If she had bought gifts, that would be ideal. If not, he would use the money in his pocket as a gift for their visit.

Anxin didn’t expect Bai Yichen to be so considerate as to ask about gifts. She quickly pulled a large bag from under the table and said,
“Today, when I went to town, I bought new clothes for Mom and the kids, as well as some school supplies.”

Seeing the bag of gifts in her hands, Bai Yichen nodded with satisfaction.
“Good. That’s thoughtful.”

He hadn’t misjudged her when he handed over control of their finances.

The road from the exploration team’s dormitory to Anxin’s family home was long, so Bai Yichen stepped forward and took the bag from her hands.

Anxin wanted to say she could carry it herself, but seeing his tall back, she swallowed her words. Instead, she brought out a large bowl from the cupboard, filled with braised pig’s trotters, offal, chicken feet, and boiled eggs—items she had set aside earlier before Bai Yichen’s coworkers could eat everything.

The moonlight was exceptionally bright that night as the two walked toward Anxin’s family home. Before long, they arrived at the small, worn courtyard, illuminated by a dim light and filled with the sounds of her younger siblings, An Yang and An Wen, chatting.

Standing outside the gate, Anxin called out,
“Mom, we’re back!”

Lying in bed, Chen Hongyan immediately called to Anyang.
“Hurry out and check! Is that your sister and brother-in-law?”

They had been waiting all day, wondering if Anxin and Bai Yichen would come for the customary second-day home visit.

Anyang had already asked multiple times,
“Mom, did my sister and brother-in-law forget to come back?”

Even the younger twins, An Wen and An Wu, had started to look dejected. But Chen Hongyan comforted them, saying,
“Your sister and brother-in-law are probably tied up with something. They’ll come eventually.”

Despite her words, as the day dragged on and darkness fell, Chen Hongyan herself began to doubt whether they would return.

Thankfully, Anxin and Bai Yichen had arrived under the moonlight, finally easing her worries.

Hearing the familiar voice, Anyang dashed outside. She spotted Anxin and Bai Yichen standing outside the gate and shouted back toward the house,
“Mom, it’s really them! My sister and brother-in-law are here!”

Anyang’s voice was loud and clear, echoing through the quiet village and undoubtedly reaching the ears of nearby households.

The return of her sister and brother-in-law meant the local gossipers wouldn’t have anything to criticize tomorrow.

Anyang opened the gate, and Anxin and Bai Yichen stepped into the yard. With a sweet smile, Anyang greeted them,
“Sister, brother-in-law, you’re back!”

Anxin stepped forward, ruffled her younger sister’s hair, and said indulgently,
“Yes, we’re back. Such a sweet talker! You deserve a reward.”

She handed over the bowl of braised dishes, and the aroma of the meat instantly filled the air. Anyang sniffed, her eyes lighting up as she exclaimed,
“Wow, something delicious!”

The twins, An Wen and An Wu, peeked at the bowl with eager eyes, their mouths watering uncontrollably.

Anxin chuckled, patting their furry heads.
“You two little gluttons, already drooling? Go eat now!”

With a wink from Anxin, Anyang gleefully took the twins to the kitchen. Turning to Bai Yichen, Anxin said,
“You go sit in the main room for a bit. I’ll check on Mom.”

With their family consisting of only women and children, there was no one to entertain Bai Yichen.

“Alright,” he replied, obediently heading to the main room.

Anxin strode into Chen Hongyan’s room. Lying in bed, her mother’s face lit up with joy upon seeing her daughter. Despite her pallid complexion, a faint smile spread across her lips.
“Xin’er, you’re back!”

“Yes,” Anxin nodded, pulling up a stool to sit.

The two began chatting, their conversation flowing naturally as though they hadn’t spoken in years. It seemed that married women always had more to share when visiting their mothers.

Time flew, and before they realized it, the moon was high in the sky. Only then did Anxin leave her mother’s room.

Bai Yichen was waiting in the courtyard. When he saw Anxin come out, the two bid farewell to her family and walked silently back toward the exploration team’s quarters.

Under the bright moonlight, Bai Yichen finally broke the silence as they neared their destination.
“Tomorrow, I’ll speak to my superiors and arrange for the exploration team’s jeep to take your family to the hospital.”

Anxin looked at him in surprise. The moonlight accentuated his sharp profile, and even without turning to face her, she could feel his gaze waiting for her response.

Awkwardly, she asked,
“You heard everything I said to my mom?”

She had forgotten how old and poorly insulated their home was. It offered no privacy, and anyone with decent hearing could catch their conversation.

“Mm.”

Bai Yichen nodded without hesitation.

He had overheard everything while sitting in the main room, though it wasn’t intentional. The dilapidated house couldn’t keep secrets, even if mother and daughter spoke in hushed tones.

He had clearly heard Chen Hongyan initially refusing to go to the hospital, worried that treatment costs would leave the family without money for school or daily expenses.

Anxin had spoken gently, persuading her mother with patience and logic. In the end, a single sentence from her melted Chen Hongyan’s resolve:
“If you’re gone, my siblings and I will be orphans.”

Sitting alone in the dark, Bai Yichen had felt a sudden wave of emotion upon hearing that word—orphans.

It was a term that evoked universal pity.