My wife and I are both time travelers.

Chapter 124 Fainting

Lin Ying could hardly believe her ears. Zhou Jiye was in trouble? He was missing? What on earth happened?

"Don't rush, let me explain slowly." Seeing Lin Ying's expression change drastically, Lao Wen quickly said, "The situation is like this, this time we went south to Lingnan..."

Old Wen didn't hide anything from Lin Ying, telling her in detail about their trip to Lingnan and their arrangements there. He also explained in detail how, due to the large amount of money they brought, the initial supply was insufficient, and they had to obtain the goods in two batches.

Then Lao Wen said that because of the two batches of goods, the first batch of goods had to be shipped back to Shanghai immediately. After discussing it, Zhou Jiye and Achang stayed in Macun to wait for the next batch of goods, while Xu Guoqing and Lao Wen took the first batch of goods to Fengdong for shipment. Then, when the next batch of goods arrived, everyone would meet up to handle the shipment of the remaining goods.

This arrangement was perfectly reasonable, and with three people going this time, plus Achang, a local, the four of them splitting into two groups shouldn't have caused any problems.

But this is exactly what caused the problem, and then an unexpected incident occurred that no one could have foreseen.

Xu Guoqing and Lao Wen arrived in Fengdong with the goods first. After shipping the goods, they waited in Fengdong for two days, but Zhou Jiye and Achang did not arrive as scheduled. They waited for another day, and by the afternoon of the third day, Xu Guoqing and Lao Wen felt that something was wrong. They felt that they could not wait foolishly any longer, so after discussing it, they decided to rush back to Macun to find them directly.

To their surprise, when they returned to Macun, they learned that on the very night Zhou Jiye and his men received the goods, police and armed police suddenly appeared at the dock to crack down on smuggling and arrested a large number of people.

When the group from Ma Village realized the situation was not right, they immediately scattered and fled. However, the other side had already made arrangements and laid a trap. In the end, apart from a few lucky ones who managed to escape, the rest of the Ma Village group, including their leader Uncle Qi, did not get out.

The entire Ma Village is in chaos now. Most of the able-bodied men and women in every household are caught up in this mess, and even those who weren't caught at the time have all temporarily gone into hiding. Moreover, with the arrest of the village secretary, Uncle Qi, the village is without a leader, and everyone is in a state of panic and confusion. No one knows the specifics of what happened that night, and even if you want to find those who escaped, no one will tell you where they are hiding.

Upon hearing this news, Xu Guoqing and Lao Wen panicked. Could it be that Zhou Jiye and Achang had also been arrested by the anti-smuggling authorities that night? The usually calm Xu Guoqing was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, and Lao Wen was equally at a loss. After finally calming down, the two decided to split up and inquire about the situation. They managed to find someone they knew in the village and asked about the situation. On the premise that the person promised to do their best to get Uncle Qi out, they finally learned where these people were being held.

What happened next was a bit complicated and tedious, so I won't go into details. Anyway, after a lot of effort and spending some money on tea, they finally met Uncle Seven and Ah Chang, who were being held captive.

Their situation was relatively good because the anti-smuggling vehicle was fast, and Uncle Qi was the village's leader. A-Chang was also accompanying Zhou Jiye to pick up the goods. At that time, the payment was all with Zhou Jiye, and A-Chang didn't have much money at all.

To protect Uncle Qi, the villagers all insisted that he had nothing to do with the matter. As for Achang, he also insisted that he was from another village visiting relatives and watching the excitement. This is why they were able to see them in the end. Otherwise, even if they had connections, Xu Guoqing and his group would not have been able to see them at all.

After some effort, they finally got Uncle Qi and Achang out of trouble. When they returned to Ma Village and asked about the details, they learned that everyone had been fleeing after the anti-smuggling operation. It was chaotic at the time, and no one cared about anyone else. However, it was certain that Zhou Jiye was not among those arrested. So, no one knew what had become of Zhou Jiye.

"He just disappeared like that?" Lin Ying asked blankly, she never imagined that such a thing could happen.

