She rose slowly and walked toward the courtyard, where she could hear the voices of her mother, her elder brothers, and her father's second wife. They were all talking at once, their words tangled and heavy, because every one of them was shaken by the terrible news that had just reached them.
Her own heart had not been at ease for days. She was already overwhelmed by worry over her husband, who was lying in the hospital after a serious accident two nights earlier. He had been returning from his younger brother's wedding when it happened.
It was as though her ears were suddenly pulled toward the words of her eldest brother, ๐๐๐. She heard him speaking, but she could not fully understand what he was saying. She needed to hear it clearly.
She reached the doorway, pulled aside the curtain, and stepped out, staring at them one after the other. Her eyes were pale and sunken from days of anxiety and sleeplessness.
They were all staring back at her as well. Every face was filled with grief and pity. A woman losing her husband at such a young age was heartbreaking...especially with a child already growing inside her.
She looked at her mother and saw how she lowered her head, tears threatening to fall, unable to meet her daughter's eyes. She then turned directly to her father's second wife and asked,
"๐ด๐ข๐๐ก๐ฆ, ๐คโ๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ?
๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ก?
๐โ๐๐ก โ๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐?"
She turned to her brothers who stood silently before her.
"๐ฟ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ข ๐บ๐๐๐โฆ
๐โ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ?
๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ข๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐?"
Kai took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and looked at her with the restrained sorrow of a man trying to stay strong. He said quietly,
"๐๐ข๐๐๐ขโฆ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ก ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐, ๐๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฆ."
He did not even finish the sentence before she turned sharply to look at him, her face filled with disbelief and dread. Her voice trembled as she said,
"๐ผ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ก โ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฆ.
๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐.
๐ด๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐? ๐ฝ๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ค? ๐๐๐ค?"
Aunty quickly held her with compassion and said,
"๐ฝ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐'๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ก.
๐๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐.
๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐กโ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก."
Her eyes turned red as tears struggled to fall, but stubbornness held them back. She cut Aunty off, saying,
"๐ด๐ข๐๐ก๐ฆ, ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ก โ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
๐ป๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ข๐โ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฆ.
๐๐๐ข'๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ โ๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐...๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐. ๐ป๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ผ ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ ?"
Kai raised his voice slightly, firm but pained.
"๐ฝ๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ .๐๐๐ข ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฆ, ๐กโ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ โ๐๐ค ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ ๐๐ค โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
๐๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ก โ๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐."
She stared at his mouth as it moved, her head spinning. Her heart slammed violently against her chest as though it would burst out. She looked at her mother and saw the truth written clearly on her face. She looked back at Kai and saw the same certainty.
She swallowed hard, her throat burning. Without a word, she turned and rushed into her mother's room. She grabbed the long coat she had removed earlier and slipped it on.
She didn't take her phone or money. She shoved her feet into slippers...one hers, one her mother's...without noticing, and hurried toward the door. She wasn't aware of where she stepped. All she wanted was to reach the hospital.
Aunty quickly grabbed her scarf and followed, calling her name. Her mother turned to Lee and said,
"๐น๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ. ๐ผ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ."
Lee ran after them. When he caught up on the road, he quickly handed Aunty some money.
"๐ป๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐, ๐ด๐ข๐๐ก๐ฆ.
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ค๐๐ก๐โ her ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ.
๐ท๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐ก โ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฆ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐. ๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐."
Aunty hurried to Jiedi, who was walking fast without awareness. She held her hand tightly, calling her name. A taxi appeared in front of them, and they immediately got in. Aunty told the driver the hospital name.
Jiedi's body trembled uncontrollably. Her hands and legs shook nonstop.
The moment they arrived at the hospital, Jiedi jumped out of the car before it fully stopped and rushed toward the emergency ward where Sanli had been. From a distance, Sanli's relatives...men and women...saw her approaching in distress, barely aware of her surroundings. Their own grief deepened at the sight of her, and many of them burst into fresh tears for their lost loved one.
