Chapter 62

Han Shuo and his group set off early, and since it was already late August, the morning was very cool.

Sitting on the tractor, the wind carried the scent of dew-kissed grass and plants from the roadside, a feeling that seemed to awaken even the lungs.

The trolley was piled high with luggage. Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu sat on one side, while Han Hong and Meng's father sat on the other.

Han Hong was very pleased to see that Han Shuo looked well and in good spirits after the marriage. Although Han Shuo had looked sickly before because of pregnancy symptoms, as the older brother, he was more concerned about his younger brother's condition after the marriage.

As long as my brother is doing well after marriage, it means he didn't marry the wrong person.

The winding mountain roads in the countryside mostly meander among towering mountains. As the tractor travels down the mountain, the morning air feels refreshingly cool.

Han Hong then suggested that Han Shuo, who was wearing a vest, put on a jacket, but Han Shuo said it was too much trouble and that it wasn't necessary.

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuxiu immediately untied the rope on the bumpy tractor and took out a coat from the snakeskin bag.

Han Shuo had no choice but to wear it.

Seeing that Han Shuo was yawning repeatedly because he had gotten up too early, Meng Yuxiu asked if he wanted to lean on him and take a nap.

"No way, the tractor is so noisy, I can't sleep. I'll just wait until I get on the sleeper train to sleep."

Although the tractor was noisy, everyone chatted during the hour and a half drive, even though they were all shouting.

Both Meng's father and son, Meng Yuxiu, were rather introverted, so the car was filled with the voices of the two brothers, Han Hong and Han Shuo.

We arrived in the county town at 6:30. I didn't expect them to have arrived so early. There were already seven or eight passengers on the sleeper bus.

After getting off the tractor, Han Hong and the Meng family father and son carried all their belongings down and stuffed them into the luggage compartment under the sleeper car.

After putting their luggage away, the family boarded the sleeper car.

If you arrive early, you can choose any seat.

To be honest, Han Shuo had never ridden in a sleeper train before.

This old-fashioned sleeper car is quite long. When you walk into the carriage, there are double rows of berths on both sides of the aisle. There are probably more than 30 berths on the upper and lower levels. There are a few small electric fans on the ceiling.

However, these electric fans were not very powerful, because even in the morning weather, Han Shuo felt a stuffy heat as soon as he entered the carriage.

For convenience, and considering Han Shuo's current physical condition, which would minimize climbing ladders, the family chose the bunk below the driver's seat.

Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu were in the first row, while Meng's father and Han Hong were in the second row.

While on the tractor, Han Shuo was thinking of continuing to sleep on the sleeper bus.

But once he sat down, he found that the berths really smelled bad. Coupled with the stuffy air in the carriage, he felt a little nauseous.

After lying down on his bunk, he immediately opened the window a little, and only felt much more comfortable after the fresh air from outside came in.

However, as more and more people entered the carriage, the air became stagnant. Only when the entire sleeper car was full did Han Shuo realize what true collapse meant.

As his pregnancy progressed, his morning sickness was gradually lessening. But sitting in a car like this, let alone a pregnant woman, even someone with mild motion sickness would find it unbearable.

Han Shuo's face turned ashen after the car had only been driving for half an hour.

He already felt nauseous and was trying his best to keep quiet, but when Meng Yuxiu saw his expression, he kept asking him anxiously from the side.

Are you feeling unwell?

Do you feel nauseous?

"Han Shuo, are you alright...?"

"Han Shuo..."

Buzzing, Han Shuo could even understand why Sun Wukong in A Chinese Odyssey wanted to pull out the fly's intestines and strangle Tang Sanzang.

"Don't talk to me!" Han Shuo was extremely annoyed and pushed Meng Yuxiu's face away.

He quickly stuck his head out of the car window; luckily, there weren't many cars on the road at that time.

However, no one seemed to have any sense of safety. Han Shuo stuck his head out of the car window and saw the heads of several people who were carsick.

It would have been better if he hadn't looked, because when he saw someone vomiting, Han Shuo's mind went blank, and the next second he also started gagging.

Seeing this, Meng Yuxiu could only pat his back in a panic.

Hearing the commotion, Han Hong and Meng's father, who were in the back row, both got up from their berths.

Han Hong saw that his younger brother's face and lips were pale and felt extremely distressed. "Xiao Shuo, how are you?"

Han Shuo shook his head weakly.

"Is there anything that can make him feel better?" Meng Yuxiu asked his father and Han Hong.

"Yes!" Meng's father said as he opened the bag he had brought from home. "Your mother put a few oranges in the bag last night."

Meng's father took out a green orange and handed it to Meng Yuxiu.

