Shen Xiaoyan chuckled sheepishly. She had forgotten that after she activated her portable space, she had arrived in the apocalypse where all animals had mutated. She could absolutely not accept the half-zombified cat-demons like Luoluo.
Besides, back then, she was constantly struggling to survive, so she had no time to think about such things.
It was different now. In such a peaceful era, life had become monotonous and dull. If she didn't find some fun for herself, Shen Xiaoyan felt she would go stale.
"You can find one now, can't you? She's been with you since you were little, alas, raised from a kitten! Just thinking about it brings a sense of accomplishment. What do you say, doesn't it feel heartwarming?" Shen Xiaoyan blinked and looked at Luoluo.
Luoluo helplessly closed his round cat eyes. He was wrong. He shouldn't have said Shen Xiaoyan was suffering from prenatal depression. She didn't look depressed at all!
Luoluo shook his head, then quickly stood up, jumped off the table, and ran towards the door. His claws gently tapped the door, and it opened. Luoluo shot out like lightning. Shen Xiaoyan could only see a blur disappear before her eyes.
"Meow?" Baibai looked blankly at the open door, then turned to look at Shen Xiaoyan, who had a dejected expression. He let out a confused meow.
He had just taken a nap, so how did Luoluo ge disappear?
And why was his owner looking so dejected?
Shen Xiaoyan heard the cat's meow and finally noticed Baibai, who had just woken up.
Baibai was very beautiful, somewhat like Garfield from her previous life, but his mouth wasn't as ugly as Garfield's. His fur was pure white and very long, always clean, looking like a ball of cotton.
Shen Xiaoyan examined Baibai carefully. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became. Baibai was definitely a perfect cat-boy.
He was handsome, had a good temperament, and always followed Luoluo around, not requiring any effort. It was a pity that Luoluo was too oblivious. It seemed she, the owner, had to take matters into her own hands.
Although Baibai didn't understand what was happening, Shen Xiaoyan's gaze became increasingly fervent. He felt as if all his fur was igniting. He quickly stood up, jumped off the table, and dashed outside.
Shen Xiaoyan watched Baibai's receding figure and felt even more satisfied. It was great that even their speeds matched. She was determined to play matchmaker.
That evening during dinner, Yue Qingxin felt that Shen Xiaoyan was a little different. She kept smiling inexplicably, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
Finally, Yue Qingxin couldn't help it and asked in a low voice, "Sister, why are you so happy?"
Shen Xiaoyan looked at Yue Qingxin and smiled, "Big Sister noticed?"
Yue Qingxin inwardly scoffed. With that smile, who wouldn't notice?
She still nodded in agreement and asked again why Shen Xiaoyan was so happy.
Shen Xiaoyan explained her plan to Yue Qingxin and said, "One is black, and the other is white. In the future, their kittens will have both black and white fur. Just thinking about it is fun. Sister, don't you think so?"
If Yue Qingxin were a transmigrator, she would have replied, "Are you sure you're not talking about a zebra?"
But Yue Qingxin wasn't a transmigrator, so she didn't know where the humor was and could only agree, not finding it funny at all.
Even though she had no one to share her joy with, it didn't affect Shen Xiaoyan's good mood. In the following days, whenever she saw Luoluo, she would discuss this matter with him.
The final result was that Luoluo took Baibai and ran off for several days without returning.
Shen Xiaoyan had no choice but to temporarily give up on the idea.
The weather grew hotter day by day, and pregnant women were particularly sensitive to heat. Shen Xiaoyan remembered the ice blocks she and Zheng Wei had stored in winter.
Because the winter had been particularly cold this year, Shen Xiaoyan had thought of freezing some ice blocks. She remembered hearing in her previous life that a severe drought would follow a heavy snowfall.
Although she hoped it wasn't true, Zheng Wei still froze a lot of ice blocks. Since they had a cellar anyway, and it wasn't of much use, they might as well use it to store ice.
Since the beginning of spring this year, the weather had been warming up quickly, and the rainfall was much less than last year.
Pregnant women could not stand the heat, not just Shen Xiaoyan, but Yue Qingxin also found it unbearable.
Therefore, Shen Xiaoyan asked Huo Si to go down to the cellar and retrieve the ice blocks for use.
She had prepared a full cellar of ice. Even if everyone in the family used it, it would last until the end of summer. So, Shen Xiaoyan didn't hesitate to tell Qu Shi and the others to use the ice when they were in their rooms.
Qu Shi and the others were even more grateful for Shen Xiaoyan's kindness. They had seen too much during their escape, and meeting such a good mistress like Shen Xiaoyan was truly a blessing.
Time flew by, and it was already late August. Although it was supposed to be autumn, the weather was still quite hot.
Although this summer had been very hot, the severe drought that Shen Xiaoyan had worried about did not occur. Instead, because it hadn't rained much, it made it much easier for the villagers to harvest and dry their grain a few days ago.
One day, Shen Xiaoyan was sitting on the kang with Yue Qingxin, making clothes. Or rather, Shen Xiaoyan was watching Yue Qingxin make clothes.
After suffering from morning sickness and drowsiness, Yue Qingxin, who was now four months pregnant, was finally free from suffering.
Her spirits had improved, she could eat, and Yue Qingxin had gained a bit of weight in the past few days, looking even more beautiful.
Looking at Shen Xiaoyan, her hand rested on her belly. She was four and a half months pregnant, and her belly was already very prominent.
No, it should be said very prominent, because her belly was twice the size of Yue Qingxin's.
"Sister, your belly..." Yue Qingxin looked up from her needlework and couldn't help but gaze at Shen Xiaoyan's belly again.
Shen Xiaoyan's belly was so large that there must be more than one child inside.
