In the dead of night, the moon slipped behind the clouds.
Behind Lei Family Village, the back hill lay in utter silence, broken only by the occasional chirping of insects.
Inside the melon shed, the kerosene lamp was turned down to its dimmest, flickering like a bean-sized ghostly flame.
Su Wan curled up in Lei Deshui’s arms, wrapped in a cotton quilt that carried the scent of tobacco.
One of Lei Deshui’s large hands rested carefully on her lower abdomen.
Beneath his palm, the sensation was warm, soft, with a faint firmness.
It was the proof of life growing within.
“Brother Lei, look… doesn’t it seem a bit big?”
Su Wan placed her hand over his, her voice carrying a trace of worry.
“That shaman almost noticed today. If it keeps growing like this, I won’t be able to hide it for long.”
Lei Deshui didn’t reply.
He was completely focused on feeling the movement beneath his hand. The man who usually looked fierce now wore a foolish, bubbling grin.
“Big? Bigger is good!”
He chuckled, flashing his white teeth. “It means our son is strong—takes after me!”
He stroked the slight swell as if it were some priceless treasure.
“Wan’er, I asked around.”
Lei Deshui suddenly lowered his voice, a mix of secrecy and barely contained excitement.
“One of my comrade’s wives just got pregnant too. She’s three months in and still not showing. You’re just over two months, and already this obvious…”
He paused, his eyes shining brightly.
“They say it’s most likely twins!”
“Twins?!”
Su Wan gasped, quickly covering her mouth.
“You mean… twins?”
“Of course!”
Lei Deshui beamed, kissing her hard on the cheek. “I told you, with my physique—one shot, two hits, never miss!”
He paced back and forth inside the narrow melon shed, so excited he looked like he might run out and set off firecrackers.
“Two sons! Haha! One will learn driving from me, the other will learn business! Our Lei family will finally hold our heads high!”
Seeing his silly excitement, the worry in Su Wan’s heart eased.
She gently touched her belly, unable to stop a smile from forming.
If there really were two children, then any hardship would be worth it.
“Brother Lei, keep your voice down. Someone might hear.”
She tugged at his sleeve in mild reproach.
Lei Deshui quickly sat back down, pulling her into his arms as if he wanted to fuse her into his very bones.
“Wan’er… how about we leave the Wang family?”
His smile faded, his expression turning serious.
“Look at you now, getting heavier by the day. That bunch of bloodsuckers in the Wang family—they’d skin you alive. What happened with that shaman today scared me.”
“What if one day I’m not around and they try something?”
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. “I’ll rent a place in the county and move you there. Or we can go south—no one will find us.”
Leaning against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, Su Wan shook her head.
“No, Brother Lei.”
Her voice was soft but firm.
“If we leave now, it’ll be eloping. We’ll never be able to hold our heads high again.”
“And with Wang Dajun’s character, if he finds out I ran away, he’ll spread rumors everywhere about me cheating. Then our child will be born a bastard, looked down on for life.”
She lifted her head and looked into his eyes.
“I want to leave the Wang family with dignity. I want Wang Dajun to beg me for a divorce—and to make him return everything he owes me.”
Lei Deshui looked at the fragile yet stubborn woman before him, his heart aching.
He knew she was right.
In these times, reputation was everything.
Especially for the sake of their child, they couldn’t live with a stain on their name.
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
He sighed, gently patting her back. “But we agreed—you can’t neglect your health.”
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll have someone bring you malted milk and red dates. Whatever you want to eat, just tell Gousheng. Even if it’s dragon meat from the heavens, I’ll get it for you.”
Su Wan nodded, her eyes growing warm.
“And your belly…”
Lei Deshui frowned, staring at the swelling curve. “We need to find a way to hide it.”
Su Wan smiled, a hint of cunning flashing in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, I have a way.”
Early the next morning—
From the Wang family’s kitchen came a series of gut-wrenching retching sounds.
“Ugh—! Ugh—!”
Su Wan leaned over the water vat, retching until it felt like even bile was about to come out.
Wang Dajun had just gotten up. Slipping on his shoes, he walked into the kitchen to get some water. Hearing the noise, he covered his nose in disgust.
“Making funeral wails this early in the morning?”
Su Wan straightened up, her face sallow, eyes watery as she looked at him.