As she drew closer, she scanned their faces one by one. When she saw Sanli's mother crying uncontrollably, half her strength drained away. She ran into the room and rushed to his bed...only to find his lifeless body covered with the bedsheet she had brought for him that very morning.
She looked at his tall frame, his outstretched hands, unable to believe it. She reached out, pulled back the sheet, and came face to face with his calm, handsome features.
Her heart struck violently without warning. Her eyes closed as she began to collapse. Aunty quickly caught her, calling her name, but Jiedi could not hear her. She was slipping into unconsciousness. Sanli's mother rushed forward, crying,
"๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐ โ๐๐๐. ๐ท๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐ก โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐...๐ โ๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก."
Jiedi struggled weakly. She could not imagine leaving Sanli's body behind. But she had no strength to resist or speak. Her lips were sealed, as though glued together.
Still staring at her husband's body, she was gently pulled away and taken outside. She was placed into a taxi with Aunty and Sanli's younger sister, and they headed to Sanli's family home.
When they arrived, she barely made it into the courtyard before her body gave way. She collapsed to the ground, blood running down her legs.
Panic erupted.
They rushed to lift her and carried her into Sanli's mother's room, while Aunty screamed her name in fear and desperation.
She was bleeding heavily...so much that it was clear beyond doubt that she had lost the pregnancy. There was no attempt to rush her back to the hospital. Aunty and an elderly woman from the family helped her until the bleeding finally stopped and she was somewhat cleaned up.
The loud wailing that suddenly filled the house confirmed the arrival of Sanli's body. The moment Jiedi heard the cries, she shut her eyes in unbearable pain. Whatever remained inside her body go away completely, and a deep, broken cry...raw and full of agony...burst from her chest.
Aunty, who was beside her, moved closer and held her with compassion as she heard the depth of her sobbing.
Jiedi cried uncontrollably, her heart torn apart by the loss of her husband...the father of her child...and the pregnancy she had carried with so much hope.
So they were meant to leave this world together. That was why Sanli had loved the unborn child so deeply...it was meant to accompany him on his final journey.
She paid no attention to her own condition. With difficulty, she forced herself to stand and made her way into Sanli's mother's bathroom. Her hands and legs shook violently as she washed herself, barely able to remain standing.
When she came out, she took the shawl Aunty offered her and wrapped it around herself. A sudden wave of dizziness and severe abdominal pain bent her nearly double, but she refused to sit. She walked straight into the courtyard, still wearing her coat, hearing the echoes of Sanli's relatives crying throughout the house.
She went to the room where his body had been laid out for washing. She collapsed in front of him and began to cry again, calling his name over and over in a broken voice.
No matter how much they tried to pull her away, they failed. Her grief was overwhelming...her heart burning with the pain of losing the man she loved deeply. Now he had left her behind in a harsh world where everyone looked out only for themselves.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฎ? She knew there was no one in either family who would truly stand up for him the way Sanli had supported and protected them.
When it was time to wash Sanli's body, they finally managed to remove her from the room with great difficulty. By then, a sudden high fever had seized her, and fresh bleeding started again. It was at that moment everyone fully understood that she had miscarried.
She was not taken to the hospital. Instead, she was laid on her bed in the house. She and Sanli had lived with his parents because neither family was well-off. They shared a single room, with a small sitting area and a bathroom attached. She lay there struggling through pain and weakness while Sanli's body was taken away for burial.
A neighbor named ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ, a traditional birth attendant, was called to examine Jiedi. She confirmed that the pregnancy was completely lost. The house sank deeper into mourning as they began caring for Jiedi.
Because of her fragile condition and the constant stream of visitors, Aunty had no choice but to stay with her. She moved in and remained by her side, since Jiedi's own mother could not come to stay.
Jiedi suffered greatly during her recovery. Even two days after Sanli's death, she could not stop crying. Sanli had been a good husband, a responsible father, and a devoted son to his parents.
Within just two days, she wasted away...physically and emotionally...overwhelmed by grief and the severe pain in her abdomen caused by the miscarriage.
