Chapter 763


    Winter looked up at the man who had taken her water bucket. He was strong and clearly a farmer, with


    dark skin and calloused hands. He was looking at her with concern, noticing how delicate she looked


    Despite being six months pregnant, Winter still appeared much more lively than the other women in the


    vige. Her skin was fair and wless except for her protruding belly. From behind, she still had a


    slender waistline that only revealed her pregnancy when viewed from the front.


    This made Winter stand out even more in the small vige.


    Rey was already 38 years old but he hadn''t found a wife yet. His family had been poor when he was


    younger and his parents were sickly until they passed away, leaving him alone.


    He made his living by fishing on the riverbank. He worked hard every day on his small boat to catch


    fish from dawn till dusk and earned some money along with it.


    But because of his age now, most of those who should have gotten married in their vige already did


    so long ago; there weren''t many unmarried women left like him anymore.


    So when Winter arrived half a year ago as an orphaned mother-to-be, Rey became interested in her


    right away.


    Winter not only looked beautiful but also had a kind heart that attracted Rey even more.


    He often helped Winter chop wood or brought fish or noodles to share with her.


    Many people by the riverbank watched them together which made Winter feel embarrassed


    sometimes.


    She reached out again to grab Rey''s water bucket, saying, "Rey, you don''t need to help me; I can do it


    myself."


    "You''re pregnant now; how can you carry water? I''m going back anyway, so let''s go together," replied


    Rey without hesitation as he picked up both buckets of water for them both.


    In the vige, they got drinking water from either fetching it directly from this clear river or carrying it


    home using buckets over their shoulders.


    Although life here wasn''t asfortable as living in cities where everything is convenient and


    modernized, but for Winter, this ce gave her peace like never before.


    The vigers were simple-minded folks who worked hard during daylight hours and rested at nightfall


    except for gossiping about others'' business which happened quite frequently too!


    Winter didn''t mingle much with these gossipy women though; instead she spent most of time alone


    inside her little wooden house doing needlework while waiting for childbirth soon approaching fast!


    She bought some fabrics herself, sewed clothes and nkets personally by hand just for her and


    rk''s baby!


    Thinking about how rk would be born into such primitive conditions instead of growing up within The


    Wilson Family saddened Winter deeply...


    However... the Wilson family were all ruthless and unscrupulous, and when rk transferred his


    property to her, Cameron took it all away.


    Luckily, she had taken her own secret money when she escaped. She had been with Wilson


    Entertainment for so many years and rk had never mistreated her. At least she had saved up some


    money, enough to livefortably with her child in this small vige.


    She just couldn''t show off her wealth.


    People''s hearts were unpredictable. When she first escaped from the Wilson family, she wandered


    around remote ces.


    Finally too tired to go on, she fainted at the entrance of the vige. It was the neighbor who brought her


    back and let her stay in this empty little wooden house.


    So usually she lived frugally and kept up with the vigers'' standard of living.


    She was afraid that if there was anything unusual about herself, the vige would not tolerate it.


    But she also knew that there were many men in this vige who coveted her if it weren''t for being


    pregnant...


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    She knew Rey was a good person but Winter''s heart died with rk long ago.


    Whenever it was quiet at night and Winter thought of rk, there would be a pain in her chest that


    made it hard to bear.


    She didn''t know how he was doing now; he got a one-year reprieve before his death sentence... The


    deadline wasing soon.


    Rey carried a water bucket back home for Winter. "Winter, if you need anything in the future, make sure


    you call me okay?"


    "Thank you, Rey." Winter smiled as she said, "I bought some fruit at market two days ago; have some."


    "You''re pregnant; eating more fruit is good for you but I don''t want any." Reyughed kindly, "I went


    fishing early this morning and caught several big lobsters for you; I''ll bring them overter."


    "No need..." Winter didn''t want to owe anyone favors since Rey always looked after them anyway. But


    Rey ignored what they said directly, turned around and walked away.


    After a while, he came back carrying severalrge lobsters, "This kind of lobster meat is tender yet


    nutritious; our poor vige can''tpare with cities where meat and milk are affluent. Eat well so your


    child will grow strong."


    Winter declined politely but then a woman passing by their door spoke sourly, "Winter, why won''t you


    take something free? If I were you, I''d take them right away!"


    "Phoebe, it''s not easy for Rey to catch fish, and catching shrimp must have taken some effort too. If I


    just enjoy the fruits of hisbor like that, it would be too much." Winter said as she pulled out two


    hundred dors from her pocket. "Rey, consider this me buying from you."


    Rey became anxious upon hearing this. "Buying what? People in our vige were born by the river and


    we''ve been eating these crayfish since we were young. It''s just amon thing. Why do you give me


    money?"


