Zhan Jingchun's world had collapsed.
If before, her feelings towards Peng Fei were merely hatred, now they were tinged with disgust. She could barely look at him.
Even though he was solicitous and attentive, needing no help with the toilet or bath, and requiring her to do nothing but eat, she still recoiled from his closeness.
Now, she no longer knew what she lived for.
For her parents?
Peng Fei was constantly by her side, and she saw no hope of escape.
For herself?
She was like a walking dead person, with no motivation to live.
Yet, she didn't even have the right to die.
The days passed in a blur. Her temper became unbearable; she treated Peng Fei almost like a slave. She wanted for nothing and had everything handed to her, and if anything displeased her, she would hit and scold him, refuse to eat, or even overturn the meals he painstakingly prepared.
Yet, no matter how ill-behaved she was, Peng Fei never complained.
Sometimes, watching him abjectly clean up the mess before her, she felt like calling him a pig, a piece of trash without dignity. But even then, Peng Fei still cherished her.
Time flew by, and another month passed.
In that month, Zhan Jingchun had consumed all the chickens and eggs in Peng Fei's family. Apart from farming, they had no other income. The debts she had incurred were still unpaid, making it impossible to provide her with a better life. Peng Fei felt defeated.
One day, he brought her a bowl of vegetable noodles. Zhan Jingchun glanced at it and refused to eat.
"Am I not carrying your precious son? And you give me this? Aren't you afraid of malnutrition?"
She wasn't particularly greedy; in fact, she was being truthful. Eating meat and soup every day was starting to make her sick.
But she knew this would strike a chord with Peng Fei, making him unhappy. So, she resorted to extreme bitterness, as if only in this way could she find some comfort.
As expected, her words struck Peng Fei to the core. After a moment of silence, he coaxed her,
"Eat first, and I'll go catch a pheasant for you later. From now on, every meal will have meat."
"Heh! Catch a pheasant for me? So poor you can't even afford meat, yet you want to have a child? What's the point of bringing him into this world to inherit your ignorance and suffering?"
Her hair had grown out a bit and was unkempt, resembling a messy, dark halo perched atop her head, giving her a unique charm.
For the ten-thousandth time, Peng Fei fell under the spell of her stunning beauty, unable to be angry with her.
"It will get better. I'll go find work in a while, and everything will be alright."
Find work?
Zhan Jingchun had never expected him to have such a realization.
Indeed, in this day and age, everyone was leaving the mountain village to work. Even if it meant delivering food in a big city or screwing bolts in a factory, the money earned in a year was significantly better than farming.
Zhan Jingchun suddenly saw a glimmer of hope.
"Where will you go to work? What will you do? Are you leaving this place?"
Peng Fei could see the anticipation in her eyes. Her anticipation was precisely what he feared, and he felt disappointed once again.
It seemed she could never truly appreciate him, no matter how wholeheartedly he devoted himself to her.
"We'll see when the time comes. I'll tell you when I leave. Eat first."
To please him and accompany him on his distant journey, to gain an opportunity to escape, Zhan Jingchun started eating properly.
After her meal, she even gently suggested going for a walk with him.
"I've never seen anyone catch a pheasant before. Lying at home all day is making me lazy. Can I go with you?"
"I promise I won't cause trouble, nor will I run off. I just want to go out and change my mood."
Peng Fei hesitated to let her go. It wasn't that he was afraid she would run away in the mountains; he knew she wasn't capable of that.
Instead, the mountains were too harsh, and the paths were difficult. She was carrying their child.
"No, there's nothing worth seeing. You won't be able to walk. I'll be back tomorrow at the latest."
She was going to stay out for another night? Zhan Jingchun's anticipation grew.
"I'm going! Don't you always say you'll treat me well, won't make me angry, and do whatever I say? Won't you agree to this small request?"
"It's not that I won't agree..."
"Smash!"
Zhan Jingchun threw the porcelain bowl she had been drinking from onto the ground.
"If you don't let me go, I'll cause trouble here myself! I'll hit my stomach! I won't eat or drink, and I'll lose your son!"
Peng Fei: "..."
After a moment of stalemate, he sighed softly and bent down to pick up the porcelain bowl.
"I'll go tell Mom. Don't be angry, you mustn't get angry now."
Peng Fei went to the courtyard. As expected, soon the sounds of Peng Fei's mother's displeased curses could be heard.
Although Peng Fei was usually quiet, he held the decisive position in the family.
Whenever a problem arose, no matter how fiercely his mother raged, she ultimately couldn't win against him.
After a period of arguments, the door to the room was pushed open. Peng Fei, having changed into a long-sleeved shirt and trousers and carrying a large bag on his back, came in to call Zhan Jingchun.
"Get up, let's go."
Peng Fei's mother had been defeated once again. Zhan Jingchun felt a wicked sense of triumph.
As he helped her up, Peng Fei found a set of his thicker clothes for her to wear.
"The road is long, and we might not be back tonight. It gets cold in the mountains, early and late. Wear something warm."
He treated her like a child, tying her up from head to toe to ensure she was safe, before squatting down to put on her shoes.
The two of them walked out hand in hand. Unexpectedly, Fangfang, carrying a large thermos and with a bulging schoolbag on her right shoulder, was waiting for them.
Zhan Jingchun didn't know what day of the week it was and was somewhat surprised.
"Why didn't you go to school?"
"It's Sunday. Mom asked me to go with you."
"Didn't your brother say the mountain paths are very difficult? Can you keep up?"
Peng Fei pulled her along, unconcerned, "It's fine, she's used to it. She walks like this every day on her way to school."
Since that was the case, Zhan Jingchun said no more, and the three of them set off.
The season had turned to autumn. After lunch, although the sun was bright, the warmth it cast was no longer intense. Coupled with a gentle breeze, it was quite pleasant.
Zhan Jingchun had been cooped up for too long. Her mood improved slightly.
As she walked, she chatted with Peng Fei, asking about the distance and what they would be catching.
Peng Fei didn't answer; Fangfang chimed in.
"In autumn and winter, my brother and the other young men from the village would go up the mountain to hunt wild game. But it's cold then, and the leaves have mostly fallen. There are many pheasants, rabbits, wild boars, and weasels. We came out early this year, and the leaves are still green. I don't know if it will be easy to catch anything."
Zhan Jingchun hadn't realized that this barren and desolate mountain had so many treasures.
They should have set off in the morning and arrived at their destination by noon, giving them time to set traps.
To please Zhan Jingchun, they had left on impulse today, and she didn't know when they would arrive.
Peng Fei didn't voice it, but he was anxious in his heart.
However, Zhan Jingchun was delicate and weak and couldn't walk fast. He didn't dare to rush her, so he could only accompany her slowly.
Even so, after walking for just an hour, Zhan Jingchun was already unable to continue.
Vines and branches surrounded them. She didn't know how deep into the mountains they were going. Looking at the green forest ahead, she became angry again.
"What kind of place is this? To go through all this trouble just for a mouthful of food, I'm so tired. I can't walk anymore, I need to rest."