“Yes, yes,” Han Hong added, “Smelling it might help.”

Meng Yuxiu peeled the orange. This green-skinned orange was sour. The moment he peeled it, the surrounding air seemed to burst into a layer of mist, and the refreshing smell rushed into his nose.

"Han Shuo, smell this." He held the orange peel in front of Han Shuo's nose.

Han Shuo smelled the odor, and his nausea seemed to be suppressed a little.

Taking advantage of Han Shuo's slightly improved complexion, Han Hong said, "Xiao Shuo, hurry up and get some sleep. Maybe you won't feel nauseous anymore if you fall asleep."

Even without his reminder, Han Shuo would have forced himself to close his eyes and fall asleep. He really hoped that he would wake up in Hecheng.

However, the orange peel only provided temporary relief, and so did sleeping. He slept for no more than ten minutes before feeling nauseous again.

But he really didn't want to lean out of the car window again. He could only frown, close his eyes, and shake his head on the pillow, while hot sweat and cold sweat mingled on his body.

Meng Yuxiu didn't dare to lie down at all. He sat on the bed with his nerves on edge the whole time, staring at Han Shuo's bloodless face.

"I can't go on." Han Shuo pounded his chest with his eyes closed and asked Meng Yuxiu, "When will you arrive?..."

In truth, Han Shuo knew that they were still a long way from their destination, but he was so distressed that he wanted to ask.

Meng Yuxiu didn't know how to answer, so he could only whisper, "Why don't you sleep a little longer?"

Han Shuo grimaced in pain: "I can't sleep, damn it!"

Seeing that he was in so much pain that even his toes were curled up, Meng Yuxiu asked again, "Do you want to get up and stick your head out of the car window to throw up for a while?"

"Damn it!" Han Shuo couldn't hold back any longer. He really felt like throwing up when he heard the words. He practically jumped up from the shop and then leaned against the car window.

Upon seeing this, Han Hong raised his voice: "Xiao Shuo, are you about to throw up?"

As soon as Han Hong spoke, the people in the back of the carriage quickly rolled up their windows.

"vomit--!!"

"vomit--!!"

Han Shuo's words immediately kept Meng Yuxiu and the two parents extremely busy.

"Xiao Xiu," Meng's father handed the bag to Meng Yuxiu, who was patting Han Shuo's back, and reminded him, "There's a handkerchief your mother prepared inside."

"Okay." Meng Yuxiu took out a handkerchief and prepared.

Han Hong couldn't sit still any longer, so he got up, put on his sandals, and went over to look at Han Shuo.

Han Shuo vomited until tears streamed down his face and snot was coming out of his nose. He did feel much better after vomiting, but he had no strength left at all.

"Come here, Xiao Shuo, lie down." Han Hong leaned closer.

The old-fashioned sleeper car's berths couldn't be raised or lowered, and Han Shuo felt that lying flat would make him nauseous again, so he shook his head with difficulty.

Meng Yuxiu immediately caught him, held him in his arms, and then used a handkerchief to wipe his mouth.

“Brother, go back and lie down. I’ll take care of him,” Meng Yuxiu said to Han Hong.

The passageway was narrow, and even highways were bumpy these days, so there was no point in Han Hong standing there. He went back to his bunk with worry.

Han Shuo felt that he had never been so weak in his life, or to be precise, so fragile.

Not only was my body completely drained, but even the corners of my eyes were wet.

"Damn...why isn't it you who's pregnant..."

"Damn it!" Han Shuo sniffed, and another tear welled up in his eyes. "You son of a bitch..."

“Okay…” Meng Yuxiu was at a loss for words when he heard Han Shuo’s words.

"Ah~ I really want to ride that open-top tractor again..." Han Shuo murmured, then suddenly remembered something. He jolted awake and quickly opened his eyes to ask Meng Yuxiu, "Hey, do you think if I keep throwing up like this for two days, will I lose the baby?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuxiu broke out in a cold sweat. He asked nervously, "Is your stomach also uncomfortable?"

Han Shuo, struggling to keep his eyes open, said with difficulty, "I feel like my stomach is about to swell up from vomiting. Could I have already miscarried? My butt is all wet. Can you check me quickly and see if there's any bleeding?"

Meng Yuxiu lowered his head in alarm to look, but Han Shuo was wearing black pants, so he couldn't see clearly.

So he reached into Han Shuo's waistband and groped him.

"No, there is no blood."

"Why is it so wet?"

Meng Yuxiu: "It is the Khan."

Han Shuo said "Oh," and added, "Luckily it wasn't blood, otherwise I would have gotten carsick for nothing."

