Xiaojun had come to the county town for the very first time and knew almost nothing about the outside world.
“Of course it can sell. City people have money, and they’re willing to spend it. Pickles will definitely do well. I’ll make some for you to taste another day. But right now, the most important thing is finding your older sister.
Xiaomei is about to give birth, and you know what her husband’s family is like—a bunch of rotten people. I’m worried.
Tomorrow we’ll go together to bring your sister back to the county so she can wait for childbirth safely.”
Qin Suian explained her plan.
Only after bringing Xiaomei back and ensuring she safely delivered the baby could their family truly be reunited.
In her previous life, Xiaomei had given birth in early June. There were still more than ten days left. Qin Suian had to drag Xiaomei out of the Li family’s pit of hell.
Back then, Xiaomei had been beaten by Li Zude, causing premature labor. The Li family had only summoned a village midwife to help deliver the baby.
The child was finally born with great difficulty, but Xiaomei suffered massive bleeding afterward. The Li family dragged their feet and refused to send her to the town hospital.
In the end, she died just like that.
At the time, Qin Suian had gone mad with grief. Whenever she saw anyone from the Li family, she attacked them; whenever she saw something breakable, she smashed it. Yet the true culprit, Li Zude, was nowhere to be found.
The Li father and son were shameless scoundrels. They even shouted that since the Wang family hadn’t given a single cent of dowry back then, the fifty-yuan bride price should count as payment for Xiaomei’s life. What right did the Wang family have to make trouble?
In the end, the matter was simply dropped.
Whenever Qin Suian thought back on it in her previous life, her chest ached with pain and regret.
She had always thought herself a strong woman, yet she couldn’t protect either of her daughters. Their fates had each been more tragic than the last.
“Mom…”
Seeing Qin Suian’s reddened eyes, Xiaojun grew uneasy.
Over these past two days, she had constantly felt her mother was somehow different from before—every so often revealing this kind of regretful, sorrowful expression.
“It’s nothing. I’m happy, actually. Eat more. If there’s not enough rice, we’ll order another bowl.”
Qin Suian wiped her eyes and continued eating in big mouthfuls.
After dinner, Qin Suian brought Xiaojun along, following the route map Chang Wenli had drawn while asking for directions along the way until they found the guesthouse.
It was a proper state-run guesthouse. Slightly more expensive than private ones, but also safer.
The building was already old and worn down, but thankfully it supplied hot water. The mother and daughter fetched hot water and thoroughly washed themselves.
Lying on the bed afterward, Qin Suian shared her plans with Xiaojun: after bringing Xiaomei over, they would rent a place in the county and settle down while selling pickled vegetables.
Xiaojun listened with excitement and anticipation. Even after Qin Suian fell asleep, she still lay awake imagining the future her mother had described.
Early the next morning, Qin Suian bought breakfast and brought it back to the room. The two ate there together.
Afterward, Qin Suian went to the credit cooperative and opened an account, depositing two hundred yuan into it.
Carrying that much cash around these days really wasn’t safe.
For a moment, she almost missed WeChat from the future.
Then she asked around and found a group of cart drivers gathered near the farmers’ market waiting for work.
After observing from a distance, she was pleasantly surprised to spot one driver who was a woman around her own age.
She walked toward her.
The moment the drivers saw a customer approaching, they all hurried over.
Some had horse carts, some donkey or ox carts, and others pulled handcarts.
That older sister also stepped forward. She drove a horse cart with a wide, spacious, clean carriage, and she herself looked tidy as well.
While the other drivers smoked and bragged noisily, she quietly sat nearby sewing shoe soles.
“Big Sister, how much for a round trip to Li Village?” Qin Suian asked her directly.
Seeing Qin Suian choose her, the woman broke into a bright, hearty smile.
“One yuan.”
Xie Kaihua quoted a very fair price—essentially equivalent to chartering the cart for an entire day.
Once the other drivers realized the customer had specifically come for Xie Kaihua, they dispersed without trying to compete for the business.
No one could steal Xie Kaihua’s customers anyway.
Mostly because nobody could beat her.
“Alright. Let’s talk over here.”
Qin Suian led Xie Kaihua aside and carefully explained her requirements.
“Driver, it’s like this—my daughter’s about to give birth, and I want to bring her into the city to wait for labor.”
“Understood. I know the road to Li Village well. I’ll drive nice and steady.”
Xie Kaihua nodded to show she understood.
Qin Suian and Xiaojun climbed onto the horse cart, and Xie Kaihua drove them toward Li Village.
Li Village was even more remote than Little River Village. Xie Kaihua drove without stopping for nearly three hours straight.
Only when the sun was already high overhead did she finally suggest resting for a bit.
Mostly because the horse needed water and rest.
Qin Suian had no objections. She and Xiaojun got off the cart and ate some baked flatbread they had bought that morning.
Xie Kaihua even shared some of the cooled boiled water she’d brought herself.
“Driver Xie, you really handle this horse cart well.”
Qin Suian felt a little envious of capable women like Xie Kaihua who could support themselves.
“It all comes with practice. At first, I wasn’t very good either.”
Xie Kaihua casually chatted with Qin Suian.
It turned out her husband’s family had always transported goods by horse cart, but last year he broke his leg and had been recovering at home ever since.
But the cart couldn’t just sit unused forever, so Xie Kaihua simply started working herself.
She was tall, strong, and straightforward by nature. At first the other cart drivers had excluded and mocked her, but after she beat up several troublemakers, nobody dared provoke her anymore.
“Old Zhang’s leg is almost healed. Maybe I won’t come out to work anymore after this.”
Xie Kaihua still wore a smile, but inwardly she felt somewhat reluctant.
She liked driving the horse cart. She liked delivering people safely and hearing them casually say, “Thanks, Driver,” while paying her.
But Old Zhang disliked her working outside. The two had argued about it many times.
If money at home hadn’t truly been tight, he never would’ve allowed her to do this.
“That’s such a pity. Your cart is so clean, and you drive so steadily. I was already thinking of hiring you regularly in the future.”
Qin Suian also felt a little bitter inside.
“Right? Lots of drivers don’t care about cleanliness. They haul manure one trip and grain the next without properly washing the cart. Filthy as hell.”
After resting, Xie Kaihua resumed the journey.
It wasn’t until after two in the afternoon that they finally arrived at Li Village.
The Li family lived near the end of the village. As soon as the cart entered, many villagers spotted them.
“Hey, in-law! What brings you here today?”
Li Zude’s father, Li Dashan, had been sitting beneath the large tree at the village entrance bragging and smoking with other idle men. Recognizing Xiaomei’s mother sitting on the cart, he followed them over.
“I made an appointment with Immortal Aunt Hao for tomorrow. You know how powerful she is. I want to bring Xiaomei to see her so she can bless your family with a big healthy grandson.”
Before coming, Qin Suian had already prepared this excuse.
Right now Xiaomei was at a critical stage. It wasn’t suitable to completely fall out with the Li family yet.
First, Xiaomei had to safely give birth.
After the birth, they could deal with the Li family properly.
Since the family planning policies began, people like “Immortal Aunt Hao” had once again become common in rural areas.
Among them, Aunt Hao was the most famous. Countless people visited her daily, and appointments had to be booked in advance.
So Li Dashan didn’t become suspicious at all.
All he wanted was for Xiaomei to give the Li family a fat baby boy.