“Dajun… my stomach problem seems to be getting worse…”
She weakly supported herself against the wall, her body swaying. “It hurt all night yesterday. My belly is all bloated now, hard as a rock, like there’s gas trapped inside that won’t come out.”
As she spoke, she deliberately rubbed her stomach, putting on an expression of unbearable pain.
“Bloated stomach?”
Wang Dajun frowned and stepped back twice, as if afraid of catching something.
“Didn’t the doctor say it was stomach cold? Why isn’t it better yet?”
“I don’t know either…”
Su Wan said with a sob in her voice, “And lately I feel nauseous all the time. The moment I see greasy food, I want to throw up. Second Aunt in the east of the village said it might be… might be something growing in my stomach, or maybe… a complication from that contagious disease.”
The moment “contagious disease” was mentioned, Wang Dajun’s face turned green.
The “venereal disease” Su Wan had made up last time was still his psychological shadow.
“Oh my god! Stay away from me!”
So frightened that he didn’t even drink water anymore, Wang Dajun turned and ran out.
“What kind of cursed illness is this! I must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck to marry a sickly burden like you!”
He ran into the yard, gulping fresh air as if the kitchen were filled with plague.
Zhang Guihua came out after hearing the commotion. Seeing her son like that, she asked, “What’s going on?”
“Mom! Su Wan’s illness seems worse! She says her stomach is bloated and she keeps vomiting!”
Wang Dajun said with a gloomy face, “I think she’s really useless now. This life is impossible to live!”
Zhang Guihua frowned upon hearing this.
She had originally suspected Su Wan might be pregnant, but now hearing about a “serious stomach illness” and “bloating,” combined with Su Wan’s half-dead appearance, her doubts faded somewhat.
After all, what pregnant woman looks like she’s about to die?
And Old Liu had said before that it wasn’t a pregnancy pulse.
“Useless thing!”
Zhang Guihua spat on the ground. “Since she’s sick, don’t let her do heavy work—wouldn’t want her dying in the house and bringing bad luck. Let her go chop firewood in the backyard. Keep her away from the kitchen so she doesn’t pass her sickness to us!”
Wang Dajun nodded repeatedly. “Right, right! Keep her far away!”
Just like that, Su Wan used the excuse of being “ill” to successfully give herself a reason to wear loose clothing.
She dug out an old padded jacket from the bottom of her trunk.
It was an outdated style from many years ago, oversized and baggy, with most of the cotton stuffing already worn out.
When Su Wan wore it, she looked bulky and clumsy, like a big bear wrapped in a quilt.
But it worked—her slightly protruding belly was completely hidden.
Even if it showed a little, people would just think the jacket was too thick or that she had “stomach bloating.”
Wrapped in the tattered padded jacket, Su Wan sat in the backyard chopping firewood. Though the cold wind whistled down her collar, her heart felt warm.
She gently touched the child in her belly, a faint smile curling at her lips.
As long as she could protect the child, what did pretending to be sick matter?
She’d even act crazy and foolish if she had to.
Days passed like this.
With Lei Deshui secretly supplying her with food, Su Wan outwardly claimed to be “seriously ill,” but in reality, her body was growing stronger.
Meanwhile, Wang Dajun, disgusted by her supposed illness, avoided her completely—he wouldn’t even spare her a glance.
This, instead, gave Su Wan the greatest freedom and sense of safety.
Until one day, the village loudspeaker suddenly crackled to life.
“Attention! Attention, all commune members!”
“Relief grain from the county has arrived! Each household, bring your household register and grain sacks to the brigade office to collect your share!”
“Fifty jin of white flour per person! Fifty jin of white flour!”
The news set the entire Lei Family Village into an uproar.
White flour!
Usually, everyone only ate cornmeal buns. White flour dumplings were reserved for the New Year.
Those fifty jin of white flour were life-saving supplies for the winter.
The moment Wang Dajun heard about it, his eyes turned green with greed.
“Quick! Su Wan! Stop playing dead! Take a sack and get to the brigade office to line up!”
He shouted toward the backyard. “If you’re late, there’ll be none left!”
Su Wan set down the axe in her hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
She knew she had to go.
If she didn’t, Zhang Guihua would skin her alive.
She found the largest burlap sack, tightened the ragged padded jacket around herself, and stepped out into the cold wind.
At that moment, she had no idea—
This seemingly ordinary trip to collect grain would completely expose her relationship with Lei Deshui in front of everyone.