The pregnant woman in the family was going on a long trip, and Mencius' mother was very thoughtful. She prepared a lot of things, including oranges, handkerchiefs, and fans.

Meng Yuxiu took out a fan from the bag and fanned Han Shuo. As he fanned him, he whispered, "Han Shuo, close your eyes, don't talk, and rest for a while."

Han Shuo nodded and closed his eyes again.

Meng Yuxiu looked down at his face, watching his chest rise and fall slightly and his belly rise and fall with his breath.

He carefully reached out and touched his protruding belly.

Even with a fan, Han Shuo could only hold on for another hour at most.

An hour later, he tossed and turned in Meng Yuxiu's arms.

"When can we get off?" Han Shuo asked, frowning. "I mean, is there a service area or something where I can get off and rest a bit..."

Meng Yuxiu turned his head and called out, "Dad."

"Hey." Meng's father hadn't rested either; as soon as Meng Yuxiu called out, he sat up.

"Dad, is there a service area where we can get off?"

"Service area?" The father was a little unfamiliar with the term. There was no way around it; there were hardly any highways these days, let alone service areas.

Meng Yuxiu had no choice but to ask in a different way: "So, is it possible to get off and rest along the way?"

Meng's father understood, but before he could speak, Han Hong had already raised his voice to ask the driver.

"Driver, when can the bus stop so everyone can use the restroom?"

The driver in front said, "Drive for another hour, then give everyone an hour to eat and use the restroom!"

Meng Yuxiu immediately whispered to Han Shuo, "Almost there, just hang in there a little longer."

Han Shuo heard this, and he nodded with his eyes closed, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth to continue to hold on.

He kept asking Meng Yuxiu what time it was every few minutes, making Meng Yuxiu so anxious that he was covered in sweat.

When there were still ten minutes left before the car stopped, Han Shuo got up from the bunk and sat on the edge of the bed to wait.

Meng Yuxiu quickly squatted down in the aisle and put his shoes on.

Seeing this, Meng's father and Han Hong also packed up and prepared to get off the car.

Finally, the driver stopped the car, and before the car had even come to a complete stop, Han Shuo was already swaying as he walked down the aisle.

"Han Shuo, be careful..." Meng Yuxiu followed closely behind.

As soon as the car door opened, Han Shuo got out and stood on the roadside grass to vomit.

The sleeper train stopped at a small town stop. Although there was no service area, there was a row of houses by the roadside with sinks and toilets.

Outside the row houses, vendors pushed carts selling tea eggs, corn, and some fried food. There was even a man selling popsicles with a box covered with a thick quilt in front of him.

Han Shuo vomited for a while by the roadside. Without the bumpy ride of the car, he finally felt a little better.

The sun was blazing, so Meng Yuxiu helped him to the shade of a tree. There was no stool, so he found a rock, sat on it himself, and then pulled Han Shuo to sit on his lap, letting Han Shuo lean against him.

"How is Xiao Shuo?" Meng's father asked, glancing at Han Shuo's complexion. "Would you like something to eat?"

Meng Yuxiu said, "Dad, he can't eat anything right now."

Seeing Han Shuo like this, Meng's father was also worried, but he was powerless to help with the pregnancy.

Han Hong took the kettle out of the bag and handed it to Meng Yuxiu. It was water he had filled at home when he left home that morning, and the temperature was just right now.

"Xiao Shuo, have some water."

Meng Yuxiu unscrewed the kettle lid and touched Han Shuo's lips. At this moment, Han Shuo looked like a wounded soldier half-dead in an ancient costume drama, and Meng Yuxiu fed him a sip while he drank.

After drinking it, I could gasp for breath.

They still had to travel by car, and Han Shuo had no appetite and couldn't eat, so the other three sat under a tree and had a quick meal.

The thought of having to endure another long car ride made Han Shuo break down. "I really don't want to go to Hecheng. I just want to lie here and sleep."

Han Hong laughed and said, "You're unfamiliar with this place, and you can't go back from here."

After finishing his corn, he tossed the cob aside and went over to comfort his younger brother, "Xiao Shuo, I know you're not feeling well right now. Let's hang in there a little longer, okay? We'll find a hotel in Hecheng and you can sleep there, alright?"

As soon as Han Hong finished speaking, the driver called out to everyone to get ready to board the bus.

Hearing that voice was like a nightmare to Han Shuo, and he let out a desperate wail. But all he could do was reach out and pinch Meng Yuxiu's thigh hard, briefly venting his frustration and hardship from his pregnancy.

"Damn it! I really want to strangle you!"

And Meng's father finally witnessed just how much his son doted on his wife.

The son's face was contorted, and he only managed to whisper, "Han Shuo, it hurts..."