"I'm going to ride the motorcycle! To the hospital!"
"Mom, you bandage her up, and go now! My son can't be in danger!"
Peng Fei's family had no transportation. Wang Kang, stumbling, rode his motorcycle with Zhang Wei and her mother out of the village.
Watching their retreating backs, Zhan Jingchun's heart was in her throat.
With such a bumpy ride, she wondered if Zhang Wei could handle it. What if something really happened…
She dared not think of the consequences, silently praying in her heart that Zhang Wei would escape danger, even if she couldn't escape this time…
Peng Fei pulled her back.
Back home, Zhan Jingchun neither ate nor drank, sitting at the courtyard entrance, gazing into the distance, eagerly awaiting news of Zhang Wei.
Lunch was ready, but she was still lost in thought.
Peng Fei went to call her back. Seeing her face flushed from the high temperature, her expression serious and earnest, he couldn't help but feel his heart ache.
"It's still early. They've probably only just reached the town. Rushing won't help. Nothing will happen. Go back and eat."
Zhan Jingchun ignored him.
Peng Fei squatted in front of her. "You're not well yourself. Even if you're worried about her, you can't neglect yourself. I added two eggs for you. Be good and go eat."
She still ignored him.
Peng Fei reached out to take her hands, which rested on her knees, fair and tender. Zhan Jingchun dodged him.
"I don't want to eat. I'm not hungry. I want to see Zhang Wei."
"…"
"She's my only friend. If something really happens to her… I'm not kidding, I'll be worried to death. Peng Fei, Wang Kang is your friend too, isn't he? Aren't you curious about how he's doing? Let's go see them together!"
Now it was Peng Fei's turn to fall silent.
Not only was there no precedent in the village for people chasing after someone to the hospital, but even if there were, his mother had been at odds with Wang Kang's mother recently, there were many chores at home, and he didn't have a motorcycle, making it inconvenient to go.
More importantly, once they went to town, who knew if his wife could be brought back.
Seeing his silence, Zhan Jingchun guessed what he was thinking and quickly reassured him.
"I won't run away! I promise you, I just want to see Zhang Wei. As soon as I confirm she's okay, I'll come back. If not, you can tie me up with a rope! Really, I absolutely won't run away, okay?"
Peng Fei: "…"
"Please, okay? I'm begging you!"
The more she acted like this, the more Peng Fei worried about her intentions and the less he dared to agree.
He simply carried her back to the room, not daring to let her out.
Zhan Jingchun was furious.
If Zhang Wei had deliberately induced her labor early today, it was an opportunity gained at the risk of her life.
They had all seen a glimmer of hope, how could it be extinguished by her?
With no other options, after some thought, she gritted her teeth and decided to use her feminine charms.
Peng Fei placed her by the bedside and was about to go out, unsure if he was going to bring her food or lock her up.
As he straightened up, Zhan Jingchun pounced and hugged him.
Peng Fei was 185 cm tall, and Zhan Jingchun was 166 cm. As she leaned into his embrace, her head rested against his jaw. When she looked up, her lips were near his ear.
Zhan Jingchun nestled against his chest for two seconds, then looked up and whispered in his ear.
"Husband~ Please~ We'll just go for a bit and come back~ I'm so afraid of not having friends. Won't you pity me, my dear husband~"
This was the first time since she had arrived that she had actively hugged Peng Fei. In broad daylight, not only did she hug him, but she also called him… husband?
This address, Peng Fei had fantasized about in his heart, but he had never dared to ask for it. The happiness came too suddenly!
Although she used cheap shampoo, Zhan Jingchun's hair was still fragrant.
Held by the fragrant and soft her, Peng Fei's bones felt as if they were melting, and certain parts reacted dramatically.
Zhan Jingchun was no longer an ignorant young girl. On the contrary, she was very aware of Peng Fei's reactions recently.
Knowing he was smitten, and likely to be swayed soon, she hardened her resolve and moved closer to him with more force.
"Okay? I'm begging you like this, please agree, my dear husband~"
Peng Fei couldn't utter a word. He lowered his head to meet her gaze, his eyes burning with desire.
Zhan Jingchun's eyes were full of charming innocence. Seeing his thoughts, she boldly stood on tiptoe and pecked his lips.
"Mmm—"
Peng Fei didn't let her dodge this time.
Heroes have always found it hard to resist beauty. They hadn't eaten lunch, and after a bout of intimacy, Peng Fei finally relented.
"Alright, but we can only go after the work is done."
"Ah?"
"I'll go do it now. The sooner we go, the sooner we return. Otherwise, Mom will scold me."
Zhan Jingchun was so angry she wanted to get out of his arms. "Mama's boy! How old are you, and you're still so afraid of her?"
"It's not fear, it's that I don't want to upset her. She's had a hard life… Forget it, you just wait at home. I'll finish quickly."
How could Zhan Jingchun wait?
"I'll go with you. Two people will be faster!"
Peng Fei was amused by her.
Instead of eating at mealtime, they locked themselves in the room. Peng Fei's mother could probably guess what was happening.
She had intended to say a few words to her son when they came out, telling him not to overwork himself and to take care of his health. However, when they emerged, they didn't say a word to her, but instead grabbed his wife's hand and a hoe and ran off.
Peng Fei's mother chased after them, asking if they weren't eating and where they were going.
Peng Fei smiled with great contentment, his handsome face beaming. "We're not eating! We're going to work!"
Peng Fei couldn't bear to let Zhan Jingchun work in the fields. He worked like a machine, ceaselessly, finally finishing the weeding before four o'clock.
Before his mother could find out, they had to return before dinner. He didn't even have time to change clothes, so he pulled Zhan Jingchun straight to Er Gen's house.
He had a motorcycle, which he cherished and rarely rode.
If it weren't for coaxing his wife, Peng Fei would never have borrowed it.
Precisely because he never asked for favors, he easily got the loan.
Peng Fei sped along the winding and steep mountain roads with Zhan Jingchun, scaring her so much that she didn't dare to open her eyes the entire way.
Only then did she understand why the women who came here seemed to accept their fate and stay. This place was truly poor, backward, remote, and difficult to navigate.
It was like Tao Yuanming's Peach Blossom Spring; without a local guide, it was impossible to find one's way out on foot.
The motorcycle ride took over an hour to reach the flatter terrain outside, and another half hour to reach the town.
The two went to the only health clinic in town and found Wang Kang by asking around.
Thank heavens, Zhang Wei was fine. She had given birth to a son via C-section, weighing four catties and two taels. Mother and child were safe and sound.
Although Wang Kang was the first in the village to pay for childbirth and have his wife admitted to the hospital, which was another expense, he was very happy because he had a son.
He described the hardships of the journey to Peng Fei in detail, then pulled him outside for a smoke.
"I've been holding back all day. I'm dying to smoke. Come on, let's have one before we go back."
Wang Kang, holding the baby, was beaming. While no one was paying attention to them, Zhan Jingchun asked Zhang Wei how she was.
Zhang Wei, having just had surgery, was weak but still managed a smile.
"I'm fine. At least I'm out, and you're out too. There's hope now."
"You go back first. I'll see you again in a couple of days. I need to get familiar with the environment. Next time, we'll leave."