1940s: I supported my wife and sister-in-law by hunting.

As soon as she finished speaking, the curtain was lifted.

Apricot Blossom and Lotus Flower walked in one after the other.

The two women could hear everything clearly from the east wing, including the commotion and the cutting of burlap sacks in the courtyard.

The two sisters were very clear-headed. Ever since they stepped into the Chen family's door, their parents-in-law had been kind and never found fault with them. Gao Shan cared for the family and was considerate and warm-hearted, treating them with the utmost kindness.

But the two of them only had daughters and couldn't continue the Chen family line. They felt guilty and always felt useless and sorry for the Chen family.

Farmers raised on the black soil are open-minded and have no petty or narrow-minded thoughts.

Ever since Xiao Gou Ri Zi was driven away, there have been quite a few women who fled from the puppet Manchukuo regime in the south and were abducted by Hu Zi. In some villages, bachelors simply took in the women from Xiao Gou Ri Zi and used them as wives.

Many families have adopted stray dogs, so it's become quite common.

Apricot Blossom is a bit soft-hearted, but she is also the most insightful, and she speaks first.

"Mother, if Father wants to find a second wife for Shanzi, Lianhua and I have nothing to say."

"Logically speaking, I'm from Gao Lin's household and don't have the status to interfere in Shan Zi's household affairs. But since he's now in charge of both households, my sister and I have figured it out in the house. Ultimately, it's our wombs that are failing us; we can't give birth to a boy."

"As long as this girl is healthy, has no hidden illnesses, can bear children, and is willing to stay in our family, let her continue the Chen family line. If it really works out, this weight that has been weighing on my heart for years will finally be lifted."

Lotus, standing to the side, quickly nodded in agreement.

"Me too, Mom. I don't complain and I'll do whatever Dad and Mom arrange."

Chen Gaoshan looked at how understanding and accommodating the two women were to their family.

Now that things have come to this point, the whole family has come to their senses, and it would be pretentious for him to keep quiet any longer.

He looked at the thin, unconscious woman lying on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"It's too early to talk about marriage or having children now; it's just worrying unnecessarily. Look at her condition—she's barely breathing. Whether she'll make it through the night or even survive is another matter entirely. Let's focus on saving her life first; we can worry about everything else later!"

Old Chen took the bowl of warm water handed to him by his wife, gulped it down in two mouthfuls, and immediately started preparing it.

"Stop just standing around inside! Go do what you're supposed to be doing!"

"Shanzi, carry him to the north room of the west wing! The kang (heated brick bed) there is empty, so hurry up and heat it up!"

Chen Gaoshan picked the person up horizontally and carried them in his arms.

It was a light, flimsy lump, weighing hardly a pound, and you could feel its icy coldness even through the tattered burlap sack.

He carried the person and walked quickly toward the west wing, with Chen Liushi following closely behind.

The old lady complained, but deep down she was soft-hearted and couldn't bring herself to abandon the situation.

She first led her son to place the person at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed), then brought over dry firewood and heated the kang until it was very hot. She then went to the outer room to boil a large pot of water.

Once the water was boiled and the room was warm, Chen Liu rolled up her sleeves and took out a hot towel.

She was also careful with her daily life; this girl had been kept in a sack the whole way, so she must have been infested with lice and nits.

There's also my little granddaughter at home. The baby's skin is so delicate and tender that it can't withstand bites. Adults have thicker skin and can handle it, but we can't let lice jump onto the child and cause her suffering.

She took off the girl's tattered and dirty clothes and wiped her from head to toe with a hot towel.

She then pulled out one of her old cotton-padded jackets and trousers and put them on the little dog.

After it was all cleaned up, Chen Liu's eyes widened in amazement!

My goodness, this girl is amazing!

She didn't look like a typical village girl at all. Her skin was so white it was dazzling, her delicate skin was smooth and translucent, and she was the fairest and most tender girl in the entire village and surrounding area.

It's such a pity that such a good appearance and a good body have been ruined!

His body was covered with a dense array of old and new wounds, bruises and cuts, and many cuts on his arms and legs, some of which had scabbed over.

Chen Liu reached out and touched her forehead.

"Oh my god! It's burning hot!"

He has a fever, and he's so delirious with fever that he's completely unconscious.

She was a married woman, and she could immediately tell that this was a naive young woman.

Chen Liu was so frustrated that she wondered, "How can someone like this survive?"

......

Chen Gaoshan had just come from Xinghua's room, and something was bothering him.

The things they said just now were so frank and sensible in front of their parents, about feeling guilty and giving way when they should. It made him feel quite uncomfortable.

What woman in the world would genuinely want to leave her man to someone else?

Not at all!

It's all because of the world, my family, and my unreliable belly!

Lianhua was sitting cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed) at the moment, patting her two little girls to sleep.

The little ones had droopy eyelids and were twitching their little noses.

She was still harboring resentment and didn't bother to pay attention to the man beside her. She faced the bed without saying a word, patting the child in her hand.

"You two, just relax and don't overthink it. As for whether that little girl can make it through tonight or whether she can be saved, even if she does, I, Chen Gaoshan, will continue to live my life as usual, and I will continue to love you both as much as I always have."

"Where did all that bravado go in front of your parents? Why are you so quiet now? And you're saying it's a loss for the Chen family? What loss? In farming, the flowers bloom before the fruit ripens. You can have another son later, what's the rush?"

"Besides, you and Xinghua both have big butts; you're obviously good at carrying boys!"

"From beginning to end, my dad was just stubborn about everything."

"If you or Xinghua are truly unwilling and resentful, you don't need to suffer. I'll go out right now and throw that bastard into the ditch behind the mountain to feed the wolves, and that'll be the end of it! I won't let my wife suffer any more humiliation!"

He made a move to turn around and walk out, his attitude very firm.

Sure enough, as soon as he lifted his foot, Lotus behind him immediately panicked.

"Come back!"

"When did I tell you to throw him away? Don't do anything reckless!"

Chen Gaoshan immediately stopped. In fact, he had no intention of throwing people away. He just wanted to appease his wife and soothe her anger.

He turned around and put on a simple, honest smile, grinning as he went back and sat down next to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Hehe, I knew it! My wife has the most generous heart and the kindest soul!"

"I'm not being kind... I just don't want to put you in a difficult position."

"If you disagree with your father today, and Uncle Quan is also supporting him, it will be a loss of face for the family, and you will be labeled as unfilial. The reason Xinghua and I agreed is that we don't want you to be caught in the middle in front of your elders and have an awkward situation."

"I know that you have never wronged me or Xinghua in your life. As long as you always have me in your heart, that's enough."

"I have nothing more to say. With such a wife, what more could I, Chen Gaoshan, ask for?"

He directly embraced the apricot blossoms and lotus flowers in his arms.

Lotus clenched her small fist and pounded his chest. "Don't try to use those fancy words on me, I don't understand them. What does 'What more could I ask for?' Who are you asking for? My sister and I have already agreed, what more could you ask for?"

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