Era: After foreseeing the future, I changed my fate using spatial abilities.

Chapter 57 Stars
Seeing that the person had been delivered home, and that it was getting late, Su Ning chatted briefly before deciding to leave. The mother and son were clearly uncomfortable eating with her, an outsider, watching.

"Aunt Zhang, I'll head back now."

Thinking of her persistent cough, he still said, "You should go to the hospital when you have time, even if it's just for Xiao Qiu's sake. If it's for medical expenses, I can lend you some money first."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qin shook her head, and just as she was about to say something, she couldn't stop coughing violently.

It took her quite a while to stop, and she quietly removed the handkerchief covering her mouth and stuffed it under her again.

Without even looking, just the metallic taste in her mouth told her she had coughed up blood again, and sadness instantly spread through her eyes.

She wasn't afraid of death, but Xiao Qiu was still young. What would Xiao Qiu do if she were gone?
"Cough... Su Ning, can I beg you..."

"No."

As if knowing what she was about to say, Su Ning refused without hesitation.

She lost her mother and knows what it feels like to lose a mother.

A daughter is only truly loved when her mother is home; a daughter is truly precious and cherished when her mother is there… no one can replace her.

Moreover, coughing is not a serious illness, and even if it develops into pneumonia, there is hope for a cure as long as treatment is provided.

Therefore, in her view, it was far from the point where she would entrust her child to someone else.

"Xiao Qiu, cough cough... Go eat in the outer room, cough cough~ Go eat, Mommy and your sister need to talk... cough cough cough..."

Xiao Qiu glanced at her mother, then turned to look at Su Ning, nodded obediently, and said "okay."

He scooped out his food from the empty teacup, deliberately leaving the meat for his mother, and then lightly followed the beam of the flashlight out of the house.

After setting the cups down, Xiao Qiu hurried back to get a stool before sitting down under the eaves and happily eating her meal.

Zhang Qin's gaze never left her daughter. Once her daughter sat down to eat and there was no other movement, she turned her gaze to Su Ning, lowered her voice, and coughed as she slowly and laboriously spoke.

……

It turns out that Zhang Qin was not a native of southern Hunan but a resident of Shanghai. She was abducted and sold into the mountains seven years ago.

She didn't know whether her luck was good or bad.

Although the family that sold the bride was poor, they didn't treat her like livestock like other people in the village.

While they wouldn't hit or kick her, they wouldn't be kind enough to let her leave either.

They only relaxed their vigilance against her after she became pregnant, and removed the ropes and chains binding her hands and feet.

Zhang Qin, who never gave up the idea of ​​escaping, was clever enough to know that she could never escape the deep mountains and forests on her own.

Because of her pregnancy, she began to change slowly, as if she had resigned herself to her fate or had no choice but to accept it for the sake of the child in her womb. She learned the local language and how to do the housework well.

She not only gained the trust of her husband's family and fully integrated into the village life, but also learned all the routes in and out of the mountains while working.

As her belly grew larger and she estimated that she was about to give birth, Zhang Qin hardened her heart and deliberately caused a premature birth, gambling with two lives on the conscience of that family that had not been completely extinguished.

She won her gamble and successfully reached the town's hospital, managing to escape with her child.

But fate always plays tricks on people like this; escaping one tiger's den only to fall into another.

Zhang Qin did not elaborate on what happened afterward, only telling Su Ning that she was not coughing because she was sick, but because she had suffered a very serious internal injury.

"I can't take Xiao Qiu away from here, I can only beg you, Su Ning, I know I shouldn't force you, but I'm sorry, I really don't have much time left..."

After speaking such a long passage, she didn't cough, which was rare for her, and the expression on her face made Su Ning feel a little uneasy.

"This is my home address. Please, I can't go home alive, but I hope Xiao Qiu... Xiao Qiu can come home..."

With a lump in her throat, Su Ning's eyes welled up with tears. This time, she accepted the carefully folded note without hesitation.

Seven years have passed, and she can no longer go back. She can no longer hear her family affectionately calling her by her childhood nickname, she can no longer see that familiar alley, and she can no longer eat her favorite food...

"Tell Mom and Dad, and brother, who are waiting at home, that this time, Nannan... can come home..."

Zhang Qin smiled slightly as she spoke, her eyes seemingly seeing everything she wanted to see, and she closed them with immense satisfaction.

