I Became the Mother of His Child

Xu Xiuxiu was annoyed at herself for not personally seeing Si Ya off on the train, while Xu Jingjing, who was on the train, was much calmer than expected. Unlike previous times when she ran away from home, she wasn't scared or filled with anticipation. This time, the train was taking her towards home, the place where she had lived for over a decade.

However, after a shaky seven or eight hours, Xu Jingjing faced a rather helpless situation when she disembarked. The things her elder sister had asked her to bring back home were too numerous, and she, a young girl, truly struggled to carry them all.

"Lady, let me help you carry some!" There were quite a few people getting off the train, and amidst the bustling crowd, Xu Jingjing, dragging a huge suitcase, appeared conspicuous and somewhat comical. Coupled with her youthful appearance, many people noticed her, yet no one stepped forward to help.

Wei Jiaqiang, a regular construction worker from Wei Family Village, which was known as Stone Village, had gone with some experienced villagers to work on a construction site in a neighboring county. Today, the construction site was completed, and he was anxious to get home to his elderly mother, so he didn't return by train with his colleagues but bought a train ticket and hurried home.

Xu Jingjing boarded the train in Z city, and her neat appearance sitting near the window attracted a lot of attention. Wei Jiaqiang, who had gotten on the train with a standing ticket partway through the journey, had no seat and stood in the aisle. Drawn by the innate youthful desire for beauty, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Xu Jingjing by the window.

Soon, when the train arrived at the station, the young lady hastily got up from her seat, seemingly getting off at the same station as him. Wei Jiaqiang, a tall and robust man, didn't carry much luggage but intentionally stayed behind the young woman. Watching her strenuously dragging a large suitcase, the shy and honest Wei Jiaqiang, after much hesitation and struggle within, stepped forward to offer help.

Xu Jingjing felt much relieved as soon as someone took her suitcase from her left hand. She turned her body slightly to look back and saw a tall, sturdy man with dark skin radiating health and honesty. Due to a previous bad experience with Chu Tiangu, Xu Jingjing was inherently cautious around such men. Seeing that Wei Jiaqiang resembled the simple men from her hometown, she relaxed a bit and thanked him, "Thank you!" she said, continuing to struggle with her luggage as she followed the crowd.

"You're welcome," Wei Jiaqiang received Xu Jingjing's thanks and mumbled a polite response after a long while. Seeing that Xu Jingjing was still struggling with one suitcase, he immediately lent a hand from behind, and Xu Jingjing felt the heavy suitcase suddenly become much lighter.

After much effort, Xu Jingjing finally made her way out of the crowded throng of disembarking passengers. As soon as she reached the open space near the train stop, Xu Jingjing immediately released her suitcase and began to breathe heavily.

Wei Jiaqiang was naturally strong. Though he was secretly easing some of Xu Jingjing's burden, he still found it quite easy. Seeing Xu Jingjing put down her suitcase, he too set down the one he had been helping with. "Miss, where do you live? You have so much luggage; do you need me to help you take it home?" Wei Jiaqiang gathered his courage to speak again after mentally preparing himself for a long time.

After previous lessons, Xu Jingjing instinctively had a defensive heart towards people. Her bright eyes lingered on him for a moment before relaxing. "I live in nearby Xu Village, quite close by, so no need to trouble you," Xu Jingjing said. Though the two large suitcases troubled her, she did not intend to bother him.

It wouldn't be proper to trouble someone she neither related to nor knew well.

Her sister had taught her that the world wasn't full of purely good people without agendas. While she was kind and enjoyed helping others, she also needed to be constantly aware that not every helping hand came with good intentions; some might have hidden, unsavory motives beneath a facade of benevolence.

Xu Jingjing agreed with her sister's advice; she could see from her experience with Chu Tiangu that she truly didn't have a talent for judging people, so being cautious was never a mistake.

"Xu Village? My name is Wei Jiaqiang; I'm from Stone Village. We are actually quite close. Don't believe me? Let me show you my household registration book," Wei Jiaqiang said immediately, his eyes brightening upon knowing Xu Jingjing was from Xu Village. Yet fearing she wouldn't believe him, the honest man turned around and began rummaging through his simple large bag for his household registration book.

Xu Jingjing watched in confusion as Wei Jiaqiang bent over to search for his household registration book. She really felt it unnecessary for him to go to such lengths to prove his origins!

"Hey! There's no need to look for it anymore, I... I don't need to see it." She was a pure and innocent woman; why would she need to see his household registration book, which symbolized his family and identity?

"It's no trouble, I've found it. Look, I'm really from Stone Village; my name is Wei Jiaqiang," Wei Jiaqiang said as he pulled out a red household registration book tied with a string and even turned to the page with his name to show Xu Jingjing. He carried it with him when working away from home to conveniently prove his identity, never thinking there would actually be a moment when he'd need to use it.

Xu Jingjing didn't want to look, but seeing the household registration book already in front of her, she instinctively glanced at it. The personal information was written in ordinary, uneven handwriting using black fountain pen ink. Xu Jingjing knew that people from their nearby county obtained their household registration books at the county Police Station, written by an older sister who was notoriously unreliable. One bad mood could lead her to write your name incorrectly.

"I saw it; please put the household registration book away!" Xu Jingjing, her cheeks red, urged Wei Jiaqiang feeling very embarrassed.

"Alright." Wei Jiaqiang nodded honestly and turned to stuff the household registration book back into his large bag on his back. "Miss, I see you have a lot of luggage. Since my home is quite close to yours, why don't I help you carry some of the way?" After putting away the household registration book, Wei Jiaqiang's hands were already sweaty; he awkwardly rubbed them on his black trousers before cautiously speaking up.