Chapter 1 - He was not able to perform!

“My hand is not hurt, I can feed myself.”

Chen Jun tried to take the bowl and spoon from Qiao Ning but she nimbly dodged away.

“Hubby, it is the same when I feed you. Be good~ open your mouth ~” Qiao Ning said softly. She carefully scooped a spoonful of porridge into his mouth.

This bright-faced, tender-hearted woman claimed to be his wife. They should be very loving. At least after his memory loss from the car accident, this woman took care of him for more than ten days. Even though he was almost fully recovered and would be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, she still fed him personally.

He did not have complete amnesia. In his memory, in the past 20-plus years, he, never needed anyone to take care of him. After all, he was a man of more than 1.9 metres.

Now he was taken care of by his wife like a child. He was embarrassed, especially when people were crowding around in front of his hospital bed.

“Chen Jun is blessed to find such a good wife.”

“Yes, she is beautiful and gentle. No wonder the young couple is always so loving.”

Seven aunts and eight aunts* in the room all praised Qiao Ning. Qiao Mother* listened with a proud face. She proudly said, “Xiao Ning*, has been virtuous and sensible since she was a child. Anyone who marries her is green smoke from ancestral grave*.”

Hearing this, Chen Jun’s mother felt uncomfortable. It was as if her son was not worthy of Qiao Ning. Chen Mother*, who was already somewhat dissatisfied, whispered, “What’s the use of tenderness? It’s been almost a year, and there are no signs in her stomach.”

Although the voice was small, the room was small. The relatives in the room heard it and were embarrassed. They decided it was not good to compliment Qing Ning any further.

Noticing the situation, Father Chen hurriedly elbowed his wife, signalling her not to mention it again.

But Qiao Ning’s mother could not swallow her anger and retorted: “Is this a matter of not giving birth to a child, Xiao Ning’s problem alone?”

“Then what do you mean? Is Chen Jun the one who has a problem? Xiao Jun* is an athlete, physical fitness goes without saying is good*, but look at your daughter, she is skinny and small. We do not know whether she can give birth.”

The two mothers, who were already at odds with each other, when the topic of fertility was mentioned and regardless of relatives’ presence, started quarrelling directly.

Chen Jun frowned, voicing out to stop them, “Mom, noise is forbidden in the hospital. I will make preparations with Xiao Ning about the baby.”

Chen Jun really could not remember the period when they were married, and he didn’t know why they did not want children, so he could only reassure them casually.

His words helped ease the situation and both parties’ parents had nothing further to say. Their relatives exited the ward one after another. Qiao Ning held on to her mother, purposely lower her voice said: “Mom, do not mention the birth of a child in the future when are so many people. It will hurt Chen Jun’s self-esteem. Didn’t I tell you before? He cannot perform and he’s still undergoing treatment!”

Once the words left her mouth, the relatives who left the room first didn’t hear it clearly, but her in-laws who were walking in front of Qiao Ning’s parents heard it. They turned around and looked back at Qiao Ning with a face full of surprise and fear.

Qiao Ning hurriedly made a hush gesture, pointing to the relatives in front of them, indicating to her in-laws not to make this widely known. Concerned about Chen Jun’s face*, Chen Jun’s parents could not make a fuss at the moment. The relatives walking in front of them, turned back to talk and joke*. She stiffened her smile and left the ward.

After sending off her parents and relatives, Qiao Ning smiled smugly. This was such a good opportunity to throw the pot*, of course, she had to take advantage of it.

After all, Chen Jun and her marriage was a fake union. It was impossible to have children. With regards to the matter of urging for children*, if the problem was due to the man, it could be easily solved, if she was the one with the problem, she might have to face forced divorce. After divorce, her parents might once again push her to remarry. This would be an endless vicious cycle, why not take advantage of Chen Jun’s memory loss, and push the blame onto him?

She returned to the hospital bed, ready to continue feeding him, Chen Jun looked incredulous and asked, “What did you just say? We don’t have children because I ….. can’t? ”

The word “can’t” was very difficult for him to say.

He would never admit to this. How could that be possible that he could not perform? His previous cock was different from normal people. It was thick and hard and often have sexual impulses. If not due to the mobility problems he faced these few days, he would have liked to have sex in the hospital room. How was it possible that he could not perform?

