Upon hearing the sound, Lin Yuxi rushed out of the inner room like an arrow, clutching a hot water bottle tightly in her arms. Instantly, she saw He Cuiping fall to the ground.

At the entrance to the courtyard, He Cuiping lay sprawled out, the basket beside her collapsed like a deflated balloon, her face contorted into a pretzel shape, and she kept howling.

Lin Yuxi's heart tightened. Ignoring her pregnancy, she rushed out like a whirlwind.

"Sister-in-law, what's wrong?" Lin Yuxi was extremely anxious. She quickly put down the hot water bottle and reached out to support He Cuiping's arm.

He Cuiping, as if electrocuted, quickly pushed her away, saying, "Don't help me, you're pregnant."

She struggled to get up, feeling as if her buttocks and back were being pricked by thousands of needles. "I accidentally stepped on ice and slipped and fell flat on my face."

At that moment, there was a wet patch on her buttocks, which looked particularly glaring in the sunlight.

It just got cold and snowed today, and the water on the ground is very likely to freeze due to the temperature.

"I'm glad you're alright, get up first." Lin Yuxi was extremely anxious and quickly reached out to help her up.

He Cuiping rubbed her bottom, secretly relieved that it was she who had fallen.

"Hurry up and go inside, don't go out. I'll go back and change my clothes first." He Cuiping urged anxiously, telling Lin Yuxi to hurry inside. "You mustn't fall. You're heavily pregnant now, so you have to be very careful."

He Cuiping's hands were already blistered. The entrance to the courtyard was a cement ground, which was wet and icy. Her hands rubbed against the ground, and her body got wet as well, making her look extremely disheveled.

Jiang Shufen was busy in the kitchen when she came out and found no one in the living room. Then she heard noises coming from the gate of the courtyard, so she quickly ran out to help.

Lin Yuxi had already gone inside. Jiang Shufen was worried about He Cuiping, so even though it was only a short walk, she carefully helped her back. After all, she had fallen right in front of her own doorstep; even if she was a neighbor, she should still take care of her.

“I have some medicinal wine at home for treating sprains and bruises. I’ll pour you a small bottle later. When Political Commissar Wang comes back, have him rub it on your back and buttocks. They must be bruised.” After Jiang Shufen led her into the house, when she returned to her own yard, the area by the door was indeed covered with a thick layer of ice, like a smooth mirror.

As soon as she got home, Lin Yuxi brought her a jar of salt.

"Mom, sprinkle this can of salt on the ice, and it will melt in a while. It would be best to sprinkle some in the yard as well," Lin Yuxi said without thinking.

Why is there suddenly a puddle of water at the entrance?

If someone really did spill the water, I need to be more careful in the future. I'm almost five months pregnant now, and if I fall, it could be terrible.

"Go inside first, don't come out." Jiang Shufen took the salt and scattered it in the small courtyard. In a short while, the whole jar of salt was used up.

A rain shelter was built in the yard, which made things a little better. Less salt was used, and the path in front of the yard became wider.

"I just looked around, and only our doorway has water. When Gu Chen comes back, I'll tell him about it too." Jiang Shufen walked back with an empty bottle. In just a few minutes, she had looked at both roads in front of the door.

“It’s winter now, and any water on the road freezes instantly. You can’t stay cooped up at home all day. When you’re full term, you’ll have to go out and move around.”

noon.

Gu Chen returned just in time.

Upon hearing that there was a puddle of water at the door, his face turned cold, and he panicked: "Wife, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It was Sister Cuiping who fell. She looks like she fell pretty hard; her hands are all scraped. This morning, Mom brought her a bottle of medicinal wine and some fruit." Lin Yuxi lay on the bed, reached out, and grasped his rough hands, finding them icy cold.

Gu Chen looked up, his eyes full of heartache, "I'm glad you're alright, but it's a problem for anyone who fell. I'll go to the door later and see if I can find any clues."

He buried his head in Lin Yuxi's hands, his heart pounding wildly, filled with self-reproach.

Since the two got married, Lin Yuxi hasn't gone out much. He spends his days reading at home and is unlikely to offend anyone, unless someone dislikes him and deliberately splashes water at the entrance of his yard.

"Um."

Lin Yuxi raised her hand and rubbed his head for a while.