After they finally made it down the mountain and arrived at the village, Lin Haitao told her daughter to turn off the flashlight so that no one would see it.
Zhang's mother was restless at home, constantly looking outside, wondering why he hadn't returned yet!
When she heard a noise outside, she quickly opened the door and saw that it was indeed her daughter and the others. She immediately pulled them inside, closed the door, and bolted it shut.
"How are you? Is anything bothering you? You're already seven months pregnant, we can't let anything happen to you."
"Pah, pah, pah, old woman, can't you say something nice? I think Xuemei is doing just fine!" Zhang's father, annoyed by his wife's unpleasant words, quickly spat on the ground a few times.
Zhang Xuemei shook her head and touched her belly. This baby is tough; despite all the commotion today, there was absolutely no reaction.
"Hurry up and eat! You must be starving. Haitao and Jingjing are eating at home too, don't go back. I've already cooked." Zhang's mother asked them to sit around the stove, brought out the dishes that were still warm in the pot, and served each of them a full bowl of rice.
Lin Haitao didn't stand on ceremony with her mother-in-law and started eating as soon as she picked up her bowl.
While eating, she said to her sister-in-law, "Xuemei, you probably can't stay here any longer. It's not that your sister-in-law is kicking you out, but as you can see, this is the second surprise inspection this week, and they're getting more and more thorough. Who knows when they'll find it?"
Seeing her sister-in-law stop eating and pick at her rice half-heartedly, she couldn't help but sigh, "And Zhang Li's wife was taken away from the village entrance eight months ago, what a tragedy!"
Those who were taken away, their fate is obvious.
"Yes, Xuemei, it was really too dangerous. If it weren't for your sister-in-law, you definitely wouldn't have been able to escape today."
Zhang's mother still feels lingering fear when she thinks about it. She had told her daughter to hide in the attic, but the group actually searched the entire attic and left when they couldn't find her.
"Sister-in-law, I know you meant well, how could I blame you! I owe you and Jingjing a lot today, otherwise I would have been found long ago." Zhang Xuemei still knew what was good for her; her family would never harm her.
“My main concern is that someone might report them, especially Zhang Li’s family. His wife has already been taken away, and you’re still sitting here unharmed. Do you think he’ll get angry and go and report them?”
"This can't be! We're all from the same village, how could someone do something like this?" Zhang's mother still couldn't believe that someone would report a pregnant woman; how heartless!
Lin Haitao continued with a sullen face, "We can't gamble on that. Besides, the family planning office has a reward program that rewards people with 50 yuan for reporting someone who can be caught. Do you think anyone will do it?"
Zhang's mother was also scared at this point. Once money was involved, there was no guarantee that someone wouldn't actually report them.
"Mom, sister-in-law, don't worry! I'll be back tomorrow." In her previous life, Zhang Xuemei also returned home the next day and successfully avoided giving birth.
“I’ll take you back tomorrow, but oh no, people will know I’m not home. It’s all that Xue Shan’s fault, running around everywhere, trying to do business. Otherwise, he could have taken you back.” Zhang’s mother was blaming her youngest son now. He didn’t know how to help out at home, always running around aimlessly, and she didn’t know how he earned any money.
"Mom, it's okay. I'll go back by myself tomorrow. I'll walk slowly, it'll be fine." Zhang Xuemei wasn't worried. She was used to walking like this anyway, so she could just walk slowly and make it back eventually.
"Knock knock knock," Zhang's mother was about to say something when there was a sudden knock on the door, and everyone in the room immediately fell silent.
Lin Haitao quickly pulled her sister-in-law into the inner room to hide. They had come this far, and they couldn't afford to mess it up.
"Who is it?" Zhang's mother asked softly through the door.
"Mom, it's me, Minghan," the person replied softly, as if afraid of being overheard.
Zhang's mother and her eldest daughter-in-law, who came out from the inner room, exchanged a glance. Although they didn't understand why he came so late, they still opened the door.
"Why are you here at this hour? Did something happen?"
"Mom, where's Xuemei? I've come to pick her up." As soon as Xu Minghan entered the house, he looked around, searching for his wife.
Hearing her husband's voice, Zhang Xuemei came out from the inner room and asked in confusion, "Why are you here?"
"We're taking you back. Pack your things quickly, we're leaving now."
Zhang's mother quickly pulled her daughter back, looking at her son-in-law with displeasure, "It's so late at night, you're making her walk in the dark? She's only been climbing the mountain for half a day, does she really think the baby in her belly is made of iron!"
"Mom, no, I called a car and parked it at the village entrance. How could I let Xuemei walk at night?" Xu Minghan quickly explained, afraid that his mother-in-law would misunderstand.
Although Zhang Xuemei clearly remembered that this didn't happen in her previous life, since she had been reborn, there should be some changes.
So she smiled at her mother, went back inside to pack her clothes, and prepared to go home with her husband.
Before leaving, he smiled and said to his sister-in-law and the others, "Sister-in-law, you can come to Xiangyang Village to pick some bayberries to take back when you have time. It's the perfect season for them to ripen now."
"Stop it! Now is no time to eat bayberries. Believe me, as soon as we go there, people will think you're hiding at home and that you'll eat them next year!"
Lin Haitao didn't know whether to say her sister-in-law was carefree or silly, as she was still thinking about food at this moment! But it was all out of kindness, and she appreciated the gesture.
"Yes! Go back quickly! Minghan, be careful on the road. The road is uneven and the car is very bumpy. Hold onto Xuemei." Zhang's mother touched her daughter's hand and gave her a worried reminder.
Sigh, having already given birth to two sons and two daughters, I suppose Xuemei must resemble her; this pregnancy is bound to be a son. With a son, the daughters won't have to hide anymore.
Xu Minghan said goodbye to his mother-in-law and the others, and helped his wife slowly walk towards the village entrance. Because he didn't want the villagers to see them, he parked the car outside and walked a long way before they saw it.
"Xuemei's here, hurry up and get in the car, let's leave early and get back early." Xu Dongxiang sat in the driver's seat, watched the two get in the car before turning around and starting the car.
The car made a "thump-thump-thump" sound, which was especially loud in the quiet night. No wonder Xu Minghan had someone park the car further away; the noise would surely attract the attention of the families at the village entrance.
Zhang Xuemei leaned against her husband's chest, her other hand gripping the handrail tightly. The car shook up and down as it drove, which she, who had just been reborn, found very uncomfortable.
After taking a long detour, it took about two hours for the car to reach Xiangyang Village.
Because of the commotion, Xu Dongxiang, just like last time, parked the car some distance from the village entrance and called Xu Minghan and the others to get out.
"Alright, Minghan, you should go back now. Xuemei must be tired after a long day."
"We really have more brothers this time. Enough said, I'll treat you to a meal after this busy period." Xu Minghan patted Xu Dongxiang on the shoulder, thinking to himself that brothers are the most reliable.
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