***
Two weeks passed after the mourning period ended, yet nothing changed for her. Instead, a deeper depression took hold. She could not escape the grief of losing her husband. Aunty remained with her throughout this time and planned to stay until Jiedi completed her mourning period, after which they would return home together.
Zulou had been staying with Jiedi's mother ever since Sanli was hospitalized, even before his death. So most days, it was just Jiedi and Aunty alone in the room.
Their food came from the small kitchen Sanli had once stocked. When it ran out, no one replaced it. Occasionally, they were given food from the larger household, but it was rarely enough for both of them.
Often, if Aunty ate in the morning, she would give up lunch for the rest of the day so Jiedi could eat. And when food arrived at night, Jiedi would say she was full and leave it for Aunty instead.
From that point on, life began to tighten around them. When Aunty noticed that both of them were growing thin from hunger...like displaced refugees...she went to inform Jiedi's mother. Together, they decided to speak to Lee and Kai about helping Jiedi with food.
For a while, they helped modestly...giving her small amounts of money every two days.
At first, this allowed her to buy food and basic necessities like soap. But over time, even that support stopped. Lee and Kai had their own families and responsibilities, and gradually, Jiedi was forgotten.
Three months and some weeks after Sanli's death, Jiedi's life had completely turned upside down. Sanli's mother was struggling herself. Sanli had been the only child who truly cared for and supported her, so she could not bear Jiedi's burden either. In the house, everyone focused on their own survival.
Jiedi grew painfully thin. Her appearance changed drastically...her neck lengthened, her nose seemed sharper, and her eyes protruded as though searching desperately in darkness. Yet she and Aunty were already familiar with poverty. Hunger alone did not frighten Aunty as much as Jiedi's broken spirit did. She knew that once the mourning period ended and they returned home, Jiedi would be stepping into an entirely new and uncertain chapter of life.
On the other hand, ever since Jiedi lost her pregnancy at the time of Sanli's death, she had never truly felt well again. Persistent abdominal pain troubled her constantly. At times, the pain became so severe that she felt as though her life was slipping away. Yet she never went to the hospital...there was simply no money.
She did not even tell Aunty, who lived with her, because she did not want to worry her. If Aunty and her mother found out, they would only panic, and there would still be no solution.
Crushed by grief, hardship, and overwhelming sorrow, she eventually completed her mourning period. Preparations began for her return to her family home.
Sanli's mother broke down in fresh tears when Jiedi was about to leave. In her heart, she wished she had the means to continue caring for Sanli's wife and his child, whom she loved dearly. But she simply did not have the capacity. She loved Zulou deeply as well, yet she could not keep him. That was why she never suggested taking him in. If Sanli's father ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ had still been alive, she knew he would never have allowed Jiedi and Zulou to leave.
Jiedi herself understood that poverty was the reason Sanli's mother did not insist on keeping Zulou. Since Sanli's death, even feeding herself had become a struggle. It was better for Zulou to remain with his mother, because no matter how difficult life became, Jiedi would do everything within her power to care for her child.
โจโจโจ
When Jiedi returned to her family home, she had no choice but to stay in Aunty's room with her. There was no extra room in the house. The entire house consisted of only two rooms and a bathroom in the courtyard...one room belonged to their mother, and the other to Aunty.
Even when their father was alive, that had been their arrangement. Whenever he slept in their mother's room, Jiedi stayed with Aunty, and when he stayed in Aunty's room, she slept with her mother. That was how she grew up until he passed away, and later she got married.
Her return home marked the beginning of a new and exhausting daily struggle. Neither Aunty nor their mother had a stable source of income. Their mother sold flowers, while Aunty sold food spices.
While Jiedi was away observing her mourning period, Aunty's small business collapsed. The capital was already limited, and whatever little they had was spent during that difficult period. Now, only her mother's work provided some support, but even that was barely enough. Life was extremely hard, especially since Sanli had been the one supporting them all. Their brothers had never truly helped; they focused only on their own wives and children.
Aunty had never had children of her own, which was why she had raised Jiedi from childhood. Jiedi was also the only daughter in the family; all their mother's other children were male. There had been ๐๐๐๐๐ข, who passed away months earlier, and then Kai and Lee, both of whom were married with nearly five children each.
