After spending a night in the third cabin, Wen Qian returned to the second cabin on the following day. It was just as they had left it yesterday, meaning they hadn't come back since their departure.
Wen Qian cautiously opened the door, only entering with ease after confirming there were no traps.
Although the intruders hadn't damaged anything, the thought of not knowing how long they had stayed here unsettled her.
She couldn't understand why, in a place as vast as the Northern Forest, someone would trespass. Was it true that things belonging to others always seemed more desirable?
Some people apparently dislike peaceful coexistence and equal treatment, preferring either to trample on others or be trampled upon themselves.
She wondered how long this warning would hold. If they decided to cause trouble this winter, how would she handle it?
She didn't want to kill unless absolutely necessary. Besides, they were a whole family; killing them all wouldn't be right, but leaving some alive would be even worse.
So, when she next saw her two neighbors, she told them about the intruders occupying her hunting cabin.
Wen Qian only wanted to inform them, not seeking their judgment or stance. If any conflict were to erupt in the future, she would have valid reasons.
Fortunately, throughout the winter, the intruders didn't trespass again. Wen Qian moved between her cabins, harvesting a substantial amount of mink fur.
The three families decided to find a time to sell the mink fur together when the spring market began.
Going together always felt safer.
There was also good news: Ni Sha was pregnant. Her plan had been executed very quickly; by calculation, she should be over three months along.
With spring's arrival, doctors would visit the village, advising her on precautions.
Everyone was very curious about their decision to have a child, but as Ni Sha wasn't showing yet, they couldn't see much difference.
However, Wen Qian felt she already had a maternal glow.
In the past, she had been quite oblivious. Even when someone was seven or eight months pregnant with a big belly, she wouldn't realize they were expecting.
Until once, when a good friend was pregnant and she visited, she suddenly noticed there were many pregnant women around—on the streets, buses, and subways.
Even those not showing, she could quickly identify as soon-to-be mothers, as they became cautious, unconsciously shielding their abdomens with their hands.
Just like her good friend.
This phenomenon is called the "pregnancy effect" or "retinal effect."
Whether in Xia Province or here in the forest, Wen Qian hadn't seen a newborn in a long time. Children always represent new life and hope, especially one born after the end of a natural disaster.
Due to his wife's pregnancy, the husband had to alter his spring plans.
The child would be born in autumn, so they might be in the city by then.
He couldn't manage his crops, so he didn't plan to plant much. However, he agreed with his two neighbors to exchange game or money for their grown grains.
Everyone also considered that with only the couple in their home now, after the child's birth, Ni Sha wouldn't be able to do much for several years.
Only one person would be working, unable to venture far for hunting.
While pregnant women need to be careful, it doesn't mean they can't do anything. It just means they can't work as they normally would.
Simple tasks like sewing clothes or picking vegetables should still be done. Constantly eating and lying around is actually detrimental to childbirth.
At this stage, a natural birth is best, so she focused on diet and exercise.
However, they lived too far from the small town, so the hunter agreed to rent a small house with villagers.
He'd take his wife to stay in the village for a month or two, mainly during the last two months when her belly is big, making it convenient for them to take a boat to the city when the time comes.
Wen Qian had fine cotton cloth, so she made baby clothes as described in books.
She thought that as a neighbor, she should give something to the newborn.
Should the newborn call her "grandma"? Is that the right term?
Wen Qian and Big Ning took over the hunter's small crop, helping them harvest grain, carrots, and cabbage, all tended well.
Childbirth is a big event, and the healthy elderly lady from the Jin Family also eagerly awaited this newborn's arrival.
When Ni Sha reached her due date, she had a natural birth in the hospital, delivering a daughter.
The hunter balanced caring for the new mother with finding temporary work in the city. Behind the hospital, there was a place specifically arranged for postpartum care.
After a week in the hospital, they moved there. The rent was very cheap, with subsidies for newborns. They planned to stay a full month before heading home.
This was already the greatest help for the newborn and mother. Newborns are too precious now.
Mainly, they weren't at ease with the baby under a month old. If they were unsure about anything, they could ask directly.
If the baby caught a chill on the road, it would be no laughing matter.
Worried about insufficient nutrition, the hunter had pre-ordered a ewe in the village, waiting to bring it back home.
The neighbors only knew they were in the city for childbirth and postpartum care, unaware of the specifics as no one had brought news.
Their reindeer were temporarily housed by Wen Qian and the Big Jin family, mostly by Wen Qian as she had a courtyard suitable for overnight stays.
So Big Jin helped her build a temporary shelter in the corner of the courtyard by the wall. Being in the corner, it already had two walls, needing only two more made from wooden boards and grass mats.
Often, it was the two children from Big Jin's family who helped take the reindeer out to graze. Wen Qian was only responsible for nighttime safety, which wasn't particularly demanding.
There were four reindeer in total, large and small. Once familiar with Wen Qian, they didn't reject her approach.
She was very curious about these creatures. With rabbits and now reindeer in her courtyard, it felt much livelier.
Considering their late return, she didn't forget to store winter hay for the reindeer on both sides of the riverbank.
Basically, wherever the reindeer ate, she would herd them aside, harvest the grass they liked, then dry it at home and store it in the house.
It wasn't until October that they returned. The baby was a month old, and their return was just in time to spend winter at home.
The hunter trudged along, pulling a cart behind him. Seated upon it was Ni Sha, cradling their infant in her arms. As they passed by the river, neighbors from two households rushed over to witness the spectacle.
It had been a long time since they had seen such a delicate newborn life. The baby slumbered peacefully in its mother's embrace, exuding a sweet, milky scent, with only its tiny face visible.
The villagers knew they would have to wait until after spring of the following year to pay a visit.
Besides the adults and the infant, there was also a sheep on the cart. Having walked for far too long, it had finally been placed at the rear of the cart, where it quietly chewed on its fodder.
