Save people
Boom——
Zhao Mingyan was still a step too late. She watched the woman jump into the river and was stunned on the spot.
But immediately, she took another step and continued running towards the river bank.
She noticed that the woman's chest and above were still exposed above the water, and guessed that the river was not deep where she jumped.
"Miss!"
The next moment, her arm was grabbed by Xiaozhu. She also caught a glimpse of a blue-gray figure flashing past her, running straight to the river bank, and diving into it. There was another "bang" sound, and Zhao Mingyan breathed a sigh of relief.
How could she forget that Ayun was there too.
Ever since she became pregnant, Ayun was responsible for driving the carriage whenever she went out.
Ayun was indeed stronger and more vigorous than Li Si and the other older drivers. Soon he carried the woman and swam to the shore.
The water there was indeed not deep, and there was no wind or waves. The woman struggled twice, then stopped moving with a dull expression, allowing Ayun to drag her ashore.
Seeing that both the rescuer and the rescued seemed to be fine, Zhao Mingyan felt relieved. Just as he was about to go over, he felt his elbow tighten. Turning around, he met Xiaozhu's eyes full of resentment.
"Miss, have you forgotten? You are pregnant now!" A dissatisfied voice followed.
Alas! She had indeed forgotten.
Zhao Mingyan thought guiltily, then gave Xiaozhu a wry smile, "I'm just eager to save people!"
"Hurry back to the carriage and take down my quilt. It's so cold outside, and I'm afraid that lady will catch a cold after all this." She quickly changed the subject.
Xiaozhu wrinkled her nose and turned around muttering.
Zhao Mingyan raised her foot again, then immediately retracted it. She touched her belly, which she didn't know if it was because she was pregnant or just fat. She took small steps again and slowly walked towards that side.
Looking at her artificial gait, Ayun shuddered, lowered his eyes to look at the woman lying on the ground with lifeless eyes looking at the sky, stood up and stepped aside to pat the water stains on his body.
It’s really cold…huh?
My back felt hot and Xiaozhu's soft voice rang in my ears.
"This is the small quilt I put in the carriage. You can use it to wipe yourself."
After saying that, without waiting for his response, she took Zhao Mingyan's quilt and came to the woman, ready to help her wipe the water stains on her body.
"Huh?"
When she got closer, she immediately stared, "This lady... is pregnant?"
Hearing this, Zhao Mingyan and Ayun looked at the woman at the same time and noticed that her belly was slightly bulging, making her look more like a pregnant woman than Zhao Mingyan herself.
“No more.”
The woman suddenly spoke, her voice as hoarse as an old woman, and tears gradually welled up in her dazed eyes.
But she still lay on the ground, motionless, letting the river wind ravage her.
Zhao Mingyan quickly winked at Xiaozhu, who hurriedly spread out the quilt, threw it on the woman, and tried to help her up.
"Ma'am, the ground is cold. Let's go to our car and warm ourselves by the fire first."
The woman did not refuse Xiaozhu's kindness, but it was possible that her soul had already fallen into the river, and what was rescued by Ayun was just a shell. She let Xiaozhu help her get on the carriage.
Zhao Mingyan glanced at Ayun, who was also wet, and asked him to enter the car as well.
The carriage was not big, and in order to avoid suspicion, Ayun huddled in the corner near the door, covering her head and face with Xiaozhu's quilt, trying to reduce her presence as much as possible.
Xiaozhu glanced at him quickly and stuffed his hand warmer into the woman's arms.
Zhao Mingyan also thrust her hand warmer in. "You're still so young. If you lose your child, you can always have another. Why are you so desperate and want to commit suicide? If you die, you won't have anyone to take care of your children in the future."
The woman slowly raised her head and looked at Zhao Mingyan, tears welling up in her eyes. "Being pregnant will only bring me misfortune!"
Unlucky?
Zhao Mingyan frowned. She had no idea what kind of suffering this woman had endured, and judging by her current state, she probably couldn't ask. "Where is your home? I'll take you back..."
"No!"
Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted excitedly by the woman, shaking her head like a rattle, her tone becoming more and more impatient, "I'm not going back! I'm not going back! Don't send me back!"
"But your husband bullied you?" Xiaozhu couldn't help asking.
The woman shuddered and tears couldn't stop flowing.
Xiaozhu and Zhao Mingyan looked at each other and felt that her guess was almost right.
Zhao Mingyan thought so too, so he took out a handkerchief and wiped the woman's tears. "What about your family? Do they live far away?"
The woman nodded and said, "My hometown is in Baoning Prefecture."
Zhao Mingyan estimated and said, "It's not that far actually. How about I send someone to take you back?"
The woman hurriedly shook her head, "No! They will still send me back. A married woman must obey her husband, unless we divorce..."
She stopped abruptly, her tears stopped flowing, but her eyes became confused.
Zhao Mingyan gently stroked her arm and said soothingly, "Don't worry about what will happen after the divorce for now. If your husband treats you badly, or even abuses you, then divorce him as soon as possible. This is the most urgent thing."
The woman was silent.
Zhao Mingyan suggested: "Why don't you come back with me to the mansion first, take a bath in some hot water, and then change into clean clothes."
