128: Chapter 128 Xiao Baihe, Homeless

Xiao Baihe tentatively asked Chen Jianjun.

"Jianjun, if... I mean if, it's a girl, would you be disappointed?"

"How could I be!" Chen Jianjun stroked her belly, his gaze gentle. "Son or daughter, it's all the same. They're our child. Don't think such nonsense."

But these words did not put Xiao Baihe at ease.

She knew her husband's thoughts were the same as her in-laws'.

When she was seven months pregnant, Xiao Baihe had a proper prenatal check-up at the county hospital.

Xiao Baihe asked the doctor.

"Doctor, I'm about to give birth soon. When preparing the baby's clothes now, should I prepare pants or a dress?"

This was something she learned online.

If the doctor said pants, it meant a boy; if a dress, it meant a girl.

The doctor smiled and asked, "What do you want to prepare?"

"I'm fine with anything, really. But my husband and my in-laws all want to prepare pants."

The doctor thought for a moment and said.

"Actually, whether it's a boy or a girl is the same. I think your attitude is quite good. Your husband's and your in-laws' attitudes are not."

Xiao Baihe's heart sank.

She already understood what the doctor meant.

On the way home, she remained silent the whole time.

Chen Jianjun sensed something was wrong and cautiously asked, "Lily, what's the matter? Did the doctor say there's a problem with the baby?"

"No, very healthy," Xiao Baihe looked out the window. "It's just... it's a girl."

Chen Jianjun was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "A girl is good, pretty like you. I wanted a daughter."

"But Mom and Dad..."

"I'll talk to them," Chen Jianjun held her hand. "Don't worry, I'm here."

But things were far from as simple as Chen Jianjun imagined.

That evening at dinner, Chen Jianjun tried his best to speak in a light tone. "Dad, Mom, we had the prenatal check-up today. The baby is very healthy. It's a girl."

*Thud!*

Chopsticks fell on the table.

Li Guixiang's face instantly fell. "A girl? How could it be a girl? Wasn't it said to be a boy?"

Chen Fugui's face turned livid. He stared at Xiao Baihe's belly as if it were something ominous.

"A girl is good too..." Chen Jianjun tried to ease the tension.

"Good what good!" Chen Fugui slammed the table. "Can a girl carry on the family line? Can a girl continue the ancestral line? Our old Chen family is going to die out!"

"Dad, don't say that..."

"What do you mean, don't say that?" Chen Fugui stood up, pointing at Xiao Baihe. "It's all you! Can't even give birth to a son! What use is it for our Chen family to have married you?"

Tears welled up in Xiao Baihe's eyes. She bit her lip, not daring to cry out loud.

"Dad! How can you say that to Lily!" Chen Jianjun also stood up. "Whether it's a boy or a girl isn't something she can decide! Besides, if this one is a daughter, we can have a son next time."

"How is it not her decision?" Li Guixiang shrilled. "It's definitely her belly that's useless! If we had a fertile one, we'd have a grandson by now!"

That dinner ended unhappily.

From that day on, Xiao Baihe's life took a sharp turn for the worse.

Li Guixiang stopped stewing soups for her. Instead, she ordered her around: "Don't think being pregnant makes you a young mistress! Our Chen family doesn't support idlers!"

Chen Fugui wore a gloomy face all day, looking at her as if she were an enemy.

Occasionally, he would make cutting remarks: "Some people just have no luck. Our Jianjun marrying her was really the worst luck in eight lifetimes."

Only Chen Jianjun remained as good to her as ever.

Every day after work, he would secretly bring her delicious food.

When his parents said harsh words, he would shield her.

At night, holding her, he said, "Lily, don't be afraid. After the baby is born, we'll move out and live on our own."

But this promise could never be fulfilled.

Xiao Baihe would always remember that winter afternoon.

She was nine months pregnant, her belly so big it was hard to walk.

Before Chen Jianjun left, he stroked her belly and said, "After this trip today, I'll rest and stay home with you for the delivery. Wait for me to come back, we'll think of a nice name for the baby."

She saw him off at the door, watching him drive the second-hand truck until it disappeared at the village entrance.

At three in the afternoon, the village chief rushed over, his face pale. "Lily... Jianjun... he... had an accident..."

The truck's brakes failed on the mountain road, and it plunged off a cliff.

When they found him, he was already gone.

Xiao Baihe fainted on the spot.

When she woke up, she was already in the hospital. Her in-laws stood by the hospital bed, their eyes icy.

"Jinx," Li Guixiang spat out the two words.

Chen Fugui was even more direct: "A husband-killing woman, giving birth to a money-losing girl. What sin has our Chen family committed!"

Xiao Baihe lay on the hospital bed, her tears already dried up.

She stroked her belly; the little life inside was still moving.

This was the only keepsake Jianjun left behind.

Three days later, she went into premature labor.

After more than ten hours of labor pains, she gave birth to a baby girl weighing five pounds and two ounces.

When the Nurse brought the child for her to see, she cried her heart out.

Jianjun never got to see their daughter.

She named the child Chen Jing, with the nickname Xiao Jing, hoping she would be quiet, well-behaved, and have a peaceful life.

But this simple wish was seen as another kind of sin in her in-laws' eyes.

On the day she was discharged from the hospital, Li Guixiang and Chen Fugui came to the hospital, but not to pick her up.

Chen Fugui said angrily.

"You take the child and leave! Jianjun is gone. Our Chen family does not acknowledge this granddaughter. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

Xiao Baihe couldn't believe her ears. "Dad... Mom... what are you saying?"

"Do I need to make it clearer?" Li Guixiang said coldly. "You jinxed my son to death, and now you've given birth to a useless girl. Our Chen family has nothing to do with you. Get out, now!"

"But... Xiao Jing is Jianjun's daughter..."

"We have no such granddaughter!" Chen Fugui cut her off. "Leave quickly. Don't embarrass yourself here!"

The Nurse couldn't stand it anymore. "Elders, the mother just gave birth. How can you be like this..."

"What's it to you? This is our family's business!" Li Guixiang shrilled.

Xiao Baihe held her daughter, trembling all over.

She knew nothing she said would be of any use.

Her in-laws had already decided she was a curse and that her granddaughter was a money-losing burden.

She slowly got out of bed, enduring the pain from the wound, and packed her things.

When she walked out of the hospital holding her daughter, a light snow was falling from the sky.

Xiao Baihe, holding her ten-day-old daughter, boarded the bus back to her parents' home.

Her parents' home was in another area, an eight-hour bus ride away.

This was also why no one from her family came when she gave birth.

Along the way, Xiao Jing was very well-behaved, not crying or fussing, just staring at her with big, dark eyes.

Xiao Baihe kissed her daughter's cheek. "Xiao Jing, Mommy is taking you to Grandma's house. Mommy will protect you."

...