Jiedi, the youngest, had remained unmarried for a long time because there was no responsible suitor. She stayed at home until she was almost twenty-eight before she met Sanli. They loved each other deeply, married, and Sanli took on the responsibility of supporting her family according to his ability.
Neither Lee nor Kai ever took full responsibility for caring for their mother. Occasionally, after several days, they might give a small amount of money...sometimes two hundred, sometimes five hundred...and considered that a great effort, even expecting prayers in return. Aunty knew the truth: they relied on Sanli to shoulder the burden, even though he himself was not wealthy. He simply had a generous heart.
Kai worked as a teacher at a nearby government high school. He had been teaching for almost ten years, yet his life had not improved in any meaningful way. Lee, on the other hand, tried many trades without committing to any single one. However, he focused mostly on real estate brokerage, which brought him better income than Kai. Eventually, he ventured into politics...not because he expected to win, but because a political sponsor encouraged him to run so the party could benefit financially. Knowing there was money involved, Lee entered politics without hesitation.
When Kai realized there were financial gains to be made, he supported Lee, hoping to benefit if things worked out.
As for Jiedi, she saw clearly that life offered her no easy path. Zulou was already old enough to be in school. Before Sanli's death, he had dreamed of enrolling his son in school. Now everything had fallen apart, but Jiedi still held onto that dream. She wanted Zulou to receive an education so he could have a better future.
Meanwhile, Aunty and their mother lived day by day, constantly calculating how they would eat. Some days they had food, other days they did not. Sometimes it took four or five days just to gather enough money to prepare a single day meal.
Left with no choice, Jiedi sold her mattress...the only one she had brought back with her. She also gathered old kitchen utensils and took them to the secondhand market. With the small money she earned, she bought food supplies and returned home.
With what remained, she started a small business selling rice cakes and Tofu. Aunty, despite her age and limited strength, helped Jiedi...especially with the tofu, which was the most demanding work.
By heaven's grace, the business slowly gained customers. In the beginning, it was extremely difficult. Few people bought from them because they were not known. There was hardly a day Jiedi didn't get burned, and her hands and feet bore many scars. Sometimes even her face suffered burns when the oil splashed carelessly. Still, they were no longer entirely dependent on others. They could at least manage their daily meals, even if nothing more.
Eventually, Aunty and Jiedi had to divide the work. The workload became too heavy. In the mornings, they sold tea and rice cake together. By afternoon, they expanded beyond tofu to include boil sweet potatoes and Cassava cakes. Aunty handled the morning tea and fried snacks, while Jiedi focused on tofu and the rest during the day. All of it involved intense heat and exhausting labor.
Their mother was not in good health, so they never allowed her to participate in the business. Since their father's death, her health had been unstable. She suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes and lived carefully, managing her strength as best she could.
Through all this, Jiedi managed to enroll Zulou in a government elementary school. Every day, she walked him there and returned home on foot. When school closed, she went back again to bring him home. The distance was long, but she endured it.
By the first school break, Jiedi was completely worn out. Every day she took Zulou to school, picked him up, and then rushed back to continue her business. Eventually, Aunty began taking Zulou to school before returning to help with work, especially since another woman in the neighborhood had started a similar business and competition had increased.
As Aunty's workload grew heavier and exhaustion caught up with her...leaving her little rest..there were times when their mother had to step in gently to help. They depended entirely on the business now, and any small relief mattered.
That was how their life continued...held together by effort, sacrifice, and endurance.
***
For a long time, life continued for them without any major change, until their mother fell ill and became bedridden. This forced Jiedi and Aunty to work even harder. Aunty's strength was also declining, while Zulou's schooling had progressed...he was now in second grade.
Even Jiedi herself was not always in good health. From time to time, her abdominal pain returned, troubling her as it always had. By a strange twist of fate, since she lost her pregnancy at the time of Sanli's death, she had not experienced a menstrual cycle again.
She mentioned this to Aunty, who told her that some women experience such changes, especially after complications like miscarriage. Aunty added that her cycle might only return properly after she remarried.
