CHAPTER 215: CHAPTER 215: TYPHOON MAKES LANDFALL

An Junxi finally found something she could do. She had always liked small accessories and came up with many designs herself. The bracelets and accessories she made were very trendy, quite different from the traditional simple handicrafts.

Sister Chen initially just wanted An Junxi to pass the time, but unexpectedly, the handmade items she brought to the town sold so well, even fetching higher prices than similar products.

Sister Chen praised her, saying, "You really have a knack for this, sister. I can’t do such meticulous work."

An Junxi smiled and said, "I can’t do anything else, I can only help out a bit. I can’t keep eating here for free."

"Why say that? I usually get so bored taking care of my in-laws alone. I’m so happy that you’re here to chat with me."

Sister Chen wasn’t just being polite; she was genuinely happy. From initial politeness to later sincerity, she truly treated An Junxi like her own sister. She even killed a few old hens at home to make soup and improve their meals.

Mrs. An earned a bit of money and bought a few dozen chicks from the town, fenced off a piece of land outside the house to raise them. Every day, she fed the chicks small fish and shrimp, saying that when the baby was born, she could provide nutritious food for her daughter.

Hardworking people can survive anywhere. The three of them arrived here with nothing, but because of their innate diligence and simplicity, the island’s residents soon accepted them. They gradually settled down with a bit of help from each household.

Sister Chen increasingly didn’t understand them. This old couple seemed reasonable and easy to get along with. Their daughter was polite and well-mannered, certainly not someone who would leave home after a quarrel with her husband.

She spoke directly and asked An Junxi, who said, "My husband and I have some misunderstandings. It’s good for us to be apart for a while. I’ll probably return after the baby is born."

Sister Chen asked with concern, "Aren’t you worried your husband might find another woman after such a long separation?"

An Junxi said with certainty, "He won’t."

Although she spoke confidently, she didn’t feel certain at all inside.

When she left, she told him, "Never look for me again."

With her treating him like that, what reason did he have to wait for her to come back?

During the day, An Junxi seemed fine. She helped Sister Chen with housework and handmade crafts. But at night, sleeping in a strange room, listening to the waves crashing, she often woke up startled in the middle of the night.

She always had nightmares, dreaming of Gu Kuangxia finding this place, dreaming of Yi Ke lying in a pool of blood, dreaming of the baby’s cries.

She tried every possible way to get news about the Gu Family. The island’s network communication was poor, almost isolated from the world. Although every household had a TV, the signal was bad, and there were few channels. Sometimes the screen was full of static, and during typhoons, power and water outages were common.

After a restless month, she finally saw the Gu Family holding a press conference.

She saw him calmly answering reporters’ questions, but whether it was an illusion, she felt he looked extremely pale and seemed very tired.

A reporter asked, "There were rumors a few days ago that President Gu was critically injured. Can you clarify this..."

Just as she was watching, the TV made a buzzing noise, and she could only see Gu Yikun talking but couldn’t hear a word.

In a panic, she slapped the TV twice, but it simply broke down.

She sat there dumbfounded, critically injured? Could it be because of Gu Kuangxia?

What about Gu Kuangxia, is he dead or not?

An Junxi was anxious and clueless, not knowing what to do next.

Mrs. An noticed her daughter’s anxiety and advised her, "There’s nothing you can do right now. The most important thing is to relax and give birth to a healthy baby. If you keep worrying, the baby will sense your unhappiness, which isn’t good for it."

An Junxi understood this logic but just couldn’t calm down.

When she was over three months pregnant, Mr. and Mrs. An accompanied her to the town hospital for a check-up. The money they earned from doing odd jobs was not enough to cover the expenses, so they had to borrow from Sister Chen with much embarrassment.

Sister Chen understood their difficulties. No matter what, a prenatal check-up couldn’t be skipped. She quietly slipped some money to An Junxi, saying, "Use this for now. Pay me back slowly when you return and have money. Just don’t let my in-laws know, they are quite tight-fisted."

An Junxi thanked her countless times, and Sister Chen told her not to be so formal and even took time to accompany them to the hospital.

The boat ride from the island to the town took about an hour. An Junxi, who got seasick, felt drowsy the whole way. At the hospital, hearing the baby’s heartbeat made all the hardships worthwhile.

The town hospital was not very formal and its equipment was basic, but fortunately, An Junxi still had her ID card, so regular check-ups were not a problem.

The doctor noticed An Junxi’s husband was not by her side and repeatedly advised her to stay happy for a smooth delivery.

After returning to the island, Sister Chen chatted with An Junxi daily, urging her not to overthink things.

As her pregnancy progressed, An Junxi’s morning sickness worsened. The fishy smell on the island made her nauseous, and she could hardly eat. Occasionally, she saw on TV that Gu Family’s stock price fell to a new low and the company faced its biggest crisis in years. Shocked, she accidentally spilled the soup, burning her feet in several places.

Mrs. An was scared and treated her daughter’s burns, saying, "Yi Ke has weathered many storms. He will surely handle the company’s matters. Focus on your health and the baby. Your father and I will take care of everything else."

An Junxi’s eyes welled up.

Countless days and nights passed where she desperately wanted to call him, to ask if his injuries had healed, but she feared becoming another burden, distracting him from handling the company’s crisis.

The news never mentioned Gu Kuangxia, but that frightening demon left a deep emotional scar on her. She feared that if their whereabouts were exposed, Gu Kuangxia and his accomplices would not spare Yi Ke or the child.

An Junxi lived in constant fear. She worried whenever the baby moved and also when it did not. Unable to eat, she couldn’t gain weight. Mrs. An, fearing the baby lacked nutrition, insisted she drink two bowls of chicken soup every day.

As her due date approached, they planned to go to the hospital early. But just then, a typhoon made landfall, halting all boats on the island, leaving them stranded.

The typhoon swept through the island with raging winds and rain. Every household hid indoors. The old house they lived in couldn’t withstand the storm’s force. Rain lashed the windows, and part of the roof was blown away. Mr. An braved the storm to repair it.

An Junxi watched in fear. "Dad, be careful!"

"It’s okay, fixing the roof is simple."

Mr. An, having endured hardships all his life, remained the pillar of support for his wife and daughter, taking utmost care of them despite his age.