It was clear that Tiantian, due to her young age, didn't understand much. Chen Lishu wondered if she would truly be caught by He Lei and his group this time. The thought of staying there, with only disgrace and humiliation awaiting her, spurred her to action.
Chen Lishu quickly gathered her spirits and, unwilling to give up, asked, "Tiantian, how long does it usually take you to get to the city?"
Tiantian replied with innocent eyes, "The uncle next door said it takes a whole day to travel to see his daughter who works in the city. Why are you asking, stepmother? Do you want to go out for a stroll? But without a car, you can't leave. We usually shop in the town. If we go out after breakfast, I'm already hungry by the time we get there."
By her account, the town was a four or five-hour journey away. It seemed the place she had been trafficked to was quite remote, making it difficult to send any messages out.
Just as Chen Lishu's face fell, she felt a hard object pressed against her chest. She was momentarily stunned, and then her eyes lit up.
Right! She was still wearing the same clothes she had arrived in, which meant her phone was still in her inner pocket. With this realization, Chen Lishu gently placed Tiantian on the ground and softly asked, "Tiantian, could you get me a glass of water? I'm a bit thirsty."
"Okay!" Tiantian readily agreed with a cheerful disposition and turned to leave.
Watching Tiantian's retreating back, Chen Lishu eagerly pulled out her phone. But when she saw that it couldn't get a signal, she fell into a panic. Was heaven really playing a trick on her, giving her hope only to snatch it away?
As Chen Lishu was at a loss for words, Tiantian returned with the water. Chen Lishu quickly hid her phone, but her movements were no match for Tiantian's sharp eyes. Tiantian placed the water on a nearby cabinet and curiously leaned close to Chen Lishu, asking, "Stepmother, what is that thing you're holding? Is it a phone?"
Chen Lishu hadn't expected Tiantian to recognize it. Did this mean some people in the village also used phones, and this place actually had signal? Realizing this, she grasped Tiantian's shoulders and eagerly inquired, "Tiantian, have you seen one before?"
Tiantian nodded obediently and said, "I have. The old grandpa next door's daughter bought him a phone to make communication easier. But I don't think it's convenient at all. Every time the old grandpa calls his daughter, he has to wander around the village for a long time to get a signal!"
It seemed she would have to find an opportunity to wander around. Chen Lishu gently squeezed Tiantian's cheek and coaxed, "Tiantian, we can't tell anyone about what happened today. If Grandma finds out, both of us might get spanked, understand?"
Hearing the word "spanked," Tiantian shivered and nodded vigorously, agreeing to keep it a secret.
For the next few days, Chen Lishu acted docile. Just as Wang Yuhua was about to relax, Chen Lishu made her first request since arriving. "I want to go out for a walk. Lying in bed all these days has been a huge blow to my body and mind. At this rate, I don't know when the injury on my leg will heal." After saying this, Chen Lishu feigned a listless demeanor and lay on the bed without any energy.
Wang Yuhua had spent a significant portion of her family's savings to buy Chen Lishu. If anything happened to her, it would be a complete loss. Thinking of this, Wang Yuhua quickly said, "Then shall I push you into the courtyard for a walk now?"
Chen Lishu shook her head and made a bolder request: "I want to wander around the village. It's a good opportunity to see what the environment I used to live in was like." Hearing this, Wang Yuhua paused, a flicker of suspicion crossing her deep-set eyes.
As if sensing Wang Yuhua's concern, Chen Lishu offered a harmless smile. "My legs are crippled, where can I possibly run off to? Besides, you'll have to push my wheelchair, so I'll always be within your sight. What are you worried about?"
Seeming to find Chen Lishu's words reasonable, Wang Yuhua pursed her lips and eventually borrowed a rather old wheelchair from a neighbor. Then, she and Tiantian helped Chen Lishu into it, supporting her from either side.
After about five days since arriving, Chen Lishu finally had the chance to see the outside environment. However, she noticed Wang Yuhua constantly trailing behind her, preventing her from taking out her phone to search for a signal. So, she wandered around the village, and as dusk began to settle, Wang Yuhua urged her back, and Chen Lishu was pushed back without any success.
Upon returning home, Chen Lishu's face was filled with dejection. Wang Yuhua roughly placed a bowl of rice in front of her and sternly warned, "I advise you not to have any improper thoughts. Everyone in the village knows each other. With your legs crippled, you won't be able to escape even if you wanted to!"
Chen Lishu glanced at Wang Yuhua and then sighed helplessly, saying, "I understand my current predicament. I'm just lamenting that with these injured legs, I'm like a cripple, unable to help with anything or do anything."
Wang Yuhua scrutinized Chen Lishu, trying to find any trace of deception on her face. However, she was facing a seasoned veteran of the corporate world, who wouldn't easily reveal her true intentions. Seeing that Chen Lishu wasn't lying and was seemingly considering their family's welfare, Wang Yuhua coldly stated, "As long as you give us a son, we'll treat you like a goddess!"
Chen Lishu nodded and then made one last suggestion, "Then take me to the vegetable patch tomorrow. Since we're going to be a family, it's natural to understand these things, isn't it?"
Meeting Chen Lishu's expectant gaze, Wang Yuhua thought that since she was under her watch, she couldn't cause much trouble anyway, so she might as well let her have her way. Therefore, the next day, Chen Lishu got her wish to go outside again. Wang Yuhua was busy with the vegetable patch and couldn't spare her attention, which gave Chen Lishu the opportunity to take out her phone and search for a signal.
However, when she took out her phone and checked the signal bars, nothing displayed. Just as the light in her eyes began to fade, the signal display finally showed some activity. Chen Lishu's body jolted, and her hands trembled as she found Gu Xingdong's contact information.
"I'm in Gui Jia Village, come find me quickly!"
As the message was sent, an unfamiliar voice asked, "What are you doing?"