Confused, Tian Jiao watched as Xiao He wrote: “I want to buy in the city.”

The city was entirely different from the county—fully urban, with private bathrooms and bustling streets.

Tian Jiao found it odd. Before, Xiao He would just nod whenever she mentioned buying a house in the county. But now, he seemed determined.

Xiao He looked at her, his clear eyes showing a hint of longing.

Tian Jiao smiled. “You have big dreams! Keep working hard.”

Xiao He nodded, diving back into his work.

Zhang Yanran approached Tian Jiao, asking, “Is he always like this?”

Tian Jiao replied, “He was diagnosed with autism.”

Startled, Zhang Yanran looked at the boy again. His profile was fair and handsome, with delicate hands that would likely draw attention someday. Could someone like him really have autism?

Feeling sad, Zhang Yanran asked, “Have you tried seeing a specialist?”

Tian Jiao shook her head, a bit embarrassed. “We didn’t have money before.”

Since childhood, she’d tried her best to help him whenever she could, which had improved his behavior. But he still didn’t talk to others, and she’d forgotten about finding a doctor.

Zhang Yanran thought for a moment and said, “My dad knows some doctors. He goes for check-ups sometimes. You could bring him along.”

Zhang Dong needed regular check-ups for his leg recovery. The military hospital in their province sent a car to pick him up every three months.

During this time, I need to go to the city hospital for a routine check-up every month.

Tian Jiao’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Okay, then bring Xiao He with you.” She patted Xiao He’s shoulder and told him what they had just discussed.

Xiao He nodded obediently and didn’t resist.

Zhang Yanran smiled, understanding a little about their relationship.

…

Recently, Xu Qiu noticed that Zhang Yanran and Tian Jiao went out every day and always returned around dinner time. Sometimes, they might not come back for dinner at all. When she asked where they were going, they wouldn’t tell her.

Zhang Yanran was wary of Xu Qiu. Xu Qiu knew that before she arrived, the previous owner had already ruined the heroine’s feelings. She just wanted to keep this simple relationship and planned to take the heroine with her when she became successful.

In this era, doing anything seems easy, but it really requires personal ability. In her past life, Xu Qiu was just a regular office worker and didn’t know much about many things. If she had to go out and do business, she would have struggled.

She felt a little sorry but decided not to ask further questions. Instead, she focused her attention on Zhang Rui, who was working on carpentry in the yard.

Zhang Rui’s reputation had spread in these villages. Now he had a steady business, and with help from others, things became easier for him. Although there wasn’t much work, people would struggle even if they didn’t starve. But he had other ways to earn money, and his life was quite comfortable.

Others didn’t know that as Zhang Rui repeatedly turned down blind dates, everyone considered him not a good man. But Xu Qiu knew better. Especially now, with the hot weather, Zhang Rui, sweating in the shade of the yard, looked very manly to her.

Others thought 28 was too old and looked down on him, but Xu Qiu thought it was just right: mature, charming, and doing well financially.

Although he had a daughter, she was not his biological child.

So now, she was determined to win Zhang Rui over.

Xu Qiu smiled and handed him a cup of water. “You must be tired. Drink some water first.”

Zhang Rui was focused on his work. When he heard her gentle voice, he was surprised. He looked up and saw Xu Qiu.

He suddenly felt a headache and laughed awkwardly. “No, no, I’m not thirsty.”

If Xu Qiu insisted, he would turn around and pretend to get something. “Please move aside…”

Xu Qiu wasn’t rude enough to ignore all this. She moved aside and saw Zhang Rui go to drink water.

She took a deep breath and thought she didn’t mind. If a girl wanted to pursue a boy, she just needed to be patient to succeed. Especially in this village, apart from the two girls from the Zhang family, who else was prettier than her?

Just as they were playing this little game, Zhang Dong watched with interest. Li Mizhen and Zhang Dagen tried to help, but Ding Yushu, who was four months pregnant, fell and started bleeding.

Zhang Zhi immediately carried her to the hospital in the team’s car and asked someone to notify the Zhang family.

Tian Jiao was shocked when she heard the news. Dabao was so scared by the thought of something happening to his mother’s baby that he hugged Tian Jiao and cried.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Everything will be fine,” Tian Jiao comforted him.

Dabao didn’t say anything, just cried silently. Although the Zhang family seemed to be splitting up, they cared deeply for the only child who had moved out. Everything was chaotic. Li Mizhen hurried to pack and go to the county town, almost falling in her rush.

Zhang Yanran quickly came over to help her.

Everyone in the family was busy, including Tian Jiao, who comforted Dabao.

She took him into the room and brought out some candy to cheer him up. “Okay, sister said it’s alright. Nothing will happen. Here, I’ll give you some candy, and then you won’t cry.”

Dabao shook his head, looking very sad, as if he had suffered a great blow.

Tian Jiao looked at him in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Dabao looked at her with tear-soaked eyes, his little mouth pouting, looking pitiful.

“Go ahead, sister is listening.”