"Don't worry, there's more." Old Wen quickly said, "I've asked Achang and Uncle Qi carefully. They both said that Jiye was on the boat when the accident happened. It happened suddenly, and the scene was very chaotic. Everyone was rushing to escape and didn't have time to pay attention to his situation."

"However, according to Uncle Qi, they heard the sound of Dafei's engine leaving when they ran away, and they didn't see any delivery people from Hong Kong after they were caught. It's likely that Dafei took advantage of the chaos and ran away by sea."

"If that's the case, Jiye is very likely on the ship, having run away with Dafei. So he neither got caught nor came back, and may have gone directly to Hong Kong with Dafei. But this is just our speculation, and we can't be sure right now. We can only find out by contacting the people in Hong Kong who are on the ship that day."

"Did you get the information?" Lin Ying asked anxiously.

Old Wen shook his head: "It's not that easy. With such a big incident in Macun, the channels to Hong Kong will definitely be cut off for a while. We'll have to wait until things calm down before we can ask around. What we can confirm now is that Jiye is not among those arrested, nor is he hiding in Macun or the surrounding area. Otherwise, we would have made contact long ago. The most likely possibility is that he went to Hong Kong by ship. If that's the case, it's not necessarily a bad thing. At least he avoided the risks. He should be able to come back once things calm down."

"I came back first this time. Firstly, Aqing and I discussed this big matter and felt we couldn't keep it from you; we had to tell you the situation. Secondly, we also bear responsibility for Jiye's disappearance. Aqing plans to stay there a few more days and work with Achang to find out more about Jiye's whereabouts. In addition, the goods we shipped are almost here in Shanghai, so we have to come back and settle them as soon as possible. That's why I came straight here to find you as soon as I got back to Shanghai at noon. I didn't expect you to be out; I was waiting at the door."

Lin Ying's expression softened slightly, and her face wasn't as bad as it had been initially.

Although she was still concerned about Zhou Jiye's whereabouts and worried about his current situation, she could also tell from Lao Wen's words that he and Xu Guoqing had basically done everything they could. It was also true that Xu Guoqing was staying in Macun with Achang to wait for news, and there was nothing more they could do.

Perhaps, as they suspected, Zhou Jiye disappeared because he was on a boat at the time and hastily boarded another boat to leave, thus heading to Hong Kong.

If that's the case, then Zhou Jiye will be safe once he reaches Hong Kong. Since he can fly there, he can fly back; safety won't be a problem. It's just a pity that current communication methods are too backward. If it were decades from now, when everyone has a mobile phone and internet access, it would be possible to contact someone from anywhere on Earth. But in this era, that's simply not possible. "Thank you, Brother Wen, thank you so much!"

"Sigh, this matter..." Old Wen sighed and shook his head. Who could have predicted such a situation? If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have let Zhou Jiye and the others stay in Ma Village. If there aren't enough goods, so be it. They could have found a way to get the rest from Yangcheng or just brought back the first batch. Why insist on getting all the goods?

It's all my fault, really. Ever since I planned to head south, I'd been calculating how to get as much cargo as possible and make as much money as I could. But then this unexpected thing happened. Now it's no use thinking about it anymore. Zhou Jiye's disappearance is like a huge stone weighing on my heart, making me very sad. I just hope he's lucky and that he'll be alright.

"Don't worry, the lack of news for now shouldn't be a bad thing. Jiye is quick-witted, and he's big and strong; two or three people wouldn't stand a chance. Even if he gets to Hong Kong, he won't be in danger. He might call back in a few days to let us know he's safe," Old Wen comforted Lin Ying. Lin Ying understood, of course, and forced a smile as she nodded.

The two chatted for a few more minutes before Lao Wen left. Before leaving, he told Lin Ying not to worry about the shipped goods, as he would find a way to bring them back and store them. He added that he would keep Lin Ying informed of any follow-up matters and would notify her immediately if there were any updates, asking her to be patient.

After seeing Lao Wen off, Lin Ying looked somewhat dazed. The sudden accident left her feeling uneasy, and at the same time, she was deeply worried about Zhou Jiye.

