Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

Chapter 990: 990 Points of Separation

She had been a widow since she was twenty, and had seen many men, so even when many men openly or secretly looked at her, she wouldn’t feel embarrassed.

However, Xu Hongbing couldn’t stand it. Now he truly regretted, not because of the environment, but because he realized who Huang Mei really was.

Only now he finally recognized the good in Zhao Xiaojing. No matter what, in her eyes, there was only him.

What exactly was wrong with himself? Why did he ignore the pearl at home to be with a fish eye?

He became even more silent now, just like when he was at home as a child. He wouldn’t say a single word all day long. He no longer looked forward to the child in Huang Mei’s belly like he did at the beginning. This child had a fate similar to his own.

The environment here was extremely harsh. Corn was considered a fine grain here and yet still wouldn’t fill you up.

For a strong laborer like Xu Hongbing, there was a daily quota of work.

So he didn’t have any leisure time at all, and when he lay on the kang at night, he would fall asleep immediately. Originally, Huang Mei hated Xu Hongbing for betraying her, and their just recently thawed relationship chilled to the freezing point again.

After over a month, having already gotten accustomed to the place, Xu Hongbing realized that his coming here was definitely because of Su Yuanyuan.

He bitterly smiled, thinking that he had truly offended Su Yuanyuan. Back then, when it was with Xiang Zhiqiang, she detested such things greatly.

Yes, he always thought that since he was far away, it was just a normal relationship, and as long as he didn’t annoy his little sister-in-law, there wouldn’t be anything major.

Now it’s clear, they are still kin, and if anyone mistreats her relatives, she will definitely retaliate double.

Xu Hongbing became even more silent. He worked quite actively. He was inherently a clever and smart person; once he figured it out, he knew what to do in the future.

Two months later, Huang Mei waited for Xu Hongbing to return, "I won’t live with you anymore."

Xu Hongbing didn’t even look at her and just nodded.

"I’ll give you this child once it’s born. But you’ll need to give me two hundred yuan and then we’ll have nothing to do with each other."

They might be here due to making mistakes, but they still received wages.

Xu Hongbing nodded again; he didn’t want this child, but after all, it was his own. Since Huang Mei didn’t want it, he would raise it himself. He estimated he couldn’t leave this place for a few years. The sentence was for eight years, but he had confidence he could leave here early.

He didn’t have a penny on him right now; last month’s money was given to Huang Mei.

Actually, he really couldn’t understand men. They could be stingy with money when it came to their wives, but when women outside asked for money, they would just hand it over directly.

"Xu Hongbing, I’m moving out tomorrow."

Xu Hongbing still nodded; he didn’t have any desire to speak.

Huang Mei finally gave up hope. What else could she expect from such a man?

The news of Huang Mei moving out spread across the labor camp the next day, and some people sympathized with Xu Hongbing.

"Are you just going to leave it at that?"

"It’s alright, we were never really a couple, getting to this point, separating is also quite good."

"And the child?"

"The child is mine; I’ll give her two hundred yuan."

"How will you support the child? Why not let her raise it for a year, and then you raise it? If that’s not possible, just give her more money."

"Mm, let’s see by then. I’m not sure if we’re allowed to raise sheep here. If possible, I can support the child myself."

"You should ask the team leader. Haven’t heard about it."

"Old Xu, can you lend me some money after the child is born? Don’t worry, I’ll definitely pay it back."

Xu Hailong nodded, "It’s fine, I can lend you two hundred." A lonely man with no one here, spending money wasn’t easy. He had been here for three years now, and had saved over a hundred dollars; lending this young man two hundred yuan really wasn’t a problem.

Feeling relieved after making arrangements here, when he returned at night, he didn’t feel lonely even being by himself.

He lay alone on the kang, and couldn’t believe he had done such a thing.

A happy and fulfilling family, now it amounted to nothing. He still understood that Hai Jun, the child, would definitely not forgive him. Just like himself in his childhood.

Even if he returned in the future, he wouldn’t receive the child’s forgiveness.

He recalled seeing Zhao Xiaojing that day. He was truly disheartened. He couldn’t see her expression clearly from a distance, but as she turned and left, it made him realize there would be no future, truly none.

He was destined to be a loner in the future, reminiscing on his mom’s words when he was younger.

Yes, this was the saddest thing, even he looked down on himself, let alone others.

He found the person in charge the next day and inquired about raising sheep.

"Team leader, I just want to raise the child. After all, it’s a life. Since it’s come into the world, I want to find a way to support it."

"You can."

Finally relieved, Xu Hongbing knew he didn’t need to have any more contact with Huang Mei in the future.

So he approached Old Xu again to borrow money to have the team leader help him buy one male and one female lamb.

With this calculation, there’d be goat milk for the child to drink once born.

Zhao Xiaojing was also busy every day, she had three pigs of her own. Chickens and ducks as well, she would sell the eggs and save some by autumn.

The Zhao Family would visit from time to time, understanding that everyone had their own lives to live. Seeing her handling things quite efficiently, they stopped worrying after some time.

Su Yuanyuan, during her rest time, wrote to Zhao Yanli, advising that these were personal matters of others, and while suggestions could be given, even for close sisters, decisions couldn’t be made for them.

Maybe Zhao Xiaojing carried a child as a means to get back at Xu Hongbing? But it was a method with sacrifices on both ends, as the child required raising; it wasn’t just about not starving him.

Even so, she was surprised by Zhao Xiaojing’s courage; she didn’t seem like a woman with such cunning.

Perhaps she found someone she liked? But, why not be together? Now she was single too, and no one was there to control her.

Su Yuanyuan was extremely busy with work. Increasingly more responsibilities were falling under her purview.

Being so occupied, the days seemed to pass quickly, and once the lunar July came, she started organizing her work. Chengzi really wasn’t skilled in these areas, but since he came to protect her, he must earn some credit.

Thus, she still decided to have him stay. However, Chengzi disagreed.

"Sister-in-law, I’ll go with you. You sure can’t do it alone."