Xiao Qiu, who had been sitting frozen at the door, slowly resumed her movements, eating one bite after another until she finished all the food in her cup. Then, with tears streaming down her face, she opened her mouth and silently called out "Mom" again and again.

She knows her mother is in pain every day; she can't eat or sleep. Gu Zige said he's forcing himself to stay alive because he's worried about her, even though living is more painful than leaving her.

She needs to behave well to put her mother at ease and not make a fuss.

"Mom, if it's really like what Brother Gu said, that there's everything in heaven except pain, then... then you should go. Don't worry about Qiuqiu, don't stay and suffer for Qiuqiu's sake." "Mom, I'll be good and won't cry or make a fuss. You should also be good and leave in peace..."

Xiao Qiu sobbed silently, her face turning red, but she still dared not utter a single cry.

Only when her small body was embraced by a big, warm hug and she heard those words of confirmation did she burst into tears without restraint.

Hearing the commotion nearby, Gu Zi quickly ran into the yard carrying a string of small radishes.

Seeing Xiao Qiu crying so hard she couldn't stop, I had expected it, but I still couldn't help but get teary-eyed. I opened and closed my mouth several times before I could finally utter a trembling sentence.

"Aunt Qin is gone?"

Holding Xiao Qiu tightly in her arms, Su Ning nodded silently to the boy.

Tears welled up instantly. Thinking of the person who had made him feel the warmth of a mother over the past six months, Gu Zi straightened his back, took out the hemp straw he had prepared from his bosom, and tied it around his head without hesitation.

He led his younger brother and sister-in-law into the house, knelt down beside her, and saw her off as a dutiful son.

"Aunt Qin, I remember everything you said during the day. Don't worry, if I can take good care of Donggua and the others, I can take good care of Xiaoqiu..."

"Waaaaah, brother, I'm scared! Why isn't Aunt Qin saying anything?"

"Aunt Qin... Aunt Qin is going to turn into a star, little pumpkin, don't be afraid."

"Really? Just like Mom and Dad? Then Aunt Qin, remember to stay close to them, okay? That way, Little Pumpkin can see you right away when she misses you, without having to look for you anymore~"

"Okay, Aunt Qin likes you so much, she'll seriously consider your opinion. Now... let's just quietly watch her, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Qin, Little Pumpkin won't say anything anymore. You can turn into a star now~"

This is the conversation of a group of adorable but brainless children. It's full of innocence, yet it feels so heavy to listen to, making me feel uncontrollably sad.

Looking up at the sky, Su Ning wondered if her favorite 'stars' were also behind the thick clouds.

……

I know that Zhang Qin's wish is to return to Shanghai, to return to the home she longs for day and night.

Therefore, instead of burial as is practiced here, cremation was chosen so that Xiao Qiu could take her back with her.

There was only one adult present, Su Ning. Apart from Gu Zi, the other little ones didn't understand the difference between burial and cremation.

As dawn broke, the perfectly healthy person turned into a small box. They were even more puzzled, yet they seemed to vaguely understand the meaning of the phrase "the person is gone."

"Sister Ningning, will I ever see Xiaoqiu again?"

Knowing that Xiao Qiu would have to leave with her, Xiao Nan Gua was very reluctant to part with her. Not counting her older brothers, Xiao Qiu was her only friend.

Zhang Qin has turned into a small box, and Xiao Qiu is going to disappear too.

Little Pumpkin, pouting, had tears welling up in her eyes. "Xiao Qiu, can you not leave?"

"Little Pumpkin, what did your brother just tell you? Xiao Qiu is going home. We should be happy for her. When you grow up, I'll take you to see her!"

"Really?"

"What are you saying? You're starting to doubt me? When have I ever lied to you?"

"Well, that's fine."

Although she was still young, she clearly understood the difference between a real home and a fake home. Little Pumpkin wiped away her tears and gave them both a sweet smile, "Sister Ningning, please take Xiaoqiu home!"

"So cute~"

He touched her head; the hair under his hand wasn't smooth and was even a little oily, but there wasn't a trace of disgust in Su Ning's eyes.

After just one night together, she truly grew to like these children.

"Gu Zi, have you remembered my address? No matter what, or when, be sure to come to me if you need anything."

"Sister Ning, I've written it down, thank you."

The boy understood her good intentions and could see her sincerity.

When people are stuck in a quagmire, they never forget the person who was willing to offer warmth; a single sentence can be remembered for a lifetime.

(End of this chapter)