"Sister?"
Ouyang Lei didn't understand Master Tian's intentions.
Tian Jing turned to Lin Guangde and his son. "Let her go, make it quick, it's getting dark."
As soon as Zhao Xiaofang was free, she rushed into the dense forest.
Tian Jing followed behind her into the woods, leisurely circling the forest. She channeled her energy through her feet, pushing the three jars three meters deeper underground.
The soil at the base of the slope, where the ginseng had grown, was also churned up by roots and pushed back underground, bringing fresh soil to the surface.
Zhao Xiaofang was looking for the place where she had woken up, which was by the roots of the little green plant. (Sundan Novel Network)
She turned around and asked Lin Guangde for her shovel.
Tian Jing chuckled. "Ouyang Lei, you've been used as a pawn."
Seeing Tian Jing so calm and composed, Ouyang Lei wasn't angry. "Lin Guangde, give her the shovel and let her dig. Lin Si, bring the torches and light the way for her."
The four of them accompanied Zhao Xiaofang as she dug for over two hours. They found nothing but tree roots.
They even cut through the tree roots to examine them, but all their efforts were in vain.
"Can we finish now?" Tian Jing yawned. "I'm pregnant, and I'm hungry and tired."
Master Tian had had enough fun.
Looking at the dejected Zhao Xiaofang, Ouyang Lei said to Lin Guangde and his son, "Carry her down the mountain."
"You guys take your time. I won't be joining you. Be careful on the way, don't get eaten by a tigress."
Tian Jing yawned again and leaped up, skimming over the treetops as she descended the mountain.
Ouyang Lei watched, a mix of envy and urgency in his eyes. "Carry her and run, don't worry about her condition."
"Yes."
After dealing with matters at home, Li Zhengguo returned to the foot of the mountain to wait.
He waited so long that he became worried and almost went up the mountain to search. Finally, he saw figures running down.
He raised his torch high. "Tiantian?"
"Zheng Ge."
"Don't run, slow down." Li Zhengguo hurried forward a few steps and then turned. "Come, I'll carry you."
Facing his broad back, Tian Jing didn't care if others were watching. She climbed onto his back. "I'm sleepy."
Li Zhengguo handed the torch to Chen Suozhu, who was beside him, and stood up. "You must be hungry too, right?"
"Mm, but I want to sleep first."
"Then sleep. I'll feed you later."
"Okay."
The "okay" was barely audible.
Li Zhengguo walked steadily towards home.
Chen Suozhu: "..." Is this what Minmin meant by pampering?
The villagers accompanying them: "..." Zheng Guo is like this, no wonder women want to get close to him. They felt a desire to get closer too. Bah, bah, bah, what are they thinking?
Seeing her son return, Mother Li busied herself. Upon seeing Tiantian on his back, she lowered her voice and asked, "Asleep again?"
"Yes, and hungry. Mom, could you reheat the chicken soup? I'll feed her later."
The accompanying villagers returned to their respective homes.
Chen Suozhu was still following. He wanted to see how his future brother-in-law doted on his sister-in-law. They were getting married the day after tomorrow, and Minmin was still not satisfied with him.
Li Zhengguo ignored the "intern" beside him and first put his wife on the bed. He brought a basin of hot water and personally washed her.
He brought a bowl of chicken soup and handed it to Chen Suozhu. "Hold this for me."
Then, he picked up the person on the bed, holding her like a baby, her upper body propped up against his chest.
He beckoned to Chen Suozhu. "Give me the bowl."
Then, with one hand holding the bowl and the other, he fed the sleeping person chicken soup.
As the chicken soup entered her mouth, Tian Jing moved her lips and swallowed.
Li Zhengguo looked up. "I've seen you. You can go now. Close the door on your way out."
After closing the door, Chen Suozhu scratched his head.
Big Brother-in-law was over 1.8 meters tall, and Sister-in-law was only a little over 1.6 meters.
He was over 1.7 meters tall, and Minmin was nearly 1.7 meters. When he kissed Minmin, he barely had to lower his head.