With that explanation, Jiedi pushed aside her worries about her missing cycle and focused on finding another source of income. Their current business was no longer profitable...almost everyone in the neighborhood had started similar work, and customers had become scarce.
When no new business succeeded and every attempt failed, and with her savings drained by household expenses, Jiedi had no choice but to accept domestic work in a wealthy neighborhood. Aunty's younger cousin helped her secure the job.
Once she started working, life improved slightly, as they now depended on her salary. However, not long after, the family she worked for relocated abroad with their children.
Jiedi was suddenly unemployed again.
Unable to remain idle, she sought help from the same cousin, who was preparing to travel to ๐๐ก๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ช๐ข๐ง๐ for work. She offered Jiedi another opportunity.
"๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ถโ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐," she explained. "๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐, ๐ผ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค, ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐."
With no other option and given their desperate situation, Jiedi agreed.
When she informed Aunty, there was resistance at first. But after the cousin explained that it was only a job in a newly opened high-end restaurant, with decent accommodation provided by the management, they eventually consented and entrusted Jiedi to her care...even though Jiedi was no longer a child.
Before leaving, Jiedi received a generous sum from ๐ด๐ข๐๐ก๐ฆ'๐ cousin. She used it to buy sufficient food supplies for her mother and Aunty. She also had two sets of school uniforms sewn for Zulou, bought him new shoes and slippers, and purchased new schoolbooks.
With the remaining money, she bought bathing soap, laundry detergent, and supplies for their small home business. She handed the rest of the money to Aunty for safekeeping.
Neither Lee nor Kai attempted to stop her from leaving. Politics had consumed their attention, and Kai had even resigned from his teaching job after seeing that there was money to be made elsewhere.
***
๐๐ก๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ช๐ข๐ง๐
At first, Jiedi struggled with the demands of her new life and work. The hotel was newly opened, and the staff were overworked. Those who did not speak English were assigned to kitchen duties.
The long hours and lack of rest initially made her heart sink. But when she received her first salary and saw the amount, all her exhaustion and worries faded away. She threw herself into her work wholeheartedly.
Because of her diligence, honesty, and respectful behavior, she was promoted within two months. She was moved from the kitchen to the service department...delivering meals to guests' rooms upon request. Her workload became much lighter.
Her accommodation was paid for directly from her salary, with rent deducted monthly. This gave her peace of mind, especially since she was able to send money home to Aunty every month.
The comfort, rest, and stability she enjoyed began to reflect in her appearance. She ate well...hotel meals rich in meat and variety...and gradually, her body changed.
Aunty's cousin remained in the kitchen department, where she excelled in preparing various dishes. Her skill was so valued that she was never transferred. She earned a good income because of how much the management appreciated her work.
With rest, proper meals, and peace of mind, Jiedi's body filled out. She gained healthy weight, and the dullness in her skin faded, replaced by a natural glow. At first, she was surprised by the change, but as she realized it was due to her improved life, she began to enjoy it. She even felt hopeful again, believing she could one day remarry.
Over time, she became familiar with her surroundings, the streets, and nearby areas, as she often went out to shop. She even bought traditional medicine and sent it to her mother, who frequently complained of body pains...despite claiming she felt better. Jiedi sensed they only said so to ease her worries.
She also regularly sent small gifts to Zulou whenever she transferred money home.
Nearly a year into her new life in Chongqing, Jiedi noticed something deeply unsettling. She was not certain, so she decided to visit a small clinic near their neighborhood.
Two days after payday, she set out for the clinic to be examined. She had begun to feel movements in her abdomen...clear and unmistakable.
At first, she assumed the changes were simply weight gain, as those around her often joked that she had become plump.
But now she felt it clearly.
For the past five days, the movements had grown stronger...turning and shifting in a way she recognized too well.
It was no longer a doubt.
She was certain it was the movement of a growing child.
๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ซ
๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐, ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ญ.๐
๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ...๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ?ย ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ข ๐ฌ๐๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐... ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ฌ, ๐ข ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ.