Farmhouse Green Plum

But Wang remained silent, which was quite unusual.

The fact that her daughter had married into a wealthy family was such a glorious thing that even a woman who was usually reserved would inevitably have to show off a bit, let alone Wang.

Over the years, the couple had been looked down upon in the village because they couldn't have a son. Now that they had finally gained some respect, why wouldn't they take the opportunity to show off?

But, could it be that I'm overthinking it?

Yanxing and his group have been doing business with Chen Yunze for several years. They know each other well and should understand the Chen family's situation and Chen Yunze's character.

Song Ying and Yuan Qing are both exceptionally shrewd and have a keen eye for people. If Chen Yunze does anything inappropriate, they will definitely remind Yan Xing.

But looking at Wang Shi, who was engrossed in washing dishes not far away, Xiao Xiang couldn't help but worry.

She wanted to ask, but perhaps Wang didn't notice Yang's mention of "only son," which is why she didn't correct her.

The words lingered on his tongue for a moment, but he ultimately swallowed them back.

She gently put down the fire tongs, supported her waist and slowly stood up. Looking at the people washing dishes not far away, she slowly backed away and then went around to the other side.

After leaving the Luo family, her steps unconsciously quickened and became faster, as if something was chasing her from behind. The pounding of her heart in her chest was like a drumbeat, almost shattering her eardrums.

"Hey, Xiao Xiang? Are you... watching out for the field ridges!"

A gasp suddenly rang out. Before Xiao Xiang could react, her left foot slipped and fell into the air, and then the cool paddy water washed over her ankle.

Although it was the height of summer, the water was refreshingly cool. The coolness made Xiao Xiang shiver, which calmed her turbulent emotions a bit.

"Oh dear," the person rushed forward to help, "You're pregnant with both babies, why aren't you watching where you're going? There are plenty of leeches in the ditch! Quickly take your feet out!"

Xiao Xiang lifted her foot, stepped over the threshold, and thanked the person who came: "Thank you, Aunt Zhou."

The person who came was Luo Erzhu's mother, Yanxing's aunt. As a relative, she had delivered vegetables to the homes of those who had helped the Wang couple and had already returned home. She must have just finished delivering the vegetables and was now returning.

"Don't you have maids? Where are they? How are they being served?" Zhou asked with a frown and a concerned tone.

"I saw they were too busy, so I asked her to stay and help wash the dishes." Although it was dusk, it was still easy to notice something was amiss at such close range. Xiao Xiang didn't look up, gave a simple explanation, and then quickly said, "I'm fine, Aunt Zhou, you go ahead and do your work. I'll go back by myself."

Zhou was indeed very busy today. In the middle of summer, the dishes would taste very different if left overnight, so she had to hurry up and deliver them to everyone.

"Okay, go back by yourself. When you get back, change your clothes as soon as possible. You're pregnant now, so you can't be careless."

Xiao Xiang answered haphazardly as she walked forward with her head down, and soon arrived at her doorstep.

She peeked out and saw that her father wasn't home; the whole yard was dark and quiet.

She tiptoed inside, took out the lantern she had received that year for the Lantern Festival, and carried it out of the house.

As soon as she reached the village entrance, it became completely dark. Suddenly, she realized that the city gates would close after dark, and she wouldn't be able to enter the city now.

How to do this?

Xiao Xiang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

She pursed her lips, staring ahead in deep thought, but her mind was completely blank.

In her life, apart from that one time when she went to report to the authorities, she had never had any experience dealing with officials. If the city gates are closed, will there be anyone guarding the other side?

If I shout, will the other party open fire?

Could you hear me through those thick city walls?

……

One question after another popped up, but she couldn't answer any of them.

The darkness stretched endlessly ahead, like a giant maw swallowing all the light.

The wind rustled through the treetops, making a soft, whispering sound, as if countless evil spirits were whispering among themselves.

Xiao Xiang shivered. It was so late; she was a vulnerable woman. What if she encountered bad people...?

Turning around, I saw a few dim lights shining from the direction of the village, while from the direction of the river came the sounds of ducks being called home.

This was the familiar scene of a rural evening for her. As long as she entered the village, she would meet people; there were no ghosts or bad people, and it was very safe.

But the thought of Wang's silence made Xiao Xiang unable to take a step.

She gently touched her belly, gritted her teeth, picked up the lantern, and walked into the darkness.

She had only walked a short distance when the lantern suddenly went out with a "poof," and endless darkness instantly engulfed her.

Xiao Xiang was stunned for a moment, then fumbled to open the tinderbox to check, only to find that the candle inside the lantern had burned out completely.

After a moment of silence, she secretly comforted herself: "It's okay, it's dark, that's fine too. Even if I run into bad people, they won't be able to see me."

Without lights and with her big pregnant belly, she naturally couldn't go fast, and she was extremely anxious.

But these things can't be rushed; if you fall or take the wrong turn, it will take even longer.

Xiao Xiang exhaled repeatedly, telling herself to stay calm. The situation wasn't entirely bad; she still had a tinderbox, which she could light every now and then to check if she had gone the wrong way.

Moreover, she might be overthinking things; she might just be seeking peace of mind on this trip.

Perhaps because she needed to focus all her attention on understanding the road conditions, her mind gradually calmed down.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a few flickering lights finally appeared ahead, and the outline of the city gate tower appeared and disappeared in the firelight.

Looking at the towering, tightly closed city gate, Xiao Xiang felt a little lost. How should she call for the city gate to be opened?

Just as they were hesitating, a sharp shout suddenly rang out from the city tower: "Who goes there?"

The voice was particularly sharp in the night, but Xiao Xiang felt a sense of relief. No longer needing to worry about how to shout, she quickly raised her voice and replied, "Sir, please do me a favor. I have urgent business in the city."

Upon recognizing the young woman's voice, the guards relaxed their tense bowstrings slightly, and one of them sneered, "You think you can just move aside like that? Do you think this is your own backyard gate?"

One of the guards impatiently flicked his torch, yelling, "Get out of here! Don't give me another word!"

Before the words were finished, a sharp whooshing sound suddenly rang out in the night sky.

"call out--"

An arrow pierced the air and embedded itself diagonally into the mud, its fletching still trembling violently.

Xiao Xiang was so frightened that her face turned pale. "Sir, sir, I really have an emergency. I'm a friend of Song Ying, the little miracle doctor in the city. I have something very urgent to tell her. Please, please open the door."

After a moment of silence, a guard poked his head out. He looked down at Xiao Xiang and frowned, saying, "Why is she pregnant?"

The other guards also peered out and were all astonished.

Although Qingshui County has a simple and honest folk culture, there have been times when daring bandits rebelled and caused trouble. However, this is the first time in all the years they have been on duty that a pregnant woman has come to ask for the city gates to be opened.

"Are you a friend of Doctor Song?" the head guard asked.