Chapter 400: The Head Husband
Chapter 400: Chapter 400: The Head Husband
The status of a husband was protected by Federation law. Once confirmed, a Contractor could not arbitrarily dissolve the Contract, nor could they beat, berate, or humiliate their husband in public.
As for an ordinary Contractor, holding a Contract ceremony signified that he would receive more respect from his Contractor, and his family would also indirectly benefit from the support of his Contractor’s influence.
Take Chen Nan, for example. His mother, Chen Jingyu, was constantly pressuring him, asking when Ning Xuan would hold a Contract ceremony with him. After all, despite Ning Xuan’s humble origins, her personal abilities were outstanding. Not only was her Spiritual Power Level high, but she was also the champion of the alchemist competition and an Alchemy Master certified by the Alchemist Association. Moreover, her known Contractors were all powerful individuals. If Ning Xuan were willing to hold a Contract ceremony with Chen Nan, many smaller families would eagerly align themselves with the Chen Family, providing a significant boost to their business ventures.
The higher a female Spirit Controller’s Level, the more Contract ceremonies she could hold. A B-level Controller could hold one, which by default was reserved for her husband. With each subsequent Level she gained, she could hold an additional ceremony. However, she was still limited to one husband. Only upon reaching SSS-level could she add a second husband. Therefore, if Ning Xuan were to give the title of husband to Yu Mingche now, Ying Yaoshi could only remain an ordinary Contractor for the time being. Of course, once Ning Xuan’s Level rose to SSS-level, she could also grant Ying Yaoshi the title of husband. The only issue was that, throughout the Federation’s history, very few female Spirit Controllers had ever reached SSS-level.
Thus, it was generally accepted that there could only be one husband.
"He’s swamped with his official duties; he can’t possibly fulfill the responsibilities of a husband. What is there for him to fuss about? Besides, you’re the one who’s done something truly meritorious." The arm Ning Xuan had around Yu Mingche moved, and she placed her hand on his belly.
’Although this body isn’t very old, my mental age certainly is.’ Ning Xuan was very much looking forward to this child, a carrier of her bloodline.
Just then, Lan Xin brought over two cups of tea. A refreshing, soothing aroma wafted toward Ning Xuan. The bright tea liquor was crystal-clear. This was a tea Ning Xuan had discovered on a desolate, resource-depleted planet. The original plant had been mildly toxic, but after she brought it back to the Central Star and cultivated it through several improved generations, it finally underwent a complete transformation. However, the tea’s yield was very low. To make matters worse, it wasn’t just Ning Xuan who loved it—Yu Mingche, Ying Yaoshi, Yun Han, and the others were also very fond of it, so there was never enough to go around.
Lan Xin respectfully placed the two cups of tea on the table beside Ning Xuan. Since Ning Xuan and Yu Mingche still had matters to discuss, she told him to return to his own courtyard.
Lan Xin and Nine-tailed had originally lived in the same courtyard. But after Ning Xuan formed a connection with Lan Xin, Yan Fuzhen arranged a separate courtyard for him. After all, if Ning Xuan were to ever stay the night at Lan Xin’s place, it would be rather inconvenient if he didn’t have a private courtyard.
The matter Ning Xuan needed to discuss with Yu Mingche was the Contract ceremony. Since she was the one who had proposed it, she had, of course, thoroughly researched its requirements and procedures.
According to the rules of the Interstellar Federation, the first step was for the dominant party to formally propose the union to the other, a process similar to arranging a marriage. During this stage, the two parties would undergo a genetic compatibility test. If their compatibility score was within the normal range, they would move on to the next step. The subsequent procedure was to set a date, a step that required official involvement from a department called the Bonding Relationship Management Center. Once the Center officially set the date, it was essentially irreversible. The party that reneged would be required to pay a hefty fine.
The final step was the Contract ceremony itself. This ceremony was also organized by the officials. The scale and grandeur of the ceremony were directly determined by the dominant party’s Spiritual Power Level and social status, although other factors were considered as well. In short, it was a comprehensive assessment.
Since Ning Xuan was holding a Contract ceremony, all the preliminary steps could be skipped. Their genetic compatibility had been determined by the Master Brain, and after they established their Spiritual Link Channel, they had already been registered with the Bonding Relationship Management Center long ago.
That left only the final stage: holding the Contract ceremony.
Although the Contract ceremony was officially organized, family elders would typically help with the arrangements, such as sending invitations, feasting guests, and handling countless other small details. However, Ning Xuan was all alone; there was no one to handle these matters for her.
If Yu Mingche had any direct blood relatives, they could have invited his elders to manage the preparations, but he had none. Therefore, Ning Xuan was now discussing these arrangements primarily with him.
"Ming Che, I’ll notify my friends," Ning Xuan said. "You can invite whomever you want from your side. Wouldn’t that be simpler?"
"Alright, whatever you say." Yu Mingche had no objection.
As preparations for the Contract ceremony were getting into full swing, Ying Yaoshi made a video call to Ning Xuan.
"Ning Xuan, I never objected to you giving Yu Mingche the position of husband. That’s because I knew you would definitely reach SSS-level and could have two husbands. But to hold a Contract ceremony with him *now*? To give him that official title? Where does that leave me? Do you want all those old bastards to laugh at me? I’ve been protecting you from the shadows, watching you grow from weakness, step by step. Do you have any idea how many schemes, both overt and covert, I’ve shielded you from?" Ying Yaoshi’s face was livid.
"Do you even have a heart? How is this fair to me?" Ying Yaoshi demanded furiously.
Ning Xuan could see shattered dinnerware at Ying Yaoshi’s feet, along with sparkling fragments from a crystal chandelier. The entire room was in a state of utter chaos.
Ning Xuan’s sharp eyes spotted a ceramic shard with a gold pattern in a corner of the room. From the design, she recognized it as a piece of the ceramic flower bowl she had left at his place during one of her visits.
"Fair? You want the title of husband? If you want it, then come here right now. I will give you the title, with the officials as our witnesses." Ning Xuan’s cold, calm voice came through the communicator, and the furious expression on Ying Yaoshi’s face instantly froze.
"Are you serious? Then what about Yu Mingche?" Ying Yaoshi asked, looking at Ning Xuan with suspicion.
"Why worry about him? Just come, and I’ll give it to you," Ning Xuan stated with conviction.
Ying Yaoshi closed his eyes. "You know I can’t go to the Central Star, don’t you?"
"Why hold the Contract ceremony now? Couldn’t it wait a few more years?" Ying Yaoshi’s voice and emotions had calmed considerably.
"Yu Mingche is pregnant," Ning Xuan said softly.
Though Ning Xuan had spoken softly, her words struck Ying Yaoshi like a thunderclap. "What did you say? Impossible! It hasn’t even been a year since he had the womb implant. How could he possibly be pregnant?"
Although the success rate for men undergoing the procedure to receive an artificial womb implant was high, the probability of the implant successfully integrating with the body and becoming fully functional was less than fifty percent.