Dabao finally spoke through his tears. “She did it on purpose!”

“Ah?” Tian Jiao was stunned.

Once Dabao said these five words, he exploded into tears, crying and yelling angrily. “She did it on purpose! Two days ago, elder sister gave me candy, and I wanted to give her some. I heard her talking to aunt! Aunt said she wanted to take the college entrance exam, so she asked her to take the exam too. She didn’t want the baby anymore. Anyway, the belly isn’t ruptured, so if it’s gone, it’s gone…”

Tian Jiao’s heart raced, and her mind felt foggy.

Zhang Dagen, who was smoking in the main room, came in with a dark expression after hearing the news. “What did you say? Say it again!”

Dabao shrank back, hiding in Tian Jiao’s arms out of fear.

Tian Jiao stood up to stop him. “Grandpa, calm down and wait until she comes back.”

Zhang Dagen ignored her and stared at Dabao. “Dabao, is what you said true?”

Dabao didn’t dare to say anything. He was just angry earlier, but now he realized he had said too much and was in trouble.

He stopped crying, wiping his tears.

Zhang Dagen kept his gaze on him, his chest heaving.

Tian Jiao was about to go over and push Zhang Dagen out when she heard Dabao quietly say, “It’s true…”

Zhang Dagen held the door with one hand and patted his chest with the other. Tian Jiao hurried to support him and helped steady him.

Zhang Dagen calmed down and let go of Tian Jiao’s hand. “Take care of Dabao. Don’t worry about anything else.”

Tian Jiao mumbled, “Oh.”

****

The Zhang family was in a stir for two days, but the baby was saved. Ding Yushu was in good health, having only fallen once. Although it was a serious fall, the child was safe.

Zhang Zhi’s face was filled with joy and relief. He hesitated to ask for leave from the team leader or to resign. After the child was born, he would follow his brother to work. With two children in the family, he couldn’t support them on his salary as a driver.

Ding Yushu was especially careless.

After the doctor’s announcement, almost everyone in the ward was happy, except for Ding Yushu, whose face suddenly fell.

Zhang Dagen did not come; it was Li Mizhen who came to take care of her. Li Mizhen was happy, but when she saw Ding Yushu’s expression, she felt something was off. She wanted to say something, but thinking of the grandson in Ding Yushu’s belly, she held back and simply went outside, avoiding looking at her.

At that time, most rural people were not accustomed to hospitalization. Unless it was a serious illness, they were usually prescribed medicine and sent home. Ding Yushu’s condition was somewhat serious this time, so she stayed in the hospital for three days. After the doctor confirmed that there was no longer a need for hospitalization, she returned home immediately.

Before this, Zhang Zhi had only returned to the family once and hadn’t been back since.

When he returned this time, he wanted to tell Zhang Rui that he could follow him in the future to earn more. Although this wasn’t an honorable job, at least he could spend more time at home.

He felt a bit nervous and his hands were sweating as he walked in.

Due to family matters, Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran didn’t dare to go up the mountain that day and stayed at home. At this moment, they were helping Dabao with his homework in the main room. The front and back doors of the room were open for ventilation, and without electric fans or air conditioning, the air felt refreshingly cool.

“Second Uncle,” Tian Jiao called out instinctively.

“Second Uncle,” Zhang Yanran echoed.

Only Dabao, who had once been very close to his father, shrank back in embarrassment at the sight of him and dared not look up.

Zhang Zhi didn’t pay much attention to that and nodded at the other person in the room, Zhang Rui.

“Third brother, didn’t you ask me to go into business with you before? Is it still possible now?” Zhang Zhi asked, pursing his lips.

With the recent troubles involving Ding Yushu and her hospital visit, the family had exhausted their savings due to her lavish spending. Now, they were almost out of money. Fortunately, Li Mizhen had brought some funds when she visited, or they might not have been able to afford the medical treatment.

Zhang Rui immediately nodded. “Of course! Then you should resign. I have to head out in two days.”

Zhang Zhi felt delighted and relieved. “Okay, I’ll go tell the captain right away.”

Suddenly, Zhang Dagen’s voice floated in from outside. “You can follow your third brother, but you can get a divorce after the child is born.”

Zhang Zhi and Zhang Rui were both stunned. Zhang Yanran and Tian Jiao exchanged glances, then pulled Dabao out of the main room.

Dabao hurried to follow them.

Even with the door closed, they could still hear the conversation inside.

Zhang Zhi, bewildered, asked, “Dad, what did you just say? Did I hear you wrong?”

No matter how much trouble Ding Yushu had caused before, Zhang Dagen had never suggested divorce. Why was he saying this now?

Zhang Dagen’s tone was serious. “She fell down on purpose this time.”

Zhang Zhi obviously didn’t believe it, but before he could respond, Zhang Dagen continued, “Dabao overheard what she and her sister said. They wanted to take the college entrance exam, which meant they couldn’t keep the baby. The accident happened just two days later. Dabao was scared.”

