The water was heated, and he cooled it before bringing it to Zhan Jingchun.
Miss Zhan wasn't thirsty at all and only took a sip before setting it down.
"I need to go to the restroom."
It was already dark outside. Peng Fei held a torch and helped her to the outhouse.
Zhan Jingchun didn't actually need to use the restroom; she just wanted to torment him and make him unhappy. She squatted on the ground for a long time.
"You're watching me, and I can't go."
It wasn't the first time he'd seen her like this, so why couldn't she go today?
Peng Fei wanted to ask, but he didn't dare provoke her, so he retreated a step towards the house.
"Is this okay?"
His constant yielding made her every outburst feel like a fist hitting cotton, unable to release her anger, which made her uncomfortable.
Zhan Jingchun would rather he argued with her. At least then they could communicate clearly. Who was he trying to act so wronged for?
She disliked him even more!
She pulled up her pants and stood up, walking angrily into the woods.
"I can't stand looking at you. Whenever I see you, I feel uncomfortable all over! Wait here, I'm going further in!"
This time, Peng Fei couldn't let her go alone.
The woods were deep, and the dew was heavy at night, making it a time for snakes and insects to come out.
She was delicate and precious; what if something bit her?
Peng Fei started to follow, but Zhan Jingchun turned back and yelled at him forcefully.
"Don't follow me, aren't you annoying? It's so dark, and I'm just going to the restroom, can I run away? If you follow me again, I'll jump off!"
He didn't know why she was inexplicably so angry, only that she was acting this way was bad for the child and bad for her health. He was so scared he didn't dare move.
"Alright, alright, I won't follow. I'll wait for you right here. Don't go too far, the woods are deep, be careful of snakes."
It would be good if there were snakes!
Zhan Jingchun walked quickly, thinking resentfully: "If a few more snakes, a few big pythons, came and bit me to death, I couldn't live another day in this hell!"
Her anger surged. As she walked quickly, she pushed aside the branches on either side and kicked at the weeds under her feet.
As she kicked, she must have bumped into something sharp, and a sharp pain shot up her leg.
It felt like being pricked by a poisoned needle. After the sharp sting, the pain immediately spread upwards from her calf, and she felt unable to move.
She had said she wanted to die, but when she truly encountered trouble, her first thought was of Peng Fei.
Her leg was too painful to stand on. Before she fell, she shouted.
"Peng Fei!"
Hearing her scream, Peng Fei rushed inside.
After only a few steps, he saw a patterned snake slither past his feet.
He guessed what had happened almost instantly.
Without pausing to find Zhan Jingchun first, he chased after the snake.
Zhan Jingchun lay alone in the grass. It took Peng Fei several minutes to return and pick her up.
Her entire right leg was numb, and her heart was pounding wildly. Her first thought was of the child.
Had she really been bitten by something? If she was poisoned, would the child be okay?
Her emotions were a jumble.
After all, it was her first child, and she had been with it daily for two months. It would be a lie to say she had no feelings for it.
But then she thought, perhaps it was for the best if she couldn't keep it. In such a world, it would only bring more trouble.
Lost in her thoughts, Peng Fei carried her back to the room.
He placed her on the bed and, without a word, began to tear at her pant leg.
The snake had already been caught, killed, and thrown aside. Fang Fang, knowing what had happened, watched nervously from the side.
Peng Fei tore off her pant leg, found the bite mark, and immediately began to suck the blood.
But it wasn't like in the movies, where you could suck out a lot of blood.
Just a little bit, and her leg was already badly bruised.
Peng Fei knew how potent the snake's venom was. They couldn't stay here tonight. He took his clothes from her, grabbed Zhan Jingchun, slung her over his back, abandoned their belongings, and ordered Fang Fang.
"Take this, and go, quickly!"
They had only arrived a few hours ago, and before anything could be settled, his sister-in-law was seriously injured.
Fang Fang could foresee the storm that was coming, but even if the sky fell, they would have to endure it.
She didn't want her sister-in-law to be in danger.
Holding the torch, she stumbled ahead, clearing the path just as she had when they arrived.
Peng Fei, carrying Zhan Jingchun on his back, ran wildly behind her.
Branches whipped at him, catching in his hair and on his face.
Zhan Jingchun couldn't feel his pain, but she could hear his thumping heartbeat and feel the sweat dripping from his back.
Her anger had finally subsided.
She really enjoyed seeing him suffer; she liked the taste of revenge.
It seemed to be quite serious, as it had scared Peng Fei so badly.
She even thought wickedly: If both she and the child couldn't be saved, how would Peng Fei react? Losing both the wife and the soldiers, would he be so angry he died?
Her consciousness grew hazy. She didn't know what Peng Fei would do, but she knew that no matter what happened, he deserved it.
This was karma.
Zhan Jingchun didn't know when she had returned home, nor what had happened after they got back.
When she woke up again, it was already dawn.
Peng Fei wasn't in the room. She could only hear Peng Mama working in the yard, cursing her loudly.
She was truly lucky to be alive. She had returned to this cursed place, only to endlessly listen to people using veiled insults.
Zhan Jingchun sneered at fate's cruel joke and tried to sit up to check her wound.
As soon as she moved, she felt a warmth beneath her.
What was happening? Was she bleeding?
This feeling was so familiar.
She couldn't get up and wanted to know what was happening, so she called for Peng Fei.
As soon as she opened her mouth, she realized how weak she was; she didn't have the strength to shout.
But even so, Peng Fei, who was guarding the door, heard the movement immediately and rushed in.
Seeing that she had finally woken up, although her face was pale, her eyes were still bright. His nose twitched, and he almost shed tears.
"Chun Chun, you're awake? How are you, does it still hurt?"
Zhan Jingchun didn't feel pain, only discomfort.
"I think I'm bleeding..."
Peng Fei's expression told him where she was referring. He paused.
"I know. Mom helped you put something there... Should it be changed? I'll get you some paper."
What did that mean?
Helped her put something there, and get paper?
She shouldn't have been bleeding.
Zhan Jingchun grabbed him.
"What happened to me? Did I lose the child?"
Her words pierced Peng Fei's heart with pain.
Zhan Jingchun had been lying down for two days. She had been poisoned and was severely injured, requiring medication.
But if she took that medication, the child couldn't be saved. It had been gone for two days.
For the past two days, his mother had been cursing.
She cursed Zhan Jingchun as a jinx, a bringer of bad luck to their family, saying they shouldn't have bought her in the first place. She cursed Peng Fei for being useless, for taking her out, for giving her a good face. Ever since she had entered the house, nothing had gone smoothly.
Peng Fei also felt distressed.
He didn't know what was wrong with him, but compared to others, his life was so much harder.
Yet, he still didn't want his mother to curse her or hurt her. He would rather argue with his mother than let her be harmed. He stayed by her side every day.
"Your health is important. You can have children in the future. Don't be sad. I'll go get the paper."