Although Doctor Ji was not very proficient in gynecology, he had mentioned that Shen Xiaoyan might be carrying twins.
For a woman to give birth was already a journey through the gates of hell. Who would have thought that Shen Xiaoyan would be carrying two at once? She had no mother-in-law to care for her, nor was her husband by her side. She only had herself. It was a pity that she herself was also pregnant. Yue Qingxin felt an overwhelming sense of melancholy and became increasingly worried.
Seeing her like this, Shen Xiaoyan guessed she was worrying again. She smiled gently and comforted her, "Big Sister, don't worry. It's only a few months, and Zheng Wei and the others will be back by New Year's. Then we won't have to worry about anything."
Yue Qingxin nodded, and her heart felt a little more settled.
However, thinking of Sima Han and Zheng Wei, they had been gone for four months, yet there was no letter, no news at all. She became even more worried.
Seeing her like this, Shen Xiaoyan didn't know what to say.
Zheng Wei was out there, and having no news was indeed worrying, but she had no choice but to wait like this.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but resent this damned ancient times, which lacked even a communication tool.
As the two of them sat opposite each other, lost in thought, they heard lively music and celebrations outside.
"Fen'er, go and see what's going on outside!" Shen Xiaoyan called out loudly to the outside.
"Yes, Madam." Huo Fen, who was sitting on the veranda doing needlework with Huo Ying, quickly stood up and responded to Shen Xiaoyan's call. She then hurried towards the front yard.
After a while, Huo Fen returned, panting. She curtsied to Shen Xiaoyan and Yue Qingxin and said, "Reporting to the two Madams, there is a wedding procession outside, with music and fanfare, heading into the village."
Huo Fen's family of five now had the demeanor of proper servants. Although Shen Xiaoyan didn't ask them to call themselves maids, they were all very conscious of etiquette.
This was also thanks to Lu Taobao. He had sent a man and a woman to help them learn etiquette, and Shen Xiaoyan was very satisfied with the results.
"Is it going to Baiyun Village?" Shen Xiaoyan asked.
"Reporting to Madam, yes." Huo Fen replied.
Shen Xiaoyan waved her away and then pondered.
Baiyun Village was an ordinary small mountain village with no wealthy families. Even if a daughter were to marry or a son were to marry, there wouldn't be such a grand procession.
However, since the wedding procession was heading into the village, it must be someone from the village getting married. But Pan Shi had visited a few days ago and hadn't mentioned anyone in the village getting married or a daughter getting married.
Shen Xiaoyan pondered for a long time but couldn't come up with an answer, so she put it out of her mind. It had nothing to do with her anyway.
Little did she know, reality wouldn't let her rest easy. Not even half an hour had passed when Huo Cheng rushed over from the front yard. He didn't enter the house but stood by the window and said, "Madam Shen, please come out and see. Something has happened outside."
Shen Xiaoyan's heart sank. She immediately asked, "What happened outside?"
"Master Shui and Master Zheng have returned," Huo Cheng said, catching his breath.
"What? Returned?" Yue Qingxin blurted out, standing up to rush outside.
Shen Xiaoyan grabbed her and said, "Even if Big Sister is anxious, she must take care of herself. If you run out like this and happen to bump into something, what then?"
As Shen Xiaoyan spoke, she stood up and, holding Yue Qingxin's hand, walked outside. When she reached Huo Cheng, she asked again, "Since the two Masters have returned, why are you flustered?"
Although Huo Cheng was not old, he was clever and articulate. He quickly explained, "It just so happened that the wedding procession encountered the two Masters. Originally, it was nothing. The two Masters cleared the way for them, but the bride lifted the sedan curtain. Not only that, but the bride ran out herself and is now clinging to Master Da's horse, refusing to let go. The villagers watching the spectacle have blocked the road."
As Huo Cheng spoke, Shen Xiaoyan and the other two had already reached the main gate.
Shen Xiaoyan stood at the gate and looked towards the road. Indeed, many people had gathered, and the sound of a woman crying, women scolding, and men reprimanding could be heard.
Shen Xiaoyan frowned at the sound. It sounded so much like Xu Xiao'e and Xu Shi. And that man's voice sounded like Shen Cheng?
Could it be that the person getting married today was Xu Xiao'e?
Shen Xiaoyan and Yue Qingxin walked towards the crowd. In front of them walked Qu Shi, with Huo Fen and Huo Ying closely following behind.
Qu Shi parted the crowd, and Shen Xiaoyan could finally see what was happening among the throng.
In the middle, Zheng Wei and Sima Han each rode a horse, carrying a pack. They looked like the same ones they had when they left.
Both of them had lost weight and become a bit darker, but their spirits were good, especially their eyes, which shone with a different light.
However, at this moment, Zheng Wei and Sima Han looked at the scene below with impatience. Under Zheng Wei's horse knelt a woman dressed in a bright red wedding gown.
The woman knelt on the ground, hugging the horse's hooves with both hands, crying incessantly. Shen Xiaoyan could only see her shoulders trembling, and the sound seemed like extreme grief, no, like a parting of life and death.
Beside her, Xu Shi stood with her hands on her hips. Her expression was somewhat peculiar, as if she were heartbroken, angry, and perhaps a little hopeful.
Beside Xu Shi, Shen Cheng stood with a purple-blue face. He looked at the person kneeling on the ground and said, "Xu Xiao'e, I'll say it again. Get up immediately and sit properly in the sedan chair, or else I will act as if I never had a daughter like you."
Hearing this, Xu Shi became anxious. Although she also hoped that Xu Xiao'e would manage to cling to Zheng Wei, she hadn't tried her best to persuade Xu Xiao'e, but she didn't want to truly anger Shen Cheng.