Zhang Zhi’s face turned pale as the realization hit him. He could hardly believe it but had no choice but to accept it. After all, there was no reason for his father to lie. Zhang Dagen was not the type to make unfounded accusations against others; he wasn’t a saint, but he wasn’t a bad person either.

Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran could hear Zhang Zhi’s low, trembling voice in the room: “Dad, stop talking nonsense.”

“If she can have the baby, then she can be considered honest. But if she doesn’t want to live with you anymore, divorce her and give her a little more money to end things,” Zhang Dagen said, taking a puff of his cigarette. “If she can’t have the baby, divorce her immediately.”

Six years ago, no one would have even thought about divorce, but now, Zhang Dagen was the one bringing it up.

As a traditional man, Zhang Dagen realized it was impossible for the family to produce another son. Zhang Zhi only had Dabao, and Zhang Rui was reckless. The Zhang family couldn’t just wither away like this.

Moreover, Ding Yushu wanted to endanger the Zhang family’s legacy! No matter what, she couldn’t harm the child. Even if he had initially resented Tian Jiao, he never considered secretly abandoning her. Was he not human?

He could clearly see that as a mother, Ding Yushu was willing to do something like this for the college entrance exam. Could she really lead a good life with Zhang Zhi? She was just using him as a last resort.

Zhang Zhi was stunned into silence.

Li Mizhen, who was hearing all this for the first time, was furious. “No wonder she was crying when the doctor said the baby was safe! Turns out she was waiting for this! Damn her, I’m going to beat her until she cries for her parents!”

She picked up a stick, ready to act.

So consumed by anger, she forgot that the family had been living apart and that Ding Yushu was pregnant.

Zhang Zhi, frightened by his mother’s voice, snapped out of it and hurriedly stopped her: “Mom, I’ll handle this!”

Li Mizhen struck Zhang Zhi with the stick, her sharp voice piercing the air: “What were you thinking coming here? You just wanted to marry her because she was pretty. Now she doesn’t even want you! What are you doing here? Are you asking her to abort the baby?”

The stick fell on his body, and Zhang Zhi groaned, gritting his teeth to keep from shouting. He felt pain, his mind still reeling, but he instinctively blocked his mother’s rage.

Li Mizhen was also enraged. She had hardly slept for the past two days. Ding Yushu had relied on her pregnancy to push her around, and Li Mizhen had put up with it for her son’s sake. Now, discovering that all her efforts had been in vain, her frustration boiled over.

Finally, tired from the fight, Li Mizhen sat on the ground, panting, not wanting to see this unfortunate son anymore. She waved her hand dismissively, saying, “Get away from me!”

Zhang Zhi nodded dully and left.

But as he walked home, his eyes burned with anger, like a lion ready to pounce on its prey.

…

Ding Yushu was still at home, deep in thought about what her sister had said.

A few days ago, my sister heard about the return of the college entrance examination. She ran to me crying, saying that our parents wouldn’t let her take the exam. They said it would be a waste of money and time, and that she would definitely fail.

“Sister, I want to take the college entrance examination, but my parents don’t support me. They say I’m not good at studying. I haven’t studied for a few years, so how can I pass? But I don’t want to stay in the countryside forever. Sister, will you take the college entrance examination?”

Ding Yushu, with her four-month-old belly, felt something stir in her heart. But she looked down at her big belly and hesitated.

My sister didn’t notice her hesitation and continued to complain with envy: “My parents said your grades are better than mine. You should take the exam. My brother-in-law likes you, so he will definitely let you take it, right?”

Ding Yushu thought the same way. Since she was a child, she wanted to study and make a name for herself. She always knew that to succeed, one had to rely on knowledge. She looked down on farmers who worked hard in the fields.

It was just unfortunate. When she reached college age, the college entrance examination was stopped. Now that she was pregnant, could she still take the exam?

“Why should I take the exam? I heard from the educated youth that the exam will be in winter. By then, the child will either not be born, or I will be recovering from childbirth…” Ding Yushu’s voice grew softer, full of unwillingness.

Why was she given hope just as she had given up and wanted to get pregnant again?

The chance to leave the countryside was in front of her, but she couldn’t grab it.

My sister shrugged innocently: “You are only four months pregnant. It’s okay if you have a miscarriage. It won’t hurt your body. If you have it later, it will be harder to have a miscarriage.”

“Miscarriage?” Ding Yushu’s heart stirred, and she touched her belly. The baby was still small and had not moved. She ate well every day, as if she were not pregnant.

Sometimes, she even thought she was just gaining weight.

When she was pregnant with Dabao, she felt movement early on. Was there something wrong with this baby?

She wondered and suddenly asked, “Is it really not harmful to the body?”

“No!” My sister answered firmly.

Ding Yushu nodded vigorously: “Okay! I want to take the college entrance examination, so I can’t keep the child! I should get an abortion quickly so my body can heal.”

“Okay, I will get you a copy of the textbooks, but sister, I don’t have any money…”