"Madam, what is your name?" The woman then looked at Zhao Mingyan carefully.
Zhao Mingyan smiled and said, "My name is Zhao Mingyan, and my husband's surname is Tan."
"Your last name is Tan?" The woman shuddered violently, as if she had been bitten by a snake, and her back felt cold and numb.
"Which... which Tan?" she asked with trembling lips.
Zhao Mingyan blinked in confusion, "The Tan from Zhulin Trading Company."
The woman's pupils shrank, and she turned and rushed towards the car door.
Ayun was quick-witted and stopped her.
Xiaozhu asked hurriedly: "Madam, what's wrong with you?"
The woman seemed to have lost all her strength. Her bent body collapsed and she knelt on the ground, trembling all over.
"Madam, has our Tan family... done anything to hurt you?" Zhao Mingyan asked tentatively with a frown.
The woman did not answer and continued to tremble.
The atmosphere in the car gradually froze, and the other three people just looked at each other, all confused by the woman's reaction.
"You...you are Madam Tan?"
After a while, the woman spoke again and slowly turned her head.
"Yes."
Zhao Mingyan nodded, helped her sit against the wall, and said sincerely, "The Bamboo Grove Trading Company is involved in a wide range of businesses, with branches all over Xuzhou Prefecture. Their practices are bound to be mixed. If you or your family have suffered losses at the hands of the company, please speak up. When I return, I will tell my husband and ask him to help you seek justice."
"It has nothing to do with the business." The woman shook her head.
She looked at Zhao Mingyan carefully, recalling the rumors about her and Tan Linshuang. It seemed that a she-devil had married a sickly man. People were not optimistic about their marriage and concluded that she would be a widow within two years.
But now it seems that the rumors are not credible.
At least Zhao Mingyan has a trustworthy and friendly aura.
"How...is your relationship with your husband's uncle?" the woman asked hesitantly.
"Uncle?" Zhao Mingyan was stunned for a moment before shaking her head and saying, "Not really. My husband and he aren't close either."
She was actually being tactful. The uncle and nephew were not unclose at all. They clearly had some grudges against each other, but she didn't know the reason.
"Then do you... understand him?" the woman asked again.
Zhao Mingyan admitted: "I don't understand."
Not to mention Tan Mozhu, she didn't even dare to say how well she understood Tan Linshuang, the man beside her.
And the mistress of the house was even more like mist floating in the distance, hardly visible.
The entire Tan family is like the bamboo forest in their south house. You think you have seen the end, but you don’t expect there are still several layers, layer upon layer, which is fascinating.
Hearing her unthinking answer, the woman's tense expression eased a little.
But she stopped talking because she didn't know how to explain it.
Even if Zhao Mingyan and his wife are not close to Tan Mozhu, they are still a family after all. Telling others about their experiences will only confuse people.
After thinking for a moment, she bowed and said to Zhao Mingyan, "Thank you, Madam Tan, for saving me. Please give me a ride."
"Where are you going?" Zhao Mingyan asked with a frown.
"Go..." The woman hesitated, "Let's go to the Chastity Hall."
"Then you've come to the right place!" Xiaozhu couldn't help but raise her voice.
The woman was puzzled. Xiaozhu wanted to speak again, but Zhao Mingyan gave her a look and she quickly shut up.
Zhao Mingyan asked the woman, "Is there anyone you know there?"
The woman nodded, "My cousin is a 'widow' who has been honored by the government and allowed to enter the family."
"But...Xu Qiaoyu?" Zhao Mingyan asked.
There are only two "widows" in the Chastity Hall, Xu Qiaoyu and Chen Yaomei.
Although the government encourages women to be chaste, not many are willing to remain widows. Just as Aunt Zhuang said, if you are not even married, but you are called a "widow", what is the difference between that and becoming a nun without ever having sex?
"You know my cousin?" the woman was surprised.
"Well, not only do I know him, I'm very familiar with him."
Zhao Mingyan then told her about the weaving room, and then reminded her, "The Chastity Hall is under the jurisdiction of the government. You can stay here for a few days, but it's not suitable for you to stay here long-term."
The woman pursed her lips and frowned.
Zhao Mingyan continued, "You don't want to go home, and it seems you have some grudges with my husband's uncle. Is there any connection between them?"
The woman's body trembled again, as if she had fallen into an icy cave, and her face suddenly turned pale.
Zhao Mingyan turned to Xiaozhu and Ayun and said, "Go wait outside first."
The two men understood each other, quickly got off the carriage and closed the door.
Zhao Mingyan held the woman's hand and whispered, "I've heard Sister Qiaoyu mention you before. Your name is Qiaolian, right? Are you her second uncle's daughter?"
"Um."
The woman gradually let down her guard. "I always thought my cousin would be sent to a chastity hall at such a young age and would live a miserable life for the rest of her life. Who would have thought that the one who suffered the most would be me."
"I...married a man who is worse than an animal!"
"I thought the person I hated the most was Tan Mozhu, but now I think all my sorrows stem from my husband and our marriage!"
Zhao Mingyan was still puzzled, but she also had a vague feeling that this matter was not simple.
"Qiao Lian, what exactly did your husband and my husband's uncle do to you?"
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