“Just ….. this matter, it’s very complicated. When you are discharged, I’ll explain it to you properly at home. Let’s not dwell on this matter now.” Qiao Ning tried to muddle through. She was going to explain all about the fake marriage to him after he was discharged from the hospital.

Since his car accident, relatives and friends had visited him every day in the hospital. In the evening, there were doctors and nurses on duty taking his temperature, drawing blood, and doing other chores. It was not a good place to talk and so she did not have the opportunity to tell Chen Jun about their fake marriage.

“Then tell me first, when you say I can’t, which aspect is it, the sperm quality or the ability to have sex?” Chen Jun asked the question much more seriously.

“Both …… Both also cannot! I’ll tell you tomorrow, come and eat first, be good, ha~”

After memory loss, Chen Jun seemed to be a lot more docile than before. Every time Qiao Ning whispered gently, coaxing him like a child, he would obediently listen. Before memory loss, Chen Jun was much more difficult.

Before, both of them were annoyed by their parents requesting them to give birth. Qiao Ning also tried to discuss with Chen Jun to prevaricate the request to Chen Jun’s problem. Both of them did not want children so with that, they could be done once and for all from their parents’ demands.

For the next few days, his face stank* and he refused to say a word. Although the two were not married, they still lived under the same roof. It was certainly uncomfortable to watch him put on a smelly face* every day.

Chen Jun had a bad temper, so she could not say anything. After all, she was the one that begged him to get into this fake marriage.

The two of them got to know each other because three years ago, Chen Jun’s house was entrusted to an all-inclusive renovation company where she worked. As a clerk, she did not interact with him much, but she listened to several female designers discussing him on several occasions and became interested in him.

According to the designers, Chen Jun, a 27-year-old retired basketball player, was tall and handsome. His house was a golden property in a prime location, and he was single and unmarried.

Of course, her interest in Shen Jun was not because of his appearance and materialistic conditions. It was because at that time she was frustrated by her parents’ nagging, rushing her to date and get married. She had limited encounters with men with no intention to get married ever. She long had the idea of finding someone for a fake marriage. Hence, with the sudden appearance of a man who had no intention to get married ever, she would naturally pay extra attention to him.

After which, every time Chen Jun came to the company, she would be extra attentive. After several conversations, she got a little more familiar with him. She asked for his contact information and made an appointment with him.

After a series of appointments, she took the initiative to put forward the idea of a fake marriage. To date, she still remembered how he replied to her. Crazy!

Fortunately, her skin was thick. After a few rounds of begging and pestering, Chen Jun, probably because of the pressure from his parents to get married, agreed.

Seven aunts and eight aunts (七大姑八大姨 Qī Dà Gū Bā Dà Yí) – refers to many relatives.

Qiao Mother (乔母 Qiáo mǔ) – refers to Qiao Ning’s mother. This is a literal translation of the last name + status to represent the relationship.

Xiao Ning (小宁 Xiǎo Níng) – refers to Qiao Ning. In Chinese culture, it is common to address someone who is younger / close to you as “Xiao” + the last name / last word of the person’s name (if there are 3 characters).

Green smoke from the ancestral grave (祖坟冒青烟 Zǔ Fén Mào Qīng Yān) – refers to it being a great thing.

Chen Mother (沉母 Chén mǔ) – refers to Chen Jun’s mother.

Xiao Jun (小峻 Xiǎo jùn) – refers to Chen Jun

goes without saying is good – this phrase has been paraphrased to suit the sentence better. In the actual direct translation, Chen Mother said that Chen Jun’s physic does not need to be too good. She implied that his physic is already very good because he is athletic and hence compared to Qiao Ning, his physic does not need to be too good.

Face (脸面 Liǎn Miàn) – Face is a class of behaviours and customs associated with the morality, honour, and authority of an individual, and its image in social groups. In this context, it can also be known as 面子 (Miàn Zi), and this refers to Chen Jun’s image.

talk and joke (说笑交谈 Shuō Xiào Jiāo Tán) – literal translation, but generally refers to conversing.

throw the pot (甩锅 Shuǎi Guō) – pin the blame on

urging for children (催生 Cuī Shēng) – the idea of people rushing/ nagging/ chasing you to have children.

face stank / smelly face (臭脸 Chòu Liǎn) – A hostile expressionless face. Similar concept to bitchy face.

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