Inside the house, it was bustling with activity. Outside, an old man looked at the door that had been ruthlessly closed, sighed, put his hands behind his back, and walked away with a desolate figure.

His unsteady gait made him look rather pitiful.

.

After having a meal, Cai Lili politely declined Shen Fenghua and her grandmother's offer to take her home.

"No, I can go back by myself. Our county is like an iron barrel now. The military region took care of that matter before, so it couldn't be safer."

Grandma hesitated for a moment, but Cai Lili was very bold. "Don't worry, it's still light out in the sky now. If we wait any longer, it will be dark."

Besides, she wouldn't dare ask this family to send her back. It's ridiculous; one of them is pregnant and the other is an elderly woman. If something really happened to them, she would have nowhere to turn.

However, when talking about those despicable human traffickers, Cai Lili sighed again, "Really, these people deserve to die."

“Who says otherwise?” Grandma nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with endless regret. “They are all the apples of our eye, and this whole mess has left them in such a sorry state. It’s so pitiful. Those who were found right away are fortunate; separation from one’s family is only temporary. But what about those who weren’t found?”

I dare not think about it.

Shen Fenghua also fell silent. After all, even if they had been found back then, there would still be differences between the people who had been abducted.

The treatment of boys and young girls upon their return was worlds apart.

Shen Fenghua shook her head. "No, I won't feel at ease letting you go back like this."

"What's the big deal?" Cai Lili really didn't expect that a casual remark would actually make Shen Fenghua take it to heart.

"How about this, since my husband isn't back yet, you can sleep with me for the night."

"ah?"

Cai Lili was stunned for a moment, then said somewhat embarrassedly, "Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

“What’s inappropriate about it?” Grandma thought about it and realized that it made sense. “We’re all women, so sleeping together can help take care of each other. Besides, even if you go back now, you’ll still have to start a fire and burn charcoal. You might as well stay at my house and save some money.”

Cai Lili stared in disbelief. "Will this really work?"

"Why not?" The more Grandma thought about it, the more she felt it made sense. This child wasn't a bad person. If she treated her well, she could take better care of her granddaughter at the steel factory. A little kindness would be rewarded with care.

Cost effective.

Similarly, Cai Lili thought the same way.

He had only shown a little kindness to Shen Fenghua, but he never expected to receive such kindness in return, especially from Shen Fenghua's grandmother...

Unable to refuse, and with such tangible benefits, she suddenly felt a little uneasy.

"Grandma, actually I..."

"It's nothing, just stay here. I see that you and Nannan's figures are about the same. When you change your clothes later, you can wear hers for now."

Shen Fenghua: "..."

Those words were a little harsh.

The Shen family's house was indeed warm. Cai Lili lay down next to Shen Fenghua. She thought she would have trouble sleeping, but as she lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), feeling the warmth of her limbs, even her nose didn't feel cold when she breathed.

She soon fell into a deep sleep.

Shen Fenghua tossed and turned for a while, simply because her body was too cumbersome.

Fortunately, before Qi Ye left, he made her a huge cotton pillow to put on her stomach, which relieved her discomfort. Otherwise, she would have had a hard time sleeping peacefully.

~

midnight.

"Boss, mission accomplished, shall we head back?"

“Go back,” Qi Ye’s eyes gleamed slightly in the moonlight, “but not now.”

"Huh? Do we still have to wait?" The soldier under his command was newly promoted, and like Qi Ye, he had married his wife locally. Therefore, although his rank did not allow his wife to accompany him to the army, he could still see her at any time.

We've been on this mission for over a week, almost ten days now.

The saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" is not just a saying. Couples with a little emotional foundation will definitely want to be together all the time when they first get married.

"You guys go first, I'll have to wait a bit."

"Wait for what?"

Qi Ye didn't speak, but only glanced at the person who asked the question.

Someone who said it casually: "..."

He was speechless, covering his mouth.

"You all go back first."

It was a cold winter day. After everyone had left, Qi Ye didn't waste any time. He found a guesthouse and slept soundly. He arrived at the hospital before dawn the next day, heading straight for the obstetrics and gynecology department.

The sun was high in the sky, shining warmly on him, but Qi Ye's heart was in suspense.

"So, there's still some danger?"

"Yes, childbirth is a life-or-death experience for women, let alone twins."

The doctor glanced at Qi Ye, whose brows were furrowed, and sighed inwardly. Over the years, it had been rare to see a man so devoted to his wife.

Therefore, she softened her tone, "My suggestion is that if possible, come to the provincial capital so we can have a C-section. Although it will cost more, both the mother and child will be safe."

"Cesarean section?" Qi Ye was a little confused. He had never heard of this before. After listening to the doctor's explanation, he was still a bit dizzy and confused.

"How about this," Qi Ye knew he was feeling a bit confused, "I'll bring my wife over next week, and we can talk about it in person, okay?"

The doctor treated Qi Ye with a truly gentle and kind demeanor, saying, "It's rare to see someone treat their wife like this."

She had seen countless women who, in an attempt to save money, would try to give birth at home, only to die in childbirth, either on the way to the hospital or upon arrival.

In comparison, this person in front of me is truly exceptional.

"However," some things need to be said in advance, as a kind of preemptive warning, "Cesarean section is a new technology, so it will be slightly more expensive, including the post-operative care, nutrition, and so on, all of which need to be adequate."

"Hmm, that's no problem. Besides that, is there anything else?"

If he doesn't even have the money to give birth to a child for his wife, Qi Ye might as well just find a tofu block and smash his head against it.

What's the point of living? It's shameful enough already.

doctor:"……"

Hmm, it seems she's met a relatively low-key wealthy family.

"That's all. Eat and drink well, move around as much as you can, and make sure the new mother is in a good mood. That's better than anything else."

The doctor thought for a moment and then advised, "By the way, twins are almost never full-term; they are mostly premature. If possible, bring them over so we can take a look."

Qi Ye kept these words to himself. After he had cleaned himself up and changed into new clothes, he boarded the train home.

When Qi Ye got home, he was still thinking about climbing over the wall, but remembering what his grandmother had said that day, he ended up going around to the side of his grandmother's room and gently knocking on the wall.