiming’s finances.

Luo Zhiming got paid daily for his job hauling bricks, so every day when Luo Zhiming came back, Xu He would devise ways to take all his money, ostensibly to save up for childbirth later.

Honestly, though Luo Zhiming’s work wasn’t very prestigious and lacked face when spoken of, it paid quite well. If Luo Zhiming worked hard, he could earn four yuan in a day. This way, in a month, he could earn over 100 yuan.

Minus their food, drink, and rent, they could save eighty to ninety yuan a month. In Xu He’s view, she was quite content, feeling that Luo Zhiming was finally of some use, definitely better than constantly asking others for money back home.