Bai Suihe saw that they remained insistent and didn't say anything else. A maid had already prepared everything, so Bai Suihe washed up quickly and sent them away.
As night fell, Bai Suihe silently reviewed in her mind how she could arrange things to ensure nothing goes wrong.
"Mother," a tender voice sounded again beside her ear.
Bai Suihe immediately said joyfully, "Baby, are you okay now?"
"Mother, I'm fine. I know what you're worried about. Quickly get to the courtyard, there's something good there."
"... Baby, you might not know, but it's already dark outside. Except for the night watchwoman, our courtyard is locked."
With this back courtyard, where the maids dutifully maintain it every day, what good thing could there be?
"Mother, I'm not lying to you. You'll know once you go out. Hurry, time is running out." The baby's voice was somewhat anxious, even carrying a hint of a sob.
She had a hard time procuring this treasure for her mother and couldn't miss it.
Hearing this, Bai Suihe's heart softened. She immediately stood up without hesitation, holding a candlestick, "Mother is going out right now, don't worry."
She really couldn't comfort a child; if it cried, there wasn't a guide for how to handle it.
"Mother, walk slower, there's still some time." Feeling a violent shake, the baby urgently reminded her, still in her womb, hoping the mother wouldn't forget it.
Such a mother really needs someone to worry about, it seems it needs to make more preparations.
Although Bai Suihe didn't know why the baby wanted her in the courtyard, there were only a few lanterns hanging in the courtyard, and the gatekeeping woman had already started dozing off.
Because the Gu Family had a rule against taking concubines, in non-special situations, maids wouldn't stay in the courtyard.
"Third Young Madam, is there anything you need?" The startled watcher opened her eyes upon the noise and, seeing Bai Suihe holding a candlestick in the courtyard, quickly and respectfully asked.
"Mother, get her out of the way..."
"I suddenly feel a bit hungry, could you go to the large kitchen and see if there's anything to eat?"
Bai Suihe rubbed her stomach, a readily available excuse—she was pregnant, after all, and it was normal to feel hungry quickly.
The woman glanced at her stomach and quickly nodded, saying, "I'll go to the kitchen right away, Third Young Madam you should wait in your room."
Bai Suihe nodded to her, pointing to another silent woman, "You both go, try to bring more, I'm very hungry."
Although the women found it a bit strange, they didn't ask much. This was the inner residence, and beyond their door were several more, ensuring nothing would go wrong.
The two women left, even closing the door behind them.
Bai Suihe, "Baby, they're gone, what now?"
"Wait..." the baby's voice, albeit distant, seemed to deliver cool words, prompting Bai Suihe to humorously pat her belly, "Waiting for pies to fall from the sky?"
After saying this, she even glanced up at the sky, only to seemingly spot a shooting star...
Watching the shooting star come closer, Bai Suihe clutched her chest in shock, stepping back repeatedly.
"Bang," a pit suddenly appeared before her, and the earlier shooting star, still sparkling, flickered at her from within the pit.
Was this a fallen meteorite? Bai Suihe had only seen them in museums, and today one nearly hit her.
"Baby, is this what you meant? It nearly cost your mother her life." Bai Suihe felt she needed a moment to recover; this was what the baby called a good thing.
"Mother, it's exactly this. Quickly, take it." The baby urged anxiously, as the treasure was practically delivered to them—what was there to hesitate about?
One had to snap up the treasure before it flew away.
Bai Suihe squatted down, fixating on the meteorite before her. Eventually, unable to resist her curiosity, she reached out to touch it.
Feeling no danger, she extended her finger to pick it up, finding it peculiar that from such a height, it hadn't embedded deeply into the soil and came loose with a light pick.
Holding the meteorite in her palm, dusty and smaller than her hand, just as she planned to take it in for a wash, the meteor headed straight for her forehead. Before she could react, it directly entered her body.
How did Bai Suihe feel now? She was utterly bewildered, and her face turned pale as she sighed, I'm doomed!
"Mother... mother...," it was still the baby's voice that awakened her.
Bai Suihe touched her forehead, finding no hole, "Baby, what's going on?"
"I found this treasure for mother, focus and take a look." The baby's voice carried a hint of exhaustion, "Baby's going to sleep again, mother..."
As the voice faded, Bai Suihe gently stroked her belly, "Baby, sleep well and grow strong."
The commotion was quite large just now, yet strangely, nobody else in the residence was drawn here.
Bai Suihe, holding her stomach, squatted, placing the lamp back on the stand, returning to her room slowly.
She needed to think over this; a meteor falling from the sky and suddenly entering her body and disappearing was indeed mystical.
The baby had just mentioned focusing, and as she placed the lamp on the table, she immediately sat down to comply.
This...
She actually saw a small farmhouse, with fields both front and back, even a small orchard.
The golden finger she'd longed for, had it really fallen from the sky just like that? Why did it feel so unreal?
She wanted to enter and explore, but restrained herself because she heard movement outside, indicating the courtyard door was opening and the two women who went to the kitchen were likely returning.
"Third Young Madam," the two women appeared before the door, each carrying a food container and standing outside, "There were some leftovers in the kitchen, we brought them all for you."
"Just place it on the table, you've worked hard all day, go rest when there's nothing else."
Bai Suihe intended to send them away, but the two women were persistent, stating they would stay outside guarding, ready to assist.
Bai Suihe was aware of the household rule, and after they left, she secured the room door.
In this private space, she clutched her chest, feeling somewhat unreal.
Muttering, "I want to go inside."
Instantly, she found herself within the space, right in front of the house. It was not much different from outside, except with an added scent of greenery, likely from the crops in the field.
She'd spent time in the countryside as a child, and this was rice, yet to sprout.
Turning to examine the farmhouse, a large yard with six aligned and closed rooms.
Pushing open the ajar gate, she entered the courtyard.
Two jujube trees were planted on either side of the courtyard, already laden with fruit.
She wanted to ask the baby where this space came from, but she restrained herself.
The child was still small, needed to grow, and had worried too much already. As her mother, she had to be considerate.