To imagine him picking up Minmin like a baby was horrifying and inconceivable.
When Tian Jing woke up, it was already broad daylight.
"Awake? Do you need to go to the restroom?"
"Yes. Did you feed me chicken soup last night?"
"Mm, I brushed your teeth too. Don't worry."
"I'm very reassured. I was just worried you'd become a pervert."
"Without you, I'm as normal as a robot."
"It's too early to be showing affection. Hurry up."
"Yes."
Ouyang Lei, eating breakfast in the main hall, choked on his porridge, coughing violently.
Tian Jing: "..." Why is Brother Lei here at her house so early?
Li Zhengguo, as if he saw nothing, carried her out of the courtyard and towards the back of the house.
Mother Li kindly comforted him. "You'll get used to it. Once you're used to it, it'll be fine."
Ouyang Lei's eyes widened. "They've always been like this?"
"No."
Mother Li shook her head. Just as Ouyang Lei breathed a sigh of relief, she added, "It's only been like this since Tiantian became pregnant."
Ouyang Lei pressed further. "Every day?"
"More or less."
"That's terrifying, absolutely terrifying."
Ouyang Lei patted his chest. "Fortunately, I plan to remain single. Not to mention the trouble women bring, even Li Zhengguo's emotional state would drive me insane."
He quickly finished his breakfast and then focused on watching Li Zhengguo's every move as he doted on his wife.
Fetching water, squeezing toothpaste, washing her face and hands, braiding her hair, then carrying her to the dining table and sitting her down. He brought breakfast and placed it in front of his wife. "Shall I feed you?"
"No," Tian Jing shook her head. "I can eat myself."
Ouyang Lei forcefully pushed his jaw back into place. "Sister, can you stand this?"
"There's no choice," Tian Jing replied as she took a bite of the steamed egg custard. "This is a sort of expectant father's mood. It's not even severe yet. In the severe cases, they experience morning sickness along with their wives, and many pregnancy symptoms follow, except for the growing belly."
"How long will this last?"
"Mild cases disappear after the morning sickness subsides. Moderate cases last until after the baby is born. The most severe cases never disappear, but they shift their care from their wives to their children, especially daughters."
"Tiantian, I won't," Li Zhengguo disagreed with his wife's words. His previous life's lover was Tiantian.
"You're poisoned, Li Zhengguo, you're poisoned." Ouyang Lei sighed and shook his head. "Sister is your poison, the kind without an antidote."
"You're absolutely right. I wish you find a wife and take your medicine soon." Li Zhengguo bared his teeth at him with a fake smile.
"Are you wishing me well?" Ouyang Lei's scalp tingled. This was a curse, wasn't it?
After breakfast, Tian Jing finally asked Ouyang Lei why he was at her house.
"Where else would I be? We didn't get down the mountain until past ten last night. That Zhao Xiaofang even tried to make people misunderstand that I had done something to her by keeping her out so late."
"I pointed her directly to Lin Guangde and his son. I said the three of them had been inseparable for hours."
"Then I came to your house. Last night, I slept on your kitchen floor."
"You should be content. My kitchen floor doesn't entertain guests lightly."
After saying that, Tian Jing herself chuckled. "It truly was a hardship for you. Then why haven't you left yet?"
"Leave for where? Sister's sister-in-law is getting married today, which is the main banquet, right? I'll stay for the feast."
Li Zhengguo disagreed with Ouyang Lei's words. "My sister's wedding feast is being co-hosted with the Chen family tomorrow at noon. You should go back."
"Then today should be the day the betrothal gifts are presented, right?"
"Whether the betrothal gifts are presented or not, what does it have to do with you? You should leave quickly."
"I'm not leaving. I'll stay here and supervise. I want to see who dares to cause trouble again. These rascals, daring to provoke Sister, means either you are useless, or my title is useless. I'll be here personally, let's see who dares to be mischievous."
"So, I'm only worthy of being compared to your title?"
"That's flattering you."
Tian Jing watched with a smile as the two men bickered back and forth.