Chen Yihan said that at the time, his older brother—Chen Xiao Qiu's father—had not yet risen to the position he held today. He knew very little, and when it came to the supernatural, he knew nothing at all and didn't believe in it. In his eyes, his wife and the elders in her family praying to gods and Buddha was simply a way of finding comfort.
That was until the Chen family found a fortune-teller.
The fortune-teller was apparently a genuine expert. He cast a divination and vaguely calculated that if Chen Xiao Qiu's mother stayed in People's Celebration City, there might be a sliver of hope for her.
It was a decision of some consequence for the Chen family.
Because over the next two or three years, Chen Xiao Qiu's father rose rapidly through the ranks and was transferred to another province. His career began to take off, which meant he would no longer be staying in his hometown.
With the thought that it was better to be safe than sorry, Chen Xiao Qiu's mother spent most of her time in People's Celebration City. After becoming pregnant again, she returned there to rest and prepare for the birth. Both families' elders lived in the city, so her decision wasn't unusual.
"...I was boarding at school then, and I went home on weekends. I was lucky enough to be home that day. I found my sister-in-law lying alone on the living room floor, surrounded by blood." Chen Yihan closed his eyes. "She'd miscarried—gone into premature labor. The baby had fallen into the pool of blood. There was no breath, no heartbeat."
I stared at him, stunned.
Chen Xiao Qiu... had been stillborn?
"I called an ambulance and helped her onto the sofa. The baby's umbilical cord was still attached, so