    He turned around angrily and walked away.


    Winter tried to catch up with him but he was tall and big while she had a big belly so she couldn''t keep


    up.


    "Really now, it''s just two crayfishes. You could have epted them," Phoebe rolled her eyes at Winter


    before remembering something else to say. "Oh yeah, did you hear? Our vige is going to be


    demolished soon so we have to move!"


    Phoebe loved gossiping and always had insider information about everything. She smiled at Winter as


    she continued speaking, "You''re really unlucky to settle down in our vige but now there won''t be any


    ce for you to live."


    Winter was confused. "What do you mean?"


    "I heard that a wealthy businessman from the city wants to buy ournd and build a resort here!


    Apparently there''s hot springs behind the mountain in our vige that they want develop into tourist


    attractions," Phoebe exined further before adding, "But who knows how much they''ll pay us? If they


    don''t give us enough money, then it wouldn''t be worth it."


    "After all, fishing is how we make a living here for generations; if they offer us peanuts, then how are


    we supposed to survive?" Phoebe ranted on before finally saying, "I''m worried about you though. Your


    baby is due soon, so where will you go if there''s no ce left?"


    Winter felt uneasy but having gone through many hardships already in life made her smile calmly


    instead. "I''ll figure something outter."


    Phoebe scoffed at her pretense before turning around abruptly.


    Winter sighed as she watched the two crayfishes squirming on the ground with their ws tied together


    unable escape or resist capture.


    She picked them up intending on steaming themter after cleaning them properly.


    As night fell slowly over the small house, Winter locked up her door securely before lying down on bed


    watching her belly move with each kick of her unborn child inside of her womb.


    She couldn''t help but stroke gently over where it kicked while whispering softly: "Baby... Mommy


    doesn''t have much ability right now; all I can do is hide away in this small vige like this so that both of


    us can stay safe."


    "Unfortunately... we''re about to be homeless again," she sighed, her heart filled with mixed emotions.


    "Snap!" A sudden noise.


    Winter sat up abruptly, listening intently for a moment before realizing there was no sound.


    Just as she began to doubt herself, the door to her room suddenly rattled. Someone was pushing it


    forcefully.


    She jumped in fright. "Who''s there?"


    The yard gate had been locked... Her heart tightened as she nervously stared at the thin door panel. It


    creaked pitifully as a somewhat drunken voice came from outside, "Winter, open up! I want to talk!"


    Listening to this unfamiliar voice made Winter''s face turn pale. "I have nothing to say to you. Leave."


    "You''re always wandering around the vige trying to seduce people! What? You want some kind of


    chaste reputation now that your man is dead?" The man continued his vulgar speech.


    "Don''t you feel lonely? Don''t you want someone holding you at night?" He sneered mockingly and


    added, "Let me show you how good it feels."


    Hearing these disgusting words made Winter nervous and scared; she wasn''t stupid and knew what


    this man wanted without guessing.


    Looking around for something that could be used as a weapon in self-defense when suddenly...


    Bang! The door was kicked open by the man!


    A drunken Devyn stumbled into her room reeking of alcohol. "Devyn?" Winter gritted her teeth in anger;


    this guy who had mocked her earlier belonged Phoebe!


    She rarely spoke with him but now he barged into her room like he owned it...


    Grabbing a mop handle nearby for protection, Winter shouted angrily, "Get out of here! Stop messing


    around in my house!"


    "Winter," Devyn said with an obscene grin on his face while lunging towards her aggressively. "Stop


    talking nonsense and let me taste how good you are!"


    Winter swung the mop handle at him but before she could run out of the doorway or call for help - he


    covered her mouth tightly dragging back inside where things were about get much worse...


    Suddenly - Bang! The yard gate was kicked open by Phoebe who led several vige women inside


    shouting, "This damn woman is really a bitch!"


    "She only knows how seduce men sinceing here."


    "My husband doesn''t even work anymore because of this woman!"


    "How can someone be so shameless? She''s pregnant yet still tries seducing men!"


    Before Winter could react further, Phoebe pped hard across her cheeks along with several other


    women joining in on beating her...


    Devyn saw his wifee in and didn''t dare to do anything else, quickly letting go of Winter.


    "Honey, she seduced me. She invited me toe see her at night during the day."


    Winter''s face was swollen and had a few scratches on it. She red at Devyn with her hair disheveled.


    "Shameless! You''re the one who wanted to bully me!"


    "My man is not that kind of person at all. It''s you who seduced him!" Phoebe cursed loudly.


    Several vige women also joined in, "Dunk her in a cage! Dunk her in a cage!"


    "Let''s go! What use is there for this kind of woman? She said her husband died, who knows if she


    cheated on him and got pregnant with an illegitimate child!"