"Second sister, why do you look so pale?" Turning back towards home, Lin Wen and Lin Xi, who had been waiting at the door, were startled when they saw Lin Ying's pale face as she got closer.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired..." Lin Ying forced a smile. She didn't want her two younger sisters to know about Zhou Jiye, so she forced herself to act nonchalant.

The three walked towards home, and after a few steps they reached the door. Lin Ying took out her key from her pocket and opened the door. Just as she entered the building, before she could take another step, everything went black, her legs gave way, and she heard her two younger sisters shouting in panic. Then, Lin Ying knew nothing more.

It's unclear how much time passed before Lin Ying slowly woke up.

When I woke up and opened my eyes, I saw the ceiling and three concerned faces.

"Second sister! Second sister, you're finally awake! You... you scared me to death..." Lin Xi said nervously, her voice trembling with tears. Lin Wen, standing beside her, held Lin Ying's hand and sobbed softly. Lin Ying's memories gradually returned, and she realized that she must have fainted when she entered the room.

"Where is this...?" Lin Ying struggled to get up, but Fang Manxia, ​​who was by the bed, pressed her down: "Lie down for a while. This is a ward in the local hospital. You fainted suddenly earlier, and the doctor said you need to rest."

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"It's been almost two hours." Fang Manxia gently patted Lin Ying's left hand and asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"

Lin Ying shook her head slightly. She had no appetite at all. Zhou Jiye's disappearance had been a huge blow to her. Although Lin Ying had always been the one in control in her interactions with Zhou Jiye, and often teased her husband, their marriage was, in fact, an accident, and Lin Ying had forced Zhou Jiye into it.

But humans are emotional beings after all. Even if two people don't have feelings for each other at first, they will inevitably develop feelings for each other after being together for a long time.

Moreover, both Lin Ying and Zhou Jiye are contemporaries from the future, sharing the same experiences and era. They possess a tacit understanding and closeness that no other couple can match. Furthermore, while Zhou Jiye isn't like those so-called domineering CEOs who are rich and handsome, nor is he like some pretty boys who are eloquent, in his previous life, Zhou Jiye was just an ordinary person, a lowly office worker at the bottom of society. He had no money, no house, and had been a bachelor for many years without even having a girlfriend. Such people are plentiful in the future, and with Lin Ying's background and experience, she simply wouldn't be interested in him.

As they spent more time together, Lin Ying gradually discovered many admirable qualities in Zhou Jiye. Although Zhou Jiye lacked ability, he was self-aware, kind, good-natured, and willing to accommodate her. He also had a touch of romance and humor. Even if such a man wasn't dazzling, he was still quite good. He was reliable and dependable in life. As for money and status, she might have cared about those things in her previous life, but since coming to this era, Lin Ying had long since stopped caring.

Lin Ying had always felt that marrying Zhou Jiye was a huge bargain for him, and that she had only done so out of necessity and resentment. Furthermore, given their different backgrounds in their previous lives, Lin Ying ultimately held a certain advantage over Zhou Jiye.

But it wasn't until today that Lin Ying suddenly realized she was wrong. Zhou Jiye held an unparalleled place in her heart; his importance surpassed anything else. Losing Zhou Jiye felt like Lin Ying had suddenly lost her pillar of support, leaving her all alone in the world. Looking around, who could she rely on in the future? Who could truly listen to her innermost thoughts?
Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably. The usually strong Lin Ying cried, sobbing softly, her sobs heartbreaking. Her two younger sisters were at a loss, unsure how to comfort her. It was Fang Manxia who gave them a wink, signaling them to go back and cook some porridge and bring some side dishes for Lin Ying. After they left, looking at the heartbroken Lin Ying, Fang Manxia, ​​though unaware of what had happened, could guess from her experience that it was related to Zhou Jiye.

"Don't cry, crying too much is bad for your health." Fang Manxia gently patted Lin Ying's hand and said, "You're pregnant now, you have to be strong!"

"Baby!" Lin Ying, who was sobbing, suddenly froze and looked at Fang Manxia with an incredulous gaze. Fang Manxia nodded affirmatively: "It's been almost two months, you didn't know, did you? You're going to be a mother."

(End of this chapter)